The impacts of rural–urban migrants’ remittances on the urban economy

Much literature finds that migrants’ remittances have positive effects on the labor-outsourcing regions; however, it should be noted that the massive funds outflow from the labor host regions poses an impact on these regions as well. Moreover, the existing literature sheds little light on the theoretical study of remittances within one economy. This article theoretically analyzes the economic impact of migrants’ remittances on the labor host regions, the urban regions, and establishes a three-sector general equilibrium model to investigate the impacts of an increase in remittances on wage, employment and welfare level in the urban regions from the short- and long-term perspectives. We find that an increase in remittances will reduce the output of the informal sector and decrease urban residents’ welfare in the short term, while it will increase the output of the informal sector and augment urban residents’ welfare in the long term.     

Effects of remittances on renewable energy consumption: Evidence from instrumental variable estimation with panel data

This study investigates the impact of remittances on renewable energy consumption (REC) using a panel of 25 top remittance-receiving countries for 1990–2018. We use a generalized two-stage least squares random effect model to estimate the impact of remittance on renewable energy use. Results showed that remittances and REC have a generally positive relationship among the studied nations. Governments may create a system to incentivize remittance-receiving households to adopt and utilize more carbon-neutral energy devices at a lower cost if they pay with remittances. This approach could lead to higher societal adoption and consumption of green energy.     

Real estate prices in Kenya: is there a bubble?

This study focuses on the determinants of the prices of houses in Nairobi, Kenya. The study finds housing prices to have positive relationships with GDP, diaspora remittances, lending rates, loans to real estate sector and cost of construction. A negative relationship exists between the house prices and inflation. Results of the cointegration tests indicate the existence of stable long-run relationships between house prices and each of GDP and NSE Index, while unstable relationships are reported for diaspora remittances and building costs. Using fractional integration, the results show higher orders of integration for the house price series compared with the other variables, though the study is indifferent about the existence of a house price bubble. Granger causality tests indicate there are no causal relationships between house prices and diaspora remittances. However, there are two way causalities between house prices and each of GDP, building costs and NSE Index. This negates the existence of a house price bubble.     

Remittances and energy poverty: Fresh evidence from developing countries

A growing body of literature highlights the importance of access to energy for economic growth and its crucial role in achieving other sustainable development goals. Given that this branch of the literature is relatively new, the determinants of energy poverty have not yet been fully explored. This study takes a fresh look and contributes to the growing literature by providing one of the first studies of the effect of remittances on energy poverty in developing countries. We employed the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square and the Dynamic Ordinary Least Square. The results survive a battery of robustness checks, providing robust evidence supporting the claim that remittances reduce energy poverty in developing countries. Further analyses from the three-stage least squares estimator enable us to identify income inequality, economic growth, and education as some transmission channels through which remittances may reduce energy poverty. This study provides important implications in terms of policy recommendations.     

The effects of trade openness on regional inequality in Mexico

This paper attempts to shed light on the debate about the effect of trade openness on regional inequality, by exploring the specific mechanisms through which this relationship might operate. It does so by testing the hypothesis, based on endogenous growth theory, that a region’s ability to capture the benefits of trade openness depends on key regional characteristics—its critical endowments—and therefore the degree to which trade will reduce regional inequality in a given country is mediated by the geographic distribution of its endowments. I test the hypothesis in Mexico, using statistical analysis of an original sub-national dataset that runs from 1940 to the present. The results indicate that opening up to trade benefits more those regions with lower levels of education, thereby tending to reduce regional inequality. However, opening up to trade also benefits more those regions with higher levels of income and infrastructure, thereby tending to increase regional inequality. This latter effect is greater than the former, so that the overall effect of trade openness is to increase regional inequality.     

Melbourne—Is there Life after Florida?1

This article reports on participation in local community groups from a postal survey of residents of four socio-economically contrasting suburbs in metropolitan Adelaide. A hierarchical logistic regression model was fitted to examine the socio-economic and neighbourhood-related determinants of participation in community groups within the local neighbourhood. In the final model, higher level of education, being female, longer length living in the neighbourhood, not being employed full time and having children under age 15 were significantly associated with local community group participation. Perceived social cohesion and higher ratings for local shops and recreational facilities were also associated with an increased likelihood of local community group participation. The implications for policies and initiatives that are designed to build ‘social capital’ within neighbourhoods are discussed.     

The regional effects of international migration on internal migration decisions of tertiary-educated workers

This study is a departure from the classic analysis of the effect of international migration on human capital. Using original data from a nationally representative survey in Moldova, we employ discrete choice and count-data models to evaluate the effect of international migration on the likelihood that “left-behind” household members with tertiary education migrate domestically. Thus, we propose an original framework of identifying a causal relationship between international and internal migration. The main findings support the hypothesis that international migration leads to an increase in the preference for urban jobs of tertiary-educated left-behind household members with peripheral rural origins.     

Agglomeration effects and the location of FDI: evidence from French first-time movers

This paper analyses the location choice determinants of French first-time investments in Europe, North America and North Africa. Firm locations are examined on two geographical scales, the national and regional level. The final sample comprises 307 location choices in 27 countries and across 45 regions. Both, location- and firm-specific variables are used for analyzing investment strategies. The results show that higher market demand and cultural proximity to France increase the likelihood of a particular location to be chosen, whereas higher labour cost and a larger distance between a foreign location and the headquarters deter FDI investments. Manufacturing and older companies are more likely to establish their first subsidiary in Eastern Europe. Furthermore, this study examines the extent to which French investors choose foreign locations that already host a significant number of French firms. The results obtained from regressions with various absolute and relative agglomeration measures suggest that French investors are rather attracted by firm cluster in general, or by the unobserved factors that led to the agglomeration in the first place, than by any nation-specific firm cluster.     

Regional clustering of human capital: school grades and migration of university graduates

The spatial distribution of human capital plays a fundamental role for regional differences in economic growth and welfare. This paper examines how individual ability indicated by the grade point average (GPA) from comprehensive school affects the probability of migration among young university graduates in Sweden. Using detailed microdata available from the Swedish population register, the study examines two cohorts of individuals who enrol in tertiary education. The results indicate that individual abilities reflected by the GPA are strongly influential when it comes to completing a university degree and for the migration decision after graduation. Moreover, there is a positive relationship between the GPA and the choice of migrating from regions with a relatively low tax base and a relatively small share of highly educated people in the population, while individuals with higher GPA tend to stay at a higher rate in more flourishing regions.     

Temporary migration and regional development in China

"A new approach to migration in developing countries is used in this paper, which integrates into the migration process the experiences of moving to cities, working in urban areas, and returning to the countryside. As a result, rural labor migration is directly linked to rural development through remittances, as well as through physical and human capital brought back by return migrants. Migration information is mainly drawn from China's 1995 1% National Population Survey.... It has been found that patterns of temporary migration are mainly shaped by the magnetic force of the growth-pole region. Job opportunities created there in labor-intensive industries have attracted large numbers of migrants, first from the surrounding rural areas and then from the peripheral regions, enhancing migration propensity in both areas."     

Multi-dimensional regional inequality as an alternative allocation mechanism For EU Structural Funds remittances: The case of Spain and Hungary

We propose a multidimensional approach to regional inequality as an alternative allocation mechanism for EU Structural Funds remittances based on per capita GDP, particularly after EU enlargement. The indicators of regional inequality are combined to a composite index by means of Maasoumi's aggregator function. We propose Partial Common Principal Component Aanalysis as the estimator of the weights for the aggregator function. Application of the multidimensional approach to Spain shows that there are substantial differences between the rankings of the regions obtained by means of the multidimensional approach and the traditional approach based on per capita GDP. For Hungary, which is less developed than Spain, the rankings differ less.     

Differential influences of population densification and economic growth on Europeans' physical activity and sitting time

BackgroundThere is limited knowledge about how global macro-environmental trends, such as regional-level population densification and economic growth, have influenced Europeans' physical activity and sitting time. The current study examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships of regional population density and gross domestic product (GDP) with Europeans' physical activity (PA) and sitting time. Additionally, the moderating effects of gender, age, education and occupation were examined.MethodsRepeated cross-sectional data from the Special Eurobarometer 2002, 2005 and 2013 (n = 51,820; 18–98 years) complemented with objective data on regional population density and GDP from Eurostat (259 regions, 24 countries) were analysed. Generalised linear mixed models were applied to estimate cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships of density and GDP with self-reported PA and sitting time.ResultsAn increase in population density of 1000 inhabitants/km² was related to a 9.04 times higher odds of meeting PA guidelines among those with 16 to 19 years of education, but no relationship was observed among those with <15 or >20 years of education. An increase in GDP was more strongly related to a higher odds of meeting PA guidelines among women than men. Furthermore an increase in GDP was related to a higher odds of meeting PA guidelines among those with at least 20 years of education, white collar workers or self-employed, retirees and students, but not among other education or occupation subgroups. For sitting time, an increase in population density of 1000 inhabitants/km² was related to a 93% decrease in the odds of a high sitting time across all subgroups. An increase in GDP was significantly negatively related to sitting time among students, but no relationships were observed among other subgroups.ConclusionsTo prevent widening of the health inequality gap, policy makers in countries undergoing population densification and economic growth should ensure that increased prosperity stimulates physical activity across all education and occupation subgroups.     

Spatial impact of factors influencing the achievement of the Europa2020 employment targets

In this paper, autologistic models are used to examine the impact of certain factors on the likelihood of European regions' ability to meet the employment target for both men and women for the year 2017 in 270 EU regions at NUTS 2 level. The results show the role of both regional and gender differences in forming spatial clusters, as well as the presence of spatial interaction in achievement of the target. Moreover, meeting the European strategy's education target and increasing a region's GDP levels also have a positive impact on achieving the targets. These findings may be of interest for the implementation of socio-economic policies at a regional level, aimed at raising the employment rate for men and women in European regions.     

中国风景园林专科专业设置沿革、现状 与分析

风景园林专科教育是风景园林教育的重要组成部分,包括园林技术、风景园林设计、园林工程技术等专业。在介绍中国风景园林专科专业发展的历史之后,为全面了解我国风景园林专科专业设置现状,对2022年园林技术、风景园林设计、园林工程技术3个专业在全国的招生情况进行了全面的调查,并从院校类别、省级行政区、城市及城市群、区域等维度进行分析比较。研究指出,风景园林类职业教育在全国各地区广泛分布,具有一定社会需求量,但区域布局需要优化,各专业需进一步加强自身办学特色。研究为风景园林专科专业的建设及增设提供了基础数据。     

Mobility,education and labor market outcomes for U.S. graduates: Is selectivity important?

The literature on human capital, and its positive effects on individuals and regional economies, is now vast. The linkages between human capital and migration have also found a fertile ground in recent years especially in Europe where many studies have focused on interregional migration of graduates and highly skilled individuals. However, the literature on this phenomenon in the USA is less developed. Using the SESTAT database from NSF, this paper aims at contributing to the understanding of inter-state migration behavior of graduates in the USA and its effects on their career outcomes. It builds on the existing literature not only by focusing specifically on the US context, but also incorporating into the empirical model a correction for the possible selection bias that arises from the dual relationship between migration propensity and human capital endowment. Our estimated Mincerian earning equations, corrected for migrant self-selectivity, show that indeed repeat migration is associated with higher average salaries, while late migration is associated with a salary penalty. As for the other control variables, our results are consistent with what has been found in the labor economics literature. Female workers suffer from a salary penalty, while experience, level of education and employer size are all associated with higher average salaries. The labor market also rewards different fields of study differently.     

教育公平视野下的我国十年高校扩招

简要阐述了高等教育的公平原则,并分析了十年扩招对高等教育入学机会、受教育过程及教育结果公平性的影响。     

What affects public acceptance of recycled and desalinated water?

This paper identifies factors that are associated with higher levels of public acceptance for recycled and desalinated water. For the first time, a wide range of hypothesized factors, both of socio-demographic and psychographic nature, are included simultaneously. The key results, based on a survey study of about 3000 respondents are that: (1) drivers of the stated likelihood of using desalinated water differ somewhat from drivers of the stated likelihood of using recycled water; (2) positive perceptions of, and knowledge about, the respective water source are key drivers for the stated likelihood of usage; and (3) awareness of water scarcity, as well as prior experience with using water from alternative sources, increases the stated likelihood of use. Practical recommendations for public policy makers, such as key messages to be communicated to the public, are derived.     

Neighbourhood related diversity,human capital and firm innovation

In this paper the importance of neighbourhood related diversity and firm human capital for firms' propensity to innovate is tested. Neighbourhood diversity is treated as a source of localized knowledge spillovers, that is, Jacobs' externalities, where diversity is measured in terms of industries and employee education. The results show that firms in metropolitan regions benefit from related industry diversity while service sector firms in rural regions are more innovative in neighbourhoods with more related diversity in education. Firm characteristics such as education and skills among the employees provide to be strong determinants of firm innovativeness, especially for firms outside metropolitan regions.     

The relationship between social distance and treatment attrition for juvenile offenders

Although recent work has begun to identify factors associated with risk of treatment attrition for juvenile offenders, few of these studies have considered how community context is related to the completion of juvenile offender treatment. The current work examines the relationship between social distance and treatment attrition for juvenile offenders. Analyzing a data set of 5,517 juvenile offenders adjudicated in Philadelphia, the results of cross‐classified hierarchical models indicate that social distance, operationalized in two ways that consider perceptions of both the ethnic composition and level of disadvantage within neighborhoods, does not directly predict the likelihood of treatment attrition. However, when considered with the ethnicity of the juvenile offenders in the form of an interaction effect, social distance based on perceptions of ethnicity within neighborhoods is shown to predict the likelihood of treatment attrition, and to be more acute for young non‐White offenders. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Creating value from diverse knowledge in megaproject innovation ecosystems

Although considerable emphasis has been placed on innovation in megaprojects research, it remains unclear how to obtain valuable outputs in megaproject innovation ecosystems. In view of the key role of knowledge in innovation activities, this study aims to explore the latent mechanism underlying the relationship between knowledge input and output quality, and how this relationship is impacted by ecosystem peers. We argue that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between the size of knowledge base and the likelihood of high-quality output as a result of both the creation-potential effect and the integration-difficulty effect caused by the increase in knowledge base size. An empirical analysis of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge project confirms it and shows that the inverted U-shaped curve will be flattened as the relative search breadth of ecosystem peers increases. Our findings deepen the theoretical understanding of innovation activities in megaprojects, and provide new insights into co-creation in megaprojects innovation ecosystems.