Donor Fragmentation, Aid Shocks, and Violent Political Conflict

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 643-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raynee Gutting ◽  
Martin C. Steinwand

Recent debates have focused on the negative role of the proliferation of foreign aid facilities and donor fragmentation for development outcomes and recipient country institutions. This article investigates an overlooked positive side effect of donor proliferation. With an increasing number of donors, exposure to negative aid shocks decreases, as well as the impact of such shocks on violent political conflict. Using data on 106 recipient countries for the years 1970 to 2008 and employing event history and mediation analysis, we find strong evidence that fragmentation significantly reduces the risk for political destabilization associated with aid shocks.

Author(s):  
Sarah Anne Reynolds

Abstract Background Research finds center-based child care typically benefits children of low socio-economic status (SES) but few studies have examined if it also reduces inequalities in developmental disadvantage. Objective I test if the length of time in center-based care between ages one and three years associates with child development scores at age three years, focusing on the impact for groups of children in the lower tercile of child development scores and in the lower SES tercile. Method Using data from 1,606 children collected in a nationally representative Chilean survey, I apply a value-added approach to measure gains in child development scores between age one and three years that are associated with length of time in center-based child care. Results Disadvantages at age one year were associated with lower child development scores at age three years. No benefits of additional time in center-based care were found for the non-disadvantaged group, but positive associations were found between more time in center-based care and child development outcomes for children with the SES disadvantage only. Center-based care was not associated with child development trajectories of children with lower child development scores at age one year, no matter their SES status. Conclusions There is evidence that Chilean center-based child care reduces SES inequality in child development scores between ages one and three years, but only if children already were not low-scorers at age one year.


Author(s):  
Bich Huy Hai Bui ◽  
Minh Tien Pham

The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions of entrepreneurial motivations and barriers and to assess their influence on the entrepreneurial intention of engineering students. Using data of 350 respondents who are students at HCMC University of Technology, VNU-HCM, the study identifies the key motives and barriers towards entrepreneurship. The data are then subjected to statistical regression in order to identify causal relationships between the motivations, barriers, and entrepreneurial intention. The results indicate that creativity, independence, and economic motivation have a positive impact on entrepreneurial intention and that the most important motivator for the entrepreneurial intention of engineering students is creativity. On the contrary, lack of knowledge is the only barrier (an internal barrier) that impedes the students' intention of entrepreneurship. These results imply that the students' entrepreneurial intention is more affected by internal factors (for both motivations and barriers) than external factors. In terms of the relative power of the effects of motives and barriers on students' entrepreneurial intention, the results suggest that the impact of motivations is generally more powerful than that of barriers. The findings have important implications for educators and policymakers.


2019 ◽  
pp. 1-30
Author(s):  
MOHAMMAD ASHRAFUL FERDOUS CHOWDHURY ◽  
MOHAMED ARIFF ◽  
MANSUR MASIH ◽  
IZLIN ISMAIL

This study examines the impact of foreign aid on the institutional quality (IQ) of the OIC countries. Using the data of OIC countries for the three-year average period from 1991 to 2016, the system GMM finds that aid in general deteriorates the IQ for the aid recipient countries. However, quantile regression suggests that the negative impact of foreign aid on institutional quality (IQ) is relatively greater in the countries where the existing quality of institution is poor. The findings of the study suggest that improving the existing capacity is essential for reaping the optimum benefit of foreign aid on institutional development.


Economies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 96
Author(s):  
Candon Johnson ◽  
Robert Schultz ◽  
Joshua C. Hall

This paper investigates the impact of having open 400 meter (400 m) runners on NCAA relay teams. Using data from 2012–2016 containing the top 100 4 × 400 m in each NCAA Division relay times for each year, it is found that more 400 m specialists lead to an increase in the overall performance of the team, measured by a decrease in relay times. The effect is examined across Division I–III NCAA track teams. The results are consistent across each division. We view this as a test of the role of specialization on performance. Using runners who specialize in 400 m races should increase overall team performance as long as specialization does not lead to an inefficient allocation of team human capital. An additional performance measure is used examining the difference between projected and actual relay times. Divisions I and II are found to perform better than projected with an increase in 400 m runners, but there is no effect found in Division III.


2020 ◽  
pp. 097215092096507
Author(s):  
Abdalwali Lutfi ◽  
Manaf Al-Okaily ◽  
Adi Alsyouf ◽  
Abdallah Alsaad ◽  
Abdallah Taamneh

In this research, we look at the antecedents of accounting information system (AIS) usage and their impact on the effectiveness of AIS. Therefore, drawing upon the resource-based view (RBV) and the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework, we propose an integrated model to investigate the precursors and impacts of AIS utilization among Jordanian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The model so proposed incorporates the usage of AIS and its performance aspects into one framework. The current research utilized a self-administered questionnaire survey to collect data. Using data drawn from 186 respondents, the research model was verified empirically in the context of Jordanian SMEs. The findings revealed that compatibility, competitive pressure, organizational readiness, the commitment of the owners/managers and government supports have exerted a significant influence on the usage of AIS. In addition, the results demonstrated that AIS usage significantly influenced the effectiveness of AIS. In addition, firm size moderated the effect of AIS usage on AIS effectiveness. The findings of the current study afford insights as to how firms might garner improved usage of an AIS to gain better firm performance and provide contributions to the small but developing stream of research examining both antecedents and impacts of IS/IT usage.


2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 378-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Ferris ◽  
Cheneal Puljević ◽  
Florian Labhart ◽  
Adam Winstock ◽  
Emmanuel Kuntsche

Abstract Aims This exploratory study aims to model the impact of sex and age on the percentage of pre-drinking in 27 countries, presenting a single model of pre-drinking behaviour for all countries and then comparing the role of sex and age on pre-drinking behaviour between countries. Methods Using data from the Global Drug Survey, the percentages of pre-drinkers were estimated for 27 countries from 64,485 respondents. Bivariate and multivariate multilevel models were used to investigate and compare the percentage of pre-drinking by sex (male and female) and age (16–35 years) between countries. Results The estimated percentage of pre-drinkers per country ranged from 17.8% (Greece) to 85.6% (Ireland). The influence of sex and age on pre-drinking showed large variation between the 27 countries. With the exception of Canada and Denmark, higher percentages of males engaged in pre-drinking compared to females, at all ages. While we noted a decline in pre-drinking probability among respondents in all countries after 21 years of age, after the age of 30 this probability remained constant in some countries, or even increased in Brazil, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States. Conclusions Pre-drinking is a worldwide phenomenon, but varies substantially by sex and age between countries. These variations suggest that policy-makers would benefit from increased understanding of the particularities of pre-drinking in their own country to efficiently target harmful pre-drinking behaviours.


2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsuya Oi ◽  
Steven Haas

Socioeconomic conditions in childhood predict cognitive functioning in later life. It is unclear whether poor childhood socioeconomic status (SES) also predicts the acceleration of cognitive decline. One proposed pathway is via cardiometabolic risk, which has been linked to both childhood SES and earlier onset of cognitive impairment. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we examine the impact of childhood SES on cognitive trajectories over six years and test whether it operates through increased cardiometabolic risk and adult SES. We find that higher childhood SES leads to slower cognitive decline, partially due to lower levels of cardiometabolic risk. However, these pathways operate entirely through adult socioeconomic attainment. The results have important implications for future trends in cognitive population health within the context of growing social inequality and reduced social mobility.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Junjuan Du ◽  
Zheng-Qun Cai

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are considered to have potential innovation capabilities and can create new market opportunities. Venture capital can financially support entrepreneurial activities for economic growth and governs and nurtures the growth of the SMEs. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence mechanism of venture capital on the development of SMEs in agri-food industry. Based on the enterprise growth theory, this study constructed an evaluation model, consisting of technological innovation, profitability, development capability, and solvency, to examine the effect of venture capital on the growth of agricultural SMEs. Using data of 40 agricultural SEMs from the SME and ChiNext boards in China, the empirical analysis has been conducted with the multivariate regression analysis method. The results show that the venture capital can significantly improve the technology innovation, profitability, and growth ability of SMEs. For the solvency of SMEs, the promoting role of venture capital is not obvious. Finally, the practical implications of this study for venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and regulators are discussed.


2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-100
Author(s):  
Gary A. Wagner ◽  
Russell S. Sobel

Abstract We provide new evidence regarding the role of interest groups in influencing the size and growth of government spending. Using data on the change in individual legislators’ total voted and sponsored spending from the status quo, we explore this relationship in a manner closer to the public choice tradition. Examining the impact diat interest groups have on individual legislators’ preferences for new spending, we find that interest groups within a legislator’s district exhibit more influence on the short-run growth of the budget than do Political Action Committees.


1997 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
YAW OHENEBA-SAKYI ◽  
BAFFOUR K. TAKYI

Using data from the 1988 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, this study examines couples' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics in the context of their attitudes towards family planning, and the impact of these factors on the use of contraceptives. The characteristics of the husbands and their influence on wives' behaviour illustrate the role of intra-household relations between men and women and their effect on fertility-related behaviour in patriarchal African societies.


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