The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Consumption: Evidence from Weekly UnionPay Card Transaction Data in Shanghai

The new coronavirus outbreak provides a genuinely exogenous unanticipated shock that enables this study to identify its impact on offline consumption, using unique weekly UnionPay card transaction data in 16 districts of 206 business circles in Shanghai, after China’s outbreak in late January 2020. Based on the difference-in-differences estimation strategy, this study finds that weekly offline consumption fell by 1.843 million RMB, and offline consumption frequency fell 447 times per business circle during the 20 subsequent weeks. It also finds a significant heterogeneity effect on different districts and categories, different times in a day of offline consumption spending in the post-COVID-19 pandemic window period, in which the government implemented different level policy responses for major public health emergencies. These findings suggest that offline consumption fell drastically after the unanticipated pandemic shock, which also means that policymakers need to be cautious in achieving a balance between economic recovery and epidemic prevention and control.

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Evaluating the Impact of Floods on Housing Price Using a Spatial Matching Difference-In-Differences (SM-DID) Approach

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13020804 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 804

Author(s):

Jean Dubé ◽

Maha AbdelHalim ◽

Nicolas Devaux

Keyword(s):

Housing Price ◽

Hedonic Pricing ◽

Environmental Amenities ◽

Sale Price ◽

Difference In Differences ◽

Hedonic Pricing Model ◽

The Difference ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact ◽

The City

Many applications have relied on the hedonic pricing model (HPM) to measure the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for urban externalities and natural disasters. The classic HPM regresses housing price on a complete list of attributes/characteristics that include spatial or environmental amenities (or disamenities), such as floods, to retrieve the gradients of the market (marginal) WTP for such externalities. The aim of this paper is to propose an innovative methodological framework that extends the causal relations based on a spatial matching difference-in-differences (SM-DID) estimator, and which attempts to calculate the difference between sale price for similar goods within “treated” and “control” groups. To demonstrate the potential of the proposed spatial matching method, the researchers present an empirical investigation based on the case of a flood event recorded in the city of Laval (Québec, Canada) in 1998, using information on transactions occurring between 1995 and 2001. The research results show that the impact of flooding brings a negative premium on the housing price of about 20,000$ Canadian (CAN).

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Evaluation of the impact of public investment programs on social and economic performance of territories

Voprosy Ekonomiki ◽

10.32609/0042-8736-2019-1-109-123 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 109-123

Author(s):

I. E. Limonov ◽

M. V. Nesena

Keyword(s):

Bayesian Modeling ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Public Investment ◽

Difference In Differences ◽

The Public ◽

Export Activity ◽

Regional Investment ◽

The Difference ◽

The Impact ◽

Development Institution

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of public investment programs on the socio-economic development of territories. As a case, the federal target programs for the development of regions and investment programs of the financial development institution — Vnesheconombank, designed to solve the problems of regional development are considered. The impact of the public interventions were evaluated by the “difference in differences” method using Bayesian modeling. The results of the evaluation suggest the positive impact of federal target programs on the total factor productivity of regions and on innovation; and that regional investment programs of Vnesheconombank are improving the export activity. All of the investments considered are likely to have contributed to the reduction of unemployment, but their implementation has been accompanied by an increase in social inequality.

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The Use of Multimedia and its Impact on Bangladeshi EFL Learners at Tertiary Level

International Journal of Language Education ◽

10.26858/ijole.v4i2.12150 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 150

Author(s):

Farzana Sharmin Pamela Islam

Keyword(s):

Language Learning ◽

Academic Writing ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

English Language ◽

Capital City ◽

Tertiary Level ◽

Language Classroom ◽

The Difference ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact

As 21st century is the era of modern technologies with different aspects, it offers us to make the best use of them. After tape recorder and overhead projector (OHP), multimedia has become an important part of language classroom facilities for its unique and effective application in delivering and learning lesson. Although in many parts of Bangladesh, a South Asian developing country, where English enjoys the status of a foreign language, the use of multimedia in teaching and learning is viewed as a matter of luxury. However, nowadays the usefulness and the necessity of it are well recognized by the academics as well as the government. The study aims to focus on the difference between a traditional classroom void of multimedia and multimedia equipped classrooms at university level by explaining how multimedia support the students with enhanced opportunity to interact with diverse texts that give them more in-depth comprehension of the subject. It also focuses on audio-visual advantage of multimedia on the students’ English language learning. The study has followed a qualitative method to get an in-depth understanding of the impact of using multimedia in an English language classroom at tertiary level. For this purpose, the data have been collected from two different sources. Firstly, from students’ written response to an open ended question as to their comparative experience of learning lessons with and without multimedia facilities; and secondly, through observation of English language classes at a private university of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. The discussion of the study is limited to the use of multimedia in English language classroom using cartoons, images and music with a view to enhance students’ skills in academic writing, critical analysis of image and critical appreciation of music. For this purpose, cartoons in English language, images from Google and music from You Tube have got focused discussion in this paper.

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Institutional Reforms and Their Impact on Economic Growth and Investment in Developing Countries

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13094941 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 4941

Author(s):

Jin Zhao ◽

Ghulam Rasool Madni ◽

Muhammad Awais Anwar ◽

Syeda Masooma Zahra

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Economic Prosperity ◽

Institutional Reforms ◽

Difference In Differences ◽

Human Interactions ◽

Political Reforms ◽

Vast Literature ◽

Treatment Analysis ◽

The Difference ◽

The Impact

It is widely accepted that the economic and social system may be more efficient by reforming institutions. Institutional reforms are attempts to change the rules affecting human interactions and these reforms are fundamental for development and economic prosperity. The reforms can be divided into two categories; political and economic institutional reforms. It is need of the hour to determine the category of reform that is more suitable for developing countries. Moreover, a vast literature describes the impact of institutional reforms but little focused on exploring their impacts on macroeconomic activities. So, this study is an effort to determine the impact of institutional reforms on macroeconomic variables by considering the panel data of 122 developing countries covering the time span from 1996 to 2019. The study applied treatment analysis using the difference-in-differences technique to gauge the effects of reforms. Besides, it will be interesting to know the causes triggering the institutional reforms in developing countries. The findings of the study reveal that economic reforms are more important as compared with political reforms to grow the economies. The countries focusing on political reforms are not able to overcome the economic crisis. Moreover, both types of reforms do not cause each other in these countries.

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The impact of a ‘milking the COW’ campaign in a regional hospital in Singapore

Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control ◽

10.1186/s13756-021-00948-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Surinder Kaur M. S. Pada ◽

Poh Lishi ◽

Kim Sim Ng ◽

Sarathamani Rethenam ◽

Lilibeth Silagan Alenton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hand Hygiene ◽

Pathogenic Bacteria ◽

Mixed Model ◽

Mixed Model Analysis ◽

Colony Forming Units ◽

Skin Flora ◽

Before And After ◽

The Difference ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Computerisation of various processes in hospitals and reliance on electronic devices raises the concern of contamination of these devices from the patient environment. We undertook this study to determine if an attached hand hygiene device that unlocks the screen of a computer on wheels (COW) on usage can be effective in decreasing the microbiological burden on computer keyboards. Methods An electronic hand sanitizer was integrated onto the COW. A prospective cohort study with a crossover design involving 2 control and 2 intervention wards was used. The study end point was the number of colony forming units found on the keyboards. Bacteria were classified into 4 main groups; pathogenic, skin flora, from the environment or those thought to be commensals in healthy individuals. We then used a mixed effects model for the statistical analysis to determine if there were any differences before and after the intervention. Results Thirty-nine keyboards were swabbed at baseline, day 7 and 14, with 234 keyboards cultured, colony forming units (CFUs) counted and organisms isolated. By mixed model analysis, the difference of mean bacteria count between intervention and control for week 1 was 32.74 (− 32.74, CI − 94.29 to 28.75, p = 0.29), for week 2 by 155.86 (− 155.86, CI − 227.45 to − 83.53, p < 0.0001), and after the 2-week period by 157.04 (− 157.04, CI − 231.53 to − 82.67, p < 0.0001). In the sub-analysis, there were significant differences of pathogenic bacteria counts for the Intervention as compared to the Control in contrast with commensal counts. Conclusion A hand hygiene device attached to a COW may be effective in decreasing the microbiological burden on computer keyboards.

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The Impact of Health Risk Communication: A Study on the Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika Epidemics in Curaçao, Analyzed by the Social Amplification of Risk Framework (SARF)

Qualitative Health Research ◽

10.1177/10497323211007815 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 104973232110078

Author(s):

Milou J. F. van Goudoever ◽

Vaitiare I. C. Mulderij-Jansen ◽

Ashley J. Duits ◽

Adriana Tami ◽

Izzy I. Gerstenbluth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Communication ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Social Amplification Of Risk ◽

Vector Borne Diseases ◽

News Reports ◽

Risk Framework ◽

The Government ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact ◽

Risk Reducing

Epidemics of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika have been threatening the Caribbean. Since risk communication (RC) plays a fundamental role in preventing and controlling diseases understanding how RC works is essential for enabling risk-reducing behavior. This multimethod qualitative study compares news reports with local’s and health professional’s perspectives, currently lacking in RC research. It was found that RC strategies were obstructed by a lack of governmental structure, organization, and communication. The content analysis showed that the majority of newspaper articles contained negative reporting on the government. Furthermore, this study shows how trust and heuristics attenuate or amplify people’s risk perceptions and possibly positively and negatively influence people’s risk-reducing behavior. A transcending approach (e.g., structural, cooperative, and multidisciplinary) of the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases and the corresponding RC is recommended.

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Assessment of the Construction of a Climate Resilient City: An Empirical Study Based on the Difference in Differences Model

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18042082 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 2082

Author(s):

Zifeng Liang

Keyword(s):

Significant Contribution ◽

Evaluation Method ◽

Regional Climate ◽

Chinese Government ◽

Infrastructure Development ◽

Grey System ◽

Difference In Differences ◽

Climate Resilience ◽

The Difference ◽

The Impact

Facing climate risks has become a common problem for mankind and a topic of great importance for the Chinese government. To thoroughly implement the overall requirements for the construction of an ecological civilization and effectively improve the capacity of cities to adapt to climate change, China launched the pilot construction of “Climate Resilient Cities” in 2017. In this paper, 16 prefecture level cities in Anhui Province of China were selected as the research objects, and the multi-level grey system evaluation method was used to measure the climate resilience of these regions. We used the difference in differences method to evaluate the effect of the pilot policy of “Climate Resilient Cities.” The pilot policies of the “Climate Resilient Cities” showed a significant contribution to the regional climate resilience, and, after isolating the impact of other factors on the regional climate resilience, the pilot policies of the “Climate Resilient Cities” increased the climate resilience of the pilot cities by four percentage points. The pilot policies of the “Climate Resilient Cities” had a significant contribution to the urban infrastructure development and ecological space optimization, as well as non-significant impacts to the urban water security, emergency management capacity-building, and science and technology innovation initiatives.

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Automatic Promotion and Student Dropout: Evidence from Uganda, Using Propensity Score in Difference in Differences Model

Journal of Education and Learning ◽

10.5539/jel.v7n2p191 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 191 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jeje Moses Okurut

Keyword(s):

Propensity Score ◽

Dropping Out ◽

Probit Regression ◽

Difference In Differences ◽

Student Dropout ◽

Analysis Technique ◽

Analysis Strategy ◽

Negative Effect ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact

The impact of automatic promotion practice on students dropping out of Uganda’s primary education was assessed using propensity score in difference in differences analysis technique. The analysis strategy was instrumental in addressing the selection bias problem, as well as biases arising from common trends over time, and permanent latent differences between the treated and control groups. Probit regression results indicate a negative effect on the probability of students dropping out, but only at P3. There seems to be no policy effect at P6. Decomposing the effect incidence along school location shows the policy as having had an effect only on P3 students studying in urban schools; otherwise, there is no effect among students at P3 rural, P6 rural or P6 Urban. In terms of the gender component, automatic promotion appears to have had an effect on P3 male and female students and no effect on either sex at P6.

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High-speed Railways and Environmental Pollution: The Mediating Effect of Environmental Regulations and Moderating Effect of Officials' Political Promotion Incentives

10.21203/rs.3.rs-946787/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Liping Li ◽

Yuandi Wang ◽

Qisheng Chen ◽

Jiang Wu ◽

Ximeng Jia

Keyword(s):

Environmental Pollution ◽

High Speed ◽

Environmental Regulations ◽

Mediating Effect ◽

Trend Test ◽

Difference In Differences ◽

Mediating Role ◽

The Difference ◽

The Government

Abstract This study examines the relationship between high-speed railways (HSRs) and environmental pollution by focusing on the mediating role of environmental regulations and the moderating role of officials’ political promotion incentives. Based on a sample of 113 prefecture-level cities, with balanced panel data in China from 2009 to 2017, using the difference-in-differences (DID) model, the results show that HSRs can reduce environmental pollution via the mediating effect of environmental regulations. Additionally, high officials’ political promotion incentives can strengthen this mediating effect. A propensity score matching with difference-in-differences (PSM-DID) model is used to solve endogenous problems, and a placebo test and a parallel trend test indicate that these results are robust. This study encourages the government to rationally promote the construction of high-speed railways and expand the social advantages of high-speed railways to improve environmental regulations and reduce environmental pollution.

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Pollinator Insects and their Impact on Crop Yield of Mustard in Kusma, Parbat, Nepal

Journal of Institute of Science and Technology ◽

10.3126/jist.v24i2.27259 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 68-75

Author(s):

Narayan Subedi ◽

Indra Prasad Subedi

Keyword(s):

Crop Yield ◽

Fruit Set ◽

Apis Cerana ◽

Qualitative And Quantitative ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Difference ◽

Four Blocks ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact ◽

Pod Length

The diversity of insect pollinators and their impact on crop yield of mustard were studied in Kusma, Parbat, Nepal from December 2018 to April 2019 in four blocks with each having 12 m2 areas. Two plots; treatment and control, were established in each block. Insect diversity was observed from 8 to 16 hrs, with the interval of an hour for three consecutive months (Jan-Feb). Eighty mustard plants were randomly selected, 40 from each plot just before flowering to find the impact of insect pollination on crop yield and these selected plants were examined for various qualitative and quantitative parameters. Altogether 16 species of pollinator insects belonging to five orders and nine families were recorded. Hymenoptera (36 %) was the most abundant order visiting mustard flowers followed by Diptera (34 %), Coleoptera (17 %), Lepidoptera (12 %) and Heteroptera (1 %). The most abundant family was Apidae (35.64 %), followed by Syrphidae (31.84 %). Apis cerana and Eristalis sp. were the most important pollinator insects of mustard. Seven species were found foraging both on pollen and nectar, four species foraging only on nectar and remaining five as casual visitors. The peak foraging activities of majority of the insects were observed between 12 hr to 14 hr. A significant difference was observed in the number of pods (59.80 ± 1.967 and 70.47 ± 2.431), fruit set (70.55 ± 1.362 and 80.94 ± 0.638), number of seeds per pods (16.70 ± 0.248 and 19.30 ± 0.330), diameter of seed (0.133 ± 0.2547 and 0.275 ± 0.0051) and weight of 100 dry seeds (0.33 ± 0.058 and 0.48 ± 0.023) in control and treatment plots whereas, the difference was non-significant in case of pod length between control and treatment plots (P=0.163).

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