Research in Economics and Management (REM) is the official open access journalof Scholink. In order to give all researchers equal opportunity to share their ideas, REM adopts double-blind peer-review. REM focuses on scholarly research and practical experience of a wide range of research areas within the general field of economics and management, which covers, but is not limited to the following areas: Banking Marketing Accounting Economic Growth Economic Policies Economic Indicators Industrial Economics International Economics Managerial Economics Financial Management Knowledge Management Decision and Risk Analysis Human resource management Management research methods Project and Quality Management Purchasing and Supply Management Information technology management Innovation Management We welcome scholars and researchers engaged in the related fields to submit their manuscripts to REM. Both of online submission and E-mail submission (rem@scholink.org) are acceptable. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Index/List/Archive CNKI Scholar CrossRef LinkedIn OALib Research Bib Refseek academic search engine Yahoo Academia.edu Library and Archives Canada Lockss PKP Open Archives Harvester Google Scholar Canadiana Standard Periodical Directory Academic Journal Articles AMICUS Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (BASE) CrossCheck Cosmos Impact Factor Directory of Research Journals Indexing (DRJI) Electronic Journals Library (EZB) Global Impact Factor (GIF) Journalseek JournalTOCs NewJour Scientific Indexing Service (SIS) Universal Impact Factor Open J-Gate Base Search Worldcat ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Open access: Research in Economics and Management is available online to the reader "without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself." Peer review: Research in Economics and Management takes peer review policy. Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people of similar competence to the producers of the work (peers).
Authors who publish with this journal must agree to the following terms: Copyrights for articles published in our are retained by the authors. Authors should promise that their works are entirely original, and all the references in their works should be appropriately cited or quoted. The works have not been published previously. The behavior of submitting the same work to other journals is unacceptable. The journal editor has the right to edit the format of works.
Impact of Nigerian Energy Challenge and Global Climate Change Politics on Consumer Welfare: Nexus with ECOWAS Member Countries
Nigeria faces a dual challenge: addressing its domestic energy crisis while navigating global climate change policies aimed at decarbonizing the energy sector. This paper explores the impact of Nigeria’s energy challenges and global climate policies on consumer welfare, focusing on the nexus within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). With approximately 71% of Nigeria’s population lacking access to modern energy services, energy shortages and high costs limit economic development, exacerbating poverty and inequality. Global climate commitments, such as the Paris Agreement, add complexities, requiring Nigeria to shift toward cleaner energy sources. Additionally, the country’s reliance on fossil fuels increases vulnerability to international price fluctuations and environmental challenges. As Nigeria’s energy policies resonate across ECOWAS, regional energy integration initiatives, such as the West African Power Pool (WAPP), present opportunities to enhance energy security and consumer welfare. This study emphasizes the need for sustainable energy strategies that balance climate obligations with economic development to improve living standards across Nigeria and the broader ECOWAS region.
Copyright (c) 2025 Oruonye, E.D., Babanyaya, B.M., Miftahu Idris, Anger, Robert Terhemen http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Set of Criteria for Assessing the Competencies of Managerial Staff in Industrial Zone Enterprises in Vietnam in the Context of Digital Transformation
Managerial staff play a vital role in the success and sustainable development of enterprises operating within industrial zones in Vietnam. In the context of rapid digital transformation driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, enhancing the capacity and effectiveness of this workforce has become a strategic priority. This paper proposes a comprehensive set of criteria for assessing the competencies of managerial staff in industrial zone enterprises. These criteria are divided into two main groups: (1) criteria for evaluating individual competencies - including knowledge, skills, and personal qualities/attitudes; and (2) criteria for assessing collective work performance, including departmental effectiveness and overall business outcomes. The proposed framework is built upon both theoretical foundations and empirical insights from previous research, serving as a useful tool for organizations, policymakers, and HR professionals in developing, managing, and improving the capacity of their managerial teams to meet the evolving demands of the digital era.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dao Luong Binh http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Strengthening Local Governance in Bangladesh: A Critical Analysis of Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Interventions
Local governance is central to democratic development, ensuring participatory, transparent, and accountable decision-making while fostering inclusive service delivery. This study critically examines the Union Parishad system in Bangladesh, focusing on its effectiveness in promoting equitable governance, particularly for marginalized groups and women. Using a mixed-methods approach—incorporating key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and desk reviews—the research explores policy frameworks, systemic challenges, and opportunities for strengthening local governance. Findings reveal that bureaucratic inefficiencies, financial dependency, political interference, and socio-cultural barriers significantly hinder governance effectiveness. While Union Parishads play a pivotal role in local service delivery and development planning, their impact remains constrained by weak institutional capacity, lack of financial autonomy, and limited public engagement. The study highlights the urgent need for governance reforms, emphasizing gender-responsive strategies, increased financial independence, community participation, and digital governance solutions. Policy recommendations include strengthening legal enforcement, enhancing financial decentralization, promoting participatory governance, and leveraging digital platforms to improve transparency and efficiency. By addressing these governance gaps, Union Parishads can evolve into more effective and inclusive institutions, contributing to equitable local development in Bangladesh. This study provides actionable insights for policymakers, development practitioners, and local government stakeholders, paving the way for a more resilient and participatory local governance system.
Copyright (c) 2025 Faridul Julfiker http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Research on Policy Optimization for Elderly Escort Services for Medical Consultations: A Case Study of Elderly Populations Across Administrative Regions in Beijing
Over recent years, as the aging of society has intensified, elderly patients have encountered numerous challenges when seeking medical services, against the backdrop of hospital informatization and process networking. Consequently, escort services for medical consultations have emerged. The Chinese government has facilitated the professional and standardized development of these services through both macro strategies and local policies. However, issues persist, including the lack of unified standards and market regulations, low public awareness and social credibility, unclear definitions of legal liability risks, and inability to meet the needs of health-vulnerable elderly groups. By distributing questionnaires to elderly individuals across various districts in Beijing and employing diverse analytical methods, this study identified the primary demands for escort services among the public and provided policy recommendations: establishing a three-tiered service system, standardizing training and certification, and promoting policy support and technological empowerment. Addressing these demands through tiered responses, standardizing service standards, and strengthening technological policy support will contribute to the sustainable development of escort services for medical consultations.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yanjie Fang, Jiacheng Zhang http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Struggle for Life: Gender, Informality, and Resistance Among Women Construction Workers in Bangladesh
This article examines the complex and often overlooked experiences of Bangladeshi women employed in the construction sector. These women face intersecting challenges including gender-based discrimination, social stigma, occupational hazards, and economic exploitation. Based on qualitative fieldwork including in-depth interviews with 20 women laborers at rural and semi-urban construction sites at Kurigram district in Bangladesh this study employs a feminist political economy lens to unpack how societal norms, labor practices, and policy gaps shape the realities of women construction workers. Findings reveal structural barriers to equality and safety, alongside narratives of resilience, community support, and resistance. The paper concludes with recommendations for policy reforms and advocacy strategies to enhance the protection, recognition, and empowerment of women in construction work.
Exploring The Role of the Alumni Association in Developing Educational Service Quality Through Social Responsibility (An Applied Study on Alumni of Lebanese Universities)
This article examines the Alumni Association’s influence on the quality of educational services through the mediating effect of social responsibility in Lebanese universities. A quantitative method measured variables using a questionnaire-based survey. The scales were established under the Churchill paradigm to purify constructs and validate their structure through structural equation modeling (SEM). Data from 174 graduates were collected via convenience sampling. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) highlighted key elements for conceptual clarity. Cronbach’s alpha and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure confirm acceptable reliability thresholds, supporting the scales’ internal consistency. Convergent validity analysis further strengthens these findings. Positive correlations exist among the three variables, particularly between social responsibility and educational service quality (r = 0.815, p < 0.01). SEM confirms the Alumni Association’s positive direct effect on educational service quality (β = 0.129, p < 0.01) and a stronger effect on social responsibility (β = 0.709, p < 0.001). Social responsibility significantly impacts educational service quality (β = 0.723, p < 0.001), confirming its role as a vital mediating variable. Alumni act as stakeholders, showing attachment, accountability, and engagement with their university, and serve as brand ambassadors, enhancing educational services through socially oriented initiatives.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rania El Najjar, Dr. Mazen Massoud, Prof. dr. Bassam Hijazi http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Research on the Construction of Core Professional Literacy System and Professional Improvement Path for Career Guidance Personnel
The professional quality of career guidance personnel directly determines the quality of career guidance. The professional qualities of career guidance personnel should include good professional ethics, process guidance awareness, active guidance awareness, innovative guidance awareness, the concept of lifelong learning, multidisciplinary cultural knowledge structure, professional career guidance knowledge, good language expression and communication skills, precise information collection and processing ability, keen perception and prediction ability, and good consultation and guidance ability. To enhance the professional qualities of career guidance personnel, it is necessary to strictly enforce the access qualifications for career guidance personnel, strengthen their continuing education and on-the-job training, and improve their scientific research ability.
Copyright (c) 2025 Xunbing Wang http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Financial Control in the Lebanese Public Sector and Employees Performance
Financial control is the process that includes procedures designed to protect the assets of any entity and ensure that all financial transactions are accurately recorded, thereby deterring and reducing mistakes and fraud. Financial control aims to provide a framework that guides the allocation of resources in a well-managed and efficient manner (Note 1). This study aims to determine the extent of existence of financial control in the Lebanese public sector, to analyze the performance of financial control institutions and financial employees, especially in light of the increasing sectarian and political interferences that affect the reliable work of audit institutions. This study is conducted to explain the concept of financial control and the concept of the public sector, the importance of financial control in the public sector since the public sector administrations and institutions are responsible for the well expenditure of public resources in the form of services to citizens, so, in result, maintaining the economic growth of a country. In Lebanon, lots of problems continue to aggravate in Lebanese public administrations prior to the civil war, 1975 till now, due to the sectarian and political hassles that gnaw at the public sector work and affect the reliable work of public administrations and institutions that resulting in financial corruption (Note 2).
Copyright (c) 2025 Ghada Shami, Hassan Kanso, Ahmad Jaber http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Research on the Economic Effect of Coupling Industrial Synergy Agglomeration and Scientific and Technological Innovation
The urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River constitutes a critical foundation for the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the rise of central China, as well as a pivotal growth pole for high-quality national development. This study investigates the mechanism through which the coupling of industrial collaborative agglomeration and technological innovation influences economic growth. Drawing on panel data from 28 prefecture-level cities within the urban agglomeration of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (2010–2019), a coupling coordination degree model is constructed to evaluate the level of coupling coordination. The economic effects of the coupling between industrial collaborative agglomeration and technological innovation are further analyzed using the generalized method of moments (GMM), and the findings are validated through a threshold model. The results reveal the following: (1) Between 2010 and 2019, the coupling coordination degree exhibited a fluctuating upward trend, generally characterized by low coupling and high imbalance, with Wuhan achieving the highest level of coupling coordination. (2) The coupling coordination between industrial collaborative agglomeration and technological innovation exerts a nonlinear “inverted U-shaped” effect on economic growth. (3) Threshold model validation demonstrates that the impact of industrial collaborative agglomeration and technological innovation on economic growth evolves over time, exhibiting a “strong-weak-strong” pattern. When the level of industrial collaborative agglomeration surpasses a specific threshold, firms may encounter diseconomies of scale. Similarly, technological innovation fails to effectively contribute to economic growth within certain threshold intervals of coupling coordination.
Copyright (c) 2025 lun Li, tao chen http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Literature Review on Systemic Risk in the Financial Sectors: Based on Bibliometrix and VOSviewer
Once systemic risk occurs, it will first have a significant impact on the financial field. This paper aims to analysis the current research status of systemic risk in the financial field and provide research direction for further research on this issue. bibliometrix and VOSviewer are used to efficiently analysis the literature related to the subject of this study. The main contents of this paper include literature sources, authors, cooperation, and keywords. Based on the analysis of hot papers and keywords, the hot topics of current research and points out the shortcomings of existing research are discussed. Finally, the results of the paper are summarized, and a new research direction for the experts and scholars who study the systemic direction of the financial field in the future is provided.
Copyright (c) 2025 Jian Xue, Xin Xie http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Rural Return Migration for Entrepreneurship and County Economic Development: A Study Based on the Pilot Policy for Return Migration Entrepreneurship
The return of migrant workers to start businesses is an important means for optimizing resource allocation and effectively enhancing the return of urban resources to the county. This is also an important path for the economic development of the county. This study uses the county-level panel data of 2060 counties in 31 provinces of China from 2007 to 2023, and employs the multi-time-point difference-in-differences method to examine the impact and mechanism of the pilot policies for migrant workers’ return to start businesses on the economic development of the county. The study finds that the benchmark regression indicates that the pilot policies for migrant workers’ return to start businesses can significantly improve the economic development level of the county. This result remains valid after a series of robustness tests. The heterogeneity analysis shows that the promoting effect of the pilot policies for migrant workers’ return to start businesses on economic development has a gradient feature of “the strongest in the east, followed by the west, and not significant in the central region”. The mechanism analysis indicates that the pilot policies for migrant workers’ return to start businesses can promote economic development by promoting local real industries. Innovation level, industrial scale, and industrial structure level can all effectively promote the economic development of the county. The research conclusion of this article provides important empirical evidence for optimizing the policies for migrant workers’ return to start businesses and promoting the economic development of the county.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yu Fan http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Bridging Fiscal Policy and Innovation: The Institutional Logic of the “First-Invest-Then-Equity” Model in Xianyang’s Technology Transfer Reform
The transformation of scientific and technological achievements is a crucial link in closing the innovation value chain and promoting high-quality regional development. In recent years, under China’s national innovation-driven development strategy and the overall layout of the Qinchuangyuan Innovation Promotion Platform in Shaanxi Province, Xianyang City has taken the lead in reforming the fiscal investment and financing mechanisms for science and technology funds, establishing a “First-Invest-Then-Equity (FITE)” policy framework. This paper takes Xianyang’s FITE policy as its research object and adopts policy text analysis and comparative research methods to systematically examine the policy’s institutional background, operational mechanism, and implementation performance. Moreover, it conducts a comparative analysis with representative cities such as Suzhou, Hefei, Changsha, and Chengdu. The findings reveal that: (1) the FITE mechanism effectively facilitates the market-oriented operation of fiscal funds and improves the efficiency of technology commercialization; (2) the Xianyang model demonstrates institutional innovation in fiscal guidance, risk sharing, and revenue recycling, yet faces persistent challenges in mobilizing private capital, establishing efficient equity exit mechanisms, and integrating technology finance. Based on these diagnosed problems, this study proposes several optimization pathways, including improving the coordination between fiscal and private capital, establishing a scientific pre-investment evaluation system, strengthening post-investment performance management, diversifying equity exit channels, building an integrated technology–finance ecosystem, and enhancing legal frameworks and interdepartmental coordination. The research concludes that Xianyang’s FITE mechanism not only provides a replicable model for western Chinese cities in leveraging fiscal funds to promote technology commercialization but also offers valuable local experience for deepening China’s science and technology system reform and improving the overall innovation governance framework.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yu Bao, Xiaoyi Cao, Lu Zhou, Wei Wang, Yan Shen, Bin Tang http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
AIUnlimited Labor Supply Theory: Reshaping the Pattern of Labor Income Distribution
Traditional economics takes the scarcity of labor resources as its core assumption, which makes it difficult to adapt to the disruptive impact of AI on the labor market. This article aims to make up for this deficiency, clarify the concept of “AI infinite labor” for the first time, break through traditional assumptions, and construct a systematic theoretical framework for AI infinite labor supply. The study adopts rigorous model setting and derivation methods, focusing on in-depth analysis of the impact of AI on economic growth, income distribution, and production consumption balance. The results show that AI unlimited labor supply can not only significantly drive economic growth, but also profoundly reshape the income distribution pattern, while having complex and far-reaching effects on the production consumption balance. Based on the above research findings, this article proposes targeted solutions for policy makers, such as “AI benefit redistribution” and “skill training for low skilled groups”, to help the economy achieve efficient, fair, and sustainable development in the AI era.
Copyright (c) 2025 Huilin Zhao http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Impact of Satisfaction and Reputation on Customer Trust during Financial Crisis “Lebanese Banking Sector”
This study investigates the impact of satisfaction and reputation on customer trust toward Lebanese commercial banks during the financial crisis. And because satisfaction in the banking sector is mainly measured and predicted by service quality, we chose three dimensions of service quality that could be affected in times of crisis (tangible quality, personnel quality, and functional quality). Beside satisfaction, we took reputation as the second main independent variable, knowing that the reputation of banks can be directly affected in unstable and uncertain times. This is a quantitative nature of a study, which involved a structured, self-administered questioner based on a convenience sampling method gathering data from 350 customers of 28 different operating banks in Lebanon. The quantitative approach was applied to assess the relationship between satisfaction and reputation and trust in times of crisis. The study data were analyzed using SPSS version 28, and the reliability coefficient (Cronbach’s alpha) was established. Functional quality during the financial crisis had a significant impact on customer trust in Lebanese commercial banks. However, results showed that reputation variables (integrity during the financial crisis and financial strength during the financial crisis) showed a significant impact on customer trust towards Lebanese commercial banks.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ghada El-Shami, Hassan Kanso http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Digital Economy and Innovation Efficiency of High-tech Enterprises—On the Moderating Effect of Business Environment
As the key driving force of digital-real integration, whether high-tech enterprises can seize the opportunity brought by digital economy and improve innovation efficiency is of great significance to promote the optimization and upgrading of industrial structure and achieve high-quality economic development. Based on the data of China’s digital economy and listed high-tech enterprises from 2015 to 2022, this paper discusses the impact of digital economy on the innovation efficiency of high-tech enterprises and its mechanism. We find that digital economy has a significant effect on the innovation efficiency of high-tech enterprises, and this conclusion is still valid after a series of robustness tests. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the digital economy has a more significant effect on improving the innovation efficiency of high-tech enterprises in non-state-owned, competitive industries and the eastern region. Mechanism analysis shows that digital economy can improve the innovation efficiency of high-tech enterprises by reducing enterprise costs and optimizing resource allocation. Finally, using the moderating effect model, we find that business environment plays a positive moderating role in the relationship between digital economy and innovation efficiency of high-tech enterprises.
Copyright (c) 2025 Min Wu, Tianjian Li http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Risk Lovers: Management Fee and Fund Performance
We analyze the relationship between fund management fee rates and the risk-returns characteristics of funds to infer retail investors' risk preferences. Using data on open-end equity funds in China, we document a positive relationship between the fund management fee rate and the fund risk. This relationship cannot be explained by the return of those funds with high risks, since we find that funds with higher management fee rates normally have lower returns. We argue this is because of the mental accounting of households, and they become risk-loving when making fund investment decisions. They prefer funds with higher risk, and demand from them pushes up the management fee rate. Our results do not contradict existing findings since households could be risk-averse overall and risk-loving for certain investments.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yunqi Zhang, Wenjie Li http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0