How Much Are Individuals Left Behind in Central and Eastern Compared to Western European Countries? A Fuzzy Comparative Analysis.

This paper examines the extent to which individuals of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries are left behind compared to individuals from Western European (WE) countries based on a fuzzy approach applied to a multidimensional setting. Three decades after transitions from non-democratic regimes to liberal democracy and from centrally planned economies to market economies of these countries, we observe a certain process of convergence between both blocs of countries over the period 2007-2019, essentially as a result of the decrease in the level individuals are left behind in the CEE countries, reaching similar levels to WE countries. Furthermore, we reveal significant disparities across CEE countries, ranging from Czech Republic, Slovenia and Slovakia, where citizens are less left behind, to Bulgaria, Lithuania and Romania, with higher levels of leaving behind. Differences in the degree individuals are left behind along the income distribution and by sociodemographic characteristics are also analysed, highlighting dissimilarities of lagging socioeconomic profiles across countries.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Measuring the ‘leaving no one behind’ principle in the European countries: An AROPE-based fuzzy logic approach.

Política de acceso abierto tomada de: https://v2.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/11428In this paper we present a fuzzy multidimensional approach for the measurement of the `leaving no one behind' principle underlying the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in European countries. In particular, we consider a two-step procedure. First, we compute the degree to which an individual is `left behind' in each speci c dimension. We then propose alternatives to measure the extent to which an individual is `left behind' in a multidimensional setting. We illustrate our proposal taking as a reference the `at risk of poverty or social exclusion' (AROPE) framework (dimensions, indicators and union criteria). The results highlight that although the average `left behind' (LB) level and AROPE are largely consistent across European countries, our fuzzy measure provides valuable additional information, both in individual and aggregate terms, on persons who are further away from those better positioned and how far they are.Universidad de Malag

Peer-to-peer accommodation prices: city listing concentration and host listing share.

Política de acceso abierto tomada de: https://www.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/13304This article examines the relationship of city listing concentration and host listing share with prices in the peer-to-peer accommodation market. To this end, a multilevel analysis is applied to data from 216,960 Airbnb listings in 45 cities. The results reveal that while city-level concentration does not significantly affect prices, the listing share of each supplier does have a significant effect. This highlights that host listing shares can explain the ability of agents to influence the price of their accommodations even in relatively competitive markets such as peer-to-peer accommodation. Our findings have theoretical implications relating to the idiosyncratic aspects that affect business pricing, as well as practical implications in the private sphere for the rest of the hospitality and tourism industry, and for public policy in terms of regulations

Economic Gender gap in the Global South: How Public Institutions Matter.

Polkítica de acceso abierto tomada de: https://beta.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/16633One of the most challenging gender gaps in the Global South remains in the economic sphere. This paper examines how public institutions affect the gender gap in economic participation and opportunities in 74 developing and emerging countries during the period 2006-2016. We find that the public institutional environment is closely related to the economic gender gap. Specifically, the protection of property rights and guaranteeing security seem to be two key factors associated to lower economic gender inequality. Nevertheless, public institutions do not matter equally throughout economically backward countries. Whereas in emerging countries, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, a broad variety of institutional aspects, including undue influence on judicial and government decisions, are closely related to the economic gender gap, in low-income developing countries, such as Sub-Saharan countries, the problems of ethics and corruption stand out as a particularly remarkable element against economic gender equality. Some significant policy implications are derived from our findings regarding the potential of public institution reforms to reduce the economic gender gap

A Fuzzy Logic Based Approach to Measure the Principle of "Leaving no one Behind" on Multidimensional Poverty

In this paper we present a fuzzy multidimensional approach for the measurement of the ‘leaving no one behind’ principle underlying the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in European countries. In particular, we consider a two-step procedure. First, we compute the degree to which an individual is ‘left behind’ in each specific dimension. We then propose alternatives to measure the extent to which an individual is ‘left behind’ in a multidimensional setting. We illustrate our proposal taking as a reference the ‘at risk of poverty or social exclusion’ (AROPE) framework (dimensions, indicators and union criteria). The results highlight that although the average ‘left behind’ (LB) level and AROPE are largely consistent across European countries, our fuzzy measure provides valuable additional information, both in individual and aggregate terms, on persons who are further away from those better positioned and how far they are

Economic regulation, opportunity-driven entrepreneurship and gender gap: emerging versus high income economies.

Política de acceso abierto tomada de: https://beta.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/2724International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research Vol. 27 No. 5, 2021 pp. 1311-1328 © Emerald Publishing Limited 1355-2554 DOI 10.1108/IJEBR-05-2020-0321Purpose – Institutional environment plays a crucial role in determining the nature of entrepreneurship that prevails in an economy. In this paper, we address how business, labour and credit regulations contribute differently to both the overall prevalence of opportunity-driven entrepreneurship and its gender gap in high-income and emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach – On the basis of an unbalanced panel of 41 countries over the period 2005-2016, we estimate system Generalized Method of Moments models. We also perform an Ordinary Least Square analysis to address gender differences in opportunity-driven entrepreneurship. Findings – We find that higher credit market liberalisation is especially associated with more entrepreneurship by opportunity. Nevertheless, while credit market regulation stands out as a key element to promote opportunity-based entrepreneurship in both high-income and emerging countries, in the emerging world business regulation is also largely related to the prevalence of opportunity entrepreneurship. In terms of gender gap, business and labour market freedom seem to exert an equalizing effect on the divide in entrepreneurship by opportunity, specifically in emerging economies. Originality/value – Our findings allow the identification of regulatory policy reform priorities to enhance the prevalence of opportunity-driven entrepreneurship depending on the level of a country’s development. They also identify which specific areas of economic regulation would speed up closing the gender gap in opportunity entrepreneurship

How much are Individuals Left Behind in Central and Eastern Europe after Three Decades of Capitalism? A Comparative Analysis with Western Europe

This study examines the extent to which individuals of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries are left behind compared to individuals from Western European (WE) countries based on a fuzzy approach applied to a multidimensional setting. Three decades after transitions from non-democratic regimes to liberal democracy and from centrally planned economies to market economies of these countries, we observe a certain process of convergence between both blocs of countries over the period 2007-2019, essentially as a result of the decrease in the level individuals are left behind in the CEE countries, reaching similar levels to WE countries. Furthermore, we reveal significant disparities across CEE countries, ranging from Czech Republic, Slovenia and Slovakia, where citizens are less left behind, to Bulgaria, Lithuania and Romania, with higher levels of leaving behind. Differences in the degree individuals are left behind along the income distribution and by sociodemographic characteristics are also analysed, highlighting dissimilarities of lagging socioeconomic profiles across countries.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Disparities in entrepreneurial activity and attitude across EU countries

The levels and characteristics of entrepreneurship differ widely across EU countries and regions. Taking as reference data provided by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) on entrepreneurial activity and entrepreneurial attitude, this paper analyzes the disparities in entrepreneurship indicators among EU member countries in 2007 and 2013, highlighting the most significant changes that occurred during the Great Recession. Some of the major indices of inequality are calculated (Gini, Theil and Atkinson) and the change in the Gini coefficient between these two years is additively decomposed into mobility and progressivity components. Overall, we find that cross-national inequalities tend to increase in the procyclical aspects of entrepreneurial activity and attitude, while they tend to decrease in the countercyclical aspects. For entrepreneurial activity indicators, we reveal that heterogeneity increases in indicators such as opportunity-driven entrepreneurial activity and total entrepreneurial activity, while necessity-driven entrepreneurial activity becomes more homogeneous across countries. Regarding entrepreneurial attitudes, disparities among countries decrease in all indicators, except in perceived opportunities, for which cross-national inequality grows considerably during the crisis period.FC14-ECO-16

How economic freedom affects opportunity and necessity entrepreneurship in the OECD countries

This research addresses the extent to which economic freedom, understood as market economy-oriented institutions and policies, matters for opportunity entrepreneurship and necessity entrepreneurship. To this end, we carry out a panel data dynamic analysis in the OECD countries during the period 2001-2012 by using the system Generalized Method of Moments estimator. We examine the relationship between the Fraser Institute’s economic freedom index and its five areas, and both indicators from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor on opportunity entrepreneurship and necessity entrepreneurship. We find that economic liberalization tends to encourage opportunity entrepreneurship and to discourage necessity entrepreneurship. In particular, opportunity entrepreneurship seems to benefit from improvements in legal structure and security of property rights and in regulation of credit, labor, and business, while both aspects and more freedom to trade internationally seem to damage necessity entrepreneurship.Grant FC14-ECO-1

Social Transfers and Child Poverty in European Countries: Pro-poor Targeting or Pro-child Targeting?

Política de acceso abierto tomada de: https://v2.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/1988Children are generally at a higher risk of poverty than the population as a whole, although the mechanisms that lead to their socio-economic vulnerability vary widely across European countries. This paper aims to further our understanding of to what extent cross-country variations in child poverty risk are associated with different ways of social transfer targeting: pro-poor versus pro-child targeting. In particular, we address the potential impact on child poverty of countries’ intent to target transfers at lower incomes and children across30 European countries. Using a multilevel framework, we find that not only the size of the transfer system, but also the form of targeting matters in reducing child poverty. Specifically, the countries’ intent to target children matters even more than their intent to target lower incomes, in terms of reducing child poverty. Moreover, the prevalence of multi-generational households in a country seems to be associated with an attempt to protect against child poverty in countries with lower levels of pro-child targeting