DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.11.128519

Authors: Bhagirath Baria, Ria Kusumaningrum, Anggita Suryana, Devanshi Mehta

Abstract: This paper addresses a significant gap in the existing literature on financial inclusion — namely, the dynamic instability of the impacts generated by its determinants in four major emerging market economies: Brazil, Russia, India, and China. A time-varying coefficients framework is applied to examine whether the factors shaping financial inclusion at the aggregate level produce nonlinear effects over time. The analysis covers the period from 2000–2001 to 2022–2023. A composite financial inclusion index is constructed to capture inclusion across three key dimensions — availability, access, and usage — using the distance function approach. Three classes of determinants are modeled: socio-demographic, infrastructural, and macroeconomic variables. Evidence indicates structural instability in the financial inclusion process for the BRIC economies, with several determinants exerting nonlinear impacts over time. The findings challenge the conventional assumption of time-invariant relationships between financial inclusion and its dominant determinants. The results reveal considerable temporal volatility in the effects of macroeconomic factors, including growth and inflation, on financial inclusion across emerging markets. Policymakers should adjust strategies, moving beyond assumptions of linear processes and managing dynamic, nonlinear factors more effectively to achieve universal financial inclusion.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.11.164511

Authors: Zainab Mourad, Mert Gül

Abstract: Despite the growing emphasis on the nexus between growth and macroeconomic indicators, research on the influence of cryptocurrencies on economic performance remains limited. This study compares the impact of two leading cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin and Ethereum, on economic growth, alongside inflation, market uncertainty, and oil and gold prices, using panel data from 14 countries between Q3 2015 and Q3 2023. The results demonstrate robust cross-sectional dependence, indicating that economic shocks in one country affect the entire group. Therefore, second-generation tests are employed to confirm the presence of stationarity in the variables. Except for Bitcoin’s trading volume, panel fully modified ordinary least squares estimations reveal a significantly positive impact of cryptocurrencies on growth. Cointegration is present in the long run, while in the short run, strong bi- and unidirectional causality is found for all cryptocurrency proxies. The study provides insights that can help policymakers develop strategies to align economic growth with the crypto market, benefiting the broader economy.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.11.154180

Authors: Wasim Ullah

Abstract: Financial development plays a crucial role in shaping economic growth, yet it can introduce volatility. This study examines the relationship between financial development and economic growth volatility. Using panel data from 60 countries (30 developed and 30 developing) for 1981–2022, we employ panel-corrected standard errors and generalized method of moments to ensure robustness. Financial development is analyzed through financial institutions and financial markets across three dimensions: depth, access, and efficiency. Conceptually, the paper finds that the supply-leading hypothesis does not account for the economic growth volatility associated with excessive financialization. The results indicate that, at higher levels, financial development has a volatility-enhancing impact in developed countries, while in developing countries it has a volatility-reducing effect. Policymakers in developed countries should ensure that credit expansion is aligned with real-sector development. Regulators should monitor adverse effects of financial depth and ensure funds are directed toward real-sector growth, while improving access and efficiency. In a too‑much-finance scenario, economies need moderators — such as strong regulatory quality and well-defined rights for creditors and borrowers — to mitigate volatility-enhancing effects.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.11.142169

Authors: Mirzobobo Yormirzoev, Amina Ayombekova

Abstract: This paper explores how the health-related component of human capital affects economic performance in all five Central Asian countries. In particular, it analyzes the impact of life expectancy on overall GDP and output per worker, which characterizes labor productivity. The time frame includes the period from 2000 to 2021. The methodology is based on a standard growth accounting framework. Findings show that better health conditions, as indicated by the increase in life expectancy, have a significant impact on the productivity of a worker. Nonetheless, its contribution to total output growth remains relatively small. In contrast, capital investment plays a crucial role in boosting labor productivity and fostering economic growth, especially in capital intensive countries such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.10.105745

Authors: Tijani Forgor Alhassan, Eugenia Owusu Ansah, Shakizada U. Niyazbekova, Tatiana K. Blokhina

Abstract: This study outlines the features of financing investment development in Sub-Saharan African countries. Using the financial determinants of GDP, a model was developed based on the method of least squares employing data covering 2004–2018. It was revealed that a positive correlation exists between economic growth and bank loans as well as official development assistance. The results of the model indicate that bank loans and remittances significantly increase economic growth. However, both foreign direct investment and official development assistance (ODA) were found to be ineffective in promoting development, and this is attributable to its investment model (resource-seeking) and the conditions under ODA financing, respectively, in the region. Bank loans were found to be the most influential in promoting sustainable growth in the region. Hence, it is instructive that the reforms are needed and incentives are to be developed to improve the level of the region’s financial and banking sector development and facilitate the sustainable socioeconomic development of these economies.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.9.108719

Authors: Yuheng Li, Haowen Jia, Wei Xiao, Alexey S. Naumov

Abstract: Improving people’s livelihood resilience against risks and challenges plays an important role in consolidating the achievements of poverty reduction. The paper uses 64 poverty-stricken counties in China’s Sichuan province as the study area and explores the link between spatial segregation and human capital. The results show that the proximity (spatial segregation) is significantly and negatively associated with people’s educational attainment and their acquisition of non-farming employment. Residents in villages which are distant from the county center tend to obtain less educational opportunities and are less likely to engage in non-farming jobs than those who are close to the county center. The mediating effect analysis indicates that remoteness mainly reduces the propensity of getting non-farming jobs by reducing the human capital of rural residents. Further analysis shows that the association between proximity, human capital and the probability of acquiring non-farming work is higher in areas with lower economic level and less developed transportation infrastructure. Policy implications for improving people’s livelihood resilience in impoverished areas are proposed in the paper.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.9.112008

Authors: Yulia N. Nikulina

Abstract: Contributing to a discussion on rural employment forecast in Russia, this paper sys­tematizes the challenges for the rural labor market: population outflow, weak impulses to develop non-agricultural employment and rural entrepreneurship, changing labor needs in agriculture and a decline in the number of labor migrants. The results of the regional differentiation research show that the response strategies of Russian regions to stabilize employment differ significantly and include active intra-Russian labor migration or reliance on high agricultural state support, development of self-employment and jobs preservation in labor-intensive, low-productivity sectors of agricultural production. The article discusses rural development prospects associated with the return migration of urban residents to rural areas, which creates a new basis for rural employment growth. A theoretical implication of the rural employment perspectives discussion is the proposed concept of “out-of-urban employment” that actualizes the traditional approach of seeking employment only for indigenous rural people who have lost their jobs in agriculture, and includes new types and forms of employment for urban dwellers. Analysis of the current state support for rural employment in Russia shows that it is poorly aligned with the existing challenges. The scale of both financing and the number of potential participants is small; direct support measures are limited to the agricultural sector, while indirect ones — through support for rural infrastructure — create mainly public sector employment. The practical implications of the outcomes are some proposed ways of developing measures to support rural employment, taking into account non-agricultural rural economy needs.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.9.109490

Authors: Marina S. Petukhova, Evgeny V. Rudoy, Nadezhda V. Orlova

Abstract: This article is the first attempt by the authors to formulate key trends in the field of rural development. The main tool is a bibliometric analysis based on the Scopus database. In 2021, the priority areas of scientific research are rural tourism, environmental problems in rural areas, the creation of engineering infrastructure, sustainable rural communities as well as climate change and its impact on rural areas. In the course of the study, the authors found that the interest in rural development is growing rapidly: tenfold from 2000 to 2021. We proposed to divide the directions of scientific research into two groups: lower and upper levels. Developed countries are focused on leading research areas, less developed — on the lowest. These include problems of rural poverty, infrastructure, rural population outflow and depopulation. The authors also conducted a desk study to identify key trends in rural development. The projection of these trends onto Russian rural areas opens up new windows of opportunity for them. These are the diversification of the rural economy through rural tourism and the development of alternative types of employment, the establishment of eco-settlements, the production of environmentally friendly farm products, and the creation of new rural settlements in areas that will become climatically favorable as a result of the projected climate change.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.9.81283

Authors: Carlos M. Jardon, Xavier Martinez Cobas

Abstract: Emerging economies have specific characteristics that condition the use of intellectual capital. The economic crisis has had important consequences for emerging countries. The investments in intellectual capital could slow down this influence. This paper uses a new model for assessing the effects of an investment in intellectual capital on the performance of Russian companies in a period of crisis. The model is applied in Russian companies with data from 1,096 companies for the period 2004–2014 and 12,056 observations were made. The panel data included only active companies (from January 2004) listed with annual reports and were obtained from Bureau Van Dijk’s Ruslana database. Each company’s data cover at least seven years. The study used hierarchical linear models to unravel the effect of intellectual capital on value-added. The results show that investments in structural capital and relational capital have a direct effect on the stock of intellectual capital and generates value. The results show that investments in structural capital and relational capital have a direct effect on the stock of intellectual capital and generates value.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.8.86617

Authors: Evgeny Y. Vinokurov, Arman Ahunbaev, Alexander I. Zaboev

Abstract: The Russian economy will have to adjust its logistics to face the new reality. The operationali­zation of the multimodal International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is an important strategic part of it. This “pivot to the South” by Russia and other Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries is of particular significance in light of the required reconfiguration of supply chains in Eurasia. Russian exporters, importers and freight forwarding companies’ needs in alternative logistical opportunities have increased dramatically. The INSTC development would promote Eurasian intra- and transcontinental connectivity, reduce export costs, develop new production niches, and realize the Caspian region’s transit potential. This study estimates that the aggregate potential INSTC freight traffic via all the routes and modes of transport, including containerized and non-containerized cargoes, will reach 15–25 million­ tonnes by 2030. The container traffic could rise 20x and this will require investments in hard infrastructure and also soft infrastructure improvement. The corridor will contribute to the evolving outline of the trans-Eurasian transport backbone and bring significant benefits for the economies of Russia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Middle East, and South Asia.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.7.76647

Authors: Michael Alexeev, Mira Nurmakhanova, Leonid I. Polishchuk

Abstract: Formal institutions and social capital interact with each other in multiple ways. We argue and show empirically at the cross-country level that in the case of group lending, contract enforcement complements bonding social capital and substitutes for bridging one. It means that payoff to social capital in group lending depends on social capital type and is contingent on the quality of contract enforcement which serves as a sorting factor, working in the opposite directions for different stripes of social capital. These results are robust to various estimations, sets of controls, and social capital measures.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.7.77285

Authors: Han-Sol Lee, Yury N. Moseykin, Sergey U. Chernikov

Abstract: This paper empirically analyzes sustainable relations between inward FDI (IFDI), outward FDI (OFDI), the R&D expenditure ratio and CO2 emissions based on balanced panel data from the BRICS (namely, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries for the period 2003–2017. Generally, the results confirm a negative effect of IFDI and a positive effect of OFDI on the R&D expenditure ratio, both with statistical significance. Further exploration of the IFDI, OFDI and R&D impacts on CO2 emissions was based on an assumption that innovation development mitigates environmental pollution. The research outcome revealed positive associations between IFDI and the R&D expenditure ratio with CO2 emissions, showing the connection of environmental pollution to growth-focused national economic strategies. Based on these results, we recommend the following policies: (1) rethinking domestic industries protectionism trends and research support to enhance FDI spillover effects, (2) the drafting of New Development Bank specific environment-friendly investment programs aimed at innovation activities, and (3) looking into further easing the green technologies from developed countries.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.7.56600

Authors: Carol S. Leonard, Zafar Nazarov, Leonid I. Borodkin, Maria A. Karpenko, Roman B. Konchakov

Abstract: This paper shows that railroad building in Russia, as in Europe and the US in the nineteenth century, improved the value of land, a classic benefit of transportation investment in largely agrarian countries. From a database constructed for this paper, we use cross-sectional data for the fifty European Russian regions to show the association of the length of the railroad (measured in 1894), land prices (measured in 1900) and annual growth of land prices (in rubles) for 1885–1910.

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DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.5.35233

Authors: Valeriy V. Mironov, Liudmila D. Konovalova

Abstract: The article considers the problem of the relationship of structural changes and economic growth in the global economy and Russia in the framework of different methodological approaches. At the same time, the paper provides the analysis of complementarity of economic policy types, which, on the one hand, are aimed at developing the fundamentals of GDP growth (institutions, human capital and macroeconomic stabilization), and on the other hand, at initiating growth (with stable fundamentals) with the help of structural policy measures. In the study of structural changes in the global economy, new forms of policies of this kind have been revealed, in particular aimed at identifying sectors — drivers of economic growth based on a portfolio approach. In a given paper a preliminary version of the model of the Russian economy is provided, using a multisector version of the Thirlwall’s Law. Besides, the authors highlight a number of target parameters of indicators of competitiveness of the sectors of the Russian economy that allow us to expect its growth rate to accelerate above the exogenously given growth rate of the world economy.

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DOI: 10.3897/j.ruje.4.33621

Authors: Victor Polterovich

Abstract: A new approach to understanding social and economic development is proposed, based on consideration of the evolution of coordination mechanisms. The work consists of two parts. In the first part, a critical analysis of four recently proposed theories of social development, focusing on geographical, institutional or cultural factors, is given. These theories have greatly enriched our understanding of the evolution of society, however, as analysis shows, none of them provides a satisfactory description of the driving forces and mechanisms of this evolution; the main reason is rooted in their common deficiency — monocausality. It is proposed to distinguish between two types of development, catching up and leading. The basic ideas of the theory of catching up development are presented. This approach makes it possible to explain the phenomenon of the “economic miracle” as a result of mutually conditioned changes in culture, institutions, technological progress and well-being in the context of interaction of competition, power and collaboration mechanisms. The second part is devoted to the theory of leading socioeconomic development. It is shown how in Western Europe, as a result of the interaction of the above four factors, specific forms and combinations of the three main mechanisms of coordination — competition, power and collaboration — emerged at each stage of evolution. I emphasize the importance of ideology and the phenomenon of technical progress in the formation of institutions of economic and political competition that contributed to the creation of the welfare state. These changes and economic growth created the conditions for further transformation of civil culture: increasing levels of trust, tolerance, altruism and cosmopolitanism, expanding the planning horizon. The decrease in the level of coercion built into the mechanisms of power and competition are demonstrated as well as the expansion of the role of collaboration. A hypothesis is advanced that the speed of this process depends on geographical factors. The idea of the welfare world is discussed.

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DOI: 10.3897/j.ruje.4.27726

Authors: Christopher A. Hartwell

Abstract: The idea of a middle-income trap is now over a decade old and continues to be applied to growth paths which have not been self-sustaining. With the bulk of emerging markets now approaching middle-income status, and given the reality of slower growth for many countries (and the policy recommendations that currently exist for overcoming this problem), is the middle-income trap still a relevant framework? Using reference to the BRICS countries, the key finding of this analysis is that the middle-income trap conceptualization is of little value-added, as fundamentals still matter, especially in relation to macroeconomic stability. Similarly, we note that “quality” institutions are necessary, both political and economic, including (smaller) size of government and property rights. The “trap” as currently formulated is thus nothing new or particularly relevant, as it repackages some familiar structural issues while avoiding other crucial ones.

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DOI: 10.3897/j.ruje.4.27743

Authors: Vladimir Mau

Abstract: The paper discusses the main challenges of Russian economy at the turning period from contraction to growth. The analysis is based on comparison of global economic trends and special features of Russian performance. Among global problems, it concentrates on prospects of “non-inflation growth”, perspectives of global currencies and the role of cryptocurrencies, central banks independence and their role in economic growth stimulation, new tasks and patterns of government regulation, inequality and growth. In the Russian case, the key topics are prospects of macroeconomic stimulation of growth, inflation targeting, new fiscal rule, social dynamics and new challenges to welfare state. The paper concludes that the main obstacles for economic growth in Russia are concentrated in the non-economic area.

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DOI: 10.1016/j.ruje.2016.11.002

Authors: Evsey Gurvich

Abstract: This article is an attempt to find a grounded answer to the question of why many large-scale economic development programs worked out in Russia from 2000 through 2010 have failed to yield the expected results. To this end, the author has diagnosed the Russian economy, including a comparative analysis against 20 countries at similar levels of development and analyzed both the Russian and global experience in developing and implementing economic programs. The author concludes that the development of the Russian economy is currently hindered by a rigid institutional framework and that growth cannot accelerate without removing it as part of the political process. Based on the analysis of various types of institutional reforms, specific measures are proposed that can ensure the country's evolutional development and can mitigate the economic and social risks threatening Russia if the status quo is maintained.

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DOI: 10.1016/j.ruje.2016.11.001

Authors: Dmitry Medvedev

Abstract: This paper addresses Russian economic development and economic policy in 2015–2016. The analysis focuses on external and domestic challenges as well as the anti-crisis policy of the Russian government. Special attention is paid to key elements of the new model of economic growth in Russia. The paper discusses economic policy priorities for sustainable growth that include budget efficiency, structural reforms and import substitution, the encouragement of entrepreneurship, the efficiency of public administration, and the modernization of the welfare state.

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DOI: 10.1016/j.ruje.2016.09.002

Authors: Georgy Idrisov, Yury Ponomarev, Sergey Sinelnikov-Murylev

Abstract: The paper discusses economic development trends in Russia in late 2014 and 2015 and reviews the basic mechanisms of how changes in the terms of trade affect the economic development of countries from a historical perspective and with a particular focus on those changes in the Russian economy that occurred in late 2014 and 2015. The authors demonstrate that structural reforms aimed at diversification of production and exports are necessary for sustainable economic development, for social stability and for reducing the impact of variability in the terms of trade on the Russian economy. During periods of instability in the government agenda's measures for the real and financial sectors, it is necessary not only to compensate economic agents losses caused by changes in the terms of trade but also to improve the economic structure and to develop and enhance the stability of the financial markets.

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DOI: 10.1016/j.ruje.2016.02.004

Authors: Andrey Yushkov

Abstract: The article addresses the theoretical and empirical relation between fiscal decentralization and economic growth. An empirical analysis of Russian regions for 2005–2012 shows that excessive expenditure decentralization within the region, which is not accompanied by the respective level of revenue decentralization, is significantly and negatively related to regional economic growth. In contrast, regional dependence on intergovernmental fiscal transfers from the federal center is positively associated with economic growth.

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DOI: 10.1016/j.ruje.2015.12.006

Authors: Vitaly Tambovtsev

Abstract: This paper is devoted to the critical analysis of today's mainstream approach to the inclusion of the factor of culture in economic research. National culture is treated in this framework as a reified entity measured by societal values and is persistently included as a “culture code” throughout different contexts. The paper presents evidence contradicting this treatment, and an alternative methodology for economic analysis of cultural phenomena is suggested, namely that each mass cultural practice should be analyzed on a “case-by-case” basis, comparing stakeholders’ costs and benefits.

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DOI: 10.1016/j.ruje.2015.11.004

Authors: Dmitry Medvedev

Abstract: The article considers social and economic challenges that Russia faces in the context of present-day global transformation. Key technological, economic, and social trends, which determine the contours of the post-crisis world, are analyzed. A long-term agenda for the country's development aimed at securing a new quality of economic growth is proposed.

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DOI: 10.1016/j.ruje.2015.05.002

Authors: Alexey Kudrin, Evsey Gurvich

Abstract: The problems underlying the current slowdown of the Russian economy are of a persistent nature and cannot be resolved with simple measures such as a softer monetary or fiscal policy. The fundamental reason for these problems is the weak market environment dominated by public and quasi-public companies. A new growth model should be based upon strong incentive for the business, as well as the government regulation system, to improve efficiency. This article defines the main steps to be taken in building such a model.

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