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Informal migrant workers and street vendors have long been recognized as vulnerable groups in urban areas of Global South countries. However, limited studies exist on the economic challenges faced by migrant street vendors during crises. We aim to address this gap by shedding light on their livelihood and welfare losses during a public health crisis.

This research uses descriptive and qualitative analyzes to triangulate the results. Data are derived from surveys and in-depth interviews with migrant street vendors in the two biggest cities in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The street vendors experienced significant business loss and consumption reduction during social distancing as well as encountered difficulties in recovering their businesses in the “new normal.” These adverse consequences were also found to disproportionately affect women vendors. Additionally, despite adopting various strategies and mitigation mechanisms to sustain their businesses and consumption, these efforts proved insufficient.

This research underscores the importance of short-term and long-term urban policies aimed at supporting and promoting the social inclusion of street vendors, particularly migrant and women vendors.

This research represents one of the early attempts to explore the adverse effects of a public health crisis on migrant street vendors and to examine whether the crisis disproportionately affected vendors from different genders and educational backgrounds. It also examines their business recovery in the “new normal.”

This paper aims at assessing the impact of a number of behavioral interventions on the willingness of informal businesses, in the Egyptian informal sector, to join the formal sector.

This paper uses an experimental methodology to examine the impact of behavioral interventions on the formalization of the Egyptian informal sector. Specifically, it conducts a survey experiment on a total of 240 informal businesses, operating in the Egyptian informal sector. The primary data collected from the survey experiment is then analyzed using a binary logistic regression to assess the impact of the behavioral primes on the probability of joining the formal market.

The empirical findings of the survey experiment indicate that the biggest obstacle facing informal businesses is finding a formal source of finance that could help them in penetrating the market. Providing informal businesses with information on funding opportunities offered by the ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) significantly increased the probability of joining the formal sector to benefit from this opportunity.

This paper is the first to apply behavioral primes, in the form of informational cues, to the Egyptian case of informal business owners. Previous research on the use of behavioral nudges and primes has focused mainly on the western economies.

The significance of this research lies in providing an understanding of how economic conditions, including financial development, informal economic activities and economic uncertainty, influence carbon emissions and tries to offer valuable insights for policymakers to promote sustainable development.

The Panel-ARDL method is employed for a group of 30 developing countries from 1990 to 2018. This study analyzes the data obtained from the World bank, International Monetary Fund and World Uncertainty databases.

Based on the empirical results of the extended model, an increase in GDP and energy intensity is associated with an 83 and 14% increase in carbon emissions, respectively. Conversely, a 1% increase in financial development and economic uncertainty is linked to significant decrease in carbon emissions (about 47 and 23%, respectively). Finally, an increase in the informal economy can lead to a negligible yet significant decrease in carbon emissions. These results reveal that financial development plays an effective role in reducing CO₂ emissions. Moreover, while economic uncertainty and informal economy are among unfavorable economic conditions, they contribute in CO₂ reduction.

Therefore, fostering financial development and addressing economic uncertainty are crucial for mitigating carbon emissions, while the impact of informal economy on emissions, though present, is relatively negligible. Accordingly, policies to control uncertainty and reduce the informal economy should be accompanied by environmental policies to avoid increase in emissions.

The originality of this paper lies in its focus on fundamental changes in the economic environment such as financial development, economic uncertainty, and informal activities as determinants of carbon emissions. This perspective opens up new avenues for understanding the intricate relationship between carbon emissions and economic factors, offering unique insights previously unexplored in the literature.

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of the shadow economy on three sustainable development indicators while considering the moderating effect of the governance quality, and to highlight the non-linearity of the considered relationship.

A sample of 82 countries covering the period from 1996 to 2017. The dynamic first-differenced generalized method of moments (FD-GMM) panel threshold model is implemented to control for non-linearity.

The shadow economy hinders sustainable development in countries with low-governance quality, while the opposite result holds in countries with high-governance quality. The critical thresholds triggering the switch from one regime to another vary across the sustainable development indicators. Boosting growth requires enhancing the legal system and the economic dimension of governance, while promoting environmental quality requires the implementation and enforcement of specific environment-friendly regulations.

The study addresses non-linearity and the moderating effect of governance quality. The use of six governance indicators allows to gauge the ability of each governance dimension to curb the negative effects of the shadow economy. Considering the three objectives of sustainable development allows to identify specific policy recommendations for each of them.

In developing countries, women microentrepreneurs are characterized as being informal, creating a challenge for the sustainability of their businesses. The purpose of this study is to analyze different businesses that adopt this form of operation arguing that formality is unnecessary because they are legitimate businesses (institutional reason). In addition, the role of gender in business management was incorporated, and the consistency of the results was validated in the context of COVID-19.

This study used data from the National Household Survey of Peru for the development of a compared analysis between the period 2018–2019 (pre-COVID-19), made up of a sample of 14,077 observations, and the period 2020–2021 (COVID-19), with 7,922 observations. The unit of analysis was the informal microenterprise with more than three years of operation, and the data was analyzed using a logistic model.

The probability of adopting informality for institutional reasons is more significant in the case of women in contrast to the men when it is a business belonging to the commerce sector and operating in a dwelling with basic services, while this probability decreases if the firm does not have a fixed location. These results are consistent in pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods.

The purpose of this research was to contribute to closing gaps in the generation of evidence that helps to understand the behavior of informal microentrepreneurs in developing countries, allowing a better approach to this problem for the design and implementation of suitable public policies. All this will contribute to the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

En países en desarrollo, las mujeres microempresarias se caracterizan por ser informales generando un desafío para la sostenibilidad de sus negocios. La presente investigación analizó diferentes negocios que adoptan esta forma de operación con el argumento de que la formalidad no es necesaria porque son negocios legítimos (motivo institucional); además, se incorporó el rol del género en la gestión del negocio, y se validó la consistencia de los resultados en un contexto de COVID-19.

Se utilizaron datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Hogares de Perú para el desarrollo de un análisis comparado entre el período 2018–2019 (pre-COVID-19), compuesto por una muestra de 14.077 observaciones, y el período 2020–2021 (COVID-19), con 7.922 observaciones. La unidad de análisis es la microempresa informal con más de tres años de operación y los datos son analizados mediante un modelo logístico.

Resulta mayor la probabilidad de adoptar la informalidad por motivos institucionales en el caso de las propietarias en contraste con los propietarios, cuando se trata de un negocio perteneciente al sector comercio y que funciona en una vivienda con servicios básicos, mientras que disminuye esta probabilidad si el negocio no posee un local fijo. Estos resultados son consistentes en tiempos de pre-COVID-19 y COVID-19.

La investigación tiene por fin contribuir al cierre de brechas en la generación de evidencia que ayude a comprender el comportamiento de las mujeres microempresarias informales en países en desarrollo, permitiendo una mayor aproximación a esta problemática para el diseño e implementación de políticas públicas adecuadas. Todo esto contribuirá con los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible.

Nos países em desenvolvimento, as mulheres microempreendedoras caracterizam-se por serem informais, criando um desafio para a sustentabilidade dos seus negócios. A presente investigação analisou diferentes negócios que adotam essa forma de operação com o argumento de que a formalidade não é necessária por serem negócios legítimos (razão institucional); além disso, foi incorporado o papel do gênero na gestão empresarial e se validou a consistência dos resultados num contexto de COVID-19.

Se utilizaram dados da Pesquisa Nacional de Domicílios do Peru para desenvolver uma análise comparativa entre o período 2018–2019 (pré-COVID-19), composto por uma amostra de 14.077 observações, e o período 2020–2021 (COVID-19), com 7.922 observações. A unidade de análise é a microempresa informal com mais de três anos de operação e os dados são analisados através de um modelo logístico.

Resulta maior a probabilidade de adoção da informalidade por motivos institucionais no caso das proprietárias em contraste com os proprietários, quando se trata de um negócio pertencente ao setor do comércio e que funciona numa casa com serviços básicos, enquanto esta probabilidade diminui se o negócio não tem local fixo. Estes resultados são consistentes em tempos pré-COVID-19 e COVID-19.

A pesquisa tem como objetivo contribuir no fechamento de brechas na geração de evidências que ajude a compreender o comportamento dos microempreendedores informais nos países em desenvolvimento, permitindo uma melhor abordagem desta problemática para o desenho e implementação de políticas públicas adequadas. Tudo isto contribuirá para o cumprimento dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável.

This is the application of the Entropy and TOPSIS model to assess the eco-efficiency of European financial institutions using environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies. The aim is to categorize financial institutions based on key factors such as environmental training and management and to examine the alignment between ideal ESG performance and eco-efficiency.

The study uses environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies to identify and categorize eco-entrepreneurs in European financial institutions. The study utilizes data to examine the structure between environmental training, effective management practices, and the green performance of financial institutions.

The study shows that European financial institutions exhibit varying degrees of eco-efficiency as assessed using the Entropy and TOPSIS model applied to ESG strategies. Surprisingly, the study found that institutions with a high ESG performance do not always match those with the highest eco-efficiency.

They emphasize the need for financial institutions to align their operations with sustainable practices. This research provides insights to increase eco-efficiency and improve the ESG performance of financial institutions. It also informs policy and decision-making in these institutions in relation to environmental training and management practices, contributing to the wider dialogue on sustainable finance.

This indicates a discrepancy between ESG ratings and actual eco-efficiency, emphasizing the need to reassess the ESG framework. The study findings are crucial for aligning financial institutions with sustainable practices and improving the effectiveness of the ESG framework, especially for institutions at the lower end of the eco-efficiency spectrum.

The study aims to explore the discrepancy between the subjective and objective debt burdens across various household socio-demographic and debt characteristics. Additionally, it seeks to establish an optimal debt service-to-income ratio (DSTI) threshold for identifying over-indebtedness.

This study utilized a sample of 1,004 respondents from a nationwide survey conducted among Polish indebted households. A discrepancy ratio (DR) measure was proposed to evaluate the divergence between subjective and objective over-indebtedness. Binary logistic regression was employed to estimate the probability of being subjectively and objectively over-indebted, as well as the discrepancy between the two measures of over-indebtedness. The study also employed numerical simulations to determine the optimal DSTI threshold for identifying over-indebted households in general and based on their socio-economic characteristics.

The study established a debt service-to-income ratio (DSTI) threshold of 20% to minimize the discrepancy between subjective and objective debt burden, which is lower than thresholds found in other studies aimed at identifying over-indebted households. Age, number of loans, self-perceived needs satisfaction and type of debt were identified as significant socio-economic and debt-related determinants of over-indebtedness. Household socio-economic and debt-related characteristics significantly influence the threshold for identifying over-indebtedness using DSTI. It can vary widely, ranging from as low as 11% for well-educated women with multiple loan commitments to 43.7% for young males with vocational education, high incomes and originating from households with four or more members.

The paper proposes a more comprehensive approach to debt burden analysis by introducing a new methodology for determining a debt service-to-income (DSTI) threshold that could serve as a measure of over-indebtedness based on the discrepancy between subjective and objective over-indebtedness. It also emphasizes the significance of socio-economic and debt-related factors in evaluating subjective and objective over-indebtedness.

The investigation goal is the analysis of the relation between healthcare expenditures and other resources, and COVID-19 fatality rates among European countries to design effective health policies for crisis management.

Research methodology is based on descriptive statistics and various parametric methods, also including a linear model of regression to analyze basic relationships of variables under study.

Results show that a lower COVID-19 fatality rate is associated with higher levels of health expenditure (% GDP), of healthcare expenditure per capita, health expenditure in preventive care (% GDP), hospitals per million inhabitants, physicians, nurses, hospital beds and curative acute care beds per 1,000 inhabitants. Regression analysis shows that a 1% increase in healthcare expenditures per capita of countries, it reduces the level of COVID-19 fatality rate by 0.74%. In fact, many countries in Eastern Europe with low healthcare expenditures per capita in 2019 (e.g., Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Slovakia, Lithuania, etc.), they have experienced high COVID-19 fatality rates. Instead, a lot of countries in Western Europe, with high healthcare expenditures per capita, such as Germany, Denmark, Austria, and the Netherlands, they had resilient health systems to face pandemic crisis and lower COVID-19 fatality rates.

These findings suggest strategies of systematic and continuous investments in healthcare, medical technologies, and ICT infrastructures to support effective health policy of crisis management in countries to face future pandemic crisis and other emergencies in society.

The explanation of critical role of high health expenditure (% GDP) and healthcare expenditure per capita to support robust health systems that bolster the resilience in nations to face health emergencies and worldwide crises.

This study examines co-production during the Covid-19 crisis, characterized as a Black Swan event, with a specific emphasis on local professionals’ preparedness and response.

A qualitative approach combining deductive and inductive approaches was employed to gather data from professional coordinators of co-production processes in Israeli local governments. The study utilizes professionalism theory as a framework to examine such key elements as professional knowledge, autonomy, status and legitimacy. Additionally, open coding is used to investigate emerging themes.

The findings reveal that, despite preventive efforts by the central government, local professionals were unprepared to address the crisis. Traditional top-down approaches failed during the crisis, emphasizing the need for peer learning and collaboration among various stakeholders. Professionals' de facto autonomy, driven by quick decision-making and creative problem-solving, elevated their legitimacy and status. Inter- and intra-organizational collaboration was essential to maintain performance through co-producing public services. Finally, multicultural awareness proved vital; neglecting this may have severe consequences in routine times but especially during crises.

Using qualitative research, this study emphasizes the importance of understanding context in interpreting thoughts and actions. However, our approach has limitations. We collected data at a single point in time, which may not capture changes over time. Additionally, we relied on self-reporting from 19 public professionals in local municipalities, each managing the coproduction-based center within the respective municipality. However, this setup, where a single coordinator represents the entire co-production function of the municipality, has its limitations as only one voice is heard.

By shedding light on the multifaceted aspects of co-production, policymakers and professionals could learn about such substantial factors as professionals’ autonomy, inter-organizational collaborations and sensitivity to cultural nuances, which should be established first and foremost in routine times to prepare for crisis. In our case study, governmental preventive measures were inapplicable to crises, and experience of prior crises did not necessarily bestow an ability to prepare accordingly. This is where the role of the street-level professionals becomes significant: these are the actors who experience the crisis on the ground and may provide a quick and effective response. Their ability to take the reins, to be innovative and to generate knowledge while exerting their own professional consideration, proved extremely important.

This research contributes to our understanding of public service professionals’ effective leveraging of the contributions of co-producers in times of crisis. It shifts focus from top-down policy preparedness and implementation to the development of appropriate organizational structures and active and routine stakeholder engagement, thereby enhancing preparedness for crises.

This study aims to focus on key approaches to education for sustainability (EfS) leadership development in the context of Malaysian and Japanese universities. The authors identify key indicators of effective EfS leadership development approaches using both descriptive and inferential analyses, identify and compare the preferred leadership learning methods of academics and examine the impact of marital status, country of residence and administrative position on the three EfS leadership development approaches.

The study is quantitative in approach and survey in design. Data were collected from 664 academics and analysed using the efficient partial least squares (PLSe2) methodology. To provide higher education researchers with more analytical insights, the authors re-estimated the models based on the maximum likelihood methodology and compared the results across the two methods.

The inferential results underscored the significance of four EfS leadership learning methods, namely, “Involvement in professional leadership groups or associations, including those concerned with EfS”, “Being involved in a formal mentoring/coaching program”, “Completing formal leadership programs provided by my institution” and “Participating in higher education leadership seminars”. Additionally, the authors noted a significant impact of country of residence on the three approaches to EfS leadership development. Furthermore, although marital status emerged as a predictor for self-managed learning and formal leadership development (with little practical relevance), administrative position did not exhibit any influence on the three approaches.

In addition to the theoretical and methodological implications drawn from the findings, the authors emphasize a number of practical implications, namely, exploring the applicability of the results to other East Asian countries, the adaptation of current higher education leadership development programmes focused on the key challenges faced by successful leaders in similar roles, and the consideration of a range of independent variables including marital status, administrative position and country of residence in the formulation of policies related to EfS leadership development.

This study represents an inaugural international comparative analysis that specifically examines EfS leadership learning methods. The investigation uses the research approach and conceptual framework used in the international Turnaround Leadership for Sustainability in Higher Education initiative and uses the PLSe2 methodology to inferentially pinpoint key learning methods and test the formulated hypotheses.