New Articles – Economics

Regional income convergence in Central Europe: Evidence from a pair-wise approach

Pavel Zdrazil

Regional disparities are usually monitored in terms of economic performance. But as pointed out by many scholars, research has to look beyond GDP, investments, unemployment, and focus also on regional inequality in measures of well-being, for example, the disposable income of households. Therefore, this article examines the income disparities among the regions of Central European countries. We apply the probabilistic definition of convergence that is tested by the time series cointegration…

DOI (& full text): doi.org/10.15240/tul/001/2025-1-001 more

Driving economic inclusion: Analyzing the participation of individuals with disabilities

Joanna Malecka, Dominik Czerkawski, Jarmila Duhacek Sebestova

The population with disabilities constitutes the largest minority group in the labour market, facing social and organizational barriers. The ambiguous nature of employment support provisions and the lack of unified vocational activation systems hinder their economic participation. This study reviews existing literature and examines the effectiveness of support programmes, and discusses the employment challenges faced by disabled individuals. The research emphasizes the need for coordinated…

DOI (& full text): doi.org/10.15240/tul/001/2024-5-013 more

How does digital transformation affect innovation quality?

Tingqian Pu, Abdul Hadi Zulkafli

In the digital era, digital transformation is disrupting traditional business models and innovation activities. Numerous firms have expedited their endeavors in digital transformation to augment their manufacturing capabilities, operational efficiency, and competitive standing. Despite the increasing scholarly attention on the pivotal role of digital transformation in economic progress, there exists a paucity of research delving into the intricate nexus between digital transformation and…

DOI (& full text): doi.org/10.15240/tul/001/2024-5-021 more

A policy-oriented framework for social cost analysis of gambling: Evidence from the Czech Republic

Jakub Zofcak, Dominik Stroukal, Josef Sima

This paper introduces a new framework for calculating the social costs of gambling, distinguishing between private costs, externalities, and public expenditures. By focusing only on externalities and public expenditures, which are relevant to policy-making, this approach aligns with economic theory and allows for a more targeted political response. The practical application of this framework is demonstrated by calculating the social cost of gambling in the Czech Republic in 2022 using the best…

DOI (& full text): doi.org/10.15240/tul/001/2024-5-019 more

The welfare effects of digital infrastructure: Micro-level evidence from China

Yuan-Qi Xie, Hui Liu

Over the past 40 years of reform and opening-up, China has achieved remarkable progress in rural infrastructure development. Although some empirical studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between the provision of digital infrastructure and increases in agricultural output and farmer income in various developing countries, research exploring the impact of digital infrastructure on rural households’ welfare is rare. This gap represents a significant issue for policymakers and academic…

DOI (& full text): doi.org/10.15240/tul/001/2024-5-020 more