Academic Journal of Economic Studies

12-18

Authors: Isfenti Sadalia, Linda T. Maas, Joiverdia, Iskandar Muda

The objective of the research is to analyze the potential and sustainable livelihood through the strengthening of development capital and governance applied to the sustainable livelihood of coastal community in Medan. The present research used descriptive quantitative method. The analysis was used to answer the hypothesis testing using Structural Equation Model or SEM to view relationship in the strengthening between development capital and governance towards the livelihood sustainability in coastal community. Furthermore, through this relationship, a model was then designed for sustainable livelihood development via the strengthening of development capital and governance. The results indicate that sustainable development and governance positively and significantly affect the development capital. However, the existing potential of development capital should be improved through community empowerment model to be better, stronger and more sustainable.

24-32

Authors: David Umoru, Moses A. Erhi

This study uses St. Louis model to econometrically answer the question of whether the Keynesian policy or the Monetarist’s policy was more efficacious on employment generation in Nigerian with quarterly data for sample period of 1992 to 2016. The empirical finding is that cumulative effects of Keynesian of increasing aggregate government spending on the growth rate of employment in Nigeria is dominant in contrast to Monetarist’s policy. The policy simulation results reported negative dynamic multiplier of -0.01 of monetary policy on employment; fiscal policy gave a dynamic employment multiplier of 0.12 respectively. The study thus bears out fiscal policy as more effectual in inducing employment in Nigeria by imposing positive feedbacks. The study remarks on feasible implementation of empirical finding.

38-46

Authors: Chao Tang

The paper empirically studies the relationship between ambiguity and mutual fund investor behaviour. Theoretical models for investment decisions incorporating ambiguity motivate our analyses. While the models indicate that investors would less likely to invest in financial markets when ambiguity increases, there is rare empirical evidence in natural occurring financial data to examine this hypothesis. In this paper, we test the hypothesis with equity fund flow data as for investment decisions and ambiguity with the degree of disagreement in equity analysts’ prediction about asset returns. Our results support the hypothesis that increases in ambiguity could lead to less fund flows and this result remains consistently when adding various control variables affecting fund flows. Besides, we find that heterogeneous impacts of ambiguity: equity funds with high yield targets and active management style are affected more than funds investing in stable stocks; funds with larger proportion of institutional investors are more sensitive and affected by the ambiguity.

62-72

Authors: Iulia Monica Oehler-Sincai

The present paper is structured around the following research objectives: (1) identification of the main characteristics of Asia-Pacific relations, strategic partnerships and regional rivalries; (2) justification of the need to address this topic both economically and geostrategically; (3) correlation between India’s intention to become a member of APEC (aimed at expanding its sphere of influence in the region), its Act East strategy and the invigoration of strategic partnerships with China’s competitors; (4) reactivation of the debate on principles of governance in Asia and the features of the Factory Asia, highlighting the roles played by China, Japan, ASEAN and India’s new role in the Asian economic integration; (5) the entry of the UK into the Asia-Pacific equation, supported, among other determinants, by the goal of expanding its sphere of influence worldwide.

73-78

Authors: Adriana Ungureanu

Apparently, the international competition is strong in the area of investment in new technologies and expecting for their results to be applied at the right moment. Nanotechnology is from far the most wanted by investors. During the last twenty years, developed states invested in nanotechnologies as a priority for their policies and in time this trend was followed by the less developed countries. At the opposite side, there are countries as Romania that seem to not keep the step with times and lose the start in front of those very active in this field. This paper tries to focus on the role of the Romanian business environment to reshape the textile industry through new technologies and nanotechnologies especially. As the methodology, the in-depth interview method was used to get the information from the most important actors in Romanian business textile field. The conclusions show that a lot of measures are required to change the mentality and the working style. The study reveals also that together with the state involvement the industrial policies must be changed. In the same time, this research gathered some recommendations as pragmatic solutions to take seriously the role of business environment for bringing its contribution for this challenge.

87-91

Authors: Viorel Mionel, Oana Mionel, Alexandra Moraru

People perceive gold, silver and platinum as jewellery and massive ingots, but their rarity and physicochemical properties recommend them as being suitable for a wide range of uses. The value of gold has led many states to diversify their economic portfolio by creating sovereign reserves. By buying massive amounts of gold, countries like China, Russia, India, Brazil and Turkey suggest that the purchase of precious metals is the best investment during the crisis. Research results show that the value of precious metals greatly increases at times of crisis because buying precious metals indemnifies states against international currency devaluation.

102-105

Authors: Ionica Oncioiu, Alina Stanciu

Producing energy from renewable sources represents an essential component of energy policies at a national level and it leads to important savings of fossil fuel and primary energy. This article investigates the development of renewable energy in terms of energy production and consumption, on the one hand, and on the other hand, it presents a model to forecast the region's evolution of renewable energy diffusion (up to three years). Statistics proved that Romanian consumers have a key role in developing the green energy market, but it is also very important to ensure the ability of renewable energy suppliers to accommodate to this demand. Sample data and econometric regression analysis were applied to delineate factors influencing Romanian consumers’ awareness about renewable energy. The research findings from this regression analysis highlight a strongly connection between those who bear the cost of renewable energy development and the actual beneficiaries of a clean environment to identify the major drivers and barriers for renewable energy diffusion in Romania. The results of this forecast regions analysis of renewable energy could be used for further research in the area of implementing renewable energy projects for the urban development of the regions.

112-117

Authors: Mirela Catalina Türkes, Alexandru Olariu, Mirela Matache

The paper analyzes the level of satisfaction of the students as patients, who called for urgent medical services during the month of April 2017, aged between 18-30 years. Quantitative marketing analysis was used in the study. Data and information provided by respondents were processed on the basis of a questionnaire comprised of 10 questions. The study shows that 35.3% of the respondents rated the level of cleanliness unsatisfactory and 35.9% of the patients said that the kindness and availability of the medical staff of the emergency department were unsatisfactory. However, 34.4% of the visitors said they would return to the same state hospital if needed, while 51.5% said they did not know if they would go to the same state hospital.