In this paper, we conduct the first systematic empirical analysis of income inequality in the People's Republic of China (PRC) at the provincial level. Using data from the China Household Finance Survey (CHFS) and a semiparametric distribution model, we estimate Gini indices for a set of...

The Female Entrepreneurship Index (FEI) for 2024 aims to pinpoint the elements that facilitate the success of promising high-potential female entrepreneurs-those who manage and possess ventures characterized by innovation, market growth, and a focus on exports. Ambitious female entrepreneurs,...

We investigate the effects of different components of government spending on inclusive growth. More specifically, we consider the inclusive impact of public spending on environmental protection, health, education, housing, and social protection, all of which can conceivably promote inclusive...

This paper examines the gender-specific effects of exogenous public spending shocks across a global sample using a novel identification strategy and local projections. We distinguish between investment and consumption shocks and further decompose spending by function: education, health, and...

A persistent disparity has been observed in the social and economic development of women, particularly evident in South Asia's lower female labor force participation. This study investigates how mobile phone ownership can overcome this disadvantage. Using an instrumental variable approach and...

This paper explores how school-age exposure to storms impacts the education and primary activity status of young adults in India. Using a cross-sectional cohort study based on wind exposure histories, we find evidence of a significant deskilling of areas vulnerable to climate change-related...

This paper analyzes the growth impact of public and private investment shocks based on a large sample of emerging and developing countries over the period 1980-2021 with a particular focus on the Asian region. We develop new measures of investment shocks based on cyclically adjusted investment...

Amid a shifting global energy landscape driven by concerns about climate change and fossil fuel depletion, there is a heightened need to move toward sustainable energy sources. Although there has been a significant increase in investments in renewable energy (RE) globally, there is still a...

This study investigated environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and its financial impacts across 38 economies from 2013 to 2022, with a special focus on firms in Asia. The main findings are as follows. First, notable disparities in ESG assessments were found across major rating...

We delineate metropolitan areas (MAs) in the Philippines using cellphone user flow data to proxy for daily commutes. The exercise identifies a number of large MAs that are not officially recognized, and different spatial extents for the three officially designated MAs. The urban system aligns...