The Shadow Economy in Pakistan: An Analysis with MIMIC Model

This paper explicitly presents the estimation of the size and development of the shadow economy. The study examines the impact of multiple exogenous causes (observed variables) on the shadow economy (latent variable) and the size of the shadow economy influencing the performance of multiple macroeconomic indicators. In order to accomplish this econometric analysis, a MIMIC Model (Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes Model) is applied over the period 2011 to 2021. The results indicate that the tax burden, business freedom, unemployment rate, and Gross Domestic Product are the key driving forces of the shadow economy in Pakistan. The findings are potentially beneficial for the policymakers in identifying and dealing with the shadow economic activities as well as developing the strategies relevant to the economic policy.

Analysis of the activities of law enforcement authorities in the field of combating crime and corruption offences

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyse the activities of law enforcement bodies in the field of combating crime and corruption offences. Design/methodology/approach In modern conditions in Ukraine, effective cooperation between law enforcement bodies and authorities at all levels, as well as with partner organisations and agencies at the national, regional and international levels to effectively combat crimes related to organised crime and corruption is of particular importance. Improving the investigative and detective capacity of the criminal justice system, combined with efforts to intensify cooperation, contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of joint struggle in this area, thus helping to deter, detect, punish and prevent crime and corruption offences. They must be directly part of a sustainable, long-term and comprehensive strategy to reduce the scope for corruption and open the political and economic system to greater competition. Findings The results of this study allow substantiating that the Ukrainian leadership understands the seriousness of corruption and organised crime: the state takes decisive legislative measures based on international experience. Originality/value The obvious mechanisms for reducing the level of corruption and organised crime in Ukraine can be: implementation of measures to ensure business freedom; the formation of anti-corruption business strategies; introduction of special methods of anti-corruption education; approbation in Ukraine of positive normative legal acts and practices of law enforcement of preventive nature of the European Union for joint activity of law enforcement bodies and civil society in the field of combating crime and corruption offences.

Impacts of Political Stability on Shadow Economy: Evidence from Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Countries

The issue of political stability and the shadow economy is the most vital concern for sustainable development. However, the relationship between them is yet to be explored. Particularly, in the context of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Countries (BIMSTEC) countries, there are no studies that have examined the influence of political stability on shadow economy. This study fills these gaps. Using panel data from 1998 to 2015, this study empirically investigated whether and how political stability affects shadow economy. Findings indicate that political stability has significant negative effects on the size of shadow economy. We also observed that regulation freedom, fiscal freedom, business freedom, trade freedom, government integrity, government spending and gross domestic product (GDP) growth have significant negative effects, while unemployment has significant positive effects on the shadow economy. Findings of this study imply that governments and policymakers should make efforts to ensure greater political stability in their countries, which will lessen the size of shadow economy that, in turn, will accelerate economic growth. The present study adds to empirical literature of the analogous issue by confirming (or else) the findings of past studies carried out across the world. The findings indicate that there exists a positive association between the extent of political stability and the shadow economy for BIMSTEC countries.

Analyzing the Current Situation About the Constitution Protecting the Business Freedom Under The Background of the New Era

With the continuous progress of the economy of China and the full integration with the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, Chinese economy has been further developed and gradually tends to be improved. Under the background of the new era, there are great differences between the public economy and the non-public sector of the economy that is including the private economy and the individual economy. The non-public sector of the economy is mainly to pursue the maximization of operating profits. In fact, it defers to the intention of managers. Therefore, the planning of business freedom becomes a power to protect the business property and business freedom, which is the most important issue to be considered in the context of the new era.

The influence of the tax system on the location of holding companies in Spain

Purpose The purpose of this article is to determine the influence of the tax system on the location of holding companies in Spain. Design/methodology/approach To achieve this purpose, we have used an analysis of cointegration in time series. The independent variable used was the number of holding companies under Régimen de Entidades de Tenencia de Valores Extranjeros Spanish regime. The dependent variables were divided into two groups: fiscal and non-fiscal variables. The dependent fiscal variables are effective tax rate and double taxation convention, whereas the non-fiscal dependent variables are government effectiveness and business freedom. Findings The study concludes that the fiscal variables are relevant to establish a holding company in Spain, but there are other variables such as government effectiveness and business freedom that show as well as influence on the location of holding companies. Originality/value In the year 2015, the article The influence of the tax system on the location of holding companies in Switzerland was published in the Competitiveness Review. In this article, the influence of taxation on the decision to locate a holding company in Switzerland was analyzed. Now that the Spanish holding regime is consolidated, thanks to more than twenty years of application in our tax legislation, we consider it important to carry out an analysis of the influence of taxation in the decision to locate a holding company in our country. As already mentioned in the article published in 2015, the study of the taxation of holding companies is a topic related more to law firms and/or tax advisors than to academic research, and it is for this reason that there are few empirical studies on this topic. Hence, the research developed in this paper is important.

Economic freedom and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of broad cultural dimensions, as well as those of religion and legal origin, on countries’ economic freedom, i.e., trade freedom, investment freedom, business freedom, labor freedom, monetary freedom, as well as a composite measure of economic freedom. Design/methodology/approach Linear regression of publicly available data regarding economic freedom (Miller et al., 2018) on cultural dimensions (Hofstede, 2009), legal origin and religion (LaPorta et al., 1999) for 52 countries was performed to determine the impact of these factors on economic freedom. Findings Results indicated femininity was the cultural dimension associated with the most measures of economic freedom. Short-term-oriented cultures were predictive of greater business freedom, while more restrained cultures were associated with greater business and monetary freedoms. Higher individualism was predictive of greater monetary freedom. Catholicism positively predicted investment freedom and negatively predicted business freedom. French civil law negatively predicted labor freedom, while socialist legal origins positively predicted trade freedom, but negatively predicted business freedom. Originality/value This is the first study to examine the impacts of culture, law and religion on economic freedom. One practical implication of this research is that countries would be wise to emphasize more feminine aspects in their cultures, as these are associated with greater economic freedom. Even minor adjustments that move in the direction of cooperation and fair processes might help increase economic freedoms and the many benefits that stem from such freedoms.