Efficiency of Justice and Economic Systems

Since the early 1990s, discussions on total factor productivity (TFP) have become increasingly important for Singapore, and there has been substantial amounts of empirical work done in this area using both cross-country and inter-temporal analysis. This article reviews the conceptual and empirical aspects of some of the TFP growth studies on Singapore and provides suggestions for future research. Introduction Total factor productivity serves as an important measure of the productive performance of an economy for the following reasons. First, unlike the partial productive measure, it considers the contribution of more than one input to output. Second, it is important to the growth process in the long run, as there are constraints imposed by population growth, together with diminishing returns that set in as capital intensity is increased. One way to secure economic growth beyond these limits is to secure ongoing increases in TFP. This is a very relevant issue for Singapore, which the OECD has upgraded to the status of an advanced newly developing country. Although Singapore has enjoyed impressive levels of economic growth, in terms of sustainable long-term growth given by TFP, it was Young (1992) who first argued that Singapore was nowhere near its twin city, Hong Kong. This was then emphasized by Krugman (1994) who singled out Singapore as the only newly-industrialized economy (NIE) which experienced no TFP growth. But Lim (1986, p. 5) once commented that, if a country can raise its standard of living so spectacularly with a very low TFP growth, does it then matter whether TFP growth is low?' Peebles and Wilson (1996, p. 205) as a reply to Lim, argued that an important point is missed in this comment which only looks at the benefits resulting from high growth and ignores the cost of achieving such growth. This means that TFP analysis in Singapore is not to be taken lightly. It was noted that most developed countries at the same development stage as Singapore were having TFP growth rates between 2 per cent and 4 per cent while Singapore registered an insignificant 0.4 per cent between 1980 and 1992. The target is now set to reach at least 2 per cent in order to sustain a (labour) productivity growth of 4 per cent and a GDP growth of 7 per cent.2 The importance of TFP in Singapore is further reflected in the numerous studies undertaken to examine the issue. Review of TFP Studies Table 1 provides a summary of various studies' estimates of TFP growth for Singapore's aggregate economy, manufacturing (Manu) and services (Serv). Most of the studies above show that TFP growth in Singapore has been insignificant, particularly in comparison with the NIEs and other countries. After the pioneering work of Tsao (1982) on Singapore, various studies have reexamined this issue. While Wong and Tok (1994) and Rao and Lee (1995) showed that TFP growth increased in the latter half of the 1980s, the National Productivity Board (1994) and Sarel (1997) showed improvements in TFP growth for the early 1990s. However, the Department of Statistics (1997) and Renuka M. (1998) show otherwise and Leung's (1997) results are inconclusive for the early 1990s. It is obvious that TFP results can vary significantly from one another and this is due to different methodologies used and different time periods of study. The objective of this article is to critically analyse some of the often-cited cross-country and inter-temporal TFP studies in order to understand the problems that still exist in the analysis of TFP growth. In particular, the conceptual and empirical aspects of the studies are reviewed and suggestions for future research are put forth. Unfortunately, the space constraint and the disparate and complex nature of the various studies reviewed are not amenable to a more integrated approach to the article.3 For instance, a detailed comparison of various methodologies in TFP measure and their caveats as well as data problems in Singapore could not be discussed extensively but an attempt was made to incorporate these issues within the studies whenever possible. …

Integrating economic, environmental and societal performance within the productivity measurement

Efficiency and productivity changes in Greek airports during the crisis years 2010–2014

The provision on the administration of justice exclusively by courts, which is promulgated by the norms of the Constitution of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine «On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges» and the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, has a fundamental nature and corresponds to the main features of the principles of criminal proceedings. The purpose of the article is: to reveal the content of the principle of the administration of justice in criminal proceedings exclusively by courts in connection with the institution of jurisdiction, the modern judicial system in Ukraine, the exercise of powers by the court to administer justice in various stages of criminal proceedings and the goal of justice. The importance of jurisdiction for ensuring justice is emphasized, which consists in creating conditions for the implementation of the principles of criminal proceedings during the trial and the adoption of a lawful court decision. It was noted that an important guarantee of effective and fair justice is the proper organization of the judicial system and a clear and legally justified definition of the rules of jurisdiction. Within the analysis of the content of the principle of the administration of justice in criminal proceedings exclusively by the courts, it is substantiated that in accordance with the established system of the judiciary in Ukraine and the rules of jurisdiction provided for by the Code of Criminal Procedure, justice in criminal proceedings is carried out by local general courts, the High Anti-Corruption Court, appeals courts and the Supreme Court in the order specified by the Code of Criminal Procedure in the stages of court proceedings. Attention is paid to the implementation of the specified principle in various stages of criminal proceedings. It was concluded that the administration of justice by the courts takes place at all stages of the court proceedings when deciding the issues on the merits of the accusation: in the preparatory court proceedings, the court proceedings in the first instance, the proceedings for the review of court decisions in the appeal, cassation procedure, as well as in newly discovered or exceptional circumstances. The stages of law enforcement in the administration of justice by a court in criminal proceedings are distinguished: establishment of circumstances to be proven and other circumstances that are important for criminal proceedings; criminal qualification of the act; adoption and execution of a court decision. It is argued that the interconnectedness of the formal and substantive essential features of justice gives grounds for defining it simultaneously as an activity and as a goal. It was determined that the goal of justice in the judicial process is realized by the adoption of a legal, justified, motivated and fair court decision, which resolves the socio-legal conflict and ensures the protection of the rights, freedoms and interests of individuals.

China has persevered its market-oriented economic transition since 1978. In this paper, we use the provincial-level NERI Index of Marketization from 1997 to 2014 and a panel data model to investigate the quantitative contribution of market-oriented reforms to China’s total factor productivity (TFP) and economic growth. Our results indicate that marketization reforms contributed 1.3 percentage points to China’s annual economic growth rate and accounted for 35 percent of the increase in TFP. This means that the institutional reforms significantly improved resource allocation. However, economic transition in China has not yet been completed and sustainability of future growth will depend on further market-oriented reforms.

Why is China Growing so Fast?

Purpose This study investigates the impact of cash dividend smoothing on total factor productivity from the perspective of a firm’s dividend policy. Design/methodology/approach Using data from A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen spanning from 2008 to 2022, this study empirically investigates the impact of cash dividend smoothing on total factor productivity. Findings This study finds that, firstly, firms adopting a smooth cash dividend policy experience a significant increase in total factor productivity, a conclusion supported by multiple robustness tests. Secondly, a smooth cash dividend policy enhances total factor productivity by addressing financial constraints and fostering innovation. Lastly, the impact of cash dividend smoothing on total factor productivity is more prominent in firms characterized by low dividend levels, weak bank competition and those in the growth phase. Research limitations/implications Firms facing constrained business activities and limited internal cash reserves can use cash dividend smoothing as a tool to mitigate financial constraints. By conveying positive business outlook information to the market, firms can attract external financing and facilitate investment, thereby enhancing total factor productivity. Practical implications From a corporate governance perspective, optimizing dividend policies can serve to improve the overall governance environment. This strategic approach can empower management to align dividend distributions with business goals, thereby bolstering total factor productivity. Originality/value The findings presented in this paper not only contribute to the ongoing discourse on cash dividend smoothing within signaling and principal-agent theories but also offer a novel avenue for enhancing total factor productivity.

Trade, Transaction Costs and TFP: Evidence from Tunisia and Egypt

This study examines the status of human capital in China’s higher education system by analyzing the quantity of higher education institutions as a metric. The results show a general enhancement in human capital in all regions, along with an optimized structure. This is demonstrated by a decline in the primary education demographic, a consistent growth in secondary education, and a rapid surge in the higher education demographic. The percentage of junior college students has remained steady, whereas the ratios of undergraduate and graduate students have been consistently increasing. The Malmquist index method is used to analyze changes in total factor productivity (TFP) among provinces and regions by breaking it down into technical level and efficiency changes. From 2005 to 2010, there was a general increase in total factor productivity (TFP) and technical proficiency, although technical efficiency showed only slight enhancement. TFP and technical level growth decelerated from 2011 to 2020, while technical efficiency stayed above 1. These findings indicate that China’s total factor productivity (TFP) growth is mainly driven by technological advancements, with minimal improvements in technical efficiency.

Restorative Justice: Some Facts and History

У статті досліджено окремі аспекти застосування практики Європейського Суду з прав людин и під час здійснення правосуддя в кримінальних провадженнях щодо корупційних злочинів. Проаналізовано сучасні думки науковців щодо застосування практики Європейського Суду з прав людини під час здійснення правосуддя в кримінальних провадженнях щодо корупційних злочинів. Досліджено авторські наукові підходи, які обґрунтовують висновок про те, що використання практики ЄСПЛ у кримінальному су-дочинстві України є обов’язковим. Визначено, що застосування практики Європейського Суду з прав людини під час здійснення правосуддя в кримінальних провадженнях щодо корупційних злочинів прямо передбачено ч. 2 ст. 8 КПК України. Також доведено, що використання практики ЄСПЛ вітчизняними судами під час здійснення правосуддя в кримінальних провадженнях щодо корупційних злочинів як мотивація виправдувальних вироків не завжди пов’язана з урахуванням практики ЄСПЛ щодо провокації вчинення злочину, а також засновується на використанні доктрини «плодів отруйного дерева» та «розумного сумніву».

Employing a unique database of Ukrainian firms in 2001–07, we use the external push for liberalization in the services sector as a source of exogenous variation to identify the effect of services liberalization on total factor productivity (TFP) of manufacturing firms. The results indicate that a standard deviation increase in services liberalization within a firm is associated with a 9.2 percent increase in TFP. The effect is stronger for firms with high productivity, bringing about a reallocation of resources within an industry. Industry‐level results show that the effect of reallocation on industry productivity is almost as strong as the within‐firm effect. The dynamic interaction of services liberalization and TFP through the investment channel reinforces the effect. The effect is robust to different estimation methods and to different sub‐samples of the data. In particular, it is more pronounced for domestic and small firms.

Based on relevant data on the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries in Tianjin from 2009‒2019, combined with the decomposition of the DEA-Malmquist index, the total factor productivity (TFP) of the three major industries in Tianjin in 2009‒2019 and its decomposition were calculated using DEAP2.1 software. Also, the TFP was comprehensively analyzed. The results showed that the TFP of Tianjin’s three major industries showed a downward trend in 2009‒2019, and the most important reason for this phenomenon was the decline in technological progress. When Tianjin develops its three major industries, it should focus on strengthening technological innovation and establishing strict and standardized management systems, rules, and regulations to promote a significant increase in TFP and the steady and high-quality development of its economy.

The article explored labour productivity in agriculture and carried out a comparative analysis of the achieved level of labour productivity in the countries of the European Union. The efficiency of agricultural production needs to be measured to improve the productivity, competitiveness, and profitability of farms. The multifactorial total factor productivity (MFP) of agricultural production evaluates the main and additional sources of economic growth in the agricultural sector. Based on the analysis of beta convergence, we observe an increase in total factor productivity (TFP) in Slovakia and the countries of the European Union. Based on the obtained statistically significant regression analysis models, beta convergence and sigma divergence of the TFP of the agricultural sector in the EU and Slovakia were identified. Thus, the process of positive convergence was confirmed, which indicates the convergence of the economic development of Slovakia with highly developed countries and the reduction of disparities between countries. State support and investment in innovative technologies will stimulate the adoption of new technologies and at the same time ensure technological progress and improve the impact of agriculture on the environment. We also concluded that it is important to improve the skills of those working in the agricultural sector, and as a result, an increase in TFP is expected.

In the practice, communication competencies are typically not among the most important expected competencies in terms of the relevant areas of children’s rights. This is particularly true for institutions such as the (criminal) justice system. However, meeting with a judge, lawyer, child protection expert, or even a representative of the investigating authority can have a long-term impact on the child involved. The aim of this chapter is to provide an insight from the perspective of minors into the range of relevant soft skills that appear alongside hard skills (i.e. expertise in the narrow sense); although in the workdays of institutions these have not yet received the recognition they deserve based on their importance. In addition to communication, these skills include the ability to cooperate, solve problems, be creative, and have emotional intelligence; the 21st century justice and child welfare system, the professional knowledge alone is no longer enough. On the expectations related to the communication method of judiciary (as an institutional system) and to the communication skills of its members (e.g. judges) the following chapters report deeply.