IEE Publications

Read about new publications from our IEE members

Books

IEE member Dr. Christina Seeger published a new book as volume 74 of our series UA Ruhr Studies on Development and Global Governance:

Trust and consumers' willingness to pay for safe and certified safe vegetables in West African cities: a comparative analysis of Tamale, Ouagadougou, Bamenda and Bamako.

Smallholder farmers cultivating in West African cities often lack access to irrigation water and may use wastewater to irrigate their fields, particularly in the dry season. Wastewater contaminates vegetables with pathogens so that local consumers are likely to be exposed to health risks. Market data on consumers' actual payments for safety improved (= pathogen reduced) vegetables are not available in West Africa as vegetables differing in safety levels are sold, due to an information deficit on the consumers' side, at a uniform market price. Certification and repeated purchase experience may reduce these information deficits.

For both market signals to be effective, trust is required. This book analyses the role of trust in explaining consumers' maximum willingness to pay (WTP) for safe and certified safe food in a Hicksian framework. This theory is tested using household data (n = 2,662) generated from contingent valuation surveys undertaken in Tamale, Ouagadougou, Bamenda and Bamako. The findings show that local consumers are willing to pay substantially higher prices (+40% to +160%) for certified safe vegetables. They further suggest that trust in farmers and traders reduces WTP and trust in certifying institutions increases WTP for certified safe vegetables. Most WTPs were found to be construct valid. They are therefore taken as trustworthy expressions of consumers' preferences for safety improved vegetables. These results stress the need to introduce vegetable certification in West African cities.

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Book Chapters / Articles

IEE member Dr. Elkhan R. Sadik-Zada, together with Andrea Gatto, wrote a chapter of the newly-published book "Economic Growth and Financial Development":

Revisiting the East Asian Financial Crises:
Lessons from Ethics and Development Patterns

This book chapter offers a conceptual contribution to the development economics and financial development literature by reviewing the East Asian development patterns through an ethical interpretation. The flight of foreign capital and the financial crises that affected some of the most successful East Asian economies led to a critique of their development pathways. However, Japan and the Asian Tigers displayed a lead role for ethics in both their economic and business historical process, as part of the Confucian capitalism. The Asian miracle carries a strong ethical message, to be kept for policy recommendations. These lessons can be useful for regulation purposes and to smooth the risk of upcoming financial crises.

in: Shahbaz M., Soliman A., Ullah S. (eds): Economic Growth and Financial Development. Effects of Capital Flight in Developing Countries. Springer, Cham., pp 23-31. Online available at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79003-5_2

Journal Articles

A new journal article by IEE member Dr. Elkhan R. Sadik-Zada was published in the Atlantic Economic Journal:

An Ode to ODA against all Odds? A Novel Game - Theoretical and Empirical Reappraisal of the Terrorism-Aid Nexus

The present inquiry revisits the influence of the fourth religious wave of modern terrorism on the allocation of official development assistance (ODA). The theoretical framework is predicated first on comprehensive review of the pertinent literature on the nexus between political instability and foreign aid, augmented by the assessment of Central Intelligence Agency declassified documents and Congressional Service Reports. Based on the systematic review of the sources, the study puts forward a novel dynamic differential game theory model, which enables derivation of the scenarios for foreign aid allocation. The study finds that despite dominance of geopolitical and/or commercial interests in the allocation of aid, high incidence of terrorist attacks does not lead to less development aid, but rather catalyzes it. Subsequent empirical analysis of a dataset with 121 developing and transition economies spanning between 1970 and 2016 reveals that terrorism incidents, level of political rights, and the War on Terror had a statistically significant positive long-run and negative short-run effect on the level of foreign aid commitment of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development member states. The growth rate of foreign aid in the developing countries with a predominantly Muslim population has been systematically 0.1 to 0.85 percent greater than in non-Muslim countries. Subsequent assessment of the security bias in the allocation of aid indicates that re-securitization of aid since 1998 has led to weak diversion of aid commitment from areas with fewer terrorism incidents to jurisdictions with a greater frequency of terrorist attacks.

in: Atlantic Economic Journal (2021). Online first: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11293-021-09710-9

IEE member Prof. Dr. Markus Kaltenborn published several new articles during recent months:

Markus Kaltenborn / Nicola Wiebe: Crisis and Disaster Prevention through a Global Fund for Social Protection, in: Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft / Ruhr-Universität Bochum – Institut für Friedenssicherungsrecht und Humanitäres Völkerrecht (eds.), WorldRiskReport 2021, 17-21, https://weltrisikobericht.de/download/2723/

Mira Bierbaum, Markus Kaltenborn, Valerie Schmitt and Nicola Wiebe: Financing universal social protection during COVID-19 and beyond: Investing more and better, in: Policy in Focus, 19/2 (2021), 36-38, https://www.ipcig.org/publication/30337?language_content_entity=en

Markus Kaltenborn: Human Rights Approaches, in: Esther Schüring / Markus Loewe (eds.), Handbook of Social Protection Systems, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham 2021, 163-172, https://www.elgaronline.com/view/edcoll/9781839109102/9781839109102.xml

Markus Kaltenborn: Social Protection Floors as an investment in the future, International Journal of Public Law and Policy (IJPLAP) vol. 6, no. 4 (2020), 312-325, https://www.inderscience.com/info/inarticle.php?artid=114805

Jan Tobias Polak, Markus Kaltenborn, Annika Engelbert, Lea Smidt, Lena Taube and Martin Bruder: Menschenrechte in der Praxis der deutschen Entwicklungspolitik: Empirische Befunde und theoretische Einordnung, in: Zeitschrift für Menschenrechte (zfmr) 1/2021, 46-63

Markus Kaltenborn, Laura Kreft: Global Fund for Social Protection – Social security for all, in: Development and Cooperation (D+C) April 2021, 15-16, https://www.dandc.eu/en/article/global-fund-social-protection-help-low-income-countries-finance-basic-social-security

Markus Kaltenborn: Social Protection, in: Koen De Feyter/Gamze Türkelli/Stéphanie De Moerloose (eds.), Law and Development Encyclopedia, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, 2021, https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/encyclopedia-of-law-and-development-9781788117968.html

A journal article by our PhD student Bablu Chakma was published in the Asian Journal of Social Science:

Subsistence, risk-taking, and reciprocity among the Tanchangya in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh

This paper examines livelihood strategies of Tanchangya culantro cultivators of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh, in relation to their subsistence, risk-taking, and reciprocity practices, who have been embroiled in compulsive market participation due to paternalist state policies. It puts forward two propositions. First, the objectives of protecting subsistence and of improving familial situation drive Tanchangya peasants to employ flexible strategies in relation to risk management and income generation. Second, it proposes that reciprocity practices provide minimum security to village households in times of crises and exigencies, and work as a safeguard against the exploitation of capitalist Bengali traders. It concludes that subsistence struggles lead peasant families to choose most suitable crops and farming methods and remain open to diverse income sources. Village reciprocity practices, either as dynamic and evolving relationships between two actors or involving the larger community, having different forms, supplement this struggle of peasants for survival.

in: Asian Journal of Social Science, 2021 (online 30 October 2021: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajss.2021.10.004)

Another new journal article, written by Ihssan Adel Madbouh (one of our PhD students) and Mutaz M. Qafisheh, was recently published in the Asian Journal of International Law:

Palestine's Accession to Geneva Convention III: Typology of Captives Incarcerated by Israel

Upon the 2014 State of Palestine's accession to Geneva Convention III, captured Palestinians who took part in belligerent acts against the occupier should be treated as prisoners of war due to the fact that they belong to a party to an armed conflict. These individuals fall under three categories: members of security forces, affiliates of armed resistance groups, and uprisers who fight the occupant spontaneously on an individual basis. Contrary to established rules of IHL, Israel does not make any distinction regarding the status of these three types. Unilateral Israeli treatment of its captives does not hold water under international law. Such actions may trigger liability based on international criminal law, particularly as the ICC decided in 2021 that it possesses jurisdiction to investigate crimes occurring in the territory of Palestine. The mere fact of confining prisoners of war after the cessation of hostilities may constitute a ground for criminal prosecution.

in: Asian Journal of International Law, 1-30. doi:10.1017/S2044251321000229

Online Publications

Dr. Mohammad Al Asadi published his dissertation:

“Financing Recovery in Conflict-Affected Countries - Financing Resources and Fiscal Sustainability”

It is widely agreed among scholars interested in post-conflict recovery that conflict-affected countries face tremendous challenges in finding resources to finance the reconstruction process in the aftermath of the conflict. However, previous research related to post-conflict economic recovery and finance dealt with countries affected by civil conflicts as a homogeneous group with regard to the economic intensity of the conflict. Although the nature and the intensity of the conflict could have a significant influence on the availability and the structure of the finance during this phase, this factor was underestimated in the previous research. Another aspect that was not covered by previous research is the sustainability of the fiscal position in post-conflict countries under the prevailing debt levels.

Despite the consensus among most scholars in this field of research on the higher level of fiscal and debt risk experienced by conflict-affected countries compared to non-conflict countries, no previous research has analyzed the factors affecting the sustainability of the fiscal position in the former. Fiscal sustainability in countries emerging from armed conflict poses a serious problem in light of the huge reconstruction requirements and the limited financing resources available in the aftermath of conflict. Maintaining an unsustainable fiscal stance on the medium and long run might jeopardize the efforts of restoring the development track in countries emerging from conflict.

With this background in mind, the objective of this thesis is to answer two main research questions:

To answer the first research question, the thesis employs statistical analysis techniques to compare the reliance on external and domestic financing resources during the first post-conflict decade, between two conflict-affected countries groups with different conflict intensity. A new criterion to estimate conflict intensity that takes into consideration the economic severity of the conflict is developed. The heavy resort to one type of finance over the other could have significant consequences on the sustainability of the fiscal and debt position of the affected countries.

To answer the second research question, the study develops a new theoretical model that relies on the sustainable primary surplus approach. Most available fiscal sustainability approaches were found to be inconsistent with the case of conflict-affected countries and with the type of data available for these countries. The research employs panel data techniques to evaluate the significance of the variables suggested by the theoretical model developed. The results obtained for post-conflict countries are then compared with those for conflict countries and non-conflict countries.

You can find his dissertation here: https://hss-opus.ub.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/opus4/frontdoor/index/index/year/2021/docId/8106

Forthcoming

A new journal article by IEE member Britta Niklas (together with Adeline Alonso Ugaglia, Wolfram Rinke, Daniel Moscovici, and Jeff Gow) will soon be published in Wine Economics and Policy:

Consumer preferences for Certified Wines in France: A Comparison of Sustainable Labels

The wine industry has faced various environmental and social challenges. On the demand side, consumer demand for sustainable wines has been increasing but, to date, it is unknown whether consumers perceive wine companies’ efforts to obtain sustainable development (SD) certifications and labels as being valuable or how they differentiate them. On the supply side, sustainable wine production is increasing but producers report a lack of information to engage and select their SD strategy. This article uses a logistic regression and an artificial neural network model to show how French consumers differentiate and value different SD labels (Organic, Biodynamic, Sustainable, Fairtrade, Natural). Results show that consumers’ willingness to buy and willingness to pay are influenced by the importance each consumer gives to the certification. For all other drivers, consumers differentiate between labels, highlighting the importance of comparison between and knowledge about each of them, thereby aiding producers in choosing an appropriate marketing strategy.

Adeline Alonso Ugaglia, Britta Niklas, Wolfram Rinke, Daniel Moscovici, Jeff Gow: Consumer preferences for Certified Wines in France: A Comparison of Sustainable Labels, Forthcoming in: Wine Economics and Policy (https://oaj.fupress.net/index.php/wep/index)

IEE member Britta Niklas, together with IEE alumni Dr. Tobias Bidlingmaier, wrote a book chapter on

Chocolate made in Ghana: Socially responsible production and consumption through adding value locally

(a) Situation faced:
Ghanaian cocoa farmers barely earn a living wage, despite producing 19% of the world’s cocoa. With almost all processing of cocoa beans occurring outside Ghana, only 13% of the chocolate value creation remains there. Hendrik Reimers, founder of fairafric Ghana Ltd. (fairafric), had a vision to add value locally by producing chocolate in Ghana for export to Europe.
(b) Action taken:
This case study describes the story of fairafric, and how it overcame the challenges faced, by (1) establishing close relationships with farmers; (2) finding an investor that offers finance and expertise, while sharing a passion for the product; (3) fundraising at various levels; (4) constructing a chocolate factory in Ghana; and (5) distributing and marketing the chocolate in Europe.
(c) Results achieved:
fairafric succeeded in building the first state-of-the art chocolate factory in Ghana, thereby adding substantial value to cocoa production in that country.
(d) Lessons learned:
The need to find innovative solutions, to collaborate with relevant stakeholders for production and trading, to differentiate the brand and increase customer retention and brand loyalty through appropriate communication, to show commitment to employees and consumers by being transparent regarding social, ethical and environmental compliance, thereby attracting consumers willing to pay for a fair and sustainable product.

Forthcoming in: Dealing with Socially Responsible Consumers – Studies in Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan (Springer Nature)

IEE members Britta Niklas and Dr. Elkhan Richard Sadik-Zada wrote an article for the Journal of Wine Economics:

Business Cycles and Alcohol Consumption: Evidence form a Nonlinear Panel ARDL Approach

This study revisits the relationship between economic variables and alcohol consumption from a macro-perspective. Focusing explicitly on the asymmetries of the responsiveness of alcohol consumption during the expansion and contraction phases of the business cycle, asymmetric panel estimators are employed. We employ a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model for a panel of 24 countries for the period 1961 to 2014. Findings show that expansion leads to a long-term increase in average alcohol consumption, while during contraction, the level of average alcohol consumption persists. Expansion, together with a pronounced reduction in the unemployment rate could, however, lead to a net reduction of gross alcohol and wine consumption. Nonetheless, if the recession corresponds with a surge in unemployment, this leads to a long-run increase in the level of total gross alcohol consumption, but a decrease in wine and beer consumption. Reduction in unemployment does not lead to a reduction in alcohol consumption, as pre-expansion levels of alcohol consumption persist.

Forthcoming in: Journal of Wine Economics 16(4)