This dissertation discusses the fiscal and economic effects of Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZs) on the Jordanian economy. Unlike other studies this analysis estimates the costs and benefits following the introduction of QIZs in Jordania. In order to clarify the overall effect of QIZs on the...

Due to the recent drop in oil prices, there is a strong interest in the influence of the shale revolution on the global supply and demand of hydrocarbon fuels. Consequently, the attention of many economists and industry analysts is drawn to the technological, institutional and regulatory aspects...

The West Asia/North Africa (WANA) region contains large areas with rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The social-ecology of the region must be respected as well as the physical ecology. Dryland farming, irrigated farming and rangelands in WANA are often linked through the diets of grazing...

This paper purports to review the performance of the Debt for Nature Swap (DNS) Programs in light of their dual objectives of lowering deforestation rates as well as the cost of debt servicing. It evaluates the performance of private and Public DNS and inquires whether such swaps have made any...

This paper examines the link between foreign aid, economic growth, and welfare in a small open economy. External transfers impinge on the recipient's macroeconomic performance by affecting resource allocation decisions and relative prices. The endogeneity of the labor-leisure choice and the...

This paper characterizes the optimal path of foreign public debt that can support politically unanimous (Pareto welfare improving) economic growth under uncertainty. The feasibility of the plan depends on whether the maintenance of political consensus in the debtor country requires additional...

The significant difference in saving rates between the United States (near-zero) and the developing nations (exceeding 30%) is a contributing explanation for the record U.S. current-account deficit, now almost 700 billion USD per year. Analytic support for this conclusion is provided herein by...

This paper begins with a discussion of antidumping laws in general and how they have been applied by U.S. domestic producers to target Russian and Ukrainian companies. The use and abuse of antidumping laws by the steel industry in the United States is then discussed, followed by discussions and...

Debt relief is unlikely to stimulate investment and growth in the world's highly indebted poor countries (HIPCs). This is because the HIPCs do not suffer from debt overhang. The principal obstacle to investment and growth in the world's poorest countries is a lack of basic economic institutions...

Current international patent rules strike an uneasy balance between conflicting views about patents. The precarious nature of this balancing act is illustrated by the recent heated debate about the conditions under which compulsory licenses will be available for certain essential medicines under...