This research explores the intricate relationship between digitalization, economic development, and non-cash payments in the ASEAN-7 countries over a ten-year period from 2011 to 2020. Focusing on factors such as commercial bank branches, broad money, and inflation, the study employs panel data regression analysis to investigate their impact on automated teller machine (ATM) usage. The findings reveal that commercial bank branches significantly influence ATM usage, emphasizing the role of accessibility, services, and technological preferences. Broad money also shows a significant impact on ATM transactions, reflecting the interplay between fund availability and non-cash transactions. However, inflation does not exhibit a direct influence on ATM usage. The research underscores the importance of maintaining service quality and security in the banking sector to enhance digital financial inclusion. Future research opportunities include exploring diverse non-cash payment methods and extending studies to countries with significant global economic impacts. This research contributes valuable insights to policymakers aiming to enhance digital financial inclusion policies, ultimately fostering economic growth through the digital economy in the ASEAN-7 region.

This research paper aims to explore the issue of university dropouts in Greece, which has become a growing concern in recent years due to its impact on individuals, educational institutions, and society as a whole. One of the main contributing factors to students discontinuing their higher education in Greece is the choice of the wrong faculty. Financial challenges, unrelated to tuition fees, also significantly affect students’ ability to pursue their studies. Family background plays a crucial role, with students from families with higher educational attainment exhibiting greater persistence. The study found that gender, age, and academic performance can influence students’ perceptions of dropout factors, which can change as they progress through their educational journey. To address these challenges, the research proposes a multifaceted approach, including early intervention programs, expanded financial support, improved mental health and counseling services, flexible learning options, and strong academic advising.

This paper highlights the complex relationship between entrepreneurship, sustainable development, and economic growth in 41 European countries, using a reliable K-Means cluster analysis. The research thoroughly evaluates three key factors: the SDG Index for sustainable development, GDP per capita for economic well-being, and the New Business Density Rate for entrepreneurial activity. Our methodology reveals three distinct narratives that embody varying degrees of economic vitality and sustainability. Cluster 1 comprises the financially stable and sustainability-oriented countries of Western and Northern Europe. Cluster 2 showcases the variegated economic and sustainability initiatives in Central and Southern Europe. Cluster 3 envelopes the economic titans with noteworthy business expansion but with the potential for better sustainable practices. The analysis reveals a favourable association between economic prosperity and sustainable development within clusters, although with nonlinear intricacies. The research concludes with a series of strategic imperatives specifically crafted for each cluster, promoting economic variation, increased sustainability, invention, and worldwide collaboration. The resulting findings highlight the crucial need for policy-making that considers the specific context and the potential for combined European resilience and sustainability.

The effects of climate change are recognized globally. This study hypothesizes that climate change impacts are a complex system that creates a ripple effect on water security, food security, and economic security. Ultimately, those domains simultaneously exacerbate climate change effects and produce national security concerns. The study’s framework uses a transdisciplinary team’s quantitative and qualitative approach to evaluate the challenges and possible solutions to climate change security on the Water–Food–Socioeconomic Nexus. Iraq has been taken as a case study highlighting the deficits in management and governance. The dynamic of the ripple effect shows the interventions for each sector’s water-food-socioeconomic and security that collectively impact upon each other over time. The radical shift in the political infrastructure after 2003 from a centralized to a decentralized one without proper preparation is one of the root causes of the governance and management anarchy. About 228 state and non-state actors are involved in decision-making, leaving it fragile and unsustainable. Only 1% of the national budget is allocated to both the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture, which leaves no capacity to mitigate the risk of climate change impact.

The consensus is that price stability promotes sustainable economic growth while excessive inflation harms growth. This study assesses the linkage between inflation and economic growth in South Africa to determine the optimal inflation rate threshold for the sustainable growth of the economy. Quarterly data from 1995 to 2022 was analysed through the ARDL and threshold regressions. The ARDL and threshold regressions estimate established a relationship between inflation and economic growth and computed the optimal inflation rate threshold for economic growth at 6 percent. The results also established that both the repo rate (repurchase rate) and real effective exchange rate have a negative relationship with economic growth. The Toda-Yamamoto causality test result indicated a unidirectional causality runs from inflation to economic growth. These results are crucial for the South African Reserve Bank to discharge its monetary policy functions to attain and maintain price stability. Therefore, this study offers the Bank a roadmap for targeting an inflation rate that aligns with the nation’s long-term objectives for sustainable economic growth.