Using a newly developed data set, we analyze the effects of infrastructure investment on economic performance in Portugal. A vector-autoregressive approach estimates the elasticity and marginal products of twelve types of infrastructure investment on private investment, employment, and output. We find that the largest long-term accumulated effects come from investments in railroads, ports, airports, health, education, and telecommunications. For these infrastructures, the output multipliers suggest that these investments pay for themselves through additional tax revenues. For investments in ports, airports and education infrastructures, the bulk of the effects are short-term demand-side effects, while for railroads, health, and telecommunications, the impact is mostly of a long-term and supply-side nature. Finally, investments in health and airports exhibit decreasing marginal returns, with railroads, ports, and telecommunications being relatively stable. In terms of the other infrastructure assets, the economic effects of investments in municipal roads, electricity and gas, and refineries are insignificant, while investments in national roads, highways, and waste and waste water have positive economic effects but too small to improve the public budget. Clearly, from a policy perspective, not all infrastructure investments in Portugal are created equal.

In order to explore how hygiene factors and motivational factors indirectly affect job satisfaction through teacher self-efficacy. Based on the two factor theory and Teacher Job Satisfaction Survey (TJS), this study analyzes how hygiene factors and motivational factors indirectly affect job satisfaction through teacher self-efficacy. The study collects valid questionnaires from 120 teachers and conducts mediation analysis using structural equation modeling. From the results, teacher self-efficacy had obvious mediating effects between hygiene factors and job satisfaction (β > 0.6, P < 0.001), as well as between motivational factors and job satisfaction (β > 0.6, P < 0.001). This discovery not only provides new perspectives and strategies for improving teacher job satisfaction, but also emphasizes the importance of enhancing teacher self-efficacy in improving job satisfaction. In addition, the study provides strong empirical evidence for education management departments and school leaders to formulate more effective teacher development policies and management measures, which has positive theoretical and practical significance for improving education quality and promoting education reform.

The study examines the impact of COVID-19 on the economies of Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) member states. The event study methodology was used to analyze Cumulative Abnormal Return (CAR) of GCC member states’ stock indexes: Kuwait Stock Exchange Index (KSE), Dubai Financial Market Index (DFM), Saudi Arabia Tadawul Index (TASI), Qatar Exchange Index (QE), Bahrain All Share Index (BHB), Oman’s Muscat Stock Exchange Index (MSM), Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange Index (ADX) while the S&P GCC Composite Index was used as a reference. Data obtained from 28 July 2019 to 27 July 2020, and 1 March 2020, designated as the event day, abnormal returns (AR) and cumulative average abnormal returns (CAARs) were examined across various time intervals. The findings reveal significant market reactions to the pandemic, characterized by fluctuations in abnormal returns and CAARs. Statistically significant abnormal returns and CAARs during certain time periods underscore the dynamic nature of market responses to the COVID-19 event. These results provide valuable insights for policymakers and market participants seeking to understand and navigate the economic implications of the pandemic on GCC economies. The study recommends that other GCC states, particularly Oman, consider the policies undertaken by Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, to avoid a long economic crisis.

This empirical inquiry adopts the AutoRegressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to meticulously examine the multifaceted interconnections among innovation, globalization, and productivity across a diverse set of 76 nations, encompassing both developed and developing economies. The research employs rigorous econometric techniques within the ARDL framework to discern the short- and long-term effects of innovation and globalization on productivity levels. The findings underscore a robust and statistically significant association between innovation and productivity, as well as a constructive impact of globalization on enhancing productivity. The outcomes underscore the transformative potential of innovation and the facilitating role of globalization in fostering productivity growth. This empirical evidence contributes to the empirical literature by offering a refined understanding of the intricate relationships shaping productivity patterns on a global scale, emphasizing the joint influence of innovation and globalization in driving economic efficiency.

The rapidly growing construction industry often deals with complex and dynamic projects that pose significant safety risks. One of the state-owned companies in Indonesia is engaged in large-scale toll road construction projects with a high incidence of workplace accidents. This study aims to improve safety performance in toll road construction by implementing the Scrum framework. The study uses a System Dynamics approach to model interactions between the Scrum framework, project management, and work safety subsystems. Various scenarios were designed by modifying controlled variables and system structures, including introducing a punishment entity. These scenarios were evaluated based on their impact on reducing incidents and the incident rate over the project period. The results indicate that the combined scenario significantly reduces incidents and incident rates in different conditions. The study also finds a strong relationship between Scrum framework implementation and improved safety performance, demonstrating a reduction in incidents and incident rates by over 50% compared to existing conditions. This research underlines the effectiveness of the Scrum framework in enhancing safety in construction projects.