This study examines the impact of state highway construction contracts on state spending efficiency controlling for production structure, service demands, and situational factors. The theoretical argument is that because highway construction projects are relatively large in scale, complex, and can be monitored through objective performance measurement, state highway construction programs may save government production costs through contracts. Contracting helps highway producers achieve efficiency by optimizing production size based on workload and task complexity. The unit of analysis is 48 state governments’ highway construction contracts from 1998 to 2008. Through a two-stage analysis method including a Total Function Productivity (TFP) index and system dynamic panel data analysis, the results suggest that highway construction contracts enhance state highway spending efficiency, especially for large-scale construction projects.

Technological advancements are transforming agriculture, yet adoption rates among agricultural extension officers, especially in regions like West Java, remain modest due to several challenges. This study applies the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to investigate factors influencing the adoption of agricultural technologies by agricultural extension officers in West Java. Specifically, we explore the role of socialization, training, access to technology, cost, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness in shaping behavioral intention and actual adoption. Data were collected from 295 agricultural extension officers via structured surveys and analyzed using SmartPLS 4 software. The findings indicate that socialization and training collectively enhance both perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, while Technology Investment Worth specifically enhances perceived usefulness by emphasizing the value of the investment. Access to technology also plays a critical role in increasing ease of use perceptions. Both perceived ease of use and usefulness positively influence behavioral intention, which in turn is a strong predictor of actual adoption. The results provide valuable insights for policymakers aiming to increase technology uptake among agricultural extension officers, promoting sustainable agricultural practices through improved access, support, and cost reduction initiatives.

Infrastructure development policies have been criticised for lacking a deliberate pro-gender and pro-informal sector orientation. Since African economies are dual enclaves, with the traditional and informal sectors female-dominated, failure to have gendered infrastructure development planning and investment exacerbates gender inequality. The paper examines the effect of the infrastructure development index, the size of the informal economy, and the level of economic development on gender inequality. The paper applies the panel autoregressive distributed lag method to data on the gender inequality index, infrastructure development index, GDP per capita, and size of the informal sector for the period 2005–2018. The sample consists of 44 African countries. The research established that the infrastructure development index, its sub-indices, GDP per capita, and the size of the informal sector are crucial dynamics that governments need to consider carefully when formulating development policies to reduce gender inequality. The research found that investment in infrastructure in general, transport infrastructure, and energy infrastructure reduces gender inequality. infrastructure development has gender inequality increasing effects in some countries and gender inequality reducing effects in others. The pattern suggests that at the continental level a Kuznets-type patten in the relationship between gender inequality and infrastructure development, gender inequality and size of informal sector, and gender inequality and GDP per capita exists. Some countries are in the region where changes in these covariates positively correlate with gender inequality, while others are in the region where further increases in the covariates reduce gender inequality.

 Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are vital for infrastructure development in developing countries, integrating private efficiency with public oversight. However, PPP models often face risks, particularly in Indonesia’s water sector, due to its unique geographical and regulatory challenges. This study aims to identify and evaluate risk factors specific to drinking water PPP projects in Indonesia. Using a quantitative approach, structured questionnaires were distributed to experts in the sector, and the data was analyzed using a fuzzy evaluation method. Risks were categorized into location, design and construction, financial, operational, revenue, and political. The study emphasizes that effective risk management, including identification, analysis, and mitigation, is essential for project success. It highlights the importance of stakeholder involvement and flexible risk management strategies. Comprehensive and proactive risk management is key to the success of drinking water infrastructure projects. The research suggests that an integrated and collaborative approach among stakeholders can enhance risk management effectiveness. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, project managers, investors, and other stakeholders, underscoring the necessity for adaptable regulatory frameworks and robust policy guidelines to improve the sustainability and efficacy of future water-related PPPs.

The study examines the economic and social impacts of a Southeast Asian multinational company operating in the northwestern region of Hungary, with a particular focus on the local labor market and community responses. The research aims to explore the company’s location choice motivations, its integration process into the local economy, and its cooperation with the local government and communities. The research provides a comprehensive picture of the company’s impacts by employing qualitative and quantitative methodologies—including management interviews and household surveys. The findings indicate that the company has significantly increased employment, enhanced infrastructure, and promoted cultural diversity. However, challenges related to cultural integration persist. The study offers valuable guidance for policymakers and businesses on leveraging the economic benefits of foreign investments and fostering cultural cooperation. Future research could delve deeper into the long-term socio-economic impacts.