Journal of Contemporary Economics

The Dynamics of International Trade Concentration: A Lorenz Curve and Gini Coefficient Analysis of Algeria-EU Trade (2018-2023)

2025-11-22T10:53:31-05:00

This comprehensive study examines the structure and evolution of trade relations between Algeria and the European Union from 2018 to 2023 through the lens of inequality measurement tools. Using Lorenz curves and Gini coefficients, we analyze the concentration patterns of both imports and exports across EU member states. Our findings reveal persistently high levels of trade concentration, with extreme inequality in export distribution (Gini coefficients: 0.863-0.896) and very high inequality in import distribution (Gini coefficients: 0.752-0.862). The research identifies significant structural shifts in 2022-2023, particularly the emergence of Bulgaria as a major import partner for Algeria. The study contributes to the understanding of trade concentration dynamics in North African-European relations and offers policy implications for trade diversification strategies.

Digital Trends in Financial Institutions: Challenges and Strategic Responses for Management

2025-12-29T05:20:59-05:00

This paper analyzes the digital transformation of the financial sector, including banking, insurance, investment funds, and microcredit organizations (MCOs). It identifies key digital trends such as FinTech, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Blockchain, and examines their effects on business performance and regulatory requirements. The study highlights management challenges, especially the need for skilled staff and ongoing investment in technology. Its main objective is to present strategic solutions for overcoming digitalization challenges, with a focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to outline future directions for performance improvement. The research finds that partnering with FinTech companies is the most effective strategy and offers a new analytical framework for addressing digital challenges in transition economies.

Painting the whole picture: Connecting new business formation, innovative entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial ecosystems with unemployment

2025-12-18T06:26:12-05:00

The connection between business formation and unemployment has been a topic of discussion in the scientific literature for decades. As time progressed, new insights emerged from the increased utilization of methodological complexities. Nonetheless, a gap remains in how innovative entrepreneurs respond to changes in unemployment and vice versa. Similarly, there is scarce evidence of the relationship between entrepreneurial ecosystems and unemployment. To resolve these gaps, data is collected on a regional level of analysis, based on which the results of three panel vector autoregression models reveal no reverse causality between new business formation, innovative entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial ecosystems on the one hand and unemployment on the other. They do, however, support two direct relations. One, new business formation negatively impacts unemployment. Second, unemployment is a negative antecedent of innovative entrepreneurship. Unexpectedly, the entrepreneurial ecosystem’s autoregressive coefficient is negative. These findings are situated within robust explanatory frameworks. Accordingly, the outcomes of this study can be utilized by a broad and diverse set of regional policymakers in devising their strategies to achieve regional development.