Title: Impact of economic freedom, corruption and brain drain on economic development of Malaysia: a time series analysis

Authors: Irwan Shah Zainal Abidin; Muhammad Haseeb; Azrina Abdul Razak; Thu Thuy Nguyen; Van Chien Nguyen

Addresses: School of Economics, Finance and Banking (SEFB), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Sintok 06010 Kedah, Malaysia ' Taylor's Business School, Taylor's University Lakeside Campus, Jalan Taylor's 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia ' School of Creative Industry Management and Performing Arts (SCIMPA), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Sintok, 06010, Kedah, Malaysia ' Faculty of Mathematical Economics, Thuongmai University, 10000-14000, Hanoi, Vietnam ' Department of Finance and Banking, Thu Dau Mot University, Thu Dau Mot City, 75000, Vietnam

Abstract: This study aims to examine the impact of brain drain, corruption, and economic freedom on the economic development of a country by using time series research in an emerging country in Asia. The unit root test, cointegration, and OLS regression were applied to the data to assess the relationships. Findings suggest that there is a positive influence of economic freedom on economic development and a negative influence of corruption on economic development. There was no significant impact on economic development caused by brain drain. The present research and findings have important implications in theory and practice because they will set guidelines for researchers and practitioners on how economic development is affected by economic freedom, corruption, and brain drain.

Keywords: brain drain; economic freedom; corruption; economic development; Malaysia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTGM.2022.128115

International Journal of Trade and Global Markets, 2022 Vol.16 No.1/2/3, pp.163 - 177

Received: 20 May 2020
Accepted: 08 Sep 2020
Published online: 06 Jan 2023 *

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