International Journal of Economics and Business Research (5 papers in press)

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  Supplier selection strategies evaluation: a multi-agent based simulation ( Free Full-text Access )

  by Belkacem Athamena, Zina Houhamdi, Mohamed Raid Athamena, Ghaleb Elrefae, Kholoud Al Qeisi 
  Abstract: Local food systems have gained prominence in response to increasing consumer demand for locally produced food, driven by heightened interest in diet, food quality, sourcing, production methods, and food safety. These systems support the economic sustainability of small and medium-sized farms and promote consumer awareness through enhanced transparency and direct farmer-customer relationships. However, the effectiveness of these systems depends on robust and efficient supply chain operations, which are often hindered by the limited adoption of formal supply chain management practices. This study investigates the impact of farmers’ local food system selection strategies and evaluates key performance metrics relevant to supplier assessment in local food networks. A theoretical multi-agent model was developed using NetLogo to simulate local food systems and analyse decision-making processes. Furthermore, this paper introduces an extended G-net model that integrates inheritance mechanisms into the G-net formalism, thereby enabling formal design and analysis of concurrent object-oriented systems. The proposed model preserves the foundational structure of Petri Nets, facilitating the use of existing analysis tools for simulation and verification. A case study is provided to demonstrate the model’s utility; however, further empirical research is necessary to validate its practical application.
  Keywords: local food system; multi-agent model; supplier selection strategies; performance metrics.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2025.10071838
   
  
• Which nudges get support? - A quantitative analysis of the dimensions transparency and dual process theory  
  by Hannes Wissmann, Augustin Suessmair 
  Abstract: Policymakers have been increasingly interested in so-called 'nudges' which are behaviourally informed policy measures. The legitimacy and acceptability of nudging is controversially debated. In this paper, the acceptability of nudges was examined by the framework of Hansen and Jespersen (2013), which classifies nudges into four types by distinguishing on a dual process theory dimension and on an epistemic transparency dimension. An online questionnaire was developed in which 135 participants stated their support for the different types of nudges applied in the areas of health and sustainability. It was hypothesised that for both and across areas, the support would decrease in the following order: transparent system 2, transparent system 1, non-transparent system 1, and non-transparent system 2 nudges. The hypotheses could be confirmed for sustainability nudges and across application areas. Further analysis indicated that lower education, higher income, and higher environmental awareness are positively correlated with acceptance of sustainability nudges.
  Keywords: nudging; public policy; behaviour change; sustainability; health; behavioural experiment.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2024.10055044
   
  
• Discrimination at work: effects on job satisfaction and organisational commitment. An empirical study of the influence of perceived discrimination on work-related behaviours among people with and without a migration background  
  by Muhammed-Talha Topcu, Augustin Suessmair 
  Abstract: People with a migrant background constitute a significant part of German population. Their perceived discrimination at workplace is under-researched. This paper addresses the social factors, focusing on the perceived discrimination against migrants and persons in next generations with a migration background in Germany and supplements the rich body of literature on the economic aspects of immigration, e.g., Bhagwati and Srinivasan (1983), Borjas (1995), West (2011), and Bansak et al. (2015). An online survey with 239 participants was conducted. Results show that people with a migration background experience more discrimination than people without a migration background. However, people with a migration background are not per se less satisfied at work or less committed to their organisation. In addition, discrimination was found to predict lower job satisfaction and lower organisational commitment. Migration background is moderating the effect, while this was absent for job satisfaction. Further exploratory analyses show a significant mediation of the effect of migration background on job satisfaction through perceived discrimination.
  Keywords: discrimination; workplace; migration background; Germany; job satisfaction; organisational commitment.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2024.10055096
   
  
• The impact of technology on economic growth in Turkey
  by Merve Ercan, Dilek Temiz, Aytaç Gökmen 
  Abstract: The Turkish economy has been suffering from trade imbalance for a long time. Exporting high value-added products will diminish Turkey's dependence on foreign resources for capital and imported products. At the same time, it may be possible to divert more resources from gross domestic product (GDP) to R&D funds. Appropriate and efficient usage of technology will help companies innovate and find new areas of employment. As a result, the Turkish economy may have a better chance of obtaining a sustainable economic growth for the longer term. This study concludes that increased R&D expenditures leads to a rise in technology and this in turn contributes positively to economic growth. The results obtained from the study show that technology affects Turkey's economic growth. Therefore, Turkey needs to work harder in the field of technology in order to achieve sustainable growth. Improving the situation and quality of research and development activities in Turkey, encouraging research and development investments by both the government and the business sector should be priority reform movements for Turkey. Policy makers should support science and technology, make institutional arrangements for intellectual property rights and raise the level of education, and make arrangements to increase R&D spending.
  Keywords: technology; total R&D expenditure; economic growth; endogenous growth models; Turkey; vector error correction model; VECM; gross domestic product; GDP.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2025.10059137
   
  
• Fundamental breach of execution of the off-plan sale contract according to Law No. (3) of 2015 concerning the regulation of the real estate sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi - a comparative study
  by Ali Hadi Al-obeidi 
  Abstract: Contrary to the general rules established in the UAE's Civil Transactions Law, Article (17-1) of Abu Dhabi's Real Estate Sector Law, stipulates: either party can end the contract under a unilateral will without referring to the judiciary if there is a fundamental breach of the contract by the other party. Since the UAE legislation is devoid of any statement in this regard, the international sale contract rules were used; specifically, Article (25) of the United Nations Convention on the International Sale of Goods (Vienna 1980) and English law. To achieve this purpose an analytical approach towards Article (17) was implemented, and the article compared to the international sales texts. This research's crucial findings are the precise definition of a contract's fundamental breach, and the specific conditions required to fulfil this breach. This study contributes to existing research by recommending specific amendments on Article (17-1) and Article (25) Vienna Convention.
  Keywords: fundamental breach; real estate sector; Abu Dhabi law; The United Nations Convention on Contracts for International Sale of Goods; Vienna 1980; English law; off-plan sale.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2025.10059535