Month: June 2026

YOUTH EMIGRATION AND SME PERFORMANCE IN ALBANIA: FIRM-LEVEL EVIDENCE

Alketa VANGJELI

Associate Professor, University of Elbasan, Albania.

alketa.vangjeli@uniel.edu.al

Abstract

Youth emigration has become a persistent structural challenge for the Albanian economy, raising concerns about labor availability, productivity, and the sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). While the macroeconomic consequences of emigration have been widely examined, limited attention has been paid to its firm-level effects, particularly in transition economies. This study investigates the impact of youth emigration on Albanian SMEs, focusing on labor shortages, skills availability, productivity perceptions, innovation capacity, and growth expectations. Using cross-sectional survey data collected from SMEs operating across key economic sectors in Albania, the analysis employs regression techniques to examine the relationship between youth emigration intensity and firm performance indicators, controlling for firm size, age, sector, and location. The results indicate that higher levels of youth emigration are significantly associated with increased labor shortages and reduced access to skilled workers. SMEs exposed to stronger emigration pressures also report lower productivity growth and diminished innovation activity, suggesting that youth outmigration constrains firms’ adaptive capacity. Although some firms attempt to mitigate these effects through wage adjustments or organizational restructuring, such responses appear insufficient to offset the broader human capital depletion. The findings contribute to the literature on migration and firm performance by providing micro-level evidence from a small transition economy and highlighting the asymmetric vulnerability of SMEs to demographic shocks. From a policy perspective, the results underscore the need for integrated youth retention, skills development, and SME support strategies to sustain enterprise competitiveness and long-term economic growth.

Keywords: Labor shortages, Human capital, Firm productivity, Innovation

JEL classification: F22, J24, L26, O15, R23

pp. 135-145

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ANALYSIS OF MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGING SCENARIO OF RIVER JAMUNA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Somnath DAS

Cartographer (Contractual), Department of Geography, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia-741235, West Bengal, India.

sdas8969@gmail.com

Abhay SANKAR SAHU

Professor, Department of Geography, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia-741235, West, Bengal, India.

asahugeo@klyuniv.ac.in

Abstract

Jamuna is one of the distributary river of India which belongs to the Gangetic Delta region located in the eastern part of India and originates from the Bhagirathi River and flows into Ichhamati River. But at present the Jamuna River is continuously drying up and its flow is gradually slowing down. In this study, the morphological changes of the river from 1977 to 2020 are described through change detection technique. Topographical map (US Army, 1955), USGS satellite images of different years (1977, 2000) and google satellite image (2020) have been used for that. Again for the convenience of the discussion the river has been divided into three segments. A comparison of the course of the river in 2020 with respect to the course of the river in 2000 has been made to determine how much the river course has been damaged by humans. A large part of the river course has been occupied by man for his own needs i.e. cultivation, settlement, fisheries and even plantation of trees. Here, it shown that the course of the river has been progressively narrowed and damaged by human activities. All work was done using RS and GIS platform with GIS software.

Keywords: River delineation, plan form pattern, channel width, long profile, human activities

JEL classification: Q25, R14, Y10, Y91

pp. 115-134

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THE ECONOMIC PERFORMANCES OF MOROCCAN REGIONS: A TOPSIS AND SPATIAL AUTOCORRELATION METHODS

Hamdi EL ASLI

Laboratory of Economy & Management, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga (25000), Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal (23000), Morocco

hamdielasli@gmail.com

Mohamed AZEROUAL

Laboratory of Economy & Management, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga (25000), Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal (23000), Morocco

m.azeroual@usms.ma

Alae MOHAMMED MOURAI

Laboratory of Economy & Management, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga (25000), Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal (23000), Morocco

alae.mourai@gmail.com

Mounya CHAHBOUNE

Laboratory of Economy & Management, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga (25000), Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal (23000), Morocco

c.mounya@gmail.com

Abdelhak OULALA

Laboratory of Economy & Management, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga (25000), Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal (23000), Morocco

oulala1981@gmail.com

Abstract

This paper investigates the economic performance of Morocco’s twelve regions from 2015 to 2022, combining a temporal and spatial analysis methods, and focusing on five key regional macroeconomic indicators: GDP per capita, HFCE per capita, contribution to national growth, start-ups created, and the activity rate. While previous studies have examined regional disparities using MCDM or spatial statistics, none have combined TOPSIS with spatial autocorrelation to evaluate regional economic-entrepreneurial performance in Morocco under its new administrative division, which enables ranking of regional competitiveness and detection of clustering patterns. Findings show that Casablanca-Settat consistently ranks in the top twelve, solidifying its position as the country’s economic capital, followed alternately by the northern Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima and the emergent Rabat-Salé-Kénitra regions, while the southern regions remain at the bottom. Marrakech-Safi was severely affected by the disruption of tourist cash flows under the Covid-19 crisis, before it gradually recovered post-2020. Similarly, Béni Mellal-Khénifra progressed significantly, largely due to its phosphate exports, agro-oil industry, and remittances’ inflows, until 2020, when it retrograded remarkably. Spatial analysis reveals that Moroccan regions exhibit high autocorrelation, with both, top and low ranked regions identified by the TOPSIS method clustering together. Results can inform region-specific development strategies, equitable resource allocation, entrepreneurship promotion, and spatial regional planning. However, limitations such as the restricted set of indicators, short interval, and methodological constraints suggest future research directions that integrate broader social, environmental, and innovation variables, extend the sample interval, and apply advanced comparative and econometric approaches.

Keywords: Morocco, regions, economy, TOPSIS, spatial autocorrelation

JEL classification: C38, L26, R11, R12

pp. 93-114

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