Empirical Economic Review

Perceived Work Readiness among Graduates: A Case Study from Pakistan

2025-10-01T11:53:45+00:00

The current study aimed to examine graduates’ perceptions regarding their career readiness.
Moreover, it focused on gaps in digital literacy, technical skills, and labor market alignment. The
study collected data from 800 university students from all major provinces, such as Punjab,
Sindh, KPK, Baluchistan, Gilgit Baltistan (GB), and Kashmir. Using advanced methodologies,
such as correspondence analysis, factor analysis, and decision tree models, the results revealed
critical gaps in Artificial Intelligence (AI) awareness, practical competencies, and career
guidance among university students. It implied that Pakistan's traditional education system is
unable to equip graduates for the technology-driven job market. The study recommended an
urgent need for educational reforms, emphasizing the integration of digital literacy,
entrepreneurship training, and enhanced career guidance.

Impact of Mansehra-Muzaffarabad-Mirpur (M3) Expressway on Tourism in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K)

2025-10-08T10:44:55+00:00

Roads serve as the major means of transportation for goods, services, and
mobility across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K), which also has
significant tourism potential. The construction of the M3 expressway
under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is currently awaiting
government approval. Literature indicates that no study has examined the
impact of the CPEC project on tourism growth so far. Therefore, it is
essential to investigate its effect on tourist arrivals in AJ&K. The current
study aimed to explore residents’ perceptions regarding the impact of
constructing the Mansehra–Muzaffarabad–Mirpur (M3) expressway on
tourist inflow in AJ&K. Moreover, it assessed whether the M3 expressway
would improve connectivity in AJ&K. This research was motivated by the
existing gap in studies and the importance of understanding public opinion
on megaprojects. Furthermore, it helped in assessing local perspectives as
to how the construction of the M3 expressway influences tourist
movement and is valuable for policymakers to forecast the effects of new
road projects on tourism development in AJ&K. The study gathered
primary data from 200 local respondents across all three divisions of
AJ&K via a structured questionnaire, and the Binary Logit regression was
estimated using the Maximum Likelihood method. The findings suggested
that the construction of the M3 expressway under CPEC enhances
connectivity and boosts tourism in AJ&K.

How Political Competition and Political Institutions Influence Inflation: Empirical Evidence from Developing Countries

2025-10-23T10:24:42+00:00

The study empirically explores the impact of political competition and political institutions on inflation rates in emerging economies, taking into account political institutions' moderating role. This study examined data from 57 developing countries spanning 2000 to 2018.The empirical analysis was performed using a two-step System Generalized Method of Moments (system-GMM) estimation technique. The analysis yields two key findings. In a democratic regime, effective competition among politicians lowers inflation. However, the effect of political competition on inflation is conditional on political institutions. Nations with strong institutional structure and balanced competition are associated with better inflation performance.