Macroeconomics
Baland Rabayah
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Private Economy ...

COVID-19 had a profound impact on global economic output, resulting in a contraction of approximately 3% in world GDP in 2020. Furthermore, the impact was not only significant but also unevenly distributed, with certain nations being more severely affected than others. While the effects of COVID-19 on economic performance are well-documented on both global and national levels, one may ask: what effect did COVID-19 have on a regional scale?

In this analysis, we develop a simple model to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the private economic output of different municipalities in Bahrain. To the authors' knowledge, this is not only the first study to explore the municipal-level effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic growth but also the first to estimate private economic activity at the municipal level for the Kingdom of Bahrain. As of 2022, our results indicate that most municipalities had returned to their pre-pandemic levels of economic activity. However, when compared to pre-pandemic economic trends, the results show that the Muharraq and Northern Municipalities were the most affected compared to the rest of the economy.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Private Economy of Bahraini Municipalities

Welfare Economics

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Should the GCC Implement Nutrition Labeling at restaurants?

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Should the GCC Implement Nutrition Labeling at restaurants?

Recent legislation passed by some governments worldwide requires mandatory nutrition labeling at all restaurants. The perceived benefits of nutrition labeling at restaurants are that consumers will have the ability to decide meals and dishes with more consumer information, thus potentially allowing those consumers to consume healthier foods, and potentially reduce caloric intake. The result from this may potentially allow for a reduction in obesity levels with healthier food choices by consumers, thus potentially reducing the overall impact of health costs on the economy and a positive effect on productivity levels. This article will look at the policy and see the potential impacts towards final consumers, restaurants, and the economy as a whole, and the benefits and costs associated with nutrition labeling. Last we shall look if other GCC Nations should follow the footsteps of other nations in Mandatory nutrition labeling.

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How changes in Perception can save the Bahraini bus system

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How changes in Perception can save the Bahraini bus system

Public transport might not be the most pressing or even the most interesting topic to talk about. However, what the public transport issue signifies is a clear revelation of how intrinsic attitudes can shape the decisions individuals take within the economy. These attitudes, more often than not, can also be rooted in mistaken assumptions, made by economic agents without any basis of fact or evidence. And instead of mainly delving into the complex analysis of whether incentives are properly aligning or investigating and analysing the different data-sets that economic agents have to offer us, perhaps it is only a simple matter of changing abstract concepts, like the perceptions or attitudes within people’s minds.

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Analysing the Sin Tax

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Analysing the Sin Tax

Smoking is considered one of the leading causes of preventable deaths globally. In Bahrain, smoking prevalence has increased in the last few years which is concerning for policymakers since smoking tobacco, especially cigarettes, has been highly correlated with many illnesses, including lung cancer.

This article aims to demonstrate the extent to which an excise tax can have on demand reduction.