https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/8597 2026-08-18T19:08:52Z https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33669 Title: Worldwide well-being efficiency and its determinants: New insights from the ordered probit stochastic Frontier model Authors: Badunenko, Oleg; Cordero, José M; Kumbhakar, Subal C Abstract: This paper examines how efficiently individuals and societies transform economic and social resources into subjective well-being. We propose an ordered probit stochastic frontier model that explicitly accounts for the ordinal nature of life satisfaction data while jointly estimating well-being shortfalls and their determinants within a single-stage framework. We also show why treating ordinal well-being indicators as continuous variables in conventional stochastic frontier models may lead to misleading inference and interpretation. Using World Values Survey data for more than 214,000 individuals across 74 countries, combined with macroeconomic and institutional indicators, we estimate attainable well-being levels conditional on individual and contextual characteristics. The results reveal substantial heterogeneity in well-being efficiency across individuals and countries. Institutional quality, social trust, and labor market conditions are strongly associated with well-being efficiency, while unemployment generates the largest shortfalls from attainable well-being. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for the ordinal nature of subjective well-being measures when analyzing well-being efficiency and its determinants. Description: Data availability: Worldwide well-being efficiency and its determinants: New insights from the Ordered Probit Stochastic Frontier Model (Original data available online at: https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/3jr5zywzd2) (Mendeley Data).; JEL classification: C13; I31; H53 2026-07-31T00:00:00Z https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33667 Title: The interrelationship between digital access and modern slavery Authors: Safieddine, Mohamad Ali; Lodh, Suman; Nandy, Monomita; Christ, Katherine Leanne; Burritt, Roger Leonard Abstract: This study examines the relationship between country-level digital access and vulnerability to modern slavery, focussing on countries committed to achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.7. The study draws on information poverty theory to frame analysis of the role of digital connectivity as a moral good in reducing modern slavery exploitation risks. Using panel data from 31 OECD countries over a 10-year period, the research tests two hypotheses on the relationship between digital access, governance, transparency and modern slavery vulnerability. The findings reveal that greater digital access is associated with lower vulnerability to modern slavery and that this effect is significantly shaped by the quality of national governance and transparency. Based on information poverty theory, the study expands the understanding of modern slavery vulnerability by demonstrating how digital access influences exploitation risks within the governance framework, risks that the state has a moral duty to reduce. The findings provide insights for policymakers and business leaders, emphasising the importance of digital inclusion and transparent governance in reducing modern slavery and strengthening human rights protections. Description: Data Availability: Data are available from the authors upon request. 2026-07-14T00:00:00Z https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33666 Title: The role of gasoline price expectations in transmitting gasoline price shocks to inflation and real activity Authors: Anderl, Christina; Caporale, Guglielmo Maria Abstract: This paper argues that gasoline price fluctuations affect inflation through changes in consumer expectations about future energy costs. More precisely, we use data from the US Michigan Survey of Consumers and estimate a Structural VAR model to show that long-run gasoline price expectations are an important transmission channel through which gasoline price shocks are propagated to both inflation and real economic activity. These findings suggest that monitoring consumer energy price expectations offers policymakers an early warning signal for inflationary pressure, which is a useful tool in addition to broader inflation anchoring. As energy market volatility intensifies in an era of geopolitical uncertainty and green transition, understanding this channel becomes increasingly important for monetary policy. Description: Data availability: Data will be made available on request. The role of gasoline price expectations in transmitting gasoline price shocks to inflation and real activity (Original data: https://doi.org/10.17632/25pwn5bds6.1) (Mendeley Data); JEL classification: C32; E31; E52; Q43. 2026-08-05T00:00:00Z https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33569 Title: Tax complexity: impact on UK competitiveness and growth Authors: Jelfs, P; Richens, A; Sherwood, S; McMeeking, K Abstract: Foreword: Competitiveness is a term that is much in the news: just how competitive is the UK economy? Can we become more competitive? [...] Executive summary: Introduction: This report revisits the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) review of the competitiveness of the UK’s tax administration, which was published in October 2014 and made 60 recommendations for improvement, of which 57 were either accepted or taken for further consideration. […] Description: Departmental Report 2026-07-03T00:00:00Z