Since the 1970s, human thought has witnessed major transformations found in the emergence of new concepts such as the knowledge economy, sustainable development and globalization in its new guise, and then the digital economy in the mid-1990s. In addition, foreign direct investment has emerged as an economic activity and one of the aspects of international relations and is consistent with these transformations. The research included four topics, the first of which is something in the concept of the knowledge economy, the second is something in foreign direct investment, the third is the knowledge economy as an engine to attract foreign direct investment, and the fourth is Iraq between the knowledge economy and attracting foreign direct investment. The research came out with conclusions, including that the development of human capital is the key to the knowledge economy and the main engine to attract foreign investment, and then Iraq's lack of elements of the knowledge economy was a major disruption to attracting this investment, especially administrative and financial corruption and the faltering dealing with information and communication technology. The most important of the research recommendations was the need for an educational, scientific, research, technological, informational and digital environment to support creativity, innovation and invention , as well as the need to establish a supreme council for the knowledge economy in the state , and also the formation of e-government as the starting point for the knowledge economy and make this prevail all the activities of state institutions, as well as ensuring the availability of the appropriate investment climate.

The rapid expansion of the digital economy has significantly transformed the banking sector in emerging economies, particularly through the adoption of digital banking channels. In Bangladesh, commercial banks have increasingly deployed mobile and online banking applications, Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), Point of Sale (POS) services, and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) to enhance service delivery. However, customer satisfaction outcomes remain inconsistent. This study examines the impact of key digital banking channels on bank customers’ satisfaction in Bangladesh within a digital economy framework. A survey research design was employed, and primary data were collected from 372 bank customers across Dhaka, Chattogram, and Khulna divisions using structured questionnaires. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis with SPSS version 25. The results reveal that mobile and online banking applications, USSD services, and ATM services have a positive and statistically significant effect on customer satisfaction. Conversely, POS services exhibit a significant negative relationship with customer satisfaction, indicating service reliability and operational challenges. Overall, the findings confirm that digital economy-driven banking channels significantly influence customer satisfaction in Bangladesh. The study provides practical implications for bank managers to improve digital service quality and for policymakers to strengthen regulatory frameworks that support sustainable digital banking and financial inclusion. This research contributes to the digital banking literature by offering an integrated assessment of multiple digital channels in an emerging economy context.

In crowdfunding publishing projects, different strategies are adopted for investors with varying levels of needs. Such targeted measures can attract more investors to participate in the project. The application of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory to crowdfunding publishing has certain practical significance, yet research in this area is currently lacking. Based on the Hierarchy of Needs theory, this paper analyzes the motivations of investors in crowdfunding publishing projects and, according to the analysis, formulates countermeasures from three perspectives: project initiators, crowdfunding platforms, and relevant national departments.

The study empirically investigated the relationship between experiential marketing and customer engagement of noodles producing firms in Port Harcourt. The population for the study was customers of seven (7) noodles producing companies in Port Harcourt. A total of four hundred (400) copies of questionnaire were distributed to the respondents. Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient was used to test the predictor and criterion variables respectively. The results indicated a significant positive and strong relationship between experiential marketing and customer engagement of noodles producing firms in Port Harcourt. The findings suggested that experiential marketing was a firm-level strategic resource that can improve the customer engagement of noodles producing firms in the food and beverages sector. From the findings in the study, we concluded that the dimensions of experiential marketing significantly relate to the measures of customer engagement. We therefore, recommend that, Firms should interact with their customers on consistent basis and involve them in some of their decision making.

Against the backdrop of global energy transition and China’s "Dual Carbon" goals, the way in which corporate carbon risk—as a key driver of multinational strategic decision-making—jointly influences post-merger green innovation performance and financial performance through the interactive effects of host-country democracy, corruption, and income inequality remains unresolved. To address this gap, this study draws on data from Chinese cross-border mergers and acquisitions between 2018 and 2022 and employs a multiple linear regression model to empirically analyze the impact of acquirer carbon risk on green innovation performance and financial performance in cross-border M&As. Furthermore, it examines the moderating roles of host-country democracy, corruption, and income inequality. The paper also conducts multiple robustness tests to ensure the reliability of the findings. Research findings indicate that: (1) In terms of green performance, Chinese companies with higher carbon risks exhibit better green innovation performance after mergers and acquisitions. When the level of democracy in the host country is higher, this tendency is significantly enhanced, demonstrating a positive moderating effect. Conversely, when the level of corruption in the host country is higher, this tendency is significantly weakened, demonstrating a negative moderating effect. (2) In terms of financial performance, Chinese companies with higher carbon risks exhibit worse financial performance after mergers and acquisitions. When the level of democracy in the host country is higher, this tendency is significantly enhanced. When the level of corruption in the host country is higher, this tendency is significantly weakened. When the level of income inequality in the host country is higher, this tendency is also significantly weakened. This study aims to construct an integrated analytical framework to explain how emerging market enterprises can achieve "green escape" by adopting international non-market strategies in response to institutional pressures from host countries, thereby deepening the theoretical understanding of the motivations behind global green mergers and acquisitions.

The study provides a comprehensive analysis of the catalysts of growth and challenges confronting the leather industry across several key economic parameters. The radical transformation in the leather industry has been driven by rising incomes, growing fashion awareness, supportive government policies, and easy access to raw materials. The study reveals that the biggest challenge is notably low fixed investment per factory in the leather industry relative to the overall manufacturing sector, indicating a slow pace of technological progress. The study further finds that the leather industry has lower labour productivity than the overall manufacturing sector, undermining the industry's competitiveness in the global market. Additionally, the anticipated inflows of foreign investment into the leather industry have not materialised, further limiting the industry’s potential to adopt cleaner technologies. The industry also faces environmental and marketing challenges, further hindering its robust growth. The study highlights the need for making substantial and strategic investments in advanced and sustainable technologies, which will further boost labour productivity in the leather industry. The study emphasises the need to diversify the international markets. It advocates for relocating all tanning units into clusters to make the finished leather process more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. By fostering innovation and adopting cleaner technologies, the industry can strengthen its position in the global landscape.

This take a look at aimed to look at the effect of virtual monetary inclusion on financial balance indicators and the overall performance of Iraqi business banks throughout the period 2014–2024. Financial inclusion is considered a key tool for promoting financial development, permitting all segments of society—mainly the financially excluded—to get right of entry to banking services inclusive of savings, credit, coverage, and coins transfers. The observe’s findings discovered a wonderful and statistically tremendous relationship among financial inclusion signs and the liquidity of Iraqi banks. The consequences also indicated that the distribution of financial institution branches and ATMs is focused in primary towns and industrial facilities, limiting get admission to to economic offerings in rural regions and growing economic exclusion. The study showed the lifestyles of an extended-time period equilibrium among financial institution liquidity and monetary inclusion indicators which include banking density (BD), ATM ratio to the adult population (ATM), and personal region credit score to GDP (DSOGDP), while banking spread (BS) did no longer display a tremendous impact on liquidity within the long time. The mistakes correction version consequences showed that the Iraqi banking device can correct approximately 54% of deviations from lengthy-term equilibrium within the following duration, reflecting the stability of the relationship between monetary inclusion and liquidity. The have a look at recommended increasing the use of banking era, simplifying economic processes, growing a complete financial institution database, and establishing a country wide middle for financial inclusion to decorate get admission to to monetary services for all segments of society, in particular financially excluded corporations.