ERF 32nd Annual Conference – Parallel Sessions on Microeconomics

FromJun 14, 2026 To Jun 16, 2026

Hybrid Event

Featured at the ERF 32nd Annual Conference, this collection of Microeconomics papers explores how public policy, technological shifts, and socioeconomic shocks shape regional development across the MENA region and Europe.

Key Themes and Insights

The core themes center on digital transformation and AI governance, exploring both the economic potential of firm-level digitalization and the societal challenges of misinformation; entrepreneurial resilience, analyzing the drivers of business success amid institutional and conflict-driven environments; and public health and behavioral economics, evaluating how taxation, healthcare infrastructure, and informational interventions influence societal welfare. Ultimately, these papers provide data-driven insights into how targeted policy interventions can mitigate institutional risks, curb economic inequalities, and improve both firm performance and individual decision-making.

Agenda

Parallel Session 2: AI Strategies and Misinformation

Date

14/06/2026

Time

From 11:30 am To 1:00 pm

Speakers

Mennatullah Hendawy

Authors

Mennatullah Hendawy

Technical University of Munich

Muhammad Salar Khan

Authors

Muhammad Salar Khan

Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Rochester Institute...

Abdullah Altun

Authors

Abdullah Altun

Associate Professor of Economics, Gebze Technical University,...

Mazen Hassan

Authors

Mazen Hassan

Professor of Political Science, Cairo University

Sarah Mansour

Authors

Sarah Mansour

Associate Professor of Economics, Faculty of Economics...

Asmaa Abdelkhalek

Authors

Asmaa Abdelkhalek

Assistant Lecturer, Faculty of Economics and Political...

Mohamed Sabry Amer

Authors

Mohamed Sabry Amer

Research Associate, J-PAL MENA

Zeyad Kelani

Authors

Zeyad Kelani

Assistant Professor of Political Science, Cairo University

Papers

Conference Paper
Mediatization of National AI Strategies: The Sociotechnics of Egypt’s AI Policy

This article examines how national artificial intelligence (AI) strategies operate as mediatized sociotechnical artefacts by... Read More

Conference Paper
Can Individuals Be Inoculated against Fake News: An Experimental Study on a Sample of Egyptian X Users

The spread of fake news has been shown to have alarming political and social consequences.... Read More

Agenda

Parallel Session 10: Digitalization, Enterprise Performance, and Inequality

Date

15/06/2026

Time

From 11:00 am To 12:30 pm

Speakers

Riham Ahmed Ezzat

Research Associates

Riham Ahmed Ezzat

Assistant Professor, Economics Department, Faculty of Economics...

Esmat Kamel

Authors

Esmat Kamel

Full-time Associate Professor, Faculty of Management Sciences,...

Mariam Hegazy

Authors

Mariam Hegazy

Assistant Lecturer, NewGiza University

Mohamed AbdelRaouf

Authors

Mohamed AbdelRaouf

Assistant Lecturer, University of Hertfordshire

Naima Lassoued

Authors

Naima Lassoued

Full Professor of Finance, Higher School of...

Ilyes Mekni

Authors

Ilyes Mekni

PhD Candidate in Finance and Adjunct Lecturer,...

Papers

Conference Paper
Competition, Digitalization, and Innovation: Empirical Evidence from Developing and Emerging Economies

This paper examines the effects of formal and informal competition, as well as adoption of... Read More

Conference Paper
A Survival Analysis to Explore the Determinants of Digitalization in Egyptian Business Enterprises

This study investigates the determinants of digitalization among Egyptian enterprises, conceptualizing it as a multi-stage,... Read More

Conference Paper
Does Digital Transformation Reduce Social Inequalities in MENA Countries?

This study examines the effect of digital transformation on social inequalities in the MENA region... Read More

Agenda

Parallel Session 19: Land Use and the Informal Economy

Date

16/06/2026

Time

From 11:00 am To 12:30 pm

Speakers

Somayeh Foroughi

Authors

Somayeh Foroughi

Graduate School of Management and Economics, Department...

Saeed Tajrishy

Authors

Saeed Tajrishy

PhD Candidate, Sharif University

Mohammad Vesal

Research Fellows

Mohammad Vesal

Associate Professor, Graduate School of Management and...

Hany Abdel-Latif

Research Fellows

Hany Abdel-Latif

Senior Economist, International Monetary Fund

Chokri Arfa

Authors

Chokri Arfa

Professor of Health Economics, University of Carthage

Asena Caner

Research Fellows

Asena Caner

Professor of Economics, TOBB-University of Economics and...

Belgi Turan

Research Fellows

Belgi Turan

Associate Professor and Deputy Chair of the...

Yenal Can Yiğit

Authors

Yenal Can Yiğit

Manager, Financial Affairs Directorate, TOBB University of...

Papers

Conference Paper
The Impact of Garden-to-Building Conversion on Residential Property Price

Urban land-use regulations often balance environmental preservation with economic development, yet empirical evidence on their... Read More

Conference Paper
Casting Light on Africa’s Shadow Economy

This paper develops a novel empirical framework integrating satellite imagery and machine learning to estimate... Read More

Conference Paper
Unpacking PHC’s Financial Protection Effects: From the Lived Experience of Patients to the Promise of Systemic Equity in Tunisia

Primary Health Care first entry is widely recognized for improving population health outcomes, although its... Read More

Conference Paper
From Taxes to Transformation: Impact of Tax Increases on Smoking Behavior in Turkey

Tobacco use remains a formidable global public health concern, exerting significant adverse effects on individual... Read More

Date

16/06/2026

Time

From 4:00 pm To 5:30 pm

Speakers

Maleke Fourati

Research Associates

Maleke Fourati

Visiting Professor, University of French Polynesia

Christina Sarah Hauser

Authors

Christina Sarah Hauser

Postdoctoral Researcher, Collegio Carlo Alberto, Turin, Italy

Amani Zaouali

Authors

Amani Zaouali

Assistant Teacher, Faculty of Economic Sciences and...

Anis Bari

Authors

Anis Bari

Administrative Advisor, National Agency for Employment and...

Fatma Mrad

Authors

Fatma Mrad

Associate Professor in Economics, Faculty of Economics...

Hassan Gholipour

Research Fellows

Hassan Gholipour

Associate Professor of Property, School of Business,...

Georges Harb

Research Fellows

Georges Harb

Associate Professor of Economics, Adnan Kassar School...

Mohammad Reza Farzanegan

Research Fellows

Mohammad Reza Farzanegan

Professor in Economics of the Middle East,...

Papers

Conference Paper
Encouraging Organ Donation: Evidence from a Randomized Informational Intervention in Tunisia

Organ transplantation saves lives and improves the quality of life of patients who would otherwise... Read More

Conference Paper
Factors of Entrepreneurial Success in Tunisia: A Statistical and Empirical Study of Personal, Environmental and Managerial Determinants

This study investigates the determinants of entrepreneurial success in Tunisia through an integrated methodological approach... Read More

Conference Paper
Conflict Intensity and Entrepreneurial Intentions: Evidence from Iraqi Regions

This study examines the relationship between conflict events, conflict-related fatalities, and entrepreneurial intentions in Iraq,... Read More