NEWS DIGEST
SCHOOL Technological Institute of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic STUDY CALCULATES MANGROVE DEGRADATION’S ECONOMIC IMPACT M angroves not only protect coastlines and harbour biodiversity, but they also help sustain the Dominican economy. This is the main conclusion of research conducted by Víctor Gómez-Valenzuela, Katerin Ramírez and Solhanlle Bonilla-Duarte from the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo (INTEC). They estimate that the degradation of these ecosystems exposes the country to an economic impact of approximately $75 million a year, affecting activities closely linked to tourism and economic growth. The study, published in the journal, Ocean & Coastal Management , analysed the evolution of the Dominican economy between 1995 and 2023. In so doing, it found that mangrove degradation is associated with reductions in economic growth, visitor arrivals and the development of tourism infrastructure. According to Gómez‑Valenzuela, the study’s $75 million estimate represents 20 per cent of the revenue that “sustains the Dominican tourism industry” and 1.8 per cent of its national GDP.
HOW MINDFULNESS CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON FINANCIAL DECISION-MAKING
Approach seeks to take this topic further by directly measuring the effect of psychological variables on crucial strategic areas. In a survey of 449 people responsible for the financial management of SMEs in Portugal, it found that mindfulness – defined as the ability to maintain deliberate and non-judgmental attention in the present moment – was linked to a reduced appetite for risk. This also translated into a preference for greater liquidity and more conservative financial management. “Financial decision-makers with higher levels of mindfulness typically exhibit greater emotional regulation, lower impulsivity and lower levels of overconfidence, favouring more cautious decisions,” Coelho continued. He noted how mindfulness’ association with ethical awareness might also reinforce concern for the protection of organisational resources. “By highlighting mindfulness, the study contributes to a better understanding of the factors that influence liquidity policies,” the FEUC professor surmised. TBD
SCHOOL Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, Portugal
he presence of mindfulness among financial managers has a tangible impact
T
on corporate decision-making and strategies around liquidity and debt policy, according to a new study from researchers at the Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra (FEUC). “Financial decision-making in organisations is often analysed from strictly rational perspectives based on economic and financial variables. However, research has been recognising that the psychological characteristics of decision-makers play a crucial role,” explains Filipe Coelho, a professor at FEUC and a researcher at the University of Coimbra’s Centre for Research in Economics and Management. The project, PSYCFIN – Corporate Financial Decisions: A Psychological
The INTEC researchers argue that the conservation and restoration of
mangroves and other critical coastal-marine ecosystems should not be seen solely as an environmental measure in an island state like the Dominican Republic, but also as an investment in economic resilience. They are pushing, therefore, for the promotion of economic initiatives that incentivise the conservation of such ecosystems. CD
SHARE YOUR NEWS AND RESEARCH UPDATES by emailing Business Impact editor Tim Banerjee Dhoul at t.dhoul@amba-bga.com
Business Impact • ISSUE 5 • 2026
9
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online