This study used econometric panel models to examine the influence of water shortage on economic growth in Central Asian countries. To evaluate long-term panel data, we used a pooled regression model, a fixed effect model, and a random effect model on annual data from 1990 to 2023 across five nations. After creating the models, we ran diagnostic tests using several statistical techniques. After analyzing the models listed above, we determined that the Pooled regression model is best suited to our panel data. Based on the indicators of this model, it was discovered that increased water shortage in Central Asian countries had a negative impact on economic growth. Each unit increase in water scarcity causes a 0.0166 unit loss in GDP. The findings suggest that countries experiencing severe water scarcity should prioritize water resource management and establish a water conservation program that includes the construction of infrastructure to alleviate the shortage.

This paper analyzes the structure of assets that ensure the stability of commercial banks and the factors affecting them using econometric methods. The main purpose of the study was to study such factors as the quality of banks' assets, liquidity indicators, the structure of the loan portfolio, as well as external economic factors. The results obtained using econometrics methods help commercial banks make important decisions to improve their sustainability. The practical significance of the research lies in the fact that it serves as a methodological basis for the formation of strategies aimed at the development of banking activities.

The resource dependency theory (RDT) is used to guide an empirical analysis of the higher education system in Uzbekistan. The regression models are applied to a panel dataset consisting of 62 Uzbek higher education institutions, covering the period 2000-2013, to examine the determinants of the expenditure decisions made by institutions. The key hypothesis is concerned with the relationship between the share of revenue from tuition fees and the share of expenditure spent on teaching. The analysis attempts to control for unobserved heterogeneity through the inclusion of fixed effects. Instrumental variables estimation is used to address the potential endogeneity of the relationship between these two variables. The main finding is that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between the share of revenue from tuition fees and the share of expenditure spent on teaching, even after other factors are held contact, which is consistent with a core premise of RDT.

This study investigates the impact of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure on bank profitability and market value in Uzbekistan an underexplored emerging economy in Central Asia undergoing rapid financial and sustainability reforms. Using a panel dataset of 22 commercial banks from 2015 to 2024, we construct a hand-collected ESG disclosure index through systematic content analysis of annual and sustainability reports, supplemented by financial data from the Central Bank of Uzbekistan. Net profit margin serves as the primary measure of profitability, while Tobin’s Q and market capitalization proxy for market value. Employing fixed effects, random effects, and System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimators to address endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity, we find that higher ESG disclosure is significantly associated with improved bank profitability. Notably, this relationship is driven almost exclusively by the governance (G) pillar, while environmental (E) and social (S) disclosures show no statistically significant effects highlighting the context-specific materiality of ESG dimensions in transitional economies. Robustness checks, including lagged specifications, sub-sample analyses by ownership type, and alternative ESG measures, confirm the reliability of our findings. The results suggest that in Uzbekistan’s institutional environment characterized by ongoing corporate governance reforms and nascent green finance infrastructure transparency in board oversight, risk management, and anti-corruption mechanisms enhances operational efficiency and stakeholder trust, thereby boosting net margins. Our study contributes to the limited literature on ESG-finance linkages in Central Asia and challenges universalist assumptions about ESG materiality by demonstrating that governance remains the most financially relevant pillar in early-stage reform contexts. The findings carry important implications for regulators, bank managers, and international investors: prioritizing credible governance disclosure offers a strategic pathway to both financial performance and market legitimacy. As Uzbekistan advances its National Strategy for Green Economy Development, this research provides empirical grounding for sequenced, institutionally attuned ESG integration in the banking sector.