Bassam Hamdar

Blockchain networks face persistent scalability challenges, including network congestion, high latency, and transaction costs. To address these limitations, this study proposes an AI-driven hub location optimization framework that integrates reinforcement learning (RL), mixed integer linear programming (MILP), and graph neural networks (GNNs). The RL-based hub selection dynamically identifies optimal supernode placement, while MILP ensures cost-efficient transaction routing, and GNNs predict flow patterns for proactive congestion management. Experimental results on Ethereum and Bitcoin datasets demonstrate significant improvements, including a 58.6% reduction in transaction latency, 28.9% gas fee savings, and 41.5% congestion reduction. Beyond performance gains, statistical tests confirm the significance of these improvements, and ablation studies highlight the complementary role of each component.

This study investigates the impact of remittances on income inequality in Lebanon using annual time-series data for the years 2000–2023. Applying Johansen’s cointegration test, with financial development (FD), GDP, and household consumption expenditure (HCE) as the control variables, the study examines the long-run and short-run relationship between remittances and inequality. The study also considers the moderating impacts of FD and HCE to account for their indirect role in the remittance–inequality relationship. Dynamic relations are also examined by using impulse response functions (IRFs) and Forecast Error Variance Decomposition (FEVD) analyses. The long-run model estimates validate that remittances and income inequality are significantly and negatively related, i.e., increased remittance receipts serve to reduce income inequality in Lebanon. Remittance effects, however, are statistically insignificant in the short run. Interestingly, the results reveal that financial development weakens the remittances’ inequality-reducing effect, dampening their impact. Contrarily, a higher household consumption expenditure slightly strengthens the inequality-reducing effect of remittances. A comparison between the pre- and post-2019 periods reveals that the explanatory strength of remittances weakened during times of economic crisis, since the function of remittances was different during times of economic distress. Based on these findings, this study recommends that Lebanon not only promote financial development but also focus on financial inclusion, improve social safety nets, and provide inclusive economic growth to maximize remittance inflow benefits and efficiently reduce inequality.

This paper highlights the factors that influence young people’s attitude to participate in crowdfunding campaigns, and to what extent such factors impact their investment intentions. A quantitative approach is employed using a survey to gather information from Al Maaref University students about the determinants influencing their intentions to invest in crowdfunding and to explain how such factors affect their attitudes towards crowdfunding decisions. This study found that emotions and attitudes as well as attitudes and PBC are statistically and positively related. Moreover, personality types ‘Agreeableness (A) and Neuroticism (N)’ have a positive impact on PBC (with p ˂ 10%), and subjective norms (SN) have a direct influence on engagement intention (EI) (p ˂ 5%). PBC has a positive impact on EI (p ˂ 5%), and risk preferences have a positive impact on EI (with p ˂ 10%). In addition, results show that personality types do not have a positive impact on SN, and personality types Extraversion (E), Conscientiousness (C), and Openness (O), do not have a positive impact on PBC. Subjective norms do not have a positive impact on attitudes (p ˃ 5%). Moreover, PBC does not have a direct influence on SN or behavior, risk preferences do not have a positive impact on EI (p ˃ 5%), and demographic factors do not have a positive impact on EI. The findings of the study shall promote the comprehension of the influences that motivate young entrepreneurs to participate in crowdfunding campaigns. This paper’s findings benefit investors, fintech decision-makers, and policymakers.