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Central Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Third Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Central Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

The Central Minnesota planning area is expected to experience a slowing of economic growth over the next several months according to predictions of the Central Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). The leading index fell by 2.90 points in the most recent period, with three components producing negative readings. Weakness in a general measure of statewide business conditions along with slowing residential building permits in the St. Cloud area helped tip the index down this quarter. An increase in initial jobless claims in Central Minnesota also had a negative impact on the LEI in the third quarter. An uptick …

Northeast Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Third Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Northeast Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

A deceleration of economic growth in Northeast Minnesota is expected over the next several months according to the predictions of the Northeast Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). Two of the five components of the LEI increased as the overall index fell by 1.36 points in the third quarter. An increase in new filings of incorporation in the Northeast Minnesota planning area and lower initial jobless claims had a positive impact on the LEI, while recent weakness in a general measure of statewide business conditions and a fall in a supply managers’ survey helped drive the index lower. A …

Northwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Third Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Northwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

The Northwest Minnesota planning area economy is expected to continue to grow at a pace that is somewhat below normal over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Northwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). Two of the five components of the leading index were lower in the third quarter, as the LEI fell by 0.81 points. A declining Rural Mainstreet Index (which signals a more challenging macroeconomic environment for rural America) and weaker consumer sentiment helped drive the index lower. Lower initial jobless claims and rising new filings for incorporation …

Southeast Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Third Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southeast Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Acceleration of economic growth in Southeast Minnesota is expected over the next several months according to the most recent prediction of the Southeast Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). After a quarter in which the LEI experienced a 3.18 point decline, the Southeast Minnesota leading index reversed course by rising 2.34 points in the third quarter of 2016. The increased LEI was led by a rise in the number of residential building permits in Rochester as well as higher new filings of incorporation and LLC in the Southeast Minnesota planning area. Three components of the LEI had negative readings …

Twin Cities Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Third Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Twin Cities Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

A slower pace of economic growth is expected over the next several months in the Twin Cities according to the prediction of the St. Cloud State University Twin Cities Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). The Twin Cities LEI fell 5.70 points in the third quarter after a nearly neutral reading in the previous quarter. Four of the five index components decreased in the third quarter. Lower initial claims for unemployment insurance were the only index component that had a positive impact on this quarter’s LEI. Weakness in two general measures of statewide business conditions had a negative effect on …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Third Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Normal economic growth in Southwest Minnesota is expected over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). Two of four LEI components were positive in the third quarter. An increase in new filings of incorporation and LLC and a jump in Mankato residential building permits made favorable contributions to the LEI this quarter. An increase in initial jobless claims and weakness in the rural outlook weighed on the index. After rising 1.27 points in the second quarter, the Southwest Minnesota LEI was essentially flat in …

An Analysis Of Mongolia’S Resource-Led Development: The Impact Of Foreign Direct Investment In The Extraction Industry, Belguun Bat-Erdene

Master's Theses

It has been 26 years since Mongolia transitioned to democracy. I decided to evaluate the progress of Mongolia’s development since the transition to evaluate whether the country of only 3 million people with vast land and natural resources successfully implemented policies to attain growth and societal wellbeing. In order to evaluate Mongolia’s development progress, this thesis uses FDI in Mongolian development since 1990 as a case study to examine the relationship between FDI, state development strategies, and development outcomes. My research questions encompass a series of interrelated inquiries including 1) whether human development can be achieved through extraction industries 2) …

Capabilities, Human Development, And Design Thinking: A Framework For Gender-Sensitive Entrepreneurship Programs, Tonia Warnecke

Faculty Publications

This paper discusses the ways that capabilities and human development theory can guide the creation of entrepreneurship programs, utilizing a framework of human-centered design thinking. It is well known that a variety of institutional factors shape gender outcomes and gender inequality within entrepreneurship, particularly with regard to necessity versus opportunity entrepreneurship and informal versus formal sector entrepreneurship. Failure to understand the diversity of entrepreneurial activity among women, and the connection (or lack thereof) of such activity to human freedom, leads to biased entrepreneurship programs. This paper links social economic theory and practice by: (1) discussing the ways that capabilities and …

The Meaning And Measurement Of Income Mobility, Gary S. Fields, Efe A. Ok

Gary S Fields

Income mobility may be seen as arising from two sources: (i) the transfer of income among individuals with total income held constant, and (ii) a change in the total amount of income available. In this paper, we propose several sensible properties defining the concept of income mobility and show that an easily applicable measure of mobility is uniquely implied by these properties. We also show that the resulting measure is additively decomposable into the two sources listed above, namely, mobility due to the transfer of income within a given structure and mobility due to economic growth or contraction. Finally, these …

Income-Generating Functions In A Low Income Country: Colombia, Gary S. Fields, T. Paul Schultz

Gary S Fields

Income generating functions are statistical tools used to explain income inequality and other economic outcomes and behavior. These functions are often associated with a strict human capital framework, but they need not be. Instead, they may be viewed as a reduced form equation summarizing the relationship between income and various personal and locational characteristics. Following this latter interpretation, we develop the regression and analysis of variance approaches to income generating functions and estimate them empirically using micro-economic data from one low income country, Colombia. Proceeding to increasingly parsimonious specifications of income generating functions, insights are gained into the structure of …

Employment, Income Distribution And Economic Growth In Seven Small Open Economies, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

[Excerpt] Resurgent interest has been manifested among development economists in trickle-down, i.e., the view that the more rapid the rate of economic growth, the more rapid the improvement in employment and income distribution. Throughout this paper, the term ‘income distribution’ will refer to the location and dispersion of the pattern of incomes, i.e., to ‘absolute incomes and poverty’ and to ‘relative income inequality’. Empirical evidence supports trickle-down in some cases, but the evidence is contrary to trickle-down in others.

These data indicate:

1. A high rate of economic growth is neither necessary nor sufficient for inequality to decline.
2. A high rate …

Income Distribution And Economic Growth, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

[Excerpt] Who benefits how much from economic growth and why? This question is fundamental to today’s development economics. This chapter reviews some of the major lessons learned and major directions for future research in the study of income distribution and economic development.

Employment And Economic Growth In Costa Rica, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

Costa Rica’s economic growth in the last 25 years has had favorable labor market and income distribution consequences. Overall, employment growth kept pace with labor force growth, the mix of jobs improved, real wages rose, and relative inequality and absolute poverty fell. But during the economic crisis of 1980-82, when real per capita income plummeted, labor market conditions deteriorated markedly: unemployment doubled, employment composition worsened, and real wages fell by 40%. Growth, labor market conditions, and income distribution have moved together.

Invitation Strategy For Cutting Edge Industries Through Mncs And Global Talents: The Case Of Singapore, Kim Song Tan

Research Collection School Of Economics

Singapore presents an interesting case of how a country achieves dynamic economic development and innovation through the "invitation" strategy of a business hub. Despite being a small city-state with limited domestic market size and no meaningful hinterland or natural resources to speak of, Singapore has managed to transform its economy dramatically over the past 50 years by leveraging the strengths of other economies. Specifically, it has been able to attract (or "invite") various types of productive resources, including foreign capital, foreign technology and foreign workers (both skilled and unskilled) to make up for what it lacks. This has helped Singapore …

Holistic Approach: Paradigm Shift In The Research Agenda For Digitalisation Of Healthcare In Sub-Saharan Africa, Tadeusz K. Bara-Slupski

The African Journal of Information Systems

Despite significant resources employed in the digitalisation agenda in the healthcare sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, the transformative impact of information and communication technologies has not been realised. This article makes two contributions towards developing an understanding of this failure. First, it provides a review of a rich body of academic literature and practitioner accounts regarding barriers to digitalisation and organises them using an established framework. Second, recognising the continuing struggle that digitalisation presents, it proposes a paradigmatic shift in thinking about barriers to digitalisation and suggests the existence of a more fundamental barrier related to inappropriate incentives within the international …

B.E.I.B. And Financial Inclusion In Northwest Cameroon, Kareen Ngendape Atchala

Capstone Collection

The Bee Effect Initiative Bank uses an integrated approach to foster financial inclusion in the North West region of Cameroon. This paper has several services under three main themes; economic wellbeing, capacity building, and insurance. Its theory of change and objectives while seeking to make profit centers on creating social change. The mechanics in the paper seek to evoke sustainable economic change in cross sectors- savings, credit, capacity building, and insurance with ROSCAs as target clientele.

Northeast Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Second Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Northeast Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Modest improvement in Northeast Minnesota economic conditions is expected over the next several months according to the predictions of the Northeast Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). Two of the five components of the LEI increased as the overall index rose for a second straight quarter. An improvement in a general measure of statewide business conditions and a rise in a supply managers’ survey index had a positive impact on the LEI, while a rise in initial jobless claims earlier in the year dragged down the index. Sluggish new filings for incorporation earlier this year and a decline in …

Northwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Second Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Northwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

The Northwest Minnesota planning area economy is expected to grow at a slower pace than normal over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Northwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). Three of the five components of the leading index were lower in the second quarter, causing the LEI to decrease by 3.66 points. A declining Rural Mainstreet Index (which signals a more challenging macroeconomic environment for rural America), a smaller number of residential building permits in Fargo/Moorhead and Grand Forks/East Grand Forks, and lower new filings for incorporation and LLC …

Southeast Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Second Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southeast Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Economic growth in Southeast Minnesota is expected to be steady over the next several months according to the most recent prediction of the Southeast Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). After a quarter in which the LEI experienced a small decline, the Southeast Minnesota leading index fell by 3.18 points in the second quarter of 2016. The fall in the LEI was caused by a sharp rise in initial claims for unemployment benefits in recent months—the other four index components have positive readings. Improvement in the Minnesota Business Conditions Index (which serves as a general measure of state business …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Second Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

A steady improvement in economic conditions in Southwest Minnesota is expected over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). While three of four LEI components were negative in the second quarter, a decline in initial jobless claims in recent months helped keep the index in positive territory in the second quarter. After rising 3.14 points in the first quarter, the Southwest Minnesota LEI increased by 1.27 points in the current quarter. A weakness in the rural outlook, some sluggishness in new business filings earlier …

Twin Cities Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Second Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Twin Cities Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

A steady pace of economic growth is expected over the next several months in the Twin Cities according to the prediction of the St. Cloud State University Twin Cities Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). The Twin Cities LEI was essentially unchanged in the second quarter, after rising by a revised 3.95 points in the first quarter. Three of the five index components increased in the second quarter. Lower initial claims for unemployment insurance and improvement in two general measures of statewide business conditions had a positive effect on the index, while a recent slowing of residential building permits in …

Central Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Second Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Central Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

The Central Minnesota planning area is expected to experience economic growth that is slightly weaker than normal over the next several months according to predictions of the Central Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). The leading index fell by 2.41 points in the most recent period, with two components producing negative readings. Weaker new filings for business incorporation along with slowing residential building permits in the St. Cloud area helped tip the index down this quarter. Improvements in a general measure of statewide business conditions and a decrease in initial jobless claims in Central Minnesota had a positive impact …

The Influence Of The Electric Supply Industry On Economic Growth In Less Developed Countries, Edward Richard Bee

Dissertations

This study measures the impact that electrical outages have on manufacturing production in 135 less developed countries using stochastic frontier analysis and data from World Bank’s Investment Climate surveys. Outages of electricity, for firms with and without backup power sources, are the most frequently cited constraint on manufacturing growth in these surveys.

Outages are shown to reduce output below the production frontier by almost five percent in Africa and by a lower percentage in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East and North Africa. Production response to outages is quadratic in form. Outages also increase labor cost, reduce exports …

International Trade Effects Of Regional Economic Integration In Africa: The Case Of The Southern African Development Community (Sadc), Mengesha Yayo, Sisay Asefa

International Journal of African Development

Empirical studies on regional economic integration process in Africa exhibit sluggish progress, and there by limited level of intra-trade. The existing literature in Africa, particularly in the Southern African regional integration bloc, has neglected the effects of regional economic integration dealing with disaggregated data. This study analyzes trade creation and diversion effects of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) using disaggregated data. The investigation estimates an augmented gravity model using panel data and random effect estimator methods applying instrumental variables where needed.

The results show that intra-SADC trade is growing in the fuel and minerals and the heavy manufacturing sectors …

Earnings Mobility In Times Of Growth And Decline: Argentina From 1996 To 2003, Gary S. Fields, María Laura Sánchez Puerta

Gary S Fields

In recent years, the economy of Argentina has experienced both rapid economic growth and severe economic decline. In this paper, we use a series of one-year long panels to study who gained the most in pesos when the economy grew and who lost the most in pesos when the economy contracted. Various considerations led us to expect that mobility would be divergent—that is, that the individuals who started with the highest initial earnings would enjoy the largest earnings gains in pesos. Contrary to expectations and for a wide range of specifications, mobility is found to be mostly convergent, sometimes neutral, …

Self-Employment And Poverty In Developing Countries, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

A key way for the world’s poor—nearly half of humanity—to escape poverty is to earn more for their labor. Most of the world’s poor people are self-employed, but because there are few opportunities in most developing countries for them to earn enough to escape poverty, they are working hard but working poor. Two key policy planks in the fight against poverty should be: raising the returns to self-employment and creating more opportunities to move from self-employment into higher paying wage employment.

Challenges And Policy Lessons For The Growth-Employment-Poverty Nexus In Developing Countries, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

Productivity growth and structural change are generally considered to be important determinants of economic growth. However recent research revealed that they do not necessarily lead to higher growth and employment rates. Recent studies, drawing on data from developing countries, showed that only the “right” kind of productivity growth resulted in higher employment rates. Enterprises in Africa and Latin America caught up in matters of technology; however, this process resulted in a substitution of employment by technology. The same is true for structural change; only the “right” kind of structural change caused more growth and employment. Whereas in Asia, labour shifted …

Employment And Development In The Developing World: Taking Stock Of What Research Can Teach Us, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

Productivity growth and structural change are generally considered to be important determinants of economic growth. However recent research revealed that they do not necessarily lead to higher growth and employment rates. Recent studies, drawing on data from developing countries, showed that only the “right” kind of productivity growth resulted in higher employment rates. Enterprises in Africa and Latin America caught up in matters of technology; however, this process resulted in a substitution of employment by technology. The same is true for structural change; only the “right” kind of structural change caused more growth and employment. Whereas in Asia, labour shifted …

Aid, Growth And Jobs, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

Various development objectives are worthy, but one objective merits special attention: reducing the scourge of absolute economic misery in the world. This study focuses on an important but relatively underemphasized approach to poverty reduction: helping the poor earn more in the labour market for the work they do, so that they can buy the goods and services they need to move up out of poverty. The core of the study is divided into three sections: defining the global poverty challenge and the world’s employment problem, presenting policy options for improving employment outcomes for the poor, and suggesting ways of choosing …

Earnings Mobility, Inequality, And Economic Growth In Argentina, Mexico, And Venezuela, Gary S. Fields, Robert Duval-Hernandez, Samuel Freije, Maria Laura Sanchez Puerta

Gary S Fields

This paper examines changes in individual earnings during positive and negative growth periods in three Latin American economies: Argentina, Mexico, and Venezuela. We ask two major questions. First, do panel income changes favor the income recipients who started at the top of the income distribution (“divergent mobility”) or those who started at the bottom (“convergent mobility”)? And second, are the groups that are found to gain the most when the economy is growing those that are found to lose the most when the economy is contracting (“symmetry of mobility”) or is the pattern asymmetric in the sense that the same …