Business Commons^™

Assessing Happiness: An Evaluation Of The Latin American Paradox In The United States, Daniel J. Maisch

Honors Projects

Abstract: This research project investigates an array of pecuniary and non-pecuniary factors and their effect on happiness trends within the United States’ Latino population. Happiness Economics is a new field of economic study coined in the 1970s by Richard Easterlin. This new field of study laid the foundation for further research and, ultimately, led to the discovery of the Latin American Paradox. The Latin American Paradox identifies high levels of happiness amongst Latinos within Latin America and the United States, with low levels of economic prosperity. This study uses Mental Health data from IPUMS Health Survey to investigate the different …

Open Education Exploration Grant: Leigh Moon, Leigh Moon

Ames Library Awards

No abstract provided.

Movie Night Double Feature!, Idea Center, Illinois Wesleyan University

IDEA Center Events

Free candy & popcorn! Weekly Giveaways!

Sponsored by DTE

Lunch & Learn, Idea Center, Illinois Wesleyan University

IDEA Center Events

"Presented: Via Zoom | Recordings available: IWU IDEA Center YouTube Page

"This event is for students, faculty and staff alike to come learn from the local 'pros!"

Sponsored by DTE

Makerspace Workshops, Idea Center, Illinois Wesleyan University

IDEA Center Events

"3-D printers, Sewing Machines, Laser Cutters, Embroidery Equipment, Vinyl Printing and so much more... Come check us out and let's create something!"

Sponsored by DTE

Retro Video Game Night, Idea Center, Illinois Wesleyan University

IDEA Center Events

"Come play with friends, faculty or anyone else who's [sic] name starts with a "F" and learn what fun you can have at the IDEA Center!"

Sponsored by DTE

Board Game Night, Idea Center, Illinois Wesleyan University

IDEA Center Events

"Remember how much fun you had with family game night? Come recreate the wholesome fun at the IDEA Center w2ith your 'new' squad."

Sponsored by DTE

Karen Bussone On The Challenges Of Becoming A Small Business Owner, Catrina Peterson

Interviews for WGLT

IWU Small Business Development Center Executive Director Karen Bussone discusses potential pitfalls in business and entrepreneurship with WGLT'S Catrina Peterson.

Professor Seeborg Says Covid Drives Retirements, But It's Not Best Time For Everyone, Dana Vollmer

Interviews for WGLT

On average, about 2 million people retire annually, but the Pew Research Center reports for 2020 that figure is already more than 3.2 million. Emeritus Professor of Ecconomics Mike Seeborg said that's a major reversal in the prior trend of delaying retirement, and talks about what's driving this change with WGLT's Dana Vollmer.

Mike Seeborg On Illinois Gas Tax, July 9, 2019, Eric Stock

Interviews for WGLT

Professor of Economics Mike Seeborg discusses the July 2019 gas tax increase with Eric Stock from WGLT Radio.

Dave Moravec, Dave Moravec '84, Francine Krieger 2015

All oral histories

In this interview, Mr. Moravec reflects on a dorm tradition that led him to his future wife Susan, changes to campus over the years, and his time as Tommy Titan.

Other topics include the campus jobs he had (Admission, Saga, and Dolan Hall), and the benefit he later found to the rigors of his English Composition class.

He briefly discusses his wife Susan’s activities on campus and the annual student-faculty basketball competition.

Mr. Moravec is a businessman in the Bloomington-Normal community and active in mentoring students through the Hart Career Center. In 2009, he and Susan took part in the …

How Do Bond Specific, Firm Specific And Macroeconomic Factors Influence Corporate Credit Spreads?, Michael Mayberger

Honors Projects

The recession of 2008-2009 showcased the critical role that the corporate bond market plays in providing firms with access to capital, a role reflected by a 300% increase in corporate bonds issued from $600 billion issued in 2007 to $1.8 trillion issued in 2012. In this study, I investigate the bond specific, firm specific and macroeconomic factors that explain the change in corporate credit spreads within the Consumer Staples industry between 2005 and 2013. The results show that the firm specific variables, debt and total assets, have the largest impact on the corporate credit spreads. However, there is a weaker …

Mary Beth Phillips, Mary E. Phillips, Abigail Szunyogh 2014

All oral histories

Mary Beth Phillips worked at IWU for 27 years. In that time she served as Administrative Assistant for three different Presidents and for two of the Vice Presidents for Business and Finance.

Her stories include the office's role in the campus building projects during her tenure and the changes she's seen to campus's connection to the Methodist Church.

Sweeney '14 Named Outstanding Marketing Student, Danielle Kamp

News and Events

No abstract provided.

Iwu Alumnus To Talk About Career In Advertising, Mallika Kavadi

News and Events

No abstract provided.

Lobbying In The Defense Aerospace Industry, Austin Smiley

Honors Projects

The purpose of this research paper is to identify the main variables that impact an aerospace defense firm’s decision to lobby. This study focuses on important accounting and financial measures specific to each company. It also takes into account government and public variables such as the level of public scrutiny the company experiences and national defense spending. This study finds that cash flow and profitability are both negatively correlated with the decision to lobby. It also finds a positive correlation between inventory turnover and the decision to lobby the following year. Additionally, there is a positive relationship between public scrutiny …

What Causes Bank Failures During The Recent Economic Recession?, Qingyu Li

Honors Projects

More than 400 banks failed during the recent financial crisis. Bank failures have a significant impact on the financial system and the economy as a whole. It is important to identify factors that may contribute to bank failures so that banks can take measures to reduce their default risk. This paper examines how bank specific characteristics and economic conditions affect bank failures during the recent financial crisis. We employ the logistic regression model to study this issue using the U. S. commercial bank data over the sample period 2007-2012. We find that the ratio of the loan and leases to …

Macroeconomic Determinants Of Gold Industry Stock Returns, Michael Chau

Honors Projects

Over the past 12 years, the gold bullion continues to become a significant investment. Financial advisors and analysts have recommended investors invest a small portion of their portfolio into this precious metal commodity asset. Gold mining stocks offer investors the ability to leverage volatile but rising gold prices. The expected relationship between gold price and gold stock returns is that for every 1% increase in gold prices, gold stocks can be expected to gain 2-3%. Building on a multifactor model by Faff and Chan (1998), we examine how macroeconomic factors such as market returns, the foreign exchange rate, and the …

Determinants Of Dow Jones Returns, Cory Sloan

Honors Projects

As of 2010, there was $14 trillion invested in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and $55 trillion invested in stock markets worldwide. In this study, we use the Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT) to identify the main determinants of the returns of the stocks that compose the Dow Jones for the period 1990-2011. We test several hypotheses on the relationship between firm specific variables such as Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield, Book-Market ratio, previous returns and the stock returns. We also document the relationship between several macroeconomic factors including T-bill rate, Default Spread, Term Spread, Unemployment, Real GDP and Inflation and …

Determinants Of Banks' Total Risk: Accounting Ratios And Macroeconomic Indicators, Michael Salkeld

Honors Projects

During the recent financial crisis, 325 U.S. banks failed whereas only 24 banks failed from 2000-2006. It is important to identify how banks’ operations and changes in the economic environment might influence the total risk level faced by U.S. banking institutions in order to avoid the number of bank failures experienced during the recent recession. This study analyzes publicly traded banks in the U.S. from 1978 to 2010. Various accounting ratios and macroeconomic indicators are used as proxies for the effects of individual bank operations and changes in the economic environment. Total risk, as measured by the standard deviation of …

New Evidence On The Wealth Transfer During The Argentine Crisis, James Lam, Elisabeta Pana, Faculty Advisor

Honors Projects

In this study, we investigate the wealth preservation hypothesis and revisit the theory of wealth transfer from Argentina to the United States during the Argentine crisis. We show that the boom experienced by the Argentine stock market is explained by both wealth preservation through top non-ADR stocks and by wealth transfer through ADR stocks. Argentine investors without access to trading abroad preserved wealth by converting their bank deposits into the most liquid ADR and non-ADR stocks. An investment in a portfolio of less liquid ADRs resulted in a wealth loss, unless used as a vehicle to transfer funds abroad.

Dennis Watson, Dennis Glenn Watson '50, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Mr. Watson was a Business major and a Political Science minor in the Class of 1950. He is a member of Phi Gamma Delta. This interview was conducted at Westminster Village in Bloomington.

Bill Wright, William Wright '53, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Bill Wright is a graduate of the 1953 Business Administration program and is a member of Theta Chi. This interview was conducted at Westminster Village in Bloomington.

Leekley Publishes New Statistics Textbook, Rachel Hatch

News and Events

No abstract provided.

Sascha Vitzhum, Jim Browne

Interviews for WGLT

Jim Browne interviews Assistant Professor Sascha Vitzhum about virtual worlds, economics and marketing. (requires RealPlayer)

Illinois Wesleyan Students Receive Cpa Society Scholarships, Allegra Gallian ’09

News and Events

No abstract provided.

Illinois Wesleyan Student Receives Cpa Society Scholarship, Allegra Gallian ’09

News and Events

No abstract provided.

Bank Ownership And Management Structure Affects On Principal-Agent Costs And Returning Capital, Joel Wicks, '09

Honors Projects

This paper attempts to add to existing research on corporate payout by focusing on the role that the principal-agent problem plays on dividend policies of public and private banks. The results indicate that private banks are better able to monitor mangers use of excessive free cash flow and retaining earnings and will be more willing to let retained earnings build up without returning them to owners in the form of dividends or stock repurchases.

Surveying Efficiencies Of Nigerian Banks Before And After The Minimum Capital Requirement Increase, Bukola Olaosebikan, '09

Honors Projects

This study investigates the efficiency of the Nigerian banking system between the years of 1999 and 2005. Bank efficiency is evaluated using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), and the main determinants are identified by using a Tobit model. The results indicate that efficiency fluctuated during the first part of the period and improved during the recent years, a period associated with the increase in minimum capital requirement. Differences in bank efficiency are explained by problematic loans and bank size.

Alumnus’ Loyalty To Be Honored, Rachel Hatch

News and Events

No abstract provided.