Business Commons^™

How Refugees Can Be Integrated Into Development In Malawi Through An Entrepreneurship Approach, Desire Patience Iraguha

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

The study examines the potential of entrepreneurship as a means to effectively integrate refugees into the economic and social development of Malawi. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research incorporates interviews with refugees and key stakeholders, a survey of refugee entrepreneurs, and a comprehensive literature review on entrepreneurship and refugee integration. The findings underscore the transformative power of entrepreneurship in facilitating economic self-sufficiency for refugees and promoting their integration into the host community. The study identifies various challenges confronted by refugee entrepreneurs in Malawi, such as limited access to financial resources, language barriers, and legal obstacles to business establishment. To address …

The Effects Of Arra Funding On Broadband Availability And Adoption, Anna K. Waide

Honors College Theses

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), passed in 2009, provided funds to help the American economy recover from the 2008 economic crisis. More than $7 billion was designated to the advancement of broadband services, and critically, improvement in broadband infrastructure and adoption in underserved areas. This thesis sought to discover if there is a significant causal relationship between the amount of ARRA funding given to a U.S. state and its increase of broadband availability/adoption rates between 2010 (when all ARRA projects were announced), 2013, and 2016 (after all projects were completed). After running various regressions, I found that there …

Factors That Influence Entrepreneurship And Digital Talent In The Rural Heartland: Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, And Arkansas, Chett Daniel

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The current state of many rural communities demands new, more relevant economic development strategies. Traditional models of rural economic development often rely on farming, natural resource extraction, and industrial type jobs that rely on lower cost labor usually focused on manufacturing of product or food. Farm jobs declined decades ago. Offshoring, and more recently automation is rapidly reducing the number of jobs available in rural areas. Jobs and economic vitality are critical to sustaining or growing communities. While traditional methods of industry attraction are still viable strategies to spur economic activity, rural areas must develop concurrent economic strategies driven by …

A Tale Of Two Cities, Maybe Three A Look At Financial Literacy And Economic Development In Three Mississippi Cities: Fulton, Clarksdale, And Oxford, Kellie Reed Cleveland

Honors Theses

This paper explores the backbones of economic growth and how the backbones influence economic development in three cities in Mississippi. It further seeks to promote education in financial literacy throughout the state to create a base for individuals to further their financial education, create small businesses, or to simply be a knowledgeable citizen. The research sifts through backbones such as population health and small & big business influence, to explore how financial literacy influences daily life and the catalyst for businesses to start and grow. The Mississippi cities Fulton, Clarksdale, and Oxford are studied more in-depth through photos of the …

A Case For The Congo: How Can Education And Agriculture Lead To Economic Development?, Arthur Kilongo

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Since its independence from Belgium in 1960 until this point in time, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has more than often experienced violence and political instability that have prevented the creation of a stable economy and functional political system. As a result, quality education and high paying jobs are scarce in the DR Congo today, resulting in poverty to the extent where many people in the country live on less than $1.90 per day. According to the International Labour Organization, as many as 68.7% of Congolese worked in agriculture in 2019. This paper investigates how education and training can …

Gilgit-Baltistan At The Cross Road Of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (Cpec), Zulfiqar Ali Khan

MSJ Capstone Projects

This capstone project focused on the in-depth analysis of the role and impact of this multi-billion-dollar project on the politically deprived region of Gilgit-Baltistan. This region is the gateway to CPEC as it is the only region of Pakistan that shares border with China. The geographical ties, tributary and trade relationship and even family relationships between Gilgit-Baltistan and the Xinjiang region of China dates back centuries before the creation of Pakistan and the post revolution China.

The project has been designed and implemented in a way that GB’s role is to provide the services of road and some other services …

Changing The Current Perception Of Affordable Housing In Worcester, Simone Mcguinness, William Roberts, Vaske Gjino, Tong Zhou, Mengxin Ma, Sarawadee Sonpuak

School of Professional Studies

One of Worcester Interfaith’s goals is to eradicate the stigma of affordable housing in Worcester. Currently, the perception of affordable housing is of an image of unkept and old residences filled with destitute citizens who cannot afford basic needs to live in a city, let alone housing. This image is perpetuated by media, stigma, and a lack of education of the true reality of affordable housing and who its recipients are. Affordable housing-qualified citizens represent a range of educations, professions, age, race, and income levels. Affordable housing units, too, represent a variety of homes, many of which are extremely well-kept …

Tourism And The Developing World: A Comparative Analysis On Socio-Economic Development Between The Dominican Republic And Haiti, Megan Elise Reissig

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

The tourism industry has been growing exponentially throughout the world, both in developed and underdeveloped countries. The industry is normally considered means of economic growth for a destination, however there is much controversy as to whether the social effects are positive or negative. The purpose of this study was to compare strategies of socio-economic development through tourism in select developing countries. In the cases of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, tourism has contributed greatly to economic development, and both countries should continue focussing efforts on tourism for means of economic development. However, they should focus on educating their citizens so …

Ampliación Alianza Del Pacífico: Nuevas Oportunidades Para Colombia En Textiles Confecciones Y Autopartes, José Santiago Fiquitiva Pardo, Diana Mayerly Herrera Bojacá, Geraldyn Yiseth Martínez Gómez

Finanzas y Comercio Internacional

La integración económica contribuye al cumplimiento de los objetivos de crecimiento de las economías en tanto permite una mayor interdependencia de bienes y servicios en un marco de preferencias arancelarias, cooperación e inversión. En este sentido, el presente estudio se enfoca en un análisis de las oportunidades comerciales del sector manufacturero más específicamente en la industria de textiles- confecciones e industria autopartes colombiana, frente a los nuevos estados asociados Australia, Nueva Zelanda, Singapur y Canadá, que ampliaran la Alianza del Pacífico. Este análisis se desarrolla en un período comprendido entre 2012 -2017 lo cual permite determinar las acciones comerciales que …

The Role Of Human Capital And Innovative Entrepreneurship In Developing Countries, José Rolando Torrech Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Human capital, innovation and entrepreneurship have long been associated with economic development in different contexts. However, in the recent past, several research studies carried out show that the complexity and technical nature of the everchanging business environment necessitated by technology have superseded the current human capital required to address innovative strategies in developing countries. Several scholars assert that although inadequate skills are a great challenge for entrepreneurs, more research needs to be done to break down the varying units affecting the impact of human capital on entrepreneurial development and economic growth. The purpose of the study was to investigate the …

The Effects Of Food Security On Socioeconomic Mobility In The United States: A Case Study In Allendale County, South Carolina, Taylor St Clarke

Senior Theses

This thesis examines the relationship between food security – defined as accessibility to an affordable, nutritious, and sustainable source of food – and socioeconomic mobility in the continental United States. This thesis is primarily focused on the effects of food insecurity on both individuals and communities, examining the chronic long-term effects of such insecurity on areas known as “food deserts,” which are often given status as areas of persistent poverty. This research further examines the effects of a sustained poor diet, brought about by food insecurity, on the individual and overarching community in a food desert and how such a …

La Gobernanza Corporativa Como Discurso Político De La Globalización: Un Análisis Desde Las Negociaciones De La Asociación Transatlántica De Comercio E Inversión Entre Estados Unidos Y La Unión Europea, María Helena Valenzuela Fernández, Jessica Alejandra Lozano Buitrago

Negocios y Relaciones Internacionales

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Place Image In Business Location Decisions, Candice Marie Clouse

ETD Archive

The location where businesses choose to locate or re-locate their businesses, also known as site selection, is an important policy matter for economic development practitioners and academics since significant amount of resources are spent in this area. As places spend a great deal of public dollars marketing their city, region, and state to potential investors and businesses, private sector dollars from business invest a significant amount on land, labor, and capital to get these new facilities and sites up and running. To date, most of the literature as it relates to place image and business site selection decisions examine traditional …

Ginning Up Economic Growth? Evaluating The Effects Of County-Level Alcohol Sales, Nathan Smith

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The academic literature on the topic of legal alcohol sales is vast; from the effects on crime to population health outcomes. The economic development impact of alcohol sales, however, remains relatively unexplored. This research examines county-level data from the State of Arkansas between the years 2009 and 2014 in a cross-sectional time-series regression analysis to determine whether economic development benefits exist that can be attributed either directly or indirectly to legal alcohol sales. Ultimately, this study finds that alcohol sales are positively and significantly related with food service and accommodation employment as well as higher per capita personal income.

An Evaluation Of Lfucg Economic Development: Making Strides Towards Strategic, Performance-Driven Partnerships, Sarah Ausmus Smith

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Like many other municipal governments, Lexington utilizes a web of partnerships to support economic development. These relationships take many forms; LFUCG employs grants, tax incentives for businesses, and contracts with other organizations. Unlike some of its peers, though, LFUCG does not have a strategic plan in place to drive decision-making processes and sharpen its focus on outcomes. This report sets the foundation for future strategic management efforts by identifying opportunities and weaknesses that might be addressed by LFUCG through an environmental scan and establishing a performance management framework for existing contractual economic development partners. The key findings are as follows: …

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 …

Encouraging Entrepreneurship: Resources Supporting Small Business Startup And Growth, Karen A. Eagle

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Small business success drives the health of a local economy. The problem of this three phase mixed methods study was to encourage entrepreneurship by identifying the resources that support business startup and growth. In the first qualitative phase, the city business resource webpage was observed and 10 entrepreneurs were interviewed to identify which business resources were used for their recent startups. Using the data from the interviews, a survey instrument was developed for the Small Business Subcommittee (SBS) that was used in the second quantitative phase which included 351 business owners; 35% were women and 65% were men. The sample …

The Evolving Role Of Electric Cooperatives In Economic Development: A Case Study Of Owen Electric Cooperative And Jackson Energy Cooperative, Whitney Prather Duvall

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

In recent years, there has been a shift in among Kentucky rural electric cooperatives in regard to their stance on economic development. With this has been the employment of electric cooperative staff to help attract new industries and forge relationships with other local economic development-geared groups to facilitate growth. Cooperative businesses have historically proved their resilience and deep-rooted connections within the communities they serve. In exploring two similar-sized electric cooperatives in Kentucky located in two very different regions of the state, considering socio-economic status, and interviewing key informants with local affiliated economic development groups, it becomes evident that electric cooperatives …

Business Case Studies In Sustainability Practices, Sheri L. Lynch

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Protecting the environment for future generations is crucial. Although businesses are under strong pressure to support sustainability, many leaders find it challenging to meet the environmental needs of the present without negatively impacting their economic goals. This paper describes some methods that businesses have adopted to effectively manage environmental issues and offer an opportunity for competitive advantage. In particular, three case studies show ways that the companies have embraced and integrated sustainability into their strategic planning process, which helped them achieve growth and success in the context of social and environmental concerns. The paper shows how these businesses have chosen …

Responses To Change In The Global Political Economy Of Innovation – The Role Of Sub-National States In Industrial Transition, Dan Herman

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation seeks to explore how sub-national levels of the state promote the development of new industrial sectors. To do so this dissertation builds on a series of theoretical perspectives on the role of the state in the economy and develops a unique view of how sub-national states coalesce and contrast within these perspectives. It does so through a series of empirical case studies focused on sub-national jurisdictions in North America that highlight diverse varieties of state actions that contribute, if not lead, industrial transitions and the development of new innovation-oriented industrial sectors. In so doing, the dissertation presents a …

Institutions Of Higher Education And Cultural Heritage Tourism: A Case Study Of The Crooked Road, Virginia's Heritage Music Trail, Terence Michael Gilley

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The southwest region of Virginia has an unstable economy, which cycles through periods of growth and decline. The strategic plans for southwest Virginia propose cultural heritage tourism as a sustainable industry for economic development of this rural region. Institutions of higher education provide education and training for a qualified workforce and community service. This qualitative, single case study on The Crooked Road, Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail examines the roles of institutions of higher education with regard to cultural heritage tourism for sustainable community and economic development in rural areas. The data sources for this study are the administrators of …

Transforming For The Future: The New Economic Driver For The Las Vegas Tourism Industry, Kwangbok Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Tourism transformation has recently become a key strategy in today's competitive business environment, as continued rejuvenation is required for a tourism destination to succeed over time. However, transformation can prove problematic for many emerging tourism destinations, which suffer from a lack of long-term decision-making tools and leadership from institutions at a local level. Therefore, this paper aims to use the theoretical framework of transformation theory—particularly the institution dimension— to demonstrate that Las Vegas’ ongoing transformative shift over the last 80 years from a mining town to a gaming destination, and then, to a multi-dimensional tourist attraction, has been largely successful …

“Build A School, Rebuild A City” An Economic Examination Of The Re-Structured Education System In New Orleans, 10 Years After Hurricane Katrina, Brianna Lazarchik

Senior Honors Projects

The city could have died. But it didn’t. Though the damage to the city of New Orleans in 2005 was devastating in ways that shocked the nation ten years ago, its culture and people are alive and thriving today. The depth of passion in New Orleans motivated and inspired individuals to move back to the city quickly and restore its glory. However, such rapid restoration is not without vast socioeconomic challenges. Education is a vital component of any thriving social system, and the education system in New Orleans has rebuilt itself in a unique way: largely through charter schools. This …

Bicycle Tourism Plan For Economic Development: A Template For Rural Agricultural Towns And A Case Study For The City Of Winters, California, Marisa Rene Lee

Master's Theses

Bicycling is a method of tourism transportation that is healthy, non-invasive, environmentally responsible, and economically sustainable. It allows freedom, mobility, and sightseeing potential that is not made possible by other modes of transit. Thousands of bicycle tourists travel from all over the globe annually to explore California on touring bikes via established cycling routes and robust determination. Thousands of additional domestic and international visitors take weekend trips, plan family vacations, travel for business, or tour California from abroad, many of whom are excellent candidates for local and regional bicycle touring at a more gentle intensity level.

The increasing popularity and …

Caracterización De Las Empresas Ubicadas En El Sector Rural Del Municipio De Funza, Sandra Yulieth Ramos Convers, Wilmar Alexander Lopez Cruz

Administración de Empresas

Fundamento: El objetivo de la pasantía de investigación es caracterizar las empresas ubicadas en el sector rural del municipio de Funza Cundinamarca, con el fin de establecer las tendencias de contratación de las empresas rurales. Métodos: la encuesta es el instrumento que se utilizó para hacer el análisis de las 103 compañías (muestra), que se encuentran en funcionamiento, que cada una de estas sin importar el tipo de sociedad, están enfocadas en la productividad en pro de beneficios tanto para las empresas como para el municipio. Resultados: en la investigación se observó el desarrollo económico del proceso de contratación en …

Barriers To Women In Economic Development, Rachel Ann Rawlings

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The focus of my research is on Ghana, because I completed a microfinance internship there. The methodology of this research is a combination of direct observation, interviews, and secondary research. Women in Ghana are limited from obtaining greater economic power by formal and informal barriers. Formal barriers are systematic exclusions from resources that prevent women from pursuing greater levels of power, specifically lack of access to capital and unstable political institutions. Informal barriers are perceived by individuals or societies but are not evidenced in the societal structure. Informal barriers that hinder women from progress include community restraints regarding the role …

Tax Increment Financing Trends In Southern Maine 2001-2011, Kevin Price

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is an economic development tool authorized for use in 49 states and the District of Columbia. TIFs are a very popular economic development tool that allow for a low-cost way to fund development projects. A TIF is designed to turn an undesirable or underdeveloped area into a developed, revenue generating area. The restrictions as to the exact types of property that quality for TIF vary from state to state, but they generally are used to target underdeveloped areas to encourage growth. Maine places several limitations on TIFs including acreage caps, a value cap, a municipal indebtedness …

The Influence Of Business Incubation In Developing New Enterprises In Australia, Phillip Kemp

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Australia was an early adopter of business incubation, and made substantial investments in it in the early 2000s, however local interest has declined with the closure of big government-funded projects, at a time when international interest in business incubation is increasing. This study revisits the question of business incubators and their usefulness in economic development, describing a case study conducted on a university-linked business incubator in Australia. It investigates the impact of its operations on developing start-up businesses operating from within the facility; the motivations, perceptions and priorities of small businesses tenants and former tenants; and the role of the …

Target Industry Study: An Empirical Analysis Of Intertemporal Trends In Regional Industrial Base Composition, David M. Smith

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This paper follows existing literature on local industrial conditions and agglomeration economies in an adapted shift-share framework. The purpose of this study is to develop a cost-efficient empirical model that meets the needs of local government in analyzing changes in industrial composition. The data for this model is obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) with nondisclosed data provided by the Virginia Employment Commission which is sorted by North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) 2-digit industrial sectors. The model developed in this paper identifies certain industrial sectors which exert significant influence on the …

Franklin Boulevard Redevelopment Project Area Market Analysis, Joshua Chapman

Master's Theses

The following Market Analysis is an analysis of the Franklin Boulevard Redevelopment Project Area. The analysis is divided into the following four sections: ♦ Planning Context ♦ Real Estate Market Conditions ♦ Emerging Market Opportunities & Case Studies ♦ Conclusion The report serves as an opportunity to aide stakeholders of the Franklin Boulevard Redevelopment Project Area. Stakeholders include residents, business owners, the City of Sacramento, County of Sacramento, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA), and the North Franklin District Business Association (NFDBA). The stakeholders are continually searching for data and creative examples of how to transform the area into a …