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Articles 1 - 10 of 10
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Building A Meritocracy: The American Precedent For Wealth Redistribution, Micah D. Bobo
Building A Meritocracy: The American Precedent For Wealth Redistribution, Micah D. Bobo
Undergraduate Economic Review
This work investigates the use of wealth redistribution mechanisms in establishing and promoting meritocratic practices in early United States history. From the fifteenth to eighteenth century, the reward system used in exploration, colonization incentives, and land redistribution techniques are examined. During the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the effects of industrialization and education on social mobility are reviewed. Finally, the social and economic factors resulting in southern secession, particularly slavery, are examined. While the concept may be unpopular in modern society, wealth redistribution mechanisms were essential to cultivating merit-based social mobility and overall societal stability throughout the period covered.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Andrew Postlewaite, University Of Pennsylvania: "Where Do People's Preferences Come From?"
John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference
No abstract provided.
High School Graduation Rates In The Metro-Detroit Area: What Really Affects Public Secondary Education, Thomas A. Wilk
High School Graduation Rates In The Metro-Detroit Area: What Really Affects Public Secondary Education, Thomas A. Wilk
Undergraduate Economic Review
Education is essential to the future productivity of workers in the Metropolitan Detroit area, so determining what impacts high school graduation is vital to predicting the future success of our economy. This research investigates what key aspects in our society affect the high school graduation rate: poverty level, violent crime rate, student body, class size, local school taxes, and standardized test scores. Results from multiple regressions using school district and city data from the CCD and FBI suggest that poverty levels and violent crime in the Metro Detroit area significantly, negatively influence high school graduation rates. Reforms to public policy …
An Analysis Of The Impact Of Team Payroll On Regular Season And Postseason Success In Major League Baseball, Noah L. Schwartz, Jason M. Zarrow
An Analysis Of The Impact Of Team Payroll On Regular Season And Postseason Success In Major League Baseball, Noah L. Schwartz, Jason M. Zarrow
Undergraduate Economic Review
Major League Baseball, like other American professional sports, has become a multibillion dollar industry. The institution of free agency has led to the escalation of payrolls and altered the make-up of rosters by dramatically reducing owners’ monopsony power. The ability of large market clubs such as the New York Yankees to compete continually for the game’s greatest prize illustrates the power of the dollar. This paper examines four distinct periods from 1977 to 2008 in order to assess the influence of pecuniary advantages on regular season and postseason outcomes. Payroll exerts great influence in the regular season, but not in …
Examining Tufte's Political Business Cycle Under An Adaptive Expectations Framework, Anna Konradi, '09
Examining Tufte's Political Business Cycle Under An Adaptive Expectations Framework, Anna Konradi, '09
Honors Projects
Given that the executive branch's party desires reelection and that the economy is an important variable in the eyes of the electorate, to what extent has the president and his party been able to exert influence over economic variables in the months preceding an election? Much of the existing literature suggests that there may be an important cyclical pattern between the four-year election cycle and economic variables such as real GDP growth and real disposable income. Using data from the Council of Economic Advisors and the Presidential Elections dataset, this paper finds moderate evidence for the existence of a political …
Determining The Future Income Of College Students, Paul Oehrlein, '09
Determining The Future Income Of College Students, Paul Oehrlein, '09
Honors Projects
Many people invest a lot of money in order to go to college with the hope that they will eventually be rewarded with higher salaries. This paper attempts to determine what aspects of college are most important in determining the future income of students. In particular, this paper studies whether GPA is an important determinant of income as well as whether some majors are better investments than others after controlling for other factors. In addition, the effect of math and verbal ability on income and how they interact with different fields of study are studied. The data comes from the …
Explaining Human Influences On Carbon Dioxide Emissions Across Countries, Karin Peterson, '09
Explaining Human Influences On Carbon Dioxide Emissions Across Countries, Karin Peterson, '09
Honors Projects
Global climate change is a vital issue facing the planet today, posing significant risks to both humans and the natural environment. This dangerous phenomenon is largely caused by the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, resulting from such activities as energy production and vehicle travel This paper examines the factors leading to differences in carbon dioxide emissions among countries, including income, energy use, and government institutions. A crosssectional regression indicates that an inverted-U relationship exists between per capita income and carbon dioxide emissions, but that the turning point at which pollution begins to decrease occurs at a very high …
Predicting Major League Talent Through The First-Year Player Draft, Kevin Slattery, '09
Predicting Major League Talent Through The First-Year Player Draft, Kevin Slattery, '09
Honors Projects
The Major League Baseball first-year player draft is a relatively unexplored topic. Until two years ago it was not even televised, even though other major spoils drafts like basketball and football are major television events. I predict the probability of reaching the major leagues and the probability of a player "making it big" in the major leagues for a player drafted based on a series of variables, like draft position, whether a player is lefthanded, and the schooling the amateur has received. This should help a team determine which players are most risky, and which players are most likely to …
Adopted Children"S Outcome As Young Adults In Regards To Educational Attainment And Income, Nicole K. Spear, '09
Adopted Children"S Outcome As Young Adults In Regards To Educational Attainment And Income, Nicole K. Spear, '09
Honors Projects
This study explains the differences between the outcomes for children adopted by the age of two in comparison to biologically raised children using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. It analyzes the educational attainment and income earned through a competing effects framework. The Family Background Effect measures the positive effects caused by higher than average socioeconomic status of the average family with adopted children. The Family Background Effect contrasted with the negative Adoption Effect caused by a number of different factors that could work against an adopted child. Using linear regression analysis, the study finds that the Family Background Effect …
Length Of Contracts And The Effect On The Performance Of Mlb Players, Katie Stankiewicz, '09
Length Of Contracts And The Effect On The Performance Of Mlb Players, Katie Stankiewicz, '09
Honors Projects
The goal of any professional athlete is to receive a multi-year contract that guarantees them a salary for multiple years. However, a concern that fans, coaches and owners all share is that when a player receives a multi-year contract they may have a strong incentive to shirk. Shirking is when a player purposely does not perform to the best of his ability and may occur when a player has a guaranteed salary. The goal of this paper is to determine if a Major League Baseball player with a multi-year contract will show any pattern of shirking throughout the contract. Each …