Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

An Aggregation Matrix Matlab Function, Caleb Stair

Regional Research Institute Technical Documents

This Technical Document describes the foundations for an aggregation matrix function implemented in MATLAB, including the format and structure of the required aggregation vector used as an argument to the function. The function is passed with the Ndimensional aggregation vector as an argument. The aggregation vector contains N values ranging from 1 to M, each of which is the aggregate index corresponding to the N preaggregation indices. The function returns an aggregation matrix with M rows and N columns. Pre-multiplying an existing matrix with N rows by the aggregation matrix reduces the row dimensionality from N to M by adding …

Integrating Input-Output And Life Cycle Assessment: Mathematical Foundations, Randall Jackson

Regional Research Institute Resource Documents

Input-output (IO) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) modeling share a strikingly similar mathematical foundation and formulation, yet melding the two frameworks is not completely straightforward. In particular, the boundaries of the two systems must be brought into alignment carefully, so as to avoid double counting. In this document, the two frameworks and their mathematical foundations are presented in brief, and the salient issues that enter into procedures integrating the two are highlighted.

Estonia's Post-Soviet Agricultural Reforms: Lessons For Cuba, Mario A. Gonzalez-Corzo

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Innovación Y Desarrollo Regional En México. Resultados Y Avances Recientes, Luis Gutiérrez Flores, Vicente German-Soto

Vicente German-Soto

How Foreign Firms Transformed Ireland’S Domestic Economy, Paul Donnelly

Articles

Today, Ireland is host to 1,033 multinational corporations. They directly employ 152,785 and account for 70 per cent or €122.5bn of exports. It’s a story that has its roots in the 1940s.

Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival: Through "The Looking Glass", Manuel A. Rivera, Robertico R. Croes

Dick Pope Sr. Institute Publications

The study was commissioned by Fundashon Bon Intenshon (FBI), through its sole Director and Founder, Mr. Gregory Elias, and was conducted through an intercept survey on site during the two major concerts on August 30 and 31, 2013. The study was carried out by the Dick Pope Sr. Institute for Tourism Studies (DPITS) of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida. This is the fourth time in a row that the DPITS conducts the study on behalf of FBI. This report documents the economic contribution and the experience of the international visitors attending the Curacao …

Agricultural Productivity And Poverty Reduction In Nepal, Satis Devkota, Mukti Upadhyay

Economics & Management Publications

This paper provides for the first time a clear quantitative link between agricultural productivity and poverty among rural households in Nepal. Using data from a nationwide Nepal Living Standard Survey 2004, we first estimate household-specific productivity per worker under both Cobb–Douglas and translog production functions. Second, the paper identifies the determinants of productivity. Third, we explore a theoretical link between productivity and poverty using Sen's poverty index and find empirically that productivity growth substantially helps poverty reduction. Finally, the integrated effects of changes in productivity determinants are found to be stronger than the outcomes of sectoral policies taken in isolation.

Invisible & Voiceless: Latinos In Council Bluffs Iowa, María Teresa Gastón, Lourdes Gouveia, Christian Espinosa, Clare Maakestad, Christopher C. Blue

Latino/Latin American Studies Reports

While Latino immigrant workers in Council Bluffs, Iowa have contributed significantly to the Iowa and Nebraska economies, they remain virtually invisible and lack a voice in the city’s key venues and institutions – this according to a new report being released by the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) and funded in part by the Iowa West Foundation.

The report, titled “Invisible & Voiceless” combines data from the 2010 Census with 26 interviews with members of Council Bluffs’ civic, government, education, religious, non-profit and business communities as well as Latino voices gathered at interviews …

Developing Planning Prices For Commodities, Nicholas Jorgensen, Matthew Diersen

Economics Commentator

No abstract provided.

On The Finite Sample Properties Of Pre-Test Estimators Of Spatial Models, Gianfranco Piras, Ingmar R. Prucha

Regional Research Institute Working Papers

This paper explores the properties of pre-test strategies in estimating a linear Cliff-Ord -type spatial model when the researcher is unsure about the nature of the spatial dependence. More specifically, the paper explores the finite sample properties of the pre-test estimators introduced in Florax et al. (2003), which are based on Lagrange Multiplier (LM) tests, within the context of a Monte Carlo study. The performance of those estimators is compared with that of the maximum likelihood (ML) estimator of the encompassing model. We find that, even in a very simple setting, the bias of the estimates generated by pre-testing …

Technical Appendix: Economic Impact Of Commercial Fisheries On Local County Economies From Catch In California National Marine Sanctuaries 2010, 2011 And 2012, Vernon R. Leeworthy, Desiree Jerome, Kelsey Schueler

Working Papers

This report documents the data and methods of estimation used in estimating the economic impact of commercial fishing catch from all four National Marine Sanctuaries in California on local county economies in terms of harvest revenue received by fishermen and the associated economic impacts, including multiplier impacts, on total output, value added, income and the number of full- and part-time jobs.

This report is part of a series of reports meeting the priorities in the “Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) West Coast Region Socioeconomic Plan FY 2013 – FY 2014” and “national program priorities” on establishing the connection between …

The State Of Play In Poland”S Unconventional Shale And Oil Development, J Wesley Burnett, Randall Jackson, Robert Blobaum

Regional Research Institute Working Papers

Following the huge gas and oil rush in the US, the world”s gas and oil companies have been eyeing reserves in other countries including Poland, which is believed to be sitting on one of the largest reserves in the European Union. The Poles, seeking to diversify their energy sources and meet EU emissions standards, which are driving up electricity costs, met the news with tremendous fanfare. Following initial geological assessments, major international oil and gas companies soon made announcements to begin drilling operations in Poland. However, one of the major challenges of shale gas development is that is often requires …

Valuation Of The Ecosystem Services Provided By Coastal Ecosystems In Shandong, China: Developing A Non- Market Valuation System, Jing Guo

Working Papers

Non-market valuation assesses the contributions of ecosystem services to human well-being by determining the preference of users. That is how much money users are willing to pay for ecosystem improvements or how much they are willing to accept for ecosystem losses. Through exploring these preferences, the natural capital can be accounted for economically and quantitatively. It can not only lead to better understanding of ecosystem benefits, but also make it possible to compare ecosystem services with other conventional goods and services (e.g. real estate) in monetary terms.

Shandong is a coastal province of China, which is located on the eastern …

Composite Input-Output Production Functions, Randall Jackson

Regional Research Institute Technical Documents

This document describes the algorithm used for creating an aggregated linear production function for an industry by weighting subsector production functions. The result can be used as a column in an interindustry (I ×I) coefficients table or in a standard Use table (C × I) depending on the units (C or I) of the input data.

Integrated Modeling Frameworks, Randall Jackson

Regional Research Institute Resource Documents

This document is intended to clarify the foundations of the IO and CGE analytical frameworks and procedures that underlie the NSF and USDA/NIFA funded research projects. It covers environmental data, life cycle assessment (LCA), input-output models (IO), structural decomposition analysis (SDA), social accounting matrix models (SAMs), and computable general equilibrium modeling (CGE).

Economic Analysis Of Lean Wastes: Case Studies Of Textile And Garment Industries In Ethiopia, Tsegay Tesfay Mezgebe, Hadush Berhe Asgedom, Asayehgn Desta

Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship

In today's competitive world, customers are demanding better quality products with fast and reliable deliveries. To meet this demand, new manufacturing technologies are developing rapidly, resulting in new products and improvements in manufacturing processes. As part of this effort, lean production principles have been established and are in use in developed countries to minimize and/or remove wastes.

The purpose of this study is to identify and analyse lean wastes surfacing in production lines of four textile and garment industries. The information will make it possible for them to minimize or eliminate lean wastes using recommended tools and techniques. As a …

China And The Northeast Region: Agricultural Machinery, Kelsey White

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Using Chinese government statistical data, relevant laws and policy regulations, and current market projections, this report aims to help new-to-market U.S. exporters understand the development of the agricultural machinery market in China and the Northeast region, identifying both challenges and opportunities.

With a vast land area and diverse topography, China is one of the world's top agricultural producers. Agriculture accounts for about 11% of China's GDP and more than 40% of China's employment. Over the past several years, China has been increasing its agricultural mechanization in an effort to move from traditional to modern farming. The central government has been …

South Dakota Agricultural Land Values And Cash Rental Rates: 2013, Larry Janssen, Burton Pflueger, Bronc Mcmurty

Economics Commentator

No abstract provided.

Development Of An Economic And Social Dashboard For Berrien County, George A. Erickcek

Reports

No abstract provided.

State Incentives For Innovation, Star Scientists, And Jobs: Evidence From Biotech, Enrico Moretti, Daniel J. Wilson

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

We evaluate the effects of state-provided financial incentives for biotech companies, which are part of a growing trend of placed-based policies designed to spur innovation clusters. We estimate that the adoption of subsidies for biotech employers by a state raises the number of star biotech scientists in that state by about 15 percent over a three-year period. A 10 percent decline in the user cost of capital induced by an increase in R&D tax incentives raises the number of stars by 22 percent. Most of the gains are due to the relocation of star scientists to adopting states, with limited …

Impacts Of The Federal Farm And Ranch Lands Protection Program: An Assessment Based On Interviews With Participating Landowners, J. Dixon Esseks, Brian J. Schilling, Alexander Hahn

Center for Great Plains Studies: Staff and Fellows Publications

Focus of the Study

From mid-February to mid-May 2012, a research team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln surveyed 506 owners whose agricultural land was protected from development through conservation easements that were funded in part by USDA’s Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP). This program “provides matching funds to help purchase development rights to keep productive farm and ranchland in agricultural uses. Working through existing programs, USDA partners with State, tribal, or local governments and non-governmental organizations to acquire conservation easements or other interests in land from landowners, USDA provides up to 50 percent of the fair market easement …

Analysis Of Low-Cost Carriers In The Post-Soviet States, Tamilla Curtis, Dawna L. Rhoades

Publications

The research paper provides an overview of low-cost carrier (LCC) development in the post- Soviet states with the analysis of the largest aviation market in Russia. The LCC model seeks to achieve a competitive advantage through the reduction of operating costs below the traditional airline model. Since the post-Soviet states are emerging economies, airlines face a high level of uncertainty and experience a number of unique problems. While the global community enjoys the benefits offered by LCCs, the question remains why this model has not been successful in the 15 newly formed countries, with the exception of the Hungarian low-cost …

The Role Of The Ocean Industry In The Chinese National Economy: An Input-Output Analysis, Rui Zhao

Working Papers

The OEAS (Ocean Economy Accounting System) has been established in China for 6 years. However, the economic impact of the ocean economy in China’s national economy has not yet been understood clearly at the national or regional levels. The direct impact of ocean industries in China at national and regional levels has been compiled for the period of 2001-2011, but it is still unclear what the overall economic impacts of ocean industries are in the national economy, and how the ocean industries interact with other industries in the national economy. China is similar to other ocean countries in that, - …

A J-Test For Panel Models With Fixed Effects, Spatial And Time, Harry H. Kelejian, Gianfranco Piras

Regional Research Institute Working Papers

In this paper we suggest a J-test in a spatial panel framework of a null model against one or more alternatives. The null model we consider has fixed effects, along with spatial and time dependence. The alternatives can have either fixed or random effects. We implement our procedure to test the specifications of a demand for cigarette model. We find that the most appropriate specification is one that contains the average price of cigarettes in neighboring states, as well as the spatial lag of the dependent variable. Along with formal large sample results, we also give small sample Monte …

An Efficient Contracting Approach To Rural Electric Cooperatives And The Development Of Upper Midwest (U.S.) Wind Resources, Bart D. Finzel, Arne Kildegaard

Economics & Management Publications

Many factors support the likelihood of major wind power deployment in the Upper Midwest of the U.S. over the next two decades. This paper specifically considers the dilemma faced by the existing rural electric co-ops (RECs), to whom wind development poses simultaneously a threat and an opportunity. We argue that the threat can be ameliorated through more appropriate tariff strategies, and that there is an efficient-contracting rationale for RECs to take the lead in future development of the wind resource.

Department Of Economics Publication List 2012, Penny Stover

Economics Pamphlet Series

This compilation lists works authored by Department of Economics faculty members and other staff working on projects funded through the Department of Economics. Publications resulting from their research and academic activities are indexed by author at the end of this pamphlet for easy access by the public. The articles were published between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012, except for those works printed in italics which have been accepted for publication but not actually printed as of December 31, 2012.

Understanding The Ocean Economy Within Regional And National Contexts, Charles S. Colgan, Judith T. Kildow Dr

Presentations

• Extending discussion of the ocean economy beyond “How Big”

– Changes in the U.S. related to the Great Recession

– Decomposing changes to major types of change

– Finding relative sizes

• Exploring the expanding attention to the ocean economy in other parts of the world

– Likenesses and differences in:

• Definitions
• Measures
• Geographies
• Purposes

Where do we go from here?

2

Financial Tools For Working Waterfronts, Coastal Enterprises, Inc.

Maine Sea Grant Publications

Across the nation there are financing tools in play that have a proven track record in addressing working waterfront and waterway issues, and some that could be used for that purpose, but haven’t been to date. The Financing section is meant to be a central inventory of summarized information about these tools, with links to learn more about each program or benefit.

The Tiff Over Tif: Extending Tax Increment Financing To Municipal Maritime Infrastructure, Samantha Culp, Thomas T. Ankersen, Marissa Faerber

Maine Sea Grant Publications

Harbors, inner harbors and their navigational connection to the streams of maritime commerce are the economic and cultural lifeblood of most waterfront communities. Oddly, this connection has often been disregarded in the development and financing of municipal plans. Working waterfront communities need to find new and creative means to finance or co-finance improvements to their maritime infrastructure. One such means is through redevelopment planning and the financial vehicle known as Tax Increment Financing (TIF). Typically associated with dry land, TIF allows the incremental increase in property taxes from a base year to be captured from a defined geographic area and …

The Sustainable Working Waterfronts Toolkit: Executive Summary, Coastal Enterprises, Inc., Florida Sea Grant, Island Institute, Maine Sea Grant, National Sea Grant Law Center At The University Of Mississippi School Of Law, Urban Harbors Institute At The University Of Massachusetts Boston, Virginia Sea Grant

Maine Sea Grant Publications

Working waterfronts and the waterways that connect them define the culture and character of many of our nation’s coastal communities, large and small. Working waterfronts provide a space for water-dependent businesses to exist and support important jobs in our nation’s coastal zones, and as such represent an important component of the U.S. economy.

The Sustainable Working Waterfronts Toolkit was developed by a subcommittee of the National Working Waterfront Network with the generous financial support of the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Project Team involved staff from seven partner institutions: Coastal Enterprises, Inc., Florida Sea Grant, …