Digital Commons Network^™

Mission And Editorial Policy

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Author Biographical Notes

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Submission Guidelines

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Volume 26, Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Costs Associated With Voluntary Speed Reduction Requests In Central California Marine Sanctuaries To Protect Endangered Whales, K. Eric Wolfe, Ian A. Mathis

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

International trade is vital to the U.S. economy. As waterborne traffic accounts for about 40 percent of all international cargo value and 70 percent of international tonnage, regulatory changes involving waterborne transportation may significantly impact the United States (US) economy on both local and national levels. A Voluntary Speed Reduction (VSR) program reduces vessel speeds off the central coast of California for vessels 300 gross tons and larger from May 1^st to November 15^th to protect whales and other marine mammals. This study investigates the magnitude of changes in vessel costs associated with VSR requests.

This analysis contributes …

Investing In Farmland And Farmland Derivatives, Damilola Stephen Adebayo

LSU Master's Theses

Investing in farmland has evolved from the traditional ownership of farmland for farming to alternatives such as direct farmland purchases for rental income, farmland real estate investment trusts (Farmland REITs), investing in farmland stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, and crowdfunding platforms. This study analyzes the dynamic relationship between physical farmland values, farmland derivative prices, and the S&P 500 using annual data from 1970 to 2021. Cointegration methods are used to analyze dynamics and the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) and Sharpe ratios to measure risk-return properties of farmland assets. It is found that real farmland values, derivatives prices, and the S&P …

2023-November-13-Author Jim Minick Coming To Etsu.Pdf, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

Well-known author Jim Minick is coming to East Tennessee State University this week for a public reading that is free and open to the public.

“Jim Minick is one of Appalachia’s most accomplished and versatile writers, and the Bert C. Bach Written Word Initiative is thrilled to partner with the Environmental Studies Program to bring him to campus,” said Dr. Jesse Graves, poet-in-residence and professor of English at ETSU. “Our students will have a chance to learn from a writer who has excelled in poetry, fiction, memoir writing, and now, with his new book, investigative historical journalism. Jim Minick is …

The Euroweek Experience: Supporting Sustainable Development Through Academic Programs Promoting Student Research, Technology Innovation And The Commercialization Process, Meryl Rosenblatt, Ishita Sharma, Mya Ferreiro

Business: Faculty Presentations

University-based research continues to rely on industry partnerships to help support the innovation, exchange and application of new technologies. At the same time, University R&D has increasingly focused on technologies that support a wide range of environmental, societal and economic Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched by the United Nations in 2015. This has put a spotlight on the need to address technology transfer from the university to industry, where the university often lacks the resources needed to assess the feasibility of market adoption of new technologies. Recent literature indicates that there is a role for the international academic community to …

Minimum Exchange Rate And A Negative Interest Rate: The Swiss National Bank’S Unconventional Monetary Policy During Eurozone Volatility, Wally Bargeron

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Monetary policy is one of the most important tools that a government has to influence its economy. This means the ability for a country to determine their own monetary policy is important to that country’s autonomy. Switzerland has consistently based its decisions on what would afford it the highest level of autonomy, including the decision not to join the European Union and subsequently the decision to retain their own currency.

The Swiss National Bank retains the mandate to keep price levels (inflation) stable, but it is challenged by an appreciating currency. Because the Swiss Franc is a safe-haven currency, money …

Effects Of Ai Voice Assistants’ Messages On Pro-Environmnetal Consumer Behavior: Message Content And Voice Attributes, Somang Min

Theses and Dissertations

The hospitality and tourism industry has increasingly prioritized environmental concerns, driving the adoption of green practices and communication strategies. This dissertation investigates the role of AI voice assistants in hotel rooms in promoting pro-environmental behavior, recognizing the importance of fostering environmental mindfulness through technology and behavioral interventions. This research explores the influence of voice attributes and message content on consumers' pro-environmental behavior when conveyed through AI voice assistants. It specifically focuses on the marketing cue of Kindchenschema cuteness by examining how a baby-like voice in AI voice assistants may enhance pro-environmental communication, a topic rarely addressed in the hospitality and …

Plugged In And Charging: Environmentalism Factors Does Affect Behavioral Intention To Purchase Electric Cars In Indonesia, But Non-Environmental Factors Are Important Too, Hana Salsabila, Imam Salehudin

Smart City

The adoption of electric cars is considered a solution for promoting energy conservation and reducing air pollution. However, electric car purchasing in developing countries is currently at a nascent stage. More research is required to see if environmental factors do matter in the consumer's decision to purchase an electric car. This study aims to examine the relationship between environmental factors and behavioral intention to purchase electric cars in Indonesia. The study recruited 300 respondents from five major areas of Java Island who are aware of electric cars but currently owned only non-electric cars. The study integrated the theory of planned …

Progress Reimagined: A Generation Z Perspective On Belfast In Relation To The Unsdgs., Lucy Love Haman, Rebecca F. Macleod, Emilee E. Ernster, Camryn Moore, Erin Miller, Daron Baltazar, Ricardo Jackson

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

This research explores a contemporary outsider view of Belfast, through the eyes of Generation Z visiting college students, in relation to how three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are carried out (Good Health and Well-Being, Climate Action, and Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). To learn through firsthand accounts, the researchers utilized ethnographic and phenomenological methods, as interacting with locals to gather community inputs, surveying different groups in the city, Abstract: recording quotes said by citizens and displayed at billboards, and For Peer Review applying personal sensory experiences. It was found that a political deadlock plays a major role in the …

Scents Of Place: Exploring Self, Place And Planet Through Botanical Fragrance, Jennifer L. Kitson, Donna M. Sweigart

Open Educational Resources

This learning module provides instructors with an experiential field guide for introducing students to the United Nations Inner Development Goals Framework through self-guided mindful smelling activities and reflection prompts related to botanical fragrance. The interdisciplinary nature of this module allows for use or adaptation in a wide range of courses looking for outdoor, place-based and self-guided experiential learning to explore the role of botanical fragrance for people, plants and pollinators. The overarching goal is to deepen students’ connections to their senses (and scents) of self, place and planet through exploring botanical fragrance with mindful smelling. The learning activities in this …

From Hype To Reality: A Critical Analysis Of Blockchain-Based Regenerative Finance, Simon J.D. Schillebeeckx, Marco Schletz

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The authors dive deep into the field of ReFi, a concept that enhances financial practices through decentralization and focuses on environmental and societal systems. The authors highlight several key problems of the space and point out that genuinely disruptive ReFi models are still in their infancy. The good news is that ReFi’s potentials are manifold and exciting. In the not-too-distant future, we might see financial applications backed by blockchain that can enhance data credibility, exchangeability, and transparency to redefine how corporations create and apportion environmental value.

A Unifying Approach To Measuring Climate Change Impacts And Adaptation, Antonio M. Bento, Noah Miller, Mehreen Mookerjee, Edson Severnini

All Works

We develop a unifying approach to estimating climate impacts and adaptation, and apply it to study the impact of climate change on local air pollution. Economic agents are usually constrained when responding to daily weather shocks, but may adjust to long-run climatic changes. By simultaneously exploiting variation in weather and climate, we identify both the short- and long-run impacts on economic outcomes, and measure adaptation directly as the difference between those responses. As a result, we identify adaptation without making extrapolations of weather responses over time or space, and overcome omitted variable bias concerns from prior approaches.

Perceptions Of Islamic Banking Among Post Millennials: A Study On Muslim Students, Aysa Siddika, Abdullah Sarwar, Fouzia Khan

International Journal of Management, Finance and Accounting

This study aimed to understand the perception of Islamic banking among post millennials Muslim students and explore their expectations towards Islamic Shariah compliant banking. The study uses qualitative method to understand respondents’ subjective views. Semi-structured interviews are used among the Muslim students studying at public and private universities in Malaysia. Twelve students were selected using purposive sampling. The analysis revealed that religious motives, efficient services, and convenience in terms of online banking and ATM services are factors in bank selection. The study found that the students’ perceptions of their understanding of Islamic banking are not sufficient, and there is a …

Nonprofit Accountability: Effects Of Subsector On Online Accountability, Ibrahima F. Yaro, Trent A. Engbers

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Scandals within the nonprofit sector over compensation and management have increased calls for nonprofits to demonstrate accountability. Many organizations have responded by disclosing information online and providing tools that allow web-based interactions with stakeholders. The literature on nonprofits’ online accountability has found that the level of nonprofit online accountability is affected by their size, age, asset, revenue, and location, but hasn’t been examined in terms of how subsector influences online accountability. Through a web-content analysis of fifty-five nonprofits, this research investigated how subsector (arts and culture, education, health, and human services) influences online accountability using a framework of four types …

The Solidarity Economy: A Way Forward For Our De-Futured World, Julie Matthaei, Matthew Slaats

The Journal of Social Encounters

As society contends with the ongoing economic, environmental and political crises perpetuated by racist patriarchal ecologically-destructive capitalism, there is a need to look beyond forms of inequality to the opportunity of solidarity. While histories of mutuality and reciprocity have long been present in economies around the world, it is in the last thirty years that global movements have begun to coalesce under the framework of the solidarity economy. This framework asserts a path forward towards a just and sustainable post-capitalist future, based in cooperation and care.. We begin by exploring how the solidarity economy framework and movement have been making …

Sneakerhead Culture: Consumers And Their Ecological Consciousness, Maria Cervantes

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis aims to investigate the unique subculture of “sneakerheads” and their buying behavior/attitudes, catering carefully to the Northwest Arkansas community and their small community. Sneakerhead culture has gained significant popularity in recent years, with decades of history to back up the phenomenon. Sneaker connoisseurs collect these glamourous, expensive, and rare footwear and are keepsakes of self-expression and identity formation. The study employs an ecological approach to their purchases and seeks to find whether retail and non-retail sneakerheads are conscious of their ecological footprint. The research methodology involves a questionnaire that is catered towards retail or non-retail employees based on …

The Role Internal Stakeholders Play In Innovation In Large Corporations, Heloisa Benevides Pontes Aragao

Management Dissertations - Archive

Despite the vast existing literature on innovation, the investigation of work conditions that support the generation of ideas to feed the innovative process remains elusive. Holding the assumption that the entire organization is responsible for innovation, not only a specific department or set of experts, I aim to investigate the role two internal stakeholders play in innovation – employees and CEO. I empirically examine the relationship between voice climate – or the workforce perception about its participation in current discussions with ideas, suggestions, and thoughts - and explorative and exploitative innovation. Further, I consider the impact of CEO attributes (origin …

Do Isomorphic Pressures Impede Greenwashing In Hospitality Industry? A Theoretical Framework, Mert Gurlek

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Green practices gradually increase in the hospitality industry. However, concerns have grown that there is an inconsistency between the environmental practices announced by the organizations and the practices they actually implement. Therefore, the phenomenon of greenwashing has become a common concern in the hospitality industry. This study aims to develop a theoretical framework to be used in explaining the mechanisms to prevent greenwashing. For this purpose, the role of isomorphic pressures in preventing greenwashing and the role of environmental legitimacy motivation in the effect of isomorphic pressures on greenwashing are theorized. The neo-institutional theory was used in the development of …

The Impact Of Environmental Knowledge And Environmental Behavior Of Hotel Employees On Environmental Performance: A Model Proposal, Uygar Turgut, Isil Arikan Saltik, Umut Avci, Fevzi Okumus

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The increasing environmental problems have been among the main problems that need immediate worldwide solutions. The emerging developments after the industrial revolution caused irreversible negative changes in the environment. In general, it is claimed that the main reason lying under the environmental problems which the world is facing is human behaviors. These facts have generated a discussion about the questions related to which factors are effective in the emergence and development of behavior that support sustainable living. As a part of the tourism sector, the effects of human behavior are witnessed the most in hotels. The aim of this study …

Social Tourism In National Policy Documents In Turkey, Nail Hoscan, Erkan Turkseven

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This research aims to investigate the significance and function of social tourism within Turkey's national policy documents. Since the conceptual emergence of social tourism in the 1950s, there have been several cyclical developments, such as the rapid spread of mass tourism worldwide, changes in the approach of the social state, neoliberal economic transformations, and the emergence of sustainability perspectives. For countries that have established Social Tourism as a part of public policy, its benefits are strongly asserted, and social tourism is included in the scope of public planning. These developments have been influential in the preparation and implementation of Turkey's …

Application Of Business Analytics Approaches To Address Climate-Change-Related Challenges, Donald J. Jenkins

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Climate change is an existential threat facing humanity, civilization, and the natural world. It poses many multi-layered challenges that call for enhanced data-driven decision support methods to help inform society of ways to address the deep uncertainty and incomplete knowledge on climate change issues. This research primarily aims to apply management, decision, information, and data science theories and techniques to propose, build, and evaluate novel data-driven methodologies to improve understanding of climate-change-related challenges. Given that we pursue this work in the College of Management, each essay applies one or more of the three distinct business analytics approaches (i.e., descriptive, prescriptive, …

Decisive Determinants Shaping Nomadic Tourism Future Development: The Case Of Shahsavan Tribes In Iran, Vali Nemati, Sarasadat Makian, Farid Hanifezadeh, Amir Hossein Qezelbash

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

Nomadic livelihood is one of the earliest human ways of life, still practiced in some parts of the world. Since adventurous tourists are looking for new experiences, nomadic tourism in the postmodern era is gaining attention, considering nomads’ unique lifestyles, customs, clothing, and other cultural features. Consequently, countries with nomads can diversify their tourism industry and the local economy in the future. However, Iran's nomadic community is experiencing unfavorable living conditions and insufficient financial resources, necessitating a shift in nomadic livelihood patterns. This study aims to identify and prioritize the factors that influence the development of nomadic tourism as a …

The Impact Of Sars-Cov-2 On The Consolidated Meatpacking System In The United States, Judith R. Solomon

Anthós

The Sars-Cov-2 virus has had a particularly intense impact on the meatpacking industry in the United States. In this paper I provide a brief introduction to the social, economic, and political realities that lead to mass deaths of meatpacking workers from COVID, and the impact of a consolidated meatpacking system on disease mitigation. These workers are considered expendable due to a lack of power.

A Potential Cure For Rheumatoid Arthritis: Traditional And Regenerative Medicine, Mia Calegari

Bryant University Undergraduate Journal

Poster displayed at REDay (Research and Engagement Day).

The Importance Of Wealth Management In High School Curriculums, Angela Baack

Bryant University Undergraduate Journal

Poster displayed at REDay (Research and Engagement Day).

Collage, Maggie Fodera

Bryant University Undergraduate Journal

Collage created for LCS 325 - Studies of the Book, taught by Valerie Carrigan. The assignment was to make a collage or series of collages that were at least 8" by 10". Students could make them abstract or realistic, and Professor Carrigan encouraged students to be creative in where students found pieces for the collages and what they did with them.

Collage, Jackie Prestininzi

Bryant University Undergraduate Journal

Collage created for LCS 325 - Studies of the Book, taught by Valerie Carrigan. The assignment was to make a collage or series of collages that were at least 8" by 10". Students could make them abstract or realistic, and Professor Carrigan encouraged students to be creative in where students found pieces for the collages and what they did with them.