Digital Commons Network^™

Us Foreign Trade Zones As The Secret Lover: Is Uncle Sam Faithful To Tariff Elimination?, Richard J. Smith

Social Work Faculty Publications

For centuries the nations and principalities of the world have engaged in trading schemes to boost exports. Conquest, protection of domestic supply through tariffs and eroding domestic currency are all part of the historic policy harem. The United States has a foreign trade zone program. Who knew? FTZs evoke images of women locked inside a dark sweatshop in a jungle making hoodies for football fans. While these "developing" countries have unambiguously embraced FTZs as an export strategy, Uncle Sam has played the unwilling suitor to the concept, making the FTZ a common law revealed preference while engaged with but not …

The Construction And Development Of Shanghai International Shipping Center, Shimin Wang

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Economic Approach Of Piracy Along The Maritime Silk Road And Cost Analysis Of The Northern Sea Route, Petros Kelaiditis

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

New Mexico Labor Market Review 07-08-2009, New Mexico Department Of Workforce Solutions

Historic Publications

The New Mexico Labor Market Review is a monthly publication presenting statistical data and analysis on labor market conditions throughout New Mexico. Issues examine statewide and regional trends in employment, unemployment, labor force estimates, industry activity, wages, occupational demand, and related economic conditions, often accompanied by feature articles on topics affecting the state’s economy. This issue covers May 2009.

Recent Privatizations In Pakistan And Their Impact, Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Talks, Speeches, & Discourse

The decade of 1970s in Pakistan witnessed a massive redistribution of national assets from the private owners to the state. The reason underlying the then Government’s thinking for this extremely radical action was that the national wealth was being concentrated in the hands of few families and the rich were getting richer and the poor getting poorer. It was asserted by the proponents of this strategy that the state control over allocation of the resources would promote the best interests of the poor. The intellectual support for this strategy was drawn from the success of the Soviet Union and the …

Technology And Poverty Reduction In South Asia, Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Talks, Speeches, & Discourse

The 2008 Human Development Report (HDR) makes a drastic but a significant departure from the previous analysis in the past reports by examining the relationship between Technology and Poverty reduction. The two channels through which Technology can affect poverty reduction are indirect, i.e. by accelerating growth impulses via productivity gains and direct, i.e. by using technology in better health care, education, water supply, agriculture and good governance. As much has been written about the technology-growth channel the Report rightly focuses on the direct channel. Within South Asia, it must be conceded that India is an exception as it has become …

Objective And Subjective Residential Context And Urban Children’S Weight Status And Physical And Sedentary Activities, Rachel Tolbert Kimbro, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, Sara Mclanahan

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series

This paper fills this gap by addressing two research questions: first, we ask, are the activity patterns (outdoor play and television watching) of five-year-old children living in large cities associated with children’s weight status? Second, we ask, is residential context, and neighborhood safety in particular, associated with children’s activity patterns? Consistent with past research, we find that outdoor play is negatively associated with weight status, while television watching is positively associated with weight status. We also find, unexpectedly, that the poorest children are playing outdoors the most and watching the most television. Finally, we find that three measures of residential …

Penny For Your Pint: The Tricky Art Of Buying Kindness, Knowledge@Smu

Knowledge@SMU

Do material incentives influence blood donations? A commonly held view is that people donate their blood out of a pro-social motivation. But not everyone is willing to offer their blood for nothing. Material incentives might persuade some to step forward, yet they could very well alienate those who believe that such acts must not be motivated by selfish gains. Indeed, blood banks thread a fine line between motivating the ‘selfish’ and pandering to the ‘selfless’. Economist Alois Stutzer shares the results of a field experiment involving more than 10,000 potential blood donors with Singapore Management University.

Race Disparities In Birth Outcomes In The U.S. South And The Rest Of The Nation, Lenna Nepomnyaschy

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series

There are well-documented and as yet unexplained disparities in birth outcomes by race in the United States, even after controlling for socioeconomic status. This paper examines the sources of disparities in low birth weight between blacks and whites in the U.S., by focusing on differences in disparities between two very distinct geographic areas, the Deep South and the rest of the country. Two findings from prior research drive the analyses: First, health overall is worse in the Deep South states; Second, race disparities are smaller in the Deep South than in the rest of the nation. A number of potential …

Epidemiologic And Economic Research, And The Question Of Smoking Bans, Michael L. Marlow

Economics

Smoking bans in public places are promoted on the dual basis that they protect the public from “secondhand smoke”— environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), and that bans never harm businesses. Evidence shows that ETS does not pose health risks nearly as large as many ban advocates claim, and that bans do harm some businesses. Unintended and adverse consequences of smoking bans include (1) harm to smokers if they compensate by smoking more intensely; (2) an increase in drunk driving when smokers drive longer distances to smoke and drink; and (3) less innovation in air-filtration technology that also slows progress in removing …

Complexity, Cofactors, And The Failure Of Aids Policy In Africa, Eileen Stillwaggon

Economics Faculty Publications

Global AIDS policy still treats HIV as an exceptional case, abstracting from the context in which infection occurs. Policy is based on a simplistic theory of HIV causation, and evaluated using outdated tools of health economics. Recent calls for a health systems strategy – preventing and treating HIV within a programme of comprehensive health care – have not yet influenced the silo approach of AIDS policy.

Evidence continues to accumulate, showing that multiple factors, such as malnutrition, malaria and helminthes, increase the risk of sexual and vertical transmission of HIV. Moreover, complementary interventions that reduce viral load, improve immune response, …

Market Valuation Of Accrued Social Security Benefits, John Geanakoplos, Stephen P. Zeldes

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

One measure of the health of the Social Security system is the difference between the market value of the trust fund and the present value of benefits accrued to date. How should present values be computed for this calculation in light of future uncertainties? We think it is important to use market value. Since claims on accrued benefits are not currently traded in financial markets, we cannot directly observe a market value. In this paper, we use a model to estimate what the market price for these claims would be if they were traded. In valuing such claims, the key …

Nonparametric Estimation Of A Polarization Measure, Gordon J. Anderson, Oliver B. Linton, Yoon-Jae Whang

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper develops methodology for nonparametric estimation of a polarization measure due to Anderson (2004) and Anderson, Ge, and Leo (2006) based on kernel estimation techniques. We give the asymptotic distribution theory of our estimator, which in some cases is nonstandard due to a boundary value problem. We also propose a method for conducting inference based on estimation of unknown quantities in the limiting distribution and show that our method yields consistent inference in all cases we consider. We investigate the finite sample properties of our methods by simulation methods. We give an application to the study of polarization within …

Short-Time Compensation Is A Missing Safety Net For U.S. Economy In Recessions, Katharine G. Abraham, Susan N. Houseman

Employment Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Landfill Closure And Housing Values, Thomas C. Kinnaman

Faculty Journal Articles

The United States disposes roughly 60% of the municipal solid waste it generates each year in solid waste disposal facilities, commonly known as landfills. Hedonic pricing studies have estimated the external costs of landfills on neighboring housing markets, but the literature is silent on what happens to property values after the landfill closes. Original housing price data collected both before and after a landfill closure are used to estimate how a landfill closure affects neighboring property values. Results of both a hedonic pricing model and repeat-sales estimator are used in the analysis.

Is The Cdc Blowing Smoke?, Michael L. Marlow

Economics

In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report detailing "best practice" spending recommendations for state tobacco control programs. According to the report, "Research shows that the more states spend on comprehensive tobacco control programs, the greater the reductions in smoking-- and the longer states invest in such programs, the greater and faster the impact.

Purchasing Power: An Exploration Of Predictors Of Political Participation And Political Consumerism, Sara Resnick

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Democracy depends on the active participation of at least some citizens. Many researchers argue that the number of people who participate in civic and political life has declined since the 1970's; however, others argue that new methods of participation are not being considered. New ways of thinking about citizenship, more individualized ways of participating in politics, and the intersection of political expression and the free market have created ways for individuals to engage in political and civic life that are not measured by existing conceptualizations of political participation. Political consumerism is one way to conceptualize at least some of the …

Analisis Crowding Out Effect Dan Public Choice Dalam Penentuan Anggaran Pendidikan Pemerintah Daerah Studi Kasus 337 Kab./Kota Periode 2001-2005 Di Indonesia, Irfani Fithria U. M.

Jurnal Ekonomi dan Pembangunan Indonesia

The focus of this study is crowding out effect and public choice mechanism in determination of education expenditures of local government. Education spending has risen significantly over three last decades. Indonesia 2001's decentralization is rapidly moving the country from one of the most centralized system in the world to one of the most decentralized. The country has embarked on a program of fiscal, administrative and political decentralization at the same time. It has been asserted that larger education expenditures have caused local governments to spend less on other types of government services. Using panel of districts-level data for the period …

Perceived Organizational Effectiveness Of Labor Unions In The Banking, Hotel, And Manufacturing Industries, Divina M. Edralin

DLSU Business & Economics Review

To determine the extent of influence of the organization’s context and structure factors on the perceived effectiveness of labor unions in the banking, hotel, and manufacturing industries in the National Capital Region, 88 local unions consisting of 772 rank-and-file and supervisory union members from 82 firms were covered. It is evident from the results that the level of union effectiveness as perceived by the members is a function of two major organizational factors, namely, context and structure. Moreover, there are significant differences in the average level of effectiveness rating of unions per industry.

Efficient Parameter Estimation In Longitudinal Data Analysis Using A Hybrid Gee Method, Denis H. Y. Leung, You Gan Wang, Min Zhu

Research Collection School Of Economics

The method of generalized estimating equations (GEEs) provides consistent estimates of the regression parameters in a marginal regression model for longitudinal data, even when the working correlation model is misspecified (Liang and Zeger, 1986). However, the efficiency of a GEE estimate can be seriously affected by the choice of the working correlation model. This study addresses this problem by proposing a hybrid method that combines multiple GEEs based on different working correlation models, using the empirical likelihood method (Qin and Lawless, 1994). Analyses show that this hybrid method is more efficient than a GEE using a misspecified working correlation model. …

What Should Eda Fund? Developing A Model For Pre-Assessment Of Economic Development Investments, Brad R. Watts, George A. Erickcek, Jacob Duritsky, Kevin O'Brien, Claudette Robey, Jim Robey

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

This paper describes the completion of a "comprehensive study of regionalism" that was conducted by a joint team of economists and economic development specialists for the Economic Development Administration (EDA). The project consisted of two main activities: an examination of the factors associated with economic development success and the creation of a practical interactive tool for EDA project assessment and comparison. Findings from surveys, interviews, and project case studies are discussed in terms of their support for a positive relationship between successful economic development efforts and factors such as leadership and private investment. Also, the authors discuss the creation of …

Land Conservation And Land Use In New England: Trends, Challenges & Opportunities, Amanda Loomis, Tom Devine, Andrea Small, Brittany Howard, Brett Richardson, Stephanie Dulac

Land Conservation

Sprawling development patterns accelerated across the New England landscape in the last three decades and consumed the region‘s forests, farms, and open spaces at an unprecedented rate. New England‘ers in all six states formed land trusts, supported statewide conservation organizations, and collaborated with state and federal partners to protect some of their most-prized recreation lands, wildlife habitats, and working lands. The current economic recession has slowed development pressures across the region and offers an opportunity to build on recent successes. The time is right to plan a coordinated New England conservation strategy that protects and links the region‘s natural assets. …

Housing Affordability In Lexington, Kentucky, Christopher Jepsen, Kenneth R. Troske, Nola Ogunro

CBER Research Report

Excerpt from the executive summary:

The rapid rise in housing prices that occurred between 1990 and 2006 led many communities, including Lexington, Kentucky, to become concerned about whether individuals who hold “typical” jobs—such as teachers and police officers—could continue to live in the communities where they worked. Unfortunately, given the lack of recent detailed studies examining the affordability of housing in Fayette County (which contains Lexington), it is hard to know whether concerns about affordable housing are justified. In response to this lack of information, the Home Builders Association of Lexington and the Lexington-Bluegrass Association of Realtors (LBAR) requested that …

Opportunities For Comparative Research In Public Health Pbrns : A Baseline Analysis Of Local Practice Settings, Glen P. Mays, Sharla A. Smith, Elaine B. Wootten, Sylvia J. Porchia

Health Management and Policy Presentations

This analysis describes the organizational and operational characteristics of local public health agencies participating in an initial cohort of five (5) public health PBRNs in the U.S. We examine variation in practice settings within and between PBRNs; compare practice settings to state and national norms; and identify opportunities for comparative research that can be conducted through PBRNs.

Market, Capitalism And Hong Kong’S Future : The Relevance Of Karl Polanyi And Fernand Braudel, Po Keung Hui

Conference on “Improving the Human Destiny"

This paper draws on the insights of Karl Polanyi and Fernand Braudel on “capitalism” and “market” to analyze the experience and discourse of the economic development in Hong Kong, the role-model of “free market capitalism”, with a specific focus on the last two decades -- the so-called “neo-liberal” era. The first part of the paper re-reads Polanyi and Braudel in the midst of the current financial crisis and economic depression, aiming at teasing out a theoretical perspective for a better understanding of our past and current economy. The second part argues that, as evidenced in the persistence of anti-competition practices …

The Future Of Democratic Capitalism : A Human Capital Perspective, Isaac Ehrlich

Conference on “Improving the Human Destiny"

Schumpeter’s diagnosis of capitalism seems to be fully validated by the financial crisis and severe recession, except that he was wrong on his main prediction – that capitalism’s flaws would cause it to lose its vitality. The reality is that Democratic Capitalism has flourished despite episodes of depression, war, prohibition, and intrusive interventionist policies. It is therefore a mistake to engage in a critical assessment of capitalism while world economies are still close to the ebb of the business cycle. Free markets cannot abolish the business cycle in the same way that free trade and free capital flows cannot abolish …

Job Satisfaction And The Labor Market Institutions In Urban China, John S. Heywood, W. Stanley Siebert, Xiangdong Wei

Conference on “Improving the Human Destiny"

The determinants of worker job satisfaction are estimated using a representative survey of three major cities in China. Legally segregated migrants, floaters, earn significantly less than otherwise equivalent non-migrants but routinely report greater job satisfaction, a finding not previously reported. We confirm a positive role for membership in the communist party but find that it exists only for non-migrants suggesting a club good aspect to membership. In contrast to earlier studies, many controls mirror those found in western democracies including the "paradox of the contented female worker.

Happiness And Development : The Effect Of Mental Well-Being On Economic Growth, Ben Li, Yi Lu

Conference on “Improving the Human Destiny"

This paper examines the impact of overall happiness of citizens on economic growth across countries. We first document a robust positive correlation between overall happiness level and economic growth across countries, and then exploit the variation in sex imbalance, a factor that impedes normal mating and thus causes unhappiness, to instrument happiness and identify its causal impact on economic growth. Our results show that happiness has a positive causal effect on economic growth. Other things being equal, a one-standard-deviation increase in happiness raises growth rate by approximately two percentage points. In addition, we find that life expectancy and investment ratio …

Externalities In The Classroom: How Children Exposed To Domestic Violence Affect Everyone’S Kids, Scott E. Carrell, Mark L. Hoekstra

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series

There is widespread perception that externalities from troubled children are significant, though measuring them is difficult due to data and methodological limitations. We estimate the negative spillovers caused by children from troubled families by exploiting a unique data set in which children’s school records are matched to domestic violence cases. We find that children from troubled families significantly decrease their peers’ reading and math test scores and increase misbehavior in the classroom. The achievement spillovers are robust to within-family differences and when controlling for school-by-year effects, providing strong evidence that neither selection nor common shocks are driving the results.

Warren County, Kentucky - New Deal Programs, 1934-1935 (Mss 253), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 253. Documents related to New Deal relief programs in Warren County, Kentucky and surrounding counties; correspondence of Ida Leighton Hodges, Bowling Green, Area Administrator of the Kentucky Emergency Relief Administration.