Digital Commons Network^™

Strengthening Work Requirements? Forecasting Impacts Of Reforming Cash Assistance, Josep M. Nadal-Fernandez, Gabrielle Pepin, Kane Schrader

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

Work requirements are perhaps the most controversial aspect of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, America’s sole federal cash assistance program for low-income families with children. In 2025, for the first time in nearly 20 years, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA) will implement policy changes intended to strengthen states’ work requirements. However, researcher’ and policymakers’ understanding of how FRA will impact states’ compliance with federal requirements is hampered by a lack of research and publicly available data.

We tie information from reports submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that are collected to …

Likert Scale Variables In Personal Finance Research: The Neutral Category Problem, Blain Pearson, Donald Lacombe, Nasima Khatun

Finance and Economics

Personal finance research often utilizes Likert-type items and Likert scales as dependent variables, frequently employing standard probit and ordered probit models. If inappropriately modeled, the "neutral" category of discrete dependent variables can bias estimates of the remaining categories. Through the utilization of hierarchical models, this paper demonstrates a methodology that accounts for the econometric issues of the neutral category. We then analyze the technique through an empirical exercise relevant to personal finance research using data from the National Financial Capability Study. We demonstrate that ignoring the "neutral" category bias can lead to incorrect inferences, hindering the progression of personal finance …

Resource Gaps For Minority Entrepreneurs In The Dayton Ecosystem, Iryna V. Lendel, Megan Zabik, Molly Schnoke, Jack Yochum

Reports

No abstract provided.

Economic Vitality Index: Mapping Michigan’S 83 Counties, Sevrin Williams, Iryna V. Lendel

Reports

No abstract provided.

Pakistan@2050: Demographic Change, Future Projections, And Development Opportunities, Population Council

Population Policy and Demographic Analysis

Pakistan@2050 is a unique volume that provides comprehensive evidence and insights into the linkages between population dynamics and development. It illustrates Pakistan’s position regarding demographic transition and offers a regional comparison. The study highlights how population trends and dynamics significantly shape development outcomes, emphasizing the need to integrate these factors into both short-term and, most importantly, long-term planning and policy decisions. Long-term planning in Pakistan has faced persistent challenges related to poverty, climate change, and a tendency towards reactive rather than proactive interventions. These approaches often overlook the impact of high population growth on development gains.

It is vital to …

Enhancing Law And Policy For Women’S Empowerment And Participation In The Maritime Sector, Jattu Bridget Koroma

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Demographic Change In Explaining Declining Labor Force Participation, Manoj Atolia, John Gibson, Felix Rioja

Hunt Institute Working Paper Series

The labor force participation rate has been declining in the United States since the late 1990s. Decomposing the aggregate labor force participation rate by age reveals that this decline is being driven by reduced participation among relatively young individuals, those aged 16 to 24. In fact, participation among older individuals, age 55 and above, has been increasing. In this paper, we develop a model in which individual decisions regarding schooling and retirement, in view of empirically observed changes in mortality, can simultaneously explain these three labor force participation trends. Furthermore, a counterfactual scenario that accounts for the observed demographic trends …

The Heterogeneous Effects Of Cannabis Dispensaries On Crime: The Importance Of Foot Traffic, Thomas Lebesmuehlbacher, Justin Roush, Rhet A. Smith

Hunt Institute Working Paper Series

This paper pairs exact dispensary locations with city block level crime data to study the impact of medical cannabis dispensaries on crime in the state of Florida from 2016-2019. Leveraging a Florida state law that requires broadly uniform security provisions across dispensaries, we capture important dispensary heterogeneity by incorporating customer volume and local non-dispensary foot traffic with smartphone geopositional data. We use not-yet-operational dispensary locations as a control group and a geo-spatial difference-in-differences framework and find reductions in larceny, vehicle burglary, and motor vehicle theft following the opening of high-volume dispensaries. We fail to find evidence of similar deterrent effects …

What Have Corporations Got To Do With It? A Political Economy Approach To Organizations And Climate Change, Annika Rieger

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Ecological issues are often seen as only one of the many “problems” societies face today, even though they go deep and affect everything – from physical disruption and displacement to perhaps more subtle long-term changes in temperature, flora, and fauna that alter the face of the planet and the norms of everyday life. As a result of this view, the study of the environment has been siloed into the realm of “environmental sciences” with a few “environmental fill-in-the-social-science-blank” subfields scattered about. This is not to say that only “environmental” problems are important, but that across all disciplines and subfields, greater …

Montana's Trail To The Stars: Understanding Stargazing In Eastern Montana And Beyond, Carter Bermingham, Ava Worbets, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

Night sky recreation is an emerging yet relatively unexplored segment of the tourism industry within Montana. Despite being home to some of the darkest skies in the nation, little is known about those who choose to stargaze in Montana. This study was designed to gather insights from previous visitors to Montana to better understand night sky recreation in the state and how visitors perceive Montana’s night skies. Part of the research purpose also was to provide information on respondents who visited a site along Montana’s Trail to the Stars, a collaborative effort between Southeast Montana, Central Montana, and the Missouri …

A Study Of Factors Influencing Tourism Service Quality: A Comprehensive Review And Analysis, Gowhar Ahmad Wani Dr, Rubeena Khaliq Dr, Ayoub Khan Dawood Dr, Aamir Majeed Parray

Journal of Tourism Insights

This study delves into an in-depth analysis of the intricate factors that shape service quality within tourism destinations situated in the Kashmir Valley. The principal objective of this research is to meticulously scrutinize the diverse elements that wield influence over service quality, with a particular emphasis on the pivotal role played by infrastructure in the delivery of services. To achieve this objective, the research encompasses an empirical verification process that takes into account infrastructure-dependent, independent, and other pertinent factors.

The nature and extent of these determinants are subjected to rigorous scrutiny at an individual level across five distinct destinations, employing …

Covid-19 Pandemic And Ghana’S Economy: A Deep Dive Into Economic Indicators, Williams Kwasi Peprah, Isaac Anowuo [email protected], Ebenezer Owusu-Yeboah, Daniel Adofo Kwakye Ameyaw, Lucile Sabas

Faculty Publications

The study presents an in-depth analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on Ghana’s gross domestic product (GDP), balance of payments and international investment position (BPM6), and inflation (INFL). Employing a pre-and post-COVID-19 comparison (2017-2022) through repeated measures ANOVA and tests of between-subject effects, it investigates whether the government’s economic performance was significantly impacted. Key findings show a notable decrease in GDP and BPM6, alongside a major increase in inflation rates post-pandemic. The study concludes that the COVID-19 pandemic had a statistically significant impact on Ghana’s economic performance in terms of GDP and BPM6, but not inflation. Recommendations include implementing economic …

Future Trends In Halal Food: How Innovative Islamic Business Models Are Redefining The Indonesian Market, Jimmi Qizwini, Diki Gita Purnama

Journal Of Middle East and Islamic Studies

Indonesia, a leading actor in the global halal food market, is undergoing significant transformations driven by the adoption of innovative Islamic business models. These models, which seamlessly integrate Islamic ethical principles with contemporary market forces, are fundamentally reshaping the structural and operational landscape of Indonesia’s halal food industry. This study aims to systematically investigate emerging trends, evaluate the impact of these pioneering business models, and provide a comprehensive analysis of their influence on consumer preferences and industry practices. Through a descriptive literature review, the research synthesizes insights from academic discourse and case studies to offer a thorough understanding of these …

Occupational Projections For Skilled Trades In Kalamazoo County, 2023-2032, Sevrin Williams, Michael Horrigan, Iryna V. Lendel

Upjohn Institute Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Relationship Between Enrollment, Retention, Alumni Giving, And Financial Health At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Kenneth Mercury

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Decreasing financial health damages an organization’s reputation and economic viability to survive. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) leaders must strive to improve their financial health to protect their institution’s reputation and risk of closure. Grounded in strategic enrollment management theory, the purpose of this quantitative ex-post facto study was to examine the relationship between student enrollment, student retention, alumni giving, and financial health of HBCUs. The participants were 101 HBCUs collected from the National Center for Education Statistics and the Voluntary Support of Education databases, from 2020 to 2022. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that …

Pengaruh Larangan Ekspor Karang Hias Terhadap Kondisi Terumbu Karang Di Indonesia, Fitrian Dwi Cahyo, Muhammad Halley Yudhistira

Jurnal Kebijakan Ekonomi

Indonesia has the largest coral population in the world, contributed as the world’s second largest ornamental corals exporter after Japan. Coral trade sparked the issues of habitat destruction, illegal trade, and coral health problems has prompted the government to banning of ornamental coral export. This study aims to find an empirical evidence does the policies mentioned above affect the condition of coral reefs in Indonesia. The author uses the Fixed-Effect Model on the Difference in Difference regression equation whose result show that export banning of ornamental corals does not significantly affect the condition of coral reefs in Indonesia.

Estimating The Economic Impact Of A Natural Disaster On The Workforce Resiliency: An Analysis Of The Virginia Beach - Chesapeake - Norfolk Metropolitan Statistical Area, Robert M. Mcnab, Yin-Hsuen Chen, George Mcleod

Presentations, Lectures, Posters, Reports

In this paper, we explore the potential economic impacts associated with a major hurricane making landfall in Hampton Roads. We estimate the direct damages from a Florence-like Category 3 hurricane with a 3.6 feet tidal offset are estimated at $15.6 billion, equivalent to 10% of the 2022 regional GDP. If we apply existing flood insurance rates to these projected damages, we estimate that the total economic impact would exceed $12 billion with a short-term loss of more than 76,000 jobs. The job losses are concentrated in sectors that provide services to households which would bear the brunt of damages during …

دور تدقيق الاداء باستعمال تحليل Swot في تحقيق الاعتماد البرامجي للكليات الحكومية (بحث تطبيقي), عقيل دخيل كريم

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

يهدف البحث الى تقديم اطر نظري عن متغيرات الدراسة ( تدقيق الاداء و الاعتماد البرامجي ) ، وتسليط الضوء على ماهية عناصر تدقيق الاداء وكيفية توظيفها في الحصول على الاعتماد البرامجي لكليات الادارة والاقتصاد عبر الدور الوسيط لتحليل SWOT . اذ تم استخدام المنهج الاستنباطي : لغرض التحول من الجانب العام المتعلق بالتعرف على ماهية الاعتماد البرامجي وماهية تدقيق الاداء وعناصره ، للوصول الى الجانب الخاص بتفعيل عناصر تدقيق الاداء في تحقيق الاعتماد البرامجي للكليات عبر الدور الوسيط لتحليل SWOT ، وكذلك تم الاعتماد على المنهج الاستقرائي لغرض التحول من الخاص المتعلق بملاحظة مشكلة البحث ومن ثم التحول الى الجانب …

Debt And Earnings From Graduate Degrees At Unlv And Unr, Miguel Soriano Ralston, Kristian Thymianos, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Higher Education

This fact sheet examines debt and earnings data for graduate degrees awarded by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). The original report from the HEA Group – a research and consulting firm focused on college access, value and economic mobility – includes data on debt-to-earnings ratio for various graduate degree programs at universities across the United States.

Challenges And Prospects Of Islamic Financial Services Industry (Ifsi), Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Talks, Speeches, & Discourse

Dr. Ishrat Husain addresses a distinguished gathering of Shariah scholars from across the globe on the transition from conventional to Islamic finance. He raises ten critical questions that explore the challenges and prospects of the Islamic Financial Services Industry.

Subjective Well-Being Across The Life Course Among Non-Industrialized Populations, Michael Gurven, Yoann Buoro, Daniel Eid Rodriguez, Katherine Sayre, Benjamin Trumble, Aili Pyhälä, Hillard Kaplan, Arild Angelsen, Jonathan Stieglitz, Victoria Reyes-Garcia

ESI Publications

Subjective well-being (SWB) is often described as being U-shaped over adulthood, declining to a midlife slump and then improving thereafter. Improved SWB in later adulthood has been considered a paradox given age-related declines in health and social losses. While SWB has mostly been studied in high-income countries, it remains largely unexplored in rural subsistence populations lacking formal institutions that reliably promote social welfare. Here, we evaluate the age profile of SWB among three small-scale subsistence societies (n = 468; study 1), forest users from 23 low-income countries (n = 6987; study 2), and Tsimane’ horticulturalists (n = …

Navigating Past The Tragedy Of The Commons, Maximilian Theriot, Walter E. Block

Journal of New Finance

Privatization of environmental resources is a promising approach for mitigating the tragedy of the commons. The present paper focuses on the impact and theoretical underpinnings of privatization within economic structures. The first part lays out a strong ethical case against state ownership, rooted in the belief that the state's claim to ownership inherently involves coercion, which likens taxation to theft due to its compulsory nature. The second part provides evidence that privatization leads to enhanced profitability and efficiency across sectors. The third part discusses the necessity of robust corporate governance and legal reforms post-privatization to ensure environmental protections are not …

دور انترنيت الأشياء في تحقيق جودة حياة العمل دراسة ميدانية لآراء عينة من الافراد العاملين في مصرف الرشيد في محافظة نينوى, بسام محمد ياسين

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

يهدف البحث الحالي الى معرفة دور انترنت الاشياء في تحقيق جودة العمل بابعاده (ضغط العمل، الرضا الوظيفي، الامان الوظيفي، الاجور والترقية، مشاركة العاملين)، واعتمد البحث على المنهج الوصفي التحليلي لدراسة العلاقة بين المتغيرات ( انترنت الاشياء، جودة العمل)، وفيما يخص مجتمع الدراسة وعينتها فقد تم تطبيق دراسة ميدانية في مصرف الرشيد/محافظة نينوى من خلال توزيع استمارة استبانة على عدد من الموظفين حيث اعتمد الباحث على (استمارة الاستبيان) والتي تضم عينه من الموظفين لمصرف الرشيد، وقام بتوزيع (50) استبانة على الأفراد المبحوثين، واستلم (47) استمارة تصلح للتحليل أي بنسبة استجابة بلغت (94%). تم تحليلها باستخدام برنامج SPSS من أجل الوصول إلى …

Refereed Research - Religiosity And Sociality As Sources Of Resilience For Women Subsistence Entrepreneurs During The Pandemic, Rozina Akther

Subsistence Marketplaces

This study examines challenges faced by subsistence women entrepreneurs during COVID-19, the crisis of 2020, and their resilience in addressing the circumstances. The results of qualitative interviews with 13 subsistence marketplace women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh are presented in this article. In the current study, two themes are found to best capture the experiences and resilience of women business owners in the subsistence marketplaces. Furthermore, the study provides important insights from informant interviews, showing how women business owners navigate their operations during a pandemic. It highlights attributes such as relational strength and faith in a higher power that contribute to their …

An Analysis Of Wage Determinants And Gender Wage Inequality In The Daily Labor Market Of Bangladesh: A Quantile Regression Approach, Al Mamun

Arab Economic and Business Journal

This study investigates wage determination and gender-based wage disparities in Bangladesh's daily labor market using HIES 2010 and 2016 datasets and OLS and Quantile Regression methods. Results reveal a substantial gender wage gap, with females earning 22.9% less than males in 2010, increasing to 62.2% in 2016. The gap lessens across quantiles, indicating a sticky floor effect in both years. Various determinants, including human capital and social factors, affect wages differently. Policy implications underscore the need for equal pay advocacy, shared familial responsibilities, and targeted interventions to rectify gender-based wage disparities. The study offers nuanced insights crucial for fostering an …

The Role Of Local Leadership In Enhancing Local Performance_ Dhi Qar Governorate As A Model, Haneen Qasim Hasan

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

This research aims to study and analyze the role of local leadership in enhancing local performance in the Thi-Qar Governorate, focusing on the administrative and organizational aspects that contribute to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of services provided to citizens. The research seeks to measure the role of local leadership in enhancing local performance. For this purpose, a set of hypotheses was formulated, the most important of which was to find the relationship between correlation and influence (local leadership with its dimensions in local performance). To achieve the hypothesis tests, this research was applied to a sample of executive departments …

Polarization In Multidisciplinary Perspective, Eugen Dimant, Erik O. Kimbrough

Economics Faculty Articles and Research

This article provides an introduction to and overview of the articles in the PNAS Nexus Special Feature on Polarization and Trust.

Measuring Norm Pluralism And Perceived Polarization In Us Politics, Folca Panizza, Eugen Dimant, Erik O. Kimbrough, Alexander Vostroknutov

Economics Faculty Articles and Research

Recent research has shown how norms shape political and economic decision-making. Much of this work assumes that a single norm influences the behavior of all people, but in fact, many situations are characterized by the existence of competing normative viewpoints. We apply a method for measuring belief in the simultaneous existence of multiple norms. Such multiplicity arises naturally when norms are associated with distinctive groups, and thus political polarization can be characterized, in part, as a product of diverging norms between groups. We thus assess the validity of our measurement technique by testing whether it can recover polarization on seven …

Purchase Intention Of Halal Product: An Applied Study In Lebanon, Soumaya Kaakour

Al Jinan الجنان

Halal is a topic that touches on both business and trade as well as religion. This study aims to investigate the following factors (religiosity, attitude, subjective norms, control behavior, Halal certification and perceived availability) that could affect the purchase intention of Halal products in Lebanese context. The research offers explanations for each variable in the suggested model. Following that, in the first quarter of 2022, data was collected from 202 respondents in Lebanon using an online survey form. SPSS version 20 was applied to test the generated data. Results indicates that the following variables (religiosity, attitude, subjective norms, perceived availability, …

Effective Financing Strategies For Small And Medium Enterprises In Sub-Saharan Africa, Samsideen Niyi Adegboyega

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Limited access to finance is a significant cause of failure of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), impeding their ability to reach their full potential and contributing to a high business failure rate, a significant concern of SME leaders. Grounded in resource-based theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify and explore effective financial strategies some sub-Saharan African SME leaders use to access capital to grow and sustain their business beyond 5 years. The participants were eight SME owners in Lagos, Nigeria, who effectively used financial strategies to grow and sustain their businesses over 5 years. Data were …