Digital Commons Network^™

Strategies For Implementing Organizational Change In The Construction Industry, Ivette Dejesus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Construction business leaders are concerned with failed change initiatives as they have the potential to affect profitability. Grounded in five-P theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies that some leaders in construction companies use to implement change initiatives successfully. The participants consisted of five business leaders from three construction companies who have successfully implemented change initiatives within their organization. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and a collection of organizational documents. Through thematic analysis, five themes emerged: (a) goal setting and planning, (b) effective communication, (c) stakeholder involvement, (d) effective resource and cost …

Nevada’S Predictable Housing Train Wreck And What To Do About It, Arthur C. Nelson

Policy Briefs and Reports

Nevada is on the cusp of a housing catastrophe, especially in Southern Nevada.

Consider that the state has fewer households than it should. A household is defined as one or more people who have a home of their own. But for price, location, configuration, and other factors, about 60,000 households in Nevada do not exist because there is no home for them. And it’s going to get worse. Including these “missing households,” nearly 470,000 new occupied homes will need to be built between 2020 and 2040 to meet the housing needs of all Nevadans, or about 23,000 per year. The …

Herding With Heterogeneous Ability: An Application To Organ Transplantation, Stephanie De Mel, Kaivan Munshi, Soenje Reiche, Hamid Sabourian

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

There are many economic environments in which an object is offered sequentially to prospective buyers. It is often observed that once the object for sale is turned down by one or more agents, those that follow do the same. One explanation for this phenomenon is that agents making choices further down the line rationally ignore their own assessment of the object and herd behind their predecessors. Our research extends the canonical herding model by allowing agents to differ in their ability to assess the quality of the offered object. We develop novel tests of herding based on this ability heterogeneity …

Providing End-Of-Life Counseling: A Narrative Inquiry, Carol Hecht, Sibyl West

Adultspan Journal

This qualitative study aimed to address the gap in the research related to end-of-life counseling by exploring the experiences of counselors working with clients at end of life. While counseling literature and education are lacking regarding end of life, many counselors will work alongside clients approaching death. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to better understand the nuanced experiences of counselors providing end-of-life counseling and (b) to explore the supports and preparations helpful for counselors to provide end-of-life counseling. A narrative approach, using the Listening Guide (Gilligan, 2015), was employed to analyze and present the stories of three …

Considerations Of Medicare Telehealth Services With Older Adults, Sonah Kho, Amanda Dediego

Adultspan Journal

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic set in motion a rapid expansion of mental health services offered via telehealth. With this rapid expansion came the need to examine how policy and practice should be shaped in a future where telehealth is considered common in counseling practice. For counselors to understand how to support older adult clients in using telehealth services, they must understand telehealth policy. Following the eligibility of licensed counselors to participate in Medicare, counselors need to stay abreast of regulatory changes regarding restrictions and regulations on use of telehealth for mental and behavioral health services, including video and …

Editor's Note

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Volume 27, Issue 1 Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Are Economic Gender Differences The Same Everywhere? Cross-Societal Comparisons In The Early 21st Century, Joyce P. Jacobsen

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Are gender differences in economic outcomes the same everywhere? Using the most recent available data (generally from the 2021–2023 period), I consider the patterns for these gender differences and provide an annotated list of statistical sources for students and researchers to use in exploring these differences. Overall, women still work less than men in paid work, work more than men in unpaid household work, and make less than men; however, these patterns have converged somewhat, with some narrowing of work and pay gaps relative to the last part of the 20th century, and with women rapidly closing the educational-attainment gap …

Author Biographical Notes

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Efficiency Costs Of Unemployment Insurance Denial: Evidence From Randomly Assigned Examiners, Jonathan Cohen, Geoffrey C. Schnorr

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

Approximately 10 percent of Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimants in the United States are denied benefits after being deemed at-fault for their job loss by a government examiner. Using administrative data from California and an examiner leniency design, we estimate the causal effects of extending eligibility to marginally at-fault claimants—those whose job separation reason would be deemed UI-eligible by some examiners but UI-ineligible by others. Approving a marginally at-fault claimant increases UI benefits paid by over $3,000 and lengthens the nonemployment spell by just under two weeks, but it does not decrease labor income. We combine these estimates and other relevant …

Re-Evaluating The Preferences Of Recreational Gulf Of Maine Cod And Haddock Anglers, Andrew M. Carr-Harris, Scott Steinback

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

Since 2013, fisheries managers have used a bioeconomic model to simulate the effect of proposed regulations on angler participation and subsequent fishing mortality for Gulf of Maine Atlantic cod and haddock using data from a choice experiment survey. In the year following the last choice experiment survey, however, Gulf of Maine cod fishery experienced unprecedented regulatory changes that, to this day, considerably limit recreational harvest. Given the potential influence of these regulatory changes on angler targeting behavior and preferences, we administered a new choice experiment survey in 2019. The new survey instrument and the sampling method were updated relative to …

Economic Development, Undernutrition And Diabetes, Kaivan Munshi, Swapnil Singh, Nancy Luke, Anu Mary Oommen

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This research connects two seemingly unrelated facts that have recently been documented in developing countries, with important consequences for global health: (i) the weak association between nutritional status and income, and (ii) the elevated risk of diabetes among normalweight individuals. The model that we develop to reconcile these facts is based on a set point for body size that is adapted to (low) pre-modern food supply, but subsequently fails to adjust to rapid economic change. During the process of development, some individuals thus remain at their low-BMI set point, despite the increase in their income (food consumption), while others who …

Adam Smith, Human Betterment, And His Erroneous Indentification With Self-Interested Human Action, Vernon L. Smith

ESI Publications

In this essay I discuss the proposition that Adam Smith has been widely misinterpreted as asserting in his second book, The Wealth of Nations, that emergent modern economies are driven by the strictly selfish motives of their human inhabitants. The propositions articulated in his first book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, which offered a theory of society, extended seamlessly into his second book, and continued to be part of his theory of economy. In both works, he distinguished the universal state of being self-interested from actions taken in one's self-interest, and modeled people as creating and following rules of propriety …

Expanding Healthcare Access For The Undocumented Immigrant Community: The Heal For Immigrant Families Act Of 2023, Perla Torres Estrada

The Gettysburg Journal for Public Policy

When it comes to the topic of universal healthcare, most of us will readily agree that healthcare is a human right. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of who should be granted this right, and if it should be left to the free market to determine access and affordability. Specifically, the political debate on expanding healthcare access to undocumented immigrants in the United States revolve around concerns over costs, legality, and equity. Proponents maintain that it is a human right whereas opponents question the potential burden on taxpayers and the implication for immigration policy. The HEAL …

Race And The Manufacturing Workforce: Opportunities To Expand Growth And Equity In A Rebounding Industry Sector, Benjamin Armstrong, Matthew D. Wilson, Nichola J. Lowe

Upjohn Institute Policy Papers

This paper provides an overview of the manufacturing work experience of different racial groups. Our goal is to lend support to “middle-out” policy responses that seek to promote greater economic opportunity across the country through targeted sector growth, including manufacturing, while also bringing together people of all races in support of manufacturing regeneration. By pinpointing persistent inequities in U.S. manufacturing, we hope to embolden policy responses that ensure that as the manufacturing sector rebounds and continues to evolve, its high-paying, good-quality jobs are also more inclusive of workers of color.

A Study Of Claim Resolution Settlement Agreements: Final Report, Brian J. Asquith, Yuci Chen, Marcus Dillender, Kevin Hollenbeck, Beth C. Truesdale

Upjohn Institute Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Training Needs And Costs In Kalamazoo's Core Neighborhoods, Timothy J. Bartik, Bridget Timmeney, Zachary Brown, Gerrit Anderson, Kathleen Bolter, Nicholas Martens, Brian Pittelko

Reports

This report estimates training needs in three Kalamazoo “core neighborhoods”: the Northside, Edison, and the Eastside. Using Census data, the analysis estimates the number of people potentially needing training in these neighborhoods as between 1,254 and 2,098 individuals. This report also estimates this training population’s characteristics, including: childcare needs, lack of a household vehicle, disability, felony records, substance abuse, mental illness. All these characteristics pose challenges for many hundreds in the training population. Based on a review of prior effective “sectoral training programs”, a training program may cost $7,300 per trainee, with over two-thirds of this cost due to various …

Agrivoltaic Decision Tools For Perennial And Field Crop Farmers, Jill Fitzsimmons, Tae-Hyun Kim

Journal of Extension

This article describes a series of spreadsheet-based tools to help farmers estimate costs, revenues, and yields from agricultural production under different configurations of agrivoltaic installations for field and perennial crops. Crop-specific log books allow farmers to project changes in activity-level costs from the field due to agrivoltaic installations. The whole-farm tool helps farmers aggregate activity-level net returns up to the farm level to calculate projections of trade-offs between crop production with or without agrivoltaic installations. We present tools for lettuce and cranberries, but the tools are comprehensive and inclusive and so can be modified for other perennial and field crops.

The Effect Of Franchise No-Poaching Restrictions On Worker Earnings, Brian Callaci, Matthew Gibson, Sérgio Pinto, Marshall Steinbaum, Matt Walsh

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

We evaluate the nationwide impact of the Washington State attorney general’s 2018-2020 enforcement campaign against no-poach clauses in franchising contracts, which prohibited worker movement across locations within a chain. Implementing a staggered difference-in-differences research design using Burning Glass Technologies job vacancies and Glassdoor salary reports from numerous industries, we estimate a 6 percent increase in posted annual earnings from the job vacancy data and a 4 percent increase in worker-reported earnings.

Should California Have Banned Red Dye 3? An Economic Cost-Benefit Analysis, Kaley Ware

Undergraduate Research Symposium

On October 7, 2023, California passed the “California Food Safety Act,” which banned four food additives including Red Dye 3. This research explores whether California made the right decision to ban Red Dye 3 based on an economic Cost-Benefit Analysis. The major costs to California as a whole include the cost to food manufacturers and the cost of implementing the legislation. On the other hand, the major benefits to California residents include the reduced risk of thyroid cancer and fewer ADHD symptoms. After monetizing these costs and benefits, this Cost-Benefit Analysis results in a net gain (net present value) of …

Exploring The Experiences Of African American Women Parents’ Role Regarding Financial Socialization In Sacramento, California., Anita Renee Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Financial socialization encompasses the process of acquiring financial values, attitudes, norms, knowledge, and behaviors, with parental influence being pivotal in shaping children's financial understanding and well-being. This study addresses the lack of comprehensive research on the financial socialization experiences of African American women and the role played by parents in shaping their financial management skills, self-efficacy, and identity. By bridging this gap, this study provides valuable insights into the financial socialization processes within African American families, which can have long-term impacts on economic outcomes and wealth-building strategies. Recognizing a gap in the literature, this study addresses the lack of comprehensive …

Developing A Stand-Alone Children’S Hospital In Southern Nevada: Improving Pediatric Care And Diversifying The Regional Economy, The Lincy Institute

Lincy Institute Events

Southern Nevada is the largest metropolitan region in the country without a stand-alone children's hospital. The absence of such a facility results in poor health outcomes for children, fragmented and inadequate specialized care, and a shortage of pediatric medical professionals. Currently ranked last in clinical care nationwide, Nevada urgently needs a centralized, academic-based children's hospital to improve health services.

The Lincy Institute hosted a community forum to release the findings of a new report conducted by Tripp Umbach detailing why Southern Nevada needs a stand-alone children’s hospital. Tripp Umbach is a recognized industry leader, with 30 years of successful partnerships …

Hold The Phone: The Short- And Long-Run Impacts Of Connecting Indian Women To Digital Technology, Giorgia Barboni, Anwesha Bhattacharya, Erica Field, Rohini Pande, Natalia Rigol, Simone Schaner, Aruj Shukla, Charity Moore

Discussion Papers

Access to smartphones and mobile internet is increasingly necessary to participate in the modern economy. Yet women significantly lag men in digital access, especially in lower-income settings with gender gaps that span other dimensions - and where digital gaps threaten to deepen existing analog inequities. We study the short- and long-term effects of a large-scale state-sponsored program in India that aimed to close digital gender gaps by transferring free smartphones to women while constructing 4G towers to bring rural areas online. The program was well implemented, reversing gender gaps in smartphone ownership in the short run. However, many women lost …

Developing A Stand-Alone Children’S Hospital In Southern Nevada: Needs, Opportunities, And Economic Development Considerations, Tripp Umbach

Policy Briefs and Reports

This independent study developed by Tripp Umbach demonstrates how an independent, research-intensive, stand-alone children’s teaching hospital can significantly enhance the health status of Southern Nevada’s children, reduce outmigration, attract children from neighboring states, and stimulate the healthcare economy. Tripp Umbach evaluated the need for a children’s hospital, the barriers to overcoming its absence, and the advantages of establishing a stand-alone children’s hospital in Southern Nevada for diverse audiences throughout Nevada and nationally.

A Comparative Study Of Indonesia And Malaysia's Economic Resilience In The Covid-19 Era: An Analysis Of Economic Stability, Muhammad Nur Abdul Latif Nur Latif Al Waroi

Jurnal Kajian Stratejik Ketahanan Nasional

This study analyzes the economic resilience of Indonesia and Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on economic stability. The research explores pre-pandemic economic conditions, the impact of COVID-19 on GDP, inflation, unemployment, and government debt, as well as recovery efforts through fiscal and monetary policies. Data from Statistics Indonesia, Department of Statistics Malaysia, World Bank, and IMF were used. Results indicate that Indonesia experienced a faster economic recovery, with GDP growth returning to pre-pandemic levels quicker than Malaysia. The economic impact of the pandemic in Indonesia is lower, supported by the National Economic Recovery Program (PEN) and Bank Indonesia's monetary …

Essays In Health Economics And Applied Econometrics: Assessing Recreational Marijuana Laws, Dragos Ailoae

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation explores the diffusion and impacts of state recreational marijuana laws (RML). Chapter 1 examines factors driving state adoption and spread of RML, finding that states with citizen ballot initiatives, expansive legislative capacities, and higher fiscal stress are more likely to enact RML. Ideological proximity, rather than geography, drives policy diffusion, with learning from early adopters likely serving as a key mechanism in the process. Chapter 2 assesses first-order effects of RML on marijuana consumption and drug policing using various econometric methods. Results suggest amplification bias in difference-in-differences point estimates due to an endogenous policy variable. This has economic …

Willingness To Pay And Market Potential For Biowrap: An Economic Study Of A New Biodegradable Mulch Product In Home Gardening, Gengchen Cai

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explores the market potential of BioWRAP, a biodegradable sprayable weed suppression product, by assessing the willingness to pay (WTP) among American home gardeners. Traditional plastic mulch offers significant agronomic benefits but poses considerable environmental challenges, making BioWRAP a promising alternative due to its similar benefits and reduced environmental impact. Using a double-bounded contingent valuation method, we analyze the WTP for BioWRAP among different demographic groups and gardening practices. Our findings indicate that the highest WTP for BioWRAP is among home gardeners who currently use chemical sprays for weed suppression, followed by those using physical barriers, with the lowest …

Food Insecurity Cost Estimates For El Paso: 2023, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Gregory S. Schober, Steven L. Fullerton, Eva Moya

Border Region Modeling Project

Food insecurity is a fairly pervasive problem throughout the United States that is especially burdensome for low-income regions. While the latter is generally recognized, there have been very few efforts to quantify the dollar costs of food insecurity, especially at the regional level. This study attempts to do so for El Paso County, Texas. This is achieved by first adjusting for inflation cost estimates in a prior national level study. Regional differences with respect to the nation are then utilized to calculate comparable costs for El Paso. Results indicate that the economic damage wrought by food insecurity in El Paso …

Borderplex Business Barometer, Volume 8, Number 9, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Using Mentimeter In Online Book Clubs To Engage And Educate Extension Audiences, Nichole Huff, Miranda Bejda, Emily Dewitt, Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Melinda Mcculley

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cooperative Extension professionals, like many others, were tasked with quickly adapting to accommodate limited face-to-face interactions. The pandemic necessitated that Extension educators leverage online resources to deliver tailored programming in informative and innovative ways while providing engaging, hands-on learning experiences. This article highlights two studies using Mentimeter as a tool to educate and engage Extension audiences through subsequent installments of an online book club. The presented case studies examine the processes and outcomes of a unique educational approach to Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) in a non-traditional setting. The studies represent two distinct FCS disciplines: Family …