Digital Commons Network^™

A 3-Step, Open-Data, Ride-Hailing Ridership Model With Pricing Applications, Richard A. Mucci

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Researchers and practitioners studied the effects ride-hailing had in cities before the covid-19 pandemic. Previous research found ride-hailing to produce negative externalities, such as reducing transit ridership and increasing congestion in various cities. Since the pandemic, ride-hailing ridership has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels in Chicago. Ride-hailing ridership has grown steadily since the pandemic while a rider’s willingness to share their trip stagnated. Ride-hailing ridership nearly recovering to pre-covid levels in Chicago suggests that transportation planners, and policy makers, will need to continue assessing the impacts ride-hailing trips have in their cities.

Pickup and drop off locations in the Chicago …

Differential Impacts Of Weather Anomalies On Household Energy Expenditure Shares: A Comparison Of Clustered Panel Analysis Methods, Jordan Champion

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Recent emphasis on environmental justice has highlighted deficiencies in our energy system that produce disparities in accessibility and affordability for the most vulnerable. Meanwhile, the realities of a gradually warming climate and the onset of a global energy crisis (IEA 2022) have coincidently contributed to spikes in both energy prices and demand. These implications threaten to further exacerbate existing disparities for income-constrained and vulnerable populations, enhancing their risk of falling into prolonged insecurity. To ensure our transition to a just, sustainable future, we must first ensure equitable access to affordable and reliable energy for everyone. Combining household-level panel and state-level …

From Bushels To Barrels: A Descriptive Analysis Of The U.S. Whiskey Industry, Ryan Murphy

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

This thesis provides a comprehensive analysis of the U.S. whiskey industry, emphasizing distilleries' geographic distribution, operational characteristics, and the agricultural landscapes surrounding them. Particular attention is given to the feasibility of U.S. distilleries locally sourcing grains used in production. Grain demand ranges were estimated for the 1,485 distilleries analyzed within this study. Using cropland and yield data from the USDA, local grain availability was approximated for comparison. Results indicate that a distillery's local sourcing feasibility is significantly impacted by its production capacity and geographic location.

Additionally, this research documents the development of an interactive web application designed to evaluate the …

Chinese Economic Behavior In Southeast Asia: A Historical And Cultural Overview Of The Migration Patterns, Culture, And Business Practices Of The Chinese Diaspora In Southeast Asia, Zachary Szklarz

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

For hundreds of years, ethnic Chinese have set sail in hopes of peace and economic prosperity in Southeast Asia. Over time, these immigrants became paramount to the culture, economies, and politics of their newfound homes. The immense success of these Chinese migrants and their descendants is based on two main factors: maintaining in-group preference in business and social life without explicit discrimination towards outsiders and holding individuals who have achieved wealth through ethical Confucianist means in high esteem. Unique among diaspora groups, the emigrants from China managed to become fully integrated in their adoptive homelands, while still maintaining traditional customs, …

The Unequal Distribution Of Social Risk For Black Men Across The Life-Span. A Novel Framework., Waleed Y. Sami

Adultspan Journal

This conceptual overview offers a comprehensive overview of systemic pathways that negatively impact the mental health of Black Men throughout their lives. Our argument highlights the importance for counselors and mental health professionals to utilize a thorough social risk assessment that considers these pathways in order to effectively address the mental health needs of Black Men while fostering positive working relationships. This overview strongly advocates for the use of context and structural determinants when evaluating mental health symptoms. Without an appropriate understanding of social risk and determinants, counselors may inadvertently perpetuate disparities by decontextualizing symptomology, and reproducing racist discourse.

Managing In A Regressive Legal Environment: Employers Need To Stay The Course Of Nondiscrimination, Michael T. Zugelder

Finance Faculty Publications

Federal law expanded civil rights and equal opportunity to all employees. Major U.S. employers have embraced the expansion by using affirmative action plans and diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. Concerns raised by a more conservative Supreme Court and its reversal of affirmative action in higher education, the recent enactment of regressive state laws aimed to diminish the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and invalidate affirmative action and DEI efforts should not be allowed to discourage the progress made. Employers can and should stay the course of expanded civil rights and equal opportunity in the workplace for all firm employees.

Renewable Energy Stocks' Performance And Climate Risk: An Empirical Analysis, Lingyu Li, Xianrong Zheng, Shuxi Wang

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

This article studies the relationship between renewable energy stocks’ performance and climate risk. It shows that publicly held renewable energy stocks underperform as a reaction to climate policy information releases, modeled by feed-in tariff (FIT) legislation announcements. The study examined stock price behaviors 2 days before and 30 days after FIT policy announcements. The stock sample used in the study has 3702 firm-day combinations, which included 180 cleantech firms and 32 events from 2007 to 2017. Based on the residual analysis of the sample’s abnormal return, it indicated that the FIT announcements are associated with significant declines in returns. The …

The Green Rush – How Montana's Outdoor Economy Fuels Sustainable Tourism, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

No abstract provided.

The Macroprudential Myth, Jeremy C. Kress, Jeffery Yufeng Zhang

Articles

According to conventional wisdom, the 2008 fnancial crisis fundamen- tally changed how policymakers approach fnancial regulation. Before the crisis, regulators sought to prevent individual fnancial institutions from collapsing, but this “microprudential” strategy proved inadequate to stop the market-wide meltdown. In response, policymakers purportedly turned to a new “macroprudential” approach that prioritizes the stability of the fnancial system as a whole instead of individual institutions in isolation. Regulators in the United States and abroad enthusiastically embraced macroprudential policy, implementing stress tests, capital buffers, liquidity requirements, and other supposed macroprudential tools. As the United States’ top bank regulator declared in 2015, “[W]e …

Essays On Crime And Law, Anuar Assamidanov

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the interplay between law, policy, and decision-making within criminal justice and employment.

The first chapter investigates the interplay between predictive algorithms and human discretion in parole decision-making. It examines how deviations from algorithmic recommendations affect recidivism rates, revealing that increased supervision levels—when tailored by professional judgment—significantly lower recidivism. These findings underscore the importance of strategic oversight in enhancing the effectiveness of parole supervision.

The second chapter examines gender discrimination in hiring, using data from the blind auditions of the TV show The Voice. It highlights a significant own-gender bias, with coaches showing a clear preference for …

Performance And Policy Indexes In Carbon Pricing Efficacy: A Cross-Country Analysis Of Policy Impact (2012-2020), Ke (Zoky) Zhou

Honors Theses

Climate change poses a significant threat to global ecosystems and human societies, driven largely by CO2 emissions from various economic activities. This macroeconomic cross-country study empirically assesses the effectiveness of carbon pricing in reducing CO2 emissions across three periods: 2012-2017, 2015-2019, and 2015-2020. Building on the foundational research by Best et al. (2020), the analysis extends to more recent data, capturing the evolving impacts of carbon pricing amid changing global economic and policy landscapes. A key advancement in this research is the creation and integration of two comprehensive indexes—a performance index and a policy index—constructed from 14 environmental performance or …

Green Bonds, Green Returns: The Impact Of Green Bond Issuances On Financial Performance In The U.S. Energy Sector, Adora Lei

Honors Theses

This paper investigates the impact of green bond issuances on the financial performance of U.S. energy firms, the largest greenhouse gas-emitting sector. To explore the incentives for adopting green projects among firms with the most significant margin for improvement, I focus on Gross Profit Margin (GPM) and the Tobin’s Q Ratio as key indicators of profitability and valuation. Using a dataset of 462 companies, I analyze green and conventional corporate bond issuances from 2010 onwards in the context of their financial reports. The findings reveal that green bonds positively influence long-term valuation, with Tobin’s Q showing significant increases from the …

Comparing Generative Ai, Keyword Searchers, And Hiring Committees In Selecting Semi-Finalist Job Candidates In Academia, Sarah Snyder

Honors Theses

Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of AI tools and keyword searchers in candidate evaluation. The first study examined the use of ChatGPT-4 and a traditional hiring committee in selecting a semifinalist pool for an Assistant Professor of Economics position. It was found that ChatGPT-4's selections were non-replicable, producing different semifinalist lists with each run, indicating significant variability and lack of reliability compared to human committees. The second study focused on predicting self-reported conscientiousness from resumes using both keyword searchers and ChatGPT-4. The results showed that neither method could accurately predict conscientiousness. Similarly, ChatGPT-4's selections were non-replicable, producing …

Monetary Policy Across The Urban Rural Divide, Grace Hillis

Honors Theses

This paper measures the effect of monetary policy on the consumption of Urban versus Rural Households. I utilize the Consumer Expenditures Survey, conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and St. Louis Federal Reserve Economic Data for information on important macroeconomic variables. My empirical strategy examines how total consumption, housing consumption, health, food, and transportation consumption are impacted by the federal funds rate for urban relative to rural households. My research provides evidence that when the Federal Reserve increases rates, the consumption of rural households falls more relative to urban households. This result is statistically significant when examining consumption related …

The Impact Of Signing Bonuses, Age, And Country On Mlb Success: Evaluating Investment Returns In The Mlb International Amateur Free Agent Market, Elliot Wolf

Honors Theses

MLB’s International Amateur Free Agent Market provides teenagers across the world opportunities to sign, develop, and potentially fulfill their dreams of playing in the MLB. It also allows teams to sign players at young ages, increasing the amount of time players can develop within a team’s minor league system. While signing bonus decision-making is backed up by a team’s scouts and data, the signing bonus a player receives is rarely a reflection of their future value. I argue that teams are not spending this money optimally. However, in an environment where players have low acquisition costs and volatile performance outcomes, …

Empowering Diversity: Unveiling The Impact Of Affirmative Action Policies On Intersectional Identities In Indian Village Councils, Auroshree Pani

Honors Theses

This study investigates the intersectional effects of affirmative action policies within the con- text of rural local councils in India. Utilizing the natural experiment provided by the randomized implementation of reservation policies in Uttar Pradesh’s gram panchayats, this research exam- ines how the intersectionality of marginalized identities—specifically gender and caste—affects policy outcomes. Employing data from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guar- antee Act (MGNREGA) and gram panchayat elections from 2015 and 2021, the impact on job demand and public asset creation is evaluated. The findings reveal that while female leaders gen- erally improve job demand and public asset creation, …

The Effect Of Postpartum Depression On New Mothers' Return To Work Decisions, Nicole Walutes

Honors Theses

Postpartum depression rates in the United States have doubled since 2010, with potentially significant economic consequences. In this study, I examine the relationship between postpartum depression and new mothers’ labor force participation using a national longitudinal dataset of 738 new mothers. I examine two labor force participation outcomes: whether or not a new mother returned to work postpartum, and the number of days it took for her to do so if she returned. I include a detailed set of demographic and social control factors. I find that conditional on these controls, having postpartum depression relates to a statistically insignificant 4.73 …

Sustainable Frameworks & The Circular Economy Within Digital Marketing & Advertising Agency Groups, Angelique Bautista

Honors Theses

Digital marketing significantly contributes to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of marketing and advertising agencies. Despite efforts towards corporate sustainability, discrepancies in carbon accounting and sustainability practices persist across the industry. An increasingly relevant topic for many industries is the circular economy (CE). It is concerned with creating a structured and cyclical sustainable practice and/or operation. This research paper examines the intersection of the CE and environmental sustainability initiatives in global digital marketing, analyzing sustainability efforts and ordinances up to April 2024, alongside theories from Science and Technology Studies (STS). Then, CE principles are explored more in-depth and the sociotechnological …

Which Side (Of The Balance Sheet) Are You On? Household Financial Resources And Participation In The 2020 Protests, Selina Miller, Stephen Roll, C.Taylor Brown, Laura Brugger, Michal Grinstein-Weiss

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The summer of 2020 was marked by widespread protests. Though research has often examined the predictors of protest participation, there exists little work examining the relationship between different types of wealth and protesting. Drawing on resource-based theories of protest participation and asset-based theories of civic engagement, we constructed regression models disentangling relationships between income, liquid assets, investment assets, homeownership, and protesting. Using a national survey administered during the protests, we find that liquid assets are negatively associated, homeownership is positively associated, and investment assets exhibit a non-linear association with protesting. These relationships hold when controlling for income, demographics, and ideology, …

Does Fdi Affect The Hotel Room Rates In Yangon?, Khine Thu Thu

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Using the hedonic pricing theory, this study investigates the relationship between Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and hotel room rates in Yangon, Myanmar. Using a dataset of 168 hotels from Yangon, we examined how FDI influences hotel room rates for weekdays and weekends. Our analysis employs the Log-Linear OLS regression model, by using affiliation to a chain, size of hotels, hotel stars rating, service provided by the hotels, location of the hotels, presence of the online, and online customer review ratings on Agoda, Booking.com, Trip.com, and Expedia. We find that FDI has a positive correlation with hotel room rates in Yangon. …

ผลกระทบของการแพร่ระบาดของโควิด - 19 ต่อพฤติกรรมการเล่นพนันในกลุ่มนักพนันชาวไทย, สุรางคนางค์ อยู่เย็น

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การศึกษาครั้งนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาพฤติกรรมการเล่นพนันของนักพนันชาวไทยในช่วงก่อนและหลังการแพร่ระบาดของโควิด-19 รวมทั้งศึกษาปัจจัยที่ส่งผลกระทบต่อการเป็นนักพนันที่มีปัญหา ตลอดจนศึกษาผลกระทบจากการแพร่ระบาดของโควิด-19 ต่อการเป็นนักพนันที่มีปัญหาของนักพนันชาวไทยด้วย โดยใช้ข้อมูลทุติยภูมิจากการสำรวจของโครงการศึกษาสถานการณ์ และผลกระทบการพนันในประเทศไทยประจำปี พ.ศ. 2562 และปี พ.ศ. 2564 ที่จัดทำโดยศูนย์วิจัยเพื่อการพัฒนาสังคมและธุรกิจ ศูนย์ศึกษาปัญหาการพนัน คณะเศรษฐศาสตร์ จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย ใช้ข้อมูลที่แสดงถึงความรุนแรงในการแพร่ระบาดของโควิด-19 ระดับจังหวัดจากประกาศคำสั่งการกำหนดเขตพื้นที่ตามสถานการณ์การแพร่ระบาดของโควิด-19 รวมถึงใช้ข้อมูลจังหวัดที่มีพรมแดนติดต่อกับประเทศเพื่อนบ้านจากกรมส่งเสริมการปกครองท้องถิ่น และข้อมูลจำนวนสถานีตำรวจของแต่ละจังหวัดจากสำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ สถิติที่ใช้ในการวิเคราะห์ คือ สถิติเชิงพรรณนาและการวิเคราะห์ Logistic Regression Model ร่วมกับเทคนิค Difference in Differences (DID) ผลการศึกษาพบว่า พฤติกรรมการเล่นพนันของนักพนันชาวไทยในช่วงก่อนและหลังการแพร่ระบาดของโควิด-19 มีลักษณะใกล้เคียงกัน ทั้งในแง่ของความถี่ในการเล่น จำนวนเงินวางเดิมพัน ประเภทของการพนันซึ่งการพนันที่นิยมเล่น คือ สลากกินแบ่งรัฐบาล และนักพนันส่วนใหญ่ถูกประเมินว่าเป็นนักพนันที่มีความเสี่ยงปานกลางที่จะเป็นนักพนันที่มีปัญหา สำหรับปัจจัยที่ส่งผลต่อความน่าจะเป็นในการเป็นนักพนันที่มีปัญหาอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ ได้แก่ เพศ อายุ สถานภาพสมรส ระดับการศึกษา อาชีพ รายได้ เขตที่พักอาศัย จังหวัดที่มีพรมแดนติดต่อกับประเทศเพื่อนบ้าน และจำนวนสถานีตำรวจ นอกจากนี้การแพร่ระบาดของโควิด-19 ยังส่งผลให้ความน่าจะเป็นในการเป็นนักพนันที่มีปัญหาลดลงในระดับประเทศ แต่เมื่อพิจารณาในระดับจังหวัด พบว่า นักพนันที่อยู่ในจังหวัดที่มีความรุนแรงในการแพร่ระบาดของโควิด-19 มากกว่ามีความน่าจะเป็นในการเป็นนักพนันที่มีปัญหาสูงกว่านักพนันที่อยู่ในจังหวัดที่มีความรุนแรงในการแพร่ระบาดของโควิด-19 น้อย อาจเนื่องมาจากนักพนันเหล่านั้นมักได้รับผลกระทบที่ทำให้มีปัญหาจากการเล่นพนันที่สูงกว่า เช่น เกิดความเครียด มีปัญหาเรื่องสุขภาพ และประสบปัญหาทางด้านการเงินจากการเล่นพนันที่มากกว่าด้วย ซึ่งปัญหาในกลุ่มของนักพนันที่มีปัญหานี้ถือว่าเป็นปัญหาสาธารณสุขประเภทหนึ่งที่ต้องได้รับการแก้ไข ดังนั้นการศึกษาครั้งนี้ย่อมเป็นประโยชน์ต่อหน่วยงานที่เกี่ยวข้องที่ทำหน้าที่ออกนโยบายเพื่อควบคุมหรือบรรเทาปัญหาในกลุ่มนักพนันที่มีปัญหา เช่น จัดตั้งหน่วยงานบำบัดผู้เป็นนักพนันที่มีปัญหาหรือทำการออกนโยบายควบคุมการเข้าถึงการเล่นพนันในสังคม

How Financial Status Affects Food Decisions In Households Of Marin City, Joe Blakely

Global Public Health | Student Research Posters

• Food insecurity is a multifaceted issue influenced by various factors, including socioeconomic status and access to nutritious foods. Research has shown that low-income households often face challenges in accessing healthy food options due to financial constraints.
• Cultural and psychological factors also play significant roles in shaping food choices among low-income populations. Additionally, the availability and affordability of healthy foods within local food environments significantly impact dietary behaviors.
• Economic factors such as income levels and household expenses further compound the challenges of food insecurity. Studies on food spending decisions among low-income demographics revealed that financial constraints often force families to prioritize …

How Financial Status Affects Food Decisions In Households Of Marin City, Joe Blakely

Global Public Health | Senior Theses

This research addresses disparities in food decision-making among households in Marin City by examining their food spending habits after covering essential bills. Understanding how these households allocate resources for food is crucial for developing targeted interventions to improve food security and health outcomes. Utilizing qualitative methods, semi-structured interviews, this study explores the spending patterns and decision-making processes related to food expenditures among households in Marin City. The sampling method ensures consideration of different economic levels and grocery strategies. Recruitment involves collaboration with community organizations and social service agencies such as Marin City Community Center. The study focuses on residents of …

Variation In Las Vegas Tree Diversity Based On Socioeconomic Status, Fabrizio Ciccone

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

An increased level of plant biodiversity has been observed in urban communities of above average socioeconomic status. This phenomenon was previously termed the luxury effect. This study aimed to identify potential disparities in tree diversity of different communities across Las Vegas and Henderson. Communities were selected based on the zip code’s median income for 2023; this information was gathered from the Healthy Southern Nevada database. Public parks were chosen from a range of zip codes, with trees initially being identified with PictureThis, then cross-referenced with Southern Nevada Water Authority’s regional plant list for validity. Trees were counted, identified, and …

The Effects Of Bureaucratic Corruption On The Financial Constraints Of Nigerian Small Businesses, Obinna Franklin Ezeibekwe

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

In this paper, I conduct the first empirical analysis to examine the impact of bureaucratic corruption on small business financial constraints in Nigeria. This study is also the first to compare the average treatment effect (ATE) with the local average treatment effect (LATE) framework to account for potential variations in treatment effects for small Nigerian firms with less than 100 employees. Using the bivariate probit method and two binary instruments, I find that corruption significantly increases the likelihood of financial constraints for a typical micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) by approximately 64 to 68 percentage points. When I use …

Write Things Right: How To Communicate Most Effectively About Climate Change, Lara Beckius

Economics Honors Papers

As the climate change crisis worsens, it is more important than ever that communicators understand the role that specific messaging plays in the formation of public opinion and the overall strength of the call for action. This study seeks to determine the most effective methods of communicating climate change-induced environmental issues to the general public to raise awareness of the issue and encourage solution-focused behavioral change. A review of current climate change communication techniques reveals that it is up to communicators to understand the limitations of their chosen media and the most effective tactics for communicating the complex issue with …

Income Source Effect Of Expectations And Seriousness On Spending Behavior, Ethan Sweeney

Economics Honors Papers

Mental accounting bias is the practice of people categorizing money and making financial decisions based on those categories without being explicitly cognizant of these groupings. Income sourcing is a type of mental accounting bias when people spend money differently based on how they came into possession of that money. This study focused on measuring various forms of income sourcing and their impact on spending behavior. In particular, this study analyzed how people make spending decisions when they have earned money in either a frivolous or a serious manner, and alternatively how people make spending decisions when they have either an …

Effects Of The Homegrown Player Rule In The English Premier League: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Squad Composition, Market Values, And Wages, Jiho "Brian" Jun

Pitzer Senior Theses

This paper uses theoretical frameworks from economics and sports management to investigate the transformative effects of the Homegrown Player Rule on English Premier League squad dynamics, market valuations, and wage structures. The study examines the evolution of homegrown player distribution across clubs from the rule’s implementation in 2010 to the most recent season in 2023. My analysis of market values and wages finds no evidence that the rule leads to possible market value and wage rate disparities between homegrown and non-homegrown players. Subsequent research shows evidence of a decrease in the real wage rate of homegrown players over time, contrasting …

Industrial Hemp Production And Potential Risks In Kentucky, Hoyeon Jeong

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Since the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2014 and 2018 legalized Industrial Hemp (Cannabis Sativa. L), interest in grain, fiber, and floral hemp production has seen growing pains. As an emerging crop, there is a research gap in the impact of weather and agronomic conditions on hemp production including THC (Delta 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol) and pollen drift as risks in hemp cultivation. The first essay aims to measure the impact of weather and agronomic factors on hemp grain, fiber, and floral yields in Kentucky using a yield-weather model with information on field locations. The results show that heat conditions during the growing …

Essays On The Dynamics Of Subnational Public Finance In Indonesia, Much Rosidi

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

This dissertation comprises three essays that collectively explore the intricacies of subnational public finance in Indonesia: vehicle tax amnesty, property tax competition, and corruption. The research aims to understand the dynamics shaping fiscal policies at the subnational level.

In the first essay, I examine vehicle tax amnesty programs in Indonesia that have been very popular in dealing with high delinquency rates. From 2008 to 2020, provincial amnesties occurred every 2.5 years on average. Using the variation in the timing of the province’s amnesty adoptions, I estimate the effect of vehicle tax amnesty on vehicle tax revenue using difference-in-differences. The short-run …