Digital Commons Network^™

Boosting The Power Performance Of Microbial Fuel Cells By Using Dual Nanomaterial-Modified Carbon Felt Electrodes, Krishna Thapa, Wenyan Liu, Yuwei Zhang, David J. Westenberg, Yishu Zhou, Risheng Wang

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Innovative design enhancements to microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are pivotal for improving their viability as renewable energy sources. This study introduces a dual approach to electrode modification, integrating polyaniline (PANI) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on carbon felt (CF) anodes coupled with a unique cathode composed of DNA origami and chitosan. The synergistic effect of PANI and AuNPs significantly increases the hydrophilicity and conductivity of the anode, leading to a considerable surge in power density. Concurrently, the biocompatible DNA origami and chitosan-functionalized cathode facilitates efficient electron transfer without relying on conventional catalysts. Together, these modifications yield a 52.42% increase in the …

A Strategic Topology On Information Structures, Dirk Bergemann, Stephen Morris, Rafael Veiel

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Two information structures are said to be close if, with high probability, there is approximate common knowledge that interim beliefs are close under the two information structures. We define an “almost common knowledge topology” reflecting this notion of closeness. We show that it is the coarsest topology generating continuity of equilibrium outcomes. An information structure is said to be simple if each player has a finite set of types and each type has a distinct first-order belief about payoff states. We show that simple information structures are dense in the almost common knowledge topology and thus it is without loss …

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 …

How Can Monetary Policy And Digitalization Enhance Economic Productivity Among Oic Members?, Basri Basri, Muhammad Akbar Ramadhani

Journal Of Middle East and Islamic Studies

Studi ini bertujuan untuk menentukan dampak suku bunga, jumlah uang beredar, dan pengembangan TIK terhadap PDB per kapita dengan menggunakan pendekatan panel heterogen dinamis (panel ARDL) pooled mean group (PMG). Temuan kami menunjukkan bahwa kebijakan moneter memainkan peran penting bagi pendapatan per kapita di seluruh negara OKI pada tingkat pendapatan yang berbeda. Bagi OKI secara keseluruhan, suku bunga memiliki dampak positif dalam jangka panjang tetapi tidak berpengaruh dalam jangka pendek. Bagi sebagian besar LMIC dan UMIC, kenaikan suku bunga cenderung meningkatkan pendapatan per kapita, sedangkan bagi sebagian besar negara LIC, hubungannya negatif. Jumlah uang beredar memiliki dampak negatif terhadap pendapatan …

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 …

Lead-Lag And Volatility Point Change Estimations For Cryptocurrencies, Jules Clement Mba, Jenipher Mutale, Ehounou Serge Eloge Florentin Angaman

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

This study investigates the lead-lag relationships and volatility dynamics among four major cryptocurrencies – Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon – during the turbulent year of 2022. We address three primary research questions: (1) To what extent do lead-lag relationships exist among major cryptocurrencies, and how do they challenge or support the notion of market efficiency in the crypto space? (2) How do volatility change points in different cryptocurrencies relate to each other and to major market events? (3) How can the identification of lead‑lag relationships and volatility change points inform cryptocurrency investment strategies and risk management practices? Using a continuous-time …

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.

A Method To Incorporate Transition Risk Stress Testing Into Probability Of Default (Pd) Models For Retail Portfolios, Aneta Ptak-Chmielewska, Paweł Kopciuszewski, Alvaro Fernandez Toledo

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

Climate risk is one of the type of risks in a bank’s portfolio which is not fully recognized, and its impact on the future overall risk changes is hidden due to lack of sufficient knowledge at the moment. One of the most common data comes from Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) scenarios related to climate change (physical risk) and climate policy and technology trends (transition risk). In the paper we focused on the transition risk scenarios and their impact on the economy and in particular on credit risk. Our main goal was to check the tendency in the …

The Welfare Effects Of Including Household Preferences In School Assignment Systems: Evidence From Ecuador, Gregory Elacqua, Isabel Jacas, Thomas Krussig, Carolina Méndez, Christopher Neilson

Discussion Papers

We partner with Ecuador’s government to implement a centralized school choice system using a Deferred Acceptance algorithm in Manta. Our study evaluates the welfare impact of transitioning from a distance-based assignment system to one that incorporates families’ preferences. Results show that accounting for preferences yields substantial welfare gains. Counterfactual analyses suggest that alternative mechanisms offer limited improvements compared to the benefits of preference inclusion and coordinated assignments. Household survey data on beliefs and satisfaction support these findings, indicating that centralized school choice systems can deliver significant welfare effects in developing countries.

A Critical Analysis Of Circular Product Attributes And Limitations Of Product Circularity Assessment Methods, Junwon Ko, Gisele Bortolaz Guedes, Fazleena Badurdeen, I. S. Jawahir, K. C. Morris, Vincenzo Ferrero, Buddhika M. Hapuwatte, Ryan Bradley, Ardeshir Raihanian

Institute for Sustainable Manufacturing Faculty Publications

The Circular Economy (CE) has been proposed as a strategy to promote the efficient use of resources, maximizing the benefits derived from materials and products through value recovery strategies, and minimizing waste generation. However, ambiguity remains in defining what makes a product circular and its characteristics when adapting the CE concept for application at the product level. More clarity about the constitutive characteristics of Circular Products (CPs) is also vital to facilitate their design. To address this challenge, and with the intention to increase the adoption of CE concept within the industry, the descriptions and attributes of a Circular Product …

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.

Interest Groups And Central Banking, Louis Rouanet, Michael Wroblewski

Hunt Institute Working Paper Series

This chapter offers an alternative approach to the public interest theory of central banking.Instead of interpreting the history of central banking as attempts to solve market failures, we suggest that central bank behavior can be best explained by studying the constraints faced by members of various interest groups, including members of the central banks themselves. Instead of looking uniquely at how private decisions in commercial markets shape central banks’ decisions, we argue that central bank behavior is best predicted when applying the tools of economics to politics, i.e., when using Public Choice.

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 …

Factors Influencing Households’ Willingness To Adopt Rooftop Solar Power In The Philippines, Rosalina Palanca-Tan

Economics Department Faculty Publications

The Philippines is endowed with vast solar potential. Through rooftop solar power (RTSP), households directly participate in the clean energy transition, expanding renewable energy supply to meet increasing energy demand and effectively lowering electricity costs for themselves. Yet, RTSP in the country remains largely untapped. Using the Contingent Valuation framework, this study conducted a survey of households in Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces to identify the factors that influence adoption and willingness to pay for RTSP. Survey results reveal that both economic (mainly electricity bill reduction) and environmental benefits are well-recognized and positively correlated with RTSP adoption. The study …

A Life Without Imf: Pakistan Needs To Work Systematically To Enhance Its Capacity To Generate Additional Net Foreign Exchange Earnings Compared To The Current Levels., Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Newspaper and Magazine Articles

After the approval of the IMF Board of Pakistan’s request for a 37-month Extended Fund Facility, there were strong voices from the Prime and Finance Ministers that this would be the last program with the IMF. We have heard such pronouncements before, but they have not been translated into action. A broad consensus is emerging that it is in Pakistan’s best interests to exit to regain control over economic decision-making, set its priorities and their phasing, timing and sequencing, and get out of a straitjacket framework of short-term performance criteria. How can we ensure that this rhetoric is turned into …

Borderplex Business Barometer, Volume 8, Number 11, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

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 …

Montana Resident Report: Tourism Impacts And Perceptions Of Recreation And Visitor Behavior Q1 2024, Carter Bermingham, Megan Schultz, Matthew Pettigrew, Glenna Hartman

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

A summary of Montana residents’ perceptions of others’ ability to appropriately participate in outdoor recreation. Other topics include community respect, as well as amenities and challenges presented from tourism.

An Empirical Test Of Auction Efficiency: Evidence From Mbs Auctions Of The Federal Reserve, Pietro Bonadi, Ali Hortacsu, Zhaogang Song

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

PurposeWe estimate the marginal cost curve of each dealer in each auction, based on structural models of the multiunit discriminatory-price auction.Design/methodology/approachAuction theory has ambiguous implications regarding the relative performance of three formats of multiunit auctions: uniform-price, discriminatory-price and Vickrey auctions. We evaluate the performance of these three auction formats using bid-level data of the Federal Reserve’s purchase auctions of agency MBS from June 2014 through November 2014.FindingsOur results suggest that neither uniform-price nor Vickrey auctions outperform discriminatory-price auctions in terms of the total expenditure. However, Vickrey auctions outperform discriminatory-price auctions in terms of efficiency, with the efficiency gain around 0.74% …

A Practical Guide To Driving Financial Inclusion Through Cbdcs, Heng Wang

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Welcome back to our blog series exploring the potential that central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) hold to positively impact individuals that are currently unserved or underserved by financial systems globally. Together with Professor Wang, we first delved into the challenges and opportunities of driving financial inclusion, and how CBDCs could serve as an important mechanism in ensuring that no one is excluded from financial services – or our increasingly digital economies and societies. In our second blog we then examined how CBDCs can be intentionally designed to drive financial inclusion. In this third and final piece, Professor Wang offers a …

Optimal Har Inference, Liyu Dou

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper addresses the problem of deriving heteroskedasticity and autocorrelation robust (HAR) inference for a scalar parameter of interest, under the assumption of a known upper bound on data persistence. Finite-sample optimal tests are derived within the Gaussian location model, revealing that robustness-efficiency tradeoffs are primarily determined by the maximal persistence. With a suitable adjustment to the critical value, the equal-weighted cosine (EWC) test emerges as nearly optimal, wherein the long-run variance is estimated through projections onto q type II cosines. This approach establishes a direct link between the choice of q and persistence assumptions, accompanied by adjustments to the …

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 …

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 …

Assoreted Non-Shaikh - 1, Anwar Shaikh Phd

Archives of Anwar Shaikh

This collection includes:

• Treynor, J. L. (1994). Samizdat: The investment value of plant. Financial Analysts Journal, 50(2), 12–17.

• Kritzman, M. (1994). What practitioners need to know about serial dependence. Financial Analysts Journal, 50(2), 19–22.

• Kemp, K. (n.d.). International price and quantity comparisons: Purchasing power parities and real expenditures, Canada and the United States. Statistics Canada, Cat. No. 13-201.

• Handwritten notes based on the Canada data.

• Asada, T. (n.d.). The Sraffian system and theories of distribution and effective demand: Some applications. Konazawa University Economics Review, 23(3), 71–125.

• Data from Statistics Canada, Cat. No. 11-210.

• Data from Banking and Finance.

• A letter …

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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.

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 …