Digital Commons Network^™

No. 84: Small-Town Xenophobia And Migrant Anxieties In South Africa’S Limpopo Province, Godfrey Tawodzera, Jonathan Crush

Southern African Migration Programme

South Africa’s major cities are regularly wracked by large-scale xenophobic violence directed at migrants and refugees from other countries. Informal-sector businesses and their migrant owners and employees are particularly vulnerable targets during these attacks. Migrant-owned businesses are also frequently targeted in smallerscale looting and destruction of property. There is now a large literature on the characteristics and causes of xenophobic violence and attitudes in South Africa, based on quantitative and qualitative research in the country’s major metropolitan areas. One of the consequences of big-city xenophobia has been a search for alternative markets and safer spaces by migrants, including relocating to …

How The Past Of Outsourcing And Offshoring Is The Future Of Post-Pandemic Remote Work: A Typology, A Model, And A Review, Chris Erickson, Peter Norlander

School of Business: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Information and communication technology (ICT) challenges traditional assumptions about the capacity to manage workers beyond organizational and physical boundaries. A typology connects a variety of non-traditional work organizations made possible by ICT, including offshoring, outsourcing, remote work, virtual companies, and platforms. A model illustrates how new technology serves as a proximate cause for a revision of social contracts between capital, labor and government reached through bargaining, and how external shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the institutional environment, and limitations in practice influence how technology changes the organization of work. An historical case illustrates the general features of the model, …

Front Matter: 2022 State Of The Commonwealth Report, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Cover, front matter, table of contents, sponsors, and other materials for the 2022 State of the Commonwealth Report authored by the Center for Economic Analysis and Policy at Old Dominion University.

Part 5: A Deeper Dive Into The Blacksburg-Christiansburg Metropolitan Area, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

The Blacksburg-Christiansburg metropolitan statistical area includes the counties of Giles, Montgomery, and Pulaski as well as the independent city of Radford. Virginia Tech, with over 37,000 full-time equivalent students in the 2021–2022 academic year, is not only the largest employer in the metro area, but it continues to expand its reach across the Commonwealth. We highlight how the metro region has fared over the last decade and discuss the prospects for future growth.

2022 State Of The Commonwealth Report, Vinod Agarwal, Barbara Blake, Bojana Bolozan, Ashley Desilva, Nikki Johnson, James V. Koch, Timothy M. Komarek, Feng Lian, Sharon Lomax, Christian Manty, Janet Molinaro, Brendan O'Hallarn, Terry Parker, Matt Voegel, Suzanne Wright, Robert M. Mcnab

State of the Commonwealth Reports

This is Old Dominion University’s eighth annual State of the Commonwealth Report. While it represents the work of many people connected in various ways to the university, the report does not constitute an official viewpoint of Old Dominion, its president, Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D., the Board of Visitors, the Strome College of Business, or the generous donors who support the activities of the Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy.

Our work seeks to contribute to the conversation about how Virginia can foster growth across the Commonwealth over the coming decade without glossing over the challenges we face. Instead of …

Part 4: Virginia's Lawyers Confront Tougher Times, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

While movies and television shows portray lawyers as members of high society, with expensive cars and tastes, the reality is grittier. In 2021, more than 90% of law students took out a loan to enable them to pay their costs, and the typical law school graduate owed $165,000 in loans. The crucial point of this report, however, is that significant proportions of law school graduates are destined to be disappointed if they pursue a career in law believing they will earn lots of money. In this chapter, we explore the supply of lawyers in Virginia and whether we are producing …

Life In Hampton Roads Survey Press Release #3: Economy & Employment, Social Science Research Center, Old Dominion University

Life in Hampton Roads Survey Report

Life in Hampton Roads 2022 - Economy & Employment

Hampton Roads residents had mixed perceptions of the economy but showed some optimism about their own financial situation. Less than half (42.4%) of those surveyed rated the economic conditions in Hampton Roads as excellent (3.1%) or good (39.3%). A similar percentage (42%) rated economic conditions as fair and 14.6% rated them as poor. Interestingly, despite the impacts of COVID-19, these ratings are not much different than in past years of the survey, during or prior to the pandemic. For example, in 2021, 47.5% rated economic conditions as excellent or good and …

Does Administrative Burden Deter Young People? Evidence From Summer Jobs Programs, Syon Bhanot, S. Heller

Economics Faculty Works

Administrative burden reduces the effectiveness of public social programs by deterring take up among adults, but we know little about the role these burdens play in public programs for young people. This paper uses empirical evidence to assess how different barriers shape adolescents’ take-up of summer jobs programs. In a Philadelphia experiment, we find that reminder emails increased application completion by 1.8 percentage points (12.3 percent), with bigger effects from emphasizing short-term monetary gains. In a non-experimental analysis of Philadelphia and Chicago programs, we show that without individualized support during enrollment, disconnected youth are less likely to participate when offered …

Front Matter: The State Of The Region: Hampton Roads 2022, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Cover, Front Matter, Table of Contents, Sponsors, and other materials for the 2022 The State of the Region Report authored by the Center for Economic Analysis and Policy at Old Dominion University.

The State Of The Region: Hampton Roads 2022, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University, Vinod Agarwal, Christen Black, Barbara Blake, Bojana Bolozan, Ashley Desilva, Joseph Hollar, Elizabeth Janik, Nikki Johnson, James V. Koch, Tim Komarek, Feng Liang, Sharon Lomax, Christian Manty, Janet Molinaro, Christian Moore, Brendan O'Hallarn, Terry Parker, Matt Voegel, Suzanne M. Wright

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

[From the introductory material]

This is Old Dominion University’s 23rd annual State of the Region Report. While it represents the work of many people connected in various ways to the university, the report does not constitute an official viewpoint of Old Dominion, its president, Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D., the Board of Visitors, the Strome College of Business or the generous donors who support the activities of the Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy.

Over the past year, we have experienced the continued uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of inflation, and geopolitical shocks that have affected our daily …

In Memoriam: Arthur Diamonstein, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Arthur Diamonstein, a former rector of Old Dominion University’s Board of Visitors, died in Norfolk on Aug. 14. He was 92.

Part 3: Splish - Splash - Cash: Swimming In Hampton Roads, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Hampton Roads is known for its relationship with water. For some, it is too much water in the wrong place at the wrong time. For others, it is how water can transform lives. Hampton Roads is home to several premier swimming organizations, and Hampton is opening a state-of-the-art aquatics facility. We explore how swimming is intertwined with the history of the region and the economic impact of the sport on the economy and lives of the region’s resident

Part 6: Perhaps I Won't Go To Law School After All: Lawyers In Hampton Roads, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

While movies and television shows portray lawyers as members of high society, with expensive cars and tastes, the reality in Hampton Roads is grittier. Between 2005 and 2021, lawyers’ real income in the region declined by more than 25%. In this chapter, we explore the supply of lawyers in Hampton Roads and whether we are producing too many lawyers for economic conditions in the region. We ask what the future may hold for the legal profession in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and the nation.

Part 4: Does Hampton Roads Have Enough Nurses?, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

In 2021, nurses ranked again as the most trusted profession in the United States. Yet, even though many Americans view nurses favorably, nurses have been the target of conspiracy theories, verbal abuse, and yes, physical violence. As more nurses report symptoms of burnout and some are quitting the profession entirely, we explore the coming shortage of nurses in Hampton Roads, Virginia and the United States and ask what factors limit the supply of nurses in the region.

Miss Lebanon: The Digital Age’S Way Of Maintaining The Gender Gap, Ali Badereddine

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Descriptive Model Of Economic Development, Thomas O. Armstrong

Pennsylvania Economic Review

A descriptive model of economic development is a long-run framework for enhancing production factors through a supportable economic development infrastructure contributing and exploiting physical and human technological innovations. When supportable, the developmental impact results in a per capita increase with demand for goods and services changes as income increases. The structure of the labor shifts to a greater skilled and technological demanded workforce therefore contributing greater innovation in a reinforced economic development model. Costs and regulations, quality of life, innovation or competitiveness, and constitutional/institutional framework underlie an economic development infrastructure focusing upon Pennsylvania for any gaps to supportability.

Income Inequality In Pennsylvania, 1988-2018: Estimates From Taxable Income Bracket Data, David A. Latzko

Pennsylvania Economic Review

Income inequality among Pennsylvania taxpayers has worsened over the past 30 years. Estimates of the Gini coefficient for total income made from tax bracket data compiled by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue indicate that measured inequality increased by 7.5 percent between 1988 and 2018. While wages account for the large majority of income inequality in Pennsylvania, the major drivers of the documented increased inequality in taxpayer income since 1988 have been rising inequality in income from dividends including mutual fund distributions and net business profits.

Courting American Capital: Public Relations And The Business Of Selling Ivorian Capitalism In The U.S., 1960-1980, Abou B. Bamba

History Faculty Publications

This chapter is an invitation to reimagine the roles assigned to players in the history of capitalism on the global stage. It challenges aspects of the historiography of capitalism in the twentieth century, which tend to center on historical actors and institutions of the Global North. Even when actors in the Global South are discussed, it is usually to portray them as passive victims of an intractable system. By focusing on the Ivory Coast and its economic diplomacy toward the United States, I seek to destabilize this general picture.

The Evolution Of Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Health Outcomes, Megan T. Hoang

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Health disparities between different racial/ethnic groups in the United States are substantial. When reviewed across an extensive body of literature, these disparities have been demonstrated to persist even when socioeconomic status, geographic region, health conditions, treatment methods, and patient access-related variables are controlled. This ultimately leads to higher mortality rates among minority patients, making disparities in health a highly prevalent issue. However, the literature suggests that while racial and ethnic disparities in health have been widely examined, research documenting the evolution of these changes over time is lacking. This motivates the research questions: (1) How has the impact of racial …

An Analysis Of The 2014 Medicaid Expansion On New York And California's Maternal Mortality Rate, Reshanna Jagroo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis seeks to investigate the 2014 Medicaid expansion’s effect on maternal mortality rates for New York and California. The CDC reported in 2019 that maternal mortality rates have been increasing. These findings are concerning for mothers and are a problem for developed nations like the United States with improved healthcare. Furthermore, women of color are disproportionately affected relative to white women. Previous research has indicated that healthcare expansions positively affect decreasing death rates among pregnant women.

In this study, I investigate how increased access to healthcare through the 2014 Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act affects maternal mortality …

Worker Cooperatives And Globalization: A Case Study Of Fagor Electrodométicos Utilizing Game Theory, Bradley C. Williams

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The internationally recognized and flagship worker cooperative Fagor Electrodomésticos was founded in 1956 and was heralded as a success story before declaring bankruptcy in 2013. In this thesis, I examine the existing literature regarding worker cooperatives and provide historical background on Fagor Electrodomésticos. I then focus on one of the factors credited by the literature as contributing to its failure and other worker cooperatives broadly, the internal decision-making process. To analyze the role of the internal decision-making process I develop a game-theoretic model that sheds light on the dynamics of this process. This model contains three actors each of whom …

Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Gambling Behavior And Revenues: A Multi-State Analysis, Xiaoling W. Sundberg

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individual gambling behavior by testing whether ticket sales and revenues in the multi-state parimutuel PowerBall and MegaMillions lotteries decreased or increased between the pre-COVID and COVID periods in Florida, Texas, and Colorado. Two competing hypotheses are investigated. First, gambling activity may have decreased during COVID either due to increased risk-aversion induced by the pandemic, negative changes in household income from the loss of employment, or a combination of the two. Second, gambling activity may have increased during COVID either due to increased willingness to take risks, substitution of income previously …

Choice Of Accounting Major Amongst Minority Students As A Function Of Socioeconomic Status, Sara Mohammed

Honors Undergraduate Theses

I tested the relationship between self-efficacy and socioeconomic status and how the combination can affect major choices in African American students. I used the social cognitive career theory and process mediation models to analyze the results of different variables. At the University of Central Florida, the participants were 1200 students in the introduction to financial accounting course. They completed a survey that measured various social barriers, social supports, and self-efficacy. Implications of future research in the context of accounting fields are discussed.

Determinants Of Bond Market Development In Emerging And Developing Economies, Mohanad Alsadoun

CGU Theses & Dissertations

A study of local currency bond market development determinants in Emerging Market Economies (EMEs) is considered important when most EMEs and developing countries are shifting from issuing long-term debt securities in foreign currency denominations to their respective local currencies. This dissertation discusses key factors that influence the development of the local currency bond market (LCBM) in emerging developing economies. This study uses three different models to examine the importance of various factors. A total of 26 countries have been examined, and their data revealed several interesting results. The results show that larger economic size, larger banking systems, greater trade openness, …

Physiological Synchrony Predicts Cooperative Behavior With High Stakes, Lena Arai

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Can subconscious bodily responses explain our natural tendency to be trusting and trustworthy towards a stranger? I address this question by conducting, to my knowledge, the first study of physiological synchrony (PS) between pairs of partners playing the trust game face-to-face. Participants were given the choice to send $0, $40, $80, or $120 to their partner; these choices were categorized as showing no, low, medium, and high trust, respectively. Participants were endowed with a more considerable sum of money ($120) than many other trust games (Johnson & Mislin, 2011) to encourage participants to perceive their decisions to have significant consequences, …

Essays On Crime And Law, Morgan Elaine Stockham

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Civil law and public policy often are related to crime in complex and interesting ways. The following dissertation explores the intersections of divorce law and public policy with criminal outcomes. Within my first chapter, we attempt to identify the causal effect of wages on a prosecutor’s effort by studying an exogenous salary increase in New York. We measure the performance by the likelihood that a conviction is upheld when appealed. If the efficiency wage theory explains behavior, then the exogenous wage shock should entice better performance. Alternatively, if individuals who hold office are motivated primarily by an intrinsic motivations rather …

Essays In Behavioral Economics And Neuroeconomics, Rana Sulaiman Alogaily

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation is composed of three unrelated chapters on Behavioral Economics and Neuroeconomics, all of which are on different topics. Chapter 1: Willingness to Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19 and Reasons for Hesitancy Among U.S Residents. Chapter 2: Testosterone Administration Induces A Red Shift in Democrats. Chapter 3: Neurophysiologic Predictors of Mood in the Elderly.

Three Essays In Law And Economics: Consequences And Formation Of Legal Rules In Other Markets, Minjae Yun

CGU Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis, I study the consequences and formation of legal rules in the “non-traditional” markets to show that non-traditional markets are fundamental to a society’s functioning. The first chapter shows how legal participants strategically behave based on judicial disqualification. The second chapter examines the unintended consequence of a decarceration policy in the criminal-justice system by linking the ex-criminal re-entry issue and homelessness. Lastly, the third chapter concentrates on how the tenure of elected law enforcement agents contributes to the jail-crowding environment, leveraging term limits imposed on local county elected officials.

The first chapter examines the use and impact of …

An Exponential Formula For Random Variables Generated By Multiple Brownian Motions, Maximilian Lawrence Baroi

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The frozen operator has been used to develop Dyson-series like representations for random variables generated by classical Brownian motion, Lévy processes and fractional Brownian with Hurst index greater than 1/2.The relationship between the conditional expectation of a random variable (or fractional conditional expectation in the case of fractional Brownian motion)and that variable's Dyson-series like representation is the exponential formula. These results had not yet been extended to either fractional Brownian motion with Hurst index less than 1/2, or d-dimensional Brownian motion. The former is still out of reach, but we hope our review of stochastic integration for fractional Brownian motion …

Learning Before Testing: A Selective Nonparametric Test For Conditional Moment Restrictions, Jia Li, Zhipeng Liao, Wenyu Zhou

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper develops a new test for conditional moment restrictions via nonparametric series regression, with approximating series terms selected by Lasso. Machine-learning the main features of the unknown conditional expectation function beforehand enables the test to seek power in a targeted fashion. The data-driven selection, however, also tends to distort the test’s size nontrivially, because it restricts the (growing-dimensional) score vector in the series regression on a random polytope, and hence, effectively alters the score’s asymptotic normality. A novel critical value is proposed to account for this truncation effect. We establish the size and local power properties of the proposed …