Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Should Voting Be Mandatory? Democratic Decision Making From The Economic Viewpoint, Olga Kosheleva, Vladik Kreinovich, Boakun Li

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

Many decisions are made by voting. At first glance, the more people participate in the voting process, the more democratic -- and hence, better -- the decision. In this spirit, to encourage everyone's participation, several countries make voting mandatory. But does mandatory voting really make decisions better for the society? In this paper, we show that from the viewpoint of decision making theory, it is better to allow undecided voters not to participate in the voting process. We also show that the voting process would be even better -- for the society as a whole -- if we allow partial …

Demand For Accessible Type A Apartment Units In The City Of El Paso, Texas, Roberto Tinajero, David Ramirez, Lisa Tomaka, Dennis L. Soden

IPED Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Dinámica Del Consumo De Gasolina En Ciudad Juárez: 2001 - 2009, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Gabriel Múnoz Sapien, Martha Patricia Barraza De Anda, Lisbeily Domínguez Ruvalcaba

Border Region Modeling Project

This research analyzes short-run gasoline consumption dynamics in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México. Parameter estimation is carried out using linear transfer function ARIMA analysis. This market is of interest because it is influenced by regional, national, and international economic conditions due to its location on the border with the United States. Explanatory variables that satisfy the significance criterion include the real price of gasoline in Ciudad Juárez, the price of gasoline in Ciudad Juárez relative to that charged across the border in El Paso, Texas, USA, and formal sector employment in Ciudad Juárez. Sample data are for January 2001 to December …

Borderplex Economic Outlook: 2012-2014, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Adam G. Walke

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Mexico Consensus Economic Forecast, Volume 15, Number 4, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr, Adam G. Walke

Departmental Papers (E & F)

No abstract provided.

Why Clayton And Gumbel Copulas: A Symmetry-Based Explanation, Vladik Kreinovich, Hung T. Nguyen, Songsak Sriboonchitta

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

In econometrics, many distributions are non-Gaussian. To describe dependence between non-Gaussian variables, it is usually not sufficient to provide their correlation: it is desirable to also know the corresponding copula. There are many different families of copulas; which family shall we use? In many econometric applications, two families of copulas have been most efficient: the Clayton and the Gumbel copulas. In this paper, we provide a theoretical explanation for this empirical efficiency, by showing that these copulas naturally follow from reasonable symmetry assumptions. This symmetry justification also allows us to provide recommendations about which families of copulas we should use …

El Paso Downtown Management District: 2012 Employer Survey, Roberto Tinajero, David Ramirez, Dennis L. Soden

IPED Technical Reports

The Institute for Policy and Economic Development (IPED) at the University of Texas at El Paso was contracted by the El Paso Downtown Management District (DMD) and the City Development Department (CDD) of the City of El Paso, Texas to collect data and conduct survey research on issues related to downtown El Paso. Accordingly, this report provides a snapshot of the characteristics and opinions of business owners/managers within the Downtown Management District area. The survey and its findings are intended to guide the DMD and the CDD in their mission to improve public property, public facilities and promote economic development …

Mexico Consensus Economic Forecast, Volume 15, Number 3, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Adam G. Walke

Departmental Papers (E & F)

No abstract provided.

Mexico Consensus Economic Forecast, Volume 15, Number 2, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Adam G. Walke

Departmental Papers (E & F)

No abstract provided.

The Economic Impact Of Research Activities At The University Of Texas At El Paso (Fiscal Year 2010-11), David Ramirez, Roberto Tinajero, David A. Schauer, Dennis L. Soden

IPED Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Borderplex Panel Evidence On Restaurant Price And Exchange Rate Dynamics, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., André Varella Mollick

Border Region Modeling Project

This paper examines prices for 32 identical menu items sold by restaurant franchises operating on both sides of the border between El Paso in the U.S. and Ciudad Juárez in Mexico from July 1997 to June 2008. The relationship between real exchange rate (RER) volatility and the degree of price convergence is examined within a panel data context. The city-pair and goods selected provide a unique experiment in which distance, tradability, and industry considerations are set aside and the extent of RER volatility is the only factor to influence price convergence. We find non-monotonic relationships between mean reversion and RER …

Mexico Consensus Economic Forecast, Volume 15, Number 1, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Adam G. Walke

Departmental Papers (E & F)

No abstract provided.

Online Pharmacy Brand Name Medicine Price Differentials In The United States And Mexico, Francisco Javier Pallares

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this study is to further examine medicine price differences between the United States and Mexico. In particular, online pharmacy price differentials between the two countries have yet to be studied as closely as they have for other economies. The t-tests fail to reject the hypotheses of equal prices. However, the data is not normally distributed. A Wilcoxon test is performed to for the formal null hypothesis of price equality. The results indicate that medicines in online Mexican pharmacies are less expensive than their American competitors by a statistically significant margin.

An Empirical Analysis Of The Ciudad Juárez Homicides: The Impact Beyond An International Border, Pedro Nino

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Homicides, induced by the drug war, in Ciudad Juárez drastically increased beginning in 2007. Few studies have been carried out which asses the economic impacts of crime and homicides. Furthermore, the existing literature lacks regional assessment efforts (Rios 2008). Because of geographical proximity and close economic ties, this paper reviews some of the potential impacts the Ciudad Juárez homicides may have on the El Paso regional economy. A time series data approach is employed to assess potential impacts on factors including the El Paso metro business cycle index, El Paso employment, and El Paso retail sales. Findings indicate that fluctuations …

The Effects Of Education, Infrastructure, And Demographics Variables On Regional Income Performance In Missouri, Carlos Rafael Morales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this study is to examine the potential impacts of different educational attainment levels and infrastructure investment on income performance at the regional level within the state of Missouri. Data for all 114 counties in the state of Missouri are collected. Due to the presence of endogeneity, two-state least squares parameter estimation is carried. Results indicate income gains associated from increments in educational attainment levels. The effects of public capital stocks are not as clear-cut. Furthermore, enhancements of private capital stocks are related to higher income levels. Model simulations show the possible income gains from increasing educational attainment …

The Impact Of Oil Price Shocks On The El Paso-Ciudad Juarez Borderplex, Teodulo Soto

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This paper analyzes the effect of oil prices shocks on the economies of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. It employs a measure of the net oil price increase developed by Hamilton (1996) in a manner similar to that applied by Sill (2007) to the national economy. Impulse response functions are calculated to determine the impact of a 10-percent oil price shock on the regional economy. The asymmetrical relationship between oil prices and economic performance is also examined using a net oil price decrease variable. Results found in this study are inconclusive. A negative and statistically significant relationship with …

Employers' Perceptions Of Factors Related To The Workforce Development Of Community Health Workers In El Paso, Texas: A Descriptive Study, Aurora Aguirre Polanco

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Workforce studies are necessary for regional economic development and for having a diverse workforce that meets the communities' needs. Workforce studies explore the most salient factors of models aimed at balancing economic forces of supply and demand. Community Health Workers (CHWs) are frontline health workers recognized by both the United States (US) Department of Labor (DOL) and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA). CHWs' service is oriented towards health promotion and disease prevention; they deliver public health interventions.

External and internal factors to the US health care system such as health care and wealth disparities, changing …

The Private Business Of Porfirio Dí­Az And The Early Modernization Of Mexico, 1876-1911, Jorge H. Jimenez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Porfirio Dí­az came to power in 1876 and ruled Mexico for over three decades. This period has been known as the Porfiriato. Mexico's economy became part of the modern global market and the country experienced a process of industrialization, the rise of foreign trade, the expansion of communications, and the emergence of new social classes. These series of economic and social transformations have been linked with the country's early modernization.

My dissertation contributes new insights into Mexico's process of modernization and shows how this transformation brought the rise of an entrepreneurial class under Porfirio Dí­az guidance and leadership. My dissertation …

The Effect Of Incubator Participation In Developed Market Direct Entry By Emerging Market Firms, Ebetuel Pallares-Venegas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Motivated by the increased resurgence of emerging markets, this dissertation draws from a milieu of academic disciplines and professional experiences to study a previously undocumented phenomenon. This study empirically measures the increase in emerging market firm (EMF) absorptive capacity obtained during their developed market entry by participating in incubators in the United States. This study lays out both a theoretical and an empirical model of product commercialization focusing on absorptive capacity and the moderating effect of incubator participation. The study employs a sample of high-technology firms from Mexico entering the United States during the time period from 2009 to 2011. …