Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Post Merger Performances In Japan, Mami Suzuki

Honors Papers

Mergers and acquisitions are relatively new phenomena in the Japanese market. The total number M & A transactions per year has increased from approximately 500 to 1,752 between 1995 and 2002. MergerStat records 3,510 and 7,411 transactions in the U.S. for the equivalent years. The percentage of M & A transactions per number of business entities was 0.03% for Japan in 2001 and 0.1% for the U.S. in 2002. As illustrated through the figures, the frequency of M&A in Japan is considerably lower relative to the U.S., but proliferation of transactions is evident as well. Post-merger performances of firms in …

Small-Scale Biodiesel Production: A Feasibility Study, Isabel Call

Honors Papers

The objective of the research presented in this paper is the development of cost curves for small-scale biodiesel production and a comparison of relevant technologies. The three technologies considered are the biodiesel pilot plant at the Iowa Energy Center's Biomass Energy Conversion Center, the commercially-sold Fuelmeister, and the bicycle-powered machine currently under development by students at Oberlin College. The price of biodiesel at which production via these technologies becomes profitable and the relative profitability of each will be determined through the use of a linear program. The importance of resource recovery and energy efficiency and the use of recycled feedstocks …

Does The Type Of Legal Representation Affect Sentencing Outcomes?, Lawren Elaine Hill

Honors Papers

This paper examines the potential differences in sentencing outcomes for public defenders compared with private attorneys. I explore the economic literature for explanations, implications, and results. There is a need for extensive research within the field of economics to provide empirical results to offset the mostly game-theoretically dominated discussion of the criminal justice system. The results are inconclusive due to a lack of statistical significance and potential selection bias in the data. Future research relating to this study is also discussed.

Production Cost Structure And Commercial Success In The New Film Industry, Daniel Hatkoff

Honors Papers

In a country that thrives on commercialism and image, the motion picture industry is an engine of social commentary, celebrity, and enormous cash flows. From the development of the first kinetoscope to our current star-studded event-movie culture, the industry has evolved and grown to become one of the largest and most influential cultural forces in the world today.

Substantial critical analysis and literature exist discussing aesthetic qualities in film production. This paper does not follow that particular line of inquiry. Instead, we examine film as an industry focused on profitability, in which all decisions are based on the ultimate bottom-line. …