Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Economic Potential For Distributed Manufacturing Of Adaptive Aids For Arthritis Patients N The U.S., Nicole Gallup, Jennifer Bow, Joshua M. Pearce

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Publications

By 2040, more than a quarter of the U.S. population will have diagnosed arthritic conditions. Adults with arthritis and other rheumatic conditions earn less than average yet have medical care expenditures that are over 12% of average household income. Adaptive aids can help arthritis patients continue to maintain independence and quality of life; however, their high costs limit accessibility for older people and the poor. One method used for consumer price reduction is distributed manufacturing with 3-D printers. In order to assess if such a method would be financially beneficial, this study evaluates the techno-economic viability of distributed manufacturing of …

"Integrated Science 3002a: Big Bike Giveaway: Changing London's Environment, Health, And Economy One Bike At A Time", Jermiah Joseph, Katelyn Melo, Devanshi Shukla, Tony Nguyen, Katherine Teeter

Community Engaged Learning Final Projects

There are significant benefits that manifest when an individual chooses to ride a bicycle as their primary mode of transportation. To investigate these benefits, the environmental, health, economic, and social impacts of biking were evaluated through research and data analyses. This revealed that numerous advantages can be obtained at an individual and local scale through citizens choosing to adopt a biking lifestyle. However, it was found that many Londoners are deterred from biking due to poor biking infrastructure. This paper calls into question the current cycling framework in London and it’s limitations on achieving the numerous benefits that biking offers. …

Whatever Did Happen To The Antitrust Movement?, Herbert J. Hovenkamp

All Faculty Scholarship

Antitrust in the United States today is caught between its pursuit of technical rules designed to define and implement defensible economic goals, and increasing calls for a new antitrust “movement.” The goals of this movement have been variously defined as combating industrial concentration, limiting the economic or political power of large firms, correcting the maldistribution of wealth, control of high profits, increasing wages, or protection of small business. High output and low consumer prices are typically unmentioned.

In the 1960s the great policy historian Richard Hofstadter lamented the passing of the antitrust “movement” as one of the “faded passions of …

Future And Value: The Library As Strategic Partner, Antje Mays

Library Presentations

Broader economic trends spawn budget pressures for education and libraries, prompting a plethora of studies on the value and relevance of libraries. Numerous reports on economic decline in libraries and studies with mixed pronouncements on the value of libraries have led to a negative self-image within the library profession. Yet libraries' leadership in connecting learners to knowledge is at the heart of producing many of the key skills sorely needed in robust societies and economies. Librarianship has many untapped opportunities for positioning itself as a prominent strategic partner. This paper outlines current research on the economic and societal context for …

The 'New Normal' Of Flooding In Portsmouth, Virginia: Perspectives, Experiences, And Adaptive Responses Of Residents And Business Owners In Low To Moderate-Income Communities, Donta Council, Michelle Covi, Wie Yusuf, Joshua Behr, Makayla Brown, Old Dominion University Resilience Collaborative, Virginia Sea Grant

Presentations, Lectures, Posters, Reports

[First three paragraphs from the Summary]

This project is a part of a broader initiative - the Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool (RAFT) - that addresses the daunting challenges coastal communities are facing related to sea level rise and climate change (more information about RAFT is available here: https://ien.virginia.edu/raft).

This aim of this project was to investigate how residents and business owners in low-to-moderate income communities in Portsmouth, Virginia cope with flooding, and to assess implications for how the local government can better engage with residents to better meet their information needs so they can be more resilient to flooding. The …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: September 26, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 rose by 1.00% during August of 2018. Solid growth in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, suggests that Nebraska economic growth will be solid during the first few months of 2019. Business expectations were a positive component of the leading indicator. Respondents to the August Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase both sales and employment at their businesses over the next six months. There also was an improvement in manufacturing hours and airline passenger counts, while initial claims for unemployment insurance dropped.

Mayflower: Ode To New Beginnings — A New Column For New Times With A Positive Mission, Antje Mays

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

Numerous studies and articles downplay the value of libraries, citing instances of library defunding, layoffs, and outright closures, along with studies on the waning usefulness of libraries based on flawed quantifiables. Such pronouncements spread fear of obsolescence and irrelevance, contributing to dissatisfaction in the library profession. Yet polls in the United States and Great Britain reveal the library profession's enduring value among the most trusted professions.

To kick off the column "Mayflower: Ode to New Beginnings", this article frames library pressures in a context of broader trends affecting economic and educational conditions, examines professional stewardship and the library profession’s enduring …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: August 22, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 was flat during July of 2018, rising by just 0.05%. A flat value for the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, suggests that Nebraska economic growth will slow significantly at the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019. Business expectations were a positive component of the leading indicator. Respondents to the July Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase both sales and employment at their businesses over the next six months. However, a rising U.S. dollar and a drop in building permits for …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: July 25, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 fell by 0.40% during June of 2018. The decline in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, suggests that the pace of Nebraska economic growth will slow significantly during the 4th quarter of 2018. The indicator fell due to another sharp increase in the value of the U.S. dollar. A rising dollar puts additional pressure on Nebraska businesses which export. A decline in manufacturing hours and an increase in initial claims for unemployment insurance also contributed to the drop in the LEI-N. Business expectations were …

Examining Moral Hazard In The Healthcare Insurance Market, Samuel Ashby

Honors College Theses

This study aims to examine the effect of insurance coverage on medical expenditure in the United States. The data was gathered from the Household Component Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and is a cross-sectional data set with a sample size of approximately 1500 observations. The study also distinguishes between public and private insurance coverage to compare the potential moral hazard in the two separate markets. The results of this study suggest that insurance status, specifically public, has a strong positive effect on healthcare expenditure. This result, combined with a negative relationship between household income and healthcare expenditure, suggests that the source …

The Impact Of Remittances On Education Attainment: Evidence From Dominican Republic, Tahiya Begum

Honors College Theses

This paper will examine the relationship between remittances and education attainment focusing on Dominican Republic in 2002. This study will focus on households in Dominican Republic using surveys from IPUMS international and the data is cross-sectional. Sending remittances increases the income for households, which in return, influences the spending on education. The study of remittances is analyzed in a more cultural and social value rather than entirely economic. The dynamic and structure of a family is crucial when studying the effects of remittances in a developing country. Key findings from this analysis is that the relationship between education attainment and …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: June 20, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 rose by just 0.26% during May of 2018. The increase in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, suggests that the pace of economic growth will slow in Nebraska during the 4th quarter of 2018. The LEI-N rose due to strong business expectations. In particular, respondents to the May Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase both sales and employment at their businesses over the next six months. There also was an increase in manufacturing hours and passenger enplanements during May and a drop …

St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report Vol. 20 No. 2, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report

Despite heightened uncertainty from recent retail store closings, looming na­tional tariff policies and the future clo­sure of Electrolux, area firms continue to report strong optimism about future business activity. Area firms reported continuing difficulty attracting qualified workers, which appears to be restraining local employment growth. Local employ­ment grew at a tepid 0.4 percent rate over the year ending April 2018 as worker shortages limit firms' growth poten­tial. The manufacturing, education/health, wholesale trade, and transportation/warehousing/utilities sectors led local job growth, while the retail trade, mining/logging/construction, and leisure/hospitality sectors' employ­ment contracted.

A new St. Cloud Index of Leading Economic Indicators is unveiled …

Three Essays In Health, Welfare, And International Economics, Amin Shoja

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Both economists and policy makers are interested in understanding the welfare effect of economic policies, especially in small open economies such as Turkey and Iran. This knowledge is crucial for priority setting in any informed policy discussion. This dissertation aims to study the impoverishing effect of high levels of out-of-pocket (OOP) payments in the health sector, referred to as catastrophic health expenditure (CHE), and investigates the impact of exchange rate pass-through (ERPT) on both the microeconomic and macroeconomic indicators of a country. For millions of people worldwide, health payments present a huge financial risk. A high rate of OOP health …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: May 23, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 rose by 0.67% during April of 2018. The increase in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, suggests that the Nebraska economy will continue to grow through the 4th quarter of 2018. The LEI-N rose due to strong business expectations, an increase in airline passenger counts, and a drop in initial claims for unemployment insurance. In particular, respondents to the April Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase both sales and employment at their businesses over the next six months. However, there were also …

A Social Media Analysis Of Users, Their General Happiness, And The Impact On Marketers, Megan Hamberg

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

As the internet and social media become more prominent in today’s society, it is important for marketers and others to understand who is using these platforms and how this usage affects overall happiness. Using data gathered from the General Social Survey (GSS) 2016 Cross-Section and a survey created and distributed to Western Kentucky University (WKU) Students, this research examines the effect of demographic variables on whether or not respondents utilize Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Then, the impact of having accounts on these social media platforms on users’ overall general happiness is analyzed. Several other regressions were run and analyzed …

Forecasting Labor Force Participation At The Regional Level In The United States: The Case Of Maine, Maryam Kashkooli

Honors College

This project attempts to investigate the future of labor force participation in Maine using an econometric forecasting approach. Forecasting has become an increasingly popular form of statistical analysis which uses historical distributions to help estimate future distributions of econometric models. There exists extensive literature on forecasting employment, however the literature on forecasting labor force participation is relatively small. I adapt existing econometric models and make use of time series information on sociodemographic factors such as age and net migration in order to determine how Maine’s changing demographic structure is affecting its labor force and how these effects will carry on …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: April 25, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 rose by 0.88% during March of 2018. The increase in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, suggests that the Nebraska economy will grow steadily through the summer of 2018. Strong business expectations, rising manufacturing hours and rising air passenger enplanements were the reasons for the LEI-N increase. Respondents to the March Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase both sales and employment at their businesses over the next six months. Initial claims for unemployment insurance changed little during March but there was a …

An Application Of Economics & Environmental Planning: The Impacts Of Variable Rate Irrigation Technology On Net Farm Income, Hannah Jones, Zhenghong Tang, Karina Schoengold, Yunwoo Nam, Dana Varner

Community and Regional Planning Program: Professional Projects

Restoring playa wetlands back into predominantly agricultural landscapes has been a pressing issue for decades. The Nebraska Rainwater Basin Joint Venture (RWBJV) and its partners represent a wide variety of private and public groups who are offering solutions to this problem, while helping farmers maximize net farm income. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln partnered with the RWBJV on a project to determine how Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) technology would impact the profitability of farm management operations, while allowing the preservation of adjacent wetland areas. This study conducted an economic analysis that compared net farm income for producers that had participated in …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: March 21, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 rose by 1.03% during February of 2018. The increase in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, suggests that the Nebraska economy will grow steadily through the third quarter of 2018. Solid business expectations and a strong labor market were the primary reasons for the increase in the LEI-N. Respondents to the February Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase sales and employment at their businesses over the next six months. Further, there was a decline in initial claims for unemployment insurance during February, …

An Analysis Of The Social And Political Barriers To Wind Energy Development In Lancaster County, Nebraska, Corrin Bemis

Honors Theses

With the increasing threat of climate change beginning to impact cities and regions in the United States, many states are turning to renewable energy sources as a way to mitigate their carbon footprint. While Nebraska has the potential to be a leader in wind energy development within the next few years, some restrictions are still put in place that slow down the expansion of wind farms. Although the state is ranked 4^th in the nation for wind energy potential, Nebraska is ranked 20^th for actual wind energy development. This paper will define the social and political barriers that …

Nebraska Business And Consumer Confidence Indexes: March 9, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

Nebraska consumer and business confidence fell during February 2018, dropping from the near-peak levels seen in January. The Consumer Confidence Index – Nebraska (CCI-N) fell to 101.6 in February from a value of 115.2 in January. The February value remains above the neutral level of 100.0. The Business Confidence Index – Nebraska (BCI-N) fell to 107.4 In February from 112.2 in January. Both monthly readings were well above the neutral value of 100.0 suggesting that business confidence remains strong. When asked about the most important issue facing their business, customer demand was mentioned by 38 percent of respondents. But, there …

Networks Of Survival In Kinshasa, Mumbai, Detroit, And Comparison Cities; An Empirical Perspective, Beryl S. Powell

Ph.D. Dissertations (Open Access)

People in impoverished cities, for example in Kinshasa, lend small quantities of food to neighbors when requested, to prevent starvation. In Mumbai, they share their living space with others who are homeless. In Detroit, churches and the Detroit Urban League have helped poor residents to obtain jobs, meals, and housing. Rather than mere self-interest, this expression of generosity is an outstanding human quality. Networks of survival also include the lessons of history, good economic and political policies, human rights, equal opportunity, and culture.

Jews: The Makers Of Early Modern Berlin, Conlan Vance

2018 Symposium

This paper will discuss how Jews fit into the economic policies of Brandenburg-Prussia in the later 16^th century. From Frederick William’s decree in 1671 to allow fifty Jewish families to settle in Brandenburg-Prussia to these families and their descendants becoming immersed in the economy of Berlin through their use in courts but more so through their trading, specifically, the ways in which they traded and how they used these to free themselves from some of the constraints of German Christian society. Thusly, this will be shown by looking at Jews in Brandenburg-Prussia in the later 17th century, Jews in …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: February 21, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 rose by 1.18% during January of 2018. The increase in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, suggests that the Nebraska economy will grow steadily through the summer of 2018. A falling U.S. dollar, which is positive for Nebraska exporters, was one primary reason for the improvement in the leading indicator. The other was business expectations. Respondents to the January Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase sales and employment at their businesses over the next six months. In terms of negative components, there …

Nebraska Business And Consumer Confidence Indexes: February 2, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

Consumer and business confidence rebounded in Nebraska during January 2018. The Consumer Confidence Index – Nebraska (CCI-N) rose to 115.2, well above the neutral level of 100.0 and a value of 93.3 in December 2017. This is the highest level recorded for the CCI-N since it was first released in February of 2016. The Business Confidence Index – Nebraska (BCI-N) rose to 112.2 in January from 107.5 in December. Both monthly readings were well above the neutral value of 100.0. When asked about the most important issue facing their business, customer demand was mentioned by 40 percent of respondents. The …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: January 24, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 rose by 0.83% during December of 2017. The increase in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, suggests that the Nebraska economy will grow steadily during the first half of 2018. The December increase primarily resulted from a rise in building permits for single-family homes and positive business expectations. In particular, respondents to the December Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase sales and employment in the coming months. In terms of negative components, there was a decline in airline passenger counts during December.

Nebraska Business And Consumer Confidence Indexes: January 5, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

Consumer and business confidence declined in Nebraska during December 2017. The Consumer Confidence Index – Nebraska (CCI-N) fell to 93.3 in December, well below the neutral level of 100.0. The index had reached a record level of 106.2 in November, but that high level of confidence was not sustained. The Business Confidence Index – Nebraska (BCI-N) fell from 114.1 in November to 107.5 in December. While lower, the December reading remains well above the neutral value of 100.0. When asked about the most important issue facing their business, customer demand was mentioned by 38 percent of respondents. The availability and …

The Value Of Green Certification On Single-Family Houses In The Chicagoland Area, Raymond Bolton

Honors Projects

In the United States, residential buildings alone account for 33% of energy consumption. Rising concerns about environmental impacts due to human consumption, as well as health concerns related to pollution have caused a higher demand for environmentally conscious houses. Homebuilders have responded by providing green certifications for houses, attesting to a building’s efficiency in various aspects, such as site design and energy and water consumption. Using Multiple Listing Services real estate data on zero- to five-year-old houses sold between 2010 and 2017 in the Chicagoland area, this study examines whether there is a price premium associated with qualifying for green …

On The Relationship Between Economics And Ethics, Mark D. White

Publications and Research

Economics and ethics have been linked since the days of Adam Smith, but this connection became tenuous after the formalization of economic theory in the twentieth century, the success of which in academia, government, and business serves to insulate it from ethical critique. Nonetheless, a field of “economics and ethics” has developed to restore this connection, albeit in two directions with disparate methodological approaches: one applying mainstream economic theory, primarily based in utilitarian ethics, to topics of ethical concern, and the other incorporating alternate forms of ethics, such as deontology and virtue ethics, to enrich economic analysis.