Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report, Vol. 23, No. 4, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report

The economic recovery from the unrelenting COVID shock continues in the St. Cloud area as firms report an optimistic future outlook and employment grows. However, underlying this optimism are increases in wages, prices, capital expenditures, and worker shortages that may prove unsustainable in a post-COVID economy. Strong future optimism by surveyed firms is restrained by the reality that monetary and fiscal stimulus is abating perhaps faster than the pandemic.

Data released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) indicate St. Cloud area employment increased 2% over the twelve months ending October 2021, but still 4,493 (4%) below …

The Implications Of Covid-19 On Fear Of Financial Collapse, Alexis Reekie

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

By disrupting the general value paradigm, the typical hierarchy of values, individuals directly affected by the COVID-19 virus have realized an overall shift in perspective, indicating a need to understand the effects of the COVID-19 virus on one’s outlook regarding economic anxiety and fear of financial collapse. The possibility of a global health crisis reaching levels of devastation are certainly great and worth investigating. Throughout this research paper I worked to determine the correlation between fear of financial crises and individuals who have been affected by the COVID-19 virus. Utilizing the Chapman Survey of American Fears (FEAR survey) questions pertaining …

Futurological Fodder: On Communicating The Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, And Employment, Michael E. Samers Dr

Geography Faculty Publications

This article examines the debate concerning the employment implications of the so-called ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ (FIR) or the increasing presence of artificial intelligence and robotics in workplaces. I analyze three ‘genres’ associated with this debate (academic studies including neo-classical and heterodox/post-human approaches, the ‘gray literature’, and popular media) and I argue that together they represent ‘futurological fodder’ or discourses and knowledges that ‘perform’ the FIR and its purported consequences. I contend further that these genres involve a complex mix of ethics and politics, and I conclude with a reflection on the political implications of the FIR debate.

China’S Geopolinomic Goals In Argentina, Chile, And Ecuador: How Chinese Resource Extraction Is Reinvigorating The Debate On Dependency, Eric Stephen Cruz

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to identify signs of economic dependency China creates in South America. The study builds on dependency theory by challenging China's self-categorization as a periphery nation. Using the mixed-methods case study approach, this study explores the effects of China's going out policy in South America. Specifically, the focus in the study is on asymmetric trade, increased debt, and economic dependency in the context of Argentina, Chile, and Ecuador. One of the study's significant findings is that dependency begins with access. China is efficient at securing access to natural resources through its trade arrangements, which seem …

St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report, Vol. 23, No. 3, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report

St. Cloud area economic recovery has begun as year-over-year regional employment has grown and surveyed local firms project strong business activity. While the pandemic appears to have created scars in the local economy that plague some of our local service sectors, many area firms continue to report challenges that are typically associated with rapid expansion—labor shortages, price increases, accelerating wage growth, etc. Data released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) indicate St. Cloud area employment increased 4.3 percent over the twelve months ending July 2021. However, employment in the Stearns-Benton Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is still …

Economics For Everyday Life: Opportunity Cost And Marginal Benefit, Christian Palencia

English Language Institute

Economics is a social science that may feel unreal or even useless for many people. Its concepts and definitions can be abstracts, complex and unpragmatic. However, the comprehend of some ideas of this science can be the key for a success decision making process for normal people’s life.

Contrary to popular belief, the economy is not about money, it is focused on studying the problem of shortage. Resources such as time and money are scarce, consequently, understanding the basic of economics is fundamental for everyone not only for economists. The opportunity cost and marginal benefit are an examples of two …

Financial Stress In Mountain West Cities And Townships, 2020, Saha Salahi, Kristian Thymianos, Eshaan Vakil, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This factsheet highlights financial stressors facing 16 cities in four Mountain West states: Arizona, Colorado Nevada, and New Mexico. The data included are reported in the 2020 “SmartAsset Study” by Ben Geier.

St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report, Vol. 23, No. 2, King Banaian, Richard Macdonald

St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report

The St. Cloud area economy is poised to exit recession as a variety of indicators suggest a broad-based recovery is on the horizon. While year-over-year data comparisons are now complicated by the historic decline in economic activity that occurred twelve months ago, there are signs that the pace of local economic activity continues to improve for many area firms. The pandemic has created scars in the local economy that will likely persist for months and years to come, but many area firms now seem to be experiencing challenges that are typically associated with rapid expansion—labor shortages, price increases, accelerating wage …

Census Tracts, Racial Separation, And The Landscape Of Higher Education, Aaron Scholl

College of Business: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation centers on research at the intersection of labor, public, and urban economics. Chapter 1 details the role, process, and history of census tract delineation prior to each Decennial Census, and investigates short- and long-run implications of neighborhoods that receive further delineation, or become “split”. Using a difference-in-differences empirical design, I exploit Decennial Censuses from 1980 to 2010 to find that “split” census tracts increase in their proportion of Black residents and these effects persist decades. Further evidence suggests that the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program may play a role in concentrating residents in areas with greater census tract …

The Impact Of Information Shocks And Partisanship On The Evolution Of Covid-19 In Connecticut, Joslin Valiyaveettil

Honors Scholar Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of life within the United States since early 2020. How people decided to behave during this time heavily influenced the trends that followed, triggering both health and behavioral economic concerns. Those trends seemed to vary based on the area and the beliefs of those constituents. This paper explores how partisan beliefs had an impact on the changes in case rates that occurred within the top 30 most populated towns in the state of Connecticut. In July 2020, former President Donald Trump sent out a tweet publicly endorsing face masks for the first time. …

Air Quality-Related Health And Environmental Trade-Off Of Electrification: Evidence From Vietnam, Doan Thu Thuy Nguyen

Richard A. Harrison Symposium

Abundant evidence has shown that expanding access to electricity dramat- ically widens access to education, healthcare, and equality. However, the liter- ature on the direct impacts of electrification on air quality and health is still in its infancy. While electricity access can lead to higher outdoor air pollution due to increased reliance on fossil fuel combustion, its usage lowers indoor air pollution as households switch from burning solid fuels to using electricity and become distanced from the source of pollution. Contributing to the nascent lit- erature, this article represents the first quantitative examination of this trade- off between the overall …

Intentional Individual Curation Of Information (Open Pedagogy Example), Dorina Tila

Open Educational Resources

This assignment aims at making instruction student-centered where students would participate in the curation of content. Using findings from prior conducted research and group discussions, students will present some economic indicators and the performance of the economy of a country of their choice (students self-selects the country to be researched). For example, the student is asked to identify the latest recession experienced by the selected country using the historical real GDP data collected and analyzed in stage two. Having identified the time of the recession, the student is asked to explain what happened to the other economic indicators, such as …

Unintentional Group Curation Of Information (Open Pedagogy Example), Dorina Tila

Open Educational Resources

This assignment aims at making instruction student-centered where students would participate in the curation of content but in an unintentional way. Students participate in classroom games that eventually unravel economic theory and they are unaware that they are doing it. This can be done by running experiments (e.g., double auction, or option to give a fine), collect the information, and sharing it with students. Comparing the results with the findings from the economic theory in textbook or findings in academic articles, will provide students with a better understanding of the material as they would have unintentionally proven or disproven the …

Intentional Group Curation Of Information (Open Pedagogy Example), Dorina Tila

Open Educational Resources

This assignment aims at making instruction student-centered where students would participate in the curation of content. Students are asked to explain the various economic topics using the economic terminology and personal experience. For example, in this assignment, the students are split in groups and asked to discuss and identify what their opportunity cost of getting a college degree is. They will discuss all the items that comprise the opportunity cost and the benefits of going to college and share this in real time with everyone else through a google document.

Assignment Learning Outcomes:

• Define and apply the notion of opportunity …

Voting Your (Home)Values: An Empirical Assessment Of Homeownership And Voting Patterns In Seattle, Carter Fredrick Morfitt

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

In this paper, I draw on data from King County Elections and the U.S. Census Bureau's American Communities survey in an attempt to assess the predictions of the "homevoter hypothesis", which posits that homeowners tend to support policy measures that will boost their home values and oppose policy measures that could be perceived as a threat to their home values.

St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report, Vol. 23, No. 1, King Banaian, Richard Macdonald

St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report

Revised data released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) indicate St. Cloud area employment declined 6.5 percent over the twelve months ending January 2021. Area employment was 7,097 lower than one year earlier as the local recession continues into its second year. The pandemic has adversely affected nearly all local sectors—only the local construction center has experienced job growth over the past year. Ninety percent of the impact was felt in approximately one-half of area employment. For example, employment in the local leisure & hospitality sector was one-third lower over the past twelve months and the …

A Climate Chronology, Sharon S. Tisher

School of Economics Faculty Scholarship

The most challenging of all endeavors in human history will likely be that of understanding the impact of our industrial and technological enterprises on the planet’s climate and ecosystems, and responding effectively to the threats posed by that impact. I began writing this chronology while developing a climate policy course at the University of Maine. It has grown substantially during the ensuing nine years, and continues to grow.

By juxtaposing developments in climate science, U.S. policy, and international policy over the previous two centuries, I hope to give the reader new insights into where we have been, where we are …

Not-So-Full-Ride Scholarship: Analysis Of Merit-Based Aid Gpa Renewal Requirements, Samuel Brown

Honors Theses

This paper examines the potential consequences of the 3.50 GPA renewal requirement for the Regents Scholar Tuition Commitment (RSTC) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). To examine these potential outcomes, I’ve synthesized several studies of Georgia’s Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) program. Additionally, I sought to compare the RSTC with other similar programs at UNL’s peer Big Ten institutions. To accomplish this, I compiled and analyzed public information on merit-based programs at the 14 Big Ten schools from their university websites. In doing so, I found that the RSTC is in the lowest quartile in terms of value to the …

Occupational Licensing And Immigrants, Hugh Cassidy, Tennecia Dacass

Economics Faculty Scholarship

This study examines the incidence and impact of occupational licensing on immigrants using two sources of data: the Current Population Survey and the Survey of Income and Program Participation. We find that immigrants are significantly less likely to have a license than similar natives and that this gap is largest for men, workers in the highest education level, and nonnaturalized immigrants. The licensing rate increases with years since migration and shows large variation by immigrants’ region of origin. A lack of English proficiency reduces the probability that an immigrant has a license. The wage premium from having a license is …

Kentucky Annual Economic Report 2021, Michael W. Clark, James P. Ziliak, Simon Sheather

Kentucky Annual Economic Report

This report is one of the important ways that the Center for Business and Economic Research fulfills its mission to examine various aspects of Kentucky’s economy as directed by the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS 164.738). The analysis and data presented here cover a variety of topics that range from a discussion of Kentucky’s current economic climate to a broad presentation of factors affecting the economy.

The report covers numerous dimensions of Kentucky’s economy and COVID-19’s effects are evident across many of these dimensions. The pandemic brought the longest running economic expansion to an abrupt end. By April, Kentucky’s employment declined …

The Effects Of States’ Economic Conditions On The Quality Of Public Education System, Huan Yang

Honors College Theses

Many previous researchers have looked at the effects of education on certain economic factors. However, this paper investigates the topic of education from a different perspective: using data of several economic factors for all 50 states in America from the year of 2017 and an education ranking system from U.S. News & World Report, this paper analyzes the effects of a state’s economic conditions on its quality of public education system through a cross-sectional model. Results from the analysis show that poverty rate, current expenditure per pupil, public high school graduation rate, and share of revenues for public elementary and …

Survey Of The Labor Market For New Ph.D. Hires In Economics 2021-2022, Mervin Jebaraj, David Sorto, Raja Kali

Labor Market Survey

This year, the survey questionnaire was sent to 368 organizations. Questionnaires were returned by 144 organizations (39.1 percent). Of this year’s responses, 53 (36.8 percent) were from those who responded to the last survey conducted for the 2020-21 academic year. Among the academic institutions responding, the distribution of highest degrees offered was as follows: Ph.D.—51.4 percent; Master’s—11.8 percent and Bachelor’s—35.4 percent.

The responses are reported for all respondents, and separately for Ph.D. Degree granting institutions and for schools whose highest degree offered is the Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree. Data for the top 30 institutions in the revised National Research Council’s …

Northwest Arkansas State Of The Region Report 2021, Mervin Jebaraj, David Sorto

State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report

The State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report is an annual publication, commissioned by the Northwest Arkansas Council, that serves as a tool for evaluating economic performance. In 2018, the Northwest Arkansas Council created a strategic action agenda for 2018-2021. In this plan, the performance of Northwest Arkansas is benchmarked with other contemporary, high-performing regions: Austin, Des Moines, Madison, Durham-Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Provo-Orem. The 2021 State of the Region Report compares Northwest Arkansas with these regions in the areas of gross domestic product, employment, unemployment, establishment growth, average annual wages, research and development, and average domestic airfares. The 2020 …

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report, Quarter 4, 2021, Pittsburg State University. Gladys A. Kelce College Of Business

Pittsburg Micropolitan Reports

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report is created by the Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) at Pittsburg State University.

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Profile, 2021, Pittsburg State University. Gladys A. Kelce College Of Business

Pittsburg Micropolitan Reports

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Profile is created by the Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) at Pittsburg State University.

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report, Quarter 1, 2021, Pittsburg State University. Gladys A. Kelce College Of Business

Pittsburg Micropolitan Reports

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report is created by the Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) at Pittsburg State University.

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report, Quarter 2, 2021, Pittsburg State University. Gladys A. Kelce College Of Business

Pittsburg Micropolitan Reports

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report is created by the Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) at Pittsburg State University.

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report, Quarter 3, 2021, Pittsburg State University. Gladys A. Kelce College Of Business

Pittsburg Micropolitan Reports

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report is created by the Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) at Pittsburg State University.

Systematizing Confidence In Open Research And Evidence (Score), Nazanin Alipourfard, Beatrix Arendt, Daniel M. Benjamin, Noam Benkler, Michael Bishop, Mark Burstein, Martin Bush, James Caverlee, Yiling Chen, Chae Clark, Anna Dreber Almenberg, Timothy M. Errington, Fiona Fidler, Nicholas Fox, Aaron Frank, Hannah Fraser, Scott Friedman, Ben Gelman, James Gentile, Jian Wu, Et Al., Score Collaboration

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Assessing the credibility of research claims is a central, continuous, and laborious part of the scientific process. Credibility assessment strategies range from expert judgment to aggregating existing evidence to systematic replication efforts. Such assessments can require substantial time and effort. Research progress could be accelerated if there were rapid, scalable, accurate credibility indicators to guide attention and resource allocation for further assessment. The SCORE program is creating and validating algorithms to provide confidence scores for research claims at scale. To investigate the viability of scalable tools, teams are creating: a database of claims from papers in the social and behavioral …

Scholarly Open Access Journals In Economics: A Study Of Doaj, Anjaneya Reddy N M, Shamprasad M. Pujar

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The objective of this study is to report the quantitative analysis of open access (OA) journals in economics discipline covered in DOAJ. This article reports 287 economic journals indexed in DOAJ, which reveals the growth rate of journals in economics subject plunged to 87.11% since 2013, and 78.75% journals do not levy any APCs. Further, the results indicated cent percent peer-review process followed by all journals to ensure the quality and validity of its publications. About 97.96% journals publish their content under creative commons (CC) licensing models to enable access to scholarly content for educational use. Further, the study affirms …