Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

In Favor Of Bringing Game Theory Into Urban Studies And Planning Curriculum: Reintroducing An Underused Method For The Next Generation Of Urban Scholars, Brian Mcdonald Gardner

Dissertations and Theses

By looking at some historical examples of Urban Studies literature and theory (and a detailed dive into Neil Smith's "Toward a theory of gentrification…") this thesis makes the case that Game Theory has valid insights to add to the foundation of Urban Studies and Planning and should be included in Masters and Doctorate level curriculums. As a discipline Game Theory has revolutionized multiple other fields, and can be used both mathematically and/or non-mathematically. It is postulated below that the inclusion of Game Theory would help scholars and practitioners arrive at better outcomes. This case is made by reviewing various areas …

Unfair Commercial Practices In A Pit Market: Evidence From An Artefactual Field Experiment, Francesco Bogliacino, Rafael Charris, Cristiano Codagnone, Frans Folkvord, Felipe Montealegre, Francisco Lupiáñez-Villanueva

ESI Publications

Commercial practices such as drip pricing, reference pricing and best-price guarantee can be used to set higher prices and mislead consumers, but protective measures can restore efficiency. In a placebo-controlled market experiment, we examined a treatment allowing for the use and misuse of commercial practices. Three additional treatments tested the effects of formal sanctions, informal sanctions and a regret nudge. We found that commercial practices led to higher prices, cheating was systematic and regret nudging was ineffective. Furthermore, formal and informal sanctions reduced both the likelihood of using commercial practices and the likelihood of cheating, leading to welfare increases.

The Affordable Care Act And Women’S Self-Employment In The United States, Margaret Blume-Kohout

Economics Faculty Publications

The United States’ Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 improved and expanded availability of non-group health insurance. Previous studies have shown that women in the US workforce value health insurance more highly than men do. Because prior to the ACA self-employed individuals did not have guaranteed access to affordable health insurance coverage, women’s relatively lower rate of self-employment may partly have reflected their greater “job lock” due to employer-based health insurance. This article employs nationally representative survey data for 2009–18 and a quasi-experimental difference-in-difference modeling approach and finds that unmarried women’s probability of self-employment increased by 1.2 percentage points in …

The Geopolitics Of Infrastructuralized Platforms: The Case Of Alibaba, Hong Shen, Yujia He

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

Contemporary digital platforms have become increasingly infrastructuralized, and started to raise geopolitical tensions with their global expansion. Amidst the heightened geopolitical competition between the US and China, the growing power of Chinese infrastructuralized platforms has made them the center of recent geopolitical dynamics. Drawing from an exploratory case study, this paper discusses Alibaba, one of the most prominent Chinese Internet giants, as an infrastructuralized platform, and highlights its geopolitical struggles. Often perceived as an e-commerce company, Alibaba has become ‘infrastructuralized’: its now-massive digital empire has moved beyond e-commerce, expanding into almost every aspect of China’s and global digital economy such …

Theory Of Collective Action, Rohit J. Parikh

Publications and Research

Theory predicts that when people pursue their selfish aims then it leads to suboptimal outcomes for society or to the group they belong to. The prisoner's dilemma and the tragedy of the commons are classic examples. In her presidential lecture to the American Political Science Association Elinor Ostrom examined this fact and also noted that in practice people do not always follow the suboptimal strategy. What does she suggest? This document consists of slides I created giving an account of her paper. She had not won the Nobel when she gave this talk but it was conferred on her later.

The Economic Crisis Index Quarterly Newsletter, Darrol J. Stanley, Donald M. Atwater

Graziadio Working Paper Series

This is the first issue of a quarterly newsletter publication that will update the Economic Crisis Index ™. This issue explains in detail the methodology of the Economic Crisis Index (ECI) and its comparison to other similar indices. Future newsletters will center on the ECI number and its implication to the American economy. These newsletters will be posted on the Pepperdine University Digital Commons.

Unmasking The Tipping Point For The Next U.S. Financial Crisis, Darrol J. Stanley, Donald M. Atwater

Graziadio Working Paper Series

The risks of the next U.S. Financial Crisis are increasing. Many Americans are fearful of the very negative financial impact of the next crisis especially since it could occur so soon after the negative impact of the Covid Pandemic on the economy. Financial safety nets are weak. The scope of the crisis includes decreasing values of assets, a recession caused by government policies, decreases in the value of existing bonds, and significant social stress fueled by political polarization after the 2022 midterm elections. We believe the solution to the fear begins with knowledge and a logical approach to assess key …

Financial Literacy And Investing Habits Of Generation Z As It Pertains To Financial Marketing, Meghan Mazzatto

Honors Projects in Marketing

As technology boomed at the end of the 20th Century and into the 21st Century, the methods young adults use to manage their finances have also evolved. Between moving financial investing and banking to the internet, robo-advising apps, college debt, and the generational reaction to the 2008 Financial Crisis, the world of investing has taken a drastic turn when it comes to young investors. The purpose of this study is to examine the financial habits of Generation Z in order for financial planning companies to better market to the upcoming Generation Z. A survey was used for this study to …

College Street Journal (October 2022), College Of The Holy Cross

College Street Journal

College Street Journal serves as a student platform for business-related news, opportunities and resources at Holy Cross. Readers will discover a broad range of important topics from relevant news and economic issues, career development opportunities and advice, as well as Ciocca center and campus-wide opportunities to grow outside of the classroom.

Highlights of this edition include an interview with Rob Murner, student loan forgiveness, intership experinence at the United Nations, women in business, alumni interviews with Mary Ann Rettig-Zucchi '76 and Stephanie Lizzartz '90, and a faculty editorial.

A Survey Of Retail Trade Patterns In South Dakota: 2012-2021, Rand E. Wergin

Faculty Publications

This paper provides an analysis of retail sales and retail trade in the state of South Dakota for the years 2012 to 2021. This analysis will provide valuable information to community leaders in the cities and towns of South Dakota. Along with measures such as unemployment and inflation, Retail Pull (RP) provides a measure of community’s economic health. For example, retail is often the largest employer in a city, particularly the smaller communities of South Dakota, and a robust retail sector provides a tax base to support community services. Thus, the economic health of the community depends on the viability …

Political Dynasties, Business, And Poverty In The Philippines, Ronald U. Mendoza, Jurel K. Yap, Gabrielle Ann S. Mendoza, Leonardo M. Jaminola Iii, Erica Celine Yu

Ateneo School of Government Publications

Despite studies finding a link between political dynasty prevalence and poverty; empirical evidence in the Philippines shows that the relationship between dynastic concentration and underdevelopment is not the same across regions. We argue that an independent economic elite and high levels of economic activity; typically found in Luzon; affect the poverty and development impact of political dynasties. Local socioeconomic contexts shape the opportunities for predatory behavior among politicians and their relationships with economic elites. Using novel survey data on business-government linkages as well as an extensive dataset on local government leadership in the Philippines spanning 2004 to 2016; we find …

State Of The Northwest Arkansas Region 2022 Report, Mervin Jebaraj

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 July 2018, the Northwest Arkansas Council created a new blueprint for development in which Northwest Arkansas is benchmarked with other contemporary, high-performing regions, namely Austin, Des Moines, Madison, Durham-Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Provo-Orem.

The 2022 report compares Northwest Arkansas with these geographies in gross domestic product, employment, unemployment, establishment growth, median household income, average annual wages, poverty, educational attainment, research and development, homeownership costs, commuting time, and average domestic airfares. The following …

Economic Interdependence And Conflict: An International Relations Theory Analysis, Sam M. Arkin

Glatfelter Gazette

Theories of International Relations are constructed to help make sense of how power is divided amongst international actors. Three prominent theories: Realism, Liberalism, and Neo-Marxism, interpret international phenomena differently based on their assumptions about structures of global power. Economic interdependence is seen by each theory to impact who has power and how that power is maintained. These theories diverge in interpreting how economic interdependence impacts forms of conflict. These pieces do not interpret which theory is correct but work to emphasize the contextual foundations and analytical framework for how each theory perceives the entanglement of economic interdependence and conflict.

Perceptions Of The Economy And Employment In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2022 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steven A. Schulz, Amanda Tupper

Nebraska Rural Poll

Most rural Nebraskans believe most of the listed economic items will become worse or much worse over the next 12 months when asked in May and June. Almost nine in ten think the following will become worse: inflation, gasoline or diesel fuel prices, grocery prices, and interest rates. In fact, at least four in ten rural Nebraskans believe the following items will become much worse in the next 12 months: gasoline or diesel fuel prices, inflation, grocery prices, and healthcare costs. The two items that had less than one-half believing they would become worse or much worse during the next …

Financial Connectedness And Risk Transmission Among Mena Countries: Evidence From Connectedness Network And Clustering Analysis, Mehmet Balcilar, Ahmed H. Elsayed, Shawkat Hammoudeh

Topics in Middle Eastern and North African Economies

This study examines the financial connectedness and risk transmission among MENA economies by accounting for financial connectedness in the short and long run as well dependency under extreme market conditions and network graph analysis. To this end, Composite Financial Stress Indices are constructed for 11 MENA countries. In addition, a battery of econometric models is applied including the standard spillover approach, the frequency domain method, the quantile connectedness technique, and connectedness networks analysis. Using daily data over the period from June 30, 2006 to June 30, 2021, the empirical results show a positive and strong association between financial stress co-movements …

Econ 631: Econometrics Ii, John Gardner

GMAS Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Economic Perceptions And Potential Within La Marsa, Dean Roiland

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research largely focuses on the perspectives of the Tunisian youth in regards to the unemployment situation they are being faced with. These perspectives carry many insights as to the problems in Tunisia and the potential solutions to these problems. Background research was conducted to examine the specifics of the economic situation and how it ended up in such a state. The Tunisian economy was found to be heavily suffering from high unemployment, high inflation, a lack of job creation, and a lack of FDI to name a few. These negative symptoms have especially been impacting the young adults in …

Rural Microfinance And Business Ownership Outcomes A Case Of Tanzania Educational And Micro Business Opportunity (Tembo) Loan And Non-Loan Recipients In Longido District, Tanzania, Owen Conlin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The study takes place in a rural area of Tanzania with gender barriers that are extremely difficult to overcome on a cultural level. This research examines outcomes for women in Longido District, Tanzania along the lines of MFI participation, education levels, financial variables, and empowerment variables. This study intends to elaborate this theory by examining the role that education plays in the success of Microfinance Institutions (MFI’s). It was found that MFI participation is correlated with increased financial and overall independence. Higher levels of education are found to be correlated with increased income, financial independence, personal empowerment, and overall independence. …

“For A Better Future”: The Impact Of Labor Migration On Families In Samoa, Rebekah Underwood

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research sought to investigate the motivations, benefits, and consequences of international labor migration on Samoan families. Seasonal worker schemes in New Zealand and Australia were generally found to be beneficial to families given the tangible and material benefits it provided to them. The benefits of remittances were found to have been multiplied through investment in the village of Poutasi to increase industry and job opportunities. A lack of economic opportunity in Samoa was implicated in the motivation and beneficiality of participation in labor schemes and may have increased due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Family was at the forefront of …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of The Emergency Liquidity Assistance Tool In The Euro Area, Eleftheria Kostika, Nikiforos T. Laopodis

Business Faculty Publications

We examine the role and the efficiency of the emergency liquidity assistance (ELA) tool in the Euro area which has been used to confront the contagion in the banking sector and the illiquid financial market conditions. We study four European countries (Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, and Ireland), which have received substantial ELA since the 2008 financial crisis. Through Bayesian VAR models, we seek to determine the effectiveness of national central bank lending, which includes the amount of ELA received by the domestic banking sector, an assessment of the direct effect of ELA on banks' liquidity and lending through deposits thus allowing …

Cities In A Pandemic: Evidence From China, Badi H. Baltagi, Ying Deng, Jing Li, Zhenlin Yang

Center for Policy Research

This paper studies the impact of urban density, city government efficiency, and medical resources on COVID-19 infection and death outcomes in China. We adopt a simultaneous spatial dynamic panel data model to account for (i) the simultaneity of infection and death outcomes, (ii) the spatial pattern of the transmission, (iii) the inter-temporal dynamics of the disease, and (iv) the unobserved city- and time-specific effects. We find that, while population density increases the level of infections, government efficiency significantly mitigates the negative impact of urban density. We also find that the availability of medical resources improves public health outcomes conditional on …

State Capitalism’S Inability To Alter The Global Power Structure, Michael R. Woods

Student Publications

In the modern day, many nations have instituted State Capitalist policies to grow their economies and increase their international influence. To evaluate the efficacy of this strategy, this paper analyzes the historical impacts of State Capitalism, as well as its effects upon economic concepts, including competition and innovation. This work also analyzes the ways in which State Capitalist policies have negatively impacted the international reputations of nations such as Russia and China and explores the specific national characteristics and circumstances that are required to truly alter the global power structure. Ultimately, the work concludes that state capitalism is unlikely to …

The Economic Impact Of Victoria Regional Airport (Texas), Christian Glupker, Paul Isely

Other Faculty Publications

SUMMARY OF ECONOMIC IMPACT

• A combined economic impact of $44.7 million in economic activity, generating $11.4 million in earnings and supporting 171 jobs. The total economic output includes $12.0 million in indirect and induced economic activity, with approximately 41% ($4.9 million) occurring in the city of Victoria.
• Victoria Reginal Airport's annual spending of $2.8 million generates $4.4 million in total output and supports 23 jobs. The total economic output includes $1.6 million in indirect and induced economic activity.
• Skywest Airlines and TSA operations generate $6.6 million in economic activity and supports approximately 30 jobs. The economic activity includes $2.1 million …

Mechanism And Empirical Analysis Of The Optimization And Upgrading Of The Tourism Industry Structure—Takes Western Jilin As An Example, Xu Bo, Alaa N. Abukhalifeh, Yichao Wu, Qiong Zhao, Xinbo Zhou, Biao Gao

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This paper analyzes the role of the structure of tourism has been improved and upgraded on the industrial development. The research, especially the relevant data analysis of Western Jilin, provides good data support for this research. Secondly, this article starts from the seven elements of the tourism industry structure, analyzes the accommodation, catering and transportation aspects, and proposes different measures according to the different situation of each city. Finally, from the perspective of the internal development of the tourism industry structure, this paper makes relevant suggestions on the tourism industry structure in Western Jilin. Improve the tourism service facilities, establish …

工時有幾長？貧窮新一代的就業與貧窮報告, 嶺南大學政策研究院, 嶺南大學文化研究及發展中心, Ngai Pun, Shi Chi Leung, Peier Chen, Haocheng Yang, Man Kit Chui, Nga Man Wong

CCRD Research Report

近年，社會出現有關年輕人「躺平」的討論，指年輕新一代不願找工作、不願勤奮加班、不規構未來。教育局局長楊潤雄亦曾在網誌撰文表示憂慮，批評「躺平這種消極的人生心態，長遠會窒礙社會的進步」。

不過，根據香港政府統計處2021年收入及工時按年統計調查報告， 2021年5月至6月，15至24歲及25至34歲受訪者每周的工作時數中位數分別為44.3及42小時，比亞洲其他國家要高；而2022年4至6月，20至24歲及25至29歲的勞動人口參與率分別為53.5%及87%，後者更是所有年齡組別中第二高（僅次於30至34歲年齡組別），反映年輕人並沒有不願意長時間工作和就業，與成年人無異。

另外，根據中大亞太研究所於本年四月進行的一項調查，超過半數受訪者認為香港社會並沒有足夠機會與年輕一代向上流動，更有六成半受訪者認為，現時香港向上流動的機會比過去10年要少。

在是次研究中，發現有不少手持大學文憑的畢業生甫踏入社會，便從事三行、保安、飲食業等藍領工種，以體力勞動換取更高薪酬。文職的工作機會雖不算難找，但對於畢業生來說，待遇多不及前者；初入職場的年輕人便要忍受長工時以換取較可觀的薪金，更因長期體力勞動及工作環境惡劣，導致工傷或患上職業病，造成不可逆轉的傷害；選擇白領工作的年輕人則花空餘時間研究創業路向，望有天可擺脫低工資、長OT的工作常態。

年輕人是社會重要的群體，促進社會不同面向的發展和進步。勞工議題，正正就是影響年輕人最深遠的問題。不過，社會一般會把青年遇到的問題視為過渡性現象，隨著他們成長而消失。坊間少有深入討論，以致一般年輕人以為工作的沉重是理所當然，對自身的勞工權益鮮有認識。

上述所提及的年輕人工時長的狀況，窒礙他們在成長階段的探索，因長工時影響反心健康、無法進修、交結朋友、和家人相處及了解自我。工時長等問題在港是老生常談，卻是待解決的重要議題。香港人多年來一直受長工時的困擾，回顧香港的工時政策，卻未見突破。由勞顧會於2018年宣布推出「11個行業工時指引」，距今已4年，仍未見進展。更何況，指引的條文亦不適用於大部份長工時的打工仔女，例如只保障月薪不超過1.1萬元作為界定工資較低的基層僱員的工資線等規定。可見，像過往一樣，政府及商界等對標準工時並不持開放態度。

誠然，參考不同地區及國家的工時政策，香港則顯得相當落後。中國、日本、台灣、韓國及新加坡均有明確法例規管工時，如超時工作的補水機制、每天工作8小時作為標準工時等。如香港政策要推行工時相關的政策，大有參考例子。本報告亦整合及分析了上述地區的工時政策，有助了解其他地區的勞工法例。

是次研究探討了現行的工時政策下香港年輕僱員的工作現況。透過深入訪談及問卷調查，發現長工時與生理、心理、社交及家庭關係的影響，以及就研究結果提倡相應的政策改革，讓社會大眾及年輕人自身了解他們的勞動現況，剖析處境並提出有效的改善方針。

Online Interactive Pedagogical Tools For The Principles Of Microeconomics Curriculum, Amy Ehinomen Eremionkhale, Mya Eveland, Shelby Frost, J. Todd Swarthout

Business Analytics Faculty Publications

We discuss over one hundred interactive learning tools that we created and piloted in introductory open-education (OER) microeconomics classes. These interactive tools cover a wide range of microeconomics topics. They are highly randomized so that the presented scenario and correct answers are different on each usage of a tool, which not only provides students with unlimited practice attempts, but also significantly reduces the possibility of cheating by sharing answers. These tools can be uploaded into most learning management systems, and scores are automatically recorded. Student feedback is positive. The tools are available to others at no monetary cost at http://econreimagined.gsu.edu …

Encouraging Social Entrepreneurship, Kanyaporn Skutalakul

Asian Management Insights

It’s about taking the first steps.

Incentivizing Innovation: Promoting Technical Competency To Win Future Wars., James E. Bevins

Faculty Publications

Despite numerous studies and initiatives, most current Air Force efforts to add science and technology talent have been insufficient. This begs the question: How does the Air Force incentivize and promote the necessary technical competence required to win future competition, conflicts, and wars? Several key initiatives, grounded in behavioral economics, can incentivize innovation and pursue science and technology expertise. Developed in the context of peer adversaries’ actions; global trends in technology, competition, and conflict; and the global competition for science and technology talent, these recommendations have the potential to reform institutional culture and unleash the creativity and talent of the …

The Personal Saving Rate: Data Revisions And Forecasts, Dean Croushore, Pedro Del Monaco Santos

Economics Faculty Publications

Revisions to the U.S. personal saving rate are very large and may be predictable. We decompose the revisions of the personal saving rate into those caused by revisions to income and those caused by revisions to household outlays. We use our findings to explore the forecastability of future revisions of the personal saving rate.

Borderplex Business Barometer, Volume 6, Number 10, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.