Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Declining Co2 Price Paths, Gernot Wagner

Sustainability Seminar Series

Pricing greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions involves making trade-offs between consumption today and unknown damages in the (distant) future. While decision making under risk and uncertainty is the forte of financial economics, important insights from pricing financial assets do not typically inform standard climate–economy models. Here, we introduce EZ-Climate, a simple recursive dynamic asset pricing model that allows for a calibration of the carbon dioxide (CO2) price path based on probabilistic assumptions around climate damages. Atmospheric CO2 is the “asset” with a negative expected return. The economic model focuses on society’s willingness to substitute consumption across time and across uncertain states of …

Cruise Ship Ports And Human Capital Development The Case Of Mexico, Jorge Herrera

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

The cruise ship industry, the fastest-growing segment in the leisure travel market, has contributed significantly to the economic transformation of developing countries, particularly in the Caribbean Basin. This paper applies a difference-in-differences methodology to examine the causal impact of the introduction of cruise ship ports on human capital development in Mexico, as reflected by educational attainment. Using variations in school enrollment, segregated by gender and age across states and municipalities, I find that the economic consequences derived from this form of tourism do not translate into incremental, permanent improvements in all quality of life indicators considered, most saliently in schooling. …

Understanding The Economic Impact Of The Carolina Panthers Training Facility On Rock Hill, Jeremiah Hart

Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

In June 2019, the construction of both a new training facility and headquarters for Charlotte’s largest sports franchise was announced. Rock Hill, South Carolina, was selected as the new site for the facilities. This decision was notable for a number of reasons: foremost, the number of new residents that would be drawn into the region via jobs created by the construction of the new facilities. In order to better understand the outcomes of the Panthers’ investment, this paper will examine similar investments in other locales by other professional sports teams. These include “The Star,” a facility constructed by the Dallas …

Measuring Efficiency In The Soviet Union Labor Market, Angelica Urrego

Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

Efficiency is loosely measured by accounting for the levels of productivity and costs involved for labor. This paper seeks to lay out the efficiency of the labor market during the height of the U.S.S.R.’s command system economy. Various literature on the subject argues that, contrary to common knowledge, the Soviet Union had an efficient economy. To effectively measure efficiency, this paper first examines the characteristics of the Soviet labor market from 1922 – 1991 and highlights important topics of productivity, employment, and supply and demand distinctions. A special focus is placed on the widespread shortages that gravely affected Russians throughout …

Determining The Effects Of Corporate Social Responsibility Programs And Wages On Turnover Rates For Fortune 500 Companies, Jacob Wacaster

Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

Over the last few decades, the turnover rates for employees of Fortune 500 companies have continued to rise. As this rate continues to get higher, companies begin to lose efficiency, as they have to devote more time to training new employees and less time toward production. My research project involves looking at the effects of Corporate Social Responsibility programs and wages on turnover rates for Fortune 500 companies, in order to assess whether investing in CSR programs or raising wages will better help address the turnover issue. To determine the effect of CSR investing, I will compare the median tenure …

The Survival Of The American Beef Farmer In Today’S Market, Zackary Heustess

Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

Once the world’s agriculture leader, the United States has lost dominance over recent decades to international competitors, specifically Brazil. Since the number of American farms reached its peak at 6.8 million in 1935, this number has fallen drastically to 2.1 million by 2002. This paper will touch on one specific area of this field, beef cattle farming. Even with annual beef consumption continuing to increase in the United States, some developing trends might threaten farmers even further in the near future. These trends include the rapid scaling of corporate farming, the increased concern over the environmental impact from red meat, …

What Immigration Means For U.S. Employment And Wages, Lilibeth Lopez

Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

Immigration has a significant impact on U.S. economic growth. Immigrants account for 14.4% (over 44 million) of the U.S. population. Their success has an important impact on the U.S. economy. This paper will focus on the impact of immigration on employment and wages. The Center for Immigration Studies shows that immigration has impacts on wages and employment. The negative effect of immigration on wages is primarily confined to native workers in low-skilled occupations. Immigration lowers wages for those at the bottom of the economic scale. Factors such as technological change and globalization have also played a role in the deterioration …

Artificial Intelligence And The Trucking Industry: How Many Jobs Are At Stake?, Tyrrell Keim

Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

As of 2018, the trucking industry in America employed over 3 million drivers and brought in almost $800 billion dollars. The industry’s labor cost is a third of this amount, with the average driver making about $22 an hour. How much of this cost could be minimized with the use of artificial intelligence in order to make the industry more profitable? Andrew Yang, an early candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Presidency, was the first political candidate in recent memory to speak of the potential pitfalls and job loss that automation could potentially bring to an industry, specifically …

The Shortage Of Teachers In America Today, Avery Davis

Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

There is a shortage of skilled labor in America today, but there is no sector where this problem is more acute than in education. The news has often covered strikes by teachers’ unions across the country, where teachers have been asking for more pay from state governments. It is clear that teachers are underpaid compared to other college graduates; this makes the profession of teaching much less attractive. This is because of the nature of the labor market for teachers, causing them to be underpaid as a whole. Teachers’ salaries are 21 percent below the median salary for other college …

298— Rural Economic Growth And Disease Intervention In Ghana; The Edward Pettinella '73 Endowed Ambassadorship In Business, Lucas Sutton

GREAT Day Posters

Schistosomiasis is a leading parasitic infection that debilitates many individuals in sub Saharan Africa. Because this parasitic infection involves a snail as an intermediate host, we use a native prawn species as a natural predator to decrease the population of this snail community. This study focuses on Tomefa, a primarily fishing peri-urban community located oi the outskirts of Accra, the capital city of Ghana. A survey was also given to the local community measuring economic characteristics. In the laboratory, Macrobrachium spp prawn exhibit preference of Bulinus snails over Biomphalaria snails while non-parasitic snails were consumed in higher proportion to parasitized …

Econ 308: Differences In Big Banks And Small Banks, Danielle Hess

2020 Virtual Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

62% of the world's population has a bank account, whether it be checking, savings, or some other form of account. There are thousands of different banks across the world, ranging in size from one branch to hundreds. What is the main difference between small and large banks? This project breaks down the differences between the balance sheets of different small and large banks.

Econ 319: A Closer Look Into Trade With Madagascar, Casey Williams

2020 Virtual Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Trade may seem like simple transaction between two parties, but in reality, trading comes with many boundaries and challenges that may not be easy to see from the outside. This research was conducted by collecting data about Madagascar’s trade with the United States, the types and amount of products being imported and exported, and a closer look at each economy. In our course, we discussed how the Gravity Model, the idea that most countries will find it easiest and most efficient to trade with big economies that are close rather than ones that are farther away, plays a vital role …

Preaching The Same Message: Economic Populism On Both Sides Of The Atlantic, Paul R. Koch

Scholar Week 2016 - present

In a lecture delivered at Illinois Wesleyan University three years ago, Gro Harlem Brundtland, the former Prime Minister of Norway and Director-General of the World Health Organization, observed that Americans who maintain that “Washington is the problem,” and Europeans who assert that “Brussels is the problem,” are essentially making the same argument. Since the global financial crisis of the late 2000’s, many discussions of economic policy around the world have centered around the rise of “populist” sentiments. Examples of these developments would include the “Brexit” process in the United Kingdom, the "America First” agenda of the Trump Administration in the …

The Statistical Relationship Between Income Inequality And Monetary Policy In Spain And The United States, Brooke Whetstone

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Background

Contractionary monetary policy has long run effects on inequality (Feldkircher & Kakamu, 2018). However, other forms of monetary policy do not have a clear effect on income inequality. Central banks defend the position that other factors are the driving forces behind income inequality (Powell, 2018).

Methodology

This investigation utilized ANOVA Regression analysis to determine if income inequality, as measured by wage growth by sector, is related to interest rates in the United States and Spain. If applicable, slopes of the regression lines for each sector were compared to see if they were significantly different, in a statistical sense.

Results …

University Of North Florida: Measuring And Mapping The Footprint Of Growth Over Time, Cheyenne Black, Autumn Cummings, Caroline Howard, Monica Murray, Evelyn Thorpe, Chris Baynard

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

This study analyzes remotely sensed aerial imagery in 5-7 year increments to determine land use change of the University of North Florida from 1970 to 2017. By geo-referencing, digitizing, and examining land-use data, we will map and measure the expansion of infrastructure as well as the loss of natural areas. We will compare the imagery of the original 1972 master plan to the current 2015-2025 master plan.

Women, Stem, And Gender Differences In Higher Education Attainment, Amber Gauthier

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Discussions and investigations of gender differences in earnings and human capital have seen a resurgence recently, specifically as they relate to women in Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering (STEM). Previous research, including my own, has uncovered inequality in earnings. Here, using data from the U.S. Current Population Survey, I examine the relationship between gender and (i) earning a professional certification; and (ii) pursuing graduate education: both means of career advancement and economic mobility. Simple ordinary least squares indicates women are less likely than men to obtain a professional certification, though this effect disappears in the presence …

Blockchain Technology And The Future Of Video Games, Is Presence Still Relevant?, Stef Nicovich, Jessica Scheld

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

An Introduction To Copulas, Yifan Guo, Geng Zhang

Capstone Showcase

Copulas are the mathematical functions that connect the distribution functions of univariate random variables to form multivariate distributions. We define copulas, present some of their key properties, and provide examples of their applications.

We Live In A Society: Violence And Radicalization In The Internet Manosphere, Emily Price

Capstone Showcase

In a world of incels, pick-up artists, and other Men’s Rights Activists, friction between the so-called Manosphere and contemporary feminist thought has led to documented violence with regards to American mass shootings. Starting with the violent outbursts of disaffected young men, I will work backwards to the point of contact between the man and the Manosphere. This piece seeks not to draw a connection between radical MRAs and violence – the mass shooters draw that connection themselves in their manifestos by outlining their dissatisfaction with society as it is, and particularly with what they perceive as a politically correct and …