Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Selective Reshaping: China's Paradigm Shift In International Economic Governance, Heng Wang

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In contrast with the selective adaptation approach toward external norms seen in its accession to the World Trade Organization, China increasingly plays a proactive role on the international stage, with the Belt and Road Initiative at the center of these activities. How can we understand this new approach by China toward international economic governance? What is responsible for China's shifting approach, and what are the implications of this shift? The paper presents selective reshaping as a new theoretical framework, and argues that China is shifting toward the selective reshaping of institutions and rules within the global economic order. Within this …

Swinging Shale: Shale Oil, Global Oil Market, And The Geopolitics Of Oil, Inwook Kim

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Is shale oil “revolutionizing” the global oil market and the geopolitics of oil? If so, how? While two aspects of the shale boom—a new source of supply and a cause for the price collapse in 2014–2015—dominate the conventional wisdom, I argue that the most revolutionary change is the least understood aspect of shale oil—shale oil producers’ rise as new swing suppliers due to its unique extraction technique and cost structure. Shale oil producers also differ from traditional swing producers in motives, contexts, and an amount of accessible excess capacity such that while shale oil lowers the medium-term price ceiling, it …

Complex Assessment Of Relationship Quality Within Dyads, Wendy C. Birmingham, Maija Reblin, Allison A. Vaughn, Timothy W. Smith, Bert N. Uchino, Chandler M. Spahr

Faculty Publications

Higher quality relationships have been linked to improved outcomes; however, the measurement of relationship quality often ignores its complexity and the possibility of co-occurring positivity and negativity across different contexts. The goal of this study is to test the added benefit of including multiple dimensions, contexts, and perspectives of relationship quality from both individuals in predicting marital functioning. The Social Relationships Index assessed positive and negative dimensions of relationship quality under neutral, positive, and support-seeking contexts for 183 heterosexual married couples. Models showed that the inclusion of multiple dimensions of relationship quality across all three contexts improved prediction of marital …

The Optimal Degree Of Reciprocity In Tariff Reduction, Pao-Li Chang

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper characterizes the optimal reciprocal trade policy in the environment of Melitz (2003) with firm productivity heterogeneity. With all the conflicting effects of import tariffs on welfare considered, the optimal degree of reciprocity in multilateral tariff reduction is shown to be free trade.

Universal Minimum Wage Is Not Suitable For Singapore, Zhengxiao Wu

Research Collection School Of Economics

In a commentary, SMU Senior Lecturer of Statistics Wu Zhengxiao examined the concept of a universal minimum wage, and discussed how it is not suitable for Singapore.

Spending Impact Of Covid-19 Stimulus Payments: Evidence From Card Transaction Data In South Korea, Kim, Kanghyock Koh, Wonjun Lyou

Research Collection School Of Economics

Various countries have implemented transfer programs to individuals since the Covid-19 outbreaks. However, the extent to which such transfers alleviate economic recessions is unclear. This paper analyzes a South Korean program, which provided vouchers redeemable only at small local businesses. We find that, due to the program, over 30% of households across all income groups increased their food and overall household spending, but the usage restriction may have affected consumer choice, distorting business competition. While the employment and sales of small businesses improved, the program’s fiscal sustainability is in question because of the large tax exemption.

The Optimal Degree Of Reciprocity In Tariff Reduction, Pao-Li Chang

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper characterizes the optimal reciprocal trade policy in the environment of Melitz (2003) with firm productivity heterogeneity. In particular, without making parametric assumptions on firm productivity distribution, this paper derives the optimal degree of reciprocal tariff reductions that maximize the world welfare. A reciprocal import subsidy raises the industry productivity, lowering aggregate price; a reciprocal import tariff helps correct the markup distortion, increasing nominal income. With all the conflicting effects of import tariffs on welfare considered, the optimal degree of reciprocity in multilateral tariff reduction is shown to be free trade.

Order On Types Based On Monotone Comparative Statics, Takashi Kunimoto, Takuro Yamashita

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper introduces a novel concept of orders on types by which the so-called monotone comparative statics is valid in all supermodular games with incomplete information. We fully characterize this order in terms of what we call common optimism, providing a sense in which our order has a sharp epistemic interpretation. We say that type ti′ is higher than type ti in the order of the common optimism if ti′ is more optimistic about state than ti; ti′ is more optimistic that all players are more optimistic about state than ti; and so on, ad infinitum. First, we show that …

Maximum Likelihood Estimation For The Fractional Vasicek Model, Katsuto Tanaka, Weilin Xiao, Jun Yu

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper estimates the drift parameters in the fractional Vasicek model from a continuous record of observations via maximum likelihood (ML). The asymptotic theory for the ML estimates (MLE) is established in the stationary case, the explosive case, and the boundary case for the entire range of the Hurst parameter, providing a complete treatment of asymptotic analysis. It is shown that changing the sign of the persistence parameter changes the asymptotic theory for the MLE, including the rate of convergence and the limiting distribution. It is also found that the asymptotic theory depends on the value of the Hurst parameter.

Estimation Of Conditional Average Treatment Effects With High-Dimensional Data, Qingliang Fan, Yu-Chin Hsu, Robert P. Lieli, Yichong Zhang

Research Collection School Of Economics

Given the unconfoundedness assumption, we propose new nonparametric estimators for the reduced dimensional conditional average treatment effect (CATE) function. In the first stage, the nuisance functions necessary for identifying CATE are estimated by machine learning methods, allowing the number of covariates to be comparable to or larger than the sample size. This is a key feature since identification is generally more credible if the full vector of conditioning variables, including possible transformations, is high-dimensional. The second stage consists of a low-dimensional kernel regression, reducing CATE to a function of the covariate(s) of interest. We consider two variants of the estimator …

The Aaacf Community Scholarship Program: A Strategic Approach To Building Community, Shelley Strickland, Carmen M. Mccallum

The Foundation Review

Five years ago, the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation decided to take a strategic approach to offering college scholarships that would address gaps in educational achievement among local students. To increase the impact of its scholarship program, the foundation shifted its emphasis from one-time awards to promoting degree attainment, and determined that the criteria for new scholarships would be based on impact data instead of donor intent.

The Community Scholarship Program awards multiyear scholarships to local students of color, students from low-income families, and first-generation college students, and provides them with a dedicated college success coach to help them successfully …

Capital Controls And Macro-Prudential Housing Policies In Small Open Economies, Taojun Xie, Guay C. Lim, Hwee Kwan Chow

Research Collection School Of Economics

We evaluate the effects of capital controls and macro-prudential policies in small open economies with a housing sector that is open to foreign ownership. The work is motivated by concerns that foreign investments also respond to housing investment opportunities resulting in potential house price inflation and issues about housing affordability. Our dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model features housing as an internationally traded investment. We also consider macro-prudential policies that are combinations of monetary and fiscal instruments. We investigate whether foreign investments in the housing markets are de-stabilising and whether there are appropriate policy responses to mitigate the negative effects of …

Do Short Sellers Use Textual Information? Evidence From Annual Reports, Hung Wan Kot, Frank Weikai Li, Ming Liu, K.C. John Wei

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We examine short-sellers’ use of textual information in annual reports for shorting activities. We find that more uncertainty and negative words in annual reports are associated with greater abnormal shorting volume. Short selling motivated by textual information negatively predicts stock price reaction around the filing date of 10-K reports. We further provide some evidence that textual information used by short-sellers are related to revisions of analysts’ earnings forecasts, changes in firm fundamentals, and increasing crash risk subsequently. Our results suggest that textual information in annual reports forms an important part of short-sellers’ information advantage.

Intolerant Democrat Syndrome: The Problem Of Indonesian Democratic Consolidation, Saiful Mujani

Jurnal Politik

Indonesia underwent democratization after more than 20 years (1998–2020), but many studies conclude that the country’s democracy is not consolidated and suffered a setback, at least in the last five years. An increase in political intolerance in society is believed to be the cause of this setback. However, studies on Indonesian political tolerance are biased and thus do not reflect actual conditions of general tolerance. This study offers a new unbiased strategy called “content-controlled measures of political tolerance” in the research on political tolerance. This strategy has been used in a series of national public opinion surveys for a relatively …

Desa Mawacara, Negara Mawatata: Bali’S Customary Village-Based State Policies In The Time Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, I Ngurah Suryawan

Jurnal Politik

Balinese customary villages are at the center of the state’s strategy for mitigation of Covid-19. Relations between customary villages and the state predate colonial times. The historical dynamics have shown that the traditions and cultures of customary villages (desa mawacara) will always exist within the shadow of the state (negara mawatata). The symbolic narrative of desa mawacara, negara mawatata illustrates the governmentality that the state exercises over the villages. Regional Regulation No. 4/2019 on Customary Villages in Bali and the formation of the customary village-based task force were rational choices made by the Governor of Bali to place the villages …

Role Of The Botoh As Political Brokers And Gamblers During The Tulungagung Local Election Of 2018, Mohammad Darry Abiyyu

Jurnal Politik

Current studies on the botoh generally focus on gambling in village-head elections (pilkades) and how its role transforms from pilkades to local elections (pilkada). However, this article defines the botoh as a political broker and gambler during the 2018 local election of Tulungagung Regency. This research found that the botoh’s way of persuading voters had a positive effect on an unfavorable candidate and helped him win. This study conducted in-depth interviews of “big” botoh, observed field operation patterns, and collected documents from related parties. The practice of gambling during pilkada is categorized into three types: ngapit, leg-leg’an, and biting. This …

Drivers Of Conflict In Urban Infrastructure: Case Study Of The New Yogyakarta Airport, Muchamad Imam Fitriantoro

Jurnal Politik

The study discusses the drivers of conflict in the construction of Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA) in Temon, Kulon Progo, using a politico-economic framework. This research employs the theory of land-based elite domination of urban growth machines and theories that explain the drivers of conflicts caused by construction and development of infrastructure. The findings of this study show that the conflict was driven by disagreements on land resource that emerged from the government’s ambition to respond to the pressure to transform the rural lands in the region into an urban area under the concepts of aerotropolis and MICE. The pressure came …

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: The Retrogression Of Governance Reform And Anti-Corruption Measure In Indonesia 1999–2001, Vishnu Juwono

Jurnal Politik

There were high hopes that Gus Dur, after being appointed by the People Consultative Assembly (MPR) in 1999, would bring significant governance reform and more progressive anti-corruption measures for the first time because two top leaders (Gus Dur and Megawati) were from the opposition in the New Order era. This paper attempts to evaluate the governance reform and anti-corruption measures in 1999–2001. This paper argues that there was a valuable opportunity to push for further governance reforms and a bolder anti-corruption drive, as there was a legitimate political top leadership stemming from the free-and-fair election in 1999 embodied in the …

Voting Behavior In Indonesia: Critical Democrats, Muhammad Asadullah Al Ghozi

Jurnal Politik

No abstract provided.

Providing Child Care, Christine Ho, Sunha Myong

Research Collection School Of Economics

Women’s economic empowerment has been hailed as one of the most remarkable revolutions in the past 50 years (Dunlop, 2010). Access to affordable childcare is one of the key determinants of fertility and maternal employment, with grandparents and governments often stepping up to provide much needed support to families. This chapter proposes a synthesis of the state of knowledge on child care and discusses policy relevant issues applicable to the Singapore context. Selected policies are documented and lessons from the international landscape are discussed. The chapter discusses how child care costs may affect fertility and maternal labour supply in Section …

Covid-19, Lockdown, And The Dynamics Of Subjective Well-Being, Terence C. Cheng, Kim, Kanghyock Koh

Research Collection School Of Economics

We provide novel evidence on how the COVID-19 global health and economic crisis is affecting overall life satisfaction and domain-specific satisfaction using data from a monthly longitudinal survey of middle-aged and older Singaporeans. Using a difference-in-differences framework, we document large declines in overall life satisfaction and domain-specific satisfaction during the COVID-19 outbreak, except satisfaction with health. These declines coincide with the introduction of a nationwide lockdown, with life satisfaction remaining below its pre-pandemic levels even after the lockdown is lifted. We also find that individuals who report a drop in household income during the COVID-19 outbreak experience a decline in …

“Las Experiencias De Padres Con Hijos Discapacitados” Lived Experiences Of Mexican-Immigrant Parents Of Children With Identified Disabilities, Christina Cortez

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

A nurturing and engaging environment within the family often leads to enhanced student performance. Nonetheless, the education system continues to struggle to connect with families from racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse groups, particularly parents with limited English proficiency or those who have children in special education programs. Amplified difficulties may arise because children with identified special needs—such as physical impairments, learning deficiencies, or developmental disabilities—require additional support, interventions, parental support, and/or services. As the nation attempts to mainstream children in public education and provide them support, Mexican immigrant families in many cases remain underrepresented, or they fall into greater risk …

Characteristics Of Effective Metropolitan Areawide Public Transit: A Comparison Of European, Canadian, And Australian Case Studies, Michelle Derobertis, Christopher E. Ferrell, Richard W. Lee, John M. Eells

Mineta Transportation Institute

This research project investigates the replicable characteristics, policies, and practices of successful metropolitan areawide public transportation networks that contribute to high usage and make transit an effective competitor to the private motor vehicle. The research method involves the qualitative and quantitative analysis of ten international (non-U.S.) case studies. The principal methods employed were web-based research and data collection, as well as telephone interviews with transit agency staff or regional planners as needed. The case studies were limited to developed western countries with similar metropolitan conditions to those in the United States.

This research focuses on key characteristics of highly effective …

Analysis Of The Benefits Of Green Streets, Christopher E. Ferrell, John M. Eells, Richard W. Lee, Reyhane Hosseinzade

Mineta Transportation Institute

Green streets offer many potential benefits that include improving water quality, absorbing carbon (sequestration), and reducing urban heat island effects. This report summarizes: (1) the research team’s analysis of 14 tools calculating green streets benefits; and (2) the results of applying the most promising calculators to a select group of green streets case studies. The researchers are affiliated with the Mineta Transportation Institute, which serves the California Department of Transportation (“Caltrans”). The report presents the results of the case study analyses, with an emphasis on carbon sequestration benefits and improvements to pedestrian levels of service (PLOS).

Trees absorb carbon dioxide …

Altamont Pass Commuter Study: A Longitudinal Analysis Of Perceptions And Behavior Change, Orestis Panagopoulos, Gökçe Soydemir, Xun Xu

Mineta Transportation Institute

The Altamont Pass commuter survey study examines commuters’ perceptions and behaviors towards public transportation during 2019-2020. Results are compared with surveys conducted in 2000 and 2006 to investigate whether there have been any longitudinal changes in the perceptions and behaviors of Altamont Pass commuters over the twenty-year interval. As the previous surveys do, this study focuses on the same three counties, namely, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Merced that comprise the Northern San Joaquin Valley (NSJV). When compared with the previous surveys, these findings reveal some significant differences of responses to most questions, and minor differences of responses to other questions, …

Relationship Between Humidity And Physiology In Warm And Humid Conditions – A Literature Review, Yuliya Dzyuban

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Change in precipitation patterns caused by global warming will likely increase humidity in some areas of the world. Moreover, populations in tropical climates with already high humidity levels can experience an added stress on their health and thermal comfort due to an amplifying effect of heat and moisture. Humidity is a generic term commonly used to describe moisture in the air. However, there are numerous variables that describe different properties of humid air that can be used in scientific studies. While relative humidity remains the most used, it has several shortcomings associated with its high correlation with air temperature. Thus, …

A Micro-Scale Analysis Of Cycling Demand, Safety, And Network Quality, Sherry Ryan, Ana Garate, Diane Foote

Mineta Transportation Institute

This research uses a unique database of cycling volumes from the San Diego region to estimate cycling demand and cycling collision models. Continuous cycling count data collected from 34 automated counters are used to extrapolate over 1,400 short duration counts to average annual daily bicycle volumes (AADB). Network characteristics, built environment, and socio-economic characteristics are primary independent variables employed in the modeling. A key contribution of this research is to incorporate both a whole-network measure (betweenness centrality) and a network quality measure (LTS) in estimating cycling volumes. This research also improves upon cycling risk assessment by using more rigorous exposure …

Measuring Success For Safe Routes To School Programs, Carole Turley Voulgaris, Serena Alexander, Reyahne Hosseinzade, James Jimenez, Katherine Lee, Anurag Pande

Mineta Transportation Institute

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs aim to increase the share of students who commute to school by active modes (e.g., walking and cycling). The goal of this work was to assess the effectiveness of SRTS programs. Towards that end, we analyzed the California Household Travel Survey (CHTS) data from the four counties in the San Francisco Bay area. We estimated logistic regression model(s) to predict the likelihood that a child commutes to school by active modes based on the presence of an SRTS program and controlling for individual, household, and tract characteristics. Findings indicate that longer trip distance and …

Is The Transit Industry Prepared For The Cyber Revolution? Policy Recommendations To Enhance Surface Transit Cyber Preparedness, Scott Belcher, Terri Belcher, Eric Greenwald, Brandon Thomas

Mineta Transportation Institute

The intent of this study is to assess the readiness, resourcing, and structure of public transit agencies to identify, protect from, detect, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats. Given the multitude of connected devices already in use by the transit industry and the vast amount of data generated (with more coming online soon), the transit industry is vulnerable to malicious cyber-attack and other cybersecurity-related threats. This study reviews the state of best cybersecurity practices in public surface transit; outlines U.S. public surface transit operators’ cybersecurity operations; assesses U.S. policy on cybersecurity in public surface transportation; and provides …

Automatic Traffic Monitoring And Management For Pedestrian And Cyclist Safety Using Deep Learning And Artificial Intelligence, Mohammad Pourhomayoun

Mineta Transportation Institute

In this project, we have designed and developed an effective end-to-end system based on advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, and computer vision to automatically monitor, detect, track, and count pedestrians and bicyclists. The main objective of this project is to improve the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists, by applying self-sensed and AI-powered systems to monitor and control the flow of pedestrians/bicyclists. The developed system includes algorithms for detecting the pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as algorithms for tracking and counting the pedestrians. We evaluated the developed system on real videos captured by actual traffic cameras in the city of …