Development Studies Commons^™

Enhancing A Client’S Website Design Through Research On Executive Function Skills: Informed Decision-Making In A Service-Learning Context, Jacob Irelan

Honors Projects

This synthesis project explores how research on executive function skills can inform effective website design in a service-learning context. Executive function skills—including working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility—are foundational to learning and development. By conducting a comprehensive literature review and engaging in service-learning through a client-based web design project, the study bridges interdisciplinary knowledge between education and visual communication technology. The project involved redesigning a client’s website focused on supporting individual's executive function skills, enhancing both its usability and search engine optimization. Hands-on, service learning experience supplemented by academic research allowed for the development of practical skills such as …

Comparative Study Of Entrepreneurial Resilience And Gender, Raegan Burkey

Honors Projects

This study aimed to determine if there was a significant difference in the relative importance of resilience factors between male entrepreneurs and female entrepreneurs in order to discover which elements are most relied upon by each gender. To do this, I identified various elements of resilience through a literature review and combined them into a survey. In the survey, participants answered demographic related questions, including a question about gender, prior to moving into resilience element rankings. I then completed a factor analysis to identify three distinct factors: Propensity for Growth, Adaptive Commitment, and Self-Regulation. A T Test revealed that there …

Does Ai Help Or Harm? Why And How Ai Use Influences Workplace Outcomes And Employee Well-Being, Haille Trimboli, Reka Lassu

Education Division Scholarship

Although the recent surge in excitement surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) might suggest it is a new development, AI has been applied in organizations for over forty years (Fanti et al., 2022; Markelius et al., 2024). Indeed, the term "artificial intelligence" itself emerged in the 1950s during a research project at Dartmouth College, where it was used to describe "machines able to simulate human intelligence" (Haenlein & Kaplan, 2019, p. 3). Most recently, in 2022, the landscape of AI use for laypeople greatly changed when OpenAI introduced ChatGPT, a generative AI tool, to the public; ChatGPT is an advanced AI language …

Financial Inclusion For Persons With Disabilities: Experiences Of Providers And Users Of Financial Products And Services In Kenya., Sheru W. Muuo, Bhavisha Virendrakumar, George Okello, Moses Chege, Vibian Angweny, Kenneth Gichohi, Hillary Kibet, Sally Nduta, Stevens Bechange, Elena Elena Schmidt

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Background; Inclusion of persons with disabilities in financial products and services has been identified as an important step on the pathway to achieving the sustainable development goals. Evidence of how people with disabilities are included in financial products and services including strategies to improve their inclusion in low and middle-income countries is limited. We draw on qualitative data to to understand the experiences of providing and using financial products and services from the perspectives of persons with disabilities and representatives of different financial institutions in Nairobi and Migori counties of Kenya.

Methods ;Eighty-one persons with disabilities (49.4% < 35 years, 57% female) were purposively sampled to take part in 10 focus group discussions. Additionally, 26 in-depth interviews were conducted with financial institution representatives. Data were collected between July and September 2022 and analysed thematically.

Results ; Participants …

The Role Of Affordable Housing In Enhancing Tenants' Economic Stability In Connecticut: A Focus On Income, Employment, And Housing Stability, Osaid Zubi

Dissertations

This study examined the role of affordable housing in promoting economic stability among low- and moderate-income households in Connecticut. Focusing on income security, employment opportunities, and housing retention, this research highlighted the significance of affordable housing as a means to alleviate financial strain, support job retention, and foster community resilience. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, the study gathered insights from tenants, policymakers, and developers through conducting interviews and a focus group. Connecticut was chosen as the study site due to its high cost of living and affordable housing shortage, exacerbated by its proximity to New York City. Findings underscore the economic …

Rural Entrepreneurship In Upper Egyptian Communities: Exploring The Intervention Of Agri-Tech Startups, Marwa Wael Abohamda Hulail

Theses and Dissertations

Climate change and economic disturbance have changed the state of the world and increased the dependence on digitization in running people's daily life. In Egypt, the economic instability and climate change have affected people’s standard of living, making it challenging to sustain their life, especially in the agriculture sector. Farmers have been affected by the risks of climate change, economic shocks, and trends of digitization, which have impacted their profit, employability, and livelihood.

Several Egyptian Agri-tech startups were launched to support the farmers in the digital revolution that came to agriculture, attempting to make a change in the Egyptian farming …

Frameworks For Measuring Regenerative Tourism: Supply And Demand Indicators With A Dynamic And Holistic Approach, Asif Hussain

Journal of Sustainability and Resilience

This paper examines regenerative tourism as a holistic approach that goes beyond sustainability by actively restoring and enhancing social-ecological systems. Recognizing tourism’s interconnectedness with economic, social, cultural, and environmental systems, it presents regenerative tourism as a dynamic model integrating supply and demand perspectives to promote innovation, resilience, and renewal. On the supply side, regenerative tourism emphasizes ecological restoration, sustainable practices, economic stability with minimal environmental harm, and authentic experiences. On the demand side, it aligns with the rising preference for ethical, participatory, and immersive tourism, involving tourists as active contributors to destination well-being. The paper highlights the importance of multidimensional …

Moving From ‘Managing Stakeholders’ To ‘Managing For Stakeholders’: The Imperative For Responsible Business, Meena Raghunathan, Kara Li Liu

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Gone are the days when it was accepted that shareholders were the ones for whose benefit business was done, and that the purpose of business was to maximize returns to shareholders. Today, it is universally accepted that a business has to look beyond maximizing profits. It has to take into account the needs all stakeholders, including the environment.

Several frameworks and approaches have been advocated to achieve the objective of optimizing the value of the corporation from multiple angles, including Triple Bottom Line, Responsible Business, Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility, etc. At the heart of all these concepts is the issue …

Analysing The Us—China “Ai Cold War” Narrative, Yujia He, Richard Heeks

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

Discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) are gaining prominence in the recent revival of “cold war” narratives comparing US-China relations today to the historical rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union. Drawing on a review of existing academic and policy literature engaging with the “AI cold war” narrative, this paper examines how the narrative is justified, and numerous ways that it can be challenged. It finds that the framing is largely driven by the securitisation of AI, as state actors and policy pundits view AI innovations’ dual-use capabilities as key to national security and ideological competition. However, critics posit that …

A Geopolitical Economy Analysis Of China And India’S Approaches To Transnational Data Governance, Yujia He, Ka Zeng

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

Recent literature on the behavior of rising powers in digital trade and data governance highlights their discourses of data sovereignty and desire to preserve domestic policy autonomy. This article contributes to the literature by employing a political economy lens that shifts the focus from the nation-state/inter-state framework towards the dynamics of state–capital relations, allowing for a more historical and contextual understanding of the geopolitics of data governance in emerging economies. Using China and India—two of the largest emerging economies—as comparative cases, and drawing on secondary data from government documents and other sources, the article argues that the interplay between the …

Exploring The Stem Career Identity Development Of Black Women Across Their Lifespan, Veronica Hurd

Theses and Dissertations

Although STEM is the fastest-growing career sector, Black women are grossly underrepresented as they account for 2.5% of the workforce. Research highlights that this underrepresentation is due to racialized structures in K-12, postsecondary, and career settings that restrict Black girls’ and women’s STEM opportunities. While macrosystems such as hegemonic ideologies, attitudes, and social conditions shape Black girls’ and women’s opportunities in STEM, they continue to persist and achieve their career goals. To explore these barriers and Black women’s persistence in this industry, this study draws from the autobiographical memories of 10 Black women in the field or formerly in the …

Institutions Matter: How So?, Alper Duman

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

This paper examines the influential theory of Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James Robinson (AJR) on the role of institutions in economic development, highlighting its strengths, limitations, and areas for further research. A central contribution of their work is the emphasis on power and conflict in institutional formation and change.

The theory's focus on the interplay between inequality, political power, and institutional change provides a valuable framework for understanding development trajectories. This paper also considers critiques of AJR's work, including the lack of robustness of the positive correlation between inclusive institutions and economic performance in lower-income countries and the significant …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Black Entrepreneur Women’S Personal Development And Its Effect On Their Self-Identity, Mayrion Ann Washington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore Black entrepreneur women’s personal development and its effect on their self-identity. The study specifically aimed to explore personal development, entrepreneurship, and self-identity as they related to and affected Black entrepreneur women, in the United States, and their experiences with oppression, challenges, barriers, intersectionality, and systemic subordination. Historically, Black entrepreneur women have experienced systematic oppression and faced increased challenges that have and continue to negatively affect their entrepreneurial progress and their self-identity. Preliminary findings from the literature found that when Black entrepreneurial women engage in personal development, the results are reflected in …

Review Of “Social Entrepreneurship In India: Quarter Idealism And A Pound Of Pragmatism” By Madhukar Shukla (2020), Meena Raghunathan

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

The article is a review of ‘Social Entrepreneurship in India: Quarter Idealism and a Pound of Pragmatism’ by Madhukar Shukla. It summarizes and offers clarification and elaboration of key concepts covered in the book. These include the definition of social entrepreneurship, the taxonomy of social entrepreneurs, what characterizes them, various forms that such organizations may take, and whether social entrepreneurs are fundamentally different from other entrepreneurs or similar in many ways.

The review points out the value of the book for those in social development, argues that the book is for India as well as of universal interest, and …

China In Global Digital Trade Governance: Towards A Development-Oriented Agenda?, Yujia He, Ka Zeng

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

Existing literature on the behaviour of rising powers in global trade governance has yielded inconclusive evidence about their role and impact. This article contributes to this literature by examining China's role in global digital trade governance, an issue area which so far has not received sufficient scholarly attention. Specifically, it addresses the following question: as a self-proclaimed leader of the developing world in digital development, to what extent do its preferences and negotiation approach align with the interests of other developing countries? Analysing China's participation in three sets of negotiations using process tracing, the article argues that China's dual identity …

Coffee In Brasil: Sustainability And The Role Of Intermediaries, Livia Petzinger

Capstone Collection

ABSTRACT

Coffee is traded in a highly complex global value chain where countless sustainability initiatives have emerged to address social, economic, and environmental issues, challenges which persist due to dominance of the market structure by largescale traders and roasters. Specialty coffee and direct trade have emerged as alternative trade arrangements that promote high-quality coffee through the use of sustainable practices, transparency, and a shortened supply chain. This research analyzes the role that intermediaries in the Brazilian specialty coffee supply chain play in the implementation of sustainability initiatives asking what kinds of sustainability practices they implement and why, and how this …

Summary Report Of Discussions At The Ana Forum 2024, Berkeley, Ca “How Can The North American Nepali Diaspora Contribute To Nepal’S Economic Development?”,, Ambika P. Adhikari

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

The ANA 2024 annual convention, organized on ANA’s 42nd founding anniversary, was held in the San Francisco Bay Area (Berkeley and Oakland) in California, where hundreds of ANA members and friends had gathered. The convention consisted of several forums, sessions, and cultural programs. As always, the convention included a Nepal-related forum “How Can the North American Nepali Diaspora Contribute to Nepal’s Economic Development?” The Forum took place from 1:30-2:30 pm on Saturday July 20, 2024. Four panelists, including the moderator, spoke at the forum. About 45-50 individuals attended the session. Guest panelist, Dr. Minendra Rijal sent a message as he …

Rural Business Development Corporation 2024 Annual Report, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

All other publications

Chair foreword

I am pleased to present the 2023-24 Annual Report of the Rural Business Development Corporation (RBDC). The role of the RBDC is to administer approved assistance schemes, carry out research and give advice to the Minister for Agriculture and Food. As a board we are deeply committed to ensuring that the Corporation is responsive to the needs of the state’s regional and rural businesses and communities.

The Corporation’s support for rural businesses in WA, principally through the administration of financial assistance, remains as vital as ever. The past year has seen many of the state’s primary producers experience …

Call And Response : Experiments In Storytelling, Deanne Fernandes

Masters Theses

Being part of RISD's inaugural Masters of Illustration cohort has been an immense honor. This journey has been nothing short of transformative and healing, as it has allowed me to unearth layers of self-discovery through my creative practice.

In my thesis, I introduce a fresh research methodology rooted in the principles of call and response, with adaptability, creativity, and storytelling as its foundational pillars. Through the lenses of visual storytelling, experimental animation, graphic journalism, and fictional world-building, I demonstrate how these techniques can effectively bridge the gap between theory and practice. This dynamic approach fosters meaningful connections among diverse perspectives …

Stock Market Volatility In The United Kingdom: Simulating Post-Covid-19 Recovery, Bala A. Dahiru, Mohammed Shuaibu, Najibullah Hassanov

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

This paper investigates the time it would take for the FTSE-100 index to reach its post-COVID-19 peak. The paper utilises an exponential generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (EGARCH) model that accounts for leverage effect and asymmetries. The preferred models amongst competing variants was the Autoregressive Moving Average (ARMA)-EGARCH(2,1) specification and was used to predict daily FTSE-100 data from 5th January 2000 to 21st June 2024. The empirical exercise showed that the COVID-19-induced financial crisis negatively affected the United Kingdom’s stock market performance. The results show that the FTSE100 index could reach its post-pandemic peak around 27th August, 2024 (two months after …

Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Performance Of Nigerian Stock Market, Shafiu Ibrahim Abdullahi

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

This study analyzes the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of Nigerian stock market. The study uses a number of models that include autoregressive distributed lag, vector auto regression, exponential generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity and multivariate generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity models. Findings show that reported cases of COVID-19 have causal effect on daily returns of the Nigerian stock market. The results also show that Nigerian stocks are good for portfolio diversification. The results of variance decomposition confirm the declining importance of COVID-19 cases and deaths as the pandemic slows down. Further results show that, for the duration of the …

Impact Of Fiscal Policy On Financial Inclusion And Development In Nigeria, Okwanya Innocent, Taiwo A. Olusegun, Aimua E. Peace

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

This paper examines the effect of fiscal policy on financial inclusion and development in Nigeria. The study employs the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model and impulse response function (IRF) to determine the extent and response of financial inclusion and development to fiscal policy changes in Nigeria. The study derives a financial inclusion index from three core indicators: access, usage and quality of financial services, while financial development is measured as the ratio of money supply to GDP (M2/GDP). The results show that government expenditure has a significant positive effect on financial inclusion and development, while tax revenue exerts a negative …

Empowering Women In Informal Cross-Border Trade: Challenges And Opportunities In Developing Countries, Marie Claire Abayisenga

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

The study " Empowering women in informal Cross-border trade: challenges and opportunities in developing countries" examined the challenges and opportunities faced by women engaged in Informal Cross-Border Trade (ICBT) in developing countries to empower them and promote inclusive economic development. The research explored the barriers that hindered women's economic empowerment in ICBT, such as limited access to resources, financial capital, and productive assets, as well as gender-based discrimination and social norms. The study also identified opportunities to enhance women's participation in cross-border trade, including learning opportunities and best practices. Through a literature review and empirical analysis, the study provided valuable …

The Infinite Design Of Creative Self-Leadership, Adrian T. Ashdown

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The purpose of my Master’s of Science in Creativity and Change Leadership Project is to develop a Scope and Sequence for a Creative Self-Leadership course, providing participants with a structured framework for intentional personal growth and leadership development. The Infinite Design of Creative Self-Leadership serves as an individualized framework for influencing our human experience deliberately. Throughout this project, the core idea remains consistent: to teach creativity as a transferable skill with applications beyond traditional educational settings. The culmination of this endeavor will result in a comprehensive Scope & Sequence for The Infinite Design Creative Self-Leadership Course, offering participants a solid …

“Njangi Never Dies”: The Social Impacts And Non-Financial Benefits Of Njangis In Batoufam And Yaoundé, Cameroon, Georgia Schaefer-Brown

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Rotating Credits and Savings Associations (ROSCAs) are present in much of the developing world and are incredibly common in Cameroon. The financial impacts of ROSCAs have been researched extensively, but there has been less research on the social impacts and non-financial benefits. This research aims to fill this gap and add to the discussion of ROSCAs in Cameroon (called njangis), as well as demonstrate how njangis are social institutions. This project is in the specific context of njangis in Batoufam and Yaoundé, Cameroon. Interviews and observations informed the conclusion that there are extensive social impacts and non-financial benefits within the …

Chinese Digital Platform Companies’ Expansion In The Belt And Road Countries, Yujia He

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

The emergence of digital platforms is shifting the digital economy toward a platform economy, and Chinese platform-based businesses like Alibaba, Tencent, and JD are increasingly expanding in the Global South. Alongside this, the Chinese government has been promoting digital economy collaboration with emerging markets through high-level engagement under the banner of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its digital economy component the Digital Silk Road (DSR). Despite significant market interest and policy attention, grounded empirical analysis of Chinese digital platforms’ expansion within Belt and Road Initiative countries is scarce. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, drawing on both quantitative …

Identifying Youth Appeals In Alcohol Alternative Social Media Content Through Framing, Melina Oneal

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Proposed regulations for alcohol advertising prevent beverage companies from targeting people under the legal drinking age. However, similar regulations for alcohol alternative beverages are less explored, which could allow alcohol alternative products to create awareness for alcoholic beverages among youth. Alcohol alternatives beverages, including no-alcohol and low-alcohol products, are increasing in popularity and can function as compliments to alcoholic products to decrease the total alcohol volume consumed or as substitutes for alcoholic products. Framing theory can be operationalized through the Content Appealing to Youth Index, an index of content elements found in research literature to be appealing to youth, to …

A Study How Gender Equality Affect Financial Inclusion In Pakistan, Mehwish Javed

MS Islamic Banking and Finance Research Projects/Theses

The study focused on the relationship of gender equality with financial stability and financial inclusion in Pakistan. Time-series balanced annual frequency data between 2007 and 2023 (17 consecutive years) was collected from World Development Indicator (WDI), Global Financial Development Index (GFDI), and Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) databases. The results demonstrated positive relationship between gender equality and financial inclusion. This manifested the fact that gender equality, macroeconomic policies optimizations, adequate operational procedures, and risk management are all top priority areas that require attention to generate sustainable development of the Pakistani banking sector and enhanced financial inclusion. The research proposes …

Whither India’S Development: Toward Being A Super Power Or A Super Civilization?, Pradip Khandwalla

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

This commentary was triggered by my reading a lecture delivered by Saurabh Kumar, a former student of mine at Indian Institute of Management, who later served as India’s ambassador in various countries and international bodies. He bemoaned that China had much greater status in global affairs than India. Many others in India hanker for a super power status for India. I find this concern to be somewhat misguided. India should be aiming to be a great civilization, rather than a domineering superpower. The record of all the superpowers till now has been quite spotty in humane terms. My vision for …

The Coveted ‘Developed’ Imprimatur: Twenty-First Century Prospects And Cultural Crosscurrents, Nikhilesh Dholakia, Deniz Atik

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

No abstract provided.