Economics Commons^™

Virtual Goods Markets And Economy In China: A Historic Account, Mann (Michael) Zhang

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Rapidly expanding virtual goods markets and virtual economy are thriving worldwide in general, and in China in particular. This paper reviews the growth of virtual goods markets in China and builds a historical narrative of the rapidly changing (or dynamic) and persistently unchanged (or relatively static) aspects of reality in China that condition virtuality and virtual goods markets. The review and historical analysis provide a perspective of a larger place – a total reality – where the virtuality and virtual goods markets exist, along with the physical aspects, and suggest that virtual goods marketers need to pay more attention to …

Conflicting Perspectives On Speed: Dynamics And Consequences Of The Fast Fashion System, Zeynep Ozdamar-Ertekin

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

The fashion industry today is trapped in a competitive cycle of shorter and faster sales and production periods, requiring continual changing of styles, frequent renewal of products, and speed of availability. This high speed of the current fashion system has both positive and negative outcomes on the environment, the workers and the society. The purpose of this study is to provide a more comprehensive and macro perspective on speed, by acknowledging the conflicting perspectives of different stakeholders, focusing mainly on institutional actors. Ethnography, with emphasis on participant observation and interviews, was used as a research method, supported by secondary data …

Electronic Waste And Sustainability: Reflections On A Rising Global Challenge, Bipul Kumar, Kalyan Bhaskar

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Globalization, technological advancements, advent of the internet, near-universal availability of mobile phones and changing consumer preferences have led to a boom in the electrical and electronics industry. Such products are now available in almost all countries of the world. The increased availability and consumption of electronic products have also led to rapid rise in the volumes of electronic waste (e-waste) globally. Markets have traditionally not paid sufficient attention to post-consumption behavior for electronic products and hence safe disposal and management of e-waste has always remained a critical issue. There are significant sustainability issues related with e-waste at local as well …

The Dynamics Of The Local And The Global: Implications For Marketing And Development, A. Fuat Fırat

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Globalization’s contemporary omnipresence has resulted in an emphasis on the conflicts between the local and the global. This emphasis has blurred our ability to have insights that may be gained by recognizing that the local and the global are interdependent and cannot exist without each other. This paper explores the initial insights from such recognition regarding local identities, cultural development, and modern marketing’s shortcomings in aiding development. Preliminary conclusions as to how a new conceptualization of marketing can be instrumental in enrichment of meaningful and substantive human lives through constructing redefinitions of development and marketing based on these insights are …

Marketing’S Lost Frontier: The Poor, Ravi Achrol, Philip Kotler

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

The problems of persistent poverty have occupied the minds, money and agencies of the world for a very long time. It is the subject of a large literature in economics and sociology, and the literature has evolved through a variety of theoretical paradigms. Despite numerous initiatives the impact on alleviating poverty is marginal. Recently the poverty conundrum has attracted the attention of schools of business and global corporations. In this paper we critically review the major changes in the conventional approaches to development. Then we review three models based on the thought traditions of business schools that offer a new …

Ismd: Glimpses In The Rearview Mirror, Ruby Roy Dholakia

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

This retrospective commentary looks back to the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and later decades to trace the originating ideas, intellectual influences, personalities, academic ventures and other events that spawned and shaped the International Society of Markets and Development (ISMD), the parent sponsoring organization of Markets, Globalization & Development Review (MGDR). From this rich history, this commentary hopes to inspire existing and emerging generations of authors to explore the areas of interest to ISMD and MGDR, and to contribute to this journal.

Markets, Globalization, Development: Charting The Intersections Of Three Multipolar Concepts, Nikhilesh Dholakia, Deniz Atik

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Via this introductory article, the founding editors of MGDR welcome the global readership and potential base of contributors to this journal. This essay lays out the editors views of the three momentous concepts that form the title of this journal -- markets, globalization and development -- and the intersections of these. Of course, as a journal MGDR remains open to all views of these concepts, so long they are thoroughly researched and presented in a spirit of open dialogue and discussion.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- July 2016, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- June 2016, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- May 2016, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Inequality And Financialization, Oscar C. Soons

Senior Honors Projects

This paper analyzes economic inequality in the United States and makes a connection between rising inequality and “Financialization” since the 1970’s. I provide an overview of how and why income and wealth inequality have changed over time. The increase in inequality since the 1970’s is correlated with an increase in Financialization, measured by a Financialization index that I created. Financialization, defined as the increasing size, power and influence of the financial sector in the economy and politics, has changed the economic and political landscape in the United States in a way that increases economic inequality.

The Effect Of Past Institutional Structures On Current Economic Development Levels: The Former French African Colonies, Ana May Jerolamon

Senior Honors Projects

By the early 1960’s, most of the French colonies in Africa had gained independence. Since then, these former colonies have reached economic development levels that vary widely by country. This project will argue that while most of these countries were official colonies for less than one hundred years, the institutions that were created during the colonial period still have an effect on the current economic development of such countries. Since political institutions become intertwined with the culture and structure of a country,

they are extremely hard to modify; therefore, we can expect to find the presence of institutions that are …

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- April 2016, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- March 2016, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- February 2016, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- January 2016, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- December 2015, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- November 2015, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- October 2015, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- September 2015, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- August 2015, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- July 2015, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- June 2015, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Improving Rhode Island’S Health Care System: Lessons From The Cuban Model, Sarah R. Moffitt

Senior Honors Projects

Improving Rhode Island’s health care system: lessons from the Cuban model

Cuba is world renowned for its health care system. In regards to international health crises, Cuba is a leader in sending workers abroad and training doctors from all over the world. Within its own borders, the Cuban model provides free access to all citizens in which every individual has a primary care provider. Cuba boasts high vaccination rates, a long life expectancy, low infant mortality rate, and a population that is one of the healthiest in the western hemisphere.

The purpose of this research project is to evaluate the …

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- May 2015, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Diplomatic Normalization Between The Us And Cuba In Light Of Recent Changes In Us Foreign Policy More Generally, Ethan Zawatsky, Ashley Gemma

Senior Honors Projects

We analyze normalization of diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba. We first examine the causes of previous normalizations with Vietnam and China. From these cases, we identify factors that are key to the normalization process. These include political turnover, economic interests, other special interest groups, public sentiment, and what we refer to as the Lawnmower Effect. This effect is observed when one or both nations attempt to reopen diplomatic ties only to continually fail to establish relations due to the endurance of underlying political issues. We use the Multiple Streams Framework (a policy formulation theory) in order to evaluate …

The Effects Of Discrimination In Public Goods Games, Melinda Maroto

Senior Honors Projects

This paper explores the effects of discrimination on people’s willingness to contribution to public goods. The experiment not only attempts to measure the significance of this partiality, but also attempts to shed light on how discrimination affects this willingness to contribute by testing both the feeling of discrimination and the possibility that discrimination leads to lower payouts. Beyond this, the study acts as an opportunity to further connect the thoughts, behaviors, and political tendencies of social groups to their fiscal decisions.

The experiment tests roughly 120 University of Rhode Island students' willingness to contribute to the construction of a public …

The Financial Lives Of Low-Income Rhode Islanders: Challenges And Opportunities, Keegan Glennon

Senior Honors Projects

Less fortunate Americans have historically been urged to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps,” implying that prosperity was essentially just a matter of willpower. Over time, however, it has become clear that there are more than a few problems with this conception of American society. If hard work and willpower aren’t all that lower class Americans need to reach prosperity, then what do they need? This has been an issue of much debate ever since the question was first posed. The truth is that that poor Americans face many obstacles in managing their financial lives, and many of these obstacles …

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- April 2015, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.

Rhode Island Current Conditions Index -- March 2015, Leonard Lardaro

The Rhode Island Current Conditions Index

No abstract provided.