Economics Commons^™

Three Essays On The Efficiency Of Carbon Emission Trading Programs, Yishu Zhou

Economics Faculty Research & Creative Works

Using individual level data from electricity generators, my dissertation empirically investigates the effectiveness of existing regional environmental policies in the U.S. electricity wholesale markets aiming to reduce CO₂ emissions. Big drop of natural gas price and limited magnitude and variation of CO₂ allowance prices make the contribution of CO₂ cap and trade programs questionable. Given the complexity of the electricity markets, the central of my research is to decompose the co-existing various effects on individual firms' emissions and evaluate the performance of current regional regulations. I particularly study the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which regulates power …

A Study Of The Triggers Of Conflict And Emotional Reactions, Michael Caldera, Michael T. Mcbride, Matthew W. Mccarter, Roman M. Sheremeta

ESI Publications

We study three triggers of conflict and explore their resultant emotional reactions in a laboratory experiment. Economists suggest that the primary trigger of conflict is monetary incentives. Social psychologists suggest that conflicts are often triggered by fear. Finally, evolutionary biologists suggest that a third trigger is uncertainty about an opponent’s desire to cause harm. Consistent with the predictions from economics, social psychology, and evolutionary biology, we find that conflict originates from all three triggers. The three triggers differently impact the frequency of conflict, but not the intensity. Also, we find that the frequency and intensity of conflict decrease positive emotions …

Does Where You Grow Up Affect Your Chances Of Being Drafted Into The Nfl?, Walker Head

Georgia College Student Research Events

The minimum rookie salary in the National Football League (NFL) is $450,000. First round picks often sign multi-year contracts worth more than $10 million. Players from some states are much more likely to receive college scholarships and eventually be drafted into the NFL, but it is not clear if this is a causal relationship. Utilizing data from Rivals and the NFL, I attempt to determine if where a player grew up has an impact on his chances of being drafted to play professional football. I focus on the top eight states, as it relates to percentage of recruits and my …

Do Farm Subsidies Affect Crop Diversification?, Chadwick O'Neal

Georgia College Student Research Events

The United States spends $20 billion each year on farm subsidies. Farmers face increased risk and income variation when their crop portfolio is less diversified. It’s possible for farm subsidies to decrease diversification if they are focused on specific crops. Utilizing state level subsidy and agricultural data from the Environmental Working Group, I used econometric analysis to estimate the effect of farm subsidies on crop diversification. I used the number of acres planted from the 15 top most subsidized and grown crops in the United States to derive my dependent variable, the Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI). The HHI is a market …

Does Race Impact Judicial Outcomes?, Kameron L. Griffin

Georgia College Student Research Events

Over the past decade, many arguments over racial disparity have become the center of worldwide media attention. While many studies have gathered and revealed a consensus of the existence of racial inequality in mass incarceration rates and the criminal justice system, few have investigated the role that race plays in determining severity of punishment. Utilizing Waves 1, 3 and 4 of the Add-Health cross-sectional data set, this paper will estimate and examine the effect being in a minority has on judicial decisions in criminal court. By using traditional OLS procedure in STATA, I estimated the impact that race has on …

Does An Adoptee’S Race Affect The Probability Of An Interracial Adoption?, Timothy C. Yates

Georgia College Student Research Events

I estimate the effect an adoptee’s race has on their chance of interracial adoption. I use data provided by the 2007 National Survey of Adoptive Parents for the linear regression, one of the only sources of individual data on adopted children. The study tests the idea that adopting outside of one’s race provides greater utility to the adopter since it is perceived as more altruistic relative to adopting within one’s race. For the purpose of the study, any circumstance where at least one adoptive parent differs in race from the adoptee is considered an interracial adoption. Ultimately, the results indicate …

Trends In U.S. Tea Imports: 1991-2015, Evan Kennedy

Honors Theses

Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world, and over the past two decades it has experienced a newfound popularity in the United States. Over this time period, ready-to-drink and loose-leaf tea has increased in popularity, whereas tea bags and instant tea declined in popularity. Since the United States produces almost no tea itself, an increase in consumption requires increased imports. Therefore, this paper examines U.S. import trends as a means to begin an examination of consumption. Ten countries (Argentina, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam) provide approximately 80% of the …

Does The Effect Of Driving Distance On Pga/Lpga Tour Earnings Differ Across Genders?, Conner R. Albright

Georgia College Student Research Events

Since the early 21st century, the game of golf has seen a shift in importance of touch and finesse towards power and distance. Though many studies have observed the effects of individual golf statistics on earnings, none have examined if these effects fluctuate between genders. The purpose of my study is to show male and female professional golfers the effects of hitting the ball far and if their practice time might be better off spent practicing other areas of the game. By using player statistics from the 2015 PGA and LPGA cross sectional data set, this paper will examine if …

Why Do Women Delay In Seeking Prenatal Care? A Discrete-Time Survival Analysis, Ama Agyeiwaa Abrokwah

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

Prenatal care during early stages of pregnancy can result in early detection of some pregnancy related complications which can help reduce both maternal and infant mortality (Conway et al., 2006). The cost of service has been identified as an important determinant of the utilization of prenatal care in most developing countries. This paper evaluates how Ghana’s social health insurance program affects the timing of prenatal care utilization using survival analysis techniques. This paper hypothesizes that having insurance will result in early utilization of prenatal care.

Emotional Calibration Of Self-Control, Joaquín Gómez-Miñambres, Eric Schniter

ESI Publications

We study a dynamic model of self-control where previous decisions have influence on subsequent decision making. In our model effort and guilt are negative emotions produced by previous decisions to either resist or yield to temptation, respectively. These emotions calibrate an individual's self-control, in turn affecting future decisions. Our model explains non-stationary consumption paths characterized by compensatory indulgence and restraint, why under some circumstances the amplitude of this switching pattern increases with foresight, and how unavoidable options that might show up on one's menu influence choices, consequent emotions, consumption paths, and preferences for commitment. We discuss the implications of self-control …

Economics: Show Me The Money, Yingchao Sun, Layal Zalkout

Collin College Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Student Research Conference

Papers Presented:

"Are you the 99% or the 1%?" By Yingchao Sun

"The Impact of Minimum Wage on Women" by Layal Zalkout

In Solidarity, Musselman Library, Salma Monani, Sarah M. Principato, Dave Powell, Brent C. Talbot, Charles L. Weise, Bruce A. Larson, Scott Hancock, Mckinley E. Melton, David S. Walsh, Jennifer Q. Mccary, Kristina G. Chamberlin

Next Page

This edition of Next Page is a departure from our usual question and answer format with a featured campus reader. Instead, we asked speakers who participated in the College’s recent Student Solidarity Rally (March 1, 2017) to recommend readings that might further our understanding of the topics on which they spoke.

In Defense Of The Self-Help Book, Owen Barrott

Marriott Student Review

"In Defense of the Self-Help Book" explores the relationship between behavioral economics and the effects that self-help and management books have. It explores loss aversion and the optimism bias paradox and applies it to those who use success literature to improve their own abilities.

The L. & H. Huning Mercantile Company: A Case Study Of Mercantile Conquest In The Rio Abajo Region Of New Mexico, 1848-1880, Ricardo S. Gonzales

History ETDs

This master’s thesis is a case study of the L. & H. Huning Mercantile Company, a mercantile partnership in New Mexico during the territorial period. Louis and Henry Huning, a pair of brothers who immigrated to New Mexico from Germany in 1859, established wholesale and retail enterprises in the Arizona and New Mexico territories. Their main storehouse was founded in Los Lunas, New Mexico, in 1871 following the departure of Erhardt Franz to St. Louis.

L. & H. Huning became a successful merchandising business in the Rio Abajo by establishing a mercantile monopoly in Los Lunas. The introduction of free-market …

Policy Imperatives For Cpec, Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Newspaper and Magazine Articles

Most of the discussion about CPEC has so far focused on the financing and indebtedness in the future but the success of this initiative lies in the successful interaction between investment , institutions and policy . What kind of policies are needed to maximize benefits and minimize costs to the country. There are several but at least six areas need careful design and execution.

The Good Guy Game: When Firms Reduce Carbon Emissions, Do Profits Increase?, Kevin Fortune

Economics Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Out Of The Outhouse: The Impact Of Place-Based Policies On Dwelling Characteristics In Appalachia, Daniel S. Grossman, Brad R. Humphreys, Jane E. Ruseski

Economics Faculty Working Papers Series

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) administers and partially funds investment projects designed to improve economic conditions in the Appalachian Region, an area of persistent poverty and reduced economic opportunity in the eastern US in and around the Appalachian mountains. Previous research on the effectiveness of ARC programs is mixed. We analyze the impact of ARC investment projects related to expanding sewerage and waste water treatment on dwelling characteristics. Results from a difference-in-differences model using a quasi experimental approach show that ARC investment projects improved access to running water, and increased sewer hook-ups and indoor bathrooms in dwellings.

Factors Influencing Distribution Of Prosthetic Devices In Iran: An Economic Analysis, Sarah Tensen

Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Conference

An estimated 177,622 Iranians have suffered an injury resulting in amputation. Prosthetic devices in Iran are scarce due to wealth disparity, wars, and lack of vital resources. Without prosthetic devices, amputees face unemployment, homelessness, a lowered self-esteem and cannot fully participate in society. I examined economic factors influencing the distribution of prosthetic devices and reviewed articles that focus on healthcare costs, distributions and services, relationships between Iran and other countries, etiology of amputation to find a solution for the prosthetic distribution issues. I concluded issues resulted from high costs, unequal distributions of wealth and resources, unsafe conditions, and a deficit …

Immigration: Rhetoric Vs. Empirical Evidence, Kolleen Rask

HCAA Continuing Education Day

Questions about immigration not only took center stage in last year’s presidential election, but they also proved to be extremely divisive for the country. Many people have a “sense” of why immigration is good or bad for the United States, sometimes formed on the basis of a specific story that shows a good or bad outcome, sometimes based on a broader utopian or dystopian view of the world. But few have taken the time to really study the issue or even consider what questions should be asked. We’ll look at immigration into the United States – both legal and undocumented …

The Relationship Between Educational And Demographic Characteristics Of Vietnamese Chairpersons And The Performance Of Their Firms, Thanh Vu, Michael Seeborg, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Who Is Better Off?: An Empirical Analysis Of How Sibship Effects Earnings, Cassidy Elgeness, Robert Leekley, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Nebraska Business And Consumer Confidence Indexes: April 7, 2017, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

Consumer confidence was strong in Nebraska in March 2017 while business confidence remained very strong. The Consumer Confidence Index – Nebraska (CCI-N) rose to 100.5 during March, 5.9 points higher than in February. The index value, which is just above the neutral value of 100, indicates that consumer confidence was strong in Nebraska. The outlook of Nebraska businesses is more firmly positive. The Business Confidence Index – Nebraska (BCI-N) stood at 108.2 in February, well above the neutral value. The business confidence index fell slightly, by 0.9% from February, but remains at a high level. When asked about the most …

Using R And Google-Api Tools To Estimate Geographic Features, Juan Tomas Sayago Gomez

Regional Research Institute Technical Documents

This technical document is a guide for using Google APIs to find information for research purposes. First, I apply the code to find the elevation at a given set of coordinates for specific locations. Second, I apply the code to find the street distances between two or more sets of coordinates. All the codes and sample files are available in the zip file attached to this guide.

New York Camp Econometrics Xii Program, Center For Policy Research

Camp Econometrics-Programs

No abstract provided.

Selecting An Alternative National Banking System Against Fractional Reserve Free Banking: The Greatest Modern Fraud?, Josiah J. Bardy

Senior Honors Theses

This paper serves as a compilation and analysis of different banking systems with an emphasis on fractional reserve free banking. Contemporary academic literature has debated fractional reserve banking with revisited scrutiny since the 2007–2009 financial crisis. The Austrian School, drawing conclusions from the Austrian business cycle theory, blames central banking for boom-bust economics. One proposed solution, fractional reserve free banking, eliminates the central bank’s control for a purer form of fractional reserve practice; however, this system may be inherently fraudulent and unethical. After completing an economic analysis of the western world’s banking system, this paper then explores an alternative solution.

Modelling Public-Education Spending Vs. Allocation As Independent Factors Of Educational Outcomes, Kevin Tasley

Undergraduate Economic Review

This paper explores and expands upon the work of Hanushek and Wößmann (2007) whose accumulated findings propose increased educational spending provides only marginal returns in terms of student’s cognitive outcomes. This study constructs an OLS regression model to explore the significance of U.S. state education spending and financial allocations as independent factors of state-level average ACT scores over a 10-year time series. The model additionally accounts for self-selection and socio-economic status. The results of this study support Hanushek and Wößmann’s conclusions while also demonstrating evidence that shifts in allocations towards instructional spending, as opposed to increasing total expenditures, could have …

Woody Biomass Processing And Rural Regional Development, Randall Jackson, Péter Járosi, Amir Borges Ferreira Neto, Elham Erfanian

Regional Research Institute Working Papers

This paper reports on economic and environmental impacts of introducing woody biomass processing in an economically distressed area in central Appalachia, one of the more heavily forested areas in the U.S. Woody biomass is a readily available unconventional energy source that has the potential to boost the rural region’s economy. We use a static regional computable general equilibrium model to assess regional economic impacts of two different WBP production pathways, biomass to ethanol and biomass to biofuel via fast pyrolysis. In an economy with a workforce approaching 160,000, we find that introducing woody biomass ethanol or fast pyrolysis processing would …

Estimating The Impacts Of Plazacorp Investments Related To The Acquisition Of The Arcadia Ramp In Downtown Kalamazoo On The Region, Jim Robey, Kathleen Bolter, Claudette Robey

Reports

No abstract provided.

Foreign Aid Allocation And Impact In Latin America And The Caribbean (Lac): A Cross-Country Analysis Of Foreign Aid Impact On Gdp Per Capita And Life Expectancy., Ancito Etienne

Student Scholar Showcase

The research paper I will be presenting does an empirical study of the impact of foreign aid on life expectancy and GDP per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean using a panel dataset of 22 and 20 countries, respectively, dated from 1996 to 2014 to perform two distinctive regressions using the OLS method. In addition, an exploration of the impact of GDP per capita on life expectancy was conducted to determine whether there was a cause and effect phenomenon. The findings suggest that foreign aid does not seem to have a positive impact on either GDP per capita or …

Is "Help" Helpful?: Analyzing Foreign Aid In Context Of Scale, Catherine Hull

Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium

Foreign aid comes in many forms. Foreign aid ranges from large-scale disaster relief to small-scale individual projects within communities. Most aid efforts have the same goal – to help those who would benefit from assistance. This case study addresses the question: what form of ‘help’ is helpful? Which type of aid best achieves what it sets out to accomplish?

To directly analyze the effect of foreign aid on a region, the water-conscious organization Pure Thirst traveled to the rural community of Olkokola, Tanzania. Pure Thirst worked alongside the community members to provide a form of humanitarian aid: improved water services …