Economics Commons^™

Evaluating The Effectiveness And Efficiency Of U.S. Foreign Aid, Rebecca Baley

Selected Honors Theses

The U.S. is the top spender in the world when it comes to foreign aid, sending billions of dollars around the world each year. There are many different goals and objectives that the U.S. government hopes to accomplish with their spending. This paper is structured as an extended literature review analyzing previous literature on the topic of U.S. foreign aid spending and the results of these funds around the world to test the effectiveness and efficiency. The process of how the foreign aid budget is set will also be discussed as well as the history of why the U.S. started …

Environmental Regulation And Labor Demand: What Does The Evidence Tell Us?, Wayne B. Gray, Ron Shadbegian, Ann Wolverton

Economics

Understanding the potential effect of environmental regulation on employment is of broad interest to key stakeholders. Concerns encompass both short- and longer-term effects on workers within the regulated sector, affected communities that already suffer from a lack of employment opportunities, and net employment in the overall economy. We begin our review by presenting a neoclassical microeconomic framework demonstrating how environmental regulations might affect labor demand. We then summarize the main empirical findings from the literature, including sector-specific partial equilibrium estimates and general equilibrium approaches to identifying the employment impacts of regulations. We also briefly describe the literature on how environmental …

Measuring Persistent Global Economic Factors With Output, Commodity Price, And Commodity Currency Data, Arabinda Basistha, Richard Startz

Economics Faculty Working Papers Series

In this study we use monthly G7 industrial production data, commodity price index data, and commodity currency exchange rate data in a dynamic factor model to examine the global economic factors useful for commodity price prediction. We differentiate between the dynamic factors by specifying a persistent factor and a non-persistent factor, both as a single global factor using all data and as factors for each category of data. The in-sample predictive performances of the three persistent factors together are better than the non-persistent factors and the single global factors. Out-of-sample outcomes based on forecast combinations also support the presence of …

From "Our Poor" To "Personal Responsibility": Changing Welfare Rhetoric In Political Party Platforms Of The Carolinas And The Nation, 1950-2005, Felicity N. Ropp

Senior Theses

In this thesis, I track political rhetoric surrounding poverty and welfare from 1950-2005. I first provide thorough context on the history of welfare policy in the United States and the way these issues were framed by politicians leading up to the period my data covers. My analysis centers on 108 political party platforms from the national Republican and Democratic parties and from state parties in North and South Carolina, ranging from 1950 to 2005 (31 of which I located in archives and manually digitized for the first time ever). I explain the significance of party platforms and review the literature …

The Dream Budget, Cynthia Smith

Goal 2: Life Skills Narrative

Students will research their dream job and create a budget using predetermined expenses (based on 2023 average expenses in Illinois). This activity will introduce students to the practice of managing their living expenses. This is also an opportunity for students to learn more about their dream job; even possible avenues that they did not previously consider.

Los Porteadores Del Camino Inca: Conversaciones Y Perspectivas Sobre Los Efectos Del Turismo, Joshua Lipscomb

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Este estudio investiga las condiciones de trabajo, experiencias y percepciones sobre el turismo de los porteadores del Camino Inca. Para ello, se realizó trabajo de campo y entrevistas en profundidad a los porteadores. También se entrevistó a guías y ex-porteadores con el objetivo de conocer sus condiciones laborales: seguros, salarios, peso transportado, nutrición, equipamiento, oportunidades de empleo, sensación de trato justo e impacto sociocultural. En este trabajo se sostiene que todas las partes implicadas: el gobierno peruano, las agencias de turismo y los propios turistas, tienen una clara responsabilidad de mejorar las condiciones de estos trabajadores. La investigación ha puesto …

Should I Stay Or Should I Go: A Preliminary Case Study Of Labor Migration Aspirations Among Female Undergraduate Students At The University Of Jordan, Simon Khairallah

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This preliminary case study investigated the composition, complexity, and presence of labor migration aspirations among female undergraduate students at the University of Jordan. The University of Jordan was selected as the research site due to its size and prominence in Jordan. The study sought to explore female participants’ perspectives on the current economic situation in Jordan, migration aspirations, and desired destinations. Interviews were conducted with undergraduate students at the University of Jordan. Of these ten participants, six expressed clear labor migration aspirations, three expressed aspirations to stay, and one expressed ambivalent migration aspirations. Nearly all participants expressed negative views of …

“Without Water, Nothing”: Examining The Water Saving Practices Of Women In Amman Under Periodic Water Supply, Rory Dixon

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Jordan is among the most water-scarce countries in the world. Consequently, water is only pumped to households once a week and households store water in tanks to last them until the next water day. Women conducting housework do so under conditions of environmental stress that this research calls resource-scarce domestic labor. In this study, I apply an eco-feminist lens to examine the water-saving practices women employ to manage and conserve domestic water supplies. I explore the larger causes of these behaviors including climate change, government management, and regional politics. Resource-scarce domestic labor is not a practice unique to Jordan and …

Minimum Exchange Rate And A Negative Interest Rate: The Swiss National Bank’S Unconventional Monetary Policy During Eurozone Volatility, Wally Bargeron

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Monetary policy is one of the most important tools that a government has to influence its economy. This means the ability for a country to determine their own monetary policy is important to that country’s autonomy. Switzerland has consistently based its decisions on what would afford it the highest level of autonomy, including the decision not to join the European Union and subsequently the decision to retain their own currency.

The Swiss National Bank retains the mandate to keep price levels (inflation) stable, but it is challenged by an appreciating currency. Because the Swiss Franc is a safe-haven currency, money …

Nebraska Crop Budgets 2024, Robert N. Klein, Glennis Mcmclure

Department of Agricultural Economics: Presentations, Working Papers, and Gray Literature

The 2024 Nebraska Crop budget projections were created using cropping practice norms for many producers in Nebraska. However, each individual farming operation is unique, and these budgets should be used only as a guide. The budgets for 2024 are available in the Agricultural Budget Calculator program at:https://agbudget.unl.edu/. To modify these budgets, you can download UNL budgets into your ABC program account or create your own. In addition, the reports for each of the 2024 crop budgets are saved as printable (PDF) files. See also the new budget calculator at https://cap.unl.edu/abc.

The following individuals contributed to these budgets …

Community Well-Being And Civil Discourse In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska, Rebecca J. Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley D. Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steven A. Schulz

Nebraska Rural Poll

Rural Nebraskans are more positive about the current change in their communities this year but are less positive about its future. Starting two years ago, the proportion believing their community changed for the worse was more than the proportion believing it had changed for the better (similar to what occurred in 2003 and 2009). However, this year that trend reversed back to the typical pattern. This year, more believe their community has changed for the better than has changed for the worse. When asked about what they expect ten years from now, this year more people believe their community will …

Hydro-Bio-Geo-Socio-Chemical Interactions And The Sustainability Of Residential Landscapes, Peter M. Groffman, Amanda K. Suchy, Dexter H. Locke, Robert J. Johnston, David A. Newburn, Arthur J. Gold, Lawrence E. Band, Jonathan Duncan, Morgan J. Grove, Jenny Kao-Kniffin, Hallee Meltzer, Tom Ndebele

Economics

Significance statement:
The paper presents major new insights into the multidisciplinary controls of nitrogen export (a widespread environmental concern) from residential landscapes. We conducted biogeochemical and social survey studies to identify locations (hotspots) or times (hot moments) with a disproportionate influence on this export. Results showed high variation in the vulnerability/sensitivity of individual parcels to cause environmental damage and in the knowledge and practices of individual managers. To the extent that hotspots are the result of management choices by homeowners, there are straightforward approaches to improve outcomes, e.g. fertilizer restrictions. If, however, hotspots arise from the configuration and inherent characteristics …

An In-Depth Look Into Inflation In Argentina And The United States: A Qualitative Study, Sebastian J. Ippolito

Student Publications

This paper explores the complex phenomenon of inflation in Argentina and the United States through a qualitative lens, offering a comparative analysis that captures the diverse experiences and perspectives of individuals from both nations. The paper examines the historical context of both countries to further develop key inflation perspectives and experiences in both nations. By interviewing two family members in Argentina and an Economics professor in the United States, the study bridges personal and academic viewpoints to unravel the multifaceted impacts of inflation. Argentina's prolonged struggle with inflation, characterized by historical policy inconsistencies and economic mismanagement, contrasts with the relatively …

Borderplex Business Barometer, Volume 7, Number10, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Itrr Annual Report - 35 Years - 1987-2022, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

Within the pages of this report, you will discover a comprehensive overview of our past and future research projects, travel, and outdoor recreation information and data, as well as who we are and how we collect data. By transparently sharing our experiences and growth, we aim to foster an environment of continuous improvement and shared understanding. Reflecting on the milestones achieved, ITRR has continued to evolve and flourish over the past 35 years, with our journey marked by innovation, collaboration, and unwavering pursuit of our mission to serve Montanans.

Treasury Buybacks, The Fed's Portfolio, And Local Supply, Ethan Struby, Michael F. Connolly

Department of Economics Working Paper Series

The U.S. Department of Treasury has announced plans to revive its buyback program after more than two decades. We estimate the effects of the 2000-2002 Treasury Buyback program on Treasury returns and the Federal Reserve's System Open Market Account (SOMA) portfolio. The reduction in supply from the buybacks had significant effects on both the bonds purchased by the buybacks and bonds with similar remaining maturity. Changes in supply contributed about 90 basis points to price returns over the course of the program -- nearly 1/5 of the overall change in prices. At a higher frequency, prices of purchased bonds and …

Mexico Consensus Economic Forecast, Volume 26, Number 4, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Do Government Subsidies Promote Green R&D Efficiency? Empirical Evidence From China, Huimin Wu

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

How to evaluate the effects of government policy on encouraging innovations? Existing studies strongly argue to reduce subsidies compared to indirect policy tools, such as tax rebate. However, direct government grants are popular and keep gaining momentum in China. Such a discrepancy between academic research and common practice is interesting and calls for further investigations. In the meantime, is there any difference for this issue if considering green attributes? In this article, we use data from Chinese A-share listed companies to study the effect of government subsidies on R&D activities, with a special focus on comparing green and non-green inventions. …

Limit Theory For Locally Flat Functional Coefficient Regression, Peter C. B. Phillips, Ying Wang

Research Collection School Of Economics

Functional coefficient (FC) regressions allow for systematic flexibility in the responsiveness of a dependent variable to movements in the regressors, making them attractive in applications where marginal effects may depend on covariates. Such models are commonly estimated by local kernel regression methods. This paper explores situations where responsiveness to covariates is locally flat or fixed. The paper develops new asymptotics that take account of shape characteristics of the function in the locality of the point of estimation. Both stationary and integrated regressor cases are examined. The limit theory of FC kernel regression is shown to depend intimately on functional shape …

Analysis Of The Effects Of Nafta On Rural Farmers In Mexico: Agriculture And Immigration, Kevin Xavier Garcia-Galindo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research paper examines the effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on agricultural workers in rural Mexico and immigration rates from those regions. The paper aims to investigate the validity of claims regarding the impact of NAFTA on immigration and agriculture, which are often interconnected. By focusing on the rural farming communities of Mexico, the study incorporates ethnographic perspectives to complement existing academic research on NAFTA. The research question explores how NAFTA affected agricultural workers in rural Mexico and its implications for immigration patterns. Through a comprehensive literature review and interviews with individuals involved in rural farming, …

Unveiling The Impact: Mexico's Decree On Genetically Modified Corn And Its Ramifications On Food Security, Lauren Mcshea

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research delves into the repercussions of Mexico's presidential decree in late 2020, which imposed a ban on the human consumption of genetically modified (GM) corn by January 2024. In a trade dispute under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the decree has sparked tensions between Mexico and the United States, particularly concerning the disruption of GM corn exports. Beyond trade dynamics, the study aims to address the broader impact on Mexico's food security landscape, exploring the intricate connections between the ban and various factors, including agricultural practices, economic implications, and shifts in the corn market dynamics. This research seeks to …

Carbon Credibility: Strategic Opportunities For Asean Regional Industrial Policy In Voluntary Carbon Markets, Bryan Jed Soh

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Carbon offsets have come under increasing scrutiny due to uncertainties in real carbon abatement, transparency, and fears that it will exacerbate global inequality by allowing the global North to ‘pay to pollute’ through ethically questionable projects in the South. Following Article 2.1.C of the Paris Agreement, this paper argues that the global green transition requires private capital to be fully mobilized through voluntary carbon markets (VCMs). Given that ASEAN states face some of the world’s greatest climate risks while being a fast-growing region, this case study answers the question: how can states play a more proactive role in regulating VCMs …

The Implications Of Politicizing Global Health Diplomacy In A Multipolar World, Haley Stock

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research paper is the result of an independent study project that details the implications of politicizing global health diplomacy. With a mixture of interviews, primary sources, and secondary sources, this project aims to explain how and why global health has become entrenched in politics in the world today. This paper explores the intersection between global health and foreign policy and analyzes the extent to which countries use medical interventions to achieve political and economic success. Medical interventions, like vaccines, have become increasingly significant, especially looking back at the recent pandemic. Therefore, this paper will also explore the complex nature …

(Wp 2023-05) Measuring The Effects Of Unconventional Monetary Policy Tools Under Adaptive Learning, Stephen J. Cole, Sungjun Huh

Economics Working Papers

We compare the economic effects of forward guidance and quantitative easing utilizing the four-equation New Keynesian model of Sims, Wu, and Zhang (2023) with agents forming expectations via an adaptive learning rule. The results indicate forward guidance can have a greater influence on macroeconomic variables compared to quantitative easing, suggesting that forward guidance may have contributed to the high inflation rate after the COVID-19 related recession. Adaptive learning agents estimate a higher effect of forward guidance on the economy leading to a greater impact on expectations, and thus, contemporaneous inflation. However, the performance gap between forward guidance and quantitative easing …

(Wp 2023-04) Living Up To Expectations: Central Bank Credibility, The Effectiveness Of Forward Guidance, And Inflation Dynamics Post-Global Financial Crisis, Stephen J. Cole, Enrique Martínez-García, Eric Sims

Economics Working Papers

This paper studies the effectiveness of forward guidance when central banks have imperfect credibility. Exploiting unique survey-based measures of expected inflation, output growth, and interest rates, we estimate a small-scale New Keynesian model for the United States and other G7 countries plus Spain allowing for deviations from full information rational expectations. In our model, the key parameter that aggregates heterogeneous expectations captures the central bank's credibility and affects the over-all effectiveness of forward guidance. We find that the central banks of the U.S., the U.K., Germany, and other major advanced economies have similar levels of credibility (albeit far from full …

Resident Participation In Outdoor Recreation: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Carter Bermingham, Megan Schultz, Matthew Pettigrew

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted to better understand resident participation in outdoor recreation, specifically on public lands managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Respondents were asked about their participation in outdoor recreation, the importance of outdoor recreation to their quality of life, and their satisfaction with the investment of outdoor recreation facilities in their local area, among other topics. The report also includes demographic information as well as analysis conducted at the regional level.

Montana Folk Festival 2023, Butte, Montana, Ava Worbets, Hunter Tillman, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for the non-profit Mainstreet Uptown Butte to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees of the 2023 Montana Folk Festival. Paper surveys were completed by 860 attendees of the event. Results show that 82% of respondents were residents of Montana, and of those Montana residents, 45% were from Butte-Silver Bow County. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 3.43 nights in Butte-Silver Bow County and more people spent money on restaurants/bars and hotel/motel while visiting the area than any other spending categories. Respondents to the survey reported a total spending of $199,074.00 in the Butte-Silver Bow County …

Does The Federal Reserve Obtain Competitive And Appropriate Prices In Monetary Policy Implementation?, Yu An, Zhaogang Song

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Many of the Federal Reserve’s (the Fed’s) monetary policy operations involve trading with primary dealers. We find that, for agency MBS, dealers charge 2.5 cents (per $100 face value) higher selling to the Fed than to non-Fed customers. Controlling for the same dealer, same security, and same trading time, this discriminatory pricing likely arises from dealers’ market power rather than inventory costs. Further, matching trade size reduces the price differential by more than half, implying that dealers’ market power greatly relates to the Fed’s purchases in large amounts, whereas the Fed’s limited breadth of counterparty choice also plays some role.

An Evaluation Of Network2work At Piedmont Virginia Community College, Cynthia M. Finley

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Barriers to education and training can have a generational impact on socioeconomic status and economic development. Post-traditional students have been shown to experience a variety of barriers to education and family sustaining employment. Social capital has been shown to help alleviate some of the barriers for students resulting in stronger economic outcomes, such job retention, and higher wages. This case study examined a workforce development approach to providing support to post-traditional students in non-credit industry training. The researcher examined student outcomes, credential attainment and employment, between two student groups (Network2Work versus a nonNetwork2Work group) using chi-square and logical regression analysis. …

Customer Capital And Trade Intermediaries: Evidence From China, Jungho Lee, Jianhuan Xu

Research Collection School Of Economics

Using a unique dataset that links the production and sales of Chinese exporting firms, we document that the value of export goods a firm produces often differs from the value of export goods that the firm sells in foreign markets. We show that this empirical pattern reflects that some exporters act as trade intermediaries, which we refer to as producer intermediaries. We further show that firms with higher accumulated marketing expenditures are more likely to become producer intermediaries. To understand the implications of our empirical findings, we develop a theoretical framework in which firms can lend and borrow customer capital …