Economics Commons^™

Teaching Inquiry: A Guiding Template Fosters Critical Thinking, Barbara D. O'Donnell, Abigail C. Schwent

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article provides a supportive way to address the marginalization of social studies by teaching inquiry through the use of a template. Inquiry based learning encourages students to make real-world connections by engaging in problem solving and exploration through research. It fosters higher level skills like critical thinking, evaluation, and synthesis of knowledge through experiential learning (Bell, Urhahne, Schanze and Ploetzner 2009). Using inquiry to investigate social studies topics encourages the use of sources from diverse perspectives to understand the complete picture of the event being researched. Teaching social studies through inquiry is a daunting task due to multiple obstacles …

Do Older Americans Work More When Their Housing Wealth Declines?, Brian J. Asquith

Upjohn Institute Policy and Research Briefs

No abstract provided.

Cost Of Living For Older Adults (65+) In Mountain West Metropolitan Statistical Areas, 2024, Anirudh Polagani, Annie Vong, Mohit Pande, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Demography

This fact sheet explores 2024 cost of living data for adults over the age of 65 in the largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) across five Mountain West states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The data are sourced from the “Elder Index,” a dashboard that focuses on housing, healthcare, food, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses that collectively reflect the monthly expenses for those over the age of 65. This fact sheet focuses on five MSAs in the Mountain West: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO; Las Vegas-Henderson- North Las Vegas, NV; Albuquerque, NM; and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.

Native American Tribes And Federal Grant Funding In The Mountain West, Fy2023-2025, Isabelle G. Graham, Maisoon Faris, Dre Boyd-Weatherly, Olivia K. Cheche, William E. Brown Jr.

Elections & Governance

This fact sheet presents state-level data on the impact of a federal government-wide funding freeze affecting Native American Tribes, focusing on the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The data are derived from the Brookings Institution’s “A federal grant freeze could disrupt over $24 billion to Native American communities and undermine US obligations to Tribes” brief, which reports data from USAspending. The original report provides data on the federal government’s obligations, outlays, and remaining balances owed to Native American Tribes for all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

Eco 204, I. 3, Anwar Shaikh Phd

Archives of Anwar Shaikh

This collection includes:

• Shaikh, A. (1993, October 26 & November 3). Eco. 204: Patriarchy & class, discussing Humphries (1992), Ellen Meiksins Woods, race, and sexism [Handwritten notes]. Manuscript in possession of the author.

• Shaikh, A. (1988, February 23). Modern debates: Household and household labor debates on women’s oppression, feminist confusions, patriarchy, and class [Handwritten notes]. Manuscript in possession of the author.

• Shaikh, A. (1993, October 14). Analytical Marxism: Neoclassical economics, rational choice, welfare theory, and exploitation [Handwritten notes]. Manuscript in possession of the author.

• Coontz, S., & Henderson, P. (1986). Property forms, political power, and female …

Nssr Shaikh Ltv, Money, Lecture Notes, Anwar Shaikh Phd

Archives of Anwar Shaikh

This collection includes,

• Shaikh, A. (1975, Fall). Lecture 6 for advanced political economy (Eco 204): The labor theory of value, money, and prices [Class lecture transcript]. Manuscript in possession of the author.

• Shaikh, A. (n.d.). Marx notes on Wagner: Abstract labor, value, and Robinson Crusoe [Handwritten notes]. Manuscript in possession of the author.

• Shaikh, A. (n.d.). Resultat on value-creating activity [Handwritten notes]. Manuscript in possession of the author.

• Shaikh, A. (n.d.). Notes citing Young (1976) and Gleicher (?) on Marx's terminology, the labor process, and the law of value [Handwritten notes]. Manuscript in possession of the …

4 Of 4: Impact Of Policy And Technological Factors On Ai Innovation And Investment: The 2b Model Service Industry, Siyuan Ma, Mengyu Wang, Tianyi Zhang

Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics

This case explores AI investment opportunities in 2B model services, particularly in sectors that intrinsically benefit from the reduction in human error. We will analyse applications in the legal industry as an example of overarching 2B model service trends.

3 Of 4: Analysis Of Innovation Applications And Value Driven By Aigc Technology: An Early Investment Perspective In The Chinese Market, Siyuan Ma, Mengyu Wang, Tianyi Zhang

Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics

This case series explores the innovative applications and value analysis driven by AIGC (AI-generated content) technology from the perspective of early-stage investments in the Chinese market. We analyse the influence of core factors such as technology progression, market demand, policy environment, industry cycles and data on AIGC-driven value creation; case studies are provided to illustrate how AIGC has varying applications across different industries depending on market conditions. This series contains four cases: first, we first explore the investment opportunities of AIGC by combining the core technological value and industrial application status of generative AI, using China’s energy industry as a …

2 Of 4: Impact Of Human Resource Factors On Ai Investment: Ai In The Human Resource Market, Siyuan Ma, Mengyu Wang, Tianyi Zhang

Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics

This case will explore the implications that AIGC trends have on the development of the Chinese Human Resource (HR) market. While previous generation internet products were based on common needs and provided standardized products, the development of large AI models has opened doors to personalized custom products and services. Take AI applications in online education as an example: AI education models are developing to tailor to individual needs, since almost everything is not only digitalised but also based on dynamic database analysis for each user, including traffic distribution, sales conversion and service evaluation.

1 Of 4: Aigc Technology And Applications: Policy And Industry Development, Siyuan Ma, Mengyu Wang, Tianyi Zhang

Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics

This case explores the investment opportunities of AIGC by combining the core technological value and industrial application status of generative AI. We then analyse the impacts of these large-scale sectoral changes in a study of AI in China’s energy industry. We are currently in the early stage of the generative AI industry, thus it is analysed more from the perspective of early value investment, including trend investment opportunities brought by macro cycles, inflection point investment opportunities brought by industry transformation and application, and value creation brought by disruptive innovation. The early investment in the Chinese market is also at a …

Orthostatic Hypotension In Older Adults And Its Economic Impact On The Healthcare System: A Systematic Literature Review, Olushola E. Ilogho, Jennifer Broyles, Viet Le, Denise Rizzolo

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

ABSTRACT

Orthostatic Hypotension (OH) has been shown to lead to poor quality of life, falls, and death. Literature suggests that falls from OH may be preventable, therefore opportunities to reduce its associated cost to the healthcare system exist. This literature review aims to evaluate the importance of diagnosing and treating OH in older adult patients. OH is the drop in blood pressure upon changing to an upright position. This acute hemodynamic drop in blood pressure causes hypoperfusion in the brain, leading to dizziness, syncope, and falls. An extensive literature search for publications in PubMed and Cumulative Index in Nursing and …

An Analysis Of Mergers In The Presence Of Uncertainty In Renewable Energy Integration Costs, Wassim Daher, Jihad Elnaboulsi, Mahelet G. Fikru, Luis Gautier

Economics Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study examines how uncertainty in renewable integration costs affects the profitability of mergers among energy producers. As the energy sector shifts toward decentralized renewables, centralized producers face industry-wide and firm-specific cost uncertainties due to the variable and intermittent nature of distributed generation. Although previous models have examined mergers in the presence of greener energy, they have largely assumed deterministic costs and ignored the impact of the dual sources of uncertainty on merger profitability. This study incorporates both industry-wide and private shocks into renewable integration costs, using two theoretical models – without and with uncertainty – to identify how these …

Anti-Union Regulation And The Opioid Crisis, Kelly Chen, Samia Islam

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Existing literature provides ample evidence of the detrimental impact of de-unionization on various determinants of individual health. However, there is a lack of direct empirical research linking de-unionization to objective health outcomes. By leveraging the differential timing of Right-to-Work law implementation across four states in the United States, we quantify the role of union presence in opioid misuse. Using a synthetic control method, our analysis reveals a persistent decline in unionization rates in the affected states within 4-6 years of RTW enactment. This reduction precipitated a considerable increase in both nonfatal and fatal overdoses, as measured by opioid-related treatment admissions …

Technical Appendix: Analysis Of Innovation Applications And Value Driven By Aigc Technology—An Early Investment Perspective In The Chinese Market, Siyuan Ma, Mengyu Wang, Tianyi Zhang

Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics

Following the introduction of generative AI/AIGC concepts and applications, it is necessary to clarify two related technical concepts: machine vision (CV) and convolutional neural networks (CNN). Computer Vision (CV) is a discipline that studies how to convert inputs such as images, sounds, and videos into a language that computers can understand. Taking 2D images as an example, all images can be broken down into very small pixels, each of which can be converted into a number (based on grayscale) or a combination of numbers. The number represented by each pixel is the feature of that pixel, and combining these numbers …

Coarse Salary-Setting And Behavioral Teams, Chengyuan Hua

Economics Faculty Working Papers Series

Among National Hockey League (NHL) player contracts signed in 2011-24, over 38% are divisible by $100,000. This paper shows that the bunching of NHL contracts at round numbers is partly driven by team coarse wage-setting. I first show that teams with more coarse contracts have worse team performance. Then, my empirical results validate two model predictions derived from a wage-setting model in which optimization costs lead to the adoption of rounded wages. With a novel measure of management quality, I document a negative relationship between management quality and coarse salary-setting. Next, I find that coarse salary-setting is associated with higher …

Do Financial Concerns Make Workers Less Productive?, Dua Khowaja

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Financial stress does not just affect people’s finances; it can change the way individuals behave. This project asks whether short-term financial difficulty damages worker performance or if alleviating it improves focus and accuracy. Using data from a field experiment in rural India, this study examine how labor payment timing variability is related to workers' productivity and error rates. The study randomized payment dates across a sample of employees, so that employees paid early can be compared to employees paid on standard or later dates. It investigates whether subsidy of payments relieves stress and enhances task performance by minimizing stress, enhancing …

The Economic Impact Of The Soda City Market In Columbia, Sc, Sarah E. Lillard

Senior Theses

This study examines the role of Soda City Market in the economic and social revitalization of Columbia, South Carolina’s Main Street district. Since relocating downtown in 2012, the market has evolved from a small farmers market into a major cultural and entrepreneurial hub attracting more than 300,000 visitors annually. To evaluate its impact, the study integrates two primary methods: a vendor survey capturing business characteristics and an IMPLAN input–output model estimating the market’s economic effects within Richland County. Survey results from 25 vendors reveal a diverse and culturally representative business community in which Soda City serves as both an incubator …

Evaluating The “What’S Up Down South” Economic Summit: Accelerating Growth And Expanding Impact, Paul A. Hill

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the 2025 What’s Up Down South economic summit, a platform for regional economic development. Data were collected through an online exit survey with a 30% response rate (n = 176), incorporating quantitative ratings and open-ended feedback to assess learning outcomes and program quality. The evaluation examined attendees’ perceptions of keynote and breakout sessions, overall satisfaction, and suggestions for improving the event. Findings indicate that the summit delivered valuable economic insights and programming while citing opportunities to improve speaker diversity, event logistics, and data collection. These insights will guide future planning to sustain the summit’s …

Breaking Up Or Bound Together? Unraveling Us-China Economic Interdependence, Vinh Huynh, Guangjun Qu

Annual Student Research Poster Session

This study investigates the extent to which the U.S.-China trade war has altered bilateral trade flows and economic interdependence between the two largest economies in the world. The question at the heart of this research is whether the two countries have truly begun to “decouple” or whether they remain deeply interconnected despite political and economic tensions. Drawing on U.S. and Chinese trade data from multiple official sources, we examine both the scale and persistence of trade disruptions over time. Our analysis extends beyond the pre-pandemic years to include 2020 through 2024, allowing us to distinguish between the trade war’s temporary …

Entrepreneurship Over The Business Cycle, Ryan Rudderham, Miyu Aoki

Annual Student Research Poster Session

During economic recessions, individuals face a challenging decision: whether to seek traditional employment or start their own business. While recessions are a poor time for entrepreneurship due to reduced consumer spending and business productivity, these periods also feature high unemployment, which makes finding wage work difficult. This project developed a theoretical framework to study entrepreneurship over the business cycle by introducing labor market frictions, creating a tractable yet realistic structure for occupational choice. Traditional macroeconomic models struggle to capture entrepreneurial decision-making across business cycles. As such, this project looked at labor market frictions in building a theoretical framework. Over the …

Aging In America: Implications For Family Resource Management, Becky Smith, Portia Johnson, Brandan Wheeler, D E Kiss, Ann A. Berry

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The Stanford Center on Longevity reports life expectancy has surged over the last 120 years. Unfortunately, living longer may not equate to living with a higher quality of life without considering the amount, type, and uses of all resources available to individuals and families as they age. Family Resource Management (FRM) is the science and art of how individuals and families make decisions to develop and allocate resources, including money, time, energy, space, material, and health assets, and networks of support to meet their goals. Living longer means making more decisions and developing and allocating more resources to enhance the …

Daily Consumption Smoothing? New Evidence From A Payment Diary, Shaun Gilyard, Scott Schuh

Economics Faculty Working Papers Series

This paper shows that consumption and income data in the Diary of Consumer Payment Choice (DCPC) cover high percentages of U.S. data, forecast well in real time, and replicate the literature’s estimation and general rejection of PIH models with time aggregated data. Novel estimates reveal evidence of daily consumption smoothing after accounting for three features of daily data: 1) discrepancy between consumption and expenditures (e.g., bill payments); 2) discrete daily expenditures and income; and 3) asynchronous consumption and income. Convenience samples used in the literature appear to reflect selection effects related to payment choices (cash or mobile) that affect model …

‘Invest!’: Liberty Bonds And Stock Ownership Over The Twentieth Century, Gillian Brunet, Eric Hilt, Matthew Jaremski

Economics: Faculty Publications

The Liberty Bond drives of World War I were nation-wide interventions aimed at increasing financial literacy and associating bond ownership with patriotism. Using data from the first year of the Survey of Consumer Finances, 1947, through 1971, we investigate whether exposure to the drives shaped investing behavior over the long run. We find that households residing in counties that had high Liberty Bond participation had greater stock and bond ownership rates in later decades, and held more favorable opinions towards retirement saving and stock investment. These effects are present only among cohorts actually exposed to the bond drives, and not …

Educational Pathways In East Texas: The Smartest Decisions, Manuel Reyes-Loya, Cecilia Cuellar, Sara Maldonado

Hibbs Brief

This Hibbs Brief examines how educational pathways affect careers and earnings in East Texas. It finds that bachelor's degrees generally lead to higher lifetime earnings, while associate degrees and certificates provide quicker, more affordable routes into in-demand jobs. East Texas trails state and national averages in degree attainment, which may limit economic growth. The brief emphasizes that choosing the right educational path depends on personal goals and local labor market needs.

**Human Capital Migration And International Trade: A Comparative Case Study Of Germany And Austria, 2000 To 2024**, Jahnvi Jha

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

This study examines migration of people and international trade in Germany and Austria between 2000 and 2024. Both countries saw sharp rises in immigrant populations, with foreign-born residents reaching 18 percent in Germany and 22 percent in Austria, while their exports grew to record levels. The research explores whether human capital migration like workers bringing skills, education, and networks has complemented or substituted trade. Evidence shows migration often reduces barriers to commerce by creating trust, demand for home-country goods, and professional connections. Skilled workers in high-tech industries further boost export capacity. Contrary to fears that migrants might weaken competitiveness, the …

Robust Contracting Under Distributional Uncertainty, Jiangtao Li, Kexin Wang

Research Collection School of Economics

We study contract design when the principal has limited information about the output distributions induced by the agent's actions. In a baseline model where only the means are known, we show that increasing affine contracts are robustly optimal. The mean restrictions accommodate a wide range of output distributions, including extreme cases that help establish this optimality. We then extend the analysis to environments with additional constraints on the distributions. Our main result shows that the robust optimality of increasing affine contracts persists even when the principal knows more—for example, that each action induces a distribution with full support.

Borderplex Business Barometer, Volume 9, Number 10, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Pandemic-Driven Healthcare Disruptions And Their Disproportionate Impact On Patients With Diabetes: Evidence From Texas, Meryem Saygili, Gultekin Gollu, Zehra Tekin

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening complication of uncontrolled diabetes. The COVID-19 pandemic may have increased DKA incidences and worsened outcomes both through the potential diabetogenic effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection (direct effect) and through pandemic-related disruptions in healthcare (indirect effects,) including delays in seeking or receiving care, reduced access to routine outpatient services, and strains on hospital capacity. The objective of this study is to examine changes in the frequency and outcomes of hospitalizations with DKA in Texas hospitals following the COVID-19 pandemic and to quantify the contributions of pandemic-related healthcare disruptions and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Comparisons to patients with …

In The Hull Of The Uss Disregard: An Analysis Of Secretary Of State Cordell Hull’S Execution Of Foreign Policy In East Asia And The Precipitation Of Armed Conflict Between Japan And The United States, Eric B. Hawkins

Theses

The political career of Cordell Hull was motivated primarily by trade policy and the courting of Central America through the negotiation of reciprocal trade treaties that helped stabilize, for the most part, the entire Western Hemisphere. He was an obvious choice for Roosevelt’s cabinet to address economic instability. But why was he chosen for Secretary of State? The Open Door Policy, adopted by many Western nations in East Asia during the early 20th century, was a petri dish primed for the growth of political strife and international conflict. With the warnings from Hull’s predecessor, Henry Stimson, placed on the back …

Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 38. Alfred Russel Wallace's "Revolt Of Democracy": A Critical Analysis Of Early 20th Century Labor Theory And Its Contemporary Relevance, James Williams, Charles H. Smith Editor

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

This article examines Alfred Russel Wallace’s political treatise The Revolt of Democracy (1913), analyzing his theoretical framework for addressing labor unrest and economic inequality in early 20th-century Britain. Wallace's work presents a comprehensive critique of competitive capitalism and proposes systematic government intervention to address structural poverty. Through close textual analysis and comparison with contemporary UK labor conditions, this study evaluates the enduring relevance of Wallace's economic theories and policy prescriptions. The analysis reveals significant continuities between early 20th-century and contemporary debates about living wages, government employment standards, and wealth redistribution, while highlighting both the prescience and limitations of Wallace’s analytical …