Economics Commons^™

The Socioeconomic Impact And Allocative Discrepancies Of Fema Disaster Declarations And Aid, Emma Ranheim

CMC Senior Theses

In my thesis I examine the impact of natural disaster declarations on socioeconomic outcomes. I use counties that requested, but did not receive, a natural disaster declaration as controls for treatment counties that received the requested declaration. I construct a county-by-year panel dataset covering 2005 to 2016. I estimate a difference-in-differences model to estimate socioeconomic outcomes resulting from the disaster declaration decision. I find that receiving a declaration was associated with a 0.8 percentage point poverty reduction in 2010, but no other years or changes in socioeconomic outcomes were causally and significantly established by my model.

Dropping The Ball: A Political And Economic Analysis Of Public Subsidization For Stadium Construction Projects, Max Fisher

CMC Senior Theses

The results generated by this research argue that the high cost of public subsidization does not outweigh the benefits associated with new stadiums. By using several cost-benefit analyses, my research adds to the current literature that these projects, while seemingly beneficial for communities, induces negligible or even negative outcomes. In particular, this study details the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Yankees, explaining how these teams were able to achieve a new stadium. To understand why politicians continually support stadium construction despite extensive literature showing its harms, this research includes explanations based on the political theory from authors such …

Gambling Autonomy: The Impact Of Latin American Central Bank Independence On Risk Aversion Within Monetary Policy Implementation, Julia Duarte Schulman

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the effect of Latin American central bank independence (CBI) on risk-averse behaviors in monetary policy. Using a fixed effects panel regression, I document how multiple forms of monetary policy are influenced by different macroeconomic variables, conflicting policy targets and central bank independence benchmarks. The results show that increasing CBI has a positive impact on risk aversion, especially in policies targeting inflation and money supply. Additionally, the results show that interest rates and reserve requirements were especially susceptible to changes in independence, while the monetary base and volume of domestic credit were less influenced. Finally, as time and …

‘It’S Like Baking A Cake’: An Analysis Of Conscience Voting In The New Zealand House Of Representatives Since The Introduction Of The Mixed-Member Proportional System In 1996, Harrison Hosking

CMC Senior Theses

Conscience voting in the New Zealand House of Representatives offers a unique opportunity to assess Sam Peltzman’s ‘Principal-Agent Theory’ as outlined in his 1984 paper, Constituent Interest and Congressional Voting.

This thesis begins with a brief assessment of the principal-agent model (and other literature regarding parliamentary representation) before looking at the New Zealand Parliamentary system and the phenomenon of private member’s bills and how they aid the legislative process. This is followed by an exploration of a constructed dataset of conscience votes that have occurred since the inception of the mixed-member proportional (MMP) electoral system in 1996. An analysis …

Zoom In, Class Out: An Event Study On Publicly Traded Ed Tech Firm Valuations During Covid-19, Matiss Ozols

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines how publicly traded Ed Tech firms reacted to negative announcements regarding COVID-19. Using an event study method, I document how an international portfolio of Ed Tech firms react across multiple event windows. The results show that Ed Tech firms reacted positively to the announcement of the first US death and negatively to the World Health Organization’s declaration that COVID-19 was a pandemic. Additionally, differences in geographical location did not impact cumulative abnormal returns across event windows. Finally, firm-specific characteristics such as volatility and financial leverage had little or no significance on stock returns.

An Evaluation Of Knot Placement Strategies For Spline Regression, William Klein

CMC Senior Theses

Regression splines have an established value for producing quality fit at a relatively low-degree polynomial. This paper explores the implications of adopting new methods for knot selection in tandem with established methodology from the current literature. Structural features of generated datasets, as well as residuals collected from sequential iterative models are used to augment the equidistant knot selection process. From analyzing a simulated dataset and an application onto the Racial Animus dataset, I find that a B-spline basis paired with equally-spaced knots remains the best choice when data are evenly distributed, even when structural features of a dataset are known …

Determinants Of Housing Supply Expansion In The Western United States, Nathaniel Tolles

CMC Senior Theses

New residential construction is an important indicator of economic health. Previous empirical work demonstrates the profound power of housing starts in forecasting recession. Theoretical research, backed by empirical study, suggests that home prices and interest rates are closely related to the amount of residential investment. This paper attempts to better understand the complex relationship between various factors that influence the supply and demand of new housing; what information do suppliers and regulators use to determine how many new units of housing will be constructed? Specifically, we will look at the respective state housing markets of California, Oregon, and Washington by …

The Motherhood Wage Penalty: New Evidence On Long-Run Effects And Group Heterogeneity, Vera Kratz

CMC Senior Theses

This paper seeks to establish the magnitude of the long-run motherhood wage penalty. Using data from the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, I examine the difference between the real hourly wages of mothers and non-mothers in the long run. By comparing mothers to not-yet-mothers as well as never-mothers, I am able to better isolate the true wage penalty mothers face. My findings indicate that 21 to 25 years after the birth of their first child, mothers face a 31.75 percentage point wage penalty compared to non-mothers. In addition, I examine differences in the wage penalties of mothers by marital …

Not From My Wallet: Mental Accounting For Peer-To-Peer Digital-Payments, Jason Saltzman

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examined the presence and scope of mental accounting biases for peer- to-peer digital-payment systems (Venmo, PayPal, and Zelle) that have gained popularity in recent years. Payment mechanism related biases have implications for both consumers and retailers. The experimental study in this paper looked at different aspects of biases including how participants evaluate and account for money transferred through peer-to- peer digital-payment, if participants treat this money as completely fungible, and if treatment of this money is affected by demographic variables. Participants in the study were split into two treatments that differed only in regard to the account (peer-to-peer …

Understanding Place-Based Immigration: The Proposal, Its Popularity, And Its Prospects, Mohamad Moslimani

CMC Senior Theses

The idea to create a new class of place-based visas is gaining traction in policy circles. These visas, known in some instances as “heartland visas” and as part of a class of immigration reform called “place-based immigration” (PBI), are designed to give state and local governments the ability to sponsor immigrants to live and work in their local communities. The proposal has gained traction among a variety of candidates for federal office and local immigration policy stakeholders. The reason for this support is the proposal’s ability to address a grave issue facing numerous communities across the U.S.—and its ability to …

Would “Robot Umpires” Reduce Discrimination? Measuring Racial Bias In Major League Baseball Umpires, Hank Snowdon

CMC Senior Theses

Utilizing thirteen years of Major League Baseball pitch-tracking and play-by-play data, this study investigates racial discrimination by umpires when making pitch calling decisions. Two models are formulated, one that predicts the probability of a strike erroneously being called a ball (batter favoritism) and one that predicts the probability of a ball erroneously being called a strike (pitcher favoritism). The probabilities are modeled as a function of whether or not the pitcher’s or batter’s race is the same as the umpire’s. With over 3 million pitch observations, multiple sub-sample and time trend analyses are conducted to examine with whom the discrimination …

Sufficientarianism Revised: A Look At Past Theories Of Distributive Justice And Working Prospects For Future Theories, Georgia Dietz

CMC Senior Theses

In philosophy, distributive justice is the economic, political, and social structure that constitutes a larger debate on how resources should be divided in society. What is a ‘fair’ way of distributing resources? Many philosophers have created different frameworks that attempt to answer this question. This paper will focus on the attempts that have been made by sufficientarians, then look at problems with these theories that have been pointed out by critics, and finally attempt to revise sufficientarianism altogether.

Pumping Fees And Spillovers In The Groundwater Commons: An Evaluation Of A Conservation Tool And Irrigator Competitive Behavior, Godwin Kwabla Ekpe

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

My dissertation examines the effectiveness of pumping fees in groundwater commons agricultural irrigation as a conservation tool in the presence of varying water scarcity levels and spatial interdependence among irrigators. The first chapter provides a brief overview of three important areas of groundwater commons irrigation addressed in this dissertation. The second chapter’s objectives are two-fold. First, I review the common-pool resources literature relative to concerns of sustainable extraction and implementation of conservation policies focusing on pricing incentives in the management of groundwater commons where irrigators share the same underlying aquifer. Second, I introduce a theoretical model involving incorporating a non-constant …

Genetically Modified Corn Diffusion And Biofuel Usage: Impacts On Corn Belt Cropping Systems Changes, Kenneth Annan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops, the rise of ethanol production that produced an additional derived demand for corn, and the increasingly prominent position of corn and soybeans in crop rotations embody major changes in U.S. agriculture during the past decades. This study investigates the linkages among these developments in two ways. First, we look at how biotechnology and biofuels have influenced cropping system changes in the Corn Belt region of the United States, using state-level data from 2000 to 2019. Second, we investigate the determinants of corn acreage intensification levels and heterogeneity at the state level using data …

Theorizing Beyond "The Code Of Capital": A Reply, Katharina Pistor

Faculty Scholarship

In this reply, I respond to and elaborate on the critique of my book “The Code of Capital” published in this special issue. The common thread of the critiques is the call for more theorizing of the themes the book addresses, especially the conception of state power, of resources, social relations and questions of knowledge and access to knowledge about the law, or epistemology. This reply is only a first response to issues that do require further analysis and I am hoping to follow suit on at least some of them in the near future.

The Code Of Capital: How The Law Creates Wealth And Inequality – Core Themes, Katharina Pistor

Faculty Scholarship

In this brief introduction, I summarize the core themes of my book “The Code of Capital: How the Law Creates Wealth and Inequality”. Capital, I argue, is coded in law – predominantly in a handful of private law institutions. By relying on legal coding techniques, asset holders invoke the right to enforce claims against others, if necessary with the help of the state’s coercive power.

Certain Effects Of Random Taxes, James R. Hines Jr., Michael J. Keen

Articles

This paper explores the implications of tax rate randomness, identifying circumstances in which revenue-neutral rate variability increases profitability, economic activity, and the efficiency of resource allocation. Furthermore, with heterogeneous taxpayers, tax rate variability is shown to perform an efficiency-enhancing screening function, imposing heavier expected tax burdens on less responsive taxpayers. And while efficient tax randomness enables governments to reduce average costs of taxation, it necessarily increases the marginal cost of taxation over some ranges of expected revenue, so may reduce efficient levels of government spending.

Field Management Research In Vietnam: Lessons For Navigating Social, Cultural, And Data Challenges, Phuong Anh Nguyen

School of Economics and Business Administration Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Can The Circular Economy Concretize Sustainability? A Construal Level Approach To Encourage Sustainable Consumption., Jolie Gutentag

Theses and Dissertations

Despite a growing awareness and understanding of the impact our lifestyles have on the environment, most people have not adequately changed their consumption patterns. One possibility for the disconnect is the perceived abstractness of sustainability. Drawing on construal level theory, this research proposes that framing environmental sustainability as circularity, using the principles of the circular economy, reduces the perceived abstractness of sustainability. Four studies investigate the effects of circular framing on sustainable consumption behavior, including the moderating role of consumers’ chronic level of construal, an innate mindset reflecting a tendency to view information more concretely or abstractly. Findings provide initial …

Natural Resource Curse, Economic Freedom, Economic Growth And Development: Case Of Africa, Oluwatomisin Shalom Akinbo

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Over the years, there has been discord or lack of agreement on the effect that natural resources have on economic growth and development. This study adopts output approach to investigate the effect that natural resources and institutions (Economic Freedom) have on economic growth for the period of 1960 to 2020 using World Bank data. The analysis employs Multiple Regression Analysis based on augmented Ordinary Least Squares Regression methods. The results are mixed, as the outcome indicates that, while natural resources are positively related to economic growth, there exists a crowding out effect between natural resources and two sectors of the …

Redefining Sustainable Tourism In Covid-19: A Political-Economy Approach, Eylla Laire M. Gutierrez

DLSU Business & Economics Review

Tourism has emerged as a critical sector generating economic growth and development across countries in the world. However, in the face of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is also considered as one of the most heavily hit sectors. Given the backdrop of all the measures implemented to prevent the spread of the outbreak and the changing mindset of actors towards travel, sustainable tourism is expected to play a more critical role in the face of the new normal. This article aims to provide a better understanding of sustainable tourism by utilizing a political economy approach. Specifically, this article …

Does The Organizer’S Reputation Affect Exhibitors’ Satisfaction?, Luz Suplico, Reynaldo Bautista Jr., Carlo Saavedra

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This research surveyed 229 exhibitors of the Manila FAME Trade Fair held last October 19–21, 2018, in the Philippines to find out if the trade fair organizer’s reputation was significant to exhibitors’ satisfaction. The other variable that was studied to determine if they affected exhibitors’ satisfaction was the quality of service dimensions of booth design and layout, exhibition logistics, venue services, and show management. The quality of these service dimensions was tested using structural equation modeling to determine if there is a relationship between the quality of the service dimensions and the trade fair organizer’s reputation, exhibitors’ satisfaction, and behavioral …

Risk Perception In Respect Of Equity Shares: A Literature Review And Future Research Agenda, Ranjit Singh, K. Kajol, Jayashree Bhattacharjee

DLSU Business & Economics Review

The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the literature published on various aspects of risk perception about equity investment. It also aims to raise specific questions for future research. A comprehensive and systematic literature review is done to get the insights of the available literature with an objective to identify the determinants of equity-share-related risk perception and identify its impact that influences equity investment behavior. The study found that risk perception can be measured mainly by using the axiomatic approach, socio cultural group approach, emotional reactions, marketing mix approach, and psychometric approach. It is also found that the …

Pengaruh Jam Kerja Orang Tua Terhadap Kognitif Anak Di Indonesia, Pradini Ajeng Gemellia, Turro S. Wongkaren

Jurnal Ekonomi dan Pembangunan Indonesia

The current phenomenon shows an increasing work activities by both fathers and mothers to fulfil household needs. This social change is feared to give children imbalance time, causing children’s development to be not optimal. This study aims to see the influence of parental working hour on children’s cognitive scores in Indonesia. This study used data from IFLS Survey in 2007 and 2014 with a unit of analysis of children aged 7 to 14 used an OLS estimation method. The results of this study indicate that parental working hours had negative influence on children’s cognitive scores.

Perkembangan Teknologi Informasi, Tfp, Dan Emisi Gas Co2 Di Indonesia, Ganiko Moddilani, Irwandi Irwandi

Jurnal Ekonomi dan Pembangunan Indonesia

This paper examines the development of information technology, total factor productivity (TFP), and urbanization of CO2 gas emissions in Indonesia from 1975–2014. To discuss empirically, this study uses the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model. There are several results in this study. Firstly, the TFP coefficient value in the short term is lower than the long term, so that the Enviromental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis is not proven. This is one of the causes of rising CO2 gas emissions. Secondly, information technology has a significant impact on the increase of CO2 gas emissions. Thirdly, Indonesia’s urbanization has reduced CO2 gas emissions.

Contagion Effect Krisis Argentina Dan Turki Ke Negara-Negara Asia, Benarkah Terjadi?, Adi Setiawan, Fitri Kartiasih

Jurnal Ekonomi dan Pembangunan Indonesia

This study aims to examine the contagion effect of the Argentinian and Turkish crises to Asian countries using the DCC-MGARCH model. The data used is the daily closing price index of the stock index obtained from Thomson Reuters DataStream covering form the period of January 2, 2014 to May 17, 2019. The results showed that the contagion effect of the Argentinian crisis occurred in Malaysia, Korea, Thailand and the Philippines, while Indonesia, Singapore, India and China are only interdependence. The pure contagion test results also show that the contagion effect of the Turkish crisis occurred in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, …

O Espaço E O Tempo Do Valor, David Harvey, Artur Renzo

Publications and Research

O artigo discute a lei do valor em Karl Marx como valor em movimento, que se faz valer no espaço e no tempo. Entende-se que o movimento não pode ocorrer no vácuo, sendo necessário abandonar a visão do valor que se move sem estar ancorado em nenhum lugar e passar a enxergá-lo criando geografias de cidades e redes de transportes; formando paisagens agrícolas para a produção de alimentos e matérias-primas; englobando fluxos de pessoas, bens e informações; determinando configurações territoriais de valores fundiários e habilidades de trabalho; organizando espaços de trabalho, estruturas de governo e administração. Conclui-se que há três …

The Economic Costs Of Biological Invasions Around The World, R. D. Zenni, F. Essl, E. García-Berthou, Shana M. Mcdermott

Economics Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Framing Inclusion: The Media Treatment Of Irregular Immigrants' Right To Health Care In Spain, Alisa Petroff, Anahí Viladrich, Sònia Parella

Publications and Research

With the passing of Royal Decree-Law 16/2012, Spain’s national health system switched from a model defined by universal and free health care principles, to a private insurance system that excluded large population groups. Based on a qualitative research design, this paper examines the media treatment of undocumented immigrants’ prerogatives to public health care in Spain (2012–2018). The analysis of 234 articles, drawn from three major Spanish newspapers, reveals three frames that underscore the media’s "rhetorics of inclusion," which argue for the extension of free medical services to irregular immigrants a topic traditionally underestimated by the literature. The moralist frame, supported …

Theorizing #Girlboss Culture: Mediated Neoliberal Feminisms From Influencers To Multi-Level Marketing Schemes, Frankie Mastrangelo

Theses and Dissertations

I define girlboss feminism as emergent, mediated formations of neoliberal feminism that equate feminist empowerment with financial success, market competition, individualized work-life balance, and curated digital and physical presences driven by self-monetization. I look toward how the mediation of girlboss feminism utilizes branded and affective engagements with representational politics, discourses of authenticity and rebellion, as well as meritocratic aspiration to promote cultural interest in conceptualizing feminism in ways that are divorced from collective, intersectional struggle. I question the stakes involved in reducing feminist interrogations and commitments to discourses of representation, visibility, and meritocracy. I argue that while girlboss feminism may …