Growth and Development Commons^™

Cool Head, Warm Heart: Governance And The Mission Of Microfinance In The Case Of Mc2 Micro-Banks, Cameroon, Claire Ruffing

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The concept of a cool head and a warm heart co-existing is a Buddhist principle which attempts to illustrate compassion and pragmatism as mutually compatible, not mutually exclusive. Without intelligent management, compassion is lost in its ineffectiveness, and without compassion, intelligence is purposeless reason. This equilibrium is exactly the vision of microfinance that drives this paper: an important social and moral idea that is nevertheless affected by the world and environment in which it operates. By examining the governance mechanisms affecting microfinance in Cameroon, namely the Ministry of Finance and the management structure of the firms themselves, an idea emerges …

An African-American Resources And Needs Assessment Of The West Bloomington Area, Phase 1, Karishma Amatya, Nicholas Beaty, Jamie Boban, Joanna Bossi, Tyler Curtis, Casandra Fritzsche, Andrew Griffin, David Johnson, Sasha Miranda, Dana Overman, Emily Putnam, Jared Ulschmid, Tessa Zevallos

Community Project Design and Management Reports - Sociology

Over the course of the Fall 2009 semester, students in the Community Project Design and Management class worked with members of West Bloomington to recognize the growing needs within the community. Along with the African-American Focus Workgroup (AAFW) and the West Bloomington Revitalization Partnership (WBRP), the students completed Phase 1 of an African-American resources and needs assessment resulting in this report. This document reflects needs, wants, and hopes of the West Bloomington community and the AAFW. Comprehensively, this document is meant to serve as a bridge between community members and AAFW members.

As Bloomington as a whole continues to grow …

The Health-Care Debate And Nebraska's Latino And Immigrant Populations - Ollas Policy Brief No. 2, Lourdes Gouveia, Yuriko Doku

Latino/Latin American Studies Policy Briefs

No abstract provided.

Analyzing And Forecasting Business Cycles In A Small Open Economy: A Dynamic Factor Model For Singapore, Hwee Kwan Chow, Keen Meng Choy

Research Collection School Of Economics

A dynamic factor model is applied to a large panel dataset of Singapore’s macroeconomic variables and global economic indicators with the initial objective of analysing business cycles in a small open economy. The empirical results suggest that four common factors – which can broadly be interpreted as world, regional, electronics and domestic economic cycles – capture a large proportion of the co-variation in the quarterly time series. The estimated factor model also explains well the observed fluctuations in real economic activity and price inflation, leading us to use it in forecasting Singapore’s business cycles. We find that the forecasts generated …

Co-Development In Mali: A Case Study Of A Development Phenomenon Exploited By Immigration Policy, Diane Galatowitsch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This case study establishes a historical basis for migration from Kayes, contextualizes co-development in immigration and development literature, and provides insight into how organizations implementing migrant financed projects in Mali define and perceive the concept of co-development. In my research, I pulled together scholarly articles, organizational documents, reports, and conducted semi-structured personal interviews that were scattered across the fields of history, migration, and development and pulled together an analysis of co-development in Mali. Challenging the concept of co-development as an effective immigration policy and a development strategy, this paper reflects the concept’s true benefits to Malian society. Finally, the conclusion …

A Few Drops Of Oil Will Not Be Enough, Stephen James

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn provide a rich description of the various kinds of violence, deprivation, depredation and exploitation that women experience on a vast scale in the developing world. They write of sex trafficking, acid attacks, “bride burning,” enslavement, spousal beatings, unequal healthcare (something the USA still struggles with), insufficient food, gendered abortions and infant and maternal mortality. They are right to identify the education of women and girls as part of the solution to the widespread “gendercide.” However, their approach focuses too much on the capacity, indeed the virtue or heroism, of individual women. It does not take …

Foreign Direct Investment And Foreign Portfolio Investment Under Asymmetric Information, Ruanjai Suwantaradon

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper develops a model of international capital flows when there is asymmetric information between foreign investors and domestic managers. Direct investors have a direct influence on the management, thus overcoming agency and information problems. This information advantage, however, comes at the cost of having to acquire management expertise. The tradeoff between management costs and the costs of asymmetric information consequently determines the level and composition of a country’s international capital flows. Analyzing how this tradeoff changes with economic conditions in a country, the model can qualitatively capture the experiences of many crisis countries during the 1990s. Specifically, the model …

Spanning Policy Silos In Urban Development And Environmental Management: When Global Cities Are Coastal Cities Too, Herman L. Boschken

Faculty Publications, School of Management

No abstract provided.

Describing The Economic Impact Of The Oil And Gas Industry In Arkansas, Katherine A. Deck, Viktoria Riiman

Publications and Presentations

The Arkansas oil and natural gas industries are increasingly important to the state’s economic vitality. As global demand for energy increases, domestic production is put into the spotlight. This study describes the economic impact of the oil and gas industries in Arkansas, focusing on the sector’s economic output, employment, and tax revenues.

How Much Do Trading Partners Matter For Economic Growth? By Vivek Arora And Athanasios Vamvakidis: A Review, D. J. Yilkudi

Economic and Financial Review

The paper is a review of the paper "How much do trading partners matter for economic growth? by Vivek Arora and Athanasios Vamvakidis". The paper empirically examined the extent to which a country's long-term economic growth was influenced by the economic fortune of its trading partners. The study used panel data for over 100 countries to see if trading partners' growth had a strong effect on domestic growth. A strong relationship was found between the economic growth of a country and the economic conditions of its trading partners.

The Civic Innovation Lab: Economic Impact, Ziona Austrian Ph.D.

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The services provided to entrepreneurs through funding and mentoring between 2004 and 2008 by the Civic Innovation Lab resulted in the following economic impacts for 2008: output impact of $9.4 million; employment impact of 128 jobs; income (household earnings) impact of $4.1 million; and a tax impact of 1.2 million ($454,000 in state and local and $734,000 in federal).

Education And Energy Innovation: Nshe’S Central Role In Transforming Nevada’S Economy, James Croce

UNLV Renewable Energy Symposium

The 3rd Annual Renewable Energy Symposium took place on the UNLV campus August 11 & 12. The event focused on renewable energy production in Nevada, the US Southwest, and renewable research projects nationwide. The event was a great success with over 200 individuals in attendance.

The Very Basics Of Sustainability - An Alternative Viewpoint (Slides With Audio) (Large File! To Speed Up Download, Right-Click On "Download" Link To Save To Own Pc.), Jim Mcgovern

Other resources

This presentation sets out the very basics of ‘sustainability’, although a definition of sustainability is not attempted. Some of the very basics are the context in which the Earth and humankind exist in space and time, the Earth’s climate, the Earth’s population and humankind’s options and choices. The author advocates keeping an open mind on all available options, including the use of oil, gas, coal, tar sands, carbon capture and sequestration, nuclear power etc., as well as the technologies that are more widely considered ‘green’. The author also argues that, in addressing the challenges that humankind faces, globally concerted effort …

The Nasa Glenn Research Center: An Economic Impact Study Fiscal Year 2008, Iryna Lendel

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Are Credit Unions In Ecuador Achieving Economies Of Scale?, Nick A. Marchio

Economics Honors Projects

This study tests the assertion that membership growth in credit unions is constrained by their unique structural features, such as their non-profit mission and member-based ownership. Although these features enhance inclusiveness, existing theory suggest that they work against efficiency when membership grows too diffuse. To address this issue, this study uses a model that takes into account existing theory on constrained-optimization in credit unions and theory on the adverse effects of diffuse ownership. Using data on 36 public credit unions in Ecuador, the empirical analysis finds evidence that credit unions can achieve economies of scale despite their problematic structural features. …

Identifying High Demand Occupations And Understanding The Needs Of Northeast Ohio Manufacturers: Focus Group Summary Report, Ziona Austrian, Kathryn W. Hexter, Molly Schnoke

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

While the current economic climate is challenging, it provides an opportunity to assess critical workforce and talent issues facing the manufacturing community. In March 2009, Dr. Joel Elvery of Cleveland State University’s Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs released the Employment and Wage Trends of Manufacturing Occupations in the Cleveland-Elyria PMSA analysis. The analysis identified occupations that appear to be “pain-points” for employers - or open positions that are hard to fill and thus, in high demand.

Regional Dashboard Of Economic Indicators 2009: Comparative Performance Of Leading, Midwest, And Northeast Ohio Metropolitan Areas, Ziona Austrian, Afia Yamoah, Candice Clouse

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The objective of this study is to continue monitoring the economic performance of Northeast Ohio’s (NEO) metropolitan areas over time and in comparison to other metropolitan areas across the United States, particularly leading metropolitan areas and other large metro areas located in the Midwest. The study monitors economic conditions prior to the current recession. This fourth study of dashboard indicators describes the findings using the framework that was developed in previous studies. It uses the same four measures of economic growth and nine dashboard indicators and their underlying variables for 136 metropolitan areas with population between 300,000 and 3.5 million. …

The Development Of Informal Sector Small And Medium Scale Enterprises Through Formation Of Cluster And Networking: A Case Study Based On Sri Lanka And Pakistan, S.W.S.B. Dasanayaka

Business Review

In recent years Pakistan has faced a rapidly growing services sector which has lead some observers to believe that there is a transfer of resources occurring in Pakistan from the tradable to the non-tradable sector, hence causing the Dutch Disease in the economy. However no precise response has been offered on this subject. This paper seeks to provide empirical evidence on the question of the existence of Dutch Disease in Pakistan by using Linda Kamas's model on Dutch Disease. The percentage change in the growth of the tradable and the non-tradable sectors in Pakistan is calculated by using data from …

Land Conservation And Land Use In New England: Trends, Challenges & Opportunities, Amanda Loomis, Tom Devine, Andrea Small, Brittany Howard, Brett Richardson, Stephanie Dulac

Land Conservation

Sprawling development patterns accelerated across the New England landscape in the last three decades and consumed the region‘s forests, farms, and open spaces at an unprecedented rate. New England‘ers in all six states formed land trusts, supported statewide conservation organizations, and collaborated with state and federal partners to protect some of their most-prized recreation lands, wildlife habitats, and working lands. The current economic recession has slowed development pressures across the region and offers an opportunity to build on recent successes. The time is right to plan a coordinated New England conservation strategy that protects and links the region‘s natural assets. …

South Burlington, Vt: Mixed-Use Comes To O’Dell Parkway, Ryan Neale, Brett Richardson, Richard Barringer

Planning

The proposed redevelopment of an underutilized property along major travel routes in South Burlington presents possibilities for infill development. The City of South Burlington, the developer, neighbors, and a variety of public and nonprofit financial partners work together to create a mixed-use residential/commercial development to meet a variety of housing and community needs. The case study describes the obstacles overcome to make redevelopment possible through zoning and regulatory changes, negotiation with local residents over traffic and other concerns, support from state and local housing advocates, and political leadership; as well as the development’s application of smart growth principles.

Crop Bioengineering: Enormous Potential For Catalyzing International Development, Peter Gregory, Stanley P. Kowalski

Law Faculty Scholarship

[Excerpt] Bioengineering provides unique and dramatic opportunities for crop improvement. It can be used to develop crop varieties that would otherwise be unavailable and can facilitate much faster and more precise ways of developing improved varieties. It can help to increase yields and reliability and thus reduce food costs for the consumer while helping to control input costs for farmers through reduced applications of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizer.

The extent to which this will be achieved depends on how effectively the global scientific community – including both the public and private sectors – can cooperate in harnessing the power of …

Professional And Trade Associations In A Nascent And Formative Sector Of A Developing Economy: A Case Study Of The Nasscom Effect On The Indian Offshoring Industry, Nir Kshetri, Nikhilesh Dholakia

College of Business Faculty Publications

As important sources that shape institutional structures in an economy, professional and trade associations play significant roles in bringing and legitimating institutional changes. This paper examines the roles of professional and trade associations' impacts on institutions associated with a nascent and formative sector of a developing economy. In empirical terms, the paper offers an in-depth case study of India's National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) on institutional changes related to the offshoring industry. The NASSCOM case shows that under appropriate conditions, professional and trade associations represent an alternative to the state in shaping the industry landscape.

South Burlington Vt: New Urbanist South Village, Jack Kartez, Richard Barringer

Planning

The 220 acre master plan for South Village, the largest project in the City of South Burlington’s history, encompasses multiple housing types and innovative provisions for affordable housing. It integrates housing with open space and natural resource conservation, including a major Community Supported Agriculture project developed by a nonprofit partner, the Intervale Foundation. While not a mixed-use project (that is, commercial as well as residential development), South Village nonetheless represents a qualitative change in approach for South Burlington by incorporating large-scale open space preservation as part of development and multiple housing-types in one project. The case study recounts events leading …

Commentary, Dean D. Croushore

Economics Faculty Publications

It is a pleasure to discuss Richard Anderson and Charles Gascon’s (2009) article on their attempt to develop a state-space model to measure potential output growth in the face of data revisions. They use the methodology of Cunningham et al. (2007) applied to real output, to see if they can develop a better measure of potential output than other researchers. Such an approach seems promising, and they develop a unique method to study the data.

Reinventing An Innovation Ecology With New Models For Research And Research Parks, Robert G. Wilhelm, Barry L. Burks

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A novel effort to reinvent the innovation ecology of the Charlotte region is described. The methods and approaches are particularly relevant for restarting both local and global economies. Addressing requirements for faster innovation and more diverse innovation cycles, the research enterprise of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the Charlotte Research Institute, the University Research Park, and a diverse collection of partners are working together to recast university research models and research park paradigms. Best practices are discussed for technology transfer based on interdisciplinary applied research. A novel collaboration model developed by the Charlotte Research Institute is described. Guiding …

Northeast Ohio Economic Brief, John F. Brennan

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Study On Singapore's Experience Of Regional Economic Cooperation, John Wong, Kim Song Tan, Yang Mu, Sarah Tong, Tim Seng Lim, Chee Kia Lim

Research Collection School Of Economics

Singapore and Hong Kong share many similarities in their growth experiences and challenges. Both were traditionally entrepot economies and service hubs for their hinterlands – China for Hong Kong, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in general but Malaysia and Indonesia in particular, in the case of Singapore. The two economies have gone through major structural changes over the years in response to changes in the global economy and in their relationships with their respective hinterlands. The changing relationships with their hinterlands play a crucial role in driving their external economic policies.

Coping With Dr-Cafta: Assessing The Impact Of The Agreement And Designing Adjustment Programs For Sensitive Agriculture In Honduras, Alvaro Durand-Morat

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Honduras has for almost two decades embraced economic integration as a way to achieve sustained economic growth. The DR-CAFTA agreement signed in 2004 represents another step towards economic openness. The agreement generated a heated debate about the benefits and costs to the Honduran economy. Previous assessments suggest that Honduras will have a marginal aggregate benefit from DR-CAFTA. The findings from this study suggest that the agreement might actually yield a marginal loss vis-à-vis the counterfactual. Previous studies also stress the potential for large losses resulting from the agreement, particularly for some traditional and sensitive agricultural sectors. The findings from this …

The Cost Of Progress: Failed Development And Community Response On Pulau Serangan, Julia Nakad

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Introduction - extract

No place on Bali illustrates the promise and heartbreak of development more clearly than the failed development project on Serangan Island, the location of a halted (if not completely aborted) development project in the 1990s that drastically changed the landscapes and livelihoods on the island in a relatively short span of time. Prior to the development project, most Serangan people made a living from fishing in the ocean surrounding the island, as well as from extracting coral and engaging in the turtle trade. These same people were promised jobs in the resorts that were to be built …

Supplying Clean Water To Jaipur: A Study Of Two Current Government Projects, Jenna Stearns

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Water is arguably the most important natural resource for human development, economic growth, and sustainability of the environment. Access to clean water is the most basic human need for life and health, and without it people cannot survive. Water plays a crucial role in determining where communities settle and how big they will be able to grow. Besides being the “elixir of life,” it is also essential for socioeconomic development, agriculture, industry, power generation, and other daily activities. Due to the growing population and the shortage of water around the world, it is said that future wars will be fought …