Theses and Dissertations

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Browsing Theses and Dissertations by Department "Economics & Finance"
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    An analysis of the usefulness of developmental study courses in higher education principles of economics courses.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1992) Plummer, Jerry ; Economics & Finance
    This study will look at the usefulness of the Developmental Studies (DS) program at Middle Tennessee State University as it relates to success in Principles of Economics courses. The study looks at three particular areas: (1) Is there a significant difference in the Principles of Economics course grades (performance) for students who first complete the Developmental Studies program versus students concurrently taking both Principles of Economics and Developmental Studies courses? (2) Is there a significant difference in the grades of the Developmental Studies student versus the student with an ACT score of 17-18, or the student with an ACT score of less than 16 who is not in the Developmental Studies program? (3) Which, if any, Developmental Studies fields offer assistance in improving performance in the Principles of Economics grades, and to what extent?
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    Asset prices, limited stock market participation and income inequality /
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2005) Zhao, Xiaolin ; Economics & Finance
    In this dissertation, the short- and long-run effects of stock price appreciation on household income inequality under limited stock market participation are empirically and theoretically studied. This is achieved by characterizing the dynamics of the income inequality between stockholders and nonstockholders using Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) data and a heterogeneous agent general equilibrium model.
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    Bankruptcy prediction : a comparative study on logit and neural networks.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1995) El-temtamy, Osama ; Economics & Finance
    This study extends the research of earlier studies on bankruptcy prediction. Logit models are built using different independent variables to predict the probability of bankruptcy in the oil and gas industry. Neural network models are then built to predict bankruptcies using the same independent variables used in the logit models. Each model is then ranked on the rate of prediction error on an outside sample using a cross-validation method.
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    Capacity utilization : predictor of inflation.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1998) Wilkes, William ; Economics & Finance
    The current challenge confronting the Federal Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve Bank (FOMC) in achieving price stability requires the facility to forecast changes in the rate of inflation and to implement timely corrective measures before the economy experiences a surge in inflation. The need for prompt and appropriate monetary policy is magnified by the existence of lags between changes in the economy (real or monetary) and price inflation. Forces tending to accelerate inflation may already be in place, but price increases may not have materialized.
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    Causes and consequences of labor market decisions : an empirical investigation /
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2009) Minor, Travis ; Economics & Finance
    Collected in this dissertation are three separate works that examine several different factors in an individual's wage determination. Chapter 1 looks at the effect of diabetes on an individual's employment decision and wage rate. Estimates show the importance of a continuously-specified diabetes measure, as opposed to the static measure estimated by previous studies. Additionally, numerous sources of statistical bias are accounted for utilizing the panel data available for this study. Chapter 2 explores labor market similarities and differences of type-I and type-II diabetes. Results show that type-I diabetes is detrimental to most labor market outcomes, accounting for an average loss in earnings of about 17%; and that the effects of type-II diabetes are similar, though not as large, with an average loss of 8%. Chapter 3 takes a different approach by analyzing the importance of factors that influence a state's decision to adopt an above federal minimum wage level. Results indicate that state political leanings are the primary significant factor in explaining differences in state minimum wage laws since 1991.
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    Class Scheduling and Student Performance in Economics Principles
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2017) Aldaghir, Mohammed Ibrahim ; Klein, Christopher ; Eff, Anthon ; Kyle, Reuben ; Economics & Finance
    This dissertation consists of three chapters.
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    A comparison of the performance of developmental and nondevelopmental studies students in principles of economics.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1990) Smith, Kenneth ; Economics & Finance
    The primary purpose of this study is to compare the performance of Developmental and Nondevelopmental Studies students in Principles of Economics. The study seeks answers to three major questions: (1) Is there a significant difference in performance between Developmental and Nondevelopmental Studies students as measured by final course grade? (2) Is there a significant difference in performance between Developmental and Nondevelopmental Studies students as measured by the successful completion of Principles of Economics? (3) Do demographic and academic variables influence the probability of successfully completing Principles of Economics?
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    A computer-based teaching aid for some core aspects of money in the economy.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1998) Shepherd, Ian ; Economics & Finance
    This dissertation develops an electronic model covering some core aspects of money and banking. It examines fractional reserve banking from the perspective of the U.S. Central Bank. Short-run effects of money supply changes are examined. The model gauges the impact of money supply changes on inflation, using the equation of exchange. A portfolio balance approach is used to model the impact of money supply changes on interest rates. The model distinguishes between long-run and short-run interest rates based on the expectations theory of the term structure of interest rates. Interest rate changes affect the exchange rate via uncovered interest rate parity. The impact of money on the real economy is modeled through changes in inflation, interest rates, and exchange rates. The model is developed in Microsoft's Excel product. The spreadsheet is designed to allow the user to step through the money creation process at a controlled pace. Different scenarios are examined, demonstrating both functionality and application within the classroom.
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    Course length as a determinant of student performance in the principles of macroeconomics course.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1996) Brown, Gregory ; Economics & Finance
    The primary purpose of this study was to determine if the short sessions 3 weeks, 5 weeks, and 10 weeks had an impact upon the performance of students taking the Principles of Macroeconomics course at Middle Tennessee State University.
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    Demand and supply side determinants of commercial and industrial loan volume.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2001) Crigger, Jerry ; Economics & Finance
    Commercial loan volume in the United States is a function of loan demand by businesses and loan supply from banks. The purpose of this dissertation is to identify those factors that determine commercial credit on the supply side and to clearly separate them from demand-side factors. In particular, the dissertation posits that banks tighten or ease credit extension in response to changes in the rate of return on their assets, most of which consist of loans, and perceived economic uncertainty as measured by volatility in the federal funds rate. The return on banks' assets, in turn, are driven by central bank actions, such as changes in reserve requirements and interest rates, by regulatory changes, and by changes that typically occur over the course of the business cycle. The demand-side determinants of bank commercial and industrial lending are dominated by non-bank firms' return on equity and the relative price of bank loans to funds raised in the capital market.
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    Determinants of student course withdrawals.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1992) Dossugi, Samuel ; Economics & Finance
    This study investigates the determinants of a student's decision to withdraw from specific courses in higher education. The study was conducted at Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, using data from the Fall and Spring semester of the 1990-1991 academic year of four principles courses from four departments.
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    An economic analysis of school-age child care in Tennessee.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1993) Ekadi, Green ; Economics & Finance
    Hypothesis 1 tested for the financial and economic feasibility of the school-administered school-age child care (SSACC) model. The null hypothesis was that the stream of costs associated with running the ESP-SSACC model programs exceeded the benefits stream. Hypothesis 2 tested for any statistical difference between the mean weekly revenues and the mean weekly enrollments of the two groups. In the case of hypothesis 1, the null hypothesis was rejected in favor of the alternative hypothesis that the stream of costs was less than the stream of benefits. In the case of hypothesis 2, the test results did not detect any significant statistical difference between the mean weekly revenues of the for-profit and the not-for-profit school-age programs, but did find a statistical difference between their weekly mean enrollments.
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    The economics of poverty intensity : a cyclical analysis in a generational framework /
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2005) Sartmool, Soibuppha ; Economics & Finance
    This dissertation addresses the issues on the persistence of poverty. Both policymakers and economists agree that one reason why the phenomenon of stagnating poverty rates is so difficult to understand and to treat lies in the inadequate measurement instruments that are used to identify poverty. To help public and policymakers better understand the incidence of poverty persistence, the study employs the SST poverty intensity index as the poverty measure, and finds that not only the number of poor population has persisted since the mid 1970s, but their economic poverty position has also deteriorated over time, in particular, young and middle-aged households. This deteriorating economic position in poverty of the low-income households is apparently consistent with the findings from Cutler and Katz (1991) and Blank (1993, 2000). There occur the unfavorable changes in labor market towards low-skilled and less-educated workers during the past economic expansions.
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    Education and economic growth in Nigeria: a case study.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1990) Obi, John ; Economics & Finance
    The existence of unemployed college graduates alongside a continued dependence of the Nigerian government on foreign specialists has prompted the questioning of the efficacy of education in Nigeria as a means of attaining economic growth and development. The discovery and exportation of crude petroleum and the subsequent jump in world prices of crude petroleum in the early 1970s were considered to be major contributing factors in the steady growth of school enrollment in Nigeria. Many studies have shown that enrollments generally increase as the national income increases. Enrollment growth in Nigeria has, however, been mainly linked with increases in oil revenue.
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    Educational Attainment and Labor Market Integration of Young Adults, with Emphasis on Second-Generation Immigrants
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2017-06-22) Saeed, Mohammed ; Eff, Ellis ; Fayissa, Bichaka ; Klein, Christopher ; Economics & Finance
    The first chapter is the economic assimilation of second generation Immigrants. The population of second generation Americans (U.S. born individuals of foreign-born parents) stood at 45 million in 2015. The labor market outcomes of this large segment of the population can provide useful insights into the long-run contribution of immigration to the US labor force and economy. This study uses a longitudinal data set and makes use of detailed personal and family characteristics to study the economic assimilation of second generation immigrants. The use of longitudinal data allows us to examine the relative wage evolution of second generation immigrants in the US. The trends show that second generation immigrant adolescents begin their careers with a wage advantage over natives (third and subsequent generations of immigrants), which diminishes as they age. Overall, we find female second generation immigrants to have a wage advantage of about 8 percent over natives whereas male second generation immigrants have a small or no wages advantage over native males once personal and parental characteristics are controlled for.
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    Effects of computer-assisted instruction in macroeconomics education: an experimental course design.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1991) Haley, Mary ; Economics & Finance
    The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of using computer-assisted tutorials and examinations as supplements to the basic lecture and discussion course in macroeconomics. Secondary considerations included college grade point averages, scores on the American College Test, and sex as possible determinants of student learning.
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    The effects of private prison labor program participation on inmate recidivism /
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2008) Hopper, Jeffrey ; Economics & Finance
    The United States is experiencing a persistent increase in its prison population and, consequently, a steady increase in public spending on incarceration. One possible change to mitigate these trends is a return to historically cost effective inmate labor programs. Thus, the primary focus of this dissertation is on potential cost savings and inmate recidivism reduction from the Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program (PIE), a program that allows private companies to employ inmates while incarcerated.
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    Empirical essays on divorce and child investment /
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2008) Nunley, John ; Economics & Finance
    This dissertation consists of four chapters on economic, legal, and demographic determinants of divorce rates and child investment. The first chapter, "The Effects of Household Income Volatility on Divorce," examines whether fluctuations in household income affect individual-level divorce propensities, finding that household income volatility plays a significant role in determining marriage outcomes. I find statistical evidence indicating that positive and negative household income volatility increases the probability of divorce for men and women. By contrast, positive shocks to household income lower the risk of divorce for lower-household income individuals, and increase the divorce risk for those with higher levels of household income. Negative shocks to household income raise the probability of divorce regardless of the level of household income. The second chapter, "Inflation and Other Aggregate Determinants of the Trend in U.S. Divorce Rates since the 1960s," focuses on whether increases in the inflation rate in the 1960s and 1970s contributed to the sharp rise in the divorce rate. Inflation is found to have substantial, positive, persistent effects on the divorce rate. The third chapter (co-authored with Joachim Zietz), "Explaining the Evolution of the U.S. Divorce Rate," extends research on determinants of the divorce rate by considering whether increased access to oral contraception contributed to the sharp rise in the divorce rate. We also explicitly take into account the potential impact of the Vietnam War on the divorce rate. Our econometric evidence supports the idea that increased access to oral contraception and the Vietnam War shifted the divorce rate to a new, higher level. Opposite to previous work, we find a negative relationship between the divorce rate and the rising economic independence of women, for which their participation in higher education proxies. The fourth chapter (co-authored with Alan Seals), "Child-Custody Reform and Marriage-Speci
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    Empirical essays on public health and family policies /
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2010) Allen, Brandeanna ; Economics & Finance
    This dissertation consists of three chapters on the effects of public health and family policies. The first chapter, "The Impact of Mandatory Delay Laws on Fertility Outcomes," examines the effect of waiting periods and associated counseling requirements for abortions on abortion, birth, and pregnancy rates. I find the laws reduce abortion rates, increases birth rates, and have no effect on pregnancies. Further, the effect of the laws varies by the counseling requirements mandated by the state. The second chapter, "The Effects of Mandatory Delay Laws on Women and Children," analyzes secondary consequences of the laws on women and children. I find the laws increase adoption rates, but they have no effect on child maltreatment. The laws are shown to decrease the number of mentally unhealthy days per state, but they have no effect on female suicides. The third chapter (co-authored with John Nunley and Alan Seals), "The Effects of Joint-Child-Custody Legislation on the Child-Support Receipt of Single Mothers," focuses on whether joint custody affects single mother's child support receipt. Our results show joint custody raises the probability that single mothers receive child support. Further, divorced, single mothers who do not receive welfare benefit the most from joint custody.
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    Empirical essays on wage determination and mobility /
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2012) Kirby, Joseph ; Economics & Finance
    This dissertation consists of three essays on labor force outcomes that result from implementation of statewide policies. The first essay, "Division of Labor and Marital Institutions: Evidence from Same-Sex Marriage", tests Becker's theory on household division of labor and wages with regards to individuals in same-sex partnerships relative to those in heterosexual partnerships. Results indicate that same-sex couples who identify as married have wage differentials similar to those of a heterosexual married couple. Married gay heads of household receive a wage premium relative to unmarried gay heads of household while married gay partners receive a wage penalty relative to unmarried gay partners. Evidence also suggests greater division of labor in married same-sex household compared to unmarried same-sex holds. The second essay, "Legal Protections and Marital Investment", tests the impact of legal recognition of same-sex partnerships. Results suggest same-sex marriage and civil unions increase the wage differentials of married same-sex partnerships, while domestic partnerships result in wage penalties for married homosexuals. The third essay, "Non-Discrimination Laws, Mobility, and Labor Outcomes", tests the labor force outcomes for heterosexuals and homosexuals in states with laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. Results do not provide significant evidence that gay men and women have better labor force outcomes in states with non-discrimination laws. It appears that laws designed to improve the labor force outcomes of homosexuals do not have much significant impact while laws targeting non-pecuniary aspects of their lives have significant results on wages.