Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
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- All Subjects: Developing Countries
- Creators: Department of Economics
Description
Research has examined the many motivations of international volunteers (voluntourists), but there is limited research about how volunteers are reached, as well as differing perceptions between travelers who have and have not traveled before. This study examines the preferences and perspectives of college-age, western backpackers. The general terms "backpacker" and "traveler" are used throughout the paper for simplicity, but it is important to note that these backpackers are specifically from the college-age, western demographic. First, the study addresses which recruitment avenues are the most successful, as well as which avenues could be utilized to increase the number of foreign, short-term volunteers. In addition, this study examines the differences between backpacker perceptions - specifically the differences in potential volunteering motivations and concerns. Data was collected through an anonymous online survey distributed to self-identified travelers between the ages of 18 and 25 in the United States and travel destinations in Vietnam and India. According to traveler responses, personal recommendations and hotels/hostels are important resources when making travel plans. Despite the importance of both resources, personal recommendations drew more travelers to volunteer than hostels/hotels (none of the travelers surveyed learned about their last volunteer opportunity through a hostel), revealing a potential avenue of recruitment. A small number of organizations have reported successfully utilizing the hostel-partnership model, which implies that successful partnerships are possible. Further, potential motivations to volunteer were similar between those who have and those who have not volunteered, however, potential concerns between the two groups differed. Those who had volunteered before reported to be considerably more concerned about adherence to cultural norms, as well as communication barriers, while those who had not volunteered were much more concerned about safety. These findings lead to several theoretical implications for nonprofits with respect to utilizing hostels for volunteer recruitment, as well as addressing concerns of those who have volunteered before differently from those who have not.
ContributorsWorkman, Hunter (Co-author) / Pfeiffer, Nicholaus (Co-author) / Wang, Lili (Thesis director) / Salamone, Damien (Committee member) / Louis, Arulraj (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This paper explores the history of sovereign debt default in developing economies and attempts to highlight the mistakes and accomplishments toward achieving debt sustainability. In the past century, developing economies have received considerable investment due to higher returns and a degree of disregard for the risks accompanying these investments. As the former Citibank chairman, Walter Wriston articulated, "Countries don't go bust" (This Time is Different, 51). Still, unexpected negative externalities have shattered this idea as the majority of developing economies follow a cyclical pattern of default. As coined by Reinhart and Rogoff, sovereign governments that fall into this continuous cycle have become known as serial defaulters. Most developed markets have not defaulted since World War II, thus escaping this persistent trap. Still, there have been developing economies that have been able to transition out of serial defaulting. These economies are able to leverage debt to compound growth without incurring the protracted consequences of a default. Although the cases are few, we argue that developing markets such as Chile, Mexico, Russia, and Uruguay have been able to escape this vicious cycle. Thus, our research indicates that collaborative debt restructurings coupled with long term economic policies are imperative to transitioning out of debt intolerance and into a sustainable debt position. Successful economies are able to leverage debt to create strong foundational growth rather than gambling with debt in the hopes of achieving rapid catch- up growth.
ContributorsPitt, Ryan (Co-author) / Martinez, Nick (Co-author) / Choueiri, Robert (Co-author) / Goegan, Brian (Thesis director) / Silverman, Daniel (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12
Description
This paper looks at factors that drive economic growth and show the correlation between economic growth and economic development and how important economic growth is for a developing country because when there is economic growth then the country has potential to develop. This paper continues to explain why there is economic growth in some countries and not in others with specifically focusing on the effects of having a blessed resource endowment. Having an abundance of resources should be a comparative advantage, however as seen in Latin America, South East Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa that this surprisingly does not lead to high levels of economic growth. This phenomenon is referred to as the Resource Curse and can be fully explained through assumptions derived from the macroeconomic Heckscher-Ohlin model as well as recent trends in emerging economies. Leading to the conclusion that developing countries abundant in resources are very susceptible to the Resource Curse through the increase inequality that ultimately stunts development. Literature suggests that one of the only solutions to overcoming the Resource Curse is the strengthening the effectiveness of the policies in place, which is a subsequent effect of having quality institutions.
Focusing on how to improve institutions there needs to be consideration of the fact that institutions have rent seeking behaviors because both local governments and foreign investors want to acquire a greater share of the production and the benefits. In attempt to find some solution of how countries can overcome the Resource Curse without having to totally reconstruct the political system the goal should be to be to focus on actions from the private sector. The private sector tends to magnify rent seeking behavior and to solidify any solution I performed interviews from industry leaders who have been working in economic development for the past decades. The purpose was to understand what companies are doing now to ensure sustainable development and how that has changed over the past decades.
In the end, the private industry is focusing on regulations that standardize polices for companies pursuing foreign direct investment requiring them to also focus on local economic growth and development. This requires foreign investors to understand the local culture, environment, and institutions leading to overall better choices for long term profitably, thus fulfilling their rent seeking tendencies. One of the biggest proven solutions is the Social License to Operate which is essentially an agreement created by the private investor that requires the local community to be informed and holds the investor accountable. In the end, if the private sector can positively impact a community whilst maintaining their own agenda then a country can overcome the Resource Curse.
Focusing on how to improve institutions there needs to be consideration of the fact that institutions have rent seeking behaviors because both local governments and foreign investors want to acquire a greater share of the production and the benefits. In attempt to find some solution of how countries can overcome the Resource Curse without having to totally reconstruct the political system the goal should be to be to focus on actions from the private sector. The private sector tends to magnify rent seeking behavior and to solidify any solution I performed interviews from industry leaders who have been working in economic development for the past decades. The purpose was to understand what companies are doing now to ensure sustainable development and how that has changed over the past decades.
In the end, the private industry is focusing on regulations that standardize polices for companies pursuing foreign direct investment requiring them to also focus on local economic growth and development. This requires foreign investors to understand the local culture, environment, and institutions leading to overall better choices for long term profitably, thus fulfilling their rent seeking tendencies. One of the biggest proven solutions is the Social License to Operate which is essentially an agreement created by the private investor that requires the local community to be informed and holds the investor accountable. In the end, if the private sector can positively impact a community whilst maintaining their own agenda then a country can overcome the Resource Curse.
ContributorsCortez, Sarah A (Author) / Mueller, Valerie (Thesis director) / Sheriff, Glenn (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05