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- Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Description
This thesis project provides a thorough cost-benefit analysis of the golf industry in Arizona. We begin by examining the economic, environmental, and social costs that the industry requires. One of the largest costs of the industry is water consumption. Golf courses in Arizona are currently finding ways to reduce water consumption through various methods, such as turf reduction and increasing the usage of drip irrigation. However, even at current levels of consumption, golf only consumes 1.9% of water in Arizona, compared to the 69% consumed by agriculture. Of the water consumed by the golf industry, 26.3% is wastewater, otherwise known as effluent water. Since the population in Arizona is projected to grow significantly over the next decade, the amount of effluent water produced will also increase. Due to this, we recommend that the golf industry move towards using as much effluent water as possible to conserve clean water sources. Additionally, we examine land allocation and agricultural tradeoffs to the state. Most golf courses are built in urban areas that would not be suitable for agriculture. The same land could be used to build a public park, but this would not provide as many economic benefits to the state. Many courses also act as floodplains which protect the communities surrounding them from flooding. These floodplains have proven to be crucial to protect from occasional flash floods by diverting the excess water away from homes. We also discuss golf's primary social cost in terms of its perception as being a sport played exclusively by privileged and wealthy people. This is proven to be false due to many non-profit organizations centered around the game, as well as municipal courses that provide affordable options for all citizens who want to play. We provide an in-depth analysis of the benefits that the industry provides to the state and its citizens primarily through business and tax revenue, employment, and property values. Including multiplier effects, the golf industry contributed 42,000 full- and part-time jobs, $3.9 billion in sales, $1.5 billion in labor income, and $2.1 billion value added in 2014. An estimated $72 million in state and local taxes were generated from golf facilities alone, without including taxes from indirectly impacted businesses. This tax revenue provides a great benefit to the public sector and increases Arizona's GDP. Also, much of this economic contribution is from the golf tourism industry, which brings new revenue into the state that would otherwise not exist. Golf courses also increase the surrounding real estate prices anywhere from 4.8% to 28%, providing a positive externality to community members in addition to scenic views. Finally, we provide a case study of the Waste Management Phoenix Open (WMO) to illustrate the impact of Arizona's single largest golf event each year. In 2017, the event brought an estimated $389 million into Arizona's economy in one week alone. Also, it regularly hosts massive crowds with a record-breaking 719,179 people attending the event in 2018. The WMO has also taken a "Zero Waste Challenge" to promote eco-friendly and sustainable practices by diverting all of the waste and materials produced by the tournament from landfills. The WMO has been dubbed both the "Greatest Show On Grass" and the "Greenest Show On Grass" due to the entertainment value provided as well as its effort to improve the environment.
ContributorsShershenovich, Andrew (Co-author) / Wilhelm, Spencer (Co-author) / Goegan, Brian (Thesis director) / Van Poucke, Rory (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Caring for others is hard work, it takes time, it takes emotional labor, and ultimately it is not immediately apparent how caring for others helps ourselves, so why should we do it? In caring for others, we become an active participant in the world of another, and we must take this active role because we already have an emotional investment in the wellbeing of the other. We must care for others because we already care about them. This concept of caring for others is addressed in Art as an invitation to world-traveling: a psycho-analytic approach to Understanding neuro-atypicality as well as a corresponding gallery featuring the artwork analyzed within the written work. In this work the act of World-Sharing is discussed, an idea brought to us by the philosopher Maria Lugones. The idea is that we create worlds by having relationships with others. We have worlds that we live in with our family, our workplace, our circles of friends, and smaller worlds between us and those we are closest to and ourselves. We are world-travelers, evidenced by our ability to empathize with others, and through this thesis we can become able to use art as a means of world-traveling. Art has a unique way of creating a way with which we can understand the other without the use of words, as verbal language isn't the only path to world-traveling. In the first section of this work, there is an introduction. In sections two through four the philosophical importance of expressive and empathetic communication, the psychological standpoint including how neuro-atypical people are already attempting to share their world with others by utilizing therapy, and an analysis of artwork by neuro-atypical artists are discussed. Section two utilizes the concept of world-sharing brought to us by Maria Lugones, the concept of therapy as a way to care for others and develop relationships, as well as the importance of love as it related to caring by Carol Gilligan, the way that language can be used to form these relationships by Hans-Georg Gadamer, and the way that language lends itself to communication and the creation of worlds by Georges Gusdorf. In this section the importance of the social majority, or those who hold social power, to travel to the world to the minority, because the minority in order to exist in society already travels to the world of the majority is discussed. In the third section how neuro-atypical people attempt to travel to the world of the majority by utilizing therapy and at times the importance of artwork in that therapy is discussed as well as the art therapy called SEAT which utilizes viewing the patients as artists first in order to have a more dynamic and influential intervention.
ContributorsSyfritt, Autumn Amber-Nicole (Author) / Ramsey, Ramsey Eric (Thesis director) / Sandoval, Mathew (Committee member) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Curative arts and art therapy have been increasingly implicated in promoting health and well-being for patients, but little research has been done for the benefits of drawing therapy for stress management or individuals in a non-diseased state. College students and healthcare professionals are particularly susceptible to high levels of stress, as I experienced firsthand as a medical scribe in the Emergency Room during my undergraduate experience. For this reason, I wanted to focus on using curative arts as a mediator for high-stress situations. My creative project is therefore a portable framework for curative drawing. The framework is designed to help people process complex emotional states in a more effective way using mark-making and color. Specifically, the framework is designed for those who have limited experience with art making but can be used by anyone who feels a need for curative drawing. I used this framework in both individual and group settings, culminating in a final gallery show in which viewers were able to participate in the framework and take home a booklet with the framework printed inside. In conjunction with outside research, the help of my thesis committee, and the students of Drawing and Painting as Seeing and Thinking, the final project can be viewed as one part of the intersection between art and medicine in our ever-changing healthcare environment.
ContributorsCadigan, Megan Sierra (Author) / Button, Melissa (Thesis director) / Belgrave, Melita (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Many fear that the growth of automation and artificial intelligence will lead to massive unemployment since human labor would no longer be needed. Although automation does displace workers from their current jobs, it is unclear the total net effect on jobs this period of advancement will have. One possible solution to help displaced workers is a Universal Basic Income. A Universal Basic Income(UBI) is a set payment paid to all members of society regardless of working status. Compared to current unemployment programs, a Universal Basic Income does not restrict participants in how to spend the money and is more inclusive. This paper examines the effects of a UBI on a person's motivation to work through a study on current college students. There is reason to believe that a Universal Basic Income will lead to fewer people working as people may become dependent on a base payment to meet their basic needs and not look for work. In addition, some people may drop out of their current jobs and rely on a UBI as their main form of income. The current literature does not offer a consensus opinion on this relationship and more studies are being completed with the threat of mass unemployment looming. This study shows the effects of a UBI on participants' willingness to work and then applies these results to the current economic model. With these results and new economic model, a decision about future policies surrounding a UBI can be made.
ContributorsAgarwal, Raghav (Author) / Pulido Hernadez, Carlos (Thesis director) / Foster, William (Committee member) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Gendered products are prevalent in the modern consumer products market. This paper provides historical context for the change in the consumer products market which started as a genderless product market and shifted to a female consumer-centric market reflecting the economic needs of the United States through World War I and II. This female consumer-centric market results from the rise of consumer research and many household products are created to satisfy female consumer preferences. But as the consumer demographics change with more women entering the labor force, the types of products being sold change to appeal to the increasing number of male consumers who begin shopping for themselves. This increase in male products is what leads to the booming men's personal care products market that we see today. With an increase in gendered products, there has also been an increase in the number of backlash companies face for creating specific gendered products. This paper outlines the history of gendered products and the potential future of products in the United States.
ContributorsLavergne, Lisa (Author) / Foster, William (Thesis director) / Goegan, Brian (Committee member) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
This paper intends to analyze the National Football League (NFL) and the role stadiums play within it. The NFL, being the nation's largest professional sports league, has experienced a large amount of volatility over the past couple of decades. Teams have relocated a significant number of times and stadium projects have grown in size, cost, and frequency. Because of these observations, we chose to focus in on this particular sports league in order to answer our many questions surrounding the role of a professional sports stadium in the economics of a city. We seek to understand the economics these sports stadiums impact on the league and the cities they reside in. To do this, we compiled data of NFL franchise wins, average ticket prices, stadiums, and franchise values, while researching the stadium building process and referencing the opinions of leading sports economists across the nation. Next, we discussed the process of building a stadium, which entails the core steps of design, construction, cost, and funding. We discuss tax-exempt municipal bonds, and explain what an impact economic analysis is and how teams use them to get cities to support their projects. Moreover, we discuss the threats of relocation and how the NFL can exert pressure on stadium project decisions. Finally, we talk about the future of the NFL, with a new trend of empty stadiums and make predictions for upcoming relocation destinations. Based on these findings, we draw conclusions on the economics of sports stadiums and offer our opinion on the current state of the NFL.
ContributorsGuillen, Sergio (Co-author) / Willms, Jacob (Co-author) / Goegan, Brian (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Is nuclear power sustainable when compared to other energy sources? A truly sustainable energy source provides an environmental benefit, minimizes costs to consumers both socially and economically, and continues to do so in both the short and the long term. Taking the zero-carbon nature of nuclear generation as its net environmental benefit, this paper the evaluates the economic and social costs of nuclear power to determine if nuclear power's reputation as "unsustainable" is warranted. The sustainability of nuclear power is evaluated in two main categories. The first part focuses on the economics of nuclear power. There are many preconceived notions regarding nuclear power and its associated industry. This section addresses those notions to determine their validity given recent data. The prevalent types of nuclear plants across the U.S., the economics of the stages of nuclear energy production, and its competitiveness relative to other energy sources are addressed, culminating in an evaluation of its modern economic attractiveness as well as its future economic viability. A sustainability assessment would not be complete without addressing the social costs of an energy source, as a sustainable source must be both economically and socially viable. If it can be established that nuclear power can provide energy at lower rates and at a lower cost in terms of externalities, then it would be considered truly sustainable. To investigate those externalities, the second part of the analysis focuses on the human costs associated with the various stages of nuclear energy production. Those costs are then compared to those of alternatives sources of power, and selected case studies are examined to illustrate the ultimate risks associated with nuclear power operations. By quantifying these aspects and comparing the results to alternatives in the field, a better understanding of nuclear energy technology and its potential is achieved. The reader can then ascertain whether nuclear power's reputation as being "unsustainable" is, or is not, a reputation it deserves.
ContributorsRudolph, Alexander James (Author) / Miller, Clark (Thesis director) / Richter, Jennifer (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Research on California water markets has historically made two inaccurate assumptions regarding water rights: that water is a one-dimensional commodity, and that every water rights holder is in the market to sell. In reality, water is a bundled good that comprises varying attributes, and the decision to become a seller often has more to do with politics than price. This thesis analyzes the heterogeneous dimensions of a water right to explain the evolution of supply, demand, and price in California water markets. A dataset of 712 short-term surface water transfers in California from the period of 1990 through 2016 is analyzed to explain market trends and model the price of water. The data comes from a proprietary dataset of water transfers provided by WestWater Research, LLC (WestWater). Transfer data is distinguished based on variables such as buyer and seller experience, perennial crop plantings, seasonal timing of sale, buyer and seller region, water-year type, and end use. A variety of figures present summary statistics of the data. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression is used to identify variables that are statistically significant in estimating the unit price of water in dollars per acre-foot ($/AF). The regression shows that State Water Bank (SWB) purchases, Environmental Water Account (EWA) purchases, environmental end use, North of Delta (NOD) seller location, the San Joaquin Valley Water-Year Index (San Joaquin Index), total perennial crop acreage, and purchases made by South Coast buyers were statistically significant at the 95% or 99% confidence interval. These variables were included in the final econometric model to estimate price.
ContributorsArnao, Audrey Louise (Author) / Hanemann, Michael (Thesis director) / Payne, Matthew (Committee member) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Trailers are an effective tool used by marketing teams in the film industry to persuade people to spend money to see a movie. Their role in film marketing has changed and exponentially increased throughout the history of the medium, and their form is constantly evolving. While the core function of trailers is to advertise a finished product, they are created with a focused effort on grabbing an audience's attention and initiating an emotional interaction. The development of a feature film trailer by an organized marketing group is also an artistic venture that requires a high level of proficiency at editing and storytelling to effectively communicate the necessary elements of a film in an effort to persuade. Trailer making is a craft honed by an extraordinary amount of person-hours and intentionality, with a blend of plenty of diegetic and non-diegetic functions which exhibit the best parts of a movie. While trailers can suffer from hyperbolicism as well as excessive genre signaling, it's important to stand out and prove a product worthy of a customer's dollars especially in a film culture saturated with content. As marketing budgets continue to balloon in the entertainment industry, it seems that trailers will continue to be a mainstay of promoting art, and will evolve to fit any societal shifts they encounter.
ContributorsHolmgren, Devin Brent (Author) / Scott, Jason Davids (Thesis director) / Fortunato, Joseph (Committee member) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Human nature drives us to focus primarily on the present or near-future, instead of considering what consequences our actions may have many years from now. However, in a new era that is increasingly dominated by humans and their ambitions, this tendency has destructive repercussions on the very environment that once supported and nurtured humankind. Wild animals are highly susceptible to human activities that damage ecosystems, and a loss of animal diversity can have unforeseen consequences on future human populations. In the research, I examine the avoidable reasons for the severe decline in population of four animal species, and through my art, imagine the losses associated with their disappearance. The artwork created evokes an emotional response in the viewer through dramatic, contrasting imagery, making them reassess the relationship between humans, animals and the environment.
ContributorsJudge, Nicole (Author) / Button, Melissa (Thesis director) / Hogden, Heidi (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05