Joshua C. Hall

Bio: Joshua C. Hall is an academic researcher from West Virginia University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Economic freedom & Economic Freedom of the World. The author has an hindex of 20, co-authored 183 publications receiving 2309 citations. Previous affiliations of Joshua C. Hall include Bowling Green State University & Beloit College.

Tuition Increases Geaux Away? Evidence from Voting on Louisiana's Amendment 2

Abstract: In many states, public institutions of higher education have the autonomy to raise tuition. This has not been the case in Louisiana since a 1995 constitutional amendment required a two-thirds majority of the state legislature for any tuition increase. In November of 2016, voters in Louisiana rejected Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment that would have given state institutions of higher education autonomy in setting tuition. We examine parish-level voting on Amendment 2 using an empirical political economy model and find that parishes with a greater percentage of African-Americans and university employees were more likely to vote yes. Student enrolment at public institutions seemingly did not play a role in Amendment 2 losing.

Laissez-Faire Economic Policy in a World Where Gender Income Gaps Exist: Helping or Hurting?

Abstract: Using IPUMS data on U.S. states from 1980 to 2010, we examine the effect of economic freedom on the gender income gap. We find that economic freedom is positively related to an increase in the gender income gap. When we break up the index into its components, we find different effects of various types of policy. For example, we find that decreases in government spending and a lower minimum wage have a statistically significant and positive effect on gender income disparities across states.

The Virtue of Business: How Markets Encourage Ethical Behavior

Abstract: Popular media is filled with claims about the immorality of the marketplace and businessmen. In this article, we question these claims. Because individuals as consumers want to support ethical behavior, if individuals are ethical, markets will tend to enhance, rather than retard, ethical behavior. The enhancement is carried out by ethical entrepreneurs who change and influence the way that business practices are carried out. We illustrate our argument with the examples of Barnum & Bailey Circus, Whole Foods Market, and BB&T Bank. Rachel Kotkin, "The Virtue of Business: How Markets Encourage Ethical Behavior," Journal of Markets & Morality 13, no. 1 (Spring 2010): 45-58

Local Government Border Congruence and the Fiscal Commons: Evidence from Ohio School Districts

Abstract: 1. IntroductionThere exists a rich literature studying the norma-tive and positive implications of overlapping jurisdic-tional boundaries of public governance structures in economics, political science, regional science, and public administration (Isard, 1956; Ostrom et al., 1961; Turnbull and Djoundourian, 1994; Oates, 1999; Feiock, 2007). In the United States, one of the most prolific examples of overlapping jurisdictions at the same hierarchical level is found in the separation of local government borders from those of the school district (Campbell et al., 1965). In his 2009 book on the economic evolution of American school districts, Fischel estimates that less than one-quarter of all U.S. cities over 50,000 in population had borders congru-ent with a local school district.An important implication of noncongruence is that each local government and school district will have a different median voter.1 If the policies of mu-nicipalities had no spillovers on school districts, then this would not be problematic. However, the actions of municipalities affect school districts by shaping the structure and composition of residential and com-mercial development (Fischel, 2001). Having differ-ent median voters creates a potential moral hazard problem as the median voter in a noncongruent mu-nicipality does not face the full fiscal cost of zoning decisions.2To illustrate the potential problem, consider the decision to rezone a parcel of agricultural land for res-idential purposes. In the case where municipal bor-ders were congruent with the local school district, the median voter would balance the fiscal benefits of ad-ditional development against the fiscal costs-includ-ing higher school district expenditures associated with the new development. With border congruency, the median voter has the incentive to consider all the costs associated with zoning decisions, including higher school district expenditures. Should the parcel of agricultural land lie in a city that shares a school district with seven other municipalities, how-ever, the median voter will continue to factor in all the benefits of rezoning to residential use but face only a fraction (one-seventh) of the cost of educating the children that will live in the new development.While school district-municipality border noncon-gruence implies increased total school district spend-ing due to the incentive to "overzone" residential, the implications on spending per pupil are less clear. This is especially true in states like Ohio where nearly half of school district spending comes from local sources.3 In Ohio, increased local revenue to schools is not automatic when population or property values increase, as local revenue increases must be voted on by residents of the school district. Individuals un-happy with higher school costs due to rampant de-velopment in a neighboring municipality with which they share a school district have the ability to reject additional local spending on schools by voting down school levies for new school construction and ongo-ing spending. A May 2003 editorial by the Columbus Dispatch on the Pickerington (OH) school district pro-vides direct evidence of such punishment in action. A portion of the city of Columbus lies within the Pick-erington School District, which is also comprised of portions of several smaller governments. From 1990 to 2000, the number of Columbus residents in Picker-ington schools grew tenfold due to rapid residential development resulting from high-density zoning in the Columbus portion of Pickerington School District. In response, the voters of the Pickerington School Dis-trict rejected multiple school levies that would have increased spending and helped to relieve school over-crowding.In this article I investigate the impact of congru-ency between municipality and school district bor-ders on local revenue generation. My reasoning for choosing local revenue per capita is straightforward following from the Pickerington example. …

Production of Wind Energy and Agricultural Land Values: Evidence from Pennsylvania

Abstract: Given the push toward renewable and alternative energy, a new energy mix is emerging. Wind is the fastest growing source of renewable electricity in the United States. The siting of wind turbines has proven controversial with multiple operations facing local resistance. Opponents cite issues such as noise, bird deaths, and aesthetics. Given that farmer portfolios are heavily comprised of land assets, the possibility that surrounding wind energy operations may reduce agricultural land value is of concern. This study examines that possibility using a hedonic regression analysis comparing per acre land value to a series of land characteristics and distance variables for Somerset County, PA. Results indicate no significant relationship between the presence of wind turbines and the value of agricultural land. This confirms the findings of similar studies which have examined the same relationship.

Regression Diagnostics: Identifying Influential Data and Sources of Collinearity

Abstract: 1. Introduction and Overview. 2. Detecting Influential Observations and Outliers. 3. Detecting and Assessing Collinearity. 4. Applications and Remedies. 5. Research Issues and Directions for Extensions. Bibliography. Author Index. Subject Index.

The Economic Institutions of Capitalism

Abstract: The 2008 crash has left all the established economic doctrines - equilibrium models, real business cycles, disequilibria models - in disarray. Part of the problem is due to Smith’s "veil of ignorance": individuals unknowingly pursue society’s interest and, as a result, have no clue as to the macroeconomic effects of their actions: witness the Keynes and Leontief multipliers, the concept of value added, fiat money, Engel’s law and technical progress, to name but a few of the macrofoundations of microeconomics. A good viewpoint to take bearings anew lies in comparing the post-Great Depression institutions with those emerging from Thatcher and Reagan’s economic policies: deregulation, exogenous vs. endoge- nous money, shadow banking vs. Volcker’s Rule. Very simply, the banks, whose lending determined deposits after Roosevelt, and were a public service became private enterprises whose deposits determine lending. These underlay the great moderation preceding 2006, and the subsequent crash.

将“Cooperative Learning”融入课堂——浅谈英语素质教育

Abstract: 1. Interaction. The interactions learners have with each other build interpersonal skills, such as listening, politely interrupting, expressing ideas, raising questions, disagreeing, paraphrasing, negotiating, and asking for help. 2. Interdependence. Learners must depend on one another to accomplish a common objective. Each group member has specific tasks to complete, and successful completion of each member’s tasks results in attaining the overall group objective.

Contextualizing Entrepreneurship—Conceptual Challenges and Ways Forward:

Abstract: This paper sets out to explore contexts for entrepreneurship, illustrating how a contextualized view of entrepreneurship contributes to our understanding of the phenomenon. There is growing recognition in entrepreneurship research that economic behavior can be better understood within its historical, temporal, institutional, spatial, and social contexts, as these contexts provide individuals with opportunities and set boundaries for their actions. Context can be an asset and a liability for the nature and extent of entrepreneurship, but entrepreneurship can also impact contexts. The paper argues that context is important for understanding when, how, and why entrepreneurship happens and who becomes involved. Exploring the multiplicity of contexts and their impact on entrepreneurship, it identifies challenges researchers face in contextualizing entrepreneurship theory and offers possible ways forward.