In this thesis we study characterize the dynamic relationships among two electricityprice variables (residential and commercial) and six regional economic variables in orderto examine each individual variable??s role in regional economic activity. We also answerthe question ??Do electricity...

A recent outbreak of bird flu or avian influenza (AI), an especially highly pathogenicstrain (HPAI) of H5N1, started in Hong Kong in January 2003 and caused 159 humandeaths in Asia, Africa and Europe through early 2007. In addition, this outbreak resultedin millions of slaughtered birds and...

The paper considers univariate and multivariate models to forecast monthly conflict events in the Sudan over the out-of-sample period 2009 – 2012. The models used to generate these forecasts were based on a specification from a machine learning algorithm fit to 2000 – 2008 monthly data. The...

Though recent literature uncovers linkages between commodity prices and conflict, the causal direction of the relationship remains ambiguous. We attempt to contribute in this strand of research by studying the dynamic relationship of commodity prices and the onsets of conflict events in Sudan....

In this dissertation, three related issues of building empirical time series models forfinancial markets are investigated with respect to contemporaneous causality, dynamics,and structural change. In the first essay, nation-wide industry information transmissionamong stock returns of ten sectors...

This dissertation examines several issues regarding the congestion on the UpperMississippi River and Illinois Waterway. Chapter II identifies and measures the impactof lock congestion on grain barge rates on these waterways. Results indicate grain bargerates on both rivers are not affected by...

Endogenous tariff formation has been the subject of theoretical studies that attempt todetermine the fundamental economic variables that influence the structure of industryprotection implemented by international trade policy makers. An empirical analysis ofendogenous tariff formation under the...

The environmental horticulture industry, also known as the “Green Industry”, is the second most important sector in the United States’ agricultural economy in terms of economic output and one of the fastest growing segments of agriculture; however, it has experienced a steady slowdown in...

Financial market and its various components are currently in turmoil. Many largecorporations are devising new ways to overcome the current market instability.Consequently, any study fostering the understanding of financial markets and thedependencies of various market components would greatly...

Given the role electricity and natural gas sectors play in the North American economy,an understanding of how markets for these commodities interact is important. Thisdissertation independently characterizes the price dynamics of major electricity andnatural gas spot markets in North America by...