The purpose of this paper is to investigate electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card reforms in California’s Food Stamp Program, and its impact on food insecurity.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card reforms in California’s Food Stamp Program, and its impact on food insecurity.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors test the hypothesis that EBT cards reduce food insecurity by reducing the food costs associated with loss and theft of benefits, as well as by decreasing fraudulent sales of benefits. The authors use a natural experiment in the form of the time-varying roll-out of EBT card reforms across California counties in conjunction with the California Health Interview Survey, to conduct an event study.
Findings
The findings suggest no evidence for a decrease in food insecurity. The authors do, however, find evidence of a transitory increase in food insecurity immediately following implementation of EBT reforms. Reforms increase the likelihood of food insecurity by about 3 percent for up to two months. The result is distinguishable from zero, and robust to changes in specification, inclusion of controls, and measurement choices. The authors posit the increase was due to frictions in the transition to EBT card systems.
Originality/value
Although a considerable literature with regard to the FSP exists, very little has been written investigating a specific linkage between EBT cards and food security. The findings are not supportive of policy makers’ hypothesis that a positive externality of EBT benefits delivery is a lasting reduction in food insecurity.
Details
Keywords
Russ Kashian, Rashiqa Kamal and Yuhan Xue
Specific types of Hispanic-owned banks (HOBs), including those related to Brazilian, Cuban, Mexican or Puerto Rican heritage, have not be analyzed to date. There are important…
Abstract
Purpose
Specific types of Hispanic-owned banks (HOBs), including those related to Brazilian, Cuban, Mexican or Puerto Rican heritage, have not be analyzed to date. There are important differences between the relevant communities, including geographic location, language barriers, population size and the importance of remittances to foreign nations. The analysis here sheds light on these differences.
Design/methodology/approach
HOBs with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-designated minority-owned depository institution (MDI) designation are identified, along with bank ownership heritage. Financial data, a measure of market competition, and demographics of depositors from 2003 to 2017 are utilized in an exploratory analysis comparing banks by HOB type, with random effects regressions for the pre-collapse (2003–2006) and post-collapse (2009–2017) periods.
Findings
Although each of the four types of HOBs serve Hispanic and poor communities, there are substantial differences. For example, Brazilian and Puerto Rican banks on the island held high levels of nonperforming loans (NPLs) post-collapse, with the Brazilian and Mexican banks expanding levels of risky commercial real estate (CRE) lending post-collapse, while the Cuban banks contracted CRE lending. Differences in terms of return on assets (ROAs), the cost of borrowed funds and the tier-1 risk-based capital ratio are also identified.
Social implications
HOBs, like Latinos in the USA, are culturally heterogeneous and likely operate in different ways depending upon the culture and economic circumstances of the communities where they operate.
Originality/value
Although there is substantial research on MDIs, this is the first analysis which treats HOBs as culturally heterogeneous. Further research of this type is warranted.
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Keywords
Jinying Xu, Ke Chen, Anna Elizabeth Zetkulic, Fan Xue, Weisheng Lu and Yuhan Niu
The practice of facility management (FM) has been evolving with the rapid development of pervasive sensing technologies (PSTs) such as sensors, automatic identification (auto-ID)…
Abstract
Purpose
The practice of facility management (FM) has been evolving with the rapid development of pervasive sensing technologies (PSTs) such as sensors, automatic identification (auto-ID), laser scanning and photogrammetry. Despite the proliferation of research on the use of PSTs for FM, a comprehensive review of such research is missing from the literature. This study aims to cover the knowledge void by examining the status quo and challenges of the selected PSTs with a focus on FM.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviewed 204 journal papers recounting cases of using PSTs for FM. The reviewed papers were extracted from Elsevier Scopus database using the advanced search.
Findings
Findings of this study revealed that PSTs and FM applications form a many-to-many mapping, i.e. one PST could facilitate many FM applications, and one application can also be supported by various PSTs. It is also found that energy modeling and management is the most referred purpose in FM to adopt PSTs, while space management, albeit important, received the least attention. Five challenges are identified, which include high investment on PSTs, data storage problem, absence of proper data exchange protocols for data interoperability, a lack of mature data processing methods for data utilization and privacy of users.
Originality/value
This paper paints a full picture of PSTs adoption for FM. It pinpoints the promising explorations for tackling the key challenges to future development.
Details
Keywords
Zhixuan Lai, Gaoxiang Lou, Yuhan Guo, Xuechen Tu and Yushan Zhao
Considering two types of subsidies for producers (supplier and manufacturer) and one for consumers based on product greenness and sales quantity, this study aims to formulate…
Abstract
Purpose
Considering two types of subsidies for producers (supplier and manufacturer) and one for consumers based on product greenness and sales quantity, this study aims to formulate optimal supply chain green innovation and subsidy strategies, and to achieve this goal with the support of information systems.
Design/methodology/approach
This study introduces a composite green-product supply chain where suppliers focus on green innovation for component greenness and manufacturers focus on green innovation for manufacturing process greenness. Game theory modeling is applied to investigate the differences of product greenness, supply chain members’ profit and social welfare under different government subsidy strategies.
Findings
Increasing the unit greenness subsidy coefficient can boost product greenness and supply chain members’ profits, but does not always raise social welfare. When the government exclusively offers subsidies to producers, subsidies should be allocated to suppliers when there is a significant disparity in supply chain green innovation costs. Conversely, it is more beneficial to subsidize manufacturers. Consumer subsidies have the potential to enhance both environmental and economic performance in the supply chain compared with producer-exclusive subsidies, but may not always maximize social welfare when supply chain members have low unit costs associated with green innovation.
Originality/value
This study examines the optimal decisions for green supply chain innovation and government subsidy strategies. Supply chain members and the government can use the information system to collect and evaluate the cost of upstream and downstream green innovation, and then develop reasonable collaborative green innovation and subsidy strategies.
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Keywords
Yuhan Luo and Mingwei Lin
The purpose of this paper is to make an overview of 474 publications and 512 patents of FTL from 1987 to 2020 in order to provide a conclusive and comprehensive analysis for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to make an overview of 474 publications and 512 patents of FTL from 1987 to 2020 in order to provide a conclusive and comprehensive analysis for researchers in this field, as well as a preliminary knowledge of FTL for interested researchers.
Design/methodology/approach
Firstly, the FTL algorithms are classified and its functions are introduced in detail. Secondly, the structures of the publications are analyzed in terms of the fundamental information and the publication of the most productive countries/regions, institutions and authors. After that, co-citation networks of institutions, authors and papers illustrated by VOS Viewer are given to show the relationship among those and the most influential of them is further analyzed. Then, the characteristics of the patent are analyzed based on the basic information and classification of the patent and the most productive inventors. In order to obtain research hotspots and trends in this field, the time-line review and citation burst detection of keywords carried out by Cite Space are made to be visual. Finally, based on the above analysis, it draws some other important conclusions and the development trend of this field.
Findings
The research on FTL algorithm is still the top priority in the future, and how to improve the performance of SSD in the era of big data is one of the research hotspots.
Research limitations/implications
This paper makes a comprehensive analysis of FTL with the method of bibliometrics, and it is valuable for researchers can quickly grasp the hotspots in this area.
Originality/value
This article draws the structural characteristics of the publications in this field and summarizes the research hotspots and trends in this field in recent years, aiming to inspire new ideas for researchers.
Details
Keywords
Ning Sun, Yuhan Peng, Yingchen Lu, Wanting Liu and Zhenhua Zheng
This study aims to investigate the relationships between the perceived neighborhood walkable environment (PNWE), neighborhood interaction (NI) and residents’ mental health, with…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the relationships between the perceived neighborhood walkable environment (PNWE), neighborhood interaction (NI) and residents’ mental health, with a focus on examining differences among residents of different age groups.
Design/methodology/approach
Using an electronic survey questionnaire, data on PNWE, NI and mental health were collected from 1,159 residents across 205 communities in Shanghai, China. Our study utilized a structural equation modeling (SEM), employing the maximum likelihood estimation method. The structural equation model was fitted using the MPLUS software.
Findings
The mental health of young and middle-aged adults is generally poor, and they are at higher risk of depression than children and older adults. The effects of PNWE and NI on the mental health of residents varied among different age groups. As residents get older, their mental health is more affected by the PNWE. In addition, the influence of the PNWE on children and older adults’ mental health is direct and not mediated by NI. For young and middle-aged adults, the influence of the PNWE on their mental health needs to be mediated by NI.
Originality/value
This study marks the first examination of the relationship between PNWE, NI and mental health among different age groups of residents in China. The findings of this research can assist policymakers in gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which PNWE affects mental health. Furthermore, it can contribute to the development of more targeted walkable environment designs aimed at enhancing mental health among various age groups.
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Spencer Ii Ern Teo, Yuhan Zhou and Justin Ker-Wei Yeoh
Network coverage is crucial for the adoption of advanced Smart Home applications. The commonly used log-based path loss model is not able to accurately estimate WiFi signal…
Abstract
Purpose
Network coverage is crucial for the adoption of advanced Smart Home applications. The commonly used log-based path loss model is not able to accurately estimate WiFi signal strength in different houses, as it does not fully consider the impact of building morphology. To better describe the propagation of WiFi signals and achieve higher estimation accuracy, this paper studies the basic building morphology characteristics of houses.
Design/methodology/approach
A new path loss model based on a decision tree was proposed after measuring the WiFi signal strength passing through multiple housing units. Three types of regression models were tested and compared.
Findings
The findings demonstrate that the log-based path loss model fits small houses well, while the newly proposed nonlinear path loss model performs better in large houses (area larger than 125 m2 and area-to-perimeter ratio larger than 2.5). The impact of building design on path loss has been proven and specifically quantified in the model.
Originality/value
Proposed an improved model to estimate indoor network coverage. Quantify the impacts of building morphology on indoor WiFi signal strength. Improve WiFi signal strength estimation to support Smart Home applications.
Details
Keywords
Nelson Geovany Carrión-Bósquez, Oscar Ortiz-Regalado, Ivan Veas-González, Franklin Gerardo Naranjo-Armijo and Wilson Fernando Guerra-Regalado
This study aims to identify whether green advertising and eco-labels influence the purchasing behaviors of organic products or whether the influence of such behaviors is presented…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify whether green advertising and eco-labels influence the purchasing behaviors of organic products or whether the influence of such behaviors is presented through the mediating effect of the attitude and environmental awareness of millennials.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a quantitative, correlational and cross-sectional design. A total of 430 millennials participated in the study. The questionnaire consisted of 20 questions, distributed across five variables. It was applied to people outside shopping centers in the city of Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador. The results were subjected to statistical tests to determine the internal consistency of the instrument. The convergent and discriminant validity of the research model was verified through confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. SPSS 20 and AMOS 24 were used for statistical analyses.
Findings
The study identified that attitude and environmental awareness mediate the relationship between green advertising and green purchasing behaviors, as well as the relationship between eco-labels and green purchasing behaviors. Furthermore, it has been proven that green advertising directly influences the green purchasing behaviors of organic products among millennials, whereas eco-labels do not.
Originality/value
This study is among the initial investigations to delineate the connection between elements of green marketing and the buying patterns of organic goods among millennials in an emerging economy. The study provides answers to earlier scholarly inquiries that proposed examining the correlation among the constituents of the theorized framework.
Objetivo
El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo identificar si la publicidad verde y las ecoetiquetas influyen en los comportamientos de compra de productos orgánicos, o si la influencia dentro de dichos comportamientos se presenta a través del efecto mediador de la actitud y la conciencia ambiental de los millennials.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
La investigación fue cuantitativa, correlacional y con un diseño transversal. Participaron en el estudio un total de 430 millennials. El cuestionario constó de 20 preguntas distribuidas en cinco variables. Fue aplicado en persona fuera de los centros comerciales en las ciudades de Quito y Guayaquil - Ecuador. Los resultados obtenidos fueron sometidos a pruebas estadísticas para determinar la consistencia interna del instrumento. La validez convergente y discriminante del modelo de investigación fue verificada mediante un Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio y Modelos de Ecuaciones Estructurales. Para el desarrollo de los análisis estadísticos, se utilizaron SPSS 20 y AMOS 24.
Resultados
El estudio identificó que la actitud y la conciencia ambiental median la relación entre la publicidad verde y los comportamientos de compra, así como en la relación entre las ecoetiquetas y los comportamientos de compra. Además, se demostró que la publicidad verde influye directamente en los comportamientos de compra de productos orgánicos entre los millennials, mientras que las ecoetiquetas no.
Originalidad y valor
Este artículo se encuentra entre las investigaciones iniciales para delinear la conexión entre los elementos del marketing verde y los patrones de compra de productos orgánicos entre los millennials en una economía emergente. El estudio proporcionó respuestas a consultas académicas previas que proponían examinar la correlación entre los componentes del marco teórico propuesto.
目的
本研究旨在确定绿色广告和生态标签是否影响有机产品的购买行为, 或这种行为的影响是否通过千禧一代的态度和环境意识的中介效应表现出来。
设计/方法/途径
本研究采用定量、相关性和横截面设计。共有430名千禧一代参与了研究。问卷由20个问题组成, 分布在五个变量上。问卷在厄瓜多尔基多和瓜亚基尔市的购物中心外分发。结果经过统计测试, 以确定问卷的内部一致性。通过验证性因素分析 和结构方程模型 验证了研究模型的收敛效度和区分效度。统计分析使用SPSS 20和AMOS 24软件完成。
研究结果
研究表明, 态度和环境意识在绿色广告与绿色购买行为之间以及生态标签与绿色购买行为之间起到中介作用。此外, 已证明绿色广告直接影响千禧一代对有机产品的绿色购买行为, 而生态标签则没有直接影响。
原创性/价值
本研究是最初探讨绿色营销元素与千禧一代在新兴经济体中有机产品购买模式之间关系的研究之一。该研究回答了早期学术研究提出的关于理论框架各组成部分相关性的探讨。