Richard F. Bieker

Estimating Educational Production Functions for Rural High Schools: Some Findings

This study construed the formal educative process of students in five rural high schools in Kentucky in a production function context. The student was used as the basic observational unit and the curriculum as the basic educative unit. Production relationships were found to be significantly different between curricula.

Factors Affecting Academic Achievement in Graduate Management Education

Abstract This article describes a model developed to explain the variation in academic achievement among students in a graduate management education program. Results of its application show that the model explained 49% of the variation in academic performance. Results also show that the Graduate Management Admissions Test score was a more significant predictor of graduate academic performance than was undergraduate performance, and that the relationship between graduate academic performance and the Graduate Management Admissions Test score was different for Black and White students.

The impact of AACSB accreditation on the autonomy and costs of limited resource institutions whose missions are primarily teaching

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of AACSB accreditation on the autonomy and costs of limited resource institutions whose missions are primarily teaching. Design/methodology/approach – To evaluate the research questions, a content analysis of all publications in the EBSCO Business Source Premier Database for the period January 1, 1990 through December 15, 2012 was conducted. Findings – The findings indicate that in the process of becoming AACSB accredited, faculty members of the subject institutions shift their focus more toward research and less toward teaching activities, and that the institutions become less autonomous and more like their benchmark AACSB institutions. In addition, the costs of AACSB accreditation are likely to be significant for the subject institutions. Research limitations/implications – The findings of the study point to the need for additional theoretical and empirical research related to the research questions. First, there is a need to formulate a conc...

Using simulation as a tool in selecting a retirement age under defined benefit pension plans

This paper examines how simulation modeling can be used to select a retirement age under defined benefit pension plans. This approach construes the variables affecting pension benefits as probabilistic variables. Simulations are then run to generate probabilistic values for the real value of pension benefits for alternative retirement ages. By construing variables affecting pension benefits as probability distributions, this approach reflects the uncertainty facing individuals contemplating retirement. By generating estimates of retirement benefits as probability distributions rather than as single deterministic values, the model provides individuals with a more realistic and complete frame of reference for making the retirement decision.

Homeownership and Financial Strain Following the Collapse of the Housing Market: A Comparative Study on Loan Delinquencies Between Black and White Households

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the extent to which homeownership contributed to household financial strain as measured by loan delinquency after the onset of the recent housing market crash, and to examine if the impact of homeownership on household financial strain differed for Black and White households. Using data from the 2010 Survey of Consumer Finances, we found that, after controlling for other factors, a households housing preferences had a potential effect on the likelihood of experiencing financial strain following the collapse of residential housing prices. In addition, Black homeowners were more likely to have experienced financial strain following the housing collapse than were White homeowners, regardless of the time period in which the home was purchased. The implications of the findings for public policy, personal financial planning and education, and further research are presented.

FORECASTING AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN CASELOADS AND PAYMENTS IN DELAWARE

The purpose of this paper is to present a model which was developed to forecast Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) caseloads and payments in Delaware. The model consists of a caseload equation. a payments equation. and three labor market equations. The model. which was fitted statistically using quarterly data for the period 1958-1976, forecasts significantly better than trend type models. In addition , the model, unlike trend type models has the potential for forecasting turning points and can be used to simulate the impact of proposed policy changes.