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ItemSustainable transitions in energy and water systems(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2017-08-24) Burkhard, CarolineA Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) of Sustainable Transitions is applied to five case studies of technological and policy innovation in energy and water systems. The MLP framework analysis is supported by the policy and engineering literatures of participatory democracy, policy entrepreneurs, and system analysis. Each case study focuses on the subsystems of actors, policy institutions, and public participation in a sustainable transition. In three of the case studies, I develop system and econometric models to evaluate the value of distributed resources and their opportunities for deployment. When evaluating the actions on niche and intermediary actors and their strategies for sustainable transitions, this research suggests that scale may play a bigger role in the development of niche innovations and policies than simply an exploratory space to analyze the success of actors’ strategies. When evaluating the role of policy institutions, this research suggests that strong user preferences, supportive niche policies, and favorable economic landscapes can be insufficient to facilitate a regime change without qualitative changes to the regulatory models. When evaluating the role of the public, this research suggests that neither the niche nor the regime actors are consistently incorporating public participation. Combined, this dissertation speaks to the need for rigorous analytical work, the expansion of the definition of ‘value’ for these niche technologies, as well as the institutions and regulations which dictate how value is determined.
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ItemFirm strategies in scientific labor markets(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015-04-01) Bandyopadhyay, Kirsten AnaliseThis dissertation expands on the economic geography literature on how and why innovation clusters spatially by taking a closer look at two correlated phenomena: regional specialization and firm clustering. While existing studies note that innovative regions are often highly specialized and highly clustered, further research is needed on the relative contributions of specialization and clustering to regional innovation. I examine these contributions by focusing on one key element of any regional innovation project: the labor market for scientific and technical professionals. The foundation for this study is a typology of regions based on regional specialization and firm clustering. I use this typology to answer one key research question: how specialization and clustering affect wages and recruitment methods in science-based industries. I create my typology using firm location data from the Photonics Buyers’ Guide, a leading trade publication in the photonics industry; I use the standardized location quotient and the average nearest neighbor distance as metrics of regional specialization and firm clustering, respectively. I investigate small firms’ labor market strategies using job search and wage data from the 2011 and 2012 SPIE salary surveys of employees in the photonics industry. I also examine how people-based and place-based policies for strengthening scientific and technical labor markets change when viewed through the lens of specialization and clustering. I selected the photonics industry as an example of a science-based industry for three reasons: its diversity of applications, its policy importance, and its unique colocation of design and manufacturing. Regional specialization and firm clustering, while correlated, do not always go hand in hand. By disentangling the effects of specialization versus clustering, this dissertation contributes to the literature on the spatial analysis of innovation. It also offers policymakers a heuristic for deciding on the importance of being known for a particular industry (regional specialization) and creating dense innovation districts (firm clusters) through preferential zoning or other mechanisms.
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ItemMBE policy as economic development: an examination of public contracting in Georgia(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010-07-09) Dickson, Austin CartwrightMany scholars suggest that Minority Business Enterprises help disadvantaged populations and achieve greater equity in society. Rooted in the affirmative action policies of the 1960s and 1970s, Minority Business Enterprise designations have become a standard way for the federal government to assist minority entrepreneurs as well as protect against discrimination in contracting. Some scholars even suggest that these policies go beyond protection from discrimination and actually foster economic development in minority communities. This thesis examines those claims and utilizes an example from 12 years of the Georgia Department of Transportation's records on contracting with MBEs to answer the question: who is helped by these federal policies? This examination sheds light on the current literature linking MBEs with economic development as well as adds to the sparse literature on outcomes for MBE policy. The results of data analysis show that , over a 12-year period, White female business enterprises receive the twice as many contracting dollars as all other Minority Business Enterprises combined.
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ItemEmergency preparedness planning and; policy and vulnerable populations in public schools: a literature analysis(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008-07-15) Brandon, Brook EstelleThe U.S. disability population is growing at significant rates among adults as well as youth. According to the 2000 Current Population Reports, approximately 54 million Americans about 1 in 5 - are affected by the presence of a disability stemming from birth or life incident. Demographic increases are also noted among American youth as well, with one in 166 children is diagnosed with autism - estimated 67 children each day. Consequently, there have been federal-level responses in the form of legislation, executive orders and local-level program flinding such as REMS grants - addressing various disability issues. Likewise in recent years, another critically important matter has emerged with increasing priority on the nation s policy agenda: school emergency preparedness planning. A broad spectrum of crises incidents, ranging from student-initiated assaults to natural or man-made disasters, has become a well-documented reality where schools have experienced tragic impacts sometimes as severe as mass casualties These occurrences, coupled with an expected increase in potential evacuees with special needs, demonstrate the critical need for inclusive school evacuation planning at all levels of administration that actively considers its impact on vulnerable populations. This is of particular importance to public schools today; the presence of disabled students can be deduced from U.S. Census and NOES statistics while studies conducted by Georgia Tech s Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA) illustrate the presence of teachers with disabilities. As the scope of interest in this field expands, the availability of related literature becomes more prevalent as well. While disability preparedness planning in schools is briefly mentioned in some articles and reports on emergency preparedness in general, it has yet to be the sole focus of one to date. Policymakers and practitioners in preparedness planning would likely benefit by broadening to its literature scope to include research that focuses solely on analyzing policy strategies and processes used in school emergency preparedness planning for students and teachers with disabilities. Therefore, this thesis project will compile available related literature into a topology in aimotated bibliography form through the lens of disability preparedness planning and policy in public schools. The research goal is to provide a qualitative assessment of available literature in the form of a reference guide of strategies and recommendations on disability preparedness, specifically intended for public school settings. Additionally, this compilation will outline the rationale supporting a more inclusive policy and planning formulation processes that actively engage the needs students and teachers with disabilities prior to the implementation stage.
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ItemAtlanta's Digital Music Industry: Implications for Workforce and Economic Development(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007-07-12) Stephens, Alexa Renee-MarieResearch on workforce development has focused on general employment trends and traditional industry. Few researchers have studied the potential workforce development implications of emerging industries particularly in those that have sprung from the digital economy. This thesis focuses upon the digital music industry in the Atlanta region. An economic impact study was conducted to illustrate and define the digital music industry and understand its implications for workforce and economic development. This research is significant because it will enable Atlanta workforce developers to assist in reducing unemployment and educational attainment gaps particularly in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Implications for the state includes creating a workforce development strategy based upon digital music innovation that increases Atlanta s overall competitiveness and quality of life by increasing the high-technology and Information-technology workforces.