New Programs and Accreditations: Meaningful Measurement & Assessment

This article provides a blueprint for successful library strategies in support of accreditations for regional bodies as well as reviews of discipline-specific academic programs spanning a wide range of knowledge areas.

Administering Outcomes-Based Financial Aid Programs

As state and federal agencies increasingly condition institutional funding on student outcomes, university leaders are under pressure to develop innovative strategies to boost student retention and degree completion rates. This report examines public university initiatives that strategically leverage financial aid to support institutional retention and degree completion goals.

Creating High-Impact Workforce Development Programs

As communities across the nation continue to face persistent unemployment, many states are turning to community college workforce development programs to combat joblessness. However, state governments and community colleges alike are often unable to devote significant resources to building new workforce initiatives. This brief examines how community colleges in four states have worked with state governments and other partners to overcome budget constraints and create effective workforce development programs, highlighting funding models and innovative practices to make efficient use of limited resources.

Managing Dual Enrollment Programs: Review of Program Models, Operations, and Outcomes

Universities that offer dual enrollment programs for high school students must manage increasing student demand in the face of changing state legislation. This brief examines how institutions finance their dual enrollment programs, and how they ensure academic rigor as their programs continue to grow. The report also considers how dual enrollment programs ensure that students can transfer credits, and what strategies they use to encourage DE students to matriculate as undergraduates.

European business schools and global leadership: an examination of the admission criteria of the european master in management programs ranked by the Financial Times 2010

O aumento de empresas que operam internacionalmente requer o desenvolvimento de líderes mundiais para colocar as estratégias em prática. Embora este processo de desenvolvimento é importante para o mundo corporativo, muitos futuros executivos são graduados de escolas de administração de empresas que estão intimamente ligados ao mundo de negócios e, portanto, desempenhão um papel importante no processo. Esta pesquisa examina se os programas europeus “Master in Management” classificado pelo Financial Times em 2010 selecionam aqueles candidatos que são mais adequados para o desenvolvimento de liderança global. Portanto, três anteriores meta-estudos são sintetizados para produzir um perfil de competências classificadas de um líder global. Então, informações sobre os critérios de admissão dos programas de mestrado são coletadas e comparadas com este perfil. Os resultados mostram que seis competências são medidas por mais da metade dos programas: proficiência em Inglês, capacidade analítica (racionamento lógico e quantitativo), capacidade de comunicação, conhecimento do negócio global, determinação para alcançar, motivação e capacidade interpessoal. Além disso, as habilidades operacionais requerentes pelos líderes globais não são significativas no processo de admissão e o foco é sobre as habilidades analíticas. Comparação dos resultados com o perfil anteriormente desenvolvido abrangente indica que uma quantidade significativa de programas pode subestimar o significado de habilidades pessoais e características para o desenvolvimento de líderes globais.

Targeting the poor: a macroeconomic analysis of cash transfer programs

This paper introduces cash transfers targeting the poor in an incomplete markets model with heterogeneous agents facing idiosyncratic risk. These transfers change the degree of insurance in the economy and affect precautionary motives asymmetrically, leading the poorest households to decrease savings proportionally more than their richer counterparts. In a model economy calibrated to Brazil, once the cash transfer program is adopted, wealth inequality and social welfare increase, poverty decreases, while employment and income inequality remain about the same. Imperfect access to financial markets is important for these results, whereas whether the program is funded with lump sum or distortive taxes is not.

How do investors respond to share buyback programs? : evidence from Brazil during 2008 crisis

This paper provides empirical evidence of how effective share repurchase programs were as instruments to signal low prices during 2008 crisis in Brazil. Although we found that stock prices did not respond to buyback programs in the period 2006 to 2012 (1.65% cumulative abnormal returns after 5 days), the average stock price reaction in 2008 (2.93%) is higher and different with statistical significance. Furthermore, we found that the share price reaction from companies with market capitalization below R$10 billion is higher than the one from larger companies. In addition, we found that the response to the buyback programs is positively correlated (i) to the company’s purchasing activity after the announcement, (ii) to the maximum amount of shares announced which can be bought and (iii) to the quantity actually bought during the program. This research is unique in providing empirical evidence on the Brazilian case by analyzing 377 programs announced during that period. The research also confirms that the stock reaction is not influenced by the company's purchasing activity in prior announcements.

Evidence of eligibility manipulation for conditional cash transfer programs

This paper assesses whether eligibility for conditional cash transfer programs have been manipulated, as well as the impact of this phenomenon on time allocation within households. To perform this analysis, we use data from the 2006 PNAD (Brazilian national household survey) and investigate the eligibility manipulation for the Bolsa Família (Family Stipend) program during this time period. The program assists families with a monthly per capita income of around R$120.00 (US$60.00). By applying the tests developed by McCrary (2008), we find suggestive evidence that individuals manipulate their income by voluntarily reducing their labor supply in order to become eligible to the program. Moreover, the reduction in labor supply is greater among women, especially single or divorced mothers. This evidence raises some concern about the unintended consequences related to the eligibility criteria utilized by Bolsa Família, as well as the program’s impact on individuals living in extreme poverty.