Tag Archives: Focus on Research

Society & Culture

Focus on research: What do everyday people need to know about foreign assets?

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By Edward R. Jenkins

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in The Centre Daily Times as an installment of the paper’s Focus on Research column. Focus on Research highlights  research projects and topics being explored across all disciplines at Penn State. Each column features the work of a different researcher.

Foreign Asset and Account Reporting has seen a lot press lately on the issues arising from the U.S. requirements to report ownership of foreign bank accounts, securities accounts and a series of other foreign assets. Some of the world’s wealthiest individuals and companies have been caught up in the Panama Papers incident — the release last week of data from the world’s fourth largest offshore law firm.

But what about the everyday citizen? What is the process someone with foreign assets needs to take in order to stay in line with U.S. requirements?  Continue reading Focus on research: What do everyday people need to know about foreign assets? →

Society & Culture

Focus on research: The placebo power of brands

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By Lisa E. Bolton

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in The Centre Daily Times as an installment of the paper’s Focus on Research column. Focus on Research highlights  research projects and topics being explored across all disciplines at Penn State. Each column features the work of a different researcher.

Spring is here! If you’re a gardener like me, you’re counting the days until the tulips appear. If you’re a golfer, you may be counting down to the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga., while organizing your gear for a trip out to the local golf course.

Hoping to improve your game this year? If so, Nike is there for you with “peak performance engineered into every polo, designed to bring out the best in every golfer.” And that’s just a shirt — imagine what one of their golf clubs might do for your game.  Continue reading Focus on research: The placebo power of brands →

Society & Culture

Focus on research: Will the Every Child Succeeds Act allow for less qualified teachers?

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By Gail L. Boldt and Bernard J. Badiali

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on The Conversation.

On December 9, Congress passed the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, called the Every Child Succeeds Act. A replacement for the much criticized No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the reauthorization gained support from groups as diverse as The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, the National Education Association, the National Parent Teacher Association, The National School Boards Association, the National Governors Association and Fairtest, an organization that addresses issues related to fairness and accuracy in testing.

With such overwhelming support, it could well be argued that it must be a sound legislation. But, is it?  Continue reading Focus on research: Will the Every Child Succeeds Act allow for less qualified teachers? →

Earth & Environment

Focus on research: Does your Easter chocolate have palm oil in it?

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By Gregory R. Ziegler

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on The Conversation.

It may come as no surprise that fats and oils are part of any piece of chocolate we eat. But the push to cut trans fats from food for health reasons has created demand for palm oil, an ingredient with significant environmental impacts.

The rapid expansion of palm oil production for food and biofuels in the past 25 years in Indonesia and Malaysia has been blamed for loss of biodiversity and land-use changes that increase carbon emissions. About 80% of palm oil production goes into food, according to a web site sponsored by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board.

Palm oil is used in many candies with chocolate, although a number of confectionery producers do not use it or have started to use certified sustainable palm oil. The El Paso Zoo is just one of the organizations that lists candy products with palm oil, including goodies for a palm oil-free Easter basket filler.  Continue reading Focus on research: Does your Easter chocolate have palm oil in it? →

Society & Culture

Focus on research: March Madness is the avid sports fan’s (and sports marketer’s) dream

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By Wayne S. DeSarbo and Chris McKeon

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in The Centre Daily Times as an installment of the paper’s Focus on Research column. Focus on Research highlights  research projects and topics being explored across all disciplines at Penn State. Each column features the work of a different researcher.

Everyone knows that the March Madness “Big Dance” equals big hype; but for sports marketers, this yearly NCAA basketball tournament equals big opportunity. For the sport’s most loyal fans, watching the 40 minutes of play on the court is just a small portion of their interest and need for interaction with their favorite team — and that team’s brand. Conversely, the sports industry — like any business — depends principally on these heavily involved consumers, in this case, the fans.

It is crystal clear that the most important aspect to the sporting industry is the fans that buy tickets to attend the games, purchase merchandise and memorabilia from their favorite teams, and consume media to passionately follow their favorite team or sport. In 2015, this pulled in approximately $500 billion in the U.S. and $1.5 trillion for sports industries worldwide, according to Plunkett Research Ltd.  Continue reading Focus on research: March Madness is the avid sports fan’s (and sports marketer’s) dream →