Publications
A collection of all publications authored or co-authored by Center staff and/or partners. This collection is a work in progress—if you don’t find a publication you’re looking for, please search for it, or email us at nercrd@psu.edu.
Publications by type:
Publications by topic:
Abstract: We use confidential firm-level data to examine the association between export intensity and subscription to cloud computer services – a technology that often requires very high-speed broadband. Our focus on rural nonfarm exports is motivated by the increasing concentration of manufacturing—the dominant export sector—in nonmetropolitan counties and the large public investment in extending high-speed broadband to underserved parts of the U.S. We find that cloud computing is associated with higher export intensity that is consistent with exporting activity placing new demands on IT-enabled functions such as order fulfillment and tracking, marketing, or document control.
Read a news release about this research here.
Authors: Luyi Han, Timothy Wojan, Stephan J. Goetz
Publication: Telecommunications Policy Date Published: June 15, 2024
This “Research Snapshot” shares preliminary findings on the social and economic impacts of caregiving and reveal some of the unique data points available in the “NER-Stat: Caregiving Survey” — a regional household survey that the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD) conducted in collaboration with Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD), The Ohio State University and the National Farm Medicine Center. The survey was conducted in 2023 with 4,480 responses from the 13 states of the Northeast Region through a Qualtrics online panel. This publication provides insights into caregiver demographics, who is receiving care, the financial and personal impacts of caregiving, and the types of supports that caregivers seek. The dataset that this brief draws upon is also available online here: https://purr.purdue.edu/publications/4491/1
To learn more about this research and to access other briefs in this caregiving series, click here.
To access a version of this brief that focuses on the North Central U.S. region, click here.
Authors: Florence Becot, Shoshanah Inwood, Emily Southard
Publication: NERCRD Research Brief Date Published: July 10, 2024
Tags: caregiving
Abstract: An online presence is crucial for agritourism operators to connect with consumers. In this study, we use count data regression models to examine the correlation between average broadband speed adopted and the number of agritourism operations. We found that adoption of fast broadband in 2012 was associated with a significantly higher number of agritourism operations nationally in 2017, underscoring the role of broadband connectivity in facilitating interactions between farmers and consumers, as well as in promoting agritourism. However, only a weak association exists in rural counties, indicating that the broadband–agritourism relationship does not extend to less populated areas.
Authors: Claudia Schmidt, Luyi Han, Arian Moghadam, Stephan J. Goetz
Publication: Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association Date Published: June 17, 2024
A new data brief by Jason S. Entsminger (University of Maine) and Claudia Schmidt (Penn State and NERCRD) provides a snapshot of the direct-to-consumer sales of agrifood products, and documents recent changes across the industry. The data brief, which was published by the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD), is available below:
Authors: Jason S. Entsminger and Claudia Schmidt
Publication: NERCRD Data Brief Series Date Published: June 3, 2024
Tags: agritourism, agritourism data brief, data brief
A new data brief by Jason S. Entsminger (University of Maine) and Claudia Schmidt (Penn State and NERCRD) provides a snapshot of the national agritourism landscape and documents recent changes across the industry. The data brief, which was published by the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD), is available below:
Authors: Jason S. Entsminger and Claudia Schmidt
Publication: NERCRD Data Brief Series Date Published: May 7, 2024
Tags: agritourism, agritourism data brief, data brief
Abstract: We investigate how innovation affects rural nonfarm exports, and thus the U.S. trade deficit. Previous European studies indicate a positive link between R&D expenditures, patented innovation, and exports, but no comparable U.S. firm-level research exists. Using data from the Longitudinal Firm Trade Transactions Database and Annual Business Survey, we examine the relationship between innovation and exports for the United States. Employing a two-stage selection model to address endogeneity concerns, our findings suggest a significant connection between innovation and export. The study contributes to understanding the pivotal role of rural nonfarm exports and highlights policy implications for both trade and rural innovation.
Authors: Luyi Han, Timothy R. Wojan, Zheng Tian, Stephan J. Goetz
Publication: Economics Letters Date Published: March 28, 2024
Tags: rural innovation
This report summarizes annual accomplishments and activities at the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development.
Authors: Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development
Date Published: February 2, 2024
This research examines the association between woman farmers and community well-being using U.S. county-level data and finds that a higher share of farms operated or owned by women in a county is associated with higher rates of new business formation, longer life expectancies, and lower poverty rates. Read a related news article here.
Authors: Claudia Schmidt, Steven C. Deller, Stephan J. Goetz
Publication: Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy Date Published: January 16, 2024
This study tests for potential bias in self-reported innovation due to the inclusion of a research and development (R&D) module that only microbusinesses (less than 10 employees) receive in the Annual Business Survey (ABS). Previous research found that respondents to combined innovation/R&D surveys reported innovation at lower rates than respondents to innovation-only surveys. A regression discontinuity design is used to test whether microbusinesses, which constitute a significant portion of U.S. firms with employees, are less likely to report innovation compared to other small businesses. In the vicinity of the 10-employee threshold, the study does not detect statistically significant biases for new-to-market and new-to-business product innovation. Statistical power analysis confirms the nonexistence of biases with a high power. Comparing the survey design of ABS to earlier combined innovation/R&D surveys provides valuable insights for the proposed integration of multiple Federal surveys into a single enterprise platform survey. The findings also have important implications for the accuracy and reliability of innovation data used as an input to policymaking and business development strategies in the United States.
Authors: Luyi Han, Zheng Tian, Timothy R. Wojan, and Stephan J. Goetz
Publication: Plos ONE Date Published: January 12, 2024
Tags: rural innovation
This paper builds on a National Science Foundation working paper that identified a strong association between cloud use and various types of innovation but did not consider whether 1) cloud adoption is a reliable indicator of the innovation orientation of a firm, or 2) cloud adoption enables various types of innovation. The researchers estimate propensity score matching and endogenous treatment effect models to control for innovation orientation, producing evidence to test the second explanation. Findings support an enabling effect of the cloud on innovation providing concrete evidence of the adverse impact of the digital divide.
Authors: Luyi Han, Timothy R. Wojan, and Stephan J. Goetz
Publication: Telecommunications Policy Date Published: August 1, 2023
Tags: rural innovation
