Anna Josephson

Interests

Research

-Intra-household dynamics -Role of gender and women-Disasters, recovery, and resilience

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Journals/Publications

• Josephson, A. L., & Michler, J. D. (2018). Beasts in the Field? Ethics in Agricultural and Applied Economics. Food Policy, 79, 1-11.
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  Ongoing changes to research practices and recent media attention to agricultural and applied economics have raised new ethical problems, but also created opportunities for new solutions. In this paper, we discuss ethical issues facing the profession and propose potential ways in which the field can address these issues. We divide our discussion into two topics. First are ethical issues that arise during the collection, management and analysis of data. Second are ethical issues faced by researchers as they formulate, fund, and disseminate their research. We pay special attention to issues of data dredging or p-hacking and potential ethical issues arising from interaction with the media.
• Josephson, A. L., Schrank, H., & Marshall, M. I. (2017). Assessing preparedness of small businesses for hurricane disasters: Analysis of pre-disaster owner, business and location characteristics. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 23, 25-35.
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  Management decisions owners make to prepare their small businesses for hurricane events are strategic decisions that can affect the sustainability of their businesses. Therefore, there is value in understanding who prepares, what they do to protect their businesses, and in predicting these decisions from known demographics such as race, gender and business size. This study characterized the owners and businesses that did or did not undertake hurricane preparations and suggests education and policy strategies to assist these business owners. Small business owners in southern Mississippi participated in telephone interviews that provided data for the logit analyses in this study. The preparedness activities most practiced were risk transfer and structural mitigation. The least practiced activities were those related to protection of business operations and non-structural assets. Whether or not the business was located in a coastal county subject to surge highly predicted the use of certain types of preparation. Results demonstrate that preparation activities varied depending on the situation of the business (e.g. size, prior experience with disasters, property ownership) and characteristics of the owner (e.g. gender and education). However, differing threats to the business related to location (e.g. surge prone or not) and factors such as mandated insurance, local zoning, and commercial versus home-based locations were important influences.
• Josephson, A., Schrank, H., & Marshall, M. (2017). Assessing preparedness of small businesses for hurricane disasters: Analysis of pre-disaster owner, business and location characteristics. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, 23, 25-35.
• Michler, J. D., & Josephson, A. L. (2017). To Specialize or Diversify: Agricultural Diversity and Poverty Dynamics in Ethiopia. WORLD DEVELOPMENT, 89, 214-226.
• Josephson, A. L., & Marshall, M. I. (2016). The Demand for Post‐Katrina Disaster Aid: SBA Disaster Loans and Small Businesses in Mississippi. Journal of Contigencies and Crisis Management, 24(4), 264-274.
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  Following Hurricane Katrina, the United States government provided billions of dollars in loans to repair the damage caused by the hurricane. However, the specifics surrounding demand for these loans and the process of application and approval for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans have yet to be fully examined. We analyse the demand of small businesses for such loans and delve into the factors which are associated with success in obtaining loan funds following disaster. Results indicate several factors are important in all of the stages of the loan process: the income of the business, whether the business had insurance or received money in an insurance claim and the gender of the business owner.
• Josephson, A. L., Ricker-Gilbert, J., & Florax, R. (2014). How does population density influence agricultural intensification and productivity? Evidence from Ethiopia. FOOD POLICY, 48, 142-152.

Proceedings Publications

• Josephson, A. L., & Marshall, M. I. (2014, Summer). The Effectiveness of Post-Katrina Disaster Aid: The Influence of SBA Loans on Small Businesses in Mississippi. In International Institute for Infrastructure and Reconstruction.
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  Following Hurricane Katrina, the United States government provided $45 billion in loans and rebuilding funds to individuals and businesses for the purpose of repairing the damage caused by the hurricane. However, it is not yet clear what impact this assistance had on small businesses in affected areas. In particular, the role of Small Business Administration (SBA) loans has yet to be fully examined. Though few doubt the benefits of short-term and immediate disaster relief, there is some debate on the benefits of SBA loans. Evidence suggests that receiving business loans may do more harm than good if the loan ultimately increases debt load. In this study we contribute to the disaster relief literature through completing the first analysis regarding the receipt of SBA loans after Hurricane Katrina. We find that there are several characteristics which increase the probability of application for a loan, but there is a set of different characteristics which determine the amount ultimately received. Further, results indicate that targeting programs for certain groups were unsuccessful in directing loans to these groups.

Presentations

• Josephson, A. L., Smale, M., Michler, J. D., & Masters, W. (2019, January). Ethics in Agricultural and Applied Economics. Allied Social Science Annual Meeting. Atlanta, GA: American Economic Association.
• Josephson, A. L. (2018, Summer). Two: 1) Organizer of Organized Session on Trade (“Foreign Geographical Indicators, Consumer Preferences, and the Domestic Market for Cheese”) 2) Elevated Paper Session: Presentation of “Share and Share Alike: Gendered Income Allocation in Malawi”. International Conference of Agricultural Economists Meeting. Vancouver, Canada: International Association of Agricultural Economists.
• Josephson, A. L., Michler, J. D., & Orr, A. (2018, August). An Industrious Revolution? Changes in the Household Economy of Rural Bangladesh. Agricultural and Applied Economic Association Annual Meeting. Washington, D.C.: Agricultural and Applied Economic Association.
• Josephson, A. L., Michler, J. D., & Orr, A. (2018, Fall). An Industrious Revolution? Changes in the Household Economy of Rural Bangladesh. International Rice Congress. Singapore: International Rice Research Institute, among others: http://ricecongress2018.irri.org/.
• Josephson, A. L., Schrank, H., & Marshall, M. (2018, Winter). Does preparation improve outcomes? Analyzing small business preparedness for Hurricane Katrina. Invited Talk. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: University of Saskatchewan.
• Josephson, A. L. (2017, March). Share and Share Alike: Gendered Income Allocation in Malawi. Center for the Study of African Economies Annual Meeting. Oxford, England: Center for the Study of African Economies.
• Josephson, A. L. (2017, Spring). Share and Share Alike: Gendered Income Allocation in Malawi. Job Market Talks. University of Arizona, University of Saskatchewan, Mississippi State University, University of Florida: Various Universities.
• Josephson, A. L., & Ricker-Gilbert, J. (2016, September). Behavioral Explanation of Crop Choice: Growing and Eating Sorghum and Maize in Zimbabwe. African Association of Agricultural Economists Meeting. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: African Association of Agricultural Economists.
• Josephson, A. L., DeBoer, L., Nelson, D., & Zissimopolous, K. (2016, Summer). Reshaped for Higher Order Learning: Student Outcomes in the Redesign of an Undergraduate Macroeconomics Course. Agricultural and Applied Economic Association Annual Meeting. Boston, MA: Agricultural and Applied Economic Association.
• Josephson, A. L., & Michler, J. D. (2015, Summer). “To Specialize or Diversify: Agricultural Diversity and Poverty Dynamics in Ethiopia. International Conference of Agricultural Economists Meeting. Milan, Italy: International Conference of Agricultural Economists.
• Josephson, A. L., & Marshall, M. I. (2014, Summer). The Effectiveness of Post-Katrina Disaster Aid: The Influence of SBA Loans on Small Businesses in Mississippi. Agricultural and Applied Economic Association Annual Meeting. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Agricultural and Applied Economic Association.
• Josephson, A. L., & Marshall, M. I. (2014, Summer). The Effectiveness of Post-Katrina Disaster Aid: The Influence of SBA Loans on Small Businesses in Mississippi. International Institute for Infrastructure Resilience and Reconstruction, Conference on RESPONSE, RESTORATION, AND RECONSTRUCTION. West Lafayette, Indiana: International Institute for Infrastructure Resilience and Reconstruction.
• Josephson, A. L., Ricker-Gilbert, J., & Florax, R. (2013, Spring). How does population density influence agricultural intensification and productivity? Evidence from Ethiopia. International Food Policy Research Institute Emerging Land Constraints Meeting. Washington D.C.: International Food Policy Research Institute.
• Josephson, A. L., Ricker-Gilbert, J., & Florax, R. (2012, Summer). “How does population density influence agricultural intensification and productivity?: Evidence from Ethiopia. Agricultural and Applied Economic Association Annual Meeting. Seattle, Washington: Agricultural and Applied Economic Association.

Poster Presentations

• Josephson, A. L., Mcclaran, M. P., Fehmi, J. S., & Githu, D. W. (2020, February). Range reseeding and pastoralists resilience to climate variability.. Society for Range Management Annual Meeting. Denver, CO: Society for Range Management.
• Josephson, A. L., DeBoer, L., Nelson, D., & Zissimopolous, K. (2017, January). Learning to Do: Facilitating Practice in a Large Introductory Macroeconomics Class. American Economic Association Meeting. Chicago, IL: American Economic Association.
• Josephson, A. L. (2013, Summer). Income Diversification: Beekeeping in Ethopia. Agricultural and Applied Economic Association Annual Meeting. Washington D.C.: Agricultural and Applied Economic Association.