Digital Commons Network^™

Data Mining With Multivariate Kernel Regression Using Information Complexity And The Genetic Algorithm, Dennis Jack Beal

Doctoral Dissertations

Kernel density estimation is a data smoothing technique that depends heavily on the bandwidth selection. The current literature has focused on optimal selectors for the univariate case that are primarily data driven. Plug-in and cross validation selectors have recently been extended to the general multivariate case.

This dissertation will introduce and develop new and novel techniques for data mining with multivariate kernel density regression using information complexity and the genetic algorithm as a heuristic optimizer to choose the optimal bandwidth and the best predictors in kernel regression models. Simulated and real data will be used to cross validate the optimal …

The Impact Of Entrepreneurs’ Personal Wealth Allocations In Determining Their Firms’ Capital Structures, Tianning Li

Doctoral Dissertations

We study the effect of entrepreneurs’ wealth allocations on their firm level capital structure by using a sample of small privately owned firms from the 2003 Surveys of Small Business Finance. We find that financial leverage decreases as entrepreneurs allocate more wealth on their firm investments. We also find that wealth allocation only affects capital structure in limited liability firms. Lastly, we show that the effect of wealth allocation on capital structure does not disappear after adjusting for collateral and personal guarantees.

Taxpayers' Perceptions Of Joint And Several Liability And Equitable Relief Under Sec. 6015, Karen J. Pierce

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to ascertain taxpayers' perceptions of joint and several liability and equitable relief. Congress was aware that joint and several liability is not always fair when they passed the first innocent spouse provisions in 1971. In fiscal years 1999-2001, over 152,000 requests were filed for relief from joint and several liability, and it remains one of the top ten most litigated tax issues. The innocent spouse rules were passed to protect the public, and it is important that we understand how ordinary taxpayers feel about this area of the tax code.

For this study, an …

An Empirical Examination Of The Effects Of Ethics, Disclosure, And Signal Theory On Disciplinary Actions Within The Accounting Profession, Benjamin Mcmillan

Doctoral Dissertations

There has been extensive research examining the relationship between the public mission of the accounting profession and the private interests of its professionals. All professions have been offered a special place within society due to the importance of the functions they perform as well as their stated public missions. In exchange, society delegates specific rights to the professions such as exclusivity of practice, self-discipline, and self-selection of their membership. Existing research suggests that the accounting profession's private interests have potentially encroached upon its public mission.

By using the Economic Theory of the Self Regulated Profession, Disclosure Theory, and Signal Theory, …

An Analysis Of Two Markets With Asymmetric Information, Stephen James Cotten

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examine the effect of statutory regimes on two common decisions made by market agents that are characterized by information asymmetries. For each decision, specifically, the decision to engage in accounting fraud by firm managers and the choice of contract to offer legal representation, a theoretical model is used to offer predictions which are then tested using laboratory experiments.

Chapter I examines the effects of Sarbanes-Oxley provisions pertaining to whistle-blower protections and reporting requirements on a managerial team’s incentive to commit accounting fraud. Analysis predicts that whistle-blowing does not occur in equilibrium, but that the whistle-blower protections …

Patients As Consumers: The Influence Of Dtca And "Becoming Little Doctors.", Karen Michele Hood

Doctoral Dissertations

Direct to consumer advertising of prescription drugs (DTCA) accounts for approximately $5 billion in advertising spending in the US. Critics of this controversial practice cite confusing and misleading information negative effects on the physician-patient relationship as reasons to restrict or even ban DTCA, while proponents claim it empowers patients and facilitates discussions between physicians and patients that may improve overall health.

An ethnography of consumers in the most prominent target market for DTCA initially seeks to understand the meaning of DTCA among middle age adults in the US with chronic conditions. Participants in the study are skeptical about this category …

The Impact Of Sarbanes-Oxley On Bank Ceo And Director Compensation, Victoria Javine

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the impact of Sarbanes-Oxley on CEO compensation and director compensation for banks. The presence of pre-SOX regulation in the banking industry, particularly, FIRREA and FDICIA, suggests that SOX may affect banks differently than other industries. Specifically, this study examines the changes in the trends for CEO compensation and for director compensation for banks over time. The results indicate that compensation for directors and CEOs has changed for all firms over time, but the sign and the significance of the change varies with respect to the type of compensation. Additionally, the differences in director/CEO compensation for banks and …

Luxe-Bargain Shopping: Consumer Orientations, Perceived Values, Satisfaction, And Future Intentions, Chae Mi Lim

Doctoral Dissertations

This study was designed to examine the phenomenon of “massclusivity” of luxury (i.e., increased accessibility and affordability of luxury) in the current luxury market. To do so, this study introduced the concept of “Luxe-Bargain Shopping,” which referred to purchasing a luxury brand at a bargain, and developed an empirical framework that portrayed both luxury consumption and the bargain process. The specific research objectives of this study were to: (1) investigate whether luxury-related consumer orientations (i.e., prestige sensitivity and fashion leadership) influence perceived product values (i.e., social, emotional, and quality values); (2) investigate whether bargain-related consumer orientations (i.e., price mavenism and …

Toward A Theory Of Consumer Interaction With Mobile Technology Devices, Charles Scott Rader

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the phenomenon of consumer interaction with mobile technology devices (MTDs). MTDs include electronic “gadgets” such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and smartphones that are carried and used frequently by consumers. The emphasis in this dissertation was on developing an explanatory framework to account for everyday experiences of MTD consumption. In light of limited consumer research on the pervasive phenomenon, an inductive, theory-building approach was taken, employing the constant comparative methodology of grounded theory (Glaser and Strauss 1967; Glaser 1978). Data was gathered primarily through in-depth interviews with 20 participants who had extensive …

Consumer Participation In Using Online Product Recommendation Agents: Effects Of Trust, Perceivedcontrol, And Perceived Risk In Providing Personal Information, Xiaojing Sheng

Doctoral Dissertations

Online product recommendation agents are gaining greater strategic importance as an innovative technology to deliver value-added services to consumers. Yet the active role of consumers as the participants in using this technology is not well understood. This dissertation builds on the technology-based self-service (TBSS) literature, consumer participation literature, the service-dominant logic, and the trust literature on recommendation agents to develop a research framework that explains the role of consumer participation in using online product recommendation agents.

The objective of this dissertation is three-fold: (1) to examine the effects of consumer participation and privacy/security disclosures in using online product recommendation agents, …

Earnings Management Around Mergers And Acquisitions, Eugenie Ann Ardoin Goodwin

Doctoral Dissertations

Earnings management has become a topic of interest when trying to explain anomalies in company stock performance following corporate events such as equity offerings and mergers. If managers are trying to manipulate earnings upward to increase stock value before a merger to achieve a better exchange ratio at acquisition announcement, they may use discretion in accruals to inflate earnings and/or reduce spending in research and development prior to the announcement. Literature results are mixed as to whether firms engage in opportunistic earnings management using discretionary accruals before acquisition announcement and if this manipulation has an impact on stock performance post-announcement. …

External Financing: Market Timing Or Managerial Optimism, Beth Collins Hegab

Doctoral Dissertations

Management of capital structure is an important part of maximizing the firm value. Financial research has proposed many theories that explain aspects of firm behavior when a firm makes financial decisions that change the firm's capital structure. However, none of the theories fully explain why firms with similar fundamental characteristics make different financing choices.

This study focuses on what motivates managers when they are making external financing decisions. It investigated whether the motivation for the decisions about capital structure are driven by market timing or managerial overoptimism. This is done by focusing on equity and debt issues and whether these …

When Corporate Policies And Consumer Values Collide: Examining The Relationship Between Religion And Controversial Business Decisions, Krist R. G. Swimberghe

Doctoral Dissertations

Religion appears to play a very important role in people's lives in the United States. Some companies, however, continue to make business decisions which appear to be contrary to the value systems of a majority of consumers in the United States. Although past descriptive research has confirmed that religiousness influences consumers' and marketing managers' ethical judgments of their own behavior, this research has not explored the influence of religion in the buyer-seller dyad. To fill this gap in the consumer behavior literature, this study uses the Hunt-Vitell theory of ethics to help explain how consumers' religiosity influences their ethical judgments …

The Association Between Data Intermediaries And Bond Rating Classification Model Prediction Accuracy, Pavani Tallapally

Doctoral Dissertations

Kamstra et al. (2001) developed a bond rating classification model that was based on a similar model developed by Ederington (1985). While both studies use Moody's bond ratings as dependent variables, the studies differ with respect to the independent variable data source, that is, Kamstra et al. (2001) use financial statement data extracted from Moody's Industrial Manual (now known as Mergent) while Ederington (1985) uses financial statement data extracted from Compustat. Given this, and given the divergent results of the two studies, the following question must be addressed: Do different data sources yield models that differ considerably with respect to …