Digital Commons Network^™

Athletic Recruitment Analysis In Higher Education, Landon Palmer

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Since athletic programs are often viewed as the front porch of the higher education institutions, recruiting talented student-athletes is vital and challenging task under the unreasonable demand of high performance, limited and decreasing budget, and dwindling student enrollment. Additionally, the increasing use of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and transfer portal across the nation have made administrators and coaches worried about their effect on recruitment and program retention. These practices make the recruiting process even more competitive. Through the responses of 106 student-athletes of a regional state university in Eastern Kentucky, the researchers identified respondents’ perception concerning these newly …

Perceptions Of Available Funding Opportunities For West Tennessee’S Young And Beginning Row Crop Farmers, Logan Meeks

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Research quickly identified many different avenues of funding available to new and beginning traditional row-crop farmers in Tennessee, but questions surrounding local farmers’ knowledge of these opportunities are in question. Many programs specific to the New and Beginning Farmer demographic boasted the potential benefits of using these programs as well as the good work these programs are accomplishing. The current increase in cost of traditional row-crop funding continues to drive the need for more funding resources with New and Beginning Farmers. Providing resources of where farmers can find the best available funds for their operation will expand the level of …

The Relationship Of Insufficient Resources To Leadership Burnout In Rural Nonprofit Organizations, Keilee Webb

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to describe and analyze the relationship between the lack of resources in nonprofit organizations and burnout. In this literature review, the aim is to explore various resources affecting nonprofit entities as they relate to organizational capacity. These specific resources will be reviewed and discussed to understand how closely related those resources are to burnout. Additionally, the implications of nonprofit employee and volunteer burnout will be analyzed. Within the literature review, the research indicates nonprofits in rural United States are more likely to encounter a deficit in connections to resources than their urban counterparts. This …

2023 Sale Conference Proceedings, Elise Lael Kieffer

International Journal of Regional Issues in the Arts

conference proceedings

High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas And Small/Community Banks In Rural Areas., Samuel Spencer

Honors College Theses

Drug trafficking is on the rise in America. Drug trafficking brings money laundering, and banks have to combat this with Anti-Money laundering (AML) policies from the Bank Secrecy act. This is combated by the High-Intensity-Drug-Trafficking Area (HIDTA) designation. The designation aims at providing support to local, state, and federal law enforcement to combat drug trafficking in these counties. HIDTA and banks are not connected. Rather I use the HIDTA designation as a proxy to clearly identify counties that have drug trafficking. I specifically focused on small and community banks in rural areas. Small and community banks are disproportionately affected by …

A Probabilistic Exploration Of Food Supplementation And Assistance, Logan Mattingly

Honors College Theses

Food insecurity is a stark threat that grips our country and affects households throughout our country. Dietary insufficiency manifests itself in ways that affect health and public safety. According to researchers, individuals who suffer from food insecurity have a higher risk of aggression, anxiety, suicide ideation and depression. These problems tend to occur unequally distributed among those households with lower income. In this work, an exploratory analysis within these data sets will be performed to examine the socio-economic, biographical, nutritional, and geographical principal components of food insecurity among survey participants and how the US Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) effects …

Household Heroes: An Examination Of Domestic Workers' Rights In The United States And Mexico, Kaitlyn Sutton

Honors College Theses

Since 2018, worker's rights have become a forefront in the battle to developing a more equitable nation in Mexico, specifically regarding domestic employees. In my honors thesis I compare the rights of domestic workers in both the United States and Mexico using elements set forth in the SA8000 Standard formed by the Social Accountability International Organization in order to analyze which country grants more access to these liberties. I then examine different cross-cultural management styles in the countries as a method for explaining the differences in right. I also discuss advocacy groups still fighting for more freedom as well as …

A Live Performance Guide: Building A Concert, Genevieve White, Genevieve White

Honors College Theses

Many are unaware of the production process when it comes to live performances in the Music Industry. While the obvious barriers of obtaining a time, place, and performer can be easily concluded, many outside of the industry fail to consider other components that contribute to successful performances. The attainment of proper contracting, performance licenses, and music materials are just a few examples of the thought and preparations that go into planning and accomplishing a successful concert.

This project, from conception to execution, was intended to further my knowledge of live performance through the utilization of classroom education and industry experience. …

Cryptocurrency And The Stock Market, Can We Trust Them?, Natalie Snead

Honors College Theses

Cryptocurrency is a relatively new investment method and currency. Daily, the news media reports about its instability and the perceptions surrounding it. To provide a measure of its perceived stability and trustworthiness, I have conducted a survey of undergraduate and graduate students in various accounting courses. The questions asked in this survey are used to gauge the overall perceptions and opinions of students concerning the stock market and cryptocurrency. The survey uses a five point opinion ranking system, ranging in opinions from 1-5 (strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, and strongly agree). This survey is also used in conjunction with questions …

Caring For Those That Care For Us: Impact Of The Mexican Social Security Law Reforms On Pregnant Domestic Workers, Kaitlyn Sutton

Scholars Week

Kaitlyn Sutton

Kaitlyn Sutton is a senior Human Resources Management and Spanish double major from Louisville, Kentucky. She developed a passion for foreign language during her first semester at Murray State University and was able to further her interest by studying abroad on the Maya Mexico KIIS trip in 2023. It was during this program that she first learned about the importance of domestic workers in Mexico and was inspired to explore their workplace rights from the perspective of her other undergraduate degree in Human Resources. After graduation, Kaitlyn plans to attend Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee in order to …

Examining The Presence Of Cyclical Behavior In Cattle Prices, Sai Neela Kesumala, Dr.Naveen Musunuru

Scholars Week

The determination of cattle cyclic behavior in prices is significant to the cattle producers and for the consumers. This study focused on the cyclical, Seasonal, time series prices of cattle or cows was examined from 1983-2023. We used Harmonic regression model to determine the cycle pressure ranging from 5-to 25 years. Results indicated that there is a significant cyclical behavior in 12- and 25-year price cycle with MAPE (18.87and 12.64) and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) (5 and 4.6). The result can assist producers in making short- and long-term pricing estimates.

Keywords: - Cattle price cycle, Cyclic and seasonal length, Harmonic …

Linkedin Analysis Job Placement For Students In The Sport Management Program Of An Eastern Kentucky Public University, Jose Garcia, Will Wellman, Steve Chen, Christy Trent

Posters-at-the-Capitol

LinkedIn Analysis Job Placement for Students in The Sport Management Program of An Eastern Kentucky Public University

In addition to standardized tests and program assessments of academic programs, tracking college graduates’ employment is also dimed as an effective method for measuring student learning and success. In this case study, the authors examined 334 students’ LinkedIn profiles (57% males & 43% females) by using main keywords such as the name of the institution and sport management to gather information about current employment status, degree of program completion and primary self-identified skills of observed individuals. The results showed that 205 students had …

What Is Missing In Data Governance? Regulation, Board Oversight, And A New Role For Accountants, Christopher Hill, Bria I. James, Najib Sahyoun

Posters-at-the-Capitol

By 2025, the world will produce 163 Zettabytes (ZB) of data on an annual basis. Data is displacing oil as the most productive commodity. However, poor data quality costs the U.S. economy $3.1 trillion annually. Data must be properly managed through data governance. A strong data governance program does not only maximize the value of the data resulting in optimal decision making, but also minimizes risks of data breaches, lawsuits, and reputational costs. In our research, we conducted a content analysis of the data governance literature by considering both professional and academic literature.

Our results showed that the U.S. does …

Climate Resources For Camping: A Resource-Based Theory Perspective, Christopher Craig, Siyao Ma, Song Feng

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Camping is a salient economic contributor to nature-based tourism that is also beholden to the natural environment. Climate resources are the combination of naturally occurring meteorological variables of empirically observable importance to firm performance. Tourism climatologist are at the forefront of climate resource research, where investigations have been primarily empirically derived rather than guided by theory. Accordingly, we introduce climate resources to the management discipline’s resource-based theory, operationalizing climate resources as public goods in addition to other public goods like open access innovation. We investigate the value, rareness, and inimitability of climate resources at 36 managed United States National Park …

The Importance Of Teaching Personal Finance, Ryan Brewer

Honors College Theses

Personal finance is a foreign concept to many, yet it is an essential concept for all. This research project considers the impact of a personal finance course being taught in an organized, non-profit setting. A community church offers a finance course to their congregants on an annual basis that is designed to teach short- and long-term personal finance concepts to individuals and families to encourage adequate budgeting and investment practices. This specific project will evaluate the participants skillset and confidence in their financial goals before and after they are involved with the course. The data of study will be collected …

The Unintended Effects Of Tamper-Evident Food Closures, Marissa Orlowski, Sarah Lefebvre, Laura Boman

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Restaurant-to-consumer food delivery has experienced disruption with the growth of third-party services such as DoorDash and Uber Eats. However, this platform-to-consumer delivery method introduces increased opportunities for food tampering and contamination due to additional touchpoints in the delivery process. To mitigate these concerns, more restaurants are implementing tamper-evident closures such as seals attached to the food containers used for delivery items. Drawing on signaling theory, we examine the effect of tamper-evident closures in the third-party delivery context through two experimental studies and a focus group. Our results revealed a negative effect of tamper-evident seals on willingness to pay through lowered …

Thinking Outside The Bottle: Effects Of Alternative Wine Packaging, Marissa Orlowski, Sarah Lefebvre, Robin M. Back

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Packaging communicates intrinsic product attributes to consumers, which can influence consumer response and decision-making; however, little is known about the impact of non-traditional packaging formats. The current research aims to bridge this gap. Across five studies, we demonstrate that non-traditional packaging negatively influenced purchase intention of a complex product, wine, through product appeal and taste perceptions (Study 1A)/expectations (Studies 1B–4). We also demonstrate that the consumer response to non-traditional packaging is a function of individual differences (desire for unique products) and label attributes (eco-friendly labels).

The Importance Of Teaching Personal Finance, Ryan Brewer

Honors College Theses

This research project will consider the impact of a personal finance course being taught in an organized non-profit setting. A community church offers a finance course to their congregants on an annual basis that is designed to teach short- and long-term personal finance concepts to individuals and families to learn adequate budgeting and investment practices. Typically, anywhere from 5 to 15 people will sign-up for this course. This specific project will evaluate the participants skillset and confidence in their financial goals before and after they are involved with the course. The data of study will be collected from a pre- …

Dps 2.0: On The Road To A Cashless Society, Nwamaka A. Anaza, Delancy H.S. Bennett, Yana Andonova, Emeka Anaza

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

While cash will eventually become a thing of the past, marketing researchers have given little attention to the rise of cashless markets and the obstacles and opportunities they present. In fact, research that addresses the strategic approach to planning, coordinating, and executing the cashless adoption and experience for consumers is scant. To stimulate discussion and scholarly investigations into marketing’s contribution toward the evolution of cashless economies, this Idea Corner presents a research agenda that delineates the role of DPS 2.0, a new era of digital payment systems, in fueling the demonetization process. We offer that, compared to traditional payment systems …

Does Tax Curriculum Or Vita Participation Correlate With Improved Reg Section Cpa Exam Scores?, Sunshine Coombs, Sunshine Coombs

Honors College Theses

Abstract

Students who graduate with an accounting degree often take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam to increase their earning potential and gain prestige within the accounting profession. The Regulation (REG) section of this exam exemplifies a student's knowledge in the United States’ tax filing system and makes up a quarter of the total exam. Accounting students often participate in Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs which may provide an avenue of preparation for the REG section of the CPA exam. This research aims to identify if there is a connection between universities that offer a VITA program and their …

Using Modern Portfolio Theory To Create Efficient Portfolios From The S&P Index, Dylan Rhoads

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (S&P 500) serves as a proxy for the U.S. equity market and is among the most widely cited financial instruments in the world. Its risk and return can be accepted as the market’s, leading it to be the benchmark for performance in many investment settings. Modern portfolio theory helps to quantify performance by explaining the relationship between risk and return. Every portfolio has its own return and risk level, with the optimal allocations falling on the “Efficient Frontier”, that is the line on a graph that connects the portfolios that have the maximum return …

Navigating The Public Funding Landscape: Lessons From One Small, Isolated, Rural, Arts Organization, Elise L. Kieffer

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

This study follows the experience of one arts organization in an isolated, rural, Appalachian community of Kentucky, to explore the relationship between the NEA and the state arts agencies with which they partner. Using the case study of Burkesville Academy of Fine Arts as an inspiration, this question is explored: If BAFA had received necessary technical support from the KAC, is it likely that it might have been awarded funding by the NEA? The study compares BAFA to organizations in comparable communities who received NEA funding. Following findings, suggestions for policy and practice are provided.

Rural And Regional Arts Organizations, Elise Lael Kieffer

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

This chapter presents the arts operating in two specific regions. Where arts organizations are located informs the political climate in which they work, their methods, and their constituency. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) was founded by an act of congress in 1965 and is tasked with five key goals. These goals include increasing economic opportunities within the region, improving workforce readiness, developing and maintaining critical infrastructure, utilizing and leveraging natural and cultural assets within the region, and developing leadership and community capacity (ARC, 2019). This area is defined by persistent poverty and reduced economic opportunity. Local issues are, in fact, …

Osha, Ada, And Other Government Mandates, Elise Lael Kieffer

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

In chapter fourteen the exploration is focused on governmental mandates, laws, rules and regulations. In contrast, policies and procedures within the organization are also covered. The discussion then centers on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), how the administration works, how one must and can follow OSHA mandates, and how penalties can be assessed if OSHA rules are not followed. Finally, the chapter concludes with a lengthy discussion of the physical requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, who must comply, and how one can do so.

Community College Employee Perceptions Of The Four-Day Schedule As A Community College Institutional Strategy, Mitchell Holder

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

In the face of enrollment declines (American Association of Community Colleges [AACC], n.d.; Barrington, 2020; Schwartz, 2020) and state funding cuts (Lorenzo, 2018), community colleges search for institutional strategies to gain competitive advantages in student recruitment and enrollment management. The four-day schedule has been used by a number of community colleges and four-year colleges as an institutional strategy to reduce costs (Cardinale, 2013; Chen, 2020; Moltz, 2008), improve employee morale (Ellen, 2011; Toppo, 2018; Wallace, 1981), and increase productivity (Bothwell, 2019; Ellen, 2011). Some institutions have adopted the four-day schedule believing it would provide a competitive advantage in student recruitment …

Contributing Factors Of Success For Middle School Agriculture Teachers, Sara Hughes

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The changing dynamics of middle school agriculture education requires research into the causes for some teachers and chapters to succeed while others do not. The reasons for success may be varied and related to many different factors. The aim of this study is to determine how programs perform at high levels, what factors help them achieve success, and the role that evaluation may play in the process. The types of evaluation used for middle school agriculture teachers in Georgia will also be analyzed.

An Investigation Of Influencer Body Enhancement And Brand Endorsement, Sarah Lefebvre, Kelly Cowart

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Purpose: As the cosmetic surgery industry grows and diversifies, societal beauty standards have shifted to include images of surgically enhanced bodies. With the increased use of influencer marketing, it is important for marketers to understand consumer perceptions of these modified appearances. This research uses the lens of perceived morality to investigate consumer perceptions of cosmetic surgery services and the effect of enhanced body appearance on consumer interest in an endorsed brand. Interpersonal similarity is tested as a boundary condition.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A mixed-methods approach was taken with a qualitative study and two online experiments. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling (N …

Camping, Weather, And Disasters: Extending The Construal Level Theory, Christopher Craig, Siyao Ma, Ismail Karabas, Song Feng

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Camping is an outdoor accommodation and type of recreation that is susceptible to weather and climate change. Camping—in addition to the relationships camping shares with weather— remains understudied despite the subsectors’ salient economic impact and high participation rate. The observable effects of non-meteorological/climatological (e.g., pandemic) is also a topic that has received limited attention. Accordingly, we introduce the Camping-Weather-Disaster (CWD) framework to examine the concurrent impact of weather and the COVID-19 disaster on post-disaster camping trip plans among leisure travelers in the 48 contiguous United States (n=2,442). Extending the Construal Level Theory, the CWD framework considers traveler construal (i.e., understanding) …

Using Modern Portfolio Theory To Create Efficient Portfolios From The S&P500, Dylan Rhoads

Honors College Theses

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (S&P 500) serves as a proxy for the U.S. equity market and is among the most widely cited financial instruments in the world. Its risk and return can be accepted as the market’s, leading it to be the benchmark for performance in many investment settings. Modern portfolio theory helps to quantify performance by explaining the relationship between risk and return. Every portfolio has its own return and risk level, with the optimal allocations falling on the “Efficient Frontier”, that is the line on a graph that connects the portfolios that have the maximum return …

Internet Killed The Radio Star?, Atanas Nikolov, Yana Andonova, Yang He

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Radio airplay is still a popular direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel for music products. In this paper, we investigate the effect of radio airplay on album sales, mediated by consumer social media engagement with music artists. Grounded in the cultural production model, as well as the literature on customer engagement and satiation, we propose several hypotheses. We analyze our unique dataset by structural equation modeling (SEM). The results reveal that radio airtime has a bigger impact on album sales of lesser-known musicians than those of famous musicians. Social media engagement mediates the positive effect of radio airplay on album sales; this effect …