Digital Commons Network^™

Developing A Positive Self-Talk Toolbox, Megan Wagner

Honors Theses

The following thesis demonstrates how individuals can overcome high-pressure situations in both the business and athletic environments. Individuals are asked to perform in many different aspects of their lives. Oftentimes, individuals feel pressure when asked to perform at their optimal level. While there are many tactical skills to help individuals improve their skillset for a particular performance area, this thesis argues that a positive mindset can increase individual’s performance levels during the act of performing. Primary research has been conducted between two different research groups (business professionals and athletes) to determine that pressure exists in each respective environment based on …

A Multi-Objective Stochastic Programming Model For Resilient And Sustainable Supply Chains Under Uncertainty, Mohammad H. Majdfaghihi

Dissertations

Supply chain resilience (SCRES) and sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) have garnered significant attention in the field of Supply Chain Management (SCM) science. This heightened interest is largely attributable to the increasing frequency and severity of uncertainty and disruptions in global supply chains. Resilience is a beneficial approach to managing uncertainties and preparing for and mitigating the adverse consequences of Supply Chain (SC) disruptions. Sustainability is a key concept in SCM, driven by governmental regulations and heightened stakeholder and customer concerns for environmental and societal well-being. Studies on SCRES have traditionally focused on preparing for and reacting to disruptions and …

Rso Longevity Fund, Martin Fitzgerald Walker

Honors Theses

The reason for this research is to create a solution for fraternity and sororities as well as registered RSO’s on campus to allow them to create a fund that can provide a steady stream of income that will be used to pay national expenses, chapter expenses and fund future programs and events which may include scholarships or initiatives that the organizations feel the need to support.

Throughout my research I look to solve problems such as: How to Generate the Funds to support the renewable investment, how to manage the fund and who within the organization should manage and spend …

Fundraising In The Theatre: A Reflection Of The Wmu Theatre Guild President's Performance, Lindsey Beck

Honors Theses

Fundraising is an important element to the success of any nonprofit organization, but arts organizations have unique opportunities to produce exciting, engaging, and creative fundraising events that coincide with their season programming. My thesis will explore what makes a successful fundraising event and compare best practices with the practices used at Western Michigan University for the annual Theatre Guild President’s Performance. I analyze the inner workings of the Theatre Guild Board of Directors and their approach to producing a special event, and interview professionals and board members to get a comprehensive overview of what defines a successful fundraising events look …

The Life Of Una Estudiante Americana: Here Y Allí, Madeline Kastel

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to analyze the differences between studying Spanish at an American university, Western Michigan University, in Kalamazoo, Michigan to that of a study abroad program at La Universidad de Burgos, in Burgos, Spain in three main areas: teaching styles in classes, extracurricular activities and student experiences.

To begin this study, it is important to note the differences in demographics and available public transportation where each study took place: Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA and Burgos, Spain. In Kalamazoo, students have the option to use the city bus system, the Metro, for free, but tend to use their …

A New Approach To Financial Literacy Education Through An Introductory Business Course, Megan Klein

Honors Theses

This study discusses the overall definition of financial literacy, dissects the shortcomings of financial education, and identifies key factors that influence financial awareness of young adults. The survey is conducted through the use of classroom-based survey on a population of collegeage students at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. As a result, we found that although significant improvement was not present between the pre and post-course surveys, the student’s perception of their personal knowledge and confidence in applying the topics tested significantly improved throughout the course of the semester. In conclusion, we believe that further research should be examined into …

Recidivism Rates In The United States Versus Europe: How And Why Are They Different?, Madalyn Hayden

Honors Theses

Recidivism rates in the United States (70%) are almost triple that of most European countries (20% in Norway). The question that this project aims to answer is “How and Why are Recidivism Rates in the United States and Europe Different?”. High recidivism rates like the ones we have in the United States indicate that a criminal justice system is perpetuating a crime cycle, rather than rehabilitating or reforming its prisoners. High recidivism rates in the United States are first and foremost caused by high incarceration rates and high juvenile incarceration rates. Other causes are a focus on punishment in our …

Cannabidiol (Cbd) & The Confused Consumer: How A Lack Of Leadership And Education Is Stunting Cbd Growth, Katelyn Wandel

Honors Theses

This paper expands upon previous research conducted to observe and determine the impact and relationships of factors like knowledge, trust, and intent to purchase for controversial products among consumers. Cannabidiol (CBD) is the primary controversial product further explored in this paper. The objective of this paper is to analyze the results in this research and how they relate to the question would clearer regulations, more standardization, legal guidelines, and general knowledge enhancement impact overall product trust and purchase intent of products? In addition to this primary research objective, analysis of sources and factors that impact and threaten the level of …

Development Of Modeling Tools To Determine The Effects Of Customer Diversification On Customer Lifetime Value Volatility In Higher Education, Oscar Neal

Dissertations

As societies become increasingly global the competition for customers continues to increase. In competitive markets, it is important to identify a process to acquire and retain the most profitable customers. To discriminate customers, it is important to understand the value different customers bring to an organization. Much research has been done modeling customer value using customer lifetime value, however, there is limited research on the effect current customer diversity has on future customer lifetime value of future customer portfolios.

In this dissertation, a Lifetime Value Model considering the interaction between customer diversity, revenue management, and customer lifetime value in an …

Our Voices: Getting To Know Autism - Creating An Informative Website For Autistic College Students, Ashley Wagner

Honors Theses

This study was done in effort to understand the thoughts and feelings of autistic adults relative to life transitions and resources available. We surveyed key stakeholders; specifically autistic students, but also family/caregivers of adults. Six surveys were created, each based upon different themes: camouflaging, life transitions, managing mental health, overstimulation, social communication, and family and caregiver perceptions. Our surveys were marketed on Western Michigan University’s campus and through social media and are still ongoing. Trends in the data, however, suggest that overall autistics have concerns about how their disabilities impact life in or shortly after college. Many respondents expressed they …

Covid-19 As An Industry Accelerant, Betty Huang

Honors Theses

The coronavirus pandemic, declared as a national emergency on March 13th, 2020, has caused extreme social and economic disruption all over the world, forever leaving a distinct imprint on history. Although many companies struggled immensely, either barely pulling out of the pandemic alive or having to completely shut down, several other companies have found ways to flourish during this unprecedented time.

The beginning of the pandemic brought lowered advertising rates. Several companies made the marketing decision to run campaigns during this time to take advantage of these lowered rates while creating a company response to the pandemic itself. The world …

What Are The Effects Of Socio-Political Stances Marketed Through Social Media?, Brianna Trierweiler

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the intricate dynamics between socio-political stances and consumer behavior on social media in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Stemming from MKTG 3710 research, it delves deeper into the impact of socio-political views on consumer social media habits, offering valuable insights for marketing and societal understanding. Structured into background, secondary research, and qualitative research, the study emphasizes understanding the intersection of socio-political views and social media in the digital age. Recognizing its profound influence on marketing strategies, public discourse, and societal values, the research explores the complex dynamics of this connection and its wider implications. Secondary research includes an …

The Cost Benefit Analysis Of College Dropouts Pursuing A Different Career Vs. Students That Graduated From College, Brittany Jackson

Honors Theses

For my thesis project, I will be analyzing two sets of data pertaining to these different groups; one group will be college dropouts that chose to pursue a career without earning a college degree and the other group will be students who graduated from a four-year college degree program. I will be paying close attention to the financial success of individuals in both groups based on their career path. Also, focusing on the amount of money one group makes versus the other group various careers. Some careers include, being a YouTuber, Social Media influencer, Financial Analyst, Accountant, Entrepreneur, Entertainer, and …

Entrepreneurial Finance, Jackson Stewart

Honors Theses

The writings and research presented in this document are for a chapter of a textbook the focuses on entrepreneurship. The chapter focuses on many areas of entrepreneurship including: opportunities, networking, roles, economics, innovations, and history. The area that the potential writings focus on is entrepreneurial finance, or how one acquires capital to start their own business.

There are many ways to gain capital to start a business. These include a variety of investors that can give someone funds or loan that are given out by financial institutions. Investors are a great way to gain capital as investors will give the …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Human Resource Management Practices Of The American Auto Industry, Connor Bradley

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the human resource management practices of the American auto industry. The information used in this study was based on interviews with twelve employees from four different companies. For the sake on anonymity, the four companies were referred to as Auto, Dealer, Financial, and Marketing. The interview questions covered topics related to the potential changes made to human resource management practices such as workplace location, communications, talent acquisition and retention, employee training and development, employee engagement, workplace safety, labor relations, benefits and compensation, and …

An Analysis Of The Extent To Which Responsible Technology Is Taught In R1 And R2 Research Universities In Michigan., Maisie Blaukamp

Honors Theses

Responsible technology development, use, and communication is crucial as technological innovations scale. An increasing topic of conversation in the technology and education industries is how to educate individuals to interact with technology in an ethical way, as harmful technologies and use of technologies are creating negative impacts on individuals, businesses, and society. This research examines the extent to which responsible technology is taught in major Michigan universities.

An analysis of courses and course descriptions at 8 R1 and R2 universities shows that there is a lack of responsible technology education in business colleges, courses teaching technology development, and courses teaching …

Ethical Monetization For Social Media Companies, Leo Phillips

Honors Theses

The most popular social media companies today all monetize primarily through the same revenue stream, advertising. Popular social media strategies have developed similar methods to increase the advertising revenue that each user generates. These strategies for monetization have become ever increasingly exploitative and harmful to the social media user population as these major companies are gripped in a technological arms race to capture as much of their user’s time and attention as possible. The effects of increased social media use are a general overall decline in our society’s physical, emotional, and social health (Haugen, 2021 & Harris, 2019). These health …

Business Financing: Bonds, Joshua Davis

Honors Theses

For my thesis, I researched information on financial bonds to contribute to a developing college textbook written by Dr. Bret Wagner called “Fundamentals of Business”. After having gathered the research, I then began writing to match the style in which Dr. Wagner had written the other chapters. Overall, this was a completely different experience for me as I have done research plenty of times before but opening my brain to a creative writing aspect and deliberating the research I had gathered into a form that would be consumed by future young adults was both exciting and difficult. I had to …

Leveraging Both Art And Science In National Level Sales Competitions, Sarah Obermeyer

Honors Theses

The following report is an analysis of the preparation and results that come from utilizing both the art and science of sales while preparing the Western Michigan University team for the 2022 National Collegiate Sales Competition. In this report, I introduce Western Michigan University's sales and business marketing program and review how the National Collegiate Sales Competition functions. There is an analysis of which aspects of art and science the competitors leveraged in their preparation to give them a competitive edge. Finally, I review the competition results and takeaways. Any data or information cited in the paper can be found …

What Are The Essential Elements Of The Customer Journey Experience For Food Delivery?, Benjamin Famiano

Honors Theses

As more restaurants start to adopt ghost kitchens to fulfill online orders, those restaurants need to know which customers would be satisfied with the fact that a ghost kitchen is preparing their food, and if not, what can restaurants do to appeal to those customers. Will the use of ghost kitchens have a negative effect on the consumers trust and satisfaction level or will it have positive or neutral effect? To answer this question, we conducted a survey using 100 random respondents each from New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco. We collected the demographics of the respondents and then …

The Potential Growth Of Synchronized Skating In The Midwestern Section Of Us Figure Skating, Hanna Marie Fussman

Masters Theses

Synchronized skating, a sport in which eight to twenty skaters perform a program in unison as a team, is the fastest growing yet least known and recognized discipline of figure skating in the United States. Skaters do not have control over whether they are exposed to synchronized skating due to their location not having a team, or due to a coach who has tainted the perception of their students to believe that synchronized skating is not as “worthy” of a discipline, causing them to have little to no interest to take advantage of the exposure and opportunities they may have. …

The Importance Of Public Space During The Covid-19 Pandemic With A Case Study Of The City Of Kalamazoo’S Kik Pool, Natalie Baker

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

A Model For Evaluating Charitable Contributions In Nonprofit Organizations In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Kristen Smith

Dissertations

Reported data suggest there has been an increase in charitable giving and the number of charitable organizations in communities nationwide over the last 20 years. It is widely believed that growth in nonprofit organizations would be a valuable asset for a community, but limited research evaluates the return on investment in these organizations. To ensure these organizations are good stewards of resources, various forms of accountability have been established, including websites like “Charity Navigator™,” which provide rankings and scores to charities nationwide. Data repositories like these make it possible to investigate variations in these organizations' funding, growth, and impact. This …

An Examination Of Types Of Health Insurance And The Reported Prevalence Of Autism In The United States, Jennifer L. Thompson

Dissertations

The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders continues to rise despite barriers of changes to diagnostic criteria and lack of insurance coverage. Increases in prevalence affect costs associated with a disorder since cost of health care services are often estimated based on utilization of services. This can also affect an individual’s ability to access to health care services. To equitably distribute autism services to individuals an accurate estimation of the true prevalence of autism is needed.

Access to health care can be influenced by the type of insurance coverage a person holds. Other factors, such as socio-economic status, ethnicity, location of …

Applied Microeconomics And Business Intelligence In The Digital Age, Thomas J. Weinandy

Dissertations

The Digital Age is defined by advances in big data, low-cost computing, and modern analytical methods. In three chapters, I apply microeconomic thought to the influence these digital technologies have on business and consumer decision-making.

Chapter One considers how Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft impact the relationship between the quantity of car service trips and fuel prices. I find that a single day 1% increase in fuel prices is associated with a 0.367 to 0.486% decrease in the number of TNC trips and a 0.033 to 0.088% increase in the number of taxi trips, even though the …

Exploring The Perception Of Sponsored Posts On Instagram, Mahek Verma

Honors Theses

Influencer marketing has grown immensely, and consumers are now frequently interacting with and making decisions based on content published by influencers on social media. This thesis explores how different types of endorsed influencer posts are perceived along with how the type of endorsed post can impact a consumer’s perception of the product and brand being endorsed. Using self-administered questionnaires, semi-structured interviews a simulated influencer content browsing experience, this research examines differences between influencer endorsements officially sponsored by a company, endorsements of products merely gifted by the company, and endorsements of products with no company involvement. Research findings identified a lack …

Media, Marketing, And More – How Social Technology Is Changing The Face Of Small Business, Lily Reynolds

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to identify the ways in which social media and marketing technology advances are affecting small retail businesses. A total of three interviews were conducted with working professionals in different areas along the fashion supply chain, and were contacted based on common acquaintances. Each interview was conducted over the phone, and lasted between ten minutes and half an hour, with guided and supplemental questions focusing on their experiences with technology in their fields. The results showed that each area was affected in numerous ways, from superficial business changes to advancements at the cores of their …

Accounting And Sustainability: Cost And Benefit, Emma Smith

Honors Theses

In today’s busy, complex, and technically advanced world, it is too easy to get caught up in day to day activities that distract from what needs to be accomplished and conserved. Therefore, there is a needed emphasis on sustainability in all industries, more specifically in the realm of accounting with respect to protecting the environment and citizens. Whether it be material, information, or human capital sustainability, appropriate practices are important and require attention (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board). This thesis will (a) document information regarding the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, (b) discuss sustainability practices businesses can take to benefit the environment …

Mindstate: A Capstone Project, Kyle Petronio

Honors Theses

Objectives For four years, I have been trying to release music under the moniker of Rookie Plenty. Aside from a few songs on Bandcamp, my releases have been few and far between. In addition to releasing music on streaming platforms, MindState: A Capstone Project is an experiment in exploring genre fluidity. Many mainstream musical projects released in the twenty-first century are often genre constrained and demonstrate minimal sonic deviation between songs. This extended-play album is an attempt to exemplify a mastery of genre conventions while branching outward into new musical territory.

Methods To demonstrate an understanding of genres, I focused …

The Impact Of Covid - 19 On The Student Experience: A Wmu Student Survey And Study, Henry Thiry

Honors Theses

Over the past year it has become clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed college students’ everyday lives. Students are less likely to be employed or rely less on wage income and are also less likely to get very ill and die because of COVID-19. Moreover, courses moving online, loss of social connection, and drastic changes in the lives of students’ parents and other family has negatively impacted many students' ability to thrive. In order to measure the impact of COVID-19 on the student experience at Western Michigan University, I conducted a survey of students based on a survey …