Business Commons^™

Information Systems And Decision Sciences, Gitanjali Ayesha Appadu

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Value-Relevance Of Nonfinancial Information: The Biotechnology Industry, Ya-Wen Yang

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines whether nonfinancial patent information is useful to investors in assessing and valuing biotech firm’s long-term financial performance. The biotech industry requires large R&D investments with uncertain payoffs. Current accounting practice expenses (rather than capitalizes) R&D expenditures. As a result, financial variables are often negative or excessively depressed. Because accounting assets do not reflect biotech firms’ valuable intangible assets, this study examines whether nonfinancial patent information supplement the information content of financial information in market valuation. Using six patent variables measuring both quantity and quality aspects of patents, I found evidence consistent with the idea that nonfinancial patent …

Interfirm Demand Integration: The Role Of Marketing In Bridging The Gap Between Demand And Supply Chain Management, Teresa M. Mccarthy

Doctoral Dissertations

As firms increasingly outsource functions to focus on core competencies, access to resources from trading partners to accomplish goals becomes more important. As such, supply chain management is recognized as critical to creating and sustaining competitive advantage by integrating activities across trading partners that can produce a unique and valuable offering. This dissertation suggests the role of marketing is well positioned to oversee and manage integration of supply and demand activities that have traditionally been practiced separately both within and across firms in a supply chain. The research fills a gap in the literature by presenting a comprehensive model of …

Three Essays On The Use Of Financial Derivatives By Latin American Banks In Brazil, Chile And Mexico, Andres E. Rivas-Chavez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

During the 1990s, Latin American countries implemented policies aimed at liberalizing their financial markets. Latin American countries deregulated the domestic financial and banking industries, removed controls on international capital flows, and promoted development of their domestic stock market. These countries implemented financial liberalization policies and programs in order to stimulate domestic savings and growth. Through financial liberalization they also attempted to reduce the direct intervention of the state in the economy and improve their financial infrastructure.

The implementation of such policies has led to an increase in capital flows to Latin America, an increase in the number of foreign banks, …

The Effect Of Web Interface Features On Consumer Online Shopping Intentions, Jeffrey Sam Siekpe

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Amid the storm of hype over Internet adoption, it is observed that during the past years, organizations have taken considerable interest in eagerly acquiring computer hardware and software to implement electronic commerce (e-commerce) applications mostly to the detriment of human aspects of the information technology (IT) solutions (Freemantle, 2002; Lockwood & Lamp, 2000). Various Internet technologies, mostly the Web, have been implemented to offer online goods and services. Many credible estimates suggest that Internet buying and selling will account for close to $2 trillion of annual economic activity by 2004 (Citrin et al., 2003; Fry, 2000). While the promise of …

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: The Dissolution Of Business Relationships In The Global Market Place, Jennifer A. Pope

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Richard Caves (1998) states that “dead business units tell no tales” (p. 8), and by extension one could argue that dead business relationships also tell no tales. However, it is the purpose of this dissertation to tell the tales of multiple dead business relationships in hope that other businesses can learn from their mistakes. Business relationships have been and continue to be a vital part of business. With the globalization of the economy, most, if not all, businesses will have some form of international contact. For businesses with limited resources or no experience often the most efficient means to expand …

Theory And Construction Methods For Large Regular Resolution Iv Designs, Robert M. Block

Doctoral Dissertations

We define 2k-p fractional factorial designs which use all of their degrees of freedom to estimate main effects and two-factor interactions as second order saturated (sos) designs. We prove that resolution IV sos designs project to every other resolution IV design, and show the details of these projections for every n = 32 and n = 64 run fraction. For k > (5/16)n, all resolution IV designs are a projection from the even sos design at k = n/2. For k ≤ (5/16)n the minimum aberration design resolution IV designs are projections of sos designs with both even and odd words …

The Effect Of Brand Equity In Supply Chain Relationships, Donna F. Davis

Doctoral Dissertations

A systematic review of the marketing literature on brands reveals very few studies devoted to understanding brands in interorganizational exchange; however, the failure to successfully manage relationships with supply chain partners is now seen as a potentially fatal obstacle to the success of a brand (Shocker, Srivistava and Ruekert 1994). Focusing exclusively on managing the brand in consumer markets ignores the needs of important downstream customers such as distributors and retailers and fails to capitalize on the potential for leveraging brand equity to create added value with upstream suppliers.

A multiple method approach was used to explore the phenomenon of …

An Examination Of Interorganizational Relationship Magnitude And Its Role In Determining Relationship Value, Susan L. Golicic

Doctoral Dissertations

As the business environment becomes more complex, organizations within a supply chain realize that in many instances they can benefit from closer, long-term relationships. However, researchers in this area agree that there is no one relationship that is appropriate or necessary for all situations. Since there exists a wide range of relationships within a supply chain, businesses need to manage the development and maintenance of each relationship in their “portfolios.” This entails recognizing the motivating factors that drive companies to a particular relationship, determining the appropriate amount of resources that will be dedicated based on the targeted relationship, and measuring …

Bayesian Analysis Of Threshold Autoregressive Models, Yongjae Kwon

Doctoral Dissertations

Threshold Autoregression is a powerful statistical tool for modeling structural nonlinear relationships. This study presents a Bayesian modeling procedure for threshold autoregressions. To this end, the analytical framework of Bayesian analysis for a univariate SETAR and a threshold VAR were developed. For the estimation of parameters, a Markov-Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation and an importance/rejection sampling are used to obtain posterior samples. In model determination, this study shows that Bayes factors are reliable testing procedures in model comparison, lag order selection, and threshold nonlinearity tests. However, it is difficult to get the exact figure of a Bayes factor because the …

Managing Information System Integration Technologies--A Study Of Text Mined Industry White Papers, Balaji Ravindran

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Industry white papers are increasingly being used to explain the philosophy and operation of a product in marketplace or technology context. This explanation is used by senior managers for strategic planning in an organization. This research explores the effectiveness of white papers and strategies for managers to learn about technologies using white papers. The research is conducted by collecting industry white papers in the area of Information System Integration and gleaned relevant information through text-mining tool, Vantage Point. The text mined information is analyzed to provide solutions for practical problems in systems integration market. The indirect findings of the research …

Competition And Contestability In Central And Eastern European Banking Markets, H. Semih Yildirim

Doctoral Dissertations

This study attempts to analyze the effects of financial liberalization and deregulation on competitive conditions in the banking industries of fourteen Central and Eastern European (CEE) transition economies using firm-level data for the period 1993-2000. The basis for the evaluation of competitive situation is the extant oligopoly theory in the new industrial organization literature, specifically, the competition model developed by Rosse and Panzar (1977), and Panzar and Rosse (1982,1987). This approach relies on the premise that, in their long-run equilibrium, banks will employ different pricing strategies in response to a change in input costs depending on the market …

Influence Of Firm Structure On Profitability In The U.S. Pulp And Paper Industry (1960-1998), Kanwar Muhammad Suleman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study indicates that firm size, market share and equity/sales ratio are the principal factors contributing to the profitability (net income) of pulp and paper firms in the United States. Timberland ownership, exports, K-Factor (a measure of relative firm capacity), growth, new supply/real gross domestic product (RGDP) ratio and price index also influence the profitability of pulp and paper manufacturing firms. Market share, an index of the structure of the pulp and paper industry, is determined by a firm's size (assets) and net income. In addition, the number of a firm's production units, K-factor, whether the firm exports, previous concentration …

Ownership Variables And Capital Structure: Evidence From Chile, Suad Ghaddar

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The relationship between ownership structure and capital structure is one of the less understood areas within the corporate finance literature. This study attempts to address this issue within a unique; organizational and institutional framework that may help explain the intricacies of such a relationship. The Chilean corporate scene with its high ownership concentration levels, industrial group structure, and familial control provides a rich testing ground to analyze how ownership variables define a firm's leverage policy.

Research has supported both a positive and a negative relationship between ownership concentration and leverage levels. On the one hand, firms characterized by high levels …

A Telecommuter Program For Second To None, Inc., Michael J. Postma

Honors Theses

Telecommuting, or working from a remote location, is a very popular idea that has gained growing support from employees and companies over the past decade. The opportunity to stay home and do work appeals to employees, and the ability to reduce overhead costs appeals to the company. Developing a program that outlines how this arrangement would take place is vital. Outlined are a few of the components that should be included in this type of arrangement.

First, the telecommuter situation will be on a trial basis for a predetermined amount of time. The company or the employee has the right …

International Advertising And The Use Of The Sex Appeal: Acceptance Of Sex Appeal In China, Katie Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

Modern American culture reflects equality between men and women. Modern Chinese culture reflects a growing equality between men and women.

An Evaluation Of Lawlike Generalizations In Relationship Marketing: Method And Application, Wolfgang Hinck

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this dissertation is to evaluate lawlike generalizations in relationship marketing (RM) and their contribution to the scholarly advancement of the marketing discipline. The current lack of such systematic evaluation is of significance not only because the contribution to progress constitutes a general requirement for all research streams in marketing, but also because an evaluation would solve the ongoing discussion about the substance and role of RM.

As a requirement for the evaluation, necessary and collectively sufficient criteria for lawlike generalizations have to be identified and operationalized. Because the marketing discipline lacks both a commonly agreed-upon set of …

A Model Marketing Education/Store Management Program For Klahowya Secondary School, Karin K. Johannessen

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a model Marketing Education/Store Management program for Klahowya Secondary School. The model program was designed for implementation with second year (grades 11-12) marketing education students at Klahowya Secondary School, Central Kitsap School District, Silverdale, Washington. To accomplish this purpose a review of literature was conducted. Additionally, related information and materials from selected sources were obtained and analyzed, including a survey that was sent to marketing education teachers in the State of Washington.

Balanced Scorecard: An Instrument Of Change For Facilities Services, Beverly Sue Delker Gentry

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this project is to develop Balanced Scorecard recommendations based on analysis that was conducted for Facilities Services at California State University, San Bernardino.

Methods And Techniques For Valuation Of Patents, Charles David Dunbar

Theses Digitization Project

The goal of this project is to compare and contrast four different techniques used to valuate a company's Intellectual Property (IP); specifically a patent portfolio.

Logistics In The Inland Empire, Zeynep Selen Sarper

Theses Digitization Project

The Inland Empire offers many advantages for business. This project documents how the Inland Empire is a suitable area to start and grow a business due to its reasonable space and labor costs, educated work force, infrastructure advantages and easy accessibility to freeways, ports, railroads and airports.

Customer Satisfaction In Communicating With Reservation Staffs Of Thai Airways International, Alina Homsangpradit

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this research study is to investigate the correlation between the level of customer satisfaction and demographic data. The correlation between the level of customer satisfaction towards THAI'S reservation staff and customer's attitude, and the communication behavior of THAI's reservation staff.

Sinar Harapan: A Business Plan For A Home Improvement Company, Ali Yamin

Theses Digitization Project

This business plan for expanding a home improvement company emphasizes: attracting more customers to increase sales; establishing new companies such as contractors, distributors, and wholesalers; and leading the market for home improvement goods and construction materials in Lampung.

Banking Programs For Employer Clusters The Benefits Of A Territory Based Sale Program, Ana Elsa Montes

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this project is to gain a better understandng of the sales opportunities available to credit unions through business-to-business relationship selling. This cluster-based approach will focus on techniques and tactics to increase sales. The project differentiates the market by companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, referred to as the Inland Empire. The project will reveal the benefits of instituting a territory based sales program similar to Arrowhead Credit Union's that encourages sales professionals to learn about their region's nuances. More importantly, it addresses the advantages of relationship selling over numbers based selling.

A Study Of Washington Mutual A Formidible Competitor In The Southern California Market, Margaret Mary Boni

Theses Digitization Project

This project examines the Southern California and Inland Empire banking environment during the period from 1992 to 1997. It includes an analysis of Washington Mutual's market strategy, and financial strategy for entering this fiercely competitive environment. Washington Mutual's competitive advantages and weaknesses will be analyzed to understand its approach to capturing strong market presence.

Communication And Management In A Traditional Chinese/Thai Poultry Company, Nattakan Rasatapana

Theses Digitization Project

In Thailand a Chinese poultry company employs a traditional Chinese management style which is a didactic syle of leadership. While the company has dramatically grown in the last twenty years, the management structure has not changed to accomodate the organization's growth. The company is experiencing increased turnover and high absenteeism. The purpose of this study is to identify the threats and weaknesses facing the company in terms of decision making, job descriptions, and communication and management structure.

Design And Evaluation Of A Pdf Print Estimating System, Mengtsung Tai

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research consisted of designing and evaluating portable document format (PDF) print estimating system to commercial systems. Taking into account functionality, reliability, standardization, and integration, the conventional design method (Pressman, 1997) was used to develop the print estimating system. Considering the printer's viewpoint, added features make the system function online and offline and compatible with all common computer platforms. After the system was developed, experts and entry-level users evaluated the system for software usability (Nielsen, 2000; Shneiderman, 1998). A total of 26 experts and 38 entry-level users responded to 14 questions about usability in a personal interview survey. Statistical analysis …

The Repatriation Of Corporate Female Executives : A European Study, Colette Collins-O'Sullivan

Theses

Over the past number of years there has been an increasing recognition that an important element of a successful foreign assignment includes a successful repatriation process. In recent years, empirical studies of women in international management from a European perspective have been carried out, however, the topic of female repatriation still remains a relatively unexplored area. The majority of the existing research on repatriation is taken from a male perspective. The particular focus of this study is the repatriation process from a female perspective. Twenty-seven senior international female managers representing a wide range of industry and service sectors were interviewed. …

An Examination Of Employees' Understanding And Implementation Of The Information Security Program At Xyz Engineering Center, Dale J. Mancini

Dissertations

Purpose of Study. Due to an increase in global competition and employee dishonesty, the need for information security is on the rise. Consequently the XYZ Engineering Center faces an ever-increasing threat of industrial espionage and information theft. Employees of the Center have been given the product-security policy and have been encouraged to secure confidential information. Therefore, this study was designed to determine the level at which employees at the XYZ Engineering Center understand, value, and practice information security. Additionally, the study also examined employee views on physical safety while at work.

Methodology. The study used analysis of variance and a …

The Service Delivery Process : An Examination Of How Consumers Evaluate Technology-Assisted Service Encounters In The Retail Banking Industry, Catherine W. Munene

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study examined consumers' perceptions post-adoption of technology and how these perceptions affect their levels of dis/satisfaction and their continued use of technology·assisted service encounters. To this end, this study investigated the criteria that consumers in Western Australia's retail banking industry are likely to use when evaluating banking transactions involving EFTPOS, ATM, telephone, and Online banking modes. II examined whether these criteria changed with the mode of electronic banking in use and whether the significance of the criteria changed with

consumers' demographic characteristics. In addition, this study explored whether consumers who use these modes of electronic banking experience the paradoxes …