Business Commons^™

Coffee In Brasil: Sustainability And The Role Of Intermediaries, Livia Petzinger

Capstone Collection

ABSTRACT

Coffee is traded in a highly complex global value chain where countless sustainability initiatives have emerged to address social, economic, and environmental issues, challenges which persist due to dominance of the market structure by largescale traders and roasters. Specialty coffee and direct trade have emerged as alternative trade arrangements that promote high-quality coffee through the use of sustainable practices, transparency, and a shortened supply chain. This research analyzes the role that intermediaries in the Brazilian specialty coffee supply chain play in the implementation of sustainability initiatives asking what kinds of sustainability practices they implement and why, and how this …

How Supply Chains Respond To Disruptions: Three Essays On Responses To Operational, Geopolitical, And Natural Disaster Disruptions, Travis Kulpa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ability to respond to supply chain disruptions efficiently and effectively is a highly sought after capability, particularly in light of recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, and major natural disasters. These events have led researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to ask: how can we better use our resources to respond to supply chain disruptions? This dissertation examines responses to the three main types of supply chain disruptions: operational disruptions, geopolitical disruptions, and natural disasters. The first study examines how US importers adjust between air and containerized transportation in response to shipment delays and abnormally high demand from …

Empirical Studies On Flexible And Renewable Investment Interaction In The Modernizing Electricity Grid, Seyed Amin Seyed Haeri

All Dissertations

The U.S. electricity generation portfolio is transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables like solar and wind, posing challenges due to renewable intermittency. The first chapter examines the relationship between renewable and conventional generation technologies, focusing on operational flexibility. Using panel data from 2002 to 2019, our empirical strategy reveals that flexible generation investments stimulate future wind and solar capacity and respond to current renewable penetration, especially wind energy. This dynamic highlights flexible generation's role in ensuring grid reliability. We also analyze the influence of renewable portfolio standards, market competition, and natural gas infrastructure on investment dynamics.The second chapter explores the …

Essays On Retail Operations, Yao Chen

All Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three essays examining various aspects of retail operations. The first essay explores the strategic implementation of free in-store pickup services. Motivated by the rise of omni-channel strategies, it analytically models how a profit-maximizing retailer decides to adopt free ship-to-store services for online-exclusive products. The analysis reveals the effects on pricing, shipping fees, and customer behavior, as well as how these services attract foot traffic and boost in-store sales. Prescriptive models are provided to help retailers assess the potential value and customer response to ship-to-store services.

The second essay investigates the impact of negative environmental, social, and …

Optimal Strategies For Introducing A New Technological Product, Ali Lotfi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study presents analytical frameworks to provide firms with effective strategies that can be adopted when they plan to release a new technological product (e.g., TV sets, video players, cameras, video games, etc.). Specifically, focusing on technology products, the current study recommends optimal pricing strategies for new products, introduces a multigeneration sales model developed to capture evolving sales trends across multiple product generations, outlines an optimal market entry timing strategy for a new product generation in a product line, and provides an effective marketing strategy to promote sales of a new product by offering an optimal number of free products …

Bursting At The Seams: An Examination Of The Enrollment Changes At The University Of Mississippi, Carrol Trent Imbler

Honors Theses

Enrollment at the University of Mississippi is at an all-time high. As one of the smallest public universities within the Southeastern Conference (SEC), Ole Miss has faced many changes within the past few years because of its growing population. This research answers the question: “How are offices and departments on campus managing their efforts to accommodate an increased number of students?” Through interviews with faculty, staff, and students on campus, I identified multiple departments who had to adjust their usual practices. These include housing, parking and transportation, advising offices within each school, admissions, and other student services. All these factors …

Impact Of Seasonality On Demand Forecasting Techniques For Small-Scale Food Retailers, Indu Sree Guturu

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explores the impact of seasonality on SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) demand forecasting in small-scale food retailers through the analysis of historical sales data, focusing on four key products, labelled: Product A, Product B, Product C & Product D. The research aims to assess the accuracy of different forecasting models in capturing seasonal fluctuations. The research questions are: (Q1) What is the impact of seasonality on SKU demand forecasting in case of small-scale food retailers. (Q2) How does the efficacy of Traditional model compare to alternative technologically driven forecasting techniques? (Q3) To what extent can the impact of seasonality …

Innovative Rate Design As A Free Market Solution To Climate, Resiliency, And Economic Challenges, Brendan J. Moore

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A century-old problem of electricity rate design is cost-shifting between ratepayers (Wellinghoff, J. & Tong, J., 2015). A much newer cost-shifting example of great and increasing importance happens whenever ratepayer generated “renewable energy” is sold to the grid—all too often, this is accused of being unfairly rewarded (Ritchie, 2016). ProRate resolves both these concerns and ProRate can actually be derived simply from the premise of avoiding “all” cost shifts between ratepayers (Katz, CLEPm Rewards to Arrest Demand Cost-Shifting, 2019; Katz, CLEP5 Rewards to Arrest Energy Cost-Shifting, 2019). Another major problem with the Old Utility Model is the lack of price …

Supply Chain Management Internship – J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., Garrett Locknar

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The transportation industry touches every facet of business: research and development, final mile services, raw material procurement, even technology innovation and application design. Without transportation of goods, people, and services, each business as we know would fall apart. The greater supply chain itself relies heavily on the presence and precision of transportation to create value for each specific company’s operations. Beginning in the summer of 2022, I have had the privilege of interning at J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc., one of the world’s largest logistics and transportation companies, which has opened my eyes to the sheer impact of transportation on each …

Analyzing Potential Responses To Supply Chain Disruptions, Mackenzie Bond

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Resilience To Supply Chain Disruptions: An Investigation Of The Roles Of Innovativeness And Green Supply Chain Management Practices During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lindsay Givens

<strong> Theses and Dissertations </strong>

The number of global supply chain disruptions is increasing at an alarming rate. These disruptions vary in terms of source, duration, and scope, but all pose major threats to the continuity of firms worldwide. Because of this increase in turbulence, there has been heightened interest in recent years surrounding the development of firm-level resilience to such disruptions. The supply chain sustainability research stream is relatively well-developed; less is known, however, about specific strategies for strengthening resilience. This study aims to contribute to the resilience literature by examining the viability of innovativeness and the adoption of green supply chain management practices …

Green Solutions: A Smart Strategy For Recycling Electronics In Ghana, Yodit Fitsum

Honors Theses

Electronic waste (e-waste) presents a significant environmental challenge, particularly in developing nations like Ghana. This study examines the opportunities and challenges associated with e-waste recycling in Ghana, focusing on the Agbogbloshie dumpsite. In Ghana, the informal e-waste sector plays a crucial role, providing employment to marginalized individuals who dismantle and process e-waste using basic methods. However, these practices raise concerns due to hazardous working conditions and environmental pollution. Conversely, certified recycling companies adhere to strict safety and environmental standards. Key challenges include recycling contaminated e-plastics and declining precious metal content in modern electronics, highlighting the need for improved recycling infrastructure. …

Impact Of Emotional Intelligence On Client Satisfaction In Project Management, Mousami Berawala

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

This study investigates the correlation between emotional intelligence (EI) and client satisfaction in project management. It is guided by the central research question: Is emotional intelligence linked to client satisfaction? To explore this, the research is structured around Practice of EI on Leadership and Junior level and impact on client satisfaction, the impact of varying work environments, including remote, hybrid, office-based, and site-based settings, on project outcomes post-pandemic; differences in EI practices across countries and the effect of diverse work cultures; the comparison of EI application across different fields, with a focus on work-life balance and industry-specific practices in banking, …

Assessing Adoption Barriers Of Sustainable Packaging In Egypt, Carol Ramses Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

Sustainable packaging has become an essential part of business decisions and corporate directions. With the rise of environmental damages due to improper waste management and unsustainable practices, businesses have a major responsibility to analyze their products’ life cycles and redesign them with sustainability in mind. Applying sustainable packaging could save companies large amounts of resources, therefore cutting costs, while also achieving the legal and social duty as a corporation towards society and the environment. Many developing countries, with specific focus on Egypt, have recently focused on legislative and corporate decisions in order to encourage more sustainable practices. Egypt’s new Waste …

Containerization Of Seafarers In The International Shipping Industry: Contemporary Seamanship, Maritime Social Infrastructures, And Mobility Politics Of Global Logistics, Liang Wu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation discusses the mobility politics of container shipping and argues that technological development, political-economic order, and social infrastructure co-produce one another. Containerization, the use of standardized containers to carry cargo across modes of transportation that is said to have revolutionized and globalized international trade since the late 1950s, has served to expand and extend the power of international coalitions of states and corporations to control the movements of commodities (shipments) and labor (seafarers). The advent and development of containerization was driven by a sociotechnical imaginary and international social contract of seamless shipping and cargo flows. In practice, this liberal, …

Economic Feasibility Of Material Waste Management “Reduction, Reuse, Recycle And Repair’ Strategies In Egypt’S Footwear Industry, Amira Motawea

Theses and Dissertations

The study aims to provide a comprehensive examination of the feasibility of waste management strategies in the leather and footwear industry, both globally and within the specific context of Egypt. It explores the benefits and challenges associated with efficiently recycling, treating, or reusing material waste generated by the footwear industry, with a particular focus on Egypt. The study begins by discussing established waste management practices in the global fashion industry and focusing on footwear material waste.

The study examines successful waste management methods and systems employed globally, highlighting their potential applicability to the Egyptian fashion sector. A key aspect of …

Honors Project Hartville Potato Chips (Final) - College Of Business - Team 5 (Marketing Partnerchip), Isabela Schroeter, Justin Kriess, Trent Thomas, Devin Maddox, Irina Hacck, Jake Lubic

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

TO EXPAND THE HARTVILLE POTATO CHIP COMPANY BRAND IN A WAY THAT WILL CREATE A UNIQUE POSITION IN THE MIND OF THE CONSUMER.

Connecting Emotional Intelligence Training For Corporate Leadership To Employee Job Performance, Ashley Shannon

All Theses, Dissertations, and Capstone Projects

There is currently a lot of research on topics such as emotional intelligence, employee job performance, and employee training programs. However, the connection between all is very limited. This project examined and identified a connection between leadership’s emotional intelligence and employee’s overall job performance. This project helped examine how emotional intelligence in leadership affected employee’s job performance. This led to a better understanding of what employee performance consisted of. Emotional intelligence revealed that EI had some impact on employee’s job performance but revealed a connection. Lastly this project helped examine how leadership was opposed to employee training programs and revealed …

Capturing Value In Emerging Markets: A Real Options Perspective On Resilience And Risk, Alexander Castillo

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the evaluation of investment opportunities in emerging markets (EMs) through real options analysis, against the backdrop of their unique risk profiles and the recent trend of EMs exhibiting resilience in economic performance. While EMs are associated with high growth rates and infrastructure gaps, they have shown adaptability, particularly in monetary policy responses to inflation. This paper explores the sensitivity of net present value (NPV) and real options (RO) to changes in the capital asset pricing model, adapting the yield spread to capture default risk and local risk-free rates. Utilizing oil benchmark price data, the paper constructs a …

Milk Collection Problem: Integrating The Traveling Salesman And Set Covering Problem - A Case Study In West Virginia, Usa, Md Rabiul Hasan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Route determination for perishable products is complex due to its unique characteristics, such as limited shelf-life regulatory requirements, or possibility of getting damaged. This research investigates a novel problem of collecting raw milk from a rural network of dairy farms. The research problem is grounded in a real scenario of milk collection in West Virginia, USA. The milk in this scenario is produced by small farms incapable of realizing transportation economies of density out in mostly rural areas throughout the state. Maximum coverage area and milk processing overhead costs are used to identify suitable locations for intermediate milk collection centers …

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 …

Understanding The Big Data Analytics Deployment Gap: Operationally Leveraging Big Data Analytics Capability For Value Generation In Healthcare, Hyunmin (Dan) Shin

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Despite the surge of big data analytics (BDA) deployments in healthcare, many organizations still struggle to successfully realize value from their investments. This has resulted in the phenomenon of BDA deployment gap, where relative to the interest and investments in BDA initiatives by the organizations, actual value generated from successful migrations of BDA models from data labs to in-practice environment deployments at the initiative level have been scarce. To leverage the growing repository of big data, organizations are required to develop the ability to collect, store, process, and analyze big data (BD); this process is referred to as big data …

Application Of Business Analytics Approaches To Address Climate-Change-Related Challenges, Donald J. Jenkins

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Climate change is an existential threat facing humanity, civilization, and the natural world. It poses many multi-layered challenges that call for enhanced data-driven decision support methods to help inform society of ways to address the deep uncertainty and incomplete knowledge on climate change issues. This research primarily aims to apply management, decision, information, and data science theories and techniques to propose, build, and evaluate novel data-driven methodologies to improve understanding of climate-change-related challenges. Given that we pursue this work in the College of Management, each essay applies one or more of the three distinct business analytics approaches (i.e., descriptive, prescriptive, …

Sharing Economy Last Mile Delivery: Three Essays Addressing Operational Challenges, Customer Expectations, And Supply Uncertainty, Nicolò Masorgo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Last mile delivery has become a critical competitive dimension facing retail supply chains. At the same time, the emergence of sharing economy platforms has introduced unique operational challenges and benefits that enable and inhibit retailers’ last mile delivery goals. This dissertation investigates key challenges faced by crowdshipping platforms used in last mile delivery related to crowdsourced delivery drivers, driver-customer interaction, and customer expectations. We investigate the research questions of this dissertation through a multi-method design approach, complementing a rich archival dataset comprised of several million orders retrieved from a Fortune 100 retail crowdshipping platform, with scenario-based experiments. Specifically, the first …

Leveraging The Granularity Of Healthcare Data: Essays On Operating Room Scheduling For Productivity And Nurse Retention, Jaeyoung Kim

All Dissertations

The primary objective of this dissertation is to provide insights for healthcare practitioners to leverage the granularity of their healthcare data. In particular, leveraging the granularity of healthcare data using data analytics helps practitioners to manage operating room scheduling for productivity and nurse retention. This dissertation addresses the practical challenges of operating room (OR) scheduling by combining the existing insights from the prior literature through various tools in data analytics. In doing so, this dissertation consists of three chapters that operationally quantify the operational characteristics of the operating room and surgical team scheduling to improve operating room outcomes, including OR …

Healthcare Employees’ Perceptions On The Effects Of Internal Audits, Jeremy Mason

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

With limited research on the perceptions of internal audits, this study was

able to add more literature to the subject. The study’s aim was to survey

employee perceptions of the effects of internal audits. This study will provide organizations with results pertaining to how employees perceive the usefulness of internal audits. The study team conducted a single-site study and invited the healthcare organization's employee population to participate in the study. The survey captured 40 responses from 361 invitees (11%). The survey explored the perceptions on six categories of internal audits: Efficiency, Ethical Behavior, Effectiveness, Auidotr-Auditee Relationship Exchange, Learning from Audit, …

The Effect Of Four Decades Of Deregulation On Competition And Productivity Of The U.S. Freight Transportation Industry, Seungjae Shin

Theses and Dissertations

This study reviews the competition and productivity of the U.S. freight transportation industry for the past 41 years. This study investigated the trends of HHI market concentration index values and labor productivity values of rail and truck sectors and tried to find any relationships between the two values in the separate periods before and after the abolishment of the ICC. This study also investigated how the existence of a regulatory body impacted productivity of the freight transportation industry by using a Cobb Douglas production function on annual financial statement data in the U.S. stock exchange market. This study found that: …

How Awareness Levels Of Environmental And Ethical Risks Affect Consumer's Perceptions Of Fast Fashion, Antonina Stragapede

Honors Theses

The fast fashion industry is known for its low prices, quick inventory, and its ability to keep up with runway styles. Yet, the amount of risk that comes along with their processes has been kept hidden. The lenient policies in international countries have given the fast fashion industry leverage to create tons of dangerous carbon emissions, as well as keep labor at an inhumane level. The point of our study was to try to create awareness of both ethical and environmental risks through a randomly distributed intervention. Participants were also encouraged to take part in our longitudinal study to determine …

Strategies For The Implementation Of Supply Chain Internships: A Case Of Meaningful Boundary Spanning Relationships, Derek Mitchell

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The overarching goal of the research is evaluating the structure of my internship and identifying an internship model that creates meaningful, beneficial opportunities for students, creates a talent pipeline for companies, and establishes experiential education opportunities for academic institutions. The interns were assigned to the company’s largest, most important account which makes this an interesting case. Once the structure of the internship program has been evaluated, the specific goal of this research project is to create a supply chain internship model that is mutually beneficial to all parties involved. There is limited research in this field so this case study …