Business Commons^™

Leading Through Paradox In A Covid-19 World: Human Resources Comes Of Age, David G. Collings, Anthony J. Nyberg, Patrick M. Wright, John Mcmackin

Faculty Publications

The impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is unprecedented. At an organisational level, the crisis has been hugely disruptive, complex and fraught with ambiguity for leaders. The crisis is fundamentally a human one, making human resource (HR) leaders central in enabling organisations to manage through and ultimately exit the crisis successfully. We apply a paradox lens to understand the HR leadership challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis. We argue that how the HR function responds to the challenges of the crisis and its role in mapping the exit route from the crisis are likely to shape the trajectory of …

Value Creation Mechanisms In The Contemporary Art Market, Niharika Goel

Theses and Dissertations

As marketing theory has evolved, value co-creation has taken center stage in exchange processes. The goal of this dissertation, situated at the intersection of market systems and the visual art market, is to generate a deeper understand of the fundamentals of value co-creation at the level of practice, in part because the visual art world is organized as a Bourdieusian field of cultural production with its own set of rules, narratives, individuals and institutions. While individuals can effectively position themselves in this field to accumulate social capital, they are inextricably linked to others. Hence, it is imperative to understand the …

Roles Of Acquirer Financial Advisors In M&A Deal Completion, Scarlett Pho

Senior Theses

The central theme that this thesis addresses is the role of valuation by investment banks who act as financial advisors to M&A buyers by answering two questions relating to the process. The first question is if buyers should hire investment banks for a higher chance of success of deals. For the second question, I will examine buyers who hire investment banks for some certain characteristics of deals. This study focuses on M&A deals that happened between 2012 and 2015, especially between advisor and nonadvisor, successful and failed deals. The conclusion presented in this thesis will be contributable to the understanding …

Cancel Culture In College: A Phenomenological Study To Define Cancel Culture In The College Generation, William D. Morgan

Senior Theses

The history of civic activism dates back centuries and in 2021, with the increased role of technology and social media, civic engagement rates are at all-time highs in the United States. The rise in popularity of smartphones and social media applications have given consumers new ways to connect with like-minded peers and develop a unified voice to fight for movements towards equality and justice in the US economy. College students represent a large point of emphasis for public relations and marketing teams as their generation is entering the US consumer market with high rates of social media use to make …

Customers’ Acceptance Of Automated Hotel, Jianhong Feng

Theses and Dissertations

Hotels moved in the direction of intelligentization, network connection and sharing of travel modes in the 21^st century. Automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) are expected to promote significant changes to hospitality and tourism sectors. Hotels that take advantage of these technological advances would benefit from this new business model as they can differentiate themselves from competitors who fail to adopt these new innovations. In the traditional hotel industry, guests are not served by automated technologies. Nowadays, non-human based business-models and service innovations have become the latest business strategy choice in the hospitality and tourism industry, especially during the …

Advertising And Social Media Strategy For America’S National Parks: A Case Study Of Congaree National Park, Abigail Gallup

Senior Theses

Advertising for America’s National Parks comes in many different forms but is highly limited for national parks with lower visitation rates and less funding. Congaree National Park located just outside of Columbia, South Carolina has a small budget for advertising and goals to increase their visitation rates and visitor diversity. Particularly, Congaree rangers hope to increase visitation from the local Black community which surrounds Congaree National Park. Rangers at Congaree mainly use social media to advertise but have also investigated other forms of advertising and fundraising as well, including a Friends of Congaree Swamp license plate. This thesis will show …

Roles Of Acquirer Financial Advisors In M&A Deal Completion, Scarlett Pho

Senior Theses

The central theme that this thesis addresses is the role of valuation by investment banks who act as financial advisors to M&A buyers by answering two questions relating to the process. The first question is if buyers should hire investment banks for a higher chance of success of deals. For the second question, I will examine buyers who hire investment banks for some certain characteristics of deals. This study focuses on M&A deals that happened between 2012 and 2015, especially between advisor and nonadvisor, successful and failed deals. The conclusion presented in this thesis will be contributable to the understanding …

Innovation And Extended Producer Responsibility In Supply Chain Management, Yuqi Peng

Theses and Dissertations

Supply chain management is an important field in operations management. In recent decades, innovation and sustainability have drawn increasing attention in supply chain management research, while empirical research is still scarce due to data limitations. In this dissertation, we collect unique data and explore the propagation of innovation and sustainability across the supply chain networks.

In the first part of my dissertation, we study research and development (R&D) productivity transmission across supply chain network. Using a two-sided econometric model, we find that having R&D-productive partners plays a significant role in transforming an agent’s R&D into revenues.

In the second part …

Effects Of Information Exposure, Emotions, And Self-Efficacy On Risk Perception And Travel Intention During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Chunsheng Jin

Theses and Dissertations

Living in the information age, people acquire knowledge from various sources. These resources can play key roles in individuals’ perceptions during disease outbreaks. Especially amid COVID-19, risk perceptions are critical in determining individuals’ behavioral intentions. Researchers have investigated risk perceptions related to numerous diseases (e.g., swine flu, severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome, the Zika virus, and Ebola). However, few tourism studies have focused on health risks. Different from the above-mentioned illnesses, the relatively new virus of COVID-19 could have unique effects on individuals’ risk perceptions and behavioral intentions; the disease has been spreading worldwide for more than …

The Effect Of Product Likes On Consumer Behavior In Online Shopping, Quynh Le

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the impact of likes in the context of online shopping websites. Likes are popular metrics in digital and social media marketing. Previous research has investigated the roles of likes on consumer behavior and product sales in the context of social media websites such as Facebook, Instagram. However, little has been known about another type of likes, product likes, which are used on online shopping as an information cue for consumer’s purchase decisions. We propose four studies to understand the impact of product likes in the context of online shopping websites where transactions occur. We expect that the …

Strategic Human Resource Management And Covid-19: Emerging Challenges And Research Opportunities, David G. Collings, John Mcmackin, Anthony Nyberg, Patrick M. Wright

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Does The Tendency Of Loss Aversion Depend On The Level Of Competition? Evidence From Multilevel Esports Tournaments, Zeqing Mao

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the relationships between the level of experience, the magnitude of payoffs, and the significance of loss aversion within the context of esports. In the behavioral economics literature, loss aversion describes why individuals prefer avoiding losses to obtaining equivalent gains depending on a reference point. While previous studies predominantly capitalize on experimental methods to examine how the significance of loss aversion is affected by market experience and payoff magnitude, there is also a growing body of research that examines the behavioral properties of loss aversion outside laboratory environments, with sport being one of the most utilized settings. This …

Cyber Social Threats 2021: Ai, Covid-19 Vaccine, Detection And Countering Strategies, Ugur Kursuncu, Jeremy Blackburn, Yelena Mejova, Megan Squire, Amit Sheth

Publications

In recent years, online platforms have been utilized for promoting harmful content and behavior such as extremism, harassment, mis/disinformation, human trafficking, genderbased violence among others affecting our society, often leading to real-world events. Such content and behaviors are inherently complex, making the recognition of these narratives challenging for researchers as well as social media companies. The Cyber Social Threats (CySoc) Workshop 2021 aimed to facilitate a rich forum for researchers and practitioners from both academia and industry in the areas of computing and social science, to discuss novel avenues for research on interdisciplinary aspects of harmful communications on social media, …

Investors’ Reactions To Csr News In Family Versus Nonfamily Firms: A Study On Signal (In)Credibility, Naciye Sekerci, Jamil Jaballah, Marc Van Essen, Nadine Kammerlander

Faculty Publications

We study family firm status as an important condition in signaling theory; specifically, we propose that the market reacts more positively to positive, and more negatively to negative, CSR news (i.e., signals) from family firms than to similar news from nonfamily firms. Moreover, we propose that during recessions, the direction of these relationships reverses. Based on an event study of 1247 positive and negative changes in the CSR ratings for all firms listed on the French SFB120 stock market index (2003-2013), we find support for our hypotheses. Moreover, a post hoc analysis reveals that the relationships are contingent on whether …

The Financial Impact Of Covid-19 On Nonprofit Organizations, Dr. Charles Harrington

SC Upstate Research Symposium

Abstract — Scholars and practitioners have argued that effective financial management, particularly the development of operating reserves, can help nonprofits survive economic shocks. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a significant impact on the nonprofit sector, provides an opportunity to test whether nonprofits have followed that recommendation, and if so, whether nonprofits with operating reserves were better prepared for the pandemic. Using data from an original survey of more than 600 nonprofit human service and arts organizations, administered when most states had stay-at-home restrictions, we show that most nonprofits experienced an immediate impact on their programs and financing. Yet, those …

Three Essays On Corporate Governance And Financial Reporting Quality, Hyo Jin Yoon

Theses and Dissertations

Corporate governance broadly refers to the oversight activities undertaken by internal and external actors to assure a fair distribution of cash flows and wealth transfers among the contracting parties. One of the most important functions of corporate governance is to ensure the integrity of the financial reporting process. A substantial body of work highlights the role of corporate governance mechanisms in curtailing earnings management that stems from managerial opportunism. Prior research has also found a direct link between weak corporate governance and financial misstatements and reporting frauds. While the effects of governance mechanisms on corporate reporting quality are well documented …

There’S More Than Meets The I(Dentity): A Multidimensional View Of Identity Threat, Christina B. Hymer

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation provides a multiple identity perspective to how people experience challenges towards their identities ("identity threats"). While research on identity threat has normally focused on identity threat in relation to a single identity, my dissertation challenges this assumption by examining how connections between multiple identities (e.g., professional, spouse) affect how people experience identity threats. I provide a review of identity threat research, after which I establish an intrapersonal identity network view of identity threat that considers how the centralization of a threatened identity, as well as the density of one’s identity network in terms of enhancing and conflicting relationships, …

Bank Liquidity Creation And Systemic Risk, Destan Kirimhan

Theses and Dissertations

My dissertation includes three essays on bank liquidity creation and systemic risk. In the first essay, we examine the role of distracted institutional investors in banks in one of the most comprehensive measures of bank output, bank liquidity creation. We employ institutional investor distraction measure developed by Kempf et al. (2017). With a sample of publicly listed U.S. banks over the period of 1986-2016, we find that as institutional investors become more distracted, banks create more liquidity on the asset-side and off-balance sheet side. These results are stronger for large banks relative to small banks and are more pronounced during …

Essays On Cryptofinance, Robert Douglas Viglione

Theses and Dissertations

Cryptofinance is a term that describes the application of Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain technology to the traditional domains of finance; this includes both asset pricing and corporate finance. This work first documents the new technology, peer-to-peer financial instruments and how they trade, evaluates the small but growing literature in finance and economics, and then explores important relationships that explain cross-country differences in cryptocurrency premiums. The first finding is that investors pay a persistent premium over global prices in countries with less economic freedom, particularly when there exist barriers to trade, less secure property rights, or foreign exchange and capital controls …

Technology Experience: Measurement Development And Validation, Hyejo Hailey Shin

Theses and Dissertations

Think about yourself traveling to somewhere in the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s repeatedly. What would be the most significant difference among those four periods? There would be many differences, including clearer sky and clean air. Imagine how you would plan your three-day vacation. You might need several travel guidebooks and travel agents to plan your trip if you were in the 1990s. In the 2020s, you just need to download some mobile apps to plan and even create organized travel itineraries. After arriving at the destination, how would you find the way to a tourism attraction? You just need …

The Impact Of Social Media Account Types On Travel Intention, Nuri Seo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to explore and understand how social media account types (DMOs, friends, and other individuals) influence traveler destination perceptions (destination trust and destination attractiveness) and visit intention. The current study also investigates the impact of the likes option on social media account types, which influence traveler perceptions and visit intention. Previous research had not explored three social media account types: DMOs, friends, and individuals based on Source Credibility Theory and the impact of likes on traveler destination perceptions and visit intention. The experimental design was used to test the research model; an experiment with a …

Inditex: A Case Study In Transferring Fast Fashion To International Markets, Anna Stooksbury

Senior Theses

Using Industria de Diseño Textil, S.A. (Inditex) and its subsidiaries as a case study, this thesis is an analysis of the largest fashion group in the world and its success in transferring a unique fast fashion business model into almost 100 markets worldwide. This thesis examines the internationalization of a large company and the steps it must take to enter into a new market, including internationalization motivations, market selection, and entrance strategies (both physical and virtual). This analysis uses an in-depth case approach to analyze the fast fashion business model that has made Inditex a success. Using extensive secondary research, …

Winning Investment: The Strategic Implications Of The Growth Of Sabermetrics In Japanese Baseball, David Trent Pagliarini

Senior Theses

This thesis examines Japanese baseball and how the use of analytics and statistical research has been implemented into Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), compared to its North American counterpart, Major League Baseball (MLB). Due to the large financial implications of the MLB, teams have fully adopted the use of advanced metrics to find competitive disparities and advantages in roster construction, game strategies, and player development. Because of the long history attached to baseball in Japan, many cultural differences have adapted the game and recently slowed the growth of sabermetrics. While the NPB is beginning to understand the competitive value that analytics …

The Role Of Small Businesses In American Culture And Economics, Molly Meinhart

Senior Theses

This paper seeks to address and prove the role small businesses play in the makeup of the American economy and culture. Through an analysis of key economic measures such as GDP, employment, and international trade it is made clear that small businesses contribute substantially to both the domestic and global economies. An exploration into the history of small businesses in America as well as the current small business landscape is conducted to solidify the idea that small business is built into the culture of the United States. Interviews were conducted with current small business owners in differing industries and personal …

The Benefits Of A More Physically Active Workforce In The Corporate World, Dillon M. Billingham-Hemminger, Jacob D. Locke

Senior Theses

With the ever-expanding knowledge of the benefits of physical activity and good general health for all aspects of our lives, it should be quite surprising that activity levels are declining at accelerating rates. After taking a deeper look into the probable cause for this phenomenon, it becomes clearer that the increasing pressures of workplace culture are leading to more sedentary lifestyles.

This paper looks at the benefits of physical activity on people and on corporations, specifically workplace disease prevention and wellness programs, to see if there exists a mutualistic relationship between the two. For people, physical activity was consistently found …

Why Do Tourists Accept Lodging Through Accommodation Sharing Platforms? Model Development And Model Comparison, Ge Zhu

Theses and Dissertations

The P2P accommodation sharing market has emerged as a disruptive innovation as it has exponentially expanded globally, even though this market is still emerging and has not been used by most people. This study investigates why tourists accept the sharing platforms and how to promote this service. A literature review on innovation adoption models was conducted to select a proper theoretical framework to investigate travelers’ motivation for using Airbnb. According to model-evaluation principles and literature analysis, this self-efficacy-based value adoption model (SVM) was selected, which is derived from social cognitive theory’s reciprocal determination. Based on the SVM, an extended SVM …

Two Essays Investigating Numerical Information Influence On Consumer Preference And Predictions, Gustavo Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

Numerical information is ubiquitous in consumer contexts, consumers rely on numerical information to evaluate product attributes, make judgments and decisions, and make predictions for relevant outcomes. This dissertation investigates how numerical information influence consumer judgment and preferences.

Essay 1 introduces the concept of numerical expressions—numerical quantifiers such as pairs, trios, quartets, dozens—and demonstrates that consumers prefer offers expressed using numerical expressions (e.g., buy a dozen health drinks) relative to their numerical counterpart (e.g., buy 12 health drinks). This occurs because numerical expressions are perceived to be more complete and are easier to justify, and therefore serve as goals in consumption …

“The Lifeblood Of College Sports”: The Ncaa’S Dominant Institutional Logic And The Byproducts Of An (Over)Emphasis On Recruiting, Chris Corr

Theses and Dissertations

In big-time college football, successful recruiting is the foundation on which winning programs stand. Power-5 football and men’s basketball operate under a dominant institutional logic that values generating revenue above all else. Winning generates revenue and, accordingly, Power-5 stakeholders are often engulfed in their unique athletic roles. The system propagates adherence to a singular focus that emphasizes winning and revenue generation. This dominant institutional logic governing big-time college football has been dubbed jock capitalism (Southall & Nagel, 2009). While prominent theorists have analyzed college sports through an institutional logic perspective, a systematic examination of the Power-5 football recruiting process has …

The Evolution Of Cyber Risk And The Cyber Insurance Market, Abigail Chase

Senior Theses

Insurance and hedging instruments can help corporations manage many of the operational and financial risks they face. Yet, additional complexities are introduced now that many risks are increasingly interdependent and thus strongly correlated, making them more challenging to manage. Few risks illustrate this challenge better than cyber risk.

This thesis will focus on the increasing attention that the management of cyber risks receives in corporations, institutions and industries, and the role that insurance and risk management strategies play in mitigating this risk. The decision to focus on cyber risks—and the financing and management of those risks—is directly related to the …

Elements Of Effective, Engaging, And Enjoyable Education Environments, Ivan Harjehausen

Senior Theses

I explore three elements of effective education that promote student development. First, a classroom culture that encourages students to be responsible for managing their own learning rather than relying on the teacher can boost student learning. Two ways of accomplishing this are teachers communicating high expectations for students and teachers normalizing the concept of failure by acknowledging that making mistakes is an essential part of learning.

Second, teachers can model the skills and attitudes they hope to cultivate in students. Children learn by observing behavior of parents then imitating; these same learning mechanisms do not stop in childhood but rather …