Business Commons^™

First New Building Taking Shape At Innovation Campus, Kevin Abourezk

Nebraska Innovation Campus Materials

The first new building at Nebraska Innovation Campus is taking shape. Construction workers have completed much of the shell for the Companion Building, a three-story building just north of and adjacent to the former 4-H Building on what used to be State Fair Park. They’ve also nearly finished renovating the 4-H Building, which will include a conference center and office and research space. Renovation of the former Industrial Arts building continues at the south edge of the campus,with exterior brick walls propped up by braces and virtually nothing left inside. The university has yet to start work on a fourth …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: December 20, 2013, Eric Thompson, William Walstad, Shannon Mcclure, Mihdi Vahedi

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) declined by 0.59% during November 2013. The decrease in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, follows three months of expansion. Taking these four months together, the Nebraska economy is expected to expand at a moderate rate in the first half of 2014 but the rate of growth will slow by mid-2014. During November, two components of the indicator expanded and four declined. Among expanding components, there were small increases in both airline passenger counts and manufacturing hours. Among declining components, building permits fell on a …

Using Focus Groups To Understand What New Residents Want And Need In A Community, Randolph Cantrell, Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel, P. Thares, R. Vogt

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

No abstract provided.

Reflections On The Metamorphosis At Robben Island: The Role Of Institutional Work And Positive Psychological Capital, Wayne F. Cascio, Fred Luthans

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners from South Africa were imprisoned on notorious Robben Island from the mid-1960s until the end of the apartheid regime in 1991. The stark conditions and abusive treatment of these prisoners has been widely publicized. However, upon reflection and in retrospect, over the years, a type of metamorphosis occurred. Primarily drawing from firsthand accounts of the former prisoners and guards, it seems that Robben Island morphed from the traditional oppressive prison paradigm to one where the positively oriented prisoners disrupted the institution with a resulting climate of learning and transformation that eventually led to freedom …

Exploring The Changing Effects Of Individual Differences On Social Status Of Influence, Wonho Jeung

College of Business: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Social status and hierarchies of social status are ubiquitous. Because of this, they have been addressed in a great number of philosophical, theoretical, and empirical discussions across a variety of fields of studies. A primary focus of attention has been on the role of human agency, most notably trait theory (i.e., personality theory). Despite a number of studies in this topic, there have been two notable limitations in extant studies. First, previous studies have largely been based on a singular perspective in explaining social status, most representatively ability (e.g., intelligence) and personality traits (e.g., Big-Five personality traits). Second, extant studies …

Behaviorism's Impact On Advertising: Then And Now, Abigail Bartholomew

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

Behaviorism as defined in 1913 by John B. Watson was a science that used repeated, observable human activity to develop hypotheses that would eventually predict and control responses. Through repeated experiments, Watson developed a thorough knowledge of what he defined as base human reactions. Stanley Resor, then president of J. Walter Thompson Agency, hired Watson to promote a partnership between advertising and science, and the subsequent 15 years of Watson’s career included some notable scientific contributions. This study shows that though these outcomes may not have provided many measurable positive results, they set into motion industry-wide change that continued to …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: November 15, 2013, Eric Thompson, William Walstad, Shannon Mcclure, Mihdi Vahedi

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) declined by 0.08% during October 2013. The decrease in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, follows two months of steady expansion. Taking these three months together, the Nebraska economy is expected to expand at a moderate rate in the initial months of 2014. During October, two components of the indicator expanded and four declined. Single-family building permits rose on a seasonally adjusted basis. Exchange rate trends also were positive. The value of the U.S. dollar declined during October, which is positive development for the state’s …

Systems And Methods Of Derivative Strategy Selection And Composition, Greg Hammond

Department of Finance: Faculty Publications

A method and apparatus of selecting derivative strategies, where candidate derivative strategies are selected from a set of essentially all possible derivative strategies available for an underlying, based upon a user's market sentiment for an underlying, to perform favorably under the foreseen conditions being most appropriate to the user's strategic intent and the choices afforded by the relevant markets.

Center For Civic Engagement: An Integrated Marketing Communications Plan, Libelle Advertising, Matt Hartman, Amy Welniak, Heather Czaplewski, Liz Bachman, Sophie Beyer, Navannah Slezak, Jasmine Rogers

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Student Advertising Projects

The purpose of this campaign is to increase participation in the Center for Civic Engagement programs and raise awareness for the Center for Civic Engagement within the University of Nebraska– Lincoln student body, faculty, and advisors. We also wanted to determine the most effective and efficient way to distribute the Center for Civic Engagement information to the UNL student body, staff and local employers.

For this campaign, we collected various data through both secondary and primary sources. Our secondary research consisted mainly of information found online which covered trends on civic engagement, employment issues and other areas associated with civic …

Going Beyond Research On Goal Setting: A Proposed Role For Organizational Psychological Capital Of Family Firms, Esra Memili, Dianne H.B. Welsh, Fred Luthans

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

Kotlar and De Massis found that membership assortment and the number of organizational members, as well as the imminence of succession, influence goal diversity in family firms. They also showed that goal diversity can be managed and family-centered goals can be stabilized through professional and familial social interactions, driving the formation of collective commitment to family- centered goals (CCFG). Using this research as a point of departure, we propose that CCFG may impact family firm economic and noneconomic performance. Furthermore, we introduce to the family firm literature the organizational psychological capital (OPC), consisting of hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. We …

The Influence Of Mobile Website Quality On Consumer Satisfaction And Behavior, Xiuyuan Gao

Department of Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Mobile shopping has grown into a huge market and an increasing number of consumers have begun to use mobile websites to shop. Therefore, how mobile shopping websites provide good shopping to customers is significant. The object of this study is to relate factors of website quality to college students’ satisfaction with mobile shopping experiences, which in turn influence their intentions to return to the website and/or to purchase on the website. Five dimensions of website quality, which were information quality, navigation, visual appeal, response time and interactivity, were selected in this study. The model of self-regulatory process (Bagozzi, 1992) has …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: October 18, 2013, Eric Thompson, William Walstad, Shannon Mcclure, Mihdi Vahedi

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 0.95% during September 2013. The increase in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, signals that the Nebraska economy will grow at a modest pace over the remainder of the year and in early 2014. Most of the increase in the LEI-N was due to a significant drop in initial unemployment claims in Nebraska during September. This drop in Nebraska claims followed a national trend. Among other components of the leading indicator, building permits and airline passenger counts both rose. There also was a …

Eight Years Of Journal Of Muamalat And Islamic Finance Research (Jmifr) (2004-2011): A Way Forward, Muhammad Ridhwan, Fuadah Johari, Muhammad Mohamad Yusoff

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This article presents the result of various bibliometric patterns of articles published by Journal of Muamalat and Islamic Finance Research (JMIFR). This journal is devoted to the field of Islamic Banking and Finance studies and their application in modern times. Data from each volume of JMIFR were collected and statistically analyzed using the Statistical Product & Service Solution (SPSS) software. This study looked at variables which include authorship patterns, length of articles, number of articles published, author productivity, contributing institutions and subject area patterns. Among the significant findings are that dual authorship is prevalent and accounted for about 56.8% of …

Embracing Change: Exploring How Creative Professionals Use Interactive Media In Advertising Campaigns, Adam Wagler

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

Advertising agencies are incorporating new forms of interactive media into campaigns as media continues to rapidly change. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study is to explore how five creative professionals at leading advertising agencies in the Midwest are integrating interactive media into campaigns. Through a series of interviews this project helps solidify what it means to integrate interactive media. The findings illustrate a fundamental shift in an industry that is moving away from “advertising.” An industry built around traditional media now requires creatives to incorporate dynamic, mobile, and social media into the marketing mix. Advertising agencies must engage audiences …

City, Unl Partner On Nebraska Innovation Campus Renewable Energy System

Nebraska Innovation Campus Materials

Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler and University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Harvey Perlman announced Friday a joint project to use reclaimed, non-drinkable water from the city’s Theresa Street Wastewater treatment plant to heat and cool facilities at Nebraska Innovation Campus. UNL’s investment of $12 million in the Central Renewable Energy System, or CRES, has been approved by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and will be introduced to the Lincoln City Council on Sept. 30. The reclaimed water from the city’s Theresa Street Wastewater Treatment Plant will be diverted to a heat exchange facility located on Nebraska Innovation Campus. The reclaimed …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: September 20, 2013, Eric Thompson, William Walstad, Shannon Mcclure, Mihdi Vahedi

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 0.54% during August 2013. The increase in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, signals that the Nebraska economy will grow over the remainder of the year and in early 2014. Growth, however, will be modest rather than robust. Components of the leading indicator showed mixed signs of growth during August. Two of the six components weakened during the month. Single-family building permits declined during August while initial unemployment claims rose. However, airline passenger counts rose during August on a seasonally-adjusted basis. Manufacturing hours …

The Process Of Social Media Migration Among Young Professionals: A Grounded Theory, Maria Hermosa, Frauke Hachtmann

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to develop a theory that explains the process of social media migration among young professionals. The theoretical propositions that emerged from this qualitative study explain how different causal, intervening, and contextual conditions interact with and affect the phenomenon of social media migration. Internal and external pressures have an effect on young professionals’ decision to join new social media sites while abandoning others. Intervening and contextual conditions provide specific circumstances in which social media migration might occur. Integrating useful and organizational features to ease the use of social networks were important strategies in the process …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: August 16, 2013, Eric Thompson, William Walstad, Shannon Mcclure, Mihdi Vahedi

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) fell by 1.05% during July 2013. The decline in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, reverses a strong increase in June, and signals that Nebraska will be unable to sustain rapid economic growth. Taken together, results for the past two months indicate that economic growth will be modest at the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014. Components of the leading indicator showed few signs of growth during July. In particular, five of the six components of the leading indicator fell during the month. …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: July 19, 2013, Eric Thompson, William Walstad, Shannon Mcclure, Mihdi Vahedi

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 0.87% during June 2013. The increase in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, follows a small increase in May. Taken together, results for the two months suggest moderate economic growth in Nebraska at the end of 2013. Such moderate expectations are particularly appropriate because improvement in the LEI-N during June was not broad-based. Looking at individual components of the LEI-N, only two of the six components rose during June, three declined and one was unchanged. Single-family building permits rose during June. But the …

The Psychological Effects Of Perceived Scarcity On Consumers’ Buying Behavior, Shipra Gupta

College of Business: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This research seeks to provide an understanding of consumers’ psychological responses to the scarcity environments that are strategically created by retailers. A mixed method design provides both qualitative and statistical understanding of this phenomenon. The findings across four studies define a new construct that captures consumers’ understanding of the product shortage that is strategically created by the retailer, differentiates it from scarcity situations where the retailer does not necessary limit the supply of the product, and suggests that consumers react differently in the varied conditions. The study suggests that strategically controlled environments, by creating product uncertainty, are able to motivate …

The Effects Of Leader Behavior On Follower Ethical Behavior: Examining The Mediating Roles Of Ethical Efficacy And Moral Disengagement, Noel Palmer

College of Business: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Recent ethical scandals in organizations are often cited when pointing to leaders as the culprits who foster corruption in their organization; however, little empirical work examines the individual processes through which leaders may influence follower ethical decision-making and behavior. Drawing from principles of social cognitive theory and self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1986, 1997), moral self-regulatory capacities are presented as a means by which leaders may influence followers. Specifically, I hypothesize that leader influence on follower (un)ethical behavior is mediated through follower ethical efficacy beliefs and moral disengagement processes. I also suggest that ethical efficacy interacts with ethical leadership to influence behavior. …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: June 21, 2013, Eric Thompson, William Walstad, Shannon Mcclure, Mihdi Vahedi

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 0.09% during May 2013. The small increase in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, follows a solid increase in April. Taken together, results for the two months suggest moderate economic growth in Nebraska during the fall of 2013. Looking at individual components of the LEI-N, three of the six components of the LEI-N rose during May. Single-family building permits and airline passengers both rose during the month, indicating strength in the housing sector and the broader economy. Business expectations also rose. In particular, …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: May 17, 2013, Eric Thompson, William Walstad, Adam George

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 1.16% during April 2013. The increase in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, suggests moderate economic growth in Nebraska during the fall of 2013. Looking at individual components of the LEI-N, five of the six components of the LEI-N rose during April, while the sixth component, manufacturing hours, remained unchanged. Single-family building permits rose, rebounding from a sharp decline in March. Airline passengers counts also expanded in April, along with business expectations. In particular, respondents to the Survey of Nebraska Business projected an …

Effect Of Social Media On Crowdfunding Project Results, Alexey Moisseyev

College of Business: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Crowdfunding is a form of collaborative social media. Even though crowdfunding can function without social media, this phenomenon has developed greatly with the advance of social media. The studies in entrepreneurship and finance established connections between startup projects and social ties. However, the impact of social media on crowdfunding is still lightly studied in academic literature.

The purpose of this thesis is to define the influence of social media on crowdfunding. In particular, this research studies the connections between social media assets such as the social media followers and the social media seals of approval and crowdfunding results such as …

Nebraska Department Of Agriculture Beginning Farmer Program & Farm Mediation Program, Alphadog Inc., Ashley Schlake, Michelle Pineda, Emily Younger, Gabriel Sanchez, Margaret Weber, Erica Graves, Kylie Friedrich

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Student Advertising Projects

With approximately 46,800 farms covering 92% of the land, Nebraska is one of the nation’s key agricultural states (NDA, February 2013). The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) created programs, such as the Beginning Farmer Program and the Farm Mediation Program, to assist with the farming and ranching process. Recently, there has been a decrease in program participants. With appropriate advertising and public relations, we will increase the number of applications for the Beginning Farmer Program and the number of clinic participants for the Farm Mediation Program.

Through primary research, we determined the target market includes current and upcoming Nebraska farmers …

The Cio: Defining A Career For The Future, Mark Askren

Information Technology Services: Publications

Those of us who are IT professionals in higher education spend a lot of our time focused on the “new normal” of accelerating demand, flat resources, and constant change. But we often invest little time in assessing and advancing our careers. As a community, we are typically self-motivated to reach our potential and, in many cases, to extend the boundaries of our potential. However, if we are laissez-faire in our approach to career growth—in other words, if we are “too busy” to focus on ourselves—reaching our potential becomes much less likely.

In 2013, information technology matters . . . a …

Authentic, Transformational Leadership: A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Black/White Biracial Leaders, Carmen R. Zafft

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

This phenomenological study described the racial identity and leadership experiences of eight community, education, and business Black/White biracial leaders. Four central themes emerged relating to the participants’ racial identity choices: (a) family discourse, (b) social networks, (c) appearance, and (d) identity work. Three central themes emerged relating to the participants’ leadership experiences: (a) cultural agility: “Blessed to be flexible”, (b) perceived representation: “I look like them”, and (c) transformational leadership: “I lead so others can grow.” Because the participants were conscious of their identity development experience, all demonstrated a strong sense of self which influenced how they experienced leadership. As …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: April 19, 2013, Eric Thompson, William Walstad, Adam George

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) declined by 0.39% during March 2013. The decrease in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, suggests weak economic growth in Nebraska during the summer of 2013. Looking at individual components of the LEI-N, five of the six components of the LEI-N declined during March. Single-family building permits dropped, as did airline passengers counts. There was an increase in initial claims for unemployment insurance, and an increase in the value of the U.S. dollar during March. The increase in the value of the dollar would tend …

The Comprehensive Soldier And Family Fitness Program Evaluation. Report #4: Evaluation Of Resilience Training And Mental And Behavioral Health Outcomes, Peter D. Harms, Mitchel Herian, Dina V. Krasikova, Adam J. Vanhove, Paul B. Lester

P. D. Harms Publications

The purpose of this evaluation is to examine the effectiveness of Master Resilience Training, which is a pillar of the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness (CSF2) program. The report evaluates the relationship between resilience training and diagnoses for mental health or substance abuse problems and whether this relationship was mediated by Soldiers’ self-reported resilience/ psychological health (R/PH). In other words, we tested whether Soldiers with MRT trainers in their units experienced increases in self-reported R/PH, and whether increases in self-reported R/PH were associated with reduced odds of Soldiers receiving diagnoses for mental health or substance abuse problems.

The results revealed …

The Marshmallow Challenge, Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Faculty and Staff Publications

I discovered the Marshmallow Challenge when taking an online course through Stanford called, “A Crash Course in Creativity” with Dr. Tina Seelig (http://venture-lab.org/creativity).

The exercise has been used with groups of all ages from around the world by Tom Wujec, who Seelig calls an, “award-winning designer and innovator” (p. 144).

How do you use the Marshmallow Challenge? I use it in a number of different ways:

1. As an icebreaker
2. As a teambuilding exercise
3. To stimulate creativity and innovation
4. As an experiential exercise that adds FUN to learning!

Seelig and I have the same thoughts on the importance of …