Business Commons^™

Reflective Practice Series: Selected Instructional Models Using Synchronous Video Conferencing Software, Martin W. Sivula

MBA Faculty Conference Papers & Journal Articles

With the vast array of resources available to instructors, one would think that instruction and teaching would yield success for all learners. Now, well into the 21^st century has much changed in the classroom? Certainly, movable desks and chairs, advanced audio and visual equipment, and a plethora of all types of technologies which might be able to enhance training and education. Over the last several decades research on individualized instruction, cognitive science, educational psychology, and multimedia instruction (to name a few) have permeated the literature on instruction. With all the research and the vast array of studies on improving …

Factors Influencing Students’ Selection Of A Bank, Wei Tai, Jiage Zhu

MBA Student Scholarship

The paper aims to determine what factors influence students’ choice of bank. Exploratory sample data (N= 100) was taken from students at John & Wales University, Brown University, and the University of Rhode Island (All Southern New England). The instrument was comprised of fourteen questions, ten being derived from the related literature: service provision, the proximity of ATM, branch location, card design, students benefit, service charge, financial products, recommendation, security, and online service. A total of 100 questionnaires were distributed using convenience sampling; 94 were returned, and among them 89 were deemed valid, yielding a response rate of 89%. This …

Assessing The Financial Literacy Of Domestic And International College Students, Jane Boyland, Rex Warren

MBA Student Scholarship

Improving student financial literacy has become a major goal of colleges and universities within the United States in recent years. Many schools are now instituting programs to increase student financial literacy in order to improve their students’ later quality of life and decrease student loan default rates. The purpose of this study is to assess the current financial literacy of undergraduate students at a southern New England university in order to provide insights on how such a program could be customized to the unique needs of its student body. The Jump$tart Survey was administered to 92 junior and senior students …

Corporate Social Responsibility: Fallacies And Flaws, Christina Blundin

MBA Student Scholarship

Over time, the ideals of business and society have become discordant from one another. When exactly this occurred is not as important as the effects it has had. When society began asking more from business, it voiced its concerns over companies solely existing to create profits, as well as their lack of responsibility to society. Consequently, businesses were coerced into performing acts of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and philanthropy, to justify the profits they receive. However, in the pursuit of CSR, both business and society got short changed. They misconstrued the tenants of CSR. Each thought that it was the …

F.A.C.E.S. (Faculty Academic Community Education Showcase): Professional Growth Experiences In A Career University, Paul J. Colbert, Ph.D.

MBA Faculty Conference Papers & Journal Articles

Institutes of higher education exist for the purpose of developing, fostering, nurturing, and stimulating the intellectual growth and development of students. The core values of a college education provide students conceptual and practical educational opportunities that focus on improving their skills and knowledge. These skills and knowledge translate into purposeful, real-life learning experiences. However, in the academic community, learning is not restricted to students. Faculty, too, must be supported and provided opportunities for personal and professional growth and development. Although professional development is not a novel concept in the education profession, schools often take up the gauntlet, but fall short …

Analysis Of The Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit) Industry, Frederic Juillet

MBA Student Scholarship

In 2009, most REITs opted for the recapitalization of their balance sheets in order to respond to the recent global credit crisis, thus reducing their leverage and strengthening their financial statements (REIT, 2011b). In 2011, the REIT industry represented $54.3 billion in revenue and a profit of $7.8 billion. The industry annual growth expectation for the next 5 years (from 2011 to 2016) is 5.1% or $69.7 billion (IBISWorld, 2011b). The Hotel & Motel industry counted 14 REITs in the lodging/resort sector in the U.S. (REIT, 2011c) and represented 10.5% of the equity REIT Industry (IBISWorld, 2011b). The REIT structure …

Red Lion Hotel Corporation, Yin-Chia Shao

MBA Student Scholarship

This paper is a strategy executing research project of Red Lion Hotels Corporation. The research content includes the nature of the business, environmental analysis, strategy position within the industry, competitive advantage, strategic history, evaluate strategy and a conclusion. The company grew from a focused differentiation strategy to a broad differentiation diversification. Examining the business environment analysis, the external environment has a moderately strong impact on the company and the internal environment has a moderately weak position. The inferior position is a disadvantage to the Red Lion Hotel Corporation's growth. In addition, compared the company with Choice International Hotels, Inc and …

An Investigation Of A Methodology To Assess District Performance, Peter Simpson, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite

School Finance and Student Achievement

This study investigates a resource-based methodology to assess district performance as an indicator of student achievement on standardized assessments. The problem that this investigation addresses is that performance measurement and the associated decision-making is indeterminate. There is a lack of empirical research that relates decision-making about resource utilization to performance.

The study utilizes structuralism to assess the relationship between the independent variable of resource utilization and the dependent variable performance. Complex Adaptive System theory is used as a framework for Concept Mapping methodology. The study is grounded in theories from Complex Adaptive Systems and Microeconomics that state that performance is …

Obesity, Educational Attainment, And State Economic Welfare, Martin W. Sivula Ph.D.

MBA Faculty Conference Papers & Journal Articles

For the first time in history, estimates of the overweight people in the world rival estimates of those malnourished. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2002) ranked obesity among the top 10 risks to human health worldwide. In the early 1960s, nearly half of the Americans were overweight and 13% were obese. Today some 64% of U.S. adults are overweight and 30.5% are obese. Even more alarming, twice as many U.S. children are overweight than were twenty years ago, a 66% increase. Non-communicable diseases impose a heavy economic burden on already strained health systems. Health is a key determinant of development …

Sampling Concepts, Paul Boyd, Ph.D.

MBA Faculty Conference Papers & Journal Articles

The usefulness of any research is dependent upon how well the group studied represents the group about which decisions are to be made or conclusions drawn. That is, it depends upon how well the sample reflects relevant characteristics of the population. When it is possible to study every member of that group there is no problem, for on these occasions we can easily calculate the exact attribute (parameter) of interest for our population.

For example, if we were interested in determining the average number of gallons of gasoline sold to customers at our service station yesterday, we …