Business Commons^™

Mergers And Acquisitions In Small And Medium Sized Enterprises In The Health Care Industry: The Effect Of Regulations On Merger And Acquisition Success, Jessica Bucci

Honors Theses

This study aims to address the lack of information present on small and medium sized enterprises in the merger and acquisition process. An analysis of M&As in the health care industry was conducted The regulations in the health care industry are also investigated in order to demonstrate their effect on SMEs wishing to participate in M&As. A qualitative analysis was conducted to analyze interviews of physicians who have participating in M&As. The results demonstrate the similarities and differences in large and SME M&As.

Title Ix Compliance: A Comparison Of Division I Equality, Jacqueline Leake

Honors Theses

The passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 has had a significant impact on college athletics. However, there is still a large disparity between opportunities offered for men and women. This study determined the true gender equality within Division I athletics. Inequalities were assessed in the areas of athletic participation, athletically related student aid, recruiting expenses, and total expenses. Data from these areas were gathered from the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Analysis Cutting Tool. Ratios and the difference between the ideal and current values were calculated for each category. Institutions were ranked in each category, as well …

What Impact Does Cause-Related Marketing Have On Professional Sports Teams?, Christina Damore

Honors Theses

In today's competitive business climate, firms must find new and innovative ways to differentiate their brand from others in their field. American Express Credit Card Company discovered such a marketing tool in 1981 when they sponsored the Statue of Liberty Restoration Project by donating a predetermined percentage of their card sales. The purpose of the sponsorship was twofold: American Express wished to increase card usage as well as support a cause to gain an overall better corporate image. In the end, American Express experienced a 28% increase in card usage and was able to donate $1.7 million to the Statue …

Daring To Dream, Michelle Carreon

Honors Theses

Many people are unaware of the DREAM Act and its benefits; however, many scholars agree that the DREAM Act at the federal level is potentially beneficial to those undocumented students and to the United States. These scholars have researched the various benefits of the DREAM Act, such as an increase in human capital, increase in education revenue, and increase in taxable income. The DREAM Act can potentially give students the opportunity to obtain a higher education and ultimately a job and a better life. Most likely, ignorance of the DREAM Act has obscured the benefits it provides. People are more …

Cost Accounting Applied To Farming In Southwest Michigan, Toni Fisher

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to discuss how cost accounting is applied to the farming process. Specifically, this study evaluates and defines costs incurred within the farming industry where products are produced and sold after being generated from raw materials. Successful farmers must know the costs of raw materials acquired to produce cash corps.

While there are many types of crops farmed in southwest Michigan, this study specializes in cash crops, specifically corn and soybean production. Cost accounting methods applicable to the farming industry are introduced, discussed and applied in this study. A spreadsheet is presented which displays typical …

Economic Effects Of A Lifo Reserve Rollover, Michael Eubanks

Honors Theses

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) have been working together toward the convergence of accounting standards to provide a single set of high quality global standards. Companies who are currently in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) will need to make necessary adjustments as those standards converge with International Standards. GAAP uses a rules based approach while the IFRS is more principle based. These contrasting approaches create differences that need to be reconciled at various levels of the two standards’ applications. Perhaps the most telling example, under AIS 2 Inventories, the …

Building Experience Beyond Academics, Katherine M. Ragan

Honors Theses

The object of this study is to determine the perceived benefits of building experience beyond academics. This study consisted of online survey through Question Pro with questions about what co-curricular activities students participated in, whether or not the student had held a previous leadership position, perceptions of benefits of extracurricular activities, holding a job on campus, and academics, demographics, and academic status.

Western Michigan University students were invited to participate in the survey via emails from professors and through social media site invites such as Facebook. Students were able to complete the survey at their convenience from Monday, June 18, …

Route To Persuasion In The Elaboration Likelihood Model: The Role Of Self-Esteem, Hilary Salander

Honors Theses

The current study aimed to explore the relationship between the two routes to persuasion proposed in the Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion, the central route and the peripheral route, and an individual’s self-esteem. It was hypothesized that individuals with low self-esteem would be more likely to follow the peripheral route to persuasion due to a lack of cognitive resources needed to enter the central route, while those high in self-esteem were thought to be more likely to follow the central route. Participants were first asked to fill out a series of three short questionnaires, one of which was the Rosenberg …

Discovery Of Timbuktu: Geopolitical Rivalries And Myths, Katherine Van Meter

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the exploration and discovery of Timbuktu primarily focusing on the travels and narrative of René Caillié the first European to publish his successful journey to Timbucku in 1828. Timbuktu since the thirteenth century had become a romantic mystery for Europeans and stimulated massive interest in its discovery by major geographical Societies. Through a mixture of primary and secondary sources I am able to analyze the geopolitical rivalries and myths surrounding Timbuktu that would instigate the travels of twenty-five English, fourteen Frenchmen, two Americans and one German which the majority of resulted in death. Examining Caillié’s published narrative …

Financial And Management Records For Wmu Softball, Lindsey M. Truitt

Honors Theses

The major purpose of this thesis is to create new documents, charts, and forms to better organize the financial, recruiting, and travel information for the Western Michigan University (WMU) softball team. The three forms created include a hotel log, recruiting log, and budget form. Each form is essential for recording events and should enhance the efficiency and ease of recordkeeping. The forms will also help with organizing different files and information. The creation of a hotel log will help plan softball trips and provide a history of well-liked hotels with reasonable prices in locations convenient to the playing fields. The …

Online Music Piracy In College-Age Students, Jasmine D. Allen

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to assess the demographic profile of online music pirates and to assess how the magnitudes of various existing constructs differ according to gender. To reach conclusions as to which kinds of college students engage in online music piracy and their reasons for doing so, a campus-wide online survey that assessed the demographic information and piracy motivations of participants was offered to college students at a university. There is a need for this study because it will further contribute to a growing knowledge base that offers explanations as to why individuals partake in acts of …

Are Women Really Harder On Other Women? A Survey Of Female Employees, Laurel Keys

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Marketing Mainstream Financial Resources To Baton Rouge’S Unbanked Population: Assessments And Recommendations For The Bank On Baton Rouge Initiative, Victor Lashley Jr

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Whistleblowing Legislation On Developed And Emerging Markets, Catherine C. Koh

Honors Theses

This paper intends to study the impact of whistleblowing legislations and on developed and emerging markets. The main reason the study is carried out is because there is lack of research and literature conducted on this topic areas. The testing of the relationship between how whistleblowing affects the equity markets in developed and emerging countries is conducted through a multi-regression analysis across four parameters (i) the weekly historical adjusted returns of the countries' indices around the time the legislation was proposed or passed, (ii) the occurrence of the event which is the week when the legislation was promulgated or enacted, …

Personal Savings In The United States, Samanatha A. Marsh

Honors Theses

Over the past decade personal savings in America has been much lower than in the past. The question is why household savings is so much lower and what factors are contributing to the decline. To answer this question, I look at data collected from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS has conducted a survey of consumer expenditures, or buying habits, since 1984. By using the BLS 2010 Consumer Expenditure Data, I can look at how different factors, such as income, age, family size and number of kids under the age of eighteen all effect household savings. Using the …

Teammates In Growth An Examination Of The Nfl’S 1982, 1987, And 2011 Work Stoppages: How Collaborative Strategies Can Aid In The Future Growth Of The Nfl, William K. Wright Iv

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Quantitative Easing Measures On Interest Rates, Financial Markets, And Economic Activity: A Case Study Of U.S.A., Aneesha A. Rai

Honors Theses

This study focuses on the impact of Quantitative Easing measures done by the Federal Reserve and its impact on the U.S.A, with a focus on interest rates, financial markets and economic activity. The Quantitative Easing measures studied are Operation Twist, Quantitative Easing I as well as Quantitative Easing II. The secondary research is conducted using event studies, and different perspectives of economists have been taken into consideration. The answer whether further quantitative easing should be pursued by the Federal Reserve is debated. A different step-by-step view is given into reasons as to why this quantitative easing has been pursued. A …

Insights Of A Wmu Student Into The Particularities Of Non-Profit Organizations: Observations From Cross-Cultural Experience In Two Organizations., Alyssa L. Lord-Hill

Honors Theses

Through my voluntary service in the non-profit sector I have been given the opportunity to experience the benefits that non-profit organizations provide and their missions and strategies to go about fulfilling them. In the course of completing my 6-month internship abroad and as founder of the German Club at WMU, these experiences have sparked my interests in non-profit organizational and success factors. Personal experience is the key to understanding and being able to accurately analyze a situation. Thus I will be using the two non-profit organizations to aid in the understanding of non-profit organizations and their counterparts, for-profit businesses. My …

Navigating The Skills Of Successful Leaders In Business And Sailing, Aras Karaitis

Honors Theses

This research starts by examining some men who have achieved great success in both business and sailing. Looking at the skills and competencies that set these men apart from their competition. The research shows how leaders in both situations organize teams, motivate, and build trust among their individual team members. While gaining an understanding of the value of using a Kaizen approach to leadership in order to promote an atmosphere of continuous improvement and open communication. The research also examines how successful leaders in both business and sailing monitor and react to the external environment, consistently working to manage risk, …

The Increased Savings Of Cash By United States Firms, Robert M. Zak Jr.

Honors Theses

Today, many United States firms are holding nearly double the amount of cash they held in the 1980s. The purpose of this discussion is to interpret and analyze the increase of cash-holdings of United States firms throughout the last 30 years, and to determine exactly how and why firms are holding so much more cash than they used to hold in the past. This discussion conveys significant reasons of why firms throughout the United States are holding more cash, including: a recent drop in on-hand inventories, an increased risk of cash flows for firms, money spent on capital by firms …

Mobile Device Security: Current Challenges And Existing Solutions, Hugo J. Martinez

Honors Theses

The mobile device industry has increased exponentially over the past couple decades. This has created a great demand for the devices along with great dependence on their capabilities. There is an assortment of mobile devices among which can be found laptops, tablets, smartphones, and personal music players. All these provide a way of making personal productivity and business capabilities greater. While businesses and the public benefit from the capabilities of these devices, not everyone notices how valuable the information that they handle is. Today’s mobile devices handle information such as contacts, banking details, GPS location, and personal and corporate e-mail …

Challenges Of The Cooperative Movement In Addressing Issues Of Human Security In The Context Of A Neoliberal World: The Case Of Argentina, Stefan Ivanovski

Honors Theses

The response of some Argentine workers to the 2001 crisis of neoliberalism gave rise to a movement of worker-recovered enterprises (empresas recuperadas por sus trabajadores or ERTs). The ERTs have emerged as former employees took over the control of generally fraudulently bankrupt factories and enterprises. The analysis of the ERT movement within the neoliberal global capitalist order will draw from William Robinson’s (2004) neo-Gramscian concept of hegemony. The theoretical framework of neo-Gramscian hegemony will be used in exposing the contradictions of capitalism on the global, national, organizational and individual scales and the effects they have on the ERT movement.

The …

Autism Insurance Coverage : Which State Policies Work And Why?, Elizabeth Ivy Homan

Honors Theses

In the spring of 2011, Virginia's legislature passed its first autism insurance mandate via Senate Bill 1062 and House Bill 2467. As a legislative intern for Senator Janet Howell - the primary sponsor of SB 1062 - I was able to track the mandate from beginning to end. I observed conferences between Senator Howell and representatives from autism advocacy groups, I sat in on various Senate and House committee meetings, I carefully reviewed changes in the mandate's text when Senator Howell compressed her two original autism bills into one new bill in order to match Delegate Greason's HB 2467, and …

Government Influence And The Failure Of Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac, Aravind Mohan

Honors Theses

In 2008 two government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, were placed into conservatorship due to insolvency. The financial bailout of the two publically traded corporations came at the expense of the American tax payer. This study investigates the relationship between direct and indirect government influence and the increasing risk taking of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from the late 1990’s through their conservatorship in 2008. As government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have many special advantages that other publically traded companies did not possess. These advantages allowed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to increase their profitability. Theoretical literature …

Internal Audit And Key Stakeholders: Addressing Expectations While Maintaining Independence And Objectivity, Emily Lutz

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Stop And Serve, Nathan J. Peace

Honors Theses

Stop and Serve will be the first to sell a fully functioning service social media website to specific organizations, companies, and churches. Furthermore, we follow up with our product by providing our customized service and necessary server space.

With our product, a fully functioning social media website, users can post various needs (such as helping mow the lawn, pay for medical bills, watch animals, etc.), without limit, and other users help meet those needs. To encourage participation, Stop and Serve websites require users to connect with already existing social media so that each user who has a need met will …

Battle For Control: How Venture Capitalists Affect The Development Of Businesses, Jeffery Neil Wacaster

Honors Theses

In my new podcast series, I interview business leaders to determine the affect of venture capital on the entrepreneur. First, I interview a serial startup entrepreneur to find out the true nature of venture capital, how to go about getting it, and how it affects the creative process. Next, I interview a blogger who thinks that venture capital can be very detrimental to business startups, and get his perspective on related issues.

The interviewees:

1. Michah Baldiwn a) current CEO of Grahic.ly b) He and his team have raised over $350 million dollars of startup money

2. Peter Ireland a) …

Bailing Out America: An Honors Thesis Addressing The Bailout And Financial Crisis Of 2008, Reuben Cash

Honors Theses

This paper analyzes the financial crisis of 2008 and the resulting government intervention of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or more generally called "the bailout." Beginning with historical context of past interventions, it sets forth an understanding of the economic environment of 2008. After explaining the mechanics of the financial crisis, it proposes that the reinsurance products underlying the financial markets in 2008 were based on unsound accounting and risk management principles. Based on this proposition, the representational faithfulness and fairness of mark-to-market accounting principles are examined. The paper concludes that a short-term financial focus is largely to blame for …