Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons^™

Managing Goal Heterogeneity In Strategic Initiatives, Erim Ergene, Steven Floyd, Seray Ergene

Management Department Faculty Journal Articles

Strategic initiatives are temporary group undertakings designed to renew organizational capabilities and are crucial to organizational performance. Despite the inherent goal heterogeneity stemming from individual, departmental, organizational, and initiative levels, research conceptualizes goals as unitary within the team. Our objective is to explore ways to manage goal heterogeneity for the successful development of strategic initiatives within the intraorganizational context. We argue that organizational controls and decision comprehensiveness can be effective in mitigating the negative effects of heterogeneity. This will help facilitate a group of individuals in behaving as a team and being committed to the agreed-upon task at hand. We …

An Investigation On The Role Of Positive Psychological Constructs On Educational Outcomes In Business Schools, Eileen Kwesiga, Katharina Spraul, Baniyelme D. Zoogah

Management Department Faculty Journal Articles

Business schools are increasingly interested in empowering students to be more competent and driven for social changes through service learning. However, studies examining the role of positive traits and cross-cultural differences of service-learning education are limited. As a result, we leveraged positive psychology reasoning to explore the relationship between positive behavior as indicated by compassion, ethical leadership, perceived supervisory support and service-learning benefits for students (N = 272; n = 59 teams) in the United States of America (U.S.) and Germany. We used hierarchical linear modeling (2-Level model) to find main effects of relational compassion, ethical leadership, perceived supervisory support, …

The Interaction Between Spending Policies And Asset Allocation For College And University Endowment, Ryan Erickson

Honors Projects in Finance

The analysis revealed better combinations of asset allocation and spending policy for college and university endowments that efficiently balance the desirable outcomes of stable spending in real terms against maintaining the purchasing power of the endowment over time (intergenerational equity). Using the variability and correlation of historical asset class returns, we created a forward-looking, projection-based, multivariate Monte Carlo simulation of individual asset class returns. The simulation incorporates the relationships between inflation and asset class returns, and the relationships among asset class returns. The projected time series of asset class returns produced a time series of endowment portfolio returns given an …

Challenging Perceptions: Actual Vs Perceived Generational Differences In Workplace Concepts Conducted During Covid 19, Jacob Slide

Honors Projects in Management

With three different generations in the workforce (Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z), it is important for managers to understand what each generation expects in the workplace. This is especially important when managing intergenerational teams. As the only true digital natives enter the workforce, employers must select managers who can manage the conflict that arises from differences, actual or perceived, that often stem from poor communication and a lack of understanding. This study, grounded in Generational Cohort Theory and replicating the Lester et al. study conducted in 2012 with Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials, aims to examine whether participants’ …

Women In The Construction Industry, Olivia Emond

Honors Projects in Management

The construction industry is a male dominated field that has been known for its masculine culture. Women have faced many barriers when entering this field of work due to this culture and being the minority. This study will look into the motivational factors that make women want to pursue a career in the construction industry. This research will look at female construction workers and how their experiences have helped shape their perception on the industry. The following study will analyze how females have combated the masculine culture in the industry and what makes females want to obtain leadership positions. This …

The Role That Exercise Play On Your Hormones, Leadership Effectiveness & Job Engagement, Julia Shaw

Honors Projects in Management

This research project aimed to find a connection between exercise, hormone levels, and job outcomes. It is largely known that many successful people workout, but there is limited research that connects working out to leadership effectiveness and job engagement. Therefore, a survey was distributed to Bryant University students asking them to self-report using hormone dimensions, and job outcome Likert scales. The OLS regression did not result in significant p-values however, using a means comparison there were interesting revelations in the data. Those who exercised with others had increased levels of serotonin and leadership effectiveness. Those that exercised before work had …

Personality Research In The 21st Century: New Developments And Directions For The Field, Michele N. Medina-Craven, Kathryn Ostermeier, Pratigya Sigdyal, Benjamin David Mclarty

Management Department Faculty Journal Articles

The purpose of this study is to systematically examine and classify the multitude of personality traits that have emerged in the literature beyond the Big Five (Five Factor Model) since the turn of the 21st century. The authors argue that this represents a new phase of personality research that is characterized both by construct proliferation and a movement away from the Big Five and demonstrates how personality as a construct has substantially evolved in the 21st century.

Syllabus For Diversity In A Global Environment, Eileen Kwesiga Phd

Resources

This class will introduce students to theoretical and practical ideas about diversity in organizations, increase understanding of the concept of diversity in organizations, reduce discrimination, and increase fairness and equality to employees, applicants, and customers. In this current work environment, cultivating an understanding of social justice and managing people for sustainability is imperative. It will improve students’ ability to understand and address diversity as a manager and employee with the intention of building new frameworks for people oriented responsible management. By taking this course you are joining many others in the world who endeavor to change our immediate surroundings …

Examining The Relationship Between All-Female Education And Work Outcomes, Angelica Provost

Honors Projects in Management

This thesis is aimed at studying the long-term impact an all-female secondary education has on work outcomes. Most of the current research on an all-female education pertains to current secondary students or those who are in college. There are minimal studies that analyze if one’s educational environment has a long-term influence on their career. This study hypothesized that an all-female secondary education has a long-term impact on job satisfaction, job performance, and job engagement. This impact is manifested through the Big 5 personality traits of conscientiousness and extraversion, as well as the multifaceted personality trait Core Self Evaluation (CSE). While …

Personality Configurations In Teams: A Comparison Of Compilation And Composition Models, Kathryn Ostermeier, Mark Davis, Robert Pavur

Management Department Faculty Journal Articles

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the facilitating and inhibiting influence of team-level negative affectivity and conscientiousness on a dyad of emergent states, adopting and comparing both the composition and compilation perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected over three time points from 410 undergraduate students nested within cross-functional project teams (N = 62). The data, including individual self-reports and judges’ ratings of team performance, were aggregated to the team-level using both composition (mean) and compilation (skewness) approaches.

Findings

The findings indicate that mean-levels of negative affectivity were associated with decreased psychological safety. The use of skewed conscientiousness counterintuitively …

Corporate Social Responsibility And Likelihood Of Financial Distress, Ying Zheng, Yong Wang, Crystal Jiang

Management Department Faculty Journal Articles

Does doing good to society make firms less likely to have financial trouble? This paper looks at the benefit of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and examines whether firms’ CSR engagement affects their chance of falling into financial distress. After analyzing a broad U.S. database spanning 25 years from 1991 to 2015, we find that CSR engagement indeed reduces the likelihood of firms falling into financial distress, and the results are statistically robust and economically significant. Further, we find the impact of CSR on the likelihood of financial distress is more pronounced in economic downturns and for firms with high levels …

Crafting Better Team Climate: The Benefits Of Using Creative Methods During Team Initiation, Dirk Primus, Crystal Jiang

Management Department Faculty Journal Articles

This study employs a mixed methods approach to investigate the effect of creative methods, the combinative use of model building and storytelling, during team initiation on team climate, a critical people-related factor in the management of collective innovation work. Qualitative analysis provides empirical evidence that creative methods benefit team initiation by raising participative confidence, engagement with the social environment as well as the team activities, friendly competition among team members, and by reducing fear of failure and habitual thinking. We also find support that the use of creative methods initiates and supports the development of positive team climate over the …

Making Sense Of Sustainable Seafood Certifications, Samantha Yoder

Honors Projects in Management

This project is aimed at tackling the issues regarding the varying seafood sustainability certifications currently in circulation. It aims to uncover the confusion, controversy, and differences that arise from the numerous governmental policies and organizations that issue seafood sustainability certifications. Furthermore, it will assess the primary motivations for each participant in the sustainable seafood supply chain, as the value derived from participation. Supply chain members considered include the fisheries that supply the seafood products, the various companies that issue the seafood certifications, the grocers that stock the numerous seafood products, the restaurants that serve sustainable seafood products, and the end …

Analysis Of How Companies Should Prepare To Recruit And Manage Generation Z, Corey Pires

Honors Projects in Management

No abstract provided.

Cooking And The Books: A Guide To Restaurant Accounting, Lena Lambrou

Honors Projects in Accounting

The restaurant industry is known for particularly low profit margins; this project aims to understand where restaurants spend money and how expenses can be allocated for in this fast-paced environment. Through research of various cost accounting methods and the adaptability of those methods to restaurant culture, activity based costing (ABC) provided the most useful data for the restaurant. This project focuses on small business restaurants, specifically those that serve pizza. The backbone of experimentation for applying these accounting processes is a local pizza restaurant, in which the managers are unaware of how food cost and operating expenses could be combined …

The Numbers Behind Celebrating More Birthdays: An Analysis Of The American Cancer Society’S Relay For Life, Eva Mahan

Honors Projects in Management

Despite all of the medical technological advances society has experienced, and is still experiencing, there has not been an ultimate cure for cancer found. Non-profit organizations like the American Cancer Society have been working for 100 years to raise funding and awareness for this issue and although great progress has been made since their founding in 1913, there is still more work that needs to be done to make cancer a disease of the past. This study first focuses on the structure of non-profit organizations, their role in society, and the techniques and procedures they follow when looking for donors. …

An Examination Of Localization Success Factors Of Chinese Big Four Accounting Firms, Alexa Mcisaac

Honors Projects in Modern Languages

In May 2012, the Chinese government mandated that once the Big Four accounting (KPMG, PwC, Ernst & Young, and Deloitte) joint venture agreements expire, the firms must begin to localize most of the senior management. Although most of the Big Four firms employ many locals, there are more expatriate partners than Chinese counterparts. Because of this, the Big Four firms must quickly find qualified local senior management personnel. Amongst compliance and global regulatory issues, the Big Four firms must develop a strategy for localizing. Through a survey, this study aims to examine how expatriates and local Chinese managers perceive the …

Coordination, Cooperation, And Collaboration: Defining The C3 Framework, Breanna Weaver

Honors Projects in Management

The term C3 refers to the framework of coordinative, cooperative and collaborative relationships within the realm of external supply chain partnerships. Each unique partnership offers both benefits and challenges within a supply chain and must be aligned with company and supply chain strategy in order to achieve maximum effectiveness. This paper aims to fill the current void in supply chain literature concerning C3 by defining each term based upon current supply chain research as well as give the most prevalent characteristics and differences between each “C” in this phase model. This research is then compared to the industry through a …

Effectiveness And Best Practices Of Lean And Six Sigma Methodologies In Hospitals, Daniel Branco

Honors Projects in Management

Healthcare quality and costs are a growing problem in the United States. Healthcare organizations are facing increasing costs combined with declining quality (Schoenbaum). This unsustainable trend is putting a great burden on the health care system as a whole. The improvement of quality within the healthcare system would increase the value of the care (Schoenbaum).Improving healthcare quality, and thereby lowering the costs, is critical for the sustainability of healthcare organizations.

There are many different ways that organizations can use quality to reduce costs and increase the quality of service to their patients. There are also various ways an organization can …

Enter Business As A Secretary

Historical Documents of Bryant University (1863-present)

Pamphlet written to sell prospective female students on the strengths of the secretarial program at Bryant. Includes lengthy section entitled "These Employers Know Bryant College," listing companies throughout the country who presumably hired Bryant students in the past.

What Mrs. Hunter Told Her Daughter

Historical Documents of Bryant University (1863-present)

Pamphlet designed to interest women in pursuing business-related studies at Bryant College through the story of a conversation between Janet, a theoretical prospective college student, and her mother.

A College Of Higher Education For Business

Historical Documents of Bryant University (1863-present)

Short pamphlet talking about the importance of women in business and the advantages a Bryant education can provide.

"The invention of the typewriter three generations ago opened up new business opportunities for women. Everybody knows that moder business could not run efficiently without women."

Betty Wins A Malted

Historical Documents of Bryant University (1863-present)

Short promotional pamphlet designed to attract career-minded female students to Bryant College. Contains a short story about Betty, a hypothetical student, telling a friend the advantages of studying business at Bryant, as well as some factual information about the school and photos of the Providence campus.

Betty Faces A Poser

Historical Documents of Bryant University (1863-present)

Short promotional pamphlet designed to attract career-minded female students to Bryant College. Contains a short story about Betty, a hypothetical student, telling a friend the advantages of studying business at Bryant, as well as some factual information about the school and photos of the Providence campus.

To The High School Graduate (1), Henry L. Jacobs

Historical Documents of Bryant University (1863-present)

This is a brochure designed to convince young men graduating high school to study business at Bryant College, even after going off to serve in World War 2. Both the brochure and the letter from Bryant President Henry L. Jacobs urges the prospective student to "consider his future, what is to become of him after the war is over and the gigantic reconstruction period sets in."

Careers For Women

Historical Documents of Bryant University (1863-present)

Detailed brochure discussing the career opportunities in the business world during the wartime era and outlining the different programs Bryant College had to offer prospective female students.