Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Commons^™

Delta Air Lines Strategic Audit, Victoria Diersen, Rebecca Koppelman, Nicholas Lauver, Aaryan Naik, Drake Vorderstrasse

Honors Theses

This case study focuses on Delta Air Lines, a prominent company in the airline industry. We conducted a strategic audit utilizing theories and principles central to strategic management to complete the case study. Our research used publicly available information that included the company’s website, SEC filings, news articles, and industry analysis. The goal of this case study is to collect and analyze data, apply strategic management concepts to a contemporary organization, and evaluate the firm’s potential for competitive advantage.

We looked at many factors for Delta Air Lines, including firm analysis, industry analysis, external analysis, internal analysis, performance analysis, competitive …

Lockheed Martin Strategic Audit, Trevor Deboer, Gunnar Lombard, Sam Nelson, Tj Taylor, Paul Wynegar

Honors Theses

Abstract

This case study explores Lockheed Martin, a global leader in defense contracting. Our team performed a strategic audit using the theories of strategic management. Our research was pulled from various sources, including Lockheed Martin’s website, SEC filings, related news articles, and relevant industry analysis. The goals of this case study revolved around collecting data and performing analysis to evaluate Lockheed Martin’s potential for competitive advantage in the airplane and parts manufacturing industry.

Some of the various analyses performed on Lockheed Martin include firm analysis, industry analysis, internal analysis, external analysis, competitive dynamics, business-level strategy, corporate-level strategy, and exploring their …

Mattel Strategic Audit, Ellie Anderson, Samuel Gertner, Logan Connealy, Julia Michner, Chris Payant

Honors Theses

This case study focuses on Mattel, Inc., a prominent company in the toy industry. To complete the case study, we conducted a strategic audit utilizing different theories and principles used in management. We conducted significant research using publicly available information, including the company’s website, SEC filings, news articles, industry analysis, and more. The goal of the report is to analyze data and use a real-world company to apply management concepts.

We looked at many factors for Mattel, including industry analysis, external analysis, internal analysis, performance analysis, competitive dynamics, business level strategy, and corporate level strategy to complete the case study. …

Business Plan For Ổ Bánh Mì, Tiana Pham

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Amazon.Com, Inc Strategic Audit, Ningzhi Luo

Honors Theses

Amazon.com, Inc (Amazon) was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994 as an online marketplace for books but later expanded to e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. This large variety of products and innovations has contributed to Amazon as one of the most influential economic and cultural forces in the world (Eugene Kim, 2018). This study would specifically focus on the e-commerce area and analyze Amazon's position in this market from an external and internal perspective by using three models: Porter's Five Forces, PESTEL, and the SWOT model. The report would identify Amazon's competitive advantages and the challenges it …

Does Extrinsic Motivation Affect Creativity Within Diverse Teams?, Gitanjali K. Viswanathan

Honors Theses

This study analyzes the relationship between extrinsic motivation and creativity in teams. The moderation effect of functionality, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and diversity within a team is also considered. A survey was constructed and distributed to students within Sections 1 and 6 of the course Principles of Management at The University of Mississippi. Survey data were collected from 77 respondents and used for hierarchical regression and moderation analysis. The results of this study do not support extrinsic motivation as a significant predictor of creativity. Functionality, agreeableness, and conscientiousness each demonstrate a separate, significant interaction effect with extrinsic motivation. However, …

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing In The 21st Century: Identification And Analysis Of Key Elements, Robert N. Mills

Honors Theses

The availability of quality pharmaceutical products impacts the lives of the global population on a daily basis. The importance of product availability and quality within pharmaceutical manufacturing requires that quality systems put into place are capable of accurately and robustly capturing the quality compliance, or lack thereof, of the various stages of production. This review intends to analyze current expert-recommended best practices within key elements of a pharmaceutical manufacturing quality control system and provide recommendations throughout. The quality elements discussed include Quality by Design method validation, necessary equipment determination, and equipment qualification, followed by documentation control and data flow.

Managing A Crisis: Should America Continue To Encourage Its Youth To Participate In Football Given Recent Findings On Player Safety And Concussions, Brock Matava

Honors Theses

In recent years, more light has been shed on player safety issues when it comes to youth sports, football especially. The major emphasis of concern is on reducing concussion rates among our youth and an exposure to the potentially lifelong disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Financially however, the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of football anywhere in the world, is healthier than it has ever been. If the NFL wants to stay on the fast-track it currently enjoys, concussions and player safety are two issues that it will undoubtedly be under pressure to face. The pros and cons …

A Study Of Perceptions Of Pay Systems, Kayla S. Alford

Honors Theses

This is a study which is interested in perceptions people have toward the varying forms of labor compensation. It specifically compares perceptions of hourly pay with those of performance-based pay(PBP). A survey instrument was used to gather individual perceptions of pay systems by sampling the students in the College of Business at a southern university. This study tested and confirmed that PBP is rated significantly more positive than hourly pay by its respondents. This study also tests whether workplace experience or classroom experience has a significant impact on respondents’ ratings of PBP or hourly pay. Respondents rated PBP attributes more …

Defensive Ability And Salary Determination In Major League Baseball, Christopher B. Shorey

Honors Theses

The process of salary determination in Major League Baseball (MLB) includes multiple levels of bargaining power and performance determinants. Previous studies of MLB salary determination have used a variety of measures of player performance. This paper examines the effect defensive ability has on salary determination for arbitration eligible players and for free agent players. Specifically, it will analyze player salary/contract data negotiated during the 2012-2015 period along with performance data from past seasons to examine the extent to which fielding percentage, errors, and the more recently developed measures of defensive ability affect player salary. Particular attention is paid to matching …

Wmu Career And Student Employment Services – Present Practices And Future Recommendations For Employer Relations, Amanda Jeppesen

Honors Theses

Career services offices currently find themselves in a rapidly changing environment. Due to economic hardship, students and employers are expecting more effective and fruitful engagement, and offices must create innovative solutions to provide such engagement on shrinking budgets. Career services staff charged with conducting employer relations activities are charged with brokering these relationships between employers, students, faculty and staff, and the offerings of their departments. The purpose of this study is to determine current practices for the career services offices at Western Michigan University, Oakland University, and Central Michigan University. Then, best practices identified by industry experts will be explored …

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.

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, …

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

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Remixing Business Models: Technology And The Future Of The Modern Music Industry, Ryan Brown

Honors Theses

The music industry has undergone significant changes throughout the past few decades. The primary basis of these changes is technology, which has impacted everything from finding artists to distributing music. However, record labels have been slow to adapt to these changes, which has led to serious problems such as illegal music downloading. Illegal downloading, also known as "music piracy," has radically changed the entire business and distribution structures within the music industry. Although lawsuits and other strategies have been undertaken to attempt to combat this particular issue, technology will continue to affect the music industry for the foreseeable future. Advances …

Petro-Politics In Venezuela, Zachary Grant

Honors Theses

The twentieth century gave rise to a competition among countries that is exponentially growing vicious. This competition, sometimes referred to as "petroleum politics," has engulfed the late twentieth century and all of the twenty-first century in diplomatic chaos. This has not only stirred animosity among national leaders, it has also caused war and bloodshed on au international scale. In a world where money and nuclear weapons once demonstrated power, countries are now fighting for control of this precious, non-renewable resource and the unlimited amount of power that comes with its control. One man who has strategically used his control of …

Cross-Cultural Influences On Management Practices: It's Impact On Distribution Of Power, Leadership, And Communication. A Comparative Study Between The Dominican Republic And The United States, Paol P. Badia Diaz

Honors Theses

Different nations have particular ways of conducting businesses. At the root of most problems that arise during international negotiations, is a lack of cultural understanding. In a study conducted by Hofstede it was found that over 50% of differences in manager's attitude was due to national culture; a portion that exceeded profession, race, and gender. Many intercultural misunderstandings are due to behaviors of a person from one culture being incorrectly perceived, interpreted and reacted to by a person from another culture (Schmidt, Conaway, Easton & Wardrope, 2007). If the 47 million Latin Americans living in the United States were to …

Businesses Going Green: An Analysis Of The Factors That Motivate Firms To Adopt Environmentally Friendly Practices, Emma Currin

Honors Theses

The purpose of this analysis is not to degrade environmentally friendly efforts by firms, but rather to explore their motivations for adopting such sustainable initiatives. Current research would suggest that businesses are motivated to adopt environmentally friendly practices by a combination of legal requirements, corporate social responsibility, and gaining some sort of businesses advantage such as reduced costs, increased market share, and similar financial benefits. Determining what it is that contributes to a firm's decision making process can have several positive implications. It may help a firm to better address the changing needs of an evolving society, the government to …

The Great Recession And Its Effect On Small Businesses And Unemployment Rates, Alyssa Sharples

Honors Theses

The 2007 financial crisis, otherwise known as the "Great Recession," has impacted the economy tremendously in the past three years. Businesses have been drastically impacted, as have the lives of workers in the United States. Many articles have been published about different aspects of the recession. One question that has not been completely addressed is how the Great Recession has affected small businesses and unemployment rates. The reason for addressing these two topics is because they are closely related to one another. Small business owners are reporting that there has been a decline in sales. Consumers are not willing to …

Multiparty Negotiations And Their Settings: How A Change In Location Can Change Bargaining Strategies, Danielle Borel

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Mission Statements: The Soul Of An Organization, Brian Johns

Honors Theses

When a culture is created or decisions are made, the presence of a viable mission statement is critical. This document can be used as a tool to create a business environment employees are attracted to, as a model for how decisions should be made, and is an image of who the company is and what it does. This paper looks to explore the makeup of a good mission statement through scholarly articles and research and the effect it has on corporate culture through real life examples of top companies in a variety of industries, supported by first-hand experience from the …