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Articles 1 - 30 of 35
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
The Potential Growth Of Synchronized Skating In The Midwestern Section Of Us Figure Skating, Hanna Marie Fussman
The Potential Growth Of Synchronized Skating In The Midwestern Section Of Us Figure Skating, Hanna Marie Fussman
Masters Theses
Synchronized skating, a sport in which eight to twenty skaters perform a program in unison as a team, is the fastest growing yet least known and recognized discipline of figure skating in the United States. Skaters do not have control over whether they are exposed to synchronized skating due to their location not having a team, or due to a coach who has tainted the perception of their students to believe that synchronized skating is not as “worthy” of a discipline, causing them to have little to no interest to take advantage of the exposure and opportunities they may have. …
An Examination Of Types Of Health Insurance And The Reported Prevalence Of Autism In The United States, Jennifer L. Thompson
An Examination Of Types Of Health Insurance And The Reported Prevalence Of Autism In The United States, Jennifer L. Thompson
Dissertations
The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders continues to rise despite barriers of changes to diagnostic criteria and lack of insurance coverage. Increases in prevalence affect costs associated with a disorder since cost of health care services are often estimated based on utilization of services. This can also affect an individual’s ability to access to health care services. To equitably distribute autism services to individuals an accurate estimation of the true prevalence of autism is needed.
Access to health care can be influenced by the type of insurance coverage a person holds. Other factors, such as socio-economic status, ethnicity, location of …
Applied Microeconomics And Business Intelligence In The Digital Age, Thomas J. Weinandy
Applied Microeconomics And Business Intelligence In The Digital Age, Thomas J. Weinandy
Dissertations
The Digital Age is defined by advances in big data, low-cost computing, and modern analytical methods. In three chapters, I apply microeconomic thought to the influence these digital technologies have on business and consumer decision-making.
Chapter One considers how Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft impact the relationship between the quantity of car service trips and fuel prices. I find that a single day 1% increase in fuel prices is associated with a 0.367 to 0.486% decrease in the number of TNC trips and a 0.033 to 0.088% increase in the number of taxi trips, even though the …
Collegiate Dance Club Marketing Plan, Aubrie Malhoit
Collegiate Dance Club Marketing Plan, Aubrie Malhoit
Honors Theses
The objective of this thesis is to develop a marketing plan to support the creation and implementation of a new dance club at Western Michigan University (WMU). A situational analysis was conducted that established that there are currently no dance-related opportunities on campus that offers a low time commitment and multiple styles of dance for all skill levels of dancers. Based on primary research, this marketing plan outlines a strategy for the inauguration of a dance club that encompasses what current dance-related activities at WMU are lacking and incorporates the features students are looking for in a new dance club. …
Experiential Learning In Collegiate Academia: The Silicon Valley Immersion, Kirsten Settle
Experiential Learning In Collegiate Academia: The Silicon Valley Immersion, Kirsten Settle
Honors Theses
A thesis in an examination of experiential collegiate learning, specifically that are found within the vocational field of entrepreneurship and business management. This student-driven project’s objective primarily is to recruit a dedicated team of diverse students from Western Michigan University (WMU) to engage in a systematic, site-based experiential learning in one of the world’s biggest tech-metropolitans, San Francisco, California. The mission is to stimulate an experience-based approach to studying a business centered curriculum through field research with some of the country’s most successful companies. Participants evaluated company culture in diverse business settings to comprehend professional prospects and project management best …
The Stigma Against Tattoos In The Workplace: San Francisco Versus Kalamazoo Area, Sarah Wroblewski
The Stigma Against Tattoos In The Workplace: San Francisco Versus Kalamazoo Area, Sarah Wroblewski
Honors Theses
Tattooing is becoming a popular way for individuals, especially young adults, to express themselves. This causes a problem with the hiring process for many companies that have policies against tattoos. The following thesis is a creative representation of the stigma against tattoos in the workplace. This thesis looks at how tattoos change perceptions of employability in the Kalamazoo and San Francisco areas. This topic is portrayed by a 30-inch by 20-inch collage of photographs displaying a variety of different tattoos. There is a total of 55 photographs of tattoos in total, 25 taken in San Francisco and 30 taken in …
Studying The Effects Of High School Athletics Social Media, Justin Scott
Studying The Effects Of High School Athletics Social Media, Justin Scott
Honors Theses
This research project focuses on high school athletics social media pages and their relevance to high school communication audiences and institutional communication goals.
I conducted two in-depth interviews with school officials from a large Michigan high school, a survey of the high school sports social media followers, and an analysis of data from that high school’s Facebook page.
I was able to determine that seeing social media content from high school athletics pages had a positive relationship with how the school’s quality of social media communication was perceived, intentions to attend athletic events, and an increased awareness of the school’s …
The Effects Of Repealing The Estate Tax And Reducing The Corporate Tax Rate Coupled With A Repatriation Act, Trenton Vanderlende
The Effects Of Repealing The Estate Tax And Reducing The Corporate Tax Rate Coupled With A Repatriation Act, Trenton Vanderlende
Honors Theses
Given that significant U.S. federal tax reform is taking place for the first time in over 30 years, this paper examines how changing specific tax provisions may affect the average individual taxpayer as well as the wealthiest 1% of Americans. Three potential federal tax law changes are addressed: repealing the estate tax, reducing the corporate statutory income tax rate, and offering a repatriation holiday for remitting the foreign profits earned by U.S. businesses. These changes are analyzed using publicly available data from U.S. Congressional hearings, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Based on this …
Western Michigan University Bronco Marching Band: Proposed Fundraising Plan, Elizabeth Mena
Western Michigan University Bronco Marching Band: Proposed Fundraising Plan, Elizabeth Mena
Honors Theses
The Bronco Marching Band first began in 1915 as a men's only music ensemble, which played mainly seated concerts. After a brief hiatus due to a drop in membership because of the First World War, the band was listed as a student organization again in 1920. Since then it has consistently performed at community and University events. The band, now open to all students, has seen two world wars and multiple school name changes, soon approaches its 100th consecutive year. The band is known for its excellent and entertaining performances and unwavering support for the University and its athletic teams. …
Trends In U.S. Tea Imports: 1991-2015, Evan Kennedy
Trends In U.S. Tea Imports: 1991-2015, Evan Kennedy
Honors Theses
Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world, and over the past two decades it has experienced a newfound popularity in the United States. Over this time period, ready-to-drink and loose-leaf tea has increased in popularity, whereas tea bags and instant tea declined in popularity. Since the United States produces almost no tea itself, an increase in consumption requires increased imports. Therefore, this paper examines U.S. import trends as a means to begin an examination of consumption. Ten countries (Argentina, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam) provide approximately 80% of the …
A Corporate Model: Aligning National Nonprofit Expectations With Regional/Local Efforts To Serve The Mission, Emma A. Powell
A Corporate Model: Aligning National Nonprofit Expectations With Regional/Local Efforts To Serve The Mission, Emma A. Powell
Dissertations
This study seeks to provide a body of knowledge and application of research to the national nonprofit audience. The focus is to study conditions that could lead to better alignment between regional staff understanding and implementation of the national expectations, by identifying alignment behaviors in five indicator areas. These indicators are fundraising, mission delivery, volunteer engagement, HR/operations, and PR/external communications.
Research in the areas of nonprofit structure design, motivation, and mission alignment continue to be significant to the sectors maturity and distinction. Corporate model nonprofit organizations structure is unique to other nonprofits within a local community. Understanding the corporate model …
Ethics In The Nonprofit Sector: A Study On The American Red Cross, Emily Smith
Ethics In The Nonprofit Sector: A Study On The American Red Cross, Emily Smith
Honors Theses
When disaster strikes in the United States, there is one organization that is on everyone’s mind, the American Red Cross. It has operated for over a hundred years on the simple premise of delivering aid to those in need. The organization does this by reacting effectively and efficiently to natural and man-made disasters and delivering humanitarian aid to those affected. In recent years, though, the American Red Cross has come under scrutiny for mismanagement and ineffective disaster relief. The purpose of this paper is to use ethical standards of the nonprofit sector to evaluate and explain the performance of the …
Ez Timeout: The Business Plan, Simbarashe Chirara
Study In The States: Making An Impact On Honors Education, Hayley Weston
Study In The States: Making An Impact On Honors Education, Hayley Weston
Honors Theses
Today, professionals around the world recognize the need for experiential learning in education. Many schools have adopted programs that allow for this type of learning, including The Carl and Winifred Lee Honors College at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The current Dean of the Lee Honors College, Dr. Carla Koretsky, states that, “The benefits of experiential learning are numerous. In a lecture it is easy for the mind to wander, while in experiential learning the students are constantly engaged. They learn more thoroughly and retain more information” (C, Koretsky, personal communication, March 2016). In a separate interview, the Director …
Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Different Observation Methods And An Exploratory Analysis Of The Importance Of Accuracy Of Various Observations On Safety Performance, Marlies Hagge
Dissertations
Behavior Based Safety (BBS) applies various types of safety observation to improve occupational safety in business. The purpose of the following study was to examine and compare different observation foci: peer-observation, self-observation and a combination of both options as well as supervisor observations and observations of employee behavior obtained by research assistants (RA). Participants were unionized employees of the facilities management department at a Midwestern university. Target behaviors included safe lifting and vacuuming. The dependent variables were safety performance and the discrepancy between the different observation types. Incident data were also reported. The different observational methods were investigated via a …
Residential Property Values And Historic Districts: A Kalamazoo Case Study, Curtis Aardema
Residential Property Values And Historic Districts: A Kalamazoo Case Study, Curtis Aardema
Masters Theses
Historic districts have been a point of contention in political, economic and community circles since their inception in the early twentieth century, but their impact has grown since the 1966 passage of the National Historic Preservation Act. Often cited by proponents as a productive tool for preserving the cultural and physical elements of the American built environment, historic districts are alternately branded as burdensome and regressive to future development by critics. In order to provide a quantitative assessment of the economic impact of historic districts, this project compares property values from 1990, 2000 and 2010 in both a historically designated …
Managing The Credibility Of A Nonprofit Organization In The Face Of Unexpected Publicity, Regan Crowell
Managing The Credibility Of A Nonprofit Organization In The Face Of Unexpected Publicity, Regan Crowell
Honors Theses
Ethical conduct of a nonprofit organization was suspected to impact the credibility of the organization as perceived by its stakeholders. This study uses secondary research for three nonprofit organizations in order to gain a closer look at the ethical issues of compensation, conflicts of interest, and the combined issues of accountability and strategic management. The nonprofit organizations discussed are United Way, Susan G. Komen, and The ALS Association. Each faced unexpected publicity, either positive or negative, and managed the organization’s credibility through dealing with one of the named ethical issues. Based on the case studies conducted for the three nonprofit …
From Altruism To Investment: Venture Philanthropy And Its Impact On Shared Governance At Liberal Arts Colleges, Joshua D. Merchant
From Altruism To Investment: Venture Philanthropy And Its Impact On Shared Governance At Liberal Arts Colleges, Joshua D. Merchant
Dissertations
Competition for philanthropic dollars has escalated in recent years, particularly in higher education. A new type of charitable giving – venture philanthropy – has emerged and is impacting both educational policy and practice. Venture philanthropy involves donors using business models, championed practices of venture capitalists, and decision making procedures to drive their philanthropy and ongoing engagement with organizations they support.
Venture philanthropy has the potential to improve the financial vitality of colleges and universities. However, it also poses significant questions to the academy as more colleges and universities engage with donors who embrace its tenets. The primary research question seeks …
Location And Competitive Strategy In Retail: The Case Of Gamestop In Michigan, Karl P. Schrantz
Location And Competitive Strategy In Retail: The Case Of Gamestop In Michigan, Karl P. Schrantz
Masters Theses
The State of Michigan offers a unique retail environment that offers a diverse arena for firms to interact and compete in. The state has many cities of different size and a multitude of retail chains that operate within them. Over the past two decades this competition has become even stiffer with the rapid growth of big box retailers. In spite of this general notion there are often the less known stories of small retailers that have been able to compete and survive big box retailing. This research aims to assess how a smaller retail chain, GameStop in this case, is …
Behavior Based Sales: A Study Of Behavioral Techniques For Sales Performance Improvement, Peder Henrik Seglund
Behavior Based Sales: A Study Of Behavioral Techniques For Sales Performance Improvement, Peder Henrik Seglund
Dissertations
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the impact of a behavior-based sales training package on sales performance for the sales divisions of two different organizations located in separate cities in the Midwestern United States. The independent variable was a package that included: behavior-based sales training; feedback; and reinforcement. The primary dependent variable was sales performance results, which is a measure of the participants’ closing percentage. Secondary dependent variables included income, participant attendance at sales meetings, participant satisfaction, and changes in knowledge (at site 2 only).
The intervention package was implemented at each site over a course of …
The Relationship Among Training Policy, Knowledge Transfer, And Performance Improvement: A Study Of Private Sector Organizations In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, Fayez M. Shafloot
The Relationship Among Training Policy, Knowledge Transfer, And Performance Improvement: A Study Of Private Sector Organizations In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, Fayez M. Shafloot
Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to explore human resource (HR) managers' perceptions of training practices (i.e., needs assessment, trainee preparation, training program review, accountability, management support, knowledge transfer, and performance improvement) in Saudi private sector organizations. The research questions were: (1) How do HR managers perceive the importance and or occurrence of training needs assessment, trainee preparation, training program review, accountability and management support? (2) How do HR managers perceive knowledge transfer and performance improvement as a function of training? and (3) What training factors do HR managers identify as being important to the delivery of training?
Data were …
The Family And Medical Leave Act: Effects On Women's Wages And Employment, Andrea E. Miller
The Family And Medical Leave Act: Effects On Women's Wages And Employment, Andrea E. Miller
Honors Theses
For many years, women's labor force participation and issues of parental leave have been of great importance not only to families and individuals, but also to policy makers, researchers, and employers alike. The Family and Medical Leave Act was the first federal policy enacted in an effort to accommodate medical leave for employees. The Family and Medical Leave Act allowed both men and women to take extended, unpaid leaves due to personal or family medical and health issues. The FMLA establishes a federal, minimum leave threshold in order for employees to take such an extended leave to include the following …
Becoming Formal Or Informal Entrepreneurs: How Institutions Matter, Joël Luc Raveloharimisy
Becoming Formal Or Informal Entrepreneurs: How Institutions Matter, Joël Luc Raveloharimisy
Dissertations
This research explains the factors behind the variation of enterprise creation across countries by looking at the roles of formal and informal institutions and their interactions in the distribution of start-up enterprises in the formal and informal sectors. It tests two competing hypotheses about the individual versus mixed effects of formal institutions (measured by entry regulations) and informal institutions (measured by social capital) on entrepreneurship. The research uses quantitative analysis of data from 48 countries and a qualitative case study of Madagascar.
The findings from the quantitative and qualitative analyses are consistent regarding the independent effects of each set of …
Army Supply Chain Management: Trends And Parellels With Industry, Matthew C. Olson
Army Supply Chain Management: Trends And Parellels With Industry, Matthew C. Olson
Honors Theses
Documents assembled as part of a supply chain management study to compare the tools and concepts used by private industry with the public sector, specifically the Department of Defense and the United States Army.
An Assessment Of Family And Medical Leave Policy, Stefanie Wilde
An Assessment Of Family And Medical Leave Policy, Stefanie Wilde
Honors Theses
The US Family and Medical Leave Act (Public Law 103-3, or 29 CFR 825) and similar policies throughout the world, such as maternity leave policies (PL507 Rev 4) in the UK, or Maternity and Parental leave in Canada, are policies that require employers to provide an employee with a period of leave for the birth or adoption of a child, family and dependent health needs, or personal illness. Under these acts, typically the employer must allow the employee to return to the same position or a position similar to that held before taking the leave. In the United States, an …
Young Singles: A Look At The Grocery Shopping Preferences Of A Unique And Underestimated Market, Survey & Analysis, Kelley Steinhofer
Young Singles: A Look At The Grocery Shopping Preferences Of A Unique And Underestimated Market, Survey & Analysis, Kelley Steinhofer
Honors Theses
Single person households make up a substantial percentage of the total U.S population. More than 102 million people aged 15 and over were not married in 2003. On a household basis, 48.5% of U.S. households were not headed by married couples. Some of these households are "nonfamily" which excludes single parent households according to U.S. Census Bureau definitions. Most studies that examine a specific demographic group have focused on households with children and mature consumers because their purchasing behaviors are highly predictable and easily obtainable. Very little research currently exists on the market of young, single adult consumers. This study …
Affiliation Of Authors In Production And Operations Management Journals, Steven M. Yager
Affiliation Of Authors In Production And Operations Management Journals, Steven M. Yager
Honors Theses
This paper will represent an update of the first two POM research productivity rankings published seven years ago (Young, Baird, Pullman, 1996; Malhotra, Kher, 1996). This study will seek to rank business schools and other organizations, both internationally and within the domestic United States. Researchers in the POM field can also view the results to determine who's who and what universities or organizations are demonstrating an increased focus on POM.
Qualitative Inquiry Of Biased And Exemplary Practices Of White Supervisors In Multicultural Supervision, Brian D. Paul
Qualitative Inquiry Of Biased And Exemplary Practices Of White Supervisors In Multicultural Supervision, Brian D. Paul
Dissertations
No abstract provided.
Children's Attitudes Toward Television Advertising: A State Of The Art Review, Heidi L. Haskins
Children's Attitudes Toward Television Advertising: A State Of The Art Review, Heidi L. Haskins
Honors Theses
The issue of children and advertising came to light in the 1970s and has continued to be a topic of much discussion ever since. In started in the 1970s when the Action for Children's Television petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to eliminate all commercials from children's TV programs. Then in January 1973, the major networks agreed to reduce commercial time in children's weekend programs from 16 minutes an hour to 12 minutes an hour. In 1991, the Better Business Bureau estimated that children in the U.S. watch an average of 3.5 hours of television every day, and the average …
The Effects Of A Combination Of Feedback, Goals, And Consequences On The Performance Of Four Small Businesses, Timothy V. Nolan
The Effects Of A Combination Of Feedback, Goals, And Consequences On The Performance Of Four Small Businesses, Timothy V. Nolan
Dissertations
Performance measurement approaches such as the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) offer a format for attending to a few performance metrics rather than several different performance indicators. While the BSC approach offers a nice format for tracking performance, it does not provide a conceptual framework for improving performance. That framework can be found in Behavioral Systems Analysis. The Total Performance System emphasizes the importance of internal and external feedback in improving performance. Several studies have investigated feedback interventions in organizational settings. The intervention found to be most effective is a combination of feedback, goals, and consequences. The purpose of the current study …