Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Religious Violence And Twitter: Networks Of Knowledge, Empathy And Fascination, Samah Senbel, Carly Seigel, Emily Bryan

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

Twitter analysis through data mining, text analysis, and visualization, coupled with the application of actor-network-theory, reveals a coalition of heterogenous religious affiliations around grief and fascination. While religious violence has always existed, the prevalence of social media has led to an increase in the magnitude of discussions around the topic. This paper examines the different reactions on Twitter to violence targeting three religious communities: the 2015 Charleston Church shooting, the 2018 Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting, and the 2019 Christchurch Mosque shootings. The attacks were all perpetrated by white nationalists with firearms. By analyzing large Twitter datasets in response to the attacks, …

The Expression Of The Hijab In American Sports Culture, Nicholas Duca

Sacred Heart University Scholar

Many sports in the West, specifically in American culture, permit religious symbols and practices. Yet Muslim women have been subject to discrimination, bigotry, and disrespect for wearing or wanting to wear a hijab. This study uses philosophical theory, data, and cultural information to explore the stigma behind Muslim women in America and their participation in the sporting activities that are held here. This piece explains how the hijab’s true meaning is dismantled through American culture and the religious meaning behind it, argues why it should be allowed in sporting events, and suggests ways to prevent discrimination against Muslim women who …

How Commercial Advertising Enforces Gender Stereotypes Among Children And The Ways This Affects Them Psychologically, Abigail Frisoli

Sacred Heart University Scholar

Some people believe that children of different sexes are born with completely separate preferences and mindsets which are permanent and predetermined. However, children are very influenced by their surroundings, which is often the main deciding factor which is predetermined by parents and caretakers from birth. Separating children by gender puts them into boxes, stunting their ability to make their own decisions and creating stereotypes. This segregation is painfully apparent in commercial advertising and is proven to have affected children psychologically in ways that can be detrimental.

The Value Of A Sports Franchise: The Influence Of Coaches, Fans, And Players, Montgomery Gray

Sacred Heart University Scholar

This article examines existing data to consider the factors that go into the valuation of a sports franchise. Rather than assuming a narrow monetary calculation, I argue for a broader perspective that includes the often incalculable influence of coaches, fans, and players.

Affirming The Purpose Of Affirmative Action: Understanding A Policy Of The Past To Move Toward A More Informed Future, Meagan Schantz

Sacred Heart University Scholar

The application of affirmative action policies to university admissions is a topic of ongoing controversy. This article (ex)amines the debate through an interdisciplinary lens, drawing on the fields of history, law, and ethics. The first section provides historical background on affirmative action policies, tracing how they expanded from the employment sector into higher education. Next examined are legal challenges to affirmative action in admissions, with a focus on the pivotal 1978 Bakke case. The ethical implications of affirmative action are next considered, in particular the question of how affirmative action can be applied in a way that supports disenfranchised groups …

Sexual Assault Of United States Olympic Athletes: Gymnastics, Taekwondo, And Swimming, Chloe Meenan

Sacred Heart University Scholar

The distribution of power in American Olympic sports has made room for the development of a culture of sexual assault. This culture has continued to grow and the organizations in authority have not done enough to put a stop to the abuse. First, I will address the troubles that victims have when sharing their stories, due to the distribution of power within the organizations, namely in gymnastics, taekwondo, and swimming. I focus on the Me Too Movement and the influence that social media has had in making strides towards raising awareness about sexual assault. I will explore the specifics of …

Pressure To Be Perfect, Genevieve Nitzsche

Sacred Heart University Scholar

Eating disorders have become more prevalent in recent years, as societal standards have gotten harsher. Typically, when non-athletes think about the type of people who develop eating disorders, they may not consider athletes to be among those that are most affected. However, in sports such as wrestling and aesthetic sports, like gymnastics and figure skating, the emphasis of image and the pressure from coaches can be extremely harmful to athletes’ mental health. This article discusses specific statistics of the incidence of eating disorders in various sports, but mainly focuses on figure skating, gymnastics, and wrestling. The claim that the main …

The Role Of Institutions, Islamism, And Militaries In The Outcomes Of The Arab Spring: The Cases Of Tunisia, Egypt, And Syria, Olivia Delmonico

Sacred Heart University Scholar

During the Arab Spring in 2011, much of the Middle Eastern world faced a series of uprisings demanding democracy and equality. Most of these attempts at revolution desperately failed, with some nations faring far worse than before. Some, however, remain more stable than others, with Tunisia being the sole full success. This article delves into the varying causes of the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria. These countries respectively represent the good, the bad, and the ugly outcomes of the Arab Spring.

Through a thorough analysis of other literature on the subject, I conclude that the success of modern Arab …

Air Pollution And Life Expectancy, Zoë Kelly

Sacred Heart University Scholar

This article explores the effect of air pollution on life expectancy. While prior studies heavily supported the link between long-term exposure to air pollution and harmful effects on health, most are based on single-country data. The objective of this article is to fill the gap in the literature by conducting a cross-country analysis. It evaluates the effect of average air pollution on life expectancy across 111 countries between 2010 and 2015. The additional country-specific control variables that are used include GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita, percentage of people with access to water, population density, health care expenditure (in terms …

Gender, Race, And Violence: A Critical Examination Of Trauma In The Color Purple, Jessica Lewis

Sacred Heart University Scholar

The purpose of this article is to analyze the roles gender and race play in relation to trauma in Alice Walker’s novel, The Color Purple. Specifically, the article argues that gender and race are the underlying causes of the violence and trauma experienced by Walker’s female characters, Celie, Sophia, and Squeak. While violence does not always lead to internal conflict, this critical examination looks chiefly at trauma that is derived from violence. As a catalyst for targeted violence, identity categories, in particular female and African American are explored and their roles in oppression are investigated. In doing so, the …

Use Of Academic Resources Among Different Socioeconomic Classes, Kristin Zimmerman

Sacred Heart University Scholar

Access to academic resources is influenced by socioeconomic status. Based on Bourdieu’s concept of economic and cultural capital and Lareau’s theory of social inequality, it is hypothesized that students from high socioeconomic status would access academic resources at a significantly higher rate. This hypothesis was evaluated in a survey of 120 college students. Basic hypothesis testing showed no significant differences. Advanced hypothesis testing, however, found a significant difference for males and undergraduate seniors. The results suggest a trend that students from lower socioeconomic families access academic resources at a higher rate than students from higher socioeconomic families. A more diverse …

An Examination Of Job Opportunities, Candidates, And Salaries In The Field Of Entrepreneurship, Todd A. Finkle

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

This article examines whether the field of entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly institutionalized by examining market trends, AACSB jobs, and salaries. The findings indicate that the field is becoming increasingly institutionalized through market trends. During 2014/15, there were 471 advertised positions and 163 candidates in Schools of Business and Management. The number of tenure track positions (261) was significantly higher than the number of tenure track candidates (161) for a ratio of 1.62. This is the highest ratio of tenure track positions to candidates since 2005/06 (2.1). Out of the 261 tenure track positions, 174 were at AACSB institutions.The ratio of …

The Glass Cage: The Gender Pay Gap And Self-Employment In The United States, Leanna Lawter, Tuvana Rua, Jeanine K. Andreassi Ph.D.

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

Self-employment is often viewed as a more desirable work arrangement than working as an employee for a firm. Women are pushed into self-employment due to organizational factors, such as a shrinking workforce or limited job opportunities, while being attracted to self-employment by the many psychological and social benefits (e.g., independence, flexibility, work-life balance, job satisfaction). Despite more women moving into self-employment, this type of employment still has different financial consequences for men and women. This article investigates whether a pay gap exists for self-employed women after controlling for industry, occupation, and hours worked and seeks to quantify the gender wage …

The Influence Of Social Identity On Rural Consumers’ Intent To Shop Locally, Rachel A. Addis, Marko Grunhagen

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

Rural consumers’ in- and out-shopping intention has been a research topic for many years. This study investigates the relationship between social identity and rural consumers’ intent to shop within their local community, along with a number of moderating demographic variables. Using a sample of respondents from the Midwest, this study found a significant and positive relationship between rural consumers who socially identify with people in their local community and their intent to inshop. The influence of several demographic moderators is also explored, and implications for practice and future re-search are discussed.

Will "Smarter" Marketing End Social Discrimination? A Critical Review, Frances Grodzinsky, Andra Gumbus, Stephen J. Lilley

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

Purpose - There are two claims made by the web marketing/advertising industry. 1) By collecting, managing, and mining data, companies serve consumer’s best interests and 2) by adopting sophisticated analytics web marketers avoid discriminations that disserve individuals. Although we share an interest in ending social discrimination, we are more circumspect about pronounced individualism and technological fixes. Despite its appeal, or perhaps because of it, we should not accept the claim at face value. In this paper we argue that social discrimination may not disappear under smarter marketing; more overt forms may wane only to be replaced by more subtle forms. …

Self Vs. Organizational Employment: The Neglected Case Of Positive Spillover, David J. Prottas

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

Self-employment is presented as enabling people to better balance their work and family roles but research on its effectiveness is equivocal. We collected survey data from 280 self- and organizationally-employed certified public accountants and conducted a multivariate analysis comparing positive spillover and conflict between the two groups.The self-employed reported less work-to-family conflict with no differences with respect to family-to-work conflict or positive spillovers. However, there were different patterns between male and female subsamples: self-employed males experienced less conflict and more positive spillover than male employees, whereas self-employed females had less of one form of conflict but more of the other.

The Glass Ceiling Women Face: An Examination And Proposals For Development Of Future Women Entrepreneurs, Janet Nixdorff, Theodore H. Rosen

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

As of 2007, there were an estimated 10.4 million businesses in the United States that were owned and operated by women. The number of women-owned firms has continued to grow at around twice the rate of all firms for the past two decades (Center for Women’s Business Research, 2008). On the other hand, women comprise only 15.4 percent of corporate officers in Fortune 500 companies (Catalyst, 2007b) and, in 2003, held only 14.8 percent of board seats in the Fortune 500 (Catalyst, 2007a).To better understand the glass ceiling faced by both female entrepreneurs and women leaders, the research on women’s …

The Impact Of Entrepreneurial Personality Traits On Perception Of New Venture Opportunity, Jun Yan

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

This empirical study examined links between entrepreneurial personality traits and perception of new venture opportunity in a sample of 207 respondents. Four entrepreneurial personality traits were included to predict respondents’ perception of new venture opportunity. They are (1) achievement motivation, (2) locus of control, (3) risk propensity, and (4) proactivity.The results of multiple regression analysis show that three of the four entrepreneurial personality traits—locus of control, risk propensity, and proactivity—related significantly to perception of new venture opportunity in expected directions. Among the three personality traits, proactivity was found to have the strongest influence over entrepreneurial perception. No significant relationship was …

Smes And Poverty Alleviation In Nigeria: Marketing Resources And Capabilities Implications, Olalekan U. Asikhia

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

This article seeks to identify the mediating role of marketing resources and capabilities in small and medium enterprises (SMEs)—poverty alleviation relationship. A qualitative approach of conceptualization of the interconnectedness of the major variables of the study is undertaken. Despite several development programs of SMEs and poverty alleviation, the poverty level of Nigerian SMEs has dragged with incidence of high SMEs failure. Marketing resources and capabilities are suggested as probable missing links between SMEs and profitable exchanges that lead to wealth creation, thus alleviating and eradicating poverty. While empirical study in this direction is vital, the current conceptual model shows that …

Psychographic Segmentation Of The Self-Employed: An Exploratory Study, Matthew G. Kenney, Art Weinstein

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

Although it is well established in the academic literature that entrepreneurs share common traits, there has been limited research dedicated to evaluating psychographic profiles of the self-employed. Using the Nominal Group Technique, the authors gleaned insight from a panel of experts in an effort to segment the self-employed based on personality traits and the benefits they receive from an entrepreneurial career. The findings show that self-employed individuals can be classified into four distinct segments: Exemplars, Generals, Moms and Dads, and Altruists. Each group derives different benefits from self-employment. Understanding these benefits can greatly assist entrepreneurship educators and marketers of small …

Applying The “Contextual Integrity” Model Of Privacy To Personal Blogs In The Blogoshere, Frances Grodzinsky, Herman T. Tavani

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

In this paper, we analyze some controversial aspects of blogging and the blogosphere from the perspective of privacy. In particular, we focus on Helen Nissenbaum’s theory of privacy as “contextual integrity” and apply it to personal blogs, in general, and the case of the “Washingtonienne” blogger, in particular. We examine the question of whether personal blogs that are not password protected can be considered “normatively private contexts” according to Nissenbaum’s principles of privacy. We argue that they cannot. Using Nissenbaum’s original model, we conclude that privacy expectations for those who disclose personal information in such blogs are unrealistic. We also …

The Aging Population And Mature Entrepreneurs: Market Trends And Implications For Entrepreneurship, Robert P. Singh

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

This article discusses the statistics and trends surrounding the rapidly aging U.S. population. Older workers will make up an increasing portion of the workforce and these individuals represent an important growing demographic target market. While much has been written about the aging population and the potential for entrepreneurs to target this growing market, little research has been conducted on older entrepreneurs. They are a unique group and this article provides empirical results and discussion about the differences and importance of older entrepreneurs to the economy and as contributors to American society. Practical implications and future research directions are discussed.

Online File Sharing: Resolving The Tensions Between Privacy And Property, Frances Grodzinsky, Herman T. Tavani

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

This essay expands upon an earlier work (Grodzinsky and Tavani, 2005) in which we analyzed the implications of the Verizon v RIAA case for P2P Networks vis-à-vis concerns affecting personal privacy and intellectual property. In the present essay we revisit some of the concerns surrounding this case by analyzing the intellectual property and privacy issues that emerged in the MGM Studios v. Grokster case. These two cases illustrate some of the key tensions that exist between privacy and property interests in cyberspace. In our analysis, we contrast Digital Rights Management (DRM) and Interoperability and we examine some newer distribution models …

A System Dynamics Approach To Assessing Public Policy Impact On The Sustainable Growth Rate Of New Ventures, Jeff W. Trailer, Kuau Garsson

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

The growth of firms is fundamentally based on self-reinforcing feedback loops, one of the most important of which involves cash flow. When profit margin is positive, sales generate cash, which may then be reinvested to finance the operating cash cycle. We analyze simulations of a sustainable growth model of a generic new venture to assess the importance of taxes, and regulatory costs in determining growth. The results suggest that new ventures are particularly vulnerable to public policy effects, since their working capital resource levels are minimal, and they have few options to raise external funds necessary to fuel their initial …

Knowledge Flows And Economic Development Through Microenterprise Collaboration In Third-Sector Communities, Raymond M. Jones, Roger J. Kashlak, Audra M. Jones

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

"The U.N. once dealt only with governments. By now we know that peace and prosperity cannot be achieved without partnership involving governments, international organizations, the business community and civil society. In today’s world we depend on each other.” Kofi Annan, UN Secretary (1999).

As emphasized by Secretary Annan’s quote, the global community is increasingly concerned with economic development and promotion of democracies is focusing on developing programs to stimulate partnerships among three distinct sectors: government sector, civil society and private sector, including locally based and international entrepreneurs. The modern organization is becoming increasingly informed in its strategies and practices by …

The Region And The Smaller Enterprise: A Discussion Of Appropriate Investigative Methodologies, Ian Pownall

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

Regional policy instruments are typically driven by economic rationales, from either a firm or industrial perspective. Yet too often, these rationales are taken as ex ante to the contexts within which firms and industries compete. Recent regional development research has urged a better link be developed between the individual, the firm, and their context, so as to understand the role of regions in supporting effective competitiveness of organizations. In this article, recent research themes are explored that may shed light on the nature of this relationship and that can be developed into an investigative methodology that could aid policy practitioners …