Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons^™

Insights From The Field: Project Execution Success And Failure, Tracey M. Richardson, James W. Marion Jr, Vittal S. Anantatmula, James R. Gibson

Publications

Project execution plays a decisive role in project success, but past research did not focus on the project manager’s perspective of what needs to be accomplished to achieve success. In this study, the authors used qualitative techniques to look for reoccurring themes related to 44project managers’ responses to interview questions associated with successful project execution and failed project execution. The study found that despite the project management profession growth, professional associations’ efforts, and their professional development endeavors, project management execution seems to be concerned with what has happened versus what is happening in a project. This study provides a conceptual …

Contributions Community Health Centers In The Delta Have Made During The Pandemic And Their Future, Ajah Tiyanna Singleton

Honors Theses

Community health centers that are located in the Mississippi Delta serve as critical points of contact for residents pertaining to medical care. The framework for the services provided locally, and nationally, originate from the now Delta Health Center in Mound Bayou, MS. The care that providers within these institutions have transformed over the course of the pandemic, and the aid rendered to patients have enabled residents to maintain their current level of health. Analyzing the various services provided during this time will allow for stakeholders to determine the next steps for these institutions as the imminent transition into a COVID-19 …

Creating A Healthy Rural Ecosystem For Community Vitality: Developing Rural Community Business Research, Karalyn Kutzer, Dr. Emily Newell

Thinking Matters Symposium

The objective of this project is to create a model of and mechanism for statewide, systematic data collection to support workforce development pathways for P-20 students in rural Maine to ensure the long-term vitality and success of these communities. Businesses, as sites of financial and social capital development, can be more thoughtfully calibrated to local workforce needs in these communities. However, data is not currently made available to businesses and community leaders that would allow them to make thoughtful decisions about how to use community resources and time in order to create these partnerships. Businesses and economic growth in rural …

Improving Feedforward Controls To Improve Npd Portfolio Performance – An Empirical Study, Mark H. Baker, Mike Bourne

Engaged Management ReView

Managers making crucial project selections in large, fast-changing project portfolios face the challenge of balancing the tension between control (performance) and creativity (experimentation/innovation). To better manage this challenge and to improve performance, some practitioners and scholars have considered the application of more sophisticated feedforward controls in new product development portfolio project selections. However, empirical studies of changes in the sophistication of such controls and of their influence on performance are lacking. We use an engaged scholarship approach and an action research methodology in a large international organization with multiple business units to study the post-intervention changes in applied controls and …

Don't Forget The "G" In Esg: The Sec And Corporate Governance Disclosure, Jennifer O'Hare

Faculty Publications

For years, many shareholders—both institutional and individual investors—have pressured the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to require public companies to disclose more information about the environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) risks facing the company. However, the SEC has generally refused calls to require public corporations to disclose, for example, how they are addressing climate change or workforce diversity challenges. With a new president in the White House and a new administration at the SEC, the SEC will soon propose new ESG disclosure rules, requiring more information about the “E” and the “S” in ESG. But the SEC has forgotten the …

Arclothmasks: A Pandemic Startup Journey, Adam Jackson

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

Covid-19 changed the way the world operated when it became a pandemic in 2020. The need for personal protection equipment was unexpected and suppliers were not prepared for the demand. The government mandate of masks furthered the need of PPE across the nation. To help fill this shortage, many companies began to retool their manufacturing processes from clothing to masks. This thesis will dive into one PPE company and its journey from the start of the pandemic. The business plan for the company will follow it along with graphs and charts that help tell the tale of the startup.

Internship Thesis – Koch Industries, Sophia Gesualdi

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

The history of Koch Industries dates back to 1927, when Fred C. Koch improved the process of converting heavy oil into gasoline. This innovation was the moment that started it all; the company has only grown since its humble beginnings. Today, Koch Industries (Koch) is one of the largest privately held companies in America (Summary of Koch Industries History). Koch has involvement in an extremely diverse list of businesses and industries around the world; the organization is a conglomerate of companies that all function under the same umbrella. Two of the most noteworthy companies owned by Koch Industries are Flint …

Case Study Of Otis: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, And Mattering In Onboarding Practices, Caitlin Skolasky

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

It was during the Summer of 2021 that I completed a sales internship at Otis Elevator Company in Nashville, Tennessee. Throughout this time, other interns and I conducted a project regarding the diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and mattering (DEIBM) aspects of onboarding. After presenting ways that their company could improve the process, I wanted to dive deeper into the many different topics that this can cover for all organizations. It is important to note just how crucial the onboarding process as well as the variety of applicants that employers should understand the pain points of is when it comes to …

Strengthening The Southern Nevada Workforce Pipeline, Katie M. Gilbertson

Student Research

Workforce development has been a keystone in the discussion of economic diversification of Las Vegas for decades. The leisure and hospitality industry is the lifeline for the Southern Nevada economy due to the reliance on tourism as the city’s main economic driver. The leisure and hospitality industry requires physical labor and more face-to-face customer interaction than other employment sectors. Thus, these jobs often do not require high educational attainment, but rather sharp soft skills like effective listening, nonverbal communication, and negotiation strategies. While these are valuable traits, the lack of educational attainment within the leisure and hospitality workforce suppresses employees’ …

“Tiktok Made Me Try It”: Social Media’S New Role In Marketing Strategies And Its Effect On Consumer Behavior, Preston Starkey

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study investigates the impact that social media has on marketing strategies and consumer behavior. Social media has risen significantly in popularity over the past decade, and with the introduction of Social Media Influencers, brands have found a new market to promote their products. However, there is very little research conducted to show how social media users are engaging with the new marketing strategies and how it affects their purchasing behavior. This study begins by performing two case studies on brands that have successfully utilized social media to market their products: Crumbl Cookies and Chipotle Mexican Grill. This study then …

Implementing A Micro-Business Internship Program In Dangriga, Belize, Shaadee Shojai

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Over the Summer, I was able to work with Peacework in Belize through the University of Arkansas. While I was unable to physically go to Belize due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, I feel that I was still able to learn about the culture, in both the casual and business workplace, as well as help the people of Dangriga. The goal of my project was to help consult with the Tourism Department of Dangriga to help develop their small business into businesses that were more appealing to tourists. Unfortunately, most people who own small businesses in Dangriga can’t support themselves with …

Job Satisfaction Through The Lens Of Turnover Intentions And Burnout For Academic Faculty, Amrita Tharappel Thomas

Business Administration Dissertations - Archive

ABSTRACT: A recent advice article published by The Chronicle of Higher Education addressed how Tenure and Tenure-Track faculty members are leaving their academic positions at college and universities. Education underwent tremendous change due to the COVID-19 Pandemic as faculty had to transition from in-person lectures and laboratory classes to teaching all classes and lectures in a virtual format and then a hybrid between in-person and online. The changes caused by the Pandemic came swiftly but did not come with ease. My dissertation examines Job Satisfaction through the lens of Turnover Intentions and Burnout for Academic Faculty. I surveyed faculty around …

Pay Negotiations Differences In Men And Women How Gender’S Effect On Self-Advocacy Contributes To Sex Discrimination In Corporations, Laurel Mccabe

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sex discrimination comes in many shapes and colors, such as not wanting to hire pregnant women, passing women up for promotions because of their status of motherhood, women being more likely to be removed from their upper management positions when things go wrong compared to their male counterparts, and economic differences in negotiated outcomes based on gender. Sex discrimination is something organizations should be concerned with their participation in and facilitation of and examine, internally, how to diminish its effect on female employees. Organizations need to clarify that wages are negotiable and increase visibility into compensation plans, hiring, and promotions. …

The Importance Of Agile Reporting Methods In A Retail Sales Environment, Katie Haefner

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

The primary objective of this project is to understand the importance of agile reporting methodologies for a retail sales team. Data has proven to be very vital for businesses to use and understand. In software systems that serve as data warehouses, it is expected that value be provided at each iteration within the system. This includes all the measurements, metrics, and reports. Agile reporting effects the way that data is utilized within a company. This paper looks at some of ways that value can be added when companies focus on ways to consolidate and standardize data as well as make …

Earnings Management In Response To Fair Treatment: The Roles Of Organizational Identity And Moral Identity, Kimberly M. Bates

Management Dissertations - Archive

Fraud continues to be an issue that organizations face globally, losing an estimated 5% of annual revenue for a total of $4.5 trillion globally. However, fraudulent behavior is difficult to study due to the unacceptable nature of it. I provide researchers with an adapted measure of earnings management that mitigates the socially undesirable act of earnings management which can suppress findings in self-reported studies. Additionally, based on the target similarity model, my dissertation considers accountants’ perception of fair treatment by the organization on willingness to engage in earnings management benefiting the organization. I survey 123 financial and managerial accountants to …

Not All Discounts Are Created Equal: Power Distance Belief And Locus-Of-Discount In A Product Bundle, Hsin-Yi Liao

Business Administration Dissertations - Archive

ABSTRACT: This paper examines the relationship between power distance belief (PDB) – the tendency to accept and endorse power disparity – and preference for a discount on the focal (vs. tie-in) product in a product bundle. The findings show that high PDB consumers prefer a discount on the focal (vs. tie-in) product in a bundle, whereas low PDB consumers’ preference is not affected by the locus-of-discount. This difference is driven by the greater tendency to differentiate among high (vs. low) PDB consumers. Furthermore, contextual factor that affect consumers’ differentiation tendency, namely consumers’ prioritization tendency, set boundary condition for the impact …

An Analysis Of The Environmental And Security Risks Related To Crude Oil Transportation, Carolina Ana Da Graca

Honor’s College Freeman Research Journal

This paper informs and reviews the environmental and security risks related to crude oil transportation. The necessity for oil in various nations has increased the volume of oil transportation, resulting in the exponential change in the maritime oil transportation business. As a result, the vulnerabilities and the demand for safety have grown in importance. Today, transportation oil spills account for roughly 13% of all oil contamination in the world's waterways. This paper aims to understand how oil spills happen, the major contributors' factors, and prevention methods. To complete my goal, I interviewed 20 people, 4 of them independently and the …

Accounting Internship Thesis - Koch Industries, Casey Rivero

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis outlines my accounting internship experience with Koch Industries during the summer of 2021. It describes the company's background, explains my role and responsibilities throughout the summer, and details the tools and technology I worked with. This thesis shows what is to be expected of the present day accountant and bridges the gap between university course material and real-life corporate application.

Altering Overdraft Fee Policies To Promote Consumer Financial Health, Nadia Barbarawi

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this study is to describe the traditional overdraft practices, explain the reaction of the banking industry from the pressure coming from consumers, regulators, and innovative companies to reduce or eliminate overdraft fees to promote consumer financial health.

How Corporate America Has Been Impacted By Remote Work, Jack Berg

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis evaluates how the new era of remote work has affected organizations and their employers. Specifically, it focuses on the effect remote work has had on productivity and revenue within companies, as well as the mental health and work-life balance implications it has had on employees. Furthermore, this analysis focuses on the history of remote work, how companies have had to adapt in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and how remote work will look in post-COVID-19 times. In addition, all possibilities will be assessed to examine how efficient remote work is in the workplace.

Multiple resources were …