Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics Commons^™

Gap, Inc. : A Strategic Audit Of Gap, Inc. Company, Amber Hanson, Ike Mcley, Sophie Thomas, Avery Plessel, Kira Pavlik

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The following paper is a comprehensive overview of the company Gap, Inc., a leading global retailer with a diverse brand portfolio that includes Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta. They compete in the Family Clothing Industry through their operation of over 3,352 brick-and-mortar stores along with offering their digital shopping platform to align with changing consumer preferences. Gap, Inc. plans to maintain financial rigor, reinvigorating its brands, and strengthening its platform. Their strengths are found in their expanding e-commerce segment and their strong commitment to sustainability. Through a broad differentiation strategy, Gap, Inc. targets a diverse consumer demographic across …

A Strategic Audit: Eli Lilly & Company, Natalie Karrels, Ethan Heinemann, Jonathan Patton, Meg Williams

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This strategic audit assesses the external and internal forces impacting Eli Lilly & Company’s strategic decision-making strategies. All information has been gathered from industry reports and company reports, including reports for investors, analyst calls, financial statements, and news reports. The report highlights the quantitative, qualitative, performance, strategy, and leadership decisions that have allowed Eli Lilly & Company to succeed for the past 150 years.

Deepfakes On Trial: Developing A High-Accuracy, Court-Admissible Ai Pipeline For Deepfake Detection In Corporate Fraud Litigation, Aiden J. Green

Honors College Theses

As deepfake technology advances, cybercriminals are increasingly using AI-generated videos and audios to impersonate executives and carry out sophisticated CEO fraud schemes. These synthetic forgeries target human trust and corporate communication systems, creating an urgent need for forensic tools capable of authenticating digital evidence with legal accuracy. This thesis presents a forensic-grade AI deepfake detection pipeline designed for this purpose, emphasizing courtroom admissibility, reproducibility, and evidentiary integrity. Built entirely with free, opensource tools, the framework combines metadata analysis, AI-powered spectrogram analysis, neural artifact detection, and facial manipulation recognition into a transparent workflow that accurately identifies synthetic media. It was trained …

Planting The Seed: Rumors And Ceo Dismissal, Diego Villalpando

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Researchers have investigated the short-term performance implications of CEO dismissals as assessed through investor reactions to CEO dismissal announcements. While the corporate governance mechanism of dismissal that boards orchestrate when CEOs underperform could be positively perceived by investors, empirical evidence suggests that a positive association between CEO dismissals and investor reactions is equivocal. Thus, in my dissertation, I examine investor reactions to S&P 500 dismissal announcements and further understanding about this intriguing relationship through the development of theory that incorporates the important theoretical mechanism of information uncertainty. Since it is increasingly hard for boards to reduce the information uncertainty surrounding …

Did The Youth Hiring Act Of 2023 Impact Wages In Arkansas?, Henley S. Queen

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Some believe Arkansas Act 195 may create more problems than it looks to solve; the paper sets out to find if Arkansas is experiencing any benefits from the passing of the law. This paper is an economic analysis of Arkansas Act 195 of 2023 (The Youth Hiring Act of 2023), which removed a work permit requirement for fourteen and fifteen year olds. The paper also observes data from Iowa since the state passed a similar policy. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data on waiters, fast food workers, cashiers, and bartenders from 2017 to 2023 in Iowa and Arkansas, it performs …

Shareholder Satisfaction Or Societal Benefit? Coalition Support And Goal Prioritization, Man Zhang, Helen Hu, Toru Yoshikawa

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Research on the behavioral theory of the firm has established that the profitability goal triggers various firm actions, but it has yet to thoroughly explore which other goals may gain prominence in directing firm resources if the profitability goal has been achieved. We identify shareholder satisfaction and societal benefit as two additional organizational goals and predict that when firms have achieved their profitability aspirations, the financial resources allocated to pursue these goals depend on the dominance of coalitions supporting or opposing them. Drawing on the coalition theory within the behavioral theory of the firm, we theorize that the prioritization and …

Corporate Governance And Environmental Citizenship In Global Hospitality: A Cross-National Empirical Study, Leonard A. Jackson

Faculty Articles

The hospitality industry’s global reach and resource-intensive operations have placed it under growing scrutiny for environmental impact. This empirical study examines how corporate governance influences corporate environmental citizenship (CEC) among eight major hotel companies across North America, Europe, and Asia from 2020 to 2023. Drawing on agency, stakeholder, institutional, and legitimacy theories, the study hypothesizes that stronger governance—measured by board independence, separation of CEO and Chair roles (non-duality), and ownership concentration—positively relates to environmental performance. A panel dataset of 32 firm-year observations is analyzed using regression models. The results show that higher board independence and greater ownership concentration are associated …

Analyzing Northwest Ohio Industries And Utilizing The Shape Program To Increase Sustainable Practices, Abigail Stucker

Honors Projects

The purpose of this project is to dive deeper into the corporate perspective on sustainability and why manufacturing companies should take action on such an important topic. Is there a true balance for businesses between increasing profits and reducing waste? Why should businesses care about being branded as a sustainable company? What efforts do companies need to take to truly be branded as “sustainable?” These are questions that drove the research and development of this project. After looking into these guiding questions, this project develops a program to help monitor and measure the successful sustainability practices that various Northwest Ohio …

From Doing Business To B-Ready: World Bank’S New Rankings Represent A Rebrand, Not A Revamp, Fernanda G. Nicola, Dhaisy Paredes Guzman

Popular Media

In 2021, the World Bank shut down one of its flagship projects: the Doing Business index, a global ranking system that measured how easy it was to start and run a business in 190 countries. It followed an independent investigation that found World Bank officials had manipulated the rankings to favor powerful countries, including China and Saudi Arabia. The scandal raised serious concerns about the use of global benchmarks to shape development policy. Now, the Bank is trying again. In October 2024, it launched its newest flagship report, Business Ready. The 2025 spring meeting of the World Bank and its …

The Ethics Of Ai In Wealth Management, Vivian Bivens, Kailey Fischer

Undergraduate Research Conference

This paper examines the ethical implications of AI in wealth management by analyzing regulations from international and national securities bodies and evaluating how firms implement AI responsibly. While current regulations are not perfect, they generally promote ethical AI use, and firms are actively working to reduce biases and enhance data security.

Melissa Benton, Et. Al, V. Lynn Linnane, Et. Al., Order On Pending Motions, Wesley B. Tailor

Superior Court of Fulton County: Metro Atlanta Business Case Division Opinions

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of The Implementation Path Of Zero-Carbon Parks In The Context Of “Carbon Peak And Carbon Neutrality”, Jun Li

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

With the introduction of China's "carbon peak and carbon neutrality" construction goals, it has become imperative to promote carbon reduction across all levels of domestic economic activities. As a critical component of economic activities, achieving zero-carbon goals in industrial parks is crucial for achieving the dual carbon objectives. This article focuses on analyzing the implementation pathways for zero-carbon parks, exploring how chemical parks can achieve zero-carbon emissions and their economic feasibility under existing policies and technologies. Through theoretical analysis, model development, and case application, this research provides systematic methodologies and recommendations for constructing zero-carbon parks.
This study confirms through empirical …

Understanding The California Consumer Privacy Act: Empowering Individuals And Businesses, Kelley G. Palladino, Leah Hetherington, Brennan Zentmeyer

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Dive into the world of data privacy with our presentation on the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). This legislation grants Californians unprecedented control over their personal data. We'll explore the key rights it provides, such as the ability to know what data is collected, to request its deletion, and to opt-out of the sale of data --- meaning consumers can direct businesses to stop selling their personal information, protecting their privacy from unwanted commercial use

We'll also discuss the CCPA's impact on businesses. The CCPA applies to for-profit businesses that collect personal data from California residents, do business in California, …

Pedagogical Approaches For Marketing Ethics And Legal Issues, Ellen Raineri, Erin Brennan

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Lapses and violations in marketing ethics and law can result in employee turnover, revenue losses, decreased customer loyalty, criminal prosecution, and civil liability. Although these topics are addressed in some marketing classes, students noted insufficient coverage. Also, inadequate discussion of legal topics can stem from new regulations and faculty lacking legal acumen and experience. To supplement teaching of marketing ethics and law, eight learning activities were developed: marketing ethics audit to identify organizations’ ethical lapses, vulnerabilities, and illegal activities; deceptive marketing campaigns; podcast analysis of marketing and branding legal issues; analysis of photography privacy and property issues within a …

Life In Greece After The Financial Crisis: A Quality-Of-Life Perspective, Kylee Nicole Hynes

Senior Theses

After World War II, Greece faced economic struggles which led to its EU accession in 1981. In the following years, the use of credit increased and so did consumer debt. The global financial crisis of 2008 exposed Greece’s weak economy and caused the debt crisis. This led to multiple EU-IMF (International Monetary Fund) bailouts. This study examines how the crisis affected Greek citizens’ quality of life. This study specifically focuses on mental, physical, and socioeconomic health. Overall, mental and socioeconomic health worsened while physical health remained unchanged. All mental health indicators deteriorated with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic …

Combating Forced Labor In Global Supply Chains Through Modern Technology: A Case Study Of Uyghurs In Xinjiang, Samuel Donohue

Senior Theses

This thesis examines how modern traceability technologies can help combat forced labor in global supply chains, focusing on the case of Uyghur workers in Xinjiang, China. The research addresses the pressing challenge of verifying ethical labor practices in complex, multi-tiered supply networks, using the case study alongside an extensive literature review. It evaluates advanced technological solutions, including blockchain ledgers, isotope analysis, radio-frequency identification (RFID) tagging, and microbiome tracing as tools to improve supply chain transparency. Through qualitative case analysis and analysis of current research, the thesis assesses each technology’s capability to trace product origins and authenticate labor conditions. The findings …

The Effects Of Marketing On Societal Health, Carissa G. Holdridge

Selected Honors Theses

In this thesis the significant health impacts which may be caused by the food additives which are allowed in our food are observed. Looking at the links between health issues such as Early Onset Colorectal Cancer and the correlation with the food additive Red 40. As well, looking at the adverse effect of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) and monosodium glutamate (MSG). The regulations on the food additives in the United States and other countries is concerning as it highlights the lack of importance placed on the health of Americans in relation to those of other countries. This thesis argues the …

Fostering Student Engagement And Initiating Class Discussions Using Vevox, Amanda Dixon

Case studies: Digital Education

Student participation and interaction in class, with lecturers and peers, is paramount to student success (Dahmani et. al., 2024). Academia is experiencing the development of a pattern of behaviour where students do not feel comfortable speaking in in front of peers and academics (Archbell & Coplan, 2022). This pattern of behaviour has a negative impact on the student experience. Legal modules in universities are focused on the theory of law and are delivered in traditional lecture format. The Business Law module in question, is delivered in two business programmes in the Faculty of Business and focuses on the theory of …

The Impact Of Buy-Now-Pay-Later Use Frequency On Social Media Shopping, Luxury Consumption And Consumer Indebtedness, Neleen S. Leslie-Piper, Toluwani Oloke, Ficawoyi Donou-Adonsou

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This study explores the impact of BNPL usage on social media purchasing, luxury consumption, and debt accumulation. 7,371 respondents participated in this study, and 7,248 reported their BNPL usage. The results indicate that the frequency of BNPL usage is positively related to the use of the buy now button on social media, luxury consumption, and indebtedness. Results indicate that all three dependent variables are significantly predicted by BNPL use. Both direct and indirect effects were observed, indicating BNPL's role in impulsive online consumption and consumer debt accumulation.

These results underscore the need for further study on the topic. Although significant …

In Re Corpay, Inc. Shareholder Derivative Litigation, Order On Motions To Dismiss, John J. Goger

Superior Court of Fulton County: Metro Atlanta Business Case Division Opinions

No abstract provided.