Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Commons^™

Bridging The Gap: A Comprehensive Guide To Implementing An Internship Program For Businesses, Ben Turner

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis outlines a comprehensive plan for implementing an internship program, from the perspective of a former intern. The paper emphasizes the importance of internships for businesses and aims to create a program that generates value for both the business and the intern. The plan is divided into three stages: Planning and Designing, Recruiting and Selecting, and Managing and Supervising. Each stage provides detailed steps for successfully implementing an internship program, including identifying needs and objectives, determining a timeline and structure, defining roles and responsibilities, developing a budget, setting performance expectations and goals, providing training and support, evaluating performance, and …

Refugee Advocacy Organizations: Factors That Influence Success In The United States And Ireland, Caleb Elkington-Stauss

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis is a comparative study of refugee advocacy organizations in Ireland and in the United States. The goal is to research and study some of the best practices that refugee support organizations utilize and report how these two countries address the ever-growing refugee crisis. This study assesses the applications and operations in both organizations and determines how these practices contribute to the fulfillment of their missions. This better understanding of the strengths and struggles experienced by these organizations will support the development of a model and framework for successful social welfare initiatives. Within this thesis, the social initiatives in …

An Analysis Of The Housing Affordability Crisis: Private Equity Or Legislation Issue, Jack Polk

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

The aim of this thesis is to explore the claim that private equity investment is the cause of the modern unaffordability in the single family housing market. Through empirical study and historical research we found that the footprint of institutional investors in this space is insignificant. However, legislative errors which have artificially inflated demand and suppressed supply over the past decade have greatly contributed to the crisis and must be corrected for the long term health of the housing space. These corrections will focus primarily in the alleviation of supply pressures for new development and the continuation of the low …

Assessing The Impact Of Impact Investing: Practices, Challenges, And Opportunities Towards The Standardization Of Impact Assessment Mechanisms, Taylor Poe

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research project focuses on gathering information on which impact measurement mechanisms are currently used in the impact investing industry, and how these mechanisms are standardized across various firms, geographic locations, and fund types. The overarching goal of the study is to provide an assessment of the impact investing industry and the use of standardized impact assessment practices. The specific goal of this research study is to collect and present information on the current state of impact measurement standardization. Research is separated into three large components: interviews with industry leaders, findings from social finance conferences, and research of scholarly sources. …

Nexus, A Software As A Service Business Plan, David Ator

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

Nexus is a Software as a Service company, focused on offering a more cohesive technology experience for businesses. Typically integration is an afterthought, leaving sensitive or strategically valuable data siloed and underutilized. Nexus plans to change that by integrating everything into a central database.

You Don't Know What You Don't Know: A Collection Of Challenge And Acceptance From Women Owned Small Businesses In Johnson City, Tennessee, Nikki Vandusen

Undergraduate Honors Theses

With over 11.6 million establishments, women owned small businesses hold a crucial part in supporting the US economy’s wellbeing. However, owning a small business comes with numerous challenges that not all can overcome. This study investigates the challenges of ten women-owned small businesses in Johnson City, Tennessee. The interview results display that women struggle with similar challenges as men; however, they have more difficulty balancing gender roles and societal expectations with owning a small business. This research concludes that men and women do not have equal opportunities when it comes to owning a small business and women are at a …

Market Analysis And Strategy Formulation For Appalachian Cast Iron, Perry Kate Chumbley

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Marketing as a revenue generator for businesses seeks to entice consumers into making a final purchase. How this is achieved varies greatly depending on the size of firm, the goods or services being advertised, distribution channels, and other factors. This manuscript includes the creation of a marketing strategy for a small, online business, Appalachian Cast Iron, through the investigation of current literature, and analyses of the external and internal environments. The results provide strategies for areas in which the firm has opportunities to improve.

Understanding Romania's Poverty: A Historical Overview Of Economics And Politics And Their Implications On Poverty Today, Benjamin Bucur

Senior Honors Theses

Romania is a country with a high-income economy that is experiencing considerable growth following its economic reforms of earlier decades. With growth, tendencies for an unequal society are prevalent. Therefore, appropriate economic policies that are specifically targeted toward bottlenecks are essential. This thesis seeks to outline the major types of poverty in Romania while also offering actionable entrepreneurial and educational insights that practically combat poverty at its roots.

Developing The Nonprofit Theatre: Building A Foundation For The Emerging Theatre Company, Kelsey Mcmillan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper aims to guide entrepreneurial theatre artists in beginning a nonprofit theatre arts venture. It will provide an in-depth analysis of the foundations required to begin a nonprofit theatre organization and analyze the need for expanding upon traditional structures and styles. Incorporating evidence and research from relevant literature, coursework, and market data as well as analysis of a strategic plan for The Common Theatre Company, this paper finds that non-profit theatre companies can be positively served by developing unique products and services and a nontraditional governance model as an extension of the foundational needs of a nonprofit organization. The …

Creative Brief For Bliss Cupcake Cafe, Maggie Moore

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The baking and culinary industry is growing. In fact, in 2020, the market size of the global baking industry was $331.37 billion and is projected to reach $436.91 billion by 2026. Although the recent pandemic made those in the hospitality field struggle due to the canceling of special events such as birthday party gatherings, weddings, and holiday events, the industry is coming back stronger than pre-pandemic times through implementing new practices such as online ordering and delivery practices. With this, in the recent years, supply chain disruptors and inflation have caused materials and labor costs to increase and can be …

Business Plan For Destraal Bakery, Lauren Frazier

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Destraal Bakery is a bakery café that will offer patrons a space to slow down and treat themselves. Offering bread products and coffee, Destraal differentiates itself through product quality, shop atmosphere, delivery, and social responsibility. Destraal will eventually seek B- Corp status.

Located in West Colorado Springs, more specifically, Old Colorado Springs, Destraal will benefit from grants and loans offered to female entrepreneurs, high levels of tourism and foot traffic, and close proximity to the target demographic. In a growing industry, Destraal is forecasted to be profitable within the first year. The bakery café will achieve 14% profit margin in …

Local Label: Why Localism Matters And A Business Plan To Address It., Sydnie Wilson

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The use of technology within business is evolving and increasing in necessity. As large businesses and corporations invest in research and development, innovations, and data analytics, the ability to serve customers more effectively and efficiently increases substantially. Local Label is a solution for this need.

Local Label is a mobile retail app that connects local consumers to all accessories, shoes, and clothes available at local retailers. The app would be a hub for local retailers to promote their apparel and accessories. Local Label leverages its marketing to be in sync with local events, special occasions, and holidays. The app’s front-face …

Performance Of Technological Startups: The Interaction Of R&D And Founding Team Human Capital, Qian Ye, Weijun Zheng

Journal of Business & Entrepreneurship

This study examines the impacts of R&D on new-born startups’ revenue during the 0-3 age period, as well as investigating the moderating role of founding team human capital in the R&D-revenue relationship. The sample is from a longitudinal panel data from the Kauffman Firm Survey (KFS), including a total of 1369 technology-based startups established in year 2004 and a total of 286 founding teams. Consistent with findings of previous research, results of this study suggest that startups who engage in R&D investments and activities in gestation/initial stage of business development have significant higher likelihood of obtaining high revenue in the …

Raise The Bar: A Study Of Motivation And Locus Of Control In Relation To Exercise Adherence, Zachary Bertolino

Honors Projects in Business

This paper will examine factors attributed to exercise adherence, and what relationships exist between motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic), locus of control (internal and external) and adherence. The purpose of this study is to determine what combination of motivation and locus of control is the best predictor of exercise adherence. The hypothesis states that an individual who is intrinsically motivated and has an internal locus of control will be most likely to maintain exercise behavior over an extended period. Existing literature has shown that both intrinsic sources of motivation and an internal locus of control are related to adherence in other …

Things To Consider Before Co-Signing A Loan, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

In the context of family farms, includes some general points to consider before you sign a loan guarantee for a family member who is heavily in debt.

Conclusion: Having to consider whether to co-sign a child's loan is a very difficult situation-no one wants to be part of losing part of the family farm or ranch to loan foreclosure. But if the loan guarantee isn't part of a financial turnaround plan that has at least a fighting chance of success, don't sign the guarantee unless you absolutely don't need the money for your own retirement.

Entrepreneurial Resilience, A Key Soft Skill To Develop In A Crisis Situation: Proposal For A Measurement Scale, Hajer Najeh, Salim Morched

Journal of Business & Entrepreneurship

Any resilient development that enables an entrepreneur to overcome a crisis is seen as an essential feature of the entrepreneur's profile. In order to acquire this quality, we must first understand how entrepreneurs perceive and assess their level of resilience. This involves defining the concept by identifying its underlying dimensions to conceptualize and measure it. Thus, this article presents the different stages of building a scale to assess the level of resilience of Tunisian entrepreneurs. These measures are based on a survey of 152 entrepreneurs following the paradigm of Churchill (1979). This paradigm allows the rigorous construction of questionnaire-type measurement …

Entrepreneurship And Decision Making: Have Your Cake And Eat It Too, Rhonda Richards, Courtney Kernek, Kendra Ingram, Kitty Campbell

Journal of Business & Entrepreneurship

Caked Up! is a small, local bakery in Oklahoma owned and operated by cake designer Lauran Fuller. Caked Up! serves cake, cupcakes, house-made ice cream, coffee, and an assortment of baked goods, including cake pops. In addition, they offer custom cake orders for special occasions. In March of 2014, Lauran opened the Caked Up! retail storefront. The case explains Lauran’s bakery from passion to performance, and gives an overview of the internal and external factors that have influenced its growth. In September of 2018, there were three key issues that Lauran is considering to improve Caked Up!’s likelihood of success: …

Social Media Impact On Entrepreneurship Intention: Lessons Learned From Business Startuppers, Panagiotis Mallios, Leonidas Zampetakis, Vassilis Moustakis

Journal of Business & Entrepreneurship

The potential impact of social media use on the development of entrepreneurial intention has received little attention. In addressing this gap, research reported herein extends entrepreneurial intention literature by explicitly incorporating social media use. Inquiry investigates development of intention via specific social media factors that influence intention through its antecedents, namely, perceived entrepreneurial desirability and perceived entrepreneurial feasibility. The article summarizes the salient aspects of a quantitative study of social media usage and startup entrepreneurial intention in Greece. Based on the entrepreneurship event model, theory of planned behavior and technology acceptance and adoption models, this article examines potential social media …

Rural Entrepreneurs Under Fire: Pandemic Reveals Need For Collaboration And Support, Jacob A. Dolence, James C. Haug

Journal of Business & Entrepreneurship

This article summarizes a research study done from April 2020 until April 2021 to examine the challenges, response, and tactics, of entrepreneurs in rural southern Virginia. In particular, the research goes into depth of how the COVID-19 pandemic effected operations, how entrepreneurs responded, and what measures they took to stay viable. Finally, the article proposes a framework for rapid response in the case of future pandemics, natural disasters, or economic events that cause similar disruptions.

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Innovation Ecosystems In Facilitating The Adoption Of Sustainable Entrepreneurship, Dana Sami Bakry

Dissertations and Theses

Sustainable entrepreneurship has a substantial role of a steadily growing economy and advanced industrial economies. Several strategies have been formed and employed to support the adoption of innovation and technologies in the sustainable entrepreneurship sector. However, the successful outcome of these strategies in achieving their goals depends on how effective they are in satisfying their objectives and thus increasing innovation adoption. One measurement for effectiveness of ecosystem implements can be their support to the input of the process of innovation and technologies adoption and their impact on satisfying regional goals.

The objective of this research is evaluating the effectiveness of …