Finance and Financial Management Commons^™

The Regionalization Of The North American Auto Industry: A Comparative Analysis Of Automotive And White Goods Trade Under Nafta And The Usmca, 1990-2024, Helen Alexandra Helfgott

Master in Public Policy Theses

This research examines whether the auto-specific provisions introduced under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) have had a measurable regionalizing effect on North American export flows. The USMCA's auto-specific provisions, established in the rules of origin requirements (ROOs), increase regional value content requirements (RVC) while imposing new requirements for labor value content (LVC), steel and aluminum sourcing, and core parts. This research assesses whether these provisions are associated with a distinctive pattern of intra-regional export concentration not present in other sectors.

The study employs a descriptive comparative framework using data from UN Comtrade, spanning …

Stablecoins, Geopolitical Shocks, And Imperfect Arbitrage: A Case Study Of Türkiye, Vincient Arnold

Master in Public Policy Theses

On March 19, 2025, a key Turkish opposition political figure was unexpectedly arrested on what were presumed to be politically motivated charges. In response, the lira depreciated sharply. Meanwhile, Türkiye has a large and active dollar stablecoin market. Using a time series dataset of trade-frequency Tether vs. lira trading, I exploit this natural exogenous geopolitical risk-off event to investigate the response function of stablecoin traders active in Türkiye to this shock. I find that the shock is associated with a large (5.33% ) abnormal depreciation of the lira. Further, I show that the shock is associated with an abnormal widening …

Credit Card Indebtedness During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alan D. Smith

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Technology’S Historical Impact On The Wealth Management Business And How Advisors Plan To Evolve Around Career Challenges Posed By Artificial Intelligence, Nick George

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The past few decades have molded our contemporary financial experiences and have forced financial advisors to plan for a career-altering pivot in the near future. Over the last fifty years, wealth advisors have seen dozens of incidents known as “extinction-level events”, described as the two-way path a consultant faces when new technological advancements occur. We used data collected from real-world financial advisors, client service associates, and academic publications to assess the next big turning point of the industry, Artificial Intelligence, and how it both differs and relates to other developments of this caliber within the industry, such as the rise …

Foreign Direct Investment And Economic Growth: Assessing Mediation Role Of Financial Development.., Adam Salehe Kizigha, Ellinami John Minja, Neema Robert Towo

Business Management Review

This study examines the mediating role of financial development in the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth in low financial development (LFD) economies within the SADC region over the period 1991–2020. Using panel data techniques, including fixed effects estimation with Driscoll–Kraay standard errors and an instrumental variable approach, the analysis captures both the direct and indirect channels through which FDI influences economic growth. The findings indicate that, FDI exerts a positive and statistically significant direct effect on economic growth. More importantly, the results reveal a positive indirect (suppression) effect, whereby FDI mitigates the adverse impact of weak …

Monetary Policy Regimes And Commercial Real Estate A Comparative Analysis Of The Relationship Between Interest Rates And Capitalization Rates In The Post-Gfc And Post-Covid Periods, Brooke Matney

Honors Theses

This study analyzes the relationship between U.S. interest rates and capitalization rates within commercial real estate under different monetary policy regimes. Specifically, the research examines whether the relationship between interest rates and cap rates changed structurally between the post-Global Financial Crisis (GFC) period and the post-COVID tightening cycle. Using quarterly data from 2000–2025 obtained from Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED), the study compares movements in the 10-Year U.S. Treasury yield and a constructed cap rate proxy derived from rental income and property price index data. Linear regression analysis was conducted across three monetary policy periods: the post-GFC expansionary environment (2010– …

Accounting In Practice: An Analysis Of Real-World Business And Regulatory Case Studies, Claire E. Coursey

Honors Theses

This thesis consists of several accounting case studies completed throughout two semesters of Honors Accountancy 420 under the direction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson. The projects combined both individual and group work and focused on applying accounting knowledge to real-world business situations and current events. Each case study required research, analysis, and evaluation of topics related to financial reporting, auditing, regulation, and corporate operations. Throughout the fall semester, the case studies introduced a variety of accounting and business topics that helped develop research, analytical, and communication skills. During the spring semester, the primary focus shifted toward analyzing the potential impact of …

The Effects Of Bank Consolidation On Small Business Lending In Mississippi, Matthew R. Johnson

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the effects of bank consolidation on small business lending at the county level in Mississippi. Throughout the last few decades, there have been many mergers and acquisitions within the U.S. banking industry. These mergers and acquisitions have caused concerns over access to credit by small businesses, especially in rural and under-served markets. To analyze these issues, this study constructs a county-year panel database that combines bank merger data provided by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) with small business lending data from the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) disclosures. Using a difference-in-differences framework, this paper analyzes how exposure …

The Impact Of Financial Literacy On Young Adults, Ellie Katherine Prince

Senior Honors Theses

This literature review examines the impact of financial literacy on tax knowledge among college students, emphasizing how limited financial education contributes to broader financial instability. Research consistently shows that young adults from ages eighteen to twenty-five possess low levels of financial literacy, which leads to poor budgeting, inadequate retirement planning, risky consumer behavior, and increased financial stress as they transition into adulthood. Studies involving national financial literacy assessments, workplace performance data, and college-level surveys highlight the long-term consequences of insufficient financial education, especially for vulnerable demographic groups. Notably, the review identifies a strong connection between financial literacy and overall financial …

Can You Buy Success In Major League Baseball?, Jacob Rumberger

Honors Projects

The vast disparity in Major League Baseball team payrolls over the last decade has become a prominent issue of concern for fans, owners, and league management. The belief is that the teams that invest exorbitant amounts of money into their players are paying to win. Teams, such as the Oakland Athletics, have popularized the method of “Moneyball” to find and exploit undervalued players in order to compete with large market teams. This research study aims to uncover whether this claim is based in fact or is unsubstantiated. Using statistical prediction methods like linear regression, logistic regression, and k nearest neighbor …

The War On American Consumers, William C. Morrill V

Honors Theses

In this work I seek to discuss the various avenues that consumers have been abused by both individual corporations and wider market trends. I also attempt to shed light on how recent consumer advocacy movements have been gaining momentum to combat these issues. The background information for this work has been collected through years of personal observation of the issues at hand. The areas of technology, automobiles, and agriculture that are featured prominently throughout the essay are all topics of either personal impact to myself and family or things that I have a hobby-like interest in. I have kept up …

Final Practicum Thesis And Portfolio From Accy 421: Professional Development Reviewing The Economic Effects Of Maha Initiatives On Conagra Brands Financial Statements And Studies On Business Professionals, Everett B. Heuer

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential legislative changes brought about by Robert F Kennedy Jr. and the “Make America Healthy Again” campaign to uncover possible financial effects to Conagra Brands’ next fiscal year. This was achieved through research on RFK’s opinions on American food culture from sources such as interviews and Senate confirmation hearings. Findings included disapproval of seed oils and artificial food dyes that could affect Conagra Brands’ subsidiaries. After reviewing Conagra Brands’ 10k for the previous fiscal year as well as mission statements and core values, the team developed multiple plans for Conagra Brands …

The Influence Of Digital Audit Capability On Tax Compliance In Tanzania, Henry Zeno Chalu, Daudi Deokari Mtena

Business Management Review

The research evaluates the effects of digital audit capacity on tax compliance in Tanzania, focusing on challenges such as tax avoidance and administrative inefficiency. It applies the Task-Technology Fit Theory and Deterrence Theory in tax audit to examine the relationship between digital audit capability and tax compliance. The findings show that digital audit capability has significantly enhanced tax compliance through data integrity, security, and analytical capability. These features minimize misreporting, secure financial information, and build trust while uncovering predictive insights. The current study also has implications for tax policy by highlighting the promise of digital audit capability in enhancing both …

Digital Transformation And Adaptive Capacity Of Banks In Tanzania: The Mediating Effect Of Knowledge Sharing, Sospeter Muchunguzi, Ulingeta O. L. Mbamba, Victor G. Wilson

Business Management Review

Amid rising competition and uncertainty, banks are increasingly adopting digital technologies to sustain adaptive capacity and competitiveness. This study examines the mediating effect of knowledge sharing in the influence of digital transformation on adaptive capacity. Drawing on an integrative theoretical framework combining the Dynamic Capability Theory, the Affordance Theory and the Adaptive Structuration Theory, a deductive approach was used, involving a sample size of forty-three (43) banks in Tanzania. Data were collected using a questionnaire administered through a drop-off and pick-up-later method and analyzed with PLS-SEM using SmartPLS software. We found that digital transformation of customer touchpoints makes banks more …

Financial Literacy And Kentucky House Bill 342, Rebecca J. Futrell

Honors College Theses

This study examines the correlation between taking a financial literacy class in high school and an individual’s actual financial literacy. It is inspired by the recent Kentucky House Bill 342, which mandates that a financial literacy class be taken during high school. According to recent studies, Generation Z scores the lowest on a financial literacy index among the past three generations. To address this, many U.S. states have introduced mandatory financial literacy classes in K-12 education. In 2025, Kentucky joined the 30 states that mandated a financial literacy class for a high school diploma. The Kentucky House Bill 342 selects …

Payrolling In The Deep, Kyle Rosenfeld

Business and Economics Honors Papers

This study examines how Major League Baseball teams can build their rosters to spend their payroll more efficiently. Using a manually constructed dataset, consisting of thirty teams over the past five years, this paper studies different payroll allocation strategies, such as the percentage of a team’s payroll to homegrown players or free agents, to improve the efficiency of how an MLB club is spending. Through running regression models, results have shown there is a statistically significant positive relationship between how efficient MLB teams spend their payrolls to the percentage of a team’s payroll designated to homegrown players. Additionally, there is …

Embeddedness Of Corporate Social Responsibility Practices Of Listed Local Firms In Tanzania: Analysis Of Communication And Organisation Dimensions, Lilian Julius Kishimbo

Business Management Review

This study explores the embeddedness of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices among listed Tanzanian firms from 2020 to 2024, focusing on both communication and organisational dimensions within a theoretically grounded framework. The study is guided by Institutional and Stakeholder theories, analysing how CSR is integrated into corporate strategies and operational structures, with particular emphasis on variation across banking and finance, telecommunications, manufacturing, extractive, agriculture, and transport industries. Using a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative content analysis of annual reports with organisational indicators, the study draws on 20 firms (95 firms annual reports) to identify significant industry-specific differences in CSR embeddedness, with …

Unpacking The Nexus Between Financial Inclusion And Tax Compliance In Tanzania, Sarah Senso, Henry Zeno Chalu, Cosmas Renatus Masanja

Business Management Review

The study examined the influence of financial inclusion and tax compliance in Tanzania, focusing on access to financial services, quality of financial services, and usage of financial services. Guided by the positivist philosophy, the study employed a deductive approach utilizing the supply-leading theory and economic deterrence theory as the guiding frameworks. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, and multistage sampling was employed to obtain a sample of 386 bank agents by using a multistage sampling method. The study used primary data that was collected through structured questionnaires, which contained closed-ended questions measured on a 7-point Likert scale, and analyzed data …

External Mandate And Strategic Imperative: A Necessary And Sufficient Conditions Approach To Environmental Accounting Adoption In Tanzanian Manufacturing Firms, James Moses Dendula, Helena Thomas Haule

Business Management Review

Environmental Accounting (EA) serves as a strategic tool for organisations to integrate environmental considerations into operations, decision-making, and reporting. However, in emerging economies, its adoption remains uneven and insufficiently explained regarding how institutional pressures and internal capabilities jointly shape these practices. This study examines how institutional pressures and firms’ internal capabilities influence Environmental Accounting Practices (EAP) among 146 Tanzanian manufacturing firms. Anchored in Institutional Theory and the Resource-Based View (RBV), the study adopts a complementary analytical approach by integrating sufficiency and necessity logics using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA). The PLS-SEM results indicate …

The Influence Of Financial Literacy On The Financial Behavior Of Students In The Higher Learning Institutions In Tanzania, Lisa John Baltazar, Evelyn Mweta Richard

Business Management Review

This study examines how financial literacy influences financial behavior as measured by spending, saving and investment and borrowing behavior of university students. The study was informed by the theory of planned behavior. Explanatory research design was used to test the research hypothesis. Data was collected through using a structure questionnaire which was administered both physically and online.  446 random selected students across Universities in Tanzania participated in the study, and simple linear regression analysis was used to establish the effect of financial literacy on financial behavior.  It was established that majority of the students are considered financially illiterate. However, the …