Sales and Merchandising Commons^™

Integrating Leadership Development Into Sales Management Education: A Teaching Case Using Goleman’S Leadership Framework To Teach Coaching And Adaptive Leadership, George Talbert, Malcolm Talbert, Earl Honeycutt

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Sales management courses often emphasize operational responsibilities such as forecasting, territory design, hiring, compensation, and performance evaluation. While essential, these topics alone do not prepare students for the behavioral and emotional demands of leading people in dynamic selling environments. Employers increasingly expect early-career managers to motivate, develop, and retain talent under ambiguity. This teaching case presents a senior-level undergraduate sales management capstone that embeds leadership development into the core of the course using Daniel Goleman’s emotional intelligence-based leadership styles as the primary framework. The course positions coaching as a central, teachable competency and treats leadership as a set of context-dependent …

The Impact Of Targeted Marketing On The Health Of Teenagers In America: Regulatory Safeguards And Implications, Katelyn Overbay

Senior Theses

The rise of digital marketing has transformed how companies engage with consumers, particularly those that fall within the adolescent age group. Teenagers represent a uniquely vulnerable demographic due to the developmental stage they are in, making them especially susceptible to targeted advertising strategies that leverage data analytics, social media algorithms, and behavioral tracking. The aim of this study is to examine the direct and indirect impacts of targeted marketing on the physical, mental, and social health of teenagers in the United States. Drawing on existing literature, case studies, recent lawsuits, and regulatory analysis, the research gathered explores how industries such …

Guilt’S Role In Sustainable Fashion Adoption: Bridging The Attitude-Behavioral Intention Gap And Moral Influences On Consumer Choices, Lauren Mckenzie Cole

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a substantial increase in consumer awareness within the fashion industry. Despite increased consumer consciousness and a growing interest in adopting sustainable fashion habits, a notable gap exists between consumer attitudes, intentions, and actual behavior. This is referred to as the attitude-behavior gap. Although many consumers express a desire to adopt sustainable fashion consumption habits, various psychological factors and barriers hinder their ability to do so. This Study addresses these challenges, focusing specifically on the role of guilt as a motivating factor in bridging the attitude-behavior gap. Using a survey with Generation Z consumers, this study …

Ai-Eva: Evaluating The Value Of Overhauling Hotel Infrastructure For Artificial Intelligence Integration In Guest Experience, Pearllana Prioleau

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Luxury hotels are adopting artificial intelligence-enabled voice assistants (AI-EVA) to enhance guest experience and maintain competitive advantage. This study examines strategic implications of AI-EVA integration, focusing on consumer acceptance and organizational performance. Guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Resource-Based View (RBV), the research uses a mixed-method approach: qualitative analysis of guest attitudes, quantitative testing of adoption drivers via structural equation modeling, and executive interviews on ROI and infrastructure challenges. Findings will inform strategies for balancing personalization with operational efficiency while addressing privacy concerns. The study contributes to theory by extending UTAUT and RBV …

What Graduates See And What Employers Pay; Reconciling Salary Reporting And Total Compensation In Sales And Marketing, John Ertel, George Talbert Jr.

AMTP Proceedings 2026

College students frequently rely on university career centers for salary information when evaluating early-career opportunities. In sales, however, reported compensation figures often reflect base pay only and exclude performance-based earnings such as commissions and bonuses. This study uses a single-university case study to examine whether university-reported salary data for sales roles accurately represents total compensation. Institutional career center reports and national salary projections were compared with insights from employers, sales professionals, and recent graduates. Findings indicate that performance-based compensation constitutes a substantial portion of total earnings in sales roles but is frequently omitted from reported figures, leading to systematic understatement …

Running On Empty: How Burnout Derails Customer Delight And Sales Performance In Road Warrior Salespeople, Charshae L. Marshall-Phillips

AMTP Proceedings 2026

In an increasingly competitive marketplace, firms rely on customer delight for success. The physical and emotional toll on “Road Warrior” salespeople often acts as a barrier to this goal. This research proposes a model connecting antecedents (burnout) and outcomes (sales performance) via the salesperson's ability to create customer delight.

Employing a quantitative design with B2B salespeople traveling over 50% of the time, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used to test hypothesized relationships. It is hypothesized that emotional exhaustion negatively impacts the capacity to create delight, subsequently lowering sales performance. Crucially, sales manager support is expected to moderate this relationship, acting …

Internship Best Practices: A Comparative Analysis Of A Small Private University (Tiffin University) And A Large Public University (Kennesaw State University), Kellie Mcgilvray, Randy Stuart

AMTP Proceedings 2026

The balance of scholarship and professional practice is a hallmark of career preparation in higher education. While classroom instruction is essential for building foundational knowledge, experiential learning through internships allows students to apply theory in authentic professional contexts.

Are the requirements and administration of internship experiences the same at a small private university (Tiffin University-TU) (student population 3,726/687 business majors) as at a large public university (Kennesaw State University-KSU) (student population 50,000/10,000 business majors) and what best practices can be learned from both organizations? This paper will compare and contrast the practices at both schools and recommend best practices to …

Cute, Collectible, And Contagious: Understanding The Starbucks Bear Cup Phenomenon, Natalya Vodopyanova

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This study examines the Starbucks Bear Cup phenomenon to understand how identity expression, scarcity perceptions, and fear of missing out (FOMO) shaped consumer engagement during a highly publicized limited-edition product drop. Using Consumer Culture Theory and scarcity/FOMO frameworks, the research investigates how consumers constructed meaning around the Bear Cup through social media displays, community rituals, and symbolic participation. A qualitative content analysis of Instagram posts revealed five dominant patterns: celebratory acquisition posts, expressions of scarcity frustration, curated identity displays, community interaction, and creative substitution using bear-shaped alternatives. Findings show that consumers used the cup as a vehicle for identity signaling …

The Impact Of Counterfeit Luxury Bags On Brand Value And Consumer Perception, Mckenna Steinau

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

With the rise of technology and innovation in the 21st century, the luxury market, more specifically the luxury handbag market, is shifting due to a rise of counterfeit products. These counterfeits are no longer cheap knockoffs that are simple to tell they are fake, but rather are high quality “superfakes”. Superfakes give consumers access to the luxury appearance and persona without the full cost, which is where the appeal lies. This challenges leaders of the luxury handbag market, such as Chanel, Gucci, and Goyard, as it negatively affects their exclusivity, authenticity, and brand value. Since resale and counterfeits blur the …

Defying Conventions: The Marketing Alchemy Of Transforming 'Ugly' Into Iconic, Monisha Gupta, Rex Evans Mcclure

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Leveraging Csr To Buffer Brand Challenges During Crises: A Saudi Arabian Perspective, Nouf Alrayes, Abdullah Alhidari

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

Crises, such as economic downturns or global health pandemics, pose significant business challenges. Engaging in CSR initiatives that contribute to societal well-being can help mitigate the negative consequences of crises, reinforce customer gratitude, and minimize corporate hypocrisy. CSR is critical in shaping a company’s accountability and ethical responsibilities. Consequently, there is an opportunity for the firm to see the role of CSR and how it affects customers’ responses and attitudes during any difficult situation. Drawing upon attribution theory and the customer gratitude reciprocity cycle, a conceptual framework was developed to test the impact of CSR on the variables: corporate hypocrisy, …

2026 March News Report, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Communications and Marketing Publications Archive

The March 2026 Morehead State University News Report.

Replenishment Recommendation In Convenience Stores, Meng Li, Wang Xu, Liang Xu

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study examines the impact of a replenishment recommendation system on inventory management in convenience stores. We collaborate with a convenience store chain to implement the system in some locations while leaving others unchanged. We find that the introduction of the system increases reorder points and reduces order size, leading to a 2.9% improvement in service levels without requiring additional inventory and without negatively affecting sales or revenue. Additionally, it reduces managers’ daily ordering time by 36.5%, thus enhancing overall store efficiency. Our study also highlights the important role of managerial discretion in complementing the system. For popular items, managers …

The Asymmetric Effects Of Posting An Online Review On Future Spending And The Dark Side Of Solicitations, Hulya Karaman

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Motivated by the prevalence of online review creation and solicitation, this paper examines whether posting an online review impacts the reviewer’s future spending on the reviewed brand. Identifying the causal effects of posting an online review is challenging because reviewers self-select into posting, making it an endogenous decision. I overcome this challenge by using randomized online review solicitations as an instrument for the endogenous treatment variable of posting an online review and establish that doing so decreases the average future spending by the reviewers on the reviewed brand. Additionally, I show that soliciting customers to post increases their propensity to …

2026 Spring Convocation Program, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Communications and Marketing Publications Archive

The 2026 Morehead State University Convocation Program from January 7, 2026.

Galleriax: A Hybrid Digital Platform For Art, Technology, And Community, Catherine Wu

MA Projects

GalleriaX is a curated digital platform that brings together artists, collectors, and creative audiences through an ecosystem shaped by curation, technology, and community. The platform reimagines digital art engagement by combining editorial storytelling, membership-based participation, and long-term artist support. Rather than functioning as an open marketplace, GalleriaX offers a guided and context-driven environment where artworks, conversations, and cultural programs unfold with intention. The company operates at the intersection of art and technology, using digital tools to enhance, rather than replace, the human elements of taste, dialogue, and shared experience. Its approach blends the credibility of curatorial practice with the accessibility …

The Flavor Of Marketing: How Food Is Revolutionizing Luxury Brand Communication, Aloisa Ruf

MA Theses

This thesis explores how food operates as a cultural, psychological, and strategic instrument within the global luxury industry. Drawing from art history, marketing theory, and sensory studies, it traces how societies across Europe, the Middle East, China, Japan, Russia, and the United States have long used food to express hierarchy, belonging, and emotion—from the banquets of seventeenth-century Versailles to the branded cafes and collaboration of the 2010s and 2020s. Through a comparative and interpretive methodology, the research connects historical visual traditions with contemporary brand strategies, examining case studies such as Gucci Osteria, Louis Vuitton’s Desert Iftar, Dior Café, Loewe’s “Tomato” …

Aura For Sale?: Art Merchandise And The Totalizing Culture Of Reproduction, Lily Paternoster

MA Theses

The art historical discipline largely excludes art merchandise from critical analysis, relegating it to being a marketing gimmick or gift shop opportunity. This failure to reconcile with the rapidly expanding enterprise for brand collaborations with fine artists has led to an overwhelming and unregulated commercial licensing industry, similar in mystique and ascend to that of the fine art market. Through the case studies of two post-humous artists and two living- Keith Haring, JeanMichel Basquiat, KAWS (Brian Donnelly), and Maurizio Cattelan- I argue that art merchandise exists on a constantly fluctuating scale between democratizing force and commodity. Despite its status on …

Integrating Social Media And Entrepreneurship: A Study Of Social Media, Creativity, Strategy, And Innovation In Building A Successful Brand Presence In The Digital Era, Lys Ishiari

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social media has completely changed what it means to start a business. It was once just a place for personal interactions but is currently a powerful channel that drives the growth of multiple industries (Felicia, 2022). Now, anyone can use their personal creativity and hobbies to build a brand, especially on apps like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. The purpose of this study is to identify the common themes behind social media entrepreneurs’ success, which allows individuals to become both creators and business owners in the digital age. Furthermore, a key part of writing this paper is personal; it connects to …

Forecasting The Unpredictable: The Bullwhip Effect In The Toy Industry, Mannat Sethi

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis investigates the bullwhip effect, the amplification of demand variability as it moves upstream in a supply chain, with a focus on the toy industry, and comparative analysis with the technology and consumer goods sectors. Using annual data from 1993 to 2024, the study analyzes production and retail growth for Mattel, Hasbro, Intel, and Procter & Gamble to assess how variance between consumer demand and firm output has changed over time. Bullwhip ratios are calculated as the variance of production growth divided by the variance of retail growth across two periods: 1993–2008 and 2009–2024.

The findings show that toy …