Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Strategic Alliances On Marketing Efforts: The Roles Of Cooperation, Tommy Hsu

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Service And Scholarship: Lindenwood Announces 2026 Faculty Awards, Lindenwood University

Archived Lindenwood Press Releases

No abstract provided.

Luxury Of Entertainment: Positioning Live Events As Third Places, Kelsie T. Martin

Honors College Theses

This study examines the shift of live entertainment into a luxury commodity and its implications for social accessibility and cultural participation. Rising ticket prices, dynamic pricing models, and industry consolidation restrict access to concerts and festivals to higher-income audiences, as seen through companies such as Live Nation. This increasing trend in the entertainment industry contradicts the original purpose of live entertainment and music events as a shared cultural experience.

By incorporating Ray Oldenburg’s theory of “third places,” this research explores how live events can function as inclusive social spaces that foster community, belonging, and social connection. Using an applied case …

Composing Art For Reflexivity: Still Life Photography As A Medium For Reflexive Management Learning, Emi Makino, S. R. Aurora, Chantal Van Esch

Management Faculty Publications

Engaging in reflexive practice is crucial for both management students and professionals. Teaching the core skills of reflexivity can be difficult, however. We describe the Still Life Photo Exercise, a simple yet powerful reflexive activity grounded in art-based pedagogy. In this unconventional method for stimulating deep reflection and engaged discussion, students choose and arrange everyday objects into a work of art in line with a given theme, learning to critically reflect upon their lived experiences through creative skills, projective techniques, illustration of essence, and the physical act of making. The exercise’s versatility, its ability to draw out deep personal reflection …

Early-Term Abortion Bans And Sex Selection After Dobbs V Jackson, William Jergins, Xin Liang Brown

Faculty Scholarship

Following the 2022 US Supreme Court decision Dobbs v Jackson, many states adopted early-term abortion (ETA) bans that prohibit abortions before the age of viability and often before sex determination is technologically feasible. We analyze the effect of ETA bans on the sex ratio at birth among first-generation Chinese, Korean, and Indian (CKI) immigrants using difference-in-differences and triple differences methodolo- gies. While our estimates across higher parity children sometimes indicate a decrease in the sex ratio at birth, they are also generally small and statistically insignificant, which is consistent with continued access to sex selection under ETA bans. In contrast, …

The Applicability Of Artificial Intelligence In Tour Guiding: Perspective Of Sustainable Service Innovation In Tourism With Technology, Chiranjib Kumar Choudhary Phd, Aditi Choudhary

International Journal of Tour Guiding and Visitor Attraction Research

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming various sectors of the tourism, travel, and hospitality industry. Among these, the role of tourist guides remains crucial, as they act as cultural ambassadors representing destinations and nations. The primary objective of this study is to explore the applications of AI in developing intelligent audio-visual tour guides and assistive devices that enhance tourists’ real-time experiences at heritage sites, tourist attractions, and places of archaeological significance. The research adopts a qualitative approach, utilising secondary data gathered from academic literature, printed and electronic resources, online databases, and expert opinions from tourism professionals. The collected data were …

Redefining Skincare For Sensitive Lives, Ashlyn G. Sierra Ms

Honors College Theses

This study outlines how a skincare company that is both ethically and effectively developed for people suffering from eczema could create accessible, affordable products as well as maintain its commitment to being inclusive. The study uses scientific data regarding eczema in order to examine why certain aspects of skin care are helpful or dangerous when it comes to individuals who suffer from eczema, in addition, it provides an assessment of current skin care product offerings that are designed for people with eczema. Using the Wise Leadership Framework, the study presents a hypothetical business plan for a new, eczema-based skin care …

Redefining Skincare For Sensitive Lives, Ashlyn G. Sierra Ms

Honors College Theses

This study outlines how a skincare company that is both ethically and effectively developed for people suffering from eczema could create accessible, affordable products as well as maintain its commitment to being inclusive. The study uses scientific data regarding eczema in order to examine why certain aspects of skin care are helpful or dangerous when it comes to individuals who suffer from eczema, in addition, it provides an assessment of current skin care product offerings that are designed for people with eczema. Using the Wise Leadership Framework, the study presents a hypothetical business plan for a new, eczema-based skin care …

Embracing Neurodiversity In The Workplace: Strategies For Human Resource Management To Foster Inclusion And Enhance Employee Well-Being, Sameer Ahmed

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Abstract

Objective: This literature review examines strategies for fostering the inclusion of neurodivergent individuals in the workplace with a focus on the role of Human Resource Management (HRM). Background: Neurodiversity refers to variations in neurological functioning and includes conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and others. Recognizing neurodiversity as a valuable form of human diversity can enhance workplace innovation and performance. Method: A comprehensive review of the recent literature on neurodiversity in the workplace was conducted by employing qualitative analysis techniques, including thematic coding, comparative analysis, and critical reflection. Results: Key findings encompass the …

Closing The Global Skills Gap: Employer Panels As Partnership Tools For Industry And Higher Education, Dean Campbell, Emily Workman

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

This paper explores how employer panels function as partnership tools to close the global skills gap between higher education and industry. As workforce demands shift toward adaptability, critical thinking, and intercultural competence, institutions must prepare students with both technical and soft skills. Guided by Communities of Practice and constructivist learning frameworks, two community college case studies—a metropolitan branch campus (BCCC) and a rural college (RCC)—demonstrate how employer panels support workforce readiness. Panels engaged employers, faculty, and students in discussions informed by pre-session surveys and industry insights, highlighting skills essential for navigating a globalized economy. Outcomes show that panels foster collaborative …

A Practical Leadership Guide For Student Organization President And Officers, Adrian Hernandez

Honors Capstones

This capstone project focuses on the development of a leadership playbook designed to support student organization leaders through practical guidance, organizational strategies, and leadership systems grounded in real experiences. The project was inspired by my experience serving as President of Pi Sigma Epsilon and the leadership challenges commonly faced within student organizations. Throughout my time in leadership, I observed how communication, structure, accountability, and organizational culture directly impacted the success and sustainability of organizations. These experiences motivated the creation of a resource that could help future student leaders navigate leadership responsibilities more effectively while building stronger and more sustainable organizations. …

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 …

The Role Of Ceo Biases And Heuristics For Large Firms’ Innovation, Cristina O. Vlas, Radu E. Vlas

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Do different CEO biases affect large firms’ innovation differently, and to what extent are these effects bounded by CEOs’ heuristics? In this article, we highlight overlooked antecedents, such as the biases imposed by CEO narcissism and self-monitoring and the heuristics driven by CEOs’ motivation (regulatory foci) for certain courses of action. We found that narcissistic CEOs differ from self-monitoring CEOs when it comes to innovation. We found that, for self-monitoring CEOs, these effects are conditioned by the individuals’ underlying promotion and prevention motivation, but this is not the case for narcissistic CEOs. These findings contour our understanding of the immutability …

Firm-Level Tournament Incentives And Social Decoupling: Evidence From The United States, Mohamed Khalifa, Ahmed Aboud, Soad Kh Ali

All Works

This study investigates whether tournament-based executive incentives exacerbate social decoupling. Using 4468 firm-year observations from S&P 500 firms between 2010 and 2022, we find that stronger tournament incentives are associated with higher levels of social decoupling. This association is stronger in firms without ESG-linked compensation, those facing higher product market competition, and those with greater board co-option. Additional analyses indicate that increased agency costs constitute an important channel. The analysis employs firm and year fixed-effects regressions and is supplemented by alternative decoupling measures, change-on-change analysis, instrumental variable estimation, and a Heckman two-stage model. This study advances the literature on executive …

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 …

A Compilation Of Accounting Studies And Analyses, Annalee Hill

Honors Theses

This thesis includes a study of the food company, General Mills, from the perspective of auditors who view General Mills as a client. Specifically, it is an investigation of General Mills’ extensive efforts to comply with a new political agenda, which may result in subsequent applicable regulation. To develop this analysis, my classmates and I used various sources, including General Mills’s real, current financial statements, over the course of several weeks to produce a three-part compilation on the company itself, its move toward healthier products, and how we could assist them in doing so as their auditors. We performed analyzed …

Cases In Accounting Contexts, Carson T. Kimble

Honors Theses

This thesis examines a series of eight applied case studies that explore contemporary issues in accounting. Rather than focusing on a single research question, this project is a broad set of accounting situations completed through a yearlong thesis class under the guidance of Dr. Victoria Dickinson. These cases explored technical skills, professional judgement, and analytical reasoning in the accounting profession. These cases required professional research, including analysis of financial statements, review of regulations, and evaluation of academic sources. The work also emphasized collaboration among classmates and application to real-world scenarios. The thesis explored a variety of challenges that accountants encounter …

Analysis Of Accounting Through Case Studies, Emily M. Ward

Honors Theses

This thesis looks at accounting principles though a series of case studies. The primary case study used from three parts includes examining Post Holdings financial statements, regulatory impacts, and assurances processes. This case aims to explore how companies operate, report their financial information, and respond to external pressures. The first part of the case involves evaluating the company’s structure, operations, and financial statements. The second part examines industry threats and opportunities, particularly regarding the current Make America Healthy Again agenda under the Trump administration. The third part looks at potential audit plans to enhance decision making. Through this process, the …

Various Cases Studies On Kraft Heinz, Thomas Sowell, And More, Aidan K. Bitting

Honors Theses

This thesis is composed of various case studies that were completed throughout the course of the Honors Accounting 420 class. Over the course of the school year, these cases covered diverse topics related to accounting and finance. Each case has a different format which requires different solutions. Some cases were focused on the analysis of a 10-K, while other cases were focused on the effects new laws and regulations can have on the way a company conducts business.

Most of the cases were completed in groups. This helped emphasize the importance of teamwork and collaboration. The groups varied case by …

The Paradox Of Perfection: Hidden Risks Of High-Performing Ai In Human-In-The-Loop Governance, Chen Zhong, Alper Yayla, Xueping Liang

Proceedings of the Cognitive Innovation Conference (CognoCon)

As AI systems achieve near-perfect accuracy in high-stakes decision-making domains, governance frameworks risk overlooking a critical paradox: superior AI reliability may render human oversight ceremonial rather than functional. This paper presents a theoretically grounded experimental research design to investigate Automation Complacency—the cognitive degradation of human vigilance triggered by sustained streaks of accurate AI outputs. Grounded in Dual-Process Theory and the competency trap literature, we hypothesize that consistent AI reliability shifts operators from analytical (System 2) to heuristic (System 1) processing, significantly impairing error detection when AI eventually fails. Using a simulated phishing detection task (N=200), we plan to test how …

Artificial Intelligence, Large Language Models, Ai Applications, Ai Business Transformation, Reza Vaezi

Proceedings of the Cognitive Innovation Conference (CognoCon)

This paper critically examines the prevailing approaches to AI ethics, arguing that current frameworks—focused on regulation, compliance, and risk mitigation—are insufficient for guiding increasingly autonomous and socially influential AI systems. It contends that ethical behavior in humans arises from morality that is rooted in human empathy, which AI lacks. By differentiating between morality (emotionally intuitive) and ethics (analytical and rule-based), the paper highlights the limitations of procedural ethics in AI, which operates solely in an analytical mode. The author proposes an alternative path for ethical AI through conscious empathic AI, suggesting that embedding empathic capacities could stabilize moral behavior in …

Llms Are Not The Answer Relevant Ai For Business Transformation, Christopher Simpkins

Proceedings of the Cognitive Innovation Conference (CognoCon)

AI hype is driving AI failure. Hype-driven focus on LLM-centric AI products – which in reality have few practical applications – is causing businesses to miss out on the real opportunities offered by the breadth of AI that is more relevant to their problems. In this position paper I provide a definition of AI that focuses on the kinds of problems AI can solve and a brief introduction to the broad field of AI. I then explain at a high level why LLMs fall short of their hype and always will, as a consequence of fundamental technical limitations. Within the …

When Humans Stop Thinking: Cognitive Offloading, Atrophy Risk, And The Design Of Human-Ai Intelligence, Pravinya Mandalapu, Adriane B. Randolph, Andrea Taylor

Proceedings of the Cognitive Innovation Conference (CognoCon)

As artificial intelligence (AI) systems proliferate across professional and everyday contexts, humans increasingly rely on these tools to perform cognitive tasks they once carried out internally. This phenomenon of cognitive offloading extends beyond the use of traditional aids like calendars or calculators, raising foundational questions about how deep reliance on AI reshapes human cognition itself (Risko & Gilbert, 2016). While offloading can enhance immediate task performance, emerging evidence suggests meaningful costs to memory retention, judgment quality, and creative autonomy (Burnett & Richmond, 2025; Risko et al., 2023). Drawing on seminal work by Cliff Nass and colleagues on media multitasking, task-switching, …

Climate Policy Uncertainty And Housing Prices: Analyzing Bidirectional Transmission Across U.S. Metropolitan Areas, Sourav Batabyal, Alper Gormus

Finance and Economics

This study examines the relationship between climate policy uncertainty (CPU) and residential housing prices across U.S. metropolitan areas using the U.S. CPU index developed by Gavriilidis in 2021 and monthly S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, covering January 1991 to May 2024. Employing a Fourier-augmented Toda–Yamamoto causality framework that accounts for both abrupt and gradual structural breaks, we document significant CPU → housing prices transmission in multiple metropolitan markets, with bidirectional transmission dynamics emerging in Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, and San Francisco, as well as at the U.S. national level. The results reveal substantial spatial heterogeneity across various …

Human-Like Or System-Like Trust? A Comparison Of Trust Measures For Intelligent Assistants, Denise Mcwilliams, Adriane B. Randolph

Proceedings of the Cognitive Innovation Conference (CognoCon)

Organizations increasingly deploy intelligent assistants to augment human tasks within virtual teams, reshaping how work is coordinated and performed. As intelligent assistants become embedded in everyday workflows, technology shifts from a passive tool to an active collaborator in team processes. Despite growing adoption, trust remains a critical factor influencing the use of intelligent assistants and may hinder organizations’ efforts to realize their full value. Prior research debates which trust construct is most appropriate for examining trust in artificial intelligence. Traditional perspectives emphasize cognitive and affective trust, developed for human-to-human relationships, which may not fully capture trust in human–computer contexts. Emerging …

From Configuration To Cognition: A Self-Configuring Agentic Crm Architecture For Small-Scale Retail Enterprises, Praveen Manimangalam

Proceedings of the Cognitive Innovation Conference (CognoCon)

Artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly enhanced enterprise-scale customer relationship management (CRM) systems; however, small-scale retail businesses remain structurally excluded from these advancements due to configuration complexity, technical overhead, and limited digital capabilities. This paper introduces a Self-Configuring Agentic CRM (SC-ACRM) architecture designed to eliminate configuration barriers in micro-retail contexts. The framework operationalizes Intent-to-Schema automation, translating natural-language business intent into structured operational models and reducing configuration debt embedded in traditional metadatadriven systems. The architecture further incorporates adaptive agentic orchestration and Cognitive Infrastructure Elasticity, enabling dynamic policy adjustment under demand volatility while preserving human-supervisory governance. Using an agent-based simulation of a multi-SKU …

Hierarchical Multi-Level Llm Agent Swarms For Financial Research Synthesis And Trading Decision Support In Multi Strategy Hedge Funds, Puneet Gandhi, Rishab Gulati

Proceedings of the Cognitive Innovation Conference (CognoCon)

"There will be no software in the future that's not agentic. And so, it is absolutely true that every software company will become an agentic company.”- Nvidia’s Jensen Huang. As various companies grapple with agentic architectures suitable to their firm environments, we present a hierarchical agentic architecture geared towards Multi Strategy hedge funds. Multi-strategy hedge funds operate within highly complex and rapidly evolving information environments. Trading decisions emerge from layered organizational structures in which sector specific teams continuously consume heterogeneous data sources. Sr. Portfolio Managers synthesize information to allocate capital towards high-conviction opportunities. As the volume and diversity of financial …

Creating It Capabilities In Workflow Automation With Unstructured Data, Gary J. Braswell

Proceedings of the Cognitive Innovation Conference (CognoCon)

Service organizations increasingly seek to automate customer service workflows, yet most customer communications arrive as unstructured data, such as email and chat. Although large language models (LLMs) offer new possibilities for interpreting such data, their non-deterministic behavior creates reliability risks that can undermine automation performance, as error rates as low as 10% can cause automated flows to perform worse than manual ones. This research discusses how firms can build IT capabilities that convert LLM-based interpretation of unstructured data into reliable automated customer service workflows. Using the Resource-Based View (RBV) as the theoretical lens, the study examines how knowledge sharing and …

A Compilation Of Accounting Studies And Analyses, Ashley Mason

Honors Theses

Over the course of two semesters in ACCY 420, under the instruction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson, my team and I were given a company and tasked with creating an operational plan and audit plan to account for the solution we developed. These case studies required us to research the topic and to also reflect on what we have learned in previous accounting classes. In each of these cases, my team and I researched the topics, proposed a solution, developed a presentation, and then argued our solution to a panel of accounting and business professionals. These experiences strengthened my public speaking …

Analyzing Comtemporary Accounting Issues: Case Studies In Audit, Tax, And Financial Regulation, Diya S. Patel

Honors Theses

This thesis is comprised of five case studies that explore a range of contemporary issues in accounting, with a focus on auditing, financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and evolving role of accountants in a complex business environment. Dr. Victoria Dickinson assigned and advised the case studies throughout the Honors Accountancy 420 course. The case studies examine the analysis and interpretation of financial statements, emphasizing the identification of risk, the use of professional judgment, and the implementation of internal controls to ensure accuracy and transparency. Additionally, the case studies evaluate the growing impact of regulatory frameworks on businesses, highlighting both the intended …