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A Comparative Look At The Training Objectives Of The United States Marine Corps And Corporate America, Davis M. Johnson

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis investigates how divergent institutional objectives influence leader development in two organizational contexts: U.S. Marine Corps officer training and corporate leadership development programs. The study draws on organizational socialization theory, institutional theory, and stress inoculation research. It contends that leadership formation is shaped by the missions, values, and structural demands unique to each institution. The research uses comparative analysis of selection practices, socialization tactics, identity construction, and adaptability development, explicitly contrasting how each institution develops leaders. The Marine Corps uses divestiture socialization, collective identity formation, and structured stress exposure to embed group loyalty and prepare officers for decisive action …

Buyer-Seller Relationships In Rural Belize, Mackenzie K. Albright

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines buyer–seller relationships between small-scale farmers and lead firms in rural Belize, with a focus on how sustainability initiatives affect farmer autonomy and satisfaction. Drawing on firsthand fieldwork conducted during an internship with the Belize Ministry of Agriculture in Dangriga, this study analyzes the Sustainable and Inclusive Belize program and its efforts to promote climate-smart agriculture and environmentally sustainable production practices. While these initiatives aim to improve long-term environmental and economic outcomes, findings suggest that strict oversight, organic requirements, and compliance standards imposed by lead firms—such as large agricultural buyers—can reduce farmers’ decision-making autonomy and overall satisfaction.

Through …

Transforming Legacy Brands Into Cultural Moments: The Power Of Transmedia Storytelling, Grace Goshert

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Throughout my internship, I was captivated by the company’s journey to being driven by

intellectual property rather than just being product driven. On my very first day, the Vice

President of Marketing for North America, Matt Brutocao, spoke to all the interns about his role

and the direction the company is going. My first notes from my internship and his presentation

are the words marketing is storytelling. Throughout the rest of my internship, this idea would

come into play during talks with executives, company people in all departments, and with my

peers. It was very clear that Mattel wanted to …

The Effects Of Avian Influenza On Consumer Egg Prices In The United States, Jacob B. Franklin

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) create major challenges to poultry supply chains due to the high mortality rates in flocks, leading to disruptions in production and higher costs for producers. Using quantitative data from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, USDA, and National Agricultural Statistics Service, this research analyzes changes in egg production, retail prices, and regional variations throughout the United States for the 2022-2025 HPAI event. A time-series regression model was used to control for production costs, seasonal patterns, and regional differences. All of these measures come together to quantify the impact of HPAI outbreaks on consumer …

A Study Of The Agricultural Industry In Belize And Associated Future Growth Opportunities, Henry J. Conner

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

During the summer of 2025, I had the opportunity to complete an internship in Belize with Peacework. During my time there, I worked with the Ministry of Agriculture. This Thesis is a summary of my time there and a study of the agricultural industry in Belize. It explores topics like climate change, sustainable agriculture, and the economic impact of recent events and potential future events on Belize.

The Role Of Advertising In Shaping Eating Habits, Mary J. Landrum

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

Today, more individuals worldwide are classified as overweight than underweight (World Health Organization, n.d.-a.). Over the past several decades, obesity rates have increased dramatically, particularly in the United States. Since the 1960s, the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. has risen from 13% to 43%, reflecting a significant shift in population health. Even more striking, less than 1% of Americans were considered morbidly obese in 1960, compared to nearly 10% today (USAFacts, 2023). This trend is not limited to the United States. Globally, the percentage of adults living with obesity more than doubled between 1990 and 2022, increasing from 7% …

Diving Into Commercial Banking: Internship Experience At Hilborn & Howell, Llc, Reid W. Finch

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper attempts to provide insight into the commercial banking industry through personal experience and the help of high-level lending professionals.

An Explanation Of Alternatives Within A Portfolio, Isaac J. Reitman

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis attempts to provide insight into the role of alternative investments within modern portfolio construction for accredited and institutional investors.

The asset classes discussed are as follows: private credit, private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, collectibles, and real estate.

Identifying And Evaluating Valuation Drivers In Upstream Oil And Gas M&A: A Comparative Analysis Of The Pedevco-Juniper Transaction, John D. Schick

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the valuation drivers in small-cap upstream oil and gas M&A, using the November 2025 PEDEVCO–Juniper Capital transaction as an anchor case against comparable DJ Basin acquisitions from 2018 to 2026. Drawing on SEC filings and EIA pricing data, the analysis standardizes deals across $/flowing barrel, reserve mix, liquids exposure, and commodity environment. Regression testing shows that daily production scale is the dominant driver of total enterprise value, while oil weighting and PDP-heavy reserves command per-unit pricing premiums; short-term WTI and Henry Hub prices show little explanatory power. PEDEVCO–Juniper's moderate scale, 77% oil weighting, and PDP-heavy profile place …

Oxytocin-Mediated Trust Formation In Relationship-Based Sales, Isabella G. Farrington

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Trust is a critical driver of success in relationship-based sales, particularly in complex environments such as medical, pharmaceutical, and B2B markets where decisions involve uncertainty, risk, and long-term commitment. Existing research in marketing and psychology primarily explains trust through interpersonal behaviors, communication, and relationship management strategies. However, the biological mechanisms underlying trust formation remain largely underexplored in these contexts.

This thesis examines the role of oxytocin, a neuropeptide associated with social bonding and cooperation, in shaping trust and decision-making in professional sales environments. Drawing on research from neuroscience, neuroeconomics, and relationship marketing, it proposes that oxytocin-mediated processes provide a biological …

Modular Category Optimization For Substitutability: An Item-Level Approach, Medhansh A. Sankaran

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines substitutability within Walmart apparel as a foundation for modular category optimization. Using large-scale item-level data, I develop an attribute-based framework that aggregates products to the fineline level, constructs a structured feature space, and identifies candidate substitute relationships through similarity-based matching within relevant merchandise groupings. The results show that Walmart item master data contains sufficient structure to support scalable substitute generation across a high-variety assortment. However, substitutability is not uniform: many item pairs exhibit high similarity but low observed demand transfer, indicating that structural similarity alone does not guarantee substitution. To address this, the framework is positioned within …

Escaping The Promotion Trap: A Machine Learning Framework For Brand Equity Preservation In Beverage Cpg, Lucas P. Jones

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

When companies acquire beverage brands, they typically value them based on total sales revenue. This traditional approach treats all sales equally over time, whether they are driven by genuine consumer demand or temporary discounts. This is important because while promotions can boost short-term sales, they tend to erode brand value over long periods of time. The measurement problem extends to acquisitions, where buyers lack the tools to distinguish real consumer demand from artificial promotional inflation.

This thesis develops a framework to separate genuine baseline demand from promotional dependence using Nielsen scanner data covering 189 beverage brands across 188,304 weekly observations …

Abigail Sarai: A Neuroaesthetic Approach To Fashion Brand Development, Abby Martos

Theses

This thesis project presents a comprehensive direct-to-consumer business plan for an independent women’s fashion brand, Abigail Sarai, strategically positioned around the commercial value of aesthetic design. The project is grounded in an interdisciplinary theoretical framework integrating neuroaesthetics and consumer behavior research. Existing literature demonstrates that visual principles such as symmetry, harmony, and proportion activate neural reward systems associated with pleasure, while consumer research identifies happiness and emotional well-being as central drivers of purchasing behavior. Building upon these findings, this project proposes that aesthetic beauty can function as a deliberate and measurable value proposition within fashion entrepreneurship. By aligning brand design …

Assessing The Viability Of Cryptocurrency As A Payment Method: A Consumer Perspective, Aadavan Dharumaiyan

Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was the limited mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies for daily retail transactions despite continued technological advancement and increasing institutional interest. The purpose of this qualitative study, grounded in Husserlian descriptive phenomenology, was to explore the perceptual and behavioral factors influencing this adoption gap. Participants were recruited using snowball sampling, resulting in eight participants divided into two cohorts: active cryptocurrency payment users (Cohort 1, n = 2) and cryptocurrency holders who did not use cryptocurrencies for payments (Cohort 2, n = 6). Data were analyzed using the Moustakas phenomenological approach to identify patterns in participant experiences. …

Perceived Fiscal Exchange And Tax Compliance: Evidence From Large Corporate Taxpayers In Tanzania, Susan Kiyenze, Mariam Nchimbi, Said Suluo

Business Management Review

This paper examines the relationship between perceived fiscal exchange (PFE) and Tax Compliance (TCO) among large corporate taxpayers in Tanzania while drawing on the Fiscal Exchange Theory (FET). The study on which this paper is based employed a quantitative research design and analysed data using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with a sample of 215 large corporate taxpayers in Tanzania. We find that the FET framework has modest explanatory and predictive power. Perceived Fiscal Exchange (PFE) has an insignificant effect on tax compliance of large corporate taxpayers. This suggests that perceptions of fiscal exchange do not necessarily drive …

The Push-Pull Model's Function In Understanding Public Sector Workers' Inter-Organisational Labour Mobility: The Views Of The Herzberg Two-Factor Theory, Rosemary Selestine Massae

Business Management Review

In the modern world, one of the challenges managers have in maintaining their talented staff is labour mobility. Inter-organisational labour mobility (ILM) has been found to be significantly influenced by co-worker relationships, work-family conflict, monetary compensation, and training and development. The pull-push paradigm was inspired by human migration. Since migration not only symbolises movement across physical locations but also encompasses other routine duties, theory is essential to comprehending ILM. However, to date, no existing study has tested the model under the influence of Herzberg’s Two-factor Theory, in explaining ILM uses the public sector as a major setting of the question …

The Impact Of Quantum Computing And Distributed Ledger Technology On Accounting/Auditing/Finance Systems, Ulingeta O. L. Mbamba

Business Management Review

The integration of Quantum Computing (QC) and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) is poised to fundamentally reshape modern accounting by transforming how financial data is processed, secured, and verified. QC, utilising qubits, will exponentially enhance data analytics, risk assessment, and real-time financial forecasting, accelerating complex auditing tasks far beyond the capabilities of classical systems. In parallel, DLT, such as blockchain, provides a decentralised, immutable record of transactions, significantly increasing transparency and trust. This synergy may enable real-time analysis, continuous auditing, and intelligent automation, converting traditional static, centralised processes into dynamic, transparent ecosystems. Together, this convergence may redefine accounting, auditing, and finance, …

The Erosion Of The Middle Class In The United States From 2008-Present: A Financial Perspective, Evan M. Kilmer

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the erosion of the middle class in the United States from 2008 to the present from a financial perspective, specifically focusing on the interconnection between household debt, asset affordability, and income growth. The 2008 financial crisis sparked a period of expansionary monetary policy, which aided the recovery of asset prices and equity markets. However, these gains have far exceeded real wage growth for middle-class households, which has resulted in a widening gap in affordability. As these citizens struggle to maintain consumption habits and access to goods and services associated with upward mobility, mortgages, student loans, and consumer …

Consumer Willingness To Pay- Mauritius, Addison Guess

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

For my thesis, I will be diving into my personal and professional learnings from my summer internship abroad. My group completed a research project in Mauritius, an island off Africa. This island gained independence less than a century ago, and since then, has gone from a low-income farming country to a developing middle-income country with a heavy reliance on rice. Our task was to survey people to determine consumer willingness to pay regarding low glycemic rice. This took place in Mauritius because of the high diabetic rate in this area. Similar to many Asian countries there is a high diabetic …

Do I Have To Know Someone? The Impact Of Factors Beyond The Playing Field That Affect Mlb Hall Of Fame Voting., Jackson Wollscheid

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

With the creation of WAR (Wins above Replacement), it has created an index to measure the player’s value using a variety of statistics relevant to that player’s position. The higher a player’s career WAR then the greater the impact that player had on the game during his career. However, players are not simply inducted into the Hall of Fame on this measure of value but on voting from members of the BBWAA (Baseball Writers’ Association of America). This research investigates external factors outside of standard playing statistics’ influence on Hall of Fame voting, including team affiliation, career length, and other …

Exploring The Transformative Effects Of Executive Coaching On Leaders: A Qualitative Study, Dwayne Norman

Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation examines the transformative effects of executive coaching on leaders’ development, personal growth, decision-making, and overall effectiveness across varied organizational contexts. Grounded in authentic leadership theory and employing a generic qualitative inquiry design, the study investigated how leaders who completed executive coaching describe changes in their behavior and mindset. Eleven experienced leaders participated in semi-structured interviews selected through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis, guided by the cyclical and inductive coding methods of Saldana (2021), generated 187 initial codes, which were distilled into 72 final codes. These final codes were then further refined into twelve categories and four overarching themes: …

Assessing Tourism-Induced Impacts In Communities Around The Indiana Dunes National Park, Charles James Kovacs

Masters Theses

This project aims to examine the effects of the tourism industry in and around a new National Park within the United States’ National Park system (NPS). The Indiana Dunes National Park (IDNP) received National Park designation in 2019. The park, situated on the south shore of Lake Michigan, is a roughly fifty-minute drive east of Chicago. This project seeks to ask and answer how the tourism industry has grown and continues to impact the lives of residents near the IDNP. Two communities, Michigan City and Chesterton, serve as the primary study areas along with the park itself. Qualitative methods, centered …

Religious Discrimination In The Hiring Process Through Examination Of Subtle Resume Cues, Sadie Nelson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The information included on a resume is a key indicator of a person’s qualifications and experience that will help them succeed at a job. Defining characteristics like a person’s race, ethnicity, gender, or religion are often conveyed through subtle cues on a resume. These subtle cues have the ability to induce unconscious biases that can result in discrimination throughout the hiring process. In contrast to prior research, which has primarily used names and photographs as cues for conveying membership in a protected group, this study examined cues conveyed through the affiliations and activities presented on a resume. A survey containing …

International Spillover: How External, Global Events Such As Brexit And Covid-19 Have Impacted Housing Prices Within The Republic Of Ireland, Allie Riggs

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The housing market in Ireland has experienced such a great crisis in recent history that over a third of residents have considered moving to a more affordable country (Hogg, 2024). While a number of both causes and potential solutions have been analyzed in regard to this national crisis, I hypothesize that there has been a greater shock from external, global events in the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit. In performing a regression on secondary data while controlling for macroeconomic factors that impact the housing market, I have identified a positive, significant association between these two exogenous shocks and their impact on …

Giving Week 2026 Raises $209,844, Lindenwood University

Archived Lindenwood Press Releases

No abstract provided.

Investigating Ethical And Motivational Influences On Consumers’ Willingness To Purchase The Refurbished Motorcycle Parts, Kuei Kuei Lai, Sahilali Saiyed, Vimal Kumar, Naif Almakayeel, Ali Al Owad, Abdul Waaje

Michigan Tech Publications

As global interest in sustainability and circular economy models intensifies, understanding consumer behaviour toward refurbished products becomes increasingly important—particularly in emerging markets like India. This study examines the ethical and motivational drivers behind consumers' willingness to purchase refurbished motorcycle parts. These parts offer a sustainable alternative in India's fast-growing automotive sector. The research draws on Deontic Justice Theory (DJT) and Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to analyze how moral responsibility, perceived threats, and coping mechanisms impact purchase intentions. The study also considers Availability and Accessibility (ANA) as a moderating condition that influences the impact of these ethical and motivational drivers. Data …

The Profitability Of Basis Trading Strategies In Futures Markets, Evan W. Eifling

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

There have been few studies on post-harvest strategies related to hedging and speculation in futures and options markets and their returns in agricultural economic literature. In this thesis, we examine whether basis trading, a common strategy used by elevators to hedge their position, generates superior returns than simply storing physical cash grain following harvest and accounting for risk. Specifically, the purpose of my research is to study the returns and risks generated by each of these strategies using empirical analysis of the historical data of the post-harvest cash and future prices for the crop years from 1992-2020. The results of …

Pour & Ponder: A Gen Z Evaluation Of Hospitality And Communication In Wineries Of The Ozarks, Evan W. Seay

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Generation Z represents an emerging consumer group within the hospitality and tourism industry, yet winery experiences are often designed with more traditional audiences in mind. As younger consumers increasingly value authenticity, communication, and experience-driven hospitality, wineries must consider how their practices align with evolving expectations. This honors thesis explores winery hospitality and communication practices in the Ozarks through a Generation Z perspective using a creative, experience-based approach. The final product of this project was Pour & Ponder, a podcast created to document reflective discussions following visits to three wineries: Sassafras Springs Vineyard, St. James Winery, and Ozark Hills Winery. …

Equal Protection Under The Law: Constitutionality Of Current And Proposed Anti-Lgbtq+ Legislation In Tennessee And Its Potential Impact On Business, Henry J. Kalla

Honors Theses

In recent years, the Tennessee General Assembly has become a battleground of sorts for bills attempting to police the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. Multiple laws that impact LGBTQ+ citizens have sparked debate as interested parties on all sides seek to clarify the scope of equal protection, religious freedom, and free expression in this evolving age. Federal law has statutes in place that prohibit discrimination against individuals based on certain protected characteristics, but sexual orientation or transgender status are not explicitly among them. The states have interpreted this ambiguity as providing them the freedom to pass their own civil rights legislation …

(Human)Ities In The Field Of Business, Emma M. Bitting

Honors Theses

Business is often seen as a field driven by numbers, but it is fundamentally powered by shared narratives, such as branding and mission statements. Increased optimization and efficiency has resulted in industries stripped of their humanity, leaving professionals interpersonally deficient. In an increasingly competitive workforce, one’s humanity has become a primary differentiator from the competition (artificial or otherwise). The division between the humanities and business has become a professional liability apparent to any observer, yet it is rarely addressed as the systemic failure it has become. This very divide increasingly hinders progress, rather than serving as the specialization of fields …