Digital Commons Network^™

Recruitment And Selection In A Mass Hiring Event Of A Sme, Emily Sutphin

Honors Theses

Using a qualitative approach, I examined the relationship between formal recruitment and selection practices and the success of a mass hiring event in a small and medium sized enterprise (SME). For the purpose of my study, I will use prominent research in order to examine small and medium enterprises recruitment and selection processes and translate these findings to a mass hiring event with recruitment and selection. My literature review will help guide findings based on the qualitative data I collected. Data was drawn from observation, formal and informal interviews with key individuals within the company, and document analysis. A case …

Pharmacists' Perceptions Of Rapid Diagnostic Testing In Community Pharmacies In Mississippi: A Diffusion Of Innovations Approach, Erin Ann Hoevelmann

Honors Theses

Objectives: The broad purpose of this study is to describe community pharmacists' perceptions of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) in community pharmacies in Mississippi. The focused goal of this study is to determine the correlation between Everett M. Rogers' attributes of the diffusion of innovations (including relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability) and the willingness of community pharmacists to offer RDTs in community pharmacies in Mississippi. Methods: This study was approved by the University of Mississippi IRB. A list of licensed pharmacists was obtained from the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy. An email with study details and a link to the …

From A Tweet To The Street: The Effect Of Social Media On Social Movement Theory, Elizabeth Romary

Honors Theses

This thesis studies the role of social media within social movements and social movement theory and focuses on applying these theories to the Ni Una Menos movement of Argentina. I focus on three social movement theories: the resource mobilization theory, the political process theory, and the cultural approach. I also analyze the rise of social media in the 21st century and how they fit within the framework of the three theories. I then apply these theories to the Ni Una Menos movement. I argue that the Ni Una Menos movement emerged as a cultural movement, and shifted towards a resource …

Millennials, Mississippians, And The 2016 Presidential Election: Implications Of Generational Differences On Voter Behavior, Bess Nichols

Honors Theses

This is a study of the voting patterns of millennial voters (predominately students at the University of Mississippi) and traditional Deep South voters, which for the purpose of this study is men and women above the age of 35. The paper seeks to answer the question: Are millennials ideologically different than their older counterparts in the state of Mississippi? I surveyed a sample of 4,000 students at the University of Mississippi (with approximately 500 responses) and a sample of traditional voters gathered from social media and employees at the University of South Alabama. Respondents were asked questions about their political …

Quantum Groups And Knot Invariants, Greg A. Hamilton

Honors Theses

Knot theory arguably holds claim to the title of the mathematical discipline with the most unusually diverse applications. A knot can be defined topologically as an embedding of S1 in R3. Naturally, two knots are topologically equivalent if one cannot be smoothly deformed into the other. The question of whether two knots are equivalent is highly non-trivial, and so the question of knot invariants used to distinguish knots has occupied knot theorists for over a century. Knot theory has found application in statistical mechanics [1], symbolic logic and set theory [2], quantum fi theory [3], quantum computing [4], etc. …

As Good As Niu: Food Sovereignty In Samoa, Emily Gove

Honors Theses

Samoa’s history as an island nation, with its cultural heritage of migratory peoples, followed by settler colonialism and missionaries, has resulted in its uniquely amalgamated food system. Cuisine varies from traditional crops and recipes to imported canned goods, although dependence on the latter has led to wide-ranging health problems. A way to confront these problems is through reclaiming local cuisine, renewing its popularity and promoting the concept of food sovereignty. Through fieldwork based on surveys, interviews, and participant observation in Apia, complemented with a study of activist Robert Oliver’s new cookbooks on Pacific cuisine, this project examines current themes …

A New Almost Difference Set Construction, David Clayton

Honors Theses

This paper considers the appearance of almost difference sets in non-abelian groups. While numerous construction methods for these structures are known in abelian groups, little is known about ADSs in the case where the group elements do not commute. This paper presents a construction method for combining abelian difference sets into nonabelian almost difference sets, while also showing that at least one known almost difference set construction can be generalized to the nonabelian case.

The Progression Of Lyme Disease In The State Of Virginia, Margaret Michel

Honors Theses

Lyme disease has spread in the United States from the northeast to more southern and western parts of the country. It has been shown that the tick which most often carries the Lyme disease pathogen (Borrelia burgdorferi) in North America, Ixodes scapularis, has also spread to these new areas of concern. In Virginia, the disease has progressed from the eastern shore to the western, more mountainous regions. Through obtaining historical museum specimens of mice from 11 locations in Virginia, we seek to determine whether the Lyme disease causing pathogen, B. burgdorferi, has always been present in …

From New York To The World : The American Jewish Committee And The Meaning Of India, 1945-1956, Ryan Charles Mcevoy

Honors Theses

In the 1940s and early 1950s, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) sought to develop an international vision in response to a world in flux. This project represents the first attempt to triangulate the relationship between India, Israel, and Jewish-American civil society, employing the case of India as a means for understanding the way in which the AJC shaped its worldview in the decade after World War II. Although Americans had been in contact with India well before the war, the AJC brought with it a unique lens for constructing meaning out of a new postcolonial space. A variety of factors …

L’Expression Visuelle Durant La Seconde Guerre Mondiale : La Résistance, La Collaboration, Et Le « Juste Milieu », Jackie Sirc

Honors Theses

La Seconde Guerre mondiale a lancé un défi immense à l’humanité et au monde entier. Le niveau de violence était sans précédent et les conditions de vie ont changé complètement à travers l’immensité du combat. Une des choses qui a beaucoup changé était la production de l’art pendant cette période. Tandis que la violence du combat a eu une influence sur les thèmes et les sujets artistiques, le style du gouvernement en France devenait plus strict et règlementé. Par conséquent, la production de l’art, l’état de l’artiste, et la disponibilité de l’art pour le public se transformaient. Il y avait …

Idealizing Patriarchy: Patterns Of Hierarchy And Patriarchal Values In English Household Literature, 1520-1600, Conor Howard

Honors Theses

This thesis examines English household literature of the sixteenth century to assess normative patterns of masculinity and patriarchy. Throughout that century, in spite of prolific changes having occurred in the realm of English material and intellectual culture, the patterns of masculinity observed in these texts show a remarkable pattern of consistency. This lack of change is in keeping with the works of other historians who have argued that the most salient feature of the norms of English masculinity throughout the early modern period was in fact continuity. Chapter one of this thesis shows how this body of literature prescribed access …

Future Historiographers: A Unit Plan For Progressive History Classrooms, Holli Sommerfeld

Honors Theses

It is this unit plans goal to introduce middle school students to historiography, which is the history of how history has been written across time. Within this unit plan, students are placed in an inquiry-based environment to dissect varying source materials; during this process, students will focus on three central components that are essential to understanding how history is told, these being content, perspective, and form of writing. Though this subject matter is rarely introduced to students at this age, through the use of an interdisciplinary approach incorporating the strengths of both English and History, careful scaffolding, a collaborative learning …

Delyte Morris' Furniture- A Collection Of Mid-Century Modern Ideas, Emily Muszynski

Honors Theses

In the 1970s, gone were the days of a rapidly increasing student population and major building projects and gone were the days of an only 3,006 student body. Instead, there was a world-class academic university with an environment rooted in innovation and advancement. The pieces from Delyte Morris’ presidency show a dedication to a very specific vision he had: to create a university that is both supporting of the students and pushing towards advancement. He and C. D. May, the associate architect for the university, supported this idea by buying furnishings that were manufactured in Illinois and sticking to a …

“Keeping Down The Underground:” The Underrated Value Of Indie Music Scenes As Economic Development Tools For Small American Cities, Meghan Mckinney

Honors Theses

Indie music holds the largest share of the global music market and is a multibillion-dollar industry. On a more local scale, indie music can contribute significant revenue to small American cities through locally owned independent record stores, live venues, and festivals. Each of these elements, with the addition of the people involved in indie music in a variety of capacities, interacts within a centralized location known as an indie music scene. Collectively, these scenes can generate massive amounts of revenue through music sales, ticket sales, tourism, and various other business offerings. To the small cities in which these scenes operate, …

Suffering Sappho! Female Friendships In Superhero Comics, 1940s To 1960s And Today, Hannah R. Costelle

Honors Theses

Comic book superheroines are the goddesses of modern times; they are the ideal beautiful, powerful women of America’s collective imagination whom girls have looked up to and emulated for decades. But these iconic examples of womanhood usually lack one of the key elements of humanity that enrich real women’s lives, an element that has been proven to increase women’s autonomy and confidence: female friendships. Wonder Woman may have led armies of female friends in the 1940s when superheroines first appeared in the comics pages, but by the 1950s and ‘60s, female characters confiding in one another and working together in …

Application Of Neural Networks For Intelligent Video Game Character Artificial Intelligences, Simon D. Mikulcik

Honors Theses

Much of today’s gaming culture pushes for increased realism and believability. While these movements have led to much more realistic graphics, we also need to keep in mind the behavior of artificial intelligence characters also in the game. Neural Networks are complicated data structures that have shown potential to learn and interpret complex behavior. This research analyzes the application of neural network as primary controllers for video game characters’ artificial intelligence. The paper considers the existing artificial intelligence techniques, and the existing uses of neural networks. It then describes a project in which a video game was created to serve …

A Correlative Study Of Epidemiological Mortality And Morbidity Rates: Appalachian Vs Non-Appalachian Counties Within Kentucky, Nicholas E. Vossenberg, Lindsay Calderon

Honors Theses

In this study, differences in mortality rates were statistically analyzed between Kentucky Appalachian County Populations (KACP) and Kentucky Non-Appalachian County Populations (KnACP) for 2013. Health – risk factors and socio – economic conditions were also assessed to determine if they put KACP at a higher risk of the five most common causes of death in Kentucky. Estill County, a KACP, was also specifically examined for its mortality and health – risk factor rates. By examining the 2013 database provided by the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it was determined that …

The Creation Of A Video Review Guide For The Free-Response Section Of The Advanced Placement Calculus Exam, Jeffrey Brown

Honors Theses

The Creation of a Video Review Guide for the Free-Response Section of the Advanced Placement Calculus Exam follows the creation of a resource to help students prepare for the College Board’s Advanced Placement Calculus Exam. This project originated out of the authors personal experiences in preparing for this exam. The goal of the project was to create an accessible resource that reviews content, provides insights into the Advanced Placement exam, and creates successful habits in student responses. This paper, chronologically, details the development of the resource and a reflection on the final product and future uses.

The Theoretical Application And Comparison Of The Olfactory Sensory Organs In Swine Vs Canines For Accelerant And Explosives Detection, Naomi M. Sigler

Honors Theses

Swine may be able to work alongside scent detection canines, or replace them completely, in the scent detection field. Miniature pigs are the focus of this study since their larger counterparts can cause damage to potential evidence and to the scene itself. Ignitable Liquid Residues (ILRs) are searched for in post-fire conditions, and unconsumed explosives are searched for in major transportation hubs. Swine have more functional olfactory genes and less pseudogenes than humans, canines, and mice. Swine also have a highly functioning and exceedingly organized olfactory system. Swine are social creatures, which allows them to bond with a distinct handler. …

Hello Kitty's Long-Standing Cross-Cultural Popularity In The United States And Japan, Melanie Matchette

Honors Theses

Hello Kitty’s success is unique in that the character is popular across the world and has been popular for decades. This paper seeks to determine how Sanrio has gained and maintained success in both the United States and Japan despite their differences in consumers. I will explore the differences and similarities in marketing strategies employed in each country. I develop themes that attempt to explain the success of marketing techniques unique to each country as well as marketing techniques that worked for both countries.

After exploring the reasons behind marketing success in each country, I determine what Sanrio could do …

Role-Based Access Control Filesystem, Scott Linder

Honors Theses

Access control is a prerequisite for security in computing systems. Unix permission bits are insufficient for many applications. Advanced access control models, including Multi Level Security (MLS), Role Based Access Control (RBAC), and Domain Type Enforcement (DTE) offer added security. Being able to understand and implement these models both as a software developer and a user of software is important, and this is the topic of university courses. A linux filesystem implementing RBAC was developed as a teaching aid for courses in secure software design. The filesystem is implemented in C using the Filesystem in Userspace (FUSE) kernel module. This …

Stronger Together: The Reality Of Humanities Curriculum In A Stem Focused Era, Morgan Dalton

Honors Theses

The world of education is constantly changing. However, the way the pendulum is currently swinging has placed the Humanities, what has been seen as the framework since ancient times, under attack. Currently, that pendulum has become predominately focused on STEM education, and many budget cuts are being made to any part of the curriculum that does not fall under that category. This is not only seen in college and the job market, but in K-12 education. Pre-service teachers focusing on a STEM subject are often offered more incentives. Many college bound students are also shying away from the arts, especially …

Sedimentology Of A Small Estuarine Marsh Along East (Pensacola) Bay, Florida, Jesse Pfadenhauer

Honors Theses

Sediment samples from a marsh along East (Pensacola) Bay were analyzed using various laboratory techniques. The color, magnetic susceptibility, organic content, carbonate content, and sediment size distribution of each sample was measured to attain an overall profile of the sedimentary characteristics of the area. Using the GPS coordinates of each collection site, samples were categorized into sub-environments based on their position within the marsh. The trends within the study area and sub-environments were evaluated and interpreted. The data indicate that this marsh is a siliciclastic, fining-inland area that is frequently inundated with tidal fluctuations and storm surges. These storm surges …

Teacher Perceived Barriers To Inclusive Instructional Delivery Approaches, Casey M. Wright

Honors Theses

The aim of this undergraduate thesis is to identify the perceived barriers to Inclusive Instructional Delivery Approaches (IIDA) through the perspective of general education teachers. For decades, students identified as having special educational needs have not been adequately served in the classroom. This study reveals the best practices used to include students with disabilities in the general education classroom and why they are not being employed as often as they should be. Through use of survey, the researcher allowed for the opportunity to answer (a) Which IIDAs are used most often? (b) How much time per week do teachers spend …

Expression Of Glycine-Rich Proteins Found In Salivary Glands Of The Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma Americanum) Using A Mammalian Cell Line, Annabelle Clark

Honors Theses

Ticks play an important ecological role as well as a growing role in human health and veterinary care. Ticks are hosts to a plethora of microbial pathogens that can be transferred during feeding to cause tick-borne diseases in humans and many animals. Ticks may in large part owe the success of the transfer of these pathogens between hosts to their complex saliva. The saliva secreted upon a tick’s attachment to a host serves the following, among other, functions: anti-hemostasis of the blood pool, preventing an inflammatory response at the bite site, and serving as a natural anti-microbial substance. An important …

The Employability Of Former Criminals, Miranda Donnell

Honors Theses

This thesis presents a view into the way employers view hiring decisions with particular focus on the hiring of former criminals, and what information these hiring professionals require in order to make what they would consider an educated hiring decisions related to the risks associated with hiring individuals with prior criminal histories. While there are thousands of people looking for jobs in the United States, there is a parallel employment gap for former criminals. For numerous reasons, the unemployment rate is much higher for former criminals. Abundant research has found that, in general, employers and the public believe two very …

Outsourcing Of Building Information Modeling (Bim) Among General Contractors In The United States, James W. Fountain

Honors Theses

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a process used by AEC industry members that simulates a construction project in a multidimensional digital model and provides multitudes of project benefits from inception to occupancy. However, a variety of barriers impede a holistic BIM implementation. Because of these barriers, some general contractors are choosing to outsource the creation and/or utilization of BIM models to specialized Information Technology (IT) firms instead of performing these processes in-house. Since little literature currently exists for BIM outsourcing, this online survey-based study aimed to identify BIM outsourcing patterns among the general contractors across the US and the perceived …

Mating Behaviors Exhibited By A Captive Male Pacific Walrus (Odobenus Rosmarus Divergens), Jessica M. Mccord

Honors Theses

Understanding mating behaviors of a species can be utilized to help protect the species. Results of population surveys have shown the walrus population to be on the decline, and over the history of walruses being held in captivity, few pups have been born or survived. Not much is known about Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) due to the isolated Arctic habitats in which walruses live making wild population studies difficult. Few studies have examined wild observations of walrus mating behaviors and virtually none for captivity. The purpose of this study was to observe a captive male Pacific walrus for mating …

Prison Stories: A Qualitative Study Of Women’S Experiences In Prison, Lizeth Chapa

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study to provide a meaningful profile of women offenders that will deliver a comprehensive understanding on the problems women face while in prison so that treatment can address these issues. Qualitative methodology, specifically the use of an open-ended questionnaire is used to examine the lives and issues that women in prison face. The sample consists of females who have previously been incarcerated in the state of Texas. They completed a semi-structured open-ended questionnaire in order to assess their perceptions of: (a) factors that contributed to their criminal behaviors, (b) how being incarcerated has positively or negatively …

Sbar, Communication, And Patient Safety: An Integrated Literature Review, Kathryn R. Stewart

Honors Theses

Communication errors are a common cause of adverse patient safety events in the healthcare field. The Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation (SBAR) communication tool was introduced in 2002 to guide the communication of critical patient-care information. The purpose of this integrated literature review was to determine how the use of the SBAR tool during handoff of critical information affects communication between healthcare providers and patient safety. An integrated literature review approach was chosen due to the varying methodologies and multiple variables that have been used in the study of SBAR. The combined search terms of “SBAR”, “Communication”, and “Patient Safety” were entered into PubMed, …