Business Commons^™

Potential Benefits Of Extended Season Sales Through Direct Markets, Irvin Yeager

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examines fresh produce production sold through local farmers’ markets in the U.S. Rocky Mountain region to determine likelihood and benefits for extending production and marketing of fresh produce. Surveys were conducted with producers and farmers’ market managers to determine the likelihood of season extension, marketing realities, and potential products. Prices for eight commonly found produce items were collected at farmers’ markets in Utah and Colorado to model expected off-season pricing.

Surveys responses show producers have a short marketing season, limited acreage, and receive low revenues, but are experienced and have adopted some season extension techniques. High tunnels, one …

The Essential Structure Of Compulsive Buying: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Letty Workman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

While many jokes and sales of specialty merchandise have been made that make light of consumers who frequently shop and buy (e.g., "When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping," or "I am a shopaholic"), for 18 million Americans suffering from compulsive buying, the process of shopping and buying has caused their lives to literally go out of control. The outcomes of this disease for individuals, families, and business are all negative. In a marketing era of social responsibility, if marketers either knowingly or unknowingly encourage increased consumption among compulsive buyers, potential negative outcomes stand to impact others well …

Family-Owned Businesses: Determinants Of Business Success And Profitability, Jeffrey S. Wallace

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine many factors associated with family-owned businesses that lead to business success and profitability. The panel data used in this study came from the 1997 and 2000 waves of the National Family Business Study (NFBS). Many independent variables from the 1997 wave (e.g., age, gender, managerial activities, business size, home-based, business problems) were tested to predict business success and profitability (dependent variables), which were variables from the 2000 wave.

Some of the descriptive analyses indicated that, compared to female managers, male managers perceived less business success, participated more in managerial activities, managed older …

An Examination Of Integrated Rural Tourism Development In The Goris Region Of Armenia, Luke Alan Petersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Rural tourism is a popular development tool in both developed and developing countries. However, rural economic development can be problematic when considering the diversity of resources and stakeholder groups. In the Republic of Armenia the current system of tourism development is not benefiting rural communities in the regions. This study seeks to provide a deeper understanding of community dynamics in the rural region of Goris through the study of tourism integration. A novel assessment tool is implemented which provides a systematic qualitative evaluation of stakeholder perceptions through which strengths and weaknesses of the local tourism sector are derived. Data extracted …

Service Undone: A Grounded Theory Of Strategically Constructed Silos And Their Impact On Customer-Company Interactions From The Perspective Of Retail Employees, Kelley A. O'Reilly

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This work elaborates the impacts of strategically constructed silos that are not byproducts of flagging cross-departmental cooperation or the cumulative effect of decades of decentralized command and control. Rather, these silos are strategically intended structures within organizations. Most significantly, the substantive theory of strategically constructed silos and their impact on customer service contributes to the field by illustrating the presence and consequence of silos occurring in suboptimal conditions. The existence of silos has implications that extend far beyond the retail area.

A key take-away from this research is that contrary to how most customer service processes are designed, not all …

Defining And Meeting The Demand For Agricultural Machinery In China: A Case Study Of John Deere, Garrett W. Davis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There has been little research conducted regarding the agricultural machinery market in China. However, current data suggest that this demand is dramatically increasing. This dissertation endeavors to generally define the current demand of the agricultural machinery market in China. There has been research conducted on multiple factors of the agricultural machinery market in China, such as land tenure rights, rural migration, government agricultural policies, and others. Through the use of limited quantitative data, market demand is analyzed and defined. By means of a qualitative case study of a successful multinational corporation, Deere & Co., how the demand is being met …

A Comparison Of The Economic Profitability Of Specified Risk Management Alternatives For Intermountain West Farmers, Cody D. Bingham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research is to provide quantitative and limited qualitative analysis for the United States Intermountain West on the economic effectiveness of risk management alternatives in an agricultural operation. This research is not meant to be an exhaustive comparison of every potential combination of alternatives and risk scenarios. Instead, specific parameters such as farm size, crops grown, risk attitudes and risk management strategies are set to guide the research and offer a basis of comparison.

This research evaluates several levels of coverage using Multiple Peril Crop Insurance, Crop Revenue Coverage Insurance, Adjusted Gross Revenue – Lite Insurance and …

Perceptions Of Emotional Intelligence Preparation And Industry Expectations For Utah State University Mba Graduates, Arthur D. Waller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study sought to determine whether an MBA degree from Utah State University (USU) was meeting the emotional intelligence (EI) needs of the workplace from the perception of its graduates. This research assessed perception of EI skills with a researcher-designed instrument that consisted of a 22-question survey that was e-mailed to USU students who completed an MBA between 2000 and 2006. The survey questionnaire given to MBA graduates was titled Assessment of Emotional Intelligence and was divided into three distinct parts. The first category (questions 1-10) had to do with industry expectations as perceived by MBA graduates. The second category …

Near Midair Collisions - The Extent Of The Hazard To General Aviation In Utah, Nevada, And Idaho, Robert B. Hulsman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis randomly sampled the general aviation pilot population of Utah, Nevada, and Idaho for the purpose of determining the extent of the near midair collision hazards in these areas. The conditions investigated were all possible situations associated with a flight, and all that could be readily answered on a data form without encountering bias in the study.

The thesis provided certain insights into what hazards are to be expected in the general aviation population of the three states under study. It also indicated as much as possible, what the causes were of the hazards and what actions could be …

Survey Of The Use Of Consumer Credit By Members Of The Utah State University Staff, Neelkantha Manohar Kibe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A study was made of the use of credit by a randomly selected sample of the Utah State University staff personnel during 1964 and 1965. The information was obtained by means of a questionnaire.

The major objective of the study was to examine the relationship between income and consumer debt with specific reference to reasons underlying the demand for consumer credit, the relationships between amount of consumer credit and variables such as family income, family size, age of family head and amount of liquid assets, and the nature of the demand function for consumer credit.

Analysis of the information supplied …

Development Of Leading Indicators For Housing Starts In Tremonton, Utah, Douglas I. Ward

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The possibility of developing leading economic indicators of housing starts, on a localized basis, was studied in Tremonton, Utah, for the period from 1958 to 1965. Data on any economic variable which might show a leading relationship to housing starts was gathered and synthesized to ascertain any predicting tendencies.

Several of the variables researched, particularly contracts awarded to Thiokol and Thiokol employment, showed a high positive correlation to housing starts; however, none showed any consistent leading pattern.

An accelerator relationship was found to exist between the average rate of change in Thiokol employment and housing starts. This finding, though not …

An Evaluation Of The Small Business Investment Company Program, It's History And Development, With Emphasis On The Utah Sbic Industry, J. G. Dursteler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Does the small business concern in this country have access to sufficient amounts of growth capital? For the past several years there has been much controversy concerning this question. Articles have been written both pro and con voicing opinions as to whether small businesses are being discriminated against in the acquisition of long-term loans to finance growth and business expansion. The majority of the written information on this subject appears to support the theory that too many small business firms are under-capitalized and the sources of long-term investment and growth funds are seriously limited to the small businessman. The Small …

The Economic Contribution Of The Out-Of-State Student To The Economy Of Utah, Joseph Thomas Markowski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Is the out-of-state college student in Utah paying his own way? Many legislative debates within recent years have centered themselves upon this controversial question without obtaining any definite answers. Articles have been written both pro and con concerning the amount of financial responsibility in higher education that should be assumed by governmental bodies, i.e.: should the state institutions be supported more by taxes or should a greater portion of its costs be covered by student fees with the possible result that fewer students will attend because of higher fees.