Business Commons^™

A Risk & Return Analysis Of Esg Focused Etfs, Annamarie Khandji

Business/Business Administration

Use of environmental, social and governance (ESG) data about a company or fund in the investment decision making process has increased significantly in the last 15 years. As a result, interest in understanding and analyzing the return potential that funds with high rated ESG scored holdings has grown. This paper examines the return potential ESG focused electronically traded funds (ETF) have, when compared to a conventional ETF and a benchmark. Three funds, including a conventional United States based fund, an ESG focused United States based fund and an ESG focused European based fund as well as the S&P 1500, as …

The Challenge Of Competing In The Retail Domain: A Review Of The Complexities, Strategies, And Results Of Capri Holdings Limited, Jenna Terc

Business/Business Administration

The key to competing in the luxury market is adopting a "differentiation strategy." Since the luxury fashion segment is saturated, standing out from the crowd of other luxury retailers can be the key to organizational survival. In this work, I compare and contrast the strategies and qualitative and quantitative performance of Capri Holdings Limited with those of the Ralph Lauren Corp. The strategy to performance evaluation is based on a 5-point Likert Scale and includes more than 40 points of assessment. At the opposite ends of the scale, 1 represented very poor performance and 5 represented that which was very …

Pandemic Pivot: An Analysis Of How Retail Pharmacies Diversified Their Offerings During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Juliana Hybner

Business/Business Administration

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the operating strategy of nearly all businesses open in 2020. Businesses were split into two groups, essential and nonessential. Nonessential business, like gyms, shopping malls, and movie theaters, had little choice in their strategy in the beginning of the pandemic. They had to close. As they reopened, they found creative ways to attract customers without amassing large crowds in their storefronts. Essential businesses, on the other hand were faced with a unique challenge. Serving the U.S. population during their most vulnerable time. Retail pharmacies took on key responsibilities, administering COVID-19 tests and vaccines, while also …

Information Management For Ualbany Honors College, Katelyn Almon

Business/Business Administration

Once you attract the best students to your campus, how do you keep them? University honors programs, a common means of attracting students in the competition for excellent students, have had difficulty retaining students in completing their honors education. Given the investment into honors students, strategies to improve outcomes would focus scholarship and teaching resources on some combination of students most likely to complete the program and assist those most likely to drop out. Additionally, by identifying predictors of retention and completion, the Honors College will be able to improve its admissions process to better select students most likely to …

The 2020 Impact: Rethinking Brand Approach To Sustainability Through A Postcolonial And Environmental Justice Framework, Simone Hassan-Bey

Business/Business Administration

Social unrest as a result of a pandemic and the movement for Black lives created a greater demand for big brands to increase their involvement in social responsibility. In this work, I examine the relationship between big brands to their colonial and environmental legacies to analyze how they have historically responded to social justice issues and how it has helped or hindered their journey towards sustainability. My research suggests that these brands may be failing to live up to their social responsibility claims because they struggle to see how the two actors are interconnected, as a result, I offer a …

Removing Prejudice From Online Job Applications, Ilene Rothman

Business/Business Administration

Currently, there are no laws limiting an employer from viewing a candidate’s social media presence. The United States Equal Opportunity Employment Commission prohibits discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, and genetic information. If a candidate is active on professional social media websites such as the largest online professional network, LinkedIn, some of this information can easily be gathered by an employer. To stop discrimination in the hiring process, recommendations for a blind hiring process will be provided. This process will ensure that a candidate is initially judged solely based on the …

Alzheimer’S: The Right To Nothing?, Heather Marie Forster

Business/Business Administration

The purpose of this thesis is to shine light on the inequalities in the types of options Alzheimer’s patients are afforded and the different decisions they can or cannot make in comparison to other terminal patients. The main argument of this thesis is to include Alzheimer’s patients in current Right-to-Die laws by allowing them to consent to this choice of action before they are diagnosed, or in the early stages while they still have the competence to do so. Another aspect of this thesis is to increase the general public’s knowledge about Alzheimer’s and other dementias in order to generate …

Leadership And Performance In Various Group Dynamics, Jonathan Fedczuk

Business/Business Administration

This thesis will begin by providing a summary of the differences between flat and tall organizations. The bulk of the research will aim to explore leadership styles and demands that are effective in flatter organizations. More specifically, it will examine several aspects of autocratic and participative leadership in relation to managerial success. It will also assess certain need satisfactions of managers in flat organizations and the extent to which they have achieved success. The second portion of this thesis is intended to explore whether structural differences influence performance. A number of laboratory studies are evaluated to measure performance in tall …

Are Government-Sponsored Pension Privatization Efforts Leading To Better Beneficiary Outcomes?, Dylan Iadanza

Business/Business Administration

This paper seeks to inform readers on the history and the performance of tying state-sponsored retirement plans to the market. In the late 1970’s and 1980’s, many Latin American university students participated in an exchange program affiliated with the University of Chicago. After completing their studies under notable free-market economists such as Milton Friedman and Arnold Harberger, these students returned home and took prominent positions in governments- mainly in Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. In Chile, the students developed a plan known as el ladrillo (“the brick”). In 1981, their retirement system was completely privatized. Mutual funds, called Administradoras de Fondos …

The Relation Between Social Responsibility And Exit Performance Of Vc-Backed Entrepreneurial Firms, Kaita Albanese

Business/Business Administration

This study analyzes the probability of successful exit by venture capital (VC)-backed en-trepreneurial firms that focus on “clean energy” initiatives. Such initiatives include generation from renewable sources as well as conservation. The empirical analysis, for ventures between 1990 and 2014, documents that clean energy investments have a higher probability of successful exit than do non-clean energy ventures. In addition, the results show that both solar and alternative energy VC-backed entrepreneurial firms allow their investors a shorter duration to exit.

A Conceptual Assessment Of The Uncertain Future Of The Personal Computer, Patrick J. Mccann

Business/Business Administration

In this thesis, I investigate the chances that the personal computer (PC) becomes a thing of the past in the near future. PC sales have seen quite the downturn, while smartphones have thrived in the technology space. I also consider how affects not only firms in the technology sector, but in almost all fields. Since the world today revolves around technology, specifically computers, it goes without saying that a change in the way we depend on PCs would change how we do almost everything. After diligently analyzing various sources on the matter, as well as consulting my own experiences, I …

Domination: The Consequence Of A Modern Day Monopoly, Matthew Haimson

Business/Business Administration

The objective of this study is to find out what constitutes a company as a monopoly. There are various indicators which establish a monopoly from other dominating businesses; however, it is difficult to pin-point how one company controls the market over its competitors. With financial and quantitative data, there are ways `to determine how a company may be heading towards that direction. In this study, there were two organizations selected and compared; one which has displayed monopolistic features, while the other is slowly being dominated by its competitor. After carefully analyzing and comparing the two well-known corporations, various inferences were …

Performance Sports: An Excuse For Doping?, Vladislav V. Loenko

Business/Business Administration

The objective of this study is to determine what characteristics in high performance athletes are likely to create a desire to use a doping substance. After reviewing the works of notable scholars addressing similar concerns, research has helped to identify some of the prominent factors liable for this manifesto. This paper focuses on psychological determinants within highly competitive individuals, specifically those who have a predisposed desire for achievement, which correspond with a higher propensity to use performance-enhancing drugs. In order to effectively assess the findings for this hypothesis, its application is strictly devoted to performance sports.

Analysis Into The Effect The Sarbanes-Oxley Act Of 2002 Has Had On Investor Confidence In Audited Financial Statements, Richard F. Pino Iii

Business/Business Administration

This paper studies the impact that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) has had on investor confidence in audited financial statements. Most studies of SOX examined its effect on audit quality, but the principal goal that government officials wanted to accomplish was to restore investor confidence in audited financial information following the frauds at Enron, WorldCom, and other public companies. The main method used in gathering data is a small survey to investors, where they answered questions regarding certain parts of SOX to gain insights into investors’ perspectives. After analyzing the survey results as well as researching scholarly works on …

Data Anonymization And Its Effect On Personal Privacy, Nicole Ganz

Business/Business Administration

Everyone’s personal privacy is extremely vital and people go through great lengths to ensure that their information is secure. Corporations who collect or utilize data do realize this and strive to protect their customer’s information. But can data be released to research companies without jeopardizing the privacy of the people? The more sensitive the released data is, the more companies have to mitigate the probability of being able to link the data together. Companies collect big data because it can be examined to predict patterns and be used for marketing, thus increasing their chances of becoming successful. To replicate the …

Social Media: How The Most Influential Marketing Tool In Today’S Society Can Benefit And Enhance Developing Companies, Morgan Ariel Rosh

Business/Business Administration

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of social media and the great impact it can have on small to medium sized companies. Social media has proven itself to be an strong channel for marketing due to its capabilities to see what consumers are talking about as well as allowing companies to directly communicate with said consumers in the blink of an eye. This study was conducted alongside Careers on the Move, a boutique job placement firm located in Midtown Manhattan. Over the span of seven months, I tested out a variety of different social media techniques …

Theoretical Consequence Of Social Media And Retail Marketing, Jessica Wald

Business/Business Administration

Social media has become a focus of marketing within the past few years. Companies have changed their advertising approach to adapt to the new audience utilizing social media. Social media itself is such a vague phrase, but it encompasses Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Google+, Tumblr, and countless more websites. Throughout the course of this thesis, I look at two well-known companies, Starbucks and McDonald’s, and compare them, focusing on their social media usage. My focus is looking at how these two worldwide companies use their Facebook pages, Twitter pages, and Instagram accounts to promote their own brand image and …

The Structural Changes Of The Hedge Fund Industry Over Time, Simeon Kawakami

Business/Business Administration

Historically, the hedge fund industry is one of the fastest growing investment classes in the last decade. This study looks to analyze the hedge fund industry structural changes from 1994 to 2010. A premise for this study is previous research which shows small funds tend to outperform large funds. Parameters are set to determine the classification of a fund being small, medium, or large. The asset flows to each category are tracked overtime in order to show structural changes. For each category the number of small, medium, and large hedge funds in tracked over time. The results are inconclusive in …

The Effectiveness Of Sell Discipline Strategies In Institutional Portfolios, Ryan Kennedy

Business/Business Administration

Prospect theory predicts that individuals will be risk seeking when faced with a potential loss. An implication is that investors may be reluctant to sell losing stocks, leading to potentially greater losses. This study explores whether institutional portfolio performance is significantly related to the manager’s stated sell discipline strategy. Six distinct sell discipline approaches are compared using four performance metrics. As predicted by prospect theory, this study finds sell discipline to be a statistically significant factor in performance for all performance metrics. The results also show that the best sell discipline strategy is dependent on which performance metric is used.

Terrorisk: The Impact Of Terrorist Attacks On Sovereign Bond Yield Spreads Of Targeted Countries, Slava Rar

Business/Business Administration

This study estimates the effects of terrorism incidents on a nation’s borrowing costs. An event study approach is used to evaluate changes in sovereign-bond yield spreads after terrorist attacks occur. Prior research is not in consensus on whether the effect of terrorism on bond markets is significant, and no study shows why certain bond indices may rise while others may fall after a terrorist attack. This study does not find statistical significance, which suggests that the effect of an attack may depend on the targeted country. For terrorist researchers, this study is one step toward answering whether terrorists can manipulate …

Stock Returns And The Franchise Value, Sean Landrigan

Business/Business Administration

An accurate predictive model of a firm’s future performance has been long sought after in the finance field. This study examines the relationship of a firm’s franchise value, using the Franchise Factor, to its Price-to-Earnings ratio as one model of performance. Using the firms in the S&P 1,500 as the data sample, this study also examines the effects of market value along with the franchise value to price-to-earnings ratio. The results show that the franchise value to price-to-earnings ratio, even when controlling for the firm’s market value, was in fact predictive of individual companies’ stock returns between 2000 and 2009.

Determinants Of The Success Of Active Vs. Passive Investment Strategy, Richa Birla

Business/Business Administration

This study documents the monthly performance of active versus passive investing over the last 25 years. It also identifies several variables that are closely related to the current and next month’s success of one over the other. Three useful factors identified include the Fed funds rate, the VIX volatility index, and Russell Investments’ CrossVolTM index. All three are valuable in explaining and predicting the success of active management to certain extent.

Student-Athletes & Academic Success: A Comparison Of The Graduation Rates, Gpa And After College Success Of Student-Athletes And Regular Students, Julia Forster

Business/Business Administration

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative & Quantitative Analysis: Qualcomm, Incorporated Vs Visasat, Incorporated, Daina Migdel

Business/Business Administration

No abstract provided.

Correlating Qualitative Performance With Quantitative Performance: Investigating The Financial Benefit Of Good Corporate Citizenship, Neema Moghadam

Business/Business Administration

No abstract provided.

In Their Defense: Arguments In The Debate Over The Use Of Corporate Takeover Defenses And Their Policy Implications, Scott Ruling

Business/Business Administration

No abstract provided.

Sarbanes Oxley: An Antidote To Executive Greed?, Andrew Colantani

Business/Business Administration

No abstract provided.

Is Portfolio Performance Related To Whether A Manager Has An Ivy League Education?, Jonathan Janos

Business/Business Administration

No abstract provided.

Performance Attribution: Are Sector Fund Managers Superior Stock Selectors?, Nicholas Scala

Business/Business Administration

Abstract:

Do equity sector fund managers outperform diversified equity fund managers? This paper examines this question during 2000-2009 by formulating simulated portfolios of Fidelity Select Sector Funds with weights similar to the sector weightings of actual multi-sector equity fund portfolios. The returns of the simulated portfolios were then netted against the actual portfolios to determine which outperforms. The results indicate that Sector Fund managers have superior stock selection ability, with one notable exception: the small-cap value investment style. Small-cap value multi-sector equity fund managers outperformed the simulated portfolios, indicating superior stock selection ability by fund managers in that category. Although …

Do Hedged Mutual Funds Hedge?, Steven Newton

Business/Business Administration

Mutual funds using hedge fund strategies, known as “hedged mutual funds,” have experienced rapid growth in recent years. In theory, these funds should provide a source of diversification for retail investors however the 2008 credit crisis negated the expected benefits of many equity diversifiers. Between 2004 and 2009, hedged mutual funds underperform hedge funds using similar strategies. In contrast, hedged mutual funds outperform the S&P 500 although funds with a market neutral strategy underperform the risk-free rate. These findings suggest that, when compared to a long-only equity strategy, hedged mutual funds offer retail investors improved performance in bear markets.