Business Commons^™

Rethinking University Operations: Applying Circular Economy Concepts At The University Level, Victoria M. Clements

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Strategic Analysis Of Lifeloop, Llc: Current Positioning And Recommendations For Future Growth, Erin Dabbs

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

LifeLoop is a senior living software company that has the potential to gain market share in a new and growing industry. By making changes to current processes, business level strategy, and corporate level strategy, the company can grow organically, faster. LifeLoop must make these strategic changes to areas of marketing and sales processes now as the industry is changing life cycle stages; the company’s movement in this window of opportunity is critical to their future success. These findings outline where LifeLoop is currently positioned and the first steps needed to grow and develop into a reputation of excellence that will …

Micron: Changes For Continued Success, Rachel Rice

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Strategy is important for every industry, and to succeed in such a competitive industry as the technology industry, it becomes imperative. Micron Technology, Inc. (“Micron”) is one of the companies in the technology industry that must have a strategic plan such as this. The best strategy for Micron was analyzed through a detailed background on the history of the company, the main problem that is currently found in the industry, the current internal position of the company in relation to the strengths and weaknesses of the company, an external analysis of the operating industry, and finally a recommendation and implementation …

Brand Loyalty To Disney Theme Parks In Mainland China, Megan E. Pepi

Honors Thesis

Since 2005, Disney has attempted but failed to establish brand loyalty among Chinese consumers in the theme park market. Disney is going to retry achieving this goal through Shanghai Disney Resort, which is a theme park that opened on June 16, 2016. Facing its past failures, the challenges of appealing to unique Chinese cultural preferences, and having to cooperate with a restrictive government system, will Disney be able to implement its authentic brand identity and establish brand loyalty among Chinese consumers through its new theme park? To answer this question, a qualitative analysis of the entertainment offered at Shanghai Disney …

Marketing Practices Of Socially Responsible And Sustainable Businesses, Brooke A. Bivins

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The topic of this research is marketing practices of socially responsible and sustainable businesses. It examines the strategies companies and brands use to represent themselves to the public through products, advertising, and philanthropy. This includes an evaluation of existing frameworks and case studies, as well as in-depth interviews. The question that this research will answer is as follows: How can new or existing companies embrace and integrate social responsibility or sustainability in a way that is authentic and contributes to a positive public reputation?

Younger generations are increasingly willing to switch to and, in some cases, pay more for products …

Leadership Styles Manufacturing Business Managers Use To Reduce Workplace Injuries, Joe Sparks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The cost of workplace injuries is a major concern for business managers. Business managers in the production, transportation, and material moving industries experience the highest injury rate with an annual average of 198.5 lost days away from work. The purpose of this single case study was to explore transformational leadership skills and strategies used by manufacturing business managers to reduce workplace injuries. The conceptual framework for this study was Bass and Burns's transformational leadership theory. Data collection included semistructured interviews to elicit narratives from 3 managers from a metal manufacturing company located in the southeastern United States about the leadership …

Strategies For Motivating A Multigenerational Workforce, Avon Donnell Cornelius

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The multigenerational workforce creates leadership challenges for business managers, and the members of each generational group have different factors that motivate them. Failure to motivate a multigenerational workforce can lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, high turnover rates, and reduced profits. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies that marketing managers in a Maryland-based marketing firm use to motivate a multigenerational workforce using Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory. The study comprised 7 marketing managers who have experience motivating a multigenerational workforce. The data collection process for this study consisted of semistructured interviews, observation, and member …

Small Business Owners' Search For Profitability Under The Affordable Care Act, Alton Simpson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care costs for small businesses have been rising annually for the past few decades. Congress voted to pass the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to lower the cost of health care in 2010. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore small business owners' experiences in implementing ACA requirements and how the ACA affects small businesses as their owners work to make these organizations profitable. Complex adaptive systems theory formed the conceptual framework for this study Data were gathered during face-to-face and telephone interviews with a sample of 20 small business owners in the Philadelphia region. The research questions …

The Impact Of Cmo Tenure On Brand Equity And Cost Of Capital: Insights From Business To Consumer Industries, Tracey A. Swartz

Theses and Dissertations

This paper investigates the relationship between CMO tenure and firm risk as measured by cost of capital. The author develops a conceptual model linking the direct impact of CMO tenure on the firm’s cost of capital and indirect impact through brand equity. The hypotheses are tested using data on 125 public US-based firms between 2004 and 2013. The findings suggest that longer CMO tenure results in higher brand equity. Further, longer CMO tenure reduces cost of capital through its impact on brand equity. The author also finds that the impact of CMO tenure on brand equity is strengthened when the …