Business Commons^™

Graph Enabled Cross-Domain Knowledge Transfer, Shibo Yao

Dissertations

The world has never been more connected, led by the information technology revolution in the past decades that has fundamentally changed the way people interact with each other using social networks. Consequently, enormous human activity data are collected from the business world and machine learning techniques are widely adopted to aid our decision processes. Despite of the success of machine learning in various application scenarios, there are still many questions that need to be well answered, such as optimizing machine learning outcomes when desired knowledge cannot be extracted from the available data. This naturally drives us to ponder if one …

Betting On Talent: Examining The Relationship Between Employee Retention And Onboarding Programs, Jonna B. Blount

Engaged Management ReView

The expectations of employees in the United States continue to evolve as generational shifts occur in the workforce. The already raging war for talent has been fueled by the 2020 pandemic, which introduced new ways to work and different types of work opportunities. As a result, employees are re-evaluating their options and seeking ways to extract more value from their professional lives. In these circumstances, employee retention is a competitive advantage, and companies must consider how to retain their most desirable talent. Research in the organizational behavior domain shows that when employees hold values like those of their employing organization, …

Developing An Assessment Model For Entrepreneurship Ecosystems Using Hierarchical Decision Model: Case Study Of Riyadh City, Mustafa Kamal Almuzel

Dissertations and Theses

Entrepreneurship is one of the major drivers of economies. Countries that aim to improve their economies by increasing entrepreneurial activities and its effectiveness need to develop an effective entrepreneurship ecosystem. This ecosystem combines a set of domains and factors that create a healthy environment for entrepreneurs. The analysis shows that there is limited research about structured assessment methods to evaluate the entrepreneurship ecosystems.

Therefore, this research objective is to introduce a universal assessment model that can be adopted in different cities for implementing an effective entrepreneurial ecosystem. This will be achieved by addressing three main research questions. 1) What are …

Citizenship As A Social Determinant Of Health: Healthcare Access And Utilization In The Wake Of The Public Charge Policy Change, Errol Pierre

Student Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that many non-medical factors, called social determinants of health, impact health outcomes. These social determinants include both socioeconomic factors, such as income and education, and public policies, such as laws and regulations affecting access to healthcare. This study proposes that citizenship status is also a social determinant of health and supports this proposition by examining the impact of citizenship status on healthcare access and utilization in New York. The study data consist of enrollments, disenrollments, and paid medical expenses incurred by patients enrolled in Medicaid or the Essential plan, both of which are government-sponsored health plans. In addition …

Development Of The Patient Propensity Indicator: Measuring And Predicting Antecedents Of Insights Into The Individual Management Of Healthcare, Julie Monroid

Student Theses and Dissertations

This research describes the development of the Patient Propensity Indicator (PPI), a reliable and valid measure, which is grounded in the rigorous conceptualization and operationalization of psychometric (ability, attitude, belief), health literacy, and learning preferences constructs and their effect on medication adherence. Adopting a well-established protocol for instrument development (DeVillis, 2017) the PPI’s multi-construct items were developed based on the findings from an extensive literature review both within and outside of healthcare.

An expert assessment of 130 items was conducted by a distinguished judging panel who provided validation of the constructs and item reduction (87). Refined constructs and items were …

The Current Place Of Corporate Identity Due To Changing Demographics And Corporate Communication Structures, Jordan Exline

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Our business environment is in a period of significant change. We have a new generation beginning to enter the workforce that requires different levels of communication and the phase-out and incorporation of remote/hybrid work resulting from the pandemic. Corporate identity could be at stake as a result, and how will that affect employees at a company? This study analyzes how corporate identity applies to the business of the future, what makes an impact on its connectivity, and the links between identity and work environment and communication. The goal is to understand what can be adjusted to increase the relevance of …

Near Field Communication Payment Technology Usage: A Jamaican Consumer Perspective, Tamiko Sadler

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the effect of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, trust, security concern, and social influence on Jamaican consumers’ willingness to use near field communication enabled credit/debit cards. The study builds on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) theory framework (Venkatesh et al., 2003).

A quantitative method was used, and the model tested via a survey that had 408 completed survey responses from a local online crowd-sourcing market. Statistical analysis of the data confirms perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, trust, security concern, and social influence had significant impact on consumer’s intention to use …

Executive Peer Advisory Groups: Who They Are? What Are Their Benefits? Why Do Members Join And Stay?, Andrew Feghali

Dissertations

Executive peer advisory groups (EPAGs) are exclusive organizations in which chief executive officers (CEOs) and presidents of businesses can problem solve business challenges, discuss business strategies, share best practices, and solve critical growth and performance issues. Executive peer advisory groups are based on the premise that the collective experience and resources of peer groups empower like-minded executives to solve challenges more effectively and more rapidly than they could do on their own. A key component of EPAGs is the forum, in which six to 16 members meet, typically monthly, in small-group sessions to function as each other’s personal advisory boards. …

The Rise Of American Food In China, Shiyan Wang

Master's Projects and Capstones

Over the years, American food has become more and more popular in China. Today, the Chinese are more open to trying new cuisines. To fully understand the forces that have catalyzed the growing presence of American foods in China, my research project demonstrates the complex web of factors that shape how American food businesses’ presence in China has changed over the last decade. Examining a diversity of sources, including existing trend data, my analysis focuses on the domestic and global factors that have facilitated the growing presence of American food restaurants in China. Using this research as a jumping off …

The Significance Of Sonic Branding To Strategically Stimulate Consumer Behavior: Content Analysis Of Four Interviews From Jeanna Isham’S “Sound In Marketing” Podcast, Ina Beilina

Student Theses and Dissertations

Purpose:
Sonic branding is not just about composing jingles like McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It.” Sonic branding is an industry that strategically designs a cohesive auditory component of a brand’s corporate identity. This paper examines the psychological impact of music and sound on consumer behavior reviewing studies from the past 40 years and investigates the significance of stimulating auditory perception by infusing sound in consumer experience in the modern 2020s.

Design/methodology/approach:
Qualitative content analysis of audio media was used to test two hypotheses. Four archival oral interview recordings from Jeanna Isham’s podcast “Sound in Marketing” featuring the sonic branding experts …

The Effect Of Management’S Focus On Sasb Measures On Financial Performance: A Study Of The Health Care Supply Chain Sector, James C. Morell

College of Business Theses and Dissertations

Publicly traded companies are coming under increasing pressure from investors and the media to demonstrate their commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) sustainability, and there are many ESG models competing for the attention of the board and senior management team (Burke, 2020, Fatemi, 2017, and Jebe, 2019). In response to this pressure the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) has prepared a “Directors’ Guide to the SASB Standards” for eleven industries (Value Reporting Foundation, 2021). The objective of this study was to provide evidence to support the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board’s claim that organizational adoption and strategic focus on its …

Spring/Summer 2022

Business Exchange

Business Education Reimagined; Scholarship Honors Legacy of Professor Sandra Shelton; Revised Bachelor’s in Business Degree Curriculum Debuts This Fall; School of Accountancy & MIS Names New Director; Sulin Ba Appointed Driehaus College of Business Dean; Real-World Consulting Projects Prepare Students for Careers; Alumnus Brian Ruben: “Paying It Forward Is the DePaul Way”

Jonny Boy Cookies' Event Campaign Targeting College Students, Ye'senia L. Agosto-Rivera

Honors College Theses

The evaluation of data from social media sites can offer valuable decision-making data for small businesses. Generally, college students are dependent on the Internet and social media sites precisely to connect with others socially. Can small businesses with limited finances and limited technical knowledge compete in this new social media-driven market to develop more in-person events? This paper discusses a detailed event campaign for Jonny Boy Cookies to expand their college student demographic beyond their current middle-aged women demographic. Quantitative approaches will be used to guide the research and implementation of new methods.

Optimization And Information Problems In Operations, Puping Jiang

Olin Business School Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of this dissertation is to study the optimization problems and the value of information in various commercial settings, especially in the emerging platform economy.

Chapter 1, “Data-Driven Asset Selling”. Motivated by online asset selling marketplace business (e.g., used cars and real estate), we formulate a data-driven asset selling dynamic pricing framework which utilizes platforms’ access to customers’ online behavioral data. With mild assumptions on the demand model, careful characterization of the problem structure shows that the model admits some ideal properties that facilitate our regret analysis under our dynamic programming setting. Instead of studying the policy performance …

Essays In Behavioral Corporate Finance, Corporate Governance, And Higher Purpose, Kingsley Wabara

Olin Business School Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Does individual financial risk-taking behavior indeed vary by gender? If yes, how exactly? Moreover, what happens when individuals with differential tendencies (e.g., risk-taking, sense of higher purpose, et cetera) come together in small groups such as the corporate board to decide on financial risk-taking or conduct intense board oversight? What role does group or board structure play in all of these? In effect, how does the within-group power and influence asymmetry affect the manifestation of the individual tendencies in boards’ decisions, corporate behavior, and financial outcomes? The lack of conclusive answers to these questions is at the core of several …

On The Value Of Operational Flexibility In Anheuser Busch Inbev’S Trailer Loading And Shipment Problem: Data-Driven Approaches And Reinforcement Learning, Yunsi Yang

Olin Business School Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper introduces the Anheuser Busch Inbev (ABI)'s trailer shipment problem and suggests data-analytics methodologies to deal with it. The problem is to determine the proper weight of products loaded on a trailer (a transporting container) owned by ABI, which is delivered by a tractor (a motor vehicle) owned by third-party logistics (3PL) providers. ABI must meet a regulation that restricts the gross weight of the truck on the road. However, the challenge comes from the fact that the tractor weight is uncertain and unknown to ABI when it determines the load size on the trailer. We suggest machine learning-based …

The Application Of Dynamic Models In Operations Management, Yunzhe Qiu

Olin Business School Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dynamic program is a principal method for analyzing stochastic optimization problems. This dissertation studies three operations management problems that arise in the dynamic environment. The principal motivation behind these comes from the applicability in three areas: the agricultural supply chain, the container shipping industry, and supply chain financing. In the first chapter, we consider the hog production industry, where the hog raising farm should decide the selling strategy among several selling options. The farm also faces the uncertain yield of different weights of hogs and spot price volatility from other interactive markets. In the second chapter, we formulate a …

Living A More Sustainable Lifestyle: Brand Recommendations And Product Reviews, Alison L. Kramer

Honors Capstones

While current studies are done on individual products, there isn’t a consolidated paper for consumers to use when purchasing everyday items. Consumers don’t have time to do research on things they buy weekly or even monthly. To understand what products are truly sustainable and good for the environment, consumers would have to spend hours researching what products or materials are better than what they currently buy. This paper outlines a set of criteria that will help consumers make informed decisions when it comes to buying everyday products. Consumers can also find a list of product recommendations in this paper.

How Has Effectuations Into Bankruptcy Reform Act Of 1978 Provide Equity And Consensus For All-Inclusion? The Bankruptcy Code In Action Among Bankruptcy & Fraud Targeting, Brian Bolden

Student Presentations

In this research paper, I quantify the extent to which risk amid bankruptcy and fraud targeting has quintupled while enacting bankruptcy code limited scope of activity of business and non-business, influence of Department of Justice United States Trustee Program, and Bankruptcy Court systemic and peak survival. Executing bankruptcy codes, acts, initiatives, and risk interventions soften the blow of disproportionately effected cases. The recent decline of bankruptcy cases from 2020 to 2022 results in a robust recovery efforts. All-inclusively, the resolve demonstrates the critical vantage point of judgeships, trustees, attorney, and bankruptcy court systems consensus dependence on the Bankruptcy Reform Act …

Degree Of Technology, Adequacy Of Infrastructure, And Stimulus Rainy-Day-Fund As Determinants Of A Firm’S Performance During A Pandemic, Palpouguini G. Idani

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research aims to use a quantitative research method to measure the degree of technology, adequacy of infrastructure, and stimulus/rainy day fund as determinants of a firm’s performance during a pandemic. The paper draws from the contingency theory, which focuses on situational variables and leadership styles for effective leadership in managing events. The theory describes that “there is no single right method of doing things and it’s the context which decides the best approach” (Kureshi, 2013). Leaders guide every innovation and change in an organization for the purpose of self-enhancement (Özkan, et al., 2017). Although abundant research exists on managing …

Where The Rainbow Ends: The Hidden Humanitarian Crisis For Members Of The Lgbtqia+ Community In International Business, John R. Krendel

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Before pursuing an international career, members of the LGBTQIA+ community must be aware of the hardship that may be exacerbated by living and working abroad. This study addresses the trends in laws, including employment and anti-discrimination laws, that provide and restrict certain rights of members of the LGBTQIA+ community in eight countries. These nations, both progressive and discriminatory, include the United States, England, Switzerland, Germany, Taiwan, China, the Philippines and Kazakhstan. Eight LGBTQIA+ business professionals spoke on their experiences living and working in each of these countries and provided advice to members of the community wishing to pursue an international …

Small Business Cybersecurity: A Loophole To Consumer Data, Matthew R. Espinosa

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Small businesses and small minority owned businesses are vital to our nation’s economy; therefore legislation, regulation, and policy has been created in order to assist them in overcoming their economic stability issues and ensure they continue to serve the communities that rely on them. However, there is not a focus on regulating nor assisting small businesses to ensure their cybersecurity standards are up to par despite them increasingly becoming a victim of cyberattacks that yield high consequences. The external oversight and assistance is necessary for small businesses due to their lack of knowledge in implementing effective cybersecurity policies, the fiscal …

2022-05-13 Institutional Animal Care And Use Committee Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., Institutional Animal Care And Use Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee meeting minutes from May 13, 2022.

The Role Of Personal Disposition And Preference Matching In Information Security Message Persuasiveness, Feng Xu

Theses and Dissertations

How to design effective persuasive information security messages to motivate individuals’ engagement in recommended protective security behaviors has become a top priority in the information security field. Although fear appeals have been shown to be an effective means to influence individuals’ security-related protective behaviors, recent information security research has called for a deeper understanding of recipients’ information processing of messages to design effective fear appeals. Previous IS security research has explored two individuals’ information processing routes of security messages, the central route, and the peripheral route, and has investigated the impacts of central variables, perceived argument quality, and peripheral variables, …

The Dark Side Of Artificial Intelligence: Understanding The Role Of Perceived Algorithm Unfairness On Ride-Hailing Driver Discontinuance, Zhenya Tang

Theses and Dissertations

Ride-hailing platforms (RHP) are sharing economy platforms that connect passengers who need to order a private ride or to share a vehicle with drivers who want to share a ride. However, after rapid growth, major RHPs (e.g., Uber, Lyft, and Didi) have begun to face severe driver shortages. Attracting and maintaining a large driver base is critical to the survival and success of any RHP no matter its size. While practitioners are urging to seek suggestions from academia to prevent driver loss, limited research attention has been paid to RHP drivers’ discontinuance. To fill this gap, this dissertation aims to …

2022-05-11 Undergraduate Curriculum Committee Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Undergraduate Curriculum Committee meeting minutes for May 11, 2022.

Getting Ahead And Getting Along In Entrepreneurial Networks: Network Effects Of The “Dark” And “Light” Sides Of Personality In New Venture Performance, Victoria Antin Yates

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores how dark and light personality traits influence venture performance via mediating effects of social structure. Because entrepreneurship is an inherently social process, theoretical perspectives of social network theory and social comparison theory are used to examine how entrepreneurs’ dark and light personality traits interact with personality traits of socially proximal others to influence venture performance via network structure. These perspectives are drawn together using socioanalytic theory. This dissertation argues that agreeableness and narcissism interact with the personality traits of network others at the group-level to influence structural hole positioning within entrepreneurial networks; in turn, structural holes are …

Bnsf Strategic Analysis, Bella Tran

Honors Theses

Burlington Northern Santa Fe, LLC. (BNSF), is an American railroad that is concentrated in the western two-thirds of the U.S. This railroad has a history stretching back over a century that has led the company to now function as one of the leading Class I Railroad with over 30,000 employees and over 30,000 miles of laid track. Two methods of analysis were used to examine the competitive environment in which BNSF operates. The first is the PESTEL analysis which examines the macro-environment. The second is Porter’s Five Forces which analyzes the competitive environment of an industry. The analyses concluded that …

A Strategic Audit Of Seaworld, Thomas Wolfe

Honors Theses

A strategic audit of SeaWorld

Case Study In Enterprise Risk Management: Lion Rock Summer Camps, Inc., Arthur Meaney

Honors Theses

Enterprise risk management is a crucial part of the modern business world. Being unprepared to handle risks that a company may face can lead to financial demise. Since the 1960s, the insurance industry has steadily moved away from the focus on insurance buying. Enterprise risk management strives to identify company-wide risks, evaluate their frequency and severity, come up with risk management and loss control methods, implement said methods, and monitor their effectiveness over time. In this case study, I identify risks for Lion Rock Summer Camps, Inc. and suggest various risk management and loss control methods. Lion Rock Summer Camps, …