Business Commons^™

Do Perceptions Of Businesses Differ Between Higher And Lower Counts Of Social Media Post Engagements?, Tally Shaw

Honors Theses

Social media is bringing consumers and businesses together like never before. Using social metrics such as “likes” and “shares”, businesses can both measure and influence consumer attitudes and behaviors. In an effort to expand upon growing research into the effects likes and shares may have on constructs such as attitude, intent to follow, trust, and adoption intention, this study designs an experiment which manipulates one small and one national business’s actual Facebook posts to measure the effects simply having higher or lower likes and shares can have on a consumer’s perception of that business. Using T-test and Regression Analysis, adoption …

What's Wrong With The Tap? Examining Perceptions Of Tap And Bottled Water At Western Michigan University, Lindsey Makos

Honors Theses

Distrust in tap water seems to be increasing in the United States with a consonant increase in single-use bottled water. As a result, I was intrigued to explore the behaviors and opinions of Western Michigan University (WMU) students in Kalamazoo, MI towards bottled water. Specifically, I initiated a study to examine student’s perceptions and use of tap water and bottled water. To study water consumption habits on WMU’s campus, I replicated a Purdue University study from 2011. In addition, because of the high profile of the Flint Water Crisis, particularly in Michigan, I added a section that focuses on the …

Kalamazoo Fc Social Media Plan, Brittney Wojcik

Honors Theses

Social media presents itself as a far-reaching and cost-effective tool to not only reach, but also to engage with potential audiences. As social media usage is becoming more commonplace, it is increasingly important for companies to understand their place within the social media realm.

Kalamazoo FC is a local semi-professional team in their third year of play. They are looking to expand their target market to include those of millennials, college students, and Latinos. Herein lies a comprehensive social media plan that contains detailed information regarding the team, new markets targeted, and social media platforms currently used by the team. …

Marketing Plan For West Hills Athletic Club, Loai Maddah

Honors Theses

In the recent past, the trading environment has increasingly become competitive. Businesses are adopting various strategies to survive in the dynamic business environment. One such business is West Hills Athletic Club, which is located along South 11^th Street, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The fitness center was organized and incorporated in 1973. It was opened in 1974 and it has eight indoor courts for tennis. As of 1976, the enterprise expanded to twelve courts. In 1988, the firm converted 2 tennis courts to incorporate a track, basketball, and fitness equipment. In 1998, the facility was donated to the Western Michigan University. …

Marketing Process At The Nebraska Repertory Theatre, Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Promote Avenue Q, Bridget Fleischer

Honors Theses

When producing a stage show, whether on Broadway or the local playhouse, every decision must be made with marketing in mind. Arranging television spots, designing flyers, analyzing market research; promotion is only one area of marketing considerations. Theater is a business. Artistic merit is important to consider, but no show will be made without a customer value proposition in mind. Because of this, it is especially fortunate to be able to market a wide-appeal musical that holds artistic merit. This creative project outlines the inner workings of the Nebraska Repertory Theatre, including the production, casting, and promotion that went into …

An Academic Study Of Wian (What’S-In-A-Name?), Emily Hickman

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Changing The Game: The Effects Of Social Media On The Business Of Sport, Jacqueline Avola

Honors Theses

This thesis will examine the way in which social media has revolutionized three major components of fan engagement. First, it illustrates how social media dramatically increases the immediacy by which fans receive sports news and information. Second, the thesis demonstrates the importance of social media to enable fans to develop intimate relationships with their favorite teams and players. Third, this thesis illustrates how social media sites considerably increase the accessibility of sporting events to fans.

Market Expansion Challenge: Finnish School International, Shelby Reams

Honors Theses

The Finnish School International already operates in several countries and is ready to expand the Finnish education system to new locations around the world. Accordingly, the company is seeking your help with identifying new promising markets and developing a market entry strategy, including:

t. Identify the most promising new markets, analyze the market, and decide on the best market entry mode;

2. Develop a product promotion and marketing strategy for the proposed new market; 3. Work out the operations management strategy for the proposed new market.

The Effect Of Social Media Addiction On Consumer Behavior: A Cultural Comparison Of Spain And The United States, Margaret Chambers

Honors Theses

This paper will look at the new issue of social media addiction, how it has affected consumers' behaviors and their interactions with companies, and whether cultural components play a role in this. It will specifically look at the differences between the Spanish and American cultures. I conducted literature searches from the databases in the University of Mississippi library. I researched social interaction theories, social media, The Addiction Theory, and compared the two cultures. The second source of research I used was primary observational research conducted while I lived in Barcelona for five weeks. The observations were made at different points …

A Comparison Of Small And Large European Cities For Tourism: Implications For Strategic Marketing Communications, Sarah Noser

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to compare major and minor European cities based on their marketing mixes and creating the best marketing communication strategies for small municipalities. The secondary research completed for this report was done by reviewing dossiers, professional reports, newspaper articles, and scholarly and government websites, on the subject of travel trends and reasons to travel abroad. Next small and large cities were compared based on their price, product, place and promotion, which also included case studies comparing different sized cities from the same country to each other. A SWOT analysis was also conducted on the three …

A Comparative Study Of American And French Fashion Conspicuous Consumption Habits On Instagram, Hannah J. Corson

Honors Theses

As social media has become an integral part of every day communications, consumers have begun to conspicuously consume through the Internet. One social media platform, Instagram, puts a central focus on media sharing and allows its users to post photos and videos to their profiles. This makes Instagram an ideal place for Internet users to put their belongings on display. However, a user's nationality and cultural upbringing could influence how one utilizes this platform to conspicuously consume. To determine if this were true, Instagram photos from American and French users were analyzed to find any potential discrepancies. Fashion items were …

Atmospherics As A Marketing Tool: The Influence Of The Student Union Dining Atmosphere And Service On Students' Attitudes And Actions, Grayson Beau Huber

Honors Theses

Atmospherics have been a focus of marketing research for decades following the research of Kotler (1971). Atmospherics research has revolved mostly around retail settings, with some research focusing on dining settings for consumers. Visual, aural, olfactory, and tactile factors of atmospherics have been studied in order to provide the best customer experience. Positive atmospherics also can relate to future buying habits. This study focuses on the topic of dining atmospherics on a college campus. The purpose of this research was to analyze any changes in students' opinions following the renovation of an on-campus dining option. A survey was available to …