Business Commons^™

Hay: A Hedonic Study, Chester R. Broadbent

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Hedonic price theory posits that the price of a product is influenced by the values consumers assign to its individual attributes. Hay is a versatile commodity with variation across several attributes helping to cater to diverse needs of consumers. A detailed analysis using hedonic regression techniques within hay pricing can help producers, stakeholders, and educators more fully understand the marginal values consumers place on diverse hay attributes. Previous studies focused on limited scopes within the hay industry or other sectors, allowing room for broader investigation. This study examines qualitative attributes impacting hay pricing, revealing significant influences from factors like location, …

Nato And The Ifrc: A Comparative Case Study, Abigail Kosiak

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This research analyzes the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Multinational Telemedicine System (MnTS) Project and works to answer five main questions:

1) What challenges did the NATO MnTS Project face that are directly related to the fact that the project included members from different countries and worked to create a system that operates across national borders?

2) How do these challenges compare to those faced by a non-governmental organization (NGO) like the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)?

3) What successes has the IFRC had with its current operational model?

4) In what ways could …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Changing Social Norms On Female Clothing Attire Pre And Post Ww Ii, Bailey Marie Burningham

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Not only did World War II bring about changes to the economy and policy in the United States, it also changed women's fashion and, consequently, the way in which women's fashion was presented through marketing efforts. This study is an investigation of how changing social norms, as seen in various marketing material, may have impacted women's attire before and after World War II. The study will be conducted by analyzing various reports on how changes came to pass throughout this time, and how different factors may have instigated the change. Additionally, an analysis of marketing materials used pre and post …

Perceived Entitlement Among Amillenials Versus Baby Boomers: A Cross-Generational Examination, Eliza Comer

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

As the Millennial workforce grows, understanding how Millennials are viewed- specifically in terms of entitlement-is an issue that merits attention, since perceived entitlement could negatively impact the extent to which an individual's contributions are valued in the workplace. While prior research suggests that Millennials are entitled (Allen 2015; Fisk 2010; Myers 2010), it neglects how perceptions of entitlement may differ across generations. We aim to address this gap by examining whether Baby Boomers and Millennials differ in their perceptions of what constitutes entitled behavior. Specifically, we test whether an individual's age, together with situational factors, may influence the extent to …

The Impact Of Visual Cues And Service Behavior On The Consumer Retail Experience, Taylor Bjerk

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

With product differentiation low in the retail industry, businesses need to create strong brand images and increase customer loyalty in order to remain competitive. Visual merchandising is one tool that businesses have to communicate their message in a compelling and strategic manner. Within the scope of visual merchandising there are a number of atmospherics, or cues, which include visual, tactile, and auditory, that can be used in conjunction with one another to influence consumer behavior. Service encounters also have a strong influence on the consumer retail experience and must be managed effectively to make sure their influence is positive. All …

Targeting The Weak: A Content Analysis Of Violence In Advergames, Arshak Papazyan

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

With a rising trend of targeting children using various means of advertisement, the popularity of advergames has significantly increased. Although previous research suggests that negative content in advergames result in less favorable attitudes toward the game (Waiguny, et al., 2013), the presence of violence in advergames targeted to children aged three to ten years is significantly high. Despite the growing concern regarding violence in advergames and other means of advertisement targeted to children, research has not yet investigated the actual amount of violence in advergames. To shed light on this important issue, the present research discusses results of a descriptive …

Cultural Influences On Women In Leadership: An Extension Of The Hofstede And Globe Dimensions, Wendy Bosshardt

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Technology has forever changed the face of business. Although in the past business markets have been limited to local geographic areas, the concept of outsourcing has opened a diverse spectrum of international markets. An increase in suppliers and consumers can improve business effectiveness and efficiency, but entering international markets can be detrimental if the business is unaware of the subtle differences the new market has in regard to leadership styles and cultural values. Hofstede's cultural dimension analysis has been the primary research study for many industry and academic professionals (Bond 2002; Hofstede 1997). However, many scholars are questioning whether Hofstede's …

Women-Owned Business Branding: Consumer Behavior Based On Hedonic Vs. Utilitarian Positioning, Gracie Leeann Arnold

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Similar to the "country of origin" effect, branding a business with a specific ownership may have an effect on consumer purchasing behavior; but, as this trend grows so does the amount of research on how this effect is manifested. Large, powerful companies like Wal-Mart, Ex-IM Bank, and Toyota have recently launched initiatives to promote women-owned business enterprises by targeting women-owned suppliers. Women-owned business have seen unprecedented growth and market share in the past decade. In response, Wal-Mart has pledged to source $20 billion in goods from women-owned businesses by 2016. Wal-Mart began using the "Women-Owned" business logo (WOB) that was …

An Investigation Of Potential Marketing Strategies For Entry Into The Shiitake Mushroom Industry In Utah, Imran Khan

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This study provides an analysis of the mushroom industry in the Utah with a focus on identifying opportunities for entry into the specialty mushroom market. Determining the strategic position of the mushroom industry requires the use of local information. In this study, a local survey of consumers in Northern Utah was used to generate specific information about consumer preferences and attitudes about mushrooms and how a new entrant might be positioned to address consumers’ wants and needs related to mushrooms, and specifically specialty mushrooms. Regression analysis and trend analysis were also performed using data obtained either from the survey or …

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 …

Lodging Analysis For Glimmerglass Opera Patrons, Andrea Busby

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Thousands of people travel to the small town of Cooperstown, New York each summer to see the Baseball Hall of Fame and Glimmerglass Opera. With so many visitors to this small town in New York’s Center Leather-stocking area, it is often difficult to find proper lodging. This paper presents the problems visitors face in locating lodging, discusses the process of determining what lodging options are available, and then describes a study undertaken to investigate opera patrons’ perceptions of lodgings while attending the festival. The paper concludes with results and marketing implications for Glimmerglass Opera.

Take Your Business Elsewhere: A Marketing Plan For The Usu College Of Business, Mckenzie Rae Anderson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The College of Business study abroad program began in the summer of 2007. The study abroad program promises to be a strong point in the scholastic career of any student that chooses to participate, as well as a key strategy to the future success of the College of Business as a whole.

The success of this program comes from overall national growth in the interest of studying abroad, as well as the trend in business of globalization. While there seems to be some competition for the College of Business study abroad program, the specialized needs that the program addresses provides …

Art, Advertising, And Everything Else., Maria Esparza

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

I always wanted to "do" advertising ever since I was five years old. I'd sit in front of the TV on Saturday morning and edit the toy commercials in my head. I wasn't sure what I was doing--but I knew it was better than what was on TV.

A Pilot Study To Determine The Characteristics And Acceptance Of A Mobile Office Education Classroom To Serve Small High Schools In Utah, Arlyn N. Anderson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

For many years the office practice curriculums in the small high schools in Utah have been incomplete. Small high schools generally do not offer the same opportunities for learning as larger high schools due to the lack of funds, a smaller student body, and a shortage of trained personnel. Their distance from larger metropolitan areas where office opportunities are more readily available has made it economically unsound to offer such training programs and facilities. Often, students do not receive adequate training to prepare them for entry level jobs upon graduation from high school.

Students graduating from small high schools must …

A Survey To Determine The Potential Training Stations Available For Distributive Education Students In Logan, Utah, Bruce E. Lind

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

All youth need to develop salable skills and those understandings and attitudes that make the worker an intelligent and productive participant in economic life. To this end , most youth need supervised work experience as well as education in the skills and knowledge of their occupations.

Education is considered by many philosophers to be the vehicle through which society achieves the goals it believes to be significant. The cooperative distributive education program is one of the vehicles that educators have created.

The first statement points out the need for supervised work experience as a part of America's educational program. The …

Qualifications Of Distributive Education Personnel In The State Of Utah 1966-1967 As Compared To Criteria In Distributive Education Issues, Jolene J. Parker

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

During 1962, 15,782 businesses in the United States failed. Nearly half, 7,552 of the failures were in the retail field. Causes of failure ranged from insufficient capital to poor store location. However, more than ninety per cent of the failures in retailing are thought to be caused by a lack of training and experience on the part of store owners and their employees. In 1966, the state of Utah had the highest per capita business failure rate of any state in the nation as reported by Dun's Review Magazine. Undoubtedly business failures in Utah are also caused by the lack …