Business Commons^™

Women's Work And Wealth: Measuring The Impact Of Incremental Liberations, 1850-1870, Hannah Kelly

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Using a two-way fixed effects difference-in-difference model, this project analyzes data from the IPUMS Full Count census for 1850, 1860, and 1870 at a state level for 48 states. Four models assess the impact of property laws on women's real property holdings, labor force participation, household types, and real property values.

By quantifying the impact of various legal reforms on women's economic empowerment, this project fills a gap in the understanding of the intersection between law, society, and women's economic agency during a transformative period in pre-industrial American history. These impacts can implicate the effectiveness of legislative measures in advancing …

Leadership In Extreme Contexts: An Emerging Typology, Ashley Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the relationship between leadership and extreme contexts through the lens of rural hospitals facing environmental jolts. Rural hospitals offer a unique setting for this research, given their inherent geographic isolation, lack of resources, and the critical role these facilities play in their communities. Through a qualitative analysis of interviews with Chief Executive Officers of rural hospitals, this research takes a grounded approach to build theory surrounding how leadership not only shapes but is shaped by extreme contexts and environmental jolts. The research results in four primary contributions. Namely, this study extends existing typologies on leadership in extreme …

Business Capstone Review: Analysis Of Startups In Technology And Artificial Intelligence, Grayson Hoffman

University Honors Theses

This is a review of the Portland State University's business capstone course. The team was engaged by the client to reach certain goals and deliverables. Key to this project was immense research on startups within the Technology and Artificial Intelligence industry. Information was communicated with the client throughout the project to ensure client relevancy. The research was then used to perform an analysis to measure the potential of startups being a good fit with the client's goals. Upon completion of the project, the team will have presented a full report summarizing the research as well as the final recommendation list …

A Phenomenological Study On The Perceived Impact Of Bass's Four I'S Of Transformational Leadership, Yarissa Marn

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe World of Warcraft game leaders’ perceptions of the impact on their guilds regarding Bass’s 4 I’s of transformational leadership.

Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed 13 World of Warcraft game leaders who have led their guild members for at least one year. The main source of data collection was semi-structured open-ended interview questions with other resources to include artifacts. The researcher coded and analyzed data for themes and patterns.

Findings: Several domains of Bass’s Four I’s Transformational Leadership framework were found to have an impact on World of Warcraft …

Entrepreneurship Education: Understanding The Lived Entrepreneurial Experiences Of Community College Students In South Texas, Hussain Y. Sama

Theses & Dissertations

Entrepreneurship education (EE) is a hot topic and has gained the attention and interest of scholars in the United States and globally. Despite the growth of EE, scholars have been marginalizing the impact of EE at the community college level and there is a dearth of studies in this area (Liguori et al. 2019; Mars & Ginter 2012). Therefore, I conducted this study to bridge this indicated gap and contribute to the EE literature through exploring the entrepreneurial learning and practical experiences of community college student entrepreneurs.

The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to better understand the lived …

Balancing Act: An Exploration Of Polarities In Personal And Professional Life, Hana Mamnoon

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This purpose of this project is to explore the concept of polarities. I have been using creative problem solving for years, but recently, I have come to realize that some of the complexities we face in our everyday lives are not actually problems to solve, but rather are polarities to manage (Johnson, 2014). By undertaking this project, I aimed to build my skill set around polarity management in order to help me develop in both my personal and professional spheres. This project allowed me to explore some of the literature of polarities as well as put the concepts into practice …

A Triadic View Of Name, Image, And Likeness From The Point Of Athletes, Universities, And Consumers Of College Athletics, William Monroe

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

Name, Image, and Likeness is a new era of college athletics that allows student-athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness through personal appearances, social media platforms, commercials, selling merchandise, signing autographs, serving as ambassadors, and leading camps or clinics, among others. In simpler terms, NIL allows student-athletes to be paid to play. Before it was introduced, the NCAA took a strong stance against this but soon flipped its stance once states started passing laws relating to the subject. In the past, athletic departments, coaches, and student-athletes were punished by the NCAA because of bribes as well as athletic departments …

The Shocking Future Of Artificial Intelligence Across A Variety Of Industries, Collin Elek Boone

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Artificial intelligence is a huge phenomenon that has begun to take over worldwide media. The abilities that AI has already proven to be capable of will undoubtedly change the world in a variety of ways. In the future, however, it is possible that AI will have an impact on nearly every sector imaginable. With the success that companies such as OpenAI and Microsoft have already displayed regarding artificial intelligence, it is clear that this software has immense capabilities. The purpose of this study is to conduct research detailing the potential impact of AI on industries within the business sector and …

Resilience To Supply Chain Disruptions: An Investigation Of The Roles Of Innovativeness And Green Supply Chain Management Practices During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lindsay Givens

<strong> Theses and Dissertations </strong>

The number of global supply chain disruptions is increasing at an alarming rate. These disruptions vary in terms of source, duration, and scope, but all pose major threats to the continuity of firms worldwide. Because of this increase in turbulence, there has been heightened interest in recent years surrounding the development of firm-level resilience to such disruptions. The supply chain sustainability research stream is relatively well-developed; less is known, however, about specific strategies for strengthening resilience. This study aims to contribute to the resilience literature by examining the viability of innovativeness and the adoption of green supply chain management practices …

The Impact Of Using Standard Quality Measures Such As Iso 9001:2015 On Emerging Software Companies Created With Agile Methodologies., Elisa Orillac

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

This qualitative research aimed to analyze the impact of applying quality measure standards, specifically ISO 9001:2015, in emerging software companies that have decided to manage their projects through Agile methodologies. While Agile methodologies are well known for their continuous delivery of software, the quality that results from these projects is not always guaranteed. This research aimed to evaluate what benefits in terms of cost, timely delivery of working software, and production have companies who already applied QMS had. Or, if applying the QMS had a negative result, why was this the case? The hypothesis for the research was that those …

Nonprofit Leader Experiences In Sector-Bending After Lean Six Sigma Training: Tension, Concepts, And Changed Behaviors, Beverly Codallos

Dissertations

Government, business, and nonprofit represent three distinct types of organizations governed by different legal frameworks designed to facilitate collective action (DiMaggio & Anheier, 1990). The emergence of hybrid forms and increasing isomorphic pressures in the nonprofit sector (Bromley & Meyer, 2017; McCambridge, 2014) have challenged the traditional separation of organizational forms. This study explored the phenomenon popularized as sector-bending, “a wide variety of approaches, activities, and relationships that are blurring the distinctions between nonprofit and for-profit organizations, either because they are behaving more similarly, operating in the same realms, or both” (Dees & Anderson, 2003, pg. 16). This qualitative study …

Honors Project Hartville Potato Chips (Final) - College Of Business - Team 5 (Marketing Partnerchip), Isabela Schroeter, Justin Kriess, Trent Thomas, Devin Maddox, Irina Hacck, Jake Lubic

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

TO EXPAND THE HARTVILLE POTATO CHIP COMPANY BRAND IN A WAY THAT WILL CREATE A UNIQUE POSITION IN THE MIND OF THE CONSUMER.

Driven By Change: The Impact Of Macroeconomic Shifts And Covid-19 On New Vehicle Sales, Jackson Aldrich

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the impact of macroeconomic factors and the COVID-19 pandemic on new vehicle sales. In order to address these two topics, a two-pronged approach was used with separate regression models. The macroeconomic variables include monthly supply of new homes, CPI for urban public transportation, unemployment rate, disposable personal income, inflation expectation, consumer sentiment, average gas prices, and total vehicle miles traveled which were regressed on total vehicle sales from 1978-2022. The regression results confirmed and supported current literature and highlighted the importance of the housing market and unemployment rate on new vehicle sales. The COVID-19 pandemic model variables …

Giving Workers The 'Green Light': Defining Green Jobs And Exploring Their Distribution In The Us, Cole Fuller

Honors Theses and Capstones

As the United States continues to adopt sustainable practices and policies to combat climate change, it is important to consider how these green changes affect the workforce. The term ‘Green Jobs’ has become the colloquial term to refer to sustainable occupations, and despite its popularity in the literature, it often has different meanings in different settings. Our first goal was to explore these definitions and establish one to contextualize our research. We used data from the Occupational Information Network, and used their green job definition, which classifies jobs as green if, and how, they are impacted by the greening economy. …

Developing Specialized Master's Programs In Business Schools: The Convergence Of Mission And Markets, Elizabeth Johansson Bristol

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Practical problems can emerge when new academic programs are developed. If program development decisions are driven primarily by desires for enrollment growth and revenue generation, new programs may be created without clear connections to institutional missions or organizational core competencies. Additionally, introduction of new academic programs may generate internal conflict and competition for resources diminishing the capacity of both new and existing programs. Misalignment with mission, lack of connection to faculty expertise, and fierce internal competition for resources can create an environment where new academic programs are unlikely to thrive. The purpose of this multi-site case study was to understand …

Political Skill: A Potential Buffer To Abusive Supervision, Emotional Labor, And Burnout, Keith R. Cole

<strong> Theses and Dissertations </strong>

This dissertation examines the relationship among political skill, abusive supervision, emotional labor, and burnout through the lens of the conservation of resources theory. The study proposes that political skill is a personal resource that individuals can use to buffer the negative consequences of abusive supervision and emotional labor, as well as prevent burnout. Moreover, this work proposes that political skill will lessen the harmful effects of abusive supervision on emotional labor, and emotional labor on burnout, respectively. The study also highlights the importance of political skill in managing abusive supervision, emotional labor, and burnout in organizations. This work tests a …

A Capstone Journey In Enterprise Software Consulting For Microsoft: How An Interdisciplinary Philosophy Fosters Critical Thinking And Promotes Cross-Functional Teamwork, Jacob Mccall

University Honors Theses

This capstone review thesis explores the application of strategic innovation and enterprise software with a Portland State University (PSU) School of Business Administration (SBA) interdisciplinary team consulting for Microsoft. Faced with improving pitch meetings with a new target audience of Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs), Microsoft's West Coast enterprise software sales team sought consultation from the PSU SBA 2023 Business Honors cohort. This text reflects on the precursors responsible for the consulting project’s success, including the university’s guiding principles, interdisciplinary philosophy, and applicable business practices. The final solution includes insights into CMO types, needs development, a marketing enterprise software visual sales …

You Have To Play To Win: Value Capture In Open Innovation, John T. Pritchard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the extensive research on open innovation, debate remains on the relationship between open innovation and firm performance. No consensus exists on the measures of performance and the mechanisms that enable value capture remain largely unexplored. This dissertation addresses these issues in two parts. First, a theoretical model based on knowledge flows is introduced. Knowledge is at the heart of open innovation and this dissertation examines the role that external and internal knowledge play in firm performance outcomes. It integrates the dynamic capability view and open innovation literature to build a framework and set of arguments on how knowledge is …

Successfully Scaling Digital Technology Ventures: An Empirical Study Of The Strategic Choices That Maximize Firm Value, Scott Morris

Dissertations

Our study aims to understand the choices managers working for subscription-based digital ventures must make at arguably the most critical juncture of their firm’s lifecycle. With few slack resources to repair mistakes, managers at these scaling firms must make decisions that are larger in scope and scale than in the start-up phase. Tradeoffs are often required as decision-makers face choices such as investing more resources in sales and marketing to drive growth or in product development to improve quality and add new products or features. In many instances, the question is whether to forego some growth opportunities to maximize profitability …

Human Capital Flight: Determinants Of Out-Migration Decisions Among Mississippi’S College Graduates, Felicia M. Bowens

Dissertations

In today's knowledge economy, the retention of skilled and college-educated workers is vital to the economic stability and long-term competitiveness of any region (Bernhard, 2007; Ehrke, 2014; He et al., 2016; Khaomin et al., 2022; Miller & Collins, 2022; Moretti, 2012; White et al., 2022; Winters, 2011). As the global economy evolves, Mississippi must continue accumulating and cultivating a workforce ready to meet the demands of today's labor markets. However, with the out-migration of Mississippi's college graduates post-graduation, the state continues to lose a valuable resource, its human capital (Miller & Collins, 2023; Miller & Collins, 2022; Mississippi Economic Council, …

Enhancing Employee Voice In Government: Transparency, Trust, And Cognitive Empowerment, Jomarie Phelan Honcoop

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For organizational change to take root, develop, and realize the desired goals and benefits, employees are increasingly asked to be an integral part of the change process, to speak up and use their voice to point out areas to improve and ways to be more efficient. Organizations and managers must create a climate where this employee voice, a multidimensional construct comprised of promotive and prohibitive voice, is encouraged and heard, and where the employee is empowered to effect change and make improvements. Both types of voice are potent mechanisms for improving public services, and government organizations in particular, as compared …

A Phenomenological Study On The Lived Experience And Leadership Of Project Managers In An Agile Transformation, Randall Hopkins

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

This study employed a phenomenological methodology to investigate the shared experiences of project managers of corporations in the United States during a transition to agile project management methodologies. The project managers’ transformation was noteworthy because agile introduces a change in work structures, processes, and leadership. This study sought to understand how eight project managers described their lived experience and leadership during the transition to agile methodologies. Interviews with project managers uncovered identity facets that evolved with their understanding of leadership. The traditional project managers’ common-sense approach to work served as both a barrier and enabler of a change. Project managers …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Entrepreneurship Programs On Student Interest In Entrepreneurship Competitions, Toni Sharp

All Theses

According to a survey by ACNielsen International Research, over half of Americans want to start their own business to build wealth and achieve independence (Bygrave & Zacharakis, 2011). In the research community, most entrepreneurship education research happens in business schools (Matlay, 2006). As a result of continually researching one form of entrepreneurship, less attention has been paid to other forms contributing to the “definitional obscurity with important consequences for the direction of the field” of entrepreneurship (Baker & Welter, 2017). This has created a need for research on entrepreneurship at the college level in fields outside of business.

Clemson University …

Traits Of Leadership, Alinta Magdalene Ali

University Honors Theses

The objective of this thesis is to analyze the correlation between leadership styles, introverted and extroverted traits, and their impact on effective leadership within the workplace. The first section defines leadership and introduces leadership styles: servant, transformational, identity, autocratic, democratic, and coaching. The discussion delves into the distinctive characteristics, advantages, and obstacles associated with each leadership style, highlighting how each style prioritizes personalized guidance and assistance for team members. The second section explores the introvert and extrovert aspects and how they complement each other in the workplace. Effective leaders possess the ability to adjust their personality traits, exhibiting both social …

Globalizing Investments: Enhancing Retail Investor Portfolios Through Cross-Asset International Diversification, Charlotte T. Kline

University Honors Theses

Diversification is frequently reiterated, but for the standard retail investor, the what, how, and why often slide between the cracks. Diversifying internationally appears even more seldom discussed. A wealth of research has been integrated throughout this paper to focus on the what, how, and why of foreign diversification, all from a retail investor's perspective. This synthesis provides a comprehensive background followed by a discussion of a variety of asset classes available for diversification and biases and factors that lead to these gaps in diversification. The findings were divided into two categories: possible asset classes favorable to international diversification and causes …

Grassroots Lawn Services Business Plan, Logan Walden

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this thesis is to show how a lawn-care company can be profitable in North-West Arkansas. Grassroots uses a group of service-partners who are trained to provide professional and consistent lawn care services to customers. Grassroots Lawn Services offers different service levels to meet the changing needs of their customers. The goal is to make it easier for customers to access lawn care services without dealing with the high cost and competitive scheduling of traditional single-provider lawn services.

Impact Of Tourism In Developing Nations, Thomas Consolino

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Belize, a small country located in Central America, thrives on tourism. The industry makes up 15% of the country’s GDP and employs roughly 40% of Belize’s population. However, the majority of tourism takes place in only a few Belizean towns, causing the economies of the other towns to not benefit from the industry. One of the towns lacking tourism is called Dangriga. Although Dangriga is on the coast and is known as the “Culture Capital of Belize”, not many tourists make is stop in or even know of Dangriga. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of …

From Espresso To Frappuccino: Analyzing Starbucks' Business Plan For Entering The Italian Market, Cameron Demott

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Starbucks is a multinational coffeehouse chain founded in Seattle, Washington in 1971 (Starbucks, 2023). The company has become one of the world's most recognizable brands, with over 30,000 locations in 78 countries worldwide (Starbucks, 2023). The coffee house has a reputation for providing high-quality coffee, great customer service, and a unique in-store experience. Americans view Starbucks as the golden standard for coffee shops and admire the brand for its success. After establishing a strong presence in the market in the United States, Starbucks decided to go global. In 1996, the chain opened its first store overseas in Japan and then …

The Dedicated Truck To Take You To The Train Station: A Case Study On Ram's Marketing Strategy Through The Hit Series, Yellowstone, Hailey Keidel

Experience Industry Management

A company’s marketing strategy is crucial to said company’s success and expansion throughout its lifecycle. When looking at the automotive industry and its marketing standards, RAM is taking a step beyond with its partnership with Yellowstone. The purpose of this study was to analyze RAM’s marketing strategy in the Paramount series, Yellowstone. A case study was conducted on RAM through a tool created by the researcher with data collected from RAM’s core site, Yellowstone’s core site, and a variety of news and statistic outlets. The results of this study determined that RAM’s marketing strategy is highly successful in connection with …

Analyzing Effective Website Design Literature To Develop A Standard Scorecard, Karlyn Sanchez

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.