Business Commons^™

Entropy In Postmerger And Acquisition Integration From An Information Technology Perspective, Gloria S. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mergers and acquisitions have historically experienced failure rates from 50% to more than 80%. Successful integration of information technology (IT) systems can be the difference between postmerger success or failure. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the entropy phenomenon during postmerger IT integration. To that end, a purposive sample of 14 midlevel and first-line managers in a manufacturing environment was interviewed to understand how the negative effects of entropy affect the ultimate success of the IT integration process. Using the theoretical framework of the process school of thought, interview data were iteratively examined by using keywords, phrases, …

The Role Of Leadership In Safety Performance And Results, Halina E. Caravello

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee injury rates in U.S. land-based operations in the energy industry are 2 to 3 times higher relative to other regions in the world. Although a rich literature exists on drivers of safety performance, no previous studies investigated factors influencing this elevated rate. Leadership has been identified as a key contributor to safety outcomes and this grounded theory study drew upon the full range leadership model, situational leadership, and leader-member exchange theories for the conceptual framework. Leadership aspects influencing safety performance were investigated through guided interviews of 27 study participants; data analyses included open and axial coding, and constant comparisons …

Continual Energy Management Dynamics: Energy Efficiency In U.S. Automotive Manufacturing Industry, Cem O. Onus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Managers at automotive manufacturers are seeking ways to reduce energy consumption, costs, carbon emissions, and waste from production processes. Researchers and practitioners perceive energy efficiency as the least expensive and most effective way to deal with issues related to climate change, but adoption of energy efficiency measures has been slow among industrial facilities. The topic of this research study was the decision-making process for energy efficiency projects in the U.S. automotive manufacturing industry. Flaws in this decision-making processes are preventing changes that can dramatically reduce energy usage, cost, and pollution. The study was grounded in the theories of energy management, …

Eastern Michigan University Undergraduate Catalog, 2011-2012, Office Of The Registrar

Undergraduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Eastern Michigan University Undergraduate Catalog, 2011-2012, Office Of The Registrar

Undergraduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Eastern Ichigan University Graduate Catalog, 2011-2012, Office Of The Registrar

Graduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Influence Of Blog On The Development Of Social Capital, Reza Vaezi, Gholamreza Torkzadeh, Jerry Cha-Jan Chang

Management, Entrepreneurship and Technology Faculty Research

The rapid use and application of blogs in diverse areas such as education, marketing, journalism, and human resource management in recent years underlines the need for a better understanding of the impact of this new technology on social capital. Social capital reflects the norm of reciprocity and the level of trust among individuals who connect, interact, and benefit from one another. Blog is expected to influence the extent and the scope of this interaction by providing new means of networking among people. This paper examines the relationship between blog use and social capital and reports on the results of an …

Energy Auditing Proposal, Paul Parham, Bonnie Bachman

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Executive Summary 1.1 Objectives Develop a business case for an energy audit software application that can be used on portable devices such as the iPad and reduce the time needed to complete an audit report by 50%.

Conference Marketing Research For Rolla, Missouri Chamber Of Commerce, Rebecca Mcnally, Bonnie Bachman

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper is used to give recommendations to the Chamber of Commerce in Rolla, Missouri to help them to better attract conferences and events. A survey given to event planners was the main method used for analyzing what Rolla needs to change to gain more of a name as a conference destination. Although this paper is specific to Rolla, Missouri, the methods used can be imitated for any rural town wishing to attract more conferences.

Essays On Hedge Fund Replication: Methodological Assessment And Development Of The Factor Approach, Nonlinear Modeling And Policy Perspectives, Guillaume Weisang

2011

This dissertation is concerned with hedge fund replication, a subject of a practical and theoretical importance, both from an investment and a risk management point of view. One of our goals is to extend known methodologies in order to enhance our understanding of an industry that is known for its secrecy and its lack of transparency. A second goal is to contribute to the quantitative finance literature with improved techniques for hedge fund replication. Hedge fund replication (HFR) is approached from the methodological as well as from practical and regulatory perspectives. The first two chapters provide the motivation and the …

Scholarship In International Technical Communication, 1950-1989: A Historical Study, Xiaoyan Huang

Masters Theses

"This thesis is a study of the published scholarship in international technical communication from 1950 to 1989. It provides insight into the four decades' worth of scholarship as well as a resource for the development of present and future scholarship in international technical communication. It attempts to answer the following research questions: What did scholars of international technical communication study in each decade? What are the similarities and differences among the four decades in terms of scholarship in international technical communication? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the relevant scholarship in the four decades? What can we learn from …

The History Of Technical Communication Instruction At Missouri University Of Science And Technology: The Evolution Of A Curriculum, Elizabeth Marie Roberson

Masters Theses

"This thesis provides a written record of the history of technical communication instruction at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T). Beginning with the school's inception in 1871 as the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy (MSM) through to the year 2005, I have examined course catalogs and department files and conducted interviews to provide an overview of the evolution of technical communication instruction at this institution. To better understand this evolution, I have also provided a framework for the development of the English department from a single course in 1871 to the current Department of English and Technical …

Data-Driven Decision Making As A Tool To Improve Software Development Productivity, Mary Erin Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The worldwide software project failure rate, based on a survey of information technology software manager's view of user satisfaction, product quality, and staff productivity, is estimated to be between 24% and 36% and software project success has not kept pace with the advances in hardware. The problem addressed by this study was the limited information about software managers' experiences with data-driven decision making (DDD) in agile software organizations as a tool to improve software development productivity. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how agile software managers view DDD as a tool to improve software development productivity and …

Generalized Interval Neutrosophic Soft Set And Its Decision Making Problem, Said Broumi

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

In this work, we introduce the concept of generalized interval neutrosophic soft set and study their operations. Finally, we present an application of generalized interval neutrosophic soft set in decision making problem.

Green Banking, Amy Kalloch, Bonnie Bachman

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Executive Summary Green banking is generally defined as promoting environmentally friendly practices that aid customers in reducing their carbon footprint through their banking operation activities. These practices include such things as online banking, statements, bill payments, and account opening. Banks also invest in internal initiatives to reduce their own carbon footprint. The majority of programs consist of energy efficiency, recycling, ride sharing, and environmentally friendly lending. Banks that support the local community and environment are seen as leaders in this movement. Many online banks and smaller community banks are seen as 'greener' than the large corporate financial institutions. One criticism …

Plastic Packaging: A Current Perspective On Sustainability, Shristy Bashyal, Bonnie Bachman, Margaret H. Baumann

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Packaging producers, machine manufacturers, and/or resin manufacturers are studied to conduct case study research to assess the issues they are facing with regard to “sustainability”. This industry viewpoint is conducted to generate information regarding environmental pressures facing these companies and the resulting strategies employed to be competitive and sustainable. To collect the necessary information about these selected companies and the overall industry point of view they represent, direct interview techniques are used.

The Effect Of Interactive Technology On Informal Learning And Performance In A Social Setting, Timothy Clay Boileau

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study is based on a qualitative multiple case study research design using a mixed methods approach to provide insight into the effect of interactive technology on informal learning and performance in a social business setting inhabited by knowledge workers. The central phenomenon examined is the variance in behavioral intention towards interactive Web 2.0 technologies in learning and performance-related activities, depending on social and cultural setting, observable in individual and group usage patterns.

The theoretical foundation for this study is drawn primarily from the activity theory model developed by Engeström (1987) and related research enabled by an ongoing review of …

An Empirical Study On User Acceptance Of Simulation Techniques For Business Process, Olurotimi Adeboye Ladeinde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Non acceptance of technology may result in serious damages to organizations. For example, non acceptance of simulation technology cost Merrill Lynch Bank over {dollar}50 billion in 2008, while statistics in 2 separate studies showed that non acceptance of technology was responsible for a 57% decrease in performance level for physicians practicing in public tertiary hospitals in Hong Kong, and a 39% decrease in productivity for hotel workers in Seoul, Korea. The problem addressed in this research was non acceptance of simulation technology by project managers. This research investigated the correlation among personal innovativeness, organizational innovativeness, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of …

The Potential Role Of Business Intelligence In Church Organizations, Charmaine Felder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business intelligence (BI) involves transforming data into actionable information to make better business decisions that may help improve operations. Although businesses have experienced success with BI, how leaders of church organizations might be able to exploit the advantages of BI in church organizations remains largely unexplored. The purpose of the phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of pastoral leaders concerning the potential usefulness of BI in church organizations. Conceptual support for the study was based on the premise that churches may also benefit from BI that helps improve decision making and organizational performance. Three research questions were used to …

Learning Without Onboarding: How Assessing And Evaluating Learning Benefits New Information Technology Hires, Dory L. Morris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Onboarding ensures learning success through sharing and acquiring knowledge to remain competitive. However, little is known about new Information Technology (IT) hires' learning needs in the absence of onboarding; therefore, the purpose of this case study was to examine, increase, and retain their technical knowledge at the Unified Communications Company (UCC). Following the theoretical model of knowledge management, which holds that knowledge is the key to confirm learning and knowledge sharing, the research questions were used to examine how the company assessed and increased their technical knowledge and how they taught their culture in the absence of onboarding. A qualitative …

Asset Reuse Of Images From A Repository, Deirdre Herman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to Markus's theory of reuse, when digital repositories are deployed to collect and distribute organizational assets, they supposedly help ensure accountability, extend information exchange, and improve productivity. Such repositories require a large investment due to the continuing costs of hardware, software, user licenses, training, and technical support. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of evidence in the literature on whether users in fact reused enough digital assets in repositories to justify the investment. The objective of the study was to investigate the organizational value of repositories to better inform architectural, construction, software and other industries whether …

Editorial: Special Issue On Ubiquitous Electronic Commerce Systems, Robert H. Deng, Jari Veijalainen, Shiguo Lian, Dimitris Kanellopoulos

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Ubiquitous computing is a post-desktop model of human-computer interaction in which information processing has been thoroughly integrated into everyday objects and activities. Emerging ubiquitous electronic commerce systems (UECS) are expected to be available anytime, anywhere, and using different official or personal computing devices. Systems and services such as digital libraries, on-line business transactions, mobile office and mobile TV are widely deployed. Users will be able to access these services anytime, anywhere, while using any computing device in a pervasive way.

Innovation And Price Competition In A Two-Sided Market, Mei Lin, Shaojin Li, Andrew B. Whinston

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

We examine a platform's optimal two-sided pricing strategy while considering seller-side innovation decisions and price competition. We model the innovation race among sellers in both finite and infinite horizons. In the finite case, we analytically show that the platform's optimal seller-side access fee fully extracts the sellers' surplus, and that the optimal buyer-side access fee mitigates price competition among sellers. The platform's optimal strategy may be to charge or subsidize buyers depending on the degree of variation in the buyers' willingness to pay for quality; this optimal strategy induces full participation on both sides. Furthermore, a wider quality gap among …

Relative Pricing Of Publicly Traded U.S. Electric Utility Companies, Nicholas Stephen Jewczyn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the financial turmoil of 2008, U.S. firms reported debt-ratios that differed from the debt-ratios calculated from balance sheets. The problem is that investors bought common stock expecting initial investment return and lost money when companies delisted. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine sample securities pricing with the application of synthetic assets and debt accrued. Addressed in the research questions was whether those securities were (a) underpriced compared with return-on-assets (ROA), (b) overpriced compared with ROA, (c) a debt-ratio higher than 60% and also overpriced, (d) underpriced with a synthetic asset added, or (e) related by relative …

The Myth Of Endless Accumulation: A Feminist Inquiry Into Globalization, Growth, And Social Change, Martha Freymann Miser

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This theoretical dissertation examines the concept of growth and its core assumption—that the continual accumulation of wealth is both socially wise and ecologically sustainable. The study challenges and offers alternatives to the myth of endless accumulation, suggesting new directions for leadership and social change. The central question posed in this inquiry: Can we craft a more ethical form of capitalism? To answer this question, the study examines conventional and critical globalization studies; feminist scholarship on standpoint, political economy, and power; and the Enlightenment notions of progress and modernism, drawing on a number of works, including Aristotle on the three intelligences, …

Collaboration And Climate Action At The Local Scale, Linda Lyshall

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation encompasses a case study and a Participatory Action Research project. The case study focuses on climate change mitigation activities within King County, Washington and its 39 cities and towns and discusses progress and challenges related to transportation issues, efficiency measures, and sustainability planning. The findings indicate there is a high level of activity in waste reduction, environmental outreach and education, bicycle and pedestrian promotion, tree canopy protection, sustainability policies, and green building. Other categories, such as energy efficiency, electric vehicle infrastructure, and greenhouse gas emission inventories and goal setting are on the rise. Twelve of the cities were …

A Pre & Post Analysis Of The Impact Of Carbon Regulation & Ratification Of The Kyoto Protocol: An Australian Perspective, Maya Purushothaman, Ross Taplin

Research outputs 2011

This study examines emission and energy disclosures of 400 randomly selected Australian listed companies in 2005, 2007 and 2009 using a disclosure index derived from the Global Reporting Initiative. The longitudinal nature of this study provides a more comprehensive view of the online emissions and energy disclosures of Australian companies and highlights the impact of the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol and the introduction of carbon regulations, National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) and Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO).The results were compared between the two periods, it was noted that rate of increase was lower during the latter (2007 to 2009) …

How Green Are Climate Change Issues?: An Auditor's Perspective, Maya Purushothaman, Ross Taplin

Research outputs 2011

Climate change and carbon emissions have become an important issue for companies, not only if companies are to maintain legitimacy as good corporate citizens but also financially with the regulation of carbon emissions and the impending introduction of the Australian Emission Trading Scheme (AETS). This paper investigates the role of financial auditors in the climate change debate. Content analysis of the websites of fifteen large auditors in Australia reveals different reactions to this issue, from reacting to proposed legislation to proposing initiatives proactively and providing guidelines for companies. Analysis of the websites from a random sample of companies audited by …

An Investigation Into The Use Of Neural Networks For The Prediction Of The Stock Exchange Of Thailand, Suchira Chaigusin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Stock markets are affected by many interrelated factors such as economics and politics at both national and international levels. Predicting stock indices and determining the set of relevant factors for making accurate predictions are complicated tasks. Neural networks are one of the popular approaches used for research on stock market forecast. This study developed neural networks to predict the movement direction of the next trading day of the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index. The SET has yet to be studied extensively and research focused on the SET will contribute to understanding its unique characteristics and will lead to identifying …

Improving Service Through Just-In-Time Concept In A Dynamic Operational Environment, Kar Way Tan, Hoong Chuin Lau, Na Fu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper is concerned with the problem of Just-In-Time (JIT) job scheduling in a dynamic environment under uncertainty to attain timely service. We provide an approach, based on robust scheduling concepts, to analytically evaluate the expected cost of earliness and tardiness for each job and also the project. In addition, we search for a schedule execution policy with the minimum robust cost such that for a given risk level (epsilon), the actual realized schedule has (1 - epsilon) probability of completing with less than or equal to this robust cost. Our method is quite generic, and can be applied to …