Business Commons^™

How Agriculture Could Uplift A Nation And Its People: Providing Analytical Data To Farmers In Belize, Thomas G. Stephenson

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Agriculture is the bedrock of the Belize economy, but is plagued by routine issues. These problems hurt not only the economy of Belize, but also the health and well being of its citizens. By working with the Ministry of Agriculture my team surveyed the Stann Creek district of Belize to address these issues and provide much needed information to local farmers.

Employment Discrimination’S Impact On African American’S Professional And Personal Lives, Trey D. Williams

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against a person because of their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The law also protects individuals from retaliation if they complain about discrimination, participate in an employment discrimination proceeding, or reasonably oppose discrimination. Although Title VII makes discrimination illegal, it is still present in the workplace. The objective of this thesis is to discuss employee discrimination based on race and sex. Specifically, I will analyze the current workplace discrimination against African American men and women as well as the psychological, physiological, and emotional effects …

Colgate-Palmolive Customer Development Year-Long Internship Project, Maggie Johnson

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

From June 2021 to May 2022, I had the privilege of being the Customer Development Intern in the home care department at Colgate-Palmolive. In this thesis I will unpack the experience of working with Colgate Palmolive, specifically as it pertains to my largest project for the company.

The genesis of the project was informed by observations of the company over the course of the internship. The company had a noticeable gap in the data collection tools it was utilizing. I, along with the manager and analyst of the home care team, identified a solution by using Walnut in Google Data …

How The Financial Services Industry Is Utilizing Social Media To Expand Their Client Base, Kristen Stewart

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social media is becoming an increasingly important aspect of all companies’ marketing strategies. It is almost imperative for companies to advertise through social media if they want to have a fair chance of reaching the younger generation. In fact, “the majority (97%) of Gen Z consumers say they now use social media as their top source of shopping inspiration; 65% say they use social media to find entertaining content; and 61% of them are specifically interested in watching more video content” (Kastenholz, 2021). This proves that social media can make a significant and lasting impact on a company’s success. Social …

Colostrum Pill Supplement Business Plan, Jackson Scott

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The health benefits of supplementing bovine colostrum are plentiful and extremely under-marketed. Bovine colostrum provides an immense amount of immune system support which is a growing concern for consumers as a result of the pandemic. The other customer segment for bovine colostrum is people into fitness and putting on lean muscle mass. Natural growth hormones and bioactive proteins promote the growth of muscle mass. Finish First Nutraceuticals will be a subset of Finish First Equine, a well established horse supplement company which has supplemented the last two Kentucky Derby winners.

Sustainability, A Competitive Advantage In The Corporate World, Samantha Kennelly

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract: Over the years, society has become more aware of the impact they leave on the environment. For this reason, many are wondering what can be done to curb their footprint, and research has shown that customers now more than ever are demanding more sustainable goods. The aim of this paper is to provide an in-depth analysis of the relationship between corporate social responsibility, consumer desires, and sustainability as a competitive advantage. I will first discuss the history and present factors surrounding environmental problems, in particular marine plastic pollution, we face today. I will define microplastics and marine plastics and …

“Tiktok Made Me Try It”: Social Media’S New Role In Marketing Strategies And Its Effect On Consumer Behavior, Preston Starkey

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study investigates the impact that social media has on marketing strategies and consumer behavior. Social media has risen significantly in popularity over the past decade, and with the introduction of Social Media Influencers, brands have found a new market to promote their products. However, there is very little research conducted to show how social media users are engaging with the new marketing strategies and how it affects their purchasing behavior. This study begins by performing two case studies on brands that have successfully utilized social media to market their products: Crumbl Cookies and Chipotle Mexican Grill. This study then …

How Blockchain Solutions Enable Better Decision Making Through Blockchain Analytics, Sammy Ter Haar

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since the founding of computers, data scientists have been able to engineer devices that increase individuals’ opportunities to communicate with each other. In the 1990s, the internet took over with many people not understanding its utility. Flash forward 30 years, and we cannot live without our connection to the internet. The internet of information is what we called early adopters with individuals posting blogs for others to read, this was known as Web 1.0. As we progress, platforms became social allowing individuals in different areas to communicate and engage with each other, this was known as Web 2.0. As Dr. …

Forecasting Razorback Baseball Game Outcomes, Austin Raabe

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

Despite the disappointing end to the 2021 Arkansas Razorback baseball year, the team’s success provided hog fans something to look forward to next season. While they will be without the 2021 Golden Spikes Award winner, Kevin Kopps, and four All-SEC team selections, the 2022 roster has promising new and returning talent. With fifty percent of the players who played significant time last year coming back (minimum ten hits or ten innings pitched), the arrival of several impact transfers from major conferences, and a recruiting class ranked in the top five according to Perfect Game, there is reason to believe that …

How Student Athletes Can Profit From Their Name, Image, And Likeness Rights, Ryan Bartholow

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

A new mixture of state laws and NCAA rules have provided athletes with varying degrees of new protections and opportunities to make money by selling their NIL rights (Murphy, 2021). However, these new NIL rights do not come with any sort of guide on how to begin making a profit. According to Christovich (2021), wealthy D-I schools have spent the past year building their NIL programs and hiring consultants to educate their athletes on the new NIL rules. There are many D-II and D-III schools that may not have the finances available to educate their athletes on how to return …

Accounting Internship Thesis - Koch Industries, Casey Rivero

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis outlines my accounting internship experience with Koch Industries during the summer of 2021. It describes the company's background, explains my role and responsibilities throughout the summer, and details the tools and technology I worked with. This thesis shows what is to be expected of the present day accountant and bridges the gap between university course material and real-life corporate application.

Conway Properties Llc, Cody Conway

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis shows the business model for Conway Properties, LLC.

Altering Overdraft Fee Policies To Promote Consumer Financial Health, Nadia Barbarawi

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this study is to describe the traditional overdraft practices, explain the reaction of the banking industry from the pressure coming from consumers, regulators, and innovative companies to reduce or eliminate overdraft fees to promote consumer financial health.

Sona Oral History With A Focus On Corporate Philanthropy, Caleb Fairchild

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

The arts scene of Northwest Arkansas has become increasingly woven into the culture of the ever-progressing region, and one of the longest-lasting players in this field is the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. As a forerunner for so many other fine arts organizations in the area, there is much to learn from the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. SoNA requested that the University of Arkansas record these experiences of past and present alike in the form of an oral history. As SoNA looks to the future, they recognize the many players who helped the organization to both survive and thrive at various …

Exploring Women’S Sizing Chart: A View Into Psychosizing, Patience Billingsley

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

The apparel industry lacks a universal sizing system and has created tactics to group consumers under a few generic sizes. The inconsistency in sizing has led to a struggle of consumers trying to find pieces of clothing that are not only their size but fit their measurements as well. An analysis of the sizing charts of 5 different women’s clothing private labels ranging from sizes 0-16 within two major department stores was assessed. The sizing charts within each individual store were evaluated, and then compared to one another. After calculating the sizing differences, an average of both store A and …

Consumers Perception Of Quality For Ladies' Swimwear Based On Price And Brand, Jennifer Avila

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Consumers shop at multiple retailers for different needs. It is understood that many choose a retailer for an experience and others will shop at large discount retailer for the better savings aspect. These two retailers are constantly working on improving customer experience as well as trying to increase their sales. In a time where E-commerce is at an all-time high, these two retailers also need to consider how other retailers compare against them in different sales categories. Since March of 2020, the retail world shifted with COVID-19 disrupting the supply chain. As retailers solve ways to keep consumers content and …

Arclothmasks: A Pandemic Startup Journey, Adam Jackson

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

Covid-19 changed the way the world operated when it became a pandemic in 2020. The need for personal protection equipment was unexpected and suppliers were not prepared for the demand. The government mandate of masks furthered the need of PPE across the nation. To help fill this shortage, many companies began to retool their manufacturing processes from clothing to masks. This thesis will dive into one PPE company and its journey from the start of the pandemic. The business plan for the company will follow it along with graphs and charts that help tell the tale of the startup.

Supply Chain Disruptions During The Pandemic And Ways Food And Beverage Companies Are Looking To Find Stability, Jacob Merz

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

In March 2020, the world was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and is still dealing with its repercussions. This paper examines how the pandemic has had an impact on the food and beverage industry. In this study, there are three disruptions highlighted by industry professionals and online articles. The professionals within the supply chain industry cited in this research are Jane Gringer-Flinn, Director of Customer Solutions at Coca-Cola, Whit Calhoun, Senior Director of Logistics at The Fishin’ Company, Judy Thorne, Senior Director Distribution Services at Tyson Foods, and Bill Carver, Senior Director at J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. The three …

Implementing A Micro-Business Internship Program In Dangriga, Belize, Shaadee Shojai

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Over the Summer, I was able to work with Peacework in Belize through the University of Arkansas. While I was unable to physically go to Belize due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, I feel that I was still able to learn about the culture, in both the casual and business workplace, as well as help the people of Dangriga. The goal of my project was to help consult with the Tourism Department of Dangriga to help develop their small business into businesses that were more appealing to tourists. Unfortunately, most people who own small businesses in Dangriga can’t support themselves with …

An Analysis Of The Suspect: The Impact Of Economic Conditions On Crime, Ryan Perez

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Every place in the world experiences a level of crime within its borders, but there is much contention as to which factors lead to crime. Economic conditions, due to their association with poverty, are frequently discussed as a possible contributors to crime rates. This analysis examines four macroeconomic variables (GDP per capita, unemployment rate, inflation rate, and interest rate) and their effect on crime rates (violent, property, and total). After thoroughly reviewing the philosophical nature of crime, the current economic conditions through the lens of the selected macroeconomic variables, and the present criminal landscape throughout the United States and the …

Brave New World Reboot: Technology’S Role In Consumer Manipulation And Implications For Privacy And Transparency, Allie Mertensotto

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Most consumers are aware that our data is being obtained and collected through the use of our devices we keep in our homes or even on our person throughout the day. But, it is understated how much data is being collected. Conversations you have with your peers – in a close proximity of a device – are being used to tailor advertising. The advertisements you receive on your devices are uniquely catered to your individual person, due to the fact it consistently uses our data to produce efficient and personal ads. On the flip side, our government is also tapping …

A Financial And Environmental Impact Analysis On The Implementation Of Electric Vehicles For The Washington County, Arkansas Sheriff's Department, Lauren Chadwick

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since the Biden administration has provided implication that the hope is for state and local governments to adopt net zero emission federal vehicles, it is important to see how this might work for a county in a rural area of Arkansas. Applying this real possibility to the local Sheriff’s department will aim to create a case either for the implementation of electric vehicles or prove to show that it is not a feasible solution.

This research will compare the financial advantages and disadvantages of this order along with the possible environmental impact that this solution can attribute to. Focusing on …

Covid-19: An Optimal Strategy To Resume Life With Safety And Economic Prosperity, Skyler Tate

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

The coronavirus pandemic has hit the world hard since the beginning of 2020, and the United States has certainly felt a negative impact. Many important aspects of life have been greatly altered by the pandemic, and this has resulted in a hindered economy. The purpose of this project was to determine if there is an optimal strategy with respect to policy and the economy that the United States could implement in order to mitigate the coronavirus. In order to determine this, I evaluated multiple aspects of the disease through a literature review. Upon review, I conducted a survey and performed …

Are Small Businesses The Framework For A Successful U.S. Economy?, Carson Clevenger

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis will investigate the impact of small businesses on the United States’ economy. I will be assessing several impact areas including gross domestic product, employment, and local economy contribution. This thesis will cover a study from the time periods of 1998-2014 of the gross domestic product and employment levels and will use numbers from the years of 2018- present for other impact areas. Furthermore, I will be analyzing certain sectors of the economy, comparing small businesses contribution to corporate contribution, in order to discuss if small businesses are necessary for our country’s successful economy.

Description Of Job Embeddedness In Arkansas County Extension Agents, Anika Parks

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Cooperative Extension System (CES) has had a long-standing problem with the retention of its county Extension agents (CEAs), who are in charge of running various programs in over 3,000 counties within the United States. When a CEA leaves a county, voluntarily or involuntarily, the community members are left without that leader, and their needs go unmet, which was proposed to increase voluntary turnover among CEAs even further. Arkansas CES has had its problems with turnover, and studying this issue through the lens of Job Embeddedness Theory was identified as a gap in the literature.

Job Embeddedness Theory is a …

Social Acceleration In The Marketplace: Three Essays Exploring The Intersection Of Culture And Consumption, Sarah Grace

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Consumer culture is fast. Goods, services, people, ideas, and values – the material and nonmaterial aspects of culture – are moving more quickly throughout the marketing system than ever before. Such acceleration effects diverse stakeholders: people, public, and planet. This dissertation explores the phenomenon of ‘social acceleration’, and specifically, the ‘acceleration of the pace of life’ which examines the feeling that time is going faster in modern societies as a result of “the increase of action episodes per unit of time” (Rosa 2013, 80). This project develops an understanding of how meanings in marketing are socially constructed in relation to …

What Were The Factors That Led To The Gamestop Short Squeeze?, Riley Burnette

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

The world of finance is rapidly evolving - for better or for worse. The introduction of social media in sentimental stock market trading, and new brokerage apps, combined with the new resurgence of retail investors, has led to some interesting results. These new factors in the stock market have challenged the status quo of the stock market. A group of retail investors has led this change on a Reddit forum known as /r/WallStreetBets

In early January 2021, a group of retail investors collaborated a short squeeze on GameStop stock, creating an attack against the hedge funds on a popular Reddit …

Can Small-Scale Poultry Initiatives Alleviate Food Insecurity And Increase Empowerment For Women In Economically Disadvantaged Areas?, Patrick Daniels

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

In the summer of 2019, I, along with 8 other students from the University of Arkansas departed the United States for the Central American country of Belize. Despite our limited knowledge of what Belize held in store for us, we were enthusiastic about the coming months. While we had different projects, we all set out with the same universal question in mind. How can we use the knowledge we have gained through education to make a positive impact on the lives of people living in an impoverished town? Some of the members of our team worked alongside local businesses to …

Effects Of Retail Case Environment And Led Lighting Temperature On Color Of Ground Beef Patties, Mesa Kutz

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this study was to explore different type of retail cases and case environments, primarily lighting, to quantify the impact on shelf life. Coarse ground 80:20 beef from a local retail establishment was acquired between 7 and 10 d from the box date and fine ground through a 9.5 mm grinder plate, and then formed into 150.25 g patties with an automatic patty forming machine. Each patty was then individually packaged in PVC-overwrap packages and randomly assigned to one of the four different treatments: open, multideck cases with 3000 K lighting (OPEN3000),open 3500 K lighting (OPEN3500),enclosed, …

The Bridge To Closing The Green Gap, Samantha Rife

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

In today’s society, we have seen the theme of green consciousness and sustainability become more prevalent as the years pass by. Even as this concept seems to increase in consumer engagement there is not a proportional increase in consumer behavior. This is what is referred to as the gap between green consciousness and green consumerism. Many believe the root of this issue can be solved by increasing regulations. However, I believe this gap can be narrowed by using brands to shift consumers behaviors through their message. The main question that I want to focus in on is, “Can a brand …