Business Commons^™

A Soft Landing, Steady Growth, And Accelerating Farm Income, John Austin, Chris Decker, Tom Doering, Ernie Gross, Nick Hernandez, Bruce Johnson, Ken Lemke, Frank Schwarz, Scott Strain, Eric Thompson, Keith Turner

Business in Nebraska

After years of accelerating growth, the U.S. economy achieved a soft landing in 2006. The rate of economic growth remained positive but slowed sufficiently to reduce inflation pressures and the need for further interest rate increases. At the same time the economy remained strong enough to continue the current expansion which has been in place since late 2001. Such a soft landing is vital because it should allow the economy to continue to expand for years to come, but with moderate inflation.

The housing sector played an important role in the U.S. economy’s recent slowdown. Housing prices and con-struction activity …

Preliminary Economic Impact Analysis For The Lincoln Arena Task Force, Eric Thompson

Bureau of Business Research Publications

The entertainment industry is part of the growing service sector in the state and national economy. The industry both creates employment opportunities and contributes to the quality of life within communities. To fully grow the entertainment industry, however, a city requires appropriate venues to host entertainment events. In the City of Lincoln, Nebraska, there has been a recent proposal to develop a new arena facility for this growing City. The following report addresses some of the economic consequences of developing a new arena in Lincoln. In particular, the report estimates the potential economic impact of the proposed project, that is, …

The Effect Of A Smoke-Free Ordinance On Eating And Drinking Places In Lincoln, Nebraska, Mary Mcgarvey, Eric Thompson, Bree Dority, Jyothsna Sainath

Bureau of Business Research Publications

The Lincoln Smoking Regulation Act which prohibited smoking in most public places and places of employment in Lincoln, Nebraska including restaurants and bars was implemented in January 2005. This report examines the impact of the ordinance on the following measures of business activity in Lincoln:

• Sales revenue of eating and drinking places

• Employment of eating and drinking places

• Gross revenues from keno.

We examine the impact of the ordinance during the year 2005, the first year that the ordinance was in effect. While restaurant and bar activity in Lincoln rose during 2005 by some measures, we focus …

Subsidiary Entrepreneurship: An Exploratory Study, Enda Carolan

Masters

This is a study of subsidiary entrepreneurship. In recent years entrepreneurship has been promoted by academics, practitioners and governmental agencies as a panacea for subsidiary managers as they attempt to sustain and grow their subsidiaries. The research question that underpins this works relates to the transposition of the concept of entrepreneurship into large nature business units of multinational corporations (MNC). Drawing on four case studies of subsidiary managers who invoke the discourse of entrepreneurship to make sense of their managerial behaviour, this study examines the difference between entrepreneurship and subsidiary entrepreneurship. There are two key findings. Firstly subsidiary entrepreneurship is …

Labor Force Implications Of Population Decline In Non-Metropolitan Nebraska, Randy Cantrell

Business in Nebraska

The most recent release of population estimates from the Census Bureau indicates that 70 Nebraska counties lost population between 2000 and 2005. These counties included 52 of the 53 that recorded population losses between 1990 and 2000, joined by 18 counties that had grown through the 1990s.

While those counties estimated to have lost population over the last five years included three of 11 micropolitan core counties, eight of ten outlying microplitan counties, and even one of seven outlying metropolitan counties, the great majority were nonmetropolitan. Of the 43 Nebraska counties containing no community of 2,500 or more residents, 42 …

Netcore Ceo Rajesh Jain: 'In India, The Future Of The Internet Will Be Built Around The Mobile Phone', Knowledge@Smu

Knowledge@SMU

Seven years ago, Rajesh Jain ignited a dot-com storm in India when his portal, IndiaWorld, was sold to Sify, an Internet service provider, for $115 million. Today, he is CEO of Netcore, a Linux-based messaging software firm, and also maintains an active blog, emergic.org. Jain met with Knowledge@Wharton at his offices in Mumbai to discuss how mobile phones could hold the key to the Internet's evolution in India and other emerging economies.

Entrepreneurship And “Conscientious Capitalism”? Economic Solidarity Within The Banco Palmas Network, Caroline Whistler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Capitalism is often thought of as a struggle between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’. Although the very nature of the economic system is to reward innovative ideas that can survive competition and the ‘free market’, many ‘have-nots’ do not have the same opportunities to succeed as those born with economic resources. The gap between those with capital and those without has gradually widened into a gaping hole that few can cross. While there are certainly enough resources in Brazil to keep all citizens above the poverty line, the reality is that economic survival has been replaced by one of the most …

Faleoloa Laititi: The Role Of Small Shops In A Developing Samoa, Nicholas K. Courtney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Samoa presently finds itself caught between the wave of development and an unyielding tie to its culture. Development in Samoa consists of a multitude of efforts including, but not limited to, commercial agriculture, tourism, environmental protection, and private sector business. In all of the areas, the struggle between the Western view and the Samoan internalization of the Western view proves readily apparent. More so, the way of life in Samoa somehow drips its way through the cracks of all these ideas, creating protocol for development which is uniquely Samoan. The research examines the strength and weaknesses of the small roadside …

Optimal Order Quantities With Remanufacturing Across New Product Generations, Shantanu Bhattacharya, V Daniel R. Guide, Luk N. Van Wassenhove

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We address the problem of determining the optimal retailer order quantities from a manufacturer who makes new products in conjunction with ordering remanufactured products from a remanufacturer using used and unsold products from the previous product generation. Specifically, we determine the optimal order quantity by the retailer for four systems of decision-making: (a) the three firms make their decisions in a coordinated fashion, (b) the retailer acts independently while the manufacturer and remanufacturer coordinate their decisions, (c) the remanufacturer acts independently while the retailer and manufacturer coordinate their decisions, and (d) all three firms act independently. We model the four …

Exploring The Discourses Of Small Enterprise Proprietors, Brendan O'Rourke, Martyn Pitt

Conference papers

Over the last three decades the discourses of strategy and enterprise have developed significantly in the context of large corporate organizations and increasingly within and for the public sector. The discourses of strategy and enterprise have developed in relationship with each other and are generative of various attributes and dilemmas for the identity of the strategist/entrepreneur. This study looks at how these important discourses are deployed by small enterprise proprietors in periodical publishing in Ireland as they construct their business identities with one of the authors. Interview data from one proprietor is subjected to a discourse analysis drawing particularly on …

Partnering Strategies And Performance Of Smes' International Joint Ventures, Jane Wenzhen Lu, Paul W. Beamish

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The international joint venture (IJV) is an important mode in the internationalization of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Internationalization in turn is an entrepreneurial behavior in the pursuit of growth. Partnering strategies in the formation of IJVs can have significant effects on the outcome of SMEs' international expansion. In this study, we examine the performance implications of two types of resources contributed by SMEs' IJV partners, host country knowledge and size-based resources. We develop and test three sets of hypotheses about the longevity and financial performance of a sample of 1117 international joint ventures established in 43 countries by 614 …

Embedding Innovation Process And Methodology In Engineering Technology And Business Management And Marketing Courses, W. Andrew Clark, J. Paul Sims, Craig A. Turner, Jon L. Smith

ETSU Faculty Works

For many business segments, true “out of the box” innovation occurs in entrepreneurial companies where the founders aren’t hindered with the research paradigms established by mainstream businesses. The founders of these companies, many times technologists and scientists, see the application of the technology long before potential customers develop an understanding of the capabilities that the new technology can bring to the marketplace. Many times these “new technology ideas” have been developed though modifying an existing dominant design (product or service) to meet an unforeseen market need or through the development of a new design that may become the new industry …

How To Weave Entrepreneurship Into Engineering Education: The Experience At San Jose State University, Minnie Patel, Anuradha Basu

Faculty Publications

There is a growing consensus about the need for engineers and scientists to have entrepreneurial skills to be successful in their careers. However, there is a continued debate as to how best to impart these skills at the undergraduate level. It is possible to identify two routes to accomplish this objective. One route is to offer courses in engineering entrepreneurship and the other is to encourage students to participate in extracurricular activities that help to foster entrepreneurial skills. The most common approach adopted by a growing number of universities is to offer courses in entrepreneurship to engineering students. A more …

Big Box Stores: Their Impacts On The Economy And Tips For Competing, Sean Golden, Noel Jeutang, Ratikanta Pattaik, David Rosenbaum, Eric Thompson

Bureau of Business Research Publications

This is a study in three parts: the general impact of Wal-Mart and big box stores on the economy; an empirical look at Wal-Mart’s impacts on 15 Nebraska communities; and a review of research on ways that local retailers can compete against big box stores.

Part one suggests that Wal-Mart has both positive and negative impacts on the economy. Wal-Mart helps increase productivity and causes consumer prices to fall. Further, a number of studies found that employment increased in communities that received a new Wal-Mart store. However, other studies found that entry of a Wal-Mart failed to lead to net …

Holland Boat Builders, Geoffrey D. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

Holland Boat Builders is an article concerning the history of ship and boat building in the Holland, Michigan area from 1836-2006.

Manufacturing Rebounds, John Austin, Chris Decker, Tom Doering, Ernie Goss, Nick Hernandez, Bruce Johnson, Ken Lemke, Donis Petersan, Franz Schwarz, Eric Thompson, Keith Turner

Business in Nebraska

National economic conditions will continue to favor growth over the next three years, including sustained increases in manufacturing employment. Higher energy prices, particularly for oil, gasoline, and natural gas, will impact the economy, but probably only will moderate economic growth rather than cause a significant slowdown.

After rapid growth in 2004 and 2005, growth in real gross domestic product is expected to moderate in 2006-2008, due to higher long-term interest rates as well as higher energy prices. Real gross domestic product will grow 3 percent in 2006 and fall to 2.5 percent growth in later years. The housing market will …

Before The Thoroughbreds: Roy Brady And The Century Boat Company, Geoffrey D. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

Before the Thoroughbreds: Roy Brady and the Century Boat Company is an article about the boat builder Melvin Roy Brady, his family, and his time building boats for Brady Boats of Charlevoix, Michigan, Century Boat Company in Manistee, Michigan and Robinson Boat Company of St. Joeseph, Michigan. It also concentrates on his time as a hydroplane boat racer in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

The Developmental Process For Successful Market Penetration Into The Bar Industry In South County, Rhode Island, Toby Johnson

Senior Honors Projects

The Evening Entertainment/Bar Industry in Narragansett is one that is flourishing and has been so for many years. As a college town Narragansett provides students and locals alike with opportunities to spend an evening on the town and enjoy the company of their peers. As a means of service there are a multitude of successful bars in South County that provide customers with just such experiences. The goal of every business venture is to create a positive revenue stream and to maintain this success over the lifetime of the business. In order to do this successfully a business must create …

Standout Attractions, Jonathan Jeffrey

SCL Faculty and Staff Publications

Living in Chicago and working as a traveling salesman in the 1920s-1930s, Duncan Hines had a hobby—visiting and assessing restaurants. He said he was looking for “standout attractions in the culinary department.” His hobby eventually made this native of Bowling Green “America’s foremost food authority” and one of the most recognized Kentuckians of the twentieth century. This article traces the biography of the culinary entrepreneur from his early years in Bowling Green to his successful publishing ventures, and finally to the phenomenal marketing strategy that was used to create one of America’s most enduring and endearing brands.

La Economía Solidaria: Ayudando A Las Mujeres A Cambiar Su Destino De Pobreza, Michele Frix

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the last two decades in Latin America many social movements have arisen in response to the permeation of neo-liberalism throughout. These movements have many different labels (economía solidaria, economía comunitaria, economía social, solidaridad social, etc) but are all centered around the objective of forming a network of groups in the fight for economic justice, joining in solidarity, cooperation and mutual support. The idea of “economía solidaria” has become an alternative method of development in Latin America on the micro level, alleviating the effects of poverty that result from neo-liberal policies. Many non-governmental organizations have adopted the beliefs of “economía …

Loaning Health: The Effectiveness Of Microfinance As An Hiv/Aids Intervention Method In Kibera Slums, Lara Berlin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Three of the major societal issues facing Kenya are poverty, gender inequalities, and HIV/AIDS, each of which acts as a catalyst for the others. In the last twenty years, microfinance has been used as an intervention method combating poverty and women’s disempowerment. As such, this study examines the effectiveness of using microfinance as an HIV/AIDS intervention method in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya. The research is primarily based upon interviews with Kibera residents and members of microfinance organizations. The findings indicate that most Kibera residents believe microfinance is the best method of reducing the spread of AIDS, especially when …

Law & Entrepreneurship: Do Courts Matter?, D. Gordon Smith, Masako Ueda

Faculty Scholarship

In this essay, we sketch the outlines of a research agenda exploring links between courts and entrepreneurship. Our conception of law and entrepreneurship encompasses the study of positive law (including constitutions, statutes, and regulations), common law doctrines, and private ordering that relate to the discovery and exploitation of profitable opportunities by new firms. We briefly survey the economics literatures that relate to law and entrepreneurship, including the law and finance literature launched by the work of Rafael La Porta, Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes, Andrei Shleifer, and Robert Vishny (LLSV). Relying on the suggestive work of LLSV and other economists who have labored …

Latino Business Owners In East Boston, Ramon Borges-Mendez, Brandynn Holgate, Carlos Maynard, Robin Reale, Jennifer Shea

Gastón Institute Publications

The main objective of this research was to investigative the contribution of Latino immigrant business owners (or entrepreneurs) in East Boston. Twelve Latino business owners in East Boston were interviewed and supplementary interviews with public officials and other key informants served to further document the contribution of Latino entrepreneurs. The main finding of the report is that Latino business owners have made, and continue, to make extremely important contributions to East Boston’s economy and neighborhoods.

Linking The University With The Community: An Experiential Learning Project To Promote Arts Entrepreneurship, Peter Hriso, W. Andrew Clark, Tara Maxwell, Cher Cornett

ETSU Faculty Works

Teaching students entrepreneurial skills and the utility of cross-disciplinary teams is difficult if only classroom exercises are employed. In this program, university students worked together with commercial artists and business-persons residing in our declining downtown region to assist in the organization, planning and management of an established regional arts festival and to launch a new feature of the festival based on digital animation. Through experiential learning, students gained an appreciation for “real-life” budgets, deadlines, responsibilities and an appreciation of working on cross-disciplinary teams while the community observed first-hand the benefits of students trained in digital media, entrepreneurship and project management.

Report Of The Attorney General’S Task Force On Motor Fuel Pricing In Nebraska, Ernest P. Goss, Edward A. Morse, Eric Thompson

Bureau of Business Research Publications

In the wake of the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Nebraskans experienced a dramatic increase in the price of motor fuels. Although Nebraska was not impacted directly by the physical effects of these storms, damage to critical production, refining, and transportation facilities in the Gulf Coast region sent shock waves throughout the country. Attorney General Jon Bruning convened this task force for the purpose of studying these price movements and to analyze whether price-gouging activity may be occurring.

Motor vehicle fuels are a vital commodity. Businesses and consumers depend on a network of oil producers, refiners, and retailers and …

Distinguishing Fiction From Reality: The Asean Free Trade Area And Implications For The Global Auto Industry, Terence Lau

Management and Marketing Faculty Publications

This Article explores the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement ("AFTA") and its implications for the regional and global auto industry. Section I of this article provides a brief history of ASEAN and its attempts to integrate regionally. It outlines the reasons for regional economic integration, and traces the current literature in this area. Section II provides an overview of the current auto industry in each of the major auto-producing countries in ASEAN: Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia. It will also explain Malaysia's protected auto industry and Malaysia's attempts to delay implementation of AFTA, and its neighboring countries' reactions. Section III …

Ip's Problem Child: Shifting The Paradigms For Software Protection, Jacqueline D. Lipton

Articles

Computer software is somewhat of a problem child for intellectual property law. Courts and legislatures have struggled to encourage innovations in software development while, at the same time, attempting to avoid undesirable digital information monopolies. Neither the patent nor the copyright system has provided a particularly satisfactory paradigm for software protection. Although patents have received greater attention than copyrights in the software context (consider, for example, the recent BlackBerry case), copyright law arguably creates more insidious undercurrents in today's marketplace. This is partly because we have not yet appreciated the potential impact of recent developments in programming methodology and digital …

The Systematic Nature Of Serendipity In Opportunity Discovery: Implications For The Theory Of Entrepreneurship, Reddi Kotha, Dimo Dimov, Gerard George

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper endeavors to disentangle search from serendipity in discoveries of new opportunities. Whereas economic models focus on active search and the tradeoff between its costs and benefits, the Austrian economic tradition posits that individuals do not search for opportunities; it is their alertness that helps them to profit from arbitrage opportunities from the imperfect decisions of others. Further, their alertness reflects their unique prior experience. Yet, despite the intuitive soundness of these ideas, some recent experimental empirical work to test them has highlighted the need for stronger theoretical precision. Are serendipitous solutions better than active search solutions? Can serendipitous …

Change Leadership In Small Enterprises: Evidence From Singapore, Thomas Menkhoff, Yue Wah Chay

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Leading change processes in an enterprise is a challenge for many entrepreneurs. Numerous elements influence the outcomes of such transformation processes, including the adopted change leadership style, the implementation skills of the entrepreneur, the particular scenario of change in terms of urgency of change and resistance, the scale of change as well as macro variables. This article sheds light on the change leadership approaches of small Chinese entrepreneurs in Singapore. It aims at examining widespread common-sense assumptions that æAsianÆ small entrepreneurs adopt mostly directive-coercive (autocratic) change leadership approaches. We argue that there is indeed a great diversity and heterogeneity amongst …

Giving It Away : Free Technology Transfer To The Irish Sme Sector, Peter Kavanagh, Andy Maguire, James J. Casey

Articles

One of Europe’s major weaknesses lies in its inferiority in terms of transforming the results of technological research and skills into innovations and competitive advantages. (European Commission, 1995, p. 8.)

Technology transfer is a key aspect of economic development and research administration. These concerns are shared equally between academia and industry on both sides of the Atlantic. As technology is developed at a greater rate, concerns about the technology transfer will heighten. This article focuses on technology transfer in Ireland, particularly in the SME (Small and Medium size Enterprises, under 250 employees) sector. As the main Lisbon Objective has not …