Business Commons^™

Design, Fabrication And Manufacturing Analysis Of A Rollover Protection System, Nikolas Paris

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This senior project discusses the design, fabrication and manufacturing analysis of a rollover protection system specifically designed for early body style Ford Broncos (1966-1977). The rollover protection system, or roll cage, is an integral safety feature on vehicles which commonly encounter extreme terrain conditions. Many vehicles which attempt to traverse terrain such as this are not always properly equipped with a rollover protection system. This is the case with the early body style Ford Bronco. This system will be designed to market the niche of early bronco parts.

Re-Opening A Dan’S Pet Supply Store In Hemet, California, Jeffrey Z. Harrison

Agribusiness

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if Dan’s Feed & Seed should re-open a pet supply store in the town of Hemet, California. The goal was to satisfy three objectives including if Dan’s Feed & Seed could compete in the current market, if there was a demand in Hemet, California, and if Dan’s could be profitable within a two year period. Dan’s proved to be able to compete with the competition by having lower prices with two out of three competitors and could compete with the remaining competitor by providing high quality, name brand dog food that …

The True Value Of Value-Added Services In Digital Print, Noemi Garcia

Graphic Communication

This study compares the success of five digital printers in California’s central coast based on whether they choose to charge for value-added services. It questions past research that shows digital printers who implement an additional fee for such services are more successful than digital printers who do not always bill the customer for the extra services. It focuses on determining the reasons behind each printer’s strategy through a questionnaire. The study concludes printers not charging are not necessarily losing money because they have found ways to eliminate non-value-adding steps in their value chain. Therefore success must be redefined other than …

Branding For A New Wellness Program: The Importance Of Brand Identity And Using Social Media, Jennifer Jenkins

Journalism

In today’s world, health organizations are all about losing weight and getting into shape. While this is important to maintain one’s health, it is not the only factor in a healthy lifestyle. Lou F. saw this great discrepancy in the wellness field, and decided that what was needed was an organization dedicated to mental health as well as physical health, encompassing fitness training, nutrition, and counseling for the everyday individual as well as the corporate world. With this idea in mind, Lou set out to create this type of organization. This paper addresses the importance of creating a strong brand …

The Creation Of Student-Run Public Relations Firms: A Historical Look At Student-Run Firms, Hannah Hazdovac

Journalism

This study explores the history and background of student-run public relations firms on

college campuses and the benefits, if any, that students receive as a result of working

in such a firm. The public relations industry estimated at growing 18 percent between

2006 and 2016 (Todd, 2009). Even with the sudden expansion of the public relations

industry, and subsequently, public relations education, evidence suggests that recent

public relations graduates often times do meet entry-level outcome expectancies of

employers, leaving a need for a change in curriculum (Creedon, Dostal, Gael, Smith &

Walker, 1999). It is becoming increasingly more important to …

Interactive Marketing Strategies In Television Networks: Incorporating Satellite Media Tours In Twitter, Kathleen Maloney

Journalism

The following study investigates how to design and implement an effective interactive marketing strategy for the television industry. The study also explores how satellite media tours and social media, specifically Twitter, can be used together in an interactive marketing plan. As new technology is continuously being developed and target audiences are increasingly demanding instantaneous interactive content, it is pertinent to understand how to successfully use these tools in a marketing plan to engage audiences. According to Nick Abramovich, the Chief Executive Officer of Synaptic Digital, a multichannel digital media creation and distribution platform (Inc Magazine, 2011), “brands are realizing that …

The Value Of Public Relations: Measuring The Success Of Facebook, Twitter, And Youtube In Corporate Companies, Justine Gananian

Journalism

This paper is a combination of research and data from three experts who were interviewed about the value of social in a corporate company, specifically Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Social media’s presence has increased at an exponential pace in the past five years, and consumers are constantly looking to access new information. It has become a useful tool for both internal and external communication within a company. As research shows, “[companies] are revamping and modernizing their print publications, starting radio and video shows, using social media to foster two-way communication, using the new multimedia tools to reach new audiences, telling …

Feasibility Analysis Of A Microbrewery, Dylan Warren Snyder

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

Consumer Purchase Decisions Regarding Screw Cap Wines, Lauren M. Jeter

Master's Theses

Screw cap wine closures provide many benefits in maintenance of wine quality over time, however acceptance of their use by purchasers has varied. This work first investigates how factors like age, gender, income and education affect the decision to purchase screw cap wines and to what extent these factors impact consumer decisions to bring screw cap wine to various social settings. The results of a questionnaire pooling attitudes and behaviors of wine purchasers (n=319) indicate that factors such as age, wine knowledge, income and gender influence a consumer’s decision to purchase screw cap wine. Education and income positively impact the …

Comparative Analysis Of Dispersion Parameter Estimates In Loglinear Modeling: Applied To E-Commerce Sales And Customer Data, Scott Davis

Statistics

When loglinear models are applied to count data the issue of over-dispersion often arises. Moment and maximum likelihood estimation methods in accounting for over-dispersion are widely used because they allow for model checking tools such as Chi-square, F, and likelihood ratio tests. Here is a comparison between R functions that each uses one method; glm.nb uses MLE, and glm.poisson.disp uses MME. The Index of Dissimilarity and visual model selection (ECDF plots) are also incorporated. These are applied to sales data using product and customer information compiled over the last five years that was generously provided by an e-commerce company.

Business Plan For A Commercial Teff Farm In Ethiopia, Ephrem Teklu Phifer-Houseman

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This senior project was undertaken to determine the feasibility of creating a profitable farm in Ethiopia using commercial farming methods in order to raise the standard of living for Ethiopian subsistence farmers and improve food security in Ethiopia. Initially, a farmer’s cooperative was the model proposed for this farm. However, further research into the realities of Ethiopian agribusiness and the difficulties smallholder farmers face in obtaining capital, along with in-depth financial analysis called for a modification of the business model. Consequently, this senior project discusses the design and delineation of a business plan for a privately-held, commercial, teff grain farm …

Economic Impact Of The Williamson Act In San Luis Obispo County, Hayley Nicole Loehr

Master's Theses

The goal of this research was to analyze the economic impact of the Williamson Act and the agricultural industry in San Luis Obispo County, and to assess the changes in agriculture and the County’s economic structure if a significant proportion of Williamson Act contracts were not renewed. Williamson Act enrollment and agriculture data were analyzed on a zip code level using IMPLAN v. 3.0, an input-output modeling program.

The first round of analysis assessed the baseline economic impact of the agriculture industry in San Luis Obispo County. Then, four regions of the county were established based on Williamson Act enrollment …

Advertising Preferences Among College Students, Bianca A. Vasvani

Psychology and Child Development

The purpose of this study was to examine if there is a difference in advertising preferences among college students. Three different types of advertisements were presented for five different products for the participants to review in this study. These three types of advertisements were sex, computer generated imagery and sustainability. The five different products were Orbit Gum, Pepsi, Absolut Vodka, Nike and Aveeno. The participants were asked to rate which one of the three advertisements was most compelling. The variables of gender, ethnicity and year in college were examined. The study also wanted to find out which advertisement overall was …

"Ag Ed 539 - Graduate Internship Project", Diane B. Friend

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This internship report contains documented evidence required in meeting the quality criteria used to evaluate Community College Programs. These criteria were established by the Agriculture/Natural Resources Advisory Committee and are used to evaluate Community Colleges throughout California. In addition to documented evidence, the internship report also includes a special project on Student Support Programs at College of the Sequoias. The project documents the development and implementation of a viable, organized and structured Ag Business Club to support student leadership programs.

Design, Construction, And Evaluation Of An Automated Chicken Coop Door, Kyle Inks

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This senior project takes a look into the design, construction, and evaluation of an automated chicken coop door. The idea and need for such a door came from my mother Jan Inks. The parameters for the project include, low production cost, easy installation on existing coops, sleek design, automatically open at a set time in the morning, and automatically close at a set time in the evening.

Applied Computer Cooling, Spencer Ellsworth

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

No abstract provided.

San Luis Obispo Entrepreneur's Market: Translating The Successful Aspects Of Slo's Farmer's Market Into A Model For A Talent Marketplace, Emily Swift

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

Details design elements of a physical space created for the purpose of economic and community development, where the guiding principles of design enable self-organizing sustainable systems for developing commerce, enterprise, business, and talent to work streams. The primary assumption is that if individuals in the community know their talent and are able to connect that talent to work with passion, meaning, and purpose, the community will thrive.

Trends In Online Sport Marketing, Alexandra (Ali) Bickel

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

All professional sports teams are using the Internet as a part of their marketing strategy. In order for this to be successful, it is critical for sport marketers to evaluate which Internet marketing trends are being best utilized to connect with fans and website users. The purpose of this study was to determine the best practices in sport marketing in the five major professional sport leagues. Data were collected from five professional sports team’s websites from the NBA, MLB, NHL, NFL and MLS. The instrument used consisted of a checklist with a section for written notes. The results indicated that …

Feasibility And Economic Viability Of Establishing A Wine Grape Vineyard In Moraga, Ca, Vincent Joseph Bruzzone

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

A Demand Analysis For The New Dow Agrosciences Insecticide, Sulfoxaflor, Among California Pest Control Advisors, Andre Lima Alves

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

Estimated Sales And Investment Costs To Produce And Retail Gelato In The Petaluma Area, Katherine Camozzi

Agribusiness

Recent events in the California dairy have left many dairy producers with high feed costs, low profits, and low (sometimes negative) margins. Some producers have transitioned to producing value-added or artisanal dairy products to help increase the revenues earned from farm milk, particularly in Sonoma County. Because limited research exists on the business opportunities in response to a rapidly growing market for value-added products, this project explores the feasibility of starting a gelato production and retail business in the Petaluma area. To assess business feasibility, a consumer survey was created to estimate the percent of residents and non-residents who would …

Factors That Create A Positive Tasting Room Experience For The Current Millennial Generation, Lucia Annalicia Janney

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

Gender Preferences In Wine Marketing, Cristina Lombardo

Agribusiness

When purchasing a bottle of wine, the label is the consumer’s first impression. Previous research about how different target markets react to label design and information cues have proven to have significant differences. This study was undertaken to determine how men and women view these features and cues differently. An online survey was submitted to 100 potential respondents with 69 surveys returned for analysis. Various statistical data analysis was conducted and the results are presented in this report. There was a significant difference across the genders for a label that “is colorful” and for an “organic” information cue. It is …

Blunt Impact Performance Evaluation Of Helmet Lining Systems For Military And Recreational Use, Jaclyn Siniora, Ryan Taylor, Darren Suey

Industrial Technology and Packaging

With the increasing problem in collegiate athletes experiencing injuries to the brain, different helmet liners where put to the test to see which liner provided athletes the greatest protection under specific conditions.

This senior project evaluates five different liners in football helmets. Each of the helmet liners were tested at three different temperatures: hot, cold, and ambient. Each helmet had seven different impact locations which were put to the test. The project was designed to be used to test ACH military combat liners as well. Due to shipping bottle necks the ACH combat liners have been left to future Cal …

Using Social Media To Increase Consumer Loyalty To A Brand, Lindsey Julian

Journalism

The following study investigates how to use social media to increase consumer loyalty to a brand. With the increasing trend in the utilization of social media practices in the fields of public relations and marketing, it is becoming significantly important to understand how to effectively reach and communicate with consumers through this medium. Sashi states (2012) "the interactive nature of social media (its ability to establish conversations among individuals, firms in communities of sellers and customers, and involve customers in content generation and value creation) has excited practitioners with its potential to better serve customers and satisfy their needs" (p. …

Building Brand Loyalty Through Youth Consumers And The Use Of Grass Roots Consumer Marketing, Jennifer Sirchuk

Journalism

The following study explores the different approaches that a brand can take towards building brand loyalty. The study focuses on the differences of targeting youth consumers as opposed to adult consumers when building that loyalty and brand awareness. Briefly, Keller defined brand awareness as the ability to identify the brand under different conditions, and added that it consists of brand recognition and brand recall (as cited in Kwang-Ho, Minsung & Won-Moo, 2011). The basis for building brand loyalty is creating brand recognition in conjunction with building relationships with consumers. This study investigates the benefits of using grass roots marketing as …

Effects Of Optical Brightening Agents On Color Reproduction In Digital Printing, Sandra Chaikovsky, Jaimie Garrison

Graphic Communication

In this study the effects of optical brightening agents (OBAs) on color reproduction in digital toner-based printing are explored. Through the comparison of two distinct substrates with different levels of OBAs, notable differences in the reflectance of blue light in the visible light spectrum are analyzed among light sources Illuminant A, D50, and D65. Fluorescence occurs in OBA paper under light with a UV component; between D65 and Illuminant A light sources there is a distinct difference in fluorescing effect of the sample substrates. Color discrepancy as a result of OBAs is analyzed between D50 and Illuminant A light sources, …

Typographic Trends In American Sports Brands, Alan Jacobson

Graphic Communication

No abstract provided.

Package Design Vs. Customer Reviews: A Comparative Study On Influences In Fragrance Buying Decisions, Sarah Willis

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of customer reviews, compared to package design, on the fragrance buying decisions of women aged eighteen to twenty-five. The researcher conducted two surveys: the first asked thirty-five random women to choose between two equally priced, but differently designed, perfumes (Perfume X and Perfume Z). This first group’s preference was Perfume X, with 57.14% of participants choosing this product. The second survey asked a different group of thirty-five random women to choose between the same two perfumes, but with the addition of unequally favorable customer reviews. Group 2 participants preferred the …

Sales Process And Training Overview, Thomas Holcomb

Communication Studies

Overview of the sales process as established by the National Collegiate Sales Competition (NCSC). This paper details Cal Poly's Sales Development Program and covers the ins and outs of what makes an effective salesperson. Would be beneficial for anyone who is considering sales as a career, looking to improve their sales abilities, or just searching for a senior project idea.