Business Commons^™

The Evolution Of The Annual Report To Shareholders, Laura Elizabeth Willimon

Honors College Theses

This exploratory study examines the evolution of the annual report to shareholders between 2005 and 2014. Several typical yet elective elements of annual reports are examined, specifically looking at the elements of sustainability, interactive interface, and length as it changed year to year. Additionally, I examined changes in independent auditor and classified companies according to Global Industry Classification Standards sectors.

Web Scraping The Easy Way, Yolande Neil

Honors College Theses

Web scraping refers to a software program that mimics human web surfing behavior by pointing to a website and collecting large amounts of data that would otherwise be difficult for a human to extract. A typical program will extract both unstructured and semi-structured data, as well as images, and convert the data into a structured format. Web scraping is commonly used to facilitate online price comparisons, aggregate contact information, extract online product catalog data, extract economic/demographic/statistical data, and create web mashups, among other uses. Additionally, in the era of big data, semantic analysis, and business intelligence, web scraping is the …

Southern Steam Prints: Large Scale, Relief Printmaking, Allison Mueller

Honors College Theses

Southern Steam Prints, a steamroller printmaking festival for Georgia Southern University I directed and organized. The project helped create community involvement in printmaking as an art form, gained notoriety for the Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art and especially the Print, Paper, and Book Arts Program. The project taught valuable skill mastery in relief print techniques, commercialism, and leadership for the kinds of event that artists plan, jury, and participate in, in the professional world. The Southern Steam Prints festival took place on April 23, 2016. Artworks created at the event were exhibited at the Center of Art and Theater …

Gretsch 2016 New Product Guide, Gretsch Company

Gretsch Company Catalogs & Price Lists

This is a Gretsch drum catalog from 2016, containing advertisements for the Gretsch Renown series of drum sets, as well as snare drums.

Changing The World Of Higher Education: Creating A Student Capital Management System, Kathleen Houlihan

AMTP Proceedings 2016

Higher education is plagued with new concerns regarding government oversight and the college “rating system” that will hold schools accountable for student outcomes. This research supports the development of a student capital management system (SCM) that controls and protects student information while ensuring student outcomes data quality. Presented is an empirical model that connects colleges to the business world, while allowing higher education to access student data after they graduate. The first phase in developing a secure validated network of student data is the connection with the workforce and to the government in a system that offers granular access to …

Eagle Executive Magazine, Georgia Southern University

College of Business: News & Publications

• Fall 2015 Commencement
• Raise the woof
• Building a legacy

Eagle Executive Magazine, Georgia Southern University

College of Business: News & Publications

• Eagles on Wall Street 2016
• Living Their Dreams
• Why I Give

Abet Accreditation Of Is And It Programs In 2013, Ronald J. Mackinnon, Kevin Lee Elder, John N. Dyer

Information Systems & Analytics: Faculty Publications

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) has been accrediting engineering and computer science for many years. In recent years ABET has been accrediting Information Systems and Information Technology programs. ABET first accredited IS in 2000 and IT in 2003. ABET appears to have become the standard accreditation for IT and in the spring of 2014 there are 25 IT programs accredited by ABET. There are 38 IS programs accredited by ABET since 2000. This paper looks at the IS and IT ABET accredited programs and examines the common features and differences of these related accredited programs.

Marketing Research For Mission-Based Thrift Suggests Relationship Marketing Strategy, Jon M. Martin

AMTP Proceedings 2016

In order to alleviate the risks associated with a lack of objective marketing research data and to apply marketing research in a unique niche, the author, in collaboration with a local mission-based thrift (“Thrift XYZ”), conducts marketing research regarding the motivations and preferences of shoppers and donators for one primary thrift location in North Carolina as a gratis community service. The findings are that XYZ’s shoppers and donators routinely and regularly shop and donate (respectively) with XYZ and that the nature of this target market is ideal for developing and applying a relationship marketing strategy with each/both groups.

Determining The Influence Of Electronic Messages On Consumer Behavior Based On Perceived Source Trust And Credibility, Mackenzie Sawyer, Nick Sellers, Rhett Coleman, Jaejin Lee

AMTP Proceedings 2016

With the growing presence of the internet, it is difficult for consumers to separate valuable information from useless information, and for marketers to determine what information consumers deem valuable. This paper aims to discover which message source - Corporate, Social, or Independent - is most trustworthy in the eyes of consumers. Corporate sources include paid platforms such as the company’s website and social media channels managed by the company, social sources include reviews posted on social media platforms by unpaid users who are not directly associated with the company, and independent sources include reviews from online articles, specialized publications, discussion …

A Content Analysis: The Relationship Between Sentiment, Gender And Time Of Day In Ewom, Katie Bass, Laicelis Haro, Xiaotong Liu, Jaejin Liu

AMTP Proceedings 2016

This content analysis looks at several trends regarding electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) and how consumers engage in eWOM. 304 tweets were analyzed and numerous correlations regarding gender and time-of-day. This research will be beneficial to brands and companies seeking to launch new products or services using social media as a promotional avenue.

Flirting Online And The Connection Between The Use Of Dating Websites And Dating Applications, Kristine Johnson, Olguta Vilceanu, Manuel C. Pontes

AMTP Proceedings 2016

For this research, we used data collected by the Pew Foundation's "Internet and American Life Project Tracking Survey," conducted in Spring 2013. The data was adjusted through the use of sampling weights to estimate for general population parameters. The collected data examined online flirting, use of dating websites, and the use of dating apps. Findings suggest women between the ages of 18-34 years are just as likely as men to signal their romantic interest by engaging in online flirtation. In addition, women ages 50 years or older are less likely than men to signal their romantic interest by engaging in …

Mavenism, Frugality, And Loyalty, Ronald E. Goldsmith, Leisa Reinecke Flynn

AMTP Proceedings 2016

Since Feick and Price (1987) introduced the concept of market mavenism almost 30 years ago, researchers have accumulated a large body of empirical findings describing market maven attitudes, behaviors, and characteristics. Mavenism can be defined briefly as a strong involvement in the marketplace. The purpose of the present study was to assess relationships between market mavenism and three aspects of consumption behavior largely ignored by previous research into market mavenism. Analysis of data from a sample of 351 adult U.S. consumers confirms that market mavenism is positively related to frugality and negatively related to brand loyalty. The results showed that …

An Examination Of The Marketing Of A Floundering Sport: The Case Of Powerboat Racing, Sam Fullerton

AMTP Proceedings 2016

A sample of 308 attendees at an APBA sanctioned powerboat race in July of 2015 provided insight regarding a number of key considerations germane to the decision to attend the race. Race organizers were seeking ways to reinvigorate interest in what they see as a floundering – if not sinking – sport. A self-administered survey was distributed at the race with those completing it having a chance to win a souvenir shirt from the races. The results indicate that better marketing is needed. WOM represented the most common means by which attendees learned about the event; much of this was …

Seeking Complex Health Services In The Age Of Self-Referral, Lindsay R.L. Larson, Dora E. Bock

AMTP Proceedings 2016

This study investigates the relationship between consumers’ information search and service satisfaction, specifically focused on the search for mental health professionals. The selection of a mental health provider is of interest because practitioners work from a highly diverse set of theoretical bases, may hold a wide range of different credentials and provide drastically different therapeutic approaches, therefore making the selection complex and difficult for consumers to self-navigate. Data sampling from patients of mental health suggest that consumers selecting a provider based on self-performed searches, rather than receiving external input (referrals from physicians, relatives, or friends), report lower satisfaction with their …

Mobile Payment Adoption In India: Role Of Attitude And Risks, Mona Sinha, Rajan Saxena, Hufrish Majra

AMTP Proceedings 2016

This paper examines the emergence of mobile payments as a payment alternative in India. Despite economic growth, marked improvement in social indicators, and rising incomes and savings rate, nearly 41% of the Indian population remained unbanked. Use of self-service technologies such as ATMs and Internet banking had limited success. Given the high penetration of mobile phones, mobile technology was being seen as a mode of transforming the banking sector and in particular payment mechanisms.

Most research on attitude towards technology and its adoption has been conducted in developed countries and their applicability to Indian consumers remained unclear. This paper offers …

The Influence Of Religion On The Marketing Concept: A Case Of Halal Culture, Soleman Mozammel, Perry Haan

AMTP Proceedings 2016

Religion is a major cultural variable that can affect the purchase behavior of consumers. This non-empirical paper examines how the Muslim concept of Halal influences consumers in the Middle East and Muslims all over the world. The paper reviews brief history of the marketing concept and consumer behavior. It then explains the role that cultural generally plays in the consumer decision making and marketing concept. The paper explains the basic concepts behind Halal culture. The paper makes recommendations to marketers for how to reach consumers who seek products that are Halal certified and Shariah-compliant. It also discusses how to compete …

Toward An Engineering Discipline Of Warehouse Design, Leon Mcginnis, Timothy Sprock

14th IMHRC Proceedings (Karlsruhe, Germany – 2016)

Warehouses today are complex dynamic engineered systems, incorporating automation, mechanization, equipment, fixtures, computers, networks, products and people, and they can support the flow of tens or hundreds of thousands of different items to enable fulfilling thousands or tens of thousands of orders daily. In that sense, they represent a design challenge that is not terribly different from the design of other complex dynamic engineered systems, such as a modern passenger airplane, an automobile, or a unique building. What is different is that the design of these other complex dynamic engineered systems typically follows some engineering design discipline. Here, we argue …

Monte Carlo Algorithm To Study Performance Parameters Of Shuttle Systems, Wolfgang Trummer, Dirk Jodin

14th IMHRC Proceedings (Karlsruhe, Germany – 2016)

Shuttle systems provide alternative solutions in storage technology. Ma-terial flow analyses of these systems are extensive due to complex interac-tion of several shuttles and lift elements. Besides classic cycle time calcu-lation, it also requires advanced analyzing methods. At the Institute of Logistics Engineering (ITL), Graz University of Technology, an innovative, software-based approach has been developed to investigate the performance of shuttle systems. This approach is based on the Monte Carlo method. The software tool takes into account a variety of different systems and operating parameters to reflect operative behavior of shuttle systems.

Publishing In The Top Journals Of The Abdc Journal List: A Cross-Disciplinary Study, Austin D. Glover, Lowell Mooney Dr., Axel Grossmann Dr.

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this research is to determine the probability that faculty will publish in the top journals in their respective fields, and if the probability of publishing in those top journals is equally likely across accounting, finance, and management disciplines. To address these questions we collected data from the top journals on the ABDC Journal list for the years 2013-2014. Specifically, we wanted to know how many publication opportunities in the top journals were available during the those two years, how many schools were able to publish in the top journals, and which schools had the most success in …

South Korea's Transition From K-Gaap To Ifrs, Rebecca Henderson

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between South Korean culture and the transition from Korean Generally Accepted Accounting Principles to Korean International Financial Reporting Standards. It is suspected that the hierarchical structure of Korean society and culture has allowed Korea to make one of the fastest accounting standards transitions in recent years. This possible correlation is examined through the use of a survey of current accounting students in Daegu, South Korea.

Examining The Interplay Of Supervisor And Subordinate Leadership Style In The Performance Evaluation Process, Victoria A. Neuhauser

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine if differences in leadership behavior preferences in subordinates and supervisors can lead to quantitative differences in performance evaluation scores. Leadership behavior was considered on two dimensions: preference for person-oriented behaviors and preferences for task-oriented behaviors. Findings indicate that leaders with a preference for task-oriented behaviors tend to rate subordinates with the same preferences higher than subordinates with different preferences. No such relationship could be found for person-oriented leaders. Leaders with equal preference for task- and person-oriented behaviors produced, on average, equivalent scores for both types of subordinates. In a business context, the …

Brand Engagement And Consumer Innovativeness, Ronald E. Goldsmith, Leisa R. Flynn, Felipe Korzenny

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Brand engagement describes the tendency of consumers to make the brands they buy part of their self-concept. This new insight into consumer behavior offers marketers many ways to create relationships with their customers. An unexplored aspect of brand engagement is how it is related to consumer innovativeness, the tendency to be among the first buyers of new products. The present study used survey data from 2399 adult U.S. consumers to show that brand engagement is positively related to consumer innovativeness. This finding suggests that in addition to promoting the features of new products likely to attract innovators, showing how the …

Beyond Amateurism: The Rebranding Of Major College Athletics, Dallas D. Branch Jr., Olin L. Adams, Marie Kraska

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

For decades prior to NCAA v. Board of Regents, the brand of college athletics, even at the highest level, was amateurism. However, the last three decades of surging revenues and costs, as well as the current wave of litigation challenging amateurism, force decision makers in major college athletics to contemplate a future in which amateurism is banished or in retreat. In sum, the brand has outgrown amateurism. Major college athletics can survive a paradigm shift by selling the action in its games, the game day experience, and the traditions of the institutions.

Consumer Trait And Situational Factor Determinants Of Technology Acceptance, Jon M. Martin

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This study examines the internal relationships of the basic technology acceptance model (TAM) constructs and TAM’s determinant relationships with external predictors from: a) demographics (age, gender, income, education, and ethnicity); b) psychographic tech readiness facets (optimism, innovativeness, discomfort, insecurity); c) situational factors (wait time and crowding). Analysis confirms the basic TAM model and suggests that the relationships of age, wait time, crowding, and optimism with TAM’s latent variables (perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use) appear valid and generalizable and have implications for self-service technology (SST) adoption research. Exploratory research that omits TAM’s moderating variables (perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use) and that …

Gameday Food And Beverage: The Perspective Of College Football Fans, Brody J. Ruihley, Rob Hardin

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This study examines sport spectators’ food and beverage experience through the lens of service quality, targets of quality, and standards of quality in sport-based services. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 1,495 adults attending at least one American college football game. Thematic analysis produced five themes of price, variety, quality, service, and amenities while comparison analysis found several demographic differences. Findings reveal food and beverage to be critical in overall experience at sporting events. The overwhelming majority of comments were negative and findings provide feedback as to how important this aspect of the game experience is.

In-Store Use Of Mobile Phones For Point-Of-Purchase Product Information Searches In The Us, Kristine Johnson, Manuel C. Pontes

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This research investigates how US consumers use mobile phones in-store to acquire product-related information used to assist with purchase decisions. Data were collected in early January 2013 by a telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of adults in the US. The data collection was sponsored by the Pew Foundation and made available for this research. Younger smartphone owners were significantly more likely to use their cell-phones to ask friends or family for product advice, to read product reviews online, and to engage in online price comparison while shopping. Women were significantly more likely than men to use their cell …

Characteristics And Motivations Of Die-Hard Sport Fans, Ryan Smart, Steve Chen, Kenneth Henderson

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Past research has examined the die-hard fans’ characteristics, consumption behaviors, and attending motivation of avid sport fans. The study further evaluated those fans’ characteristics and motivation through a series of qualitative interview questions based on the conceptual frameworks of loyalty, fan motivation, fan identity, and “sport-as-religion.” The participants were 24 season-ticket holders of a Mid-west professional football team who also identified themselves as a fan of football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. Their fanship varied from collegiate to professional level teams of various locations. Results showed die-hard fans’ game-attending motivations were influenced by their family, popularity and performance of players, and …

Taking Flight – November 2015 Edition, Georgia Southern University

College of Business: News & Publications

• Message from the Dean
• Alumni Spotlight – Shannaan Dawda, CPA
• Mooney Elected Chair of Georgia CPAs
• Eagle Executive Society – Student Chapter Hosts Annual Golf Outing for Members
• Fraud & Forensic Accounting Visits FBI Atlanta
• College of Business & Eagles Soar into Athens
• Fraud & Forensic Accounting Holds a Mock Civil Trial
• Logistics Roundtable Continues to Grow
• MBA Association Helps with Breast Cancer Awareness
• Target Guests Speak to Introduction to Business Class
• BIG Café November
• Fraud & Forensic Accounting Visits Prison
• Honors Student Presents at State Conference
• Stalcup Winner of School Nutrition Award
• Eagle Connect

Taking Flight – October 2015 Edition, Georgia Southern University

College of Business: News & Publications

• Message from the Dean
• Alumni Spotlight – Marco Osorio
• Practice Makes Perfect: Fraud & Forensic Accounting Students Conduct Mock Interviews
• Senior VP for the American Cancer Society Speaks to Intro to Business Classes
• MBA Association Packs Boxes at the Second Harvest Food Bank in Savannah
• Savannah MBA Association: Business Talk with Lori Collins, Owner of Savannah Coffee Roasters
• Kim Hartsock Speaks to Intermediate Accounting Class
• Eagle Sales Showcase Training Workshop
• Another Successful Eagle Expo Career Fair
• From the Classroom to the Community
• Welcome to Fabulous Las Southern – Homecoming
• Save the Date for Tailgates
• Eagle Executive Exchange Season is Here! …