Business Commons^™

When My Sub-Editor Is A Nit-Picking Bot: Mediating Roles Of A Tv News Scriptwriting Exercise, Andrew Deacon, Catherine Wynsculley

The African Journal of Information Systems

Online learning activities have promised new ways to engage students. This paper describes the design and use of the NewsScripts online learning exercise over a decade. This web-based television news scriptwriting exercise is used with media students at the University of Cape Town to expose them to news scriptwriting practices. Students write a script to match a video, employing a television news writing style. The more important transformational opportunity is deepening students’ own critical media analysis skills. Our focus is how the NewsScripts design evolved and changed over time to remain part of the curriculum. Underlying the curricula of university …

Ict In Education In Africa - Myth Or Reality: A Case Study Of Mozambican Higher Education Institutions, Xavier Muianga, Henrik Hansson, Anders Nilsson, Avelino Mondlane, Inocente Mutimucuio, Alsone Guambe

The African Journal of Information Systems

In the last decade, there has been a growth in Information Communication and Technology for Education (ICT4E) in sub-Saharan Africa. Through support from local and international development agencies, several Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have engaged in introducing, implementing and supporting ICT4E. This study aims at providing a description and analysis of the current state of ICT4E implementation in HEIs in Mozambique. An exploratory study of 19 HEIs was conducted using open ended questionnaires and interviews. The results show that the country has advanced greatly in terms of design and implementation of ICT policies, as well as telecommunication. Additionally, MoReNet the …

Towards A Shared Understanding Of Emerging Technologies: Experiences In A Collaborative Research Project In South Africa, Daniela Gachago, Eunice Ivala, Judy Backhouse, Jan Petrus Bosman, Vivienne Bozalek, Dick Ng’Ambi

The African Journal of Information Systems

While the practice of using educational technologies in Higher Education is increasingly common among educators, there is a paucity of research on innovative uses of emerging technologies to transform teaching and learning. This paper draws on data collected as part of a larger study aimed at investigating emerging technologies and their use in South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to improve teaching and learning. The research employed a mixed method research design, using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods—quantitative data from a survey of 262 respondents from 22 public HEIs in South Africa and qualitative data gathered from 16 …

Learners’ Acceptance Of The Use Of Mobile Phones To Deliver Tutorials In A Distance Learning Context: A Case Study At The University Of Ibadan, Gloria Adedoja, Omobola Adelore, Francis Egbokhare, Ayodeji Oluleye

The African Journal of Information Systems

This case study focuses on students’ acceptance of mobile phones for learning purposes within a project that aims to support and engage distance education students by using mobile phones for distance learning tutorials, rather than using technology merely to communicate information or create access to learning resources. The research design is based on Davis's Technology Acceptance Model and tests multiple hypotheses concerning the effects of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, interest in the technology and technology self-efficacy on the use of the mobile tutorials. The evidence gathered confirms that the mobile tutorials enhanced teaching and learning. However, it also …

Considering Two Audiences When Recording Lectures As Lecturecasts, Brandon I. Collier-Reed

The African Journal of Information Systems

This article presents the outcome of an investigation into the provision of lecturecasts to students. The objective was to ensure that both those who attended live lectures of a second-year engineering course and/or watched recorded versions of the lectures had an experience that supported their learning. A range of data was drawn on including the personal reflection of the lecturer of the course, questionnaires, and student interviews. The qualitative data were analysed through an inductive process that drew on the principles of grounded theory and the findings that emerged included the role of the “talking head” in recordings, balancing the …

E/Merging Across Africa: Five Papers On The Use Of Educational Technology In African Higher Education, Tony Carr

The African Journal of Information Systems

This guest editorial comments on the rapidly changing environment for the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in African Higher Education Institutions (HEI), introduces the e/merge online conferences and gives a brief introduction to the papers in the special issue.

The Effects Of Pricing On The Sales Force And The Firm: A Strategic View, Wendy Ritz

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

Previous research has examined the dysfunctional relationships often encountered between marketing and sales, and the importance of cooperation and coordination between these two functional areas. But no prior studies have investigated the consequences of misaligned pricing and sales force compensation strategies that emerge from these two functional areas. This dissertation examines the impact of the firm’s pricing strategy on the sales force, and evaluates the importance of identifying the misalignment of goals of the pricing and sales force compensation strategies as a potential root cause of disappointing program outcomes. Essay 1 uses in-depth qualitative interviews with business-to-business (B2B) salespeople and …

The Influence Of In-House Tax Expertise On Corporate Tax Avoidance, Kimberly Hutton Honaker

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

Allegations of tax abuse at Enron, WorldCom, and others generated scrutiny from regulators, public markets, and the media. In response, accounting researchers have sought to understand factors that drive corporate tax avoidance. While historical research has focused on firm characteristics, little emphasis has been placed on the executive who develops corporate tax strategy.

This study addresses this issue by considering how the internal tax function (ITF) and in-house tax expertise influence tax avoidance. I examine the association between tax avoidance, denoted BOOK_ETR, which is measured as the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles effective tax rate, and (1) the existence of an …

The Erm Process: Evidence From Interviews Of Erm Champions, Therese R. Viscelli

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

This paper investigates the processes that comprise enterprise-wide risk management (ERM) programs implemented by organizations. ERM is a holistic approach of risk management that looks at organization-level risks on a portfolio basis, unlike traditional risk management that looks at silos of individual risks within an organization. The practitioner and academic literatures provide many insights into different frameworks that could be used to implement ERM, but there is little written about the processes and activities that represent actual organizations’ ERM approaches. By looking at the way an organization accomplishes its mission through its management style and communication methods, the role corporate …

The Impact Of Post-Acquisition Autonomy Upon Small To Medium Enterprise Integration Success, Robert Weichel Reich

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

Most theories in merger and acquisition (M&A) research use an individual or group level of analysis and address behavioral issues in M&A integration and adaptation. Relatively few studies apply a firm level analysis to investigate strategic issues pertaining to autonomy and decision-making authority. This study used neo-institutional theory to investigate the relationship between acquired firm autonomy and integration success at the firm level. It also sought to identify possible moderating impacts of an acquired firm’s pre-acquisition organizational archetype, e.g. professionally managed private, or founder owned and operated, as well as the acquired firm’s leadership experience with previous M&A integration. Furthermore, …

Revenge Or Reconciliation? A Rejection-Based Model Of Firm-Induced Relationship Termination, Lucas Hopkins

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

This study is the first to examine the effects of firm-induced relationship termination on customer rejection perceptions and firm-related outcome behaviors. A research model is developed that focuses on several key issues with respect to the post-termination process. First, the study explores how direct versus indirect termination styles influence a consumer’s feelings of relational evaluation. The author hypothesizes that indirect termination strategies lead to lower levels of rejection upon the dissolution of the relationship. Second, the author examines how the level of perceived rejection experienced by customers affects their subsequent emotions. Specifically, as a result of this rejection, customers may …

The Influence Of Social Networking Sites On Buying Behaviors Of Millennials, Sharon S. Pate, Melinda Adams

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Social media sites have become an important part of many individuals’ lives. According to the Pew Research Center (2010), Millennials, also known as Gen Y, are living their lives on the internet where 75% of them have a profile on a social networking site. When compared with only 50% of Gen Xers and 30% of Boomers, this gives them the distinct identity that they are more technologically advanced.

Brand Evaluations Across Age Cohorts And Ethnic Groups: Convergence In The Youth Segment?, Michael P. Levens

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Research indicates a general consensus that ethnicity does influence consumption behavior, consumer experience, marketing response and media selection. It is, however, unclear as to the extent of that influence and the nature of the difference from segmenting consumers on some other criteria such as needs. Businesses have approached ethnic marketing in different ways ranging from a targeted effort at distinct ethnic markets to a more multi-cultural theme that is shared across many different groups. Today’s youth are often considered to view the world from a diverse perspective such that youth and diversity are often considered synonymous. An assessment of brand …

Online Product Search And Purchase Behavior Of Generation Y, Dawn B. Valentine, Thomas L. Powers

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether gender differences exist in online product search and purchase behaviors. A survey of 116 undergraduate college students with questions regarding the types of products researched and purchased over the Internet, the type of information they looked for when researching the products, reasons for not purchasing products online, and reasons for returning products purchased over the Internet. While both male and female college students use the Internet to research and purchase products, the findings indicate that they differ significantly in the types of products they research and purchase online, the kinds of …

The Strategic Importance Of Customer Value, Donovan A. Mcfarlane

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This paper examines the importance of customer value as a strategic approach to doing business in the 21^st century hypercompetitive marketplace and marketspace. The author examines the customer value theory of Professor Art Weinstein as a valid and plausible conceptual framework for strategically positioning an organization through market orientation to design and deliver superior customer value as a competitive advantage. Citing examples of new economy companies that have effectively propelled themselves to the forefront of the competition through the delivery of superior customer value, the author argues that customers are not simply just consumers or buyers of goods and …

"Do You Know Me?" The 'Doodling' Of Iconic Mink, Milk, Booze, And Fruit Campaigns, Linda A. Ferguson

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Anyone who has paid attention to advertising for the past several decades is familiar with five iconic campaigns: Blackglama mink “What becomes a legend most?”; American Express “Do you know me?”; Absolut vodka “Bottle”; Fluid Milk Processor Board “Got Milk?”; and Apple computer “Think Different.” These smart, successful, and long-running campaigns share an important characteristic: they rely on the audience to have a certain level of cultural literacy in order to interpret them. However, an advertiser in today’s digital world can no longer take cultural literacy for granted. Yesterday’s common experiences in all facets of life are being replaced by …

Non-Verbal Customer-To-Customer Interaction In Retail Setting: An Investigation Of Indirect Effects Of Perceived Customer Similarity On Important Marketing Outcomes, Nusser Raajpoot, Anita Jackson, Jean Lefebvre

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the causal effects of similarity among customers in retail mall settings on four outcome variables: intent to stay, satisfaction, word-of-mouth generation and repurchase intention. Using structural equation modeling, we tested both direct and mediated effects. Results indicate significant direct influence in the direct model and significant indirect influence in the mediated model. The study suggests that similarity with other customers has a significant influence on outcome variables. Therefore, mall managers should measure and monitor consumers’ perceptions of similarity and enhance these similarities whenever appropriate and feasible. To our knowledge, this …

Revisiting Cognitive Dissonance Theory:Pre-Decisional Influences And The Relationship To The Consumer Decision-Making Model, Paul J. Costanzo Dr.

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This paper examines pre-decisional dissonance as a motivating factor in consumer decisional-making. A review of the marketing literature found the majority of research studies were limited to post-decisional influences. Several studies including measures of pre-decisional activity linked the construct to post-decision situations. The author provides evidence regarding the popularity and resurgence of research on cognitive dissonance theory and asserts that researchers in the field of consumer behavior may gain a better understanding of consumer decision-making when studying pre-decisional consonance and dissonance as separate entities and independent of post-decisions.

An Exploratory Investigation Into The Budget Allocation Of Mexican Male Sojourners In The U.S., Willie Nichols, Marko Grünhagen

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Mexican male sojourners make up a large, distinct consumer segment that has been present in the United States for decades, but have not been extensively studied from a business perspective with respect to their budget allocation decisions. The result is that this consumer segment may have been underserved due a lack of understanding and research. This paper examines the budget allocation process of these sojourners, exploring their patterns of sending remittances and the extent of their expenditures, providing grounds for future studies focusing on how to better serve this segment.

2013 - The Eighteenth Annual Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the Eighteenth Annual Symposium of Student Scholars, held on April 25, 2013. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

A Roadmap For Rural Area Ict Solution Deployment: A Case Of Kgautswane Community In South Africa, Felix F. Ntawanga Mr

The African Journal of Information Systems

The need to introduce technologies in rural areas so as to capacitate communities towards overcoming various socio-economic challenges remains a priority in emerging economies. We rely on the foregoing for the investigation in the Kgautswane community in South Africa, of a range of socio-economic challenges that can be addressed through ICT. Identified challenges are further filtered for the selection of an appropriate intervention based on previous experience in the community. The appropriate challenge forms the basis for the development and deployment of an eProcurement ICT solution for small scale traders in the community with emphasis on the concept of a …

Hybrid Spread-Spectrum Tcp For Combating Fraudulent Cyber Activities Against Reconnaissance Attacks, Simon Enoch Yusuf, Olumide Longe

The African Journal of Information Systems

The inefficiencies of current intrusion detection system against fraudulent cyber activities attracts the attention of computer gurus, also known as “hackers” to exploit known weakness on a particular host or network. These hackers are expert programmers who mainly focus on how the Internet works, and they interact with each other to know its strengths and weaknesses. Then they develop advanced tools which an average attacker with little background can use to know the liveness, reachability and running service on the network. Once an attacker identifies these details, he can accurately launch an effective attack and get maximum benefit out of …

Quasi-Maximum Likelihood Estimation Of Multivariate Diffusions, Xiao Huang

Faculty Articles

This paper introduces quasi-maximum likelihood estimator for multivariate diffusions based on discrete observations. A numerical solution to the stochastic differential equation is obtained by higher order Wagner-Platen approximation and it is used to derive the first two conditional moments. Monte Carlo simulation shows that the proposed method has good finite sample property for both normal and non-normal diffusions. In an application of estimating stochastic volatility models, we find evidence of closeness between the CEV model and the GARCH stochastic volatility model. This finding supports the discrete time GARCH modeling of market volatility.

A Contemporary Examination Of The Miles And Snow Strategic Typology Through The Lenses Of Dynamic Capabilities And Ambidexterity, Marc D. Sollosy

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

This study’s focuses on the examination of the Miles and Snow typology through the lenses of dynamic capabilities with a particular emphasis on ambidexterity. While each element of the typology has received varying degrees of study in both the management and marketing literature, to date, no study has examined the typology, as first proposed by Miles and Snow under the influence of either dynamic capabilities or ambidexterity. This study proposes to examine the alignment of the three elements of the typology with each other and the four strategic archetypes identified by Miles and Snow. It was Hambrick’s observation in his …

Formal And Informal Institutional Influences On Multinational Enterprise Social Responsibility: Two Empirical Studies, Dawn L. Keig

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

How do environmental institutional influences in a multinational enterprise’s (MNE’s) portfolio of locations affect social responsibility (and irresponsibility)? To explore this question, I engaged in two complementary empirical research studies, each exploring a particular subset of the MNE portfolio environment-social responsibility dynamic.

The first study applies the concept of institutional distance from the international business literature to examine how the differences in formal and informal institutional environments across a firm’s full portfolio of operating locations can affect its social performance. I hypothesize and find that firms with greater informal institutional distance within their locations will have lower overall levels of …

Two Essays On The Unintended Consequences Of Sarbanes-Oxley On Small Banks And Small Businesses, Earl C. Howell

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

These essays examine the impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on small banks (Essay #1) and small businesses (Essay #2). Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), passed in 2002 by the Congress of the United States, was intended to enhance the security of the public shareholder through extensive reporting and compliance programs. As some compliance costs are fixed, the costs of SOX would logically fall disproportionately upon smaller banks, possibly producing unintended consequences. These costs if significant may impact the bank’s choice of strategy. How then can the bank respond? The expectation of a negative impact on small banks is well documented, and consistent with …

Influences On Supply Manager Behavior Toward Environmental Responsibility, James Anthony Swaim

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

As firms invest a substantial amount of time, effort, and funds to purchase goods and services, it is questionable if organizations will reach environmental sustainability objectives without supply manager active involvement. Although existing research has identified low supply manager support for environmental buying, there is little theoretical understanding and explanation relating corporate environmental policies and objectives to individual behaviors. Consequently, this dissertation seeks to provide insight into understanding and overcoming a lack of supply manager support for environmental sustainability. A research model based on the Theory of Planned Behavior used survey data from practicing supply managers to study the behavioral …

Two Essays On The Knowledge-Based View Of The Firm: The Impact Of Local Market Knowledge On Domestic Firm Performance In Both Transitional And Developed Economies, Ted B. Randall

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

Are there strategies that domestic transitional economy firms (TEFs) can use in order to be successful given the increasing numbers of multinational enterprises (MNEs) operating in their home country markets? How do domestically focused, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developed economies maintain satisfactory levels of performance when faced with the superior resources of MNEs and the resulting increased competitiveness in domestic industrial markets?

I attempt to answer these two questions in two separate papers. In the first paper, I examine TEFs by using research on the knowledge-based view of the firm (KBV) to create and test a new theory …

The Impact Of Social Influence Pressure On Cfo Judgments, Carol C. Bishop

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

Through an experiment, this study examines the influence of social influence pressure on the Chief Financial Officer’s (CFO’s) financial reporting decisions. Specifically, I evaluate the impact of inappropriate obedience and compliance pressure from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on the CFO’s propensity to make revisions to financial results in order to meet an earnings target. This study also examines how followership propensities and core self-evaluations (CSE) influence the pressure effects. This study complements and expands archival research examining why CFOs appear to participate in material accounting manipulations (Feng, Ge, Luo, & Shevlin, 2011; Ge, Matsumoto, & Zhang, 2011).

The results …

Online Social Presence (Osp) In E-Tailing: Construct Development And Testing, Russell Reams

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

This research proposes and validates the Online Social Presence (OSP) scale and framework as an effective means of addressing the struggle e-tailers have encountered in attempting to create persuasive and effective online retailing experiences, which persuade customers to purchase their products and services. Online Social Presence (OSP) reexamines and extends the original social presence theory to the complex and dynamic e-tailing environment to address research that indicates that the typical online shopping experience lacks warmth and sociability.

A robust mixture of qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to validate the Online Social Presence (OSP) as containing three reflectively measured …