Business Commons^™

Cyanotech: A Strategic Audit, Trent Hoppe

Honors Theses

Microalgae is a fascinating group of organisms that possess a diverse array of interesting traits and benefits relevant to food, medicine, and biofuel. Extensive research behind the viability of microalgae to disrupt the market has sparked an emergent microalgae industry. Founded in 1983, one of the top microalgae companies in the world today is Cyanotech. With a 90-acre algae farm in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and two flagship microalgae products that are world leaders in their categories, Cyanotech is well- positioned be setting the course for the industry and revolutionizing the use microalgae commercially. Despite these favorable attributes, Cyanotech has been trapped …

Strategic Audit Of Adidas, Mason Wright

Honors Theses

Adidas is a well-established brand in the world of sportswear and lifestyle clothing. In recent years, the company has been regaining success after a period of stagnation. Spurring this success is the renewed popularity of old classic shoe models and a surge in the lifestyle clothing trend. While adidas is doing well, it is not the top sportswear company in the world and is far behind in North America. In an attempt to boost the recent success even further, this thesis analyzes the current situation that adidas faces including its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. With this information as a …

Strategic Audit Of The National Football League, Jordan T. Hansen

Honors Theses

The National Football League (NFL) is the most popular American Football league in the world. The league was formed in 1920, and has managed to survive new entrants to the marketplace, and unstable political situations, to maintain its status as the most watched, and most popular professional sports league in the United States. With revenues each year in excess of $13 billion, and projected stimates of $25 billion in yearly revenue by 2027, the NFL is thriving financially. However, one could argue that the NFL is presented with issues today that it has never faced before, and may be forced …

Strategic Audit: Target Corporation, Andee Capell

Honors Theses

Target Corporation is a notable publicly traded discount retailer in the United States. In recent years they have gone through significant changes including a new CEO Brian Cornell and the closing of their Canadian stores. With change comes a new strategy, which includes growing stores in the United States. In order to be able to continue to grow Target should consider multiple strategic options. Using internal and external analysis, while examining Target’s profitability ratios recommendations were made to proceed with their growth both in profit and capacity. After recommendations are made implementation and contingency plans can be made.

Microsoft: A Strategic Audit, Jacob Paul Warner

Honors Theses

This thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the University Honors Program Requirements. It discusses Microsoft Corporation and its placement within the tech industry using different analyses such as PEST, Porter’s, and SWOT. In addition to its placement, the thesis explores what strategies Microsoft could pursue next. The industry is highly competitive, so Microsoft needs to stay on its toes and continue to build upon its strengths to remain at its current competitive level. The cloud industry is rapidly growing, so it would be best if Microsoft used its global presence and existing infrastructure to build upon its existing cloud …

A Strategic Audit Of Oriental Trading Company, Isaac Coleman

Honors Theses

Oriental Trading Company is a direct marketer and seller of toys, novelties, wedding favors, custom apparel, and other event supplies. Its products are sold by five brands, each of which participates in a different market. Though its flagship brand, Oriental Trading, is a powerful market leader in novelties and is doing extremely well, the four most recent brands each face distinct challenges and have low name recognition. To increase name recognition and direct sales of these brands, this audit proposes that OTC revitalize its social media presence, add a blog to all of its websites, and resume public participation in …

Intuit, Inc. Strategic Audit, Bethany Wiles

Honors Theses

Intuit has experienced steady, continual growth for an extended time, an unusual feat in software. While it undergoes its leadership transition and the threat of tax simplification, it must consider how it will maintain its legacy of success. Intuit's history and current situation are examined and various strategic alternatives are identified.

The Naa Challenge: Serving Millennials Through Subscription Boxes, Katie Gaul, Tommie Brechbill, Kylee Yakel, Grant Schirmer, Regan Burnham, Paris Gunderson

Honors Theses

As an older generation of University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduates phases out, capturing the attention of millennials becomes more and more important. Unfortunately for the Nebraska Alumni Association (NAA), many soon to be and recent UNL graduates do not see the value in spending hundreds of dollars to become a lifetime member. Although some people we interviewed saw an NAA membership as just a donation and are not expecting much in return.

We believe that the Nebraska Alumni Association can take advantage of its connections with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to offer experiences through subscription boxes that will engage millennials and …

Strategic Audit: Starbucks, Madison Clements

Honors Theses

Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee brand that is expanding operations. There are many obstacles to this level of growth, and the company needs to take great care in the differentiating the way stores are built in the United States and internationally. In order to establish brand longevity, the company should examine several strategic options. A final strategy can be chosen based on the results of a situational analysis, financial analysis, and company goals. After a final strategic recommendation has been made, a contingency plan will be created to ensure long-term success.

Huskers Helping Huskers: A Corporate-Level Analysis Of The Nebraska Alumni Association, Rachel Kleist, Jordan Newsom, Jackson Grasz, Anne Conley, Anna Brodersen, Samantha Turco

Honors Theses

The Nebraska Alumni Association appears to have become distracted from serving the alumni and has instead focused its energy into advancing University interests. To graduating Huskers, it has become unclear what value the Nebraska Alumni Association provides to them and whose interests they are promoting. This has resulted in a declining alumni membership base and an unstable revenue source. Because of this, we recommend that the Nebraska Alumni Association refocus their resources into serving alumni first.

Adidas: A Strategic Audit, Rebekah Birch

Honors Theses

Adidas is a leader of today’s sportswear industry with its core competencies being footwear and apparel. Adidas employs various strategies to remain competitive in the industry against powerful companies including Nike and Under Armour. The industry is strongly defined by the high levels of competitive rivalry, among other forces. Adidas is directly affected by various factors in their external environment including political, economic, social, technological and environmental factors. It also has various opportunities and threats that affect its external environment and help determine the company’s success. Adidas’s internal environment explains the basis of their strategic decisions and why certain aspects …

Strategic Audit: Spreetail, Jake Rehwoldt

Honors Theses

This report is an in-depth look at the history and trajectory of Spreetail, an ecommerce company based in Lincoln, Nebraska. As the ecommerce market itself grows rapidly, Spreetail is facing challenges and obstacles to success in the industry, especially since it is competing with Amazon. This report breaks down the factors affecting Spreetail both internally and externally (using SWOT and PEST analyses) and outlines several strategic possibilities for moving forward. The final strategy recommendation for Spreetail is to increase their catalog size and focus on exclusives.

Strategic Audit Of Moody's Analytics, Matthew Dottavio

Honors Theses

This thesis compiles research and analytics on Moody’s Corporation with a focus on Moody’s Analytics in order to provide a strategic recommendation for Moody’s Analytics. Analyses are preformed, including a SWOT and a PEST analysis, to determine the current state of Moody’s Analytics and Moody’s Corporation. A strategic recommendation is made to strengthen Moody’s Analytics’ growth, along with a possible implementation plan.

Strategic Audit Of Allianz Life Insurance Of North America, Jacob Rosebaugh

Honors Theses

This report investigates the history and current situation of Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, an annuity provider located in Minneapolis, MN. The company faces several challenges going forward, including determining how to best compete with large companies in the same market such as Amazon. This report looks at Allianz Life’s current standing using tools such as SWOT and PEST analyses and examines the company’s competitive analysis. Allianz Life is recommended to continue with their current strategy because while it doesn’t make them the best in the industry, Allianz Life adherence to its vision statement makes up for the …

A Strategic Audit Of Corecivic, Reid Gahan

Honors Theses

CoreCivic is a private prison company headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1983, CoreCivic exists to “better the public good.” The company believes it can do this through its three branches: CoreCivic Security, CoreCivic Community, and CoreCivic Properties.

CoreCivic Security is the main business segment. It is responsible for directly managing 77 correctional and detention facilities. CoreCivic Community is a small branch that attempts to ease the reentry process for inmates that are released. CoreCivic Properties is a vital part of CoreCivic, as this branch allows the company to operate as an REIT. Properties is responsible for providing real estate …

Strategic Audit Of Kohl's Corporation, Abigail Jarratt

Honors Theses

Since its founding in Brookfield, Wisconsin Kohl’s Corporation has managed to adapt and consistently satisfy customer needs. By focusing on customer experience Kohl’s has become a le leader within the department store industry capturing $19.1 billion in total sales. However, with recent shifts in the retail and department store industry, it is time to take a step back and analyze its strategy given the current state of the economy.

As such, this report will investigate the current state of Kohl’s Corporation and provide future recommendations. Companies within the department store industry must continue grow and adapt to customer needs and …

Cboe Global Markets: Strategic Audit, Lambros Karkazis

Honors Theses

This thesis fulfills the requirement for the strategic audit in MNGT 475H/RAIK 476. It provides in depth analysis of Cboe and its competitors, with particular attention given to comparing net income, market cap, and share price. Informed by this analysis, there is discussion of Cboe’s acquisition of BATS, which appears to have had the best impact on share price of any decision made by an exchange operator in the last 5 years. Finally, this thesis provides a strategy recommendation for Cboe moving forward.

Strategic Audit Of The Public Accounting Industry With A Focus On Ey, Mary Candela

Honors Theses

Public accounting firms provide valuable assurance services that, because of their place in our economic system and because of strong regulatory requirements, are unlikely to stop being demanded. The industry is facing several issues surrounding stagnation of the client base and difficulty in competition. Finally, the industry is also being rocked by the pace of emerging technologies and will need to adapt to and embrace them in the coming years.

The following uses several strategic frameworks to analyze the industry, the subset of the Big Four accounting firms, and EY. Ultimately, this project develops and understanding of EY’s place in …

Nvidia Corporation: A Strategic Audit, Daric Teske

Honors Theses

NVIDIA is company that has been involved with the production of computer hardware known as a graphics processor units (GPUs) since the turn of the century. Over the past decade, NVIDIA has begun to explore other applications of its proprietary technology, including the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and accelerated computing. Looking from a business perspective, this strategic audit analyzes the history of the company and its current state, as well as industry outlooks to provide a strategic recommendation. Annual reports, market reports, and press releases were all utilized to provide the best perspective of the industry possible. Though NVIDIA …

A Strategic Audit Of Tesla, Abigail Hoelzlhammer

Honors Theses

This strategic audit will examine the problems Tesla is currently facing, do a Porter’s Five Forces analysis of the company, review environmental factors affecting Tesla, state Tesla’s current strategy, evaluate their distinguishing resources and competitive advantages, and end with a strategic recommendation along with implementation requirements.

One of Tesla’s vehicles crashed in March 2018 while on autopilot, which caused their stock to drop significantly. They’re also experiencing issues with the production of the new Model 3. The current political situation and growing demand for the parts Tesla needs are environmental factors that are having a negative effect. On the other …

Strategic Audit: Deloitte, Yibing Shen

Honors Theses

The project’s goal is to analyze the current situation and problems faced by Deloitte, and give out recommendation, implementation plan, and contingency plan for Deloitte. The methods to do the project is to research online to get adequate information and make assumptions for the information I cannot gather. The results are: I find out that Deloitte is competitive as one of the big four accounting firms, but it is facing the problem of brand dilution and reputational contagion due to its fast expansion and acquisition; the partner firms are not linked or connected as they expected to be. So the …

Strategic Business Audit Of Nelnet, Matthew Kachek

Honors Theses

This thesis serves as a strategic audit for the company Nelnet. This covers Nelnet’s background, structure, and financial situation. Changes in Nelnet’s core student loan business has created uncertainty in their future. Multiple analyses, both internal and external, are performed and examined to determine Nelnet’s position as a company and within the marketplace. A strategic recommendation to continue growth in new technologies is presented in response to these analyses along with implementation details and alternatives.

Google Strategic Audit, Margaret Witzenburg

Honors Theses

This thesis fulfills the requirement for the strategic audit in MNGT 475H/RAIK 476. It discusses Google's competitors and the rest of the technology industry along with how Google fits into it all. It's a red ocean industry, so Google must continually innovate to maintain its competitive advantage. In addition to a summary of the current strategy and how Google competes, the thesis explores alternative strategies for Google to pursue given their strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities and threats in the industry. It includes a timeline, potential budget, and contingency plan for the best strategy.

Strategic Audit Of Spreetail, Aryn Huck

Honors Theses

This report investigates the history and current situation of Spreetail, a local ecommerce company in Lincoln, Nebraska. The company faces several challenges going forward, including determining how to best compete with large companies in the same market such as Amazon. This report looks at Spreetail’s current standing using tools such as SWOT and PEST analyses and examines the company’s competitive analysis. Spreetail is recommended to speed up its rebranding process to maintain the benefits of the more fitting name and rebranding efforts already underway.

What Makes Strategy Making Across The Sales-Marketing Interface More Successful?, Avinash Malshe, Ravipreet S. Sohi

Department of Marketing: Faculty Publications

Extant research on marketing strategy making (MSM) lacks process-based theoretical frameworks that elucidate how marketing strategies are made when sales and marketing functions are involved in the process. Using a grounded theory approach and data collected from (a) 58 depth interviews with sales and marketing professionals and (b) a focus group with 11 marketing professionals, we propose that MSM within the sales-marketing interface is a three-stage, multifaceted process that consists of Groundwork, Transfer and Follow-up stages. Our process-based model explicates the specific activities at each stage that are needed to develop and execute marketing strategies successfully, the sequence in which …

It Competency And Firm Performance: Is Organizational Learning A Missing Link?, Michael J. Tippins, Ravipreet S. Sohi

Department of Marketing: Faculty Publications

Many companies have developed strategies that include investing heavily in information technology (IT) in order to enhance their performance. Yet, this investment pays off for some companies but not others. This study proposes that organization teaming plays a significant role in determining the outcomes of IT. Drawing from resource theory and IT literature, the authors develop the concept of IT competency. Using structural equations modeling with data collected from managers in 271 manufacturing firms, they show that organizational learning plays a significant role in mediating the effects of IT competency on firm performance.

Dynamic Immunization And Transaction Costs With Different Term Structure Models, Eliseo Navarro, Juan M. Nave

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

A bond portfolio selection model is developed in a dynamic framework using different term structures, but without transactions costs. We show that the optimal portfolios are consistent with Khang's dynamic immunization theorem, i.e., the optimal path consists of making portfolio duration equal to the investor's horizon planning period. The model is then extended to include transaction costs. The resulting optimal portfolios are no longer consistent with Khang's dynamic immunization theorem. In fact, the strategy for constructing the optimal portfolio consists of initially choosing a portfolio with a duration that is smaller than the horizon planning period.