Business Commons^™

The Economic Evaluation Of Input Use Prescription Maps: Are You Paying To Make Less Profit?, Grant Edward Gardner

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Variable Rate Prescriptions used by farmers to apply agricultural inputs are largely privatized and are normally seen only by the farmer that applies the prescription and the consultants whom create the prescription maps. Farmers need a way to evaluate the prescriptions that are being applied to fields. This paper explores modeling techniques which could be applied by farmers to determine the profitability of a particular consultant. Regression modeling is used on field trials which have been divided into site-specific management zones (SSMZ) based on a consultant’s variable rate prescriptions. Production functions are created for each management zone. The production functions …

How Does Identifying As Gluten-Free Impact Information Choice Regarding The Gluten-Free Diet?, Pratiksha Baishya

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The market for gluten-free products is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the United States and has seen tremendous growth in the recent years. The retail sales of gluten-free foods in the United States almost tripled between 2011 and 2015, although rates of diagnosed gluten-related health problems have not risen. In addition to people who suffer from Celiac Disease, Wheat Allergy and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, there is a category or people known as PWAG (people who avoid gluten) who seem to have significantly contributed to this boom in the market for gluten-free foods. With more people choosing to adopt the gluten-free diet, …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: July 24, 2019, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 fell by 0.29% during June of 2019. The decline in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, implies slowing economic growth in Nebraska towards the end of 2019. The leading indicator declined due to an increase in initial claims for unemployment insurance and a drop in both airport passenger enplanements and manufacturing hours. In addition, business expectations, which had been strong throughout the year, moderated during June. Respondents to the June Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans for only a modest increase in employment at …

Effectively Using & Sharing Data, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Workforce Analytics Resources

The QIC-WD recently had the opportunity to talk with a group of human services training evaluators in Baltimore about how to effectively use and share data. The QIC-WD has a dissemination plan and data visualization experts to help our team and our sites use and share data for a variety of purposes. We shared the following tips to help evaluators determine what to share, when, and why.

• Plan for dissemination – that is, identify who needs the information and how best to get it to them.
• Consider who is in your target audience and how they like to receive information. …

10 Years After Fair Move, Unl Grows Dynamic Innovation Campus, Steven White

Nebraska Innovation Campus Materials

Back at the old State Fair Park in Lincoln, the same grounds where kids once showed have changed, but it's still about agriculture - solving global challenges related to food and water. "To see this build out here is really pretty cool," Black said of his lab. Pretty cool indeed, as the Nebraska Innovation Campus takes shape. "This whole idea of taking the state fairgrounds and retrofitting," Black said. It was an idea Black heard about when he was being recruited to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. While it excited academics, many grumbled about the move. In retrospect, the head of …

Nebraska Business And Consumer Confidence Indexes: July 3, 2019, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

Business confidence fell sharply in Nebraska during June 2019 and consumer confidence dropped modestly. The Consumer Confidence Index – Nebraska (CCI-N) fell to 104.4 in June, above the neutral value of 100 but below the May value of 105.3. The Business Confidence Index – Nebraska (BCI-N) fell to 100.3 in June, at the neutral level and down 13 percent from 113.2 in May. When asked about the most important issue facing their business, 35 percent of respondents chose customer demand while 21 mentioned the quality and availability of labor, 16 percent mentioned competition from other businesses and 9 percent flooding …

Using A Logic Model To Guide Workforce Interventions, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

The QIC-WD uses logic models—visual representations that depict the resources that go into and expected results that will come out of the implementation of a program—to guide the implementation and evaluation of the selected interventions. A logic model is developed after the intervention is selected and must fit within the overall theory of change, as part of the exploration phase of the project. Read this summary (originally developed on behalf of the Center for States) by Dr. Megan Paul, the QIC-WD Workforce Team Lead, to learn more about why a jurisdiction should create a logic model and see what a …

Community Involvement And Leadership In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: Rural Poll Research Report 19-1, Rebecca Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Jason L. Weigle

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

Community leadership and involvement are important parts of community development. Rural communities rely on volunteers for many community development activities as well as local leadership positions. In smaller communities in particular, community members often take on multiple roles. Given these challenges, how involved are rural Nebraskans in community and political activities? How do they feel about the leadership in their community? How often do they have social interactions with others during a typical month? This paper provides a detailed analysis of these questions. This report details 1,776 responses to the 2019 Nebraska Rural Poll, the 24th annual effort to understand …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: June 19, 2019, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 0.63% during May of 2019. The increase in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, implies moderate economic growth in Nebraska through the end of 2019. Strong business expectations were the sole reason for the increase in the leading indicator. Respondents to the May Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase both sales and employment at their businesses over the next six months. Other components were mixed with airport passenger enplanments, initial claims for unemployment insurance and building permits for single-family homes pointing …

[Nebraska] Innovation Studio Readying Metal Shop, Complete Redesign, Deann Gayman

Nebraska Innovation Studio

Nebraska Innovation Studio readying metal shop, complete redesign.

When Nebraska Innovation Studio (https://innovationstudio.unl.edu/nebraska-innovation-studio) opened in 2015, it was a pre-eminent makerspace unlike anything else in the state — and it’s only getting better.

By the end of 2019, NIS will boast a metal shop, larger instant prototyping inventory and larger woodshop, among other improvements.

A new classroom for groups has been completed. NIS Director David Martin said the classroom opened in May and has welcomed school groups, a Solid Works hobby group and the Native Youth Summer Academy.

“I think it will be a popular addition here, for …

Nebraska Business And Consumer Confidence Indexes: June 7, 2019, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

Consumer confidence rebounded in Nebraska during May 2019 and business confidence also improved. The Consumer Confidence Index – Nebraska (CCI-N) rose to 105.3 in May, above the neutral value of 100 and well above the April value of 95.6. The Business Confidence Index – Nebraska (BCI-N) rose 113.2 in May, well above the neutral level and up from 107.8 in April. When asked about the most important issue facing their business, 30 percent of respondents chose customer demand while 21 mentioned the quality and availability of labor and 18 percent mentioned competition from other businesses. Fifty-two percent of responding households …

Nebraska Innovation Studio, Extension Helping Communities Transform Libraries, Deann Gayman

Nebraska Innovation Studio

Nebraska Innovation Studio, extension helping communities transform libraries.

Back in 2012, Beatrice Public Library leaders and stakeholders had an eye toward the future as they drew up plans for a building renovation. Among the ideas was an area to house a makerspace.

“Some in the public hadn’t heard of this concept, so we ended up not having the full space,” library director Laureen Riedesel said. “We do have a 3-D printer and computers set up there, and our idea is to let it evolve and as people become aware of what we have, they’d ask for machines that we could …

Supportive Supervision And Resiliency Ohio - Guidance For Coaches Supporting Resilience, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

I. Preparation for Coaching Session A. Preparation of Supervisor ➢ Review Coaching Skills and Coaching Process (see Pgs. 4-5 Coaching in Child Welfare Participant Guide from the Supervisor’s Coaching Training) ➢ Reflect on how coaching builds a trusting relationship ▪ Commitment to confidentiality ▪ Clear mutual understanding of coaching, the process and expectations ▪ Modeling the coaching mindset/skill set ➢ Review the basics of Resilience Alliance (Handout of Slide Deck provided at the Supervisor’s Coaching Training) B. Preparation of Caseworker (can be done by supervisor in unit/team meeting) ➢ Discuss how Resilience coaching is a part of supportive supervision ➢ …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: May 22, 2019, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 0.79% during April of 2019. The increase in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, implies moderate economic growth in Nebraska through the end of 2019. Strong business expectations were again the primary reason for the increase in the leading indicator. Respondents to the April Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase both sales and employment at their businesses over the next six months. There also was growth in manufacturing hours-worked during the month.

Nebraska Business And Consumer Confidence Indexes: May 3, 2019, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

Consumer confidence dropped sharply in Nebraska during April 2019 while business confidence remained strong. The Consumer Confidence Index – Nebraska (CCI-N) stood at 95.6 in April, below the neutral value of 100 and well below the March value of 110.0. The Business Confidence Index – Nebraska (BCI-N) stood at 107.8 in April, well above the neutral level and down slightly from 108.9 in March. When asked about the most important issue facing their business, 29 percent of respondents chose customer demand while 27 mentioned the quality and availability of labor and 19 percent mentioned competition from other businesses. Fifty-three percent …

Nebraska Business And Consumer Confidence Indexes: May 3, 2019, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

Consumer confidence dropped sharply in Nebraska during April 2019 while business confidence remained strong. The Consumer Confidence Index – Nebraska (CCI-N) stood at 95.6 in April, below the neutral value of 100 and well below the March value of 110.0. The Business Confidence Index – Nebraska (BCI-N) stood at 107.8 in April, well above the neutral level and down slightly from 108.9 in March. When asked about the most important issue facing their business, 29 percent of respondents chose customer demand while 27 mentioned the quality and availability of labor and 19 percent mentioned competition from other businesses. Fifty-three percent …

Meaningful Consumption: A Eudaimonic Perspective On The Consumer Pursuit Of Happiness And Well-Being, Aditya Gupta

College of Business: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Prior research indicates that consumers often pursue happiness through the market and that their purchase choices can vary depending on how they define happiness. However, while prior research has tended to use a hedonic lens to frame happiness in terms of pleasure, the current investigation is one of the first to use a eudaimonic lens to frame happiness in terms of personal meaning or meaningfulness. The central goal of this dissertation, therefore, is to arrive at a stronger understanding of eudaimonic consumption. In this regard, findings from six experimental studies reveal that eudaimonic consumption differs from hedonic consumption on a …

Millennials' Acceptance Of Voice Activated Shopping, Katelyn Nicole Sorensen

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The rise of voice technologies has changed the way individuals complete tasks and interact with their devices. Retail companies are now offering voice features to shop for products, but there is a gap in literature about consumers’ acceptance of using voice technology to make purchases. Previous studies have compared the different brands of voice technologies, investigated privacy issues, or explained the acceptance of voice technology. Millennials’ acceptance and shopping through voice technologies have not been researched before. Kääriä (2017) calls for future studies to focus on voice technologies, since the technology is constantly improving, and new forms are entering the …

A Strategic Audit Of Google, Timothy Knaak

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Google is the premier tech company. One of the largest, most successful companies on the planet, Google derives the overwhelming majority of its revenue from Google AdWords to the tune of $136 billion last year. The following is an analysis of Google’s strengths, competition, and place in the market and society. Although Google needs no help dominating the ads industry — and thus no suggestion has been provided — should the digital ads industry falter, Google faces an existential threat. To counter this, various strategies to diversify Google’s sources of income, all of which leverage Google’s existing assets and competencies …

A Strategic Analysis Of The Nebraska Alumni Association, Colton Siebert, Michael Eesley, Conrad Shiu, Melissa Newkirk, Joshua Demers, Jeb Vavak

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Nebraska Alumni Association (NAA) is in a unique position regarding where it fits in the lives of the people it serves and the potential growth of their programs. Being separate from the University system, yet still driven by mission to help the university grow, has given the association several advantages as to being able to act in an agile manner. However, only 24,000 of the over 200,000 University of Nebraska-Lincoln alumni have paid to become a part of the Nebraska Alumni Association. This is shocking, and we believe that our recommendations can turn the tide through engagement of the …

A Strategic Audit Of Tesla, Inc., Cody Mccain

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

After Tesla completed its first every back to back profitable quarters at the end of 2018, sales started to decline in the first quarter of 2019 and many question if the company would every be profitable. Through a strategic audit of Tesla and the electric vehicle industry several key factors have been identified to help improve Tesla’s profitability. Analysis tools used to analyze the company and the industry include Porter’s Five Forces, SWOT Analysis, and PEST Analysis. At the conclusion of the audit there are three recommendations given to help improve Tesla’s strategy. First it is recommended that Tesla focuses …

Architecture In Neoliberalism, Ben J. Kunz

Masters in Architecture Program: Theses

Neoliberalism, as a form of capitalism that redistributes wealth to existing accumulations of money, has reorganized our society around market relations resulting in extreme inequality. Architecture has been both captive and complicit in this process because it relies on the largess of its clients who benefit most from the process of neoliberalization. We must dissolve the dogma of architectural practice, and become free entrepreneurial operators in a neoliberal society with architecture as a core skill set, able to operate on risk and its dimensions of time, space, and money without the servitude to our risk ordered professional relationships in order …

Microsoft Store Strategic Audit, James Onnen

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This paper looks at Microsoft's Universal Store's digital distribution strategies for apps and games and potential strategies Microsoft can use to leverage its store to create value for itself and its users. This paper looks at specific uncaptured markets in gaming that Microsoft could capture.

Strategic Audit Of Amazon.Com, Inc, Sarah E. Kenny

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Amazon has recently grown as a company, surpassing many other online retailing websites. However this success is threatened by Amazon's reputation as an evil company. Amazon faces numerous lawsuits for unlawful termination and inhumane warehouse conditions. This current generation of consumers dislikes supporting companies that they view as evil, meaning that if a company entered the market that had better business practices, consumers would quickly leave Amazon. The audit suggests that Amazon combats these views by improving warehouse conditions, increasing minimum wage at their workplaces, and increasing benefits for workers. This audit also suggests that Amazon improves one of their …

Strategic Audit Of Facebook Through The Lens Of International Reputation, Ryan M. Mcmanaman

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This report investigates the history and current situation of Facebook, an international social media firm based in Menlo Park, CA. Facebook faces a number of international controversies and growing resentment from its userbase. In an industry where people are synonymous with capital, a strategic recommendation will be made to help Facebook regain some of its users’ lost faith and hopefully recapture old markets.

This report will analyze Facebook’s internal situation using the framework of SWOT analysis, and the external environment Facebook exists in through PEST analysis. These tools will provide a helpful foundation to understand Facebook’s competitive advantages, and render …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: April 25, 2019, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 1.21% during March of 2019. The increase in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, implies moderate economic growth in Nebraska through the fall of 2019. Strong business expectations were again the primary reason for the increase in the leading indicator. Respondents to the March Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase both sales and employment at their businesses over the next six months. There also was growth in manufacturing hours-worked and a drop in initial claims for unemployment insurance during March 2019.

Strategic Audit Of Spotify, Lauren Maciejewski

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Spotify is a music streaming platform that originated in Sweden. Since inception, it has found immense success in the music streaming industry. It has the largest market share compared to other major competitors, Apple and Amazon. In 2018, Spotify was able to turn a profit for the first time. Royalties on music content has prevented the company from reducing their cost of goods sold. In order to make a sustainable business model, Spotify has to adjust their business model to attract consumers to more profitable products.

A Strategic Audit Of Runza Restaurants, Chase Caverzagie

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Runza is a well-known, Nebraskan restaurant. As Runza begins to expand, and a new generation of buyers approaches, it is important for Runza to examine the horizon and think critically about their future strategy. Runza will need to decide what their next steps will be to maintain a competitive advantage, and be successful for many more years to come. This strategic audit will look at the company’s background, business model, the internal and external environment, and company strengths and weaknesses. Then, several strategy alternatives are proposed, with the selection and implementation plan of the best strategic alternative.

Google Ads: A Strategic Audit, Jessee Zhang

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Google began as an internet search product, allowing users to find relevant sites based on a search query. Over the past several decades, Google has become an extremely large and profitable business though online digital advertisements. While Google has a diverse product mix, the overwhelming majority of its revenue is generated through ads. This strategic audit first looks at the current external environment, looking at the political, economic, social, and technological changes and opportunities relevant to the industry. Then, it looks at the current competitive environment and shows the profitability of the business because of the large barrier to entry. …

Cyanotech: A Strategic Audit, Trent Hoppe

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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 …