Business Commons^™

A Strategic Audit Of Boston Beer, Jake Lindvall

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Boston Beer Company ("Boston Beer") is an American brewery founded in 1984 whose mission is "to seek long-term profitable growth by offering the highest quality product to the U.S. beer drinker." Headquartered in Boston, the company is well-known for its flagship brand bearing the name of founding father Samuel Adams. This and other Boston Beer products have become popular across the United States in the past few decades; the Brewers Association ranks Boston Beer as the sixth largest brewery nationally. However, when subsetting to breweries defined as "craft," Boston Beer ranks even higher as the second largest brewery nationally. …

Strategic Audit Of Adidas, Mason Wright

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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 Microsoft Office, Dylan Dmitri Gray

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Microsoft Office is some of the most iconic software ever made. It empowers people and organizations across the planet to achieve more.

The scope of this audit is limited to Office for business. The consumer market, which is less profitable and dominated by free products, is not considered.

This audit attempts to explain the strategies currently being pursued by the Office leadership team, and the relation of these strategies to the broader industry. Ultimately, this paper attempts to identify threats to Office and offer suggestions on how best to mitigate those threats.

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

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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 …

A Strategic Audit Of Garmin Ltd, Jared Frenzel

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Garmin is a consumer electronics company that has been designing, manufacturing, and selling GPS products since 1989. Recently, however, Garmin has experienced growth well below the market average. This report examines Garmin past and present business situation using analysis techniques such as SWOT, PEST, and Porter’s Five Forces. The information obtained from these analyses will then be used to propose a business strategy that would bring Garmin’s growth back into line with the market average.

A Strategic Audit Of Nintendo Co., Ltd., Emily Wagner

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The astounding success of the Nintendo Switch since its launch in March 2017 has brought Nintendo back into the spotlight of the gaming industry. However, what strategies led to the Switch’s success, enabling Nintendo to come back from the complete and utter failure of the Wii U? Also, what does Nintendo need to do to maintain its success over the lifetime of the Switch and beyond? This paper offers a strategic analysis of Nintendo, examining the company’s history, recent products, competitive advantages, and reasons for the success of the Switch. It also provides an analysis of Nintendo’s internal and external …

Strategic Audit: Target Corporation, Andee Capell

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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 Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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 …

Nebraska Business And Consumer Confidence Indexes: April 5, 2019, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

Consumer and business confidence remained strong in Nebraska during March 2019. The Consumer Confidence Index – Nebraska (CCI-N) stood at 110.0 in March, well above the neutral value of 100 and the value of 103.2 in February 2019. The Business Confidence Index – Nebraska (BCI-N) stood at 108.9 in March, well above the neutral level and up slightly from 108.2 in February. When asked about the most important issue facing their business, 31 percent of respondents chose customer demand while 21 mentioned the quality and availability of labor and 12 percent mentioned competition from other businesses. Just 8 percent of …

A Strategic Audit Of Tesla, John J. Stobbe Jr.

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This paper examines in depth one of the most innovative companies in recent years: Tesla. Redefining what it means to be an electric car, Tesla has produced impressive cars year after year. However, they’ve run into tremendous production issues and have still yet to make any significant profits. This strategic audit analyzes Tesla’s current place in the market and considers many perspectives to come to a proposed recommendation. This recommendation is to secure its market share and resolve production issues. This could be accomplished through sticking to only a few Tesla car models, then iterating year after year, and then …

Updated Tables And Figures For Ec 844 Nebraska Wheat Prices And Basis Patterns, Jessica J. Groskopf, Cory Walters

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

No abstract provided.

Updated Tables And Figures For Ec 846 Nebraska Cash Corn Prices And Basis Patterns, Jessica J. Groskopf, Cory Walters

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

No abstract provided.

Updated Tables And Charts For Ec 845 Nebraska Cash Soybean Prices And Basis Patterns, Jessica J. Groskopf, Cory Walters

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

No abstract provided.

Cboe Global Markets: Strategic Audit, Lambros Karkazis

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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.

Intuit, Inc.'S Small Business And Self Employed Unit: A Strategic Analysis, Cat Nyberg

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Intuit, Inc. is a business and personal finance software company founded in 1983 by Scott Cook and Tom Proulx. It is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and has offices around the United States and internationally. Intuit’s primary mission is to ‘power prosperity’, whether for small business owners, individuals, or accounting professionals.

Intuit has three major business units: Small Business and Self Employed, Consumer, and Strategic Partner. Each business unit offers one or more flagship software platforms, optimized for specific customer needs in business accounting, professional tax preparation, and individual tax filing. Intuit’s major software flagships are QuickBooks (business accounting and …

Modeling And Economic Analysis Of A Crop–Livestock Production System Incorporating Cereal Rye As A Forage, Eric R. Coufal

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

This thesis consists of two chapters using agent-based modeling for a crop-livestock production system incorporating human labor. The first chapter examines the principles used to develop a fundamental simulation pertaining to grazing cereal rye (Secale cereal L.) with calves. Within the software guidelines, the base model has the ability to capture diverse system interactions between livestock/plants and land management with human labor efficiency. AnyLogic incorporates agent-based modeling while combining with discrete event modeling and system dynamics. The purpose of the model was to find the economic returns of grazing cover crops relative to the area of Mead, Nebraska. In …

An Empirical Long-Run Competitive Equilibrium Model Of Subsidized Crop Insurance And Farm Industry Structure, Taylor T. Kaus

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

Previous research has found a positive and significant planted acreage response to the participation in, and increases in the premium subsidization of, the federal crop insurance program. However, no research to our knowledge has evaluated what influence the response in planted acreage and crop choice to subsidized crop insurance has had on market industry in terms of farm numbers and average farm output. To address this issue, we utilize the theory of long-run competitive equilibrium with subsidized crop insurance to generate a conceptual model with econometrically testable hypotheses. Testing the econometric model in two distinct regions of the U.S, we …

Strategic Audit: Spreetail, Jake Rehwoldt

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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 Kohl's Corporation, Abigail Jarratt

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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 …

Strategic Audit Of Moody's Analytics, Matthew Dottavio

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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: Starbucks, Madison Clements

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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.

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

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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 …

A Strategic Audit Of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., Sean Plowman

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Food is a part of every person’s life, and in today’s society people are looking for ways to get quality food in a quick and easy manner. Chipotle Mexican Grill is a fast-casual Mexican restaurant that aims to provide “Food with Integrity” quickly while providing a positive dining experience. Within the competitive restaurant industry, Chipotle has done many things to stand out. This leaves the question: What strategies does Chipotle use to successfully compete in such a hectic industry and what strategies will Chipotle employ to grow in the future? This paper analyzes Chipotle by looking at its background, products, …

Facebook Inc. Strategic Analysis And Recommendation, Artem Shukaev

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

For fifteen years, Facebook has been bringing people closer together. From a college project to the world’s largest social-media platform, Facebook exemplifies the modern tech company. This astronomical growth is not an accident, rather the result of an open market and strong strategic planning. Facebook’s plan focuses on rapid growth, aggressive user monetization, and smart acquisitions to further grow its market penetration. However, is this strategy still effective? As Facebook faces slowed growth and a litany of scandals, is it time for Facebook to change their strategy? This paper looks at Facebook’s current state – from its suite of applications, …

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Strategic Audit, Jessica Salzar

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Berkshire Hathaway is an extremely successful, well-known company. With Warren Buffett approaching retirement, it is important that the company prepares its stakeholders and is strategically prepared. What must be determined is whether or not Berkshire Hathaway needs to implement a new strategy or continue doing what it is already doing. This strategic audit analyzes Berkshire Hathaway's company history, internal and external environment, competitive advantages, and organizational structure. After the analysis of Berkshire Hathaway, several strategy alternatives are considered, ending with a strategic recommendation, implementation plan, and contingency plan.

Strategic Audit Of Mls, Jacob Reed Miller

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Major League Soccer (MLS) is the highest caliber soccer league in the United States. The league, formed in 1995, has grown from just ten teams to twenty-four, with more on the way. The league has rebounded from a period of losses in the early 2000s and has established new fan bases through the usage of the designated player rule. This paper analyzes the current situation of MLS, as of the spring of 2019, and proposes a strategic recommendation. The current situation of MLS is evaluated using SWOT and PEST tools, and the strategic recommendation is created based on MLS’s competitive …

A Strategic Audit Of Corecivic, Reid Gahan

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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 …

Understanding Well-Being At Work: Development And Validation Of The Eudaimonic Workplace Well-Being Scale, Amy L. Bartels, Suzanne J. Peterson, Christopher S. Reina

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

Given the amount of time and effort individuals pour into work, scholars and practitioners alike have spent considerable time and resources trying to understand well-being in the workplace. Unfortunately, much of the current research and measurement focuses on workplace well-being from only one perspective (i.e. hedonic well-being rather than eudaimonic well-being) or by generalizing between workplace well-being and general well-being. In this study, we sought to integrate the workplace context into the current eudaimonic perspective to develop an 8-item measure of eudaimonic workplace well-being. Using multi-wave data, we developed and validated a reliable, two-dimensional eudaimonic workplace well-being scale (EWWS). The …

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

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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 Microsoft Azure, Lee Fitchett

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This paper looks at Microsoft Azure's current strategies and proposes possible options for the future. It looks at several competitors and explores how Azure will affect and react to Microsoft’s vision.