Business Commons^™

Voting And Civic Engagement Among Utah Women: A 2025 Update, Corinne Clarkson, Susan R. Madsen, Kolene Anderson

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

In 2016, the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) released a research snapshot called “Voting and Civic Engagement Among Utah Women.”¹ At the time, despite having a strong history of women’s political and civic involvement, Utah had fallen to the bottom of national rankings in terms of women’s political participation.² In 2019 and 2021, UWLP released updates of this report, which showed some improvement in voter participation rates for both the United States (US) and for Utah women. Since 2016, the level of political participation among women in Utah and the US has grown, and civic engagement—a critical …

What Utahns Can Do To Strengthen Girls & Women: Findings From Community Conversations Across Utah, Corinne Clarkson, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

For many people, Utah is a great place to live.¹ The state consistently ranks high in national rankings and boasts high volunteerism, affordability, happiness, outdoor recreation, social mobility, and more.² These top rankings emphasize qualities we can—and should—be pleased with. However, extensive research continues to show that women and girls are not thriving in many critical ways, and that has detrimental effects for Utah families and communities.³ From economic insecurity, limited access to mental healthcare, sexism in the workplace, and unequal representation in all sectors of leadership, Utah women face a myriad of challenges, often without the …

Women And Stem − A 2025 Update, Robyn C. Blackburn, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Although the term STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) was coined in 2001 by Judith A. Ramaley of the National Science Foundation and had been used informally in the previous decade,¹ the push for STEM in the US began in the 1950s with Russia launching Sputnik and the US subsequently pouring billions of dollars into educating students to ensure the nation became a technological global power. However, the gender gap in STEM fields today reduces the innovation that could be achieved with more unique perspectives contributing to the field. Closing the gender gap in STEM is vital because scientific …

Women And Finances − What Utahns Need To Know: A 2025 Update, Robyn C. Blackburn, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

The history of Utah women and finances shows how various policies, societal beliefs, and behaviors impact the financial standing of women in the state. Upon the arrival of pioneers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Salt Lake Valley in the 19th century, 41 women were allocated lots during the initial distribution of the land, including single, widowed, and “head of household” women whose husbands were away.¹ Interestingly, around the same time, the Oregon Donation Act of 1850 incentivized female migration to the West by allowing women land ownership rights. Additional federal land laws, such …

Beyond The Finish Line: How Mindset And Setbacks Shape Future Success Of High School Sprinters, Hannah L. Lybbert

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

How does mindset shape sports performance? Using data from high school track and field 100- meter sprint times, I examine how exogenous psychological shocks—caused by running faster or slower than expected due to tailwinds or headwinds—influence subsequent athletic performance. By leveraging instrumental variable analysis and random wind variation, I isolate the purely psychological effects (referred to throughout this paper as “mindset effects”) of performance confidence. I parse out the sustained mindset effects, taking into account athlete-specific fixed effects, and estimate mindset-driven performance effects. In the discussion, I will explore “perceived self-efficacy” (PSE) as a potential mechanism by which these mindset …

Door - To - Door Summer Sales And Other Summer Employment: A Cost And Benefit Analysis, Jentrie Gilliland

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Door-to-door summer sales is heavily marketed to college students, especially on university campuses in Utah. These employment options are marketed as having high financial rewards while giving students the opportunity to develop their professional skills. In this study, I examine whether these expected rewards are delivered and if door-to-door summer sales is a viable position for college students in comparison to other summer employment. Specifically, I focus on the financial benefits and skills gained from both job types as well as determinants for students who participate in door-to-door summer sales versus other summer employment. My findings indicate that there is …

Stock Pitch: Robinhood Markets (Hood), Morgan Cole

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This capstone project presents an in-depth analysis and valuation of Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD). Robinhood Markets is a revolutionary fintech platform aiming to democratize finance and investing.

The company was founded in 2013 in Menlo Park, California by Vladimir Tenev and Baiju Bhatt. The co-founders created an intuitive mobile trading platform and were the first to offer commission-free trading. Robinhood has opened the door to investing to a new demographic through the easy-to-use mobile app, the ability to buy and sell fractional shares (this makes purchasing shares of companies with high share prices accessible to more individuals), in-app financial …

Untapped Potential: Many Intelligent Female Accountants Are Not In The Workforce, Heidi Sundberg

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

As the shortage of accountants in the U.S. continues to increase, it is crucial to examine what barriers are keeping women from remaining in the workforce. This research project focuses on women in accounting, especially mothers, and what changes can be made so that they are more likely to continue pursuing career growth, instead of becoming stay-at-home moms. This report focuses on what barriers women in Utah’s accounting profession face when trying to get promotions while fulfilling family commitments and how their perspectives differ from those of their management.

The basis of this research was done through a survey that …

Utah Women, Discrimination, And Sexism: Experiences And Perceptions, April Townsend, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

During the fall of 2023, Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) researchers conducted a statewide study to establish a baseline for public perceptions related to the awareness, understanding, and attitudes about challenges that Utah women and girls face. In early 2024, UWLP published 20 research summaries¹ that shared the results of this comprehensive study. Then, in the fall of 2024, the survey was administered again around the state of Utah with slight refinements. Between January and April of 2025, we have shared the results of the 2024 data by releasing six white papers, this being the final report in …

Robinhood Stock Pitch, Morgan Cole

Student Research Symposium

Investment Overview

Projected 2 Year Stock Price

$86.89

Current Stock Price (as of close 4/1/25)

$42.85

Projected Upside

103%

Beyond The Finish Line: How Mindset & Setbacks Shape Future Success In High School Sprinters, Hannah Lybbert

Student Research Symposium

Introduction

Across many domains, mindset has been shown to affect performance; however, quantifying that belief can be challenging to do empirically.

Track and Field 100m results provide a perfect environment to attempt to quantify the magnitude of the effect of mindset on performance – timing equipment and wind sensors never lie!

Women In Accounting, Heidi Sundberg

Student Research Symposium

There is currently a shortage of about 340,000 accountants in the US, which is detrimental to companies.

• However, especially in Utah, there are many women who graduated in accounting but don’t stay in the field for very long. These women could help to fill the shortage, which would be beneficial for them to grow as professionals and for companies.
• My hypothesis is that employers aren’t aware of all the barriers that women face in the accounting field.

Estimating Equivalent Annual Costs: A Comparative Analysis Of Electric And Traditional Roadways, Noelia Garcia Weidling

Student Research Symposium

As electric vehicle (EV) adoption increases, new infrastructure like Electric Road Systems (ERS)—which wirelessly charge EVs while driving—is being explored. While promising, ERS are more expensive to build and maintain than traditional roads.

Because U.S. roads are primarily funded by taxpayers, this project explores:

• Traditional roadway costs and ERS costs

• Ways to recover that investment in a sustainable, fair way.

Child Sexual Abuse: What Utahns Need To Know, Kolene Anderson, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a significant social, criminal justice, and public health issue that impacts families, neighborhoods, and communities of all racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds. CSA is underreported, underfunded, and often accompanied by lifelong negative impacts on survivors’ physical, mental, and emotional health. Importantly, we acknowledge that not all who have experienced child sexual abuse feel that the term survivor (instead of victim) adequately conveys their feelings and experiences. However, for the sake of simplicity and to align with the terminology used in most research, we use the term in this report. Unfortunately, most survivors do not …

Preparing Youth For Careers In Drone Aviation: Evaluating Washington County 4-H Drone Camps, Paul A. Hill, Aubree L. Miller, Katarina J. Aikens

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Drone technology presents growing career opportunities, yet youth access to education in this field remains limited. This study evaluates the Washington County 4-H Drone Camps, which aimed to equip youth in 4^th – 8^th graders with essential knowledge and skills in drone aviation. The Drone Camps focused on competencies such as drone anatomy, FAA regulations, and piloting skills. Evaluation results indicated youth improved in all competency areas after completing the camp. The Washington County 4-H Drone Camps effectively allowed youth to explore drone technologies and prepare them for a possible career pathway.

Home, Health, Community, & Allyship: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, And Attitudes, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

During the fall of 2023, Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) researchers conducted a statewide study to establish a baseline for public perceptions related to the awareness, understanding, and attitudes about challenges that Utah women and girls face. In early 2024, we published 20 short research summaries that shared the results of this comprehensive study. Then, in the fall of 2024, we administered the survey, with slight refinements, around the state of Utah. We now share the results of the 2024 data by releasing six white papers; this is the fifth in the series.

Overall, this comprehensive study was designed …

Utah Organizations Supporting Women & Girls: Exploring The Landscape, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

In 2024, U.S. News & World Report rated each state using 71 metrics in eight categories. Utah came out on top, declared as the “Best State Overall” for the second year in a row, ranking number two in education, and number three in both economy and infrastructure categories. ¹ In addition, WalletHub dubbed Utah 2023’s Most Charitable State, citing high levels of charitable giving and volunteerism,² and ConsumerAffairs declared Utah the “Best State to Move to in 2024.”³ In addition, Utah also ranks high in work hours, volunteerism, affordability, happiness, outdoor recreation, social mobility, and more.⁴ See …

Women, Finance, And Education: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, And Attitudes, Susan R. Madsen, Brie Sparks

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

During the fall of 2023, Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) researchers conducted a statewide study to establish a baseline for public perceptions related to the awareness, understanding, and attitudes about challenges that Utah women and girls face. In early 2024, we published 20 short research summaries that shared the results of this comprehensive study. Then, in the fall of 2024, we administered the survey, with slight refinements, around the state of Utah. We now share the results of the 2024 data by releasing six white papers; this is the fourth in the series.

Overall, this comprehensive study was designed …

Women’S Safety & Security: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, And Attitudes, Susan R. Madsen, Kolene Anderson

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

During the fall of 2023, Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) researchers conducted a statewide study to establish a baseline for public perceptions related to the awareness, understanding, and attitudes about challenges that Utah women and girls face. In early 2024, we published 20 short research summaries that shared the results of this comprehensive study. Then, in the fall of 2024, we administered the survey, with slight refinements, around the state of Utah. We now share the results of the 2024 data by releasing six white papers; this is the third in the series.

Overall, this comprehensive study was designed …

The Status Of Women In Utah Politics: A 2025 Update, Corinne Clarkson, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Utah is exceptional in many ways, with its beautiful nature, high quality of life, and growing economy. WalletHub recently ranked Utah as the fourth best state to live based on 51 key indicators.¹ While scoring above average on many metrics, Utah lags far behind in one crucial area—gender equality, which includes the presence of women in elected posts. The Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) began reporting on the status of women in Utah politics in 2014, with updates in 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and now 2025. Research shows that when both men and women serve together in …

Women In The Workplace: Part 2: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, And Attitudes, Susan R. Madsen, Deborah Lin

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

During the fall of 2023, Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) researchers conducted a statewide study to establish a baseline for public perceptions related to the awareness, understanding, and attitudes about challenges that Utah women and girls face. In early 2024, we published 20 short research summaries¹ that shared the results of this comprehensive study. Then, in the fall of 2024, we administered this survey, with slight changes, around the state of Utah for the second time. This is the second of six white papers to share the results of the new data.

Overall, this comprehensive study was designed …

We Need Deep Theories Of Virtues: Four Principles For Advancing Research On Virtues In Positive Social Science, David S. Bright, Jason M. Stansbury, Bradley A. Winn

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

This article aims to help Positive Social Science (PSS) researchers develop theories of virtues, whether of single, discrete virtues, or several virtues considered together. We argue that a weak virtue theory assumes a virtue consists of single constructs, whereas a deep virtue theory assumes a virtue is an integrated system of constructs. We briefly review indicators of weak theory in the PSS literature: definitional divergence, valence confusion, and conceptual incommensurability. Drawing from the field of Virtue Ethics, we suggest four essential attributes of a virtue that should guide the development of deep virtue theory. Any virtue is (1) holistic, in …

Women In The Workplace: Part 1: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, And Attitudes, Susan R. Madsen, Kolene Anderson

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

During the fall of 2023, Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) researchers conducted a statewide study to establish a baseline for public perceptions related to the awareness, understanding, and attitudes about challenges that Utah women and girls face. In early 2024, we published 20 short research summaries¹ that shared the results of this comprehensive study. Then, in the fall of 2024, we administered this survey, with slight changes, around the state of Utah for the second time. This is the first of six white papers to share the results of the new data.

Overall, this comprehensive study was designed …

2025 Finance Calendar, Amanda Christensen, Melanie Jewkes, Andrea Schmutz, Vincenza Vicari-Bentley, Kelan Combe, Rochelle Allen, Lauren Olsen, Jenny Weller

All Current Publications

The 2025 Financial Calendar outlines small monthly steps to improve your finances over the year.

The Status Of Women Leaders In Government – Utah Cities And Towns: A 2024 Update, April Townsend, Susan R. Madsen, Kolene Anderson

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Research shows that communities and organizations increasingly thrive when men and women work together in leadership roles.¹ Gender inclusivity benefits not only businesses, churches, schools, and state legislatures, but also state and local governments. American democracy is grounded in the idea of representation.² “Representative bureaucracy” is the term for government entities employing a workforce that shares the demographic characteristics of the communities they serve,³ and the combined experiences and perspectives of that workforce represent and benefit all residents within its purview.⁴ This includes the thousands of government professionals who run the daily functions of municipalities in …

What Rich County Leaders And Residents Can Do To Strengthen The Impact Of Girls And Women In Their Area, Amy Anderson, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

This idea sheet is based on a 2024 gathering in Rich County with input from 20 individuals. As Utah’s third smallest county with a wide geographic spread, this included women from across the county. Girls and women face challenges unique to the area in which they live, and the goal of this gathering was to identify those barriers and determine strategies and initiatives that local leaders and residents can implement to address them. This document includes recommendations in the following areas: home and family, education, culture and community engagement, health and wellbeing, and business and economics.

What Daggett County Leaders And Residents Can Do To Strengthen The Impact Of Girls And Women In Their Area, Amy Z. Anderson, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

This idea sheet is based on a 2024 gathering and subsequent outreach to 15 leaders and community members in Daggett County. As the smallest county in Utah, this represents a higher participation percentage than most.

Girls and women face challenges unique to the area in which they live, and the goal of this gathering was to identify those barriers and determine strategies and initiatives that local leaders and residents can implement to address them. This document includes recommendations in the following areas: home and family, education, health and wellbeing, business and economics, and culture and community engagement.

The Status Of Women Leaders In Utah Business: A 2024 Update, Shirlayne Quayle, Susan R. Madsen, Robyn Blackburn

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

In 2014, the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) released a research and policy brief titled “The Status of Women Leaders in Utah Business.”¹ The brief was updated in 2018 to determine what, if any, progress had been made in women’s leadership within Utah’s business sector.² Unfortunately, in most areas, instead of making progress, the percentage had decreased. Now, six years later, we are providing yet another update. In each brief, we compare Utah data with national data and review the applicable literature addressing women in the highest levels of business leadership, including C-level positions and presence on …

What Piute County Leaders And Residents Can Do To Strengthen The Impact Of Girls And Women In Their Area, Deborah Lin, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

This idea sheet is based on a 2024 gathering of leaders in Piute County, with input from 18 individuals. With just over 1,400 residents, this represents a higher percentage participation than in most counties.

Girls and women face challenges unique to the area in which they live, and the goal of this gathering was to identify those barriers and determine strategies and initiatives that local leaders and residents can implement to address them. This document includes recommendations in the following areas: home and family, education, business and economics, government and community, and culture.

What Matters Most To Utahns?: Envision Utah Survey Results By Gender, Eric Dahlin, Susan R. Madsen, Kolene Anderson

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Envision Utah is a non-profit organization committed to enhancing the quality of life in Utah communities by engaging stakeholders such as local governments, citizens, and for-profit and non-profit organizations. Envision Utah generates policy recommendations and identifies strategic priorities through public outreach, collaboration, and data-driven analyses. Since 1997, Envision Utah has launched numerous initiatives that have revitalized city centers, steered urban planning, improved transportation networks, and addressed environmental and water conservation issues.

In November 2021, Envision Utah conducted an online survey of 800 citizens to identify the values and priorities that are most pressing for Utahns. The sample was stratified along …