Business Commons^™

Exploration Of Financial Accounting: A Compilation Of Individual Case Studies, Allison Gaerke

Honors Theses

This thesis contains twelve accounting-related case studies completed in Accounting 420: Independent Studies, a two-semester thesis course taught by Dr. Victoria Dickinson. For most cases, students were given access to case materials that provided brief descriptions of real companies along with the companies’ financial statements and related footnotes. The cases also provided conceptual, procedural, and analytical questions for students to answer; completing a case study entailed answering the questions selected by Dr. Dickinson and writing a brief introduction to the case. Students were given time in class to work in small groups to start answering the case questions. Students used …

Comprehensive Analysis Of Financial Reporting Through Case Studies, Griffin Anderson Clark

Honors Theses

This thesis covers both fundamental and nuanced issues relating to accounting and, more specifically, financial reporting. These issues range from cash flow analysis to bank auditing opinions. The thesis is a compilation of twelve case studies assigned by Dr. Victoria Dickinson in the Professional Research and Development Program. From a broader perspective, the insight gained through this thesis is primarily concerned with how the three fundamental financial statements, the balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows interact with one another within a given fact set. Transactions, estimates, and adjustments can influence all three financial statements, changing how financial …

Fundamental Accounting Concepts: A Compilation Of Case Studies, Shelby Mackenzie Loftis

Honors Theses

This thesis is a compilation of twelve case studies that were completed over the course of an academic school year. These cases covered a variety of topics such as accounts receivables, property, plant, and equipment (PPE), long-term debt, shareholders' equity, deferred income taxes, revenue recognition, and many more. The cases touched on subjects that were relevant to things we covered in our other accounting classes, along with items we were exposed to during our internship. For many of the cases, we collaborated with fellow students in our thesis class to help analyze some of the questions posed in the case …

The Application Of Accounting Concepts Through Case Studies, Olivia Hamilton

Honors Theses

My thesis addresses several important concepts of accounting principles. These concepts are explored through twelve different case studies that each help address a specific topic. The topics cover the treatment of items such as accounts receivables, property, plant, and equipment, long-term debt, shareholder’s equity, marketable securities, deferred income taxes, and revenue recognition rules. The methods used to complete these cases was to take the information I learned in class as well as reference my textbooks. It helped me to understand what the questions were asking and therefore the corresponding solutions. For each case, I had to search through each company’s …

An Analysis Of Case Studies Regarding Principal Financial Accounting Concepts, Janesse Birdsong

Honors Theses

During Fall of 2017 and Spring of 2018, I participated in an alternate thesis route for accounting majors. The alternate route consisted of enrolling in a year-long course with Dr. Victoria Dickinson and individually completing cases based on financial accounting concepts each week. The cases selected each focus on a specific financial accounting concept. The conclusions reached in the cases were based on materials from the case, in class lecture notes, and an intermediate accounting textbook. Each case presents a series of questions which start with basic accounting concepts and build to more complex conceptual issues. Each case further developed …

The World’S Game, But Not America’S: An Analysis Of Soccer’S Disposition In The United States, Catherine Reese Neely

Honors Theses

Globally, soccer is the most prominent sport, drawing devoted fans from nearly every country in the world. The World Cup grosses the highest attendance and viewership rates of any international professional sports tournament. For many countries, the game of soccer is a source of national identity and pride. Despite soccer’s global impression, the sport has failed to fully captivate its American audience. The introduction of the professional men’s league, Major League Soccer (MLS), in 1996 spurred interest. The sport has experienced slight growth in popularity, but its national attendance and viewership ratings are trivial in comparison to America’s elite three …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of Financial Reporting Through Case Studies, Cole Conner

Honors Theses

This paper serves as an investigation and analysis of the financial reporting practices of publicly traded companies, in addition to addressing a number of other selected accounting topics. This was accomplished through the analysis of a number of accounting case studies. Each of these studies addresses a specific topic related to financial reporting such as the accounting for income taxes, the treatment of plant property and equipment, and the treatment of investments in securities. The cases provide background related to the topic and organization(s) discussed as well present a series of questions which guide in the discussion and analysis of …

Tmi : An Examination Of Excess Returns Surrounding Phase Iii Fda Approvals, Luke Chiotelis

Honors Theses

Over the past three decades, the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical industry has had the largest growth rate of any sector in the U.S. economy. Currently, the largest 10 companies have a market cap of over 700 billion dollars. In the past 20 years, Biotech has outperformed the Standard and Poor’s 500 index earning superior returns for those willing to invest in this risky, high growth industry (Bloomberg L.P.). This upward trend is expected to continue as both institutional and private investment in biotech continues to soar.

A better understanding of the FDA approval process and the way a company’s stock price …

The Economic Effects Of National Marijuana Legalization, Alexander Lee Robison

Honors Theses

In today’s political and social climate, the legalization of marijuana has been a major topic of discussion across the nation. As more states pass legislation to legalize marijuana, whether it be for medicinal or recreational purposes, a market is being created that has economically beneficial possibilities that can be harnessed on a national level. This thesis seeks to highlight the economic effect marijuana legalization could possibly have on the national economy by examining the states that have legalized marijuana. States who have already passed such legislation provide a framework for state-level economic impact of marijuana legalization that can be projected …

A Series Of Case Studies: An Analysis Of Key Accounting Issues, Jordan Haley Enlow

Honors Theses

This thesis was written on a series of case studies completed while taking ACCY 420 under the direction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson. This class, taken in the fall and spring of 2017-2018, was taken in conjunction with Intermediate Financial Accounting. Taking ACCY 420 along with Intermediate Financial Accounting added an application aspect to learning financial concepts. ACCY 420 did this by covering various areas of financial reporting in great detail through delving into numerous companies, both U. S. based and international, and analyzing their financials.

A Synopsis Of Basic Components Of Accounting, Julius Jordan Boyd

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to discuss different components of accounting and discuss how they appear on financial statements. These topics are ones that accountants run into everyday while on the job. Each case covers a company or companies and focuses on one of the major themes of the accounting process for that company. Along with this it also gives us a set of scenarios to discuss. These scenarios forced me to dive deeper into the financial statements to see how this is related to the United States generally accepted accounting principles. These cases go far beyond the everyday …

There She Evolves: The Financial, Marketing And Journalistic Sustainability Of The Miss America Organization, Blair Wortsmith

Honors Theses

Adrian Phillips, a Pageant President and volunteer in the Miss America Organization for more than seven decades, stated that, “Things evolve. The press likes to refer to ‘changes,’ but most everything that has happened has been a precedent of something evolving. It comes by evolving and it disappears by evolving. And that has been the history of the Miss America Pageant” (Bivans). With the centennial anniversary quickly approaching and drastic changes made recently within the Miss America Organization, my Thesis examines the program’s evolution and evaluates its sustainability through finance, marketing and journalism perspectives. To do this, I drew information …

A Comprehensive Review Of Accounting And Financial Reporting Principles, Nicholas Egorshin

Honors Theses

The following Thesis is comprised of twelve case studies that were completed over one year in the course ACCY 420. This course, led by Dr. Victoria Dickinson, challenged students to dive deeper into accounting concepts and principles through the analysis of financial statements presented from real companies. The companies analyzed do business in a variety of industries and disciplines, so students were able to see the accounting process through a multitude of lenses. Some companies examined used foreign currency and adhered to International Accounting policies, so analysis and critical thinking skills were necessary in truly understanding the significance of the …

A Study Of Financial Reporting Principles Through Analysis Of Case Studies, Thomas Anthony Steis

Honors Theses

The following thesis provides solutions to case studies on various financial accounting standards in agreement with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles as set forth by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. In conjunction with the topics learned in Intermediate Financial Accounting, each case focuses on a separate area of financial reporting through application within specific companies. The thesis displays understanding of accounting principles, financial statement preparation and analysis, and current accountancy topics. The case studies were completed under the direction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson in fulfillment of the requirements for the University of Mississippi, Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, and Patterson School …

A Compilation Of Accounting Case Studies, Madelyn Smith

Honors Theses

The following thesis is a compilation of case studies in various areas of financial accounting that I completed over the course of two semesters under the advisory of Dr. Victoria Dickinson. During the class we reviewed different case studies that focused on various accounting concepts and principles that we were learning about in Intermediate Accounting. After analyzing each case and having discussions about the material in class, we would complete questions that required us to understand conceptually and practically how the information provided to us would affect the company. We dealt with companies that followed U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, …

An Analysis Of Key Financial Accounting Topics, Farris Abu-Saoud

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to analyze twelve key financial reporting issues and principles using case studies. These issues and principals include revenue recognition, deferred income taxes, common stock, long-term debt, U.S. GAAP, statement of cash flows, profitability, and investment decisions. Working through these case studies and analyzing these key financial reporting topics has provided a greater understanding of financial accounting and U.S. GAAP; an understanding that goes well beyond what was learned through lectures and exams.

A Comprehensive Analysis Of Cases In Financial Accounting, Anna Lapayeva

Honors Theses

The thesis constitutes a comprehensive analysis of various cases in financial accounting. The topics included investment decisions, income statement, property, plant, and equipment valuation, accounts receivable, allowance for doubtful accounts, research and development, data analysis, interest bonds, stock and dividends, securities, income taxes, and revenue recognition. The GAAP standards for the subjects include many options that can be used, and accounting will be significantly different dependent on the choice the firm will make. The research highlighted the respective differences in the methods and thoroughly explained the reasonings behind the chosen methods in cases. Topics were investigated over the course of …

Accounting Principles: A Collection Of Case Studies, Rachel Brunette

Honors Theses

For my thesis, I completed twelve case studies to analyze common accounting concepts with real companies and scenarios. Over two semesters, I was given the cases by Dr. Victoria Dickinson in a course specifically designed by the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. The purpose of the course and this thesis is to gain a better understanding of various accounting topics in respect to the current U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). The case study titles are broad but each case take an in-depth discussion into specific areas with the use of short answers, calculations, …

A Discussion Of Twelve Financial Accounting Topics, Katherine T. Oglesby

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to investigate twelve different financial reporting topics using specific scenarios and financial positions of existing companies that have been presented in various case studies. The case studies cover multiple topics, long-term debt, equity sales, marketable securities, deferred income taxes, revenue recognition, financial reporting of cash flows, impairments and securities’ sales related to debt, and capitalized costs and earnings quality. In addition to the financial reporting topics, four cases cover various accounting-related topics, including data analytics incorporated into the profession as a whole, transparency and ethics both during the accounting recruiting process, along with during …

Fore Your Information: A Financial Analysis Of The Golf Industry, Emily Trolia

Honors Theses

This paper is an analysis of the leisure industry and more specifically, the golf industry. The paper examines the state of today’s economy through GDP, wages, and unemployment. During these discussions, the paper touches on how these factors affect the leisure and golf industries. The paper examines the performance of the golf industry over the past several years and discusses how the golf industry is working to grow the game despite the recent departure of some businesses and brands from the market. Further, alternative golf trends are discussed, as these trends are rapidly gaining popularity and exposing more people to …

Accounting Standards And Topics Implemented And Analyzed, Makenzie Courtland Mcneill

Honors Theses

The objective of this thesis is to report on multiple accounting standards and topics through the use of twelve different cases. The cases that were researched included the topics of evaluation of financial statements, profitability and earnings, accounts receivable, and working through a time value of money problem. Additionally, subjects such as research and development costs, the data analytics tool IBM Watson, long-term debt, stockholders’ equity, marketable securities, deferred income taxes, and revenue recognition were also analyzed throughout this paper. These cases were written to help the reader, and others, learn from their questions. The questions in the cases, as …

An Analysis Of Cases In Financial Reporting, Caroline L. Cotton

Honors Theses

This thesis includes twelve different cases of various topics in financial reporting, such as deferred income taxes, revenue recognition, marketable securities, and many others. The solutions to the cases were found in fulfillment of ACCY 420 at the University of Mississippi during the Fall of 2017 and the Spring of 2018. The thesis is formatted below so that the questions to each case are visible to the reader. When it was fitting, there are also journal entries, t-accounts, and tables to go along with the questions. Each case focuses on a different area of financial accounting with an emphasis on …

An Analysis Of Financial Accounting Fundamentals Through Case Studies, Sarah Caswell

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and discuss a broad range of financial reporting topics. This paper was developed over the course of a year in the Honors Accountancy Independent Study class led by Dr. Victoria Dickinson. It is organized into a series of 12 case studies that each examine a specific accounting issue or topic. This required using all resources available to research and understand the specific topics and companies at hand. This process gave me an advanced knowledge of financial accounting beyond the traditional accounting classroom lectures and textbooks. As a result, writing this thesis acquainted …

An Exploration Of Key Accounting Concepts Through Case Studies, Morgan L. Cannon

Honors Theses

Accounting is a profession characterized by precision, innovation, and evolution. In an everchanging environment, it essential to ascertain a firm foundation in understanding Generally Accepted Accounting Principles as set by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. The following case studies present extensive explanations to promote the understanding of key accounting concepts, preparation and analysis of financial statements, as well as spotlights special topics in the current accounting climate. These case studies contextualize critical accounting concepts to demonstrate the connection between the principles and standards presented in academia as they are adapted in practice. The case studies were completed under the direction …

Twelve Cases Of Accounting, Caroline Cantrell

Honors Theses

The honors accounting students at the University of Mississippi are given the option to participate in an alternative thesis track; we partake in a year-long class junior year in which we are given a case study every other week to complete by the following week. We are also required to participate in accounting case competitions sponsored by Big Four accounting firms, in which we give oral presentations of our business solutions to partners at the firms. In this thesis, I have investigated twelve case studies of accounting. The topics in these cases include generally accepted accounting principles, bad debt expense, …

Financial Accounting Fundamentals: A Series Of Case Studies, Sidney Barrett Albritton

Honors Theses

Financial accounting is an area of study that encompasses a variety of topics and concepts. Understanding these concepts, both in theory and in practice, allow professionals and future professionals to have a firm foundation in the work they are expected to do. In order to develop this firm foundation of financial accounting, a series of case studies was completed. These cases covered concepts such as revenue recognition, shareholders’ equity, debt financing, and the like. Each case consisted of qualitative/quantitative information from a real company and a series of questions that allowed the student to explore the concepts and the intricacies …

Stakeholder Theory In Ethical Business Decisions: The Case Of Nestle, Mckayla Marcola

Honors Theses

The traditional view of business is that executives have an obligation to base all decisions around increasing the value of the business. But what happens when those decisions infringe on the surrounding environment? In 2017, Nestlé proposed a water withdrawal increase at their Evart, MI water bottling plant from 250 gallons per minute, to 400 gallons per minute. During April 2018, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality approved the new withdrawal proposal; this caused an up roar in the environmental community. From local citizens, to public interest groups, many have expressed their opposition for this increase stating that this increase …

Experiential Learning In Collegiate Academia: The Silicon Valley Immersion, Kirsten Settle

Honors Theses

A thesis in an examination of experiential collegiate learning, specifically that are found within the vocational field of entrepreneurship and business management. This student-driven project’s objective primarily is to recruit a dedicated team of diverse students from Western Michigan University (WMU) to engage in a systematic, site-based experiential learning in one of the world’s biggest tech-metropolitans, San Francisco, California. The mission is to stimulate an experience-based approach to studying a business centered curriculum through field research with some of the country’s most successful companies. Participants evaluated company culture in diverse business settings to comprehend professional prospects and project management best …

A Look Into Electronic Word-Of-Mouth: The Willingness Of Consumers To Write Online Reviews, Michelle Le

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the willingness of a consumer to write an online review in relation to their love for a brand, their attachment to a brand and their satisfaction with shopping online for that brand. There are limited empirical studies that investigate the impact of Brand Love, Brand Attachment, and Electronic Shopping Experience Satisfaction on online reviews. Brand Love is the extent of emotional attachment that a content consumer feels for a certain brand or trade name whereas Brand Attachment measures the degree or strength to which consumers connects themselves with a brand. Lastly, a …

An Examination Of The Unanticipated Outcomes Of Having A Fun Organizational Culture, Victoria Baltz

Honors Theses

Fun organizational cultures break the social constructs of the traditional work environment. Fun organizational cultures have been gaining popularity over the past couple decades. Since fun cultures are gaining attractiveness due to reports focused primarily on the positive aspects of fun cultures, this study examined if there were any unanticipated negative outcomes of a having a fun organizational culture. Qualitative data was pulled from interviews conducted with various members of fun organizational cultures. This study focused on negative outcomes primarily in three areas: productivity, work-life balance, and relationships among members in the organization. The findings in this study did not …