Business Commons^™

The Effects Of Tourism In Jamaica, Natalie Kearns

Honors Theses

Tourism is a fast and continuously growing industry throughout every region of the world. The effect that tourism has on a location usually isn’t the first thought when vacationers enter their destination location. In order to understand the effect of tourists and the tourist industry have had on Jamaica, I examined Jamaica’s historical development, including the tourist industry and the racial inequalities that developed as slaves were brought to the island. Then, using theories on place, identity, and authenticity, I conducted a content analysis of images tourists see while researching vacations to Jamaica.

This analysis confirmed that tourism to Jamaica …

The Difference Between The On Premise And Off Premise Craft Beer Experience: Implications For The Craft Beer Category, Karen Kalinski

Honors Theses

The differences between the on-premise and off-premise craft beer experience was researched in this study. The original research question was whether there is a relationship between on-premise and off-premise sales of craft beer. After initial research through semi- structured interviews the research questions were revised to three related questions: 1. What are the on-premise and off-premise craft beer experiences?, 2. Is there a significant difference?, and 3. Does the one behavior affect the other in purchasing behavior? Participants included 12 consumers of craft beer ranging from individuals with extensive craft beer experience to relative newcomers to the craft beer segment. …

Learning From The Past: A Comparative Analysis Of The Influences Of The Great Depression On The Recent Financial Crisis., Shirish Bade Shrestha

Honors Theses

The Great Depression and the recent financial crisis are events that have changed the lives of many American and global citizens. In hopes of preventing similar mistakes in the future, we should study, analyze, and learn from these past events. This investigation attempts to do just that through a rigorous study of the past Great Depression and recent financial crisis. We will explore the two events separately, analyze their similarities and differences and then discuss what we have learned from the Great Depression and see how that knowledge has been used to combat the recent financial crisis. The Great Depression …

Revenue Recognition – Milestone Method (Topic 605) 2010 Amendment: From The R&D Industry Perspective, Sofia I. Tent

Honors Theses

This paper examines the Revenue Recognition – Milestone Method (RRMM), FASB codification amendment of 2010 and its effect on the health of firms heavily dependent on the Research and Development (R&D), as evidenced by the operating profit margin. By utilizing a two-stage OLS model developed by Lev and Sougiannis (1996), this study measures the effect of the adoption of the RRMM on operating profit margin. The sample includes U.S. firms with significant R&D expenses (a R&D expenses/Sales ratio greater than 2%) for the years 2006-2013. Due to the more rapid recognition of income using the RRMM, I expect the operating …

Terrorized Tourists: A Study Of The Impact Of Terrorism On Tourism, Caroline M. Depuma

Honors Theses

Tourism is one of the largest sectors in the world; it is also one of the first to take a hit when terrorist attacks happen. Terrorism data has become more important to the tourism and travel industry since the attacks on September 11, 2001. This study looks at the impact that terrorism has on tourism levels, Gross Domestic Product, and Foreign Direct Investment in the countries of Brazil, Egypt, India, Russia, and the United Kingdom. The results of this study show that terrorism affects the daily operations of these countries, by impacting the amounts of GDP, FDI, and the number …

Measuring Financial Literacy: A Comparative Study Across Two Collegiate Groups, Emma Floyd

Honors Theses

This study analyzed the financial literacy of students in the College of Business versus that of students in other colleges at the University of Southern Mississippi. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between demographic characteristics, financial literacy, and financial experience. The financial literacy of the students was assessed using a selection of questions from the Jump$tart Coalition Survey of Personal Financial Literacy. The financial literacy of the students was determined based upon the number of questions answered correctly on the survey; however, there was no passing or failing number. Instead, each demographic group was said to …

State Vs. Federal: Marijuana Legislation And Its Effect On Taxes, Mamie G. Duckworth

Honors Theses

Marijuana is becoming increasingly popular and accepted within our society; so much so that certain states have legalized it for medical or recreational use, despite marijuana remaining illegal with regards to the federal government. This has lead, and will continue to lead, to complicated and uncertain tax scenarios for the businesses that produce and sell marijuana. Many problems stem from the federal government being unable to recognize or associate with businesses that deal with marijuana. This affects these otherwise legitimate businesses by disallowing the use of federally insured banks as well as taking away the ability to seek federal bankruptcy …

A Review Of The Accounting Treatment For Contingencies Arising From Environmental Issues, Colleen M. Sauser

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project is to review the U.S. GAAP treatment of issues arising from environmental contingencies. This review consists of accounting literature and pronouncements issued by the FASB and SEC as well as environmental legislation, most notably CERCLA. The results of this review showed that the accounting industry has been one step behind environmental legislation and continues in its endeavor to provide financial statement users with useful information.

The Utility Of Health Insurance For Young Adults, Billy Bookman

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Western Client: A Business Plan, Connor Makowski

Honors Theses

Western Client was created to simplify electronic communications. We believe that we can challenge standard communication processes and revolutionize how smartphones disseminate media. We can help our users to foster better relationships and communicate more effectively. We are achieving this by streamlining user interfaces, compiling data, and minimizing unproductive intervals on electronic devices.

Western Client will offer an easy to navigate, well designed application that integrates information from many sources. We are currently focusing our efforts on designing an application for iOS and Android devices that provides universal inboxes. Every contact will have a dedicated universal inbox that will place …

Managing The Credibility Of A Nonprofit Organization In The Face Of Unexpected Publicity, Regan Crowell

Honors Theses

Ethical conduct of a nonprofit organization was suspected to impact the credibility of the organization as perceived by its stakeholders. This study uses secondary research for three nonprofit organizations in order to gain a closer look at the ethical issues of compensation, conflicts of interest, and the combined issues of accountability and strategic management. The nonprofit organizations discussed are United Way, Susan G. Komen, and The ALS Association. Each faced unexpected publicity, either positive or negative, and managed the organization’s credibility through dealing with one of the named ethical issues. Based on the case studies conducted for the three nonprofit …

Cross-Examining The United States And Germany's Education And Employee Treatments In Relation To The Unemployment Rate, Natalie Cook

Honors Theses

The unemployment rate has been a constant battle in the United States, especially in the last five years. In 2010 the unemployment rate was at a high of 9.7%, in 2011 it was at 9.0%, in 2012 is what at 8.2%, in 2013 it was at 7.4%, and in 2014 it was at 6.6% (Unemployment, total (% of total laborforce) (modeled ILO estimate), 2015). This is relatively high compared to other countries, such as Germany. Germany in the last five years has had lower unemployment rates in the last five years, their highest rate in the last five years was …

Effects Of Minimum Wage Changes On The Development And Use Of The Student Employee Pay Rate Structure At Western Michigan University, Kristin Kinney

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project is to present a thorough analysis of the current utilization of Western Michigan University’s student employee pay scale that has been performed to provide useful information for the decision of how to best restructure the student employee pay scale. This analysis shows the average of how many student positions were paid at each of the sixteen set hourly wages and how many were paid at Level Q (a range of wages between $9.58 and $20), or above level Q during the Fall 2014 semester. The results can be effectively used to determine how many student …

Market Microstructure And Abnormal Returns: An Analysis Of Nyse And Sgx Securities, Alex Ng

Honors Theses

This paper investigates the differences in the abnormal returns of securities in the context of the earnings announcement in both the United States (NYSE) and Singapore (SGX) markets[1]. Despite the similarities between both exchanges, there exist two key market microstructure differences: the free float factor (i.e. the portion of listed share capital that is freely traded on the market) and lot size (i.e. the minimum number of shares that an investor can trade in a single transaction). While the difference in the lot size can be attributed to the intrinsic institutional differences between both exchanges, the involvement of …

The Power Of An Actively Managed Portfolio: An Empirical Example Using The Treynor-Black Model, Alexander D. Brown

Honors Theses

The focus of this thesis is to examine the added benefits of actively managing a portfolio of securities from an individual investor's perspective. More specifically, managing a market portfolio with the combination of a selected few actively managed securities can, in some instances, create excess return. The active portfolios are formed based on the firms' specific industries or region in which they operate. The idea is that an investor can forecast that a specific industry will outperform or underperform other industries during different periods in the market. Using the investor's forecasts can provide excess returns if the forecast is accurate. …

An Analysis Of Corporate Social Responsibility And Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting, Anna Claire Wammack

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to present an overview of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and CSR reporting. The research done in preparation of this report was done by reviewing articles and professional reports and surveys on the topic of CSR. The report defines CSR and examines several surveys of businesses to see what the current CSR trends are. Next, government initiatives and expenditures related to CSR are described and quantified. The report continues by describing the benefits and format of CSR reporting and attestation. Other areas of business and CSR are studied such as CSR investing and consulting. Lastly, …

Mitigation Of Preventable Medical Errors Via The Use Of Human Resources And Human Factors, Callender Creel

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to discuss historical and current rates of preventable medical errors (PMEs), their causes, and methods used to reduce them. I will also provide recommendations that I believe can help reduce the number of injuries and deaths that result from them. Data and information used in this thesis were drawn from a variety of sources. While the large majority was sourced from articles in academic journals, government health reports, Federal Flight Administration documents, phone interviews, and personal experiences in the medical field also provided invaluable information. To summarize, there are two major types of preventable …

Strategic Planning In Real Estate Investment Trust, Xinyi Long

Honors Theses

This paper investigates various strategic planning models and then applies the models to the strategic planning process for a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). Several strategic models covered in this paper include Basic Strategic Planning Model, Issue-Based Strategic Planning Model, Kepner-Tregoe Matrix Model, and the Impact Analysis Model. Next, I discuss the roles of different functional areas within a REIT with respect to strategic planning. After fully analyzing these strategic models and the roles of various functional areas, I choose a REIT (AmREIT, Inc.) and perform a SWOT analysis to identify four issues facing this REIT. These four issues are …

Boss Lady: How Female Chinese Managers Succeed In China's Guanxi System, Charles Palmer Withers

Honors Theses

This project examines how female Chinese managers within China's traditionally male-dominated, guanxi-related private sector are coming into their own as leaders of the new Chinese economy. In this project, guanxi (关系) is defined as interpersonal relations and connections and research hinges around investigating how female Chinese managers use, or do not use, guanxi in their careers and personal lives. After establishing a background of preexisting scholarship, this project implements a Case Study Analysis chapter on three self made female entrepreneurs followed by an Interview Analysis chapter conducted with four female managers that took place in May, 2014. The goal of …

Occupational Fraud: A Survey, Elizabeth Carroll

Honors Theses

This paper examines the issue of occupation fraud in today's corporations. It provides an overview of the types of occupational fraud and how they usually occur. This paper also explains the attributes of the typical fraudster and describes warning signs that management should look out for in their company. It analyzes the regulations and polices put into place to combat the growing issue of fraud. It also provides a look at cyber-fraud, which is an increasing problem due to society's reliance on technology. It explains why fraud prevention is so important in corporations, whether small or large, and emphasizes the …

Fraud And Its Relation To The Hospitality Industry, Nicole Ross

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to analyze and explore the numerous components of fraud, including its relation and presence in the hospitality industry. Additionally, the study contains findings and analyses derived from participation in a professional development series conducted in a classroom setting and two accounting case studies hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers and KMPG in Fall 2013. I will dissect fraud down to its various elements and compile a work plan and proposal originating from the findings from the study. The study examines the causes of fraud, people who commit fraud, fraud legislation, and fraud trends. Through primary and secondary …

Drink, Drank, Drunk: An Analysis Of Three Possible Solutions To Urban Residential Potable Water Shortages In China, Holly C. Smith

Honors Theses

China's urban residential communities are currently facing mounting levels of water scarcity with the potential to impact social and even possibly political stability. China's central government is currently attempting to mitigate such potential risk by adopting a variety of projects aimed at combating potable water shortages. This paper sets out to analyze three of the national projects adopted by China's central government to combat critical residential water shortages currently affecting China's urban areas. The three projects are South North River Transfer Project, the adoption of tiered water pricing system, and the construction of desalinization facilities in some coastal cities. Each …

Corporate Social Responsibility: Do Companies Have Consciences?, Rachel Victoria Nieters

Honors Theses

The first part of this thesis is a report that provides information on a wide variety of topics pertaining to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), particularly those that would be of interest to the accounting industry. All information in this report was gathered through review of research already done by prominent persons and entities in the CSR field. CSR is a combination of both environmental and social factors. In addition to government initiative support, there are a multitude of inherent benefits of CSR, as well as benefits that can only be gained through good CSR marketing. There are also costs, which …

Royal Caribbean International: Financial Analysis And Recommendations, Reagan Huey

Honors Theses

Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. is an international cruise line that is publically traded on the New York Stock Exchange. It is the second largest cruise line in the world, controlling five brands, 42 ships, and contracts for many more. Royal Caribbean also has part ownership of TUI Cruises and related assets through a 50 percent joint venture. Their headquarters are in Miami, Florida, but the company offers cruises to over 490 destinations in all seven continents. Departure points across the globe allow the company to reach nearly every existing market. Using a strategy of innovation and increasingly lavish offerings, Royal …

Viral Marketing In The Nonprofit Sector: Crafting Messages That Create Awareness And Call An Audience To Action, Hannah Parker

Honors Theses

The nonprofit (NPO) sector has seen immense growth in recent years. With this growth has come an increased need for any particular nonprofit to compete and differentiate itself from the vast number of other nonprofits also looking for clients, volunteers, and donors. Unfortunately, nonprofits often lack the resources needed to develop and execute a successful marketing campaign. The emergence of controlled viral marketing offers a number of possibilities for these NPOs looking to spread awareness and increase involvement. The purpose of this research was to explore common themes among previous viral marketing campaigns and identify factors that are likely to …

A Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of Student Loan Debt And Its Impact On Postsecondary Education And The American Economy, James Wesley Howell

Honors Theses

This paper seeks to address the current student debt problem in the United States from both a quantitative and qualitative perspective. I have analyzed the student debt problem using data from the New York Federal Reserve, CollegeBoard, and a number of university studies and independent sources. In this paper I address the current structure of postsecondary educational finance with a focus on student loans. I address the causes of the current amount of outstanding student debt on governmental, institutional, and personal fronts, and analyze the amount of debt and cost of tuition and fees by type of institution in order …

A Study Of Earnings Managent And Financial Statement Reporting Issues Surroding Public Traded Corporations, Juntao Wu

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to study some publicly traded companies' financial reporting systems. I chose four companies in different industries to conduct a series of analyses and evaluations. In Section One, the quality of these companies' financial reporting systems is carefully examined and evaluated. First, I discuss some potential earnings management strategies that managers from different departments tend to adopt. Next, some of the chosen companies' important policies, such as revenue recognition, are compared with industrial standards or relevant policies from competitors. In addition, earnings management and financial reporting issues that relate to income taxes are discussed separately. …

A Strategic And It Analysis Of Quirky And An Examination Of Business And Accounting Case Studies, Lisa-Marie Schalk

Honors Theses

The purpose of this secondary and primary research is not only to explore the concept of management and information technology consulting in the context of a startup up company based in New York called Quirky, but also to present the culmination of my participation in two accounting case study competitions, PricewaterhouseCoopers' xACT competition and KPMG's International Case Competition. After my secondary research on management and IT consulting and the role of IT in various functional areas such as human resources, supply chain management, and financial reporting, I present a brief background on Quirky, a startup company with the mission to …

The Ethicality And Financial Impact Of Paying Collegiate Athletes, Keaton J. Vann

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to explain why collegiate athletes should be paid and the financial impact of paying them. The study looks at how the NCAA's student-athlete model has exploited collegiate athletes and denied them from receiving a share of the revenues they generate each year. It includes the reasons for paying players, and the troubles athletes go through because of the way the NCAA is orchestrated. The goal is to determine the financial effect of paying athletes across the NCAA, as well as by divisions and conferences. Additionally, the financial statements of the NCAA and some of …

Vivre En Travaillant: Exploring The Economic And Social Effects Of The 35-Hour Workweek In France, Mellie Mcgehee

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.