Business Commons^™

Evaluating The Effectiveness And Efficiency Of U.S. Foreign Aid, Rebecca Baley

Selected Honors Theses

The U.S. is the top spender in the world when it comes to foreign aid, sending billions of dollars around the world each year. There are many different goals and objectives that the U.S. government hopes to accomplish with their spending. This paper is structured as an extended literature review analyzing previous literature on the topic of U.S. foreign aid spending and the results of these funds around the world to test the effectiveness and efficiency. The process of how the foreign aid budget is set will also be discussed as well as the history of why the U.S. started …

The Acceleration Of The Fashion Trend Cycle Through Social Media, Katelin M. Callery

Selected Honors Theses

Fashion is known for its cyclical nature, but this cycle has been careening out of control in recent years. To deduce the cause of this acceleration of the fashion trend cycle, research was conducted to determine social media’s role in the trend cycle. Since coming into prominence in the last 20 years, social media has monumentally impacted countless different areas of modern culture, this paper analyzes its impact on the diffusion of fashion objects into societal relevance. This analysis is conducted through Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation curve and an in depth look into both short and long term fashion trends …

The Perceived Financial Literacy Of College Students And A University’S Influence On Post-Graduation Financial Readiness, Madison Lilienthal

Selected Honors Theses

Recently, there has been a focus in the United States regarding the issue of student debt amount graduating college students. However, the bigger issue being overlooked is the lack of financial literacy among that population upon graduation. Students graduate unprepared to make the financial decisions required upon entering the workforce. Colleges have an opportunity to provide financial education increase financial capability amount students. This research focuses on the perceived financial literacy of students to determine if they feel prepared for graduation. It then evaluates the role their university played in their graduation readiness relating to financial capability. The research also …

The Stock Market And Politics: An Analysis Of Stock Market Reactions To Political Decisions And World Events, Noah Endicott

Selected Honors Theses

The stock market is influenced by many outside factors around the world. Stock prices change every single day and there are many factors that cause this. This paper is structured as an extended literature review analyzing previous literature on the topic of politics and the stock market. There are six specific types of political decisions and world events analyzed to determine the effect on the stock market. The following topics are political elections, the presidential impact, tariffs, war, the pandemic, and tax cuts. Stock market data is gathered before and after the event takes place to understand the effects on …

Social Media Influencer Marketing And Implementing The Return On Investment, Natalie E. Zacek

Selected Honors Theses

This thesis dives into the importance of social media marketing within a business. It starts off with a literature review that explains how much people use social media, how businesses have begun to recognize this trend, and how to turn this trend into a successful marketing strategy. This strategy can be demonstrated through online ads, influencer marketing, and a strong social media presence. The thesis will identify and examine all of these methods. The second part of this thesis is based on an online survey provided to the general public (over 18) in order to discover if the findings in …

Crowdfunding In The Music Industry And Its Impact On The Business Models Of Industry Stakeholders, Ryan M. Carter

Selected Honors Theses

Challenges currently facing the music industry have led many key players to reevaluate their business models in order to survive the changing environment. Crowdfunding has become a popular way among musicians and artists to finance creative projects and/or careers. Crowdfunding works by collecting investments from a pool of people in order to raise funds for a venture, idea, or project. In recent years, crowdfunding has gained significant traction in the music industry, especially among independent artists. The introduction of crowdfunding into the mix of business models has not only impacted artists but record labels and live sector companies as well. …

Using Consumer Personality To Direct The Creation Of More Effective Advertisements, Connor Keith

Selected Honors Theses

Advertising is one of the most pervasive forces in business and culture today. All advertisers are seeking ways to be more effective in order to reach consumers better. One of the ways they can do this is by targeting certain personality types in their advertisements. This thesis seeks to find the differences in responses to advertisements from consumers with different personality types. A survey is used in conjunction with a personality test to study if consumers are most influenced by advertisements targeted toward their personalities. Suggestions are given for how to create and distribute advertisements to be most effective for …

Leadership In Christian Higher Education: The Impact Of Different Leadership Styles On Students, Montana Lynn Hancock

Selected Honors Theses

This is an expanded literature review of leadership in Christian higher education institutions, and how leaders and their leadership style, servant, transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant, impact developmental factors of students such as academic excellence, professional development, ethical and moral development, faith, and spiritual development. This paper is looking directly at the components of colleges and universities that are members of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU). The expanded literature review analyzed research previously conducted and determined that transformational leadership is the most impactful leadership style on the developmental factors of students that were looked at include academic excellence, …

Accessibility In Theme Parks: How Well Are Theme Parks Across America Accommodating Individuals With Disabilities?, Audrey J. Snow-Brine

Selected Honors Theses

Tourism for people with disabilities can be difficult, which is why theme parks need to provide the proper accommodations for their guests. A literature review on topics such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), exclusion, and tourism accessibility will be provided. The accessibilities and accommodations available at theme parks in the United States, including Walt Disney World, Disneyland, LEGOLAND Florida Resort, LEGOLAND California Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, and Universal Studios Hollywood, will be discussed. The website pages regarding accessibilities for people with disabilities will be examined, and the accommodation for each theme park will be compared. While there has …

Risky Business: The Correlation Between Sensation Seekers And Entrepreneurs, Matthew D. Buck

Selected Honors Theses

This study attempts to determine if college students with sensation seeking tendencies are more likely to have entrepreneurial tendencies due to the risk involved in both entrepreneurship and thrill seeking activates. This study used a combination of the Sensation Seeking Scale and the Attitudes Towards Enterprise test to determine the correlation between physical risk taken in hobbies and taking risk in business. An online survey was sent to 350 business students at a university in Central Florida and 62 valid surveys were received and analyzed. Through calculating the correlation coefficient, coefficient of determination, and t-tests, the author deducted that an …

Ability Or Abyss: Does American Public Relations Education Program Accreditation Adequately Address The Abilities Necessary For Professional Success?, Kuriakos Pyros

Selected Honors Theses

This paper researches the overall effectiveness of public relations (PR) accreditations in collegiate education programs, especially by standard of modern PR skills. Multiple sources recognize a wide variety in PR processes, education programs, and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) listed in the field. In essence, this paper clarifies the similarities and incongruences between PR educational programs and the KSAs of the professional field. The focus rests in understanding if accreditation processes are more successful in achieving professional status.

Considerations For Small Businesses Implementing Marketing Technology, Matthew Stallings

Selected Honors Theses

Small businesses are crucial components for not only the US economy but for economies around the world. Many of the firms struggle to stay in business and do not perform effectively and profitably, especially in the marketing aspects of business. The marketing strategies that larger organizations use do not necessarily work the best for small businesses. Therefore, small businesses are mostly conducting basic marketing principles by practicing customer relationship management (CRM). However, many of them are not unlocking their full potential by utilizing the Internet, E-mail, database software, and other marketing technologies. Thus, this paper offers research evidence to provide …

The Influence Of Perceptions On Entrepreneurial Success, Josiah P. Peterson

Selected Honors Theses

The purpose of this work is to investigate and identify the influence of perceptions on entrepreneurial success. Entrepreneurs have been identified as instrumental to the economic survival of society and have therefore become the focus of an increasingly large number of studies. This thesis will expound upon those studies by focusing on aspects of the studies that pertain to entrepreneurial perceptions and success. This work will focus on three types of perceptions and how they influence success. It will focus on the perceptions the entrepreneurs have of themselves, the perceptions they have of their environments and the perceptions others have …

Gospel With A Groove:
A Historical Perspective On The Marketing Strategies Of Contemporary Christian Music In Relation To Its Evangelistic Purpose With Recommendations For Future Outreach, Autumn E. Gillen

Selected Honors Theses

Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is an effective tool for the evangelism of Christianity. With its origins dating back to the late 1960s, CCM resembles musical styles of popular-secular culture while retaining fundamental Christian values in lyrical content. This historical perspective of CCM marketing strategies, CCM music television, CCM and secular music, arts worlds within CCM, and the science of storytelling in CCM aims to provide readers with the context and understanding of the significant role that CCM plays in modern-day evangelism. This thesis will present CCM as an integrational religious style of music, meaning that it targets both Christian and …

Gaap And Ifrs: The Convergence Phenomenon, Paul R. Walter

Selected Honors Theses

The past few decades have birthed dialogue regarding the convergence of U.S. and international accounting standards. With over a hundred countries using International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), it becomes natural to notice the purple elephant in the room in that a set of different principles serve as guide to accounting in the U.S. and for U.S. companies known as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Some see it as simply a matter of time before a convergence of sorts takes place more completely between the two accounting rule frameworks. A look at GAAP and IFRS reveals some fundamental differences produced by …

Financial Management Issues Of College-Aged Students: Influences And Consequences, Katharine N. Widener

Selected Honors Theses

College students have acquired a reputation of irresponsibility and impulsivity, which has contributed to the perception that they are poor managers of money. This researcher sought to establish a clearer picture of the full story behind how college students handle their finances through a comprehensive literature review. Several searches were conducted on the topics of college students, finances, money management, debt levels, and other related terms. Scholarly articles were analyzed for common themes and research patterns, and the various strings of research identified were categorized into three main headings: Financial situation, financial influences, and financial consequences. The three major headings …

Restaurant Entrepreneurship: Theory And Practice, Margaret Leach

Selected Honors Theses

Mirroring its industry, restaurant entrepreneurship is an expansive, evolving topic. This thesis seeks to answer the question, “How do community-focused restaurants, operated by lifestyle entrepreneurs, launch and scale?” A case study approach is taken and literature regarding restaurant ownership, entrepreneurship, and social enterprise is reviewed. Interviews of ten different non-franchise restaurant owners were obtained and analyzed. The interviewees detailed the processing of launching the venture, scaling and growing the business, and supporting and partnering with the surrounding community.

The Shattered Slipper Project: The Impact Of The Disney Princess Franchise On Girls Ages 6-12, Caila Leigh Cordwell

Selected Honors Theses

The Disney Princess franchise is arguably the largest and most popular franchise in the world, earning billions of dollars globally each year. Due to the prevalence and ease of access, the Disney princesses have a tremendous impact on today’s youth, namely young girls. This qualitative study investigated just how much of an impact the Disney Princess franchise has on American girls ages 6-12 through the production of a documentary film, entitled The Shattered Slipper Project. The research team selected girls from private schools in Lakeland, Florida and Sharpsburg, Georgia. The researcher conducted two interviews—one a roundtable-style group interview focusing on …

A Comprehensive Study Of Leadership Styles And Various Factors Contributing To The Success Of Athletic Teams, Christopher P. Intoppa

Selected Honors Theses

This paper involved a study of leadership styles in the realm of athletics. Using literature that had been written on the subject and examinations of particularly successful coaches over time, an accurate determination of leadership styles, qualities, and characteristics that contribute to success was able to be achieved. It was concluded that transformational leadership styles are explicitly profitable when dealing with athletes at any level of athletic competition. However, it was also discovered through research that these qualities are even more valuable if paired with an authoritative style of delivering instruction, mutual respect between coaches and players, and discipline by …

Identifying Factors Related To Nonprofit Success Through The Use Of A Multidimensional Approach, Kendall M. Hayes

Selected Honors Theses

Nonprofit success is a complex and inconclusive term. Rather than attempting to define nonprofit success, this thesis seeks to identify factors attributed to organizational effectiveness. Support for the credibility of these factors is derived from a review of literature and an interview with the CEO of an acclaimed successful nonprofit. The balanced scorecard is referenced as a multidimensional approach to structuring and evaluating organizational effectiveness. Factors within these perspectives and those mentioned in an interview with the CEO have been analyzed and identified for the use of nonprofit personnel or entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurial Marketing: A Historical Exploration And Implications For Practice, Sofia Victoria Ramos

Selected Honors Theses

In an increasingly turbulent market, marketers are having difficulty predicting consumer demands, and academics are finding that traditional marketing theory is no longer highly effective in making educated marketing decisions. With the growth of Entrepreneurial Marketing (EM) research over the past several decades, researchers have found these practices to be effective not only for SME’s but also for larger firms. Because of this, researchers are offering Entrepreneurial Marketing theory as a solution for all firms seeking a competitive advantage in a volatile market. Entrepreneurial Marketing, which is the innovative, opportunity seeking approach most entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) …

Applying Trait Theory To Determine The Causality Of The Entrepreneur’S Success, Samuel Moyer

Selected Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to apply trait theory through psychoanalysis in an attempt to determine why three noted entrepreneurs: Andrew Carnegie, Walt Disney, and Oprah Winfrey, were highly successful in their respective ventures as well as discuss the extent to which indicative traits of entrepreneurial success were present in the subjects studied. Research shows that components of entrepreneurs’ traits and motivation have a direct relationship to the start-up and continued success of new venture firms (Baum, Locke, 2004) which means more accurate definitions of traits responsible for entrepreneurial success are beneficial to investors, entrepreneurs, and the entire economic …

Behavioral Finance: Its History And Its Future, Robert Christopher Hammond

Selected Honors Theses

The field of behavioral finance has attempted to explain a litany of biases, heuristics, and

inefficiencies present in financial markets since its creation in the 1980’s. This paper is structured as a comprehensive literature review of behavioral finance, and includes both the seminal works as well as more recent papers. The various subtopics of behavioral finance will also be analyzed, which include loss aversion, corporate finance, and momentum/contrarian investing. Finally, this paper will draw unique conclusions across behavioral finance and hypothesize about what topics within behavioral finance are likely to yield the most interesting research in the near future.

The Untapped Potential Of Introvert Leaders, Marina A. Pawlaczyk

Selected Honors Theses

Academic research shows that extroverts are generally seen as more productive and

effective leaders than their introvert counterparts because they possess the characteristics our society has so often revered (Grant, Gino, & Hofmann, 2009). With the rise of the “extrovert ideal” throughout our society, introverts are left wondering what role they play when it comes to leadership (Cain, 2013). Through examples of four successful introvert leaders (Susan Cain, Warren Buffett, Laura Bush, and Bill Gates), it can be derived that it is not the personality that makes the leader but, rather, the passion, drive, and self-actualization of the individual. With …

Learning Gains At Cccu-Member Schools: A Comparison Of Cccu Students’ Performance On The Cpa Exam To Performance At Aacsb-Member And Non-Aacsb-Member Schools – A Replication Of A Study By Hahn, Fairchild, And Childs Presented At The Christian Business Faculty Association In October 2014, Rachel M. Galbreath

Selected Honors Theses

This study is a replication of a study by Hahn, Fairchild, and Childs that examines differences in Uniform Certified Public Accountant Exam (UCPAE) pass rates between test-takers who graduated from schools that are members of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and those who graduated from institutions that are not members of the CCCU. CCCU- member schools were found to have pass rates similar to institutions accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) even though AACSB schools have an advantage in incoming student aptitude as measured by students’ SAT scores. These results indicate that …

The Scarlet Market: The Economic Framework Of Sex Trafficking And Microfinance As A Proactive Solution, Hannah M. Demarest

Selected Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Certified Management Accountant Program, Kathleen M. Trenski

Selected Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Effectiveness Of Peer-Facilitated Workshops On Student Performance In Introductory Financial Accounting, Katherine A. (Childs) Bigelow

Selected Honors Theses

There has been a need for reform in accounting education at universities so that students can better understand the accounting material and also perform better in the workplace. Prior research has been conducted on the effectiveness on student performance for methods that move away from the traditional classroom format. While these methods include laboratories, cooperative learning, and online learning modules, no research has been done to assess the effectiveness of peer-facilitated workshops on accounting students’ performance. This thesis assesses the effectiveness of peer-facilitated workshops that focus on the accounting equation on student performance in a Principles of Financial Accounting course. …

Allowing For Low-Cost Labor In Underdeveloped And Developing Countries As A Method For Initiating Economic Industrialization, Jordon A. Wolfram

Selected Honors Theses

The topic presented here closely examines the link between low-cost labor and the affect that it has on initiating industrialization in underdeveloped and developed countries. It can ultimately create a better standard of living for a country’s general population in the future, but the initial conditions for the laborers can be harsh. The low wage labor force achieves this goal by creating a competitive labor market which has the ability to stimulate economic growth. Once the initial steps of creating manufacturing and industry are achieved, then the general standard of living has robust potential to increase in the country as …