Business Commons^™

2023-May-01-Level Up- Discover The Future Of Gaming, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

ETSU Esports is forging a path in the collegiate gaming community, striving to come out on top as a leader in the industry. 

Esports is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and by embracing this new modern athlete, ETSU is going beyond what was thought possible in the gaming industry. The esports team is focused on providing students with opportunities that will accelerate them in their future careers by allowing them to gain leadership, marketing, broadcasting, video editing and production experience.  

“Working in the esports industry and the general, online video production industry is something that I …

2023-May-01-Quillen College Of Medicine Graduates 70 Students, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine celebrated commencement on Friday with 70 students being awarded their Doctor of Medicine degree.

This summer, the Class of 2023 will disperse to their residencies across 20 states and the District of Columbia. The Class of 2023 matched into 15 different specialties and enjoyed a 100% match rate for the second straight year.

“While many members of the Class of 2023 will spread out across the nation to complete their residency training, we know they will represent Quillen well wherever they end up,” said Dr. Bill Block, ETSU vice president for clinical …

2023-May-01-Tony Treadway Appointed To Etsu Board Of Trustees, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has appointed Tony Treadway, president and CEO of The Creative Energy Group Inc., to the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Board of Trustees.

Treadway, a native of Erwin and an ETSU graduate, brings to the board a rich and varied background as a journalist, brand marketing strategist and community leader. In his capacity as founder of a top advertising agency based in Johnson City, Treadway has continuously championed ETSU, employing many of its graduates and contributing to significant university initiatives, including the creation of the William B. Greene Jr. Stadium.

Tony Treadway

"Tony’s deep roots …

Kate Spade Strategic Analysis, Cydne Munson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Kate Spade is an American luxury handbag and accessory company. The company is best known for its fun yet timeless and functional designs and has been a highly regarded and recognized brand since its inception nearly thirty years ago. This report explores the history of the Kate Spade brand and its resources that contribute to competitive advantages in the industry. A Porter’s Five Forces analysis and a PESTEL analysis are used to examine Kate Spade’s external environment and the luxury handbag industry as a whole. Finally, potential future threats and strategies to counteract them are examined.

Johnson & Johnson Strategic Audit, Hannah Headley, Lucy Peterkin, Ryan Nyffeler, Joshua Wiemers, Bailey Birkholtz

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is a healthcare company that generates economic value from its three core business segments: Consumer Health, Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Devices. Recent innovations include new pharmaceutical products, remote clinical trials, automated patient recruitment, improved scientific and digital literacy amongst employees, and innovative digitized models for supply chain planning. J&J has a competitive edge in R&D efficiency, with a 4.35 return on research capital ratio. Sociocultural, technological, and economic factors will play a large role in changing the pharmaceutical industry environment, and J&J is well positioned to benefit from sources of growth such as the increase in aging …

Nvidia Corporation: Pc Gaming Industry Strategic Audit, Charlie Peng

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Nvidia is a semiconductor company focusing on high-performance computer graphics technology. The company designs graphics processing units (GPUs), which are used in a variety of fields such as data centers, artificial intelligence (AI), and gaming. This paper seeks to examine Nvidia’s position within the PC gaming industry. First, PESTEL and Porter’s Five Forces analyses are used to detail the overall PC gaming industry. The next section examines how Nvidia competes through its strategy, resources, and competitive advantages. Finally, future challenges and recommendations to position the company are explored.

Mckinsey & Company: People And Organizational Performance Strategic Analysis, Sadie Richards

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

McKinsey & Company is an international management consulting firm for businesses, governments, and institutions. It is one of the five largest consulting services in the United States and one of the “Big Three” management consulting firms of the United States. This report focuses on McKinsey & Company’s People and Organizational Performance sector and provides an internal and external analysis to understand how it has gained and maintained a sustainable competitive advantage in its industry. Specifically, this report uses Porter’s Five Forces and a PESTEL Analysis as tools to analyze the macro environment and competition within the industry. Recommendations are given …

Marriott International: A Managerial Strategic Audit, Brooke Eschenbrenner, Alex Zlatic, Madison Bechtel, Brandon Collins, Charlotte Straley, Grant Gubbels

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

A strategic management audit of the public firm, Marriott International, was conducted to identify various factors and managerial strategies that affect Marriott and the global hotels and tourism industry. At the industry level, we conducted a PESTEL and Five Forces analysis, researched the competitive landscape, and assessed the total value potential. We found that the industry experienced a major decline during the COVID-19 pandemic but saw recovery as international travel opened up again. On the company level, we conducted an internal analysis, identified Marriott’s management structure, and identified the firm’s structure and strategies through a SWOT analysis and other relevant …

Northern Oil & Gas Strategic Audit, Jacob Hansen

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Northern Oil & Gas is an energy company that operates in various basins across the United States. The company utilizes a non-operating model, meaning it does not drill wells or operate rigs, but rather partners with operators and acquires fractional working interests in drilling units. This report seeks to understand Northern Oil & Gas’ business model by examining its competitive strategy, advantages, and resources. Internal and external environmental factors are also analyzed using both PESTEL analysis and Porter’s Five Forces. In addition, key challenges facing the company are explored and recommendations are given on how Northern Oil & Gas can …

Peers And The Choice Of Irrigation Practices In The Arkansas Delta, Kent Kovacs, Christopher Henry, Qiuqiong Huang, Larry Jason Krutz

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

There are a range of demographic, climatic, and economic factors that influence the use of irrigation practices, along with the effect of peers and Extension agents on agricultural technologies. This research was conducted to determine how a peer's use of multiple irrigation practices influences the use of common irrigation practices in the Delta region of Arkansas. Using data from a producer survey conducted by telephone in 2015, we identify the determinants of the use and the share of an irrigated farm with five common irrigation practices in the Arkansas Delta. The role of peers for irrigation practice use depends on …

Do Firms Respond To Peer Disclosures? Evidence From Disclosures Of Clinical Trial Results, Vedran Capkun, Yun Lou, Clemens A. Otto, Yin Wang

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

Using data on the registration of clinical trials and the disclosure of trial results, we examine how firms respond to peer disclosures. We find that firms are less likely to disclose their own trial results if the results of a larger number of closely related trials are disclosed by their peers. This relation is stronger if the firms face higher competition (as measured by the number of competing trials). It is weaker if the firms are further along in their research than the peers (as measured by the trials’ phase) and if the peers’ disclosures convey more negative news (as …

For Whom Does It Pay To Be A Moral Capitalist? Sustainability Of Corporate Financial Performance Of Esg Investment, Mariya Gubareva, Zaghum Umar, Tatiana Sokolova, Valentina Antonyuk

All Works

This paper analyzes the risk-return characteristics of socially responsible investing by employing a time-varying capital gain and Sharpe ratio analysis for various investment horizons. We employ the MSCI ESG (environmental, social and governance) leaders indices in ten markets encompassing Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan, UK, USA, China, India, Russia, and South Africa. Our sample ranges from 2007-2020. We document that ESG investments have very desirable return and hedging attributes for investors in these markets, and especially so in the USA and emerging markets.

2023-May-01-Our Appalachian Expertise Is Well-Recognized, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

JOHNSON CITY – East Tennessee State University’s Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services has received a nearly $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to begin developing an online, open-access version of its acclaimed Encyclopedia of Appalachia.  

 

The grant is part of $35 million in NEH grants awarded to 258 humanities projects across the country and is one of only five awarded in Tennessee. Dr. Ron Roach, director of the Center, will lead the project and serve as a general editor.  

 

“Our Center of Excellence is delighted to lead this multi-year project that will involve …

The Rapid Increase Of Ransomware Attacks Over The 21st Century And Mitigation Strategies To Prevent Them From Arising, Sanjay Jacob

Senior Honors Theses

Cyber-attacks have continued to become more common throughout the past century as more people are exposed to the Internet. Every year, various studies, reports, and scholarly research is done to emphasis the rapid increase of attacks. In this honors thesis, the student sought to gather further information about the rise of ransomware attacks, various cyber threats, discuss the psychological manipulation that exist, and provided the reader with an ethical complement of cyber-attacks. Additionally, case studies from previous research have been analyzed and mitigation strategies have been explained to provide the reader with practical application. This research emphasizes in on key …

2023-May-01-Building Resilient Communities, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

East Tennessee State University will host a two-day conference this week aimed at building a more resilient community and creating a recovery ecosystem to help veterans struggling with substance use disorder.

The event, Sparking Resilience: How the Northeast Tennessee Region Can Forge a Recovery Ecosystem for Veterans, takes place from May 25-26 and is hosted by the Quillen College of Medicine’s Department of Continuing Education for Health Professionals. Continuing education credit is being offered.

“This is just the first step in a long journey to start building a more resilient recovery ecosystem for our communities that have been devastated …

2023-May-01-Need Inspiration? Read About These Rotc Grads., University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

JOHNSON CITY – Cadets in the Army ROTC Program at East Tennessee State University will be commissioned as second lieutenants later this week.

The 1 p.m. ceremony is in the D.P. Culp Student Center Auditorium, located on the first floor, on the university’s main campus on Friday, May 5. Speaking at the event is Col. Jerry E. Baird Jr., an officer with many commendations. He holds degrees from North Carolina State University, Mars Hill University and the U.S. Air Force War College. A recognized leader with service at the Pentagon, Baird has led more than 500 soldiers into combat. …

2023-May-01-Scholars Mostly Ignored Them. Until Now., University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

JOHNSON CITY – From infertility and insulin resistance to depression and anxiety, those afflicted with polycystic ovary syndrome endure many unpleasant symptoms.

Scholarly literature has been mostly silent on the personal experiences of those who suffer from  this condition, known as PCOS.

“In writing this book, I felt an immense privilege to have been entrusted with the stories of the 50 individuals living with PCOS that I interviewed,” said Williams.

East Tennessee State University’s Dr. Stacey Williams aims to change that in “The Psychology of PCOS: Building the Science and Breaking the Silence,” a new book published earlier this year …

2023-May-01-Pepper On Patrol- Sit, Stay, 'Heal', University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

“At ETSU, we support the student as a whole,” said Dr. Alison Davis, interim director of the ETSU Counseling Center.

Among the many resources ETSU offers to support wellness is Sgt. Pepper, the university's emotional support dog. Pepper brings smiles to the faces of the people she meets on campus.

Students, faculty and staff also have access to a host of mental health and wellness resources, ranging from counseling services to financial aid. For more information, visit etsu.edu/counseling.

2023-May-01-Theres Just Something About Being In Nature, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

The beauty of ETSU’s campus shines year-round, and as mid-spring inches toward summer, it grows ever more colorful! Students, employees, and members of the community can enjoy splashes of ETSU blue and gold, as well as red, white, purple, and pink as they stroll across campus.

Thanks to the hard-working Grounds and Landscape Department for planting, weeding, and watering the flower beds, planters, and hanging baskets that will grow even more lovely throughout the summer months!

Close-up of flower in a bed of begonias.

Petunias and other flowers in planter with blooming rhododendron in the background in front of Warf-Pickel …

Understanding Romania's Poverty: A Historical Overview Of Economics And Politics And Their Implications On Poverty Today, Benjamin Bucur

Senior Honors Theses

Romania is a country with a high-income economy that is experiencing considerable growth following its economic reforms of earlier decades. With growth, tendencies for an unequal society are prevalent. Therefore, appropriate economic policies that are specifically targeted toward bottlenecks are essential. This thesis seeks to outline the major types of poverty in Romania while also offering actionable entrepreneurial and educational insights that practically combat poverty at its roots.

Irrigation-As-A-Service For Smallholder Farmers, Ishani Lal

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

Irrigation is a crucial management practice that can help increase food security among smallholders globally while mitigating climate change impacts. High-efficiency irrigation technologies such as drip kits and sprinkler systems are relatively expensive and smallholder farmers cannot afford them to buffer crop yields against low precipitation. In many developing countries, farmers participate in robust informal markets for renting and sharing of irrigation equipment. Such services may be operated by farmers or via a third party such as irrigation start-ups, water user associations, non-governmental organizations, or even government agencies. These services are referred to collectively as Irrigation-as-a-Service (IaaS).

The objective of …

Nintendo Strategic Audit, Stephanie Herridge

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Nintendo is a Japanese-based multinational company that is one of the primary competitors in the video game industry. It has smaller headquarters located in North America and Europe and continues to pursue new markets and customers. Having remained successful for over a century, Nintendo pursues unique forms of strategy to maintain relevance for current generations of consumers. This strategic audit seeks to dissect Nintendo’s long-term profitability by analyzing the company’s history, competitive resources and advantages, and the current challenges and trends in the video game industry as a whole. The tools used to explore the industry include Porter’s Five Forces …

Stopovers As Valued-Based Experience: A Conceptual Model, Filareti Kotsi, Kim Johnston, Steven Pike

All Works

This study on stopovers, defined as consisting of a one to three-night transition to a destination featuring value-based experiences, uses a multi-site data collection approach of focus groups in six cities to examine stopovers during long-haul air travel in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Singapore and Hong Kong. It contributes to the literature on stopovers by defining and conceptualizing the term and identifying the key influences of stopover choice and value experiences of travelers from distant geographic areas, namely, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, and New Zealand. The proposal of the conceptual model on stopovers offers a basis for destination marketers …

Neuromarketing As A Scale Validation Tool: Understanding Individual Differences Based On The Style Of Processing Scale In Affective Judgements, Meng-Hsien (Jenny) Lin, William Jones, Terry L. Childers

College of Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper revisits a well-cited and widely applied consumer scale, Style of Processing (SOP) (Childers et al., Journal of Consumer Research, 1985, 12, 125), that has been used to investigate individual differences in processing visual versus verbal information in marketing. The scale has advanced knowledge in fields related to marketing communications, product development, psychology, advertising, education and learning theories, shedding light on our understanding of consumer psychology related to persuasion, comprehension, memory, and other consumer cognitive processes involving information. In a research dialog that took place in 2008, a need for further SOP validation was suggested using a neuromarketing approach. …

Affordances And Information Systems Research: Taking Stock And Moving Forward, Mostafa Mesgari, Kaveh Mohajeri, Bijan Azad

Information Systems and Business Analytics Faculty Works

The term affordance appears with increasing frequency in the Information Systems (IS) literature. Nevertheless, those who study information technologies/information systems (IT/IS) via the affordance lens often have different views about its origin, meaning, and appropriate application in IS research. In turn, not spelling out the related assumptions and boundaries inherent in these diverse views may have hindered a wider and more cumulative adoption of the affordance lens in IS research. This paper offers a potential solution by (1) synthesizing the ecological psychology literature to suggest five key modules of the affordance concept relevant to IS research and (2) taking stock …

Assessing Leadership In Business: A Critical Investigation Of Elon Musk, Agnieszka Miklaszewicz

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper provides an in-depth analysis of Elon Musk's leadership style across all his companies. Elon Musk, known for his passion for innovation and helping humanity, has founded and led several successful companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, The Boring Company, and Twitter. The paper explores Musk's background, including his early entrepreneurial ventures and risk-taking attitude, highlighting his unique approach to leadership. The analysis focuses on Musk's leadership characteristics, drawing on the article "Decoding Leadership: What Really Matters," which identifies effective leadership traits such as being supportive, results-oriented, seeking different perspectives, and problem-solving. Furthermore, the paper examines Musk's leadership styles based …

Business Viability & Communication Potential Of Modern Education Models, Santiago Frank

Senior Honors Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the education sector at large. This study aims to investigate which current education model best balances the sub-criteria of business viability and communication efficacy in the milieu of our modern context. In this study, five education models have been studied in order to uncover their performance in these two sub-criteria. Each model is analyzed in terms of its objective performance. The results reveal that in-person education provides slightly better scores for communication efficacy as well as much higher student and faculty satisfaction, while online education is incredibly economically viable. While the data is unclear, in …

Revolutionizing Agriculture Through Digital Twins, Mohsen Attaran, Sharmin Attaran, Bilge Gokhan Celik

Marketing Department Faculty Book Publications

The rise of digital twin (DT) technology is transforming the way businesses operate, with its applications and use cases expanding across various industries. This article focuses on the agriculture industry and explores how DT can enable intelligent automation. Through a comprehensive review of DT's concept, evolution, and development, as well as a discussion of its key enabling technologies, trends, and challenges, the authors identify potential use cases for DT in agriculture. By presenting this analysis, this article aims to provide insights into how DT can streamline operations and enhance productivity in the agriculture industry.

When Scrolling Turns Into Shopping: How Influencers Advertise To Consumers On Tiktok, Amanda E. Graves

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

Every marketer wants to reach a larger audience and TikTok has become one of the most popular places for advertisers to sell products. Past research shows that social media can be an effective form of advertising because of influencers who seem more genuine in their reviews. My research expands on this to further develop how TikTok specifically helps these influencers reach their target audience and persuade their purchasing decisions to increase sales. Through careful analysis it was revealed that quick links and short-form advertising are allowing the app to experience a high volume of consumer sales. Understanding TikTok’s success can …

Learning-Based Stock Trending Prediction By Incorporating Technical Indicators And Social Media Sentiment, Zhaoxia Wang, Zhenda Hu, Fang Li, Seng-Beng Ho, Erik Cambria

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Stock trending prediction is a challenging task due to its dynamic and nonlinear characteristics. With the development of social platform and artificial intelligence (AI), incorporating timely news and social media information into stock trending models becomes possible. However, most of the existing works focus on classification or regression problems when predicting stock market trending without fully considering the effects of different influence factors in different phases. To address this gap, this research solves stock trending prediction problem utilizing both technical indicators and sentiments of the social media text as influence factors in different situations. A 3-phase hybrid model is proposed …