Business Commons^™

Women’S Empowerment Campaigns In East Asia: Case Study Of Sk-Ii, Huan Yao

Student Theses and Dissertations

Brands are increasingly paying attention to the purchasing power of female consumers. In recent years, many brands have added female elements to their brand stories to promote gender equality in society. This provides more opportunities for brands to express their values. However, while the women's movement in Western countries has been in full swing, feminism in Eastern countries is still being explored. This paper examines the best practices in three East Asian countries - China, Japan, and South Korea - for incorporating women's causes into brand identity and probing the development of women's themes in corporate cultures. The paper aims …

Investigation Of Algorithmic Nudging On Decision Quality: Evidence From Randomized Experiments In Online Recommendation Settings, Yuxiao Luo

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Most recently, academic research has started to address the relationship between nudges and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) and found that personalized targeting algorithms can influence individual and collective behaviors in ways that may lead to undesired consequences for both end-users and firms. This dissertation investigates the effects of digital nudging, particularly algorithmic nudging, on user’s decision quality in online badge recommendations in the e-commerce context. Nudge is a choice architecture that alters individual’s behavior in a predictable way while preserving all available options and keeping the same economic incentives. In this dissertation, I conducted three independent and relevant studies and …

Multi-Perspective Analysis For Derivative Financial Product Prediction With Stacked Recurrent Neural Networks, Natural Language Processing And Large Language Model, Ethan Lo

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study developed a multi-perspective, AI-powered model for predicting E-Mini S&P 500 Index Futures prices, tackling the challenging market dynamics of these derivative financial instruments. Leveraging FinBERT for analysis of Wall Street Journal data alongside technical indicators, trader positioning, and economic factors, my stacked recurrent neural network built with LSTMs and GRUs achieves significantly improved accuracy compared to single sub-models. Furthermore, ChatGPT generation of human-readable analysis reports demonstrates the feasibility of using large language models in financial analysis. This research pioneers the use of stacked RNNs and LLMs for multi-perspective financial analysis, offering a novel blueprint for automated prediction and …

Socially Safe On Smartphones: How Smartphone Use Reduces Social Risk Taking, Diogo Koch Alves

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Consumers are often faced with decisions that carry a degree of social risk, with uncertain outcomes that could impact their social standing. Examples include choosing the ideal outfit to wear to an upcoming party or selecting a gift to give to a friend. Given the prevalence of smartphones in consumer decision making, I investigate the effect of smartphone use on social risk taking. Across seven studies, I find that smartphone use, relative to the use of other devices, results in a lower propensity to make socially risky decisions. I propose that smartphone use, by increasing the salience of one’s social …

Containerization Of Seafarers In The International Shipping Industry: Contemporary Seamanship, Maritime Social Infrastructures, And Mobility Politics Of Global Logistics, Liang Wu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation discusses the mobility politics of container shipping and argues that technological development, political-economic order, and social infrastructure co-produce one another. Containerization, the use of standardized containers to carry cargo across modes of transportation that is said to have revolutionized and globalized international trade since the late 1950s, has served to expand and extend the power of international coalitions of states and corporations to control the movements of commodities (shipments) and labor (seafarers). The advent and development of containerization was driven by a sociotechnical imaginary and international social contract of seamless shipping and cargo flows. In practice, this liberal, …

Motivation, Learning, And The Workplace: A Study Of Community College Student Affairs Professionals And Continued Professional Learning, Joseph M. Ginese

Theses and Dissertations

Continued professional learning is a consistent focus of attention for the field of student affairs within higher education. Yet, very little research has been conducted on the factors that influence the motivation of student affairs professionals to pursue continued professional learning, especially professionals within community colleges. This study utilized a quantitative research design to examine the physical and psychological factors of the work environment that can influence a community college student affairs professional’s motivation to pursue continued professional learning. Through the theoretical lens of Lewin’s Field Theory and Eccles’ Expectancy-Value Theory, I designed a 58-item survey (N = 41) …

“I’M Especially Sorry To Those Impacted”: Conventional Visions Of Leadership In The 2022/2023 Tech Layoffs, Jared J. Watkins

Student Theses and Dissertations

In 2022 and 2023, over 400,000 employees in the technology sector were laid off. This study conducted a thematic analysis using coding on memos announcing layoffs sent by leaders at Meta, Google, and Microsoft in late 2022 and early 2023. This study also conducted an analysis of layoff memos sent by leaders of Google and Microsoft in 2009 for comparison. Key findings include that writing to multiple stakeholders in the 2022/2023 memos produced novel contradictions and paradoxes that may impede employee sensemaking, that 2022/2023 memos used more passive and distancing language that disconnected the leader from the layoff decision and …

Going Green To Sell, N'Dja D. N'Guessan

Student Theses and Dissertations

The following thesis project discusses green communication strategies that can be implemented across industries to improve sales while aligning with consumers’ environmental values. It incorporates practical ideas and techniques within the reach of for-profit organizations when creating, developing, and promoting green products. The environmental, social, and governance expectations have challenged organizations across industries for years. By producing and interpreting the results of a meta-analysis of green business strategies found in existing research, Going Green to Sell offers ideas to new and growing organizations on how to market their products, using functional communication strategies that have worked before, focusing on green …

Maui Wildfires: A Case Study In Local Government Crisis Communication Response, Joshua A. Voda

Student Theses and Dissertations

When wildfires swept through the island of Maui in Hawai‘i in August 2023, the communities of Olinda, Kula and especially Lahaina were devastated. Thousands of people were displaced, and nearly 100 people were lost. Just like the speed at which the fiery winds consumed these towns, accusations of emergency mismanagement and a host of misinformation spread by word of mouth and online. The primary local government authority for these communities is the County of Maui, currently led by Mayor Richard Bissen. This case study examines the first month of communication from the County of Maui to the affected communities via …

Embodying Compassion: Striving Towards Sensitivity, Inclusion And Synergy, Arva N. Anees

Student Theses and Dissertations

Inspired by the author's experience as the sole Muslim woman in a company of over 100 employees, the capstone project addresses the observed lack of prioritization for minority inclusion in the workplace. The capstone project outlined aims to address this issue by developing a cultural sensitivity and inclusion workshop that surpasses superficial efforts and encourages participants to internally reflect on their daily workplace interactions. The workshop, designed with an experiential approach lasting 1.5-2 hours, seeks to foster practical knowledge and instigate changes towards a more inclusive, equitable, and diverse working environment. Emphasizing increased awareness, engagement in reflective and collaborative activities, …

Navigating The Unprecedented: A Behavioral Theory Of The Firm's Perspective On Covid-19'S Impact On Workplace Practices, Jeffrey Augugliaro

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study investigates the influence of COVID-19 induced uncertainty on the implementation and effectiveness of workplace practices, using the behavioral theory of the firm as the theoretical lens. Employing the Cube One framework as the set of practices to test, it hypothesizes that pandemic-induced uncertainty would reduce the frequency of management practices enacted, decrease variability across organizations, and diminish the relationship between enacted practices and organizational performance. Furthermore, the study posits that these relationships will be moderated by industry, given their variable levels of exposure to pandemic disruptions.

Contrary to expectations, the initial results revealed no overarching reduction or convergence …

Structural Identification Of Pair Trades, Yi Liu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines the structural identification of pair trades based on company fundamentals, stock price paths, and company’s capacity to transform fundamentals into value. The dissertation consists of four chapters. Chapter 1 lays the foundation for the study of pair identification. It designs the pair trading procedure and defines the trading performance measure. It also reviews and compares the performance of commonly used pair identification metrics in the literature, including normalized price squared distance, return correlation, and co-integration tests. Among the three metrics, the squared price distance represents the most effective metric and generates the best pair trading performance. The …

Lead Self To Lead Others: Intersection Of Courage, Self-Awareness, & Leadership Communication For Self-Leadership & Development, Maribel Paulino

Student Theses and Dissertations

Toxic workplaces are recognized as the strongest predictor of attrition and turnover, contributing to global disengagement (70% of team engagement is attributed to managers who are also quietly quitting) particularly by way of workplace cultures, pay and benefits, and employee well-being. A recent workplace research study suggests that 59% of the global workforce is disengaged, 44% is experiencing record high stress levels, 21% is experiencing anger, 56% is struggling, and 24% feel cared for; meanwhile, global disengagement is costing the global economy a substantial $8.8 trillion dollars. As the world continues to evolve, leaders must forge ahead continuously shifting how …

The Role And Impact Of The Communications Department And Investor Relations Functions On The Process Of Privatization, Iulia Erhan

Student Theses and Dissertations

Current market conditions, and the heavy responsibilities placed on publicly traded companies by investors and regulators alike, have led many publicly traded companies to consider going private. The going-private decision, however, involves a complex set of actions and strategies. This paper analyzes the privatization process and the role that the Communication and Investor Relations departments play throughout the transaction. Its initial focus will be on communication with employees, including communication that facilitates the executive team’s decision-making activity related to employee retention. It will be followed by a review of the range of external communications, such as the going-private transaction announcement, …

Phantom Shootings, Allan Ambris

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This capstone is a website designed to critique NYC Open Data reporting with respect to shootings through a series of visualizations and discoveries. The NYPD Shooting Incidents datasets (Historic and Year to Date) introduce themselves to the user by claiming to be a “list of every shooting incident that occurred in NYC.” The supplied documentation reveals that this is not the case.

After understanding the supporting materials, there are still undisclosed truths. My exploration of the data revealed that a single victim may be represented across multiple entries. Additionally, multiple victims may be represented by a single entry. It is …

Essays On Tax Impacts On Corporate Finance, Corporate Governance And Regional Disparity, Mei Li

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation consists of three chapters that cover topics on tax impacts on corporate finance, regional disparity and corporate governance.

Chapter 1 - How Do Net Operating Loss Carryforwards Affect Tax Impact on Corporate Capital Structure? This paper examines the impact of net operating loss (NOL) carryforwards on the tax implications of corporate capital structure. Leveraging the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), the largest tax reform in four decades, this paper investigates the effect of NOL carryforwards on firms' sensitivity to tax reforms. As NOL carryforwards have become increasingly significant since 2000, but not widely researched due …

But Is It Material? A Case Study Evaluating Climate Risk’S Place In Financial Disclosures, Matilda Lindberg

Student Theses and Dissertations

The year of 2022 highlighted the importance of understanding how Environment, Social, and Governance (hereafter, ESG) factors impact investors. By the end of 2021, 37.8 trillion USD had been invested in ESG funds, a number expected to grow to $53 trillion by the end of 2025. Despite this bullish projection, controversy has grown about the “materiality” of ESG factors, especially climate risks, as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (hereafter, SEC). On March 21, 2022, the SEC proposed rules to enhance the standardization of climate- related disclosures (hereafter The Proposal) to promote consistent, comparable, and reliable information for investors …

Communication Use In Non-Profit Maternal Health, Marliatou Barry

Student Theses and Dissertations

The promotion of maternal health centrally involves a communication strategy. Effective communication aids in recognizing current issues, determining potential fixes, and persuading others to take action. Therefore, nowadays it is very difficult to dispute the significance of communication in the healthcare industry.In the early 1980s, the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged communication as one of the add-on strategies to be employed in promoting health as a result of its pivotal role (WHO, 1984).

This thesis project uses a case study method to explore how non-profit organizations use communication strategies to influence various stakeholders about issues of maternal health. First, a …

Millenial & Gen Z Experience- A Meta-Analysis, Karrine S. Rahman

Student Theses and Dissertations

This meta-analysis highlights five subtopics that are imperative to understanding Millennials and Gen Z. The five topics include characteristics, Millennials becoming managers, the Digital Revolution, mental health, and finally a phenomenon pioneered by the two younger generations, quiet quitting. The aim of this research is to find what characteristics motivate professional Millennials and Gen Z. After learning the main attributes that define these two generations, it is crucial to understand the expectations they have and how employers should accommodate them based on their unique work ethic. This study analyzes the work of multiple authors and scholars who assert that embracing …

Do Ask, Do Tell: Lessons Learned From Marginalized Gay Or Bisexual Males In Male-Dominated Organizations, Charles Tienken

Student Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this research paper is to consider the experiences of gay or bisexual males in male-dominated organizations and apply the lessons learned to help facilitate meaningful culture change in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. This paper examines the dynamics of hegemonic masculinity, marginalization and hypervisibility as they relate to the perception of professionalism and leadership capabilities of gay or bisexual males in organizational cultures including the military as well as other male-dominated organizations.

Design/methodology/approach: This research uses thematic meta-analysis of recurring themes including numerous peer-reviewed journal articles to assess the current data on the LGBTQ+ …

Tied Together, Eiko Nishida

Theses and Dissertations

The paper is about a site-specific installation that questions a viewer’s norms and perspectives, through the use of multilingual newspapers as a sculptural material.

Stock Splits And Corporate Peer Effects, Albert J. Saad

Theses and Dissertations

We find that a company’s decision to execute a stock split is affected by the number of stock splits carried out by its peers. Through the use of a broad peer group construction methodology, we also reveal the presence of asymmetric effects with regard to companies of different market capitalization size. In the periods of 1983–1996 and 1997–2009 we find that firms are more likely to split their stock if more of their peers have recently done so. However, in the period of 2010–2019 we see that the opposite is true. These results provide further evidence on social learning from …

Bearer Negotiable Instruments: Addressing A Financial Intelligence Gap And Identifying Criminogenic Weaknesses, Hollis B. Kegg

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Bearer Negotiable Instruments (BNI) are a long-standing category of financial instruments used to transfer large amounts of money in ways that may not be subject to regulation, reporting, tracking, review, or oversight. There is limited information available on BNIs, and no evidence that any studies have been undertaken on BNIs alone, much less reported. Increasingly, BNIs are being used for illegal purposes including money laundering. This study gathers information about their characteristics, nature, purpose, legal status, and numbers. It also focuses on the crime risks associated with BNIs, the crime opportunities they facilitate, and the criminal weaknesses in the financial …

Social Impacts Of Robotics On The Labor And Employment Market, Kelvin Espinal

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Robotics have been introduced into the workplace to perform tasks that human beings have traditionally fulfilled. Complementing or substituting human labor with robotics eliminates human involvement in functions attributable to hazardous environments, heavy lifting, toxic substances, and repetitive low-level tasks. On the other hand, they are meant to be more efficient and cost-effective, saving money, time, and labor. However, since the introduction of robotics in the workforce, societal opposition has been towards this branch of technology in fear of losing employment, wages, and purpose.

Previous studies have reported an overarching societal fear that adopting robotics in the workplace and industry …

Bozo The Clown: An Icon As American As An Apple Pie In The Face, Gregory Kent Oswald

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

There is no single path toward the creation of an American icon, a person or item with resonance to all in the country as well as having an ability to serve as a symbol of America itself for those outside the borders. This thesis considers certain elements that propelled the journey of the entertainment for children, Bozo the Clown, into a representational figure in the minds of young and old. Like all things American, his roots include many elements from outside the country: the name derives from foreign tongues mostly in derisory terms, but in at least one instance as …

Examining Past, Present, And Future Of Agricultural Labor: From The Bracero Program To The Coalition Of Immokalee Workers, Francesca Paradiso

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis is a comparative study that examines the Bracero Program and the work of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW). The Bracero Program brought Mexican workers into the United States on temporary work visas from 1942-1964. The CIW is an organization of Mexican workers that was founded in 1992 as a response to the horrible working conditions that Mexican tomato pickers faced in Immokalee, Florida. In this thesis, I show that by putting these programs side by side, we can see the exploitation of Mexican farmworkers has relied on changing government tools—different forms of visas, different immigration regimes, different …

Information, Communication, And Technology In Developing Countries: The Impediment To Nigeria Economic Growth, Fatima Ali Muhammed

Dissertations and Theses

Technological revolution has shifted the world to a post-industrial society as information communication and technology (ICT) govern the centrality of human interaction. ICT has become widely influential at all levels of life, especially socially and economically.

In the 21st century, innovative technologies have become a crucial element of accelerating all factors of production to deliver rapid and effective results in every sector of the economy. The Internet, as a component of ICT, has become the global computing network that facilitates the access, analysis and dissemination of infinite information rapidly using advanced technology.

Policy makers, researchers, business leaders, academics are all …

Boycotting Vs. Canceling: Exploring Consumer Activism Against Corporations, Erica Buchman

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to establish the difference between boycotting and canceling a corporation and what compels consumers to act. Consumer activism attempts to hold companies to account when a line, be it arbitrary or rational, is crossed, and these attempts are not always successful. However, when enough social pressure is exerted on a company via boycotting, depending on the wrongful act committed, accountability and change can be possible. I want to determine what some of the factors are that could compel customers to engage in consumer activism or boycott against a corporation and whether a corporation that …

The Impact On Gay Men Of Support And Enforcement Of Workplace Dei Policies: A Meta Analysis, Steven M. Vega

Student Theses and Dissertations

The poor enforcement of workplace DEI policies affects gay men in ways that are unique and invite close attention. The nature of the impact of missing or unsupported DEI policies on gay men has been widely debated in the field of human resources and communication studies, with scholars such as David Wicks, Helen Seitzer, James Ward, and Diana Winstansley arguing that these effects include lasting negative mental and physical health effects and discomfort with self-disclosure in the workplace. However, the existing research on this topic has not sufficiently considered the effects of the poor enforcement of workplace DEI policies side …

Coming Together: The Street Vendors Of Corona Plaza, Hannah Bottum

Capstones

Of New York City’s 20,000 street vendors, nearly all of them are immigrants, and most are unlicensed. This makes them vulnerable to harassment, fines, and even arrest. In Corona Plaza in Queens, vendors are coming together to push for change. This is their story.

De los 20,000 vendedores ambulantes de la ciudad de Nueva York, casi todos son inmigrantes y la mayoría no tienen licencia ni permiso. Esto los hace vulnerables al acoso, multas e incluso la detención. En Corona Plaza, en Queens, los vendedores se están organizando para impulsar el cambio. Esta es su historia.