Business Commons^™

Enhancing Student And Graduate Employability In The Hospitality Industry: A Video Project, Thyagarajan V. Ammachathram

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Employment interviews are designed to judge the qualifications and desirability of a candidate for a job. Research shows that interviews are incredibly important in getting the right job. A study conducted by the Bureau of National Affairs pinpointed the most important factors in hiring applicants, with employment interviews being the single most important factor in getting a job (Elfner, 2006). Hospitality firms are placing greater emphasis on the ability of graduates to fit within their businesses (Pittaway & Thedham, 2005). Even though qualifications and skills are vital for selection, candidates should know how to set themselves apart from other candidates …

The Effect Of Defined Contribution Plans On The Retirement Decision, Wonku Hong

Risk Management and Insurance Dissertations

This study examines the effect of pensions on the timing of retirement, focusing on the differences between defined benefit (DB) plans and defined contribution (DC) plans. I find that DC plans have different effects on the accumulation of retirement wealth, the incentives for retirement and the risk of retirement benefits than DB plans. Thereby, DC plans have different effects from DB plans on the decision to retire. This paper is the first empirical study to investigate the effect of longevity risk in pension plans on retirement. It is an important addition to the literature on retirement behavior since longevity risk …

The Relationship Between R&D Investment And Dividend Payment Tax Incentives And Their Role In The Dividend Tax Puzzle, Mary Catherine Cleaveland

Accountancy Dissertations

Although much research on corporate dividend policy exists, the evidence is far from conclusive. Understanding how dividend taxes affect firm-level decisions is crucial to evaluating dividend imputation credits which provide shareholder-level tax credits for dividends received or decreased shareholder-level dividend tax rates, which reduce the double taxation of dividends. Using changes in New Zealand and Australia’s tax regimes, this dissertation provides new evidence on the relationship between tax incentives for R&D investment and dividend payment. The results show that the theory that the tension between R&D investment and dividend payment decreases when a country previously not offering tax incentives for …

Perceptions Of Service Failure, Service Recovery Strategies, And Behavioral Intentions Of Hotel Guests In Orlando, Florida, I-Hua Lin

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Numerous studies have shown a positive correlation between customer satisfactions and repurchase intention. However, service failure can put companies out of business if attention is not paid to this problem. This study explained the components of service recovery strategies used when service failure occurs in each situation in a hotel, and to link customer response to service recovery strategies to behavioral intention, as applied to the hotel industry in Orlando, Florida.

The purposes of this study were to investigate the explanatory relationships between hotel guests' sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions of (a) service failure; (b) service recovery strategies in each service …

A Drive Towards Technology Girls Incorporated Of Cny Action Research Project, Lauren J. Hardee

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

When the technological system of an organization is deficient, it systematically promotes those deficiencies throughout the organization. The technical infrastructure of Girls Inc. was outdated, not standardized, and operationally deficient and hampered normal business activity. Given its practical application (French, et al.), an Action Research methodology was employed to identify the issues and solve the technological problems facing the Girls Inc. CNY organization. The result of this action research project is a framework for a technological infrastructure that prepares the Girls Inc. organization for the future.

What Drives Firms To Diversity?, Rong Guo

Finance Dissertations

WHAT DRIVES FIRMS TO DIVERSITY? By RONG GUO Committee Chair: Dr. Omesh Kini Major Department: Finance This paper examines whether corporate governance structures, serving as proxies for agency costs, can explain firms’ decision to diversify. Specifically, it has been hypothesized that firms with worse corporate governance structures are more likely to diversify. The extant literature usually compares the governance characteristics of multi-segment firms to those of single segment firms to address this issue. However, different governance characteristics may simply reflect differences in firm characteristics of diversified firms and focused firms. Furthermore, industry factors may affect both the propensity of firms …

An Analysis Of The Accounting Methods Used By Builders Producing Twenty-Five Or Fewer Homes Per Year, David Andrus

Theses and Dissertations

Accounting plays a crucial role in the success of any business, but it is particularly vital in the construction industry, a complex field that typically requires the coordination of multiple subcontractors and multiple jobs in any given year. Although small-volume home builders make up 70 percent of the membership of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), a trade association of the home building industry, little is known about the accounting practices of these builders. This thesis undertook to study the accounting practices of small-volume home builders. Small-volume home builders were defined as those producing 25 homes or fewer in …

Managerial Incentives And Takeover Wealth Gains, Ebru Reis

Finance Dissertations

ABSTRACT MANAGERIAL INCENTIVES AND TAKEOVER WEALTH GAINS By EBRU REIS DECEMBER 5, 2006 Committee Chair: Dr. Jayant R. Kale Major Department: Finance This study examines the relationship between managerial equity incentives and takeover wealth gains both for target and acquirer firms. Although there is some research about the effect of acquirer managers’ incentives on acquirer wealth gains, this paper is one of the first to investigate the effect of target managers’ incentives on the wealth effects of target firms in corporate takeovers. In addition, prior research has focused on the alignment effect of equity incentives in takeovers. However, takeovers provide …

Exploratory And Exploitative Knowledge Sharing In Interorganizational Relationships, Ghiyoung Im

Computer Information Systems Dissertations

A growing body of research investigates the role that organizational learning plays in generating superior firm performance. Researchers, however, have given limited attention to this learning effect in the context of long-term interorganizational relationships. This paper focuses on a specific aspect of learning, that is, explorative and exploitative knowledge sharing, and examines its impacts on sustained performance. We examine interorganizational design mechanisms and digitally-enabled knowledge representation as antecedents of knowledge sharing. The empirical context is dyadic relationship between a supply chain solutions vendor and its customers for two major classes of supply chain services. Our theoretical predictions are tested by …

Corruption: The True Cause Of The Resource Curse?, Margie Sharpe

All Theses

The theory of the Resource Curse suggests that countries with high levels of natural resources are actually found to possess lower gross domestic products. The source of this disparity is widely debated; however, this analysis suggests that the underlying force preventing such nations from taking advantage of their natural capital abundance is corruption within their economic and governmental systems. In addition, the resource quality is examined to see that it too affects the ability of a nation to change such assets into a higher overall level of national wealth.

Multivariate Nonnormal Regression Models, Information Complexity, And Genetic Algorithms: A Three Way Hybrid For Intelligent Data Mining, Minhui Liu

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation develops a novel computationally feasible intelligent data mining and knowledge discovery technique to select the best subset of predictors in multivariate re- gression (MR) models under the assumption that the random error terms of the model follow a general nonnormal family of distributions. Our approach builds an easy-to-use three way hybrid approach by integrating clever statistical modeling procedures based on the information-theoretic measure of complexity (ICOMP) criterion with genetic algorithm (GA) and multivariate nonnormal regression models with Power Exponential (PE) and fam- ily of elliptically contoured (EC) error distributions. This dissertation is composed of four major parts.

First, …

Stochastic Optimization Models For Contingency Allocation In Project Management, Barbara Maria Thibadeau

Doctoral Dissertations

In many cases, risks that threaten successful project completion can be mitigated (or eliminated) with a proper contingency allocation strategy and exacerbated by an improper one. Yet, despite this importance, there is a dearth of research on the cost contingency allocation problem in academic literature. This thesis looks at the cost contingency allocation problem from two different perspectives and two distinct solutions are introduced: a stochastic linear programming model that addresses a short term strategy and convex-concave utility model that provides a long-term planning solution.

The project manager’s ability to approve random requests for contingency is dependent on several constraints, …

Gender Differences In The Preferred Methods Of Training, Needs And Interests, And Hindrances And Motivators For Sexual Harassment Training, Heather Monique Whaley

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to assess employees’ preferences regarding sexual harassment prevention training (SHPT), compared by gender. A convenience sample of city/county governmental employees from a mid-size metropolitan city in the southeast representing multiple occupational groups consisted of 1387 employees. A response rate of 12% represented 169 respondents.

A modified Sexual Experiences Questionnaire - Department of Defense (SEQ- DoD) and the SHPT Preferences Climate Survey were completed. Frequency counts, descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, factor analysis, MANOVA tests, ANOVA tests, and a Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel (CMH) test allowed for hypotheses testing.

No statistical differences between genders exist in SHPT …

Variations In Dropout Rates Across Virginia, Joshua K. Bowser

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis, this study attempts to capture variation in dropout rates across Virginia counties and cities. With the respective dropout rates as the dependent variable, seven independent variables are used accordingly in order to provide as much explanatory power as possible. At the 10 percent significance level, four of seven variables are statistically significant with an adjusted R2 of .374. Important policy implications can be derived from the model and its statistically significant variables. The model finds that the percentage of blacks in the population, university access, the unemployment rate and single female-headed households to …

"A Lean Accounting Curriculum", Jake Lewis

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This paper is written as a part of my honors thesis. My objective for my thesis was to develop a curriculum to be used in the classroom here at Utah State University, on the subject of lean accounting. This curriculum includes a set of lecture slides, selection of an assigned textbook, a case study assignment, and a DVD. Also compiled were several other optional materials that may be used as supplements to the aforementioned set of materials or as a means to briefly cover lean accounting in another course if so desired. This paper contains a brief summary of lean …

Do Mutual Fund Managers Have Superior Skills? An Analysis Of The Portfolio Deviations From A Benchmark, Jean-Francois Guimond

Finance Dissertations

By construction, actively managed portfolios must differ from passively managed ones. Consequently, the manager’s problem can be viewed as selecting how to deviate from a passive portfolio composition. The purpose of this study is to see if we can infer the presence of superior skills through the analysis of the portfolio deviations from a benchmark. Based on the Black-Litterman approach, we hypothesize that positive signals should lead to an increase in weight, from which should follow that the largest deviations from a benchmark weight reveal the presence of superior skills. More precisely, this study looks at the subsequent performance of …

Pay Satisfaction, Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment And Turnover Intention In Taiwan Banking: Structural Equation Modeling, Chin-Chih Wang

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Various investigators have researched voluntary employee turnover intention within both the private and public sectors. However, little is known about employee turnover intention within the domestic private banking industry in Taiwan. This study examined the fundamental theoretical literature and empirical studies related to employee turnover intention among Taiwanese domestic private banking employees.

The relationship among pay satisfaction, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and voluntary employee turnover is an important issue for any organization. Employee turnover as the result of practices within the fields of economics, human resource management, organizational behavior, psychology, and ethics have been examined in this study. This research …

Market Valuation Of Convertible Securities Of U.S. Airlines, Kseniya P. Beltsova

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The airlines have enormous needs for capital. Historically, capital spending was accountable for about 15 percent of annual airline revenues, more than double the average for manufacturing companies (Arpey, 1995). Access to capital is essential to the long-term viability and growth of the airline industry especially due to the capital-intensive nature of its business. However, highly cyclical nature of the airline business and its severe dependence on general economic condition make investments in the industry risky and uncertain. The airline's junk bond credit rating and enormous amounts of debt result in extremely high costs of capital. In addition, the airlines …

Just Community A Model Of Congregational Development Founded In Catholic Social Teaching, Lynn M. Campbell

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

This project identifies the benefits of integrating the Congregational Building Campaign with Catholic Social Teaching as a means of supporting the Catholic parish in responding to Second Vatican Council's call for social engagement on behalf of the parish. It includes a literature review of the necessity of lay leadership in the Catholic Church, the importance of understanding Catholic Social Teaching and parish social ministry, and the benefits of participation in community organizing. Data consists of a survey of parish participation in social ministry and case study summaries of participating churches in the Campaign. The author makes recommendations for a pilot …

Number Of Independent Board Directors And Training Hours And Financial Performance Of Tsec [Taiwan Securities Exchange Corporation] Electronic Companies, Fu-Huei Yang

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

In February 2002, the regulation of appointing independent directors in the boardroom was set forth in "Corporate Governance Best-Practice Principles for TSEC/GTSM Listed Companies" (CGBPP). Since the enactment of the amended "Security and Exchange Act" in 2006, all listed companies are required to appoint independent directors, not less than two in number and not less than one-fifth of the total number of directors.

In addition to implementing the independent directors system, in order to enhance director competencies and director behavior, the TSEC announced the "Guideline for Promotion of Advanced Study by Directors and Supervisors of TSEC/GTSM Listed Companies." In this …

Sex-Role Orientation, Women As Managers And Transformational Leadership Among Female Law Firm Partners And Subordinates, Nathalie Lynch-Walsh

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Nearly 30% of all attorneys in the U.S. are women, but only 17% of all partners in major U.S. law firms are women. The disparity in the number of women at the top of the legal profession echoes the shortage of women at the helm of major U.S. corporations. Traditional sex-role stereotypes represent one type of "glass ceiling" barrier and stem from the different behavioral norms assigned to men (agentic) and women (communal) based on relative social status. Women exhibiting nonconforming behavior are less liked than conforming women. Conversely, women exhibiting agentic behaviors such as selfconfidence and assertiveness are seen …

Organizational Change Of Parking Systems At University Of Colorado Hospital, Sarah S. Kabat

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

During a move from the 9th Avenue campus to the new Fitzsimons campus, University of Colorado Hospital made improvements to the existing parking policies. The new parking policies were met with resistance and complaints by employees. This problem caused employee tardiness, lowered morale, and decreased job satisfaction. Data gathered through secondary data, questionnaires and group interviews provided information establishing the extent and nature of the resistance to the new parking policies. Validity was enhanced through multiple methods. Through action research, underlying reasons were investigated for these parking issues and the researcher proposed a collaborative strategy to improve the systems related …

The Ethical Decision-Making Processes Of Professional Auditors In The People's Republic Of China, Mingzhi Liu

Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the effects of organizational ethical culture, idealism, relativism and guanxi orientation on the ethical decision-making processes of professional auditors in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It is hypothesized that auditors perceiving a positive organizational ethical culture, possessing higher (lower) degrees of idealism (relativism), and possessing lower degrees of guanxi orientation will make more ethical decisions. The findings of the study indicate that certain aspects of organizational ethical culture had a significant effect on professional auditors’ behavioural intentions, but not on their ethical judgments. Idealism had a marginally significant impact on professional auditors’ behavioral intentions, but not …

An Empirical Investigation Into The Relationships Between Emotional Intelligence, Use Of Knowledge Transfer Methods, And Project Performance, Brent Michael Decker

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Increasingly, the use of project teams is becoming commonplace within organizations as the primary means to accomplish complex tasks. While the literature has long acknowledged that the knowledge transfer process is a key component in achieving organizational success and ultimately sustaining a competitive advantage, very little has been written that specifically examines the knowledge transfer process at the project team level. In an attempt to increase the understanding of knowledge transfer processes at the project team level, the effect that a relatively new construct, termed emotional intelligence, has on the use of knowledge transfer methods is examined. The relationships between …

Investigating Barriers To Knowledge Management: A Case Study Of The Air Force Center Of Excellence For Knowledge Management, Edgar L. Myers Iv

Theses and Dissertations

Knowledge is becoming recognized as an organization's most valuable and powerful resource. As a resource, knowledge is used to improve an organization's efficiency and effectiveness, to create innovative solutions, and to enhance decision making capabilities. Being such an important resource, it stands to reason that an organization's knowledge resources must be effectively managed. However, while an organization attempts to manage its knowledge, its efforts are constrained by a variety of influences acting as barriers. Using Holsapple and Joshi's (2000) "influences on the management of knowledge" framework, the purpose of this research is to identify those barriers which are acting as …

An Adaptive Tabu Search Heuristic For The Location Routing Pickup And Delivery Problem With Time Windows With A Theater Distribution Application, Robert E. Burks Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The time constrained pickup and delivery problem (PDPTW) is a problem of finding a set of routes for a fleet of vehicles in order to satisfy a set of transportation requests. Each request represents a user-specified pickup and delivery location. The PDPTW may be used to model many problems in logistics and public transportation. The location routing problem (LRP) is an extension of the vehicle routing problem where the solution identifies the optimal location of the depots and provides the vehicle schedules and distribution routes. This dissertation seeks to blend the PDPTW and LRP areas of research and formulate a …

Kidspeace New England Action Research: Quality Of Information Systems Customer Service, Tyler Frank

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

KidsPeace experienced symptoms that impacted the quality of IS customer service. Action research was an effective research model to investigate these symptoms. Information collected from questionnaires and secondary data showed available support material, availability, and reliability were the lowest rated categories while courteousness, willingness to help, and quality ranked highest. The collaborative team identified three main themes including unfamiliarity with existing help desk resources, the help desk potentially not meeting expected service levels, and KPNE employees preferring to contact local resources. An evaluation of the proposed interventions training, marketing and implementing a service level agreement, resulted in a recommendation to …

How Does The Political Nature Of The Defense Acquisition Process Affect Cost Growth, Nikolaos Gounatidis

Theses and Dissertations

Many of the major programs of the DoD are experiencing cost growth. This research developed an empirical model in order to explain cost overruns. This thesis sought to discover relationships between cost overruns and factors that originate from the political nature of the defense acquisition process. The model describes how the political and legislative balances of power between the parties of the Congress, the change of the purchase habits of the DoD from production to service contracts, and the spreading of defense manufacturing capacity across the U.S are related to cost overruns. This research studied 193 programs from 1970 to …

Improving The Quality Of The Documentation System In A Health Care Environment, Kenneth Ho

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

An effective documentation system in a managed care organization is complicated yet important in today's business environment. Being too busy taking care of patients, health care professionals often fall behind in paperwork and quality care provided. An action research model developed by Cummings and Worley (2001) was utilized to assess the organization's status. Data collection methods included survey questionnaires, group interviews, and secondary data. A collaborative team approach designed to reach a consensus decision was used in the evaluation, interpretation, and validation of the information collected. Three intervention methods relating to training and education, teamwork, and staff knowledge and skills …

The Viability Of Is Enhanced Knowledge Sharing In Mission-Critical Command And Control Centers, Sameh A. Sabet

Dissertations

Engineering processes such as the maintenance of mission-critical infrastructures are highly unpredictable processes that are vital for everyday life, as well as for national security goals. These processes are categorized as Emergent Knowledge Processes (EKP), organizational processes that are characterized by a changing set of actors, distributed knowledge bases, and emergent knowledge sharing activities where the process itself has no predetermined structure. The research described here utilizes the telecommunications network fault diagnosis process as a specific example of an EKP. The field site chosen for this research is a global undersea telecommunication network where nodes are staffed by trained personnel …