Business Commons^™

Developing A Workshop To Help Small Businesses Get Unstuck, Lauren G. St. George

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This master’s project presents my journey of developing and running a two-day workshop specifically designed to help entrepreneurs get unstuck. It includes principles, frameworks, and materials developed for this two-day workshop. Inspiration for this project came from my own entrepreneur experience over the last 13 years. Over that time period I have encountered many roadblocks and found that the resources available to established small business owners were limited and those that do exist did not always meet my needs. This workshop has been developed keeping in mind the two things that are most important to small business owners, time and …

A Study On The Performance Of The Luxury Industry During The Financial Crisis, Robert Anderson Conroy

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the financial performance of firms engaged in the production of luxury goods and services, as measured over a recessionary period. Specifically, it relates firms’ performance to the performance of the United States economy at large, as well as a control firm operating in a different market segment. This analysis revealed the comparatively poor performance of the luxury industry throughout the most recent recession. As economic conditions weakened firms within the luxury industry faced below-average earnings and profits.

A Study On Employee Engagement Program In Full Service Hotel, You Han

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

No abstract provided.

What Happens In Las Vegas? How Exhibitors Use The Tradeshow Floor And Social Venues To Facilitate Business, Chrissy L. Nanton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study illuminates how place characteristics shape the way in which tradeshow exhibitors “do” business on and off the tradeshow floor. A surge in framing tradeshows as temporary clusters has occurred in the recent decades. Temporary clusters are defined as “hotspots of intensive and dedicated exchange of knowledge, network building and generation of new ideas” (Maskell, Bathelt and Malmberg 2004). The idea that temporarily sharing geographic space can advantage firms is particularly noteworthy in a post-industrial globalized economy. In the literature, social scientists have paid specific attention to the connections between geography and spatial proximity, and information diffusion and knowledge …

Impact Of Menu Designs And Personal Dietary Behaviors On Young Millennials' Restaurant Menu Choices, Yuan Tian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The global prevalence of obesity has more than doubled since 1980. In response to this health crisis, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finalized the Menu Calorie Labeling Rule in 2014. It requires that food service chains post Calorie information next to all food items on menus. Young Millennials aged 18-24 reportedly have poor dietary habits, which contributes to obesity rates. This on-line study surveyed 505 young Millennials to evaluate the relationship between young Millennials’ Calorie choices on restaurant menus and various factors, including menu design, personal dietary behaviors, and demographic characteristics. The survey data was analyzed using logistic regression. …

Examining Factors Influencing Ncaa Division-I Conference Realignment, Ginikachi O. Nwosu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The landscape of intercollegiate athletics continues to evolve and become

more dynamic. One of the most visible aspects of these changes is athletic conference realignment. During the period from 2010 to 2014 alone, over 30 institutions across the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) changed or announced imminent plans to change athletic conference affiliation (Mandel, 2012). Conference realignment is described as institutional changes in athletic conference affiliation (Covell & Barr, 2010; Groza, 2010; Sweitzer, 2009). Various literature has identified variables which influence NCAA Division-I institutions’ decisions in regard to conference realignment, yet no comprehensive study has examined …

Performance Sports: An Excuse For Doping?, Vladislav V. Loenko

Business/Business Administration

The objective of this study is to determine what characteristics in high performance athletes are likely to create a desire to use a doping substance. After reviewing the works of notable scholars addressing similar concerns, research has helped to identify some of the prominent factors liable for this manifesto. This paper focuses on psychological determinants within highly competitive individuals, specifically those who have a predisposed desire for achievement, which correspond with a higher propensity to use performance-enhancing drugs. In order to effectively assess the findings for this hypothesis, its application is strictly devoted to performance sports.

Swings For Dreams: Public Perceptions Of The Nonprofit Sector And Effects On Donating Behavior, Kelsey L. Fisher

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.

Tipitina's Foundation - An Internship Report, Jacqueline M. Sandor

Arts Administration Master's Reports (1984-2016)

The following report contains a detailed analysis of the Tipitina’s Foundation. The Foundation serves musicians of all ages in various capacities through its four programs. This report is a culmination of an internship served under the Managing Director, Kim Katner, from January 3rd to May 20th, 2011. This paper includes the Foundation’s history, current operations and management, intern contributions and SWOT analysis. This report also contains my recommendations based on the SWOT analysis, and an analysis of best practices supported by research on similar companies and other organizations in the non-profit sector.

Omega Production Resource: An Internship Report, Lydia Anne Burgess

Arts Administration Master's Reports (1984-2016)

This report documents the internship of Lydia Anne Burgess with Omega Production Resource from August 2014 to March 2015. Omega is one of several event lighting companies operating in Greater New Orleans. Omega’s administrative offices are located in the Alario Center situated just inside of Bayou Segnette Park in Westwego, Louisiana. During her internship, Ms. Burgess worked under the direction of the Operations Director and the company founder and CEO. Among her various responsibilities, Ms. Burgess primarily assisted the CEO and Operations Director with administrative duties such as form creation/modernization, file organization, and scheduling. She also undertook marketing analysis for …

Southern Rep Theatre - An Internship Report, Peter Brooks Lazar

Arts Administration Master's Reports (1984-2016)

This report describes the duties and responsibilities involved in a 480-hour marketing and development internship from June to December of 2014 with Southern Rep Theatre. This first-hand research, supplemented by an earlier, shorter period as a box office associate from February to April of 2014, is used to examine the marketing, development, and managerial practices of the company. This examination includes a SWOT analysis, second-hand research into best practices, and recommendations for the company’s future. Southern Rep is a three decade old 501(c)3 not-for-profit professional theatre company based in New Orleans, which places a special emphasis on producing new works …

Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival: An Internship Report, Brooke Elaine Creek

Arts Administration Master's Reports (1984-2016)

The purpose of this internship report is to examine the daily activities, organizational structure, and festival planning of the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival (TW/NOLF). The report includes my assigned duties and tasks, the organization’s strengths and weaknesses, best business practices, and detailed recommendations for improvement. The internship consisted of 480 hours, working closely with the Director of Literary Programs and Development, J.R. Ramakrishnan. The organization’s main focus during the year is to construct and produce their annual festival. iv

The Nola Project: An Internship Report, Monique Tourres

Arts Administration Master's Reports (1984-2016)

Since its origin in 2005, The NOLA Project has sought to bring innovative and high caliber works of theater to New Orleans audiences. Accustomed to performing in various venues due to lack of a permanent theatre, this nonprofit theater company has taken steps to plant roots in the community in other ways, including educational outreach for youth and the development of a new membership program.

The purpose of this report is to document my internship with The NOLA Project from April 2014 through April 2015 and to analyze the effectiveness of the company’s operations. My analysis is based on experiences …

An Academic Assessment Of The National Performance Network And Visual Artists Network: An Internship Academic Report, Rachel Swan

Arts Administration Master's Reports (1984-2016)

This academic report was composed at the conclusion of a 480 hour internship with the National Performance Network/Visual Artists Network (NPN/VAN), summarized in Chapter Two. This report includes NPN/VAN’s mission, history, and organizational structure within Chapter One. Chapter Three is a SWOT analysis, and Chapter Four includes a summary of best practices, highlighting NPN/VAN’s intermediary and network structure. In conclusion, a series of suggestions are offered for further consideration.

Residential Property Values And Historic Districts: A Kalamazoo Case Study, Curtis Aardema

Masters Theses

Historic districts have been a point of contention in political, economic and community circles since their inception in the early twentieth century, but their impact has grown since the 1966 passage of the National Historic Preservation Act. Often cited by proponents as a productive tool for preserving the cultural and physical elements of the American built environment, historic districts are alternately branded as burdensome and regressive to future development by critics. In order to provide a quantitative assessment of the economic impact of historic districts, this project compares property values from 1990, 2000 and 2010 in both a historically designated …

Designing A Visual Brand For A Children’S Furniture Startup, Rachel Denoble

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to design a visual brand for a children’s furniture startup company. The research from this study was applied to The Cardboard Guys, a company that makes furniture completely made out of corrugated cardboard. Designs were created for the company’s branding style guide, product assembly instructions, and Kickstarter campaign page. Each piece of this project was measured for success a little differently - the style guide was given feedback from a professional design firm, the assembly instructions were given to a group of kids and parents to test, and the Kickstarter campaign was both critiqued …

The Economic Impacts And Changes In Environmental Regulation In Louisiana As A Result Of Hurricane Katrina And The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Carley Tatman

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Disability Status, Disability Type, And Training As Predictors Of Job Placement, Jessica Stahl

All Dissertations

Human Capital Theory was used as a means to formulate predictions regarding the placement rates for disabled and non-disabled individuals who participated in job training programs at a non-profit agency in the Southeast. Research suggesting that disabilities are viewed as an economic liability by employers was reviewed, along with empirically based rejoinders to this stereotype. The first goal of this study was to address flaws in the existing categorization systems of disabilities, and to justify a categorization system that was more detailed than the typical psychological/physical disability distinction in the I/O and vocational rehabilitation literature (e.g., Ren, Paetzold, and Colella, …

Narrative Advertising, Meng Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Brand meaning, which is often used in narrative advertising, is an important value that companies try to build around their loyal consumers. This exploratory research aims to explore brand meanings from consumers’ narratives. This study analyzed 2,382 consumer submitted narratives for a real brand in the food service marketplace. Brand narratives were analyzed using a mixed method content analysis approach by applying Leximancer software to generate key themes and their related concepts. The results indicate brand meaning with some thematic similarities as well as differences when comparing narratives submitted by females and males. This exploratory study introduces analyzing narrative as …

Organizational Communication: Perceptions Of Staff Members’ Level Of Communication Satisfaction And Job Satisfaction, Priti R. Sharma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to explore the topic of organizational communication in higher education and examine staff members’ perceptions about their level of communication and job satisfaction in their workplaces. This study was also designed to test the relationship between communication satisfaction and job satisfaction by analyzing the significance of different dimensions of Communication Satisfaction with the view that satisfaction is multifaceted.

A total of 463 non-faculty staff members from different units of a single higher education institution participated in this study. This study included non-teaching staff, including student workers and both full-time and part-time staff members. …

Segmentation Marketing: A Case Study On Performance Solutions Group, Llc., Jordan Brian

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to show how Performance Solutions Group, LLC can effectively use segmentation marketing both in their current market and in expansion. The goal is to find a solution and suggest changes that should be made to the marketing team at Performance Solutions Group. This research was completed by looking at how segmentation marketing is used in broad industries currently and investigating how Performance Solutions Group can use it in their company. This case study shows that segmentation marketing is an effective way for Performance Solutions Group to market its services.

Inventory Management And Control "For A Cause", John Michael Miller

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Companies today are changing the culture of business and beginning to involve more than just labor and money in overall decisions. Just as sustainability issues and humanitarian logistics are gaining popularity, so is the idea of using business to make a difference on society in addition to making a profit. As companies position themselves across the globe to make an impact, they employ people in third-world environments that create uncertainties on both the supply and demand sides. Also, the idea of strategically planning work with the goal of minimizing costs has been replaced by companies wanting to give more work …

Using The Triple Bottom Line To Select Sustainable Suppliers For A Major Oil And Gas Company, Pandarinath Adarsh Sunkari

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Companies have primarily been focusing on the financial bottom line i.e., on increasing profits by increasing revenues and reducing costs. With high energy usage and environmental change posing threats to the environment and business operations, companies are now considering sustainability. Since some global suppliers have low cost labor, Social well-being and human development has also emerged as major goals of a company performing global operations. Focusing on these three goals is termed the "Triple Bottom Line" (TBL). We study and explore the TBL benefits that could be realized by an oil and gas company by focusing on sustainable suppliers. A …

The Appeal Of The "Shop Local" Initiative To The Millennial Generation, Elisha Cummins

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

Understanding the changing values and beliefs of consumers is crucial to surviving and flourishing as a retailer, supplier, or manufacturer today. It is important for businesses to adjust their focuses and strategies to meet the needs and wants of the current consumer. New generations of consumers create different trends, shopping behaviors, and concerns. Today, the shop local initiative is growing. With this in mind, I seek to determine the reasons why consumers shop locally and how millennials respond to the initiative. The goal of this research is to determine the extent to which millennials’ values align with the shop local …

Cultural Influences On Women In Leadership: An Extension Of The Hofstede And Globe Dimensions, Wendy Bosshardt

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Technology has forever changed the face of business. Although in the past business markets have been limited to local geographic areas, the concept of outsourcing has opened a diverse spectrum of international markets. An increase in suppliers and consumers can improve business effectiveness and efficiency, but entering international markets can be detrimental if the business is unaware of the subtle differences the new market has in regard to leadership styles and cultural values. Hofstede's cultural dimension analysis has been the primary research study for many industry and academic professionals (Bond 2002; Hofstede 1997). However, many scholars are questioning whether Hofstede's …

The Affordable Care Act: Five Years Later, Andrew Dana Izatt

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The challenges facing the American health care system are well known and manifold. The United States pays substantially more for its health care than any other developed, industrialized nation. Per capita health care spending in 2012 was $8,745, up from $356 in 1970 without marked improvements in life expectancy, quality of life, or outcomes. But despite all of our health spending, large portions of our population go without health insurance. Being uninsured carries real consequences. A report published in the American Journal of Public Health, by researchers at Harvard Medical School, using statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and …

Efficient Parallel Approaches To Financial Derivatives And Rapid Stochastic Convergence, Mario Harper

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This Thesis explores the use of different programming paradigms, platforms and languages to maximize the speed of convergence in Financial Derivatives Models. The study focuses on the strengths and drawbacks of various libraries and their associated languages as well as the difficulty of importing code into massively parallel processes. Key languages utilized in this project are C++, Python, Java, C, and Matlab. Along with these languages, several multiprocessing libraries such as C++ AMP, Python NumbaPro, Numpy, Anaconda, Finance Toolkit and such were compared. The results of the development and implementation of code suggests that once we massively parallelize the operations, …

Frictions, The Flow Of Information, And The Distribution Of Liquidity, Spencer A. Montgomery

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This paper examines the effects of short sale deregulation on market quality by examining the implementation of regulation SHO, which removed the uptick rule for a subset of pilot securities. This created an exogenous event, allowing a direct examination of the effect of short sale constraints on the markets. This study builds on Roll and Subrahmanyam (2010) in examining the skewness of bid-ask spreads as they represent information asymmetry and market maker competition. We find that the price tests conducted in regulation SHO evenly effected both pilot and non-pilot securities, including a widening of bid-ask spreads and a decrease in …

Inverse Etfs And Market Quality, Darren J. Woodward

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Is financial innovation good or bad? Finance research analyzes data in an attempt to answer this and many other questions. This paper seeks to determine at least a partial answer to this question for one particular financial innovation, the inverse ETF. We look at how the introduction of the first inverse ETF affects the market quality of the component stocks. We find that volatility and illiquidity of the component stocks decreases relative to the rest of the market, on average, after the introduction of the first inverse ETF. We also find that short selling increases in the component stocks relative …

Human Capital, Capital Structure, And Employee Pay: An Empirical Analysis A Replicated Confirmation, Yiling Ke

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This paper replicates the paper named Human capital, capital structure, and employee pay: An empirical analysis written by Thomas J. Chemmanur, Yingmei Cheng, and Tianming Zhang in 2013. In this paper, I examine the effect of market leverage on labor expenses to prove the predictions of Titman (1984) and Berk, Stanton, and Zechner (2010). Through the OLS regression analysis, I find that market leverage has a significantly positive effect on total, cash, equity-based compensation of chief executive officers (CEOs). So an increase market leverage will always lead to an incremental labor cost, and in fact labor costs will limit the …