Business Commons^™

A Policy Analysis Of Performance Based Funding In Colorado, Nicholas G. Dix

Theses and Dissertations

The researcher used a quantitative approach to examine the effects of performance-based funding policies in Colorado. Specifically, the researcher focused on postsecondary access for Pell-grant eligible and underrepresented minority students. Using a doubly robust difference-in-differences design, the study compares two PBF policy iterations (2.0 and 3.0) to assess the effectiveness of those polices on public four-year degree granting universities in Colorado. The researcher assessed from the data that PBF has no significant impact on Pell-eligible postsecondary accessibility, but PBF has a slightly significant impact on URM accessibility.

The research is grounded in institutional theory and resource dependence theory. The research …

Motivación Y Su Efecto En La Eficiencia De Equipos De Trabajo Remoto En Una Organización Privada, Ysabel Quintana

Theses and Dissertations

Esta disertación aplicada con enfoque cualitativo y diseño fenomenológico fue diseñada para analizar cómo las estrategias motivacionales implementadas por líderes influyen en la eficiencia de equipos de trabajo remoto en una organización privada dedicada a la protección de niños y adolescentes. Se seleccionó una muestra de diez líderes de distintos departamentos que gestionan equipos remotos.

Para la recolección de los datos se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas para explorar sus experiencias, herramientas tecnológicas utilizadas y enfoques motivacionales. Los datos recopilados se analizaron mediante el método de análisis temático, permitiendo identificar patrones comunes relacionados con la motivación, la productividad y el estilo de …

Voices From Within: Employees' Sensemaking Of Corporate Volunteerism, Janet Laadi Anani

Theses and Dissertations

Corporate volunteerism is a key component of the philanthropic pillar of CSR, shaping employee engagement and organizational identity. This study employed the social exchange and sensemaking theories to explore how employees make meaning of their experiences in corporate volunteer initiatives and how their experiences influence their perceptions of their organizations. Data was gathered from in-depth interviews with employees with varied corporate volunteer experiences across multiple organizations. The findings show that despite employees’ strong motivations to engage in corporate volunteerism, they face challenges such as time and workload constraints and limited variety of volunteer opportunities. The study also found that employees’ …

An Economic And Production Analysis Of Seaweed Farms In California And The Pacific Northwest, Brian Donovan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Since the early 2010s, the seaweed aquaculture industry has steadily expanded in the United States, with states like Alaska, Maine, Hawaii, and Connecticut leading the way in the development of this emerging sector. However, information gaps remain concerning certain aspects of the domestic seaweed aquaculture industry. The purpose of this study was to examine the status of the seaweed aquaculture industry along the West Coast of the United States; specifically in the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Seaweed farmers in these states were invited to voluntarily complete surveys asking important production, economic, and commercial questions regarding their operations. Data …

Unlocking Human-Robot Dynamics In Restaurants: Exploring The Mechanisms Underlying The Impacts Of Service Robots’ Social Cues On Restaurant Customer Behaviors, Yusi Cheng

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The rise of service robots (SRs) is reshaping service delivery, particularly in the dining sector where guiding and delivering robots are increasingly prevalent. However, understanding how customers interact with SRs and respond to their social cues in the dining environment remains unclear and fragmented. This dissertation aims to bridge this gap by comprehensively understanding the social cues of SRs and their influences on customer behaviors. Specifically, the objectives are to (1) understand prominent social cues and customer responses; (2) identify key SR-related social cues; (3) explore customer-SR interaction outcomes; (4) explain why certain social cues elicit particular customer responses; (5) …

The Effects Of Brand Activism On Brand Performance, Lin Zhao

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Brand activism—the explicit demonstration of a brand’s sociopolitical beliefs—has become increasingly prevalent and consequential. Concurrently, consumers now hold higher expectations for firms to engage in sociopolitical conversations, driven by the rise of belief-drive purchase in consumers’ decision-making and the growing ideological polarization worldwide. The interaction of brand activism and consumer behavior presents unique potential for brands to gain competitive advantages while contributing to social welfare. This dissertation comprises three essays that examine the effects of brand activism through multiple understudied yet compelling perspectives.

Essay One investigates how brand activism influences consumer-brand relationships through both transactional and relational lenses. This research …

The Effect Of Alternative Work Regimes On Recruiter Productivity, Keith Sean Cogdell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examines the impact of different work regimes, onsite, remote, and hybrid, on recruiter productivity within the staffing industry. As workforce models evolve, organizations encounter challenges in determining how these structural changes influence employee performance. Existing studies are often cross-sectional and rely heavily on self-reported data, limiting their capacity to capture long-term trends and contextual factors. To address this issue, the present research utilizes a longitudinal design with five years of recruiter-level performance data from a national staffing firm, which includes over 27,000 observations. Using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a framework, the study investigates how intrinsic motivation mediated by …

Esg Federalism: How State Regulations Shape Esg Performance, Kameron Eck

All Master's Theses

This thesis examines how state-level environmental, social, and governance (ESG) regulations influence corporate ESG performance in the United States. Using a panel dataset that combines state ESG legislation, firm-level ESG scores from S&P Global, and financial data from Compustat (2019–2024), I employ fixed-effects regression models to analyze the relationship between state ESG regulations and corporate ESG performance. The analysis incorporates firm and year fixed effects to account for unobservable heterogeneity across companies and time, while controlling for firm-specific characteristics. Additionally, the study investigates whether board gender diversity moderates this relationship. The findings contribute to the understanding of ESG policy effectiveness …

Next In Line: Exploring Owner, Business, And Family Characteristics And Farm Succession Planning, Tucker Lane Bittick

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The growing average age of the American farmer raises concerns about who will be involved in the future agricultural economy. Efficient succession in family farms keeps farm values high, and farms that plan for succession have an incentive to invest more resources into the farm. Knowing what factors on family farms are common when succession occurs could help encourage earlier succession planning. The research questions were: “Are family, business, and owner characteristics significantly related to the presence of a farm succession plan on farms in the Midwest?” and “Are family, business, and owner characteristics significantly related to principal operators’ preference …

Leadership In The Digital Economy: An Investigation Into How Digitalisation Is Changing The Role And Practice Of Leadership In The Australian Defence Industry, Rhogan Aitken

Theses

Digitalisation is a phenomenon that is transforming society and is the process that moves an organisation to become digital. Research was conducted on senior leaders in the Australian defence industry with the purpose of investigating how the role and practice of leadership was changing because of digitalisation. A two-phased qualitative methodology was employed. An initial Delphi study on 13 experts in digital transformation was adopted to gain consensus on key issues, with the results informing a second stage of semi-structured interviews with 32 senior leaders in the Australian defence industry. The results identified factors that were influencing leadership, including increased …

The Oprah In Me: Becoming Sidney O., Sidney Opal Young

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

Oprah Winfrey is a staple in American History and the world. She has infiltrated American media pop culture with a range of experience and expertise in various forms of media: television, literature, radio, Internet and film. Oprah has influenced popular culture. She continuously shared her ‘truths’ through her experiences and successes both good and bad making her extremely relatable. Oprah educates and inform the public about pressing issues in media and the world. Oprah has stood as an icon for many women, including me.

Women’S Leader Development: Examining The Impact Of Leadership Grants, Bias Interrupters, Stereotype Threat, And Purpose On Leader Identity, Emily L. Chan

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Leader identity is a proximal outcome of individual leader development processes, particularly important for women leaders who may face systematic denials of their leadership. Understanding the mechanisms that bolster and hinder leader identity is crucial for emerging women leaders. In two simulation experiments, I proposed and tested strategies for mitigating the negative impact of leadership denials and stereotype threat on an individual’s leader identity. In the first experiment, I hypothesized that perceptions of granted leadership claims through written bias interrupter statements (i.e., “women are encouraged to apply”) buffered the negative relationship between leadership denials (ads without the statement “women are …

Globalization In Fashion: Organizational Strategies For Cultural Adaptation While Maintaining Core Identity, Karina Klein

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis examines how fashion brands can effectively maintain their brand identity while expanding into international markets with diverse cultural landscapes. Addressing the fundamental tension between standardization and localization in global fashion marketing, this research investigates when brands should maintain consistent approaches versus adapting to local cultural contexts. Through a comprehensive literature review of global branding theory, historical patterns of fashion globalization, and cultural dimensions affecting fashion consumption, the study establishes foundational principles for strategic international expansion. The research presents Burberry's successful entry into the Chinese market as a case study, analyzing how the luxury brand effectively balanced standardization of …

Cross Country Analysis Of Leveraged Loan Issuance: A Comparative Case Study, Cristina D. Vasquez Boero

Honors Program Theses

This paper aims to examine the dynamics of the global leveraged loan market through a cross-country analysis of 32,635 loan issuances spanning 133 industries across 29 countries between 2005 and 2024. The study analyzes key loan-level variables; including commitment size, maturity time, facility type, pledge status, priority lien, economic sector, use of proceeds, issue year, and amortization schedule to identify cross-country variation in loan issuance patterns and borrower characteristics, comparing a selected sample of international countries with the United States. The results reveal that the market for leveraged loans has grown significantly over time, specifically due to a higher frequency …

Covid-19'S Impact On Grocery Expenditure Amid The Rise Of Social Media's Unattainable Wellness Culture Within Beverage Products, Ava Hinz

Scripps Senior Theses

This paper explores post-pandemic consumption through two different lens: economics and media studies. First, I will focus on COVID-19’s impact on the expenditure of grocery goods. Then I will explore how today’s wellness culture is made unattainable through social media by examining an organic grocery store and two beverage products. By examining these two areas of consumption, it provides critical information on an individual’s consumption during the unique shocks of the pandemic and the cultural context behind those actions.

An Analysis Of Coal Ash Pollution In The State Of Georgia, Mick W. Etchison

Theses and Dissertations

This social science paper will explore the factors contributing to the prevalence of coal ash in specific regions of Georgia and its impact on local ecosystems and human health. It provides an analysis of the current environmental and political issues surrounding the containment and spread of coal ash throughout the State. Coal ash is primarily found in the central, southwestern, and northeastern regions where coal-fired power plants and coal ash storage sites are located. The paper will then discuss the political, economic, and legal reasons behind the lack of effective regulation and mitigation of coal ash spread. Coal ash illustrates …

Analysis Of Technology Skill Requirements For Entry-Level Accountants, Jiane Louella Tolentino Rabara

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the evolving impact of emerging technologies on skill requirements for entry-level accountants. Using a mixed-method approach that combines literature review and quantitative analysis of 2,257,082 job postings from 2021 to 2024 provided by the Butler Center for Research and Economic Development, the study evaluates trends in employer expectations across firm sizes and time. Chi-square tests revealed significant changes in the proportion of postings requiring technological skills (χ² = 117,672, df = 3, p < .001), indicating a shift in how technology-related competencies are presented in job ads. Specifically, while previous job postings often included general technical skills alongside traditional accounting tasks, recent job postings increasingly emphasize advanced or specialized technologies—such as ERP systems, cloud accounting platforms, and automation tools. This shift suggests that employers are moving away from broad technical expectations toward more targeted skill sets, reflecting the evolving technological demands of the profession. A separate chi-square test found a significant relationship between technological skill requirements and job ad duration (χ² = 2,309.57, df = 4, p < .001). However, no consistent pattern of longer posting duration was observed for technology-oriented roles. Literature-based synthesis further showed that large accounting firms continue to demand more advanced technological competencies than smaller firms. Overall, while traditional accounting skills remain predominant, the findings indicate a transition toward more specialized technological expectations in the entry-level accounting role.

A Change In Climate: Inclusion And Menopause Experience At Work, Janie D. Stuart

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

Inclusion within workplace environments is increasingly important as workforce diversity continues to expand. Despite anti-discrimination laws, women and other underrepresented groups often face exclusion in the workplace, which negatively affects their professional growth, health, and well-being. This research focused on how menopause, a natural biological transition, compounds workplace exclusion for women. Specifically, the study investigated the relationship between Menopause Experience and two workplace outcomes, Organizational Commitment and Turnover Intention, and assessed the moderating effects of Inclusion in organizations, teams, and non-gendered workplace cultures. There were strong positive relationships between all three dimensions of Inclusion with both Organizational Commitment and Turnover …

Healthcare Providers’ Lived Experiences During Pivotal Change, Lisa Raynelle Shelley

Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined healthcare providers’ lived experiences of psychological safety and administrative leader behaviors that influenced those experiences during pivotal change. While much research addressed psychological safety among frontline healthcare staff, a gap was noticed concerning providers. This study aimed to investigate the impact of psychological safety and administrative support on provider engagement, emotional response, and retention during periods of significant change. Data were collected via a survey containing multiple-choice and open-ended questions, followed by semi-structured interviews. Four findings emerged. First, the providers’ pivotal events generated themes of “workplace power dynamics,” “systemic and organizational change,” “transformational crisis,” and “physical …

Hartville Potato Chips, Anna Kish, Daniel Brewer, Sarah Flaker, William Brashear, Parker Doerrer, Grace Nuhfer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

N/A

Marketing Strategy For Hartville Potato Chips Team 3, Chase Marquis, Joseph Ferguson, Nicole Faulhaber, Chole Maragos, Megan Shissler, Tyler Indermuhle

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will work closely with Hartville Potato Chips to create a position for the company. Utilizing different marketing techniques, the team will conduct, analyze, communicate, and present information in a real-world setting. This experience will allow for growth in small group and professional development areas.

Our Findings In Marketing Research For Hartville Potato Chips, Elena Kozma, Abbie Ford, Tamia Henderson, Corey Keim, Ashley Whitten

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

To conclude the 2024 Spring semester, we will present primary and secondary research to our client (Hartville Potato Chips). This presentation will support the proposition and promotional strategy to add three more local partnerships for Hartville Potato Chips based on our research findings.

Safehaven Security System, Natalie Gardner, Megan Valloric, Anya Vankirk, Lance Woods, Jack Kelley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

For the Honors Research Project, we were told to take a concept of a business and product and transform it into a successful business with 100 employees within five years.

Our product is called SafeHaven and is an alarm for houses that requires no monthly subscription. This product will be perfect for people who are renting and cannot make permanent changes to their home.

SafeHaven will come in two parts. The customer will put one on the door and one on the door frame. When these two are connected, it automatically sets the alarm unless told otherwise by a smartphone …

Harvest Gold Distillery, Alexis Mackey, Alexander Grecco, Cole Smith, Maggie Patterson, Blake Benko

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of our research project is to establish and grow Harvest Gold Distillery: a corn-based liquor distillery in Ohio that aims to produce and sell high-quality spirits while offering unique services that enhance outreach in the community. The motivation behind this business venture is rooted in one of our team member’s family traditions; Alex’s family makes homemade liquors, which has fostered an in-depth understanding of the distillation process. Alex’s firsthand experience with the craft provides a solid foundation, yet we recognize that starting a distillery involves significant challenges and requires thorough research in several functions of business. This project …

The Leadership Pivot: How Labor Market Dynamics And The Ncaa Transfer Portal Impacts Leadership, Evan Wilson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will cover a multitude of topics specific to my major, and also will use my in depth knowledge and connections within a collegiate sport to analyze how labor market changes effect the leadership styles of leaders within a given industry. This project is going to challenge me as a student because of the in depth research and data collection that will be necessary to not only educate myself about labor markets and leadership styles, but also educate myself enough to be able to present the information in a way that is digestible to readers. The other aspect of …

She Works Hard For The Money: Black Women Entrepreneurs, Business Networks, And Entrepreneurial Success, Dejuan Erica Price

Theses and Dissertations

Although Black women launched an estimated 2.08 million businesses in 2023 (accounting for 14.8% of all women-owned firms), they remain significantly underrepresented among high-growth, well-capitalized enterprises. This paradox highlights the need for deeper examination of the structural and social factors that shape their entrepreneurial experiences and outcomes. Using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach, this study examined how network structure, networking behaviors, personal motivations, and social contexts influence entrepreneurial success among Black women founders. The qualitative phase revealed how faith, emotional labor, social isolation, and cultural values shaped participants’ definitions of success and approaches to entrepreneurship. Founders emphasized purpose, healing, and …

From Silos To Synergy: A Multi-Case Study Of The Enablers And Inhibitors Of Successful Post-Acquisition Technology Platform Integration, Nasario Mejia

Theses and Dissertations

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have long been an important strategy for achieving growth. Levels of M&A have been increasing over the past 10 years. An enduring challenging problem post M&A is the effective integration of the technology platforms of the acquired and acquiring firms. This study investigates the enablers and inhibitors of successful post-acquisition technology platform integration (PATPI) through the lens of interdependent People, Process, Technology, and Data capabilities. Based on data collected from interviews with senior leaders combined with publicly available secondary data, a multi-site qualitative comparative case study analysis was used to identify enabling and inhibiting platform integration …

Creation-Disruption Theory: How Innovators Create And Disrupt Markets In The Era Of Ai And Beyond, Jukka Alanen

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how innovators create and disrupt markets remains a central challenge in strategic management and innovation, especially amid rapid advances in AI. In this two-paper dissertation, I develop and empirically ground the Creation-Disruption (CD) Theory as a novel and unified theory that explains how innovations and innovators transform markets through intertwined processes of creation and disruption, addressing limitations of prior frameworks. In the first paper, I develop the CD Theory conceptually, treating innovations as the unit of analysis, and reconceptualize, integrate, and extend prior frameworks — most notably, disruptive innovation theory and Blue Ocean Strategy — into a unified theory …

Charisma And Impulsivity In The Venture Pitch Persuasion Process, Shilena D. Battan

Theses and Dissertations

Entrepreneurs depend on persuasive pitching to secure venture capital (VC) funding, yet the roles of charisma and investor impulsiveness in shaping those decisions remain underexplored. This dissertation addresses the gap by examining how entrepreneurial charisma and investor impulsiveness influence persuasion outcomes during the pitch process. Two pilot studies and two main experiments tested these dynamics. In Study 1, a trained actor delivered a pre-scripted pitch in high and low charisma formats. In Study 2, extended the investigation by adapting the pitch text into AI-generated text, offering a comparison between human and AI-authored pitches. Results from both studies revealed a mix …

Project Hope: The Impact Of Coaching And Transformation Among Returning Citizens, Mark Keven Cox

Theses and Dissertations

The study of psychological transformation within the prison context appears nascent with few academic articles to be found on the subject. The few that do exist suggest that transformation in the prison context is possible. Drawing from the academic literature regarding psychological transformation, inclusive of Hope Theory and Self-efficacy Theory, this qualitative research sought to understand how cognitive coaching programs within United States prisons may foster psychological transformation and increased likelihood of societal reentry success for returning citizens. The research sits at the intersection of coaching and theories associated with psychological transformation and explores the consequences of a single carceral-based …