Business Commons^™

Student-Athletes & Academic Success: A Comparison Of The Graduation Rates, Gpa And After College Success Of Student-Athletes And Regular Students, Julia Forster

Business/Business Administration

No abstract provided.

Stock Returns And The Franchise Value, Sean Landrigan

Business/Business Administration

An accurate predictive model of a firm’s future performance has been long sought after in the finance field. This study examines the relationship of a firm’s franchise value, using the Franchise Factor, to its Price-to-Earnings ratio as one model of performance. Using the firms in the S&P 1,500 as the data sample, this study also examines the effects of market value along with the franchise value to price-to-earnings ratio. The results show that the franchise value to price-to-earnings ratio, even when controlling for the firm’s market value, was in fact predictive of individual companies’ stock returns between 2000 and 2009.

A Qualitative & Quantitative Analysis: Qualcomm, Incorporated Vs Visasat, Incorporated, Daina Migdel

Business/Business Administration

No abstract provided.

Correlating Qualitative Performance With Quantitative Performance: Investigating The Financial Benefit Of Good Corporate Citizenship, Neema Moghadam

Business/Business Administration

No abstract provided.

Information Technology (It) Identity: A Conceptualization, Proposed Measures, And Research Agenda, Michelle Carter

All Dissertations

With increasing embeddedness of information technologies (IT) in organizational processes, and services, individuals' long-term IT use has become instrumental to business success. At the same time, IS research has illustrated that under-utilization by end-users often prevents organizations from realizing expected benefits from their technology investments. Because individual use is the critical link between technology investments and enhanced organizational performance through IT, in recent years, information systems researchers have begun to focus attention on the post-adoption phases of technology assimilation. The overarching goal of this relatively new research stream is to understand factors that influence individuals' attempts to use IT to …

Manufacturing Mississippi's Workforce: An Assessment Of Employability Skills As Perceived By Faculty And Senior Students Of Four Year Manufacturing Related Degree Programs, Mamie Yvette Griffin

Dissertations

A worldwide concern exists that undergraduate programs are not producing graduates with the kind of lifelong learning and professional skills needed for workplace success. Numerous research studies indicate new employees lack needed employability skills such as teamwork, decision-making, and communication.

Similarly, recent national and state findings suggest that graduates of Mississippi‟s manufacturing-related degree programs may not be fully prepared to meet the needs of manufacturers in the state. Hence, this research proposes to determine the degree to which Mississippi‟s four-year manufacturing-related degree programs address employability.

To answer this question, the present study utilizes descriptive non-experimental research to assess the perception …

Capitalization Structure: The Effects Of Leverage On Growth Prospects, Laura Cawley, Roers Janku

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

In this paper we quantitatively analyzed capital structure to lead to an understanding of the effects of debt within capital structure. Utilizing EBITDA growth as a proxy for the effects of leverage, we quantitatively analyzed the impact of the capitalization decision. Through the use of a model we analyzed 180 companies to come to conclusions about the EBITDA growth rate necessary as determined by leverage.

Short Line Railroading In The Northeastern United States: Its Relevance And Future In Connecting Industry To The North American Rail Network, William Jay Hotaling

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Short line railroads are vital links in the North American rail network. To remain profitable and viable they must keep abreast of technological advancement and increase cooperation both amongst themselves and with large railroads. Short line railroads fulfill a need in the market place: efficiently distributing and collecting freight transferred locally, nationally, and abroad. Their health and success are a vital component to the continued economic viability of industry in the American northeast. This paper examines short line railroading in the northeastern United States and its relevance and future in connecting industry to the North American Rail Network.

To determine …

The Economic Impact Of Right-To-Work Laws On Employment And Living Standards In The State Of Arkansas, Brinkley Cook-Campbell

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

This reaseach paper looks at the effect that right-to-work laws have had on the economy of Arkansas. Analysis reveals that RTW laws have no effect on unemployment, labor force participation, and wage growth. However, RTW laws do have an economic impact on population growth in certain periods, as well as increased rates of GDP growth. This paper concludes that RTW has been good for Arkansas.

On-Shelf Customer Availability Research: The Effects Of The Day-Of-The-Week, Product, And Category Characteristics On Stockouts, Joseph Lum

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper seeks to examine the causes of stockouts and on-shelf customer availability by examining various product and category characteristics, as well as the day-of-the-week to study their effects on stockouts. Over 8 weeks, data was collected by taking tri-weekly photographs of three product categories at a retail store, and then the data was extracted to a spreadsheet before empirical analysis was done. The results of the study indicated that the probability of a stockout increased when planned facings decreased, the unit price increased, proper on-shelf placement decreased, and when other SKU’s of the same category also stocked out.

Corporate Sponsorship In High School Athletics, Morgan Sherman

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to examine corporate sponsorship of secondary school athletics. With a decrease of funding for school districts and tightening of budgets across the country, secondary schools have utilized a new major resource of income: sponsorship. Throughout the nation high schools are funding many programs, including athletics through the use of corporate sponsorship. Though previous research has concentrated on sponsorship at either the professional or collegiate level, the focus of this research is to further explore the business model of corporate sponsorship in in interscholastic athletics from the viewpoint of the school districts, understand benefits and …

Taking Advantage Of Credit Default Swaps In European Markets, Phillip Kosmitis

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

Credit default swaps are the leading indicators in bond and equity markets. The movement of credit default swaps can explain sovereign bond and equity market movements in distressed countries. Investors can take advantage of credit default swap volatility and movement in both sovereign credit and equity markets. In stable European countries, credit default swaps show little evidence of being the leading driver of sovereign bond and equity markets.

Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Collectivism, And Job Satisfaction: Evidence From Mexico, Miguel Angel Baeza

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct a field study in a Mexican company in several Mexican regions. This study considered administrative professionals as a continuation to assess the validity of a recently developed Mexican Border OCB (MBOCB) scale by Ortiz (2000). This validation/refinement of an MBOCB scale was accomplished by comparing and contrasting results of this investigation, given the name of Mexican OCB (MOCB), with other OCB dimensions studies in other regions in order to evaluate criterion validity (e.g., convergent and discriminat) through factor loadings. Furthermore, this dissertation categorized these MOCB dimensions into more conceptualized terms utilized by …

A Study Of The Leadership Code And Employee Engagement, Richard James Stewart

Dissertations

Ulrich, Smallwood and Sweetman’s (2008) leadership code presents a synthesized approach to developing individual leadership ability and forms part of the base for organizational leadership capability. Employee engagement research indicates that effective leaders consider employee engagement as one of their primary focuses (Weichun, Avolio, & Walumbwa, 2009). While studies of employee engagement and leadership approaches are plentiful in the research world, no research on the leadership code and its relationship to employee engagement can be found. Therefore, research to identify a relationship between the leadership code and employee engagement can provide a much needed advancement in the body of leadership …

The Impact Of A Direct Care Training Program On The Self-Efficacy Of Newly Hired Direct Care Employees At State Mental Health Facilities, Marcus Wayne Lewis

Dissertations

Self-efficacy has been shown to be an important element in the success of individuals in a variety of different settings. This research examined the impact of a two week new employee orientation training program on the general and social self-efficacy of newly hired direct care employees at state mental health facilities. The research showed that the training program did not have a statistically significant impact on the social self-efficacy of the new employees after the training or after one month on the job. The research also showed that the two week new employee orientation program did not have a statistically …

The Impact Of Celebrity Endorser Type And Source Credibility On The Advertising Attitudes And Purchase Intentions Of Indian Rural Consumers, Sidharth Muralidharan

Dissertations

India is among the fastest growing economies in the world and has the second largest population out of which 70% are considered rural. The rural consumer has witnessed a lifestyle shift wherein they have become brand conscious, consumption of media content has increased and a rising income has opened up possibilities never experienced before. Understanding the love for cinema, celebrity endorsement has become a popular marketing strategy being employed by advertisers in India. The purpose of this study was to find out which celebrity endorser type (national, regional or non-celebrity) was the most effective on rural consumer’s attitude toward the …

Employee Volunteer And Employer Benefits From Business-Education Partnerships As Perceived By Employee Volunteers, Evelyn Kwan Green

Dissertations

The U.S. is losing global competitiveness in its institutions, higher education, and the casino industry. An industry’s competitiveness depends on its ability to produce a highly skilled workforce, and higher education plays a key role in preparing students with skills critical to workplace success. Business and education entities form partnerships to use employee volunteerism (EV) as a student skill gaps solution and as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. Currently, education entities lack a systematic approach to measure and communicate the benefits of EV to their business partners. Without accountability, education entities may risk the long-term support of business partners. …

Delta Theatre Productions: A Start-Up Theatre Company, Amanda Sutton Davis

Arts Administration Master's Reports (1984-2016)

This report is the result of a year-long internship with a new theatre company in New Orleans, Delta Theatre Productions, currently operating under the name Delta Productions. I functioned as the Managing Director for this start-up, building organizational infrastructure from the ground up, guiding the process of its first production from idea to final product, and creating the branding of the organization in order to set it apart from its competition and establish it as a viable and healthy theatrical company for the New Orleans community. This report tells the story of how the organization began, reports on my duties …

The Louisiana State Museum: A Report, Christina Barrois-Pinner

Arts Administration Master's Reports (1984-2016)

This report is written as the result of an extensive internship from May to September 2011 at the Louisiana State Museum. During my time at the Louisiana State Museum I worked as a full-time marketing intern in the main office at the Presbytere. The aim of this report is to provide a comprehensive overview of the Louisiana State Museum as an organization and I will be focusing on the museum’s marketing department. Drawing from my experiences, research and interviews with key individuals; my report includes an analysis of the organization, description of my internship duties and recommendations for the museum …

George Rodrigue Foundation Of The Arts, Jennifer Maurer

Arts Administration Master's Reports (1984-2016)

This is a report on the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA) following an internship with the organization from June until September 2011. This report consists of an organizational summary, an account of the internship, SWOT analysis, best practices and concluding thoughts. Modeled after the Thea Foundation in Little Rock, Arkansas, GRFA advocates the importance of art in youth development, and its mission is reflected by George Rodrigue’s testimony of the positive influence of art in his life.

Root Division: Connecting Personal Inspiration And Community Participation Throughout The Next 10 Years, Ashlee Nell Rivalto

Arts Administration Master's Reports (1984-2016)

This report is the result of an organizational internship (June 6, 2011-September 30, 2011) at Root Division, a visual art nonprofit located in San Francisco, CA. The nature of the internship required work in many facets of the organization allowing a full analysis of the organization’s operations, funding streams, and goals for the future. This report begins with an extensive overview of this unique organization, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2012. The report then analyzes organizational observations, finding that Root Division must focus on strategic communication and new relationships with donors in order to obtain future goals. The paper …

Dance Exchange: An Internship Report, Colleen Robinson

Arts Administration Master's Reports (1984-2016)

As an administrative intern at Dance Exchange in Takoma Park, MD I had the opportunity to study this organization in a transitional phase following the departure of its founder Liz Lerman. I worked with Dance Exchange from September 6th, 2012 to December 16th, 2012. During that time I updated their media and donor lists, social media outlets, maintained the social media outlets, and assisted in the planning and execution of their HOME events, among other tasks. This paper will serve as an organizational analysis of Dance Exchange. Following this analysis, I will offer suggestions on how Dance Exchange might proceed …

Out Of The Heart Springs The Communication Of Leadership, Jodi A. Kohut

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study is based on the philosophical and biblical notions that words are a sacred gift from God and should be used with care. This study is concerned with how a leader uses these words in the organizational context. Edification is presented as a performative speech act by connecting its intention, “to build” to the rhetorical functions of the locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts. Using Sullivan’s (1988) foundation for extending these language functions to the organizational context, the author proposes that edifying language has functions across three dimensions: 1.) Perlocutionary, subordinate building properties 2.) Illocutionary, relationship building properties and 3.) …

Are Women Really Harder On Other Women? A Survey Of Female Employees, Laurel Keys

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Head Coaching Motivation Of Millennial Generation Female Assistant Coaches, Erin Morris

All Theses

Title IX facilitated an increase in the number of female athletes in the United States. However, the rate of female coaches of women's teams has declined since Title IX's passage in 1972, currently only 43% of women's teams are coached by women. Previous research has explored barriers to coaching for women, but limited research has looked at women's intent to coach. The purpose of this study was to examine what influences millennial generation, Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, female assistant coaches' decision to pursue careers as head coaches.
This study was grounded in feminist standpoint theory as the goal was …

The Construct Development Of Spiritual Leadership, Emily Rachael Lean

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although the past decade has shown a growing interest in workplace spirituality in the leadership and organizational literature, research in the area of spiritual leadership, is still in its infancy. The goal of this study was to delineate the construct of spiritual leadership and to provide theoretical guidelines for future research. A conceptual definition of spiritual leadership is offered in addition to a list of behaviors relevant to a spiritual leader. This study was the first of its kind to take into account the knowledge and opinions of both academic and practitioner subject matter experts. Furthermore, with regard to developing …

Essays On Mergers And Acquisitions And Governance, Rwan Ibrahim Talib El-Khatib

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a recent strand of corporate finance literature that explores the impact of executives and directors' Social connections on firm value, performance, and governance. Those studies document that such Social connections could be beneficial when they enhance the sharing of information and knowledge, but could also be detrimental when associated with CEOs, as they could provide the CEO with a source of influence that makes her more entrenched and powerful.

In the first essay, I use four common measures of network centrality to compute the position of the CEO within the Social network of all executives and directors of …

Too Big Not To Fail: United States Corporate Media And The 2008 Financial Crisis, Justin Lars Bergh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates United States newspaper coverage of the 2008 financial crisis, with a particular focus on the debate that took place in press coverage surrounding the proposed 700 billion dollar Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Specifically, this study aims to understand how, when faced with a crisis that threatened hegemony, the state and economic elites, working in and through media, were able to effectively convince the subordinate classes to consent to state intervention aimed at perpetuating a financial system that has historically profited from the relative financial insecurity of the subordinate classes. In order to understand media's role in …

External Stakeholders And Internal Controls In Churches, David Myers

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper deals specifically with churches, a subset of religious non-profit organizations chosen due to their near-ubiquity in the United States, specifically how an external organization can affect the internal control environment of a local congregation’s financial system.

Film Financing: Thrilling Scenes And Investing Schemes, Charlotte Moore

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis discusses investing in independent films and researches whether or not it is a scam by looking at techniques to draw in investors, accounting practices, and professional advice.