Business Commons^™

Impulse Buying On The Internet, Claire Elizabeth Crafts

LSU Master's Theses

Technology makes buying faster, smarter, and more convenient for consumers, and supplies endless opportunities for impulse buying. Research of this topic examines influencers for impulsive online shopping, and marketing techniques used to encourage such actions. After a thorough literature review to identify important factors relating to impulsive purchases and to develop hypotheses, a survey is conducted to provide data on which the hypotheses can be tested. The survey is divided into four sections examining the effectiveness of online marketing techniques, shopping habits, Internet habits, and questions relating to a recent online impulse purchase. Theories to test include ones relating to …

Assessing Intention Of Volunteers To Develop Their Leadership: Creation Of An Instrument Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Janina Marie Fuller

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

During the current tough economic times volunteers are playing an increasingly important role in making human services widely available and in building collaborative community partnerships. Volunteers are most likely to be productive, to be satisfied with their experience, and to sustain their volunteer service when the opportunities provided to them are aligned with their motives for volunteering, which may include building the kinds of knowledge, skills, and interpersonal awareness that are the cornerstones of leadership. Organizations that purposefully recognize, support, and develop their volunteers’ leadership potential generate positive outcomes not only for themselves and their volunteers, but also for the …

Equipped To Serve Our Youth: A Phenomenological Study Of 4-H Extension Youth Educators' Perceptions Of The Value Of Mentoring, Allison Ann Bruchhaus

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Challenging economic times and increasingly complex social contexts intensify the demand for organizations to focus on areas of human resource development that positively contribute to developmental relationships of employees. One such method is the implementation of a formal mentoring program. Mentoring is especially important for 4-H youth educators. Youth educators are usually specialized in program development among other areas and plan, implement, and evaluate programs with the intent of bettering the quality of life for youth. The dynamics of working with today’s youth mandate effective professional development and developmental relationships for career enhancement. This study was developed for the researcher …

Two Essays On Information In Trading, Yanhao Fang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation comprises of two essays. The first essay, ‘Index Price Discovery in the Cash Market’, employs Hasbrouck’s (2003) information share method to analyze the flow of information in equity markets. In particular I compare trading in Index ETFs with that of their underlying securities. Surprisingly, ETFs seem to play a significant role in the price discovery process, rather than serving as passive indexing/hedging vehicles. Using TAQ data I reconstruct the second-by-second intraday price series for the S&P 500 using its component stocks. Results show that the ETF contributes almost half of the price formation of S&P 500 in the …

It Outsourcing Governance: A Conceptual Framework For Theory And Practice, Santiago Pena

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this study is to improve our understanding of IT Outsourcing Governance, which has become an increasingly significant topic in recent years. In order to gain an understanding of this topic, an extensive literature review was performed and analyzed with argument mapping. The data yielded from the argument maps was used to create a comprehensive framework for IT Outsourcing Governance. What resulted was a new conceptualization of IT Outsourcing Governance, focused not only on governance structures and decision rights, but also on relationship management. This conceptualization not only provides a better understanding, but also presents a sharp contrast …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Small Business Owner-Managers' Participation And Learning In An Online Discussion Forum : Not Quite Paradise Found, Tara Laureen Smith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Small business owner-managers (SBOMs) are a difficult group to engage in formal face-to-face training and learning activities. Research to encourage SBOMs' participation has focused on two main themes: first, trying to ascertain why they do not attend training and, second, determining their learning preferences. They are reluctant to attend formal training because they prioritise business operations (no time to attend training), perceive training as a poor return on investment, have negative perceptions of training and education, and believe the training provision often does not meet their needs. In terms of their learning preferences, it is clear that SBOMs prefer informal, …

Security Awareness By Online Banking Users In Western Australian Of Phishing Attacks, Nattakant Utakrit

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Phishing involves sending e-mails pretending to be from the legitimate financial institutions to recipients and asking for personal information such as username and password. It also redirects network traffic to malicious sites, deny network traffic to web services, and modify protection mechanisms in the targeted computer systems. Consequences of successful attacks can include identity and financial losses, and unauthorised information disclosure.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of Western Australian bank users in using online banking. The study considered the relationship between the background of the Western Australian bank users and their experience in using online …

Manager Learning In The Micro Business Context : The Role Of External Business Advice, Training Providers And Close Others, Jennifer Devine

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Small business has often been referred to as the “engine driving the economy”. This description highlights the significance of small business to the economy of most countries. But what about the smallest of these organisations; those businesses with fewer than five employees? These businesses, termed micro businesses, form a large part of our economy and are sometimes the starting point for larger business and sometimes provide a long term, alternate business structure. This type of business has special needs and characteristics and is often neglected in the management literature. The nature and diversity of these businesses prompted an interest in …

The Distribution Of Individual Stock Returns In A Modified Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model, Daniel Lee Richey

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: There have been many attempts to find a model that can accurately price options. These models are built on many assumptions, including which probability distribution stock returns follow. In this paper, we test several distributions to see which best fit the log returns of 20 different companies over a period between November 1, 2006 to October 31, 2011. If a "best" distribution is found, a modified Black-Scholes model will be defined by modifying the Weiner process. We use Monte Carlo simulations to generate estimated prices under specified parameters, and compare these prices to those simulated by the model …

How Should Plastic-Packaging Companies Apply Artificial Proofs And Topics Of Invention To Communicate Sustainability? : A Heuristic Developed On The Basis Of Rhetorical Analysis, Shristy Bashyal

Masters Theses

"This study examines how the ten plastic-packaging companies use artificial proofs and topics of invention to communicate sustainability-related information. The objective of this study was to answer the following research questions:

(i) Do plastic-packaging companies define sustainability on their website?

(ii) What are the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments in these companies' sustainability-related communications?

(iii) What invention strategies should technical marketing communicators use to communicate company's sustainable practices?

To answer these questions, I analyzed the sustainability-related documents available on the websites of the ten companies. On the basis of this analysis, I developed an invention heuristic that can be …

The Marketing Relevance Of Australian Cosmetic Brand Ambassadors, Jessica Boswarva

Theses : Honours

Brand ambassadors are often employed to perform important marketing roles such as influencing product adoption and creating brand awareness (Livesley, 2009; O’Leary, 2010; Voight, 2007; Wragg, 2004). Brand ambassadors provide personalised customer service, including educational, experiential and relational roles and as a result propagate trust, minimize perceived risk and create familiarity and involvement (Belch & Belch, 2007; Chiou & Droge, 2006; Elliot & Percy, 2007). Whilst studies highlight benefits to businesses in general, there is limited research to the role of brand ambassadors within the Australian cosmetic industry. Cosmetic brand ambassadors are a traditional feature of the cosmetic industry and …

Property Bubble : Test For Suitability And Reliability Indicators : A Comparative Assessment Of Western Australia And Provence-Alpes-Cote D'Azur, Romain A. Aureglia

Theses : Honours

Purpose: The main purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the speculative bubble literature and to provide a practical test upon Lind’s (2008) definition and set of indicators to identify a property bubble.

Methodology: The methodology for this thesis consists of a case study and a comparative analysis. The paper will connect Lind’s theoretical framework to a practical test to provide a concrete answer for the validity of his work.

Findings: Media and general perceptions have had a great influence over the housing market actors for both Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur and Western Australia regions. House prices increases are often attributed …

Strategic Management And Job Satisfaction: Agency-Level Effects In The Federal Government, Tara Bopp

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

As strategic planning and human capital strategies become more regulated in the United States government, a decision must be made by federal agency heads. Will agencies fully participate and buy into the process of participative strategic planning and management or will they comply with regulations and reforms merely for the sake of compliance with little further effort? The intent of this study is to show that agencies that choose to do more than simply comply with GPRA and implement strategic planning and management can benefit from their increased effort in by increasing job satisfaction in their workforce.

The Government Performance …

How Do The Perceived Barriers, Attitudes, And Knowledge Of Grocery Store Personnel Affect Availability Of Organic Food Products?, Rachel Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Organic food is one of the fastest-growing segments of food production and consumption in the U.S. Even though organic foods are becoming more widely available, some studies suggest they may not be equally available to all populations because people in some areas are being excluded from the organics market either geographically or financially. The purpose of this study was to examine how individual and local characteristics affect the attitudes of grocery store personnel toward organic food products and how these attitudes affect availability. Grocery store personnel were surveyed about their attitudes toward organic foods, their perceptions of the barriers to …

Audit And Compilation Report Timeliness In Local Governments: An Empirical Investigation Of Mississippi Governmental Entities That Exceed State Reporting Deadlines, Corey S. Cagle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For governmental audit and compilation reports to be relevant, they must be prepared and made available to the public in a timely manner. The purpose of this study is to identify variables that have an influence on audit and compilation report delay in governments. This research utilizes ordinary-least-squares regression to estimate the effects of several variables of interest on the time it takes to file the audit or compilation report with the Office of the State Auditor. The research also utilizes logistic regression to estimate the effects of several variables of interest on the incidence of filing the audit or …

The Role Of Flow In Creating E-Loyalty: The Case Of Online Hotel Booking Websites, Anil Bilgihan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to examine the concept of ―online customer experience‖, ―flow‖, and its role in influencing online customers‘ loyalty to a hotel booking website. To achieve this aim, a model was developed, which proposed that online flow is generated by both hedonic and utilitarian website features. A model was developed based on literature review to measure the relationships between the constructs. To initiate this research, a survey approach was taken. After conducting a pilot study, a marketing company was contacted to distribute the link for the online questionnaire. Five hundred and eleven (511) questionnaires were completed by guests who …

An Examination Of The Impact Of Early Retirement Incentives On School District Financial Health, Michael Jon Dean

Wayne State University Dissertations

The combination of state controlled school funding in Michigan, rising employee costs and shrinking school enrollments have caused school districts to seek a variety of cost control measures. One of the measures frequently supported by both school districts and employee unions is the use of Early Retirement Incentives (ERI) to incentivize teachers to separate from the school district via a cash payment.

The purpose of this study was to analyze how offering or not-offering an ERI impacted on the financial health of a school districts in the State of Michigan. Selected school districts in Michigan were surveyed regarding any ERI's …

The Adoption Of Lean Operations And Lean Accounting On The Financial-Performance Measures Of Publicly Traded Companies, Daniel C. Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For fiscal years 2008 through 2010, manufacturers and service providers that adopted lean operations outperformed companies that did not adopt lean operations. Using non-parametric tests and a matched-pairs design, lean companies had greater returns on both net operating assets (RNOA) and total assets (ROA). Lean companies also experienced better operating cash flows and cash adequacy than non-lean companies. The profit margins and financing-assets ratios were marginally better for lean companies than non-lean companies. Several working-capital measures, however, were not significantly different. Lean companies also experienced higher total-inventory turnover and raw-materials inventory turnover than non-lean companies. Although work-in-process inventory turnover did …

The Impact Of The User-It Artifact Interaction On Technology Implementation And Value: Mobile Social Networking And Mobile Social Capital, Donghyun Kim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite investment and cutting-edge features, the majority of new mobile phone subscribers have adopted low-cost handsets instead of the latest mobile devices (Karjaluoto et al., 2005). According to the U.S. Census Bureau report, only 37% of cell phone users selected a smartphone in 2007. The Census Bureau forecasted the figure would increase by less than 10% in 2008. However, only 24% of cell phone users owned a smartphone in 2010, 27 % in 2011 and 30% in 2012. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to propose a conceptual model of the impact of mobile social capital on mobile networks …

The Impact Of Servant Leadership On Follower Outcomes: Testing The Mediating Roles Of Stewardship Climate And Trust, Wallace Alexander Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research focused on the impact of servant leadership on follower citizenship behaviors (OCBs), both at the individual and organizational levels. The relationship was considered indirect, with trust, perceptions of fairness, and stewardship climate acting as mediators to the relationship between servant leadership and follower citizenship behaviors. The three major contributions are (1) the identification and empirical test of 'servant' and 'leader' components of servant leadership, and (2) the theoretical extension of servant leadership through stewardship theory, and (3) the evidence for its importance in explaining the role of stewardship climate in the relationship between servant leadership and follower OCBs. …

A Social-Cognitive Approach To Marketing Ethics: Institutionalization, Integrity, And Power, Ceri Nishihara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Presented for a dissertation, I report on a survey-designed study that empirically investigates the relationship between environmental and individual traits leading to the practice of ethical behavior within a marketing firm. Drawing upon extant ethical constructs, and using both the General Theory of Marketing Ethics and Social Cognitive Theory as guides, I find strong support for the potential synergy between individual tendencies and firm characteristics in order to facilitate ethical behavior on the part of marketing employees. In addition to shoring up earlier constructs, I discovered surprising relationships between the individual and firm dynamic, where the effects of certain characteristics …

Golf Tourism In Ireland: An Inbound Perspective, Brian Murphy

Theses

The fact that Ireland has some of the finest natural golf courses in the world is not a new phenomenon, with renowned courses such as Waterville, Ballybunion and Royal Country Down regularly appearing in the list of top ten best golf courses in the world. The sheer ruggedness and natural beauty of many of Ireland’s links golf courses have for many years attracted golfing enthusiasts to our shores. The experience of playing these magnificent courses is only surpassed by the warmth and hospitality which is shared by the local people. Ireland has a reputation for welcoming visiting tourists with open …

Diy Pr: How Independent Music Artists Use Online Social Networks For Public Relations Purposes, Martina Lawless

Theses

Significance of the study: Independent musicians are a huge part of the Irish music industry and yet they are the part that do not have the backing of a record label. This means independent musicians need to look at cheap or even free ways to promote themselves to existing fans and potential new fans. With the emergence of social networks musicians both signed and independent have the tools necessary to engage in a new form DIY PR. The purpose of this study is to look at the different ways that social networks have helped musicians in recent years, but also …

What Is The Effectiveness Of Public Relations Tactics Being Utilized By High Street Fashion Brands To Encourage Consumer Knowledge Of Their Brand Identity?, Lynn Ferrari

Theses

This thesis looks to discover if high street fashion brands are utilizing effective public relations. It attempts to identify if the PR tools being utilized by high street fashion brands are evident to the consumer and if they contribute to purchasing power, the model of communication that is being employed by high street fashion brands and if age contributes to the knowledge and effectiveness of public relation tactics and communication tools. Approach: The research involved a two-stage study with the first phase focusing on an extensive literature review of the key sources of secondary research including reports, articles and publications. …

Two Essays On Behavioral Finance, Quang Viet Vu

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

The first essay is entitled: "CEO Overconfidence, Corporate Governance Practices and Firm Innovation". In this study, I examine if overconfident CEOs overinvest or underinvest in innovative projects. I also investigate if overconfident CEOs pursue innovative projects to benefit personal interests or the interest of shareholders. By focusing on the effect of corporate governance in monitoring the behavior of overconfident CEOs, my results show that there is a negative relation between CEO overconfidence and firm innovation among firms with poor governance. In these cases, the finding is consistent with the implication that overconfident CEO are entrenched and invest inadequately …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Women In Leadership And Community At Old Dominion University From 1970 To 1990, Ann E. Wendle Barnes

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

During the 1970s college campuses in the United States were often the venue through which change occurred. Female faculty and students were assertive in their efforts to influence equality between men and women across the country (Morris, 1984). This historical phenomenological study examined the oral history of several women who advocated for women's rights at Old Dominion University (ODU) by establishing the Women's Caucus, Women's Studies Program, and Women's Center during the late 1970s through the 1990s.

Participants selected for this study took part in semi-structured interviews, and the results of the interviews were triangulated with archived documents available at …

Competencies Required Of Human Resource Professionals In The Government Contracting Industry, Dawn Denise Boyer

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a unique set of Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) were required of Human Resource Practitioners (HRPs) in federal-level Government Contracting Companies (GCC) in the United States. Study results identified additional sets of HR-related KSAs to perform with minimum competency within a government-contracting environment. The results of this study can assist in creation and development of training or education curriculum for HRPs interested in or currently working in GCCs. Study results provided parameters for job descriptions for HRP recruitment within GCCs and HRP promotional opportunities.

Three Essays On Strategic Risk Taking, Krista Burrill Lewellyn

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

The three essays that comprise this dissertation collectively explore strategic risk taking. The dissertation is underpinned by the notion that corporate executives take strategic risks not randomly, but based on the expectation that outcomes are more likely to be positive rather than negative. Each essay examines how and why decision makers come to vary in their cognitive evaluation of the acceptability of strategic risk taking.

Essay 1 draws from the approach/inhibition theory of power, to explore how power not only provides the means for CEOs to exert their risk preferences, but actually affects what the risk preferences are. Power is …

Disruptive Innovation In Agribusiness, Tyler Mcgee

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze how the process of disruptive innovation will impact the agribusiness industry, and how this transition will take place. This analysis will be demonstrated through scenario analysis, with three potential scenarios being demonstrated and explained. This project was developed using research from a broad range of sources over the course of several years, as well as studies conducted within the industry itself through firsthand experience gained while working for one of the largest firms operating in this industry. While disruptive innovation has been a phenomenon studied in several industries and areas, it has …

Technical Analysis: An Asian Perspective, Siqin Liaw

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Technical analysis, namely the moving average rule and the channel rule, is applied to the currency of an Asian managed floating exchange rate regime (USD/SGD) to see if opportunities for profitable trading exist. Instead of using only daily or monthly data, higher frequency time frames of 10, 15, 30 and 60 minutes are analyzed. Profitable strategies (if any) will be broken down and analyzed within smaller time frames to see if the profits are specifically in sample.