Business Commons^™

Voluntary Disclosures In Mergers And Acquisitions, Scott Allen Wandler

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Whenever there is a merger between two publicly held companies in the form of a stock transaction, the companies must provide a proxy-prospectus to their shareholders with enough information to vote on the proposed merger. The proxy-prospectus contains mandatory pro forma financial statements as if the firms had merged as of the end of the previous year. Occasionally, the proxy-prospectus contains voluntary, forward-looking information, such as projected earnings per share (EPS) or price-to-earnings (PE) ratios of the combined firm. There are two reasons that management may provide this voluntary forward-looking information: 1) management could be providing an optimistic view of …

Mentoring Youth With Disabilities: The Mentor's Lived Experiences, Kimberly Lynn Seeger

LSU Master's Theses

Studies have demonstrated the benefits of mentoring as a successful intervention for youth in programs such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Limited research is available which describes the experiences of the mentors who participate in a program specifically for youth with disabilities. Youth with disabilities experience unique challenges as they work towards academic goals and independent living. Findings from this study will provide a insight into the lived experiences from the mentors’ perspective.

The methodology used for this study was a single interview with five adult mentors of youth with disabilities. Qualitative interviews were conducted with each mentor to …

Demographic And Psychological Factors Influencing Academic Success In A College Level Human Anatomy Course, Wanda Green Hargroder

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of selected demographic and psychological characteristics on the academic achievement of students enrolled in an undergraduate human anatomy course at a research-extensive university in the Southern region of the United States. As health care in the United States becomes increasingly strained due to a decreasing ratio of health care workers, educating more students to fill this gap has become a societal issue. Human anatomy forms the foundation of all health care professions. From the molecular to the macroscopic, anatomy provides a unique and necessary perspective of the human body. …

The Influence Of Confucian Philosophy On Adults' Preference For Learning: A Comparison Of Confucian Adult Learners And Non-Confucian Adult Learners, Szu-Fang Chuang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of the extent of agreement with the principles of Confucian philosophy on the learning preferences of students enrolled in a research extensive university in the southern region of the United States. This study also compared the extent of agreement with the Confucian philosophy and the extent of preferences for learning methods by cultural background (as defined by nonresident Far East Asians from Confucian-influenced countries, Asian Americans, and White Americans) of enrolled students. The researcher used survey methodology to determine the current level (extent to which the subjects agreed with …

Academic Concept Mapping (Acm): A Critical Thinking Tool In Academic Advising For Improving Academic Performance In College Freshmen, Dorothy Burton Nelson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the affects of an academic advising system, the Academic Concept Mapping (ACM) instrument, on academic performance of first-semester freshmen enrolled in a four year public university in the South, during fall 2006. The California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI®), a Likert-type instrument, was administered to 258 students enrolled in 12 sections (six treatment, six control) of a freshman seminar class to determine if ACM participation made a difference in scores by group type. As an additional measure, an ACM quiz was administered to all students in the ACM study. Three instructors participated, …

Institutional Dynamics In It Markets: Extending The Concept Of Organizing Visions For It Innovations, Evgeny Kaganer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The concept of organizing visions for IT innovations, introduced by Swanson and Ramiller, offers a valuable analytical lens to examine institutional dynamics underlying diffusion of complex information technology (IT) innovations at the inter-organizational level of analysis. Several aspects of the organizing vision framework, however, warrant further elaboration. In this thesis, two such aspects are addressed. First, the process of organizing vision production and evolution is elucidated in more detail and embedded in the broader context of industry meaning structures. To this end, a process-oriented model is presented delineating how the development of an organizing vision is enabled and constrained by …

The Influence Of Enrollment In Agriscience Education Courses On Student Achievement Of High School Students In Louisiana, Paul Joseph Theriot

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare academic achievement of high school students in Louisiana by whether or not they are identified as an agriscience education student. The rationale for the study is to determine if agriscience education contributes to the academic achievement of high school students. The Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) Graduate Exit Exams were used to measure academic achievement. All graduate exit exam test scores for the 2004-2005 school year were utilized for the study. The data for this study came from the Louisiana Department of Education. The study described all 10th and 11th grade students …

Liquidity And Speculative Trading: Evidence From Stock Price Adjustments To Quarterly Earnings Announcements, Hsiao-Fen Yang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation studies whether stock price reactions to quarterly earnings announcements depend on stock liquidity. Baker and Stein (2004) and Scheinkman and Xiong (2003) develop models showing that liquidity can be affected by investor sentiment or speculative trading. With short-sale constraints, liquid stocks have more trading from optimistic, overconfident investors and tend to be overvalued. In this study, we hypothesize that if a liquid stock is overpriced due to intensive speculative trading, the overpricing should be corrected partially or fully after quarterly earnings announcements which convey the information about the fundamental value of stocks and synchronize investors' adjustment to mispricing. …

Rural Care Registered Nurses' Interpretation Of Health Literacy And Its Effect On Patient Care, Brenda Matzke

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to describe rural care Registered Nurses’ interpretation of health literacy and its effect on patient care. Individuals who do not understand their disease and have poor management skills are at risk for low health literacy. The consequences of limited health literacy are poor healthcare outcomes and higher healthcare costs. Implications from this study are useful in educating practicing Registered Nurses in the development of the necessary skills to empower patients to actively participate in their healthcare. Education about health literacy should begin in grades Kindergarten through 12th, with the primary focus being …

Rate Regulation And Earnings Management: Evidence From The U.S. Electric Utility Industry, Joseph Ben Omonuk

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Although accounting research continues to focus on earnings management, few studies have done so within the context of a single industry, and only one study to date (Paek 2001) has investigated this phenomenon within the context of U.S. rate-regulated electric utilities. Most utilities are viewed as natural monopolies, and therefore are subjected to rate regulation. These firms are permitted to earn a prescribed rate of return on an approved rate base. Although utilities are subjected to greater scrutiny than non-regulated public companies, regulatory restraint may create incentives to manage earnings (Healy and Whalen 1999), especially coincident with a utility’s request …

Workplace Implications For Hurricane Affected Gulf Coast Region Industrial Companies, Michelle T. Boullion

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Organizational perspectives on the effects of disasters on employee behavior in the workplace and the related adjustments organizations make as a result of disaster are examined in this study. The survey instrument utilizes constructs of what organizations have done for their employees in regards to personal and family needs, business earnings and efforts to maintain continued business operations, philanthropy and volunteer activities, hiring and employee retention, safety and security, employee performance and activity, physical, mental or emotional effects, and human resource department adjustments or areas of coping as a result of Hurricane's Katrina and Rita. Rebuilding timeframes for physically damaged …

Competencies For Rural Nursing Practice, Florence Elaine Hurme

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study sought to identify nursing competencies most associated with good nursing practice in Critical Access Hospitals. The Delphi panel for this study consisted of seven rural health nurse experts who were currently employed as a Director of Nursing in a Critical Access Hospital. A survey instrument was developed for each of the three Delphi rounds. The Round One instrument consisted of two open-ended focus questions. The four classification headings used for the identified competencies included Clinical/Technical Skills, Critical Thinking Skills, Communication/Interpersonal Skills, and Management/Organizational Skills. The Round Two survey instrument was a compilation of the competencies received from the …

An Impact Study Of Local Historic District Overlays On Property Values In Fayette County, Ky, Suzann Vogel

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Beginning with Fayette County’s first historic district in 1958, the process of assigning historic zoning status to qualifying neighborhoods was seen as a viable option for preserving local built cultural resources. More than a communicative symbol, H-1 districting limits dramatic exterior changes and the demolition of structures certified as contributing to the unique character of Lexington, KY. Guided by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s Division of Historic Preservation and Board of Architectural Review, the program currently encompasses 1,851 buildings over 14 districts.

In order to carry out the goal of preservation, historic districting in Lexington is applied in a blanketing …

Towards Dignity And Respect At Work: An Exploration Of Bullying In The Public Sector, Maryam Omari

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Organisations today function in complex and dynamic environments which exert continual pressure to change and compete. Employees are often seen as a key to success in this world, as flexible and adaptable resources. The quality of their work life therefore takes on an important role in ensuring they reach their full potential. A long-standing safety and performance issue in the workplace is bullying, or mobbing as it is called in the European literature. Bullying can have adverse effects for individuals, including both the perpetrator and the victim, as well as their families, the organisation, and ultimately the wider society.

Changes In A Chinese Interior Design Firm Due To The Development And Use Of A Blog-Based Reflective Practitioner Knowledge Management System Inspired By Chinese Philosophy: An Autoethnographic Case Study, Chun Kwan Law

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Dao (Way)

The Way that can be experienced is not true;

The world that can be constructed is not true.

The Way manifests all that happens and may happen;

The world represents all that exists and may exist.

To experience without intention is to sense the world:

To experience with intention is to anticipate the world.

These two experiences are indistinguishable;

Their construction differs but their effect is the same.

Beyond the gate of experience flows the Way'.

Which is ever greater and more subtle than/he world.

Lao-Tzu, TaoDeChing, tr. Peter A. Merel

This thesis is a reflective practitioner autoethnographic …

A Comparative Study Of National Government Elite Sport Systems In Australia And Taiwan: A Model For Olympic Success, Hui-Yuan M. Tang

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study was prompted by the stagnation facing the Taiwanese Government in promoting elite sport and pursuing sporting achievement at the Olympic Games. The main purpose of the study was to explore and compare the national government elite sports systems (NGESS) of Australia and Taiwan and make recommendations for Taiwan to improve its elite sports development and performances at future Olympics. To accomplish this purpose, the present study examined the similarities and differences between Australia and Taiwan in terms of stakeholders' viewpoints on the definition of Olympic success; the profiles of the current national government elite sport agencies; the mechanisms …

Sensemaking And The Management Of Older Volunteers, Megan Paull

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study explores the experiences of older volunteers and their managers in particular when a change in the perfonnance of the volunteer is noticed by the manager. The impetus for this study was an expressed concern of the managers of volunteers which classified the management of 'older volunteers" as being somehow different from their younger counterparts. Conducted within an interpretivist framework this study employed a two-phase methodology comprising a context setting descriptive quantitative study followed by an in-depth qualitative grounded theory approach. The importance of the in-depth examination revealed the importance of context to the management process.

Collaborative Business Relationships And The Use Of Ict: The Case Of The Marine, Defence And Resources Cluster, Western Australia, Helen Cripps

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The research project was developed from an Australian Research Council Grant designed to investigate collaborative commerce and its impact on regional economic development. Through a process of consultation with the industry partner, the South West Group, the research was designed to investigate the drivers and inhibitors of collaborative relationships and the factors that impact on the creation and sustaining of these relationships. The role of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in facilitating and sustaining collaborative relationships and the perceived benefits and drawbacks of collaborative relationships were also investigated. The research sought to identify models of the best adoption of collaborative relationships.

A Design Science Approach To Developing And Determining Web Site Quality Dimensions For The Public Accounting Profession, Casty K. Nyaga

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Public Accounting (PA) firms play an important role in both the local and the international business environment. Their accounting and business services functions cut across organisations, sectors and industries. Like other professional service firms, PA firms are becoming concerned about the World Wide Web (web) since the services they offer can be delivered via the web more efficiently (eg. at a lower cost) and effectively (24/7). Thus there is a need to assess the quality of their web site. This study developed an instrument for measuring PA web site quality based on an extensive literature review which identified the previously …

Institutional Effectiveness : The Integration Of Program Review, Strategic Planning, And Budgeting Processes In Two California Community Colleges, Eileen Knight White

Dissertations

Problem. Effective institutional planning is vital to the ability of community colleges to deliberately respond to external and internal pressures to increase accountability and demonstrate institutional effectiveness. A significant indicator for assessing the effectiveness of a program review process is the use of the outcomes for other institutional purposes such as research, planning, and resource allocation—in other words, informed decision making. In the past, program review, planning, and budgeting processes for the most part have been independent functions or limited in their integration within an institution. The literature provides theories of integration, but little has been written about how …

"Destination Sabah" (Malaysia) : The Public And Private Stakeholders' Perspectives On Branding, Justine L. Nagorski

Theses : Honours

The development of a destination brand for Sabah has been dominated by numerous reports that emphasise the need to develop global awareness of Sabah, but the objectives set to achieve this goal are often idealistic in nature and offer no real solution to problems identified. The challenge, here, is to unify key messages into a consistent, clear and realistic brand and to ensure content in promotional tools accentuates the activities, experiences and key benefits of visiting "Destination Sabah". This study will begin to address these challenges by undertaking the processes that underpin destination branding through comparison to a relational network …

An Exploration Of Thresholds Of Tolerance For Changes To Sanctuary Zones Among Repeat Tourists: A Case Of Ningaloo Marine Park, Natasha Nicholson

Theses : Honours

As environmental issues become more prevalent in today' s society, natural area managers must find ways to balance the increased popularity of natural areas for recreation with environmental protection and conservational goals. One popular method to achieve this balance is through restrictions. Sanctuary zones are one type of restriction and are generally designated areas that prohibit extractive uses of natural resources, such as fishing. This study qualitatively explores the issues that affect a repeat tourist's tolerance threshold for changes to their recreational activities caused by restrictions within the Ningaloo Marine Park. This study seeks to assist natural area managers to …

Resident Community Perceptions Of The Socio Cultural Impacts Of Tourism And Host Guest Relations In A Least Developed Country : An Exploratory Study Of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sotear Ellis

Theses : Honours

This exploratory study of community perceptions of tourism impacts and host guest relations in a Least Developed Country (LDC) was undertaken in the Boeung Keng Kang I region of Phnom Penh city, Cambodia. A mixed methodology approach, with quantitative questionnaires of the local community and semi structured interviews with both the community and key informants from stakeholder groups, was used to investigate the appropriateness of social exchange theory and economic dependency theory to the LDC sustainable tourism development agenda set by the World Tourism Organization (WTO). While the concept of sustainable tourism incorporates the economic, environmental and sociocultural aspects of …

Public Provision Of Service For The Elderly: An Empirical Analysis Of County-Level Senior Service Property Tax Levies, Brigitte Blom Ramsey

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Last year the baby boom generation began turning 60. Consequently, the number of senior citizens is expected to double by the year 2030. On average, a person reaching the age of 60 can expect to live an additional 22 years. (NCHS, 2003) Along with increased life expectancy comes a greater probability for chronic illness, physical impairment and loss of independence. Of those 85 and older, 55% will need some type of long-term care or personal assistance. (CBO, 2004)

A recent collaborative study, “The Maturing of America: Getting Communities on Track for an Aging Population”, notes that less than half of …

Do Property Assessors In Kentucky Value Residential Property At Fair Market Value?, Brian Smith

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Assessors are required, as mandated by the Kentucky State Constitution and KRS 132.690, to assess property at 100 percent of fair market value. Fair market value is defined as the price a seller would expect to receive in an open and competitive market. Evidence from data and analysis in this paper indicates that property is under-assessed by approximately 25 percent. Though urban areas assess at a slightly higher rate, this is offset by rural areas, which do a significantly poorer job. This has important implications for local communities in Kentucky that depend on property tax revenue in order to provide …

Nonprofits: Recruiting And Retaining Baby Boom Volunteers In Central Kentucky. An Analysis Of Volunteer Needs In Central Kentucky And Best Practices For Recruiting Baby Boom Generation Volunteers, Ashley R. F. Moore

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Statement of the Problem

Faced with tight budgets and expanding needs to serve and roles to play in the community, non-profit organizations have a shortage of volunteers. Especially desired are knowledgeable, passionate and dependable volunteers willing to serve on a regular basis. Although, the largest generation in our history, the Baby Boomers, which comprise 28% of American citizens and 77 million people, are retiring and acquiring increased free time, many are not being connected with volunteer opportunities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that only one-third of those between ages 43 to 61 are serving as volunteers (US Bureau of …

A Workplace Design That Reduces Employee Stress And Increases Employee Productivity Using Environmentally Responsible Materials, Limor Gutnick

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In today’s competitive global environment, employee productivity is an essential element of a company’s success. Employee productivity can be significantly hindered by high levels of stress experienced in the work environment. In addition, poor indoor air quality contributes to deterioration of employee health and well-being, which further reduces productivity.

The object of this study was to explore interior design techniques that may reduce employee stress and enhance productivity while using environmentally responsible materials and furnishings. The design paradigm was qualitative, and the research method used was a case study. Specifically, this was an action-research project consisting of a design proposal …

Relational Benefits And Costs In Channel Distribution: A Dyadic Research From Buyers And Sellers Perspective, Dung The Vu

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

The benefits from having long–term relationships with customers have become a focal topic and have been widely discussed in the marketing literature (Dwyer, Schurr and Oh 1987; Reichheld and Sasser 1990; Reichheld 1993; Morgan and Hunt 1994; Walter, Ritter and Gemuden 2001). However, careful review of the literature indicates that the literature is deficient in several ways: (1) relational benefits are mostly examined in term of economic benefits, especially in b2b and channel distribution contexts, (2) there is limited number of studies examining cost dimensions, (3) there is lack of studies examines both benefits and costs from dyadic perspective (i.e. …

Abnormal Trading Volume, Stock Returns And The Momentum Effects, Ying Zheng

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This paper intends to study the intermediate-term momentum and long-term reversal of stock prices by investigating the informational role of unusual trading volume for winner and loser stocks. I argue that unusual trading volume has different implications for winner and loser stocks. Specifically, high trading volume for losers is driven by purchases made by informed investors; while high trade volume for winners could be driven by either information or representativeness bias or both. The arguments are tested in the paper by showing that in the short run, losers/winners with high abnormal trading volume outperform losers/winners with low abnormal trading volume; …

Do Warrants Lead The Underlying Stocks And Index Futures?, Ying Kui Lin

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The lead-lag relation between options and stocks has been a subject of controversy for years with conflicting findings in the literature. In this thesis, we present an intuitive method to examine the lead-lag relation, if any, in the tick-by-tick data of covered warrants and their underlying stocks or underlying index futures. Our method is non-parametric and needs no assumptions which are critical to the regression-based methods. We find that the electronically traded warrants do not lead stocks or index futures; the movements in the warrants' quotes provide little information about the quotes of the underlying stocks or index futures. Instead, …