Business Commons^™

The Effects Of Avian Influenza On Consumer Egg Prices In The United States, Jacob B. Franklin

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) create major challenges to poultry supply chains due to the high mortality rates in flocks, leading to disruptions in production and higher costs for producers. Using quantitative data from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, USDA, and National Agricultural Statistics Service, this research analyzes changes in egg production, retail prices, and regional variations throughout the United States for the 2022-2025 HPAI event. A time-series regression model was used to control for production costs, seasonal patterns, and regional differences. All of these measures come together to quantify the impact of HPAI outbreaks on consumer …

A Study Of The Agricultural Industry In Belize And Associated Future Growth Opportunities, Henry J. Conner

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

During the summer of 2025, I had the opportunity to complete an internship in Belize with Peacework. During my time there, I worked with the Ministry of Agriculture. This Thesis is a summary of my time there and a study of the agricultural industry in Belize. It explores topics like climate change, sustainable agriculture, and the economic impact of recent events and potential future events on Belize.

The Role Of Advertising In Shaping Eating Habits, Mary J. Landrum

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

Today, more individuals worldwide are classified as overweight than underweight (World Health Organization, n.d.-a.). Over the past several decades, obesity rates have increased dramatically, particularly in the United States. Since the 1960s, the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. has risen from 13% to 43%, reflecting a significant shift in population health. Even more striking, less than 1% of Americans were considered morbidly obese in 1960, compared to nearly 10% today (USAFacts, 2023). This trend is not limited to the United States. Globally, the percentage of adults living with obesity more than doubled between 1990 and 2022, increasing from 7% …

Diving Into Commercial Banking: Internship Experience At Hilborn & Howell, Llc, Reid W. Finch

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper attempts to provide insight into the commercial banking industry through personal experience and the help of high-level lending professionals.

An Explanation Of Alternatives Within A Portfolio, Isaac J. Reitman

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis attempts to provide insight into the role of alternative investments within modern portfolio construction for accredited and institutional investors.

The asset classes discussed are as follows: private credit, private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, collectibles, and real estate.

Identifying And Evaluating Valuation Drivers In Upstream Oil And Gas M&A: A Comparative Analysis Of The Pedevco-Juniper Transaction, John D. Schick

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the valuation drivers in small-cap upstream oil and gas M&A, using the November 2025 PEDEVCO–Juniper Capital transaction as an anchor case against comparable DJ Basin acquisitions from 2018 to 2026. Drawing on SEC filings and EIA pricing data, the analysis standardizes deals across $/flowing barrel, reserve mix, liquids exposure, and commodity environment. Regression testing shows that daily production scale is the dominant driver of total enterprise value, while oil weighting and PDP-heavy reserves command per-unit pricing premiums; short-term WTI and Henry Hub prices show little explanatory power. PEDEVCO–Juniper's moderate scale, 77% oil weighting, and PDP-heavy profile place …

Oxytocin-Mediated Trust Formation In Relationship-Based Sales, Isabella G. Farrington

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Trust is a critical driver of success in relationship-based sales, particularly in complex environments such as medical, pharmaceutical, and B2B markets where decisions involve uncertainty, risk, and long-term commitment. Existing research in marketing and psychology primarily explains trust through interpersonal behaviors, communication, and relationship management strategies. However, the biological mechanisms underlying trust formation remain largely underexplored in these contexts.

This thesis examines the role of oxytocin, a neuropeptide associated with social bonding and cooperation, in shaping trust and decision-making in professional sales environments. Drawing on research from neuroscience, neuroeconomics, and relationship marketing, it proposes that oxytocin-mediated processes provide a biological …

Modular Category Optimization For Substitutability: An Item-Level Approach, Medhansh A. Sankaran

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines substitutability within Walmart apparel as a foundation for modular category optimization. Using large-scale item-level data, I develop an attribute-based framework that aggregates products to the fineline level, constructs a structured feature space, and identifies candidate substitute relationships through similarity-based matching within relevant merchandise groupings. The results show that Walmart item master data contains sufficient structure to support scalable substitute generation across a high-variety assortment. However, substitutability is not uniform: many item pairs exhibit high similarity but low observed demand transfer, indicating that structural similarity alone does not guarantee substitution. To address this, the framework is positioned within …

Escaping The Promotion Trap: A Machine Learning Framework For Brand Equity Preservation In Beverage Cpg, Lucas P. Jones

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

When companies acquire beverage brands, they typically value them based on total sales revenue. This traditional approach treats all sales equally over time, whether they are driven by genuine consumer demand or temporary discounts. This is important because while promotions can boost short-term sales, they tend to erode brand value over long periods of time. The measurement problem extends to acquisitions, where buyers lack the tools to distinguish real consumer demand from artificial promotional inflation.

This thesis develops a framework to separate genuine baseline demand from promotional dependence using Nielsen scanner data covering 189 beverage brands across 188,304 weekly observations …

Abigail Sarai: A Neuroaesthetic Approach To Fashion Brand Development, Abby Martos

Theses

This thesis project presents a comprehensive direct-to-consumer business plan for an independent women’s fashion brand, Abigail Sarai, strategically positioned around the commercial value of aesthetic design. The project is grounded in an interdisciplinary theoretical framework integrating neuroaesthetics and consumer behavior research. Existing literature demonstrates that visual principles such as symmetry, harmony, and proportion activate neural reward systems associated with pleasure, while consumer research identifies happiness and emotional well-being as central drivers of purchasing behavior. Building upon these findings, this project proposes that aesthetic beauty can function as a deliberate and measurable value proposition within fashion entrepreneurship. By aligning brand design …

Assessing The Viability Of Cryptocurrency As A Payment Method: A Consumer Perspective, Aadavan Dharumaiyan

Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was the limited mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies for daily retail transactions despite continued technological advancement and increasing institutional interest. The purpose of this qualitative study, grounded in Husserlian descriptive phenomenology, was to explore the perceptual and behavioral factors influencing this adoption gap. Participants were recruited using snowball sampling, resulting in eight participants divided into two cohorts: active cryptocurrency payment users (Cohort 1, n = 2) and cryptocurrency holders who did not use cryptocurrencies for payments (Cohort 2, n = 6). Data were analyzed using the Moustakas phenomenological approach to identify patterns in participant experiences. …

The Erosion Of The Middle Class In The United States From 2008-Present: A Financial Perspective, Evan M. Kilmer

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the erosion of the middle class in the United States from 2008 to the present from a financial perspective, specifically focusing on the interconnection between household debt, asset affordability, and income growth. The 2008 financial crisis sparked a period of expansionary monetary policy, which aided the recovery of asset prices and equity markets. However, these gains have far exceeded real wage growth for middle-class households, which has resulted in a widening gap in affordability. As these citizens struggle to maintain consumption habits and access to goods and services associated with upward mobility, mortgages, student loans, and consumer …

Consumer Willingness To Pay- Mauritius, Addison Guess

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

For my thesis, I will be diving into my personal and professional learnings from my summer internship abroad. My group completed a research project in Mauritius, an island off Africa. This island gained independence less than a century ago, and since then, has gone from a low-income farming country to a developing middle-income country with a heavy reliance on rice. Our task was to survey people to determine consumer willingness to pay regarding low glycemic rice. This took place in Mauritius because of the high diabetic rate in this area. Similar to many Asian countries there is a high diabetic …

Do I Have To Know Someone? The Impact Of Factors Beyond The Playing Field That Affect Mlb Hall Of Fame Voting., Jackson Wollscheid

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

With the creation of WAR (Wins above Replacement), it has created an index to measure the player’s value using a variety of statistics relevant to that player’s position. The higher a player’s career WAR then the greater the impact that player had on the game during his career. However, players are not simply inducted into the Hall of Fame on this measure of value but on voting from members of the BBWAA (Baseball Writers’ Association of America). This research investigates external factors outside of standard playing statistics’ influence on Hall of Fame voting, including team affiliation, career length, and other …

Exploring The Transformative Effects Of Executive Coaching On Leaders: A Qualitative Study, Dwayne Norman

Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation examines the transformative effects of executive coaching on leaders’ development, personal growth, decision-making, and overall effectiveness across varied organizational contexts. Grounded in authentic leadership theory and employing a generic qualitative inquiry design, the study investigated how leaders who completed executive coaching describe changes in their behavior and mindset. Eleven experienced leaders participated in semi-structured interviews selected through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis, guided by the cyclical and inductive coding methods of Saldana (2021), generated 187 initial codes, which were distilled into 72 final codes. These final codes were then further refined into twelve categories and four overarching themes: …

Assessing Tourism-Induced Impacts In Communities Around The Indiana Dunes National Park, Charles James Kovacs

Masters Theses

This project aims to examine the effects of the tourism industry in and around a new National Park within the United States’ National Park system (NPS). The Indiana Dunes National Park (IDNP) received National Park designation in 2019. The park, situated on the south shore of Lake Michigan, is a roughly fifty-minute drive east of Chicago. This project seeks to ask and answer how the tourism industry has grown and continues to impact the lives of residents near the IDNP. Two communities, Michigan City and Chesterton, serve as the primary study areas along with the park itself. Qualitative methods, centered …

Religious Discrimination In The Hiring Process Through Examination Of Subtle Resume Cues, Sadie Nelson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The information included on a resume is a key indicator of a person’s qualifications and experience that will help them succeed at a job. Defining characteristics like a person’s race, ethnicity, gender, or religion are often conveyed through subtle cues on a resume. These subtle cues have the ability to induce unconscious biases that can result in discrimination throughout the hiring process. In contrast to prior research, which has primarily used names and photographs as cues for conveying membership in a protected group, this study examined cues conveyed through the affiliations and activities presented on a resume. A survey containing …

International Spillover: How External, Global Events Such As Brexit And Covid-19 Have Impacted Housing Prices Within The Republic Of Ireland, Allie Riggs

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The housing market in Ireland has experienced such a great crisis in recent history that over a third of residents have considered moving to a more affordable country (Hogg, 2024). While a number of both causes and potential solutions have been analyzed in regard to this national crisis, I hypothesize that there has been a greater shock from external, global events in the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit. In performing a regression on secondary data while controlling for macroeconomic factors that impact the housing market, I have identified a positive, significant association between these two exogenous shocks and their impact on …

The Profitability Of Basis Trading Strategies In Futures Markets, Evan W. Eifling

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

There have been few studies on post-harvest strategies related to hedging and speculation in futures and options markets and their returns in agricultural economic literature. In this thesis, we examine whether basis trading, a common strategy used by elevators to hedge their position, generates superior returns than simply storing physical cash grain following harvest and accounting for risk. Specifically, the purpose of my research is to study the returns and risks generated by each of these strategies using empirical analysis of the historical data of the post-harvest cash and future prices for the crop years from 1992-2020. The results of …

Pour & Ponder: A Gen Z Evaluation Of Hospitality And Communication In Wineries Of The Ozarks, Evan W. Seay

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Generation Z represents an emerging consumer group within the hospitality and tourism industry, yet winery experiences are often designed with more traditional audiences in mind. As younger consumers increasingly value authenticity, communication, and experience-driven hospitality, wineries must consider how their practices align with evolving expectations. This honors thesis explores winery hospitality and communication practices in the Ozarks through a Generation Z perspective using a creative, experience-based approach. The final product of this project was Pour & Ponder, a podcast created to document reflective discussions following visits to three wineries: Sassafras Springs Vineyard, St. James Winery, and Ozark Hills Winery. …

Equal Protection Under The Law: Constitutionality Of Current And Proposed Anti-Lgbtq+ Legislation In Tennessee And Its Potential Impact On Business, Henry J. Kalla

Honors Theses

In recent years, the Tennessee General Assembly has become a battleground of sorts for bills attempting to police the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. Multiple laws that impact LGBTQ+ citizens have sparked debate as interested parties on all sides seek to clarify the scope of equal protection, religious freedom, and free expression in this evolving age. Federal law has statutes in place that prohibit discrimination against individuals based on certain protected characteristics, but sexual orientation or transgender status are not explicitly among them. The states have interpreted this ambiguity as providing them the freedom to pass their own civil rights legislation …

(Human)Ities In The Field Of Business, Emma M. Bitting

Honors Theses

Business is often seen as a field driven by numbers, but it is fundamentally powered by shared narratives, such as branding and mission statements. Increased optimization and efficiency has resulted in industries stripped of their humanity, leaving professionals interpersonally deficient. In an increasingly competitive workforce, one’s humanity has become a primary differentiator from the competition (artificial or otherwise). The division between the humanities and business has become a professional liability apparent to any observer, yet it is rarely addressed as the systemic failure it has become. This very divide increasingly hinders progress, rather than serving as the specialization of fields …

Ncaa Revenue Sharing: Implications For University Financial Reporting And Sustainability, Cal Dunham

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

The NCAA's House v. NCAA settlement, finalized in June 2025, allowed Division I universities to directly share athletic revenue with student-athletes for the first time, resulting in up to $20.5 million in new annual costs per institution. This thesis explores how this model affects the athletic department's financial reporting and long-term sustainability. Using historical financial data, legal documents from the first year of revenue-sharing litigation, and relevant accounting standards, it addresses three key questions: how revenue-sharing obligations should be recognized and disclosed under nonprofit standards, how breach-of-contract disputes influence financial reporting obligations, and whether the model is sustainable across different …

Social Media Marketing In The Fast Fashion Industry: Influence Of Influencers And #Ootd Campaigns On Brand Equity, Ashley Ninkham

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study examines the impact of influencer marketing and #OOTD (Outfit of the Day) campaigns on brand equity in the fast fashion industry. It primarily focuses on consumer behavior, brand loyalty, and sustainability awareness. As social media continues to grow, it plays a significant role in shaping the consumption of fashion. This research aims to understand the effects of social media marketing strategies on brand image and purchasing behaviors.  A quantitative method was used through a survey with a 5-point Likert Scale (ranging from strongly disagree (1) - Strongly agree (5)). A total of 203 participants completed the survey via …

Unveiled Voices: An Ode To Black Brides A Digital Resource Guide For Black Brides And Inclusive Bridal Design, Jaslyn A. Banks

Theses

This project examines the lack of inclusivity within the bridal industry, with a specific focus on the absence of skin-tone appropriate illusion mesh and diverse representation for Black brides. Through a combination of scholarly research and visual analysis, this study identifies how Eurocentric design standards continue to influence fabric development, marketing practices, and overall bridal aesthetics.

In response to these findings, this project introduces a digital lookbook titled Unveiled Voices: An Ode to Black Brides A Digital Resource Guide for Black Brides and Inclusive Bridal Design, which serves as a curated resource highlighting Black bridal designers who prioritize inclusivity, cultural …

"Nobody Reads Books Anymore:" Challenges, Opportunities, And Recommendations For The Book Publishing Industry In A Digital World, Nathan D. Provencher

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes the current challenges and opportunities facing the book publishing industry in the digital era. Although recent data suggests a decline in reading for pleasure among U.S. adults, industry revenues remain relatively stable, indicating that traditional measures of reading do not fully reflect industry performance. This thesis examines how digitization influences key aspects of the book publishing industry, including production, marketing, and consumption. Using a combination of secondary research and an interview with a self-published author, this thesis analyzes the impact of digital technology on the industry. The findings indicate key challenges, including increased competition for consumer attention, …

Behind The Game-Day Experience: Sports Marketing In Practice, Catherine S. Boyle

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper examines two internship experiences in sports marketing and athletics administration: one with the Houston Texans and one with the University of Arkansas Athletics Department. With the Texans, responsibilities included sponsorship activation, fan engagement at events such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Training Camp, and serving as a player care assistant for players' families. At Arkansas Athletics, work focused on NIL strategy, athlete profile development, basketball scouting, and managing a social media account dedicated to athlete branding. Both experiences made clear how much of sports marketing happens behind the scenes, and how much it depends on relationships.Working in …

Beautiful By Drew Advertising Campaign, Maddilyn R. Fairchild

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

An Honors Thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing and Management-Organizational Leadership. This document includes a creative brief and pitch deck, presented to professionals from the Beautiful by Drew company. It is a comprehensive advertising campaign designed to reach Gen Z shoppers.

Income Distribution And Poverty Rate Changes In Hurricane Katrina-Affected Parishes: A Case Study Of Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, And St. Bernard, 2000-2023, Carly L. Day

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

On August 28^th, 2005, the National Hurricane Center announced that a category five hurricane sustaining over 160-mile winds was cruising through the Gulf of Mexico, headed straight for the coasts of Louisiana and Alabama. By August 29^th, 2005, Katrina made landfall in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana as a category three hurricane. After surviving a significant amount of rainfall, the levee system in New Orleans failed, putting over 80% of the city of New Orleans underwater and leaving many residents without homes (“Hurricane Katrina”, 2025). Despite a mandatory evacuation order, many people were forced to take shelter in …

Soft Skills In The Workplace: A Comparative Analysis, Meg Rothfuss

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Soft skills are defined as any non-technical ability related to how you do your work. While hard skills are commonly thought of first when it comes to job responsibilities, soft skills are increasingly important to the success of any role. Soft skills can be broken into the broad categories of cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills. The goal of this study was to define the soft skill profiles of different industries and compare the similarities and differences across industries. To do this, an interview and survey were conducted including employees from a variety of industries. The interviews compared the IT and …