Business Commons^™

Economic And Monetary Union In Europe, Charalambos K. Demetriou

Theses

The plans for Economic and Monetary Union in Europe became difficult to achieve during the period 1992-1993. The convergence criteria set up in the Maastricht Treaty block the road towards unification. It is very complex to expect twelve governments with different shades of political colour and twelve states with different economic interests to compromise in such criteria (as inflation, government borrowing, exchange rate stability and interest rates) and eventually, speak with one voice at the end of this decade.

This current research provides significant modifications in The Maastricht Treaty , policy making, objectives, even changes in political behavior for better …

The Investigation Of The Needs Of Contemporary Woman And Development Of The Business Plan For Time For You, Ltd., Paula P. Macmann

Theses

This project focuses on the changing roles - and subsequent needs - of today's women.

Society slowly adapts to change; consequently, the responses to women's needs result in some being met, some only being addressed while others are completely ignored.

Still. changes in society have afforded unique opportunities for today's woman. Associated with these opportunities comes challenges. Segments of society continue to hold gender based stereotypical beliefs limiting women to traditional roles. But a new version of women's potential has emerged in the last quarter century. These new attitudes open up a more expanded scope of roles. They also result …

A Study Of The Internal Restructuring Of A Major Organization, Cynthia Diane Birkner

Theses

This project deals with a study of the internal restructuring of a major organization. It looks at customer service as a whole and how it is effected if internal communication is not at its very best.

Chapter one covers the basics of good customer service and establishes that, if done correctly, good customer service positions a company for success. A key point is that good customer service stems from a positive self image within the company, among all segments of the work force; and that this self image depends on good internal communications dynamics.

Chapter two reviews the literature of …

Achieving Complete Customer Satisfaction, Marilyn K. Haag

Theses

The term customer service has changed in meaning over the years. There was a time when it suggested an unpleasant experience for both the customer and the business. Employees tried to avoid complaints because they weren't educated in how to handle them. Over time, customer service evolved into a much broader meaning as companies noticed that the leaders in their industry provided service as part of the sale. When companies began to change their own way of doing business, they began to see profits associated with offering service with the sale, and they found that it can be the "secret …

Administrative Quality Planning, Carolyn Joan Costello Baker

Theses

The quality movement in American businesses is becoming increasingly popular. American businesses are now competing internationally for market and the Japanese are winning. American businesses have adopted various quality systems to help them become customer driven, assisting in the regaining of lost market share. Some companies have been successful in implementing a quality system, but most have fallen short of achieving the desired a quality operation.

Most of the successful quality programs have come in manufacturing plants, but quality in the support services of the administrative levels have fallen short. Many manufacturing organizations approach quality implementation for the plant and …

The Use Of The Federal Concept On The Before And After Techniques In Partial Takings For Privatization, James Lamantia

Theses

The concept of valuation is legally supported in the Constitution of the United States. The federal area of Eminent Domain has created a field of use through case law and federal administrative policies and requirements. The federal case law and court decisions have created a whole field of legal terminology. The areas of Eminent Domain and its Just Compensation requirements have developed legally accepted methodology. One of the required methodologies for partial federal takings is the "Before and After" concept. The "Before and After" methodology is used to measure the difference between two sets of valuation facts. This concept when …

Empowering The Survivors Of Downsizing, Marian W. Guidry

Theses

Downsizing, a term relatively new to the business world just a few years ago, has now become a house-hold name. In an effort to trim the budget, companies are reducing their personnel at an alarming rate.

The recent downsizing is having a devastating effect on employee morale. Downsizing threatens the security and self-esteem of survivors and victims. It causes turmoil and shatters the morale inside of organizations.

Survivors of downsizing are faced with the challenge of remaining loyal to the organization, even when feelings of insecurity and cynicism are dominating. Fear is permeating the workplace. Lack of mobility and advancement …

The Making Of A New Product Development Process, William Scott Robertson

Theses

The core process that almost all manufacturing organizations are built on is new product development. It is the new product development process that determines how the Technical Operations, i.e., Engineering, Manufacturing, etc., of a particular company will be organized.

In 1993, Michael Hammer and James Champy wrote a revolutionary book entitled 11Reengineering the Corporation." In this book, they tell businesses to forget most of what they know about how business should run -- because it is all wrong.

They say that businesses must learn to reinvent themselves in order to compete in the ever-changing business climate of the 1990s and …

The Conservative And Liberal Debate Over The Success Or Failure Of Welfare Programs In The United States, John L. Rhoads

Theses

This thesis will focus on the debate between liberal and conservative authors concerning the success or failure of the welfare state in the United States of America .

During the 1960's, government involvement expanded greatly through President Lyndon Johnson's great society programs . These programs were designed to alleviate poverty and promote self reliance amongst the poorest segments in society. Overall these programs were accepted by both the general populus and those in government as the morally "right" thing to do.

As time went by, and expenditures and involvement increased, debate surfaced as to how well these programs were doing …

An Investigation Into The Development, Design, And Feasibility Of A Comprehensive Breast Diagnostic Center, Kelly W. Emrick

Theses

This thesis will focus on the feasibility of implementing, operating, and managing a free standing comprehensive breast diagnostic center for the detection of breast disease.

The important concern for diagnosis, treatment, and management of breast cancer in women is no new theory to the health care industry. Current public awareness of breast cancer is at an all time high. Every day the American public hears some aspect on the subject, whether it is on the evening news, TIME magazine, or just by word of mouth at the office.

This business plan will provide an all encompassing prospectus for potential investors …

An Analysis Of Organizational Concepts And Trends As Related To Team And Matrix Structures, Victor A. Finazzo

Theses

This thesis will focus on an analysis of organizational trends in the United States, and the move away from functionally based organizational structures toward team structures .

Increased domestic and international economic pressures have forced many U. S. companies to seek out new methods of operation in order to stay competitive and maintain market share . A major emphasis has been placed on organizational streamlining in an effort to become leaner and more productive . Many companies have taken the slow and cautious approach, carefully calculating the impact of organizational change, and others have leaped head first into new and …

Rational Bias And Its Relationship To The Glass Ceiling, Kelly A. Levengood

Theses

This thesis will focus on the affect of rational bias to the "glass ceiling." Research has suggested that a "glass ceiling" exists in corporate America . It attributes the lack of women in middle and upper management to the "glass ceiling."

Some theorists acknowledge that not all women want to be at the top in management due to the "mommy track" or general lack of interest for that position. However, for those women who desire a position in upper management, some theorists believe women are blocked from upper management positions by the "old boys network" . . . the "glass …

Corporate Image: The Role Of Communications In Development And Maintenance, Michelle L. Warner

Theses

This thesis will focus on corporate image - what it is, what it does, why it is necessary and how to develop and maintain it.

The term "corporate identity'' was first coined in the 1960's by Walter Margulies. Corporate identity is the term most commonly used to define a corporation's "sense of self." Corporate image is a direct offshoot of identity. Corporate image is the picture that an audience has of an organization through the accumulation of all received messages.

The bridge between corporate identity and corporate image is corporate communications. The most effective way to manage corporate image is …

The Implementation Of Cellular Manufacturing On To A Functional Factory Floor, Todd E. Richter

Theses

This thesis will focus on the implementation of cellular manufacturing and the issues that must be addressed for the successful transformation from a traditional functionally partitioned manufacturing environment .

A large percentage of companies who attempt to transform a functionally partitioned factory into a cellular layout fail to obtain the benefits that it can bring. Research has attributed this to the lack of planning for all the issues involved in cellular manufacturing . It is necessary to address all the issues, not just one or two, or the negative effects of partitioning a factory floor (the loss of pooling synergy) …

Empirical Research Study Of Rates Of Return On Earnings And Cash Flow, Joseph A. Agiato

Theses

Business valuation texts and reference sources all seem to indicate that the rate of return on cash flow should be between 300 and 600 basis points lower than the rate of return for earnings. Thus, when using a build-up approach to determine the rate of return on cash flow, an addition of between 3 percent and 6 percent is necessary to arrive at a rate of return on earnings. This thesis analyzes the relationship between earnings and cash flow (as dividends) over a two year period from 1993 to 1994.

The purpose of this study was to study the relationship …

The Importance Of Utilizing Older Workers As They Become A More Significant Factor In America's Work Force, Marilyn K. Brown

Theses

This thesis will focus on the study of how America's companies are beginning to realize what a valuable asset their older employees have become. These people bring years of experience, knowledge , skill and loyalty to the work place. Contrary to stereotypes of older workers being slow, inflexible, unproductive, costly, uncreative and not adaptable , organizations are discovering that these people in general do not fit this "mold."

Throughout history there has been a change in attitudes toward older individuals. During colonial America, age represented authority, power , arrogance and greed. Around the time of the American Revolution, equality among …

Evolution Of The Workplace: Where Do We Go From Here?, Patricia L. Brockmeyer

Theses

This paper will take the reader on a fascinating journey through the workplace from colonial times to the decade of 2000+. It will be a tumultuous roller coaster ride with victories and sacrifices for both employees and employers. It will begin with the birth of our country when labor was largely concentrated either in agriculture, or people were self employed in retail, or skilled trades. It will identify the somewhat nefarious methods for obtaining servants, from Europe and Africa when indentured servants and slaves provided cheap labor.

Soon the industrial revolution invaded the shores of the new nation and workers …

Empowerment Through Motivational Tactics, Kathleeen M. Bruno

Theses

This thesis will focus on the study of empowerment and motivation tactics that are used to increase the action and interest of employees to improve performance. Empowering and motivating others in the pursuit of organizational objectives is one of the most challenging roles of management in today's workforce. A look into past. present. and future methods will be traveled to provide a better understanding of which motivators are the most successful and what tactics are most useful in empowering employees from management's point of view, while at the same time fulfilling the physical and psychological requirements of the employer.

Empowerment …

Self-Directed Work Teams: The New Wave For American Corporations, Janetta K, Cole

Theses

This thesis will focus on the study of self-directed or empowered work teams and on preparing a plan to implement the empowered work team in the customer Contact Center in Wentzville, Missouri.

Self-directed work teams are a relatively new concept in the workforce and could be the 90s version of the total quality concept. The philosophy is that first line management takes a step backward and the workgroup virtually leads themselves. Employees are empowered to make the decisions and then act on those decisions to produce a better quality product than before. The concept is designed around teamwork both from …