Business Commons^™

A Qualitative Study Of High-Reputation Plant Managers: Political Skill And Successful Outcomes, Anne D. Smith, Donde Ashmos Plowman, Dennis Duchon, Amber M. Quinn

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

There has been little systematic study of what plant managers actually do on a day-to-day basis that accounts for their success in achieving organizational outcomes. In our field interviews and observations of high-reputation plant managers from 11 manufacturing plants, we found that effective political skill enabled them to influence subordinates in ways that contributed positively to organizational outcomes. Political skill is an interpersonal style that combines social astuteness with the ability to relate well, and otherwise demonstrate situationally appropriate behavior in an engaging way that inspires confidence, trust, and genuiness [Ferris, G.R., Perrewé, P.L., Anthony, W.P., Gilmore, D.C., 2000. Political …

Information Retrieval Using The Constructivist's Approach To Get The Most Out Of The Internet, Ishani Shukla

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The constructivist's theory and its application to information retrieval from the Internet was reviewed. The main aim of the study was to devise and test an approach with which the most relevant information could be easily and efficiently extracted from the Internet. The impact of a judicious choice of the keywords to retrieve information, according to the particular approach to be implemented as well as the importance of speed reading as an additional technique to improve information retrieval, was compared and critically analyzed. The study was based on information retrieval from www.google.com and www.images.google.com and focused on real-life examples and …

Will Retail Travel Agencies In Singapore Survive: Comparison Between Retail Travel Agencies And Online Reservation Services, Yan Xin Low

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Over the last two decades, the tourism industry has grown rapidly. But its evolution has been influenced by various factors such as culture and environmental changes including economic status and competition. Some of these factors, culture for instance, act as constants, providing some form of predictability to the evolution of the tourism industry within a specific society. While other factors, such as economic status and competition, act as variables that drive the industry to reach its potential. Hofstede defined “culture” as a collective programming of the human mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from …

Cost-Effective Training And Development Programs In The Hotel Industry During A Recessionary Period, Fiona Clementine King

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Training and development are essential in providing employees with the right skills for their present and future jobs. The world today is constantly evolving, with customers demanding more, which in turn adds pressure to companies and their employees. Therefore, in times of recessions, decreasing the budgets of training programs is a way for companies in all industries to manage and minimize their financial losses. The purpose of this paper is to identify the different techniques that the hotel industry could use to maintain the training and development of their employees during an economic recession. This paper will also look at …

An Entry Level Managerial Training Program For Hourly Hospitality Employees, Cynthia Mejia

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to develop an entry-level managerial training program for line-level hospitality employees. An analysis of the current literature regarding training and motivation will be used as the foundation for the proposed training program. In addition, two central issues will be addressed to ensure the success of the participants in the managerial training program: a) The identification and resolution of perceived obstacles employees face when contemplating advancement, and b) the practice of developing internal employees to increase retention, and thereby reduce the high costs associated with middle management turnover.

Communication Within The Packaging Industry, Lauren K. Soares

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to show the potential that strategic packaging communication could have on attracting a larger client base. Through revealing current packaging innovations and the psychology behind it, a business should be well informed on how to appeal to the maximum amount of customers.

The study consisted of elite and specialized interviewing of industry experts in order to get an inside look at packaging and how companies are using it to communicate to their target markets. The next step was to survey this targeted customer base and discover the psychology behind their purchases and what is …

Interactive Print - The Application Of Synergy To Restore And Enhance The Value Of Print, Amy Mcgiven, Jeanne Ngo

Graphic Communication

With the emergence and increasing role of technology in today’s society, many questions are raised about what is the future of print. This study set out to research the term “interactive print,” which, for the purposes of this study, includes Personalized Uniform Resource Locator (PURL), GossRSVP, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and other sources of technology that refer an end consumer to online sources via print.

This report was written in order to research the current trends and knowledge in the industry as it relates to interactive print technologies, as well as to foresee the role of interactive print in the …

New Color Management Technologies, Ashley Gerson

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to inform people about new color management technologies. These people are consumers and creators within any industry; even though this paper focuses on graphic designers in the graphic communication industry. These technologies will allow consumers to break out of the color management shell. Now, there is no need to rely completely on color management specialists.

This study investigated the advantages of one particular device: the ColorMunki. In order to do this, the ColorMunki was given to graphic designers in San Luis Obispo, California. They were asked to use the ColorMunki for a week and …

The Customer-Responsiveness Of Web-To-Print, Robert Coleman Pringle

Graphic Communication

In a transitioning printing environment, where most of a company’s traditional operations are becoming obsolete, it is expected for all printers to look into adopting digital solutions to service customers more efficiently to keep up with their fast-paced demands. One solution that can provide rapid efficiency is Web-to-Print software, which serves as an online ordering platform for customers. Web-to-Print software not only keeps track of online order specifications for customers but also keeps records of all the transactional information including the most popular products purchased by clients, which can be used as a marketing advantage in tracking the most profitable …

Sales Departments In The Graphic Communication Industry, Kendra Searle

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study is to show how many different variables go into building a strong sales department and the effect it has on the overall success of a company and the graphic communication industry as a whole. This study will show what sales departments are doing to maintain their client base and reach their sales goals even in the midst of changes within the industry. It will also show the impact of the sustainability movement on sales and marketing efforts.

The study showed the most recent sales figures for two of the top companies in the print industry. …

Simpler Packaging, Tomiko Oden

Graphic Communication

This project explains how product packaging is become more "green", and thus more simple. Packaging needs to go beyond just simplifying materials and graphics - it needs to create a simpler process in order to reduce wasted time, energy, and resources.

A Practical Solution To The Reference Class Problem, Edward K. Cheng

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

The "reference class problem" is a serious challenge to the use of statistical evidence that arguably arises every day in wide variety of cases, including toxic torts, property valuation, and even drug smuggling. At its core, it observes that statistical inferences depend critically on how people, events, or things are classified. As there is (purportedly) no principle for privileging certain categories over others, statistics become manipulable, undermining the very objectivity and certainty that make statistical evidence valuable and attractive to legal actors. In this paper, I propose a practical solution to the reference class problem by drawing on model selection …

Towards A Theory On The Sustainability And Performance Of Floss Communities, Mohammad Almarzouq

All Dissertations

With the emergence of Free/Libre and Open Source Software as a significant force that is reshaping the software industry, it becomes more important to reassess conventionally held wisdom about software development. Recent literature on the FLOSS development process suggests that our previously held knowledge about software development might be obsolete. We specifically highlight the tension between the views embodied by the Linus' Law and Brooks' Law.
Linus' Law was forwarded by Eric Raymond and suggests that the FLOSS development process benefits greatly from large numbers of developers. Brooks' Law, which is part of currently held wisdom on software development, suggests …

Service Recovery: Trend, Path Model, And Cultural Comparison, Hua-Hung Weng

All Dissertations

This dissertation studies the trend of service recovery practice over the past decade, establishes a service recovery model, and compares the cultural differences using it. Service recovery has been an important topic in service operations, but few studies discuss the changes of recovery practices over time and analyze their differences across countries. This dissertation consists of three essays. The first investigates the service recovery trends by comparing recovery practices in 2008 and in 2000. In 2008, successful recovery was found to have less impact on satisfaction and loyalty, and fair compensation has less chance of successful recovery. The second essay …

Law And Capitalism: What Corporate Crises Reveal About Legal Systems And Economic Development Around The World By C. J. Milhaupt And K. Pistor, Ruth V. Aguilera, Abhijeet K. Vadera

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The article reviews the book "Law & Capitalism: What Corporate Crises Reveal About Legal Systems & Economic Development Around the World," by Curtis J. Milhaupt and Katharina Pistor.

Managing Supply Uncertainty With An Information Market, Zhiling Guo, Fang Fang, Andrew B. Whinston

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

We propose a market-based information aggregation mechanism to manage the supply side uncertainty in the supply chain. In our analytical model, a simple supply chain consists of a group of retailers who order a homogeneous product from two suppliers. The two suppliers differ in their ability to fulfill orders – one always delivers orders and the other fulfills orders probabilistically. We model the supply chain decisions as a Stackelberg game where the supplier who has uncertain reliability decides a wholesale price before the retailers who independently receive signals about the supplier’s reliability determine their sourcing strategies. We then propose an …

2009 December, Office Of Communications & Marketing, Morehead State University.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for December of 2009.

The Impact Of An Urban Wal-Mart Store On Area Businesses: An Evaluation Of One Chicago Neighborhood's Experience, Center For Urban Research And Learning, Julie Davis, David Merriman, Lucia Samayoa, Brian Flanagan, Ron Baiman, Joseph Persky

Center for Urban Research and Learning: Publications and Other Works

Having achieved nearly complete coverage of non-urban and suburban markets, mega-retailer Wal-Mart has turned its attention to urban expansion. Evaluations of Wal-Mart’s impact on urban retail businesses and local employment are necessary to inform policy makers, scholars, and community activists looking to improve economic opportunities for inner-city residents. This study focuses on the Wal-Mart store that opened on the West Side of Chicago in September 2006.

Leadership Assessment: A Tool For Developing Future Hospitality Leaders, Sam Carlton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to identify and confirm important key leadership behaviors and characteristics of successful hotel and hospitality leaders with the intentions of validating key leadership theories and making suggestions for future hotel and hospitality leaders. Two very relevant theories of leadership are explored- Transactional and Transformational. The traits and behaviors contained within the theories are identified and subsequently mapped against past and present hospitality industry leaders. As a result, the paper identifies the critical few traits and behaviors necessary for future leaders to be successful. Finally, a tool has been developed to be used to identify …

Post-Katrina New Orleans: The Challenges, Milestones And Progress Of Small Business Owners And Entrepreneurs, Iona Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The US Small Business Association reports that 99.9% of all US business can be classified as small. Having less than 500 employees small businesses provide work for just over half of all US private sector workers (2009). Additionally, less than 2% of those businesses have between 100-499 employees (Headd & Kirchhoff, 2009), leaving approximately 97% of all US businesses employing 99 or fewer employees. Given this statistic, it would stand to reason that small businesses have a higher success rate than large ones; however, developing and opening a small business does not occur without risk. The SBA reports that only …

Bone Rattlers Bar & Grill Business Plan, Lovedy Ann Zie Carroll

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Independent restaurants are important in communities. Not only can restaurants provide the basic need of an enjoyable meal but restaurants also serve as gathering places for social and recreational purposes. People can celebrate special occasions, spend time with family or friends, and/or enjoy the atmosphere at restaurants. A restaurateur must have a solid business plan and understanding of what it means to run a restaurant business in both strong and weak economies. Lack of job security has many Americans leaving the corporate world to start their own businesses and make their own future (Cohn, 2009). According to the U.S. Small …

The Role Of Cultural And Change During Mergers And Acquisitions: Bringing The Pride Back, Geoffrey W. Denight Jr

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 1998 a small family run casino operation was acquired by a large Las Vegas Casino Corporation. At the time the two companies had different cultures and there was an immediate clash between the two as the larger corporation sought to change the ways business was being conducted. Compounded by out side economic factors the business experienced a dramatic decline in revenue and employee morale. In this case study, the personalities and outside factors that had an impact on this acquisition will be revealed and the steps taken to change and manage the culture of the company, improve morale and …

Aaa Five Diamond Designation: Is It Worthwhile To Convert?, Jayme Elizabeth Deck Weight

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

There is very little literature that analyzes the benefits of travel industry ratings and the benefits of achieving a top designation. The purpose of this paper is to determine if it is beneficial to become a AAA Five Diamond property, specifically in Las Vegas, in relation to the cost associated with meeting the standards of the designation. The paper examines all aspects of the conversion to these Five Diamond standards including staffing, training, physical property, financial output, profit, ADR, employee attitude, customer attitude, and overall perception. It also looks at the time involved with the conversion from Four Diamond to …

Loyalty To Relationships: Examination Of Affluent Casino Guest Retention In Las Vegas, Adrian Y. Low

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper analyzes the challenges faced by Las Vegas, Nevada casinos when catering to their affluent guests. As part of the literature review, the paper will examine the various retention efforts taken by luxury products and service providers, along with luxury hotels and hotel casinos in Las Vegas. Personal communications with casino hotel executives provides a real-world comparison of the effectiveness and limitations of various techniques discussed in the literature review.

Firm-Specific Knowledge Resources And Competitive Advantage: The Roles Of Economic- And Relationship-Based Employee Governance Mechanisms, Heli Wang, Jinyu He, Joseph T. Mahoney

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The resource-based view of the firm emphasizes the role of firm-specific resources, especially firm-specific knowledge resources, in helping a firm to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. However, the deployment of firm-specific knowledge often requires key employees to make specialized human capital investments that are not easily redeployable to other settings. Thus, in the absence of effective safeguards and trust building devices, employees with foresight may be reluctant to make such specialized investments. This study explores both economic- and relationship-based governance mechanisms that might mitigate this underinvestment problem. Effective use of these governance mechanisms enables a firm to obtain greater performance from …

Opportunity Cost Neglect, Shane Frederick, Nathan Novemsky, Jing (Jane) Wang, Ravi Dhar, Stephen Nowlis

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

To properly consider the opportunity costs of a purchase, consumers must actively generate the alternatives that it would displace. The current research suggests that consumers often fail to do so. Even under conditions promoting cognitive effort, various cues to consider opportunity costs reduce purchase rates and increase the choice share of more affordable options. Sensitivity to such cues varies with chronic dispositional differences in spending attitudes. We discuss the implications of these results for the marketing strategies of economy and premium brands.

Impact Of Culture On ‘Partner Selection Criteria’ In East Asian International Joint Ventures, Ravinder K. Zutshi, Wee Liang Tan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Selecting the right partner is important for the success of alliances and joint ventures. For international joint ventures (IJVs) from diverse cultures the partner selection process can become complicated. Prior studies have investigated the alliances and joint ventures to develop a set of objective criteria for evaluating potential partners. This paper reports the study of IJVs formed by Singapore firms in Peoples Republic of China and India. The intent was to develop a methodology for identifying partner selection criteria in a cross-cultural setting. The findings reveal that the partner selection process follows a different logic in Confucian societies. Trust has …

Does Patent Strategy Shape The Long-Run Supply Of Public Knowledge? Evidence From Human Genetics, Kenneth G. Huang, Fiona Murray

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Knowledge-based firms seeking competitive advantage often draw on the public knowledge stream (ideas embedded in public commons institutions) as the foundation for private knowledge (ideas firms protect through private intellectual property [IP] institutions). However, understanding of the converse relationship—the impact of private knowledge strategies on public knowledge production—is limited. We examine this question in human genetics, where policy makers debate expanding IP ownership over the human genome. Our difference-in-differences estimates show that gene patents decrease public genetic knowledge, with broader patent scope, private sector ownership, patent thickets, fragmented patent ownership, and a gene's commercial relevance exacerbating their effect.

Mediating The Media: A Journalist-Centric Model In Managing The Media By Corporate Communication Practitioners, Augustine Pang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Purpose: The prevailing challenge faced by practitioners is to conduct effective media relations, especially with the proliferation of diverse media platforms both online and offline. For such a predominant and critical function, a systematic approach needs to be offered. This paper aims to address these issues. Design/methodology/approach: A new model is developed, drawing on insights from corporate communications and journalism literature. Findings: This model identifies two sets of influences that practitioners should seek to understand. The internal influences include journalist mindsets, journalist routines, and newsroom routines. The external influences include extra-media forces and media ideology. Research limitations/implications: At this juncture, …

A Career Stage Perspective To Employees’ Preferred Psychological Contract Inducements, Chin Heng (Liu Zhenxing) Low, Prashant Bordia

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The psychological contract describes employees’ beliefs regarding the reciprocal obligations between themselves and their employer. While research has examined the consequences of psychological contract fulfillment and breach, there is limited understanding of how employees’ preferences for psychological contract inducements may vary across different stages of their careers. Drawing on career stage theory, this paper develops a conceptual framework proposing that employees at different perceived career stages will prioritize different inducements from their employer. Using Super’s career stage model, the paper identifies stage-specific inducements that may be valued by employees at early, mid, and late career stages. The framework offers insights …