Business Commons^™

Predictive Modeling Of Alumni Donor Behavior, Lauren Prue

Honors Projects in Mathematics

In recent years, college and universities have relied increasingly upon the charitable contributions of its previous graduates; as the costs of tuition rise substantially, development offices are facing the challenge of creating annual fund campaigns that are minimally expensive while providing the maximum potential for return. This study addresses the available constituent database at one University in particular in an effort to identify what criteria are the strongest predictors of donor response at a small, private university located within New England. The analysis utilized predictive modeling and data-mining largely within the software program Rapid Insight to build several models in …

Gender & Leadership: Do Human Resource Policies And Practices Affect A Woman’S Ascent In Organizations?, Arielle Langlais

Honors Projects in Management

As more women began assuming leadership roles in organization, researchers established a number of consistencies in the promotion of women into the upper ranks of an organization. Jonsen, Maznevski, and Schneider have taken a look at these differences in their study, “Gender Differences in Leadership: Believing is Seeing.” In this study they examine three ways in which organizations view women and the Human Resource policies and programs that support these views. Based on this and other research, I conducted a study in hopes of assessing the validity and existence of these views as they are evident in Southern New England …

The Influence Of Women In Business: Is A Higher Percentage Of Women On A Company’S Board Of Directors Associated With The Absence Of Internal Control Weaknesses?, Jamie Goyette

Honors Projects in Accounting

Research shows that larger, more profitable and more visible companies are less likely to disclose internal control weaknesses. Firms with similar characteristics tend to hire more female board members. This paper examines whether there is an association between companies that have a higher percentage of female board members and the disclosure of internal control weaknesses. Such an association signifies the importance of board diversity because diversification strengthens corporate governance, promoting a more productive and trustworthy company. In this study, a sample of 500 randomly selected companies is examined to determine a possible correlation. The results will determine the validity of …

Major League Baseball: America’S Recession-Proof Pastime, Mark Mcdonnell

Honors Projects in Finance

This project is a study which examines how attendance levels in Major League Baseball stadiums have been impacted by the current recession in the United States which began in October 2007. Research on attendance during past recessions has shown a strong relationship that during downtrends in the economy, baseball attendance levels generally do not suffer. Using an ordinary least squares regression, independent variables including; percent change in ticket price from previous season, distance to closest competitor, percent change in ticket price of the closest competitor, winning percentage during previous year, winning percentage during current year, unemployment rate during current year, …

Financial Literacy: The Impact Of Financial Training In High School On The Credit Behavior Of College Students, Lisa Tenaglia

Honors Projects in Finance

Managing credit is increasingly important not only for adults, but for college students. In recent years with sky rocketing tuition and easily available credit, college students find themselves with increasing debt burdens that result in serious and lasting financial problems. In response, financial literacy programs are emerging in hopes that better educated people will make healthy financial decisions, as well as responsibly manage credit. Research suggests that financial education should begin in high school so that young adults can effectively manage credit during the college years. This study assesses both college students’ financial knowledge and their credit management practices. Specifically, …

Patient Flows To Improve Hospital Performance, Jacquelyn Parr

Honors Projects in Management

This is a case study focused on Backus Hospital in Norwich, Connecticut. The purpose of this report is to discuss ways for Backus Hospital to improve patient flows, which will increase patient satisfaction and safety, increase revenue, and decrease costs. The focus of the research is how the kaizen blitz and A3 methodologies can be used to develop ways to improve patient flow processes. Literature reviews on flow, process improvement, and innovation strategies, both within and outside of the healthcare industry were conducted. The hospital is dedicated to process improvement, innovation and quality improvement, so methodologies based on the Toyota …

Profitability & Curvilinearilty: A Study Of Product And International Diversification, Ernest Hall Jr., Jooh Lee

Rohrer College of Business Departmental Research

The study of diversification and firm performance lies at the heart of the strategy literature (Dess, Gupta, Hennart, & Hill, 1995). Nevertheless, in spite of all the efforts of researchers to untangle the diversification performance relationship milieu, there is still much confusion surrounding this vital issue. One potential source of confusion centers on the type of diversification being pursued. It has often been assumed that diversification is a one-dimensional construct that exists along a single continuum. In addition, diversification-performance is usually tested under the hypothesis of linearity. Separating diversification into two major types, product and international (market), the present study …

Dynamic Capabilities, Absorptive Capacity And Knowledge Sharing: A Research Agenda Into Explicating The Antecedent Factors Conducive To Subsidiary Bargaining Power, Marty Reilly, Pamela Sharkey Scott

Conference Papers

This research explores the relationship between relative absorptive capacity – a firm‟s proficiency at acquiring, assimilating, transforming and ultimately exploiting knowledge – and subsidiary bargaining power. In building upon the existing dynamic capabilities framework it is advanced that absorptive capacity, as a mediator, serves not only as a valid dynamic capability but also as an enabling mechanism and a vehicle by which subsidiary bargaining power can be achieved. The antecedent factors conducive to building relative absorptive capacity are critically evaluated and built upon in a subsidiary specific context. The contribution of these new factors provides insight into the enabling constructs …

Technology-Enabled Retail Services And Online Sales Performance, Anteneh Ayanso, Kaveepan Lertwachara, Narongsak Thongpapanl

Management, HR and Information Systems

Drawing on the past literature on four retail service areas: content management, customer management, multi-channel management, and visitor traffic management, this research offers an empirical analysis of the relationships between these four service areas and the online sales performance of Web retailers. Using data from an independent source on the profiles as well as operational and sales performances of the top-ranked Web retailers, we map the retailers’ online features into a unified conceptual framework that incorporates the above four broad areas, and empirically study their direct implications on online sales performance. The results show that the retailers’ efforts in content, …

Not Paying Dividends? A Decomposition Of The Decline In Dividend Payers, Candra Chahyadi, Jesus Salas

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Current payout policy literature contends that firms’ propensity to pay dividends declined between 1978 and 1998. Using the Oaxaca decomposition methodology, we measure changes in the propensity to pay dividends between 1978 and 1998. Results suggest that firms today have only a slightly lower propensity to pay dividends. Furthermore, when we also categorize firms that use stock repurchases as dividend payers, we find that 100% of the decline in the proportion of dividend payers can be explained by changes in firm characteristics only. The difference is that firms that firms are now repurchasing stock instead of paying dividends.

Not Paying Dividends? A Decomposition Of The Decline In Dividend Payers, Candra S. Chahyadi, Jesus M. Salas

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Current payout policy literature contends that firms’ propensity to pay dividends declined between 1978 and 1998. Using the Oaxaca decomposition methodology, we measure changes in the propensity to pay dividends between 1978 and 1998. Results suggest that firms today have only a slightly lower propensity to pay dividends. Furthermore, when we also categorize firms that use stock repurchases as dividend payers, we find that 100% of the decline in the proportion of dividend payers can be explained by changes in firm characteristics only. The difference is that firms that firms are now repurchasing stock instead of paying dividends.

A Tale Of Two Standards: An Exploration Of Us Gaap And Ifrs, Allyson Lagasse

Honors Projects in Accounting

The research in this paper has two objectives. Beginning with an examination of the historical development of how financial reporting standards are set in the United States and around the world, the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board will be studied. Setting financial reporting standards in the United States is currently a responsibility of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, while many countries abroad utilize International Financial Reporting Standards, maintained by the International Accounting Standards Board. After detailing the historical development of each of the two boards and the sets of standards they maintain, the paper continues …

Possible Solutions To The Rhode Island State Government’S Unfunded Pension Liability, Derek Blunt

Honors Projects in Finance

This paper examines the possible causes of the nationwide unfunded public pension liability problem in the U.S., and what solutions are being proposed to combat the issue. After examining the general problems associated with multiple states’ pension systems, a specific analysis of the Rhode Island public pension system will be conducted. Through this investigation, the factors that led to the crisis in Rhode Island will be unveiled, and possible solutions to the state-specific problem will be developed. In order to arrive at a set of final recommendations for the government, a model will be used to evaluate the effects of …

Non-Profit Organizations In A Down Economy: The Financial Performance Of Higher Education Institutions In The New England Area, Yuanjun Li

Honors Projects in Finance

An economic recession affects an entire economy, including the non-profit sector. The impact could result from changes in government support, a decrease in donations, investment income, service fees or a combination. Many private universities and colleges, which rely on tuition and endowment, have been affected by a dip in enrollments, while their endowments shrink because of the recession and declining stock values. This study will examine how an economic recession can affect non-profit organizations, focusing on private, four-year higher education institutions in New England. Different types and sizes of schools will be affected differently. Since the large, well-known schools have …

Does The ‘Ease Of Doing Business’ In A Country Influence Its Foreign Direct Investment Inflows?, Katherine Piwonski

Honors Projects in Finance

Foreign direct investment has been studied for years. It is generally accepted as a positive influence on the domestic market and governments have begun actively seeking it out. This study is meant to possibly connect government actions, for which the World Bank’s ‘Doing Business Index’ was used as a proxy, to an increase in foreign direct investment inflows. The goal of this study is to help governments make more informed decisions about if and how to attract foreign direct investment. The research was done by running a regression model to find a connection between changes in foreign direct investment inflows …

The Perceived Credibility Of Brand Mention In Magazine Articles In Comparison To Advertorials And Traditional Paid Advertisements, Christina Conner

Honors Projects in Marketing

This study explores the perceived credibility of brand mention in magazine editorials compared to advertorials and traditional paid advertisements. Surveys were administered to three groups of college students after viewing an editorial, an advertorial or a paid advertisement. Respondents were asked to identify their level of agreement regarding credibility, likeability and perceived selling intent of the content.

Results indicate that advertorials are perceived to be less credible than editorials and traditional paid advertisements. Traditional paid advertisements are perceived to be the most credible method of brand mention in magazines. It can also be determined as a result of this study …

Online Video Contest Effects On Brand And Ad Attitudes, Daniel A. Janis

Honors Projects in Marketing

This research investigates how online video contests (OVCs) affect brand image, as measured by brand and advertisement attitudes. After conducting a pre-test to discover an appropriate product for the Generation Y target market, we ran an experiment examining OVCs, television, and magazine ad’s effects on multi-item measures of brand and advertisement attitudes. One hundred twenty-one subjects were randomly assigned to one of the three test conditions. The OVC significantly resulted in positive brand attitudes for the hedonic dimension such as feelings and attractiveness of the brand. For the more functional characteristics, OVCs did not influence brand attitudes. OVCs also produced …

Shark Bay Prawn And Scallop Fisheries. Final Review Report, Department Of Fisheries Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

In recent times, the Department of Fisheries has received representations from both sectors about the ongoing interaction of the fisheries and their respective management settings. As a result, a decision was made to comprehensively review the fisheries, taking into account matters of fishery sustainability and gear interactions, together with industry economics and market considerations.

The review has also addressed research requirements to ensure an appropriate scientific basis for decision-making into the future.

Tls Newsletter Volume 3, Edition 4 April 2010, Unf Transportation And Logistics Society

Transportation & Logistics Society Newsletter

Inside this newsletter: Spring 2010 Graduate Survey. Editors' corrections and retractions. In the Know--TLS Tours. Important Spring Dates. Professional Spotlight on American Society of Transportation and Logistics. Get to Know Darline Bernheimer.

Customer Loyalty And Lifetime Value: An Empirical Investigation Of Consumer Packaged Goods, Jason Q. Zhang, Ashutosh Dixit, Roberto Friedmann

Marketing

It is traditionally accepted that customer loyalty is critical for a firm’s profitability. Recent research,however, questions the effects of customer loyalty on profitability. In light of this controversy, we examine the financial effects of customer loyalty using the framework of customer lifetime value (CLV). Our analysis reveals that in the area of consumer packaged goods, customer loyalty is positively associated with customer revenue and customer retention, both of which drive CLV. Thus, customer loyalty is indeed a predictor of long-term customer profitability to a firm. For marketers, customer loyalty continues to be a legitimate end goal to pursue in marketing …

Understanding The Determinants Of User Acceptance Of Enterprise Instant Messaging: An Empirical Study, Xin Luo, Anil Gurung, J. P. Shim

Management Information Systems Faculty Research

As modern organizations increasingly depend on information systems (IS) to enhance work productivity and seek new business opportunities, communication effectiveness has become one of the key factors that underlie the effective performance of IS implementations and applications. Instant Messaging (IM) presents a revolution in enterprise communication. As more organizations are findings ways to utilize this near-synchronous computing communication technology to enhance communication effectiveness in the workplace, there is a compelling need to understand the factors that are important for the adoption of enterprise IM. We have developed an integrative model based on constructs of the existing IT adoption models as …

Marquette's Successful Harley Partnership Provides Smooth Ride For All, Robert Deahl

College of Professional Studies Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Engagement Opportunities At Syracuse University, Jillian Zarem

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Hillel at Syracuse University is an organization on campus with the mission of, “Creating a diverse, dynamic, and welcoming Jewish community on the Syracuse University Campus” (“Hillel at Syracuse University,” 2009). Hillel offers a wide variety of programs in order to fulfill the aforementioned mission statement including:

• Leadership Opportunities
• Community Service Experiences
• Cultural and Religious Events
• Educational and Informational Sessions
• Student Facilities including Gym, Kosher Dining Hall, Library, and so on

When exploring Hillel’s various opportunities, there is one program in particular that reaches out to students in a way that no other program has done before.

FreshFest, Hillel’s pre-orientation …

Imsa360: Spring 2010, Imsa Fund

IMSA Fund Reports

IMSA’s mission is to “ignite and nurture creative, ethical scientifi c minds that advance the human condition.” That’s a tall order, and we don’t apologize for that! Many of society’s challenges in this century will be addressed by leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). IMSA strives to develop leaders who will use their talents in STEM to work collaboratively to make positive social impacts.

At IMSA, we create conditions that enable students to develop and demonstrate their leadership skills. This issue highlights the many opportunities students have to expand their leadership capacities through advocacy, service, entrepreneurial ventures and …

Introduction: Reflections On Issues In Irish Business And Society, John Hogan, Paul Donnelly, Brendan O'Rourke

Books/Book Chapters

In this introductory chapter, we will put the book and its aims in context and provide the reader with a guide to the wide-ranging, diverse and thought-provoking contributions contained between its covers. In order to do so, this chapter is structured as follows. The first section looks at the context within which this book finds itself and which makes its appearance particularly apposite. The second section deals with the aims of the book as we editors have come to conceive of them. We then provide the reader with an overview of the book’s themes and structure, before concluding the chapter.

Theresource, Georgia Southern University

Human Resources Newsletter

• From our Chief Human Resources Officer
• Changes in HR
• Updates & Events
• University Training
• TRS Counseling Sessions
• ADP Redesign
• Dependent Verification Audit
• The Supervisor’s Edge
• Regional Training Center
• Ethics Update
• Performance Evaluations
• Self-Assessment
• Terminations
• Compensation Basics
• Prevent Sprains & Strains
• Alternate Dispute Resolution
• Eagle Perks
• Training Calendar

Behind That 'Made-In-China' Label: A Shortcut, Short-Change, Save-Face Story, Knowledge@Smu

Knowledge@SMU

China’s reputation as the world’s factory is not always matched with an equally positive reputation for the quality of its produce. Yet, the world’s consumers cannot seem to wean themselves off the economic giant's low cost products – neither can businesses. But do Chinese manufacturers really deserve the bad rep? Paul Midler, a Chinese-speaking American, shared his personal take at SMU recently, on what drives Chinese producers to do what they do, and how, he thinks, things can take a turn for the better.

Departure Boutique, Melissa Heitmann

Interior Design Program: Terminal Projects

Proposal

The following proposal is a design contract for the master planning, development and interior design services for the building on the corner 8th and P in the Haymarket District in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Haymarket District is an active, vibrant, historical area within the city of Lincoln and draws in people of all ages and cultures to this neighborhood. Local gift shops, restaurants, bars, and small businesses culminate this area. To attract more people to this district, I propose to add a boutique salon/spa, a boutique retail store, office space, and loft-style apartments.

The boutique salon/spa will target those of …

Protection-Motivated Behaviors Of Organizational Insiders, Michael C. Posey

Doctoral Dissertations

Protecting information from a wide variety of security threats is an important and sometimes daunting organizational activity. Instead of solely relying on technological advancements to help solve human problems, managers within firms must recognize and understand the roles that organizational insiders have in the protection of information. The systematic study of human influences on organizational information security is termed behavioral information security (Fagnot 2008; Stanton, Stam, Mastrangelo, and Jolton 2006), and it affirms that the protection of organizational information assets is best achieved when the detrimental behaviors of organizational insiders are effectively deterred and the beneficial activities of these individuals …

An Examination Of The Interfaces Between Operations And Advertising Strategies, Abdullahel Bari

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is composed of three journals examining the interfaces between the marketing variable of advertising and various aspects of the operations function of the enterprise, namely, (1) production cost [Chapter 2], (2) inventory control [Chapter 3], and (3) service cost learning [Chapter 4]. The first journal identified the optimum advertising allocation policy over time in the presence of a quadratic convex/concave production cost function when the advertising response function is concave using a modified Vidale-Wolfe model. Through analytical proofs and numerical simulations, the results indicated the potential superiority of a pulsation policy in the presence of concavity in the …