Business Commons^™

Interest Rate Elasticity Of Capitalization Rates, Dan W. Hess, Drew Macha

Mountain Plains Journal of Business and Technology

"The investment real estate market in the United States experienced tremendous growth and robust returns in the first half of this decade followed by a severe decline in the second half as evidenced by declining property values and sub-par returns. There were many causes for the decline in the real estate investment market. This paper explores one and asks the question: How susceptible are real estate returns to changes in interest rates in the broader economy? Or, put another way, what is the interest rate elasticity of capitalization rates? Utilizing methods from the valuation of fixed-income securities, this paper demonstrates …

Small Things And First Things – A Pedagogical Tool For Accounting Students, David S. Christensen, Greg Powell, David Rees

Mountain Plains Journal of Business and Technology

Experiences early in life or career can shape character and set patterns of behavior. Just as making poor choices in “small things and first things” can adversely affect one’s character and lead to more egregious behavior, making correct choices can positively build the character of a person (Cheffers and Pakaluk 2007). This pedagogical tool provides two examples, one negative and one positive, to help students remember their own character-building experiences. WorldCom accountant Betty Vinson initially resisted an order to make a relatively minor inappropriate journal entry, but caved to management pressure. This set her on a slippery path of accounting …

The Importance Of Culture Change And Change Management In Successful Implementation Of Sap Enterprise Resource Planning Systems, William S. Thomas, Danielle Babb, John E. Spillan

Mountain Plains Journal of Business and Technology

"Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has enabled organizations to connect vendors, the organization, and customers in an almost seamless manner with real-time accurate communication and information. In an increasingly competitive environment, businesses are looking for ways to become more competitive within their marketplace. Many are turning to ERP solutions to facilitate multiple competitive priorities to stand above competing businesses or to create a new competitive advantage. Critical success factors and change management are the primary vehicles for the achievement of success in the adoption of these systems. This research studies how change management becomes a significant link to successful ERP implementation. …

Online Monitoring Perceptions Of North Texas Hr Managers, Gundars Kaupins, Malcolm Coco, Andrew Little, Decateur Reed

Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

With businesses losing billions to computer crime and employees wasting considerable time on their computers looking at sports updates, the latest fashion trends, and even less appropriate websites, businesses are cracking down by monitoring their employees. The efforts are to ultimately reduce scams, identify theft, computer crimes, fraud, sexual abuse, piracy, and threats. As a result, many businesses have resorted to online monitoring of their workplace computers.

In this context, we look at how human resources (HR) professionals see three aspects of online monitoring. First, how do they view the discipline managers provideemployees based on what they see about them …

Special Considerations In Auditing Financial Instruments, October 1, 2012, American Institute Of Certified Public Accountants (Aicpa)

Industry Guides (AAGs), Risk Alerts, and Checklists

No abstract provided.

The Strategic Implications Of China's Rare Earths Policy, Shane Bilsborough

Journal of Strategic Security

Drawing on literature in China studies, strategic theory, and expert interviews, this article analyzes the possibility of "rare earths" being leveraged by the People's Republic of China (PRC) in a crisis. The evidence suggests China's position in the rare earths market could constitute a significant security liability for the United States. It also seems that even if coercion fails to materialize, China's rare earths policies have the potential to intensify security dilemmas in Sino-American relations.

Increasing Responsiveness Through The Firm-Lsp Relationship Structure: A Behavioral Perspective, David M. Gligor, Mary C. Holcomb

Journal of Transportation Management

This study investigates the behavioral aspects of the firm-logistics service provider (LSP) relationship in order to better understand the avenues through which LSP responsiveness to changing customer needs can be enhanced. Because the research examining the behavioral aspects of the firm- LSP relationship is sparse, a dyadic qualitative research approach was taken to explore the development of a relationship structure that will facilitate the level of responsiveness that the firm desires. This study revealed that the key to enhancing LSP responsiveness lays in the structure of the firm-LSP relationship. Specifically, it was found that the level of cooperation, coordination, communication, …

Conflicting Perspectives On The Government Mandate For The Use Of Electronic On-Board Recording Devices In Commercial Motor Vehicles: A Case Study, Helen Maclennan

Journal of Transportation Management

In July of 2012, the President signed into law the bill, “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century” or MAP21, also known as the Surface Transportation Act. The Act instructs the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate regulations requiring the use of electronic on-board recording devices (EOBRs) to verify hours of service compliance by commercial motor vehicle drivers. The mandate has drawn opposition from many drivers and trade organizations, while simultaneously drawing support from government, union organizations and other trade organizations. Consequently, it appears that the EOBR mandate will continue to be a source of potential conflict for management and …

Roles And Responsibilities Of Nonprofit Boards: The Peace Case, Patrick Kennelly

Professional Projects

This exploratory study identifies the levels of importance and fulfillment of board roles and responsibilities by nonprofit peacemaking organization board members and executive directors. It suggests a three-component framework for understanding board governance. By employing purposive non-probability sampling, this study used board governance instruments, developed by Inglis, Alexander, and Weaver’s (1999), to identify a three-component framework: strategic activities, resource planning, and evaluations for nonprofit organizations whose mission is peacemaking. It examines the relevance of the framework suggested by Inglis, Alexander, and Weaver’s (1999) for nonprofit peacemaking organizations. The results of this study can be used by nonprofit peacemaking organizations to …

Branding Lazos De Amor: Importance And Challenges Of Branding Small Non-Profits, The Journey Towards A Better Brand., Sugey Terrero

Capstone Collection

Branding is an integral journey that precedes, includes and surpasses any marketing and advertising effort; it entails an internal process of self-discovery, combined with the exportation (marketing) of organizational values through visual and tangible means (advertising). This capstone focused on the following questions: why is branding important for non-profits? What factors contribute to non-profits not focusing on branding? In addition, what strategies can small non-profits use to develop and manage their brand more effectively? The first question was explored through literature, while the second was explored both theoretically and empirically beginning with an analysis of why branding is a challenging …

Associations, Movements, Dialogues, Social Problems And News: Voluntary Action And The Life Cycles Of The Third Sector, Roger A. Lohmann

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This is one of two summation papers presented at the conclusion of the 2012 Queensland University conference on the third sector, looking to the future. The focus initially is on the concept of the social imaginary as offered by the Canadian social philosopher, Charles Taylor. Much of the previous conceptual and theoretical work in third sector studies during the past few decades has been focused on questions of the best ways to imagine the community and national social configurations of increasingly large numbers of nonprofit, voluntary and nongovernmental organizations. The concepts of nonprofit organization and nonprofit sector have been most …

Changing And/Or Funding Opeb Promises: A Typology Of Local Government Responses To Gasb 45 And The Realization Of Opeb Liabilities, Juita-Elena Yusuf, Thomas Musumeci

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

GASB Statement No. 45 addresses how governmental units account for employees' other post-employment benefits (OPEB), requiring government employers to replace OPEB reporting on a pay-as-you-go basis with an accounting of the cost of current and future benefits. This requirement and the resulting OPEB liability may prompt government employers to reconsider key questions regarding their OPEB provision. The size of the OPEB liability depends on both the benefit promises made to employees and the assets to fund these promises. We propose a typology that defines four approaches for governments to respond to GASB 45 and their OPEB liabilities. These approaches represent …

Cover & Front Matter

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

Arctic Energy Resources: Security And Environmental Implications, Peter Johnston

Journal of Strategic Security

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the Arctic as a source for resources, as a potential zone for commercial shipping, and as a region that might experience conflict due to its strategic importance. With regards to energy resources, some studies suggest that the region contains upwards of 13 percent of global undiscovered oil, 30 percent of undiscovered gas, and multiples more of gas hydrates. The decreasing amount and duration of Arctic ice cover suggests that extraction of these resources will be increasingly commercially viable. Arctic and non-arctic states wish to benefit from the region's resources and the …

The 2011 Mena Revolutions: A Study In U.S. Energy (In)Security, Jessie Rumsey

Journal of Strategic Security

The recent upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have brought into stark relief the conflict between democratic values and strategic interests in U.S. foreign policy. Americans are known for commitment to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, yet the U.S. Government is frequently unwilling to step forward and openly express even rhetorical support for reform movements in foreign countries. In fact, initial American reluctance to support the recent "Arab Spring" uprisings serves as another example of what scholars argue is a general exception in the MENA to broader post-Cold War rising costs of maintaining autocracy. This …

European Strategies For Energy Security In The Natural Gas Market, Boyka M. Stefanova

Journal of Strategic Security

This article examines the European Union's (EU) approach to energy security on the example of its natural gas imports from Russia, the largest supplier of gas to European markets. Two major projects, Nord Stream in the Northern and Western part of the EU, and Nabucco in South-Central Europe, demonstrate opposing energy security strategies, seemingly at odds with the EU objective of achieving energy independence from Russia. The question arises: Are these strategies sustainable? How can they be reconciled and pursued under a common policy? The main argument is that such conflicting sub-regional policy initiatives are amenable to progressive realignment and …

Assessing Whether Oil Dependency In Venezuela Contributes To National Instability, Adam Kott

Journal of Strategic Security

The focus of this article is on what role, if any, oil has on Venezuela's instability. When trying to explain why a resource-rich country experiences slow or negative growth, experts often point to the resource curse. The following pages explore the traditional theory behind the resource curse as well as alternative perspectives to this theory such as ownership structure and the correlation between oil prices and democracy. This article also explores the various forms of instability within Venezuela and their causes. Finally, the article looks at President Hugo Chavez's political and economic policies as well as the stagnation of the …

The Convergence Of U.S. Gaap And Ifrs: Revenue Recognition, Colleen A. Steele

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Industry Comparison Of Executive Compensation And Equity Considerations, Louis Chan

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Integrated Block Sharing: A Win–Win Strategy For Hospitals And Surgeons, Robert Watson Day, Robert Garfinkel, Steven M. Thompson

Management Faculty Publications

We consider the problem of balancing two competing objectives in the pursuit of efficient management of operating rooms in a hospital: providing surgeons with predictable, reliable access to the operating room and maintaining high utilization of capacity. The common solution to the first problem (in practice) is to grant exclusive “block time,” in which a portion of the week in an operating room is designated to a particular surgeon, barring other surgeons from using this room/time. As a major improvement over this existing approach, we model the possibility of “shared” block time, which need only satisfy capacity constraints in expectation. …

The State Of The Region: Hampton Roads 2012, James V. Koch, Vinod Agarwal, Chris Colburn, Vicky Curtis, Steve Daniel, Susan Hughes, Elizabeth Janik, Feng Lian, Sharon Lomax, Janet Molinaro, Ken Plum, John A. Sokolowski, Ayush Toolsidass, Gary Wagner, Shara Weber, Gilbert Yochum, Michael Zugelder

Economics Faculty Books

This is Old Dominion University's 13th annual State of the Region Report. While it represents the work of many people connected in various ways to the university, the report does not constitute an official viewpoint of Old Dominion or it's president, John R. Broderick. The report maintains the goal of stimulating thought and discussion that ultimately will make Hampton Roads an even better place to live. We are proud of our region's many successes, but realize that it is possible to improve our performance. In order to do so, we must have accurate information about "where we are" and a …

The Positive Externalities Of Social Capital: Benefitting From Senior Brokers, Charles Galunic, Gokhan Ertug, Martin Gargiulo

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The importance of an actor’s network to his/her private benefits is well explored. Less well understood are the positive externalities of social capital, that is whether an actor’s social capital “spills-over” and improves the outcomes of those to whom s/he is connected, creating broader, not just private, benefits. This paper examines how investment bankers add value to one another in the course of everyday work. Our concern is with a banker’s second-order social capital. The main question is whether being connected to a broker matters to the ability of the focal actor to add value to those around him/her. We …

Benefits And Barriers In Mining The Healthcare Industry Data, John Wang, Bin Zhou, Ruiliang Yan

Faculty Publications

The authors’ paper addresses the applications of data mining within the healthcare industry. Healthcare data are seen as one of the more rewarding and most difficult of all data to analyze. Proper data mining techniques provide the methodology and technology to transform the voluminous amounts of data into useful information for decision making. Data mining can be utilized to help find cures for existing diseases, uncovering patterns for genetic diseases and the causes of new diseases across the globe. By implementing data mining techniques the industry is finally gaining control over the inadequacy of readily available records. Data mining has …

Ecosystem Advantage: How To Successfully Harness The Power Of Partners, Peter James Williamson, Arnoud De Meyer

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Changes in the global environment are generating opportunities for companies to build advantage by creating loosely coupled networks or ecosystems. Ecosystems are larger, more diverse, and more fluid than a traditional set of bilateral partnerships or complementors. By leveraging ecosystems, companies can deliver complex solutions while maintaining corporate focus. This article describes six keys to unlock ecosystem advantage: pinpointing where value is created, defining an architecture of differentiated partner roles, stimulating complementary partner investments, reducing the transaction costs, facilitating joint learning across the network, and engineering effective ways to capture profit.

The Hidden Meaning In Those Letters And Numbers, Charles J. Higgins

Finance Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Middle Manager Innovation Behaviors And Institutional Factors Impact On Organizational Innovation In The Usa And Mexico, J. Lee Brown Iii

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

Several scholars have suggested mid-level management is an important factor that explains strategic outcomes (Wooldridge, Schmidt, & Floyd, 2008), but little research has investigated how this relationship actually works in multiple institutional environments. The resource-based view of the firm argues that competitive advantage is a function of resource heterogeneity and immobility (Barney, 1991) and the discretionary decisions made by managers about resource creation, development, and allocation (Amit & Shoemaker, 1993). These boundedly-rational managers (Simon, 1957) make these decisions facing an uncertain and complex internal and external environment. Thus, this dissertation extends the current research by developing and testing a new …

The Triangular Relationship Between Audit Committee Characteristics, Audit Input And Financial Reporting Quality, Jae Bum Kim, Benjamin Segal, Dan Segal, Yoonseok Zang

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

Using the reforms to audit committees mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the difference-in-difference approach, we examine the impact of changes in audit committee attributes (financial expertise, size and independence) on the corporate commitment to audit assurance and on the likelihood of financial statement restatements. Firms that were directly affected by the reforms experienced a greater improvement in audit inputs (measured by audit fees and the appointment of an industry specialist auditor) and a larger decline in financial statements restatements relative to firms that had already been compliant. Importantly, we find that the decline in restatements is not …

Reporting Pursuant To The Global Investment Performance Standards; Statement Of Position, 12-1, American Institute Of Certified Public Accountants. Auditing Standards Board

Exposure Drafts, Comment Letters, and Statements of Position

No abstract provided.

Control And Fairness In Customer Service, Odile J. Streed, Albert Kagan

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Using the concept of “role theories”, the notions of fairness, freedom versus control, and psychological reactance this article examines how these human factors interact in quick service restaurant (QSR) encounters. This research measures the degree of improvement in customer satisfaction as choices offered to customers, employees’ involvement and speed of delivery, vary. Compensatory effects between control and fairness indicate that QSR chains with a strong tradition of control could introduce fairness attributes into the service encounter and increase customer satisfaction without substantially changing existing operating processes. Traditional QSR models may improve competitiveness and strengthen brand image by developing a stronger …

B2c Mass Customization In The Classroom, John K. Visich, Qiannong Gu, Basheer M. Khumawala

Management Department Faculty Journal Articles

The purpose of this article is to describe an internet-based mass customization assignment in Operations Management/Supply Chain Management classes where students utilize the Web site of a company that offers a customized product. Students evaluate the user interface, judge the value proposition of the product they demonstrate, and discuss issues of product design, process design and scheduling, inventory management, Supply Chain Management, marketing, and competitors. The students learn about mass customization from both the producer's perspective and the consumer's perspective. Through their own research and the class presentations students are able to develop a better understanding of the implementation requirements …