Business Commons^™

Creative Based Entrepreneurship: The Impact Of Acculturation On Opportunity Engagement, The Case Of Recent Mexican Immigrants To The United States, Michelle Ruiz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Opportunity recognition is a fundamental process of entrepreneurship. It is a continuum creative product that goes from the conception of an idea to its transformation into a process of starting and operating a business (Dimov 2007). Its importance comes from the consideration not only of the entrepreneur, but also of the context where he or she operates, the social context where the individual discusses, and evaluates his/her ideas. One of the more neglected aspects of research regarding creative opportunity recognition is the context, both cultural and social, where this opportunity is created and recognized. Among several studies that have examined …

Multiple Regression Analysis Of Factors Concerning Cardiovascular Profitability Under Health Care Reform, Gordon Brian Wesley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cardiovascular (CV) patients receive one-third of the care and account for $444 billion of the health care costs in the United States. The cardiovascular service line (CVSL) in hospitals contributes to the profitability influenced by elements of resource dependence theory (RDT). The purpose of this study was to understand whether the regression model of hospital characteristics and outcomes would predict profitability in a CVSL through the cost-to-charge ratio (CCR). The use of a general linear model and multiple regression analysis to examine the 2012 National Inpatient Sample from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project allowed estimates from a weighted sample …

Relationship Between Product Quality And Customer Satisfaction, Albert Vitales Cruz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The National Safety Council (NSC) estimated that over 35,000 people died in U.S. traffic accidents. About 3.8 million traffic crash injuries requiring medical attention occurred in 2013, and the number of deaths was about the same over the last 5 years. The NSC found that product recalls, car repairs, injuries, and deaths were due to unsafe product designs or inferior product quality. These statistics underscore the challenge of producing quality vehicles while satisfying customers. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to examine relationships among product (vehicle) quality, product cost, product safety, and consumer satisfaction. The hypotheses inquired the extent …

Marketing Strategies For Profitability In Small Independent Restaurants, Wanda Y. Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The restaurant industry is the second largest employer in the United States; however, only 33% of restaurants are successful during the first 3 years of operation. The purpose of this exploratory multiple case study was to determine what marketing strategies small independent restaurant owners need for profitability. Aaker's brand equity model was the conceptual framework used to ground this study. Using a purposeful criterion sampling technique and semistructured interviews, 12 individuals (2 managers and 2 employees from 3 restaurants in Philadelphia) participated in the study. Data collected from interviews and archival business records were analyzed to generate themes, also allowing …

The Effect Of Nationality Differences On The Emotional Intelligence Of Leaders, Hossein Reza Nikoui

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous studies related to manager effectiveness and organizational culture have determined that emotional intelligence (EI) is a critical predictor of intercultural adjustment and business success. However, few investigators have examined the relationship between EI and nationality differences. In today's globalized business environment, such understanding is crucial to the development of more effective leadership programs for international workers. This quantitative study explored the degrees to which the EI of organizational managers varied across nationalities. A theoretical framework, provided by several theories related to personality, leadership, and types of intelligence, created a lens through which to analyze study results. The Trait Emotional …

Perceptions Of Value-Stream Costing And The Effect On Lean-Accounting Implementation, Patricia Hart Timm

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In response to the competitive global economy, lean manufacturing has become more prevalent in the United States. Manufacturing has changed, but cost accounting has not. Lean manufacturing has the potential to change the U.S. manufacturing economy, resulting in positive economic social change, yet it requires lean accounting to increase successful implementations. This study addressed the problem of lack of adoption of lean-accounting techniques like value-stream costing in lean-manufacturing enterprises. The purpose of this nonexperimental explanatory study was to investigate factors that influence the adoption of lean accounting. Using the technology acceptance model (TAM), based on the theory of reasoned action …

Factors Motivating Employee Participation In Employer-Sponsored Health Awareness Programs, Markanthony Henry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employers adopt worksite health promotions to reduce the incidence of preventable diseases, reduce healthcare costs, reduce absenteeism and presenteeism, and improve productivity. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the motivational factors affecting employee participation in employer-sponsored health awareness programs. The theory of planned behavior grounded the study and formed the conceptual framework. Data collection occurred through semistructured interviews with 24 participants in the northeastern United States with lived experiences in worksite health promotion. Participants answered open-ended interview questions regarding the motivations for engaging in health promotions. Data were transcribed and coded for trends and themes. During …

A Client-Vendor Relationship Perspective Of Cultural Differences On Cross-Border Information Technology Outsourcing, John Kennedy Bosire

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cross-border information technology (IT) outsourcing continues to rise due to the demand for business process outsourcing. Issues such as miscommunication and management problems have emerged because of cross-cultural disparities between clients and vendors across national borders. The theoretical framework of this study was based on the organizational culture model studies of Meek, Spradley, Smith, and Draft for examining and understanding complex organizational practices. The purpose of this mixed-methods explanatory sequential case study was to qualitatively identify and quantitatively determine the management approaches that are effective in managing cross-cultural differences and the constitution of the elements of global adjustment, motivation, mindset, …

The Impact Of Monetary Policy On The Stock Market, Simin Hojat

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior studies examining the impact of monetary policy instruments on the equity market have produced mixed results. This problem is important to address because of the substantial impact of monetary policy on the economy and economic resource allocation via the equity market. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of change in money supply (M2), change in Federal Funds Rate (FFR), and change in Federal Funds Futures (FFF) on the expected rate of returns of publicly traded companies while controlling for the rate of return of the whole equity market and size of the sampled companies. The …

Mncs And Csr Engagement In Asia: A Dialectical Model, Angela Ka Ying Mak, Suwichit Chaidaroon, Augustine Pang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Using the Circuit of Culture as a guiding framework, this study highlighted how MNCs in Asian developing countries engage and negotiate with local stakeholders as they implement their CSR initiatives. Twenty-one qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with PR practitioners responsible for CSR projects in Asia. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes related to the framework elements. Results demonstrated how MNCs practice CSR in Asia through the five moments (identity, regulations, production, representations, and consumption). MNCs faced a number of dialectical tensions (e.g. following the country's laws, lack of CSR comprehension among employees, and resistance from the stakeholders). Effective strategies …

Within & Without: Singapore In The World; The World In Singapore, Eng Fong Pang, Arnoud De Meyer

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Contents: We, the Citizens of Singapore by Priscilla Chia, Trenton James Riggs; Birth of a Nation: Ways of Celebrating by Celine Alexandra Fogde, Diana Khanh Nguyen, Paul Antoine Victor, Shu Chong Chen, Teo Yi Heng; Building Cross-cultural Bridges by Vani Shriya, Timoteo Marra, Svenja Nicole Schulte, Seow Guan Wen, Niklas Miro Utrobicic; Faces and Facets of Singapore by Felix Brockerhoff, Elizabeth Fong Lin, Kevin Ng Boon Kiat, Racheal Wong Shu Yi, Tam Zhi Yang; Missing the Forest for the (Super) Trees by Nick Chiam Zhi Wen, Teo Yi Heng; Singapore: The Country Where You Cannot Chew Gum? by Felix Brockerhoff; …

The Use Of Marketing In Nonprofit Organizations, Elizabeth Kehret

Graduate Research Papers

The focus of this research is to conduct a comprehensive literature review on how marketing first began in the nonprofit sector, how it has grown and changed, and finally how nonprofits utilize marketing today using a variety of tools. All nonprofit organizations face competition in today's market whether it is from other nonprofit organizations or from the business sector. Leadership of nonprofit organizations must understand the strengths and weaknesses of different strategies; how to best utilize marketing them; and how to make them effective for their organization in order to capture their share of the market. In today's market, every …

Obtaining Sponsorship In Organizations By Developing Trust Through Outside Of Work Socialization, Katie Kirkpatrick-Husk

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

Sponsorship, defined as a relationship that produces objective career benefits for the person being sponsored, has recently grown in popularity in the media. This study sought to examine antecedents to sponsorship by testing the hypothesis that socializing outside of work with another individual leads to increased affect-based trust, which in turn positively affects the willingness to sponsor him or her. A dual-experimental design was employed to test this proposal in which the independent variable was manipulated in one experiment, and the mediator was manipulated in the second.

The study included 492 participants from the United States, 35% were female, and …

Preliminary Nutritional Profile Analysis Of Box Tops 4 Education Food Products, Hannah Griffith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The marketing of unhealthy food to children is often cited as a cause of the obesity epidemic.¹ However, most studies that examine this issue evaluated the marketing of food through print or television advertising. This project investigates the marketing of food products to children through incentive based programs, specifically General Mill’s Box Tops 4 Education. This study undertakes a preliminary systematic analysis of Box Tops food items to determine their healthfulness. A subset of all Box Tops food products was selected for review and a basic quantitative content analysis of priority nutrients was performed. Priority nutrients were identified …

Old Style Havana Rum: Start Up Plan, Bryan S. Midlik

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Old Style Havana Rum Start Up Plan includes the market analysis and feasibility of creating start up rum company in North East Ohio. A rum industry analysis helps lead to a creative start up strategy and a first year financial plan for what will be a new liquor on the market.

The Persuasive Aspect Of Brands, Kaylie A. West

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This is a state-of-the-art review, which discusses the tactics and Theories that go into enhancing a brand’s persuasive ability, and discusses how corporations go about creating an influential and successful brand identity. With constant technological innovation and evolving buyer behavior, it is important for corporations to take into account the importance of constantly developing and enhancing their brand. In this review, there is a discussion of the differences between brand and brand image, the importance of congruence between the brand and the consumer, an overview of marketing and advertising communication, and the use of endorsements and celebrities to strengthen brand …

Folgers: The New Era Of Coffee, Anthony J. Jakubowski, Danielle Hickman, Annie Pang, Adrianna Hartman, Alex Naragon

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The primary purpose of this paper is to discuss the repositioning of the Folgers brand through a new and improved Brand Pyramid and two strategic recommendations. In order to come to these conclusions, the group utilized secondary research to gain a background on the coffee industry as a whole, the acquisition of the Folgers brand by Smucker’s, the competition relative to Folgers in the coffee market, a social media analysis focusing on the competitors, and finally research regarding the Millennial generation. The conclusions from this secondary research led to the methodology used in order to come up with the new …

"Lean"Ing Towards Improvement, Katie Wojciechowski

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

According to Balzer (2010) and Liebtag (2014), Lean Six Sigma is ubiquitous in the workforce, including areas of higher education institutions and accounting firms. Lean Six Sigma is primarily prevalent in areas of healthcare and manufacturing. Having knowledge in Lean Six Sigma can drastically improve the way people think about implementing and evaluating projects and processes. This paper describes research conducted, applied, and executed to help departments within the Division of Student Success at The University of Akron. These departments have significantly reduced the amount of waste and are now producing more revenue due to the Lean Six Sigma processes …

Taxation On Morals, Alex J. Fulop

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper discusses five (5) tax topics and their relationship to the government attempting to influence taxpayer behavior. These topics include the charitable contribution deduction, excise taxes, §179 deductions, the first-time homebuyer credit, and soil, water, and endangered species conservation expense deductions. The above aspects of tax law are the government’s way of encouraging some behaviors and discouraging others. I believe that doing so is well within the government’s rights to do. However, I also think that encouraging moral actions is different from requiring them, and they certainly should not be required.

A Framework To Improve A Nation's Competitiveness Through Quality Awards And Performance Improvement Tools, Amr Alamri

Wayne State University Dissertations

Each country, represented by its government, aims to serve its citizens better. This is achieved by better utilization of resources and higher productivity. The ability to do so will lead to a competitive nation. Recently, countries were able to compare themselves in terms of competitiveness using international indexes and references. These references gave countries a benchmark to know where they exist compared to other nations. They help governments to understand their strengths and weaknesses within the competitiveness components. However, nations differ in the actions which are to be taken in order to improve their competitiveness. Governments establish and regulate many …

A Study Of Performance Based Budgeting Reforms In The National Park Service And Their Effects On Agency Management And Operations, Nichole Marie Fifer

Wayne State University Dissertations

This is a case study of performance-based and budgeting reforms in National Park Service (NPS). The study examines the effects of reform initiatives on the agency’s administration, budgeting, and management. Previous research suggests that current reform initiatives are more effective than those of the past. Further research on reforms suggests reform impacts, while small or non-existent at the agency level may be significant at the sub-agency level. The main reform studied here is performance based budgeting (PBB), under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). Its purpose is to improve policy implementation at the “street level.” If working as intended, …

Nothing For Money And Your Work For Free: Internships And The Marketing Of Higher Education, Mara Einstein

Publications and Research

American universities have significantly increased their marketing expenditures over the last decade. The high cost of education, reductions in government funding, and precipitous declines in the traditional college-aged population (18-21 year olds) are some of the key factors forcing universities to be more aggressive with the promotional techniques they use to attract prospective students. In this competitive marketplace, schools promote the attributes they believe will be most compelling to high schoolers and their parents, including academics, sports, campus life, and careers. Tied into this last factor is the promotion of internship opportunities. While some of these hands-on experiences lead to …

A Meta-Analysis Of Crew Resource Management/Incident Command Systems Implementation Studies In The Fire And Emergency Services, John C. Griffith, Donna L. Roberts, Ronald T. Wakeham

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

This research is a meta-analysis of studies on Crew Resource Management (CRM)/Incident Command System implementation in the fire and emergency services. After a thorough literature review, four sets of results were analyzed to determine if CRM training was effective. An aggregate total of 283 test scores were evaluated. The data indicated that CRM training was effective in all studies analyzed. Fixed and random effects models indicated significance as well. The studies had a high degree of heterogeneity probably due to different training and testing procedures used. The data support the use of CRM training in the fire and emergency services. …

Cross-Border Lbos, Cao, Jerry X., Douglas Cumming, Meijun Qian, Xiaoming Wang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper examines the relation between legal conditions and leveraged buyouts (LBOs) in 49 countries. The data indicate that sophisticated PE fund managers carrying out large international LBOs can only partially mitigate costs associated with inefficient legal protections. LBOs are more active in countries with strong creditor rights. Club deals are more likely to occur in countries with weak creditor rights. Cross-border LBO investment is more common from strong creditor rights countries to weak creditor rights countries. Premiums offered to shareholders are on average negatively correlated with creditor rights for both domestic and cross-border LBOs.

The Business Of Creative Industries, Chong, Mark

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Creative industries worldwide are an important driver of economic growth and cultural influence. In addition to creating numerous jobs for the economy, creative industries can also shape public perception of countries, regions and cities (and hence place brand). Singapore, too, understands the potential for creative ideas to transform the economy. Among its more high-profile projects include attracting Lucasfilm and video gaming giant Ubisoft to set up base in the country.

Identifying Functional Characteristics That Influence Team Outcomes, Eduardo Diego Diaz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Industry and research have shown that, in addition to the knowledge, skills, and abilities of individuals, other factors play an influential role in the efficiency of a team. The research questions for this study examined the influence of functional characteristics, defined as the cognitive and evaluative processes such as intentions, emotions, planning, and perception that influence decisions, on team outcomes and the time it takes to complete a task. Using a quantitative, experimental research design, the research questions were grounded in personality systems interactions as the theoretical framework. Analysis of variance was applied to evaluate the hypotheses with an independent …

Impact Of Eu Medical Device Directive On Medical Device Software, Guy Foe Owono

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Directive 2007/47/EC of the European Parliament amending Medical Device Directive (MDD) provides medical device manufacturers with a compliance framework. However, the effects of the amendments to the MDD on competition in the U.S. medical device software industry are unknown. This study examined the impact of this directive on the competitiveness of U.S. medical device software companies, the safety and efficacy of medical device software, employee training, and recruitment. The conceptual framework for this study included 3 dimensions of medical device regulations: safety, performance, and reliability. The overall research design was a concurrent mixed method study using both quantitative and qualitative …

Productivity Standards, Marriage And Family Therapist Job Satisfaction, And Turnover Intent, Gilbert Ernest Franco

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Turnover among mental health professionals is high, which can have a direct impact on access to services and continuity of care. Informed by goal-setting theory, social-cognitive theory, and self-efficacy, this quantitative study investigated how California community mental health agency productivity standards were related to self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and marriage and family therapist (MFT) turnover intent among 141 MFTs. Participants completed a Demographic and Productivity Questionnaire, Job Self-Efficacy Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale, and Turnover Intention Scale. The relationship between participant age, gender, experience, number of work hours, licensure status, and job site with job satisfaction and turnover intent were assessed using …

Effects Of Investor Sentiment Using Social Media On Corporate Financial Distress, Tarek Hoteit

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The mainstream quantitative models in the finance literature have been ineffective in detecting possible bankruptcies during the 2007 to 2009 financial crisis. Coinciding with the same period, various researchers suggested that sentiments in social media can predict future events. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between investor sentiment within the social media and the financial distress of firms Grounded on the social amplification of risk framework that shows the media as an amplified channel for risk events, the central hypothesis of the study was that investor sentiments in the social media could predict t he level …

The Correlation Between Virtual Communication And Employee Engagement, Ryan Nathaniel Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Managers' ability to engage virtual employees (those in different geographic locations) is a determining factor of employee productivity and commitment to an organization. Since 2005, the number of U.S.-based virtual employees increased; however, research regarding virtual communication and employee engagement is limited. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine if a significant correlation exists between employee engagement (the dependent variable) and the quantity and perceived quality of virtual management communication (the independent variables). The research question assessed the correlation among the quantity of time managers spend communicating with virtual employees, quality of virtual communication, and employee engagement. Homans's …