Business Commons^™

Simulation Modeling Of Alternative Staffing And Task Prioritization In Manual Post-Distribution Cross Docking Facilities, David A. Cox

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many supply chains have grown increasingly complex, which has led to the development of different facility types. One such facility is known as a post-distribution cross docking system (Post-C). In these facilities, bulk sorted product is received from various suppliers. Each product has its own destination, so the bulk package is broken, sorted by destination, and staged by destination. Typical processing includes: sort received goods by product type; break bulk and sort out goods by destination; move palletized goods to the staging areas of their respective destinations. This paper compares a global staffing policy (in which all workers may perform …

Technology Increases Efficiency In The Workplace, But Often Creates Chaos In The Process, Kathleen Merz Prester

Information Systems & Operations Management Theses - Archive

There is a multitude of technology solutions used in the typical workplace, aimed at increasing efficiency, but often chaos is created in the process. Can this chaos be reduced or eliminated? This paper seeks to answer that question. Specific technologies used in workplace environments and how they are implemented, including deployment, project management, and end-user involvement are dissected for a common thread. Underestimating the importance of communication is the common thread identified when chaos follows the implementation of new technology. The end-user requires constant communication before, during, and after the implementation process, whether the news is good or bad. Without …

The Impact Of Duty Cycle Workflow On Sign-Out Practices: A Qualitative Study Of An Internal Medicine Residency Program In Maryland, Usa, Soo-Hoon Lee, Sanjay V. Desai, Philip H. Phan

Management Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES: Although JCAHO requires a standardised approach to handoffs, and while many standardised protocols have been tested, sign-out practices continue to vary. We believe this is due to the variability in workflow during inpatient duty cycle. We investigate the impact of such workflows on intern sign-out practices.

DESIGN: We employed a prospective, grounded theory mixed-method design.

SETTING: The study was conducted at a residency programme in the mid-Atlantic USA. Two observers randomly evaluated three types of daily sign-outs for 1 week every 3 months from September 2013 to March 2014. The compliance of each observed behaviour to JCAHO's Handoff Communication …

Business Governance And Functional Department Participation Plan, Remi Alapo, Michael Olubusayo Akintayo

Publications and Research

Globalization is making the world flatter every day. Businesses and organizations are stretching far and wide across the borders as well as venturing into new markets that they previously were not. Businesses and organizations are also getting more multi-cultural and including a diverse group of people in their structures. With the increase in international business and governance comes the need for organizational leaders to have a well structured governance plan that will assist them in defining plans and improving their processes so that mistakes and examples of organizational malaise and collapse as seen from other businesses will not happen to …

Catch-Up Via Agglomeration: A Study Of Township Clusters, Liangding Jia, Sali Li, Stephen Tallman, Yaqin Zheng

Management Faculty Publications

This study examines whether the premises of inter-firm competition and cooperation on cluster performance outcome hold true in the context of China. By examining 87 township clusters in Jiangsu Province, we find that cluster performance is co-determined by the intensity of inter-firm competition and cluster innovativeness. Our results also show that the cluster's competitive intensity mediates the relationship between cluster size and cluster performance, and that a cluster's R&D centers and inter-firm joint actions positively affects a cluster's innovativeness, which in turn contributes to cluster performance. These findings not only provide additional support for strategy theories about clusters in a …

The Online Student Connectedness Survey: Initial Evidence Of Construct Validity, Tekeisha Denise Zimmerman, Kim Nimon

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Online Student Connectedness Survey (OSCS) was introduced to the academic community in 2012 as an instrument designed to measure feelings of connectedness between students participating in online degree and certification programs. The purpose of this study was to examine data from the instrument for initial evidence of validity and reliability and to establish a nomological network between the OSCS, the Classroom Connectedness Survey (CCS), and the Community of Inquiry Survey (COI), which are similar instruments in the field. Results provided evidence of factor validity and reliability. Additionally, statistically and practically significant correlations were demonstrated between factors contained in the …

The Impact Of Leadership Style On Middle Managers’ Motivation: A Study Of The Ministry Of Civil Aviation In Egypt., Safaa Shaaban

Business Administration

This paper examines the relationship between leadership styles, used by top management, to motivate middle management managers, which drives them in accomplishing their organisational goals. Leadership use two techniques to motivate employee that are extrinsic and intrinsic (Self-determination Theory (SDT)) in Civil Aviation Ministry in Egypt. The objective of this study is to search which leadership style is currently used, from the perspective of middle management, as subordinates for top management and which leadership style motivated managers, extrinsically and intrinsically. A survey-based descriptive research design was used. The study was conducted using middle managers working in the Civil Aviation Ministry …

Introduction: The Legal And Ethical Environment Of Business, Terence J. Lau, Lisa Johnson

Management and Marketing Faculty Publications

In writing The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business, the authors have condensed and streamlined the presentation of the key business law topics to ensure that every page is relevant, engaging, and interesting to today’s learners. This highly accessible textbook uses summaries of cases and case excerpts to improve student understanding. Lau and Johnson are focused on getting students to understand the reason for the law rather than just memorizing the law and its key elements.

New in This Version:

• Up-to-date materials relevant to the study of the legal environment.
• New section on agency added to the chapter on …

Staff Recognized For Years Of Service Milestones, Lindenwood University

Archived Lindenwood Press Releases

No abstract provided.

Deca Team Wins Big At Collegiate International Career Development Conference, Lindenwood University

Archived Lindenwood Press Releases

No abstract provided.

Embedding Ethical And Sustainable Thinking In The Entrepreneurial Mindset, Kathleen Farrell

Conference papers

“Entrepreneurship education is essential not only to shape the mindsets of young people but also to provide the skills, knowledge and attitudes that are central to developing an entrepreneurial culture” (European Commission, 2016, b p. 9). The recent financial crisis has focused our attention more on the importance of ethics in business and management. EntreComp, the European Commission Competence Framework (2016) defines entrepreneurship as a transversal competence. The research question has to do with whether the European Commission is right in proposing ethical and sustainable thinking as an entrepreneurial competence. What support is there in the literature for putting forward …

Perceptions Of Personal Risk In Tourists’ Destination Choices: Nature Tours In Mexico, Gregory E. Osland, Robert Mackoy, Marleen Mccormick

Scholarship and Professional Work - Business

Terrorism, pandemic diseases, and other threatening events have recently heightened the sense of personal risk for tourists considering international travel. This article addresses the paucity of research assessing perceptions of risk both before and during travel to risky destinations. Tourists on two nature tours in Mexico were interviewed and observed while engaged in the travel. Many types of specific perceived risks were uncovered, including insect-borne disease, traffic accidents, financial losses, and unattained goals. Some correlates of perceived risk were tour company reputation, stage of family life cycle, age, and motivation. Based on the types of perceived risk and the factors, …

Microloans, Macro Impact, Kelly M. Frank

Senior Honors Projects

Nearly half of today’s population is living in poverty, meaning that they are living on less than $2.50 a day. The lack of capital creates a vicious cycle for those in poverty. The less fortunate do not have sufficient access to education, healthcare, proper nutrition and loans. This forces those living in poverty to focus on getting by one day at a time instead of looking to the future. Those with a lack of sufficient income can’t get access to loans because of the risk associated with lending to subprime borrowers.

However, microfinance loans change this. They are unique because …

The Effect Of Government Involvement On Chinese Firms' Corporate Entrepreneurial Activities: The Case Of Chinese Automobile Industry, Chun (Grace) Guo, Crystal X. Jiang, Qin Yang

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

To fully understand corporate entrepreneurship (CE) of emerging markets, we propose a stage model to explore specific roles governments play that affect CE activities over time.

In A World Where We Are Constantly Connected, How Connected Are We?, Samantha Valenza

Senior Honors Projects

Social media in today’s world is common amongst millennials (trend-setting young adults born 1980-2002) as a source of news and networking. Social media has yielded benefits, including the ability to connect with geographically dispersed, like-minded individuals for entertainment, employment opportunities, or to engage in activism. However, the popularity of social media, as well as the frequency of its use, raises questions about its effects on our lifestyles, habits, and interpersonal relationships. Despite its benefits, social media usage may have a darker side. Extreme cases involving addiction, fake news, identity theft, cyber-bullying, and other criminal activities have received some attention. Less …

Now Presenting: Uri Theatre, Allyson Schiller

Senior Honors Projects

Honors Project Abstract

In my years as a theatre student and practitioner, I have learned that the most creative people aren’t necessarily found center stage. For every actor taking a bow, there are numerous support staff who created the production that will bring actors acclaim. Without an audience, the work of these artists will remain unseen and unappreciated. Therefore, those who promote the performances are certainly an integral part of the theatrical process. Often referred to as “show business”, the ticket sales and revenue are essential to the health and well being of any theatrical organization. URI Theatre, like any …

Soul Simplicity: An Inquiry Into Dance, Women And Islam, Mariam T. Odetunde

Senior Honors Projects

Islam has guidelines and rules that its followers must abide by in order to fulfill the tenets of the religion. Lawful acts are labeled “al-halal” and the unlawful and prohibited are “al-haram.” Many al-haram activities affect Muslim women specifically – particularly some leisure activities, such as listening to music and dancing. For example, Islam does not permit activities that can be perceived as “erotic” or “arousing male passions.” Elder Muslim women guide and supervise younger women in order to pass along religious morals and values from generation to generation. I am the product of this tradition and my research is …

A Process For Field Studies In Behavioral Economics, Victoria Ferraro

Senior Honors Projects

Field experiments enable economists to test whether theory adequately captures behavior in natural settings, or whether evidence supports reevaluating the reasoned abstractions comprising the theory. Economics, and social science more generally, has increasingly valued the evidence provided by field studies. These studies typically require a relationship with an external partner site providing the environment for the study, but existent research offers little guidance for developing these relationships and designing procedures for effective collaboration. The purpose of this paper is to provide greater insight into what is necessary to conduct field experiments in economics, particularly behavioral economics in private market settings. …

Democracy Ends Here: U.S. Collective Bargaining Decline And An Alternative Policy Approach To Business Ownership, Sara Estep

Senior Honors Projects

In the United States, it seems that we cannot talk about democracy without discussing capitalism and vice versa. However, as soon as we step into work these ideals are simply thrown out the door. If we seek to govern our country democratically, should we also not have a democratic governance structure in our day to day workplaces? Unions have existed in the United States for over 150 years, but as the types of jobs that make up our economy and the demographics of the labor force have changed dramatically, the basic concept of the union has remained static. In turn, …

Determinants Of Profitability: Empirical Evidence From The Largest Global Banks, Anthony Iacobelli

Financial Analyst

This paper examines the factors determining the profitability of the top sixteen global banks according to market capitalization. Using panel data spanning the period 1980 to 2015, this study estimates several specifications to examine the impact of bank-level and country-level variables on profitability. Fixed effects and GMM results show that bank characteristics, industry structure and macroeconomics variables are important in explaining global banks’ profitability. Bank capital and productivity increase a bank’s profitability whereas credit risk and operating efficiency reduce it. With respect to the macroeconomic indicators, higher economic growth and inflation spur banks’ profitability. The study also provides evidence on …

Do Corporate Managers Time Stock Repurchases Effectively?, Michael Lorka

Financial Analyst

This study examines the performance of share repurchases completed by corporate managers, and compares the implied performance of the purchases to a mythical alternative investment in the S&P 500 index, and the company’s industry sector. The “repurchase” portfolio benefits from managers’ significant information advantage over all other market participants. The data was collected from Compustat, and return, risk and risk adjusted metrics were calculated to provide a comparison of the two portfolios. Overall, the portfolio of repurchasing companies experienced lower returns than the broad index and respective industry sector, but the volatility for repurchasers was lower as well.

The Rise Of Artificial Intelligence: An Analysis On The Future Of Accountancy, Cara Jaslove

Psychology

The concern for the replacement of accountants with an artificial intelligence system is a current and pressing issue. As new certified public accountants enter the field, they must adapt to the rapid changes and innovations of today. This thesis will exam ine and analyze how the accounting industry has been impacted by artificial intelligence, as well as potential threats to new hires. Ultimately, accountants should not fear replacement, but rather must tailor their abilities to the newest technologies. Ove rall, artificial intelligence will add value to the accounting industry, as certified public accountants can shift their attention from monotonous tasks …

Exploring The Significant Differences Between Chinese And U.S. Corporations, Tianqi Liao

Accounting

This thesis explores the significant differences between a Chinese corporation and an American corporation. Their corporate structures, governance, compensation packages, shareholder rights, information transparency, types of disclosure, and government support were assessed. The two similar public companies which were selected included Suning Commerce Group Co., Ltd., the Chinese firm and Best Buy Co., Inc. the American firm. The corporations were compared and contrasted and the advantages and disadvantages of each type of system were explored. A wide range of differences were discovered including the fact that the Chinese firm has two governing boards (Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee) and …

Equity Sell Disciplines Across The Style Box, Robert S. Krisch

Accounting

This study examines the use of four major equity sell disciplines across the equity style box. Specifically, large-cap and small-cap securities are tested to see which of the four sell disciplines consistently produces the best portfolio returns. Data from the Plan Sponsor Network (PSN) are used to calculate each portfolio’s benchmark-adjusted return (BAR), information ratio, and Sharpe ratio. These ratios are used to evaluate sell discipline strategy based on each portfolio’s market capitalization and style focus. Three regressions are run for each BAR, information ratio and Sharpe ratio. The analysis is repeated for all four corners of the style box. …

The Entrepreneurial Philanthropist: Can It B?, Abby M. Kinnard

Honors Theses

The corporate culture is constantly shifting and with change comes the need to reexamine the priorities of a company. Social responsibility is no optional for companies and with the help of Benefit Corporations and B Corps the Entrepreneurial Philanthropist can be.

Who Am I? Customer Identification: A Quantitative Synthesis, Omar S. Itani

Marketing Dissertations - Archive

Customer identification defined as ‘customer’s perceived oneness with a company/brand’ is receiving increased attention in marketing. Despite the critical role customer identification plays, there is a lack of comprehensive work explicating the antecedents, outcomes, and possible boundary conditions of customer identification. The current study fills this gap in the literature by conducting a meta-analysis that synthesizes studies conducted over the past 25 years. The meta-analysis includes 167 independent samples (N = 87,538 customers) from which 24 antecedents and 7 outcomes of customer identification are identified and tested. Significant antecedents are grouped into two categories: company/brand antecedents and customer antecedents. Findings …

Center For Real Estate Quarterly, Volume 11, Number 2, Portland State University. Center For Real Estate

Center for Real Estate Quarterly

Table of Contents:
--Impact of System Development Charges by Suzannah Stanley (p. 5-16)
-- State of the Economy by Andrew Crampton (p. 17-21)
-- Residential Market Analysis by Jon Legarza (p. 22-42)
-- Multifamily Market Analysis by Carlo Castoro (p. 43-55)
-- Office Market Analysis by Melissa Beh (p. 56-63)
-- Industrial Market Analysis by Andrew Crampton (p. 64-68)

When The Ultimate Goal Is Running Yourself Out Of Business: The Extent To Which For-Profit Strategic Management Tools Apply To The Nonprofit Sector, Haley Mcdonnell

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Competitive advantage is important to any entity committed to success in its respective space. However, competitive advantage – and competition in general – becomes a complex concept when applied to a context like the nonprofit sector so often marked by cooperation and collaboration. This research explores the gap in availability of applicable strategic management tools, like competitive advantage frameworks, between the for-profit and nonprofit realms. This research draws on 20 interviews conducted with nonprofit executives around the United States and compares the findings with literature currently available about the nonprofit context and competitive advantage. A framework of nonprofit competitive advantage …

Intrusive Or Beneficial: Do Corporate Cell Phones Affect Workplace Obligation?, Jamie Gelberg

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

As mobile devices have crept into our personal lives, they have become a staple in professional’s lives as well. While these devices have made individuals better at instant communication, does this affect work-life balance? This paper aims to address this question through literature review, two primary data sources and an overall analysis. The target audience of this paper are employees with corporate cell phones and executives making decisions on mobile phone policies for their company or organization although, anyone can read it if they are interested in how technology influences daily routines.

Total Immersion: Virtual Reality's Path To Mass Adoption, Joshua Daghir

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

With the release of devices such as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Google Daydream in 2016, virtual reality seems poised to take over the tech and media landscape. Professional estimates of the projected popularity of these devices span extremely wide ranges, and many of these predictions fall victim to a self-serving bias. The purpose of this research is to identify the variables that affect the spread of the use of virtual reality, and to analyze how the characteristics of modern virtual reality relate to these variables. The framework used to identify and assess these variables comes from Everett Rogers’s …