Business Commons^™

From Interactions To Brand Value Co-Creation: How Internal And External Stakeholders Drive Consumer-Generated Branding, Vaibhav Shwetangbhai Diwanji, Juliann Cortese

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Brand value co-creation (BVCC), a key concept in service-dominant logic (SDL) and identity-based brand management approach (IBBMA), plays a critical role in branding. However, the integrated roles of internal stakeholders (e.g., brand practitioners) and external stakeholders (e.g., consumers) in this process are not fully understood. Existing research has focused on either internal or external perspectives in isolation. This study addresses this gap by exploring the concept of consumer-generated branding (CGB) through the combined lens of both internal and external brand stakeholders. The findings show that as brand value becomes more experience-driven, meaningful interactions between consumers and marketers can lead to …

Why Do We Buy What They Recommend? Investigating The Effects Of Fashion Influencers’ Source Factors On Consumer Attitudes And Purchase Intentions, Faren Karimkhan, Sindy Chapa

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This study examined the effects of source factors (trustworthiness, expertise, attractiveness, similarity, and likability) among Social Media Fashion Influencers (SMFIs) on consumers’ attitudes toward SMFIs and attitudes toward endorsed products, as well as the influence of these attitude variables on consumers’ purchase intention. A one-shot single-group case study was conducted (n=440). PLS-SEM was used to analyze the data. Results indicated that trustworthiness, attractiveness, and likability influence attitudes toward SMFIs but not the product. Expertise, similarity, and likability influence attitudes toward the product but not attitudes toward SMFIs. Attitudes toward the product and similarity with SMFI significantly influence purchase intentions. Attitudes …

Personalized Retention Strategy Optimization Of Auto Insurance Customers Using Churn Prediction Analysis, Sai Charan Kurakula

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Addressing customer churn remains one of the greatest difficulties in the auto insurance sector, frequently caused by unmanaged complaints, service inaction, and insufficient communication regarding the customer’s needs. The goal of this research is to create a framework based on machine learning algorithms that predict whether a customer complaint will be confirmed by the regulatory authority and use this as a proxy to estimate customer churn in the absence of direct cancellation data. Through predicting complaint confirmation, which acts as an indicator of genuine service failure, the model helps in detecting customers with greater risk and aids in formulating individualized …

Sustainabilty Reporting And E-Waste Management In The Electronic Industry, Sai Prasad Pochampally

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The rapid expansion of the electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) industry has led to a critical surge in electronic waste (e-waste), which is currently growing at an annual rate of 4%. E-waste contains hazardous substances such as mercury, cadmium, and lead, which contribute significantly to environmental degradation and pose serious health risks—particularly in low- and middle-income countries where proper recycling infrastructure is lacking. In response, electronics manufacturers increasingly rely on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting frameworks to demonstrate transparency and accountability. However, a significant gap persists between what companies choose to report and what stakeholders—particularly consumers—expect to see.

This …

Challenges The Sporting Industry Faced During Covid-19 On Fan Attendance: The Case Of The National Basketball Association, Marlon Long

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This culminating experience project investigates the challenges the sporting industry faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focused look at the National Basketball Association. The research questions are: (Q1) How did the NBA arena shutdowns impact fan attendance for each team during the COVID-19 pandemic? (Q2) What factors influenced NBA arena attendance before the COVID-19 shutdowns? (Q3) What factors influenced NBA arena attendance after the COVID-19 shutdown? The data collected includes all 30 NBA teams from 2019 through the 2024 seasons. The research questions were analyzed using multilinear regression analysis and comparison of attendance data over 6 seasons including the …

Quick Response Codes In Extension Outreach Communications: Insights From A Visual Content Analysis And Educators’ Perceptions, Kobina Danful Fanyinkah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increased smartphone use presents an opportunity to enhance the creative inclusion of Quick Response (QR) codes in extension outreach efforts. Tailoring extension programs to communicate with specific audiences has been identified as essential, highlighting the need for targeted and context-specific strategies. The development of QR code technology has provided a unique approach that allows extension professionals to target clientele with specific extension messages and programs. While extension has a commendable record in educational delivery through traditional forms of outreach, research on how best to employ digital tools with extension audiences is thin at best. Though the rising popularity of QR …

Sensory Elements And Perceived Value In Cosmetics Packaging, Laurel G. Kunkel

All Theses

This research looked at how different sensory features of packaging can affect the way Generation Z consumers feel about a product's value. Focusing on a high-end sunscreen brand called Oasis Sunscreen Co., four packages were created with a unique sensory element. 53 college students were surveyed to see which package they preferred. The results showed that the visual aspects of the packaging were the most important, with over half of the participants choosing the visually appealing package as their favorite. Scented packaging also caught people's attention, while features that involved touch were appreciated but not as influential. The study suggested …

Intraday Volatility In Financial Markets: Evidence From High-Frequency Data, Haolin Wang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In this study, we conduct an analysis of intraday spot volatility using high-frequency data from the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). We begin with the assumption that the intraday volatility of asset prices exhibits time-variation. To capture this dynamic behavior, we construct proxies for the unobserved spot volatility by applying appropriate estimators to the high-frequency price data. Following the estimation procedure, we employ various forecasting models to generate volatility forecasts. Finally, we evaluate and compare the predictive performance of these models using established forecast evaluation metrics, and analyze the results.

Determinants Of Trading Prices In State-Owned Asset And Equity Transactions: An Empirical Analysis From China, Lixiao Chen

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This thesis examines the determinants of pricing outcomes in state-owned asset transactions using a comprehensive dataset of 3,638 transactions from a major transitional economy. Contrary to conventional expectations, we find that fixed assets consistently receive less favorable pricing compared to equity assets, with significantly lower odds of trading above professional valuation and higher odds of trading below valuation. This pattern persists across multiple specifications and remains robust to propensity score matching approaches that address selection concerns. I further demonstrate that state-owned buyers secure significant advantages in transaction pricing, with dramatically lower odds of paying premiums over valuation or listing prices …

Optimizing Fulfillment Operations For Online Retailing, Yujie Sun

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This thesis investigates order fulfillment operations for online retailing. Order fulfillment encompasses the entire process of receiving, processing, and delivering customer orders. The rapid growth of e-commerce has heightened the demand for efficient fulfillment operations. This thesis explores strategies for optimizing order fulfillment in three scenarios. The first scenario studies cellular bucket brigade, a method for coordinating workers in an assembly line or order-picking environment to improve workflow efficiency. The second scenario investigates zone picking, serial bucket brigades and cellular bucket brigades with hand-off times. The third scenario focuses on autonomous robotic systems within package sortation centers.

Chapter 2 investigates …

Formation And Impact Of Informal Interest Groups: The Role Of Clan Culture, Bin Wang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This study explores the role of clan culture in the formation and dynamics of informal interest groups, particularly focusing on how multiple identities, such as clan identity, educational identity, and professional identity, interact to influence the intention to join the informal interest group, and subsequently influence individual outcomes along with group support. Through in-depth interviews with 21 members of the “Clan X Alumni Group”, an informal group with a same surname, this study investigates how clan culture fosters a strong sense of group identity and belonging, enhancing collaboration, knowledge sharing, and psychological well-being among members. It also extends social identity …

Empirical Program Evaluation In Operations Management, Kai Tian

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation focuses on advancing and applying empirical program evaluation methodologies in Operations Management (OM), defining it not as mere prediction but as rigorously establishing causal effects of interventions. Chapter 2 lays the theoretical groundwork, defining empirical program evaluation within OM, detailing its alignment with causal inference, and outlining both classical econometric techniques and emerging Causal Machine Learning (CML) approaches for mitigating endogeneity. Building on this foundation, Chapter 3 presents an empirical application, evaluating the causal impact of a customer targeting strategy using live-streaming advertisements, employing Propensity Score Matching (PSM) in conjunction with linear regression models to derive actionable insights …

Leveraging Data Analytics For Enchanced Economics Prediction: A Study Of Predictive Models And Economics Indicators, Janelle Rueda

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this project is intended to investigate the lack of use of data analytics in predicting and managing the impacts of economic crises. This project investigates what economic key factors can be used to create a framework model and evaluate the effectiveness of the key economic indicator being tested as early warning signs. The project uses programs such as Excel, RStudio, and Tableau for the collection of historical data, and regression analysis to determine if certain economic indicators have a statistically significant correlation with GDP, that may help enforce systems in place to help us mitigate economic crises …

Network-Based Attacks In Cloud Computing In 2020-2024, Yaswanth Sai Manikanta Anguluri

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As the use of cloud technologies has increased in the past five years, the number of network attacks is also increasing. During 2020 to 2024, there are lot of changes in cloud technologies which led to various network attacks in the cloud computing environments from 2020 to 2024. This study investigates the evolution of network-based attacks in cloud environments from 2020 to 2024. Data was collected from Kaggle website to analyze the trends of the evolution of network-based attacks. The research questions are: (Q1) How do the trends change in network-based attack from 2020 to 2024 and why? (Q2) Which …

Monitoring Incentives And Tax Planning: Evidence From State-Owned Enterprises, Eva Eberhartinger, David M. P. Samuel

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

This study provides new evidence on the association of state ownership and tax planning by showing that a state owner’s monitoring incentives affect a firm’s tax planning. Using the setting of a developed market economy, Germany, we distinguish between state owners that directly benefit from state-owned enterprises’ (SOEs’) income tax payments and those that do not. Our results indicate that state ownership is not associated with less tax planning unless the state owner directly benefits from higher tax payments. These results are robust to various specifications and suggest that shareholders’ monitoring incentives are a determinant of a firm’s tax planning …

Dentistry And The Law: What Causes A Lara Investigation?, Daniel Schulte Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This "Dentistry and the Law" column by MDA Legal Counsel Dan Schulte addresses the process by which the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) initiates investigations against dental professionals. He explains that most investigations begin with a filed allegation, which can come from various sources, including patients, ex-employees, insurers, and other dentists.

LARA is required to review all allegations and generally needs authorization from the Board of Dentistry to proceed with an investigation, unless immediate jeopardy exists or the licensee has a history of substantiated allegations or significant malpractice settlements. The column highlights that LARA may possess more …

Mda Services: Get Help To Take The Pain Out Of Regulatory Compliance, Reva Darling

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article from MDA Services highlights the challenges dentists face with regulatory compliance and the MDA's efforts to endorse companies that offer solutions. It emphasizes that MDA-endorsed companies, such as Eagle Associates, provide HIPAA compliance systems, OSHA safety programs, and OIG compliance programs with policy manuals, training, and ongoing support. The article also discusses HIPAA-compliant email solutions offered by iCoreConnect (iCoreExchange) and electronic prescribing software (iCoreRx) that integrates with MAPS, both available to MDA members at discounted rates.

Meet The Mda’S New President, Cheri Newman, Dds, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This cover story introduces the new president of the MDA, Dr. Cheri Newman, highlighting her unique journey from dental hygienist to dentist. Dr. Newman discusses her motivations for becoming involved with the MDA, emphasizing the importance of giving back to the profession and the influence of mentors. She outlines her goals for the upcoming year, which include increasing membership, addressing workforce shortages, and tackling student debt. Dr. Newman also stresses the significance of member involvement in organized dentistry and acknowledges the challenges related to workforce issues like the need for more dental hygienists and assistants. She underscores the value of …

The New Professional: Exploring Careers Other Than Clinical Dentistry, Amrita Patel Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This "New Professional" column explores alternative career paths for dentists who find clinical practice unfulfilling. It encourages reflection on personal interests and highlights various options within the dental field and beyond, such as dental education, research, practice management, dental sales, product development, and public health dentistry. The article emphasizes that a dental degree provides a strong foundation for diverse roles that still contribute to the well-being of others. It suggests that transitioning to a new career path requires an open mind and a focus on one's passions and values. Entrepreneurship is also mentioned as a potential avenue.

Staff Matters: Understanding And Implementing The Earned Sick Time Act, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This month’s "Staff Matters" column provides a summary of the recent amendments to the Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) in Michigan, which brought significant changes just as the original effective date approached. It clarifies the effective dates for different employer sizes, with small employers (10 or fewer employees) having an extended deadline of October 1, 2025. The article outlines key changes related to structuring time banks, policy revisions, and required employee notifications. It also mentions free resources and tools available through HRM Services and a revised MDA Staff Matters® Sample Employee Handbook to aid in ESTA compliance.

Mda At Your Service: Questions About Dental Insurance Participation, Kristin Johnson Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article by the MDA membership Chair Kristin Johnson and the Michigan Dental Association (MDA) Department on Membership addresses common questions from dental professionals. It highlights the MDA's endorsement of PPO Negotiation Solutions to help members maximize profitability through insurance network participation and fee negotiation.

The MDA also provides guidance on hiring associates and their network participation, emphasizing the importance of understanding patient base and practice goals. Furthermore, the document outlines the MDA's resources for patient inquiries on water fluoridation, including talking points and online materials. Information on MIOSHA regulations and compliance within dental practices is also available through the …

Presenting The Michigan Dental Association Award Winners For 2025, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This file announces the 2025 MDA Award winners, recognizing individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to the dental profession and the community. The awards include the John G. Nolen Meritorious Award (awarded to Dr. John A. DeCarolis), the Matt Uday New Dentist Leadership Award (awarded to Dr. Riley Schaff), and the MDA Public Service Award (awarded to Dr. Denise Polk).

Other accolades include the MDA Public Relations Award (awarded to Dr. Jessica Rickert) and MDA Dental Educator Awards for faculty at the University of Michigan (Dr. Riley Schaff) and University of Detroit Mercy (Dr. Mark R. Mortiere). The Allied …

Exploration, Exploitation, And Financial Performance: The Long-Term Advantages Of Ambidextrous Companies, Georgi Aleksandrov Kirov

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have advanced ambidexterity as an effective organizational strategy to cope with environmental and technological change. The use of divergent and incompatible core construct conceptualizations, overreliance on cross-sectional and perceptual performance measures, and persistent scarcity of longitudinal examinations have undermined empirical conclusions that ambidexterity works. This study seeks to ascertain whether ambidexterity enhances long-term financial performance under environmental conditions of munificence, dynamism, and external potential slack.

The study deploys a novel operationalization of the ambidexterity concept and develops company portfolios to compare the financial results of ambidextrous firms and their rivals. Based on a 25-year data set, the research finds …

Analytics Insights From Text: Machine Learning, Ai, And Sentiment Analysis On Beige Books, Charlie Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Business analytics is about drawing actionable insights from data. These distinct but connected essays represent a novel approach to explore how natural language processing (NLP) advances and machine learning can transform unstructured text data into actionable conclusions. Essay 1 provides a broad framework. Essay 2 strengthens the sentiment analysis with the most recent artificial intelligence methodologies for capturing nuanced sentiment in complex texts. Essay 3 applies those insights to forecast recessions using topics that can be readily interpreted and applied.

The research demonstrates how these methodologies can be applied to enhance understanding of the same dataset, Beige Books. Published by …

Prescription For Progress: A Retention Plan To Heal The Dying Nurse Workforce, Margaret Curd

Senior Honors Theses

The United States is currently facing an unprecedented nursing shortage which stems from many variables, including a lack of clinical rotation sites for students, increased burnout among current nurses, and a growing retiring workforce. Rising nurse turnover rates negatively impact patient outcomes, which should concern all levels of management. One specific hospital facing such an impact is Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois. This thesis seeks to address their substandard staffing ratios in an extensive, holistic strategic retention plan. Metrics for proving the plan’s success are provided alongside a discussion of proper calculations for each.

Beyond The Paycheck: Crafting A Competitive Benefits Package In American For-Profit And Non-Profit Entities, Olufemi C. Akpona

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis explores the changing landscape of employee benefits and theorizes how benefits can further be formulated to appeal to the specific employee base in every for-profit and non-profit organization. An evaluation is given of common benefits offered in the United States as well as an evaluation of the legal, financial, ethical, and psychological dimensions of providing employee benefits. Finally, an example benefits package is presented in order to illustrate how an organization can provide unique benefits to recruit and retain employees in the communities they operate in.

Investigating Business Cybersecurity Vulnerability And Development Of An Application For Security Awareness Training Platform For Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises, Baijun (Jack Skywalker) Jiang

Senior Honors Theses

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly becoming prime targets for cybercriminals due to their limited IT expertise, inadequate cybersecurity investment, and insufficient security awareness training. The increasing sophistication of social engineering attacks are rendering traditional security awareness programs obsolete, as they fail to effectively promote behavior change. The proposed solution develops a software-based security awareness training program that integrates interactive activities, realistic scenarios, and gamified learning methods to engage employees and facilitate long-term behavioral change towards security awareness. Future research should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed training program in real-world scenarios to measure its impact on …

U.S. Tax Treatment Of Crypto Assets, Kylie May Schmitt

Senior Honors Theses

Disagreements exist surrounding the proper definition and tax treatment of cryptocurrency. The IRS views crypto assets as a type of intangible property, and most guidance regarding how to include income or loss from cryptocurrency on the relevant tax forms stems from this classification. Crypto asset transactions create either ordinary or capital income or loss, depending on the taxpayer’s reason for holding the assets. This requires keeping track of the cryptocurrency’s fair market value at the time of receipt and disposition. While researchers have not reached a unanimous conclusion, most identify problems with this treatment and instead propose alternative methods, such …

Comparative Analysis Of Regression And Random Forest Models For Player Performance Prediction In The Mls, Joshua Clement Madeti

Senior Honors Theses

Advanced technology and analytics have transformed the world and have benefited several industries throughout, the sport industry being one of them. Data is constantly generated during sports and requires post-game or post-season analysis which is crucial to team and player success. In this paper, the researcher will focus on the impact of analytics on soccer and soccer players. With over three billion active fans, soccer is the most famous sport in the world yet, when it comes to analytics, it is lagging. The thesis includes a comparative study of multiple linear regression and random forest regression to explore whether these …

Dancing In The Digital Age: How Social Media Shapes The Commercial Dance Industry, Luke Lisowski

Honors College Theses

Social media has fundamentally transformed the commercial dance industry, reshaping how dancers establish careers, connect with industry professionals, and promote their artistry. This thesis examines the impact of social media platforms – such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube – on career growth by facilitating networking opportunities, increasing visibility, and redefining industry standards. The research explores how digital platforms have shifted the traditional pathways to success, enabling dancers to showcase their work independently while also creating challenges related to self-promotion, competition, and mental health.

Through a series of in-depth interviews with professional dancers and choreographers actively working in the industry, this …