Business Commons^™

Beyond The Launch: Designing Integrated Marketing Communications Across The Publishing Lifecycle, Philip J. Boutin Jr.

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This paper advances a lifecycle view of integrated marketing communications for book publishing and specifies a practical model beyond launch. We present the Lifecycle IMC in Publishing (L-IMC) framework with four layers—strategic capability, orchestration, phased execution (pre-launch, launch, post-publication), and measurement/learning—grounded in evidence on carryover, cross-media complementarity, discoverability, and the creator economy. Seven propositions predict that lifecycle consistency, coordinated post-publication activity, metadata priming, creator–title fit with clear disclosures, network-aware seeding, continuous testing, and reserved reinforcement budgets improve visibility, conversion, and returns. Design principles include codified message architecture and governance, a vetted creator bench, managed discoverability, sequencing high-trust signals before conversion …

A Multi-Country Examination Of The Consumption Of Credit Cards, Charles Blankson, Aditi Puri, Jhinuk Chowdhury

AMTP Proceedings 2026

The credit card industry is an incredibly interconnected service sector that continues to attract scholarly attention within marketing and consumer behavior research globally (Worthington, 1994; Worthington, 2005; Blankson & Kalafatis, 2007; Steffes, Murthi, and Rao, 2011; Chiang et al., 2020). To expand, as credit cards function not only as payment instruments but also as branded services, they offer context that is extremely useful for examining motivations behind brand choice and continued usage among consumers in the international marketplace. Additionally, over the past few decades, transaction volume and credit card ownership have substantially increased. For instance, Visa, commonly recognized as one …

Corporate Social Responsibility And Consumer-Brand Relationships: An Investor-Oriented Integrated Framework, Ada V. Campbell

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This study examines the evolving landscape of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) within the European Union (EU) and the dynamics of the consumer–brand relationship (CBR), proposing an integrated theoretical framework for investor analysis. The EU's regulatory trajectory, marked by the transition from the Non-financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) alongside European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), signifies a paradigm shift towards mandatory, standardized, and audited sustainability disclosures. Concurrently, the strength of CBR, built on dimensions such as trust, self-connection, and commitment, profoundly influences consumer behavior, brand …

A Model For Professional Organization Membership Support: Trust, Commitment, Membership Value, And Relationship Quality Commitment, Shawn F. Clouse, Nader H. Shooshtari, Simona Stan, Liz Kohl

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Members of professional associations join these organizations for reasons that include benefits and services to members, advocacy and lobbying on behalf of members and their interests, networking opportunities, and a sense of community and identification with fellow association members. Members are likely to commit to the association and remain as members to the extent they are satisfied with what the association provides and if they perceive the benefits to exceed the costs (not just monetary) of membership. This survey of members of a professional association investigates the relationship between trust, relationship quality commitment, membership dues value and commitment (normative, affective, …

Coping Under Constraint: How Consumer Vulnerability And Caregiver Status Shape Food Choice And Well-Being, Kerry-Ann V. Forbes, Prachi Gala

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Caregiving is a chronic and understudied form of consumer vulnerability that reshapes everyday decision-making, particularly in food contexts. This research conceptualizes caregiving as a sustained role-based vulnerability. It proposes a moderated-mediation model in which consumer vulnerability influences coping strategies that subsequently affect food choice and consumer well-being. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior, Coping Theory, and Transformative Consumer Research, the study examines how caregiver status (familial, professional, or non-caregiver) serves as a boundary condition that shapes these relationships. A three-phase mixed-methods design is employed: qualitative interviews to refine constructs, a survey–experiment to test the moderated-mediation model, and an experimental …

Dressed For Judgment: What Should Celebrities Wear To Court?, Alaina Jean, Emily Lesmes, Hyunju Shin

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This project explores consumers’ perceptions of celebrities facing criminal charges based on their choice of outfit. On the basis of Weiner’s attribution theory, we argue that when celebrities facing criminal charges are attired in traditional/professional outfits such as a black suit for males or a black knee-length dress for females in court compared with non-traditional/casual outfits such as a casual shirt with a defiant print and sneakers, consumers are likely to infer their remorse for their wrongdoings, which in turn may lead to more favorable attitudes toward the celebrity and higher forgiveness intentions. This research expands understanding of how consumers’ …

Consumer Insights About Art Workshop And Art Boutique Preferences, Lucia M. Johnson, Richard Kaminski, Megan E. Marlin, Craig B. Joyner

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This research explores customer preferences, the effects of local demographics, purchasing habits, and the impact of social media platforms in driving customer engagement and loyalty. By surveying consumers, the study identifies the key qualities necessary to further engage potential and return customers, including pricing, location, and accessibility. The findings suggest a deep appreciation for creating artwork rather than buying artwork, distinct social media opportunities through the utilization of apps such as Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok, as well as focusing their current offerings while broadening and segmenting their marketing initiatives. However, the study also notes limitations such as a convenience-based sample …

Running On Empty: How Burnout Derails Customer Delight And Sales Performance In Road Warrior Salespeople, Charshae L. Marshall-Phillips

AMTP Proceedings 2026

In an increasingly competitive marketplace, firms rely on customer delight for success. The physical and emotional toll on “Road Warrior” salespeople often acts as a barrier to this goal. This research proposes a model connecting antecedents (burnout) and outcomes (sales performance) via the salesperson's ability to create customer delight.

Employing a quantitative design with B2B salespeople traveling over 50% of the time, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used to test hypothesized relationships. It is hypothesized that emotional exhaustion negatively impacts the capacity to create delight, subsequently lowering sales performance. Crucially, sales manager support is expected to moderate this relationship, acting …

From Channel Partnerships To Performance: The Enabling Role Of Artificial Intelligence, Manisha Mathur

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This study reframes channel strategy by shifting attention away from relationship investments as direct performance drivers and toward the mechanisms through which those investments create value. It proposes that resources committed to channel partners influence firm performance only insofar as they build channel equity, the capacity to operate credibly, visibly, and effectively within markets, and that this capacity is further shaped by firms’ analytical capabilities.

Internship Best Practices: A Comparative Analysis Of A Small Private University (Tiffin University) And A Large Public University (Kennesaw State University), Kellie Mcgilvray, Randy Stuart

AMTP Proceedings 2026

The balance of scholarship and professional practice is a hallmark of career preparation in higher education. While classroom instruction is essential for building foundational knowledge, experiential learning through internships allows students to apply theory in authentic professional contexts.

Are the requirements and administration of internship experiences the same at a small private university (Tiffin University-TU) (student population 3,726/687 business majors) as at a large public university (Kennesaw State University-KSU) (student population 50,000/10,000 business majors) and what best practices can be learned from both organizations? This paper will compare and contrast the practices at both schools and recommend best practices to …

Reimagining Brand Resonance: A Symbolic Interactionist Framework For Influencer-Brand Relationships And Within-Category Switching, Antoinette Okono

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This conceptual paper reinterprets brand resonance as a mechanism for competitive acquisition rather than retention. While traditional frameworks position resonance as the outcome of loyalty and attachment, contemporary markets require strategies that convert consumers embedded in rival ecosystems. Drawing on symbolic interactionism, the model positions influencers as meaning intermediaries who reshape interpretations of identity, relevance, and social permission. Influencer–brand partnership strength initiates a sequential pathway in which effort expectancy and performance expectancy reduce perceived barriers, while a novel construct—switching legitimization—authorizes movement away from incumbent brands. Through repeated mediated encounters, attachment to the target brand develops prior to behavioral change. The …

Do Salespeople Best Understand Market Orientation Of Their Company?, Thomas L. Powers

AMTP Proceedings 2026

The perspective of salespeople is important to consider in order to fully understand market orientation and how it influences company performance. Salespeople mediate the firm and its customers, and they are key to the successful implementation of a market orientation. A discrepancy in the perception of market orientation may exist as executives and managers may have an inherently higher assessment of market orientation than other members of the organization. In order to address this issue, the research presented in this paper examines the relationship between cultural and operational market orientation and performance from the perspective of salespeople, managers and customers.

Determinants Of E-Waste Recycling Intentions Among Us And Uk Consumers, Catherine A. Roster

AMTP Proceedings 2026

The amount of e-waste generated globally is rising faster than e-waste recycling rates and represents a danger to the environment and humans. The objective of this study was to investigate determinants of e-waste recycling intentions among a representative sample of 1,050 adult consumers from the US and the UK. Cross-national differences were also examined. A model integrating factors drawn from the theory of planned behavior and value-belief-norm theory was tested using PLS-SEM. Findings showed that values, awareness of consequences, ecological self-identity, and ascription of responsibility influenced personal norms toward e-waste recycling, and that personal norms partially mediated relationships between these …

Mindset Matters: How Growth And Fixed Mindsets Shape Consumer Adoption Of Ai, Myungjin Smale, Yuri Martirosyan, Hui Zhang

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This research examines how individuals’ mindsets shape their use of generative AI (gen AI). In a study with 348 undergraduate students, participants imagined writing a graduate school Statement of Purpose and indicated whether and how they would use AI tools. Among participants who indicated they would use AI, fixed-mindset students were more likely to rely on AI for brainstorming tasks, such as idea generation, whereas growth-mindset students were more likely to use AI for writing aids, such as grammar or spell checking. A significant interaction emerged between mindset and AI use type on anticipated guilt: growth-mindset students anticipated greater guilt …

Institution-Based Trust And Covid-19 Compliance Across Countries, Liz Wang

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Trust is central to public health compliance, yet most social marketing models still focus on individual-level drivers such as attitudes and norms. This study examines institution-based trust (IBT) as a moderator of citizens’ intentions to comply with COVID-19 prevention guidelines within a TRA model, using online survey data from US, UK, Australia, and Taiwan collected during the pandemic. Results show that IBT moderates both the attitude–intention (ATT–BI) and subjective norm–intention (SN–BI) relationships and suggest that high- and low-IBT contexts activate different mechanisms—legitimacy-based versus self-protective routes—to compliance. The paper outlines research and managerial implications for social marketing theory and practice.Institution-Based …

From Eye Rolls To Exploitation: Differentiating Consumer Incivility From Jay Customer Behavior, Scott M. Widmier, Prachi B. Gala, Nikolaos Iason Koufodontis

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Problematic customer behavior in service settings ranges from mild rudeness to deliberate exploitation, yet research often treats such actions as a single construct. Drawing on the General Aggression Model, this study differentiates customer incivility (reactive, stress‑driven misconduct) from Jay Customer behavior (calculated, strategic exploitation) and examines their distinct antecedents. Survey data from 820 U.S. adults show that Dark Triad personality traits strongly predict both behaviors, with a substantially stronger effect on Jay Customer behavior. Perceived stress predicts both outcomes but is particularly salient for incivility. In contrast, Light Triad traits negatively predict both forms of misbehavior and moderate the stress–incivility …

Conversation Analysis Of Public-Servant And Persons-Of-Interest Face-To-Face Talk Via Llm‑Supported Ai Script Mapping Tools, Arch G. Woodside, Suresh Sood

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Professional public servants (PSs) including police officers, postal workers, and government tax office and DMV employees interact face-to-face with citizens/persons of interest (POIs), in encounters that are frequently recorded using mobile phones and publicized on platforms such as YouTube.com. Building on our observations about recurrent PS–POI scripts and LLM-supported analysis, we develop five grounded propositions linking enacted scripts to existing theory. The propositions focus on describing early turn-taking asymmetry, the importance of sequential detail beyond-shallow analysis, the predictive role of script recurrence, the value of rich, script-based role-play, and the potential of narrative-intelligence databases for institutional learning. Instead of treating …

Conceptualizing Cancel Culture In Marketing: Moral Policing In A Hyperconnected World, T. Andrew Poehlman, Sairah Abraham

AMTP Proceedings 2026

The dynamics of marketing in society have shifted. Brands no longer sit at a distance broadcasting messages; they now occupy the same social networks as people, speaking in a human voice and inviting quasi-personal relationships. In this environment, we argue that corporate cancel culture is best understood as moral policing of brands that have chosen to act like human nodes in social networks. Drawing on hierarchy research, we frame cancellations as “leveling” responses when high-status brands behave in ways that feel domineering, hypocritical, or extractive rather than prestige-based and service-oriented. Using Moral Foundations Theory, we show how diverse cancellations can …

Commentary: If You’Re Unhappy At Work, A Hasty Job Change May Not Help, Nick Chiam

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Finding joy at work isn’t about having the perfect job, but seeing work as part of the larger story of a life well lived, says SMU lecturer Nick Chiam.

Precision Or Invasion? Mapping The Personalization Paradox, Shyamala N. Chalakudi, Gnana Bharathy

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

AI-driven personalization has transformed consumer engagement, yet existing research offers no systematic way to determine when personalization shifts from helpful to intrusive. Current research and models explain privacy concerns or expectancy violations but do not measure the point at which personalization triggers user discomfort, creating the personalization paradox. This study introduces the Discomfort Threshold Assessment & Measurement (DTAM) framework, a conceptual model that identifies and evaluates this threshold by integrating Dual Process Theory, Expectation Violation Theory, and Privacy Calculus Theory. DTAM distinguishes between affective discomfort reactance and cognitive discomfort reactance and outlines how these constructs could, in future empirical studies, …

2026 April, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for April of 2026.

Book Review - Esports Business Management 2nd Edition, Brett A. Anderson

Global Sport Business Journal

This review evaluates Esports Business Management (2nd ed.) as a comprehensive and pedagogically effective resource for undergraduate sport business education. The text situates esports within familiar sport management frameworks while highlighting key distinctions related to its digital, global, and rapidly evolving structure. Across fourteen chapters, the authors address core industry components, including governance, marketing, sponsorship, finance, law, and career pathways, supported by real-world examples and applied learning tools. Particular strengths include clear definitional grounding, strong comparative analysis with traditional sport systems, and accessible explanations of complex industry dynamics. While maintaining breadth and clarity, the book effectively bridges theory and practice, …

Volunteering: Service To Humanity Is The Best Work Of Life, William Chase Dds, Maom

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Dr. William Chase reflects on a 45-year career enriched by dental volunteering and humanitarian missions. Chronicling his experiences treating patients in the Philippines and Brazil, he illustrates how altruism provides professional satisfaction that transcends financial gain. The article outlines various domestic opportunities for service, such as the MDA Foundation’s Mission of Mercy and the Donated Dental Services (DDS) program. Chase provides a checklist for interested volunteers and encourages colleagues to emerge from their comfort zones to provide life-altering care to underserved populations locally and abroad.

Endorsed Programs News: Mda Insurance Receives High Honors, Reva Darling

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This report covers updates on MDA-endorsed programs designed to provide value and operational support to members. It announces that MDA Insurance has won the 2025 "State Administrator of the Year" award for its professional liability programs. The document also promotes the environmental benefits of recycling dental scrap metal through D-MMEX Easyrefine and introduces the cost-saving benefits of MEDVA virtual assistants for administrative tasks. Additionally, it advertises upcoming Medicare educational seminars to help member dentists and their staff navigate retirement planning and health insurance transitions effectively.

Budgeting Apps, Financial Literacy, And Financial Control, Max Masabo, Abdullah Mohammad Mahi

Presentations - 2026

Our paper shows the real hidden connections between budgeting app usage and financial wellbeing of U.S Households

Budgeting Apps, Financial Literacy And Financial Distress: Evidence From U.S. Households, Max Ngenzi Masabo

Posters - 2026

• First, it provides the first large-scale, nationally representative evidence on how budgeting app usage relates to household financial distress in the United States. Contrary to the intended purpose of these tools, we find that app users, especially frequent users, experience significantly higher levels of financial strain. • Second, we show that financial literacy is a critical moderating factor. The adverse association between budgeting apps and financial distress is substantially stronger among low-literacy individuals, highlighting financial literacy as an essential safeguard against harmful fintech outcomes. • Third, we identify behavioral mechanisms through which budgeting apps may exacerbate financial difficulties. App …

Ai Vs. Human Imagery In Advertising: Do Consumers Care?, Belyn Thompson

Posters - 2026

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming digital marketing, with AI-generated images increasingly used in advertising and brand communication. While these visuals allow companies to reduce costs and experiment with creative ideas, it remains unclear how consumers perceive AI-generated content compared to human-created visuals. Advances in platforms such as DALL-E and Midjourney have made AI images more realistic and difficult to distinguish, raising questions about transparency and ethical disclosure in advertising. This study examines how AI-generated images and disclosure strategies influence consumer perceptions, including purchase intent, aesthetic appeal, and perceived realism across different product categories.

When The Jingle Isn't Human: How Ai-Generated Vs. Human Composed Sonic Branding Shapes Consumer Response, Zecong Ma, Hong-Hee Lee, Danielle Rangel

Posters - 2026

Sonic branding elements—such as sound logos and jingles—shape brand meaning by communicating cues that consumers process quickly and often implicitly (e.g., through affect, fit, and memory). Recent evidence suggests that even specific musical choices (like instrumentation in a sound logo) can shift perceived brand personality traits (e.g., sophistication, ruggedness), indicating that audio can function as a powerful identity signal rather than mere “background.” At the same time, generative AI is rapidly lowering the cost and increasing the speed of producing branded music, making AI-composed jingles a realistic and scalable tool for marketers. Yet consumer responses to AI-generated creative work are …

Using Ai-Based Predictive Scheduling To Improve Patient Flow And Reduce Wait Times In Healthcare Clinics, Oscar Martinez

Posters - 2026

• Healthcare systems face increasing challenges in patient access and wait times
• Average wait times for specialist care continue to rise, creating:
  • Delays in treatment
  • Reduced patient satisfaction
  • Increased system inefficiencies (Sanford, 2025)
• A major contributor is operational bottlenecks, defined as:
  • Points of congestion that slow or disrupt service flow
• Hospitals typically operate under process layouts, which:
  • Handle diverse patient needs
  • Reduce specialization efficiency
• Contributing factors to bottlenecks:
  • Physician shortages and burnout
  • Administrative burden
  • Inefficient scheduling systems (Moura & Pinho, 2025)
• AI offers potential solutions through:
  • Predictive scheduling
  • Automation of administrative processes
  • Data-driven optimization of patient flow

Optimizing Retail Grocery Inventory Using Ai And Large Language Models: Evidence On Forecast Accuracy, Waste Reduction, And Cost Efficiency, Robert Miller, Stephen Garcia, Brandon Ermis

Posters - 2026

Aim: To evaluate how AI and LLMs improve forecasting accuracy, reduce waste, and enhance inventory decision-making