Business Commons^™

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: February 21, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 rose by 1.18% during January of 2018. The increase in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, suggests that the Nebraska economy will grow steadily through the summer of 2018. A falling U.S. dollar, which is positive for Nebraska exporters, was one primary reason for the improvement in the leading indicator. The other was business expectations. Respondents to the January Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase sales and employment at their businesses over the next six months. In terms of negative components, there …

The Wine Tasting Experience: A Profit Generator, James Peter Murphy

Conference papers

The Wine Tasting Experience - A Profit Generator. This conference presentation addressed strategies and advice in relation to how to ideally use wine within your business as a profit generator, it offered various approaches, tools, and themed strategies which can be adopted for use in the hospitality industry. Wine is a multi dimensional beverage which offers infinite opportunities to businesses and as consumers tastes changes businesses operators much also seek new and exciting ways to attract customers to this ancient beverage.

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: January 24, 2018, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 rose by 0.83% during December of 2017. The increase in the LEI-N, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, suggests that the Nebraska economy will grow steadily during the first half of 2018. The December increase primarily resulted from a rise in building permits for single-family homes and positive business expectations. In particular, respondents to the December Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase sales and employment in the coming months. In terms of negative components, there was a decline in airline passenger counts during December.

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report, Quarter 3, 2018, Pittsburg State University. Gladys A. Kelce College Of Business

Pittsburg Micropolitan Reports

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report is created by the Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) at Pittsburg State University.

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report, Quarter 2, 2018, Pittsburg State University. Gladys A. Kelce College Of Business

Pittsburg Micropolitan Reports

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report is created by the Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) at Pittsburg State University.

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report, Quarter 4, 2018, Pittsburg State University. Gladys A. Kelce College Of Business

Pittsburg Micropolitan Reports

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report is created by the Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) at Pittsburg State University.

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report, Quarter 1, 2018, Pittsburg State University. Gladys A. Kelce College Of Business

Pittsburg Micropolitan Reports

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report is created by the Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) at Pittsburg State University.

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Profile, 2018, Pittsburg State University. Gladys A. Kelce College Of Business

Pittsburg Micropolitan Reports

The Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Profile is created by the Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) at Pittsburg State University.

Editor’S Perspective: The Fusion Of Religion And Business, Michael E. Cafferky

Faculty Works

This article provides a summary of the ancient Hebrew concept of emeth (truth, faithfulness) and how it is relevant to contemporary business.

Incivility In The Workplace: The Experiences Of Female Sport Management Faculty In Higher Education, Elizabeth A. Taylor, Robin Hardin, Natalie Welch, Allison B. Smith

Faculty Publications

Access to higher education for women has dramatically increased in the United States during the past 50 years. Female college graduates have reversed the figures and gone from being outnumbered by their male counterparts 3 to 2 in the 1970s, to now outnumbering male college graduates 3 to 2. Women also graduate from masters and doctoral programs at a higher rate than men.

However, increases in the number of women obtaining college and advanced degrees has not translated to comparable representation in faculty positions or leadership roles in higher education. This lack of women in leadership positions, as well as …

"Beyond The New Economy: The Other Technology Revolution" From The Entrepreneur’S Intellectual Property & Business Handbook, Jon Garon

Faculty Scholarship

This article is part of a series of book excerpts from The Entrepreneur’s Intellectual Property & Business Handbook, which provides the business, strategy, and legal reference guide for start-ups and small businesses. While the book refers to the Internet as perhaps the most significant technological change in the 21st century, computer technology, microbiology, and many other fields have undergone similar explosions in innovation.

Marketing Practices Of Socially Responsible And Sustainable Businesses, Brooke A. Bivins

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The topic of this research is marketing practices of socially responsible and sustainable businesses. It examines the strategies companies and brands use to represent themselves to the public through products, advertising, and philanthropy. This includes an evaluation of existing frameworks and case studies, as well as in-depth interviews. The question that this research will answer is as follows: How can new or existing companies embrace and integrate social responsibility or sustainability in a way that is authentic and contributes to a positive public reputation?

Younger generations are increasingly willing to switch to and, in some cases, pay more for products …

Effective Internet Marketing Strategies For Online Fashion Jewelry Businesses, Zohreh Daemi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business owners who fail to apply effective Internet marketing strategies could negatively affect customers' purchasing decisions, and business profitability and sustainability. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore effective Internet marketing strategies online fashion jewelry business owners used to maintain or increase profit levels. Competitive advantage theory was the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected via semistructured interviews with 3 online fashion jewelry business owners located in the northeastern region of the United States who were in the same business for more than 5 years and generated at least $100,000 in annual revenue. Additionally, …

Small Business Sustainability Strategies, Wayne A. Fillingim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses provide 48% of private-sector jobs in the United States and play a vital role in the country's economic growth and development. Only half of U.S. small businesses survive for longer than 5 years. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore sustainability strategies managers of small oilfield service companies used to sustain their business for longer than 5 years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 10 managers--one manager from each of 10 different oilfield service companies located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States and from review of publicly available documents and archived …

The Changing Identity Of Fast Food; A Plant Based Solution, Maggie Niemann

Whittier Scholars Program

The purpose of this study is to create a business plan to assess the feasibility of creating a vegan fast food chain which provides quality food, a low environmental footprint, and social responsibility. To determine this feasibility, my objectives are to look at the market and trends of veganism and fast food, the workability and environmental impact of sourcing food locally, and the social impact a restaurant like this could have. Within my business plan and research, my main product objectives are to offer healthy and satisfying menu options while displaying a less commercial but still appealing marketing strategy. My …

Small Business Owners' Search For Profitability Under The Affordable Care Act, Alton Simpson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care costs for small businesses have been rising annually for the past few decades. Congress voted to pass the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to lower the cost of health care in 2010. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore small business owners' experiences in implementing ACA requirements and how the ACA affects small businesses as their owners work to make these organizations profitable. Complex adaptive systems theory formed the conceptual framework for this study Data were gathered during face-to-face and telephone interviews with a sample of 20 small business owners in the Philadelphia region. The research questions …

Your Business Needs To Invest In Artificial Intelligence, Jacob Jones

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Artificial intelligence (AI) is defined as “machines that respond to stimulation consistent with traditional responses from humans, given the human capacity for contemplation, judgment, and intention” by Brookings Institute. According to Amazon, AI is “the field of computer science dedicated to solving cognitive problems commonly associated with human intelligence, such as learning, problem solving, and pattern recognition”. AI has the ability to transform business as there are many applications of AI technology available today that could improve the operations and financials of a business. AI has turned capabilities that previously were only thought about as futuristic into a reality which …

Tax Abatement Disclosures: An Exploratory Study Of Professional's Perceptions And Early Disclosures Of Gasb Statement No. 77, M. Fischer, Amy Foshee Holmes

School of Business Faculty Research

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) adopted Statement No. 77 requiring government disclosure of tax abatements in audited financial reports for years beginning after December 15, 2015. This paper reports survey findings provided by accounting and finance professionals (practitioners) regarding their tax abatement reporting perceptions. We then review early implementation of the abatement disclosure and find the disclosed information does not meet the practitioner’s expectations. Our findings fill a gap in state and local financial reports as it appears the new disclosure requirement does not fulfill the Board’s reporting transparency expectation goals.

Shalom And Moral Imagination For Business Technologists, Jason M. Stansbury

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

This essay addresses the problem “What are the ethical implications from a biblical perspective as technological changes reshape stakeholder relationships?” It characterizes the effects of technological change upon stakeholder relationships in microeconomic terms, so that various technologies can be understood in terms of their implications. It then describes the Christian ethical concept of “shalom,” and explores some of its implications for stakeholder relationships with biblical grounding. It next explores the microeconomic stakeholder implications of technological change in terms of shalom. It finally discusses moral imagination as a practical technique for understanding the ethical implications of a novel situation, envisioning practical …

Big Brother Vs. Little Brother: The Big Four In Southern California, David Castro-Jiminez

Whittier Scholars Program

This project examines the digital marketing strategies of both Twitter and Instagram for four pairs of teams in the Big Four sport organizations (MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL) in densely populated Southern California. The goal of this work is to study how respective teams market themselves via social media based on their socialized positions in the given market area. This has been done primarily through observational research which was then analyzed through social and marketing theories and cross-analyzed with professional articles relative to the subject. The main aspects this work focused on the social media identities, the quality/quantity of the content, …

Strategies For Sustainability In Multilevel Marketing Organizations, Nicole Renea Cordell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of entrepreneurs in the direct sales industry has steadily increased since 2010; however, the annual turnover rate is 56%. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore multilevel marketing (MLM) entrepreneurial leadership strategies implemented to help ensure sustainability of entrepreneurial MLM businesses for longer than 5 years. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 10 entrepreneurs who maintained an MLM business more than 5 years and used a hierarchical status that required a team. The transformational leadership theory constituted the conceptual framework for researching leadership as a concept of entrepreneurship and sustainability in MLM. Data were collected …

Strategic Audit Of Spreetail, Aryn Huck

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This report investigates the history and current situation of Spreetail, a local ecommerce company in Lincoln, Nebraska. The company faces several challenges going forward, including determining how to best compete with large companies in the same market such as Amazon. This report looks at Spreetail’s current standing using tools such as SWOT and PEST analyses and examines the company’s competitive analysis. Spreetail is recommended to speed up its rebranding process to maintain the benefits of the more fitting name and rebranding efforts already underway.

Strategies To Minimize Profit Loss From Small Business Enterprise Credit Rejections, Alfred Nwagbo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Institutional policies or terms and conditions of credit allocation complicate the demand and supply of small business enterprise (SBE) credit, causing lost profits. Banks leaders losing 28% of profitable projects because of the high rejection rate of credit applications for SBE loans is a concern. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies Southeastern Nigerian state bank leaders use to minimize lost profit from SBE credit rejections. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was credit rationing focused on the lender-borrower relationship. Data collection involved reviews of company documents and face-to-face semistructured interviews of 6 participants from …

Easing Growing Pains: Supporting The Growth Of Small Businesses In The Philippines, Paulynne Castillo

Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI)

In explaining the 2015 survey findings that the Philippines has the second to the lowest existing business rate in the ASEAN region, the Philippine Entrepreneurship Report, 2015-16 stated that “business operations become more burdensome as they grow due to the more restrictive regulations on large enterprises” (Velasco et al., 2017, p. 40). Established businesses, particularly firms operating in the formal sector, shoulder higher taxes and are subject to social security contributions, minimum wage, and industry-specific regulations (Velasco et al., 2017; Auriol, 2014).

Strengthening early-stage entrepreneurial activities and supporting their quest for expansion, however, require access to financial, legal, and public …

Leadership Styles Manufacturing Business Managers Use To Reduce Workplace Injuries, Joe Sparks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The cost of workplace injuries is a major concern for business managers. Business managers in the production, transportation, and material moving industries experience the highest injury rate with an annual average of 198.5 lost days away from work. The purpose of this single case study was to explore transformational leadership skills and strategies used by manufacturing business managers to reduce workplace injuries. The conceptual framework for this study was Bass and Burns's transformational leadership theory. Data collection included semistructured interviews to elicit narratives from 3 managers from a metal manufacturing company located in the southeastern United States about the leadership …

Making Money And Making Change: Understanding And Overcoming Tension Between Profits And Purpose Within Social Entrepreneurship, Elijah H. Etzioni

CMC Senior Theses

Using a combination of interviews of social entrepreneurs and secondary research, this paper investigates the strategies that social entrepreneurs use to overcome tension and conflict between the two distinct goals of financial sustainability and mission fulfillment. The results suggest that although some social entrepreneurs can simultaneously achieve revenue generation and mission fulfillment, thus almost entirely eliminating any tension or misalignment, it is the creative responses of social entrepreneurs who have achieved one of these objectives and are attempting to achieve the other that prove the unique value of the practice. Additionally, the results gesture towards the conclusion that different kinds …

E & I Academics - A Business Plan, Rosalyn Mccoy

Senior Honors Theses

Starting a school presents many difficulties, but a business plan provides a method by which to work through many of these issues. The following business plan for Encourage & Inspire Academics, hereafter referred to as E & I Academics, explains many aspects of the proposed business from operations to competition to target market. E & I Academics is a proposed business that will offer both afterschool tutoring and homeschool tutoring services to families who wish to invest in a quality education for their children. E & I Academics will offer more personalized services than a typical public school and will …

Strategies For Motivating A Multigenerational Workforce, Avon Donnell Cornelius

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The multigenerational workforce creates leadership challenges for business managers, and the members of each generational group have different factors that motivate them. Failure to motivate a multigenerational workforce can lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, high turnover rates, and reduced profits. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies that marketing managers in a Maryland-based marketing firm use to motivate a multigenerational workforce using Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory. The study comprised 7 marketing managers who have experience motivating a multigenerational workforce. The data collection process for this study consisted of semistructured interviews, observation, and member …

Strategies To Sustain Small And Medium-Size Manufacturing Enterprises In Jamaica, Hugh Anthony Blake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Jamaica's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have a high failure rate. In 2016, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) recorded Jamaica's SME start-up rate at 4.06% and the discontinuance rate at 9%. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive multiple case study was to explore the strategies some Jamaican SME owners used to achieve business sustainability in the manufacturing sector for longer than 5 years of operation. The conceptual framework used was the entrepreneurship theory, which provided insights into business sustainability. A purposive sample of 5 owners of SMEs who had achieved business sustainability in the manufacturing sector for longer than 5 …

The Relationship Between Personality Traits And The Income Of Small Business Owners, Staci Lashawn Parker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Researchers have found that the Big Five personality trait of conscientiousness correlated consistently with high performance across industries. However, previous research was limited to self-reported data collected based on the opinions of the participants and did not include the subtraits of conscientiousness (achievement and dependability). Previous studies also did not provide data specific to entrepreneurs operating as small business owners and did not compare them to their peers. Thus, the purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore whether or not there was a relationship between the personality traits of achievement and dependability and the income of U.S. …