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Full-Text Articles in Business

Impact Of Leadership In Project Management, Ian Wegh May 2024

Impact Of Leadership In Project Management, Ian Wegh

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

Today’s business environment demands effective project management for enterprises to meet their goals and continue to be innovative. Inherently, this also means that project managers must have strong leadership skills. Project management provides a framework of techniques that provides a symbiotic relationship between both the framework and the leader. The idea behind project management is to complete objectives efficiently within a certain time period given a restricted number of resources. This means project management is a process of principles, tools, and methodologies used to effectively manage a team through the System Development Life Cycle. The System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) …


Evaluating Strategic Leadership Development Programs, Felicia Littlejohn Dec 2023

Evaluating Strategic Leadership Development Programs, Felicia Littlejohn

Instructional Design Capstones Collection

Companies that lack an in-depth understanding of leadership development program evaluation may invest in a program that achieves suboptimal results. However, there is no generally prescribed framework for the evaluation of leadership development programs. Thus, the purpose of this action research paper is to provide the basis for vetting leadership development programs based on their organizational fit and investment value, training methodologies, workplace development approaches, coaching and development support, and targeted business outcomes.


Union Pacific Railroad Company Strategic Audit, Alison Steger May 2023

Union Pacific Railroad Company Strategic Audit, Alison Steger

Honors Theses

Union Pacific Railroad Company (Union Pacific, UP, UPRR) is a freight railroad based in Omaha, Nebraska, servicing 23 states in America, with additional ports and country interchanges. The 160-year history of this railroad began with Abraham Lincoln and continues into 2023, with the recent announcement of CEO Lance Fritz’s departure. A PESTEL analysis provides an in-depth look at UP's external operating environment, and Porter’s Five Forces industry analysis assesses the industry's competitive environment. Analyses of Union Pacific's competitive advantages, essential resources, and projected roadblocks are followed by strategic recommendations for UP to remain a Class I freight railroad industry leader.


Lululemon Athletica Strategic Audit, Nolan T. Rinn May 2023

Lululemon Athletica Strategic Audit, Nolan T. Rinn

Honors Theses

Lululemon Athletica Inc. (Lululemon) is principally a designer, distributor, and retailer of technical athletic apparel, footwear, and accessories with a vision to create transformative products and experiences that build meaningful connections, unlocking greater possibility and wellbeing for all (Lululemon). This paper will examine Lululemon to understand its market position and competitiveness within the athletic apparel industry. The analysis uses PESTEL and Porter’s Five Forces analyses to evaluate the changing external environment and industry Lululemon operates in.


Lululemon Athletica Inc. Backhaul Strategic Audit, Hadley Hiatt May 2023

Lululemon Athletica Inc. Backhaul Strategic Audit, Hadley Hiatt

Honors Theses

Lululemon Athletica Inc. (Lululemon) is an athletic apparel company headquartered in Canada. Lululemon targets consumers who strive to live a healthy, active lifestyle. Its business model is based on the “Power of Three x 2” focusing on three strategic pillars, product innovation, guest experience, and international expansion. This analysis seeks to understand Lululemon’s face paced growth and unique business strategy through the use of a PESTEL analysis of macro environment, Porter’s Five Forces analysis of the competitive environment of the industry, analyzing the company’s strategy, major strategic objectives, competitive advantages, resources that may lead to a sustainable competitive advantage, and …


Nvidia Corporation: Pc Gaming Industry Strategic Audit, Charlie Peng May 2023

Nvidia Corporation: Pc Gaming Industry Strategic Audit, Charlie Peng

Honors Theses

Nvidia is a semiconductor company focusing on high-performance computer graphics technology. The company designs graphics processing units (GPUs), which are used in a variety of fields such as data centers, artificial intelligence (AI), and gaming. This paper seeks to examine Nvidia’s position within the PC gaming industry. First, PESTEL and Porter’s Five Forces analyses are used to detail the overall PC gaming industry. The next section examines how Nvidia competes through its strategy, resources, and competitive advantages. Finally, future challenges and recommendations to position the company are explored.


Werner Enterprises Strategic Audit, Leavitt K. Reno Apr 2023

Werner Enterprises Strategic Audit, Leavitt K. Reno

Honors Theses

Werner Enterprises is a large trucking company based in Omaha, Nebraska, operating out of 15 terminals around the country. It is among the top five trucking companies in the United States. This report examines the trucking industry and where Werner Enterprises stands within it, as well as Werner Enterprises’ competitive advantages, and how future challenges of the trucking industry may affect the company. The report utilizes a PESTEL and Porter’s Five Forces analysis to closer examine the external environment and industry Werner Enterprises operates in. Following this evaluation, recommendations are provided based on Werner Enterprises’ current positioning and future challenges …


Fedex Ground Strategic Audit, Samantha Gates Dec 2022

Fedex Ground Strategic Audit, Samantha Gates

Honors Theses

FedEx Ground is an operating segment of the parcel carrier giant FedEx Inc. The company, known for shipping products via delivery truck, has remained one of the largest parcel carriers in the country, despite drastic changes in its environment. This report seeks to understand the changing operating environment of FedEx Ground, its competitive advantages, and the future challenges it may face. The analysis uses PESTEL and Porter's Five Forces analyses to evaluate the changing external environment and industry FedEx Ground operates in. Additionally, challenges and recommendations are offered to navigate the future of this company.


Strategic Management Of A Finnish Bus Company: Challenges And Opportunities, Billy Mushi, Sajal Kabiraj, Juha Mustonen Aug 2022

Strategic Management Of A Finnish Bus Company: Challenges And Opportunities, Billy Mushi, Sajal Kabiraj, Juha Mustonen

Management Dynamics

Undoubtedly, strategic management's role has enabled businesses to attain growth, adapt to new trends, and face competition. While examining the bus transportation industry in Finland, which faces competition, we demand to know whether it will lead to a case company's success and competitive advantage by assessing its strategic management methods. Moreover, results show that the case company has gone through many challenging threats throughout its existence. However, by conducting a strategic assessment, strategic choice, and implementing other strategic management methods specified in this case study, the company can grow and compete against other bus transport services companies in Finland.


Case Study Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc.: Its Strategy During The Covid 19 Pandemic, James I. I. Schaap, Angel F. González Jun 2022

Case Study Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc.: Its Strategy During The Covid 19 Pandemic, James I. I. Schaap, Angel F. González

Southern University College of Business E-Journal

Purpose The current paper presents the case of Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc. in the domain of gaming, entertainment, and lodging. Together with the top leadership and operators of Monarch, the authors investigated the timeline, business model, and strategic processes of the company, while exploring the markets that the company caters to. The research was focused on the following sub-domains: the company’s growth, business model, strategy, and operations. Design/methodology/approach The authors performed a review of the company’s literature and conducted interviews; for the part on company performance, the authors relied on in-house online data available of their financial statements, and …


Bnsf Strategic Analysis, Bella Tran May 2022

Bnsf Strategic Analysis, Bella Tran

Honors Theses

Burlington Northern Santa Fe, LLC. (BNSF), is an American railroad that is concentrated in the western two-thirds of the U.S. This railroad has a history stretching back over a century that has led the company to now function as one of the leading Class I Railroad with over 30,000 employees and over 30,000 miles of laid track. Two methods of analysis were used to examine the competitive environment in which BNSF operates. The first is the PESTEL analysis which examines the macro-environment. The second is Porter’s Five Forces which analyzes the competitive environment of an industry. The analyses concluded that …


Understanding The Role Of Chief Financial Officers In The Strategic Planning And Decision-Making Process Of Defense Contractors In The Washington, D.C. Region, Carolynn Eileen Stiffler May 2022

Understanding The Role Of Chief Financial Officers In The Strategic Planning And Decision-Making Process Of Defense Contractors In The Washington, D.C. Region, Carolynn Eileen Stiffler

Theses and Dissertations

The strategic planning and decision-making process of a firm is what drives the future of a firm, but what are all the correct stakeholders involved in that process? Historically, the Chief Executive Officer of the firm has been in charge of the firm’s strategic plan, guiding the firm based on his/her past experiences, and the Chief Financial Officer of the firm has been in charge of the back-office financial records and reporting. This study utilized the case study approach to explore the level of involvement a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) has in firms' strategic planning and decision-making processes that contract …


Starbucks Strategic Analysis, Jillian Jacoba Apr 2022

Starbucks Strategic Analysis, Jillian Jacoba

Honors Theses

Starbucks is a multinational chain of coffee shops and roasteries that was founded in 1971. Starbucks has continued to grow for the past 51 years and continues to dominate the coffee industry. This strategic analysis evaluates the general environment using a PESTEL analysis, the industry using Porter’s Five Forces, and the company’s overall strategy and competitive advantages. This paper will evaluate Starbucks’ position in the industry and the strategic choices that have led the company to its extraordinary success.


Redfin Strategic Analysis, Steffanie Hitz Apr 2022

Redfin Strategic Analysis, Steffanie Hitz

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


A Strategic Audit Of A24, Jackson Bartak Jan 2022

A Strategic Audit Of A24, Jackson Bartak

Honors Theses

A24 is an independent film production and distribution company founded in 2012. The company performs both duties for independent films as well as television programs, and a small portion of company revenue comes from merchandise it sells in an online kiosk. As of 2021, A24 had around 300 employees while maintaining a large catalog of movies and shows. Using a focus strategy, the company targets a more cultured audience for its unique (and sometimes outright bizarre) subject matter. To achieve this, A24 attempts to cast top B-list personnel both in acting and technical roles in order to corner its market. …


Leading Through Paradox In A Covid-19 World: Human Resources Comes Of Age, David G. Collings, Anthony J. Nyberg, Patrick M. Wright, John Mcmackin Nov 2021

Leading Through Paradox In A Covid-19 World: Human Resources Comes Of Age, David G. Collings, Anthony J. Nyberg, Patrick M. Wright, John Mcmackin

Faculty Publications

The impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is unprecedented. At an organisational level, the crisis has been hugely disruptive, complex and fraught with ambiguity for leaders. The crisis is fundamentally a human one, making human resource (HR) leaders central in enabling organisations to manage through and ultimately exit the crisis successfully. We apply a paradox lens to understand the HR leadership challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis. We argue that how the HR function responds to the challenges of the crisis and its role in mapping the exit route from the crisis are likely to shape the trajectory of …


Low Textbook Cost Syllabus For Mgt 9600 (Strategy And Competitive Advantage), Helaine J. Korn Oct 2021

Low Textbook Cost Syllabus For Mgt 9600 (Strategy And Competitive Advantage), Helaine J. Korn

Open Educational Resources

This course examines how to gain advantage against competitors in the complex and dynamic global marketplace. Core business strategy themes include how to analyze the business environment, assess resources and capabilities, and choose competitive strategies. The course also considers how to create corporate value through configuring and coordinating multibusiness activities. Core corporate strategy themes include how to analyze scale and scope, evaluate corporate competencies, manage the multibusiness corporation, assess global strategies, and choose corporate strategies.


The Impact Of Environmental Turbulence On The Strategic Decision-Making Process In Irish Quantity Surveying (Qs) Professional Service Firms (Psfs), Roisin Murphy Dr, Oluwasegun Seriki Aug 2021

The Impact Of Environmental Turbulence On The Strategic Decision-Making Process In Irish Quantity Surveying (Qs) Professional Service Firms (Psfs), Roisin Murphy Dr, Oluwasegun Seriki

Articles

Construction firms operate within a business environment characterized by uncertainty and a lack of predictability, increasing the complexity of strategic decision-making. Construction contractor firms’ strategic response to environmental turbulence is appropriately documented but evidence regarding Construction Professional Service Firms (CPSF’S) remains scarce. CPSF’s are characteristically different from contractor organizations due to the intangibility of services and high knowledge intensity. The purpose of the study is to ascertain the impact of environmental turbulence on strategic decision-making process characteristics in CPSF’s, specifically Irish Quantity Surveying (QS) practices. Using a mixed-methods research strategy, data collected over two dissimilar stages on the economic cycle …


Investigating The Relationship Between The James C. Kennedy Center And The Utilization Of The Harvard Policy Model: A Strategic Planning Process, Neely Griggs May 2021

Investigating The Relationship Between The James C. Kennedy Center And The Utilization Of The Harvard Policy Model: A Strategic Planning Process, Neely Griggs

Honors Theses

This thesis aims to understand the relationship between the James C. Kennedy Wellness Center and the utilization of the Harvard Policy Model. The Wellness Center in Tallahatchie county, Mississippi has a profound impact in the community by working to decrease the prevalence of preventable diseases, and the Wellness Center’s leadership has decided to engage in the development of a strategic plan. The researchers led the Wellness Center through the first four steps in the Harvard Policy Model of strategic planning. Through focus groups and data analysis, the Wellness Center’s vision and mission statements were re-conceptualized, the core values of the …


Allianz Life Strategic Audit, Evan Powell Apr 2021

Allianz Life Strategic Audit, Evan Powell

Honors Theses

Allianz Life is a company that specializes in creating life insurance and annuity products to wholesale to financial professionals. The company is based out of Minneapolis, MN, and is a subsidiary of the parent company Allianz SE. Allianz SE is the 46th largest company in the world and ranks number one for assets managed by an insurance company. Allianz SE is based out of Munich, Germany. This report aims to learn more about Allianz Life through internal and external analysis. The following analytical tools will be included: PESTEL, Porter’s Five Forces, and SWOT analysis. These tools help to explain the …


Competitive Strategy And Firm Performance In Multinational Manufacturing Organizations: A Focus On Strategic Alignment, Kianoosh Ebrahimi Apr 2021

Competitive Strategy And Firm Performance In Multinational Manufacturing Organizations: A Focus On Strategic Alignment, Kianoosh Ebrahimi

Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to study to examine the impact of strategic alignment and the concept of fit on manufacturing firm performance in order to achieve its strategic objectives. This study also examines the impact of market concentrate, manufacturing competitive dimensions, and corporate link strategies on firm performance. The design for this research is correlational research following a quantitative, deductive approach. Data collected through a survey based on completed questionnaires to measure perspectives of leadership teams about strategic directions discussed in this research. The survey was designed based on the drawn framework from the literature review. A quantitative …


Organizational Dissonance In The Context Of Organizational Decline And Turnaround Of A Security Printer: A Quantitative Case Study, Tina Marie Ramirez-Dominguez Jan 2021

Organizational Dissonance In The Context Of Organizational Decline And Turnaround Of A Security Printer: A Quantitative Case Study, Tina Marie Ramirez-Dominguez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this non-experimental, quantitative study was to examine organizational identity dissonance experienced by an organization's social actors in the context of organizational decline and turnaround utilizing factor structures from five years of pre-existing, employee surveys to determine whether differences in factor scores occurred over the 5-year time frame. Organizational identity dissonance is the psychological stress or discomfort experienced by an organization's social actors from holding two or more contradictory attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors (McLead, 2008) in relation to the organization's identity. A social actor is an individual participating in a communal environment (Whetten & Mackey, 2002). A communal …


Strategic Audit Of Optum, Connor Crow Dec 2020

Strategic Audit Of Optum, Connor Crow

Honors Theses

Optum is a large American-based pharmacy benefit manager, healthcare consultant, healthcare delivery service, and business analytics corporation that has dominated the industry with sister-company UnitedHealthcare underneath the umbrella UnitedHealthGroup. This report seeks to understand through internal and external analyses how Optum’s business model and strategies have allowed them to gain and sustain competitive advantages in the everchanging, volatile environment of healthcare. Specific tools used to highlight this include Porter’s Five Forces, PESTEL, and SWOT analyses. Additionally, strategic recommendations are given for Optum’s next steps.


Clarifying The Relationship Of Design Thinking To The Military Decision-Making Process, Thomas S. Fisher Nov 2020

Clarifying The Relationship Of Design Thinking To The Military Decision-Making Process, Thomas S. Fisher

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The complexity of today’s operational environment where military organizations are conducting campaigns to address some of the nation’s most urgent problems has grown exponentially. To address this expanding complexity, the Defense Department introduced ‘design’ into its problem-solving doctrine as a method to understand the new and dynamic challenges associated with this increasingly complex environment and provide a tool to augment its current doctrinal military decision-making process. However, it appears military ‘design’ as prescribed by the Department may be only marginally effective at producing viable solutions for solving the complex, ill-structured problems that current military campaigns were developed to resolve. This …


Legal Process Outsourcing: Analyzing And Managing The Prospective "Make Or Buy" Decision By Ontario Law Firms, Brandon Keshen Jun 2020

Legal Process Outsourcing: Analyzing And Managing The Prospective "Make Or Buy" Decision By Ontario Law Firms, Brandon Keshen

Major Papers

This paper examines the costs, risks and benefits associated with law firms outsourcing some of their core business activities to legal process outsourcers (“LPOs”). Similar to other outsourcing operations, LPOs supply services for a fraction of the cost of what law firms charge for similar services. Common in manufacturing industries, the decision to outsource, or keep work in-house (also referred to as a “make or buy” decision), has become more prevalent in the area of business services, including client service industries such as consulting and financial management. With respect to legal services, recent and rapid changes to the legal profession, …


Leveraging Technology Through Crowdfunding To Ease Barriers Of Entry Into The Marketplace, Amye Melton, Terry Damron, Vikkie Mccarthy, William Rupp Jun 2020

Leveraging Technology Through Crowdfunding To Ease Barriers Of Entry Into The Marketplace, Amye Melton, Terry Damron, Vikkie Mccarthy, William Rupp

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Small businesses and entrepreneurs face barriers to entering new markets, such as access to capital. Crowdfunding is one method for financing new ventures. The purpose of this article is to explore how crowdfunding can ease barriers of entry into new markets. Drawing from strategic management, planning, marketing, and technology acceptance literature, we present a conceptual model to explain the use of crowdfunding by small businesses and entrepreneurs. Factors that impact individuals’ propensity to utilize crowdfunding as a source of capital include ease of use, intention to use, attitudes toward use, and effectiveness.


The Effects Of Firm Age And Firm Size On Strategic Agility And Performance, Jonathan Henry Reed May 2020

The Effects Of Firm Age And Firm Size On Strategic Agility And Performance, Jonathan Henry Reed

Theses and Dissertations

Strategic agility is a relatively new construct in the field of strategic management which describes the degree to which a firm is flexible with its business strategy. Strategically agile firms are able to change their market focus, product mix, key resources, or business models quickly in order to exploit opportunities. This study advances our understanding of strategic agility by empirically testing the Doz and Kosonen (2010) model of the construct in a cross-section of firms in multiple industries with several contingency factors including firm age, firm size, and environmental turbulence. Using CEO-level survey data, the model is validated, and nine …


Analyzing Local Alcohol Vendor Inventory Management Strategy, Angelo J. Amore Apr 2020

Analyzing Local Alcohol Vendor Inventory Management Strategy, Angelo J. Amore

Senior Theses

This paper attempts to analyze how local alcohol vendors maintain their inventory throughout the year in Columbia, attempting to manage factors such as the season, sporting events, and other public gatherings and events. The research question resulted in contacting over 30 local alcohol vendors in Columbia, to ask them questions regarding their strategy in alcohol inventory management. The responses to these questions were then used to organize the vendors into groups by whether or not they utilize a reorder point to purchase/brew alcohol, or if they utilize periodic ordering. The vendors were also asked to rank the seasons from most …


The Macroeconomic And Cultural Microcosms Of Global Groceries, Emily C. Mccluskey, Stephanie A. Barton Apr 2020

The Macroeconomic And Cultural Microcosms Of Global Groceries, Emily C. Mccluskey, Stephanie A. Barton

Senior Theses

The aim of this thesis is to understand the global grocery market and to present a framework to assist sector players in developing go-to-market strategies as they expand abroad. In order to holistically study the cultural and economic implications of grocery stores across the world, we first selected six unique countries to focus our research: Singapore, Brazil, Chile, Australia, Germany, and the United States. In addition to having personally traveled to each of these countries, we chose to analyze these six very different markets in order to include a wide range of cultures and levels of economic development. We found …


Implementing The Malcolm Baldrige Process For A Financial Institution: An Insiders Perspective, Scott Murray Mar 2020

Implementing The Malcolm Baldrige Process For A Financial Institution: An Insiders Perspective, Scott Murray

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The Malcolm Baldrige Framework for Performance Excellence outlines best practices for strategic and operational processes. Enterprises that achieve the award do so not for the award itself – but for the transformation that takes place along the way. Although the fifty-page summaries of Malcolm Baldrige award winning organizations are posted on the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) (https://www.nist.gov/baldrige/award-recipients), the process and effort used to create such applications has not been documented. This project documents and provides an internal perspective and lessons learned from the early stages of the Malcolm Baldrige journey for a medium size financial institution. The …