Business Commons^™

The Robin Hood Effect In Transgressions Against Firms: How Political Ideology Shapes Consumer Justifications, Jason D. Lin, Anat Keinan, Hannah H. Chang, Donald R. Lehmann

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Consumer transgressions against firms involve moral violations in which consumers take advantage of loopholes in companies’ return and satisfaction-guaranteed policies or the lack of strict enforcement against password sharing, piracy, shoplifting, wardrobing, coupon stacking, promotion abuse, and fraud. Drawing on the timeless tale of Robin Hood, the legendary outlaw who stands up against injustice, the authors demonstrate that consumers use a Robin Hood justification to legitimize their transgressions against firms. Building on moral foundations theory, this research demonstrates that political ideology impacts consumers’ transgression behavior and the perceived morality of these practices. Six studies show that under certain conditions in …

Ai Models As Cultural Beings: Investigating Ai Cultural Biases And The Impact Of Cultural Alignment On Human-Ai Creative Collaboration, Choon Ngee Tan, Meng Han, Roy Y. J. Chua, Chi-Ying Cheng

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Existing research on AI cultural biases predominantly focuses on Western models, overlooking critical gaps in non-Western models. We conduct a comparative analysis of AI models – ChatGPT (U.S. developed) and ErnieBot (China developed) – from different cultures to investigate how corresponding cultural biases manifest in their outputs. Additionally, we examine how cultural alignment between human users and AI models impacts their collaborative creative performance and the underlying psychological mechanisms. In Study 1, multi-choice prompt with zero-shot technique was used to evaluate cultural biases in four widely used AI models – ChatGPT-3.5/4, ErnieBot-3.5/4 – comparing their responses to established cultural psychometric …

Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda? The Impact Of Predictive, Prescriptive, And Prospective Expectations On Stakeholder Reactions, Yuri Mishina, Maxine Yu, David Gomulya

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

When and why might stakeholders react to firm activities in ways that might be different than, or even contradictory to, what we might expect based on the extant research? We draw on expectancy violation theory (EVT) and bring in the notion of heuristics and future-oriented expectations to examine this question, using a sample of investor reactions to earnings surprises from 2013 to 2019. We find that, in addition to comparing earnings to consensus earnings estimates, investors appear to compare the earnings surprises to the firm’s past performance and to its peers. Importantly, their expectations regarding future interactions with the firm …

The Discovery Map Retreat, Kimberly Kay Bland

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Title of Project: The Discovery Map Retreat

Defense Date: 3-1-2026

Candidate Name: Kimberly Kay Bland

Personal Email Address: [email protected]

First Advisor: Dr. Jolene Erlacher

Second Advisor: Dr. Debra Dean

DSL Final Project Abstract

Project Type: 2-Day Retreat

Project Overview: The capstone project focused on designing, developing, and facilitating a 2-day retreat for high-achieving women aged 38-55 experiencing burnout, exhaustion, or a sense of being stuck. The retreat is structured around reflection, the power of questions, and self-awareness, supporting authentic self-discovery in talents, passions, and values.  Through coaching, reflective exercises, group dialogue, and experiential learning, participants will engage in a process …

The Mental Advantage: The 10 Disciplines That Separate The Elite From The Average, Scott Williams

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Title of Project

The Mental Advantage: The 10 Disciplines That Separate the Elite from the Average

Defense Date

April 1, 2026

Candidate Name

Scott Williams

Personal Email Address

[email protected]

First Advisor

Dr. Joshua Henson, PhD

Second Advisor

Dr. Michael Steiner, PhD

DSL Final Project Abstract

Project Type

This project was a book manuscript designed to develop and present a practical leadership framework for high-performance individuals and organizations.

Project Overview

This project explored the concept of Elite Mental Execution™ as a structured framework for understanding and developing high-performance leadership. Drawing from nearly three decades of professional experience in leadership, executive coaching, …

Valuing Biodiversity Impact, Han Wei Koh

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Biodiversity loss has emerged as a systemic challenge with far-reaching implications for ecological stability, economic activity, and long-term financial resilience. Despite growing recognition of nature-related risks in finance, biodiversity remains far less developed than climate within investment analysis, particularly at the portfolio level. This dissertation addresses that gap by examining how biodiversity impacts can be measured, valued, and interpreted within an investment portfolio concentrated in resilient and essential sectors of the economy.

The study constructs a Global Essential Economic Systems Portfolio comprising 16 publicly traded companies operating across non-discretionary sectors, including agriculture, energy, materials, pharmaceuticals, utilities, infrastructure, telecommunications, and financial …

The Impact Of Corporate Venture Capital On Financing And Innovation In Academic Entrepreneurial Firms, Tingting Luo

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Amid the ongoing advancement of China’s innovation-driven development strategy, the effective transformation of scientific research into industrial impact has become a central concern. Corporate Venture Capital (CVC), as a strategic investment mechanism connecting industrial capital with entrepreneurial ventures, is increasingly viewed as a critical external resource for high-technology start-ups. At the same time, Academic Entrepreneurship Firms (AEFs), characterized by their deep research capabilities and original technological trajectories, play a distinctive role as knowledge suppliers in uncertain, emerging industries. However, whether AEFs can effectively attract CVC support and convert it into innovation performance remains an open empirical and theoretical question.

This …

The Impact Of Genai Guidance Strategies On Employee Ai Acceptance: A Field Experiment Based On Private Domain Marketing, Mai Chen

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

As a novel technological instrument for content production and customer communication, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has garnered significant attention for its value in private domain marketing. However, enterprises frequentlyencounter a paradox of high initial introduction rates coupled with a lackof substantive application. Employee apprehensions regarding the qualityof AI-generated content (AIGC) and organizational guidance strategies are critical factors impeding the realization of technological value. Drawing upon the technologyacceptance model (TAM), the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology(UTAUT), and the task-technology fit (TTF), the study constructs a theoretical model positioning corporate AI guidance strategies as the independent variable andemployee AI …

The Determinants And Consequences Of Green Credit In Commercial Banks: A Dual-Pillar Perspective Of Asset Quality And Esg, Jianmei Xia

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

As China’s “dual carbon” strategy advances, green credit has increasinglybecome a crucial financial instrument driving the green transition of China’s industrial structure. From a dual perspective of asset quality and ESGperformance, this paper systematically examines the determinants andconsequences of green credit practices among commercial banks. Employing a multiple-method approach that combines comparative case study, in-depthinterview, and large-sample empirical analysis, this study aims to address twocore questions: First, what are the key factors driving commercial banks toprovide green credit, and what is the logic behind their differentiated decision- making? Second, how does green credit affect banks’ financial and non-financial performance? This …

Pitch Perfect: From Neural Perspective To Behavioural Outcomes—Live, Online, And Brochure, Randy Sison De Guzman

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Business presentations have long been a cornerstone of persuasion in business-to-business (B2B) markets. Yet, the rapid shift to virtual communication in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has left managers to grapple with a pressing question: Do online presentations measure up to traditional in-person meetings, or can asynchronous formats like brochure-only communication truly take the place of real-time pitching? While this question has clear relevance for everyday business practice, there is still relatively little empirical research to guide these decisions.

This dissertation draws on the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) to suggest that the way information is delivered shapes how people …

Ai-Assisted Thematic Analysis On Consumer Acceptance Of Upcycled Food In Asia, Oon Ling Lee

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Food waste overuses natural resources and is responsible for a considerable share of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Coupled with the growing global food insecurity, food wastage appears even more irresponsible and showcases the inefficiencies of the current food system. These escalating global environmental concerns and strained planetary resources have necessitated sustainable food innovation (James & Sheena, 2025; Upadhyay, 2025), particularly the production of upcycled food (UF), a novel food product category transformed from production byproducts such as Okara, barley grain, and beer spent grain (Zhang et al., 2023). This upcycling process supports waste reduction, achieves a circular bioeconomy (Ribeiro et …

The Impact Of Brand Authenticity And Innovation On Stakeholder Behaviours, Jacky Xu

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This study employs a dual-perspective questionnaire survey, collecting data separately from corporate employees and brand consumers, and uses multiple regression analysis to test the hypotheses. The findings reveal the following: (1) both brand authenticity and innovation have significant positive effects on employee brand citizenship behaviour and consumer purchase intention; (2) brand commitment plays a negatively moderating role in these relationships, such that when stakeholders’ commitment levels are relatively low, the positive effects of brand authenticity and brand innovation on behaviour are stronger, whereas under conditions of high commitment, these effects are weakened, reflecting a substitution effect between emotional attachment and …

Enhancing Market Acceptance Of Sports Rehabilitation Services: A Perspective Of Public Health Literacy And Information Acquisition, Na Li

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This article takes public health literacy as its point of departure, constructs a theoretical model of “Health Literacy–Health Information Acquisition–Market Acceptance”, and introduces rehabilitation experience and service accessibility as moderating variables, in order to systematically examine the formation pathways and underlying mechanisms of market acceptance in the sports rehabilitation service sector.

This study adopts a combination of questionnaire survey and empirical analysis, collecting data from public samples across multiple regions and conducting statistical tests. The findings indicate that, Firstly, public health literacy has a statistically significant positive influence on the market acceptance of sports rehabilitation services. As the level of …

The Impact Of Mortality Awareness On Task And Relationship Leadership Styles, Sang Yeol Lee

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In current organizational management practice, the question of how leaders can transform the universal awareness of human finitude into constructive leadership is an issue that embodies both profound humanistic concern and significant managerial implications. Based on transcendence management theory and leadership style theory, this study explores how mortality awareness affects leaders’ task orientation and relationship orientation styles, revealing its underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions. By conducting a three-wave, matched-pair questionnaire survey involving 203 enterprise managers and their subordinates, the theoretical hypotheses were tested. The findings are as follows: First, mortality awareness has a significant direct positive effect on both task-oriented …

How Do Investors View Mandatory Esg Disclosure? Evidence From China’S A-Share Market, Suk Wah Inessa Lee

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This study investigates the valuation effects of China's 2024 transition from voluntary to mandatory ESG disclosure across the Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing stock exchanges. Using a two-stage event study surrounding the policy's draft and final confirmation, this research examines how investors price a regulatory reform affecting over 51% of A-share market capitalization. Anchored in Information Asymmetry Theory, the study evaluates whether the mandate acts as an information-enhancing mechanism or a compliance cost shock. The results indicate that mandated firms experience significant negative cumulative abnormal returns, suggesting investors primarily interpret the policy as a compliance-driven cost shock — consistent with the …

The Impact Of De-Familization Of Governance Structures On Corporate Performance During The Intergenerational Succession Of Family Businesses, Jing Qiao

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Intergenerational succession poses a vital challenge for family firms, with only 10% of global family businesses surviving to the third generation. Chinese family firms, growing alongside reform and opening-up, now face a critical succession period as founders average over 60 years old.

Based on 1932 A-share listed family firms from 2007 to 2024, this study theoretically and empirically examines how intergenerational succession affects corporate performance, investigates the mediating role of governance de-familization (management, ownership, control rights), and tests the moderating effect of intergenerational differences.

First, succession significantly harms financial and market performance: ROE falls by 1.330% and Tobin’s Q drops …

A Study On The Capital Market Valuation Effects Of Corporate Ai Adoption: An Empirical Analysis Of Manufacturing Firms In China's A-Share Market, Libin Ma

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation examines whether and how corporate adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) affects capital market valuation in manufacturing firms. As AI is increasingly embedded in R&D design, production organization, supply chain coordination, and operational management, its value implications depend not only on whether firms adopt AI, but also on how AI is deployed within business processes. Existing research has mainly focused on productivity, innovation, labor substitution, and digital transformation, while the enterprise value consequences of differentiated AI application strategies remain insufficiently examined.

Using Chinese A-share listed manufacturing firms from 2015 to 2024 as the sample, this study identifies firm-level AI …

From Ancient Harmony To Modern Sustainability: Assessing The Coupling Of Taoist “Harmony Between Humanity And Nature” With Esg And Its Impact On Firm Innovation And Performance, Biyi Wang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Against the backdrop of intensifying global ecological crises, the ESG evaluation system has become a core metric for corporate sustainable development worldwide. However, the Western-dominated ESG system lacks crucial cultural dimensions in its application within Chinese corporate practices. The ecological wisdom embedded in the Taoist concept of “Harmony between Humanity and Nature” offers a significant philosophical foundation for the ESG localization. Extant research has focused on the influence of Confucian culture on ESG, with insufficient exploration of the modern managerial value of “Harmony between Humanity and Nature”. A scientific coupling framework linking this concept with ESG indicators has yet to …

Compliance Supervision And Firm Performance: An Empirical Study On Digital Transformation Of The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry, Jun Ma

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The biopharmaceutical industry, characterized by stringent global regulatory oversight, faces a pivotal theoretical tension regarding the nexus between regulatory compliance and corporate performance. The traditional perspectives often frame compliance as an “operational burden”, while the emerging viewpoints posit it as a “strategic asset”. Grounded in an integrated framework of the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capability (DC), this study investigates the moderating role of digital transformation in the relationship between Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance and corporate performance.

Employing a mixed-method design, this paper conducted two complementary studies. Study 1 adopted a grounded theory based on interviews with nine industry …

Macroprudential Easing Measures In The Context Of Contractionary Monetary Policy: The Case Of Brazil In 2014, Marcos Antonio Paliari, Marcos Roberto Vasconcelos

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

This paper evaluates the effects of a macroprudential policy of regulatory easing implemented amidst a contractionary monetary policy in Brazil. The intervention, carried out by the Central Bank in the third quarter of 2014, relaxed reserve requirements on time deposits to stimulate bank credit for vehicle financing. Using a Difference-in-Differences approach with fixed effects by credit modality and month, the analysis is based on monthly disbursement data for consumer loans from 2011 to 2018. Twelve rolling monthly windows are used to capture the dynamic evolution of the policy’s effects. Results based on a synthetic control group indicate statistically significant and …

Buckeye Property Consulting, Stephen Manning

Distinguished Student Scholarship Collection

This business plan outlines the creation and strategic development of Buckeye Property Consulting, a startup firm specializing in compliance consulting for affordable housing property management companies. The plan addresses the growing demand for expert support in navigating complex regulatory requirements associated with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Low‑Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) programs. Through industry and market analysis, the document identifies a service gap faced by small to mid‑sized property management firms that lack sufficient in‑house compliance resources but cannot afford large national consulting firms. The plan details the company’s mission, value proposition, service offerings, competitive …

The Acquisition, Consumption, And Disposal Of Clothing: A Qualitative Analysis, Omar H. Alqudsi, Trang Phuc Tran

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Using 22 semi-structured interviews on apparel acquisition, use, and disposal, we find that practical value dominates choice while identity cues matter at the margin. Price and comfort consistently outrank brand and trend. Disposal is purposeful: donation is favored when garments retain utility, with resale and recycling rising alongside sustainability awareness. Consumers often justify purchases as extensions of self yet report lower satisfaction when items lack durability or clear ethical provenance. These patterns align with utilitarian value frameworks and signal clear levers for marketers: durable basics, transparent sourcing, and simple channels for responsible end of life. Overall, everyday clothing decisions follow …

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 …

Experiential Learning In Marketing Education: Student Reflections In A Client Based Project, Samit Chakravorti

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This paper explores student experience with a client based project in an upper division marketing class and its impact on development of work readiness skills, learning and satisfaction with the course. The client was a local small business food cooperative. Student reflection papers submitted at the end of the project were content analyzed based on preset categories to understand the impact of the project on the outcome variables. Analysis shows that for most students the project was interesting, relevant but challenging, increased their satisfaction and enjoyment of the course, and positively impacted learning of profession specific and foundational work ready …

Fashion, Function, And Identity: Generation Z College Students’ Athletic Merchandise Preferences, Michelle L. Childs, Robin Hardin

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Generation Z consumers use apparel to communicate both group affiliation and individuality, yet limited research has examined whether preferences for university athletic merchandise differ by gender. This study investigates how Generation Z college students evaluate official branding, fashion, and uniqueness in athletic apparel. Survey data were collected from 777 students at a large NCAA Division I university. Exploratory factor analysis identified three reliable dimensions: official merchandise style, fashion, and uniqueness. ANOVA results indicated no significant gender differences in preferences for official merchandise or uniqueness. However, male students reported significantly stronger interest in fashionable and trend-forward merchandise than female students, challenging …

Influencer Effect? An Examination Of Dunkin’ And Tarte’S Use Of Influencers, Amanda D. Damiano Ph.D., Wenjing Xie Ph.D.

AMTP Proceedings 2026

The purpose of this project was to understand public perceptions of brands using influencers. The brands Dunkin’ and Tarte Cosmetics served as case studies for this study. A mixed-methods approach was undertaken. Specifically, social media listening in the form of a content analysis was conducted. That was then followed by an online survey of students from a medium-sized university in the northeast. A number of factors were measured related to participants’ stated brand and influencer effectiveness on social media in general, as well as specific to Dunkin’ and Tarte. Additionally, participant demographic factors were measured in accordance with their stated …

Ai Fosters Customer Co-Creation For Solo Entrepreneurs Operating Under Resource Constraints, Kamrunnahar Happy, Ismet Anitsal, Melek Meral Anitsal

AMTP Proceedings 2026

A growing trend in the modern labor market is solo entrepreneurship or self-employment without employees. Advances in technology and the changing nature of socio-economic environments are reshaping the working environments and creating a new form of employment. (Cieślik & van Stel, 2023). This trend is particularly evident in the United States, where 5.2 million applicants filed for new businesses in 2024, with more than 80% of businesses operating without employees (Melhorn et al., 2024). Solo entrepreneurs can offer both financial and non-financial advantages. It is estimated that solo entrepreneurs earn 6.7% more than traditional employees doing a salary or wage-based …

Customer-Centricity In The Financial Services Sector: A Preliminary Look, Rhea Ingram, Katie H. Whetstone

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Financial institutions are under scrutiny as they work to rebuild consumer trust following the financial crisis. One effective approach for these organizations is to adopt a customer-centric strategy. Research indicates that businesses with a strong focus on customer-centricity tend to earn, on average, 60% higher profits than their competitors (Deloitte, 2017). While genuinely customer-centric companies are relatively rare, many organizations are in the process of transforming into a customer-centric model. This paper offers a preliminary examination of the rhetoric used by financial institutions, suggesting some progress in their customer-centric approach.

Understanding The Life Satisfaction Gap In Political Consumerism: Buycotting Vs. Boycotting, Neleen S. Leslie-Piper, La Toya M. Russell

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Drawing on approach–avoidance motivation, regulatory focus, warm-glow reward, and self-determination theory, this study examines whether political consumerism, specifically boycotting and buycotting, is associated with life satisfaction in environmental and social issue contexts. Using survey data from Prosper Insights, we compare life satisfaction across buycotters, boycotters, and indifferent consumers and examine how Big Five personality traits and demographics moderate these relationships. We predict higher life satisfaction among buycotters than boycotters, and anticipate a moderating effect of personality traits. Our findings advance marketing theory and practice by linking political consumerism to consumer well-being.

Exploring Tiktok Shop And The Correlation It Has With The Gen Z Consumers: Consumers Purchase Decisions Within The Beauty And Personal Care Product Category, Ciara A. Lewis, Richard Waters, Russell B. Clayton, Jaejin Lee

AMTP Proceedings 2026

The purpose of this paper is to understand the correlation between Gen Z consumers’ perceived level of attractiveness, credibility, trustworthiness, and relatability of a TikTok influencer and their intention to purchase beauty and personal care products from TikTok Shop. A quantitative research method was applied, using an online survey to gather data from 154 students between the ages of 18 and 27 from Florida State University. Pearson correlation analyses were used to investigate five hypotheses and one research question. Results indicated that credibility was the strongest correlation with behavioral intentions to purchase beauty and personal care products. There was a …