Business Commons^™

Fixed Income Fund Report, May 2020, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of News Sentiment On Common Asset Pricing Models, Liam Mahler

Honors Projects in Finance

This paper aims to explore the influence of daily news article sentiment as a predictor of the returns on an investment. A daily sentiment score is developed and it is used to augment five commonly researched models, CAPM, Fama & French Three Factor, Carhart Four Factor, Fama & French Five Factor, and Fama & French Five Factor with Momentum. This study looks at six different securities over a five-year period. Along with this, two different variations of the factor are looked at, one of which is a simple factor that scores days without an article as zero and another that …

Notes From The Dean: Leadership In Changing Times

Business Exchange

Dean Misty Johanson announces her decision to step down as dean of the Driehaus College of Business and return to the college's School of Hospitality Leadership. She acknowledges the changes wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, reviews the strategic plan the college produced, marks major accomplishments of the college and reviews some of the content in the current issue.

Scholarly Pursuits: Marketing Case Workshop Celebrates 25 Years

Business Exchange

Business case studies bring contemporary business issues to life for students. DePaul's Jacobs & Clevenger Case Writers’ Workshop, has been helping to hone the skills of future marketing professionals for 25 years through a business conference, case-writing workshop, and publication of select cases. The exercise helps students connect theory to practice and provide a useful framework developing marketing strategies at work.

College News

Business Exchange

Thomas Donley Appointed Business College Interim Dean; Coming Soon: Revised MBA, New Graduate Degrees; In Memoriam: Robert O'Keefe

Managing The Going Concern Risk In An Uncertain Environment An Analysis Of Regulatory Guidance And Financial Relief For The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nicholas C. Lynch, Michael F. Lynch, Charles Cullinan

Accounting Department Faculty Journal Articles

manufacturing company Regal Beloit reports that it has drawn $255 million on its line of credit, even though it "has a strong balance sheet and does not currently intend to use the borrowed proceeds, but believes an abundance of caution regarding its cash position is prudent at this time." Management's Responsibility The responsibility to prepare financial statements on a going concern basis under U.S. GAAP and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) falls on management. Managers must look forward for a "reasonable period of time," defined as 12 months from the financial statement issue date or 12 months from the …

Crisis Communication And Executive Leadership: Ethical Shortcomings In Government, Daniel Davidoff

School of Professional Studies

This research thesis project is an analysis of how and why governments fail in their attempts at crisis communication. The hypotheses tested are: there exists a negative correlation between unethical leadership and successful crisis communication practices. And governments are more likely to experience these failures due to ethical disconnects in modern politics. Research includes a review of relevant academic literature regarding crisis communication theory, as well as the ethical framework that can be applied to that theory. Cases considered are Hurricane Katrina, the choking death of Eric Garner, and the COVID-19 global pandemic. The research project concludes with a recommendation …

Becoming A Trauma Informed Care Organization, Katie Robery

School of Professional Studies

The Brockton Area Mutli Services Inc or BAMSI is a private, non-profit human services organization providing services to adults and children with developmental disabilities, mental illness, behavioral health, and public health needs. Founded in 1975, BAMSI is in the business of “bringing people and services together.” BAMSI transforms lives by building the capacity of individuals, families, organizations, and communities to learn, thrive, and achieve their goals. BAMSI services promote the recovery, resiliency, and self-determination of the people we serve. As a human services leader, we strive to be the provider of choice. (Duffy, 2019) With an emphasis on respect and …

Diversity And Inclusion In The Workplace; Benefits, Challenges And Strategies For Success, Margaret Leone

School of Professional Studies

In this case study I have explored the topic of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and learned how it can transform a business. When D&I is a serious business strategy supported by senior management it can help recruit and retain top talent, increase profits, and unleash creativity among other benefits. It is important to have leadership that is inclusive so they can set the tone for their staff

This case study evaluates the D&I culture at The Children’s Study Home (CHS) and explores best practices for improvement. CHS is a non-profit human service agency in Western MA, that’s mission …

Young People, Social Media, And Impacts On Well-Being, Andreana Nop

School of Professional Studies

Millennials and Generation Z were born into an age where social media and digital technology have been integrated in nearly all aspects of their lives. While social media has proven to be a valuable communication tool in connecting with each other and sharing information, the long-term psychosocial effects are beginning to become more apparent as social media matures. This study analyzes what these effects are and how communication is impacted for these young people. It questions how young people can leverage social media and decrease harm. The study will be conducted through a literature review and analysis. Its goal is …

Managing Burnout And Secondary Traumatic Stress In Human Service Organizations, Naomi Ingram

School of Professional Studies

This Case Study explores how burnout and secondary traumatic stress impact staffing, service delivery, and organizational effectiveness in a human service agency. The Case Study is focused around Ascentria Care Alliance’s Children & Family Services in Massachusetts, which encompasses three foster care programs: the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM), Division of Children’s Services (DCS), and Intensive Foster Care (IFC) programs. Both individual and organizational approaches are needed to most effectively address burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Individual workers need to build resilience factors such as self-compassion and mindfulness, set appropriate boundaries with clients, engage in ongoing training, support, consultation, and supervision, …

Rest Homes: Their Value On Massachusetts Healthcare Continuum, Ronald Pawelski

School of Professional Studies

In Massachusetts, rest homes provide cost effective care for elderly residents in a community setting. Rest homes, however, are not well-understood and the rest home industry itself suffers greatly, not only from a lack of understanding of the services they provide, but also from the strain on their financial resources due to both competition from other healthcare options and insufficient reimbursement rates for residents’ care.

The paper explores the financial challenges facing the industry and outlines the data that speaks to the value of the rest home care option for both the residents themselves and Massachusetts state healthcare budget. It …

A Case Study On The Best Practices Of The Facilitating Organization For Peer Recovery Support Services In The State Of New Hampshire, Maggie Ringey

School of Professional Studies

In working with the Facilitating Organization for Peer Recovery Support Services through Harbor Homes, I have found that the Recovery Community Organizations that receive support through the FO provide valuable services that help individuals that struggle with substance use disorder achieve and maintain long term sobriety and recovery. The RCOs throughout New Hampshire bridge gaps in services and treatments that are left untouched by traditional clinical methods and through regular check ins, participants at the RCOs have reported that the services provided resulted in positive outcomes in their lives. Throughout the course of this research, I found that the RCOs …

A Stochastic Approach To Portfolio Optimization Using Competing Risk Metrics, Juan Gonzalez

Honors Projects in Finance

This thesis presentation presents a stochastic approach to portfolio construction using various risk metrics as underlying models for portfolio optimization. The risk models utilized in this thesis include Mean-Variance, Minimum-Variance, Value-at-Risk (VaR), Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR). To evaluate the efficiency and overall performance of these models, historical data for 30 specific stocks was selected. The stock selection process focused on the selecting stocks that are highly volatile and correlated with one another. Empirical results reveal that portfolio optimization strategies outperform the benchmark. Additionally, results showed that the Minimum-Variance model constructed the best portfolio for the predetermined backtesting time period.

How Search Personalization Impacts Consumer Behavior, Jessica Taylor

Honors Projects in Marketing

Almost half the world’s population is online, roughly 3.2 billion people and one of the main uses of the internet is for search. Search engines like Google receive over 63,000 searches per second on any given day, with users looking to find information to questions, interact with communities, and purchase products online. Personalization enables search engines to provide the most relevant results and helps companies reach their target audiences more efficiently. This study focuses on personalization and its various forms, including targeted advertisements, the disadvantages of search, Cookies, and data privacy. The goal of this study is to understand (a) …

From Listening To Lyrics To Buying Brands: The Effectiveness Of Lyrical Product Placement, Mary Bridget Gomes

Honors Projects in Marketing

Brand placement is a nonconventional medium for companies to use to help consumers gain brand awareness and ultimately purchase a product. The purpose of this study was to investigate brand placement in different genres of songs to identify the participants’ degree of recall and recognition of these brands and determine if participants were enticed to purchase the brand, in order to draw conclusions of what genre and speed make a placement effective. Brand placement has been used in music videos, television shows and movies. Studies have seen a positive effect on purchase intent from these placements, yet there is a …

The Relationship Between Locus Of Control And Athletic Performance, Allyson Mccorison

Honors Projects in Management

The purpose of this study was to expand the conversation of locus of control through quantitative research. A hypothetical model was tested to determine if there is a significant relationship between an athlete's locus of control and their athletic performance. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were posited as mediators in the relationship. To test the hypothesized model, data was collected for Division 1 athletes (n=136). The data was analyzed using Preacher and Hayes (4) macro, with results indicating no significant relationship between locus of control and athletic perofrmance. Intrinsic motivation was found to be a predictor of athletic performance. Limitations, discussion, …

Elder Isolation In Immigrant Communities, Jessica Da Silva

School of Professional Studies

This paper examined loneliness, as a measurement of perceived social isolation, in older immigrant adults. Previous research shows that older adults are more likely to experience social isolation and loneliness. Both of which have a direct correlation with their overall health (Wilson & Molton, 2010, Cacioppo et al., 2002) and mortality rates (Holt-Lunstad et al, 2015). Another international study found that immigrants in particular are at a higher risk for experiencing loneliness (Government of Canada, 2018). In this study, 35 immigrants and non-immigrants participants answered a survey which included 20 questions from the UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 (Russel, 1996). …

Three Essays On Managing Information Security Using The Fraud Triangle, Randi Jiang

Doctoral Dissertations

Managing information security has increasingly become more important as information security breaches, computer fraud, and other devastating events are increasingly more frequent and disrupting business processes. Information is one of the most important enterprise assets. Therefore, information is valuable and should be properly protected. Accounting employees are tasked with specific responsibilities of information risk management. Therefore, ineffectively managing accountants may result in countless problems for the company, not the least of which are reputational problems, loss of stock value, material financial reporting errors, and financial losses. In Essay 1, I examine the elements of the fraud triangle and the impact …

The Bidirectional Relationship Between Art And Business, Hannah Brletich

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

There has long been an established relationship between art and business, finding its roots in the Industrial Revolution when the effects of arts on the economy were first explored. Since then, creative economies have been influenced by adaptation of businesses through urban development and revitalization and by continuous growth in artistic and cultural spaces. Capturing the relationship between arts and urban design, cultural districts establish strong economic communities within vastly creative, business- and culture-centered spaces. Current research provides insight to the economic, social, and cultural outcomes of creative economies.

As a contribution to that narrative, I will use this analysis …

Examining Farm Bill Expenditures Over The Last Decade, Bailey Riggs

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

The American Farm Bill is a bill that is passed by Congress every five to six years. This legislation is omnibus, meaning it covers a wide variety of topics such as nutrition, conservation, rural development, crop insurance, and much more. This thesis will study the effectiveness of the allocation of funding covered in the Farm Bill, specifically Farm Bills from the last 12 years. This bill has a significant impact on farmers who need support from the government to remain profitable and continue their operation. This thesis will examine how shifts in funding can affect farmers growing crops, raising beef …

The Political Preferences Of Arkansas Farmers And Ranchers, Rachel J. Barry

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research was conducted to evaluate where farmers and ranchers find political information and assess their political preferences. By conducting a survey of Arkansas farmers and ranchers we were able to determine that they prefer face to face interaction as a source of information by large margins. They typically consult friends, peers, and extension agents where appropriate. Depending on the type of political information they are seeking (information about candidates as opposed to information about policy topics), they often used other types of information sources such as the internet and broadcast media. We also ascertained that farmers and ranchers have …

Dallas, Tx: The Staggering Wealth Gap, Macy Golman

School of Professional Studies

In the summer of 2019, I had the privilege of serving as an AmeriCorps member with an organization called Equal Heart. One of Equal Heart’s main initiatives was to provide meals to children in underserved populations, to make sure that without school in session, these children would still be receiving food. Unfortunately, in many instances, without these meals, many of the children we served would likely not know when they would be eating their next fulfilling meal. There were certain pockets of Dallas that we would travel to everyday, places that were fifteen minutes maximum from my house, but places …

Employer Perceptions About Addiction Recovery And Hiring Decisions, Haley Henderson, Joseph Barnet, Valerie Hoots, Andrea Clements

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Drug and alcohol addiction is a nationwide epidemic with an increasing number of Americans being affected. Individuals who seek treatment for their addiction often face barriers, such as costs, waiting time, and available support, and those who are able to receive treatment are likely to experience or anticipate stigma from others. Existing literature has found that many employers have negative perceptions of individuals in addiction recovery. However, there is limited research that has analyzed whether these negative perceptions affect hiring decisions. We predicted that employers would have negative perceptions of those in recovery, would be less likely to hire individuals …

Organizational Learner Presence Theory As A Factor In Training Modality Preference, Tyechia Paul

College of Business and Economics

This paper examines theories relating to organizational learners, including adult learning theory, social presence theory, and the No Significant Difference Phenomenon. It compiles factors from these theories and evidence from prior research to develop and introduce organizational learner presence theory, which explains the training participation decisions made by organizational learners.

Transition Planning: Holding Ourselves Accountable, Carol Wittmeyer

Business Faculty/Staff Publications

NSRA members enjoy the benefits of owning their own enterprises and providing opportunities for themselves, family members, employees, customers and their residential communities. The NSRA Business Performance Report (BPR) provides owners a regular occasion to take stock, and to see how their performance compares to others, and to their past and future goals. The BPR also reminds owners that they are not alone in their successes and challenges in a changing and exciting industry.

Wcbt Newsletter, May 2020, Welch College Of Business & Technology

News, Magazines and Reports

Contents:

First Techstars/SHU Startup weekend a success! --Welch Scholars for 20/21 --May Startup Weekend -- Fireside Chats --Summer Courses

How Does The Buffett Indicator Work In China?, Ruixue Gao

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study investigates whether the Buffett indicator can be used to make investment decisions in China. The investigation has two approaches. First, this study determines the scaling relationship between the Buffett Indicator and the GDP in China. Previous research and findings in this research regarding the scaling relationship can help international investors when comparing China with a different country as potential investment opportunities. Second, this study also examines whether the Buffett Indicator, the P/E ratio and composite models including the Buffett Indicator can be used as tools for international investors in predicting the Shanghai Index and making investment decisions for …

International Compensation: An Examination Of The Relationship Between Societal Culture And Preferred Compensation Policies, Divyanshu Vardhan V. Sharma

Management Theses - Archive

In my thesis, I review the research literature on the influence of national culture on reward preferences and compensation practices. I first review the major models of culture used to examine reward practices and then detail the convergence and divergence debate in international management by highlighting constraining forces in the host and home business environment that lead to standardization or localization. Finally, I review the research on cultural dimensions and preferred compensation practices and propose an integrative model.I conclude that culture is one of the many macro-variables that influence international compensation decisions and argue that the adaption of compensation practices …

Leadership Strategies: Developing Millennial Entrepreneurs For Start-Up Micro-Gyms, Esdeina Gonzalez

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose for this study is to explore the experiences of small business owner’s best practice strategies leading to successful business operations. Learning about these experiences will permit the millennial generation to understand what is needed for their business to start up their micro-gym. This study may be used as an introduction to millennial entrepreneurs for the survival of their own micro-gym setting a priority of importance in leadership development since research have explored the lack of development in the leadership area.