Business Commons^™

Financing Strategies For Real Estate Investments, Joshua Parr

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Most people have a dream of being financially independent and in order to do so it is necessary to save and invest their money. The key is to invest wisely so that one can earn a solid return on their money. Real estate investments are a great way to build wealth because of the benefits they have over other investments. Many are under the misconception that they cannot invest in real estate because of a lack of capital. This belief is entirely untrue and there are dozens of different strategies for investing in real estate with little or no capital …

Millennials On The Move, But To Where?, Zach Kisor, Shelby Hoge, Ashley Cosher, Bethany Gump, Derek Carson, Kristi Mitchell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The following reports discuss the geographical preferences of Millennials in relation to job selection preferences. Our team analyzed the moving trends of Millennials in both Ohio and the United States to determine what factors influence this decision. Collectively, our team concluded that in order to successfully recruit Millennials, companies must offer benefit packages that center around work-life balance. This entails not just highlighting what a job requires technically, but opportunities for leadership development, social activities outside of work, and more. To recruit this upcoming talent, companies need a holistic approach that convinces Millennials that working for their company creates a …

Effects Of Workplace Environment On Recruitment And Retention, Gino Ciarimboli, Madison Frericks, Tyler Riemenschneider, Michael O'Neill

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Recruitment and retention are affected by numerous factors, including the environment present at a workplace, as well as by the tangible and intangible benefits offered by a company. This research seeks to define numerous discrete elements that can sway a recent college graduate whether to ultimately accept a position offered to them. Identified were three key areas of improvement at the target client, the J.M. Smucker Company, including customizable desk spaces, differentiated departmental designs, and a full-scope health and wellness program. These areas were further recommended within the context of the client's workspace to enhance their recruiting and retention efforts.

Experiential Learning And Its Place In A Quality Business Education, Zach Gollwitzer, Callie Mack, Brenna Mack

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this paper, the authors explore experiential learning pedagogy in the context of a business education based on the research of John Dewey (1897), David Kolb (2005), and Scott Wurdinger (2009). In addition to examining the definition of experiential learning and the various implementations of it, this research includes an examination of the business school standards body (AASCB) and of the components in a quality business education. The authors then delve into a literature review of experiential learning, which explores the social structure of education (Dewey, 1897), the process of experiential learning (Kolb, 2005), and specific experiential learning methods (Wurdinger, …

Brunswick Schools Video Program Social Media Campaign, Nicole Rhoades

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This social media campaign is to be executed by student managers within the Brunswick Schools Video Program. The Video Program provides journalistic experience to young students by immersing them in print and broadcast journalism that is provided to the Brunswick-area through Brunswick Educational Access Television.

Using Accounting Information To Forecast Market Performance, Tyler Atanasov

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This study examines how accounting information can be used to forecast market performance of stocks. We used the specific accounting information of earnings-to-price and book-to-market value ratios, in relation to a stocks 5-year holding period return to determine market performance. The most current, quarterly data with a longer sample period than previous studies was used. First, portfolios of stocks were formed based on the value of each stocks ratio. Next, univariate tests were then run on each ratio’s portfolios to determine if there was statistical significance in the differences among the portfolios returns. Lastly, we determined that investors could earn …

Toward A Unified Theory Of Business Information, Hal P. Kirkwood Jr

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

This article analyses and discusses concepts of business information, with a view to developing a unified theory of business information to help underpin professional information work.

Stigma And Reputation: Exploring The Lingering Effects Of Organizational Stigma, Jahnavi Patel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Stigmas have been widely used to describe organizations and individuals that have negative reputations or that have engaged in illegitimate practices. Extensive research has been done on the effects of positive reputation and personal reputation. However, there is still much to learn about the effects and consequences of organizational stigmas. The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical overview of the consequences of organizational stigmas, particularly in the area of employee mobility, and to help understand the relationship between negative organizational reputation and personal reputation. Contributions of this research, the limitations and directions for future research are discussed …

Ohio Student Government Summit Planning, Megan Bodenschatz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper will detail the process of planning this event such as organizing the logistics, developing content and materials, maintaining a budget, and running an effective planning committee. It will also address the objectives of the Ohio Student Government Summit and how to implement those objectives into the content of the event.

The purpose of the Ohio Student Government Summit is to bring student governments of various Ohio universities and colleges together for an open and candid discussion about issues their respective schools face, what role they play in facing those issues, and how they can help resolve those issues …

Blown To Bits Project, David Schmidt

Informatics Open Educational Resources

The book, Blown to Bits, uncovers the many ways that the new digital world has changed and is changing our whole environment. Some changes are incremental but others are more revolutionary. Some of the changes that we welcome are slowly eroding our privacy and are changing the rules of ownership. This book illuminates the complexities of these changes. I have attempted to capture the central points in selected chapters, and in some cases I have added new material or new examples to replace dated material. I picked chapters to summarize that address the following topics (and more). There are many …

Outsourcing Human Resource Activities - Impact On Organizational Performance In Multinational Organizations., Vesela Kacharova

Theses

Outsourcing some or all Human Resources functions is a part of a growing trend. Organizations have different reasons to contract HR to an outside provider such as to save money, focus on strategic Human Resources, improve compliance, gain access to skilled HR professionals, or take advantage of technology. This thesis focuses on the outsourcing of Human Resources activities and possible impacts on organizational performance. Due to the large amount of multinational organizations with presence in Ireland, the research focused on outsourcing of HR functions in multinational organizations.

Two different types of questionnaires were conducted targeting Human Resources professionals and Line …

Integrating A Code Of Professional Conduct And Ethics: An Action Research Approach, Ciara Kissane

Theses

A new version of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives (NMBI, 2014a) was published in 2014. A nurse’s fitness to practice, and the associated patient experience, is determined by the extent to which the nurse accords with the duties outlined in the Code. Professional misconduct among members of the nursing profession has been highlighted within recent reports and enquiries. The failure to act on unethical care is also a feature. The literature suggests that Codes are poorly understood and can be problematic to integrate in practice. This study sought to; explore the impact …

Beauty Brand Versus New Media: How Have Communications Tactics Changed Within A Large Cosmetic Brand & How Have They Incorporated New Media Pr Tactics, Ruth Walsh

Theses

This research study aims to investigate and analyse what is working in the cosmetic PR industry for beauty brands; bloggers; and beauty consumers. There has been limited research conducted into this important topic and less so into the PR tactics used by large cosmetic brands. This thesis first examines that said limited scope of literature that relates to the cosmetic PR industry but not well and it further examines the viewpoints of well-known PR professionals. From this research, a triangulation approach to data collecting was outlined and conducted that included two interviews with beauty industry experts; a PR professional, a …

The Internal Organizational Factors And External Environmental Factors Affecting The Implementation And Management Of The Hr Department: A Case Study Of Kearys, Eva Spitere

Theses

Globalisation and an increased demand for competitive advantage have caused the contemporary HR department to face additional pressure to provide strategic value to the organization. To do so, the HR department must integrate with overall business strategy and continually monitor both the internal and external environments in which the organization operates. This thesis focuses on identifying these internal organizational factors and external environmental factors, and exploring how these factors can affect the implementation and management of a new HR department within an already established organization.

Given the unique position of the researcher, who is currently solely responsible for the establishment …

Sitting With Nellie; Mentoring Relationships In The Office Of The Revenue Commissioners, Kieran Healy

Theses

Mentoring is a powerful HRD tool that has been shown to have a positive impact on career development and play a significant role in the psychosocial support of employees in the workplace. There is no definitive definition of mentoring or a clear concise methodology of how it works but it does work and has been shown to do so time and time again in a multitude of settings and organisations.

Mentoring in Revenue is a mixture of the formal and informal and supports training courses and on the job training in equal measure. This dissertation will focus on mentoring in …

Transfer And Competency Exchange Of Wisetek Into The Data Centre Hubs Of Frankfurt And Amsterdam: An Empirical Study, Thomas G. O'Farrell

Theses

This research study is an examination of Wisetek; an organization that has expanded from their head office in Cork, Ireland into the North America, Asian and the MENA region. This study is particularly focused on analysing the data centre hubs of Frankfurt and Amsterdam, a market where Wisetek do not have a presence and are looking to explore the region further. The growing problem of E-waste defined in this research, and the benefits of the services that Wisetek offer of managing E-waste, is a solution for data centres. Wisetek was founded in 2007 by Sean Sheehan and is a provider …

An Examination Of The Awareness And Practices Of Human Resource Professionals In How They Are Measuring The Effectiveness Of Employee Reward Practices, Eva Bermingham

Theses

Human Resource (HR) Analytics and the benefits that can be gained Irom the utilization of such has become a contemporary topic of interest in recent years. To clarify, HR Analytics is simply an evidence based approach to management. The prevalence of globalization and increased market competitiveness has commanded that organizations work more efficiently. The power of the use of HR Analytics in creating these unique business specific efficiencies can no more be ignored, and it has become ob\ious that Human Resources in its continuous evokitba has placed a greater focus on the business results that existing data can bring them …

The Impact Of Drone Technology In Surveying In Ireland: An Examination Of The Accuracy Level Of Drones., Eleni Zintiridou

Theses

Abstract The society that we are living in could unquestionably be characterised as a community of technology. One of the most recent technological inventions is the drone, of which the usage is expected to triple by 2020, worldwide. Through the development and increasing popularity of the drones, the ability of latter to affect the surveying industry in Ireland has become a contemporary subject of study in the field of surveying, which is, however, in its infant stage. The presented dissertation is dealing with the ability of drones to impact the way that surveys are being conducted in Ireland, and also …

Economic Viability Of Direct Drilling In Ireland Compared To Conventional Drilling, Angus Griffith

Theses

With the price of fuel rising and the need for farmers to try and cut costs, and not just variable and the input cost of producing the crop need to be reduced too. It is for this reason that this project is going to focus on direct drilling (DD) vs. conventional tillage (CT) which is the most common system of production in Ireland while also looking into the difference in the costs of establishing each of the two methods. In addition, this project will determine whether or not there are any differences in soil quality and conditions as well as …

Virtual Collaboration Effectiveness In Multi-Organization Projects: Tool Usability, Task Alignment And Team Connectivity, Zhaojun Yang, Jun Sun, Yali Zhang, Ying Wang

Information Systems Faculty Publications

As mobile instant messaging (IM) has become the fastest-growing social media (e.g. WeChat, WhatsApp), this study investigates the use of it as a virtual collaboration tool in multi-organization projects. The understanding of the relationships among tool, task and team in technology-facilitated collaboration leads to the integration of technology acceptance model, task-technology fit model and network externality framework into a research model. Tool usability, task fit and team connectivity are hypothesized to have direct and indirect effects on virtual collaboration effectiveness. The results based on survey observations collected from multi-organization project teams using WeChat in China support most of the hypothesized …

Applying User Experience (Ux) Design In Interior Space For Art, Science Museums, And Learning Environments, Zainab Al-Hajji

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This research study explores the role of user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) in educational spaces: museums, science centers, galleries, libraries, and classrooms. This study examines the effects of enhancing displays in learning spaces and focuses on users’ interactions and experiences. This project observes the effectiveness of learning modes and styles applied in different museums and focuses on the users’ experiences in an educational environment, which was measured through student users’ impressions, behaviors, and performance. It was hypothesized that students would retain more information through the experience. The concepts covered included using UX/UI on websites and small devices. Results …

The Responsibility Gap In Corporate Crime, Samuel W. Buell

Faculty Scholarship

In many cases of criminality within large corporations, senior management does not commit the operative offense — or conspire or assist in it — but nonetheless bears serious responsibility for the crime. That responsibility can derive from, among other things, management’s role in cultivating corporate culture, in failing to police effectively within the firm, and in accepting lavish compensation for taking the firm’s reins. Criminal law does not include any doctrinal means for transposing that form of responsibility into punishment. Arguments for expanding doctrine — including broadening of the presently narrow “responsible corporate officer” doctrine — so as to authorize …

Identifying Major Tasks From On-Line Reviews, Feras Al-Obeidat, Bruce Spencer

All Works

© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Many e-commerce websites allow customers to provide reviews that reflect their experiences and opinions about the business's products or services. Such published reviews potentially benefit the business's reputation, improve both current and future customers' trust in the business, and accordingly improve the business. Negative reviews can inform the merchant of issues that, when addressed, also improve the business. However, when reviews reflect negative experiences and the merchant fails to respond, the business faces potential loss of reputation, trust, and damage. We present the Sentiminder system that identifies reviews with negative sentiment, organizes …

The Role Of Psychological Capital And The Areas Of Worklife Model In Predicting Job Burnout, Sylwia K. Oles

Online Theses and Dissertations

Job burnout is a widely spread global phenomenon that has been linked to negative work outcomes. Various factors can either contribute to or hinder job burnout development. Previous research established the role of the six areas of worklife model as well as psychological capital on job burnout. However, the relationship among these variables has not been clearly defined. The purpose of the present study was to attempt to understand predictors of job burnout in order to reduce its occurrence. Data was collected with a sample of college students. Four areas of worklife (workload, control, reward, and values) as well as …

Product Packaging, Pester Power, & Preschoolers, Casie Prible

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to lay the groundwork that could lead to future research by exploring the pester power of preschoolers in reference to product packaging and grocery shopping and with regard to gender, age, and birth order. Preschoolers can act as powerful persuaders on parental spending, specifically through the use of nagging, pestering, or aggressive behaviors. Marketers often employ techniques such as using child-oriented packaging to attract a child to certain products in order to motivate a desire for purchase and thus affecting the buying decisions of parents. This study analyzes preschoolers (2 to 5 years-of-age) in …

Waterparks' Impact On Rural Communities In Eastern Kentucky, Stephen M. Sims

Online Theses and Dissertations

As many rural communities are searching for ways to increase their local economy, several of these communities have begun to turn their attention to the tourism industry. By turning their attention to the tourism industry, they are searching for ways to increase tourism in hopes of bringing in additional revenue that is needed for revitalizing many of these communities. These rural communities are "focused on maximizing individual spending, and providing products and experiences as an incentive to tourists to stay longer and return on repeat visits" (Briedenhann & Wickens, 2004, p. 72). Also, waterparks, as well as amusement parks and …

Behaviors, Knowledge, And Education Of Leave No Trace Principles In The Red River Gorge Rock Climbing Community, Brian Gregory Clark

Online Theses and Dissertations

Rock climbing is becoming a very popular and mainstream outdoor activity. With the growth in rock climbing comes an increase in the number of visitors this sport attracts. The increase in visitor usage undoubtedly leads to an impact on the natural environment surrounding these rock climbing areas. Rock climbers acknowledge the impacts that are being made and are taking initiative to lessen their impact while visiting rock climbing areas such as the Red River Gorge (RRG) in rural southeast Kentucky. We know that rock climbers make a substantial economic impact while visiting and this dissertation looks at the environmental knowledge …

Analysis Of Union Safety: Determining Relationships Between Union Membership And Injury And Fatality Rates, Madelyn K. Street

Online Theses and Dissertations

In under two centuries the labor union transformed the American workplace, improving wages, benefits, employee engagement, and safety. In more recent years, the government and other organizations have caught up in focusing on safety. Countless studies have been conducted and determined that unions have a significant positive impact on safety compared to work environments absent of a union. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data for 2006-2015, an investigation into the trends of union membership and injuries and fatalities reported in the United States was conducted. It was determined that there was not significant correlation between increased union membership and improved …

Beer Tourism: Identifying Kentucky Brewery Visitors And Motivations, Kenneth Joseph Berend, Jr.

Online Theses and Dissertations

Craft beer has gained popularity and evolved into an immense industry in recent years. The number of breweries in the United States has increased from 1,460 in 2006 to over 5,300 in 2016 ("Number of breweries and brewpubs in U.S.," n.d.). There are more breweries now than at any other time in U.S. history. The influx of breweries has contributed to increased participation in craft beer consumption and beer tourism. Plummer, Telfer, Hashimoto, and Summers (2005) define beer tourism as "visitation to breweries, beer festivals and beer shows for which beer tasting and experiencing the attributes of a beer region …

Locked Up: Parallel Correctional Officer, Deputy, And Inmate Decision-Making Experiences In County Jails, Mariko Catherine Peshon

Dissertations

Recidivism is a complex phenomenon. Greater than 65 percent of incarcerated adults return to jail within three years. While numerous empirical studies focus on factors that contribute to recidivism, there is limited existing research that examines decision-making as one of these factors. The purpose of this study is to address this gap in the literature and develop an understanding of the influence of decision-making processes on inmates and correctional officers and deputies in the California criminal justice system. An exploratory 2014 pilot study at three California county jails found correctional officers and inmates faced similar challenges related to decision-making as …