Business Commons^™

Socio-Economic And Environmental Assessment Of A Microcontroller-Based Coffee Roasting Machine: Implications For Market Potential And Technology Commercialization, Ruel M. Mojica, Marilyn M. Elauria

Journal of Economics, Management and Agricultural Development

The study assesses the socio-economic and environmental performance leading to the commercialization of the micro-controller-based coffee roasting machine for smallscale roasting operations. Key informant interview and coffee farmers’ survey were conducted to assess the farmer- respondents’ perceptions of coffee roasting machines and availability of resources. Results show that the designed coffee roaster almost fits the farmers’ criteria in selecting coffee roasting machine. Coffee farmers perceived the machine to be a very good technology as evidenced by its highly acceptable rating. Investment analysis reveals that using the roaster for custom work would be a profitable business with an IRR of 76% …

How Should Business Informatics Integrate Service, Process, Work System, And Enterprise Orientations?, Steven Alter

Business Analytics and Information Systems

Current research related to the subject matter of business informatics reflects divergent orientations that are fundamentally about representing, analyzing, and designing services or processes or work systems or enterprises. After summarizing those four orientations and citing typical exemplars, this paper identifies a variety of paths toward greater integration between different orientations within business informatics. It identifies central topics for each orientation along with areas in which each orientation provides ideas that complement other orientations and reveal possible synergies. Both the approach for identifying potential synergies and the proposed synergies themselves could encourage greater integration within business informatics.

The Concept Of “It Artifact” Has Outlived Its Usefulness And Should Be Retired Now, Steven Alter

Business Analytics and Information Systems

Vastly inconsistent definitions of the term “the IT artifact” in leading journals and conferences demonstrate why it no longer means anything in particular and should be retired from the active IS lexicon. Examples from the literature show why artifact-cousins, such as the IS artifact, sociotechnical artifact, social artifact, and ensemble artifact should be used with great care, if not retired as well. Any void created by these retirements could be filled through the following approaches: 1) relabeling with simple terms that are immediately understandable, 2) adopting guidelines for making sense of the whole X-artifact family, and 3) sidestepping the IT …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: June 19, 2015, Eric Thompson, William Walstad

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 0.16% in May 2015, marking its fifth increase in the last six months. Consistent increases in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, indicates that economic growth will be strong in Nebraska in the second half of 2015. Business expectations are one reason for the positive outlook. Respondents to the monthly Survey of Nebraska Business were very optimistic about employment growth over the next six months. A decline in the value of the U.S. dollar also contributed to the positive outlook. Other components of …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: July 24, 2015, Eric Thompson, William Walstad

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 0.40% in June 2015, its fifth increase in the last six months. The rise in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, indicates strong economic growth in Nebraska through the end of 2015. The leading economic indicator rose because of positive business expectations for sales and employment and an improving labor market. Respondents to the monthly Survey of Nebraska Business were optimistic about sales growth over the next six months. Businesses also had positive expectations for employment growth and there was a decline in …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: August 21, 2015, Eric Thompson, William Walstad

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 0.17% in July 2015, its fourth consecutive increase. The modest increase in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, portends consistent economic growth in Nebraska through the end of 2015 and early 2016. The leading economic indicator rose because of growth in passenger enplanements and single-family home building permits during July and strong business expectations. In particular, respondents to the monthly Survey of Nebraska Business were positive about sales and employment growth over the next six months. Among other components of the leading indicator, …

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: September 18, 2015, Eric Thompson, William Walstad

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 0.31% in August 2015, for a fifth consecutive monthly increase. The increase in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, indicates consistent economic growth in Nebraska through the end of 2015 and the first quarter of 2016. The LEI-N rose because of strength in business expectations and the labor market. Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell sharply in Nebraska during August, indicating strength in the labor market. Further respondents to the monthly Survey of Nebraska Business were positive about sales and employment growth over …

Quarterly Business Indicators 2nd Quarter 2015, Unl Bureau Of Business Research

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Quarterly Business Indicators for the 2nd quarter of 2015 show a growing Lincoln economy. The rate of growth, however, lagged rapid national growth over the last year.

The Lincoln MSA unemployment rate is below year-ago levels (Figure 1) and is less than half of the U.S. rate (Figure 2). Non-farm employment, which is measured via a survey of business, grew by 1.5% in Lincoln between the 2nd quarter of 2014 and 2015 (Figure 4). This was solid growth but was below the U.S. growth rate. Further, employment as measured by the household survey was flat (Table 1).

Among individual …

10 Steps To Increase Provider Participation In Medicaid And Reduce Associated Administration Burdens, American Dental Association

Action for Dental Health

No abstract provided.

Coalitions 101 Questions And Answers, American Dental Association

Action for Dental Health

No abstract provided.

4 Steps To Building An Elder Care Coalition: Best Practice Guide For State Dental Societies, American Dental Association

Action for Dental Health

No abstract provided.

5 Steps To Promote Incurred Medical Expense (Ime) Reimbursement In Your State, American Dental Association

Action for Dental Health

No abstract provided.

T&L Career Day Fall 2015 Flyer, University Of North Florida

Transportation & Logistics Program General Materials

This flyer was created for the Transportation and Logistics Flagship Program at the University of North Florida.

U.S. Gaap Financial Statements Best Practices In Presentation And Disclosure, 2015, 69th Edition; Accounting Trends & Techniques, American Institute Of Certified Public Accountants (Aicpa)

Accounting Trends and Techniques

No abstract provided.

Use Of Smartphones In Hospitals, N. A. Thomairy, M. Mummaneni, S. Alsalamah, N. Moussa, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Mobile technology has begun to change the landscape of the medical profession with more than two-thirds of physicians regularly using smart phones. Smartphones have allowed healthcare professionals and the general public to communicate more efficiently, collect data and facilitate the clinical decision making. The methodology for this study was a qualitative literature review following a systematic approach of the smartphone usage among physicians in hospitals. Fifty-one articles were selected for this study based on inclusion criteria. The findings were classified and described into seven categories: use of smartphone in obstetrics, pediatrics, surgery, internal medicine, radiology, and dermatology which were chosen …

Out Of The Building, Into The Fire: An Analysis Of Cognitive Biases During Entrepreneurial Interviews, Tianxu Chen, Mark Simon, Ph.D., John Kim, Brian Poploskie

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

A major source of failure for new ventures is the entrepreneurs’ misunderstanding of the product-market fit. Recently, researchers have suggested that to get a better understanding of the product-market fit, entrepreneurs should “get out of the building” and interview many customers. This approach, while advantageous, is not without drawbacks. This article presents a conceptual model that incorporates the characteristics of “getting out of the building” to conduct customer interviews, and the biases that can arise to influence the entrepreneurs’ misjudgment of the product-market fit. We provide recommendations to overcome these biases.

Sabbath: The Theological Roots Of Sustainable Development, Michael E. Cafferky

Faculty Works

It is the thesis of this paper that, in general, the points of emphasis by the UN Commission on Sustainable Development are in close, but not perfect, alignment with the concept of Sabbath-shalom in Scripture. Some differences also exist. Sabbath begins at Creation and is the substance and symbol of God’s care for this earth. In Sabbath we rest in God’s sustaining power. Sabbath also is integral to covenant relationships. This means that Sabbath is not merely about care for the environment but also about care for all relationships envisioned by the concept of shalom. Both the creation roots and …

Department Chairs As Leaders: A Model Of Social Intelligence And Creative Performance In A State University, Afzal Rahim, Ismail Civelek, Feng Helen Liang

Management Faculty Publications

This study presents a structural equations model that represents relationships between department chairs’ social intelligence (SI) and their creative performance (CP) at a public university in the United States. SI was defined as the ability to be aware of relevant social situations, to manage situational challenges effectively, to understand others’ concerns and feelings, and to build and maintain positive relationships in social settings. Four components of SI were examined: situational awareness, situational response, cognitive empathy, and social skills. The model was tested with questionnaire data from 406 faculty members belonging to 43 departments in a state university. The data analyses …

6 Steps To Joining An Elder Care Coalition: Best Practice Guide For State Dental Societies, American Dental Association

Action for Dental Health

No abstract provided.

The Age Of Quality Innovation, Sang M. Lee

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

In this inaugural issue of International Journal of Quality Innovation, the Editor-in-Chief reports the evolution of quality management and the need for innovative research for creating new quality values.

The Impact Of Technophobia On Technology Acceptance And The Moderating Influence Of Transformational Leadership, Organizational Climate, And Emotional Intelligence, Odai Khasawneh

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study sought to investigate the relationship between technophobia and technology acceptance. In addition, this study examined the moderating influence of variables such as transformational leadership, organizational climate, and emotional intelligence has any influence on that relationship. This study determined that there is a significant negative relationship between technophobia and technology acceptance. Furthermore, all moderating variable were found to have a strong moderating influence on the relationship between technophobia and technology acceptance. In other words, transformational leadership, organizational climate, and emotional intelligence lessen the strength of the negative correlation to the point that technophobia and technology acceptance were no longer …

Why Small Firms Are Different: Addressing Varying Needs From Boards Of Directors, Josh Bendickson, Phillip E. Davis, Birton J. Cowden, Eric Liguori

Rohrer College of Business Departmental Research

Board of director member diversity has an impact on the functions each director successfully provides. Appropriate and necessary board member capabilities differ between small and large firms. Although these differences seem apparent, current research has favored studies related to large firms and neglected those related to board member needs of small firms. Grounded in Agency Theory and Resource Dependence Theory, the following manuscript theoretically suggests that firm size moderates the relationship between board member diversity and the two primary functions (monitoring and the provision of resources) of board members. Furthermore, small firms can enhance performance through appropriate member composition in …

The Lived Experience Of College Choice, Ryan Ladner

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

The purpose of this study was to explore the college decision-making process of high school juniors and seniors. In previous studies, researchers asserted that participants undergo a sequential multi-staged process to determine their college of choice. This study moved away from a standard methodological approach, framing the college decision-making process as complex, multifaceted, and deeply personal. Data for participants were presented in thematic form, showcasing an ever-changing college choice process. Participants began with a dream school and fallback school in mind, which helped to guide their initial search efforts. However, these schools were not static, and various factors (economic, sociological, …

Factors Affecting Ethical Sources Of External Debt Financing For Indian Agribusiness Firms, John D. Obradovich, Amarjit Gill, Harvinder S. Mand, Neil Mathur

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Ua1b1/9 Free Enterprise Fair, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

These records were created by and about the Free Enterprise Fair sponsored by WKU and southern Kentucky businesses.

Ua94/6/17 Student / Alumni Personal Papers Wku Annie Reis, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Annie Reis during her years as a student at Western Kentucky State Normal School.

Identity Work Within And Beyond The Professions: Toward A Theoretical Integration And Extension, Douglas A. Lepisto, Eliana Crosina, Michael G. Pratt

Management Faculty Publications

Chapter from Desilva, A. and M. Aparicio (Eds.), International Handbook of Professional Identities. Rosemead, CA: Scientific & Academic Publishing.

Our chapter examines identity work within and beyond the professions. To lend structure to this emerging perspective, we being by forwarding a general theoretical model of identity work. We then reexamine and extend this model by examining identity work amongst professionals. To do so, we first depend connections with literature on the professions to highlight salient and unique dynamics facing this occupational group. We then assess these dynamics in light of our model. Specifically, we show how an examination of …

2015 Abstracts Student Research Conference, Student Research Conference

Student Research Conference Select Presentations

No abstract provided.

Pedagogical Experience Of Teaching Financial Coaching, Lucy M. Delgadillo

Applied Sciences, Technology and Education Faculty Publications

This study reports on the pedagogical experience of teaching a financial coaching course to personal and family finance undergraduate students at Utah State University. The paper describes the conceptualization of the class, including theoretical frameworks, ethical considerations, practitioners’ models, learning objectives, and competencies. The assessment of the course provided data used by the instructor to refine and adjust future course content and assignments. Quantitative data were collected in pre-and post-tests assessments. The quantitative assessment shows statistically significant gains in specific coaching skills and competencies. The qualitative assessment indicated that, at the end of the course, students had better understanding of …

Wine Company Analysis In “The New World” And “The Old World”, Jiaji Liang

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

There is a growing global market for wine. In our research, we mainly examine wine companies from four countries: France, Italy, the U.S. and China. Data used in this analysis comes from the 2010 to 2013 Plimsoll Top 500 report, focusing on wine companies’ financial performance. The primary goal is to identify which factors may have significant influence on the firms’ profitability. Two-way fixed effects panel data analysis indicates that the firm’s shareholders’ funds in total asset have significant and positive effect on companies’ yearly profit. The results suggest that four years could be a reasonable period for most wine …