Business Commons^™

Reinforcing The Safety Net: A Collaborative Survey With The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, Heather Macindoe, Lindsay Morgia, Erynn Herman

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The more than 35,000 nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts employ 20% of the state’s workforce and serve as a vital part of the social safety net. Many of these organizations face challenges concerning fiscal sustainability. Funding often covers current services with little surplus to address organizational capacity issues. Successful public-nonprofit partnerships are key to building a resilient nonprofit sector. This study contributes to the nonprofit sector’s knowledge of how best to engage with policymakers at the state and local level.

Massachusetts Education Partnership: Policy, Leadership, Labor-Management Collaboration, Nancy Peace, John W. Mccormack Graduate School Of Policy And Global Studies, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Edward J. Collins, Jr., Center For Public Management, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Massachusetts Education Partnership (MEP) is a collaborative endeavor on the part of four education-related organizations representing teachers, superintendents, and school committees and four research institutions. By working together, the Partnership aims to improve student achievement through labor-management collaboration and to foster the development of collaborative cultures in Massachusetts school districts. As of March 1, 2014, the MEP has trained labor and management leaders from 34 school districts in interest-based bargaining (IBB) and provided intensive facilitation to seven school districts where labor and management are working collaboratively on a program or issue of their choosing.

The Business Of Human Trafficking, Elizabeth Kaczmarek

Honors Theses

Human trafficking has been a social justice issue that has been addressed in the past by many scholars in the social sciences fields and has recently started to be acknowledged by academics in business fields. Exploited labor assisted in building almost all civilizations and while is no longer as blatant as it once was, it is just as prevalent and the market is becoming more aware of the issue. As with profit performance and environmental sustainability, consumers are starting to demand that the third pillar of sustainability – people – be addressed by organizations. In this paper, the current status …

Two Essays On Individuals, Information, And Asset Prices, Joseph Mohr

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the first essay we explore and establish a direct link between investor attention to advertising videos viewed on social media, and trading activity in a firm's securities. We find a positive relation between views of these advertising videos and volume, and a negative relationship between views and bid-ask spread. Returns are positively related to change in views. The positive price pressure is reversed over the following two weeks. The decreases in spread and temporary increase in returns are consistent with increased purchasing by individual investors who view the advertising videos. Our results support the hypothesis that the number of …

Elearning Cost Analysis Of On-Premise Versus Cloud-Hosted Implementation In Sub-Saharan Countries, Joel Samson Mtebe, Roope Raisamo

The African Journal of Information Systems

The cost of acquiring, managing, and maintaining ICT infrastructure is one of the main factors that hinder educational institutions in Sub-Saharan countries to adopt and implement eLearning. Recently, cloud computing has emerged as a new computing paradigm for delivering cost effective computing services that can be used to harness eLearning. However, the adoption of cloud computing in higher education in Sub-Saharan countries is very low. Although there are many factors that may influence educational institutions to adopt cloud services, cost effectiveness is often a key factor. Far too little is known on how much the use of cloud computing can …

Barriers To Open Source Erp Adoption In South Africa, Leo Tome Mr, Kevin Allan Johnston Prof, Alison Meadows Mrs, Mphatso Nyemba-Mudenda Ms

The African Journal of Information Systems

Organizations in South Africa (SA) and other economically developing countries are not maximizing the use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems. While the costs associated with an ERP system implementation have always been a major factor to many organizations, Open Source Software (OSS) ERP systems are available offering the benefits of an ERP system at a reduced cost to organizations. This paper investigates the adoption factors of Open Source Software Enterprise Resource Planning Systems in economically developing countries by focusing on South African organizations. Using online surveys and a focus group discussion, this empirical study found that knowledge barriers, the …

Learning Curve In Rwanda: A Long Journey Of Transformation, Debby Thomas

Faculty Publications - College of Business

This brief glimpse into one community visit offers a taste of what holistic community development through discipleship looks like. This community has studied issues of farming, salvation by grace, animal husbandry, financial management, discerning God's will, health and cleanliness, and other topics over the last five years. They are learning how to identify the barriers that trap them in poverty, and they are learning to overcome these problems through a holistic discipleship process that teaches them to become problem solvers, to study God's word, and to use the resources they have to address the problems their community faces.

April 2014, Inland Empire Business Journal

Inland Empire Business Journal

News and Features

Protecting Your “A” Factor: 16 Accountability

Killers to Avoid Most of us are guilty of small

behaviors that crack our accountability façade and

hurt us, both personally and professionally, far more

than we realize. Julie Miller and Brian Bedford

examines what can happen when businesses, teams,

families, and individuals shirk accountability. . . . . . . . 3

Five Ways to Use Your Brain to Build a Better

Business Michael Vaughan shows us why business

owners and managers should use their brains to

understand what employees need psychologically

in order to excel and perform, and gives …

Scholarly Pursuits: Insights Into The World Of Business From Driehaus Faculty Research

Business Exchange

A Supportive Work Culture Helps Women to "Lean In"; Low Interest Rate Mortgage Financing Challenges Housing Market Rebound; Hispanic-Owned Businesses Bloom in Illinois

Nfl Fans Response To Social Media Posts, Laura Fien

Sport Management Undergraduate

Social media has become a growing phenomenon in the 21st century, as a result sport teams can now interact and engage fans in more personalized ways. However, because social media is so new there is very little research that helps determine how fans interact with teams through social media. This study was conducted using focus groups and has determined that even though relationship marketing is a good idea, NFL fans prefer information posted to Facebook and Twitter to be convenient and informative in relationship to the team’s on field performance. Furthermore, the more convenient and informative the information posted is …

Unintended Consequences: Lessons Learned When Starting A Logistics & Transportation Doctoral Program, Stephen M. Rutner, C. David Shephard, Paige S. Rutner

Journal of Transportation Management

Many universities evaluate the costs and benefits of academic programs. An important decision is whether to offer a doctoral degree. Most articles and academics focus on the numerous benefits of a doctoral program. While many of the benefits that can stem from a doctoral program are summarized in this manuscript, the primary purpose is to highlight some of the hidden costs to creating and operating a doctoral program. The authors use their experience in developing a doctoral program in Logistics and Transportation to illustrate many of these potentially hidden costs. This should provide academics and administrators with better information to …

Incentivizing Credit Rating Agencies Under The Issuer Pay Model Through A Mandatory Compensation Competition, Robert J. Rhee

Faculty Scholarship

Credit rating agencies are important institutions of the global capital markets. If they had performed properly, the financial crisis of 2008-2009 would not have occurred. This article offers the simplest fix proposed thus far, and it is contrarian. This Article accepts the central role of rating agencies in the regulation of bond investments, the realities of a duopoly, and the issuer-pay model of compensation. The status quo is the baseline. The role of regulation should be to create the conditions necessary to induce competition. This article proposes that a small, recurring portion of revenue earned by the largest rating agencies …

Protecting Minority Shareowners’ Interests, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Understand what rights you are giving away when approving a general mandate request.

A Matter Of Trust, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Business is trusted more than government, but both need the other to become more trustworthy.

Making Money From Mobile Phone Service At Sea, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

It takes expertise and talent to build a new business; it takes capital and speed to maximise returns.

Ethical Culture Starts At The Top, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

In a world where people have little faith in businesses and executives, getting the C-suite to build a credible value system is critical

Pettit National Ice Center Public Skate Participation Survey, Andrew Christopher Brown

Professional Projects

This research project seeks to identify areas that the Pettit National Ice Center can address in order to increase customer satisfaction, thereby transforming infrequent users into repeat clientele. One hundred-fifty individuals were surveyed utilizing a mixed methods approach which produced qualitative and quantitative results for analysis. Key recommendations for the Pettit National Ice Center include providing improved customer service, improving the appearance and quality of equipment inside the facility, increasing its online presence, and identifying potential revenue generators.

The Promises And Challenges Of Innovating Through Big Data And Analytics In Healthcare, Donald E. Wynn, Renée M. E. Pratt

MIS/OM/DS Faculty Publications

In this article, we present the promises and challenges of big data and analytics (BD&A) in healthcare, informed by our observations of and interviews with healthcare providers in the US and European Union (EU). We then provide a set of recommendations for capitalizing on the extraordinary innovation opportunities available through big data.

The Nfl’S Highly And Lowly Identified Fans: Who Are They?, Daniel Cusato

Sport Management Undergraduate

While there is a plethora of literature on fan identification, specifically high or lowly identified fans, there is no literature on who these highly and lowly identified fans actually are. The goal of this research paper is to fill the void in that section of NFL fan literature and discover what demographics of fans are the most highly and lowly identified. In order to find out who is a highly or lowly identified fan, a survey must be administered that will effectively test the characteristics of each participant. This will make the respondents classifiable as either a highly or lowly …

Player Preferences For Coaching Behaviors, Tim Coykendall

Sport Management Undergraduate

In athletics every athlete prefers different behaviors from their coach. Research hasn’t been able to explain player preferences in terms of their preferred and expected coaching behaviors and if their coaches are meeting those behaviors. This study looked to see if coaches met the expected and preferred behaviors of their athletes. In order to examine this question, St. John Fisher student athletes of both genders, and individual sport and team sport athletes were be surveyed. After examining prior research, results are expected to show that athletes prefer coaches who are inclusive in decision making, focus on building skills, and develop …

Teaching The Gospel From Agency Theory In The Bible, Michael E. Cafferky

Faculty Works

The purpose of this paper is to show how the basic ideas of Agency Theory can be taught directly from the Bible through the use of biblical sheep-shepherd-hireling imagery and in so doing, naturally open an opportunity to lead business students to the call of the Gospel. To pursue this purpose, the paper will briefly review contemporary business scholarship on the concept of agency. Following this, the paper will consider evidence of Agency Theory from the biblical record focusing on the biblical foundations for caring for the economic asset of sheep, the work of the owner-shepherd, and the work of …

How Fantasy Sport Participation Affects Fan Loyalty, Michael Flanigan

Sport Management Undergraduate

Fantasy sports have recently emerged as a popular form of sport consumption. Previous research has investigated the concept of fantasy sport involvement and fans loyally, however little research exists on the effects these variables have on each other. The focus of this research is to identify the effects fantasy sport participation has on fan loyalty and consumption. A survey collected primary data which went through a Pearson correlation. It was found that fantasy sport participation increased consumption of the sport product. It was also found that fantasy sport participants are more loyal to their favorite team than their fantasy teams.

The Effects Of Popular Music In Television Advertisements On Branding, Amanda Jillson

Honors Projects in Marketing

Have you ever found that the music a company chooses helps you understand its brand better, and did you eventually find yourself becoming a loyal customer? The goal of this project is to investigate whether or not connections like these occur and, if so, why they happen and what they mean for advertisers. More specifically, the study examines the influence of music in television advertisements on the last three steps of the brand building process: brand imagery, brand feelings, and brand resonance. The purpose of the research is to discover the extent to which popular songs used in television commercials …

The Affordable Care Act Raises The Stakes On Worker Classification; What Does This Mean For The Voluntary Classification Settlement Program, Sagar Parmar

Honors Projects in Accounting

This research considers worker classification and the many implications an employer must consider when classifying a worker as employee or independent contractor. One implication relates to healthcare benefits and healthcare taxes. As such, this research will evaluate the new healthcare taxes and implications resulting from the Affordable Care Act. Furthermore, this research will relate and explain worker classification with regards to the Voluntary Classification Settlement Program. This is a program offered by the Internal Revenue Service allowing employers to prospectively classify workers as employees with tax relief for past misclassification. The healthcare implications from the Affordable Care Act have raised …

An Interpretivist Case Study Of Leadership Transition In The Context Of A Southern Baptist Church, Ronald Tuck

Dissertations

This ethnographic study examined the experiences of key individuals involved in a senior leadership transition in the context of the church. Leader transition constitutes a significant aspect of organizational leadership theory, yet succession planning is often neglected in the context of churches. This study revealed that leadership transition is not a single event in the history of a church organization, but rather an evolution of events involving a multiplicity of factors and individuals. Narratives from five individuals directly involved in the pastoral leadership transition process informed the study: the search committee chair, the outgoing and incoming pastors, and two differently-located …

Wall Fellows Newsletter, Volume 2, Issue 2, Spring 2014, Coastal Carolina University

Wall Fellows Newsletter

Newsletter of the Wall Fellows Program in the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration.

The Roles Of Bank And Trade Credits: Theoretical Analysis And Empirical Evidence, Gangshu (George) Cai, Xiangfeng Chen, Zhiguo Xiao

Information Systems and Analytics

This study investigates the roles of bank and trade credits in a supply chain with a capital-constrained retailer facing demand uncertainty. We evaluate the retailer's optimal order quantity and the creditors' optimal credit limits and interest rates in two scenarios. In the single-credit scenario, we find the retailer prefers trade credit, if the trade credit market is more competitive than the bank credit market; otherwise, the retailer's preference of a specific credit type depends on the risk levels that the retailer would divert trade credit and bank credit to other risky investments. In the dual-credit scenario, if the bank credit …

Read Poster - Michael, Elizabeth & Stephanie, Sturgis Library Student Assistants 2014, Amy Thompson

Library Marketing Materials

READ Poster, featuring Michael, Elizabeth and Stephanie, Sturgis Library Student Assistants 2014.

Books: Pride And Prejudice, by Jane Austen. London: T. Egerton, Whitehall, 1813.

The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller. New York: Ecco, 2012.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette, by Maria Semple. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2012.

Read Poster - Katy-Beth, Michael, Jonathan & Peter, Sturgis Library Student Assistants 2014, Amy Thompson

Library Marketing Materials

READ Poster, featuring Katy-Beth, Michael, Jonathan & Peter, Sturgis Library Student Assistants 2014.

Books: The Guardian, by Nicholas Sparks. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2003.

Back to Blood, by Tom Wolfe. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2012.

Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown. New York: Doubleday, 2009.

Guinness Book of World Records, by Craig Glenday, (ed.). London: Guinness World Records, 2012.

Accounting Historians Notebook, 2014, Vol. 37, No. 1 (April) [Whole Issue]

Accounting Historians Notebook

April issue