Exploring Determinants Of Value For Money And Bundling Effects On Public–Private Partnership Projects: A Data-Driven Empirical Study, Gaurav Khadka

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Public–private partnerships (P3s) are widely used to deliver public infrastructure, yet current understanding of what drives variation in Value for Money (VfM) and the effectiveness of project delivery strategies such as bundling remains largely conceptual and grounded in perception-based evidence. Consequently, governments lack empirically validated guidance on which project, financial, and macroeconomic conditions meaningfully influence VfM outcomes and whether bundling improves project performance within the P3 context. This study addresses these gaps through an integrated analysis of 180 Canadian P3 infrastructure projects (1992–2020), one of the most comprehensive datasets of realized VfM internationally, incorporating project characteristics, financial arrangements, and macroeconomic …

A Strategic Audit Of Brown-Forman, Joshua Rossman, Carter Mann, Maris Grabill, Joe Meath, Gavin Pokorny

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Brown-Forman is a global spirits company with products sold in more than 170 countries. Known for brands such as Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve, and Herradura, Brown-Forman’s history spans back over 150 years. Much of its success comes from thoughtful brand stewardship and a long-term approach to growth. The company operates in the highly competitive distilleries industry, where strong brand identity and premium positioning are key to performance.

This strategic audit reviews Brown-Forman’s development, leadership, business model, and guiding mission, as well as its external environment and internal capabilities. It also considers performance, competitive dynamics, business-level and corporate-level strategies, governance, and …

First Portfolio – Mngt 475: Business Strategies, Lisa Tschauner

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

MNGT 475: Business Strategies serves as the undergraduate strategic management capstone course in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business. The course integrates knowledge from accounting, finance, economics, marketing, management, supply chain management, analytics, and entrepreneurship while providing students with opportunities to apply strategic frameworks to authentic business challenges. This portfolio documents the design, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of the course, with particular attention given to experiential learning and the comparison of two instructional models: a traditional case-study project and a real-world industry-partner consulting project. Drawing upon Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, self-reflection, self-efficacy, and teamwork constructs, the portfolio examines …

Lied Center For Performing Arts Strategic Analysis, Daniel Cutler

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This video essay develops a strategic analysis of the Lied Center for Performing Arts through an interview with an associate director at the Center, personal experiences working for the Center, and other external research. It starts with an introduction to the Lied Center, including its mission, vision, and activities. Using strategic frameworks, namely PESTEL analysis and Porter’s Five Framework, a general analysis of the Center’s industry is conducted. These frameworks demonstrate the difficult landscape the Center finds itself in, with some of the more notable struggles stemming from economic factors and competition from other entertainment venues. From there, suggestions and …

Fragmentation In The U. S. Fed Cattle Market: Implications For Price Transparency And Discovery, Taralee M. Hudson

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The U.S. fed cattle market is one plagued by recurring stakeholder concern. Market participants frequently raise questions about the transparency of fundamental information under existing reporting frameworks, and the extent to which Private Negotiation, the dominant trading institution, effectively facilitates price discovery. Although extensive research has sought to address these issues, much of it has failed to account for the market’s increasingly fragmented structure. This thesis is comprised of three chapters that collectively examine price transparency and discovery through the lens of market fragmentation. Each chapter presents research related to the fed cattle market and is intended to stand …

Keurig Dr Pepper Strategic Audit, Huy Le, Ethan Zen, Sierra Perkins, Jack Hudson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

We analyze Keurig Dr Pepper's current strategic position following its acquisition of JDE Peat's. We determine its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats within its market share and make recommendations for future business ventures and strategic positioning.

Gap, Inc. : A Strategic Audit Of Gap, Inc. Company, Amber Hanson, Ike Mcley, Sophie Thomas, Avery Plessel, Kira Pavlik

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The following paper is a comprehensive overview of the company Gap, Inc., a leading global retailer with a diverse brand portfolio that includes Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta. They compete in the Family Clothing Industry through their operation of over 3,352 brick-and-mortar stores along with offering their digital shopping platform to align with changing consumer preferences. Gap, Inc. plans to maintain financial rigor, reinvigorating its brands, and strengthening its platform. Their strengths are found in their expanding e-commerce segment and their strong commitment to sustainability. Through a broad differentiation strategy, Gap, Inc. targets a diverse consumer demographic across …

Strategic Audit: Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc., Jenna Derowitsch, Tram Ngo, Tenley Katt, Makenna Henning, Lexi Soukup

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This comprehensive strategic audit analyzes the internal and external environment in which Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. operates, in addition to auditing the strategic drivers that have drove the iconic hospitality firm to success. Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (Hilton) is a valued hotel chain that has been operating as a global leader in the hospitality industry for more than 100 years. The firm sets an industry standard to provide high-quality hotel services and a reliable stay for more than 200 million guests annually and continues to develop its portfolio of destinations. Technological advancements and shifting customer preferences challenge Hilton to remain …

Gojo & Company, Inc.: Collaborate To Elevate - Microfinancing Through Strategic Partnerships, Ellenna Divingnzzo, Joshua Feng, Charles Moloney, Brendan Shanks, Emma Wagner

B-Corp Case Studies by UNL Raikes Seniors

Gojo’s mission is to “extend financial inclusion across the globe” with the goal “to enable the provision of high-quality affordable financial services in 50 countries” (Impact Report, Gojo, pg. 4). They are a microfinance institution (MFI) that provides financial assistance mainly to individuals in five countries: Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, India, and Tajikistan (Impact Report, Gojo, pg. 10). They also have partnerships that extend into many other countries to a lesser extent. Gojo’s group companies provide services such as group loans, business loans, microenterprise loans, emergency loans, voluntary savings, affordable housing, microcredit depositing, and more to over 2.4 million clients. …

Tillamook: Ethical Values Or Misleading Marketing?, Victoria Chin, Ealynn Hsu, Kyana Le, B Littman, Natalia Trejo Andalon

B-Corp Case Studies by UNL Raikes Seniors

Tillamook began as a humble cooperative for the local dairy farmers of Tillamook County, Oregon, to ensure that high-quality cheese was the local standard. As time passed, Tillamook evolved to establish an internal Farm Services Team to help support each farmer and pay above market value for members’ milk–in return, receiving a stable supply of dairy to manufacture its dairy-based products. Additionally, the farmers are still the ones who call the important shots for Tillamook rather than other corporate shareholders. Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) has since expanded nationally, but the foundation remains the same: high-quality dairy to create high-quality …

Cotopaxi: Stewardship To Succession, Roy Dumblauskas, Landry Geiger, John Post, Jack Smiley, Zachary Wallenburg

B-Corp Case Studies by UNL Raikes Seniors

Cotopaxi is a company built from the ground up to be socially conscious, from their governance structure to their deeply ingrained core values. Despite being in a market dominated by incumbents like Patagonia, they've done well in the past, bringing in around $160 million in revenue in 2023 while donating millions outright and carefully maintaining ethical internal business practices. But just as the company began taking off, founder Davis Smith left the company to pursue religious mission work. He spent years, starting the search in 2019 before finally stepping down in July 2022, looking for a successor, eventually finding a …

Aesop Under L'Oreal: Growth Vs. Brand Integrity, Gowrav Ghatamaneni, Spencer Godina, Reed Mchenry, Cole Miller, Shruti Pradeep

B-Corp Case Studies by UNL Raikes Seniors

Founded in Melbourne, Australia, in 1987, Aesop has emerged as a global luxury skincare brand known for its minimalist packaging, commitment to sustainability, and sensory in-store experience. In 2023, L'Oréal Groupe acquired Aesop from Natura & Co. in a deal valued at $2.5 billion, marking the largest acquisition in L'Oréal's history. The brand's dedication to aesthetics has set it apart in the competitive beauty industry. But how does a brand built on small-scale, curated retail experiences navigate the expansion driven by a multinational owner? Can Aesop maintain its core values while scaling up?

New Belgium Brewing: Balancing Growth And Company Values Post-Acquisition, Brooke Bode, Charlie Brockmeier, Chase Kling, Zach Hammann, Jace Ruth, Jay Selzer

B-Corp Case Studies by UNL Raikes Seniors

New Belgium Brewing was founded in 1991 by Jeff Lebesch and Kim Jordan in Fort Collins, Colorado, famously inspired by a bicycle tour through Belgium, with "environmental stewardship" viewed as a core value from day one (New Belgium Brewing, nd). From its earliest years, New Belgium had set out to prove that a brewery could be a successful business while also being a force for good. The company implemented open-book management and a profit-sharing program that allowed employees as early as 1998 to vote and give up bonuses to invest in a wind-powered brewery in the U.S. (New Belgium Brewing, …

Bombas: Weaving Purpose Into Profit, Bethany Barnwell, Madelyn Craft, Emily Nau, Carina Swanson, Vaughn Thompson

B-Corp Case Studies by UNL Raikes Seniors

Bombas is a leading premium basics brand with a unique focus on socks and philanthropy. Its 'buy one, give one' model, along with a viral appearance on Shark Tank, helped propel the company into the public eye. Since the company’s inception, they have donated over 150 million essential clothing items to people in need. Bombas’s commitment to quality and product innovation has earned it a loyal consumer base. However, its production practices and business model have faced scrutiny, raising questions about whether the company is truly maximizing its impact in giving back

Lemonade: Mini-Case Study Report, Grace Boguslawski, Seth Daup, Aditya Jain, Chaitra Pirisingula, Caden Punteney

B-Corp Case Studies by UNL Raikes Seniors

Lemonade disrupts the traditional insurance industry through its innovative use of AI-driven underwriting and claims processing. By leveraging AI to replace traditional brokers, Lemonade positions itself as a technologically advanced and socially responsible alternative in a legacy-driven market. As a certified B-Corp, the company emphasizes its mission-driven approach, notably donating leftover premiums to nonprofit organizations selected by its customers. This case study examines the strategic challenges arising from Lemonade’s position in an evolving AI landscape. It explores how Lemonade can maintain its differentiation while navigating increasing competition, ethical considerations, and the diminishing sustainability of AI as a unique long-term competitive …

Understanding Market Outlooks, Elliott James Dennis

Cornhusker Economics

As 2024 has concluded, many industry analysts will reflect on the market trends and forces that shaped 2024 to make improved decision making in 2025. This is a pivotal time to evaluate the factors influencing commodity markets and plan for the future. Market outlooks play a vital role in this process, offering agricultural producers and industry stakeholders valuable insights into price trends, production forecasts, and market dynamics. By analyzing data from government agencies, universities, and private firms, these outlooks help users anticipate and navigate market fluctuations, whether through short-term forecasts or long-term projections spanning decades. With advances in technology and …

Utilizing Extreme Value Theory To Uncover Yield Distributions From Farm And County Level Historical Corn Yields, Gerald H. Van Tassell

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Yield risk represents a major portion of the financial risk facing corn producers and is found in the left tail of the yield distribution. Traditional methods for generating yield distributions fall into two categories: parametric and non-parametric. The shape and behavior of the tail of parametric yield distributions are determined by distributional assumptions. Non-parametric distributions fail to account for the possibility of as yet unseen extreme events, often referred to as “Black Swans”. Extreme Value Theory (EVT) rectifies these issues by providing an empirical, parametric estimate of the risk of extreme events, regardless of the underlying distribution of corn yields. …

Lockheed Martin Strategic Audit, Trevor Deboer, Gunnar Lombard, Sam Nelson, Tj Taylor, Paul Wynegar

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Abstract

This case study explores Lockheed Martin, a global leader in defense contracting. Our team performed a strategic audit using the theories of strategic management. Our research was pulled from various sources, including Lockheed Martin’s website, SEC filings, related news articles, and relevant industry analysis. The goals of this case study revolved around collecting data and performing analysis to evaluate Lockheed Martin’s potential for competitive advantage in the airplane and parts manufacturing industry.

Some of the various analyses performed on Lockheed Martin include firm analysis, industry analysis, internal analysis, external analysis, competitive dynamics, business-level strategy, corporate-level strategy, and exploring their …

Spotify: A Strategic Analysis Of A Digital Music Streaming Industry Leader, Madison Giacomo

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Spotify (Spotify Technology S.A) is a digital music streaming platform headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. Offering music, podcasts, and audiobooks, Spotify is the leading digital music streaming platform with over 30% of the market share. Spotify bases their business model on user growth and experience, content acquisition and expansion, monetization, and partnerships and collaborations. Spotify’s main focus is to differentiate themselves through a personalized user experience, offering music and podcast recommendations based on listening history. This analysis looks to understand Spotify’s growth and business strategy within a competitive industry, through the use of a PESTEL analysis, Porter’s Five Forces Analysis, evaluating …

Lululemon Strategic Audit, Tessa Mozingo, Olivia Eno, Molly Mitchell, Connor Morrissey, James Eshleman

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This case study focuses on lululemon, a prominent athleisure apparel company. Our team conducted an audit of the company revolving around strategic business management principles. Our research used publicly available information that included the company’s website, SEC filings, news articles, lululemon’s annual reports, financial statements, IBIS industry reports, and online sources. The goal of this strategic audit is to develop an understanding of lululemon’s business activities and strategies, collect and analyze both internal and external data, and evaluate lululemon based on strategic management concepts.

In this strategic audit, we conduct internal, external, performance, and competitive analyses and an examination of …

Kate Spade Strategic Analysis, Cydne Munson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Kate Spade is an American luxury handbag and accessory company. The company is best known for its fun yet timeless and functional designs and has been a highly regarded and recognized brand since its inception nearly thirty years ago. This report explores the history of the Kate Spade brand and its resources that contribute to competitive advantages in the industry. A Porter’s Five Forces analysis and a PESTEL analysis are used to examine Kate Spade’s external environment and the luxury handbag industry as a whole. Finally, potential future threats and strategies to counteract them are examined.

Marriott International: A Managerial Strategic Audit, Brooke Eschenbrenner, Alex Zlatic, Madison Bechtel, Brandon Collins, Charlotte Straley, Grant Gubbels

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

A strategic management audit of the public firm, Marriott International, was conducted to identify various factors and managerial strategies that affect Marriott and the global hotels and tourism industry. At the industry level, we conducted a PESTEL and Five Forces analysis, researched the competitive landscape, and assessed the total value potential. We found that the industry experienced a major decline during the COVID-19 pandemic but saw recovery as international travel opened up again. On the company level, we conducted an internal analysis, identified Marriott’s management structure, and identified the firm’s structure and strategies through a SWOT analysis and other relevant …

Tesla Energy Division Strategic Audit, Kaleb Strawhecker

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Tesla’s electric vehicle manufacturing operation is the major revenue source for the company. Tesla has established itself as a significant player amongst other automotive manufacturers, specifically in the electric vehicle sector. Many trends are favoring Tesla’s expansion. This audit takes a look at trends and changes through a PESTEL analysis along with Porter’s Five Forces. Both provide an in-depth look into what the environment around Tesla is like. Then, these are used to evaluate Tesla’s major strategies, competitive advantages, and resources it has at its disposal. Finally, the audit will address how the factors allow Tesla to take advantage of …

Bnsf Strategic Analysis, Bella Tran

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Burlington Northern Santa Fe, LLC. (BNSF), is an American railroad that is concentrated in the western two-thirds of the U.S. This railroad has a history stretching back over a century that has led the company to now function as one of the leading Class I Railroad with over 30,000 employees and over 30,000 miles of laid track. Two methods of analysis were used to examine the competitive environment in which BNSF operates. The first is the PESTEL analysis which examines the macro-environment. The second is Porter’s Five Forces which analyzes the competitive environment of an industry. The analyses concluded that …

A Strategic Audit Of Seaworld, Rachel Jendro

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This project is a strategic audit for SeaWorld Entertainment. The purpose of this report is to analyze the firm through multiple different perspectives and analyze the competitive advantage the business is pursuing. The project considers internal and external environments, strategic leadership, organizational structure, and resources to determine if and what type of competitive advantage the firm holds. Furthermore, it considers current events and strategic decisions, and how those relate to the overall strategy. A strategic audit is crucial to understanding the innerworkings of a firm. The factors that were analyzed are interconnected and performing a strategic audit can allow for …

Society Dilemma Of Computer Technology Management In Today's World, Iwasan D. Kejawa Ed.D

School of Computing: Faculty Publications

Abstract - Is it true that some of the inhabitants of the world’s today are still hesitant in using computers? Research has shown that today many people are still against the use of computers. Computer technology management can be said to be obliterated by security problems. Research shows that some people in society feel reluctant or afraid to use computers because of errors and exposure of their privacy and their sophistication, which sometimes are caused by computer hackers and malfunction of the computers. The dilemma of not utilizing computer technology at all or, to its utmost, by certain people in …

Arbor Day Foundation Tree Programs Recommendations Report, Lane Knott, Mary Morton, Peyton Walker, Haley Faust, Kyler Caverzagie, Alex Sanchez

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Executive Summary

Project Description

We explored ways for the Arbor Day Foundation (ADF) to increase the value proposition for Tree Cities and Tree Campuses through application addendums and existing organizations.

Recommendation

We propose including an addition to the Tree City application for a grant awarded to Tree Cities that plant trees in underserved areas of the community.

We also recommend inviting Tree Campus to join the Alliance for Community Trees (ACT). Through membership, they will attend and participate in the Partners in Community Forestry Conference.

Rationale

The Tree City program is being under-utilized in connecting resources with communities. ADF can …

Cohen And Milstein Strategic Analysis, Noah Marik

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Cohen Milstein is a medium-sized law firm operating out of six U.S. cities. It is a boutique-style firm specializing in niche areas of law and litigates higher-profile cases other firms avoid. This paper will examine Cohen and Milstein to understand its market position and competitiveness within the legal industry. The legal industry provides a unique set of challenges to firms as technology advances, new laws are imposed, and customer relationships evolve. To explore Cohen and Milstein, I will employ various tools, including Porter’s Five Forces, PESTEL, and SWOT analyses. Following the firm's evaluation through these metrics, strategic recommendations will be …

Stock Market Correlations To Economic Indicators, Anthony K. Quandt

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

For this project, I researched how representative the S&P 500 (a common index of choice to represent the market) is of the economic well-being of the US. I found that stock market data can be used an as indicator of the economic well-being of the U.S.. The results do not indicate that the stock market leads to recovery, but it does suggest that it is correlated with recovery. In my analysis, I compared the S&P 500 performance to four different economic indicators: Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), The Consumer Price Index (CPI), Average Weekly Private Wages, and Unemployment Rate. A …

Strategic Audit Of Optum, Connor Crow

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Optum is a large American-based pharmacy benefit manager, healthcare consultant, healthcare delivery service, and business analytics corporation that has dominated the industry with sister-company UnitedHealthcare underneath the umbrella UnitedHealthGroup. This report seeks to understand through internal and external analyses how Optum’s business model and strategies have allowed them to gain and sustain competitive advantages in the everchanging, volatile environment of healthcare. Specific tools used to highlight this include Porter’s Five Forces, PESTEL, and SWOT analyses. Additionally, strategic recommendations are given for Optum’s next steps.