An Analysis Of Starbucks As A Company And An International Business, Lauren R. Roby

Senior Honors Theses

The researcher examines a detailed synopsis of the specialty coffee industry and the role that Starbucks plays in it.  Starbucks is in a growth market, and it has a good relative overall position.  The researcher will examine the business structure of Starbucks and the future implications of its current business strategies.  By examining the strategic imperatives such as how to expand abroad and understanding the international context, the researcher will determine strong and weak business strategies of the company.  Starbucks has overcome organizational and managerial implications that will serve as a strong model for international businesses.  The researcher will then …

China And The New Asia: Policy Recommendations, Tasha N. Haug

Senior Honors Theses

The People’s Republic of China is an indispensable political and economic force in Asia. With the majority of the United States’ foreign economic interests invested in the Asia-Pacific region, the leading role that China is taking is a major concern. The Asia-Pacific region is strategically important to the US. How US policy makers craft foreign policy toward Asia has a direct impact on US involvement in the region. Unless the US becomes more invested in Asia, develops a comprehensive understanding of China’s role in the region, and proactively pursue strategic relationships, US influence in Asian affairs will become a thing …

Relationships In Fast Moving Consumer Goods Markets: The Consumers’ Perspective, Rose Leahy

Dept. of Marketing & International Business Publications

Purpose: This study explores relationship marketing and the existence of relationships in mass consumer markets from the consumers’ perspective, with the focus on the Fast Moving Consumer Good (FMCG) sector.

Methodology Approach: A total of 10 focus groups were conducted with consumers from a broad range of demographic and socio-economic backgrounds to enable in-depth exploration of the research issue.

Findings: The study highlights the dominant negative attitudes that exist among consumers to relationship marketing as it is operationalised in FMCG markets. It is found that from the consumers’ perspective relationships do not and cannot exist in these markets and that …

Big Bank, Small Country: Switzerland, The Financial Crisis And The European Union, Justin Thomas Schubert

Inquiry Journal 2011

No abstract provided.

Do Foreign Direct Investment And Trade Openness Accelerate Economic Growth?, Donna Chan Wah Hak

Honors Projects in Economics

This research investigates the impact of trade openness and foreign direct investment (FDI) on economic growth. Using a framework proposed by Barro (1991), panel data regression analysis is performed on 5-year time periods between 1985 and 2005. A sample of 89 countries is analyzed using data collected from the World Development Indicators (WDI), Penn World Table, Barro and Lee (2010), and Polity IV Project datasets. The empirical analysis shows that conditional convergence occurs among the countries in the sample and that FDI net inflows per worker slightly increases the speed of conditional convergence. This study also finds evidence that FDI …

Stock Exchanges In The Middle East: Risky Business Or Smart Investing?, Jed A. Haddad

Honors Projects in Finance

The goal of any investor is to obtain the highest possible return for his or her money. However for years, the debate has continued; stocks, bonds, mutual funds; which of these financial instruments will produce the greatest gain to give the investor the highest profit? Historically, stocks have been known to provide investors with high returns. With the world becoming increasingly globalized, international markets have proven to offer investors more options to help diversify their portfolios. The Middle East has been known as a region of recent economic growth and stability. Three prominent examples of such are Kuwait, Israel, and …

Getting The Sharks To Bite In Your Ocean: A Look At Regional Differences In Funding Components In China And The United States, Jennifer Ashley Schwall

Honors Projects in Finance

This study explores the relationship between a venture capital firm’s geographic region and the investment traits that it values. This study’s results will help determine whether venture capital firms, by geographic region, emphasize certain investment traits over others when funding new companies.

The study examines three regions (the East Coast of the United States, the West Coast of the United States and China, specifically Beijing and Shanghai). By surveying available firms in each region, I collected data on which funding components, or investment traits, the sampled respondents valued. To increase the usefulness of my findings, I held constant the stage …

Qualitative Methods In International Sales Research: Cross-Cultural Considerations, Rajshekar G. Javalgi, Elad Granot, Thomas G. Brashear Alejandro

Business Faculty Publications

As the global marketplace continues to change owing to the proliferation of global brands, changing international trade policies, and the rise of consolidated buyer power, the need for cross-cultural sales research continues to increase. International sales research differs from its domestic counterparts because its application to a multitude of cultural environments where comparable, relevant data are oftentimes nonexistent. In a similar vein, the roles, activities, and approaches to sales may vary across markets, which injects bias and confounds the results. Because of this complexity, conducting international sales research requires flexibility and creativity on the part of the researcher. The complexity …

Mexico Consensus Economic Forecast, Volume 14, Number 2, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Carlos Morales, Francisco Pallares

Departmental Papers (E & F)

No abstract provided.

Getting To The Real Story: What Vietnamese Business People Wish Foreigners Understood About Doing Business In Emerging And Transition Countries Like Vietnam – Before They Start, Nancy K. Napier, Vuong Quan Hoang

International Business Program

Knowledge sharing typically examines organizational transfer of knowledge, often from headquarters to subsidiaries, from developed country sites to emerging country sites, or from host to local employees. Yes, recent research, such as Prahalad's Bottom of the Pyramid, raises the question of reverse transfer of knowledge, or whether knowledge could and should be transferred from local sites to home country sites within an organization. As several emerging economies build their capabilities in knowledge, research and development, marketing, and the like, it only makes sense to consider what type of knowledge and how to transfer it in reverse or bi-directional manners. …

Made In Oman: Promoting Manufacturing And Export In The Sultanate Of Oman, Tyler Philip Eldridge Mcwilliam

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Oman’s manufacturing sector has shown promising growth during the past decades. This paper analyzes the role of the manufacturing and export sector in economic growth and development. Then, after analyzing government policy toward manufacturing in Oman, this paper uses research gathered from companies in Rusayl to determine the biggest problems currently facing manufacturing in Oman and the effectiveness of government policy toward the sector. Problems found included excessive bureaucracy, Omanization, and transport costs. These findings were then presented to the appropriate public institutions, with their reactions documented. Recommendations for change include streamlining government services, expediting the construction of the Gulf …

2011 Ijbe Front Matter, Tamra Connor

International Journal for Business Education

1. Editorial Board
2. President's Letter
3. SIEC-ISBE International

The Effect Of Cultural Intelligence On Employee Performance In International Hospitality Industries: A Case From The Hotel Sector In Egypt, Hadia Fakhreldin

Business Administration

This study highlights the importance of cultural intelligence in international business. Employees with high levels of cultural intelligence (CI) achieve high performance levels, therefore CI should be a screening criteria and a training goal within multinational companies. A five stars hotel is chosen as the field for testing/examining the theoretical framework identified in the literature. The cultural intelligence level of employees in this hotel is first determined through a questionnaire technique using a valid and reliable test (the Cultural Quotient Scale). Then the performance of these employees is identified through examining selected criteria in their performance review. To verify the …

Identify Key Business Strategies To Target The Mass Market In Macau, Chia-Li Chen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Statement of Purpose:

The purpose of this paper is to examine Macau’s present gaming environment and identify factors that will contribute to the success of a mass gaming market in Macau. The study intends to provide economic justification and tourism policy considerations which support the growth of Macau’s mass gaming market by taking advantage of the booming Chinese economy and the fast growing popularity of gaming in China. In addition, this study will examine literature supporting Macau’s transformation from a simpler gamblers’ destination into a Las Vegas style international gaming, entertainment, and tourism destination, as well as arguments for sustaining …

Mystery Shopping In Singapore’S Retail Sector: A Case Study, Iynee Low

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As mystery shopping becomes an increasingly popular tool to measure service quality, there is a need to ascertain its return of investment for the company. However, there is a paucity of academic research on the impact of mystery shopping results on a company’s sales performance. This professional paper develops a case study on two retail companies in Singapore which adopted and implemented mystery shopping to improve service quality and sales performance. The case study identifies the key service interventions implemented to improve mystery shopping results, and explores the relationship between mystery shopping results and sales performance. The findings in this …

Hotel Room Rate And Availability Parity Across Electronic Distribution Channels, Subashini Selvaraj

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This is an exploratory research paper looking at the parity of hotel room rates and hotel room availability across electronic distribution channels. The fulfillment of the best rate guarantee of hotels was also analyzed. The study surveyed 40 hotels in Singapore, covering 4 hotel segments, luxury, upscale, mid-market and budget with data collected over 5 dates. The results were analyzed across segments and dates of collection and it was found that neither rate nor room availability parity existed across all the hotels surveyed. In addition, majority of the hotels were unable to fulfill the best rate guarantee. Reasons for why …

Subsidiary Strategy And The Role Of The Subsidiary Manager : Integrating The Middle Manager Perspective, Donal O'Brien

Conference Papers

Subsidiary strategy is a concept which has emerged in international business literature but research has so far failed to explain how subsidiary managers develop strategy under the constraints of the paradoxical pressures they face in today’s Multinational Enterprises (MNE). On the one hand current trends suggest that (MNE) are developing into more global business structures which are reducing the power and influence of subsidiary managers (Buckley, 2009, Buckley & Ghauri, 2004, Mudambi, 2008). The result of these trends, are that the market orientated aspects of subsidiary strategy are becoming constrained and to some degree taken out of the hands of …

The Gaming Industry Developing Concept In Taiwan-From The U.S. Experience, Jean Ling Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With the recent success experience of gaming-related investments made in Macau and Singapore, it also can be a good inspiration of developing the gaming industry in Taiwan. As the passing of the new legislation from the Taiwanese government, Taiwan could be the next potential country to join the Asian casino gaming market. The purpose of this study is to determine the appropriate direction of developing the casino gaming industry in Taiwan, according to the successful experience from U.S. The findings indicated that the six factors of developing gaming business in Taiwan are geography environment, accessibility, human resource, tourism resource, tourist …

Wku Named Fair Trade University At Conference, Joanna Williams

Fair Trade Convergence Related Materials

No abstract provided.

Imo Social & Fair Trade Programme, Laura Johnson

Fair Trade Universities' National Convergence

No abstract provided.

The State Of The Fair Trade Movement, Jeff Goldman, Executive Director

Fair Trade Universities' National Convergence

No abstract provided.

Wku Fair Trade University Resolution, Matthew J. Vaughan, National Convergence Coordinator, Charlie Harris

Fair Trade Convergence Related Materials

No abstract provided.

Boeing And Airbus: Duopoly In Jeopardy?, John Olienyk, Robert J. Carbaugh

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Business

For decades, Boeing and Airbus have struggled for dominance in the large commercial aircraft market. In 2010 and 2011, the World Trade Organization ruled that each firm has received illegal subsidies from the governments of the United States and the European Union, which have enhanced their competitive positions. This paper considers the nature of these rulings and the future competitive environment in the global jetliner industry.

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Insights For Internal Auditors, Audrey A. Gramling, Dana R. Hermanson, Heather M. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

Douglas Faggioli, president and CEO of Nature's Sunshine Products (NSP) made the above remarks as he accepted, on behalf of NSP, a 2004 "100 Best Corporate Citizens" award from Business Ethics magazine. NSP received the award two years in a row. Less than two years later, NSP would discover a bribery scheme in its Brazil operations that would expose it to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Faggioli and the company's CFO, Craig Huff, along with NSP, would be plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit, and the SEC would fine each officer $25,000. …

The Relationship Between Foreign Direct Investment And Exports From The Technology Sector In Costa Rica, Rodolfo Santamaria

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The research examined the relationship between FDI, imports and exports of the technology sector in Costa Rica. A three-stage procedure was used to examine this relationship: Testing Time Series Properties, Cointegration and Granger to estimate FDI significance and effects of FDI on technology sector exports. The results suggest an export-platform for FDI supporting that the finding may be important for Costa Rica. Also, examined were links between FDI and imports, which may show the significance effects of FDI and imports.

The study followed a causal correlational approach to analyze the relationship between FDI, imports and exports, and respective regression equations. …

Executive Compensation: The Role Of Shari’A Compliance, William Martin, Karen Ahmed

College of Business Faculty and Staff Works

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this paper is to illuminate issues surrounding executive compensation as it relates to current understandings of Islamic business law. Methodology We review the emerging bodies of literature in the fields of executive compensation and opinions of stock options under Shari’a law. Findings It appears that the trend in offering employee stock options as part of a Shari’a compliant compensation package is acceptable in most cases, yet because of its close association with the more problematic idea of derivative transactions, the company must be vigilant in obtaining the approval from its Shari’a Standards Board before offering …

Resume, Karen Ahmed

College of Business Faculty and Staff Works

No abstract provided.

What's Your Pitch? The Power Of Wow! (Worksheet For The Webinar On January 18, 2011), Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Faculty and Staff Publications

Elevator pitches are created to sell your idea, business, product or service in 30 seconds or less (the time it takes to go from the first floor to the top of the building in an elevator). A great pitch has the power to help anyone...from a University employee to a new entrepreneur to a team working in a high-growth firm.

It’s important to develop and practice an effective pitch, complete with an awesome "Wow Factor," so you are ready to use it under fire (pretend you just stepped onto an elevator with Warren Buffett or Bill Gates)!

This interactive webinar …

Internationalization, Market Forces, And Domestic Sectoral Institutionalization, Ilan Alon, Demetris Vrontis, Murat Hakan Altintas, Hans Ruediger Kaufmann

Faculty Publications

This paper investigates the influence of micro environmental international entrepreneurship and the macro-environmental market forces on domestic institutionalization of the industrial sector. In doing so, the paper examines the moderating effect of the degree of internationalization on the relationship between domestic market forces and domestic sectoral institutionalization.

Towards A Decision Making Model For City Break Travel, Gerard Dunne, Sheila Flanagan, Joan Buckley

Articles

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the city break travel decision and in particular to develop a decision making model that reflects the characteristics of this type of trip taking.

Method

The research follows a sequential mixed methods approach consisting of two phases. Phase One involves a quantitative survey of 1,000 visitors to Dublin, from which city break and non city break visitor cohorts are separated and compared. Phase Two entails a qualitative analysis (involving 40 in-depth interviews) that specifically examines the decision making behaviour of city break visitors.

Findings

City break trips were shown to be …