International Business Commons^™

Overcoming Challenges And Building Bridges: A Journey Towards Sustainable Tourism Development In Dangriga, Belize, Drew Patterson

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

This article discusses the challenges and potential solutions for enhancing tourism in Dangriga, the largest town in the Stann Creek District of Belize. Despite being known as the "Culture Capital of Belize," Dangriga attracts fewer tourists compared to smaller towns in the country. The lack of tourist influx could be attributed to limited understanding of internet marketing by local business owners and the town's focus on its cultural identity rather than catering specifically to tourists. The article emphasizes the importance of online marketing in promoting tourism and suggests that improving the online presence of local businesses could boost the tourism …

When Scrolling Turns Into Shopping: How Influencers Advertise To Consumers On Tiktok, Amanda E. Graves

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

Every marketer wants to reach a larger audience and TikTok has become one of the most popular places for advertisers to sell products. Past research shows that social media can be an effective form of advertising because of influencers who seem more genuine in their reviews. My research expands on this to further develop how TikTok specifically helps these influencers reach their target audience and persuade their purchasing decisions to increase sales. Through careful analysis it was revealed that quick links and short-form advertising are allowing the app to experience a high volume of consumer sales. Understanding TikTok’s success can …

Impact Of Tourism In Developing Nations, Thomas Consolino

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Belize, a small country located in Central America, thrives on tourism. The industry makes up 15% of the country’s GDP and employs roughly 40% of Belize’s population. However, the majority of tourism takes place in only a few Belizean towns, causing the economies of the other towns to not benefit from the industry. One of the towns lacking tourism is called Dangriga. Although Dangriga is on the coast and is known as the “Culture Capital of Belize”, not many tourists make is stop in or even know of Dangriga. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of …

From Espresso To Frappuccino: Analyzing Starbucks' Business Plan For Entering The Italian Market, Cameron Demott

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Starbucks is a multinational coffeehouse chain founded in Seattle, Washington in 1971 (Starbucks, 2023). The company has become one of the world's most recognizable brands, with over 30,000 locations in 78 countries worldwide (Starbucks, 2023). The coffee house has a reputation for providing high-quality coffee, great customer service, and a unique in-store experience. Americans view Starbucks as the golden standard for coffee shops and admire the brand for its success. After establishing a strong presence in the market in the United States, Starbucks decided to go global. In 1996, the chain opened its first store overseas in Japan and then …

Social Entrepreneurship And Its Impact On Women In Poverty., Allison Primm

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Poverty is a complex issue that will require complex solutions. There is a disconnect between the two as people living in poverty usually connect it to ideas of self-esteem, pride, and confidence. In contrast, people who aren't living in it will connect poverty to the lack of material possessions and more physical needs. Proposed solutions and ventures that seek to assist those living in poverty must consider that each individual living in poverty has a different situation. This paper will explore the effect that social enterprises have on Women in poverty by providing employment, training, and support. The company Trades …

Firm Capabilities, Great Power Competition, And The Structural Reshaping Of Globalization, Samuel Wilson

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

The changing nature of modern globalization has given rise to strategic competition between great power states, who utilize global firms and policy interventions in commercial markets to pursue state-level objectives. Multinational executives operating in global markets must contend with the consequences of great power competition between countries like the US and China, developing novel strategies and capabilities to defend firm performance in the face of trade wars and geopolitical confrontation. Through the analysis of risk factor disclosures of foreign multinational firms operating in China, as well as cases of Chinese economic and industrial espionage against US firms, this study utilizes …

The Cultural Impact On International Marketing: Understanding How Different Cultures Influence Advertising Perception And Strategies, Nathaniel Roffman

Honors Projects

This case study evaluates the effectiveness of standardized international marketing campaigns versus globalized international marketing campaigns in the context of two multinational corporations, McDonald's and Burger King, both operating in the United Kingdom. The study compares the outcomes of a standardized marketing approach, which uses the same marketing messages and materials across all regions, to a globalized approach that considers local cultural differences and modifies the marketing messages accordingly. The study analyzes the impact of each approach on brand recognition, and customer engagement, as well as the benefits and challenges associated with each strategy. Additionally, the study examines the importance …

Flexibility Is Key: Managing Rubber’S Elastic Sourcing Demands, Alexander Kennedy

Honors Projects

A contemporary study of how tire manufacturers are responding to supply chain challenges resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine by comparing them to actions taken during World War II. Supply chain management principles are applied within the context of the tire and rubber industry to provide recommendations for dealing with supply disruptions in future conflicts.

Should We Move Our Headquarters Abroad?: An Analysis Of Corporate Inversion, Rowen Newlon

Honors Projects

In recent years, companies from a plethora of industries have participated in the act of corporate inversion, which is essentially moving the headquarters of a company to a subsidiary branch located in another country. There are some substantial benefits as well as drawbacks to this practice; therefore, the objective of this project is to examine this from an accounting and international business perspective. This project will investigate the research of corporate inversion, including both current and potential legislation, and give guidance to companies deciding to move abroad as well as using a hypothetical company to examine this phenomenon in a …

Hard Seltzers In Europe: A Sparkling Opportunity? An Analysis Of The Market Potential For Hard Seltzers In Europe, Amanda R. Harper

Senior Theses

This thesis seeks to uncover the potential for the hard seltzer category in the European alcohol market. First, through secondary research, it establishes the conditions of entering the European alcohol market by looking at the challenges of entering markets abroad, the challenges of entering the European market, and the history and current state of alcohol in Europe. Second, this thesis will analyze the history and characteristics of the hard seltzer category. This will include profiles of seven key brands: White Claw, Truly, Bud Light Seltzer, Vizzy, Topo Chico, Mike’s Hard Seltzer, and Pure Piraña. Next, this thesis will analyze primary …

Geopolitics Of Semiconductor Supply Chains: The Case Of Tsmc, Us-China-Taiwan Relations, And The Covid-19 Crisis, Aditya Sehgal

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the demand for more advanced forms of technology continues to grow, so does the global importance and reliance on semiconductors. This research paper examines the impact of semiconductor shortages on both consumer and military production, as well as the geopolitical implications embedded within the global supply chain.

The paper begins by providing an overview of semiconductors, the global semiconductor market, and the impact of COVID-19 on the industry’s supply chain. It also discusses the importance of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) in the industry and its role in addressing semiconductor shortages.

Next, the paper discusses the impact of …

Legitimate Business As Mission Ventures And Effective Witness, Summer Rogers

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis discusses the practice of missionaries creating cover businesses solely for visa purposes, which brings a dishonest presence and harms the ministry. In contrast, Business as Mission (BAM) is a strategic business model to bring the gospel overseas through social, economic, and spiritual impact. Through a literature review, best practices for legitimate BAM ventures are explored based on studies done by BAM professionals and experts. Research shows that Christian businesspeople can establish an authentic image and credible witness through BAM businesses that are integrated into the local community, generate a profit, and incorporate biblical principles into business operations. BAM …

The Impact Of Covid 19 And Geopolitical Tensions On Small To Midsized Enterprises, Nader H. Shooshtari, Tim A. Manuel, Shawn F. Clouse

AMTP Proceedings 2023

The combined effects of COVID 19 pandemic and rising geopolitical tensions are discouraging to SMEs operating in international markets but they can be overcome or in the least mitigated. Some of the obstacles facing SMEs are structural and may be difficult to overcome. Others are psychological and can be addressed with appropriate and targeted assistance measures, both public and private, which combined with SME agility and entrepreneurial ability could pave the way for greater international success.

Differences In Consumers’ Green Consumption Mindsets And Behavior Across South Africa, South Korea And The United States Based Upon Measures Of Hofstede’S Cultural Dimensions Theory, Sam Fullerton, Estelle Van Tonder, Jungki Lee

AMTP Proceedings 2023

Samples of 513 South African consumers, 292 South Korean consumers, and 938 consumers in the United States were drawn using identical, but appropriately translated, questionnaires. The data collection instrument addressed a number of psychographic considerations germane to consumption – and anti-consumption – decisions. Using the index scores from Hofstede’s Theory of Cultural Dimensions as bases for differentiating among the three countries, meaningful differences related to issues germane to sustainability were identified. The three cultural dimensions used for comparative purposes were individualism (versus collectivism), indulgence (versus restraint) and long-term (versus short-term) orientation. Differences were documented for all eight of the sustainability-related …

A Comparison Of The Green Mindset And An Array Of Green Customer Citizenship Behaviours Of Adult Residents In South Africa And The United States, Christo Bisschoff, Estelle Van Tonder, Sam Fullerton

AMTP Proceedings 2023

Independent samples of 513 South African and 938 American consumers responded to an invitation-only, Internet-based survey that captured behavioural and attitudinal data regarding five constructs germane to customer citizenship. The five constructs were green mindset, anti-consumption behaviour, consumer coaching, green advocacy, and customer helping behaviour. Multi-item scales for all five constructs that had been shown to produce a high degree of reliability in prior research were gleaned from the literature. Results from South Africa and the United States were compared. High degrees of reliability were in evidence for each scale in each country. A comparison of the mean scores documented …

A Transition Point: The Role Of The Global Power Shift In Facilitating Saudi Internal Reforms, Aidan Aguilar

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The increasing political and economic influence of China represents a pivotal point within international relations. This paper aims to explore the implications of this global power shift on Saudi Arabia’s attempted economic reforms. The Kingdom’s reliance on oil has created an unsustainable economic model, and this model is intrinsically linked to Saudi Arabia’s relationship with the United States. Its growing relationship with China could create change. As such, this paper analyzes the intersection of economics and security in relation to the Saudi Vision 2030. I argue that, not only does China serve as an important source of the investment necessary …

The Role Of Worker-Driven Regulation In The Global Fashion Industry, Jessie Wills

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The global fashion industry continues to exploit workers at the bottom of its supply chains. Multinational brands pressure manufacturers to churn out products at increasingly fast rates for increasingly cheaper costs. Severe problems persist in enforcing labor standards in these factories, and methods like voluntary corporate social responsibility are aspirational at best. A newer method of enforcement, worker-driven regulation (WDR), shows promise in its improved enforceability methods and focus on worker voices. The main research question of this paper is: What are the conditions that trigger and sustain worker-driven regulation at the factory level in the apparel industry?

Research methods …

Investigating The Detriment Of Development Assistance: A Geopolitical Analysis Of Sino-Djibouti Relations Through The Lens Of China’S Belt And Road Initiative, Elizabeth Elenwo-Roger

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research paper will evaluate Africa’s past with debt accumulation, focusing on the role of the Washington Consensus spearheaded by the Bretton Woods Institutions in its failed attempts to relieve the continent’s debt distresses and further aggravate Africa’s already fractured relationship with the West. It will highlight the goals of the Belt and Road Initiative, assessing China’s South-South cooperation approach to its relations with Djibouti and the Horn of Africa. Specifically, it will investigate claims of China engaging in debt-trap diplomacy and the extent to which this term infringes upon the agency of African leaders. The general research question investigates …

Multinational Family Firms’ Internationalization Depth And Breadth Following The Global Financial Crisis, Sebastian P. L. Fourné, Miriam Zschoche, Christian Schwens, Reddi Kotha

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study examines how large family firms react to a macroeconomic shock in terms of their internationalization depth and breadth. Building on new internalization theory and acknowledging the dysfunctional manifestations of bifurcation bias in large family-owned MNEs, we argue that an unexpected shock induces family firms to recombine their family firm-specific resources with their thus far underutilized or unequally treated nonfamily resources. This recombination allows most family firms to economize on bifurcation bias and leverage their resources as firm-specific advantages (FSAs) resulting in an increased depth and breadth of internationalization post shock (while some of them may continue to suffer …

Understanding Gentrification Outside Of The Global Neoliberal Perspective In Hong Kong, Ivy Lu

Senior Theses

Globalization has impacted urban development in different parts of the world. In particular, the influence of neoliberalism has had a significant impact on gentrification. The academic hegemony of the English language further compounds the complexities of overextending the scope of this definition when applying it outside of its original Anglo-American contexts. East Asia, specifically Hong Kong, presents a unique case study due to its local context historically, politically and market-wise, as well as culturally; all of which make it valuable to study urban development phenomena in the region. However, identifying the indicators of neoliberalism and gentrification in Hong Kong is …

On The State Of Academic Journals And The Value Of Jnams, Michael E. Dobbs

Journal of the North American Management Society

No abstract provided.

Investigating How Tacit Knowledge Management Inclination And Explicit Marketing Agendas Impact Business Success., Christine Aliyu Makama, Douglas Johansen Dr

AMTP Proceedings 2023

This study empirically tests the relationship between tacit knowledge management inclination, internal explicit marketing agendas and external explicit marketing agendas and how they act together to enhance business outcomes. This was done to fill in the gap in the body of knowledge on the dearth of empirical research on tacit knowledge management inclination and marketing orientation. Using the quantitative research method and purposive sampling technique, data were collected from 89 respondents with significant business and marketing experience through a well-structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions. Employing regression analysis, the hypotheses were tested, and the finding highlighted that tacit knowledge management inclination …

The Pathway To The Natural Gas Industry: Financial Development, Coal Consumption, And Carbon Dioxide Emissions In P.R. China, Teng Tong, Jaime Ortiz, Haibo Wang

International Business and Entrepreneurship Faculty Publications

This paper revisits the causal links between financial development, coal consumption, and CO2 emissions in P.R. China over the 1977–2017 period to validate the development of its natural gas industry. It uses a Bootstrap ARDL bound test with structural breaks to establish stationarity, short- and long-run dynamics, and causality of the series. The results show there are no long-run relationships among these three variables, but a Granger causality test does indicate the presence of both a two-way Granger causality between coal consumption and CO2 emissions, and a one-way Granger causality running from financial development to both coal consumption and CO2 …

The Drivers Of Successful Regional Expansion: Evidence From Multinational Corporations In Latin America During 1990–2005, Raju Parakkal, Joseph Johnson, Sherry Bartz-Marvez

College of Humanities and Sciences Faculty Papers

Multinational firms that enter regional country blocks, such as Latin America, often choose a beachhead country, i.e. an entry point, as a launchpad into other countries in the region. While some recent scholarship examines beachhead decisions, research that explicitly examines beach- head choice in a regional context and the subsequent speed of expansion and firm performance in the region is surprisingly absent in international business literature. To address this gap, we examine whether the beachhead choice affects the speed and performance of regional expan- sion of multinational firms. We also analyse whether a firm’s regional speed and performance are dependent …

El Vínculo Entre La Literatura Y La Buena Publicidad En Varios Anuncios Del Mundo Hispanohablante (2017 - 2022), Carter Kane

World Languages and Cultures Student Papers and Posters

El anunciante más conocido en todo el país de España, cuyo nombre es Luis Bassat, es el fundador de la agencia más prestigiosa Ogilvy España. Bassat escribió el Libro Rojo de la Publicidad, una guía de la disciplina publicitaria que resume todo de lo que Bassat ha aprendido a través de su carrera distinguida de más de 47 años. Asimismo de muchos otros temas, este libro denota 10 consejos a los anunciantes del día actual para mantener la buena publicidad. Este ensayo va a utilizar esos consejos como una rúbrica para examinar el uso de la literatura en la creación …

Boyer Model Of Scholarship In Practice, Tony Shannon

International Journal for Business Education

The four types of scholarship in the Boyer framework are relevant to teaching or training at any level of post-secondary education, both directly in terms of knowledge and indirectly through the impact of enthusiasm [2,9]. This outline is a simplified introduction to the salient features of the system, with some general examples of what each type could mean in practice. The boundaries of the types are fluid and can overlap in theory and in practice [4,6].

Lumina Review Of Learning Frameworks: Tools For Building A Better Educational Experience, Tony Shannon

International Journal for Business Education

A reason for summarising this document (Travers et al, 2019) is that the Lumina Foundation in the USA is one of the few educational think-tanks which seems to be aware of the effects on the workplace from the exponentially accelerating growth in soft-computing, especially artificial intelligence, which will be seen in the next fifteen years (cf. Jankowski and Marshall. 2017).

Summary Of And Comments On Strengthening Skills: Expert Review Of Australia's Vocational Education And Training System, Steven Joyce

International Journal for Business Education

The following extracts have been compiled in this order to give a feeling for the total report (168 pages). The order of what follows is quite different from Joyce. It has been summarised this way for the benefit of readers who are not involved in the VET sector on a day-to-day basis. Most of the data are from 2017-2018. The summary is by Tony Shannon; it has no official status. To give perspective to this important report, the summary and comments are in three parts, namely,

• A general view of Australian Vocational Education & Training
• Recommendations – road map
• Some …

Report Of The Independent Review Of Freedom Of Speech In Australian Higher Education Providers, Tony Shannon

International Journal for Business Education

This summary does not claim to be preferred in any way to a reading of the complete report with its succinct and simple recommendations, including “A Model Code for the Protection of Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom in Australian Higher Education Providers”. The review is an important document for all institutions dedicated to teaching, particularly at the tertiary level, in having a shared understanding of freedom of speech within an institution.

The Review involved a two-stage consultation process with universities and other stakeholders between November 2018 and March 2019, and it also considered recent pertinent debates in Canada, New …

Ecosystem Social Responsibility In International Digital Commerce, Jingtao Yi, Jiatao Li, Liang Chen

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Despite the surge of interest in digital globalization, its social dimensions have received far less attention than deserved. The lack of conversation between the two prominent areas of IB research, digitalization, and corporate social responsibility, presents a valuable opportunity for extending the agenda Ioannou and Serafeim (J Int Bus Stud 43(9):834-864, 2012) pioneered a decade earlier. We briefly depict the organizational differences between multinational enterprises (MNEs) and multinational platforms (MNPs), followed by a closer look at how social responsibility of digital platforms might depart from our conventional understanding derived from MNEs. We then propose the notion of ecosystem social responsibility …