Maxed Out: How The Pandemic Put The Fitness Industry’S Fate In The Hands Of Its Consumers, Denny Jacob

Capstones

The pandemic's impact on the fitness industry has gone deeper than closing gyms. It has completely reoriented how people workout, where they workout, how gyms will look and run and the new balance between brick-and-mortar gym locations and virtual fitness. The seismic shifts that have taken place over nearly two years have moved the industry to a place that it can't revert from. Everything that has changed since is here to stay in some capacity.

Link to capstone: https://djacob1670.wixsite.com/capstone

Tiktok Has Influenced The Way We Buy Beauty, Keira R. Wingate, Angela Palumbo

Capstones

The purpose of this capstone project is to show how the popular social media platform, TikTok, is influencing and changing the way consumers buy and the companies sell beauty products.

Since the start of the pandemic, a record number of people logged into TikTok, which has become one of the top social media platforms in the world. While the app grew, so did the number of users who made videos reviewing and using makeup products. Soon, TikTok went from an entertainment platform to a marketing opportunity for large companies in the beauty industry.

Now, hundreds of influencers are paid large …

Evaluation Of Recommended Modular Email Building Approaches, Palak Sadhwani

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Customer relationship management acts as the backbone of marketing. For any company marketing is the most important sector to promote a company and attract customers. Email marketing is one of the most effective ways of digital marketing. However, the cost of design and development is time consuming and redundant. Marketers and project managers are frequently unassertive about how to solve these issues. Although there are blogs, articles and services available for marketing email development, the lack of research in the effectiveness of email building architecture bolsters the need for this study. The project presents an architecture that modularizes the way …

The Curse Of The Original: How And When Heritage Branding Reduces Consumer Evaluations Of Enhanced Products, Minju Han, George E. Newman, Rosanna K. Smith, Ravi Dhar

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Heritage branding is a common marketing strategy that has been shown to increase product appeal. Here, we find that certain forms of heritage branding can also have potentially negative consequences by leading consumers to react negatively to changes made to the brand’s original, flagship product—even if those changes objectively improve it. We demonstrate that when firms engage in heritage branding that emphasizes a brand’s longevity, consumers evaluate enhanced products less favorably than the original versions of those same products due to decreased perceptions of continuity authenticity. We demonstrate this effect across a variety of product domains (e.g., cosmetics, cookware, and …

Arbor Edge Defense (Aed) Sales Training, Michael J. Wetherbee

Instructional Design Capstones Collection

Due to a change in revenue policy, an organization that sells products in the DDoS attack solution space embarked on a journey to fundamentally change the strategy they employed to sell their DDoS solution. The offering from the organization was a combination of two products that provided a comprehensive DDoS solution. The solution was made up of a cloud solution combined with an on-premises appliance.

Because most of the cloud portion was owned by another organization and the profit margins were small, they decided to sell their portion to the other organization. Once sold, they decided to change the sales …

Investigating The Effects Of Dimension-Specific Sentiments On Product Sales: The Perspective Of Sentiment Preferences, Cuiqing Jiang, Jianfei Wang, Qian Tang, Xiaozhong Lyu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

While literature has reached a consensus on the awareness effect of online word-of-mouth (eWOM), this paper studies its persuasive effect, specifically, the dimension-specific sentiment effects on product sales. We allow the sentiment information in eWOM along different product dimensions to have different persuasive effects on consumers’ purchase decisions. This occurs because of consumers’ sentiment preference, which is defined as the relative importance consumers place on various dimension-specific sentiments. We use an aspect-level sentiment analysis to derive the dimension-specific sentiments and PVAR (panel vector auto-regression) models to estimate their effects on product sales using a movie panel dataset. The findings show …

Sharepoint Site To Create Efficiencies, Stephanie G. Velasquez

IPS/BAS 495 Undergraduate Capstone Projects

A project related to improving processes and efficiencies for a sales leadership team.

Building Connections In Co-Production Environments, Kimberly D. Grantham, Kimberly R. Mcneil, Gail Ayala Taylor, Roland L. Leak

Atlantic Marketing Journal

With the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic felt around the globe, consumers look forward to once again being able to engage in communal experiences where relationships with other customers and with service providers are integral parts of ongoing service experiences. The purpose of this study is to provide a framework for service establishments to better understand the communal approach to becoming a service co-creator, helping service providers create more meaningful relationships between their customers when customers are engaging in the service experience in a group and as an individual. We distinguish individual versus group influences that emerge as a result …

The Faculty Recruitment-Retention Connection: A Strategic Linkage Approach, Mary Mobley, Richard Easley

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is clear about the worsening shortage of doctoral qualified faculty. It is the proposition of this paper that business schools should consider evaluating and perhaps reinvigorating recruitment strategies in both the short- and intermediate-term, as well as developing marketing management strategies that will help alleviate business faculty shortages in the long-term. Strategic marketing guidance is set forth in this paper with a focus on the development and institutionalization of managerial linkages between recruitment-retention connections. Our major premise is that leadership robustness is needed relative to the construction and implementation of strategic …

Cartelligent Sales Training Program, Hilary T. Brophy

IPS/BAS 495 Undergraduate Capstone Projects

My Capstone project is based on creating an entirely new sales training program at the company I work for, using collaborative and innovative approaches, and for the first time in my company's twenty-two year history, including stakeholders that range from the Executive Team to the newest members of the sales team.

The Customer Value Model And Mobile Banking: Evaluation Of Technology-Based Self Service (Tbss) Gaps, Justin A. Moist, Ismet Anitsal, Melek Meral Anitsal

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Mobile banking has become a prevalent part of everyday banking, and almost all banks have adopted its use. This form of self-service has seen wide adoption because of its ease of use, performance, reliability, and enjoyment of use. These attributes of technology-based self-service options help both customers and businesses determine the value of the service. The proposed customer value model aims to conceptually represent how companies and customers perceive the value of a product or service and pinpoint gaps between these values. This paper presents the customer value model in the context of mobile banking. This new context is part …

Impact Of Different Types Of In-Store Displays On Consumer Purchase Behavior, Yoonju Han, Sandeep R. Chandukala, Shibo Li

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Research on consumer in-store shopping behavior does not account for the existence of different types of display locations (e.g. storefront, store rear, secondary, front end cap, rear end cap, and shelf displays). This article focuses on accounting for and understanding the impact of various displays on consumer purchase behavior based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theory. Specifically, we study how displays closer to and farther from the main location of the focal category influence consumer purchase behavior. Furthermore, within the different types of displays we investigate the impact of specific types of displays on consumer's category purchase and brand choice and …

The Perceived Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Healthcare Cost In Bangladesh, Hasibul Islam, Fatema Johora, Asma A. Abbasy, Masud Rana, Niyungeko Antoine

Journal of Global Business Insights

The study showed the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare expenses including the price of medicines, protective equipment, medical devices, healthcare facilities, and food. A self-administered questionnaire was used as the data collection tool and 400 people from different Bangladesh divisions (Dhaka, Chittagong, Barisal, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, and Sylhet) participated in this study. Multiple regression analysis was used to estimate the impact of independent variables on dependent variables. R programming environment was used to perform the statistical analysis. Cronbach’s alpha was used for determination of reliability and found acceptable internal consistency. The price of protective equipment (POPE), the price …

B Corps’ Social Media Communications During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Through The Lens Of The Triple Bottom Line, Manveer Mann, Sang-Eun Byun, Whitney Ginder

Department of Marketing Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The COVID-19 pandemic and rising demand for transparency has heightened the importance of sustainability communications on social media to generate deeper stakeholder engagement. Although B Corporations (B Corps), businesses committed to the triple bottom line (TBL), could serve as a catalyst for sustainable development, little is known about how they communicate on social media during a crisis. Therefore, we examined social media communications of B Corps to (1) identify salient topics and themes, (2) analyze how these themes align with the TBL, and (3) evaluate social media performance against industry benchmarks. We focused on the apparel, footwear, and accessories (AFA) …

More Than Money: Establishing The Importance Of A Sense Of Purpose For Salespeople, Valerie Good, Douglas E. Hughes, Hao Wang

Peer Reviewed Articles

Much of the current research on salesperson motivation focuses on extrinsic reward expectancy related to compensation, contests, incentives, and quotas. We find that while salespeople want to make money, they also want to make a difference and contribute to society through their work. In Study 1, the qualitative findings reveal that a sense of purpose–the belief that one is making a contribution to a cause greater and more enduring than oneself–is a significant motivator for salespeople. Hence, in Study 2 we develop a measure for sense of purpose and distinguish it from related constructs. Finally, in Study 3 we use …

Proceedings Of The Global Conference On Services Management: Volume 2, Cihan Cobanoglu, Valentina Della Corte

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This is the second volume of the Global Conference on Services Management Proceedings Series.

ISSN: 2641-5062

Customer Satisfaction Index Of Singapore 2021: Q1 Results, Institute Of Service Excellence, Smu

Research Collection Institute of Service Excellence (2007-2024)

The Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore (CSISG) computes customer satisfaction scores at the national, sector, sub-sector, and company levels. The CSISG serves as a quantitative benchmark of the quality of goods and services produced by the Singapore economy over time. 2021 marks the 15th year of measurement for the CSISG national study.

Victoria's Secret, Rachel M. Granger

Journalism

Founded on June 12th, 1977 in San Francisco, CA by husband Roy Raymond and wife Gaye, Victoria's Secret has grown to become a renowned company in the fashion industry with a cult following for its lingerie, loungewear, activewear, and beauty products (Victoria's Secret, 2021).

Victoria's Secret aims to develop customer loyalty and an exceptional consumer experience through their high quality, sophisticated, and sexy products that appeal to every consumer's taste and budget with a variety of price points: bras from $19-$150, loungewear $29-$200, activewear from $20-100, and beauty products from $10- $21 (Victoria's Secret, 2021). Their products are designed "by …

All About Flowers : James Vick's Nineteenth-Century Seed Company, Thomas J. Mickey

Ohio University Press Open Access Books

A nineteenth-century entrepreneur’s bold, innovative marketing helped transform flower gardens into one of America’s favorite hobbies.

“There is much that is hard and productive of sorrow in this sin-plagued world of ours; and, had we no flowers, I believe existence would be hard to be borne.” So states a customer’s 1881 letter—one of thousands James Vick regularly received. Vick’s business, selling flower seeds through the mail, wasn’t unique, but it was wildly successful because he understood better than his rivals how to engage customers’ emotions. He sold the love of flowers along with the flower seeds.

Vick was genuinely passionate …

Business Analysis Of Flexpacer: The Viability And Profitability Of Rechargeable Pacemakers, Bailey Arnold

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

Heart disease being as prominent as it is in the United States enables medical technology manufacturers to create lucrative businesses and products for cardiothoracic and cardiovascular physicians and patients. As a proposed rechargeable pacemaker (PM) that uses piezoelectric energy harvesting technology, FlexPacer has the chance to eliminate the need for battery replacement surgeries. This paper aims to outline the current issues in PM products and technology, identify the potential risks and benefits of FlexPacer, and discuss FlexPacer’s potential for profitability.

Effects Of Retail Case Environment And Led Lighting Temperature On Color Of Ground Beef Patties, Mesa Kutz

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this study was to explore different type of retail cases and case environments, primarily lighting, to quantify the impact on shelf life. Coarse ground 80:20 beef from a local retail establishment was acquired between 7 and 10 d from the box date and fine ground through a 9.5 mm grinder plate, and then formed into 150.25 g patties with an automatic patty forming machine. Each patty was then individually packaged in PVC-overwrap packages and randomly assigned to one of the four different treatments: open, multideck cases with 3000 K lighting (OPEN3000),open 3500 K lighting (OPEN3500),enclosed, …

A Sweet Future For Sugar Makery: A Deeper Dive Into Small Business Consulting, Samuel Lauritsen

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This case study investigates a local candy store in Glenwood and Council Bluffs Iowa. Processes, consistency and concise planning promoted the rapid growth of Sugar Makery into two locations in three short years. Results from the analyses indicate that the main problem facing Sugar Makery is sustaining its differentiated strategy from new industry entrants, key recommendations to sustain its success are presented. Every company has its own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The key is identifying each to be able to capitalize on competitive advantages, mitigate the damage done by weaknesses, take advantage of opportunities and create plans to avoid …

Beauty And Lifestyle Subscription Services: A Modern Retailing Format For The Vigilante Collaborative Consumption Consumer, Melisa Spilinek

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Advancements in technology and ease of use of online shopping via phone applications (apps) and subscription services have fundamentally changed how consumers shop. Now more than ever, consumers are turning to time-saving technological tools that are subscription services. Subscription services provide a multitude of benefits to consumers and contribute to collaborative consumption in nearly every product and service category from coffee to apparel. To investigate beauty and lifestyle subscription services and collaborative consumption this study will utilize a mixed methods convergent design to analyze user experience including price sensitivity, subscription service apps and ease of use. Anticipated contributions to the …

Changing The Script: An Investigation Of How Gender Roles And Stereotypes Influence Women’S Career Choice In Marketing, Skylar Laine Read

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how the portrayal of gender roles and stereotypes have influenced young women growing up and how this representation has affected women’s career choices—specifically in sales. This thesis will explore the evolution of the Disney Princess, how the gender roles of these characters have influenced young girls’ perception of their role models, career choices, and perceptions of themselves in the workplace. This exploration is done through three different studies. The first is a case study of three Disney Princesses and the portrayal of women in their respective eras. The second study consists of …

Brave New World Reboot: Technology’S Role In Consumer Manipulation And Implications For Privacy And Transparency, Allie Mertensotto

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Most consumers are aware that our data is being obtained and collected through the use of our devices we keep in our homes or even on our person throughout the day. But, it is understated how much data is being collected. Conversations you have with your peers – in a close proximity of a device – are being used to tailor advertising. The advertisements you receive on your devices are uniquely catered to your individual person, due to the fact it consistently uses our data to produce efficient and personal ads. On the flip side, our government is also tapping …

The Pandemic Intern Of Nestlé Usa, Brenna Rose Beck

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Over the summer of 2020, I had the privilege to intern with Nestlé USA (NUSA), a sector of the multinational food and beverage processing conglomerate corporation that is headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland. As of 2014, Nestlé is known as the largest food and beverage company in the entire world. Over the course of ten weeks, I was able to learn from an immense number of opportunities that were available to me while working for this corporation. Nestlé was founded in 1866 by Henri Nestlé, originally as the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company that was aimed towards leveraging a safe, long shelf-life …

The Importance Of Assortment Discipline In The Retail Environment, Reed Fraser

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The primary objective of this paper is to emphasize and explain the importance of assortment optimization while analyzing a plan to create a disciplined assortment in United States retail stores. Assortment optimization has a direct effect on consumer decisions as this paper looks at some examples of success and failure while demonstrating the use of data processing systems created to help assist with assortment optimization for companies. Finally, an independent study through the execution of an internship was conducted that completed an assortment optimization project within Walmart. All recommendations given to the company were accepted which led to increased customer …

The Bridge To Closing The Green Gap, Samantha Rife

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

In today’s society, we have seen the theme of green consciousness and sustainability become more prevalent as the years pass by. Even as this concept seems to increase in consumer engagement there is not a proportional increase in consumer behavior. This is what is referred to as the gap between green consciousness and green consumerism. Many believe the root of this issue can be solved by increasing regulations. However, I believe this gap can be narrowed by using brands to shift consumers behaviors through their message. The main question that I want to focus in on is, “Can a brand …

The Use Of Social Media For Marketing By Independent Musicians, Jessica E. Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many musicians have social media presences, but not many know how to begin or how to market their music. Instead, artists find themselves searching for other forms to help them market their music. This leads them to overspend on expensive services in hopes that they can get their names more known. Musicians may feel discouraged when they don’t see the results they hope for, especially online and with other competitors. Because of this, musicians feel less confident in their success in the music industry. There is an imbalance between what the musician wants to achieve and what they need. …

Walt Disney World As A Model For Brand Marketing: An Imc Approach To Build Brand Loyalty, Sarah Camille Blankenship

Honors Theses

The Walt Disney Company has an estimated brand value of $61.3 billion and a brand revenue of $38.7 billion according to Forbes’ 2020 World’s Most Valuable Brands (Swant, n.d.). As number seven in the world’s most valuable brands and the only leisure brand in the top fifty, the Disney brand is often used as a business model and inspiration for many companies (Swant, n.d.). Its success can be attributable to the high degree of brand loyalty they create among their customers. Among its approximately 157 million visitors who visited Disney Parks globally, there was a 70% return rate of first-time …