Theses and Dissertations, Capstones, and Directed Research
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Electronic theses and dissertations, and graduate and undergraduate Capstones and Directed Research.
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Browsing Theses and Dissertations, Capstones, and Directed Research by Department "Business Administration"
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Item A Case Study of Qualitative Factors in Making Venture Capital Investment Decisions(2017-05) Brunner, Frances; Stokes, Alexis; Minifie, Jana; Hood, MatthewWhen a startup requires large capital backing, it can expect to seek out the venture capitalist. Understanding the process and priorities of the venture capitalist is necessary to gain funding approval on more than just a good business plan, a positive revenue model, or being a likeable person. This study gives a current view of the modern venture capitalist and the elements of their decision making for the edification of entrepreneurs in the funding stage, to understand and avoid pitfalls of their presentation and unspoken communication for nonfinancial components of their business persona. Five interviews have been conducted with venture capitalists residing in the Austin area and two interviews with subject matter experts (SMEs) who have been directly influenced and are consultants in venture capital decision making. These individuals have shared their experiences and methodologies in finding inimitable opportunities for high growth ventures. An explanation of venture capital review methods is presented, followed by a case study and summary of commonalities and contradictions between interview outcomes.Item A Long-Term Strategic Business Plan for LaCoste and Romberg Gravity Meters(1991-05) Adams, James R.; Middlebrook, Billy; Olney, Robert; Mehta, MayurNo abstract prepared.Item A Macro-Environmental Analysis of Competitive Employment for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder(2019-11) van Bree, Marc C. M.; Stokes, Alexis B.; Baucus, Melissa; Miller, Brian KSociety’s understanding and awareness of autism spectrum disorder have evolved tremendously in the last decades as prevalence numbers have increased dramatically. Much of the research into autism has been focused on interventions, biology, and surveillance, with only a small fraction of funding and research going to lifespan and employment issues. There is no comprehensive multidisciplinary perspective that captures the threats and opportunities to build a neurodiverse workforce. Some thirty years after the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the workforce participation rate and the employment rate of people with disabilities remains much lower than the general population. Unemployment rates for individuals on the spectrum have been estimated at 50 to 75 percent and youth with autism are among the least likely to be employed compared to peers with other disabilities. Competitive employment is associated with positive quality of life outcomes. This thesis will present a multidisciplinary scoping review of the existing research on employment and autism within the political, economic, social, and technological macro domains. The purpose is to gain an understanding of the forces shaping the competitive employment environment for people on the spectrum with a particular focus on small business. The review yields a summary of threats and opportunities, provides recommendations for increased and inclusive employment for people with autism, and identifies research gaps and future research opportunities.Item A Study of the Cost of Life Insurance Over a Twenty-Year Period(1958-08) Singleton, Ralph M.; Nichols, Tom W.; Musgrave, Alvin; Pool, William C.No abstract prepared.Item A study of the Veteran Administration's managerial controls in an EDP system(1971-12) White, Claude W.No abstract prepared.Item An Analysis of the Development of Accounting in India(1982-05) Paschall, Winford LeeNo abstract prepared.Item Comparative study between the US and the Colombian market regarding commercialization of gasoline at the retail market(1999-08) Morales, Juan D.; Temponi, CeciliaThe purpose of this study is to compare the U.S. and Colombian gasoline retail market and propose marketing strategies to increase revenue by boosting sales volume and offering excellent service, based on the new Colombian market conditions. This is an appeal to conduct similar studies in Latin America due to the similar market conditions of other countries compared with Colombia. The first step of this study was to conduct detailed research in Colombia and the U.S. to determine the gasoline retail market conditions. By identifying the existing gap between Colombia and U.S. gasoline markets, this study approaches those marketing strategies which could match the Colombian market to enhance the profitability of oil companies in Colombia. An action plan is recommended to accomplish this objective. Of course, there is a big gap between the American and Colombian market-the U.S. is a developed country, whereas Colombia is a country with a developmental delay. However, this developmental delay represents an opportunity to improve marketing strategies in a sector which involves a lot of assets, such as the gasoline retail industry. The finding proves that there are a lot of marketing strategies to develop at the gasoline retail market to offer a better service to the Colombian customer. Colombian companies have not shown an outstanding marketing strategy, beyond location, to satisfy the customer. However, the latest service approaches in Colombian give hope that a tremendous change is coming from the oil companies to differentiate their brand names from those of their competitors.Item Considerations in the Establishment and Operation of a Small Business Enterprise(1948-08) McCalment, Willard E.; Musgrave, Alvin; Norwood, PatNo abstract prepared.Item Consumer M-Shopping Similarities and Differences by Life Stage(2020-12) McDonald, Imani N.; Rayburn, Steven; Anderson, Sidney; Zank, GailM-shopping, or transactions processed on mobile devices, now makes up more than a third of all business-to-consumer transactions in e-commerce (Hubert et al., 2017). Although m-shopping can be completed from any mobile device, m-shopping activities are performed on smartphones in most cases, and businesses have responded by creating digital interfaces tailored to the smartphone. However, academic literature fails to address the specifics of m-shopping activities as well as the distinction between m-shopping and e-shopping. This research utilizes qualitative methods to explore participants’ mobile shopping experiences on smartphones. Previous research has suggested that shopping activities in traditional stores differ between user groups (Dholakia, 1999). Mobile shopping activities may also vary depending on the customer’s characteristics (Fuentes and Svingstedt, 2017). Leaning on these two perspectives, this study investigates the differences and similarities between and within different life stage groups. Identifying these similarities and differences informs retailers’ efforts to target and design for various user groups. This literature contributes to the retail, m-commerce, and consumer behavior literature by exploring m-shopping activities, perceptions, and differences within life stage groups. Findings of this research include information on frequency and attitudes of m-shopping among users based on life stages, which may affect the way a consumer approaches m-shopping activities, and the perceived risks that each life stage group holds.Item Continuous Improvement in the Amusement Park Industry: An Illustration(2011-12) Keyes, Carol; Temponi, Cecilia; Feng, Li; Mendez, FrancisContinuous improvement is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes and an important aspect of successful business operations remaining strategically competitive. The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for continuous improvement initiatives in the Amusement Park industry through an illustration of the retail department at a specific water park. Efforts are directed at the evaluation of specific processes and generation of solutions to reduce waste resulting in overall process improvement. The methodology to accomplish the desired results revolves around the DMAIC model, consisting of five stages: define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. At each stage, this study uses qualitative and quantitative tools specifically selected to define and measure the problem, analyze its root cause, and select solutions for improvement. The project team applied the proposed framework and successfully identified areas of potential improvement and possible solutions. Finally, this research shows the strength of having a structured approach to continuous process improvement.Item Creating a Hitter's Approach: Analyzing At-Bat Data(2017-12) Ramos, Dominic C.; Mendez, Francis A.; Wierschem, David; Ekin, TahirIn this paper, we begin the process of creating an approach for a hitter in baseball dependent on predicting the pitch location. Predicting pitch location has not been introduced in academics up to this point. Most predictions have been done on pitch type or on the decision of the hitter or swing to wait on a pitch. In this study, we find a way to help the hitter create five locations in the hitting-zone to look for pitches to cross the plate and how to maximize the hitter's chance of predicting correctly in different scenarios of a game. Creating an approach dependent on predicting the pitch location was found by using contour maps, the Gaussian mixture model to create five areas for the hitter to set as approaches, and a multinomial logistic regression to explain when to change from one location to another during different situations in a game. The hitter learns to create approaches to handle at-bats when facing a right-handed or left-handed pitcher, when the hitter has strikes on the count, when the game increases in innings played, when outs increase, and when baserunners are on second and third. The future is bright for predicting pitch location. Teams who can implement these strategies will have an advantage over teams who do not.Item The Economic Aspects of Regulation I of the Clean Air Act of Texas-1965 on Eight Industrial Firms Located in Harris County, Texas(1971-07) Rushing, Ralph B.; Stevenson, Robert M.; Hardesty, Walton D.; Erickson, Maurice J.No abstract prepared.Item Employee and customer loyalty: Measures to evaluate and enhance company performance(2000-05) Plume, Isabel M.; Temponi, Cecilia; Olney, Robert; Mogab, JackCustomer satisfaction alone will not ensure company success. The concept of improving corporate strategies to include employee and customer loyalty results from this realization. Research involving wide cross sections of industry shows that retaining employee loyalty, as well as customer loyalty, is valuable and directly related to value growth of a company. Creating, improving and maintaining loyalty begins by engaging and changing the organizational culture. Customer loyalty is often related to, and affected by, specific relationships and encounters with company representatives (the employee), who effectively become stewards and ambassadors. Of those front-line employees who are serving the customer, it is indispensable to recognize the value of employee loyalty. This projection of loyalty is perceivable by the customer. Customer satisfaction measurement has grown to include the concept of customer loyalty since loyalty is a predictor of actual behavior rather than stated intentions. A theoretical model presented in this study will systematically measure both employee and customer loyalty, with the results being used to determine and prioritize areas in need of improvement. The management of loyalty and customer relationships must be achieved, in a proactive mode, to anticipate and respond to market needs, thereby creating value for a company. Through the use of the loyalty measurement results, companies can align their objectives for managing employee and customer loyalty with the organization's quality corporate strategy, culture, daily operations and management systems for the successful creation, expansion and management of employee and customer loyalty. The rewards of loyalty are long-term and cumulative. Both revenue and savings opportunities will be recognized through increases in customer retention and purchasing relationship, lower cost of loyal customers, and the reduction of employee and customer defection. Potential revenues may be estimated using the loyalty measurement results. This estimate establishes the documented link between loyalty improvements and profitability. Future success and longevity of a company will be based on its ability to create, improve and maintain employee and customer loyalty.Item Engagement of Student Parents in Community Colleges: Challenges and Opportunities(2016-12) Schaetz, Maureen Pafumi; Ekin, Tahir; Feng, Li; Beck, Jennifer A.; Chittenden, WilliamNo abstract prepared.Item Item Homelessness Social-Impact Bonds in the United States(2018-12) Johnson, Christy Ariel; Kishan, Ruby P.; Hood, Matthew; Young, GlenSocial-impact bonds (SIBs) introduce a new strategy with which to fight homelessness through a contractual partnership between nonprofits, socially-minded investors, and governmental agencies in a growing number of American cities. Due to limited political willpower and public funding, some nonprofits have used SIBs to leverage support for social programs. I explore efforts to eradicate homelessness in five initiatives spread across the country through SIBs located in Massachusetts, California (Santa Clara and Los Angeles), Colorado, and Utah. An analysis of homing retention, governmental savings, and investor returns details the impact of the three key players in SIBs. I explain how strong intermediaries and political will can make SIBs a viable tool with which to improve the lives of the American homeless population with lasting social outcomes. Last, I discuss the future of SIBs and how they can become a mainstream financial tool through decreased transaction costs, standard data-sharing agreements, alternatives to randomized control trials (RCTs), federal government participation, congressional legislation support, and aggregating socially motivated investors.Item Preliminaries on Demand Driven Value Networks: Implications of Information Technology(2015-04) Diaz, Natasha D.; Temponi, Cecilia; Blanco, R. Ivan; Ramachandran, InduFor the past couple of decades supply chain management has experienced many changes and challenges that have given way to its transformation. Operating a successful organization today requires the involvement of both suppliers and customers. Globalization, technological advances, uncertain life cycles, high competition, increasing supply chain risks, environmental issues, customer expectations, and consumer demand are some of the many factors that have lead the supply chain to evolve. Organizations have realized the importance of becoming more focused on their core capabilities while creating strategic partners, distributors, suppliers, and customers. These collaborative relationships have been a key factor in determining an organizations’ competitive advantage. The supply chain has transitioned from production driven (push strategy) to demand driven (pull strategy). Demand Driven Value Network (DDVN) has given way to a new age of supply chain. New technologies have been created to facilitate the interaction along the supply chain. The purpose of this research is to analyze the transition of the traditional supply chain to the modern supply chain, propose a preliminary maturity model to transition to the modern supply chain and analyze the importance of information technology in transforming and sustaining the modern supply chain.Item Item Properties Relating Independent Chance Variables, Distribution Functions, and Moment-generating Functions(1970-05) Bruemmer, Arlon W.Most authors of probability and statistics books introduce the definition of a joint-distribution function to prove certain properties involving moment-generating functions for distribution functions of independently distributed chance variables. The purpose of this paper is to show that some of these properties can be established without using the definition of a joint-distribution function. First, some properties involving sets and independent chance variables will be established. These arguments will then be used to obtain the distribution function for the sum of two independent chance variables.Item RFID Technology: A Roadmap for Integration into the Supply Chain(2006-12) Barnes, Damon W.; Temponi, CeciliaOrganizations have begun to examine the pros and cons of implementing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology into the supply chain. RFID systems have the potential to improve supply chain coordination; however, many firms have experienced significant barriers when incorporating RFID technology into the supply chain. Through research and analysis of firms that have implemented an RFID system, this research work proposes a long-run strategy to integrate RFID into the supply chain. The aforementioned strategic roadmap is recommended because it reduces the likelihood of encountering barriers to RFID adoption and implementation; which in turn, presents the best opportunity for successful RFID integration into the supply chain.