Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University proudly showcases the work of undergraduate honors students by sharing this collection exclusively with the ASU community.
Barrett accepts high performing, academically engaged undergraduate students and works with them in collaboration with all of the other academic units at Arizona State University. All Barrett students complete a thesis or creative project which is an opportunity to explore an intellectual interest and produce an original piece of scholarly research. The thesis or creative project is supervised and defended in front of a faculty committee. Students are able to engage with professors who are nationally recognized in their fields and committed to working with honors students. Completing a Barrett thesis or creative project is an opportunity for undergraduate honors students to contribute to the ASU academic community in a meaningful way.
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Description
It is important to examine training programs for in-store associates in the specialty retail industry. The retail industry is strong right now, and growth is expected to be at 7% over the next 10 years. In the retail industry, the Internet poses a credible threat to brick and mortar stores, as many customers now prefer to shop online. To compensate for this, storefronts need to provide an increasingly exceptional in-store experience to drive sales and maintain customer relationships. Creating excellent training programs for in-store associates is the best way in which to improve the relationship between the customer and the associate and create an excellent store experience. Strong associate training programs have numerous benefits to the overarching organization. An employee that feels confident and competent in their job is more engaged at work. Engaged employees are less likely to quit than average, which means a strong training program can save a company turnover costs and loss of institutional knowledge. Additionally, an engaged associate is more likely to exert extra discretionary effort, which increases operational efficiency. Ultimately, an engaged employee will strengthen the service profit chain and create a better overall experience for the customer. When creating a training program it is important to take into account the learning preferences of the company's associates. Millennial learners prefer working in groups, integrated technology, and lessons that are applicable to real life. Generation X learners are self-sufficient and view time as a luxury. They expect material to be straightforward and concise. Additionally, when creating a training program it is important to benchmark programs within and outside of the operating industry. REI has a comprehensive training program that focuses on connecting employees to the mission of the company as well as in-depth product knowledge. Macy's recently overhauled its training program to include more face time with managers and semi-annual refresher trainings. Ritz-Carlton, a step outside of the retail industry, provides legendary training where employees receive over 250 hours of training in the first year alone. Ritz-Carlton employees are highly engaged and autonomous in their work, which leads to an excellent hotel experience. Using my internship as a field study, I share some important results from work with a Fortune 400 specialty retailer headquartered in the Phoenix Valley. Here I examine the associate and customer relationship with the aim of improving the in-store experience. Through benchmarking, associate interviews, and data analysis I am able to recommend a long-term vision for training at the organization where up-to-date product information is accessible in the aisle and overall knowledge well rounded through buddy shift programs and cross-training. My overall recommendation for the specialty retail industry is to take a holistic approach to training. I advocate looking at training programs from multiple perspectives including learning preferences, employee motivations, and corporate culture. Additionally, holistic training means that a company educates and trains associates in all areas of the business through cross-training and buddy shifts. Holistic training will create an engaged work force and improve the customer experience.
ContributorsHouts, Madeline Kirby (Author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Department of Management (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The "Dutch Dukeout" is a memorial, community engagement venture founded by Scott Fitzgerald and Sam Minton. The event was also supported and facilitated through the help of a third party member, Dylan Bryant. The "Dutch Dukeout" will continue annually, as an opportunity for Brophy College Preparatory alumni and current students to come together and connect. This venture also exists to celebrate and honor the life and legacy of Fr. Harry "Dutch" Olivier, a former, prominent faculty member of Brophy. Additionally, the "Dutch Dukeout" aims to raise money to support the Brophy Scholarship Foundation, a resource for current Brophy students to offset the financial burden it costs to attend the prominent college preparatory. Foremost, the "Dutch Dukeout" flag football tournament provides a powerful way for Brophy Alumni to reconnect with their school. By communicating and participating with graduates from various classes, alumni have an opportunity to provide valuable life lessons and share personal stories with the youth, as well as bond over their shared experience at Brophy. For a school that is able to continually develop community leaders and social activists, the "Dutch Dukeout" provides a platform for collaboration and inspiration for everyone who participates. By raising money to support the Brophy Scholarship Foundation and providing an opportunity for alumni to engage in their community, the "Dutch Dukeout" is an event that truly embodies Fr. Olivier's values and beliefs. This thesis report documents the ideas, work and efforts that were completed to launch and then ensure the success and longevity of the venture. It also serves as an example for future social entrepreneurs who aim to make a difference in communities of their own.
ContributorsFitzgerald, Scott (Co-author) / Samuel, Minton (Co-author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The purpose of this project was to create a brand identity for an expansion Major League Soccer team in Arizona. We identified and analyzed the numerous components that combine to create a sports brand, as well as a brand's impact on a soccer club's location and community. We determined that visual identity is the dominant aspect of a sports brand that is designed, and we limited our work accordingly. We defined the visual brand identity as being made up of the color palette, team name, logo, typography, and uniforms of a prospective soccer club. In order to create a strong brand, we chose to develop four unique visual identities and gain feedback from an expert panel of trusted colleagues to select a preferred brand. Using panel responses allowed us to identify the brand that most excited and captivated existing Arizona sports fans, thus ensuring the selected brand would be successful when implemented. The creation of each brand identity was constrained by four assumptions. These limitations were inspired by research of the current Arizona sports landscape and Major League Soccer branding, and ensured that our four proposed visual identities successfully assimilated into Arizona and MLS. After presenting our brand proposals to our expert panel, we learned that the AZFC brand proposal had the most popular assets, yet the Arizona SC brand proposal was the most popular overall. From this we discovered that providing a connection between brand and location is critical in order to capture attention. We also learned that this connection must be applied across a unified brand identity, rather than being expressed through individual assets.
ContributorsCambron, Reece (Co-author) / Hyland, Chelsea (Co-author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / J. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
For over ninety years, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has recognized award-winning films for their technical capabilities, acting and storytelling. And for decades, many parties involved have campaigned for Oscar glory. This thesis generates a deeper understanding into the process by which the motion picture ecosystem works - and explains why being nominated and/or winning an Academy Award generates added value for all parties involved ranging from agencies to studios, streamers, talent and even legitimate awards campaign strategists. This thesis analyzes the various methods and price tags different entities put on awards campaigns and explores the various creative and traditional methods in which people vie for nominations and wins. Our title, “For Your Consideration,” is a term widely used in the entertainment industry when courting Academy members to vote for eligible projects in traditional advertising - which can be seen littered about Hollywood in the months leading up to Oscar Sunday.
ContributorsGruca, Benjamin Roman (Co-author) / Kichler, Amanda (Co-author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Giles, Charles Bret (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Comm (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This thesis explores data-driven engagement strategies for the ASU Baseball team to implement in order to increase student attendance at their home games, held at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, given that all general students have a financial buy-in to their collegiate athletic programs. Developing a loyal fan base is essential to a team’s overall success, leading to an increased sense of pride and passion for on-field heroism. Our research team's focus was on analyzing the brand positioning of the Sun Devil Baseball program to determine what opportunities exist within the program. Our methods included collecting secondary data and conducting primary research via a Qualtrics survey administered to undergraduate students on ASU’s campus. The survey results were then used to propose data-driven engagement strategies covering various aspects of campus life in order to provide a well-designed value proposition. Additionally, we used findings from our secondary data to evolve our recommendations past student attendance and into overall presence as well. Through conducting research of different histories, examining the current situation, then identifying an opportunity to grow along with a plan of action, this creative project will cover multiple key areas of a student brand report.
ContributorsBerge, Nicole (Author) / Personale, Caitlin (Co-author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
This thesis explores data-driven engagement strategies for the ASU Baseball team to implement in order to increase student attendance at their home games, held at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, given that all general students have a financial buy-in to their collegiate athletic programs. Developing a loyal fan base is essential to a team’s overall success, leading to an increased sense of pride and passion for on-field heroism. Our research team's focus was on analyzing the brand positioning of the Sun Devil Baseball program to determine what opportunities exist within the program. Our methods included collecting secondary data and conducting primary research via a Qualtrics survey administered to undergraduate students on ASU’s campus. The survey results were then used to propose data-driven engagement strategies covering various aspects of campus life in order to provide a well-designed value proposition. Additionally, we used findings from our secondary data to evolve our recommendations past student attendance and into overall presence as well. Through conducting research of different histories, examining the current situation, then identifying an opportunity to grow along with a plan of action, this creative project will cover multiple key areas of a student brand report.
ContributorsPersonale, Caitlin (Author) / Berge, Nicole (Co-author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2022-05