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.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 119
Description
This paper is intended to identify a correlation between the winning percentage of sports teams in the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and the GDP per capita of their respective cities. We initially compiled fifteen years of franchise performance along with economic data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis to analyze this relationship. After converting the data into a language recognized by Stata, the regression tool we used, we ran multiple regressions to find relevant correlations based off of our inputs. This paper will show the value of the economic impact of strong or weak performance throughout various economic cycles through data analysis and conclusions drawn from the results of the regression analysis.
ContributorsAndl, Tyler (Co-author) / Shirk, Brandon (Co-author) / Goegan, Brian (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
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 thesis document describes in detail the decision making process and research that went into each step in the process of designing, coding, launching, and marketing a mobile game. This includes major challenges and methodologies for overcoming them or changing course as well as significant revisions that were made to the game upon receiving market and user feedback. The game, Sheep In Space, was launched on to the Windows Phone 8 marketplace initially via the use of the GameMaker: Studio game engine. From there, following a series of revisions Sheep In Space launched on the Android marketplace and has been undergoing further changes before the final launch to iOS. The revision and launch strategy was determined based off of market feedback from a variety of facets, including direct word of mouth, reviews, downloads, analytics data, and social media reaction.
ContributorsGagliano, Laura Katherine (Author) / Prince, Linda (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
Usually a medical website has a description, or overview, of the condition. Then there are different sections informing the viewer about the signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options. There are some resource links for families to explore, but there it provides more information rather than narration. What is lacking is a patient account or perspective on the given topic. This project suggests an added resource for parents and patients with its storytelling element that is irreplaceable. An example is also available using my own story growing up with hemifacial microsomia.
ContributorsCanales, Alicia Marie (Author) / Dixon, Kathleen (Thesis director) / Dodge, Nancie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
As the poverty level increases in Arizona, so does the opportunity gap between high- income and low-income students. We believe that all youth regardless of their zip code, the color of their skin, or their family background should see themselves as leaders and scholars in the community. Access to higher education, quite simply should be attainable for all students. The New American University charter that ASU has adopted is inspiring and groundbreaking. We believe this charter underscores the significance of equal access to education. The REACH program embraces the urgency of educational inequity, by enhancing the potential success of high school teenagers, who attend the Boys & Girls Club \u2014 Ladmo Branch in Tempe, Arizona. REACH empowers youth to develop stronger leadership skills, while becoming more involved in their community. We provide an opportunity for these teens to engage in leadership discussions, receive college mentoring/tutoring, and connect with the community and resources that Arizona State University (ASU) has to offer. It is our hope that every REACH teen is inspired to apply for college. REACH strives to provide any support the teens require to be successful throughout the college testing and admission process. REACH works with multiple communities at Arizona State University including the Pat Tillman Scholars, Devils' Advocates, Honors Devils, Changemaker Central, Barrett, The Honors College and W. P. Carey School of Business to organize and lead a group of teens through a remarkable curriculum that will shape the way they view cultural diversity, educational achievement, and leadership. The weekly meetings consist of discussions, creative team-building, critical thinking exercises, and cultural awareness experiences. Demonstrating to the teens, administrators, volunteers, mentors, and tutors the rich culture that Tempe has to offer and the skills and experience that they have to offer their community as well. In this thesis will we present our work developing and implementing the REACH program at the Ladmo Branch of the Tempe Boys and Girls Club from the Spring of 2013 through the Spring of 2015. We will describe the structure of REACH, our weekly leadership curriculum, our assessment and evaluation method, and the supplemental programs that we instituted (i.e., tutoring and mentoring). We will reflect on our successes and the challenges that we faced over the span of three years. We will conclude our thesis with a critical analysis of the program as a whole in order to provide advice for others who want to create and engage in a sustainable, student lead, community action organization.
ContributorsBurba, Monica (Co-author) / Smith, Jenna (Co-author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Late life domestic violence is essentially synonymous with domestic violence except that it specifically refers to older adults. Although there are many similarities between younger victims and older victims, there are also distinct differences. Older victims have unique risk factors and barriers, including generational factors that stem from socialization. Unfortunately, society lacks awareness of late life domestic violence. This is reflected in current state statutes as well as the limited services provided to victims of domestic violence. For example, there are currently elder abuse or dependent abuse adult statutes in every state, yet there is no statute that specifically addresses late life domestic violence. When it comes to services, many programs are geared toward younger victims and staff is typically not trained to work with older victims, so older victims often do not get the resources they need. Yet about 1 in 10 women over the age of 50 experience abuse by an intimate partner. This is a prevalent issue needing more attention. To bring awareness and educate people on this topic, a user friendly website was created that will provide information on late life domestic violence, resources for victims, and ways to share the information with others. The website provides information that will educate people on this issue, and also promotes advocacy for older victims.
ContributorsGarcia, Brittany Nicole (Author) / Bonifas, Robin (Thesis director) / Dodge, Nancie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Social Work (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
PHXmuraltour is an app for iPhone and Android that guides users through the plethora of mural art in downtown Phoenix. It can be found and downloaded from iTunes and the Android app store. Before the artists began drawing people downtown for events like First Fridays and ArtDetour during the 1980s, Phoenix was notorious for having a deserted city core. The art community brought life, color and vibrancy to the downtown landscape. The website giving more information about the project can be found at http://kristenhwang.com/PHX-mural-tour.html. This project aims to widen the reach of the mural art in downtown Phoenix. Public art has the unique ability to foster a conversation between people who may not think of themselves as art connoisseurs, but like all kinds of art the message can sometimes be mysterious to passersby. Many of the murals downtown portray Hispanic or Native American themes, make political statements, document historic events and people, or serve as visual spice. They are emblems of the values the downtown community identifies with--values like creativity, enterprise, civic responsibility and diversity. This project hopes to make these messages more prominent to people in downtown Phoenix. It is important for the students, workers, shop owners and residents downtown to have the opportunity to learn more about the mural art because the art community surrounding Roosevelt Row played an integral role in shaping the culture and texture of their daily lives.
ContributorsHwang, Kristen Lee Anne (Author) / Thornton, Leslie (Thesis director) / Dodge, Nancie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Earth and Space Exploration (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
For my thesis project, I created a website, titled Noise + Heat, to serve as a guide to local music in the Phoenix area. The idea is that someone who is unfamiliar with Phoenix music can visit my site and easily be able to find the latest news, new music releases, live music venues, and be able to familiarize themselves with local artists. I designed and built the site in Adobe Edge Animate, and created all content. The website can be found at this link: www.noiseplusheat.com
ContributorsDinell, Sarah Constance (Author) / Jacoby, Jim (Thesis director) / Dodge, Nancie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
In the 1950s-60s, the United States performed nuclear testing 60 miles north of Las Vegas. The prevailing winds carried radiation from those tests across the United States. It didn't take long for groups of people to begin developing cancer, possibly as a side effect of the testing. In 1990, Congress established a program to compensate downwind victims of the test site. But one portion of one county in Arizona was never compensated, despite the impact cancer had in the area. This documentary is their story. (Documentary and website accessible at downwinddocumentary.com)
ContributorsBoehm, Jessica Ann (Author) / Elliott, Steve (Thesis director) / Dodge, Nancie (Committee member) / Snyder, Brian (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
The purpose of this creative project is to make an E-Book that promotes time management for college students in a way that interests them. The author of this recognizes that there are many distractions to keep college students from sitting down and reading a textbook; that is why an E-Book featuring videos and interactive videos was chosen. The research questions presented below began my research and understanding of the topic. These questions are as follows: 1. What is a way to promote time management for college students? a) What are some mediums that will appeal to young people who want to do more than just read a book. 2. When figuring out how to manage their time, what are the areas of life students consider to be most important? 3. What perspectives to various facets of the world like, business, academia and the foreign community think about time management? 4. What perspective to millennials have on time management? By answering these questions above, the author hopes to understand what is good time management, and how to explore it in a way that will interest young people. The author is doing so by creating a series of narrative videos that he himself acted in portraying a fictitious student both engaging in and not practicing good time management techniques. The created nine videos, with three dedicated to a section each. The three sections were what students do wrong, how they can improve and how they can maintain their success. Within each section were three sub- sections that students must use time management skills for: mental techniques, physical well-being, and juggling work and personal commitments. See the attached documents (Appendix A) for a full collection of the scripts that were created for these videos. The author also created quizzes through the website Bookry, allowing him to make review questions for those reading the book. The quizzes were then made into widgets and inserted into the book. Each quiz was about 5 questions each and was at the end of each of the sub-sections, meaning there were 45 questions total. See the attached documents (Appendix B) for screenshots of each quiz question and the correct answer.
ContributorsCzajka, Jagger James (Author) / Silcock, Bill (Thesis director) / Rodriguez, Rick (Committee member) / Dodge, Nancie (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05