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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- Creators: Budolfson, Arthur
Description
The classification of financially at-risk is an expansive term that fits the personal profile of most individuals when it comes to the conditioning of their attitude toward money management, particularly in the planning and investment of that money for the achievement of long-term goals. In the case of this thesis, we focus primarily on those who have made a career in professional athletics and entertainment. The behavioral finance tendencies of these two industry professions are widely regarded as insufficient and often damaging the to the longevity of achieved financial security. This ideology stems primarily from an environment where individuals enjoy rapid wealth accumulation in a highly competitive and constantly transitioning role within their respective crafts. The subjectively common behavioral shortcomings of these world-class athletes and performers and uncertain day-to-day security of the professions which these at-risk individuals possess make for highly unfavorable circumstances when striving to achieve a lifetime of income and a secure retirement. In examining individuals of these classes who have faced grave financial hardship, this thesis will serve as a basis for identifying measures to recondition problematic behavioral tendencies that ultimately cause disengagement from a prudent financial plan. Therefore, this thesis will also serve as a framework to determine what investment strategies will complement the behavioral modifications financial planners strive to instill in these individuals, so that professional athletes, celebrities, and financially at-risk professionals alike may achieve higher probability of creating financial freedom through the engaged execution of a goals-based financial plan.
ContributorsKeller, Charles Phillip (Author) / Licon, Wendell (Thesis director) / Budolfson, Arthur (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The United States has experienced a financial crisis every ten years for the past three decades. Investors, financial institutions, and government officials fear these moments because of how negative the experience is and the strain it puts on the nation’s financial markets. Analyzing the financial crises of 1987, 1997 and 2008 shows what is to blame for the chaotic times that happened. In all these instances, human actions set up the occurrences that allowed a crash to take place. Each crash is different in their own respect; however, greed, procrastination and a herd mentality are the biggest reappearing trends in each ten-year cycle. Human nature helped escalate each of these crises as well, making them worse than they might have been.
It is important to know why financial crises happen every ten years since the United States is approaching what could be the next ten-year cycle. However, 2019 could be the year the financial markets escape past trends, but that will not happen without understanding why past crises have taken place. If humans stop creating the occurrences for a crisis, there will be nothing for human nature to escalate and make worse. The more independence and knowledge investors and financial institutions have, the easier it will be to stop the occurrences that create a crisis every ten years. This thesis explores why human actions are really to blame for the financial crises the United States’ markets have experienced, and why human nature is to blame for escalating the crisis experienced. Moving forward, if humans can stop creating the occurrences for a financial crisis, the markets can be changed for the better.
It is important to know why financial crises happen every ten years since the United States is approaching what could be the next ten-year cycle. However, 2019 could be the year the financial markets escape past trends, but that will not happen without understanding why past crises have taken place. If humans stop creating the occurrences for a crisis, there will be nothing for human nature to escalate and make worse. The more independence and knowledge investors and financial institutions have, the easier it will be to stop the occurrences that create a crisis every ten years. This thesis explores why human actions are really to blame for the financial crises the United States’ markets have experienced, and why human nature is to blame for escalating the crisis experienced. Moving forward, if humans can stop creating the occurrences for a financial crisis, the markets can be changed for the better.
ContributorsPoore, Savannah Shea (Author) / Licon, Lawrence (Thesis director) / Budolfson, Arthur (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This thesis set out to find whether or not there is a correlation between assets under management (AUM) of institutional investment managers and their sponsorship of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). It first examines the history of how and why ETFs entered the marketplace and how they have evolved over time in use by institutional investors. It then explains the features that make ETFs unique, and which are desirable to investors. Institutional investors can benefit from arbitrage opportunities in the creation redemption process used to bring ETFs to market; however, this paper will assert that the marketability of ETF products and their associated brand recognition contributes to the value of the firms who sponsor them. Finally, this paper will show that between 1993 and 2015, firms who have sponsored ETFs have had a greater growth in AUM than firms who have not sponsored ETFs.
ContributorsSnittjer, Jenna K (Author) / Radway, Debra (Thesis director) / Budolfson, Arthur (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This paper explores the universe of non-performing loans and tries to examine the effects that a sharp increase in NPLs would cause. The first part of the paper explores some of the most shared definitions of NPL as well as the accounting treatment under IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards). In the second part of the paper, literature regarding determinants of NPLs is summarized and categorized into three broad categories: macroeconomic determinants, institutional variables, and bank-specific variables. Eventually, in the last part of the paper, a fictional bank is built and tested against a two and three standard deviation NPL events. The worst loss occurring in the simulated events eroded 26% of the capital (2.55% of the assets) forcing the fictional bank to recapitalize and experience expensive recovery processes.
ContributorsFranceschi, Stefano (Author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Budolfson, Arthur (Committee member) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
Description
Axon Enterprise, Inc. is a publicly traded company founded in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1993. The company went public on June 7th, 2001. The inspiration for this topic is our interest in equity research. We believe that understanding how to fundamentally research a company is not only beneficial for our careers, but for our own personal financial learning. One thing that stood out about Axon was its dominant control of the stun gun market. Axon captures around 90%.. Because of this, we wanted to dive deeper. Surely, this has to be a good investment. What company owns almost all of the market share but isn’t a good investment? In our heads, none. But that wasn’t enough. We wanted to dive deeper and examine the fundamental business mechanisms of the firm to determine for ourselves why this is, and why we believe the company really does have tremendous growth potential. By connecting with Axon executives, developing an investment thesis, and understanding the fundamental business drivers behind Axon, we will develop a thorough understanding of Axon’s financial standing. Our goals; fundamental analysis of Axon, determine a one year price target, convince readers that Axon is a rewarding and appealing investment opportunity.
ContributorsGreife, Torsten Markus (Co-author) / Bailey, Eric (Co-author) / Budolfson, Arthur (Thesis director) / Licon, Lawrence (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
In June of 2016, the United Kingdom held a referendum for its citizens to decide whether to remain a part of the European Union or take their leave. The vote was close but ultimately the U.K. decided to leave, triggering the two-year process of negotiations that would shape the U.K.’s departure (Brexit). The question of what will become of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is heavy with implications for the national identity of people living on either side of the border, and this makes it one of the more pressing concerns in Brexit discourse. This research analyzes how national identity is used as a rhetorical tactic in media to influence and persuade readers to vote in accordance with the author’s political goals. It does so by evaluating how borders shape national identity and analyzing newspaper articles from the two highest circulating Northern Irish daily newspapers (The Irish News and the Belfast Telegraph) during the week leading up to the June 23rd, 2016 referendum. In analyzing news articles relating to the Irish border issue of Brexit from The Irish News and the Belfast Telegraph during the time frame of June 16th-23rd, 2016, four analytical categories of how identity-related rhetoric was used were discovered: fear, self-interest, Irish Nationalism, and a negative association of the past. Further, it was hypothesized and confirmed the political leanings of the papers influenced which type of rhetorical tactic was used. In the broad realm of Brexit and media related discussion, this research could help strengthen understanding of how traditional media uses national identity to persuade readers to and influence voting behavior in the midst of such a divisive referendum.
Key Words: Brexit, Irish border, national identity, rhetoric, newspapers
Key Words: Brexit, Irish border, national identity, rhetoric, newspapers
ContributorsCaldwell, Tara (Author) / O'Flaherty, Katherine (Thesis director) / Ripley, Charles (Committee member) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor, Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The intent of this paper is inform and educate people on micro-investing, so they can better understand this new and growing category of investing. Given that micro-investing is a relatively new phenomenon, people naturally have many questions about it. What is micro-investing, and what makes it different from traditional investing? What are the origins of this growing segment of financial technology? What features and characteristics do micro-investing platforms have in common and what differentiates them from each other? Is micro-investing viable and cost effective, and if so, is it right for you? What is the future of micro-investing, and is it here to stay? This paper seeks to answer these questions and additional questions that the reader may have.
Contributorsde la Vara, Nicholas (Author) / Budolfson, Arthur (Thesis director) / Hoffman, David (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor, Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05