For our project, we explored the growth of the ASU BioDesign Clinical Testing Laboratory (ABCTL) from a standard university research lab to a COVID-19 testing facility through a business lens. The lab has pioneered the saliva-test in the Western United States. This thesis analyzes the laboratory from various business concepts and aspects. The business agility of the lab and it’s quickness to innovation has allowed the lab to enjoy great success. Looking into the future, the laboratory has a promising future and will need to answer many questions to remain the premier COVID-19 testing institution in Arizona.

The goal of this research was to analyze the impact of consumer behavior on the sustainability of the fast fashion industry, specifically in regards to the framework of the Triple Bottom Line. First, a review of relevant literature investigating the three aspects of the Triple Bottom Line (environmental, social, and economic) as it pertains to the fast fashion industry was conducted to provide context for this research. Research methods utilized scholarly articles and journals along with companies’ CSR reports to determine the course of development of the fast fashion industry over time. Additionally, the impact of consumer behavior was investigated and linked to trends observed in the production and business practices of the industry over time. Based on the analysis of the influence of past consumer behavior on the industry, it was clear consumers play a major role in the industry and its sustainability in terms of the Triple Bottom Line. This suggests that the unsustainability of the fast fashion industry is due in part to consumer behavior and the retailers themselves, which is important to understand for the industry going forward as it aims to improve overall sustainability.

Early on in the pandemic, ASU leadership recognized an opportunity to involve the Biodesign Institute in an effort to keep local communities safe. Equipped with capital investments (and expertise) in diagnostic testing, university president Michael Crow tasked Dr. Joshua LaBaer - the executive director of Biodesign - to begin mapping out the lab’s logistic capabilities and operational plan. While initially testing through nasopharyngeal swabs, the Arizona Biodesign Clinical Testing Laboratory (ABCTL) eventually developed a saliva-based COVID-19 test that demonstrated higher efficacy and resource-efficiency. By maintaining rapid turnaround times for test results, the ABCTL has helped both the university population and local community operate safely. Lauded as a highly innovative testing site, the lab proved to be an essential asset as ASU, and the world, look to return to normalcy. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the ABCTL’s inception and development using multi-faceted approaches from the business realm. There will be five topics discussed which are: • Volume I- Stakeholder Theory and Analysis Regarding the COVID-19 Bio-design Institute at Arizona State University (Claire Agee), • Volume II- The Lab as a Business Within a University Environment (Samuel Cosgrove) • Volume III- A Managerial Economic Perspective (Michael Qian) • Volume IV- An Analysis of its Upstream Supply Chain ( Kyle Mattson) • Volume V- An Operations Management Perspective (Corinne English) After these volumes, there will be a discussion about the growth and sustainability of the laboratory looking into the future. Although the ABCTL is young,the ever-changing market dynamics leave the organization with critical decisions going forward.

New Leaf was founded with the mission to address the environmental, health, and sustainability consequences of paper production today. We explored the sourcing and foundations of paper needs, supporting our assumption that paper can be created from agricultural waste. We solidified a business plan using agricultural waste after considerable sourcing research and expert and consumerism input. We determined that using forest foliage that is a potential fire hazard from a national forest could be used as a source to make alternative paper as well as contribute to sustainability efforts.

As the 2010’s came to a close, the world was thrust into a new era of panic, flexibility, and hyper growth as a result of COVID-19 (COVID). In an effort to combat this black swan event employers implemented mandatory work from home initiatives to stop the spread of COVID. Simultaneously, the Federal Reserve enacted a quantitative easing strategy in the form of low-interest rates accompanied by exhaustive government stimulus in an effort to stabilize the economy from its COVID induced panic. As a result of these factors, the U.S. has observed unique growth trends in population and home prices. This study aims to answer if low-income tax states experienced a larger population growth rate than moderate to high-income tax states from 2020 – 2022 and if low-income tax states experienced a larger increase in single-family home appreciation than moderate to high-income tax states from 2020 – 2022. To answer these questions, the study implemented the strategy of testing historical home pricing data provided by Zillow Research and population data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau through a correlation matrix to measure if there was a correlation and if the correlation P-values were significant. The same data was tested a second time through an index strategy which further confirmed the findings of the correlation matrix. The study found that there was a correlation between the income tax rate and home value appreciation and population growth from 2020 – 2022. As a result, the study concludes that there is enough evidence to infer that tax rates may influence home price appreciation and population growth. However, income tax rates are not solely responsible for the increases in home prices and population, but instead are one of many factors that influence these groups.