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.

Over the last few decades, sustainability has become a great focus for individuals as well as businesses globally. The focus of this study was to understand why businesses purchase certain office supplies and why they may not be choosing to purchase the most sustainable options. The research question asked, “why are certain businesses reluctant to make positive, sustainable changes to their usage of office materials in their workplace environments?” Most companies do not look for alternatives that would benefit the environment when purchasing products for their office space. The reasons behind this hesitancy to change was studied through current literature on the topic as well as interviews conducted with Office Managers of several different businesses. Comparisons were made between each businesses’ decision patterns in order to find the root cause or causes of why companies do not choose more sustainable options when purchasing products for their workspaces. The interviews revealed that cost and quality are the most important factors these businesses take into consideration when purchasing office supplies. While some companies have looked into alternative products for their supplies, they ultimately choose to still purchase the less sustainable option. This is because the less sustainable option is often cheaper, and the company knows what quality to expect for the item. Overall, all of the Office Managers who were interviewed acknowledged some sort of sustainable practice that their company was taking part in, even if it did not directly relate to the types of office supplies that they purchase. This inclusion of general sustainable practices demonstrates how businesses are making efforts one way or another towards a more sustainable future. Therefore, this awareness to sustainability suggests that most, if not all businesses will eventually end up purchasing sustainable alternatives for their office supplies. However, the timeframe for which this occurs for each company will likely vary.

In the current age of global climate crisis, corporations must confront the rising pressure to mitigate their environmental impacts. The goal of this research paper is to provide corporations with a resource to manage waste through the implementation of a circular economy and by increasing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Navigating this large and complex system required the use of various methodologies including: the investigation of the relationships between waste management systems and sustainable development across major companies; literature reviews of scholarly articles about CSR, circular economies, recycling, and releases of company reports on sustainable development and financials. Lastly, interviews and a survey were conducted to gain deeper insight into the problems that make circular economies so difficult to achieve at scale.

Honored Brow is a local, non-profit, start-up business that specializes in brow lamination and lash lifts with tinting services. The business is founded and operated by four students enrolled in Arizona State University, Barrett, The Honors College. Honored Brow’s mission, through the thesis project, is to connect and provide brow and lash services to enhance natural beauty and empower women. This project was completed as part of Founders Lab.

Globalization, characterized by growing interdependence between countries on goods and services as a result of technological advances in society, has brought about immense change in the formation of culture. This phenomenon has gone beyond the market itself, reflecting changes in consumption patterns, shifting the way food is consumed (Labonté and Schreker 2007a: 1). When cultures start to intermingle in this context, what is considered traditional today? Traditional foods are generally characterized by the passing of cultural knowledge from one generation to the next. However, the concept of traditional food is dynamic, as it depends on many factors such as the individual who is carrying it out, territory, and time period (Rocillo-Aquino et al., 2021). The focus of this investigation centers on traditional foods in the context of Brazil. Home to 60.1% of the Amazon rainforest and more than 220 indigenous tribes and traditional communities, the country has rich biodiversity and a complicated social-economic background. In the early 90s, with the opening of the market, there was considerable growth in the country’s food imports (Moura & Mendes, 2012). As a result, globalization in the Brazilian context has brought about a change in the country’s food production industries through political, technological, and economic forces that have led to a population’s change of consumption and habits, all of which affect traditional methods of production and consumption (Valduga, & Minasse, 2020). These factors are what contribute to the line between traditional flavors and interpretations becoming progressively more blurred with time (Rezende & Avelar, 2012). Food is a principal actor in what shapes society 's identity and relationship with the world. While the standardization of food practices has facilitated life in contemporary society in various ways, mainly influenced by the need for time, practicality, and efficiency, it also poses a challenge by disrupting cultural traditions, heritage, and health. The quotation, “Ou seja a saúde do homem depende da sua alimentação, que por sua vez, é baseada nas tradições culturais e nos alimentos disponíveis na região onde vive”*, exemplifies the relationship between society, culture, and food underscoring how human health relies on dietary habits rooted in cultural traditions and the locally available foods (Moura & Mendes, 2012, p.1). This results in a noticeable tension between commercial and traditional goods where quality and culture are replaced with practicality and efficiency. In an increasingly homogenized food landscape emerges the question: why should society be preserving these methods if they are being lost to market forces? With the aim of clarifying this question, this project investigates the role traditional food products have in the contemporary Brazilian context, and their adaptation in a globalized environment. To develop a deeper comprehension of how traditional foods have adapted to globalization in Brazil, the investigation utilizes the TEP10 framework. The TEP10 framework is designed to analyze, systematize, and conceptualize the nuances between traditional and modern foods. Within this study, the framework is applied to investigate the Slow Food Indica project centered in Salvador, Bahia, which aims to promote the visibility of food products from regional cooperatives and family producers. The investigation will analyze the food products featured in the project and examine factors that contribute to their categorization as traditional or modern. By shedding light on what discerns traditional and modern foods, the investigation aims to understand how these foods are presented and preserved in the current globalized context.