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Although there are some key qualities that all good leaders employ, variations in effective leadership approaches are evident across different cultures. This project sought to compare and analyze the differences and similarities in leadership principles between Chinese and American business cultures, with emphasis on the divergence caused by the influences

Although there are some key qualities that all good leaders employ, variations in effective leadership approaches are evident across different cultures. This project sought to compare and analyze the differences and similarities in leadership principles between Chinese and American business cultures, with emphasis on the divergence caused by the influences of history, culture and politics.
ContributorsLe Tourneur, Maxine Archondakis (Author) / McKinnon, David (Thesis director) / LePine, Marcie (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
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Through the research of: accredited business articles, wedding sites such as The Knot, personal interviews with brides, research novels, television shows, and movies; this project will depict why and how traditional, American "White Weddings" have become so commercialized by advertisements and businesses as a result of various media channels' reinforcements

Through the research of: accredited business articles, wedding sites such as The Knot, personal interviews with brides, research novels, television shows, and movies; this project will depict why and how traditional, American "White Weddings" have become so commercialized by advertisements and businesses as a result of various media channels' reinforcements of cultural ideals and norms about brides and weddings since the 1920s. The purpose of this paper is to identify the largest cultural and commercial forces that contributed to the growth and expansion of the wedding industry.
ContributorsHovendon, Allison Michelle (Author) / Suk, Mina (Thesis director) / Ostrom, Amy (Committee member) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
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Description
Arizona and Florida are unique venues are they are the only two locations in the world to host the preseason leagues known as Spring Training for all thirty Major League Baseball teams. With fan bases willing to travel and spend disposable income to follow their favorite teams and/or escape the

Arizona and Florida are unique venues are they are the only two locations in the world to host the preseason leagues known as Spring Training for all thirty Major League Baseball teams. With fan bases willing to travel and spend disposable income to follow their favorite teams and/or escape the cold spells of their home state, the sports and tourism industries in Arizona and Florida have been able to captivate a status as top spring destinations. This study takes a focus on the economic impact that Spring Training in March has on the state of Arizona; specifically the Phoenix Metropolitan area. Consumer research is presented and a SWOT analysis is generated to further assess the condition of the Cactus League and Arizona as a host state. An economic impact study driven by the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) analysis method is the primary focuses of research due to the sum and quality of usable data that can be organized using the SWOT structure. The scope of this research aims to support the argument that Spring Training impacts the host city in which it resides in. In conjunction with the SWOT analysis, third parties will be able to get a sense of the overall effectiveness and impact of Cactus League Spring Training in the Valley of the Sun. Integration of findings from a Tampa Bay sight visit will also be assessed to determine the health of the competition. This study will take an interdisciplinary approach as it views the topics at hand from the lenses of the consumer, baseball professional, and investor.
ContributorsOlden, Kyle (Co-author) / Farmer, James (Co-author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / College of Public Service and Community Solutions (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
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Description
Company X is one of the world's largest manufacturer of semiconductors. The company relies on various suppliers in the U.S. and around the globe for its manufacturing process. The financial health of these suppliers is vital to the continuation of Company X's business without any material interruption. Therefore, it is

Company X is one of the world's largest manufacturer of semiconductors. The company relies on various suppliers in the U.S. and around the globe for its manufacturing process. The financial health of these suppliers is vital to the continuation of Company X's business without any material interruption. Therefore, it is in Company X's interest to monitor its supplier's financial performance. Company X has a supplier financial health model currently in use. Having been developed prior to watershed events like the Great Recession, the current model may not reflect the significant changes in the economic environment due to these events. Company X wants to know if there is a more accurate model for evaluating supplier health that better indicates business risk. The scope of this project will be limited to a sample of 24 suppliers representative of Company X's supplier base that are public companies. While Company X's suppliers consist of both private and public companies, the used of exclusively public companies ensures that we will have sufficient and appropriate data for the necessary analysis. The goal of this project is to discover if there is a more accurate model for evaluating the financial health of publicly traded suppliers that better indicates business risk. Analyzing this problem will require a comprehensive understanding of various financial health models available and their components. The team will study best practice and academia. This comprehension will allow us to customize a model by incorporating metrics that allows greater accuracy in evaluating supplier financial health in accordance with Company X's values.
ContributorsLi, Tong (Co-author) / Gonzalez, Alexandra (Co-author) / Park, Zoon Beom (Co-author) / Vogelsang, Meridith (Co-author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Hertzel, Mike (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
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Description
Financial statements are one of the most important, if not the most important, documents for investors. These statements are prepared quarterly and yearly by the company accounting department, and are then audited in detail by a large external accounting firm. Investors use these documents to determine the value of the

Financial statements are one of the most important, if not the most important, documents for investors. These statements are prepared quarterly and yearly by the company accounting department, and are then audited in detail by a large external accounting firm. Investors use these documents to determine the value of the company, and trust that the company was truthful in its statements, and the auditing firm correctly audited the company's financial statements for any mistakes in their books and balances. Mistakes on a company's financial statements can be costly. However, financial fraud on the statements can be outright disastrous. Penalties for accounting fraud can include individual lifetime prison sentences, as well as company fines for billions of dollars. As students in the accounting major, it is our responsibility to ensure that financial statements are accurate and truthful to protect ourselves, other stakeholders, and the companies we work for. This ethics game takes the stories of Enron, WorldCom, and Lehman Brothers and uses them to help students identify financial fraud and how it can be prevented, as well as the consequences behind unethical decisions in financial reporting. The Enron scandal involved CEO Kenneth Lay and his predecessor Jeffery Skilling hiding losses in their financial statements with the help of their auditing firm, Arthur Andersen. Enron collapsed in 2002, and Lay was sentenced to 45 years in prison with his conspirator Skilling sentenced to 24 years in prison. In the WorldCom scandal, CEO Bernard "Bernie" Ebbers booked line costs as capital expenses (overstating WorldCom's assets), and created fraudulent accounts to inflate revenue and WorldCom's profit. Ebbers was sentenced to 25 years in prison and lost his title as WorldCom's Chief Executive Officer. Lehman Brothers took advantage of a loophole in accounting procedure Repo 105, that let the firm hide $50 billion in profits. No one at Lehman Brothers was sentenced to jail since the transaction was technically considered legal, but Lehman was the largest investment bank to fail and the only large financial institution that was not bailed out by the U.S. government.
ContributorsPanikkar, Manoj Madhuraj (Author) / Samuelson, Melissa (Thesis director) / Ahmad, Altaf (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
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This thesis will examine market research relating to consumer food trends and the business environment of Austin, Texas in order to evaluate the initial feasibility of establishing a small hydroponic produce farm. A main concern of this report is to provide a general overview of hydroponics and its potential advantages

This thesis will examine market research relating to consumer food trends and the business environment of Austin, Texas in order to evaluate the initial feasibility of establishing a small hydroponic produce farm. A main concern of this report is to provide a general overview of hydroponics and its potential advantages over traditional farming methods as a technique for producing food products for consumers in a local setting. To explore the potential of establishing such a venture, this report will also include a partial business plan focusing on the marketing strategy of initiating a hydroponic produce farm in Austin.
ContributorsShriver, John Andrew (Author) / Schmitz, Troy (Thesis director) / Manfredo, Mark (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2015-05
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We were driven by the question: what is happening to the popularity of Major League Baseball? In order to answer this question we compared the league structure of Major League Baseball with that of the National Football League. We were able to speak with five former or current members of

We were driven by the question: what is happening to the popularity of Major League Baseball? In order to answer this question we compared the league structure of Major League Baseball with that of the National Football League. We were able to speak with five former or current members of the respective leagues in order to gain some insight into how the two leagues operate. The main focus of our research was around the payroll structures of the two leagues as well as their revenue sharing policies. In the end, we discovered that Major League Baseball is becoming highly regionalized. The sport is still growing in popularity in terms of revenue and fan involvement, but it is becoming less popular on a national stage. The league is benefitting greatly from factors like the increasing importance of "TiVo proof programming" and a lack of competition. Each league is very different in its own right. While the NFL promotes a perception of competitive balance, Major League Baseball can be plagued by the negative perception it creates surrounding some of its smaller market teams.
ContributorsHeath, Cameron (Co-author) / Linamen, John (Co-author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor)
Created2015-05
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Description
The way that people consume media is changing. While every platform seems to shift to video, there is a not-so-quiet revolution going on in the podcast industry. Each week, 10,000 new podcasts are created and uploaded and this number continues to grow (Moore, 2018). As the prevalence of smartphones, faster

The way that people consume media is changing. While every platform seems to shift to video, there is a not-so-quiet revolution going on in the podcast industry. Each week, 10,000 new podcasts are created and uploaded and this number continues to grow (Moore, 2018). As the prevalence of smartphones, faster download speeds, and streaming platforms have proliferated across the globe, more and more people are turning to podcasts to get their content fix. Young professionals are especially drawn to the format because it fits perfectly into their busy lifestyles. This thesis explored how to create, produce, and market a podcast to college students and entry level workers that are interested in pursuing a career in advertising. We collected data through conducting depth interviews and an online survey to podcast listeners as well marketing and design students. The insights drawn from this research were combined with a thorough trend analysis of the podcast market to find the factors that matter most to the target consumer. From there we produced eight episodes of the podcast and released them over a timespan of two and a half months. Finally, paid social media advertisements were used to target students at major advertising colleges around the country. The results of this thesis found that there are a number of important takeaways from the process that can help anyone build a podcast brand, audience and media strategy. Our research found that prospective podcasters should: maintain a consistent upload schedule, invest in audio quality, experiment with content strategy, know their target audience, own your show’s brand, and not rely on just one audio streaming platform.
ContributorsLarkin, Brianna Nicole (Co-author) / Larkin, Brianna (Co-author) / Teixeira, Trent (Thesis director) / Eaton, Kathryn Karnos (Committee member) / Giles, Charles (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Arizona State University has prided itself on the mission to become a global leader in innovation, sustainability, and inclusion for students of all backgrounds. To provide the most meaningful experiences and promote student growth both personally and professionally, the university offers over 800 students organizations for involvement and leadership on

Arizona State University has prided itself on the mission to become a global leader in innovation, sustainability, and inclusion for students of all backgrounds. To provide the most meaningful experiences and promote student growth both personally and professionally, the university offers over 800 students organizations for involvement and leadership on campus. With a heavy reliance on paper and print materials, large-scale engagement events such as Passport to ASU and Panhellenic Formal Recruitment have become wasteful and inefficient, straying from the goals established by university president, Michael M. Crow. The processes involved within these two events are outdated and limit accessibility for many students, minimizing the opportunity to get involved and connect with their peers. Engage is a company founded by an Arizona State University student, hoping to find feasible solutions to meet the needs and improve the overall student engagement experience. By designing two separate mobile applications for Passport to ASU and Panhellenic Formal Recruitment, Engage has eliminated the need for paper and print materials while simplifying the event processes for incoming students and the organizations. These apps will similarly improve accessibility for all students, allowing users to get involved and connect with peers without limitations such as transportation or time. Innovation is a key focus of Arizona State University, and to stay competitive they must find new ways to improve the student experience and modernize current offerings. Getting involved is often considered one of the defining parts of collegiate life, and the university must work to maximize opportunities and make the transition as effortless and enjoyable as possible. By implementing these two mobile apps, student engagement will reach new heights and realign with the missions Arizona State University was founded upon.
ContributorsFitzgerald, Paige Elizabeth (Author) / Montoya, Detra (Thesis director) / Giles, Bret (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
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Description
Many companies recognize the need of soft skill improvement and utilize leadership development programs. As the program states, the company uses the curriculum to focus on developing and cultivating leadership skills for their employees. While perfecting the aptitudes, it is vital that these curriculums focus primarily on developing soft skills

Many companies recognize the need of soft skill improvement and utilize leadership development programs. As the program states, the company uses the curriculum to focus on developing and cultivating leadership skills for their employees. While perfecting the aptitudes, it is vital that these curriculums focus primarily on developing soft skills rather than hard skills. Not stating that hard skills are not significant; just that leaders require to apply soft skills abundantly in their day to day duties. Within this thesis, the discussion is on the gap of soft skills and why the need to improve and narrow the breach is imperative in today's workforce. About 67% of HR managers will hire a candidate with strong soft skills, even if their hard skills are lacking; since HR managers value and recognize the proficiency gap of soft skills in the workforce today. Because of the necessity for soft skills, it is vital for employers to identify how to assess for soft skills. In order to do so, the companies should focus on the competencies that are required for the needed position. For the competencies that are utilized in leadership positions, soft skills are emphasized and assesses for more. Salt River Project is utilized, in the thesis, as a company example on assessing competencies that are desired when hiring for leadership positions, varying from a supervisor level position to a director level position. Due to the findings stated in the thesis, soft skills are weighed heavily and are recognized as required skills for most leadership positions. Therefore, soft skills are paramount in leadership development programs.
ContributorsRodriquez, Alisa (Author) / Macafee, Lisa (Thesis director) / Knott, Eric (Committee member) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05