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The purpose of our research was to develop recommendations and/or strategies for Company A's data center group in the context of the server CPU chip industry. We used data collected from the International Data Corporation (IDC) that was provided by our team coaches, and data that is accessible on the

The purpose of our research was to develop recommendations and/or strategies for Company A's data center group in the context of the server CPU chip industry. We used data collected from the International Data Corporation (IDC) that was provided by our team coaches, and data that is accessible on the internet. As the server CPU industry expands and transitions to cloud computing, Company A's Data Center Group will need to expand their server CPU chip product mix to meet new demands of the cloud industry and to maintain high market share. Company A boasts leading performance with their x86 server chips and 95% market segment share. The cloud industry is dominated by seven companies Company A calls "The Super 7." These seven companies include: Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu. In the long run, the growing market share of the Super 7 could give them substantial buying power over Company A, which could lead to discounts and margin compression for Company A's main growth engine. Additionally, in the long-run, the substantial growth of the Super 7 could fuel the development of their own design teams and work towards making their own server chips internally, which would be detrimental to Company A's data center revenue. We first researched the server industry and key terminology relevant to our project. We narrowed our scope by focusing most on the cloud computing aspect of the server industry. We then researched what Company A has already been doing in the context of cloud computing and what they are currently doing to address the problem. Next, using our market analysis, we identified key areas we think Company A's data center group should focus on. Using the information available to us, we developed our strategies and recommendations that we think will help Company A's Data Center Group position themselves well in an extremely fast growing cloud computing industry.
ContributorsJurgenson, Alex (Co-author) / Nguyen, Duy (Co-author) / Kolder, Sean (Co-author) / Wang, Chenxi (Co-author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Hertzel, Michael (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Management (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
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Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that attacks the nerves in the central nervous system of the brain and spinal cord. Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that attacks the nerves in the central nervous system of the brain and spinal cord.  The severity of multiple sclerosis varies based on

Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that attacks the nerves in the central nervous system of the brain and spinal cord. Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that attacks the nerves in the central nervous system of the brain and spinal cord.  The severity of multiple sclerosis varies based on the each person and the progression of the disease. There are roughly 2.5 million people that suffer from this disease that life is changed dramatically from being diagnosed with no main way to ease into adjusting to a new lifestyle. The increase of people that are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and with a majority of those people being diagnosed in their early 20’s, there is a need for an application that will help patients manage their health. Multiple sclerosis leads to a lifestyle change, which includes various treatment options as well as routine doctor appointments.  The creation of the myMS Specialist application will allow patients with multiple sclerosis to live a more comfortable lifestyle while they easily track and manage their health through their mobile devices. Our application has seven components that all play an important role in adjusting to the new everyday lifestyle for a patient with multiple sclerosis. All seven components are largely intertwined with each other to help patients realize patterns in their diet, sleep, exercise and the weather that causes their symptoms to worsen. Our application not only connects to a patient’s doctor so that there is full access of information at all time to the doctor but provides beneficial research to help further the understanding of multiple sclerosis. This application will be marketed and available for purchase to not only patients but doctors. It is our goal to lessen the burden of a new lifestyle to a patient, create constant communication with one’s doctor and provide beneficial data to researchers.
ContributorsSaenz, Devon (Co-author) / Peterson, Tyler (Co-author) / Chomina-Chavez, Aram (Thesis director) / Staats, Cody (Committee member) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
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Company X has developed RealSenseTM technology, a depth sensing camera that provides machines the ability to capture three-dimensional spaces along with motion within these spaces. The goal of RealSense was to give machines human-like senses, such as knowing how far away objects are and perceiving the surrounding environment. The key

Company X has developed RealSenseTM technology, a depth sensing camera that provides machines the ability to capture three-dimensional spaces along with motion within these spaces. The goal of RealSense was to give machines human-like senses, such as knowing how far away objects are and perceiving the surrounding environment. The key issue for Company X is how to commercialize RealSense's depth recognition capabilities. This thesis addresses the problem by examining which markets to address and how to monetize this technology. The first part of the analysis identified potential markets for RealSense. This was achieved by evaluating current markets that could benefit from the camera's gesture recognition, 3D scanning, and depth sensing abilities. After identifying seven industries where RealSense could add value, a model of the available, addressable, and obtainable market sizes was developed for each segment. Key competitors and market dynamics were used to estimate the portion of the market that Company X could capture. These models provided a forecast of the discounted gross profits that could be earned over the next five years. These forecasted gross profits, combined with an examination of the competitive landscape and synergistic opportunities, resulted in the selection of the three segments thought to be most profitable to Company X. These segments are smart home, consumer drones, and automotive. The final part of the analysis investigated entrance strategies. Company X's competitive advantages in each space were found by examining the competition, both for the RealSense camera in general and other technologies specific to each industry. Finally, ideas about ways to monetize RealSense were developed by exploring various revenue models and channels.
ContributorsDunn, Nicole (Co-author) / Boudreau, Thomas (Co-author) / Kinzy, Chris (Co-author) / Radigan, Thomas (Co-author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Hertzel, Michael (Committee member) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Science (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
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The main goal of this study was to understand the awareness of small business owners regarding occupational fraud, meaning fraud committed from within an organization. A survey/questionnaire was used to gather insight into the knowledge and perceptions of small business owners, while also obtaining information about the history of fraud

The main goal of this study was to understand the awareness of small business owners regarding occupational fraud, meaning fraud committed from within an organization. A survey/questionnaire was used to gather insight into the knowledge and perceptions of small business owners, while also obtaining information about the history of fraud and the internal controls within their business. Twenty-four owners of businesses with less than 100 employees participated in the study. The results suggest that small business owners overestimate their knowledge regarding internal controls and occupational fraud, while also underestimating the risk of fraud within their own business. In fact, 92% of participants were not at all familiar with the popular Internal Control \u2014 Integrated Framework published by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The results also show that small business owners tend to overestimate the protection provided by their currently implemented controls in regard to their risk of fraud. Overall, through continued knowledge of internal controls and occupational fraud, business owners can better protect their businesses from the risk of occupational fraud by increasing their awareness of fraud.
ContributorsDennis, Lauren Nicole (Author) / Orpurt, Steven (Thesis director) / Munshi, Perseus (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor)
Created2014-05
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Description
The direction of artificial intelligence is one of the most important and popular topics of technological development. Both experts and the average person agree AI will continue to play a massive role in virtually all industries. Despite this shared belief, AI has continued to progress at a limited rate, limited

The direction of artificial intelligence is one of the most important and popular topics of technological development. Both experts and the average person agree AI will continue to play a massive role in virtually all industries. Despite this shared belief, AI has continued to progress at a limited rate, limited by conventional schools of thought and mathematical approaches. In order for truly intelligent technology to exist, one must succeed in modeling the human brain as a system, not its functionalities. Conventional AI attempts to account for all the variables and permutations of a given situation rather than creating a closed system that can implicitly utilize data to form completely unique conclusions without human intervention. By bridging the gap between mathematics, biology, and neurology, Igni will become the world's first hyper intelligent artificial intelligence system. In order to understand Igni, one must first understand the progression of conventional AI and its limitations. Then they can understanding the major components of Igni and how this technology overcomes conventional limitations in its journey to revolutionize most industries.
ContributorsYu, Vince Winghang (Co-author) / Patel, Ishan (Co-author) / Dawson, Gregory (Thesis director) / Garverick, Michael (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
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Within this paper I summarize the key features, and results, of research conducted to support the development, design, and implementation of an internal control system at a startup small business. These efforts were conducted for an Honors Thesis/Creative Project for Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University. The research

Within this paper I summarize the key features, and results, of research conducted to support the development, design, and implementation of an internal control system at a startup small business. These efforts were conducted for an Honors Thesis/Creative Project for Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University. The research revolved around deciding which financial policies, procedures, and safeguards could be useful in creating an internal control system for small businesses. In addition to academic research, I developed an “Internal Control Questionnaire” for use as a ‘jumping off point’ in conversations about a business’ existing accounting system. This questionnaire is applicable across many industries, covering the major topics which every small business/startup should consider.

The questionnaire was then used in conjunction with two interviews of small business owners. The interviews covered both the overall financial status of their business and their business’ pre-existing accounting system. The feedback received during these interviews was subsequently used to provide the business owners with eleven recommendations ranging from the implementation of new policies to verification of existing internal controls.

Finally, I summarize my findings, both academic and real-world, conveying that many small business owners do not implement formal internal control systems. I also discuss why the business owners, in this specific circumstance, did not yet implement the aforementioned eleven suggestions.
ContributorsDuncan, Spencer James (Author) / Garverick, Michael (Thesis director) / Casas Arce, Pablo (Committee member) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
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Technology is everywhere. It touches every industry and nearly every aspect of our lives. It is paving the way to exciting innovations, solving long-standing problems, and helping us as humans learn at a faster rate than ever before. The Tech Industry is booming, generating an ever-increasing amount of jobs within

Technology is everywhere. It touches every industry and nearly every aspect of our lives. It is paving the way to exciting innovations, solving long-standing problems, and helping us as humans learn at a faster rate than ever before. The Tech Industry is booming, generating an ever-increasing amount of jobs within the workforce. The number of women filling these new jobs, however, has remained static – if not declined. As a female student studying Computer Information Systems, this fact has concerned me for some time and propelled me to dig deeper and get to the root of the problem. It has been no secret that there is a lack of gender equality within the technology industry. Silicon Valley – the tech hub of the United States – has time and again been accused of creating an overwhelming sense of “bro culture”. The numbers are staggeringly obvious – women are entering into the industry at a lower rate than men, women are leaving the industry at a higher rate than men, and women are not being advanced within technology-based careers at the same rate as men. My objective with this creative project was to go beyond the numbers and to understand why this gender gap is still prevalent within the industry and, more importantly, what can be done to shrink the gap. As such, I decided to put faces to the numbers by creating a documentary in which I interviewed eight diverse female professionals with varying backgrounds that are in different stages within their careers in the technology industry. I was able to get real and raw opinions, ideas, and advice from these knowledgeable women to construct my responses to these complex issues. This paper has been structured to outline and analyze the ideas and concepts generated from my interviews of these women.
ContributorsFarias, Isabella Maria (Author) / Moser, Kathleen (Thesis director) / Scott, Kimberly (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
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How prepared are individuals to work in an environment with sensitive information? Do business students believe a data security course would be a valuable addition to their curriculum? This study investigates W.P. Carey's role in preparing its students for jobs in which they most likely will have to handle large

How prepared are individuals to work in an environment with sensitive information? Do business students believe a data security course would be a valuable addition to their curriculum? This study investigates W.P. Carey's role in preparing its students for jobs in which they most likely will have to handle large amounts of important data. Roughly 500 students across varying majors and years of education in the W.P. Carey School of Business answered an assortment of questions on their computer habits, and responded to various scenarios to test their knowledge. The survey targeted three specific areas (Software Updates, Password Protection, and Phishing) which was believed to be most pertinent to the students' future roles as professionals. While a large number of those surveyed (roughly 65%) responded well to most questions, nearly a third of all the responses received indicated cause for concern or an indication of a lack of knowledge. It was suggested (and many respondents agreed) that further education be provided to students for their own well-being in addition to the wellbeing of their future employers.
ContributorsVaughan, Nathaniel D (Author) / Lin, Elva (Thesis director) / Doupé, Adam (Committee member) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
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In today's business environment, customer service is more critical than ever. It is a major factor when consumers decide where to take their business. However, consumer choice is not applicable to all businesses for example, public utilities. Consumers do not have a choice in picking which utility company provides them

In today's business environment, customer service is more critical than ever. It is a major factor when consumers decide where to take their business. However, consumer choice is not applicable to all businesses for example, public utilities. Consumers do not have a choice in picking which utility company provides them service; the choice depends upon local jurisdictions and predetermined service territories. This lack of choice creates a "forced relationship" between consumers and public utilities. Because the nature of this relationship can have a negative impact, public utilities need to reevaluate their approach and invest in effective customer service as a valuable tool to achieve their organizational goals. This study investigates the need for public utilities to expand their investment; explores the available avenues to expand their investment; and offers a recommended pathway with the features and interface to expand their investment. Technology is the key in achieving organizational goals as it can reengineer internal and external operations. Self-service technology (SST) along with the features of gamification enable an organization to reengineer both its internal and its external operations. Companies can shift work from employees to customers and develop new mediums for customer service interaction. Overall, three investments are analyzed: traditional call centers, online, and mobile. The analysis focuses on available features and how those features affect the achievement of organizational goals. Two studies comprise interviews with utility representatives and a customer survey completed to reinforce findings. Based on the research, a smartphone application is the best option to enhance customer service while addressing all organizational goals.

ContributorsKosednar, Andrew Steven (Author) / Eaton, Kathryn (Thesis director) / Brendza, Daniel (Committee member) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12