Matching Items (5)
Filtering by
- All Subjects: Business
- All Subjects: Suicide
- Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
- Resource Type: Text
Description
The story of Moneyball is an informative tale. It is the true story of the Oakland Athletics baseball team in the 2002 season who managed to not only compete with teams who had nearly three times the payroll size and all the star players, but also won an American League record 20 games in a row. Their manager, Billy Beane, was able to achieve this by using sabermetrics, a newly invented term that describes the advanced statistics and metrics used to judge a player's contribution to the success of the team over traditional statistics and gut feeling, to draft and trade for undervalued players to create a competitive team under his small-market budget. This story is well known as a best-selling novel by Michael Lewis and later a film by the same name. Clearly it was successful in the field of baseball, but can it be used in other business industries? The idea of sabermetrics, or finding more information to predict the future of a player is very similar to the ideas of Information Measurement Theory (IMT) as theorized by Dr. Dean Kashiwagi, a professor at Arizona State University. The goal of this paper is to use Moneyball as a narrative to show how applying the concepts of IMT to businesses could allow them to better predict their performance and the future of their industry. Moreover, these same ideas can predict if the leadership of the company will be successful by analyzing their personal characteristics. This paper will act as a guide for businesses to start following the concepts of IMT and to better analyze themselves and their industry to increase performance and reduce stressful decision-making.
ContributorsKent, Austin (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
In an increasingly global economy, companies face challenges with implementing successful business and marketing strategies in cultures different from their own. This paper calls upon previous research to compile a per-country outline of general behaviors and expectations when doing business overseas. Using categorical definitions from Hofstede's 1984 study and those found in the Handbook of Global and Multicultural Negotiation, a table has been prepared to group similar countries based on their cultural biases.
ContributorsPetruccelli, Lauren Taylor (Author) / Shunk, Dan (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Committee member) / McCarville, Daniel R. (Committee member) / Industrial, Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
Industry is changing. Businesses are plagued with problems of inefficiency, ineffectiveness, and waste. Many of these issues arise from some common mistakes within established management structures; these issues include lack of expertise in leadership positions, lack of unity across the organization, and imbalance within the business. Using Information Measurement Theory, the Kashiwagi Solution Model, and leadership theories, this thesis presents a simple approach to creating a business structure through explaining the basic tenets of a successful modern business. It was determined that the first and most important task of a business is to set realistic long-term goals for the organization. This thesis proposes that the basic needs of a successful business also includes having the right individuals, team formation, positive leadership, and the proper alignment of resources. It was found that it is best to hire individuals that exhibit some Type A characteristics because those individuals are likely to effectively carry out the goals of the business. Forming these individuals into small teams increases their processing speeds and encourages a balance of accountability, innovative solutions, and a network of learning. Furthermore, consistent, positive leadership that lives the company culture is a key element to successfully maintaining the business vision and maximizing associate effectiveness. It was also determined that aligning the organization to work towards the business vision can be performed through implementing a flat structure, placing individuals in roles that maximize effectiveness, and establishing the right business goals so that there is a consistent business vision at all levels of the organization. This thesis also provides guidance on how to implement these tenets in a simple, dominant way. Ultimately, the four proposed tenets working in unison towards business goals can lead to a successful and adaptable modern business.
ContributorsMeade, Payton Drew (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This thesis analyzes research on news media reporting and suicide statistics from the past several decades to determine the effect that reporting has on suicidal ideation and behavior within different populations. Within this paper, the term "news media" refers to print and broadcast journalism organizations (also referred to as mass media) that cover municipal, regional, national or international communities. This thesis is intended to illustrate the impact news media can have on the public's opinions, feelings, perspectives and understanding of facts. Specifically, this thesis aims to show how news media reports can change a community's awareness of, and appreciation for, the issue of suicide within that community and the world at large, especially among marginalized or neglected groups. Further, it seeks to help journalists understand the importance of responsible reporting by showing the negative consequences of irresponsible reporting and discussing the potential positive impact journalism can have if done correctly and appropriately. Finally, the paper concludes that the news media have, and continue to have, a firm hold over public perception when it comes to suicide and suggests journalistic best practices based on the reporting guidelines set forth by the leading authorities on the subject.
ContributorsBosch, Graham Charles (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Zermeño, Gilbert (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
The loss of a loved one through suicide is a traumatic life event that brings about considerable emotional turmoil. In the present study, the term suicide loss survivor refers to an individual who is a family member or a friend of a person who died by suicide. Through the three chosen methods of gathering data, which are online surveys, in person interviews, and photography sessions, researchers highlight the personal experience of thirty-three suicide loss survivors. Supported by these various methods of data collection are the unique issues that accompany the bereavement of a suicide loss. The areas of focus are the emotional trauma, social stigma, and postvention resources utilized or made available to suicide loss survivors. Throughout interviews with suicide loss survivors, some of whom also identified as Arizona State University students, an additional opportunity for research emerged. Participants identified that Arizona State University is not effectively providing suicide awareness and prevention materials and training to its community, including staff and students. Recommendations for how Arizona State University can improve their current processes are discussed in the conclusion. By implementing the recommendations of prevention and postvention care, it is possible to educate students and staff and, in turn, allow Arizona State University to foster a culture of empathy for existing suicide loss survivors, while working on decreasing the risk of future suicides. This creative project and narrative analysis was performed by two individuals who themselves are suicide loss survivors and have taken their personal experiences as a foundation for the project's need.
ContributorsStockwell, Anna (Co-author) / Lashinske, Angela (Co-author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05