Matching Items (34)
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- All Subjects: Fashion
- All Subjects: Finance
- Creators: Department of Marketing
- Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
- Member of: Theses and Dissertations
Description
For this thesis, the authors would like to create a hypothetical Private Equity Real Estate Investment firm that focuses on creating value for partners by taking an opportunistic approach to acquiring under-performing urban multi-family properties with large upside potential for investing. The project will focus on both the market analysis and financial modeling associated with investment strategy and transactions. There is a substantial amount of complexity within commercial real estate and this thesis seeks to offer an accurate and comprehensive documentary of the process, while simplifying it for everyday readers. Additionally, there are a significant amount of risk factors associated with investment decisions, so the best practices from the industry documented in this manuscript are valuable tools for successful investing in the future. To gain the most profound and reliable industry knowledge, the authors leveraged the experience of dozens of industry professionals through research and personal interviews. Through careful analysis, the authors were able to ascertain the current economic position in the real estate cycle and to create a plan for future investing. Additionally, they were able to identify and evaluate a specific asset for purchase. As a result, the authors found that multifamily properties are a sound investment for the next two years and that the company should slowly start to shift directions to office and retail in 2018.
ContributorsBacon, David (Co-author) / Soto, Justin (Co-author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Millennials are the group of people that make up the newer generation of the world's population and they are constantly surrounded by technology, as well as known for having different values than the previous generations. Marketers have to adapt to newer ways to appeal to millennials and secure their loyalty since millennials are always on the lookout for the next best thing and will "trade up for brands that matter, but trade down when brand value is weak", it poses a challenge for the marketing departments of companies (Fromm, J. & Parks, J.). The airline industry is one of the fastest growing sectors as "the total number of people flying on U.S. airlines will increase from 745.5 million in 2014 and grow to 1.15 billion in 2034," which shows that airlines have a wider population to market to, and will need to improve their marketing strategies to differentiate from competitors (Power). The financial sector also has a difficult time reaching out to millennials because "millennials are hesitant to take financial risks," as well as downing in college debt, while not making as much money as previous generations (Fromm, J. & Parks, J.). By looking into the marketing strategies, specifically using social media platforms, of the two industries, an understanding can be gathered of what millennials are attracted to. Along with looking at the marketing strategies of financial and airline industries, I looked at the perspectives of these industries in different countries, which is important to look at because then we can see if the values of millennials vary across different cultures. Countries chosen for research to further examine their cultural differences in terms of marketing practices are the United States and England. The main form of marketing that was used for this research were social media accounts of the companies, and seeing how they used the social networking platforms to reach and engage with their consumers, especially with those of the millennial generation. The companies chosen for further research for the airline industry from England were British Airways, EasyJet, and Virgin Atlantic, while for the U.S. Delta Airlines, Inc., Southwest Airlines, and United were chosen. The companies chosen to further examine within the finance industry from England include Barclay's, HSBC, and Lloyd's Bank, while for the U.S. the banks selected were Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo. The companies for this study were chosen because they are among the top five in their industry, as well as all companies that I have had previous interactions with. It was meant to see what the companies at the top of the industry were doing that set them apart from their competitors in terms of social media marketing content and see if there were features they lacked that could be changed or improvements they could make. A survey was also conducted to get a better idea of the attitudes and behaviors of millennials when it comes to the airline and finance industries, as well as towards social media marketing practices.
ContributorsPathak, Krisha Hemanshu (Author) / Kumar, Ajith (Thesis director) / Arora, Hina (Committee member) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Hugh Downs School of Human Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
As the IoT (Internet of Things) market continues to grow, Company X needs to find a way to penetrate the market and establish larger market share. The problem with Company X's current strategy and cost structure lies in the fact that the fastest growing portion of the IoT market is microcontrollers (MCUs). As Company X currently holds its focus in manufacturing microprocessors (MPUs), the current manufacturing strategy is not optimal for entering competitively into the MCU space. Within the MCU space, the companies that are competing the best do not utilize such high level manufacturing processes because these low cost products do not demand them. Given that the MCU market is largely untested by Company X and its products would need to be manufactured at increasingly lower costs, it runs the risk of over producing and holding obsolete inventory that is either scrapped or sold at or below cost. In order to eliminate that risk, we will explore alternative manufacturing strategies for Company X's MCU products specifically, which will allow for a more optimal cost structure and ultimately a more profitable Internet of Things Group (IoTG). The IoT MCU ecosystem does not require the high powered technology Company X is currently manufacturing and therefore, Company X loses large margins due to its unnecessary leading technology. Since cash is king, pursuing a fully external model for MCU design and manufacturing processes will generate the highest NPV for Company X. It also will increase Company X's market share, which is extremely important given that every tech company in the world is trying to get its hands into the IoT market. It is possible that in ten to thirty years down the road, Company X can manufacture enough units to keep its products in-house, but this is not feasible in the foreseeable future. For now, Company X should focus on the cost market of MCUs by driving its prices down while maintaining low costs due to the variables of COGS and R&D given in our fully external strategy.
ContributorsKadi, Bengimen (Co-author) / Peterson, Tyler (Co-author) / Langmack, Haley (Co-author) / Quintana, Vince (Co-author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Hertzel, Michael (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The fashion industry dubs couture as high fashion, yet couture never reaches the finish line when it comes to comfort. Most of the brand name high heels on the market are too painful to wear for long periods of time. For this project, I have developed 3D printed high heels with detachable insoles that will relieve tired feet based on the principle of reflexology. The product integrates traditional flexible insoles with Arduino computing and the result is a functional surface that can ease the pain of the wearer. This paper introduces the product and with it, under-explored opportunities to customize your own high heels at home. Essentially, each consumer will have the ability to personalize and switch out their style without sacrificing comfort. Soon, a consumer will be a designer.
ContributorsNguyen, Nhi N. (Author) / Ingalls, Todd (Thesis director) / Gigantino, Josh (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / School of Arts, Media and Engineering (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Dr. Dean Kashiwagi created a new thinking paradigm, Information Measurement Theory (IMT), which utilizes the understanding of natural laws to help individuals minimize decision-making and risk, which leads to reduced stress. In this new paradigm, any given situation can only have one unique outcome. The more information an individual has for the given situation, the better they can predict the outcome. Using IMT can help correctly "predict the future" of any situation if given enough of the correct information. A prime example of using IMT would be: to correctly predict what a young woman will be like when she's older, simply look at the young woman's mother. In essence, if you can't fall in love with the mother, don't marry the young woman. The researchers are utilizing the concept of IMT and extrapolating it to the financial investing world. They researched different financial investing strategies and were able to come to the conclusion that a strategy utilizing IMT would yield the highest results for investors while minimizing stress. Investors using deductive logic to invest received, on average, 1300% more returns than investors who did not over a 25-year period. Where other investors made many decisions and were constantly stressed with the tribulations of the market, the investors utilizing IMT made one decision and made much more than other investors. The research confirms the stock market will continue to increase over time by looking at the history of the stock market from a birds-eye view. Throughout the existence of the stock market, there have been highs and lows, but at the end of the day, the market continues to break through new ceilings. Investing in the stock market can be a dark and scary place for the blind investor. Using the concept of IMT can eliminate that blindfold to reduce stress on investors while earning the highest financial return potential. Using the basis of IMT, the researchers predict the market will continue to increase in the future; in conclusion, the best investment strategy is to invest in blue chip stocks that have a history of past success, in order to capture secure growth with minimal risk and stress.
ContributorsBerns, Ryan (Co-author) / Ybanez, Julian (Co-author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the effects of digital on the fashion industry. In order to accomplish this, we must first examine the fashion industry, as well as the emerging digital space, and how these two industries are rapidly colliding. Fashion, an industry that has been around since the early 1800s in the United States (Fashion History: The American System for Fashion, 2009), is being forced to pivot, and change its traditional practices, in order to remain relevant in a world heavily influenced by the Internet and consumer preferences. The largest changes taking place within fashion include the power of various industry influencers, including designers, magazines, retailers and lifestyle bloggers, and the rise of blogging as a fashion news source. Although designers, magazines and retailers still have significant clout within the industry, bloggers are becoming a force to be reckoned with, adding a new variable to the industry.
Meanwhile, digital is still being defined, as countless people work to determine best practices and reconcile the unending amount of information available into something that can be used. Trends in digital include the concept of new media, blogging, social media and new channels of media. Overall, we are seeing a shift to user-‐ generated content, available all the time, and a proliferation of content being created and published on the Web.
Some of the ways these two industries are colliding include the rise of lifestyle bloggers, developments and usage of technology, an abundance of new e-‐commerce models, and finally, a shift in the ways consumers curate and discover products online.
Predictions for the future include a more streamlined and user-‐friendly process for search and product discovery online, increase in social commerce and personalization of products, and finally, a return to brick and mortar shopping, but with an improved, experiential model. These trends will affect industry stakeholders dramatically, and so necessary actions for these stakeholders are also discussed, such as allocating more resources to content generation and e-‐commerce, giving consumers the ability to personalize, and improving their physical shopping experiences to provide something valuable and entertaining.
Meanwhile, digital is still being defined, as countless people work to determine best practices and reconcile the unending amount of information available into something that can be used. Trends in digital include the concept of new media, blogging, social media and new channels of media. Overall, we are seeing a shift to user-‐ generated content, available all the time, and a proliferation of content being created and published on the Web.
Some of the ways these two industries are colliding include the rise of lifestyle bloggers, developments and usage of technology, an abundance of new e-‐commerce models, and finally, a shift in the ways consumers curate and discover products online.
Predictions for the future include a more streamlined and user-‐friendly process for search and product discovery online, increase in social commerce and personalization of products, and finally, a return to brick and mortar shopping, but with an improved, experiential model. These trends will affect industry stakeholders dramatically, and so necessary actions for these stakeholders are also discussed, such as allocating more resources to content generation and e-‐commerce, giving consumers the ability to personalize, and improving their physical shopping experiences to provide something valuable and entertaining.
ContributorsLose', Jenna Elizabeth (Author) / Ostrom, Amy (Thesis director) / Giles, Bret (Committee member) / Boonlorn, Jennifer (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
This paper is rooted in the field of business, with an emphasis on entrepreneurship in the fashion industry. The questions we tried to answer were the following: What are factors of success for current fashion brands? What is important to our target market when shopping? How can we deliver these attributes to our target market? How can we use our findings to create a fashion brand? First, we conducted in-depth external analysis about existing retailers including, Forever 21, Zara and Brandy Melville. After doing so, we created brand molecules and learned about other people's perceptions in relation to these existing brands. Next, using our own qualitative and quantitative research, we sought to understand the many gaps in the overall shopping experience for college students and young working professionals. Our research revealed many common themes and trends that we will integrate into our proposed business plan in efforts to fill the gaps. Through our data analysis, common trends included how our demographic learns about new fashion trends, statement pieces versus mix-and-match basics, online shopping versus in-store shopping, price sensitivity of our target market, and lastly, the quality of customer service and the store's return policy. After our extensive research and data analysis, we began to construct our brand. We propose a new business model that targets our fashion-forward consumer with a memorable shopping experience that delivers high-quality and trendiness to their wardrobe. Using the elements and trends we identified, combined with our own vision, we combined them into one brand, The Capsule Collection. ur brand will feature high-quality, reasonably priced basics ranging from everyday casual to business casual. We will have store locations in cities where there are many young working professionals, and target them through social media advertising. Our store will feature an open layout with clean and minimalistic displays, keeping everything in neutral tones and accented with plants. The goal of The Capsule Collection is to make shopping as easy and exciting as possible, and focus entirely on the customer's experience.
ContributorsMeyyappan, Rathna (Co-author) / Aggarwal, Payal (Co-author) / Gray, Nancy (Thesis director) / Samper, Adriana (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
Streetwear is a category of fashion that has evolved from being a niche style of dress influenced by American counter cultures, into a formidable industry. Over time, Streetwear has become a culture in itself whose members are critical of inauthentic brands and commercialization. Streetwear brands have the need to be perceived as authentic, exclusive, and being connected to celebrity to survive in the industry long-term. Additionally, as the industry grows larger, the marketplace has become increasingly saturated. This can be attributed to how easy it is to create a fledgling streetwear brand due to advances in garment production technology and streetwear's roots in low-cost clothing. Streetwear brands need to differentiate themselves in an effective manner to stand out to consumers in the saturated streetwear market. Primary research conducted via a survey administered to streetwear consumers was done to learn more about the effectiveness of popular tactics and marketplace events streetwear brands use to differentiate themselves. Secondary research was done in literature on the topics of creativity and energized differentiation. Research by Gerzema and Lebar presented in their book The Brand Bubble on the topic of energized differentiation is reviewed and applied to streetwear brands. This thesis will discuss the key elements brands need to have to be successful in the streetwear industry. Along with this, it will also look at the effectiveness of specific tactics bands can execute to effectively differentiate themselves in the saturated industry and the important role creativity plays in their success.
ContributorsGriblin, Austin W. (Author) / Ostrom, Amy (Thesis director) / Samper, Adriana (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The landscape of professional sporting venues within the United States is changing. From 1990-2018, within the four main American professional sports leagues, 20 new NHL arenas, 24 new NBA arenas, 22 new NFL stadiums, and 26 new MLB stadiums were built. As the industry morphs, a handful of new initiatives are being worked into the construct of these venues including increased commercial areas for shopping and restaurants and sharing of the venues between two organizations in an attempt to increase the overall utilization of the spaces. Additionally, in Detroit, San Francisco and Atlanta, where new stadiums and arenas were just recently introduced, the municipalities are using the venues to catalyze further growth and development within the city. However, these trends, while innovative, are tethered to high prices.
This thesis seeks to analyze the changes in how current stadiums are being funded, the public’s reaction to and perception of those financing plans and what the future might hold. Research showed that tax dollars are increasingly unpopular and teams are moving away from using public money to fund sports venues. Gathered for this report, survey data of 815 Arizona State University students supported anecdotal evidence that people within a community are relatively unhappy with the idea of their money being used to partially subsidize wealthy sports organizations’ infrastructure. Altogether, recent evidence suggests that multi-use facilities funded in majority by private wealth are more popular and generate greater economic impact for the municipality than earlier in history, when heavily subsidized venues allowed teams to take advantage of local government and created fan mistrust.
This thesis seeks to analyze the changes in how current stadiums are being funded, the public’s reaction to and perception of those financing plans and what the future might hold. Research showed that tax dollars are increasingly unpopular and teams are moving away from using public money to fund sports venues. Gathered for this report, survey data of 815 Arizona State University students supported anecdotal evidence that people within a community are relatively unhappy with the idea of their money being used to partially subsidize wealthy sports organizations’ infrastructure. Altogether, recent evidence suggests that multi-use facilities funded in majority by private wealth are more popular and generate greater economic impact for the municipality than earlier in history, when heavily subsidized venues allowed teams to take advantage of local government and created fan mistrust.
ContributorsKleen, Brendon (Co-author) / Cwiakala, Alec (Co-author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / McIntosh, Daniel (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Comm (Contributor, Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This thesis explores the current relationship between high fashion and the advancements and changes in technology that have catapulted the industry into a potentially dangerous level. It is simple for one to identify fashion as a booming industry; however, upon further inquiry, it becomes clear that the pace of the fashion industry is unsustainable as the demands and expectations that the current consumer has for high fashion brands grow unproportional with the standard rate of the industry. In 2016, the fashion industry reached $2.4 trillion in total value, placing it as the seventh largest economy in the world (Amed, 2016), but these numbers are as fickle as a fashion trend. The fear and talk of the current state of fashion is that this will stagnate and even drop off, due to multiple factors. The shift to the "see now/buy now" platform (CFDA, 2016), a marked reliance on social media "influencers" in order to determine success (Friedman, 2016), and the commercialization of creative directors attributing to the high turnover rate at brands (Prigent, 2016) may lead one to conclude the technology is positively affecting the fashion industry. However, these factors ought lead one to conclude that high fashion is moving at an unsustainable pace, one which will result in long-term detriments to the seemingly unshakable industry and remove high fashion off its current pedestal. Over the past few years, a larger consumer base motivated growth in sales numbers, but in 2016, sales growth was at 2-3% with predictions of stagnation to come for the upcoming years (Amed, 2016). This thesis will look at if the high fashion industry itself has become "trendy" and where the current peak of the industry will lead for the future.
ContributorsGur-Arie, Hannah Esther (Author) / Gray, Nancy (Thesis director) / Ostrom, Amy (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05