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Description
The business models of the music industry are currently experiencing rapid changes. Services such as Spotify, SoundCloud, and Pandora offer methods of consuming music unlike any the industry has seen before. Consumers have shifted from wanting products (digital music and CDs) to using streaming services (Spotify, Pandora, etc.). This study

The business models of the music industry are currently experiencing rapid changes. Services such as Spotify, SoundCloud, and Pandora offer methods of consuming music unlike any the industry has seen before. Consumers have shifted from wanting products (digital music and CDs) to using streaming services (Spotify, Pandora, etc.). This study analyzes the motivation for these changes and considers why people choose the avenues by which they experience music.
ContributorsDugan, Emma (Co-author) / Foley, Meghan (Co-author) / Bhattacharjya, Nilanjana (Thesis director) / Ingram-Waters, Mary (Committee member) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2015-05
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Description
With the retirement of the Baby Boomer generation, the workforce is getting younger. Millennials will soon make up the majority of the workplace, and it is therefore imperative for organizations to understand the values and work expectations of this emerging generation. This thesis examines the importance of employment benefits towards

With the retirement of the Baby Boomer generation, the workforce is getting younger. Millennials will soon make up the majority of the workplace, and it is therefore imperative for organizations to understand the values and work expectations of this emerging generation. This thesis examines the importance of employment benefits towards work life balance and work satisfaction to Millennials, and what employers can do to recruit and retain this generation of workers in the current marketplace. The data for this study was collected by surveying MBA students enrolled at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. A total of sixty-eight students completed the survey, forty-five being Millennials and twenty-three members of Generation X. The data was analyzed using various statistical techniques to assess the generational importance of work life balance and its relationship between particular employee benefits and recruitment and retention at organizations.
ContributorsAguilar, Amanda Nicole (Author) / Kalika, Dale (Thesis director) / LePine, Marcie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Department of Management (Contributor)
Created2014-05
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Description
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the current state of the brick-and-mortar bookselling industry, with particular focus on independent bookstores and their strengths and weaknesses, and synthesizing recommendations for these bookstores to reinvent themselves in a rapidly changing market. This examination is highly relevant given recent concerns that,

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the current state of the brick-and-mortar bookselling industry, with particular focus on independent bookstores and their strengths and weaknesses, and synthesizing recommendations for these bookstores to reinvent themselves in a rapidly changing market. This examination is highly relevant given recent concerns that, with the rise of e-retailers like Amazon and the closure of bookstore chain Borders, brick-and-mortar bookstores may be superseded by new digital vendors. Independent bookstores are thought to be at a particular disadvantage to these retailers, given their limited size and resources, as well as the lack of capital or consumer base that a larger chain like Barnes and Noble can draw upon to invest in emerging technology. With these more limited financial opportunities, independent bookstores must find different ways to not only keep abreast of the technology that consumers are coming to expect from modern businesses, but attract customers.
To gain insight into the state of the industry and current position of independent bookstores, I will first examine the past fifty years of the brick-and-mortar bookstore, followed by a Porter’s Five Forces analysis of the industry threats and a SWOT analysis to compare the strengths and weaknesses of independent bookstores. Next, the patrons of independent bookstores will be discussed with a focus on the two largest consumer groups of Millennials and Baby Boomers, their characteristics, and the opportunities they provide to bookstores. After this there will be an exploration of the competitors to brick-and-mortar bookstores, focusing on Amazon and then touching on some of the other rivals to bookstores’ consumer base. The next section will be an in-depth analysis of a variety of bookstores across the United States, with attention to their successful practices, goals, concerns, and failures. First, there will be a comparison of industry success and failure through case studies of Borders and Powell’s bookstores. Next, there will be a comparison of five beloved independent bookstores across the country to share their varied competitive advantages that are the secret to their success. Finally, there are primary source interviews with the employees of three major Phoenix bookstores, which provide insight into the goals, current projects, attitudes, and inner strengths of these businesses. Finally, the thesis will conclude with a section offering solutions and suggestions for independent bookstores to pursue based on the primary and secondary research discussed above. These recommendations are focused on five key areas:
• Community
• Consumers
• Store Design
• Technology
• Diversification
Ultimately, the information provided by this research and these interviews indicates that while vital business changes are being pursued by independent and chain bookstores across the United States, the independent bookstore shows no signs of disappearing in favor of online vendors or e-readers.
ContributorsPorrell, Kelly Maria (Author) / Montoya, Detra (Thesis director) / Schlacter, John (Committee member) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05