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- Creators: Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business
- Member of: Theses and Dissertations
Billionaires are a relatively new phenomenon, yet their influence is immense. Some billionaires hide in the shadows, and others are at the forefront of our society. With the advent of social media, the reach of billionaires at the forefront has expanded exponentially. Some sport their fancy lifestyles, some preach their views on the world, and some share what it takes to become like them. With 2.562 billion monthly YouTube users and millions of views for any video with or about billionaires, the reach the highly wealthy have is immense. So many are watching, raising two questions are the viewers watching with the intent of learning how to become a billionaire themselves or are they purely focused on entertainment value? Additionally, what purpose does speaking to the masses through YouTube serve for the wealthiest individuals in the world? This paper will attempt to answer these questions and dive deeper into the billionaire YouTube landscape. There will be a discussion of the immense power of billionaires, what it means to be one, and an analysis of a select few of America’s wealthiest individuals. Hopefully, this will give a better perspective on the wealth-based social media landscape.
“The Power of Family in Entrepreneurship: The Story of Avanti Ristorante” is a thesis project with a dual purpose: to preserve family history, and to explore and learn from the entrepreneurial journey of the DiMarzio and Mancini families. After emigrating from Italy to the United States, these two families opened Avanti, and Italian restaurant in Cheyenne, WY. Through decades of hard work, they made immeasurable impact on their community. Their story told through the medium of an 18-minute documentary film. The film features in-depth interviews with Marisa DiMarzio, Gino DiMarzio, Roberto Mancini, and Lucia Manici, supported by photos and artifacts from their thirty year tenure as restaurateurs. Viewers of the film will glean valuable lessons about the importance of a dedication to service as the driving force behind successful entrepreneurship. The documentary can be viewed via the link in the PDF, or on the Center for Entrepreneurship YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfQhW4j8hReH6Lgeuy5hmdQ
Many corporations have experienced an increase in fraud since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and expect the level of fraud impacting their organization to continue to increase. As everyday activities moved from physical to online environments, many jobs shifted from being in an office to working from home. This lack of oversight and support system from their peers during these difficult times may have spurred unethical conduct from employees. Since many college students will end up in positions where they will have access to commit and conceal financial crime, I surveyed Arizona State University students who have experienced remote education and asked them questions regarding academic dishonesty and unethical business practices. Based on their responses to statements about online education since the pandemic and their likelihood to cheat in certain academic situations because of it, I found that students feel more comfortable cheating and committing academic dishonesty than before the pandemic. Since past research shows that the consequences of academic dishonesty are not confined to the university environment, educators and employers need to be aware of these implications arising from the pandemic to prevent individuals from developing a cheating mentality and committing unethical workplace behavior. By looking at the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on academic dishonesty among Arizona State University students, this study contributes to emerging research on the lasting effects of the pandemic and the consequences of shifting to remote activities in many aspects of life.