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The purpose of this thesis is to convince readers of the benefits of cross-functional collaboration and innovation within the W. P. Carey School of Business. Specifically, cross-functional collaboration is the "innovation" that is being discussed and will be presented. Written from the perspective of a current business student, this thesis incorporates secondary research as well as personal experience to explain why this would benefit the business school at Arizona State University. The research conducted stems from online resources such as the Harvard Business Review, Kai Nexus, Forbes and other websites and explains why the author decided to pursue this topic. Cross-functional collaboration is seen in the everyday workings of the business world and are a utilized by a multitude of successful companies \u2014 Dell, Intel, Amazon, Apple and other similar companies. Therefore, it should be taken advantage of within undergraduate education in order to better prepare students for what they may experience afterwards. In addition, a majority of the paper is dedicated to recommendations for how exactly cross-functional collaboration could be incorporated, as well as examples of successful cross-functional courses and teams. These recommendations will be beneficial to business and general faculty members and can contribute to positive organizational change at the university.
ContributorsThompson, Trevor N (Author) / Trujillo, Rhett (Thesis director) / Peck, Sidnee (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disease characterized by progressive muscle loss and weakness. This disease arises from a mutation that occurs on a gene that encodes for dystrophin, which results in observable muscle death and inflammation; however, the genetic changes that result from dystrophin's dysfunctionality remain unknown. Current DMD research uses mdx mice as a model, and while very useful, does not allow the study of cell-autonomous transcriptome changes during the progression of DMD due to the strong inflammatory response, perhaps hiding important therapeutic targets. C. elegans, which has a very weak inflammatory response compared to mdx mice and humans, has been used in the past to study DMD with some success. The worm ortholog of the dystrophin gene has been identified as dys-1 since its mutation phenocopies the progression of the disease and a portion of the human dystrophin gene alleviates symptoms. Importantly, the extracted RNA transcriptome from dys-1 worms showed significant change in gene expression, which needs to be further investigated with the development of a more robust model. Our lab previously published a method to isolate high-quality muscle-specific RNA from worms, which could be used to study such changes at higher resolution. We crossed the dys-1 worms with our muscle-specific strain and demonstrated that the chimeric strain exhibits similar behavioral symptoms as DMD patients as characterized by a shortened lifespan, difficulty in movement, and a decrease in speed. The presence of dys-1 and other members of the dystrophin complex in the body muscle were supported by the development of a resulting phenotype due to RNAi knockdown of each component in the body muscle; however, further experimentation is needed to reinforce this conclusion. Thus, the constructed chimeric C. elegans strain possesses unique characteristics that will allow the study of genetic changes, such as transcriptome rearrangements and dysregulation of miRNA, and how they affect the progression of DMD.
ContributorsNguyen, Thuy-Duyen Cao (Author) / Mangone, Marco (Thesis director) / Newbern, Jason (Committee member) / Duchaine, Thomas (Committee member) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Arizona State University students are currently out of the loop when it comes to hearing about events being held in their community. This is because there is no established service that provides an inclusive list of both on and near campus events. What's worse is that the current methods for event marketing rely heavily on who one knows. Currently, ASU students hear about events through word of mouth, email chains, Facebook pages, and posters around campus. Thankfully, there is now an event marketing method that is available to everyone. UniEvents is a newly developed event service that live-tracks events around ASU's Tempe campus. UniEvents consists of a webpage that accommodates all screen sizes and is accessible by all devices including smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers. The website offers a user-friendly interface and useful features. Students are able to scan through event listings on a calendar or they can use an interactive map to find events nearest to them. Furthermore, UniEvents also offers the option for users to submit events to be advertised through the service. This way, students and organizations can easily spread the word about events on campus. Through UniEvents, ASU students will finally be able to see a conclusive list of upcoming events in one convenient site. Students will be able to save time and hassle by not having to rely on numerous sources to learn about events. UniEvents is committed to help students learn about events and get involved in campus activities!
ContributorsDeegan, Taylor (Co-author) / Nguyen, Lilian (Co-author) / Ostrom, Lonnie (Thesis director) / Schlacter, John (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Education is a very sensitive topic when it comes to implementing the right policies. From professionals well-versed in the topic, to the very students who are being taught, feedback for reform is constantly being addressed. Nonetheless, there remains a large gap between the performance of some of the most advanced countries in the world and the United States of America. As it stands today, USA is arguably the most technologically advanced country and the outright leader of the free market. For over a century this nation has been exceeding expectations in nearly every industry known to man and aiding the rest of the world in their endeavors for a higher standard of living. Yet, there seems to be something critically wrong with the way a large majority of the younger generation are growing up. How can a country so respected in the world fall so far behind in what is considered the basics of human education: math and science? The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is a series of assessments taken by countries all around the world to determine the strength of their youth's knowledge. Since its inception in 1995, TIMSS has been conducted every four years with an increasing number of participating countries and students each time. In 1999 U.S. eighth-graders placed #19 in the world for mathematics and #18 for science (Appendix Fig. 1). In the years following, and further detailed in the thesis, the U.S. managed to improve the overall performance by a small margin but still remained a leg behind countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, and more. Clearly these countries were doing something right as they consistently managed to rank in the top tier. Over the course of this paper we will observe and analyze why and how Singapore has topped the TIMSS list for both math and science nearly every time it has been administered over the last two decades. What is it that they are teaching their youth that enables them to perform exceptionally above the norm? Why is it that we cannot use their techniques as a guideline to increase the capabilities of our future generations? We look to uncover the teaching methods of what is known as Singapore Math and how it has helped students all over the world. By researching current U.S. schools that have already implemented the system and learning about their success stories, we hope to not only educate but also persuade the local school districts on why integrating Singapore Math into their curriculum will lead to the betterment of the lives of thousands of children and the educational threshold of this great nation.
ContributorsKichloo, Parth (Co-author) / Leverenz, Michael (Co-author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Rivera, Alfredo (Committee member) / Department of Management (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The coffee industry is enormous and has grown around the world. Today, 125 million people depend on coffee production for their livelihood, and coffee is consumed in every part of the globe. Arizona State University, the largest public university in the United States, gathers a large number of coffee drinkers as college students become dependent on caffeine in order to perform their best in multiple facets of their hectic lives. Researchers realized that there is still a gap that has not been filled in the Tempe retail coffee market. Thus, the objective of this project is to conduct a detailed research on the retail coffee industry, and to craft a profitable business plan for a coffee shop in the Vista del Sol community. The researchers utilized both quantitative and qualitative analysis tools. All survey results, calculations, and maps can be found in the appendices and the Excel file.
To help the readers better understand the industry, the researchers provide a detailed analysis on the retail coffee industry from both macro and micro levels. The Coffee Break House aims to be the leader of the retail coffee industry by delivering consistent, fast and superior service, providing high-quality beverages, being the most inviting store, and having the friendliest staff in a relaxing and welcoming environment. The coffee shop will be owned and operated by four equity investors. The business plan, which includes six major sections, shows investors’ vision and strategic focus.
• Market Situation Analysis
• Marketing Strategy
• Supply Chain Strategy
• Financial Strategy
• Expansion Plan
• Risks
The researchers believe that the Coffee Break House has the potential to become a successful business and provide lucrative returns to potential investors. This is due to the company’s aggressive marketing strategy, establishment of the company as a unique entity in the industry, careful development of its products, a well developed supply chain strategy, and a profitable revenue model.
To help the readers better understand the industry, the researchers provide a detailed analysis on the retail coffee industry from both macro and micro levels. The Coffee Break House aims to be the leader of the retail coffee industry by delivering consistent, fast and superior service, providing high-quality beverages, being the most inviting store, and having the friendliest staff in a relaxing and welcoming environment. The coffee shop will be owned and operated by four equity investors. The business plan, which includes six major sections, shows investors’ vision and strategic focus.
• Market Situation Analysis
• Marketing Strategy
• Supply Chain Strategy
• Financial Strategy
• Expansion Plan
• Risks
The researchers believe that the Coffee Break House has the potential to become a successful business and provide lucrative returns to potential investors. This is due to the company’s aggressive marketing strategy, establishment of the company as a unique entity in the industry, careful development of its products, a well developed supply chain strategy, and a profitable revenue model.
ContributorsJiang, Yichun (Co-author) / Yin, Jiangting (Co-author) / Oke, Adegoke (Thesis director) / O'Neill, Dan (Committee member) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
League of Legends is a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game. MOBA games are generally formatted where two teams of five, each player controlling a character (champion), will try to take each other's base as quickly as possible. Currently, with about 70 million, League of Legends is number one in the digital entertainment industry with $1.63 billion dollars of revenue in year 2015. This research analysis scopes in on the niche of the "Jungler" role between different tiers of player in League of Legends. I uncovered differences in player strategy that may explain the achievement of high rank using data aggregation through Riot Games' API, data slicing with time-sensitive data, random sampling, clustering by tiers, graphical techniques to display the cluster, distribution analysis and finally, a comprehensive factor analysis on the data's implications.
ContributorsPoon, Alex (Author) / Clark, Joseph (Thesis director) / Simon, Alan (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The fashion industry demonstrates itself to be highly competitive and aggressive, making it difficult for fashion graduates to find work in the industry. Another customer problem is that fashion products do not ideally meet customers' expectations, whether it is through fit, design, etc. These two problems relate to the inefficiencies in the ideation and distribution channels of fashion. There is a lack of another outlet for fashion where products are different from what retail offers and fashion ideas can be shared. The two problems stated previously are byproducts of this. This research study and entrepreneurial effort of building a web platform will allow consumers, designers, manufacturers, and retailers (these target groups are also known as "customer segments" throughout the project) to work together to create a clothing product that not only fits the customer's vision, but also provides the ability for designers and small businesses to better establish themselves in the industry. The website was designed based on potential customers' inputs collected from a marketing survey, a competitive analysis, and the business model canvas. The website was developed following the systems development life cycle (SDLC) project management method. This was followed in order to make sure the website will be available on time, with all the required features, and within the budget. According to the survey analysis, most people do not make an effort to produce a unique design if a fashion product does not meet their standards. Instead, they will settle for an item similar to what was in mind and that already exists in-stores or online. However, further data analysis showed that this difference was apparent between men and women. Thus, the research finding was that the website would be targeting a niche market of college-aged women during the first launch. In order to reach the small target segment, different digital marketing approaches must be used to attract new users. To attract college-aged female consumers, the site must discover and sponsor "influencers" to authentically promote the website towards prospective consumers. To attract designers, word of mouth is best utilized: reaching out to design majors at Arizona State University, then other local schools, and expanding from there. To attract local manufacturers and retailers, a typical direct sales strategy is necessary by informing these businesses about the team and background, so that they feel confident in the partnership. The overall hypothesis of this project: the creation of a web platform that provides a network among consumers, designers, and local businesses will create jobs for designers, cause local businesses to build recognition, and allow consumers to create their own fashion product without design experience. This site is named My Clothing Line to make it feel as though each of the individual customers are logging into their own business site.
ContributorsTran, Melissa Kim (Author) / Lin, Elva (Thesis director) / Giles, Charles (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The key to success is hard work and determination. Achieving success is always under construction. This project began as a simple analysis of the firm's progress, as at the time it was in desperate need of new clients and a marketing strategy to strengthen its visibility on campus.Through this evaluation, our team found that the firm was in an abysmal state and the previously noted problems were not the only issues of concern. From our research we found that in order for the firm to grow and become a successful student run consulting firm, there are several interorganizational issues that need to be understood and addressed. The intention of New Venture Group and the Consulting Scholars academic program is to provide students the opportunity to garner practical learning experiences. These potential opportunities are not taken full advantage of because of the afflicting problems that exist. The purpose of this thesis is to understand what problems exist within the firm and the next steps that should be taken to resolve them.
ContributorsBaskin, Connor (Co-author) / Farr, Austin (Co-author) / Chou, Alexandra (Co-author) / Laub, Jeffrey (Thesis director) / Taylor, Todd (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Cyber-weapons and the rapid progression of utilizing cyberspace in conflict poses several risks to states and their ability to maintain control of their respective technological infrastructures. Susceptibility to these weapons extend to virtually all existing nations, and indicates a critical need for transnational organizations and their members to establish collective strategies for governing cyber-arms. In this paper, the United Nations, as a prime example of an influential transnational organization, is utilized as a case study for a framework that seeks to define and establish guidelines for arms control policy as it relates to cyber-weapons. Presented is a strategy that seeks to define cyber-warfare and cyber-weapons, distinguish it from other existing forms of weapons and warfare, and outline recommended actions for the United Nations and its affiliates, including the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and United Nations Security Council.
ContributorsSidhu, Arman Singh (Author) / Berliner, Daniel (Thesis director) / Santanam, Raghu (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor)
Created2015-12
Description
The Performance Based Studies Research Studies Group (PBSRG) at Arizona State University (ASU) has been studying the cause of increased cost and time in construction and other projects for the last 20 years. Through two longitudinal studies with a group of owners in the state of Minnesota (400 tests over six years) and the US Army Medical Command (400 tests over four years), the client/buyer has been identified as the largest risk and source of project cost and time deviations. This has been confirmed by over 1,500 tests conducted over the past 20 years. The focus of this research effort is to analyze the economic and performance impact of a delivery process of construction called the Job Order Contracting (JOC) process, to evaluate the value (in terms of time, cost, and customer satisfaction) achieved when utilizing JOC over other traditional methods to complete projects. JOC's strength is that it minimizes the need for the owner to manage, direct and control (MDC) through a lengthy traditional process of design, bid, and award of a construction contract. The study identifies the potential economic savings of utilizing JOC. This paper looks at the results of an ongoing study surveying eight different public universities. The results of the research show that in comparison to more traditional models, JOC has large cost savings, and is preferable among most owners who have used multiple delivery systems.
ContributorsLi, Hao (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Industrial, Systems (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12