Matching Items (55)
Description
Dale and Edna is a hybrid animated film and videogame experienced in virtual reality with dual storylines that increases in potential meanings through player interaction. Developed and played within Unreal Engine 4 using the HTC Vive, Oculus, or PlayStation VR, Dale and Edna allows for players to passively enjoy the film element of the project or partake in the active videogame portion. Exploration of the virtual story world yields more information about that world, which may or may not alter the audience’s perception of the world. The film portion of the project is a static narrative with a plot that cannot be altered by players within the virtual world. In the static plot, the characters Dale and Edna discover and subsequently combat an alien invasion that appears to have the objective of demolishing Dale’s prize pumpkin. However, the aliens in the film plot are merely projections created by AR headsets that are reflecting Jimmy’s gameplay on his tablet. The audience is thus invited to question their perception of reality through combined use of VR and AR. The game element is a dynamic narrative scaffold that does not unfold as a traditional narrative might. Instead, what a player observes and interacts with within the sandbox level will determine the meaning those players come away from this project with. Both elements of the project feature modular code construction so developers can return to both the film and game portions of the project and make additions. This paper will analyze the chronological development of the project along with the guiding philosophy that was revealed in the result.
Keywords: virtual reality, film, videogame, sandbox
Keywords: virtual reality, film, videogame, sandbox
ContributorsKemp, Adam Lee (Co-author) / Kemp, Bradley (Co-author) / Kemp, Claire (Co-author) / LiKamWa, Robert (Thesis director) / Gilfillan, Daniel (Committee member) / Arts, Media and Engineering Sch T (Contributor) / Thunderbird School of Global Management (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The Italian luxury fashion industry is home to many of the world's top fashion houses and is intricately connected to traditional Italian cultural values. Over the past several decades, Italian luxury fashion has been highly desirable throughout markets across the world due to its exquisite design and craftsmanship. Since the conclusion of World War II the Italian luxury fashion industry has continuously developed and been highly successful in foreign markets, notably including the United States. This study explores cross-cultural management in the Italian luxury fashion industry from an American perspective. The report begins with a brief history of the industry beginning in 1945 and extending into the early 2000s, a period characterized by tremendous growth domestically and abroad. Subsequently, three cross-cultural management frameworks are utilized to compare Italian and American culture values including Erin Meyer's "The Culture Map," Geert Hofstede's Psychological Framework, and Fons Trompenaars' Expansive Framework. This research serves as the foundation for the final component of the report detailing a cross-cultural management framework for American partners in the Italian luxury fashion industry. This framework reflects potential areas of cross-cultural conflict in addition to current trends within the industry, such as increasingly complex supply chains. The framework is divided into four sections \u2014 Strategic Leadership; Internationalization; Value Chains, Sustainability, and Innovation; and Exclusivity and the "Made in Italy" Label in a Global Economy. Along with the discussion of each component, mini case studies highlighting four of the leading companies in the market \u2014 Versace, Gucci, Prada, and Armani \u2014 are included. Each of these mini case studies provides a brief overview of the company and takes a unique perspective illustrating one or more components of the cross-cultural management practices essential to the successful operation of global fashion houses. The report concludes with three cross-cultural dimensions in which American managers should be especially vigilant when navigating the Italian luxury fashion industry including time orientation, task-based versus relationship-based trust, and neutral versus affective communication. The findings from this study are aimed at executive coaching and consulting environments due to the current lack of literature on the Italian luxury fashion industry.
ContributorsCoffman, Kaitlin Taylor (Author) / Goldman, Alan (Thesis director) / Frost, Donald (Committee member) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
This paper is about youth leadership development in the context of South Sudan. Youth in South Sudan face numerous and complex challenges that prevent them from realizing their potential and contributing to the creation of peace, stability, and prosperity for themselves and their communities. Obstacles include, but are not limited, to poor quality and lack of access to education programs, increasing youth unemployment, the involvement of youth in the ongoing inter- and intra-ethnic conflicts, and the exclusion of youth from participating in meaningful and productive community activities. The presence of these challenges calls for programs that are informed by youth leadership development theory, research, and practice. In this paper, I present a review of scholarly literature on leadership theories pertinent to social change and youth development. I also conduct a study on three existing youth leadership development projects. Furthermore, I use the literature review and three case studies to draw design principles and curricular guidelines to inform a youth leadership program that I intend to establish in South Sudan. This draft framework will support my future initiative in facilitating programs that are designed to empower youth to achieve personal goals, while equipping them with the capacity to critically analyze and solve complex social problems. The road map towards the future program will also involve the identification of key partner institutions and organizations that can potentially support in designing and implementing the future project.
ContributorsYel, Madit Deng Ring (Author) / Foroughi, Behrang (Thesis director) / Baxter, Aryn (Committee member) / Thunderbird School of Global Management (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
The Value-Added Tax (VAT) is a broad based consumption tax on goods and services. Similar to a Retail Sales Tax, the VAT has the final burden of the tax fall on the end consumer. However, the tax is collected throughout stages of production, which means the government collects it sooner and the retailer is not the only company remitting tax to the government. As of this writing, the VAT is used in over 150 countries around the world. The United States is the only developed nation that does not have a federal VAT. While there are several plans for VAT implementation in the U.S., one of the more promising is the Competitive Tax Plan by Michael Graetz. In it, Graetz suggests a 10 to 14 percent VAT in order to pay for reduction in corporate income tax and an increase of the individual tax filing thresholds to $50,000 for single taxpayers and $100,000 for married taxpayers. As the nation goes further into debt, it is important that the United States looks for alternative sources of revenue. A VAT could prove to be the best option, as it is a proven solution used by many other nations.
ContributorsBlodgett, Laura Ann (Author) / Frost, Donald (Thesis director) / Dallmus, John (Committee member) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Through the advancement of technology, social media, and the ever-growing connectedness society has with the digital world, the automotive industry’s market paradigm has been uprooted and turned onto its head. There is a race globally for the first company to achieve a truly autonomous vehicle, and one of the major testing grounds is in the very state of Arizona. The technology is still under development, and there are many challenges and snags, like necessary big data, companies are encountering along the way. A smart city could share the necessary level of data with driverless vehicles, and through the back and forth communication of cars and cities could bring in that level of context and understanding needed to bring the promise of safer driving to life. Currently, companies are tight-lipped and keep to themselves on their research and development, so governments are struggling to manage the upcoming changes with such little information. The challenge is how to deal with the newly emerging inventions which managers have not figured out yet, as far as autonomous cars are concerned. This thesis covers the difficulties governments and companies will face when attempting to adopt driverless cars and smart cities into their infrastructure; public approval, legislation, infrastructure reforms, and communication between municipals and corporations. Through a survey conducted specifically for this thesis, interviews with government officials and corporate managers, and additional research, this thesis provides clearer insights on the situation and provides recommendations for managers and governments alike.
ContributorsStone, Mindi (Author) / Lynch, Patrick (Thesis director) / Nelson, Roy C. (Committee member) / Thunderbird School of Global Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
With a new generation entering the workforce, a strong economy, and a low unemployment rate, the factors that new graduates value when looking for a job is changing. More new graduates and companies alike are working to adapt to this new environment. One way in which they are doing this is through being socially responsible. The purpose of this study is to research the extent to which an organization's Corporate Social Responsibility Programs impact a student’s desire to work for them. I aim to answer the question: how do the social responsibility efforts of companies impact college student’s willingness to work for a given company by looking at these programs on a micro level.
I gathered research by surveying undergraduate students at Arizona State University. The questions in this survey dealt with job search values, CSR knowledge, CSR interest and more. Throughout this survey, I largely focused on the differences between business and non-business students. There is evidence in this study to suggest that all groups of students value working for a socially responsible company, but business students are more familiar with these companies and more likely to research them. There is not a consensus on what companies students view to be socially responsible, but there are common factors in what students look for in a Corporate Social Responsibility program. This study has a number of practical implications for companies looking to attract the best talent based on their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. Recommendations are based on survey findings and research from secondary sources.
I gathered research by surveying undergraduate students at Arizona State University. The questions in this survey dealt with job search values, CSR knowledge, CSR interest and more. Throughout this survey, I largely focused on the differences between business and non-business students. There is evidence in this study to suggest that all groups of students value working for a socially responsible company, but business students are more familiar with these companies and more likely to research them. There is not a consensus on what companies students view to be socially responsible, but there are common factors in what students look for in a Corporate Social Responsibility program. This study has a number of practical implications for companies looking to attract the best talent based on their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. Recommendations are based on survey findings and research from secondary sources.
ContributorsHarrell, Julianna Kara (Author) / Marcie, LePine (Thesis director) / Jessica, Hirshorn (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor, Contributor) / Thunderbird School of Global Management (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The study looks deep into how traveling to new destinations allows individuals to explore new cultures, escape from their everyday routine and have an opportunity to grow and become a more open minded individual. The millennial generation is a group that has distinguished themselves from any other generation that came before them as they are changing the direction in which industries operate on every level. Millennial women are slowly causing a significant impact in the tourism industry as they are becoming the leading market share holders for hosting Airbnb's and have a growing trend for traveling on their own. Due to the increase of trends of solo female travelers, there is a demand for a new innovative product that encompasses all the needs and wants of women that are exploring on their own. Compass, the app, could be the ideal product that would help connect independent female travelers that want to have a personalized experience in a new destination. The app would consider the mainstream concerns of female solo travels such as safety, recommendations and reviews as the algorithms would match the women who are most compatible with each other. This paper will discuss the study that was conducted to gather data from millennial women at Arizona State University to determine whether or not there is a demand for an app such as Compass. In order to collect data, a survey was distributed through a Google form that utilized multiple question formats. The results of the study suggest there is a demand for the app as the millennial women average a high likelihood to use the app if it were to become a viable product. Compass could open the doors for a new niche market within the tourism industry that could eventually expand and change the way traveling for leisure occurs in the fast-paced world.
ContributorsLizcano Hernandez, Diana (Author) / Goodman, Rebekka (Thesis director) / Jordan, Evan (Committee member) / McWilliams, Claire (Committee member) / Thunderbird School of Global Management (Contributor) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
As the Hispanic community is expanding, television networks need to find or create content that can be distributed successfully in Latin America and the United States. To discover what can be sold internationally, this study is divided into three parts: Content, Sale and Distribution. In Section II (Content), what is selling in both the United States and Latin America was analyzed. Since telenovelas have been the most popular form of television entertainment in Latin America, telenovelas from the 80s to the present were investigated. Telemundo (owned by NBC) and Univision (owned by Univision Communications and Televisa Entertainment from Mexico) are the two most established networks broadcasting in Spanish in the US. Factors in Telemundo's ratings success were studied to determine whether "series" in Spanish were becoming the new form of telenovelas. Produced format sells for telenovelas in Spanish that derive from television shows in English were analyzed based on their content and success. English television shows that derive from telenovelas in Spanish were evaluated based on their reception by the Hispanic community in the US. In Section III (What to Sell?), suggestions on a new content are made based on the previous analysis. Section IV (Distribution) examines the rise of internet streaming services such as Netflix. This section comments on whether networks should distribute their content in streaming services vs. traditional network outlets.
ContributorsMonserrate, Angelica Krystal (Author) / Maday, Gregory (Thesis director) / Giner, Oscar (Committee member) / Bernstein, Gregory (Committee member) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / Thunderbird School of Global Management (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
European societies have experienced recent surges in immigration, particularly in the form of refugees and asylum-seekers, in the years following the Arab Spring. At the same time, we can observe a substantial implementation of austerity policies in the European Union following the European Debt Crisis since the end of 2009. In this study, I investigate the correlation between attitudes towards austerity policies and attitudes towards immigration. I hypothesize that individuals who report being disinterested regarding austerity policy will be more positive towards future immigration from outside of the EU while those who report being concerned with austerity policies will be more adverse towards such future immigration. To explain cross-country differences, I use group threat theory, which explains that, larger inflows of immigration combined with challenging economic conditions impose a perceived threat on the host society, resulting in more negative attitudes towards immigration. I plan to analyze data from the Eurobarometer 82.3 (Standard Eurobarometer) social survey (2014) to study the results of my hypotheses within a cross-section of time. My findings largely confirm my hypotheses, though the individual-level results draw a weak correlation between austerity, nationalism, and attitudes towards immigration.
ContributorsMiller, Wyatt Alan (Author) / Thies, Cameron (Thesis director) / Bar, Eyal (Committee member) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Thunderbird School of Global Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
Incorporating sustainability education in primary healthcare practice is an important step toward promoting sustainability in the US healthcare system. This health strategy is also consistent with a renewed focus of the US healthcare system, mainly prompted by the Affordable Healthcare Act of 2010, toward preventive care and patient wellness. The major challenge, however, is an effective implementation of sustainability education in the healthcare industry. This honors thesis project developed a sustainability education model, in which primary healthcare providers or the physicians educated the patients about sustainability and its connection to public health issues. The main purpose of this thesis project is to analyze the effectiveness of this sustainability education model and to evaluate its impact on the individuals and households in terms of sustainable attitudes and practices. The study was conducted with 26 parents of newborn babies at Estrella Pediatrics PC using a classic randomized control-group pretest-posttest design. The Pre- and Post-Surveys were completed to evaluate change in their knowledge and attitudes toward sustainability practices covered in the sustainability education model. In the research, the relationships between sustainability-related issues and their negative impacts on the health of human beings were established in the sustainability education pamphlet provided to the physicians, which they shared with the patients during the wellness visits. This pamphlet focused on waste management, air pollution, and locally grown food. Moreover, samples of environmentally-friendly diapers were given to the study respondents to complement this education. The study demonstrated positive trends with the intervention protocol, though the level of statistical significance was marginal. More specifically, it was observed that the respondents placed the highest significance on the education provided by the pediatricians. Interestingly, the receipt of the diaper samples by itself did not generate any significant effect. However, the education provided by the physician and the pamphlet coupled with the diaper gave very positive results. In conclusion, physician led sustainability education has significant potential in promoting sustainability in primary healthcare practice, and further inquiry should be pursued.
ContributorsQuintero Cervantes, Laura Beatriz (Author) / Shrestha, Milan (Thesis director) / Boone, Christopher (Committee member) / Thunderbird School of Global Management (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12