Matching Items (34)
Description
Sagebrush Coffee is a small business in Chandler, Arizona that purchases green beans, roasts them in small batches for quality, and ships fresh, gourmet roasted coffee beans across the nation. Deciding which coffee beans to buy and roast is one of the most crucial business decisions Sagebrush and other gourmet coffee roasters face. Further complicating this decision is the fact that coffee is a crop, and like all crops, has a specific growing season and the exact same product cannot usually be ordered from year to year, even if it proves to be successful. The goal of this research is to use data analytics and visualization to help Sagebrush make better purchasing decisions by identifying consumer purchasing trends and providing a recommendation for their portfolio mix. In the end, I found that Latin American coffees are popular with both returning and first-time customers, but a specific country of origin does not appear to be associated with the top coffee producing countries. Additionally, December is a critical month for Sagebrush and Sagebrush should make sure to target the states with the most sales: California, Pennsylvania, and New York. Arizona has growth potential as it is not one of the top three locations, despite the presence of a physical store. Also included in the following report is a portfolio recommendation suggesting how many of each product based on region, processing type, and roast level to carry in inventory.
ContributorsBlue, Jessica Morgan (Author) / Kellso, James (Thesis director) / Davila, Eddie (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Morrison School of Agribusiness (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Financial Intelligence Pays Off blog is an easy to use blog for high school juniors and seniors and college students to access in order to receive a quick overview of essential financial topics. There are many sources and college courses for students to take to get a more in-depth understanding of topics such as saving, filing taxes, learning about credit but many times students do not know about these courses. However, it is often that courses are restricted to students who are business majors and online sources sometimes use to technical of terminology for young adults to follow along. The goal of this blog is for it to give students just a quick overview of what taxes are, how to manage and have a good credit score, how to keep a budget and other essential financial tasks. There are five topics covered in the blog as well as resources for students to access if they would like more information on a topic.
ContributorsFavata, Danielle (Co-author) / Perez-Vargas, Sofia (Co-author) / Sadusky, Brian (Thesis director) / Hoffman, David (Committee member) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
Description
Dodd-Frank should be celebrated for its success in stabilizing the financial sector following the last financial crisis. Some of its measures have not only contained financial disaster but contributed to economic growth. These elements of Dodd-Frank have been identified as "clear wins" and include the increase of financial institutions' capital requirements, the single-point-of-entry approach to regulating financial firms, and the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The single-point-of-entry strategy (SPOE), specifically, has done much to bring an end to the age of "too big to fail" institutions. By identifying firms that could expect to be aided in case of financial crisis, the SPOE approach reduces uncertainty among financial institutions. Moreover, SPOE eliminates the significant source of risk by establishing clear protocols for resolving failed financial firms. Dodd-Frank has also taken measures to better protect consumers with the creation of the CFPB. Some of the CFPB's stabilizing actions have included the removal of deceptive financial products, setting guidelines for qualified mortgages, and other regulatory safeguards on money transfers. Despite the CFPB's many triumphs, however, there is room for improvement, especially in the agency's ability to reduce regulatory redundancies in supervision and collaboration with other financial sector controllers. The significant strengths of Dodd-Frank are evident in its elements that have secured financial stability. However, it is important to also consider any potential to stifle healthy economic growth. There are several areas for legislative amendments and reforms in order to improve the performance of Dodd-Frank given its sweeping regulatory impact. Several governing redundancies now exist with the creation of new regulatory authorities. Special efforts to increase the authority of the Financial Sector Oversight Council (FSOC) and preserving the impartiality of the Office of Financial Research (OFR) are specific examples of reforms still needed to elevate the effectiveness of Dodd-Frank. In addition, Dodd-Frank could do more to clarify the Volcker Rule in order to ease banks' burden to comply with excessive oversight. Going forward, policymakers must be willing to adjust parts of Dodd-Frank that encroach too far on the private sector's ability to foster efficiency or development. In addition, identifying and monitoring areas of the legislation deemed "too soon to tell" will provide insight on the accuracy and benefit of some Dodd-Frank measures.
ContributorsConrad, Cody Lee (Author) / Sadusky, Brian (Thesis director) / Hoffman, David (Committee member) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
This Thesis was written to prepare myself for my career in supply chain management and to take a look at negotiations deeper than SCM 355 and 455 did. It was also written to utilize my internship knowledge as a sourcing supply chain intern at UTC Aerospace Systems. My internship has introduced me to all of the possibilities in the procurement part of supply chain and overall got me very excited about my career. Throughout this paper I used prior knowledge from SCM classes, researched SCM articles, and face-to- face negotiations I have been a part of at my internship. I was very excited to learn more and research about negotiations to help me further in my career as a Commodity Manager at American Airlines.
ContributorsCollinsworth, Amelia Danielle (Author) / Carter, Craig (Thesis director) / Sadusky, Brian (Committee member) / Evers, Justin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
The restaurant opening process for "Muse & Market" was documented and evaluated. For my creative project, I served as the Director of Business Development for "Muse & Market" and assisted in the carrying out of activities including supplier selection, functional retail assembly and other key decision making. I paralleled this experience by researching best practices in the restaurant industry. I performed research by reviewing academic literature and online sources and by interviewing marketing managers and restauranteurs in New York City and Phoenix, AZ. I compiled a list of best practices based off of the commonalities from my research and interviews. I then compared these findings to what I experienced at Muse & Market to determine which of Muse & Market's launch preparation activities aligned with which best practices. I also identified areas of improvement for Muse & Market based on this comparison. Lastly I offered my key takeaways from my experience as an aspiring entrepreneur in the restaurant industry.
ContributorsHyland, Ashley Lauren (Author) / Manfredo, Mark (Thesis director) / Davila, Eddie (Committee member) / Morrison School of Agribusiness (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
As the landscape of the mass channel of retailing has become increasingly competitive, the leading mass retailer in the world, Retailer A*, has identified the Hispanic market as their last organic growth opportunity within the United States. In this pursuit, Retailer A has named Manufacturer A., the largest food and beverage manufacturer in the world, as their sole category advisor for the Hispanic market across their entire store. Developing aligned strategies that leverage the size and power of these partners creates the potential opportunity for both organizations to benefit from increased profits and increased market shares. Manufacturer A has performed extensive research on the Hispanic market in order to gain a deep understanding of who Hispanic consumers are and the unique shopping behaviors they exhibit that make this market the most profitable ethnic group in the US.** Along with this research, an analysis of the top eight Manufacturer A brands’ performances at Walmart reveals that although both organizations already have footholds within the Hispanic market, there still remains large opportunities for growth. Through prioritizing business and marketing strategies aimed at appealing more to Hispanic consumers at Retailer A, Manufacturer A stands to potentially gain over $39M in incremental sales from this partnership.
* All company, brand, and product names have been redacted to protect confidentiality.
**All market demographics and statistical market information mentioned hereafter were originally researched and verified by Retailer A. Information mentioned throughout this paper was sourced from internal company documents.
* All company, brand, and product names have been redacted to protect confidentiality.
**All market demographics and statistical market information mentioned hereafter were originally researched and verified by Retailer A. Information mentioned throughout this paper was sourced from internal company documents.
ContributorsWay, Anneliese (Author) / Dietrich, John T. (Thesis director) / Grebitus, Carola (Committee member) / Morrison School of Agribusiness (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
It's the last Friday before break, everyone is excited and rush to put on their uniform. The class eagerly lines up for morning stretches and the P.E. Instructor announces, "Today we're playing... DODGEBALL!" Half the class cheers eyeing their friends with a competitive smirk, while the other half tremble in their sneakers mentally reliving their last terrifying red rubber ball experience. Dodgeball's polarizing popularity has created an uproar in the public-school system with many claiming that the traditional sport is beneficial while others assert it's dangerous and lobby for its prohibition citing recent damages and lawsuits. Dodgeball is a sport that far most often elicits vivid memories of gym class; however, there is a rich and active history of competitive dodgeball worldwide. Dodgeball's resurgence since the popular film of the same name in 2004 has sparked a competitive flair for the game and quickly gained the attention of sports media which has highlighted the team-focused competitive aspect of the beloved sport. The sport of dodgeball was originally developed in Africa over 200 years ago and first observed by a missionary named Dr. James Carlisle (History of Dodgeball)1. The concept of the sport was exceptionally crude, as the African tribes used large rocks and putrefied matter to continuously pelt the opposing players. The defending team would gather around their downed player to deflect projectiles and allow their teammate to recover. Dr. Carlisle recognized that the tribesmen used the sport as a means to build trust and demonstrated remarkable athleticism amongst their warriors. Dr. Carlisle introduced this innovative team-based sport to his colleagues in England instead utilizing leather balls; however, the doctor quickly recognized that his colleagues didn't possess the necessary strength, agility, nor teamwork to compete in the game at its current state. The sport was updated and played on an open field with no set area restrictions. The game was similar to a large-scale chess match in which opposing teams aim to strategically trap and aggressively target players in order to remove them from play. The sport was played this way for a century until in 1884 when Phillip Ferguson from Yale University brought the competition to America with a new set of guidelines. The reformed sport included a definite number of players, dodgeballs, and predetermined space for the competition leading to widespread adoption by the American school system. Today, dodgeball has emerged as a competitive sport with multiple regional competitive leagues around the country and even two distinct professional dodgeball leagues in which teams can earn prize money, sponsorships, and for elite teams, world championship glory. Dodgeball is often recognized as a popular activity in the public school physical education system and has been a cornerstone of the course exemplifying sportsmanship, leadership, and athletic skills through coordinated team play since inception; however, in recent years, the sport has come into scrutiny as lawsuits resulting from damages and concerned parents voice against the activity.
ContributorsHorton, John Joseph (Author) / Sadusky, Brian (Thesis director) / Carter, Phillip (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The intent of this paper is to first demonstrate the consistency of a U.S. based poultry technology incentive program regarding Nigeria, with current United States State Department and related United States Agency for International Development mission, and present day programs. By implementing the proposed incentive strategy, Nigeria in the midst of a devastating famine will become more food secure, and as a result the country as a whole will gain political stability. The correlation between food security and political stability will be discussed in greater detail further in the essay. The basis of an incentive strategy stems from the lack of poultry companies entering the current Nigerian market, due to risk factors and lucrative alternatives, however there are increasing benefits to companies willing to partner with or supply Nigerian domestic producers. The proposed incentive strategy is limited to U.S. poultry technology companies for the efficiencies inherent in poultry production. Limiting the incentives to U.S. poultry technology companies only entering the Nigerian domestic markets as partners or suppliers has its pros and cons, but will have a positive effect on Nigeria. Most importantly, the economic benefits, strengthening of U.S. and Nigerian diplomatic relations and promotion of stable democracies in the region are all compelling reasons for the United States to implement the proposed strategy. Nigeria is in the grips of a devastating famine threatening millions of its citizens with malnutrition and starvation. While there are ongoing humanitarian efforts that stem this tragedy, most focus solely on short term needs. The United States has an established diplomatic relationship with Nigeria, which supports key trade dependencies, both inbound and outbound from the US. The frailty of the present political and human conditions, while presently friendly to the US, presents risks to subversion to this important relationship. This proposal seeks to deploy strategies in the local food production, specifically the poultry segment, which; address frailties in the current environment, can be implemented within intermediate timeframes, are sustainable in the long term, and create synergistic outcomes for both the US and Nigerian interests.
ContributorsMoreno, Nathaniel Arnold (Author) / Iheduru, Okechukwu (Thesis director) / Herrera, Richard (Committee member) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Morrison School of Agribusiness (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Attending college brings on new experiences and challenges. In order to survive college, a student must figure out what resources are available to them and what will help them succeed. The purpose of this study is to learn about what students struggle with the most. Students were also asked about what advice they have for future students and what they would change about their own experience. Participants of the study consisted of ASU students 18 or older. Information was collected through interviews, an online survey, and a paper survey. Many students feel that high school has not prepared them for college. Some students continue to struggle with time management. With students coming from many different backgrounds, it is up to the college to provide resources to help students to succeed. However, it is up to the student to make the effort to find, ask, and use these resources. The student ultimately decides to use the resources and tools provided to them in order to survive college.
ContributorsMartinez, Precious (Co-author) / Serrano, Hazel (Co-author) / Van Fleet, David (Thesis director) / Hutt, Roger (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / Morrison School of Agribusiness (Contributor) / College of Letters and Sciences (Contributor) / Human Systems Engineering (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The current state of financial inequality in America is showing multiple economic and social problems that harm the American dream and legacy. It is found that increasing inequality causes slower GDP growth, underinvestment in human capital, and disproportionate shifting of political power to the rich. Researches show that Average Americans do not realize how severe inequality has gotten over the past few decades, but one thing is clear: What they thought as ideal distribution of wealth is nowhere close to the reality. In this thesis, I examine the current state of inequality and how it has changed since the 1980s. Then, I present reasons why inequality has been on an increasing trend and identify what economic policies lead to rising inequality. With analysis of Reaganomics (trickle-down economics), I make an argument that reducing taxes on the rich might provide a short-term boost in the national economy, but such policy soon encounters side effects and is unsustainable. Fighting inequality is an imperative step to boost the American middle class and maintain sustainable and stable economic growth. In order to relieve inequality down closer to what Americans picked as the appropriate level, I present two recommendations that can be effective in fighting inequality. One is to reform the tax policies to make it more progressive especially towards the top 5% and shift the tax burden from the bottom to the top, while implementing stricter regulations regarding tax evasion. Next is to provide disadvantaged students with better access to higher education by subsidizing public universities more and lowering FAFSA rate. Realizing one's earning potential starts with education, and higher education today is more important than any other time in the past. Once these solutions prove effective and inequality is relieved, America will be able to regain her reputation as land of opportunity and enjoy faster economic growth.
ContributorsOh, Jae Yoon (Author) / Hoffman, David (Thesis director) / Sadusky, Brian (Committee member) / Yim, Roy (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12