Matching Items (268)
Description
In this study the impact of outside the classroom activities and experiences of study abroad participants on cultural attitude change and perceived cultural competence was investigated. Motives to participate, expectations and outcomes of study abroad programs were also explored. The study used a mixed methods approach and was conducted in three parts including an exploratory sequential component followed by a concurrent embedded component. The exploratory sequential component included a photo elicitation project, the results of which contributed both to the results of the study and the development of the questionnaire used in the concurrent embedded component. The concurrent embedded component used a pre and post-test survey design and included a qualitative writing exercise with select participants between the completion of their pre and post-test questionnaires. The results suggest that study abroad participation does result in changes in both participants' cultural attitudes and cultural competency. It was hypothesized that length of time abroad and the cultural distance of the host country would have an influence on the change in cultural attitudes and cultural competency. As found in previous research, length of time abroad was not found to be a major contributing factor to this change when considering the results of the pre and post-test survey. However, the results of the qualitative studies resulted in many questions about the impact of length abroad. Participants in longer-term programs discussed changes in their cultural attitudes in a more complex way than short-term participants. Longer-term participants expressed changes in their cultural competency differently as well, though not in a way that it can be conclusively said they were more culturally competent. The reverse was the case for cultural distance. Cultural distance was a factor in the changes in cultural competency, however not in cultural attitudes when considering the results of the quantitative component. The qualitative results seem to bring up more questions. While shorter-term participants discussed cultural competency differently than longer-term participants, surprisingly the short-term programs had a higher percentage of participants studying in countries with large cultural distance than did long-term programs.
ContributorsPachmayer, Ara (Author) / Andereck, Kathleen (Thesis advisor) / Nyaupane, Gyan (Committee member) / Timothy, Dallen (Committee member) / Davey, Lynn (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Incentive travel continues to grow as a form of motivation in the work place. However, there is little research that has examined future potential incentive travelers' wants and needs from an incentive travel trip. The purpose of this study was to understand how and in what way various potential incentive travelers' beliefs, including attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and motivation, influence their future inclusion of a significant other on an incentive travel trip using a modified theory of planned behavior. Moreover, the potential moderating effect of past inclusion of a significant other experience was examined as well. The study collected 129 usable responses from potential incentive travelers from companies based in Iowa and Arizona. The research for this project was conducted through online questionnaires that included quantitative and qualitative questions. The study used exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Pearson's correlation and multiple regression to test study hypotheses. The results of the multiple regression indicated three constructs, attitudes, subjective norm and motivation appeared to be statistically significant, while perceived behavioral control was not statistically significant in predicting potential incentive travelers' intended inclusion of a significant other. Perceived behavioral control was not significant because the control of including a significant other is dependent on the participant's employer. Pearson's correlation found a moderating effect of past inclusion of a significant other on subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. In conclusion, the results validated the theory of planned behavior in the context of incentive travelers' inclusion of a significant other.
ContributorsDorweiler, Annie (Author) / Timothy, Dallen (Thesis advisor) / Lee, Woojin (Committee member) / Kulinna, Pamela (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
This study develops a Creative MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions/conferences and Exhibitions) Tourism Destination Branding Model (CMDBM), and argues for co-creation and synergies between MICE and heritage resources in a popular business destination. MICE tourism can be enhanced through co-created offerings by adding innovative value to MICE tourism experiences. The proposed CMDBM framework aims to help determine how a destination can develop a co-created MICE brand through collaboration with key stakeholders to better meet potential MICE travelers’ other touristic interests and cultural values.
The research project was undertaken in collaboration with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, and several heritage institutions in New Orleans. The study adopts both qualitative and quantitative research designs to explore the destination brand strategy. The qualitative data were acquired through interviews with relevant stakeholders to analyze the use of destination branding strategies and understand existing and potential synergies with heritage institutions. The quantitative portion measures MICE attendees’ perceptions of the co-created value of enhancing MICE destinations with cultural heritage appeal. NRPA Conference attendees’ responses provide a practical understanding for stakeholders.
This research provides both practical and theoretical insights for the tourism industry for destination communities, and has salient conceptual and theoretical implications for the academy. The study confirms that MICE tourism, collaborating with cultural heritage assets, can enrich MICE travelers’ travel experiences. The destination brand strategy was identified with supportive cultural heritage resources and an appropriate destination brand framework of MICE tourism was proposed. As confirmed by MICE attendees’ evaluations from the case study, it extends the literature on destination brand, destination brand awareness, destination brand experience, destination brand personality, and destination brand equity.
The empirical exploration of MICE destination branding has been handicapped in existing literature by a lack of conceptual marketing perspectives. This work will lend credence to the important aspect of business destination marketing and stresses building synergy and adding value to MICE tourism experiences. As destination marketing programs become competitive, especially in the context of equitable distribution of monetary benefits across different stakeholders, creating synergies become crucial in the destination. A co-created brand strategy can help make destinations more competitive.
The research project was undertaken in collaboration with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, and several heritage institutions in New Orleans. The study adopts both qualitative and quantitative research designs to explore the destination brand strategy. The qualitative data were acquired through interviews with relevant stakeholders to analyze the use of destination branding strategies and understand existing and potential synergies with heritage institutions. The quantitative portion measures MICE attendees’ perceptions of the co-created value of enhancing MICE destinations with cultural heritage appeal. NRPA Conference attendees’ responses provide a practical understanding for stakeholders.
This research provides both practical and theoretical insights for the tourism industry for destination communities, and has salient conceptual and theoretical implications for the academy. The study confirms that MICE tourism, collaborating with cultural heritage assets, can enrich MICE travelers’ travel experiences. The destination brand strategy was identified with supportive cultural heritage resources and an appropriate destination brand framework of MICE tourism was proposed. As confirmed by MICE attendees’ evaluations from the case study, it extends the literature on destination brand, destination brand awareness, destination brand experience, destination brand personality, and destination brand equity.
The empirical exploration of MICE destination branding has been handicapped in existing literature by a lack of conceptual marketing perspectives. This work will lend credence to the important aspect of business destination marketing and stresses building synergy and adding value to MICE tourism experiences. As destination marketing programs become competitive, especially in the context of equitable distribution of monetary benefits across different stakeholders, creating synergies become crucial in the destination. A co-created brand strategy can help make destinations more competitive.
ContributorsKim, Eunhye Grace (Author) / Chhabra, Deepak (Thesis advisor) / Timothy, Dallen (Thesis advisor) / Vogt, Christine (Committee member) / Gelbman, Alon (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
An ethical dilemma is not a matter of “right” versus “wrong,” but rather it is a situation of conflicting values. A common ethical dilemma is that of honesty versus loyalty—is it better to tell the truth, or remain loyal to the company? In the Japanese culture, truth is circumstantial and can vary with different situations. In a way, the Japanese idea of honesty reflects how highly they value loyalty. This overlap of values results in the lack of an ethical dilemma for the Japanese, which creates a new risk for fraud. Without this struggle, a Japanese employee does not have strong justification against committing fraud if it aligns with his values of honesty and loyalty.
This paper looks at the Japanese values relating to honesty and loyalty to show how much these ideas overlap. The lack of a conflict of values creates a risk for fraud, which will be shown through an analysis of the scandals of two Japanese companies, Toshiba and Olympus. These scandals shine light on the complexity of the ethical dilemma for the Japanese employees; since their sense of circumstantial honesty encourages them to lie if it maintains the harmony of the group, there is little stopping them from committing the fraud that their superiors asked them to commit.
In a global economy, understanding the ways that values impact business and decisions is important for both interacting with others and anticipating potential conflicts, including those that may result in or indicate potential red flags for fraud.
This paper looks at the Japanese values relating to honesty and loyalty to show how much these ideas overlap. The lack of a conflict of values creates a risk for fraud, which will be shown through an analysis of the scandals of two Japanese companies, Toshiba and Olympus. These scandals shine light on the complexity of the ethical dilemma for the Japanese employees; since their sense of circumstantial honesty encourages them to lie if it maintains the harmony of the group, there is little stopping them from committing the fraud that their superiors asked them to commit.
In a global economy, understanding the ways that values impact business and decisions is important for both interacting with others and anticipating potential conflicts, including those that may result in or indicate potential red flags for fraud.
ContributorsTabar, Kelly Ann (Author) / Samuelson, Melissa (Thesis director) / Goldman, Alan (Committee member) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
#VanLife is a long-time, up and coming lifestyle movement on social media centered around the process of leaving the traditional nine-to-five work week for a life on the road in a camper van. While the ‘hippie-esque’ vagabond lifestyle has its humble roots long before the turn of the century, the inception of social media platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest have fueled the more recent popularization of a full-time life on the road. #VanLifers often freelance on the road, work part time jobs, or gain sponsorships to help fund their traveling and humble lifestyle.
As the #VanLife craze continues to grow, new businesses are finding ways to meet the demand in the market. For #Vanlifers who own and operate their own camper vans, specialized companies like GoWesty, Vanagain, and Boxeer offer a full range of parts, upgrades, and custom mechanical and systems conversion kits to keep these vans on the road as OE manufacturers discontinue production on these parts. For those who have an itch to try out the #VanLife for a shorter period and without the financial commitment, companies like Roamerica, TontoTrails, and adventureRIGS offer nightly and weekly rental opportunities on fully-outfitted campervans ready to hit the road.
For my Honors Project I wrote a complete analysis on the history, development, and modernization of the #VanLife movement. With plans to take to the road for an extended period of time after graduation, I also developed a complete financial plan for a one-year #VanLife experience. The financial plan includes a comprehensive set of budgets that scrutinize the start-up an operational costs of the #VanLife and associated travel.
As the #VanLife craze continues to grow, new businesses are finding ways to meet the demand in the market. For #Vanlifers who own and operate their own camper vans, specialized companies like GoWesty, Vanagain, and Boxeer offer a full range of parts, upgrades, and custom mechanical and systems conversion kits to keep these vans on the road as OE manufacturers discontinue production on these parts. For those who have an itch to try out the #VanLife for a shorter period and without the financial commitment, companies like Roamerica, TontoTrails, and adventureRIGS offer nightly and weekly rental opportunities on fully-outfitted campervans ready to hit the road.
For my Honors Project I wrote a complete analysis on the history, development, and modernization of the #VanLife movement. With plans to take to the road for an extended period of time after graduation, I also developed a complete financial plan for a one-year #VanLife experience. The financial plan includes a comprehensive set of budgets that scrutinize the start-up an operational costs of the #VanLife and associated travel.
ContributorsRischitelli, Noah Gary (Author) / Garverick, Michael (Thesis director) / Dawson, Gregory (Committee member) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
This thesis examines the impact of price changes of select microprocessors on the market share and 5-year gross profit net present values of Company X in the networking market through a multi-step analysis. The networking market includes segments including media processing, cloud services, security, routers & switches, and access points. For this thesis our team focused on the routers & switches, as well as the security segments. Company X wants to capitalize on the expected growth of the networking market as it transitions to its fifth generation (henceforth referred to as 5G) by positioning itself favorably in its customers eyes through high quality products offered at competitive prices. Our team performed a quantitative analysis of benchmark data to measure the performances of Company X's products against those of its competitors. We collected this data from third party computer reviewers, as well as the published reports of Company X and its competitors. Through the use of a preference matrix, we then normalized this performance data to adjust for different scales. In order to provide a well-rounded analysis, we adjusted these normalized performances for power consumption (using thermal design power as a proxy) as well as price. We believe these adjusted performances are more valuable than raw benchmark data, as they appeal to the demands of price-sensitive customers. Based on these comparisons, our team was able to assess price changes for their market and discounted financial impact on Company X. Our findings challenge the current pricing of one of the two products being analyzed and suggests a 9% decrease in the price of said product. This recommendation most effectively positions Company X for the development of 5G by offering the best balance of market share and NPV.
ContributorsArias, Stephen (Co-author) / Masson, Taylor (Co-author) / McCall, Kyle (Co-author) / Dimitroff, Alex (Co-author) / Hardy, Sebastian (Co-author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Haller, Marcie (Committee member) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Financial stress is one of the main stressors that university students face. At Arizona State University, 18.8% of students reported that financial stress has a high or very high effect on their overall stress levels. Nationwide, the National Student Financial Wellness Report states that over 70% of college students feel stressed about their financial situation. To address this problem, universities across the nation have implemented financial wellness programs to educate students on financial matters. This thesis conducts a study of five of the top financial wellness programs in the country, and then uses those findings to identify best practices for creating and implementing a financial wellness program at Arizona State University. I propose the development of a peer-to-peer program formed under the Financial Aid office. It would deliver content through presentations, workshops, one-on-one meetings, and an online platform called iGrad. It would cover critical financial topics such as budgeting, loans, credit, and investments. The program's goal of increasing financial wellness should be evaluated based on perceived efficacy, satisfaction with the material, a decrease in stress levels, lower default rates, and lower borrowing rates. Implementing this program allows ASU to help break the vicious cycle of financial stress that many students face.
ContributorsWilliamson, Madeline Jean (Author) / Pizzo, Melissa (Thesis director) / Dawes, Mary (Committee member) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
This paper is intended to identify a correlation between the winning percentage of sports teams in the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and the GDP per capita of their respective cities. We initially compiled fifteen years of franchise performance along with economic data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis to analyze this relationship. After converting the data into a language recognized by Stata, the regression tool we used, we ran multiple regressions to find relevant correlations based off of our inputs. This paper will show the value of the economic impact of strong or weak performance throughout various economic cycles through data analysis and conclusions drawn from the results of the regression analysis.
ContributorsAndl, Tyler (Co-author) / Shirk, Brandon (Co-author) / Goegan, Brian (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
The purpose of our research was to develop recommendations and/or strategies for Company A's data center group in the context of the server CPU chip industry. We used data collected from the International Data Corporation (IDC) that was provided by our team coaches, and data that is accessible on the internet. As the server CPU industry expands and transitions to cloud computing, Company A's Data Center Group will need to expand their server CPU chip product mix to meet new demands of the cloud industry and to maintain high market share. Company A boasts leading performance with their x86 server chips and 95% market segment share. The cloud industry is dominated by seven companies Company A calls "The Super 7." These seven companies include: Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu. In the long run, the growing market share of the Super 7 could give them substantial buying power over Company A, which could lead to discounts and margin compression for Company A's main growth engine. Additionally, in the long-run, the substantial growth of the Super 7 could fuel the development of their own design teams and work towards making their own server chips internally, which would be detrimental to Company A's data center revenue. We first researched the server industry and key terminology relevant to our project. We narrowed our scope by focusing most on the cloud computing aspect of the server industry. We then researched what Company A has already been doing in the context of cloud computing and what they are currently doing to address the problem. Next, using our market analysis, we identified key areas we think Company A's data center group should focus on. Using the information available to us, we developed our strategies and recommendations that we think will help Company A's Data Center Group position themselves well in an extremely fast growing cloud computing industry.
ContributorsJurgenson, Alex (Co-author) / Nguyen, Duy (Co-author) / Kolder, Sean (Co-author) / Wang, Chenxi (Co-author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Hertzel, Michael (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Management (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The inspiration behind my thesis comes from my third grade teacher who completed numerous Ironman races. In third grade, I decided that one day I would complete an Ironman too. Thus, for my thesis I studied the Ironman race series and analyzed the power of the Ironman brand. In addition to researching Ironman, I experienced the essence of Ironman first hand by completing an Ironman 70.3 race. My thesis documents the history of Ironman and how one small race in Hawaii has grown to over 242 races held worldwide. It describes the types of people who complete in Ironman races and the demographics of competitors. Through my research, I concluded that the brand power of Ironman is what makes the race series so strong. I attributed the following five categories to the success of Ironman: Quality Differentiation, Brand Development, Exclusivity, Media Relations, and Partnerships and Products. Additionally, I researched competing triathlon race series and concluded that they just cannot compete with the Ironman brand. Participants even state that they would not propel themselves across 140.6 total miles of water, pavement, and trail if they cannot attach "Ironman" to their name. Therefore, Ironman has a strong hold on the triathlon industry and continues to grow at a rate of 20% each year. In order to fully experience the quality, organization, and inspiration of Ironman, I registered for an Ironman 70.3 race in Oceanside, California. For the past year, I have experienced the struggles and triumphs of athletes training for an Ironman race. I have sacrificed things such as sleep, free time, and a social life in order to fully experience what athletes go through to train for an Ironman event.
ContributorsStrand, Shea Danielle (Author) / Hultsman, Wendy (Thesis director) / Kuntze, Klas (Committee member) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05