This thesis project is an analysis of the current system Company X has implemented to allow employees of their Customer Service Operations (CSO) to request time-off from work. It includes research based on Lee Bolman and Terry Deal’s Four-Frame model outlined in their book, Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership. Using the four-frame model by Bolman and Deal, the research outlines the basis for key suggestions on how to improve this system to present employees with an environment that promotes healthy work-life balance. Furthermore, the research includes information about call center environments outside of Company X who have faced similar issues of employees having a healthy work-life balance. It also goes into detail on how they managed to maintain productivity, combat issues of employee job dissatisfaction, and further promote a healthy work-life balance for employees. The research is also based on making important connections for how these suggestions can be very complementary to the already ongoing effort that Company X does to ensure their employees’ happiness is a priority.

This thesis seeks to answer, how could architects design for mystery and suspense and how would the perception of those spaces change for the spectators? By looking into production designers, art directors, and screenwriters, specifically the film Rear Window (1954) by Alfred Hitchcock one can analyze their use of architecture as part of the way that they build mystery and suspense by making movies that can help test if architecture spaces that are originally designed for a different purpose can build mystery and suspense. This research re-creates one scene from the film in four different locations: three on Arizona State University Tempe campus and one in an apartment complex. These short movies tested in different architectural spaces as such as, entering and exiting of buildings, access under a building that restricts individuals from seeing who is coming in or out, enclosed architecture, and by having hallways that lead up to each other and not permitting the occupant/participant to see everything around them. After filming the movies were compared to each other and a set of drawings was made to understand important choices made in each movie. What this thesis comes to investigate are the movies which are tools architects can use in their design process. Instead of starting a project from a sketch, why not start it from a movie. As this thesis reveals the act of choosing a film, dissecting it, and re-creating the experience of the film in their own movies in different locations can create a unique project.

Researchers know that different types of self-construal (independent and interdependent) vary across different cultures. Individuals from East Asian cultures are more interdependent while individuals from Western cultures are more independent. Researchers also know that perceptions and understandings of beauty differ across cultures; however, there has been limited research on the connections between self-construal and beauty with minimal research on direct appearance enhancement products. Recently, new ways to present a positive self-image outside of cosmetics or direct appearance enhancement tools have emerged, and the question is raised as to whether these will also be determined by self-construal. We leverage work on the fluidity of self concept to argue that individuals with a more fluid self-concept (interdependents) will express more interest in appearance enhancement products. In the context of a Facebook ad study with Indian (interdependent) and American (independent) consumers, we demonstrate that interdependent consumers have greater interest in indirect appearance enhancing products, measured by click-through rate, compared to independent consumers.

Experience Marketing philosophy revolves around brand interaction with consumers’ physical senses in order to provide an exceptional experience that has value and creates affinity towards the brand (Datta, 2017).<br/>Experience Marketing and its various subcategories have been defined through a multitude of academic journals and publications (e.g., Experience v. experiential). However, there is a lack of consensus in academic literature over best practices regarding experiential marketing efforts. This thesis conducted primary research in the form of in-depth interviews to understand how current experiential marketers utilize academic models and understandings of experiential marketing. Interview data suggests that most brands stage experiences strategically based on their brand elements. In-depth interviews revealed that brands use academic frameworks as a reference point rather than a guide. Accurately measuring relevant metrics remains the largest challenge of Experience Marketing.

This paper investigates how a luxury fashion brand would be able to strategically position itself within Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. It specifically looks at consumers' perceptions of general and visual branding strategies such as international and local positioning. Secondary research was conducted on domestic and international branding strategies, standardization and adaption techniques, and cultural business differences between the three countries. After primary research was completed through a survey and multiple interviews. The survey looked into perceptions of international and local brands of each country. The survey was an A/B test where participants were either given questions surrounding a local or international brand description and advertisement visuals. With the interviews, they provided a baseline of information from Colombian consumers on general perceptions of luxury brands, products, and the memories associated with them. Overall, it was found that Columbian participants had more positive perceptions of international brands, Peruvian participates had a more positive perception of local brands, and Venezuelan participants did not have a significant preference for either. Based on these findings, recommendations were made suggesting possible brand positioning and entry strategies for companies wanting to expand throughout Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. The continuation of this paper includes an analysis and interpretation of the findings, the limitations of the research, and the possible future direction and continuation of this research.

With the majority of films today being adapted from original source material, the market is in need of guidance on how to produce a motion picture authentic to the original source material while also providing new, engaging viewing experiences. When the source itself has established itself as a brand with a strong fanbase or group of brand lovers, these needs become heightened and extremely valuable to the success of the adapted film brand. By examining the concepts of brand love, brand authenticity, films as brands, and brand ambidexterity I was then able to evaluate the need for an adapted film brand ambidexterity framework to produce a higher likelihood of success amongst fans. This need became further apparent when examining the brand history of the Star Wars franchise, one of the largest adapted film brands. From the prior research, I was able to construct in-depth interviews with fans of the Star Wars brand to deduce what aspects of brand love remained within this market, what they identified as the essential brand identity that must remain consistent with future projects, and what relevant ideas they anticipate in brand extensions. The unveiled concepts included the importance of long-term relationship with the brand, connection to the film brand’s philosophy, nostalgia, high family involvement, world expansion, and creative brand leaders.

This project offers an argument that isolates several major forces that it contends pose a critical threat to the endurance of modern American democracy. It evaluates modern and classic political philosophy to identify the prerequisites for a stable democracy, identifying and defining voter education and participation as necessary contributors to civic engagement. It provides a socio-legal framework for evaluating four phenomena that have shifted in their impact on politics over the past 20 years: the roles of money and media in politics, as well as disenfranchisement by gerrymandering and by felon voting restrictions. It demonstrates how each has a new and worsening impact on voter education and/or participation, thus threatening the continued existence of modern American democracy.

This paper analyzes the differences between for-profit marketing and nonprofit marketing and the nuances around nonprofit marketing. There are currently almost 1.8 million nonprofits registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This sector contributed approximately $1.047.2 trillion to the US economy in 2016 alone (National Center for Charitable Statistics, 2020). Prior research on nonprofit marketing indicates that nonprofit marketing is more complex and nonprofit organizations face many challenges in developing marketing strategies. Many studies have shown a trend in emerging technologies impacting the way nonprofits can market, including demographic changes, social media, targeting strategies, and improved customer relationships (Andreasen, 2012; Switzer, 2021; Crawford and Jackson, 2019; George and Shah 2021; Graca and Zwick, 2020). To further explore nonprofit marketing and trends in the industry, I interviewed marketing specialists working in nonprofit organizations in Arizona to gain their perspective on marketing in the nonprofit sector. I found a lot of similarities between the results from prior studies on nonprofit marketing and the findings from my interviews such as personalized targeting strategies, the importance of relationships, technological advancements, lack of resources, and digital marketing strategies. However, it was interesting that respondents did not highlight issues related to demographic trends and social media as being central to their marketing strategies.

The retail department store industry has been in decline for years. Online shopping has become increasingly popular, and this was happening even before the pandemic. Department stores made the mistake years ago of focusing on expansion instead of improving their presence online. In this paper, I make recommendations to help retail department stores make more sales online, as well as get more shoppers back in their brick-and-mortar locations. There needs to be a new target customer that is much younger than the previous. Department stores need put money and time into building their social media platforms. These stores should be looking for several e-commerce brands to incorporate into their stores online, but more importantly in their brick-and-mortar locations. To grow bigger faster, department stores should start to consider using trusted third-party sellers like their biggest competitor Amazon does. Many younger people choose to shop from sustainable and socially responsible brands. Department stores should put in their best efforts to make sure they are caring about these things, not only to help make a change but to also increase their popularity among consumers. It is critical that large retail department stores use several influencers to promote their store and products among all forms of social media. This has become one of the most inexpensive and effective ways to increase sales. Finally, department stores should consider trying livestream shopping as a way to connect with their customers and sell more product. I have covered several ways that department stores can start to expand their business and begin to grow again. I believe these recommendations can transform the retail department store into possible something even more successful than it was before.