Commerce - Student Works

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    Apple iPhone: a market case study
    (2021) Van De Vliert, Daylin; Muralidharan, Etayankara
    Founded in 1976, Apple inc. quickly became one of the biggest companies in the world. Throughout the years, Apple has been apart of the technology market where there has been an exponential amount of opportunities and threats. This market case study aims to determine how Apple can target such opportunities to help predict future trends and influences over the market. To identify these trends and market influences, I have first conducted an environmental scan of Apple’s current and future market(s). Then I described Apple’s fundamental psychological and sociocultural consumer behaviors. And finally, I identified Apple’s target market, how they have chosen to segment and the demographics and geographics within Apple’s largest target segments. As a result of successfully identifying trends in the past, Apple continues to impress with its globally known brand name and customer base/market. However, Apple must continue to identify future opportunities to stay relevant in the ever-advancing technological market. This analysis of the marketing context suggests Apple may need to re-position its iPhones to maintain its leading position in the marketplace.
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    The sharing economy: do e-scooters make the cut?
    (2020) Bailey, Brady; Sereda, Sarah
    Sharing is as old as civilization itself. Corporations now are taking an old idea and creating a strategic model with the help of technology. This modern sharing economy, while having roots in sustainable practices, can often be mistaken as an inherently sustainable business model. We present the outcomes of a project on e-scooters as an example to emphasize the potential impacts and characteristics of a business operating within the sharing economy. To understand and gain public opinion, a survey was conducted gathering 222 responses regarding e-scooter usage in Edmonton, Alberta. Another source of information was the interview with a top executive of Lime Scooters, an e-scooter company operating in Edmonton. We found that while online platforms make resource sharing between peers easier to access, they are not always economically sustainable. Literature review on life-cycle analysis of e-scooters revealed that environmental sustainability is also not ingrained in practice, and careful consideration of business operations is needed to mitigate potentially negative impacts. In addition, thoughtful policies need to be considered and put into place in-order to encourage public and private trust. Overall, the sharing economy can be quite effective in creating a sense of community and social sustainability, but it should not be graded as a wholly sustainable practice without evidence.
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    The effect of increasing student involvement with career development services: the integration of faculty members & fostering student/faculty relationships
    (2020) Wurban, Luke Easton; Amundson, Wesley; Ho Si, Albert; Bosgoed, Morgan; Makardajh, Antonio
    The primary goal of this research is to recognize and disseminate the possible components of what makes students more involved with career development services on campus. We examined 25 scholarly articles as part of our initial research to identify possible relationships, which lead us to one major question to answer: “how can we increase the student usage of the MacEwan University Career Development and Experiential learning office by integrating faculty members of various departments?” Some of the largest problems that we found when speaking with the Career Development services and professors is that both students and faculty are either unaware of what they are, and what services they provide. Our qualitative research with faculty members has indicated that they do not know of the availability of career development services on campus, and they do not communicate with the office very frequently. This research allowed us to formulate a well-rounded quantitative survey to be administered to other faculty members that reflects on possible solutions to create more student involvement, and by extension – more student success. Our sample data included 28 responses of our possible 361 survey questionnaires sent. We did not have the greatest response rate; therefore, our findings are not fully generalizable. However, the responses that we did receive are very important and informative to the career development services of MacEwan University, which helps aid in conclusions and recommendations for student involvement.
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    Tire purchasing: does it have a place online?
    (2020) Aarbo, Joshua Thomas; Anderson, Kennedy; Bruni, Marco F.; Liosis, Julia; Lang, Madison
    This article outlines our collaboration with Tireland, in which we conducted research regarding the potential success of selling tire online. We looked into aspects of an online presence that would be positively received by consumers in the tire industry. Our research has included an interview with the decision maker, five in-depth interviews, and an online questionnaire. The aim with these methods was to gain a further understanding of the current online tire industry and the constraints that may be present when implementing an ecommerce sales strategy. The target market we were focused on includes males and females between the ages of twenty to thirty. We received 114 responses to our online survey, of which 103 were part of our target market. The data we aimed to collect helped us compare variables such as level of education, online features, and annual household income with the individual’s likelihood to purchase tires online. It is through our SPSS analysis that we were able to gather a better understanding on the statistics surrounding the problem at hand. Our studies offered an insight into the necessary elements to create a successful ecommerce platform. Based on our five research questions, we determined that while variables such as income and education have a minor impact on the likelihood to purchase tires online, other variables such as available online features, tire characteristics, and history of online shopping are significant. Our analyses have led us to recommend that the company should target individuals who already typically shop online. As well, characteristics such as availability, customer service, and price are important to consumers when making a purchase. Finally, consumers are more willing to shop on a website that offers reviews, product information, reminders and an online question service. If these variables are focused upon that will be the greatest way for a company to implement a successful ecommerce platform.
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    Attracting university-educated job seekers
    (2020) Thomson, Kyle; Block, Nicole; Labrie, Camille; Pichert, Michaela; Zahr, Daniel
    While a strong demand for university-educated employees exists within the auto sales industry, few graduates give serious consideration to car dealerships as career opportunities. Lexus of Edmonton, a leading luxury car dealership, presented our team with this concern, prompting a three-month marketing research project. This report examines the factors which influence university-educated job seekers’ decisions when searching for employment, and how Lexus of Edmonton can tailor their recruitment strategies to target graduates. Our examination followed a three-phase research design involving a review of 25 academic articles, a qualitative analysis of five in-depth interviews, and a quantitative analysis of 101 questionnaire responses. In summary, we found that school involvement, internships, and online platforms were effective means of attracting university graduates. We identified business-majors as the audience most interested in a career with Lexus of Edmonton. We also found that corporate social responsibility and organizational culture were major concerns for graduates, with some metrics being considered as highly as salary and compensation. Based on these findings, our team recommends that Lexus of Edmonton expand their ongoing involvement with local universities, leverage their online presence to network with students, and tailor its communications to reflect their commitment to employee wellbeing. Drawing on this report as a case study in recruitment strategies, we hope that other employers and universities may optimize their own processes to better match graduates to career opportunities.