Faculty of Management Graduate Theses

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10222/82352

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Open Access
Did Diversity Training Enhance Workplace Inclusion and Organizational Outcomes During COVID-19?
(2024-04-25) Geng, Lin; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Business; Received; n/a; Not Applicable; Scott Comber; Oksana Shkurska; Binod Sundararajan
Workplace diversity has always been a popular topic, especially in an immigrant country like Canada. Canada’s diverse workforce is likely to increase due to the growing percentage of immigrants. Yet the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new changes to the working environment, forcing many businesses shifted to a purely remote or a hybrid working style, which makes it challenge to create organizational cultures. This study explores the challenges faced by people of color (POC) employees at work both before and during the pandemic and highlights the need for organizations to pursue better diversity training programs.
Open Access
HOW DO CROWDED SHELVES IMPACT CONSUMERS’ ATTITUDE TOWARD MINIMAL DESIGN?
(2024-04-24) Dhar, Apratim; No; Master of Science; Rowe School of Business; Received; n/a; No; Sergio Carvalho; Hamed Aghakhani; Mohammed El Hazzouri; Hélène Deval
This research aims to understand consumers' motivation to purchase products in retail stores when retail shelves are either crowded or not crowded. Existing research has mostly focused on social crowding. There is limited research on the phenomenon of retail shelf-based crowding and its influence on consumer behavior. How crowded shelves of products trigger consumers to prefer products with minimal or maximal packaging design? subsequently, how does it impact the evaluation of the product? In the current research, we investigate how different levels of shelf crowdedness impact consumer attitudes and intentions toward products in different packaging designs. We conducted an experiment where we manipulated shelf crowdedness and packaging design (maximal vs. minimal) to test our predictions. Our findings revealed that the minimal packaging elicited a more positive attitude and higher purchase intentions towards the product.
Open Access
Investigating Bibliometrics tools for article screening in a Cochrane systematic review
(2024-04-14) Gracey, Catherine; Not Applicable; Master of Information; School of Information Management; Not Applicable; n/a; Not Applicable; Melissa Rothfus; Jill Hayden; Philippe Mongeon
This research applies bibliometric methods to a case study Cochrane review, to describe attributes of the groups of articles that were eligible for inclusion, included, and excluded for research integrity concerns. The variables of interest were the open access status of the articles, the type of funding received (if any), the article authors’ institution types, countries, and regions, the CiteScore of each journal that articles were published in, and the citation relationships between articles. These attributes were used to conduct a descriptive analysis of the makeup of each inclusion group, and predictive analysis, comprising of a logistic regression model that predicted inclusion/exclusion on the basis of research integrity concerns. This research proposes a model for using article, journal and author-based metrics to make predictions about the relevance of articles captured in the search, and quality of articles eligible for inclusion.
Open Access
RELATIONSHIP AMONG INTEREST RATE, MONEY SUPPLY, AND STOCK PRICE: EVIDENCE FROM CHINA AND THE U.S.
(2024-04-02) ZHANG, OUFAN; No; Master of Science; Rowe School of Business; Not Applicable; n/a; No; Jun Zhou; Leonard MacLean; Yonggan Zhao
The relationship between macroeconomic indicators and the stock market has always been a hot topic in the field of financial economics. This thesis analyzes the relationship between stock indices, interest rates, and money supply in China and the U.S. A long-term cointegration relationship is established for the two countries, based on various Johansen’s cointegration tests and vector-error correction modeling. This thesis also examines the banking sector’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic through a panel regression model with dummy variables for the pandemic period, January 2020 to December 2021. I found there was a significant positive impact of macroeconomic cointegration on Chinese banking stocks, whereas the U.S. banking stocks show a negative but insignificant correlation. The pandemic had a notably negative impact on the Chinese banking sector, but an insignificant impact on the U.S. banking sector.
Open Access
EXPLORING THE FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CONTINUED USE OF MEDICATION EVENT REPORTING SYSTEMS IN COMMUNITY PHARMACIES
(2024-04-09) Hadadiyan, Keyhaneh; No; Master of Science; Business; Received; n/a; No; Kyung Young Lee; Benoit Aubert; Paola A. Gonzalez
Medication incidents, also known as medication errors, within community pharmacies (CPhs), persist as significant safety concerns despite the evolution of medication dispensing practices. Understanding and addressing these incidents are crucial for enhancing workflow practices, mitigating risks, and enhancing patient safety. Digital platforms and information systems have emerged to facilitate incident reporting and management, thereby fostering continuous quality improvements in safety protocols. However, despite the imperative and mandatory nature of reporting medication incidents and near misses, the continuous use of these systems to report incidents remain suboptimal. This study delves into the factors influencing the continued use of these systems within CPhs. Grounded in IS Continuance theory and some factors from the Techno-stress model, the proposed research model is designed to elucidate key determinants. Through a survey of 206 pharmacy practitioners, we identify several factors impacting the ongoing use of these reporting systems, including perceived usefulness, confirmation of system expectations, techno-overload, social pressure, and perceived threat. Our findings underscore the complexities surrounding the continuous use of healthcare technologies in community pharmacies. We discuss the implications of these factors for pharmacy practice and academic scholars interested in enhancing our understanding of medication incident reporting and continuous use of these systems.
Open Access
Excluded But Empowered: How Social Exclusion Drives Responsible Investment Preference
(2023-12-10) Parvin, Rubina; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Rowe School of Business; Received; n/a; Not Applicable; Dr. Mohammed El Hazzouri; Dr. Valerie Trifts; Dr. Hamed Aghakhani; Dr. Sergio Carvalho
Social exclusion is a common experience that can have impacts on our daily life, such as choosing a product, joining a group or even our risk tolerance and financial decision-making. This study investigates the relationship between social exclusion and responsible investment, as well as the role of altruistic desire and self-esteem in this relationship. Using a sample of 375 participants recruited from Prolific, participants were randomly assigned to either a socially excluded or control condition and presented with either a conventional or responsible investment advertisement. The research aims to demonstrate that offering responsible investment as a means of alleviating negative feelings arising from social exclusion can be an effective coping mechanism compared to conventional investment. Results show that socially excluded people are more open to responsible investment than conventional investment and this difference has disappeared for those who did not experience social exclusion. The result did not find any evidence to support the role of altruistic desire and self-esteem in this relationship.
Open Access
Validating a Meditation-based Mind Wandering BCI: A Pilot Study
(2023-09-06) Beresford, Jenna; No; Master of Information; School of Information Management; Received; n/a; Janet Music; No; Philippe Mongeon; Sandra Toze; Colin Conrad
Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) have become a burgeoning field of research as computers become embedded in everyday life. Electroencephalography (EEG) is the preferred brain measurement device used in BCIs, though research- and medical-grade devices are prohibitively expensive. EEGs such as the Unicorn Hybrid Black (UHB) have entered the market as low-cost alternatives, albeit with electrode arrays of diminished density. The present study aims to assess the feasibility and usability of the UHB in BCI research and how it can or cannot be utilized as an accessible learning tool in academic, commercial, and public spheres. This was done by creating a BCI using the UHB and UHB Python API to assess various machine learning algorithms’ classification accuracy of a meditation paradigms that uses self-caught experience sampling to capture mind wandering. Key findings suggest that the UHB is a demonstrably effective tool within research and academic spheres; however, its feasibility within consumer-grade BCIs may be limited. The machine learning classification accuracy was deemed acceptable with the ridge classifier emerging as the algorithm of optimal performance.
Open Access
DOES RUDENESS REDUCE CREATIVITY? EXAMINING THE ROLE OF APPRAISAL AND RUMINATION FOLLOWING INCIVILITY AT WORK
(2023-04-24) Dekhkonova, Sevarakhon; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Rowe School of Business; Received; N/A; Kyung Young Lee; Not Applicable; Hamed Aghakhani; Heidi Weigand; Dana Kabat-Farr
The current study examines how rude customers might deplete the creativity of service workers by investigating the roles of negative appraisal and rumination following customer incivility. Simultaneously, we also examine an alternative: can customer incivility promote the creativity of service workers? We propose that challenge appraisal of incivility is instrumental to boosting creativity. We ground our hypotheses in the conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll, 1989, 2001) and transactional model of stress and coping (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), positioning incivility experiences as potential resource-depleting and/or resource-boosting events. This study contributes to the incivility and creativity literature by investigating dual pathways linking incivility to creativity via appraisal and rumination. We found that service employees often view customer incivility as negative, and it triggers rumination, while focal and post hoc analyses show that challenge appraisals can be associated with greater creativity. Further findings, theoretical and practical implications, and future research directions are discussed.
Open Access
Gratitude Journal Exercise Increases Leaders’ Individual Consideration Through Change in Objectification and Perceived Closeness: A Randomized Experiment
(2023-04-13) Munsoo, Choi; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Business; Received; n/a; Kyung Young Lee; Not Applicable; Colin Conrad; Simon Berge; Dana Kabat-Farr; Anika Cloutier
Effective leadership is critical for achieving positive outcomes in the workplace, including increased profits, job satisfaction, and performance. However, little is known about what enhances positive leadership behaviors. Drawing on the find-remind-and-bind theory (Algoe, 2012), we examined whether gratitude journaling alters leaders’ conception of followers (i.e., objectify less, humanize more), resulting in higher desire for closeness and greater intention to engage in individualized consideration. The experiment involved 156 leaders, which found that the gratitude intervention increased individualized consideration intention through decrease in objectification and increase in perceived closeness. Integrating propositions from the social distance theory of power (Magee & Smith, 2012), we further considered whether the benefits of gratitude are limited for those with a higher desire for power. Contrary to predictions, the study found that leaders’ desire for power does not hinder the indirect effects of gratitude on individualized consideration intention. Further results and implications are discussed as well.
Open Access
The Rise and Fall of the NFT Empire: The Social Phenomenon of Non-fungible Tokens
(2023-04-13) Dalton, Kellie; Not Applicable; Master of Information; School of Information Management; Not Applicable; n/a; Janet Music; Not Applicable; Colin Conrad; Qi Deng; Philippe Mongeon
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) burst into popular culture in 2021 with the $69 million dollar sale of Beeple’s artwork Everydays: The First 500 Days. Since then, this potentially disruptive technology created new digital markets that have been making waves both in incredible successes and steep failures. This paper explores NFTs as a social phenomenon. Using user-generated data from Twitter, I apply frequency tables, sentiment analysis, and community clustering to begin filling in a knowledge gap by mapping who were engaging with NFTs, what topics and discourse these users were discussing, and what sentiments the users possessed about NFTs throughout their discourse.
Open Access
The Present in Our Past: A Large-Scale Analysis of Canadian Historiography
(2023-04-14) Morrison, Lara; Not Applicable; Master of Information; School of Information Management; Not Applicable; n/a; Janet Music; Not Applicable; Sandra Toze; Stacy Allison-Cassin; Philippe Mongeon
Using a bibliometric approach to understand the development of the Canadian history field, this research analyzes trends and characteristics as observed in articles published in eight major Canadian history journals from 1954 to 2021. Subject terms, geographic region terms, and citation counts are used as indicators of research attention in order to assess patterns from the articles on a macro-level. Central to this work is the idea that history is constructed and produced in various ways within contemporary contexts. While it is often evident how the past influences the present throughout history, this study aims to unearth ways in which the present actively informs our ideas of the past by documenting how Canadian history research is classified, and how that has changed over time. In applying quantitative methods to a portion of published works in the field, this research also proposes a new way of considering Canadian historiography.
Open Access
A Dynamic Asset Allocation Strategy with Macroeconomic Indicators
(2023-04-12) Yu, Lijun; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Rowe School of Business; Not Applicable; n/a; Kyung Lee; Not Applicable; Iraj Fooladi; Leonard MacLean; Yonggan Zhao
This thesis proposes a novel approach to strategic asset allocation (SAA) that uses macro-econometric factors and a regime-switching regression model to capture systemic risk, which is crucial in setting target allocations for various asset classes and measuring associated risk premiums. The proposed model employs a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) to filter the four macro-econometric factors, which are the main source of market risk, and uses a mean-variance-based dynamic selection model to increase the portfolio's risk-adjusted return. The empirical analysis utilizes global bond and equity ETFs, as well as sector ETFs, to test the asset pricing model and evaluate the performance of the portfolio. Weekly financial data from January 01, 2002, to December 31, 2022, are used to construct the four macro-econometric factors, and the four weekly macro-econometric factors from September 06, 2016, to January 1, 2019, are employed to estimate the HMM and asset return parameters. The results show that the proposed model consistently outperforms the benchmark MSCI ACWI Index in the out-of-sample period from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2022, and outperforms the selected ETFs and the mean-variance models in terms of the Sharpe Ratio. The proposed approach to SAA provides a promising avenue for investors to achieve superior risk-adjusted returns in the current global financial landscape.
Open Access
SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE AND CORPORATE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM THE G20 COUNTRIES
(2023-04-12) Yu, Jiaxing; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Rowe School of Business; Not Applicable; n/a; Kyung Lee; Not Applicable; Gregory Hebb; Yonggan Zhao; Jun Zhou; Iraj Fooladi
This study analyzes the relationship between sustainability and financial performance in a sample of G20 firms over a decade (2010-2021), while controlling for relevant variables. Results show a positive bidirectional relationship between sustainability and accounting-based financial performance, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also examines the moderating effects of ESG-related compensation policies and CSR sustainability committees. It finds that ESG-related compensation policies positively moderate the relationship between sustainability and financial performance, while CSR sustainability committees positively moderate the impact of financial performance on sustainability performance and negatively moderate the effect of sustainability on financial performance. Furthermore, the study expands on the sustainability-CFP relationship by examining heavily polluted and less polluted industries and the Fama & French five industry sectors. It indicates that the positive bidirectional relationship between sustainability and financial performance is stronger for heavily polluted industries, and the relationship varies across industry sectors.
Open Access
Vaccine Approval Effect on Firms in Socially Responsible and Conventional Funds During the Covid-19 Pandemic
(2023-04-11) ANIDIOBI, ERIC; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Business; Not Applicable; n/a; Kyung Lee; Not Applicable; Leonard MacLean; Yonggan Zhao; Iraj Fooladi
This research investigates the effects of vaccine approval on socially responsible and conventional funds in the United States and Canada. The study analyzes the daily total returns of the constituents of the Jantzi Social Index, TSX composite, MSCI KLD 400 Social Index, and S&P 500 from January 03, 2018, to December 30, 2022. The findings suggest that regardless of the model used, companies included in socially responsible indexes exhibit a slightly stronger positive response to vaccine approval announcements compared to companies in conventional indexes. The positive impact on returns was notably stronger for earlier announcements. Although Canadian firms occasionally showed a slightly stronger positive reaction than their U.S. counterparts, no discernible difference was observed between the reactions of companies in the two countries. The study also employs an alternative approach to the conventional event study procedure, capturing the impact of vaccine announcements through dummy variables. To ensure robustness of the findings, non-parametric tests were conducted alongside our standard event study. They produce results that are consistent with our original tests.
Open Access
Impact of Expressed Emotions (EE) in TikTok Beauty Influencers' Content on the Degree of Engagement: the Moderating Effect of Inclusive Marketing Factors (IMF)
(2022-12-14) Setayesh Valipour, Rahil; No; Master of Science; Rowe School of Business; Not Applicable; n/a; Professor Kyung Young Lee; Not Applicable; Professor Qi Deng; Professor Philippe Mongeon; Professor Kyung Young Lee; Dr. Albert James
Nowadays, companies using social media are looking for innovative ways to improve engagement on their pages. Previous studies show the positive effect of eliciting emotions on engagement in image- and text-based platforms. This study uses TikTok, a short-form, video-based application, to investigate the effect of verbal- and non-verbal emotional expressions (EE) in video content on social media engagement and examines the moderating effect of Inclusive Marketing Factors (IMF) on this relationship by analyzing the videos published by the top 20 American beauty influencers in TikTok. Results show that using Emojis, an indicator of non-verbal EE, can positively influence the number of likes and shares. Additionally, Emotional Intensity (EI), as an indicator of verbal EE, has a positive, significant effect on the number of likes. However, the presence of IMF negatively moderates the relationship between EI and the number of likes, and EI and the number of shares.
Open Access
Asset Pricing Model Fit for Canadian Mutual Funds
(2022-12-15) Tianyu, Zhang; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Business; Not Applicable; n/a; Kyung Young Lee; Not Applicable; Yonggan Zhao; Najah Attig; Greg Hebb
Asset pricing models have been used extensively in studies to predict fund performance. However, my motivation is to test which asset pricing model is the best to evaluate mutual fund performance in Canada. In addition, I identify whether there is any difference in model performance before and after Covid-19. The competing models are the Capital Asset Pricing Model of Sharp and Lintner, Fama and French’s Three-Factor Pricing Model, Carhart’s Four-Factor Pricing Model, and Fama and French’s Five- and Six-Factor Pricing Models. I compare frequently employed factor models using Gibbons, Ross and Shanken's methodology. I find that the Fama French Six-Factor Model is the best model for the entire period including post-Covid-19. It also performs best for all types of funds and equity funds in the pre-Covid-19 period. However, the CAPM emerges as the best performer for bond funds, and the FF5 best explains the mixed asset fund performance for pre-Covid-19.
Open Access
THEY/THEM/THEIR: GENDER-NEUTRAL PRONOUNS ON NAMETAGS AND CONSUMERS’ MICROAGGRESSIONS TOWARDS THEM
(2022-12-15) Nishat, Tasnim; No; Master of Science; Rowe School of Business; Received; n/a; Kyung Lee; No; Mohammed El Hazzouri; Sergio Carvalho; Hamed Aghakhani
This study draws on theories from psychology and sociology to examine how consumers will react to non-binary individuals in sales and service situations. Results from an online experiment show that consumers tend to evaluate the service offered by non-binary people as lower than their male counterparts. A lowered rating of service offered observed in this research may negatively impact inclusive businesses that tend to hire gender minority people. Further, in this research, managerial implications and future research directions are discussed.
Open Access
What makes people share news on social media? Exploring the moderating role of perceived fakeness
(2022-12-12) Anam, Nuzha; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Business; Received; n/a; Dr. Kyung Young Lee; Not Applicable; Dr. Bo Yu; Dr. Qi Deng; Dr. Kyung Young Lee; Dr. Albert James
Social media platforms help individuals form social relationships. They enable the quick spread of information. One of the most common misuses of these platforms is the creation and sharing of fake or misleading news or content. ‘The extent to which an individual believes that a news article is fake’ varies among different individuals for various reasons. This study proposes the concept of ‘perceived fakeness’ as a key factor influencing news readers' intentions to share the news. The research model explores the relationship between emotional reaction, topic expertise, topic attitude, and individual news readers’ intention to share news articles on social media and investigates the moderating effect of perceived fakeness. This study uses survey data from 367 individuals. The findings show that all three factors positively affect the intention to share news on social media. And perceived fakeness significantly negatively moderates the relationship between topic expertise and intention to share.
Open Access
EXAMINING CUSTOMERS’ INTENTION OF CONTINUED USE AND CROSS-BUYING ON INTERNET-ONLY BANKS
(2022-12-09) Tsui, Annie; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Rowe School of Business; Received; n/a; Kyung Young Lee; Not Applicable; Paola Gonzalez; Bo Yu; Albert James; Kyung Young Lee
Internet-only banks (IOB) refer to financial institutions which provide services entirely through online digital platforms without physical branches. Although IOBs have been around for over 26 years, there is still room for investigating what factors motivate customers to use them continuously and extensively. Therefore, this study aims to examine what factors lead to customers’ intention of continued use and cross-buying on IOBs by extending the Post-Acceptance Model of IS Continuance (PAMISC). The result shows that perceived economic benefit and ongoing trust have significant relationships with intention of continued use and that ongoing trust has significant direct and mediating relationships with intention of cross-buying. Also, personal innovativeness positively moderates the relationship between ongoing trust and the intention of cross-buying. This study sheds light on the literature on branchless financial services and PAMISC. IOB practitioners should revisit the effectiveness of customers’ economic benefits to establish ongoing trust with customers.
Open Access
What Makes Brand TikTok Videos Engaging? An Elaboration Likelihood Model Perspective
(2022-12-09) Zhuang, Yanchen; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Rowe School of Business; Not Applicable; n/a; Kyung Young Lee; Not Applicable; Kyung Young Lee; Bo Yu; Qi Deng; Jenny Chen
Short-form videos in social media are growing in popularity and becoming a promising channel for marketing. This study explores consumer engagement in brand short-form videos by investigating the effect of five non-content characteristics, i.e., screen mode, caption, title length, human voice, and music. Drawing from the Elaboration Likelihood Model, this study examined 4,027 TikTok (Douyin) videos from 54 brands across 13 industries. The findings suggested that screen mode, captions, and video title length significantly affect consumer engagement by influencing the central information processing route, and music and narration positively affect consumer engagement by functioning on the peripheral information processing route. This study contributes to the literature on social media marketing and consumer engagement by unveiling the influencers for consumer engagement in the brand short-form video context. More importantly, this study provides practical tactics for brands to create compelling videos to attract engagement and achieve marketing goals.