This year’s Student Research Conference held on April 23 at the Davis Center, once again showcased the best of UVM's undergraduate and graduate research. Several School of Business students were selected, and the following snapshots provide a glimpse at the variety on offer at the event. Read on for research examples, accomplished with the guidance of faculty advisers from across the disciplines.

Hailey Ronconi, Senior.

Project title: Market Research, Women in Snowboarding

Adviser: James Sinkula

Why this topic? What was your motivation?

I am very interested in the role that brands can play in helping to both encourage participation AND spending within snowboarding, a sport where female participation is still lacking (only 1/3 of snowboard participants are female). As an avid snowboarder, and a female, this is very relevant to my passions, both within marketing and snowboarding. 

What was your key discovery?

Segmentation within snowboard industry marketing is necessary, but it cannot produce advertising that objectifies the female rider. The same strategies that are geared toward men will not work for women.  Brands can no longer produce advertising that is geared only towards men, including representations of the female rider that are objectifying or negative. Within snowboarding, women want women’s specific products and initiatives, and they want to know that brands understand the female rider.

Anything surprising that came out of your research?

Athlete sponsorship does not appear to affect decision to purchase – 61.6% of female respondents and 66% of male respondents think “a professional snowboarder /snowboarder I look up to rides the board” is between very unimportant and somewhat unimportant in affecting their decision

And

Respondents do not appear to be brand loyal within snowboard spending:

Only 6.6% of female respondents and 5.3% of male respondents think that the company that makes the snowboard they ride is very important in their decision to purchase. 58.9% of female respondents and 61% of male respondents either agree or strongly agree that “when purchasing snowboard products, I enjoy exploring several different alternatives or bands while shopping.”

Other School of Business participants were:

Ben Vaughan: Corporate Disclosure Response to SEC Litigation.

Advisers: Susan Hughes and Barbara Arel

Tyler Miles: Examining Instances of Embezzlement in Vermont

Adviser: Barbara Arel