Thanks to the generosity of the Schwartz Business School Research Internship Award, three students in StFX’s Gerald Schwartz School of Business spent their summer conducting research that ranged from looking at the influence of Hockey Canada trustworthiness on fan and participant behaviour to the effect that consumer sentiment has on the Canadian housing market.
Schwartz School students Reid Russett, Robert Amos and Liam Collins each received the $8,000 award which provides up to 14 weeks of research work under the supervision and mentorship of a StFX faculty member. The Schwartz research internships offer opportunities for business students to enhance their learning experience by engaging in research on topics that matter to industry and to society.
Reid Russett of Ottawa, ON, a fourth year BBA student completing a marketing major and sports management minor, looked at the influence of Hockey Canada trustworthiness on fan and participant behaviour.
The project Mr. Russett completed with his supervisors Dr. Bobbi Morrison and Dr. Charlene Weaving has been selected for presentation at the Atlantic Schools of Business Conference at Mount Saint Vincent University. “It is an honour for our work to be recognized at this event,” he says.
“Throughout the summer I studied and created a literature review on different forms of trust such as interpersonal trust, institutional trust, trust in sports organizations, brand loyalty and much more. With the help of my supervisors, we then created a survey for Nova Scotians over 18 years old aimed at gathering information on how trust in the Hockey Canada organization affects fan and participant behaviour.
“This has been a new and exciting experience for me. I did not have a research background prior to starting this project so I have been able to learn many new things that I will apply to further projects down the road. I am hopeful that this experience will allow for me to do further research work as well as help prepare me for a career in the business side of the sporting industry. “
CONSUMER SENTIMENT ON CANADIAN HOUSING MARKET
Robert Amos, a fourth year joint honours in finance and economics student from Oro-Medonte, ON, supervised by Dr. Vijay Vishwakarma, researched the effect that consumer sentiment has on the Canadian housing market. More specifically, he attempted to see if the number of houses sold or house prices could be predicted using data from the Bank of Canada's Survey of Consumer Expectations.
"This experience means a lot. Being able to gain research experience as an undergraduate student is unheard of at larger schools, so this is an opportunity relatively unique to StFX. This opportunity speaks to the experiences StFX provides as one of the best undergraduate schools in Canada,” he says.
Mr. Amos says this experience allowed him to spend the summer engaged in full-time research in a topic related to his honours thesis. “That means before the semester even starts, I have a large portion of the work done for my thesis.
“I think the highlight of the experience was being able to do gain research skills while doing my undergraduate. This is an experience few others get and lends well to doing an honours or master’s program.”
INCLUSIVE PRACTICES
Liam Collins of Chicago, Illinois, a second year BBA student working under the supervision of Dr. Katelynn Carter-Rogers, conducted a systematic review to gain a better understanding of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility within the financial management, and investment industry, and consider where there are gaps of knowledge related to the implementation of inclusive practices.
“It was a pleasure and honour to work with Katelynn Carter-Rogers on a research project on areas of mutual interest. Taking on this project as a first year student was a great opportunity to learn valuable skills and apply them to relevant issues,” he says.
“I believe this experience has broadened my perspective on academic research as a career and important area of study.”
Mr. Collins says the work relating to researching social and economic friction is never complete. “Being able to understand these issues is the first step in treating them long-term, and this is a process I have been grateful to be a part of.”
