Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Soft Skills Training On Guest Satisfaction In The Hospitality Industry, Lawrie Colaco Mr

Culminating Experience Projects

The hospitality industry has become immensely fast-paced, and prioritizing guest satisfaction levels has been one of the main objectives. While hard skills such as technical expertise and operational proficiency are important aspects which are required by the hospitality staff, soft skills also play a pretty significant role. Soft skills enable the staff to be adaptive and communicative, it raises their empathy levels and teaches them to control their emotions and perform under stressful working environments. The importance of soft skills in this sector cannot be overemphasized, not only does this help with harbouring a positive attitude among the employees but …

Decoding Generation Z: A Perceptions Content Analysis, Olivia Larson

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the multifaceted nature of Generation Z through a content analysis, aiming to identify the range of characteristics and preferences within this cohort. By delving beyond prevalent stereotypes, this study addresses the gap in understanding regarding Generation Z's learning styles, communication preferences, work ethics, and personal values. Through examination, this research provides insights crucial for marketers and educators seeking to engage and educate Generation Z effectively.

Organizational Cultural Entrenchment: Exploring Cultural Antecedents Of Actively Destructive Employee Behaviors As A Manifestation Of Voice In Mergers And Acquisitions, Keith Dellano Holloway

Theses and Dissertations

Mergers and acquisitions are frequently leveraged as a vehicle for company growth. However, many of these transactions fail to yield a positive result and often cause a net loss of shareholder value.

There are many interrelated factors at work within a merger or acquisition. Structure, leadership, finances, strategic fit, market, and price are just a few variables to consider. However, the factor of culture, and the failure of cultural integration, has surfaced in literature as a significant contributor to losses within mergers and acquisitions.

This study built on the work of Harris, Hirschman, Kotter, and Schlesinger and examined the deleterious …

Online Fan Communities: Welcoming Behavior, Brand Community Markers, And Multiple Identities In Sports Fandom, Blaine R. Huber

Doctoral Dissertations

Online fan communities have revolutionized the way sport consumers engage with fellow fans and the sports product. The traditional regional boundaries that once characterized sports fandom have been mitigated by the emergence of new media, social media platforms, and online fan communities. This dissertation explores the non-geographically bound nature of contemporary sports fan communities, examining the evolving dynamics of fan behavior in the digital age. In Study 1, an interactional perspective is employed to explore online fan socialization. The focus is on how new fans' self-presentation influences acceptance within NFL team-specific Reddit communities. Utilizing data mining, textual analysis, and qualitative …

Medical School Middle Managers Learning To Successfully Work With Leadership To Navigate Organizational Change, Elizabeth G. Smith

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

There is a lapse in research exploring middle managers at medical schools during an organizational change. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of middle managers during an organizational change to mitigate burnout and build resilience. The literature reviewed explored how stressors from organizational changes may impact medical school middle managers, leading to feeling less secure about their position and increasing middle managers’ stress leading to burnout. For an organizational change to be successful, middle managers must build trust with their staff, communicate with middle managers, and engage middle managers in the change process. Burnout …

Communication Use In Non-Profit Maternal Health, Marliatou Barry

Student Theses and Dissertations

The promotion of maternal health centrally involves a communication strategy. Effective communication aids in recognizing current issues, determining potential fixes, and persuading others to take action. Therefore, nowadays it is very difficult to dispute the significance of communication in the healthcare industry.In the early 1980s, the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged communication as one of the add-on strategies to be employed in promoting health as a result of its pivotal role (WHO, 1984).

This thesis project uses a case study method to explore how non-profit organizations use communication strategies to influence various stakeholders about issues of maternal health. First, a …

How To Grow My Business On Social Media, Thomas Vehige

Honors Theses

This thesis discussed goals, strategies and tactics to expand an existing freelance sports videography business into a more robust business through the use of targeted social media campaigns. Author discusses demographic choices, social media platform selection and goals for thoughtful evaluation of opportunities and core competencies.

Human Capital Advantage From Fortitude, Resilience, And Perseverance Of Minority Ceos In Stem Organizations: A Phenomenological Study, Torin Mordel Malone

Theses and Dissertations

This research study explored how the inherent lived experiences of minorities can foster the attributes of strength and stamina, collectively referred to as the fortitude, resilience, and perseverance (FRP) of minority executive-level leadership. Specifically, this research considered the lived experiences of ten minority CEOs and assessed the influence of how they lead and communicate within their organizations. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover if and how the attributes of FRP could distinctively serve as a human capital advantage for organizations to consider with regard to utilizing minority executive-level leadership. The implication is that the greater understanding …

Women In Organizations: Leadership And Overcoming Biases, Madison T. Witt

Honors Thesis

This thesis will work to describe the different experiences women have in the workplace compared to men. It will discuss the biases faced: prove-it-again bias, tightrope bias, and the maternal wall bias. These play a large role in why women act as they do in the workplace as well as why they tend to experience different barriers within the corporate ladder. This research notes both gender biases facing women and the additional bias women of color face. These different experiences change how women lead companies when placed in executive positions. These leadership styles of women tend to be more welcoming …

An Imc Approach To Building Trust Among Nonprofit Donors, Catherine A. Romaine

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the role of a holistic Integrated Marketing Communications strategy within the nonprofit sector. The research aims to identify the effectiveness of different marketing communication tactics in soliciting donations for nonprofit organizations. It examines the influences and motivations of donors when choosing one organization over another for their monetary contributions. The thesis investigates the impact of specific integrated marketing strategies in building and maintaining relationships with different stakeholders such as donors, volunteers, and employees.

Through a literature review of successful nonprofits and missteps within the sector, this thesis identifies various factors that contribute to nonprofit marketing success, including …

Leadership Through Effective Communication, Han Boon Kevin Lim

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Charismatic leadership oratory is critical in aligning the organisational vision and goals for business sustainability. This research focuses on charismatic leadership, particularly on oratory leading to charismatic perception by the audience. This research seeks to provide future leaders with a better perspective of the multigenerational workforce in an effort to customise the rhetorical process for this diverse workforce to enhance charismatic perception, thereby promoting organisational communication.

The audience in prior studies has been treated as a homogeneous unit (Clark & Greatbatch, 2011; Groß et al., 2015), without distinguishing between different generational groups and their respective receptiveness to a leadership oratory. …

Strategies Call Center Managers Use To Reduce Employee Turnover, Sheena R. Wheeler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Excessive employee turnover can disrupt an organization's efficient operational performance. Call center managers remain concerned with excessive employee turnover due to the expense of lost productivity, recruiting, and training new employees. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation, the intent of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies call center managers use to reduce employee turnover. The participants consisted of five managers in one financial service call center in Nebraska who used successful strategies to reduce employee turnover. Data was collected using semistructured interviews and a review of the employee handbook. Four themes emerged through Yin’s 5-step process: …

Strategies Global Virtual Team Leaders Use To Improve Trust And Communication, Sarah Crandell Monday

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Global virtual team (GVT) members’ inability to effectively build trust and communication has the potential to negatively impact organizational outcomes. Organizational leaders are concerned with team members’ inability to build trust and communication, as it is the leading cause of reduced productivity and efficiency levels within GVTs. Grounded in the social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies GVT leaders use to improve trust and communication among GVT members. The participants were 18 GVT business leaders from six organizations located in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Data were collected using semistructured …

Strategies For Improving Performance Through Diversity And Inclusion In The Workplace, Satari Kay Durrah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of diversity and inclusion policies can lead to the perception of exclusion in the workplace and cause some employee groups to underperform. Some hospital leaders lack strategies for developing and implementing effective diversity and inclusion policies to improve business performance. Grounded in transformation leadership theory, the purpose of this multiple case qualitative study was to explore strategies for improving performance through diversity and inclusion in the healthcare field. The participants included four leaders from hospitals located in the southeastern region of the United States. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and review of company documents. Data were analyzed …

Professional Staffing Small Business Strategies For Reducing Voluntary Employee, Gwendolyn L. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small business owners need help reducing voluntary employee turnover, often putting the business at risk for performance failure. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies professional staffing small business owners used to decrease voluntary employee turnover. The participants were five professional staffing small business leaders in the Washington, D.C., area with successful strategies to retain talented employees. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using Yin’s five-step process. Three themes emerged: (a) employee recognition, (b) communication, and (c) advancement and training. A key recommendation for small business owners …

Strategies Call Center Managers Use To Reduce Employee Turnover, Sheena R. Wheeler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Excessive employee turnover can disrupt an organization's efficient operational performance. Call center managers remain concerned with excessive employee turnover due to the expense of lost productivity, recruiting, and training new employees. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation, the intent of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies call center managers use to reduce employee turnover. The participants consisted of five managers in one financial service call center in Nebraska who used successful strategies to reduce employee turnover. Data was collected using semistructured interviews and a review of the employee handbook. Four themes emerged through Yin’s 5-step process: …

Professional Staffing Small Business Strategies For Reducing Voluntary Employee, Gwendolyn L. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small business owners need help reducing voluntary employee turnover, often putting the business at risk for performance failure. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies professional staffing small business owners used to decrease voluntary employee turnover. The participants were five professional staffing small business leaders in the Washington, D.C., area with successful strategies to retain talented employees. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using Yin’s five-step process. Three themes emerged: (a) employee recognition, (b) communication, and (c) advancement and training. A key recommendation for small business owners …

Human Resource Managers’ Strategies To Reduce Coercive Management Practices, Lakerria Shantel Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Coercive management is a detrimental phenomenon in the health care industry that negatively impacts the organization and employees. Human resource managers in the health care industry who fail to identify and implement strategies to reduce coercive management practices experience poor employee engagement, increased voluntary turnover, and counterproductive work behavior by employees. Grounded in the leader-member exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies human resource managers in the health care industry use to reduce coercive management practices. The participants were four human resource managers from the health care industry in Georgia who successfully developed …

Organization Or Idea: Addressing Member Recruitment And Retention Within The Southern State Pageant Delegation, Brenna Mccormick

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study aimed to determine the cause(s) of decreased recruitment and retention within the Southern State pageant delegation. The mixed methodology explanatory sequential design was used to conduct the research. A quantitative survey was conducted first to identify perceptions of past, present, and potential members of the Southern State delegation regarding recruitment and retention practices. Based on data results from the survey, qualitative interviews were conducted. In addition, an analysis of available organizational documents was conducted in relation to the collected quantitative data. Findings suggest that recruitment and retention within the organization are declining due to a lack of a …

The Unexplored Impacts Of Communication Elements In Marketing, Can Trinh

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation includes two essays that examine how the use of different marketing communication approaches influences consumers. In the first essay, I propose that the use of human silhouettes, when compared to images of attractive human models, enhances marketing communication effectiveness by reducing the extent to which consumers experience self-threat when viewing an ad. In addition, I predict this effect holds for appearance-related products only and strengthens as consumers’ level of appearance-related self-esteem decreases. Five studies reported in this essay provide converging evidence in support of these expectations.

In the second essay, I investigate into how the use of puns …

Digital Equity: Difficulties Of Implementing The 1:1 Computing Initiative In Low-Income Areas, Demetric D. Williams

Dissertations

Successful One-to-One Computing Initiative implementation requires educators to communicate and collaborate effectively with everyone in the learning community. However, other factors such as teacher’s professional development, student’s perception, and parent’s perception often affect the implementation of the One-to-One Computing Initiative. School districts, which serve low-income areas in Mississippi, have difficulties ensuring students and communities have access to the information technology they need to participate outside the school setting. The concept is often called digital equity. However, when officials do not address the capacity, there is a vital threat to the participants’ civic, cultural, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential …

How Blockchain Solutions Enable Better Decision Making Through Blockchain Analytics, Sammy Ter Haar

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since the founding of computers, data scientists have been able to engineer devices that increase individuals’ opportunities to communicate with each other. In the 1990s, the internet took over with many people not understanding its utility. Flash forward 30 years, and we cannot live without our connection to the internet. The internet of information is what we called early adopters with individuals posting blogs for others to read, this was known as Web 1.0. As we progress, platforms became social allowing individuals in different areas to communicate and engage with each other, this was known as Web 2.0. As Dr. …

Construction Management Students Using Technology In The Field, Anthony D. Bongi

Construction Management

This research paper examines the affect technology has had on the desire for college graduates to pursue a career in the field. The idea of college graduates entering directly into a field leadership position was contemplated and discussed. Historically, soft skills such as leadership and communication have been the predominate attributes of any worker expected to run construction in the field. While the importance of these skills hasn’t changed, the importance of technological skills has increased to be considered alongside soft skills. Through an anonymous survey of industry professionals with 10+ years of experience as well as interviews of two …

An Analysis Of Telework Performance During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Patrick J. Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many individuals to shift from an atmosphere of face-to-face work to the digital work environment known as telework. Telework is an effective mitigation tool that ensures the continuity of operations. However, maximized telework may not be effective for all individuals. Many individual, organizational, and group level factors influence one’s telework performance and this study examines four of the most influential antecedents. Using linear regression analysis, conscientiousness, overload, communication, and non-distractibility were found to be significant predictors that account for over half the variance explained in telework performance. Supported by self-regulation theories, both conscientiousness and non-distractibility contained …

Social Media By Providers And Patients In Healthcare, Madison K. Howell, Jirakamon Silapabanleng

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: Social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter have been used in various industries to create direct-to-consumer interactive opportunities. 74% of the US population were social media active users. Around 40% of adults gather their health information from Facebook, a free social networking site, which has been available on various devices and can help many organizations advertise their services as well as communicate with their patients. Social networks had a powerful influence in making health decisions because it could be used as a means to spread either positive or negative health information.

Purpose of study: The …

Servant Leadership On Burnout Among Physicians In Residency Training, Karen Grant-Hewitt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physicians in residency training (PIRTs) in the United States are facing extreme burnout. The prevalence of burnout among physicians in residency training may cause adverse consequences such as medical malfeasance, alcoholism, or suicide due to physical and mental exhaustion. The purpose of this study was to analyze the servant leadership style of physician trainers and burnout among PIRTs in academic medical centers in the United States to ultimately increase wellness and thereby mitigate burnout. Servant leadership was the theoretical foundation for this study. This research investigated whether servant leadership characteristics of physician trainers played a statistically significant role in burnout …

Strategies For Banks Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Terrorism Finance Compliance Programs To Protect Financial Systems, Pamela L. Connell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective implementation of anti-money laundering (AML) compliance programs exposes the vulnerability of banks’ and increases the threats of money laundering and terrorist financing. The banking community must address the threat of money laundering and terrorism finance to protect the global financial system from abuse. Grounded in the fraud management lifecycle theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies to reduce threats of money laundering and terrorist financing. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, a review of bank policy documents, and previous Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) cases. The participants comprised six BSA/AML compliance officers at banks …

Social Movement Splintering: An Examination Of Stockton Stands With Minneapolis And News Media Representation, Kevin Ozomaro

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The phenomenon surrounding news media’s power to alter group identity and group cohesion is something that rarely a point of focus in communication studies. In this study I worked with a local social movement group called Stockton Stands with Minneapolis. This group illustrated the importance of maintaining shared values. Utilizing relational Interviewing, SSWM members provided evidence showing the connection between news media and group success. News media has had a role in shaping group members’ understanding of SSWM and activism. SSWM has faced internal conflict as a result of negative news representation. SSWM is a relatively small and young (2 …

Silence In The Business World, Andrew Nedeljkovic

Honors Projects

This is a research-based paper focused on the uses of silence in business. Silence in this context refers to practices like meditation and mindfulness, rather than silencing the voices of underrepresented groups. This paper looks at the benefits that silence can have for American businesspeople and their firms. It compares the understanding of silence in the United States to the understanding of silence in other cultures.

Communicating With Muted Groups: The Case Of Human Trafficking, Amy Matzke-Fawcett

Communication & Theatre Arts Theses

The problem of human trafficking is global, affecting men and women, adults, and children, with exploitation of various forms including (but not limited to) sex work, hospitality and entertainment, labor, agriculture, soldiering, forced begging and organ removal. While it has been the focus of movies, news articles, documentaries, legislation and research, the discussion of the communication surrounding human trafficking is still in the formative stages. What is the messaging about human trafficking in legislation, both historically and in the present day, and how did news and popular media help to frame the discourse around trafficking in the United States? Using …