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Exploring Strategies For Implementing Data Governance Practices, Ashley Cave Jan 2017

Exploring Strategies For Implementing Data Governance Practices, Ashley Cave

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Data governance reaches across the field of information technology and is increasingly important for big data efforts, regulatory compliance, and ensuring data integrity. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies for implementing data governance practices. This study was guided by institutional theory as the conceptual framework. The study's population consisted of informatics specialists from a small hospital, which is also a research institution in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. This study's data collection included semi structured, in-depth individual interviews (n = 10), focus groups (n = 3), and the analysis of organizational documents (n = 19). …


Urban Dwellers Experiences Regarding Loss Of Natural Environments Due To Rapid Urbanization, Erica Montanye Jan 2017

Urban Dwellers Experiences Regarding Loss Of Natural Environments Due To Rapid Urbanization, Erica Montanye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little is known about how residents of rapidly growing cities are impacted by the loss of natural environments. Large cities are expanding at an exponential rate, reducing the presence of, and access to, natural environments for urban dwellers. Many benefits to human health regarding the presence of natural environments near where people live and work are known, but impacts of the loss of natural environments for urban dwellers are unknown. The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to understand residents' experiences regarding the loss of natural environments and related impacts. Attention restoration theory and place attachment were the theoretical lenses …


Information Technology Management Strategies To Implement Knowledge Management Systems, Mary Jane Mcgee Jan 2017

Information Technology Management Strategies To Implement Knowledge Management Systems, Mary Jane Mcgee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than 38% of the U.S. public workforce will likely retire by 2030, which may result in a labor shortage. Business leaders may adopt strategies to mitigate knowledge loss within their organizations by capturing knowledge in a knowledge management system (KMS). The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that information technology (IT) managers use to develop and implement a KMS. The target population consisted of IT managers in a small-sized organization located in northwestern Florida who had implemented a KMS successfully. The conceptual framework for this study was organizational knowledge creation theory. The collection of public …


Pathways For Improving Nigeria's Procurement System, Donald Osebhawe Areguamen Jan 2017

Pathways For Improving Nigeria's Procurement System, Donald Osebhawe Areguamen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The manual procurement processes used by some private companies result in increased costs and contract fulfillment delays. The focus of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies procurement managers use to reduce costs and contract fulfillment delays. The population for this study was three procurement managers of private plastics companies located at Maitama, in Abuja, Nigeria. Weiss's theory of change was the conceptual framework for this study. Data collection included semistructured face-to-face interviews and an exploration of company archival financial documents. Data were transcribed, coded, and then validated through member checking, resulting in the emergence of 5 themes: …


E-Business Strategy To Adopt Electronic Banking Services In Ethiopia, Teklebrhan Woldearegay Gebreslassie Jan 2017

E-Business Strategy To Adopt Electronic Banking Services In Ethiopia, Teklebrhan Woldearegay Gebreslassie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

E-banking services in Ethiopia are increasing among low-income populations; however, with over 53 million mobile service users countrywide, more than 85% of the population still lacks access to banking services. A single case study was used to explore e-business strategies that bank managers use to promote the adoption of electronic banking services to the unbanked population in Ethiopia. The extended resource-based view of strategy served as the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected from interviews with 12 experienced bank managers from leading commercial bank in Ethiopia. Data were analyzed using coding techniques and word clustering, with the help …


Collaboration Strategies To Reduce Technical Debt, Jeffrey Allen Miko Jan 2017

Collaboration Strategies To Reduce Technical Debt, Jeffrey Allen Miko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inadequate software development collaboration processes can allow technical debt to accumulate increasing future maintenance costs and the chance of system failures. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore collaboration strategies software development leaders use to reduce the amount of technical debt created by software developers. The study population was software development leaders experienced with collaboration and technical debt at a large health care provider in the state of California. The data collection process included interviews with 8 software development leaders and reviewing 19 organizational documents relating to software development methods. The extended technology acceptance model was used …


Overcoming The Adverse Impact Of Internal Subculture Communications Within Organizations, Terrence Lee Farrier Jan 2017

Overcoming The Adverse Impact Of Internal Subculture Communications Within Organizations, Terrence Lee Farrier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The need for clear and organizationally effective communications is necessary to maintain sustainability as competition increases. Current research has not addressed problems associated with senior managers' clarity and intent and the misinterpretation by midlevel managers of that intent, causing division managers to misinterpret the company plans. Unresolved miscommunications may lead to destructive subculture development. This mixed methods design focused on how to minimize the confusion that manifests between senior and midlevel management within diverse and decentralized decision support structures. The secondary purpose was to advocate for the identification of divisional misalignment and provide information for a tool to help senior …


Posthurricane Environment's Impact On Childhood Cancer Rates In Louisiana, 2004-2010, Lenora M. Robinson Jan 2017

Posthurricane Environment's Impact On Childhood Cancer Rates In Louisiana, 2004-2010, Lenora M. Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood cancer is the second leading cause of death in children aged 0-19 years. Research efforts to identify factors associated with or influencing this growing health problem are limited. The purpose of this research study was to examine, in reference to Louisiana during the period 2004-2010, the annual number of children diagnosed with cancer; the types of cancers; the possible effects of the environmental aftermath resulting from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Gustav; and any correlation between environmental contaminants following these hurricanes with the number of children diagnosed with cancer. This study employed correlational quantitative methodology using archival data from the …


A Study Of Fourth-Grade Students' Perceptions On Homework Environment And Academic Motivation In Mathematics, Stefanie Harmon Jan 2017

A Study Of Fourth-Grade Students' Perceptions On Homework Environment And Academic Motivation In Mathematics, Stefanie Harmon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem at an elementary school is teachers' lack of knowledge and information on the perceptions and motivation of students to complete independent mathematics homework. The purpose of this study was to identify students' perceptions regarding their homework environment and academic motivation in mathematics. The study's conceptual framework, attribution theory, supported the examination of drivers of motivation for participants related to homework completion. Guiding research questions, supported by Keller's ARCS model, focused on the identification of students' perceptions of homework attention, relevance, curiosity, satisfaction, and their preferred homework environment. This qualitative research study obtained data from semistructured interviews with 44 …


Sustainability Practices That Influence Profitability In The Petroleum Industry, Lionel Bryan Small Jan 2017

Sustainability Practices That Influence Profitability In The Petroleum Industry, Lionel Bryan Small

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Petroleum industries in the U.S. attract increased scrutiny from governmental bodies, businesses, and the civil society for their lack of sustainability practices, such as air emissions control, the use of cleaner fuels, and water pollution mitigation. Although the short-term cost of implementing these practices may be high as stated by a sample of the industry's leaders, long-term benefits include lower business costs and a reduction of the adverse impacts on society, the environment, and the economy. This multiple-case study highlighted the practices of several petroleum industry leaders who demonstrated an exception to these practices-who have been clear thought leaders in …


Nursing Approaches For Use And Sustainability Of Barcode Medication Administration Technology, Jackson Ngigi Njeru Jan 2017

Nursing Approaches For Use And Sustainability Of Barcode Medication Administration Technology, Jackson Ngigi Njeru

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 43.4% of medication errors occur at the time of administration despite the use of bar code medication administration (BCMA) System. This trend has prompted a national effort to mitigate this problem in the United States. Implementing BCMA in health care settings is one of those efforts. Studies focusing on the approaches employed by nurses when using this system are scant. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate strategies nurses and their leaders use to ensure BCMA is implemented, maximized, and sustained. The technology acceptance model was used to guide the study. The 2 research questions addressed …


Achieving Sustainability In Hazard-Prone Territories: A Case Study, Denise J. Roberts Jan 2017

Achieving Sustainability In Hazard-Prone Territories: A Case Study, Denise J. Roberts

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Achieving sustained economic growth and development has been an area of concern for policy-makers in the Anglophone Caribbean since the transition from colonial rule to self-governance. To date, the researcher did not find any research that has explicitly examined the role of policy-making effectiveness as a strategy for achieving the goals of sustainable development. This qualitative multiple case study of Barbados and Grenada was conceptualized from the perspective of critical theory from the World Commission on Environment and Development to explore and understand why sustainability has not been sufficiently realized and how sustainable development may be pursued in territories that …


How Attitude Toward The Behavior, Subjective Norm, And Perceived Behavioral Control Affects Information Security Behavior Intention, David Philip Johnson Jan 2017

How Attitude Toward The Behavior, Subjective Norm, And Perceived Behavioral Control Affects Information Security Behavior Intention, David Philip Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The education sector is at high risk for information security (InfoSec) breaches and in need of improved security practices. Achieving data protections cannot be through technical means alone. Addressing the human behavior factor is required. Security education, training, and awareness (SETA) programs are an effective method of addressing human InfoSec behavior. Applying sociobehavioral theories to InfoSec research provides information to aid IT security program managers in developing improved SETA programs. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine through the theoretical lens of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) how attitude toward the behavior (ATT), subjective norm (SN), and …


Differences In Perceived Constraints Of Telework Utilization Among Teleworkers And Office Workers, Yolanda West Jan 2017

Differences In Perceived Constraints Of Telework Utilization Among Teleworkers And Office Workers, Yolanda West

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 37% of the U.S. labor force currently works from a remote location. Costs and competition are driving organizations to increase the use of telework among remote workplaces. Increasing organizational knowledge of the perceptions of current teleworkers could increase its adoption by employees and improve its implementation by managers. The purpose of this research was to test hypotheses regarding the perceived levels of telework efficiency, social interaction, and technical support to determine in those perceptions differed between teleworkers and office workers. Goldratt's Theory of Constraints framed the quantitative research design. A purposive sample of 54 teleworkers and office workers in …


The Relationship Between Nonprofit Organizations And Cloud Adoption Concerns, Dana Haywood Jan 2017

The Relationship Between Nonprofit Organizations And Cloud Adoption Concerns, Dana Haywood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many leaders of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in the United States do not have plans to adopt cloud computing. However, the factors accounting for their decisions is not known. This correlational study used the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) to examine whether performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value, and habit can predict behavioral intention (BI) and use behavior (UB) of NPO information technology (IT) managers towards adopting cloud computing within the Phoenix metropolitan area of Arizona of the U.S. An existing UTAUT2 survey instrument was used with a sample of …


Exploring Security, Privacy, And Reliability Strategies To Enable The Adoption Of Iot, Daud Alyas Kamin Jan 2017

Exploring Security, Privacy, And Reliability Strategies To Enable The Adoption Of Iot, Daud Alyas Kamin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Internet of things (IoT) is a technology that will enable machine-to-machine communication and eventually set the stage for self-driving cars, smart cities, and remote care for patients. However, some barriers that organizations face prevent them from the adoption of IoT. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore strategies that organization information technology (IT) leaders use for security, privacy, and reliability to enable the adoption of IoT devices. The study population included organization IT leaders who had knowledge or perceptions of security, privacy, and reliability strategies to adopt IoT at an organization in the eastern region …


Relationship Between Oil Theft, Pipeline Vandalism, And Security Costs With Revenue Losses, Ijeoma Ogechi Nwachukwu Jan 2017

Relationship Between Oil Theft, Pipeline Vandalism, And Security Costs With Revenue Losses, Ijeoma Ogechi Nwachukwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The oil and gas multinational companies (MNCs) in the Niger Delta continue to face numerous challenges operating in the region, especially concerning the loss of revenue. Based on the resource dependence theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between oil theft, pipeline vandalism, security costs, and revenue. Eighty-eight mid- to high-level managers of oil and gas completed the Factors That Affect Company Revenue instrument. The results of the multiple linear regression analyses indicated the model was able to significantly predict revenue, F(3,88) = 947,279.44, p < .001, R2 = 1.000. All 3 predictors contributed significantly to the model, with pipeline vandalism recording the highest beta value (Ã? = .553, p = .000), the oil theft predictor with the next highest beta weight (Ã? = .451, p = .000), and the security costs predictor with the next highest beta weight (Ã? = .387, p = .000). The leaders of the oil and gas MNCs could use the outcome of this study in creating strategies and policies that guide their operations in the region, which would improve the relationship with host communities and mitigate their efforts in reducing the loss of revenue. Improved relations would result in a reduction of oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and security costs, thereby reducing revenue losses. The implication of positive social change includes implementation of more corporate social responsibility strategies and improving the economy of the region and the livelihood of the host communities.


Small To Medium Enterprise Succession Planning: Millennial Employee Development, Mark Tarmann Jr. Jan 2017

Small To Medium Enterprise Succession Planning: Millennial Employee Development, Mark Tarmann Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increased mobility and a growing presence in the workforce by millennial employees are pushing sustainability to the forefront of concerns for business leaders. Especially for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with limited human capital resources and no formal succession plans. Thus, increasing the need for insight on millennial employee development to mitigate voluntary turnover. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore successful millennial employee developmental strategies employed by 3 SMEs leaders in southern New Jersey. These SMEs leaders were the ideal population with millennial employees with 3 or more years of employment and not solely family-run organizations. …


Enhancing Existing Disaster Recovery Plans Using Backup Performance Indicators, Gwen White Jan 2017

Enhancing Existing Disaster Recovery Plans Using Backup Performance Indicators, Gwen White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Companies that perform data backup lose valuable data because they lack reliable data backup or restoration methods. The purpose of this study was to examine the need for a Six Sigma data backup performance indicator tool that clarifies the current state of a data backup method using an intuitive numerical scale. The theoretical framework for the study included backup theory, disaster recovery theory, and Six Sigma theory. The independent variables were implementation of data backup, data backup quality, and data backup confidence. The dependent variable was the need for a data backup performance indicator. An adapted survey instrument that measured …


Strategies For Implementing Advertisements In The Green Industry, Ashley Deal Castle Jan 2017

Strategies For Implementing Advertisements In The Green Industry, Ashley Deal Castle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After a growth in sales of 30% from 2007 to 2010, green product market sales declined 2% from 2010 to 2014 in the United States. Business leaders need to incorporate sustainable business practices and use green messaging within advertisements and marketing campaigns to assure that present needs do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This qualitative case study explored marketing strategies that business leaders in the green advertising industry use to increase the sale of green products. The social cognitive theory was the conceptual framework used in this study. In-depth interviews with 5 purposively selected …


Strategies To Support Survivors Of Corporate Downsizing, Joseph Linton Jan 2017

Strategies To Support Survivors Of Corporate Downsizing, Joseph Linton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Between 2003 and 2011, 1.2 million U.S. workers were laid off every year. Some organizational leaders of information technology/telecommunications organizations lack strategies to improve affective commitment to the organization after downsizing events. The strains of overwork, organizational changes, anxiety over job insecurity, and lack of choice often result in physical illness, emotional trauma, and extreme disengagement termed survivor syndrome. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies organizational leaders in the Midwest United States in information technology/telecommunications organizations used to improve affective commitment to the organization after downsizing. The conceptual framework was Herzberg's 2-factor theory. Data were …


A Complex Systems Simulation Study For Increasing Adaptive-Capacity, Kadambari Ram Jan 2017

A Complex Systems Simulation Study For Increasing Adaptive-Capacity, Kadambari Ram

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Examination of empirical research confirmed that climate change is a complex problem of anthropological origin and revealed the need for a management framework to facilitate strategic decisions aimed at mitigating a rise in global temperatures of 2-°C linked to irresponsible and unsustainable business practices. The purpose of this simulation study was to develop a management framework of resilience, robustness, sustainability, and adaptive-capacity (RRSA) for organizations viewed as complex systems to address the current unsustainable state. As such, the evolutionary-RRSA prisoner's dilemma (PD) simulation was developed using an evolutionary game theory approach to agent based modeling and simulation, to generate data. …


Threat Intelligence In Support Of Cyber Situation Awareness, Billy Paul Gilliam Jan 2017

Threat Intelligence In Support Of Cyber Situation Awareness, Billy Paul Gilliam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite technological advances in the information security field, attacks by unauthorized individuals and groups continue to penetrate defenses. Due to the rapidly changing environment of the Internet, the appearance of newly developed malicious software or attack techniques accelerates while security professionals continue in a reactive posture with limited time for identifying new threats. The problem addressed in this study was the perceived value of threat intelligence as a proactive process for information security. The purpose of this study was to explore how situation awareness is enhanced by receiving advanced intelligence reports resulting in better decision-making for proper response to security …


Cyber-Security Policy Decisions In Small Businesses, Joanna Patterson Jan 2017

Cyber-Security Policy Decisions In Small Businesses, Joanna Patterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cyber-attacks against small businesses are on the rise yet small business owners often lack effective strategies to avoid these attacks. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies small business owners use to make cyber-security decisions. Bertalanffy's general systems theory provided the conceptual framework for this study. A purposive sample of 10 small business owners participated in the interview process and shared their decision-making methodologies and influencers. The small business owners were vetted to ensure their strategies were effective through a series of qualification questions. The intent of the research question and corresponding interview questions …


Strategies To Manage Enterprise Information Technology Projects, Mario West Jan 2017

Strategies To Manage Enterprise Information Technology Projects, Mario West

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2005, most midsize company information technology (IT) projects had a 62.4% failure rate because of wrong project team communication skills or cost overruns. IT leaders expect negative IT project outcomes will cost over $2 billion by 2020. Using the actor-network theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies used by IT leaders from a midsize IT company in Washington, D.C. to plan and execute projects under budget and on time. Using purposeful sampling, 5 IT leaders were selected for this study because of their experience in implementing successful strategies for projects. Data were collected using …


Analysis Of Affective State As Covariate In Human Gait Identification, Kofi Agyemang Adumata Jan 2017

Analysis Of Affective State As Covariate In Human Gait Identification, Kofi Agyemang Adumata

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is an increased interest in the need for a noninvasive and nonintrusive biometric identification and recognition system such as Automatic Gait Identification (AGI) due to the rise in crime rates in the US, physical assaults, and global terrorism in public places. AGI, a biometric system based on human gait, can recognize people from a distance and current literature shows that AGI has a 95.75% success rate in a closely controlled laboratory environment. Also, this success rate does not take into consideration the effect of covariate factors such as affective state (mood state); and literature shows that there is a …


The Challenges Of Implementing Bring Your Own Device, Leslie Deshield Jan 2017

The Challenges Of Implementing Bring Your Own Device, Leslie Deshield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research conducted by Tech Pro (2014) indicated that the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) concept is gaining momentum with 74% of organizations already having some BYOD program or planning to implement one. While BYOD offers several benefits, it also presents challenges that concern information technology leaders and information security managers. This correlational study used the systems theory framework to examine the relationship between information security managers' intentions, perceptions of security, and compliance regarding BYOD implementation. Participants of the study consisted of information security managers in the eastern United States who had obtained the Certified Information Systems Manager certification. Data was …


Knowledge And Barriers To Safe Disposal Of Pharmaceutical Products Entering The Environment, Aldo Francesco Fidora Jan 2017

Knowledge And Barriers To Safe Disposal Of Pharmaceutical Products Entering The Environment, Aldo Francesco Fidora

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of pharmaceutical products has steadily increased in the United States from 2 billion prescriptions in 1999 to 3.9 billion in 2009. Half of patients do not comply with the recommended prescription regimen and dispose of unused drugs in the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and many researchers have highlighted the human-health risks associated with improperly disposing of pharmaceutical products. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the potential correlations between people's actual disposal practices and their knowledge of the impact of disposal practices on the environment and human health, and availability of disposal options. The conceptual framework selected for …


Strategies To Prevent Security Breaches Caused By Mobile Devices, Tony Griffin Jan 2017

Strategies To Prevent Security Breaches Caused By Mobile Devices, Tony Griffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Data breaches happen almost every day in the United States and, according to research, the majority of these breaches occur due to a lack of security with organizations' mobile devices. Although most of the security policies related to mobile devices currently in place may meet the guidelines required by law, they often fail to prevent a data breach caused by a mobile device. The main purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the strategies used by security managers to prevent data breaches caused by mobile devices. The study population consisted of security managers working for a government …


Strategies For Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises In Geoeconomic Crisis, Hicham Jaroudi Jan 2017

Strategies For Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises In Geoeconomic Crisis, Hicham Jaroudi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Lebanon are at risk of failure because of the geoeconomic crisis. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that successful leaders of SMEs use to sustain their businesses during tenuous economic conditions. The target population for the research comprised 6 business leaders of SMEs in Beirut, Lebanon: 3 in the civil security field and 3 in the facilities management field. Kotter's change model theory provided the conceptual framework for this research. Data were gathered from company documents and interviews with SMEs leaders in Beirut. Data were analyzed using Yin's data …