Business Commons^™

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Intervention Background, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

What are technology supports and why were they selected?

According to Berzin, Singer, & Chan, 2015, one of the “12 Grand Challenges of Social Work” is a focus on practice innovation through technology in the digital age. The premise is that by integrating technology into the field of social work and creating practice innovations through information communication technology (ICT), transformative social change will be facilitated. ICT tools include computers for data input and analysis, management information systems (MIS) to capture and record client case information, tapping into to the web to further facilitate access to information and communication via …

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Site Intervention Logic Model, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Each QIC-WD site developed a logic model to serve as a visual representation of their selected intervention. All logic models included four main components: inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. Collectively, these demonstrate the resources and actions required to implement the program, as well as the associated result or changes anticipated through implementation of the program. The hypothesized relationships are represented by the pathways connecting the listed activities and anticipated outcomes. For more information see Site Overview.

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Evaluation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The QIC-WD evaluation was conducted with the support of the Virginia Department of Social Services to determine if a Case-Supportive Technology intervention was effective in improving workforce and child welfare outcomes.

Research Questions

The site-level evaluation for Virginia was designed to understand implementation of and outcomes related to two technology innovations: (1) transcription and (2) a mobility application. See the Intervention Overview for more information.

Relationships among intervention components, outputs, and outcomes were mapped out in Virginia’s logic model. Initial research questions of interest included how well the components of the intervention were received by staff, usage of the …

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Implementation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Implementation Team

The QIC-WD worked with the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) to establish a Workforce Development Council to lead the development and implementation of their case-supportive technology intervention. The Workforce Development Council was composed of representatives from local departments of social services (LDSS), including frontline caseworkers, supervisors, and directors, as well as regional and state VDSS staff. Additional members of the Workforce Development Council included the Site Implementation Manager (SIM), the Data Coordinator, and four members of the QIC-WD (representing expertise in workforce, implementation, and two for evaluation given the expedited timeline of the project and …

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Theory Of Change, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

During the needs assessment process, a theory of change was developed for the primary area of need identified in partnership with the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS). Through a series of steps and causal links, a theory of change provides a roadmap to address the root causes of an identified workforce problem and describes how and why changes are expected to lead to the desired outcomes. In Virginia, the theory was informed by the needs assessment process conducted by VDSS prior to the involvement of the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD). They found that the biggest complaint …

Telework Washington - Site Intervention Logic Model, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Each QIC-WD site developed a logic model to serve as a visual representation of their selected intervention. All logic models included four main components: inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. Collectively, these demonstrate the resources and actions required to implement the program, as well as the associated result or changes anticipated through implementation of the program. The hypothesized relationships are represented by the pathways connecting the listed activities and anticipated outcomes. For more information see Site Overview.

Telework Washington - Evaluation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The QIC-WD evaluation was conducted with the support of the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) to determine if a telework program was effective in improving workforce and child welfare outcomes. The evaluation, as outlined in the Logic Model, was approved by the Washington State Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Research Questions

The evaluation included two components, a process evaluation and an outcome evaluation. The following research questions were used to guide the evaluations.

Process Evaluation Questions

• Were telework-eligible staff aware of the telework program and its timelines, and do they understand how to obtain information about …

Telework Washington - Implementation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Implementation Team

The QIC-WD worked with the Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) to establish an implementation team to lead the development and implementation of their intervention. The Implementation Team was composed of representatives from Human Resources (HR), Information Technology (IT), Training, Continuous Quality Improvement, Union representatives, regionally based DCYF frontline staff and administrators, DCYF leadership, the Site Implementation Manager (SIM), the Data Coordinator (DC), and three members of the QIC-WD (representing expertise in workforce, implementation, and evaluation). The SIM and Data Coordinator positions were partially funded by the QIC-WD. All team members were recruited by DCYF …

Telework Washington - Theory Of Change, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

During the needs assessment process, theories of change were developed for the three primary areas of need identified in partnership with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families. Through a series of steps and causal links, a theory of change provides a roadmap to address the root causes of an identified workforce problem and describes how and why changes are expected to lead to the desired outcomes. In Washington, the theories were informed by various aspects of the needs assessment process (e.g., survey data, root cause analyses, implementation team input) and relevant research on the targeted workforce problems. …

Telework Washington - Dcyf Telework Handbook, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

No abstract provided.

Telework Washington - Dcyf Telework Employee Self-Assessment, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

No abstract provided.

Telework Washington - Intervention Background, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

What is telework and why was it selected?

Telework is a type of alternative work arrangement in which employees perform some or all of their job duties at an approved location other than their official worksite. Other labels for telework include telecommuting, remote work, mobile work, virtual work, distance work, distributed work, work from/at home, and flexplace, though definitions can vary (e.g., Allen, Golden, & Shockley, 2015).

The Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) selected telework in response to several factors identified during the exploration phase of the project:

• surveys showing staff dissatisfaction with the limited mobility …

Telework Washington - Key Findings, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Background

Washington’s Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) began working with the QIC-WD in 2017 to better understand its workforce challenges and address its external turnover rate of about 26%. The team examined many contributing factors through a needs assessment and designed a telework intervention. In addition to meeting project criteria, two other factors made telework a good fit as the QIC-WD intervention: 1) Child Welfare Field Operations (CWFO) had recent experience with implementing telework as a pilot project, and there was interest in expansion; and 2) there was a new executive order from the governor that required …

Telework Washington - Needs Assessment Summary, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Exploration of Needs

The Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD) worked with the Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) to conduct a needs assessment. A variety of information was explored to learn about the workforce and the agency’s child welfare workforce practices, including 1) recruitment, hiring, and retention metrics and processes, 2) organizational culture and climate, and 3) other workforce processes and initiatives, such as onboarding, mentoring, supervision, performance management, and employee recognition. More specifically, four major types of information were considered:

1. objective data from various agency databases and reports;
2. subjective perceptions of staff and supervisors, …

Telework Washington - Intervention Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) Child Welfare Field Operations (CWYO) telework program was developed by reviewing policies, practices, experiences and research distilled from materials produced by numerous federal and state agencies (for example, www.telework.gov). (At the time of intervention development, the QIC-WD was unable to identify child welfare agencies with formal telework policies and protocols.) In addition, the experiences of approximately 30 Field Operations Intake workers who participated in a DCYF 2018 telework pilot also contributed to developing the telework program. Lastly, the project’s Implementation Team informed the feasibility of a telework program for DCYF …

Telework Washington - Final Summary, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Intervention Summaries

Designing a Telework Strategy to Improve Retention

Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) is a state-operated child welfare system. Child Welfare Field Operations is divided into six regions and employs approximately 2,200 people who are responsible for the direct service to children and families with active child welfare cases. In 2017, DCYF had an annual external turnover rate of about 26%. They applied to be a QIC-WD site with the goal of strengthening their child welfare workforce.

When DCYF started working with the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD), an Implementation Team¬¬ was established to participate in …

Telework Washington - Site Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) is a cabinet-level agency focused on the well-being of children, with a vision that "Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy— thriving physically, emotionally and academically, nurtured by family and community." As a newly established state agency, DCYF oversees several services previously offered through the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and the Department of Early Learning (DEL). These include all programs from the Children’s Administration formerly in DSHS, such as Child Protective Services’ investigations and Family Assessment Response, licensed foster care, and adoption support. Also …

Exploring The Significance Of The Traditional Chef’S Uniform In Making Sense Of Professionalism In Culinary Arts Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Orla Mc Connell

European Journal of Food Drink and Society

Previous studies have found that professionalism is an important success factor for chefs. Yet, research on what professionalism “means” to chefs, and how they “make sense” of it, is currently underexplored. While there is some evidence of the significance of the traditional chef’s uniform in professional identity formation, it also needs further consideration. Culinary arts lecturers and chefs have already contributed to these discussions, but the student voice remains largely unknown. Alongside this, there is no prior research specifically on professionalism in culinary arts in Ireland. Therefore, a research gap emerged, which this paper intends to address. Using interpretative phenomenological …

Discourses That Undermine Union Movements: A Multimodal Analysis Of Union-Busting Videos, Theresa A. Catalano, Julia Schleck

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Labor unions in the United States have experienced decades of decline, but recent years have seen a rebirth of union campaigns and successes. Because unions are once again becoming a threat to large companies, it is reasonable to assume that efforts to discourage organizing efforts will increase and become even more robust in the near future. Although traditionally, companies have worked to suspend union organizing through captive audience meetings in which unions were discussed via verbal or written modes, more recent means of reaching workers with anti-union messages incorporate a variety of communication strategies to get the message across. As …

Leadership And Environmental Sustainability: An Integrative Conceptual Model Of Multilevel Antecedents And Consequences Of Leader Green Behavior, Hannes Zacher, Clara Kühner, Ian M. Katz, Cort W. Rudolph

Psychology Faculty Publications

Environmental sustainability is a strategic and ethical imperative for organizations, and numerous studies have investigated associations between leadership and employee pro-environmental or “green” behavior. However, these studies have typically focused on leadership styles that conflate leader behavior with its assumed antecedents or consequences. Moreover, the literature on relations between leadership and environmental sustainability constructs is fragmented and in need of systematic integration to effectively guide future research and practice. Accordingly, we pursue three goals in this conceptual paper. First, after a brief review of key insights from extant theoretical and empirical research, we define leadership in the context of environmental …

The Role Of Discrete Emotions In Job Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis, Courtney E. Williams, Jane Shumski Thomas, Andrew A. Bennett, George C. Banks, Allison Toth, Alexandra M. Dunn, Andrew Mcbride, Janaki Gooti

Management Faculty Publications

[Summary] The relationship between emotions and job satisfaction is widely acknowledged via affective events theory (AET). Despite its widespread use, AET was not designed to address why specific emotions might differentially relate to job satisfaction. We utilize appraisal theory of emotion to refine AET and provide this nuanced theorizing. We meta‐analytically test our ideas with 235 samples across 99 883 individuals and 22 600 intra‐individual episodes. We test two approaches—specific emotion experiences (16 discrete emotions) versus general emotion experiences (positive or negative emotions)—and present empirical evidence of their similarities and differences with job satisfaction. Our findings suggest that specific emotions …

Parasocial Relationships In Variety Live Streaming: How It Can Affect Attitudes And Buying Intention Toward Sponsors, Megan Burroughs, Deborah Diazgranados

Undergraduate Research Posters

Online streaming and video platforms have become a popular form of entertainment as opposed to traditional media like movies and TV shows. Similar to traditional media, viewers often relate to and form one-sided relationships with actors/creators, known as parasocial relationships. Actors and creators can then leverage that relationship to advertise and market products to their audience. The primary objective of this study was to understand if perceived credibility and loyalty towards a streamer fuel parasocial relationships and how perceived credibility and parasocial relationships with an online live streamer influence attitude towards a sponsored brand and purchasing intention. It was predicted …

Impact Of Organizational Culture And Leadership In Professional Environments, Eli Wolman

Capstone Showcase

This paper addresses the importance of a strong organizational culture and effective leadership in a professional working environment. Leadership has been shown to profoundly impact a professional working environment's performance, productivity, mental well-being, and goal attainment. Organizational Culture is the set of values and norms a group shares. As influential organizational culture proves to be effective, leadership may come in the form of several styles, including transformational leadership, directive leadership, or empowering leadership, which also play a pivotal role in the success of a group. Ultimately, even though this paper primarily prioritizes the implications of leadership and culture on professional …

Feeling Of Being Together In The Metaverse: Positive Influence Of Copresence On Subjective Well-Being, Do Yuon Kim, Dooyoung Choi, Namhee Yoon, Ha Kyung Lee

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Applying the flow theory, this study examined how copresence improved the subjective well-being of users through flow and escapism. An online self-administered survey of 249 US adults who are currently using metaverse platforms is conducted. The collected data are analyzed by SPSS, AMOS and PROCESS. Findings suggest that the feeling of being together with other users in a metaverse can influence consumers’ satisfaction with their lives. Copresence in the metaverse specifically enhanced flow, which is being immersed in the experience; and escapism, which is avoiding unpleasant realities. Copresence and flow were found to improve the subjective well-being of metaverse users. …

Identifying Youth Appeals In Alcohol Alternative Social Media Content Through Framing, Melina Oneal

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Proposed regulations for alcohol advertising prevent beverage companies from targeting people under the legal drinking age. However, similar regulations for alcohol alternative beverages are less explored, which could allow alcohol alternative products to create awareness for alcoholic beverages among youth. Alcohol alternatives beverages, including no-alcohol and low-alcohol products, are increasing in popularity and can function as compliments to alcoholic products to decrease the total alcohol volume consumed or as substitutes for alcoholic products. Framing theory can be operationalized through the Content Appealing to Youth Index, an index of content elements found in research literature to be appealing to youth, to …

Leadership In Startups: How Founder Personality And Leadership Behaviors Impact Startup Success And Psychological Safety, Ria Passi, Ronald Riggio

CMC Senior Theses

New ventures created by entrepreneurs are crucial to the economy and to the diffusion of innovative technologies. However, startups often operate in highly uncertain environments characterized by constrained resources, lack of established processes, and complex market dynamics. Despite surges in startup investment, the failure rate for new ventures remains high, making it crucial to understand the factors that can contribute to their success. This thesis explores how founder personalities, leadership styles, and cultivating psychological safety impact startup performance and growth trajectories. Founder personality traits like openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness are positively associated with securing funding, achieving exit opportunities, and overall …

Objectification And Meaning Transference: Does Showing More Skin Mean Less Perceived Agency For Brands?, Zachariah Schlichting

CMC Senior Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of sexual imagery in advertisements on consumers’ perceptions of brand competence and agency. The effect of a brand’s expected agency was also manipulated between two groups, high expected agency (e.g., tech companies) vs low expected agency (e.g., alcohol companies). 167 participants (M=22.48, 54% women) were recruited through Sona Systems and social media to partake in an online survey conducted through Qualtrics. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups and shown seven fictional advertisements; four target advertisements and three deception advertisements. They were then asked to rate their …

Towards Algorithmic Justice: Human Centered Approaches To Artificial Intelligence Design To Support Fairness And Mitigate Bias In The Financial Services Sector, Jihyun Kim

CMC Senior Theses

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has positively transformed the Financial services sector but also introduced AI biases against protected groups, amplifying existing prejudices against marginalized communities. The financial decisions made by biased algorithms could cause life-changing ramifications in applications such as lending and credit scoring. Human Centered AI (HCAI) is an emerging concept where AI systems seek to augment, not replace human abilities while preserving human control to ensure transparency, equity and privacy. The evolving field of HCAI shares a common ground with and can be enhanced by the Human Centered Design principles in that they both put humans, the user, at …

Editorial: Vol. 15, Issue 1, Sarah D. Asebedo

Journal of Financial Therapy

Editorial: Vol. 15, Issue 1

Am I Entitled To Help? Building Confidence Through Financial Inclusion, Marilla Kortesalmi, Minna Autio, Mette Ranta

Journal of Financial Therapy

Financial inclusion has focused primarily on the accessibility of financial social services. However, it is important to note that individual financial practices not only require the opportunity to access financial structures, but also confidence in their accessibility to engage in and utilize such services. Individuals facing difficult life situations often encounter challenges in financial activities due to limited resources and a need for more skills. Consequently, their financial capability is often restricted, and they more frequently experience financial exclusion. Despite this problem, the literature on financial inclusion needs to give more attention to subjective financial inclusion. To understand the process …