Business Commons^™

A Mediation Analysis For Agency And Turnover Intentions: A Cross-Sectional Inquiry For Army Talent Management, Joshua P. Cowin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The study contributed to theoretical and practical implications for retention. Targeting a population of mid-career soldiers in the United States Army, the predictor variable of interest was agency and its relationship with turnover intentions. The Army was a good candidate organization for this study because contemporary recruitment pressures and higher-than-average attrition rates place increasing importance on the effectiveness of organizational retention efforts. Accordingly, this study aligned research questions with a mediation model wherein agency influenced the relationships affective commitment, needs-supply fit, and career satisfaction held with turnover intentions. The hypotheses for this study were: (a) that agency significantly influenced turnover …

A Study Of Leadership's Role In Building Relationships Among Virtual Team Members, Danna V. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research study focused on leadership's role in building relationships among virtual team members. A qualitative case study, the research focused on organizations in the medical device industry within the Charlotte Metropolitan region of North Carolina. The research was formed using 15 open ended questions in an interview of 20 leaders of virtual teams. Each leader was interviewed individually and allowed to elaborate on their answers to help the researcher to thoroughly understand the approach used to help the relationships form among their virtual team members. During the interview, the discussion between the researcher and the leader being interviewed covered …

Examining Religiosity, Spirituality, And Work-Life Choice Among Graduate Psychology Students In U.S. Programs, Patrick T. Slowinski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Religiosity and spirituality have been found to positively affect health, longevity, and happiness in some studies. However, a dearth of U.S. - based research on the relationship among religiosity and spirituality and work-life choice (also known as work-life balance, work-life conflict, and work-life integration) exists. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship among religiosity and spirituality and work-life choice in online graduate psychology programs at universities in the United States. One hundred forty-three respondents completed 44 Likert-scaled items from previously validated instruments: the Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory-10 (SISRI-24), the Religious Commitment Inventory-10 (RCI-10), and the Work-Life …

Biblical Leadership: Combatting Authoritarianism, Katherine M. Inman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The radio station in Oil City, Pa became a non-existent entity when the owner sold the organization. This caused dissatisfaction among many members of the community, as well as resentment among former employees. Understanding the leadership's impact provides insight into the radio station's potential sustainability or inevitable failure. This phenomenological study allows for a focus on the events surrounding the radio station's sale, which sheds light on the leadership style used by the radio station's most recent owner. Each interviewee offers a unique perspective, including information about the events that led up to the radio station's sale. The study of …

Exploring Factors For Employee Attrition And Retention By Life Stage, Robert Joshua Whitton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The objective of this study was to evaluate if a relationship exists between factors for push (attrition) and pull (retention) and employee life stage. With job attrition rates increasing almost 10% in the last 10 years and employers paying $2.4 trillion in 2021 because of employee turnover, the need to understand what drives retention and attrition remains very real. A survey, containing a demographics section and items rated on a Thurstone-like scale, was administered to full-time employees in the United States. Four hundred and eighty participants responded to the survey, but after removing responses that were incomplete or were completed …

Succession Planning In The Federal Government, Christine Noel Roberts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Succession planning is a term that refers to the systematic and methodological efforts an organization uses to plan for organizational stability and proficiency. Organizations must provide employees the training, experiences, and knowledge required to assume positions of increased responsibility when those jobs are vacated. Agencies should strive to create a diversified pool of qualified candidates to avoid a talent gap, workforce shortages, or a loss of agency knowledge. Over the past fifteen years, the Federal Government has continued to highlight the need to take a proactive approach to succession planning by first identifying the skill sets needed for critical positions …

America Without A Minimum Wage: Why The Federal Minimum Wage Should Be Abolished, Zachary Cary

Helm's School of Government Conference - American Revival: Citizenship & Virtue

Minimum wage policy may be the greatest economic policy issue where the common man has a strong opinion. Nearly every person has a view of how minimum wage policy should be enacted, whether it be in raising the federal minimum wage, changing the scope of authority in the federal government, or another policy. However, in discussing any kind of policy, the key details of the policy must be discussed in the framework of both how it would be affected and how it would impact its stakeholders. In this policy analysis, the Iron Triangle of Public Policy – the key executive …

Understanding Romania's Poverty: A Historical Overview Of Economics And Politics And Their Implications On Poverty Today, Benjamin Bucur

Senior Honors Theses

Romania is a country with a high-income economy that is experiencing considerable growth following its economic reforms of earlier decades. With growth, tendencies for an unequal society are prevalent. Therefore, appropriate economic policies that are specifically targeted toward bottlenecks are essential. This thesis seeks to outline the major types of poverty in Romania while also offering actionable entrepreneurial and educational insights that practically combat poverty at its roots.

The Role Of Spiritual Fitness On Burnout And Organizational Commitment In High-Stress Environments, Amy Mcdonald Stevens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the relationships between burnout, spiritual fitness, and organizational commitment in National Guard servicemembers. Recent deployments and chronic stressors have resulted in an emergence of mental health concerns, burnout, and turnover intentions in this population. Research has indicated that elements of spirituality address these concerns and suggest that more spiritual individuals are more resilient, less susceptible to burnout, and find positive meaning in work. This study examined these variables using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach & Jackson, 1981), the Organizational Commitment Scale (Meyer & Allen, 1997), and the SOCOM Spiritual Fitness Scale (Alexander et al., 2020). Correlations …

Air Force Support For The Joint Military Environment: A Nato Allied Command Operations Headquarters Case Study, James R. Hamilton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The nature of joint and international military service is built on a foundation of multiple service components sending their best officers to support, develop, and strategize for operational impact. If leaders fail to support sending or training their officers in a joint context, then military defense may become myopic, stemming from an internal focus on air or land functionality instead of an external focus on joint air and land functionality. While several studies have highlighted the need for greater support in the joint officer community, there seemed to be other factors that contribute to senior leaders guiding absence of deliberate …

Cross-Cultural Managerial Behavior – A Comparative Study Between The Republic Of Korea And The United States Of America, Colson Richter

Senior Honors Theses

Among the many trade partners the United States engages with, the Republic of Korea is the nation’s seventh largest trading partner – exchanging over $154.9 Billion in 2020 (USTR, 2021). Despite this strong economic relationship between these two nations, the cultural distance that these societies have is one of the largest within anthropological academia (Hofstede, 2017). This reality creates the need for a solid framework of a management-focused, cultural understanding between these two countries.

In this study, academic literature will be collected and reviewed to lend insight into particular areas of culture that an American and Korean perspective would be …

And The Oscar Goes To... Tiktok, Dawson Bley

Senior Honors Theses

Companies have been forced to take note of the emerging social media app, TikTok, which has attracted more than a billion users to its platform and invited businesses into an uncharted market ready to be exploited. By seeking to understand and employ the unique features which have led to TikTok’s far-reaching success, many companies can similarly improve their position. In particular, traditional movie companies, which have recently suffered blows at the box office due to factors such as competition with online streaming, could benefit from an analysis of this tech to restore lost engagement and revenue. Specifically, how can the …

Effective Communication In The Virtual Environment, Michael Binda

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Technology has helped change the way we communicate. The onset of COVID-19 has accelerated the use of technology to communicate. The virtual environment has allowed organizations and stakeholders to communicate utilizing technology regardless of proximity, time, and distance to continue moving the organization forward. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand effective communication strategies for organizations to adopt and share in order to gain support and engagement from a growing audience of those attending virtual meetings. Organizations and leaders when communicating with consistency, clear, transparent, and authentic communication were the drivers on what leaders and subordinates feel constitutes …

The Effects Of Positive Leadership Behaviors And Organizational Justice On Employee Engagement, Felicia A. Long

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Increasing employee engagement has been a challenge for many organizations in recent years, especially in America. Most research has focused on organizational factors related to engagement; few have explored interactional issues from a positive leadership perspective. This study sought to contribute to research on engagement by exploring its relationship with fairness and trust This study viewed fairness from the perspective interactional justice, as defined by the interactional justice scale of Colquitt’s Organizational Justice Scale (OJS). This study also viewed trust from the perspective of leader trustworthiness, a positive leadership attribute. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the …

Remote Leadership: Assessing Productive Work Environments In A Post-Pandemic Future, Kimberly Diane Snodgrass

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Leaders of organizations have faced many challenges with respect to remote work during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The purpose of this research was to examine the most productive work environment for employees post-pandemic, the role leadership plays in the success of remote work, and how employees view remote work. This research was limited to one small community bank that had experience with employees working in a traditional office setting then working remotely to adhere to COVID-19 protocols. This study focused on middle management and below, excluding senior management from the research. The conclusion of this research was that most employees …

Attracting And Sustaining Volunteers: Leadership Impact On The Recruitment And Retention Of Volunteers In Nonprofit Organizations, And Differences Observed When Organizations Are Predicated On Faith, Lascel A. Webley Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The term “volunteer” has been formally acknowledged for more than 200 years (Dreyfus, 2018; Haski-Leventhal et al., 2018). It is synonymous with one who freely offers to participate in a task that benefits others. During the modern era, these tasks have included, but have not been limited to, establishing communal programs, presenting technical assistance, conducting conferences, fundraising, and supporting identified causes or groups (Alfes et al., 2017). In most instances, the tasks are rendered through nonprofit organizations. Therefore, volunteers represent invaluable assets as they are economic resources who contribute to accomplishing stated organizational goals (Tonurist & Surva, 2017). While more …

The Middle Management Leader And The Matrixed Organization, Donald Keith Stephens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the pivotal and challenging role that middle management leaders have in leading and managing matrixed teams within a matrixed organizational structure. The specific problem to be addressed was the possible inability of middle management leaders to lead effectively within the information technology (IT) industry where a matrixed organizational structure has been implemented resulting in ineffective teams that do not benefit an organization in achieving its strategic objectives. The outcome of the research and study were to contribute to the body of knowledge and to reduce the gaps in the literature …

The Intersection Of Digital Communication & Non-Profit Organizations, Aliyah Burton

Senior Honors Theses

Non-profit organizations are actively addressing prevalent issues in society, seeking to benefit the public and those in need through various forms of intervention and programming. Non-profits have unique leadership and culture, requiring models of communication that fit these unique qualities. Communication is vital to the success of non-profits, particularly in a digital age. This thesis synthesizes the current research on non-profit culture and leadership with data on donor trends, online giving, social media practices, and more points of interest for non-profits when it comes to digital communication. Additionally, a connection is made between strong digital communication strategies and ongoing donor …

Employment Branding For University Graduates In Jamaica, Caroline Harvey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Employee turnover has remained a problematic and most argumentative topic throughout history. Unfortunately, after having an abundance of resources, technology and, viability employee turnover is increasing. The same problem is found in Jamaica as well. This research is about evaluating the Employment Branding for University Graduates in Jamaica. The research method considered and, used for the same study was qualitative with which semi-structured interviews and a Focused Group Study were utilized. This study comprised three essential populations Human Resource Managers affiliated with the Jamaican Business Development Corporation followed by, tertiary educated Jamaicans seeking employment and, third the tertiary educated Jamaicans …

The Lived Experience Of Personnel Adversely Impacted By Toxic Leadership: A Phenomenological Study, Jeremy B. Piasecki

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the lived experience of personnel adversely impacted by toxic leadership. This topic is important to study because the harassment, bullying, and narcissistic behavior exhibited by toxic leaders and negative environments have severe adverse implications for personnel, such as reduced accomplishments, mental health, lack of trust, and overall wellbeing. In order to further understand the phenomenon, the following research questions guided the study: (a) What is the lived experience of personnel adversely impacted by toxic leadership? (b) How were the personnel impacted by the change in the culture and environment? (c) …

Pay-To-Play: A Quantitative Analysis Of Opportunity, Achievement, And Parental Motivation In Youth Club Soccer, Alec Joseph Golini

Masters Theses

In the last twenty years, the youth sport experience in the United States has been shaped by a family’s ability to pay. Under the pay-to-play model in American youth sports, advancing to the highest levels of the game not only requires the standard expenditures, but significant investment which accounts for coaching, equipment, travel, training, and other resources. Previous research on the topic has analyzed the impact of income, educational attainment, and race and ethnicity on access to elite-level sports opportunities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pay-to-play model and factors associated with athletic outcomes at three youth …

Leadership Strategies And Behaviors That Support Career Advancement For Teleworkers, Glory Ann Sanders

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research in telework has primarily focused on the study of teleworkers or on the comparison between teleworkers and non-teleworkers. For this reason, leader behaviors in the telework context has been a relatively neglected area of study. This study emphasizes the lack of career advancement within the telework arena that has contributed to higher turnover intentions and a reluctancy to participate in telework programs. This research specifically explores leader behaviors and strategies that support career advancement for teleworkers within Denver, Colorado. The findings indicate that leaders are more intentional about communication with teleworkers than with non-teleworkers. Physical distance creates many challenges …

Leadership Failures That Lead To Poor Organizational Performance, Brahaspattie Annie Singh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Our world continues to change rapidly because of globalization and internationalism thus has become more multicultural and diverse that strong and effective leadership was needed in the workforce. The real estate industry has changed as well and continues to change because of multiculturalism. The effects of COVID-19 placed burdensome restrictions and regulations both from the state and city levels that firms must follow in order to function internally and externally to market properties. The effects of COVID-19 will forever change the way business is done as usual, where the general business practice must include a constant of new critical change …

Disability And Employability: Challenging Stereotypes Through Information And Education, Claire Gallagher Mcelvaney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Individuals with disabilities (IWDs) have had an alarmingly low employment rate despite introduction of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other legislation meant to enable workplace inclusion. This low employment rate seemed illogical as employed IWDs have often demonstrated extremely high work engagement and organizational loyalty. Prior research indicated that organizations were willing to hire IWDs but were concerned regarding potential costs and training issues. Because lifelong unemployment has often resulted in segregation and depression for those with disabilities, this research sought to determine if educational intervention, i.e. a presentation designed to address some of the myths regarding costs and …

Sole Sourcing Reliance, John Sidney Stammreich

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research case study investigated the increasing reliance on sole-sourced critical defense components within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) supply chain network. This reliance has resulted in increased risks of operational units not achieving the agency’s minimum operational readiness requirements as presented in the DoD Inspector General’s Top 10 management challenges for the fiscal year 2020. The general problem to be addressed was the increasing reliance on sole-sourcing within the supply chain networks of government agencies and business organizations that have contributed to heightened risks of operational readiness reduction and manufacturing production delays. The purpose of this qualitative …

Going Virtual: Addressing The Challenges Faced By Organizational Leaders When Employees Transition To Virtual Environments In Times Of Crisis, Mary Susan Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities across the world moved their operations online. While a great deal of focus was placed on the value of teaching and learning during a crisis period, very little attention was paid to the other side of higher education institutions—the business side. Suddenly these institutions and their operational staff were forced to discover new ways to perform tasks that had always been completed in person. The leaders of these organizations faced the added challenge of ensuring that their workforce remained engaged and motivated while working in the midst of stressful, even chaotic …

The Organizational Leadership Framework, John Robert Sparks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The field of leadership has evolved quite drastically over the years. Douglas McGregor showed us the evolution from a Theory X style belief that employees are unmotivated and dislike their work to his Theory Y style belief that employees are motivated and receive a sense of enjoyment from their work. Abraham Maslow expanded on this work with his Theory Z belief that optimal employee performance would prevail with the proper leadership approach. For years now, leadership has focused on various approaches or styles that produce the best performance resulting from the relationship between the leader and their follower. Organizations, research, …

Operational Structures Forming Complex Feedback Loops In Health System / Accountable Care Partnerships – A Multiple-Case Study Investigation To Enable System Dynamics Simulation, Richard J. Pro

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 introduced accountable care organizations as a critical component in the transformation of the United States healthcare industry to a value-based care model. It also triggered an ongoing series of health system consolidations consistent with the theory of transaction cost economics. Consolidations included the alignment of health systems with accountable care organizations despite the assertions of some researchers that competing economic models rendered such partnerships financially unviable. The academic literature is silent on this issue, without any published studies of the effects of health system / accountable care organization interactions. The purpose …

Financial Indicators Of Bankruptcy Risk In Local Government Entities, Beth Parker Seymore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The efficiency and stability of a local government can impact the lifestyle of its citizens. While Chapter 9 bankruptcies are not common, when they do occur, they can be disruptive and extremely costly. Scholarly literature on bankruptcy prediction focuses primarily on corporate bankruptcies. Therefore, a gap exists regarding predictors specific to municipal bankruptcies. This non-experimental quantitative study examined the relationship between the financial indicators of those government entities that have declared bankruptcy as compared to financial indicators from similar government entities that have not declared bankruptcy in order to identify possible predictors of bankruptcy. The analysis established that two financial …

Video Collaboration: Copresence And Performance, Thomas James Zito Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative narrative theory study on video collaboration platform use is to explain how an individual's on-screen performance and their interpersonal verbal and nonverbal communication contributes to engagement and copresence with their audience. The literature review analyzes critical interpersonal communication theories to explain how this affects engagement and copresence levels in mediated virtual environments. The research was conducted through interviews with thirty professional businesspeople about their video collaboration experiences during the COVID-19 2020 shutdown. The interview respondents told the stories of business communication successes and failures that correspond to the scholarly theories in the literature review. The …