Business Commons^™

The Kentucky Cabinet For Health And Family Services’ Response To The Hepatitis A Virus Outbreak In Kentucky: An Idea Model Analysis, Rachel Leigh Cato

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The hepatitis A crisis in Kentucky is unprecedented compared to other states. With thousands of hospitalizations and over 60 deaths in the state of Kentucky alone, there is a need to evaluate the government’s response to the hepatitis A virus (HAV) epidemic. Therefore, the instructional risk communication messages that are being conveyed by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (KCHFS) are instrumental in the education and action plans of Kentuckians who are at risk of contracting HAV.

This study utilizes the IDEA Model Thematic Analysis Codebook as a guide to analyze the KCHFS’ risk communication regarding the hepatitis …

Making ‘The Ask’ To Internal Stakeholders: The Influence Of Organizational Identification On University Faculty And Staff Giving, Lora Haley Ashley

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore faculty/staff identification with their employing university and how that, in turn, may influence their decision to financially support the institution, or not. This study employed a case study approach and a mixed methods research design utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data. An online survey using Cheney’s (1982) Organizational Identification Questionnaire measured faculty/staff members’ identification with the organization and with their specific departments. The survey also collected data on faculty/staff past charitable giving. Following the survey, qualitative focus groups and interviews were conducted with faculty/staff members to explore what factors contributed to their …

The Perceived Relevance Of Training In Industrial/Organizational Psychology At The Terminal Master's Level, Seth A. Kline

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to replicate and expand upon the survey research by Erffmeyer and Mendel (1990) on the perceived relevance of graduate training in industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology at the terminal master’s level. A review of the literature discussed core competencies, as well as the advantages of internship experiences and thesis requirements. Results indicated that graduates view their training as well targeted towards knowledge and skills they regard as useful at their internship, first job, and current position. Results also indicated that graduates viewed their internship experiences as highly beneficial and worthwhile experiences, regardless of their supervisor. Results …

New Communication Technologies, Organizational Culture, And The Creation Of Innovative Learning Environments, Denise Scott

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Today's organizations face an economic climate that is globalizing, increasing customer demands for products and services that meet their unique needs and the fast pace of technological developments. Organizations require the effective use of new communication technologies as a means of sharing information and expanding capacity for innovation. The main question for this research is: When new communication technologies are introduced into organizations, how do they work together with existing cultural assumptions to produce an innovative, learning environment within the organization? The research design involves conducting moderately structured interviews with organizational leaders in four diverse organizations: Ingram Book Company, Service …

Socio-Technical & Team Management Theory At A Greenfield Site, Macon Brown Iii

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research project is to answer the question, "How and with what effects does Logan Aluminum, Inc. translate and implement the principles of socio-technical and team management theory into its organizational culture and operational activities?" To answer this question the researcher first examined the literature related to those theories and then conducted on-site interviews and ethnographic research to witness their implementation. The researcher found strong evidence to prove the validity and accuracy of many of those theories when practiced in an organizational setting. Theories particularly proven were those relating to the necessity of constant training, the role …

From Authoritarian To Participative Management & Back Again: A Field Study Of The Effects Of Employee Participation In A Manufacturing Setting, William Pierce

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study consists of two surveys administered sixteen months apart in a large (1000 employee) Fortune 100 organization which was sold to a Japanese company during the period under study and underwent several other chaotic changes. The purpose of the study was to assess the perceived differences brought about by training and participation. Six factors that were assessed for differences were: productivity, communication, employee participation, work teams, management leadership, and mergers/acquisitions.

Results were compared from the two time periods across all six factors. Productivity and communication proved statistically significant at p(.05, while employee participation and work teams prove statistically significant …

Identification Of Training Needs: A Focus Group Interview/Q-Sort Methodology, Michele Erb

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In light of research that suggests that formal needs analysis leads to efficient and productive training programs, managers and a sampling of non-management employees from a mid-size manufacturing company participated in a needs assessment to determine future training needs for the company's mangers. The information was collected through focus group interviews and a Q-sort technique was developed to categorize the issues raised in the interviews. The categories of training issues and related concerns identified as a result of the focus group interview process were compared to a list of training topics generated by managers through an informal survey prior to …

An Exploratory Study Of Organizational Trust & Its Multiple Dimensions: A Case Study Of General Motors, Kerry Hart

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Over 1700 employees of the General Motors Corporation defined trust and described personal work experiences that affected their trust toward the organization. These employee comments were factor analyzed to determine the dimensions of organizational trust. An instrument was developed from employee comments to measure the level of trust in a GM location. With the level of trust quantified, the demographic effects on trust and the relationship between trust and management's communication effectiveness were investigated.

This approach provided new knowledge of trust in an industrial environment. Three dimensions of organizational trust were identified: Openness/Congruity, Shared Values, and Autonomy/Feedback. Age, length of …

A Comparison Of Perceived Employee Satisfaction With Downward Communication Within Department Stores In Cities Of Varying Size, Karen Attig

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Three retail department stores of varying size were compared to determine if store size affected employee attitudes toward downward communication. Chi-square and multivariate analyses were used to determine results based on a questionnaire administered to employees within three department stores. Employees within the small department store were found to be less satisfied with the communication received from their store manager than were employees in the medium size and large department stores. Employees within the large department store were found to be more satisfied with downward communication than subjects from other stores.

A Survey Of Selected Corporate Practices Which Influence Exit Interviewing Techniques Among Kentucky Manufacturing Firms, Barry Landis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of the present study was to examine organizational practices related to exit interviewing techniques. Prior research has neglected the study of the variables which cause the use of the exit interview to fluctuate, focusing rather on the study of the validity and format of the exit interview. The present study, by means of a questionnaire, cross-tabulated certain independent variables with the dependent variables contained in the questionnaire and found that at least three independent variables significantly affected use of the interview: (1) the size of the company (2) unionization of the company and (3) the annual turnover rate …