Business Commons^™

Mitigating Supply Chain Disruptions In Retail Discount Department Stores, Anthony T. Patton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supply chain disruptions can have adverse effects on business outcomes. Retail industry supply chain leaders are concerned with supply chain disruptions because supply chain disruptions can lead to dissatisfied customers and loss of profits. Grounded in game theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies four retail industry supply chain leaders in Northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana implemented to mitigate the effects of supply chain disruptions. Data were collected using semistructured virtual interviews with four retail industry supply chain leaders and a review of company documents. Through thematic analysis, four themes emerged: (a) choosing appropriate inventory …

Strategies Automotive Manufacturing Managers Use To Deliver Work In Alignment With Project Milestones, Sashidhar Mr. Sankaranarayanan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Project managers working in manufacturing firms in the automotive industry frequently face challenges such as cost overruns, schedule delays, and scope changes. Project managers often lack effective strategies to ensure that different departments deliver their work in alignment with project milestones, which can negatively affect project success rates. Grounded in the balanced scorecard framework, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies managers in the automotive manufacturing industry used in their different departments to deliver their work in alignment with project milestones. The participants were three project managers who had successfully implemented strategies that reduced the …

Strategies Aircraft Manufacturing Organizational Leaders Use For Proper Material Pricing, Chin Kuei Jen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of proper material pricing strategies can challenge manufacturers’ profitability and growth. Aircraft manufacturing leaders are concerned because understanding and developing material pricing strategies are essential to increasing profitability. Grounded in price theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies aircraft manufacturing organizational leaders use for proper material pricing estimates. The participants were four aircraft manufacturing organizational leaders from a successful aircraft manufacturing business located in the state of Georgia. Data were gathered from semistructured interviews and document reviews and analyzed using Yin’s five step approach. The four themes that emerged were the impact …

Construction Industry: Profitable Corporate Sustainability Strategies And Processes Achieve Competitive Advantage, Chad Justin Czelusniak-Serviss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some construction industry managers lack strategies to integrate corporate sustainability strategies and processes for competitive advantage, which causes limited profitability. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore corporate sustainability strategies and processes senior and mid-level construction industry managers use to achieve competitive advantage in the United States. The participants were eight senior/mid-level construction industry managers from eight different construction industry organizations with at least five years of experience in the construction industry who utilized corporate sustainability strategies and processes. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Three themes emerged using thematic analysis: …

Construction Industry: Profitable Corporate Sustainability Strategies And Processes Achieve Competitive Advantage, Chad Justin Czelusniak-Serviss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some construction industry managers lack strategies to integrate corporate sustainability strategies and processes for competitive advantage, which causes limited profitability. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore corporate sustainability strategies and processes senior and mid-level construction industry managers use to achieve competitive advantage in the United States. The participants were eight senior/mid-level construction industry managers from eight different construction industry organizations with at least five years of experience in the construction industry who utilized corporate sustainability strategies and processes. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Three themes emerged using thematic analysis: …

Nonprofit Business And Management Challenges Encountered When Delivering Services And Fulfilling Organizational Missions, Becky A. Hammer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) causes negative impacts to community service users and the NPO workforce. Although the impact of NPO failure has been researched, a comprehensive understanding of business and organizational challenges from the NPO leaders’ perspective was not well documented. Learning more about these challenges may assist with understanding how to best support and solve them. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the business and management-related barriers and challenges NPO leaders encounter when delivering services and fulfilling organizational missions in the Greater Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area in Texas. The conceptual model included the …

Strategies To Increase Competitive Advantage In The Automotive Manufacturing Supply Chain, Amber Willis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some automotive manufacturing supply chain leaders lack strategies that are needed to implement information technology (IT) systems. Business leaders are concerned with implementing IT systems to achieve and maintain a competitive advantage. Grounded in the resource-based view theory (RBV), the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore information system strategies used by leaders in the automotive manufacturing supply chain to achieve competitive advantage. Participants were five leaders of an automotive manufacturing supply chain organization who implemented IT systems. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of organization project documents. Through thematic analysis, five themes were …

Strategies Aircraft Manufacturing Organizational Leaders Use For Proper Material Pricing, Chin Kuei Jen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of proper material pricing strategies can challenge manufacturers’ profitability and growth. Aircraft manufacturing leaders are concerned because understanding and developing material pricing strategies are essential to increasing profitability. Grounded in price theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies aircraft manufacturing organizational leaders use for proper material pricing estimates. The participants were four aircraft manufacturing organizational leaders from a successful aircraft manufacturing business located in the state of Georgia. Data were gathered from semistructured interviews and document reviews and analyzed using Yin’s five step approach. The four themes that emerged were the impact …

Strategies To Reduce Nonconformance Of Parts In Aerospace Manufacturing, John Louis Lloyd Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The cost of nonconformance of parts can impact the aerospace industry globally, resulting in revenue loss and consumer confidence degradation. Grounded in the eight disciplines of problem solving, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies aerospace manufacturing quality managers in the United States used to implement successful change initiatives to address the nonconformance of parts. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with four aerospace quality executives and supporting company documents. Data were analyzed using methodological triangulation, coding, and thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: (a) identify and implement a specific problem-solving strategy, (b) identify and mitigate employee …

Mediated Effect Of Perceived Supervisor Support On Leader-Member Exchange Quality And Employee’S Commitment, Jeffery Proby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social exchange relationship quality can influence an employee’s commitment to supporting continuous improvement (CI) initiatives. Researchers have established that leader-member exchange (LMX) quality and perceived supervisor support (PSS) can reduce employee commitment, affecting an organizational outcome. Based on the theoretical foundation of LMX quality theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between the independent variables (LMX quality) and the dependent variable (affective commitment [AC]) through the mediated variable (PSS) and moderated mediation variable (workplace ostracism [WO]). Employee age, gender, tenure with the company, ethnicity, certification level, and the manufacturing sector were control variables of …

Strategies For Catalyzing Clinicians’ Support Of Telemedicine Programs In Rural Communities, Jonathan Liwag

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinicians’ failure to accept contemporary technology has been a critical barrier to telemedicine program adoption. Staff technical challenges and resistance to change can affect technology return on investment, which concerns telemedicine program leaders. Grounded in Davis’s technology acceptance model, the purpose of this qualitative, descriptive single case study was to explore strategies used by program leaders in the Marianas Islands who successfully gained clinicians’ acceptance of contemporary technology. The participants were 5 program leaders recommended by their institution because of their leadership role and telemedicine technologies experience. Data were collected from 4 face-to-face and 1 audio teleconference interview with the …

Strategies For Catalyzing Clinicians’ Support Of Telemedicine Programs In Rural Communities, Jonathan Liwag

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinicians’ failure to accept contemporary technology has been a critical barrier to telemedicine program adoption. Staff technical challenges and resistance to change can affect technology return on investment, which concerns telemedicine program leaders. Grounded in Davis’s technology acceptance model, the purpose of this qualitative, descriptive single case study was to explore strategies used by program leaders in the Marianas Islands who successfully gained clinicians’ acceptance of contemporary technology. The participants were 5 program leaders recommended by their institution because of their leadership role and telemedicine technologies experience. Data were collected from 4 face-to-face and 1 audio teleconference interview with the …

Safety Design Management Processes To Mitigate Design Errors, Hernan Guadalupe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some organizations lack processes to mitigate design errors that may result in potential accidents or loss of life during building construction. Managers are concerned about preventing injuries and accidents, which may promote safer working conditions during construction. Grounded in the transformation-flow-value theory of production, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore safety design management processes that managers use to mitigate errors. The participants included 7 members from 1 design firm with business operations in the United States northeastern region. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and company document reviews. Data were analyzed using Yin's 5-phase, where …

Employee Engagement And Job Satisfaction’S Impact On Productivity In The Distribution Industry, Jessica Copeland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Productivity deficiencies in distribution services are detrimental to profitability, annually causing billions of dollars in reporting losses industry-wide. Understanding employees’ motivating factors in meeting metric-based expectations is essential to enhancing overall performance. Grounded in the motivation-hygiene theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationships among employee engagement, job satisfaction, and productivity within the distribution industry. Electronic survey data were analyzed for 47 participants who completed the Mensah Employee Engagement Survey, Mensah Job Satisfaction Survey, and Utrecht Work Employee Engagement Survey. The results of the multiple linear regression were significant, F(2, 44) = 36.84, p = .001, …

Ethiopian Construction Project Management Maturity Model Determination And Correlational Prediction Of Project Success, Hailemeskel T. Hailemarkos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Ethiopia, although the construction industry is booming, the practice of effective project delivery in time, cost, and quality remains a challenge. Construction project success comes through the application of knowledge-based, critically essential factors. The industry's effectiveness is dictated by the level of project management knowledge built in each company. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to evaluate project management maturity level of construction industry and the predictability of project success from project management knowledge maturity of 193 project managers working in contractors, consultants, and clients. The study, which was informed by the project management body of knowledge …

Strategies For Improving The Success Rates Of Lean Six Sigma Projects, Victoria Reed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective Lean Six Sigma (LSS) project strategies can lead to excessive Lean Six Sigma (LSS) project costs. Manufacturing business leaders who fail to mitigate LSS project costs expose the LSS project to failure. Grounded in the theory of constraints, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore successful strategies LSS project leaders use to mitigate project costs in manufacturing. The participants comprised 16 aerospace manufacturing business leaders located in the southeast and northwest regions of the United States, who successfully implemented strategies to mitigate LSS project costs. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, a focus group, and …

Causes And Prevention Of Electric Power Industry Accidents: A Delphi Study, Ganesh Narine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The electric power industry is very complex, dangerous, and challenging. The number of workplace accidents declined over the last decade, but worker injuries and fatalities continue to occur. The purpose of this Delphi study was to gain consensus regarding the most feasible and desirable methods to prevent accidents and deaths. The research question focused on gaining consensus from a panel of experts regarding the most desirable and feasible solutions to fatal and serious workplace accidents in the United States. The Bolman and Deal 4-frame model proved useful for understanding challenges within the electric industry and how workers and leaders can …

Retention Strategies For Oil And Gas Industry Managers, Faye Gerard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The turnover cost of specialized employees in the oil and gas industry can exceed 400% of an employee's annual salary. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore successful strategies that oil and gas company managers used to retain specialized employees. The specific population for the study was 8 managers from 4 oil and gas companies in a metropolitan city in the southern United States, which included 5 hiring managers and 3 engineering managers who had demonstrated success in retaining specialized employees. The conceptual lens used in this research study was the job embeddedness theory. Study data were …

Strategies To Mitigate Supply Chain Disruption Risks, Daniel G. Haloukas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Businesses with global supply chains typically have a minimum of 1 interruption to their supply chain annually, which can decrease profitability and affect overall company performance. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies personal care business supply chain managers used to mitigate supply chain disruption risk. The targeted population was 9 supply chain managers working in 5 different Fortune 500 consumer packaged goods personal care companies in the northeastern United States who have successfully used strategies to mitigate supply chain disruptions. Corporate risk management was used as the conceptual framework of the study to determine how …

A Quantitative Evaluation Of The Productivity Of The Mercedes-Benz Production System, Derrick Tajuan Shaw

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Productivity of automotive manufacturing production systems have been an area of study among researchers since the industrial revolution. Automotive manufacturing production systems that are implemented properly increase productivity in production environments. Researchers have demonstrated that productivity can be improved through modeling the Toyota production system. However, researchers have not established how implementing Mercedes Benz production system (MBPS) impacted Mercedes-Benz cars' productivity between 1999 and 2017. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to examine the effect of implementing the Mercedes-Benz Production System (MBPS). A survey was administered to 35 Mercedes-Benz employees that consisted of operation managers, plant managers, manufacturing …

Self-Leadership To Servant Leadership: A Metatheoretical Antecedent To Positive Social, Allen Lloyd Carn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A majority of current leadership programs are failing to deliver a comprehensive approach to leadership development by not providing middle and frontline managers the skills to enhance their potential to develop others. In failing to generate a comprehensive system, animosity towards all types of leadership has been festering for over 40 years as first identified by Greenleaf in 1977. The purpose of the study was to establish a link between the theoretical paradigms of servant leadership and self-leadership using the lens of emotional intelligence to generate an integral leadership development framework. The conceptual framework used Goleman et al.'s version of …

Improving Workers' Safety And Health In The Zimbabwean Mining And Quarrying Industry, Bernard Mabika

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of effective occupational safety and health (OSH) strategies is a reason that

workplace accidents in the mining and quarrying industry remain high, making the

industry one of the riskiest operations worldwide. The purpose of this multiple case study

was to explore successful strategies mining and quarrying leaders in Zimbabwe used to

improve OSH. The key research question addressed successful strategies leaders in the

mining and quarrying industry use to improve employee occupational safety and health in

Zimbabwe. Six successful business leaders from 3 mining and quarrying mines in

Zimbabwe demonstrated an exception to unsafe practices, particularly through their

exceptional …

Impact Of Mortgage Characteristics On Retail Mortgage Transaction Completion Time, Kareem Atalla Tannous

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the mortgage industry, many mortgage lenders cannot manage mortgage workflow systems while meeting and exceeding organizational objectives. Organizations with an above-industry average turnaround time (ATT) to complete a retail mortgage transaction (RMT) from origination to funding experience revenue losses. Grounded in the proposition that mortgage loan purpose (MLP), mortgage loan type (MLT), and subject property type (SPT) impact ATT to complete an RMT, the purpose of this causal-comparative study was to assess the impact of MLP, MLT, and SPT on ATT to complete an RMT. Using archival data records (N = 146) from a selected mortgage institution in the …

The Impact Of Authentic Leadership Development On Safety Climate Change, Victoria Hoyt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Tragic, life-changing, and fatal incidents are a reality on large-scale, civil construction projects. Despite a decline following the enforcement of the 1971 Occupational Safety and Health Act, serious and fatal incidents on heavy construction projects remain higher than that of the active military and have not declined in any notable way in the past decade. Industrial-organizational literature suggested a lack of applied testing for the well-developed theory of authentic leadership (AL) to impact safety outcomes. This quasi-experiment combined the constructs of authentic leadership with safety climate perception as quantifiable measurement of potential safety outcomes in the workplace. The research question …

Private Sector Defense Contractor Management Strategies For Contract Fulfillment, Rachel Stallworth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Private sector U.S. defense contractors failing to meet contract objectives experience lower profitability, pay costly penalties, and risk survivability. Using the theory of contracts, the purpose of this multiple case study was to the explore strategies that some leaders of U.S. defense contracting businesses use to meet all the contract terms with the U.S. Department of Defense. Data were collected from 5 leaders of private sector defense contracting companies in northwest Florida through face-to-face, semistructured interviews and through a review of operations manuals, quality assurance policy manuals, and archived U.S. Department of Defense contracts. During data analysis using Yin's 5-step …

Scope Management Strategies For Engineering Leaders To Improve Project Success Rates, Kevin Lee Ramage

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Civil engineering projects undertaken without successful implementation of scope management strategies by project leaders are approximately 10% more likely to fail than projects undertaken with scope management strategies. Using scope management theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore scope management strategies used by some project leaders in the engineering field to improve project success rates. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 3 purposefully selected project leaders in Georgia, and a review of project completion reports, budget reports, government proposals, and scope management documents. Data analysis occurred using Yin's 5-step process of compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, …

Relationship Between Airline Category, Geographical Region, And Safety Performance, Peter Simpson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Passengers rank safety as a key factor in airline choice. Thus, safety performance impacts an airline's ability to attract customers. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship and difference between airline category low-cost carriers (LCCs) and full-service carriers (FSCs), geographical region, and safety performance measured by accident rates. The target population comprised all airlines in all countries that had an accident during the 14-year period 2004 to 2017. Data consisted of archival data of all global airline accidents and airline departure frequencies for the 14-year period. The theory of organizational accidents in complex sociotechnical systems explains …

Strategies For Improving Labor Productivity In Construction Companies, Lakew G. Buli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Even with advanced technology and new project management methodologies, construction company leaders continue to face challenges to improve labor productivity. This multiple case study was an exploration of the strategies that construction company leaders use to improve labor productivity in Doha, Qatar. The case population consisted of 6 construction company leaders operating in Doha, Qatar, who successfully identified and implemented strategies to improve labor productivity. The conceptual framework for this study was the expectancy theory. The data collection process included semistructured interviews and company documentation. Data were compiled and organized, disassembled into fragments, reassembled into a sequence of groups, and …

Experiences Of Public Agency Managers When Making Outsourcing Decisions, Shakeel Baig

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Managers in state transportation agencies in the United States must frequently choose between using the talents and abilities of in-house staff or outsourcing for road and bridge design projects. Budgetary crises have strongly affected funding for transportation infrastructure. Facing budgetary pressures to suppress costs, managers must frequently make the choice of outsourcing a project or performing it in-house. Yet, decision-making models for these decisions are inadequate. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of public agency managers when making decisions to outsource the core government functions such as road and bridge design projects. …

Marketing Strategies To Enhance Profitability Among International Oil And Gas Service Companies, Hesameddin Zafari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A significant drop in oil price in 2014 resulted in enormous pressure on marketing managers of international oilfield service companies to address new market expectations. In such competitive conditions, some marketing managers lack strategies to leverage profitability during downturns. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that senior marketing managers of international oilfield service companies in the Middle East successfully used to enhance sales performance, revenues, and profits during periods of declining oil prices. Theory of market segmentation, targeting, and positioning formed the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews of 5 …