Business Commons^™

Differences In Computer Mediated Versus Face To Face Negotiation, Melissa Oates

Psychology and Child Development

Ninety Cal Poly students participated in a study to test the hypothesis that e-negotiators would be more likely than face-to-face (FTF) negotiators to employ unethical or competitive negotiation styles in a subsequent negotiation after being lied to in a previous negotiation. Sixty-four Cal Poly students were randomly assigned to partake in a computer mediated or FTF negotiation over the sale of a car. After the initial negotiation was completed, buyers in each condition were led to believe they had been lied to about the accident history of the car. Participants then completed The Incidents in Negotiation Questionnaire by Robinson, Lewicki, …

The Role Of Cultural And Change During Mergers And Acquisitions: Bringing The Pride Back, Geoffrey W. Denight Jr

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 1998 a small family run casino operation was acquired by a large Las Vegas Casino Corporation. At the time the two companies had different cultures and there was an immediate clash between the two as the larger corporation sought to change the ways business was being conducted. Compounded by out side economic factors the business experienced a dramatic decline in revenue and employee morale. In this case study, the personalities and outside factors that had an impact on this acquisition will be revealed and the steps taken to change and manage the culture of the company, improve morale and …

An Entry Level Managerial Training Program For Hourly Hospitality Employees, Cynthia Mejia

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to develop an entry-level managerial training program for line-level hospitality employees. An analysis of the current literature regarding training and motivation will be used as the foundation for the proposed training program. In addition, two central issues will be addressed to ensure the success of the participants in the managerial training program: a) The identification and resolution of perceived obstacles employees face when contemplating advancement, and b) the practice of developing internal employees to increase retention, and thereby reduce the high costs associated with middle management turnover.

The Effect Of Holland's Person-Environment Fit On Trait Anger, Interpersonal Conflict At Work, And Workplace Aggression, Aimee Chantelle Pseekos

Dissertations

This study examined the effect of Person-Environment fit, as defined by Holland's (1997) theory, on trait anger, interpersonal conflict at work, and workplace aggression in a sample of employees in the United States. Job satisfaction was also examined with regard to concurrent and discriminant validity information for this sample. Results indicated that there was not a statistically significant effect of Person- Environment fit on trait anger, interpersonal conflict at work, or workplace aggression. The concurrent and discriminant validity of findings was supported through relationships between job satisfaction, Person-Environment fit, and workplace aggression. Limitations and implications for further research related to …

An Evaluation Of Interventions Designed To Impact Nurses : A Pilot Project, Pamela G. Bing Perry

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This pilot project was designed from a systems approach as defined within the field of marriage and family (MFT). Systems theory has been used successfully in examining and working with organizational relationships as exemplified in the work of Edwin H. Friedman. His contribution includes several books specifically developed for use in organizations; one that was tailored for religious groups; and another for managers (Friedman, 2007). While other MFT modalities have also been used effectively with organizations, the complexity of the influences operating within an organization most closely matches the systems approach. For this reason, this is the conceptual framework applied …

The Impact Of The 2007 Oklahoma Immigration Reform Act On Labor Costs In The Restaurant Industry, Xun Zhou

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Restaurant industry is becoming the largest employer of immigrants in the United States, immigration policies are fundamental to the success of the restaurant industry, as entrepreneurs, as customers, and as workers. Therefore, this paper attempts to investigate current issues regarding the unauthorized labor force in the hospitality industry. In particular, this study will try to discover and explore the difference in labor costs in the restaurant industry before and after the newest immigration reform act enacted in Oklahoma. In addition, this paper will also provide suggestions for future researchers in this research field.

The Relationship Between Benefit Satisfaction And Intent To Leave: A Study Of Finance Departments In Las Vegas, Jung-In Bae

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between benefit satisfaction and intent to leave among employees who work in finance departments in Las Vegas hotels.

Employee benefits have generally been assumed to be an effective way to attract and retain employees; in fact, 70% of 45 U.S. companies include the benefit packages in their retention strategies. That idea that competitive benefits packages can help firms to win the retention war is widely accepted.

The results of the study indicate that benefit satisfaction was significantly related to intent to leave; those who were satisfied with benefits were less likely to …

Perceptions Of Employers Toward Hiring Graduates With Online Degrees, Leisa Dione Thompson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Since the late 1990s, online education programs for academic credit have emerged in colleges and universities across the country at an astonishing rate. Enrollment in online courses and online degree programs has grown dramatically. Online education is in high demand because it allows individuals to pursue an education while maintaining their full-time jobs and commitments to their families. However, the employability of a graduate with an online degree has not kept pace with the growth of this delivery method. This study was an attempt to explore the workforce sentiments concerning employment of college graduates obtaining a degree completed through online …

Stats Or Studs: Does It Pay To Be Good Looking? The Economic Impact Of Lookism, Lisle O'Neill

Business and Economics Honors Papers

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is a phrase that exemplifies the subjectivity of attractiveness. In recent years, researchers in the fields of economics, sociology, and anaplasty have used symmetry analysis in an attempt to make beauty an objective issue. People characterized by greater facial symmetry, as defined by exhibiting balanced lateral proportions, are considered to be more attractive. Furthermore, labor economists, such as Hamermesh and Biddle (1994), suggest a wage premium for more attractive individuals, however, the measure of attractiveness was not based on symmetry. This study examines the effect of NFL quarterbacks' attractiveness on …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of E-Recruitment Efforts In State Government, Joseph Orenstein

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This study provides an evaluative framework for state e-recruitment efforts. Challenged bv the impending retirement of the baby boomer generation, public employers are implementing innovative hiring practices to aid in the recruitment of a new, talented workforce. Web-based recruitment offers an opportunity for state recruiters to reach a broader pool of job seeker talent. An effective framework for assessing the adequacy of state hiring websites would establish a set of criteria to aid in the development and implementation of state e-recruitment efforts. The framework is based on a literature review of relevant recruitment strategies in the public and private sector, …

Analysis Of The Military Medical Retirement System, Joseph M. Barnum

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the 60 year old military medical retirement system. Specifically, this thesis answered three research questions regarding a comparison of pay between the current system and the societal standard for injury and illness, identification of current segments of the military population disproportionately affected by the current system, and establishment of a minimal standard for medical retirement compensation. Previous research established the societal standard for compensation as the Value of Statistical Life. This thesis compared the current military medical retirement system with the Value of Statistical Life and identified several segments of the military …

The Correlation Of Human Capital On Costs Of Air Force Acquisition Programs, Stephen E. Gray

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have linked human capital with performance. The studies have shown performance, measured as output, of a firm can be increased by adding more personnel and/or increasing education levels. This research uses the Cobb-Douglas Production function to build upon that relationship of inputs to outputs. The output in this study is the average cost overrun of Aeronautical Systems Center research, development, test, and evaluation contracts managed from 1994 to 2008. The inputs are the numbers of military/government employee financial managers, program managers, engineers, rated personnel, and military/government employees in those career fields possessing a graduate degree or higher. A …

Modeling U.S. Occupational Health Costs, Joseph M. Bauer

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this research was to improve the effectiveness of cost comparison analyses for the 75th Aerospace Medicine Group, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Bioenvironmental engineers sought a more robust cost comparison tool, allowing engineers to quickly determine the viability of proposed occupational health-related expenditures. To justify the funding of potential projects, engineers must quantify the expected cost savings. Improved cost comparison analysis enables personnel to better justify worthy projects or filter out uneconomical solutions. A secondary purpose of this research was to validate Department of Defense (DoD) occupational illness cost factors. This research effort focused on cost …

Operations Tempo And Turnover Intentions: An Exploratory Study Of The Air Force's Explosive Ordinance Disposal (Eod) Career Field And Development Of The Air Force Civil Engineer Retention Questionnaire, Joseph A. Tortella

Theses and Dissertations

From a managerial perspective, the attraction and retention of high-quality employees is more important today than ever before (Holtom, Mitchell, Lee, & Eberly, 2008). This continuing growth of importance with regards to retention has validated the efforts of many studies within the context of turnover to better understand the relationship between turnover and the factors that may influence the behavior. Employers want to know what the reasons are for employee turnover. However, more importantly is that once behaviors are identified the employers are then equipped with a better understanding of how this relationship can be controlled. This relationship also has …

Recruit, Respect And Retain: The Impact Of The Baby Boomer Nurse On Hospital Workforce Strategy, Susan H. Klug

Julie Belle White-Newman Award for Outstanding Research

Hospitals are increasingly concerned about shortages of registered nurses due to the retirement of Baby Boomer nurses. A case study resulted in an internal analysis of Baby Boomer nurses to understand how hospital workforce strategy can effectively retain older nurses. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this primarily qualitative study included an in-depth survey and semi-structured interviews. The hospital was able to identify retention strategies that met the needs of older nurses and the organization through the inclusion of multiple perspectives. The methodology and tools inform, communicate and establish the foundation for a hospital to initiate the development of a strategic plan …

Factors Influencing The Perceived Usefulness Of An Information Delivery Website Among The United States Resident Viewership, Frederick Joseph Piazza

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the World Wide Web (Web) has become a major media outlet for disseminating information. Government and Higher Education institutions have both embraced Web technologies to serve the needs of their clientele. Thus, a method of developing targeted Web-based material that is optimized for the viewer to provide the greatest impact in terms of usefulness is needed. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of selected demographic characteristics on the perception of usefulness among United States resident viewers of an information delivery website. The accessible population for this study was all viewers …

The Cost And Benefits Of Upskilling The Irish Labour Force, Peter Daly

Theses

This study assesses the position of Irish businesses in relation to upskilling their workers in the globalised business environment. There is a scarce amount of data published on the implications for Irish businesses and their interaction state supports for upskilling the Irish labour-force.

This study has found that Irish businesses recognise that they now operate in a global market and that they believe that a strong third and vocational level of skills exist but work based skills must improve. Outsourcing parts of the business process is not considered a preferred option of skills replacement by Irish businesses but business networks …

A Qualitative Study Of The Interaction Between Maritime Pilots And Vessel Traffic Service Operators, Andreas Bach

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Self-Esteem And Academic Success Among African American Students In The Minority Engineering Program At A Research Extensive University In The Southern Portion Of The United States, Sandra Latrice Harris

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between the self-esteem and academic success of African American students in the Minority Engineering Program (MEP) at a research-extensive university in the Southern portion of the United States. The nature of the study required the use of descriptive, comparative, and correlational research methods. The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory Adult Form (CSEI-A), a 25-item dichotomous self-report questionnaire was used to measure the level of self-esteem of all respondents. CSEI-A data was collected through the use of an on-line survey program, called Zoomerang©. Data on the specific demographic and academic variables …

Factors That Influence Course Completion Of Individuals Enrolled In Craft-Training Courses Offered By A Large Organization Of Member Construction Companies, Alvin James Justelien, Iii

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The construction industry is one of the largest providers of jobs in the United States. Between 2009 and 2013, approximately 20% of the 7.7 million Americans employed in construction related jobs (Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2009) would be eligible to retire. The industrial construction industry must attract, train, and retain a significant number of people to the construction industry. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of selected personal demographic characteristics and academic behaviors of individuals participating in craft training courses offered by a large organization of member construction companies who successfully completed or left …

Factors That Influence Online Learners' Intent To Continue In An Online Graduate Program, Rui-Ting Huang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence online learners’ intent to continue. This study gathered the data from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and Nicholls State University. The total number of participants was n=122. The findings in this study revealed a positive relationship between online learners’ perceived usefulness and intent to continue (r=.37, p< 0.01), a positive relationship between online learners’ perceived ease of use and intent to continue (r=.44, p< 0.01), a positive relationship between online learners’ perceived flexibility and intent to continue (r=.72, p< 0.01), a positive relationship between online learners’ perceived learner-instructor interaction and intent to continue (r=.52, p< 0.01), and a positive relationship between online learners’ satisfaction and intent to continue (r=.84, p< 0.01). Moreover, the findings showed a negative relationship between online learners’ perceived learner-learner interaction and intent to continue (r= -.27, p< 0.01). Although the learner-learner interaction questionnaire used negative description, it still indicated a positive relationship between perceived learner-learner interaction and online learners’ intent to continue. The Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) revealed that the perceived flexibility and satisfaction had positive influence on the online learners’ intent to continue, and the value of R2 further revealed that the two predictor variables explained 76.4 % of the variance in the online learners’ intent to continue.

The Agricultural Industry As Percieved By Members Of The General Public Of Louisiana, Julie Baker Richard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge and perceptions of the animal, plant, environmental, and food sciences by the adult residents of Louisiana. This study was conducted using a survey research design. This survey utilized random telephone dialing techniques in order to survey 547 residents of Louisiana. The survey instrument consisted of fifty-five questions divided into three sections: demographic characteristics, agriculture knowledge, and perception of agriculture. The overall mean agriculture knowledge score of adult residents of Louisiana for the twenty items included in the survey instrument equaled 13.60 (SD = 2.743) or 68%. Perceptions of agriculture results …

A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Two Alternative Instructional Strategies For Teaching Basic Construction Surveying Concepts, Gabriel N. Trahan Jr.

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this experiment was to compare the effectiveness of two alternative instructional strategies for teaching basic construction surveying concepts. The basic concepts of construction surveying, office, field, angles, distance and elevation must be thoroughly understood before complex construction surveying applications can be performed. Instruction in applied science courses such as construction surveying is constantly being impacted by advances in technology. Technological developments require an evolving pedagogy incorporating change while maintaining the integral basics. The dynamics of change require an instructor to maintain basic construction surveying concepts consideration while developing authentic experiences which can be incorporated into the new …

The Effects Of Activation On Employers Of Reserve And National Guard Soldiers, Lee Lamar Hisey

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of military deployment or activation of reserve and National Guard soldiers on civilian employers. Understanding how activation affects the operations of civilian employers will increase awareness of the effects of labor stability on organizations. The study utilizes survey methodology to measure changes in organizational output, customer satisfaction, and employee behavior. In addition, number of employees supervised, strategies employed to adapt to the effects of activation on operations, organizational types, and the amount of time required for the organization to return to pre-activation levels of performance were measured. The sample was …

Bios: A One-Week Pre-Freshman Biology "Boot Camp" As A Tool To Increase Student Success And Retention In The Biological Sciences Major, Sheri Maples Wischusen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Biology Intensive Orientation for Students (BIOS) Program was designed to assess the impact of a five-day intensive pre-freshman program on success and retention of biological science majors at a large research university. The program combined content lectures and examinations for the Introductory Biology course for Science Majors, as well as learning styles assessments and informational sessions to provide the students with a preview of the requirements of biology, and the pace of college. Students were tracked following their BIOS participation. In the pilot year of the program the BIOS participants performed significantly better on the first and second exams, …

Examining Successful Recuritment Strategies Utilized By Volunteer Alumni, James Eric Prudhomme

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to describe the manner in which volunteer alumni recruiters at a flagship institution were able to recruit prospective students both in and out of the formal recruitment setting. Due to the challenges facing Louisiana State University with out-of-state recruitment, volunteer alumni recruiters provide a cost-effective alternative to assist this effort. Findings of this study can be used to expand the current alumni volunteer recruitment effort by providing insight into the strategies that result in success in the recruitment process, all the while encouraging fellow alumni to assist their effort. The methodology for …

The Problems Solving Styles Of Emergency Operations Center Staffs Of Local And State Government Agencies, Glynn Cavin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the demographics, leadership styles, and preferred problem solving style of the emergency management career field. The catalyst for the research was recognition that there are few scholarly investigations or theories of the cognitive processes that occur within emergency operations center staffs (EOCs), and to establish the demographic baseline. Demographics of Louisiana participants were compared with similar demographics of participants from the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM). The results revealed that the emergency management occupation is older and male dominated. The group is well educated; many IAEM members having advanced degrees. The …

Factors That Influence College Students Who Choose Engineering As Their Major To Presist In That Major To Their Fifth Semester, Kelli Elaine Wildman

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Individuals, institutions, and society are affected by whether or not students persist in college; therefore, persistence and retention on college campuses is an important topic for higher education systems. However, little research has been done on program retention. Since engineering as a profession is expected to increase, it is imperative to have students persist in the major. The primary purpose of this study is to determine the influence of selected demographic and academic characteristics in the decision of first time in college (FTIC) traditional-age undergraduates who declare engineering as their major at admission to persist in the curriculum from second …

An Experimental Study Of The Effects Of Workforce Bullying On Three Affective Constructs: Self-Efficacy, Satisfaction And Stress, Elizabeth A. Nealy

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effects of “bullying” behavior on the affective constructs of self-efficacy, satisfaction and stress of students enrolled in a junior level course at a research extensive university in the southern region of the United States. The sample included 35 undergraduate students at one research-extensive university in the southern region of the United States who were enrolled in a leadership course in the spring semester of 2009. The dependent variables were participants’ scores on measures of self-efficacy, satisfaction and stress. The independent variable was whether or not participants were exposed to “bullying” …

Evaluating The Influence Of Educational Videos And Printed Materials On Office Of Family Support Clients' Intentions To Select, Purchase, Prepare, And Consume Healthier Foods, Natasha Dee Pittman

LSU Master's Theses

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) is essential in providing eligible households with the right tools to adopt healthy eating and active lifestyle practices which are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid. Education in the OFS, where SNAP eligibility is assessed, is one means to preventing adversities which those in poverty often face. Out of concern for the lack of nutrition education being conducted in the OFS, along with the many distractions limiting clients’ ability to absorb and retain educational messages, the Food Stamp Office Resource Kit (FSORK) was developed. The FSORK includes a 20 minute video …