Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Business Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 30 of 40

Full-Text Articles in Business

The Effects Of Consumer Buying Habits In The Automotive Industry, Tiffany R. Towne Dec 2020

The Effects Of Consumer Buying Habits In The Automotive Industry, Tiffany R. Towne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study addressed the effects of consumer buying habits in the automotive industry. With consumer buying habits constantly changing and the advancement of technology and e-commerce, there is a growing opportunity for brick-and-mortar stores and dealerships to adapt their strategies to maintain and enhance revenues and profitability. Failure of organizations to adapt their strategies have resulted in a loss of revenue and led to bankruptcy. This qualitative case study addressed the failure of an organization to adapt to consumer buying habits in the automotive industry resulting in a loss of revenue and profitability. Further, the study provided an understanding of …


Predictive Power Of Criminal Background On Losses, Krista Malmquist Whipple Dec 2020

Predictive Power Of Criminal Background On Losses, Krista Malmquist Whipple

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Product and data science teams for the auto insurance industry have been trying to increase pricing segmentation with validated rating variables to decrease rate subsidization. The criminal background data availability provided a new behavior variable to test against insurance-based credit scores as a potential predictive variable in the generalized linear rating model. Criminal background was analyzed using a Poisson Log Linear model and other key insurance rating variables for predicting loss costs. The study supported the inclusion of the criminal background data in combination with insurance-based credit score as the variable’s addition could improve the overall fit of the predictive …


An Exploration Of Rural Small Business Owners Experience With Internet Marketing, Veronica Monique Triplett Nov 2020

An Exploration Of Rural Small Business Owners Experience With Internet Marketing, Veronica Monique Triplett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative case study explored how rural small business owners make decisions about using internet marketing as a strategy. To understand the small business owner’s experiences, this study uncovered relevant factors influencing the business owner’s during the decision-making process. The general problem to be addressed is the lack of internet marketing used by small business owners. The project focused on rural small business owners in Sumter and Marengo counties in Alabama, to gain their perspective on internet marketing, the impact that a failure to use internet marketing have on their businesses, and the specific factors that influence them not to …


A Qualitative Study On Internal Control Usage And Financial Accountability Among Baptist Churches In North Georgia, Melissa Jill Kirby Nov 2020

A Qualitative Study On Internal Control Usage And Financial Accountability Among Baptist Churches In North Georgia, Melissa Jill Kirby

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research study addresses the deficiency in knowledge on internal control usage and financial accountability in churches, and the effects they have on losses from theft, fraud, and misappropriation of assets. This study explores the perceptions of Baptist church pastors, administrative assistants, and other church leaders who are responsible for the financial activities of the church, on internal control usage and financial accountability. This case study consists of 24 Baptist churches located throughout north Georgia. Six themes materialized from this research, including corrective internal controls, detective internal controls, preventative internal controls, proper internal control procedures, financial accountability and stewardship, and …


The Rising Costs Of Hospital Pharmaceutical Shortages And The Impact On Patient Care: Exploring The Use Of Predictive Analytics In New York Area Hospitals, Leticia Laura Currin Oct 2020

The Rising Costs Of Hospital Pharmaceutical Shortages And The Impact On Patient Care: Exploring The Use Of Predictive Analytics In New York Area Hospitals, Leticia Laura Currin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative case study examined the rising cost of hospital pharmaceutical shortages and the impact on patient care. This study also explored the use of predictive analytics to reduce costs and improve patient care efficiency. Increased health-care spending is partially due to prescription medication prices. Management of hospital drug procurement affects patient health, quality care, and hospital budgets, while risk management needs to minimize possible medication shortages. For patients to get the drugs that they need, pharmacists need to have resources at their fingertips to obtain a deep insight into the knowledge of drugs through the supply chain. The research …


The Leader's Role In Motivating Public Sector Workers, James B. Meeks Jr Oct 2020

The Leader's Role In Motivating Public Sector Workers, James B. Meeks Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In municipalities throughout the United States, there exists a belief that many public sector workers are unmotivated, disengaged from their work and disinterested in serving the public (Lavigna, 2014). This qualitative case study sought to understand the central phenomenon of the perceptions of public sector leaders in South Carolina for motivating their workers. Herzberg’s theory regarding the efficacy of leaders to understand the intrinsic motivational factors influencing worker performance, along with the four aspects of transformational leadership served as the theoretical framework for this study. Franklin (2016) explored the impact of leadership styles using Herzberg’s two-factor theory and a variety …


Evaluating Ethical Technology Leadership: Organizational Culture, Leader Behavior, And A Cyberspace Ethic Of Business, Mark Lee Pickel Oct 2020

Evaluating Ethical Technology Leadership: Organizational Culture, Leader Behavior, And A Cyberspace Ethic Of Business, Mark Lee Pickel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Evaluating ethical technology leadership at a financial services firm in North Carolina requires discovering interactions amongst organizational culture, leadership approaches, and ethical decision-making practices. This study provides insight into how the participating firm’s organizational culture creates a leadership climate accommodative of an applied cyberspace business ethic. A cyberspace business ethic provides guidance to technology leaders addressing ethical challenges arising from emergent digital technologies. The identification of four key influencers that support ethical decision-making and provide protection against reputational risk exposures create an understanding of the collective nature of core values, relational, reputational, and technological influences on ethical behaviors. Self-determination theory …


Inability Of Leaders Of Religious Not-For-Profit Organizations In New Jersey To Identify And Implement Adequate Internal Accounting Controls To Detect And Deter Accounting Fraud, Wayne Terrence Balfour Oct 2020

Inability Of Leaders Of Religious Not-For-Profit Organizations In New Jersey To Identify And Implement Adequate Internal Accounting Controls To Detect And Deter Accounting Fraud, Wayne Terrence Balfour

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the inability of leaders of religious not-for-profit organizations (RNPOs) in New Jersey to identify and implement adequate accounting internal controls to detect and deter accounting fraud. Fraud affects all organizations negatively, including those that are religiously altruistic with good intentions. This study argued that protecting the organization’s resources rests primarily upon the shoulders of its leaders. Previous studies argued that philanthropic organizations were more prone to fraud because of poor management, enormous trust in their employees, and poor internal accounting controls. This multi-case qualitative study studied ten RNPO leaders, validating and contradicting some previous findings of not-for-profit …


Using Social Media To Enhance Customer Service: A Study Of Independent Day Spas In Phoenix, Arizona, Krista Fabrick Oct 2020

Using Social Media To Enhance Customer Service: A Study Of Independent Day Spas In Phoenix, Arizona, Krista Fabrick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Social media customer service is becoming increasingly crucial for businesses, and many small businesses struggle in this area. This qualitative study explored how independent day spas use Facebook and Instagram for customer service and their effectiveness on these platforms. The participants included ten small, independent days spas in the Phoenix, Arizona, areas with ten or fewer employees, have less than $1,500,000 in annual revenue, and have a presence on Facebook and Instagram. Four common themes arose from this research. First, day spa owners/managers generally have at least a basic knowledge of Facebook and Instagram. Second, owners/managers are typically the ones …


Exploring The Perceived Barriers That Create A Disadvantage For Black Women To Obtain Leadership Positions In The Finance And Investment Industry, Porscha L. Baines Oct 2020

Exploring The Perceived Barriers That Create A Disadvantage For Black Women To Obtain Leadership Positions In The Finance And Investment Industry, Porscha L. Baines

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study focused on the barriers implied towards Black women when they pursue leadership opportunities in the finance industry, because the demographic is obtaining secondary level degrees at a high level rate, they remain underrepresented in leadership roles. The organizational standards that may disqualify Black women from achieving promotional opportunities in the workplace were explored for insight into the workplace experiences of Black women to determine the barriers present in the work structure that may cause promotional obstacles for the demographic. Through conducting interviews, the experiences of Black women that have been promoted to leadership roles along with those who …


Leadership Behaviors And Their Impact On Employee Retention, Shaun Patrick Nichols Sep 2020

Leadership Behaviors And Their Impact On Employee Retention, Shaun Patrick Nichols

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study analyzed the impact leadership behaviors had on employee retention in the Houston, Texas manufacturing sector. Many authors’ work was reviewed with literature pertaining to leadership behaviors and employee retention. Multiple interviews were conducted with current leadership at Houston, Texas manufacturing organizations to gain a better understanding of the experience of these employees. The results of the leadership study have a profoundly positive impact on employee retention. Three emergent themes were developed based on data analysis, which included empathy, listening, and employee development.


Factors Affecting Microsoft Dynamics Erp Implementation Project Success, Jt Patterson Gorrell Sep 2020

Factors Affecting Microsoft Dynamics Erp Implementation Project Success, Jt Patterson Gorrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines the effect the project schedule has on extensions to project duration and budget overruns of Microsoft Dynamics ERP implementation projects. This larger problem was explored through an in depth study of the completeness of the detailed project schedules, the alignment of the detailed project schedules with the activities and deliverables of the ERP implementation methodology, the incorporation of the detailed project schedules into the project manager’s daily project governance activities, and its effect on project adherence to budget and timeline and the organizational behavior of project resources. This study followed the constructivism paradigm and utilized the case …


Exploring The Influence Of Acbsp Accreditation On The Value Proposition Of Nc Business Schools, Jamie Holleman Conrad Sep 2020

Exploring The Influence Of Acbsp Accreditation On The Value Proposition Of Nc Business Schools, Jamie Holleman Conrad

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

National accreditation agencies, such as the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, offer accreditation opportunities to provide external validation of continuous improvement processes implemented within the business schools’ programs of study. The requirements for obtaining and maintaining the most popular national business program accreditations are resource consuming and do not yet have a documented level of influence on the business schools’ value propositions associated with the accreditation process or accreditation status. The current study is necessary to explore the influence accreditation has on the value proposition presented to the marketplace, which is an essential component of the marketing strategy …


Creating A Culture Of Data-Driven Decision-Making, Kevin Bryan Rogers Sep 2020

Creating A Culture Of Data-Driven Decision-Making, Kevin Bryan Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Researchers have consistently shown that a supportive culture is one of the most crucial success factors in the implementation of any big data solution. Creating a culture that supports data-driven decision-making is a difficult but ultimately required step in transforming an organization into one that can readily and successfully adopt business intelligence technologies. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the ways in which organizations can foster a culture of smarter decision-making and accountability so that businesses can improve operational metrics and ultimately profitability. Participants identified three major themes that drive the adoption of a data-driven culture. …


Cultural Diversity Impact On The Decision-Making Of Leaders Within Organizations, Ahmedin Pasic Sep 2020

Cultural Diversity Impact On The Decision-Making Of Leaders Within Organizations, Ahmedin Pasic

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This case study explored and analyzed cultural diversity’s impact in the workplace and in the overall performance of multicultural or multinational organizations in Richmond, Virginia. The principal investigator’s original intent was to examine its implications for the decision-making of leaders within two or three multinational corporations. However, due to the impact of the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic, he pursued a single case study in one local multicultural organization. This study targeted both leaders’ and employees’ perceptions regarding cultural diversity and integrating their insights into the implications that cultural diversity has for them and the body of knowledge on the topic. The …


Enhancement Of Cohesion And Engagement Through Motivational Factors In The Multi-Generational Workforce, Ralph Jason Hemphill Sep 2020

Enhancement Of Cohesion And Engagement Through Motivational Factors In The Multi-Generational Workforce, Ralph Jason Hemphill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Leaders in all corporations will have to answer the multi-generational challenges in the workplace to motivate their employees by maintaining cohesion and engagement (Ahmad & Ibrahim, 2015; Lazaroiu, 2015). A gap in the literature exists to understand how leaders can create group cohesion and engagement by possessing the instruction and tools necessary to adequately lead the multi-generational diverse workforce to long-term success of the medical device division (Cote, 2019; Dwyer & Azevedo, 2016; Lewis & Wescott, 2017; Stegaroiu & Talal, 2014; Wesolowski, 2014). The central research questions in this qualitative case study addressed the understanding of how leaders use motivational …


Authentic Leadership Within Local Government: An Empirical Evaluation, Anthony Scott Morris Sep 2020

Authentic Leadership Within Local Government: An Empirical Evaluation, Anthony Scott Morris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research study established the current issue of low authentic leadership in business as a known issue that has contributed to lower confidence in leadership throughout various organizations. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between authentic leadership and confidence in leadership in a medium to large size department of a local government located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. To achieve this aim, the researcher adopted a descriptive and diagnostic analytical approach. The sample of the study consisted of 207 participants, consisting of positions consistent with regular positions within local government. The researcher used two survey instruments to achieve the …


Assessing Whether The Regional Differences Between Countries Influence Business Strategies Of Multinational Companies, Christopher Scott Powell Aug 2020

Assessing Whether The Regional Differences Between Countries Influence Business Strategies Of Multinational Companies, Christopher Scott Powell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the qualitative multi-case study design study is to add to the body of knowledge by exploring how MNCs in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland (a) employ global approaches in their foreign market operations and (b) differ in their outcomes in international activities compared with their corresponding domestic operations. Findings from the study have shown that cultural differences between the home and host companies have a profound effect on the internationalization strategy. Most of the managers included in the study reported that their organizations encourage diversity and cultural competencies. They also recommended conducting a …


High Reliability In Medication Administration, Bradford White Jensen Aug 2020

High Reliability In Medication Administration, Bradford White Jensen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research was designed to test the theory of Robust Process Improvement (RPI) as it has been applied to the problem of medication error at Navy medical treatment facilities (MTFs). Medication error is the greatest cause of patient injury in America. In an effort to duplicate the success of High Reliability Organizations (HROs), leaders of the Joint Commission advocated the application of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) as the key elements of RPI and the best way to increase safety and improve the quality of healthcare. The specific problem was that very little empirical evidence existed supporting the theory. The research …


Learning To Commit: Examining The Predictive Relationship Of Learning Culture Upon Employee Commitment, Timothy Russell Shives Jul 2020

Learning To Commit: Examining The Predictive Relationship Of Learning Culture Upon Employee Commitment, Timothy Russell Shives

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, correlational study investigated if a predictive relationship exists between an organization’s learning culture and organizational commitment. The research design for this quantitative study was three bivariate linear regressions as the statistical tool to test three null hypotheses (p <0.017). The predictor variable for this study were the organization’s learning culture scores, as measured by the Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire-Abbreviated (DLOQ-A), and the criterion variables for this study was the organization’s employee commitment profile, comprising (1) affective commitment scores, (2) normative commitment scores, and (3) continuance commitment scores, as measured by the Revised Version of the Three Component Model (TCM) of the Employee Commitment Survey. The population for this study was a diverse, cross-functional employee workforce at a medium-sized, information technology-centered public-sector organization numbering 430 employees. Data collection occurred through asynchronous virtual interaction through web survey methodology during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 global pandemic. The results demonstrate a positive predictive relationship between learning culture scores and affective and normative commitment, respectively; and a negative predictive relationship between learning culture scores and continuance commitment. More research is needed to investigate other factors that may account for the remaining variability in predicting learning cultures and employee commitment. Furthermore, research needs to be done to explore how the learning organization impacts employee commitment.


How Women In Leadership Describe Their Rise To Leadership In Nigeria, Princess Chinyere Halliday Enyiukwu Jul 2020

How Women In Leadership Describe Their Rise To Leadership In Nigeria, Princess Chinyere Halliday Enyiukwu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The significance of female marginalization and inclusion in leadership decision making has been increasingly a topic of deliberation. Women and men share typical characteristics such as knowledge, educational qualification, expertise, socioeconomic status, yet women are continuously marginalized. The bias that women face because of their gender is a lot more pronounced in countries where the traditional roles of the sexes are defined rigidly. Due to these strict gender roles, women find it hard to get to the positions of leadership in organizations. Gender discrimination against women in the workplace is a common issue that women around the world face. Leadership …


What Is The Relationship Between Employee Engagement And Job Satisfaction To Organizational Commitment In Supply Chain Management? An Examination Of These Causal Factors In Supply Chain Managers In The Middle East, Phaylinh "Tia" Nosavan Prang Jun 2020

What Is The Relationship Between Employee Engagement And Job Satisfaction To Organizational Commitment In Supply Chain Management? An Examination Of These Causal Factors In Supply Chain Managers In The Middle East, Phaylinh "Tia" Nosavan Prang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the Middle East, one of the biggest challenges facing supply chain business leaders was the expatriate assignment failures, an average turnover rate of 12%, with the main reason an inability to cope with lifestyle adjustments due to cultural and family pressures. Additionally, fifty-one percent of expatriates leave the multinational corporation (MNC) within two years of repatriation (De Ruiter, Lub, Jansma, and Blomme, 2018; Haak-Saheem, Darwish, & Al-Nasser, 2017; Stoermer, Haslberger, Froese, & Kraeh, 2018). The Middle Eastern workforce showed the disproportionate ratio of expatriates to local nationals in which nearly 99% of employees in the private sector in the …


Learning Disability As An Influence On Entrepreneurial Calling And Success, Christopher James Stemple Jun 2020

Learning Disability As An Influence On Entrepreneurial Calling And Success, Christopher James Stemple

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The phenomena identified as the relationship between learning disabilities, entrepreneurial calling, and entrepreneurial success or failure is a timely and relevant topic that necessitated exploration. To build upon this research, this qualitative case study was conducted. The goal of this case study research is to understand how learning disabilities affect the success or failure of entrepreneurs, while also exploring how the entrepreneur was called to be an entrepreneur. The first theme identified in this research study was individual entrepreneurial resilience. Entrepreneurial resilience, hardiness, and optimism were commonly found personality traits amongst research study participants. The second theme to emerge from …


A Study Of The Eur/Usd Exchange Rate And Eur Call Options, Kenneth Bruce Mcewan Jun 2020

A Study Of The Eur/Usd Exchange Rate And Eur Call Options, Kenneth Bruce Mcewan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

International business has grown rapidly in recent years as companies seek to take advantage of expanding market and supply chain opportunities. As companies enter into contracts to take advantage of engineering, production, and cost reduction capabilities of the global supply chain, they may be creating a foreign currency exchange rate risk. The purpose of this quantitative study was to endeavor to develop a multiple linear regression EUR/USD forecasting methodology for companies to use when determining when to use currency call options for managing currency risk in accounts payable. The study examined the 60-day EUR/USD exchange rate fluctuation with the conclusion …


Effective Strategic Decision-Making Strategies For Plant Managers In Pharmaceutical And Medical Device Manufacturing In Modern Day Puerto Rico: A Qualitative Case Study, Cherisa Irene Jerez Jun 2020

Effective Strategic Decision-Making Strategies For Plant Managers In Pharmaceutical And Medical Device Manufacturing In Modern Day Puerto Rico: A Qualitative Case Study, Cherisa Irene Jerez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative, collective case study covers the experience of strategic decision making in a pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing environment in Puerto Rico during the current economic crisis. The medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Puerto Rico was selected because of the tax expirations targeting this specific industry and the predominance on the island this industry represents in the manufacturing environment. Despite Puerto Rico’s dominance in medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturing over the past 60 years, the current financial and government crisis poses a significant threat to executive level commitment toward maintaining operations on the island. Research questions focused …


Job Embeddedness And Certified Nursing Assistant Retention In Skilled Nursing Facilities, M Ashley Pressman Jun 2020

Job Embeddedness And Certified Nursing Assistant Retention In Skilled Nursing Facilities, M Ashley Pressman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Certified nursing assistants (CNA) are a critical part of the direct care provided in skilled nursing facilities (SNF). Turnover among CNAs results in patient care issues and increased costs to providers. Despite years of research into why CNAs leave their jobs, the turnover in this occupation continues to be the highest among direct caregivers in SNFs. Job Embeddedness (JE) is a construct that evaluates why people stay with their job. JE has been found to explain intent to leave and voluntary turnover over and above the traditional indicators of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job alternatives, and job search. This quantitative, …


Principles Of Project Management Applied To Non-Profit Organizations, Catherine A. Vachris Jun 2020

Principles Of Project Management Applied To Non-Profit Organizations, Catherine A. Vachris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify the characteristics of successful project management within nonprofit organizations in Alaska. This study includes a wealth of existing literature surrounding both project management as well as nonprofit organizations. This research is intended to add to the existing body of knowledge as well as fill the gap in the existing literature on project management within nonprofit organizations. The use of a qualitative approach to this research allowed the researcher to explore participants’ thoughts, beliefs, and feelings surrounding their organizations’ methods. The findings, consisting of seven themes present the experiences of four …


Healthcare Facilities Management Leadership Style Compared To Traditional Healthcare Business And Clinical Leaders, Joshua Paul Ashlock May 2020

Healthcare Facilities Management Leadership Style Compared To Traditional Healthcare Business And Clinical Leaders, Joshua Paul Ashlock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The healthcare environment presents constant challenges related to the provision of safe and quality care to patients. Interactions between traditional business and clinical healthcare leaders and healthcare facilities management leaders are increasing to meet the environment of care needs for healthcare organizations. This study examined the leadership style differences between two healthcare leadership groups, represented by the American College of Healthcare Executive members as well as members of the American Society of Healthcare Engineers and provides insight into the leadership trait differences between these groups. Transformational leadership traits and self-perception of outcomes for leadership showed higher within the ACHE group, …


Effective Leadership Practices Of Blue-Collar Workers In Manufacturing Organizations, Graham Wesley Howard May 2020

Effective Leadership Practices Of Blue-Collar Workers In Manufacturing Organizations, Graham Wesley Howard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated and analyzed leadership’s impact on the frontline, blue-collar workers in manufacturing industries in the Southeastern United States that were non-union companies. This study is a qualitative, multiple case study that investigated leadership practices at three different manufacturing facilities. The specific effects of leadership that this study focused on was how leaders affected employee outcomes such as turnover, satisfaction, and motivation. The results of this study identified a need for leadership training in blue-collar, manufacturing industries as well as the need to develop stronger leader-follower relations in order to improve employee turnover, satisfaction, and motivation within manufacturing industries.


From The Battlefield To The Civilian Labor Force: What Are The Obstacles Facing Military Veterans In Successful Reintegration To The Civilian Workforce?, Frank Hernandez Jr May 2020

From The Battlefield To The Civilian Labor Force: What Are The Obstacles Facing Military Veterans In Successful Reintegration To The Civilian Workforce?, Frank Hernandez Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to explore and understand the difficulties and challenges that thousands of combat veterans have encountered in their reintegration into society and the civilian workforce. The research study was guided by the four research questions: What were the lived experiences of combat veterans as they transitioned from military service to civilian employment? What were the challenges and difficulties that combat veterans experienced when seeking civilian employment? What are the successes that combat veterans have experienced in transitioning to the civilian workforce? What perceptions do human resource managers have about combat veterans and …