Human Resources Management Commons^™

A Phenomenological Study On The Perceived Impact Of Bass's Four I'S Of Transformational Leadership, Yarissa Marn

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe World of Warcraft game leaders’ perceptions of the impact on their guilds regarding Bass’s 4 I’s of transformational leadership.

Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed 13 World of Warcraft game leaders who have led their guild members for at least one year. The main source of data collection was semi-structured open-ended interview questions with other resources to include artifacts. The researcher coded and analyzed data for themes and patterns.

Findings: Several domains of Bass’s Four I’s Transformational Leadership framework were found to have an impact on World of Warcraft …

Embodying Compassion: Striving Towards Sensitivity, Inclusion And Synergy, Arva N. Anees

Student Theses and Dissertations

Inspired by the author's experience as the sole Muslim woman in a company of over 100 employees, the capstone project addresses the observed lack of prioritization for minority inclusion in the workplace. The capstone project outlined aims to address this issue by developing a cultural sensitivity and inclusion workshop that surpasses superficial efforts and encourages participants to internally reflect on their daily workplace interactions. The workshop, designed with an experiential approach lasting 1.5-2 hours, seeks to foster practical knowledge and instigate changes towards a more inclusive, equitable, and diverse working environment. Emphasizing increased awareness, engagement in reflective and collaborative activities, …

The Praxis Of Professional Communication In Simulated Business: Psu Capstone Analysis, Molly Daniels

University Honors Theses

"Let knowledge serve the city" serves not only as Portland State University's motto but also as the guiding intent of the Business Administration capstone program to assist local companies in the city of Portland. This review covers the experience of my participation in the program including the use of education and challenges. While the experience recorded within is atypical due to the unforeseen closure of the participating client, effective communication studies with clients and other students remain pressing. This entailed examining the quantitative and qualitative needs of a hybrid coffee shop and event space and whether changing to a larger …

Leadership Behaviors, Practices, And Sytles In Mergers And Acquisitions In The U.S. Technology-Based Organizations: A Qualitative Study, Susan E. Glover

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

Leaders guide and shape the success of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to meet an organization’s goals and objectives. In this study, I explored the role of leadership during M&A and the effect of different leadership behaviors, practices, and styles (BPS) on different organizational cultures during M&A. This study explored the contribution of leadership BPS on M&A outcomes within an organization with a robust and innovative culture. I focused on the human capital investment strategies of M&A integration concerning different leadership BPS utilized to improve the success rate of M&A goals and objectives. I concentrated on technology-based organizations because they are …

The Mediating Influence Of Organizational Trust On The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership And Job Satisfaction In The Virtual Workplace, Angela Daniels

Dissertations

Research has shown how leadership influences job satisfaction and organizational trust in the virtual workplace. With an increasing number of organizations shifting to these work environments, it is essential to study the effect of leadership on virtual workers. Prior studies suggest that leadership behaviors significantly impact job satisfaction (Hacker et al., 2019), and leadership plays a crucial role in inspiring employees to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization in a virtual workplace (Miller, 2020). Specifically, transformational leadership behaviors that shape the mindset and actions of employees are significant (Abelha et al., 2018). This study proposed a mediation model …

Help Or Hindrance: How Social Media Affects The Selection And Hiring Processes Of Businesses, Alexandra Krska

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Continually, young people have been advised to be conscientious of the imagery they put on social media regarding their personal lives in preparation for employment selection. However, the use of social media in the selection process may cause Human Resource professionals to have inadvertent biases toward candidates among other moral and ethical issues. Through extensive research of the thoughts and actions of a plethora of different corporate professionals, I will analyze whether using social media as a tool in the selection process authentically produces positive unbiased results, or whether social media poses more ethical issues. With the hopes to create …

The Impact Of Emotional Intelligence On The Leadership Of Chief Human Resources Officers In The California Community Colleges System, Tonya Davis

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of chief human resources officers (CHROs) in the California Community Colleges System regarding the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on their leadership in four areas: self- awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study described the lived experiences of CHROs as those experiences relate to the impact of EI on their leadership. A random sample was selected from the target population of 24 CHROs located in the Central and Southern Regions of California. The instrumentation used in the study was semistructured interview questions adapted …

The Current Place Of Corporate Identity Due To Changing Demographics And Corporate Communication Structures, Jordan Exline

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Our business environment is in a period of significant change. We have a new generation beginning to enter the workforce that requires different levels of communication and the phase-out and incorporation of remote/hybrid work resulting from the pandemic. Corporate identity could be at stake as a result, and how will that affect employees at a company? This study analyzes how corporate identity applies to the business of the future, what makes an impact on its connectivity, and the links between identity and work environment and communication. The goal is to understand what can be adjusted to increase the relevance of …

The Stigmatization Of Mental Health And Wellness Programs In The Corporate World, Sumiya Chowdhury

Student Theses and Dissertations

This research paper will discuss the importance of mental health and work-related stress, increasing in today's adult population. Employees are more vocal about their challenges with depression, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), and anxiety. Many big corporations like Google and LinkedIn have supported mental health causes in their organizations and discussed coping methods on different platforms. Even though this kind of help breaks down the stigma around this issue, unfortunately, it is not enough to make employees in the corporate world feel safe to talk about mental health at work. Also, mental health stigma makes the environment hostile for those who …

Crip Theory And Creative Briefs: Interpreting Disability In The Creative Process, Josh Loebner

All Dissertations

Brands, advertising agencies and other partners collaborate through curated phases to create marketing and advertisements, but within this process, how does the creative brief shape disability inclusion or exclusion? By moving the conversation from interpreting disability representation in an advertisement or finished marketing piece, to analyzing disability at the onset of the creative process, these insights present a critical contribution to scholarship on disability, marketing and consumer culture. Framed within crip theory, the research investigates how disability identity is—or is not—manifest in a creative brief within the creative process.

Much of marketing, advertising and disability studies scholarship centers on finished …

Implementing A Micro-Business Internship Program In Dangriga, Belize, Shaadee Shojai

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Over the Summer, I was able to work with Peacework in Belize through the University of Arkansas. While I was unable to physically go to Belize due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, I feel that I was still able to learn about the culture, in both the casual and business workplace, as well as help the people of Dangriga. The goal of my project was to help consult with the Tourism Department of Dangriga to help develop their small business into businesses that were more appealing to tourists. Unfortunately, most people who own small businesses in Dangriga can’t support themselves with …

Theranos: Case Study And Examination Of The Fraud Triangle, Abbey Jennings

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fraud is a serious issue which carries significant implications. Fraud committed by top level managers is particularly grievous, as it ripples through a firm, harming the company’s shareholders, employees, and credibility, while posing a threat to individuals and society (Zahra, et al.). A common framework in auditing, the fraud triangle, outlines three factors that if present, increase the risk or enable fraud to occur. The three factors are incentive, opportunity, and rationalization to commit fraud (Barlow).

In 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of a supposedly groundbreaking health tech company, Theranos, with what …

How Exemplary Black Women Leaders Use Influence To Achieve Extraordinary Results, Catrena Elliott

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand and describe how exemplary Black women business leaders (BWBL) influence employees through personal motivation, personal ability, social motivation, social ability, structural motivation, and structural ability.

Methodology: This phenomenological study research design identified and explored how 10 exemplary BWBL who have achieved extraordinary results influence employees through personal motivation, social motivation, structural motivation, personal ability, social ability, and structural ability. Participants were selected from exemplary BWBL in Southern California and Northern California who fulfilled the study’s requirements. Interviews, observations, and artifacts were used to gather data. To identify study findings, data …

Pay Inequality And Gender Pay Gap, Chris Constantopoulos

Student Theses and Dissertations

The topic of this thesis paper is pay inequality and gender pay gap, specifically within the United States while occasionally comparing Europe and other parts of the world. The research questions that are brought up while starting this thesis process were how the topic started and developed with the last 10 years. Plus, the potential strides to eliminate the thesis topics issues within the United States. The method of analysis for this thesis paper includes an integrative desktop literature review while analyzing various online and prior academic research articles. The result of studying the numerous amounts of research helped gather …

The Relationship Between The Protean Career Attitude And Feedback After The Employee Promotion Process, Marcie Overstreet

Dissertations

The deterioration of the traditional organizational career model progressively challenges employees to manage their careers (Briscoe et al., 2006). Increasingly, individuals self-manage their careers, focusing on both professional and personal circumstances throughout a career (Li et al., 2019). Employees continue to pursue career advancement by developing their knowledge, skills, and competencies. While individuals seek career development pursuing more challenging and higher paying jobs, organizations also show interest in career development.

Organizations take an interest in the career growth of employees because career advancement leads to increased morale and productivity and reduced costs associated with employee turnover (Bowness, 2019). Increased morale …

The Impact On Organization Behavior In A Telecommuting World And The Potential Impacts On The Business, Jerrilynn Dvorak

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Local and national COVID-19 restrictions have caused many organizations to transition their employees to working remotely, a practice previously not considered or widely adopted. Global pandemics happen so infrequently that much of the world's population has not lived through or experienced such an event. There were little to no protocols to prepare organizations and individuals mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially for the challenges that the pandemic would bring. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity for more employees who previously did not have that opportunity to work from home. This shift created a much larger sample size to study the …

A Sweet Future For Sugar Makery: A Deeper Dive Into Small Business Consulting, Samuel Lauritsen

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This case study investigates a local candy store in Glenwood and Council Bluffs Iowa. Processes, consistency and concise planning promoted the rapid growth of Sugar Makery into two locations in three short years. Results from the analyses indicate that the main problem facing Sugar Makery is sustaining its differentiated strategy from new industry entrants, key recommendations to sustain its success are presented. Every company has its own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The key is identifying each to be able to capitalize on competitive advantages, mitigate the damage done by weaknesses, take advantage of opportunities and create plans to avoid …

Pernet Family Health Service, Inc.: Organizational Restructuring & Change Management Best Practices, Carly Massino

School of Professional Studies

Research exhibits that between 70-75% of change initiatives fail and a major contributor to this trend is employee resistance. Although change can bring exciting growth and innovation, it can cause employees heightened stress and worsened physical and mental health outcomes. These effects are often amplified when organizations enact multiple change initiatives at once. These worsened outcomes are often a result of feelings of distress, anxiety, powerlessness, and apprehension and unknowns such as how one’s position will be affected, how operations will change, or how one fits into the change. This topic is incredibly relevant for Pernet Family Health Service, Inc., …

Happening In Plain Sight: An Evaluation Of Sexual Harassment In Municipal Government Through A Case Study Of Newark, New Jersey, Hoween R. A. Flexer, Caitlin R. Louie

School of Professional Studies

In the city of Newark, New Jersey, Sebrevious Scott, a participant in the New Jersey Reentry program was hired as part-time office assistant in the city's re-entry office. After being transferred to the city’s Parks and Grounds Departments, she started being sexually harassed, inappropriately touched and propositioned by her supervisor, Richard Kirkland. Scott made repeated attempts to report these actions through the appropriate channels. She was met with dismissal, resistance, and later retaliation. While working in this hostile environment she was also pursuing a full-time employment opportunity with the city upon the completion of the reentry program. Unfortunately, this never …

Employee Retention Rate, Lila Sorenson

School of Professional Studies

This paper addresses the following problem regarding low employee retention rates in non-profit mental health organizations, specifically at NFI. The problem at hand is that majority of staff at NFI have an average length of stay of one year or less. The purpose of this paper is to address the current problem and hypothesize factors that could impact the low retention rates. Additionally, the purpose of the paper is to brainstorm potential solutions regarding the low retention rates and suggestions of how to implement the solutions. The documents contained in this paper include data analysis of employee average length of …

Exploring The Impact Of Coronavirus Response Policies On The Long-Term Financial Health Of Sports Leagues Around The World, Alexander Seager

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper will outline and explore the responses of leagues in the United States and Canada, the United Kingdom, and Spain, with an emphasis on how these decisions affected the overall financial health of sports leagues within them.

While the brunt of the Coronavirus can be felt in nearly all facets of life, the goal of this paper is to research policies specifically tied to sports. There is much more to the COVID response than simple economics, but the scope of this paper is to dig into sports and the financial health of leagues moving forward. The intention is not …

How The Level Of Job Complexity Impacts The Gender Wage Gap Across Occupations, Zytlaly Magaña Corona

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The present study focused on unpacking the social and structural aspects of job complexity to better understand its effects on the gender wage gap. Previous research on the job complexity-compensation dynamic has primarily focused on cognitive complexity. Job complexity across occupations were examined using work activity data from O*NET and merging it with the Current Population Survey data sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (N=67,003). Results revealed that higher complexity jobs in this study yielded greater wage disparities across different occupations as predicted. Furthermore, physical activities and gaining knowledge from the Generalized Work Activities were the two most …

The Relationship Between Religious Freedom In America And The Current And Future Workplace, Liz Spence

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

In regards to religious freedom, the current climate in America is ambiguous and sensitive. This has carried over into the workplace and will continue to affect the way that leaders must manage their employees. This study contains a survey that addresses historical cases dealing with religious freedom, personal experiences in the workplace, and finally, questions regarding the ideal workplace and leadership. This study also includes in-depth interviews of current employees in a variety of careers that adhere to a religion. The paper concludes with a summary that explores how managers should react in the future to the findings in this …

Her Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words: An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Resume Photos And Perceived Morality, Hannah Daab

Honors College Theses

It was once believed that a woman’s physical appearance benefited her in many aspects of life, including her career. Following the progression of the #MeToo movement, society has seen beauty become a liability for women in the workplace. This investigation dives into this phenomenon and redirects the focus to an earlier point in the timeline of a female’s professional career: the hiring process. Specifically, this paper begins to uncover an answer to the long- standing question of whether or not a woman should include a photo of herself on her resumé or CV. Across two quantitative studies, I investigate whether …

Covid-19 And Virtual Leadership Challenges, Rachelle Samsoondar

Major Papers

This paper attempts to investigate the structure and efficacy of e-leadership in the workplace. In addition, the paper focuses on the impacts and challenges e-leaders must overcome to successfully manage teams whilst maintaining business objectives and goals. Three challenges were selected for this research from productivity, personal management/human resources, communication/change management and organizational structure. To accomplish the objective, the paper addressed the efficacy and suitability of e-leadership in many of today’s industries.

The Benefits Of A More Physically Active Workforce In The Corporate World, Dillon M. Billingham-Hemminger, Jacob D. Locke

Senior Theses

With the ever-expanding knowledge of the benefits of physical activity and good general health for all aspects of our lives, it should be quite surprising that activity levels are declining at accelerating rates. After taking a deeper look into the probable cause for this phenomenon, it becomes clearer that the increasing pressures of workplace culture are leading to more sedentary lifestyles.

This paper looks at the benefits of physical activity on people and on corporations, specifically workplace disease prevention and wellness programs, to see if there exists a mutualistic relationship between the two. For people, physical activity was consistently found …

Chief Nurse Executive Work Engagement: System Leadership Through A Natural Disaster, Strike, And Pandemic, Ryan Fuller

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Problem. In a 21-hospital region of a 39-hospital integrated health system, CNE turnover peaked at 63% (12 CNEs) in 2015. Interviews were conducted in 2019 with 12 CNEs across the region to understand potential issues related to CNE job satisfaction. Responses revealed concerns regarding empowerment, alignment, work-life balance, information transparency/sharing, and recognition. While identifying a solution to address CNE concerns, the organization experienced successive crisis events during a 12-month period that included a record-setting wildfire, multiple labor union strikes, and a novel pandemic. The regional leadership team (RLT) required new approaches to facilitate effective communication during a crisis between the …

Narrowing The Wealth And Income Gap In Poland, China, And The United States, Cyndy Carboo, Zhiling Song, Jiawei Feng, Xudong Zhu

School of Professional Studies

With the widespread of globalization, the wealth gap continues to widen globally. Due to the enormous differences in national conditions and political systems of various countries, this article selects China, the United States, and Poland as the research objects, and uses a specific time unit as the benchmark, and mainly focuses on the four directions of medical care, education, job opportunities, and pensions. A reader could understand the correlation between the wealth gap and multiple factors deeply in this article. This article analyzes the impact of income disparity on these three countries and proposes solutions to help narrow the gap …

The Impact Of Special Interest Groups On The Federal Dietary Guidelines: Consequences For American Health, Dory Mcmillan

School of Professional Studies

This research paper explores the impact of relationships between lobbyists and both the USDA and HSS, and the impact these relationships have on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans that the agencies work together to create. The paper focuses specifically on the information the guidelines present in regard to red meat consumption, and the impacts this may have on American health, and healthcare costs associated. It was hypothesized that a relationship would be found between special interest groups and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and/or the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Research found there was a relationship between special …

Healthy Food Portal Business Plan And Its Function Model, Alena Raupova

School of Professional Studies

Business planning is a tool of paramount importance in the process of company management, on the efficiency of which the future functioning of the enterprise depends. Formation of a business plan enables the team to productively and competently use existing funds and resources in their work and apply planning as a very effective management mechanism (Hamm, 2016).

The goal of this final project is to develop a business plan for a healthy nutrition portal for Bellyful LLC. Bellyful is based in Boston, USA, and the portal will be its first product. Our client is interested in researching the prospects of …