Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Multigenerational Family Firm Succession Planning For Transgenerational Sustainability, Janine Michelle Moore-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractFamily firm businesses represent 90% of the global economy and have a 70% first-generation failure rate; business sustainability could have a tremendous impact on the U.S. economy. Grounded in the sustainable family business theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by four California-based, multigenerational family firm leaders who successfully implemented succession planning processes to transfer leadership of their family firm. Data were collected by reviewing firm documents, public information, and semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and methodological triangulation, and five themes emerged: leader strategies to implement succession planning, strategies for …

Retention Strategies To Ensure Financial Sustainability In Community Colleges, Claudia Yvette Provost

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA rapid decline in student retention among community colleges reduces revenue and jeopardizes financial sustainability, meaning leaders of community colleges who lack strategies to retain students have lower revenue and financial sustainability. Grounded in the advocacy and participatory worldview conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative, single case study was to explore strategies leaders of community colleges used to increase student retention and revenues for achieving financial sustainability. A purposeful sampling of five leaders from a community college in Louisiana who successfully used strategies to increase student retention participated in this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and institutional …

Strategies To Overcome Constraints For Small Business Sustainability, Jaquane Mawyne Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than 20% of small businesses that started in March 2018 failed within a year. Small business owners would benefit from strategies to identify and mitigate constraints from inception for business survival because business failure rates are higher among small businesses less than five years old. Grounded in the theory of constraints, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small business owners use to sustain beyond the one year of operation. The participants included six small business owners in Georgia who successfully sustained their business beyond five years. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and …

Strategies For Small Business Entrepreneur Sustainability For 5 Years And Beyond, Ralph A. Heath Iii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSmall business failures impede entrepreneurs' sustainability in localities, the state, and the U.S. economy. Small business entrepreneurs are concerned about strategies to target and minimize obstacles from business inception for business survival because the failure rate increases as the business develop. Grounded in the entrepreneurial theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies for small business entrepreneur sustainability beyond five years. Participants comprised three small business owners in Southeast Virginia who effectively used strategies to sustain their business beyond five years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, analysis of participants’ business documentation, and research of …

The Imperatives Of Political Will For Revenue Diversification In Delta State Nigeria, Benson Chukwuweike Ojoko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Proceeds from crude oil export account for about 90% of the revenue of the federal, state, and local governments in Nigeria. Given the vagaries of the international oil market, scholars have advocated the need for the government to look beyond oil for other revenue sources with little or no success to date. Despite the plethora of research on the phenomenon of political will, there is no research on how the construct affects revenue diversification at the subnational level. This study examined how central political will is in the design of expansionary revenue policies in Delta State, Nigeria. Developing an understanding …

Homeowners’ Lived Experience In Developing And Using Accessory Dwelling Units In Ireland, Geraldine Mary Hurley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have explored the role of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as a form of housing since at least the 1970s. Such exploration has taken place across a number of different disciplines, including gerontology, housing affordability, and urban planning. The literature tends to focus on specific policies, however, rather than on the lived experience of the homeowners impacted by those policies. Ireland’s national and local governments have yet to acknowledge the potential use of ADUs as a contributing solution to ongoing problems with housing supply, housing affordability, and homelessness, despite a government-declared national housing crisis. Formal research on ADUs in the …

Corporate Social Responsibility In The United States And Nigeria, Olatokunbo Ahmed Wilfred Tijani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A recent spate of violations uncovered by international regulators has suggested an emerging social problem that the current corporate social responsibility (CSR) credibility paradigm could be decoupling between theory and practice. This development has left most stakeholders deliberating if CSR in practice is aligned with CSR in theory. This correlational research study empirically tested the CSR theory, positing improved corporate social performance (CSP) and corporate financial performance (CFP); and stakeholder theory, positing quid pro quo correlation between multinational corporations (MNCs) and their stakeholders. The purpose of this study was to identify if there is a positive association between the corporate …

Public Participation In Los Angeles Water Resources Management, Hyginus Onyinyechukwu Mmeje

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public participation is essential to the efficient management of resources. However, there are significant problems with water resources management and water importation practices in Southern California due to lack of public awareness and input. Little is known regarding specific participants’ perceptions that could help in addressing the challenges of Los Angeles water resources management. Grounded in the advocacy coalition framework, this qualitative study was conducted with the purpose of narrowing this knowledge gap. The study explored the role of public participation in Los Angeles water resources management from the perspectives of key actors, resident stakeholders, nonprofit organizations, water agency administrators, …

Exploring Eco-Friendly Strategies In Early Learning Businesses, Henry Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some early learning business owners (ELBOs) lack implementation strategies for eco-friendly programs. ELBOs that can successfully implement eco-friendly programs in their organizations can promote long-term sustainability. Grounded in Freeman’s stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to identify ELBOs’ implementation strategies for eco-friendly programs. The participants comprised of three ELBOs from three certified eco-friendly organizations. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes emerged: (a) managing stakeholders’ expectations, (b) health and wellness for sustainability, (c) business sustainability, (d) environmental sustainability, and (e) partnerships and community involvement. A key recommendation is for …

Water Sustainability Leadership Fostering Stakeholder Engagement, Rosa Elena Bustillos Wong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Water conservation management and water use behaviors of U.S. citizens are critical to secure water for future generations. An American citizen consumes approximately 88 gallons of water per day. On a local scale, a Florida citizen uses 134 gallons per day and wastes 71% of the total municipal drinking water provision in landscape activities. The problem addressed in this study was that administrators working on water conservation programs undergo difficulty fostering stakeholder engagement to advocate a water use behavioral change. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory multiple case study was to understand how citizen water use behaviors influence stakeholder water …

Effectively Managing Energy Costs In The Resort Industry, Justin Whitesides

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hawaii's commercial consumers pay the highest electricity rate in the United States;these costs are expected to rise 3-3.5% in 2021. Management in the Hawaiian resort industry that lacks adequate knowledge of controlling these rising costs is at a competitive disadvantage. Utilizing the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies used in the resort industry to control energy costs. The participants comprised of 10 energy management professionals with successful experience managing energy consumption in the resort industry. Data were collected through telephone interviews, archival documentation, and field notes. Using Yin's 5-step process of …

Social Connectedness And Financial Independence Strategies Supporting Nonprofit Sustainability, Christopher Edmund Maylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) often lack strategies to ensure the sustainability of their organizations beyond initial funding, resulting in significant risk to program continuity. Grounded in social entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to explore strategies used by 3 leaders of a small NPO in the southwest region of the United States. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and a review of organizational documents. Through thematic analysis, 6 social themes emerged: optimization of business strategies, income and donor growth, program cost management, funding diversification, program licensing, and public awareness of NPO programs. The contributions to …

Use Of Force Citizen Complaints, Use Of Force Violations, And Early Intervention, Drema Ann Hymon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Mounting public protests, increasing expensive payouts, and shootings of unarmed victims by police is a call to reexamine options to problem solving, service recovery, and preventing police misconduct as it pertains to the use of force. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the correlation between early intervention system data

(a) use of force, citizens' complaints (race and gender), and use of force violations (race, gender, and years of service for officers). The disruptive theoretical framework provided an innovative lens to examine police misconduct of a large midwestern large law enforcement agency. This secondary data study did …

Sustainability Strategies Of Small Business Owners In Northcentral Texas, Danielson Ledum Dukor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While small businesses contribute significantly to job creation in the United States, they fail financially at alarming rates. Fifty percent of small businesses survive 5 years or longer, and only one-third of small business startups survive more than 10 years. Owners of small businesses could benefit from strategies used to mitigate the small firms’ failure rate by obtaining suitable leadership values and skills, understanding the business’s nature, and engaging in financial planning. Grounded in Schumpeter’s entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small home health business owners used to sustain their businesses beyond …

Relationship Between Nonprofit Leadership Intention, Leadership Development Programs, And Succession Planning Documentation, Denise March

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Understanding the importance of efficient and effective leadership transition to retain organizational intelligence can mitigate the risks of significant disruption. The problem for nonprofits is the potential loss of organizational intelligence, funding, and continuity as baby boomers retire and transition out of their leadership roles without effectively addressing leadership transition and an impending leadership deficit. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive correlational study was to examine the relationship between leadership intention factors, succession planning documentation, and leadership development programs. The research questions pertained to the relationship between leadership intention factors, succession planning documentation, and leadership development programs. Ajzen’s theory of …

Effective Strategies Processing Companies Use To Sustain Business Operations Beyond 5 Years, Travis C. Souders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small food processing businesses in the United States lack strategies to remain financially viable beyond 5 years of operation. Owners and managers of small food processing businesses could benefit from an improved understanding of the importance of effective strategies to improve small business sustainability. Grounded in systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies small food processing companies use to sustain operations beyond 5 years. The participants were 1 small-business owner and 8 managers in Lexington, Kentucky, who used effective strategies to sustain business operations beyond 5 years. Data collected came from semi-structured …

Relationship Between Corporate Social Responsibility And Social Performance Of Small Businesses, Melva Steps

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business leaders affected by negative social performance may also experience a diminishing customer base and minimized profits. Grounded in the strategic success paradigm framework, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between four elements of corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategic posture (workplace, marketplace, community, and environment) and social performance. The participants consisted of retail trade small business owners in the United States. The Survey of CSR in Small Business was conducted via SurveyMonkey and provided the data for analysis (N = 85). Results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the regression model significantly …

Sustainable Building Certification In Healthcare And Patient Satisfaction, Brian Jay Goehner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Eco-friendly healthcare delivery concepts are becoming more accepted as hospital leaders seek to control energy costs, mitigate contributions to climate change, and preserve scarce resources. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) offers healthcare leaders a framework for designing and constructing sustainable facilities that meet efficiency goals. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to build an understanding of whether LEED certification influences Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) ratings. Using complex systems theory as the framework, the research questions were focused on exploring if higher levels of LEED certification led to greater HCAHPS overall hospital …

The Way Forward For The Integration Of Sustainability Standards, Tobi Petrocelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Large-scale environmental failures within public companies in the United States have led to a globally growing trend in stakeholder insistence that company leaders maintain formal integrated sustainability accounting in their financial reports. Companies that rate high on communications of their sustainability efforts and integrating corporate social responsibility develop investment efficiency and ultimately increase their financial performance. Grounded in stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies 5 chief sustainability officers within publicly held companies in New York can integrate into their annual reporting in order to generate maximum value for stakeholders. Data were collected …

Use Of Force Citizen Complaints, Use Of Force Violations, And Early Intervention, Drema Ann Hymon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Mounting public protests, increasing expensive payouts, and shootings of unarmed victims by police is a call to reexamine options to problem solving, service recovery, and preventing police misconduct as it pertains to the use of force. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the correlation between early intervention system data

(a) use of force, citizens' complaints (race and gender), and use of force violations (race, gender, and years of service for officers). The disruptive theoretical framework provided an innovative lens to examine police misconduct of a large midwestern large law enforcement agency. This secondary data study did …

Relationship Between Transformational Leadership Style And Financial Sustainability, Tameika R. Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Only 50% of the U.S. small businesses opened in 2011 were able to maintain financial sustainability. Small business owners struggle with identifying the type of leadership style needed to increase financial sustainability. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, and financial sustainability. The participants consisted of 76 small business owners located in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Maryland, Texas, and Virginia. The business owners completed a survey containing the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and the Financial Capability Scale. The data were analyzed using multiple …

Strategies For Small Business Sustainability Beyond 5 Years In New Restaurant Industry, Alexandria Norma Wilhoite

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than half of small businesses in the United States are unsustainable within the first five years of existence. Small business owners who do not implement successful and sustainable strategies are at a high risk of failure. Grounded in the resource-based view theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that some small restaurant owners use to sustain business beyond five years. The participants included three small business owners in Connecticut who have been in business for five years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, company websites, and company documents. Yin’s 5-step thematic analysis was …

Stakeholder Effects On Shaping Public Policy In Stormwater Management, Galates Sera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Washington, DC, historical data are used to adequately size for rainfall events, and efforts to increase stormwater management requirements are fought against by internal stakeholders. In urban planning, extreme rainfall events, that may occur more frequently than expected, are often not a consideration when designing for green infrastructure facilities. The purpose of this case study was to explore how internal and external stakeholders influence stormwater management policies related to extreme rainfall events in Washington, DC. The power and politics organization theory, which focuses on how individuals obtain influence, and the resource dependency theory, which explores how organizations benefit from …

Strategies For Oil And Gas Asset Retirement Sustainability In Alberta, Canada, Ikenna Uhuegbulem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Oil and gas companies in Alberta, Canada lose millions of dollars per year due to ineffective management of retired assets. Ineffective management of inactive oil and gas assets in Alberta has led to over 80,000 inactive wells, highlighting the practice of prolonged deferment of asset end-of-life costs. Using the corporate sustainability model and asset management concept model as frameworks, this multiple case study was conducted to explore the strategies that asset managers in small- and medium-sized oil and gas companies used to manage retired assets effectively to increase organizational sustainability. The population for the study included 3 business leaders of …

Strategies To Sustain A Real Estate Small Business In Postnatural-Disaster Area, Vianka Miranda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many small real estate business leaders lack effective strategies to resume and sustain operations in a postnatural-disaster environment. This multiple case study investigated strategies that 3 small real estate business leaders in southeastern Louisiana used to resume and sustain operations in the aftermath of a natural disaster. The chaos theory and stakeholder theory were the conceptual frameworks for this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, and reviews of business continuity plan documents and member checking. The themes that emerged from data analysis were leaders' strategies relating to business planning and innovation, stakeholder engagement, operations management, and disaster responsiveness. Implications …

Strategies For Not-For-Profit Sustainability, Latesha Slappy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of not-for-profit organizations could benefit from learning how to build a sustainable organization to help ensure that their organizations could continue to provide valuable services to the community for the future. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the fundraising strategies and donor development skills that leaders used to create a sustainable organization. Five purposefully selected leaders of a not-for-profit organization in Michigan, with experience in implementing effective fundraising strategies and fostering donor development skills for a sustainable business, participated in the study. Transformational leadership was the conceptual framework. The data collection process entailed face-to-face semistructured …

Optimizing Green Supply Chain Management Strategies, Mark Derek De La Grandiere

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some business leaders in the manufacturing industry lack strategies to optimize green supply chain management strategies that increase profitability while reducing the carbon footprint. The lack of green supply chain strategies sub optimizes the use of resources business leaders use to meet their financial goals. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore successful green supply chain strategies leaders used to increase profitability while reducing the carbon footprint. The participants were 7 business leaders in one manufacturing organization headquartered in Massachusetts who have sophisticated green supply chain strategies in place. The natural resource-based view theory was the …

The Alchemy Of Sustaining New Business Ventures, Alicia R. Hooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high failure rates of new business ventures (NBV) negatively affect employment and potential contributions to the economic health of communities. The high NBV failure rate is essential, as NBV sustainability influences job creation and increases employment rates in communities surrounding the NBV. The purpose of this qualitative single case study, using the effectuation conceptual framework, was to explore strategies organization leaders in the state of Missouri used for sustaining NBV operations beyond 5 years. The sample consisted of 6 NBV consultants from a single Missouri NBV consulting firm who have sustained NBVs beyond 5 years. The 6 NBV consultants …

Strategies For Small Business Sustainability, Victor K. Adoukonou

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses represent more than 99% of all employers in the United States, but more than 50% of small businesses have failed before 5 years. Climate change, digitization, and social media contribute to a paradigm shift in consumers' habits, as more consumers have become environmentally and social justice conscious. Business leaders who are unable to follow the consumers' trends and changes of habit may not succeed in sustaining their businesses. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies owners of small businesses in the District of Columbia use to sustain their businesses for longer than 5 years …

Sustainable Supply Chain Management In The Nigerian Consumer Goods Manufacturing Sector, Ekpen Theophilus Owie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supply chain practitioners in developing economies, like Nigeria, experience challenges in implementing sustainable supply chain management practices. Poor sustainability implementation engenders the negative effects of supply chain operations on people, the environment, and business continuity. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore and describe the experiences of supply chain practitioners in the consumer goods manufacturing industry in Nigeria about sustainable supply chain management based on the theoretical foundations of stakeholder and general systems theories. The focus of the research question was to examine the experiences of supply chain practitioners to understand the challenges in implementing sustainable …