Jet Fuel Hedging And Modern Financial Theory In The U.S. Airline Industry,
2017
Walden University
Jet Fuel Hedging And Modern Financial Theory In The U.S. Airline Industry, Brandon Lee Schweitzer
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
To counter the problem of the volatility of jet fuel prices within the United States, many financial managers of U.S. airlines use hedging as a financial tool to mitigate the risk of exposure to market price volatility. However, their efforts often lead to financial distress for their airlines. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to explore U.S. airline managers' use of financial hedging to reduce the risk of exposure from the volatility of jet fuel prices. The conceptual framework was Simkowitz's theory of modern finance, which concerns debt policy, dividend policy, and investment policy as they relate …
Hospital Outcomes Based On Physician Versus Non-Physician Leadership,
2017
Walden University
Hospital Outcomes Based On Physician Versus Non-Physician Leadership, Collins Yazenga Mkandawire
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Hospital performance metrics are an indicator of leadership performance. However, there is inadequate research on whether physician or nonphysician chief executive officers (CEOs) perform better in the U.S. hospitals. The purpose of this study was to examine which type of leaders is better. Leadership trait, situational leadership, and leadership behavior theories constituted the theoretical foundation. The key research question examined the relationship between a hospital's outcomes, which in this study, included hospital net income, patient experience ratings, and mortality rates, and the type of CEO in that hospital: physician or non-physician. A quantitative, causal comparative design was used to answer …
The Managerial Impact On Small Business Global Supply Chain,
2017
Walden University
The Managerial Impact On Small Business Global Supply Chain, Silvia Nigh
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In a global economy, companies that are able to engage in international trade may have a competitive advantage over others. Increased globalization is also increasing the demand for effective global supply management practices. Building on Lorenz's chaos theory, this instrumental case study explored the strategies that 4 senior managers from small and medium-sized enterprises in Indianapolis, Indiana used to reduce disruptive vulnerabilities in the supply chain continuum. Review of company documents served as the second data collection method. Rowley's 3-step analysis guided the coding process of the interview data, and the trustworthiness of interpretations was enhanced through methodological triangulation of …
Relationships Between Job Satisfaction, Supervisor Support, And Profitability Among Quick Service Industry Employees,
2017
Walden University
Relationships Between Job Satisfaction, Supervisor Support, And Profitability Among Quick Service Industry Employees, Joseph Carl Vann
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Low profit margins threaten the sustainability of quick service restaurants (QSRs). In the United States, low levels of employee job satisfaction and low employee perceptions of supervisor support decrease organizational profitability by as much as $151 million annually, depending on the size and type of organization. Guided by the 2-factor theory of motivation, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between employee job satisfaction, employee perceptions of supervisor support, and organizational profitability. A convenience sample of employees from 86 QSR franchise locations in Houston, Texas completed the Job Satisfaction and Perceived Supervisor Support surveys. Multiple linear …
Work Motivation Theory: Identifying Multi-Generational Values In The Workplace,
2017
Walden University
Work Motivation Theory: Identifying Multi-Generational Values In The Workplace, Rhonda Rochelle Brown-Crowder
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The workforce is diverse on gender, race, ethnicity, culture, work styles, and age. Employees from different generations have varying expectations of what they value from the workplace and therefore approach work differently. Generational differences can lead to mistrust and communication breakdowns. They can also impact job satisfaction and productivity. The Generational Cohort Theory was utilized in this nonexperimental study, and the sample was recruited from CB Richard Ellis Real Estate Group. The purpose of this study was to determine the work values differences among the 4 generational cohorts: Silent, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials. The research questions for this …
Beyond The Enclave: Success Strategies Of Immigrant Entrepreneurs,
2017
Walden University
Beyond The Enclave: Success Strategies Of Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Jose Delfin Gonzalez
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In the United States, immigrant entrepreneurs start almost one third of all new businesses. However, many immigrant entrepreneurs lack the knowledge or expertise to evolve their businesses beyond the ethnic enclave where the businesses are located. This multiple case study captured the strategies used by 5 Latino immigrant business owners who successfully expanded their business beyond their ethnic enclave. The conceptual framework for this study was dynamic capabilities theory. Data were collected from interviews, company documents, and observations of the operation of businesses and owners. Member checking and transcript reviews were used to enhance the reliability and credibility of the …
Leadership Development For The Formal Nurse Leader,
2017
Walden University
Leadership Development For The Formal Nurse Leader, Lori Neu
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Nurse leaders are essential to the advancement of healthcare because of their ability to bridge the gap of knowledge between clinical practice and the business of healthcare. Developing nurse managers is imperative to the future of nursing given their influential role in healthcare. The central topic of exploration in the project was how nurse managers use the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) Nurse Manger Inventory Tool to assess their management skills after exposure to the leadership development program currently available to them. In this project, the novice to expert theory was used to evaluate the existing leadership development program …
Fire Officer Leadership Strategies For Cost Management,
2017
Walden University
Fire Officer Leadership Strategies For Cost Management, Leo R. Sedlmeyer
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Fire departments in the United States accounted for 31% of municipal budgets with increases of 85% spending between 2015 and 2016. The purpose of this single case study was to explore leadership strategies fire officers used to manage costs associated with hazardous operations. The conceptual framework grounding this study was transformational leadership theory. The participants in this study were 10 fire officers who manage hazardous operations in central Wisconsin. The data collection process included open-ended questions in a semistructured format resulting in transcripts, a review of fire department staffing documents, and personal journal notes. Methodological triangulation was used to compare …
Nonprofit Sustainability: How Does Departure Of A Founding Leader Impact Outcomes?,
2017
Walden University
Nonprofit Sustainability: How Does Departure Of A Founding Leader Impact Outcomes?, Lauren Mcindoo
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
There is a high failure rate among local community-based nonprofit human service organizations in New York State, which may lead to service gaps in communities. Increasing sustainability may reduce these gaps and allow nonprofits to continue following the first leadership transition. Using McGregor's human resource theory as the guide, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the relationship between leadership succession planning and how departure of founding leaders impacts the sustainability of nonprofits. Data were collected through interviews with 16 leaders that included departing founding leaders, successors, and 2 board members in 4 local community-based nonprofit human service …
Transformational Leadership Strategies For Addressing Voluntary Employee Turnover,
2017
Walden University
Transformational Leadership Strategies For Addressing Voluntary Employee Turnover, Chris A. Osisiogu
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
For every standard deviation of increase in employee turnover, organizations could suffer a roughly 27% decline in financial performance. Current voluntary employee turnover rates hover between 15% - 40% and the associated unquantifiable indirect costs affecting customer loyalty and creating reputational risks for business leaders. Furthermore, when employees leave an organization for another, a minimum of 95% leave with trade secrets, strategic skills, and acquired knowledge. As a result, turnover has evolved into a significant concern for organizational leaders. Using the transformational leadership concept, the purpose of this single case study was to explore the leadership strategies that bank leaders …
Retail Big-Box Development And Small Business Strategy At The Local Level,
2017
Walden University
Retail Big-Box Development And Small Business Strategy At The Local Level, Katherine F. Kem
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The big-box superstore has created a dramatic effect on the retail landscape since its appearance in 1962. As big-box stores proliferate, small business owners continue to struggle with how to compete. The purpose of this multiple case study was to identify and explore strategies small business owners use to maintain or grow profit margins post big-box store market entry. The sample consisted of 5 small business owners in Kansas City, Missouri who survived the entry of the big-box store for at least 1 year. The conceptual framework was the general systems theory and systems thinking. Data were collected using semistructured …
Human Resource Local Content In Ghana's Upstream Petroleum Industry,
2017
Walden University
Human Resource Local Content In Ghana's Upstream Petroleum Industry, Papa Benin
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Enactment of Ghana's Petroleum (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations, 2013 (L.I. 2204) was intended to regulate the percentage of local products, personnel, financing, and goods and services rendered within Ghana's upstream petroleum industry value chain. Five years after the inception of Ghana's upstream oil and gas industry, a gap is evident between the requirements of L.I. 2204 and professional practice. Drawing on Lewin's change theory, a cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the extent of differences between the prevailing human resource local content and the requirements of L.I. 2204 in Ghana's upstream petroleum industry. The extent to which training …
The Relationship Between Corporate Governance And Organizational Performance In Nigerian Companies,
2017
Walden University
The Relationship Between Corporate Governance And Organizational Performance In Nigerian Companies, Toyin Ishola Lasisi
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The growing lack of confidence in public companies arises from the recent accounting scandals and corporate collapses, which have been attributed to the consequences of separation of ownership and control in modern firms. Agency theory predicts a conflict of interest between managers and shareholders that leads to agency costs and weak performance. This study used agency, stakeholders', and stewardship theories as the theoretical framework and multiple regression analysis to examine the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and organizational performance in nonfinancial firms listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The results of the study could help clarify understanding of corporate governance …
Developing Small And Medium Enterprises In The Nigerian Oil And Gas Sector,
2017
Walden University
Developing Small And Medium Enterprises In The Nigerian Oil And Gas Sector, Blessing Ejiro Inubiwon
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) participation in the Nigerian oil and gas industry has remained low despite their importance in income generation, employment, local capacity building, and poverty eradication. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies SME owners use to improve profitability in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The target population consisted of 5 business owners who had successfully managed SMEs in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria for more than 5 years. The resource-based view and Porter's 5 forces of competition served as the conceptual framework for the study. Data collection was through semistructured interviews …
Employee Engagement Processes And Productivity Among Las Vegas Five-Star Hospitality Organizations,
2017
Walden University
Employee Engagement Processes And Productivity Among Las Vegas Five-Star Hospitality Organizations, Robert White
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Employee disengagement creates an unhealthy working environment. Disengagement rates among Las Vegas hospitality industry organizations led to dissatisfaction among employees and resulted in low productivity and profitability. This qualitative descriptive study involved exploring employee engagement strategies that hospitality industry supervisors and managers used to implement programs, thereby solving the employee engagement problems of their organizations. The conceptual framework for the study was leader-member exchange theory. Twenty participants with 5 or more years of Las Vegas hospitality experience who had already successfully implemented engagement programs answered open-ended questions in semistructured interviews. Company documents constituted an additional data source. Analyzing the data …
Small To Medium Enterprise Business Leaders Managing Change,
2017
Walden University
Small To Medium Enterprise Business Leaders Managing Change, Shahriar Nazari
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Organizational change is necessary for businesses to survive and prosper. One of the main reasons organizational change is unsuccessful is the inadequate leadership style used by business leaders. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore leadership strategies business leaders used to manage change. The target population comprised a purposeful sample of 15 business leaders from various businesses located in the metropolitan area of Southern California. The conceptual framework for this study was the transformational leadership theory, which holds that leaders can use inspiration and motivation to inspire employees, especially during times of organizational change. A pilot study …
Tariffs Eliminations And Exchange Rate Fluctuations Relationships To Trade Elasticity,
2017
Walden University
Tariffs Eliminations And Exchange Rate Fluctuations Relationships To Trade Elasticity, Folly Kuevey Kuevey
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The enactment of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was intended to reduce tariffs on most goods by 2008 among Canada, the United States, and Mexico, and to create the largest regional market outside the European Union. Early research conducted to investigate the relationships between tariffs elimination and trade volume focused mainly on macrolevel effects with mixed results, without acknowledging the possible influence from exchange rate fluctuations. After 20 years, NAFTA has provided the opportunity to observe a significant reduction in tariffs between 1994 and 2013. Skepticism regarding the relationship between trade liberalization and the regional economy, and the …
A Qualitative Exploration Of The Security Practices Of Registered Nurses,
2017
Walden University
A Qualitative Exploration Of The Security Practices Of Registered Nurses, Beth Ann Savage
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Increased breach occurrences in healthcare cause concern for health information as reported by the Federal Government. Significant effort, regulations, and safeguards are in place to protect the systems used in the healthcare industry. Employee handling of security remains an area of vulnerability related to security protocols. The unified theory of acceptance and usage of technology (UTAUT) served as the model for this qualitative exploratory study with the purpose of understanding registered nurse (RN) perceptions and lived experiences related to IT security. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 20 participants from the Three Rivers Chapter American Association Critical Care Nurses. Transcribed data …
Succession Planning For Next Generation Business Leaders,
2017
Walden University
Succession Planning For Next Generation Business Leaders, Yetta Toliver
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The ability to backfill leadership positions has become a key focus of business leaders since 2005 when the baby boom workforce started to age. An aging workforce threatens the capability of business leaders to develop leadership pipelines to ensure business success. Grounded by the social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore successful strategies that technology services managers used to align core business objectives to improve succession planning at a technology services organization located in Dallas, Texas. Data collection and triangulation included semi structured telephone interviews with 12 technology services managers, company documents, and …
Strategies To Expand The U.S. Automated External Defibrillator Market,
2017
Walden University
Strategies To Expand The U.S. Automated External Defibrillator Market, Arturo Cervantes
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Despite defibrillation as the only effective treatment for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), less than 15% of homes and public facilities have access to an automated external defibrillator (AED). In the United States, ineffective response to SCA cases occurring each year classifies it as a business problem for medical device manufacturing leaders, emergency responders, and bystanders. The purpose of this multicase study was to explore the marketing strategies AED manufacturing leaders use to expand their consumer customer base. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of participants from 2 U.S. AED manufacturers on the east coast, 2 AED …
