Small Seasonal Business Strategies To Increase Profits Through Community Collaboration,
2015
Walden University
Small Seasonal Business Strategies To Increase Profits Through Community Collaboration, Kevin B. Gibbons
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Seasonal small business owners (e.g., boating and golf industries), primarily within the upper and Midwestern United States, face challenges for profit and growth because of a brief business potential year and limited time to establish a reliable and committed customer base. The purpose of this case study was to explore strategies that seasonal small business owners in Oakland County, Michigan may use to collaborate with local associations and charitable organizations to increase profits. Stakeholder theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. A purposive sample of 4 successful small seasonal business owners in Oakland County, Michigan participated in face-to-face …
Profitability And The Financial Strategies Of Women-Owned Small Businesses,
2015
Walden University
Profitability And The Financial Strategies Of Women-Owned Small Businesses, Kellie J. Emrich
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The fastest growing segment of business development in the United States comes from small business start-ups, with 42% of these businesses being women owned. Women-owned businesses are annually 25% less profitable when compared to the average small business in the United States. Based on the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this single exploratory case study was to investigate how women small business owners and their employees use financial strategies to increase the profitability of their businesses. Data came from semistructured interviews with 1 woman business owner and 5 business consultants who work for the women-owned small business. The …
One Hospital's Patient Satisfaction Plans In Response,
2015
Walden University
One Hospital's Patient Satisfaction Plans In Response, Valerie A. Smart Shoup
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Recent changes in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement programs resulted in $1 billion in payments to hospitals based on Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores. Approximately 50% of the 3,000 hospitals currently receiving Medicare supplements may receive increases in reimbursement payments while 50% will receive decreases in payments. This case study explored how one hospital team in North Texas achieved high HCAHPS scores. The primary provider theory, Deming's model of plan-do-study-act (PDSA), and disruptive innovation theory framed the study. The data collection process included administrator interviews (n = 7), hospital document analysis …
Microbrewing In Madison County Alabama: Exploring Business Formation Strategies And Regulatory Compliance,
2015
Walden University
Microbrewing In Madison County Alabama: Exploring Business Formation Strategies And Regulatory Compliance, Luis R. Gely
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Business leaders venturing in the microbrewing business sector experience long delays due to federal, state, and city requirements unique to this industry. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used by microbrewers in cases bounded by the fulfillment of the same licensing requirements to launch a microbrewery in Madison County, Alabama. The dynamic capabilities framework served as the conceptual framework for this study. A purposive sampling of 4 microbrewers who possessed tacit knowledge about the microbrewery licensure process participated in face-to-face semistructured interviews providing in-depth information about their strategic approaches. The overarching research question addressed the …
Market Reactions To Businesses' Actions Towards People With Disabilities: Making The Business Case In The International Context,
2015
University of Texas at El Paso
Market Reactions To Businesses' Actions Towards People With Disabilities: Making The Business Case In The International Context, Claudia Araceli Hernández González
Open Access Theses & Dissertations
From the business point of view, people with disabilities still suffer discrimination in employment and lack of accessibility as customers. Opposing, as recipients of philanthropic efforts many individuals and firms donate resources to improve the life of people with disabilities. These actions demonstrate how the majority of the population is still fixed in a medical model of disability by trying to repair the person to conform to the social norm, instead of accepting that many disabilities do not undermine other abilities. However, there is little evidence of how these actions impact the financial performance of the organization. This study attempts …
Strategies To Overcome Barriers To A More Effective Leadership Style,
2015
Walden University
Strategies To Overcome Barriers To A More Effective Leadership Style, David Barnwell
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Disengaged employees and leaders lacking the skills to engage their employees account for an estimated $300 billion annual loss through lowered productivity. This study focused on a leader's understanding of employee engagement as a means of increasing productivity. Utilizing the theory of leadership styles and expectancy theory for the conceptual framework, this descriptive study explored strategies small business leaders have used to develop effective leadership styles to improve workplace engagement. Interviews with a purposive sample of 20 highest-ranking executives at small businesses with between 50 and 250 employees in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States were analyzed using the …
Small Ethnic Restaurant Business Owner Strategies To Remain Operable Beyond 7 Years,
2015
Walden University
Small Ethnic Restaurant Business Owner Strategies To Remain Operable Beyond 7 Years, Nam Phuong Le
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The failure rate among small businesses is high. More than half of all small businesses fail within the first 7 years of operation. The purpose of this multi-case study was to explore the strategies that successful small ethnic restaurant owners employed to remain operable beyond 7 years. Three successful ethnic restaurant owners who have been operating their restaurant for at least 7 years in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada were selected. Data were gathered from participant interviews and from an examination of available physical artifacts such as the locations, premises, websites, and social media pages. The resource-based view by Edith …
Strategies For Transitioning Workforces From Baby-Boomer To Millennial Majorities,
2015
Walden University
Strategies For Transitioning Workforces From Baby-Boomer To Millennial Majorities, Kimberly Gail Riley
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The transition of organizations' workforces from a baby-boomer to a millennial majority in the 21st century has created work-engagement strategy challenges for management. The purpose of this study was to explore the engagement strategies that business managers design and implement that effectively address the generational differences within the workforce. The case study design was appropriate for addressing this study's purpose of exploring the successful experiences of approximately 125 healthcare business managers within a business organization in Huntington, West Virginia. Transformational leadership theory constituted the conceptual framework for this study. Methodological triangulation was used to identify key themes from the participants' …
The Effect Of Applying Design Of Experiments Techniques To Software Performance Testing,
2015
Walden University
The Effect Of Applying Design Of Experiments Techniques To Software Performance Testing, Gloria Johnson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Effective software performance testing is essential to the development and delivery of quality software products. Many software testing investigations have reported software performance testing improvements, but few have quantitatively validated measurable software testing performance improvements across an aggregate of studies. This study addressed that gap by conducting a meta-analysis to assess the relationship between applying Design of Experiments (DOE) techniques in the software testing process and the reported software performance testing improvements. Software performance testing theories and DOE techniques composed the theoretical framework for this study. Software testing studies (n = 96) were analyzed, where half had DOE techniques applied …
Transformational Strategic Choice: The Generational Succession Effect On Small Businesses,
2015
Walden University
Transformational Strategic Choice: The Generational Succession Effect On Small Businesses, Eric D. Williams
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Changing workforce demographics, combined with a gap in knowledge and skills between older and younger generations, threatens small business viability. The presence of four generations in the workforce, where 1 in 5 employees are 55 years and older, presents an unprecedented challenge for small business leaders planning for succession with a multigenerational workforce. The purpose of this case study was to explore the effect of Baby Boomers' presence on small business leaders' ability to retain and transfer knowledge to successive generations. Using snowball and purposeful sampling techniques, 36 small business leaders in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area participated. The conceptual …
Employee Conduct When Administering Government Contracts In The Defense Logistics Agency,
2015
Walden University
Employee Conduct When Administering Government Contracts In The Defense Logistics Agency, Sandra Genevieve Haynes-Michaels
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The Office of the Inspector General in the Department of Justice reported cases of government contracting employees accepting bribes totaling over $540 million within a 6-year period. The purpose of this case study was to explore the perceptions of government contracting managers regarding the knowledge needed to mitigate employees' unethical behaviors when administering government contracts. Previous studies on government contracting employees' unethical behaviors focused on employees' behaviors, but lacked data concerning managers' roles in mitigating employees' unethical behaviors. The study's conceptual framework was stakeholder theory. The data were gathered through semistructured interviews conducted with 21 government contracting managers in the …
Relationship Between Organizational Commitment And Turnover Intentions Among Healthcare Internal Auditors,
2015
Walden University
Relationship Between Organizational Commitment And Turnover Intentions Among Healthcare Internal Auditors, Mouhamadou Thile Sow
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Insufficient auditing staff has become a challenge facing internal auditing in the healthcare industry. Auditors' turnover rates range from 13.4% to 46.6% in the United States based on the type of organization. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between affective commitment, continuance commitment, normative commitment, and turnover intention among auditors. Self-determination theory of motivation was the theoretical framework for examining the employee turnover problem. A random sample of 92 internal auditors was administered the TCM Employee Commitment Survey and Turnover Intention Scales. The model as a whole was able to significantly predict turnover intentions, F(3, …
Political Leadership And Management Of Civic Services In A Downturn Economy,
2015
Walden University
Political Leadership And Management Of Civic Services In A Downturn Economy, Patrick Charles Williams
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Municipal leaders in the United States face difficult decisions when prioritizing nonmandated civic projects for funding, especially when operating budgets are restricted. This phenomenological study investigated municipal leaders' decision-making processes in a state in the southern United States, using a conceptual framework based on rational choice theory, bounded rationality, and group decision-making theory. It specifically explored personal and organizational decision-making processes related to the prioritization and funding of nonmandated civic projects via in-depth interviews with a convenience sample of 15 municipal leaders. Thematic analysis identified expert opinions, the time and cost to complete a project, the perceived value relative to …
Cultural Backgrounds Influencing Virtual Team Performance,
2015
Walden University
Cultural Backgrounds Influencing Virtual Team Performance, Vyacheslav Semenovich Lerner
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Virtual teams improve organizational performance and competitiveness because they reduce business travel and allow team members to work from anywhere, anytime, using the Internet to complete projects. Although researchers have identified benefits of using virtual teams, knowledge about how cultural backgrounds influence virtual team performance is limited. Illuminating this relationship may help leadership improve team performance. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of team members with different cultural backgrounds to understand their effect on team performance. The research questions were based on the conceptual framework of organizational cultural theories developed by Schein and Trompenaars …
Nursing Staff Participation In Chart Audits Increases Documentation Compliance,
2015
Walden University
Nursing Staff Participation In Chart Audits Increases Documentation Compliance, Susan Elaine Nelson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Clinical documentation is an essential quality element that is often not adequately completed. Current data demonstrate that 32% of home health claims do not meet the requirements for federal reimbursement. Rogers's diffusion of innovation was used as a conceptual framework to guide this quality improvement project which determined whether home health nurses with education and chart audit experience demonstrate increased documentation compliance relative to nurses with education only. After completing a 1-hour education program on documentation, a convenience sample of home health nurses (n = 8) was divided between a chart-audit group (n = 4) and a no-chart-audit group (n …
Factors Contributing To The Limited Use Of Information Technology In State Courtrooms,
2015
Walden University
Factors Contributing To The Limited Use Of Information Technology In State Courtrooms, Concetta Manker
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Few state courtrooms in the United States have integrated information technology (IT) in court trials. Despite jurors' beliefs that using courtroom technology improves their abilities to serve as jurors, the attitudes and experiences among attorneys and judges toward the utility of IT continue to pose barriers. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the experiences of attorneys and judges in the State of Virginia with regard limited use of IT in state courtrooms. The conceptual framework included Davis, Bagozzi, and Warshaw's (1989) technology acceptance model; Rogers's (2003) diffusion of innovation theory; and Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, and …
Job Expectations Of Employees In The Millennial Generation,
2015
Walden University
Job Expectations Of Employees In The Millennial Generation, Samantha Jean Linden
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Understanding Millennials' job expectations is critical for employee retention because of the number of Generation X workers who are unable to fill the job openings that Baby Boomers leave vacant when retiring from the workforce. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore Millennial employees' job expectations. Interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 20 Millennials who had at least a bachelor's degree, had at least 1 year of employment experience, and worked in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. The inclusion criteria established work experience as a foundation for determining Millennials' job expectations. The conceptual frameworks of this study …
Evaluating A Strategic Initiative's Efficiency To Enhance Community College Financial Sustainability,
2015
Walden University
Evaluating A Strategic Initiative's Efficiency To Enhance Community College Financial Sustainability, Anne S. Williams
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
During the first decade of the 21st Century, U.S. college enrollment rates increased, public funding fell by 30%, oversight structures changed, and funding algorithms switched to outcome-based metrics such as retention, progression, and graduation rates. Drawing from Vroom's expectancy theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to provide decision makers with information about the factors associated with an implemented strategic initiative at a Connecticut community college. The research question addressed the correlation between the strategic initiative, retention, and organizational financial sustainability using hierarchical, binary regression analysis of archival data for 2,558 first-time full-time students at a Connecticut community college. …
Exploring Critical Success Factors For Managing Complex Information Technology Projects In Federal Agencies,
2015
Walden University
Exploring Critical Success Factors For Managing Complex Information Technology Projects In Federal Agencies, Kyle Dean Boyles
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The problem addressed in this study was the lack of understanding about failures of government leadership in accomplishing complex information technology (IT) projects and the ways such failures can negatively affect organizational performance. The purpose was to query subject matter experts and leaders with the intent to identify methods to reduce complex IT project failure rates in government organizations. This qualitative study drew on the technology acceptance model and the capability maturity model integration framework to evaluate organizations' abilities to manage complex IT projects. The research questions focused on exploring senior managers' experiences, the tacit knowledge of project management methodologies, …
Using The Delta-Model For End-Stage Liver Disease To Improve The Decision-Making Process For The Donor Liver System,
2015
Walden University
Using The Delta-Model For End-Stage Liver Disease To Improve The Decision-Making Process For The Donor Liver System, Joanne Chin
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The purpose of this experimental research was to determine whether using delta-MELD as a criterion for the liver transplant patient selection process could improve the U.S. liver allocation system. This research closed a gap in current literature on the utility of delta-MELD for liver transplant patient selection. The frameworks of systems theory, the analytic hierarchy process, and the Kalman filter contributed to the development of 2 simulation models of the liver allocation system: one that used delta-MELD and one that did not use delta-MELD. The research question examined whether using delta-MELD could improve the liver allocation system by reducing the …
