Digital Commons Network^™

Commercial Property Vacancies In American Cities, Ngan Nguyen Kim Dinh

University Honors Theses

This paper examines the alarming impacts of the vacancy phenomenon on commercial properties across American during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in remote work encourages people to work from home more frequently. This does not only lessen employees’ foot traffic to offices, but also disconnects the engagement of consumers and visitors to public areas, such as malls, stores, and other amenities. Many commercial properties have closed, shrunk their operating spaces, or reallocated for safety and security reasons. Reduction in occupancy rate among mentioned properties influences negatively on business owners, their associated partners, residents of the impacted areas, and …

2023 Community Bank Case Study Competition, Joseph Kelly

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

We studied a community bank in Danville, Arkansas named Chambers Bank. This was part of a 2023 Community Bank Case Study Competition, which illustrated the financial analysis, staffing, and training of the bank. We learned about technology implemented into the bank, and how the bank works with customers locally to ensure the best quality care.

2023 Community Bank Case Study Competition, Alivia Brewer

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

Study of Chambers Bank, located in Danville, Arkansas for the 2023 Community Bank Case Study Competition. This paper covers financial analysis, training and technology, as well as staffing.

Association Between Food Insecurity And Chronic Health Condition Among Adults (18 To 48), Prasanth Reddy Guda

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Uncertainty or limited access to safe food, known as food insecurity, can affect the health and healthcare needs of individuals with several chronic conditions. During 2022, 12.8 percentage (around 17.0 million) of households in the United States experienced food insecurity. The main objective of this study was to examine the Association between food insecurity and chronic health conditions adults. We collected data from NHIS 2022 sample Adults’ Interview (The National Health Interview Survey). The research question asked are: (Q1) Are there certain long term health issues that are more common among adults facing food insecurity age in between the ages …

Workplace Wellness, Hannah Holder

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The evolving landscape of workplace dynamics underscores a growing emphasis on achieving a better work-life balance and healthier lifestyle, particularly among younger generations entering the workforce. This shift in preferences highlights the importance of companies adapting to meet the needs of employees by offering flexibility and support for wellness initiatives. A workplace culture that promotes work-life balance not only enhances employee satisfaction but also leads to increased productivity and decreased healthcare costs. While comprehensive wellness programs and flexible work arrangements are beneficial, they may not be universally applicable. However, the overarching commitment to creating a supportive and healthy work environment …

Impact Of The Methamphetamine Epidemic On Healthcare, Amanda Brumfield

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: The surge in methamphetamine use in the U.S. has presented various challenges for individuals and healthcare systems. Research has shown high relapse rates, oral health issues, and increased susceptibility to blood-borne viruses among users, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Furthermore, the absence of approved pharmacological treatments and systemic barriers to effective treatment highlighted the pressing need for holistic approaches to address this epidemic successfully.

Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research was to identify the challenges faced by treatment providers specializing in substance use disorder treatment amid rising instances of methamphetamine abuse, including managing heightened relapse …

Artificial Intelligence And The Entertainment Industry, Caroline Rae Mccarthy

Honors Theses and Capstones

Artificial intelligence is a fast-growing technology that is quickly taking over many industries, such as the entertainment industry. Artificial intelligence has the capability to replicate voices, create fake videos and photos, called deepfakes, of just about anything, and can practically bring people back to life. This technology, as it stands now, is similar to the wild west because in the vast majority of places, it’s lawless. Artificial intelligence is growing so rapidly that lawmakers haven’t had a chance to keep up. This paper explains more of what AI does in everyday life, and how its abilities can impact the entertainment …

An Examination Of Reward-Based Crowdfunding Performance And Success, Matthew Alan Grace

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reward-based crowdfunding (RBCF), where fundraisers raise funds from a crowd of investors in return for a reward, has carved a niche as a proven option for not just entrepreneurs seeking early-stage funding, but also for established firms looking to presell or market a new product or service. Establishing crowdfunding performance and success factors is important for researchers and practitioners alike. Fortunately, a large portion of the RBCF academic literature is immediately applicable to entrepreneurs, with very little additional interpretation required. However, important questions about RBCF remain. The first paper in this three-part dissertation, a systematic literature review, examines some of …

Examining The Impact Of Sports Influencer Advertising On Consumer Behavior In The Us And Saudi Arabia On Instagram., Mohammed Samer Alassaf

Masters Theses

This paper discusses the influence of sports influencers on the buying pattern of fans in the United States and Saudi Arabia. Sports are a crucial part of life in both countries, with numerous athletes being considered celebrities. Sports influencers have a tremendous impact on the audience, who often imitate their behavior and buy the products they advertise. The sports market is huge in both countries, with businesses utilizing sports influencers to promote their brands. Instagram is a popular platform for businesses to gain young fans and customers. The research and development of the sports industry have enabled considerable growth of …

Career Choice Motivation For Commercial Pilots, Brett Watts

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Career choice motivation research studies the factors involved during a person’s decision-making process regarding which career to pursue (Skatova & Ferguson, 2014). These factors are often studied in individuals who have not yet entered the workforce, such as students. Although there is a significant amount of research on career choice motivations for doctors, dentists, and other related fields, research on career choice motivations for pilots is sparse. As air traffic is expected to grow at approximately 4.7% per year for the next 20 years (Federal Aviation Administration, 2022), a key factor in the aviation industry’s growth is the availability of …

Perceptions Of Student Loan Debt: A Phenomenological Study Exploring Black Undergraduate Students' Experiences., Pilar Prather

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rising cost of higher education concerns many families in the United States, especially those from historically underrepresented backgrounds. The purpose of this study is to explore the phenomenon of Black students' perception of their student loan debt and how their financial knowledge influences their decisions at a public institution. This qualitative research provides space to empower individuals to share their stories through semi-structured interviews to get an account of their experiences. Grounded in Yosso's (2005) Community Cultural Wealth Theory, the study seeks to capture the unique ways Black students make financial decisions. The dissertation is divided into five chapters: …

Towards A Formal Theory Of Humor In Organizations, Richard Joseph Hayes

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Current theories and models of humor conceptualize humor at the individual, dyadic, and organizational level. These theories laid the foundation for research and empirical findings that have established humor’s impact in the workplace. Yet, because these theories are not integrated, they individually do not offer a comprehensive view of humor in the workplace across different levels, hindering the development of multilevel research designs. Additionally, the ambiguity of these narrative theories hampers empirical testing precision. This dissertation expands the literature by introducing a mathematical, multilevel model of humor and tests that theory using computational simulation methods. Synthetic environments reproduced observed correlations …

The Epidemic Of Opioid Usage In West Virginia, Kendra Lester, Carrington Hatfield

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The opioid epidemic in West Virginia is a complex interplay of factors, including poverty, low education, and high unemployment rates, which contribute to higher rates of substance use and opioid-related deaths. The number of people injecting drugs has risen from 36% in 2005 to 54% in 2015. WV recorded 871 overdose deaths from all drugs in 2019 with 76.8% involving at least one opioid. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate and analyze the circumstances that contributed to West Virginia's opioid epidemic to determine if sociocultural factors, such as lifestyle, education, and demographics, influenced the epidemic as …

Strategies Dental Center Leaders Use To Improve Productivity Using Onsite 3d Printing, Edward Zamanian

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many dental centers are leveraging onsite 3D printing to increase their productivity and improve the quality of care they provide. However, dental center leaders lacking strategies to implement onsite 3D printing in their dental centers fail to take advantage of the substantial benefits of using this new technology. Grounded in the theory of disruptive innovation, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies dental center leaders use to improve productivity using onsite 3D printing. The participants comprised five dental center leaders in the United States who successfully implemented strategies to improve productivity using onsite 3D printing. Data …

Public Service Motivation: African American Senior Military Officers Transitioning To Civilian Service, Ansara Todd Burgess

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Motivation plays a crucial role in public organizations in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation as well as moral obligation. While considerable efforts over the past several decades have led to vast improvements in federal workforce diversification, significant problems still exist involving diversity management and racial representation across all levels of federal government employment. The theoretical framework guiding this study was public service motivation. The purpose of this study was to explore the U.S. federal government’s inability to attract and retain senior executive service African Americans through lived experiences of retired African American military officers who currently work for the …

Postsecondary Education, Self-Efficacy, And Organizational Commitment Impact On Previously Incarcerated Employee Job Satisfaction, Elizabeth Sadler Roney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A study was conducted to determine if previously incarcerated employee age, postsecondary education (PSE) attainment, prior incarceration status, and assessed self-efficacy predict job satisfaction. It also considered if organizational commitment had a moderating effect on the predictors ability to forecast the criterion. Two underlying theories considered in this study are Bandura’s social learning theory and Vroom’s expectancy theory. The obtained sample of 22 participants included seven previously incarcerated individuals. Demographic data used as predictors were employee age, PSE attainment, and prior incarceration status. Three instruments used included the New General Self-Efficacy Survey to assess self-efficacy as a predictor, the Job …

Postsecondary Education, Self-Efficacy, And Organizational Commitment Impact On Previously Incarcerated Employee Job Satisfaction, Elizabeth Sadler Roney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A study was conducted to determine if previously incarcerated employee age, postsecondary education (PSE) attainment, prior incarceration status, and assessed self-efficacy predict job satisfaction. It also considered if organizational commitment had a moderating effect on the predictors ability to forecast the criterion. Two underlying theories considered in this study are Bandura’s social learning theory and Vroom’s expectancy theory. The obtained sample of 22 participants included seven previously incarcerated individuals. Demographic data used as predictors were employee age, PSE attainment, and prior incarceration status. Three instruments used included the New General Self-Efficacy Survey to assess self-efficacy as a predictor, the Job …

Accounting Case Studies, Virginia Sudduth

Honors Theses

This thesis is a collection of accounting case studies completed during the 2020-2021 academic school year. Each case was assigned and reviewed by Dr. Victoria Dickinson in her honors independent study class. There are twelve cases that comprise this thesis including A Tale of Two Cities, Asset Concepts, Presidential Debate, Excel Course, Taxodus – Playing The Global Tax Avoidance Game, Business Interview, Case Competition – Earnings, Stock Price, and Analysis, and Financial Crisis of 2008. These cases cover a wide variety of topics that allowed me to apply concepts learned in my studies in order to solve complex accounting issues …

Sustainability In Minor League Sports, Sara Nimmo

Honors Theses

The COVID-19 Pandemic has greatly impacted the sports industry with the substantial changes that were prevalent during 2020. With those changes, many leagues had drastic budget decreases and were forced to compensate for the lost revenues. Many teams throughout Minor League Baseball, the AHL and the NBA G League were forced to come up with creative revenue streams as well as cost cutting strategies in order to maintain operations after the pandemic. Along with the effects of COVID-19 on the business of minor league sports, there is also heightened attention on what minor league teams are doing to sustain the …

Contributions Community Health Centers In The Delta Have Made During The Pandemic And Their Future, Ajah Tiyanna Singleton

Honors Theses

Community health centers that are located in the Mississippi Delta serve as critical points of contact for residents pertaining to medical care. The framework for the services provided locally, and nationally, originate from the now Delta Health Center in Mound Bayou, MS. The care that providers within these institutions have transformed over the course of the pandemic, and the aid rendered to patients have enabled residents to maintain their current level of health. Analyzing the various services provided during this time will allow for stakeholders to determine the next steps for these institutions as the imminent transition into a COVID-19 …

Grabbing Consumers By The Ears: Exploring The Role Of Branded Podcasts In An Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy, Lilly Hamm

Honors Theses

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is a framework for understanding how brands can meet consumer needs. Practitioners of IMC use an array of communication channels like marketing, advertising, sales, and public relations to build a consistent brand narrative, but they also recognize that strong marketing potential rests in the hands of the consumer. With the rapid advancement in new technology, IMC professionals are constantly looking for new ways to reach their targeted audience.

By 2016 and 2017, IMC practitioners began to notice the lack of ad clutter in the podcasting platform, leading them to flock to this channel to promote their …

Pandemic Pivot: An Analysis Of How Retail Pharmacies Diversified Their Offerings During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Juliana Hybner

Business/Business Administration

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the operating strategy of nearly all businesses open in 2020. Businesses were split into two groups, essential and nonessential. Nonessential business, like gyms, shopping malls, and movie theaters, had little choice in their strategy in the beginning of the pandemic. They had to close. As they reopened, they found creative ways to attract customers without amassing large crowds in their storefronts. Essential businesses, on the other hand were faced with a unique challenge. Serving the U.S. population during their most vulnerable time. Retail pharmacies took on key responsibilities, administering COVID-19 tests and vaccines, while also …

Leadership Experiences With Organizational Infrastructure In Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs, Latia Greer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of buy-in is a critical factor when initiating organizational change. Although changes are necessary for growth and sustainability, leadership can be met with resistance. Early childhood mental health consultation is a solution-focused intervention to support early childcare providers and educators to improve child outcomes. The implementation of the program requires a well-defined operational model to have greater effectiveness and efficiency. The present case study explored the leadership experience of buy-in to change during the implementation of an early childhood mental health consultation school-based program in a nonprofit organization in the Midwest region of the United States. The Baldrige Excellence …

Evaluating The Impact Of Off-Farm Decisions On Federal Government Program Utilization And Financial Success For Missouri's Beginning Farmers, Lyndsey Ann Parker

MSU Graduate Theses

Farmers and ranchers will have to increase production by approximately 70% by the year 2050 according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (2017). People in the agriculture industry face several challenges from start-up costs to limited land availability (Ahearn, 2011). There are federal and state government programs available to assist with some of these challenges but bring their own hardships as well. This study measures off-farm decisions that affect financial performance and utilization of government programs for Missouri’s farmers and ranchers. Three types of financial performance of Missouri farms are prioritized in this study, liquidity (current ratio), solvency (debt-to-asset ratio), …

Source Credibility And Persuasive Communication: Effects On Social Media Influencers, Influencer Marketing, And Consumer Attitude Change, Isabelle Jia

CMC Senior Theses

Social psychology has long been researching how source credibility influences persuasive communication. With the world transitioning into a society interested in digital consumption, communication, and connection, this paper serves as a literature review of how different characteristics of source credibility can aid influencer credibility through various modes of social media messaging. The examination of three source credibility characteristics: 1) expertise, 2) trustworthiness, and 3) likability showcase how social media influencers can establish credibility with their consumers and build further connections with them. The results underline the importance of source credibility in influencing consumer attitude change and behavior over continued exposure …

Identification And Security Implications Of Biometrics, Kathryn Boggs

Online Theses and Dissertations

The usage of biometrics has become more frequent over the past couple of decades, notably due to technological advancements. Evolving technology in the field of biometrics has also led to increased accuracy of associated software, which have provided the opportunity to use a multitude of different human characteristics for identification and/or verification purposes. The current study assessed the usage of biometrics in casinos, hospitals, and law enforcement agencies using a survey methodology. Results indicated that privacy concerns related to the use of biometrics may not be as prevalent as indicated in the literature. Additionally, results indicated that the utilization of …

Grassroots Talent Development At La Maestra: Understanding The Perceptions Of Leaders And Staff, Gorn Huvanandana

Dissertations

This dissertation explored the leadership and staff perceptions of talent management (TM) in the San Diego-based community health center La Maestra. The organization initiated a scheme called Grassroots Talent Development (GTD) that focuses on developing its internal talents from the ground up, including using mentorship, on-the-job training, problem-solving techniques, and mission attachment reinforcement. The distinctive use of a holistic wellness model, Circle of Care (CoC), stemming from its core mission to serve underserved populations, has not only driven how the organization functions but also how it attracts, develops, and retains a diverse pool of talents. La Maestra innovated programs for …

The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Single Women, Catherine Martens

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since its formation in the 1700’s, America has been home to varying degrees of discrepancies between social classes, which include assumptions inherently held within these differences. Considering the fact that America was largely built by the hands of human slaves ruled by those with political influence often landowners, social hierarchy has been intricately woven into the fabric of America’s story from the beginning. Despite the progress that has been made to create and advance equal economic opportunity, there is still a considerable lack of social mobility available for those in lower socioeconomic statuses. More specifically, the impact of poverty is …

Comparative Job Skill Development Initiatives In Northwest Arkansas And Barcelona, Grace Davis

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social innovation strategies are being used around the world to create new avenues to meet the social needs of people that can vary from lack of jobs or food to deforestation and loss of wildlife. In the past, simple donations and corporate programs have made an impact, but there is a new way of creating sustainable and profitable impact through newly introduced strategies that consider society as a whole and allow the perceived obstacle to work as a solution. It is important to first note what social innovation is. Social innovation is the restructuring of philanthropic endeavors by creating sustainable …

Economic And Environmental Impacts Of Drone Delivery, Juan Zhang

Dissertations

Motivated by the potentially huge economic and environmental benefits of drone delivery, this dissertation developed mathematical models using the continuous approximation methodology to quantify the cost and emissions savings that drone delivery can provide relative to conventional truck delivery on multi-stop routes for a range of operating characteristics, delivery environments, and carbon intensities of power generation. This research considers two types of drone delivery: drone-only delivery and truck-drone delivery. In drone-only delivery, drones travel out-and-back from a depot to make each delivery. In truck-drone delivery, a truck and drone tandem make deliveries in parallel with the drone being launched and …