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Problems And Risks Within The Agriculture Of Stann Creek, Ethan Bailey

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Agriculture is a significant part of the economy of Stann Creek, Belize and faces many challenges. This research presents data from farms in the areas surrounding Dangriga regarding the problems that they have been experiencing and potential risks they may face. The research covers family/individual farms, an agriculture cooperative, commercial farms, agritourism businesses, and Mennonite communities. This research was conducted as part of an internship with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) of Belize alongside extension officers of the Stann Creek branch of the MOA.

The data from the internship found that agriculture in Stann Creek dealt with problems regarding availability …

Bridging The Gap Between Career Expectations Versus Labor Market Realities, Reinette P. Madrid, Grethel T. Ledesma, Ignatius Aryono Putranto, Jyro B. Triviño

Leadership and Strategy Faculty Publications

Most students lack awareness regarding the labor market outcomes for their chosen college majors. This study aims to answer what factors affect the career expectations of graduating students at Quezon City University and how these expectations align with the prevailing labor market situation. It employed descriptive, causal, and explanatory research using a sample of 108 respondents from fourth-year information technology students for the school year 2021 to 2022. Eight of the nine null hypotheses were rejected by employing multinomial logistic and linear regression. Student fixed effects and other labor market outcomes significantly predicted salary, estimated stability, and estimated skills in …

Volume 29, Issue 1 Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Eating Disorders & Meat Consumption: A Meta-Analytic Review, Urska Dobersek, Laurel Standiford-Reyes, Tyler Robinson, Alex Antony Edwin, Sarah Siebers

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

In this meta-analytic review, we examined the current evidence on eating disorders in relation to meat consumption and meat abstention. We systematically searched six online databases in December 2025 for primary research on eating disorder-related variables in meat consumers and meat abstainers. Fifty-one studies with 55,984 participants (n_{meat consumers} = 44,282, n_{meat abstainers} = 9,751) met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The outcomes were eating disorders and orthorexia nervosa. Meat consumption was associated with lower eating disorder (g = 0.20, 95% CI [0.08, 0.32], p = .001) and orthorexia nervosa symptomology (g = 0.47, 95% CI [0.33, …

The Impact Of Organizational Ergonomics On Job Burnout: Evidence From Higher Education Institutions In Iraq, Zainab Shakir Jubair Al-Zalmi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This research aims to examine organizational ergonomics and its impact on job burnout among a random sample of teaching and administrative staff employed at universities, colleges, and institutes within higher education institutions in Iraq. This topic is of considerable importance because improving organizational ergonomics can enhance the work environment, increase job performance, and promote employee well-being. The research also seeks to address the problem of occupational stress and excessive workloads resulting from increasing teaching and administrative tasks assigned to employees in higher education institutions. These pressures contribute to higher levels of job burnout and adversely affect employee performance and job …

Tribal Governance And Organizational Performance In Iraqi Government Organizations: The Mediating Role Of Employee Competency And The Moderating Role Of Merit-Based Management Systems, Roohallah Noori, Maryam Tehrani, Yousef Vakili, Ghasem Ali Rahimeh Fartoosi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Iraqi governmental organizations face a persistent governance crisis in which tribal affiliation - rather than merit – influences recruitment, promotion, and resource allocation decisions, yet the quantitative structural impact of this informal institutional logic on organizational performance remains underexamined. This study aims to examine the direct impact of tribal governance on organizational performance in Iraqi ministerial and governmental organizations, and to test the mediating role of HRM practices effectiveness and employee competency, and the moderating role of merit-based management systems in this relationship. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 414 managers and senior specialists across Iraqi governmental organizations, using …

The Impact Of Flexible Work Arrangements On Employee Performance: Evidence From Private Universities In Baghdad, Mariam Adeeb Rasheed, Noor Khalil Ibrahim

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This study examines the effect of Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) (flexible scheduling, compressed workweek, and telecommuting) on employee performance among administrative leaders in private universities in Baghdad. Addressing inconsistent findings in prior research regarding whether different forms of workplace flexibility contribute equally to employee performance. Guided by Social Exchange Theory, a quantitative cross-sectional design was employed using data collected from 321 administrative leaders across 15 private universities in Baghdad. Measurement reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and confirmatory factor analysis were assessed using the covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) procedure in SmartPLS4. The proposed hypotheses were subsequently tested through structural model …

Enhancing Institutional Performance Through Agile Leadership And Knowledge Management: Evidence From Iraqi Universities, Maha Farooq Ezzat

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) operating in Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) environments face unprecedented managerial challenges. Over the last few years, traditional hierarchical control systems have become less suitable for developing the agility and innovation needed to maintain institutional performance. To date, research has focused on agile leadership and knowledge management separately, but there is a significant gap in the theoretical and empirical literature on their interaction within the higher education system in Iraq. This paper attempts to fill this gap by exploring the interaction between agile leadership, processes of knowledge management (tacit and explicit), and institutional performance. The …

The Impact Of Ai-Driven Customer Relationship Management On Sustainable Performance: The Mediating Role Of Digital Customer Experience, Muhammad Ibrahim Jawad Al-Dulaimi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This paper addresses the limited understanding of how Artificial Intelligence–driven Customer Relationship Management (AI-CRM) influences sustainable performance in emerging economies, particularly through the mediating role of digital customer experience. The study aims to examine the effect of AI-CRM on sustainable performance and investigate whether digital customer experience mediates this relationship. AI-CRM is operationalized through predictive and operational analytics, while sustainable performance is measured using the triple bottom line dimensions: economic, environmental, and social. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was adopted. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 168 customers of hypermarkets affiliated with the Iraqi Ministry of Trade …

The Moderating Effect Of Digital Literacy On The Relationship Between Ai Interaction Quality And Consumer Emotional Engagement, Ali Thamer Ali Al-Ibadi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

As artificial Intelligence (AI) is having an increasing influence on the consumer-brand relationship, empirical evidence of the effects of AI-powered real-time communication on emotional brand engagement over time is scarce. Based on the Digital Emotional Brand Engagement (DEBE) model consisting of four outcome dimensions (Affective Engagement, Cognitive Engagement, Behavioral Engagement, Identification, and Emotional Attachment). The study proposes and empirically tests a model of four dimensions of AI interactions (Responsiveness and Availability, Personalization, Conversational Quality, Problem Resolution Efficiency). A descriptive-correlational quantitative design was adopted, and a sample of 400 consumers who had recently used AI-powered customer service was drawn. Multiple regression …

Key Factors Affecting Arable Land Areas In Iraq: An Analytical Economic Study (1990–2021), Duaa Emad Ahmed, Osamah Kadhim Jbara, Kais Hassan Alwan

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This paper aims to measure and analyze the factors affecting arable land areas in Iraq during the period (1990–2021), to determine the nature of the relationship between these factors in the short and long term. The study analyzed the relationship between the quantity of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers used in agriculture, the volume of water inflow from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and investment allocations for land reclamation projects. It evaluated their impact on arable land areas in Iraq. Results using the ARDL methodology indicated a long-term cointegration relationship between the variables through the bounds test. The F-value reached 7.597. …

The Relationship Between Financial Depth And Financial Inclusion And Its Impact On Economic Growth: An Econometric Analysis, Omar Mahmood Akawee, Ehsan Jabr Ashoor

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This research analyzes the impact of financial depth and financial inclusion on economic growth in Iraq, while also examining their combined effect through an interaction term that captures the complementary dimension of the financial sector. The study adopts an econometric approach using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, based on monthly time-series data covering the period (2022–2025), to estimate both short-run and long-run relationships. The results reveal the existence of a long-run equilibrium relationship among the study variables, as confirmed by the Bounds Test and the error correction term. Furthermore, financial depth, represented by broad money (M2/GDP) and credit to …

Diagnosing Influential Observations Via Hybrid Secretary–Osprey Optimization Algorithm (Hsooa) In Gamma Regression Models For Fasting Blood Glucose Data, Luay Adil Abduljabbar, Sabah Manfi Ridha

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Influence diagnostics are essential for identifying influential observations that may affect the estimation accuracy of regression models. Classical diagnostic measures such as Cook's Distance and DFFITS may become less effective in complex or highly dispersed datasets. In this study, a new Hybrid Secretary–Osprey Optimization Algorithm (HSOOA), based on the integration of the Secretary Bird Optimization Algorithm (SBOA) and the Osprey Optimization Algorithm (OOA), is proposed for influential observation detection in the Gamma Regression Model (GRM). This optimization framework successfully achieves an optimal balance between global exploration and local exploitation. The proposed HSOOA framework was applied to a real medical dataset …

Random Forest Algorithm Vs. Linear Regression For Financial Performance Determinants: Evidence From Iraqi Mixed-Sector Firms, Odaiy Obaid Zeidan, Mustafa Habib Mahdi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This paper examines the predictive factors of financial performance among Iraqi mixed-sector firms, comparing the predictive power of traditional Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression with the Random Forest (RF) machine learning algorithm. Utilizing annual data from 11 firms over the period 2015–2020, the study measures financial performance using Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE), and Return on Sales (ROS). OLS regression identified the directional relationships and p-values, whereas Random Forest evaluated predictive accuracy and modeled nonlinear relationships. The OLS results indicate that firm size, liquidity, productivity, and cash-to-asset ratio have significant positive effects on financial performance, while the …

Eliciting Information About Teacher Applicants Using Open-Ended Questions, Joseph Aguilar-Bohorquez, Dan Goldhaber, Cyrus Grout, Elton Mykerezi, Prayash Pathak, Aaron Sojourner

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

Employers commonly use open-ended questions in hiring, but usually responses aren’t recorded, and knowledge about the usefulness of such responses is limited. This study investigates properties of written responses to open-ended questions collected over many years via an application tracking platform that school districts use to hire teachers. We develop a scalable process to discover topics within the corpus of responses to each question and then to classify each response with respect to the topics while preserving interpretability and transparency. It adapts a traditional qualitative topic modeling approach, Inductive Thematic Analysis, to best combine the strengths of researcher judgment and …

Religious Visitors’ Spiritual Values And Their Relative Importance: Evidence From Chinese Buddhist Tourism Contexts, Zhiqing Wang, Keji Huang, Jiankang Zhang, Yunyun Fan, Ge Zhang

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Spiritual values are affected by diverse factors with different roles and influence daily life in various ways. Using Mount Jiuhua and Mount Putuo, two mountains in Mainland China with great importance in Buddhism, as examples, this study explores the specific dimensions of religious visitors’ spiritual values. Through a survey study, five factors of these spiritual values were extracted and their relative importance was measured. The identified factors were transcendence, general connectedness, inner balance, positive life direction and special religious feelings. According to factor importance analysis, these spiritual values can be categorised into three levels: fundamental, reflective and surpassing. This study …

Shrine Tourism: Fiction And Fact Through An Islamic Lens, Md. Soleman Mollik, Muslima Akter, Mohammad Mominul Islam

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Shrine tourism is highly prevalent in developing countries. Despite this, the volume of research in this field is quite limited. This study makes a novel contribution to shrine tourism from an Islamic lens. It aims to explore the fiction (the beliefs of the pilgrims) held by shrine devotees and the facts (the religious doctrine of Islam) based on Islamic principles, including the noble Quran and the Sunnah (Prophetic tradition), to showcase the facts against the fiction.  The study conducted in-depth interviews with 30 devotees from Bangladesh’s most renowned shrines or mazars between January and November 2023. Later, the data were …

Pilgrimage As A Regional Socio-Economic Driver: Case Study Of Sarria, Km 0 Of The Camino De Santiago, Mª Carmen Pardo Lopez, Mónica Cortés Garcia

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study explores the potential of pilgrimage as a catalyst for tourism growth, with a specific focus on the municipality of Sarria, located along the renowned Way of Saint James (El Camino de Santiago). Despite its international fame, many municipalities along the route fail to capitalise on the socio-economic opportunities presented by pilgrimage tourism (Machado & Pardo, 2018). Sarria, known as ‘Kilometre Zero’ for pilgrims on the French Way, serves as a critical starting point for obtaining the Compostela certificate. This research employs destination planning methodology, utilising qualitative and quantitative data through surveys, interviews, and mystery shopper audits, to analyse …

J Mich Dent Assoc Sept. 2026

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Each month, the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association delivers news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200-plus members. It remains the main publication reaching Michigan dentists and is available worldwide through ADA Commons.

The September 2026 (Volume 108, No. 9) issue of the Journal is published in print format to provide updates and insights for Michigan's oral health community and MDA members. Print editions occur every other month beginning with January.

This full compilation of the September 2026 Journal of the Michigan Dental Association features the deans' reports from the …

Investigating How Personal Values Shape Tourism Experiences: A Case Study Of The Irish National Stud And Gardens, Amy Monahan, Ann T. Conway

International Journal of Tour Guiding and Visitor Attraction Research

This Paper explores the relationship between personal values and tourism experiences  that are  satisfying. A case study of the Irish National Stud and Gardens was undertaken in order to explore this concept. Interviews were conducted to investigate how qualities of the attraction appealed to the visitors’ personal values, thereby enhancing the overall visitor experience. A set of personal values were identified which were specific to the destination. The research demonstrated how an understanding of personal values can assist attractions with various aspects of their operations, with context specific recommendations provided at the end. This approach was taken was taken to …

Moralized Indulgence In The Age Of Inflation: How “Better-For-You” Dessert Brands Reframe Pleasure As Self-Care, Dariya Savrukova

Honors College Theses

In the modern U.S. food landscape, the line between indulgence and wellness has nearly disappeared. The booming “better-for-you” dessert industry, owned primarily by multinational giants such as Mondelēz International, PepsiCo, and Mars Inc., reframes high-sugar, high-calorie treats as acts of self-discipline or self-care. This phenomenon is often referred to as “healthwashing” (Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, 2022), when through verbal and visual language, these companies transform indulgence into moral consumption, inviting consumers to feel virtuous through consumption. Many consumers crave stability and health, but navigate an environment saturated with manipulative design and ambiguous claims. “Better-for-you” branding exploits this gap by …

Impact Of Environmental, Social, And Governance (Esg) Practices On The Stability And Profitability Of Financial Institutions In Malaysia, Sharifah Najihah Syed Ishar, Sharifah Fairuz Syed Mohamad, Nurul Sima Mohamad Shariff, Mazlynda Md Yusuf

International Journal of Management, Finance and Accounting

This study examines how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) activities affect the stability and profitability of Malaysian financial institutions, in light of the country's growing emphasis on sustainable finance. Using annual data from 2014 to 2024, the study focuses on three main objectives: assessing whether stronger ESG practices enhance financial stability, identifying the most influential ESG pillar among environmental, social, and governance components, and evaluating whether ESG performance affects profitability. This study employs random-effects panel regression with robust standard errors, yielding empirical evidence relevant to Malaysia’s dual banking landscape. The results show that stronger ESG performance raises the stability of …

Economic Policies And Their Role In Enhancing Innovation: An Econometric Study Of South Korea (1996–2024), Ahmad M. Habeeb, Mahdi Saleh Sulaiman Al-Rikani

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

This research aims to study and analyze the impact of macroeconomic policies (fiscal, monetary, and trade) on promoting innovation in South Korea during the period 1996-2024 using the ARDL model. The results of estimating the model’s parameters in the short and long run showed a stable equilibrium relationship, with an error correction coefficient of –0.173. This indicates that the Korean economic system possesses a self-correcting mechanism that restores equilibrium shocks within approximately 5 years and 9 months. The results also demonstrated the importance of education spending and the money supply in stimulating and promoting innovation, while trade liberalization had a …

Greenovation As A Strategic Leverage For Sustainable Competitive Advantage, Amiya Kumar Mohapatra, Anil Kumar, Yiğit Kazançoğlu

Management Dynamics

Greenovation is the new currency of the global economy which focuses on ‘green and innovation’ that generates environmental benefits through reduced resource consumption, lower carbon emissions, and improved ecological performance aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Greenovation focuses on long-term value creation by integrating environmental externalities, resource circularity, and multi-stakeholder governance and accountability structures. Greenovation integrated with corporate strategies can provide greater strategic competitive advantages which is also termed as green competitive advantage. By systematically integrating product and process improvements through Greenovation, firms can attain competitive advantage for long-term value creation for both internal and external stakeholders. It is imperative …

2026-08-07 Agenda Booklet, Morehead State University. Board Of Regents.

Morehead State Board of Regents Agenda Books and Meeting Minutes

Agenda booklet for the Board of Regents meeting of August 7, 2026, held in Prestonsburg, which includes the meeting minutes of the meeting held on June 12, 2026.

“No Te Metas, Eso Es De Hombres”: How Gendered Barriers Shape Women’S Income And Success In Rural Mexico’S Livestock Sector, Sofia Gaeta Garcia

McNair Summer Research Program

Women play a significant role in Mexico’s livestock sector, contributing to production, breeding, animal care, and local market activity. However, their labor is often overlooked and undervalued. Women’s work is often treated as “help” rather than recognized as real labor. The calls for “No te metas, eso es de hombres” and “La mujer ayuda, el hombre decide” reflect the gendered ideas this project examines. This research argues that financial, structural, and cultural barriers limit women’s participation in rural Mexico’s livestock industry by restricting their access to income, resources, decision-making power, and financial independence. Using a qualitative research design, this project …

Caring But Still Hurting: Uninsured Patients' Illness And Healthcare Experiences At A U.S. Free Clinic, Danaya Amornnimit, Eda G. Christensen, Adelaida Salmeron, Kian Robison, Sofia Ampudia Arroyo, Jessica Benelli, Brenda Spearman, Akiko Kamimura

Patient Experience Journal

While free clinics provide essential healthcare to socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, patients' lived experiences in these settings remain underexplored. This qualitative study examined how uninsured patients at a U.S.-based free clinic perceive their illness experiences and interactions with healthcare providers. From October to December 2024, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 adult patients (ages 18–72; M = 49.14), most of whom were non–U.S.-born and primarily Spanish-speaking. Participants described illness as entangled with emotional distress, social isolation, stigma, and disruptions to identity and family roles—revealing a psychological burden that extends beyond physical symptoms. These findings highlight the need to integrate psychosocial and …

Secondary Infertility: A Personal Story Of Loss And Grief, Ben Hughes

Patient Experience Journal

An increasing number of people worldwide are experiencing fertility and this trend is reflected in the data from the United Kingdom. However, most research focuses on the experiences of women and so the male perspective is largely missing from the literature. This narrative is an account of my personal journey of secondary infertility. Presenting a male perspective of infertility provides a point of view which is rarely explored and is about a topic which feels largely a societal taboo. I chart how infertility has changed me, what it has meant to me through my years of trying to come to …

Pagbabago Ng Tema At Representasyon: Anita Magsaysay-Ho Tungo Kay Karen Ocampo Flores, Cristy Allen Serote, Ernesto V. Carandang Ii

DLSU Arts Congress Conference Proceedings

Maraming mga Pilipinong pintor ang nakilala sa loob at labas ng bansa dahil sa angking kahusayan ng kanilang mga likhang obra. Magkagayunpaman, iilang pintor lang ang nagkaroon ng mataas na rekognisyon o pagkilala. Mula sa malaking bilang ng mga tanyag at mahuhusay na pintor, mapapansing malaking bahagdan ng mga ito ay lalaki. Ang pag-aaral na ito ay naglalayong suriin ang teknik at estilo nina Anita Magsaysay-Ho (1914-2012) at Karen Ocampo Flores (1966) bilang tugon sa mga hamon ng kanilang panahon, masuri ang pagbabago ng tuon ng kanilang obra bilang politikal na alagad ng sining, at malaman kung paano ginamit ni …

Drawn For A Brighter Tomorrow: A Functional Art Workshop As A Path To Livelihood And Skills Development Under The Pasay Social Welfare And Development Department (Pswdd), Liane Oxana V. Estuesta, Giana Margaux D. Bustos, Anne Kirsten Cerish S. Gamayo, Julia Patrish P. Go

DLSU Arts Congress Conference Proceedings

This study examines how functional art workshops, where creativity results in usable, real-world objects, can be a tool for livelihood and skills development among children in need of special protection aged 7-17 under the Pasay Social Welfare and Development Department (PSWDD). Specifically, grounded in arts-based and qualitative research, the study seeks to understand how exposure to functional art-making can support participants’ confidence, agency, and practical competencies. Data was gathered through primary sources, including a needs assessment survey, semi-structured interviews with youth participants and administrators after the program, and visual documentation of completed artworks. Secondary sources were also used, including published …