Digital Commons Network^™

Mental And Physical Humanlikeness In Artificial Intelligence Influencers: Effects On Humanness, Eeriness, And Consumer Responses, Terry Kim Ph.D., Hyunjoo Im

Faculty Publications

Artificial intelligence (AI) influencers, nonhuman characters powered by AI, have garnered a significant following on social media in recent years. Through two between-subjects online experiments (n = 957), this study investigates the impact of AI influencers' appearance realism and self-disclosure on consumer perceptions (humanness and eeriness) and their downstream responses (intention to self-disclose, intention to follow the advice, and brand attitude). Drawing from anthropomorphism and theory of mind, this study emphasizes the distinction of two dimensions of AI influencers' humanlikeness (physical and mental) which differently affect the humanness and eeriness of the AI influencer. Results indicate that the AI …

Proof Of Recovery: A Model To Enhance Data Integrity In Data Management Systems, Gustaf Barkstrom

Theses and Dissertations

Businesses lose millions of dollars every year when they can’t restore data from backups. Research shows that Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) testing is not conducted frequently enough, nor are records maintained that demonstrate full data recovery from backups. This work introduces a design science artifact called PRTOK that aims to increase DRP testing. The design science artifact is a software solution that integrates with Data Management Systems (DMS)

such as iRODS and DSpace, and can work with formats such as HDF5 and BagIt. Proof-of- recovery records, or tokens, are recorded in a replicated, resilient, and indelible proof-of- authority blockchain data …

An Examination Of The Determinants Of Audit Quality: Implications From Firms Listed In Us Stock Markets, Abdelrahman Naser Elmaria

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the effect of several audit determinants, namely audit tenure, non-audit to audit fees ratio, auditing firm size, and firm size, impact on audit quality. This thesis extends the existing literature on audit determinants effect on audit quality using a Generalized Linear Model, (GLM) regression with robust estimation by analyzing a sample of 446 companies from the USA in the manufacture and service sectors. This is conducted through a series of diagnostic tests to identify an appropriate regression model. Such tests include testing and checking of baseline regression models to check for multicollinearity, …

Enhancing Hospital Length Of Stay Using Ai Agent Modular Capabilities, Dami Fred

Theses and Dissertations

Hospital Length of Stay (LOS) analysis is essential for managing hospital efficiency and financial performance, yet the analytical depth required remains inaccessible to many organizations due to technical and resource constraints. This thesis introduces the AI Agent Modular Capabilities (AIAM) framework, which decomposes LOS analysis into discrete, codifiable capabilities integrated into a single skill activatable with one prompt. Seven AI Agent Modular Capabilities were developed using a Work Breakdown Structure and tested against a simulated hospital scenario across three successive skill versions. Results demonstrate that the packaged AIAM skill produces comprehensive, consistent, multi-section LOS analyses from a single interaction, outperforming …

Data Utilization In Facilities’ Performance Management Decision- Making At U.S. Four-Year Public Institutions: A Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study, Tanaporn Supanichrattana

Theses and Dissertations

The growing complexity of higher education finance, aging infrastructure, and rising accountability expectations has intensified demands on facilities organizations to manage institutional assets strategically. As colleges and universities face sustained fiscal constraints and expanding operational pressures, the ability of facilities leaders to use data to inform performance management has become increasingly critical. Despite this importance, limited empirical research has examined how facilities leaders integrate data into decision-making within public higher education contexts.

The quantitative study employed a cross-sectional, exploratory survey design to investigate data utilization practices among facilities leaders at U.S. public four-year institutions. Guided by the Data–Information–Knowledge–Wisdom hierarchy and …

Metaverse And Artificial Intelligence As Web 4.0: The Next Generation Of The Internet, Anton Klarin, Elena Gorenskaia, Qijie Xiao, Pi-Shen Seet

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study utilizes systems thinking to explore and entwine an evolving metaverse scholarship to a relatively underexplored phenomenon of Web 4.0. We adopt a soft systems thinking framework to guide the interpretation of complex and evolving metaverse scholarship, using bibliometric mapping of 5587 publications sourced from Scopus. Using systems thinking, we synthesize these clusters into the following four thematic areas: (i) business and society implications, (ii) optimization, (iii) integration with other technologies and (iv) metaverse education. Drawing on the largest-to-date review of the metaverse as well as a systematic review of Web 4.0 literature, we propose a novel conceptualization of …

Customer Participation In Service Recovery: Accounting For The Role Of Customers’ Perceived Control And Empowerment In Hotel Services, Aron O'Cass, Shahin Sharifi, Vida Siahtiri, Atefeh Saniee

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Customer participation in service recovery is common, yet little is known about how different participation roles shape recovery evaluations. This gap is especially salient in hotels, where recovery often unfolds under time pressure and heightened emotions. We conceptualize participatory service recovery as involving two distinct customer roles: solution identification and solution implementation. Across three studies, we examine how these roles shape recovery satisfaction and whether perceived control and psychological empowerment help shape these effects. Study 1 uses the critical incident technique to identify role-specific participation behaviours and customers' interpretations of their recovery involvement. Studies 2 and 3 use scenario-based experiments …

Environmental, Social And Governance (Esg) Drivers Of Sustainability Transitions In Sub-Saharan Africa: Why One Size Does Not Fit All, Emmanuel Kwaku Manu, Bismark Asante, Gabriel Eweje

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Despite growing emphasis on sustainability transitions in developing economies, evidence remains limited on how environmental, social and governance (ESG) conditions shape sustainability outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study examines the environmental, social and governance drivers of sustainability transition performance across 39 SSA countries over the period 2000–2023. A composite sustainability transition performance index (STPI), constructed from renewable energy consumption and reverse-coded energy intensity indicators, is used to capture transition performance. A multi-method panel framework is employed to examine direct, conditional, nonlinear and dynamic relationships. The findings show that environmental pressures, particularly carbon intensity and energy use, consistently weaken sustainability …

Role Of Ethical Principles And Ai Characteristics In Shaping Generative Ai Use In Higher Education And Its Impact On Academic Performance, Mostafa Al-Emran, Mohammed A. Al-Sharafi, Behzad Foroughi, Noor Al-Qaysi, Nelson K.Y. Leung, Zaher Mundher Yaseen, Nor’Ashikin Ali

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The rapid integration of Generative AI in higher education has transformed teaching and learning, yet limited research explores the factors driving its adoption and impact on academic performance. This study addresses the gap in understanding how ethical principles (fairness, accountability, transparency, accuracy, autonomy) and AI characteristics (perceived anthropomorphism, perceived intelligence) influence students’ use of Generative AI tools and their subsequent academic outcomes. The research aims to develop and test a theoretical model that integrates these factors to explain Generative AI adoption and its effect on perceived academic performance among university students. Data were collected through surveys from 318 students and …

The Justice–Empowerment Nexus: Pathways To Inclusive And Sustainable Tourism Development, Raymond Rastegar, Siamak Seyfi, Mostafa Rassolimanesh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

As the pursuit of sustainability increasingly calls for social inclusion and equity, this study examines how social justice shapes community empowerment in tourism destinations. Although justice is central to sustainable development discourse, limited empirical understanding exists of how its dimensions collectively influence empowerment. Focusing on the tourism across three major tourism destinations, Australia, the UK, and the USA, the research examines the relationships between recognition, procedural, and distributive justice and different dimensions of community empowerment including psychological, social, economic and political empowerment. Utilizing a quantitative approach and guided by equity and social justice theories, the study employs partial least squares …

Tourism Low-Carbon Decision-Making Through The Avoid–Shift–Improve Framework, Pezhman Hatamifar, Arghavan Hadinejad, Jalayer Khalilzadeh, Kourosh Esfandiar, S. Mostafa Rasoolimanesh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Using the Avoid–Shift–Improve framework, this study examines how demographic factors and psychological, behavioral, and attitudinal drivers are associated with tourists’ low-carbon decision-making across mobility, consumption, and accommodation. Survey data were collected from 416 young Finnish travelers, and analyzed using correlation tests, repeated-measures ANOVA, and cluster segmentation to examine cross-domain and cross-strategy variation. Findings show that demographic factors have limited influence, whereas psychological, behavioral, and attitudinal drivers motivate sustainable choices. Shift dominant mobility decision-making, Avoid emergence in consumption, and Improve are most common in accommodation. Three adopter groups are identified as strong, moderate, and weak, reflecting different levels of engagement. Theoretically, …

Advancing Sustainable Tourism Behavioural Research: A Metacognitive Perspective, Arghavan Hadinejad, Kourosh Esfandiar, Liubov Skavronskaya

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The current scholarly inquiry on sustainable tourism behaviour research predominantly relies on cognitive behavioural approaches, particularly exemplified by the widespread application of the theory of planned behaviour among other theories. Given recent advancements in psychology underscoring the necessity to expand beyond conventional cognitive frameworks, the current research aims to integrate metacognitive perspectives in sustainable tourism behaviour scholarship. This perspective explores the reflective awareness and control individuals exert over their cognitive processes which can uncover nuanced factors shaping sustainable tourism behaviour that may be overlooked in traditional cognitive models. Using a critical review approach, this research proposes the adoption of alternative …

Navigating The Deep Features Of Change: A Dynamic Approach For Skill Development In The Construction Industry, Keyao Li, Mark A. Griffin, Heap Yih Chong

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Digitalisation promises new levels of productivity and efficiency in construction but requires a well-equipped, skilled workforce to meet future demands. Beyond attracting skilled workers, the industry must understand future skill requirements. This study addresses this need by developing a skill framework that defines key skill levels and patterns in response to evolving demands. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-methods approach with three consecutive analyses was adopted. First, a theoretical analysis developed a conceptual framework based on work and role performance theories. Second, a scoping review and descriptive analyses provided quantitative insights into the skills covered in current literature. Finally, identified skill groups …

Artificial Intelligence Agents And Agentic Systems In Hospitality And Tourism: Challenges, Opportunities And Research Agenda, Yogesh K. Dwivedi, Mohamed Youssef Ibrahim Helal, Ibrahim A. Elgendy, Mousa Ahmed Albashrawi, Laurie Hughes, Mazen Shawosh, Vincent Dutot, Il Jeon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Artificial intelligence (AI) agents and agentic systems have the potential to transform the tourism and hospitality (T&H) industry by automating existing processes and improving operational efficiency. This viewpoint paper aims to explore and analyze the potential opportunities and challenges, and establish a comprehensive research agenda for developing AI agents and agentic systems within the T&H industry. Design/methodology/approach: This article comprehensively analyzes current literature, user sentiment analysis and market trends assessment on AI agents and agentic systems. It identifies critical areas where these technologies can transform the T&H industries, providing valuable insights into this emerging field and its potential for …

Persistence Of Contested Value Cocreation Practices, Kim Feddema, Kaisa Koskela-Huotari, Paul Harrigan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The climate crisis and other global challenges make it clear that not only are new value cocreation practices (VCPs) needed, but some current VCPs must be discontinued. Prior service literature assumes that VCPs can be disrupted by reforming the institutions that govern them. However, empirical observations show that VCPs may persist even when targeted by institutional work, and recent organizational research points to contested practices that continue to be enacted even when challenged or criticized. To understand this phenomenon in value cocreation, we conducted an embedded case study of exotic pet-keeping—a set of VCPs that continue despite intervention efforts. Our …

The Role Of Extra-/Co-Curricular Activities And Work On Law Graduates’ Initial Employment Outcomes, Denise Jackson, Craig Cameron

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Developing student employability is a strategic priority for higher education institutions and is often measured by transition to initial employment. Extra-/co-curricular activities, in addition to in-curriculum programs, can develop different aspects of student employability, supporting students in securing and transitioning to work post-graduation. This study examines the perspectives of 7000 graduates of Australian law degrees on their engagement in, and the value gained from, extra-/co-curricular, employability-building activities and paid employment during their studies between 2020 and 2023. The results indicated declining overall participation in extra-/co-curricular activities over the four-year period, and relatively greater engagement among female, younger, international and/or students …

Gastronomy Tourism Destinations: Developing A Scale To Measure Tourists’ Perceived Attributes, Ganghua Chen, Jingmei Xu, Songshan (Sam) Huang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This study emphasizes the growing significance of destination attributes in shaping the experiences and behaviours of gastronomy and culinary tourists. Understanding both core and complementary attributes of a gastronomy tourism destination is crucial for its sustainable development. However, there is a lack of a reliable measurement for tourists’ perceived attributes of gastronomy tourism destinations (PAGTD). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop a scale to measure tourists’ PAGTD. Design/methodology/approach: The study systematically followed the scale development and validation process, using three samples (Sample 1, n = 200; Sample 2, n = 204; and Sample 3, n = …

Blending Minds, Balancing Goals: Tmt Heterogeneity And Sustainable-Innovation In Family Firms, Mahdi Vesal, Muhammad Aftab Alam, Mohammad H. Rahmati

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Family firms often prioritize profitability and growth, but balancing these with environmental sustainability is challenging. While TMT heterogeneity shapes various performance outcomes, its role in addressing the profitability–environmental sustainability dilemma in family firms remains unclear. Building on the upper echelons theory, we investigate how TMT heterogeneity drives the simultaneous pursuit of financial and environmental performance, which we refer to as hybrid financial–environmental performance, through sustainable-innovation practices. Additionally, we examine how family-firm governance mechanisms influence these relationships. Analyzing data from two matched samples of CEOs and senior production managers of Australian family firms, we find not only that TMT heterogeneity enhances …

A Critical Review Of The Theory Of Planned Behaviour In Tourism Research, Kourosh Esfandiar, Arghavan Hadinejad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) has received considerable attention across various academic disciplines and remains one of the most widely applied–yet increasingly critiqued–theoretical frameworks in tourism research. Despite its widespread use, there is a notable lack of critical reflection on its adequacy in capturing the complexity of tourist behaviour and a limited exploration of alternative theoretical pathways. This paper addresses this gap by critically evaluating the appropriateness and limitations of the TPB in tourism research. Special attention is given to the Theory of Reasoned Goal Pursuit (TRGP), a recent extension of the TPB, alongside complementary frameworks from parent disciplines …

Documenting Sustainable Social Media Workflows: Supporting Student Professionalization In Faculty-Student Teams, Jenny Rissen

Master's Projects

This capstone project, Documenting Sustainable Social Media Workflows: Supporting Student Professionalization in Faculty-Student Teams, examines how departmental social media teams serve as informal training grounds where students build professional identities through collaborative, often undocumented communication work (Buck; Leon & Pigg). Addressing writing studies concerns about experiential learning gaps (McNabb; Carr et al.), the project creates a handbook offering practical guidance for onboarding, workflow continuity, accessibility, and ethical social media practices. It shows how mentorship and structured documentation turn everyday digital work into meaningful professional development. Situated in technical communication and rhetoric, the project demonstrates how social media teams help …

Leading From Where You Are: How Projects Build Leadership Skills In Law Libraries, Susan Azyndar, Yan Yu

Journal Articles

Practical ways to develop leadership skills through collaborative projects–no title required.

Which Forms Of Work Flexibility Retain Working Mothers: A Moderated Mediation Model Of Flexibility Need, Flexibility Use, And Top Management Support, Jeanine K. Andreassi, Angela R. Grotto, Leanna Lawter, Tuvana Rua, Cynthia A. Thompson

WCBT Faculty Publications

This study investigates the relative impact of utilizing various forms of work flexibility on mothers’ retention in full-time jobs. Drawing from a model of work reentry for new mothers and Human Ecology Theory (HET), we theorize that mothers’ flexibility needs influence retention through flexibility use and that top management support strengthens this process. Using a cross-sectional Qualtrics online survey, we recruited a diverse sample of 213 women across the United States who stayed with or left their full-time jobs after childbirth or adoption. Using relative weights and path analysis, we compared six forms of flexibility. Schedule, career, and leave flexibility …

Design Thinking For Corporate Social Responsibility Program Proposal Creation, Michelle "Mindy" D. Danovaro

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study used action research to explore how the use of design thinking engaged employees in the creation of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program proposal in a small- to medium-enterprises (SME) in the Sacramento region of California. The purpose of the study was to assess whether employee participation in a design thinking exercise could improve employee perception of engagement, inclusion, and reciprocity during the CSR program proposal creation. The study was grounded in social exchange theory, stakeholder theory, and design thinking methodologies. The iterative research process followed action research cycles (i.e., plan, act, observe, and reflect) integrated with …

Making Sense Of Membership: Organizational Socialization Of African Immigrant Employees In U.S. Workplaces, Ikeola J. Bodunde

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

This dissertation examines how African immigrant employees make sense of organizational socialization in U.S. workplaces. As global mobility reshapes the labor force, nearly one in five U.S. workers is foreign-born, making organizational socialization an increasingly complex communicative process. Classic socialization models assume linear, uniform adjustment, yet international employees often face ambiguity, cultural mismatch, and racialized expectations that complicate early workplace experiences. Guided by sensemaking theory, this study conceptualizes socialization as an ongoing, nonlinear process through which newcomers notice cues, construct interpretations, act on provisional understandings, and revise meanings as contexts shift. Using a qualitative, interpretive design, I conducted semi-structured interviews …

Hear Me Out: A Lesson In Civil Discourse, Cheryl Black

Funded Scholarship

This article describes an innovative and engaging lecture and class exercise designed to 

teach students how to think critically about issues from different perspectives and communicate effectively with those who disagree with them. The interactive lecture and class exercise introduce a civil discourse framework to encourage constructive dialogue. Developed for business law and ethics courses, the civil discourse framework enhances any curriculum that addresses controversial topics or different perspectives on complex issues. The lecture and class exercise offer a concrete, replicable model to teach civil discourse

Cash Flow, Working Capital Management And Firm Performance - A Cross-Sectoral Study In An Emerging Market Context, Thuy Thanh Nguyen

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This study investigates the impact of operating cash flow and working capital management on firm performance, with a particular focus on how these relationships are moderated by industry characteristics in an emerging market context. Using a dataset of 1,480 firm-year observations from 185 Vietnamese enterprises between 2016 and 2023, the analysis employs panel data regression with feasible generalized least squares estimation. The results reveal that operating cash flow and accounts payable turnover positively influence return on assets, whereas accounts receivable turnover has a negative effect. Inventory turnover is not statistically significant. Notably, the magnitude and direction of these effects vary …

Insights From Indonesia On The Moderating Effect Of Problem-Solving Ability On Factors Influencing Auditors’ Performance, Eko Suyono, Oman Rusmana, Adi Wiratno, Lego Waspodo

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This study aims to determine the moderating role of problem-solving ability on the influence of audit structure, understanding of good governance, organizational commitment, emotional intelligence, motivation, and competency on auditors’ performance. This study used a survey approach to collect data from a population of auditors in Indonesia working at public accounting firms in major cities such as Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya between May 1 and November 30, 2021. From 500 questionnaires, 193 were returned. In addition, the hypotheses were evaluated using ordinary least squares and moderated regression analysis on the data. The findings show that understanding of good …

Design Principles For Customer-Engaging Digital Service Systems: An Action Research Study, Keng Leng Siau, Xiaofeng Chen, Xin Tan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Digital services represent a business approach employed by organizations to operate in the digital environment. However, systematic development guidelines for developing quality digital service systems are lacking in the literature. The authors identified four general challenges for developing and implementing customer-engaging digital service systems (CEDSS). By employing the method of canonical action research in a digital service system project, they derived 10 design principles for developing high-quality CEDSS. They empirically evaluated the design principles in the development project and through follow-up focus group sessions. The design principles provide applicable and actionable guidelines for the development of CEDSS.

Entropic Foundation Of Finance And Physics: Securities Price Dynamics And Quantum Theory, Mohammad Abedi

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In many scientific and financial contexts, we must reason and make predictions under conditions of incomplete information. This dissertation develops Entropic Dynamics (ED) as a unified framework for deriving dynamical laws directly from principles of inference. Within this approach, probability distributions represent states of knowledge, and their evolution is determined through entropy maximization subject to relevant constraints. This leads to a novel concept of entropic time and a formulation of dynamics as an inferential process. In this talk, I will present how ED provides a common foundation across multiple domains. In physics, quantum dynamics for particles and scalar fields in …

Information Asymmetry: A Configurational Perspective In Buyer-Supplier Relationships, Soode Vaezinejad

Open Access Dissertations

Information asymmetry in buyer-supplier relationships has been linked to several influencing factors. However, these factors are often examined in isolation, limiting understanding of their synergistic effects. Grounded in agency theory, signaling theory, and transaction cost economics, this study adopts a configurational perspective to examine which combinations of factors lead to high information asymmetry. Using a three-part study design, we first conduct a systematic literature review to identify relevant factors, which are then refined and prioritized through a Delphi study. Building on this foundation, fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) is applied to survey data from 385 buyer managers to uncover equifinal …