Digital Commons Network^™

Dentistry And The Law: Length Of Covenants Not To Compete, Dan Schulte Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article clarifies the distinct legal standards for covenants not to compete in Michigan, particularly relevant for dentists selling their practice and remaining employed. A covenant in an employment agreement is enforceable if "reasonable," typically limited to two to three years and the employer's patient draw area. In contrast, a covenant within a purchase agreement, considered a commercial contract, is judged under a more lenient "rule of reason" standard. This standard is easier to satisfy, requiring only that the covenant does not adversely impact the relevant market. Consequently, purchasers often use the purchase agreement to impose harsher, longer-term restrictive covenants.

Staff Matters: Adding Background Checks And Drug Testing To The Hiring Process, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article advises dental practices on legally and carefully implementing pre-employment background checks and drug testing. It emphasizes ensuring non-discriminatory practices by consistently applying policies and clearly defining screening criteria. Practices must obtain written applicant authorization and provide notification of Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) rights before conducting checks. When evaluating results, relevance to the job and timing of convictions should be considered, avoiding blanket bans. For drug testing, transparency is key. Given Michigan's recreational marijuana legality, a positive THC test does not automatically indicate impairment, requiring practices to define their approach. Using a reputable third-party provider for both screenings …

Mda Insurance: How Offering Great Benefits Makes Your Practice Attractive To Employees, Craig Start Mba

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article highlights the critical role of employee benefits in attracting and retaining staff in dental practices, particularly given the low unemployment rates for hygienists and assistants. Beyond competitive pay and flexible hours, a robust benefit package, including both employer-paid and voluntary options, is increasingly vital. The MDA Health Plan offers flexible group health insurance options for members. Voluntary benefits such as vision, life, disability, accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance are attractive, with Section 125 (cafeteria) plans allowing pre-tax premium payments and offering payroll tax reductions for employers. These benefits provide essential financial security and enhance overall compensation.

Expectations In Instructional Design: A Comparison Of Hampton Roads Industry Requirements And Old Dominion University’S Curriculum, Haley Aguilar

STEMPS Master's Level Projects and Papers

This master’s thesis aims to analyze the alignment between Old Dominion University’s Instructional Design and Technology program curriculum and employer expectations for instructional designers in the Hampton Roads region. The study examined job listings from 50 positions and curriculum content from 22 courses across six skill categories: technical skills, design and development competencies, communication and facilitation skills, analysis and assessment skills, project management capabilities, and specialized skills. The findings contribute to understanding the challenges of preparing instructional design graduates for workforce entry.

Hospitality In Crisis: Evaluating The Downside Risks And Market Sensitivity Of Hospitality Reits, Davinder K. Malhotra, Raymond Poteau

School of Business Faculty Papers

This study evaluates the risk-adjusted performance of Hospitality REITs using multi-factor asset pricing models and downside risk measures with the aim of assessing their diversification potential and crisis sensitivity. Unlike prior studies that examine REITs in aggregate, this study isolates Hospitality REITs to explore their unique cyclical and macroeconomic sensitivities. This study looks at the risk-adjusted performance of Hospitality Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in relation to more general REIT indexes and the S&P 500 Index. The study reveals that monthly returns of Hospitality REITs increasingly move in tandem with the stock markets during financial crises, which reduces their historical …

Signals Of Trust: How Privacy Disclosures And Public Responses Drive User Behavior In Digital Markets, Jose Pius Nedumkallel

All Dissertations

This dissertation examines how data privacy practices and complaint response strategies influence user behavior and market outcomes in digital marketplaces. The first study analyzes the impact of Google Play’s Data Safety Label, launched in April 2022 to standardize data collection, third-party sharing, and security disclosures. Grounded in signaling and prospect theories, the label is treated as a compound signal users interpret holistically. A difference-in-differences analysis of 23,877 top Android apps over two years shows that disclosures increase user app adoption. Internal data collection boosts adoption, while third-party sharing reduces it, reflecting behavioral loss aversion. Security disclosures moderate these effects by …

Sustainability: Buzz Word Or Future Of Fashion? Measuring The Feasibility Of Outright Sustainability Among Fast Fashion’S Biggest Agents, Ryan Miller

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

The fashion industry is currently experiencing unsustainable rates of pollution within its supply chains. The rapid increase in demand for short lead times perpetrated by large-scale retailers has led to hazardous practices negatively affecting both the environmental conditions and working conditions of producing countries. With this increased pressure, relationships between brands and suppliers have become untenable. Limited transparency and imbalanced power dynamics at the hand of the industry’s leading retailers require restructuring in order to build more sustainable and equitable supply-chain practices. Further, governmental regulation is currently limited in its capacity to enforce sustainable business practices on a global …

Autonomous, Yet Anchored: Exploring The Interplay Of Self-Reliance And Personal Spirituality On Employee Outcomes, Alexander Schad

All Dissertations

The modern workplace increasingly requires employees to function autonomously while managing limited psychological resources, presenting a tension between the benefits of self-reliance and its potential costs to well-being. This dissertation examined how self-reliance simultaneously influences task persistence and emotional exhaustion, and explores whether personal spirituality moderates these relationships. Drawing on the Strength Model of Self-Control (SMSC), I develop and test a theoretical framework investigating the relationships between self-reliance, work overload, task persistence, emotional exhaustion, and workplace spirituality.

Through a time-lagged field study with 453 working professionals across three measurement waves, I found that self-reliance positively predicted task persistence, supporting the …

Beyond The Individual: A Dyadic Mixed-Methods Study Of Work–Life Balance In Entrepreneurial Households., Juliana Binhote

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Entrepreneurs operate at the intersection of work and family systems; yet, their experiences with work–life balance (WLB) remain underexplored—particularly in relational contexts. While existing research highlights the psychological demands of entrepreneurship, it often overlooks how family dynamics shape entrepreneurs’ experiences of balance, conflict, and boundary management. Guided by boundary theory, conservation of resources theory, and the goal attainment balance model, this dissertation investigates the question: How do entrepreneurs experience and make sense of their work-life balance? To answer this question, I designed a dyadic exploratory mixed-methods study. In Study 1, I conducted in-depth interviews with family business entrepreneurs and their …

College Students And Wearable Health Technology: A Study On Digital Health Literacy, Gavin Wright

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The market for wearable devices has seen significant growth in the last decade and is only expected to increase as the world enters a new age of health literacy known as digital health literacy. Digital health literacy, or eHealth literacy, is defined as “the ability to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem.” The issue with this new age is that most consumers have access, but lack the ability to apply the knowledge that they must improve their health. The goal of this study is …

Between Two Worlds: A Case Study Of Third Culture Identity And Reentry For Unl International Students, John S. Tessalee

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and international students share many commonalities, such as their globalized nature, adaptability, and the adoption of cultural components from their host country versus their home country. However, they contain enough differences to be considered separate groups. Traditionally, people need to be immersed in a culture different from their parents’ culture between the ages of 0 and 18 to be considered a TCK, whereas international students are typically between 18 and 24 years old by the time they attend universities overseas. The cultural absorption of TCKs in their formative years is usually greater than that of international …

The Role Of Managerial Support In Influencing The Attitudes Of Highly Educated Millennials In Serbia, Dimitrije Gasic, Vladimir Dzenopoljac, Mladen Cudanov, Jozsef Poor, Nemanja Berber

All Works

This study explores the influence of managerial support on the attitudes of highly educated (BSc, MSc, and PhD) millennials in Serbia, focusing on job satisfaction, turnover intention, and job stress. Understanding this relationship is crucial for enhancing employee retention and organisational efficiency given the evolving workplace dynamics. Managerial support, encompassing emotional, instrumental, and informational assistance, is hypothesised to positively impact job satisfaction while reducing turnover intention and job stress. Data were collected through an online survey from 367 respondents in two waves (the first wave in January 2024 and the second in July 2024) and analysed using partial least squares …

The Impact Of Culture And Language On Internal Communication And Patient Care In Small To Medium-Sized Black Immigrant-Owned Healthcare Practices In Texas., Chisom Nwosu

Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how cultural competency in small to medium-sized Black immigrant-owned healthcare practices in Texas affects internal communication and patient care. Through semi-structured interviews with nine clinical and administrative leaders in Dallas and Houston, five themes emerged: culturally competent leadership, intentional communication structures, language and interpretation practices, patient-centered cultural sensitivity, and the use of technology for adaptation. Findings suggest that culturally aware leadership and inclusive communication strategies foster team cohesion and improve patient trust and care. Participants reported adapting workflows to meet religious, language, and communication needs through human and technological tools. The study underscores embedding cultural …

Birth Outcomes In The Hispanic Population In The United States: Trends, Variation, And Determinants (2011–2021), Yanchao Yang

Business Analytics Faculty Publications

Background: Cesarean section (C-section) is the most common surgical procedure in the United States, yet its use varies widely across regions and institutions. Although clinical risk factors are central to delivery decisions, geographic context, health system capacity, and local practice patterns may also influence C-section use. Understanding both the determinants and predictability of C-section delivery is important for improving obstetric quality and equity.

Objective: This study aims to document geographic variation in C-section use across the United States, identify maternal and county-level factors associated with C-section delivery, and evaluate the predictive performance of machine learning models across clinically defined risk …

Invisible Algorithms, Visible Outcomes: Roles Of Emotional Labor And Work Gamification In Gigs, Yali Zhang, Liaoliao Li, Xiaoyu Ma, Jun Sun, Yifei Dong, Zhaojun Yang

Information Systems Faculty Publications

As algorithm governance becomes increasingly crucial in gig economy ecosystems, understanding the behavioral impact of algorithmic transparency remains a key research gap. Using the stimulus-organism-response framework and uncertainty management theory, this study examines how platform algorithmic transparency affects gig workers’ in-role and extra-role service behaviors, with emotional labor acting as a mediator and work gamification as a moderator. Analyzing survey data from 325 ride-hailing drivers using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the findings reveal that greater algorithmic transparency enhances both in-role and extra-role behaviors. Emotional labor mediates this relationship: deep acting strengthens both behaviors, while surface acting primarily …

Exploring The Mediating Role Of Individual Performance In The Relationship Between Work-Life Balance And Attrition, Grace O. Leasure

Research Psychology Theses

Extensive research has established a relationship between work-life balance and employee attrition. However, limited attention has been given to the potential mediating role of individual performance within this dynamic. The present study aims to address this gap by examining whether individual performance mediates the relationship between work-life balance and attrition. It is hypothesized that higher work-life balance will be associated with lower attrition rates, partially explained by improved individual performance. Data will be collected via employee surveys and analyzed using mediation analysis. Anticipated results may provide organizations with a quantifiable, performance-based justification for investing in work-life balance initiatives.

Multi-Theoretic Perspective Of Backer Decision-Making In Crowdfunding: Interplay Of Backer, Founder And Ai, Maliha Alam

Theses and Dissertations

Crowdfunding has become a transformative mechanism for financing innovation, connecting creators directly with backers while bypassing traditional funding barriers. Despite its rapid global growth, only about 33.7% of campaigns succeed, largely due to ineffective communication of value propositions and lack of backer engagement. This dissertation investigates the complex interplay between project founders, backers, and emerging AI technologies to understand the factors influencing donation intention and to enhance crowdfunding success prediction.

Adopting the behavioral decision-making framework, I draw on multiple theoretical perspectives- signaling theory, the dual-process model of persuasion, and the cognitive-affective trust framework to examine founder- backer interactions. Using a …

Performance And Feasibility Of Pasture Rangeland And Forage Insurance In The Delta Region, Walker Bradley Davis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite being available nationwide since 2016, enrollment in Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) insurance remains low in many regions of the country. The program's performance also presents regional discrepancies, with loss ratios varying significantly. Studies that have simplified the complexity of interval selection for producers have been shown to positively affect PRF enrollment. Such studies remain limited in several forage-producing areas. This study aims to address the lack of information in Arkansas specifically. Arkansas has among the nation's lowest participation rates and loss ratios. Low loss ratios signal that participants pay more in premiums than received in indemnities and may …

Two Essays On Firms’ Reactions To Major Events In Rival Companies, Alireza Askarzadeh

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

The first essay of this dissertation examines the influence of peer credit rating downgrades on firms’ financial decisions. The results show that firms respond to a rival’s downgrade by increasing excess debt capacity, excess cash holdings, excess net working capital, and the excess cash conversion cycle. They also accelerate their speed of adjustment (SOA) toward target capital structures. These adjustments are motivated by a desire to mitigate the higher costs and risks associated with financial distress and to preserve competitive advantage. Moreover, firms with more capable managers, and those operating in environments with greater market competition, higher information asymmetry, and …

Transforming Childhood Adversity Into Executive Excellence: Impact On Firm Performance, Kimberly Byars

All Dissertations

Many successful business leaders have overcome difficult childhoods, yet little research has examined how early hardships might actually contribute to leadership effectiveness. This study investigated whether CEOs who experienced childhood adversity can transform these difficult experiences into strengths that improve their companies' performance.

The research surveyed 165 business owners across two groups: general business owners and automotive dealership owners. Participants answered questions about their childhood experiences, their ability to grow from trauma, and various psychological traits like grit, mental toughness, resilience, and growth mindset. Company performance data was also collected.

The findings challenge conventional wisdom that difficult childhoods necessarily harm …

J Mich Dent Assoc August 2025

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Each month, The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association provides news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200+ members. It stands as the primary publication reaching Michigan dentists. The August issue marks the end of digital only publishing, as the MDA announced it will provide members a bimonthly print issue along with monthly digital distribution. This issue includes:

• A cover feature on the impact on the dental community of the recently adopted Big Beautiful Bill federal budget
• Mandibular Lingual Concavity Evaluation Using CBCT
• A reprinted clinical feature from New York on …

Guest Editorial: Who’S Special Now?, Michael Maihofer Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This editorial discusses a controversial change in Michigan's dental specialty advertising law, which occurred in 2020. Previously, only state-recognized specialists, undergoing rigorous advanced training, could advertise their specialty status. However, a new rule, resulting from an out-of-court settlement, paradoxically allows general dentists not recognized as specialists to advertise as such without following advertising rules. This change is criticized for undermining public protection and creating unethical, misleading situations where general dentists advertise as pediatric dentists, for instance. The Michigan Dental Association (MDA) is actively working to revert this law by supporting House Bills 4593 and 4594 to ensure only recognized specialists …

The New Professional: Tracking Success: Essential Kpis For Owners And Associates, Amrita Patel Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article underscores the importance of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for data-driven success in modern dental practices. For new practice owners, essential KPIs include production, collections, and overhead ratio to ensure financial stability and operational efficiency. Patient flow metrics, such as new patient numbers and retention rates, are vital for growth. For both owners and associates, case acceptance rate reflects treatment plan conversion, and chair time utilization measures clinical efficiency. Other critical KPIs encompass hygiene production, patient satisfaction scores, online reviews, and accounts receivable aging. Associates can also track personal production and referral patterns for career development.

Mda Services: Endorsed Programs News

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Throughh MDA Services, the Michigan Dental Association (MDA) has announced several endorsed programs aimed at supporting dental practices across Michigan: Compass Dental Gas Service is now endorsed by the MDA for its expertise in installing, maintaining, and repairing dental gas systems. Members benefit from exclusive discounts and safety compliance support. MEDVA Virtual Staffing offers HIPAA-compliant, human virtual assistants to handle administrative tasks remotely. This service helps reduce labor costs and allows in-office staff to focus on patient care. MDA Health Plan sponsors are reminded to submit overdue eligibility verification documents, which are essential for compliance and 2026 renewal preparations. DBS …

Two Essays On The Role Of Anthropomorphism In Consumer Behavior, Faegheh (Faa) Taheran

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

The first essay of this dissertation investigates the contradictory findings on the relationship between anthropomorphism and self-control by focusing on how everyday anthropomorphized objects, rather than the products being used for consumption, influence consumer behavior. While previous studies have shown that using anthropomorphized products may decrease consumers’ self-control, this paper examines how unrelated [to consumption] anthropomorphized objects in a consumer’s environment—such as a water bottle with a humanlike face—can evoke a sense of social presence, increasing consumers’ perceptions that they are being negatively evaluated. Drawing on mind perception theory, I propose that this fear of negative evaluation can enhance self-control. …

Firm Disclosures And Retail Investor Behavior: The Role Of Information Type, Disagreement, And Social Networks, Hansol Yoon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines whether disclosure characteristics–specifically hard versus soft information–influence disagreement among retail investors, whether due to differences in information sets or interpretation, and how such disagreement subsequently affects trading volume. Using a sample of 85,050 earnings conference calls and StockTwits disagreement data from 2010 to 2021, I find that hard information (i.e., earnings figures) is negatively associated with investor disagreement, while soft information (i.e., forward-looking statements) is positively associated with it. Further analysis reveals that the disclosure characteristics impact trading activity only indirectly, through their influence on investor disagreement. Additionally, I examine the moderating role of social network centrality, …

The Role Of Microfinance In Improving Global Economy, Khamphou Milayome

Doctoral Dissertations (DBA)

This study investigates microfinance’s role in enhancing the global economy by examining its impact on economic growth, unemployment, and political stability. Secondary data from MIX Market and WDI were used in this study to assess these relationships. Multiple regression was conducted with EViews software to test regression models with the independent variables related to microfinance and microfinance institutions (MFIs). Using the data from South Asia and Southeast Asian countries, this study finds that microfinance significantly improves economic growth, reduces the unemployment rate, and strengthens political stability. Microeconomic variables used in the study are borrowing amounts and the cost per borrower. …

What Values Best Distinguish The World's Cultures? The Machine Learning-Based Cultural Values Inventory, Abhishek Sheetal, Shilpa Madan, Rui Ling Lee, Krishna Savani

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Scientists studying culture typically focus on a small number of theoretical constructs, such as individualism–collectivism, when seeking to explain cultural differences in psychological tendencies and behaviors. However, existing theories of culture could have missed out on important constructs that are useful for explaining cross-cultural differences. We used an abductive approach combining prediction and explanation to uncover important cultural values. In the prediction phase, based on 594 attitudes, values, and beliefs included in the World Values Survey, a neural network could classify respondents’ nationalities with 90% accuracy in out-of-sample data. In the explanation phase, a feature importance analysis identified the values …

Eliciting Supplier Cooperation For Value Chain Decarbonization: A Field Experiment With Smallholder Farmers In India, Sukti Ghosh, Jasjit Singh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Many firms are attempting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across their value chain. However, this requires convincing suppliers to adopt relevant decarbonization practices, which is challenging when the suppliers perceive such practices as risky or detrimental for their economic well-being. We employ a field experiment to examine relational investments (i.e., investments intended to promote mutual benefit for the exchange partners) as a tool for overcoming this challenge. In a research collaboration with a global firm pursuing decarbonization of its agricultural supply chain in India, we investigated the effectiveness of complementing training their supplier farmers on climate-friendly agricultural practices with also …

Front And Back Matter

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.