Digital Commons Network^™

The New Professional: A Guide To Finding A Mentor As A New Dentist, Amrita Patel D.D.S.

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Dr. Patel provides guidance for new dentists on finding and maintaining effective mentoring relationships. She emphasizes that mentors can offer valuable guidance during the transition from dental school to clinical practice. The article explains that mentors need not be exclusively dentists and can be found through various channels, including professional associations, dental societies, alumni networks, and social media platforms. It outlines strategies for identifying potential mentors by observing their clinical skills, professionalism, and leadership styles. The piece concludes with practical advice for maintaining productive mentoring relationships, including setting clear expectations, preparing for meetings, and maintaining consistent communication. The article emphasizes …

Dentistry And The Law: Overlooked Purchase Agreement Terms, Daniel Schulte Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Selling a dental practice involves numerous legal, financial, and operational considerations. Assembling a team—including a lawyer, accountant, broker, and insurance professional—is crucial for ensuring a smooth transaction. While letters of intent are optional, they help define terms like exclusivity, due diligence, and confidentiality.

Purchase agreements, often drafted by the buyer’s lawyer, should detail asset allocation, tax implications, and handling of accounts receivable. Neglected areas such as work-in-process procedures and rework responsibilities must also be addressed to avoid disputes. Properly planning and negotiating these terms protects both buyer and seller, minimizing post-sale complications and ensuring a seamless transition of ownership.

Employee Development And Employee Resilience In The Post-Covid-19 Workplace: A Quantitative Study Of High School Educators, Amy Keiser Maffei

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed by this research is the need for protective factors to support teacher resilience. Organizations that fail to develop employee resilience risk failing to enjoy the positive outcomes associated with it. Research-based methods to improve resilience may benefit organizations, including school districts. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between employee development provided by a school district and the resilience of its high school teachers in the post-Covid-19, in-person workplace. Conservation of Resources theory served as the framework to guide the research. Study participants completed a questionnaire with Likert-style response options, with items to assess …

The World Bank's New Approach To Human Capital Model And Education, Ozlem Kucuk, Cihan Cobanoglu

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The human capital approach, introduced in 1960, has been used by economists to establish connections between education, skills, and personal income. It resulted in a redistribution of public expenditure by viewing education not only as a cost but also as an economic input, a way to increase revenue in the medium and long term. Human capital theory highlights the crucial role of education in the economy. With the rise of the knowledge society, scientists have debated the potential end of poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. They envisioned a new knowledge economy and a more egalitarian society. The significant increase in …

Vale Strategic Audit, Nikolas Mancio

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Chinese government is critical in shaping the global mining and metals industry, specifically for companies like Vale S.A., the world’s largest iron ore and nickel producer. China’s dominance as the largest importer of iron ore significantly impacts commodity prices and demand, with its government exerting substantial influence through production quotas, infrastructure spending, and environmental regulations. Vale’s strategic position in the Chinese market is a cornerstone of its operations. It is supported by investments in distribution centers, blending facilities, and high-grade iron ore that align with China’s environmental goals. However, this reliance also makes Vale vulnerable to shifts in Chinese …

Optimizing Small Business Success Through An Online Fashion Consulting Infographic Guide, Nicole Campbell

Theses

The project aims to challenge traditional thinking within the fashion industry, paving the way for the creation of a thriving consulting business. In addition, it will underscore the significance of developing a strong online profile for fashion consultants, symbolizing the birth of the Consult the Soul brand. Through this initiative, the project aspires to revolutionize the realm of fashion consulting by fusing unique tactics with ethical standards. By encouraging a fresh perspective and emphasizing the importance of embracing digital platforms, the project sets out to redefine the standards of success within the industry. Ultimately, this venture seeks to establish a …

How Millennials Make Investment Decisions: Financial Literacy And Financial Behavior, Dewi Tamara, Anita Maharani

Economics and Finance in Indonesia

This study investigates the effect of financial literacy, financial attitude, risk perception, and financial behavior on investment decisions. Employing a survey method with 342 respondents in Jakarta, the findings reveal that financial literacy has a negative and insignificant effect on investment decisions. In contrast, risk perception plays a crucial role in influencing investment decisions. Furthermore, financial behavior has an indirect mediating effect between financial literacy and risk perception on investment decisions but does not affect financial attitude. This study concludes that risk perception and financial behavior are important factors in investment decisions. Future research may consider incorporating other variables such …

Fiscal Deficit And Human Development: Empirical Evidence From Nigeria, Elijah O. Akanni Dr

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

This study investigates the effects of fiscal deficits on human development in Nigeria from 1990 to 2021, employing standard econometric and machine learning approaches. Specifically, the paper applies autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) models to examine linear relationships, and multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) to capture linear and nonlinear interactions among key variables influencing human development. Results from the ARDL analysis reveal that fiscal deficit does not significantly impact human development in Nigeria both in the short- and long run. However, MARS results indicate that fiscal deficits only enhance human development when kept below 1.34% of GDP but become detrimental beyond …

Senior’S Code Of Conduct For The Telecommunications Industry, Cameron Schilling

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The purpose of this project is to investigate the needs of an aging population (65+) in relation to their adoption and use of telecommunications services and to use ChatGPT, Foursight CPS Model, and Design Thinking to create a working Senior’s Code of Conduct (SCoC). Through consultation with ageing users of telecommunications, their families, and the corporate team with which I work, the evidence of the vulnerability and often abuse of this segment validated the need for this project. Through the process of developing a SCoC and leveraging Design Thinking with the support of ChatGPT, I refreshed my CPS skills, embarked …

Exploring The Experience Of Mba Alumni: Year-1 Post-Graduation Insights, Steven Livingston

University Honors Program Senior Projects

Many students apply to an average of two to eight 2-8 graduate schools and consider various factors that guide their decision-making when selecting a particular graduate program. This paper delves into general factors that students would consider while assessing universities such as cost of attendance, career outcomes, and income. We created a new survey for Northeastern Illinois University’s Master of Business Administration program by using past survey instruments as a guide but included important factors that prospective students might consider. Additionally, we plan to issue an exit survey to collect data based on student responses using Qualtrics. Questions will focus …

Beyond Amateurism: Examining The Potential Labor Expenses Of Ncaa Student-Athlete Employment, Alayna K. Falak, Tyler L. Custis

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

In light of recent administrative developments urging the classification of student-athletes as employees, litigation challenging the current employment status of student-athletes, and the Supreme Court’s willingness to tackle National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) issues, many questions surrounding the future of college sports under an employment model have emerged. The authors analyzed key litigation, recent developments from administrative agencies, and academic literature. The authors used publicly available data from the NCAA, the United States Department of Labor (DOL), and other sources to construct two estimates of what it would cost NCAA member institutions to provide baseline compensation to their Division I …

Leaders’ Experiences Of An Organizational Journey To Inclusive Leadership, John Allan Slieter

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of fourteen leaders of a large community healthcare organization while they undertook adoption of an initiative intended to create a more inclusive culture in their organization. Utilizing a Transcendental Phenomenological approach to data collection and analysis, data generation occurred through semi- structured interviews. Analysis of data provided descriptions of the sense making that explains how these leaders experienced the phenomenon contextually. Four themes emerged from this study, (a) Our mission is to serve, (b) Who is at the table? (c) Securing our future, and (d) …

Exploring Mindfulness Within Leadership Development: A Phenomenological Study, Amardeep Kaur

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Leadership is a key to success in a complex, rapidly changing world. While scholarly and organizational interest in mindfulness is growing within the leadership and leadership development space, it remains largely unexplored from the leader's perspective. This phenomenological study explored how leaders perceived and described their mindfulness experiences within their leadership development. This exploratory research used a transcendental phenomenological approach (Moustakas, 1994) to capture their self-expression through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Day's (2000) conceptual framework on leader and leadership development guided the study. The participants were recruited from organizations based in the U.S. that offer mindfulness-based programs, snowball sampling techniques, and …

Cobm Adjunct Faculty Newsletter: December 2024, Ellen Ramsey

College of Business and Management Adjunct Faculty Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Utilizing Self-Management Strategies To Increase Staff Productivity In An Aba Clinic, Jasmine Margarita Hernandez-Morris

Theses and Dissertations

In Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), self-management is defined as an individual's behavior change strategies and tactics implemented to achieve a desired behavioral outcome. Both clinicians and researchers aim to develop and implement efficient self- management strategies that enhance staff performance, ultimately driving positive outcomes for the clients they serve. At this time, the research regarding the use of self- management strategies to increase staff fluency is limited. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of using self-management strategies to increase fluency in administering a verbal operant card set. Six staff members from an ABA clinic in Central Florida were recruited for …

A Historical Assessment Of The Number Of Days Required To Plant The Arkansas Soybean Crop, Bayarbat Badarch, K. Bradley Watkins, Terry Griffin

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

The primary objective of this paper is to quantitatively analyze the number of acres planted per suitable fieldwork day and the total number of fieldwork days available for the complete planting of soybeans (Glycine max L.) in Arkansas. Total days to plant soybeans in each spring from 1980 to 2023 averaged about 33 days, indicating that roughly 33 days are expected, on average, from the month of April to May based on USDA-NASS weekly crop progress and condition data. Furthermore, the average soybean planted acres is estimated at 106,736 acres per day within the study period. Recently, variations in …

Comparative Assessment Of Machine Learning And Deep Learning Models For Drug Effectiveness Using Sentiment Analysis, Blessing Ogechukwu Nwogu

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In recent years, the proliferation of online patient-generated drug reviews has created a valuable resource for assessing drug effectiveness and patient satisfaction, with sentiment analysis emerging as a powerful tool for extracting insights from this unstructured data.

This culminating research project conducted a comparative analysis of traditional Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) models for assessing drug effectiveness using sentiment analysis of participant reviews. The research aimed to evaluate the performance of Support Vector Machine (SVM), XGBoost, Random Forest, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) models in this context. This culminating research project addressed …

Political Embeddedness And Organizational Resilience: Empirical Investigation And Theorisation Of Institutional Translation Mechanisms In Chinese Private Enterprises, Shuai Shao

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

China is governed by the Communist Party of China (CPC), which embodies the nation's core values, mission, and ideological framework. The CPC organization embeddedness represents a distinctive governance arrangement, reflecting the state's Political Integration Imperatives. In the context of significant external shocks such as Covid-19, how does this political embeddedness influence private enterprises' organizational resilience - specifically their capacity to withstand disruptions and their ability to recover? What are the underlying mechanisms driving these effects?

This study employs a mixed-methods approach to investigate how CPC organization embeddedness shapes organizational resilience within China's unique institutional context, and the mechanisms through which …

Impact Of State-Level Family Policies On Female Labor Force Participation And Entrepreneurship, Kathryn Staczek Rudloff

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to investigate the impact of state-level family policies on women's participation in the labor force in the United States, focusing specifically on the rise of self-employment and solopreneurship among women. The research seeks to answer the following question: "How do family policies at the state level impact participation of American women in the labor force?"

The study utilized a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. A composite index of state level family policies was created to conduct cross-sectional exploratory data analysis of female labor force participation. Additionally, a qualitative phenomenological study of solopreneurs provided a deeper understanding of the …

Advancing Theory In Psychographic Market Segmentation Research, Jack A. Lesser, Suanne M. Barthol

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

For decades, marketing research has focused on identifying psychographic segments to develop corporate strategy. However, as this article contends, psychographic segmentation research has often lacked sufficient theoretical grounding, particularly in the selection of variables and underlying theories guiding these studies. To address this gap, the present study systematically reviews a broad range of segmentation studies to evaluate their theoretical contributions and identify promising directions for future research. The analysis begins by examining the theories in a comprehensive psychographic segmentation study by Lesser and Hughes (1986a), followed by a review of 38 additional studies to uncover relevant underlying theories. The study …

Trust And Reliability Of Information Sources On Facebook For Presidential Candidates: A Study Of Voter Perceptions, Kristina Harrison, Shawn Thelen, Boonghee Yoo

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This exploratory research, utilizing both open-ended and likert-type questions, identifies who voters trust on Facebook for information about Presidential candidates as well as the benefits of using Facebook for obtaining this information. In line with Social Identity Theory, results indicate that some sources, especially those that are respected/intimate are far more trusted than others, e.g., local media, national media, and celebrities. Findings indicate that voters, drawn from a national online sample, enjoy the social aspects of connecting with like-minded individuals, use it to source information about candidates, find the platform convenient, but express some concerns over the reliability of information …

Understanding Global Street Food Consumer Behavior And Experience: A Narrative Review Of Literature And Development Of Framework, Samit Chakravorti

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This paper explores global street food consumer behavior and consumption experience. The aim of this paper is to gain a holistic comprehension of street food consumption decision making and experience through exploring nature and sources of perceptions, attitude and expectations surrounding street food, the characteristics of the product offering and the domain within which it is served and consumed. To achieve this aim the author engages in a narrative review of academic research on consumer behavior of street food, provides a holistic picture of consumption experience of street food through consolidating and interpreting research findings, and extends the theoretical understanding …

Measuring Social Influence In Online Social Networks - Focused Literature Review On Human Behaviors, Shyamala N. Chalakudi, Gnana Bharathy, Dildar Hussain, Dakshinamurthy Kolluru

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Measuring an individual's social influence (SI) capability is gaining traction with the rapid growth and expansive reach of online social networks (OSN). However, most existing frameworks and methods are confined to graphical theories or the structural properties of these networks. Even behavioral investigations are often limited to a narrow set of influencing behaviors and confront significant challenges in encompassing the breadth of human psychological characteristics. This study aims to address this gap through an exhaustive and focused literature review, concentrating on the definitions of human behavior characteristics rooted in established sociology and psychology theories. Beyond providing a comprehensive overview, the …

North Dakota Corn Efficiency Frontier: Stochastic Frontier Analysis, Bayarbat Badarch, David C. Roberts, Michael P. Popp

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

According to climate studies in North Dakota, the state's crop-growing season has been extended. In addition, many studies have shown technological advances in crop production. However, the state has not addressed how crop yield has been affected by weather changes. Thus, this paper investigates the state's corn (Zea mays) yield potential and efficiency measures based on agricultural input use and weather variables from 1994 to 2018. We found that the effects of temperature and precipitation on the state's corn yield frontier (potential) were greater than those of changing agricultural input variables. The stochastic frontier model indicates that the …

Digital Footprint Management: Youth And Social Media On Protecting Your Online Identity And Reputation, Jorge Aguiar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Fifty percent (50%) of youth between the ages of 8 and 17 have been discovered to use the internet and social media services on a daily basis. This (50%) also demonstrates the rising issues between digital footprints, cyberbullying, and cybercrime rates against these types of youth. It was discovered that youths, between the ages of 8 and 17 years old, are savvy with technology, based on gender, grade, and socioeconomic status, but also lack the awareness of their own digital footprint and how to manage it. Researchers have discovered that issuing cybersecurity awareness school lesson plans and parental controls may …

The Practical Adoption And Application Of Blockchain Technology Within The Beverage Industry, Alexander Adams Jr

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Abstract

The beverage industry is facing heightened scrutiny as the demand for transparency and accountability reaches new heights. In the age of information technology, companies must prioritize enhanced traceability to ensure product safety, comply with government regulations, maintain customer trust, and protect brand integrity. This thesis explores the potential of blockchain technology as a solution to these challenges, focusing on its ability to decentralize data, improve traceability, and expedite response times during safety recalls. The research provides an overview of the evolution of food safety regulations, beginning with the first establishment by Upland Sinclair, and examines current traceability practices and …

The Back Page: The Personal Touch Makes The Difference, Riley Schaff D.D.S.

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Dr. Riley Schaff discusses the importance of personal connection in engaging new dentists with organized dentistry. Drawing from his own experience of being personally invited to chair a New Dentist Study Club, he emphasizes that direct, personal outreach is more effective than digital communication in encouraging participation among early-career dentists.

The article highlights ongoing efforts at the state level to increase engagement, including enhanced presence at local events and networking programs. However, Schaff argues that grassroots efforts at the local component level are crucial for significant change in membership rates. He concludes that personal engagement from existing members is essential …

What You Must Know: Retention And Destruction Of Dental Records And Your Most-Asked Questions About Dental Records, Daniel Schulte Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

An overview of the basic information about dental records, including retention and destruction, that you and your staff should be aware of, provided by MDA Legal Counsel Dan Schulte, J.D. Plus, for your reference, answers to the questions Michigan dental offices are asking about dental record retention, access, release, and destruction.

Dental records are vital for patient care, legal compliance, and professional practice management. Michigan law mandates retaining dental records for a minimum of 10 years, ensuring their confidentiality, accessibility, and integrity. Destruction of records less than 10 years old requires patient notification and authorization, while those over 10 years …

Investigating The Perceived Invisibility Of The Black Woman Leader In Fortune 500 Companies: Understanding Career Pathways Based On Insight And Intersectionality, Shana Jones Yarberry

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a gap in the literature when examining the intersectionality of race, gender, and class. There is additional distance when evaluating the impact each intersection has on the career development of Black Women (BW) in Fortune 500 companies. The purpose of this study was to use a qualitative approach to investigate how the intersectionality of race, gender, and class impact the career advancement of BW while also identifying perceived barriers, historical patterns of career movement, and organizational efforts to support the ascension of BW in senior leadership. The Systems Theory Framework of Career Development and Intersectionality Theory were examined …

Nebraska Department Of Transportation Strategic Audit, Chloe Hoover

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) is a state government agency that is responsible for the planning, development, design, construction, maintenance, and administration of the state highway system. Two strategic analyses are completed about NDOT: a PESTEL analysis and Porter’s Five Forces analysis. Both of these analyses showed that since NDOT is a state agency, it impacts foundational aspects of its strategy. NDOT’s strategy is influenced by its financial strategy, policies or political influence, and public importance. NDOT competes with other companies in its workforce and employees and/or applicants leaving NDOT for other companies. This report details NDOT’s strategy, competitive …