Digital Commons Network^™

Mentoring And Change Management: Integrating Organizational Mentorship With Change Initiatives, Ramiro Pesina, Danny Darden, David Silberman

Student Posters

Change is an inevitable and defining force in organizations. While structured change management frameworks provide critical guidance, they often overlook the human dimensions of change. We investigate mentoring and argue that it should not merely support change initiatives but serve as a strategic driver of successful transformations, serving as a multidimensional driver of cognitive alignment, emotional support, and behavioral adaptation, and introduce a mentoring framework that addresses these areas while bridging the gap between the procedural and human-centric change elements.

By interviewing participants who have been involved in mentoring programs yet experienced significant organizational change, we will identify their support …

Utilizing Ai For Improved Credit Risk Assessment, Emel Baglarbasi

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

As the finance sector continues to evolve, traditional risk assessment methods struggle to calculate default risk and identify nonlinear relationships accurately. This research examines an alternative risk assessment model designed to estimate credit risk more accurately and efficiently in the credit processes of individual customers, which are one of the primary sources of income for the banking sector. It presents the theoretical design of an AI-based model. The use of this AI model can reduce human error in processes, improve risk assessment accuracy, and expedite procedures. The study adopts a postpositivist worldview and employs a quantitative research design. Algorithms including …

Microsimulation: A Solution For Effective Client Engagement, Girish Balakrishnan

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

A key challenge that product management professionals face is to convince their clients about the relevance of a product towards their business needs by aligning those with the product vision. To accomplish this need, new strategies to engage the clients with the product vision are extremely critical. Microsimulation is a wonderful way to not just communicate product vision but also to familiarize clients with unique functionalities offered by the product. Microsimulations avoid miscommunications by establishing interaction between provider and consumer. This research study primarily focuses on solving the problem of client disengagement in organizations involved in product development and operating …

Enhancing Stakeholder Collaboration In Indonesian-Owned Businesses In The United States, Renny Yulistia Adystiani

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

This research examines stakeholder engagement strategies among Indonesian restaurant owners in the United States, focusing on their operational success and business sustainability. Using a qualitative methodology, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with five purposively selected restaurant owners to investigate how they integrate stakeholder interests into business strategies, leverage government support, and adapt engagement practices across different sectors. The findings reveal three key challenges: insufficient frameworks for integrating stakeholder interests with business strategies, inadequate government support mechanisms, and inconsistent stakeholder engagement practices. The study identified successful informal approaches to stakeholder management, particularly in balancing cultural authenticity with market demands. However, it …

Rural Entrepreneurship In Upper Egyptian Communities: Exploring The Intervention Of Agri-Tech Startups, Marwa Wael Abohamda Hulail

Theses and Dissertations

Climate change and economic disturbance have changed the state of the world and increased the dependence on digitization in running people's daily life. In Egypt, the economic instability and climate change have affected people’s standard of living, making it challenging to sustain their life, especially in the agriculture sector. Farmers have been affected by the risks of climate change, economic shocks, and trends of digitization, which have impacted their profit, employability, and livelihood.

Several Egyptian Agri-tech startups were launched to support the farmers in the digital revolution that came to agriculture, attempting to make a change in the Egyptian farming …

Podcasting Towards Togetherness: Utilizing Podcasts To Improve Departmental Camaraderie And Well-Being, Michael Petrauskis, Colleen Gutman, Rosemarie Fernandez

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Physician burnout is on the rise, and this is of particular concern in emergency medicine. Burnout is associated with medical errors, adverse events, poor professionalism, and litigation. A sense of community can build engagement and mitigate workplace stressors on well-being. Emergency physicians may have trouble connecting due to the nature of shift-work and various practice settings. Communication technology, and particularly podcasting, has the potential to help overcome these barriers and positively impact relatedness and well-being.

Approach: We developed an inward-facing podcast, “The ER Break Room” within the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Florida. Through the …

Analysis Of Disparities Within The Ncaa’S Name, Image, And Likeness Rule, Madison Salzenstein

Honors Theses

Abstract

This paper analyzes disparities with the NCAA’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Rule. The 2021 introduction of the NIL Rule was a landmark event, allowing college athletes to profit from their personal brand. While NIL has resulted in many positive opportunities for college athletes, it is not without fault. Specifically, this thesis will explain how NIL amounts differ between both male and female athletes and revenue and non-revenue sports, and will explain the key factors contributing to the disparity in each area.

Using data obtained from the NCAA’s NIL Assist Data Dashboard for the period January through December 2024, …

Chief Executive Officers, Accountability And Hidden Violations, Alan Saquella

Publications

Corporate governance demands transparency, ethical leadership and accountability from Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). However, numerous cases suggest that CEOs often wield significant influence over what is reported to their boards of directors, particularly when it comes to internal misconduct, regulatory violations, and criminal activity. This lack of transparency raises serious concerns about ethical and legal obligations, as well as the effectiveness of board oversight.

Managing Cybersecurity In Local Governments: 2022, Donald F. Norris Phd, Laura K. Mateczun Jd

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

This paper, based on data from our second nationwide survey of cybersecurity among local or grassroots governments in the U.S., examines how these governments manage this important function. As we have shown elsewhere, cybersecurity among local governments is increasingly important because these governments are under constant or nearly constant cyberattack. Due to the frequency of cyberattacks, as well as the probability that at least some attacks will succeed and cause damage to local government information systems, these governments have great responsibility to protect their information assets. This, in turn, requires these governments to manage cybersecurity effectively, something our data show …

Identifying The Level Of Physical Activity (Pa) In Hospitality & Tourism, Kinesiology, And Recreation Students, Erick Kong, Dal-Hyun Moon, Alexandra Sandoval

ICHRIE Research Reports

Purpose – This study examines the impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity (PA) on hospitality & tourism, kinesiology, and recreation students at California State University. The findings will help understand a direct impact on what is needed to be in place on campus in order to support and promote normal levels of PA as recommended by the World Health Organization.

Methodology/Design/Approach – PA was measured by a modified version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaires (IPAQ) questionnaire. There were 116 students that participated in this study, respondents were mostly students who are majoring in hospitality & tourism, kinesiology, and recreation. …

Private Clubs In Transition: Addressing Membership Challenges In A New Era, Nuri Choi, Sojung Lee, Jim Butler

ICHRIE Research Reports

The club industry has experienced growing demand for memberships, particularly from younger generations since the pandemic, resulting in resurgent and dynamic changes in members’ behaviors and needs. However, limited data accessibility has hindered clubs' ability to respond promptly to these membership changes. This study identified current issues and challenges in the club industry by utilizing secondary data from an industry survey and analyzing club members' responses and comments on facilities, communication, and social events. Through topic modeling, three main themes were revealed: generational challenges, gender-related concerns, and social function-related issues. The findings indicate that there are diverse opinions and needs …

Ideological Influences On Skills And Knowledge In Nonprofit Leadership, Faiza Venzant, Julianne Gassman

Journal of Ideology

Understanding the skills and knowledge required for effective nonprofit leadership can be challenging. This position paper suggests that skills and knowledge come from both formal training programs at colleges, universities, professional associations, and consultant presentations but is also based on the personal lived experiences of leaders. While Ideology such as neoliberalism intentionally or unintentionally influence both formal training and lived experiences, common good ideology, an ideology that grounds the idea that nonprofits exist for the betterment of society, should guide leaders of the nonprofit sector and be an important consideration. Embracing common good ideology better centers equity appropriately for the …

Mapping Ideology, Nonprofit Leadership, And Organizational Change, Christopher S. Collins, Regan Harwell Schaffer

Journal of Ideology

This article underscores the distinction between management and change, with change being a primary task of nonprofit leaders. It delves into the literature, both research and theory, on organizational change and its implications for leading a nonprofit organization. The implications discussed include how ideology can either inhibit or foster change. By highlighting the pivotal role of nonprofit leaders in promoting change, we aim to draw meaningful connections between self-awareness, ideology, and organizational action.

We Feel, We Understand: Examining The Moderating Effects Of Publics' Empathy On Crisis Outcomes Across Crisis Types And Response Strategies, James Ndone

Communication, Media, and Culture

This study examines how empathy, operationalized into affective and cognitive dimensions, influences stakeholders' perceptions during organisational crises. Also, the study explores the mediating role of account acceptance in the relationship between crisis response strategies and organisational outcomes. An online three (crisis type: victim vs. accidental vs. preventable) × two (crisis response strategy: apology vs. denial) between-subjects experimental design with 686 participants randomly assigned to different crises (victim, accidental, preventable) and response strategy (apology, denial) was conducted. The findings reveal that account acceptance mediates the relationship between crisis response strategies and key organisational outcomes such as reputation, forgiveness, and purchase intention. …

Examining The Relationship Between Casino Employee Gambling Involvement, Demographic Characteristics, And Responsible Gambling Program Perceptions, Tiange (Patrick) Xu, Shane W. Kraus, Brett Abarbanel, Eric R. Louderback, Heather M. Gray, Debi A. Laplante, Bo J. Bernhard

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

This study investigated past-year gambling involvement (i.e., frequency and breadth) among employees at MGM Resorts International (MGM) and their views on the effectiveness of MGM’s responsible gambling (RG) program (i.e., GameSense). It also examined associations between these views and employees’ gambling behavior, as well as their demographic and work-related characteristics. We used cross-sectional data drawn from a broader research project, which surveyed a large sample of MGM employees (n = 814) in 2020. Our analysis revealed that gambling frequency varied by ethnicity, department affiliations, and property location, while gambling breadth differed based on gender and department affiliations. We employed …

The Relationship Between Anthropometric Sizing, Fit Issues, And Return Rates In Plus-Size Women's Apparel, Cassondra Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retail business owners remain concerned with apparel sizing and return sales, as sizing is a frequent predictor of apparel returns and decreased revenue. Grounded in new product development theory (NPD), the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between anthropometric apparel sizing standards, sizing and fit issues, and return sales. The participants were 89 women’s bridal apparel owners and leaders within the retail business sector who completed a 5-point Likert-type survey. The results of the multiple linear regression were significant, 3, 85) = 32.301, p < .001, R2 = .533. In the final model, there were two predictors which were significant, sizing and fit (t = 9.718, p = <.001, ß = .735) and sizing standards (t = 2.478, p = .01, ß = .205). A key recommendation is for retail business leaders to acknowledge the growth in the U.S. female apparel consumer. Further, the alignment of sizing standards and product offerings provides functional apparel and mitigates return sales due to sizing. The implications for positive social change include the potential for the apparel industry to acknowledge the growing complexity of women’s sizing, which is influenced by diverse cultural backgrounds and body types. This shift could promote greater inclusivity, enhance consumer confidence, reduce return rates, and foster broader acceptance of diverse female body types within the industry.

Locational Data And The Public Interest, William A. Herbert, Micahel Goodchild, Richard Appelbaum, Jeremy Crampton, Gary Langham, Krzysztof Janowicz, Mei-Po Kwan, Katina Michael, Lisa Schamess

Publications and Research

This article presents a paper developed by the AAG Organizing Committee on Locational Information and the Public Interest through a summit held in Santa Barbara, California in June 2022. The summit resulted in goals and ideas for addressing the issues that arise from the present environment for geodata, whereby public, private, and third-sector entities can tap into publicly available locational information with relatively little regulation on its access or use. The Committee articulates four goals: (1) develop a research agenda extending across disciplines, (2) outline educational resources and strategies to guide ethical practice, (3) devise a pathway to increase public …

Remembering The Titans: A Cinematic Pedagogy For Enhancing Understanding And Improving Performance In Tuckman's Stages Of Group Development In Management Education, David S. Fowler, Jon Musgrave, David F. Zinn

International Journal for Business Education

This study examines the effectiveness of using multimedia, specifically Remember the Titans, to teach Bruce Tuckman’s Group Development stages in undergraduate management education. The research investigates whether integrating film-based pedagogy enhances student comprehension and academic performance compared to traditional lecture methods. Using a quasi-experimental design, data were collected over six semesters from undergraduate business students (N = 459) at a private liberal arts university. The study compared pre- and post-implementation cohorts, employing a structured writing assignment as an assessment tool. A quantitative analysis, including independent samples t-tests, revealed a statistically significant improvement in student performance (p = 0.039) after implementing …

2025-02-07 Agenda Book, 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 February 7, 2025, which includes the meeting minutes of the meeting held on November 15, 2024.

Improving Student Enrollment Through The Use Of Relationship Marketing In Higher Education At A Private Not-For-Profit Institution In The Midwest, Jordan Samuel Mays

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research study reflected the impact of relationship marketing on prospective students in a higher education institution. Student matriculation and retention are critical for institutions to remain viable in the increasingly competitive higher education sector. Various initiatives emerged to enhance student engagement and increase student enrollment; however, the study does not include a particular aspect of marketing to strengthen connections with prospective students. The research was a qualitative case study on the impact of relationship marketing efforts on current students of a single institution of higher education. The institution’s staff triangulated the results with findings from new student surveys to …

Ripples Of Revolution: Analyzing Political And Socioeconomic Shifts In Mena During The Arab Uprisings, Khalid Zaman

Arab Economic and Business Journal

The study analyzes the impact of political instability on five MENA nations during the Arab Spring (2010-2022). It examines how corruption, unemployment, health spending, and economic development influence political instability. The panel fixed-effects regression approach is used as it accounts for time-invariant variables inside each cross-sectional unit and gives robust temporal analysis. Findings indicate that the Arab Spring heightened political instability (i.e., β = 0.249, p

The Effect Of Taylor Swift’S “The Eras Tour” On The Hospitality Industry, Samantha P. Hoff, Iris Gersh, Godwin-Charles Ogbeide

ICHRIE Research Reports

Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" has become a worldwide phenomenon and is the highest-grossing world tour of all time. Due to an increase in leisure travel in 2023, concerts, festivals, and live events are magnificent opportunities for hotels to harness major artists' influence on the public. The central question driving this study is: How has Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" affected the hotel lodging industry compared to pre-pandemic levels, and what are the implications for the future? This study analyzes data from key performance indicators (KPIs) from markets that Swift has performed thus far and compared them to their shouldering …

The Role Of Destination Marketing Organizations In The United States Sustainable Tourism Development, Godwin-Charles Ogbeide, Molly Mildenberger

ICHRIE Research Reports

The role of Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) in promoting sustainable tourism practices across the United States cannot be overemphasized. Sustainable tourism, which encompasses cultural, environmental, social, and economic considerations, has become a critical aspect of DMO operations. Many international DMOs have been successful when it comes to implementing and promoting sustainable tourism. This study provides the roles United States DMOs can play in promoting and implementing sustainable tourism development in the United States. This study provides several important industry and academic implications, including how DMOs can partner with educational institutions to serve as knowledge hubs for training on sustainable practices.

Documenting Blended Learning Resilience During Infrastructure Deficiencies, Lucia Makwasha, Hazel Mubango, Sam Takavarasha Jnr

The African Journal of Information Systems

Blended learning is a combination of eLearning and traditional face-to-face learning. Since challenges have been identified related to blended learning that hinder effective teaching and learning, this study examined student opinions of this learning model. The aim was to get a deep understanding of its effectiveness given infrastructure deficiencies. Twelve in-depth interviews were conducted with students at a university in Zimbabwe that uses blended learning, and an interpretivist paradigm was adopted. The Zone of Proximal Development proposed by Vygotsky was utilized to conceptualize the cognitive development of the students, and third-generation activity theory (AT), developed by, was used for evaluating …

Internet Of Things Devices Users’ Privacy Adherence: A Case Of Digital Ignorance, Akrasia Or Exhaustion?, Philip Bazanye, Walter F. Uys, Wallace Chigona

The African Journal of Information Systems

Internet of Things devices, such as those used in home automation, commercial and retail business, and smart cities, are vulnerable to attacks that affect all aspects of daily life. The upsurge in the use of IoT devices has increased the likelihood of cyber-attacks on end users. This research investigates the factors that influence IoT device users to adhere to privacy standards. This interpretivist exploratory research was guided by a three-phased approach. The interview questions were derived from the conceptual model and the constructs of Activity Theory, and themes were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. The findings were elaborated with reference …

Navigating Artificial Intelligence Governance: Insights From South African Higher Education It Decision-Makers, John Mangundu

The African Journal of Information Systems

Academics and students alike can benefit from the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. AI governance lowers AI risks while ensuring that anticipated AI use objectives are achieved. However, research on AI governance has been lacking, especially in higher education in emerging economies such as South Africa. In light of this serious research gap, the current study presents the findings of a qualitative exploratory investigation of the maturity and preparedness of AI governance in South African higher education institutions. Informed by a combination of the TOE framework, the traditional IT governance model and the adapted IT governance maturity assessment …

Examining Leadership Practices To Promote A Positive Culture Of Research Integrity In Higher Education Institutions, Seán Lacey, Jennifer J. Wilkinson

Publications

What is new?

While Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have, in recent years, placed greater emphasis on promoting good research practices, it is yet relatively unknown what leadership approaches are best suited to cultivating a positive culture of research integrity (RI) in HEIs. This small-scale exploratory descriptive study therefore sought to uncover initial findings from within the European context on practices research leaders found to be most effective in leading positive change in this space.

What was the approach?

The design was constructed using semi-structured interviews with five senior research leaders. Countries that were members of the European Network of Research …

Examining Factors Affecting Consumers’ Daily Fantasy Sports And Sports Betting Participation: Comparing Motivation And Perception Of Skill Versus Luck, Koo Yul Kim, Colin Lopez

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

With the Supreme Court lifting the federal ban on sports betting, dominant Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) operators including DraftKings and FanDuel have entered the sports gambling market and operate in legalized states in the United States. These providers of both DFS and sports betting are making efforts to better understand the characteristics of both DFS and sports betting consumers and develop effective marketing strategies to target each consumer segment. This research investigates the differences in motivation to participate and perception of skill vs. luck between DFS and sports betting participants. 934 adults (sports betting = 434, DFS = 500) were …

The Influence Of Peer-To-Peer Accommodation Platforms’ Green Marketing On Consumers’ Pro-Environmental Behavioural Intention, Songshan (Sam) Huang, Xuequn Wang, Hua Qu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This study aims to examine the impact of peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation platforms’ green marketing on consumers’ pro-environmental behavioural intention through the mediation of consumer trust and engagement, following the social influence theory and the stimulus–organism–response model. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire survey was designed to collect data from American P2P accommodation consumers. Data collection was conducted through an outsourced survey company. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data. Findings: The study reveals that P2P accommodation platforms’ green marketing orientation was positively associated with consumer trust in the platform and consumer engagement with the platform. Both consumer …

Insider Risks And The Evolving Role Of Executive Protection Professionals In Cybersecurity, Alan Saquella

Publications

Insider risks have long been a critical concern in corporate security, traditionally encompassing threats from employees, contractors, or third-party vendors with access to sensitive information. However, as digital transformation accelerates, the convergence of physical and cyber threats has created new vulnerabilities. Executive protection (EP) professionals, historically tasked with safeguarding high-profile individuals from physical threats, now find themselves on the frontlines of combating cyber-criminal attacks. Expanding their skill sets to include cybersecurity awareness is no longer optional—it is a necessity.

This article explores insider risks, the growing need for executive protection professionals to adapt, and practical ways they can enhance their …