Digital Commons Network^™

Strategies Used By Public Relations And Communications Executives To Implement Ethical Use Standards For Ai, Karl Bateson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public relations and communications (PR&C) executives’ ineffective artificial intelligence (AI) strategies to develop and apply ethical frameworks for AI implementation can negatively impact organizations’ brand reputation. Grounded in AI4People and stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to identify and explore the effective AI strategies PR&C executives used to develop and apply ethical frameworks for AI implementation while maintaining their organizations’ brand reputations. The participants were six PR&C executives who used effective strategies to develop and apply ethical frameworks for AI implementation while maintaining their organization’s brand reputation. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, public websites, …

Navigating Economic Uncertainty With Small Business, Angela E. Nwaomah

SDA Business Teachers Conference

Abstract: In recent years, economic uncertainty has present significant challenges for many, particularly those with irregular jobs and unstable wages. This study examined the perspectives of the faith-based casual and contract employees on how they navigate the economic uncertainty with small businesses. The objective of study was to explore how contract/casual employees in faith-based organizations (FBOs) navigate financial instability by engaging in small businesses as a supplementary income source. All participants were workers of organizations of the same religious affiliation and the same employment policies guiding their operations in Kenya. Using a case study research design and purposive sampling techinque, …

Leadership Qualities Effect On Employee Performance And Organizational Culture, Ryan Pernell

Journal of Fundamental & Applied Business Research

Employee motivation is vital to employee productivity and retention rates. Business leaders can face challenges in motivating employees, which can negatively affect productivity and retention. In this case study, I explored the behaviors and actions of business leaders that may lead to challenges when attempting to motivate employees, resulting in decreased productivity and increased employee turnover. I aimed to uncover the effects of leadership on employee motivation and explore why some leaders face challenges motivating employees. I focused on the leaders and employees of a family automotive sales and repair shop, including 20 employees and four family leaders. I conducted …

Ai In Academic Workplace, Alexander Averin, Richard Diddams, Nicole Lowes, Melesa Poole

Journal of Fundamental & Applied Business Research

Artificial intelligence (AI), once imagined only in science fiction, is now ubiquitous in the reality of modern life. It influences everything from personalized shopping recommendations (Rane et al., 2024) to advanced medical diagnoses (Al Kuwaiti et al., 2023; Khanam et al., 2024; Maleki Varnosfaderani & Forouzanfar, 2024). Redefining the models of analysis and learning, AI is quickly becoming a fundamental component of higher education as universities embrace AI tools for curriculum development, assessments, teaching, research, individualized instruction, and preparation for technological readiness in the workforce (Shah, 2023). However, the perception and adoption of these tools vary among university faculty members …

Leaders Challenges In Impacting Employees' Job Satisfaction And Work Performance, Sheila M. Mitchell

Journal of Fundamental & Applied Business Research

Leadership style is critical in determining an organization's success or failure. Organizations across industries must ensure they have effective leaders who inspire and motivate employees to commit to achieving organizational goals, resulting in a competitive advantage. They must be able to significantly influence employee job satisfaction and work performance, which are critical factors in an organization's success. Job satisfaction reflects employees' attitudes toward their jobs and organization. Work performance measures how effectively an employee performs work that meets standards. The researcher examined the effects of transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles and toxic leadership behavior on employee satisfaction and work …

Character Challenges American Christian Business Leaders Face In The Secular Digital Age, Kevin J. Kennedy

Journal of Fundamental & Applied Business Research

In the digital age, Christian business leaders are a minority who are commonly expected to change their principles of leadership to fit within the secularized culture. These expectations for change are generating character challenges to the very core of a Christian business leader’s moral convictions and forcing them to make decisions which pit the practice of their proclaimed faith against a secularized business practice. In these workplace challenges, the Christian business leader’s faith, freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion compete with secularized practices accepted in today’s American culture. Additionally, digital age behavioral visibility, which can be …

Responsibility And Importance Of Hiring Professional Hospitality Employees, Tina S. Gaffey

Journal of Fundamental & Applied Business Research

The hospitality industry often struggles to hire professional, long-term, committed, and dedicated employees (Seqhobane & Kokt, 2021). Primary hiring managers at the operational level may have little to no experience in hiring but also lack the training, effort, awareness, and ability to successfully understand recruitment and retention processes (Poell, 2022). A flexible design and a single case study were used. Based on the research and findings hospitality managers required more extensive hiring-based training and wanted their organization to implement structured hiring practices and procedures for a more objective approach. Findings also suggested that ensuring the best-fit employees are hired, rather …

Overcoming Barriers To Voluntary Leadership Engagement: The Role Of Servant Leadership For Women Leaders In Higher Education, Deloris W. Easley, Deborah Johnson-Blake

Journal of Fundamental & Applied Business Research

Low engagement in voluntary leadership roles negatively impacts organizational effectiveness, membership renewals, engagement, referrals, and growth opportunities. This study investigated the factors that hinder women leaders working in Georgia's higher education institutions from engaging in volunteer roles within professional organizations. The central research question was, "How can the problem of decreased engagement and participation be resolved?" These barriers limited women's willingness to pursue leadership opportunities, categorized into work-life and organizational barriers. Several themes were identified during the analysis of a 23-question survey conducted with 47 respondents to examine the challenges these professional women leaders faced in engaging in voluntary leadership …

دمج أسلوبي اتخاذ القرار العقلاني والبديهي في إدارة الأزمات على المستوى الاستراتيجي والعملياتي في مديرية الأمن العام في الأردن, محمد عقله أبو زيد, رضا مصطفى البطوش

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

تتناول هذه الدراسة دمج أسلوبي اتخاذ القرار العقلاني والبديهي ضمن مديرية الأمن العام في الأردن، مع التركيز على نتائج هذا الدمج في إدارة الأزمات على المستويين الاستراتيجي والعملياتي. وباستخدام عينة قصدية مكوّنة من 530 مشاركًا، تستعرض الدراسة الخصائص الديموغرافية وتفضيلات اتخاذ القرار والتفاعل بين المنهجين العقلاني والبديهي لدى أفراد الأمن العام، أظهرت النتائج أن القوة العاملة تتكوّن في الغالب من شباب متعلمين من الذكور، ما يدفع إلى تساؤلات مهمة حول شمولية وتمثيل مختلف الفئات في عمليات اتخاذ القرار. وقد بيّن المشاركون تفضيلًا ملحوظًا لاتخاذ القرار العقلاني، غير أن الدراسة تؤكد وجود مشهد مركّب لاتخاذ القرار يدمج بين العقلانية والحدس، وقد …

أثر الأساليب القيادية على إدارة الأزمات في قطاع الفنادق الأردني, رهف أحمد محمد الحلايبة, رائد حسام الزعبي

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

هدفت هذه الدراسة للتعرف على التنبؤ بإدارة الأزمات من خلال الأساليب القيادية في قطاع الفنادق الأردني، واعتمدت الدراسة المنهج الوصفي التحليلي، حيث تم استخدام الاستبيان كأداة لجمع البيانات، وتكون مجتمع الدراسة مـن جميع الفنادق ذات التصنيف من نجمة واحدة إلى خمس نجوم في الأردن والبالغ عددهم 325 فندقًا مدرجًا من قبل جمعية الفنادق الأردنية، أما عينة الدراسة فقد تم تحديدها بأسلوب العينة القصدية وتم جمع البيانات من 165 فندق المصنفة من (3-5) نجوم في الأردن، وتم إجراء التحليل الإحصائي باستخدام برمجية (SPSS)، وقد أظهرت النتائج أن هناك علاقة ذات دلالة إحصائية بين أبعاد الأساليب القيادية وإدارة الأزمات، حيث بلغ معامل …

دور العمل التطوعي في الإستجابة للكوارث والحوادث الكبرى في الدفاع المدني الأردني, بكر جميل الشنيكات

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

استعرض المقال الدور الحيوي للمتطوعين في الاستجابة للكوارث ضمن منظومة الدفاع المدني الأردني، مستندًا إلى نهج بحثي وصفي نوعي يعتمد على مراجعة معمقة للدراسات السابقة. ستكشفت الدراسة مساهمات المتطوعين في مختلف مراحل إدارة الكوارث والحوادث الكبرى، بدءًا من الاستعداد والتخفيف من المخاطر وصولًا إلى الاستجابة والتعافي. كما سلط البحث الضوء على الفوائد العديدة لمشاركة المتطوعين، مثل تعزيز القدرة الاستيعابية، وزيادة مشاركة المجتمع، والفعالية من حيث التكلفة. علاوة على ذلك، حددت الورقة التحديات والمجالات المحتملة لتحسين إدارة المتطوعين، مع التركيز على التدريب والتنسيق. وتؤكد النتائج على الحاجة إلى نهج أكثر تنظيما وتكاملا لإدارة المتطوعين لتعزيز الفعالية الشاملة للدفاع المدني الاردني في …

دور القيادة التكيفية في إدارة الأزمات: الدور الوسيط لإدارة التغيير في الشركات الصناعية الأردنية, إيثار خلف الهميسات

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى تحليل دور القيادة التكيفية في إدارة الأزمات في الشركات الصناعية الأردنية، مع دراسة الدور الوسيط لإدارة التغيير في تعزيز هذه العلاقة. وتم اتباع المنهج الكمي لإجراء الدراسة، واشتمل مجتمع الدراسة على الإداريين في الشركات الصناعية الأردنية وقد تم سحب عينة عشوائية بسيطة من 377 إداري، وقد تم استرداد 307 استبانة صالحة للتحليل. أظهرت النتائج أن للقيادة التكيفية تأثيرًا مباشرًا على تحسين أساليب إدارة الأزمات. كما تعمل إدارة التغيير دورا وسيطا مهما في التأثير على علاقة القيادة التكيفية و إدارة الأزمات. خلصت الدراسة إلى أهمية دمج إدارة التغيير والقيادة التكيفية في الاستراتيجية التنظيمية لضمان انتقال سلس للأزمات.ومن …

تصميم منصة تدريبية وفق النموذج العام وقياس أثرها في تنمية الدافعية لدى العاملين على تلقي البلاغات عبر رقم الطوارئ 911 في مديرية الأمن العام, مصطفى عوض السكر, عبد المهدي علي الجراح

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

هدف البحث الى تصميم منصة تدريبية وفـــق النموذج العام لعقد الدورات التدريبية الخاصة بمرتبات مديرية الامن العام في الاردن ولقياس أثرها في تنمية الدافعية من خلال استخدام المنصة، تم عقد دورة تدريبية خاصة بمهارات التواصل للعاملين على تلقي البلاغات عبر رقم الطوارئ 911 في مديرية الأمن العام، حيث تم استخدام المنهج شبة التجريبي، وتكونت عينة الدراسة من مجموعتين، إحداهما تجريبية وعدد افرادها (20) متدرباً، والاخرى ضابطة وعدد افرادها (20) متدرباً، واستمرت مدة تطبيق التدريب (20) ساعة تدريبية موزعه على (8) لقاءات جميعها حول مهارات التواصل، واجري قياس بعدي وقبلي، وتوصلت نتائج البحث الى فاعلية المنصة التدريبية وكان لها اثر ذو …

المهارات القيادية ودورها في اتخاذ القرارات أثناء إدارة الأزمات, مفلح حامد السلمي

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

هدفت الدراسة إلى التعرف على المهارات القيادية ودورها في اتخاذ القرارات أثناء إدارة الأزمات في المنظمات، واستخدم الباحث المنهج الوصفي المسحي، وقائمة الاستقصاء كأداة للدراسة، وتم اختيار عينة عشوائية بسيطة عددها (648) مفردة لتطبيق هذه الدراسة، وتوصلت الدراسة إلى عدة نتائج من أبرزها: أن أفراد عينة الدراسة موافقون بشدة على أبرز المهارات القيادية لإدارة الأزمات بمتوسط حسابي بلغ (4.48)، وأن أفراد عينة الدراسة موافقون على واقع اتخاذ القرارات أثناء إدارة الأزمات في المنظمات بمتوسط حسابي بلغ (3.91)، وأن أفراد عينة الدراسة موافقون بشدة على مدى تأثير المهارات القيادية في عملية اتخاذ القرارات أثناء إدارة الأزمات بمتوسط حسابي بلغ (4.49)، كما …

Renewable Energy As A Mediating Variable In The Relationship Between Strategic Planning And Sustainable Development In Palestinian Local Authorities, Salameh Salem, Ola Quzmar

Jordan Journal of Applied Science-Humanities Series

This study primarily aims to explore the correlations between strategic planning practices and the achievement of sustainable development in Palestinian local authorities. To accomplish the study's objectives, a descriptive-correlational approach was employed to examine the relationship and impact between the study variables from the perspectives of members of strategic planning committees in the major governorates of the northern West Bank (Nablus, Tulkarm, Jenin, Tubas, Salfit, and Qalqilya). The study model was tested using a sample of 262 members, whose responses were collected through an electronic questionnaire. Non-probability (convenience) sampling was used for ease of data collection. The questionnaire served as …

Career Pathways Program Annual Report For Ay 2024/25, Wie Yusuf

Career Pathways

Career Pathways launched in August 2017 as the university-wide initiative to provide professional development to graduate students. It encompasses both the Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) and the Preparing Future Professionals (PFP) Certificates. The Preparing Future Faculty Certificate was established in 2007, while the Preparing Future Professionals Certificate was launched in 2017, concurrently with the introduction of Career Pathways. The Career Pathways program prepares graduate students for a successful transition into thriving careers. With the PFP Certificate, specifically, the emphasis has been on filling the existing gap in career and professional development for master’s students and doctoral students with career plans …

Utah Women And Mental Health: A 2025 Update, Sadie Wilde, Chloe Bhowmick, Kolene Anderson, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

According to the World Health Organization, “mental health is a state of well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.”¹ Based on a 2025 ranking from WalletHub, Utah is the 4th “Happiest” state in the nation, so one might draw the conclusion that Utahns experience good mental health. However, the rankings also reveal that Utah does not perform as well in the “Emotional & Physical Well-Being” category (in 27th place).² Because mental health is an important indicator of overall well-being, this report …

What Went Right And What Went Wrong: A Multiple Case Study Of Firefighters Surviving Life-Threatening Situations, Peter J. Gushee

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The present study explored the lived experiences of firefighters who survived life-threatening situations in burning buildings, examining how these experiences unfolded and the leadership structures that shaped those experiences. Employing A. P. Giorgi and Giorgi’s (2003) scientific phenomenological analysis, the present study identified the general structure of the firefighter survival experience, which was comprised of 11 constituents, highlighting survival as a dynamic, identity-bound process shaped by adaptive behaviors, internalized beliefs, and evolving situation-specific conditions. Leadership was found to operate at the systems, organizational, and group levels, enabling or constraining firefighter readiness, adaptation, and recovery. By integrating Safety-I and Safety-II perspectives …

The Influence Of Millennial Women In Leadership: Examining Emotional Intelligence And Motivations Of Millennial Women, Leah Gossai

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This quantitative study explored the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and motivation to lead (MTL) among millennial women in leadership roles. Using the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS) and the Motivation to Lead (MTL) framework, the research examined how four EI dimensions, self-emotion appraisal (SEA), others’ emotion appraisal (OEA), use of emotion (UOE), and regulation of emotion (ROE), relate to three MTL dimensions: affective-identity (AIMTL), social-normative (SNMTL), and non-calculative (NCMTL). Data were collected from 117 millennial women leaders across various industries in the United States. Results revealed a significant negative correlation between SEA and NCMTL, suggesting that those …

The Road To The Sideline: Investigating The Impact Of The Rooney Rule On The Recruitment And Advancement Of Black Coaches In The National Football League, Enrique G. Washington

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the impact of the Rooney Rule on the recruitment and advancement of Black coaches in the National Football League (NFL). Despite its implementation, Black coaches remain significantly underrepresented in top coaching positions, including head coach, offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator. Using in-depth, semi-structured interviews with nine Black coaches who worked in the NFL between 2003 and 2024, this study explored how Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) practices and executive recruitment strategies influenced their career advancement based on their lived experiences. Six principal themes emerged: (a) pathways to advancement, (b) visibility …

A Quantitative Study Of Presidents At Public And Private 4-Year Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Richard J. Gallot, Jr.

PhD in Organizational Leadership

There has been a notable increase in presidential turnover at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), leading to significant leadership challenges (Freeman & Gasman, 2014). Abrupt leadership changes create instability that impacts recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff, as well as overall morale on campuses (Gasman et al., 2010). Despite the importance of effective leadership, there is limited research specifically focusing on HBCU presidencies (Freeman & Palmer, 2020). Although the American Council on Education (ACE) has surveyed college and university presidents every 5 years since 1986, few studies have investigated HBCU presidents as a distinctive group. Existing research …

Servant Leadership In Empowering Marginalized Communities: A Qualitative Case Study Of A Nonprofit Organization With A Holistic Mission, April D. Mosely

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This qualitative case study examined the impact of servant leadership on organizational culture, service delivery, and long-term sustainability within faith-based nonprofit organizations serving marginalized and racialized populations. The research focused on the City of Refuge (COR) in Atlanta, Georgia, an organization with a holistic mission dedicated to life transformation through supportive services. Employing Greenleaf’s servant leadership theory as the theoretical framework, data were gathered via semistructured interviews with nine staff members and analyzed thematically. The findings revealed three primary themes: cultivating culture, cultivating compassion, and cultivating community. The results indicated that servant leadership positively influenced COR's capacity to foster trust, …

Physical Work Environments: An Integrative Review And Agenda For Future Research, Bukky Akinsanmi Oyedeji, Yea Hee Ko, Sunkee Lee

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This review examines the effect of physical work environments—the dedicated, tangible spaces where employees carry out their professional tasks—on organizational processes and outcomes. We synthesize decades of research across various disciplines using a conceptual framework that defines physical work environments along three key dimensions: ambience, spatial configuration, and aesthetics. These dimensions are analyzed for their effects on both internal stakeholders, such as employees, and external stakeholders, including clients, suppliers, and investors. Our analysis reveals two major themes in prior research: (1) task accomplishment, which focuses on how physical work environments influence physical and mental health, motivation and attitudes, as well …

A Power Dependence Model Of The Impact Of Leader Impostorism On Supervisor Support And Undermining: The Moderating Role Of Power Distance, Zihan Liu, Zihan Liu, Feng Qiu, Keith Leavitt, Xingyu Wang, Ziyang Tang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Leaders, often perceived as possessing exceptional confidence and competence, are not immune to feelings of self-doubt. Leader impostorism describes the experience that one’s attributes, experiences, skills, and abilities fall short of the standards expected in the leadership role, resulting in a sense of deception in fulfilling leadership responsibilities. While existing research has examined the antecedents and individual outcomes of leader impostorism, its implications for leaders’ treatment of subordinates remain largely unexplored. In this research, we investigate the downstream consequences of leader impostorism on behaviors directed toward subordinates. Integrating research on leader impostorism with power dependence theory, we propose that for …

The Persistence Of Benefit Cliffs: A Behavioral Look At A Policy Problem, Vladimir Snurenco

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Benefit cliffs—where earning slightly more leads to losing more in government support—are often treated as technical glitches fixable through better formulas. But this article argues that the real problem isn't just economic—it's psychological. Drawing on behavioral economics and lived experience, the piece explores how fear, loss aversion, and system complexity keep low-income Americans trapped—even when policy fixes say they should be better off. Until policymakers account for how people actually feel and behave, benefit cliffs will persist not just on paper, but in real life

Toward The Professionalization Of Executive Coaching: A Delphi Study Of The Requisite Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities For Coaching Executives To Behave Ethically, Richard R. Fletcher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem explored through this research involved the lack of consensus on executive coaching knowledge, skills, and abilities for facilitating ethical behaviors on the part of business executives. This problem led the researcher to employ a mixed-method Delphi study to explore professional executive coach perceptions concerning the establishment of a governing body overseeing the activity of executive coach consulting and to assess the knowledge, skills, and abilities perceived as fundamental to executive coaching. The researcher focused the research approach through a systematic, iterative research design where a panel of six experts in the field of professional executive coaching located in …

Esports Audience Segmentation: Means-End Chain Approach, Deokkyung Ock

Theses and Dissertations

As live-streaming platforms have fueled esports’ rapid growth, they have also diversified content from competitive matches to casual gameplay, creating a complex audience landscape. To capture this diversity, the present study applied means-end chain (MEC) theory to: (1) examine how esports audiences cognitively associate different content attributes with their expected consequences and underlying personal values; (2) segment esports audiences based on these unique MEC structures; and (3) compare consumption frequency of both watching and playing esports across the identified segments.

The current study adopted exploratory sequential mixed methods to achieve the study’s objectives. In Study One, in-depth interviews with 22 …

Play, Guide, Aspire: How Game Type And Trainer Involvement Shape Orientation Training Outcomes, Damla Sonmez

Theses and Dissertations

The use of gamification in orientation training has gained attention in organizational settings, yet questions remain regarding how different gamified training designs influence new employees’ emotional commitment, willingness to participate in future training, and long-term aspirations. Drawing on Stimulus–Organism–Response (SO-R) theory, Achievement Goal Theory, and Ecological Systems Theory, this dissertation investigates how game type (individual vs. team) and trainer involvement (active vs. passive) shape these outcomes.

Two experimental studies using vignette-based scenarios were conducted. Study 1 tested the direct effects of game type on emotional commitment and willingness to participate. Study 2 employed a 2 (game type) × 2 (trainer …

Beyond Entertainment: Unveiling Digital Platform Strategic Implications For International Business Growth Of Individual Entrepreneurs, Hoik Kim

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how digital identity, comprising visual, psychological, and strategic components, impacts entrepreneurial success on global digital platforms. Rather than treating identity as a static or aesthetic trait, this study conceptualizes it as a dynamic and strategic construct shaped by audience perception, algorithmic systems, and institutional environments. The research is structured into three empirical studies. The first explores how facial visibility and social media engagement affect monetization on YouTube, considering the international context. The second study empirically investigates how a biometric cue influences entrepreneurial performance on digital platforms and interprets the results through the lens of social psychological perspectives. …

Artificial Intelligence In Sport Management: A Systematic Review, Scale Development And Validation, And Implications, Kemardo Tyrell

Theses and Dissertations

The democratization of intelligent systems and their ubiquitous presence across the sport industry have created an urgent need to understand the current environment and how stakeholders perceive artificial intelligence (AI) as it reshapes decision-making, engagement, and organizational design. This three-manuscript dissertation conceptualizes artificial intelligence as a contested domain shaped by stakeholder meaning-making, consumer perception, and shifts in organizational practice. The first manuscript provides a systematic review of AI in sport management using the PRISMA framework, mapping how AI has been conceptualized as a methodological tool or contextual innovation across the sport industry segmentation (performance, production, and promotion). The second manuscript …