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“Remember, You Are Not A Superhuman”: The Lived Experience Of Rest, Unrest, And Leadership In Special Operations, Trey Zoda

Dissertations

U.S. special operations forces (SOF) operate in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments that demand cognitive clarity, emotional regulation, and relational presence. While previous research on SOF readiness has addressed physical fitness, resilience, and sleep, little attention has been given to the psychological dimensions of rest and their implications for leadership. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of psychological rest and unrest in U.S. government SOF and the perceived influence of these states on their leadership. Guided by Moustakas’s transcendental method, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with SOF personnel. They were …

Project Manager Risk Response Via The Schedule Duration Mechanism In New Product Development, James S. Bryant

Open Access Dissertations

This experimental study investigated the relationship between project risk level and forecasted project schedule duration. Grounded within a systematic literature review, the research is motivated by the continuing high failure rate for new product development (NPD) projects to meet their time objectives. U.S.-based project managers (PMs) were given a project network diagram, assigned to one of four experimental groups (each group also receiving varying information regarding project risks), and asked to forecast the most likely schedule duration from start to finish. The data suggest that there is no correlation between the level of project risk and the forecasted duration and …

Entrepreneurial Selling And Business Success In Brazil, Renato Fernandes

Open Access Dissertations

This study aimed to deepen the understanding of the relationship between Entrepreneurial Selling and business success in Brazil through two different studies about the antecedents and consequences of Entrepreneurial Selling.

Using grounded theory and an exploratory-confirmatory mixed methods design, this dissertation demonstrates that Entrepreneurial Selling is crucial for business success. The database was sufficiently diverse for an in-depth analysis of the entrepreneurial Brazilian context: 777 entrepreneurs participated in the studies, ranging from first-time founders and serial entrepreneurs, leading B2B, B2C, and B2B2C companies from 31 segments, from startups struggling to make their first million to established companies already earning more …

“I Know More About What We Can’T Do Than What We Can”: Division I Women’S Sports Athletes’ Perceptions Of Name, Image, And Likeness, Jalyn Jimerson, Courtney Jones, Quinn Lukens, Marina Miller, Sarah Stokowski, Michael Godfrey, Trevor Bopp, Chris Corr

The COSMA Journal

This study investigated women’s sport athletes’ perceptions of their ability to profit off name, image, and likeness (NIL) as current participants in collegiate athletics. Researchers conducted comprehensive semi-structured interviews with eight women’s sport athletes representing four NCAA Division I member institutions. Participants explained how institutionally organized programmatic educational initiatives primarily codified impermissible forms of NIL compensation while often omitting information about permissible NIL opportunities. Furthermore, participants considered themselves minimally involved in the NIL space, feeling on the low to average side of NIL engagement compared to their athlete-peers competing in men’s sports. The findings of this study are informative for …

Student Speed Dating As A Catalyst For Creative Idea Generation In Sport Management Programs, Logan Schuetz Ph.D., Yo Han Lee Ph.D., Tyler J. Hajek, Brandy Runyan

The COSMA Journal

This article presents a novel approach to addressing the challenges of idea generation among students in higher education, particularly in the field of sport management. Based on research into student engagement and creativity, the authors suggest incorporating speed dating techniques into both in-person and online classes. Speed dating sessions, conducted in breakout rooms via platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, offer students multiple opportunities to engage in brief, structured interactions, thereby enhancing their presentation skills, idea generation, and perspectives through structured, rapid interactions. Additionally, this method encourages greater collaboration and active participation, improving the overall learning environment. This strategy not …

Nirsa Student Referees: Exploring The Connection Between Sense Of Community And Positive Health And Well-Being Outcomes, Jacob K. Tingle

School of Business Faculty Research

Despite working in complex environments, which require managing antagonistic and abusive relationships, sport referees are essential to ensure fair and safe competition. Evidence suggests officiating can positively impact well-being and officiating communities provide social support. Despite those positives, there remains a shortage of qualified officials, which is compounded by aging referee populations. These concerns emphasize the need to attract young people and examine well-being benefits resulting from involvement in officiating communities. As such, the aim of this study is to help NIRSA professionals better understand how the community or social networks made through officiating intramural sports could better support student …

Ceo Social Media Activity And Insider Trading, Zhichuan Li, Claire Y.C. Liang, Zhenyang Tang

School of Business

This article studies the relationship between CEOs' social media activity and their insider trading behavior. Drawing on psychological evidence linking online activity to risk-taking, we find that active CEOs on social media exhibit higher risk preferences and engage more in insider trading—particularly in terms of incidence, intensity, and profitability. The effects are primarily driven by insider buys (rather than sells), which are more likely to involve material non-public information, and such opportunistic trades may increase firm reputational risk. Further analysis reveals that certain corporate governance mechanisms, such as blackout policies and compensation structures, help mitigate the negative impact. © 2025 …

The Effect Of Distance On Persuasion In International E-Mail Marketing Campaigns, Peter Magnusson, Stanford A. Westjohn

Marketing Faculty Publications

We investigate the relative effectiveness of different persuasive appeals in international e-mail customer acquisition marketing campaigns. We conducted three separate experiments, including two lab experiments and one field experiment, to examine the impact of different persuasive appeals on customers. Our research specifically focuses on consensus and authority-focused persuasive appeals. Our findings consistently show that when there is a small cultural distance between the seller and potential buyer, consensus appeals are more effective. On the other hand, when there is a large cultural distance, authority appeals are more effective.

Consumer Experiences In The Secondhand Market: Finances, Frugality, Fashion, & Fun, Melissa Chasko Turner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Secondhand apparel refers to clothing and accessories that have been previously owned, handed down, donated, or resold to others. They are a sustainable product because they are reused instead of being discarded into landfills. Consumer experience refers to the emotional and psychological responses individuals have during their interactions with products and services across all touchpoints. In the secondhand apparel market, consumer experience plays a significant role in product purchasing, and the unique aspects of retail entertainment serve as key motivators. Consumer-perceived risk refers to the uncertainty of adverse outcomes associated with purchasing a product. Purchasing secondhand apparel poses similar yet …

The Effect Of Alternative Work Regimes On Recruiter Productivity, Keith Sean Cogdell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examines the impact of different work regimes, onsite, remote, and hybrid, on recruiter productivity within the staffing industry. As workforce models evolve, organizations encounter challenges in determining how these structural changes influence employee performance. Existing studies are often cross-sectional and rely heavily on self-reported data, limiting their capacity to capture long-term trends and contextual factors. To address this issue, the present research utilizes a longitudinal design with five years of recruiter-level performance data from a national staffing firm, which includes over 27,000 observations. Using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a framework, the study investigates how intrinsic motivation mediated by …

Healthcare Providers’ Lived Experiences During Pivotal Change, Lisa Raynelle Shelley

Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined healthcare providers’ lived experiences of psychological safety and administrative leader behaviors that influenced those experiences during pivotal change. While much research addressed psychological safety among frontline healthcare staff, a gap was noticed concerning providers. This study aimed to investigate the impact of psychological safety and administrative support on provider engagement, emotional response, and retention during periods of significant change. Data were collected via a survey containing multiple-choice and open-ended questions, followed by semi-structured interviews. Four findings emerged. First, the providers’ pivotal events generated themes of “workplace power dynamics,” “systemic and organizational change,” “transformational crisis,” and “physical …

Peaking Today, Taking It Easy Tomorrow: Daily Performance Dynamics Of Working Long Hours, Lieke L. Ten Brummelhuis, Charles Calderwood, Christopher C. Rosen, Alison S. Gabriel

Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Underlying the “ideal worker” image that pervades many organizational cultures is the assumption that working longer hours equates to higher performance, despite recovery research that suggests that long work hours might actually impair future work performance. In an effort to reconcile these differences in how long work hours are thought to relate to job performance, we develop and test a conceptual model in which daily boosts in same-day performance associated with working longer hours could be offset by lower next-day performance. More specifically, we examine if working a longer day than usual reduces sleep, which has the potential to diminish …

Road Dependence And Inventory Challenges: A Case Study Of Danone Brazil’S Dairy Supply Chain., Karollyne Nakanishi

Business ETD Collections

The research examines the Danone Brazil raw milk supply chain through the Poços de Caldas factory which operates with more than 1,200 employees and functions as a key facility in Latin America. The research investigates two main questions about how Brazilian road-based transportation affects raw milk inventory stability and which localized tools or emerging technologies would enhance supply reliability.

The research design combined survey data from 42 participants with three interviews. The study reveals that stockouts and overstock and waste occur frequently because of poor road conditions and seasonal disruptions and limited local autonomy which results in monthly milk rejection …

Investigating Subscriber Churn And Retention Strategies On Disney+., Maryam El Goss

Business ETD Collections

This study examines the challenges facing Disney+, a subscription-based streaming service owned by The Walt Disney Company, in sustaining long-term growth following its rapid global expansion since 2019. While early success was driven by access to major franchises such as Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and National Geographic, the platform is increasingly affected by high subscriber churn. Factors including price sensitivity, content saturation, and intensified competition from platforms such as Netflix, Max, and Amazon Prime Video have contributed to declining user retention. The phenomenon of “subscription cycling,” where users subscribe temporarily to consume specific content, further destabilises revenue streams and …

Ryanair And The Strategic Challenge Of Innovation., Jessyca Souza Damaso

Business ETD Collections

This study examines the strategic innovation challenges facing Ryanair, a Dublin-based low-cost airline that has long dominated the European aviation market through aggressive pricing and operational efficiency. While this cost-leadership model has historically driven success, evolving market conditions—including rising digital expectations and increasing environmental regulations—now require a broader innovation approach that extends beyond operational efficiency.

The research identifies a key strategic limitation in Ryanair’s current innovation efforts, which remain primarily internally focused on cost reduction and operational improvements rather than customer experience or sustainability. Evidence suggests that passengers increasingly perceive the airline’s digital tools as outdated and lacking personalisation, while …

Booking.Com: What Drives Retention And How To Improve It., Otavio Lopes Dos Santos Rodrigues

Business ETD Collections

Online travel agencies (OTAs) have significantly reshaped the global tourism and hospitality industry by offering convenience, transparency, and extensive choice to consumers. Among these, Booking.com has emerged as a dominant market leader, operating on a global scale and serving millions of users. However, increasing competition and low switching costs present ongoing challenges in maintaining long-term customer loyalty. This study examines the evolving dynamics of trust, fairness, and conflict resolution in influencing user retention, alongside traditional functional benefits such as usability and price competitiveness. Using Booking.com as a case study, the research adopts a mixed-method approach, combining insights from a property …

Optimising Student Recruitment And Brand Awareness At Icot College Through Culturally Targeted Advertising And Social Media Strategies., Uchral Ganbold

Business ETD Collections

In today’s competitive higher education landscape, institutions increasingly rely on digital marketing strategies to attract and retain international students. ICOT College, an English Language Training provider in Ireland, faces challenges in recruiting and engaging a diverse international student base due to limited culturally tailored advertising and underutilisation of social media platforms. The global education sector has become more competitive following COVID-19, with students adopting more selective and research-driven approaches when choosing institutions. However, ICOT’s current marketing approach remains largely generic, lacking localisation, targeted messaging, and interactive digital engagement. This reduces its effectiveness in connecting with key international markets and weakens …

“Move Fast And Break Things”: Innovation, Stability, And Trust In The Growth Of Revolut., Belen Blanco Mendoza

Business ETD Collections

In this research project, I chose to examine the strategies used in the growth of the fintech Revolut, namely the ’move-fast-and-break-things’ strategy that was employed at the beginning of the company. With this in mind, I decided on two Research Questions, “With the benefit of hindsight, and a focus on problems caused by low security and poor customer support, is Revolut’s ‘move fast and break things’ philosophy a good strategy for the business?” and “Will Revolut’s new fraud prevention strategies, and advances in AI help recover the lost goodwill caused by their earlier ineffective strategies?”, which guided me …

Algorithms And Intimacy: Millennials' Social Meanings From Their Experience Using Tinder., Yuka Gega

Business ETD Collections

In recent years, the way people form relationships has undergone a profound transformation, shifting from traditional, community-based interactions to global, technology-mediated connections. Dating apps have played a central role in this shift, using algorithms and limited user data, such as photos and profiles, to match individuals. While these platforms offer convenience and expanded opportunities to meet others, they may also prioritise selection and appearance over the development of meaningful connections. The widespread adoption of smartphones has accelerated the global reach of these services, making them highly accessible and widely used, particularly among millennials. However, algorithm-driven matching introduces new challenges, including …

Strategic Digital Transformation Of Internal Audit: The Microsoft Case Study., Maria De Jesus Marin Marin

Business ETD Collections

Internal audit functions are under increasing pressure to evolve amid rapid digital innovation and rising expectations for risk responsiveness and strategic insight. While tools such as data analytics, automation, and AI offer clear benefits, many audit teams still face inefficiencies and underutilised technology. This study explores how Microsoft’s internal audit function, a case within a digitally advanced yet operationally complex environment, can enhance efficiency, risk detection, and internal controls through digital tools, agile methods, and process redesign. Drawing on qualitative research, including interviews and surveys with internal audit, IT and compliance professionals, the study bridges academic theory with practical insight. …

Relationship Between Transformational Leadership And Employees' Psychological Safety, Minahil Khan

SSLA Culminating Experience

This study explored how psychological safety manifests in the workplace and how it is influenced by transformational leadership. Using quantitative survey data from 101 employees—pre-dominantly based in Karachi, Pakistan—the research investigated the relationship between psychological safety and transformational leadership. It also explored whether there is a gender difference in the employees’ perception of transformational leadership and psychological safety. Findings indicate that transformational leadership has a significant positive correlation of 0.734 with psychological safety, which in turn enhances employees’ willingness to speak up and engage in creative problem-solving. Additionally results also indicated that there is no statistically significant gender difference in …

Racial Minorities In Strategic Leadership: An Integrative Literature Review And Future Research Roadmap, Yangyang Zhang, Ann Mooney, Sibel Ozgen

Management Faculty Works

Bolstered by their slow but increasing representation, racial minority strategic leaders have started to capture significant research attention across disciplines. We review this emergent literature, synthesizing and integrating the research progress to date across the 147 articles we identified. Our review highlights a range of factors that have been found to influence racial minority representation in strategic leadership positions, including factors at the firm, board, individual, and environmental levels. We also summarize how such representation has been found to affect firm outcomes (e.g., firm performance, innovation) as well as the careers of the racial minority leaders (e.g., compensation, promotion). Despite …

Immersive And Generative Technology: New Tools For Marketing, New Tools For Consumer Response, David W. Stewart, Gabrielle Pizzi, Shashi Matta, Federica Caboni

Marketing & Business Law Faculty Works

Immersive technologies, including AR, VR, XR, and generative technologies such as Gen‐AI, are reinventing marketing practice and consumer experience. In this article we provide an introductory review of how these technologies are (re)shaping consumer behavior in domains where the physical and digital converge, and consumers' response to them. Our review finds that while immersive technologies enhance engagement through personalization and multisensory feedback, they also raise concerns about accessibility, authenticity, and digital fatigue. Similarly, Gen‐AI, which is transforming many facets of marketing, including customer service, product development, marketing communications, and consumer research, raises new questions related to attribution, co‐creation, authenticity, and …

Intensive Longitudinal Models, Robert E. Ployhart, Paul D. Bliese, Sam D. Strizver

Faculty Publications

Intensive longitudinal models (ILMs) allow researchers to analyze nested data collected through frequent measurements—typically 20 or more repeated occasions—over densely spaced durations. Rather than being a single statistical approach, ILMs encompass various models unified by their capability to handle densely collected longitudinal data. We briefly summarize the nature of intensive longitudinal designs and why such designs require the use of ILMs. We then provide a classification typology to help readers understand the features of an ILM they should adopt. This classification typology provides the structure for a narrative review of existing ILM research. We conclude with specific recommendations for using …

Non-Profit Foundation Boards: An Investigation Into Best Practices Using Fayetteville Public Library Foundation As A Test Case, Esther Beller

2025 Research Poster Competition

Effective governance is critical for the success of non-profit organizations, with foundation boards playing a central role in ensuring accountability, strategic direction, and resource allocation for the organization. This thesis investigates best practices for non-profit foundation boards, using the Fayetteville Public Library Foundation as a case study to evaluate the efficiency of its governance practices. The research aims to identify whether the Foundation board operates efficiently and adheres to established best practices for non-profit boards.

To address this, a two-phase methodology was employed. The first phase involved an extensive review of scholarly journals, industry guidelines, and other resources to define …

Exploring The Stem Career Identity Development Of Black Women Across Their Lifespan, Veronica Hurd

Theses and Dissertations

Although STEM is the fastest-growing career sector, Black women are grossly underrepresented as they account for 2.5% of the workforce. Research highlights that this underrepresentation is due to racialized structures in K-12, postsecondary, and career settings that restrict Black girls’ and women’s STEM opportunities. While macrosystems such as hegemonic ideologies, attitudes, and social conditions shape Black girls’ and women’s opportunities in STEM, they continue to persist and achieve their career goals. To explore these barriers and Black women’s persistence in this industry, this study draws from the autobiographical memories of 10 Black women in the field or formerly in the …

Voices From Within: Employees' Sensemaking Of Corporate Volunteerism, Janet Laadi Anani

Theses and Dissertations

Corporate volunteerism is a key component of the philanthropic pillar of CSR, shaping employee engagement and organizational identity. This study employed the social exchange and sensemaking theories to explore how employees make meaning of their experiences in corporate volunteer initiatives and how their experiences influence their perceptions of their organizations. Data was gathered from in-depth interviews with employees with varied corporate volunteer experiences across multiple organizations. The findings show that despite employees’ strong motivations to engage in corporate volunteerism, they face challenges such as time and workload constraints and limited variety of volunteer opportunities. The study also found that employees’ …

Author Biographical Notes

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Mission And Editorial Policy

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

George C. Roberts Award Recipients

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.