Digital Commons Network^™

Are Leaders Born, Or Made?, William R. Chase D.D.S.

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The debate over whether leaders are born or made persists, but effective leadership often results from a combination of innate traits and learned skills. Transformational leaders inspire and motivate others, while transactional leaders focus on tasks without fostering personal connections. Servant leadership, particularly valued in the dental profession, emphasizes service to others, aligning naturally with patient care. Leadership styles, such as coercive, authoritative, and affiliative, demonstrate the complexity of leadership dynamics. Renowned authors like John C. Maxwell and Daniel Goleman emphasize adaptability and the importance of being a leader whom people want to follow. Effective leadership transcends settings, offering focus, …

Unlocking Lean Construction: Decoding The Root Causes Of Initial Implementation Failures, Adam Hoots

All Theses

In recent years, the construction industry has increasingly adopted lean construction methodologies, with the aim of enhancing project efficiencies, eliminating waste, and delivering projects that exceed all project owner expectations. With this as the industry’s focus, many projects struggle with the initial implementation of lean principles, leading to disrespect of people and resources, cost overruns, schedule delays, stakeholder misalignment, and compromised quality. This research investigates the reasons behind initial failures and how they influence the broader industry's perception of lean construction.

Drawing from a comprehensive case study of a higher education dormitory and dining facility project, this research study explores …

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 …

Personality Dynamics Turn Positive And Negative Mood Into Creativity, Ronald Bledow, Jana Kuhnel, Julius Kuhl

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Introduction: Research on the link between affect and creativity rests on the assumption that creativity unfolds as a stimulus-driven response to affective states. We challenge this assumption and examine whether personality dynamics moderate the relationship of positive and negative mood with creativity. Theoretical Model: According to our model, personality dynamics that generate and maintain positive affect and down-regulate negative affect energize creativity. Based on this model, we expect high creativity in response to negative mood if people engage in self-motivation and achieve a reduction in negative mood. We further derive that individual differences in action versus state orientation moderate 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 …

The Yin And Yang Of Decision Making: Strategic Planning And Improvisation In An Entrepreneurial Culture, Anton Fenik, Ernest R. Cadotte, Helena F. Allman

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Only a few empirical studies examine the influence of organizational improvisation on firm performance. Further, more insight is needed regarding the coexistence of normative (i.e., planned) and descriptive (i.e., improvised) forms of decision-making. This paper contributes to the literature by filling these gaps. It investigates the moderating effect of entrepreneurial behaviors on the relationship between improvisation and firm performance. It explores whether improvisational decision-making can improve firm performance beyond planning’s effect on firm outcomes. We employ decision theory and sensemaking literature in our conceptual model. We test our hypotheses with data from a cross-sectional managerial survey and a behavioral simulation …

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 …

Impact Of Project Simulation Shareholding Incentive On Team Performance: Research Based On The Construction Industry, Jian Zhou

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

China's construction industry is vast and possesses a wide market; however, it faces challenges such as unclear stratification and low concentration levels. Construction enterprises face significant constraints in key areas such as financial strength, team stability, and technological advancement, while also bearing substantial costs related to supervision and accountability. The project simulation shareholding mode enhances employees' sense of belonging and responsibility through a collaborative approach characterized by joint management, shared risks, and shared benefits. This improves project execution efficiency and quality, ultimately strengthening the core competitiveness of the enterprise. In the construction industry, projects often involve substantial investments and long-term …

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 …

Balancing The Scales In The Fashion Industry, Theresa J. Fennell

Theses

The standards of beauty, particularly in the fashion industry, have long been a source of societal debate and controversy. Although beauty can be seen as “subjective,” over the years, certain standards have become institutionalized, creating exclusionary ideals that have dominated the fashion industry. Historically, these standards have favored slim body types, marginalizing larger, plus-size bodies. This bias is deeply entrenched in the industry, influencing everything from design to representation in advertising. However, the body positivity movement has emerged as a transformative force, advocating for the acceptance of diverse body types and pushing for greater inclusivity in fashion. Despite these advances, …

Unravelling The Effects Of Knowledge-Sharing Dynamics On Crowdsourcing Contest Participation, Hanieh Javadi Khasraghi, Xuan Wang, Yaojie Li, Xi Mao

Information Systems Faculty Publications

Crowdsourcing contests have emerged as a popular approach for organisations to leverage collective intelligence and tap into the expertise of a diverse crowd. Knowledge sharing in such contests is paramount in promoting individual or team participation. This study employs negative binomial regression analysis to explore the impact of dynamic knowledge-sharing features – knowledge volume, knowledge expansion, knowledge innovation, and knowledge popularity – on team participation, using data from 211 crowdsourcing contests hosted on Kaggle. The findings offer significant implications for researchers and practitioners regarding effective knowledge management within crowdsourcing platforms. Encouraging knowledge sharing and collaboration and promoting innovative practices can …

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 …

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 …

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 …

An Integrative, Systematic Review Of The Situational Judgment Test Literature, Sven Kepes, Sheila K. Keener, Filip Lievens, Michael A. Mcdaniel

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Situational judgment tests (SJTs) are popular assessment approaches that present scenarios describing situations that one may experience in a job. Due to its long history and cross-disciplinary nature, today’s SJT literature is quite fragmented. In this integrative review, we start by systematically taking stock and synthesizing the SJT literature from the different scientific disciplines via bibliometric techniques on 524 unique documents. We identify six literature clusters (i.e., SJTs in the medical sciences, SJTs in personnel selection, methodological issues and SJTs for specific constructs, SJTs to assess emotional intelligence and related constructs, technological advances in SJTs, SJTs for teacher assessment and …

Meta-Entrepreneurship: An Analysis Theory On Integrating Generative Ai, Agentic Ai, And Metaverse For Entrepreneurship, Yingying Zhang, Keng Siau

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Metaverse entrepreneurship has emerged as an innovative topic alongside the development of generative AI, agentic AI and metaverse. This study conceptualizes meta-entrepreneurship as a novel form of entrepreneurial activity that enables value creation within virtual and physical realms and proposes an analytical theoretical framework based on a systematic literature review, observations, and focus group study. Our framework is structured around three layers (infrastructure, content, and experience) and two domains (metaverse-based operational domain and AI-based production domain), aims to conceptualize “what is meta-entrepreneurship” and identify new possibilities. The research highlights the multifaceted impact of meta-entrepreneurship on individuals, corporations, industries, societies, and …

Charging During The Stay: The Effects Of Ev Chargers’ Availability And Pricing On Consumer Perceived Utilitarian Value And Behavioral Intentions, Wenjia Han, Cass Shum, Guoguang Wan

Hospitality Faculty Research

Hotels are increasingly hosting EV chargers. Yet, scant research examines the effects of EV chargers on consumer behavioral intentions toward the hotel. This study draws on the expectancy theory and examines the effect of EV chargers availability and the availability of surrounding chargers on consumer hotel booking intentions and willingness to pay a price premium. The results of two scenario-based experiments showed that free or paid EV chargers enhance consumers’ perceived utilitarian value and behavioral intentions. The effects are partially amplified when the availability of surrounding chargers is limited. This research contributes to the literature on hotel add-on services and …

Benchmarking Pretrained Models For Speech Emotion Recognition: A Focus On Xception, Ahmed Hassan, Tehroom Masood, Hassan A. Ahmed, H. M. Shahzad, Hafiz Muhammad T. Khushi

Business Faculty Publications

Speech emotion recognition (SER) is an emerging technology that utilizes speech sounds to identify a speaker’s emotional state. Computational intelligence is receiving increasing attention from academics, health, and social media applications. This research was conducted to identify emotional states in verbal communication. We applied a publicly available dataset called RAVDEES. The data augmentation process involved adding noise, applying time stretching, shifting, and pitch, and extracting the features zero cross rate (ZCR), chroma shift, Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC), and a spectrogram. In addition, we used many pretrained deep learning models, such as VGG16, ResNet50, Xception, InceptionV3, and DenseNet121. Out of all …

Perceived Risk Mediation Of Website Quality In Online Clothing Shopping In A South African Township, Khathutshelo M. Makhitha, Rodney G. Duffett

The African Journal of Information Systems

South Africa lags behind other economies regarding online shopping adoption. Extant literature has focused on the influence of risk factors on consumers’ intention to shop online. However, few studies have considered the effect that mediating factors can have on relationships between other factors related to online shopping. It is particularly important to determine the mediation effect of perceived risk factors on the relationship between perceived website quality and intentions to shop online. A quantitative survey was used to collect data from 300 online shoppers who purchase clothing online and are located in the Soweto Township in Gauteng, South Africa. Perceived …

Social Capital, Post-Industrial Society, And Faulty Industry Experience: Higher Education’S Engagement Opportunity In Applied Disciplines, Asa B. Wilson, Steven A. Stovall, Edward Crowley

Journal of the North American Management Society

Higher education faces two currents - declining social capital support and the post-industrial transition. Both impact the academy and its students. The associated challenges are discussed as engagement opportunities for the academy in applied disciplines. Also, the instructional value of faculty industry experience (IE) is defined as an attribute of social capital. It fosters student engagement while building an experiential learning bridge from the classroom to the workplace. A composite case based on faculty social capital backgrounds illustrates how faculty IE augments program development, academic rigor, student readiness, research creativity, industry linkages, and community impact. Follow-up research opportunities are identified.

The Importance Of Creativity As A Leadership Trait In Times Of Uncertainty, Niall C. Hegarty, Gerald Cusack

Journal of the North American Management Society

The purpose of this article is to illustrate that in times of uncertainty and crisis leadership creativity is the key ingredient in ensuring the survival of the firm. In such times there is no stock solution - one size does not fit all. Hence, the important trait of creativity is a crucial component needed in organizational leadership. The article progresses through the various types of creativity and challenges to survival of organizations that require the presence of creativity and develops a creative LOOP system to promote continued organizational creativity. Triggered by the presence of Covid-19 and the natural exploration of …

Building A Better Future For Christian Higher Education, Maria Ll Lam

Journal of the North American Management Society

This paper is an exploratory study concerning the perceptions of 16 diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) officers at nine Protestant evangelical Christian universities and six Catholic universities. Among these 16 DEI officers, 15 are people of color. 13 possess Ph.D. degrees and hold the highest administrative positions at their institutions. They are often required to address justice issues in their diversity initiatives if they don’t want to reproduce systematic institutional injustices in historically white-dominated Christian universities. They are working across multiple boundaries (i.e., boundary spanners) for institutional-level diversity changes. They all voice motivations to make institutional changes and 11 DEI …

Organizational Intentionality: Enhancing Business Engagement With Black Entrepreneurs Through Purposeful And Inclusive Strategies, Willye G. Shaw

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Motivated by demands for greater business diversity and proactive efforts of organizations to improve their inclusive engagements with minority stakeholders, this research contributes to the academic body of knowledge related to Black-owned business value by highlighting the impacts of organizations committed to shifting the conventional approach to diversity with this business community. The objective is to delve more into the need for enhanced relationships between organizations and Black-owned businesses, offering insights into the intentional actions, decisions, and strategies that lead to purposeful initiatives by the organizations to refine their business practices, with a focus on sustainable success for Black entrepreneurs. …

Gen Z Attitude And Its Factors Towards Social Media Advertisements, Mecmack A. Nartea

Social Sciences and Development Review

With the radical growth of technology and the Internet of Things, social media sites rose as an essential tool in promoting products and services. The intergenerational cohorts are also rapidly growing in the e-business limelight. Various studies targeted millennial consumers and less on Gen Z. Thus, this paper will determine the factors influencing Gen Z’s attitude towards social media advertisement. The study is descriptive-causal, and to determine the 297 respondents as samples, the stratified sampling technique was used. The findings revealed that perceived usefulness and reliability have a positive effect on Gen Z’s attitude towards social media ads. Word-of-mouth is …

Antecedents And Outcomes Of Big Data Adoption In Supply Chain, Alok Raj, Rajeev Ranjan Kumar, Anand Jeyaraj

Management Information Systems Faculty Publications

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the big data–performance relationship based on the existing empirical evidence. Using a meta-analysis approach, big data adoption (BDA) related 446 effect sizes reported in 133 prior empirical studies were gathered from 118848 informants in more than 30 countries. Results confirm ten significant antecedents and eight outcomes of BDA based on identified literature. We further estimate the heterogeneity based on subgroup analysis by considering two types of moderators as (a)economic regions (developed vs developing), and (b) type of industry. We find that organizations in developed countries adopt big data largely due to …

Virtual Leadership Through The Use Of Commanders Intent, Lisa M. Hammond

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The shift to remote work triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed organizational dynamics, exposing the limitations of traditional leadership models and emphasizing the need for innovative approaches. This dissertation examines the application of the military concept of Commander’s Intent in remote work settings, focusing on its potential to enhance mission alignment, autonomy, and productivity. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates quantitative survey data and qualitative thematic analysis to explore how Commander’s Intent impacts mission clarity, person-job fit, and leadership effectiveness. Findings reveal that Commander’s Intent strengthens mission alignment and empowers teams to act autonomously while maintaining strategic coherence, …

Relationship-Influenced Cyber Hygiene (Rich) In Community Banks, Monte L. Ward

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a research study that introduces the theoretical model of Relationship-Influenced Cyber Hygiene (RICH) through its investigation of the phenomenon the researcher experienced: how the interpersonal relationship between top management and cybersecurity personnel within smaller community banks influences the cyber hygiene of top management. Due to the value proposition of community banks to their clients and the limited budget of smaller institutions for investment in cybersecurity controls and initiates, community banks need additional strategies to achieve stronger cyber hygiene, especially as it relates the greatest weakness in most cybersecurity infrastructures—the human element. This study identifies and addresses a …

Internal Audit Obligations To Combat Money Laundering In Ksa: A Qualitative Study Among Saudi Auditors, Mohammed Alzahrane

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Money laundering (ML) presents a significant challenge to Saudi Arabia's financial system, hence the need for comprehensive measures for detection and prevention. This study will analyze various aspects of ML within Saudi Arabia, focusing on its complexities, regulatory landscape, and ongoing efforts to combat it. Saudi Arabia, as a key financial center, faces unique challenges in addressing ML due to its strategic location, substantial oil reserves, and intricate financial transactions. The country's dynamic financial sector and technological advancements amplify these challenges, requiring vigilant measures to counter illicit financial flows effectively. The regulatory framework governing anti-money laundering in Saudi Arabia is …

Exploring The Impact And Challenges Of Global Business Courses In Higher Education: Perspectives Of Teachers And Students, Maged Eid, Razan Baradhi, Laurent Yacoub, Nada Jabbour Al Maalouf

Arab Economic and Business Journal

This study evaluates the impact and challenges of the "Global Business Core" course, where students from various countries engage in online, synchronous discussions via videoconferencing to explore life-related topics and intercultural learning. By focusing on the perspectives of both students and instructors, this qualitative study offers an in-depth understanding of how global business education shapes participants' experiences. Data were collected through unstructured interviews with 15 students, 5 instructors across 6 countries, and the director of global academic initiatives. The data were manually processed using a coding process in line with thematic analysis, which involved identifying key patterns and themes from …