Digital Commons Network^™

Relationship Between Corporate Social Responsibility Activities By Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises And Business Profitability, Oluwabunmi Afolashade Olujobi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) positively impacts performance and profitability for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Small and medium-sized enterprise leaders are reluctant to engage in CSR activities because of the assumed high-cost implication and possible impairment of profitability. Grounded in social capital theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between workforce-based CSR activities, society-based CSR activities, market-based CSR activities, regulation-based CSR activities, and SMEs’ business profitability. The participants were 109 SME owners in Lagos, Nigeria. Data were collected using questionnaires administered online through google forms. The results of the multiple linear regression were significant, …

Firm Size As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Sustainability Practices And Organizational Performance In Banks, Abel Azuwueze Osuji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bank managers are facing increasing pressure to adopt sustainable finance models that address stakeholders' diverse interests. It is important to understand how ESG strategies relate to corporate financial performance (CFP) to facilitate the adoption by bank leaders. Grounded in the triple bottom line and stakeholder theories, the purpose of this ex-post facto study was to examine the relationship between sustainability practices and the CFP of banks within the contingency of firm size. Secondary data on 226 global banks were collected from the Sustainalytics and FitchConnect databases. The results of the moderated multiple regression analysis indicated the two full models comprising …

Glass Ceiling Encountered By Female Chief Executive Officers As They Advance To C-Level Positions In International Nonprofit Sports Organizations., Eric Edokpaigbe Idehen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women are underrepresented as chief executive officers (CEOs), executive-level officers, board directors, and national sports organization board chairs in 45 countries. Despite social movements, laws, and practices supporting equal employment opportunities and workplace equality, women in top senior-level positions are still lacking. The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges women face in terms of obtaining CEO leadership roles in international nonprofit sports organizations. The study involved exploring limitations eight women faced when aspiring to CEO positions in terms of leadership development, talent management, and policies involving international nonprofit sports organizations. This study employed a qualitative descriptive phenomenological …

Small Business Internal Control System Strategies To Protect Business Assets And Profitability, Edward Gabriel Earl Kuupualeialoha Keaunui

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The absence of financial expertise and internal control systems contributes to losing business assets and profitability. Small business leaders who lack internal control systems and strategies to protect against the financial loss of business assets and profitability may be vulnerable and suffer losses. Grounded in the Committee of the Sponsoring Organization of the Treadway Commission (COSO) internal control-integrated framework, this qualitative multiple-case study explores internal control system strategies that small business leaders use to protect business assets and profitability. The participants were five small business leaders from the Western region of the United States who have successfully operated for over …

The Experiences Of Women Executive Leaders In A Leadership Development Program, Angela Ivy Gustus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The host organization is a nonprofit that has a mission of supporting the work of 19 other separate organizations, 47% of which are run by women. The problem addressed in this research is the host organization’s lack of knowledge related to how to create a leadership development program that will maintain or increase the current gender diversity. The purpose of this research was to gather information about the current leaders to inform the creation of a leadership development program for the host organization based on research conducted at Harvard University. The aim was to understand the experiences of the women …

Challenges With Multicultural Leadership For Project Managers: A Qualitative Multiple Case Study, Harrison Nnaemeka Nnaji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Culturally diverse teams are becoming the norm with the rising trend of globalization. The phenomenon has been associated with a rise in the number of multicultural teams with diversified team members. The central problem addressed in this study relates to inadequate understanding of challenges posed to project managers of multicultural software development teams operating in Nigeria. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore challenges faced by this population. Avruch’s theory of culture, the Human needs theory by Burton, and the cross-cultural adaptation theory by Kim were the conceptual frameworks for this study. Participants included 15 project …

Mortgage Broker Strategies To Overcome The Volatility Of Inconsistent Sales, Marissa Blackwell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many mortgage brokers leave the mortgage industry because of unforeseen changes andvolatility. Mortgage brokers are concerned with adequate strategies to mitigate industry volatility and inconsistent sales, which is important to successful sustainability during challenging times. Grounded in relationship marketing theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the strategies seven mortgage brokers from a single organization used to sustain sales during volatile times. Data were collected using semistructured interviews by telecommunication, a reflective journal, LinkedIn, Facebook, and broker websites. Through thematic analysis, three themes emerged: maintaining a presence with new and existing clients, understanding client needs, …

Succession Planning Strategies For Nonprofit Organizations, Chandler Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit organizations are cornerstones in the community that contribute to improving environments, communities, persons, and life overall. However, some nonprofit organization senior leaders lack the succession planning strategies, resources, and funding to continue serving as positive social change agents in the community. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore business strategies nonprofit leaders use for succession planning. The participants included three senior leaders in a nonprofit located in the northeastern region of the United States who have indirectly or directly implemented succession planning strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, …

The Experiences Of Women Executive Leaders In A Leadership Development Program, Angela Ivy Gustus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The host organization is a nonprofit that has a mission of supporting the work of 19 other separate organizations, 47% of which are run by women. The problem addressed in this research is the host organization’s lack of knowledge related to how to create a leadership development program that will maintain or increase the current gender diversity. The purpose of this research was to gather information about the current leaders to inform the creation of a leadership development program for the host organization based on research conducted at Harvard University. The aim was to understand the experiences of the women …

Effective Strategies For Small Business Sustainability, Kathleen A. Watson-Wilkin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSmall businesses in the United States experience a higher failure rate than medium-sized and large corporations. Small business owners without successful strategies to sustain their businesses may fail. Grounded in the McKinsey 7S model, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies small general construction contractor business owners use to sustain their businesses beyond 5 years. The participants were three small general construction contractor business owners within Miami, Florida, who sustained businesses for 5 years. Data were collected using semistructured and audio-recorded face-to-face interviews. Through thematic analysis, four themes emerged: (a) creating strategies for a solid customer …

Black/African American Men’S Lived Experiences Of Workplace Colorism Bullying, Dr. Benjamin K. Spady Ph.D

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying in the U.S. workplace is an ongoing issue that transcends industry boundaries due to perpetrators’ ineffectiveness in viewing all coworkers as equals. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis study was to explore the lived experiences of Black/African American men who endure workplace colorism bullying. Critical race theory provided the conceptual framework, which labeled racism as an omnipresent systemic force. Semistructured interview data were collected from six Black/African American men who resided in the United States and who were bullied in the workplace within the past 20 years. Data were coded via open coding to discover themes. The …

Leadership Strategies For Sustaining Membership In Southern Baptist Churches, George L. Blount Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Church membership is declining, and the number of Americans identifying as having no religious affiliation is increasing. Church members can provide for a community’s spiritual and financial needs and promote the growth of evangelical believers and biblical stewardship. However, some pastors, ministerial staff, and ministry leaders lack effective leadership strategies to sustain membership. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore leadership strategies Southern Baptist church leaders from three churches in Pennsylvania use to sustain membership. Participants were three church leaders who sustained church membership for 3 years or longer. Data were …

An Exploratory Study Of Entrepreneurial Intention Among Hispanic Entrepreneurs In Toronto, Jorge Perez Moreno

Dissertations

The Problem

Entrepreneurship scholars have claimed that immigrants are more likely to become self-employed due to limited job opportunities, access to social networks, cultural background, necessity, and education and skills. However, the entrepreneurial experience of Hispanic immigrants in Toronto has yet to be examined. This quantitative study examined the attitudes, norms, and perceptions influencing entrepreneurial intention and the factors that encourage self-employment continuation among immigrants in Canada.

Method

This study used a survey questionnaire of ninety-four Hispanic entrepreneurs in Toronto to comprehend their entrepreneurial intention. It examined their proficiencies, studied their business characteristics, and predicted their behavior toward self employment …

What Does It Look Like For Mental Healthcare Organizations To Be Healthy Places To Work? An Action Research Study, Stephanie L. Fox

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Mental healthcare organizations have a reputation for being unhealthy places to work. The irony of this reputation is keenly felt by its workforce who report unsustainable workloads, high levels of stress, and lack of support or engagement from higher-level leadership. As a mental healthcare provider now in a position of leadership, who has worked across all levels of care within the sector, it was of interest to me to explore how a mental health organization can become a healthier and more sustainable place to work. I approached this study with the assumption that if an organization was healthy and intentional …

The Impact Of Attribution Theory On Information Technology Professionals’ Perceptions Of Glass Ceilings, Shanda Phillips

Doctor of Business Administration Dissertations

As of 2021, women comprised almost half of the United States workforce, nearly 47%. Despite this, women represent only 24% of top earning officers and only 6% of chief executive officer positions. Glass ceilings are a phenomenon that represent an invisible barrier that prevents professional advancement for minority populations, including women, in business. Glass ceilings can impact several minority groups, but mostly appear to be a distinctive gender phenomenon. The challenges for women are well documented, but less understood are the attributional causes of glass ceilings as perceived by information technology (IT) professionals. The framework for this dissertation is the …

A Portrait Of The Leadership Of Women In Early Christianity: An Archaeological Study In Light Of The Historical And Socio-Cultural Contexts, Carina Prestes

Dissertations

Problem

The participation of women in the Early Christian communities is widely accepted. Nevertheless, there is no consensus on what was their role in these communities. Until now the study of women in the Early Christian communities has focused mostly in the writings of some ancient authors and a few biblical texts. These studies have been done mostly by theologians and historians. Such studies rarely take a deep look at the Greco-Roman background and at the historical, socio-cultural contexts. This contextualization can be quite fruitful and should be informed by recent archaeological discoveries of the first centuries of Christianity. Thus, …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Employee Engagement And Performance In The Teleworking Context In The U.S. Public Sector: A Phenomenological Case Study, Elizabeth Nesuda

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The global shift to telework during the COVID-19 pandemic has redefined work environments and created challenges and opportunities for the public sector. This study addressed a significant gap in the existing literature by exploring the relationship between employee engagement and performance in the context of COVID-19. This study explores employee engagement and performance in teleworking environments within the federal public sector. This study adopted a phenomenological case study design focused on understanding the experiences of public sector employees who shifted to telework during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research and interview questions were developed to uncover employee engagement and performance experiences in …

Evaluating Healthcare Student Learning Performance During The Initial Year Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Study, Maria D. Garcia-Villarreal

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a mass interruption to daily life lasting almost an entire academic year. Return to normalcy was hard won and phased over the following academic year. Neither time-period offered “traditional” learning experiences in academic institutions. The extent to which the operational shut-down affected academic institutions and their learners is just now beginning to be elucidated. Human resource development (HRD) is uniquely positioned to apply established and newly developed theories and applications to the study of this phenomenon. One particular case lends itself to observation. A major academic medical center launched a technology-driven state-of-the-art simulation education center mere …

Work Effort: A Conceptual And Meta-Analytic Review, Chad H. Van Iddekinge, John D. Arnold, Herman Aquinis, Jonas W. B. Lang, Filip Lievens

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Work effort has been a key concept in management theories and research for more than a century. Maintaining and increasing employee effort also is a persistent concern to managers. The goal of the present conceptual and meta-analytic review was to increase clarity and consensus regarding what effort is and how to measure it. First, we reviewed conceptualizations of effort and provided an integrated definition that views effort as a direct outcome of motivation that captures (a) what employees work on, (b) how hard they work, and (c) how long they persist in that work. Second, we identified four main ways …

Man Vs Machine – Detecting Deception In Online Reviews, Maria Petrescu

Publications

This study focused on three main research objectives: analyzing the methods used to identify deceptive online consumer reviews, evaluating insights provided by multi-method automated approaches based on individual and aggregated review data, and formulating a review interpretation framework for identifying deception. The theoretical framework is based on two critical deception-related models, information manipulation theory and self-presentation theory. The findings confirm the interchangeable characteristics of the various automated text analysis methods in drawing insights about review characteristics and underline their significant complementary aspects. An integrative multi-method model that approaches the data at the individual and aggregate level provides more complex insights …

From A Boy To A Leader, Alejandro Zayas

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The following autoethnographic dissertation examines my personal experiences of trauma, abuse, and violence. Drawing on journals, memories, and artifacts from my life, I use self-reflection to illustrate the impacts of trauma on my childhood and adulthood. My traumatic experiences of sexual abuse, childhood violence, and emotional abuse are situated within broader sociocultural contexts of masculinity, Hispanic culture, and social norms. This study illuminates possibilities for healing and transformation for myself and others with shared traumatic backgrounds. It calls for trauma-informed education, masculinity, and resiliency. Evocatively sharing my traumatic life events provides an accessible window into often silenced experiences, bearing witness …

Landscaping Wellness At Work: A Participatory Model For Worker-Centered Health, Anya Helena Piotrowski

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study contributes to a body of scholarship that demonstrates the benefits and need of employee-driven and defined wellness at work processes. This participatory action research study brought together a team of employees within a remote-work, start-up organization to define and design a process for implementing wellness at work for their organization. Through a participatory process that allowed outcomes to emerge from the group, employees identified opportunities to foster embodied wellness in their organization in three core areas: organizational, personal, and cross-boundary initiatives. Through a reflective collaboration, employees generated ideas and developed a plan to address employee-identified priorities that will …

Theoretical Modeling For Curious Leadership And Instrument Development And Validation For Measuring Curious Leader Capacity, Lisa M. Gick

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

When curious, we admit we do not know. With the contemporary workplace emerging through increased complexity, leaders are compelled to shift mindsets and practices from more traditional methods to those more in service to the uncertainty of the day. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to generate an integrated theoretical framework for curious leadership, a validated scale for its measurement, and practical methods for engaging differently in the context and practice of leading. Drawing from the literature review of relational leadership, adaptive leadership, complexity leadership, growth mindsets, and curious behavior, and from my practice, 12 sub-constructs were identified as …

The Concept And Role Of Meaningful Work In The Context Of Pakistan – An Exploratory Study Of Junior Doctors, Abid Hussain

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Over the past decade, the concept of meaningful work has gained increased attention from human resource management, organisational science, and management scholars. This can be largely attributed to the growing global concern for the wellbeing and meaningful engagement of individuals in the workforce, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. The literature on meaningful work reveals that there are multiple perspectives and theoretical approaches to the conceptualisation of meaningful work which can be found primarily within Western societies and Western scholarship and are often based on Western worldviews. Most of the quantitative and qualitative empirical studies adopt a reductionist approach and tend …

The Role Of Authentic Leadership On Healthcare Street-Level Bureaucrats’ Well-Being During The Pandemic, Nasim Salehi, Yvonne Brunetto, Tom Dick

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study uses Conservation of Resources Theory, to explain Street-Level Bureaucrats’ (SLBs) workplace behavioural responses to threats to their well-being. We examine whether authentic leadership within street-level organisations positively impacts employee well-being by increasing SLBs’ perception of personal resources, and reducing their perceptions of work harassment. The research design comprises a survey that solicited quantitative and qualitative data from 163 healthcare SLBs working in Australian hospitals during the pandemic in April 2020. Analysis of the means indicates low levels of satisfaction with leadership and low levels of well-being for SLBs. The structural equation modelling findings show that poor leadership is …

Going Beyond Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, And Democratic (Weird) Samples And Problems In Organizational Research, Marko Pitesa, Michele J. Gelfand

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The goal of organizational research is to make inferences about a target population based on samples studied. Most target populations referred to in theories of organizational behavior, whether explicitly or implicitly, tend to be the entire populations of workers or managers, or even the entire human population. A typical sample, however, is convenient, being located where most researchers are, and thus also predominantly from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic countries (WEIRD; Henrich, Heine, & Norenzayan, 2010).

The Value Of The Serious Leisure Perspective In Understanding Cultural Capital Embodiment In Festival Settings, Giulia Ressetti, Bernadette Quinn

Presentations

Festivals have been conceptualised as serious leisure activities as well as arenas for cultural capital acquisition and embodiment. However, there is still theoretical confusion surrounding the process of cultural embodiment, especially in leisure practices. This paper suggests that the serious leisure perspective, in combination with cultural capital ideas, offer a means of deepening understanding of how cultural capital can be embodied in festival settings. To make its arguments, the paper draws on qualitative data collected at two long-established literary festivals, one in Ireland and one in Italy. Observations and interviews with festival participants were used to develop an understanding of …

The Power Of Education In A Globalised World: Challenging Geoeconomic Inequalities, Ozéias Rocha, Daniel Kamphambale, Cormac Macmahon, Jon Hans Coetzer, Lucía Morales

Articles

The globalization process has led to significant levels of controversy, as over the past few years, researchers have highlighted its negative connotations in terms of exacerbating economic inequalities, environmental degradation, exploitation of workers, loss of cultural diversity, and negative influence on democratic systems and financial stability. The negative connotation associated with the globalization process is not surprising. The implications for the global educational system significantly dominated by the influence of Western values, culture, and economic models based on consumerism to the detriment of traditional cultural and local identities have been eroded. The world economies are facing emerging areas of significant …

Sustainability In Supply Chain Management: Using Drawings To Understand Undergraduates’ Perceptions Of Sustainability, Sharon Feeney, John William Hogan

Articles

Purpose – This paper presents an interpretation of freehand drawings produced by supply chain management undergraduates in response to the question: “What is sustainability?” Having to explain sustainability pictorially forced students to distill what the essence of sustainability meant to them and provided insights into how they perceived sustainability and their roles in achieving sustainability in the context of supply chain management. Design/methodology/approach – Students were asked to draw and answer the question “What is sustainability?” These drawings were discussed/interpreted in class. All drawings were initially examined quantitatively, before a sample of four were selected for presentation here. Findings – …

Investigating Name, Image, And Likeness Through Project-Based Learning, Brendan O'Hallarn, Craig A. Morehead, Michelle Carpenter, Jay O'Toole

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

The 2021 Supreme Court ruling granting college athletes the right to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL) was greeted in equal measure by enthusiasm and confusion by college athletes and the institutions for which they compete. This paper suggests an approach whereby college classes can provide guidance for college athletes to navigate the nascent, evolving NIL rules and provide an opportunity for current, relevant project-based learning. The Old Dominion University Name, Image, and Likeness Knowledge Hub had limitations in its deliverable—a guide for college athletes seeking to leverage their NIL rights—but it represents a novel learning opportunity because of …