Digital Commons Network^™

Advancing Beyond An Entry-Level Job, Paul Hill, Osei Vega-Sandoval

All Current Publications

Entry-level positions are a gateway into the workforce, yet advancing beyond an early-career role is necessary to broaden one’s professional experience and earn a higher salary. Whether following the traditional path of moving up within an organization or developing extensive expertise, there are a variety of career paths and concepts to consider. This fact sheet provides strategies and insights for advancing to higher-level positions within organizations.

The Freedom Myth: How Ski Culture's Hidden Conformity Reveals The Unconscious Power Of Brand Belonging, Isabel R. Phillips

University Honors Theses

Purpose: Ski culture sells freedom and enforces conformity. This review asks what unconscious behavioral patterns hold that contradiction in place, and how brands capitalize on it to manufacture belonging.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A narrative literature review across consumer psychology, behavioral neuroscience, sociology, and ski industry research. No primary data were collected. Four accounts of consistency-seeking are synthesized into one framework, then applied to three ski industry cases at ascending scales and tested against a comparative case from Spanish football.

Findings: Belonging is a conditioned response, and conditioning requires a stable stimulus. Consistency is therefore the precondition of belonging rather than a constraint …

Excelling In An Entry-Level Job, Paul Hill, Osei Vega-Sandoval

All Current Publications

Experience in an entry-level job becomes more valuable over time, especially when performance is exceptional. Managers conduct periodic performance reviews to provide feedback that entry-level employees can use to improve. Performance reviews are an opportunity for employees to learn, share career goals, and seek tailored guidance for their career development. This fact sheet provides insights into the character and qualities an employee should demonstrate to become a high performer, and what organizations can do to retain such employees.

Obtaining An Entry-Level Job, Paul Hill, Osei Vega-Sandoval

All Current Publications

Entry-level jobs are designed for people with little to no work experience. These jobs do not require previous education or training. Entry-level roles range from labor-intensive jobs (e.g., stocking shelves, preparing food, cleaning equipment) to customer service jobs (e.g., cashier, bank teller, retail associate). Entry-level jobs are the most common gateway into an organization. This fact sheet explains how to find entry-level jobs and outlines the fundamentals to improve one’s prospects of gaining employment.

Best Practices And An Agenda For Research In Benefits Communication, Kristi Egbert, Anne Kerber

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Benefits communication is information an employer/organization provides to employees about the types of benefit plans offered and information about them (i.e., health insurance, retirement, vacation time). Despite its importance to jobs across all sectors of the workforce, there is a dearth of current academic research regarding benefits communication. This paper defines benefits communication, examines its impact on organizations and workers, and explores existing research on best practices. Findings underscore the complexity of benefits material and emphasize the need for simpler and clearer language, employee-preferred formats, and adequate time for employees to review information and receive guidance from a knowledgeable source. …

Professionalism And Performance Expectations In The Modern Aviation Industry, Anayah Smith, Spencer Baldock Spencer Baldock

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The aviation industry operates as a highly regulated, safety-critical environment in which professionalism and consistent performance are essential to maintaining operational safety and reliability. However, emerging shifts in workforce composition, communication styles, and technology integration have created misalignment between traditional professional standards and evolving employee expectations. Established aviation cultures emphasize structured procedures, formal feedback mechanisms, and communication hierarchy, while newer entrants, shaped by digital communication norms and contemporary academic environments, often expect continuous feedback, collaborative leadership, and adaptive performance evaluation. Prior research on crew resource management, human error frameworks, and generational work values highlights how inconsistencies in communication, feedback expectations, …

Exploring The Motivations Of Undergraduate Sport Management Students, Kyle J. Brannigan, Tyler J. Hajek

The COSMA Journal

This study explored the motivations of undergraduate sport management in four university programs. Convergent mixed-methods research through the theoretical framework of Self-Determination Theory was incorporated with an adapted questionnaire of the Academic Motivation Scale and semi-structured interviews through Thematic Analysis. Ninety-six surveys with nine interviews were deemed usable across four regionally focused, vocationally minded, and accessible universities. Overall, students reported higher levels of extrinsic motivation than intrinsic motivation. The findings suggested intrinsic motivation to know and extrinsic motivation through regulation for identification scored highest with the participants. No significant differences were found between classes and ethnicities. However, male students experienced …

Revisiting The Flutie Effect: The Impact Of Collegiate Athletics On College Choice, Robin Hardin, Michelle L. Childs, Win G-Y Koo

The COSMA Journal

This study revisits the Flutie Effect by examining factors that influence a student’s college choice which includes the role of athletics and its brand. The study assessed items related to academics, interpersonal influences, campus culture, and athletics through a survey of first-year students. An exploratory factor analysis produced a seven-factor model explaining 71.51% of the variance. The strongest factor was emotional and behavioral identification with university athletics, reflecting fandom, affiliation, and pride in athletic success. Athletics significantly influenced college choice, but their impact extends beyond athletic success to include broader dimensions of branding, fandom, and affiliation. For institutions seeking to …

Anatomiya Ng Karinderya: An Exploration On The Reflected Filipino Cultural Values On The Visual Identity Of Carinderias In Cavite, Dan Gabriel V. Bagadiong, Ellaine Marie L. De Castro, Miriam Joan C. Generoso, Ej Jimenez, Fernando R. Lacson

DLSU Arts Congress Conference Proceedings

This study explored Filipino cultural values reflected in the visual identity of carinderias and examined their sociocultural and psychological significance within Filipino society. Known for serving lutong bahay (home-cooked meals), carinderias have long been embedded in Filipino culture, embodying values such as bayanihan (community spirit), kapwa (shared identity), and resilience while fostering community connections through food. Grounded in the framework of Pantayong Pananaw, the study investigated how these cultural and psychological values shape the identity and perception of carinderias. Focusing on selected small carinderias in Cavite, the research analyzed their cultural relevance, visual identity, and sociopsychological dimensions. Findings revealed …

Beyond Procedural Participation: A Process Perspective Of Disability-Inclusive Digital Innovation, Millicent Agangiba, David Aboagye-Darko, Salah Kabanda, William Agangiba, Ralitsa Diana Debrah

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

While previous research has recognized the importance of participation, how the structurally embedded inclusion of PWDs reshapes digital innovation processes and their outcomes in resource-constrained contexts remains underexplored. The study addresses this gap through a longitudinal qualitative case study of a five-year recurring hackathon organized in Ghana from 2021 to 2025, with a focus on disability inclusion. Drawing on Adaptive Structuration Theory as an analytical lens, normatively supported by critical disability studies, this study analyzes the qualitative interview and observation data from 20 participants. The results reveal that inclusion is a structuring force through four interrelated mechanisms: (1) lived experience …

Proposing An Electronic Government Procurement Conceptual Framework For African Governments, Tichaona Chinyerere, Walter F. Uys

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) significantly contributes to the economic growth of African Economies (AEs). However, many e-GP projects fail due to a disconnect between the initial design assumptions and real-world conditions. Guided by Hevner's (2004) Design Science Research (DSR) approach, the research is rooted in Information Systems Design Theory (ISDT). The methodology involves a two-layered analysis: descriptive and prescriptive, using abductive reasoning to link real-world conditions with the theoretical insights. The analysis was conducted in three phases: Informing (assessing context readiness), Designing (iterative development), and Explaining (causal reasoning and theoretical contribution). The ASTI framework offers Design and Action Theory centered …

Assessing Factors Affecting User Satisfaction With Health Information Technology: A Case Study Of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Of Ghana, Braimah Wadudu, Augustine Kwame Acheampong, Kwame Boateng Opoku Agyeman, Aku Humphery-Ackumey, Phyllis Sakyiwaa Anning, Vida Asante, Abubakar Essilfie, Lawrence Amakye Jnr

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

Health information technology (HIT) is central to modern healthcare, yet its value depends on user satisfaction with system performance, support services, and institutional commitment. At Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), the Lightwave Health Information Management System (now GHIMS) has transformed workflows, but frontline user experiences remain underexplored. This study assessed factors influencing user satisfaction with HIT and examined how satisfaction affects job performance. A quantitative survey instrument was administered to sample 352 staff at KATH. System quality, service quality, and top-management support were all significant predictors of user satisfaction. System quality had the strongest effect, followed by service quality and …

“No Te Metas, Eso Es De Hombres”: How Gendered Barriers Shape Women’S Income And Success In Rural Mexico’S Livestock Sector, Sofia Gaeta Garcia

McNair Summer Research Program

Women play a significant role in Mexico’s livestock sector, contributing to production, breeding, animal care, and local market activity. However, their labor is often overlooked and undervalued. Women’s work is often treated as “help” rather than recognized as real labor. The calls for “No te metas, eso es de hombres” and “La mujer ayuda, el hombre decide” reflect the gendered ideas this project examines. This research argues that financial, structural, and cultural barriers limit women’s participation in rural Mexico’s livestock industry by restricting their access to income, resources, decision-making power, and financial independence. Using a qualitative research design, this project …

2026-08-07 Agenda Booklet, Morehead State University. Board Of Regents.

Morehead State Board of Regents Agenda Books and Meeting Minutes

Agenda booklet for the Board of Regents meeting of August 7, 2026, held in Prestonsburg, which includes the meeting minutes of the meeting held on June 12, 2026.

Repairing Workplace Trust: A Process-Based Classroom Exercise For Management Education, Luke A. Langlinais Ph.D.

Posters

Trust is essential in every workplace, but conflicts, mistakes, and broken promises are inevitable. This project develops an experiential classroom exercise in which students diagnose workplace trust violations, examine the perspectives and emotions of both parties, and practice selecting and communicating evidence-based reparative actions. The exercise translates organizational behavior research into a practical learning experience that develops not only managerial competence but also the character, empathy, and relational wisdom needed to build healthy organizations and promote human flourishing.

I gratefully acknowledge peer review feedback on this project, and I am accountable for writing of this product without generative AI and …

A Philosophy Of Communication Response To Bullying In Corporate America, Chris A. Phillips Dr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This philosophy of communication response to bullying in corporate America follows the structure of posing research questions, synthesizing relevant literature, and offering advice to practitioners. It invites the reader to have hope in continuing the conversation through a constructive hermeneutic approach to the problem. By building on literature in oppression, silencing, bullying, incivility, and communication ethics, this dissertation reveals how (rhetoric) and why (philosophy) the problem occurs in corporate America today. This dissertation offers a new angle to an old problem, or, a rhetoric and philosophy of bullying. It responds to the following questions:

RQ 1: As a destructive communication …

The Role Of Organisational Culture In Implementing Cybersecurity Practices To Address Insider Threats In South Africa, Thamsanqa Ngcobo, Salah Kabanda, Ronald Chiwariro

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

Cybersecurity is a critical component of organisational resilience as digital transformation reshapes operations and risk management. Despite substantial investment in technical controls, insider threats remain a persistent challenge, shaped as much by cultural and organisational factors as by technology. This study examines how cultural factors influence the implementation of cybersecurity practices aimed at mitigating insider threats in South African organisations, considering national, organisational, and individual dimensions. Using a qualitative research design, semi‑structured interviews were conducted from nine participants working across a range of industries including ICT consulting, financial services, IT services, gaming, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, and IT managed services. The findings …

Digital Health Adoption And Sustainability In Ghana's Public Hospitals: Lessons From Covid-19, Braimah Wadudu, Peter Darko, Rufai Adjei

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

This study examines the adoption of digital health technologies in Ghanaian public hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A mixed-methods design was employed, combining a quantitative survey of 262 healthcare workers with qualitative insights from open-ended responses. The findings show that the pandemic accelerated the use of electronic medical records, telemedicine, and digital communication tools. However, institutional readiness varied, with gaps in internet reliability, device availability, and technical support. Technology acceptance was generally high, though confidence and ease of use differed across staff groups. …

Social Media Motivations And Crisis Engagement Among Generation Z: A Uses And Gratification Perspective, Edina Galaa, Sulemana Bankuoru Egala, John Asibuo Boakye, Abdul-Hamid Sokun Alhassan

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

Generation Z's growing use of social media during crises raises important questions about their motivations. This study applies Uses and Gratification Theory to investigate how four motivations — entertainment, social recognition, information sharing and altruism- drive Gen Z’s media use during emergencies and whether empathy moderates these effects. Using a scenario-based survey of 319 respondents and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling analysis, findings reveal that social recognition and altruism motivation significantly influence social media use intensity, while entertainment seeking and information sharing intention do not. Importantly, social media use intensity simultaneously predicts both prosocial need fulfilment and content validation …

Genai Goes To Campus: A Narrative Literature Review Of Benefits, Challenges And Policies, Jayson Warren Peters, Mmasechaba J. Seopa, Justin T. Maistry, Tebogo J. Matome, Christen Du Toit, Maureen C. Tanner

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

This study examines the role of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in the learning and administrative experiences of students and educators in higher education, through a narrative literature review of thirty-one articles. The literature was thematically reviewed and coded to identify themes and factors contributing to challenges, benefits, and policies and guidelines. These themes were explored in depth with their relation to GenAI for learning outcomes, the role of GenAI in student’s learning experiences and the effectiveness of using GenAI tools to support educators’ administrative processes. In light of the challenges and deterrents identified (e.g. implementation - maintenance, privacy and security, …

Succession, Sustainability, And Service: Workforce And Leadership Challenges In Rural Municipal Governments, Dewayne Armstrong

Certified Public Manager® Applied Research

Rural municipal governments across Texas and the United States face a convergence of workforce and leadership challenges that threaten long-term service delivery and organizational sustainability. An aging public-sector workforce, persistent recruitment and retention constraints, and fragile leadership continuity interact in ways that uniquely affect small and rural communities. Public works departments, which play a vital role in infrastructure maintenance and regulatory compliance, are particularly vulnerable as experienced employees approach retirement without adequate succession pipelines or mechanisms for institutional knowledge transfer. At the same time, small-town governments face ongoing difficulty attracting and retaining qualified personnel due to constrained fiscal capacity, geographic …

``But What About Me?'': A Structural Redesign For Cascading Trust Into An Integrated Culture Of Care, Hazelin Hei Laam Ngan

Patient Experience Journal

In healthcare, patient experience (PX) and employee experience (EX) are often managed as separate priorities despite their interdependence. This article presents a case study from NYC Health + Hospitals/Community Care, a 250-person safety-net division providing home-based services across New York City. In response to frontline staff repeatedly asking, ``But what about me?'' when offered PX best practice suggestions, the organization integrated patient experience, staff engagement, and wellness into a unified Care Experience portfolio led by the Chief Experience Officer. From this structural redesign emerged a practical framework for trust-building organized around three pillars: Purpose, Presence, and Partnership. Purpose aligns staff …

Patient Psychological Safety: A Qualitative Study Of Patient Experiences, Derick R. Simmons, Cheryl Rathert, Ryan Valayil, Maria Joseph, Ibraheem Jawadi

Patient Experience Journal

There is growing interest in understanding patients' experiences with psychological safety during healthcare encounters. Recent studies reveal that patients describe needing patient psychological safety (PPS) to form connections with their care providers, which are associated with better health outcomes. Therefore, it is critical to examine indicators of PPS. Using a phenomenological interpretive approach, this study utilized a patient narrative survey methodology to qualitatively explore how and why patients experience a lack of PPS during their healthcare encounters. We surveyed patients from across the U.S. and analyzed responses among a sub-sample of respondents to an open-ended question whose responses indicated they …

Patient-Centred Care: An Integrated Bibliometric And Structural Equation Modelling Approach, Japheth Nuhu Ahmed

Patient Experience Journal

This study investigates how communication and service quality in Patient Relationship Management impact patient satisfaction through trust. The literature in this field is predominantly in developed countries, whereas it is scarce in sub-Saharan Africa. Combining bibliometric analysis and structural equation modelling, the study highlights emerging research trends and provides empirical evidence to guide healthcare practitioners, policymakers, and researchers in improving patient care. To strengthen its theoretical foundation, the study integrates the Social Exchange Theory and Expectancy–Disconfirmation Theory to explain the model. The study retrieved quantitative data from the Scopus database for bibliometric analysis. A questionnaire was used to collect data …

From Anticipation To Relief: Anxiety Reduction And Patient Experience As Indicators Of Trust During Dental Extractions In Orthodontic Treatment, Kanza Tahir, Mubassar Fida, Rashna Hoshang Sukhia

Patient Experience Journal

Trust is central to healthcare encounters involving fear and uncertainty. This quasi-experimental study evaluated changes in anxiety before and after dental extractions performed during orthodontic treatment planning and examined whether patient experience factors were associated with post-extraction anxiety. Fifty patients aged 11–40 years undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment requiring extraction were recruited consecutively at a tertiary care hospital from October 2023 to June 2024. Anxiety was measured immediately before and after extraction using the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Post-procedure patient experience was assessed with a structured questionnaire addressing reassurance, communication, privacy, shared decision-making, perceived understanding, and overall experience. Paired t-tests and simple …

Trust Earned Through Relational Care: How Adverse Childhood Experiences Shape Patient Trust In Their Inpatient Physicians—A Convergent Mixed-Methods Study, Marlise Jeanne Pierre-Wright, Ibrahim Badreldin Mokhtar, Uma Thachapuzha, Yashoswini Chakraborty, Revika Singh, Rachel O'Conor, Jing Song, Julia Lee, Maria E. Theodorou, Christine Schaeffer, Kimberly Collins, Muriel Jean-Jacques

Patient Experience Journal

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common, with approximately 60% of the population reporting at least one exposure. Despite well-established links between ACEs and adverse health outcomes, little is known about how ACE exposure shapes hospitalized patients' trust in inpatient physicians. Objective: To examine the association between ACEs and hospitalized patients' trust in inpatient physicians and to explore how trust is formed among patients with high ACE exposure. Methods: In this convergent mixed-methods study, 86 patients admitted to a general internal medicine teaching service at a large urban academic medical center were surveyed across six data-collection sessions (January–July 2024). Participants …

Navigating Uncertainty: Patient Experiences Of Birads 0 Mammogram Results, Petranea Smith, Jasmine Warren, Marina Demas, Roberta Goldman, Joanne E. Wilkinson

Patient Experience Journal

Objective: Describe experiences of patients receiving BIRADS 0 (inconclusive) mammogram results in electronic health portals. Methods: Recruited eighteen patients who had received BIRADS 0 results via the portal in the last 5 years.Semi-structured interviews yielded qualitative data, analyzed sequentially using the immersion crystallization method to identify content and then iterative coding both individually and in groups. A team of 4 researchers coded and analyzed the transcripts, using repeated meetings and a shared spreadsheet to organize codes and develop thematic elements via visual organization. Results: Themes included baseline comfort/trust with healthcare and how it interacted with anxiety about the uncertainty of …

Nurses' Perceptions Of Medical Services In Acute Care Hospitals In The Post-Covid-19 Era, Yoko Nakano, Tomoya Yokotani, Rika Nakajima, Hidemi Yoshii

Patient Experience Journal

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify nurses' perceptions of healthcare services in acute care hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional, anonymous, web-based questionnaire was conducted using SurveyMonkey. Participants were selected using convenience sampling. The survey included questions about the participants' basic attributes and the 22-item M-SERVQUAL scale (a modified multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of medical service quality). Data analysis involved age-based comparisons using the Kruskal–Wallis test, followed by multiple comparisons using the Bonferroni method. The significance level was set at p < 0.01. Results: The survey was distributed to 1,542 participants, yielding 566 valid responses, with an effective response rate of 36.7%. …

Pathways To Patient-Provider Conflict In Nigeria: A Structural Equation Model Of Expectations, Communication, Trust, And Organizational Constraints, Akaninyene O. Unaam, Christie Divine Akwaowo, Edidiong A. Unaam

Patient Experience Journal

Objective: This study empirically investigated the drivers of patient-provider conflict and tested a conceptual model linking treatment expectations, communication, trust, and organizational constraints to conflict intensity in Nigerian tertiary care. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 400 patients (response rate 82.3%) and 150 healthcare providers (response rate 71.2%) from three Nigerian tertiary hospitals was conducted using stratified random sampling. Validated, culturally adapted scales measured unrealistic treatment expectations, communication barriers, organizational constraints, trust, and conflict intensity. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with maximum likelihood estimation and bootstrapping for mediation testing. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis established measurement invariance across samples. …

Centering Community Voices To Address Healthcare Inequities In Underserved Utah Populations, Karishma Shah, Jazmine Abril, May Shaaban, Silvia Soule, Sonia Sehgal, Rawad Farhat, Jeannette Villalta, Oreta Tupola, Valentine Mukundente, Cathy Wolfsfeld, Ivana Holiday, Walter Watchman, Carrie Olvera, Lauren Gleave, Kamaile Tripp, Alexander Sperber, Rita Osborn

Patient Experience Journal

Persistent disparities in health outcomes across the United States are often driven by systemic inequities and social determinants of health. In Utah, these inequities are particularly pronounced among racially, ethnically, and geographically underserved populations. Community healthcare workers (CHWs) who share lived experiences with these communities are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between patients and a fragmented healthcare system. This study aimed to explore how underserved communities in Utah perceive and interact with the healthcare system, centering their lived experiences to inform more equitable care models. We conducted eight focus groups with 73 participants from six medically underserved communities: African …