Digital Commons Network^™

Sol Fridge Kenya (Turkana County), Ava Valdez, Dhuha Almutairi, Go Ogawa, Jeremy Boze

Business Core Student Work

Sol Fridge is a solar-powered refrigeration solution designed to improve food security and nutrition for low-income communities in Kenya. The project responds to the challenges of food spoilage, limited refrigeration, and poor access to affordable nutritious food, especially in rural and arid regions where electricity is unreliable or unavailable. By providing portable, affordable, and durable cold storage for families and small vendors, Sol Fridge helps preserve fresh food, reduce waste, and support healthier daily meals. The project also promotes sustainability through solar energy, recycled materials, and community-based distribution, creating social, environmental, and economic benefits for the communities it serves.

Ai Models As Cultural Beings: Investigating Ai Cultural Biases And The Impact Of Cultural Alignment On Human-Ai Creative Collaboration, Choon Ngee Tan, Meng Han, Roy Y. J. Chua, Chi-Ying Cheng

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Existing research on AI cultural biases predominantly focuses on Western models, overlooking critical gaps in non-Western models. We conduct a comparative analysis of AI models – ChatGPT (U.S. developed) and ErnieBot (China developed) – from different cultures to investigate how corresponding cultural biases manifest in their outputs. Additionally, we examine how cultural alignment between human users and AI models impacts their collaborative creative performance and the underlying psychological mechanisms. In Study 1, multi-choice prompt with zero-shot technique was used to evaluate cultural biases in four widely used AI models – ChatGPT-3.5/4, ErnieBot-3.5/4 – comparing their responses to established cultural psychometric …

Toward A Neuroleadership Framework, Bryan G. Wood

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Neuroleadership is an emerging field that seeks to connect neural mechanisms, psychological processes, and leadership behaviors within organizational contexts. Despite continued scholarly interest, the literature remains conceptually fragmented and lacks a coherent framework for organizing its recurring themes and constructs. The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for neuroleadership through a quantitative analysis of records retrieved from the PsycINFO database and interpreted through qualitative synthesis. The findings revealed recurring themes related to core leadership processes, applied contexts, and associated outcomes while also indicating thematic convergence without full conceptual integration across the field. These patterns were organized …

Military Recruiting Crisis: A Qualitative Study On The Motivation Of Generation Z, Ruth D. Kane

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This qualitative study investigates the declining motivation of Generation Z to join the U.S. military, using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a framework. Despite significant investments in recruitment, enlistment rates continue to decline, revealing a gap between military structures and the psychological needs of potential recruits. SDT provides a useful perspective by emphasizing the importance of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in motivating and promoting well-being. Through in-depth interviews with eight Gen Z individuals eligible for service, this study explores how social, cultural, and institutional factors influence perceptions of military service and career decisions. Results indicate that motivation to enlist increases when …

As I Remember Your Tears: A Biblically Grounded, Integrated Ecosystemic Model For Mentoring Ministers In Distress, John R. Dingle

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This study addressed a gap in the literature concerning how mentoring supports ministers who are experiencing distress and turnover intention. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop a biblically grounded model for mentoring ministers in distress. This qualitative study employed a two-phase design consisting of a sociorhetorical analysis of 2 Timothy and a phenomenological study of four Assemblies of God ministers who experienced turnover intention but remained in ministry because of a mentor’s intervention. The biblical text was analyzed using the sociorhetorical textures of inner texture, intertexture, and sacred texture. The phenomenological data were analyzed using open, values, and …

Antecedents And Consequences Of Consumer Behavior In Circular Fashion: Cognitive, Normative, And Behavioral Pathways Shaping Purchase And Participation Intentions, Mahmudul Hasan Sabuj

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The increasing environmental impact of the fashion industry has intensified the need for a systemic transition from linear to circular production and consumption models. Despite growing interest in circular fashion, there remains a limited understanding of the underlying behavioral dimensions that drive consumer engagement in sustainable practices. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Norm Activation Theory (NAT), this study examines consumer behavior through an integrated framework capturing cognitive, social, and normative influences.

Using data collected from a structured online survey (N = 575), the study employs Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), reliability analysis, and multiple regression techniques to …

The Age Of Hr Delivering Stakeholder Value Through Strategic Organizational Capability: Talent, Leadership, And Culture, Anthony Nyberg, Rebecca R. Kehoe, Dave Ulrich, Patrick M. Wright

Research Briefs

A landmark collection of 62 chapters from the world’s foremost thinkers in HR strategy, talent management, and organizational leadership—written at the inflection point where AI, geopolitical uncertainty, and evolving stakeholder expectations are reshaping the future of work and the humans at its center.

The Role Of Leadership Style In Team And Individual Performance In Collegiate Athletics, Luke Mulkey

Posters - 2026

• Measuring the effectiveness of leadership is important because strong leaders can bring significant contributions to both organizations and individuals

• Previous studies have said that intrinsic motivation of the individual plays a larger role than the leadership style of a coach

• Studies also show that leadership style has an influence on team success and cohesion

• This study aimed to determine the extent to which transformational leadership played a role in team success, measured in win percentage

• This study went further into the individual perception of their coach’s impact on the athlete’s performance compared to the extent …

Who Still Goes To The Mall? Genz Vs. Millennials, Layla Dickerson

Posters - 2026

• Shopping malls are declining in popularity, especially among younger consumers

• Online shopping and changing preferences are reshaping retail habits

• Malls were once key social and shopping spaces

• Generational differences influence how people use malls today

• This study compares Gen Z and Millennials’ mall visitation behavior to understand the decline

The Power Of A Label: Examining Name Brand Purchase Behavior, Kaley Garcia

Posters - 2026

• Consumers are constantly comparing name brands and generic products.

• Brand names are often associated with quality, trust, and status.

• However, not all products are viewed the same when it comes to brand importance.

• Some people care more about price and function, especially for everyday items.

• This study looks at whether brand name actually influences buying decisions.

• It also explores if brand matters more for certain types of products.

A Therapy Dog Intervention For Elementary School Teachers' Well-Being: Using Action Research To Bridge The Research-Practice Gap In Hrd, Kelly F. Moore

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research (AR) study was to explore how AR can serve as a participatory research design for bridging the research–practice gap in Human Resource Development (HRD) by collaboratively designing, implementing, and evaluating a therapy dog intervention to enhance teacher well-being. One primary research question guided this study: How can action research serve as a participatory research design for bridging the research–practice gap in HRD through the collaborative design and implementation of a therapy dog intervention for elementary school teachers? I conducted a two-phase AR study consisting of a pilot study followed by a full-scale intervention. Data …

Impending-Exit Period And Employee Performance: Rethinking Human Capital Disruption, Yea Hee Ko, Charlie O. Trevor

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The well-established disruptive effects of employee turnover on firms have typically been attributed to post-exit dynamics, such as losses of human and social capital. Little is known, however, about leavers’ pre-exit job performance, which, if declining in sufficient magnitude as separation nears, may drive some of this disruption. Drawing on career concerns research, we argue that impending exit weakens incentives to improve future career prospects at the firm, thereby resulting in reduced performance. Our analysis reveals strikingly large negative relationships, as job performance during the impending-exit period declines by 53.9% and 79.8% across two performance measures. Additionally, we predict and …

Financial Fraud In Mississippi Public Agencies: Case Studies Of Control Failures And Implications On Civic Engagement, Gracie Sullivan

Honors Theses

This study analyzes the relationship between financial fraud in Mississippi public institutions and its potential impact on civic engagement. While the existing literature explores the mechanics of fraud through frameworks such as the Fraud Triangle and the role of internal controls in preventing misconduct, limited research examines how government corruption influences civic disengagement, particularly in Mississippi. Using a quantitative, comparative research design, this study examines the relationship between major public financial fraud cases and voter turnout in case-linked and comparison counties. These cases include the Mississippi TANF welfare fraud, the Department of Corrections bribery case, and the misuse of funds …

Can Financial Literacy Enhance Esg Disclosures?, Xiaoran Jia, Kiridaran Kanagaretnam, Kiat Bee Jimmy Lee, Chee Yeow Lim

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

Using an international sample of firms and two country-level measures of financial literacy, we find robust evidence of a positive relation between financial literacy and firms' Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosures. In cross-sectional analyses, we find that the effect of financial literacy in enhancing ESG disclosures is more prominent in poorer information environments, weaker legal institutions and weaker ESG reporting environments. Lastly, we find that financial literacy also enhances ESG performance. Our study contributes to and extends the literature by providing strong evidence that citizens' financial literacy enhances firms' ESG disclosure and the associated ESG performance.

Immersive Experiences And Brand Equity: Ar And Vr As Engagement Tools For Gen Z In Art Studio Start-Ups, Helena F. Allman, Erol Pala, Hilmi A. Atadil, Felicia N. Morgan, Alison J. Green, Qiulin Lu

AMTP Proceedings 2026

The paper examines the distinct roles of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and personal storytelling in influencing consumer-based brand equity. The work explores how VR-based art experiences enhance sensory and emotional engagement and how AR-based experiences increase interactivity and creative participation of Gen Z art studio patrons. The inclusion of the business owner’s personal story narrative is expected to strengthen perceived brand authenticity and emotional connection. From a theoretical perspective, this work will extend experiential marketing theory by showing how immersive technologies and authentic narratives shape consumer experiences, particularly for Generation Z consumers. From a managerial standpoint, the study …

Evaluating Current And Prospective Major League Soccer Marketing Strategies To Spanish Speakers In The United States, Larissa Lee

Honors Theses

This quantitative study identifies the relationship between Spanish-language marketing and Major League Soccer (MLS) fandom and support among consumers. Data were collected by administering a survey in both English and Spanish to ensure inclusivity and increase accessibility. A total of 497 responses were collected, and a series of simple linear regressions were conducted using SPSS to evaluate if MLS fandom and team support could be predicted by language preference for marketing campaigns, perceptions of current Spanish-language content availability, cultural representation, cultural inclusion, and demand for more Spanish-language content.

Results indicated statistically significant differences across all hypotheses. Regarding the dependent variable …

Does Sponsorship Context Matter? Comparing Local And National Sponsorship Effects On Consumer Behavior, Kathryn Flock

Honors Theses

Sponsorship use has become increasingly important as a marketing strategy for influencing consumer perceptions of the sponsoring company. This, in turn, establishes consumer relationships that result in favorable behavioral intentions. While prior research has examined national and global sponsorships, there is limited research on the differences between national and local sponsorships and how these differences could influence consumer perceptions and behavioral intentions. The purpose of this study was to examine how local or national sponsorship affects consumer perceptions, including sincerity, trust, attitude toward the sponsor, and behavioral intentions.

A mixed-methods approach was employed for this study. Study 1 used qualitative …

2026 Gsba Conference Abstracts

Global Sport Business Journal

Conference abstracts from the 2026 GSBA Conference "Ideas in Motion"

An Austrian Approach To Accounting Regulation: How Policy Intervention Distorts The Market For Assurance Services, Kyan Howe

Student Scholarship

This thesis applies the causal-realist method of the Austrian School of Economics to the market for assurance services in the United States. The central argument is that post-crisis accounting regulation has systematically distorted the incentive structures of independent public accounting firms in ways regulators do not predict and cannot fully control. Financial crises, properly understood through Austrian Business Cycle Theory, originate in monetary distortions rather than market failure. Post-crisis regulatory responses nonetheless target the profession rather than the underlying distortion, introducing rules that alter the institutional constraints within which auditors exercise professional judgment.

The thesis develops a judgment-based equation of …

Columnas: The Honors Program Newsletter At Bentley University, Amanda Li, Wilson Jan, Michael Raphael, Alexandra Rieckehoff, Karina Wu, Michael Shehata, Nilufar Noorian, Eloise Weintraub

Honors Program

INSIDE THE MODERN WORLD

Page 2: Stepping Out by Amanda Li

Page 3: Inside the Corporate Slop Bowl by Wilson Jan

Page 4: The Silencing: An Evaluation of the Global Attacks on the Right to Protest by Michael Raphael

THE SOUND OF CHANGE

Page 5: The Social, Cultural, and Economic Impact of Bad Bunny by Alexandra Rieckehoff

Page 6: Streaming Changed Music, But Is It Fair to Artists? by Karina Wu

Page 7: Feeling the Music: How Haptic Wearables Are Changing the Way We Experience Sound by Michael Shehata

SHIFTING SYSTEMS

Page 8: The Story Behind Davos, One of the …

The Impact Of Future Business Leaders Of America (Fbla) On High School Students And Leadership Development, Thomas Michael Robert Ray

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Thomas Michael Robert Ray on April 1, 2026.

Curating Attendee-Centered Corporate Event Experiences Through The Strategic Implementation Of Psychological Principles, Alexis G. Mullendore

Senior Theses

This thesis explores how psychological principles can inform event professionals’

decisions in the planning and execution of attendee-centered corporate events. In the modern

experience economy, corporations increasingly prioritize engaging, high-production events for

employees and stakeholders, while attendee expectations for immersive, spectacle experiences

continue to rise. Therefore, the importance of designing corporate events that balance clients’

fiscal and objective needs with attendees’ experience-driven expectations has become

increasingly recognized. This shift toward a human-focused approach prompted the researcher to

examine how psychological principles can inform the design and execution of events. The

project was conducted through a three-phase research process consisting of …

Corporate Social Responsibility And Consumer-Brand Relationships: An Investor-Oriented Integrated Framework, Ada V. Campbell

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This study examines the evolving landscape of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) within the European Union (EU) and the dynamics of the consumer–brand relationship (CBR), proposing an integrated theoretical framework for investor analysis. The EU's regulatory trajectory, marked by the transition from the Non-financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) alongside European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), signifies a paradigm shift towards mandatory, standardized, and audited sustainability disclosures. Concurrently, the strength of CBR, built on dimensions such as trust, self-connection, and commitment, profoundly influences consumer behavior, brand …

A Comprehensive Marketing Plan For Calvary Christian Academy, Emily Piwowarski

Senior Honors Theses

Marketing strategies have been implemented by companies for years. The outline of a marketing plan requires businesses to do extensive research on the industry they plan to enter, including evaluating the political, environmental, social, technological, economical, and legal factors that are affecting it. This research helps to form the marketing mix–the product, price, promotion, and place strategies-–which determine what the business will offer the industry and how it will make this offer. A business will then use marketing tactics to reach its target audience. Tactics that have risen along with the advancement of technology are social media marketing and search …

2026 Research Day Program, Lincoln Memorial University

Research Day

This program contains abstracts and presentation summaries from LMU's 2026 Annual Research Day conference.

The Impact Of R&D Team Diversity On Ambidextrous Innovation In Srdi Smes, Cheng Zhan

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

As a vital organizational form of R&D teams in specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative (SRDI) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), distributed teams have gradually emerged as a dynamic source of innovation for such enterprises. Against the backdrop of the (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) era, markets have imposed higher demands on enterprises' innovative and sustainable development capabilities, exerting substantial impacts on the growth of SRDI SMEs. Although the distributed R&D team model, developed through continuous exploration in=132=132enterprises' innovation practices, has drawn practical and scholarlyattention for its role in shaping ambidextrous innovation in SRDI SMEs, the internal mechanism underlying the relationship …

Extending The Job Demands-Resource Model In Classified Work Environments: A Longitudinal Analysis Of Job Demands, Resources, Job Satisfaction, And Retention Among Engineers, Gregory Gooden

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model is a widely used framework for understanding how work conditions influence employee attitudes and retention-related outcomes. However, empirical evidence testing JD-R dynamics in classified technical work environments remains limited, particularly using longitudinal designs that account for structural constraints, nonrandom participation, and outcome-specific measurement challenges. Classified work is characterized by persistent demands, restricted flexibility, and security-driven limitations on available resources, raising questions about whether and how JD-R processes generalize to this context.

This study examines whether job demands and job resources predict subsequent job satisfaction and retention intent in a classified technical workforce using multi-wave longitudinal …

See These Great Speakers And Their Programs At Annual Session!, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This feature highlights the speaker lineup and curriculum for the 2026 MDA Annual Session in Grand Rapids. The program offers diverse continuing education tracks for the entire dental team, including pediatric dentistry, oral pathology, risk management, and practice growth strategies. Notable speakers include clinical experts, legal professionals, and motivational keynotes. The document also explains the transition to a simplified registration system using one-day or full conference passes, allowing attendees more flexibility to choose sessions on-site without pre-registering for individual courses.

Precision Or Invasion? Mapping The Personalization Paradox, Shyamala N. Chalakudi, Gnana Bharathy

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

AI-driven personalization has transformed consumer engagement, yet existing research offers no systematic way to determine when personalization shifts from helpful to intrusive. Current research and models explain privacy concerns or expectancy violations but do not measure the point at which personalization triggers user discomfort, creating the personalization paradox. This study introduces the Discomfort Threshold Assessment & Measurement (DTAM) framework, a conceptual model that identifies and evaluates this threshold by integrating Dual Process Theory, Expectation Violation Theory, and Privacy Calculus Theory. DTAM distinguishes between affective discomfort reactance and cognitive discomfort reactance and outlines how these constructs could, in future empirical studies, …

"Nobody Forced My Mom To Stay Home": College Men’S Perspectives On Parental Leave, Marisa Conners

Student Publications

From "The Second Shift" to Claudia Goldin’s Nobel Prize-winning research on women in the labor market, the inequities affecting women in the labor market have been widely documented. However, progress on this issue has been largely one-sided on behalf of women, perpetuating gender inequality. The goal of my research is to understand how social subgroup values influence male-identifying Gettysburg College students’ predictions on how they will engage with parental leave. This project gathered information on ways to increase male uptake of parental leave, which, if implemented, will help improve gender equity in the labor market.

How are male-identifying Gettysburg College …