Digital Commons Network^™

Csr Disclosure In Family-Controlled And Politically Connected Firms: Do Audit Committees Matter?, Md Harun Ur Rashid, Habib, Rashid Zaman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose – This study aims to investigate whether audit committees shape the corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure practices of family-controlled and politically connected firms. Specifically, this study examines the extent to which audit committees mitigate the tendency of these firms to withhold CSR information and enhance transparency in an emerging market context. Design/methodology/approach – This study analyses 1, 108 firm-year observations from 140 non-financial firms listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange over the period 2013–2023. To examine how family control, political connections and audit committees influence CSR disclosure. This study estimates several multivariate regression models. In addition, to strengthen causal …

Examining The Factors Influencing Citizen Adoption Of E-Government Chatbot Services In Jordan: A Longitudinal Survey Study, Ibrahim Mohamad, Laurie Hughes, Ali Abdallah Alalwan, Tegwen Malik, Yogesh K. Dwivedi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Many governments are focusing on adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based chatbot technology to enhance work efficiency and improve e-government services. Jordan was among the first Middle Eastern countries to implement AI chatbots to offer various e-services to its citizens. While previous studies have examined the adoption of AI chatbots, they have not explored citizen adoption within the Jordanian context. This research investigates the key factors influencing citizen adoption of e-government chatbot services in Jordan by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) theory with additional external variables. A longitudinal survey of 319 Jordanian citizens was conducted, …

Managing Hybrid Workers And Teams In The Public Sector: From Management By Results To Purposeful Management, Judy Lundy, Uma Jogulu, Helen Taylor, Sue Williamson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose – Hybrid working has become “business as usual” in Australian public service (APS) organisations, however, limited guidance exists for managers in this sector. This paper aims to identify the management capabilities currently being used and those required for effective management of public sector hybrid workers. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on the APS as a case study. The research team collected data from 20 focus groups and interviews with 83 managers and supervisors in the APS to answer: What capabilities are public sector managers using to manage hybrid working teams? What additional capabilities are needed? Findings – Participants …

Metaverse And Artificial Intelligence As Web 4.0: The Next Generation Of The Internet, Anton Klarin, Elena Gorenskaia, Qijie Xiao, Pi-Shen Seet

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study utilizes systems thinking to explore and entwine an evolving metaverse scholarship to a relatively underexplored phenomenon of Web 4.0. We adopt a soft systems thinking framework to guide the interpretation of complex and evolving metaverse scholarship, using bibliometric mapping of 5587 publications sourced from Scopus. Using systems thinking, we synthesize these clusters into the following four thematic areas: (i) business and society implications, (ii) optimization, (iii) integration with other technologies and (iv) metaverse education. Drawing on the largest-to-date review of the metaverse as well as a systematic review of Web 4.0 literature, we propose a novel conceptualization of …

Leveraging Consumer Socialisation Agents To Increase Indigenous Student Participation In Higher Education, Melissa Fong-Emmerson, Braden Hill, Claire Lambert, Maria M. Ryan, Rebekah Dougan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose – Socialisation agents, including family, peers, Elders, teachers, mass media and community networks, significantly influence students’ decisions to pursue higher education (HE). This paper aims to further explore how these agents, within the framework of consumer socialisation theory, act as influential forces at the early stages of the decision-making process, shaping perceptions and providing motivation for Indigenous students’ educational choices. Design/methodology/approach – A three-phase narrative inquiry method was used, including autobiographical accounts from students, yarning sessions with peers and one-on-one interviews. This participatory approach centred Indigenous knowledges to inform culturally responsive social marketing strategies. Findings – The study identified …

Carbon Emissions And Greenwashing: Do High Esg Scores Reflect Real Decarbonization?, Alison Steenerson

All Master's Theses

This study examines the relationship between environmental scores, environmental performance, disclosure quality, and firm characteristics using a sample of publicly traded firms observed in 2020 and 2021. A two-stage regression framework was used to separate environmental scores into components explained by observable environmental performance, firm characteristics, disclosure practices, and environmental commitments. Results indicate that emissions intensity has a statistically significant but economically small relationship with environmental scores. In contrast, disclosure quality measures exhibited strong positive associations with environmental scores. Firms reporting emissions, participating in CDP, disclosing emissions targets, and adopting science-based targets received higher environmental scores independent of environmental performance. …

Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Conversational Agents In Tourism & Hospitality: A Systematic Literature Review & Future Research Directions, Abdulaziz Alharbi, Ameet Pandit, Violetta Wilk, Philip J. Rosenberger, Shah Miah

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled conversational agents (AICAs) are transforming the tourism and hospitality sector. While studies focus on technical and operational aspects, there is limited exploration of consumer behaviour. This study employs the TCCM (Theory, Context, Characteristics and Methodology) framework to analyse the theoretical, contextual and methodological dimensions of AICA use. By utilising an AI-first, human-lens-second approach along with Leximancer for thematic analysis, it emphasises the importance of emotional, ethical and trust-related factors that are often overlooked in adoption models. The paper proposes an integrated conceptual framework that highlights the mechanisms, modifiers and implications of AICA use, along with offering future …

Can Environmentally Friendly Hotels Lead Customers To Green Behaviors? Evidence From The Stimulus–Organism–Response Model And Social Cognitive Theory, Saeid Nosrati, Mohtaram Rabbani, Razieh Sharifipur Shirazi, Ilkay Yorganci, Niusha Talebzadeh, Negin Bassirat

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose Using the stimulus–organism–response model and social cognitive theory, this study aims to examine how environmentally friendly hotels influence customers’ green patronage intention and green word-of-mouth. The study explored the mediating effects of hedonic value and utilitarian value and the moderating role of environmental concern. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 200 customers of environmentally friendly hotels in Iran and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with Mplus (version 8.3) software. Findings The results indicate that environmentally friendly hotels positively influence hedonic and utilitarian values, as well as green patronage intention and green word-of-mouth. Additionally, hedonic and utilitarian values partially mediate …

Approaches To Personal Transformation In Tourism Research, Xiaoyu Zhang, Noel Scott, Ana Cláudia Campos

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The study of tourism transformation is evolving with five different research streams identifiable, studying personal transformation, social transformation, transformative service design, and transformation related to destinations or tourism as a whole. This paper examines the evolution of these five approaches and contrasts their disciplines, theory and assumptions through a review of 310 journal articles. Each of these five approaches views the ‘self’ as the object that is transformed with variations within them as to what aspects of the self change. The key issue then is how the self is interrelated with the ‘triggers’ of transformation. In this review, three triggers …

Emerging Stronger From Challenging Times: How Servant Leaders Manage Workplace Spirituality And Employee Flourishing, Mahdi Vesal, Muhammad Aftab Alam

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Business leaders, particularly in challenging times like the post-COVID era, grapple with fostering employee well-being and addressing spiritual needs. Our research explores the link between workplace spirituality—marked by meaningful work, community, and value alignment—and employee flourishing, with a focus on the role of servant leadership. Using self-determination theory, we analyzed survey data from SMEs in Iran and India, where employees navigated challenging times amid COVID-related difficulties. Study 1 (303 employees in 128 Iranian firms) found meaningful work and a sense of community positively influence employee flourishing, while value alignment has a curvilinear effect. Study 2 (215 senior Indian employees) replicated …

Systematic Literature Mapping: Integrated System Of Logistic Distribution For Island, Eka Suswaini, Mochammad Agung Wibowo, Ferry Jie

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: The study aims to identify and compare various methods used to optimize supply chain distribution, with a focus on uncovering novel approaches. It particularly addresses the gap in logistics distribution models tailored for island environments, proposing the development of an integrated information system using genetic and memetic algorithms to handle uncertainties like weather and vessel availability. Design/methodology/approach: A Systematic Literature Mapping (SLM) approach was adopted. The K-Chart method was applied to categorize conceptual strategies and identify research gaps. A case study was also included to analyze logistical challenges in island settings, incorporating real data variables like transportation schedules and …

Configuring For Success: A Conceptual Framework Of Project Portfolio Management Archetypes And Capability Bundles, Masoud Aghajani, Ashkan Memari, Olabode Emmanuel Ogunmakinde

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Project portfolio management (PPM) is critical for achieving strategic objectives but has been studied in fragmented silos. We propose a configuration-theoretic perspective that views project portfolios as coherent clusters of practices and capabilities. Drawing on the literature on portfolio success and dynamic capabilities, we identify four archetypal project portfolio configurations– innovation-driven, governance-driven, alignment-driven, and balanced-adaptive –each combining distinct success determinants (e.g., stakeholder engagement, formal processes, agility, culture). The proposed conceptual framework maps how these configurations mobilize sensing, seizing, and transforming capabilities to realize different dimensions of portfolio success. The paper contributes a holistic model that unifies disparate findings, generates formal …

Environmental, Social And Governance (Esg) Drivers Of Sustainability Transitions In Sub-Saharan Africa: Why One Size Does Not Fit All, Emmanuel Kwaku Manu, Bismark Asante, Gabriel Eweje

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Despite growing emphasis on sustainability transitions in developing economies, evidence remains limited on how environmental, social and governance (ESG) conditions shape sustainability outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study examines the environmental, social and governance drivers of sustainability transition performance across 39 SSA countries over the period 2000–2023. A composite sustainability transition performance index (STPI), constructed from renewable energy consumption and reverse-coded energy intensity indicators, is used to capture transition performance. A multi-method panel framework is employed to examine direct, conditional, nonlinear and dynamic relationships. The findings show that environmental pressures, particularly carbon intensity and energy use, consistently weaken sustainability …

Multilevel Nested Paradoxes: How Organizational Leaders Interpret And Manage Tensions, Uzma Batool, Muhammad Mustafa Raziq, Peter Galvin, John Lewis Rice

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Organizational actors face multiple paradoxical tensions that are not only intertwined with one another but also nested across different levels of the organizational hierarchy. Despite their importance, little is known about how such paradoxical tensions are interpreted and managed by organizational leaders. To explore this phenomenon, we conducted semi-structured interviews and collected multilevel data from 38 respondents, including corporate executives, team leaders, and managers in the Pakistani telecommunications sector. Through an interpretive phenomenological analysis of participants’ lived experiences, we developed a multilevel nested paradox model. This model revealed four paradoxes nested both within and across levels: task efficiency and employee …

Eagle Accountant - 2026, Georgia Southern University

Eagle Accountant

• Accounting Advisory Council
• Accreditation & Rankings
• Eagles on Pennsylvania Avenue
• Accounting Quiz Bowl
• Discover Accounting Day
• Cover Story: Tammie Williams
• Advisory Council Spotlight: Mike Lamberth
• Georgia Society of CPAs
• Janice Brown
• Accounting Day 
• High School STEM Event 
• VITA 
• New Faculty
• Faculty Research Spotlight: Colin Tipton
• Fraud Story: Ghost Runner 
• GS4 Research Symposium 
• Graduate Spotlight: Matthew Mitchell
• Undergraduate Spotlight: Gabriela Mendoza
• 2026 Southern Regional Honors Council
• Recent Changes to the MAcc Program
• Student Organizations & Activities
• Faculty Retirements
• Faculty Awards, Service, & Publications
• Alumni Notes 
• In Memoriam 

Enhancing Military Health System Organizational Efficiency And Quality Of Care Through A Social-Ecological Framework, Eric L. Peipelman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Timely and fair adjudication of incivility-related actions within the Department of Defense (DoD) and Military Health System (MHS) is increasingly crucial for maintaining accountability, mission readiness, and quality of care. Ongoing delays in resolving workplace complaints and inefficiencies in resource-heavy adjudications highlight the need to shift from reactive complaint handling toward proactive civility promotion and transparent decision-making. This Integrated Learning Experience (ILE) introduces the Peipelman Civility Discussion and Assessment Toolkit (PCDAT)—a comprehensive, evidence-based framework designed to improve civility, optimize resources, and enhance communication, even in the MHS. Based on the Social-Ecological Model (SEM) and adapted from the Workplace Power and …

From Privacy To Profit: The Evolution Of Name, Image, And Likeness Rights And The Revolution In College Athletics Toward Collegiate Capitalism, Donald M. Remy

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

The story of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights in American law is one of adaptation, transformation, and ultimately, revolution. What began as a modest recognition of personal dignity in the late 19th century has evolved into a multibillion-dollar framework that has fundamentally altered the landscape of college athletics. The journey from Samuel Warren and Louis Brandeis’s seminal articulation of the “right to be let alone” to the June 2025 approval of the House v. NCAA¹ settlement represents not merely a doctrinal evolution but a profound shift in how American society conceptualizes the relationship between identity, commerce, and fair …

Name, Image, Likeness And The Great American Pastime, Barbara Lauriat

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

The ability of high-profile athletes to commercialize name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights is at the center of many current controversies about the future of college sports in the United States. This Article describes how what we call NIL protection— largely based on publicity rights doctrines developed in the mid-20th century—is historically recent, conceptually unstable, and insufficiently scrutinized, even though it now underwrites major entertainment markets in sports. Just as baseball is a sport particularly identified with the United States, there is also a peculiarly American approach to the protection of persona. Using baseball as the central case study, the …

Reassessing Argentina’S 2018 Crisis: Fiscal Imbalances, External Constraints, And Imf Policy, Michael Garcia

Honors Theses

This thesis will evaluate the causes of Argentina’s 2018 financial crisis, examining how it should be evaluated through the lens of fiscal imbalance or by external constraints. The dominant interpretation is shown in the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) 2018 Standby Agreement. It attributed the crisis to excessive fiscal deficits, inflation, and weak monetary discipline. This perspective is supported by the Polak model. The model itself connects domestic credit expansion to balance of payment imbalances. It views external crises resulting from internal policy excess.

This paper offers an alternative interpretation of a post-Keynesian that emphasizes external vulnerability, foreign currency debt, and …

James Stone & Sons Ledgers Collection

Archives & Special Collections: Finding Aids (alphabetical)

Two ledgers which document the financial transactions in the Oxford, Mississippi law firm James Stone and Sons between June 1939 and August 1954.  The attorney Phil Stone was a friend of the young William Faulkner, sharing an intense interest in literature as well as serving as Faulkner’s attorney in later years.

Leveling The Playing Field: The Atlantic Coast Conference’S Settlement With Florida State University And Clemson University, Emma Lloyd Best, Kyre Dane Lahtinen

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

This Article examines the legal disputes and subsequent settlement between the Atlantic Coast Conference and two of its prominent member institutions, Florida State University and Clemson University. The conflicts centered on the Atlantic Coast Conference’s extension of its media rights agreement with ESPN, which both universities argued were not properly approved under conference bylaws and imposed an unconscionable withdrawal penalty. Florida State University sought to challenge the enforceability of the Grant of Rights and its associated penalties, while Clemson University pursued a narrower interpretation, aiming to limit broadcast rights and financial obligations upon exit. The …

Leveling The Playing Field: The Atlantic Coast Conference’S Settlement With Florida State University And Clemson University, Emma Lloyd Best, Kyre Dane Lahtinen

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

This Article examines the legal disputes and subsequent settlement between the Atlantic Coast Conference and two of its prominent member institutions, Florida State University and Clemson University. The conflicts centered on the Atlantic Coast Conference’s extension of its media rights agreement with ESPN, which both universities argued were not properly approved under conference bylaws and imposed an unconscionable withdrawal penalty. Florida State University sought to challenge the enforceability of the Grant of Rights and its associated penalties, while Clemson University pursued a narrower interpretation, aiming to limit broadcast rights and financial obligations upon exit. The Article delves into the history …

The Impact Of A Kentucky Nutrition Education Program Social Marketing Campaign On Resident Health, Trinity Elizabeth Foster

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Poor diet quality and physical inactivity are common health issues in the United States. To remedy these issues among low-income households, the United States Department of Agriculture created the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education Program (SNAP-Ed), which promoted healthy eating and physically active lifestyles through multiple avenues. The social marketing approach of SNAP-Ed uses marketing strategies to relay information to the public. In Kentucky, a statewide billboard campaign was launched in 2018 encouraging residents to focus on nutrition and physical activity. This study investigates the impact of that campaign on health outcomes in counties throughout the state. Using billboard location …

Urban Megaregions In The United States: A Gis-Based Approach To Defining A New Regional Geography, Jonas Rugys

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This study investigates urban megaregions in the United States. The regional concept is examined from its origins in the geographic tradition as well as its transformation in the twentieth century to its current state. A GIS-based methodology for defining urban megaregions is presented and discussed. The results challenge existing assumptions of population and employment growth in the United States.

Antionette's A Culinary Education Center, Maya Wagstaff

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

This project examined the development of Antoinette's, a community-focused culinary education center designed to address low cooking confidence and increased reliance on eating out. The project analyzed how limited food literacy, intimidation in the kitchen, and a lack of inclusive learning environments contributed to reduced self-sufficiency and home-cooking habits. A mixed-methods research approach, including surveys, competitor analysis, observational research, and secondary sources, was used to assess the problem, solution, ideal customer, and overall feasibility of the business concept. Findings have supported a demand for a hands-on culinary education center, closing the cooking class gap by providing inclusive programs for dietary …

Art Deco Wedding Cake, Meriel Robbins

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

The goal of this project was to create a wedding cake for a bride that reimagines the extravagant luxury of the 1920s through a more modern lens. Inspired by the Art Deco movement the design utilizes the iconic color palette of white, gold, and black to add geometric and bold color contrast on the fondant tires. Each tire has a unique pattern to showcase elements from the design board such the wedding dress to the invitations that ensure cohesion with the overall wedding theme. The design features many modern techniques such as brush embroidery on the top tier and gold …

Pastry Arts Club Cake For Sojourner House Gala, Maximilien Brown, Finch Plingos, Ava Stutzman, Max Rallo, Seth Caldwell, Jon Kruk

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

The purpose of this project was to design and execute a multi-tier decorative cake to present at the annual Sojourner House Masquerade Ball cake competition. Last semester, a group of six students and Chef Livsey dedicated several weeks from October to November to design and execute a seven-tier dummy cake. Each participant put in around 40 hours of work total: fondant wrapping foam cake rounds, molding and hand shaping fondant and gum paste decorations, painting renaissance masterpieces on gum paste canvases with food coloring gel, airbrushing details, pouring isomalt, and much more. The Sojourner House Masquerade Ball is the charity's …

The Scenic Spot, Andrea Shoda

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

The Scenic Spot is a National Parks based food truck concept. It has a menu curated for outdoors activities, with healthy, sustainable, and portable options. Working to provide a solution for the lack of food options around the parks.

Negotiating Independence And Representation: The Role Of Galleries In Shaping Emerging Artists’ Careers In London, Filippo Fazzini Matteucci

MA in Art Business Dissertations

This dissertation analyses the impact of gallery representation on the career progression of emerging artists in the London art ecosystem. The research draws on qualitative data, gathered through the completion of four semi-structured interviews. Participants were selected between two London galleries - Almine Rech and Gallery Rosenfeld - and included two artists and two managers. The study examines four interrelated themes: the negotiation between representation and independence; the role of trust and informality in shaping artist–gallery relationships; the influence of visibility through social media platforms; and the participants’ definitions of success. The research reveals that representation and independence are not …

How Do Female Artists In The Middle East Navigate Art Market Legitimacy, And How Do Experiences Differ Between The Levant And Gulf Regions?, Noura Alzaim

MA in Art Business Dissertations

This dissertation examines the journeys and challenges faced by female artists in the Middle East as they strive for recognition and legitimacy within the region’s evolving art markets. By comparing the lived experiences of artists from the Levant, where creativity often flourishes in grassroots and diaspora circles, to those cultivating their careers amid the state-driven, rapidly expanding cultural landscape of the Gulf, the research brings distinct artistic perspectives into conversation. Combining interviews, theoretical inquiry, and analysis of press releases, essays, and market data, the study highlights how history, political context, and institutional structures shape opportunities and obstacles. Central chapters show …