Digital Commons Network^™

Equity Fund Monthly Report, October 2025, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

The Intersection Of Managing, Leading, And Coaching: A New Discipline For Management Education, Maureen L. Mackenzie-Ruppel Ph.D., Phr, Capm, Icf-Pcc

Business: Faculty Presentations

Faculty must ensure that management education remains cutting edge and relevant to the needs of organizational leaders and to students’ academic and professional goals. This paper reports on a multi-phase research agenda that included in-depth interviews with the primary stakeholders of business education: (1) senior leaders/employers, (2) business faculty, and (3) MBA graduates who are now working professionals. The results report on potential benefits of integrating coaching skills, theories, and knowledge into management education.

Followership Theory In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence: A Phenomenological Study Of How The Integration Of Ai Into An Ai-Human Hybrid Cancer Research Team Affects Followership Characteristics, John F. Carrera

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming part of cancer research teams, helping with data analysis, pattern recognition, and decision support. Although AI changes how work is completed, little is known about how AI changes how followers adapt when AI becomes part of the team. This study examined how AI influences followership characteristics within AIhuman hybrid cancer research teams. A qualitative phenomenological research design was used to explore the lived experiences of nine cancer research professionals who interacted with AI as part of their routine work. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed through multiple rounds of qualitative coding to find …

Venture Idea Memo Assignment, Ouafaa Hmaddi

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Availability Of Esg Rating Information And Voluntary Esg Disclosure: Evidence From Coverage Expansion Of Esg Rating Agency, Xuefan Peng

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

I examine the effect of availability of ESG rating information on firms’ voluntary ESG disclosure practices. Thomson Reuters Asset4 expanded ESG rating coverage from Russell 1000 index to Russell 2000 index in 2017. Exploiting this exogenous shock of availability of ESG rating information in a difference-in-difference research design, I find that compared with Russell 1000 firms (i.e., control firms), Russell 2000 firms (i.e., treatment firms) are less likely to increase voluntary ESG disclosures. The effect is more pronounced for firms with higher disclosure costs, captured by higher level of firm complexity and lower level of digitalization, and less pronounced for …

Investigating Organisational Ethical Transgressions: A Middle Management Perspective, Belinda Kit Wah Boey

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This study questions how large-scale ethical transgressions persist within organisations by focusing on the pivotal yet underexamined role of middle managers. Positioned between senior leadership and frontline employees, middle managers often determine the trajectory of reported misconduct. By analysing their responses to ethical concerns raised by subordinates, the study seeks to illuminate the processes that sustain or interrupt organisational inaction.

Using grounded theory methodology, in-depth interviews were conducted with middle managers across diverse sectors. The analysis yields a typology of five distinct handling strategies: creative compliance, face-saving resolution, informal influence, formal escalation, and strategic withdrawal. …

Wybrane Aspekty Transformacji Klimatycznej I Energetycznej, Grzegorz Tchorek, Michał Kołtuniak

Monografie/Monographs

Monografia podejmuje aktualne zagadnienia transformacji energetycznej i zrównoważonego transportu w dobie kryzysu klimatycznego. Autorzy przedstawiają wyzwania, przed jakimi stają krajowe i lokalne władze, a także przedsiębiorcy i inne organizacje oraz wskazują szanse związane z transformacją. Wyzwania te dotyczą m.in. potrzeby dostosowań systemów elektroenergetyczny w związku z dynamicznym rozwojem odnawialnych źródeł energii, takich jak fotowoltaika, energetyka wiatrowa, wodna, biogazowa i wodorowa. Szczególną uwagę poświęcono technologiom magazynowania energii oraz lokalnym formom zarządzania produkcją i konsumpcją energii poprzez klastry i spółdzielnie energetyczne. Poruszono także zagadnienia rozwoju mobilności miejskiej oraz nowoczesne środki transportu nisko- i zeroemisyjnego, a także zagadnienia związane z ciepłownictwem oraz opracowywaniem …

Understanding Career Advancement Challenges Of Mid-Level African American Leaders: A Phenomenological Case Study, Adrienne N. Long

PhD in Organizational Leadership

As workplace demographics become increasingly more diverse globally, the curation of organizational inclusion is becoming more dire (Shore et al., 2018). One workforce dynamic, however, has fundamentally remained unchanged: the underrepresentation of African Americans in executive or senior leadership roles (Beckwith et al., 2016). Despite tremendous legislative progress in gender and racial equality, a pervasive gap persists in organizational cultures that fail to intentionally and consistently provide equitable career advancement opportunities for African Americans to attain senior leadership roles. This study employed a phenomenological qualitative research methodology to examine the career advancement challenges faced by mid-level African American leaders and …

From Claims To Commitments: Does Corporate Governance Help Firms Walk Their Talk?, Wafaa Salah, Nel Frederick George, Hussain Nazim

Business Administration

Purpose – This study investigates how corporate governance (CG) influences the alignment between firms’ environmental performance and their environmental disclosure practices. Drawing on the concept of policy– practice decoupling, the study examines whether CG mechanisms enhance the credibility and consistency of environmental reporting. Design/methodology/approach – Using a panel dataset of 80 Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed firms covering the period 2012 to 2023, the study employs panel-corrected standard error regressions and various robustness tests. Corporate carbon performance (CCP) is used as a proxy for environmental commitment, and environmental disclosure level (EDL) captures the extent of implementation. Findings – The results show a …

Issue 9, Why I Chose Bryant, Shantell J. Dorley

Thrive

No abstract provided.

Decoding Influence: Cosmetic Industry Strategies, Media Beauty Standards, And Their Mental Health Impact On Generation Z Consumers, Tatiana Avila Velasquez

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This research explores the complex relationship between cosmetic industry marketing strategies, media-driven beauty standards, and the mental health of Generation Z consumers. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods, the study examines how frequent exposure to curated beauty ideals and persuasive advertising shapes self-esteem, confidence, and personal identity among young adults. Through surveys and in-depth interviews, the research highlights the evolving nature of cosmetic use, revealing how early engagement with beauty products often stems from social conditioning and personal insecurities. Participants describe a shift from using cosmetics as a means of concealment to embracing them for creative expression and self-care. However, …

Estabilización Estructural Y Desigualdad Financiera: La Proliferación Del Crédito Al Consumo Y La Bancarización Estratificada En El Área Metropolitana De Buenos Aires Entre 1983 Y 2001, Elias Mceaneney

Argentina: Social Movements and Human Rights

This study analyzes how the neoliberal reforms implemented in Argentina between 1983 and 2001 transformed household access to credit and reconfigured financial inequality in the Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires. Through a mixed-methods strategy that combines long-run quantitative analysis of macroeconomic, labor, and economic indicators with a qualitative reconstruction of institutional and sociopolitical change, the research demonstrates that the stabilization achieved under the Convertibility Plan enabled a rapid expansion of the banking system and consumer credit. However, this growth did not generate broad financial inclusion; access to accounts, loans, and credit cards remained strongly conditioned by labor formality, income level, …

Because I Care: The Effect Of Value Congruence And Compensation Scheme On Target Setting In Social Mission Organizations, Wioleta Olczak, Tyler F. Thomas, Dimitri Yatsenko

Accounting Faculty Research and Publications

Many organizations, including for-profit firms, seek to support a social mission. This study experimentally examines how superiors' value congruence and compensation scheme affect superiors' target-setting decisions in social mission organizations. We predict and find that more value-congruent superiors set higher targets for their subordinates than less value-congruent superiors to motivate

their subordinates to advance the organization's social mission. We also find that superiors set higher targets for their subordinates when compensated with performance-based pay rather than a fixed wage. We highlight the importance of superiors' value congruence with the organization's social initiatives and compensation scheme on their target-setting decisions. Organizations …

Stress Management Strategies In An Investment Firm: A Managerial Perspective, Cheri C. Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how client relationship managers and market supervision managers in the investment industry experienced, interpreted, and managed workplace stress within the context of organizational culture, leadership practices, and available resources. Guided by the job-demands resources (JD-R) model, semistructured interviews were conducted with participants across multiple markets to investigate the interplay between high job demands, leadership behaviors, and employee well-being. Findings indicated that while trusted colleagues and positive leadership behaviors served as protective resources that reduced strain and fostered resilience, negative attitudes, favoritism, and lack of collaboration among colleagues amplified stress. Communication breakdowns, poorly managed organizational change, and …

Fundamentals Of Business Communication Eco 21660 - Unit 2, Assignment 3: Key Concept Report, Catherine M. Young

Open Educational Resources

The Business Communications Key Concept Report assignment prompts students to "compose a business report using the analytical, indirect strategy business writing style." Students select a concept based on their interests and define it. They then select a company and discuss their concept within the context of the company. Students must access three outside resources for their report. A holistic rubric describes A-range, B-range, and C-range work. The assignment provides the foundation of Unit 2's oral presentation curriculum.

Search Engine Marketing (Seo) – Discussion Board Assignment, Feygens Saint-Joy Jr

Open Educational Resources

Discussion board on SEO best practices and discovery.

Entrepreneurship At The Base Personal Business Plan Assignment, Ouafaa Hmaddi

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Educational Pathways In East Texas: The Smartest Decisions, Manuel Reyes-Loya, Cecilia Cuellar, Sara Maldonado

Hibbs Brief

This Hibbs Brief examines how educational pathways affect careers and earnings in East Texas. It finds that bachelor's degrees generally lead to higher lifetime earnings, while associate degrees and certificates provide quicker, more affordable routes into in-demand jobs. East Texas trails state and national averages in degree attainment, which may limit economic growth. The brief emphasizes that choosing the right educational path depends on personal goals and local labor market needs.

The Gender Pay Gap: An Occupational Analysis (2012-2023), Curtis Long

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

This thesis examines the gender wage gap across thirty major U.S. occupations from 2014 to 2023 using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS), more specifically, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The analysis measures the difference in median weekly earnings between women and men in each occupation and applies two statistical tests: a yearly z-test to evaluate whether the average wage gap is significant, and a ten-year t-test to identify persistent occupational gaps. Results show significant wage differences in every year, with the largest disparities in finance, management, and law, and smaller gaps in education and healthcare. Consistent …

The New Professional: The Unspoken Costs Of Saying ‘Yes’ To Everything, Amrita Patel Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Dr. Amrita Patel’s regular New Professional column guides new dentists who often feel pressured to say "yes" all the time to build goodwill and prove themselves. It warns that this mindset can lead to burnout, resentment, and loss of personal time. The outdated belief that professionalism requires constant sacrifice is considered harmful. Boundary-setting is shown as a vital skill, not a character flaw, for a sustainable career. The author offers scripts for politely turning down requests when at capacity. By emphasizing well-being and demonstrating healthy boundaries, new dentists gain respect and foster a more sustainable workplace for everyone, reinforcing that …

Mda Insurance: Review Your Health Insurance Plan For 2026 Open Enrollment, Craig Start

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

MDA Insurance President Craig Start urges members to review their health insurance ahead of the 2026 open enrollment period. Open enrollment is the annual window to change carriers, elect new plans, or add dependents. Dates vary by plan: the MDA Health Plan runs from October 1–November 15, while Medicare Supplements/Advantage/Medigap Plans run from October 15–December 7. Members must assess anticipated health changes, potential costly prescriptions, and financial comfort with higher deductibles versus higher premiums. MDA Insurance assists members in making informed decisions and acts as the member's agent of record to help resolve claims and issues throughout the year.

Diffusion Of Innovation Of Port Decarbonization Measures : A Case Study Approach, Clint Rocky Mcculloch, Lucas Fernando Vaquero Roviriego

Port Management Dissertations

The dissertation is a study of how stakeholders diffuse innovation in port decarbonization strategies through a case study approach, with emphasis on the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) relating to the technical and operational measures in the developing regions. Port, being a critical hub in global supply chains, have to manage the increasing pressure of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in alignment with International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2023 GHG strategy as well as the Paris Agreement. However, there is a gap in empirical research, specifically in non-European regions like South America and the Caribbean, highlighting the need for insights from stakeholders’ …

Tort Immunity Waiver For Vaccine Injuries: Ethical And Legal Perspectives, Tammy W. Cowart, Gregory L. Bock

Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, and Business-Law Faculty Publications and Presentations

The COVID pandemic highlighted the importance of vaccine development and availability worldwide. Operation Warp-Speed in the United States accelerated vaccine production by several major pharmaceutical manufacturers, averting some of the normal administrative processes. The result has been a financial windfall for those companies. Some recent data has shown that the COVID vaccine can cause negative side effects in some patients. There are provisions in U.S. law that allow victims of vaccine injuries to recover compensation through the court system. However, even then tort remedies are limited by federal law. Since the review process was rushed during the pandemic, should tort …

Will Labor-Saving Automation Save Western Agriculture?, Lynn Hamilton, Bryan Lohmar, Michael Mccullough

Agribusiness

Among the most salient and intractable challenges facing labor-intensive western agriculture is the rapidly rising cost of labor, driven primarily by reduced availability of workers. Unlike field grains, oilseeds, and cotton, producers of fresh fruit and vegetables still rely extensively on hired manual labor to carry out multiple tasks, particularly harvesting. Nearly one third of total U.S. agricultural labor expenses occur in California alone, a state dominated by fruit, vegetable and horticultural (FVH) crops (Win, Rutledge, and Maredia, 2024). To address the rising cost of labor, producers have been adopting several innovations leading to automated irrigating, weeding, and crop protection …

Las Mujeres Que Tejen Su Poder A Través Del Turismo: Video Documental En La Comunidad De Huilloc (Cusco, Perú), Adina Veloz-Remis

Peru: Indigenous Peoples and Globalization

This research examines how tourism has transformed the lives of Indigenous women in Huilloc, Peru, specifically through the sale of woven textiles. Through a documentary, the study analyzes how the commercialization of their crafts has expanded the economic opportunities available to the weavers, supporting their financial autonomy. It also explores women’s empowerment, including new gender dynamics, greater independence within the household, and increased recognition from the community. The use of documentary film allows the women's voices to be amplified in their own language and cultural context, reinforcing their capacity and autonomy to narrate their stories from their own perspective.

Tejedoras Indígenas Y La Política Económica Del Turismo En Chinchero, Perú: Centrales En La Economía, Marginales En La Política, Maria Herr

Peru: Indigenous Peoples and Globalization

This report is based on fieldwork carried out in Chinchero (Cusco, Peru) in November 2025 and examines the participation of women weavers in the local tourism economy and its relationship to municipal economic policy. It shows how Indigenous weavers, who are central to the district’s tourism, remain in a marginal position within formal spaces of economic decision-making. The study has four specific objectives: to describe the forms of participation of women weavers in Chinchero’s tourism economy; to analyze the mechanisms of collaboration between the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco (CTTC) and other artisan associations with local public institutions; to …

**Human Capital Migration And International Trade: A Comparative Case Study Of Germany And Austria, 2000 To 2024**, Jahnvi Jha

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

This study examines migration of people and international trade in Germany and Austria between 2000 and 2024. Both countries saw sharp rises in immigrant populations, with foreign-born residents reaching 18 percent in Germany and 22 percent in Austria, while their exports grew to record levels. The research explores whether human capital migration like workers bringing skills, education, and networks has complemented or substituted trade. Evidence shows migration often reduces barriers to commerce by creating trust, demand for home-country goods, and professional connections. Skilled workers in high-tech industries further boost export capacity. Contrary to fears that migrants might weaken competitiveness, the …

Cybersecurity Risk Disclosure And Regulatory Compliance: Evaluating Market Sensitivity And Disclosure Effectiveness In U.S. Public Companies, Kingsford Brakye, Abdul Basit Karim Adam

Research & Publications

This paper analyzes disclosing cybersecurity risk and regulatory compliance by the U.S. public companies, with reference to the sensitivity of the information in the market and the effectiveness of disclosure. With rising cyber threats, there is mounting pressure on firms to safeguard their financial systems and adhere to rules such as the 2011, 2018, and 2023 guidelines issued by the SEC, which require firms to report incidents in time and to disclose detailed risk management. However, the disclosure is often done in generic, boilerplate terms, and this limits its use by investors and raises the question of transparency. The study …

Contracting For Consumer Trade Compliance, Christine Abely

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Export compliance is becoming increasingly important for parties required to abide by U.S. law, including many online sellers of consumer products. These retailers’ contractual terms with their customers set forth a number of provisions governing the relationship between them, including those which deal with arbitration, indemnification, disclaimer of warranties, and other issues. Many such agreements also purport to create obligations on the part of the consumer as to export control and sanctions compliance relative to the products they purchase. These contract provisions attempt to do so, however, in often markedly different ways, and with language that may leave notable gaps …

Governance In The Absence Of Government, Tracy H. Pearl

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing at an unprecedented pace, with generative systems exerting growing influence over social, economic, and political life. While AI offers opportunities for innovation and efficiency, it also poses risks ranging from misinformation and job displacement to existential threats if highly autonomous systems evade human control. Across industry, government, and civil society, there is broad consensus that AI requires oversight. Yet traditional U.S. regulatory approaches face six significant barriers: (1) technology outpacing legislation, (2) limited AI expertise among policymakers, (3) regulatory capture, (4) political gridlock, (5) outdated governance structures, and (6) the inherent complexity of AI. Combined …