Digital Commons Network^™

Factors Contributing To The Limited Use Of Information Technology In State Courtrooms, Concetta Manker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Few state courtrooms in the United States have integrated information technology (IT) in court trials. Despite jurors' beliefs that using courtroom technology improves their abilities to serve as jurors, the attitudes and experiences among attorneys and judges toward the utility of IT continue to pose barriers. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the experiences of attorneys and judges in the State of Virginia with regard limited use of IT in state courtrooms. The conceptual framework included Davis, Bagozzi, and Warshaw's (1989) technology acceptance model; Rogers's (2003) diffusion of innovation theory; and Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, and …

Evaluating A Strategic Initiative's Efficiency To Enhance Community College Financial Sustainability, Anne S. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During the first decade of the 21st Century, U.S. college enrollment rates increased, public funding fell by 30%, oversight structures changed, and funding algorithms switched to outcome-based metrics such as retention, progression, and graduation rates. Drawing from Vroom's expectancy theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to provide decision makers with information about the factors associated with an implemented strategic initiative at a Connecticut community college. The research question addressed the correlation between the strategic initiative, retention, and organizational financial sustainability using hierarchical, binary regression analysis of archival data for 2,558 first-time full-time students at a Connecticut community college. …

Exploring Critical Success Factors For Managing Complex Information Technology Projects In Federal Agencies, Kyle Dean Boyles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was the lack of understanding about failures of government leadership in accomplishing complex information technology (IT) projects and the ways such failures can negatively affect organizational performance. The purpose was to query subject matter experts and leaders with the intent to identify methods to reduce complex IT project failure rates in government organizations. This qualitative study drew on the technology acceptance model and the capability maturity model integration framework to evaluate organizations' abilities to manage complex IT projects. The research questions focused on exploring senior managers' experiences, the tacit knowledge of project management methodologies, …

Exploring Antecedents To Work Engagement And Psychological Well-Being Within A Canadian Provincial Ministry, Kris Ellis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A gap exists in organizational development strategies on why some individuals remain disengaged with their work. This study addressed whether a combination of specific contextual factors could support individuals, teams, and leaders to demonstrate the attitudes and behaviors consistent with work engagement. The theoretical frameworks of social constructivism, the conceptual framework of symbolic interactionism, and a hermeneutic inquiry approach were used to address how individual psychological traits/abilities of employees support work engagement. Nineteen employees of a Canadian provincial government ministry completed an engagement survey, MSCEIT, MBTI, and SDI assessments. They also participated in focus groups. Survey results showed high engagement …

Expectations Of Job Satisfaction Based On Three Common Leadership Styles, Ethel Chiles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some leadership styles can produce job dissatisfaction, resulting in labor turnover and financial loss to organizations. Despite these known consequences, there is a lack of research on the perceptions of leadership styles on job satisfaction for hourly wageworkers. This phenomenological study was used to understand the experiences of non-management employees on how management leadership styles affected their job satisfaction. Bass's leadership theory, Herzberg's dual factor theory, and Maslow's hierarchy of needs guided this study. The primary research questions were used to explore themes in leadership styles affecting selected North Carolina employees in the workplace. Data collection included in-depth interviews with …

The Perceptions And Lived Experiences Of Leaders Practicing Mindfulness Meditation: A Phenomenological Investigation, Denise A. Frizzell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the gap between the demands of the global work environment and the maturity of its leaders, minimal research exists on the trend of the practice of mindfulness meditation and the developmental experiences of leaders, thereby resulting in a growing divide between theory and practice. Consequently, leadership scholars have little understanding of how an increasing number of leaders experience mindfulness meditation. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the perceived impact mindfulness meditation had on leader development for 20 manager-leaders who had a regular (at least 3 days a week) mindfulness-meditation practice. The primary recruitment strategy included outreach …

Financial Performance Outcomes Following System Replacement In The Insurance Industry, Trevor James Owen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Enterprise system replacement projects within the property and casualty insurance industry are costly, high-risk undertakings that carry a significant risk of project failure. The decision to replace policy administration systems for companies with over $250 million in direct written premium is a multimillion dollar investment for corporate strategic decision makers. This study examined the financial impact of enterprise policy administration system replacement in the property and casualty insurance industry by comparing financial performance results for companies that performed policy administration system replacements with those that did not. Insurance industry financial results for the years 2009 through 2014 were used for …

When Does Six Sigma Reduce Defects And Increase Efficiencies?, Richard Jay Sands

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A field research-based statistical study was used to investigate successes and failures of Six Sigma methodologies based projects. Six Sigma methodologies require that projects be designed, planned, and implemented using techniques specifically designed to achieve desired benefits that are based on the method's key drivers for project success. This study addressed an identified gap in the literature that Six Sigma projects do not fail because of Six Sigma methodologies, but that the projects can fail because of deficient support processes. Six Sigma projects that do not achieve the desired benefits are often labeled as "fads". Research questions related to management …

Lost (But Not Missing) At Work: Organizational Lostness As An Employee Response To Change, Lisa Jones Christensen, Scott C. Hammond

Faculty Publications

This article draws from the psychology of lost person behavior, established from wilderness search and rescue missions, to suggest that employees experience the condition of being lost within organizations. Data from wilderness searches, survivors, and organizational actors suggests that lessons from lost person behaviors apply in organizations. Reactions to being lost in an organization follow predictable patterns and include five specific stages: separation, isolation, deviation, deprivation, and realization. In defining the construct of organizational lostness and differentiating it from stress, coping, and resistance, we suggest an organizing framework to understand employee behaviors that would previously seem idiosyncratic. This article offers …

If You Can’T Take The Heat: Cultural Beliefs About Questionable Conduct, Stigma, Punishment, And Withdrawal Among Mexican Police Officers, Jorge A. Gonzalez, Lorena R. Pérez-Floriano

Management Faculty Publications

We introduce the concept of cultural beliefs about questionable conduct, and examine how these beliefs interact with stigma consciousness to influence punishment and two withdrawal behaviors: turnover and absenteeism. We used a sample of Mexican police officers in a border city and implemented a mixed method design, paying attention to the national, occupational, and organizational context of this setting. We conducted a qualitative phase to explore the prevalence and meaning of occupational stigma and four cultural beliefs about questionable conduct: greed, toughness, wariness, and savvy. The results of this phase helped us develop a context-relevant measure of cultural beliefs about …

When Demographic And Personality Diversity Are Both At Play: Effects On Team Performance And Implications For Diversity Management Practices, Mai P. Trinh

Management Faculty Publications

This chapter reviews what we know about the effects of demographic diversity (age, sex, and ethnicity) and personality diversity (conscientiousness, openness to experience, extraversion, emotional stability, and agreeableness) in teams in organizations. It also outlines challenges to today's diversity management and Human Resource (HR) practices, such as the lack of definite conclusions from research results, the mismatch between team diversity research designs and organizations' needs, and the lack of research examining simultaneously different aspects of diversity. Drawing from analysis results of team data from 55 teams of volunteers from Shanghai, the author recommends that HR training and selection take specific …

A Conceptual Model To Measure Erp User-Value, Mohamed A. Lotfy, Leila Halawi

Publications

The critical factors in the onward and upward phase that maximize the value o the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system from the user’s point of view remain unidentified. A recent study of a public sector organization in the state of Colorado showed that the users’ perspectives regarding the benefits of an ERP system are unrecognized, as well as how the users of the ERP system view the ERP benefits post-implementation. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that maximize the value of the implemented ERP system in the onward and upward phase postimplementation from the user’s point …

Strategies To Improve The Financial Performance Of State-Owned Enterprises In Ghana, Solomon Bonney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The deteriorating financial performance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) has been an increasing concern for the government of Ghana. The contributions of SOEs to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Ghanaian economy have declined, leading to the loss of job opportunities because of the unprofitability and rising debt levels. SOE managers need to adopt strategies to improve the financial performance of their organizations so they can contribute to the GDP and generate employment opportunities. Government, SOE management, and employees will benefit from profitable and sustainable SOEs that have the ability to contribute to the national development agenda. The purpose …

The Moderating Effects Of Incentives And Informal Contracts On Post-Merger Executive Turnover And Engagement, David P. Grogan

Student Scholarship

This study contributes to a better understanding of voluntary executive turnover during the post-merger integration period by extending prior research on agency, stewardship, and psychological contracts. Within the context of a post-acquisition environment we propose four new predictors of engagement, measure the mediating role of a decision to leave, and examine the moderating effects of retention incentives and perceived implicit contract violations. This inquiry was inspired by the seemingly counter-intuitive industry practice of assigning retention incentives to key talent who are not actually committed to staying and the likelihood that subsequent agent engagement in the organizational change process required for …

Attachment Style, Leadership Behavior, And Perceptions Of Leader Effectiveness In Academic Management, Rehema Underwood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational effectiveness is related to both effective leadership styles and to having leaders with secure attachment styles. Transformational and charismatic leaders often have secure attachment styles. However, the relationships between insecure attachment styles and leadership styles remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine whether insecure attachment in leaders (fearful, preoccupied, and dismissing attachment styles) is related to transformational, charismatic, transactional, and laissez faire leadership. A quantitative, non experimental approach was taken in this study. Participants included those in leadership positions (college deans, chairpersons, and provosts) (n = 18) and instructors (subordinates) (n = 36) from local community …

Exploring Strategies For Retaining Information Technology Professionals: A Case Study, Shannon J. Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the 21st century, retaining information technology (IT) professionals is critical to a company's productivity and overall success. Senior IT leaders need effective strategies to retain skilled IT professionals. Guided by the general systems theory and the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the retention strategies used by 2 senior IT leaders in Atlanta, Georgia to retain IT professionals. Semistructured interviews were employed to elicit detailed narratives from these IT leaders on their experiences in retaining IT professionals. A review of company documents, as well as member-checking of initial interview transcripts, helped …

The Robust Beauty Of “Little Ideas”: The Past And Future Of A Behavioral Theory Of The Firm, David Maslach, Chengwei Liu, Peter Madsen, Vinit Desai

Faculty Publications

This introductory and the following nine articles reflect comments made by panelists during a symposium honoring A Behavioral Theory of the Firm by Richard Cyert and James G. March at the 2013 Academy of Management meeting. Not surprisingly, what emerged from these comments is that the Behavioral Theory of the Firm (BTF) was enormously influential to the creation of many “little ideas” that have a big impact on a number of social sciences. More surprising is the potential for many new “little ideas” that build on the BTF. The panelists detail what these new “little ideas” may be in future …

Bridging Executive Succession Gaps: Organizational Factors That Most Accelerate Executive Readiness, Carolynn Cameron

Student Scholarship

Much has been written on the topic of leadership development however little on the development of top executives, and virtually nothing on the most efficient ways of developing executives. With succession pipelines to executive jobs weak across S&P 500 firms, executive succession weakness poses a real financial, continuity and governance risk to systems globally. To address this phenomenological gap, the authors conducted a qualitative inquiry involving semi-structured interviews with managers in a single S&P 50 global firm that operates across three industries. By probing into the "lived worlds" of these executive successors and high performing non-successors, new insight has been …

Bridging Executive Succession Gaps: Organizational Factors That Most Accelerate Executive Readiness, Carolynn Cameron

Student Scholarship

Much has been written on the topic of leadership development however little on the development of top executives, and virtually nothing on the most efficient ways of developing executives. With succession pipelines to executive jobs weak across S&P 500 firms, executive succession weakness poses a real financial, continuity and governance risk to systems globally. To address this phenomenological gap, the authors conducted a qualitative inquiry involving semi-structured interviews with managers in a single S&P 50 global firm that operates across three industries. By probing into the "lived worlds" of these executive successors and high performing non-successors, new insight has been …

A Mixed Methods Perspective: How Integral Leaders Can Contribute To The Growth Of Emerging Leaders, Susan M. Hayes

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Given that organizational complexity continues to increase, leaders are looking for credible information, and a process that helps them become a better leader. Emerging leaders are faced with trying to be the best leader they can be while leading teams of people who think and act differently from them. To assist emerging leaders with their leadership, this study explores the literature and looks to highly respected and admired leaders for how they became the leader they are today. The purpose of this study was fourfold: first, to identify and describe first and second tier integral theory leaders from a sample …

Managing Workplace Stress For Increased Performance In An Irish Higher Education Institution, Tommy J. Foy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace stress costs -£3.7 billion per annum in the United Kingdom and in excess of $300 billion per annum in the United States. However, little research exists on the relationships between perceptions of social support, work-life conflict, job performance, and workplace stress. The purpose of this correlational study was to provide educational leaders with the information they need to examine the existence, strength, and direction of relationships between perceptions of social support, work-life conflict, job performance, and workplace stress in an Irish higher education institution. The theoretical framework for this study consisted of a combination of reward imbalance theory, expectancy …

Hispanic Women Business Executives' Self-Perceptions Of Leadership Effectiveness, Daniel R. Dusch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hispanics will become the majority ethnic group in the U.S. by 2060. The social and business cultural changes affected by these demographics are inevitable and will require leadership from academic and business communities in order to ensure clear direction for the future. Gender research in managerial and professional positions mostly includes White women and typically excludes those of other racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. The research problem was that there is little known about the lived experiences of Hispanic women business executives. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the self-perceptions of leadership effectiveness of Hispanic women business …

A Mixed Methods Study: Dimensions Of Cross-Cultural Professional Success: Experiences Of Western Women Living And Working In Eastern Cultures, Tami J. France

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In this world of global interconnectedness women continue to develop cross-cultural careers and their experiences impact and influence global scholarship and practice. Through this study, the relationships, resources, and characteristics that support female expatriate success were explored, with additional focus on the role of mentor and coach relationships. The mixed-methods study was conducted using a sequential approach to research that began with one-on-one semi structured interviews with ten professional women from the United States and Canada working or formerly working in China and Hong Kong. A survey was designed based on the interview findings. Professional women from western countries working …

Integrating Organisational Change Management And Customer Relationship Management In A Casino, Charlie Chi Cong Mai, Chad Perry, Erwin Loh

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

This research aims to solve the problem: how can casinos manage organizational change programs, and internal and external customer relationship management (CRM) programs? To find a solution, it uses two stages of qualitative methods: convergent interviewing and case research about four departments of a casino in Australia. After a thorough data analysis of documents and interview data, 12 themes were identified and they led to the development of a model of how organizational change management and CRM can be integrated to improve initiatives in organisations such as casinos. The model has seven core elements: vision, key challenge, objective, measure, strategy, …

Does Who We Are Influence What We Say? The Impact Of Organizational Identity On Responses To Ethical Issues, Amy J. Guerber

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Business organizations frequently face ethical issues which may lead stakeholders to question the competence or integrity of organizational actors. In such cases, the way the organization communicates with its stakeholders can play a critical role in preserving or restoring organizational reputation, financial performance, and trust. Thus, understanding factors that influence organizational communication in the wake of ethical issues is important. Previous research has focused on the impact of situational characteristics on organizational responses and stakeholder reactions to those responses but has not explored the role that organizational characteristics play in shaping firms' responses to ethical issues.

The current study seeks …

Gazing Into The Crystal Ball: Using Scenarios For Future Visioning Of A Distance Learning Library Service, Anne Marie Casey, Jon E. Cawthorne, Kathleen Citro

Staff Works - Hunt Library

This article describes the use of scenarios as a tool to assist a large distance learning library service in its strategic planning. Through a description of the scenario process from beginning to end, the authors detail the steps that the library director and the consultant took initially; their missteps; and the successful conclusion. This study of the journey through the scenario process to a new strategic plan should prove useful to library administrators interested in exploring new ways to plan for uncertain futures.

Roles And Functions Of Organizational Ombuds Officers In The United States, Dana M. Bennett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Organizational ombuds officers have worked in corporate America for nearly fifty years. This was an exploratory study of ombuds officers in the United States that utilized direct interviews to gather data from seven ombuds officers in large organizations. A qualitative approach compared roles of these ombuds officers to roles of other ombuds officers working in the United States. Roles examined included: investigatory, advocacy, assisting, and regulatory roles. The results demonstrated that a majority of ombuds officers worked in an assisting role. Ombuds officers may provide better information to organizations if they employ a four frame structure to track issues brought …

Implementation Of A New Enterprise Resource Planning System, Lacy Payne

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The objective of this thesis was to upgrade an Enterprise Resource planning system that was outdated into a new age Enterprise resource planning system based centered on a scheduling algorithm. This was a key change that needed to be made to transform the company from old thinking to new. Primarily the testing of this implementation was done through mapping of processes, followed by trial and error, and finally improving and sustaining the processes it took to use the system correctly. The mapping of the processes was completed by the Process Manager as well as the Lead, Supervisor, or Manager of …

An Examination Of The Factors Determining Successful Implementation Of An Electronic Medical Record (Emr) System In A Regional Hospital, Mehrdad Motamed

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the College of Business and Public Affairs Morehead State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Mehrdad Motamed in July of 2014.

Patient Safety Culture And High Reliability Organizations, Jared D. Padgett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A 1999 evaluation of case studies performed by staff from the Institute of Medicine found that between 40,000 and 98,000 patients died from preventable errors, while 43,598 individuals died in car accidents that year. A 2011 report increased that estimate nearly 10 times. Widespread preventable patient harm still occurs despite an increase in healthcare regulations. High-reliability organization theory has contributed to improved safety and may potentially reverse this trend. This explorative single case study explored how the perceptions and experiences of nursing and respiratory staff affected the successful transition of a healthcare organization into a reliability-seeking organization. Fourteen participants from …