Digital Commons Network^™

Consequences Of Community Water Fluoridation Cessation For Medicaid Eligible Children And Adolescents, Jennifer Meyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Oral health impacts general health and well-being throughout the lifespan. Recent trends in the United States towards cessation of community water fluoridation (CWF) may increase disparities in oral health. The purpose of this quantitative retrospective cohort study was to analyze Medicaid dental claims records for caries related procedures among 0 to18-year-old patients during an optimal CWF year 2003 (n = 854) and compare them to claims records from 2012 (n = 1,053), 5 years after CWF was ceased. The theoretical framework of this study was the diffusion of innovations theory. Statistically significant results included higher mean number of caries related …

Strategies To Mitigate Losses From Product-Harm Crises In The Agri-Food Industry, Leslie Owen Paull

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some agri-food managers of United States-based companies use strategies to mitigate product-harm crises.The loss of brand and corporate sustainability increases for companies not utilizing mitigating strategies to reduce losses from agri-food product-harm crisis.The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies managers use to mitigate losses from agri-food product-harm crises. Coombs' situational crisis communication theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. A sample of 3 managers from 3 agri-food companies in the southern United States shared their mitigating strategies to reduce losses from a product-harm crisis. Methodological triangulation assisted in reviewing and analyzing information from …

Nurses' Reflection, Compassion Fatigue, And Work Burnout - A Correlational Analysis, Sarah Urban

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Compassion fatigue and work-related burnout are harmful reactions to patient situations and work environments that negatively affect nurses' well-being and ability to provide safe, effective patient care. However, research is needed to understand how reflection as a self-care response to patient situations is related to nurses' development of work burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress, a type of compassion fatigue. The purpose of this correlational, cross-sectional quantitative study was to determine the relationship between hospital-based acute care nurses' levels of reflection and their levels of compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and work burnout. The study was based on Hentz …

Sustainable Supply Chain: Maintaining A Competitive Advantage In Retail Organizations, Sherman M. Arthur

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some retail managers encounter challenges with efficiency and responsiveness in their attempts to gain and maintain a competitive advantage in the retail industry. Many retail managers are receptive to changes in global markets, technology, and customer demands. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the strategies that some retail managers used to motivate their sales associates to maintain a competitive advantage in the retail industry. Maintaining a competitive advantage increases profitability and customer satisfaction. Sustainable Supply Chain Management was the primary conceptual framework for this study. The purposive sample consisted of 4 retail managers from a …

Parental Stress And Parent-Child Relationships In Recently Divorced, Custodial Mothers, Kelly Lyn Murphy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Divorce creates significant stress that can have an impact on parent-child relationship satisfaction. Past researchers have indicated that in times of high stress, parents may not be available for their children due to their personal issues. Attachment theory demonstrates the importance of the parent-child bond for the child as he or she matures, so this bond needs to be protected. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to examine the predictive relationship between parental stress as measured by the Parenting Stress Index, 4th Edition, Short Form (PSI-4-SF) and the parent-child relationship satisfaction as measured by the Parent-Child Relationship Inventory …

Knowledge, Perceptions, And Facilitators To Colorectal Cancer Screening Among African American Men In Mobile, Alabama, Ruben Franklin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American (AA) men in the state of Alabama are affected by colorectal cancer (CRC) more than all other races. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain understanding of colorectal cancer screening health benefits in AA men in Mobile, Alabama. The health beliefs model (HBM) developed by Hochum, Rosemstock, and Kegels was used to to explore the barriers and facilitators to CRC screening in AA men with health insurance in Mobile, Alabama. The research questions explored knowledge, perceptions, and facilitators to CRC screening among AA men age 40 to 75. Participants were selected using purposive sampling and data …

Organizational Strategies In The Mortgage Industry, Rachelle Sutton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mortgage managers lack the organizational strategies to evolve after the 2008 economic decline of the U.S. and the global economy. The significance in the lack of organizational strategies threaten the U.S. and global communities with challenges in defaults for homeowners, performance and profits for the mortgage industry that jeopardize solvent economies. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the strategies mortgage loan managers use to avoid mortgage crises and maintain profitability. The conceptual framework for this study was the social audit theory. The participants of the study were 7 mortgage managers, in the North-Eastern region of …

Strategies For Implementing Advertisements In The Green Industry, Ashley Deal Castle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After a growth in sales of 30% from 2007 to 2010, green product market sales declined 2% from 2010 to 2014 in the United States. Business leaders need to incorporate sustainable business practices and use green messaging within advertisements and marketing campaigns to assure that present needs do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This qualitative case study explored marketing strategies that business leaders in the green advertising industry use to increase the sale of green products. The social cognitive theory was the conceptual framework used in this study. In-depth interviews with 5 purposively selected …

Exploring General Career Barriers And Self-Constructed Career Impediments Of Minority Women Managers And Leaders, Octavia A. Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2016, the U.S. Census Bureau indicated only 39.1% of women occupied management and leadership occupations. The absence of women in leadership roles minimizes career aspirations, reduces the benefits of gender diversity, and lowers growth opportunities for women. The purpose of this interpretive hermeneutical phenomenological study was to unveil the lived experiences of a sample of minority women managers and leaders in the finance and insurance sector in Central Florida who encountered general career barriers and self-imposed career impediments that hindered them from advancing. The conceptual framework that guided this study was the social cognitive career theory coupled with the …

Risks Management Application In Helping The Poor Through Microfinancing, Edmond Njombe Lyonga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poverty alleviation in Buea, Cameroon, has been a problem of concern for decades. The study is vital because managers who control the funds given to the government of Cameroon to help reduce poverty are politicians and do not equitably distribute the funds to all on the pretext that the default rate is high. The purpose of this study was to find better ways to make additional capital available to the microbusiness owners of Buea to open or improve businesses. This qualitative case study design was consistent with the aim of understanding the importance of risk management within the microfinance industry …

Exploration Of Counselor Development Using Cotherapy In Postgraduate Training, Jennifer Calloway Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have supported the use of cotherapy in both training and application for couple and family counseling as a clinical practice. However, there is not enough evidence to determine whether cotherapy can meet the learning needs of counselors-in-training more comprehensively than other forms of live supervision. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the training experiences of postgraduate couple and family counselors who participated in cotherapy with a clinical supervisor. These experiences were examined using social and experiential learning theories. A modification of the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method served as the procedural guide for the analysis. Hand-coded interview data …

Assessing Effective Interventions In Pregnant And Postpartum American Indian And Alaska Native Women, Hope Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Through the creation of the Indian Health Service in 1955, the health status of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) has improved; however, AI/AN women of reproductive age still have some of the poorest health outcomes of all populations. This study aimed to examine effective interventions that seek to improve the health of AI/AN women during pregnancy, and immediately postpartum (up to 12 months post delivery). This study addressed the research question: What effect does parental competence have on early parenting and/or infant/toddler outcomes? The life course conceptual framework was used to demonstrate how life experiences impact current health. The …

Business Strategies For Small Business Survival, Betty Wong Lum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business owners play a leading role in the United States economy by creating jobs and driving innovation. However, half of all new small business owners close their doors before their 5th anniversary. Following the entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore what strategies 5 small business owners in the food and beverage industry in the San Francisco Bay area used to survive beyond 5 years of operation. Data sources included semistructured interviews and company documents. Data analysis included descriptive and process coding of the data and use of NVivo to identify themes. Based on …

Neighborhood And Community Influence On Adolescent Obesity, Peggie Arnzellique Harrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, over two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, and the number of children and adolescents who are overweight is increasing. Obesity is a significant issue as obesity-related chronic diseases can result in diminished quality or life, high morbidity and mortality, and substantial healthcare costs. The purpose of this study was to examine neighborhood social capital and how it relates to adolescent obesity. The socio-ecological model was used as the theoretical framework of this study to examine how the environment and social contexts influence health behaviors. Utilizing a quantitative cross-sectional research design, bivariate and multivariate analyses were …

Nigerian Oil And Gas Industry Content Development Act’S Perceived Performance Impact, Olakunle Thomas Ayoola

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Petroleum-producing companies in Nigeria were forced to increase spending on Nigerian-sourced materials and services from $8 billion to $13 billion since 2010, due to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act that was implemented in 2010 to support local firms and improve the companies’ performance. There is sparse research on how the act affected the companies’ performance. This descriptive correlational study addressed the gap in the literature. Survey data from 372 employees of the five major petroleum-producing companies in Nigeria was analyzed. The study results indicated that the act had a positive effect on the employees’ internal competence …

Abusive Supervision Detection As Part Of Venture Capital Due Diligence Of Management, David Blum

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Abusive supervision (AS) costs U.S. businesses billions of dollars per year in lost productivity, increased absenteeism, and health care costs. To reduce these costs and to enhance the probability of a successful exist, independent venture capitalists (IVCs) need to be aware of the issue of AS among the management team during the due-diligence process. This study addresses a gap in literature related to IVCs being able to detect AS during due-diligence process of the management team. The research question was this: What tools, processes, and methods can IVCs use to detect AS during the due-diligence process of the management team? …

Strategies To Retain Millennial Employees At Full-Service Restaurants, Candace A. Ruiz, Anne Davis

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Some supervisors lack effective strategies to retain millennial-generation employees. The purpose of this multicase study was to explore effective strategies to retain culinary-educated millennial employees in a full-service restaurant. Nine millennials and three supervisors from three full-service restaurants in Denver, Colorado, consented to semistructured interviews concerning retention strategies. Herzberg’s two-factor theory served to guide the scope and the data analysis for the multicase study. Ten subcategories emerged from the three themes that aligned with Herzberg’s motivation factors, hygiene factors, and millennial values and attitudes. The 10 subcategories were developed suggesting effective strategies differ by supervisor. Among the 10 subcategories, the …

Lived Experiences And Coping Styles Of Alaskan Women With Opioid Use Disorders, Faith May Golden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Death caused by opioid abuse has increased in recent years, and women in the state of Alaska have been significantly impacted by this opioid crisis. Previous researchers have indicated a possible connection between opioid use and sub-clinical PTSD criteria. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop a theory regarding the presence of PTSD diagnostic criteria in this population, to identify patterns in past traumas and other life stressors, and to investigate coping strategies in 43 Alaskan women who sought treatment for opioid use. Archived data in the form of therapy notes were analyzed using grounded theory techniques …

Standardized Critical Thinking Tests As A Predictor Of Success In Nursing Programs, Jaimee Kastler Kastler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High attrition rates and a nursing shortage across the nation have led schools of nursing to seek out ways to better identify which applicants will be most successful in graduating from the nursing program and passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Nursing programs have historically included standardized entrance exam scores and prerequisite scores among their admission criteria but have not used standardized critical thinking assessments (CTA), even though critical thinking is an integral part of being a successful nursing professional. Using Astin's input-environment-output (I-E-O) model, the purpose of this retrospective correlational study was to determine whether …

Workplace Antidiscrimination Policy Effect On Transgender Employee Job Satisfaction, Stacie Christian

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Not all organizations in Wisconsin have transgender inclusive antidiscrimination policies. Leadership can use the results of this study to understand the effect of antidiscrimination policies on transgender employee job satisfaction. Quantitative data were collected from transgender employees aged 18 years or older who were employed but not self-employed in the state of Wisconsin. The relationship between the presence and absence of transgender inclusive antidiscrimination policy and job satisfaction was addressed by creating an anonymous online survey that contained demographic questions, the 1997 Job Descriptive Index (JDI) and the Job in General (JIG). Participants were notified of the study using fliers …

Sustainability Practices That Influence Profitability In The Petroleum Industry, Lionel Bryan Small

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Petroleum industries in the U.S. attract increased scrutiny from governmental bodies, businesses, and the civil society for their lack of sustainability practices, such as air emissions control, the use of cleaner fuels, and water pollution mitigation. Although the short-term cost of implementing these practices may be high as stated by a sample of the industry's leaders, long-term benefits include lower business costs and a reduction of the adverse impacts on society, the environment, and the economy. This multiple-case study highlighted the practices of several petroleum industry leaders who demonstrated an exception to these practices-who have been clear thought leaders in …

A Narrative Analysis Of Resilience And Coping In Persons Diagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis, Mildred Christian Alford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A Narrative Analysis of Resilience and Coping in

Persons Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis

by

Mildred C. Alford

Ph.D., Ed., Berne International Graduate University, 1998

M.S. Ed., Texas A & M University, Commerce, 1989

B.S., Psychology, University of Houston, 1976

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Health Psychology

Walden University

June 2017

Parents' And Teachers' Perceptions Of A Parental Involvement Component In Afterschool Tutoring, Ruth Lawton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined an after-school tutoring and mentoring program that was implemented to help low-income students in the K-12 local district who were struggling with reading and mathematics. To date, the program has not been successful in improving student achievement. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to provide administrators and teachers with insights into parents' and teachers' perceptions of the program, with an emphasis on parental involvement (PI). Vygotsky's theory of social constructivism focused this study on the tenet that social interactions between parents, students, and teachers all impact the program students' construction of knowledge. The research questions …

Strategies For Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises In Geoeconomic Crisis, Hicham Jaroudi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Lebanon are at risk of failure because of the geoeconomic crisis. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that successful leaders of SMEs use to sustain their businesses during tenuous economic conditions. The target population for the research comprised 6 business leaders of SMEs in Beirut, Lebanon: 3 in the civil security field and 3 in the facilities management field. Kotter's change model theory provided the conceptual framework for this research. Data were gathered from company documents and interviews with SMEs leaders in Beirut. Data were analyzed using Yin's data …

Completion Characteristics Of Non-Hispanic Blacks With Tuberculosis And Hiv, Vernard Darrell Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are difficult conditions to manage, in tandem they pose even more challenges to public health programs in identifying coinfection to ensure that all TB cases are treated to completion of therapy (COT). The purpose of this study was to test variables that predicted COT among the HIV/TB coinfected population of non-Hispanic, U.S.-born Blacks alive at the time of diagnosis. Social determinants of health were the theoretical foundation used to guide the study based on data from the Report of Verified Cases of TB (RVCT) between 2009 and 2014. Relationships were tested between ethnic/racial …

Facebook And Teenagers: Investigating Changes Of Perceived Peer Pressures For Romantic Relationship Involvement Based On Facebook Attachment, Courtney Lynn Weiss Bennett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although youth aged 12-17 years old constitute a growing segment of Facebook users, the impact social networking websites may have on their psyche has not been well-studied. Additionally, researchers have not investigated peer pressure as a mediator between individuals overall attachment to Facebook and the desire to be involved in a romantic relationship among teens or adults. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the connection between Facebook attachment and perceived peer pressure, specifically with regard to romantic relationships in individuals aged 14-17 years. Impression management theory served as the theoretical framework. A survey design was used to …

Effective Stakeholder Management Strategies For Information Technology Projects, Andrew Stephen Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Information Technology (IT) projects have become critical to business strategy. However, one major issue is that, historically, IT projects have high failure rates, with scholars asserting that ineffective stakeholder management strategies were a major factor for project failure. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies IT executives use for managing IT project stakeholders by exploring the experiences of 2 CIOs and 4 IT directors in two multinational companies, based in Switzerland. Stakeholder theory was the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and company documentation, and analyzed using Yin's 5-step data analysis …

Intervention Strategies Against And Effects Of Female Sexual Harassment In Workplaces Of Cote D'Ivoire, Mariam Lamine Breant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace sexual harassment in Cote d'Ivoire has been documented as extensive and commonplace, yet in West African nations, sexual harassment is not well studied or understood. Specifically, little is known about whether intervention programs instituted by the Ivorian law under Act No.98-756 forbid sexual harassment are viewed by female workers as effective. Using Hendricks and Valasek's theory on gender mainstreaming as the foundation, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of female workers in Cote d'Ivoire related the effectiveness of sexual harassment training programs. Data for this study were collected from 15 women who worked in public …

Racial Microaggressions, Faculty Motivation, And Job Satisfaction In Southeastern Universities, Saundra Elizabeth Carr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For racial minority faculty, racism is associated with adverse outcomes, including poor job satisfaction and less motivation, which may lead faculty to leave the teaching profession. It is unknown what relationships, if any, exist among perceived racial microaggression, job satisfaction, and employee motivation among African American (AA) faculty and other faculty of color in colleges and universities in the southeastern United States. Critical race theory provided a framework to investigate the relationship of perceived racial microaggressions toward AA faculty and other faculty of color with motivation and job satisfaction. This study involved a correlational design using multiple linear regressions to …

The Relationship Of Job Stress To Job Performance In Police Officers, Chidiebere Chikwem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For the past 3 decades, police officers have been diagnosed with various stress-induced health problems. Police officers are at a greater risk of various environmental health problems due to the stressful nature of their profession. While there is abundant research that explores the relationship between high stress occupations and environmental health, researchers have yet to sufficiently explore the relationships between police officers' job stress and job performance. The purpose of this correlational study was to use Cohen & McKay's conceptualization of the stress-buffering hypothesis to explore whether police officers' physical exercise moderated the negative impact of job stress on their …