Digital Commons Network^™

Intrinsic Classroom Teacher Motivation, Mindi Hennefer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the public education accountability movement, politicians and corporate reformers claim that student performance on standardized tests is an appropriate and reliable measure of a teacher's ability to educate. Given the process of holding K-12 classroom teachers directly accountable for individual student achievement based on standardized testing results, the teachers at XYZ Elementary School are currently motivated to change only through externally controlled factors or extrinsic motivation. The purpose of this research was to explore processes other than extrinsic motivation that motivate teachers to engage in strategies and methods that indirectly influence students to learn over the long term. The …

Strategies Business Managers Use To Engage Employees In The Chemical Industry, Akeem A. Adeyemi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of employee engagement in the workplace is one of the leading causes of lost productivity in the United States, estimated to cost organizations between $450 to $550 billion per year. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies that some business managers in the chemical industry use to engage employees and increase productivity. The population for the study consisted of 5 small chemical business managers of a chemical company in the northeastern United States that demonstrated success in engaging employees. The conceptual framework for the study was social exchange theory. Data were collected from small …

Strategies For Selecting And Individualizing Training For Employee Positioning, Reba Michelle Royster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of effective selection and training of employees for positioning within a business can have extensive financial repercussions. Fostering mentoring relationships between leaders and employees increases competitive advantage and institutional financial growth. However, there is limited research that supports the role of mentoring leadership styles for improving organizational productivity. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies used by business managers to select and individually train employees for opportunities within the organization to achieve job-person fit. The sample included 5 business managers employed within a medium-sized organization in a consultation firm in the mid-Atlantic region of the …

Early Recognition And Treatment Of Acquired Pneumonia, Michael Lamorgese

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction disease process that costs the healthcare system millions of dollars each year. By using existing assets, the number of patients admitted to the hospital suffering from sepsis secondary to community-acquired pneumonia can be reduced. The purpose of this project was to improve and expand the scope of practice of the registered nurse working in a private medical office to initiate treatment for suspected CAP using evidence-based practice. Data from the last quarter of 2017 and the first quarter of 2018 were compared. The purpose of comparing these data sets was to examine outcomes of …

Department Structure And Leadership Functions For Advanced Practice Providers, Deondela Love

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Department structure and leadership functions can influence work climate. In one healthcare system, advanced practice providers (APPs) worked in a decentralized structure with multiple leaders. This project explored the impact of the change to centralized leadership for APPs working in an academic healthcare system in which employee turnover was high and satisfaction was low. An ad hoc committee led by the chief medical officer created a centralized department with a designated leader. Surveys and interviews were used to identify the benefits of the strategies implemented and understand whether the change in organizational structure resulted in an improved work climate for …

Implementation Of Food Safety Regulations In Food Service Establishments, Steve Randolph Mcallister

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Food service businesses in the United States have experienced millions of dollars in losses caused by foodborne illness outbreaks, which can lead to bankruptcy and business closures. More than 68% of all foodborne illness outbreaks occur in food service establishments. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to explore the strategies leaders of food service establishments use to implement food safety regulations. Force field analysis was the conceptual framework for this study. The population for the study consisted of 3 leaders of food service establishments located in the southeastern region of the United States. Data were collected using semistructured …

Turnover: A Case Study Of Middle Managers In The Landscape Industry, Jason Richard Stroman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The landscape industry in the United States suffers higher turnover among middle management positions. Upper management does not know why this is occurring and currently has no strategy to deal with it. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons for high turnover among middle managers and explore the ways to reduce turnover. Reducing turnover may help with the stability of the landscape industry and increase employee retention. Conceptual framework for this study included Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Herzberg's two factor theory, situational theory, and contingency theory. This qualitative exploratory case study addressed the reasons for high turnover …

Strategies Church Financial Leaders Use For Financial Sustainability During Economic Crises, Jessie Hyman Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Church financial leaders were affected by the economic crisis after the 2008 recession. In a 2009 group study conducted nationwide with church financial leaders, 57% stated that the economy had a negative effect on their church budgets. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore successful strategies that some church financial leaders used to ensure financial sustainability during economic crises. Resource dependence theory was the conceptual framework. Data were collected from 6 church financial leaders at 4 churches in the northeastern region in the United States; church financial leaders were selected through purposeful sampling to participate in …

Successful Strategies For Reducing Employee Turnover In The Restaurant Industry, Jaun Derek Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover remains a ubiquitous phenomenon that could negatively impact the operations and profitability of any business entity. For decades, managers, business leaders, and individuals in academia have devoted considerable time and resources to understanding and reducing the phenomenon. This qualitative multiple case study was conducted to explore the successful strategies that restaurant managers used to reduce employee turnover. The population sample consisted of 4 restaurant managers from Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago who had successfully used strategies to reduce employee turnover. The conceptual framework used was the transformational leadership model. Data for the study were gathered using semistructured …

Effective Leadership Strategies, Employee Performance, And Organizational Sustainability In The Boxing Industry, Rita Ali

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective leadership impedes employee performance and threatens organizational sustainability, causing U.S. businesses to spend billions of dollars addressing such issues. Correspondingly, boxing promotion companies are challenged as some leaders lack strategies to improve employee performance. This single case study was focused on leadership strategies utilized in the boxing promotion industry to improve employee performance. Transformational and charismatic leadership theories were the conceptual framework for this study. The data consisted of semistructured interviews with 8 participants from 1 organization (4 leaders and 4 subordinates), as well as document review of company training materials. The 6-step model for thematic analysis coding procedure …

An Evidence-Based Approach To Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Access, Kemi Funlayo Sanni

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Coronary heart disease is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in the United States; Healthy People 2020 set an objective to reduce the rate of the disease by 20% to the baseline rate of 126 deaths per 100,000 population per year. In the local healthcare setting, heart disease was responsible for a high percentage of mortality and morbidity. To address this, the local site developed a plan to improve outcomes for patients seeking care at the facility. Because the femoral approach to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was used to treat coronary heart conditions at the site and complications were …

Equity Trading Evaluation Strategies In Switzerland After The European Mifid Ii, Linn Kristina Karstadt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Swiss bank traders are affected by technological and regulatory challenges, which may affect their broker voting process and may result in a change of trading and evaluation behavior in 2018. Compounded challenges exist when broker evaluation strategies are not effective or Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) II compliant. This qualitative, single case study, built on efficient capital market hypothesis and innovative disruption theory, was focused on effective broker evaluation strategies after MiFID II in Switzerland. The sample consisted of 4 buy-side traders, who shared their unique perspectives. Methodological triangulation was achieved through semistructured interviews, a review of the institution's …

Advancement Of Social Service Delivery Through Cross-Sector Partnerships In Nigeria, Emmanuel Chukwudi Ihenacho

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit organizations and the social services they provide have often engaged the attention of organizational scholars and practitioners. There is also a general perception of nonprofits as agents of social development in cases of public service failure. However, with the proliferation of many small nonprofits, their capacity for effective service delivery has been debated. Some have proposed cross-sector organizational partnerships (CSPs) as a means of assuring service effectiveness; however, such initiatives have been limited and not well understood in Nigeria. This study used a qualitative case study approach to focus on a CSP involving a nonprofit vocational training institute and …

Niger Delta Youths' Views On Entrepreneurship Education For Combating Poverty And Unemployment, Sylvanus Obidinma Ohakam.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Education policymakers in Nigeria lack the knowledge on the views of Niger Delta youths, who rely on entrepreneurship education and its contents to fight poverty and unemployment in their area. This study's purpose was to gain deeper understanding of the views of Niger Delta youths on entrepreneurship education, its contents, and its role in fighting their area's high rate of poverty and unemployment. This study was framed and guided by three key concepts that focus on the challenges of poor communities: youth unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa, entrepreneurship education, and youth entrepreneurship. To address this issue properly, a qualitative multiple-case …

Using Succession Strategies To Increase Workplace Productivity, Dayton Dave Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 70% of small and medium-sized enterprises fail due to a lack of effective leadership succession planning. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies that some business leaders in the manufacturing sector in Jamaica used to implement leadership succession plans. Data were collected from semistructured interviews conducted with 5 business leaders who participated in the succession strategies of a manufacturing organization in Jamaica. Data were analyzed according to Yin's 5-step process. Analysis of data collected from interview sessions and review of company documentation were used to conduct methodological triangulation to validate the findings. Five themes …

Type 2 Diabetes Management For Geriatric Veterans, Fachecia L. Fort

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Managing diabetes in the geriatric long-term care population can be challenging, yet important because diabetes is a chronic, progressive disease. The purpose of this project was to identify clinical practice guidelines for managing Type 2 diabetes in geriatric veterans and to develop a class to educate providers on diabetes management in the geriatric long-term care population at a community living and rehabilitation center. The practice focused question asked if providing education to providers about the clinical practice guidelines for managing Type 2 diabetes in geriatric long-term care veterans would improve knowledge as measured by a pre- and posttest. The project …

Increasing Universities' Tuition Fee Revenues From International Undergraduate Students, Marc Jan Ledermann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Universities are losing expected tuition revenues due to attrition of international undergraduate students. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that university leaders use to increase tuition fee revenues from international undergraduate students. The participants in this study were 3 former leaders of the European division of Laureate International Universities, a global university group with university locations in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Cyprus. The conceptual framework of this study was institutional theory as part of the change management of universities. Data collection included semistructured interviews of 3 former leaders of the …

An Exploration Of Knowledge Transfer And Career College Executive Succession Planning, Cyndie Feaster Shadow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The career college sector of the post secondary education industry contributes more than $20 billion to the U.S. economy annually, but turnover in executive leader roles at career colleges is extremely high. Usually, such turnover occurs without succession planning or knowledge transfer for the new executive. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore the need for knowledge transfer when executive turnover occurs in career colleges. This single case study was framed on theories of knowledge addressing concepts such as knowledge stickiness, transfers, and gaps. The overarching research question concerned how lack of knowledge transfer during executive leadership …

Improving Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Rates Through Evidence-Based Interventions, Deidra Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cervical cancer is the most common human papilloma virus (HPV) -associated cancer and is the second leading cause of death in the world. Vaccination against HPV is essential to reduce the incidence of HPV and subsequent morbidity and mortality. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV. The site for this DNP project was a 163-bed facility with inpatient and outpatient services in the southern United States. The vaccination rate at the site was 48%. The facility lacked educational interventions to prepare and remind providers to offer HPV vaccine. …

Case Study Of Inclusive Environments For Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Employees, Darin Dale Stephens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the positive changes occurring regarding American attitudes toward members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, empirical evidence indicates that LGBT individuals do not believe inclusive environments exist, as 48% of the population remains closeted at work. A gap exists in the literature relating to the formulation of practical solutions that establish and sustain inclusive environments. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify the possible influence of cultural lag on the workplace engagement of LGBT employees. Ogburn's cultural lag theory served as the conceptual framework. The following research questions guided the study: (a) The …

Leadership Development Strategies To Build Leaders Through Mentorship Programs, Devin Bradley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Developing employees to assume leadership positions has never been more critical for organizational leaders given the competitive climate and the shortage of executive leaders. Organizations must develop future leaders at unprecedented rates to assume roles and responsibilities of the current executive leaders who will leave the organization due to retirement and other forms of attrition. Using mentorship theory, the purpose of this multicase study was to explore strategies that business leaders use to successfully improve their mentoring programs for employee leadership development. The target population consisted of 3 business leaders located in central Florida with successful experience in improving their …

Hotel Manager Strategies To Reduce Voluntary Employee Turnover, Christl Arwen Kroeten

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The voluntary turnover rate in the United States hotel industry is among the highest of all industries, resulting in lost revenue. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies hotel managers use to reduce voluntary employee turnover. The targeted population consisted of 6 managers from hotel businesses operating in the MidAtlantic region of the United States who successfully used strategies to reduce voluntary employee turnover. Job embeddedness theory, this study's theoretical framework, was used to describe reasons employees remained in organizations. Data were gathered via semistructured interviews, observational notes, and public business records regarding turnover or retention …

Social Security Administration Employee Lived Experiences Of Job Satisfaction And Employee Turnover, Lafaun Cain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover continues to be an issue in federal organizations, including the Social Security Administration (SSA). While issues such as retiring baby boomers and budget constraints are beyond the control of any agency, retaining employees is critical to maintain essential services. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore SSA employee's lived experiences of job satisfaction and employee turnover to uncover motivators and satisfaction strategies. The conceptual framework for the study was based on Maslow's human needs and Herzberg's two-factor theory. Data were collected from 20 SSA frontline employees using 6 open-ended interview questions. The data were analyzed …

Increasing Employee Retention Within The Georgia Division Of Family And Children Services, Santoria Lushell Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by

Santoria Lushell Williams

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects,

and that any and all revisions required by

the review committee have been made.

Review Committee

Dr. Hilda Shepeard, Committee Chairperson,

Public Policy and Administration Faculty

Dr. Clarence Williamson, Committee Member,

Public Policy and Administration Faculty

Dr. Anne Hacker, University Reviewer,

Public Policy and Administration Faculty

Chief Academic Officer

Eric Riedel, Ph.D.

Walden University

2018

In Fulton County, Georgia, the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) child-welfare workers …

Empowering Internal Stakeholders Through The Dissemination Of Useful Information: A Review Of Crisis Management Concepts, Patricia I. Fusch, Janie A. Hall, Gene E. Fusch

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

In this article, we define crisis management as not only a problem, but also an opportunity for leaders to be flexible, creative, and innovative that contributes to social change. In the past, organizational leaders often looked at crisis management as a quick fix or stopgap to business as usual. Empowering internal stakeholders and disseminating useful information that is relevant, valid, timely, and reliable to people within the organization can lead to crisis resolution at the closest point of action and contribute to social change. We look at the primary and secondary stakeholders and stewardship of the employees during the …

Servant Leaders As Change Agents, Janice P. Tanno, David K. Banner

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Servant leadership (SL) produces high performance and employee engagement. Non-SL senior leaders lacking business ethics have caused negative outcomes. This study explored the lived experiences of senior leaders’ decision-making in SL organizations. Maslow’s theories, decision theory, spirituality, Cicero’s virtue theory of ethics; SL comprised the theoretical/conceptual foundation. Data collection used purposive sampling of 18 senior leader participants in SL organizations employing Giorgi’s descriptive psychological structures of experiences analysis method. Findings confirmed ethical decision-making in SL organizations. Recommendations included examining CEO ethical leadership and firm performance interrelations and promoting ethical decision-making at all levels. Conclusions supported teamwork as the one …

Perspectives Of Primary Care Physicians On Adopting Electronic Medical Records In The Atlanta, Georgia Area, Chris U. Okoro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Slow adoption of electronic medical records (EMR) by primary care physicians in medical office practices has not facilitated the EMR adoption process. The problem is the slow pace of EMR adoption by primary care physicians in the Atlanta, Georgia area has become a public health concern. Research regarding the lived experiences of these physicians with EMR implementation and utilization may identify reasons for the slow adoption. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of primary care physicians, who practice in the Atlanta area, regarding their perception, successes, barriers, and urgency of adoption of EMR in …

Successful Strategies For Implementing An Enterprise Resource Planning System, Arrogah Adade-Boafo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation success rate is as low as 30%. Researchers have shown that ERP system implementation could cause both system and organization failures, affecting operations and stakeholders, alike. The technology-organization-environment conceptual framework was used to ground this qualitative single-case study. The purpose of the study was to explore strategies that a manufacturing firm in Ghana used to implement ERP systems successfully. The population of this case study comprised 5 stakeholders from a manufacturing firm in Ghana who had success in implementing an ERP system. Data were collected using face-to-face semistructured interviews and review of various corporate …

Mentoring Elements That Influence Employee Engagement, Lee Thornton Fountain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee disengagement is a significant issue for leaders and managers in many organizations. The general problem is the workforce in many American organizations includes disengaged employees. In 2016, only 33% of the workforce in the United States was engaged. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between the independent variables of mentoring, which include role modeling, acceptance and confirmation, and mentoring friendship functions with a dependent variable of employee engagement. The moderating variable of perceived organizational support was measured to test the strength or weakness of the effects that mentoring has on employee engagement. The theoretical …

Southwest Border Patrol Agent Perceptions Of Job-Related Threats And Dangers, Heidi Hamburger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. Southwest Border is associated with highly politicized topics, yet the lived experience of Border Patrol agents is not one of them. Border Patrol agents face risks to their personal safety and security as they attempt to safeguard the national security of the United States while implementing the policies of their organization, which are sometimes at odds with the beliefs and expectations of agents in the field. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore perceptions and lived experiences related to the threats and dangers that Border Patrol agents face as they protect the U.S. Southwest Border. The …