Digital Commons Network^™

Do Marketers Need To Know? How Firms' Newfound Quest For Customer Data Is Eroding Firm Performance, Victor Garcia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Firms today spend more than 30 billion dollars on marketing data. This obsession with data has been propelled by a firm's ongoing need to better understand its consumers and, in turn, drive positive firm performance. While the relationship between brand equity and firm performance has been confirmed for the last two decades, this study explores how data collection negatively moderates the existing relationship by testing multiple variables of privacy risk. This theoretical paper with a pilot study explores how the conflicting balance of shareholder theory and stakeholder theory can lead firms towards data collection practices that indirectly diminish the firm’s …

User Behavior Anomaly Detection Approaches To Mitigate Insider Threats, Omar Neil Gonzales

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Insider threats represent a critical challenge in cybersecurity due to their ability to disguise malicious activity within legitimate user behavior. This dissertation proposes novel approaches to enhance insider threat mitigation through user behavior anomaly detection. First, a systematic survey is conducted to evaluate existing countermeasures, categorizing technical and human-centric strategies while identifying their limitations. building upon these findings, the dissertation introduces two complementary detection frameworks: the contiguous, contextual, and classifying pipeline (C3P), which uses symbolic pattern mining and contextual modeling to autonomously score and classify sequences, and the representation-reconstruction detection (R2D) framework, which leverages causal self-attention and variational autoencoding to …

Crowding Out Whistleblower Altruism: Examining The Impact Of Whistleblower Incentives And Recognition On Retaliatory Behaviors, Megan Nicole Hiner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Whistleblowers play an instrumental role in exposing organizational wrongdoing and, thereby, helping to remedy the damage endured by stakeholders. However, whistleblower retaliation is rising, its personal impacts to the whistleblower are severe, and fears of retaliation serve as a strong deterrent to prospective whistleblowers. In this dissertation, I draw on motivation crowding theory, which posits that external interventions can crowd out or crowd in intrinsic motivations for engaging in a behavior. I employ a third-party perspective of motivation crowding theory and utilize a 2x3x2 between-participants experimental design to examine factors that impact employees’ perceptions of whistleblower intent and acts of …

Does Federal Funding Address Fundamentals? Examining The Equity Effects Of Title I On Student Achievement, Veda Hudge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the equity effects of Title I funding on student achievement in Broward County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the United States. Title I, established under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, aims to address educational disparities by providing financial resources to schools that serve economically disadvantaged students. Despite over five decades of federal intervention, significant achievement gaps persist, particularly among marginalized populations. This study investigates the effectiveness of Title I funding in improving student outcomes in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics during the period 2016–2020.

Using a quantitative research …

Exploring Mindfulness, Mindful Self-Care, And Perceived Burnout Among Professional Counselors: A Latent Profile Analysis, Sheria Kwok

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Promoting counselor well-being and burnout prevention through research efforts is necessary. This study explored the findings (emerging unobserved profiles) from a latent profile analysis (LPA) examining mindfulness, mindful self-care behaviors, and perceived burnout among licensed professional counselors and supervisors in Ohio (N = 328). The study evaluated the differences in individual demographic variables across the identified latent profile memberships derived from the LPA. As a result, we found two latent profile memberships: Low Mindfulness/Mindful Self-Care and High Burnout Group (n = 146; 44.5%), and High Mindfulness/Mindful Self-Care and Low Burnout Group (n = 182; 55.5%). Based …

Modeling And Numerical Simulation Of A Lifting Surface Controlled Ocean Current Turbine, Kiran Mital

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a relatively novel source of energy extraction, many design concepts for ocean current turbines (OCTs) still lack the analyses required to mature their technological readiness. This study addresses this issue as it provides a numerical simulation tool for lifting surface controlled OCTs. The performance of a 1.4 MW moored, dual-rotor, lifting surface-controlled OCT operating in a total water depth of 375 m is then numerically evaluated using this tool. Algorithms are based on published OCT research with modifications developed for the present design. Performance is evaluated at varied flow velocities, turbulence intensities, and control surface positions to represent normal …

Is Infant Fear Related To An Increase In Maternal Stress?, Janairis F. Munoz-Perez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The impact of infant fear responses on mother stress throughout the first year of life was investigated in this study. Between six and fourteen months, thirty mother-infant pairs were examined at three different time intervals. Maternal responses from the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (IBQ-R) and behavioral observations made during standardized lab tasks were used to evaluate infant fear. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to measure maternal stress at all time points, and behavioral stress was coded during the first session. The findings showed no overall significant correlation between the mother's subjective stress and the behavioral fear of her infant. …

Exploiting Undulating Fin Kinematics For Multi-Directional Swimming Control, Omar S. Odeh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Black Ghost Knifefish achieves remarkable swimming gait transition by leveraging the distinctive morphology and kinematics of a single, elongated undular fin. Alongside bi-directional swimming, complex maneuvers incorporating vertical movement and pitch control can also be attained. Inspired by the Knifefish, we explore a novel propulsive and directional control method for an undulating membrane affixed to a robotic vessel utilizing counter-propagating waveforms in tandem with a sigmoidal spatiotemporal pattern to control forward, backward, and turning of the vessel. The proposed actuation supplied the propulsion necessary for the robotic vessel to swim bi-directionally with heading control under varying flow speed conditions. …

Longitudinal Changes In Verbal And Nonverbal Memory Among Older Adults: The Relevance Of Demographic Variables, Lauryn Owen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study investigated longitudinal changes in verbal and nonverbal memory among older adults, examining the influence of demographic variables (age, sex, and education), memory associations with cognitive screening performance over time, and short-term practice effects. Linear mixed-effects models and repeated measures ANCOVAs were used to evaluate memory change over time and determine which memory tests were more susceptible to practice effects. Memory was assessed using subscales from the Loewenstein-Acevedo Scales for Semantic Interference and Learning (LASSI-L), Craft Story 21 (CS), and the Benson Complex Figure Test (BCFT). Results showed that age and sex were significant predictors of verbal memory, with …

Materia Non Medica: Reading Disability And Medical Narratives In The Daughter Of Doctor Moreau, Jessica Elizabeth Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a close reading of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, engaging Indigenous studies and disability studies to illuminate how the novel interrogates embodiment, medical authority, and human difference. By situating the text within historical frameworks of medicine and corporeality in Mexico, and alongside speculative modes that seek to recuperate non-Western epistemologies, the analysis reveals how Moreno-Garcia reimagines the body as mutable, relational, and politically charged. The narrative’s hybrid characters and transgressive identities offer a generative lens through which to explore bodily variance, not as deviation, but as a site of possibility. Ultimately, this thesis argues …

Phosphorus Removal Using Novel Carbon Adsorbents Derived From Waste Algae: An Industrial Ecology Approach To Mitigate Algal Blooms, Vithulan Suthakaran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High phosphate levels and warm temperatures in surface waters can stimulate the overgrowth of certain alga types, causing harmful algal blooms (HABs). HABs may adversely affect public health and have negative economic impacts due to associated healthcare costs, required clean-up activities, and tourism revenue loss. The overarching objective of this study was to utilize an industrial ecology approach and convert algal biomass into chemically modified activated carbon adsorbent materials for phosphate removal. Cyanobacterial biomass was collected from Lake Okeechobee in Florida and processed before activation using fast and energy-efficient microwave heating. To improve phosphate removal, the surface of the adsorbents …

The Politics Of Housing Exploitation Power, Resistance, And Compliance In Florida’S Post-Covid Affordable Housing Crisis, Annabelle Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

By the time of the 2022 midterm elections, housing affordability had become a prominent policy issue in Florida, as post-COVID economic conditions, including rising rents and inflation, heightened political attention and debate at the local level. Two counties—Palm Beach County and Orange County—became focal points of this debate, each introducing a ballot referendum offering divergent solutions to local housing affordability challenges. Palm Beach County pursued a market-driven approach, passing a $200 million housing bond to incentivize private-sector development, while Orange County attempted a regulatory intervention through a rent stabilization ordinance, directly challenging Florida’s dominant pro-growth housing framework.

This dissertation examines …

#Tribe: A Study On Digital Tribalism In Saudi Arabia, Maha Alrehaili

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines digital tribalism in Saudi Arabia as a lens through which to explore the complex interplay between state, identity politics, and social media in an era of rapid transformation. Amidst ambitious modernization efforts under Vision 2030 and ongoing economic restructuring, the Saudi state has sought to establish a national identity by leveraging tribal heritage. This study investigates how the three major tribes, Harb, Qahtan, and Otaibah, are responding to rapid modernization through an examination of their digital presence on X (formerly Twitter).

Employing a comparative case study design and content analysis of three years of digital activity, this …

Interleukin-1 Type I Receptor Implicated In Emergence And Severity Of Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures In A Transgenic Mouse Model Of Adult-Onset, Progressive Epilepsy:, Tashi Dillon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interleukin-1 β (IL- 1β) is a proinflammatory cytokine with proconvulsive properties that is elevated in epilepsy. The hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) buffers hyperexcitability, and deficits in granule neuron gating contribute to epileptogenesis. Excess brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may drive hyperexcitable circuit assembly, promoting a seizure-producing breakdown of the gating function. We use a transgenic mouse model of forebrain BDNF (TgBDNF) overexpression that exhibit spontaneous generalized tonic/ clonic seizures (GTCSs) at ~3 months, which progress as evidenced by prolonged periods of post-generalized EEG suppression (PGES). This is accompanied by hippocampal hypertrophy and brainstem cell loss. A strain globally lacking IL-1 …

Extracting The Future: An Analysis Of Petroculture In Apocalyptic Works, Cailey Poirier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the critique of petroculture seen in mid- and post-apocalyptic literature. Chapter One, “Parable of the Sower: A Pre-Apocalyptic World Planting Petrocultures Destiny” argues Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower critiques American petroculture by demonstrating the destruction and devastation society is heading for under current societal structures. Chapter Two, “The Road: The Crumbling Remains of Petroculture” argues Cormac McCarthy’s The Road critiques American petroculture through its infrastructural collapse. Chapter Three, “‘Covehithe’: A Weird, Post-Apocalyptic Story Birthing the Future of Petroculture” explores how China Miéville’s “Covehithe” employs magical realism to communicate a different view …

Effects Of Crevice Corrosion On Metal Adhesive Performance And Shear Strength In Marine Environments, Westin Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Corrosion is a leading challenge that engineers and researchers face when working in marine environments. Annually, corrosion costs an estimated $2.5 trillion globally and can lead to environmental damage and pose a threat to public safety. This thesis investigates the effects of crevice corrosion on the performance of different epoxy adhesives when mated with stainless steel to determine if using epoxy is a viable option for the development of systems operating in marine environments. To accomplish this, metal-to-metal lap shear samples were created using Araldite 2015-1, Plexus MA560-1, Plexus MA310, and Plexus MA8120 epoxies and different preparation methods. These samples …

Directors’ Professional Experience, Firm Risk, And Corporate Policies, Esteban Hernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Essay 1 examines whether directors’ prior negative professional experiences— such as bankruptcies, stock price crashes, bond downgrades, and cash flow shocks— affect firm risk, financial policies, and performance. Using a panel of 48,288 board members across 5,324 U.S. industrial firms from 1984 to 2023, I construct a composite distress measure based on directors’ pre-board employment histories. Firms with a higher proportion of distress-experienced directors exhibit significantly lower return volatility, more conservative financial policies—including lower leverage, higher cash holdings, and reduced dividends—and greater policy persistence. These effects are strongest among independent directors and those chairing advisory committees. Causal evidence is supported …

Evaluation Of The Corrosion Of Metallic Fastener Joints In Composite Materials Immersed In Seawater, Chloe Derrico

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The corrosion behavior of metallic fasteners in contact with composite materials in marine environments remains a critical concern for structural integrity and long-term performance. This study evaluates the corrosion of marine fasteners of various materials in contact with glass fiber, carbon fiber, hybrid glass-carbon fiber, and G10/FR-4 Garolite composite plates. The research focuses on localized corrosion mechanisms, include crevice and pitting corrosion, as well as the influence of composite interactions. Samples were exposed to three environmental conditions: full immersion tanks, tidal tanks simulating the high and low tides, and deployment on a barge on Florida’s intracoastal waterway, with antifouling paint …

Dual Language Programs: An Exploration, Amanda Burke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research is an exploration into: 1) the utilization of programs that teach students English as a second language in the US, particularly Dual Language programs, 2) a history of research surrounding the formation of an individual or group identity, both overall and through an ESOL lens, and 3) how ESOL instruction in the US may be impacted by certain aspects of this identity construction.

After a review of research, this dissertation analyzes a cohort of students from the Palm Beach County School District who were enrolled in either a Dual Language program or in a “traditional” ESOL program from …

Dialectical Behavior Therapy Integration In Counselor Education: Theory, Development, Implementation, And Efficacy Of A Dbt-Informed Supervision Protocol For Counselor Trainees, Clara Bossie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This multi-manuscript dissertation illustrates the progression from theoretical development to practical intervention research in counselor supervision, introducing innovative supervisory practices in counselor education that balance well-being with academic rigor, addressing counselor trainees' common challenges such as anxiety, burnout, and limited self-efficacy. Following a literature review, this dissertation bridges theory and practice by offering counselor educators and supervisors a comprehensive, evidence-informed approach to developing resilient, competent, and psychologically well counseling professionals. The research progresses through three interconnected phases using qualitative and quantitative methods. Constructivist grounded theory (CGT) explores counselor trainees' supervisory experiences, highlighting the significance of responsive supervisory relationships and validation. …

An Analysis Of Doctor Of Philosophy Time-To-Degree Predictors, Christian A. Decle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Doctoral-granting institutions invest time and resources to support the success of their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students. Despite these efforts, doctoral attrition rates remain high. One measure used to understand doctoral attrition and completion rates is time-to-degree (TTD). In 2020, the median TTD from the start of graduate school increased to 7.5 years (National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics [NCSES], 2020b), highlighting the need for continued analysis of factors affecting TTD. This study used data from the 2021 Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED; NCSES, 2021a) to provide a more recent analysis of the relationship between TTD and both student …

Can Servant Leadership Reinvigorate Communities Of Faith, Jonathan Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between servant leadership characteristics and church growth in Episcopal congregations. Using quantitative analysis, the research assessed whether leadership characteristics—such as emotional healing, creating value for the community, conceptual skills, empowering followers, helping followers succeed, putting followers first, and behaving ethically—were significant predictors of numerical growth. Data were collected from 40 churches (20 growing, 20 declining), with leadership perceptions measured through a validated servant leadership instrument.

The findings indicate that while growing churches exhibited slightly higher mean scores across several servant leadership characteristics, none of the differences were statistically significant. Logistic regression analysis further demonstrated that …

The Impact Of The Imsd Mentorship Program On Stem Doctoral Graduation Rates: An Application Of Elite Theory, Kristen Alexandria Walden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Disparities in doctoral STEM completion rates among underrepresented groups raise questions about institutional power and access in higher education. This dissertation investigates graduation rates among minority doctoral students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, comparing results at public and private universities through the lens of elite theory. Elite theory asserts that power is concentrated within small groups or institutions that influence national and institutional outcomes. Although public administration literature addresses elite power structures in universities, less research has examined how these dynamics influence graduation for underrepresented groups in doctoral STEM disciplines.

This study applies elite theory to explore …

Top Management Team Composition And Financial Reporting Quality: A Faultline Perspective, Tyler Ricco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines whether faultlines within top management teams (TMT) influence financial reporting quality (FRQ). Faultlines reflect hypothetical divisions within a group based on team members’ unique demographic characteristics and experiences. Using a large sample of U.S. firms from 2003 to 2020, I construct a faultline measure based on executive gender, age, tenure, education, and board experience. I test whether faultlines negatively associate with FRQ, proxied by measures of restatements and accruals quality. I further investigate faultline type, based on the demographic (gender and age) and task-related (tenure, education, and board experience) components. The main results do not support the …

Does Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration And Quality Affect Maternal Sensitivity: Fear Vs. Normative Situations, Camila Herrera Zamora

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined whether exclusive breastfeeding duration and perceived breastfeeding quality predict maternal sensitivity across emotionally challenging versus normative caregiving contexts in infancy. Twenty-four mother–infant dyads participated in three laboratory visits during which maternal sensitivity was assessed across interaction conditions. It was hypothesized that (1) longer breastfeeding duration would be associated with greater sensitivity during fear-inducing contexts, (2) breastfeeding duration and quality would interact to predict sensitivity, and (3) sensitivity would be higher during fear-inducing situations. Contrary to expectations, maternal sensitivity was highest in the normative/free-play condition and increased over time, peaking at 14 to 16 months. Exclusive breastfeeding …

Psychometric Properties Of A New Acculturation Scale For Latinos/Hispanics, Alicia Goytizolo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study evaluated the psychometric properties of the newly developed Multi-Ethnic Acculturation Scale (MAS), a multidimensional instrument designed to assess behavioral and cognitive aspects of cultural adaptation among Hispanic/Latino individuals in the United States. A sample of 208 adults from diverse Hispanic backgrounds completed the MAS alongside two validated acculturation measures: the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics and the Vancouver Index of Acculturation. Exploratory factor analyses revealed a partially distinct but moderately correlated factor structure for both American and Latino cultural orientation subscales, supporting a bidimensional conceptualization of acculturation. Internal consistency was high across both subscales (Cronbach’s α > .90), …

Age-Group Differences In Friend Influence Over Academic Achievement And Physical Activity, Laury-Ann Bedard Leclerc

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Speculation about the developmental shifts in the magnitude of peer influence has outstripped empirical research. Friends are assumed to be particularly influential at the onset of adolescence, as adult oversight declines and the salience of peers increases. Few studies, however, have explored age-group differences in the magnitude of friend influence over academic achievement and physical activity. The present longitudinal study compares friendship dyads in late childhood (grades 4-5) versus early adolescence (grades 6-7), describing the strength of their mutual influence across peer- and self-reports of academic achievement and physical activity. Participants included 170 adolescents (99 girls, 71 boys) in 85 …

The Impact Of College And Career Student Success Curriculum And Xello On High School Students’ Self-Efficacy, Academic Motivation, And Academic Performance, Rosemyrtle J. Louis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study aimed to determine whether the school counselor-led CCSS program (Brigman & Villares, 2015), a curriculum designed to foster cognitive and social-emotional skills, combined with the technological college and career exploration platform, Xello (2019), enhances participating students’ self-efficacy, academic motivation, and academic performance. The CCSS and Xello program consisted of five 45-minute lessons delivered in the classroom by school counselors once a week for five weeks. A quasi-experimental design was utilized with 115 high school students from Southeast Florida assigned to either a treatment group (n = 71) or a control group (n = 44). Pretest and …

Veterans In Times Of Crisis: The Impact Of Veteran Status On Unemployment, Lubor Olsovsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of veteran status on unemployment in times of crisis. Driven by the social identity theory, we argue that people’s identity deriving from his or her military background makes them more valuable assets in the work environment, specifically in times of crisis, because of their human capital. We utilize the coronavirus pandemic as the exogenous shock in the labor marketplace, capturing the crisis environment. Due to the veterans’ human capital driven by their leadership and entrepreneurial characteristics from their military experience, we argue that individuals with veteran backgrounds have stronger labor …

The Effect Of Political Ideology On The Persuasiveness Of Gainvs. Loss-Framed Climate Change Messages: Testing Competing Hypotheses, Sada Rice

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Motivating climate change mitigation is a critical priority. This study examined how message framing (gain vs. loss) interacts with political ideology to influence persuasion. Two competing hypotheses were tested. The Regulatory Focus Fit Hypothesis predicted that liberals (promotion-oriented) would prefer gain-framed messages, while conservatives (prevention-oriented) would prefer loss-framed ones. The Differential Context Hypothesis predicted the opposite: liberals would respond better to loss frames due to alignment with threat-based media narratives, while conservatives would prefer gain frames due to lower reactance and perceived novelty. Messages were also tailored to match individual regulatory focus or the broader political context. Results did not …