Digital Commons Network^™

Text Analysis Of Air Force References In Twitter, Seth A. Kline

Theses and Dissertations

Social media has grown to become a rich source for opinions, authored by individuals who volunteer them, unedited and in real-time. Armed with this information, an organization like the Air Force can understand the perceptions of consumers and learn to better serve the American taxpayer. To accomplish this goal, this research takes a qualitative approach, utilizing social media analytics in combination with various Text Mining methodologies (word frequency, word relationships, sentiment analysis, topic modeling) to provide insight on Air Force related content shared on Twitter. To provide a well-rounded analysis of the overall perception of the Air Force enterprise, the …

Gateway To Student Satisfaction: A Mixed Methods Study For Redesigning Student Services From A Legacy Model To A 21st Century One-Stop Model, Debora Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the student experience, in a One Stop Center at a public comprehensive community college located in the Mid-Atlantic region. This study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed methods analysis to assess the perceived impact of the centralization of functions on student satisfaction. Using expectation confirmation theory, customer satisfaction theory, and the researcher's professional experiences as a framework, the data collected allowed insight into the student experiences within an integrated one stop student service delivery environment. Five key findings demonstrated that further exploration of student needs and more frequent evaluation of services to meet …

Effects Of Physician-Hospital Integration On Malpractice Claims, Elizabet Shvets

Theses and Dissertations

Recent increases in physician-hospital (i.e., vertical) integration has spurred both opposition on the grounds of anti-trust concerns and support on the basis of lowering transaction costs and improving communication. This paper examines the effects of vertical integration on quality of care as measured by malpractice claims.The study employs four data sets from the state of Florida (FL AHCA Financial Data, AHA Survey Data, FL AHCA Discharge Data, and FL Malpractice Claims from the Office of Insurance Regulation) culminating in an unbalanced panel dataset for the years 1998 to 2013. I utilize a linear model with hospital and year fixed effects …

Work-Life Factors That Impact Job Burnout And Turnover Intention Among Athletic Academic Support Professionals, Jennifer Gellock

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to investigate factors in the work environment that impact job burnout among academic support professionals who work with college student-athletes. Specifically, the factors of job control match, fairness march, rewards match, and workload match were explored. Additionally, the extent to which emotional exhaustion and depersonalization had an effect on turnover intention was explored. Job burnout has been found to have negative impacts on professionals in human services professions. The sample consisted of academic advisors and learning specialists affiliated with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I programs. Results suggest academic support professionals experience …

Multicultural Education And Cultural Competency Standards For Legal Professionals, Stephanie Bono

Theses and Dissertations

The development of multicultural education and cultural competency standards for legal professionals is an important topic within the legal field (Bryant, 2001; Weng, 2005; Curcio, Ward, & Dogra, 2013). The legal profession plays a major role in American society, with legal professionals working in prominent positions within the government, financial sector, and business, in addition to private law firms. These professionals create policy, write laws, and advocate on behalf of others. They are leaders and experts who possess enormous power, and we rely on them to make decisions that will allow our society to thrive. In recent decades, however, our …

Application Of Social Capital Theory To Examine The Relationship Between It-Business Alignment And Organizational Performance Outcomes In Health Care, Michael David Seagraves

Theses and Dissertations

Health care organizations are facing increasing challenges as they strive to keep pace with evolving service delivery and reimbursement models. In this context, the effective use of Information Technology (IT) is widely acknowledged as a critical factor for achieving the quadruple aim of health care: better outcomes, lower cost, improved patient experience, and improved clinician experience. Even so, health care organizations have struggled to develop effective working relationships between IT and business units and there remains a dearth of research on the impact that the quality of the relationship between IT and business employees has on organizational performance outcomes. Applying …

Resiliency Among Secondary Teachers Serving At-Risk Populations: A Phenomenological Study, Lisa Brooks

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study sought to understand the experiences, perceptions, and behaviors of resilient secondary educators working with at-risk populations and contrast the lived experiences of resilient teachers with those of burned out teachers. The purpose of this study is to glean common themes and attributes of resilient teachers working in high-stress environments which will help current and future teachers and administrators combat workplace stressors and teacher burnout by understanding coping skills and/or modifying behaviors and mindsets. Secondary educators of at-risk populations have an almost impossible job educating adolescents. The vocation is filled with stressors: increased amounts of paper-work, lack of …

Assessing Cultural And Linguistic Competencies In Doctoral Clinical Psychology Students, Gloria Lainez

Theses and Dissertations

With an increase of Spanish-speakers residing in the United States, there is an increase in the need for Spanish-speaking mental health providers. Psychologists have to undergo years of education and extensive training in order to get licensed to provide services. However, little is known about the education and training of psychologists who are bilingual Spanish-English speakers providing mental health services to monolingual Spanish-speaking clients. This qualitative study gathered feedback via phone interviews from seven doctoral level psychology students who identified as bilingual Spanish-English. Feedback gathered was on the Spanish Language Assessment measure created by Dr. Rogelio Serrano in the hope …

The Seed Of Transformation: A Disorientation Index, Tonya Gander Ensign

Theses and Dissertations

Transformation is all around us. It spans geography, time, cultures, religions and disciplines. Throughout life, events occur when something we thought was certain becomes uncertain and our current mental model cannot make sense of it. This experience causes disorientation and offers a choice: to transform our perspective or remain unchanged. When we revise our mental model to make meaning of our experience we are transforming our perspective. This is a special type of learning called transformative learning (Mezirow, 1978a, 1991a). Across disciplines, a disorienting experience is widely believed to be a catalyst for transformation, however, aspects of this experience remain …

The Impact Of Scenario Planning On The Efficacy Of Digital Transformations, Kristy M. Lapidus

Theses and Dissertations

Scenario planning projects raise awareness and change mindsets. By weaving narratives comprised of informed future possibilities rather than attempting to predict the future from the data points of the past, scenarios produce adaptive results. Adaptive methodologies are more important now than at any point in history. The rapid advance of technology and globalization contribute to a constant state of change requiring organizations to undergo digital transformations to survive. This study contributes to the literature by examining the impact of scenario planning on the efficacy of a digital transformation in the high-tech industry. All participants in the study predicted that the …

China Study: Emerging Challenges In Social Security, Health Care, And Leadership (Volume I), Patrick D. Huff

Theses and Dissertations

China is poised to introduce sweeping innovation and disruptive social change onto their national stage. As China’s leadership, economic power, and authority increase the country will be subject to increasing internal and external challenges. This study seeks to identify the significant internal social challenges China is most likely to confront along its path to global leadership. The purpose is to explore and discover the social challenges that are likely to face China and to predict the direction the country’s leadership will take over the next decade. The study approaches the problem by undertaking an initial 9-step process of investigating 6 …

Understanding Aquarium Culture In The Context Of Strategic Change, Katie E. Mcconnell

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between organizational culture and strategic change. Specifically, how leaders can identify a preferred culture to support a new vision and create an action plan for shifting the existing to the preferred culture. Two frameworks were used: The Competing Values Culture Framework and Appreciative Inquiry. The combination of these models can be a helpful tool to create practical knowledge about culture and provide action plans to support the preferred state. Leaders indicated a 52% decrease in hierarchy and a 120% increase in adhocracy culture would effectively support the new vision. These results mapped to literature findings …

Creativity Mindfulness: The Incorporation Of Low-Dose Mindfulness As A Leading Edge Creative Problem-Solving Intervention, John A. Cramer

Theses and Dissertations

As organizations continue to feel the pressure to adapt and innovate quickly, creativity has become a crucial factor for success. Mindfulness training may represent a new effective way to facilitate workplace creativity as it may yield substantial benefits in awareness, attitude, and attention that may lead to enhanced creativity. This study explored the perceived effects of low-dose mindfulness training on the cognitive processes of ideation and decision-making on an intact innovation laboratory workgroup, as well as the impact on overall workgroup effectiveness. The participation in a low-dose mindfulness training program for a minimum of four minutes a day for four …

Are Employees More Likely To Accept Organizational Change If Psychological Safety Had Been Previously Established, Sara Strueby

Theses and Dissertations

To meet customer demands, organizations must continuously change to stay competitive in the external market. This can be challenging for organizations that have employees who are fearful of organizational changes. The purpose of this study was to understand if employees would be more likely to accept organizational changes if they had previously established psychological safety. The researcher conducted 12 qualitative interviews to assess the participants level of psychological safety pre and post organizational change. Due to the limited data, the study’s research question was not adequately addressed. The findings from this study indicated psychological safety is impacted by management. A …

Military Veterans In The Federal Civil Service: A Qualitative Descriptive Study Using Schlossberg's Transition Theory And Appreciative Inquiry To Improve Reintegration And Retention, Marco Reburiano

Theses and Dissertations

Military veterans are facing difficulties when finding jobs after leaving active duty. In November 2009, President Barack Obama signed into effect Executive Order 13518 to establish a hiring initiative to recruit more veterans in the federal government. As a result, the employment opportunities of veterans improved as the number of veterans increased in the federal workforce. However, data from 2008 to 2012 revealed that the number of veterans leaving federal civil service was at the same level as the number of hires (Partnership of Public Service, 2014). According to Rein (2015), veterans who find employment in the federal civil service …

The Effect Of Fundraising Strategy On The Health Of Non-Profit Organizations, Zach Sumner

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of a funding model for non-profit organizations and think tanks in Oklahoma. 15 related parties to a non-profit, including board members, current employees, former employees, and contractors were recruited using convenience sampling and participated in interviews with questions related to funding models, organizational agility, dynamic capabilities, organizational effectiveness and longevity, and any ethical complications that may result from using a specific funding model. Participants most notably reported holding the paradoxical belief that the organization ideally should rely on a few large-dollar donors, even as they expressed concerns that such reliance likely limits the ability of …

Examining How Primary Care Team Structures Are Used And Their Effect On Cross-Disciplinary Relationships: A Qualitative Study, Matthew J. Depuccio

Theses and Dissertations

Team-based primary care is an innovative care delivery model that has the potential to improve access to comprehensive, coordinated, and high-quality patient care. It is understood that in order for primary care teams to work effectively, health care providers must work across disciplinary boundaries and develop strong relationships that enable them to coordinate their roles and expertise. This research investigated how health care providers make use of different team structures (i.e., tools) to manage their interdependent work, enabling them to deliver team-based primary care. This research also examined how team structures influence the intra-team relationships important for coordinating care. By …

United States Coast Guard Aviation Safety: Relationship Between The Safety Survey And The Extent Of Hazard Reporting, James Cooley

Theses and Dissertations

Aviation safety outcomes, such as mishaps, are a product of an aviation organization’s safety culture (Reason, 2008; Reiman & Pietikäinen, 2012). Safety cultures should be assessed in order to improve an organization’s state of safety (Adjekum et al., 2015; Cooper, Collins, Bernard, Schwann, & Knox, 2019; Wiegmann, Zhang, von Thaden, Sharma, & Gibbons, 2004). Questionnaires are one of the best ways of obtaining information about an organization’s safety culture (Wiegmann et al., 2004; Wald, Gray, & Eatough, 2018). Additionally, the extent to which aviation hazards are reported (hazreps) serve as an indicator of the health of an aviation Safety Management …

Leading Consciously: Examining Global Leadership Self-Awareness Across Healthcare Executives, Carole N. Bennett

Theses and Dissertations

The well-being of people around the world and in every community depend on healthcare. Yet, exponential shifts in globalization, technology and the environment have destabilized healthcare systems across the globe. Hence, the future of healthcare is forecast to be volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (Porter & Teisberg, 2006). To face current and future challenges, healthcare leaders will be expected to operate consciously and effectively while under extreme pressure. While a number of inter- and intra-personal characteristics and traits are associated with effective leadership through volatility, chief among them is self-awareness (Hernandez, Luthanen, Ramsel, & Ostauke, 2015). Unfortunately, however, no study …

Towards An Artificial Intelligence (Ai)-Driven Government In The United Arab Emirates (Uae): A Framework For Transforming And Augmenting Leadership Capabilities, Ahmed Almarzooqi

Theses and Dissertations

The UAE Government has recently launched a strategy for Artificial Intelligence (AI) that transitions the government to a new phase of becoming an AI-driven government. This strategy aimed to adopt AI-based technologies to boost the overall performance of the government. AI- based technologies have the capability to perform a wide range of human cognitive functions such as voice recognition, image recognition, and prediction. However, to achieve the vision of becoming an AI-driven government, the UAE has to prepare effectively for the transformation by anticipating the various challenges that accompany the adoption of AI-based technologies. Previous research indicated that infusing AI-based …

Healthcare Leadership Styles, Competencies And Affinity For Technology In The Digital Era, Zahra Ghafari

Theses and Dissertations

Digital technology has become a continuous disruptor in healthcare research, education, record keeping, and communication, resulting in both opportunities and challenges. The purpose of this study was fourfold, to (a) identify the leadership practices of healthcare executives, (b) measure the attitudes of healthcare leaders toward technology, (c) explore the relation between leadership styles and attitudes toward technology, and (d) examine the relation between demographic factors (gender, age, practice type) and attitudes toward technology. Healthcare leaders in the United States were recruited from different specialties. They were asked to respond to 3 survey instruments: The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ5X), Affinity for …

Identifying The Challenges Remote Middle Managers Face, Stephanie Diaz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges that remote middle managers face. Through a qualitative study focused on remote middle managers at a multinational organization, key themes were identified when middle managers were asked about challenges working and leading remotely. Participants included 12 middle managers working remotely based throughout the United States. Challenges identified included communication issues, work-life balance complications, and their involvement in strategy creation and implementation.

Enhancing Organizational Agility Within The Human Resources Function, Nathan Bushey

Theses and Dissertations

Organizational agility describes a firm’s dexterity in making necessary changes to sustain and enhance performance. This mixed methods study examined the nature of agility and the impacts of internal processes on agility within the human resources (HR) function of a telecommunications organization in the United States. Both survey and interview data were collected. Quantitative data were collected and statistically analyzed. Qualitative insights were coded to identify trends in the respective datasets. Study findings indicate the case organization had a moderate degree of agility and that its attunement to the external environment was variable. The data also suggested that leadership style, …

When Accreditation Policy Changes: An Exploration Of How Institutions Of Higher Education Adapt, Kim Levey

Theses and Dissertations

Changing policies from the Department of Education and, subsequently, regional accreditor impact how institutions of higher education enact and implement processes and procedures (Beattie, Thornton, Laden, & Brackett, 2013). In today's environment, policy changes are occurring as policy-makers are reacting to pressure from taxpayers and critics alike as a result of decreasing international rankings and evidence of financial aid fraud at some institutions (Hartle, 2012). With efforts to reauthorize the Higher Education Act in addition to changes to federal law through negotiated rule-making, it is becoming increasingly more imperative that institutions of higher education become adaptable, as changes in the …

Leadership Influence And Organizational Culture Influence In Private Schools: A Comparative Multiple Case Study On The Relationship Between Organizational Culture And Strategic Leadership, Julia E. Tucker-Lloyd

Theses and Dissertations

The top leader of an organization influences the organizational culture, and the organizational culture influences the leader. Strategic thinking on the part of the leader is a result of organizational culture and/or will impact organizational culture. This qualitative study is a comparative multiple-case study that examines the relationship between leaders and organizational culture and what the leader’s strategic decision-making and organizational changes indicate about the relationship between leadership and organizational culture. The organizational context of private schools is used to better understand the dynamics between leadership and organizational culture.

This study uses an interview protocol with CEOs of private schools, …

Determining Success Factors In Interprofessional Practice With Dynamic Teams, Danah Alsane

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The interprofessional healthcare team is dynamic to cope with complex issues and needs existing in the healthcare environment. Understanding the important factors that predict dynamic team effectiveness helps health educators to establish team training models that focus on improving collaborative student performance that facilitates their transition to practice and helps to improve the health and system outcomes.

Objectives:1) Assess the impact of a practice-based interprofessional education (IPE) model on student attitudes and knowledge toward interprofessional teamwork.2) Evaluate predictors associated with team effectiveness among dynamic student teams participating in a practice-based IPE setting.

Methods: This was an exploratory cross-sectional …

Understanding The Impact The Hospital Readmission Rate Program And Value Based Purchasing Has Had On The Financial Viability Of Academic Health Centers, 2011 To 2015., David Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Academic Health Centers (AHCs) hold a unique place in today’s health care environment. They service their communities through a tripartite mission of education, research, and provision of complex care to disadvantaged populations. To achieve this mission, AHCs face challenges in funding and cost containment compared to non-AHCs. Additionally, the implementation of government programs like the Hospital Readmission Rate Program (HRRP) and Value Based Purchasing (VBP) have the potential to affect AHCs differently from non-AHCs. While AHC’s unique features are known and there has been research to date on HRRP and VBP, literature has yet to statistically explore the financial differences …

Measuring Employee Job Satisfaction During Workplace Downsizing, Trina Sanders

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the effects of workplace downsizing on employee job satisfaction among men and women and employees of different age groups. Results from an employee survey conducted annually by the organizational site indicated that employees had high stress levels, low employee satisfaction and morale, negative attitudes, and a lack of trust of leadership following employee downsizing at the company. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effects of workplace downsizing on employee job satisfaction to determine any differences by gender or age group.

The study utilized a quantitative, descriptive, comparative methodology using …

Exploring Factors Related To Customer Service Representatives’ (Csrs) Performance In Call Centers., Ruth R. Jayson-Polk

Theses and Dissertations

This study provides critical research on individual change and its impact on individual performance using the ADKAR change management model. This applied dissertation was designed to research improvement in call monitoring performance scores between two groups of customer service representatives’ (CSRs): the experimental group receiving the ADKAR change management intervention, and the control group, who did not receive the ADKAR change management intervention. The ADKAR change management model (Hiatt, 2006) provided the theoretical framework for the study.

The literature review revealed that change management is a critical component of organizational change but is driven by individual change. The literature informs …

A Longitudinal Assessment Of The Career Success Of Mentors In Developmental Networks, Andrew Julian Dhaenens

Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring research contends that although the benefits of a mentoring relationship are primarily directed towards the protégés, mentoring relationships are mutually beneficial and provide substantial career benefits to the mentor. Despite increased attention on mentoring in development networks, the mentor’s perspective has been notably neglected and the objective and subjective career benefits of mentors have not been articulated. This dissertation seeks to redress this lack of understanding by hypothesizing that mentoring fosters personal learning and objective and subjective career success by leveraging the mentor’s network centrality. I also suggest that emotional intelligence and proactive personality will enhance these career outcomes …