Digital Commons Network^™

Cultural Backgrounds Influencing Virtual Team Performance, Vyacheslav Semenovich Lerner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Virtual teams improve organizational performance and competitiveness because they reduce business travel and allow team members to work from anywhere, anytime, using the Internet to complete projects. Although researchers have identified benefits of using virtual teams, knowledge about how cultural backgrounds influence virtual team performance is limited. Illuminating this relationship may help leadership improve team performance. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of team members with different cultural backgrounds to understand their effect on team performance. The research questions were based on the conceptual framework of organizational cultural theories developed by Schein and Trompenaars …

The Environmental Health Of The Autistic Student In The Public School Classroom, Antonia Klein

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Professionals have found autism to be an enigmatic condition. While necessary

biomedical research continues, a gap exists in the inclusion of parental opinions,

knowledge, and experiences in educational planning for their autistic children. The

purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify the factors that the parents felt

contributed to the academic success of their autistic child in the public school classroom

environment and ways in which their ideas might contribute to overall educational

planning and classroom design in structure, curriculum development, and intervention

strategies which might lead to reduced stress. Parental input was explored through

semistructured personal interviews …

Job Expectations Of Employees In The Millennial Generation, Samantha Jean Linden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Understanding Millennials' job expectations is critical for employee retention because of the number of Generation X workers who are unable to fill the job openings that Baby Boomers leave vacant when retiring from the workforce. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore Millennial employees' job expectations. Interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 20 Millennials who had at least a bachelor's degree, had at least 1 year of employment experience, and worked in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. The inclusion criteria established work experience as a foundation for determining Millennials' job expectations. The conceptual frameworks of this study …

Barriers To Help Seeking For Lesbian Victims Of Intimate Partner Violence, Maria Joanne Lovett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lesbian intimate partner violence (IPV) is an understudied social and psychological problem in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative, comparative study was to understand any barriers of help-seeking behaviors for victims of lesbian IPV. The literature on lesbian IPV has not included the perspectives of both service provider and support person on why these barriers persist. Normative resource theory and the barriers model informed the study. Interviews were conducted with a sample of 8 providers and 5 support persons. Interviews were then transcribed and coded. The 7 themes that emerged among these 13 participants were an unawareness on …

Teacher Perceptions Of Common Core-Based Evaluations For Students With Cognitive Impairments, Pamela Marie Majerus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Education reform in schools has focused on inclusion of all students in general education environments and accountability measures. Students with cognitive impairments are mandated to participate in standards-based alternate assessments. Special education teachers in a school district in a southeastern state in this study have been faced with the challenge of implementing these assessments. A bounded case study design was used to examine their perceptions of the use of standards-based alternate assessments for students with cognitive impairments. Guiding research questions focused on the nature and process of implementing alternate assessments. Resistance to change was the conceptual framework. The bounded case …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

Nursing Staff Participation In Chart Audits Increases Documentation Compliance, Susan Elaine Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinical documentation is an essential quality element that is often not adequately completed. Current data demonstrate that 32% of home health claims do not meet the requirements for federal reimbursement. Rogers's diffusion of innovation was used as a conceptual framework to guide this quality improvement project which determined whether home health nurses with education and chart audit experience demonstrate increased documentation compliance relative to nurses with education only. After completing a 1-hour education program on documentation, a convenience sample of home health nurses (n = 8) was divided between a chart-audit group (n = 4) and a no-chart-audit group (n …

County Demographic Influence On Toxic Chemical Activities Of Chemical-Related Industry In Michigan, Lisa Helen Perricane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are a large number of chemical facilities that emit toxic chemicals in Michigan, and there is a concern regarding toxic chemical exposure to the residents of Michigan counties. However, it is uncertain whether chemical companies that emit toxic chemicals in Michigan are influenced by county demographic factors in deciding whether to engage in voluntary pollution prevention (P2) activities and whether this decision influences U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA) Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) scores. Using Bullard's theory of environmental justice, the purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was a correlation between chemical-related industry's voluntary P2 …

Success Experiences Of Hispanic Nursing Students Who Persisted And Graduated After Academic Failure, Barbara Ninan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Twenty percent of Hispanic nursing students at a west coast university are being dismissed from the nursing program due to repeated failures in nursing courses. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of Hispanic nursing students' experiences of successfully completing a nursing program, earning a baccalaureate of science degree, and passing the state licensing examination for registered nurses despite having failed a nursing course and having been placed on academic probation. Guided by Tinto's theory of academic integration, a descriptive phenomenological design was used to explore Hispanic nursing graduates' success experiences. Purposive sampling was used to …

Peer Support Education For Uncontrolled Hypertension Among African Americans Adults, Melvina Juliana Semper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hypertension is a major chronic health problem that can lead to heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. African Americans disproportionately suffer from the morbidity and mortality of hypertension-related illnesses. The purpose of this comparative project was to determine the impact of peer support educational workshops as an avenue for lifestyle modification, using changes in blood pressure (BP) before and after participation. The target population consisted of 64 African Americans with hypertension in Brooklyn NY, aged 20 to 65 years old. BP measurements were taken within 1 month before and after participating in a weekly peer support educational workshop facilitated by …

Organizational Innovation's Moderation Of Culture Effects On Company Financial Performance, Christopher Lee Slaughter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite 40 years of research, little is known about what moderates the relationship between organizational culture and company financial performance. This quantitative study examined if innovation moderates the relationship between an organization's culture, as measured by the Denison Organizational Culture Survey, and a company's financial performance, as indicated by return on assets (ROA). Understanding if innovation moderates the relationship between organizational culture and ROA could help business leaders foster a culture that maximizes financial performance. Lewin's field theory was the theoretical foundation explaining organizational culture. Denison Consulting provided the archival dataset, which included organizational culture scores and ROA data for …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

Evaluation Of Empowerment Levels Of The Cleveland Clinic Nurse, Cynthia J. Willis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurses' perceptions of their work environment and empowerment in relationship to patient satisfaction are well explored in the literature. Empowerment has been linked to improved job satisfaction and improving the elements of empowerment cam improve overall patient satisfaction. This project examined 2 nursing units, 1 with lower patient satisfaction scores (Unit A) and 1 with higher patient satisfaction scores (Unit B), in order to compare their structural empowerment scores as measured by the Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire II (CWEQ-II). A total of 29 nurses who worked full-time, part-time, or per diem on 1 of the 2 units were recruited …

Soft Skills Perceived By Students And Employers As Relevant Employability Skills, Ann-Marie Claudia Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Local employers believe the lack of prerequisite soft skills is inhibiting the graduates from a local community college from securing employment. The rationale of this phenomenological study was to investigate the perceptions of students and employers related to the soft skills needed to be successful in future employment. The theoretical framework was based on Mezirow's transformational and Daloz's mentorship theories. Individual face-to-face, semistructured interviews were used to gather data from 12 business and computer students and 7 employers (N=19) who were selected using purposeful random sampling. The typewritten transcripts of participants' responses were imported in MAXQDA 11, then were open …

Student Perceptions Of Connectedness In Online Courses, Cynthia Dawn Worley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students who obtain college degrees have a higher earning potential and greater likelihood of employment. Although researchers have found that student enrollment and performance in online college courses has increased, attrition has also risen at a higher rate than in face-to-face courses. The problem of declining persistence in online courses at a rural community college in the Southeastern United States was addressed in this study. The community of inquiry framework was used in this qualitative case study to explore perceptions of 10 experienced online learners. The research questions were focused on students' perceptions of the roles of connectedness and student …

Identifying Successful Online Adult Learners, Lester Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative case study examined the lack of success by and high attrition rates of adult learners enrolled in online higher education courses at a public research university in the southeastern United States. The conceptual framework integrated Knowles' theory of andragogy with a composited model that combined elements of Tinto's persistence model with Bean and Metzner's student attrition model. The research questions examined factors and characteristics contributing to the unsuccessful completion of online courses for adult learners. The data were collected in 2 separate phases using a purposeful sample comprised of 152 adult learners who volunteered to participate in the …

Impact Of Child Abuse Education On Parent's Self-Efficacy: An Experimental Study, Sabina Balkaran

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Each year, approximately 1 million children are found to have been abused, with an average of 4.5 children dying each day at the hands of parents, caretakers, relatives, and friends. Child abuse recognition and parental self-efficacy is understood to decrease the prevalence of child abuse. The literature documents the importance of educating mandatory reporters and suggests inconclusive findings about sex differences in child abuse recognition parental self-efficacy. The current research examines the impact of child abuse education on parental child abuse detection self-efficacy, child abuse recognition knowledge, and sex differences in parental child abuse detection self-efficacy. Bandura's self-efficacy theory states …

Exploring The Impact Of Wyoming's Pathways To Professional Development Program On Childcare Providers And Quality Early Childcare, Colleen Kay Bartlett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childcare programs that provide high quality care can strengthen children's early development. One component of a quality program is having providers who are knowledgeable in child development; however, despite the understanding of these known predictors of child development, Wyoming does not require childcare providers to complete any training before beginning to work with children. Guided by the constructivist theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Dewey, and Bruner, this objectives-based program evaluation investigated the Pathways to Professional Development program to determine participants' perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the program. A researcher-produced survey was created based on the objectives of the program …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

The Association Between Asthma Management And Routine Posture Exercise, Anne-Marie Lydie Coleman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be managed. Asthma management is a public health issue that is complex. Medication, asthma triggers, age, and the environment are all factors that impact asthma management. There is a gap in research in terms of what lifestyle characteristics need to be in place in order for adults to manage asthma. Shaw found that posture care is a lifestyle variable that should be explored as it relates to asthma management in older adults. The Life University Clinic (Marietta, GA) sees asthmatic patients daily and teaches them about a posture care routine through a program …

Flexible Work Schedules, Virtual Work Programs, And Employee Productivity, Kelley Marie Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a workplace marked by increasing change and competing commitments, business leaders require an increased understanding of alternative work programs. Utilizing spillover theory, motivator-hygiene theory, and adaptive structuration theory, this single case study was an exploration of the strategies that business leaders use for flexible work schedules and virtual work programs. The population consisted of 3 managerial business executives and 6 employees within a midwestern United States division of a global blood management solutions firm. The data collection process included a series of semistructured interviews, a focus group, and the assessment of company documentation. Methodological triangulation identified 5 emerging themes: …

Small Business Strategies For Company Profitability And Sustainability, Denise Leigh Gandy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses are critical to the health of the United States economy as they account for approximately 50% of all jobs and 99% of all firms. The purpose for this descriptive multiunit case study was to explore what strategies small business owners used to achieve profitability by the end of the first 5 years of opening their business. The sample comprised 4 small business owners who have been profitable by Year 5 of being in business in Denver, Colorado. The conceptual framework for this study was built upon the general systems theory. The data were collected through semistructured interviews and …

Outcome Evaluation Of A School-Based Program For Pregnant And Parenting Girls, Angela Lynn Glynn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has indicated that effective parenting programs for pregnant and parenting teens greatly improve educational and career opportunities for teen parents. Such research underscores the need for schools to use these programs in their efforts to increase high school graduation rates for this population. The aim of this case study was to assess if a school-based parenting program was successful and, if so, how elements of this program might be useful to educators who are planning similar programs. The study included an examination of archived program data, which included end-of-year reports related to the program and participants, and interviews with …

Student Perceptions Of Effective Learning Strategies For National Council Licensure Examination Preparation, Lori Jean Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine efficacious instructional strategies that the New England Community College (NECC) nursing program could implement in the curricula to improve National Council Licensure Examination Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) first-time pass rates. Effective strategies from students and nursing program faculty had used were investigated. Such strategies support student nurses in their efforts to succeed on the first administration of the exit examination. The rationale for this study and resulting project was that they could improve NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates and positively impact the local hiring of qualified nurses. Guided by Knowles's adult learning theory, key …

A Delphi Study Of The Potential Influence Of Women In Stem Careers, Sharyn Elizabeth Mlinar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

American businesses are working with educational institutions to attract women into technical and scientific professions. However, less than one quarter of the people working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are women. The educational system as-a-pipeline model is not supplying business with skilled workers, specifically female STEM employees. Organizational change must occur and this process begins with the organization's leadership. Guided by the the conceptual frameworks of Kotter & Rathgeber and Kouzes & Posner, this Delphi study asked 54 female professionals, in various locations across the United States, about what influenced them in their education and career choices. Responses …

Skype As A Scaffolding Tool For Underprepared Freshmen English Composition Students, Conswellor Denise Ogden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nontraditional students enrolled in online courses tend to drop out within their first year because they do not have the basic literacy skills or essential college skills needed for success. They often need the guidance of an online instructor. The purpose of this case study was to explore the perceptions of instructors and students about the effectiveness of Skype as a scaffolding tool for increasing academic achievement for underprepared students in online remedial English composition courses through interactions with their instructor. The conceptual framework included Bruner's cultural-psychological theory of education, Vygotsky's social constructivist theory, and Siemens's connectivism theory. The study …

Faculty Willingness To Complete Information Technology Training On Course Management Systems, Audrey S. Pereira

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The literature suggests that information technology (IT), including Course Management Systems (CMSs), allows higher education faculty members (HEFMs) to adopt better methods for teaching and learning, and that training contributes to adoption. However, many HEFMs are unwilling to complete IT training on the CMS, contributing to low adoption rates. Yet, little is known about what influences HEFMs to complete IT training on their institution's CMS, even though CMSs are widely available. The purpose of this study was to address this gap in the literature through a quantitative, cross-sectional study of HEFM perceptions of CMS characteristics, based on Rogers' diffusion of …

Minorities' Perception Of The Comprehensive Emergency Management Model Of Distributing Of Information, Lawrence Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure to receive critical and timely information from emergency management professionals (EMPs) may lead to the loss of life during disasters and emergencies. Recent research and government reports have indicated that there may be communication failures between EMPs and minority community members, though little is known about how minority communities perceive EMP communication efforts. The central research questions and purpose of this study were designed to explore the experiences of minority community members in receiving and interpreting disaster-related communications from EMPs. Data for this phenomenological study were acquired through-in-depth interviews with 13 African Americans (7 males and 6 females) located …

Factors Associated With Graduation Among Latino Male High School Students, Judyann Watson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High dropout rates for minority students require additional educational research to understand and implement changes that will increase graduation rates. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to examine factors that may be associated with graduation for Latino male students. Guided by Tinto's work, which holds that students remain in school when they feel academically or socially connected to an institution, this study addressed the impact of social factors, academic factors, and small learning communities (SLCs) on graduation rates. The research study used archival data and bivariate logistic regression to analyze the data for Latino male participants (n = 208) …

Social Studies Teachers' Use Of Twitter And #Edchats For Collaboration, Eric Langhorst

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past studies have indicated that teachers in the United States have limited opportunities to collaborate with peers; this limitation has been found to be particularly problematic for social studies teachers. An increasing number of educators are using the social media application Twitter to collaborate. Little research exists concerning social studies teachers' use of #edchats, a weekly recurring Twitter session. The focus of this qualitative case study was the collaboration that exists among social studies teachers participating in Twitter edchats. The theoretical framework was communities of practice. Transcripts of 10 edchat sessions in 2013 were coded with an a priori strategy, …