Digital Commons Network^™

Strategies To Reduce Restaurant Employee Turnover Rates, Steven K. Dewey, Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHigh employee turnover rates adversely affect profitability. Restaurant owners who fail to retain employees are at risk of increased employee turnover costs, reduced profit potential, and risk business failure. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative, single case study was to explore leadership strategies to reduce employee turnover. Participants comprised 6 restaurant leaders based out of the same New York restaurant. Leaders participated in semistructured interviews to provide information on strategies they used to reduce employee turnover. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three themes emerged: leadership, financial benefits, and contributing to a higher purpose. …

Leadership Strategies For Improving Mergers And Acquisitions Performance, Alon Ben Jacob

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are a critical process business leaders use to increase profitability and grow their business. Still, the majority of M&As fail to deliver the expected value to the acquirers. Grounded in Sarasvathy's effectuation theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies to conduct successful M&A processes. The participants were 8 individuals from a global healthcare company who acted as the company's presidents and had experience conducting M&As. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a review of company documents. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The following themes emerged: leadership focus, value creation, …

Leadership Strategies For Improving Mergers And Acquisitions Performance, Alon Ben Jacob

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are a critical process business leaders use to increase profitability and grow their business. Still, the majority of M&As fail to deliver the expected value to the acquirers. Grounded in Sarasvathy's effectuation theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies to conduct successful M&A processes. The participants were 8 individuals from a global healthcare company who acted as the company's presidents and had experience conducting M&As. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a review of company documents. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The following themes emerged: leadership focus, value creation, …

Leadership Strategies And Millennial Organizational Commitment, Louis Wilford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Managing millennial employees may present challenges to managers as the workforce demographics shifts to a population of employees who have management needs that differ from previous generations. Managers who struggle with retaining millennial employees may experience business failure. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the strategies managers in the financial management industry use to harness the creativity and commitment of millennial employees to increase organizational profitability. Two financial management industry managers who successfully retained talented millennials to improve profitability were interviewed; organizational documents were a secondary data source. A …

Leadership Techniques To Catalyze Organizational Productivity In Small Consulting Firms, Benjamin Philip Zapien

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSmall business owners employ 47% of the U.S. labor force, yet 50% of small businesses do not survive beyond 5 years. This failure can impact approximately 29% of the U.S. workforce. Therefore, this study is important to small business owners because the research and findings may help them evaluate their leadership techniques, which may help them improve their organizational productivity and survive. Grounded in the vertical dyad linkage theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore effective leadership strategies small business firm leaders used to maintain a steady growth of their organizations past the initial 5-year life …

The Role Of Strategic Leadership In The Profitability Of Large Organizations, Bernard Yaw Owusu-Boadi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Large organizations in the United States endure a 30%-50% failure to achieve profitability. Senior executives' lack of strategies to ensure profitability diminish performance and economic growth. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies senior executives use to ensure profitability in large tax preparation organizations. The conceptual framework for this study was the resource-based view theory. The sample consisted of 2 board members and 3 senior leaders from a large tax preparation organization located in the United States. Study site participants had at least 15 years of experience in enhancing organizational profitability and 5 years of …

Bicultural Managers’ Competencies And Multicultural Team Effectiveness, Eric Tetteh Batsa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Biculturals are increasingly recognized as an important segment of managers, yet U.S.-based global organizations’ limited knowledge and recognition of this group’s distinctive experiences and related implications within their work environment limit the value placed on bicultural managers’ leadership of multicultural teams and the use of their competencies and skills to improve the effectiveness of multicultural teams. Notwithstanding, traditional leadership models are lacking in diversity and unanswered questions remain regarding the role of multiculturalism in global leadership and team effectiveness. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory multiple case study was to gain deeper understanding of the management experiences of biculturals in …

Leadership Characteristics In Flexible Information Technology Environments, Chrisilia Bristow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found that a positive correlation exists between information technology (IT) flexibility, IT effectiveness, and strategic alignment in organizations. It has been determined that within inflexible IT environments maintainability is reduced and key business factors become at risk. An IT flexibility measurement matrix was developed to assess IT flexibility however leadership characteristics were not identified for measurement with that model. Determining the leadership characteristics needed for IT flexibility was the purpose of this multiple case study. Leveraging the empowerment, situational leadership, IT-business equilibrium, and complexity change theories, the research questions were focused on the leadership characteristics exhibited by organizational …

Mergers And Acquisitions: Organizational Integration Strategies, Martha Jean Jordan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Global merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions exceeded $4.7 trillion in 2015, yet more than 70% of M&As fail to meet postmerger performance expectations with unsuccessful organizational integration cited as the primary source of failure. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore organizational integration strategies some business leaders use to achieve anticipated postmerger performance and growth expectations. The study population consisted of 10 executive and midlevel business leaders in 2 privately held companies, domiciled in Arizona and Iowa, who have contributed to successful organizational integration in M&A transactions in the last 5 years. The tenets of organizational …

The Role Of Strategic Leadership In The Profitability Of Large Organizations, Bernard Yaw Owusu-Boadi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Large organizations in the United States endure a 30%-50% failure to achieve profitability. Senior executives' lack of strategies to ensure profitability diminish performance and economic growth. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies senior executives use to ensure profitability in large tax preparation organizations. The conceptual framework for this study was the resource-based view theory. The sample consisted of 2 board members and 3 senior leaders from a large tax preparation organization located in the United States. Study site participants had at least 15 years of experience in enhancing organizational profitability and 5 years of …

Incorporating Data Governance Frameworks In The Financial Industry, Tarlochan Singh Randhawa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Data governance frameworks are critical to reducing operational costs and risks in the financial industry. Corporate data managers face challenges when implementing data governance frameworks. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that successful corporate data managers in some banks in the United States used to implement data governance frameworks to reduce operational costs and risks. The participants were 7 corporate data managers from 3 banks in North Carolina and New York. Servant leadership theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. Methodological triangulation involved assessment of nonconfidential bank documentation on the data governance framework, …

Sustainability Strategies Of Barber Salons, Kouassi Gilles Mevo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many barber salons and other small businesses in the United States fail to succeed beyond the first 5 years. The factors responsible for the low survival rate of salons may include the limited training and education levels mandated by state certification requirements. The purpose of this multiple case study was to identify business strategies successful barber salon owners use to overcome the business management and staffing challenges associated with a small pool of skilled barbers and the high turnover in a low wage profession. The theory of transformational leadership served as the conceptual framework. The data collection included interviews of …

Leadership Styles And Their Impact On Church Growth In Alexandria And Springfield, Virginia, Yera Keita

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Even though millions of Americans attend church, church worship practices have declined in recent years. Also, church leaders lack understanding of transformational, transactional, laissez-faire, and servant leadership styles and their potential to promote the growth of church membership. Gaps exist in the literature regarding the connection between development and efficacy, organizations and outcomes, and church leaders' styles and church membership growth. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perception of church leaders (pastors, deacons, ministers) and members of congregations regarding leadership styles and how the implementation of those styles influences the growth of church membership. The …

Relationship Between Transformational Leadership And Organizational Change Effectiveness, Nomahlathi Norma Mgqibi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational change effectiveness. The theoretical framework for the study was transformational leadership. Midlevel managers who successfully implemented 1 or more organizational change initiatives in any large organization in the United States (n = 107) were conveniently selected to participate in the study. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) Form 5X-Short was used to measure transformational leadership and the Project Implementation Profile (PIP) was used to measure organizational change effectiveness. The overall model, multiple linear regression, revealed a statistically significant relationship between transformational leadership and organizational …

The Challenges Of Virtual Leadership Affecting Project Delivery In The Public Sector, Verna-Kay Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of the U.S. government and U.S. organizations continue to seek information to mitigate risk and improve project deliverables in virtual environments. The problem addressed in this study was the rapid growth of technology in virtual workplaces that causes organizational leaders to concentrate on infrastructure and technology. The purpose of the exploratory case study was to understand the challenges virtual leaders encounter in the government environment that affect project delivery. The research questions were designed to examine the challenges virtual team leaders encounter while maintaining their roles and responsibilities to complete a project successfully in a timely manner. The theory …

Leadership Style And Smes Sustainability In Nigeria: A Multiple Case Study, Vincent Ikechukwu Okeke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leadership in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has remained an under-researched area in the management literature, especially in developing countries such as Nigeria. SME owner-managers in Nigeria lacked in-depth understanding of their leadership style to objectively evaluate its implication on long-term performance and growth of their enterprise. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore the experiences of SME owner-managers in Nigeria to gain an in-depth understanding of their leadership style and its implication for long-term performance and growth of their enterprise. The conceptual framework for this study was anchored in two key concepts; leadership styles and leadership …

Health Care Leaders' Strategies To Reduce Nursing Turnover, John Clayton Phelps

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care leaders who lack effective nurse turnover strategies can negatively affect patient quality of care, productivity, and profitability. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies health care leaders used to reduce nursing turnover in a health care organization. The conceptual framework for this study was Herzberg's 2-factor theory. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 4 health care leaders in the West Texas region who had a history of reducing nurse turnover for a minimum of 5 years from the date of hire, and from review of organizational documents related to the strategies to reduce …

Challenge Of Leadership Succession In Family-Owned Business In Lagos, Nigeria, Michael Oluwatola Awosanya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of family-owned businesses pay more attention to the attainment of personal and organizational objectives than to leadership succession plans for continuity when they leave the business. Despite the significant contributions of family-owned businesses to the social and economic development of nations, founders and leaders still contend with the challenge of leadership transfer to the next generation. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenology study was to examine the lived experiences of past and current leaders of family-owned businesses in Lagos regarding the challenge of preparing the next generation for leadership succession. The theory of knowledge transfer formed the conceptual framework …

Employing Persons With Disabilities In Madagascar, Lila Hanitra Ratsifandrihamanana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Madagascar, the barriers to persons with disabilities' employability are multifaceted and relate to accessibility, funding, attitudes, and policies. Managers lack knowledge on disability and still perceive disabled persons as incompetent and associate them with costly accommodation needs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the management strategies and leadership styles that managers could use to enhance the employability chances of persons with disabilities. The conceptual framework featured the concepts of empowerment, employability, disability identity, and relevant transformational leadership theories. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 28 managers in private companies, institutions, cooperatives, and organizations in 3 regions …

A Grounded Theory Of Emergent Leadership In Nonhierarchical Virtual Teams, Randall Fleming

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A Grounded Theory of Emergent Leadership in Nonhierarchical Virtual Teams

by

Randall David Fleming

MS, Colorado Technical University, 2008

BA, The Ohio State University, 1984

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Management

Walden University

November 2018

The Impact Of Authentic Leadership Development On Safety Climate Change, Victoria Hoyt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Tragic, life-changing, and fatal incidents are a reality on large-scale, civil construction projects. Despite a decline following the enforcement of the 1971 Occupational Safety and Health Act, serious and fatal incidents on heavy construction projects remain higher than that of the active military and have not declined in any notable way in the past decade. Industrial-organizational literature suggested a lack of applied testing for the well-developed theory of authentic leadership (AL) to impact safety outcomes. This quasi-experiment combined the constructs of authentic leadership with safety climate perception as quantifiable measurement of potential safety outcomes in the workplace. The research question …

Virtual Worker Perceptions Of Retention In The Financial Services Industry, Shelly Zaldivar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the need for cost-efficient, talented teams continues to grow, leaders often consider the use of globally dispersed teams, also defined as virtual teams. Despite the apparent benefits, the unique needs of virtual team members are often overlooked in general leadership, change management, and retention discussions. Leaders need to understand contributing factors to the attrition of virtual workers. The foundation for this research included theories of employee retention and change management. The research question for this qualitative phenomenological study focused on the lived experiences of current or former virtual financial services workers regarding job retention. Participants were chosen using purposeful …

Effective Strategies For Building Trust In Virtual Teams, Alphonse Shefa Kwaye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Virtual teams often fail to achieve their objectives because virtual team leaders lack strategies for nurturing trust among dispersed team members. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies virtual team leaders in large corporate banks use to build trust among virtual team members. The population of this study included 6 virtual team leaders from a large corporate bank located in the northeast region of the United States. The interpersonal trust theory was the conceptual framework of this study. Data were collected via semistructured telephone interviews and review of company documents. The data analysis process included content …

The Relationship Between The Big Five Personality Traits And Authentic Leadership, Bronti Baptiste

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Effective leadership, ethical leadership, and leadership emergence have been extensively researched, but there remains a lack of research on the relationship between the big 5 personality traits and authentic leadership. This quantitative study was based on the empirical principles of the big 5 model and guided by the big 5 theory. In addition, this research asked if there was a relationship between the big 5 model and authentic leadership, and which combination of the 5 personality traits best predict authentic leadership. Fifty-five adult participants, employed in various corporations, were recruited from a convenience sample. They rated their leaders by completing …

Cultural Backgrounds And Leadership Styles In The Virtual Work Environment, June Reid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The introduction of the virtual work environment has resulted in the creation of a new work structure where interaction between employees and leaders occurs through technological innovations such as teleconferencing, emails, and text messages. The absence of physical workspace has also created a diverse work environment with people from various cultural backgrounds working together as virtual teams. Existing studies have been conducted on leadership styles and culture in the traditional work environment, but few empirical studies have been conducted on leadership styles and culture in the virtual work environment. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental survey study was to identify …

Evidence-Based Education Program To Reduce Nurse Manager Burnout, David Howe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurse managers face numerous challenges and stressors in their daily practice. The support services offered to managers to facilitate coping in stressful situations vary among employers and may be ineffective depending on the stressors faced. Implementation of evidence-based best practices may positively impact nurse managers' ability to manage stress. The purpose of this project was to develop an evidence-based stress reduction education program to empower nurse managers to handle work-related stressors and reduce burnout. The primary theory used to inform this project was the job demands-resource model, which explains how job demands and resources have multiple effects on job stress, …

Leadership Skills To Sustain High-Tech Entrepreneurial Ventures, Zoaib Z. Rangwala

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High-tech (HT) innovation-oriented entrepreneurs start 35% more ventures and create 10% more jobs in the first 5 years of operation than the rest of the private sector and drive significant economic growth across all industries; however, more than 50% of the entrepreneurial HT ventures fail during the first 5 years of operations. Guided by the conceptual framework of transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this multicase study was to explore skills used by successful entrepreneurial leaders to sustain their HT ventures in Silicon Valley, California. Data collection was from 8 participants in semistructured 1-on-1 interviews and 3 participants in a …

Virtual Leadership In Complex Multiorganizational Research And Development Programs, Gariann Marie Gelston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A 2002 congressional mandate initiated the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Centers of Excellence programs with a requirement to conduct cross-organizational research and development. The resulting complex multiorganizational programs required more effective virtual leadership and management strategies. Fifteen years later, the presidential budget showed that 61% of the DHS budget was targeted for such research and development. The complex management strategies and virtual leadership skills required to lead the programs were lacking, as top scientific researchers are drawn upon to manage programs. The purpose of this study was to understand followers' perspectives regarding virtual leadership and collaboration within complex …

Distributed Leadership In International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program Implementation, Chinoyerem Ekwutosinam Oladimeji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The International Baccalaureate (IB) organization promotes distributed leadership as the ideal leadership model for implementation of all of its 4 programs, and researchers have noted that this leadership model in private international schools with multiple IB programs has been vital to school wide success. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how distributed leadership influenced the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP) in a public middle school that has been successful in meeting academic goals. Spillane's distributed leadership model served as the basis for identifying the organizational structures, routines, and tools that influenced the …

E-Leadership And Leader-Member Exchange Strategies For Increasing Nonprofit Virtual Team Productivity, Nichole Guerra

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit leaders often place new employees with little experience in challenging virtual team settings, where they are expected to meet increased service demands. Productivity failures reported in the 2015 State of the Nonprofit Sector survey revealed that 76% of U.S. nonprofit agencies experienced increased demand for services in 2014, while 52% were unable to meet those demands. Based on the e-leadership and leader-member exchange (LMX) theories, the purpose of this descriptive, single case study was to identify the leadership strategies used by nonprofit midlevel supervisors to increase productivity of virtual teams containing new employees in Colorado. A purposeful sampling method …