Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Strategies Leaders Use To Engage Employees, Eric L. Gholz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative, single case study was to explore strategies that leaders used to engage employees. The conceptual framework for this study was Saks's multidimensional approach to employee engagement. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 5 leaders from an office design company in the midwestern region of the United States who had a minimum of 2 years of experience of engaging employees. Company archival documents related to employee engagement were also collected. Data analysis consisted of compiling the data, coding for emergent and a priori codes, disassembling the data into common codes, reassembling the data into themes, interpreting the …

Parents Perceptions Of Social Inclusion Of Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Jacqueline Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have shown that the voices of parents of adults with intellectual disabilities can help build supports in the community. Research regarding the perceptions and lived experiences of these parents regarding social inclusion of adults with intellectual disabilities is limited. Guided by positive psychology, the purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to examine parents' lived experiences of social inclusion of adults with intellectual disabilities. Research questions were framed to understand and describe the meaning of how parents experience social inclusion with their adult children with intellectual disabilities. Data were elicited through 6 individual interviews with parents of adults with …

Strategies For Pharmacy Managers To Increase Profit By Reducing Prescription Errors, Alphonsus I. Nwambie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The costs attributed to prescription errors negatively affect the profits of retail pharmacy businesses. The U.S. prescription error rate since 2010 was 0.1%, yet with more than 3.5 billion prescriptions filled annually in the United States, the outcome is more than 3.5 million prescription-dispensing errors and an annual cost of more than $16 billion. Using the performance prism theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies retail pharmacy managers used to increase profit by reducing prescription errors. Using purposeful sampling, 5 retail pharmacy managers in Miami, Florida, were selected as participants because they had implemented strategies …

Factors Impacting The Financial Independence Of Women Who Were Teenage Mothers, Jeanette Parker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teenage pregnancy in the United States is a national concern because of negative outcomes for teen mothers and their children of teen mothers. There is ample research on the negative outcomes associated with teen pregnancy: however, there is little research on the success of teenage mothers. This transcendental, phenomenological study examined how former teenage mothers overcame challenges of teen pregnancy to become financially independent adults. The research question for this study was: What factors enabled former teen mothers to overcome challenges of teen pregnancy to become financially independent adults? Principles from social learning theory and resilience theory provided the conceptual …

Leadership Communications Strategies For Enhancing Virtual Team Performance, Rachel Oludolapo Agbi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The fast-growing trend of using virtual teams comes with challenges including the lack of knowledge by some virtual team leaders for managing virtual teams. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the communication strategies that leaders use to manage virtual teams in real time to enhance team performance. The sample was composed of 4 successful virtual team leaders of a multinational accounting firm whose headquarters is in the northeastern region of the United States of America. The conceptual framework that guided this study was Tuckman's small group developmental model. Data consisted of semistructured interviews and the review …

Strategies To Sustain Small Businesses Beyond 5 Years, Kayaso Cosmas Wani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the U.S. Small Business Association, the failure rates for small businesses in 2014 were as high as 50% to 80% within the first 5 years of establishment. The purpose for this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that small business owners have used to sustain their businesses beyond 5 years. Guided by entrepreneurship theory as the conceptual framework, and a purposive sampling method, this qualitative case study used semistructured interviews with 3 successful, small, ethnic grocery business owners in Anchorage, AK to better understand small business strategies for survival. Member checking and triangulation with field notes, …

Academic Entitlement And The Decision-Making Of Tenured Professors, A. Roland Chambers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academic entitlement is a concern in higher education because of the potential societal and market driven influences on credible scholarship. Most of the research has focused on negative attitudes and behaviors attributed to students. The considerations of tenured professors who interact with academically entitled students and strategies for effective classroom management has not been fully explored. Constructivism provided the theoretical framework for the qualitative case study. Data were collected from open-ended, semistructured interviews with a purposeful sample of 10 tenured professors from a state college in the Southeastern United States to explore (a) the meanings participants attributed to academic entitlement, …

Strategies For Employee Turnover Of Southeastern Wisconsin Manufacturing Workers, Jonathan Singer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Voluntary employee turnover is a challenging problem for manufacturing leaders. Leaders today are challenged to find and retain human capital to remain competitive. The lack of strategies to reduce voluntary turnover among manufacturing leaders has contributed to high turnover rates and increased costs for manufacturing firms. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that some southeastern Wisconsin manufacturing leaders used to reduce voluntary turnover. The conceptual framework supporting the study was Herzberg's 2-factor theory. Results for the study were derived from the analysis of semistructured interviews of 6 manufacturing leaders across 4 manufacturing locations, as …

A Reflection Of Adults As Child Participants In Commercial Activities, Janette Angella Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children are being used as marketers and consumers for the purpose of financial gain. Although much research exists about children's stance as consumers, very little is known about their role as marketers. Such lack of information indicates that children's authentic voices about their experiences are seldom articulated, heard, listened to, and acted on. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological heuristic study was to explore the lived experiences of former child participants in commercial activities in order to understand their perceptions as well as, the meaning, and impact of the experiences on their childhood development. The theoretical framework used included the …

Patient Self-Assessment For Older Adult Fall Prevention, Deborah Brennan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Falls and falls with injury are a leading contributor to decreased quality of life for adults aged 65 and older. Complications associated with fall occurrences include death, long term disability, decreased mobility, decreased quality of life, and psychological effects.

The practice focused question addressed in the project asked if the use of a standardized publicly available assessment for falls risk will assist registered nurses in learning more about the patient's fall risk. To address the question, the Stay Independent Check Your Risk for Falling Questionnaire (SICRFQ), obtained from the CDC website, was used as the basis for an education program …

Quantitative Assessment Of Psycho-Social Factors Associated With Alcoholics Anonymous Involvement, Dianne Bentley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alcohol use disorders are a major health problem in the United States; approximately 7.4% of the population meets the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. However, Reed, Levin, and Evans (2012) reported a lack in research regarding alcoholism's risk factors and how these influence Alcoholics Anonymous involvement. Though there is evidence for several risk factors, researchers have found mixed results regarding gender and impulsivity. Social learning theory was the theoretical foundation of this study and guided the exploration and interpretation of these risk factors. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to understand the relationship that impulsivity (as …

Evaluation Of An Opioid Risk-Assessment Screening Tool, Jacquelyne Guerra

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prescribers should evaluate risk factors related to opioid use prior to initiation of opioid medication. The practice problem in this DNP project was that providers failed to consistently assess patients with complaints of pain for risk of opioid misuse and/or abuse prior to initiating opioid medication. An opioid risk-assessment screening tool (ORAST) has the potential to identify patients at high risk for opioid misuse and/or abuse. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to identify and introduce an ORAST and then develop a policy to guide providers in …

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 …

Mentoring Experience Perceptions Of Career Changing Teachers On Guam, Ronald A.S Canos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition continues to impact public schools that seek to retain teachers in the classroom and meet rising enrollment rates. The recruitment of experienced career changing professionals into the educational workforce is a viable option to address teacher shortages. In addition, while the use of mentorship may support teacher retention and job satisfaction for novice teachers, inconsistencies in mentoring practices have limited the effectiveness of mentoring programs and support systems. The problem of limited research that examines the needs of career changing teachers (CCTs) and their initial mentoring experiences was addressed in this study. The social learning theory and Maslow's …

Generational Homelessness In New York City Family Homeless Shelters, Deborah Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homelessness has been a problem in New York City (NYC) for decades. Part of the problem is children who grew up in the shelter system and then returned as adults, a phenomenon known as 2nd-generation homelessness. Literature indicates that no researchers have interviewed second-generation homeless adults about their experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of 2nd-generation homelessness from the perspective of homeless adults returning to the shelter system. The sample included 1 second-generation homeless adult and 10 case managers at Tier II homeless shelters. Interviews were conducted and data were analyzed using hand coding to …

The Impact Of Caseworkers' Educational Background And Placement Outcomes For Foster Children, Katrina Haynes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Decades of data document that permanent placements of children in the welfare system has been a concern in Mississippi. As foster care rates increase, more children are awaiting placement. Researchers have linked child welfare workers' educational background to placement outcomes for foster care children; however, researchers have not addressed the relationship between child welfare workers' educational backgrounds and foster care placement outcomes in Mississippi. This quantitative study examined the educational backgrounds of social work and nonsocial work child welfare caseworkers and other factors such as children's gender and race as predictors in placement outcomes for children in welfare custody. Attachment …

Understanding Teachers' Perceptions Of Bullying For Developing Teacher Detection And Intervention, Christopher Samuel Hazeltine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying behaviors can have lasting adverse consequences for teachers, victims, offenders, and bystanders. Teachers are often not prepared with the knowledge required for appropriate interventions. The purpose of this study was to understand teachers' perceptions of bullying in one of the largest urban school districts in the United States. Guided by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, which holds that individuals impact and should be impacted by various environmental systems around them, the study was focused on teachers' understanding of detection and intervention of bullying in the school setting. A qualitative single case study design was used. Fifteen urban, middle school teachers …

Perceptions Of Chiropractors In Mississippi Regarding Obesity, Phelesia Nakita Foster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity continues to be a growing problem across the United States. Chiropractors have made claims of providing health promotion services within their treatment protocol; however, there is a lack of empirical research regarding a need for the chiropractic profession to train chiropractors to address Healthy People 2020 public health initiatives. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions of Mississippi Delta Region chiropractors regarding their role in obesity management as nonmedical practitioners that implement public health objectives in their practice. The research questions aimed at addressing possible barriers and limitations that influenced chiropractors' perceptions regarding their role …

Behavioral Outcomes Of The Boss Teaching Program With Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Mick Needham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite an abundance of research on interventions to improve social skills of young children with intellectual disabilities (ID), there is limited research on interventions aimed at improving social skills of adults with ID. The purpose of this single-subject study was to evaluate the outcomes of the Behavioral Opportunities for Social Skills (BOSS) teaching program for adults with ID. The theoretical framework for this study was Skinner's operant conditioning which incorporates the principles of applied behavior analysis, reinforcement, and operant extinction. After direct support professionals were trained in the BOSS teaching program, research questions were used to determine (a) changes in …

Homeowner's Equity, Rental Cash Flow, And Recourse As Predictors Of Default Mortgage Status, William Callian Iii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2007-2009, banking executives feared the impact of increased capital reserve requirements for losses from mortgage defaults. One reason was that home price declines during the Great Recession precipitated mortgage defaults, which increased the percentage of foreclosures as well as accelerated negative equity, and default. The purpose of this correlational study, grounded in Fishbein's expectancy of value and Vroom's expectancy theories, was to examine the relationship between the independent variables of homeowner's equity, rental cash flow value, and recourse, and the dependent variable, default mortgage status. Archival data comprised a sample of 408 …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

Mitigating Petroleum Product Shortages In The Nigerian Downstream Petroleum Supply Industry, Lucky Ubini Itsekor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Nigeria, almost every business enterprise relies on petroleum products for power or transportation. Shortages of petroleum products cripple business activities and undermine development of the Nigerian economy. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore supply chain management strategies needed by petroleum business leaders to mitigate shortages and sustain business development in Nigeria. The sample for the study included 10 senior leaders from 2 private-sector Nigerian downstream petroleum supply companies located in the Niger Delta region, who had successfully implemented strategies for petroleum supply. The resource based view theory served as the conceptual framework for the study. …

Social Inclusion Outcomes For An Organization's Adolescent Parent Intervention, Anayra Ivette Tua

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The study institution is a non-profit organization with a model developed from the continuous implementation of needs assessments of the families of adolescent parents in Puerto Rico, with the purpose of increasing their social inclusion potential. Addressing social exclusion and stigmatization of adolescent parents is vital because it generates a dual benefit for social interactions and growth. The social inclusion concept used and further elaborated for adolescent mothers is described by researchers as the level of access to engaging with institutions and societal relationships. This program evaluation was developed to understand the outcomes and effectiveness of the organization's social inclusion …

Leadership Strategies To Reduce Employee Turnover In Luxury Hotels In China, Iwan R. Dietschi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some midlevel managers in the China's luxury hotel industry lack leadership strategies for engaging employees to reduce employee turnover. Employee turnover rates in China's hotel industry have reached the 30% mark, affecting hotels' bottom lines. This high employee turnover rate is impacting the hotels' performance, and negatively affecting the industry's profitability. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore employee engagement strategies luxury hotel industry midlevel managers apply to reduce turnover. The conceptual framework for this study was the three levels of leadership model created by Scouller. The participants in this study were 5 midlevel department managers …

Racial/Ethnic Differences In The Treatment Of Elderly Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients, Cheryl Mokrzecky

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial and ethnic disparities related to lung cancer treatments and outcomes are not fully understood but may be due to individual or institutional factors. Following established national cancer treatment guidelines may improve patients' quality of life, outcome to treatment, and facilitate the eradication of lung cancer. There are limited data on the real-world treatment of racial/ethnic groups with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) according to clinical practice guidelines, therefore this population-based cohort study examined the receipt of first line treatment for advanced or metastatic NSCLC according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) practice guidelines. The Social Cognitive Theory served …

Managing Supply Chain Disruptions In Nigerian Seaport Companies, Henry Oguche

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Nigeria, seaport companies have lost significant revenue since 2000 because of supply chain disruptions. If not mitigated, supply chain disruptions at Nigerian seaports will significantly affect organizational output and profitability. The purpose of this research was to explore strategies some seaport business leaders use to mitigate supply chain disruptions in Lagos, Nigeria. Supply chain management theory was the conceptual framework for this single case study. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 4 participants from a Nigerian seaport company tbat adopted successful strategies to mitigate supply chain disruptions and review of company documents for methodological triangulation. Using thematic analysis, …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

Political Affiliations And Interagency Collaboration In Emergency Management In Nigeria, Charles Otegbade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Collaboration has been indispensable in resolving many contemporary problems involved in emergency/disaster management, but it is unclear if key determinants of collaboration established through studies focused on the Western world would apply to countries outside the West. The purpose of this cross-sectional non-experimental study was to examine the effects of political affiliation, an established determinant, on collaboration among emergency management agencies (EMAs) in Nigeria. Barnes's theory of social network and Lévi-Strauss's theory of social exchanges framed the study. Survey data were collected from a sample of 38 EMAs out of the population of 812 EMAs; they were affiliated with 6 …

Indirect Procurement Strategies For Supply Chain Sustainability, Paul Akida Jilani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Indirect procurement is becoming one of the most challenging function in food processing organizations, which need strategies to enhance supply chain sustainability. Food processing organizations could expect more than 50% maverick indirect costs out of the 80% procurement cost from total annual costs. The focus of the research question was on strategies procurement managers responsible for food processing indirect procurement could use to enhance supply chain sustainability. The conceptual framework for this study was resource dependency theory, and the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies some procurement managers responsible for food processing indirect procurement could use …

Emergency Management: A Qualitative Study Of Flood Disaster Vulnerability In Liberia, Morris Tennesse Koffa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Flood disasters have been a challenge in Liberia for the past 15 years. The result has been hardship for residents, which has created major disruptions to social and economic services. Global warming, poor environmental conditions and weak disaster management policies among other factors are largely blamed for the floods. The conceptual framework for this study was Barton's collective stress theory and Edwards' varied response theory, which guided this exploration of how flood victims perceive the effectiveness of the Liberian government's flood disaster management strategies. A total of 25 participants were recruited for this grounded theory study. Twenty participants were …