Digital Commons Network^™

Policy Diffusion Assistance In The Amelioration Of Homelessness On The Island Of O`Ahu, Hawai`I, Anita Tanner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The issue of homelessness is one that many cities and states in the United States have to contend with; however, the issue of homelessness on an island can be even more difficult to find viable solutions. The homeless problem on the island of O`ahu is one that affects not only residents but also tourists. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to reveal the perceptions of policy makers on the island of O`ahu, Hawai`i if diffusing public policy from Salt Lake City, Utah, would help ameliorate homelessness on the island. The theoretical framework was the diffusion theory and diffusions …

Project Managers’ Communication Strategies For Team Collaboration In Software Development, John Rubena Wani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Effective communication among team members in software development projects is increasingly significant for the success of the project. Successful software projects are the catalyst for achieving profitability objectives and creating shareholder value in organizations. The purpose of this single case study was to investigate communication strategies information technology (IT) project managers used for successful team collaboration in software development. The population for this study comprised senior IT project managers. The project managers had supervision responsibilities from a midsized IT company in Alberta, Canada. The sociotechnical theory guided this study as the conceptual framework. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with …

Exploring Firm-Level Cloud Adoption And Diffusion, William J. Wood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cloud computing innovation adoption literature has primarily focused on individuals, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. The functional linkage between cloud adoption and diffusion is instrumental toward understanding enterprise firm-level adoption. The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to explore strategies used by information technology (IT) executives to make advantageous enterprise cloud adoption and diffusion decisions. This study was guided by an integrated diffusion of innovation and technology, organization, and environment conceptual framework to capture and model this complex, multifaceted problem. The study’s population consisted of IT executives with cloud-centric roles in 3 large (revenues greater than $5 billion) …

Third-Grade Reading Teachers' Views On Achieve3000 For The Florida Standards Assessment Test, Ennis L. Brinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educators are challenged with meeting the academic needs of students, particularly in the subject area of reading. School districts purchase tools such as Achieve3000 to help students improve their proficiency in reading; however, implementation of such interventions has not been explored from the educators' perspective. This study explored 3rd grade reading teachers' views on Achieve3000 as a tool for improving reading proficiency and preparedness for the Florida State Standards English Language Arts assessment. The conceptual framework included the theory of social validity and current research as it related to differentiated instruction. This study utilized a basic qualitative approach to answer …

Personality And Military Service As Predictors Of Separation And Divorce In Americans, Jamie Buehler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Divorce is a persistent problem resulting in mental anguish in the divorcing parties as well as children who may be involved. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental correlational study was to determine whether personality traits and military service predict the tendency of married individuals to separate or divorce. The framework for this study was Erikson's 8 stages of psychosocial development. The research questions addressed whether personality traits (as measured by the HEXACO-60), service in the military, gender, age, and number of children predict the tendency to separate or divorce in 89 participants. Findings from multiple regression analysis indicated that scores …

An Evaluation Of A Redesigned Developmental Mathematics Course At A Hawaii Community College, Bebi Zamina Khan Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Developmental mathematics is a problem for many college students due to high failure rate. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the redesigned course, Math 24. The evaluation examined success, retention, and persistence outcomes of the redesigned course compared to the previous developmental math course. The course's academic and environmental strengths and weaknesses were assessed from the students' and instructors' perspectives. The study utilized the theoretical and conceptual frameworks of Tinto's retention model, Astin's I-E-O model, and Wlodkowski's culturally responsive teaching. A mixed methods program evaluation was employed for the case study using an ex post …

The Impact Of Campus Health Services On The Attitudes, Perceptions, Beliefs, And Behaviors Of Historically Black College And University Students, Micah Mccray Griffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans suffer worse health outcomes related to chronic disease than any other racial or ethnic group. The negative effects associated with poor dietary habits and a low propensity to exercise impact young adult African Americans who attend Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs) and can lead to higher mortality rates. It is important for HBCU campus health centers to address the perceptions and beliefs of students to positively impact health behaviors associated with diet and exercise. At the time of this study, there was limited research on-campus health centers and their impact on HBCU student health beliefs and behaviors. Therefore, this …

Oromo Ethiopians Perceptions Of The Prevalence, Causes, Treatment And Prevention Of Trachoma, Linda L. Gross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Ethiopia, one of the primary contributors to blindness is trachoma, which is an infectious ocular disease. There is no record of any prevention programs in rural Ethiopian villages of Oromia, where the prevalence of trachoma is high. The original purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of rural Oromo villagers in Ethiopia on the causes, treatment, and prevention of trachoma, using the health belief model and the social-ecological model as a theoretical framework. Due to a security situation in Ethiopia, final interviews were conducted with immigrant Ethiopians in the US, all of them from the trachoma-endemic …

Corporate Money And Direct Democracy Measures: A Case Study, Dena M. Hester

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Direct democracy was adopted by states to balance the influence and power of corporate

interests. Although corporate money has always been a part of American democracy,

dark money expenditures have increased significantly since the Citizens United v. FEC

case. Corporate money in elections poses a problem because it inconsistent with the

tenants of direct democracy. Little published literature addresses the influence of

corporate money on direct democracy measures. Using Kingdon's multiple streams

approach as the foundation, the purpose of this case study was to investigate the

perceived influence of corporate money on the 2018 ballot initiative and referendum

measures in …

The Alchemy Of Sustaining New Business Ventures, Alicia R. Hooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high failure rates of new business ventures (NBV) negatively affect employment and potential contributions to the economic health of communities. The high NBV failure rate is essential, as NBV sustainability influences job creation and increases employment rates in communities surrounding the NBV. The purpose of this qualitative single case study, using the effectuation conceptual framework, was to explore strategies organization leaders in the state of Missouri used for sustaining NBV operations beyond 5 years. The sample consisted of 6 NBV consultants from a single Missouri NBV consulting firm who have sustained NBVs beyond 5 years. The 6 NBV consultants …

High School Drop Outs With Learning Disabilities In The U.S. Virgin Islands, Tanya M. Lockhart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A decline in high school dropout rates of students with learning disabilities (SWLDs) has been reported in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Of the2 school districts in the USVI, St. STT/STJ and STX, the researcher examined high school experiences of SWLDs who dropped out and did not attain a high school diploma in STX. Utilizing the conceptual framework of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, participants' personal high school experiences were examined in an effort to understand factors leading to their choice to drop out. The researcher interviewed 12 participants who were drop out SWLDs, ages 18 years and older. Interview data …

African American Males' Perception Of The Barriers In Higher Education, Terry Vincent Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals who earn a college degree increase their chances of stable employment and decrease their chances of committing crimes. Fewer African American males earn college degrees compared to European American, Asian American, and Hispanic American males. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore how barriers to education are developed, how they affect the education of African American males, and how those perceived barriers may be overcome. This study was framed by 2 theories: Steele and Aronson's stereotype threat and McClelland, Atkinson, Clark, and Lowell's achievement motivation. The six participants for this study were male college graduates …

The Impact Of Faith-Based Organizations On Schools And Families For Prevention Of Bullying And Youth Violence, Jason L. Groce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of research regarding the potential relationship between the reduction of bullying through participation in faith-based organizations may have failed to expand available bullying intervention methods. Faith-based organizations could assist in reducing bullying via moral instruction, boundary-setting guidance, social engagement techniques, and understanding social engagement with the bully's parents. This study explored the relationship between bullying and involvement in faith-based activities through (a) discovering the association between the reduction of bullying incidence or inclinations and faith-based activities, and (b) identifying the mechanisms responsible for the suppression of bullying orientations and behaviors through faith-based activities. The theoretical construct of the …

Small Business Owners' Consumer Brand Engagement Strategies In Social Media, Adam M. Hunsicker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2004, the economic relevance of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United States has steadily declined while large-scale enterprises' contributions have increased. Large-scale enterprises have maximized opportunities to engage consumers through social media and have created competitive advantages compared to SMEs. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the social media consumer brand engagement strategies leaders of SMEs used to positively affect their brands' equity. Relationship marketing and customer relationship management provided the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected through interviews with 8 craft brewery business owners in the Southeastern United States and …

Evaluating U.S. Counterterrorism Policy On Domestic Terrorism Using The Global Terrorism Database, Colleen Michelle Kennedy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States has a long history of domestic terrorism, yet U.S. counterterrorism policy has focused almost completely on the threat from international terrorism. The gap in the literature was the absence of an empirical evaluation of U.S. counterterrorism policy on domestic terrorism in general. The purpose of this quantitative study was to describe the impact of 21st century U.S. counterterrorism policy on incidence, lethality, and cost of domestic terrorism using data from the Global Terrorism Database. The multiple streams framework and the power elite theory were used. In this longitudinal trend study using secondary data analysis, domestic terrorism data …

Effects Of Psychiatric Hospital Closures On Local Jail Administrators, Correctional Staff, And Inmates, Mark Christian Lasko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A series of psychiatric hospital closures has led to a movement of care for individuals with mental illness from state-run facilities to managed care centers. Many of the individuals who no longer reside in psychiatric hospitals have become ensnared in the criminal justice system. Correctional facilities have an increased burden to care for the needs of the mentally ill, but lack the training and facilities to do so adequately. In this study, the lived experiences of correctional staff who have experienced the process of a hospital closure were examined. Psychiatric rehabilitation and gatekeeper theories served as the theoretical framework for …

Employer Perceptions When Applying Criminal History Information To The Hiring Process, Karen S. Levy Mccanna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In recent years, the state of Illinois has joined the "ban the box" movement which typically prohibits employers from inquiring about a prospective employee's criminal history until it has been determined whether the candidate meets the core qualifications for the position. Little, however, is known whether this legislative change has impacted how private employers use criminal history information and to what extent knowledge of criminal history impacts final hiring decisions. Using Kingdon's policy streams concept as a guide, the purpose of this general qualitative study was to understand whether implementation of "ban the box" principles impacts final hiring decisions. Data …

Factors Associated With Prostate Cancer Screening Intentions Among Adult Men In Nigeria, Ifeanyi N. Malu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Timely detection of prostate cancer (PCA) with prostate-specific antigens (PSA) and digital rectal examinations (DRE) are essential in optimizing incidence, minimizing prevalence, and reducing mortality rates. Given the low levels of participation in cancer screening, this study was conducted to examine the factors men consider when deciding whether to screen for PCA in Nigeria. A cross-sectional, online-based survey of 180 consenting Nigerian men 50 years old and older was carried out. Logistic regression analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Based on the data, there was a moderate positive association between the health belief model constructs and …

Examination Of Teachers' Perceived Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge And Its Relationship To Lesson Design, Jocelyn Mcdonald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School districts are increasingly adopting 1-to-1 technology initiatives to support 21st century teaching and learning; yet, there are still many challenges with the effective integration of technology into teacher instructional practices. Teacher's technological, pedagogical, content knowledge (TPACK) is an integral part in planning the instructional process for effective integration. In this quantitative study, teachers' knowledge of technology, content, and pedagogy was examined through the lens of TPACK and its relationship to their lesson design practices. Two validated TPACK instruments were used to collect data on 117 in-service teachers in a large, urban school district with a 1-to-1 technology initiative. A …

Midwestern Artists' Responses To The Demands Of Entrepreneurial Management, Carolyn Melissa Nelson-Kavajecz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Artists have the potential to achieve higher levels of success in business management, leadership roles, and entrepreneurial endeavors if equipped with the proper knowledge. Although artists may have a creative perspective and could possess many of the attributes sought after by organizations and communities in need of innovative leaders, their approaches to entrepreneurial management differ from traditional business managers or community leaders. The problem was poor understanding of how artists in Midwestern regions of the United States respond to the demands of entrepreneurial management. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to understand how 20 individuals who self-identified as …

Suburban High School Teachers' Teaching Styles, Teaching Experiences, And Acceptance Of Edmodo, Tshimpo C. Mukenge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Southern U.S. teachers at suburban high schools can use Edmodo; however, teachers prefer traditional teacher-centered teaching methods. This quantitative correlative study explored teachers' technology acceptance in relation to teaching styles and experiences. Framing acceptance by Davis's technology acceptance model (TAM), research questions addressed the direct and moderating relationships between teaching style and the TAM variables related to using Edmodo and the direct and moderating relationships between teaching experiences and TAM variables. From 240 teachers at the high school, 45 completed an online survey (response rate of 18.75%). Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and regression analyzed data. TAM could be verified for the …

Recidivism Differences And Measures Of Predictability For Federally Convicted Child Pornographers, Ricardo J. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a gap in research on the effectiveness of mandatory-minimum sentences on the recidivism rates of federal child pornography offenders, resulting in policy that may be ineffective and costly. Relevant research can further understanding of criminogenic behavior that results in the exploitation of children and aid future policy making decisions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between federal sentencing and federal child pornographer recidivism. Central to this study is the research question of whether there exists a statistically significant difference between the likelihood of recidivism in 2 child pornographer cohorts that receive different …

Entrepreneurial Marketing In Online Home-Based Businesses: Narratives From Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Craig Daniel Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the formation of an online home-based business may be a relatively simple and low-cost endeavor, entrepreneurial marketing researchers suggest that immigrant entrepreneurs must access appropriate resources to effectively market an online business for breakout from low-growth, ethnic enclave markets. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to explore the entrepreneurial marketing experiences of immigrant entrepreneurs in the United States operating online home-based businesses, and the implications of these experiences for supporting breakout from traditionally restricted markets. To address this gap, a narrative inquiry method was used to collect data from immigrant entrepreneurs. This study was framed by …

Correctional Social Work Practice With Female Offenders In A Midwestern State, Veronica Labrell Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A women's prison in the midwestern region of the United States experienced an increase of female inmates. Incarcerated women have reported higher rates of substance abuse problems, prior victimization, and mental illness than their male counterparts. Clinical social workers are often the primary service providers in criminal justice settings. The purpose of this action research project was to explore the challenges faced by social workers in a midwestern state when providing clinical treatment services to female offenders. Postmodern feminist theory and pathways theory provided a framework for understanding the factors related to female offending. The practice-focused research question explored the …

An Exploration Of The Experiences Of Equine Therapy Specialists, Jaime Lyn Battestella-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Horses have been an integral part of human history and progress for centuries. Horses and humans have united in diverse ways, including farming, war, construction, racing, and other areas of sports. Researchers have indicated that the use of horses for mental health and wellness is a growing trend that continues to lack strong, empirical evidence. Currently, there is limited research available on the experiences of certified equine specialists incorporating horses into mental health and wellness. It is essential to gain further insight into the incorporation of horses into psychology and counseling for therapists, as well as potential clients, interested in …

Stakeholder Engagement Strategies For Nonprofit Organization Financial Sustainability, Orna Tricia Bradley-Swanson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stakeholders are important to the financial sustainability of a nonprofit organization; however, heavy reliance on 1 stakeholder over another can place a nonprofit organization at financial risk. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies used by 3 senior leaders of a nonprofit organization in New York who have experience with stakeholder engagements efforts. The conceptual framework used for this study comprised general systems theory and transformational leadership theory. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, and review of organizational documents and online databases. Using thematic analysis, the 4 key themes that emerged from process and results strengths …

The Long-Term Effect Of Reading Recovery On Fourth Grade Reading Achievement, Stephany Renee Carr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading Recovery is a first-grade literacy intervention program with notable short-term benefits, but there are sustainability studies that highlight inconclusive evidence of its enduring success. It was unclear if formerly enrolled Reading Recovery students continue to have long-term literacy skill retention after exiting the literacy intervention. The problem was essential to this rural district because Reading Recovery was costly to implement, and the literacy standardized test scores remained low. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if formerly enrolled Reading Recovery students had sustainable literacy skills. The theoretical framework was the literacy processing theory, which entails how emergent …

Health Care Determinants Of Cervical Cancer Screening In Harare Zimbabwe, Dominic Chifamba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women of all age groups in Zimbabwe, and mortality and incidence continue to increase. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to assess the factors that influence the utilization of cervical cancer screening services by Zimbabwean women living in Harare, Zimbabwe. Because personal beliefs influence screening, this study was guided by the health belief model (HBM). A total of 394 women whose ages ranged from 18 to 65 years were recruited from a health care facility in Harare. A 40-item closed-ended questionnaire was used to assess participants' knowledge, …

Psychological Distress Among High-Risk Youths First-Year In Collegiate Sport, Cassidy Janay Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is well documented that students from low socioeconomic backgrounds face a significant degree of deficiencies in college opportunity. Previous researchers have shown an estimated 1 in 5 student athletes given the opportunity to compete at the college level come from low socioeconomic backgrounds and encounter more adjustment issues than other students because of the psychological barriers they face. Using Pearlin's theory of psychological distress and Selye's GAS as the foundation, this study explored the extent to which the difference between the perceived time needed and actual time spent in both sports and academic commitment predict psychological distress in first-year …

Exploring Strategies To Integrate Disparate Bioinformatics Datasets, Charbel Bader Fakhry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Distinct bioinformatics datasets make it challenging for bioinformatics specialists to locate the required datasets and unify their format for result extraction. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies to integrate distinct bioinformatics datasets. The technology acceptance model was used as the conceptual framework to understand the perceived usefulness and ease of use of integrating bioinformatics datasets. The population of this study included bioinformatics specialists of a research institution in Lebanon that has strategies to integrate distinct bioinformatics datasets. The data collection process included interviews with 6 bioinformatics specialists and reviewing 27 organizational documents relating to integrating …