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Multicase Historic Studies Of Innovative Work Behavior Among Intellectually Gifted Adults, Karen Denise Gaskins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

ABSTRACT

This qualitative research study was conducted to examine whether investing in innovation and gifted intelligence would improve America's economic well-being. The investment issue became a problem because educational researchers researched innovation as creativity rather than as productive behavior. Moreover, in the literature, adult giftedness was perceived as negative development rather than as alternate normative behavior. The purpose of this research study was to generate new knowledge about innovation and adult giftedness. WICS (wisdom, intelligence, creativity, synthesized) theory of intelligence provided the theoretical framework because intelligence is a measure of human productivity potential. The neuropsychological conceptual framework facilitated a cognitive …

Knowledge Transfer Strategy Implementation In Contract Organizations, Delano Clyde Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite economic perils of government shutdowns, foreclosures, bankruptcies, and employee layoffs, some contract leaders consistently fail to implement knowledge transfer strategies that could improve production and profitability and maintain operational readiness when employees transition in and out of the organization. The conceptual framework for this descriptive research study was Nonaka and Takeuchi's socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization model for knowledge creation. A purposive sample of 20 leaders from 2 contract organizations within the south central United States with at least 10 years of experience in contracting were interviewed. Member checking was used for reliability of the synthesized interviews, and triangulation …

The Role Of Team Development In Ensuring Small Business Profitability, Sharon Hunter Nikolaus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small business leaders lack strategies to develop effective teams. Lack of team development affects the ability of restaurant small business owners to remain profitable for longer than 5 years. The focus of this multiple case study was an exploration of the role team development plays in business profitability. The population for this study was 3 experienced owners of restaurants in New Jersey that remained open for longer than 5 years. The conceptual framework was based on the Tuckman model of team development to highlight the connection between the model and how small business owners use team development to remain …

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 …

Measuring Regulatory And Noncompliance Prevalence Among Maryland Commercial Blue Crab Fishers, Jacquelyn Lee Rachor Hornsby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Few empirical studies exist that compare regulation (R) and fishing crime (VL). The lack of information about R and VL effects stakeholder decision-making. Crime weakens conservation efforts and creates false baseline data. This furthers R and the cycle repeats. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine the statistical association between the number and type of annual commercial blue crab R and VL of the same. The Pearson's R correlation was used to analyze the data because it demonstrated the strength of each relationship. This quantitative study was grounded in enforcement theory. The data was public record and consisted …

Social Workers' Experiences With Interventions For Clients With Congenital Heart Disease, Corinne Smorra

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many adults born with congenital heart disease (CHD) face long-term psychosocial issues related the disease. The purpose of this project was to better understand social workers' experiences with interventions for clients who have CHD and experience psychosocial problems. Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory was a basis for the research questions, which focused on clarifying social workers' experiences with interventions and identifying the ecological levels to which the interventions align. A narrative design with nonprobability sampling was used. Six social workers who counsel adults with CHD from 6 of the 109 U.S. CHD clinics participated in individual interviews. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and …

Quantitative Comparison Of Novice And Veteran Teachers' Cultural Beliefs, Janet Adrienne Riley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor scores on standardized tests on the part of African American students are a problem at an urban high school in the U.S. Midwest. A factor potentially contributing to this problem is that teachers' cultural beliefs may not be well matched to those of students. This gap is important because cultural beliefs have an influence on the academic achievement of students. The cultural mismatch may be reduced as teachers gain experience with students' cultures and diversity, but it is not known the extent to which experience is beneficial in the Midwest urban high school setting. The purpose of this quantitative …

Cloud Computing Adoption In Afghanistan: A Quantitative Study Based On The Technology Acceptance Model, George T. Nassif

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cloud computing emerged as an alternative to traditional in-house data centers that businesses can leverage to increase the operation agility and employees' productivity. IT solution architects are tasked with presenting to IT managers some analysis reflecting cloud computing adoption critical barriers and challenges. This quantitative correlational study established an enhanced technology acceptance model (TAM) with four external variables: perceived security (PeS), perceived privacy (PeP), perceived connectedness (PeN), and perceived complexity (PeC) as antecedents of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEoU) in a cloud computing context. Data collected from 125 participants, who responded to the invitation through an …

Factors Influencing Racially Ethnic Minority Youth Participation In Snow Sports, Jennifer N. Whitehead

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low participation of racially ethnic minority youth in snow sports activities may be caused by racism through structural and symbolic factors. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of teachers from school-based programs and resort ski school programs as well as coaches from afterschool club and community-based organizations regarding the structural and symbolic influences on the participation of racially ethnic minority youth in snow sports. Using critical race theory as the conceptual framework, a qualitative, phenomenological inquiry was centered on the experiences of racially ethnic minority youth related to potential racism in structural and symbolic factors …

Employee Engagement Strategies To Increase Innovation, Idrisa B. Abdul-Hamid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human resources leaders (HRLs) who fail to embrace employee innovation are at risk of

jeopardizing the organization's competitive advantage. Organizational leadership and

employees stand to benefit from innovation, as employee innovation can aid in

establishing a competitive advantage and survivability. Grounded in the transformational

leadership conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was

to explore employee engagement strategies HRLs use to increase innovation. The

participants included 5 HRLs at small human resource management firms in the northeast

area of the United States who used engagement strategies to increase innovation. Data

were collected from interviews with the HRLs, …

Nonprofit Leader External Communication Strategies To Attract New Donors, Laurie Ann Albarino

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 64% of nonprofit leaders struggle to connect with supporters through fund initiatives alone, and 59% of nonprofit leaders lack the marketing communication capability to attract new donors. Fundraising is vital to nonprofit organizations' sustainability and essential for successfully attracting new donors. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore effective external communication strategies used by 3 southern California nonprofits through the conceptual lens of the integrated marketing communications theory. Data were gathered using semistructured interviews, a review of organizational documents and online databases, and the Baldrige Excellence Framework. The data were analyzed using Yin's 5-step process. …

Counter-Ideology As A Wider Strategy For Defeating The Boko Haram Terrorist Group, Kwesi Ayima

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a need to address current military strategies to defeat the resilience of the Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) group. The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide a counter-ideology framework as an alternative strategy to defeat the group. The relational/vengeance and relative deprivation theories provided the theoretical foundation for the study, and the research question addressed the extent to which counter-ideology strategies can be instituted to defeat the BHT group. Data were collected through semi structured interviews from 20 participants who were Muslim clerics, community leaders, and military personnel, and data were analyzed using Nvivo software. The themes …

A Geographic Study Of Lung And Bronchus Cancer Rates In Kentucky, Gabriel Njoh Dikong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The average age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates of lung and bronchus cancer is 55% and 56% higher in Kentucky than the national averages in the United States, respectively. Populations with low income and educational attainment, and those who live close to the mining regions across Kentucky are more affected by the high prevalence and resulting mortality rates of lung and bronchus cancer. This study was conducted because of the high incidence of lung and bronchus cancer and resulting mortality rates in the state of Kentucky that may not be caused solely by social and demographic factors. The theoretical foundation for …

Small Construction Business Owners' Strategies For Employee Retention, Charles H. Griner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Thirty-four percent of people in the United States of America work for businesses that employ fewer than 100 people. However, many small business owners lack the strategies necessary to retain their valuable employees. Businesses that fail to retain valuable employees are as much as 28% less efficient. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small construction business owners use to retain their valuable employees. Contingency theory provided the conceptual framework. The participants were three owners of three small businesses in the construction industry located in Mississippi which implemented successful policies and procedures to retain their …

A Phenomenological Approach To Understanding Consensual Nonmonogamy Among African-American Couples, Krishna Jones Clanton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Monogamy is recognized as a singularly accepted relationship construct within the United States. As a result, little is understood about alternative relationship constructs and those who choose them. Even less is understood regarding these practices among members of marginalized communities. Despite this lack of knowledge, there is evidence to suggest that approximately 4-5% of the United States population is engaged in some form of consensually nonmonogamous relationship pairing (a percentage comparable to the LGBTQAI community), and an estimated 25% of the population will engage in some form of consensual nonmonogamy over the course of their lifespan. This study looked to …

Women Leaders In Information Technology: A Phenomenological Study Of Their Career Paths, Michelle Newsome

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, women remain underrepresented in senior level positions in the information technology (IT) field. Despite this challenge, a few women have successfully ascended into senior leadership in IT. Using the social cognitive theory as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of senior women leaders in the IT field. The research question explored the lived personal and professional experiences of senior women leaders in IT to gain an understanding of their career advancement into senior leadership positions. Through the use of the modified Van Kaam method of …

Small Business Responses To Reduce Impacts From Natural Disasters, Lenox Lemar Godfrey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Florida is a hurricane-prone state, and not all small business owners are prepared to survive in the wake of a hurricane or flood event, as only 14% of small business owners prepare for natural disasters compared to 44.9% for large corporations. Small business owners can enhance the survivability of their companies with well prepared disaster plans. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies 5 small business owners in northwest Florida implemented to avoid permanent business closure after a natural disaster. The conceptual framework was the theory of planned behavior. Data were collected through interviews with 5 …

Optimizing Green Supply Chain Management Strategies, Mark Derek De La Grandiere

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some business leaders in the manufacturing industry lack strategies to optimize green supply chain management strategies that increase profitability while reducing the carbon footprint. The lack of green supply chain strategies sub optimizes the use of resources business leaders use to meet their financial goals. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore successful green supply chain strategies leaders used to increase profitability while reducing the carbon footprint. The participants were 7 business leaders in one manufacturing organization headquartered in Massachusetts who have sophisticated green supply chain strategies in place. The natural resource-based view theory was the …

Gifted Students In Poverty's Perceptions Of Blended Learning, Darren Chase Crutcher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students who are raised in poverty and are not adapted to technology use have less positive learning experiences with technology usage than other students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore students' perceptions of blended learning among gifted students who are enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program in a public high school district in the southeastern United States. Davis's version of the technology acceptance model was used as the conceptual framework. The research questions explored the perceptions of these gifted students when they are taught using blended learning in terms of their attitudes, perceived usefulness, perceived …

Small Construction Business Owners' Strategies For Employee Retention, Charles H. Griner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Thirty-four percent of people in the United States of America work for businesses that employ fewer than 100 people. However, many small business owners lack the strategies necessary to retain their valuable employees. Businesses that fail to retain valuable employees are as much as 28% less efficient. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small construction business owners use to retain their valuable employees. Contingency theory provided the conceptual framework. The participants were three owners of three small businesses in the construction industry located in Mississippi which implemented successful policies and procedures to retain their …

A Geographic Study Of Lung And Bronchus Cancer Rates In Kentucky, Gabriel Njoh Dikong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The average age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates of lung and bronchus cancer is 55% and 56% higher in Kentucky than the national averages in the United States, respectively. Populations with low income and educational attainment, and those who live close to the mining regions across Kentucky are more affected by the high prevalence and resulting mortality rates of lung and bronchus cancer. This study was conducted because of the high incidence of lung and bronchus cancer and resulting mortality rates in the state of Kentucky that may not be caused solely by social and demographic factors. The theoretical foundation for …

Leisure Computer Usage And Perceived Body Weight, Diet, And Physical Activity, Santina Jaronko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Screened media platforms have been blamed for contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic. The purpose of this study was to determine if leisure computer usage, such as engaging in social media, impacted perceived body weight, dietary habits, and physical activity. The social network theory and the social cognitive theory were the theoretical frameworks of this cross-sectional study using secondary data. The data set used was the 2015 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey including a sample size of 8,241 youths between Grades 9 and 12. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis were performed to …

Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms Knowledge And Breast Cancer In Texas, Ejike Roland Egwuekwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breast cancer is a world health problem and is a leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the United States. However, breast cancer risks were reported to be reduced through exposure to Vitamin D through its Receptors identified as the p53 target gene. The purpose of this study was to assess the associations between VDR gene polymorphisms knowledge/awareness and decisions to reduce breast cancer risks and likelihood of mammogram screening among women in Texas. Data from survey were used. Roy adaptation model was the theoretical framework that guided this quasi- experimental, quantitative research. The dependent variables were decisions to …

Social Support, Health Status, And Personality Factors In Coping Styles Of Gay Men, Mary Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Personality factors and coping styles may affect how individuals will respond to the lack of social support. The purpose of this descriptive design was to examine the relationship between social support and health risk implications in gay men, which is a population that is under-represented in the research literature in regard to this topic. The theoretical framework guiding this study was the social stress model, which posits that stress and support are related to mental health outcomes. A sample of 76 gay men were recruited from Craigslist ad to participate in this study. They completed self -report questionnaires anonymously online, …

Understanding Coping Strategies And Behaviors Of Employees Affected By Toxic Leadership, Jerry A. Morris, Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Toxic leaders affect nearly half of the U.S. employee base and create environments in which followers, peers, and staff might be less effective due to stress, devaluation, and potential job loss. A multiple case study approach was used to understand what coping strategies employees use to reduce the negative effects of toxic leadership on themselves, other employees, and the overall workplace; and to understand the behaviors that result from these strategies. The purposeful and snowball sample consisted of 29 participants within the United States, ages 30 to 65, who worked within two or more organizations and who either directly experienced …

Public Servants' Perceptions Of The Cybersecurity Posture Of The Local Government In Puerto Rico, Julio C. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The absence of legislation, the lack of a standard cybersecurity framework, and the failure to adopt a resilient cybersecurity posture can be detrimental to the availability, confidentiality, and integrity of municipal information systems. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the cybersecurity posture of municipalities from the perception of public servants serving in information technology (IT) leadership roles in highly populated municipalities in the San Juan-Carolina-Caguas Metropolitan Statistical Area of Puerto Rico. The study was also used to address key factors influencing the cybersecurity posture of these municipalities. The theoretical framework was open system theory used in combination …

Peer Taught Sex Education's Influence On Adolescent Sexual Decisions And Hookups, Sarah Kathleen Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Teen Prevention Education Program (PEP) utilizes different methods, mainly peer teaching via skits and small groups, to help influence adolescents to make informed sexual decisions. The purpose of this study is to find how Teen PEP can have an effect on an adolescent's decision on whether to or not hookup. This study utilized interviews with participants of the program asking them about their views on hooking up and how they view how Teen PEP aided in their decision-making whether to or not hook up. While transcribing the interviews and looking for keywords related to the research questions, the analysis …

Impact Of Charter School Legislation On Public K-12 Education In Pennsylvania, Stuart Whiteleather

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Charter and cyber charter schools were legislatively permitted to operate as publicly funded educational institutions in Pennsylvania with the passage of Act 22 of 1997. Examining the tuition payments from traditional school districts funding charter schools and resulting economic, operational, and programmatic impacts on traditional K-12 education was the purpose of this study. Conflict theory provided the theoretical framework which proposes that inequity and competition for limited resources is the result of powerful groups exerting their influence on the greater society. This study's research questions focused on determining the impact tuition payments to charter schools had on public K-12 student …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Academic Performance And Student Engagement Among Ninth-Grade Students, Enock Alcine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of academic proficiency in ninth grade is a serious concern because of its associations with subsequent grade retention and dropout risk. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore teachers' perceptions of the prospective causes of poor academic performance of ninth-grade students, with particular attention to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional barriers to student engagement. Self-determination theory provided the interpretative framework for this study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 10 ninth-grade teachers, observation of teachers' classrooms, and review of archival documents. Results of 6-phase thematic analysis indicated 8 themes: (a) no or little student engagement, …

Bereavement In Online Graduate Students: Perspectives On Academic Success And Interventions, Edythe Marie Bouldin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative study was to fill an existing gap in research on bereavement and graduate students. The study explored how bereavement and grief affect a person physically, mentally, and cognitively. Prior studies have addressed bereavement in undergraduate college students, but little research has focused on online graduate students and bereavement. This study fills that gap in the literature allowing university personnel and the public access to an understanding as to how online graduate students' bereavement affects their academic performance and how they perceive their university supports them during their time of bereavement. This exploration used a case …