Digital Commons Network^™

Perspectives Of Primary Care Physicians On Adopting Electronic Medical Records In The Atlanta, Georgia Area, Chris U. Okoro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Slow adoption of electronic medical records (EMR) by primary care physicians in medical office practices has not facilitated the EMR adoption process. The problem is the slow pace of EMR adoption by primary care physicians in the Atlanta, Georgia area has become a public health concern. Research regarding the lived experiences of these physicians with EMR implementation and utilization may identify reasons for the slow adoption. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of primary care physicians, who practice in the Atlanta area, regarding their perception, successes, barriers, and urgency of adoption of EMR in …

Small Business Owners' Strategies For Success, Ovuefelomaloye London Onyenego

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses represent 99.7% of all employers in the United States and account for 63% of new jobs; however, 50% of small businesses fail within 5 years of operation. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that some small restaurant owners used to succeed in business for longer than 5 years. The sample population for the study was the owners of 3 small restaurants in the northeastern region of the United States who have a minimum of 5 years' experience in operating a successful business. Chaos theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. Data collection …

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 …

A Grounded Theory Of Millennials Job-Hopping, Deborah L. Rivers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Corporations are finding it challenging to attract and retain the top talented Millennials. Their frequent job-hopping is costing the U.S. economy $30.5 billion annually despite corporations' best efforts to retain them. The central research question concerns the decision-making process that Millennials use to decide whether to job-hop or stay with an organization. The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a theory that explains the Millennials' process for deciding whether to job-hop or stay with an organization. The conceptual framework for this grounded theory research is generational theory, Herzberg's hygiene and motivational factors, and psychological contract theory. The data …

Religious Orientation And Communication As Predictors On Military Spouses' Perception Of Marital Happiness After A Second Deployments, Stephanie Santana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Military spouses are often left at home when their service member deploys to areas outside the United States. These deployments can have a lasting impact on the military spouses' perception of marital happiness. Communication problems can occur within the marriage and military spouses may use their religious orientation to alleviate the stress that comes from deployments. This quantitative study used an online survey method to conduct bivariate correlations and multiple regression analysis from a sample of 128 military spouses. This study focused on the family stress theory and used the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale, Extrinsic and Intrinsic Religious Orientation Scale, …

Exploring The Multicultural Pedagogy Of Ces Faculty Through An Intersectional Lens, Jenae D. Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Counselor education and supervision (CES) faculty members are responsible for adequately preparing counselors-in-training (CIT) for their work with diverse populations. Current literature explains traditional multicultural counseling education in this way; however, little research is available exploring faculty members' personal and professional experiences with intersectionality and how those experiences contribute to their pedagogy. In this dissertation, CES faculty members' experiences with intersectionality theory and how they could use this theory in their multicultural pedagogy were explored. Research questions exploring CES faculty use of intersectionality in their multicultural coursework, how their personal experiences contribute to their pedagogy, and their experiences with privilege …

Private Sector Defense Contractor Management Strategies For Contract Fulfillment, Rachel Stallworth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Private sector U.S. defense contractors failing to meet contract objectives experience lower profitability, pay costly penalties, and risk survivability. Using the theory of contracts, the purpose of this multiple case study was to the explore strategies that some leaders of U.S. defense contracting businesses use to meet all the contract terms with the U.S. Department of Defense. Data were collected from 5 leaders of private sector defense contracting companies in northwest Florida through face-to-face, semistructured interviews and through a review of operations manuals, quality assurance policy manuals, and archived U.S. Department of Defense contracts. During data analysis using Yin's 5-step …

Improving Attendance In An Undergraduate Business Program At A For-Profit College, Erica Schacht

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a small for-profit college located outside of New York City, declining classroom attendance over the last few years has become a serious concern in the business program. Poor attendance is one of the major causes for enrollment dropping and poor student retention. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify factors that influence student attendance. The study was based on Tinto's (1975) model of student integration and Nora and Cabrera's (1996) student adjustment model, which relates environmental influences on student retention. The research questions were used to investigate why students attend or do not attend classes, and …

Exploring Sme Vulnerabilities To Cyber-Criminal Activities Through Employee Behavior And Internet Access, Jerry Allen Twisdale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cybercriminal activity may be a relatively new concern to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), but it has the potential to create financial and liability issues for SME organizations. The problem is that SMEs are a future growth target for cybercrime activity as larger corporations begin to address security issues to reduce cybercriminal risks and vulnerabilities. The purpose of this study was to explore a small business owner's knowledge about to the principal elements of decision making for SME investment into cybersecurity education for employees with respect to internet access and employee vulnerabilities. The theoretical framework consisted of the psychological studies …

Development Of A Clinical Nurse Leadership Orientation Program, Sunita Waddell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurses are often promoted or hired into leadership positions without the benefit of a formal orientation to their new leadership positions. The challenge of navigating the various expectations of the role of clinical nurse leader (CNL) such as fiscal ownership, staffing patterns, payroll, and disciplinary action process can be overwhelming. The lack of a formalized orientation process and an identified nurse leader to function as a mentor can contribute to the novice CNL feeling unsupported and overwhelmed. The purpose of this project was to identify, develop, and evaluate a CNL orientation manual, outline, and program for newly appointed CNLs. The …

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 …

A Phenomenological Analysis Of Changing Prejudice Among Defectors Of Closed Faith, Leah Zitter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prejudice research shows that most psychologists focus on moderate prejudice in superficial settings, rather than extreme prejudice in real-life situations. The present study used an interpretive phenomenological analysis guided by social constructivism on 21 biographies to investigate how the authors voluntarily disaffiliated from their groups and altered their prejudice. The narratives were retrieved from popular and academic book and journal memoirs, digital and print interviews and articles, podcasts and video clips of members of closed faith societies who were socialized to resent outsiders, with their resentments turning into violence. The analysis used Willig's 4 stages: immersion in material, identifying core …

Policy Implications And Perceptions Of African American Men Who Used Ritalin As Children, Divine Ayivor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Even though there are high diagnosis rates of ADHD among young African American

men, policy makers and parents have largely viewed the use of Ritalin as a psychotrop

ic

drug that raises public health concerns. African American parents may be reluctant to

treat their children pharmacologically. Very few studies have fully explored the

perceptions of African American men

about the consequences of their

Ritalin

use

as

chi

ldren. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of African

American men who used Ritalin as children

so that

policy makers

and

parents of children

with ADHD

might

better …

Student Perceptions Of E-Assessment Tools For Sign Language Interpretation, Marc Boese

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

American Sign Language (ASL) has grown to be the 3rd largest enrolled secondary language course in the United States, and colleges and universities seek to identify effective assessment methods for this visual-based language. Although much research exists on sign language e-learning programs, asynchronous video feedback, and sign recognition software, very few studies have been conducted on using technology to as a method of assessment for sign language courses. The purpose of this hermeneutical, phenomenological, qualitative study was to document the lived experiences of students using the electronic assessment tool, GoReact, in courses. The conceptual framework was guided by engagement theory …

Differentiating Theists And Nontheists By Way Of A Sampling Of Self-Reported Sexual Thoughts And Behaviors, Kelli Callahan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Numerous researchers have addressed the impact of individual religiosity or spirituality on psychological well-being. However, studies addressing the possible relationship between religiosity and sexuality, specifically in the form of deterrence of certain sexual thoughts or behaviors based upon religious dictates, remain sparse. Individual religiosity may be related to individual sexual self-expression. Built on the framework of cognitive-dissonance theory and self-determination theory, this quantitative, correlational study was designed to examine the relationships between religiosity and sexual attitudes and behaviors of both theist and nontheist population samples comprised of approximately 400 subjects throughout the United States. Study participants completed the Derogatis Sexual …

The Relationship Between Body Dissatisfaction And Cosmetic Enhancement Surgery, Amanda Crandall Sharp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research has indicated an increasing trend toward elective cosmetic surgery to achieve a perceived ideal body image and meet psychological and social needs. However, there remains a gap in the literature regarding the number of procedures performed on a single patient, and the potential that patients may suffer from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between the number of cosmetic surgeries undergone, level of body dissatisfaction, level of dysmorphic concern, and preoccupation with appearance. Participants included 75 females and 55 males, ranging in age from 18 to 64 years. …

Third-Party Logistics' Hiring Manager Strategies To Recruit Supply-Chain Professionals, Beth D'Alessandro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of third-party logistics companies face a critical talent shortage because of the global deficiency of supply-chain professionals. The lack of trained supply-chain professionals negatively affects business and market performance. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies used by third-party logistics hiring managers to recruit supply-chain talent to meet industry demands. The resource-based view theory was used as a lens for this study. Data were collected from 5 Pennsylvania third-party logistics hiring managers from interviews, organizational documents, and company websites. Member checking occurred after transcription and summarization of the interview data. Data analysis occurred using …

Family, Community, And Peer Factors In Substance Abuse Recovery And School Achievement, Lisa Duszynski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research correlates adolescent drug use and dropout rates, and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows 31.4% of those who dropped out of high school had used an illicit substance recently. The purpose of this study was to examine adolescents' perceptions of the influence of family, peers, and community, on recovery and academic achievement as a result of participation in a school-referred drug education program. To inspect the study purpose, Henggeler's multisystemic therapy was used to guide the study. Data collection used a researcher-designed, open-ended survey to collect responses from 14 individuals involved in a school-referred substance education …

Public Awareness Of Human Trafficking, Chelsea Annette Farrell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public awareness is crucial in the fight against human trafficking, but little academic research looks at the public policy implications of different types of messaging the public may be using in recognizing human trafficking. Using policy feedback theory as the theoretical lens, the purpose of this quantitative study was to compare mean awareness scores for both film and social media to determine if there was a statistically significant difference between the scores and their degree of public awareness. Data were collected through an online survey, which included questions related to both film and social media, using a participant pool service. …

The Predictability Of Facebook Memorial Page Participation On Grief, Colleen Grote

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the world's largest social networking site, Facebook, continues to grow in popularity, it is imperative for counselors and counselor educators to better understand how online environments impact all facets of life, including death. Grief behaviors on Facebook have been a focus of scholars since the launch of the social networking site in 2004. Researchers have demonstrated that Facebook memorial pages have a significant impact on the social and cultural practices related to death and memorialization for Facebook users. However, despite a rapid rise in research related to online mourning, researchers have yet been able to establish the potential risk …

A Comparative Analysis Of Family Therapies On Youth With A Co-Occurring Disorder, Rochelle Henderson-Clark

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are approximately 1.3 million youth who have been diagnosed with a co-occurring disorder. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between the type of therapy (brief strategic family therapy or family functional therapy), demographic factors (age, race, type of drug used), and therapy discharge status (successful or unsuccessful) in male youth with a co-occurring disorder of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and substance use disorder. A correlational research design of a cross-sectional nature was used for this study and secondary data were obtained from a mental health agency located in Hampton Roads Virginia. The theoretical basis for this …

Intrinsic Classroom Teacher Motivation, Mindi Hennefer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the public education accountability movement, politicians and corporate reformers claim that student performance on standardized tests is an appropriate and reliable measure of a teacher's ability to educate. Given the process of holding K-12 classroom teachers directly accountable for individual student achievement based on standardized testing results, the teachers at XYZ Elementary School are currently motivated to change only through externally controlled factors or extrinsic motivation. The purpose of this research was to explore processes other than extrinsic motivation that motivate teachers to engage in strategies and methods that indirectly influence students to learn over the long term. The …

African American Males' College Readiness Through The Public School System, Howard Lee Hope

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem in a Northeastern district is that African American (AA) males need enhanced support in the high school to improve college readiness thereby strengthening access and the opportunity for college success. The purpose of this study was to gather educators' and adult AA males' perspectives of the influence of connectedness, perception, and self-valuation. Using McClelland's need achievement theory as the conceptual framework, the study focused on educators' perspectives of college readiness and AA males' perceptions of goal-valuation, academic self-perceptions, motivation, and attitudes related to teachers and college readiness. This qualitative case study included interviews with 6 administrators and 1 …

Stress And Job Satisfaction In Career College Criminal Justice Department Heads, Sherria Nicole King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There has been a significant amount of research on the impact of stress and job satisfaction amongst employees in a multitude of professional settings, including the criminal justice and higher education field. Yet, information on criminal justice professionals who work in more untraditional types of higher education institutions, such as career colleges, was lacking. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to examine whether there is a significant relationship between stress, job satisfaction, and being employed as a criminal justice department head within a career college institution and compare whether heads of other departments within career college institutions differ …

Evaluating Parents' Decisions Regarding Recommended Childhood Vaccinations, Jennifer Kline

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vaccinations are among the greatest accomplishments of public health. However, many parents are choosing not to vaccinate. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between social media influence and parents' decisions to vaccinate their children. The health belief model indicates that individuals' likelihood of engaging in a health-related behavior is determined by their perceptions of susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers. The research questions addressed whether there is an association between parents' perception of their children's disease susceptibility and their decisions about vaccination, and whether there is an association between exposure to messaging from social media and parents' …

Strategies Used By Women To Secure Sba's 8(A) And 504 Loan Financing, Valencia Y. Locust

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many woman small business owners lack strategies to obtain Small Business Administration's (SBA) 8(a) and 504 Loan financing to start and grow their businesses. This exploratory case study explored strategies that 5 women business owners used to secure SBA's 8(a) and 504 Loan financing. The TPB and feminist theory were the conceptual frameworks used in this multiple case study. In-depth, semistructured interviews with purposively selected women small business owners supplemented a review of loan acceptances and certifications. Yin's 5-step analysis guided the coding process of participants' responses, and member checking verified the transcription accuracy and that emerging themes and inferences …

Strategies And Assessments To Support Special Education Students' Writing The Literacy Test, Angelo Caesar Maniccia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many special education (SPED) students are failing the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) despite writing instruction provided by SPED teachers. The purpose of this study was to understand teachers' perceptions about why students were failing the literacy/writing test and document whether evidence-based assessment and writing practices were implemented. Cognitive-behavioral theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions in this study focused on SPED teachers perceptions regarding students not passing the OSSLT, observations of whether assessment and instruction for writing aligned with best practices, and collecting baseline curriculum-based measurement (CBM) data of SPED students' current writing …

Blended Learning As An Instructional Strategy To Improve Academic Performance, Debra-Dreana Marshall-Stuart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Higher education institutions in Barbados have introduced blended learning as a strategy to improve students' academic performance and achievement. Despite the implementation of blended learning, the poor student performance and outcomes persist. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how teaching processes and practices at the institution have influenced blended learning to improve student achievement. A social constructivist framework was used to guide the study. The research question addressed the practices and processes used by teachers to increase student learning and performance in a blended learning environment. Data collection involved semistructured interviews with 6 teachers from the …

Program Evaluation Of A Laptop Initiative For Student Learning, Thomas O'Hara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Administrators of a New Jersey school district implemented a 1:1 laptop initiative in Grades 6-8 in 2013 to bolster student achievement. An evaluation had not been conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of the initiative. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the 1:1 laptop initiative on student achievement. The conceptual framework for this study was Stufflebeam's context, input, process, and product evaluation model. The focus of the research question was the differences in New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge math scores between students involved in the 1:1 laptop initiative for 1 year and students who …

Strategies To Implement Succession Planning In A Nonprofit, Talecia Y. Parks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Surveys of nonprofit organizations conducted between 2004 and 2014 showed that 74% of the 6,923 leaders surveyed did not have a succession plan. In this qualitative single case study, the human capital theory was used as a guide to explore strategies used to implement a succession plan by 3 nonprofit leaders in a single nonprofit organization in a large metropolitan city in Southeastern Georgia. The participants were selected based on their implementation of succession plan strategies and geographical location. Semistructured interviews and document review were used to collect the data, which were analyzed using Yin's 5-step approach. Three themes emerged: …