Digital Commons Network^™

Complexity Thinking And Broadband Internet Penetration In Lagos, Nigeria, James Hyacinth Akpoja

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Considering the speed at which information and knowledge can transverse nations and organizations, the importance of broadband Internet connectivity cannot be overstated. The general problem is that the Nigerian broadband Internet penetration is considerably low, at 33% compared to other parts of the world. The specific problem is that community members and leaders have the behavioral intention to allow broadband Internet infrastructure deployment (BIID) at the local community level in Lagos. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between perceived usefulness (PU), perceived benefits (PB), perceived ease of use (PEoU), and perceive security (PS), and …

Change Fatigue, Job Satisfaction, And Organizational Commitment Among Nurses, Melissa Kapping

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The healthcare environment is complex and ever-changing, which has a direct impact on the nurse. The effects of the constant change to the nurse may result in the development of change fatigue, which causes the loss of trust in the organization, a feeling of resentment, and a sense of apprehension while depleting the individual’s reserves. The purpose of this correlational study guided by Lazarus and Folkman’s stress and coping theory was to determine if there is a relationship between (a) job satisfaction and change fatigue and (b) organizational commitment and change fatigue in nurses who work in an outpatient clinical …

Strategies For Ethiopian Small Retailers Businesses To Succeed Beyond 3 Years, Samson Negash Gebrehiwot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Ethiopia, some small retail business owners (SRBOs) embark on initiatives without adequate preparation, which results in a risk of failure within the first three years. Grounded in the conceptual frameworks of resource-based views, dynamic-capabilities views, and relational views, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by SRBOs leaders to survive and grow beyond three years. The participants were four SRBOs from Ethiopia who succeeded in business for more than three years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, company documents, observations, notes from data sources and analyzed using Yin’s 5-step data analysis process. Six …

Retention Of Case Managers Within The Metro District, Gabrielle Evette Jack

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States has issues involving child abuse/neglect with children being abused and neglected every 47 seconds. In 2018, approximately 443,000 children in the country were in foster care. The purpose of this administrative study was to identify measures for reducing turnover and improving retention among case managers within a GA agency. Qualitative data were collected from 10 case managers through virtual interviews and analyzed using NVivo to identify key themes. The three key themes emerged from the data collected: case managers need support from leaders and supervisors to perform their daily obligations, second, the leaders’ unrealistic expectations make case …

Strategies To Overcome Constraints For Small Business Sustainability, Jaquane Mawyne Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than 20% of small businesses that started in March 2018 failed within a year. Small business owners would benefit from strategies to identify and mitigate constraints from inception for business survival because business failure rates are higher among small businesses less than five years old. Grounded in the theory of constraints, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small business owners use to sustain beyond the one year of operation. The participants included six small business owners in Georgia who successfully sustained their business beyond five years. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and …

Strategies For Recruiting Volunteers In The Nonprofit Sector, Marsha Delahaye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many nonprofit organizations (NPO) leaders lack formal strategies to recruit volunteers. Nonprofit leaders without effective volunteer recruitment strategies may lack the workforce necessary to achieve the organization’s mission to support organization beneficiaries. Grounded in the strategic human resource management theory, the purpose of this qualitative, single case study was to explore strategies 3 leaders of a nonprofit organization located in the U.S. state of Colorado use to recruit volunteers. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, organizational documents, public and government data, and the organization’s website. The data were analyzed using Yin’s five-step thematic analysis process and the Baldrige Performance Excellence …

Juvenile Probation Officer Stress In Rural Area Corrections Offices, John Kelly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2015, approximately 62,400 juveniles in the United States were court-ordered to be on probation. Juvenile probation officers (JPOs), who monitor these juveniles, are responsible for intake assessments, predisposition reports, and working with juvenile delinquents and their families. Aspects of JPOs’ job duties, such as excess paperwork and lack of managerial support, can create stress. To address the relative lack of research on JPOs’ stress, particularly the limited research in rural settings, this qualitative case study examined JPOs’ stress in rural corrections offices in South Dakota. The study examines JPOs’ perceptions of causes of their stress and their responses to …

Strategies Human Resource Managers Use To Reduce Employee Turnover, Fatema Turkistani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the highest costs of employee turnover in the United States is in the pharmaceutical industry, where employee turnover is on the rise and affects profitability. Pharmaceutical leaders and resource managers are concerned with employee turnover because the estimated costs of employee turnover range between 70% and 300% of an employee’s annual salary. Using Bass’s transformational leadership theory as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies human resource managers in the pharmaceutical industry use to reduce employee turnover. Data were collected from a review of company documents and face-to-face semistructured interviews …

Transformational Leadership And Fiscal Sustainability In African American Churches, James Munford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American church leaders often experience difficulty responding to financial crises, which ultimately increases their risk of organizational failure. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlation study was to examine the relationship between transformational leadership and fiscal sustainability of African American churches in South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, California, and the District of Columbia. Data were gathered from online surveys received from 92 adult church leaders who were responsible for the daily administration of their church’s duties and responsibilities. The results of the multiple regression analysis indicated the model significantly …

Strategies To Sustain Funding In The Nonprofit Sector, Mark Sami

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofits provide much needed services to communities, especially to the poor and

vulnerable population, but the majority are operating in an environment of uncertainty

because of scarcity of resources. It is imperative that nonprofit managers implement

strategies to ensure the sustainability of their organizations. Grounded in the general

systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore

strategies that nonprofit managers use to sustain funding in the nonprofit sector. The

study participants were 3 nonprofit managers, including 2 from the Caribbean, and 1

from the United States. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and a review …

Strategies Manufacturing Plant Leaders Use To Limit High Employee Turnover, Peter Claver Amako

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High employee turnover negatively affects organizations directly in various ways, such as loss of revenue, a decline in employee morale, and productivity. Manufacturing organizational leaders are concerned with high employee turnover due to the high cost of hiring and training new employees. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies manufacturing plant leaders use to reduce high employee turnover. The participants were 9 manufacturing plant leaders in South Western Florida, who developed and implemented successful strategies that reduced high employee turnover. Data collection comprised semi-structured interviews and relevant organizational documents. …

Succession Planning Strategies In Faith-Based Nonprofits: A Comparative Case Study, Vasudev Das

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although 75% of United States nonprofit leaders planned to vacate their leadership positions in 2013, 77% of nonprofit organizations, including faith-based nonprofits, operated without succession plans. Grounded by the frameworks of Charan, Drotter, and Noel’s leadership pipeline and Vroom’s expectancy, the purpose of this comparative case study was to compare effective succession planning strategies of faith-based nonprofit leaders in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The research questions addressed the succession planning strategies of faith-based nonprofit leaders. Data collection and triangulation included semi-structured face-to-face and telephone interviews of purposeful snowball samples of six participants in each of two organizations. Data analysis was by …

Impact Of Leadership Changes On Employee Engagement In A Behavioral Health Organization, Martina Burnett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased need for patient care at the target behavioral health organization (BHO) required greater employee engagement to provide better services. Identifying strategies that are helpful for health care leaders to engage employees is beneficial to ensuring better patient care. A case study was conducted to determine whether changes in leadership in the social work department (SWD) of the BHO had an influence on employee engagement. The Baldrige excellence framework and its criteria for performance excellence were used to examine the behaviors of leaders and the ways their performance and work processes sustained the BHO during organizational changes. Data were …

Strategies For Successful Healthcare Information Technology Projects, Chareese Dionne Hayes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Without successful information technology (IT) implementations, IT managers and project managers (PMs) would fail to support their customers' and patients' technological needs. IT managers in healthcare organizations who improve IT project success rates will enhance the organization’s financial health. Grounded in the transformational leadership model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies some IT managers in healthcare organizations use to deliver IT projects meeting deliverable requirements. The participants were 5 IT managers and PMs in healthcare organizations in a metropolitan area of California who effectively used strategies to successfully deliver IT projects for health organizations. …

Workplace Safety Strategies Used By Managers To Reduce Workplace Accidents, Bryan William Vaiagae

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective safety strategies contribute to work-related accidents making the workplace one of the hazardous locations in the United States. The findings might provide organizational managers with strategies to improve workplace safety practices leading to a healthier and safer work environment. Grounded in Heinrich’s safety management systems conceptual model, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies organizational managers used to reduce workplace accidents. The participants consisted of 6 managers who oversaw safety issues at 1 organization in the central region of North Carolina. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and company documents. Data analysis consisted of …

Organizational Support For Critical Incident Wellness And Crime Scene Investigators’ Perceived Effectiveness, Leggie Boone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Law enforcement agencies are frequently studied for officer wellness, yet research is limited in the influence of organizational support for the psychological wellness of crime scene investigators exposed to tragic scenes. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the perceptions of job performance effectiveness of crime scene investigators based on organizational support through the provision of stress management resources. The theoretical framework of organizational support theory and management theory formed the basis of the investigation into the contributing elements of job performance. Data were collected through surveys from 92 crime scene investigators, of whom 77 were civilians and …

The Relationship Between Authentic Leadership In Project Managers And Project Success, Laurie Levy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Authentic leadership has been shown to influence prosocial employee attributes and behaviors. However, the relationship between authentic leadership in people without positional authority or power in an organization has not been studied as extensively. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between nonpositional leaders in an organization and the authentic leadership components of relational transparency, self-awareness, ethical/moral values, and balanced processing, and to determine if authentic leadership in an organization’s project managers predicted project success. A second purpose was to determine if the possession of a project management credential moderated the relationship between authentic leadership and …

The Relationship Between Organizational Culture And Profitability Of Small, Nonprofit, Private, Higher Education Institutions In Georgia, Walter V. Murray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small, nonprofit, private, higher education institutions (SNPHEIs) are facing economic challenges that threaten their existence. This threat represents a public policy problem because 28% of all higher education in America is delivered by SNPHEIs. The purpose of this study was to investigate any correlational relationships that may exist between the organizational culture (OC) in SNPHEIs and their financial sustainability. Based on the competing values framework, a causal relationship between OC and organizational profitability within the SNPHEI was posited. In this study, both descriptive and comparative research questions were used; they focused on the OC types identified in the competing values …

Self Reported Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Deaf Users: A Communication Barrier, Dr. Jolene Ayres Ogunjirin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of mortality worldwide, and may disproportionately affect the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHOH) subpopulation in the United States. It has been suggested that communication barriers among the DHOH subpopulation contribute to the high prevalence of CVD risk factors. To assess this claim, this quantitative study utilized a cross-sectional data set of 400 DHOH and 400 non- DHOH participants taken from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. The differences of being told by a health professional of having specific CVD risk factors were assessed between the two groups and …

Successful Strategies To Lead Change Initiatives, Lorice S. Edwards Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As financial systems, global trade, and the regulatory environment integrate, business leaders are often ill equipped to develop and implement strategies to lead changes in organizations. Business leaders who lead change initiatives without proven sustainability strategies are highly susceptible to business closure. Grounded in Lewin's theory of change, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore successful strategies some business leaders used to develop and manage change initiatives to remain operable beyond 5 years. The participants included 4 industry business leaders with a minimum of 5 years of successful change leadership experience. The data collection included semistructured …

Determining Six Sigma Critical Failure Factors, Eyong Eyong Ebot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the current economy, many companies use the Six Sigma concept in enhancing performances by reducing process and product variations in the manufacturing and service sectors. Unacceptable process and product variations have led to high costs of production and less customer satisfaction. After examining the related literature, a quantitative research study was conducted to determine if Six Sigma implementation failures are dependent on the critical effective factors (CEF) and whether the failures are predictable. Six Sigma methodology requires a robust implementation specifically designed to achieve the best project objectives. The identified independent variables (organizational management and statistical tools application) and …

Developing Teacher Leaders Through Professional Development Offered In A District Teacher Forum, Suzanne T. Koty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition is an ongoing problem in education, and the lack of leadership opportunities contribute to that problem. Teachers who serve in leadership roles are more likely to remain in the profession and positively impact students and the profession as a whole. However, there is little qualitative research to address how teachers develop the needed leadership skills to take on additional leadership roles. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the experiences of participants in a District Teacher Forum. The District Teacher Forum is a cohort of teachers identified as Campus Teachers of the Year led by the …

Elementary Principals' Behaviors And Collaborative Professional Learning Communities, Lisa Gaines High

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Principals need to possess leadership skills and behaviors that help set expectations for collaborative work. The problem in this case study was that little was known about the collaboration-building behaviors principals use that promote effective collaboration between members of the school community. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the behaviors principals exhibit when building collaboration through the implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). The conceptual framework was based on 3 elements: leadership styles and approaches, collaboration, and the implementation of effective PLCs. The primary research question explored how principal behaviors contribute to collaborative professional learning …

Relationship Between Transformational Leadership Style And Financial Sustainability, Tameika R. Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Only 50% of the U.S. small businesses opened in 2011 were able to maintain financial sustainability. Small business owners struggle with identifying the type of leadership style needed to increase financial sustainability. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, and financial sustainability. The participants consisted of 76 small business owners located in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Maryland, Texas, and Virginia. The business owners completed a survey containing the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and the Financial Capability Scale. The data were analyzed using multiple …

Barriers To Reporting Workplace Violence In Emergency Departments: A Systematic Review, Kari Gaston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Underreporting of workplace violence by emergency department (ED) nurses is a global practice concern. When workplace violence is not reported, the breadth of the issue is not reflected in the data, which is necessary to support legislative action, regulatory requirements, and organizational changes to prevent violence. The purpose of this systematic review of literature was to appraise and synthesize evidence regarding ED nurses’ barriers to reporting workplace violence. The practice-focused question addressed the barriers to reporting workplace violence according to emergency nurses. The theory of planned behavior was the theoretical framework for this project. Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt’s critical appraisal of …

Female Small Business Owners: Strategies For Success, Betsy J. Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2015, 30.2 million small businesses existed in the United States; the Small Business Administration predicted that only half would survive beyond 5 years. Female business owners who do not establish practices to gain a competitive advantage in the small business marketplace may experience poor business performance. Grounded in trait theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the business strategies female small business owners use to succeed in a small business beyond 5 years. Participants included 3 female owners of successful small businesses in Northern California who have been in continual operation for more than …

Enhancing Leadership Strategies To Reduce Stress On Employees For Organizational Success, Reginald Wayne Butler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational leaders' inability to effectively manage complexity and implement leadership development strategies during intense situations creates work-related stress among employees. Stress contributes to emotional disorders, decreased job performance, high staff turnover that place the organization's health in jeopardy. Grounded in the expectancy theory of motivation, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore key leadership strategies to reduce stress in the workplace. The face-to-face, semistructured interviews were conducted with 3 senior leaders from a financial institution in the southern United States who had successfully implemented strategies that reduced stress on employees and improved their job performance. Their …

Instructor Beliefs Related To Technology Use After Professional Development, Bethany Ann Croton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Faculty in higher education often see themselves as researchers and identify less as instructors. The problem is that nearly every profession has embraced technology in new ways, except in the world of education and students need 21st-century skills to be competitive in the workforce. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore instructors' lived experiences and beliefs regarding teaching and technology integration before, during, and after completion of a professional development program at a Midwestern Tier 1 research institute. The study was framed by Rogers's diffusion of innovation theory and the sustainability education academic development framework. The research …

Mediating Effects Of Workplace Sanctions On The Relationship Between Knowledge Work And Psychological Wellbeing, Selena Pitt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative associational correlational non-experimental study used multiple regression analysis with mediation to address the research question: To what extent employee perception of workplace sexual harassment sanctions mediate the relationship between the 4 modes of the SECI (socialization, externalization, combination, internalization) knowledge creation model and psychological wellbeing. The study was based on the theoretical underpinnings of knowledge creation theory and the precepts of knowledge work as a discretionary organizational behavior that requires intentionality from the knowledge worker. The study explored the direct and indirect effects of the intercorrelations between the predictors, mediator, and outcome variables with 109 participants. The model …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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