Digital Commons Network^™

Strategies To Decrease Health-Related Employee Absenteeism, Devin Warnsley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health-related absenteeism could significantly affect organizational productivity because of the additional resources needed to compensate for the missing worker's absence. Work productivity is critical for business sustainability as companies continue to create a lean workforce and decrease operating cost. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that organizational leaders at a university in the southeastern United States used to successfully decrease occurrences of health-related employee absenteeism. The conceptual framework for this study was the theory of planned behavior. A purposive sample of 10 management, 5 faculty, and 5 staff members participated in structured interviews. Secondary data …

Technology And Social Media In Motivating At-Risk High School Students To Complete High School, Rebecca Mix Yard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Overall, 11% of high school students leave school without a diploma, and the percentage is higher for at-risk populations. High school graduates earn higher salaries and are healthier and more law abiding than dropouts. Research is limited on the motivation of at-risk students to graduate from high school related to their technological identity to include technology and social media in their learning schema. This qualitative case study explored at-risk students' perceptions of social media, personal learning networks, and informal learning in facilitating their graduation. Pink's concept of motivation, Siemens's connectivism theory, and Bingham and Conner's theory of engagement and social …

Strategies To Improve The Financial Performance Of State-Owned Enterprises In Ghana, Solomon Bonney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The deteriorating financial performance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) has been an increasing concern for the government of Ghana. The contributions of SOEs to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Ghanaian economy have declined, leading to the loss of job opportunities because of the unprofitability and rising debt levels. SOE managers need to adopt strategies to improve the financial performance of their organizations so they can contribute to the GDP and generate employment opportunities. Government, SOE management, and employees will benefit from profitable and sustainable SOEs that have the ability to contribute to the national development agenda. The purpose …

A Case Study Of A University's Remedial Program For Passing The Praxis I, Tassi Fite Brinkley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Underprepared students desiring to enter teacher education programs struggle to achieve minimum state-required Praxis I exam scores. This problem affects teacher education programs, student success, and university enrollment and retention. With proper resources and support, these students may experience personal and academic success that may be transferred to their own students once they are certified teachers. At the participating mid-South university, the effectiveness of the existing remedial program was unknown. The study's purpose, rooted in the constructivist learning principles of Dewey and Bruner, was to address the effectiveness of the local university's existing remedial program in assisting the teacher education …

A Phenomenological Study Of African American Males Who Drop Out, Adrianna Starr Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although school districts in Florida have reported a decrease in the overall dropout rate, the dropout rate among African American males remains higher than it does for any other ethnic group. Guided by Ogbu's oppositional culture theory, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the high dropout rate among African American males and determine some of the social, cultural, educational, and economic elements that may hinder African American males from completing high school. A purposive sample of 10 African American males who dropped out of high school and who were between the ages of 18 and 35 was …

Determining Sustainable Strategies For Directors Of Microfinance Banks In Nigeria, Josephine Aruoriwo Diete-Spiff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Nigerian microfinance banks often close their offices abruptly, leading to the loss of shareholders' funds. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore strategies microfinance bank directors use to maintain business sustainability. The concepts of microfinance banking, sustainability value, and strategic management theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. Twenty managing directors from microfinance banks in the Anambra state of Nigeria participated in semistructured interviews. The data analysis process involved the use of Moussakas' modified van Kaam process, which resulted in the emergence of 3 themes: strategic management, fear of microlending, and maintaining sustainability. The emergent themes …

Small And Medium Enterprises' Profitability Elements In Green Energy Transactions, Humphrey Edereka Great

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the primary drivers of Nigeria's economy, small and medium scale enterprise (SME) leaders rely on standby generators for sustainable business operation. Because of this reliance, over 56% of the SMEs operate far below capacity from the effects of power shortages. Guided by the strategic contingency theory, this study explored the profitability strategies of business leaders faced with electricity disruptions within Abuja Federal Capital Territory while adopting corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green practices. Data collection was through face-to-face semistructured interviews using open-ended questions. Participants consisted of 12 business leaders selected from 4 SME categories within Abuja that have imbibed …

A Quantitative Study Of Multilayered Market Systems And Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises, Mukhail Hamza

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for approximately 50% of the world's gross domestic product. However, these economic agents suffer from inadequate access to liquid funds to finance their operations. The liquidity gap has led to early bankruptcy and liquidation, stagnant growth and development, and fewer employment opportunities. The problem under study was the effect of funding limitations on SMEs' business operations and growth. The purpose was to examine the impact of multilayered capital systems as alternative funding for SME growth. This study was informed by Gilbrat's law and the theory of financial exclusion. The research questions addressed the use …

Implications Of Maternal Perpetrated Interparent Violence For The Behavior Of Female Adolescents: A Phenomenological Study, Georgette Merlena Percy Hinds

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Interparent violence (IPV) is a global family issue. Witnessing IPV confuses children and adolescents about the parental relationship. Adolescent females often perceived fathers as strong and depend on them for safety, security, and support. It is unclear how witnessing maternal perpetrated IPV (MPIPV) affects adolescent females' socialization and development, the perception they have of their fathers, and the meaning they ascribe to father abuse. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to contribute to the literature, provide an understanding of MPIPV implications for adolescent females' social development, and bring more awareness to the lived experiences of witnessing MPIPV. Social learning, …

Predictors Of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Hispanic Women In The United States, Benedicta Ngozi Ilouno

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minority women groups in the United States have the highest incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer. Hispanic women have the highest incidence rate and the second highest mortality rate of the disease. Researchers have examined the lower rates of cervical cancer screening among Hispanic women, as compared to other groups of U.S. women, but researchers have not examined the extent to which socioeconomic status, acculturation, and sexual activity impact Hispanic women's compliance with screening. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between compliance with cervical cancer screening and acculturation, socioeconomic status, and sexual activity among U.S. …

Psychosocial Factors And The Persistence Of Underprepared, African American Community College Students, Denise Michelle Mccory

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined a problem at a large community college in the Midwest United States, where African American students experienced poor developmental education outcomes and low degree completion. Those outcomes had negative effects on the institution and the surrounding community. This qualitative case study was framed in Astin's theory of involvement, which attributes students' behaviors, whether productive or unproductive, to their levels of motivation. Purposeful sampling was used to select 20 African American students who successfully completed the developmental education sequence. The participants were interviewed to determine how psychosocial factors impacted their decisions to persist through their courses. The data …

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: A Comparison Of Unlicensed And Licensed Professionals, Pamela A. Morrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was conducted to comparatively examine child specific expulsion rates and parent satisfaction of children who received early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) services delivered in 2 states for the 2012 program year: Maryland (unlicensed) and Delaware (licensed) . This current study examined secondary data to determine whether unlicensed (Maryland) ECMHC professionals are equally or more effective than licensed (Delaware) ECMHC professionals. Of the total number of child specific consultations or cases referred for services in Maryland (unlicensed), N = 370, n = 266 children avoided expulsion and were able to remain at their childcare placements while n = …

Acculturation In Marital Satisfaction Among Mixed Caucasian And Asian American Heterosexual Couples, Lotes Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing population of the United States is linked to the increasing migration of individuals from other countries. With migration comes the development of cross-cultural and interracial romantic relationships, many leading to marriages. This qualitative grounded theory study sought to understand how a migrant partner's adjustment process, acculturation, contributes to cross-cultural marriages. The main research question and purpose of this study was to investigate the role of acculturation in marital satisfaction among mixed Caucasian and Asian American heterosexual couples. This study utilized multiple data sources and a purposive sampling of 11 mixed Asian and Caucasian heterosexual married couples, with one …

Differences In Financial Performance And Risk Tolerance At Faith-Based Credit Unions, Bruce J. Toews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, faith-based and other small credit unions are vanishing at the rate of nearly a credit union each workday. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to provide managers of faith-based credit unions with information about differences in financial performance and risk tolerance between faith-based and non-faith-based credit unions in order to improve their investment strategy and long-term sustainability. The study included a comparison of ratios measuring the financial performance and risk tolerance of randomly selected faith-based credit unions in the United States with the corresponding ratios of non-faith-based credit unions of similar size and location from …

Relationship Of Solar Energy Installation Permits To Renewable Portfolio Standards And Insolation, Kirt Gordon Butler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Legislated renewable portfolio standards (RPSs) may not be the key to ensure forecast energy demands are met. States without a legislated RPS and with efficient permitting procedures were found to have approved and issued 28.57% more permits on average than those with a legislated RPS. Assessment models to make informed decisions about the need and effect of legislated RPSs do not exist. Decision makers and policy creators need to use empirical data and a viable model to resolve the debate over a nationally legislated RPS. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine if relationships between the independent variables …

Adult Attachment And Relationship Satisfaction Among Men Who Experienced Childhood Abuse, Selisha Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Experiences of childhood physical and sexual abuse among men have not been sufficiently studied because many men are not forthcoming about experiences of abuse. This abuse is linked to aggressive behaviors, difficulty developing and maintaining close relationships, and various psychological disorders. Current research has not fully examined relationships between childhood abuse, adult attachment, and levels of relationship satisfaction among men. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative study was to evaluate the relationship between adult attachment as measured by the Relationship Scales Questionnaire and relationship satisfaction as measured by the Couples Satisfaction Index among men abused during childhood. Bowlby's theory of …

Assessing The Significance Of Modularizing Contract Manufacturing Organizations, Christian Sampson Yorgure

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations are under constant threat from global competition, socioeconomic factors,

and political forces that are often unforeseen and dynamic. Consequently, decision

makers adopt strategies, some including the principles of modularity, as a

countermeasure. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of knowledge about

the significance of modularizing contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs). The

purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to assess the significance of modularizing

CMOs by statistically analyzing capacity utilization, efficiency, and profit margin

between modular and nonmodular departments in a focal CMO. This study was grounded

in the theory of modularity and the research question addressed what …

Acceptance And Uptake Of Influenza Vaccination By Health Care Workers, Leshonda Wallace

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Influenza is a preventable infectious disease, against which vaccination is the primary means of protection. Health care workers (HCW) are among the most vulnerable to the illness and are likely to be sources of infection transmission while caring for patients. Circumstantial evidence suggests higher rates of vaccination coverage by HCW will coincide with a lower incidence of influenza transmission, yet a gap remains in the literature regarding governing health agencies' (i.e., licensing boards, medical and nursing associations) influence on the influenza vaccination practices of their constituents. Moreover, discrepancies exist between governing health agencies' and the National Vaccine Advisory Committee's recommendations …

Mining And Hiv/Aids Transmission Among Marampa Mining Communities In Lunsar, Sierra Leone, Alphajoh Cham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) was first reported in Sierra Leone in 1987, its prevalence rate has stabilized at 1.5% in the nation's general population. However, concerns exist regarding the potential increase in high-risk populations, particularly among mineworkers and commercial sex workers. The potential spread of HIV/AIDS as a result of labor migration may threaten the mining sector, which has been identified as a critical driver of recent economic growth and development. A gap remains in the literature regarding the contextual factors in mining communities that lead to high rates of HIV/AIDS. Therefore, the purpose of …

Educators' Perspectives On Secondary Education Alternative Placement, Student Recidivism, And Treatment Models, John Anthony Anzalone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The recidivism rate for disciplinary offenses has increased during the last 8 years in the secondary student population of a sizeable, urban school district in the southwest United States. Recidivism for this district is the act of committing a second disciplinary offense during a single calendar year following completion of a behavior program. Guided by Erikson's theory of social development, this case study was designed to collect a purposeful sample of 21 educators' perceptions of the impact of recidivism on students' education and the effectiveness of treatment models to reduce recidivism. Data were collected from qualitative semi-structured interviews and field …

Teachers' Experiences With Professional Development For The Application Of The Common Core State Standards, Maxine Tracey Ann Amritt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At one local school site in Georgia, a subgroup of students did not achieve a score of at least 800 on the state's Criterion Referenced Competency Test in math. To improve student success, the local site implemented professional development (PD) for teachers. Successful PD has been shown to promote effective teaching practices, which in turn, have resulted in improved student learning. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore 5th grade teachers' lived experiences of PD and its influence on their application of the Common Core state standards. Bandura's social cognitive theory of self-efficacy guided the study. In-depth interview …

Relationship Between Modality And The Degree Of Knowledge Retention In Bioterrorism Training, Gaylon Rashun Crawford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A public health workforce must be trained to react quickly, especially in the case of terrorist attack. Political leaders and emergency management experts have often cited inadequate emergency training as a contributing factor in the public health system's failed preparations for a bioterrorist event. As a result of these failures, billions of dollars have been allocated towards correcting infrastructure deficiencies including training for public health nurses (PHNs), who are critical to a communitywide medical response. This quantitative study used Pearson's correlation and a multivariate regression analysis to evaluate the most effective modality of bioterrorism training (BTT) for PHNs working in …

Psychosocial Predictors Of Successful Bariatric Surgery, Rodney D. Grim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is an epidemic that can lead to a wide range of physical and mental problems. When traditional weight-loss methods are not effective, bariatric surgery is a viable weight-loss option. While previous researchers have investigated the role of psychological factors in relation to obesity, few have investigated psychological factors as predictors of weight loss and complications after bariatric surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of psychological disorders/conditions (e.g., depression and abuse) in the study population, evaluate weight and psychosocial variables before and 6 months after weight-loss surgery, and identify psychosocial factors that are predictors of …

Project Duration, Budget, Individual Role, And Burnout Among Construction Managers, Matthew M. Motil

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Professionals who experience burnout are less productive and lead to decreases in both profitability and human resource (HR) capital. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between construction project duration; project budget; an individual's role on a project; and Maslach's three dimensions of burnout, (a) professional efficacy, (b) emotional exhaustion, and (c) cynicism, for the target population of construction management team members working within the Midwestern United States. Using data from an online survey, a multiple linear regression analysis was used, along with a separate multiple linear regression model, to quantify the relationship of each dimension …

A Program Designed To Address Academic Failure Due To Alcohol Abuse, Frank James Plateroti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project study addressed the problem of alcohol and binge drinking at a local rural college campus in the Northeast United States and the lack of an effective long-term academic intervention program to address the problem. The purpose of this research study was to determine the prevalence of the problem of the alcohol abuse problem and to develop a long-term program that would respond to the problem of repeat alcohol offenders. Guided by Mezirow’s transformative learning theory, which holds that transformational learning causes changes in a learner that significantly shift the pattern of a learner’s future experiences, this study examined …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Implementation Of A Multilingual Approach To Language Teaching, Susanna Rosmarie Schwab-Berger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

How teachers perceived and experienced the implementation of a multilingual approach in their classrooms during the first year of implementation in Switzerland is poorly understood by policy makers and teachers. Findings from three pilot studies conducted before the implementation indicated that teachers had transferred only few aspects of the new multilingual approach into practice. Guided by constructivist learning and third language acquisition theories, this study explored how teachers perceived and experienced the implementation of the multilingual approach. A purposeful criterion sample of primary school English language teachers at Grade 5 who had completed a professional development program was targeted for …

Exploring Consumers' Experiences With Corporate Greenwashing, Mark Emerson Wood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Greenwashing means the advertisement of goods and services that are alleged to be of benefit to the environment, and is a phenomenon that persists as an advertising tactic in corporate marketing. Research has found that consumers are distrustful of greenwashing, as many claims of eco-friendly products have been shown to be false. This crisis of confidence recalls scandals of the past decade related to insider trading, price fixing, and lack of corporate social responsibility placing the brand equity of major corporations at risk. Given a limited understanding among corporate leaders of consumers' experiences with greenwashing, the purpose of this phenomenological …

Transformational Leadership And Safe Driving Performance In The U.S. Electric Utility Industry, Mackington Joseph

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Transformational leadership (TL) has been found popular in many industries in the United States and abroad for the perceived transformational leaders' effectiveness in improving occupational safety. There is a lack of empirical evidence to confirm these claims for safe occupational driving. This phenomenological study attempted to fill this knowledge gap in the electric utility industry where employees must drive in all weather conditions to restore power to customers. The conceptual framework for the study was based on leadership and motivation theories of Burns and Maslow. The research questions explored the influence of (a) TL on safe driving performance improvement in …

Associative Factors Of Acculturative Stress In Latino Immigrants, Sam Kedem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For the past 200 years, Latinos have comprised the largest, consistent category of immigrants in the United States. This influx has created a need for culturally competent psychological treatment of a population that suffers from acculturative stress, defined as the stress a minority member experiences while trying to adjust to the culture of the majority. Researchers have studied Latino immigrants' enduring trials as they adjust to life in the United States. Nevertheless, there is limited research on the quantification of factors contributing to acculturative stress. Based on the conceptual framework of bidimensional acculturation and Latina/o critical race theory, predictors of …

Predictors Of Obesity Among Nigerian Immigrants In The United States, Olawunmi Obisesan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity has been identified as a significant risk factor for chronic diseases, contributing to health disparities in minority and vulnerable populations. Though research has identified an increased risk for obesity in the Hispanic immigrant population, there is little or no research on the heterogeneity of obesity predictors in specific immigrant populations in the United States. This study examined the predictors of obesity in the Nigerian immigrant population in the United States. Guided by the social ecological model and the segmented assimilation theory, this cross-sectional study collected primary data from 205 Nigerian immigrants in the United States using the CDC's Behavioral …