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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Comparison Of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Populations In The United States, Susan Lynette Coultas Jan 2016

Comparison Of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Populations In The United States, Susan Lynette Coultas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States in people who are 50 and older. The safety and efficacy of aflibercept for the treatment of late stage neovascular AMD (NAMD) has been demonstrated by clinical trials among several populations; however, it is unclear whether all NAMD patients respond in the same manner as was studied in the clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to examine if populations of patients treated with aflibercept for the treatment of NAMD were significantly different from one another in terms of health characteristics, treatment regimens, …

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Examining Barriers That Inhibit Student Achievement From A Teacher's Perspective, Taryn Everett Jan 2016

Examining Barriers That Inhibit Student Achievement From A Teacher's Perspective, Taryn Everett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers at an urban high school in the Southeast have failed to see an increase in classroom achievement or standardized test scores despite efforts to increase passing rates. If achievement rates do not increase, school restructuring will occur. While the site has implemented programs to reduce academic failure, data exists that external barriers may be affecting student achievement. Guided by Bandura's (1986) theory of metacognitive beliefs and self-efficacy as the conceptual framework, this qualitative case study explored teachers' perceptions about the root causes of poor student achievement. This study examines how to identify those causes to help students improve academically, …

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Strategies To Improve Data Quality For Forecasting Repairable Spare Parts, Uyi Harrison Eguasa Jan 2016

Strategies To Improve Data Quality For Forecasting Repairable Spare Parts, Uyi Harrison Eguasa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor input data quality used in repairable spare parts forecasting by aerospace small and midsize enterprises (SME) suppliers results in poor inventory practices that manifest into higher costs and critical supply shortage risks. Guided by the data quality management (DQM) theory as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this exploratory multiple case study was to identify the key strategies that the aerospace SME repairable spares suppliers use to maximize their input data quality used in forecasting repairable spare parts. The multiple case study comprised of a census sample of 6 forecasting business leaders from aerospace SME repairable spares suppliers located …

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Influence Of Talent Search Program On College Readiness And Success, Donitha Jones Griffin Jan 2016

Influence Of Talent Search Program On College Readiness And Success, Donitha Jones Griffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Precollege programs, such as Talent Search (TS), are widely used to increase college readiness skills, particularly among underrepresented students in higher education. The college examined in this study had implemented the TS program, but little empirical evidence existed about the efficacy of the program. The purpose of this ex-post facto quantitative study was to evaluate the effect that the local TS program has had on college readiness and success as measured by incoming freshmen placement exam scores and students' first-year grade point average (FYGPA). The theoretical framework for the study was Conley's 4 dimensions of college readiness designed to help …

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Marketing Strategies Of Small Traditional Travel Agencies In A Technology-Driven World, Charice Hayes Jan 2016

Marketing Strategies Of Small Traditional Travel Agencies In A Technology-Driven World, Charice Hayes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2012, there was a 70% increase in online travel booking, resulting in small traditional brick-and-mortar travel agencies having serious difficulties with obtaining and retaining customers. The purpose of this case study was to explore online marketing strategies that leaders of small traditional travel agencies have used to successfully obtain and retain customers. Technology disruption theory was the conceptual framework of this study. Using criterion sampling, the population for this study consisted of 3 leaders of small traditional travel agencies located in the state of Maryland. Data collection consisted of interviews, observations, and review of documentation, such as displays, websites, …

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Career Mobility Patterns Of Aspiring Female Leaders At California Community Colleges, Tracy Lynn Johnson Jan 2016

Career Mobility Patterns Of Aspiring Female Leaders At California Community Colleges, Tracy Lynn Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many women struggle to move up the career ladder. Women aspiring to executive positions in community colleges within the United States may face gender barriers, family-work life barriers, and barriers regarding their leadership ability. The problem studied was a gap in knowledge of how women succeeded in attaining executive positions in community colleges. The purpose of this study was to examine ways that female leaders at Southern California community colleges assumed executive-level roles at their institutions and the barriers they faced to attain those positions . The theory of upward mobility and the concept of self-efficacy comprised the study's conceptual …

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Crafting A System Of Profound Knowledge Management In Long-Term Care, Charlotte Johnston Jan 2016

Crafting A System Of Profound Knowledge Management In Long-Term Care, Charlotte Johnston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The paradigm shift to a knowledge economy, predicted by Drucker, is currently reflected in a knowing-to-doing gap in healthcare, potentially threatening the lives of long-term care (LTC) residents and sustainability of LTC organizations. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to seek a substantive conceptual theory to explain how LTC uses knowledge management (KM) to improve performance by probing the a priori views and lived experiences of 11 LTC knowledge creators, managers, and users. Data were collected via semi structured interviews that were transcribed and coded. The research questions guided by the conceptual concentrated on how KM is used …

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Preschool Teachers' Attitudes And Beliefs Toward Science, Sharon Henry Lloyd Jan 2016

Preschool Teachers' Attitudes And Beliefs Toward Science, Sharon Henry Lloyd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, a current initiative, Advancing Active STEM Education for Our Youngest Learners, aims to advance science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in early childhood. The purpose of this study was to understand preschool teachers' proficiency with science and address the problem of whether or not science learning opportunities are provided to young children based on teachers' attitudes and beliefs. A theoretical framework for establishing teachers' attitudes toward science developed by van Aalderen-Smeets, van der Molen, and Asma, along with Bandura's theory of self-efficacy were the foundations for this research. Research questions explored preschool teachers' attitudes and …

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Business Strategies For Asean's Single Window In Southeast Asia, Craig Allen Mcgee Jones Jan 2016

Business Strategies For Asean's Single Window In Southeast Asia, Craig Allen Mcgee Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 and the Global Financial Crisis of 2007, members of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) have sought to strengthen ASEAN's regional economies through a digital trade project known as the ASEAN Single Window (ASW). The purpose of this case study was to explore the business strategies that multinational organizational leaders used to overcome business barriers while implementing ASEAN partnership contracts and ASW region-wide projects. This study may be unique in that, at the time of this research, there was no published study in which researchers had explored a single window for a …

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Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Reading And Language Arts Preparation And Preparedness For The State Subject Area Test, Ingrid Ahrens Massey Jan 2016

Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Reading And Language Arts Preparation And Preparedness For The State Subject Area Test, Ingrid Ahrens Massey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since changes to the reading/language arts State Subject Area Test (SSAT) in late 2010, elementary education teacher candidates at a teacher training college in the Southern United States have experienced declining scores resulting in test failure and delaying student teaching and graduation. The purpose of this case study was to identify factors that students and faculty perceived as most beneficial in preparing students to pass the SSAT. Constructivism served as the conceptual framework for this study addressing the effects of collaboration, hands-on learning, and application of knowledge. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 6 elementary education students who had taken …

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Building Designers' Perception And The Effect On Sustainability In Malawi, Lloyd Ndau Jan 2016

Building Designers' Perception And The Effect On Sustainability In Malawi, Lloyd Ndau

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Environmental sustainability in buildings is an important part of preserving the environment and reducing climate change. The increasing amount of physical infrastructure systems in Malawi has not been accompanied by policy-makers clearly understanding perceptions and attitudinal behaviors of building designers to promote environmental sustainability. Some building designers in Malawi might not be practicing sustainability innovations adequately, requiring more research to understand their perceptions and behaviors. The purpose of this mixed methods sequential and explanatory study was to explore how building designers' behaviors relate to the implementation of sustainability innovations in Malawi. Ajzen's theory of planned behavior explaining how attitudinal behaviors …

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Grit, Student Engagement, And Academic Performance At A Historically Black Community College, Sharonica Marie Nelson Jan 2016

Grit, Student Engagement, And Academic Performance At A Historically Black Community College, Sharonica Marie Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obtaining a college degree benefits individuals and society, yet only 20% of students are graduating from community colleges. At many institutions, graduation rates have decreased over the last 5 years, including one historically Black community college in the southern United States. To explore possible causes of low graduation rates at this unique and understudied type of college, this correlational study examined the relationships among student engagement, academic performance, and grit-persistence and passion toward long-term goals. Tinto's theory of student persistence served as the theoretical framework for this study. The convenience sample included 116 college students who already had a first-year …

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Understanding The Influence Of Human Emotions In Organizations: The Emotional Extent Effects, Lambert Ikechi Ofoegbu Jan 2016

Understanding The Influence Of Human Emotions In Organizations: The Emotional Extent Effects, Lambert Ikechi Ofoegbu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emotional disengagement of employees may cause poor organizational performance, while emotional commitment of employees may enhance organizational performance. Informed by the theory of psychological ownership in organizations, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore how employee emotional interactions in the workplace related to organizational performance within 3 multinational companies in Nigeria. The 3 selected companies represented the 3 industrial sectors in Nigeria were financial, construction, and oil and gas. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 24 participants with a minimum of 5 years' experience in their respective organizations. Data analysis included transcription, coding, and querying, which produced …

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Exploring The Cybersecurity Hiring Gap, Adam O. Pierce Jan 2016

Exploring The Cybersecurity Hiring Gap, Adam O. Pierce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cybersecurity is one of the fastest growing segments of information technology. The Commonwealth of Virginia has 30,000 cyber-related jobs open because of the lack of skilled candidates. The study is necessary because some business managers lack strategies for hiring cybersecurity professionals for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contracts. The purpose of this case study was to explore strategies business managers in DoD contracting companies used to fill cybersecurity positions. The conceptual framework used for this study was the organizational learning theory. A purposeful sample of 8 successful business managers with cybersecurity responsibilities working for U.S. DoD contracting companies that successfully …

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Unexpected Events In Nigerian Construction Projects: A Case Of Four Construction Companies, Gabriel Baritulem Pidomson Jan 2016

Unexpected Events In Nigerian Construction Projects: A Case Of Four Construction Companies, Gabriel Baritulem Pidomson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Nigeria, 50% to 70% of construction projects are delayed due to unexpected events that are linked to lapses in performance, near misses, and surprises. While researchers have theorized on the impact of mindfulness and information systems management (ISM) on unexpected events, information is lacking on how project teams can combine ISM and mindfulness in response to unexpected events in construction projects. The purpose of this case study was to examine how project teams can combine mindfulness with ISM in response to unexpected events during the execution phase of Nigerian construction projects. The framework of High Reliability Theory revealed that …

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Servant Leadership, Organizational Commitment, And Perceived Organizational Support In The Restaurant Industry, Chee Kiong Piong Jan 2016

Servant Leadership, Organizational Commitment, And Perceived Organizational Support In The Restaurant Industry, Chee Kiong Piong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high employee turnover rate in the U.S. restaurant industry constitutes a major expense for restaurants. The research problem for this study was to determine if restaurant employees' perceptions of their supervisor's servant leadership practices were associated with the employees' organizational commitment and perceived organizational support, which have been shown to reduce turnover. Greenleaf's servant leadership theory provided the theoretical framework. The research question for this study was whether restaurant employees' perceptions of their supervisor's servant leadership practices were associated with the employees' organizational commitment and perceived organizational support, thereby potentially reducing employees' turnover rate. A purposive sample of 88 …

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The Associated Risk Factors That Lead To The Onset Of Sarcoidosis In Black American Women, Tiffany Mcintyre Simmons Jan 2016

The Associated Risk Factors That Lead To The Onset Of Sarcoidosis In Black American Women, Tiffany Mcintyre Simmons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sarcoidosis is a disease characterized as noncaseation granulomas. Granulomas are clusters of cells that form a discrete nodule. This research was important because Black American women develop saroidosis at a higher rate than any other race. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the impact of sarcoidosis in the lives of Black American women diagnosed with the disease and to consider how occupational experiences may have contributed to participants' development of sarcoidosis. Research states that domestic work such as cleaning, when performed on a daily basis or as an occupation, can contribute to adverse health effects. The …

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Effects Of Academic And Nonacademic Factors On Undergraduate Electronic Engineering Program Retention, Munir Sulaiman Jan 2016

Effects Of Academic And Nonacademic Factors On Undergraduate Electronic Engineering Program Retention, Munir Sulaiman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs in higher education institutions, particularly engineering programs, face challenges related to recruitment, retention, and graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are significant relationships among students' major preference, academic skills, nonacademic characteristics and perceptions, and retention to year 2 among students in electronic engineering, other STEM, and non STEM majors. The academic skills considered were study habits, intellectual interest, verbal and writing confidence, and academic assistance. The non-academic factors included academic support, family support, financial support, and student social integration into the campus environment. Tinto's theory of retention …

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Diabetes Mellitus Type 2: A Quality Improvement And Patient Safety Initiative, Remeliza Navarrete Tukay Jan 2016

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2: A Quality Improvement And Patient Safety Initiative, Remeliza Navarrete Tukay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of the quality improvement (QI) project was to examine the relationship between amended nursing education concerning diabetes mellitus (DM) Type 2 self-care management incorporating Tune in, Explore, Assist, Communicate, and Honor (TEACH) and Motivational Interviewing (MI) strategies and techniques and the Glycosylated hemoglobin (HgbA1C) of veteran patients with uncontrolled diabetes. The target sample included the 2 licensed practical nurses and 2 registered nurses assigned to 2 primary care teams, and the 10 purposively sampled patients with uncontrolled DM Type 2 from each team. The nurses' competencies were measured through descriptive comparison before and after nursing education implementation using …

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Health Care Leaders' Experiences Of Electronic Medical Record Adoption And Use, Joseph B. Weagraff Jan 2016

Health Care Leaders' Experiences Of Electronic Medical Record Adoption And Use, Joseph B. Weagraff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adoption of electronic medical record (EMR) technology systems of meaningful use has been slow despite the mandate by the U.S. government. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies used by health care leaders to implement EMR technology systems of meaningful use to take advantage of federal incentive payments. Diffusion of innovation theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 6 health care leaders from a military installation in the Southeast United States. Data were analyzed using software, coding, and inductive analyses. The 3 prominent themes were patient, provider, and champion. Alerts …

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The Influence Of Historically Black Colleges And Universities Experience On First Year Retention, Andrea White-Mcneil Jan 2016

The Influence Of Historically Black Colleges And Universities Experience On First Year Retention, Andrea White-Mcneil

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student retention in higher education, specifically after the first year, has long been a focus of institutional strategies, especially among students with financial, academic, and social risk factors. The issue of retention was a priority for administration at the 4-year private Sea Port University, a historically black university in the southern United States, which is the focus of this case study. The university has shown a rapid decline in its retention rate since the period 2008 - 2012. The purpose of this study was to identify students' perceptions of factors in their Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) experience and …

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A Regression Analysis Of A Local Freshman Interest Group Program At A Public University, Faith Christine Graham Jan 2016

A Regression Analysis Of A Local Freshman Interest Group Program At A Public University, Faith Christine Graham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Freshmen Interest Groups (FIG) programs 'peer support systems for entering students at a public university in the northeast' were believed to contribute to positive retention outcomes, but had not been evaluated to determine their impact on student retention. The rationale for this project study was the absence of formal evaluations to determine retention program effectiveness. The results are important to enrollment management staff and academic program coordinators whose job responsibilities are tied to student retention. Bean's nine themes of college student retention provided the conceptual framework for this study. Research questions considered the likelihood that retention and persistence to graduation …

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Pharmacy Stores Profitability And Sustainability In Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Augustine Khoza Jan 2016

Pharmacy Stores Profitability And Sustainability In Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Augustine Khoza

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Zimbabwe's catastrophic economic decline resulted in a high unemployment rate (95%), declining socioeconomic indicators, pharmacy stores' unprofitability and lower sustainability. Profitable pharmacy stores play a fundamental role in ensuring public access to medication. Lack of pharmacy profitability leads to poor healthcare delivery, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. A healthy population is panacea to economic growth and prosperity and enhances human dignity, social cohesion, and the quality of life. In this qualitative, descriptive multicase study design, using Porter's business strategies theory and the Deming process of quality assurance as conceptual frameworks, data from 11 pharmacy stores leaders in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe …

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Socioeconomic Status As A Predictor Of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Hilaire Saint-Pierre Jan 2016

Socioeconomic Status As A Predictor Of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Hilaire Saint-Pierre

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While epidemiological research has generated new knowledge about the treatment and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) through smoking secession, the socioeconomic status (SES) of people with the disease has been under investigated. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the predictability of association between SES and COPD. This study was based on the ecological theory, which states that health and disease may have multiple underlying factors. This study was a secondary analysis of archived data from the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). The dataset was collected for the National Survey of Midlife Development …

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Engagement Behaviors' Impact On Course Success And Persistence Rates Of Community College Students, Van F. Whaley Jan 2016

Engagement Behaviors' Impact On Course Success And Persistence Rates Of Community College Students, Van F. Whaley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As enrollment in U.S. community colleges increased, both the percentage of students successfully completing courses and the percentage of students persisting to their second year decreased. This study focused on the problem of low student course success and persistence rates at a community college. The purpose of the study was to determine whether students who demonstrated engagement behavior by visiting a Center for Academic Success (CAS) either passed more courses, persisted more often, or both, than students who did not visit a CAS. Tinto's engagement theory was the theoretical framework as it postulated that students who interacted with school support …

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A Multisite Hospital's Transition To An Interoperable Electronic Health Records System, Valerie Gerene Drill Jan 2016

A Multisite Hospital's Transition To An Interoperable Electronic Health Records System, Valerie Gerene Drill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The health care industry is transforming into an industry that requires health information technology, yet many health care organizations are reluctant to implement new technology. The purpose of this case study was to explore strategies that led to a successful transition from an older electronic health record (EHR) system to a compliant EHR system at a multisite hospital system (MHS). The study included face-to-face and phone interviews with 12 managers who worked on the transition of an MHS's EHR system in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The technology acceptance model was used to frame the study. Audio …

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An Evaluation Of Robotics In Nursing Homes To Reduce Adverse Drug Events, Ozell Ueal Jr. Jan 2016

An Evaluation Of Robotics In Nursing Homes To Reduce Adverse Drug Events, Ozell Ueal Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adverse drug events (ADE) cause many deaths annually in addition to affecting the quality of life of many others. The descriptive mixed methods approach, specifically exploratory case study and experimental design that guided this research utilized the survey and focus group methods to evaluate perceptions about robotic technology (RT) to reduce the rate of ADEs in U.S. nursing homes (NH). There is a lack of scholarly research into whether a conceptual approach rooted in RT can be implemented to assist with drug administrations in NHs. The purpose of this study was twofold. The first purpose was to evaluate the causes …

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Validation Of Parsons' Structural Functionalism Theory Within A Multicultural Human, Sandra Simone Minott Jan 2016

Validation Of Parsons' Structural Functionalism Theory Within A Multicultural Human, Sandra Simone Minott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Shared values and norms are at the core for unifying different cultures socializing or working to fulfill the goals and mission of organizations. Researchers have not examined how employees representing different cultures socialize via shared norms and values in human service companies. The purpose of this ethnography study was to explore the process of 8 culturally different employees working together at a human service organization. Using purposeful sampling, multicultural employees were selected from 4 departments within the human service company. Face-to-face interviews, field notes, questionnaire, and participant observation were the tools for collecting the data. Descriptive coding, value coding, and …

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Socioeconomic Status-Related Inequities On Maternal Health Services: Trends, Associations, And Outcomes, Nibretie Gobezie Workneh Jan 2016

Socioeconomic Status-Related Inequities On Maternal Health Services: Trends, Associations, And Outcomes, Nibretie Gobezie Workneh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in Ethiopia remains one of the highest in the world due in part to very limited use of maternal health services. However, the underlying factors for limited use of the services and hence the high MMR are not well known. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with use of maternal health services and maternal health risks, to analyze inequity patterns between use of maternal health services and maternal health risks, and to measure the magnitude and trends in inequity. Behavioral-cultural and structural theories of health inequalities were used to frame the study. …

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Succession Planning Strategies Of Faith-Based, Nonprofit Leaders Of The Boomer Generation, Leigh Byers Jan 2016

Succession Planning Strategies Of Faith-Based, Nonprofit Leaders Of The Boomer Generation, Leigh Byers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Formal succession planning strategies for retiring Baby Boomer generation of leaders in nonprofit organizations (NPOs) are nonexistent in many NPOs, including faith-based NPOs. Top NPO leaders possess vital organizational knowledge and experience. The lack of strategic succession planning adversely affects organizational sustainability and mission fulfillment. Guided by the conceptual framework of knowledge transfer, the current study supplies a description of succession planning strategies used in faith-based organizations that have Boomer leaders. This multiple case study included 3 faith-based NPOs in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties in Florida and their top-level leaders. They supplied descriptions of formal succession planning strategies through semistructured …

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