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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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The Socioeconomic And Cultural Impact Of Sickle Cell Disease In Nigeria, Jejelola Owotomo Jan 2016

The Socioeconomic And Cultural Impact Of Sickle Cell Disease In Nigeria, Jejelola Owotomo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic health condition that has continued to increase globally. SCD is prevalent in developing countries like Nigeria with 20 to 30% of the population living with SCD. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of the socioeconomic and cultural factors that affect the quality of life (QOL) of individuals with SCD in Nigeria. The framework for the study is secondary prevention. Secondary prevention allows for opportunities to improve QOL amongst people living with SCD focusing on the health beliefs, and socioeconomic wellbeing. A phenomenological approach was used to collect in-depth data …


Ethiopian And Eritrean Businesses Growth Barriers In The Washington, Dc Area, Sereke-Berhan Meres Jan 2016

Ethiopian And Eritrean Businesses Growth Barriers In The Washington, Dc Area, Sereke-Berhan Meres

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior studies have revealed that recent Asian and Hispanic immigrant entrepreneurs have made significant contributions to social change in the United States. Although African immigrant entrepreneurs have made such contributions, few studies exist about them, and there is limited knowledge about this business community. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify the barriers of growth in Ethiopian and Eritrean immigrant-owned firms in the Washington, DC area who were in business for a minimum of 3 years and represented various trade lines and geographical locations. The enhanced integrated model of ethnic business development, which proposes growth strategies by …


Effects Of Information Technology Risk Management And Institution Size On Financial Performance, Shaun D'Olene Kecia Barrett Jan 2016

Effects Of Information Technology Risk Management And Institution Size On Financial Performance, Shaun D'Olene Kecia Barrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A negative relationship exists between unmanaged IT risk and financial performance of institutions of varying sizes. The purpose for this quantitative correlation study was to examine the relationship between IT risk management, institution size, and the financial performance of credit unions in Jamaica. Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) risk IT model provided the theoretical framework for the study. Audited financial statements and a web-based survey provided data for this study. One hundred and thirty employees from 13 credit unions in Jamaica participated in the study. Results of the multiple regression tests confirmed a statistically significant relationship between IT …


Teachers' Perspectives On Reading Interventions Implemented To Low Achieving Second Graders, Kendra Yvette Coles-Hart Jan 2016

Teachers' Perspectives On Reading Interventions Implemented To Low Achieving Second Graders, Kendra Yvette Coles-Hart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a Mid-Atlantic school district, the administration of standardized assessments begins in third grade. Over the past 3 years, these assessments revealed that an average of 37% of third graders in the local district did not possess necessary reading skills, although over 86% of this group received intervention support in second and third grade. It is unclear how effective the implementations of various interventions are in instruction with struggling second graders to prepare them for the rigors of third grade. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to explore the perspectives of 9 second grade teachers on research-based interventions …


High School Seniors' Knowledge About College And The Acquisition Of College-Readiness Skills, Karen Franklin Mcsherry Jan 2016

High School Seniors' Knowledge About College And The Acquisition Of College-Readiness Skills, Karen Franklin Mcsherry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of college readiness, which affects persistence in college, is a problem for many students at a high school in New Jersey. Only 1 in 5 students in this school persist from first to second year in New Jersey public colleges and universities, and as many as 50% do not graduate in 4 years. This problem is important to study because low persistence may engender personal failure, familial debt, social stigma, and wasted public funds. Guided by Bandura's social learning theory, this qualitative case study addressed the lack of college readiness by exploring what high school students know about going …


Writing Center Editor Strategies For Addressing Student Academic Entitlement In Intervention Editing, Sarah Ann Matthey Jan 2016

Writing Center Editor Strategies For Addressing Student Academic Entitlement In Intervention Editing, Sarah Ann Matthey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Not all students who enroll in postsecondary institutions have the skills needed to be successful in higher education in reading and writing. At a for-profit, online university in Minnesota, many students were not completing 4 weeks of a remedial writing program, Intervention Editing (IE). According to internal surveys and personal communications, students' struggles to complete IE were partly due to academic entitlement (AE). AE is defined as students placing the responsibility for their academic success on third parties rather than on themselves. Using the theory of self-efficacy as a framework, the purpose of this intrinsic case study was to determine …


Experiences And Perceptions Regarding Emergency Telephone Number Use Relative To Civic Engagement, Jacquetta Mccoy Jan 2016

Experiences And Perceptions Regarding Emergency Telephone Number Use Relative To Civic Engagement, Jacquetta Mccoy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of engagement in public service awareness education programs, coupled with reduced funding to implement a diversion system such as 311 systems or 10-digit phone numbers, contribute to 911 misuse. Many local governments have invested in alternative systems, but research regarding community members' use of 911 or alternatives relative to civic engagement is lacking. Guided by Gordon's conceptualization of civic engagement, this phenomenological study bridged the gap in knowledge by exploring community members' civic involvement and their use of 911 between 2012 and 2015 in a county in the state of Georgia. A snowball sampling strategy was used to select …


The Underuse Of Hospice Care In The African American Military Beneficiary Population, Wanda Castleberry Richards Jan 2016

The Underuse Of Hospice Care In The African American Military Beneficiary Population, Wanda Castleberry Richards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospice services provide a holistic approach to end-of-life care to terminally ill patients though there is some evidence to suggest that African American military beneficiary populations may not access hospice care as often as expected. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to evaluate reasons for the low use of hospice care among the terminally diagnosed members of this population, between the ages of 18 and 64. Kolcaba's comfort theory provided the theoretical framework for this study. The research explored whether a statistically significant difference exist among African Americans military beneficiaries population as compared to non-Hispanic Whites pertaining to their …


The Dimensions Of Customer Satisfaction In The Jamaican Financial Service Industry, Dr. Lydia Smith Jan 2016

The Dimensions Of Customer Satisfaction In The Jamaican Financial Service Industry, Dr. Lydia Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bank leaders spend an average of $727 to acquire a new customer and $287 to retain current customers. Grounded in customer relationship management and adaptation level theories, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between service quality and customers' intention to switch banking service. An online survey was administered to 203 Jamaican banking customers. The target population was selected to identify if the Jamaican banks' customer service adhered to the customer satisfaction principles developed by Parasuraman. The independent variables were the 10 dimensions of service quality. Competence, courtesy, credibility, and access were removed because of multicollinearity …


The Impact Of African-Centered Psychotherapy On Depressive Symptoms And Africentric Worldview In African Americans, Larae Tillis Jan 2016

The Impact Of African-Centered Psychotherapy On Depressive Symptoms And Africentric Worldview In African Americans, Larae Tillis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression is a prominent issue in the African American community. However, there are significant gaps in the literature on the delivery and outcomes of culturally relevant mental health psychotherapy to African Americans. Cultural variables, such as worldview, have been noted to impact an individual's overall psychosocial functioning and have significant implications for mental health service delivery. The purpose of this study was to use archival data to analyze the impact of African-centered therapeutic services on depressive symptoms and on Africentric worldview among African Americans. Archival data on 38 African American adults, recorded from 2012-2015, were obtained from a community mental …


Nigerian Banking Governance, Leadership Style, And Performance During The 2008-2009 Financial Crisis, Adeola Oluwayemi Agbato Jan 2016

Nigerian Banking Governance, Leadership Style, And Performance During The 2008-2009 Financial Crisis, Adeola Oluwayemi Agbato

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The 2008-2009 global financial crisis of financial systems negatively affected about 30% of Nigerian banks, leading to profitability issues. The profitability issues led to operational challenges, downsizing, and liquidation of some banks. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between corporate governance structure, perception of leadership style, and bank performance. This study was grounded in agency theory and used survey and archival data. Survey data were collected from 11 participants employed by commercial banks located in Nigeria, using the Multifaceted Leadership Questionnaire. Corporate governance and bank performance data were collected from annual bank reports. The model …


Sexual Health Education Policy: Influences On Implementation Of Sexual Health Education Programs, Renata Denise Ellington Jan 2016

Sexual Health Education Policy: Influences On Implementation Of Sexual Health Education Programs, Renata Denise Ellington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High school youth in Grades 9-12 who are in public schools without comprehensive sexual health education (CSHED) are more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors and have higher rates of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases than are their peers in schools with CSHED. The purpose of this correlational study was to explore the statistical relationship between the consistent implementation of CSHED, before and after the enactment of the Chicago Public Schools' (CPS) sexual health education policy, and the sexual risk behaviors of Chicago high school youth in Grades 9-12. The study was based on Antonovsky's salutogenic model of health …


Compassion Fatigue In Emergency Department Nurses, Dionne Hutson Hendy Jan 2016

Compassion Fatigue In Emergency Department Nurses, Dionne Hutson Hendy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Compassion fatigue (CF) is a problem seen within healthcare institutions worldwide, especially critical care units and emergency departments (EDs). The problem identified in this quality improvement (QI) project was CF, experienced by nurses in the ED. The effects of CF cross nurse-patient boundaries and negatively impact a patient's expectations of having a quality care experience. The Iowa model's evidence-based team approach was used to guide the development of the education initiative for nurses on recognizing, preventing, and identifying methods of coping with CF in the ED. The outcome products for the project included an extensive review of the literature, a …


Strategies To Improve Project Management Maturity Processes, Walter H. Sargent Jan 2016

Strategies To Improve Project Management Maturity Processes, Walter H. Sargent

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Information technology organizations lose significant competitive value when business leaders fail to use project management maturity (PMM) processes that enhance market delivery, reduce costs, and increase profitability. Using a multiple-case study, the researcher explored strategies that project leaders have used to improve PMM processes and expanded upon Kerzner's PMM model, which comprises 5 PMM levels essential for achieving repeatable project success. The researcher selected 20 project leader participants in the Southeastern region of the United States using a purposeful snowball sampling technique. In depth interviews were combined with archival and document exploration using a multiple-case study design where different types …


Making A Difference: Evidence Based Palliative Care Education For Neonatal Nurses, Sherry Elaine Pye Jan 2016

Making A Difference: Evidence Based Palliative Care Education For Neonatal Nurses, Sherry Elaine Pye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The death of a neonate is a life-changing and tragic experience for the individuals involved in the final moments of the infant's life. As the frontline provider in this clinical scenario, the bedside nurse supports the patient and family through their individual journey of loss. If the nurse does not possess the palliative care educational background and communication skills to support this unique care delivery process, the journey of death can evolve into a particularly negative experience for the parents and the nurse. This specific delivery of care concern was identified and gleaned from a parental bereavement exit interview after …


A Collaborative Approach To Budgeting And The Impact On The Budgeting Process: A Case Study, Michael Van Roestel Jan 2016

A Collaborative Approach To Budgeting And The Impact On The Budgeting Process: A Case Study, Michael Van Roestel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Corporations budget and strategize to set targets for planning purposes. Review of the literature indicated that methods of budget creation, including input from operational employees, are not fully understood by corporate budget officers. The problem addressed in this study was whether a collaborative approach to budgeting would improve implementation of the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles of relevance and reliability within the budgeting process. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the benefits of a collaborative approach to budgeting since non-inclusive budget preparation could alienate members of the operations team. Participative leadership was the conceptual framework guiding this study …


Characteristics Of The Informal Caregiver: An Integrative Literature Review, Jonanna R. Bryant Jan 2016

Characteristics Of The Informal Caregiver: An Integrative Literature Review, Jonanna R. Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The needs of the informal caregiver can be difficult to determine apart from those related to caring for the terminally ill loved one. Often, informal caregivers' individual needs are lost because of their day-to-day responsibility and care of their terminally ill loved one. The purpose of this project was to discover the characteristics of informal caregivers of the terminally ill. An integrated literature review was conducted using the Fineout-Overhalt, Melnyk, Stillwell, and Williamson's (2010) analytical approach to reviewing the evidence. The approach consisted of 7 levels for evaluating the hierachy of evidence. Inclusion criteria were studies limited from January 2004 …


Quality Of Life Of People With Profound Developmental Disabilities Based Upon Residential Settings, Kristin Jill Korinko Jan 2016

Quality Of Life Of People With Profound Developmental Disabilities Based Upon Residential Settings, Kristin Jill Korinko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is much research literature on quality of life with people with varying mild to moderate levels of developmental and intellectual disabilities. A gap remained in the current literature regarding differences between the severe to profound levels of intellectual and developmental disability across residential settings. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of support of people with severe to profound levels of developmental disabilities who resided and received services either in an institution and those who receive services within the community. The theoretical foundation for this study was Maslow's theory of humanism along with the contemporary theory …


Exploring U.S. Business Leaders' Strategies For Enhancing Team Communication, Susan Kuehn Jan 2016

Exploring U.S. Business Leaders' Strategies For Enhancing Team Communication, Susan Kuehn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many senior project managers (PMs) and other business leaders lack effective strategies for enhancing communication among their team members, thereby reducing profitability and organizational cohesion. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore communication strategies used by 22 PMs who were members of a project manager professional (PMP) association in Colorado, with 5 or more years of relevant experience and who worked at a leading technology company recognized for its effective PM communication strategy for enhancing business-team communication. The conceptual framework for this study was built on interpersonal, mass communication and profound leadership theories. PMs were interviewed, and …


Health Information Technology Implementation Strategies In Zimbabwe, Nixjoen Mandaza Mapesa Jan 2016

Health Information Technology Implementation Strategies In Zimbabwe, Nixjoen Mandaza Mapesa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The adoption rate of health information technology (HIT) remains low in developing countries, where healthcare institutions experience high operating costs and loss of revenue, which are related to systems and processes inefficiency. The purpose of this case study was to explore strategies leaders in Zimbabwe used to implement HIT. The conceptual framework of the study was Davis's technology acceptance model (TAM). Data were gathered through observations, review of organizational documents (i.e., policies, procedures, and guidelines), and in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 10 healthcare leaders and end-users from hospitals in Zimbabwe who had successfully implemented HIT. Transcribed interview data …


Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infections In The Eight Service Planning Areas Of Los Angeles County, Ildiko Roxane Bocskay Jan 2016

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infections In The Eight Service Planning Areas Of Los Angeles County, Ildiko Roxane Bocskay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become resistant to antibiotics. The purpose of this quantitative, retrospective cohort study was to examine the relationship between length of hospitalization and invasive MRSA infection rates among different racial and ethnic groups in the 8 service planning areas (SPAs) of Los Angeles County. Cane, O'Connor, and Michie's theoretical domain framework was used. Secondary data from the Healthcare-Associated (HA) Infections Program of the California Department of Public Health were analyzed. For the first research question, a Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to assess the relationships between length of hospitalization and invasive HA-MRSA infection rates and counts. …


Development And Evaluation Of A Heart Failure Tool For Homebound Patients, Matthew Kaspar Jan 2016

Development And Evaluation Of A Heart Failure Tool For Homebound Patients, Matthew Kaspar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With more than 700,000 new diagnoses annually, congestive heart failure (CHF) is a chronic condition that affects the chambers of the heart. When not managed correctly, the disease rapidly progresses to substantial fluid volume overload that impacts activities of daily living and the overall quality of life. The financial implications for poor CHF management cost a mean annual medical expenditure of $33,427 per patient per year. The need for a diagnostic and prognostic at-home protocol is needed in the medical community, as there is currently no such tool on the market. Donabedian's framework was used to guide the formulation and …


Success Strategies For Small Business Owners In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Marcellinus Emeka Madu Jan 2016

Success Strategies For Small Business Owners In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Marcellinus Emeka Madu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African immigrant business owners create jobs and often stimulate economic growth in distressed inner-city areas, yet they continue to experience barriers obtaining financial support in the United States when trying to gain entrance into the broader economy. The objective of this multiple case study was to explore strategies African immigrant business owners used to succeed in business beyond 5 years. The conceptual framework of this study included resource-based theory, human capital theory, and disadvantage theory. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 3 African immigrant business owners in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who had succeeded in business beyond 5 years. Thematic analysis from interviews, …


Business-To-Business Marketing Perceptions: Customer Knowledge Management And Customer Engagement, Lorraine Marzilli Lomas Jan 2016

Business-To-Business Marketing Perceptions: Customer Knowledge Management And Customer Engagement, Lorraine Marzilli Lomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract: Business-to-business (B2B) marketing involves several components including the marketing management decision-making process and the buying behaviors of the B2B clientele and the end users. Disregarding customer knowledge management (CKM) and inaccurate analysis of data cost companies billions of dollars per year. The objective of this exploratory single-case study was to develop an in-depth analysis of the problem that some marketing managers have limited knowledge of how to use CKM strategies to improve B2B customer engagement. The dynamic capabilities and technological opportunism theories comprised the study's conceptual framework. Data collection consisted of participant observations, member checking, and semistructured interviews with …


Development Of A Program Proposal For A Nitrous Oxide Program In Pediatrics, Sarah Oleson Jan 2016

Development Of A Program Proposal For A Nitrous Oxide Program In Pediatrics, Sarah Oleson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

When pediatric patients are admitted to the inpatient or outpatient hospital setting they potentially have to endure procedures that cause pain, fear, and anxiety which can have a lifelong impact on the child's response to future healthcare needs. The purpose of this project was to create a comprehensive program proposal for a nitrous oxide sedation program to minimize those perceptions towards medical procedures. The project utilized a systematic review of literature and secondary data to address the most important indicators for developing a comprehensive program proposal to present to the pediatric leadership team. Multiple studies have shown nitrous oxide having …


Developing Strategies Of Organizational Sustainability For Solo And Small Business Medical Practices, Gerald Lloyd Anderson Jan 2016

Developing Strategies Of Organizational Sustainability For Solo And Small Business Medical Practices, Gerald Lloyd Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent trends point toward a decline in solo and small business medical practices, yet, the need and demand still exists for this model of health care. The purpose of this case study was to explore effective approaches to help physicians in solo practice and small medical group primary care practitioners (PCPs) retain their small business medical practices. The study included purposive sampling and face-to-face interviews: 11 physicians, predominately primary care practitioners, in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan region, were interviewed until data saturation was reached. A component of systems theory (strategic thinking) and the dynamic capabilities concept were used to frame the …


Exploring Managerial Solutions For Faculty Satisfaction At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Bridget Pinckney Dewees Jan 2016

Exploring Managerial Solutions For Faculty Satisfaction At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Bridget Pinckney Dewees

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

American higher education in general, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in particular, have experienced a 30-year decline in faculty satisfaction, which has had a negative impact on overall institutional effectiveness. The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to explore managerial solutions for faculty satisfaction by applying Herzberg's 2-factor theory to the insights and experiences of 12 tenure-track faculty members at an HBCU in the southeastern United States. Data were collected through semistructured interviews. The results were sorted, coded, and organized using content analysis software into key Herzberg factors that influenced faculty satisfaction at the study site. Work …


Postsecondary Online Students' Preferences For Instructor Feedback, Joseph John Gredler Jan 2016

Postsecondary Online Students' Preferences For Instructor Feedback, Joseph John Gredler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Misalignment between student preferences and instructor assumptions regarding feedback may impede student learning. Researchers have investigated postsecondary students' preferences for types of instructor feedback including written, audio, and video. However, postsecondary online students' preferences have not been explored in a large-sample study. This sequential explanatory mixed-methods study was conducted to describe postsecondary online students' preferences and the reasons for those preferences. Vygotsky's social-constructivist theory was used to frame instructor feedback as a scaffolding tool to promote self-regulation in student writing. A survey containing quantitative and qualitative questions was used to collect 93 responses from undergraduate and graduate students attending a …


Socioeconomic Status And Whole Student Positive Academic, Social, And Emotional Outcomes, Matthew David Dotson Jan 2016

Socioeconomic Status And Whole Student Positive Academic, Social, And Emotional Outcomes, Matthew David Dotson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The focus of this study was on identifying the challenges faced by teachers and school personnel at a middle school in educating the whole low socioeconomic status (SES) child academically, socially and emotionally to enhance positive educational outcomes. The unmet academic, social, and emotional needs of the low SES student in the middle school in this case study are having a negative impact on proficiency for these students on the state standardized assessments. Kolb's experiential learning theory and Rogers and Maslow's humanistic theory provided a psychological framework for the study. The qualitative case study included staff interviews and a review …


An Analysis Of The Technological, Organizational, And Environmental Factors Influencing Cloud Adoption, Joe Malak Jan 2016

An Analysis Of The Technological, Organizational, And Environmental Factors Influencing Cloud Adoption, Joe Malak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cloud computing provides an answer to the increasing costs of managing information technology (IT), and has become a model that aligns IT services with an organization's business strategies. However, concerns and uncertainties associated with cloud computing are deterring IT decision makers from making sound decisions regarding the adoption of the technology. The purpose of this online survey study was to examine the relationship between relative advantage, compatibility, organizational size, top management support, organizational readiness, mimetic pressure, normative pressures, coercive pressure, and the IT decision makers' intent to adopt cloud computing. The theoretical framework incorporated the diffusion of innovations theory, a …