Digital Commons Network^™

Action Items, Wku Graduate Council

Graduate School

Overview of action items handled by the Graduate Council.

Strategic Vision: Navigating Change, Deborah Gaspar

Libraries Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Toward A Relational Humanism, Kenneth J. Gergen

Psychology Faculty Works

Humanist conceptions of the person evolve across history. Whereas humanism has served a pivotal role in the caregiving professions, its individualist emphasis now stands as an impediment to its future. Proposed is a relational reconceptualization of the person, placing relational as opposed to individual well-being at the forefront of humanists' concerns.

Quality Of Information: A Need Of Change And Firm’S Product Innovation Performance: The Mediating Effect Of Change Willingness, L.S. Tey

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Innovation is the pillar for sustainable economic development. Yet, firms always face problem in enhancing their innovation performance. Past studies reveal that new knowledge is the main input which help firm to enhance its innovation performance. Thus, acquiring and exploiting new knowledge have become one of the critical tasks that firm focuses on. Extant studies have used absorptive capacity to measure acquiring and exploiting knowledge and tested its relationship with firm innovation performance. However, the results are mixed. A need to separate the acquiring and exploiting knowledge is essential. Based on data collected from 156 Malaysian firms, this study has …

Ict Investment Effectiveness In The South African Post Office: Reconsidering The Approaches Of The Past 20 Years, Jan A. Meyer Phd (Pr.M), Sam Lubbe Phd, Matshwenyego T. Seabelo, Rembrandt Klopper Phd

The African Journal of Information Systems

Organisations have invested and continue to invest considerable resources in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Much of this investment is made on the basis of guarantee than an expected return will occur. This study presents the results of an empirical study of the impact of ICT investment on performance at the South African Post office (SAPO). Six years of historical data, from 2005 to 2010, were obtained from the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the SAPO and analysed. This included appropriate IT data and financial data from the organisation’s financial statements and balance sheet. ICT investments were tested against financial …

Perceived Barriers And Solutions: Engineering Design Implementation, Ken L. Turner

Dissertations

Engineering Design, part of the practices dimension of the Next Generation Science Standards, NGSS, is widely recognized as the most challenging piece for teachers to implement. It involves practices that teachers are unfamiliar with, have not taught before, have not been taught, and have not experienced as a student. This manuscript documents a mixed-methods survey of over 200 K-12 teachers on their perceptions of both the greatest barriers to implementation of Engineering Design, and those items that will be of most value as a solution to those barriers. A systems approach to understanding Engineering Design was utilized; with data collection …

Management Innovation And Firm Performance: An Integration Of Research Findings, Richard M. Walker, Jiyao Chen, Deepa Aravind

Publications and Research

While the effect of technological innovations (TI) on firm performance is established, performance contributions of management innovations (MI) is as yet undetermined. Theoretical discourse on the motivation for the adoption of MIs questions their performance outcome, and an integration of empirical research of the MI-performance relationship is lacking. This study thus examines three questions: (1) is the adoption of MI beneficial to organizations; (2) is the impact of MI on performance at par with that of TI; and (3) what are the potential sources of inconsistency in the MI-performance relationship? We quantitatively integrate the empirical findings using 52 independent samples …

Business Administration, Saint Mary's College Of California

Undergraduate Academic Catalog

No abstract provided.

Leading With Mindfulness: Exploring The Relation Of Mindfulness With Leadership Behaviors, Styles, And Development, Jochen Reb, Samantha Su-Hsien Sim, Kraivin Chintakananda, Devasheesh P. Bhave

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This chapter examines the complexities of mindfulness in leadership, exploring potential advantages and disadvantages of mindfulness for leaders. Such an inquiry is important for theoretical development but also has practical implications when considering the design of mindfulness training for leadership and other areas such as employee wellbeing. In the present discussion, we clarify the discussion on mindfulness by distinguishing between the dimensions of mindfulness -- that is present-moment attention, intentionality, attitude of self-compassion, witnessing awareness and clarity -- and suggest ways these dimensions affect leadership behaviors. We also distinguish between mindfulness as a construct and as a practice, to elucidate …

Enhancing Apprentice Training Through Supervision Of Work Experience, J. Scott Christman

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

To remain globally competitive, U.S. companies need to consider new strategies for developing a workforce. The apprenticeship model has been identified as a viable solution for companies to invest. The problem of this study was to determine if an apprenticeship experience was enhanced by the type of supervision given during the work-related component of a program. To aid current and potential companies offering apprenticeship programs, this study identified a population of apprentices (N = 877), tracked them from entry into the program until five years after graduating, and analyzed their outcomes relative to program completion, academic GPA, work-related GPA, …

Tokin Up In The 5280: Insight Into How Denver Police Officers Make Sense Of, And Define, Interpret, And React To The Legalization Of Marijuana, Kara K. Hoofnagle

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Laws surrounding the possession, use, and distribution of marijuana have undergone many changes for over a century. Political pressures and social prejudices have most often been the cause of these changes, rather than scientific research or rational thinking. As a result, the law has sometimes lagged behind social practice as in the current case in much of the U.S., including Colorado. In such an environment, it often falls on a police officer's definition, interpretation, and reaction to the laws to determine the extent to which certain laws and sanctions are enforced. Drawing on the work of Weick (1976), this dissertation …

Solving Problems, Ensuring Relevance, And Facilitating Change: The Evolution Of Needs Assessment Within Cooperative Extension, Barry A. Garst, Paul F. Mccawley

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Helping people solve the practical problems of everyday life while maintaining contemporary relevance describes the mission of Cooperative Extension. To achieve that mission, Extension professionals have increasingly relied on information gathered from stakeholders to identify relevant problems and potential educational solutions. The methods, efforts, and activities to understand people and their problems are collectively referred to as needs assessment. This article explores the history and evolution of needs assessment in Cooperative Extension, as well as in a broader educational context. While tracing needs assessment through the decades, this article examines the needs assessment opportunities and challenges faced by Cooperative Extension. …

Connecting The Dots: Improving Extension Program Planning With Program Umbrella Models, Mary E. Arnold

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This paper builds on the Extension program planning framework presented by Seevers, Graham, Gamon, and Conklin (1997) in an effort to enhance and improve program planning in Extension. Using the 4-H Youth Development Program as an example, the paper considers the importance of program theory of change and theory of action in program planning, and the need for the translation of research into practice in order to elucidate the theory. In addition, the paper explores the utility of “umbrella” program models, based on sound theory and translated research, for guiding and supporting the program planning efforts of local Extension professionals. …

Developing Extension Professionals To Develop Extension Programs: A Case Study For The Changing Face Of Extension, Scott R. Cummings, Kevin B. Andrews, Katy M. Weber, Brittney Postert

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Development of Cooperative Extension programs depends upon the skills and abilities of competent Extension professionals. The most effective manner of building program development competencies in these Extension professionals is through professional development. A wide variety of competencies are necessary for Extension professionals to develop programs, including strong interpersonal skills. Differences exist between the professional development efforts of Extension institutions and are highlighted herein. Major challenges to delivery of professional development include time and budget, but these can be overcome through planning and innovation and use of online or hybrid methods. Professional development for program development is essential to furthering Extension’s …

From Farm Results Demonstrations To Multistate Impact Designs: Cooperative Extension Navigates Its Way Through Evaluation Pathways, Allison Nichols, Stephanie M. Blake, Scott Chazdon, Rama Radhakrishna

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This article explores how evaluation has been developed and expanded within the Cooperative Extension system, from the beginning of agricultural education in America in 1800 to the present day. Important periods across the history of Extension evaluation have been identified and categorized according to major themes and significant contributions of Extension individuals and organizations. Challenges for the future of evaluation within Extension are discussed.

Recipes For Success: Comparing Ala-Accredited Mlis Programs, Mandi Goodsett

Michael Schwartz Library Publications

Discussion about the MLIS degree and what could be done to produce well-prepared new librarians for the workforce abounds in the current literature. As the ALA Committee on Accreditation re-evaluates its standards, and frustrated librarians continue to add to the over 150 comments on the Library Journal editorial "Can We Talk about the MLS?" by Michael Kelley, the time to re-evaluate the MLIS degree has arrived. In order to effectively move forward, however, a gap in the literature must be addressed: an overview of the MLIS as it currently stands is needed. This dataset presents information about the current requirements, …

Adaptive Management And The Future Of Environmental Law, Eric Biber

Akron Law Review

Adaptive management is the new paradigm in environmental law. It is omnipresent in scholarship and management documents and is even starting to appear in court opinions. There have been many calls for environmental law to adapt itself to adaptive management by becoming more flexible and dynamic. But does adaptive management really warrant a revolution in environmental law? Or is it adaptive management that might need to adapt to the world of environmental law? There has been an abundance of scholarship on the strengths of adaptive management, making the case for changing environmental law to embrace adaptive management. But answering the …

An Institutional Ethnographic Account Of Mandatory Professional Development In New Mexico, Lanysha Adams

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

Current research has focused primarily on prescriptive models of professional development (PD), yet few have focused on teachers experiences of mandatory PD. Furthermore, researchers (Adams, 2014; Elmore, 2002; Hargreaves, 2011) have shown numerous points of disconnection between the prescribed policies for teacher PD and the de facto policies reflected in teachers' experiences of PD, leaving teachers' accounts of mandatory PD largely underexplored. The purpose of this study was to examine the institution of mandatory PD in New Mexico, exploring the characteristics of mandatory PD and full-time public high school teachers' perceptions of their PD experiences at one high school and …

Understanding How Patients Perceive Their Medical Providers’ Communication In A Hospital Based Emergency Department Setting, Balpreet K. Grewal-Virk

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: In recent years, a chief patient complaint has been that there is a breakdown in communication with their healthcare provider. This is concerning because poor provider-patient communication can lead to reduced medication adherence, misdiagnosis, increased healthcare costs, and even death. Furthermore, the implementation of the Affordable Care Act has availed healthcare insurance to more individuals, which will increase the insured patient population. This will lead to a rise in patient visits, but also means that there are not enough physicians to support this new volume of patients. Other healthcare providers, like nurse practitioners and physicians assistants are more …

Making The Invisible Challenges And Opportunities Visible, Maureen A. Scully, Lisa Deangelis, Katie Bates

Emerging Leaders Program Team Projects

The 41 fellows in the 2015 Emerging Leaders Program worked with community partners to generate the theme, “Making the Invisible Challenges and Opportunities Visible: Collaborative leadership for economic and social well-being."

The projects provide fellows an opportunity to practice elements of collaborative leadership in peer-led teams working with multiple stakeholders. The projects focus on civic engagement, building a leadership base for Greater Boston that is ready to tackle the big challenges that ensure the broader economic and social well-being of the region. The project sponsor with whom each team works is a nonprofit or governmental organization with big goals. Each …

Neuron-Based Heredity And Human Evolution, Don M. Gash, Andrew S. Deane

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

It is widely recognized that human evolution has been driven by two systems of heredity: one DNA-based and the other based on the transmission of behaviorally acquired information via nervous system functions. The genetic system is ancient, going back to the appearance of life on Earth. It is responsible for the evolutionary processes described by Darwin. By comparison, the nervous system is relatively newly minted and in its highest form, responsible for ideation and mind-to-mind transmission of information. Here the informational capabilities and functions of the two systems are compared. While employing quite different mechanisms for encoding, storing and transmission …

The Multilevel Effects Of Supervisor Adaptability On Training Effectiveness And Employee Job Satisfaction, Joseph Alvin Sherwood

Dissertations and Theses

The present study explored the multilevel effects of supervisor learning adaptability on training effectiveness, and post-training employee job satisfaction in a work-family and safety-based intervention aimed at increasing family supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB) and safety behaviors. Using a sample of 291 municipal public works field workers from two independent organizations, it was hypothesized that supervisor adaptability positively relates to post-training FSSB and employee job satisfaction. Specifically, it was hypothesized that learning adaptability prepares those supervisors to be more inclined to engage actively in training, thereby increasing employee reported FSSBs more significantly for those supervisors and leading to intervention target results, …

2014 Report To Congress, United States: Federal Housing Finance Agency (Fhfa)

Documents

Contains the Conservatorship of the Enterprises, Supervision and Oversight, Research and Publications, FHFA Operations and Performance, Federal Housing Finance Oversight Board Assessment, and Appendix: Historical Data Tables

The Role Of Process Performance Measurement In Bpm Adoption Outcomes In Croatia, Vesna Bosilj Vukšić, Ljubica Milanović Glavan, Dalia Suša

Economic and Business Review

The state-of-the art literature finds that business process management projects very often fail to fulfil the measurement requirements. The reason lies in the fact that companies understand the need to identify and define process measures, but do not implement the measurement practices. The objective of this paper is to examine the role of process performance measurement in BPM adoption outcomes. To achieve that, the literature in this field is reviewed and the results of an empirical study conducted in Croatian companies are analyzed and discussed. The results of statistical analysis support the proposed theoretical background. In practical terms, this survey …

Extractive Sector Policymaking And Governance In Ghana: A Study Of The Role, Knowledge And Capacity Challenges Of Civil Society Organizations, Emmanuel K. Sakyi, Emmanuel O. Oritsejafor

Journal of Public Management & Social Policy

This study describes and examines data on perceptions of role, capacity and knowledge challenges confronting civil society organizations (CSOs) in their attempt to influence extractive industry policymaking and governance in Ghana. Qualitative technique was employed in collecting data for the study. In all, twenty one CSOs were purposively selected and interviewed using issue-driven semi-structured interview technique. The findings of the study reveal that CSOs have good knowledge concerning policymaking and management issues in the extractive sector. It further indicates that Ghanaian CSOs had formed coalitions which gave them a better ‘bargaining power’ to be able to advocate for the ordinary …

Examination Of Organizational Structural Capacity For Change In The Context Of Litigated Reform, Ariel Alvarez, Gautam Nayer

Journal of Public Management & Social Policy

Increasingly child advocates have become involved with persistent litigation in order to improve the performance of publicly administered state child welfare agencies. However, strategic plans for change are often implemented without sufficient attention given to assessing the level of and strengthening organizational structural capacity to support system-wide change. Using the conceptual foundation of organizational structural capacity by Hall et al. (2003), a two agency case study was conducted examining the structural capacity factors of relationships and networks, infrastructure and process, and planning and development in the context of litigated reform of the Washington State and New Jersey child welfare agencies. …

The Relationship Between Motivating Language And Servant Leadership, Sandra Gutierrez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to contribute to servant leadership’s empirical research. Specifically, this study aims to provide empirical validation of the relationship between servant leadership and selected organizational outcomes, such as employee performance, employee turnover, job satisfaction, and absenteeism. Additionally, it is of interest to investigate how leader oral communication affects these relationships. Communication plays an important role in servant leadership. Since it is not clear what kind of relationship exist between servant leadership and motivating language, four competing models were tested in this study to find the best fit and demonstrate what kind of role communication plays …

Assessment Of Library Resources And Programmes In Unity Schools In Nigeria, Nkechi, Anthonia Idoko

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study assessed Library User Resources and Programmes for Library Skill’s (LS) acquisition in Unity Schools of South East Nigeria. In conducting this research, survey research design was adopted and out of a population of 29,358, multiple-stage sampling technique was used to select a sample of 1,212 that comprised of 480 JSI students, 469 SSIII students and 263 staff from the 12 Unity Schools under study. Two research questions guided the study. Observation check-list and questionnaire titled Library User Education Questionnaire (LUEQ) were the instruments used for data collection. These instruments were validated by five experts. Reliability co-efficient of 0.91 …

Object Theatre In Design Education, Jacob Buur, Preben Friis

Nordes Conference Series

In a quest to improve our design teaching we experiment with the theatre genre of Object Theatre. We employ techniques from object theatre to challenge current thinking about product agency, movement and meaning, the spatial location, and the social settings of products. At the end of the project our graduate design students create a post-dramatic performance that engages an audience in experiencing and exploring the product concepts they create. Our experiences show that it helps us educate young designers in the abilities to take other perspectives than their own (in particular that of the ‘object’), and to ‘act before they …

Object Theatre In Design, Preben Friis, Merja Ryöppy, Jacob Buur

Nordes Conference Series

In this workshop we will demonstrate a set of techniques from the post-dramatic genre of Object Theatre and discuss how they can enrich design practice and design research. The work brings together a design tradition of engaging objects in co-design and a theatre competence of improvising action with objects. With the participants we will inquire into: Object puppetry (exploring objects from ‘within’), Improvising movements (action before thought), Staging objects (context dependence), and Multi-stakeholder drama (object perspectives).