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2017

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Sustainability And Social Responsibility In Small Food Enterprises: Barriers And Enablers, Aurora Dawn Reinke Jan 2017

Sustainability And Social Responsibility In Small Food Enterprises: Barriers And Enablers, Aurora Dawn Reinke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the food industry contend with a variety of corporate sustainability and social responsibility (CSSR) issues, ranging from the environmental impact of food waste to human health concerns about specific ingredients and production methods. In this qualitative multicase study, based on the conceptual frameworks of strategic development, stakeholder management, and institutional theory, I explored barriers and enablers for Washington, DC-based food SMEs as they proactively addressed CSSR issues. I interviewed five SME owner-managers. The transcripts were then coded and analyzed. Three themes emerged. Strategic development tended to be ad hoc and experimental, but with equal …

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Wellness Education And Job-Related Injuries And Illnesses For Federal Employees, Eunice Scott Jan 2017

Wellness Education And Job-Related Injuries And Illnesses For Federal Employees, Eunice Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Work-related injuries and illnesses may lead to absenteeism, which affects the level of productivity. The purpose of this study was to determine the success of an employee workplace training program on work-related injury and illness rates at selected federal districts within a federal organization. Newman's model, which describes internal and external factors that may have an effect on an individual's health, was the framework that guided this project. A pre-post design was used to compare data from 2 publically available data sets, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Illness and Injury and the Voice of the Employee Survey, for the …

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Reducing Technology Costs For Small Real Estate Businesses Using Cloud And Mobility, Linda Anne-Marie Mcintosh Jan 2017

Reducing Technology Costs For Small Real Estate Businesses Using Cloud And Mobility, Linda Anne-Marie Mcintosh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increased client accessibility strategies, awareness of technology cost, and factors of third-party data security capabilities are elements small real estate business (SREB) owners need to know before adopting cloud and mobility technology. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies SREB owners use to implement cloud and mobility products to reduce their technology costs. The target population consisted of 3 SREB owners who had experience implementing cloud and mobility products in their businesses in the state of Texas. The conceptual framework of this research study was the technology acceptance model theory. Semistructured interviews were conducted and …

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Teacher Perceptions Of A Full-Service Community School Strategy For Language Arts Students, Jaclyn Marie Dorrman Jan 2017

Teacher Perceptions Of A Full-Service Community School Strategy For Language Arts Students, Jaclyn Marie Dorrman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students of all abilities at a Full-Service Community School (FSCS) in northern New Jersey are not meeting federal and state accountability requirements in language arts. Research studies indicated that the FSCS strategy can improve instructional practices, which will improve academic success. For this qualitative case study, the purpose was to document and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the FSCS academic component for language arts used by 8 teachers from kindergarten to 6th grade. The conceptual framework that guided this study was grounded in the central understanding of Vygotsky and the constructivist theory of Bruner. The perceptions of language arts …

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Literacy Training In An Urban High School Professional Learning Community, Vicki Sandra Ross-Norris Jan 2017

Literacy Training In An Urban High School Professional Learning Community, Vicki Sandra Ross-Norris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to explore the essence of professional learning experiences shared by teachers who participated in a professional learning community (PLC) at a New York City high school in the South Bronx. Guided by Hord's PLC characteristics and Bruner's constructivism theories, this phenomenological study addressed the research questions of what PLC practices urban high school teachers employ to support the academic-literacy achievement of their students of low social economic status (SES); the role of administration in the PLC process; and the roles of a shared mission, values, vision, norms, and collaborative knowledge on the functioning of …

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Impact Of Audio Feedback Technology On Writing Instruction, Martha Marie Bless Jan 2017

Impact Of Audio Feedback Technology On Writing Instruction, Martha Marie Bless

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High school writing teacher self-efficacy has suffered because the workload and emotional energy of grading papers is arduous, and despite their efforts to provide formative written feedback, many teachers believe students ignore or misunderstand it. Although audio feedback holds promise for improving the clarity of instructor feedback and the self-efficacy of writing instructors in higher education, its usefulness for improving high school teacher self-efficacy has remained unexplored. This multiple case study investigated how high school teachers believed Kaizena, a digital audio feedback technology, influenced their writing instruction and self-efficacy. Participants, who were drawn from the global Kaizena user base, included …

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Teachers' Perceptions Of Professional Development Benefits For Teaching In Inclusive Classrooms, Francene Ramon Garrett Jan 2017

Teachers' Perceptions Of Professional Development Benefits For Teaching In Inclusive Classrooms, Francene Ramon Garrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a correlation between the professional development that teachers receive and student academic success. It has been shown that knowledgeable teachers have a profound impact on student achievement. Many general and special educators enter the field of education and are placed to teach in inclusive environments with little to no professional development related to inclusion. This placement often adversely impacts the success of students with disabilities on state tests. However, there is limited information on the types of professional development necessary for teaching in inclusion. Guided by Bandura's social cognitive theory, this study explored teachers' perceptions of the types …

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Principals' Perceptions Of Student Performance On The Nigerian Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, Comfort Fubara Oghu Jan 2017

Principals' Perceptions Of Student Performance On The Nigerian Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, Comfort Fubara Oghu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure of high school students on the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) in Nigeria is severely limiting the number of students qualified to enroll in college. The purpose of this multiple case study of 6 high schools in southern Nigeria was to describe principals' perceptions of student performance on the SSCE and the principals' influence on school climate, teacher expectations and approaches, and student performance. The theories of reasoned action and planned behavior provided the framework for the study. The research questions focused on the extent to which principals developed and sustained a school climate that supported positive outcomes. Qualitative …

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Secondary Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of A Professional Learning Community, Catina Shontelle Stewart Jan 2017

Secondary Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of A Professional Learning Community, Catina Shontelle Stewart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs) in schools has been shown to serve as a catalyst in transforming school culture and increasing the academic performance of students. Our school district mandated that PLCs were established at the research site, an urban Louisiana school, for the primary purpose of closing the achievement gap. Yet, recent data from the local district indicate that these PLCs have not resulted in capacity building for sustainable improvement. Ineffective implementation of the current PLCs may have contributed to the poor outcomes. One purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teachers' perceptions of the …

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Students' Participation In An Alternative To Suspension Program, Yolanda Jordan Stovall Jan 2017

Students' Participation In An Alternative To Suspension Program, Yolanda Jordan Stovall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black and Hispanic students in the United States are suspended at a higher rate and lag behind White students academically. This project study examined student achievement and behavior in an alternative to suspension (ATS) program at a Midwest U.S. high school. The purpose of this mixed methods, concurrent embedded strategy study was to determine if participation in the ATS program decreased disciplinary referrals and improved student performance. This study was guided by social control theory, which suggests that when students are disengaged in the school environment, student/teacher and peer relationships are damaged and students turn toward delinquent behavior. The study …

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Hedging Exchange Rate Risks, Godwill George Wanga Jan 2017

Hedging Exchange Rate Risks, Godwill George Wanga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Risks associated with fluctuating exchange rates affect investment cost and investor profitability. Approximately 50% of firms in emerging markets have significant exposure to fluctuating exchange rates. Grounded in principal-agent theory (PAT), the purpose of this case study was to explore hedging strategies to mitigate risks of fluctuating exchange rates. The population comprised a census sampling of 12 bank hedgers (risk managers and controllers) in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, East Africa. Data collection involved semistructured interviews, casual observations of the work environment, and analysis of reports including risk management, internal control, and compliance policies. Data were analyzed by coding and …

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Teachers' Perceptions Of Professional Learning Communities And Their Impact On School Culture, Jerry Paul Kociuruba Jr Jan 2017

Teachers' Perceptions Of Professional Learning Communities And Their Impact On School Culture, Jerry Paul Kociuruba Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are a group of educators working collaboratively to improve student achievement and expand the pedagogy of the individual as well as the group. Studies on PLCs, grounded by the social constructivism theory of Vygotsky, Bandura, and Wenger, have found that collaboration and collegiality foster a positive school climate. This case study explored the perspectives of PLC participants at a suburban high school on the impact of their PLC on the school's culture. Ten teacher participants with at least 2 years of experience at the research site were individually interviewed, and 5 observations of content PLC meetings …

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The Needs Of Custodial Grandparents In Helping Their Grandchildren Experience School Success, Rex Sawyer Ward Jan 2017

The Needs Of Custodial Grandparents In Helping Their Grandchildren Experience School Success, Rex Sawyer Ward

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a local middle school, twice as many students were being reared by their grandparents than in each of the other 3 schools in the study district. Most of these students were experiencing academic and social issues; increased understanding of the issue was needed to address these problems. Using a phenomenological approach, this project study explored the lived experiences of grandparents of skipped-generation households and school employees who interact daily with skipped-generation households. Epstein's theory of parental involvement undergirded this study, and semistructured interviews were used to gather data from 15 grandparents and 15 school employees. Interviews were transcribed, open …

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Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Perspectives On Instructional Practices, Cindy Ziegler Jan 2017

Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Perspectives On Instructional Practices, Cindy Ziegler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a local middle school, students were not meeting standards on the state mathematics tests. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore mathematics teachers' perspectives on effective mathematics instruction vis-Ã -vis the principles of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Within this framework, the 6 principles in the creation of quality mathematics programs included equity, curriculum, teaching, learning, assessment, and technology. Seven teachers from around the country participated; all met the criteria of a graduate degree in education, at least 5 years of experience teaching adolescent learners, and at least 3 years teaching mathematics. Participants were …

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French Speaking Students' Challenges In Academic Literacy At International University Of Grand-Bassam, Cote D'Ivoire, Laurent Bassa Jan 2017

French Speaking Students' Challenges In Academic Literacy At International University Of Grand-Bassam, Cote D'Ivoire, Laurent Bassa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

International University of Grand-Bassam (IUGB) first opened its doors in Cote d'Ivoire, in a sociocultural context where a significant number of freshmen students were French speakers. Because the instructional language was English, students were faced with a language barrier that triggered more issues including difficulties in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The purpose of this study was to uncover French speaking students' challenges in academic literacy at IUGB and to suggest some solutions that would benefit students and instructors. The research questions focused on faculty members' perceptions of French speaking students' challenges in academic literacy, and their suggestions for improving …

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Effect Of Summer Bridge Programming On Students' Performance On The Texas Success Initiative Assessment, Consuela Michelle Cooper Jan 2017

Effect Of Summer Bridge Programming On Students' Performance On The Texas Success Initiative Assessment, Consuela Michelle Cooper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summer bridge programs (SBPs) have been used as a means of increasing students' college readiness and academic skills. University Southeast implemented a SBP in 2013 for students placing into developmental courses on the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA). However, researchers have found mixed results when evaluating the effectiveness of SBPs, and at University Southeast, it has not been investigated. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the difference in TSIA score gains between first-time-in-college students with developmental-level test scores who attended a three-week SBP and those who did not. Tinto's longitudinal model of student departure guided the study …

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Teacher And Student Perceptions Of Computer-Assisted Instructional Software To Differentiate Instruction, Christopher Garrett Cannon Jan 2017

Teacher And Student Perceptions Of Computer-Assisted Instructional Software To Differentiate Instruction, Christopher Garrett Cannon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many educators struggle to meet the academic needs of students, especially in the subject area of mathematics. Computer-assisted instruction is an instructional strategy used to enhance instruction. However, there is limited research on the effectiveness of these software programs for all students. The purpose of this qualitative, embedded, multiple case study was to explore the perceptions of teachers and students using computer-assisted instructional software to differentiate instruction within a general education and special education 4th-grade mathematics classroom. The constructivism theory provided a framework for the topic of differentiated instruction. This study included a single elementary school within a district in …

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Soft Skills Needed For The 21st Century Workforce, Susan A. Dean Jan 2017

Soft Skills Needed For The 21st Century Workforce, Susan A. Dean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technical skills are no longer enough for workers to compete in this highly competitive global work environment. Soft skills are of paramount importance. A multiple case study design through the lens of emotional intelligence formed the basis of the research study. The focus of the research was identification of the successful soft skills training strategies in the logistics industry. Three logistics organization leaders in the counties of Burlington, Middlesex, and Somerset, New Jersey, were participants in the study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and the review of company documents. Four themes emerged through data analysis of converging multiple data …

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A Case Study Of Financial Literacy And Debt Of Immigrants In Lloydminster, Canada, Oludamola Olalere Durodola Jan 2017

A Case Study Of Financial Literacy And Debt Of Immigrants In Lloydminster, Canada, Oludamola Olalere Durodola

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high debt-to-income ratios and the low financial literacy levels among Canadian immigrants are hindering public welfare, macroeconomic policies, and economic growth. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore why immigrants to Lloydminster, Canada possess high debt-to-income ratios in their financial portfolios by examining pertinent themes and patterns between their debt profiles and their financial literacy levels. The life cycle hypothesis, rational choice theory, and bounded rationality theory grounded the study. Data collection from the purposeful sample included semistructured face-to-face interviews with 13 adult immigrants and a focus group discussion with 6 adult immigrants, all of …

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Environmental Relocation Policy As Experienced By One Eastern Missouri Dioxin-Contaminated Community, Susan Annette Olsen Jan 2017

Environmental Relocation Policy As Experienced By One Eastern Missouri Dioxin-Contaminated Community, Susan Annette Olsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on environmental relocation is scant and narrow, focusing on a few aspects of permanent relocation and social impacts of natural disasters. As a result, little is known about the long term social impacts of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) environmental relocation policy. A combined conceptual and theoretical framework of Walter's placeways; Ullberg's disaster memoryscapes; Richardson's remembrance and memorialization; Dynes' social capital; and, Norris, Stevens, Pfefferbaum, Wyche, and Pfefferbaum's work on community resilience guided this phenomenological study with the purpose of better understanding competing and complementary roles of each of these constructs in the context of environmental relocation of one …

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Employee Perceptions Of Emotional Intelligence Among Managers, Afraa Al-Bahrani Jan 2017

Employee Perceptions Of Emotional Intelligence Among Managers, Afraa Al-Bahrani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Efficient managers influence the success and performance of organizations, in contrast to inefficient managers who may negatively affect employee motivation, productivity, stress levels, job satisfaction, and performance. Managers' ability to recognize emotions can positively affect employee motivation, job satisfaction, and performance, which is likely to decrease employee turnover. The purpose of this phenomenological research was to explore the perceptions among employees regarding their managers' EI in relation to employee motivation, job satisfaction, and performance in the Northern Virginia (NOVA) area. The presence of managers' EI skills was explored based on the emotional abilities to facilitate, understand, perceive, and manage emotions. …

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Reducing Runway Incursions At The Nation's Five Busiest Airports, 2009-2011, Theodore Patrick Byrne Jan 2017

Reducing Runway Incursions At The Nation's Five Busiest Airports, 2009-2011, Theodore Patrick Byrne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During the last decade, the number of runway incursions at airports in the United States and worldwide has increased. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has developed the Runway Safety Program (RSP) to address these concerns and improve the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the FAA 2009-2011 RSP has effectively reduced runway incursions at the nation's 5 busiest airports using data from 3 years before and 3 years after the RSP. A comparison group interrupted time-series design was used to determine the impact of the RSP. A public policy framework …

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Self-Efficacy Influencing Parental Homework Involvement For Middle School Youth With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd), Diana Yvonne Gintner Jan 2017

Self-Efficacy Influencing Parental Homework Involvement For Middle School Youth With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd), Diana Yvonne Gintner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite evidence demonstrating the positive impact of parental involvement in children's education, youth transitioning from elementary school to middle school are often extended a greater level of autonomy. Parental involvement may decrease, which may pose particular challenges to students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The theoretical framework for this study was Bandura's self-efficacy theory which involves positive self-esteem, coping strength, and persistence toward goals. Bandura's ideas help to clarify why self-efficacy plays a role in parental involvement decisions. Through a multiple case study method, seven parents of middle school youth with ADHD, were interviewed through four open ended questions …

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Teachers' Theories Of Teaching And Learning And The Use Of Math Interventions, Nicole P. Jones Jan 2017

Teachers' Theories Of Teaching And Learning And The Use Of Math Interventions, Nicole P. Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the academic gap between students with learning disabilities (LD) and their nondisabled peers, schools continue to educate students with LD in regular education classrooms. In secondary math classes, such as Algebra 1, students with LD have high percentages of failure. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between teachers' personal theories of teaching and learning and their use of math interventions. Fox's (1983) theoretical framework of teaching and learning was used as a conceptual lens. Surveys were administered to 20 high school math teachers in an urban Northeastern U.S. school district. An ordinal logistic regression …

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The Effect Of Common Core Standards On Elementary Students' Learning, Christine Arner Macdougall Jan 2017

The Effect Of Common Core Standards On Elementary Students' Learning, Christine Arner Macdougall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After implementing the Common Core Standards in 2012, local school districts faced additional costs in their annual budgets to train staff how to teach using these standards. One of the problems that faced the school district under study was whether to retain the Common Core Standards and to continue to fund the expense of training teachers . The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of the Common Core Standards on student achievement in a local Pennsylvania school district using scores from the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments (PSSA) for Grades 3 through 8. The research question addressed …

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Student Perspectives Of An Off-Reservation Residential Program, Lucia Rose Mitchell Jan 2017

Student Perspectives Of An Off-Reservation Residential Program, Lucia Rose Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Navajo students who attend residential schools that are located off the reservation and hours away from their homes, communities, and tribes may experience issues with development of a meaningful cultural identity. The purpose of this study was to better understand and identify key themes related to how Navajo students' cultural identity may be affected while living in an off-reservation residential hall. Phinney's ethnic identity development theory was used to explain the psychosocial process of developing industry and identity in adolescents. The primary research question addressed how former students' experiences of living in an off-reservation residence hall affected their development of …

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Scheduling Strategies For Construction Project Managers Toward On Time Delivery, Paul Shamp Jan 2017

Scheduling Strategies For Construction Project Managers Toward On Time Delivery, Paul Shamp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Construction management projects involve complex, dynamic environments resulting in uncertainty and risk, compounded by demanding time constraints. Research indicated project managers have struggled to identify best practices for scheduling construction projects via critical path methodologies while searching for tools to increase timely job completions and budget profits. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies that construction project managers used to manage scheduled construction project delivery on time. The constructivist philosophical worldview was used as the framework for this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews from 7 project managers from 5 different construction companies selected …

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Pathways For Improving Nigeria's Procurement System, Donald Osebhawe Areguamen Jan 2017

Pathways For Improving Nigeria's Procurement System, Donald Osebhawe Areguamen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The manual procurement processes used by some private companies result in increased costs and contract fulfillment delays. The focus of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies procurement managers use to reduce costs and contract fulfillment delays. The population for this study was three procurement managers of private plastics companies located at Maitama, in Abuja, Nigeria. Weiss's theory of change was the conceptual framework for this study. Data collection included semistructured face-to-face interviews and an exploration of company archival financial documents. Data were transcribed, coded, and then validated through member checking, resulting in the emergence of 5 themes: …

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Teachers' Experiences With And Perceptions Of Single-Gender Instruction Of African American Students, Kymberli Robinson Chandler Jan 2017

Teachers' Experiences With And Perceptions Of Single-Gender Instruction Of African American Students, Kymberli Robinson Chandler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a large, urban district in western Tennessee, African American students perform considerably lower in math, science, and reading than other districts. Several teachers in western Tennessee are using single-gender instruction as a practice, but little is known about its effectiveness in addressing the needs of African American students. Currently, there is a gap in scholarly and practical understanding of the effects of single-gender classrooms on the academic success of African American students in western Tennessee. This exploratory qualitative case study examined the experiences shared by teachers who use single-gender learning to educate African American students in secondary schools in …

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Balancing Career And Family: The Nigerian Woman's Experience, Ngozi Eze Jan 2017

Balancing Career And Family: The Nigerian Woman's Experience, Ngozi Eze

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nigerian women have become more integrated into the workforce, but this integration has led to conflicts between work and family responsibilities. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Nigerian women regarding challenges and strategies in management and leadership positions in relation to their domestic lives and responsibilities. Liberal and social feminist theory and gendered leadership theory were used as the conceptual framework of the study. The findings of this study came from data obtained from semistructured interviews with 15 Nigerian women in leadership and management positions regarding their perceptions and lived experiences of balancing …

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