Digital Commons Network^™

Strategies For Low Employee Turnover In The Hotel Industry, Odetha Antonnett Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover affects the profitability, performance, and customer service of an organization. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that leaders in the hotel industry used to maintain a low rate of employee turnover. Motivation-hygiene theory was the conceptual framework for the study. The study population included 9 hotel leaders from 2 international hotels operating in Jamaica. Methodological triangulation involved the comparison of data from observation of hotel facilities and leaders' interactions with employees, review of company documents, and semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed into emerging themes using a Gadamerian hermeneutics framework of interpretation. Four major …

Stress In Rural North Georgia Policing, Robert C. Mason

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are many operational and organizational stressors in policing. This study was designed to gain a better understanding of what causes police officers in a rural southern state mental and physical stress and to determine how best to assist officers when they are dealing with stress. The purpose of this study was to determine whether organizational or operational issues cause more stress among police officers in a rural southern state. Qualitative research methods and the phenomenological approach to obtain data from participants who have experienced job-related stressors were used. The social construct theory, a theory of knowledge in sociology, was …

A Global Perception On Contemporary Slavery In The Middle East North Africa Region, Kimberly Anne Pavlik

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although human trafficking continues to be a growing problem around the world, there are scarce quantitative methodologies for evidence-based research because it is hard to gather reliable and comparable data on human trafficking. It is also difficult to track patterns in human trafficking on a regional or global scale because the victims are a vulnerable population. Using Datta and Bales conceptualization of modern slavery as the theoretical foundation, the primary purpose of this study was to establish a baseline measurement of trafficking predictors in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) as well as understand the statistical relationship between measurements of …

The Interrelationships Of Socialization, Integration, And Spirituality Among Students At A Historically Black College, William Rookstool

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Higher education has not been successfully producing students with positive self-identities and an integrated sense of self with the world. Little research shows how the relationships among socialization, integration, and spirituality can address the problem of cognitive dissonance. The research question for this study examined interrelationships among socialization, integration, and spirituality at a small, historically black, Christian college located in the mid-South? This quantitative, exploratory study utilized Durkheim's integration theory and Blau's theory of structuralism as the theoretical base. Survey data were gathered through a survey developed from Astin's, Reeley's, and Ross & Straus's survey instruments to help create a …

Improving Recruitment And Retention Of Volunteer Firefighters, Jason Decremer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of active volunteer firefighters has been steadily dropping in the state of Connecticut for several years. At the same time, the number of public service calls for fire departments has been on the rise. This problem impacts fire protection and municipalities that rely on volunteer fire departments. The purpose of this narrative study was to explore why volunteer firefighter numbers have been declining, the extent to which recruitment and retention programs are used in volunteer fire departments, and how these programs contribute to a fire department's ability to recruit members. Perry's public service motivation model provided the theoretical …

Effects Of Cancer Staging On Maternal Coping And Mother-Child Communication Patterns Among Breast Cancer Survivors, Kevin Michael Lycke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Few researchers have examined the relationship between earlier stages of breast cancer and its effect on staging of the disease process and the co-occurring coping and communication patterns between mothers and their children. The purposes of this qualitative study with a multiple case study design were to examine (a) coping mechanisms that mothers used to manage the uncertainty of their breast cancer status and (b) the impact of early-stage breast cancer on communication patterns between mothers and their children. The Lazarus and Folkman theory of psychological coping and the McMaster family systems communication theory informed the conceptual framework for the …

Cross-Project Knowledge Transfer Succession Planning For Family-Owned Businesses, Kristina L. Mccarthy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

When the owners of family-owned businesses leave the workplace, they can transfer ownership to the next generation; however, their knowledge of the business goes with them. There is a gap in the literature regarding effective ways to transfer family business resources and knowledge to subsequent generations. The problem was some small and family-owned businesses do not have detailed plans in place based on the needs of owners and the successor generation, with cross-project knowledge as part of the succession plan. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to examine the relationships between the subscales of cross-project tacit knowledge transfer and …

Perspectives Of Racism Among Offenders Post Incarceration, Anna Phillips

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial segregation in California prisons is a primary means of maintaining control and safety for inmates and correctional staff, yet little is understood about how racial segregation in prison impacts reentry of offenders into the community. The research question examined in this study focused on how living in the racial segregation of a California State prison, for 2 years or more might influence African-American, White, and Latino men's ability to interact with other races in a culturally diverse community upon release. Using Donald Clemmer's theory of prisonization as the foundation, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the …

Family Reunification Among Women In Recovery From Substance Abuse And Complex Trauma, Cesha Tiffany Reese

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For women in recovery from complex trauma and substance abuse, the lack of posttreatment family reunification services such as family engagement, service delivery, and aftercare planning increase the likelihood of parental relapse and children reentering foster care. A primary caregiver's continued relapse can lead to longer out of home placement for minor children and a loss of parental rights, with a negative impact on both children and parents. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of women in recovery, their sobriety practices, and how they reunified their families. The theoretical framework was Herman's trauma …

Parents' Perceptions Of Transition And Postsecondary Services For Their Children With Disabilities, Elizabeth Joyce Strong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students with intellectual and other disabilities who age out of transition programs or graduate from high school may experience marginalization as young adults. There exists scant literature on the perceptions of parents about access to employment and services for their adult children with disabilities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how parents perceived educational services, financial burdens, social isolation, and lack of access to employment for their children with intellectual and other disabilities. Critical disability theory and transformational theory constituted the study's conceptual framework. The research questions concerned how parents perceived access to services related to financial …

Predictors Of Incarceration For African American Males Aging Out Of Foster Care, Marlean.Wrotten Wrotten

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past research has shown that many youths in the United States age out of foster care group homes unprepared for independent living. Lack of connections to adults, low educational attainment, and homelessness are negative outcomes that have been linked to incarceration for youth who age out of foster care. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine how well the independent variables of connection to adults, educational attainment, and homelessness predict the dependent variable of likelihood of incarceration for African American males (n = 504) within 3 years after aging out of foster care group homes. The Bridges …

Strategies To Reduce Employee Turnover In A National Grocery Chain, Tracy Haney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retaining qualified employees is a problem for many organizations, which costs companies both monetary resources and hours of productivity. A contributing factor to the problem of employee retention is the lack of trained managers who are equipped to foster and increase employee job satisfaction. The purpose of this single case study, using a transformational leadership framework, was to explore managerial strategies to reduce turnover at 1 store in a national grocery store in the Midwestern United States. Methodological triangulation was achieved through the semistructured interviews of 5 managers, as well as a review of company training documents, and a review …

Nonreciprocal Language And Its Influence In Mother-Child Relationships, Karen Kuemerle-Pinillos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Acculturation research has gained interest due to the increasing levels of immigration to the United States. The population of interest for this study was the Latino immigrant population in the United States, as they represent the largest and fastest growing minority in the country. One challenge Latino immigrants can face during the acculturation process is a phenomenon described as nonreciprocal language. This phenomenon is present when first generation parents speak in their native language of Spanish and their children, who are second-generation immigrants, speak in the host culture language of English. The purpose of this study was to focus on …

Therapists' Attitudes, Knowledge, Comfort, And Willingness To Discuss Sexual Topics With Clients, Byron James Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Empirical literature indicated that marriage and family therapists are not comfortable discussing sexual topics with clients. The purpose of this cross-sectional correlational study was to examine the variables that may influence or predict a therapist's willingness to discuss sexual topics with clients. The research questions focused on understanding the predictive relationship between the independent variables of therapists' (a) attitudes, (b) knowledge, (c) training, (d) supervision experience, (e) clinical experience, (f) sex, (g) age, (h) strength of religion, (i) sexual orientation, (j) practice experience, (k) practice setting, and (l) graduate specialization, and the dependent variables of therapists' (a) willingness to discuss …

Improving Access Of Small Business Owners To Microloan From Microfinance Institutions In Nigeria, Hyeladzira Mshelia Ochonogor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Most microloan applicants in Nigeria are denied access to financial services by the commercial banks because of the high risk involved in granting loans to an individual without tangible assets to offer as collateral. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore small business owners' understanding of suitable funding options from microfinance banks in Nigeria to sustain their businesses beyond the first 5 years. An investigation was conducted on how small business owners could obtain information on funding options most suitable to sustain their business. Guided by the ethical banking operations framework theory, the strategies business …

Whom Should I Talk To? Emerging Adults’ Romantic Relationship Work, Jakob Jensen, Amy Rauer, Yuliana Rodriguez, Andrew Brimhall

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

This exploratory study examined how often young adults discussed their romantic relationship problems with their social networks: partners, friends, mothers, and fathers (“relationship work” or RW). Using a sample of 82 heterosexual, romantically involved young adults, we found that participants engaged in RW most frequently with partners, followed by friends and mothers, and least with fathers. Suggesting that young adults vary in their disclosure patterns, cluster analyses revealed three groups: disclosers, who shared romantic challenges with all parties examined; selectives, who primarily discussed romantic problems with partners and mothers; and discretes, who engaged in low RW overall. Although RW with …

Silent Hands: A Leader’S Ability To Create Nonverbal Immediacy, Linda Talley, Samuel R. Temple

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Nonverbal immediacy is a core element of a leader’s ability to lead followers. Nevertheless, there are no empirical studies regarding a link between a leader’s hand gestures and followers’ perceptions of immediacy (attraction to someone) or nonimmediacy (distancing). Guided by Mehrabian’s theory of nonverbal behavior, this study included one independent variable segmented into seven levels (positive hand gestures defined as community hand, humility hands, and steepling hands; three defensive gestures, defined as hands in pocket, arms crossed over chest, and hands behind back; and neutral/no hand gestures) to test for immediacy or nonimmediacy. In this experimental study, participants (n …

Trajectories Of University Of Ibadan Undergraduates’ Exposure To Cyber Pornography, Haleemah B. Adebayo, Usman A. Ojedokun

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Cyber pornography is fast gaining ground in the Nigerian cyber environment with undergraduate students among its major consumers. Against this background, this study investigated the trajectories of University of Ibadan undergraduates’ exposure to cyber pornography. Containment theory was used as a theoretical framework. Data were collected from 250 respondents through surveys and in-depth interviews. Respondents’ selection was achieved through a multistage sampling technique. Findings revealed that browsing for academic materials (37.0%) and Internet surfing (35.0%) were the major online activities predisposing respondents to cyber pornography. The majority of the respondents (78.3%) identified sex videos and nude pictures as the most …

Student Engagement In Higher Education: Measuring The Differences In Community Engagement, Stanley S. Ebede

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In U.S. education system, the growing gap in the engagement of various groups and types of students is wider than ever (Darling-Hammond, 2015). Therefore, there is a need to bridge the gap in engagement by ensuring that either personal or social circumstances such as gender, student status, ethnic groups etc. are not obstacles to achieving educational potential in higher education (Williams & Whiting, 2016; Greene, Marti, & McClenney, 2008; McClenney & Marti, 2006). Using both longitudinal and cross-sectional perspectives advocated by Fuller, Wilson and Tobin (2011); Gordon, Ludlum, and Hoey (2008); and Astin and Lee (2003), this study examined students’ …

Sociocultural Interactions Of Cuban Doctors Participating In The More Doctors Program In Brazil, Joaquin Molina, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira, Leonardo Cavalcanti

Gastón Institute Publications

This book focuses on a different and underexplored attribute of the More Doctors Program by surveying doctors in the feld with the purpose of identifying important answers regarding the sociocultural interactions of Cuban doctors recruited by the program and of producing knowledge, while also making improvements in the participation, still limited, of foreign doctors in the primary care services offered by SUS. It proposes to induce perceptions, memories, and possible explanations to anyone who is somehow associated with the Program’s development, especially those committed to universal health care and primary assistance as the only paths to an effective health system. …

Communities In Peril: The Dispersion Of Temporary Protected Status Populations Throughout Massachusetts, Phillip Granberry, Trevor Mattos, Lorna Rivera

Gastón Institute Publications

Massachusetts is estimated to have over 12,000 residents with Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS is a non-immigrant status granted when a country's nationals in the United States cannot return safely or, in certain circumstances, when the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately. This legal status was instituted as part of the 1990 Immigration Act, which was sponsored by Senator Edward M. Kennedy and signed into law by President George H. W. Bush. TPS beneficiaries are not removable from the United States, can obtain an employment authorization document (EAD), and may be granted travel authorization.

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Countering Untouchability: The Stories Of Mātaṅga, Chandrabhan P. Yadav

Articles

Excerpt:

"In the Jātakas we get description of the Caṇḍālas which is rare as far as traces about this class from the early Indian past is concerned. In around eight stories we get description of the Caṇḍālas.1 Amongst those the Mātaṅ gaJātaka (No.497) is the most important story because of its sheer description which is comparatively more elaborate than the other stories. In this essay I shall not only be examining this particular story to see the everyday lives of the Caṇḍālas in the early historic period, but most importantly, I shall also be exploring those processes through which these …

Sankofa : Framing Afrofuturistic Dialectical Utopias In N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season, Nisi Shawl's Everfair, And Nnedi Okorafor's Binti, Jasmine A. Moore

Theses

This project explores a variety of utopian constructions via the work of N. K. Jemisin, Nisi Shawl, and Nnedi Okorafor in order to demonstrate that Afrofuturism’s hopeful optimism is a lesson for present and future realities. Each vision of utopia performs a necessary critique and evaluation of time in relation to historical constructivism that is insightful for all readers who must understand, in full, the myriad ways that Afro-centered narratives have enhanced the genres of Speculative and Science Fiction. In earnest, Afrofuturism offers to the world an attempt to think globally through excavations of the past, and, therefore, joins other …

Assessing The Ability Of Socioeconomic Factors To Predict Changes In Urban Vegetation : A Case Study Of Seven Cities, Tyler H. Finley

Theses

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Relatedness In Youth Athlete Burnout, Megan Wittenberg

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The Aspen Institute’s 2016 State of Play report projects a decline in youth sport participation that is more pronounced in adolescent athletes. Although there are numerous potential benefits for youth sport participation, there are also potential consequences including burnout (chronic psychological syndrome consisting of emotional and physical exhaustion, reduced sense of accomplishments, and sport devaluation (Raedeke, 1997). Approximately 1% to 9% of adolescent athletes experienced elevated levels of burnout, with current research suggesting that relatedness could have an influence on athlete burnout. In this instance, relatedness was defined as the extent to which individuals perceives significant others are genuinely invested …

The Miseducation Of Irie Jones In Zadie Smith's White Teeth, Amanda S. Medlock

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In this essay, I will discuss Carter G. Woodson’s notion of the “mis-education” black Americans face and its applicability in British novelist, Zadie Smith’s, debut novel, White Teeth. This novel shows how mis-education affects four generations of female Caribbean migrants. My analysis emphasizes how this mis-education shapes the life of Smith’s character, Irie Jones. Throughout the text, Irie suffers from low self-esteem due to her cultural rootlessness. I attribute this rootlessness to the mis-education inherited from her female predecessors. Ultimately, I explore how instead of defeating this familial baggage, she falls victim to it.

The Role Of Shame: A Creative Look At Justice, Gabrielle Lory

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The current criminal justice system is often brought under scrutiny for its perceived lack of procedural justice, low rates of victim satisfaction and a pattern of sentencing disparities among populations of racial minorities and people of low socioeconomic status (Palmer, 2015; Hamilton, 2017; Cornwell & Waite, 2009). Alternative justice programs have been growing in number for decades, as well as continually developing their processes to improve outcomes for victims and ameliorate sentencing disparities. This study examines the extant literature on alternative sentencing programs, specifically restorative justice programs, to provide empirical evidence contributing to the development of a creative justice framework …

"I'M Done!" Stories Of Veteran Teachers Driven Out Of The Profession, Jill L. Stassie

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

My dissertation inquiry builds upon the works of Nancy Hoffman (1977/2003), Madeleine Grumet (1981, 1988) and Dana Goldstein (2014) to examine the enduring effects of the feminization of teaching on the profession. My research question asks, “How do former teachers describe the emotional, social-political conditions that contributed to their exit of their teaching in public schools?” Utilizing narrative inquiry as the methodology, I interviewed four teachers who recently left the profession. I also collected archival data to provide the history and context of teaching.

This study provides a detailed account of what teachers face daily in their classrooms and schools …

The Real Winner Of The Second World War: Patriotic Consumption And The Formation Of A Society Of Spin, Jordan T. Thomas

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The unique circumstances in the United States during the Second World War allowed for business to continue as usual on the home front. Advertisers, public relations experts, and big business all worked for the government to promote the war effort. For a period of time major companies in the United States were producing advertisements that persuaded citizens to support rationing, buy war bonds, hate the enemy, and keep their brand names in mind in the post-war years. Companies who supported the war effort had their brands connected with ideas of patriotism and enjoyed the success of brand loyal consumers in …

Implementing An Lgbtq Training For Teen Pregnancy Prevention Facilitators, Christopher F. Drescher, Elizabeth Devon Eldridge, Elizabeth Wood, Alexis L. Rossi, Lara Stepleman

Georgia Educational Researcher

Teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections remain a major health concern and are linked to a number of poor outcomes. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth are particularly at risk for these issues. Although evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention (TPP) programs exist, they are not necessarily tailored to meet the needs of LGBTQ youth. This paper reports on the development and implementation of a LGBTQ training for TPP facilitators working for the Augusta Partnership for Children in Augusta, GA. The four-hour workshop covered a range of topics including terminology, identity, intersectionality, and risk/resilience factors through a combination of lecture, …