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Exploring Successful Change Strategies For Small Business Owners To Remain Competitive, Omari Akuamoah Boateng

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses are vital to the U.S. economy but face significant challenges in implementing organizational change to remain competitive due to resource constraints. This problem is important to small business owners because ineffective change strategies limit growth, sustainability, and broader economic contribution. Grounded in the resource-based view of the firm and entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project is to explore the evidence-based organizational change strategies used by some small business owners in the United States to achieve and sustain a competitive advantage. The participants were 6 leaders from small businesses with fewer than 100 employees located …

Vertical Alignment As A Systemic Strategy For Sustaining Workforce-Aligned K–12 Engineering Initiatives: A Collective Case Study Of District-Wide Microelectronics Integration, Greg J. Strimel, Victoria Constantine, Deana Lucas, Emily Haluschak, Yubin Lee, Morgan Hynes, Selcen Guzey, Tamara J. Moore

School of Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Background

In response to the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, a K–12 workforce development initiative was launched to embed microelectronics education across US school districts. To promote sustainability, the initiative employed a district-wide vertical alignment strategy that progressively integrates microelectronics content and engineering-related career experiences from kindergarten through high school. While vertical alignment is often used for curriculum planning, its broader potential as a systems-level strategy remains underexplored.

Purpose

This study investigated how vertical alignment functions within a K–12 engineering workforce development initiative, focusing on enablers/barriers toward expanding and sustaining integration efforts. The research questions addressed stakeholder experiences with the …

Strategic Organizational Growth In Nonprofit Organizations: A Swot-Based Change Management Analysis, Sharika Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit organizations often face operational and sustainability challenges. This study examined a nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities that was experiencing increased service demands, communication challenges, and workforce shortages. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to develop a sustainable strategic change management approach to strengthen workforce development, financial stability, stakeholder collaboration, and strategic planning. Guided by the research question, "How can the client nonprofit organization implement a sustainable change-management approach that addresses internal communication challenges and resource constraints while maintaining mission alignment?" the study used a SWOT analysis and Kotter’s eight-step change model. Data were collected …

Lived Experiences Of Faculty Working In Recently Consolidated Public Secondary Schools In Rural Southeastern United States Of America: A Phenomenological Study, Mary Elizabeth Baker Vick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of faculty members of a consolidated secondary public school within a rural district in the southeastern United States. The theory guiding this study was Lewin’s theory on institutional change as it explains how individuals experience the unfreezing, changing, and refreezing phases during organizational transitions. The Central Research Question was, what are the lived experiences of secondary public school faculty during and following the consolidation of their secondary public school in rural Southeastern United States of America? This qualitative research study utilized a transcendental phenomenological approach to investigate …

Leadership Team Responses To Sudden Newcomer Enrollment: A Multi-Site Case Study, Nicole D. Burrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative multi-site case study was to explore how leadership team members in public schools supported educators during a sudden mid-year influx of newcomer students. The theory guiding this study was transformational leadership theory, which provided a framework for how leaders influence, motivate, and support those they lead, particularly during times of challenge and organizational change. The central research question guiding this study was: How did leadership team members support educators during a sudden mid-year influx of newcomer students across multiple public school sites? Ten participants were recruited through the researcher’s professional networks and snowball sampling and …

Effective Strategies To Improve Telemedicine Services For Veterans In Baltimore, Maryland: A Qualitative Single-Case Study, Dolapo Uthman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative single-case study investigated the inefficiency and limited accessibility of telemedicine services within a selected healthcare organization located in Baltimore, Maryland. The purpose of this study was to investigate how telemedicine services can be improved to enhance healthcare outcomes for patients and their overall quality of life. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 16 participants, supported by fieldnotes, and publicly available documents, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Methodological triangulation was used to validate the findings to ensure credibility and consistency. The research indicated that telemedicine enhances access to healthcare and supports continuity of care, especially for …

A Strategy For Identifying, Equipping, And Empowering High-Capacity Church Leaders Within The Zero Collective Network, Blake Hicks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctor of Ministry action research project addressed the shortage of high-capacity lay leaders within The Zero Collective (TZC), a multi-church network in West Michigan, which has limited the sustainability and expansion of ministry initiatives. The purpose of this project was to develop a practical, biblically grounded strategy for identifying, equipping, and empowering high-capacity leaders to strengthen the network’s leadership pipeline and support its mission.

Using an action research methodology, this study engaged a select group of lay leaders identified as having high leadership potential. Data were collected through a triangulated approach, including pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, …

Sjsu Advanced Tax Practice Certificate And Conferences Information

The Contemporary Tax Journal

No abstract provided.

The Contemporary Tax Journal Volume 15, No. 1 – Summer 2026

The Contemporary Tax Journal

No abstract provided.

Mission-Oriented Technological Innovation Systems: Historical Evolution And Model Characteristics, Yang Haodong, Jin Chen, Gaofeng Wang, Chen Wang, Li Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Mission-oriented innovation, as a strategic approach to addressing significant challenges, has gained extensive practical experience globally. However, the agenda-setting and realization processes remain a complex, underexplored area. This study, based on national innovation system theory, analyzes mission-oriented technological innovation systems through a historical and comparative lens. According to the orientation and focus of their missions, eight representative cases from China and abroad are classified into three generational categories. The study examines the structural characteristics of different innovation system models across five analytical dimensions: mission formulation, innovation actors, system architecture, policy instruments, and functional outputs. The conclusions underscore the need for …

From Framework To Praxis: An Examination Of Integrated Comprehensive Systems (Ics) Equity Reform And Black Student Engagement, Heather L. Dunham

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

For over two decades, the Integrated Comprehensive Systems (ICS) framework (Frattura & Capper, 2007) has sought to promote systemic equity by addressing the organizational structures and practices that shape student outcomes. Despite its promise, few studies have examined ICS implementation in practice, particularly its impact on Black student engagement and academic success. This qualitative case study investigates a racially diverse Midwestern middle school that adopted ICS to shift outcomes for Black students. Grounded in the ICS framework—conceptually informed by Critical Race Theory and Disability Studies in Education—data from interviews, observations, and achievement records reveal that ICS can disrupt racialized routines, …

Grit And Psychological Well-Being As Predictors Of Job Persistence Among K–12 Teachers In The United States, Tina Marie Sheppard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Throughout the United States, K–12 public school teachers are leaving the profession, contributing to teacher shortages and instability in classrooms and schools. Teacher persistence is critical to student success, yet little was known about the nature of the predictive relationship between grit and psychological well-being on job persistence among K–12 public school teachers in the United States. Guided by the framework of positive psychology, the purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental correlational study was to investigate the nature of the predictive relationship between the independent variables grit, as measured by the 12-Item Grit Scale, and psychological well-being, as measured by the …

How Female Leaders Perceive The Influence Of Gender On Career Advancement In The Indonesian Construction Industry, Jadeviput Suwanarat

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women who work in leadership positions in the construction industry in Indonesia face gender related challenges. Grounded in Acker’s theory of gendered organizations, this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study examined how women leaders experience and interpret gender-related workplace challenges. I collected data through semistructured interviews with nine women leaders in the Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Area and analyzed the data using the modified van Kaam method. Manual coding produced seven emergent themes. Key findings showed that gender inequality is embedded in organizational culture, policies, and everyday practices rather than occurring as isolated incidents. Women leaders reported heightened scrutiny, the need to continually …

Perceived Level Of Preparedness For A Terrorist Event Between State, Local And Tribal Law Enforcement Officers, Herbert Henderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this quantitative cross-sectional study, differences in perceived preparedness among state, local, and tribal law upon Kingdon’s multiple streams approach and Baumgartner and Jones’ punctuated equilibrium theory to explain administrative changes in law enforcement following the September 11, 2001, attacks. Data were collected from 53 full-time police officers across state, local and tribal agencies using a web-based survey instrument measuring enforcement officers in a northern border region were examined. Officers’ perceived preparedness to identify, prevent, and respond to future terrorist threats were evaluated. Whether perceived preparedness differed by agency type and whether officers with military experience or advanced homeland security …

Gender Disparities In The United States Federal Government Stem Leadership, Naomi Hirose-Gormally

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Persistent gender disparities continue to limit women’s representation in senior science technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) leadership roles within the United States federal government, particularly at the GS‑13, GS‑14, GS‑15, and subject matter expert/senior executive service (SME/SES) levels. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to explore how women in senior STEM leadership experience and interpret gender disparities as they pursue and attain leadership positions. Data were collected through individual semi‑structured interviews with women serving in senior STEM leadership and analyzed inductively using phenomenological coding procedures to identify categories and themes that were grounded in participants’ lived experiences. …

Leadership Characteristics Driving Positive Patient Experience Outcomes In Behavioral Healthcare Organizations, Sophia Iovenitti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient experience is a key indicator of healthcare quality and performance; however, limited evidence exists regarding the specific leadership characteristics that influence patient experience outcomes in behavioral healthcare. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the leadership characteristics associated with positive patient experience outcomes, examine how leadership behaviors influence patient perceptions, and identify leadership development strategies to enhance patient experience. The study was guided by the Baldrige excellence framework and the Beryl Institute’s definition of patient experience. Data were collected through semi structured interviews with executive and operational leaders and triangulated with organizational artifacts, including aggregated patient …

Experiences Of Reproductive Health Care Practitioners In North Carolina After The Dobbs Decision, Arwyn Lapella

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the Supreme Court of the United States made the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, providing access to reproductive health care in the state of North Carolina has been a challenge for medical professionals. Findings from existing literature indicate that a lack of access to reproductive health care can have a negative impact on society from socioeconomics, food and home inequality, and other health care complications. The purpose of this study was to focus on the impacts that health care providers faced when providing care for those who live in the state of North Carolina since the Supreme Court’s …

Exploring Hotel Sustainability Through A Service Design Lens: An Espoused Theory Vs. Theory-In-Use Perspective, Cindy Yoonjoung Heo, Jaehyun Park, Sanqi Yang, Chen Ni, Lei Tang, Lei Yu, Julneth Rogenhofer, Geraldine Assen

ICHRIE Research Reports

Sustainability is now widely embedded in hotel strategies, but it is often assessed through what hotels communicate rather than what guests actually experience. This study examines that disconnect by drawing on Argyris and Schön’s distinction between espoused theory and theory-in-use, combined with a service design perspective. Using document analysis alongside in-situ observations at the front desk and in guest rooms, the study looks at how sustainability appears across service touchpoints and whether it is likely to be noticed and understood by guests. The findings suggest that many initiatives are operationally in place but remain largely out of sight during the …

The Effects Of Social Impact Mentoring On Women Seeking Employment, Adriano Santos Carneiro

Theses and Dissertations

Women seeking employment often face barriers such as limited professional networks, reduced access to career guidance, and lack of consistent support during the job-search process. This study examined the effects of a social impact mentoring program that connected women seeking employment with women professionals who served as mentors. Participants included 11 mentees who were seeking employment opportunities and 11 mentors who were employed or recently employed in professional roles. Using a mixed-methods pre-post design, the study collected quantitative survey data and open-ended responses before and after four virtual mentoring sessions. Mentee measures focused on confidence in securing employment and readiness …

Leadership In Higher Education Amid Demographic Shifts: Implications Of Campus Event Management, Marrissa J. Williams

M.S. in Leadership

This study focuses on how demographic shifts within higher education have influenced leadership practices, specifically within enrollment management and campus event programming. As student populations become increasingly diverse, institutions are challenged to change their recruitment, engagement, and support strategies to meet the needs of first-generation, low-income, and non-traditional learners. The research explores the role of leadership in shaping these responses, with a focus on how decisions related to admissions events, like campus visits, outreach initiatives, and multicultural programming, have contributed to student engagement and enrollment outcomes. Using a qualitative approach grounded in the analysis of peer-reviewed articles and case studies, …

Non-Adherence To Antidiabetic Medications Among Rural Jamaicans, Norma Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) poses significant health challenges globally, with individuals and health care systems in rural communities particularly affected. Adherence to antidiabetic medication is crucial for effective management of T2DM. Still, people with T2DM encounter barriers that lead to nonadherence, resulting in poor glycemic control, increased complications, and higher health care costs. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of rural Jamaicans regarding the factors influencing nonadherence to antidiabetic medications. The basic qualitative study was underpinned by social cognitive theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight rural Jamaican participants with T2DM. Interview data …

Transforming Advising And Improving Outcomes: Assessing Impacts Of Advising Changes, Amy S. White, Tailisha Gonzalez, Elgloria Harrison

Publications and Research

Abstract

Background: Earning full-time credit loads and persisting are how college students successfully graduate.

Objective: We measured whether credits and persistence at an urban, commuter Hispanic/Minority-Sserving Iinstitution improved after implementing a social work-based advisement strategy.

Methods: Using a quasi-experimental methodology on a college’s enrollment database, we measured the impact of a new advisement model on earned and attempted credit loads to compare traditional student advisement within control groups (n = 171 and n = 899) relative to intervention (n = 130).

Findings: In 2024, the intervention group attempted an average of 14.7 credits and earned an average of 14.3 credits, …

U.S. Health Care Leaders’ Strategies To Improve Operational Efficiency Through Artificial Intelligence In Hospital Settings, Antwonne Demarco Ward

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care leaders in the United States increasingly adopt artificial intelligence (AI) to improve operational efficiency, yet many organizations struggle to achieve sustained operational value from AI initiatives. This problem is important to health care leaders, patients, clinicians, staff, and communities because AI-supported decisions may affect workflow, access, safety, staffing, and trust. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore strategies U.S. health care leaders used to improve operational efficiency through AI in hospital settings. Eight U.S. health care leaders in hospital settings across the United States participated. The technology-organization-environment framework grounded the project. Data were collected …

Beyond The “Him-Her-Ing” Dichotomy: Unpacking Gendered Power Logics In Tanzanian Public Administration, Furaha Julius

Tanzania Journal of Sociology

Despite decades of policy commitment to gender equity in Tanzania, substantive inequality within public administration endures. This study moves beyond quantifying women's underrepresentation to investigate the discursive and performative mechanisms that sustain a gendered power logic, termed him-her-ing. Situated within post-structural feminist theory and drawing on qualitative data from 21 in-depth interviews and a critical review of policy documents, this paper reveals how administrative practices—from leadership norms to routine task allocation—continuously reproduce a binary that privileges masculine-coded authority. Findings demonstrate that ostensibly neutral bureaucratic procedures, religious and customary influences, and informal patronage networks coalesce to marginalize feminine subjectivities, even within …

Educating School Nurses On Trauma-Informed Care, Na-Keisha Allene White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Trauma-informed care is a critical component of supporting students' overall wellness, and school nurses are central to this work. They are often the first professionals to recognize when a student is exhibiting a trauma response or experiencing a mental health concern during the school day. Although evidence-based school health organizations have advanced efforts to ensure that academic environments are prepared to support students’ mental health needs, school nurses are too often left out of these strategic planning processes. Their exclusion not only overlooks their clinical expertise but also weakens the school’s ability to respond effectively and holistically to student needs. …

Examining Inmate Labor In Emergency Management: Contributions, Challenges, And Ethical Considerations, Boris Eugene Valiance

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Incarcerated individuals remain inconsistently engaged in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, creating both an operational gap and an ethical challenge regarding labor equity, safety, voluntariness, and human dignity. Guided by RBT and EMT, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how incarcerated individuals are utilized in emergency management and to examine stakeholder perceptions of the operational, ethical, and policy implications of inmate labor programs. The research questions examined current utilization patterns, stakeholder-perceived benefits and drawbacks, and ethical concerns influencing participation decisions. Data were collected through semi structured interviews with purposefully sampled emergency management professionals, policymakers, and correctional …

Bridging The Gap Between Research And Practice In Schools, Giorgio Ostinelli

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This case study examined how a group of Swiss primary school teachers collaborated with a school improvement advisor/researcher (SIA); it is now part of a larger project that uses a design-based methodology. The SIA is a rising entity in the educational landscape and serves as a state-mandated coach who bridges the gap between universities and schools. The SIA embodies the characteristics of both an educational researcher and a school advisor/coach. The SIA experience was created and designed using a frame–object, a valuable tool for collaboratively building professional development experiences with teachers and coaches. Understanding by Design served as the frame–object …

Leading Through Difference: Core Values, Neuroscience, And The Habits Of Transformative Leaders, Jaime E. Welborn

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

Educational leaders are increasingly called to meet the demands of K-12 schools by managing diversity, navigating conflict, and leading change. One's core values, neuroscience, and cultural proficiency of educational practices play a very important role in how they lead organizations and interact with others. This conceptual paper explores the intersection of neuroscience, core values, and associated habits that support effective cross-cultural interactions. Drawing upon frequency count data from documents collected during professional learning activities in school organizations in New York, Missouri, and California from 2018 to 2025, empathy, open-mindedness, and communication emerged as the most frequently reported important core values …

The Character Fractal: A Theory Of Virtue Replication In Organizations, Kevin Davis, Scott Kozlak, Matthew M. Orlowsky, David Levy

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

Organizational ethics has long been treated as an individual problem requiring individual solutions: the right traits, the right training, the right people in the right roles. This paper argues that framing is fundamentally insufficient. While character and virtue ultimately reside in persons, character development within organizations emerges through recursive ethical interactions shaped by incentives, narratives, feedback loops, and habituation structures cultivated by systems leaders. It replicates, or fails to, across every scale of human interaction, from the unobserved micro-decision of a single employee to the macro-level architecture of executive leadership. Drawing on Mandelbrot's fractal geometry, Lorenz's chaos theory, Kauffman's complexity …

Dnp Final Report: Impact Of Education For Public School Caregivers On Reducing Complications In Type 1 Diabetes, Jena Decanter

DNP Final Reports

Abstract Background: Children with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) rely on school personnel to recognize symptoms and respond to diabetes-related emergencies during the school day. However, many rural school districts lack standardized training for staff responsible for supporting students with chronic health conditions. Purpose: This quality improvement project evaluated the feasibility and educational impact of a brief, self-paced, evidence-based diabetes education program designed to improve school personnel knowledge and response confidence related to T1D management. Methods: A quality improvement design was used in which school personnel with direct student contact completed an asynchronous educational module. Outcome measures included the Michigan Diabetes …