Digital Commons Network^™

Low Energy Availability And Dietary Factors In High School Runners, Natalie E. Allik

All Master's Theses

Context: Low energy availability (LEA) is associated with adverse health and performance outcomes in athletes and may be particularly concerning during adolescence when growth and bone development are ongoing. Although inadequate carbohydrate (CHO) intake has been proposed as a contributor to LEA, limited research has examined this relationship in adolescent endurance athletes. Objective: To examine dietary intake, bone mineral density (BMD), and eating disorder (ED) risk in adolescent distance runners with and without LEA. Methods: Eighteen adolescent distance runners (15.7 ± 1.2 years; 7 males, 11 females) completed baseline assessments including anthropometrics, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), a 24-hour dietary recall, …

The Role Of Conflicting Cognitions In Changing Hazardous Consumer Behaviour, Krzysztof Kubacki, Krzysztof Stepaniuk, Dariusz Siemieniako, Karolina Małagocka, Chrystyna Misiewicz

Plymouth Business School

Despite diverse approaches deployed worldwide to address harmful alcohol consumption, understanding binge drinking as a hazardous consumption behaviour remains a pressing issue in marketing and consumer behaviour research. Thus, this study examines the role of cognitive dissonance – and its absence – in facilitating transitions between different phases of binge drinking. Drawing on 38 biographical interviews conducted in Australia, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United States, we identify six instances where cognitive dissonance, or the absence thereof, contributes to the transition into, between, and out of phases of binge drinking. By examining conflicting cognitions that emerge from the gaps between …

Play-Based Learning In Private International Preschools In Cairo: Teachers' Perspectives, Kesha L. Stovall

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how play-based learning is practiced and contextualized in private, international preschools in Cairo, Egypt through the perspective of teachers. It calls upon both historical and contemporary theories of play and play pedagogies ranging from the times of Plato and Al-Farabi to the 21st century with Montessori and Dewey. Using a contemporary theory of play presented by Stuart Lester and Wendy Russell as a guiding framework, it examines how play and play-based learning are implemented, shaped and even challenged in a Cairene context. These contexts include sociocultural factors such as parents’ expectations and aspirations, institutional barriers, teacher development …

The Efficiency-Empathy Paradox, Francisco Javier Gorigoitia Manzanera

Business ETD Collections

This research investigates the "Efficiency-Empathy Paradox" within the customer service operations of a global tier-one lithium-ion system supplier, focusing on the tension between AI-driven operational speed and human emotional intelligence. While Artificial Intelligence (AI) has optimized transactional queries, "blind routing" architectures—where human capital is misallocated to mechanical tasks—generate significant financial leakage.

Adopting an Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods design, this study first analyzed a secondary dataset of 10,000 interactions. The quantitative findings revealed a baseline operational cost of $50,281.86. To address this, the study proposes and simulates the Adaptive Empathy Hybrid Framework (AEHF), a sentiment-based routing protocol designed to maximize AI …

The Direct Impact Of The 2026 Tariff Hikes On The Cost Of Living For Mexican Consumers, Alexia Sarai Alvarez Sanchez

Business ETD Collections

This study examines the impact of Mexico’s 2026 tariff increases on household welfare, consumer behaviour, and perceptions of rising living costs; the research explores the extent to which protectionist trade policies achieve their industrial objectives while also affecting consumers and overall economic welfare. The study draws on key theoretical perspectives including comparative advantage, industrial policy, trade diversion, pass-through theory, and behavioural economics.

The research adopts a quantitative exploratory approach, combining a review of existing literature with primary data collected through an online survey of 50 Mexican participants; the survey was designed to evaluate perceptions of price increases, financial pressure, and …

Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges In Multicultural Hospitality Teams: A Case Study Of The Arlington Hotel, Dublin, Lorrana Rosendo Da Silva

Business ETD Collections

This study investigates intercultural communication challenges within multicultural teams in the hospitality sector in Dublin, focusing on how linguistic barriers, cultural expectations and the dynamics of subgroups influence staff collaboration and day-to-day coordination. The research employs a qualitative case study at the Arlington Hotel, utilizing four semi-structured interviews—two with managers and two with employees—analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that, particularly during periods of high operational pressure, differences in English proficiency and understanding of accents can affect the clarity of instructions and the confidence to seek clarification. Furthermore, subgroups based on language or nationalities were described as useful in …

Reliance Retail (Ajio): Digital Payment Trust, Perceived Cybersecurity, And Indian Consumers’ Intention To Shop Cross-Border Online, Mohammed Amer Ahmed

Business ETD Collections

This study examines how digital payment trust and perceived cybersecurity influence Indian consumers’ intention to shop cross-border online through Reliance Retail’s AJIO. The research used a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 59 Indian adults with online shopping experience. Data were analysed in SPSS using descriptive statistics, reliability testing, Spearman’s rank correlation and supplementary linear regression. The data analysis showed that trust in digital payments was the most influential of all factors on cross border purchase intentions. In addition to being positively associated with purchase intentions (and the only factor positively associated with purchase intentions), trust in digital payments is also the …

Analysis Of Employee Retention In The Irish Hospitality Sector, Ali Okan Yazicioglu

Business ETD Collections

This study investigates the organisational and external labour market factors influencing employee retention in the Irish hospitality sector. The sector faces persistently high turnover rates, yet existing literature has largely focused on internal factors such as leadership and working conditions, overlooking broader labour market dynamics. To address this gap, a qualitative research design was adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with six participants (three managers and three kitchen staff) working in hospitality establishments in Dublin’s Temple Bar area. Thematic analysis was applied to identify key themes related to working conditions, management practices, job satisfaction, employee retention, and labour market factors. The findings …

Key Factors Influencing Consumer Booking Decisions On Booking.Com, And The Role Of Trust In Online Reviews, Deisiane Soares

Business ETD Collections

This study examines the factors influencing accommodation booking decisions on Booking.com, with a particular focus on the role of trust in online reviews. Using a quantitative survey, the research analyses how consumers evaluate key factors such as price, location, ratings, and user-generated reviews. The findings show that while online reviews help reduce uncertainty and build trust, they are not the main driver of booking decisions. Instead, price and location are the most influential factors, with trust in reviews acting as a supporting element. Trust is also found to be conditional, depending on review consistency, detail, and recency. Hence, the study …

Exploring The Challenges Faced By Home Care Workers In Dublin, Camila Melo Dos Santos

Business ETD Collections

This study explores the challenges faced by home care workers employed by private healthcare providers in Dublin, and how the workers perceive the training and organisational support available to manage job demands. Using a mixed methods approach, quantitative data was collected through a survey that received 24 responses, and qualitative data from four in depth interviews. The findings identify time pressure as the most significant challenge, and discovered that formal training is available but it is not considered relevant by the workers, who rely on their experience to deliver the service. Organisational support was perceived as inconsistent, with lack of …

Scaling Sustainable Fashion: Consumer And Operational Insights From Human Collective, Pedro Zeballos

Business ETD Collections

This study investigates the factors influencing consumers’ intention to purchase sustainable fashion, with particular focus on the persistent attitude-behaviour gap between consumers’ stated commitment to sustainability and their actual purchasing behaviour. The research examines key demand-side factors, including attitudes towards sustainable fashion, willingness to pay, price sensitivity, and trust in sustainable fashion brands, alongside supply-side and operational factors that may influence consumers’ ability to make sustainable purchasing decisions. A mixed-methods approach is adopted, combining survey data from consumers with an interview with a staff member from Human Collective. The study aims to identify the main barriers and drivers affecting sustainable …

The Impact Of Brand Awareness On Customer Perceptions And Purchasing Decisions At Small Chinese Takeaway Restaurants In Ireland, Jiajia Wang

Business ETD Collections

This study examines how brand awareness influences customer perception and purchasing decisions, and explores the branding challenges faced by small Chinese takeaway businesses in Ireland. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining 57 customer questionnaires with three semi-structured interviews with takeaway business owners.

The findings show that brand awareness influences customer purchasing behavior, as customers are more likely to choose familiar takeaway brands. However, its impact on customer perception, particularly perceived value and willingness to pay, is limited. Customers place greater importance on practical factors such as price, food quality, and service.

The study also identifies key branding challenges for small …

Trust And Social Licence Challenges In Oyu Tolgoi’S Engagement With Local Communities In Mongolia, Anudari Enkhbayar

Business ETD Collections

This dissertation explores trust and stakeholder engagement in the case of the Oyu Tolgoi Mine in Mongolia. It focuses on the relationship between the mine and local communities, especially in terms of trust, fairness and long-term social licence to operate. While mining can support economic growth, jobs and investment, it can also create environmental concerns, social tension and conflict when local communities feel ignored or unfairly treated.

The study asks two main questions: what factors have contributed to trust challenges between Oyu Tolgoi and local communities, and how stakeholder engagement can help strengthen long-term social licence to operate.  The research …

Member Engagement And Retention Challenges In The Latin Cycling Club Dublin, Sarideth Ailin Solis Lopez

Business ETD Collections

This study investigates participant engagement and retention challenges at Latin Cycling Club Dublin, a volunteer-run, non-profit community cycling group based in Dublin, Ireland. The group brings together Spanish-speaking people and others interested in Latin culture who ride together for hobby, social connection, and health improvement. Despite having 259 Instagram followers, 125 Strava participants, and 112 WhatsApp group members, only 8 to 12 people join rides on a regular basis, representing a drop-off of approximately 90 to 93%. The same small core group attends most rides, while the majority of followers remain inactive. Female participation is below 10%, and non-Spanish speakers …

Technology Adoption Risk In A Mongolian Precast Concrete Manufacturer Operating In An Emerging Market, Tselmeg Enkhtuvshin

Business ETD Collections

This study examines the risks associated with the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in a precast concrete manufacturing firm in Mongolia, with particular focus on an emerging market context. Although Industry 4.0 technologies can improve productivity, efficiency, automation, and responsiveness to changing market conditions, their implementation can involve significant financial, operational, organisational, and market-related risks. These challenges may be particularly pronounced in emerging economies where limitations in infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and skilled labour can affect technology adoption. Using a case study approach, the research identifies the key risks associated with technology adoption and examines how these risks interact during the …

The Impact Of Multicultural Staff On Service Performance And Customer Loyalty: Evidence From A Dublin Beauty Spa, Paulina Veronica Flores Lopez

Business ETD Collections

The present research explores the relationship between multicultural staff service performance and loyalty within the context of a beauty spa in Dublin. The investigation focuses to understanding how employee cultural diversity affects customer experience and service delivery in a highly interactive service scenario.

A quantitative research methodology was adopted, based on survey information collected by 50 clients and 25 employees. Key variables, including employee performance, intercultural communication, Human Resources practices, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty, were analysed using descriptive statistics. Additionally, the interpretation of the results was supported by the analysis of qualitative insights from open-ended responses.

The findings show …

Adapting International Marketing Strategies To Local Markets: A Case Study Of Zambrero In Ireland, Júlia Megale Freitas Pimenta

Business ETD Collections

As companies expand into increasingly globalised markets, they face the strategic challenge of balancing global standardisation with responsiveness to local market needs. This study examines how the balance between standardisation and local adaptation influences customer perception in the international fast-casual food sector. While standardisation can provide economies of scale, operational efficiency, and consistency in global brand identity, adaptation allows companies to respond to differences in consumer preferences, cultural expectations, and competitive conditions. Drawing on international marketing and branding literature, the study considers how these strategies influence perceptions of brand identity, authenticity, value, and customer loyalty across different national markets. Particular …

Country-Of-Origin Cues And Indian Consumers’ Skincare Purchase Intention: A Research Proposal For Reliance Retail’S Tira Beauty, Mohammed Ismail Shareef

Business ETD Collections

This study investigated how Indian consumers perceive the "country-of-origin" (COO) cue when evaluating skincare products from Tira Beauty. Specifically, this study focused on COO for both Indian-origin and foreign-origin skincare to determine if there is a link between origin, consumer trust in brands, attitudes toward brands, and intentions to make purchases. Using a qualitative methodology and three semi-structured online zoom interviews with Indian consumers who are familiar with Tira Beauty, the study identified themes within the interview responses and analysed them using manual thematic analysis in Microsoft Excel. Results indicate that COO influences initial perceptions of products; however, it does …

The Role Of Leadership Communication In Shaping Employee Engagement: A Case Study Of Supervalu Talbot Street, Dublin, Elizabeth Montserrat Ibarra Arteaga

Business ETD Collections

Employee engagement is one of the key determinants of organisational performance, especially in labour-intensive industries, such as grocery retail. This paper will focus on how leadership communication contributes to the creation of employee engagement in SuperValu Talbot Street, Dublin. The study uses the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and social exchange theory to examine the roles of communication practices and their use as a significant resource in employee motivation and workplace experience. The qualitative case study approach was embraced where semi-structured interviews were carried out with four managers and seven frontline employees. The results indicate that the clarity of communication, feedback …

Impact Of Sepsis Order Set Optimization On Sep-1 Compliance And Clinical Outcomes: A Retrospective Data Analysis, Janelle Harding

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Sepsis remains a leading cause of mortality, morbidity, and healthcare expenditure in the United States, with national SEP-1 compliance rates persistently near 60%. This quality improvement project evaluated whether optimizing sepsis order sets within a large, urban, Magnet-designated hospital improved adherence to the CMS SEP-1 quality measure and associated patient outcomes. Guided by the Donabedian Model, a multidisciplinary sepsis workgroup redesigned emergency department and inpatient sepsis order sets to streamline evidence-based care, enhance workflow alignment, and reduce variation in treatment. A retrospective analysis of 158 adult SEP-1 cases, with 67 cases in the preintervention group and 91 cases in the …

What We're Not Allowed To Teach: The Epistemic Suppression Of The Null Curriculum In American Formal Education, Monica Zheng

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This thesis explores the history and impact of the null curriculum, which Eisner (1994) defines as "what schools do not teach" (p. 97). The null curriculum often contradicts the messages that the dominant white-supremacist patriarchy has indoctrinated into the explicit curriculum into the curriculum that American formal education uses, especially with the advent of high-stakes standardized testing. In order to overthrow this capitalist system, teachers must feel safe teaching the null curriculum. This thesis makes the case that internal reform of the American formal education system is not enough to create this liberated learning experience, and an external, full …

The Experiences Of Black Women’S Maternity Care And Its Effects On Pregnancy Outcomes, Joy O. Osaghae

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Health disparities in maternal health are a significant challenge to the public health of the United States, and Black women have double the morbidity and mortality rates of maternal illnesses in comparison with White women. These inequalities persist across socioeconomic levels, highlighting systemic inequities within the healthcare system. Some published studies have focused on quantitative outcomes, but few have examined Black women's lived experiences and their impact on pregnancy outcomes. This paper fills this gap by discussing the maternity care experiences of Black women in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drawing on Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality Theory, this qualitative phenomenological study explored …

“I Don’T Always See A Future For Me Here”: Oppressive Political Pressures On Lgbtq+ College Students’ Well-Being, Jodi Linley, Olivia M. Copeland, Kathleen J. Buell, Cindy Ann Kilgo, Megan Pendleton, Alex C. Lange, N F. Tennessen

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

In recent decades, colleges have broadly supported LGBTQ+ students. Now, institutions have shuttered LGBTQ+ initiatives in response to political pressures, with little consideration for the effects on students. This study answers the question, what current policy factors do LGBTQ+ college students describe as affecting their well-being, and in what ways? We analyzed 426 responses from a multi-institution study of LGBTQ+ students. By and large, students feel anxious and fearful as they navigate the current climate. Our analysis illustrated numerous factors, from the President and his administration to states and general emboldened violence, and the real and potential consequences of those …