Digital Commons Network^™

In Pursuit Of Consumption-Based Forecasting, Charles Chase, Kenneth B. Kahn

Marketing Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Today's most mature, most sophisticated, best-in-class forecasting is what we call consumption-based forecasting (CBF). In contrast, the least sophisticated companies typically do not forecast at all, but rather set financial targets based on management expectations. Companies beginning to use statistical forecasting techniques usually take a supply-centric orientation, relying on time series techniques applied to shipment and/or order history. The next stage of progression is to incorporate promotions data, economic data, and market data alongside supply-centric data so that regression and other advanced analytics can be used. Companies pursing CBF utilize even more advanced capabilities to capture, examine, and understand …

Understanding The Application Of Evolutionary Psychology In Consumer Behavior: A Review And Future Research Agenda, Faegheh Taheran, Veronica L. Thomas, Kendra Fowler, Abdolati Mortazavi

Marketing Faculty Publications

This paper is the first to offer a comprehensive literature review of the role of evolutionary psychology (EP) in marketing and consumer behavior. This study takes a holistic approach, combining techniques of a systematic review with bibliometric analysis, to provide a performance analysis and identify theories and methodologies used in the literature. Most importantly, by studying the current state of EP, we elucidate six major themes: the role of gender in families, the role of affect in consumer behavior, food preferences and shopping behavior, motivations for and consequences of status signaling, the impact of ovulation on consumer motives and behaviors, …

Through The Filter Lens: The Negative Impact Of Beauty Filters In Influencer Marketing, Faegheh Taheran, Veronica Thomas, Abdolali Mortazavi, Dana Amiri

Marketing Faculty Publications

The article focuses on the negative impact of beauty filters on followers' perceptions of social media influencers, examining how these filters affect attitudes through perceived authenticity and deception. Topics include the relationship between filter usage and follower attitudes; the mediating roles of authenticity and deception; the effects of different types of filters on influencer credibility; and highlight the importance of genuine presentation in influencer marketing.

Narrative Transportation: A Systematic Literature Review And Future Research Agenda, Veronica L. Thomas, Jaime L. Grigsby

Marketing Faculty Publications

Consumers are inundated with opportunities to become engaged with marketing-generated stories, from watching an influencer detail her adventures abroad or a commercial about a military service member who makes it home just in time for the holidays. When consumers become so engaged with a story that they begin to connect with the story characters and imagine what will happen next, they experience a process known as narrative transportation, which has significant positive outcomes for marketers. Given the value that narrative transportation provides to marketers, we conduct a systematic literature review to both synthesize and provide direction on the literature of …

The Impact Of Generational Intelligence And Its Relationship With Team Cohesion And Team Performance In A Jamaican Multi-Generational Workforce, Omar Z. D. Oliphant

Dissertations

Problem

The Jamaica Union Conference (JAMU) currently faces a phenomenon of having a multi-generational workforce that includes four generations working alongside each other across its five fields for the first time in its history. This intersection of generations brings challenges concerning the adequacy of leaders’ generational intelligence and its relationship to team outcomes and perceptions of performance. The potential concerns for leaders center around employee recruitment, retention and engagement, conflict resolution, workplace culture, and productivity, among others (Tapscott, 2009). Any potential misunderstanding resulting from inadequate cross-generational intelligence among members of the generations currently represented may result in these Jamaican generationally …

Maternal Involvement, Parenting Styles And Socioeconomic Status As Predictors Of Academic Achievement Of Standard 5 Students In Trinidad And Tobago, Edison Greenaway

Dissertations

The Problem

Underachievement remains a long-standing issue for the Ministry of Education in Trinidad and Tobago. This has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which deleteriously impacted the education system. School closures became mandatory, and online learning was implemented throughout the education system. The results of the 2022 sitting of the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exams emphasized the issue of underachievement, with a significant decline in performance. Only 37.06% of students scored above the 50% mark. Familial factors such as parenting styles and parental involvement have been noted in the literature to positively impact students’ academic achievement (Borup et al., …

A Quantitative Study Of Perceived Factors That Influence Enrollment Within A Regional Conference Seventh-Day Adventist School System, John Calvin Alberty Jr.

Dissertations

Problem

A significant challenge confronting Seventh-day Adventist schools is declining enrollment, with schools in the North America Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church either closing or experiencing a substantial reduction in enrollment over the years. The purpose of this study is to identify the perceived factors influencing enrollment within the Allegheny East Conference school system, ultimately explaining the enrollment shift from 1277 students to 635 students over a twenty-year period within the Allegheny East Conference school system. The study also determined if there are significant differences in perceptions of the importance of these observed enrollment-related factors among participants who hold …

The Processes, Events And Characteristics Associated With The Leadership Emergence Of New Believers In The Contemporary Movement Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In The United States, Cleveland Hobdy Iii

Dissertations

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is confronting an unsettling reality in the 21st century. A considerable body of literature has highlighted an escalating attrition rate, with the 'Ministry journal reporting in April 2019 that almost 50% of new converts eventually abandon their commitment (Thomas, 2019). Other data collected by the World Church through its Office of Research include statistics and archive information that confirm the losses (Knott, 2016; Trimm, 2023). After all the baptisms, membership transfers, professions of faith, and accessions, the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church is netting one new member per church per year. Since 1965, roughly 4 out …

For A Lost Drachma: Contesting Hindutva Subjectivation In India’S Universities, Bhavika Sicka

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

The aim of this essay is to apply Michel Foucault’s ideas on power and the practice of freedom to the context of India’s increasingly neoliberalized higher education landscape. The essay revisits Foucault’s notion of subjectivation to analyze the cultural politics of the Hindu Right, which, through organized violence and self-disciplinary mechanisms, has attempted to masculinize, privatize, saffronize, and brahmanicize the nation-state (and the public university), erase the othered body from the nation (and campus spaces), and shape how individuals understand themselves, their identities, and their modes of being in relation to savarna-capitalist power and knowledge. This essay will also suggest …

Jufon Vaikutus Yliopistoissa Työskentelevien Tutkijoiden Julkaisukanavia Koskeviin Päätöksiin, Melina Aarnikoivu, Charles Mathies, Nelli Piattoeva

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Yliopistojen rahoitusmallissa tärkeää roolia näyttelevä Julkaisufoorumi (JUFO) on virallisesti tarkoitettu laajempien julkaisumäärien tarkasteluun. On kuitenkin viitteitä siitä, että JUFOa käytetään laajasti myös yksittäisten tutkijoiden arviointiin. Tässä monimenetelmätutkimuksessa tarkastelemme sitä, miten JUFO-tasot vaikuttavat yksilöiden julkaisukanavia koskeviin päätöksiin, sekä sitä, miten tutkijat kokevat JUFOn roolin omassa työssään sekä tiedejulkaisemisessa laajemmin. Aineistonamme on keväällä 2023 toteutettu verkkokysely (N = 276), johon vastasi eri uravaiheiden ja alojen tutkijoita ympäri Suomea. Analysoimme vastaukset sekä määrällisiä (T- ja ANOVA-testit) sekä laadullisia (induktiivinen sisällönanalyysi) menetelmiä käyttäen. Tulosten perusteella JUFO-tasot vaikuttavat merkittävästi tutkijoiden enemmistön (54,9 %) päätöksiin siitä, millä perusteella julkaisukanava valitaan. Tasoilla oli suurempi merkitys tekniikan ja …

[Review Of The Book Remote Work Revolution: Succeeding From Anywhere, By T. Neeley]., Taylor Rodriguez

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

A consistent takeaway from research conducted on effective learning and working environments is that communication is key. In remote work and learning environments, communication comes from many different platforms, can be asynchronous and synchronous, and requires specific techniques, trust, and technology to be effective. Every salient point from the Remote work revolution: Succeeding from anywhere (Neeley, 2021), comes down to one central concept: communication. Technology and engineering educators will find the foundational concepts of this book pivotal to help guide remote education, especially in laboratory settings; potentially increasing the reach of their programs.

Enhancing Community College Leadership Development Through Ai: Enriching The Andragogical Approach, James Bartlett, Michelle Bartlett

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

This proposal is for a work-in-progress that proposes a study to explore the innovative use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically ChatGPT, in advancing the development of training for leadership skills within community college settings. It aims to investigate how AI can be leveraged to provide a personalized and effective learning experience, aligning with the principles of andragogy to cater to adult learners in leadership roles. The study, currently in the data collection phase, anticipates revealing significant insights into the effectiveness of AI in professional development. It seeks to highlight the innovative aspects of AI integration in educational leadership, focusing on …

Ngo Navigators, Information Support, And Parental Assistance With Pk-12 School Decisions, Jason E. Saltmarsh

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

This study provides empirical insights into the perceptions and agency of navigators who provide school selection assistance and this NGO’s unique insider–outsider status. As semi-private actors, navigators offer an important bridge between two kinds of social capital: the informal types of trust and legitimacy that families rely on, and the skills, knowledge, and networks necessary to access higher-quality schools in choice policy contexts. Data for this study are derived from an exploratory case study, including 13 in-depth interviews, documentary and social media analysis, and informal conversations. The findings illustrate the benefits and shortcomings of NGO information support in choice policy …

The Children Are Our Future (Not Our Future Criminals): Protecting South Carolina’S Youngest Citizens By Setting A Minimum Age Of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction, Peggy Nicholson

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Unpacking Ultra-Processed Foods: Exploring The Intersection Of Health, Environment, And Justice For Holistic And Equitable Policy, Cynthia Miles

Public Health Theses

This thesis highlights the interdependent mechanisms and impact of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in relation to health, environment, and justice. It calls attention to the need for UPF policy that establishes synergistic interventions targeting issues across domains and proposes policy mechanisms as an illustrative example of how to achieve this. The intention of this thesis is not to motivate different consumer choices or to tell individuals to avoid UPFs. Rather than targeting consumers, UPF policy needs to hold food corporations responsible for the impact of the products that they’re creating and profiting from, and governments need to have more responsibility for …

How Marital Stress May Affect The Onset Of Dementia In Older Adults, Khunza Asma

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Marital stress has been identified as a significant factor influencing the cognitive health of older adults, with emerging evidence suggesting a potential link between marital discord and the risk of developing dementia. This study will review the existing literature on the relationship between chronic stress, depression, marital discord, and the development of cognitive impairment which can increase the risk of developing dementia in older adults. However, the purpose of studying how marital stress affects the onset of dementia is to deepen our understanding of the complex interplay between psychosocial factors and cognitive health in older adults, with the ultimate goal …

Religious And Spiritual Struggles Among Satanists, Trevor Flick

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

As Satanism represents a unique religious demographic, the present study sought to determine the prevalence of religious and spiritual struggles among modern Satanists and resulting anxiety or depressive symptoms. A sample of 693 self-identified Satanists were surveyed about their experiences of religious and spiritual struggles, perceptions of their Satanist identity, and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Results indicated that Satanists predominantly struggle with interpersonal and ultimate meaning struggles. Ultimate meaning and moral struggles were predictive of both anxiety and depressive symptoms. Interpersonal struggles also predicted anxiety symptoms. Individual perceptions of Satanist identity did not have a significant influence on the relationship …

Rhetorical Demagoguery: An Exploration Of Trump’S And Hitler’S Rise To Power, Tanner Horne

Undergraduate Honors Theses

While many scholars have examined the rhetoric of President Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler individually, there is a void of scholarly work that highlights the similarities between the two leaders’ use of grandiloquent language to stoke the passions of their perspective nations. In the past one hundred years, rhetoric and propaganda have been employed to push political agendas that are divisive and dangerous. Trump’s incendiary vocabulary–“enemy of the people,” “vermin,” “retribution,” etc., employed frequently throughout his campaign and presidency, in many ways echoes Hitler's speeches and declarations. While their political strategies ultimately differed greatly, a close analysis of their speeches, …

Tiktok And Self-Diagnosing Mental Illnesses: Perceived Reliability Factors, Vulnerabilities, And Dangers, Micah Moulder

Undergraduate Honors Theses

TikTok’s popularity and ease of use with short-term consumption allow for greater access to online information. However, this information is not regulated nor fact-checked. Therefore, many users can acquire and spread the wrong messages, behaviors, and ideas surrounding mental illness. The purpose of this research was to examine the effects and factors of TikTok on self-diagnosing mental illnesses. A large literature was conducted to examine the effects of social media and the harms of self-diagnosing on users. Two studies were then developed and administered to determine the relationship between self-diagnosing and TikTok. Correlations, t-tests, and descriptive statistics were used to …

The Power Of Portrayal: How The U.S. Media Portrayed The Doolittle Raid To The American Public, James Noah Seip

Undergraduate Honors Theses

On April 18, 1942, Americans woke up to the thrilling news that American airmen had bombed the enemy capital of Tokyo, Japan. Americans all across the country were made aware of the bombing of Japan by multiple media sources at the time including newspapers, propaganda posters, newsreels, and movies. The ways in which these media outlets portrayed the American bombing of Japan would directly impact the perception of American citizens regarding the event. The bombing, eventually termed the Doolittle Raid after the general who led the mission, James Doolittle, immediately became a source of American propaganda for the U.S. media.

Nursing Care During Natural Disasters, War Zones, And Mass Casualty Incidents: Implications For An Educational And Professional Overhaul, Erin N. White

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Emergency situations around the world are inevitable. Any nurse who practices for any period of time is sure to encounter situations like these. Their hospital may be flooded with traumatic and severely life-threatening patient cases where supplies can become scarce. In these situations, a nurse and all other healthcare personnel are expected to act effectively, efficiently and in a highly organized way. Despite this need, many hospitals fail to implement effective disaster preparedness programs and plans. This leaves healthcare workers at a loss for how to treat patients, communicate within and outside of the hospital, coordinate transport, and all the …

Community Science Informs Movement And Reproductive Ecology Of Sand Tigers Carcharias Taurus Off North Carolina, United States Of America, Carol Seals Price, Ara Lupton Mcclanahan, Erin J. Burge, Tanya Houppermans, Jason Holmberg

Marine Science

Sand tigers are frequently observed at shipwrecks and other artificial reef habitats off North Carolina (USA), but data about occupancy, movement ecology, and site fidelity are lacking. Spot A Shark USA researchers used Wildbook^© photoidentification software to spot map sand tigers in images provided by recreational SCUBA divers, or collected from remotely operated vehicles, and an offshore live-streaming camera. We uniquely identified 1837 sand tigers, 101 of which were resighted on more than one date between 2005–2021. Sand tigers of both sexes and various ages were found year-round along the northern, central and southern coast. We identified shipwrecks or …

Examining The Antecedents Of Return Policy Leniency In Ecommerce, E. Mitchell Church, Richelle Oakley Dasouza, Olajumoke A. Awe

Finance and Economics

As eCommerce has become widespread, the challenge of successfully navigating the returns process has grown perilous. The product returns issue is even more difficult for microenterprises that sell unique or custom products with fewer resources. The authors examined the impact of the antecedents of return policy leniency, specifically economic and social success factors. Using a web crawler over a 24-week period, the authors collected and analyzed data for a sample of 781 shops from Etsy, an eCommerce platform. Results indicate that the well-studied factor of sales, in addition to a new social factor – community dialogue – impacts an Etsy …

A “War” Over Lobster And Whales: The Issue-Attention Cycle, Media Discourse, And Political Ecology Of Right Whale Science And Conservation In Six Us Newspapers, Marcus Reamer, Catherine Macdonald, Julia Wester, Russell Fielding, Meryl Shriver-Rice

Honors College Faculty Publications

News organizations and journalists are important and influential actors in environmental politics. Their reporting on social and environmental issues often follows issue-attention cycles (IACs) that emphasize drama and problematization to maintain public interest. This study examined nearly 13 years of news coverage to understand the media discourse about the Critically Endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW) and its conservation. Content analysis and critical discourse analysis were used to analyze 356 texts published in six large US newspapers between January 1, 2010 and March 15, 2023. NARW conservation and management received increased public attention and an IAC began in 2017 after …

The Effect Of Burnout On Undergraduate Nursing Students, Neev F. O'Neill

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Introduction: Nurses play a critical role in healthcare, providing essential support to patients when they are most vulnerable. However, the nursing workforce has faced a significant decline in recent years. A 2022 analysis published in Health Affairs found the total supply of RNs decreased by more than 100,000 nurses since 2020, marking the largest decline in 40 years (Auerbach D, et al. 2022). A report from the International Council of Nurses (ICN) published in 2023 called the worldwide shortage of nurses “a global health emergency” (Buchan J, et al. 2023). Notably, many of the nurses leaving the profession are under …

Examining The Antecedents Of Return Policy Leniency In Ecommerce, E. Mitchell Church, Richelle Oakley Dasouza, Olajumoke A. Awe

Management and Decision Sciences

As eCommerce has become widespread, the challenge of successfully navigating the returns process has grown perilous. The product returns issue is even more difficult for microenterprises that sell unique or custom products with fewer resources. The authors examined the impact of the antecedents of return policy leniency, specifically economic and social success factors. Using a web crawler over a 24-week period, the authors collected and analyzed data for a sample of 781 shops from Etsy, an eCommerce platform. Results indicate that the well-studied factor of sales, in addition to a new social factor – community dialogue – impacts an Etsy …

Improving Students’ Oral Proficiency In French Through Call In One Tanzanian Public Secondary Schools, Godfrey Alexander Massawe

Master of Education

Oral proficiency is a crucial aspect of language learning; however, the complexities of fluency and accuracy make the study of speaking skills challenging. Recently, secondary school students have been struggling to improve speaking competency, therefore, this study aimed to identify substantial enhancements in language skills, particularly focussing on the aspects of speaking through the implementation of CALL in a Form six class in one of the Tanzanian Public secondary Schools. The study was predominantly Participatory Action Research (PAR) involving 2 teachers in the following principal procedures: reconnaissance, planning, action, observation, and reflection. A mixed-methods approach was employed whereby qualitative data …

Investigating The Benefits Of Integrating Social Media Into Educational Leadership Learning, George Nyaboga Nyarieko

Master of Education

As digital technologies become increasingly integral to teaching and learning, educational institutions must continuously promote the development of digital skills and competencies among educators. This study explored using the popular smartphone application WhatsApp to enhance personalized learning for participants of the DELM program.

A mixed-methods approach was employed, collecting qualitative and quantitative data through surveys, interviews, focus groups and analytics over two phases. Phase I assessed participants' digital skills using DigComp 2.1 as a framework and identified competency gaps. Phase II consisted of a design-based intervention integrating targeted WhatsApp workshops. Hands-on activities aimed to improve content creation abilities and familiarity …

Advancing The Integration Of Ict In Teaching And Learning: A Study Of Secondary School Principal’S Engagement In Malindi Sub-County, Kenya, Simon Onyango Omollo

Master of Education

Effective leadership is critical for driving meaningful integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching and learning. This study, anchored on the TPACK theory, examined the efforts of school principals in advancing ICT adoption through strategies employed, barriers encountered, and impacts realized in public secondary schools in Malindi Sub-County, Kenya. A qualitative research approach under case study design was employed targeting two principals and their deputies, eight teachers and sixteen students purposefully selected from two public secondary schools. Data was collected through semi structured interviews, focus group discussions, documentary analysis and classroom observations while data was analyzed thematically. Findings …

Exploring The Use Of Experiential Learning Strategies To Develop Science Process Skills In Primary Schools In Arua City – West Nile, Uganda., Wilfred Joe Ken Okwaimung

Master of Education

Teachers in Uganda still make use of the traditional teacher-centred pedagogies that do not factor in the learners’ past experiences, interactions, and engagement in the learning process. This reduces the learners’ abilities to acquire some Science Process Skills which are vital for further acquisition of scientific knowledge and skills for future learning and practice of science. Science teaching and learning require practical pedagogies that make the learning meaningful. Using lesson observation, interviews, focus group discussion, and document analysis, this Action Research, sought to find out whether the current pedagogies that teachers used, integrated Experiential Learning Strategies as an intervention to …