Digital Commons Network^™

Navigating The In-Between: Transformational Practices In The Church's Liminal Spaces, Matthew James Engel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation-in-praxis explored the concepts of transformational and adaptive leadership within the Christian Church during periods of liminality, emphasizing the continuous presence and certainty of challenges rather than focusing on specific challenges such as digital technologies, attractional methods, or COVID-19. The study draws upon Bass's transformational leadership theory (1985) and Heifetz’s (1994) adaptive leadership theory to establish a framework emphasizing the importance of thorough leadership training in times of uncertainty and transition. Integrating biblical narratives, the study highlights the need for adaptive and visionary leadership in religious contexts. Employing a mixed-methods approach involving quantitative surveys and qualitative measurement of responses …

Identifying Higher Education Employee Experiences Using A Diffusion Of Innovations Checklist Planning For Knowledge Management Implementation: A Phenomenological Study, Eric Christopher Viets

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenology study was to understand the experiences of higher education employees planning to implement knowledge management through utilizing a diffusion of innovations checklist. Knowledge management is generally defined as the process of creating, sharing, using, and managing the knowledge and information of an organization. The theory guiding this study was the diffusion of innovations by Everett M. Rogers, as it provided a clear and comprehensive model of the stages of change and knowledge management implementation. The research questions sought to understand the experiences of ten higher education employees utilizing the diffusion of innovations checklist within …

Empowering Staff Through Trauma-Informed Care: A Quality Improvement Initiative For Enhancing Patient Satisfaction And Care Delivery, Ijezie G. Anozie

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

The quality improvement project aimed to implement a Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) care delivery model to increase patient satisfaction with their hospital experience. Increasing patient satisfaction was measured by the Net Promoter Score (NPS), and improvement would be evidenced by an increase of 40% (NPS) within four months of the implementation of trauma-informed care (TIC) principles in the inpatient psychiatric facility. The NPS served as a proxy measure for the successful implementation of this quality improvement project. The intervention integrated TIC training through the HealthStream platform, a skills fair, interactive sessions, a guidebook, and continuous data monitoring. Weekly meetings, educational materials, …

Evaluating The Perceived Benefits Of Education In Revenue Cycle Management And The Impact On Medical Claims Reimbursement, Jessica L. Miller

Student Dissertations

Efficient Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) is essential for healthcare organizations to ensure timely and accurate reimbursement for medical claims. The research problem was the significant inadequacies in RCM process in medical billing that has resulted in financial burdens imposed on providers, patients, and the organizations that provide medical services. There are clearly identified educational gaps in RCM that contribute to claim denials, delays, and revenue loss, underscoring the need for robust training programs. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived impact of education in RCM on medical claim reimbursement outcomes within the U.S. healthcare system. The study …

Happiness At Work – How Workplace Spirituality Contributes To Employee Wellbeing, Amarendra Nath Misra, Mohammad Israrul Haque, Gaurav Tripathi

Management Dynamics

Workplace spirituality is associated with employees looking for meaning, self-transcendence, inclusion, values, ethics, and protection of one's religious beliefs. The study aimed to review literature about Spirituality in the workplace and employee wellbeing, find definitions of both constructs and enumerate studies that have shown the connection between the two constructs. The findings of the research paper suggest a strong connection between the workplace and employee wellbeing, which benefits employees, enhances organisational performance, and improves employee wellbeing and, thereby, the quality of their lives. The paper introduces workplace spirituality, provides a sense of purpose and meaning at work, and suggests that …

Embracing Communal Discernment For Synodal Leadership In Jesuit Higher Education, Deogratias Fikiri Sj

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

This paper proposes a transformative shift in Jesuit higher education leadership by advocating for synodal leadership, a model grounded in Ignatian spirituality and Catholic tradition. In response to the limitations of traditional shared and collegial governance models, which often perpetuate elitism and hinder broad-based participation, this paper highlights the need for a more inclusive and adaptive leadership approach. Synodal leadership, revitalized by Pope Francis, emphasizes active participation, communal discernment, and mutual respect, diverging from hierarchical norms. It fosters a “walking together” ethos, allowing every member’s voice to contribute to a collective vision. By integrating synodal principles with Jesuit values, this …

Communal Discernment In Service To A Synodal Church, Thomas Kelly, Joseph Defeo

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

No abstract provided.

Towards Redefining Strategic Enrollment Management: Response To Emerging Challenges Of The 21st Century, Kent Willis, Phong Yang

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Understating the historical context and future prospects of Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) is a critical component to successful change management in higher education. For SEM to meet institutional goals underpinning the mission and vision of the institution, the scope of practice must be broadened. Redefining strategic enrollment management is necessary to focus on the development of collaborations that will serve as the foundation for leveraging the looming changes in industry and technology to achieve enrollment targets. This paper examines a specific case [E1] of implementing a new enrollment initiative, using a document analysis methodology to uncover emerging themes. These themes …

Leadership Awakening: Shifting Towards Eco-Consciousness Through Psychedelics, Ladana Edwards

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Corporate leaders, wielding influence and decision-making power over world resources and capital, are key drivers of systemic change to address current social, economic, and ecological crises. To address the myriad complex and interdependent crises, a transformative shift in consciousness is required in leaders and leadership teams, from ego-consciousness towards eco-consciousness, which can be supported through psychedelic experiences. Shifting towards eco-consciousness can facilitate holistic decision making and an expanded sense of leadership responsibility to the planet and all its inhabitants—ultimately supporting the creation of healthier eco-nomics in our Earth community.

Shifts towards leadership eco-consciousness have the potential to open up space …

Project Management And The Success Of Post-Merger Or Post-Acquisition Integration, Dikshya Neyohang

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Across various industries, organizations employ mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as a key strategy to remain competitive and advance organizational growth. During the integration phase following M&As, they often face challenges due to the disconnect between project management practices and strategic imperatives. By analyzing two qualitative case studies and examining their organizational contexts, stakeholder dynamics, and mechanisms for knowledge transfer, this study explores how frameworks that integrate project management practices and strategic objectives can enhance integration outcomes. The findings highlight the importance of aligning operational tasks with strategic goals, clearing pathways of knowledge transfer, and aligning organizational cultures in the new, …

The Role Of Qa Automation In Eliminating Waste In Project Teams, Ejiro Esiri

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

This study explores the impact of Quality Assurance (QA) automation on reducing waste in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) projects within enterprise organizations. Manual QA processes often result in bugs and defects that negatively affect project quality and business outcomes. Although automated QA testing promises improved accuracy and fewer errors, its implementation and effectiveness in SEO projects have yet to be thoroughly researched. This study uses qualitative research methods, including surveys of SEO professionals, QA specialists, and project managers in enterprise organizations, to examine how automated QA testing influences the performance and outcomes of SEO projects. The results show that companies …

Wood, Robert Chapman, San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

Harvard Business School, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, 2000-2001

Boston University, School of Management, DBA 2000

Williams College, BA 1971

Lived Experiences Of Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color (Bipoc) Helping Professionals, Shairee Lackey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was focused on the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) professionals in helping professions. The goal of the research was to understand the challenges BIPOC helping professionals face due to systemic racism, burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress. These factors significantly impact the well-being and effectiveness of BIPOC professionals and are often overlooked in existing literature. Grounded in critical race theory, the study used a phenomenological research design, gathering data through semistructured interviews with 13 participants. The findings revealed challenges such as microaggressions, stereotypes, discrimination, lack of representation, and cultural invalidation. Participants showed resilience …

Urinary Tract Infection Education And Prevention, Jodi Hernandez, Dylan Godfrey

DNP and Student Works

The purpose of providing education and training to staff with respect to educating patients greater than 65 years of age was to effectively improve staff and patients’ knowledge of preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Theoretical Framework: The two theoretical frameworks utilized included Kotter Change Management Model and The Kurt Lewin’s change model. Both of these theorists supported the need for successful change to improve patient outcomes.

Towards New Forms Of Using Social Media: Museums Activity On Linkedin, Magdalena Sawczuk

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

The social media landscape changes very fast. It regards, among others, the accessible platforms and the features of social media tools. It also concerns the broad spectrum of institutions that start their virtual activity in different ways, and museums’ participation in social media can be indicated here. Their activity mainly focuses on communication with the audience or other museums, but some new approaches can also be observed. One of them is activity on LinkedIn, which is closely connected to the professional perspective and employee-related issues. Hence, the article aims to explore the main paths and forms of the Polish museum’s …

Faculty Senate Monthly Packet December 2024, Portland State University Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Monthly Packets

The December 2, 2024 monthly packet includes the December agenda, appendices, and the Faculty Senate minutes and attachments from the meeting held December 2, 2024.

Exploring Successful Employee Retention Strategies In The Distribution Warehouse Industry, Meriam Sunday

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low employee engagement often leads to employee dissatisfaction, reduced morale, and employee turnover. Frontline distribution warehouse managers who struggle to engage employees risk retention challenges. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore employee engagement strategies frontline distribution warehouse managers use to increase retention. The participants were six frontline distribution warehouse managers who had successfully implemented employee engagement strategies and increased employee retention. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, public websites, public documents, current and archival. Using thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (a) effective leadership and …

Exploring Successful Employee Retention Strategies In The Distribution Warehouse Industry, Meriam Sunday

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low employee engagement often leads to employee dissatisfaction, reduced morale, and employee turnover. Frontline distribution warehouse managers who struggle to engage employees risk retention challenges. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore employee engagement strategies frontline distribution warehouse managers use to increase retention. The participants were six frontline distribution warehouse managers who had successfully implemented employee engagement strategies and increased employee retention. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, public websites, public documents, current and archival. Using thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (a) effective leadership and …

Project Manager Leadership Behaviors For Successful Digital Transformation Implementation: Contingency Theory Approach, Anpalaki J. Ragavan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of large industrial companies (LICs) are concerned about the leadership behaviors (LB) of digital transformation (DT) project managers (PMs), as over 75% of DT projects in LICs fail to be completed successfully. Grounded in contingency theory of leadership (CTL), the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between LB (task-oriented [TO] vs. relationship-oriented [RO]) of DT PMs and the successful completion of DT projects in three contingency situations: favorable, moderately favorable, and unfavorable. These situations were defined based on three independent variables: (a) PM's leader-member relationship, (b) PM's task structure, and (c) PM's position power. …

Exploring Successful Employee Retention Strategies In The Distribution Warehouse Industry, Meriam Sunday

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low employee engagement often leads to employee dissatisfaction, reduced morale, and employee turnover. Frontline distribution warehouse managers who struggle to engage employees risk retention challenges. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore employee engagement strategies frontline distribution warehouse managers use to increase retention. The participants were six frontline distribution warehouse managers who had successfully implemented employee engagement strategies and increased employee retention. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, public websites, public documents, current and archival. Using thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (a) effective leadership and …

Hybrid Teaching And Learning In Higher Education: An Appreciative Inquiry, Lori E. Kniffin, Justin Greenleaf

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This study is an appreciative inquiry (Cooperrider & Srivasta, 1987; Priest et al., 2013) into hybrid courses offered in Fall 2020, which included a combination of face-to-face and online elements. The courses in this study were part of an academic leadership studies program at Fort Hays State University and were taught in the hybrid format for the first time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study was to identify the assets of the hybrid modality of instruction in order to retain and implement them post-pandemic in any modality. Our findings include three themes: (1) perceptions of …

Building And Employing The Music-Coaching-Improv (M-C-I) Framework To Aid New Instructors In Overcoming The Imposter Phenomenon, John Hinck, Steven B. Davis, Andrew Clayton, Stephanie Wilson, Melanie Leon

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

New instructors often face feeling like an imposter. This article explains an innovative contribution called the Music-Coaching-Improv (M-C-I) Framework of 15 skills that includes the top five ways to use music, five key coaching skills, and five core improv skills. The M-C-I Framework was the foundation for three improv exercises that were selected due to their effectiveness in training the overlapping skills of active listening, support, letting go of judgment, being in the moment, cocreation, and acceptance that supported instructors overcoming the imposter phenomenon. This article examines how music, coaching, and improv training in an instructor development program influenced participants …

How Learning Occurred In A Group Leadership Education Program – The Importance Of “Ba”, “Omoi”, And Psychological Safety, John Hinck, Steven B. Davis, Derrick Iwanenko

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This research confirms that incorporating concepts of Ba and Omoi with action research promotes higher levels of learning. Currently, action research, Ba, and Omoi are understudied in military institutions and college programs. Using a case study approach and two cycles of action research, this project addressed how learning occurred for students and instructors in a two-term program at a military university. Findings showed how Ba and Omoi were integral in establishing a psychologically safe learning environment, learning and growth occurred on multiple levels for students and instructors as they struggled with imposter phenomenon, and students struggled with negative capability.

Barriers To Effectively Integrating Technology Into The Classroom, Laura Beth Mccarty

Dissertations

This study examined barriers to integrating 1:1 technology into the post-Covid classroom, with an emphasis on determining whether student misuse of technology was a new barrier seen in schools across the United States of America. An online survey instrument was developed to examine existing barriers as well as student misuse of technology as a new barrier. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the relationships between these variables, and descriptive statistics were examined to determine which variables were barriers to the effective integration of technology into the classroom. When examining existing barriers, lack of technology training and support remained a …

Burnout And Beyond: A Study On Burnout And Compassion Fatigue Among Social Workers And Case Managers, Latoya Hale, Hung Kevin Dao Huy Dao, Brandon Mccord

MSW Capstone Conference

No abstract provided.

Service-Learning As An Institutional Commitment To Its Mission And Identity, Genejane Adarlo, Urduja C. Amor, Agnes Garciano, Juliet Q. Dalagan

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Service-learning, a widely adopted teaching method in Catholic higher education, provides students with opportunities to address social justice issues. This is why many Catholic higher education institutions have implemented strategic reforms to incorporate service-learning into their mission and identity. However, further research is required to explore how institutionalizing service-learning can deepen institutional practices and goals. Hence, this case study examined the rationale and approach of a Catholic higher education institution in the Philippines in institutionalizing service-learning. Key administrators from this higher education institution participated in focus group discussions. The thematic analysis of the verbatim transcripts revealed that institutionalizing service-learning was …

Preparing Effective Stem Communicators Through Focused Interventions, Sondra M. Miller, Carl F. Siebert, Lindsey Wiggins, Katherine L. Wright

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Advancement of scientific knowledge is dependent on effective communication. It requires engineers and scientists to engage in well-grounded argumentation to establish and justify their claims. Educators must move beyond assignments that simply summarize or replicate established findings and begin to engage students in argumentation. This study had undergraduate students work in teams to identify topics for further scientific inquiry. They were tasked with making pitches as a tool for recruiting other students to their teams. It was realized that the engineering and computer science students involved with this project had not yet developed sufficient argumentation skills, which led a team …

Striking A Balance: Market Shock & Responses In Automotive Components Manufacturing, Emma Lane Mcgahey

All Theses

This thesis examines the effects of extreme market shocks on supply chain dynamics within the automotive industry. Through an analysis of demand data from an automotive manufacturer to its component suppliers (January 2018 to May 2024), the study investigates the relationship between market shocks and supply chain responses, providing insights into how auto components inventory management handles downstream responses to market shocks. With supporting public data—from FRED, BLS, and the U.S. Census Bureau resources—we explore two primary relationships: the impact of market shocks on the Average Standard Deviation of Demand (SDO) and the effect of demand variability on expedited pricing …

Research On The Impact Of Firms' Perception Of Economic Policy Uncertainty On Their Digital Transformation, Fanwei Meng

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In an era characterized by globalization and digital advancement, economic policies play a critical role in the governmental regulation of economic activities. These policies are characterized by uncertainty due to a variety of internal and external factors, including international politics, economic cycles, and market fluctuations. The way firms, as microeconomic entities, perceive economic policy uncertainty (EPU) has a direct impact on their investment decisions and innovation activities. Nowadays, digital transformation has emerged as a vital strategy for firms seeking to enhance their competitiveness and adapt to evolving markets. However, digital transformation often comes with challenges, such as high input costs …

Reflective Practice Of Early Career Teachers: Identifying And Mitigating Major Instructional Challenges, Saheeh Shafi

Journal of Global Education and Research

This paper employs a qualitative descriptive research design to determine how early career teachers (ECTs) use reflective practices to identify and mitigate major instructional challenges in the context of Bangladeshi higher education. A questionnaire was given to 20 ECTs working in different universities to collect data on their reflective practices related to instructional challenges. Analysis of the responses of the ECTs to the questionnaire via thematic analysis revealed three major challenges: (a) inadequate logistic support, (b) diversity of students and pedagogical context, and (c) inadequate comprehension of the students. Solutions to these challenges include (a) three levels of collaboration, (b) …