Digital Commons Network^™

Leadership Strategies To Address Employee Resistance To Technology Adoption In Small To Midsize It Organizations, Ronnie Pace

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Evidence-Based Approaches To Managing Adolescent Aggression, April Dade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Paternal Investment And Labor Market Soft Skills: Evidence From The Philippines, Timothy Crane Wilkins

Master's Theses

Fathers’ involvement in their children’s lives may shape the social skills that determine labor market success, yet evidence from Southeast Asia remains limited. This study examines the relationship between paternal investment and soft skills used in the workforce. Using original survey and experimental data from more than 300 parents of young children in Metro Manila, Philippines, I analyze how their fathers’ past involvement during childhood, and current involvement as grandparents in childcare relate to dictator-game giving, interpersonal trust, and workplace relations. The results indicate that paternal investment is most statistically significant with improved workplace relations, specifically with participants’ reported ability …

K–6 School Administrators’ Perceptions Of Factors Contributing To Increased Teacher Attrition In Rural K–6 Schools In Eastern North Carolina, Pierce St Orvil Lawrence

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

An Evidence-Based Practice Trauma-Informed Care And Pediatric Crisis Management Training Initiative, Annette Renea Porter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Childcare Center Administrators’ Challenges To Using Trauma-Informed Approaches With Children Experiencing Toxic Stress, Jessica Lynn Pierce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Unlocking The Colleague Next Door, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Learning, Teaching, & Researching Optimization

The structural barriers that isolate faculty from one another—individualistic reward systems, professional identity protection, disciplinary silos, fragmented time—have been documented in detail elsewhere. This paper begins where that analysis ends. Its sole focus is solutions: what actually works, what you can do without waiting for your institution to change, and most importantly, what you can do today. It is organized in three movements: evidence-based institutional strategies, community-level structures any group of faculty can build, and a granular map of the smallest possible individual first steps—the ones that cost almost nothing and have an outsized probability of changing how you experience …

Why The Library Of Congress Matters More Than Ever, Hope O'Keeffe

Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental, & Innovation Law

No abstract provided.

Using Environmental Scans To Help Direct And Sustain Local Best Practices, Emily Lapworth, Carol Kussmann

Joseph P. Healey Library Publications

The digital landscape is in a state of constant change, and there is no one-size-fits-all formula for managing your digital assets, so understanding your local context is crucial to planning an effective digital stewardship strategy. Whether you are just starting out or have been at the same institution for 10 years, conducting an environmental scan can help. What are the internal and external changes you need to manage? What kind of stuff are you dealing with, and who are the stakeholders? Where is it located, and what systems are you using? What tools are available, and how have best practices …

Unpacking Barriers And Enablers To Quality Early Childhood Education And Care In Lebanon: A Multi-Level Perspective, Rana Bassaj, Caroline Floccia

School of Psychology

This article investigates the barriers and enablers to quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Lebanon’s complex and multilingual context. In this qualitative study, 56 stakeholders—ministry representatives, NGOs, educators, parents, and healthcare professionals—were interviewed. The study reveals a fragmented governance structure and inequitable funding that impact the quality and equitable access to ECEC provision. Despite the value placed on ECEC and OL, systemic weaknesses, including inadequate staff compensation and donor-driven priorities, constrain progress. Findings also highlight grassroots resilience, with committed educators and NGOs adapting to meet local needs. Using Kagan’s system-level framework and Torii et al.’s (2017) quality domains …

Staff Education For Nurses On The Stress First Aid Continuum, Gilbert Anyangwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Implementing Trauma Informed Care Practices In An Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, Clara Eyra Dedzo Amenuvor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Perceived Effectiveness Of Kotter’S Change Leadership Model In The Knox County Association Of Baptists Churches, Luke England

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the perceived effectiveness of Kotter’s change leadership model in Southern Baptist churches in the Knox County Association of Baptists located in East Tennessee. This phenomenological study utilizes a qualitative research methodology to uncover the perceived effectiveness of Kotter's eight-step change leadership model in Southern Baptist churches in the Knox County Association of Baptists in East Tennessee. This research seeks to understand the five major challenges Senior Pastors believe to be the greatest impairment to instituting change within the local church. Moreover, this research uncovers the perception of pastor’s agreement towards the …

The Challenge Of Leaders Within The Public Sector Organization To Adapt Their Leadership Skills To Reflect The Changing External Environment, Leading To Poor Quality Production And Resulting In The Inability To Improve Performance, Kingsford Agyemang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research examined the influence of leadership adaptation, leadership competencies, and strategic decision-making on organizational productivity and performance in the United States public sector. It addressed the challenge of leaders’ limited capacity to adapt effectively to evolving organizational environments, which may lead to diminished production quality and lower employee performance. The objective of this mixed-methods study was to investigate how leadership behaviors can be modified to improve organizational outcomes and to identify essential competencies that enhance performance. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed to integrate qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative component consisted of semi-structured interviews with eight leaders. The …

The Effect Of Return-To-Office Mandates On Worker Engagement And Perceived Work-Family Conflict, Caleb M. Daughhetee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this cross-sectional, quasi-experimental study was to examine relationships among employee perceptions of return-to-office (RTO) mandates, employee engagement (EE), and work-family conflict (WFC) among previously remote U.S.-based workers. Despite extensive RTO mandates following the COVID-19 pandemic, limited research has examined the relationship between worker perceptions, EE, and work-family dynamics. Grounded in personal engagement theory (Kahn, 1990), role theory, and the Job Demands-Resources model, this study investigates whether RTO perceptions predict EE and WFC, and whether WFC mediates or moderates the relationship between RTO perceptions and EE. Data were collected from 145 participants using a researcher-developed RTO perception scale …

Proceedings Of The 2026 International Conference On Decision Support System Technology (Icdsst 2026), Huilan Chen, Dulekha Kasturiratne, Guoste Pivoraite, Xinyi Li, Xiaoning Chen, Shaofeng Liu

More Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Research

No abstract provided.

Broken Promises: The Lived Experiences Of African American Employees Who Interpret The Removal Of Dei Policies As A Breach Of Psychological Contract, Geneva A. Henderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The publicized murder of George Floyd in 2020 prompted organizations across the United States to affirm their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Following the 2025 presidential administration, however, many organizations began retracting DEI policies and adopting merit-based initiatives aligned with new federal mandates. For African Americans (AA), this shift echoed a familiar historical pattern of progress followed by withdrawal, requiring them to navigate promises made and promises withdrawn. Despite the significance of these changes, little is known about how AA employees experience the workplace after the removal of a value-laden policy. This interpretative phenomenological analysis study explored the …

Project Future: Turner Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church Leadership Development And Success Planning Project, Tonya Renee Mcclure

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study found that adaptive, relational, and vision-centered leadership approaches significantly enhance emerging leader development and engagement at Turner Chapel AME Church. Grounded in contingency theory (Fiedler, 1967), decision-making theory (Vroom & Yetton, 1973), and Northouse's (2022) transformational and servant leadership concepts, the mixed-methods research integrated quantitative and qualitative data. The findings underscore the essential roles of coaching, strategic organizational design, and spiritual formation in cultivating authentic leaders. Integrating transformational and servant leadership creates a lasting framework for emerging leader development, pointing to the value of intentional, data-driven leadership pipelines within faith-based organizations.

Organizational Change Model Modified For A Biblical Worldview, Mark Alan Van Dyke

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The goal of this proposal was to implement the first six steps of Kotter’s eight-step organizational change model at Emmanuel Lutheran Church to help the leadership improve unity and cohesion within the congregation. A key part of this process was training a guiding coalition of important leaders in essential communication skills, team leadership, and intergenerational ministry concepts. Successfully completing this process and training positioned the congregation to serve its community as a family-oriented culture where disconnected and disillusioned people can find belonging. Using a well-known organizational change theory in a church setting presents its own challenges for pastoral leaders, who …

Imago Dei Leadership Model, Jessica Lei Kritner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Dissertation-in-Praxis sought to observe the intentional application of leadership styles at Birmingham Master Commission (BMC), a traditional discipleship program for college aged adults (ages 18–25). While biblically centered and focused on spiritual formation, BMC lacked healthy leadership precedent and defaulted to peer-leadership only. This practice created a sporadic leadership culture that restricted student growth, autonomy, and investment in the program. This Dissertation-in-Praxis served as a process-based intervention on the psychological and spiritual impacts leadership styles have on young adult leaders. Transformational, servant, and participative leadership practices were modeled in existing ministry systems: one-on-one mentoring, leadership labs, and small group …

The Lived Experiences Of African American Clergywomen In In New York City, Rosa Queen-Allen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In this century, there has been a notable escalation in the tally of African American women purporting the imperative in their lives to serve within the Black Church in clergy oversight positions. Despite overt inequities in clergy leadership regarding the percentage of males versus females, there is a dearth in the ministerial leadership literature concerning African American females. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of African American females in senior ministry in New York City. For this study, African-American clergywomen will be generally defined as African-American women who lead a church or are called/ordained …

Leadership Development Training In Governmental Organizations: A Qualitative Examination Of Managerial Perceptions And Employee Engagement, George Marcus Barber

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study is designed to examine how leadership development training influences management competency in the public sector. Most organizations are intentionally interested in the subject of leadership development, investing considerable time, resources, and effort. Although existing literature on leadership development training programs is extensive, the current research is distinguished by focusing directly on managers and more specifically aimed at exploring how such a program influences decision-making processes, employee engagement levels, and overall job satisfaction in public sector organizations. Based on the theory of public sector leadership (Van Wart, 2003), this study aims to uncover some core competencies that contribute …

Crisis Preparedness And Confidence Levels In Faculty & Staff At Rowan University, Paige Bathurst

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined faculty and staff confidence and preparedness in responding to crisis situations at Rowan University. As higher education institutions face an increasing range of emergencies, understanding how employees perceive their readiness is essential for strengthening institutional crisis management efforts. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected through an anonymous online survey distributed to all faculty and staff. The survey measured participants’ confidence across multiple crisis scenarios, perceptions of preparedness and response competency, and participation in crisis-related training. A total of 135 participants completed the survey, and descriptive statistics, including mean confidence and agreement scores, were used to …

Beyond Pedagogical Inertia: Understanding And Overcoming The Barriers To Effective Faculty Work In Higher Education, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Learning, Teaching, & Researching Optimization

Academic faculty are among the most educated professionals in the world. Yet a striking body of empirical research demonstrates that they face profound, systematic barriers to performing their own work effectively—barriers that are cognitive, institutional, cultural, and structural in origin. This paper extends the analysis of “pedagogical inertia” beyond the classroom to the full scope of faculty professional life: research, writing, service, advising, and self-directed learning. Drawing on evidence from organizational psychology, cognitive neuroscience, higher education research, and behavioral science, we identify six classes of barriers that consistently impede effective faculty work, and we analyze—with reference to documented successful cases—the …

Emotional Intelligence Training For Salespeople And Sales Managers, Charles Shepherd

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Migrant Mobility Across Necropolitical Territories Of Violence: Los Zetas/Cartel Del Noreste, Alondra Danixa Gonzalez

Senior Theses

This thesis examines migrant mobility across northeastern Mexico as a process shaped by organized crime and necropolitical violence, with a focus on the evolution of Los Zetas and their successor, Cartel del Noreste [CDN]. Based on Achille Mbembe's concept of necropolitics, along with Sayak Valencia's theory of gore capitalism and Melissa W. Wright's notion of disposable bodies, this paper identifies cartel-controlled border regions as necropolitical spaces where migrants are exposed to death and exploitation. Using a qualitative, testimony-based methodology, this paper incorporates three first-person family narratives of border crossing alongside documented cases of mass violence in Tamaulipas and Coahuila, including …

Finding Direction: Using Trauma Stewardship And Drama Therapy To Support Nurses In Hospital Settings, Julianne Kusmierczyk

Expressive Therapies Theses

Compassion fatigue and burnout, post-COVID-19 pandemic, are still significant factors in the departure of nurses from the healthcare profession. Despite the identification of the causes of burnout and compassion fatigue in the workplace, and the identification of mental health practices that would support healthcare workers like nurses, healthcare organizations are doing little to provide the necessary resources. Drama therapy would provide a therapeutic framework to develop trauma stewardship, the practice in which individuals and organizations tend to the hardships and trauma faced in today’s world. Only a few studies exist that identify the benefits of using drama therapy to support …

The Drive Diaries: How Motivation Shapes Work And Performance, Christian D. Diaz

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Employee motivation remains central to organizational research, yet less is known about how employees personally experience the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and performance. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory and Expectancy Theory, this qualitative narrative inquiry examined how employees describe their motivational experiences and their influence on workplace effectiveness. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 3 employees across diverse industries and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Four themes emerged: (1) autonomy as a primary driver of sustained performance, (2) recognition as a reinforcing factor, (3) organizational culture as either amplifying or diminishing motivation, and (4) motivation as evolving across career stages. Findings …

Amplifying Strengths: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Elementary Teachers’ Culturally Proficient Practices With Newcomer Students Through An Appreciative Inquiry Lens, Mary Elizabeth Bradford

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of elementary educators working with newcomer students in a Southwest urban school district, with the purpose of identifying culturally proficient strengths that support student belonging and learning. Guided by an interpretive (hermeneutic) phenomenological approach and informed by Appreciative Inquiry, the study centered educators’ meaning-making rather than deficit-oriented perspectives. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with five elementary educators serving newcomer students across kindergarten through fifth grade. Analysis followed van Manen’s phenomenological methods and resulted in six interrelated themes: belonging before language; school as a cultural system; language as agency and identity; cultural …

Write To Lead: A Document Analysis Of Leadership Communication, Rosenda B. Minella

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This qualitative study examined how executive leaders at an urban community college in the Southwestern United States used motivating language in written communication. Community colleges face increasing complexity, including enrollment declines, limited resources, and heightened expectations for student success. In this context, written leadership communication helps align organizational goals, build trust, and reinforce institutional values. Motivating Language Theory served as the primary coding framework, with findings interpreted through the lens of Authentic Leadership and informed by AACC Leadership Competencies. Using qualitative document analysis and an AI-assisted workflow to support coding consistency, the study analyzed publicly available executive communications produced over …