Digital Commons Network^™

A Model Of International Student Retention, Dylan Rust

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

This paper presents a model of international student retention influences that affect these students’ decisions to remain at a university in the United States. The levels of the model, in order of importance, are intentions/background characteristics and finances, academic integration, cultural identity, and social integration. Intentions/background characteristics and finances are related to and influence each other in terms of their impact on retention. While multiple retention theories focus on the socialization of college students, this model posits that financial and academic factors have greater influence. The paper also discusses the influence that being a non-immigrant visa status international student has …

Reproducing Advantage: Inequality In Ncaa Leadership Programming, Jessica K. Brougham, Elizabeth A. Taylor

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

Leadership programming in NCAA Division I athletics is designed to support holistic athlete development, including career readiness, financial literacy, and personal growth. However, participation in selective initiatives like the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is often limited, raising concerns about equality and access. Through the theory of social reproduction, our study examines how these programs reflet and reinforce structural inequalities. Interviews with athletic staff reveal selection procedures (or lack thereof) privilege athletes who already possess social and cultural capital and therefore reproduce existing hierarchies rather than serve as a developmental tool. The findings highlight the importance of transparent selection criteria, intentional …

Nurse Driven Intervention To Address Cesarean Section Rates, Cavetta Tulloch-Lewis

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Abstract

Cesarean sections (C-sections) account for approximately one-third of births in the United States and remain the most common inpatient surgical procedure. Primary cesarean sections are a major contributor to rising rates, often leading to repeat cesareans in subsequent pregnancies. While medically necessary C-sections are lifesaving, their overuse in low-risk pregnancies is associated with increased maternal morbidity. Labor dystocia is one of the leading indications for primary cesarean delivery and may be mitigated through evidence-based, nurse-driven interventions such as maternal positioning and peanut ball utilization. Registered nurses are uniquely positioned to influence labor progression and promote vaginal birth through continuous …

Operationalizing Academic Entrepreneurship: An Organizational-Level Model Of Knowledge Transfer In Universities, Ugljesa Marjanovic, Janika Leoste, Luis Peña Sánchez

Artículos científicos

This study investigates organizational mechanisms that enable academic entrepreneurship and Knowledge Transfer (KT) in universities. As universities increasingly engage in industry collaboration—their “third mission”—KT plays a key role in research commercialization and fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems. Using a grounded theory approach, the study develops a process model emphasizing infrastructure, enabling mechanisms, and valorization. Data were gathered through interviews with university leaders, Knowledge Transfer Office (KTO) staff, and company representatives across Europe. Findings highlight the importance of talent profiles, administrative support, and industry engagement. KTOs emerge as vital connectors between research and market opportunities, supported by leadership, policy, and funding structures. The …

[Excerpt From] Leading Academic-Practice Partnerships In Nursing And Healthcare, Doreen C. Harper, Maria R. Shirey, Cynthia S. Selleck, Michele H. Talley, Connie White-Williams

Sigma Publications: Book Excerpts

Leading Academic-Practice Partnerships in Nursing and Healthcare: A Paradigm for Change is a comprehensive guide for unlocking the power of partnerships—transforming healthcare by improving care processes, care coordination, and patient outcomes through collaborative partnerships among nursing academic and practice sectors. Written by experts immersed in this work for well over a decade, this indispensable resource shows how to develop robust partnerships focused on health systems, population health, and community care—and how to build the organizational structure needed to sustain and grow those partnerships.

This book provides:

• An understanding of why academic-practice partnerships are important, their benefits, and the nurses’ …

The Developmental Journey Of A Servant Leader Rise To Serve, Sacrifice To Lead, James Elliker

Servant Leadership: Theory & Practice

The writings of Robert Greenleaf (1970, 1972, 1977, 1998) and the examples of ancients (Green, 2023), have inspired a number of research efforts on the efficacy of a leader as servant approach to modern leadership. Greenleaf’s core principles included the desire to serve first, the ability to help grow others into healthy servant leaders themselves, and the potential to impact a broader society. His unique and insightful essays also imply the preexistence of a leader who is willing to serve. This article presents a possible servant leader developmental model to accomplish such objectives. The model highlights how anyone, should they …

Servant Leadership & Navigating The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Study On Port Tampa Bay, Laura M. Holland, Deirdre Dixon

Servant Leadership: Theory & Practice

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in March 2020, many supply chain companies found themselves facing increased demand, labor shortages, and low capacity. Due to complex relationships in the supply chain industry, it was difficult for ports to manage these challenges and continue to operate efficiently. For ports to successfully navigate these challenges, they needed to implement leadership across all levels. We examined the leadership of Port Tampa Bay to see if Servant Leadership was present. Port Tampa Bay was Florida’s largest port that handled major cargo. Through 2020–2022, the port had not seen any of the congestion …

Intelligence Reform: A Strategic Overhaul Of The Intelligence Community, Johnny Davis

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

No abstract provided.

Voices Of Resilience: Black Women’S Navigation To Executive Leadership Roles In Corporate America - A Narrative Inquiry, Sylvia Blackmon-Roberts

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Black women remain markedly underrepresented in the C-suite, despite their growing educational attainment and presence in the workforce. This narrative inquiry examined the lived experiences of five Black women executives to illuminate how they interpreted and navigated the realities of leadership within corporate environments. Guided by Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) three-dimensional framework, the study explored how temporality, sociality, and place shaped their leadership identities and strategies. Participants described early life influences, organizational dynamics, and identity-based challenges that shaped their trajectories, revealing how they confronted exclusion, navigated scrutiny, and cultivated resilience through faith, preparation, community, and strategic competence. Cross-case analysis identified …

Beyond The Badge: How Internal Culture Contradicts External Service In Urban Police Departments, Rowan Bari Eiselman

Educational Studies Student Papers and Posters

This ethnographic study examines how gendered workplace culture and mental health culture shape officer retention in two urban police departments: the Orange Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department's 77th District. Through ride-alongs, observations, and informal interviews with nine current and retired officers (four female, five male) across various ranks conducted between March and April 2026, this research reveals a troubling contradiction: departments tasked with serving diverse communities struggle to support diversity within their own ranks. Female officers navigate professional isolation, prolonged competence-proving expectations, and implicit career-versus-motherhood choices, with experiences varying significantly between the more supportive Orange PD and …

Research On The Impact Of Digital Transformation On Esg Performance Of Real Estate Enterprises, Lung Tim Tong

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In the era characterized by the dual carbon goals driving the green transformation of industries and the exponential growth of the digital economy, the real estate sector is at a critical transformation juncture. From a policy-oriented perspective, building codes and energy consumption quota standards issued by the Ministry of Housing and UrbanRural Development and other regulatory bodies have rendered it imperative for real estate enterprises to reduce carbon emissions throughout the entire building life cycle. From the market demand side, consumers' preference for green and intelligent living environments has compelled real estate firms to break through traditional development models. The …

A Study On The Capital Market Valuation Effects Of Corporate Ai Adoption: An Empirical Analysis Of Manufacturing Firms In China's A-Share Market, Libin Ma

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation examines whether and how corporate adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) affects capital market valuation in manufacturing firms. As AI is increasingly embedded in R&D design, production organization, supply chain coordination, and operational management, its value implications depend not only on whether firms adopt AI, but also on how AI is deployed within business processes. Existing research has mainly focused on productivity, innovation, labor substitution, and digital transformation, while the enterprise value consequences of differentiated AI application strategies remain insufficiently examined.

Using Chinese A-share listed manufacturing firms from 2015 to 2024 as the sample, this study identifies firm-level AI …

A Design-Based Mixed-Method Study On Mathematical Fluency Interventions Implemented In A Midwestern School District, Shari Fox

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to implement math fluency interventions with intention and fidelity to increase student math achievement. Recent studies have reported a decline in students' mathematics achievement scores, calling for an urgent redesign of instructional practices. Aligning with strategic organizational change, the scholar-practitioner designed math fluency activities to be implemented during math instructional time, embedding the strategies within the current curriculum, which lacked sufficient resources. The researcher then collected data from student reflections, end-of-unit assessments, and the beginning-of-year math diagnostic to design a specific implementation of math fluency activities that would help students increase their mathematical …

How Leaders And Followers Make Meaning: Perceptions Of Spiritual Leadership And Organizational Culture, Joshua J. Yancey

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This dissertation was grounded in the premise that spiritual leadership behaviors significantly influence organizational culture within faith-based nonprofit organizations yet remain insufficiently understood as lived experiences across organizational levels. While prior scholarship has established theoretical links between spirituality, leadership, and organizational outcomes, fewer studies have examined how such leadership is perceived by both leaders and followers within real organizational contexts. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how spiritual leadership behaviors were experienced and interpreted in relation to organizational culture, mission alignment, morale, and work meaning within a faith-based nonprofit setting. Data were collected from fifteen participants …

Toward A Neuroleadership Framework, Bryan G. Wood

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Neuroleadership is an emerging field that seeks to connect neural mechanisms, psychological processes, and leadership behaviors within organizational contexts. Despite continued scholarly interest, the literature remains conceptually fragmented and lacks a coherent framework for organizing its recurring themes and constructs. The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for neuroleadership through a quantitative analysis of records retrieved from the PsycINFO database and interpreted through qualitative synthesis. The findings revealed recurring themes related to core leadership processes, applied contexts, and associated outcomes while also indicating thematic convergence without full conceptual integration across the field. These patterns were organized …

A Therapy Dog Intervention For Elementary School Teachers' Well-Being: Using Action Research To Bridge The Research-Practice Gap In Hrd, Kelly F. Moore

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research (AR) study was to explore how AR can serve as a participatory research design for bridging the research–practice gap in Human Resource Development (HRD) by collaboratively designing, implementing, and evaluating a therapy dog intervention to enhance teacher well-being. One primary research question guided this study: How can action research serve as a participatory research design for bridging the research–practice gap in HRD through the collaborative design and implementation of a therapy dog intervention for elementary school teachers? I conducted a two-phase AR study consisting of a pilot study followed by a full-scale intervention. Data …

Beyond Sequencing: Curriculum As Organizational Practice In Housing & Residence Life, Matthew M. Inman

Master of Education, Student Affairs Independent Study Projects

This study considers the factors influencing curriculum development in student affairs,  with a particular focus on housing and residence life contexts. Grounded in a constructivist and  interpretive framework, this qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with student  affairs professionals engaged in curricular work. Data was analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s  (2006) six-phase thematic analysis process to identify patterns in participant meaning-making.  Analysis shows that curriculum development is shaped by a set of interrelated organizational  dynamics, including tensions between flexibility and structure, the role of language in facilitating  understanding across staff roles, the influence of leadership and human resource capacity, and  the …

Keynoter, April/May 2026, Boise State University Association Of Office Professionals

Boise State University Association of Office Professionals - Keynoter

President's Message

Professional Development Day

Is This a Job, Is It a Career, or Something In-Between?

Recipes

Professional Dev Ideas

Enrichment Program

NAEOP

PSP Certification

Readership

General AOP Info

Treasurer's Report

Membership

Board Members

Calendar

Resilient Leadership: How Cultural Identity Fuels The Success Of Black Male Executives, Anthony Bass

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Culturally Anchored Strategic Navigation: The Role of Cultural Identity in the Success of African American Male Executives

This study examined the relationship between cultural identity and leadership success among African American male executives. Contextualized within leadership studies and urban education, the study sought to understand how cultural identity functions as a central and strategic asset in navigating executive leadership environments. Drawing on Social Identity Theory and informed by scholarship on leadership and resilience, this study attempts to deepen understanding of how identity shapes leadership practice, decision-making, and sustained success within predominantly White institutional contexts.

A qualitative research design grounded in …

Effectiveness Of Aromatherapy To Improve Postoperative Nausea And Vomiting, Mengtian Bludsky

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) remains one of the most common and distressing complications following general anesthesia, negatively affecting comfort, recovery, and satisfaction. Although antiemetics are routinely administered, many patients continue to experience PONV. Aromatherapy using essential oils such as ginger and lavender has demonstrated benefit as a low‑risk complementary modality, it was underutilized in clinical settings.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement an evidence‑based aromatherapy intervention to increase aromatherapy utilization and decrease PONV incidence among eligible post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) patients; as well as educate and improve perioperative nurses’ acceptance of aromatherapy.

Methods: …

See These Great Speakers And Their Programs At Annual Session!, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This feature highlights the speaker lineup and curriculum for the 2026 MDA Annual Session in Grand Rapids. The program offers diverse continuing education tracks for the entire dental team, including pediatric dentistry, oral pathology, risk management, and practice growth strategies. Notable speakers include clinical experts, legal professionals, and motivational keynotes. The document also explains the transition to a simplified registration system using one-day or full conference passes, allowing attendees more flexibility to choose sessions on-site without pre-registering for individual courses.

Trust: The Invisible Force Behind Effective Leadership During Times Of Change, Lindsay Atoro

M.S. in Leadership

Workplace change is constant, yet most change management models focus on logistical, financial, and operational factors, overlooking the human aspects. Strategies to support employees often neglect the critical role of trust in effectiveness and success. To more deeply explore the role of trust, this study combined a comprehensive literature review with leader interviews to compare theoretical findings with real-world practices. Results revealed that while leaders acknowledged the importance of trust in leading teams through change, fewer than half explicitly identified it without prompting. Trust was consistently referenced, though often implicitly, reflecting a pattern in the literature where trust was acknowledged …

Book Review: Remissioning Church: A Field Guide To Bringing A Congregation Back To Life By Josh Hayden, Keith A. Darlington

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Leadership Challenges In Achieving Healthcare Interoperability: A Cross-Sectional Survey Of Patient Experiences, Hoshiar J. Sher

Education Doctoral

Healthcare interoperability remains constrained not only by technical barriers but also by leadership, governance, and administrative fragmentation. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine how leadership-related barriers to interoperability were reflected in patients’ and caregivers’ experiences with administrative clarity, system integration complexity, trust in leadership, satisfaction, and switching behavior. Guided by transformational leadership theory, data were collected through an online survey of 435 U.S. adults who managed healthcare administrative tasks for themselves or family members. Descriptive, subgroup, and multivariable analyses were conducted to address five research questions. Respondents reported moderate coverage clarity and billing ease, elevated billing …

Examining The Impact Of Restorative Practices On Student Behavior, Discipline, And Relationships In A K–5 Elementary School, Kathleen Tomaszewski

Dissertations

This study examined the implementation of restorative practices in a K–5 elementary school and their influence on student behavior, disciplinary actions, and teacher–student relationships. Restorative practices in schools focus on building a positive school climate and addressing student behavior through community and relationship-building rather than punitive measures. The rationale for the study was grounded in concerns regarding the use of exclusionary discipline practices and the need for proactive, student-centered approaches to improving school climate. Two main research questions guided the inquiry: To what extent do restorative practices impact student referrals and disciplinary actions in a K-5 elementary school? How do …

Navigating Cultural Biases And Self-Worth For Black Women Leaders In Higher Education, Robbin Mitchell

Interdisciplinary Leadership Dissertations

African American women leading at public universities share their thoughts and perspectives on days filled with more than just tasks; they bear silent struggles and the hidden expectation of being recognized for their work without being marginalized. While building inner strength, some find their voices amid doubt and pressure. Progress is made not through grand gestures but through small acts of care. Viewed through the lens of Black Feminist Thought (Collins, 2000), their lives reflect complex realities. Du Bois’s (1903) concept of split identities is relevant—not by choice but by context. Being Black and female reshapes their identities in leadership …

Developing A Church Growth Strategy For Church Revitalizations In Suburban Communities Within The U.S. Assemblies Of God, Thomas A. Galban

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Suburban communities are experiencing demographic and socioeconomic shifts that have presented challenges for the local church. These changes have correlated with the decline and plateau of many suburban churches within the U.S. Assemblies of God. This dissertation explores which successful models of church revitalization can be adapted, learned from, and created for suburban church contexts within the U.S. Assemblies of God. Using a qualitative research approach utilizing interviews, this study examined seven suburban churches and the pastors who successfully led through a revitalization process. Each pastor was interviewed concerning their leadership approach, strategies that were employed, contextual realities, funding models, …

Ai-Powered Knowledge Management Systems Across Industries: A Systematic Review Of Applications, Implementation Barriers, And Ethical Challenges, Edmund Evangelista, Ghazala Rizvi

All Works

This systematic literature review (SLR) evaluates the existing literature on the benefits, implementation challenges, and ethical concerns associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) across industries. The SLR followed PRISMA guidelines to identify studies from Scopus, Web of Science, JSTOR, and Google Scholar, using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklists were used to assess methodological quality and risk of bias in the included studies, and a structured narrative synthesis was employed to synthesize the findings. The review of 21 articles reveals benefits like improved knowledge capture and creation, storage, retrieval, personalization, and efficient dissemination, …

The Impact Of Mortality Awareness On Task And Relationship Leadership Styles, Sang Yeol Lee

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In current organizational management practice, the question of how leaders can transform the universal awareness of human finitude into constructive leadership is an issue that embodies both profound humanistic concern and significant managerial implications. Based on transcendence management theory and leadership style theory, this study explores how mortality awareness affects leaders’ task orientation and relationship orientation styles, revealing its underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions. By conducting a three-wave, matched-pair questionnaire survey involving 203 enterprise managers and their subordinates, the theoretical hypotheses were tested. The findings are as follows: First, mortality awareness has a significant direct positive effect on both task-oriented …

Compliance Supervision And Firm Performance: An Empirical Study On Digital Transformation Of The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry, Jun Ma

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The biopharmaceutical industry, characterized by stringent global regulatory oversight, faces a pivotal theoretical tension regarding the nexus between regulatory compliance and corporate performance. The traditional perspectives often frame compliance as an “operational burden”, while the emerging viewpoints posit it as a “strategic asset”. Grounded in an integrated framework of the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capability (DC), this study investigates the moderating role of digital transformation in the relationship between Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance and corporate performance.

Employing a mixed-method design, this paper conducted two complementary studies. Study 1 adopted a grounded theory based on interviews with nine industry …