Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Corporate Cultural Distance On Private Company M&A Outcomes, Court Carruthers

Theses and Dissertations

Despite nearly $5 trillion of annual global merger and acquisition (M&A) activity, the degree of shareholder value created by M&A remains a topic of debate. The historical view is that M&A does not increase value for acquiring firms, however recent public company financial research suggests that returns are highly variable, rather than uniformly negative. Cultural differences between acquiring and acquired companies, or corporate cultural distance (CCD), are noted as a potential cause of this variability, however, public company findings remain inconclusive. Although private equity (PE) is responsible for approximately 20% of annual M&A transaction value, nearly all prior research is …

A Review Of The Effects Of Mindfulness Meditation On Chronic Pain In Older Adults, Gregory H. Jacks

Theses and Dissertations

Pain is a biopsychosocial phenomenon, which draws from physiological responses as well as cultural and social context and mental states. Pain is most frequently treated through surgical and pharmacological interventions, which can be costly and time-consuming, especially when treating chronic pain. Older adults suffer from chronic pain at a higher rate than the rest of the population, and more accessible interventions are desperately needed to help manage the experience of chronic pain. Mindfulness meditation is increasingly being utilized for management of pain due to evidence of its effectiveness, cheaper cost, and ability to be practiced outside of medical facilities. Prior …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Beliefs Related To Gender Equality In The Church Of Christ, Timothy J. Priestley

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, American Christian churches, including the Church of Christ, have grappled with the role of women in their congregations. As women have gained legal rights, expanded social roles, and access to leadership, certain churches, including the Church of Christ, have lagged in adapting to these changes. This study aims to understand the organizational change process within these churches, exploring why belief systems can be slow to change and how some congregations have successfully transitioned from a complementarian to an egalitarian stance related to women's leadership roles. The research employs a contextual lens, considering how human psychology influences beliefs …

Alaska Native Corporations: Participation, Purpose, And Performance In For-Profit Indigenous Businesses, Kimberly E. Mcginnis

Theses and Dissertations

Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) were established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971 to extinguish Indigenous land claims in the state of Alaska, as well as to provide for the economic and social wellbeing of Alaska Natives. However, ANCs’ governance practices and performance record offer a mixed record of their ability to incorporate the voice of their Indigenous shareholders and to fulfill a broad mandate for economic and social wellbeing among Alaska Natives. This exploratory, sequential, mixed methods study examines the relationship between shareholder participation, purpose, and performance in ANCs. Synthesizing theories from multiple domains, this study clarifies …

Perceptions Of College/University Students On High School Science And Stem Courses, Brian Park

Theses and Dissertations

Over the years, the evolution of science along with technology, engineering, and mathematics has been noticeably evident while science education, on the other hand, has shown little development. The research study aimed to investigate future change initiative implementation in secondary science curricula. In addition, the purpose of the research was to learn and examine postsecondary students' perceptions of how well secondary science education prepared them for the postsecondary level plus for schools to utilize the feedback received from students to further improve the quality of science education. The data for the study were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 college/university …

An Examination Of Grief Interventions With Black And Latinx Communities, Melissa Mares

Theses and Dissertations

Grief is a universal experience that is influenced by socio-cultural cultural norms. While past research has acknowledged that attention to diversity and culture are in integral part of treatment, research on grief interventions for Black and Latinx populations has been limited and even more so for interventions that incorporate cultural adaptations. Using peer reviewed articles published between 1985-2022, this systematic review set out to investigate three questions: What are the grief interventions used with grieving Latinx and Black communities? What is the effectiveness of the interventions in reducing grief symptomology? How has cultural adaption been implemented? This review revealed that …

Characteristics Of Leadership Of Selected Historical Leaders In Music Education In The United States With An Exploratory Study Of The Explicability Of These Characteristics To Modern Music Education Leadership In Elementary Schools, Ashley Loren Stringfield

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this multicase, qualitative study dissertation was to describe how the leadership characteristics of the founders of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) inform today’s music educators’ leadership abilities. During the 1907 Keokuk conference the founding members discussed the first set of guiding principles for various subjects within the music discipline including chorus, band, and piano. For this study, the research questions are focused on the similarities in leadership styles of music education leaders past and present. Suggestions for improvement of teacher and administrator leadership characteristics were revealed by the leaders themselves.

Eight public elementary school music teachers …

Coming To Your Senses: Exploring The Role Of Touch In Physical And Digitally Immersive Consumption Experiences, Joy Shields

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of two empirical papers in which I examine the Need for Touch (NFT)in two settings where the ability to touch is disrupted, exploring the role of touch and other senses in physical and metaverse consumption experiences. In the first paper, I investigate the pandemic's influence on consumer shopping behaviors, focusing on the coping mechanisms for reduced tactile interactions. The research uses an exploratory, inductive sequential design to chronicle shopping experiences through longitudinal interviews and autodriving. The findings reveal two primary themes: Shopping as a Reprieve and Fear of Shopping. This research underscores the intricate connection between grieving …

The State Of Psychological Services For People With Physical And Cognitive Disabilities: An Integrative Systematic Review, Megan K. Benton

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the state of psychotherapy for people with physical and cognitive disabilities in a systematic review. Specifically, this study analyzed qualitative and quantitative studies which examined therapists’ abilities to conceptualize disability as a dimension of cultural competence, the models and conceptualizations of disability and psychotherapy being used with people with disabilities (PWD) in psychotherapy, and the experiences of PWD in psychotherapy. This study analyzed 18 empirical studies and integrated both qualitative and quantitative methods. Source eligibility criteria for this systematic review was the same for both qualitative and quantitative studies. Eligibility criteria included being: peer-reviewed journal articles, …

The Relationships Among Financial Literacy, Financial Behaviors, Financial Attitudes, And Homeownership Within Low-Moderate Income Households In Los Angeles County, Aliyu Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores how financial literacy, financial capability, financial self-efficacy, and future time perspective affect the likelihood of low-moderate income (LMI) households in Los Angeles County owning a home and holding a mortgage. It draws on existing literature on financial literacy, financial capability, financial self-efficacy, future time perspective, and homeownership to develop a theoretical framework that identifies the factors that influence LMI households’ access to homeownership. Using secondary data merged from six surveys conducted by the University of Southern California (USC) Understanding America Study (UAS) from 2015 to 2022, it analyzes the relationships among financial literacy, financial behaviors, financial attitudes, …

Critical Success Factors Of Latino Entrepreneurs, Carlos A. Linares

Theses and Dissertations

Latino entrepreneurs in the U.S. face myriad challenges in their pursuits, with unique obstacles owing to their minority and, sometimes, immigrant status. This study investigated the critical success factors of Latino entrepreneurs in the United States. This study utilized a Delphi methodology to identify the critical success factors and thematic analysis of the identified success factors to create the theoretical model. An expert panel of individuals of Latino origin who identified either as active entrepreneurs or individuals with at least 2 years of experience working in a leadership role with an organization that serves or works with Latino entrepreneurs (e.g., …

Vocational Tertiary Education Of Young Adults In Kenya: Model Development, Kristina Marie Lux

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to create a model of tertiary vocational education in Kenya. Despite considerable progress in Kenya over the last 20 years, current education models, low attendance, and low academic proficiency levels preclude many vulnerable learners from becoming employable. Utilizing semi-structured interviews of eight Kenyan participants, this study explores the testable design principles necessary to create such a micro-trade model. Utilizing Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA), a quantitative ethnographic technique, to model the structure of connections in data, this study attempts to systematically identify a set of constructs, as they are recorded in interview codes, connected to …

Best Practices Utilized By School Counselors In Increasing Latino Male College Readiness, Robert Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to identify best practices incorporated by secondary school counselors in California high schools that promote, support, and increase college-going identity and foster a supportive college-going environment for Latino male students. The researcher used a phenomenological qualitative study to capture the best practices and strategies academic counselors utilize to overcome the challenges of increasing Latino male academic achievement and college readiness. The findings of this study suggest that practices such as building supportive and caring environments, developing a college-going culture, increasing college readiness opportunities for Latino males, and targeted support increase college readiness among Latino males. Recommendations from …

A Systematic Review Of Movement-Oriented Mind-Body Interventions And Psychoneuroimmunological Outcomes For Psychological Stress And Trauma, Emma Wookey

Theses and Dissertations

Objective. The mind and body are inseparable and share bidirectional influences. Psychological stress and distress related to traumatic events are significant contributors to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs worldwide. Mind-body movement-oriented interventions have been found to benefit one's physical and mental health via down-regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system. This systematic review aimed to identify and synthesize the research on movement-oriented mind-body interventions for trauma and stress as informed by psychoneuroimmunology. The review focused on exercise, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, and dance movement therapy that target the physiological systems impacted by psychological stress/trauma. Methods. …

The Criticality Of Mentorship On The Trajectory Of Imminent Black Female Leaders: A Phenomenological Narrative Inquiry, Jeanette E. Vaughn

Theses and Dissertations

As members of two minority groups, Black women are often required to overcome dueling obstacles in the workplace. Black women are the most underrepresented in leadership positions compared to other groups. For most Black women, the American dream is merely a glass-ceiling-laden reality. For Black women to ascend to the upper echelon of leadership positions, executives and organizations in various industries must alter how administration and operations best practices are conceived, executed, and monitored as they pertain to recognition and promotions. Mentoring helps to optimize professional potential, build skills, and enhance performance by assisting mentees in managing their learning to …

Proper Punctuation: A Qualitative Exploration Of Changes In Conflict Management Processes During Revolutionary Periods In Teams, Cody J. Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Teams experience periods of dramatic change, known as revolutionary periods, during their developmental life cycles. These periods have an outsized impact on performance as they provide an opportunity to reconsider and reshape the fundamental assumptions and processes that teams deploy to accomplish their goals. The transient and durable changes to transition, action, and interpersonal processes which occur during revolutionary periods are critical mediators which convert the team’s inputs into outcomes including productivity, group viability, and individual group member satisfaction. Teams are ubiquitous in for-profit organizations, and these organizations are situated in increasingly dynamic and volatile environments. Despite this, little research …

She Leads Business Education: A Phenomenological Study On The Career Development Of Female Deans Leading Aacsb-Accredited Business Schools In America, Rachel Staples Guettler

Theses and Dissertations

As women advance into leadership roles in America, there is a demand for career development research to deepen understanding of strategies for overcoming obstacles and maximizing opportunities. This study investigated 13.4% of the population of female Deans of AACSB-accredited business schools in America through qualitative inquiry. During this study, 157 of 540 American business schools with AACSB accreditation were led by female Deans. A female perspective was interpreted through the framework of Career Development Theory revealing the internal and external forces impacting career development chronology, experiences, contexts, behavioral patterns, beliefs, and leadership of women who have become Deans. Gender-related and …

Shifting Institutional Paradigms To Ignite Organizational Equity Amongst African American Professionals, Michael Fountain

Theses and Dissertations

African Americans can become discontented with their jobs and even consider resigning due to workplace anxiety. This quantitative study among African American business professionals in the U.S. highlighted the critical factors that foster positive working environments and organizational equity for African American professionals. The researcher focused on increasing an organization's effectiveness through managing diversity, allowing employees to feel inclusivity, and being part of a team. As a result, there will be happier, satisfied, and committed workers, thereby increasing the level of knowledge in the workforce while reducing expenses. This study analyzed conflict management, cultural diversity, marginalized employee emotions, teamwork, and …

Academics And Athletics: A Phenomenological Study Of Self-Advocacy And Student Involvement In Black Student-Athletes With Disabilities, Trené L. Turner

Theses and Dissertations

Studies on Black male athletes and their educational experiences have been conducted for quite some time, whereas research on Black female athletes, despite its emergence, remains limited. Recent research on student-athletes focuses on the rise in socioeconomic status in relation to their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Hence, the focus on education while it continues to exist, NIL deals and its impact on the NCAA have become a topic of interest. The tenets of critical race theory will be examined to comprehend the relationship between these principles and the impact of NCAA and college policies on Black student athletes, and …

Reflections Of Young Black Adults On The Ecological Systems And Educational Factors That Shaped Their High School Experiences Within The Urban Communities Of South Los Angeles, Carol Ann Carson

Theses and Dissertations

Educators strive to prepare learners to become productive citizens, provide comprehensive knowledge concerning cultural literacy, and equip them to enter the workforce. A quality education develops critical thinkers to compete globally. Unfortunately, many Black students encounter barriers to academic achievement. The purpose of this qualitative study is to better understand ecological systems and educational factors and their impact on the lived experience of young Black students within south Los Angeles, California. Specifically, an exploration of their high school experiences and perceptions will be emphasized. Some educators have little readiness in race scholarship, comprehending social character related to race, and acknowledging …

Childless African American Women Over 50 In The Usa: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Robbie Roshyl Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

In modern society, some African American women are choosing a career before accepting the traditional role of birthing a child or children at an early age and marriage is not always part of the equation. Women’s freedoms (i.e., equality, personal choice, sexuality) have increased since their early struggles for their rights as citizens and as women. Some are viewed as agents against the norm by some conservative-minded people by not having a child or children well into their adulthood, especially if they are over the age of 50. Research suggests that women without children are perceived negatively by others and …

Schizophrenia, Expressed Emotion, And Relapse: A Systematic Review Across Cultures, Colin Meng

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this review was to systematically identify and evaluate quantitative research on familial expressed emotion (EE) in schizophrenia patients from different cultural backgrounds. This adds to the findings of previous reviews of EE by including data from cultural individualism vs. collectivism perspectives using Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory. Using specific search criteria, 10 research papers were identified and evaluated. Findings indicated that the lowest percentage of high EE relatives were found in samples from countries associated with moderate individualism scores. A similar pattern was also found in high-critical comment (CC) relatives. Results of hostility and Emotional Over-involvement (EOI) are …

Challenges Of Early Career School Psychologists, Edyn Fion

Theses and Dissertations

Transitioning from a student to a practitioner can be a very difficult and challenging period in one’s career. Early career school psychologists are not only responsible for adapting to the everchanging and fast paced work of school psychology but must also deal with adjusting to a new career. This qualitative phenomenological study focused on shedding light to the challenges that are encountered by early career school psychologists. Additionally, it set out to discover the strategies, methods, and resources that they use to overcome these obstacles. With the purpose to answering the four main research questions of this study, thirteen participants …

Strategies For Transitioning From A Senior Military Leader To A Civilian Leader, Wallace Michael Mains

Theses and Dissertations

The primary focus of this qualitative study was to explore how senior military veteran leaders (SMVLs) employed Senge’s (1990) five core disciplines to building a learning organization. The study investigated strategies for SMVLs to use after their transition from the military into civilian leadership roles. Senge’s (1990) five learning disciplines of personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, team learning, and systems thinking are utilized as the theoretical framework. The researcher employed qualitative research by examining SMVL narratives. The researcher examined nonhuman subjects to ensure anonymity. Narratives were located from numerous publicly accessible data sources (published books, news articles, magazines, journals, …

Client Perspectives On Effective Psychotherapy: A Systematic Review And Foundation For A Consilient Psychology, Sam Han

Theses and Dissertations

This study will explore client perspectives on what works in psychotherapy in an effort to elucidate critical ideas for more consilience, or the unity of knowledge, in the field of clinical practice. The objective is to generate a theory from the data that can serve as a foundation for an eventual unified model of psychotherapy. A qualitative narrative synthesis approach was taken using grounded theory principles to analyze data from common factors outcome research. The results appear to confirm prior findings on the importance of interpersonal dynamics and the therapeutic relationship. The data demonstrates a potential connection between interpersonal factors …

Exploring Disc Attitudes Toward Organizational Change, Christie Cooper

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study explored how different personality styles, using the dominance, influence, steadiness, and compliance (DISC) personality assessment to address the concept of change. Specifically, the attitudes the four main DISC personality styles have toward change. The study aimed to contribute to the body of knowledge. There is a significant gap in the empirical research investigating DISC and change.

This study’s significance was to fill a gap in the literature in an area that has limited empirical research conducted. European and Asian countries do far more work on the front-side of change to ensure people are prepared for the change …

Sexual Abuse Of Children In China: Consequences And Han Culturally Appropriate Treatment, Na Du

Theses and Dissertations

Child sexual abuse in China has a lower prevalence than in Western countries. Due to its conservative culture, child sexual abuse has been a hidden topic, resulting in children suffering from mental health problems since there was no proper treatment or intervention. The objective of the current study was to explore the estimated prevalence of child sexual abuse in China, its long-and short-term psychological effects, and culturally appropriate treatment for those who experienced sexual abuse. The aim of this study is to inform the professionals with knowledge, skills, and techniques to treat those with mental health problems caused by sexual …

A Systematic Review Of The Psychological Effects Of War On Children From Croatia, Zaneta Mudrovcic

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Multiple wars across the globe in the 20th century have affected countless children. One of these wars was the Croatian War of Independence or Homeland War, which lasted from 1991-1995. This systematic review examined the psychological and behavioral impact of war on children in Croatia in order to inform intervention with these children as adults, as well as to inform the literature on the effects of war on children more broadly. Methods: An integrative systematic review was conducted with qualitative and quantitative studies using narrative synthesis to review and integrate the findings from multiple studies. Studies eligible for inclusion …

Examining Transformational Leadership Self-Perceptions Of Current Chief Executive Officers Within Executive Peer Advisory Groups, Israel Passwater

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examined the leadership perceptions of current chief executive officers from executive peer groups. The goal of this examination was to investigate to what extent these leaders view their behaviors as being transformational. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) 5X was used as the research instrument. The results indicate significant relationships between the 5 I’s of transformational leadership and the demographic questions in several key areas. Conclusions and recommendations for further research are provided based on the results of this study.

Reducing Hiv Transmission For African American And Latino Gay And Bisexual Men: An Integrative Systematic Review, Brian Andrew Griffith

Theses and Dissertations

Black and Latinx men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected by HIV and have been for several years. It continues to be pervasive in both communities. Therefore, this review aims to examine the existing literature and succinctly discuss what has occurred in the fight to reduce HIV transmission rates for Black and Latino men. This review posed the following questions: (a) What are the unique challenges for Black and Latino gay and bisexual men in adherence and usage of PrEP medication? (b) What behaviors increase HIV transmission risk specific to Black and Latino gay and bisexual men? (c) …