Digital Commons Network^™

Effective Strategic Planning Processes Used By Construction Industry Companies, Melvin C. Porter Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Strategic planning failures among small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) construction managers can lead to cost overruns, schedule delays, and operational inefficiencies that threaten organizational viability. SME construction managers who lack effective strategic planning processes face an elevated risk of project failures that jeopardize workforce stability and the long-term sustainability of the communities they serve. Grounded in hoshin kanri framework, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore successful strategic planning processes and models used by SME construction managers in southeastern Virginia to improve operations and reduce project failures. The participants were seven SME construction managers who had successfully …

Mapping Measurement To Theory In Policy Evolution: A Case Of Net Metering Policies Of The United States, Graham Ambrose, Myriam Gregoire-Zawilski

Research to Practice Briefs

Mapping measurement to theory in policy evolution: A case of net metering policies of the United States," co-authored by Graham Ambrose and Myriam Gregoire-Zawilski in Policy Studies Journal

Trust, Participation, And Power: Community Perspectives From The Equity In Public Health Initiative, Shaniece Criss, Roger S. Abim-Karmon, Jody Teel, Vanessa Rodríguez, Adia Bennon, Sally Wills, Sarah Gonzales, Dalmondeh D. Nayreau, Vaishnavi Bharadwaj, Hannah G. Kim, Jennifer Woollery, Melissa Fair

Health Sciences Publications

Health disparities arise from unequal power relations shaping resource allocation, governance, and community agency. Community power is a key mechanism for addressing disparities. This study examines how visible, hidden, and invisible power operate within a U.S. county to inform inclusive governance. We conducted seven focus groups with Black and Hispanic residents (n = 68) and sixteen semi-structured interviews with elected officials, government staff, and advocacy leaders in Greenville County, South Carolina. Data were collected between March and December 2024. Transcripts were collaboratively coded in NVivo and analyzed using thematic analysis guided by Heller et al.’s Three Faces of Power …

Ƒ(Enlightenment): A Complex Adaptive Systems Model Of Recursive Causality And Human Meaning-Making, Daniel Lambert

Dissertations and Theses

Conflict Resolution has developed as a richly interdisciplinary field; however, its theoretical architecture remains fragmented across distinct bodies of scholarship. Existing approaches offer valuable but often isolated explanations of conflict behavior, limiting their ability to account for its complexity. This thesis addresses this limitation by advancing systems science as an organizing framework for integrating these perspectives. It introduces the Human-Complex Adaptive Systems (H-CAS) framework, which conceptualizes human behavior as a recursive adaptive process operating across interconnected regulatory domains. Within this model, conflict is not treated as a discrete event or purely deliberative process, but as an emergent property arising from …

A Multimodal Approach To The Treatment Of Primary Chronic Pelvic Pain In Adult Women: The Positive Impact Of Shared Decision Making On Health Outcomes, Kylie Freese

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective:

The goal of this paper was to assess approaches to management of idiopathic chronic pelvic pain (ICPP) in females to improve health outcomes.

Methods:

A structured literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE and CINAHL databases. Studies were included if they evaluated therapeutic interventions for primary/idiopathic chronic pelvic pain in adult females and reported treatment outcomes. Studies with adolescents, males, non-treatment topics, diagnostics, or unrelated conditions were excluded.

Results:

Myofascial therapy resulted in relief of anxiety and depression (-4.0+/-3.2, p< 0.001; -3.4+/-2.5, p< 0.001) and female sexual function index (FSFI) (7.8+/-6.4, p< 0.001). Psychological approaches had similar results regarding pain improvement, however showed worsening of FSFI (-0.31 [ -0.95, 0.34]; -1.95 [-3.63, -0.28]). Duloxetine and amitriptyline trials displayed improvement in pain, with amitriptyline impacting urinary symptoms and duloxetine resulted in lower pain scores. Cannabidiol improved pain, sleep, and mood disturbances (p≤0.001). Multimodal treatment resulted in greater improvement in pain (-2.19, [-3.17, -1.22], p=0.002) and FSFI (2.47, [1.06,3.88], p=0.030). No study showed statistically significant data displaying improvement/worsening quality of life.

Conclusion:

Each individual treatment resulted in improvements in the measured outcomes. Multimodal treatment approaches result in greatest outcomes when …

The Accelerated Apprenticeship Model: An Innovative, Collaborative Solution, Lauren L. Niles, Misty Smith, Sheila S. Gentry, Shikha Modi, Charles Reynolds

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Nursing shortages continue to plague our profession. It is projected that the nation will face a nursing shortage of 78,610 full time nurses in 2025 (National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, 2022). Nursing graduates are also leaving the profession prematurely (Tate, 2024). In 2025, approximately 22.3% of registered nurses (RNs) left their positions within the first year of work (NSI Nursing Solutions, Inc., 2025). Leaders in nursing education continue to seek novel methods to increase the number of practice-ready graduates. The need to better provide graduates with the necessary knowledge and skills for early practice presented an opportunity to create …

Exploring Successful Change Strategies For Small Business Owners To Remain Competitive, Omari Akuamoah Boateng

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses are vital to the U.S. economy but face significant challenges in implementing organizational change to remain competitive due to resource constraints. This problem is important to small business owners because ineffective change strategies limit growth, sustainability, and broader economic contribution. Grounded in the resource-based view of the firm and entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project is to explore the evidence-based organizational change strategies used by some small business owners in the United States to achieve and sustain a competitive advantage. The participants were 6 leaders from small businesses with fewer than 100 employees located …

Risk Factors For Metabolic Syndrome Among U.S.-Born And Non-U.S.-Born Hispanics In The United States, Banessa Maldonado

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current knowledge regarding risk factors for metabolic syndrome (METS) among Hispanic individuals of Mexican descent remains limited. Using data from NHANES 2017–2020, this study compared factors contributing to METS and included U.S.-born and non-U.S.-born Hispanic adults of Mexican descent aged ≥ 18 years living in the USA (N = 949) with assessed METS. Grounded in the social ecological model and social determinants of health, this research evaluated dietary habits, lifestyle patterns, and acculturation processes using multivariate logistic regression and stratified analyses. Educational attainment was associated with METS, but the association was not statistically significant in adjusted models p = 0.528. …

Strategic Organizational Growth In Nonprofit Organizations: A Swot-Based Change Management Analysis, Sharika Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit organizations often face operational and sustainability challenges. This study examined a nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities that was experiencing increased service demands, communication challenges, and workforce shortages. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to develop a sustainable strategic change management approach to strengthen workforce development, financial stability, stakeholder collaboration, and strategic planning. Guided by the research question, "How can the client nonprofit organization implement a sustainable change-management approach that addresses internal communication challenges and resource constraints while maintaining mission alignment?" the study used a SWOT analysis and Kotter’s eight-step change model. Data were collected …

Effect Of Concentration And Temperature Of Tio2-Al2o3 Hybrid Nanofluid On The Corrosion Rate Of Aluminum Radiator, Ratna Monasari, Rizky Maulana Ramadhan, Nike Nur Farida, Ahmad Hanif Firdaus, Supa Kusuma Aji, Yuniarto Agus Winoko, Rizkyansyah Alif Hidayatullah

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Corrosion of aluminum radiators can reduce cooling system reliability and shorten service life in automotive applications. This study examines the effect of TiO₂-Al₂O₃ hybrid nanofluid concentration and temperature on the corrosion rate of commercially available aluminum radiator material. Hybrid nanoparticles with a TiO₂-Al₂O₃ mass ratio of 50:50 were dispersed in distilled water at concentrations of 0.6 wt.%, 0.8 wt.%, and 1.0 wt.%. Corrosion behavior was evaluated using a 14-day accelerated immersion test at 60°C and 80°C, and the corrosion rate was determined using the gravimetric mass loss method. The results …

Genetic Equity: How Crispr Gene-Editing Technology Will Reshape Society And Healthcare, Aaron Cranston

Journal of Science & Technology Law

No abstract provided.

Trademark Law: Insights From Hermès Int'l V. Rothschild For The Fashion Industry In The Metaverse, Bruna Graff

Journal of Science & Technology Law

No abstract provided.

Quantum Leap In The Legal Paradigm, Katri Nousiainen, Joonas Keski-Rahkonen

Journal of Science & Technology Law

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Journal of Science & Technology Law

No abstract provided.

Talking Teaching For Change: How Productive Teacher Collaborations Contribute To Teacher Efficacy Beliefs And Student Achievement Gains, Xiaohang Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher collaboration and teacher efficacy beliefs are complex, multifaceted constructs that play critical roles in student learning and influence one another in multiple ways. School collaborative culture, including collegial trust, collective learning, and shared responsibility, has also been identified as an important factor shaping both effective teacher collaboration and teacher efficacy beliefs. This study employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design to (a) examine the relationships between features of collaborative discourse and teachers' instructional efficacy beliefs, as well as the extent to which school type and school collaborative culture influence these relationships, and (b) explore how these collaborative discourse features are …

Using A Cell Flux Model To Investigate Phytoplankton Growth And Macromolecular Allocation Under Iron Limitation, Margaret Bernish, Meng Gao, Jongsun Kim, Benoit Pasquier

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Global biogeochemical models are powerful tools used to interpret observations and empirical data, create hypotheses, and make predictions. Many of these models, however, represent marine microbes as static stoichiometric reactions that convert nutrients into biomass. To better constrain the biological processes that control nutrient cycling in the global ocean, we extend the Cell Flux Model of Phytoplankton to explore the impact of dissolved iron concentration on the allocation of macromolecules and elemental ratios within phytoplankton cells. This model is supported by data obtained from a range of incubation experiments conducted with phytoplankton of varying species and size categories. Model output …

Broadening Replication Standards For Vignette Studies: Introducing Contextually Appropriate Replications, Birgit Schyns, Gretchen Vogelgesang Lester, Michelle M. Hammond

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Vignette studies present specific challenges for replications, yet vignettes are a popular choice for replication studies in leadership. In our review of eight vignette-based leadership publications, only two were able to fully replicate the original study's findings. We suggest that part of the failure to replicate the results of vignette studies may be due to a misalignment between the vignettes and social reality at the time of data collection. This paper highlights the challenges vignettes present due to societal progression and includes recommendations regarding potential methodological artifacts including the appropriateness of the sample, vignette content, and modality. We first discuss …

Perancangan Media Pembelajaran Papercraft Minecraft Pada Materi Kemasan Dari Kertas Untuk Seni Budaya Smp, Ruqunia Rahmatuti, Iriaji Iriaji

Journal of Innovation and Teacher Professionalism

Learning Cultural Arts, particularly the topic of paper packaging, requires concrete learning experiences to help students understand the relationship between object shape, dimensions, net structure, and packaging function. However, observations conducted during the teaching assistance program revealed that classroom instruction was still dominated by conventional learning media, causing some students to experience boredom and difficulties during practical activities. This study aims to describe the design process of a Minecraft Papercraft learning medium for teaching paper packaging in junior high school Cultural Arts using the Design Thinking approach. The study employed a qualitative descriptive approach involving 64 seventh-grade students from classes …

Plant Diversity Modifies Multi-Trophic Interactions In Croplands, Grasslands And Forests, Nian Feng Wan, Muyao Li, Siyuan Shen, Jun Xiang Zhou, Yu Tong Zhu, Ben A. Woodcock, Yue Qing Hu, Shinichi Nakagawa, David Tilman, Andy Hector, Michel Loreau, Peter B. Reich, Matteo Dainese, Forest Isbell, Bernhard Schmid, Kris A.G. Wyckhuys, Geoff M. Gurr, Linsheng Wan, Nico Eisenhauer, Yann Hautier, Anu Eskelinen, Richard D. Bardgett, Paul Kardol, Lauchlan H. Fraser, Qi Su, Shiyun Qiu, Yavanna Aartsma, Ramon Albajes, Matthias Albrecht

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Multitrophic interactions can strongly influence the structure and functioning of ecosystems, but how plant diversity influences the direction and predictability of multitrophic interactions across agricultural and natural ecosystems remains unclear. Using 149 field studies across five continents, we found that, on average, increasing plant diversity tended to exert differential top-down and bottom-up effects in croplands versus grasslands and forests. Organic and nonorganic croplands exhibited 846 and 148% higher invertebrate natural enemy-to-herbivore abundance ratios under increased plant diversity, consistent with top-down control patterns where predator gains cause herbivore declines, enhancing crop outcomes. In grasslands and forests, increasing plant diversity was associated …

``Is That What It Means?'' Performative Storytelling In Early Childhood Education: Meaning-Making Through Interaction, Fathia Anggriani Pradina, Untung Yuwono, Bernadette Kushartanti

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

Early childhood education is inextricably linked to the role of adults in every aspect of its process. In addition to formal classroom learning, storytelling with a storyteller is another activity that involves adults. The dialogic interaction between storyteller and children fosters the creation of meaning. This study examines how storytelling, as an interactional practice, can dynamically construct meaning together between storyteller and children. Sixty-one kindergarten children participated in this study during a one and half hour storytelling activity. The qualitative and interactional approach used in this study focused on moment-to-moment exchanges during the naturally occurring storytelling event. The findings indicate …

Nutrient Enrichment Of Palm Oil Mill Effluent Digestate (Pomed) With Fish Amino Acid And Boiler Ash For Biofertilizer Production, Aryati Putri Maharani, Ziyaulhaq Umar, Shahrul Ismail, Zulkarnaini Zulkarnaini

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Palm oil mill effluent digestate (POMED) has potential as a biofertilizer. However, its application is limited by unbalanced macronutrient composition, particularly low nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). This study investigated a laboratory-scale nutrient enrichment strategy for POMED using fish amino acid (FAA) as an organic nitrogen source and boiler ash (BA) as a potassium source. Nitrogen content was determined using a CHNS– O analyzer, while phosphorus and potassium were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma (ICP). Fertilizer quality was evaluated based on the standards and industrial research institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) and Indonesian national standard (SNI 2803:2010). FAA and …

Embedding Creative Communities In Urban Tourism Planning: Toward A Smart Culture Ecosystem For Sustainable City Development In Surakarta, Indonesia, Istijabatul Aliyah, Rara Sugiarti, Ratri Werdiningtyas, Arzaq Taukida, Fausta Ezra Firzatullah, Reyza Amrulloh

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Creative communities are increasingly integrated into urban tourism, yet their environmental performance remains underexplored. To address this gap, this study introduces the Creative Cluster Environmental Performance Index (CCEPI), a novel composite socio-ecological assessment tool for integrating environmental performance into creative tourism planning and governance. This study employed a qualitative socio-spatial design Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis and policy review (2021 to 2023). The framework is applied to evaluate environmental performance across five creative clusters in Surakarta, Indonesia: Laweyan, Kauman, Pasar Gede, Sudiroprajan, and Alun-Alun Kidul. The CCEPI integrates ten indicators across five creative clusters in Surakarta, Indonesia: Pasar Gede, Alun-Alun …

Development Of Computational Imaging Pipelines To Advance Virtual Pet Imaging Trials, Suya Li

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Positron emission tomography (PET) provides functional information that is essential for disease diagnosis, treatment assessment, and biomedical research. However, the development and validation of PET imaging methods often require simulated imaging data with known ground truth, as well as large clinical datasets that are realistic and scalable. These requirements are difficult to satisfy using clinical studies alone, motivating the development of virtual PET imaging techniques. Physics-based simulation can model PET acquisition with high accuracy, but its computational cost limits its large-scale usage. Meanwhile, conventional digital phantom-based image generation approaches often lack the anatomical diversity and heterogeneous tracer uptake patterns observed …

Global Humanitarian Aid Sector Leaders’ Perceptions Of Leadership Development Programs To Support Humanitarian Aid Workers, Stephen J. Thomspon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study is that current leadership development programs for global humanitarian aid sector (GHAS) leaders fail to adequately address the unique circumstances of humanitarian aid work. Grounded in trauma-informed care and adaptive leadership, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore GHAS leaders' perceptions of the essential components and opportunities for improving leadership development programs, as well as their recommendations on how to address the unique contexts of humanitarian aid workers. Semistructured interviews with eight GHAS leaders who had at least 10 years of sector experience were conducted. Through qualitative content analysis with a …

Safety Of Early Discharge And Abbreviated Nimodipine Course In Patients With Good-Grade Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Patrick R. Toyota, Alexander D. Rebchuk, Michael A. Rizzuto, Hugh Mchugh, Kelsey Cruz, Charles S. Haw, Gary J. Redekop, Peter Gooderham

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) remains a devastating cerebrovascular emergency associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Current guidelines recommend 14-21 days of inpatient monitoring and a 21-day course of nimodipine following aSAH. This retrospective study evaluates early outcomes early discharge (≤14 days post-ictus) and an abbreviated nimodipine course in highly selected patients with good-grade aSAH managed under a standardized institutional protocol. Consecutive patients enrolled in the Vancouver Ruptured Aneurysm Database (VRAD) at Vancouver General Hospital between 2022 and 2025 were included. Inclusion criteria were good-grade aSAH (WFNS Grade I-III) and discharge home within 14 days of ictus. The primary outcome was …

Pengembangan Media Pembelajaran Mystery Box Berbantuan Papan Jam Materi Sudut Kelas V Sekolah Dasar, Amala Nurlika Putri, Rahmad Setyo Jadmiko, Nourma Oktaviarini

Journal of Innovation and Teacher Professionalism

This study aimed to develop a mystery box learning medium supported by a clock-face board for teaching angles to fifth-grade elementary school students. The study was motivated by the limited use of concrete learning media in mathematics instruction, particularly for angle concepts, which contributed to students’ difficulties in understanding the material and participating actively in classroom activities. This research employed the Research and Development method using the ADDIE model, which consists of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The developed product was a mystery box learning medium equipped with a clock-face board and an integrated protractor. The product was validated …

Determinants Of Waste Management Behavior And The Potential Role Of Doorstepping As An Intervention, Nurdiana Darus, Maya Tamimi, Nuraeni Nuraeni, Khairunnisa Syafira Dumbi

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

This study aims to evaluate factors associated with community participation in Waste Bank activities and waste management behavior, while exploring the potential role of doorstepping interventions to improve community engagementThis study was conducted in South Jakarta, a densely populated area with a large volume of daily waste. A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design was used. The study involved guided interviews with 201 respondents who were customers of Gesit Main Waste Bank. Binary logistic regression was used to evaluate the influence of independent variables on waste management behavior as the dependent variable. The results showed that 42.8% of respondents had …

Chemical Composition Stability Of Cu–Sn And Cu–Zn Journal Bechemical Composition Stability Of Cu–Sn And Cu–Zn Alloys Fabricated By Sand And Permanent Mold Casting With Nickel Alloying, Erwin Erwin, Didik Sugiyanto, Juan Pratama, Trisna Ardi Wiradinata, Abdul Rachmadhan, Muhammad Fikri Andika

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

The processes of moulding and reinforcing chemical elements have a big impact on the balance of chemical composition in copper-based bearing alloys. This has a direct impact on how well the material works. This study examines Cu–Sn alloys produced via sand casting and Cu–Zn alloys fabricated through permanent mould casting, with the incorporation of nickel, which remains uncommon. The objective was to examine the variations in the equilibrium of the chemical composition and the performance potential of the bearing alloy metal when subjected to different casting techniques and nickel concentrations ranging from 0% to 4%. Some of the methods used …

The Availability Of Datasets On Transnational Criminal Organizations: A Scoping Review, Michael Logan, Steven Windisch

Reports, Projects, and Research

In 2025, the U.S. State Department designated eight transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). Transnational criminal organizations are criminal groups that operate across national borders and engage in illegal activities such as drug and human trafficking, money laundering, extortion, and corruption to obtain power, influence, and wealth.

Assessment Of Genetic Susceptibility In Patients With Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Kiran Jadhav, Deepak G. S. Pateel, Sonal Grover, Shilpa Gunjal, Srikant Natarajan, Sumanth Kumbargere Nagraj

Peninsula Dental School

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is associated with many risk factors but not all individuals who are exposed to the risk factors develop OSCC. This aspect warrants the need to understand the genetic susceptibility in presence of risk factors. Methods: The study protocol has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023422519). The present study included the English-language literature published from January 2000 to April 2024. The articles were searched using keywords via Ovid platform through various databases. The odds ratio was considered as standard measure of outcome. Meta-analysis was carried out using random effects model with RevMan 5.4, establishing a 95% …