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The Fundamental Divisions In Ethics, Matthew Hammerton

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

What are the fundamental divisions in ethics? Which divisions capture the most important and basic options in moral theorizing? In this article, I reject the ‘Textbook View’ which takes the tripartite division between consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics to be fundamental. Instead, I suggest that moral theories are fundamentally divided into three independent divisions, which I call the neutral/relative division, the normative priority division, and the maximizing division. I argue that this account of the fundamental divisions of ethics better captures the main concerns that normative ethicists have when assessing moral theories. It also helps us make progress in comparative …

Inconsistent Media Mediation And Problematic Smartphone Use In Preschoolers: Maternal Conflict Resolution Styles As Moderators, Hwajin Yang, Wee Qin Ng, Yingjia Yang, Sujin Yang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Previous studies suggest that inconsistent parenting leads to undesired consequences, such as a child's defiant reactance or parent-child conflicts. In light of this, we examined whether mothers' inconsistent smartphone mediation strategies would influence their children's problematic smartphone use during early childhood. Furthermore, given that harsh parenting often escalates a child's behavioral problems, we focused on parent-child conflict resolution tactics as moderators. One hundred fifty-four mothers (ages 25-48 years; M = 35.58 years) of preschoolers (ages 42-77 months) reported their media mediation and parent-child conflict resolution tactics and their child's problematic smartphone use. We found that the positive association between the …

Democracy And Statehood, Veronika Fikfak

Chicago Journal of International Law

This Essay addresses the relationship between democracy and statehood. The two concepts have been linked since the 1990s, when new entities claiming statehood were expected to have constituted themselves on a democratic basis and to have put in place democratic government structures to be recognized by the international community. Yet, as Professor Tom Ginsburg’s book Democracies and International Law reveals, the rise of autocracies and a general backlash against democracy in the last three decades have led to changes in countries’ behavior. This Essay argues that today, the requirement of democratic process and institutions for international recognition is less stringent. …

The Role Of Transnational Civil Society In Shaping International Values, Policies, And Law, Mariana Olaizola Rosenblat

Chicago Journal of International Law

This Essay suggests that predictions about the character of international law in the context of rising authoritarianism may be nuanced by paying closer attention to the influence of transnational civil society (TCS) on global affairs and normative development. While acknowledging that pro-liberal civil society has faced escalating threats from authoritarian governments in recent years, the Essay highlights the resilience, adaptability, and creativity of TCS, which finds ways to remain active and harness sources of strength despite those threats. However, TCS is not always pro-liberal, and there is evidence of strong anti-liberal civil society influence as well. Whether or not authoritarian …

Wipo’S Proposed Treatment Of Sacred Traditional Cultural Expressions As A Distinct Form Of Intellectual Property, Alberto Vargas

Chicago Journal of International Law

For the past twenty years, the United Nations’ World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has been working on what could be a major shift in international intellectual property law. WIPO’s work has uniquely focused on intellectual property protection for “traditional cultural expressions” (TCEs), a term which roughly describes a broad conception of indigenous groups’ intellectual property. Most recently, WIPO published its latest proposed Draft Provisions/Articles for the Protection of Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions, and IP & Genetic Resources. These Draft Provisions propose a tiered rights system in which the owners of sacred TCEs receive more protective rights than the …

Disability And Employability: Challenging Stereotypes Through Information And Education, Claire Gallagher Mcelvaney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Individuals with disabilities (IWDs) have had an alarmingly low employment rate despite introduction of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other legislation meant to enable workplace inclusion. This low employment rate seemed illogical as employed IWDs have often demonstrated extremely high work engagement and organizational loyalty. Prior research indicated that organizations were willing to hire IWDs but were concerned regarding potential costs and training issues. Because lifelong unemployment has often resulted in segregation and depression for those with disabilities, this research sought to determine if educational intervention, i.e. a presentation designed to address some of the myths regarding costs and …

Preemptive Church-Based Marital Education And Counseling As An Intervention To Increase Marital Satisfaction And Reduce Divorce Rates, Shane C. Kreller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Marriage is a fundamental component of the Christian experience; it is an institution that ideally bonds two believers in a lifelong relationship through which they can grow spiritually and emotionally, support one another, and often create and raise the next generation within the warmth and nurturing of a united family. Unfortunately, marital dissatisfaction and divorce—common phenomena in the United States—can have a wide range of negative consequences not only for spouses but also for their children, parents, and friends. This Doctor of Ministry thesis examines how the author’s local church ministry, River of Life Fellowship Ministries, deals with issues of …

Modeling And Simulating Brain Damage From Football Helmet Impacts, Tate Russell Fonville

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The objective of this research was to present a model for brain damage to investigate the head’s response to mechanical loadings. A Finite Element (FE) head and brain mesh used throughout this dissertation was constructed from Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan data of one of the authors and validated in previous research. A computational modal analysis was first conducted on the whole head and an isolated brain to identify the resonant frequencies, mode shapes, and locations. A physics-based Internal State Variable (ISV) constitutive model for polymers was modified to include damage in the form of pore growth. The brain damage …

Diversity As An Influence On Talent Management And Competitive Advantage: The Absence Of Female African American Executive Leadership In The Insurance Industry, Lateisha Tamarra Rainey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative research case study was to examine the extent of which the significance of diversity has on the representation of African American females in top-executive leadership positions. Furthermore, to comprehend why African American females are unfairly represented and disparaged in C-suite level positions. The purpose of this research was to study the influence that diversity may have on the insurance industry’s talent management and competitive advantage. To what degree do biases whether conscious or unconscious affect promotional opportunities, recruitment, selection, and hiring practices of African American females pursuing elevation to higher level positions within the insurance …

Child Protective Services Social Workers Health Outcomes: Results Of Working With Trauma Survivors, Decora Lachelle Bowers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study explored if and to what extent pre-existing health conditions, resilience and coping mechanisms moderated the relationship between job-related stress reactions and mental health outcomes in child protective services social workers. The most challenging clients are victims of trauma, and professionals who work with trauma survivors are at risk of experiencing job-related stress reactions which can be harmful to their overall health. Ann Masten’s variable-focused model of resilience theory guided this study, which involved ninety-six child protective services social workers, supervisors, managers, and directors in North Carolina. Data was collected through a survey which involved demographic questionnaire …

The Impact Of Strategic Planning In Small Business: Empirical Evidence From East Tennessee, Sara Howe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research study explored the impact of strategic planning in small businesses within the service industry, specifically in East Tennessee. The focus was to gauge the level of importance small businesses placed on strategic planning, if any. The general problem to be addressed was the level of importance small businesses place on strategic planning that could affect organizational problems such as high turnover, low job satisfaction, poor engagement and performance, financial uncertainty, customer dissatisfaction, tarnished company reputation, and company closure. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to enhance the body of knowledge through magnifying the explanations behind …

Teacher Beliefs In Title I Schools Compared To Teacher Beliefs In Nontitle I Schools, Tammy Rene Nolan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple case study was to discover and compare teacher beliefs of elementary teachers in Title I schools to elementary teachers in Non-title I schools. Two theories guided this study, Kegan’s Constructive Development Theory (CDT) and Bandura’s Theory of Self-Efficacy. Together the two theories provided a framework for how adults think and form beliefs that influence their decisions and behaviors. This qualitative research sought to answer the following questions: What do elementary teachers in Title I schools believe about themselves as teachers, compared to what elementary teachers in Nontitle I schools believe about themselves as teachers? What …

Role Of Fluoxetine In Primary Monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis., Mohamed Abdelazim, Ahmed Abdelhalim, Mahmoud El-Kenawy, Tamer Helmy

Mansoura Medical Journal

Nocturnal enuresis is involuntary voiding that occurs exclusively at night, after most children have stopped. For the diagnosis of primary monosymptomatic enuresis, at least three episodes of bed wetting in a patient who has never been dry for more than six months are required (PME). Despite a 15 % annual maturation rate, 0.5 % of all instances continue throughout adulthood, with significant effects for self-esteem. Behavioral and motivational therapy, alarm aids, and pharmacotherapy have all been recommended as therapeutic options for PME. Desmopressin or antimuscarinics like propiverine or oxybutynin are the most common medical treatments for PME. Response failure to …

Pre-Attentive Auditory Responses In Multiple Sclerosis Patients, Wesam Eshawaf, Tamer Belal, Hanan Ellithy, Mohamed Abeltawab, Shahat Elshokary

Mansoura Medical Journal

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) within different degrees of disability [1]. It affects over 2 million people worldwide [2]. Cortical affection in MS is associated with disease progression and cognitive impairment [3]. MS symptoms are inconsistent. They include fatigue, abnormal sensations such as paresthesia , muscle stiffness, tremor, numbness, dizziness, and even paralysis (usually in the legs) [5]. MS patients may be more likely to have hearing loss. Event-related potentials (P300) showed abnormalities in MS patients suggesting impairment in cortical regions and dysfunction in cognitive processing, memory, attention, and auditory discrimination …

Consortium Capabilities For Enterprise Blockchain Success, Matt Kaufman, Stanton Heister, Kristi Yuthas

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

Enterprise blockchain projects have great promise. They can cut costs and promote efficiency through disintermediation, increase transparency for tracking intercompany transactions, expand knowledge through consortia databases, and improve workflows through shared business processes. Despite its potential, blockchain technology has failed to produce promised benefits for enterprise networks. While the underlying technology has advanced rapidly, managerial capabilities needed to form and manage blockchain consortia have lagged, and as a result, few consortia have succeeded. This chapter reviews the extant literature on blockchain consortia and provides a framework that identifies (1) foundational conditions that precede effective consortium formation, (2) capabilities required for …

Ecosystem Connectivity For Livable Cities: A Connectivity Benefits Framework For Urban Planning, Carole Hardy, Catherine De Rivera, Leslie Bliss-Ketchum, Eric P. Butler, Sahan Dissanayake, Dorothy A. Horn, Ben Huffine, Amanda M. Temple, Michael Vermeulen, Hailey Wallace, Jennifer Michelle Karps

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Urbanization disrupts landscapes and ecosystem functions, which poses threats to biodiversity, social systems, and human health, particularly among vulnerable populations. Urban land-use planners are faced with competing demands for housing, safety, transportation, and economic development and often lack tools to integrate these with protecting environmental functions. We identify three major barriers to integrating the benefits that flow with connected, functioning ecosystems into land-use planning. The lack of a shared language among planners and stakeholders poses a barrier to the restoration and preservation of ecological features. Methods of incorporating the benefits from connectivity are not standardized because values are not readily …

Soy Diferente: A Qualitative Study On The Perceptions Of Recovery Following Traumatic Brain Injury Among Spanish-Speaking Us Immigrants, Diana M Kurtz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: To explore the impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on the quality of life (QoL) and self-concept of Spanish-speaking U.S. Hispanic immigrants with TBI.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, qualitative study conducted in a county level I trauma center and community. Semi-structured interviews on QoL and self-concept following TBI were conducted with 24 Spanish-speaking U.S. Hispanic immigrants with TBI living in the community at least 6 months following injury.

RESULTS: Perceived facilitators of QoL included faith, hopefulness in recovery, empathy for others, and support from others. Perceived barriers to QoL mentioned were symptoms/consequences of injury, employment/financial changes, loss of …

Pride & Joy

In Case You Missed It

JUNE 2022

Racial Justice And Peace, Yuvraj Joshi

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Mitigating Supply Chain Disruptions, Risks, And Vulnerabilities, John Jeong Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The global supply chain has made numerous incredible strides in improving processes to keep the supply chain functional. However, supply chain businesses suffer disruptions from many different factors, which impact the supply chain businesses and customers. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the various ways the supply chain industry incurs disruption from the lack of enhanced security and the development of potential ideas on how disruptions receive mitigation. The background of the issue was researched, followed by the interview of eleven high-level supply chain managers and employees to obtain data for understanding the factors that contribute …

Harmonica Pedagogy For The Full Inclusion Instrumental Music Classroom, Expanding Opportunities For Students With Disabilities, George Wallace Miklas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The harmonica was once taught in American public schools coast to coast from the 1920s through the 1940s when imports of harmonicas were curtailed due to World War II's efforts. Since then, American public-school instrumental music curricula have long forgotten the only wind instrument that makes music when the student inhales or exhales. The harmonica provides a natural calming effect to the player and medical benefits, including being a tool for overcoming mental health issues and expressing needs and feelings without words. During the era when the harmonica was taught, pedagogy lacked uniformity. Consequently, confusion about the instrument's unique tuning …

Religiosity: Does It Attenuate Or Exacerbate The Relationship Between Past Childhood Sexual Abuse And Depression, Anxiety And Stress?, Karmen Lashawn Payne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Individuals who experience childhood sexual abuse (CSA) suffer a global injury. In addition to the impact sexual abuse has on their mental, emotional, sexual, and physical well-being, victims of CSA also experience spiritual pain. The sequelae of pain that follow CSA may lead nonbelievers and Christians to approach churches for desperately needed help. Churches may influence the experience of those seeking help. However, the degree to which ministries are helpful is conditional on their knowledge of and preparation for working with adult victims of past CSA. Past negative sexual experiences may also harm self-cognitions, potentially influencing survivors’ ability to approach …

Gender Differences In Views Of Vice: A Comparative Phenomenology Of Prostitution And Human Sex Trafficking, Sean Jeremy Mcknight

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study explored the topic of human trafficking with a focus on the perspectives of local law enforcement officers located in California, Florida, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine officers’ perceptions relating to the under-identification of sex trafficking victims and the victim-centered approach to human trafficking. The problems addressed in this study are that the identification of victims of human trafficking has not been effective, under-identification has long been a problem, and victims are undercounted. The theory guiding this study is Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance, as officers …

Integration Of Non-Traditional Students: Comparing Traditional And Non-Traditional Students' Sense Of Belong, Michelle Leeann Walbeck

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With an ever-increasing number of non-traditional students enrolling each year, the importance of ensuring their academic success falls primarily on the higher education institutions (HEIs). Each institution has its recipe for success and mostly consists of a student success office to assist when non-traditional students begin to show signs of markers for being at-risk. The reactive approach of waiting for students to show signs of struggle is missing the larger picture. The researcher utilized quantitative correlative and predictive correlative studies to determine if a direct correlation existed between non-traditional students’ perceived sense of belonging, which is at the core of …

Effect Of Supervisor Bias On Performance Motivation During Incentive-Based Performance Reviews, Jessica Lace Burrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The effectiveness of performance appraisals concerning employee motivation and organizational outcomes has had a prominent presence in research over the years due to concerns about how failed appraisal processes hinder performance improvement, human resource functions, and corporate objectives. How employees perceive the review process plays a significant role in whether or not the method will deliver the intended motivators, such as feedback and job satisfaction. This study will focus on how perceptions of bias influence an employee’s drive to perform in the future among Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) within three Promedica skilled nursing facilities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Remote Patient Monitoring As A Means To Reduce 30-Day Readmissions In Skilled Patients: An Integrative Review, Sharee Lenae Birkett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Readmissions among skilled patients are a problem nationwide with rising rates despite federal mandates. Per the AHRQ (2021), readmission costs are estimated to average $15, 200 per patient. Interventions are needed to reduce readmissions and improve patient outcomes. Remote patient monitoring (RPM), especially with continuous vital sign monitoring (CVM) is one method that could reduce readmission rates. The purpose of this integrative review is to determine whether RPM could be used to reduce emergency department and 30-day readmission visits for Medicare part A skilled nursing patients. Utilizing the Whittemore and Knafl (2005) framework, 29 articles were reviewed with resulting themes …

A Strategy To Transition A Traditional African American Church To A Multicultural Church Where All People Are Welcome To Worship, Darold A. Ingram Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose for this action research thesis is to develop a strategy to transition the MHBC from a traditional African American church to a multicultural church. Looking at the temperature of our country, civil unrest has reached an all-time high. Our society has been separated by every aspect of life and this is not how God intended for us to live out our lives. While the battle amongst cultures thrives, the only thing that can change this climate is Christ, by way of His church. In the following pages you will be exposed to a strategic plan that will help …

Effectiveness Of Telemental Health Services In Rural Communities, Elizabeth Vebangsi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Telemental health has been recognized as a technique to improve access to care delivered to Rural communities and those willing to use telehealth services have increased tremendously since its introduction. Literature evaluates patients’ satisfaction with telemental health services and their acceptance to improve care delivery in rural communities. The literature review identified three major themes: improved care, increased use of telemental health services, and reduced cost and timesaving. Even though some studies uncovered issues from technology, poor connectivity, and delay in audio-visual transmission, the potential of mental health services continues to enhance care delivery to rural communities.

Prepared To Succeed: A Systematic Grounded Theory Examining The Nature, Development, And Perceived Benefits Of Homeschool Teacher Self-Efficacy In Wisconsin, Joshua D. Andrew

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this systematic grounded theory study was to define and explain the development of homeschool teacher self-efficacy and its significance for homeschooling parents in Wisconsin. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory served as the initial theoretical framework for this study, as it defined four general sources of self-efficacy development: enactive mastery experiences, vicarious experiences through social models, social persuasion, and the regulation of physical and emotional states. Through surveys, open-ended interviews, focus groups, and artifacts received from 10 homeschooling parents, this study attempted to define how homeschooling parents perceive homeschool teacher self-efficacy, to what homeschooling parents attribute the development of homeschool …

Lmx, Leadership Style, And Retention In Southeastern Pennsylvania Social Services Organizations, David William Schlosser

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Organizations deal with employee retention (e.g., retaining employees, stemming attrition, mitigating intent to leave an organization) in a number of ways. Examining the relationship one has with his/her manager, and the leadership style of one’s manager, are valuable factors in retaining employees. LMX (leader-member exchange) is the quality of relationship between leaders/managers and members/employees and is based on trust and reciprocity between parties. Passive leaders avoid management issues and only act when they have no other choices. Transactional leaders are exchange-based individuals that provide rewards (e.g., compensation) in exchange for work completed by employees. Transformational leaders go beyond this and …