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All Quiet On The Digital Front: The Unseen Psychological Impacts On Cybersecurity First Responders, Tammie R. Hollis Nov 2023

All Quiet On The Digital Front: The Unseen Psychological Impacts On Cybersecurity First Responders, Tammie R. Hollis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Driven by the increasing frequency of cyberattacks and the existing talent gap between industry needs and skilled professionals, this research study focused on the crucial human element in the domain of cybersecurity incident response. The objective of this dissertation was to offer a meaningful exploration of the lived experiences encountered by cybersecurity incident responders and an assessment of the subsequent impacts on their well-being. Additionally, this study sought to draw comparisons between the experiences of cybersecurity incident responders and their counterparts in traditional emergency response roles. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a cohort of 22 individuals with first-hand experience working …


All Quiet On The Digital Front: The Unseen Psychological Impacts On Cybersecurity First Responders, Tammie R. Hollis Nov 2023

All Quiet On The Digital Front: The Unseen Psychological Impacts On Cybersecurity First Responders, Tammie R. Hollis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Driven by the increasing frequency of cyberattacks and the existing talent gap between industry needs and skilled professionals, this research study focused on the crucial human element in the domain of cybersecurity incident response. The objective of this dissertation was to offer a meaningful exploration of the lived experiences encountered by cybersecurity incident responders and an assessment of the subsequent impacts on their well-being. Additionally, this study sought to draw comparisons between the experiences of cybersecurity incident responders and their counterparts in traditional emergency response roles. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a cohort of 22 individuals with first-hand experience working …


Human Vs Machine: Hyper-Realistic Avatars And Their Efficacy As A Communication Channel, Jill S. Schiefelbein Nov 2023

Human Vs Machine: Hyper-Realistic Avatars And Their Efficacy As A Communication Channel, Jill S. Schiefelbein

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hyper-realistic avatars (HRAs), a form of synthetic media, are custom-created digital embodiments of a human, created by capturing and combining that person’s video and vocal likeness. This is the first known study of the efficacy of videos delivered by hyper-realistic avatars as a communication channel in comparison to videos delivered by their human counterparts. An experiment testing how information retention, engagement, and trust vary between viewers of videos delivered by a real human, videos delivered by the HRA representing that same human, and videos delivered by the HRA that discloses to viewers that it is a hyper-realistic avatar is presented. …


Human Vs Machine: Hyper-Realistic Avatars And Their Efficacy As A Communication Channel, Jill S. Schiefelbein Nov 2023

Human Vs Machine: Hyper-Realistic Avatars And Their Efficacy As A Communication Channel, Jill S. Schiefelbein

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hyper-realistic avatars (HRAs), a form of synthetic media, are custom-created digital embodiments of a human, created by capturing and combining that person’s video and vocal likeness. This is the first known study of the efficacy of videos delivered by hyper-realistic avatars as a communication channel in comparison to videos delivered by their human counterparts. An experiment testing how information retention, engagement, and trust vary between viewers of videos delivered by a real human, videos delivered by the HRA representing that same human, and videos delivered by the HRA that discloses to viewers that it is a hyper-realistic avatar is presented. …


Effectiveness Of Virtual Onboarding, Shanker Menon Nov 2023

Effectiveness Of Virtual Onboarding, Shanker Menon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the COVID pandemic that began in 2020, interest in onboarding efficacy increased with going virtual. This survey research study focused on the effectiveness of virtual onboarding by comparing it with face-to-face (traditional) and hybrid onboarding. It spanned 12 different business sectors and involved 730 respondents, including executives, managers, technical personnel, and non-managerial staff. This exploratory study investigated the influence of the onboarding process on important organizational variables, including turnover intention and perception of self-performance. In addition, the study investigated the perception of success of the onboarding process. Results indicated that hybrid onboarding was the most effective followed by virtual …


Effectiveness Of Virtual Onboarding, Shanker Menon Nov 2023

Effectiveness Of Virtual Onboarding, Shanker Menon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the COVID pandemic that began in 2020, interest in onboarding efficacy increased with going virtual. This survey research study focused on the effectiveness of virtual onboarding by comparing it with face-to-face (traditional) and hybrid onboarding. It spanned 12 different business sectors and involved 730 respondents, including executives, managers, technical personnel, and non-managerial staff. This exploratory study investigated the influence of the onboarding process on important organizational variables, including turnover intention and perception of self-performance. In addition, the study investigated the perception of success of the onboarding process. Results indicated that hybrid onboarding was the most effective followed by virtual …


An Examination Of Reward-Based Crowdfunding Performance And Success, Matthew Alan Grace Oct 2023

An Examination Of Reward-Based Crowdfunding Performance And Success, Matthew Alan Grace

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reward-based crowdfunding (RBCF), where fundraisers raise funds from a crowd of investors in return for a reward, has carved a niche as a proven option for not just entrepreneurs seeking early-stage funding, but also for established firms looking to presell or market a new product or service. Establishing crowdfunding performance and success factors is important for researchers and practitioners alike. Fortunately, a large portion of the RBCF academic literature is immediately applicable to entrepreneurs, with very little additional interpretation required. However, important questions about RBCF remain. The first paper in this three-part dissertation, a systematic literature review, examines some of …


An Examination Of Reward-Based Crowdfunding Performance And Success, Matthew Alan Grace Oct 2023

An Examination Of Reward-Based Crowdfunding Performance And Success, Matthew Alan Grace

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reward-based crowdfunding (RBCF), where fundraisers raise funds from a crowd of investors in return for a reward, has carved a niche as a proven option for not just entrepreneurs seeking early-stage funding, but also for established firms looking to presell or market a new product or service. Establishing crowdfunding performance and success factors is important for researchers and practitioners alike. Fortunately, a large portion of the RBCF academic literature is immediately applicable to entrepreneurs, with very little additional interpretation required. However, important questions about RBCF remain. The first paper in this three-part dissertation, a systematic literature review, examines some of …


Communicating For Success: The Importance Of Fairness In Pre-Merger Communication, Correy Retzloff Sep 2023

Communicating For Success: The Importance Of Fairness In Pre-Merger Communication, Correy Retzloff

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explores the complexities and influences of pre-merger communication on M&A outcomes from a stakeholder perspective, using the Fair Process Theoretical Framework. The study identified the following six key themes related to pre-merger communication broken down into two distinct categories: important aspects to employees, which include Open and Honest Communication, Engagement and Clarity, Participation and Collaboration, and best practices managers can implement, such as Undertake Fair and Engaging Communication, Prioritize Strategic and Cultural Communication, Ensure Effective and Compliant Communication. The study also found that effective pre-merger communication can positively influence perceptions of fairness in the merging process. These …


For Love Or Money: Investor Motivations In Equity-Based Crowdfunding, Jason C. Cherubini Sep 2023

For Love Or Money: Investor Motivations In Equity-Based Crowdfunding, Jason C. Cherubini

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Crowdfunding is an increasingly popular method for entrepreneurial ventures to raise financing from a large number of small supporters (the “crowd”) instead of raising it through a small number of larger supporters. Crowdfunding is normally conducted through online platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo, where the entrepreneurial venture runs a campaign directly seeking support from individual funders. Most of the research into crowdfunding to date has been focused on what elements of the crowdfunding campaign lead to eventual successful funding, especially in the rewards-based crowdfunding space. The comparatively new equity-based crowdfunding has not been as heavily researched and is technically …


Turmoil In The Workforce: Introduction Of The Nomadic Employee, Catrina Hopkins Mar 2023

Turmoil In The Workforce: Introduction Of The Nomadic Employee, Catrina Hopkins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study is designed to define a “nomadic employee,” a figure who has emerged in the ever-changing labor force, and to define what drives these workers to move between companies within a short period of time (generally within a 12-month period). These nomadic employees are driving higher turnover rates and causing rising onboarding costs. Relationships between employees and their employers have changed drastically in recent decades. Business concepts have evolved, and, thus, so have employee motivations. With the introduction of the millennial generation into the workforce and the emergence of the technology revolution, workforces have transformed, again establishing the …


Attention-Grabbing Tactics On Social Media, Arjun Kadian Mar 2023

Attention-Grabbing Tactics On Social Media, Arjun Kadian

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

News posts are popular among social media users. Since news reading is critical for both social media platforms and news providers, the use of attention-grabbing tactics, such as hyperbole and expressed emotional arousal, is commonplace to increase news readership. However, there is scant empirical evidence to explain the impact of attention-grabbing tactics on social media users’ reading intentions and behavior in social media. Therefore, I first explore how and why the use of hyperbolic statements in news headlines influences users’ interest and intention to read the news. Drawing on expectation violation theory, I propose competing hypotheses. I conducted three experiments …


Commitment To Change Dimensions: The Influence Of Innovative Work Behavior And Organizational Environments, Michael Holmes Jan 2023

Commitment To Change Dimensions: The Influence Of Innovative Work Behavior And Organizational Environments, Michael Holmes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the phenomenon of commitment to organizational change using both positive and negative organizational contexts and employee behaviors that may influence an employee’s commitment to change dimensions (affective, continuance, normative). A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data from 407 physician assistants across a national healthcare system and analyzed using descriptive statistics, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and multiple regression to test the relationships among constructs. Results indicate that commitment to change dimensions are related to innovative work behavior, climate for innovation, and organizational constraints. Affective commitment was positively related to innovative work …