Business Commons^™

Textbook Tasks For Social Change: Instantiation Of Development Debates And Interposition Of Pedagogical Interventions In Media Literacy Education, John N. Ponsaran

Journal of Sustainable Social Change

As materialization of their discursive stance as instructional communicators and media producers, textbook authors instantiate various development debates as well as interpose a wide range of pedagogical interventions for critical reflection and adoption by learners. This qualitative study sought to situate these development debates and the counterpart pedagogical interventions within the context of textbook task design as an application and embodiment of social justice communication. The development debates serve as the proposed contexts for media text analyses, reflective exercises, case studies, and media production, among others. Correspondingly, the interposition of interventions allows students to make sense of and act upon …

Civilian Oversight Of Police Through The Lens Of Polarities Of Democracy, Joseph A. Mcmillan, Jacqueline D. Smith, William J. Benet

Journal of Sustainable Social Change

Following the murder of George Floyd, the U.S. Congress called upon the National Organization for Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) to play a role in the reimagining of policing in America, including a transformation of policing from a warrior to a guardian mentality. In turn, NOBLE partnered with the Institute for Polarities of Democracy (the Institute) to conduct an analysis of the 21st Century Policing Report (the Report), which focused on addressing a myriad of issues that challenged the relationship between the police and communities. The Report determined there were six “pillars” necessary for effective policing in America, including (1) …

Effective Talent Management Practices Of Small And Medium-Size Businesses, Annette Murphy, Jorge Gaytan, Al Endres

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Effective Talent management strategies to acquire, develop, and retain employees are essential, as 73% of business leaders in the United States identified that good human resources practices favorably affect the efficiency and effectiveness of business operations. Based on the people capability maturity model and transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the successful strategies that leaders of small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) used to acquire, develop, and retain employees. The case population comprised five SMBs’ leaders who had successfully used talent management strategies to acquire, develop, and retain employees for more than 5 …

Determinants Of Knowledge Sharing: The Roles Of Learning Organization Culture, Empowering Leadership, And Learning Goal Orientation, Yangil Park, Baek-Kyoo Joo

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

This study examined how knowledge sharing attitudes (KSAs) and knowledge sharing intentions (KSIs) are affected by perceived learning organization culture (LOC), empowering leadership (EL), and learning goal orientation (LGO). From the data collected, we discovered that KSA was a significant partial mediator between KSI and LGO. Furthermore, LOC and EL had moderating roles on the LGO and KSA relationship. Such moderation effects were insignificant for KSI, however. This study incorporated the knowledge sharing research fields of motivation research, leadership, and organizational culture. We comment that this study was centered on relatively highly educated management consultants, as human resource management and …

Beating The Employment Challenges: How Unemployed Youths Generate Income For Their Households, Gai Chol Paul

Journal of Sustainable Social Change

Youth unemployment remains a global threat to the achievement of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. It impedes the fight to end poverty in all its forms, limits opportunities to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and undermines a country’s ability to reduce inequalities. In Sub-Saharan African nations, the unemployment rate is particularly high because the environment is prone to volatility caused by poor governance, chronic conflicts, and corruption. Unemployed graduates who lack effective strategies risk failing to generate income for themselves and their families. Thus, my purpose in this qualitative multiple case study, which was grounded in achievement motivation …

Talent Management And The Impact Of Dark Triad Personalities In The Workplace, Joseph A. Rosendale, Eliot Mastrovich, Leann Wilkie

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

This study examines links between the Dark Triad of personality types (Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism) and workplace behaviors. The research objective seeks to confirm the relationship between the Dark Triad and several negative behaviors while investigating positive externalities that have not been previously explored. A literature review covers the background of the Dark Triad, instruments that have been used to measure it, and ongoing research streams in the field. The Short Dark Triad (SD3) survey was administered to 142 working professionals and data collected were quantitatively examined using a variety of statistical tools in SPSS. Corresponding results provide additional evidence …

Outcomes Of Enterprise Resource Planning System On Organizational Productivity, Tambei Chiawah, William G. Dzekashu, Walter R. Mccollum, Evelyn E. Fomuso

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Leaders within local government organizations do not understand how to achieve expected and desired benefits from the implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. The lack of alignment between social and technical elements in ERP implementation continues to depress organizational productivity. The prime objective of our quantitative correlational study was to examine whether social and technical elements increase use and productivity in ERP implementation. Sociotechnical systems theory provided the theoretical basis for our study. We examined six dimensional variables relating to ERP implementation. Our key findings indicated positive significant relationships between ERP and information sharing, between ERP system quality and …

Perceptions Of Employability Skills Of Undergraduate Business Students In A Developing Country: An Exploratory Study, Wise Mainga, Reuben M. Daniel, Luis Alamil

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of different employability skills for business graduates seeking initial employment.

Method: Semi-structured survey questionnaires were administered to human resources representatives from industry, business lecturers, and graduating business students to determine gaps in perceptions between the three stakeholder groups.

Results: There was some alignment and moderate discrepancies in perceptions of the relative importance of different employability skills between the three stakeholder groups. There were statistically significant differences in perceived importance of communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills between graduating students and employers. There is evidence that employers were satisfied with …

The Product Test Scheduling Problem, Megan Wydick Martin, Cliff Ragsdale, John Fico, Carlos G. Cajica-Sierra, Richard M. Fetcenko

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

This research focused on product test scheduling in the presence of in-process and at-completion inspection constraints. Such testing arises in the context of the manufacture of products that must perform reliably in extreme environmental conditions. Often, these products must receive a certification from prescribed regulatory agencies at the successful completion of a predetermined series of tests. Operational efficiency is enhanced by determining the optimal order and start times of tests so as to minimize the makespan while ensuring that technicians are available when needed to complete in-process and at-completion inspections. We refer to this as the product test scheduling problem. …

Determinant Of Employee Productivity In Listed Manufacturing Firms In Southwestern Nigeria, Omoneye O. Olasanmi, Omotola O. Olajide, Olugbenga A. Ojubanire

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

The study analyzed the level of employee productivity and identified factors influencing employee productivity in listed manufacturing firms in southwestern Nigeria. The descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. A sample of 394 respondents was selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data collected using a structured questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study showed that a majority of the respondents (58.33%) had average productivity levels. Results further revealed that management and organizational factors were identified as having the greatest influence on employees’ productivity, followed by organizational/technical factors, and then production and finance factors. In addition, …

Enabling Sustainable Organizational Change: A Case Of Cognitive Diversity In The Automotive Industry, Tonja Blom, Yvonne Du Plessis, Hamid H. Kazeroony

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

In diverse societies such as South Africa, organizations continue to face inclusion challenges when implementing change. This study proposes a different method and new dimension of diversity management within the cognitive diversity construct, namely human niche theory, to tackle the diversity dilemma of exclusivity. The research question asked whether human niche theory, as a defined concept within cognitive diversity, could be utilized by managers to enable inclusion and promote sustainable organizational change implementation. Conceptually, this paper relates human niche theory to seven themes in the change process, namely, communication, training, motivation, resources, control, monitoring, and feedback. An exploratory single case …

Determinants Of Effective Change Management For Software Deployment Projects, Abebaw Zeleke, Walter Mccollum

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Software application deployment change management is one of the emerging research themes that is gaining increased focus day by day. Our study examined the factors that affect software application deployment change management in Agile software development settings. Our study provided a systematic review and synthesized the approaches, practices, and challenges reported for adopting and implementing deployment change management. The prime objective of our study was to systematically synthesize the data extracted and formulate evidence-based practical recommendations that are influential in software deployment change management. Six research themes are proposed to evaluate the rationale of the research question. This qualitative study …

Emerging Market Firms’ Response To U.S. Economic Recession And The Subsequent Period’S Performance, Tewhan Hahn, Ravi Chinta

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

We investigated the changes in behaviors of firms in emerging markets in response to the U.S. economic recession and the impact of those changes in strategic behaviors on subsequent periods’ operating performances. Specifically, we adopted an event-study methodology, using a sample of emerging market firms, to investigate the nature of the effects of the U.S. economic recession on firms in emerging markets. Based on 5,887 firms in nine emerging countries, our results show that firms in emerging markets exhibit changes in strategy variables, and those changes have a significant effect on the subsequent periods’ operating performance. In addition, we found …

The Linkages Between Commitment To Sustainability, Organizational Culture, Quality Management, And Organizational Performance, Lillian Y. Fok, Yun-Chen Morgan, Susan Zee

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

The growing economic pressures, rising awareness of the importance of environmental protection, and stringent global regulations are leading to more integration of sustainability initiatives into corporate strategies across multiple industries. These sustainability initiatives can alter organization cultures and affect employee perceptions and organizational outcomes. In this study, 331 respondents from a wide variety of industries in the South were surveyed. Results showed that companies’ overall green/sustainability orientation is related to organizational culture, quality management maturity, and companies’ performance. The findings implied that it is imperative to develop an organizational culture that is supportive of quality and sustainability to ensure the …

Mediating Role Of Perceived Value On The Relationship Among Perceived Risks, Perceived Quality, And Purchase Intention Of Private Label Brands, Meenu Mathur, Sanjeevni Gangwani

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

In the current competitive retail market, retailers constantly strive to deliver products to consumers at a better value. Consumers are becoming more price sensitive but still seeking quality products. A retailer can establish value with a brand. Consequently, retailers are introducing their own private label brands (PLBs), which also differentiate their products from competitors. The role of perceived value in the purchase behavior of PLBs and its relationship with quality and various risk dimensions has received scant consideration in the retailing literature. Our study suggests perceived value is a mediating part in associations amid perceived quality, perceived risks, and purchase …

The Evident Need For Banking Reform In The Legal Marijuana Industry, Jonathan T. James, Steven C. Tippins

Journal of Sustainable Social Change

Marijuana reform legislation has created a lucrative industry for legal marijuana on the local and state level in some jurisdictions. Federal laws have forced legal marijuana dispensaries to be cash-only businesses with limited banking options. The lack of normal banking services has also affected firms’ ability to manage profits earned from operations. Our hermeneutic phenomenological study was grounded by the conceptual framework of the motivations of humans and humans’ need to feel safe. The participants in this study were owners and operators in the legal marijuana industry in Colorado. Data were collected through interviews, although the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic of …

Strategies To Improve Financial Profitability In The Banking Industry, Khalid Said, Yvonne Doll

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

More than 50% of business failures in the United States are because of leaders’ inability to manage working capital. This qualitative, multiple case study is grounded in the cash conversion cycle theory. The purpose is to explore the strategies bank leaders have used to improve working capital management in three banks in Kentucky to increase bank profitability and improve financial stability. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with three different banking leaders who have implemented successful working capital strategies. Using methodological triangulation and Yin’s five-step data analysis resulted: (a) risk and liquidity, (b) top-down approach, and (c) investment approach. The …

How Does A Responsible Leader Win In A Competitive World?, Patricia Macneil, Rocky J. Dwyer, Maggie Matear

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Competitiveness demonstrates a firm’s effectiveness in achieving an advantage over others. A leader’s competitiveness can facilitate higher profits and growth. It can also lead to unethical and irresponsible corporate dealings. This paper suggests competitiveness can be responsible.

Responsible Leadership defines two main responsible leaders (RL), integrative and instrumental. Integrators are linked to social responsibility and multiple stakeholders, while Instrumentalists are associated with competitive advantage and shareholders. Missing from extant research frameworks is how the two RLs experience competitiveness.

We examined the lived experience of a group of Top 100 Leaders in Canada, finding that both RLs practiced responsible competitiveness. A …

People And Process: Successful Change Management Initiatives, Gene E. Fusch, Lawrence R. Ness, Janet M. Booker, Patricia Fusch

Journal of Sustainable Social Change

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said πάντα ῥεῖ (Panta rhei, for everything flows, in contemporary English), and people have expanded upon this philosophy to mean the only constant in life is change. In this article, we will discuss organizational change through change management implementation (CMI) to improve organizational performance as well as a leadership response to social distancing and the global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. We will discuss research exploring leadership communication, the importance of communication in minimizing or addressing change, and CMI roadblocks including employee resistance.

Strategies To Address Substance-Abusing And Substance-Impaired Healthcare Professionals, Anna Marie Smith, Douglas G. Campbell

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

This research explored strategies used by some healthcare leaders to address substance abusing and impaired healthcare professionals. The conceptual framework for this qualitative case study was the concept of due diligence. Data were collected from 40 managers and supervisors, 3 executives, and company documents, and analyzed to reveal elements of a comprehensive strategy. A effective comprehensive strategy consists of policies that address the causes, the short term and long term aspects, and both the ethical and legal aspects. Policies and procedures are equally applied, are easily accessible, are well communicated, are supported by training, provides positive encouragement. provides a path …

Predictor Of Turnover Intention Of Register Nurses: Job Satisfaction Or Work Engagement?, Yolanda Edwards-Dandridge, Brandon D. Simmons, Douglas G. Campbell

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Both employee job satisfaction (JS) and employee work engagement (WE) have been examined as possible predictors of employees’ intention to voluntarily leave a specific job or company, known as turnover intention (TI). While the body of knowledge has grown concerning the nature of TI, there remains the unsettled question of which of the two concepts most accurately predicates TI. The high turnover rate of registered nurses (RNs) in hospitals in the U.S. presented an opportunity to examine if JS and WE predict, and to what degree, among RNs. For this quantitative correlational research probability sampling was used to identify 155 …

Leveraging Technology Through Crowdfunding To Ease Barriers Of Entry Into The Marketplace, Amye Melton, Terry Damron, Vikkie Mccarthy, William Rupp

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Small businesses and entrepreneurs face barriers to entering new markets, such as access to capital. Crowdfunding is one method for financing new ventures. The purpose of this article is to explore how crowdfunding can ease barriers of entry into new markets. Drawing from strategic management, planning, marketing, and technology acceptance literature, we present a conceptual model to explain the use of crowdfunding by small businesses and entrepreneurs. Factors that impact individuals’ propensity to utilize crowdfunding as a source of capital include ease of use, intention to use, attitudes toward use, and effectiveness.

Exploring Diversity Management In Transnational Corporations Through The Lens Of Migration And Expatriation, Kingsley U. Utam, Uduak Archibong, Sean Walton, Cyril Eshareturi

Journal of Sustainable Social Change

In this study, we aim to develop an understanding of the similarity between migration and expatriation, identify both as elements in diversity, and draw attention to the additional layer of ethnic diversity created by the high number of top management expatriates in some Nigerian subsidiaries of transnational corporations. Using the qualitative research design, we thematically analysed data from semistructured interviews with six indigenous managers in four transnational corporations. We found a significant number of expatriate managers in two subsidiaries and a lack of diversity management framework to address the new layer of diversity as reflected in the unequal treatment of …

Strategies To Prevent And Detect Occupational Fraud In Small Retail Businesses, Marquita V. Davis, David Harris Iii

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

The objective of this multiple case study was to explore internal control strategies owners of small retail businesses in southeastern Pennsylvania used to prevent and detect occupational fraud. The results of this study indicated that there are areas for action that owners of small retail businesses could take to prevent and detect occupational fraud. Strategies business owners could implement to protect their businesses from occupational fraud include monitoring, employee identity documents to track employee activity, separation of duties, and communication with employees. Small business owners serve their communities by focusing on wealth distribution, including donations to local charities that foster …

Relationships Among Annual Revenue And Green Initiatives, Quality Management, And Organizational Performance, Yun-Chen Morgan, Lillian Y. Fok, Susan M. L. Zee

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Today’s global awareness of environmental risks and the pressing needs to compete through efficiency have led to stronger initiatives in the green movement across industries. We examine organizations’ annual revenue levels and their connections to organizational green orientation and impact, quality management programs, and employee perceptions of cultural practices and organizational performance. Results indicate high-revenue organizations use quality management tools more extensively with greater green impact and low-revenue organizations have a more informal and decentralized organizational culture

Ways To Reduce Restaurant Industry Food Waste Costs, David Blum

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Food waste costs U.S. restaurant leaders billions of dollars per year. The purpose of this research was to provide restaurant leaders with processes and strategies to reduce food waste costs. The research method used was systematic literature review in addressing this research question: What processes and strategies are available to U.S. restaurant leaders to reduce food waste costs? This study addresses a gap in literature related to processes and strategies to reduce food waste costs. Six processes and seven strategies to reduce food waste costs were presented.

Disruptive Innovation Within The Legal Services Ecosystem, Donald G. Billings, Douglas G. Campbell

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Many law firms have done little to address the opportunities and threats presented by potentially disruptive technology (DT), such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that some law firm leaders use to address the potentially detrimental influences of DT on their organizations. The systems approach to management was employed as the conceptual framework. Data were collected from 6 participants at 2 international law firms with offices in California, using semi-structured interviews and organizational artifacts. Data were analyzed using inductive and deductive coding and thematic analysis, resulting in …

Leader Readiness In A Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, And Ambiguous Business Environment, Karen Rimita, Stephanie N. Hoon, Robert Levasseur

Journal of Sustainable Social Change

Organizational leaders in the 21st century face relentless changes in the business environments in which they operate. The diversity, intensity, and rapidity of these changes create volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), which challenge leaders on ways to lead effectively as existing methods prove inadequate. The problem in this study was that of inadequate leader preparedness to lead and win in VUCA environments. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of 15 Nigerian corporate executives about their VUCA business environment and the strategies they employed for VUCA-readiness and success using open-ended interview questions. The …

Soft Skills Needed For The 21st-Century Workforce, Susan A. Dean, Julia I. East

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Technical skills are no longer enough for workers to compete in this highly competitive global work environment. Soft skills are of paramount importance. A multiple-case-study design through the lens of emotional intelligence formed the basis of the research study. The focus of the research was identification of the successful soft skills training strategies in the logistics industry. Three logistics organization leaders in the counties of Burlington, Middlesex, and Somerset, New Jersey, were participants in the study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and the review of company documents Four themes emerged through data analysis of converging multiple data sources: (a) …

Adoption Of Self-Service Technologies Among Banking Customers: A Revisit, Irbha Magotra, Jyoti Sharma, Supran Kumar Sharma

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

The introduction of self-service technologies (SSTs) in the banking industry has been emerging as one of the significant business drivers that facilitate customers in operating their bank accounts. Considering this, the present study has made an attempt to pierce the existing literature with reference to the adoption of SSTs among banking customers. Particularly, the intent of the present article is to explore various personal (e.g., optimism, socioeconomic characteristics) and technology characteristics (e.g., perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use) that affect the acceptance of SSTs among the banking customers. Based on a review of the literature, a conceptual model for SST …