Business Commons^™

An Exploration Of Engagement: A Customer Perspective, Laura M. Flynn

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This study examines a proposed framework for measuring customer engagement with support from employee engagement literature. Archival data was utilized to evaluate these relationships which included 4.530 participants that were customers of a business-to-business (B2B) organization and utilized the business' website. A similar factor structure resulted for the measurement of customer engagement. Structural equation modeling showed partial support for the hypothesized predictors of engagement (i.e. commitment, brand image, preference and decision making) because the relationship between satisfaction and engagement was not significant. The hypothesized outcome variables of engagement were also partially supported with loyalty, sales, average order value, and website …

A Qualitative Examination Of Workplace Bullying Experiences Among Temporary-Laborers, April A. Gonzalez

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative field study that utilized face-to-face interviews to examine workplace bullying experiences of temporary-laborers.

Essays On Mental Accounting And Consumers' Decision Making, Ali Besharat

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is structured in the form of two empirical essays, each investigating one type of irrational decision caused by mental accounting. The first essay, titled "Managing the Cost of Multiple Debt Accounts: A Behavioral Perspective", explores why many people pay off credit cards' with the lowest rate first when rationally speaking they should repay the debt with the highest rate most quickly. This essay suggests that irrationality emerges when people seek to close `mental accounts' associated with their credit cards and reduce the total number of outstanding loans rather than decrease the amount of total debt among all credit …

Designing An Information-Experience Using Creativity Science & Tools, Stephanie Belhomme

Stephanie Belhomme

An “information-experience” encapsulated by a technological/digital audio-visual tool presents data and potentially meaningful information to prompt actionable knowledge concerning: “unspoken creative process elements;” their profound impacts on both how well our “physiology of creativity” functions but also; how well foundational creative thinking and behavioral prerequisites (energy, motivation, imagination, and ownership) are leveraged.

The product: 1) introduces the user to one component of the CPS (Creative Problem Solving) Facilitation Process - Exploring the Challenge; 2) features a content specific component which prompts exploration of the many correlations between societal, organizational / community, human physiological / behavioral data, and the direct relationships …

The Story Of Taste: Using Eegs And Self-Reports To Understand Consumer Choice, Charnetta Brown, Adriane B. Randolph, Janée N. Burkhalter

The Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research

The authors investigate consumers’ willingness to switch from a preferred manufacturer brand to an unfamiliar private-label brand if taste is perceived as identical. Consumer decisions are examined through recordings of electrical brain activity in the form of electroencephalograms (EEGs) and self-reported data captured in surveys. Results reveal a willingness of consumers to switch to a less-expensive brand when the quality is perceived to be the same as the more expensive counterpart. Cost saving options for consumers and advertising considerations for managers are discussed.

Integrity, Self-Control, And The Impact Of Ego Depletion On Counterproductive Behavior, Joshua D. Bazzy

Doctoral Dissertations

Although integrity has been found to significantly predict job performance and counterproductive behaviors, the constructs that underlie it have remained unclear. Personality, specifically conscientiousness, has been linked to integrity most consistently, but only accounts for a small amount of integrity’s variance. Research points to a relationship between integrity and self-control, but this has not been investigated.

The present investigation examined the nature and implications of this relationship. Results found that self-control contributed significantly to the variance in integrity beyond conscientiousness and the other dimensions of personality. Indeed, the addition of self-control to the model, essentially eliminated conscientiousness as a significant …

Towards Interactive, Internet-Based Decision Aid For Vaccination Decisions: Better Information Alone Is Not Enough, Terry Connolly, Jochen Reb

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Vaccination decisions, as in choosing whether or not to immunize one's small child against specific diseases, are both psychologically and computationally complex. The psychological complexities have been extensively studied, often in the context of shaping convincing or persuasive messages that will encourage parents to vaccinate their children. The computational complexity of the decision has been less noted. However, even if the parent has access to neutral, accurate, credible information on vaccination risks and benefits, he or she can easily be overwhelmed by the task of combining this information into a well-reasoned decision. We argue here that the Internet, in addition …

Eat More Chicken And Lead More People: Perceived Measures Of Servant Leadership At Chick-Fil-A, Michael Mishler

Masters Theses

This present study used survey data from 31 employees working at 2 Chick-fil-A locations to assess the supervisor's perceived level of supervisor's level of servant leadership and how the level (a) affects coworker's perceptions of performance, (b) job satisfaction, and (c) relational trust amongst coworkers. The participants ranged in ages from 18-50. The average age for the participants was 26. The data for the study was collected through the distribution of surveys to individuals who currently work at Chick-fil-A. The two selected locations were approximately 300 miles apart in Virginia. The study employed quantitative research methods in order to collect …

Designing An "Information-Experience" Using Creativity Science Theory And Tools, Stephanie Belhomme

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

An “information-experience” encapsulated by a technological/digital audio-visual tool presents data and potentially meaningful information to prompt actionable knowledge concerning: “unspoken creative process elements;” their profound impacts on both how well our “physiology of creativity” functions; but also on how well foundational creative thinking and behavioral prerequisites (energy, motivation, imagination, and ownership) are leveraged.

The product: 1) introduces the user to one component of the CPS (Creative Problem Solving) Facilitation Process - Exploring the Challenge; 2) features a content specific component which prompts exploration of the many correlations between societal, organizational / community, human physiological / behavioral data, and the direct …

Weak Signals In American History: Applying Historical Events To Present Decisions In Business, Taylor Diane Robinson

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Context Is Everything: Facilitating Fit When New Products Are Ambiguous, Theodore J. Noseworthy

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Researchers have long believed that consumers adjust their functional expectations in accordance with a product’s physical appearance. Recently this belief has come under fire. Product categories are converging rapidly. Take modern cell phones; the physical appearance of the iPhone is only tangentially related to the breadth of its functionality. Examples like this have sparked a wealth of interest in exploring how consumers generate inferences for products with functions that span multiple categories. One important finding is that consumers tend to generate functional inferences based mainly on the knowledge of a single category. This suggests that new hybrid products are not …

Expatriates' Acculturation Strategies: Going Beyond "How Adjusted Are You?" To "How Do You Adjust?", Matthew Lineberry

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Expatriates' degree of adjustment to living and working in a foreign country is well-accepted as an important outcome variable in expatriate management research. However, measures of degree of adjustment do not capture the breadth of strategies expatriates may use to achieve such adjustment, which may be critical for understanding whether expatriates have achieved a healthy and productive orientation to life abroad. Borrowing from research on immigrant populations, this study examines the construct of expatriate acculturation strategies, which characterize expatriates' mode of adjustment along two independent dimensions reflecting maintenance of one's home culture and engagement of the host culture, respectively. One …

Adaptations To Technology And Its Effect On Communication And Cohesion In The Family Context, Vanessa Pratt

Undergraduate Research Conference

My research addresses different aspects of family life that have been know to be affected by technology. Researchers have established several empirically based frameworks to analyze the impact of technology on the family. These frameworks emphasize the areas of family cohesion, communication, adaptability, boundaries, and personal self-esteem.

Art And Space: Impacting The Workplace, Erin V. Mccool

Senior Honors Theses

Art in its various forms and applications has always been a part of the human experience. Art can be intrusive, thought provoking, or simply beautiful. Although art comes in many different styles and forms, art continues to capture our imagination. The purposes of this thesis are to discover how art affects human activity in the workplace as well as the qualities that make artwork in the workplace successful. Based on the findings of this study, artwork will be created for the Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence at Liberty University in order to create a lively, creative environment. By …

Behavioral Lab For Conducting Experiments In Marketing And Psychology, Vishal Lala, Richard Velayo, Stephen Salbod, Weihua Niu

Cornerstone 3 Reports : Interdisciplinary Informatics

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Into The Factors That Lead To Career Success In Accounting: Are Great Accountants Born Or Made?, Kelly Cocco

Honors Projects in Accounting

Are great accountants born or made? This paper examines various factors and personality traits which lead to career success in accounting, as perceived by accountants with various levels of earnings and job satisfaction. The current literature indicates that a gap exists between employer expectations of potential employees and the skills and traits that accounting graduates prioritize as most important when they are about to enter the workforce (Muda 2009). This study extends the literature by attempting to identify the traits and characteristics of successful accountants by surveying accounting professionals, who are defined as those who have careers in accounting functions …

Enhancing Off-Season Motivation In Collegiate Athletes, Daniel Ryan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the optimal off-season motivational strategies to be utilized by collegiate coaches to maximize the motivation, sport performance, and sport satisfaction of collegiate athletes.

Objectives: By identifying the determinants of athlete motivation, this paper will serve as a resource for coaches as they seek to raise the overall motivation and commitment of their athletes during the off-season.

Justification: Developing the ideal off-season motivational strategy for collegiate athletes is important on a number of levels. Due to the heightened level of competition in college sports, coaches must ensure that the structuring of their …

Investing In Happiness: An Analysis Of The Contributing Factors To The Positive Professional Work Environment, Alena Naff

Masters Theses

The professional workplace is an environment prone to both jubilation and disdain. Research indicates that employees in a more positive work environment are more productive and satisfied in their work. Understanding the contributing factors to a positive work environment is the first step to creating a more satisfying workplace for employees. These contributing factors may be material or relational and hold different levels of influence. Guided by the theory of structuration, this study employed a three-phased Q-methodology, including a Q-sort questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and a cluster analysis. Participants included the employees of the Southeastern region financial institution, BB&T. Two research …

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between An Engineering Manager's Purpose-Seeking Beliefs And Behaviors And The Engineering Manager's Perception Of Employee Creativity, Initiative And Purpose-Seeking Behavior, Charles Burton Daniels

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Organizations have placed an overwhelming emphasis on extrinsic motivation of its workforce, normally in the form of financial incentives, in an attempt to assure individual and organizational high performance. While a significant level of financial resources is expended in this attempt to predict and influence employee behavior, no objective evidence exists of a favorable return of investment. In fact, the primary impact of most extrinsic motivation might actually be demotivation – the opposite of the intended use.

In this research the prevailing literature was examined and a conclusion about the power of both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation was synthesized to …

Violence In Youth Sport: Potential Preventative Measures And Solutions, Cheryl Danilewicz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Youth sport events are part of a growing industry to which event venues are tailoring their policies, procedures, and designs. The competitive nature of the events and their participants have caused these venues to examine their existing policies and adjust them to increase security and safety measures for the athletes, coaches, spectators, game officials, and venue staff. Tempers at these events will flare, and in recent years violence is becoming increasingly more common. Parents and athletes have attacked each other, coaches, and game officials due to the intense nature of these events. The result of these acts could range from …

Using The Fcb Grid To Evaluate A Failed Mental Health Levy: The Marketing Implications Of Stigma, Oscar T. Mcknight, Ronald Paugh, Steffi Liotta, Wenhui Jin

Oscar T McKnight Ph.D.

This research found that using the FCB Grid to develop and evaluate a mental health levy campaign has merit. Likewise, stigma has both positive and negative impact on a mental health levy. Introduced is the ‘STIGMA’ planning model to help mental health professionals pass a public mental health levy.

Examining The Use Of Focus Groups In Economic Development Initiatives, Oscar T. Mcknight, Ronald Paugh, Brian Nestor, Shawn Yambor

Oscar T McKnight Ph.D.

City officials often use focus groups in economic development. However, findings indicate that group dynamics can threaten validity when seeking consensus. Data suggest a strong rebound effect for participants to return to their earlier pre-focus group assessment beliefs. Introduced is the ‘BUCKS’ Planning Model for facilitating city economic development initiatives.

The Relationship Between Key Supply Chain Process Implementation, Competitive Advantage, & Organizational Performance, Anthonelli White Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

In spite of an ever-accumulating body of research on the topic of supply chain management (SCM), an agreed upon definition or framework regarding its essential constructs or practices does not exist. There are, however, a few leading academic perspectives on SCM that have been bolstered by the acceptance of industry leaders. One such perspective is that presented by the Global Supply Chain Forum (GSCF). This study applies established survey methods to expand the body of knowledge pertaining to SCM by empirically validating the relationships conceptualized by the GSCF framework through an analysis of the perception of mid-level managers and senior-level …

An Examination Of Self-Directed Learning Readiness In Executive-Level Fire Officers, Steven G. Knight

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the self-directed learning readiness in executive fire officers in relation to the independent variables of personality type, educational attainment, and professional designation. This research utilized a quantitative design.

This study utilized the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) with a sample of 250 professional firefighters. The total sample was divided equally between executive-level fire officers and firefighters at 125 each from professional departments in the Southeastern United States. Results were that the mean SDLRS score for the executive-level fire officers was 233.7 and significantly higher than the …

42th Annual Wku Student Research Conference, Student Research Council, Western Kentucky University

Student Research Conference Select Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Faculty Members' Cross-Cultural Competencies In Their Perceived Teaching Quality: Evidence From Culturally-Diverse Classes In Four European Countries, Alain De Beuckelaer, Filip Lievens, Joost Bucker

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In the field of higher education, it has often been claimed that in culturally-diverse classes high levels of cross-cultural competence will result in better teaching performance among faculty. Unfortunately, to date this relationship has not been tested empirically. In this study, we examine the nature of this relationship using course-related survey data from faculty members (N = 46) teaching management-related courses to master's students (N = 1,219) in four EU countries (Belgium, France, Germany, and The Netherlands). Results demonstrate that cross-cultural competence (in particular showing a high degree of cultural empathy and being open-minded) is an important asset for faculty …

Accommodation Motivation Moderates Group-Level Dissonance In Persuasion And Small Group Settings, Angela K.-Y. Leung, Evelyn Wing-Mun Au, Chi-Yue Chiu

Ka Yee Angela LEUNG

No abstract provided.

Follow The Crowd In A New Direction: When Conformity Pressure Facilitates Group Creativity (And When It Does Not), Jack Goncalo, Michelle M. Duguid

Jack Goncalo

Adopting a person by situation interaction approach, we identified conditions under which conformity pressure can either stifle or boost group creativity depending on the joint effects of norm content and group personality composition. Using a 2 x 2 x 2 experimental design, we hypothesized and found that pressure to adhere to an individualistic norm boosted creativity in groups whose members scored low on the Creative Personality Scale (Gough, 1979), but stifled creativity in groups whose members scored high on that measure. Our findings suggest that conformity pressure may be a viable mechanism for boosting group creativity, but only among those …

The Development And Validation Of A Conditional Reasoning Test Of Withdrawal, Levi Ryan Gust Nieminen

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study developed and evaluated a measure of implicit dispositional tendencies associated with lateness, absenteeism, and permanent withdrawal behaviors. The conditional reasoning framework developed by Lawrence James and colleagues was adopted. Novel cognitive biases or justification mechanisms associated with withdrawal were proposed, drawing on research and theory from the attribution (marginalization of withdrawal), commitment (revocable commitment), and fairness/equity (social injustice bias) domains. As part of the empirical validation design, college students enrolled in an Introductory Psychology course completed the conditional reasoning measure, and corresponding behavioral withdrawal criteria were collected unobtrusively throughout the 16-week course. Results of scale development analyses pointed …

Antecedents And Outcomes Of Workplace Engagement, Ariel Maya Lelchook

Wayne State University Dissertations

There has been a recent interest in positive organizational scholarship. Leadership stemming from a positive framework and employee engagement in the workplace have become of increasing interest to researchers and practitioners. Antecedents and outcomes of employee engagement were examined using a sample of 327 employees from retail organizations in the Midwest United States. The leadership styles of authentic, transformational, and transactional leadership were examined as antecedents of employee job engagement, beyond employees' psychological meaningfulness, safety, and availability. Engagement was examined as a mediator between the leadership constructs and employees' extra-role behaviors and work withdrawal behaviors. The results suggest employee job …