Business Commons^™

Strategies To Implement Iso 9001 In A Government Organization In Jamaica, Yvette M. Castell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Managers of government organizations in Jamaica often have difficulty implementing the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 standard. Jamaica's Minister of Industry, Investment, and Commerce considered ISO 9001 certification as critical for international competitiveness as lacking the standard had the potential to become a barrier to trade. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies that managers of a government organization in Jamaica used to implement ISO 9001 successfully. The conceptual framework was the total quality management concept encompassing Deming's plan-do-check-act cycle. Data collection entailed organizational document reviews and semistructured interviews of 4 managers in an …

The Role Of Corporate Governance In Preventing Bank Failures In Zimbabwe., Bernard Chidziva

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The 2008-2009 global financial crisis resulting in some banks collapsing has raised questions about the corporate governance of financial institutions. Some bank managers lack an understanding of the role of corporate governance in preventing bank failures. In this multiple case study, data were collected through interviews and triangulated with annual reports to explore the strategies some bank managers need to improve their understanding of the role of corporate governance in preventing bank failures in Zimbabwe. The 7 study participants were purposefully recruited from a larger population of 19 bank managers responsible for corporate governance and compliance operating in Zimbabwe between …

Strategies To Sustain Small-And-Medium Sized Business Enterprises, Matthias Ikenna Chijioke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Eighty-five percent of all firms operating in Nigeria are small-and medium-sized business enterprises (SMEs) and contribute almost 55% to the gross domestic product (GDP) in Nigeria. Capital flight and other growth inhibitors pose threats to the sustainability of SMEs in Nigeria. This exploratory multiple-case study was to determine strategies SME leaders use to sustain business operations in Nigeria. The study participants consisted of 15 SME leaders from 3 regional manufacturing firms who had successfully implemented strategies to sustain SMEs in Nigeria. Bertalanffy's general systems theory and Freeman's stakeholder theory were the conceptual frameworks used in the research. The data collection …

Strategies For Maintaining Credit Union Profitability In Grenada, Nadia Lisa-Adele Francis-Sandy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonbank financial institutions (NBFIs), of which credit unions comprise, constitute an important part of the financial sector because of their contribution to economic development, particularly in developing economies. This multiple case study explored strategies for maintaining credit union profitability against the backdrop of numerous closures in the past decade. The conceptual framework for this study was agency theory. Data were collected from 6 purposefully selected managers or directors representing individual credit unions in Grenada. Data were also collected from publicly available sources and used to conduct methodological triangulation. The interview data were coded using a computer-aided software package, and the …

Retention Of Internal Stakeholders In The U.S. Volunteer Fire Service, Candice M. Mcdonald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Volunteer firefighters make up almost 75% of the U.S. fire service. Fire service leaders face challenges in retaining volunteers, as evident by the 12% decline in volunteer firefighters since 1984. The purpose of the study was to explore what strategies fire service leaders have used to retain firefighters in the United States. The conceptual framework of this single case study was Freeman's stakeholder theory, which states that leaders can maximize the organization's performance by meeting the needs of those with a stake in the future of the organization. Face-to-face, seminstrucutred interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 5 fire …

Understanding The Influence Of Human Emotions In Organizations: The Emotional Extent Effects, Lambert Ikechi Ofoegbu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emotional disengagement of employees may cause poor organizational performance, while emotional commitment of employees may enhance organizational performance. Informed by the theory of psychological ownership in organizations, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore how employee emotional interactions in the workplace related to organizational performance within 3 multinational companies in Nigeria. The 3 selected companies represented the 3 industrial sectors in Nigeria were financial, construction, and oil and gas. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 24 participants with a minimum of 5 years' experience in their respective organizations. Data analysis included transcription, coding, and querying, which produced …

Mitigation Strategies Of Technostress On Supply Chain Management, Robert Lewis Penn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Logistics managers work to create practices that reduce technostress, which is associated with diminished productivity in supply chain management. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the mitigation strategies that logistics managers at distribution centers used to reduce technostress with their employees in the Los Angeles County, California area. The conceptual framework included in this study was the sociotechnical systems theory. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 6 logistics managers from large distribution centers who implemented mitigation strategies that demonstrably reduced technostress with their employees. Public documents and physical artifacts reviewed in this study included productivity assessment tools, …

Unexpected Events In Nigerian Construction Projects: A Case Of Four Construction Companies, Gabriel Baritulem Pidomson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Nigeria, 50% to 70% of construction projects are delayed due to unexpected events that are linked to lapses in performance, near misses, and surprises. While researchers have theorized on the impact of mindfulness and information systems management (ISM) on unexpected events, information is lacking on how project teams can combine ISM and mindfulness in response to unexpected events in construction projects. The purpose of this case study was to examine how project teams can combine mindfulness with ISM in response to unexpected events during the execution phase of Nigerian construction projects. The framework of High Reliability Theory revealed that …

Strategies For Growing And Sustaining Successful Small Businesses, Patrick Modilim Modilim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business manufacturing enterprises represent viable means of creating employment, stimulating economic growth, and accelerating development. Many newly formed small business enterprises do not continue beyond 5 years after formation. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies used by small business manufacturing leaders in Lagos, Nigeria to sustain their businesses, using general systems theory as the conceptual framework. The sample comprised 3 small business leaders who have sustained their business enterprises beyond 5 years after formation in Lagos, Nigeria. The data collections were through semistructured, in-person interviews and the review of business feasibility and planning …

Exploring Small Business Strategies To Comply With The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, John Palmer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. aerospace companies are estimated to lose more than $25 billion in international contracts per year due to bribery. These losses create Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance strategy challenges for U.S. aerospace companies' management. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that U.S. aerospace small business leaders use to comply with the FCPA. The conceptual framework for this study was the regulatory compliance conceptual model, which suggests that small business leaders must gain deeper insight into how corporate compliance policies address the FCPA requirements. The target population for this study was leaders of a small …

Balancing Business Owners' Corporate Social Responsibility And Stakeholder Profitability, Andrew O. Arumemi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some business owners lack experience balancing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and shareholder profitability. Grounded in stakeholder theory, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore business owners' experiences regarding balancing corporate social responsibility of hiring ex-inmates and shareholder profitability. The target population included 20 business owners in Newark, New Jersey who integrated CSR as part of their firms' formal business plans, were committed to hiring ex-inmates, and feared the consequential loss of profit such engagement might incur. Data were collected using in-depth semistructured interviews and analyzed using the modified van Kaam method. Three prominent themes included social perceptions of …

Strategies To Reduce Supply Chain Disruptions In Ghana, Carl Kwaku Dey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supply chain disruptions are more prevalent in Ghana as businesses develop and become more complex. While business leaders recognize the importance of reducing the exposure to disruptions, 83 % of companies still suffer a form of disruption. Using the systems theory as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies supply chain managers in Ghana use to reduce disruptions in the supply chain. The data collection was through face-to-face, semi-structured interviews from 12 supply chain managers who gave tape-recorded interview responses to 8 questions. Transcript evaluation, member checking, and methodological triangulation ensured reliability and …

An Analysis Of Investments By Multilateral Development Banks In Central America, Jose Lopez Rojas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Multilateral development banks (MDBs) are under increased pressure to justify their allocation of donor resources. These funds help produce growth in developing regions such as Central America (CA), where wealth inequality limits individuals' access to basic services and increases the prevalence of crime and corruption. MDB leaders are not always confident the allocation of limited resources creates optimal value. The capital asset price model (CAPM) was the theoretical framework of this correlational study. Archival data consisting of annual reports and audited financial statements were used to draw a sample (N = 66) of USD $4.857-asset valued loans made by MDBs …

Meeting Meaningful-Use Requirements With Electronic Medical Records In A Community Health Clinic, Tony Andrew Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small nonprofit medical practices lack the technical expertise to implement electronic medical records (EMRs) that are consistent with federal meaningful-use requirements. Failure to comply with meaningful-use EMR requirements affects nonprofit community health care leaders' ability to receive reimbursement for care. Complexity theory was the conceptual framework used in this exploratory single case study. The purpose of the study was to explore the strategies nonprofit community health care leaders in Washington, DC used to implement EMRs in order to comply with the meaningful-use requirements. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 7 purposively-selected health care leaders in a nonprofit clinic and …

Improving Machine Changeover/Setup Times By Increasing U.S. Manufacturers' Knowledge Of 5s, Nicole Schra-Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The 5S process is one of the techniques born out of Japanese manufacturing. Ohno, the developer of 5S, found that when manufacturing waste is eliminated, costs are reduced and profits increase. This is the bases of 5S and this research. The cost of U.S. manufactured products is higher compared to the cost of products from other global manufacturers that use 5S. This study was conducted to determine if implementing 5S in U.S. manufacturing could change U.S. manufacturing cost and if using 5S could impact U.S. manufacturing. The research questions focused on the relationship between 5S and changeover/setup times on production …

An Exploration Of Bullied Nurses, Witnesses, And A Hospital's Bottom Lline, Brenda Kay Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurses experiencing bullying or witnessing other nurses bullied may choose to vacate their hospital positions. Nurse attrition negatively impacts a hospital's bottom line, which can lead to insolvency and a lack of access to healthcare by patients. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the choices nurses made regarding their careers after experiencing or witnessing bullying and to calculate a hospital's cost of loss. Freire's oppressed group theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. The basis of the research questions was to understand how the nurse felt when bullied or observing a coworker bullied, the actions taken, …

Preparing Employees For Entrepreneurship In Retirement: A Case Study, Samuel Omonowa Aikhuomogbe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Nigeria, 92% of retirees live in poverty because of insufficient preparation for entrepreneurship that could serve as an alternative income in retirement. Guided by the human capital theory, the purpose of this case study was to explore how 15 civil service employees in Grade Levels 15-17 at the public service attained small scale business information before retirement. All employees had knowledge, training, and experience in small-scale business operation. Fifteen employees participated in individual interviews and 5 participated in a focus group; data were also gathered from, employee training records, organizational policy documents on training, and public service documents regarding …

Servant Leadership And Non Servant Leadership Organization Triple Bottom Line Reporting Outcomes, Lydia M. Daniels

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The competitive environment of the 21st century, failure of U.S. companies, and the financial crisis of 2008 have moved leadership expectations to the forefront of research. However, there is a lack of empirical research about organizational reporting outcomes of self-identified servant leadership (SL) organizations compared to self-identified nonservant (non-SL) organizations. Guided by Greenleaf's SL theory, the purpose of this study was to compare information on organizational data for triple bottom line (TBL) reporting outcomes in SL organizations and non-SL organizations. Using causal comparative research design and global reporting initiative data with a sample of 12 organization reports, reporting outcomes were …

Identifying Business Risk Factors Of Identity Theft, Robert K. Minniti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Businesses are under pressure to identify and control risks affecting profitability, including the risk of fraud. Identity theft, a type of fraud, costs businesses, governments, and individuals in excess of $56 billion a year. In order to develop good internal controls to help prevent and detect fraud, it is necessary to identify the risks to the business, but business owners are not always aware of what risk factors relate to identity theft. A nonexperimental research design formed the basis of this research study. The population for this study was data from all 50 U.S. states, represented via government databases maintained …

Job Satisfaction In The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, Calvin Colbert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately every 20 years, a new generation is born and eventually dominates the workforce; although changes occur with each new generation, the importance of job satisfaction remains constant. Research within the U.S. Intelligence Community is lacking with regard to changing trends of job satisfaction levels. The purpose of this study was to explore job satisfaction levels between Generation X and Generation Y workforce employees at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). The central research question addressed how job satisfaction differed by generational differences in the workforce. A quantitative method was used to assess survey data. A structural equation modeling technique was …

A Quantitative Examination Of The Relationship Between Cultural Competence And Patient Satisfaction Scores, Kelley Ann Lovati

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the U.S. population continues to diversify, hospitals need to understand and care for patients of diverse backgrounds and provide quality service for positive patient satisfaction scores. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative retrospective survey design was to determine what relationship exists between cultural competence initiatives (CCI) and patient satisfaction scores as reported by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Care Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey in U.S. hospitals. The theoretical framework for this study was based upon CCI and patient satisfaction through the lens of service quality. The research questions were created to understand the relationship between CCI and …

The Relationship Between Hospital Leadership Activities And Clinical Quality Outcomes In Iowa, Sarah Pavelka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have been working with hospital networks across the United States to improve health care through education and training on clinical best practices and leadership frameworks. Some organizations have failed to reach the high-quality standards of care expected and have adverse patient care outcomes. The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between leadership actions, funding type, and clinical care outcomes in participating Partners for Patients hospital programs in Iowa. The secondary variable data were provided from a Partnership for Patients contractor, through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Organizational Assessment …

Initial And Long-Term Homeless Shelter Volunteerism: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Study, Jonathon Andrew Wade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study was implemented to explore

and describe the initial and long-term motivations of community volunteers within a selected homeless shelter in central Indiana. The settlement house movement of human service delivery was the conceptual framework, which provided guidance and understanding concerning why and how community members provide human services through volunteerism. The research question examined the ways in which long-term volunteers thought about and made sense of their motivations to volunteer initially and over the long term at a homeless shelter. To answer the research question, the IPA methodology was implemented with 6 long-term community …

Sustainability Challenges For Maize And Cassava Farmers In Amankwakrom Subdistrict, Ghana, Franklin Komla Atadja

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Agricultural system in Ghana underperformed because of limited financing, which constrained some small-scale maize and cassava farmers. The purpose of this case study design was to explore the methods that some small-scale maize and cassava farmers in Amankwakrom Subdistrict used in obtaining farm financing. Two themes from the literature review were a lack of collateral for small-scale farm financing and the small-scale farmers cooperative associations' role in farm financing. Regional-scale management sustainability index formed the conceptual framework for this study. Data collection included semistructured face-to-face interviews with 8 fluent English speaking small-scale maize and cassava farmers who have obtained farm …

Impact Of Regulatory Burden On Small Community Banks In Pennsylvania, Teresa L. Gregory

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community bank managers are struggling with the implementation of the many new regulations promulgated over the past several years. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies community bank managers in Pennsylvania use to implement new financial regulations. The population of interest included all community banks in Pennsylvania. For purposes of this study, a community bank was defined in terms of an asset size less than $500 million. Two community banks in Pennsylvania were selected, and 3 participants at each bank were interviewed. The participants included the chief executive officer, the compliance manager, and a mortgage …

The Relationship Between Health Risk And Workplace Productivity In Saudi Arabia, Sarah Lorraine Hayman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rising worldwide rates of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in the Middle East, principally Saudi Arabia, have put an increasing load on the health system and employers. Middle Eastern organizations have been slow to develop targeted health programs, which include an emphasis on employee productivity. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship, if any, between employee lifestyle and workplace productivity. Productivity is the amount of work produced based on the time and cost required to do so. The underlying theoretical foundations of this research were the socioecological health model and the human capital model. The quantitative, ex post facto …

Strategies For Managing An Age-Diverse Workforce In Curaçao, Yamil Walid Lasten

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some business leaders find it challenging to manage individuals from different age groups; this is an issue, as organizations in many developed countries become more age-diverse. The purpose of this single case study was to provide business leaders with information about strategies top-level business executives and team leaders at a large company in Curaçao (a developed island nation in the Caribbean) use for enhancing productivity of an age-diverse workforce. The conceptual framework of this study consisted of generational theory of Mannheim. A key tenet of the generational theory includes that belonging to the same generational unit, generational location, and generational …

The Implications Of Employee Turnover On Credit Unions, Jason Carreno

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of managerial responses to employee needs contributes to an increased rate of employee turnover in credit unions. Some managers do not possess the skills and strategies necessary to reduce employee turnover. This case study explored what strategies managers used to successfully reduce employee turnover. The population for this study was managers of a financial institution in Northeast Kansas with at least 1 year of leadership experience using methods to reduce employee turnover. Theory X and theory Y theory was the conceptual framework for this study. Data collection included semistructured face-to-face interviews with 10 managers and an exploration of …

The Credibility Of Government Budget: The Case Of Sierra Leone, Patrick Saidu Conteh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Fiscal reports have, since 2010, documented weak budget credibility in Sierra Leone public financial management noting that the government budget does not constitute a dependable framework for the planning, allocation and efficient use of the nation's resources. The purpose of this study was to develop a budgetary reform agenda and the research question that guided the study related to the reasons for the high monetary variances between the approved budget and the year-end financial reports. Government budgets and financial reports were reviewed for 2010-2014 and senior government officials were interviewed regarding the main stages of the annual budgetary process. The …

Exploring Skills That Liberian Small-Business Entrepreneurs Use To Succeed In Business, Mars Mellish

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over 35 years of gross economic mismanagement and business failures led Liberia's gross domestic product to collapse by 90% in less than two decades. As a result of a general lack of business skills, up to 80% of Liberian small-business entrepreneurs fail in business beyond the first year. Based on the theory of constraints, the purpose of this exploratory multiple case study was to explore the business skills that Liberian small-business entrepreneurs used to succeed in business beyond the first year. Data came from semistructured face-to-face interviews with 5 central regional Liberian small-business entrepreneurs who had succeeded in business beyond …