Business Commons^™

The Motive To Work: Assessing Organizational Motivation Within The Federal Probation System, Aleda M. Thomas

Dissertations

Competition within the United States workforce is growing at an unprecedented rate. Turnover rates of all organizations and businesses have reached an all-time high. According to the U.S. Labor Department, 4.3 million Americans quit their job in the month of August alone. Times have shifted to where the ball no longer resides on the side of employers, but now it resides with employees. As such, it is vital to ensure workplaces are enjoyable and encompass cultures that produce high levels of motivation, satisfaction, and engagement. As such, the retention of skilled and qualified employees must be at the forefront of …

Chinese-U.S. Leadership: A Case Study Of A U.S. Manufacturing Company In China, Mengting Gong

Dissertations

The purpose of this case study is to gain a better understanding of the way in which some Chinese managers describe their leadership approaches and why they accept and use U.S. leadership approaches in a U.S. manufacturing company in China. Within the single-case (embedded) research design, in-depth interviews and existing data are two main methods of the researcher’s data collection. A purposeful sample (N = 8) of managers from the corporation served as participants. After collecting relevant qualitative data, two rounds of coding occurred. In the first round, initial coding was comprised of identifying codes from the transcripts. For the …

Competitive Strategy And Firm Performance In Multinational Manufacturing Organizations: A Focus On Strategic Alignment, Kianoosh Ebrahimi

Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to study to examine the impact of strategic alignment and the concept of fit on manufacturing firm performance in order to achieve its strategic objectives. This study also examines the impact of market concentrate, manufacturing competitive dimensions, and corporate link strategies on firm performance. The design for this research is correlational research following a quantitative, deductive approach. Data collected through a survey based on completed questionnaires to measure perspectives of leadership teams about strategic directions discussed in this research. The survey was designed based on the drawn framework from the literature review. A quantitative …

Administrative Trust As A Contributor To Forensic Coach Burnout And Exit, Benjamin Schultz Pyle

Dissertations

This study sought to determine whether a relationship exists and its extent between intercollegiate forensic coach trust in university administrators and burnout and exit in intercollegiate forensic coaches. Specifically, this study examined the relationship between intercollegiate forensic coach trust in their university administrators with both intercollegiate forensic coach satisfaction and intercollegiate forensic coach burnout in predicting intercollegiate forensic coach exit from forensics.

Fifty-seven intercollegiate forensic educators participated in the research, including 37 directors of forensics. Data analysis revealed significant relationships between intercollegiate forensic coach trust in university administrators, intercollegiate forensic coach satisfaction, intercollegiate forensic coach burnout, and intercollegiate forensic coach …

Generational Diversity: Absenteeism Examined Through Perceptions Of Organizational Justice And Authentic Leadership, Ebony Lisa Spencer-Muldrow

Dissertations

This study explored the impact of authentic leadership (AL) on employee perception of organizational justice and employee propensity to engage in negligible absences—those that could be avoided by the employee but are not. The study sought an understanding into possible differences between the absence behaviors of the Millennial generation and Generation X. Data were collected from 214 participants primarily located in the Midwest United States. Participants were nearly equally distributed between the two target populations. Participants completed a comprehensive, web-based survey comprised of Colquitt’s (2001) Organizational Justice Measure (OJM) and the Walumbwa et al. (2008) Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ), along …

Design Thinking As A Common Language Between Higher Education And Employers, Johnna Denning-Smith

Dissertations

This qualitative study explores student skill preparedness for the work force through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with current college students, faculty members, and employers. Responses from study participants were transcribed, coded, and thematically organized into the following four categories of skills that employers seek in recent college graduates: critical thinking skills, resiliency, workplace skills, and discipline specific skills. The findings include participant perceptions of the importance of these skills and whether higher education effectively prepares recent graduates for the workforce. As part of this discussion, design thinking is presented as a bridge between these groups and as a solution …

Academic Library Support Of Social Entrepreneurship Programs, Anthony L. Paganelli

Dissertations

The concept of social entrepreneurship was introduced into higher education in the late 1980s. Since then, social entrepreneurship programs have increased at higher educational institutions nationally and globally. This study examines how academic libraries support the growing trend of social entrepreneurship programs and the perceptions of academic library administrators and faculty librarians toward social entrepreneurship programs. Based on the review of literature, little information exists regarding the academic library support of social entrepreneurship programs. This study involved a survey instrument distributed to academic library administrators and faculty librarians from social entrepreneurship program institutions and a follow-up interview. The analysis provided …

Training To Develop Academic Advisor Efficacy And Workforce Readiness, Jessica Powers

Dissertations

The competitive workforce views training as an investment in human capital, which is seen as its most valuable asset. In order to meet labor demands of tomorrow, the workforce will depend on higher education to educate workers. This will put academic advisors and the training they receive further in the spotlight, as they play a meaningful role in student success. Training has been shown to increase occupational self-efficacy and impact employee performance, but empirical research is lacking from the advisor perspective to explore their perception of training and occupational self-efficacy. In a study of N = 108 of faculty and …

Team Creation Methods In Practice: Understanding The Potential Effects Of Nonverbal Communication In The Leadership Of Team Formation, Troy Allen Robertson

Dissertations

Teams require leadership, even if they are self-managed. The group of individuals who make up a team must be gathered in some form or another. For self managed teams to function successfully, the first step is the process of creating the team. Many aspects may factor into the creation process. Often time is of the essence and methods to quickly assess and form teams show merit. First impressions in general are based largely on nonverbal communication. The focus of this mixed-methods concurrent embedded study is to analyze the potential effects of nonverbal communication on influencing team creation. A group of …

Superintendent Recruitment: Effects Of Superintendent Job Status, School Councils (Principal Selection Models), District Wealth, And Signing Bonus On Applicant Rating Of The Job, Mark Jeffery Martin

Dissertations

This nearly perfect replicated study (Millay, 2003) was a superintendent recruitment simulation with the purpose of investigating factors that influence recruiting qualified individuals to serve as district superintendents of public schools. The study was a factorial experiment involving a four-way 2 x 2 x 2 x (3 x S) fixed-factor betweenwithin analysis of variance (ANOVA) which yielded 24 cells. The participants in the study were Kentucky Superintendents (N = 72) and individuals in Kentucky certified to be a school superintendent (N = 72) but employed in another position.

The between-groups variables were superintendent job status (superintendent, certified), district wealth (high, …

The Impact Of Campus Facilities On The Recruitment Of Students In Higher Education, Lucinnda Sue Mcdonald

Dissertations

The statement often has been made over the years that university recruitment efforts are strongly impacted by campus facilities. The subject has been a topic of research over the past several decades. This study indicates that as generations change and times change, the significance of various aspects of the university to the prospective student change as well.

This research effort is a mixed-methods study to provide insight on the facilities current students deem most important when determining which college or university they will attend. The research for this study was conducted through an online survey asking students to:

• Choose …

Factors That Affect The Relationship Between Employer And Employees Within Organizations, Harry Adam Nuse

Dissertations

This research is on the relationship between employees and employers and seeks to determine the relationship between the values held by employees and the extent business leaders adapt their business practices to each of these values. By understanding this relationship, business leaders can gain insight into the improvement of both employee and supervisor success for the vitality of the organization.

Participants from AAA Minor League Baseball teams agreed to allow the survey to be distributed to their employees and employers via email. The nine values were developed from a panel of experts within Minor League Baseball management and human resources …

The Relationship Between Financial Literacy, Financial Status, And Academic Success In College Students, Brian Douglas Brausch

Dissertations

As the cost of college continues to rise, an increasing number of students are relying on loans and credit cards to fund their postsecondary education. In an effort to curb student debt and increase retention and graduation rates, many universities have begun to offer financial literacy initiatives to stimulate financial knowledge and promote positive money management behaviors.

This study examines the relationship between a for-credit personal financial literacy course and student academic success and economic status. Students who took a personal finance course during their first or second year of college are compared to a random sampling of students who …

Winning On And Off The Court: An Interpretive Case Study Of A Leader’S Effectual Power And Influence, Eugene Smith

Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to study the leadership profile of a leader’s effectual power and influence. A qualitative research design is preferred to capture rich, thick personal responses from the interview participants. Semi-structured interviews were utilized with open-ended questions, which enabled the respondents to provide unique insights and reflections of their direct and indirect experiences with the research subject. Additionally, document inquiry and direct observations were used and, as an outcome, triangulation was achieved.

Effective use of power is studied in the context of a leader’s ability to influence others to induce a desired outcome. The subject’s influence …

Factors That Influence Physicians To Assume Leadership Roles: A Focus On Clinical Integration, Jennifer Lynne Jackson

Dissertations

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) drastically altered the healthcare industry in the United States. Along with multiple other directives, the PPACA mandated that physicians and hospitals work together in strategies known as clinical integration. For effective clinical integration to be achieved, interdependence among physicians and hospitals is required to provide the highest quality outcomes for patients at the best possible value. To this end, healthcare leaders have identified that the key to establishing successful clinical integration is the presence and commitment of physician leaders (Penlington & Marshall, 2016).

This study explores factors that influenced a …

Birth Of A Powerhouse: How One University Reimagined, Restructured, And Revived Outreach, Slone H. Cansler

Dissertations

Today’s modern higher education landscape presents myriad challenges to higher education leaders and administrators. Among those challenges is how universities respond to demands for accountability, growth of alternative models of postsecondary education delivery, the need to serve and increasingly diverse society, and reduced state and federal appropriations. Research suggests that the biggest changes for American higher education are imminent and will necessitate new business models, new forms of collaboration and partnerships, and innovative about the enterprise of higher education. This study sought to gain understanding about the development process and structural framework that allows a university’s outreach unit to be …

Christian Nonprofit Ceos:Ethical Idealism, Relativism, And Motivation, Sharlene Garces Baragona

Dissertations

Strong ethical character and the ability to inspire others form crucial areas for leadership effectiveness, particularly in nonprofits. This study explored the relationship between ethical ideologies (idealism and relativism) and inspirational motivation of Christian nonprofit CEOs affiliated with the Christian Child and Family Services Association. The Ethics Position Questionnaire of Forsyth (1980), the Bass and Avolio (2004) Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Leader Form (5X Short) – Inspirational Motivation, and a demographic questionnaire comprised the 30-item survey for this study. The participants’ responses were collected either online or on paper and were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. The response rate was …

An Analysis Of The Financial Impact Of Certified And Classified Employee Absenteeism Rates At A Mid-South Kentucky School District, Milli A. Mcintosh

Dissertations

This study examined absenteeism of both certified and classified employees (N = 429), to include teachers, administrators, and support staff, and selected demographic variables in one school district consisting of the following: one high school, three elementary schools, one middle school, one alternative school, one transportation department, one maintenance department, and a central office. The variables include gender, ethnicity, years of service, particular and total days missed.

The design of the quantitative study was based on secondary data analysis that encompassed running descriptive statistics for the purpose of determining the frequency of employee absence and the overall costs. An analysis …

An Examination Of Workplace Factors Associated With Job Satisfaction Of Generation Y University Professional Staff, Martha Jane Sales

Dissertations

Generation Y staff identified two workplace factors as significant to job satisfaction: promotion and contingent rewards. The Generation Y participants also identified eight workplace factors—pay, promotion, fringe benefits, supervision, contingent rewards, operating procedures, nature of work, and communication—as significant to employee retention. One demographic element, length of time in a current position, was found significant to Generation Y job satisfaction. Although the primary research focus was Generation Y university professional staff, one particular non-Generation Y finding proved relevant to employee retention: nature of work was ranked as the primary factor associated University professional staff make valuable contributions essential to the …

The Assessment Of Organizational Culture And Servant Leadership Within An African American Church: A Descriptive Study Of Behavioral Norms And Expectations, Walter Malone Iii

Dissertations

The lack of success in nonprofit organizations often is due to challenges in management (Drucker, 2008). Faith-based organizations are not immune to these problems. The church struggles to live out its mission, often due to ineffective practices (Barna & Jackson, 2004). Chand (2011) asserted that it is the culture of an organization that builds or erodes its effectiveness. In the context of the church, servant leadership practices are considered to be a contributing factor to organizational effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to examine organizational culture and servant leadership as perceived by the leadership team of an African American …

Acceptance Of Change: Exploring The Relationship Among Psychometric Constructs And Employee Resistance, Brian Dunican

Dissertations

Change is inevitable and can influence numerous events inside and outside an organization. The contrasting attitudes of acceptance and resistance to change are an increasingly interesting topic in today’s global, ever-changing, and competitive environment. Discovering the behavioral origins of employees’ reactions to change is an integral part of understanding the way in which individual mindset may play a role in coping with organizational change and resistance. This body of knowledge may give organizations insight for creating a competitive advantage over their counterparts. Conceivably, it can be argued that some researchers view change as a process of gradual adaptation that is …

The American Public Comprehensive University: An Exploratory Study Of The President's Role In Fundraising, Robert L. Jackson

Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine America’s 272 public comprehensive universities and the president’s role in fundraising in order to better understand this unique group. In addition, this study examined the president’s background, training, duties, and specific involvement in the fundraising process. Also, this study reviewed what background and training would have been helpful prior to and during a presidency in preparation for these duties and responsibilities.

Previous studies stated that presidents ranked fundraising as the number one area where they were least prepared when they assumed their new role. In addition, many university presidents reported that …

An Analysis Of Factors Impacting K-12 Technology-Infused Design, Wesley A. Waddle

Dissertations

Public education in the 21st Century can be characterized as being in a period of unparalleled change, including the adoption of Common Core State Standards, increased public accountability, and renewed emphasis on the educational needs of every student. Simultaneously, as public education seeks to address these demands, the digital divide between traditional classroom instruction and learning needs of 21st Century students continues to grow, despite considerable fiscal investments in educational technology.

This study examined two questions: What teacher-related factors positively impact the level of technology-infused lesson design? and To what degree does the use of an instructional framework to guide …

The Relationship Between Organizational Commmitment And Position In Postsecondary Education, Linda Brewer Keller

Dissertations

Organizational commitment has been linked to important employee behaviors and perceptions, including turnover, intent to turnover, absenteeism, and job satisfaction. In spite of its important outcomes, the formation of commitment is not well documented and research concerning antecedents has provided inconsistent results. Little of this research has involved the postsecondary education field and characteristics unique to it. This study investigated the relationship between employee position and organizational commitment in the postsecondary education setting. The model of organizational commitment utilized was the three-component concept developed by Meyer and Allen (1997) composed of affective, continuance, and normative commitment.

Research participants were 2,914 …

One-To-One Laptop Project: Perceptions Of Teachers, Parents, And Students, Matthew D. Constant

Dissertations

One-to-one laptop programs are becoming more prevalent across the world in K-12 institutions. School districts are searching for more engaging tools that seek to have impact on school success, such as grade achievement, college/career preparation, and/or 21st-century skill preparation and attainment. Additionally, boards of education continuously want some positive indication of the return on their substantial financial investment.

This study utilized surveys of three important stakeholder groups (parents, students, and teachers) related to a one-to-one laptop project in a moderately-sized rural Midwestern school district. Perceptions about how often laptops were used in the classroom setting and across content areas (Language …