Business Commons^™

A Mixed-Methods Study: An Examination Of The Relationship Between Private Social Media Participation And Accountability, Adherence, And Social Connectedness In, Diana A. Cabori

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods sequential explanatory study was to examine the influence of private social media usage on accountability, adherence, and social connectedness in weight loss and fitness program participants.

Methodology: This study utilized a mixed-methods sequential explanatory research design comprised of a multi-state quantitative survey of weight loss and fitness participants and subsequent qualitative interviews to elucidate the influence of private social media on weight loss and fitness program participants regarding program accountability and adherence, and social connectedness to others. The population included 3,000 participants of The Camp Transformation Center and 1,000 participants of Warrior Fitness and …

Self-Perceptions Of Black Entrepreneurship In A Black Majority Rural Context - The Mississippi Delta, Timla G Washington

Dissertations

This studyexplored questions regarding the perceived influences (agency and structural) to successful Black entrepreneurship according to Black entrepreneurs living in the counties in the Mississippi Delta where Black people are the majority of the population. The examination questioned Black entrepreneurs in 13 counties in the Mississippi Delta on the perceived impact of agency and structural factors (i.e., human capital, social capital, industry type, financial capital, intergenerational link, discrimination, state government, Black elected officials, access to resources, opportunity, location) in relation to their success. One finding was that agency factors are the leading perceived influence on the success of Black entrepreneurs …

The Development Of Organizational Training: Identifying Generational Differences And Perceptions In Computerized Learning Systems In Government Organizations, Gregory Negron

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the degree of effectiveness and preferences as it related to various computer-based training (CBT) and instructor-based training (IBT) types as perceived by baby boomer, Generation X, and millennial generational Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) employees based in San Diego, California, as measured by the Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) Extended Learning Institute Survey.

Methodology: The study used a descriptive, causal-comparative research design. A survey was administered to collect demographic data and responses that described and determined the degree of difference and effectiveness for various CBT types …

A Framework For The Evaluation Of Cybersecurity Effectiveness Of Abu Dhabi Government Entities, Abdulla Rashed Ali Mohamed Alnuaimi

Dissertations

Cyberspace has become one of the new frontiers for countries to demonstrate their power to survive in the digitized world. The UAE has become a major target for cyber conflicts due to the rapid increase in economic activity and technology. Further, the widespread use of the internet in the region to the tune of 88% by the end of 2014 has exposed the critical infrastructure to all forms of cyber threats.

In this dissertation, the researcher presents a detailed study of the existing cybersecurity defences globally and an investigation into the factors that influence the effectiveness of cybersecurity defences in …

A Conversation Centric Approach To Understanding And Supporting The Coordination Of Social Group-Activities, Richard P. Schuler

Dissertations

Despite the widespread and large variety of communication tools available to us such as, text messaging, Skype, email, twitter, Facebook, instant messaging, GroupMe, WhatsApp, Snapchat, etc., many people still routinely find coordinating activities with our friends to be a very frustrating experience. Everyone, has at least once, encountered the difficulties involved with deciding what to do as a group. Some friends may be busy, others may have already seen the movie that the others want to see, and some do not like Mexican food. It is a challenge everyone has faced and continue to face. This is a result of …

Work Ethic, Turnover, And Performance: An Examination Of Predictive Validity For Entry-Level Employees, Christina Banister

Dissertations

Work ethic is continually cited as a top factor in hiring new employees (Flynn, 1994; Shimko, 1990; VanNess, Melinsky, Buff, & Seifert, 2010). Research on the relationship between work ethic and job performance has typically shown positive results in a variety of contexts (Meriac & Gorman, 2017; Miller et al., 2002). The purpose of this study was to examine dimensions of work ethic and its relationship with turnover and contextual performance in an often-neglected segment of the workforce: entry-level employees. Data were collected from a large fast food franchise, including work ethic, turnover data, and supervisor-rated job performance. In Study …

Strategies For Increasing Female Navy Officer Retention: Deploying Mothers’ Perspectives, Angela Holcombe Walker

Dissertations

The complexity of the global environment, driven by rapid and profound change, requires a globally dominant fighting force. To adequately protect and defend the security of the United States, the Department of Defense must maintain warfighting superiority through innovation and diversity of thought (SECNAV, 2016; Scoppio, 2012). More than five years have passed since the 2011 Military Leadership Diversity Commission reported to President Obama and members of Congress that “top military leaders are representative neither of the population they serve nor of the forces they lead” (p. xvi). Females are underrepresented among senior military leadership. Increasing the number of female …

Perceived Influence Of The Ferguson Effect On Law Enforcement Officer Turnover Intentions, William P. Markopoulos Jr

Dissertations

Law enforcement officer turnover lacks the support of empirical research (Monk-Turner, O’Leary, & Sumter, 2010; Wareham, Smith, & Lambert, 2013), despite being costly in terms of both human and monetary capital (Peña, 2013; Reaves, 2012; Wilson & Sheer, 2013). What literature is available describes factors such as job dissatisfaction and monetary issues as reasons to leave an agency (Cyprian, 2009; Hubbard, 2008; McIntyre, 1990). A new phenomenon, known as the “Ferguson Effect” has been examined in terms of community involvement (Nix & Wolfe, 2016; Wolfe & Nix, 2016) and violent crime rates (Rosenfeld, 2015), but there is no research that …

How Visual Communication Strategies, Brand Familiarity, And Personal Relevance Influence Instagram Users’ Responses To Brand Content, Lijie Zhou

Dissertations

This study comprehensively investigated the effects of visual themes, visual perspective, personal relevance, and brand familiarity on brand constructions (attitude-toward-brand, brand love, brand respect, and three dimensions of brand image) on Instagram. The study consists of two parts. In Study 1, the main and interaction effects of visual design elements on individuals’ visual attentions, brand recognition, and attitude toward brands were examined by using a 4 (visual theme: customer-centric, employee-centric, product-centric, and non-branded) × 2 (view perspective: first-person view vs. third-person view) between-subject eye-tracking test. In Study 2, a 4 (visual theme: customer-centric, employee-centric, non-brand, and product-centric) ×2 (brand familiarity: …

Local Workforce Development Boards: Alignment With Operational Indicators And Behavioral Characteristics, Sharon Humphreys Johnson

Dissertations

The ability of a region to remain competitively viable is dependent upon attracting new business and retaining existing businesses (Good & Strong, 2015). In many instances, regional growth depends on the workforce and the region’s ability to develop a talent pipeline of existing or accessible workers (Blakely & Leigh, 2010). The passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) increases the expectations of local workforce board leadership. The WIOA vision for Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDB) is to serve as strategic leaders and act as conveners of regional workforce system partners, stakeholders, and businesses to develop new structures for …

Finding Common Ground: Learning From Leaders Who Have Utilized Conflict Transformation Behaviors In The Mental Health Field In The United States, Tamarah E. Tilos

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to discover and describe how exemplary leaders establish common ground and produce breakthrough results in the mental health field by utilizing the 6 domains of conflict transformation: collaboration, communication, problem solving, process, emotional intelligence, and ethics.

Methodology: This thematic, phenomenological study was accomplished through examination of the lived experiences of exemplary leaders with firsthand experience transforming conflict and finding common ground. The target population for this study included executive-level leaders of nonprofit organizations, governmental institutions, state and national associations, and private businesses serving adults and children with mental illness, developmental or behavioral disabilities, …

Detecting User Demographics In Twitter To Inform Health Trends In Social Media, Christopher R. Markson

Dissertations

The widespread and popular use of social media and social networking applications offer a promising opportunity for gaining knowledge and insights regarding population health conditions thanks to the diversity and abundance of online user-generated information (UGHI) relating to healthcare and well-being. However, users on social media and social networking sites often do not supply their complete demographic information, which greatly undermines the value of the aforementioned information for health 2.0 research, e.g., for discerning disparities across population groups in certain health conditions. To recover the missing user demographic information, existing methods observe a limited scope of user behaviors, such as …

A Study Of Digital Communications Between Universities And Students, Perry D. Drake

Dissertations

This study examined the digital and social media communication practices of nine urban universities including UMSL and compared those to known corporate best practices.

The purpose of this study was to (1) research how these universities are using social/digital communications to engage with students and prospective students; (2) compare the executional tactics of universities to corporate best practices; (3) determine if by applying corporate best practices universities reap the same benefits as corporate in terms of higher engagement rates with their customers; and (4) determine if a correlation exists between a university’s Forbes ranking and its use of social media …

How Exemplar Female Business Leaders Utilize The Six Domains Of Conflict Transformation To Establish Common Ground And Produce Breakthrough Results: A Phenomenological Study, Alida Stanowicz

Dissertations

The purpose of this thematic, qualitative phenomenological study was to discover and describe the lived experiences of exemplar female business leaders and their use of the six domains of conflict transformation behaviors (collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, ethics, problem-solving, and process). It explored how the domains were utilized to achieve common ground to transform conflict and achieve breakthrough results. This study considered the experiences, perceptions, and interpretations of exemplar leaders by way of interviews, observations, and the collection of artifacts. The need to research and study these leaders to discover how they were able to transform conflict and the interplay of …

Leadership: A Mixed-Method Case Study To Explore The Behaviors A Consultancy Firm Managing Partner Uses To Create Meaning In Their Leadership—For Themselves And Their Followers—Through Character, Relationships, Inspiration, Vision, And Wisdom, Robert J. Mancuso

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-method case study was to identify and describe the behaviors that exemplary consulting-firm Managing Partners use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers through character, vision, relationships, wisdom and inspiration. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to determine the degree of importance which followers assign to the behaviors related to vision, character, relationships, wisdom and inspiration help to create personal and organizational meaning. Methodology: This study is part of a thematic exploratory mixed-methods case study. Its focus is exemplar consulting-firm Managing Partners, and it is conducted in two …

Incoterms® Use In Buyer-Seller Relationships: A Mixed Methods Study, Thomas J. Schaefer

Dissertations

The negotiation and communication of logistics management decisions between buyers and sellers of goods is critical for effective supply chain management. Incoterms® rules, a set of three character acronyms, are often used by buyers and sellers to communicate each party’s logistics management responsibilities when transacting goods. Inappropriate application of Incoterms® rules can lead to miscommunication of logistics responsibilities and expose either party to unanticipated costs and risks. This three-part mixed methods research explores the circumstances that contribute to errors in logistics management decision communication within buyer-seller dyads, the consequences of these errors, and methods to improve logistics management decision communication. …

The Design Of An Instrument To Assess Clinical Laboratories Efficacy Post Implementation Of The Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, Harry Mcdonald Jr.

Dissertations

The healthcare system in the United States has undergone substantial changes in support of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). On March 23, 2010, the implementation of the new healthcare law brought universal healthcare access to all Americans, while attempting to increase quality and decrease medical costs. The new law promotes more of a quality-focused, outcome-based model rather than a pay-for-fee service model; thus, moving the paradigm from infrequent to preemptive healthcare. The PPACA postulates as the only way to achieve cost savings while increasing quality and access. Never before has there been such an extensive change to …

The Relationship Between The Human And Social Capital Characteristics Of Nascent Entrepreneurs And Expected Job Growth In The United States, William Dwight Burge

Dissertations

The global financial crisis (GFC) that began in 2007 negatively impacted new business creation (Davidsson & Gordon, 2015). Entrepreneurship has been identified as a viable way to generate jobs in the United States since the 1970s (U.S. Small Business Administration, 2014). However, the literature suggests that there has been a decline in entrepreneurship in the United States (Clifton, 2015; Singh & Ogbolu, 2015). Capital is important to those individuals involved in entrepreneurship (Cetindamar, Gupta, Karadeniz, & Egrican, 2012), specifically, human capital and the social network connections or social capital resources of the entrepreneur (Becker, 1993; Schutjens & Völker, 2010).

This …

Is Human Capital Development The Missing Element Of The Aerotropolis Model?, John Roosevelt Hubbard

Dissertations

Until the early 20th century, transportation by land or water served as the primary methods of trade. As competition in the global marketplace increased in the 21st century air transportation emerged as a new and faster method of trade. Convinced of the economic benefits of air transportation, many policymakers of airport communities were quick to make plans for growth such as building infrastructure around the airport. This aerotropolis model often ignored the human capital development required for success.

Central to this study is this question: Is human capital development the missing component of the aerotropolis model economic development strategy? The …

The Role Of Human Resources In Organizational Restructuring: Perceptions Of Hrdepartment, Line Managers, And Employees, Mohamed Abdulla Mohamed Al Hammadi

Dissertations

The process of organizational restructuring is an integral and common aspect that has been integrated into the growth and development of organizations all around the globe. It is mainly undertaken to ensure that organizations are up to date with ever-changing external and internal business environments to improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency. The government of Abu Dhabi emirate has developed a long-term plan to guide the future growth of the emirate (Abu Dhabi 2030). As a result, all of its departments and entities need to align to this strategic plan, which involves change. In many cases, this has forced organizations/entities to …

A Mixed-Methods Study: Self-Efficacy And Barriers To Participation In Workplace Wellness Programs, Massiel Perez-Calhoon

Dissertations

America needs a healthy workforce to sustain the country. The scourge of obesity continues to plague Americans despite government initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act and wellness programs in the workplace to combat this epidemic. However, despite initiatives to make America healthy, barriers continued to impede the nation’s health. Lack of awareness and sensitivity to what motivates individual participants versus group participants built formidable barriers to accessing all workplace employees equitably. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, the intent of this study was to explore the relationship between self-efficacy and the impact on participation and engagement when …

Inside The Va: How Workplace Training Evaluation Impacts Employee Performance, Timica Emerson

Dissertations

Employee performance and patient satisfaction are strong indicators of the current state of a healthcare organization. Workplace training programs are used to teach employees the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively perform on the job. Instructor-led, online, blended and independent learning events are produced to address learning needs and to improve staff performance. These training programs are necessary for preparing staff to meet the demands of daily work expectations. The learning approaches should encourage trainees to apply what they learn to their work assignments.

When programs are not evaluated consistently and methodically by the participating employees, their sustainability is uncertain. …

Positive Vs. Negative Politics And Behavioral Intentions: An Experimental Examination, Sarah Hill

Dissertations

Despite research showing that politics can be beneficial, a commonly held perception is that politics are negative, harmful, and associated with adverse outcomes. The qualitative differences between positive and negative politics perceptions and their results are still mostly elusive.

This research adds clarity by examining perceptual processes surrounding positive and negative politics perceptions. Using an experimental manipulation, behavior was held constant while political actor motivation was varied. The positive or negative inferred motives and attributions made of the actor related logically to the positive or negative nature of the politics perceptions. Further, attribution type was related to positive or negative …

A Delphi Study: Identifying Practices Used To Build Cohesive Teams In A Virtual Setting, Barbara Thiss

Dissertations

The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify practices used to build cohesive teams in a virtual setting and to determine whether the practices were task-oriented or social-oriented. Organizations are challenged to remain competitive in a rapidly changing climate. Leaders in business, education, manufacturing, healthcare and nonprofit organizations look for answers to the economic, environmental, competitive and technological issues they face. Greater utilization of teams in organizations provides a better response to competitive forces, mines greater efficiencies from existing resources, and offers an ability to produce better results. Carron, Widmeyer and Brawley’s (1985) study on cohesion found a significant …

Meaning-Centered Leadership: How Exemplary Technology Leaders Create Organizational Meaning, Ed Jackson

Dissertations

ABSTRACT Meaning-Centered Leadership: How Exemplary Technology Leaders Create Organizational Meaning by Ed Jackson Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to identify and describe the behaviors that exemplary technology leaders use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers through character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration. It was also the purpose of this research to identify how followers perceive that the behaviors related to character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration help to create personal and organizational meaning. Methodology: This research looked at leadership through the lens of meaning making. Current leadership trends, which are driven …

Exemplary Leadership: A Mixed-Methods Case Study Discovering How Female Chief Executive Officers Create Meaning, Stephanie A. Herrera

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this thematic, mixed-methods case study was to identify and describe the behaviors that exemplary female chief executive officers (CEOs) use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers through meaning-making domains: character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration. Additionally, it was the purpose of this study to determine the degree of importance to which followers perceived behaviors within the meaning-making domains.

Methodology: The exploratory mixed-methods case study was selected to gather insight into the behaviors of four female chief executive officers through interviews. Twelve of their employees were asked to complete an online survey. …

Meaning Makers: A Mixed-Methods Case Study Of Exemplary Chief Executive Officers Of Engineering Technology Organizations And The Behaviors They Use To Create Personal And Organizational Meaning, Sandra Kay Hodge

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this thematic, mixed-methods case study was to identify and describe the behaviors used by exemplary chief executive officers of engineering technology organizations to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers through the five variables of character, inspiration, relationships, vision, and wisdom. Additionally, followers were surveyed to determine the degree to which they perceive the behaviors related to character, inspiration, relationships, vision, and wisdom help to create personal and organizational meaning.

Methodology: Exemplary chief executive officers of engineering technology organizations were interviewed to determine their perception of which behaviors they utilize to employ character, …

Viewability Prediction For Display Advertising, Chong Wang

Dissertations

As a massive industry, display advertising delivers advertisers’ marketing messages to attract customers through graphic banners on webpages. Display advertising is also the most essential revenue source of online publishers. Currently, advertisers are charged by user response or ad serving. However, recent studies show that users barely click or convert display ads. Moreover, about half of the ads are actually never seen by users. In this case, advertisers cannot enhance their brand awareness and increase return on investment. Publishers also lose much revenue. Therefore, the ad pricing standards are shifting to a new model: ad impressions are paid if they …

A Corporate Model: Aligning National Nonprofit Expectations With Regional/Local Efforts To Serve The Mission, Emma A. Powell

Dissertations

This study seeks to provide a body of knowledge and application of research to the national nonprofit audience. The focus is to study conditions that could lead to better alignment between regional staff understanding and implementation of the national expectations, by identifying alignment behaviors in five indicator areas. These indicators are fundraising, mission delivery, volunteer engagement, HR/operations, and PR/external communications.

Research in the areas of nonprofit structure design, motivation, and mission alignment continue to be significant to the sectors maturity and distinction. Corporate model nonprofit organizations structure is unique to other nonprofits within a local community. Understanding the corporate model …

Meaning Makers: A Mixed-Method Case Study Of Exemplary University Presidents And The Behaviors They Use To Create Personal And Organizational Meaning, Barbara E. Bartels

Dissertations

The purpose of this thematic, mixed method case study was to identify and describe the behaviors that exemplary university presidents use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers through character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration. Further, this study surveyed followers to assess the degree of importance followers believe a leader uses character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration to create personal and organizational meaning. This study was accomplished by interviewing exemplary university presidents regarding their perceptions of utilizing the strategies and behaviors associated with character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration. While there has been much research on …