Business Commons^™

Investigating Elearning Continuance Through Expectation Disconfirmation Theory, Susana Reyes Lee

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study set out to investigate the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) eLearning participation and completion phenomenon of learners and to explore motivation of CPD eLearning intentions and completions. This study focused on why learners choose CPD eLearning and why they continue in CPD eLearning. Based on the Expectations Disconfirmation theory (EDT) and the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model (1992), a survey was developed and then sent to a cross-section of registered CPD eLearners from the first responder community. After the data was collected 217 responses were analyzed with SPSS correlational techniques and through PROCESS which is a modeling …

A Comparison Of Causal Inference Methods And Their Application In Big Data Analytics, Xuan Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With the rise of Big Data analytics, the new field of causal inference (Pearl, 2009) has received more attention in business research fields such as Accounting (Lawrence, Minutti-Meza, & Zhang, 2011) and Marketing (Manganaris, Bhasin, Reid, & Hermiz Keith, 2010). Traditional statistics focuses on correlation which may lead to misleading conclusions because the estimates can be severely biased even when data sets are large. The objective of causal inference is to obtain estimates from observational data that are unbiased and can thus be interpreted as causal. This study provides a systematic comparison of the performance of four causal inference methods …

The Relationship Between Audit Quality And Competition At The Intersection Of The Large And Small Audit Firm Markets, Jeanne-Claire Alyse White

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This paper examines the relationship between audit quality and several measures of spatial competition. Spatial competition is measured as the smallest absolute difference in audit fee market shares from an audit firm and its closest competitor. In this paper, spatial competition measures are referred to as competitive distances, and they are calculated within the large audit market (Big 4 only), within the small audit market (non-Big 4 only), and between the large and small audit markets. Audit market competition and its effect on audit quality has been an ongoing debate. On one side of the argument, competition may negatively impact …

The "Missing Audience": A Query Into The Future Of The Orchestra And The Potential Benefits Of Bringing Live Classical Music To The Community Through Informal Performances, Natalie Wei-Ting Chang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, I discuss the traditional organizational model adopted by symphony orchestras in the United States as non-profit arts organizations that are struggling to maintain solvency within the current philanthropic, political, and digital contexts. As part of the discussion, I conduct field research within the local area of the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in providing demonstrations of live and informal classical performance in various businesses and institutions while collecting data via surveys from willing adult participants (ages 18 and above) of all demographics, specifically lower income areas. The survey analysis gives important insights into public perception of symphony …

The Economic Costs To Audit Firms Of Ethical Violations And The Resulting Pcaob Disciplinary Orders, Stephanie Ann Merrell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This paper examines whether ethical violations committed by an audit partner and the public release of the resulting PCAOB disciplinary order affects the associated audit firms’ switching risk, audit fees and audit quality relative to other comparable audit firms. I examine the effects of ethical violations on audit firms affiliated with a sanctioned auditor (also referred to as affiliated audit firm or sanctioned auditor) at the city (office), MSA, state, regional, and national (firm) level in order to determine if there is a spill-over effect. My findings suggest that at no level in my analysis did the public disclosure of …

Ethical Leadership: A Study Of Traits And Behaviors Of Leaders In Higher Education Today, Samuel L. Wyatt

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the traits and behaviors of an ethical leader as perceived by tenured and tenure-track faculty at a research university (RU/VH) in the southeastern portion of the United States. The researcher utilized a researcher-designed survey instrument which consisted of 44 possible traits and behaviors of an ethical leader and selected demographic characteristics.

Examination of the study results revealed that the majority of respondents were male (66.20%) and tenured (75.00%). Additionally, the largest group were Professors (49.60%), and had been at the study institution for less than l0 years (38.20%). Most of the …

An Examination Of Various Factors (Age, Gender, Family Status, Marital Status, And Work Engagement) And Their Relationship To Longevity, Attendance, And Job Performance Of Custodial Staff At A Large Public University, Celena Raquel Trahan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the various factors (age, gender, family status, marital status, and work engagement) and their relationships between longevity of employment tenure, attendance, and job performance of custodial staff at a large, public university. Correlation analyses, univariate simple linear regressions, and Analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data from 259 custodial employees. Results showed that longevity was influenced by age and marital status. Younger individuals had lower longevity and older individuals had higher longevity. The widowed marital status group had significantly higher longevity than the single and married groups. Attendance was …

Audere Est Facere: Reconsidering Proactivity And Examining Its Impact On Teams, Erik C. Taylor

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Proactivity has become one of the most prominent phenomena in organizational behavior over the last twenty-five years. Scholars have established several different methods of assessing proactivity as a dispositional trait, and identified numerous different types of proactive behaviors. Further, interest in proactivity as a phenomenon within and among teams has been an area of growing recent interest. However, the literature is plagued with a number of problems that limit our understanding of proactivity and impede the growth of the field. At the conceptual level, scholars frequently lament the lack of theoretical unity and the proliferation of overlapping constructs that results …

La Garza En Bicicleta: Perceptions Of Latina Faculty On The Role Of Organizational Citizenship Behaviors And Institutional Engagement On Tenure And Promotion At Research 1 Doctoral Institutions, Julie Johanna Henriquez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A predicted population shift will increase the number of underrepresented groups entering the workforce, with Latinxs accounting for the majority of employees. Consequently, the number of Latinxs enrolled in colleges and universities nationwide will increase. This shift in the college student body demographic will in turn call for an increase in the number of underrepresented faculty members to provide support and mentorship to students. It is concerning to see that only 2% of tenured faculty identified as Latina in 2013-2014. This number will need to increase in order to support the predicted increase in Latinxs pursuing higher education. The purpose …

The Pricing Of Ipo Audit Expertise And Subsequent Issuer Underpricing, Jung Eun Park

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

I examine the costs and benefits to the issuer of hiring an IPO auditor specialist in the U.S. Initial Public Offerings market. I quantify IPO auditor expertise at the market share level and the market concentration level and then I investigate the audit fees of IPO audit expertise and the issuer underpricing in the U.S. IPO market. I find that there are significant fee premiums when an audit firm is a national IPO audit specialist and when an audit office is a city IPO audit specialist. I also find that IPO specialist auditors reduce first-day issuer underpricing. These results are …

Rescuing Relationships: Toward An Understanding Of Exchange Relationship Disruption And Recovery, Matthew Mark Lastner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Research investigating business-to-business (B2B) exchange supports the position that cultivating strong exchange relationships is vital to the long-term success of both parties involved in an exchange. However, while much is known about how exchange relationships are developed and organized to yield maximum benefits for buyers and sellers, very little research has been advanced to understand how B2B exchanges experience disruptive events and what impact disruptions have on the long-term health of these relationships. Across three essays, this dissertation utilizes a multi-method approach to examine the nature and impact of disruptive events on inter-firm exchange relationships to address this shortcoming in …

An Integrated Framework For Self-Disclosure On Social Networking Sites, Asim Shrestha

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Social networking sites usage has shown a meteoric rise over the past decade. Social networking sites survive and thrive based on the information that users disclose. The willingness of users to disclose their information lies at the core and is the driving force of the economies of these sites. This study proposed and tested an integrated theoretical framework for self-disclosure on social networking sites. Drawing from three different theoretical perspectives viz. self-congruency theory, privacy calculus theory, and extension of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2), a research model was formulated. The model was tested using survey data …

Assessing The Effects Of The Smartphone As A Learning Tool On The Academic Achievement And Motivation Of High School Agriculture Students In Louisiana, Henry Eric Smith

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Perhaps the most influential device in modern society is the smartphone. Over 90% of Americans aged 18-29 own a smartphone and 74% of teenagers reported using a smartphone as their primary internet connection. Students perceived that using smartphones in the classroom aided learning. However, two-thirds of American high schools ban students from using phones in the classroom. Secondary science curriculum focuses on subjects that regard the biodiversity of plant and animal species, but disregard the student’s ability to identify species. Consequently, secondary students in general are very poor at identifying species of trees. Previous research supports the idea that advanced …

Gender Bias In Leadership: Do Gender Of Leader, Type Of Error, Diversity Climate, And Gender Of Subordinate Affect Faculty Perceptions Of Academic Leaders' Effectiveness?, Adriana Alfaro

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The cyphers don’t lie: women remain significantly underrepresented in positions of authority across the United States, despite their nearly equal representation in the labor force. Gender bias has been proposed as one of the major reasons for the disparity in leadership roles between men and women. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to investigate whether gender bias influenced faculty’s perceptions of leadership effectiveness at a Research 1 (R1) Doctoral institution in the southeastern United States when high-ranking university leaders made mistakes, and how type of error, diversity climate, and gender of subordinate affected this relationship. Two scenarios were …

Influences Of Perceived Social Network Structure Characteristics On College Student's Perceptions Of Social Capital Value And Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy, Troy Autin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The collective group of resources that are accessible to an individual because of people within his/her social network is known as social capital. Social capital becomes more valuable when an individual sees that it can help with goal achievement. This is especially true with college-aged students who are deciding on academic major, career path and if should persist or dropout. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of social network characteristics on the perceived social capital value (SCV) and career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) among freshman college students enrolled at a research university. This present study examined how …

Wom Or Ewom, Is There A Difference?: An Extension Of The Social Communication Theory To Consumer Purchase Related Attitudes, Mcdowell Porter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

While traditional word of mouth (WOM) and electronic word of mouth (eWOM) have both been shown to highly impact consumer behavior, there is a deficit in our knowledge of how they compare to one another. My dissertation research addresses the lack of empirical studies that compare WOM promotion in the form of face-to-face interaction to eWOM promotion in the form of computer-mediated communication, especially using Web 2.0 technologies. This research tests the assumption that WOM is superior to eWOM and, if so, how to extend eWOM to improve its performance against WOM. Essay One introduces a proposed conceptual framework to …

A Phenomenological Study Of Louisiana 4-H Agents Perceived Job Expectations, Renee Naquin Castro

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions related to job expectations as described by 4-H agents in the state of Louisiana. The study explored feelings, skills and knowledge associated with job expectations. This study used a qualitative approach to examine perceptions related to job expectations. A phenomenological study captured the essence of this experience. The participants for this study included LSU AgCenter Extension 4-H agents who work in different parishes located in the state of Louisiana. The state is divided into five regions divided into parishes. Initially two agents from each region were identified to take part in …

The Influence Of Enrollment In Career And Technical Education Courses On The Achievement Of High School Special Education Students, Melinda Simoneaux Partin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation joins a conversation in the special education arena about the academic and vocational agenda for special education high school students. It explores the influence of enrollment in Career Technical Education (CTE) courses on the achievement of high school special education (SPED) students. The purpose of this study was to compare the achievement of special education (SPED) students enrolled in Career Technical Education (CTE) courses with special education (SPED) students who were not enrolled in Career Technical Education (CTE) courses. The study was designed to determine whether or not SPED students enrolled in CTE improved on the academic scores …

Competencies Of Outstanding Executive Coaches: A Grounded Theory Approach, Kent Mayo Blumberg

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The personal, business, and executive coaching industry is large and growing. In spite of the size and growth of the industry, the coaching research literature reveals a lack of understanding about the competencies of outstanding executive coaches. This grounded-theory study sought to discover a model of executive coach competencies, through in-depth interviews with coaches rated as outstanding by a large purchaser of coaching services. Sixteen coaches participated in the recorded and transcribed interviews. A line-by-line analysis of the transcripts led to a competency model for executive coaching. For the coaching research community, this study will fill a key gap in …

The Effect Of Teacher Beliefs And Self-Efficacy On Environmental Education Program Implementation, Ashley Wilson Mullens

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study describes the development and initial validation of a tool to measure teachers’ beliefs about environmental education (EE), perceptions about their own self-efficacy in implementing EE in their classroom, perceptions about the support they receive in regards to implementing EE in their classroom, the perceived motivators towards EE, and the perceived barriers towards EE. This instrument was then utilized to measure these five constructs and compare results between participants and non-participants of a school-based environmental education program. All respondents had positive beliefs about environmental education. Participants and non-participants did differentiate between their perceptions of self-efficacy, support, and motivators, suggesting …

Faculty Perceptions Of Condensed Online Learning In Higher Education, Harold Irvin Mellieon, Jr.

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the past 10 years the realm of distance and online education has been expanding very fast. With the help of the Internet, it has cut the need for a student to be in the same space as the instructor in order to receive information and be assessed for learning. As more universities are using distance-learning platforms, faculty members are having issues adjusting and being successful. While the educational landscape continues to be reformed with technology in the United States, there are individuals and institutions that are engaging in distance learning to better serve a larger population of students. It …

The Influence Of Selected Academic And Demographic Characteristics On The Success Of First-Year Students Enrolled In A Baccalaureate Nursing Program, Scelitta F. Bond

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of the study was to determine the influence of selected demographic and academic characteristics on success in nursing education among first year baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in a private college in the Southern region of the United States. The participants in the study were 102 baccalaureate students admitted to the nursing program in Fall, 2013. For the purpose of the study, success was defined as a grade of C or higher in two clinical nursing courses in the first year of the nursing program. Academic and demographic criteria were examined and compared using means, standard deviations, Independent …

Silent Suffering: A Phenomenological Study Of African American Women Facing Infertility & Lessons Learned For Work-Life Balance, Kimberley Faye Williams

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Although African American women represent the largest female demographic in the workforce (NABCP, 2014) and have the highest rates of infertility (Chandra, Copen & Stephen, 2013), their career and life experiences remain underrepresented in scholarship. Framed through the critical lens of Intersectionality, this phenomenological qualitative study explored the lived experiences of 11 African American women as they struggled with infertility and the competing demands of work and family life. The two major themes that emerged were: (1) silent suffering, and (2) lack of sensitivity and support in the workplace. The subthemes that supported silent suffering included: (1) emotional distress and …

Succession In Family Owned Businesses: The Influence Of Succession Planning And Demographic Characteristics On Succession Success, Steven Thomas Perret

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence selected aspects of succession planning and selected demographic characteristics had on the level of success in the succession of family owned businesses (FOB¡¯s) in south Louisiana. To achieve this, the researcher designed a survey instrument to collect data. A total of 61 FOB¡¯s responded indicating they completed succession; however, only 23 or (38%) completed a planned succession to the next generation. An important finding was that having a high quality succession plan had a positive influence on the perceptions of family owned business owners and managers. Another important finding …

Essays In Corporate Equity Transactions, James David Kelly

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents two essays dealing with corporate equity transactions. The first essay concerns an equity issuing transaction, the initial public offering (IPO), and specifically lockups, which restrict sales by pre-IPO shareholders. We improve upon the methodology for testing theory related to lockup length through the use of a multinomial logit as well as explore the reasons for and implications of multiple lockup agreements. We find that multiple lockups are associated with dual class equity structures, high book-to-market values, and more secondary shares offered. Offerings that include multiple lockups are more likely to deviate in (weighted average) length from the …

Louisiana Small Business: The Influence Of Selected Demographic And Perceptual Factors On The Extent Of Strategic Planning, Edward A. Gibbons, Iii

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of selected factors that influence small business owners’ perceived obstacles to strategic planning in Louisiana small businesses. This study was guided by five research objectives. To achieve the study purpose, the researcher developed The Perceived Obstacles to Strategic Planning Inventory, which consisted of four scales, measuring perceptions using a six point Likert-type response scale in addition to various demographic factors. An important finding was that of the 70 respondents, only 34.3% had a written long-term plan and the majority (67.1%) of respondents fell below a four on the interpretive …

The Certifying Triangle Of Financial Reports, Dong Li

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research provides theoretical, regulatory, and empirical underpinnings that financial reports are the joint representation of the certifying triangle (i.e., CEO-CFO-Auditor). This research also finds that replacement of the CEO tends to reduce the survival rate of the CFO with the firm, and vice versa; replacement of the CFO reduces the survival rate of the auditor, and vice versa. However, an association does not exist between the survival rate of the CEO and the auditor. Moreover, while a single realignment of the certifying triangle does not reduce the year-end ERC, a double (CEO-CFO) realignment significantly decreases the ERC. This negative …

An Examination Of The Lived Experiences Of United States Military Veterans Who Have Been Diagnosed With Psychological Inflictions Of War Who Have Utilized Equine Assisted Therapy, Thomas Frederick Banner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As the result of multiple psychological conditions that are inflicted by war, the need for veterans’ well-being is ever evident. “PTSD changes the body’s response to stress, often making it difficult for PTSD victims to live their lives as they normally would” (Stokes, 2013, p. 1). It is possible to touch individuals who do not react to traditional therapy with a different type of therapy. It is recommended that veterans besieged with these same symptoms could benefit from therapy with animals. Renson (2010) concluded that animals have delivered numerous benefits to people using therapy. The benefits that animals offer in …

The Formation And Implementation Of Interorganizational Relations In The Experiences Of Managers, Furkan Amil Gur

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Relations between organizations are vital for firms and their strategies. A common approach organizes interorganizational relationships into competition, cooperation, and coopetition. To contribute to this research, in this dissertation I focused on how managers interpret competitive, cooperative, and coopetitive relations with other organizations. Specifically, I studied managers’ interpretations of the characteristics of their interorganizational field and relationships, how they identify their competitors and cooperators, and their accounts of the practices and aspects involved in the planning and implementation of competitive, cooperative, and coopetitive relations. To capture managers’ interpretations, in this study I chose a grounded theory approach, selected the seafood …

Retention Of Institutional Memory Via Knowledge Management: Perceptions Regarding The Effectiveness Of Corporate Approaches Applied In Higher Education, Sonya Yvette Marsh

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Research has shown that private industry has a better grasp on knowledge management concepts and practices than in the higher education arena. Given the internal and external challenges facing colleges and universities, the processes and systems associated with knowledge management could serve as a resource for performance improvement and greater levels of effectiveness and efficiency. This phenomenological study was conducted to determine the perceptions and perspectives of deans regarding the usefulness and value of implementing knowledge management best practices typically employed by organizations in the private sector. Four research questions guided this study: 1) What level of awareness exists of …