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Articles 91 - 119 of 119
Full-Text Articles in Business
Decision Making Of Environmental Engineers On Project Selection, Millicent Amanda Davis
Decision Making Of Environmental Engineers On Project Selection, Millicent Amanda Davis
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Some environmental engineers do not understand how to perceive profitable opportunities in redeveloping the large number of contaminated brownfield sites in New Jersey. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to find effective decision-making strategies that help environmental engineers acquire profitable environmental redevelopment projects. The target population consisted of 4 environmental engineers in an environmental organization in Camden County, New Jersey who possessed proven decision-making strategies that helped them acquire profitable environmental redevelopment projects in the past 5 years. The conceptual framework for this study was the multiple criteria decision method (MCDM). Semistructured interviews were conducted with the …
Small Aviation Business Success Strategies For Profitability, Christina Hiers
Small Aviation Business Success Strategies For Profitability, Christina Hiers
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Ninety-five percent of all aviation businesses are small businesses; from 2009-2012, small aviation business operations decreased by 10.2% and resulted in a loss of $4.4 billion in revenue. The purpose for this multiunit case study was to explore what strategies small aviation businesses leaders used to reduce or control operating expenses for profitability. The sample comprised 3 small aviation businesses located in Middle Tennessee. The conceptual framework for this study built upon systems theory and sustainability theory. The data were collected through semistructured interviews and company documents. Member checking was completed to strengthen creditability and trustworthiness. Based on the methodological …
Small Business Strategies For Sustainability Beyond 10 Years, Gabriel E. Warren
Small Business Strategies For Sustainability Beyond 10 Years, Gabriel E. Warren
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Small businesses are vital to the health of the United States economy, as they account for approximately 50% of all jobs and 99% of all firms. Historically, there has been a problem with small businesses being able to sustain their operation beyond 10 years. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the business strategies some small business owners used to sustain their company beyond 10 years of operation. The sample consisted of 3 small business owners who have been in operation for 10 or more years in Birmingham, Alabama. The conceptual framework for this study was the …
Building Designers' Perception And The Effect On Sustainability In Malawi, Lloyd Ndau
Building Designers' Perception And The Effect On Sustainability In Malawi, Lloyd Ndau
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Environmental sustainability in buildings is an important part of preserving the environment and reducing climate change. The increasing amount of physical infrastructure systems in Malawi has not been accompanied by policy-makers clearly understanding perceptions and attitudinal behaviors of building designers to promote environmental sustainability. Some building designers in Malawi might not be practicing sustainability innovations adequately, requiring more research to understand their perceptions and behaviors. The purpose of this mixed methods sequential and explanatory study was to explore how building designers' behaviors relate to the implementation of sustainability innovations in Malawi. Ajzen's theory of planned behavior explaining how attitudinal behaviors …
Applying The Analytic Hierarchy Process To Oil Sands Environmental Compliance Risk Management, Izak Johannes Roux
Applying The Analytic Hierarchy Process To Oil Sands Environmental Compliance Risk Management, Izak Johannes Roux
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Oil companies in Alberta, Canada, invested $32 billion on new oil sands projects in 2013. Despite the size of this investment, there is a demonstrable deficiency in the uniformity and understanding of environmental legislation requirements that manifest into increased project compliance risks. This descriptive study developed 2 prioritized lists of environmental regulatory compliance risks and mitigation strategies and used multi-criteria decision theory for its theoretical framework. Information from compiled lists of environmental compliance risks and mitigation strategies was used to generate a specialized pairwise survey, which was piloted by 5 subject matter experts (SMEs). The survey was validated by a …
The Triple Bottom Line And Social Responsibility Framework In Public Sector Management, Matthew Ajiake
The Triple Bottom Line And Social Responsibility Framework In Public Sector Management, Matthew Ajiake
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Leaders of public sector agencies must incorporate the voices of diversified stakeholders into planning and decision-making processes. With aging infrastructures around the world, public agencies are challenged to move public benefit projects forward when citizens are not engaged or empowered to participate in the process. The purpose of this triple bottom line (social, ecological, and financial) and social responsibility study was to explore whether public sector organizations are socially responsible by law. A case study was developed using data from publicly available documents and interviews that explored how the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) implemented a social responsibility framework …
Customer Satisfaction Factors In Life Insurance Growth In Ghana, Geraldine Gina Abaidoo
Customer Satisfaction Factors In Life Insurance Growth In Ghana, Geraldine Gina Abaidoo
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The growth rate of life insurance in Ghana is under 1% of GDP, and life insurance company leaders must identify and implement customer satisfaction strategies that will aid business growth and sustainability. Guided by the theory of customer satisfaction management systems (CSMS), the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore customer satisfaction strategies that life insurance company leaders execute to grow and sustain the life insurance business. Twelve life insurance company leaders working in the Accra-Tema geographic area participated in face-to-face semistructured interviews for this study. Data analysis involved compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding the data. Member …
Financial Statement Disclosure Of Carbon Footprint Costs In The Airline Industry, Carol Anne Tuck-Riggs
Financial Statement Disclosure Of Carbon Footprint Costs In The Airline Industry, Carol Anne Tuck-Riggs
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Unaccountable corporate polluters profit short term at the expense of global economic sustainability. The purpose of the study was to determine if carbon dioxide (CO2) penalties on the airline emissions would result in financial statement disclosure and emission mitigation. Contributing to environmental accounting, the study was based in corporate social responsibility with a conceptual framework based on economically-centered CO2 studies. A random sample of 69 global airlines, taken from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) memberships, was stratified between EU bound and non-EU bound airlines. The research questions explored (a) the frequency mean …
Dynamically Hedging Oil And Currency Futures Using Receding Horizontal Control And Stochastic Programming, Paul Edward Cottrell
Dynamically Hedging Oil And Currency Futures Using Receding Horizontal Control And Stochastic Programming, Paul Edward Cottrell
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
There is a lack of research in the area of hedging future contracts, especially in illiquid or very volatile market conditions. It is important to understand the volatility of the oil and currency markets because reduced fluctuations in these markets could lead to better hedging performance. This study compared different hedging methods by using a hedging error metric, supplementing the Receding Horizontal Control and Stochastic Programming (RHCSP) method by utilizing the London Interbank Offered Rate with the Levy process. The RHCSP hedging method was investigated to determine if improved hedging error was accomplished compared to the Black-Scholes, Leland, and Whalley …
Transformational Leadership And Safe Driving Performance In The U.S. Electric Utility Industry, Mackington Joseph
Transformational Leadership And Safe Driving Performance In The U.S. Electric Utility Industry, Mackington Joseph
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Transformational leadership (TL) has been found popular in many industries in the United States and abroad for the perceived transformational leaders' effectiveness in improving occupational safety. There is a lack of empirical evidence to confirm these claims for safe occupational driving. This phenomenological study attempted to fill this knowledge gap in the electric utility industry where employees must drive in all weather conditions to restore power to customers. The conceptual framework for the study was based on leadership and motivation theories of Burns and Maslow. The research questions explored the influence of (a) TL on safe driving performance improvement in …
Technological Change And Employee Motivation In A Telecom Operations Team, Samuel Ogbonnaya Ude
Technological Change And Employee Motivation In A Telecom Operations Team, Samuel Ogbonnaya Ude
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Some managers view innovative product development and convenient service delivery as necessary to business survival. However, unmotivated employees might negate any gains from the use of innovation. The purpose of this correlational study, grounded in diffusion of innovation theory, was to assess the relationship between creativity and support for innovation, resistance to change, and organizational commitment and employee motivation. A random sample of 81 information technology (IT) professionals from telecom service centers completed an online survey. Simultaneous multiple linear regression was the statistical technique used to analyze these data. The results indicated a poor model with low R2 to significantly …
Brazilian Women Entrepreneurs: Exploring Strategies For Building Sustainable Business Organizations, Maria Ana Church
Brazilian Women Entrepreneurs: Exploring Strategies For Building Sustainable Business Organizations, Maria Ana Church
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Brazilians create an average of 1.2 million new registered enterprises annually, but some struggle to keep their business in operation. Thirty percent of the new ventures are unable to survive the first year, and 58% go out of business after the first 5 years. The goal of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of Brazilian women entrepreneurs concerning the strategies needed to build sustainable business organizations in Brazil. The individual concepts of sustainable development, sustainability, business strategies, and business models served as the theoretical foundations for the study. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 20 women entrepreneurs …
Using Sustainable Development As A Competitive Strategy, Pat Spearman
Using Sustainable Development As A Competitive Strategy, Pat Spearman
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Sustainable development reduces construction waste by 43%, generating 50% cost savings. Residential construction executives lacking adequate knowledge regarding the benefits of sustainable development practices are at a competitive disadvantage. Drawing from the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore knowledge acquisition within the bounds of sustainable residential construction. The purposive sample size of 11 executive decision makers fulfilled the sample size requirements and enabled the extraction of meaningful data. Participants were members of the National Home Builders Association and had experience of a minimum of 5 years in residential construction. The research question …
Networking The Relationships Of Microenterprise Development In Bulgaria, Kristina Ann Harris
Networking The Relationships Of Microenterprise Development In Bulgaria, Kristina Ann Harris
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The networking relationships provided by microenterprise development (MED) organizations foster sustainable and scalable Bulgarian small businesses. Some Bulgarian MED leaders lack the strategies to help sustain small businesses in Bulgaria. Guided by the actor network theory, the purpose of this case study was to explore the strategies MED leaders use to help sustain small businesses in Bulgaria. Data were collected through a semistructured focus group comprised of MED Bulgarian business leaders (n = 4) in Rhodope Mountain Region and company data consisting of financial reports, marketing presentations, and company business plan. The data analysis included using keyword frequency comparisons, coding …
Strategies To Sustain Public Private Partnership: A Lebanese Agency Case Study, Nada Dimachkieh Sweidan
Strategies To Sustain Public Private Partnership: A Lebanese Agency Case Study, Nada Dimachkieh Sweidan
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Four public private partnerships have been created in Lebanon to fulfill the promises of better public value and accelerated economic development for sustainable business development. The problem is some business owners embark on public private partnership projects without following known documented strategies that ensure business sustainability. The purpose of the single case study was to explore the strategies business owners used to sustain public private partnership businesses in Lebanon. The conceptual framework included the theory of X-efficiency and the new public management model. The Northern Lebanon public private partnership was chosen for the study. All 7 business owners participated through …
Governmental Procurement Restrictions, Deficit Reductions, And The Sustainability Of Alaska Native Corporations, Paul O. Fondren
Governmental Procurement Restrictions, Deficit Reductions, And The Sustainability Of Alaska Native Corporations, Paul O. Fondren
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) came under political scrutiny in the United States in 2009 during a climate of economic recession and governmental spending reductions. Since then, ANCs have faced increased governmental regulations that immediately changed the ways that their leaders previously achieved growth and success. The purpose of this explanatory case study was to identify elements of ANC strategic plans that lead to success and growth when operationally implemented. The central research questions investigated what executable strategic plans ANC leaders need to ensure sustainable business growth and what practices have led to success and failures. Data were collected from interviews …
Consumer Perceptions Of Eco-Friendly Products, Sheik M. Isaacs
Consumer Perceptions Of Eco-Friendly Products, Sheik M. Isaacs
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The rate of failure to manage e-waste and the business sectors' failure to produce more eco-friendly products is high. These failure rates cause companies to lose profits on expanding an eco-friendly customer market. The central research question addressed by this correlational design examined the quality, price, and brand loyalty of eco-friendly products related to customers' willingness to recycle e-products. Consumer and buying behavior theories served as the theoretical framework in this investigation. SurveyMonkey was used to distribute the researcher-developed survey to the participants for the collection of the data. The collection data instrument was validated by performing a pilot test …
Strategies Utility Managers Used To Implement Renewable Energy Technologies In The Caribbean, Nneka Cori-Anne Archer
Strategies Utility Managers Used To Implement Renewable Energy Technologies In The Caribbean, Nneka Cori-Anne Archer
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Government officials in the Caribbean are encouraging the production of electricity from renewable energy sources to reduce the impact of high electricity rates to customers due to region's dependency on imported fossil fuel. The purpose of this single-case study was to explore the strategies electric utility managers in the Caribbean used to implement renewable energy technologies. The diffusion of innovation theory served as the conceptual framework for the study. Three managers of an electric utility in the Caribbean, who had created strategies to implement renewable energy technologies, participated in face-to-face semistructured interviews. These managers provided in-depth information on approaches used …
Determining Sustainable Strategies For Directors Of Microfinance Banks In Nigeria, Josephine Aruoriwo Diete-Spiff
Determining Sustainable Strategies For Directors Of Microfinance Banks In Nigeria, Josephine Aruoriwo Diete-Spiff
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The Nigerian microfinance banks often close their offices abruptly, leading to the loss of shareholders' funds. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore strategies microfinance bank directors use to maintain business sustainability. The concepts of microfinance banking, sustainability value, and strategic management theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. Twenty managing directors from microfinance banks in the Anambra state of Nigeria participated in semistructured interviews. The data analysis process involved the use of Moussakas' modified van Kaam process, which resulted in the emergence of 3 themes: strategic management, fear of microlending, and maintaining sustainability. The emergent themes …
Technological Factors For The Sustainability Of The Small Business Entrepreneur, Noghor Pessu
Technological Factors For The Sustainability Of The Small Business Entrepreneur, Noghor Pessu
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Technical innovation creates challenges for the small business entrepreneur who uses global activities in the marketplace. Information technology and the technological innovations of the World Wide Web are driving competitiveness in the marketplace with a loss of market share for the individual business owner. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences and perceptions of a purposive sample of 20 small business owners in the metropolitan Atlanta area regarding the effect of technology, technological insertion, and application for long-term sustainability. Rogers's diffusion of innovations theory served as the conceptual framework of this study. Data were gathered …
The Space Debris Environment And Satellite Manufacturing, Walter Tam
The Space Debris Environment And Satellite Manufacturing, Walter Tam
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Space debris is a growing threat to operational satellites and satellite manufacturing organizations. Leaders in satellite manufacturing organizations lacking adequate knowledge on the space debris risks could be at a competitive disadvantage. The purpose of this explorative case study was to explore strategies leaders in satellite manufacturing organizations use to mitigate risks through the conceptual lens of stakeholder theory, contingency theory, and general system theory. The research questions addressed strategies to mitigate the debris threat from the perspectives of both ongoing concerns and long-term risk resolution. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 12 leaders, purposively selected, in satellite manufacturing …
Small And Medium Enterprises' Profitability Elements In Green Energy Transactions, Humphrey Edereka Great
Small And Medium Enterprises' Profitability Elements In Green Energy Transactions, Humphrey Edereka Great
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
As the primary drivers of Nigeria's economy, small and medium scale enterprise (SME) leaders rely on standby generators for sustainable business operation. Because of this reliance, over 56% of the SMEs operate far below capacity from the effects of power shortages. Guided by the strategic contingency theory, this study explored the profitability strategies of business leaders faced with electricity disruptions within Abuja Federal Capital Territory while adopting corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green practices. Data collection was through face-to-face semistructured interviews using open-ended questions. Participants consisted of 12 business leaders selected from 4 SME categories within Abuja that have imbibed …
Environmental Degradation: Key Challenge To Sustainable Economic Development In The Niger Delta, Christian Udogadi Duru
Environmental Degradation: Key Challenge To Sustainable Economic Development In The Niger Delta, Christian Udogadi Duru
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
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Business Drivers For Environmental Regulations Compliance In Ghana's Mining Sector, Georgina Angorkor Ahorbo
Business Drivers For Environmental Regulations Compliance In Ghana's Mining Sector, Georgina Angorkor Ahorbo
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Ghana's mining sector is a significant contributor to the national economy; however, environmental degradation continues to stigmatize the sector. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore experiences and perspectives of middle managers on how to drive compliance with EPA regulations and standards in Ghana's mining sector. Ajzen's theory of planned behavior was the conceptual framework for this phenomenological study. A purposive sample of 20 middle managers from Ghana's mining sector participated in interviews, which were transcribed and then coded to generate common themes. The primary research question involved exploring factors that promote employee compliance in Ghana's mining sector. …
Sustainability Efforts Of One Oil Company In Niger Delta Of Nigeria, Charles Afam Anosike
Sustainability Efforts Of One Oil Company In Niger Delta Of Nigeria, Charles Afam Anosike
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Environmental degradation and socioeconomic dilemma continue to stigmatize oil production in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. Sustainability programs of oil companies often determine the improvement of living conditions in the region. This explanatory qualitative case study, guided by systems thinking theory and sustainable value framework, explored practitioners' perceptions of sustainability programs to identify its impact on business and the host communities. The research question was designed to address how sustainability efforts of a single oil company in the Niger Delta contributed to the business performance and the livelihood of the local people. Research data were gathered from a sample of …
The Influence Of Strategies Used To Communicate Sustainable Corporate Responsibility On Reputation Of A Major Airport, Benno D. Hoffmann
The Influence Of Strategies Used To Communicate Sustainable Corporate Responsibility On Reputation Of A Major Airport, Benno D. Hoffmann
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Self-presentation of a corporation as a citizen committed to sustainable corporate responsibility can, according to scholarly findings, help the organization improve its reputation among key stakeholders. The purpose of this case study was to explore the success of one major airport in aligning communication strategies to improve its reputation. The research question involved how effectively a major German airport communicated its commitment to sustainable corporate responsibility to its key stakeholders during 2005--2009. Of particular interest was how key stakeholders perceived the airport's stance towards the impacts of aircraft noise. Corporate documents, newspaper articles, and semistructured interviews comprised the data. Data …
Relative Pricing Of Publicly Traded U.S. Electric Utility Companies, Nicholas Stephen Jewczyn
Relative Pricing Of Publicly Traded U.S. Electric Utility Companies, Nicholas Stephen Jewczyn
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In the financial turmoil of 2008, U.S. firms reported debt-ratios that differed from the debt-ratios calculated from balance sheets. The problem is that investors bought common stock expecting initial investment return and lost money when companies delisted. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine sample securities pricing with the application of synthetic assets and debt accrued. Addressed in the research questions was whether those securities were (a) underpriced compared with return-on-assets (ROA), (b) overpriced compared with ROA, (c) a debt-ratio higher than 60% and also overpriced, (d) underpriced with a synthetic asset added, or (e) related by relative …
The Role Of Leadership In Safety Performance And Results, Halina E. Caravello
The Role Of Leadership In Safety Performance And Results, Halina E. Caravello
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Employee injury rates in U.S. land-based operations in the energy industry are 2 to 3 times higher relative to other regions in the world. Although a rich literature exists on drivers of safety performance, no previous studies investigated factors influencing this elevated rate. Leadership has been identified as a key contributor to safety outcomes and this grounded theory study drew upon the full range leadership model, situational leadership, and leader-member exchange theories for the conceptual framework. Leadership aspects influencing safety performance were investigated through guided interviews of 27 study participants; data analyses included open and axial coding, and constant comparisons …
Continual Energy Management Dynamics: Energy Efficiency In U.S. Automotive Manufacturing Industry, Cem O. Onus
Continual Energy Management Dynamics: Energy Efficiency In U.S. Automotive Manufacturing Industry, Cem O. Onus
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Managers at automotive manufacturers are seeking ways to reduce energy consumption, costs, carbon emissions, and waste from production processes. Researchers and practitioners perceive energy efficiency as the least expensive and most effective way to deal with issues related to climate change, but adoption of energy efficiency measures has been slow among industrial facilities. The topic of this research study was the decision-making process for energy efficiency projects in the U.S. automotive manufacturing industry. Flaws in this decision-making processes are preventing changes that can dramatically reduce energy usage, cost, and pollution. The study was grounded in the theories of energy management, …