Business Commons^™

Strategies To Reduce Voluntary Employee Turnover In Small Business, Angel M. Major

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increasing turnover rates are costly to businesses, causing problems with workloads and workflow. The annual resignation rate in the United States has approached 25%, which small business owners cannot afford. Guided by the Herzberg 2-factor theory, the purpose of this descriptive case study was to explore what strategies some small business owners have used to reduce voluntary employee turnover in the United States. Data saturation was achieved after conducting semistructured interviews and document reviews with 4 small business owners in southeast North Carolina who have been in business for at least 5 years and have not experienced any voluntary employee …

Marketing And Microbusiness, Joran Premo-Hurt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Marketing plays an influential role in small business survival. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the mechanisms used by microbusiness retail store owners for collecting, monitoring, and transforming market data into operational marketing activities. Marketing orientation (MO) provided the conceptual framework for this study. Guided by an abridged interview protocol, 4 retail microbusiness owners from Delaware participated in audio-recorded, semistructured interviews. Saturation of data occurred after 3 interviews, confirmed when the 4th interview produced no new information. After transcribing the interviews, member checking occurred, as each participant received a summary of the interview, along with thematic …

Budgets As A Primary Control In New Hampshire Governmental Units, Dennis C. Shea

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The annual budget process is a primary financial control mechanism over community resources. However, in New Hampshire, some business school leaders do not have effective strategies for proper budget creation and execution. Using agency theory to frame this study, the purpose of this explanatory case study was to explore strategies for proper budget creation and execution in local school administrative units (SAUs) in New Hampshire. The targeted population was comprised of New Hampshire SAU business administrators who had operational responsibility for the administration of the yearly public budgets in each school district. Data were collected from SAU document review and …

Strategies To Improve Marine Inspection Performance In The U.S. Coast Guard, Joshua Buck

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. Coast Guard leaders have received feedback concerning gaps in performance management of the Marine Inspection Program (MIP) from maritime industry stakeholders, Department of Homeland Security representatives, and internal agents over the past decade. The purpose of this case study was to explore strategies to improve performance in the U.S. Coast Guard MIP. Data were gathered through a review of documentation pertinent to marine inspection (i.e., policy, requirements, analyses, reports, and job aids) and 13 semistructured interviews with personnel from 3 distinct organizational levels. Study participants represented civilian and active duty personnel from all geographical U.S. Coast Guard districts, as …

Psychological Capital As A Mediator Between Team Cohesion And Productivity, Robert John Cesaro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations attempting to optimize productivity are seeking new ways to develop psychological capital in teams. The researcher conducted a quantitative study to determine whether team cohesion, as assessed by the Revised Group Environment Questionnaire (RGEQ), impacts team productivity, as assessed by the Performance Measurement Team (PMT) Manufacturing Resource System (MRS); whether this relationship can be attributed to a team's level of psychological capital, as assessed by the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-12); and whether psychological capital mediates the relationship between team cohesion and team productivity. Forty-five PMTs in a large U.S. defense manufacturing organization were surveyed using the PCQ-12 and the …

An Evaluation Of Individuals' Construction Of Personal Trust In Organizations, Colin Edward Armour

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Trust is in decline within organizations resulting from poor management and ethical indifference. Failing to address trust perceptions has led to stress between management and employees. Researchers have studied organizational trust as a constant quality within groups but have neglected the uniquely individual constructs of trust that inhibit trust-building efforts. The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate how personal constructs of trust may affect outcomes at the organizational level among workers and managers in hierarchal structured organizations. The topics of the research questions addressed the extent which cultural values and the relative trust situation affected individuals' perceptions of …

Investing In Least Developed Countries: The Aynak Mine Project, Roosevelt Barfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rise of market globalization creates challenges for business executives seeking to pursue foreign direct investment (FDI) in least developed countries (LDC), such as Afghanistan. Multinational corporate (MNC) executives need strategies that will improve the timely delivery of minerals for mining projects in LDCs. Guided by the force field analysis theory, the purpose of this holistic, single-case study was to explore the strategies that 5 MNC executives in Beijing, China, used to improve the timely delivery of minerals associated with the Aynak copper mine project in Afghanistan. Semistructured interviews were used to elicit detailed narratives from MNC executives about their …

The Merits Of Trust In Transformational Leadership, Yonnette Hyman-Shurland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Trust in transformational leadership is related to motivation, self-enhancement, and positive job outcomes. Trust in the leader-follower relationship, from the perspective of subordinates, has yet to be examined. Trust is considered an important factor when seeking to improve the chances for organizational success and positive job outcomes. The merits of trust in transformational leadership were addressed in this qualitative case study for the purpose of understanding the value of trust in leader-follower relationships viewed from the experiences of subordinates. Interviews were conducted with 30 participants from 2 organizations within the Newton and Rockdale counties located in the state of Georgia; …

Innovation Difussion Of Smartphone In Nigeria, Olukunle Ariyo Iyanda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rapid diffusion and use of smartphones in Africa are challenging, given the state of its infrastructural facilities. The problem addressed was a lack of information on the adoption behavior and the sociodevelopmental effect of smartphone acceptance among rural and urban users in Nigeria. The purpose of this study was to examine the adoption behavior and the sociodevelopmental effect of smartphone acceptance among rural and urban residents. Research questions examined the relationship of performance expectancy, social influence, price value, and habit on adopters' intentions to use smartphones, continued use of smartphones, and the sociodevelopmental effect on smartphone users lives and standard …

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 …

Corporate Governance Issues In The Nigerian Banking Industry, Oyebola Bejide Akande

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Corporate governance issues resulting from bad governance, fraudulent activities, insider abuse, and corruption have attracted the attention of shareholders and regulators in the banking industry. The financial crisis that erupted from the United States affected the financial institutions of both developed and developing countries, among which Nigerian banks belong. The Central Bank of Nigeria removed 8 managing directors and executive directors due to bad governance, nonperforming loans of 61%, and toxic assets of $13.3 billion; the Central Bank injected 620 billion naira into the banks. The purpose of this multiple case study was to develop an understanding of corporate governance …

Marketing Strategies Used By Specialty Photo Retailers To Grow Revenues, Robert Michael Banasik

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The advent of digital cameras, including those in smartphones, has caused an upheaval in

the photo industry that led to the bankruptcy of Kodak and the closure of most

independent photo stores. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore

marketing strategies that specialty photo retailers in the United States have used to grow

revenues after the shift to digital imaging technologies. The conceptual framework of this

study was Rogers's diffusion of innovations model specifying typical movement of

information through communications channels in a social system over time. Data sources

included semistructured interviews with 5 photo retailers, photos …

The Challenges Of Cultural Business Relationships Within Manufacturing, Delariah Katherlene Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Manufacturing leaders seek strategies to improve cross-cultural business relationships because of the increasing demand for outsourcing, which requires strong partnerships among manufacturing supply chain members. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore successful strategies that manufacturing business leaders use to improve cross-cultural business relationships within their manufacturing supply chain. The targeted population included business leaders, fluent in English, within 1 company located at 2 different manufacturing sites in the Midwest region of the United States and the Northeast region of Mexico. The capability-based view theory was used to support knowledge sharing, trust, and strategic management. Methodological …

A Study Of Large Hotel Occupancy Rates On The Island Of St. Lucia., Sean J. Matthew

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past several years, some hotels in St. Lucia, Caribbean have experienced declining occupancy rates and revenues. The failure of general managers of large hotels on the island to increase and sustain occupancy levels may threaten the economic stability of the island. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that general managers from 3 large hotels on the island in St. Lucia have used to increase and sustain occupancy levels in their hotels. The general managers selected for each case had over 15 years of experience in managing large hotels in St. Lucia. The conceptual …

Closing The Innovation Gap For Business Sustainability, Wayne Philip Stamler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Senior business leaders may deliberately impede innovation or inadvertently fail at creating a culture of innovation to foster new product development. The gap between desired and achieved levels of innovation is cause for concern. Addressing the innovation gap may require new ways of thinking from senior executives and a departure from a locked-in mindset to make the linkage between innovation, branding, and financial performance. In this quantitative research study, multiple regression analyses were used to examine and analyze the relationship between innovation rankings, brand valuation, and economic sustainability to address possible reasons for an innovation gap. The theoretical framework of …

Human Capital Development Strategies For The Tourism, Hospitality, And Leisure Industry, Abimbola Peter Alamu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A shortage of skilled labor could cost the tourism, hospitality, and leisure industry (THL) a loss of $610 billion and 14 million jobs by 2024. The literature contains the contributions of specialist THL institutions but not that of the industry leaders to ameliorating this human capital (HC) challenge. The purpose of this multicase study was to explore the HC productivity strategies used by THL business leaders in Nigeria that improved employee productivity despite the lack of specialist THL institutions. The human capital theory (HCT) was the conceptual framework of the study. Coding of data derived from semistructured interviews with 3 …

Exploring Linguistic Challenges And Cultural Competency Development In A Small Multinational Corporation, Cindy J. Atchley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2016's global business landscape, the increase in workers moving across borders to find employment accentuates the language and cultural challenges for both employees and organizations. Employees working in a multinational environment need to have an understanding of language and culture to handle the complex nature of professional work in a multinational corporation (MNC). The purpose of this study was to explore what communication competencies employees in a small MNC needed to communicate across multicultural environments in the workplace. A dialectic approach of intercultural communication was used to explore these needs in one small MNC located in the Kingdom of …

Exploring Leadership Strategies To Maximize Profitability In The Nigerian Housing Sector, Babatunde Adesiyan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The collapse of construction companies in the Nigerian housing sector continues unabated, even in the face of 17 million housing deficits. Many construction company leaders believe that lack of business opportunities and the recent world economic decline have been responsible for the collapse. This situation has resulted in limited business activities for 80% of the Nigerian construction companies. This multiple case study explored the strategies used by leaders to maximize profitability in the Nigerian housing sector. The RBV and Porter's model of competition provided the conceptual framework for the study. Findings were based on detailed reviews of the policies and …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experience Of Humanist, Spiritual, And Transpersonal Films On Positive Organizational Behaviors In The Workplace, Frederick Henry Keeve

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A solution is needed to counteract violent news, Internet, and other negative media images and management behaviors in the workplace, in order to boost engagement and prosocial behaviors at work. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the attitudes of working professionals toward prosocial behaviors and employee engagement in the workplace as affected by transpersonal Hollywood films. An organization's ability to survive is directly related to empowerment and innovation. Classic films provide a gateway for transpersonal experiences that could change behavior and thoughts. Peterson and Seligman's transformational typology involving 6 character virtues and 24 strengths was the basis …

Implementation Of International Financial Reporting Standards By Listed Companies In Nigeria, Emmanuel Inalegwu Ogbenjuwa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study is on implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by reporting entities in Nigeria. Since Nigeria adopted IFRS in 2010, managers of reporting entities have been confronted with organizational changes both in the structures and processes of financial reporting. Previous studies have not assessed the claims that adopting IFRS improves the quality of financial reports and managerial efficiency. This study evaluated the assertion that IFRS adoption impacts the quality of financial reports, operational costs, and operational efficiencies of management. The theoretical frameworks which undergirded the study were theories of organizational behaviors and attitudinal change. Data were collected via …

Factors Involved In Successful Second-Generation Legacy Perpetuation In Independent Insurance Agencies, Christina Marie Rosensteel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors involved in successful second-generation legacy perpetuation in independent insurance agencies. This study examined the role of parent and child throughout the process in an effort to thwart the current high failure rates. This research aims to promote healthy business activity, improve success and sustainability, and add positive social stewardship in communities. Education and preparation of successor, timing of transition, financial considerations, and processes of succession were addressed. Two frameworks guided this study: Bertalanffy's systems theory and Bandura's theory of self-efficacy. Nonrandom, purposeful samples of 3 profitable, second-generation agency owners of …

Investing In Least Developed Countries: The Aynak Copper Mine Project, Roosevelt Barfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rise of market globalization creates challenges for business executives seeking to pursue foreign direct investment (FDI) in least developed countries (LDC), such as Afghanistan. Multinational corporate (MNC) executives need strategies that will improve the timely delivery of minerals for mining projects in LDCs. Guided by the force field analysis theory, the purpose of this holistic, single-case study was to explore the strategy that 5 MNC executives in Beijing, China, used to improve the timely delivery of minerals associated with the Aynak copper mine project in Afghanistan. Semistructured interviews were used to elicit detailed narratives from MNC executives about their …

Exploring Craft Brewery Owners' Success Though Stakeholder Involvement, Daniel M. Leland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2014, 547 new breweries opened in the United States and more than 2 million barrels of beer were produced by American homebrewers. Craft brewery owners face challenges in increasing profit because of intense competition from existing breweries, new ventures, and homebrewers. The purpose of the study was to explore the strategies that craft brewery owners used to increase profits by collaboratively working with internal and external stakeholders, such as employees, distributors, customers, suppliers, lending groups, and community organizations. The conceptual framework of this multiple-case study was the stakeholder theory. The basic tenet of the stakeholder theory is that a …

Strategies For Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises To Engage Third-Party Logistics Providers, Masoud Malakoti-Negad

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) managers struggle to stay competitive. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies SME managers located in Canada use to engage third-party logistics (3PL) providers to improve their supply chains. Porter's value chain theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. Data collection included semistructured interviews with 3 managers from 3 different SMEs in the province of Ontario and a review of the documents related to the use of 3PL providers. Member checking was conducted to enhance credibility of interpretation of the data collected. Data analysis was used to identify key …

Service-Disabled Veteran Small Business Owners' Success Strategies, Calvin Lewis Russell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The federal government has been inconsistent in meeting the mandated contracting set-aside goals of 3% to aid service-disabled veteran small business owners. Guided by the general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore what strategies an owner and 2 senior managers of a small service-disabled veteran-owned business in the Washington, DC metropolitan used to obtain federal contracts. The owner and senior members represented those responsible for strategic vision, development of business opportunities, and the company acquisition process. Data were collected from semistructured face-to-face interviews and corporate documents. Member checking and transcript review were completed …

Exploring Critical Success Factors Of Learning Management System Implementations In Membership Associations, Valerie Joan Whitcomb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Learning management systems (LMSs) are the technical foundation for online learning programs that offer benefits to learners in a variety of settings. As with many enterprise software systems, LMSs are expensive and carry considerable risk. Exploring critical success factors (CSFs) and using them as a foundation for decisions concerning complex software implementations helps increase the likelihood of success. This study addresses the gap in knowledge concerning CSFs for LMS implementations. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover CSFs by exploring the lived experiences of 8 association executives who identified themselves through email communications as having managed a successful …

The Role Of Strategic Leadership In Banking Profitability, Joseph Ochien'g Witts

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A study on corporate leadership failure in America by Vugt and Ronay has shown that the failure rate of business leadership in meeting profitability targets is as high as 60%. Most organizations fail to attain profitability targets due to limited experience and exposure to strategic leadership. The aim of this single case study design was to explore the role of strategic leadership in banking profitability. Twelve purposively selected senior bankers and members of the board of directors with over 10 years of experience in banking and profitability and 3 years in the top management team participated in the study in …

A Study Of Followers Under Transformational Leadership, Song X. Zhang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A gap exists in scholarship on how transformational leadership inspires healthcare workers in the eastern United States, which is important as healthcare costs are approximately 20% of the United States gross domestic product and rising. Improved healthcare performance may contribute to cost containment or even cost reductions. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of employees working for a transformational leader in a healthcare facility in the eastern United States. The conceptual framework was Bass's transformational leadership theory and von Bertalanffy's general systems theory. The overreaching research question asked how transformational leadership affected …

Assessing Nurse Manager Competencies In A Military Hospital, Ruby O. Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Military health care organizations need competent frontline managers with knowledge and skills to manage health care complexity and ensure evidence-based practice. With systematic, planned turn over of military managers, more civilian managers are needed to fill permanent positions in military hospitals. The purpose of this project was to provide a better understanding of the competencies perceived by nurse managers at a military medical center and whether they differed by military or civilian status. The American Organization of Nurse Executives competency model and framework provided the theoretical framework for the project. The design was nonexperimental, with an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional approach. …

The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry's Supply Chain Management Strategies, Prasad Bolineni

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Indian pharmaceutical companies spend one-third of their revenue from supply chain management (SCM) activities due to inherently poor transportation infrastructure. SCM is a vital function for many companies, as it is usually employed to lower expenses and increase sales for the company. SCM costs are higher in India than they are in other areas of the world, amounting to 13% of India's GDP. The purpose of this study was to explore SCM strategies Indian business leaders in the pharmaceutical industry have used to reduce the high costs associated with SCM. This study used a single case study research design and …