Business Commons^™

Organizational Strategies For Developing New Stem Talent, Keri Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. business leaders are experiencing a deficiency within STEM skill sets in newly hired employees, resulting in challenges to business sustainability. The purpose of this case study was to identify strategies used to develop new STEM employees for business sustainability. Participants included 5 IT business leaders who had experience developing new STEM employees in a technology organization in New York. The 3-part theory of knowledge management, knowledge creation, and knowledge transfer was the conceptual framework for this study. Data collection included face-to-face interviews and analyses of company training plans, videos, and internal websites. Methodological triangulation of the analysis technique included …

Management Strategies And Intervention Program Readiness For Paroled Offenders And Ex-Offenders, Sylvia Jean Bell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Paroled offenders and ex-offenders' retention and completion for 3 small-sized prisoner-

release intervention programs in Columbus, Ohio, continue to decline. Prisoner-release

intervention programs aid paroled offenders and ex-offenders with societal reentry.

Influenced by the conceptual framework of the social control theory, this exploratory

multiple case study was designed to contribute to the common understanding of the

paroled offenders and ex-offenders' retention and completion in the small-sized prisoner

release intervention programs. The 18 participants included stakeholders from the

criminal justice system, prisoner-release intervention programs, community advocacy

organizations, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. Analysis of data collected

from interviews and telephone …

Relationship Between Loan Product, Loan Amount, And Foreclosure After The Subprime Lending Crisis, Vonetta Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Following the collapse of property values and an increasing rate of default on high-risk mortgages, the United States experienced a subprime lending crisis that led to massive financial losses for holders of mortgage-backed securities. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine if loan product and loan amount predict the likelihood of loan foreclosure. The theoretical framework grounding the study was Minsky's financial instability hypothesis, which describes the basis of capitalism as economic expansionism followed by financial crises. The population consisted of 473 loan cases from archival data of the Atlanta Sixth Federal Reserve District in Georgia. The method …

Reducing Risks From Workplace Discrimination, Shannon B. Creighton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2014, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported multiple claims of workplace discrimination in the United States; the claims resulted in costly settlements. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study—which used the theory of enterprise risk management as the conceptual framework—was to explore how 4 human resource managers in small-to-medium sized enterprises in the southeastern region of the United States successfully implemented proactive strategies to reduce the financial and legal risk resulting from workplace discrimination. Using Yin’s 5 steps of data analysis along with triangulation of findings from the semistructured interviews, company documents, and websites, the following 4 themes were …

Strategies For Reducing Voluntary Employee Turnover, Xiomara Dejesus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high costs associated with turnover and the loss of skilled employees have a significant adverse effect on organizational performance. The loss of one skilled worker can cost 25-500% of an employee's salary with respect to replacement, training, and productivity. The purpose of this descriptive multiple case study was to explore strategies for frontline managers and human resource managers to reduce voluntary employee turnover. The sample consisted of 5 frontline supervisors and 6 human resource leaders with successful experience designing and implementing strategies to reduce voluntary employee turnover in 8 organizations in Orange County, Florida. The conceptual framework for this …

Strategies To Support Survivors Of Corporate Downsizing, Joseph Linton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Between 2003 and 2011, 1.2 million U.S. workers were laid off every year. Some organizational leaders of information technology/telecommunications organizations lack strategies to improve affective commitment to the organization after downsizing events. The strains of overwork, organizational changes, anxiety over job insecurity, and lack of choice often result in physical illness, emotional trauma, and extreme disengagement termed survivor syndrome. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies organizational leaders in the Midwest United States in information technology/telecommunications organizations used to improve affective commitment to the organization after downsizing. The conceptual framework was Herzberg's 2-factor theory. Data were …

Planning Strategies For Generational Succession In Flemish Third-Generation Family-Owned Businesses, Anne-Marie Esther De Scheemaecker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Survival over generations is critical for family-owned businesses (FOBs). Only 3% of family firms survive the 3rd generation, and a succession strategy is the most challenging decision for family business leaders to make. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore nonfinancial succession planning strategies that 3rd-generation FOB leaders in Flanders, Belgium, apply for the transition of ownership and leadership to the 4th generation. The conceptual framework for this study was the socioemotional wealth paradigm. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, archival document reviews, company internal and public documents, and press releases. Yin's 5-step data analysis was applied …

Engagement Strategies For Catalyzing It Sales Team Performance In Asia, Jeb Stephen Hurley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sales leaders who can foster sales team engagement drive an organization's sales performance. Some information technology sales leaders lack team engagement strategies that support revenue results above market growth rates. The purpose of this qualitative, single-case study was to explore the team engagement strategies of 6 sales leaders, in various offices in the Asia-Pacific region of a single, public information technology company, who demonstrated the ability to support year-on-year revenue results above market growth rates. Participants demonstrated the ability to foster team engagement and consistently deliver year-on-year revenue results above market growth rates. The conceptual framework for this study was …

Strategies For Small Business Enterprise Success In Ireland: A Case Of Three Businesses, Usman Isa Yaru

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2012, only 50% of Irish small firms survived in business for more than 5 years. The purpose of this qualitative, explorative case study was to explore strategies some Irish small firm owners use to succeed in business beyond 5 years. The case population consisted of 3 small business owners operating in Lucan, County Dublin, Ireland who had been managing a profitable small business venture beyond 5 years from beginning operations. The conceptual framework was the competitive theory of entrepreneurial orientation. Data collection included semistructured interviews with the 3 participants, which also involved member checking and triangulation with business documents …

British Virgin Islands Tourists' Motives To Travel, Destination Image, And Satisfaction, Sherrine Natahsa Augustine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The turbulent events of the world have resulted in a decline in the number of travelers since 2011. Nevertheless, approximately one billion international tourists still travel annually.Tourist activity plays an important role in the global economic activity. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine if a relationship exists between destination images, push and pull motives to travel, and tourists' satisfaction. The target population consisted of noncitizen and nonresident tourists of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) between March 2017 and April 2017. Oliver's expectancy-disconfirmation theory that the individual will act in a particular way because the expectation that a …

Effective Cyber Security Strategies For Small Businesses, Kimberly Diane Cook

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disruptive technologies developed in the digital age expose individuals, businesses, and government entities to potential cyber security vulnerabilities. Through the conceptual framework of general systems theory, this multiple case study was used to explore the strategies among owners of 4 retail small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in Melbourne, Florida, who successfully protected their businesses against cyber attacks. The data were collected from a review of archival company documents and semistructured interviews. Yin's 5-phased cycles for analyzing case studies provided the guidelines for the data analysis process. Three themes emerged from thematic analysis across the data sets: cyber security strategy, reliance …

Relationship Between Corporate Governance And Information Security Governance Effectiveness In United States Corporations, Robert Elliot Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cyber attackers targeting large corporations achieved a high perimeter penetration success rate during 2013, resulting in many corporations incurring financial losses. Corporate information technology leaders have a fiduciary responsibility to implement information security domain processes that effectually address the challenges for preventing and deterring information security breaches. Grounded in corporate governance theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between strategic alignment, resource management, risk management, value delivery, performance measurement implementations, and information security governance (ISG) effectiveness in United States-based corporations. Surveys were used to collect data from 95 strategic and tactical leaders of the 500 …

Strategies For Recruiting And Retaining Rural Emergency Department Physicians, Wanda C. Fleming

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recruiting and retaining physicians to work in rural emergency departments (EDs) have reached a crisis level, threatening the availability of services to rural residents. In this study, a case study design was used to explore strategies that rural ED administrators use to recruit and retain physicians to work in their facilities. The study population consisted of 5 rural hospital administrators operating EDs in central Mississippi. These administrators were charged with the responsibility to recruit and retain ED physicians.

The on-going staffing of ED physicians, with no lapses in coverage, was evidence that these administrators successfully recruited and retained ED physicians …

A Phenomenological Study Of Correctional Officers' Perceived Emotions On The Job, Heather Susan Grammatico

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Correctional officers work in a stressful environment and are regularly exposed to dangerous and emotionally charged situations. Researchers have detailed the potential negative outcomes of this occupation, yet little research has examined the extent to which correctional officers experience emotion while on their shifts, and how those emotions may translate into stress, divorce, substance abuse issues, domestic violence, and high mortality rates upon retirement. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to learn how correctional officers experience their felt and expressed emotions while at work. Data collection was done using a 15-item open ended questionnaire designed by the researcher and …

The Relationship Between Ethnic Identity And Leadership Style, Kim Renee Haney-Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported workforce disparities in the representation of minority ethnic groups in leadership positions for more than 5 decades. In 2011, Executive Order 13583 initiated the Government-wide Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan, directing federal agencies to recruit a diverse workforce, cultivate inclusion across occupations, and develop strategies to enable leading a diverse workforce. This plan is important considering other research studies show various approaches to understanding leadership behaviors; however, empirical studies have yet to explore if there is a relationship between ethnic identity and leadership style to inform diversity and inclusion efforts. The …

Securing Government Contracts For Women-Owned Small Businesses, Janet Harrison Harrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicates a variety of factors may inhibit the award of federal contracts to women-owned small businesses; however, a dearth of research exists on the topic from the perspectives of women who own small businesses. The purpose of this case study was to identify the capabilities needed by female small business owners in Atlanta, Georgia to win federal contracts. The framework was based on the theory of representative bureaucracy and the effects of gender differences on individuals' entrepreneurial perceptions. Data were collected via semistructured interviews with 6 women who owned small businesses and competed for federal contracts. Results of the …

Factors Affecting Student Loan Default In Proprietary Non-Degree Granting Colleges, Samuel Hanson Kelley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The significant problem addressed in this research was the increasing default rate among federal student loan borrowers who attended non-degree-granting proprietary colleges in Florida (i.e., career and technical colleges). The purpose of this study was to identify, better understand, and predict which borrower characteristics increased the likelihood of student loan default at proprietary non-degree-granting colleges. The research was based on the structural-functional and planned behavior theories and utilized a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design to explore the relationship between academic success, age, college graduation status, ethnicity, gender, high school class ranking, and federal student loan default. Self-reported data were obtained from …

Financial Strategies Of Small Businesses To Gain Access To Capital, Atta Boateng Owusu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, total small business outstanding loans declined by 2.5 % in 2013, compared to a 10.4% increase in 2012. Scholars and business practitioners have indicated that small business entrepreneurs experience constraints in accessing capital to grow their businesses. Many small firm owners lack the financial strategies for gaining access to capital to sustain their businesses. Building on system functionality theory, the purpose of this exploratory multiple case study was to explore the financial strategies among 3 purposefully-selected small business owners in Washington DC metro area who successfully overcame the financial constraints. Six themes emerged from the thematic …

Leading A Multigenerational Workforce In The Public Sector, Cynthia A. Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the demographic changes in the workplace is the presence of multiple generations working together. Some managers may find leading a multigenerational workforce a challenge, because the generational cohorts may have different work values and approaches to work. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how generational characteristics manifest in the workplace, how managers perceive a multigenerational workforce, and whether macro-level descriptions of generations creates stereotypes or recognizable indicators of behavior in the workplace. Mannheim's theory of generations and diversity management theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected through interviews and a …

Improving Contract Management By The Government Contracting Officers' Representatives, Etta J. Waugh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders in the Federal Government of the United States have a problem ensuring the contract management resources used to administer and monitor contracts meet organizational performance goals. Contracting officer's representatives (CORs) are members of the acquisition workforce responsible for contract management. This study explored the ways in which resource-based strategies can improve the quality of CORs' performance in contract management by exploring an organizational framework based on strategic management approaches. Interview data were collected from 41 CORs from the 10 Federal Government agencies that represented 85% of the fiscal year 2014 expenditures. These CORs had all managed contracts with successful …

Voluntary Employee Turnover: Retaining High-Performing Healthcare Employees, Jesse J. Boyd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Voluntary employee turnover in the healthcare industry is one of the most expensive and disruptive business problems that healthcare organizations encounter. Healthcare organizations can expect employee replacement costs to represent up to 150% of a departing employee's annual salary in new employee acquisition and decreased productivity. Guided by the leader-member exchange theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies healthcare managers used to retain high-performing healthcare employees. Using semistructured interviews, the targeted population encompassed 6 healthcare managers from a healthcare organization in Central Texas who have demonstrated successful strategies for retaining high-performing healthcare employees by …

Why Leader-Member Exchange Is Important To Business Thinking, Linda Lou Coto

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leadership style affects the workforce and is one of many vital elements in business operations. Prior research suggests that leadership style can affect production outcomes and employee turnover ratios, yet scant evidence suggests the effect of leadership style on business thinking. This qualitative grounded theory study investigated the extent to which a leadership style known as LMX theory drives business thinking. The information gained from this study, including the effect on business thinking, may enhance how companies coach their leaders to interact with subordinates and improve production outcomes. Participants came from either private and public-sector companies or agencies. The sample …

Employee Retention Strategies In The Fast Food Industry, Darren Cross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Voluntary employee turnover in the fast-food industry is 50%. Employee turnover costs fast-food restaurants $10 billion annually. The purpose of this multiple case study was to examine the strategies of 5 fast-food restaurant managers in the Midwestern United States who achieved higher employee retention than did peers in their districts. The conceptual framework was the 8 motivational forces of voluntary employee turnover. Data were collected via semistructured, face-to-face interviews, recruiting materials, retention activities, policy manuals, and overall voluntary termination reports. Data were compiled, disassembled into groups, reassembled into patterns and themes, and interpreted for conclusions, revealing 3 themes that influenced …

Strategies For Reducing Employee Absenteeism For A Sustainable Future: A Bermuda Perspective, Allison Nicola Simone Forte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee absenteeism results in billions of dollars in revenue losses and lost productivity annually. Given the consequences that organizations could face resulting from high levels of work absences, executives should develop strategies to manage absenteeism to support organizational growth and sustainability. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of the single case study was to explore strategies managers in the private insurance industry used to reduce employee absenteeism. The population consisted of 3 managers located in Bermuda who implemented strategies to decrease employee absenteeism from a Bermuda perspective. Data included semistructured interviews, results of the company's 2016 engagement …

Perceptions Of Leadership And Employee Performance In Child Welfare Agencies, Deatrice Haney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child welfare leaders reflect their organizations' mission and vision and are entrusted to provide support to employees, who in turn provide services to one of the most vulnerable populations, children. Little, however is known about how leaders perceive their roles and responsibilities in terms of providing sufficient supervisory and guidance to child welfare workers in order to support organizational goals. Guided by Houses' path-goal theory, this phenomenological study examined the perceptions of child welfare leaders related to leadership behaviors, strategies to improve administration, work performance, communication, and fostering an inclusive work environment. A sample of 16 participants working as administrators, …

Strategies To Minimize The Effects Of Information Security Threats On Business Performance, Stella Ifeyinwa Okoye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders in Nigeria are concerned about the high rates of business failure and economic loss from security incidents and may not understand strategies for reducing the effects of information security threats on business performance. Guided by general systems theory and transformational leadership theory, the focus of this exploratory multiple case study was to explore the strategies small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) leaders use to minimize the effects of information security threats on business performance. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 5 SME leaders who worked in SME firms that support oil and gas industry sector in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, had …

Strategies For Improved Earned Value Management Use By Defense Business Leaders, Kevin Robert Rhodes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Project cost and schedule forecasting accuracy in the defense industry has not significantly changed since the 1960s, making it difficult for defense business leaders to implement successful earned value management (EVM) strategies. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore EVM strategies that Washington, D.C. area defense contractor business leaders used to improve costs and schedule goal accomplishment. The conceptual framework for this study was the earned time theory. Data were collected from semistructured interviews from 5 defense contractor business leaders with demonstrated use of EVM strategy. The review of company documents focused on EVM use with reporting …

Experiences Of Public Agency Managers When Making Outsourcing Decisions, Shakeel Baig

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Managers in state transportation agencies in the United States must frequently choose between using the talents and abilities of in-house staff or outsourcing for road and bridge design projects. Budgetary crises have strongly affected funding for transportation infrastructure. Facing budgetary pressures to suppress costs, managers must frequently make the choice of outsourcing a project or performing it in-house. Yet, decision-making models for these decisions are inadequate. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of public agency managers when making decisions to outsource the core government functions such as road and bridge design projects. …

A Comparison Between Administrative Leadership In Higher Education And Change-Oriented Leadership In Banks, Glenn King Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational environments continually change. Organizations that do not meet the demands for change do not survive. The required changes differ for banks versus universities, suggesting that leaders in each type of organization need to use unique styles to adapt to their unique environments. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to test a contingency theory of leadership that leaders of banks are change-oriented, whereas leaders of higher educational institutions are administrative in their style. The research questions dealt with differences in the uncertainty of internal operations and the external environment of banks versus universities, and the leadership style most …

Scheduling Strategies For Construction Project Managers Toward On Time Delivery, Paul Shamp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Construction management projects involve complex, dynamic environments resulting in uncertainty and risk, compounded by demanding time constraints. Research indicated project managers have struggled to identify best practices for scheduling construction projects via critical path methodologies while searching for tools to increase timely job completions and budget profits. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies that construction project managers used to manage scheduled construction project delivery on time. The constructivist philosophical worldview was used as the framework for this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews from 7 project managers from 5 different construction companies selected …