Business Commons^™

Leadership Styles And Employee Motivation In Qatar Organizations, Anas Al Haj

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations in the public sector in Qatar have a reputation for delivering inefficient services. Leaders lack an understanding of motivational factors affecting public sector employee performance. The purpose of this correlational research was to examine the relationship between leadership styles and employee motivation in public companies in Qatar. The independent variables were the transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant leadership styles. The dependent variable was employee motivation. The moderator variables were employee age and salary. A sample of 92 employees from 4 public sector organizations in Qatar responded to the online survey. The full range leadership theory served as the theoretical foundation …

Human Resource Local Content In Ghana's Upstream Petroleum Industry, Papa Benin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Enactment of Ghana's Petroleum (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations, 2013 (L.I. 2204) was intended to regulate the percentage of local products, personnel, financing, and goods and services rendered within Ghana's upstream petroleum industry value chain. Five years after the inception of Ghana's upstream oil and gas industry, a gap is evident between the requirements of L.I. 2204 and professional practice. Drawing on Lewin's change theory, a cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the extent of differences between the prevailing human resource local content and the requirements of L.I. 2204 in Ghana's upstream petroleum industry. The extent to which training …

Employee Turnover In The Long-Term Care Industry, Olalya Ayanna Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover costs long-term care facilities billions of dollars on an annual basis. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationships between employee turnover intention of certified nursing assistants (CNAs) in the long-term care industry and employee compensation, engagement, job satisfaction, motivation, and work environment. The predictor variables were employee compensation, engagement, job satisfaction, motivation, and work environment. The criterion variable was employee turnover intention. The population of interest consisted of CNAs who were residents of Florida, over the age of 18 years, and employed in the long-term care industry. The theoretical framework that grounded this study …

Correlations Between Management Behaviors And Financial Indicators With Fda Compliance Leading To Medicine Shortages, Francisco Gutierrez-Perez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the first 3 years of the Obama Administration, 2009-2011, the number of warning letters issued to pharmaceutical firms for manufacturing and quality issues increased by 81% to 49 letters. Only 9 letters were issued in the last 3 years of the George W. Bush Administration. Shortfalls in compliance and product quality led to medicine shortages that affected patients' treatment and health. This quantitative study sought to learn to what extent, if any, the independent variables, management behaviors and financial indicators at pharmaceutical firms in the United States, correlated with, or predicted, the dependent variable, compliance with the FDA regulations. …

Business-Oriented Leadership Competencies Of K-12 Educational Leaders, Kevin Alan Kaufman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Contemporary K-12 educational leaders must fulfill many roles and responsibilities similar to those fulfilled by traditional business leaders. There is, however, a lack of information about the business-oriented competencies of K12 educational leaders in comparison with business executive norms. This lack of information places K-12 institutions at risk of selecting leaders who are not capable of accomplishing institutional goals and objectives, improving the efficiency and sustainability of business operations, meeting stakeholder expectations, managing social responsibilities, and improving the educational foundation of the next-generation workforce. Grounded in leadership theory, this nonexperimental study included the California Psychological Inventory 260 assessment to capture …

Retail Big-Box Development And Small Business Strategy At The Local Level, Katherine F. Kem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The big-box superstore has created a dramatic effect on the retail landscape since its appearance in 1962. As big-box stores proliferate, small business owners continue to struggle with how to compete. The purpose of this multiple case study was to identify and explore strategies small business owners use to maintain or grow profit margins post big-box store market entry. The sample consisted of 5 small business owners in Kansas City, Missouri who survived the entry of the big-box store for at least 1 year. The conceptual framework was the general systems theory and systems thinking. Data were collected using semistructured …

The Relationship Between Corporate Governance And Organizational Performance In Nigerian Companies, Toyin Ishola Lasisi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing lack of confidence in public companies arises from the recent accounting scandals and corporate collapses, which have been attributed to the consequences of separation of ownership and control in modern firms. Agency theory predicts a conflict of interest between managers and shareholders that leads to agency costs and weak performance. This study used agency, stakeholders', and stewardship theories as the theoretical framework and multiple regression analysis to examine the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and organizational performance in nonfinancial firms listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The results of the study could help clarify understanding of corporate governance …

A Grounded Theory Of The Factors Affecting Employee Vision Inspiration, Luis Luarca

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inspired, motivated employees are essential to organizational success. Research findings indicate a strong relationship between vision, leader charisma, organizational factors, and the extent to which employees feel motivated to achieve organizational goals based on the vision, known as employee vision inspiration (EVI). However, little is known about how employees personalize organizational visions and why this affects their performance. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore in-depth the organizational and employee-related factors that affect EVI using the constant comparative method and grounded theory methodology, and how EVI manifests itself in employee behaviors directed toward the achievement of a company's …

Perceptions Among Senior Consumers Regarding Stereotyping In Magazine Advertisements, Greg Milsom

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Marketing decision makers often employ stereotypes in their advertising messages, but constant exposure to negative messages is offensive to older consumers and contributes toward ageism. The general problem is that many senior adults feel dissatisfied with advertising directed toward them and may not purchase products that they could otherwise enjoy. Based on the tenets of social identity theory, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of a group of senior consumers toward the stereotypes used to portray older adult models featured in magazine advertisements by uncovering the factors that influence purchasing decisions and the stereotypes that are …

Internal Strategies For Assessing Organizational Communication Channel Effectiveness, Melvin Murphy Murphy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evolving communication technology, the increased volume of information needed by businesses, and the intensified competitive environment have made internal company communication more critical to business success. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used by managers and leaders of 3 law firms in the Commonwealth of Virginia for assessing the effectiveness of their organization's internal communication channels. The participating firms were recognized by their peers as being exceptionally well-managed. Data from interviews and company documents were analyzed through the conceptual lens of the channel expansion theory and the use of software coding to identify patterns and …

Strategies To Teach Customer Service Skills, James Francis Ortman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business managers' failure to retain dissatisfied customers leads to millions of dollars in lost revenue. The purpose of this single case study was to explore managers' training strategies to teach sales associates customer service skills. The sample included 3 training managers from the mobile phone industry in Michigan who recorded a 25 % increase in customer retention after implementing customer service training. The conceptual framework for this study was human capital theory. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and training documents. Data analysis entailed using coding techniques and cluster analysis. Member checking applied to clarify the interpretation of participants' responses …

Exploring Student Loan Personal Financial Management Decisions Using A Behavioral Economics Lens, Michael J. Wermuth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a student loan debt problem in the United States. Seven million student borrowers are in default and another 14 million are delinquent on their loans. A high level of college loan debt leaves students with insurmountable payments and holds them back from starting a family, buying a home, or saving for retirement. The problem is that financial managers may not understand the student loan decision process well enough to help students make a loan decision that prevents an unmanageable level of debt. The purpose of this study was to explore and understand the student's loan decision process using …

The Effect Of Secondary Teacher Personality On Educational Empowerment, Latoya Sharee Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past research has shown a relationship between teachers' personalities and their ability to motivate students to perform, suggesting that teacher behaviors are the most important catalysts for student empowerment. This descriptive quantitative research bridged a knowledge gap by assessing the statistical significance of the relationship between secondary teacher personality types, as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment, and their ability to academically empower their students, as measured by EDUCATEAlabama. A convenience sample of 334 secondary educators completed the MBTI assessment and reported EDUCATEAlabama empowerment scores. A comparison of Title 1 high school and non-Title 1 high school data, …

Strategies For Business Capacity Expansion In Jordanian Pharmaceutical Companies, Tariq Ahmad Al-Jallad

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Shareholder investments declined in Jordanian pharmaceutical business expansion between 2007 and 2014, which included a reduction in the supply of essential medicines in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore effective applications of expansion strategies to satisfy demand in the MENA markets among Jordanian generic pharmaceutical companies' managers. The conceptual framework for this study was based on the transformational leadership theory and stakeholders' theory. The purposive sample consisted of 4 chief executive officers and 8 managers from Jordanian pharmaceutical companies who practiced the expansion strategy in the MENA for …

Marketing Strategies: How Small Restaurant Businesses Use Social Media, Tasheenia Bennett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social media has changed the way businesses relate to their customers. Since the beginning of social media, traditional methods of communicating with customers have begun to decline. The purpose of this multicase study was to determine the strategies of 5 owners of small restaurant businesses in Western North Carolina who successfully used social media marketing for 1 year or more. Rogers's diffusion of innovation theory was the conceptual framework for this study. Data collection included semistructured interviews, documents pertaining to social media marketing strategies, and social media pages and websites from the participating restaurants. These data were analyzed following Yin's …

Leadership Practices That Improve The Workplace Safety Environment, Nathan Nomore Chikono

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inadequate leadership is the reason workplace accidents in the mining industry remain high, making the industry one of the most hazardous operational activities in the world. Unsafe leadership practices may result in death or injury to workers. A group of 30 mining company leaders from 3 gold mines in Zimbabwe revealed an exception to these hazardous practices, however, notable through their outstanding safety improvement records. To better understand what these practitioners were doing, this multicase study research design explored their strategies to improve the workplace safety environment in the mines. Data were collected using audio-recorded semistructured interviews and document analyses. …

Exploring Mission Drift And Tension In A Nonprofit Work Integration Social Enterprise, Teresa M. Jeter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The nonprofit sector is increasingly engaged in social enterprise, which involves a

combination and balancing of social mission and business goals which can cause mission

drift or mission tension. A work integrated social enterprise (WISE) is a specific type of

social enterprise that focuses on integrating hard-to-employ individuals, such as ex

offenders, back into the workforce, usually through producing goods or offering services.

Little is known about how WISE organizations manage mission drift, particularly given

the unique characteristics of this type of organization. Using institutional values theory

and resource dependence theory as the foundation, the purpose of this case study …

Gamification Techniques And Millennial Generation Philanthropy, Karen Kavanaugh Kavanaugh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Beginning in 2015 a major demographic shift in the majority income producers in the United States has moved from Baby Boomers to Millennials. At the same time, many nonprofits are not equipped to engage with Millennials and lack the knowledge and resources to tap into their philanthropic preferences. Using the theories of planned behavior, reciprocal altruism, social status, and warm glow theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore opportunities for U.S. based nonprofit organizations to interact more effectively with members of the Millennial generation in terms of philanthropic behavior. Data were collected and analyzed using Q Methodology …

Educator's Technology Integration Barriers And Student Technology Preparedness As 21st Century Professionals, Joy Anne Pine-Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Millions of dollars have been spent to acquire educational computing tools, and many education, government, and business leaders believe that investing in these computing tools will improve teaching and learning. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether charter school educators face technological barriers hindering them from incorporating technology into their classrooms. If they experienced self-efficacy issues integrating technology in their classrooms and if they believed their students were technologically prepared as 21st century professionals. A 5-point Likert scale survey, validated by a pilot study, was completed by 61 charter high school teachers. Their responses were analyzed, scores …

How Does Organizational Culture Impact Rn Engagement, Veronica Anntionette Ruffin-Ellis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of RN engagement in the acute care setting can result in poor staffing, nursing shortages, increased stress levels for nurses and decreased morale. When nurses are not engaged in their work setting, quality of care suffers. A wide range of literature focuses on the importance of RN engagement; however, few health care organizations have taken the initiative to implement programs that foster RN engagement, demonstrating a gap in practice. This study examined the relationship between the levels of RN engagement and their perceptions of their organizational culture. Kolcaba's humanistic approach to meeting the needs of RN staff was used …

Strategies To Retain Millennial Employees At Full-Service Restaurants, Candace A. Ruiz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some supervisors lack effective strategies to retain millennial generation employees. The purpose of this multicase study was to explore effective strategies supervisors use to retain culinary-educated millennial employees in full-service restaurants. Nine millennials and 3 supervisors from 3 full-service restaurants in Denver, Colorado consented to face-to-face semistructured interviews with open-ended interview questions concerning retention strategies. The conceptual framework of Herzberg's two-factor theory served to guide the scope and the data analysis for the multicase study. The interview transcripts were coded and grouped into themes. Explanation building for the data analysis assisted in finding causal links between cases and the unit …

Servant Leadership And Affective Commitment To Change In Manufacturing Organizations, Jeffrey Schulkers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational change initiatives in the United States frequently fail with estimated failure rates as high as 90%. Change failure rates resulting from underused and poorly trained front-line managers (FLMs) remained high, with no signs of improvement in the past 2 decades. The purpose of the correlational study, grounded in servant leadership theory, was to examine the relationship between employee perceptions of their FLM's servant leadership dimensions and employee affective commitment to change. A purposive, nonprobability sample of 107 employees of a U.S. manufacturing organization that had recently undergone organizational change completed a questionnaire for the study. Results of the multiple …

Exploring The Strategies To Implement A Sustainable Energy Program In Hong Kong Public Hospitals, Terry Ting

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Healthcare is one of the most energy-intensive industries because of its 24 hour-a-day and 7-days-a-week operation model. Climate change, due to environmental pollution, has increased the incidence of respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, which further overload the financial burden of our healthcare system. The National Health Service Sustainable Development Unit suggested that a sustainable healthcare sector also requires using their resources in an efficient and responsible way. Hong Kong public hospitals are facing this problem along with high energy expenditure. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple site case study was to explore strategies for Hong Kong's public hospital leaders …

Strategies Of Small Business Owners To Acquire Federal Government Contracts, Delores Ann Tyms

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business owners are not acquiring U.S. federal government contracts at the government established target rate. The government's small business procurement goals remain unmet, which represents an underutilized source of revenues for many small business owners. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies of 3 small business owners operating in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to acquire federal government contracts to increase profitability. The thematic findings were in the context of the resource-based view as the conceptual framework. The participants answered questions in semistructured interviews and provided organizational documents for review. Triangulation of multiple data sources …

Perceptions Of Organizational Change Among Minority Owners Of Small Businesses, Chad E. Walizer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses continue to be a dominant portion of the global economy, and their owners need to understand how they can effectively make organizational changes, including implementing sound decision-making processes and innovation, as well as competing with much larger businesses. Minority small business owners have a particular need for organizational change because of their limited financial opportunities in relation to their nonminority counterparts. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine how minority small business leaders in the food service industry in south central Pennsylvania experience and perceive organizational change. Organizational change theory, contingency theory, and situational theory provided …

Employee Engagement Processes And Productivity Among Las Vegas Five-Star Hospitality Organizations, Robert White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee disengagement creates an unhealthy working environment. Disengagement rates among Las Vegas hospitality industry organizations led to dissatisfaction among employees and resulted in low productivity and profitability. This qualitative descriptive study involved exploring employee engagement strategies that hospitality industry supervisors and managers used to implement programs, thereby solving the employee engagement problems of their organizations. The conceptual framework for the study was leader-member exchange theory. Twenty participants with 5 or more years of Las Vegas hospitality experience who had already successfully implemented engagement programs answered open-ended questions in semistructured interviews. Company documents constituted an additional data source. Analyzing the data …

Effective Leadership Practices Of Bank Leaders In Nigeria, Olatunji Joseph Ajiboye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Nigerian banking industry has recently witnessed a major scandal resulting from financial impropriety of some corporate leaders in the industry. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) invested the sum of N620 billion ($4.1 billion) as part of a direct bailout package to 8 banks, and removed top executives of those banks for gross leadership ineptitude. The leadership ineptitude is an indication of the need to better understand effective leadership practices in the Nigerian banking industry. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore bank leaders' effective leadership practices used to sustain bank …

The Relationship Between Athletic Development Personality Factors And Decision Making, Herbert Degraffe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective leadership that results from personality defects, ineffective core executive functions, and emotional decision making can lead to destructive actions and executive failures that affect organizational effectiveness. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine if athletic development personality factors correlate with decision making at the executive leadership level. The research questions focused on determining if there was a relationship between athletic development personality factors and decision making. Social exchange theory, social representations theory, and leadership theories comprised the theoretical framework. Participants included 124 executive decision-makers from the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, and Singapore who …

How Improved Training Strategies Can Benefit Taxpayers Using Vita Programs, Jaclyn Marie Barkow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many volunteer income tax assistance (VITA) sites experience inaccuracy in the taxes prepared according to audits conducted by the treasury inspector general for tax administration (TIGTA). Effective training strategies may influence the accuracy rates of tax returns prepared at VITA sites. Following the conceptual framework of the human capital theory, this multiple case study described the training strategies used by 4 VITA site coordinators in northwest Indiana. An Internal Revenue Service (IRS) representative overseeing the VITA sites identified the 4 site coordinators as achieving an exceptional accuracy rating. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, the annual VITA site coordinator's manual …

The Andacollo's Mining Community: Ethnographic Work-Based Approach To Corporate Social Responsibility Policies And Practices, Ubirata De Oliveira

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This ethnographic study was designed to explore the phenomenon of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the mining industry. The research addressed the impacts of a problematic, systemic, and ethnocentric (top-down) CSR approach driven by a transnational mining company, and proposed a novel cultural relativist (bottom-up) CSR approach looking at the social needs of the community. Solving the problem stemming from the ethnocentric approach is important for both the mining company and the community affected by the CSR program, as it will alter dynamics between actors and mitigate social conflicts. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that improve …