Business Commons^™

Two Essays On Governance In Ipo Firms, Palash Deb

Accounting - Dissertations

In this dissertation we collate a unique hand-collected dataset of 417 IPO firms for the 2001 to 2004 period, and study the effectiveness of governance and signaling mechanisms at an IPO. In chapter 1 our main contention is that current management research on IPOs has primarily looked at how corporate governance variables like board composition and ownership structure affect IPO underpricing, while largely overlooking the implications of these governance structures for long-term liquidity. This is a significant oversight, given the many benefits to IPO issuers from having a liquid stock (e.g., reduced cost of capital, increased external monitoring etc.). We …

Impact Of Adopting The International Financial Reporting Standards On Book-Tax Differences: Evidence From Dutch Listed Companies, Jinky Lunaspe Dagoon

Theses Digitization Project

This study empirically examines how the adoption of new accounting standards impacts book-tax differences (BTDs) and analyzes the role of changes in accounting rules as an important function of the book-tax income gap. The primary objective of this study is to present preliminary evidence on how the adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) impacts the book-tax income gap in the case of the public firms in the Netherlands, a country with low book tax alignment. This objective is accomplished through empirical investigation of data on book-tax differences (BTDS) from a sample of Dutch firms listed in the Eupnext …

Psychological Correlates Of Investor Risk, John Laurin Vaughn

Theses Digitization Project

The present study explores the efficacy of a standardized psychological test known as Rotter's Internal/External Locus of Control Scale in predicting investor's level of risk aversion.

An Analysis Of The Structure And Evolution Of Networks, Guangying Hua

2011

As network research receives more and more attention from both academic researchers and practitioners, network analysis has become a fast growing field attracting many researchers from diverse fields such as physics, computer science, and sociology. This dissertation provides a review of theory and research on different real data sets from the network perspective. The focus is primarily on the structure and dynamics of social networks.

This dissertation is divided into three essays. The first essay examines a professional online community, and to the best of our knowledge, it is the first paper to address the social network of physicians. The …

Taking A Deep Breadth: The Rhetorical Construction Of Solidarity In The American Labor Movement, William O'Shannon Murphy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the rhetorical fragments in three case studies of the American Labor Movement constituting movement members in solidarity. Using Kenneth Burke's discussion of rhetorical substance, this project explores the possibilities for developing deep and broad forms of solidarity within the American Labor Movement. Rhetorical fragments of the Industrial Workers of the World, the United Farm Workers, and contingent faculty unionization efforts are explored.

I argue Burke's ideas of substance and identification provide a powerful lens through which we can examine the solidary practices of social movements. Through the examination of the case studies mentioned, I demonstrate that solidarity …

The Effect Of Wisdom In Organizations On Team Cohesiveness, Interpersonal Trust, And Intrinsic Job Satisfaction, Partially Mediated By Emotional Intelligence, Charles Dean Oden

HCBE Theses and Dissertations

Wisdom, though ancient in concept, has only recently grown in empirical research. Often seen as the pinnacle of human development, wisdom includes the key aspects of exceptional insight, reflection, discernment, knowledge, and judgment, which are required for guiding the long-term future of an organization. Wisdom is believed to enhance an organization's ability to work towards multiple goals simultaneously, assist in appropriately assigning priorities, and lessen the organization's reliance on guidance or rules. Utilizing simultaneous regression analysis, available through partial least squares modeling, this research study included 230 full time non-instructional staff from both a traditional university setting and numerous branch …

Decision-Making Uncertainty, Need For Cognitive Closure, And Supply Chain Performance, Yeonyeob Lee

ETD Archive

Most firms must acquire materials or services from their suppliers. They use these materials or services, add value to them, and sell them to others. Supply disruptions, commonly known as the bullwhip effect, have been a major challenge facing supply chain firms. Although previous research of operational or structural causes of supply disruptions or supply disruption risk created by situational factors and buyer perceptions and associated impacts on supply chain performance has been conducted, it has not linked the relationship of decision-making uncertainty and need for cognitive closure (NFCC) with impacts on SCP. This study identifies and enhances the current …

Effectiveness And Efficiency Of Knowledge Transfer In Supplier Development: Key Antecedents And Buyer-Supplier Outcomes, Chanda M. Sichinsambwe

ETD Archive

There is strong evidence that U.S. organizations are increasingly implementing supplier development programs to help their suppliers improve quality, enhance delivery performance, reduce costs, and in turn improve their own supply chain performance. However, many of these supplier development programs are not successful. This study argues that an understanding of the knowledge transfer process should play a central role in understanding improvements in buyer-supplier performance resulting from supplier development activities. Building on the extant supplier development literature and relevant knowledge transfer literature, this study investigates key antecedents and performance outcomes of knowledge transfer in a supplier development context. Specifically, the …

Characteristics And Causal Factors Of Claims In Michigan Highway Construction Projects, Abel K. Sahlool

Wayne State University Dissertations

The US highway system is the largest road network system in the world. MDOT administers about 9,722 route-miles, (28,000 lane-miles) of roadway networks in Michigan. Every year, hundreds of projects worth millions of dollars are let by the State Transportation Agency (STA).

Majority of these projects are successfully completed within the original scope of work, budget, schedule, and without litigation. However; some projects end up in litigation and disputes costing tax payers a great amount of money and the STA a great amount of resources. The number and cost of these construction claims has been substantially increasing in recent years. …

Essays On Reverse Leveraged Buy-Outs, Mark Richard Gruskin

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

ESSAYS ON REVERSE LEVERAGED BUYOUTS

by

MARK GRUSKIN

August 2011

Advisor: Dr. Sudip Datta

Major: Business Administration (Finance)

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

This dissertation is the first study to investigate public-to-private reverse leveraged buyouts (RLBOs). The first essay measures changes in profitability, financial structure, operations, and cost structure to detect actions taken during the private period. Results show that approaching the leveraged buyout there is an above industry level of free cash flow and capital expenditures, while growth options are at competitive levels. These factors in the presence of low ownership concentration suggest the existence of overinvestment.

Increased leverage …

Application Of Protection Motivation Theory To Study The Factors That Influence Disaster Recovery Planning: An Empirical Investigation, Shalini Wunnava

Doctoral Dissertations

In today's information intensive and networked world, Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP) is a critical and significant activity. However, DRP does not always receive the attention it deserves. Therefore, it is critical to examine the factors that influence the undertaking of disaster recovery planning. A model on disaster recovery planning was developed using the theoretical lens of Protection Motivation Theory (PMT). Drawing from PMT literature and using the information technology disaster recovery planning (ITDRP) construct developed by Shropshire and Kadlec (2009), a research model was developed in which perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, intrinsic rewards, extrinsic rewards, fear, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and …

Executive Compensation And Idiosyncratic Risk, Hum Nath Panta

Finance and Real Estate Dissertations - Archive

Executive compensation is a very heavily researched area in finance, accounting and management over the last three decades. However, there are several inconclusive issues. One of them is the relationship between idiosyncratic risk and executive compensation. Prior research findings on this issue are inconclusive. In this context, this dissertation analyzes the effects of idiosyncratic risk on executive compensation. This research seeks to discover and document the role of idiosyncratic risk on all top executive compensation, CEO compensation and non-CEO executive compensation. This study will begin with an extensive review of prior studies on executive pay to identify the determinants of …

Framing The Flu, Jennifer Lynn Mcmillen

Marketing Dissertations - Archive

Since Tversky and Kahneman's article on prospect theory in 1979, there have been many articles published on framing with mixed success in finding preference shifts and in which frame subjects are most persuaded. Framing has been a source of much research and debate in extant literature, regarding whether the effect even exists and if it does, what accentuates or mitigates the effects found. Using the flu as the context, this article incorporates sad versus happy moods and emotional versus rational appeals to highlight when the most persuasive frame changes and to provide practitioners a more complete picture on the most …

The Role Of Experiential Learning In Nurturing Management Competenciesin Hospitality And Tourism Management Students: Perceptions From Students, Facultyand Industry Professionals, Kristen Jack

Dissertations

Previous research has revealed that industry professionals and educators in the field of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) agree that classroom theory and experience in the field are essential components of undergraduate HTM education. Yet there is some disagreement on internship hour requirements, and limited data on actual outcomes. This study therefore examines the perceptions of students and industry professionals as to the extent HTM undergraduate students actually develop key management competencies while participating in experiential learning components. In addition, it captures the views of university faculty and hospitality industry professionals who work with these students regarding essential competencies and …

A Cultural Analysis Of Information Technology Offshore Outsourcing: An Exercise In Multi-Sited Ethnography Of Virtual Work, Tara Eaton

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study is an exploration of how ethnography and anthropological analysis can provide new understanding of transnational, multi-sited research phenomena. Research focused on the work activities of one American client organization and its Indian IT service provider situated in the global virtual field of Information Technology (IT) offshore outsourcing. The Principal Investigator adapted and applied an ethnographic approach for her fieldwork in order to understand the norms, beliefs, and values about work, as well as the relationship between cultural differences and virtual communication. Dissertation findings offer new insight for anthropological discussions of globalization as well as suggest further development of …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Large Shareholders And Commitment Human Resource Systems, Frank Mullins

Business Administration - Dissertations

Commitment human resource systems (CHRS) are used to elicit an employee's long-term commitment to the firm, and research has shown that CHRS are positively associated with firm performance. Yet, firms appear reluctant to use these HR systems. Large shareholders such as institutional investors and founding family owners have been found to influence the strategic decision making of the firm, yet they have been largely absent from the strategic human resource management literature. This is unfortunate given the strong influence that large shareholders can exert on firms. Thus, this study examines the relationship between large shareholders such as institutional investors and …

Increasing Organ Donation In Ireland : Social Marketing And Infrastructural Improvements., Ronan O'Sullivan

Theses

There were over 600 patients on the organ waiting list in Ireland in November 2010. This is a substantial increase on the 414 patients on the waiting list in 2008. Ireland also witnessed a dramatic decline in the number of donors from 90 donors in 2009 to 58 donors in 2010. This thesis focuses on investigating the current state of organ donation in the Republic of Ireland, with the eventual goal of recommending alterations to improve the system. In depth- interviews were conducted with eleven leading personnel from the fields of organ donation and social marketing in Ireland as well …

Using Organizational, Coordination, And Contingency Theories To Examine Project Manager Insights On Agile And Traditional Success Factors For Information Technology Projects, Michael J. Doherty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Two dominant research views addressing disappointing success rates for information technology (IT) projects suggest project success may depend on the presence of a large number of critical success factors or advocate for agile project management as an alternative to traditional practice. However, after two decades of research, success rates remain low, and the role of critical success factors or project management approach remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to use views of experienced project managers to explore the contribution of success factors and management approach to project success. Applying organizational, coordination, and contingency theories, the research questions examined …

Transcending Technological Innovation: The Impact Of Acquisitions On Entrepreneurial Technical Organizations, Bruce Crochetiere

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technology firms with substantial cash reserves acquire smaller entrepreneurial firms for diversification. In 2006, 3 large firms acquired 28 organizations, with the combined deals exceeding {dollar}4.7 billion. The problem addressed in this study is that new start-up companies with innovative ideas may not mature when they are acquired by larger companies and do not fully articulate potential industry-transcending innovation. This is important because the unsuccessful integration of an acquisition can dismantle innovation and compromises economic inventiveness. Drawing from the disruptive innovation and the resource-based theories, the purpose of the quasi-experimental study was to examine the impact of acquisition by larger …

An Examination Of Small Businesses' Propensity To Adopt Cloud-Computing Innovation, Steven E. Powelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem researched was small business leaders' early and limited adoption of cloud computing. Business leaders that do not use cloud computing may forfeit the benefits of its lower capital costs and ubiquitous accessibility. Anchored in a diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional survey study was to examine if there is a relationship between small business leaders' view of cloud-computing attributes of compatibility, complexity, observability, relative advantage, results demonstrable, trialability, and voluntariness and intent to use cloud computing. The central research question involved understanding the extent to which each cloud-computing attribute relate to small business leaders' …

The Relationship Among Emotional Intelligence And Leadership Styles Of Law Enforcement Executives, Gregory, Jr. Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Policing in the 21st century is becoming more complex and dynamic as law enforcement executives deal with operational, political, and economic challenges. Organizational theory and research indicate positive relationships among emotional intelligence (EI), leadership effectiveness, leadership styles, and employee outcomes. But these relationships have not been investigated in law enforcement organizations. The purpose of this quantitative study was to fill this knowledge gap by exploring the above relationships in a sample of law enforcement executives. Situational leadership theory, full range leadership model, and trait EI theory comprised the theoretical framework for this study. Data were collected from 139 law enforcement …

The Impact Of Stockouts On Customer Loyalty To Lean Retailers, Jeffery I. Turk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lean inventory concept has been shown to streamline operations and improve efficiency in a retail environment. The negative side of the practice is that limited inventories increase the risk of stockouts, where a routinely available product is missing and the retailer is not able to meet customer demands. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to examine stockouts as an event and document their effects on changes in customer attitudes and behaviors. Guided by a constructivist conceptual framework, the research question explored how stockout experiences affected customers' purchasing behaviors and loyalty to brand and retailer. A survey containing …

Effects Of Proactive Leadership On Sustainability In The Nonprofit, Jamison J. Hardy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The not-for-profit community serves a vital societal role. Guided by the systems-theory, the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to identify ways not-for-profit agencies could be more fiscally sound during difficult economic times and plan for uncertain futures. Face-to-face recorded interviews with 20 chief executives from different not-for-profit corporations in western Pennsylvania, were conducted to examine their professional lived experiences in order to collect best practices by which each executive dealt with difficult economic times. Structured interviews consisted of 8 questions that probed different aspects of the phenomena of dealing with fiscal challenges. Transcribed data were coded for both …

Aligning Financial Strategy With Customer Categorization Based On Environmental Scanning, Timothy Osita Anyiwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inadequate environmental scanning, poor financial strategy, and misaligned customer focus are responsible for 79% of retail profitability losses. The purpose of the qualitative study using a multiple-case study design was to explore the strategies needed to align financial strategy with customer-oriented processes in the retail industry. The research question involved understanding trends and operational risks influencing the establishment of financial alignment strategies. Porter's five forces model of customer influence, Pearce's environmental and economic factors affecting society values, and Albright's strategic planning of environmental influence served as the theoretical foundations for the study. 30 executives, managers, and team leaders in 2 …

Acceptance And Usage Of Electronic Health Record Systems In Small Medical Practices, Ritu Tannan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the objectives of the U.S. government has been the development of a nationwide health information infrastructure, including adoption and use of an electronic health records (EHR) system. However, a 2008 survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics indicated a 41.5% usage of the EHR system by physicians in office-based practices. The purpose of this study was to explore opinions and beliefs on the barriers to the diffusion of an ERH system using Q-methodology. Specifically, the research questions examined the subjectivity in the patterns of perspectives at the preadoption stage of the nonusers and at the postadoption …

The Relative Influence Of Military Rank Versus Personality On Perceived Autonomy For United States Air Force Pararescuemen, Kevin A. Deibler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hierarchies within organizations like the military have often contributed to feelings of subordination and have contributed to lower employee autonomy and a decrease in job satisfaction, motivation, and performance. Other constructs, such as those relating to personality, have been eluded to explain the variance in the poor outcomes. However, despite the research on dominance, autonomy, and personality constructs, there has been little investigation to bridge together the structure and dynamics of personality and autonomy. By applying interpersonal, boundary, control, and contingency theories, this quantitative study bridged the gap between hierarchical levels of military rank, the personality construct of relative dominance, …

Entropy In Postmerger And Acquisition Integration From An Information Technology Perspective, Gloria S. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mergers and acquisitions have historically experienced failure rates from 50% to more than 80%. Successful integration of information technology (IT) systems can be the difference between postmerger success or failure. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the entropy phenomenon during postmerger IT integration. To that end, a purposive sample of 14 midlevel and first-line managers in a manufacturing environment was interviewed to understand how the negative effects of entropy affect the ultimate success of the IT integration process. Using the theoretical framework of the process school of thought, interview data were iteratively examined by using keywords, phrases, …

The Adoption Of International Accounting Standards For Small- And Medium-Sized Entities, Doris K. Feltham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. private entities considering adoption of International Standards for Small- and Medium-sized Entities (IFRS for SMEs) need to understand how the new standards will modify financial reporting. However, there has been no determination of the significance of the financial statement impact of changing from United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) to IFRS for SMEs. Without this knowledge, private entities in the United States will not be able to make an informed decision as to the benefits or consequences of adopting IFRS for SMEs. Based on stakeholder theory, this study sought to determine how adoption of IFRS for SMEs …

Church Leaders' Financial Coping Strategies During A Recession, Cecil Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An economic recession can disproportionately affect the financial stability of churches because their income relies primarily on voluntary contributions. The purpose of this phenomenological study, framed by servant leadership theory, was to explore lived experiences and perceptions related to church leaders' strategies for coping with the economic downturn in 2008. A purposive sample of 20 church leaders from Tennessee was recruited to explore the changes that have been made in church operational strategies in order to cope with the recession. The interview data were iteratively examined by using keywords, phrases, and concepts and were coded into categories, which led to …

The Influence Of Trust And Affective Organizational Commitment On Intent To Leave, Melvin, Jr. Sinclair

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As global competition has increased and organizations have become more competitive, a reliance on knowledge workers for innovation, initiative, and commitment is necessary. Having the ability to predict personnel intent to leave (ITL) provides business leaders the opportunity to reduce turnover and retain institutional knowledge. In the current study, a structural equation model was used to examine the degree to which organizational trust and commitment, as correlated variables, predicted ITL. Organizational citizenship behavior, social exchange, and organizational commitment theories formed the theoretical basis for the study. Data were gathered using online surveys from 423 participants at 5 financial institutions located …