Business Commons^™

Switching Things Up: Investigating The Costs Of Switching Between Tasks Of Varying Interdependence And Factors That Influence These Transitions, Taylor A. Wilhelmy

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Though researchers have indicated that there is a high probability teams will transition between tasks of varying interdependence (Benishek & Lazzara, 2019; Mesmer-Magnus et al., 2016), there is a need to further examine this idea (Smith-Jentsch, 2015; Mesmer-Magnus et al., 2016) as few have actually studied it. Expanding upon Moon et al. (2004), this study examines the costs associated with transitioning between two tasks of varying levels of interdependence (i.e., pooled and team interdependence; Saavedra et al., 1993), how these costs vary depending on the order the tasks are engaged while examining how team cognition (i.e., transactive memory systems) and/or …

Human And Ai Support In Business Simulations: A Quasi-Experimental Mixed Methods Study Of Performance At Scale, Sara Willox

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Large classes change what instruction looks like. In hybrid business courses with high enrollment, it becomes harder to respond to individual students, and performance can suffer as a result. This study looked at what happens when that gap is addressed in different ways during an eight-week business simulation at the University of Central Florida. Six course sections were divided into three study groups. One group worked without support, one received instructor guidance, and one used AI tools that included a course search system and generative responses. Student outcomes were based on weekly profit and loss recorded in Sim Companies. The …

Two Papers Exploring Cognitive Fit Theory And Data Visualization In Accounting, Kelly Wellman

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This dissertation examines how data visualization design influences judgment and decision making in accounting using cognitive fit theory as a unifying framework. As visualization tools such as dashboards, Excel, Tableau, and Power BI become increasingly prevalent, understanding which design choices improve performance has become critical. The first paper provides a structured literature review of cognitive fit theory from 1991 through 2025, synthesizing research across accounting and related disciplines and tracing its evolution from early graph vs tables comparisons to mor recent work incorporating task complexity, individual differences, and design-specific features. The review identifies key gaps, including limited attention to difference …

Ai-Assisted Task Completion: Consumer Sentiments By Effort Level, Jason Mickey Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines consumer anger in reaction to firms’ use of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist them in the completion of tasks. Specifically, we focus on instances when AI supplements rather than replaces human effort. Using cognitive appraisal theory and psychological contract constructs, this research investigates how the amount of effort consumers invest into a service review and the effort reciprocated by firms influences emotional reactions. Across two studies, using scenario-based experiments, we find that consumers report higher levels of anger when AI is used to aid in responding to high-effort reviews compared to low-effort reviews. The results suggest that …

Three Essays On Option Markets, Fangzheng Ou

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation includes three essays examining index option and stock option markets. The first essay investigates the pricing kernel puzzle by examining S&P 500 index option returns and empirical pricing kernels across expiration dates ranging from one month to one year. We document that at short maturities, out-of-the-money call option returns are negative and decrease with the strike price, while at long maturities, at least some are positive and increase with the strike price. Empirical pricing kernels predominantly exhibit a W-shape at short maturities, with this pattern becoming less pronounced and evolving toward a monotonically decreasing curve at longer maturities. …

Do You Walk On By? The Effects Of Donor Fatigue On Willingness To Donate, Shawn Michael Henry

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Donation solicitation literature validates the successful usage of various solicitation tactics that lead to achieving set donation goals for their associated cause. Yet, while the financial success of “checkout charity” is well-documented, a significant gap remains regarding the impact of high-frequency solicitations on long-term consumer-brand relationship. This research addresses this gap. Over the span of three surveys, this study finds that donation request frequency overall erodes donation likelihood through donor fatigue when donation frequency changes (occasional vs. always). However, this relationship is moderated by the perceived consumer base, with a larger perceived consumer base exacerbating the “diffusion of responsibility.” Further, …

How Regulatory Focus Shapes Adjustment And Performance In The Return-To-Office Era: The Roles Of Change Appraisal, Perceived Organizational Support, And Psychological Safety, Karen Jean Morris

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly transformed workplace norms and employee expectations, marking a notable shift towards remote work. As organizations increasingly encourage a return to physical offices, understanding employee adaptation during this transition has become essential. This dissertation leverages Regulatory Focus Theory to explore how employees' promotion and prevention focus influences their adjustment and performance upon re-entering traditional office settings.

A parallel mediation model is proposed, in which Change Appraisal, Perceived Organizational Support (POS), and Psychological Safety (PS) are identified as key mechanisms linking regulatory focus to employee outcomes. The findings may provide evidence that individuals who exhibit a …

Shaping Occupational Self-Efficacy In Complex Jobs: Cognitive Flexibility, Role Stressors, And The Workplace, Carolyn Henn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Career advancement in many professions requires employees to move beyond a single specialized role and perform effectively across different responsibilities. These complex jobs often combine technical work, project oversight, client interaction, financial accountability, and coordination with others. Successfully managing these overlapping responsibilities requires strong occupational self-efficacy, but not much is known about the factors that shape employees’ confidence in their ability to perform in complex jobs, particularly under role stress. This study uses cross-sectional survey data from 132 full-time professionals working in complex, multi-role jobs across a range of industries to examine how cognitive flexibility, role stressors, and job demands …

Greed, Guilt, And Generative Ai: Emotional Dynamics In Digital Consumer Interactions, Danielle Lynn Hass

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

GREED, GUILT, AND GENERATIVE AI: EMOTIONAL DYNAMICS IN DIGITAL CONSUMER INTERACTIONS

Danielle Hass

Digital consumer interactions are increasingly shaped by complex emotional dynamics. As digital platforms and Generative AI (GenAI) technologies proliferate in our everyday lives, it is critical to understand the emotional undercurrents and how they impact consumer behavior. This dissertation investigates these dynamics through three essays that explore how emotions impact consumer experiences in digital spaces, with an overall goal to offer theoretical and practical insights into the interaction of human psychology and technological advancement in the consumer behavior field.

Essay One examines the paradox of pleasure …

Self-Leadership And Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence: A Single-Case Study, Patrik Garren

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this single-case qualitative project is to uncover how self-leadership’s behavioral and cognitive strategies influence perceptions of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI adoption. While existing literature acknowledges that there is an association between self-leadership, technology’s perceived usefulness and ease of use, as well as comfort with AI preparedness and its professional impact, there is limited research on how self-leadership shapes perceptions of AI and AI adoption in real-life contexts. To fill this gap in contemporary literature, this project analyzes qualitative semi-structured interviews with 25 healthcare professionals involved in the implementation of ‘AI Model 1’ at their mid-sized United …

The Bleeding Edge Of Misogyny: How Gender-Based Harassment And Infrastructural Neglect Shape Menstrual Distress, Mackenzie J. Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite growing attention to menstrual health, organizational research has largely overlooked how workplace conditions shape menstrual experiences. Dominant perspectives frame menstruation as an individual issue that negatively affects work, neglecting how features of the work environment – such as gender-based harassment and access to menstrual-related infrastructure – contribute to menstrual distress. Addressing this gap, this dissertation adopts a bidirectional perspective, examining how social and material workplace conditions shape menstrual distress, defined as the extent to which menstrual symptoms interfere with daily functioning. Drawing on the transactional model of stress and objectification theory, I hypothesized that gender-based harassment would predict menstrual …

Trust, Literacy, And Choice: Exploring How Taxpayers Decide Between Self-Preparation And Professional Assistance, Bethany Jo Elam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Each year, taxpayers must decide whether to self-prepare their tax return or hire a tax professional. While the decline in paper filing has made electronic filing the standard, the ease of access to both DIY tax software and tax professionals allows taxpayers to switch between these options each year if they wish. While previous research has focused on tangible predictors such as cost and accuracy, psychological factors, such as trust, remain largely unexplored in the modern tax-filing environment. This study investigates the relationship among perceived tax literacy among taxpayers, various dimensions of trust, and the intention to use tax software. …

Examining Moral Susceptibility In Ai Vs. Human-Assisted Decision-Making, Seth James Fogle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are increasingly integrated into decision-making contexts, yet their influence on ethical judgment remains unclear. This study examines whether advice from an AI advisor, compared to a human advisor, affects moral susceptibility in a consumer decision-making scenario. Using a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design (advisor type × price condition), this research tests whether personal agency, perceived objectivity, and diffusion of responsibility operate as psychological mechanisms underlying ethical decision-making.

Results indicate that advisor type did not significantly influence moral susceptibility, nor did it significantly affect the proposed mediators. Additionally, the price condition did not moderate these relationships. …

Survival In The Stigmatized Industry (Bitcoin Atm), Brooks Mcadam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ii ABSTRACT Survival in the Stigmatized Industry (Bitcoin ATM) Brooks McAdam This paper examines how companies can survive in a stigmatized industry where the same message may attract customers while simultaneously generating skepticism. The study posed the following research question using the Bitcoin ATM industry as the context: Does the message presented on company websites influence the degree of exit risk in a market characterized by moral concerns, exposure to fraud, and unstable regulation? The answer is clear. Messaging is important; however, not every message is equally important. Fee-related messaging emerged as the most consistent predictor of exit risk. Messaging …

Borrowed But Mine: Time-Based Asymmetries In Psychological Ownership, Elizabeth Ann Brauer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

People often borrow everyday items, such as a friend’s jacket or pair of sunglasses, and after a period of use, may begin to feel as if the item is their own. Psychological ownership captures this felt sense of “mine,” even in the absence of legal ownership, and reflects the extent to which a target becomes incorporated into the self (Pierce et al., 2003). Despite decades of work on psychological ownership, little is known about how psychological ownership develops and changes within interpersonal lending and borrowing contexts. This dissertation examines how possession duration influences psychological ownership in interpersonal borrowing relationships and …

Ai In The Workplace: Understanding The Path Between Ai Adoption Intensity And Ai-Induced Job Insecurity, Joanna J. Frieske

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming more embedded in organizational workflows and is reshaping work environments, changing how we work, make decisions, stay engaged, perform, and learn. While AI adoption is associated with a wide range of benefits, it also presents negative aspects that may affect employee experiences and influence the future of work. Drawing on extant literature and on the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model, Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, and the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework, this research proposes a model in which psychological safety mediates the relationship between AI adoption intensity and job insecurity, while procedural justice and AI self-efficacy act …

Government Financial Statements: The Influence Of Audit Opinion Type On Attitudes Toward Taxation, Stephanie Ann Vonfintel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The United States government has a responsibility to American citizens to be a good financial steward of their tax dollars. The inability to fulfill this responsibility is evidenced by 28 consecutive years of audit failures, whereby the Government Accountability Office has been unable to issue an opinion on the United States government’s annual financial statements. An experiment varying audit opinion type is used to evaluate whether the United States government failing (or passing) its annual financial statement audits influences attitudes toward federal taxation. Findings show support for federal taxation is strongest when citizens are told that the United States government …

The Differential Impacts Of Internal And External Corporate Social Responsibility Activities On Consumer Trust After Covid-19, Kennadi C. Mccoy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation explores the strategic role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in helping small businesses recover from crises, with a specific focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. Different from many traditional studies that highlight the ethical or reputational aspects of CSR, this research will examine its practical effects: how CSR initiatives during crises influence business success by enhancing consumer trust, particularly by examining the differential impact of Internal CSR versus External CSR. The study suggests that, compared with internally focused CSR, external CSR activities will have a greater impact on consumer trust. In addition, the dissertation suggests that this effect is …

Corporate Social Responsibility Portfolios In Mncs: Strategic Antecedents And Performance Implications, Mariam Yasmin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this dissertation is to provide theoretical and empirical insights into strategic antecedents and financial performance implications of corporate social responsibility (CSR) portfolios in multinational corporations (MNCs). Specifically, the following research questions are studied: 1. How do the international cultural exploration, exploitation, and ambidexterity of a firm influence its CSR portfolio? (Study 1) 2. Do MNCs earn higher profits if they spread their CSR activities across many sustainable development goals (SDGs), or if they concentrate on them among a few? (Study 2) 3. Does environment, social, & governance (ESG) performance (ESG reputation and ESG controversies) moderate this relationship, …

Politics As Usual: Racial Pay Inequity And The Illusion Of Inclusion In The Rise And Fall Of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, And Accessibility Executive Orders, Francois C. Melville

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This research examines pressing moral policy questions of our time: who determines when the United States of America has fulfilled its broken promise of equality for all, and what constitutes an appropriate measure of reparative justice. It interrogates why the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Executive Orders (EOs) implemented across presidential administrations, intended to advance social equity, were grounded in conflict and symbolic gestures rather than scientifically evidenced issues such as wage inequality directly linked to upward career mobility. Race conscious policy generates cultural clashes centered on the perception that gains made by Black and Brown Americans come at the …

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou: Between Brotherhood And Belonging For Black Male Athletes In Predominantly White Ncaa Spaces, Candice L. Turner

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the college environment variables that significantly influence the academic and personal success of Black male student-athletes at predominantly White NCAA institutions. Grounded in a robust conceptual framework that integrates Astin's input–environment–outcome model, critical race theory, and resilience theory, this research seeks to identify the complex interplay between academic support, social integration, racial climate, and institutional policies on the retention, persistence, and overall well-being of Black male athletes. Recognizing the systemic and individual challenges that shape their collegiate experiences, this study adopts a quantitative case study approach, analyzing secondary data and exploring how factors such as faculty engagement, …

Beyond Words: A Systematic Multimodal Framework For Text, Images, And Extreme Helpfulness In Online Reviews, Alvaro J. Aguado Marin

Dissertations

Online product reviews have become increasingly multimodal, combining text with media-rich elements such as images. However, academic research has largely examined textual features in isolation, overlooking how visual content and its interaction with text shape perceived helpfulness. This dissertation addresses that gap by developing and empirically validating a comprehensive framework capturing how textual, visual, and contextual features collectively influence review evaluation. Grounded in the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and extended through the Text-Image Elaboration Likelihood Model (TI-ELM), the framework advances understanding of how consumers process content from both user- and business-generated sources. It also lays the foundation for examining emerging …

Ai Ethics And Governance For Leaders In Higher Education: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Of Faculty Early Adopters’ Sensemaking, Pedagogical Innovation, And Transformation, Freddie Seba

Doctoral Dissertations

Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially Generative AI (GenAI), is transforming how we work, learn, acquire, produce, and deliver knowledge, as higher education experiences existential pressures, including demographic changes that reduce enrollment and revenues, as well as shifting public and government perceptions of higher education's value.

This hermeneutic phenomenology dissertation study explores how faculty early adopters critically engage, innovate, and experiment with this nascent transformational technology in their pedagogies amid multilevel pressures: macro—market-driven (neoliberalism) logic, Big Tech, and demographic change; meso—institutional policy, broader faculty community, and pedagogical innovation; micro—widespread student adoption, pedagogical experimentation, and innovation.

This dissertation study centers on shifting AI …

A Study Of Perceptions, Readiness, Benefits, And Barriers Related To Exoskeleton Adoption In New Jersey’S Warehousing Sector, Terry Asante

Theses

The warehousing industry in New Jersey remains a vital component of the region's logistics network, employing more than 200,000 workers who routinely engage in lifting, bending, overhead reaching, and other physically demanding activities. These exposures contribute to musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) rates that exceed national averages, particularly affecting the low back and shoulders. Nationally, MSDs account for an estimated $420 billion in combined direct and indirect costs each year, underscoring the need for interventions that can effectively reduce biomechanical strain. Industrial exoskeletons have emerged as a potential solution, with prior research demonstrating reductions in muscle activation, perceived exertion, and fatigue during …

Exploring U.S. Sports Marketing Strategies For Maximizing A Fluid Fan Base, Dylan Houseworth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Fluid fandom, characterized by consumers’ shifting allegiances across players, teams, and organizations, has become increasingly prevalent within the U.S. sports marketplace. Many U.S. sports marketing managers lack clearly defined, evidence-based strategies for effectively engaging fluid fans, creating uncertainty around how to maintain brand loyalty, competitive positioning, and long-term organizational viability. Grounded in Stryker’s identity theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the strategies U.S. sports marketing managers use to engage and maximize a fluid fan base. A purposeful sampling of six sports marketing professionals from U.S.-based organizations was selected, with each participant required to have a …

The 2025 Pakistan Floods: Investigating The Human, Agricultural, And Economic Collapse, Abdullah Khan

MSJ Capstone Projects

This project examines the 2025 Pakistan floods as a multidimensional climate disaster that triggered severe human, agricultural, and economic consequences. Moving beyond event-based reporting, the study examines how climate change, weak governance, poor infrastructure planning, and delayed institutional responses intensified the scale of destruction. Using investigative journalism methods, the project combines field reporting from flood-affected areas, in-depth interviews with displaced communities, local activists, and experts, and analysis of official data and policy documents. The findings reveal widespread displacement, loss of livelihoods, food insecurity, and long-term social vulnerability, particularly among marginalized rural populations. Agricultural collapse emerged as a central concern, threatening …

Integrating Generative Ai Into Ds 774/874 & Graduate Is/Analytics Education, Andrew Bushnell

Business Analytics Student Projects and Publications

The widespread availability of generative artificial intelligence has weakened traditional assessment methods in Information Systems and Business Analytics education. In DS 774/874, AI and Emerging Technologies in Business (formerly E-Business) at the University of New Hampshire, auto-graded assignments and presentation-based deliverables no longer reliably indicate student understanding, as AI can generate correct or polished outputs with minimal engagement. Using DS 774/874 as a case study, this paper combines course analysis, evidence from business analytics education research, and a targeted review of peer and aspirational programs to examine how AI is being incorporated into IS and analytics curricula. The paper …

The Campus Evp: A Multi-Case Content Analysis Of Employer Branding Communication In U.S. Higher Education, Latoya A. Clarke

Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how universities across the major geographical regions in the United States communicate their employer brand through the Careers section on their websites and digital recruitment materials. Using a multiple-case qualitative content analysis, the study applies the four-dimensional brand SMRT storytelling framework of story, meaning, ritual, and transmedia to evaluate how institutions signal aspects of their employer value proposition across various content formats. Findings show that meaning and ritual were consistently applied through content formats via mission statements, departmental narratives, and employee photography. However, story and transmedia appeared inconsistently, as fewer content formats featured long-form …

Dialogic Communication And Digital Fandom: The Role Of K-Pop In Shaping Global Artist–Fan Relationships, Huanchun Xu

Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how K-pop artists use Instagram and Weverse to communicate with fans, and how platform-specific affordances shape the relational dynamics of contemporary fandom. Using a mixed-method content analysis of four artists—Seventeen, Babymonster, Lee Sung-Kyoung, and Kim Myungsoo (L)—this study compares 2022–2024 posting patterns across both platforms. Quantitative findings show that highly curated promotional photos and videos dominate Instagram, whereas Weverse contains far more text-based, casual, and relational posts.

This study further reveals that Weverse fosters dialogic communication, personal disclosure, and multilingual fan interaction, unlike on public-facing platforms. Drawing on dialogic communication theory and computer-mediated communication (CMC) interaction frameworks, …

Data Storytelling For Reputation Management: A Multiple Case Study Of Formula 1, Patagonia & Spotify, Michael O. P. Lowsley-Williams

Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates data storytelling as a reputation management strategy by examining how organizations leverage data narratives to enhance brand identity, build stakeholder trust, and reshape public perception. Through analysis and comparison of three qualitative case studies of Patagonia, Formula 1, and Spotify, this research explores how these companies construct and utilize data-driven narratives to address reputational challenges across distinct industry contexts. Drawing on elements of framing, situational crisis and stakeholder theories as well as the concepts of encoding and decoding, this study analyzes narrative structures, framing devices, and audience engagement tactics within reports, campaigns, and multimedia content from 2015-2025. …