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Full-Text Articles in Business

Relationship Between Working Capital Management, Strategies, And Performance Of Nigerian Manufacturing Firms, Ayebainasuoton Francis Alagoa Jan 2021

Relationship Between Working Capital Management, Strategies, And Performance Of Nigerian Manufacturing Firms, Ayebainasuoton Francis Alagoa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many Nigerian manufacturing firms have faced working capital management anomalies due to concerns of balancing profitability and liquidity that led to most business failures. To remain competitive corporate managers and business leaders of manufacturing firms need to operate optimally in working capital by understanding the association between working capital management (WCM), working capital strategy (WCS), and performance. Using the cash conversion cycle theory as the linchpin, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between WCM, WCS, and performance. The study utilized secondary financial data spanning 2014 to 2018 from a random sample of 54 publicly …


Entrepreneurial Strategic Sensemaking For Growth And Employment In Nigerian Small And Medium Enterprises, Ishaq Abdulrahman Balogun Jan 2021

Entrepreneurial Strategic Sensemaking For Growth And Employment In Nigerian Small And Medium Enterprises, Ishaq Abdulrahman Balogun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOnly 20% of Nigerian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) survive 5 years. The specific management problem was that SME leaders were faced with strategic sensemaking challenges in dealing with external stakeholders while growing their businesses. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to understand the strategic sensemaking lived experiences of eight SME entrepreneurs for growing their businesses. The conceptual framework grounding this study was embedded in the four sensemaking leadership functions, strategic decisions-making, dynamics of business environments, and performance. The research question asked what is the strategic sensemaking lived experiences of entrepreneurs in SME entrepreneurship ecosystem while growing …


Survival Strategies Of Microenterprises In Nigeria, Olatutu Olubusola Sholeye Jan 2021

Survival Strategies Of Microenterprises In Nigeria, Olatutu Olubusola Sholeye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some owner-managers of microenterprises (MEs) in Nigeria lack effective strategies to sustain their businesses beyond the first 5 years of operations. Owners of existing and new MEs would benefit from strategies to mitigate constraints for business survival because failure rates are higher among MEs. Grounded in the resource-based theory, the purpose of the current qualitative multiple case study was to explore the survival strategies some owner-managers use to sustain their enterprises in Nigeria. The targeted population was six purposefully selected ME owner-managers who survived in business for over 5 years in Lagos, Nigeria. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and …


Transformational Leadership Behavior And Job Satisfaction Among Virginia Small Businesses, Abdulrahman Al-Ahmadi Jan 2021

Transformational Leadership Behavior And Job Satisfaction Among Virginia Small Businesses, Abdulrahman Al-Ahmadi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that the leadership of a business can significantly impact employee performance, with dissatisfied employees performing at a lower level, potentially causing disruption and costs to the business. Several studies have documented the importance of small businesses to the economy in the United States, with small businesses constituting over half of all jobs. This correlational quantitative research study aimed to explore the relationship between the transformational leadership style of the managers of Virginia small businesses and job satisfaction and job performance. The theoretical frameworks used were self-determination theory and transformational leadership. This research examined how transformational leadership wkas …


Strategies For Successful Implementation Of Flexible Workplace Policies In The Middle East, Vida Moradinasab Jan 2021

Strategies For Successful Implementation Of Flexible Workplace Policies In The Middle East, Vida Moradinasab

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Flexible work schedules and remote workplace policies can increase employees’ job satisfaction, health, and productivity; however, approximately 70% of the organizational leaders fail to implement their innovative strategies successfully. Grounded in the factor-oriented conceptual framework proposed by Pryor, Anderson, Toombs and Humphrey, the purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies 7 knowledge workers of financial and accounting services in the Middle East use to implement flexible work policies in their organizations successfully. Semi-structured interviews were conducted through phone and video conferencing, and documents were reviewed to verify data. Thematic analysis and data triangulation between interviews and documents …


Impact Of Electricity On Industrial Output In Nigeria: A Systems Perspective, Chidi Vincent Ike Jan 2021

Impact Of Electricity On Industrial Output In Nigeria: A Systems Perspective, Chidi Vincent Ike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of access to electricity, both in quantity and quality, has been a recurring problem in Nigeria. Scholars have investigated the relationship between electricity consumption and economic development with diverse outcomes, but they have not considered the subsystems that constitute the electricity delivery system. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between monthly industrial output in Nigeria and available monthly power generation capacity, available monthly power transmission capacity, and monthly power distribution capability. Systems theory was the theoretical framework for this study. Data were collected on the monthly industrial output and operational data on electric …


Duration, Control, And Success Factors Of Nigerian Public Infrastructure Projects, Gloria Chinwe Ezeoke Jan 2021

Duration, Control, And Success Factors Of Nigerian Public Infrastructure Projects, Gloria Chinwe Ezeoke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Nigeria, many infrastructural projects are abandoned before completion, representing a failure on the part of the federal, state, and local governments. There is currently an incomplete understanding of the interwoven causes of Nigerian public project failures. The purpose of this quantitative correlation research was to evaluate the relationships between project duration, control, and success. Project and control theories were the theoretical underpinnings of the study. The two predictor variables were project duration and project control, with the criterion variable being project success. A survey was administered to 74 project management professionals, construction workers, and other stakeholders in the Nigerian …


Complexity Thinking And Broadband Internet Penetration In Lagos, Nigeria, James Hyacinth Akpoja Jan 2021

Complexity Thinking And Broadband Internet Penetration In Lagos, Nigeria, James Hyacinth Akpoja

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Considering the speed at which information and knowledge can transverse nations and organizations, the importance of broadband Internet connectivity cannot be overstated. The general problem is that the Nigerian broadband Internet penetration is considerably low, at 33% compared to other parts of the world. The specific problem is that community members and leaders have the behavioral intention to allow broadband Internet infrastructure deployment (BIID) at the local community level in Lagos. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between perceived usefulness (PU), perceived benefits (PB), perceived ease of use (PEoU), and perceive security (PS), and …


Corporate Social Responsibility In The United States And Nigeria, Olatokunbo Ahmed Wilfred Tijani Jan 2021

Corporate Social Responsibility In The United States And Nigeria, Olatokunbo Ahmed Wilfred Tijani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A recent spate of violations uncovered by international regulators has suggested an emerging social problem that the current corporate social responsibility (CSR) credibility paradigm could be decoupling between theory and practice. This development has left most stakeholders deliberating if CSR in practice is aligned with CSR in theory. This correlational research study empirically tested the CSR theory, positing improved corporate social performance (CSP) and corporate financial performance (CFP); and stakeholder theory, positing quid pro quo correlation between multinational corporations (MNCs) and their stakeholders. The purpose of this study was to identify if there is a positive association between the corporate …


Legal Marijuana Disperser Owners' Lived Experiences About Accessing Banking Services, Jonathan Travis James Jan 2021

Legal Marijuana Disperser Owners' Lived Experiences About Accessing Banking Services, Jonathan Travis James

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Marijuana reform has created a question of the potential market size of the legal marijuana industry on a local, state, or national level. The problem is that having no banking services has forced legal marijuana dispensaries to be cash-only businesses and created an increased risk of theft. The lack of normal banking services has also affected the ability to manage money earned from operations. This hermeneutic phenomenological study was grounded by the conceptual framework of the motivations of humans and humans' need to feel safe. The participants of this study were owners and operators in the legal marijuana industry of …


Employees’ Perceptions Of Talent Development During A Digital Transformation, Lakesha Lake Edwards Jan 2021

Employees’ Perceptions Of Talent Development During A Digital Transformation, Lakesha Lake Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As organizations transition to new digital technologies, talent development approaches are needed to help employees develop their digital skills. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the experiences of employees in a talent development program to understand talent development practices of building the digital skills of communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking of employees during the implementation of new digital technologies in the organization. The resource-based view was the conceptual framework. Data were collected from ten participants from three organizations, using interviews and questionnaires. The thematic data analysis resulted in three findings: (a) the digital skill of …


Retrospective And Forecasting Analysis Of Increased Long Term Care Demand In Niagara, Breanne Alissa Hines Jan 2021

Retrospective And Forecasting Analysis Of Increased Long Term Care Demand In Niagara, Breanne Alissa Hines

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A problem exists within the Canadian healthcare system as many patients experience longer lengths of stay (LOS) in acute care (AC) and complex care (CC) beds within hospitals because of a lack of long term care (LTC) facilities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extra days patients wait for placement and assess the benefits of increasing the number of LTC beds. The theoretical framework used was the four-level model of the health care system. Research questions involved 2017-2019 data for the number of LTC beds required to eliminate waits and evaluate beds needed in the future. This …


The Lived Experiences Of Employees Identifying As Belonging Outside Of Workplace Cliques, Patricia O'Neil Foster Jan 2021

The Lived Experiences Of Employees Identifying As Belonging Outside Of Workplace Cliques, Patricia O'Neil Foster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cliques are a naturally occurring phenomenon and have been demonstrated to have adverse outcomes. Workplace cliques can lead to negative behaviors that affect organizational effectiveness. Although the effects of cliques have been studied extensively, a deeper understanding is needed by managers of the experiences of employees identifying as belonging outside of workplace cliques. The research question of this transcendental phenomenological study focused on the lived experiences of employees identifying as belonging outside of workplace cliques formed within their organization’s culture. Using convenience sampling, 15 people who identified as having worked in a situation where there was a clique agreed to …


Successful Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative Incorporation Strategies For Small Business Leaders, Kathleen Moco Jan 2021

Successful Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative Incorporation Strategies For Small Business Leaders, Kathleen Moco

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small business leaders lack strategies to incorporate corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives into their organizations to manage financial risk. Small business leaders who do not successfully use CSR to balance stakeholder interests may face additional or avoidable financial hardships. Grounded in stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore successful strategies small business leaders use to incorporate CSR initiatives into their organizations to manage financial risk. The participants were four business leaders from a small business in the mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions of the United States. Data were gathered from organizational documents, archival records, …


Maritime Cybersecurity Strategies For Information Technology Specialists, Angela Mizelle Griffin Jan 2021

Maritime Cybersecurity Strategies For Information Technology Specialists, Angela Mizelle Griffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Dependence on digital technology increases cyber-related risks for maritime industries. As a result, the U.S. Coast Guard network is challenged with maritime cybersecurity, both economically and for national security. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies information technology (IT) specialists use to implement standard practices for ensuring cyber security. The participants included six IT specialists who have successfully implemented standard practices for maritime organizations in Virginia and West Virginia. Data were collected from individual semistructured interviews and a review of 12 external organizational documents available to the public from IT …


African American Entrepreneurial Business- Sustaining Strategies, Charles C. Johnson, Iii Jan 2021

African American Entrepreneurial Business- Sustaining Strategies, Charles C. Johnson, Iii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than 80% of small consulting businesses fail within the first five years of operation. Small consulting company owners are concerned with failing within the first five years because community economic development can be adversely impacted. Grounded in the resource-based view theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies African American consulting company owners use for longevity beyond five years. The participants comprised African American owners of three consulting businesses located in the northeast region of the United States, who successfully sustained their business beyond five years. Data collection included semistructured interviews with consulting company …


Funding Strategies For Nonprofit Animal Shelter Leaders, Destiny Reeder Jan 2021

Funding Strategies For Nonprofit Animal Shelter Leaders, Destiny Reeder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit animal shelters provide vital services to the community and improve the overall well-being of animals. Many animal shelters, however, face the challenge of insufficient funding. Some nonprofit animal shelter leaders are burdened with financial uncertainty because of a lack of funding strategies for operational stability and survival. Grounded in the resource dependency theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that nonprofit animal shelter leaders use to obtain funding. The participants comprised three nonprofit animal shelter leaders in Maryland. Data were collected from semistructured telephone interviews and public financial reports. Data analysis was conducted …


Continuous Improvement Strategies For Nonprofit Organizations, Juan Alberto Delduarte Jan 2021

Continuous Improvement Strategies For Nonprofit Organizations, Juan Alberto Delduarte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many leaders of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) face challenges implementing a strategic plan to improve organizational performance and enhance the sustainability of their businesses. Grounded in Deming’s total quality management theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the use of quality management standards in strategic planning to improve organizational performance. The participants were three senior leaders from an NPO in the midwestern region of the United States. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, internal organizational documents, and public sources. The 5-step thematic analysis revealed the use of quality management standards in strategic planning, employee empowerment, and …


Implementation Of Motivational Strategies In The Manufacturing Industry, Lucretia Antoinette Starnes Jan 2021

Implementation Of Motivational Strategies In The Manufacturing Industry, Lucretia Antoinette Starnes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some leaders in the manufacturing industry face challenges in engaging employees to increase productivity. Manufacturing leaders who effectively engage employees can build meaningful communication and achieve organizational goals that can motivate employees to increase productivity. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore motivational strategies manufacturing industry leaders use to engage employees to increase productivity. Participants included five managers at one manufacturing company located in northern Kentucky. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and company documents. Data were analyzed using Yin’s five-phase cycle. Three themes emerged: building a culture of meaningful communication, …


The Effect Of Gender-Diversity Training On Perceived Organizational Justice, Lauran Star Raduazo Jan 2021

The Effect Of Gender-Diversity Training On Perceived Organizational Justice, Lauran Star Raduazo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine gender-diversity training content and design and their effect on employees perceived organizational justice. A total of 205 employees specializing in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and finance (STEM&F) participated in this study. A quantitative quasi-experimental study design occurred with a baseline, posttraining, and 2-month final follow-up. A mixed ANOVA was run to test for mean differences for Colquitt’s Organizational Justice Scale (COJS) overall and subscale scores. Baseline, posttraining, and final scores were compared by intervention and control group. There was a statistically significant interaction within intervention between time and groups (F(2,406) = …


Are Investment Banks Helpful Or Hurtful? An Analysis Of Intraday Volatility In The Direct Listing Process As Compared To Investment Bank-Involvement In Traditional Ipos, Alexis Paff Jan 2021

Are Investment Banks Helpful Or Hurtful? An Analysis Of Intraday Volatility In The Direct Listing Process As Compared To Investment Bank-Involvement In Traditional Ipos, Alexis Paff

Scripps Senior Theses

In this paper, I carry out an empirical analysis of the pricing volatility of direct listings as compared to traditional IPOs. Direct listings solve an efficiency problem in the US going-public market, in which well-funded, late-stage firms lack incentives to pursue a public listing, which would create liquidity for preexisting shareholders and allow for a more diverse body of public shareholders. Direct listings have been allowed on the New York Stock Exchange since early 2018, and four firms, Spotify, Slack, Asana, and Palantir, have gone public through this new listing mechanism. While underwriters are heavily involved in the IPO process, …


Goodyear: Pivot, Expand, Or Downsize, Anastasia Vonortas, Arianna Francisco, Alicen Fimple, Jasem Jwayyed Jan 2021

Goodyear: Pivot, Expand, Or Downsize, Anastasia Vonortas, Arianna Francisco, Alicen Fimple, Jasem Jwayyed

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In light of everything going on in the world today, Goodyear has started to question the next steps of their company. One of their biggest concerns is that since people are not driving as much, they will not be putting as much wear on their tires, meaning the tires they currently have on their vehicles will last longer and will not have the need to purchase new tires as frequently. Goodyear has asked us to look into what their company should do with all of the factors affecting their company. Should they pivot their focus to a different industry to …


Honors Research Project Goodyear Business Suggestion, Drew Hodgson, Seth Gwirtz, Isabel Hartzler, Heather Kriston, Savannah Novak Jan 2021

Honors Research Project Goodyear Business Suggestion, Drew Hodgson, Seth Gwirtz, Isabel Hartzler, Heather Kriston, Savannah Novak

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Our project takes on the task of evaluating the current market of the tire industry in todays pandemic. We are taking our findings to the local company Goodyear, and supplying suggestions to their firm in order to help their bottom line going forward. At the end of this, we will propose to Goodyear a solution within their firm on whether to pivot, expand, or downsize their current operations.


Feasibility Of Podcasts And City By City Analysis For Upside.Fm, Nicholas Mcfadden, Adam Sacks, Logan Dusseau, Angela Rizzo, Sarah Wieser Jan 2021

Feasibility Of Podcasts And City By City Analysis For Upside.Fm, Nicholas Mcfadden, Adam Sacks, Logan Dusseau, Angela Rizzo, Sarah Wieser

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The objective of the project is to conduct a feasibility study for Upside, with regard to their underlying business model. We then hope to make recommendations for other cities and complementary products that can fit under the Upside umbrella.


An Analysis Of How The Goodyear Rubber And Tire Company Should Navigate The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nicholas Zubek, Alexander Morgan, Alyson Pekkola, Kayla Jancewicz, Thomas Rovnak Iii Jan 2021

An Analysis Of How The Goodyear Rubber And Tire Company Should Navigate The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nicholas Zubek, Alexander Morgan, Alyson Pekkola, Kayla Jancewicz, Thomas Rovnak Iii

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world in an unprecedented way with many countries being forced to shut down all non-essential businesses. A majority of people were laid-off or forced to work from home while the state mandated quarantine regulations. Due to fewer people and employees commuting on the roads, tire usage has decreased drastically. Companies, like The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, depend on high transportation and automobile usage and thus have been heavily impacted. In the nine months since 2020 began, Goodyear has reported sales of $2.367 billion dollars lower than their sales in 2019, which mostly came …


Analysis Of The Podcast Industry And Business Growth Of Upside.Fm, Alyson Stoll, Katelyn Stanoch, John Skakun, Samantha Heim, Maanasa Humchad Jan 2021

Analysis Of The Podcast Industry And Business Growth Of Upside.Fm, Alyson Stoll, Katelyn Stanoch, John Skakun, Samantha Heim, Maanasa Humchad

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper explores the podcast industry with a focus on business related podcasts about entrepreneurship and startup businesses. The paper works to analyze the podcast industry and midwestern startup cities in order to assist podcast company, Upside.fm, in expanding their business model. The two main ideas researched throughout the paper are consumer behaviors in the podcast industry and the entrepreneurial ecosystems of multiple midwestern cities in the U.S including, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Kansas City, Missouri, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Indianapolis, Indiana. For the consumer behavior aspect of the research, a survey was conducted and analyzed to discover what podcast listeners enjoy and …


Three Essays Exploring Diversification Strategies In Family Firms: Evidence From The S&P 1500 On Acquisitions And Exits., Chelsea Sherlock Jan 2021

Three Essays Exploring Diversification Strategies In Family Firms: Evidence From The S&P 1500 On Acquisitions And Exits., Chelsea Sherlock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Family firms are not only the most prevalent form of business organization in the world, accounting for roughly 75% of all organizations (La Porta, Lopez-de-Silanes, & Shleifer, 1999; Miller, Steier, & Le Breton-Miller, 2003), they also represent “heterogeneous and complex enterprises” that offer a “challenging array of issues to study” (Sharma, Chrisman, & Gersick, 2012, p. 5). Accordingly, this series of essays explores diversification strategies in family firms by investigating the family specific factors which may influence strategic decision-making. I begin with a review of the diversification literature over the last 20 years. Next, using data from S&P 1500 firms, …


Do Bears Prefer The Weak And The Downtrodden? The Effects Of The 52-Week Low And Financial Strength On Short-Seller Behavior, Christopher Alan Miller Jan 2021

Do Bears Prefer The Weak And The Downtrodden? The Effects Of The 52-Week Low And Financial Strength On Short-Seller Behavior, Christopher Alan Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the effects of a company’s financial strength on short-seller behavior around a non-information-producing event. The distance of a stock price to its 52-week high or low does not provide fundamental information, but the price extremes serve as salient price points upon which investors anchor their expectations of future stock performance. Using a large sample of daily short sales data, I investigated the effects of both the proximity to the 52-week low and the financial strength of the underlying company on short-seller behavior. I found that short-selling volume increases as the price nears its 52-week low and that …


Analysis Of Modern Barn Design, Gunther Soehnlen Jan 2021

Analysis Of Modern Barn Design, Gunther Soehnlen

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The agriculture industry is always changing. Barn structures are one of the most important aspects of the agriculture industry. As the agriculture industry changes, so does the design and construction of barns. There are many types of barns, but over the last 300 years four of the most prevalent types have been the Bank Barn, Open Span Truss Barn, Hoop Barn, and Transverse Frame Barn. The Bank Barn and Transverse Frame Barn have been popularly built for over 200 years. The Hoop Barn and the Open Span Truss Barn have been recently introduced to the industry, becoming popular within the …


Less Commute Miles. Decreased Tire Wear. What Would You Do?, Dylan Schwarz, Brendon M. Ford, Brandon D. Hadinger, Abbie N. Pearce, Jacinta M. Pikunas Jan 2021

Less Commute Miles. Decreased Tire Wear. What Would You Do?, Dylan Schwarz, Brendon M. Ford, Brandon D. Hadinger, Abbie N. Pearce, Jacinta M. Pikunas

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

With the flagrant recognition of the coronavirus as one of those most impactful viruses in the history of the world, it is important to study how the effects of such a disease can create troublesome ripple effects in the world. Covid-19 has caused the death of hundreds of thousands of individuals and has negatively impacted the lives of American’s all across the country during the nationwide lockdown. Decreased work commuters, minimal road travel, and little need for car repairs hit the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company hard. The University of Akron has teamed up with Goodyear to explore such effects …