Business Commons^™

Revealing The Human Resource Development Discourse: A Mixed Methods Study Of Similarities And Differences In Academic And Practitioner Language, Or Labels-In-Use, Holly D. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Woven within the pages of HRD’s historical literature, a variety of scholarly voices can be found drawing attention to the increasing inconsistency in the language of the field. Within the literature, we also find evidence of a long-standing discord and debate regarding the field’s definition and identified boundaries. This is the first study that attempts to elevate the conversation of HRD’s definition to that of an exploration of what is shared, and what makes the discipline’s members unique. Utilizing Li’s (2009) lens of disciplinary identity and elements of Gee’s (1999) theory of Discourse, this study presents a concept of what …

Always Already Imprisoned: The Panoptic Power Of Capitalism In American Literature, 1900-1940, Andrew Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

ALWAYS ALREADY IMPRISONED: THE PANOPTIC POWER OF CAPITALISM IN AMERICAN LITERATURE, 1900-1940

By Andrew Blair Spencer, Ph.D.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2019

Director: Dr. Richard Fine, Professor, Department of English

By applying the theories of control that Michel Foucault outlines in Discipline and Punish to the capitalist system, I argue that capitalism functions in much the same was as Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon in that it perpetually imprisons individuals who live under its purview. As I see it, capitalism works on …

Exploring The Impact Of Diversity Training On The Development And Application Of Cultural Competence Skills In Higher Education Professionals, Kendra Cabler

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years the terms diversity and inclusion have become major buzzwords across industries and fields of study. Within the field of education broadly, and higher education in particular, a shifting student demographic can be seen across the country. Issues of equity and inclusion have become central complexities for present day educational strategists, and organizations committed to cultivating a culture of inclusion must do so with intentionality. In the context of higher education, this often requires the intentional development of professionals within a particular college or university. There has been a great deal of research concerning the development of cultural …

Work-Life Factors That Impact Job Burnout And Turnover Intention Among Athletic Academic Support Professionals, Jennifer Gellock

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to investigate factors in the work environment that impact job burnout among academic support professionals who work with college student-athletes. Specifically, the factors of job control match, fairness march, rewards match, and workload match were explored. Additionally, the extent to which emotional exhaustion and depersonalization had an effect on turnover intention was explored. Job burnout has been found to have negative impacts on professionals in human services professions. The sample consisted of academic advisors and learning specialists affiliated with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I programs. Results suggest academic support professionals experience …

Finpathlight: Framework For An Ontology-Based, Multiagent, Hybrid Recommender System Designed To Increase Consumer Financial Capability, Lawrence Bunnell

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a design science research (DSR) project in which a description of the development and evaluation process for several novel technological artifacts will be communicated. Specifically, this study will establish: 1) an ontology of recommender systems issues, 2) an ontology of financial capability goals, and 3) a framework for a Personal Financial Recommender System (PFRS) application designed to improve user financial capability, called FinPathlight. The impetus for the RecSys Issues Ontology is to address a gap in the literature by providing researchers with a comprehensive knowledge classification of the issues and limitations inherent to recommender systems research. …

Forecast Combination With Multiple Models And Expert Correlations, David P. Soule

Theses and Dissertations

Combining multiple forecasts in order to generate a single, more accurate one is a well-known approach. A simple average of forecasts has been found to be robust despite theoretically better approaches, increasing availability in the number of expert forecasts, and improved computational capabilities. The dominance of a simple average is related to the small sample sizes and to the estimation errors associated with more complex methods. We study the role that expert correlation, multiple experts, and their relative forecasting accuracy have on the weight estimation error distribution. The distributions we find are used to identify the conditions when a decision …

Leadership Influence And Organizational Culture Influence In Private Schools: A Comparative Multiple Case Study On The Relationship Between Organizational Culture And Strategic Leadership, Julia E. Tucker-Lloyd

Theses and Dissertations

The top leader of an organization influences the organizational culture, and the organizational culture influences the leader. Strategic thinking on the part of the leader is a result of organizational culture and/or will impact organizational culture. This qualitative study is a comparative multiple-case study that examines the relationship between leaders and organizational culture and what the leader’s strategic decision-making and organizational changes indicate about the relationship between leadership and organizational culture. The organizational context of private schools is used to better understand the dynamics between leadership and organizational culture.

This study uses an interview protocol with CEOs of private schools, …

Exploring Factors Related To Customer Service Representatives’ (Csrs) Performance In Call Centers., Ruth R. Jayson-Polk

Theses and Dissertations

This study provides critical research on individual change and its impact on individual performance using the ADKAR change management model. This applied dissertation was designed to research improvement in call monitoring performance scores between two groups of customer service representatives’ (CSRs): the experimental group receiving the ADKAR change management intervention, and the control group, who did not receive the ADKAR change management intervention. The ADKAR change management model (Hiatt, 2006) provided the theoretical framework for the study.

The literature review revealed that change management is a critical component of organizational change but is driven by individual change. The literature informs …

A Qualitative Study Exploring Motivation And Engagement Among Millennial Volunteers In Nonprofit Organizations, Joanne Quinones

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation focused on capturing the lived experiences of Millennials and explore their motivation and engagement for volunteering in a nonprofit organization. This study illustrates the importance of civic and social engagement in our society. The Millennials have been labeled as “Genme or the me generation” (Twenge, Campbell, Hoffman, & Lance, 2010, p. 1117; Twenge, 2006, p. 1), as they have been criticized for focusing on their own self-interest. While millennials have been considered as being technologically savvy, since they grew up with the internet. The millennials, have a social interest in offering support to a cause versus an …

Spillover Effects And Freedom: An Experimental Investigation Of The Indirect Effects Of Managerial Autonomy And Firms’ Rationale For The Implementation Of Internal Controls Across The Organizational Hierarchy, Erin M. Masters

Theses and Dissertations

The creation of excessive budgetary slack can be costly, causing organizations to implement internal controls to motivate employees to report more honestly. Internal control research explores many control-related motivations; however, the behavioral effects of autonomy in expanded organizational hierarchies are not well understood in budgeting contexts. This paper examines managerial autonomy and firms’ rationales for the implementation of internal controls in a setting that extends the common participatory dyad utilized in prior literature to an organizational hierarchy that includes owners, mid-level managers, and employees. This setting is explored through the lens of self-determination theory and psychological reactance theory, which offer …

A Review Of Government Financial Reporting Research Post-Gasb 34 And Investigations Of Gasb 54 Fund Balances, Brent L. Roberts

Theses and Dissertations

My dissertation consists of three studies. My first study builds a literature review of state and local general-purpose government financial reporting research (including bond and financial condition research) after Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement No. 34’s issuance in 1999. The research referenced shows that reporting information after GASB 34 has, and will, continue to shape governmental financial reporting studies.

My second study examines both the rearrangement of governmental fund balance amounts after GASB Statement No. 54 and the factors associated with updated fund balance categories. My pooled ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions show that pre-standard “unreserved” fund balances had …

A Survey Of Investing And Retirement Knowledge And Preferences Of Florida Preservice Teachers, Richard Thripp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

New teachers are facing lower pay and less generous retirement benefits than the prior generation, yet their financial and retirement knowledge, concerns, and preferences have received little attention. To investigate these areas, the author developed a 39-item survey instrument and administered it to 314 preservice teachers in undergraduate teacher education courses at the University of Central Florida, who were primarily female elementary and early childhood education juniors and seniors ages 18–25. Florida public employees are offered an unusual choice between a traditional pension plan and a defined-contribution plan similar to a 401(k) in which they can select their own investments, …

Motivational Factors And Barriers Affecting Seniors' Decision To Relocate To A Senior Living Facility, Suja Chaulagain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to explore factors affecting seniors' intention to relocate to a senior living facility. More specifically, the purpose of this study was to examine the influence of push and pull motivational factors and perceived barriers on seniors' intention to relocate to a senior living facility (SLF). In addition, the mediating role of perceived barriers on the relationships between push motivational factors and intention to relocate and pull motivational factors and intention to relocate were explored. The data of the study was collected from 363 seniors. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted to test the study hypotheses. The …

A Comparison Of Self-Service Technologies (Ssts) In The U.S. Restaurant Industry: An Evaluation Of Consumer Perceived Value, Satisfaction, And Behavioral Intentions, Motaz Zaitouni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Innovation in technology has been growing rapidly in recent years. Many restaurants have been utilizing different types of self-service technologies (SSTs) to enhance their operations and customer satisfaction. Despite, the rapid spread of SSTs in the restaurant industry, very limited empirical research has been conducted to evaluate the influence of SSTs type on customer dining experience. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to examine the SSTs values that influence restaurant customers' satisfaction and their decision to continue to reuse SSTs. More specifically, this study utilized the Theory of Consumption Values (TCV) to examine consumers' perception of the SST values …

Market Value Analysis Of Takashi Murakami's Artwork Under Howard Becker's Theory, Liu Yi-Ding

MA Theses

This paper is an analysis about the artist Takashi Murakami. As a representative of the corporate artist, he is favored by the Art business world while being criticized by many people. This paper adopts American sociologist Howard Becker's art world theory as a research tool to observe that the construction of Murakami and his art market is not the growth of genius, but the result of collective cooperation. Based on two decades of data on the art trade, Murakami has made his unique brand of ultra-flat theory and otaku work. These labels, along with internalization and external marketing, eventually gave …

Impact Of Agreeableness On Virtual Team Performance Through Team Identification And Shared Mental Models, Alexandria Brown

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Virtual teams help organizations efficiently utilize their employees for a task without the requirement of co-location. The literature on team performance suggests that teamwork is integral to a team’s success; however, in virtual teams this is often a challenge. Certain personality characteristics on virtual teams may be particularly important to the development of effective teamwork. An under-investigated factor is the role agreeableness in virtual team processes and how it affects the overall team performance. The main research question of this study is how the degree of agreeableness on a virtual team affects the overall team performance through predicted associations with …

How Fitting In To The Social Context Influences Work-Life Balance Effectiveness And Work Performance, Amanda Lynn Conlin

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the notion that what may matter most in achieving an authentic feeling of work-life balance is fit within the immediate social context among work teams. Both work-life balance effectiveness and work performance depend on managing and meeting others’ expectations. Thus, the extent to which an individual shares work-life balance values and preferences with others on their team (i.e., a form of person-team fit influences the amount of resources expended or gained from navigating and negotiating others’ expectations. In a field study, 106 full time employees at a commercial real estate company were surveyed measuring the extent to …

A Multimethod Investigation Of Emotional Labor And Sleep Quality: Can Perceptions Of Sleep Quality Influence Health And Emotion Regulation?, Arielle P. Rogers

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Sleep and emotional labor (i.e., emotion regulation at work) are integral to health and job performance. Poor sleep quality has been linked to decreased emotional labor; however, no study has examined the reason for this relationship. This study draws from models of self-regulation to suggest that perceptions of good sleep quality can increase employees’ motivation to exert emotional labor in the absence of display rules (i.e., “display autonomy”), resulting in better emotion performance (i.e., coded affective displays) and health (i.e., decreased emotional exhaustion). College students (N = 205) were randomly assigned to a “display rules” or “display autonomy” condition and …

Forecasting Recessions In The U.S.A., Tran B. Ngoc

Masters Theses

Many economists have raised concerns about the next recession in the U.S., especially after the Great Recession in 2008. Many believe that the next recession will strike either this year (2019) or the next year (2020). This paper first analyzes different macroeconomic indicators such as Buffet Indicators, interest rate, unemployment rate, etc. In terms of modelling the data, a Probit model is applied to determine what variables can affect the probability of a recession. Then, going beyond whether or not a recession is likely at any time in future, a relevant question will be how long a time might elapse …

Farm To Label: A Critique Of Consumer Activism In The Sustainable Food Movement, Olivia Whitener

Pomona Senior Theses

“Local,” “organic,” “natural,” and “Fairtrade” are just several of the many claims adorning the food products that line grocery store shelves. These promises of environmental sustainability and social responsibility are pillars of the “good food revolution” sweeping the nation as consumers demand alternatives to the products of the industrial food system. Green consumerism, the premise that consumer demand for environmentally sustainable goods will bring about ecologically beneficial outcomes, is at the heart of the sustainable food movement. This thesis takes a critical look at the operation of green consumerism in the food system. It explores the ideology and shortcomings of …

System Justification Theory: Synthesizing And Applying Its Theoretical Motivations In Behavioral Accounting Research, Wioleta Olczak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of two studies on System Justification Theory, hereafter SJT. SJT (Jost and Banaji 1994) is a psychology theory stating that individuals justify the status quo even if doing so is against their own or their group's interest (Jost et al. 2004). Comprised of twenty propositions, SJT attempts to explain social and psychological factors driving individuals to perceive the social system as legitimate. These factors also drive individuals to support and maintain the social system. The synthesis and application of this psychological theory in behavioral accounting research is limited, but could provide explanatory evidence on individual decision-making in …

Two Studies Analyzing The Effects Of Business Case And Paradoxical Cognitive Framing On Sustainability Decision Making, Nadra Pencle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

These two companion studies theoretically and empirically examine managers' use of different cognitive frames in decision-making related to corporate sustainability. Study I is a theoretical undertaking aimed at highlighting potential zones of investigation arising from the introduction of paradox theory into managerial accounting. First, I examine extant literature on paradoxes to garner an understanding of its evolution and application in the management and psychology domains. Second, I use current constructs and typologies to identify multiple sustainability and managerial accounting tensions as paradoxical. Third, I make recommendations on how to apply paradox theory more effectively to the corporate sustainability tensions I …

Three Studies On Cybersecurity Disclosure And Assurance, Patricia Navarro Velez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation comprises three experimental studies that explore how management's financial disclosure behavior and security strategies influence the costs associated with cybersecurity breaches. The first study examines the cost of litigation in connection with cybersecurity incidents. The purpose of this study is to determine how the characteristics and content of cybersecurity incidents' disclosure affects jurors' liability assessments. Specifically, this study explores how jurors react to management timeliness in disclosing the incident and the plausibility of the explanations provided to justify the disclosure strategy. The second and third studies explore the value relevance of cybersecurity risk management (CRM) assurance. In particular, …

Developing A Commercial Product Using A Consumer Grade 3d Printer, Calvin Smith

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The development of affordable, quality, consumer grade 3D printers has allowed entrepreneurs to develop new products and start small businesses. As the print quality of consumer grade printers has improved entrepreneurs have been able to develop consumer quality products without the traditional expense of mass manufacturing. This change from mass manufacturing to small scale and custom production has allowed for the growth of small businesses. Websites such as www.etsy.com show hundreds of small businesses based on 3D printing, these businesses showcase thousands of products ranging from useful household items to cosplay. This thesis covers the process of a small business …

Strategies Hospital Administrators Utilize To Optimize Patient Services, Vicente Njoku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospital administrators face challenges that arise from environmental factors or psychosocial factors, and lack resources to deliver valuable medical services to stakeholders, including patients and employees. A multicase study served to explore experiences and gain a broader perspective of hospital administrators' use of strategies to optimize patient services. Ten hospital administrators from acute care hospitals in Nevada and California were purposefully selected from the population of hospital managers with a minimum of 2 years of documented experience in successfully implementing management strategies to improve patient services. The conceptual framework was Drucker's management theory. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with …

An Analysis Of Key Financial Accounting Topics, Farris Abu-Saoud

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to analyze twelve key financial reporting issues and principles using case studies. These issues and principals include revenue recognition, deferred income taxes, common stock, long-term debt, U.S. GAAP, statement of cash flows, profitability, and investment decisions. Working through these case studies and analyzing these key financial reporting topics has provided a greater understanding of financial accounting and U.S. GAAP; an understanding that goes well beyond what was learned through lectures and exams.

Accounting Research Thesis, Henry Creel

Honors Theses

During the junior year of my academic career in the Patterson School of Accountancy, I participated in an accountancy thesis class. In this class we independently analyzed and assessed the financial statements and information presented by each case. The practical application of my accounting knowledge on the professionally formatted financial information presented by each case has strengthened my understanding in accounting in ways that no other class has. Through this course, I have grown in both professional and academic aspects, and my findings will be relevant for the rest of my career.

The Economic Effects Of National Marijuana Legalization, Alexander Lee Robison

Honors Theses

In today’s political and social climate, the legalization of marijuana has been a major topic of discussion across the nation. As more states pass legislation to legalize marijuana, whether it be for medicinal or recreational purposes, a market is being created that has economically beneficial possibilities that can be harnessed on a national level. This thesis seeks to highlight the economic effect marijuana legalization could possibly have on the national economy by examining the states that have legalized marijuana. States who have already passed such legislation provide a framework for state-level economic impact of marijuana legalization that can be projected …

A Series Of Case Studies: An Analysis Of Key Accounting Issues, Jordan Haley Enlow

Honors Theses

This thesis was written on a series of case studies completed while taking ACCY 420 under the direction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson. This class, taken in the fall and spring of 2017-2018, was taken in conjunction with Intermediate Financial Accounting. Taking ACCY 420 along with Intermediate Financial Accounting added an application aspect to learning financial concepts. ACCY 420 did this by covering various areas of financial reporting in great detail through delving into numerous companies, both U. S. based and international, and analyzing their financials.

Financial Accounting Fundamentals: A Series Of Case Studies, Sidney Barrett Albritton

Honors Theses

Financial accounting is an area of study that encompasses a variety of topics and concepts. Understanding these concepts, both in theory and in practice, allow professionals and future professionals to have a firm foundation in the work they are expected to do. In order to develop this firm foundation of financial accounting, a series of case studies was completed. These cases covered concepts such as revenue recognition, shareholders’ equity, debt financing, and the like. Each case consisted of qualitative/quantitative information from a real company and a series of questions that allowed the student to explore the concepts and the intricacies …