Business Commons^™

Board Attributes, Firm Performance, And The Moderating Role Of National Culture: A Meta-Analysis, Matthew Farrell, Chris H. Willis, Nathapon Siangchokyoo, Ryan L. Klinger, Jamil Kreugel, Hami Usta, Timiry R. Tian, Ying Thaviphoke, Samuel Wilson

Business

The impact of board structures on firm performance remains a contentious governance topic with competing theoretical paradigms and inconclusive empirical support. Scholars propose that national culture could reconcile contradictory evidence; yet, argumentation is fragmented and direct tests are rare. We meta-analyzed 513 samples across 54 countries to examine relationships between board structures (i.e., board size, board independence, and CEO duality) and firm performance. We model national culture, using Hofstede's six cultural dimensions, as moderators to test whether these relationships align with agency or stewardship theory across different cultural settings.

The Poorer The Author, The Better Their Art: How For-Profit Fanfiction Can Be Fair Use., Jordan Stevenson

American University Law Review

Fanfiction is an increasingly prominent part of culture and significant form of art. Yet its authors, some of whom write hundreds of thousands of words and whose works amass millions of views, rarely profit from their creations, which are typically published online for free. This Comment argues that existing fair use doctrine provides an avenue for fanfiction authors to monetize their work without legal risk. Drawing on recent Supreme Court decisions, I identify five themes of transformative use that are applicable to any fair use defense. I then introduce a taxonomy categorizing fanfiction's narrative, formative, and substantive elements. I integrate …

The Impact Of Using Artificial Intelligence (Ai) On Employer Branding, Doaa Ayoub, Sherine Fathy El-Fekey, Malak Walid

Business Administration

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing Human Resource Management, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and strategic capabilities as companies want to stay competitive in the global market. In recent years, AI has transformed numerous facets of business operations, especially in the development of employers’ branding strategies. Additionally, one-third (36%) of HR professionals anticipate a high use of AI in the next two years, while 61% expect at least moderate use within a year. AI enhances employers’ branding - fostering a work culture that attracts and retains top talent in the global market. Furthermore, the contribution of AI in improving employers’ branding strategies has …

The Impact Of Key Audit Matters On Earnings Quality: The Moderating Role Of Ownership Structure In Egyptian Listed Companies., Dina Hassouna, Rasha Elhaddad, Rasha Elbolok

Business Administration

This study investigates the influence of key audit matters (KAMs) on earnings quality, measured by earnings per share (EPS), in Egyptian listed companies, with a particular focus on the moderating role of ownership structure. To address potential endogeneity concerns, the study employs the generalized method of moments (GMM) for panel data analysis. The findings indicate that KAM disclosures have a significant negative impact on EPS, suggesting that increased disclosure of critical audit matters is associated with a decline in earnings quality. However, this relationship is moderated by ownership structure, as concentrated ownership helps mitigate the adverse effects of KAMs on …

Imputation Methods Based On Cluster‑Wise Linear Regression: A Mathematical Programming, Ahmed M. Gad Prof, Mahmoud Mostafa Rashwan, Nouran M. Tawheed

Business Administration

In some applications, datasets may form several homogeneous clusters with respect to the relationship between the explanatory variables and the response variable. The presence of missing values in such datasets requires the use of two or more regression models subjected to a single objective function, which best summarizes the structure of the dataset, for imputing the missing values. This can be done using the cluster-wise linear regression model. The cluster-wise linear regression model is estimated through a mathematical programming approach based on the available data. Three imputation methods based on cluster-wise linear regression are used in this article. They are …

Book Of Abstracts Of The Wmu International Conference 2025 : Advancing The Blue Economy Through Gender Equality, World Maritime University, Momoko Kitada, Francis Neat, Renis Auma Ojwala

Conference Papers

The 2025 World Maritime Theme by the International Maritime Organization, “Our Ocean, Our Obligation and Our Responsibility,” underscores the global need for an inclusive and sustainable approach to ocean health and maritime economic activity. In alignment with this, the World Maritime University organized the 2025 International Conference on Achieving the Blue Economy Through Gender Equality, highlighting the critical role of gender equality in advancing a sustainable blue economy. A call for case studies yielded 102 abstracts from 206 authors across 46 countries, representing diverse maritime sectors such as shipping, fisheries, and ocean sciences. The abstracts were reviewed by both internal …

A Dissertation To Explore Entrepreneurial Decision-Making In High-Risk Uncertainty Using Ethical Leadership, Janice Patrick Honeycytt Hering

Dissertations

Entrepreneurs regularly face high-risk, uncertain situations. Until this study, no research had examined how entrepreneurs approach these situations. Although studies have identified the construct of courage and suggested ways for employees to take courageous action in the workplace, no study has examined how entrepreneurs approach situations perceived as high-risk and with uncertain outcomes until now. This study was based on ethical leadership, one of the major components of courage: acting for the higher good. This study conducted qualitative grounded theory research to determine what process entrepreneurs use when faced with the need for courageous actions. Participants were entrepreneurs in the …

Adaptation For Whom? Understanding The Impacts Of Dyke Policies On Small-Scale Farmers In Ca Mau Province Of Vietnam, Nguyen Minh Quang, Nguyen Van Minh, Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Low-lying deltas worldwide are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise. As the risks of climate-induced flooding become increasingly clear, the thirst for infrastructure-driven adaptation increases. This highlights a patent need to understand the impacts of engineering adaptation solutions, especially those targeting built structures such as dykes and sluices, on farmers from a bottom-up, farmer-centred perspective. The study addresses this call by examining cases where dyke policies, while successful in some dimensions, have undermined small-scale farmer livelihoods in Ca Mau ― Vietnam’s southernmost rural province. It identifies areas in need of attention and adds empirical data related to this group of farmers. …

Identifying Intangible And Biocultural Heritage Elements Toward Environmental Understanding: Engaging Stakeholders Through Art, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Grounded in a case study in Barbuda in the Caribbean, this research examines sustainability from the perspective of what arts and heritage can contribute to community engagement and local and broader understandings about the environment. This article documents a growing body of literature recognizing the role of arts and culture, including local knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), in climate change endeavors. Art and TEK present expansive world views. Contextual information situates research done on the island of Barbuda pre- and post-Hurricane Irma. Visual arts workshops engaged community members in mixed methods research. Results documented cultural elements, particularly intangible and …

Digital Infrastructure Development Through Digital Infrastructuring Work: An Institutional Work Perspective, Adrian Yeow, Wee-Kiat Lim, Samer Faraj

CCX Research

Being able to understand and characterize the digital infrastructure development (DID) process has become even more pressing today due to the rapid advent and implementation of new digital infrastructure (DI) in organizations as well as since the COVID-19 crisis. While information systems (IS) research has begun to recognize the institutional nature of such digital infrastructures, there remains a gap in our understanding of how such developments unfold from an institutional perspective. Through our field study of a digital infrastructure development project involving the implementation of an enterprise-wide electronic medical record system at a large US medical facility, we show how …

Dominance Of Leading Business Schools In Top Journals: Insights For Increasing Institutional Representation, Rodrigo Romero-Silva, Erika Marsillac, Sander De Leeuw

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

The competitive push for business schools to publish in prestigious journals has resulted in a disproportionate number of papers in prestigious Management and Operations Research/Management Science (OR/MS) journals coming from a select group of institutions. Our analysis shows the Matthew effect of prestigious journals favors established schools with 51.2% of papers in 18 Management ABS 4* journals and 61.3% of papers in 3 OR/MS ABS 4* journals involving authors from the 100 top business schools identified by the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). Citation patterns are similarly concentrated among papers authored by scholars from UTD-listed business schools, with nearly …

Why Ai Monitoring Faces Resistance And What Healthcare Organizations Can Do About It: An Emotion-Based Perspective, Karl Werder, Lan Cao, Eun Hee Park, Balasubramaniam Ramesh

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Continuous monitoring of patients' health facilitated by artificial intelligence (AI) has enhanced the quality of health care, that is, the ability to access effective care. However, AI monitoring often encounters resistance to adoption by decision makers. Healthcare organizations frequently assume that the resistance stems from patients' rational evaluation of the technology's costs and benefits. Recent research challenges this assumption and suggests that the resistance to AI monitoring is influenced by the emotional experiences of patients and their surrogate decision makers. We develop a framework from an emotional perspective, provide important implications for healthcare organizations, and offer recommendations to help reduce …

In Search Of A Sea-Life Balance In An Adverse Environment : Understanding Seafarers' Life, Work And Turnover, Bikram Singh Bhatia, Raphael Baumler, Maria Carrera-Arce

Reports

The Officers’ Union of International Seamen (OUIS) commissioned the World Maritime University (WMU) to conduct the Work & Health Balance at Sea (WHEAB) project to examine some dimensions of seafarers’ working lives.

Building on exploratory interviews, a survey was designed and administered. The current report presents findings on work patterns (onboard and home periods), working hours, work-related stress, safety management system, shore leave, mental well-being, and career intention.

The survey gathered responses from 4,372 seafarers, mainly from India (n=1,098; 25.1%), the Philippines (n=690; 15.8%), the United States (U.S.) (n=501; 11.5%), and other worldwide regions (n=2,083; 47.6%). The overrepresentation of U.S. …

Shore Leave : Rare, Brief And In Danger Of Extinction, Maria Carrera-Arce, Raphael Baumler, Bikram Singh Bhatia, Lei Du

Reports

Shore leave for seafarers is generally accepted as a custom, if not a right, essential for well- being and pressure relief from the responsibilities of life on board. However, it is clear that the ability of seafarers to take shore leave has been seriously eroded and may even be facing extinction.

The combination of workload on board and limited time in port make it virtually impossible for seafarers to make time for shore leave. Commercial pressures have increased, and there is a serious risk that facilities available for seafarers will decline due to a lack of demand.

The culprits are …

Proof Of Reserves: A Double-Helix Framework, Maksym Lazirko, Deniz Appelbaum, Miklos Vasarhelyi

Department of Accounting and Finance Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Cryptocurrency exchanges face increasing pressure to demonstrate reserve adequacy following platform failures, yet current Proof of Reserves (PoR) systems suffer from incomplete verification approaches that examine either on-chain or off-chain assets separately. This study introduces the Double-Helix Framework, a verification methodology that integrates on-chain blockchain analysis with off-chain consensus algorithms to provide complete assessment of exchange financial positions. The framework employs parallel verification strands that simultaneously validate blockchain-recorded transactions and off-chain financial information, creating a unified assessment mechanism that addresses the verification gaps in existing PoR systems. The framework's integration of traditional auditing principles with distributed ledger verification creates new …

A Moderated Mediation Model Of Perceived Control, Fairness, And Leader–Member Exchange In The United States And South Korea, Nari Kim

Publications and Research

Drawing on the two-factor model of organizational justice and social exchange theory, this study investigates the mediating roles of procedural and distributive justice in the relationship between work locus of control (WLOC) and leader–member exchange (LMX). Using data collected from two cultural contexts – the United States and South Korea – this research further examines whether culture moderates the indirect relationship between WLOC and LMX through perceived justice. The findings indicate that subordinates with an internal WLOC tend to report higher-quality LMX relationships, and that both procedural and distributive justice partially mediate this relationship. Moderated mediation analyses reveal that the …

Entrepreneur's Family Status, Strategy, Performance, Zdenka Cumano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research aims to illuminate the relationship between marital status and entrepreneurial performance among entrepreneurs, focusing on the implications for female entrepreneurs. While existing studies have predominantly examined gender-related challenges, such as disparities in access to financial and social capital, the role of marital status has received limited attention. Drawing on Becker’s seminal work (1965, 1974) on time allocation and human capital investment, this study argues that entrepreneurs face distinct risks and resource constraints compared to employees, who benefit from organizational risk-sharing and stable income. In contrast, entrepreneurs bear the full burden of market uncertainty and opportunity costs, making personal …

Growing Together: Strategies For Attracting And Retaining Community-Reflective Early Learning Professionals, Tonya Jo Coker

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

The recruitment and retention of a diverse early learning workforce remains a critical challenge in special education. This study explores the multifaceted issues of workforce shortages, turnover rates, and the disparity between the demographics of educators and students in the Department of Early Learning within an education service district in Oregon. Through a detailed analysis of historical and current data, this study identifies systemic challenges contributing to the difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified staff, especially those who are representative of the communities they serve. Using improvement science as a methodological framework, the study tested change ideas focused on recruitment, …

The Financialization Of The American Dream: Private Equity’S Rise In The Single-Family Rental Market, Colby Sherwin

Honors Theses and Capstones

This thesis examines how private equity firms and other institutional investors are reshaping the single-family rental market in the United States, and what that shift means for homeownership, affordability, and community stability. What began as a short-term strategy to acquire foreclosed homes after the 2008 financial crisis has evolved into a long-term business model, with firms now owning hundreds of thousands of properties across the country. Leveraging their financial scale, these investors often outbid individual buyers, particularly in fast-growing cities. While proponents argue that institutional ownership brings professionalism and much-needed supply to tight housing markets, data shows that it has …

You’Ll Be Back: Sensory Cognition’S Influence On Audience Retention, Tia Dimicelli

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study explores the impact of sensory elements – specifically ambient scent and music – in theatrical lobbies on audience satisfaction and likelihood of returning. Two general surveys were distributed to gauge what audiences expect from lobby spaces, and what they describe as memorable experiences. Then, two experiments were conducted using a test/control group design during live performances in New Hampshire. Participants completed surveys assessing their perception of the lobby environment, satisfaction with the performance, and likelihood to return to or recommend the venue. While the initial general surveys indicated that participants believed sensory elements would enhance their experience, no …

Future Of Bse Days 2025: Growing A Regenerative Bse, Derek M. Heeren, Santosh Pitla, Jennifer R. Keshwani, Mark Stone

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

The Future of BSE Days 2025: Growing a Regenerative BSE brought together over 150 faculty, staff, students, and partners to envision the next quarter-century of the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. The event emphasized regeneration—not only of resources and ecosystems, but also of ideas, learning models, and relationships. Across seven major sessions—three Spark Talks and four Pillar Workshops—participants explored how BSE can thrive amid technological disruption, demographic change, and societal transformation.

Key Outcomes

Redefining Impact: This session challenged participants to evolve from counting outputs to valuing relationships, collaboration, and community well-being.

Adaptive Learning Models: This discussion introduced design studios, micro-credentials, …

Debiasing Recency: Evidence From Individual Investor Stock Sales, Vladimir Kotomin, Abhishek Varma

Faculty Publications – Finance, Insurance, and Law

In the first large-sample study of recency bias mitigation, we show that individual investors dispose of relatively longer-held stocks in December tax-loss sales compared to other months. We argue that before engaging in December tax-loss sales, investors review all or most of their losing positions instead of focusing on the most recently acquired stocks. Thus, reviewing relevant information mitigates recency bias in a large, diverse sample of investors. This behavior is consistent across investor, stock, and portfolio characteristics; it is found even in accounts with only long-term capital losses.

“Move Fast And Break Things”: Innovation, Stability, And Trust In The Growth Of Revolut., Belen Blanco Mendoza

Business ETD Collections

In this research project, I chose to examine the strategies used in the growth of the fintech Revolut, namely the ’move-fast-and-break-things’ strategy that was employed at the beginning of the company. With this in mind, I decided on two Research Questions, “With the benefit of hindsight, and a focus on problems caused by low security and poor customer support, is Revolut’s ‘move fast and break things’ philosophy a good strategy for the business?” and “Will Revolut’s new fraud prevention strategies, and advances in AI help recover the lost goodwill caused by their earlier ineffective strategies?”, which guided me …

Case Study: Costing The Wendy's Krabby Patty Kollab, Karen Christine Kleve

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Ceo Social Media Activity And Insider Trading, Zhichuan Li, Claire Y.C. Liang, Zhenyang Tang

School of Business

This article studies the relationship between CEOs' social media activity and their insider trading behavior. Drawing on psychological evidence linking online activity to risk-taking, we find that active CEOs on social media exhibit higher risk preferences and engage more in insider trading—particularly in terms of incidence, intensity, and profitability. The effects are primarily driven by insider buys (rather than sells), which are more likely to involve material non-public information, and such opportunistic trades may increase firm reputational risk. Further analysis reveals that certain corporate governance mechanisms, such as blackout policies and compensation structures, help mitigate the negative impact. © 2025 …

Do Active Sustainable Equity Funds Outperform Their Passive Peers? Evidence From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Fei Fang, Sitikantha Parida

School of Business

Sustainable investing has grown rapidly, but it remains unclear whether actively managed sustainable funds outperform passive ones. This study compares the performance of high-sustainable active U.S. equity mutual funds and their index peers from September 2018 to April 2022, dividing the period into pre-crash, crash, and post-crash phases around the COVID-19 market downturn. On average, both active and index funds underperform, with the sharpest losses occurring during the crash. High-sustainable funds outperform low-sustainable ones, particularly during the crash. However, high-sustainable active funds do not outperform their passive counterparts in any period. These results suggest that active management does not offer …

Performance Auditing Trends At A Supreme Audit Institution: Uk National Audit Office, 1999 To 2021, Amir Michael, Laurence Ferry, Bruce Mcdonald, Henry Midgley

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

Performance audits have become increasingly important across the world. Scholars know that a variety of practices are incorporated within performance audits and have mapped this diversity. However, few quantitative studies examine performance auditing as a practice. This study fills that gap. By analyzing the published performance audit documentation of the UK National Audit Office (NAO), the study explores the influences of governmental change and crises behind changes in a supreme audit institution's performance audit. It also examines whether performance audits are diverse by examining the language used by the auditors. The study provides evidence that neither crises nor changes of …

Budgeting For Social Equity: Exploring The (Nearly) Unknown, Bruce D. Mcdonald Iii, Sean M. Mccandless

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

Public administration has become increasingly concerned with social equity, particularly in budgetary processes. Local governments have adopted so-called equity budgeting practices, yet little is understood about how and why they are adopted; what budgeting practices are deemed social equity budgeting versus traditional budgeting; what is required to adopt and implement social equity budgeting successfully; and how success is measured. We analyzed government and nonprofit documents on social equity budgeting, followed by interviews with local government budget directors serving “early adopter cities” of social equity budgeting practices. We developed a framework of social equity budgeting practices to link the findings regarding …

The Jingle Jangle Fallacy Of Organizational Identification: An Exploration Of Its Meaning And Measurement Through Cluster And Meta-Analytic Methods, Leah Aiken Rossett

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the conceptual and operational definitions of organizational identification (OID) across primary studies included in meta-analyses, with a focus on identifying the prevalence and impact of jingle and jangle fallacies. Using a systematic literature review, definitions were analyzed and coded. Cluster analysis revealed significant inconsistencies between how OID is defined and measured, exposing widespread jingle fallacies—where distinct constructs are labeled the same—and jangle fallacies—where similar constructs are labeled differently. Meta-analytic techniques further demonstrated that conceptual and operational clusters labeled as “OID” vary in their relationships with three key outcomes of interest: specifically, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover …

Afrofuturism–It's A Different World: Exploring Tools For Culturally Relevant Black Student Leadership Development, Richard D. Brown

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This dissertation explored culturally relevant strategies for Black student leadership development within university multicultural centers, focusing specifically on student leaders affiliated with Black identity-based organizations. Conducted in partnership with a large public land-grant university in the United States Midwest, this study recognizes that traditional student leadership development programs often fail to address the varied cultural realities of Black students. A mixed methods sequential explanatory design approach was used, combining survey data with qualitative interviews and analyzed using a phenomenological lens. Guided by the McKinsey 7S Framework, this study identified strengths and gaps in organizational strategy, structure, systems, style, staff, skills, …