Business Commons^™

Information Sharing, Quality Management, And Firm Performance: The Mediating Role Of Supply Chain Agility, Aamir Rashid, Rizwana Rasheed, Syed Babar Ali

Publications and Research

The fashion industry’s business is becoming increasingly complicated and active. This industry is expected to be highly competitive, particularly in the retail sector. Therefore, this research aims to examine the impact of supply chain information sharing and quality management on firm performance, with supply chain agility as a mediating variable, in the Asian fashion industry. A total of 169 participants from the fashion sector in a developing country were surveyed. The proposed hypotheses were examined using a quantitative approach, employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS to assess and validate the measurement model. The results indicate that …

Empowering Early Childhood Leaders: A Strength-Based And Ecological Approach To Leadership Development, Dora Sanders

PhD in Education

Professional development models for early childhood (EC) leaders are often generic and deficit-focused, overlooking their diverse strengths, contexts, and experiences. This study addressed that gap by exploring how EC leaders identify and leverage their strengths to enhance leadership effectiveness and how professional development can be differentiated to meet their unique needs. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, eight EC leaders representing varied educational backgrounds and community contexts were engaged. Semi-structured interviews captured their lived experiences, which were analyzed thematically through the lens of the strengths-ecological leadership framework designed by the researcher that integrated individualized professional development, strengths-based leadership, and ecological systems. …

How Leaders And Followers Make Meaning: Perceptions Of Spiritual Leadership And Organizational Culture, Joshua J. Yancey

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This dissertation was grounded in the premise that spiritual leadership behaviors significantly influence organizational culture within faith-based nonprofit organizations yet remain insufficiently understood as lived experiences across organizational levels. While prior scholarship has established theoretical links between spirituality, leadership, and organizational outcomes, fewer studies have examined how such leadership is perceived by both leaders and followers within real organizational contexts. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how spiritual leadership behaviors were experienced and interpreted in relation to organizational culture, mission alignment, morale, and work meaning within a faith-based nonprofit setting. Data were collected from fifteen participants …

Dynamic Knowledge Practices In Tourism Village Development: An Activity Theory Perspective, Xianyang Hu, Jie Chen, Songshan (Sam) Huang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study investigates why tourism village development models often fail to replicate success despite cultural and geographic similarities. Using activity theory and knowledge management concepts, we analyze two adjacent Chinese villages to trace explicit knowledge flow and examine disrupted tacit and indigenous knowledge practices. Findings show that while surface-level knowledge transfer occurs, contradictions within activity system elements, especially the marginalization of indigenous knowledge and community capacity, hinder effective knowledge application. Knowledge flow is inherently nonlinear and deeply context-dependent. We develop a comparative activity system model that highlights how success hinges less on knowledge transfer and more on the integration of …

Overservice Backfires: The Impact Of High Robot Attentiveness On Tourists' Discontinuous Usage Intentions, Jinwei Wang, Yingzong Tang, Xin Chen, Songshan (Sam) Huang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

AI-powered robots can meet both functional and emotional consumer service needs through proactive engagement. Yet, excessive attentiveness may produce unintended negative outcomes. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, this research employs four studies and a single-paper meta-analysis to investigate how highly (vs. moderately) attentive robotic service influences tourists' intentions to discontinue use. Results show that highly attentive robotic service increases discontinuous usage intentions, and this effect unfolds sequentially through perceived threat to freedom and emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, information sensitivity and technology anxiety moderate the relationship between robotic attentiveness and discontinuous usage intentions. These findings offer strategic insights for tourism practitioners …

The Mental Advantage: The 10 Disciplines That Separate The Elite From The Average, Scott Williams

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Title of Project

The Mental Advantage: The 10 Disciplines That Separate the Elite from the Average

Defense Date

April 1, 2026

Candidate Name

Scott Williams

Personal Email Address

[email protected]

First Advisor

Dr. Joshua Henson, PhD

Second Advisor

Dr. Michael Steiner, PhD

DSL Final Project Abstract

Project Type

This project was a book manuscript designed to develop and present a practical leadership framework for high-performance individuals and organizations.

Project Overview

This project explored the concept of Elite Mental Execution™ as a structured framework for understanding and developing high-performance leadership. Drawing from nearly three decades of professional experience in leadership, executive coaching, …

Sol Fridge Kenya (Turkana County), Ava Valdez, Dhuha Almutairi, Go Ogawa, Jeremy Boze

Business Core Student Work

Sol Fridge is a solar-powered refrigeration solution designed to improve food security and nutrition for low-income communities in Kenya. The project responds to the challenges of food spoilage, limited refrigeration, and poor access to affordable nutritious food, especially in rural and arid regions where electricity is unreliable or unavailable. By providing portable, affordable, and durable cold storage for families and small vendors, Sol Fridge helps preserve fresh food, reduce waste, and support healthier daily meals. The project also promotes sustainability through solar energy, recycled materials, and community-based distribution, creating social, environmental, and economic benefits for the communities it serves.

Phresh, Diego Gomez, Thomas “Kane” Perry, Lela Schuler, Olivia Cox, Sofia Rueda

Business Core Student Work

pHresh is a sustainable food safety solution created to help low-income communities in New Delhi, India detect spoiled food before it reaches consumers. The project responds to the serious risk of foodborne illness in informal markets, where limited refrigeration, high temperatures, and inconsistent inspection make contamination more likely. pHresh offers affordable, biodegradable pH testing strips that provide fast and easy-to-read results for vendors, households, and market inspectors. Through local production, accessible distribution, and eco-friendly materials, the project aims to improve public health, support small vendors, and build safer food systems.

Cleantide, Ryan Agozo, Valeria Jimenez, Danny Blanchard, Adam Sandoval, Daylin Diaz, Hernan Garcia

Business Core Student Work

CLEANTIDE is a water sanitation and filtration initiative created to improve access to clean water in remote island communities across the Polynesian region. The project responds to challenges such as contaminated water sources, waterborne disease, and the lack of reliable infrastructure in underserved coastal and rural areas. By providing affordable, durable, and environmentally friendly filtration systems, CLEANTIDE helps households and communities gain consistent access to safe water for drinking and daily use. The project also emphasizes local training, trust-building, and sustainable implementation to support long-term impact.

Nutri Boost — A Nutritional Powder For Children In Bihar, India, Dimas Sandoval, Sofia De Anda, Everett Macdonell, Mikaella Faye Acob, Maria Fernanda, Haris Khan

Business Core Student Work

This presentation outlines Nutri‑Boost, a fortified, locally sourced nutrition powder designed to reduce childhood malnutrition in Bihar, India. The project responds to widespread poverty, limited healthcare access, and inadequate dietary diversity by offering an affordable, shelf‑stable product for primary schools and low‑income families. Nutri‑Boost strengthens local agriculture, uses environmentally sustainable packaging, and operates through a community‑based value chain involving farmers, NGOs, and government partners. Financial projections demonstrate a scalable nonprofit model with strong social, economic, and environmental impact.

The Effects Of Covid 19 Job Demands On Public Sector Employees’ Organizational Commitment: The Mediating Roles Of Work Engagement And Job Burnout, And The Moderating Role Of Supervisor Support, Benjamin R. Kaufman

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

United States citizens rely on state government employees to provide essential public services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these employees responded by administering both routine and novel procedures to protect public health, often placing them on the frontlines and at increased risk of contagion. Concurrently, the pandemic-driven economic downturn created budget shortfalls that threatened the job and financial security of the state workforce. Together, these conditions substantially increased job demands for state government employees.

Guided by the Job Demands–Resources (JDR) Model, this study examined how COVID‑19-related job demands influenced state employees’ work engagement, job burnout, and organizational commitment, and whether supervisor …

Toward A Neuroleadership Framework, Bryan G. Wood

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Neuroleadership is an emerging field that seeks to connect neural mechanisms, psychological processes, and leadership behaviors within organizational contexts. Despite continued scholarly interest, the literature remains conceptually fragmented and lacks a coherent framework for organizing its recurring themes and constructs. The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for neuroleadership through a quantitative analysis of records retrieved from the PsycINFO database and interpreted through qualitative synthesis. The findings revealed recurring themes related to core leadership processes, applied contexts, and associated outcomes while also indicating thematic convergence without full conceptual integration across the field. These patterns were organized …

Military Recruiting Crisis: A Qualitative Study On The Motivation Of Generation Z, Ruth D. Kane

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This qualitative study investigates the declining motivation of Generation Z to join the U.S. military, using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a framework. Despite significant investments in recruitment, enlistment rates continue to decline, revealing a gap between military structures and the psychological needs of potential recruits. SDT provides a useful perspective by emphasizing the importance of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in motivating and promoting well-being. Through in-depth interviews with eight Gen Z individuals eligible for service, this study explores how social, cultural, and institutional factors influence perceptions of military service and career decisions. Results indicate that motivation to enlist increases when …

As I Remember Your Tears: A Biblically Grounded, Integrated Ecosystemic Model For Mentoring Ministers In Distress, John R. Dingle

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This study addressed a gap in the literature concerning how mentoring supports ministers who are experiencing distress and turnover intention. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop a biblically grounded model for mentoring ministers in distress. This qualitative study employed a two-phase design consisting of a sociorhetorical analysis of 2 Timothy and a phenomenological study of four Assemblies of God ministers who experienced turnover intention but remained in ministry because of a mentor’s intervention. The biblical text was analyzed using the sociorhetorical textures of inner texture, intertexture, and sacred texture. The phenomenological data were analyzed using open, values, and …

Cryptocurrency Integration As A Response To Financial Innovation And Regulation, Emmy Rogers

2026 Awards for Excellence in Student Research and Creative Activity - Documents & Media

Integrating cryptocurrency has become a key management challenge in increasingly digital and regulated financial environments. This paper argues that digital asset adoption should be understood not simply as technological disruption, but as an adaptive strategic response to regulatory transformation, institutional uncertainty, and competitive pressure. Drawing on financial innovation theory, dynamic capabilities, and institutional theory, the research develops conceptual propositions explaining when and how firms should integrate decentralized assets. Through a strategic, non-empirical analysis of regulatory developments and governance shifts, the paper presents a framework for aligning cryptocurrency adoption with firm performance, risk management, and compliance.

The Discovery Map Retreat, Kimberly Kay Bland

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Title of Project: The Discovery Map Retreat

Defense Date: 3-1-2026

Candidate Name: Kimberly Kay Bland

Personal Email Address: [email protected]

First Advisor: Dr. Jolene Erlacher

Second Advisor: Dr. Debra Dean

DSL Final Project Abstract

Project Type: 2-Day Retreat

Project Overview: The capstone project focused on designing, developing, and facilitating a 2-day retreat for high-achieving women aged 38-55 experiencing burnout, exhaustion, or a sense of being stuck. The retreat is structured around reflection, the power of questions, and self-awareness, supporting authentic self-discovery in talents, passions, and values.  Through coaching, reflective exercises, group dialogue, and experiential learning, participants will engage in a process …

The Age Of Hr Delivering Stakeholder Value Through Strategic Organizational Capability: Talent, Leadership, And Culture, Anthony Nyberg, Rebecca R. Kehoe, Dave Ulrich, Patrick M. Wright

Research Briefs

A landmark collection of 62 chapters from the world’s foremost thinkers in HR strategy, talent management, and organizational leadership—written at the inflection point where AI, geopolitical uncertainty, and evolving stakeholder expectations are reshaping the future of work and the humans at its center.

Corporate Fiduciary Duties And The Climate And Biodiversity Crisis, Eric W. Orts, Sandra G. Schafhäutle

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

This Article argues that addressing one of the most urgent environmental challenges facing humanity today—the global climate and biodiversity crisis—calls for a transformation at the heart of corporate law: its fiduciary duties. After demonstrating how current corporate fiduciary duties are implicated in this crisis, we argue for reform of fiduciary duties operating at two levels: those governing directors and officers of business corporations, and those governing institutional investors and asset managers. We then distinguish between two general kinds of corporate fiduciary duties: permissive and mandatory. We contend that corporate law should accommodate a more expansive understanding of fiduciary duties by …

The Role Of Leadership Style In Team And Individual Performance In Collegiate Athletics, Luke Mulkey

Posters - 2026

• Measuring the effectiveness of leadership is important because strong leaders can bring significant contributions to both organizations and individuals

• Previous studies have said that intrinsic motivation of the individual plays a larger role than the leadership style of a coach

• Studies also show that leadership style has an influence on team success and cohesion

• This study aimed to determine the extent to which transformational leadership played a role in team success, measured in win percentage

• This study went further into the individual perception of their coach’s impact on the athlete’s performance compared to the extent …

Who Still Goes To The Mall? Genz Vs. Millennials, Layla Dickerson

Posters - 2026

• Shopping malls are declining in popularity, especially among younger consumers

• Online shopping and changing preferences are reshaping retail habits

• Malls were once key social and shopping spaces

• Generational differences influence how people use malls today

• This study compares Gen Z and Millennials’ mall visitation behavior to understand the decline

The Power Of A Label: Examining Name Brand Purchase Behavior, Kaley Garcia

Posters - 2026

• Consumers are constantly comparing name brands and generic products.

• Brand names are often associated with quality, trust, and status.

• However, not all products are viewed the same when it comes to brand importance.

• Some people care more about price and function, especially for everyday items.

• This study looks at whether brand name actually influences buying decisions.

• It also explores if brand matters more for certain types of products.

Collaborative Ministry Leadership: A Mixed-Methods Study Into The Application Of Collaborative Leadership In United Pentecostal Churches In The Southeastern United States., Omar A. Williams

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This dissertation examines how collaborative leadership, grounded in theological and practical applications, impacts ministry effectiveness in United Pentecostal Churches (UPCI) in the Southeastern United States. It employed a mixed-methods design, with in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with twelve senior UPCI pastors, and quantitative surveys administered to 63 members of their core leadership teams. Although collaborative leadership is a widely held ideal in ministry, a gap often exists between its theory and its practical implementation. The findings reveal a significant convergence in the relational, visionary, and developmental dimensions of collaboration. The pastors are theologically committed to rejecting autocratic models. They are perceived …

2026 Private Capital Markets Report, Craig R. Everett

Pepperdine Private Capital Markets Report

The Pepperdine private cost of capital survey was originally launched in 2007 and is the first comprehensive and simultaneous investigation of the major private capital market segments. This year’s survey specifically examined the behavior of senior lenders, asset‐based lenders, mezzanine funds, private equity groups, venture capital firms, angel investors, privately‐held businesses, investment bankers, business brokers, limited partners, and business appraisers. The Pepperdine survey investigated, for each private capital market segment, the important benchmarks that must be met in order to qualify for capital, how much capital is typically accessible, what the required returns are for extending capital in today’s economic …

Book Review - Soccer, Globalization, And Innovation, Sangchul Park

Global Sport Business Journal

This review examines Soccer, Globalization, and Innovation: The Beautiful Game in the 21st Century, an edited book that explores soccer as a key site where globalization and innovation intersect. This book conceptualizes innovation across multiple domains, including gameplay, sport business, and social and political initiatives. Simultaneously, this book emphasizes the interconnected and contested nature of global processes. Drawing on various actual cases, this book presents and highlights how power relations, stakeholder dynamics, and technological changes shape outcomes in global soccer. The current review evaluates the book’s conceptual framework, organization, and practical relevance. In doing so, this review notes the strengths …

Book Review - Olympic Outliers: Brisbane 2032 And The Future Of The Olympic Games, Robert Sroka

Global Sport Business Journal

This book review examines Olympic Outliers: Brisbane 2032 and the Future of the Olympic Games by Peter English, a multidisciplinary analysis of Brisbane's  appointment as host of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The book argues that Brisbane's selection as a mid-sized, regionally focused outlier host reflects a turning point in the Olympic Movement driven by IOC governance reform, shifting geopolitics, and a scarcity of competing megacity bids. Evaluated across four chapters addressing bidding history, legacy planning, media framing, and broader implications for future host selection, the book demonstrates considerable scholarly and practical value. Drawing on robust primary and secondary …

A Therapy Dog Intervention For Elementary School Teachers' Well-Being: Using Action Research To Bridge The Research-Practice Gap In Hrd, Kelly F. Moore

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research (AR) study was to explore how AR can serve as a participatory research design for bridging the research–practice gap in Human Resource Development (HRD) by collaboratively designing, implementing, and evaluating a therapy dog intervention to enhance teacher well-being. One primary research question guided this study: How can action research serve as a participatory research design for bridging the research–practice gap in HRD through the collaborative design and implementation of a therapy dog intervention for elementary school teachers? I conducted a two-phase AR study consisting of a pilot study followed by a full-scale intervention. Data …

Staging Technological Change: Media Ecology, Cultural Memory, And Fantasy Theme Analysis In The Tesla Cybertruck Unveiling, John Rodgers

Communication Theses

This thesis examines contemporary product launches as communicative events, arguing that they help shape how technological change is publicly interpreted and remembered. Drawing on media ecology and cultural memory, and using Fantasy Theme Analysis as the primary method, the study analyzes Tesla’s 2019 Cybertruck unveiling as a case of symbolic meaning-making at the moment of introduction and in its immediate circulation. The analysis identifies four dominant fantasy themes that organize the launch’s symbolic world and cohere into a rhetorical vision presenting Tesla as a disruptive actor introducing a resilient technology for an already arriving future. It then traces how that …

Understanding The Benefits Of The Choice Of Free Gifts In Consumer Sales Promotions, Atmadeep J. Mukherjee, Ronn J. Smith, Scot Burton

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Free gifts associated with a focal product have long been recognized as one effective form of sales promotion that is valued by consumers. However, in recent years, in contrast to offering a single fixed free gift to consumers, some marketers have begun to offer consumers the choice among several possible free gifts. In this research, consumer responses to the choice of a free gift are compared to the offer of a single fixed gift. We show how the choice offered to consumers attenuates greater risk associated with the promoted focal product and how the choice can reduce unfavorable effects of …

Human Advisors Or Ai Algorithms? How Loneliness And Age Impact Trust In Consumer Evaluations Of Services, Kevin Newman, Ainslie Schultz

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This research investigates how loneliness and age shape trust and consumer evaluations of services that provide personalized advice through human versus Artificial Intelligence (AI) recommenders. Across three experimental studies, our findings show that loneliness increased trust and consumer evaluations for services using human- (vs. AI-) based) recommenders among younger adults, but this pattern reversed among older, more lonely adults. Among these individuals, loneliness led to more positive consumer evaluations of a service using an AI-based (vs. human) recommender. Guided by the Evolutionary Theory of Loneliness (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018), these findings suggest that younger lonely consumers exhibit approach motives …

Transformational Leadership’S Impact On Employee Perceptions Of Interactional Justice In Crucial Workplace Conversations, Dana M. Mobley, Irina Toteva

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This study examined a transformational leadership style’s effect on interactional justice in crucial conversations between managers and employees, using perceived leader communication quality as a mediator and followership style as a moderator. Data was collected from an internet survey taken by 251 participants across the United States, and quantitative analysis was performed. Results indicated that perceived leader communication quality mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and interactional justice during crucial conversations. While followership style was not found to moderate this relationship, it was found to be negatively significant with interactional justice, indicating that more exemplary followers perceive slightly less interactional …