Business Commons^™

A Phenomenological Study: Coping Skills Of Gay Men In Amateur Sports, Jesuel Alamo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The world of sports has traditionally been known for promoting masculine behaviors, including a resistance to homosexuality. Research supports that gay men in sports have historically encountered prejudice and discrimination. Although the social climate has experienced change regarding homophobic discrimination and prejudice, research shows that challenges still exist for gay men who participate in sports; furthermore, to date, research could not be located that addresses the coping skills of gay men in amateur sports. This research addressed the lack of qualitative studies on the experiences of gay men who participate in amateur sports and on their use of coping skills. …

Employee Perceptions Of Emotional Intelligence Among Managers, Afraa Al-Bahrani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Efficient managers influence the success and performance of organizations, in contrast to inefficient managers who may negatively affect employee motivation, productivity, stress levels, job satisfaction, and performance. Managers' ability to recognize emotions can positively affect employee motivation, job satisfaction, and performance, which is likely to decrease employee turnover. The purpose of this phenomenological research was to explore the perceptions among employees regarding their managers' EI in relation to employee motivation, job satisfaction, and performance in the Northern Virginia (NOVA) area. The presence of managers' EI skills was explored based on the emotional abilities to facilitate, understand, perceive, and manage emotions. …

Effective Strategies For Transformational Teams In The Danish Retail Banking Sector, Dorthe Hã¥Hr Dupont

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Successful transformation projects in the retail banking industry focusing on improving customer experiences have yielded a verified increase in earnings per employee. The purpose of this single case study was to reveal the strategies used by transformational team managers to ensure improved customer experiences. The stakeholder theory was used as the theoretical framework to analyze the interplay between the project team and the base organization during the process of improving customer experiences. The population consisted of 6 managers of transformational teams in the Danish retail banking sector who were successfully delivering on assigned goals of improving customer services. The data …

The Effects Of Organizational Restructuring And Acceptance Of Change On Employees' Motivation, Eve Maria Fleming

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Numerous internal and external factors drive decisions to undertake organizational restructuring; according to senior management, restructuring is part of a strategic change. The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory, case study was to examine the effects of organizational restructuring on university employees' behavior towards restructuring and change in the effectiveness of the institution. The conceptual framework drew on the social change theory, a primary triad model, and a congruence model for organization problems to frame the guiding questions: how does restructuring impact employees' motivation and acceptance of change and how does the employees' acceptance of change affect the institution's effectiveness? From …

Business Strategies To Increase The Financial Stability Of Private Universities, Brian Greenwell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

University administrators of nonprofit higher education private institutions face challenges to maintain financial stability as the projected tuition revenue is expected to decline over the next 15 years. In addition, projected closure or mergers for all colleges and universities is expected to reach 50% by 2030. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies higher education private institution administrators use to manage financial stability. Kaufman's complexity theory was the conceptual framework for this study. Purposeful sampling was used to select 4 university administrators from an Ohio higher education private institution for face-to-face interviews. Semistructured questions provided …

Employee Turnover Intentions In The Hospitality Industry, Bettye L. Holston-Okae

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover is detrimental to organizational performance and profitability, leading to loss of diverse financial and intellectual resources and assets. Grounded in the motivation-hygiene theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between employee turnover intention and job satisfaction, employee compensation, employee engagement, employee motivation, and work environment. The population consisted of low- to mid-level hospitality employees residing in Western Georgia, Central Mississippi, and North Central Texas, over the age of 18, and employed in the hospitality industry. A convenience sample of 156 participants completed the Compensation Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale, Utrecht Work Employee Engagement Scale, …

Engagement Strategies For Catalyzing It Sales Team Performance In Asia, Jeb Stephen Hurley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sales leaders who can foster sales team engagement drive an organization's sales performance. Some information technology sales leaders lack team engagement strategies that support revenue results above market growth rates. The purpose of this qualitative, single-case study was to explore the team engagement strategies of 6 sales leaders, in various offices in the Asia-Pacific region of a single, public information technology company, who demonstrated the ability to support year-on-year revenue results above market growth rates. Participants demonstrated the ability to foster team engagement and consistently deliver year-on-year revenue results above market growth rates. The conceptual framework for this study was …

Strategies For Catalyzing Workforce Engagement In Warehouse Operations, Jeannette Jackson-Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2014, approximately 30% of the global workers viewed experiences in the workplace as positive and fulfilling, which results in increased productivity in the workplace. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that some warehouse service center managers used to engage employees to higher levels of productivity. The population comprised of 7 warehouse service center managers in 2 companies located in the Riverport area in Louisville, KY. The conceptual framework for this study encompassed Kahn's employee engagement theory. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, organizational procedure handbooks, and direct observation to prompt detailed information about participants' …

Knowledge Management Practice Strategies In Project-Based Organizations, Trenese Lashay Mcnealy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Companies globally have lost profit each year because of the lack of intra-organizational knowledge sharing. The purpose of this descriptive, multiple case study was to explore the knowledge management practice strategies that project management business leaders use to improve knowledge sharing in project-based organizations. Nine project management business leaders from 4 project-based organizations in metro Atlanta, Georgia completed individual Skype/phone semistructured interviews, and 5 project team members completed an in-person focus group discussion and an interview questionnaire. Knowledge management was the conceptual framework for this study, the basis for understanding the world around project management business leaders, and the implementation …

Achieving Hospital Sustainability Through Strategies For Nursing Leader Succession Planning, Venecia Holmes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Seventy percent of hospital leaders report a lack of succession planning practices as an organizational strategy to mitigate the risk of talent loss and for addressing nursing shortages. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore succession planning strategies 6 hospital managers used to reduce the shortage of nurse leaders in 2 Hampton Roads, Virginia hospitals. The conceptual framework was Rothwell's succession planning model for understanding the succession planning strategies the hospital managers used to reduce the shortage of nurse leaders. After conducting semistructured interviews, and reviewing supporting hospitals' documents, techniques of compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding …

Small Business Marketing Strategies For The First 5 Years, Shiina Pai

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses have an integral role in the U.S. economy and represent 99.7% of all employers in the United States; however, approximately 50% of small business start-ups fail within the first 5 years. Developing and implementing a well-formulated marketing strategy is critical to the success of business because a marketing strategy provides long-term benefits for a company's financial performance and increases the survival rate. The objective of this case study was to explore the marketing strategies that small retail business owners use to sustain their businesses for the first 5 years. The population was 5 successful retail-based small business owners …

Scheduling Strategies For Construction Project Managers Toward On Time Delivery, Paul Shamp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Construction management projects involve complex, dynamic environments resulting in uncertainty and risk, compounded by demanding time constraints. Research indicated project managers have struggled to identify best practices for scheduling construction projects via critical path methodologies while searching for tools to increase timely job completions and budget profits. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies that construction project managers used to manage scheduled construction project delivery on time. The constructivist philosophical worldview was used as the framework for this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews from 7 project managers from 5 different construction companies selected …

Pathways For Improving Nigeria's Procurement System, Donald Osebhawe Areguamen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The manual procurement processes used by some private companies result in increased costs and contract fulfillment delays. The focus of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies procurement managers use to reduce costs and contract fulfillment delays. The population for this study was three procurement managers of private plastics companies located at Maitama, in Abuja, Nigeria. Weiss's theory of change was the conceptual framework for this study. Data collection included semistructured face-to-face interviews and an exploration of company archival financial documents. Data were transcribed, coded, and then validated through member checking, resulting in the emergence of 5 themes: …

Balancing Career And Family: The Nigerian Woman's Experience, Ngozi Eze

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nigerian women have become more integrated into the workforce, but this integration has led to conflicts between work and family responsibilities. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Nigerian women regarding challenges and strategies in management and leadership positions in relation to their domestic lives and responsibilities. Liberal and social feminist theory and gendered leadership theory were used as the conceptual framework of the study. The findings of this study came from data obtained from semistructured interviews with 15 Nigerian women in leadership and management positions regarding their perceptions and lived experiences of balancing …

Management Contingencies Between Privately-Funded And Publically-Funded Broadcasting Organizations, Michael Godson-Amamoo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations, for-profit or not-for-profit, continually assess demands from their internal and external stakeholders and adjust their operations and strategies for long term sustainability. Building on the classical contingency theory of organization, the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to identify the differences of operational values and principles between private and public broadcasting organizations; an additional goal was to examine how these organizations use their operating choices to adapt to their environment. In a comparative study design between for-profit and not-for-profit broadcasting organizations as independent variables, the focus of the study was to compare 3 groups of dependent variables regarding operational …

Small Business Participation In Federal Set-Aside Contracting, Steven R. King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, 99.9% of small businesses, which account for two-thirds of new jobs annually, do not participate in the federal set-aside program. Half of all small businesses will not survive their first 5 years. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that U.S. small business leaders operating within the greater Colorado Springs metro area used to participate successfully in the federal contracting set-aside program. Von Bertalanffy's systems theory grounded the study. Data collection included semistructured interviews with an intensity purposeful sampling of 3 small business leaders participating successfully in the federal contracting set-aside program …

E-Commerce Adoption By Small And Medium Enterprises In Nigeria, Anthony Obioma Nwosu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The future survival of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is inextricably linked to their implementation of e-commerce systems. The lack of e-commerce strategies among SME business owners has contributed to a low level of e-commerce adoption by SMEs. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that Nigerian SME business owners used to implement e-commerce systems. The population consisted of retail SMEs in Lagos, Nigeria, that have functional e-commerce systems. The conceptual framework supporting the study was dynamic capabilities framework. Data for the study were derived from semistructured interviews of 4 SME business owners/managers and documentation …

Exploring Organizational Change Through An Understanding Of Intrapreneurship, Raj Sampath

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations need to constantly innovate to be relevant in a highly competitive market. Intrapreneurship, defined as entrepreneurship within the organization, is one method to bring about this constant innovation. The purpose of this study was to explore intrapreneurship, through a multiple case study, to gain a better understanding of which business strategies can foster successful intrapreneurship initiatives. The theories of Pinchot and Porter on intrapreneurship and organizational competitiveness formed the theoretical lens for this study. The sample for this study consisted of 5 business leaders in Atlanta, Georgia who had demonstrated intrapreneurship in their organization by encouraging their employees to …

Leadership Strategies For Developing And Implementing Organizational Change, Hardy L. Delay Iv

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders in some narcotics treatment programs struggle with change development and implementation. The objective of this single-case study was to explore strategies used by leaders in a narcotics treatment program to develop and implement organizational change initiatives successfully. Participants included 4 leaders who had developed and implemented successful change initiatives repeatedly for more than 10 years in a narcotics treatment program in the southeastern United States. Bertalanffy's general systems theory was the basis for the conceptual framework. Data collection included semistructured interviews of leaders of a narcotics treatment program and collection of archival data, such as reports relating to strategic …

Employee Job Satisfaction And Employees' Voluntary Turnover Intentions (Vtis), Bridgette Larkin-Perkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Within the U.S. sales industry, organizational productivity has decreased due to employee job dissatisfaction and increased voluntary turnover intentions (VTIs). Some leaders in the industry lack knowledge about the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction, and the negative effect on employees' VTIs. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine whether intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction significantly predicted retail sales employees' VTIs. The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and the Turnover Intentions Scale (TIS-6) were used to collect data from full- or part-time employees in the U.S. retail sales industry. The theoretical framework was based on Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory. …

Management Strategies To Improve Employee Engagement In The Credit Union Industry, Joy Keiondra Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee engagement is the main topic of discussion among researchers and managers for over 24 years. Managing employee engagement is critical to the success of an organization, but 85% of manager's struggle with engaging employees. The purpose of this single case study was to explore employee engagement strategies that credit union managers use to increase productivity and organizational effectiveness. Expectancy theory was used to explore employee engagement, performance, and motivation of people in the workplace. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and observations with 6 credit union managers and company documents using thematic coding. Analysis of the data revealed that, …

Effects Of Authentic Leadership Style And Nurse Engagement On Patient Satisfaction, Kimberly Dawn Washburn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective leadership and disengaged nurses reduce the quality of care and patient satisfaction in healthcare organizations. Healthcare leaders can benefit from understanding the factors that improve leadership ability and nurse engagement to improve healthcare outcomes. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between the demonstration of authentic leadership characteristics and nurse engagement. The study's population comprised acute care registered nurses in a rural hospital in central Washington State. Authentic leadership theory and engagement theory constituted the theoretical framework. Independent variables were the 4 constructs of authentic leadership theory, self-awareness, balanced information processing, relational transparency, and internalized …

Relationship Between Budget And Project Success Factors In The Ghanaian Building Construction Sector, Kenneth Kwame Aggor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In developing countries, 60% of project management professionals appear to lack knowledge that timely completion, budget fidelity, and high quality are critical success factors for completion of construction initiatives. Based on the theories of iron triangle, accident causation, scientific management, and strategic management, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between project budget and the independent variables of time, quality, safety, environmental impact, and site disputes in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. One hundred and sixteen project managers, randomly selected from the population of construction professionals in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, completed the …

Strategies For Improving Utilization Of Maternal Health Program Funds In Ghana, Dorothy Esi Awotwi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Effective utilization of donor resources for maternal health remains a challenge in Ghana. The purpose of this descriptive multiple case study was to identify strategies and processes that recipient partners use to improve the utilization of maternal health program funds. Harrod and Domar's aid-to-investment-to-growth model, Collier's game theory, and Martens' agency theory on aid effectiveness informed the conceptual framework of the study. The study included face-to-face semistructured interviews with 7 program and project managers from 7 UNFPA recipient institutions in Ghana. Data analysis involved assembling, rearrangement, categorizing, and interpreting the data. Member checking and methodological triangulation of interview data with …

Finding The Balance Between Price And Protection: Establishing A Surface-To-Air Fire Risk-Reduction Training Policy For Air-Carrier Pilots, Earl W. Burress Jr.

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Currently, U.S. air carriers do not provide equipment or training necessary to mitigate the risk posed by surface-to-air fire (SAFIRE) threats. These threats consist of self-guided weapons (infrared shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles), manually-aimed threats (small arms, recoilless grenade launchers, rockets, and light anti-aircraft artillery), and hand-held lasers. Technological solutions to counter infrared shoulder-fired missiles have been explored, but were rejected due to prohibitive equipment and maintenance costs. A lower cost option, providing air-carrier pilots with SAFIRE risk-reduction training, has not been formally addressed by the air-carrier industry or the U.S. federal government. This effort will use a business concept, the Cost-Benefit …

Management Strategies And Intervention Program Readiness For Paroled Offenders And Ex-Offenders, Sylvia Jean Bell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Paroled offenders and ex-offenders' retention and completion for 3 small-sized prisoner-

release intervention programs in Columbus, Ohio, continue to decline. Prisoner-release

intervention programs aid paroled offenders and ex-offenders with societal reentry.

Influenced by the conceptual framework of the social control theory, this exploratory

multiple case study was designed to contribute to the common understanding of the

paroled offenders and ex-offenders' retention and completion in the small-sized prisoner

release intervention programs. The 18 participants included stakeholders from the

criminal justice system, prisoner-release intervention programs, community advocacy

organizations, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. Analysis of data collected

from interviews and telephone …

Successful Strategies For Recruitment And Hiring Of Veterans, Paul Gamble

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Transitioning from military service to the civilian workforce is both a daunting experience and a formidable challenge for many highly skilled veterans. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the successful strategies of Fortune 500 business leaders for the recruitment and hiring of veterans. Person-organization fit theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. The targeted population consisted of 3 business leaders from 3 separate Fortune 500 businesses in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area with successful strategies for recruiting and hiring veterans. Data collected from interviews and supporting documents were coded and analyzed using a mind-mapping technique, …

Strategies For Reducing Employee Absenteeism In Retail Stores, Patricia Miller Manning

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee absenteeism results in annual productivity losses of approximately $74 billion and reduced profits for some retail stores. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies used to minimize absenteeism and increase productivity outcomes for organizational effectiveness at a retail store in northwest Florida. The targeted population included managers who had success with minimizing absenteeism and enhancing productivity in the retail store. Herzberg's 2-factor theory was the conceptual framework, and semistructured interviews with 5 participants were the primary data collection technique. The secondary data sources included employee absence data and gross profit reports for 3 years …

Strategies For Reducing Microfinance Loan Default In Low-Income Markets, Patrick Mphaka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor loan repayment causes the decline and failure of some microfinance institutions. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that microfinance (MFI) leaders use to reduce loan default in the base of the pyramid market. The study population included 6 MFI leaders, 12 borrower community-based groups, and 4 staff members of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA Rwanda) who reduced MFI loan default in Rwanda. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 3 MFI leaders, 3 ADRA Rwanda staff members, and 3 members of borrower groups. Data were also collected through focus groups with …

Strategies For Preventing And Mitigating The Effects Of Agro-Food Supply Chain Disruptions, Everjoyce Muzvondiwa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supply chain disruptions are detrimental to the performance of companies due to the associated loss of profitability and reduced sustainability. In 2016, organizations lost at least $1.2 million in a single supply chain disruption. Guided by the contingency theory of fit, the purpose of this exploratory multiple case study was to explore the strategies agribusiness managers use to prevent and mitigate the effects of disruptions in the agro-food supply chains. A total of 5 purposefully-selected agribusiness managers from Harare, Zimbabwe participated in semistructured interviews. Participants were senior agribusiness managers who implemented successful strategies for preventing and mitigating the effects of …