Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons^™

Impostor Syndrome In The Ranks: Understanding Self-Doubt To Improve Leader Performance, Joel Kotanko

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Impostor syndrome (IS) — the persistent pattern of self-doubt in which capable individuals fear being exposed as frauds despite objective evidence of competence — has been studied extensively in academic, healthcare, and corporate populations, where it is generally treated as detrimental to professional performance. Little empirical work has examined IS in U.S. military officers, a population operating under structural conditions the literature identifies as primary amplifiers of fraudulence perceptions: high-stakes permanent evaluations, up-or-out promotion systems, cultural pressure against outward expressions of doubt, and recurring role transitions under compressed timelines. This dissertation provides the first quantitative investigation of the relationship between …

Strategic Dimensions Of Artificial Intelligence: Development Globalization, Investment Dynamics, And Firm Performance, Alysson Silveira

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly changing the competitive landscape of most industries, and understanding how to incorporate this technology into products, services, and processes is becoming crucial for firms. This dissertation presents three studies that address different strategic challenges that arose with the unfolding of AI. First, I study how multinational enterprises globalize the development of AI. I argue that concentrating AI development or globalizing it has different implications for supply chain responsiveness and operations complexity. I use a combination of a rare dataset on software presence across 45 countries and financial data to show that AI development globalization has …

Challenging The Deliberative Consensus: Participatory Strategies, Transparency And Citizen Trust Across Municipal Contexts, Fadel Al-Marsoumi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the relationships between participatory governance strategies and multidimensional citizen trust in municipal contexts. Although local governments have implemented deliberative forums, digital platforms and hybrid participation approaches to restore declining public confidence, inconsistencies between theoretical predictions and empirical outcomes have raised questions about participatory governance effectiveness. Motivated by this gap between deliberative democracy theory's optimistic predictions and limited empirical support, the study investigates the psychological, political and contextual mechanisms that shape trust formation through civic engagement. Drawing on an integrated framework combining organizational trust theory and deliberative democracy frameworks, the research conceptualizes trust as a multidimensional construct involving …

Human-Ai Collaboration In Marketing Brainstorming: A Meta-Analytic Investigation Of Implementation Approaches And Creative Outcomes, Michael Michaels

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Marketing organizations face intensifying pressure to sustain creative output while managing constrained resources and accelerating digital content cycles. The integration of artificial intelligence into marketing brainstorming processes presents a promising response to this challenge; however, prior to this investigation, no comprehensive quantitative synthesis had established the overall effectiveness of human-AI collaboration in marketing creativity contexts or identified optimal implementation strategies.

This dissertation presents a systematic meta-analytic investigation of AI-enhanced brainstorming effectiveness in marketing contexts. Following PRISMA guidelines, 42 independent empirical studies (N = 2,166 participants) published between 2018 and 2025 were identified across four primary academic databases, coded for implementation …

Examining Factors Associated With Higher Percentages Of Women In Executive Leadership Positions In College Sport, Kelly Jean Brock

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The underrepresentation of women in executive leadership roles within intercollegiate athletics remains a persistent issue despite decades of progress in gender equity following the passage of Title IX. The purpose of this study was to examine the institutional and organizational factors associated with higher percentages of women in executive leadership positions within NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) athletic departments. Specifically, this research investigated whether institutional characteristics, such as athletic department budget size, the gender of the athletic director, the gender of the university president or chancellor, and institutional commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion were associated with the …

Bridging The Intention-Implementation Divide In Generative Ai Adoption: An Integrated Model Of Psychological, Behavioral And Social Drivers, Mohamed Walid Mohamed Lotfy Abdallah

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the gap between professionals’ intentions to use Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and their actual adoption behavior in workplace settings. Although Generative AI offers substantial potential to improve efficiency and performance, concerns about control, misuse and organizational risk have led to inconsistencies between intended and enacted use. Motivated by this misalignment, the study investigates the psychological, behavioral and social mechanisms that shape the intention-implementation divide. Drawing on an integrated framework combining the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Technology Acceptance Model, alongside personality traits, the research conceptualizes adoption as a phase-specific process involving evaluative, motivational and volitional components. …

Adaptive Multi-Agent Intelligence: A Dynamic Data Management System For Enhanced Data Quality And Reconciliation, Anthony Taeyang Vigil

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Organizations struggle with data quality problems that cost them millions of dollars annually. Manual data cleanup and standardizing, also known as reconciliation, can take skilled analysts days to complete and can still contain human errors. This dissertation addresses this challenge by developing and validating the Origin Data Management System, which automates processes that traditionally require days of manual work. The system achieved up to 100% accuracy in standardizing vendor names and identifying CEO information across real-world test datasets from Jefferson County Public Schools, Forbes, and Fortune Magazines. Processing time dropped from days to minutes—a 96-fold improvement over manual methods. These …

When Shame Leads To Silence: Leadership Style Moderates Shame, Silence, And Job Satisfaction, Andrew M. Lyman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT Shame is a fundamental self-conscious emotion that shapes behavior and communication in the workplace. This study examined how shame interacts with leadership styles to influence employee silence and job satisfaction. Survey data were collected from 1,500 professionals across diverse industries, and statistical analyses were conducted to test nine hypotheses. Three hypotheses were assessed through direct linear regression while six moderation hypotheses were evaluated using moderated multiple linear regression models to capture leadership style as a contextual influence.

Findings indicated that shame significantly predicted higher levels of silence and lower levels of job satisfaction. Silence was also negatively associated with …

Role Conflict And Burnout: How Can Employed Graduate Students Thrive, Not Just Survive?, Eric M. Douthirt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates several of the multifaceted challenges faced by employed graduate students, a growing demographic within U.S. higher education. Against a backdrop of intensifying technological change, evolving labor market dynamics, and increased educational attainment, these individuals encounter pronounced school-work-family conflict (SWFC), resulting in a heightened risk for personal burnout (PB).

Building upon the job demands-resources theory, this research explores whether school-work facilitation (SWF) and student emotional engagement (EE) might attenuate the deleterious relationship between school-work-family conflict (SWFC) and personal burnout (PB), with gender and number of children included as controls.

Data from 489 participants, collected via a single cross-sectional …

Exploring Employee Profiles’ Adaptation To A Return-To-Office Policy: An Eadr Study In Higher Education Administrative Departments, Laura Cecilia Ferraz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Flexible work arrangements (FWAs) became a central feature of the post-pandemic workplace, offering autonomy and balance. In higher education administrative departments, hybrid models were widely adopted; however, managers struggled with accountability, equity, and effective communication. At the University of South Florida (USF), a mid-study return-to-office mandate required all employees to resume full-time on-site work, creating an opportunity to examine how employees adapted to the loss of flexibility and whether previously developed employee profiles remained relevant.

This qualitative study employed the Elaborated Action Design Research (eADR) methodology to investigate the experiences of employees and managers across three diagnostic phases. Cycle 1, …

Drowning In Data, Starved For Insight: How Leadership Decision-Making Shapes Prescriptive Analytics Adoption In Traditional Retailers, Erica Mangino Giuliani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Traditional retail organizations are increasingly investing in data collection and analytics, yet they often remain at the descriptive and diagnostic levels, lacking the prescriptive capabilities necessary for actionable recommendations. This research examines the influence of leadership on the adoption of prescriptive analytics within U.S.-based brick-and-mortar retail establishments. Utilizing surveys from 329 respondents, including management personnel, departmental leaders, and analytics professionals, and conducting qualitative analyses of open-ended responses, key leadership factors such as Decision Maturity & Support, Resistance, Data-Driven Commitment, and Analytics Proficiency were identified. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) results revealed that leadership behaviors significantly forecast analytics maturity, with executive analytics …

Building From Within: Hr And Leadership As Strategic Resources In Micro And Small Business Growth Across Generations And Partnerships, Angelia Mathews Payne

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Micro and small businesses (MSBs) with 1-19 employees represent 99.9% of all U.S. private sector businesses and contribute nearly $4 trillion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), yet academic research on their internal growth strategies remains limited. This study examines how human resources (HR) and leadership function as strategic resources for growth across successive generations and partnerships in MSBs, addressing a critical gap in understanding how these internal capabilities create competitive advantages in resource-constrained environments.

Grounded in Resource-Based View (RBV) theory, this research investigated how HR and leadership capabilities meet the criteria for strategic resources—being valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable …

Barriers To Machine Learning Adoption In Regulated Electric Utilities, Donald R. Shiflet Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning (ML) technologies have the potential to revolutionize regulated electric utilities by improving operational efficiency, enabling predictive maintenance, and optimizing energy management. Despite these advantages, the adoption of ML in this sector lags other industries due to technical, organizational, and regulatory barriers. This research, grounded in the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, explores these barriers to uncover actionable solutions for integration. The study identifies key challenges, including explainability, cybersecurity, workforce resistance, and regulatory ambiguity to ML adoption in electric utilities. Utilizing an exploratory qualitative methodology, this approach integrates insights from the literature and industry interviews to rank barriers by frequency, severity, …

"What's A Computer?" Exploring Insurance Agents' Role In Small Business Cyber Insurance Transactions, Dalton A. Crabtree

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study examined how insurance agents' role identity impacts cyber insurance transactions, addressing gaps in professional practice and academic literature. Small businesses increasingly rely on cyber insurance for protection as cyber risk continues to evolve. The study employed sequential explanatory methodology with 25 interviews across three groups: insurance agents (n=15), corporate cyber insurance professionals (n=5), and small business owners (n=5). Thematic analysis using Katz and Khan's Role Episode Model informed development of the Cyber Insurance Role Identity Scale (CIRIS), tested with 100 agents. Six themes emerged. Key findings reveal that successful cyber insurance transactions require agents to transition from …

The Role Of Emotional Stability And Social Confidence In Leading With Vulnerability Moderated By Perceived Trust In The Leader, Perceived Trust In The Team, And Psychological Safety, Adam N. Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

AKTiVe leadership is a foundational cultural model that has been adopted at Florida Health Science Center (Tampa General Hospital). The premise of the model is that treating each other with Authenticity, Kindness, Transparency, and Vulnerability (AKTiVe Model) will lead to cultural change that enhances trust, engagement, and psychological safety, which will in turn drive performance improvement for the organization. It takes years to change the culture of an organization, which highlights the need to focus on sustainability and resilience in the culture. This research aims to understand the personality traits that predict leading with vulnerability.

I focused on vulnerability because …

Adapting To Uncertainty: Strategic Decision Making In The Fresh Produce Supply Chain Under Fluctuating Market Conditions, Jacqueline Kelly

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The global fresh produce supply chain faces increasing uncertainty due to economic volatility, shifting trade policies, logistical constraints, and evolving consumer demand. In this dissertation, I examine industrial purchasing decision-making grounded in the Industrial Buyer Behavior (IBB) framework. The study explores how supply chain experts navigate uncertainty, mitigate risks, and implement adaptive strategies to maintain efficiency and profitability.

Using a qualitative approach, this research draws on in-depth interviews with industry professionals to identify key factors influencing purchasing decisions, including supply chain resilience, technological advancements, sustainability, and geopolitical risks. Findings indicate flexible sourcing strategies, real-time logistical adjustments, and predictive analytics are …

Essays On Policy Initiatives For Equitable And Fair Distribution Of Benefits Of Information Technology, Roohid Ahmed Syed

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The impact of Information technology on human lives is beyond measure. Information technology has become so integral to our human lives that we can no longer undermine its societal impact. While there is ample evidence for the societal gains from digital technologies, there is evidence for the inequitable distribution of such gains across society. For example, accelerated digitization of economy has left the digital haven-nots with limited access to education, health care and employment opportunities further deepening the already existing social inequities. Furthermore, increasing implementation of algorithms has created the problem of algorithmic bias across multiple domains including hiring. Though …

Next-Gen Hr: How People Analytics And Business Acumen Drive Leadership In Strategy, Wistaria J. Joseph

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Quantitative research within the Human Resources (HR) field is scarce, specifically for HR professionals. This study aimed to add to the body of HR professional research focusing on professional development of HR professionals to ascend to significant leadership roles and gain a seat at the company’s strategic decision-making table. This research tackled the moderating role of people analytics and business acumen to determine if they drove Human Resource Management (HRM) strategic propensity from transactional HR expertise and transformational leadership, with upper-echelon and strategic leadership theories providing the backdrop. To this end, a survey was deployed to obtain responses from a …

Organizational Intentionality: Enhancing Business Engagement With Black Entrepreneurs Through Purposeful And Inclusive Strategies, Willye G. Shaw

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Motivated by demands for greater business diversity and proactive efforts of organizations to improve their inclusive engagements with minority stakeholders, this research contributes to the academic body of knowledge related to Black-owned business value by highlighting the impacts of organizations committed to shifting the conventional approach to diversity with this business community. The objective is to delve more into the need for enhanced relationships between organizations and Black-owned businesses, offering insights into the intentional actions, decisions, and strategies that lead to purposeful initiatives by the organizations to refine their business practices, with a focus on sustainable success for Black entrepreneurs. …

Virtual Leadership Through The Use Of Commanders Intent, Lisa M. Hammond

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The shift to remote work triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed organizational dynamics, exposing the limitations of traditional leadership models and emphasizing the need for innovative approaches. This dissertation examines the application of the military concept of Commander’s Intent in remote work settings, focusing on its potential to enhance mission alignment, autonomy, and productivity. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates quantitative survey data and qualitative thematic analysis to explore how Commander’s Intent impacts mission clarity, person-job fit, and leadership effectiveness. Findings reveal that Commander’s Intent strengthens mission alignment and empowers teams to act autonomously while maintaining strategic coherence, …

Relationship-Influenced Cyber Hygiene (Rich) In Community Banks, Monte L. Ward

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a research study that introduces the theoretical model of Relationship-Influenced Cyber Hygiene (RICH) through its investigation of the phenomenon the researcher experienced: how the interpersonal relationship between top management and cybersecurity personnel within smaller community banks influences the cyber hygiene of top management. Due to the value proposition of community banks to their clients and the limited budget of smaller institutions for investment in cybersecurity controls and initiates, community banks need additional strategies to achieve stronger cyber hygiene, especially as it relates the greatest weakness in most cybersecurity infrastructures—the human element. This study identifies and addresses a …

Variation In Investment Portfolios For Identical Client Scenarios: A Study Of Portfolios Recommended By Financial Professionals, Patricia G. Wells

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Using a unique set of data obtained from interviews of financial professionals, this study aimed to explore the heterogeneity among portfolios of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds recommended by financial professionals for fictional client scenarios that control for investor risk and asset allocation. First, the extent to which the revealed asset allocation matched the elicited asset allocation was examined. Next, the portfolios were examined relative to diversification within the stock and bond holdings. Portfolios were examined on the basis of hypothetical historical risk and return. Lastly, comments provided by financial professionals about their security selections and investment approach were presented. …

Integrating Risk And Vulnerability: Exploring A Unified Model For Supply Chain Resiliency, William G. Cook

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The world has entered an era of retreating globalization, mounting geo-political tensions, rising protectionism, and increasing focus on the fragility of complex supply chains. The negative impacts of supply chain disruptions have been increasingly documented since the turn of the century. Given the global scale of recent disruptions, supply chain resiliency has become a national imperative. The Global Financial Crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, and other major disruptive events demonstrate the active role of government in mitigating damage, the enduring effects of regulation, and the resultant re-evaluation of supply chain strategies by the private and public sectors. In this environment, supply …

Operational Variations In State-Owned Hotels And International Branded Hotels In China: A Qualitative Analysis Of Practitioners' Perspectives And Implications, Wen Wei

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines experienced hoteliers' perspectives on essential operational practices for delivering consistent, high-quality customer experiences, focusing on operational differences between Chinese State-Owned Hotels (SOHs) and International Branded Hotels (IBHs) in China. Through semi-structured interviews with 24 experienced hoteliers from SOHs and IBHs, the research identifies operational practices in IBHs that are perceived as more effective than those in SOHs. Additionally, the study explores operational practices that SOHs and IBHs could adopt and adapt to succeed in China’s post-pandemic hotel market. The analysis is framed by the Resource-Based View (RBV), Dynamic Capabilities (DCs), Market Orientation (MO), and the role of …

Perceptions Of Rural America: Exploring College Students' Views And Career Priorities Post-Graduation, Tom Hall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The problems facing rural America are wide ranging and multilayered. Perceptions can often be reality for those unfamiliar with rural life, which can pose a hurdle for businesses to overcome. With an in-depth literature review and research study, this dissertation aims to provide context and understanding to the problems and misconceptions of rural America. Without context, it is easy to interpret rural America as a dying, outdated part of the country, but the reality is far more complex. A research study was conducted that surveyed 400 actively enrolled college students from schools in 19 American states on three things: 1) …

Empowering Entrepreneurial Evolution: A Beyond Founder Strategic Approach To Small Business Growth, D. Jared Knisley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Growing a business beyond its founder’s capacities and talents presents a challenging undertaking. When a founder is no longer involved or motivated to grow the business, firm decline is a likely outcome. Small businesses often have a deep and, at times, hindering reliance on their early founders for development. Therefore, a continuous engaging plan to advance entrepreneurial success is needed to grow a small business.

My research objective aims to find methods and designs, through academic literature and practitioner interviews, that transition leadership responsibilities and increase team empowerment within a small business, enabling these firms to continue growing as the …

Business Failure Mode And Effects Analysis: A Risk Based Holistic Strategy To Improve Success Rates Of Small Technology Businesses, Krishnakumar R. Nair

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Multiple US and global statistics show that small businesses are vital to economic development but fail at a startling rate. Small technology businesses (STBs) are around 35% of this small business segment. The central problem addressed in this research is to reduce their short lives and enable growth and stability. The solution is a significant business management strategy iteratively developed by working with business owners and practitioners. A holistic approach to view the business as a whole to address premature failures is not available, and this research presents a comprehensive approach to solving that problem. The study developed a novel …

Integrating Location Data Into Analytics: Methods, Applications, And Fairness In Public Healthcare, Arindam Ray

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the application of location data in healthcare management, focusing on epidemic spread forecasts and fairness in healthcare access. It demonstrates the power of location data in understanding and forecasting epidemic spread with two examples, using mobility metrics derived from the location data. The second example also considers the effect of social vulnerability along with population mobility and extends a popular deep-learning algorithm to accept static anddynamic data. The dissertation also proposes health equity measures by evaluating the alignment between healthcare facility locations and people’s mobility patterns, considering demographic factors. This research highlights the valuable insight location data …

Understanding Donor Preferences And Intentions: A Theory Of Planned Behavior Approach, Kimberly Cubre

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Advancement teams have a pivotal role in bridging the ever-widening gap in funding for higher education institutions. As this gap continues to expand, these teams have emerged as increasingly prominent players to raise philanthropic support. This research study is aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of their engagement strategies and gaining a deeper understanding of donor motivations and intentions. Employing the Theory of Planned Behavior in conjunction with a revised and tested survey instrument (as validated by Smith & McSweeney in 2007), this study sheds light on donor behavior. It probes into donors' sentiments regarding the philanthropic tactics and communications they …

Through The Looking Glass: Overcoming Algorithm Aversion In Accounting, David E. Watson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Artificial intelligence (AI) is growing rapidly in the accounting field as audit firms invest heavily in technology to enhance audit efficiency and effectiveness. Existing research reveals two contrasting behaviors: algorithm aversion, where individuals are reluctant to rely on algorithms even if their recommendations are equivalent to humans, and algorithm appreciation, where individuals excessively rely on AI without exercising professional skepticism. This study investigates whether auditors’ algorithm aversion can be mitigated through interventions of providing reliability information and transparency information (explainability) about the AI’s processes in order to enhance auditor reliance on AI tools. The results indicate that the participants were …