Finance and Financial Management Commons^™

Relationship Between Chief Executive Officer Compensation, Duality, And Return On Equity, Elizabeth Rescigno

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor decisions and conflicts of interest by members of company boards of directors have been a factor in the dramatic rise in chief executive officer (CEO) compensation, resulting in a lower return on equity (ROE) for shareholders. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between CEO compensation, CEO duality, and ROE after controlling for CEO age, CEO tenure, and firm size, as measured by total assets. Agency theory was the theoretical framework for this study. The study examined whether a statistically significant relationship existed between CEO compensation, CEO duality, and ROE, after controlling for CEO age, …

Early Detection And Prevention Of Corporate Financial Fraud, Marcia Schillermann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The economic cost of financial statement fraud continues to be a problem for organizations and society. The research problem addressed in this study was the limited risk management strategies available for the early detection and prevention of financial statement fraud by corporate managers and auditors. These strategies are important to the proactive prevention of fraud. This study is important to future trustworthiness of financial statements. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study was to explore current early detection and prevention methods in financial statement fraud using a risk management conceptual framework. The research question focused on current fraud detection and …

Digital Strategies Senior Bank Executives In Mauritius Use To Improve Customer Service, Sailesh Sewpaul

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Customers' use of digital banking has reshaped traditional banking, and senior level bank executives must know how to leverage this innovation to improve customer service to increase profitability. Using the technology acceptance model as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore effective digital banking strategies that senior level executives used to improve customer service to increase profitability. The target population for this study included senior-level executives from 3 banks in Mauritius possessing successful development and implementation experience in digital banking strategies to improve customer service. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and organizational documents, …

Mortgage Regulations And Compliance Strategies, Cheryl Travis-Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2010, regulators established new rules for single-family mortgage services that tightened the loan amount consumers could qualify for, restricted fees lenders could charge, and placed numerous financial penalties for improper servicing of loans. Regulatory fee restrictions made it difficult for leaders to offset the compliance costs through the price of services provided. Leaders responsible for mortgage regulatory compliance experienced increased operating costs for single-family mortgage services due to the new regulations, and some leaders found it challenging to comply and remain competitive. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies leaders in the single-family mortgage services …

Equity Trading Evaluation Strategies In Switzerland After The European Mifid Ii, Linn Kristina Karstadt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Swiss bank traders are affected by technological and regulatory challenges, which may affect their broker voting process and may result in a change of trading and evaluation behavior in 2018. Compounded challenges exist when broker evaluation strategies are not effective or Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) II compliant. This qualitative, single case study, built on efficient capital market hypothesis and innovative disruption theory, was focused on effective broker evaluation strategies after MiFID II in Switzerland. The sample consisted of 4 buy-side traders, who shared their unique perspectives. Methodological triangulation was achieved through semistructured interviews, a review of the institution's …

Employee Turnover At Community Banks, Cheryl J. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some community bank managers do not possess the skills needed to retain employees, which increases employee turnover and decreases their competitive advantage. The purpose of this explanatory case study was to explore strategies community bank managers use to minimize employee turnover for their organization. The population consisted of 4 community bank managers in the Central Florida area who had at least 1-year of managerial experience evaluating employee retention. The conceptual framework was the jobs characteristics theory of Hackman and Oldham. Data were collected from semistructured face-to-face interviews and business documentation. Methodological triangulation was appropriate to validate the creditability and interpretation …

Characteristics Of Stocks And Individual Investor Herd Behavior: A Causal-Comparative Study, Tze Sun Wong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some individual investors follow institutional investors in trading, a phenomenon called herding, that leads to excess market volatility and mispriced stocks. Individual investors who herded suffered from inferior investment performances and monetary losses, and the impact is broader in an individual investor dominant market such as Taiwan. Behavioral finance is the theoretical base of herd behavior. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine individual investor herd behavior as related to characteristics of stocks in the Taiwan stock market. The research questions addressed what differences in individual investor herd behavior, if any, existed by market capitalization, price-to-book (P/B) ratio, …

Leadership Strategies To Reduce Employees' Occupational Stress, Ransford George Davidson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Job-related aspects of the work environment, such as work pressure, workload, leadership, and management support cause occupational stress and increase costs to organizations. Grounded in the job demands-resources model theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies some bank managers use to reduce employees' occupational stress. The interview process included 5 managers employed at a bank in the Caribbean who successfully implemented strategies that reduced employees' occupational stress. The data collection and analysis process involved face-to-face, semistructured interviews and analysis of organizational documentation. Using the exploratory approach in data analysis, data were systematically integrated, evaluated, and …

Strategies For Sustainability Of Nonfranchise Casual Dining Restaurants, Kristin Burke Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, over 50% of restaurants fail within the first 5 years of operations resulting in approximately $2.1 billion annually in lost national sales revenue. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies used by owners of nonfranchise, casual dining restaurants to ensure sustainability longer than 5 years. The study was grounded in Porter's 5 forces framework as a lens for identifying effective strategies that promote restaurant sustainability. The data collection process comprised gathering data and information via semistructured interviews with 3 owners of nonfranchise, casual dining restaurants in the mid-Atlantic region who sustained …

Financial Advisors' Marketing Strategies To Minorities, Jonica Rowland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Independent financial advisors face challenges with successful marketing strategies as competition from web-based resources, large U.S. financial services, and wealth advisors' corporations increase. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to understand financial advisors' perceptions, experiences, and marketing strategies to improve their companies' sustainability by targeting a broader population base, including minorities, who need assistance with retirement planning strategies. Consumer culture theory was the conceptual framework for this study. Purposeful sampling was the basis for selecting 7 financial advisors from the mid-Atlantic region of the United States for face-to-face interviews. Semistructured interviews with open-ended questions were used to identify …

Effective Strategies For Venture Capital Evaluations Of Organizations' Drug Development Capabilities, Roslyn Chand

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Undercapitalization is a major impediment for the growth and survival of Canadian life sciences firms. Proficient management teams are the 'sine qua non' criteria in the venture capital decision-making processes. The purpose of this multicase study was to explore strategies successful venture capitalists use to improve their evaluation processes of life sciences management teams' drug development capabilities. The conceptual framework for this study was based on business process management. The purposeful sample consisted of 10 venture capitalists located in the United States and Canada who had expertise evaluating life sciences management teams. The data were triangulated from semistructured interviews, annual …

Virtual Worker Perceptions Of Retention In The Financial Services Industry, Shelly Zaldivar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the need for cost-efficient, talented teams continues to grow, leaders often consider the use of globally dispersed teams, also defined as virtual teams. Despite the apparent benefits, the unique needs of virtual team members are often overlooked in general leadership, change management, and retention discussions. Leaders need to understand contributing factors to the attrition of virtual workers. The foundation for this research included theories of employee retention and change management. The research question for this qualitative phenomenological study focused on the lived experiences of current or former virtual financial services workers regarding job retention. Participants were chosen using purposeful …

Strategies Construction Managerial Leaders Use To Counteract Material Cost Overruns, Daniel John Van Der Kuyp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The project cost overruns instigated through the loss of construction materials lowers the profitability of each stakeholder significantly. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies managerial leaders of a large construction firm used to counteract material cost overruns successfully. The diffusion of innovation theory was the conceptual framework for this study. The target population consisted of 6 managerial leaders with experience in large construction projects adhering to waste management standards and industry certifications. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and review of company documentation. The data analysis approach involved the content analysis research method to interpret …

Success Strategies Of Small Business Owners, Lyndabelle Jakes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, 20% of newly established small businesses, including small

businesses in the life insurance industry, fail within 2 years, and over 50% of them fail during the first 5 years. The purpose of this multiple case study was to identify and explore the strategies that life insurance brokerage owners use to sustain business operations beyond 5 years. Porter's 5 forces model served as the conceptual framework for exploring this subject matter. Owners of 3 separate small life insurance brokerage firms in Texas, who sustained their businesses beyond 5 years, participated in semistructured interviews. A secondary source of …

Correlates Of Job Satisfaction Among Bank Employees In Nigeria, Nosayaba Ernest Oumwense

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Job dissatisfaction among bank employees may adversely influence the financial performance of banks due to employee turnover, decreased productivity, poor service quality, decreased customer satisfaction, and negative employee attitudes in the workplace. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine how work on the present job, pay, opportunities for promotion, supervision, and coworker relationships predict job satisfaction among bank employees in Nigeria. The population of the study was 167 bank employees in 3 commercial banks in Nigeria. The 2-factor theory (TFT) served as the theoretical foundation in this study. Data collection was through a survey instrument called the job …

Strategies Church Financial Leaders Use For Financial Sustainability During Economic Crises, Jessie Hyman Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Church financial leaders were affected by the economic crisis after the 2008 recession. In a 2009 group study conducted nationwide with church financial leaders, 57% stated that the economy had a negative effect on their church budgets. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore successful strategies that some church financial leaders used to ensure financial sustainability during economic crises. Resource dependence theory was the conceptual framework. Data were collected from 6 church financial leaders at 4 churches in the northeastern region in the United States; church financial leaders were selected through purposeful sampling to participate in …

Impact Of Mortgage Characteristics On Retail Mortgage Transaction Completion Time, Kareem Atalla Tannous

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the mortgage industry, many mortgage lenders cannot manage mortgage workflow systems while meeting and exceeding organizational objectives. Organizations with an above-industry average turnaround time (ATT) to complete a retail mortgage transaction (RMT) from origination to funding experience revenue losses. Grounded in the proposition that mortgage loan purpose (MLP), mortgage loan type (MLT), and subject property type (SPT) impact ATT to complete an RMT, the purpose of this causal-comparative study was to assess the impact of MLP, MLT, and SPT on ATT to complete an RMT. Using archival data records (N = 146) from a selected mortgage institution in the …

Incorporating Stakeholder Input Into Financial Decision Making In California School Districts, Leann R. Nowlin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As of June 2013, all California public school districts are required to incorporate stakeholder input into their operational goals and expenditures to increase stakeholder trust. Trust is a belief by one party in a transaction that the other party in the transaction will act in a way that is fair and in the interest of both parties. The problem is that no guidance or direction relative to the methods or extent to which stakeholder input should be gathered and incorporated was provided within the new regulations. Lawmakers and stakeholders had no insight into the effectiveness or level of school district …

Leadership Strategies To Improve Employee Performance In The Insurance Industry, Momodou K. Sonko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of performance improvement strategies contributes to poor employee performance and increases the potential for business failure. Some insurance business leaders lack strategies to improve employee performance. The purpose of this case study was to explore strategies that successful insurance business leaders use to improve employee performance. The classical management and transformational leadership theories served as the conceptual frameworks for this study. Using a semistructured interview technique, 9 purposefully-selected insurance senior managers in Atlanta, Georgia were interviewed on how they successfully improved employee performance. Through open coding and thematic analysis, 4 themes emerged: goal setting and performance review; effective communication; …

Strategies For Residential Real Estate Professionals To Mitigate Declining Sales, Raven Cornelius

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Real estate sales significantly declined during and after the 2008 mortgage crisis. In the United States, real estate sales dropped 35% after the mortgage crisis. Guided by the attention, interest, desire, and action (AIDA) model, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies successful residential real estate organization managers use to mitigate sales decline in a postrecession environment. Three residential real estate organization managers in Southern Maryland and Northern Virginia participated in semistructured interviews. These participants are currently selling homes, worked in the real estate market before the 2008 mortgage crisis, and developed successful strategies to …

Multifactor Capital Asset Pricing Model In The Jordanian Stock Market, Mohammad Kamel Elshqirat

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A valid and accurate capital asset pricing model (CAPM) may help investors and mutual funds managers in determining expected returns and thus, may increase profits which can be reflected on the community resources. The problem is that the traditional CAPM does not accurately predict the expected rate of return. A more accurate model is needed to help investors in determining the intrinsic price of the financial asset they want to sell or buy. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the single-factor CAPM and then develop and test the validity of a multifactor CAPM in the …

Strategies To Minimize Direct Care Worker Shortages, Eric Ik Iloabachie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a worldwide shortage of direct care workers who help older adults in their own homes. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that owners of home health care businesses can use to retain adequate direct care workers for their businesses. Five home care agency owners from Wake County, North Carolina, participated. Each owner had successfully implemented strategies to ensure adequate caregivers to sustain the business. Human relations theory was used to address the business problem. Data collection involved interviewing the 5 owners of home care agency businesses in their offices. Through a process of …

Compliance Strategies To Reduce The Risks Of Money Laundering And Terrorist Financing, Cassandra Nottage

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective compliance programs expose banking and trust companies to increased risk of money laundering (ML) and terrorist financing (TF). Using risk management theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore compliance strategies that Bahamian bank and trust company managers use to reduce ML/TF risks. Study participants comprised 7 senior risk and compliance managers experienced in risk strategy development and implementation. Semistructured interview data were triangulated with data collected from internal policy and procedural documents, publicly available papers of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), and the Central …

Strategies To Reduce Voluntary Employee Turnover In Small Retail Businesses In Jamaica, Georgia Justus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Voluntary employee turnover destabilizes small retail businesses and is a costly business problem for small retail business owners. Some small retail businesses experience voluntary employee turnover of up to 50% annually. Guided by Herzberg's 2-factor theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore successful strategies used to reduce voluntary employee turnover. The target population consisted of 3 small retail business owners in Kingston, Jamaica. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and member checking, and human resource (HR) manuals containing HR policies and procedures. Data were analyzed into emerging themes using Yin's 5-step method. Based on the analysis …

Factors Predicting Profitability Of Enterprises Funded By Microfinance Institutions In Burkina Faso, Fulgence Kabore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In sub-Saharan Africa, only 13% of new businesses show profitability and survive beyond start-up. Such a low rate of success has an adverse impact on the region economy as small and medium enterprises comprise 90% of African businesses. Understanding the cause of business failure can help existing and new entrepreneurs to focus on factors that may help to overcome barriers to business growth and increase entrepreneurs' chances of success. The purpose of the correlation study was to examine the relationship between business ownership characteristics, resources and professional management, timing, and profitability. The resource-based theory served as the theoretical lens for …

Impact Of Financial Reporting Frameworks On The Quality Of Not-For-Profit Financial Reports, Jobra Mulumba Kisaku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Even when clean audit reports are issued for not-for-profit organizations (NFPOs), misuse of donor resources may continue for years without detection by financial statement users. Previous research has established creative accounting, haphazard reporting, and fraud among NFPOs. As a result, aid has been reduced and some projects have been suspended. With Uganda as the study area, the key research question was the following: What is the impact of financial reporting frameworks on the quality of financial reports in Uganda, controlling for class of external auditors? The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to establish whether reporting frameworks used by …

The Relationship Between Financial Performance, Firm Size, Leverage And Corporate Social Responsibility, Fraser T. Nega

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately $25.2 trillion in total assets under management in the United States is involved in some strategy of socially responsible and sustainable investing. Grounded in the stakeholder theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationships between financial performance, firm size, leverage, and corporate social responsibility. A random sample included 119 large companies located in the United States from the population of companies listed in the Russell 100 index. The data were collected via Bloomberg Terminal. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to predict Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) activity scores. The 3 predictor variables accounted for …

The Impacts Of Credit On Small Business Financing In Florida, Ike Chukwuma

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, small businesses represent 99.7% of firms that provide employment and account for over 50% of all private sector employment. Nevertheless, the rationing of small business borrowing is an indicative of acute credit constraints emanating from poverty, lack of collateral, lack of cosigners for bank loans, high administrative fees associated with processing credit loans, and information asymmetry along with other socioeconomic factors. In a 4-year study from 2004-2008, it was determined that small businesses suffer tremendously from credit rationing. The purpose of this study was to determine the induced effect of loan guarantee scheme, collateral, and leverage …

An Evaluation Of Customer Satisfaction Dimensions In The Ghanaian Banking Industry, Joyce Esther Dadzie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The banking industry in Ghana has seen tremendous growth in recent times. This exponential growth has led to high levels of competition and necessitated that all banks devise strategies to improve customer satisfaction to gain competitive advantage. The growing demands of customers have a significant impact on bank management's ability to attract and retain them. The ability to retain customers depends on the strategy in place to exceed customer expectations and satisfaction. Grounded in relationship marketing theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies banking leaders use to increase customer satisfaction. Data were collected through …

The Impact Of Socially Conscious Initiative Announcements On Coffee Company Stock Values, Glenn Thomas Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stockholders invest billions of dollars in the purchase of new corporate coffee stock while producers of these commodities exist in poverty of developing nations. Corporate managers may miss the opportunities for offering humanitarian aid if potential stockholders do not know of corporate social change initiatives. Little research in the influence of socially conscious initiatives exists in the coffee sector and none concentrating on socially conscious initiative announcements. If a relationship exists between socially conscious initiative announcements and stock investments, then managers could justify funding social change initiatives. This quantitative study used a 5 day pre and post event study methodology …