Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons^™

The Role Of Project Managers And Pmp Principles In Improving Operational Efficiency In Healthcare Organizations, Karan Thakkar

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Healthcare organizations operate in increasingly complex, regulated, and resource-constrained environments while managing a growing volume of projects tied to digital transformation, process improvement, regulatory compliance, and infrastructure development. Despite the project-intensive nature of healthcare operations, many organizations do not formally employ trained project managers or consistently apply Project Management Professional (PMP) principles; project responsibilities are frequently absorbed by clinical or administrative leaders whose primary expertise lies outside formal project management. This qualitative study examined how the project manager role and PMP principles contribute to operational efficiency in healthcare organizations. The study was conducted as a qualitative document analysis and thematic …

The Effects Of Private Equity Ownership Of Acute Care Hospitals On Patient Experience, Abigail M. Huffman

Theses and Dissertations

In 10 years, private-equity firms' share of hospitals has grown from 2-3% to 8%.  Using data from two sources: the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) patient surveys and the Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP), I demonstrate a causal effect of private-equity ownership on patient satisfaction using difference-in-difference methods.

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 …

Structural Empowerment And The Work Environment Of Nursing Home Care Workers In China, Yawen Ou

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

China is experiencing a profound demographic transformation as its population ages rapidly, driven by declining fertility, increased longevity, and long-term effects of the One- Child policy. Traditional family-based elderly care has become increasingly unsustainable due to the pressures of the “4-2-1” family structure and the rising prevalence of empty-nest households. In this context, there is an increasing trend in institutionalized elderly care, accompanied by a growing demand for Nursing Home Care Workers (NHCWs). In spite of their vital importance, NHCWs often face heavy workloads, poor compensation, low recognition, and limited professional autonomy. This study explores the work environment and structural …

Peace Innovation And Healing: A Design Justice Framework To Support Change Processes, Strengthen Relationships, Foster Trust, And Build Community, Michelle Helman

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

Many organizations aiming to achieve peace and health equity outcomes often focus their design processes and innovation efforts externally without addressing how their organizational culture can unintentionally reproduce the very harms they are trying to address. The purpose of this qualitative design research study is to explore the role of a design justice framework in piloting a Peace Innovation Project aimed at facilitating an organizational culture change process. Specifically, the study focuses on better understanding how integrating a design justice approach could support research collaborators to center equity and justice as core components in building a culture of peace and …

Embodying Design Justice: A Peace Education Framework To Strengthen Relationships, Foster Trust And Build Community, Michelle Helman

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

BACKGROUND

Groups working toward creating peace and equity often focus on external innovation without addressing internal culture shifts necessary to navigate change and achieve their goals. Michelle’s doctoral research and practice address this challenge through a design research study and peace innovation project focused on organizational culture transformation through a design justice framework. Findings suggest that interweaving the framework with storytelling, arts, and embodiment practices are key to support people in navigating change processes to strengthen relationships, foster trust, and build community.

ABOUT

The workshop offers an applied learning experience for participants to explore the concepts of design and innovation …

Navigating An Uncharted Path: Chief Diversity Officer Challenges In Creating And Implementing A Dei Strategy Plan Within Major Hospital Systems, Diane Shines Mcdaniel

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative phenomenological study investigated the major challenges Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) face when creating and implementing DEI strategy plans within major hospital systems in the United States. The study was guided by one research question: What are the major challenges that Chief Diversity Officers face in creating and implementing a DEI strategy plan within major U.S. hospital systems? A phenomenological design was used to examine the challenges of six Chief Diversity Officers serving in major U.S. hospitals as they led DEI strategy planning and implementation. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews consisting of eight open-ended questions designed to elicit …

Enhancing Military Health System Organizational Efficiency And Quality Of Care Through A Social-Ecological Framework, Eric L. Peipelman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Timely and fair adjudication of incivility-related actions within the Department of Defense (DoD) and Military Health System (MHS) is increasingly crucial for maintaining accountability, mission readiness, and quality of care. Ongoing delays in resolving workplace complaints and inefficiencies in resource-heavy adjudications highlight the need to shift from reactive complaint handling toward proactive civility promotion and transparent decision-making. This Integrated Learning Experience (ILE) introduces the Peipelman Civility Discussion and Assessment Toolkit (PCDAT)—a comprehensive, evidence-based framework designed to improve civility, optimize resources, and enhance communication, even in the MHS. Based on the Social-Ecological Model (SEM) and adapted from the Workplace Power and …

Compensation Transparency In The U.S. Healthcare Workforce, Brandon Perkins

Honors Projects

This study investigates how perceptions of pay transparency among U.S. healthcare workers relate to work engagement, burnout levels, and intentions to stay with their current institution. A quantitative survey was conducted of 200 clinical and non-clinical employees across academic, nonprofit, for-profit, and government healthcare organizations. Self-reported views of transparency were evaluated in relation to validated measures of work engagement, burnout, stay intentions, and pay secrecy. The results showed that increased perceived compensation transparency was highly connected with greater work engagement and lower levels of burnout. Both engagement and burnout appeared as major indicators of the employees' intentions to stay with …

The Impact Of Culture And Language On Internal Communication And Patient Care In Small To Medium-Sized Black Immigrant-Owned Healthcare Practices In Texas., Chisom Nwosu

Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how cultural competency in small to medium-sized Black immigrant-owned healthcare practices in Texas affects internal communication and patient care. Through semi-structured interviews with nine clinical and administrative leaders in Dallas and Houston, five themes emerged: culturally competent leadership, intentional communication structures, language and interpretation practices, patient-centered cultural sensitivity, and the use of technology for adaptation. Findings suggest that culturally aware leadership and inclusive communication strategies foster team cohesion and improve patient trust and care. Participants reported adapting workflows to meet religious, language, and communication needs through human and technological tools. The study underscores embedding cultural …

Impactful Programs And Initiatives For Employee Resource Groups That Promote And Sustain Positive Social Determinants Of Health, Lisa Kangas, Maureen Hall, Julie James, Gladys Peters

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) leaders’ lack of interest in employee resource groups (ERGs) and related programs can negatively impact an organization’s culture, operational excellence, and employee retention and have detrimental implications for social determinants of health (SDOH). Prioritizing ERG programs and initiatives is essential for organizational success and can positively affect SDOH. This qualitative pragmatic inquiry study identified and explored ERG programs and initiatives that support organizational culture, operational excellence, and employee retention.The research question for this study was: What ERG programs and initiatives support organizational culture, operational excellence, and employee retention? The study included eight DEI leaders …

Evidence And Consensus-Based Imaging Guidelines In Birdshot Chorioretinopathy: Multimodal Imaging In Uveitis (Muv) Taskforce Report 8, Jose S. Pulido

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: To develop consensus-based imaging guidelines for diagnosing and monitoring birdshot chorioretinopathy (BSCR).

DESIGN: Consensus-based approach guided by literature and an expert committee using a nominal group technique (NGT).

METHODS: An expert committee of 5 international uveitis specialists reviewed 15 well-documented representative BSCR cases with comprehensive imaging data. Cases with active and inactive disease were included. Imaging, including color fundus photography (CFP), fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), and OCT angiography (OCTA) were reviewed. Using a structured NGT approach, consensus-based recommendations were developed for specific disease characteristics, biomarkers of activity, and …

Arts-Based Sustainability: From New York To Malawi, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Recognizing that libraries serve multiple constituencies and subject areas, this chapter documents and advocates for development of transdisciplinary arts-based research (ABR) and culture-related projects linked to environmental challenges. Libraries contribute collections and spaces, as well as the research of library and information scientists. Libraries are currently among invisible contributors to sustainability planning and services. The chapter will link this invisibility to the value of what visual arts refer to as negative space elements in subjects ranging from traditional ecological knowledge to environmental science. Library collections, projects, and research contribute to education for sustainable development (ESD) as required to achieve the …

Hospital Organizations’ Obligation To Promote Spiritual Well-Being Among Nurses: Development Of A Normative Ethical Argument, Michael Jordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents an innovative strategy to promote the support of nurses' spirituality within hospital organizations. By focusing on the spiritual well-being of nurses by hospital organizations, with a natural extension into nursing schools, the approach aims to enhance nurse’s ability to protect their own spirituality, provide comprehensive spiritual care to patients, and increase nurse moral resilience. By investing in nurses' spirituality and spiritual growth, hospitals can potentially increase job satisfaction among nursing staff, improve patient care outcomes, and create a more holistic healing environment for both nurses and patients. As the nursing shortage continues and the number of nurses …

Prescription For Progress: A Retention Plan To Heal The Dying Nurse Workforce, Margaret Curd

Senior Honors Theses

The United States is currently facing an unprecedented nursing shortage which stems from many variables, including a lack of clinical rotation sites for students, increased burnout among current nurses, and a growing retiring workforce. Rising nurse turnover rates negatively impact patient outcomes, which should concern all levels of management. One specific hospital facing such an impact is Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois. This thesis seeks to address their substandard staffing ratios in an extensive, holistic strategic retention plan. Metrics for proving the plan’s success are provided alongside a discussion of proper calculations for each.

Podcasting Towards Togetherness: Utilizing Podcasts To Improve Departmental Camaraderie And Well-Being, Michael Petrauskis, Colleen Gutman, Rosemarie Fernandez

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Physician burnout is on the rise, and this is of particular concern in emergency medicine. Burnout is associated with medical errors, adverse events, poor professionalism, and litigation. A sense of community can build engagement and mitigate workplace stressors on well-being. Emergency physicians may have trouble connecting due to the nature of shift-work and various practice settings. Communication technology, and particularly podcasting, has the potential to help overcome these barriers and positively impact relatedness and well-being.

Approach: We developed an inward-facing podcast, “The ER Break Room” within the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Florida. Through the …

Exploring Leadership In Physical Therapy: How Clarity, Connection, And Communication Influence Team Engagement, Burnout, And Achieving Organizational Objectives, Jason Collin

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify and describe how highly effective PT leaders use the three competencies of HPTs (clarity, connection, and communication) to increase engagement, prevent burnout, and achieve organizational objectives. The second purpose of this study was to determine the degree of importance that highly effective PT leaders perceive the three HPTE core competencies impact their leadership for creating HPTs.

Methodology: The mixed methods study identified and described eight PT leaders’ perceptions of how they use clarity, connection, and communication to build and sustain HPTs. PT leaders were selected through purposive and snowball …

A Survey-Based Quantitative Analysis Of Stress Factors And Their Impacts Among Cybersecurity Professionals, Sunil Arora, John D. Hastings

Research & Publications

This study investigates the prevalence and underlying causes of work-related stress and burnout among cybersecurity professionals using a quantitative survey approach guided by the Job Demands-Resources model. Analysis of responses from 50 cybersecurity practitioners reveals an alarming reality: 44% report experiencing severe work-related stress and burnout, while an additional 28% are uncertain about their condition. The demanding nature of cybersecurity roles, unrealistic expectations, and unsupportive organizational cultures emerge as primary factors fueling this crisis. Notably, 66% of respondents perceive cybersecurity jobs as more stressful than other IT positions, with 84% facing additional challenges due to the pandemic and recent high-profile …

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

Publications and Research

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

Confronting Indecision, Lane Allison Murray

ENGS 15.11: Design and Education

This course aims to increase students' understanding of indecision and how to confront it. The class provides insight into how the fear of the unknown holds people back from making decisions and about understanding one's values as a means to combat indecision. Students and teachers alike explore instances of indecision and evaluate their own impulses & thought processes by reflecting on the deeper reasons for their choices. Students will increase their comfort level of asking themselves and their peers questions about the values that guide them and, in doing so, strengthen their relationships with themselves and others.

Healthcare Providers’ Lived Experiences During Pivotal Change, Lisa Raynelle Shelley

Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined healthcare providers’ lived experiences of psychological safety and administrative leader behaviors that influenced those experiences during pivotal change. While much research addressed psychological safety among frontline healthcare staff, a gap was noticed concerning providers. This study aimed to investigate the impact of psychological safety and administrative support on provider engagement, emotional response, and retention during periods of significant change. Data were collected via a survey containing multiple-choice and open-ended questions, followed by semi-structured interviews. Four findings emerged. First, the providers’ pivotal events generated themes of “workplace power dynamics,” “systemic and organizational change,” “transformational crisis,” and “physical …

The Relationship Between Mental Health Disclosures, Employee Sentiments And Turnover Intention In The Workplace, Steve G. Winkel

Open Access Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between employees’ disclosure of mental health conditions in the workplace and these employees’ sentiments, feelings, and associated outcomes. Utilizing constructs of job satisfaction, affective commitment, normative commitment, motivation, and turnover intentions, the research aims to understand quantifiable differences in the employment experience between employees who disclose and do not disclose (non-disclosure) mental health conditions, as well as the mediating roles of human resources management (HRM), supervisors support, and employee authenticity. Through self-reported data detailing employees’ disclosure experiences, the research also aims to understand the disclosure conversation's specific impact …

Journey To Well-Being: An Exploration Of Thrivership Post-Domestic Violence, Kader Gumus

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Domestic violence profoundly affects multiple facets of a survivor’s life. While most existing literature on survivorship addresses the immediate aftermath of domestic violence, this study delves into the extended process following the trauma of abuse to attain “thrivership,” a new concept in the scholarly and practice literature that emphasizes enduring well-being and flourishing. This dissertation examines the journeys from surviving to thriving for 13 women who transformed themselves and their lives to achieve well-being after traumatic domestic violence. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was applied to examine the multiple layers of environmental influences on an individual’s development, including the micro, meso, …

Beyond Strong: A Phenomenology Of Women Executives And The Connection Between Leadership And Fitness, Nozomi Bullock

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Senior-level executive leaders’ work in a dynamic, competitive, 24/7 business environment can be physically rigorous, mentally demanding, and emotionally isolating. The same holds true for women pursuing senior-level leadership roles in corporate America. Women who achieve and succeed in such roles remain the minority: Outsiders in elite spaces who are held to higher standards and overly scrutinized. Among senior-level executive women leaders, those committed to a fitness and training regimen including weightlifting constitute an even smaller minority. Senior-level executive roles require stamina, resilience, and courage—qualities that make up the foundation of the mindset of fitness and strength training (Foyster et …

Attachment Styles As Moderators Of Loneliness In Remote Work, Brody Tj Loughlin

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the role of attachment styles in moderating the relationship between remote work and loneliness. Drawing on attachment theory, which posits that early life experiences shape attachment styles and influence social interactions, the study examines whether attachment styles (anxious, avoidant, and secure) moderate the association between remote work and feelings of loneliness. The research targets 394 remote workers, using a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design with proportional stratified sampling to reflect the distribution of hybrid and fully remote work arrangements in the U.S. workforce. The Extent of RemoteWork measure, the Three-Item Loneliness Scale, and the Adult Attachment Scale assess …

What Makes An Effective Chief Of Pediatric Cardiology: Insights From Chiefs Of North American Pediatric Programs, Michael E. Kim, Wayne Franklin, Anne M. Dubin, Jeffrey J. Kim, Shubhayan Sanatani, R. Krishna Kumar, Shubhika Srivastava, Thomas R. Kimball, Mark Lewin, Joseph Rossano, Colin J. Mcmahon

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Although the position of a pediatric cardiology chief is often seen as the apex of one's academic career, its roles, responsibilities, and qualifications are not well defined in the literature. This study was done to gain further insight of the role and attributes of a pediatric cardiology chief by surveying those who are currently serving the position across North American centers.

METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a mixed-methods study with a survey given to North American pediatric cardiology chiefs at programs with fellowship training programs. The survey was a semistructured questionnaire that was independently reviewed by 3 cardiologists. Smaller …

Examining Assessment Tools To Predict Burnout Among Healthcare Practitioners And Students, Robin Hilliard Albertson, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

The U.S. health system is stretched thin by pressures to expand service delivery and improve outcomes while reducing costs. This pressure is intensified by global health crises and other factors, resulting in further reductions in the healthcare workforce due to burnout. The strain leaves healthcare practitioners at risk of experiencing negative consequences of burnout, even death [1]. This study explored the correlations between three validated assessment tools to determine if early signs of burnout in healthcare practitioners and students can be identified succinctly, thus expanding the current body of evidence on the strengths of environments supporting career retention and healthcare …

Does Job Satisfaction Take A Hit? The Relationships Between Employee Cannabis Use, Job Satisfaction, And Absenteeism, Caroline Jordan Moughan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Despite the frequency of cannabis use, limited research has examined how employees’ cannabis use relates to job attitudes and behaviors. This study responds to calls to examine the effects of employee cannabis use on work-relevant outcomes by exploring how employee cannabis use relates to job satisfaction and voluntary absenteeism by analyzing a sample of 526 employed young adults from the most recent three waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) Child and Young Adult Cohort. Through estimating cross-lagged panel models, this study clarifies the direction of relationships between employee cannabis use and job satisfaction, and how these relate …

Behavioral Factors Associated With Patients' Non-Attendance: A Retrospective Study In An Outpatient Specialty Clinic At A Women's And Children's Hospital In Singapore, Yue Tang, Houyuan Jiang, Jingui Xie, Zhichao Zheng, Chui Yee Loke, Bee Keow Goh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Background: This study aimed to identify behavioral factors that affect patient attendance in outpatient clinics, especially those related to rescheduling. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 20,386 appointment records for 6,252 patients in an outpatient specialty clinic at a women’s and children’s hospital in Singapore over 34 months (January 2012–October 2014). Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the influence of independent variables on appointment no-shows. Results: The average no-show rate of the study population was 28.87%. Patient historical behaviors were significantly associated with appointment attendance. In particular, a larger number of previous visits, more historical no-shows, more historical …

Adaptation Of The Socioecological Model To Address Disparities In Engagement Of Black Men In Prostate Cancer Genetic Testing, Amy Leader, Timothy Rebbeck, William Oh, Alpa Patel, Eric Winer, Leeann Bailey, Leonard Gomella, Crystal Lumpkins, Isla Garraway, Lisa Aiello, Monica Baskin, Heather H Cheng, Kathleen Cooney, Amanda Ganzak, Daniel George, Susan Halabi, Feighanne Hathaway, Claire Healy, Joseph W Kim, Michael Leapman, Stacy Loeb, Kara Maxwell, Christopher Mcnair, Todd Morgan, Breanne Prindeville, Howard R Soule, Whitney Steward, Sakinah Suttiratana, Mary-Ellen Taplin, Kosj Yamoah, Thierry Fortune, Kris Bennett, Joshua Blanding-Godbolt, Laura Gross, Veda Giri

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Black men consistently have higher rates of prostate cancer (PCA)- related mortality. Advances in PCA treatment, screening, and hereditary cancer assessment center around germline testing (GT). Of concern is the significant under-engagement of Black males in PCA GT, limiting the benefit of precision therapy and tailored cancer screening despite longstanding awareness of these disparities. To address these critical disparities, the Socioecological Model (SEM) was employed to develop comprehensive recommendations to overcome barriers and implement equitable strategies to engage Black males in PCA GT.

METHODS: Clinical/research experts, national organization leaders, and community stakeholders spanning multiple regions in US and Africa …