Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons^™

Corporate Social Responsibility And Financial Performance Of U.S. Manufacturing And Service Small- And Medium-Sized Enterprises, Revlon Orlando Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) investment strategies impact the business outcomes of firms of all sizes regardless of investment motives. But for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME), the consequences of CSR investment are more immediate when compared to larger firms due to the condensed lag time between decisions and their respective outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the management decisions of social or environmental CSR investments for U.S.-based service and manufacturing SMEs are effective as represented by financial performance in their respective business sectors. The theoretical framework of this study was stakeholder and social capital theories. Five …

Employee Engagement In The Federal Sector: An Exploration Of Communication, Respect, Motivation, And Encouragement, Jody Mcdaniel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate and deepen the understanding of employee engagement in the multigenerational workforce of a federal agency. Organizational culture in combination with the dispersion of staff across multiple generations presented the opportunity to inform the case study through scientific management theory and the theory of generations as well as concepts regarding organizational change, employee satisfaction, and organizational leadership. Research questions involved investigating factors influencing the reduction in employee satisfaction and engagement, the impact of generational differences, and the role leadership plays in altering employee engagement. Survey questions were developed based on 4 …

Emotional Intelligence, Turnover Intention, And Commitment Among Nonprofit Employees, Tabitha Brewster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover is a persistent problem contributing to financial issues and declining

productivity in nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits cannot fulfill their core missions of

providing services to people in need when managing staffing disruptions. Measuring

employee turnover intention can determine the probability of employee turnover, and a

potential predictor of turnover intention is emotional intelligence, an area unstudied in the

nonprofit sector. This study was designed to explore this relationship, in addition to the

employee's commitment to the organization. The population consisted of 273 nonprofit

employees older than 18 years, working in a nonsupervisory capacity. They completed an

online survey consisting …

Special Operations Forces Culture And Implications For Interagency Collaboration, Bradley Rhinelander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Horn of Africa exemplifies maritime instability due to regional climate, environmental, economic, food, and security issues. Future global challenges require collaborative approaches between U.S. government and military organizations to span organizational boundaries and leverage the strengths and insights of diverse organizations. The purpose of this research was to examine organizational culture and identity, as manifested in organizational literature, to identify opportunities and challenges to interagency networks and collaboration in the realm of confronting wicked problems around the globe. The research questions focus on the cultural and normative elements of organizational identity as manifest in the context of organizational literature. …

Impacting Nonprofit Financial Sustainability And Mission, Jarhal Duncan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofits in the United States have been struggling to maintain financial sustainability and create new pathways to accomplish its mission. The research problem was that there was limited research on leadership strategies for nonprofits to facilitate the balance of achieving the organizational mission and financial sustainability. The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of how current leaders of niche-based nonprofit organizations use strategies to impact financial sustainability and maintain the mission of the nonprofit organization. Building on this understanding can help address this issue. Theoretical frameworks such as Resource Dependence Theory and General Systems Theory help develop …

Workplace Incivility Of Female Managers On Self-Confidence, Self-Awareness, And Self-Esteem Of Female Workers, Dwan L. Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace incivility has been a focus of scholars since 1999 and a rising phenomenon among women within various organizations. Women represent more than half of the workforce in the United States, indicating that it is very likely that a woman will have a woman manager and/or employee at some time during her work experience. Researchers have demonstrated that women workers are very likely to experience workplace incivility during their work life more than men. Researchers have not yet established how workplace incivility impacts the female workers self-confidence, self-esteem and self-awareness when perpetrated by their female manager. The purpose of this …

Aviation Maintenance Technician Decision-Making, Dominic Hemingway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aircraft accidents caused by human decision-making errors cause property loss and fatalities on a global scale in the aviation industry. Aviation repair technician decision-making perceptions influence aviation safety. The purpose of transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of aviation repair technicians related to decision-making perceptions regarding aviation safety. The central research question and sub-question focused on the lived experiences of repair technicians’ decision-making perceptions. The naturalistic decision-making framework, decision theories, and decision-making models comprised the lens to assess the impact of aviation maintenance technician decision-making perceptions in aviation safety. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 12 …

Afterschool Program Directors’ Leadership Challenges In Developing Community Partnerships For Program Sustainability, Dr. Kartina Doretha Jackson-Roberts

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2019, researchers reported that 80% of afterschool program directors in high poverty neighborhoods felt insecure about program sustainability. Afterschool program staff serving marginalized populations are also failing to build collaborative community partnerships to offset restricted funding due to inadequate professional training. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to gain a deeper understanding of afterschool program directors’ narratives of daily experiences with leadership challenges in building community partnerships aimed at program sustainability in low-resource communities. This study was framed by 3 concepts focused on afterschool leaders building school–community partnerships: Bourdieu’s concept of social capital, Nocon’s concept of …

An Exploration Of Women Experiences In Leadership Positions Within African Immigrant Churches In The United States, Abraham Simon Obodai Wentum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little research has been conducted to understand the experiences of the women in leadership positions in the African immigrant church in the United States. The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of women in leadership positions in African immigrant churches in the United States to inform efforts toward enhancing representation of women in church leadership. The study used an interpretative phenomenological analysis research approach, guided by Bass and Riggio’s transformational leadership theory. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with 12 women in leadership positions in African immigrant churches. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Women leaders …

Corporate Trainers’ Intent To Adjust Training Programs For Fostering Employee Self-Efficacy, Peter Cronrath

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

To stay current on technology trends, trainers are tasked with providing cost-effective training to meet the needs of the organization. It is not known if to develop employee self-efficacy, organizational trainers should consider making changes to their programs in accordance with (a) generational needs of employees, (b) methodology of training, and (c) position levels of employees in an organization. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional correlational study was to determine whether there is a correlation between organizational training professionals’ intent to make changes to training programs and if self-efficacy development is considered in generationally different individuals at different position levels …

Probation And Parole Officers’ Experiences Addressing Criminogenic Needs Of Adult Felony Offenders, Maria L. Stephenson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Probation and parole officers (PPOs) deviate from evidence-based practices implemented to reduce recidivism among adult felony offenders. PPOs fail to adhere to risk-need assessment results during case management, but prior research has not established the reasons for this deviation. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of PPOs implementing the risk needs responsivity (RNR) model by addressing the criminogenic needs of adult felony offenders. The theoretical framework for this study was based on Lipsky’s street-level bureaucracy theory, Becker’s labeling theory, and Andrews and Bonta’s RNR theory. This study involved in-depth, individual, semistructured interviews with 6 participants. The data were …

Strategies For Increasing Employee Productivity In Small Technology Consulting Businesses, Dalinda Yvonne Milne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Unproductive employees in technology consulting small businesses negatively affect organizational output and profits. Investing in employee productivity is beneficial to ensuring an organization’s ability to improve their profits and sustainability as business leaders have an influential role in identifying and addressing the root causes of employee productivity issues in their organizations. The conceptual framework that grounded this doctoral study was Thomas Gilbert’s behavioral engineering model. The participants in this study consisted of 8 leaders in a Texas technology consulting small business with experience in increasing employee productivity. Data were collected through in-person semistructured interviews and business documents. Methodological triangulation was …

Highly-Skilled Black African Immigrant Women’S Narratives On Healthcare Workplace Experiences And Socioeconomic Integration, Nse Evelyn Obot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many highly skilled Black African immigrants are concentrated in low-wage positions among occupations in the healthcare industry. This education–occupation mismatch has contributed to substantial labor market hurdles affecting socioeconomic integration in the host country. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to gain a deeper understanding of highly skilled Black African immigrant women’s daily experiences within the U.S. healthcare workplace and the implication of these experiences on their socioeconomic integration. A qualitative narrative inquiry was conducted involving 7 highly skilled Black African immigrant women in the U.S. healthcare workplace. The study was framed by 2 fundamental concepts: talent …

Black Women Nonprofit Executives’ Use Of Sustainable Funding Strategies In Marginalized Communities, Asakuia Ayoka Wiles-Abel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of funding resources, inadequate staffing, poor capacity building, and difficulties in attracting individual donors are problems for small Black-led nonprofit organizations. Black women lead a majority of nonprofits in low socioeconomic and under resourced neighborhoods and have deep connections with and cultural awareness of community needs. However, little is known about how Black women leaders of nonprofits employ effective strategies to overcome funding and staff capacity challenges. The purpose of this study, which had resource dependency theory as its foundation, was to examine Black women nonprofit executives’ perceptions of obstacles in securing organizational funding and strategies for overcoming them. …

Managerial Strategies To Encourage Learning From Experience, Olena Khomenko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a fast-paced, volatile global economic environment, the ability to learn from successful experiences and failures is critical for the improvement of business performance. The problem is that organizational managers often fail to improve performance because they lack strategies to encourage learning from project teams’ positive and negative experiences. Grounded in the conceptual framework of experiential learning, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore managerial strategies to encourage and facilitate learning from experience in teams. The participants were 7 managers from multinational organizations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Switzerland who had …

Organizational Climate And Employee Engagement, Romie Mejalli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although research shows that disengaged employees contribute to increased health and hiring costs in for-profit organizations, there is a gap in the literature concerning the relationship between organizational climate (OC) and employee engagement (EE) in nonprofit organizations (NPOs). In this study, it was hypothesized that employee answers to the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 (UWES-17) and OC surveys (for example, of management styles and innovation) would predict EE in a NPO. The study further addressed the question of whether age or the division in which the employees worked influenced the relationship between OC and EE. Kahn’s engagement theory served as the …

Coalition Sustainability After Federal Funding Is Expended: A Case Study, Shawnee Marie Seese

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community coalition sustainability has been a focus of scholars as community coalitions deliver vital programs and services for communities in need. Despite the value coalitions bring to U.S. communities, they often become vulnerable after federal funding is expended. Researchers acknowledge the need to build understanding of coalition sustainability and have identified factors that contribute to the sustainability of programs, but studies on the topic remain quite limited. Federal funding requirements are more stringent than in previous years, requiring evidence of sustainability planning, which increases the urgency to identify those elements that ensure sustainability. The purpose of this study was to …

Exploring Challenges And Management Of Multicultural Workforce Organization In Nigeria, Henry Uko Ationu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increasing globalization of businesses presents the need for increased understanding of cultural differences in the work place. The central problem addressed in this study was the challenges and management of multicultural workforce organization in Nigeria. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory single case study was to explore misunderstandings and workplace inefficiency related to cultural differences, often resulting in decreased company profitability, and how these can be managed. Social learning theory and the cultural competence framework constituted the theoretical foundation and conceptual framework. Participants consisted of 10 managers of a multicultural insurance company in Nigeria, selected using a combination of …

Guiding The Future Of The Supply Chain With Succession Planning, Dana Martin Beal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some supply chain leaders in the transportation sector lack the succession planning strategies needed to fill leadership positions. The failure to create succession planning strategies will negatively impact an organization’s supply chain through tacit knowledge loss. Grounded in the social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative exploratory single-case study was to explore the succession planning strategies transportation industry supply chain business leaders use to fill organizational leadership positions to reduce tacit knowledge loss. The participants consisted of 6 supply chain leaders working in the Northeastern region of the United States who successfully utilize succession planning strategies to fill leadership …

Physician Assistant Burnout And Fulfillment Related To Career Development And Physician Relationship, Kari Sue Bernard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physician workforce shortages are driving increased clinical and administrative use of non-physician healthcare providers. As a result, physician assistants (PAs) may experience role expansion in a positive or negative manner. The purpose of this study was to determine if aspects of PA career development related to role expansion interacted with the quality of the collaborative physician (CP) relationship to predict PA well-being. The job demands-resources (JD-R) model was used as the theoretical foundation and the National Academy of Medicine’s conceptual model of clinician well-being was used as the conceptual framework. Research questions addressed whether PA experience level predicted well-being, and …

Assessment Of The High Performance Cycle To Understand Work Motivation Among U.S. Workers, Eric J. Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high performance cycle (HPC) is a multi-theoretical model of workplace motivation that is rooted in goal setting theory. While limited studies have empirically tested the HPC since its inception in 1990, early studies were limited in the lack of an instrument designed to assess HPC variables. Using an instrument developed by Borgogni and Dello Russo to empirically test the HPC, this study’s aim was to provide further examination of the HPC antecedents of performance with an increased sample size and by drawing from a diverse population of workers. Using a self-report measure of performance, a cross-sectional design was implemented …

Servant Leadership And Job Satisfaction As Moderated By Workplace Spirituality, Shellie Kae Mcnabb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Job satisfaction has been the focus of scholars for decades. Employers must create a workplace where the employee receives more than a paycheck. Servant leaders speak directly to the decisive leader-follower relationship. Workplace spirituality is a place where the employee is a valued part of the membership. Combining the three elements may answer the current problem of the aligning of business goals with employee needs. Existing research supports that servant leadership enhances job satisfaction. Researchers have demonstrated that the employee lead by example is more content. Missing are the contexts where these workers excel. The purpose of this study was …

Ethiopian Construction Project Management Maturity Model Determination And Correlational Prediction Of Project Success, Hailemeskel T. Hailemarkos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Ethiopia, although the construction industry is booming, the practice of effective project delivery in time, cost, and quality remains a challenge. Construction project success comes through the application of knowledge-based, critically essential factors. The industry's effectiveness is dictated by the level of project management knowledge built in each company. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to evaluate project management maturity level of construction industry and the predictability of project success from project management knowledge maturity of 193 project managers working in contractors, consultants, and clients. The study, which was informed by the project management body of knowledge …

The Sustainability Knowledge, Attitude, And Behavior Differences Between Green And Non-Green University Students, Rebekah Hart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that green schools and sustainability education (SE) can improve learning, health, attitudes, and behaviors. They can also model the necessary community, societal, and global changes needed for sustainable living. However, most students do not attend green schools or receive adequate SE. Limited peer-reviewed studies have also examined the sustainability knowledge, attitude, and behavior differences between green and non-green university student populations. The theoretical foundation of the study was based on the theories of planned behavior and social identity theory. In order to fill the research gap, 606 undergraduates and graduates from 265 U.S. accredited green and non-green …

Urgent Care Centers And Workers’ Compensation Medical Cost Containment, Drema M. Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In response to healthcare payment policy reforms, billions of dollars in healthcare provider charges are challenged annually. Following the implementation of the Virginia workers’ compensation medical fee legislation, healthcare organizations experienced declining worker compensation medical fee schedule reimbursements and lack of profitability. Grounded in the adaptive cycle model, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies 2 urgent care center (UCC) leaders in Virginia used to increase profits after implementing the Virginia workers’ compensation medical fee legislation. Data were collected via in-depth interviews and a review of company documents. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. …

Stability Vs. Change In Catholic Schools, Susan Theresa Diverio

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was an investigation of innovative practices based upon organizational learning and the life cycle in Catholic elementary and high schools. Limited research exists in the role that these factors play in Catholic school sustainability. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of organizational learning, as measured by the Organizational Learning Scale, and life cycle, as measured by Organizational Life Cycle 5-Scale on organizational innovation, as measured by the Organizational Innovation Scale. Organizational design framework, life cycle theory, and transtheoretical model of behavior provided the theoretical framework to investigate the relationship between organizational learning, life cycle …

Staff Engagement And Training In Supported Addiction Recovery Program For Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Hannah Carlson Jurewicz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) is similar among individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (ID/DD) and the general population, yet there is a disparity between treatment and outcomes for these two groups due to a lack of appropriately adapted treatment and staff training. The purpose of this case study was to examine how leaders in a behavioral health organization understand the engagement and training experience for staff who provide substance abuse treatment for individuals with ID/DD. Governance and operational data were collected and analyzed from internal archival sources and organizational leader interviews. Themes identified from coding indicated that …

Understanding Behavioral Health Stigma Within The Healthcare Workforce, Jason Robert Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals who seek mental health treatment in the United States face significant barriers. One such barrier is the belief that those seeking mental health treatment are subpar people with some moral failure. One area where this phenomenon exists is the behavioral healthcare workforce. This study was conducted to understand the phenomenon of stigma that behavioral healthcare leaders exhibit toward behavioral healthcare patients using the Baldrige framework as its conceptual framework. Using a qualitative approach and case study design, interviews were conducted with 6 leaders within a large healthcare system in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area to evaluate their …

Relationship Between Transformational Leadership, Employee Satisfaction And Job Performance Of Virtual Workers, Alice Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effects of leaders on virtual employees job satisfaction and job performance is essential to virtual team success. As virtual workplaces continue to evolve, there is a need to focus research on how leaders affect virtual employees. Previous research has indicated that understanding the relationship between perceived leadership and job satisfaction is crucial as it helps create a motivated and effective workforce. However there remains an essential gap in current literature regarding leadership effectiveness on job satisfaction and job performance of virtual workers. The population group for this study consisted of 70 randomly selected virtual employees. Participants of the study …

Experienced Barriers To Tacit Knowledge Sharing In Anglophone West Africa, Vivienne Ameh Ogbonna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public sector projects in Africa fail because of the absence, poor quality, and inadequate exchange of tacit knowledge through the project life cycle. The purpose of this research was to understand the barriers team members experience in sharing their ideas, skills, and know-how that is necessary to prevent waste and achieve successful projects. The conceptual framework for this interpretative phenomenological study was from the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behavior. The framework served as the lens to identify and interpret the lived experience on tacit knowledge sharing of 13 project managers on public sector projects in …