Other Education Commons^™

Employee Training Strategies For New Technology Implementation In Small Business, Eddy Varela

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure to implement new technology creates a barrier to success for small businesses. Small business owners must create competitive advantages by implementing new technology as there is a need to maintain an advantage when competing in the local market economy. Grounded in the human capital theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the employee training strategies small business owners use to implement new technology. The participants were five small business owners in Central Florida who used employee training strategies to implement new technologies Data were collected using (a) semistructured interviews, (b) member checking interviews, (c) …

Workforce Development Strategies That Impact Reentry Of Released Females In New York City, Shonae L. Mills

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Formerly incarcerated women often find it difficult to reintegrate into their communities after release. For this population, adjustment to changes directly impacts their reentry success in all areas of life. Previous research has identified significant gaps in social services for formerly incarcerated females (FIFs). Service providers' perspectives about practices and policies to address the problem are inadequate, and as a result, service provisions suffer. Therefore, this qualitative study was used to examine the shared experiences of 15 workforce development professionals who assist FIFs during their reentry process to evaluate and assess the most effective methods or policies that assist this …

Reinventing Business Collaborations For HawaiʻI Career Academies: A Delphi Study, Jennifer Ann Slotter Clawson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many Hawaiʻi high schools have adopted the career academy model to meet the innovative goals set by the state’s department and board of education. Few guidelines exist for implementing this model in a new and unique setting. In the literature, the most predominant component across successful career academies was high-quality business collaborations. However, no research was found that examined how business collaborations are implemented in Hawaiʻi schools, nor studies that reinvent the business collaboration component to develop variations for a specific location. The purpose of this qualitative Delphi study was to develop possible variations of the business collaboration component found …

Speech-Language Pathologists’ Thoughts About Emotion Regulation Therapy To Improve Students’ Employability, Phyllis R. Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHigh school graduates with language deficits often have poor emotion regulation (ER), enter the workforce unprepared to meet the emotional demands, and experience workforce outcomes that lead to a poor quality of life. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) teach ER, but little is known about ER-targeted speech-language therapy (ERSLT) for high schoolers with mild-to-moderate language impairments and ER deficits (MMLI/ER). This study was designed to explore SLPs’ views and decisions about providing ER-SLT to improve career readiness and employability for students with MMLI/ER. Several studies, the evidence-based practice (EBP) model, and a thematic analysis approach informed this integrative interpretive description design and …

Implementation Strategies For Organizational Change Initiatives, Laura Massie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Change initiatives within the higher education industry often fail because leaders are not successful in implementing change strategies. Higher education leaders who lack successful implementation strategies decrease employee productivity and increase educational costs for students. Grounded in Kotter’s (1995) eight-step model of change, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies senior-level executives in higher education use to implement organizational change initiatives. The participants were four leaders of two higher education organizations in West Virginia who successfully implemented change initiatives in finance operations. Data were collected from virtual semistructured interviews and organization documents. Yin’s 5 step …

Understanding Instructional Needs Of Entrepreneurs Learning Social Media Marketing, Kathryn A. Tomlinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractResearch has shown that early adoption of innovations often converges with the need for knowledge. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was understanding what types of instruction small business owners and their employees required to fill a gap in learning necessary skills to launch and maintain social media marketing campaigns. The conceptual framework was based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model, which originated from social cognitive theory, the technology acceptance model, diffusion of innovations theory, and other sentinel studies. Research questions explored the needs and experiences of entrepreneurs learning how to launch and maintain …

Emergency Department Operational Strategies, Joyce W. Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractEmergency Department Operational Strategies by Joyce W. Davis MBA/MHA, Pfeiffer University, 2011 BS, North Carolina A&T State University, 1980

Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration

Walden University December 2022

Relationship Between Perceived Quality Of Student Learning Experience, Perceived Quality Of Mentoring, And Student Satisfaction, George Edwin Thorpe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Entrepreneurship education (EEd) is essential to addressing youth unemployment, which reached 30% in Nigeria in 2018. Understanding the role of learning experience and mentoring is vital for EEd leaders to enhance student satisfaction from self-employment after graduation. Grounded in the direct performance-satisfaction link model of the expectancy disconfirmation theory of customer satisfaction and Kram’s mentor role theory, the purpose of the quantitative correlation study was to examine whether the perceived quality of learning experience and mentoring predicted student satisfaction in EEd institutions. The participants were 47 students of two EEd institutions in Lagos who had completed at least 50% of …

The Association Between Vocational Training Programs And Recidivism In A South Florida Prison, Audrey Karlene Ives

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractTo lower recidivism, a private rehabilitation and correctional facility (PRCF) in South Florida provides educational and therapeutic programs to inmates; however, the facility reported increased recidivism rates for several successive years. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the association between 12 vocational training programs at the local PRCF and recidivism. The study’s theoretical framework was Hirschi’s social bond theory of attachment, involvement, commitment, and belief. The research question sought to determine whether significant associations exist between specific vocational training programs and recidivism. A convenience sample of 187 inmates who completed one vocational training program and left the …

Transition Of Expert Clinical Nurse To Novice Nursing Professional Development Practitioner, Lisa Marie Langdale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing professional development (NPD) is an evolving nursing specialty role that combines expertise in clinical nursing with ongoing education in acute care settings. A novice NPD practitioner may not understand the complexities, demands, and stressors that accompany a work role transition. This qualitative case study used thematic analysis and revealed four themes associated with the successful work role transition of an expert clinical nurse to the novice NPD practitioner. The conceptual framework guiding this study was Nicholson’s work role transitions theory. The first research question sought to determine the professional experiences of expert clinical nurses as they transition into the …

Psychological Capital And The Relationship Between Authentic Leadership And Employee Well-Being, Bianca Cardenas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is not known whether authentic leadership predicts employee well-being, and whether psychological capital moderates the relationship between authentic leadership and employee well-being. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine the extent that authentic leadership predicted employee well-being and whether psychological capital had a moderating effect on the relationship between authentic leadership and employee well-being. The two theoretical frameworks that supported this study included the authentic leadership theory and social exchange theory. The research design consisted of a quantitative, correlational study using multiple and hierarchical regression analysis. The two research questions that guided this study examined whether perceived …

University Student Descriptions Of Their Financial Knowledge Of Student Loan Debt, Dr. Loraine Edwards Griffiths

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

University students and university personnel are important contributors to the economy of the United States regarding excessive student loan debt. As such, a lack of financial literacy is a significant problem. The purpose of this single descriptive qualitative case study was to describe the experiences of certain individual university students about their financial knowledge of their student loan debt. Bandura's social learning theory and Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory was used to analyze the results of this study. The research questions asked how university students describe their experiences regarding student loan debt and their financial acuity, and how do university …

Enterprise Resource Planning Implementation Strategies In Small- And Medium-Sized Manufacturing Enterprises, Tatianna Gilliam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The difficulty SME leaders of manufacturing firms experience in the executing of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems threatens the longevity of innovative change within firms seeking to adopt ERP systems. Grounded in the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to examine critical success factors used to successfully implement ERP systems. The participants were four ERP business leaders of small to medium size manufacturing firms based on the east and west coasts of the United States. Data were collected using semistructured online interviews and a review of company documents. Through thematic analysis, five themes were …

The Short Business Life Span Among Entrepreneurs In Aba, Southeastern Nigeria, Uche Kalu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Southeastern Nigeria is known for high entrepreneurial activity. However, there is an observable high small business mortality in one of the major commercial cities, which many scholars argue could be connected to insufficient entrepreneurial development. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the phenomenon of insufficient entrepreneurial development and short business life span among small and medium scale businesses in a major city of Southeastern Nigeria. Scholars have stated five years or less as the average lifespan of a small or medium scale business enterprise in Southeastern Nigeria. This study was based on the theories of …

Strategies Human Resource And Line Managers Use To Reduce Workplace Bullying, Gregory James Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace bullying is a growing problem that costs companies billions of dollars each year. Human resource leaders who do not employ strategies to reduce workplace bullying may experience poor organizational performance and high turnover rates. Grounded in the organizational culture workplace bullying model, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies human resource and line managers (HRLM) use to reduce workplace bullying. Participants were five HRLM who managed programs that successfully reduced workplace bullying in Michigan. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and a review of archival documents. Yin’s five-phase analytic cycle was used to guide the …

Twenty-First Century Skill Building For Homeschooled Students With Special Needs, Jami M. Tipton

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Although problem-based learning (PBL) is not new, the ways in which homeschool teachers use attributes of PBL with their students with special needs is unknown. Posts were collected from 20 homeschool teachers’ blogs. After I coded 87 blog posts, results showed that homeschool teachers provided a variety of opportunities for their students to practice 21st-century skills. Specifically, they developed lessons that encouraged students to share what they learned and developed cross-disciplinary content, most often with language arts. Results may provide insights for homeschool teachers interested in more purposefully implementing PBL experiences with the purpose of teaching 21st-century skills.

Exploring Eco-Friendly Strategies In Early Learning Businesses, Henry Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some early learning business owners (ELBOs) lack implementation strategies for eco-friendly programs. ELBOs that can successfully implement eco-friendly programs in their organizations can promote long-term sustainability. Grounded in Freeman’s stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to identify ELBOs’ implementation strategies for eco-friendly programs. The participants comprised of three ELBOs from three certified eco-friendly organizations. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes emerged: (a) managing stakeholders’ expectations, (b) health and wellness for sustainability, (c) business sustainability, (d) environmental sustainability, and (e) partnerships and community involvement. A key recommendation is for …

A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Leadership Development Experiences Of Black Women, Oresha Sharlene Greenidge Foster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The leadership pathway for Black women has unique challenges and obstacles due to the double jeopardy of their race and gender. The lack of critical empirical work on the leadership development of Black women has left a gap in the understanding of how racial and gendered identities influence their development as successful leaders. This research was conducted to examine how Black women developed as leaders and how they made meaning of their leadership development experiences. A qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was conducted framed by concepts of intersectionality and gendered racism to produce a comprehensive description of the phenomenon of the …

Strategies Information Technology Managers Use To Motivate Remote Employees, Jennifer Leonard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some managers are experiencing challenges keeping remote workers motivated. Managers are concerned with motivating remote employees to ensure production levels are met or exceeded. Grounded in Vroom’s expectancy theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies information technology (IT) managers from five organizations in the Southeastern United States used to motivate remote employees. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 5 business leaders, company website information, and other documentation provided by the IT leader. Data analysis involved recognizing frequent phenomena and coding meaningful and common themes, phrases, or key words. Four themes were evident: transformation …

How Women Who Have Recidivated Describe Their Readiness For Employment After Release From Prison, Simba Kathleen Fox

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the 1980s, the population of women prisoners incarcerated in the state of California had significantly increased by 500% more than that of the male prisoners. The United States had more incarcerated women than any other country. Along with this alarming rise in female incarceration, recidivism rates were also higher among female inmates. This problem has negatively affected women in California; whereas 57% of the women released from prison were rearrested within three to seven years. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to investigate how 18 women who had recidivated with the same or a different criminal …

Strategies To Overcome Constraints For Small Business Sustainability, Jaquane Mawyne Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than 20% of small businesses that started in March 2018 failed within a year. Small business owners would benefit from strategies to identify and mitigate constraints from inception for business survival because business failure rates are higher among small businesses less than five years old. Grounded in the theory of constraints, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small business owners use to sustain beyond the one year of operation. The participants included six small business owners in Georgia who successfully sustained their business beyond five years. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and …

The Relationship Between Transformational, Transactional, And Passive-Avoidant Leadership Styles And Small Business Sustainability, Ahmed Sedky

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2010, more than 50% of the small businesses have failed to sustain profitable operations past the first year in business. Lack of sustainability is important to small business managers because it can lead to business closure. Grounded in the full range leadership theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to investigate the relationship between transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant leadership styles, and small business sustainability. Survey data from 128 U.S. small business construction managers were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results indicated no statistically significant relationship. A key recommendation is for small business managers to adopt transformational …

The Effect Of Integrating Explicit Instruction Of Literacy And Numeracy In Cte Technology Business Education On Student Achievement, Lori Canty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractCareer and Technology Education (CTE) high school students often exhibit difficulty reaching academic proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) and math. To address this problem, one local school district developed and implemented an integrated curriculum using explicit instruction of literacy and numeracy in CTE business education courses. Guided by Archer and Hughes’s theory of explicit instruction, the purpose of this ex post facto quasi-experimental study was to determine the difference in ELA and math High School Assessment Program (HSAP) standardized test scores between 10th grade CTE business education students who participated in integrated curriculum business courses and students who had …

Entrepreneurial Strategies To Mitigate The High Failure Rates Of Small Retail Businesses, James A. Latour

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high rate of business failures within the first 5 years negatively affects half of startup business owners. Small retail business owners who fail to develop innovative entrepreneurial strategies experience high failure rates within the first 5 years of operation. Grounded in self-determination theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore entrepreneurial strategies small retail business owners use to support long-term sustainability. Participants were five small retail business owners from Southern Illinois who successfully used entrepreneurial strategies to reduce high failure rates. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and internal documents relevant to reducing high failure …

Diversifying Funding Streams For A Nonprofit Behavioral Health Organization, Danielle Hurt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business sustainability is essential for any nonprofit organization. Revenue diversification can play a key role in business sustainability. In this case study, the revenue diversification practices and challenges of an international, behavioral health, nonprofit organization based out of the western United States were examined. The organization provides training, support, and resources in an experiential modality of behavioral health treatment for clients worldwide. Data collection processes consisted of a review of current revenue diversification literature, semistructured interviews with three senior-level leaders in the organization, and a review of select organizational documents. The Baldrige Excellence Framework for Healthcare provided a proven framework …

Family-Owned Restaurant Owners' Strategies For Business Sustainability, Vickie Eileen Matson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractRestaurants are competitive, high-risk enterprises and have high failure rates. In this environment, family-owned restaurant business owners need operational strategies to sustain their businesses. Grounded in the balanced scorecard theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the operational strategies used by family-owned restaurant owners to sustain their businesses beyond five years. Five family-owned restaurant business owners from South Texas who successfully implemented sound operational strategies participated in the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and company documents, including training manuals, financial reports, business licenses, permits, press releases, and fictitious business name statements. Thematic analysis …

The Use Of Vocational Services By Formerly Incarcerated Citizens Who Obtained Employment, Marianne Gonta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Almost 2.3 million people are incarcerated in correctional facilities across the United States. More than 95% of this population will be released to return to society at some time. People returning from prison can be at a disadvantage as they compete for work. They might be challenged by known barriers to employment, like restrictions on work opportunities and powerful stigma, resulting in a social problem. While some correctional facilities provide vocational services, 75% or more of citizens returning to U.S. communities from prison cannot obtain sustainable wage employment. Yet, it appears there is little research illuminating the pathways used by …

College Deansʼ Perceptions Of How Their Leadership Styles Affect Graduation Rates, John Johnston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem was that in 2016 the U.S. graduation rate of undergraduate students in for-profit higher learning institutions was only 23%, compared to 59% for public institutions and 66% for private nonprofit institutions. The purpose of this comparative case study was to explore for-profit and nonprofit college deansʼ perceptions of their leadership styles and how their leadership style affects graduation rates. Thus, the focus of the research question was determining college deansʼ perceptions of their leadership style and how their leadership style affects graduation rates. The basis of the conceptual framework was the full range leadership model. The sample required …

Strategies To Retain Call Center Employees, Michele Boston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Call center executives who lack effective strategies to retain employees face a disruption in service, employee performance and productivity, as well as an increase in operational expenses. Ineffective retention strategies can negatively impact call centers by increasing cost, decreasing talent quality and loss of the customer experience. Grounded in Herzberg’s motivator-hygiene theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore employee retention strategies that call center executives use to maintain employees within their organizations. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, company documents, and physical artifacts. The interview participants comprised five call center executives, managers, or team leaders in …

Strategies To Resolve Toxic Leadership Styles Which Impede Employee Innovation, Lilly Abdulrohman Mohamed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Toxic leaders micromanage, threaten, and discourage employees from sharing their ideas,causing a decline in innovation. Export-based company executives need to understand how to resolve toxic leadership to enhance their companies’ performance. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies export-based company leaders use to resolve toxic leadership styles. The participants were four senior and frontline leaders from export-based companies in Ethiopia. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and document reviews and were analyzed with thematic data analysis. Four themes emerged: open and transparent communication, sustained counseling and training, teamwork and joint …