Sustainability Commons^™

Leadership Strategies For Sustainability Of Small And Medium Enterprises In Swaziland, Lizzy Oluwatoyin Taiwo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play an essential role in national and global economic growth. Lack of leadership strategies can negatively impact the sustainability and growth of SMEs. Business owners who implement appropriate leadership strategies can ensure the sustainability of their SMEs. Grounded in transformational leadership theory and sustainability development theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore leadership strategies owners of SMEs use to ensure the sustainability of their organizations. The participants were four owners of SMEs within the four regions in Swaziland who successfully used leadership strategies to enhance the sustainability of their organizations. …

The Impact Of Funding On Organizational Sustainability Of Mental Health Nonprofits In The County Of Orange, California, Sophia E. Valdez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a gap in literature regarding sustainment of mental health programs following budget reductions. Customarily, decreases in budgets have been presumed to be connected to decreases in sustainability. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to describe the impact that a decrease in Proposition 63 funding had on nonprofit sustainability in the County of Orange, California. In 2004, California lawmakers enacted Prop 63 to revitalize the public mental health system. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used as the conceptual framework for this study. This tool can be used to measure data in five categories; intervention, inner …

External Stakeholder Relationship Strategies For Increasing Nonprofit Organizations' Financial Viability, Henry Ayoola Olofinmoyin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA business leader’s ability to establish and sustain effective relationships with organizational stakeholders affects business competitiveness and sustainability. Some executives of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) lack strategies to build relationships with external stakeholders to achieve financial viability for their organizations. Grounded in stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies NPO executives use to build relationships with their organization's external stakeholders to achieve their organization's financial viability objectives. The participants were three senior executives of an NPO in Mississippi, United States, who have successfully managed financial viability objectives using external stakeholder relationship strategies for 3 …

Policy Sustainability Issues: Case Study Of Cassava Farmers In Ikorodu. Lagos, Nigeria, Medinat Oluwatoyin Adetunji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The inconsistency and lack of continuity of Nigeria's agricultural policies impact the cassava sector. Despite being the world's biggest producer, the country is yet to benefit from the advantage due to a lack of sustainable growth. The situation manifests in terms of low productivity, low production level, and poor income to the farmers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the experiences and perceptions of the cassava farmers on cassava policies and the effect on their income and livelihoods in the Ikorodu local government of Lagos State. This qualitative study adopted a case study research design using participatory …

Strategies For Competitive Advantage In Small Construction Businesses, Syheed Fields

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University

College of Management and Technology

This is to certify that the doctoral study by

Syheed Fields

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made.

Review Committee Dr. Michael Lavelle, Committee Chairperson, Doctor of Business Administration Faculty

Dr. Carol-Anne Faint, Committee Member, Doctor of Business Administration Faculty

Dr. William Stokes, University Reviewer, Doctor of Business Administration Faculty

Chief Academic Officer and ProvostSue Subocz, Ph.D.

Walden University2022

AbstractStrategies for Competitive Advantage in Small Construction Businesses by Syheed Fields

MLD, The Pennsylvania State University, …

Retention Strategies To Ensure Financial Sustainability In Community Colleges, Claudia Yvette Provost

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA rapid decline in student retention among community colleges reduces revenue and jeopardizes financial sustainability, meaning leaders of community colleges who lack strategies to retain students have lower revenue and financial sustainability. Grounded in the advocacy and participatory worldview conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative, single case study was to explore strategies leaders of community colleges used to increase student retention and revenues for achieving financial sustainability. A purposeful sampling of five leaders from a community college in Louisiana who successfully used strategies to increase student retention participated in this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and institutional …

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 …

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 …

Multigenerational Family Firm Succession Planning For Transgenerational Sustainability, Janine Michelle Moore-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractFamily firm businesses represent 90% of the global economy and have a 70% first-generation failure rate; business sustainability could have a tremendous impact on the U.S. economy. Grounded in the sustainable family business theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by four California-based, multigenerational family firm leaders who successfully implemented succession planning processes to transfer leadership of their family firm. Data were collected by reviewing firm documents, public information, and semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and methodological triangulation, and five themes emerged: leader strategies to implement succession planning, strategies for …

Strategies For Small Business Entrepreneur Sustainability For 5 Years And Beyond, Ralph A. Heath Iii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSmall business failures impede entrepreneurs' sustainability in localities, the state, and the U.S. economy. Small business entrepreneurs are concerned about strategies to target and minimize obstacles from business inception for business survival because the failure rate increases as the business develop. Grounded in the entrepreneurial theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies for small business entrepreneur sustainability beyond five years. Participants comprised three small business owners in Southeast Virginia who effectively used strategies to sustain their business beyond five years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, analysis of participants’ business documentation, and research of …

Corporate Social Responsibility In The United States And Nigeria, Olatokunbo Ahmed Wilfred Tijani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A recent spate of violations uncovered by international regulators has suggested an emerging social problem that the current corporate social responsibility (CSR) credibility paradigm could be decoupling between theory and practice. This development has left most stakeholders deliberating if CSR in practice is aligned with CSR in theory. This correlational research study empirically tested the CSR theory, positing improved corporate social performance (CSP) and corporate financial performance (CFP); and stakeholder theory, positing quid pro quo correlation between multinational corporations (MNCs) and their stakeholders. The purpose of this study was to identify if there is a positive association between the corporate …

Public Participation In Los Angeles Water Resources Management, Hyginus Onyinyechukwu Mmeje

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public participation is essential to the efficient management of resources. However, there are significant problems with water resources management and water importation practices in Southern California due to lack of public awareness and input. Little is known regarding specific participants’ perceptions that could help in addressing the challenges of Los Angeles water resources management. Grounded in the advocacy coalition framework, this qualitative study was conducted with the purpose of narrowing this knowledge gap. The study explored the role of public participation in Los Angeles water resources management from the perspectives of key actors, resident stakeholders, nonprofit organizations, water agency administrators, …

The Imperatives Of Political Will For Revenue Diversification In Delta State Nigeria, Benson Chukwuweike Ojoko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Proceeds from crude oil export account for about 90% of the revenue of the federal, state, and local governments in Nigeria. Given the vagaries of the international oil market, scholars have advocated the need for the government to look beyond oil for other revenue sources with little or no success to date. Despite the plethora of research on the phenomenon of political will, there is no research on how the construct affects revenue diversification at the subnational level. This study examined how central political will is in the design of expansionary revenue policies in Delta State, Nigeria. Developing an understanding …

Homeowners’ Lived Experience In Developing And Using Accessory Dwelling Units In Ireland, Geraldine Mary Hurley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have explored the role of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as a form of housing since at least the 1970s. Such exploration has taken place across a number of different disciplines, including gerontology, housing affordability, and urban planning. The literature tends to focus on specific policies, however, rather than on the lived experience of the homeowners impacted by those policies. Ireland’s national and local governments have yet to acknowledge the potential use of ADUs as a contributing solution to ongoing problems with housing supply, housing affordability, and homelessness, despite a government-declared national housing crisis. Formal research on ADUs in the …

Sustainability Strategies For Small Business Organizations, Tajudeen O. Olatunji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are essential to every nation’s economic growth, including the United States, but more than 67% of SMEs fail within the first 10 years. When SMEs implement long term business sustainability strategies, they continue to generate business and remain profitable, enabling SMEs to remain viable and contribute to local community employment opportunities. Using entrepreneurship theory as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used by 3 SME owners in the northeastern region of the United States to sustain their businesses beyond 10 years. Data were collected using semistructured interviews …

The Way Forward For The Integration Of Sustainability Standards, Tobi Petrocelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Large-scale environmental failures within public companies in the United States have led to a globally growing trend in stakeholder insistence that company leaders maintain formal integrated sustainability accounting in their financial reports. Companies that rate high on communications of their sustainability efforts and integrating corporate social responsibility develop investment efficiency and ultimately increase their financial performance. Grounded in stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies 5 chief sustainability officers within publicly held companies in New York can integrate into their annual reporting in order to generate maximum value for stakeholders. Data were collected …

Social Connectedness And Financial Independence Strategies Supporting Nonprofit Sustainability, Christopher Edmund Maylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) often lack strategies to ensure the sustainability of their organizations beyond initial funding, resulting in significant risk to program continuity. Grounded in social entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to explore strategies used by 3 leaders of a small NPO in the southwest region of the United States. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and a review of organizational documents. Through thematic analysis, 6 social themes emerged: optimization of business strategies, income and donor growth, program cost management, funding diversification, program licensing, and public awareness of NPO programs. The contributions to …

Use Of Force Citizen Complaints, Use Of Force Violations, And Early Intervention, Drema Ann Hymon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Mounting public protests, increasing expensive payouts, and shootings of unarmed victims by police is a call to reexamine options to problem solving, service recovery, and preventing police misconduct as it pertains to the use of force. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the correlation between early intervention system data

(a) use of force, citizens' complaints (race and gender), and use of force violations (race, gender, and years of service for officers). The disruptive theoretical framework provided an innovative lens to examine police misconduct of a large midwestern large law enforcement agency. This secondary data study did …

Relationship Between Transformational Leadership Style And Financial Sustainability, Tameika R. Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Only 50% of the U.S. small businesses opened in 2011 were able to maintain financial sustainability. Small business owners struggle with identifying the type of leadership style needed to increase financial sustainability. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, and financial sustainability. The participants consisted of 76 small business owners located in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Maryland, Texas, and Virginia. The business owners completed a survey containing the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and the Financial Capability Scale. The data were analyzed using multiple …

Water Sustainability Leadership Fostering Stakeholder Engagement, Rosa Elena Bustillos Wong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Water conservation management and water use behaviors of U.S. citizens are critical to secure water for future generations. An American citizen consumes approximately 88 gallons of water per day. On a local scale, a Florida citizen uses 134 gallons per day and wastes 71% of the total municipal drinking water provision in landscape activities. The problem addressed in this study was that administrators working on water conservation programs undergo difficulty fostering stakeholder engagement to advocate a water use behavioral change. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory multiple case study was to understand how citizen water use behaviors influence stakeholder water …

Effective Strategies Processing Companies Use To Sustain Business Operations Beyond 5 Years, Travis C. Souders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small food processing businesses in the United States lack strategies to remain financially viable beyond 5 years of operation. Owners and managers of small food processing businesses could benefit from an improved understanding of the importance of effective strategies to improve small business sustainability. Grounded in systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies small food processing companies use to sustain operations beyond 5 years. The participants were 1 small-business owner and 8 managers in Lexington, Kentucky, who used effective strategies to sustain business operations beyond 5 years. Data collected came from semi-structured …

Sustainable Building Certification In Healthcare And Patient Satisfaction, Brian Jay Goehner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Eco-friendly healthcare delivery concepts are becoming more accepted as hospital leaders seek to control energy costs, mitigate contributions to climate change, and preserve scarce resources. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) offers healthcare leaders a framework for designing and constructing sustainable facilities that meet efficiency goals. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to build an understanding of whether LEED certification influences Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) ratings. Using complex systems theory as the framework, the research questions were focused on exploring if higher levels of LEED certification led to greater HCAHPS overall hospital …

Relationship Between Nonprofit Leadership Intention, Leadership Development Programs, And Succession Planning Documentation, Denise March

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Understanding the importance of efficient and effective leadership transition to retain organizational intelligence can mitigate the risks of significant disruption. The problem for nonprofits is the potential loss of organizational intelligence, funding, and continuity as baby boomers retire and transition out of their leadership roles without effectively addressing leadership transition and an impending leadership deficit. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive correlational study was to examine the relationship between leadership intention factors, succession planning documentation, and leadership development programs. The research questions pertained to the relationship between leadership intention factors, succession planning documentation, and leadership development programs. Ajzen’s theory of …

Use Of Force Citizen Complaints, Use Of Force Violations, And Early Intervention, Drema Ann Hymon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Mounting public protests, increasing expensive payouts, and shootings of unarmed victims by police is a call to reexamine options to problem solving, service recovery, and preventing police misconduct as it pertains to the use of force. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the correlation between early intervention system data

(a) use of force, citizens' complaints (race and gender), and use of force violations (race, gender, and years of service for officers). The disruptive theoretical framework provided an innovative lens to examine police misconduct of a large midwestern large law enforcement agency. This secondary data study did …

Relationship Between Corporate Social Responsibility And Social Performance Of Small Businesses, Melva Steps

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business leaders affected by negative social performance may also experience a diminishing customer base and minimized profits. Grounded in the strategic success paradigm framework, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between four elements of corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategic posture (workplace, marketplace, community, and environment) and social performance. The participants consisted of retail trade small business owners in the United States. The Survey of CSR in Small Business was conducted via SurveyMonkey and provided the data for analysis (N = 85). Results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the regression model significantly …

Sustainability Strategies Of Small Business Owners In Northcentral Texas, Danielson Ledum Dukor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While small businesses contribute significantly to job creation in the United States, they fail financially at alarming rates. Fifty percent of small businesses survive 5 years or longer, and only one-third of small business startups survive more than 10 years. Owners of small businesses could benefit from strategies used to mitigate the small firms’ failure rate by obtaining suitable leadership values and skills, understanding the business’s nature, and engaging in financial planning. Grounded in Schumpeter’s entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small home health business owners used to sustain their businesses beyond …

Strategies For Small Business Sustainability Beyond 5 Years In New Restaurant Industry, Alexandria Norma Wilhoite

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than half of small businesses in the United States are unsustainable within the first five years of existence. Small business owners who do not implement successful and sustainable strategies are at a high risk of failure. Grounded in the resource-based view theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that some small restaurant owners use to sustain business beyond five years. The participants included three small business owners in Connecticut who have been in business for five years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, company websites, and company documents. Yin’s 5-step thematic analysis was …

Effectively Managing Energy Costs In The Resort Industry, Justin Whitesides

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hawaii's commercial consumers pay the highest electricity rate in the United States;these costs are expected to rise 3-3.5% in 2021. Management in the Hawaiian resort industry that lacks adequate knowledge of controlling these rising costs is at a competitive disadvantage. Utilizing the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies used in the resort industry to control energy costs. The participants comprised of 10 energy management professionals with successful experience managing energy consumption in the resort industry. Data were collected through telephone interviews, archival documentation, and field notes. Using Yin's 5-step process of …

Strategies To Sustain A Real Estate Small Business In Postnatural-Disaster Area, Vianka Miranda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many small real estate business leaders lack effective strategies to resume and sustain operations in a postnatural-disaster environment. This multiple case study investigated strategies that 3 small real estate business leaders in southeastern Louisiana used to resume and sustain operations in the aftermath of a natural disaster. The chaos theory and stakeholder theory were the conceptual frameworks for this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, and reviews of business continuity plan documents and member checking. The themes that emerged from data analysis were leaders' strategies relating to business planning and innovation, stakeholder engagement, operations management, and disaster responsiveness. Implications …

Strategies Nonprofit Leaders Use To Achieve Financial Stability Through Sustainable Funding, Jerel Lynnette Colemon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of nonprofit organizations fail to achieve financial stability to meet their mission and vision without sustainable funding. The achievement of fiscal sustainability is the most pressing challenge facing the nonprofit sector. Through the lens of the balanced scorecard model, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that nonprofit organization executive leaders used to secure sustainable funding for financial stability. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 5 executive directors of nonprofit organizations in Ohio and a review of their organizational documents relevant to sustainable funding. Data were analyzed using Yin's 5-step process for analysis. The …