Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Historical Perspectives In Volatility Forecasting Methods With Machine Learning, Zhiang Qiu, Clemens Kownatzki, Fabien Scalzo, Eun Sang Cha

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Volatility forecasting in the financial market plays a pivotal role across a spectrum of disciplines, such as risk management, option pricing, and market making. However, volatility forecasting is challenging because volatility can only be estimated, and different factors influence volatility, ranging from macroeconomic indicators to investor sentiments. While recent works suggest advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence for volatility forecasting, a comprehensive benchmark of current statistical and learning-based methods for such purposes is lacking. Thus, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive survey of the historical evolution of volatility forecasting with a comparative benchmark of key landmark models. We …

Mindset, Virtue Signaling And Volunteering, Corinne Novell, Steven Bauer, Alice Labban, Yingfan Zhu

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Virtue signaling, or publicly showing off one’s good character or actions to others, has been studied in many contexts. This research expands on previous work and focuses on investigating the impact of fixed vs. growth mindsets on virtue signaling in a volunteering context. Mindsets, in the context of this research, are the beliefs people hold about the consistency of human’s personality as well as their moral characteristics. We hypothesize that given the different goal orientations of people with growth vs. fixed mindsets, the impact of obligatory virtue signaling on volunteer behavior will be stronger among people with a growth (vs. …

Gamification As An Effective Method In Developing Leadership Skills And Competencies, Tianshi Hao, Ziyi Liu, Hanhui Bao, Siyuan Chen, Jesse Llamas, Michael Llamas

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Gamification, the incorporation of game design features into non-game environments, has been implemented in a variety of disciplines, including education, sustainability, language learning, and workplace transformation. According to research, workplace gamification enhances employee engagement and productivity. The gaming business has leveraged incentives and motivation to drive behavior and participation. This literature study assesses gamification's potential as a technique for leadership development and competency building. Leadership is characterized by a combination of personality characteristics, knowledge, abilities, and behaviors. Existing leadership competency analysis frameworks include emotional intelligence and taxonomies such as Gallup's "Strengths Finder." Through points, levels, and leaderboards, gamification has been …

Leadership, Service, And Wicked Problems: Impact Of War, Lack Of Funding, And Covid-19 In Service Of Those With Fewer Opportunities, Ruth V. Akumbu

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

As the world and organizations struggled to overcome the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, I, the Founder and CEO of Plant A Seed, also known as Plant a Seed Africa, used this chaotic period to assess and address issues facing the organization. Multiple challenges are addressed, including the pandemic, financial, political, and leadership. I created a new leadership strategy that switches between pacesetting, visionary, and transformational leadership styles. The new organizational change model will use the 5-F or Plant A Seed 5-F model.

The Misguided Journey To Queflation, Jannie Rossouw, Darrol J. Stanley

Graziadio Working Paper Series

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Personality, Self-Disclosure, And Envy In Maladaptive Social Media Engagement, Doreen E. Shanahan, Cristel A. Russell, Jillian R. Alderman

All Faculty Open Access Publications

Through online social networks, individuals establish and maintain social connections to satisfy their need to belong. Recent research suggests that taken too far, one’s need to belong can increase envy and lead to maladaptive social media behavior aligned with obsessive-compulsive disorder. This study examines the role of two personality traits, one’s intrinsic need to belong and trait reactance, on feelings of envy and the self-disclosure processes that lead to obsessive-compulsive disorder on social networks. A sample of 354 U.S. adult users of Facebook completed a survey measuring individuals’ need to belong, trait reactance, envy, self-disclosure, and online social network obsessive-compulsive …

Work Life Balance: Organizational Leadership And Best Practices To Overcome Burnout For Female Realtors, Carmen Sarkis

Theses and Dissertations

Women Realtors in residential real estate have a difficult time avoiding burnout and are commonly ineffective in achieving work life balance (WLB). This qualitative, phenomenological research study focused on understanding the issues of WLB and burnout which female Realtors faced, and best strategies in overcoming these issues. There were four main research questions and a total of 12 interview questions which were used as a method to collect data for research purposes. Fifteen participants who met the criteria of inclusion as discussed in Chapter 3 participated in this study, and were located using LinkedIn, and the National Association of Realtors. …

Motivated And Determined & Making A Difference As Executives (Mad & Made) In The Entertainment Industry: A Phenomenological Study Of Black Female Entertainment Industry Executives’ Challenges And Paths To Elevation, Angela M. Killens

Theses and Dissertations

Since the birth of the United States and the enslavement of Africans in America, Black women have had to navigate challenges in various industries to elevate toward, and excel in, positions of power. From grade school to the workplace, Black women have had to contend with racism, discrimination, and inequities that have been impediments despite their level of education and experience. With little literature specifically documenting the experiences of Black women who work on the corporate side of the entertainment industry, the data acquired from this qualitative phenomenological study provides insight into these women’s lives. The study discloses some of …

Exploring Cultural Boundary Spanning Functions That Bridge Across National And Cultural Boundaries In Mncs, Tamara Downs

Theses and Dissertations

In multinational corporations (MNCs), cross-cultural interactions and collaboration are unavoidable. Cultural boundary spanning (CBS) is a behavior that has been shown to reduce conflict and ensure project success. It is a behavior that bridges internal and external organizational boundaries. This study examined if and how CBS functions (behaviors) change across national and cultural boundaries in MNCs. These boundaries were characterized by four demographic groups of people found within MNCs: (a) parent country nationals, (b) host country nationals, (c) third country nationals, and (d) parent country national expats. The findings of this research suggest that any of these demographic groups can …

Psychological Safety In Startup Organizations, Jessica Barhydt

Theses and Dissertations

Psychological safety is an individually held belief that a group is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. Scholars have studied the concept primarily as a team-level construct. However, recent studies suggest that climates of psychological safety exist at the organizational level. An examination of the dynamism of the construct at the organizational level is needed: how it grows, changes, and declines. Startups, which grow and change quickly, are an excellent context to study organizational psychological safety. Through interviews, this study explored psychological safety as an organizational-level construct in startup organizations. Specifically, it examined potential commonalities between high and low psychological safety as …

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Post George Floyd And Covid-19: Reflections From Global Business Leaders On A Changing Paradigm, Charles Edward Bray Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This global study of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), encompassing the lenses of sixteen corporate executives with multi-country influence, examines efforts to address marginalization in the workplace based on identity characteristics such as race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or ability. Othering is a global phenomenon. Corporations were awakened to the magnitude of othering, shocked into reality by the murder of George Floyd and other acts of political and social violence, including femicide, globally. The COVID-19 global pandemic further exposed the impact of marginalization seen through wide health disparities across communities. The Russian invasion of Ukraine further augmented the corporate …

The Trickle-Out Effect Of Prioritizing Well-Being, Kelsey M. Stout

Theses and Dissertations

This research builds upon previous studies of the effects of inequity theory on well-being at work. The purpose of this study was to understand the intersection of equity theory and well-being for US employees in modern corporate organizations. Specifically, the study aims to answer the research question-When one employee prioritizes their well-being, how does it affect their work teammates’ well-being? Twenty full-time corporate employees from various companies and industries each participated in a survey and an interview. Overall, this research found that prioritizing well-being at work generally positively impacts those around them. However, it has a negative impact when the …

The Economic Crisis Index Quarterly Newsletter, Darrol J. Stanley, Donald M. Atwater

Graziadio Working Paper Series

This is the first issue of a quarterly newsletter publication that will update the Economic Crisis Index ™. This issue explains in detail the methodology of the Economic Crisis Index (ECI) and its comparison to other similar indices. Future newsletters will center on the ECI number and its implication to the American economy. These newsletters will be posted on the Pepperdine University Digital Commons.

Unmasking The Tipping Point For The Next U.S. Financial Crisis, Darrol J. Stanley, Donald M. Atwater

Graziadio Working Paper Series

The risks of the next U.S. Financial Crisis are increasing. Many Americans are fearful of the very negative financial impact of the next crisis especially since it could occur so soon after the negative impact of the Covid Pandemic on the economy. Financial safety nets are weak. The scope of the crisis includes decreasing values of assets, a recession caused by government policies, decreases in the value of existing bonds, and significant social stress fueled by political polarization after the 2022 midterm elections. We believe the solution to the fear begins with knowledge and a logical approach to assess key …

Legal And Ethical Considerations For Public Relations Book Review, Alan K. Caldwell

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

Book review and analysis of the strengths and gaps in the content of Legal and Ethical Considerations for Public Relations by Karla K. Gower.

Culture: The Key To Shifting Your Organization During Post-Pandemic, Qiang Qiang

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Organizations are facing challenges and obstacles caused by COVID-19. After widespread vaccines, lifestyle became normal and entered the post-pandemic era. Organizational culture is the key that organizations shift during the post-pandemic. In this article, there are three recommendations that the organization can think of to make cultural changes effectively. First, the organization needs to assess and diagnose if it is an agile organization. Second, Lewin’s change model and the MCR framework can help the organization manage the changing process. Last, leadership is the key to ensuring the change is in the right direction. The leadership discussion focuses on evolutionary leadership …

The Covid-19 Pandemic And The Importance Of Financing The Biotechnology Industry In South Africa, Ramazan Uctu, Karen Eksteen

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

Whether it is a government research institution, a public-private partnership, or a private enterprise, the South African biotechnology industry requires funding for the biotechnology industry. Our goal with this research is to look into the role of venture capital (VC) in financing biotech enterprises and demonstrate how VC finance could aid in the development of diagnostic kits and vaccines for Covid-19 or future pandemics in South Africa.

The study aims to provide policymakers with a clear image of the importance of funding the biotechnology sector, notably during the Covid-19 period, as recognized by the industry's key players. We employed a …

Technology, Gender And Organizations: A Systematic Mapping Study, Gonzalo Valdes, Bobbi Thomason, Andrea Bentancor, Isidora Jeria, Constanza Troncoso

All Faculty Open Access Publications

In this article, we employed a systematic mapping methodology to examine the existing literature at the intersection of technology, gender and organizations. While much has been written about gender in organizations, the research has not consistently considered that modern organizations are increasingly technology-driven - in technology may lie an underexplored lever that could help expand our understanding of gender issues at the workplace. By analyzing a final sample of 168 research papers, we found that two main forms of conceptualizing technology emerged: technology as culture and technology as tools. Papers in the first category are concerned with environments in which …

High Potential Programs In Professional Service Firms, Charlene Robison

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined whether a mixed-cohort of billable and non-billable (e.g., marketing, human resources, accounting, technology) participants in a high-potential development program is beneficial to the organizations that utilize this development approach and to the participants in such programs. This research focused on professional service firms with time-defined and structured high-potential programs. This study utilized a mixed-method design and gathered data in two phases: a survey and a focus group. These methods were used to obtain participant sentiments of participating in their respective high-potential programs. Twenty-five high-potential professionals completed the survey and six participated in the focus group. The study …

Thriving In A Vuca World: A Case Study Exploring Geopolitically- Focused Intelligence Teams In The Private Sector Through A Systems Theory Lens, Angela Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

For several decades, business executives have been faced with increasing complexity in the global environment, including disruptions, rapid changes, and heightened global pressures. In an effort to maintain a strategic advantage, business leaders are increasingly leveraging geopolitically-focused strategic intelligence teams to accurately and concisely synthesize large quantities of data to support high-level business decision making. However, limited research has been conducted on the organizational development of these teams, the context in which they exist, and how they can most effectively support differing and evolving decision-maker needs. As these teams have the potential to have an outsized impact on global business …

Scandinavian Work-Life Balance Experience: Its Implementation In The United Arab Emirates (Uae) Happiness Context, Maktoom Al Mazrouei

Theses and Dissertations

Employee happiness and satisfaction are unanimously correlated to enhanced levels of productivity and efficiency, making them important for employees and employers. Scandinavian countries consistently rank highly on the world happiness index and correspondingly possess comparatively happier employees in their workplaces. Aside from the structural setting, internal components, and atmosphere of the workplace, it is primarily understood that the initiatives undertaken by Scandinavian countries in relation to the concept of work life balance are significantly important. The concept of work-life balance is cognizant of an employee’s struggle in maintaining equilibrium between work and personal life. This study could aid the United …

The Impact Of A Mindfulness Practice On The Effects Of Emotional Labor, Lauren Dainko

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness meditation has become a staple practice for those looking to improve the self and become connected to the present moment. With the growing number of tools available, mindfulness base practices have stretched beyond the areas of self-improvement and have entered into the workplace. Companies are leveraging the benefits that come from a mindfulness- based practice, having their leadership teams take part to help improve the lives of their employees and their businesses.

This study takes an in-depth look at how a daily mindfulness practice influences customer service professionals. Specifically narrowing in on the ways a mindfulness practice impacts the …

The X-Factor Of C-Suite Executives, Sheila T. Tan

Theses and Dissertations

Organizations rely on C-level executives to make strategic decisions that will impact stakeholders and business performance. These executives are judged based on employee satisfaction, market share, and bottom lines. Some of them perform well at one point but eventually make disastrous decisions. There is still a gap in knowledge on what elements make them decide how they do and what can be done before they are installed to the highest post. This paper investigated common mindsets and belief structures, which will be referred to in this paper as the X-factor, of C-level executives based on the Matrix model as a …

Developing Psychological Safety In Technical Teams, Susan Ellen Clayton Nakashima

Theses and Dissertations

Being promoted from an individual contributor to a supervisor brings new challenges and opportunities. One challenge new supervisors face is creating and fostering a psychologically safe environment to encourage teams’ interpersonal risk taking. This research introduces the antecedent of first level technical leaders perceived transformational leadership training on team members psychological safety. A study of 92 technical teams (400 participants across nine companies, three industries, and four US regions) measured the impact of four hypotheses related to psychological safety. A positive relationship between leaders training and team psychological safety was discovered. The highly correlated variables, training and emotional intelligence, led …

Corporate Activism Best Practices In The Age Of Social Media, Fransisco Flores

Theses and Dissertations

Corporate activism, or the act of corporations speaking out on sociopolitical issues, has become more common with technological advances and social media access. Corporations’ role in society has evolved to include non-economic functions that aim to improve societal conditions. Despite corporations fulfilling additional societal roles, they face increased scrutiny from shareholders and stakeholders alike. Speaking out on social issues or staying silent causes ripple effects amongst their internal and external networks. Speaking out on social media while working for a private or publicly traded corporation can be challenging as it entails weighing a wide array of conditions, stakeholder desires, and …

Impact Of Internal Corporate Social Responsibility Factors On The Employee’S Innovation Climate In The Medical Diagnostics Industry, Sofia M. Beglari

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between employee-driven corporate social responsibility (CSR) factors and employee innovation in U.S. medical diagnostic companies during the respiratory syndrome coronavirus (COVID) pandemic. This study examined what employee-driven CSR factors affect such motivation of employees toward innovation. The research population was employees who have worked in operation, quality control, research, technical, and management departments of medical diagnostics companies in the United States of America. The investigator used a survey questionnaire for this correlation design study. Employees’ responses were analyzed based on education level, gender, and job function using descriptive analysis, t-test, and ANOVA-test. The theoretical framework …

Impact Of Leadership Skills On Entrepreneurs’ Business Success In Saudi Arabia, Omar Alaqeel

Theses and Dissertations

Most entrepreneurial businesses fail within the first 5 years of establishment. One of the major causes is the lack of leadership skills by the entrepreneurs. The aim of this quantitative study was to define the leadership skills that were required by entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia in creating and sustaining entrepreneurial business successfully beyond 5 years and to identify the environmental factors affecting entrepreneurship ecosystem in Saudi Arabia. The population of interest in this study was entrepreneurs from Tasamy in Saudi Arabia. Tasamy is a non-profit organization that focuses on supporting entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia. To answer the research questions for …

Organizational Dissonance In The Context Of Organizational Decline And Turnaround Of A Security Printer: A Quantitative Case Study, Tina Marie Ramirez-Dominguez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this non-experimental, quantitative study was to examine organizational identity dissonance experienced by an organization's social actors in the context of organizational decline and turnaround utilizing factor structures from five years of pre-existing, employee surveys to determine whether differences in factor scores occurred over the 5-year time frame. Organizational identity dissonance is the psychological stress or discomfort experienced by an organization's social actors from holding two or more contradictory attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors (McLead, 2008) in relation to the organization's identity. A social actor is an individual participating in a communal environment (Whetten & Mackey, 2002). A communal …

A Contemporary Study On The Impact Of Regulations On Business Performance, Brian C. Mulligan

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines Nobel Prize Laureate Hayek's ominous warning that economic liberty in the U.S. is at risk, due to regulations, of becoming an unplanned administrative state. The research seeks to understand the effects of regulations on business performance and how to right-size them for a healthy business environment. These objectives are accomplished with two papers: (1) a macro cross-discipline literature review and call for research on the impact of regulations on business performance, and (2) a qualitative grounded theory study from interviews from elite business executives on their perspectives on the impact of regulations on business performance. The findings …

Talent Investment And Nonprofit Pay: A Study In The Arts Community, Sally E. Loftis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore employee perceptions of pay as part of a talent investment strategy at Penland School of Craft, the largest non-academic craft school in the United States. The study outlines action research completed when funds from a transformational endowment gift were used for employee needs. Study data reflected that structural and pay changes increased employee engagement. Study findings also informed recommendations for a nonprofit strategy to pay living wages connected to costs of living and a pay raise framework that supports different levels of employee development.