Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

From Clicking To Committing: Psychological Distance And Persuasion In Online Animal Adoption Platforms To Enhance Shelter Visitation, David Goodweather

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Online animal shelter platforms have become a primary channel through which potential adopters view and evaluate adoptable animals, yet many users do not progress from online engagement to visiting a physical shelter. The dissertation examines how online pet viewing translates into intention to book a shelter visit by focusing on the roles of psychological distance and persuasive influence cues within a high-involvement decision context. Drawing on Construal Level Theory and persuasion research, a sequential process is proposed in which sustained interaction with pet profiles reduces distance-related abstraction, increasing receptivity to influence cues that facilitate movement from initial assessment to action. …

From Reactive To Predictive: A Hybrid Trust-Mediated Adoption Framework For Data-Driven Maintenance In Distributed-Authority Aviation Environments, Dustin J. Foote

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Modern aviation maintenance operates within increasingly data-intensive technological environments, yet the operational integration of predictive maintenance into routine decision-making remains inconsistent across sectors. Contemporary aircraft incorporate centralized maintenance computers and condition monitoring architectures capable of fault aggregation, exceedance capture, and trend-based data collection. Although prognostics and health management research continues to advance detection and prediction methods, implementation outcomes often depend on factors beyond analytical performance alone.

This paper examines predictive maintenance adoption in distributed-authority aviation environments and argues that constraints emerge less from sensing capability than from organizational structure, decision authority dispersion, and institutional trust dynamics. For purposes of analysis, …

Voices Of A New Era: A Discursive Psychology Study Of Influencer-Follower Discourse On Tiktok, Andrea Guerrero Hernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study researched and investigated the discourse of five mega fashion influencers on TikTok, as well as the discourse of 15 followers engaging with fashion influencer content on the same platform. The theory used to guide this study was discursive psychology theory, which provided the groundwork for understanding how both influencers and followers position their identities, justify their actions and decisions, and construct their reality. The primary aim of this research is to deepen understanding of how influencer discourse shapes follower discourse, identifying recurring patterns, contradictions, and the ways in which tensions are negotiated. The findings reveal a range …

The New York Times: A Strategic Audit, Kaylee Campbell, Cassidy June, Keira Cummins, Tanner Maas, Alyssa Fjelstad

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The New York Times is a legacy newspaper that has navigated a great many changes since its founding in 1851. The company rose to success with its traditional print journalism, but has now transformed into a largely digital, subscription-based business model that provides subscribers with access to news, games, recipes, podcasts, product recommendations, and more. This provides an excellent foundation for a strategic audit to understand how one of the giants of a dying industry has not only managed to stay alive, but to thrive.

A PESTEL and Porter’s Five Forces analysis reveals that The New York Times operates in …

Leading Ai Adoption In Organizations: Introducing A Behavioral Human-Centered Approach, Shane Schweitzer, Devesh Narayan, Jack Mcguire, David De Cremer

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Initiatives to implement AI technologies in organizations fail at an alarming rate. We argue that leading the adoption of AI is not a simple engineering exercise but rather represents a behavioral exercise where change management principles—the process by which organizations plan, implement, and embed changes in practices—are employed. However, many AI initiatives in business focus predominantly on the AI systems themselves, assuming humans will fall in line. To solve this, we integrate ideas from change management with scholarship on human-centered artificial intelligence to offer a behavioral approach that accounts for the impact of AI adoption on humans at all stages …

Long Run Effect Of Industrial Place-Based Policy On County Level Complexity, An Investigation Of The Tennessee Valley Authority, Anita Ifeyinwa Umunnah

Master's Theses

This paper studies the long-term effects of large federal investments in place-based industrial policies on regional economic development, contributing new evidence on how industrial policies shape regional local productive capabilities over time. While extensive research show that industrial policies impact regional development by advancing productive technology (capabilities), the fundamental question remains how to measure this technological transformation. The study employs the use of Economic Complexity Index (ECI) as a measure of “technological advancements” resulting from large federal investments in place-based industrial policies. Previous evaluations of such investment were based on livelihood, employment and income outcomes, with productive capability of receiving …

One Faculty, One Mission: A Unified Faculty Model For California Community Colleges, Debbie Klein

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy

This article advances a unified, non-tiered faculty model as essential to fulfilling the mission of the California Community Colleges (CCC) system. Although the system is charged with realizing open access and educational equity, nearly 70% of faculty serve in part-time or contingent roles—often without proportional compensation, institutional stability, or meaningful participation in governance. Drawing on research demonstrating that faculty working conditions shape student learning conditions, the article argues that structural employment inequities undermine the system’s democratic promise. Situating the proposal within national “One Faculty” efforts and recent legislative attention to pay parity in California, it demonstrates that reform is both …

Investigación Reciente (Resumenes Académicos), Sebastian Dorantes, Erica Jensen, Faith Manchester, Isabelle Stoddard

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Por Qué Las Personas Hacen (Y No Hacen) Donaciones, Sebastian Dorantes

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

La filantropía es una práctica mundial formada por la cultura, los ingresos y las normas sociales. Su escala es considerable y puede ser medible a través de datos e informes. En los Estados Unidos, las donaciones benéficas alcanzaron $592,500 millones de dólares en 2024, la cifra más alta registrada. Las personas contribuyeron con aproximadamente $392,000 millones de dólares de esa cantidad, o aproximadamente dos terceras partes del total de las donaciones. A nivel mundial, la generosidad sigue siendo muy común. Países como Estados Unidos, Myanmar y Nueva Zelanda figuran consistentemente como los más caritativos, con grandes porcentajes de personas que …

Mapping The Global Classroom: An Innovation Spotlight On The Ngo Education Survey Directory Database, Angie Holzer, Roseanne M. Mirabella

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This article highlights the NGO Education Survey Directory Database as a critical tool for strengthening global nonprofit infrastructure by addressing longstanding gaps in data on nonprofit education programs. It maps the global landscape of nonprofit management education with detailed, institution-level insights, enabling researchers, funders, and practitioners to better understand capacity-building efforts worldwide. By improving transparency and access to information, the directory supports more strategic philanthropy, fosters collaboration, and promotes the development of locally grounded leadership within the nonprofit sector.

Why People Do (And Don’T) Give, Sebastian Dorantes, Erica Jensen, Isabelle Stoddard, Faith Manchester

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Philanthropy is a global practice shaped by culture, income, and social norms. Overall giving remains high, but participation is becoming more concentrated. This raises key questions about who gives, why they give, and why others choose not to. Ultimately, the relationship between donors and nonprofit organizations can have a significant impact on philanthropic behavior. It is essential for nonprofits to consider what motivates a person to donate in order to create a point of connection between the donors and the organizations.

Academic Summaries - Philanthropy, Erica Jensen, Sebastian Dorantes, Faith Manchester, Isabelle Stoddard

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Philanthropy - Joni Full Issue April 2026, Angie Holzer, Erica Jensen

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Race And Resistance In Boston: A Contested Sports History, Eddie G. Walker Ii

Global Sport Business Journal

This review examines Cvornyek and Stark’s edited collection on race, resistance, and sport in Boston, highlighting how the essays collectively reflect Hartmann’s contested terrain theory. Through historical and contemporary examples—from Bill Russell’s activism to the cultural role of sports like cricket—the book demonstrates how sport functions as both a site of racial conflict and a tool for resistance and community-building. The collection offers a nuanced case study of Boston’s complex relationship with race, sport, and social progress.

Preventable Tragedy: A Negligence Case Study In University Recreation Programs, John J. Miller, Jeffrey F. Levine, Jason W. Lee

Global Sport Business Journal

This case study examines the lightning strike that killed a player during a university intramural softball game, emphasizing the importance of understanding legal responsibilities in sport and recreation settings. The incident occurred after visible lightning was observed yet play continued due to the absence of a formal severe-weather policy and uncertainty among student officials and administrators. Although industry standards for lightning safety were widely available, the lack of clear institutional guidance contributed to delayed decision-making and confusion at a critical moment.

This case study is important to students because it demonstrates how legal concepts discussed in class can have real, …

Organizational Justice And Perceived Organizational Support As Predictors Of Readiness For Change: The Mediating Role Of Psychological Capital Among Correctional Center Clients In Jakarta, Agam Ramadika, Budi Widjaja Soetjipto

International Conference on Business and Management Research (ICBMR)

Reintegration of correctional clients requires both access to formal employment and psychological readiness to adapt to change. Organizational Justice and Perceived Organizational Support are key factors that may strengthen Readiness for Change through the role of Psychological Capital. A quantitative design with purposive sampling was applied to 243 correctional clients on parole and employed in the formal sector in Jakarta. Data were gathered through structured questionnaires and analyzed using SmartPLS, including reliability, validity, and structural model testing. Organizational Justice significantly influenced Psychological Capital (β = 0.537) and Readiness for Change (β = 0.328). Perceived Organizational Support also showed positive effects …

Tourism, Institutions, And The Paradox Of Inclusion: How Institutional Quality Moderates Tourism’S Impact On Inclusive Growth In High-Income European Countries, Saqib Munir, Abdul Ghaffar, Mushab Rashid

Arab Economic and Business Journal

Inclusive economic growth in high-income European economies remains contested despite strong institutions and advanced tourism sectors, with limited understanding of how institutional quality and gender-inclusive governance condition the tourism–inclusivity nexus. This study examines the independent and interactive effects of tourism development, institutional quality, gender-inclusive governance, digital infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and income inequality on inclusive economic growth across 15 European countries over 2000–2024. Using World Bank and WGI data, a panel ARDL framework, supported by FMOLS robustness checks is applied to capture dynamic long- and short-run relationships among mixed-order integrated variables. Results indicate that tourism development (β = 5.351, p < 0.001) and institutional quality (β = 8.029, p < 0.001) decisively enhance inclusive growth, yet their interaction exerts a significant negative effect (β = –5.271, p < 0.001), suggesting over-regulation may dampen tourism’s inclusivity potential. Environmental sustainability also contributes positively (β = 0.164, p < 0.001), while income inequality shows a counterintuitive long-run positive association (β = 0.026, p < 0.001). Gender-inclusive governance has a small but significant positive effect (β = 0.005, p = 0.004), whereas digital infrastructure is statistically insignificant. These findings extend institutional economics and endogenous growth theory by revealing governance flexibility as critical to unlocking inclusive tourism benefits, and they inform SDG 8 and 10 policies by advocating balanced regulatory frameworks, renewable energy investment, and targeted redistributive mechanisms in advanced economies.

A Practical Guide For Teaching With Generative Ai In Sport Management, Geoffre Sherman, David Pierce

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is reshaping how sport management educators design assignments, evaluate student work, and develop professional competencies. This article presents a practical pedagogical framework that integrates GenAI tools within the Design Council's Double Diamond process—Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver—to scaffold student thinking across project-based courses. Rather than positioning GenAI as a replacement for student reasoning, the model treats it as a collaborator in roles such as a research assistant, clarifier, creative teammate, and editor. Fluency in prompt engineering is developed progressively through structured exercises that emphasize verification, iteration, and critical evaluation of model outputs. Two complementary assessments—the Prompt …

Toward Greater Wellbeing: Student-Guided Strategies For Improving Sport And Recreation Engagement, Vinu Selvaratnam, Laura Wood, Ryan Snelgrove

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Despite widespread recognition of campus recreation as a key contributor to student well-being, many university students remain underactive, even when programming is available. This study explores student-generated strategies for improving participation in campus recreation, drawing on open-ended responses from 182 undergraduates at a large Canadian university. Using thematic content analysis and chi-square comparison, we examine how suggestions differ between students who report being sufficiently active and those who do not. Seven core themes emerged, with underactive students more likely to identify structural barriers such as inconvenient scheduling, limited facility access, and insufficient communication. These suggestions are interpreted through the Leisure …

Monastic Botanical Gardens: Medicinal Plants, Cultural Heritage, And Tourist Routes, Polyxeni G. Moira Dr, Dimitrios Mylonopoulos

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

in the natural environment. The natural environment, of which humans are an integral part, served as the first laboratory for the production of medicines. Medicinal botany can be traced back to ancient Greece, continued through ancient Rome, was closely linked to Islamic tradition, and persisted through the rise of Christianity in monasteries, enduring to the present day. Monastic botanical gardens serve as living proof of the relationship between humans, nature, healing, and spirituality. These gardens, which for centuries cultivated plants for medicinal, nutritional, and functional uses, can now be leveraged to promote tourism, cultural heritage, and environmental awareness.

This study …

It's Not Nde Without U And X: Preparing For Change With Inclusive Research, Sanjeet Mann, Heather L. Cribbs

Library Faculty Publications & Presentations

The upcoming Next Discovery Experience (NDE) introduces major changes to how users search, interpret information, and navigate Primo. Preparing for NDE is an opportunity to center the diverse students and faculty who rely on discovery systems every day, ensuring that their lived experiences, accessibility needs, and research practices guide interface design, configuration, and communication. This session presents a consortial approach to NDE readiness that positions students and community members as partners in the development process. We describe strategies for creating ethical and rigorous UX research workflows that include IRB approval, purposeful recruitment, accessible study design, and clear documentation on the …

Gender Dynamics In Upward Influence: Career Outcomes And Organizational Implications, Carrie Berg Ed.D.

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This study explores gender-based differences in the perceptions and outcomes of upward influence strategies within nonprofit organizations. Using qualitative thematic analysis grounded in Social Role Theory and Impression Management Theory, this research draws from structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 37 professionals across diverse nonprofit sectors. Findings reveal that men’s influence efforts are more frequently perceived as credible and authoritative, while similar strategies used by women are often subjected to increased scrutiny and bias. Key themes include gendered influence styles, differential recognition and credibility, mental and emotional labor, organizational gatekeeping, leadership receptivity, and informal networks. The study contributes to understanding …

What Makes Leaders In Human Services Effective? A Pilot Study Linking Systems Thinking, Perspective-Taking, And Leadership Success, Ryan Witterschein

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Leadership effectiveness is a persistent challenge in human services nonprofits, where organizations serving individuals with disabilities and complex needs have grown dramatically but lack validated tools for assessing the cognitive competencies that distinguish effective leaders. This quantitative pilot study introduces the ABA Leadership Assessment Tool version 2.0 (ABLA 2.0), a 48-item instrument integrating transformational and transactional leadership frameworks with three constructs from Relational Frame Theory—perspective-taking, temporal reasoning, and systems thinking. Eight Board Certified Behavior Analysts in organizational leadership roles completed the assessment, yielding 100% completion and strong preliminary reliability across all subscales (α = .71–.94). Leaders who demonstrated stronger cognitive …

Separating Access Legitimacy From Utilization Analytics: A Two-Layer Evaluation Model For Philanthropy And Development, Stephanie Zabriskie

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This article introduces a two-layer evaluation model for philanthropic and development decision-making in access-based interventions. The first layer treats Access as Outcome (AAO) as a recognized outcome when essential goods, services or resources are delivered through a viable delivery pathway, without requiring post-access utilization or compliance to validate legitimacy. The second layer evaluates post-access variation through System Coherence Conditions (SCC), defined as internal alignment across governance and decision-making, distribution and logistics, social accountability and norms, and scarcity management and continuity, which explain differences in utilization, continuity, and downstream effects as signals of system coherence rather than as retroactive worthiness thresholds. …

Utilizing Supervised Practice In School Settings As An Opportunity To Increase Student Awareness Of Food Waste Reduction Strategies, Maria Givler

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) play a vital role in facilitating nutritional health across a wide range of settings, from clinical care to community-based environments. As the profession continues to evolve, dietetics training programs are emphasizing experiential learning opportunities that address real-world public health challenges (Wegener, 2018). One such challenge is food waste, an issue with significant nutritional, environmental, and economic implications (Seberini, 2020). Within school food service systems, where millions of meals are served daily (Toossi et al.,2024), reducing waste while maintaining student satisfaction presents both a challenge and an opportunity. This article will discuss four ways supervised practice rotations …

When Social Fundraising Is Active But Hard To Measure: Nonprofit Lessons From Social Media Roi Research, Dr. Blair W. Loveland

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This article examines a nonprofit measurement problem that appears when social media is used to support fundraising but the organization cannot clearly connect that activity to a measurable financial result. The article draws on a non-experimental quantitative survey of 106 participants in roles tied to marketing, sales, or revenue reporting. The findings showed that social media use was common, but visibility into spending, formal ROI tracking, and end-to-end attribution was often weak. Seventy percent of respondents who answered the spend question did not know their organization's annual social media spend, 59 percent of respondents who answered the ROI question said …

Enhancing Transparency And Accountability In Federally Funded Nonprofits: A Convergent Framework Integrating Artificial Intelligence Analytics And Blockchain Technology, David A. Oduro, Vida Adeti

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This study examines how artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology address persistent challenges in federal nonprofit grant management. Through systematic analysis of government pilot programs and nonprofit technology adoption patterns, we develop an integrated implementation framework. Treasury Department and National Science Foundation blockchain prototypes demonstrate 40% reductions in administrative burden, with report generation decreasing from 40 staff-hours to seconds. Nonprofit AI adoption reached 92% by 2026, though significant disparities exist between large organizations (58% using AI for data analytics) and small nonprofits (19%). Drawing on interviews with federal agencies and grant recipients, this research identifies technical capacity constraints, regulatory complexity, …

Rethinking Ngo Sustainability: A Framework For Developing Support Structures Beyond Traditional Donations And Grants, Angie Holzer, Jackson Cooper

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This thought paper examines the growing instability of traditional funding streams in the global nonprofit sector and argues for a fundamental shift in how sustainability is conceptualized. Moving beyond a narrow focus on financial capital, the paper introduces a practical framework of five interconnected resource types—financial, material, human, knowledge, and network resources—supported by a sixth foundational element, relational capital, or trust. Drawing on examples and applied models, the authors demonstrate how nonprofits can strengthen resilience and long-term impact by intentionally leveraging diverse and often underutilized forms of support. The paper also highlights the evolving role of board members, emphasizing the …

The Momentum Continues: 2026 Asma Conference Highlights, Marshall Magnusen

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The Journal of Applied Sport Management (JASM) is the official publication of the Applied Sport Management Association (ASMA), which is a scholarly organization that builds research partnerships between faculty and students. ASMA also facilitates connections between sport management faculty and students studying sport and practitioners working in the sport industry. In 2026, the annual conference was hosted by Temple University. Highlights from the annual conference include Dr. Robin Hardin from the University of Tennessee receiving the ASMA Distinguished Service and Mentorship Award and Drs. Corr, Petersen, and Stokowski becoming ASMA Research Fellows.

The Privilege Of Service And Mentorship, Robin Hardin

Journal of Applied Sport Management

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