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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™

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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Communication

2020

Articles 1 - 17 of 17

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Media Exposure To Crime, Fear Of Crime, And Social Interaction Anxiety, Genea Shoulders Jan 2020

Media Exposure To Crime, Fear Of Crime, And Social Interaction Anxiety, Genea Shoulders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2000, approximately 30% of all news stories in mass media focused on crime. According to research, increased exposure to the media directly correlates to an increased fear of crime; however, little research has been conducted into this influential relationship and the extent of which it could affect a person’s social interaction anxiety. Therefore, the study’s purpose was to examine the relationship and consequential impact of media exposure and the extent of which the fear of crime had on individuals’ social interaction anxiety levels. Through a quantitative approach, this study used the theory of cultivation. Question one examined the effect …

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Employee Motivation And Knowledge Transfer In Nonprofit Organizations, Heidi Keam Nors Jan 2020

Employee Motivation And Knowledge Transfer In Nonprofit Organizations, Heidi Keam Nors

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIneffective knowledge transfer strategies can negatively affect knowledge creation and employee motivation. Nonprofit business leaders who struggle with knowledge transfer among department staff are at a high risk of not improving employee motivation. Grounded in Kahn’s organizational theory on leadership and structure, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the knowledge transfer strategies used by nonprofit business leaders to transfer knowledge among departmental staff and to improve employee motivation. The participants comprised business leaders and staff, consisting of 2 executives, 2 managers, and 2 departmental staff members from a nonprofit charter school management company in North …

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Successful Strategies To Lead Change Initiatives, Lorice S. Edwards Brown Jan 2020

Successful Strategies To Lead Change Initiatives, Lorice S. Edwards Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As financial systems, global trade, and the regulatory environment integrate, business leaders are often ill equipped to develop and implement strategies to lead changes in organizations. Business leaders who lead change initiatives without proven sustainability strategies are highly susceptible to business closure. Grounded in Lewin's theory of change, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore successful strategies some business leaders used to develop and manage change initiatives to remain operable beyond 5 years. The participants included 4 industry business leaders with a minimum of 5 years of successful change leadership experience. The data collection included semistructured …

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Institutional Narrative As A Means For Evaluating Mission Alignment At Community Colleges, Paul Wesley Lundburg Jan 2020

Institutional Narrative As A Means For Evaluating Mission Alignment At Community Colleges, Paul Wesley Lundburg

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community colleges have expanded their goals and their mission statements to accommodate more students, introduce new programs, and respond to community needs. One result of this expansion has been the perception of mission misalignment: the idea that community colleges are struggling to fulfill their missions. Recent literature has focused on causes and problems presumed to be associated with mission misalignment; however, there is a gap in the empirical research on whether mission misalignment occurs. The purpose of this study was to examine mission misalignment in community colleges, thereby helping to fill the gap in the literature. The research question was …

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Small Business Social Media Marketing Strategies In The Retail Industry, Mari E. Mew Jan 2020

Small Business Social Media Marketing Strategies In The Retail Industry, Mari E. Mew

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many small business owners lack social media marketing (SMM) strategies to generate sales growth. Small business owners are concerned with increasing sales growth to ensure sustainability. Grounded in Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore SMM strategies some small business owners in the women’s retail apparel industry use to generate growth in sales. The participants comprised 3 small business owners in the women’s retail apparel industry in South Carolina with successful experience using SMM strategies to generate sales growth. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, archival organizational documentation, and physical artifacts. …

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Faith Leaders Strategies For Increasing Millennial Engagement, Jessica Hayley Schafer Jan 2020

Faith Leaders Strategies For Increasing Millennial Engagement, Jessica Hayley Schafer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Faith based organizations (FBOs) have failed to engage their millennial members at the same level they have engaged the previous generations. FBO leaders who fail to engage millennials are at risk of not fulfilling their mission. Grounded in the value cocreation model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies FBO leaders used to engage millennials successfully. The participants comprised 7 leaders from 3 Western U.S. FBOs who have implemented successful strategies to engage millennials. Data were collected from interviews, observations, and online and offline documentation. The data were analyzed using Miller's guide to thematic analysis, …

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Instructor-Initiated Communication And Student Success In Online High-Impact Community College Courses, Tonia J. Benton Jan 2020

Instructor-Initiated Communication And Student Success In Online High-Impact Community College Courses, Tonia J. Benton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study is low student success in online high-impact courses. Researchers have shown that instructor-initiated communication contributes to student satisfaction and success. The purpose of this study was to determine any relationship between instructor-initiated communication and student pass rates in online high-impact courses offered at a community college in the United States. The Community of Inquiry (CoI), which identifies teacher, social, and cognitive guidelines supporting learning experiences for students, was the theoretical foundation of the study. The research question was designed to explore relationships among the percentage of students passing a course with an A, B, …

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Social Media Technologies In Policy Communication: A Case Study Of Ghana’S Information Services Department, Winnifred Nafisa Mahama Jan 2020

Social Media Technologies In Policy Communication: A Case Study Of Ghana’S Information Services Department, Winnifred Nafisa Mahama

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is an informational gap in demand and supply of real-time policy information confronting Ghana’s Information Services Department. This problem of a gap in demand and supply impacts the productivity of individuals, groups, as well as public and private institutions. The aim of this qualitative case study was to explore how the government could integrate social media technologies in its policy communications to bridge the informational gap. The narrative policy framework provided the theoretical framework for the study. Research questions focused on how the government uses social media technologies in engaging citizens to generate input for policy decision making as …

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Social Media And Customer Engagement: Customer Relations In A Digital Era, Nadia Delanoy Jan 2020

Social Media And Customer Engagement: Customer Relations In A Digital Era, Nadia Delanoy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traditional big data analytics do not include the contextual facets that social media narratives and customer engagement do. There is currently a gap in research on how customer relations managers can integrate social media in their existing data analytics to improve business performance. The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory multiple case study was to further understand of how customer relations managers can use social media within the context of already existing data analytics across industries in Canada. Communication theory was the conceptual lens for assessing customer relations management and consumer feedback within an increasingly digital business environment. Purposeful sampling was …

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What Do The Stories Of Indigenous Youth Reveal About Their Educational Experiences?, Kenneth Paul Ealey Jan 2020

What Do The Stories Of Indigenous Youth Reveal About Their Educational Experiences?, Kenneth Paul Ealey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While the voices of Indigenous youth in other parts of the world have been sought out, no studies have specifically focused on the educational experiences of urban Indigenous youth in Canada. This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of youth-adult relationships among Indigenous youth attending urban high schools in Western Canada. The study was approached from a postcolonial perspective aligning with Native Theory. This position is grounded on the premise that the experiences and stories of participants reveal their lived realities. Indigenous youth, 18 to 21, were recruited through targeted information sessions and word of mouth. Over 30 youth expressed …

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Strategies For News Professionals To Mitigate Negative Social Media Posts, Airielle J. Vincent Jan 2020

Strategies For News Professionals To Mitigate Negative Social Media Posts, Airielle J. Vincent

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Businesses use social media to promote services and products as well as connect with current and potential customers. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore and understand the strategies that effectively remedy negative social media comments, the skills used to employ remedial actions, the reasons why organizations fail to develop effective strategies, and the motivations to develop them among the participants and their organizations. The conceptual framework of this study combined elements from the skills approach to leadership and e-leadership theory. The target population included news directors, assignment managers, and executive producers who have used social …

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Successful Strategies To Address Disruptive Innovation Technologies In The Digital-Media Industry, Latronya M. Acevedo-Berry Jan 2020

Successful Strategies To Address Disruptive Innovation Technologies In The Digital-Media Industry, Latronya M. Acevedo-Berry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Digital media executives lack strategic solutions for the preparation and response to changing media innovation technology. The lack of innovative technological strategies threatens digital-media corporations’ ability to maintain marketplace sustainability for addressing disruptive innovation technologies. Grounded in Christensen’s disruptive innovation theory and Roger’s diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore innovative technological strategies some executives of digital-media corporations used to maintain marketplace sustainability for addressing disruptive innovation technologies. The participants were 7 digital-media executives in New York and California, who used effective strategies to innovate technology and maintain marketplace sustainability. Data were …

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Strategies For Increasing Workforce Engagement, Joanne White Hayes Jan 2020

Strategies For Increasing Workforce Engagement, Joanne White Hayes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The existence of disengaged employees can reduce productivity and increase organizations’ costs. Engaged employees are vital to many organizations and the success of organizational leaders. Grounded in Herzberg's two factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies managers used to increase employee engagement in the nonprofit industry. Participants were 3 managers in South Carolina who successfully implemented strategies to increase employee engagement. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and a review of company documents. Data were analyzed using Yin’s 5-step method of analysis, and 3 themes emerged: providing clear and concise communication, recognition and …

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Cross-Cultural Communication Strategies That Engage Employees And Increase Productivity., Alvin Sidney Moton Jan 2020

Cross-Cultural Communication Strategies That Engage Employees And Increase Productivity., Alvin Sidney Moton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLow employee engagement can negatively impact productivity for small fast-food restaurants in the United States. Small fast-food restaurant managers who do not engage employees experience decreased employee productivity. Grounded in Hofstede's cross-cultural dimensions theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies managers of small fast-food restaurants managers use to improve employee engagement. Participants were four small fast-food restaurants manager within the southern region of the United States who used cross-cultural strategies to successfully engage employees. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and internal company documents and were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: (a) …

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Public Perceptions Of Delays In The Release Of Police Body-Worn Camera Footage, Christopher Lee Bush Jan 2020

Public Perceptions Of Delays In The Release Of Police Body-Worn Camera Footage, Christopher Lee Bush

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Delays in the release of police body-worn camera (BWC) video footage have amplified public concerns about police misconduct. Law enforcement transparency is questioned when video from BWCs is not shared in a timely manner with the community. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore community and victims’ family’s beliefs related to delays in the release of police BWC footage. Rogers’s diffusion innovation theory and Mettler and Sorelle’s policy feedback theory were used for the study’s conceptual framework. The research questions focused on understanding the perceptions of community relationships with law enforcement around transparency, communication, and information sharing. …

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Emerging Digital Marketing Strategies Using Mobile Instant Messaging, Philip Earl Bailey Jan 2020

Emerging Digital Marketing Strategies Using Mobile Instant Messaging, Philip Earl Bailey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Customer engagement by commercial mobile instant messages (MIMs) is hampered by the high rate of customer irritation of receipt of the message. Increasing customer engagement is essential to marketing managers because MIMs marketing opportunities do not translate into sales unless marketers employ effective strategies for MIMs as a communication channel. Grounded in the technology acceptance model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies marketing managers used to improve customer engagement with MIMs. The participants included 4 marketing managers from 3 organizations in the southeastern region of the United States who utilized MIMs as a marketing …

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Strategies To Mitigate Negative Social Media Communications In Collegiate Athletics, Jennifer A. Parks Jan 2020

Strategies To Mitigate Negative Social Media Communications In Collegiate Athletics, Jennifer A. Parks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Harmful social media communications in collegiate athletics are challenging, compelling athletic administrators to implement strategies to mitigate costly damage to the university. Grounded in framing theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies some collegiate athletic administrators use to mitigate negative social media communications by their student-athletes and coaches that may cause problems resulting in reputational damage to the brand, negative publicity, financial loss, sanctions, and fines for the university or college. Participants were 4 collegiate athletic administrators located in the southeastern United States, who had a social media policy and strategies to successfully mitigate …

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