Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Workplace Characteristics That Affect The Career Development Of African American Women, Coretta Loraine Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrican American women are underrepresented in executive/senior-level positions in public and nonprofit organizations. The purpose of the study was to identify how workplace culture characteristics inform the career development of African American women. The conceptual framework incorporated Hegel’s standpoint theory and Collins’ Black feminist thought, emphasizing the importance of perspective differences stemming from social or professional experiences. The research questions addressed the workplace culture characteristics that assist or hinder African American women’s career development in northern California. I transcribed, coded, and analyzed data gathered from 15 audio-recorded, semistructured interviews. Results indicated that specific characteristics of workplace cultures were identified as …

Disparities In The Sentencing Of African American Men In Wayne County, Michigan, Brian Banks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe ability of judges in the U.S. criminal justice system to administer penalties based on a defendant’s socioeconomic status has resulted in a disproportionate number of African Americans receiving harsher penalties than those of other racial groups and socioeconomic statuses. Currently, there is little evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of harsher sentencing of defendants with lower socioeconomic statuses in preventing crime or lowering recidivism, but more work is needed to clarify what sentencing factors judges use. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the factors that Wayne County, Michigan, judges used during the sentencing process of criminal defendants, along …

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 30-Day Readmission Rates In California, Illinois, And New York, Theresa Teverbaugh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have implemented financial penalties to reduce hospital readmissions for various conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As a result, hospital administrators explore ways to prevent financial penalties for excessive COPD 30-day hospital readmissions. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was a correlation between hospital Medicare reimbursement, quality-of-care measures related to patient satisfaction, and 30-day readmissions rates for COPD patients in California, Illinois, and New York. The quality-of-care measures included communication with nurses, communication with doctors, the hospital staff's responsiveness, and medicine communication. The secondary data were …

Work Engagement In A Changing Nonprofit Environment, Shukura Crevelle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee engagement is defined as a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind and describes work team members who gain a sense of connection in what they do. This has an impact on the physical, mental, and emotional health of the employee and the health of the organization. There was a need to explore contributing factors to employee engagement in a changing remote organization because there was a current gap in the literature regarding employee engagement and organizational change. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore causes to low engagement among employees in a nonprofit organization located in the …

The Role Of Nonprofit Organizations Serving Vulnerable Populations During Disasters, Joy Dvornicich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disasters can strike any population, but research has shown that poor, disabled, medically underserved people and children are more adversely affected than the general population. This qualitative descriptive case study aimed to understand better nonprofit organizations' (NPO) impact on vulnerable populations during disasters. Data was collected through semistructured interviews with representatives of NPOs from a southeastern city in Pennsylvania whose clients are vulnerable populations. This qualitative case study was based on Weisbrod’s theory of government failure. The 4Cs of communicate, collaborate, coordinate, and cooperate were investigated through semistructured interviews and a review of secondary data. The research questions were designed …

Cosponsorship Networks In The U.S. Congress: Measuring The Success Of Female Legislators, Brian Jewett

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Previous scholarship has demonstrated that minority group members in the United States Congress generally are more supportive and collaborative within and beyond their respective groups compared to their majority group counterparts (Craig et al., 2015; Rouse, Swers and Parrott, 2013). In some cases, increased levels of collaboration positively influence legislative success and in others they do not, the results often depending on the characteristic of the group itself and the institutional setting within which the group operates. Additionally, prior studies within the domains of social network analysis and legislative behavior have shown that certain social network measures within a legislative …

Climate Trailblazer Or Corporate Giveaway: An Economic And Political Evaluation Of Cap-And-Trade In California, Benjamin Reicher

Pomona Senior Theses

In this thesis, I conduct an economic and political analysis of California’s cap-and-trade program, the leading national (and international) example of a market-based strategy to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions. I evaluate the program on several economic and political measures of success, especially as contrasted with the performance of various regulatory policies that California also relies on to meet its emissions reduction targets. These regulations exemplify a command and control approach to emissions mitigation as opposed to a market-based approach, and indeed tend to be favored by grassroots activists who may be skeptical about market-friendly policies; my thesis seeks to …

Looking To The Future Of Wildlife Conservation: Durable Wildlife Policy For The 21st Century, Charlie R. Booher

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Wildlife conservation in the United States was built by the dollars of consumptive users. Monies from the sale of hunting licenses, as well as excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery tackle through the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (PR), currently fuel a complex system of wildlife conservation via multiple levels of government. However, the number of hunters in this country is rapidly declining, the sale of firearms and ammunition is increasingly unrelated to hunting, and contemporary consumers tend to express different values than traditional hunters. These changes pose significant challenges of relevancy and funding to state and …

A Culture Of Institutional Racism: Housing Policies During The New Deal, Breyonna J. Bowen

Capstone Showcase

There currently exists a distressed relationship between African Americans and housing due to previously enacted policies. In looking at this issue, I aim to use the theory of institutional racism to explain how past housing policies that enforce and perpetuate discrimination have impacted this current relationship. Through the method of policy analysis, I attempt to pinpoint where past housing policies have failed to provide housing to many African Americans. I find that there are several policies that were enacted during 1930s and 40s, specifically the New Deal Era, that inflicted discriminatory housing policies on African Americans. The findings indicate that …

The Program To Reduce Implicit Bias In Carroll Hospital Center Using The Implicit Association Test, Katherine E. Traynor

Capstone Showcase

Natural brain processes make all individuals susceptible to unconscious bias; however, stressful, fearful, or anger-evoking situations as well as the negative influence of media and social surroundings increase the risk of holding obstructive bias, and there is a greater risk of being negatively impacted by this phenomenon when belonging to a minority population (Rose & Flores, 2020). As a result, high rates of infant mortality (10.2 deaths per 1,000 live births for the Non-Hispanic Black population compared to 4.1 in the White population) and cardiovascular related diseases (190.0 cases per 1,000 in the Non-Hispanic Black population compared to 161.3 in …

The Political Implications Of The Evangelical Right’S Anti-Critical Race Theory Rhetoric, Elizabeth Howell-Egan

Scripps Senior Theses

Critical Race Theory (CRT), once an abstract principle used in academic circles, has exploded onto the national stage as parents fight against their children supposedly being taught its tenets. Through an analysis of key political and religious leaders, I discuss the right’s obsession with CRT in schools, where it came from, and its political implications.

Covid, Care, And The Carceral State: American Disposability Politics And The Selective Weaponization Of Public Health Guidelines During Covid-19, Uma Nagarajan-Swenson

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis examines the American state's role in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on marginalized communities, arguing that the state used the frame of disposability politics to justify expanding its carceral capacities and withdrawing as a provider of welfare during the pandemic.

African American Women And Tenant Management Of Public Housing: A Case Study Of Stella Wright, Ari Ahmad Mccaskill

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This thesis explores the theories and praxis of struggles for community-control of public housing in the era of Black Power through a case study of the Stella Wright Rent Strike. From 1970 to 1974, tenants of the Stella Windsor Wright Homes in Newark, NJ, waged the longest rent strike in the history of public housing in the United States. Following in the wake of the 1967 Rebellion and the election of Kenneth A. Gibson as the city’s first Black mayor in 1970, Newark’s poor and working-class Black tenants blended grassroots militancy with political savvy as they successfully fought for community …

Governance Of Risk Management Programs: Learning From Quebec's Farm Income Stabilization Insurance Program, Frederick Clerson

Public Policy Faculty & Graduate Student Publications and Presentations

Involving stakeholders in program decision-making can support existing programs and reduce tensions against the state. However, to be involved, stake­holders may request specific mechanisms to influ­ence program design or outcomes. This paper ana­lyzes the design of four consultation mechanisms and the resultant stakeholder experiences in a pro­vincial Canadian program called Farm Income Stabilization Insurance (FISI). The program offers a protection against low prices. The findings of this paper are based on 18 semi-structured interviews conducted with current and former participants familiar with the mechanisms. An analysis is accomplished through Arnstein’s ladder of citizen participation and Glasser’s choice theory. Results show …

The Impact Of Food Justice Advocates In Creating And Influencing Public Policy, Michael Joseph Chadukiewicz

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This case study explored the impact that food justice advocates had on creating and implementing public policy to provide access to adequate, healthy, and culturally appropriate food for the residents of New Haven, Connecticut. The problem the case study explored is in 2020 food insecurity affected 22% of the residents of New Haven, more than twice the national average. This qualitative case study used grounded theory to analyze the experiences of 31 food justice advocates that were members of a coalition of researchers, food service providers, non-profit agencies, grassroot organizations, and residents tasked with improving the city’s emergency food system. …

Examining The Relationship Between Local Governmental Performance In Public Safety And The Growth In Population, Employment, And Per Capita Income For Valley Cities In Arizona, Xin Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the impact of city performance in public safety on a city’s growth in population, employment, and per capita income. The effectiveness of performance management affects the willingness of governmental agencies to continue using performance management as a tool for day-to-day operations and the improvement of governmental services. The research goal of the study is to discover the relationship between city performance in public safety and the growth of a locality in population, employment, and per capita income. The purpose of the study is to determine if there is a relationship between city performance in public safety …

Vulnerable Populations And Flooding: A Bay Area County Public Alert And Warning Case Study, Victoria Castro

Master's Projects

Public alert and warning systems are crucial tools that save lives and protect property in times of emergencies. In the past several decades, natural disasters have struck the nation, and effective public alerts and warnings were not disseminated to all impacted populations, calling into question the effectiveness of emergency communication systems (Wimberley, 2012).

As an example, in 2012, when Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast, public alert and warning systems reached those who had access to technological devices. However, emergency managers and alerting authorities faced the challenge of alerting all groups, including the homeless and individuals with access and functional …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The Air Force’S Open Topic Sbir And Sttr Process To Engage Small Business To Work On Defense, Bevan Hart

Master's Projects

Has the Air Force’s (AF) use of the “Open Topic” solicitation in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs increased engagement with non-traditional defense contractors, and is it effective in getting companies on contract that would not otherwise have been likely to contract with the Air Force?

Preferences For Paid Paternity Leave Availability, Lengths Of Leave Offerings, And Government Funding Of Paternity Leaves In The United States, Chris Knoester, Qi Li

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This study analyzes 2012 General Social Survey data (N = 1,089) about preferences for paid paternity leave availability, lengths of leave offerings, and government funding of leaves. It highlights gender and gendered parenting role attitudes as predictors of leave preferences. Descriptive results revealed sizable (i.e., 53 percent) support for leave availability and moderate (i.e., 33 percent) support for some government funding; still, only modest (i.e., five weeks) lengths of leave offerings were desired. Regression results indicated that women were typically more likely than men to support more generous leave offerings. Consistently, dual-earner expectations were positively associated with preferences for more …

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 …

Climbing The Economic Ladder - Doing Business In Saint Vincent And The Grenadines Using Sdg-Related Policies, Romena Tamira L.V. Browne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Through Invest SVG, a statutory body under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning, and Information Technology, the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was seeking to develop a policy environment that was conducive to optimal growth for private sector development, in keeping with the Sustainable Development Goals. The outcomes of such endeavors may include but are not limited to higher levels of employment, revenue generation, and economic growth. In this study, two primary areas were addressed: the regulatory weaknesses for doing business in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, using the criteria outlined in The Ease of …

Effects High-Cost Health Insurance And The Uninsured Middle-Class Families Of Essex County, New Jersey, Janice A. Fearon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThousands of middle-class families living in Essex County, New Jersey, cannot afford health insurance, but little is known about their experiences regarding this lack. The purpose of this research study was to explore the lived experiences of uninsured middle-class families who could not afford state or any other type of health insurance in Essex County, New Jersey. The theoretical framework for this study was based on Smith’s rational choice theory. The research question explored the lived experiences of uninsured middle-class families. Purposeful sampling was used in this phenomenological study to select 10 participants from families residing in Essex County with …

Perceptions Of School Counselors And Teachers Regarding The Communities In Schools Model, Amy M. Gates

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lower graduation rates among Black, Latino, and low-income students negatively impact individuals, families, and communities. The Communities in Schools (CIS) model was widely used in urban school districts due to suggested positive outcomes butwas underrepresented in current independent research. Using Benet’s polarities of democracy as the theoretical framework, this qualitative case study allowed for the collection and analysis of perceptions of educators within the Atlanta Public Schools (APS). The results of this study suggested social change implications related to increasing manpower in urban high schools and the development and use of comprehensive student support services to reach more at-risk students. …

Factors That Predict Prescription Opioid Misuse By Type Of Healthcare Insurance Coverage, Keon Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The opioid epidemic remains one of the leading causes of unintended deaths in the United States and is still one of the focal points of the public health field. Previous research has increased awareness of the opioid crisis and has focused on sociodemographic factors that may cause or predict prescription opioid misuse. The purpose of this study was to investigate sociodemographic factors that may predict prescription opioid misuse while controlling for healthcare insurance. The theoretical foundation for this secondary data analysis project was the socioecological model using the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The population was 56,136 …

Nonreligious Explanations Of Boko Haram’S Resilience In Nigeria, Jimmy Imo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past decade, Boko Haram has become one of the world’s deadliest terror organizations. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore nonreligious explanations for the problem of resilience of Boko Haram in Nigeria. Rational choice theory provided the primary framework for the study. Data were collected through in-person and telephone interviews with 14 religious and government subject matter experts. Other sources of data included media publications, documents, audio-visual materials, and the internet. Data were inductively coded and subjected to thematic analysis. Findings showed that instead of religious ideology, Boko Haram’s resilience was due to poor policy …

Mental Health Professionals And Family Burden: Ways To Improve Training And Treatment, Johnnie Lee Jenkins, Iii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During deinstitutionalization, schizophrenia treatment shifted from state facilities to communities and families. This change stressed families. This study investigated mental health professionals' (MHPs) knowledge and training about this stress also called family burden (FB). The study had three research questions. These addressed MHPs’ view of FB, what barriers exist in treating FB, can multiple viewpoints define FB, and if these views influence MHPs to reduce it. This grounded theory study used 22 MHPs in seven focus groups (FGs). The participant recruitment process included email, list serves, phone calls, and one state conference. The participants were MHPs licensed for 3 years …

Abstract Immigration Policies Of The Obama And Trump Administrations Focused On Alien Arrests, Levino Lorenzo Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractImmigration policy has been a growing concern for the United States, but it was unknown what differences had been experienced between President Trump and President Obama’s implemented immigration policies. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to determine if any statistically significant differences existed between the number of “criminal aliens” arrested for removal versus non-criminal aliens arrested with victimless crimes during the Obama and Trump administration. This cross-sectional study was guided by punctuated equilibrium theory and data were gathered by available public, archival data. The total number of documented/undocumented non-criminal alien arrests during the Obama Administration from January …

Covid-19 Ethical Decisions Encountered By Healthcare Professionals In Southwest Ohio, Joshua Lader

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 coronavirus has wreaked havoc on the world and medical community. Treating individuals during a worldwide pandemic is nothing short of heroic. With limited supplies and treatment options, healthcare professionals were forced to make ethical considerations when treating patients with COVID-19. The pandemic exposed stress in the healthcare system, leading to difficult ethical decisions such as providing access or denying access to treatment. Knowing these ethical considerations can assist healthcare professionals with practical policies for future pandemics. The key research question in this study explored how healthcare professionals in Southwest Ohio made ethical decisions related to who and how …

Officers' Perceptions Of The Ontario Provincial Police Framework For Police Preparedness For Indigenous Critical Incidents, Armand P. La Barge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractResponding to First Nation occupations and protests is one of the most challenging duties that police officers in Canada undertake. Over the last 30 years, these types of incidents have resulted in deaths and injuries to police and protesters, and millions of dollars’ worth of damage and financial loss. After the 1995 shooting death of an unarmed Indigenous protester by police at the Ipperwash occupation, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) introduced an unconventional operational approach for protests known as the OPP Framework policy. That approach was built on the concepts of peacekeeping, patient negotiation, mutual respect, and the minimal use …

Perspectives Of Religious Faith Leaders On Hate Crime Policies, Alphonso Manns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPrejudice and discrimination stigmatize members of the lesbian gay bisexual transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community as abnormal, which has been attributed to religious opposition and the exercise of ministerial privileges or religious liberty within the law. Religious organizations may indirectly contribute to the public legal rights of members of the LGBTQ community. But little is known about the perspectives of religious faith leaders (RFLs) and how they influence the development and implementation of pro-equality and hate crime policies. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of RFLs from one community in a midwestern state. The narrative policy …