Public Administration Commons^™

Harnessing Sustainable Motivation: A Grounded Theory Exploration Of Public Service Motivation In Local Governments Of The State Of Oregon, United States, Sajjad Haider, Guoxian Bao, Gary Larsen, Muhammad Umar Draz

Public Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

Employee motivation has always been a matter of concern for both public and private sector organizations. Since the industrial revolution in the late 18th century, organizations have struggled to foster workforce motivation and morale to enhance productivity. While a plethora of literature focuses on private sector motivation research, public sector organizations receive only modest scholarly attention. However, a new concept has emerged in public management literature during the late 1980s and 1990s, later known as public service motivation (PSM). The debate about PSM is premised on the notion that the motivation of public sector employees is quite different from their …

Let Me Upgrade You: Common Measures In Public Health Accreditation Action Plans, Gurleen K. Roberts

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to understand the success rates for health departments pursuing and achieving accreditation in version 1.0 and 1.5 of the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) standards and measures. During the accreditation process, health departments that present performance gaps are asked to complete an Action Plan to specify how they plan to improve to meet the desired conformity. This study will highlight specific measures that are often included in Action Plans so that health departments pursuing accreditation can be better prepared to address these common pitfalls.

Methods: This study is a non-experimental, secondary …

Cybersecurity Policy Development At The State Level: A Case Study Of Middle Tennessee, Daniel Leslie Scherr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cybersecurity is a growing threat not only to nations, critical infrastructure, and major entities, but also to smaller organizations and individuals. The growing number of successful attacks on all manner of U.S. targets highlights the need for effective and comprehensive policy from the local to federal level, though most research focuses on federal policy issues, not state issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the decision-making process within the current cybersecurity policy environment in a southern state of the United States. Sabatier's advocacy coalition framework served as the theoretical framework for the study. Data were …

A Case Study Of Forensic Interviewing Of Antisocial Personality Disorder Diagnosed Inmates, Markus Michael Bressler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Interview strategies applied in adult criminal justice settings focus on the interviewer and concentrate on obtaining information for the courts, while simultaneously neglecting a forensic understanding of interviewees, including the interviewee's decision-making and behavioral health impairments. As a consequence, there is a deficiency of evidence-based research regarding interview practices with persons diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Using social control and neutralization theories as the foundation, the purpose of this case study of a single justice system in the United States was to better understand the perspectives and experiences of ASPD diagnosed inmates (n =5) compared to incarcerated participants without …

Elder Abuse In Illinois: A Two–Pronged Approach To Assessing The State's Response, Angelique Marie Pass

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Adult Protective Services Program is tasked with enforcing the standards and policies created at the federal level relating to how provider agencies should respond to elder abuse. What has yet to be explored is whether the Adult Protective Services Program is efficiently responding to the issue of elder abuse through its monitoring and evaluation protocols, which are based on the current policies. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of the 13 planning and service areas in their response to elder abuse. The response to elder abuse is guided by the current policies and funding strategies …

Influence Of Educational Equity Policies On High School Graduation Rates For Black Students, Vincent Kiriza Chirimwami

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The achievement gaps between White and Black students remain prevalent in American public schools. To resolve the problem, many school districts have developed equity-centered practices to improve high school graduation rates. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether the (a) duration of exposure to educational equity policies, (b) percentage of economically disadvantaged students, (c) percentage of students with disabilities, and (d) percentage of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students are predictive of high school graduation rates for Black students in large school districts. This study was grounded in Schneider and Ingram’s social construction of target populations theory. Archival data of …

The Effects Of Maternal Incarceration On Juvenile Delinquency, Sherri Trice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increasing rates of maternal incarceration are potentially linked to development of delinquency in the children of these mothers. Current literature points to the intergenerational transmission of criminality that may result in future low socioeconomic status and unemployment for children of incarcerated mothers, yet little of this literature addresses the link between maternal incarceration and juvenile delinquency. Using attachment theory as the foundation, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to assess correlation between maternal incarceration and juvenile delinquency, as well as investigate the mediating role of child gender, race, current relationship with the primary caregiver, and disciplinary environment. The …

Fire Training Fatalities And Firefighter Adherence To National Fire Protection Association Standards, Lucas Aaron Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sudden cardiac arrest continues to be a major cause of firefighter deaths during training due to a lack of individual firefighter adherence to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. These standards identify requirements for fire departments to create and maintain fitness programs. Existing research has not identified any relationships between training fatalities and individual firefighter adherence to NFPA 1583, Standard on Health-Related Fitness Programs for Fire Department Members. Using self-determination theory as the foundation, the purpose of this cross-sectional correlation study was to investigate whether individual firefighter adherence to NFPA 1583 has a measurable effect on training fatalities. Survey data …

National Strategy Against Narcotics, Drug Control Policy, And Law Enforcement Experiences In Kosovo, Ferid Azemi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research is focused on evaluation of National Strategy Against Narcotics (NSAN) enacted in 2012 in Kosovo. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of NSAN through visualizing data and gaining deeper insight from experiences of antidrug experts. Convergent parallel mixed methods were used to answer the main research questions. The central research questions examined the impact of strategy implementation in juvenile drug arrest reduction, and its effectiveness on Kosovo criminal justice system. Markwood's comprehensive theory of substance abuse prevention (CTSAP) was used to assess and explore the NSAN. Deidentified juvenile arrest rates taken from Kosovo official …

The Impact Of Congressional Attention And Policy Mood On Public Health Funding, Evelyn Denise Dunn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Congressional appropriations for federal public health agencies are subjected to external factors throughout the congressional appropriations process, resulting in fluctuations in funding. Recent literature has focused on externals factors, such as political attention and public attitudes, that could influence government funding levels; however, the impact of these factors on federal public health funding was not addressed. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between these external factors and federal public health appropriations. A quantitative study was used to examine congressional attention, policy mood, and the influence on the change in the level of federal public …

A Study Of Rural Nonprofit Board Communication And Collaboration, Angela-Janine C. Crawford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This case study explored the perceptions, experiences, and significant internal communication and collaboration problem(s) faced by a rural nonprofit board of directors experiencing a growth transition. Specifically, this study addressed (a) how a rural nonprofit's board members perceived their communication and collaboration skills and practices, and (b) the training needed to improve board communication and collaboration policies and practices. Ten rural area study participants shared their experiences and made recommendations for board communication and collaboration training. Exploring the perceptions, understandings, and capacities of the rural nonprofit board members revealed how specific communication and collaboration policies and practices affected their organization's …

Use Of Force: Perception Of Racial Minorities And Police Officers In Southeastern United States, William Henry Riter, Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The amount of force used by law enforcement officers has become a highly-charged topic, especially among racial minority citizens and the law enforcement community. While the use of force by police officers is permitted by law enforcement agencies and expected by citizens, the amount and type of force used can trigger or cause problems, such as distrust or loss of confidence for the police agency, if the public perceives the force to be unjustified. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the use of force by police officers and how to improve the relationship between racial minority citizens …

Effects Of Cell Phone Cameras On Police Working Behavior, Michael J. Derek Mallett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recording police officers can result in distraction, fear, and false perceptions of law enforcement personnel when citizens upload the videos to social media, though little is understood about police perceptions of this phenomenon. Using evaluation apprehension theory, emotional labor theory, and emotional intelligence as the foundation, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the feelings and experiences of police officers recorded by citizens with cell phone cameras while working. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 police officers in the State of Indiana who were recorded with cell phone cameras. The data were transcribed, inductively coded, and …

Late Adolescent Mothers' Homelessness And Pregnancy Experiences While Living In Transitional Housing, Beverly Vendryes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The numbers of homeless adolescent mothers have been increasing over the past decade. Previous studies have focused on homeless individuals, but no studies examined late adolescent mothers' homelessness and pregnancy experiences while living in transitional housing. Using a phenomenological methodology, this study explored the lived experiences of 7 adolescent mothers, 18 to 24 years old, who were homeless, pregnant, and living in transitional housing. The social construction of reality theory provided the framework and interpretive lens for this study. Social networking and snowball sampling were used for participant recruitment. Through in-depth interviews, data coding and analyses were conducted to identify …

Political Control And Accountability In Ethiopian Rulemaking, Esayas Kassa Araya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Administrative rules have played a central role in Ethiopian public administration since 1994 when the current constitution was adopted. However, if the formulation and implementation of the rules are not politically controlled, and proper accountability is not applied, these same rules could become threats instead of assurances of the rule of law and order. This case study explored what strategic controls and accountability measures are in place to regulate the rulemaking process. To inform the study, the political control of bureaucracy framework in general and the principal-agency model, in particular, were used. The central research question focused on strategies that …

Influence Of Organizational Culture And Leadership Styles On Nonprofit Staff Members' Commitment, Simone Hinds

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational culture and leadership styles of a leader are important to staff members' commitment in a nonprofit organization, yet little is understood about the role of leadership style and the degree to which staff are committed to organizational effectiveness in nonprofit organizations. Using Avolio and Bass' conceptualization of transformational leadership as the theoretical foundation, the purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the organizational culture, leadership styles, and nonprofit staff members' commitment in 1 large organization in the United States. Survey data were collected (N = 100) through an instrument that combined Cameron and Quinn's Organizational Cultural Assessment and …

Cultural Integration In Newly Formed Public-Private Partnership Organizations, Scotty O. Izevbigie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) formed public-private partnerships (PPPs) with local and international private companies during the construction of the Port of Miami Tunnel (POMT) project. These PPPs had employees from different cultural backgrounds who brought new cultures, ideas, innovation, and experiences to their PPPs. The limited PPP literature did indicate that different cultures should be properly integrated to avoid challenges and conflicts in the new organization. If not properly managed and integrated, cultural conflict can create communication problems, increased employee dissatisfaction, higher turnover, and poor employee performance. Using Risberg's communication theoretical foundation, the purpose of this phenomenological study …

Impact Of Charter School Legislation On Public K-12 Education In Pennsylvania, Stuart Whiteleather

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Charter and cyber charter schools were legislatively permitted to operate as publicly funded educational institutions in Pennsylvania with the passage of Act 22 of 1997. Examining the tuition payments from traditional school districts funding charter schools and resulting economic, operational, and programmatic impacts on traditional K-12 education was the purpose of this study. Conflict theory provided the theoretical framework which proposes that inequity and competition for limited resources is the result of powerful groups exerting their influence on the greater society. This study's research questions focused on determining the impact tuition payments to charter schools had on public K-12 student …

Gender Competency In Public Administration Education, Nicole Elias, Maria J. D’Agostino

Publications and Research

Sex and gender are evolving identity categories with emergent public policy and administration needs. To respond to the diverse landscape of sex and gender issues in the public sector, greater competency is needed. This research will contribute to the body of work on sex and gender in public administration by asking the following questions: (a) what do graduate students in Master of Public Administration (MPA) programs know about gender competency, (b) have graduate students learned gender competency in their MPA coursework, and (c) how can gender competency in MPA education be further developed and promoted? This study provides a critical …

Leadership Issues And Organizational Dynamics That Shaped The 2016 Republican Primaries, Favour Chidex Awuzu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Importance of leadership in fostering cohesion within organizations has received increased scholarly attention. Researchers have shown that leadership can lose its legitimacy by pursuing unpopular policies or negating the common interest of the group. However, researchers have not yet been able to establish the leadership issues that shaped the 2016 Republican primaries as President Trump's victory (despite not having the support of any living past United States president both Republican and Democrat), was indicative of masses' frustration with the political establishment, and desire for change. Using complex leadership theory as a focal lens, the purpose of this phenomenological study was …

Right Size Me : Policy Responses To The Obesity Eidemic And Behavioral Change, Wenhui Feng

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Obesity is a critical health and social concern. Almost 40% of American adults are obese, creating more than $300 billion dollars in annual medical costs. While obesity is a public concern that has been on the policy agenda for some time, obesity policies have proven difficult to formulate, adopt and implement in practice. In this dissertation, I explore three obesity-related policies – adoption of obesity prevention policies by local health department, calorie labeling on restaurant menus and food assistance benefits – and find the importance of ideological and political considerations for obesity policies at different stages in the policy process …

Endogenous Policy Design In Healthcare : A Case Study Of Emergency Department Crowding, Katrina Alexandra Hull

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The United States’ health care system has faced growing per capita use, and subsequent crowding, of the emergency department since the 1990’s, evidenced by longer wait times and the institution of ambulance diversions. Emergency departments are but one element of a complex system, with difficulties which persist despite policy efforts.

Transgender An At-Risk Population During And Following Emergencies And Disasters, Joshua Aaron Fontanez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The experiences and needs of transgendered individuals immediately following a natural or human-caused disaster are largely ignored in practice and absent from previous academic literature. Using Schneider and Ingram's conceptualization of the social construction of target populations as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences and perspectives of transgendered people who sought shelter in the aftermath of a natural disaster in 2018. Data were collected through interviews with 12 displaced, transgendered individuals to explore their experiences while staying at shelters in 2018. Interview data were transcribed, inductively coded, and then a thematic analysis procedure …

A Systematic Public Capital Management And Budgeting Process, Arwiphawee Srithongrung, Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf, Kenneth A. Kritz

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

This chapter introduces the readers to a public capital management and budgeting process and its role in generating public infrastructure networks. The main purpose of the chapter is to describe the normative public capital management and budgeting practices that are recommended by the public finance literature. These normative practices are segregated into four main components: (1) long-term capital planning, (2) capital budgeting and financial management, (3) capital project execution and project management, and (4) infrastructure maintenance. Given that the literature recommends specific practices to maximize efficiency in public capital spending, the four main components, combined, are referred to as the …

Education Policy Adoption In A Child Welfare Agency: Frontline Perspectives On Leadership, Jennifer Lea Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study focused on a policy that promotes educational stability for foster children in a southern state in the US. At the time of this study, this policy had not been fully adopted across the state which resulted in foster children not routinely receiving the interventions necessary for improving academic outcomes. Using the diffusion of innovation theory as a framework, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how local-level leaders impacted the successful adoption of education policy in one county office of a statewide child welfare agency. Data were collected from a sample of 5 case managers …

Jail Administrators' Compliance With The Prison Rape Elimination Act, Leone M. Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Correctional institutions across the United States continue to experience prisoner sexual assault despite the enactment of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA). The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the association between jail administrators' difficulty complying with the PREA and their transformational leadership styles. The theories of punctuated equilibrium theory and general strain theory formed the theoretical framework of the study. The data were collected through an Internet-based survey from 22 local and regional jail administrators from the East Coast. Data analysis using Pearson's correlation coefficient was performed on leadership scores to test the hypotheses. There …

Internet And Telecommunications Companies' Provision Of Customer Information To The Government, Gbenga Ayodeji Osinowo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The strategy of the National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance program is to incorporate the private sector into the bulk data collection of customers information, yet there is little legislative and judicial oversight. As a result, internet and telecommunications companies participated, placing at risk protected privacy interests of their customers. Using policy feedback theory and narrative policy framework as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this qualitative, case study was to explore how the federal government gains compliance of the internet and telecommunications industry to engage in information sharing with NSA during post 9/11, 2001 terrorists' attack. Secondary data were collected …

Institutional Isomorphism And Human Trafficking Investigations, Regina Warren

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human trafficking exists domestically and internationally, and each year thousands of men, women, and children are trafficked into lives of involuntary servitude. Law enforcement efforts to investigate human trafficking across the United States are similar in nature; yet, prior research had not investigated the possible causes of these similarities. Utilizing institutional theory, this research investigated whether institutional isomorphic pressures have any impact on the formalization of human trafficking investigations. Data were collected from 26 municipal police organizations in a mid-Atlantic state on departmental human trafficking policies and practices via Farrell's understanding law enforcement responses to human trafficking survey instrument. Logistic …

Collaborative Partnerships To Assist In Managing Adult-Onset Diabetes In Cameroon, Jingwa Christopher Forju

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increasing rates of adult-onset diabetes in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs) present a growing healthcare concern that requires a regulatory approach and local community engagement. Cross-sector collaboration (CSC) is an effective strategy for improving community health. CSC is not effectively used to manage adult-onset diabetes in LMICs, nor is there public policy advocating CSC in the management of diabetes. This qualitative exploratory case study explored how leadership and resources affect the use of CSC to assist in managing the adult-onset of diabetes in a CSC in Cameroon. A purposeful sampling strategy was used to identify participants for semistructured interviews of …

The Impact Of Felony Criminal History On The Perceptions Of Hiring Managers, Larrica Mosley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with a criminal background face several barriers to securing employment, one of which is the reluctance of hiring managers to extend employment offers to them. African American ex-offenders are disproportionately affected by these barriers. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of hiring managers in a metropolitan area in the Southern United States and to identify the factors that influence the hiring decisions of ex-offenders. A descriptive study design was used to explore whether type of criminal offense, length of crime, or race of offender affect a hiring manager'€™s decision to hire an ex-felon. The disparate …