Public Administration Commons^™

Examining Terrorism Attacks And Regional Preparedness In The United States, Trebor Curtis Yocum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. government renewed efforts to prepare for future attacks. Despite research on federal and state government preparedness, there was a lack of scholarship on trends in terrorist attacks at the local level. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to examine trends in terrorism attacks in the United States between 2001 and 2018 and determine whether significance exists between characteristics of the terrorism incidents (weapon used, target type) and region. The conceptual framework included Grundmann’s risk management and Tomuzia et al.’s risk assessment scenario models. Answering the research questions entailed examining trends in …

The Poverty-Conflict Nexus And The Activities Of Boko Haram In Northeast Nigeria, Emmanuel Tiku Agbormbai

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract:

In recent years Northeast Nigeria has experienced violence carried out by Boko Haram. Previous research studies on the conflict in Northeast Nigeria have not focused on the experiences and perceptions of those affected by the conflict. This study was an exploration of the poverty-conflict nexus and the activities of Boko Haram in Northeast Nigeria as seen through the experiences and perceptions of those impacted by the violence. Benet’s polarities of democracy was used as the theoretical framework to examine those experiences and perceptions. The research questions addressed how the people of Northeast Nigeria attacked by Boko Haram perceive the …

Counseling System Documentation And The Relationship Between Treatment Plans And Client Outcomes, Moraima N. Frangiosa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide a method for evaluating counseling services delivered to patients during treatment. The evaluation of the study required the use of methods that are repeatable and effective that would allow a clinic to continue using them over time to grow a database of valuable information about counseling and patient outcomes. The new database would allow the clinic to change counseling methods and approaches of delivery to promote organizational change. The evidence-based practice (EBP) for counseling therapy would encourage the connection between public administration and public policy in the health care system. Public …

The Relationship Between External Influences And State Education Policy Processes, Jessica Chrystal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Political agendas and political attention often change based on media attention and business influence, ultimately impacting policies. Elementary and secondary education policies have evolved to improve academic rigor and increase global competitiveness. Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were established based on state-level elementary and secondary education student needs. The purpose of this quantitative content analysis was to explore how external factors influenced state-level policy actors during the formulation and implementation of one state’s CCSS. All policies follow the policy process, which often includes various actors influencing various phases. Agenda-setting and political embeddedness are two critical components in the policy process …

Perceptions And Experiences Of African American Americorps Program Participants, Dean Michael Hindenlang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AmeriCorps, a voluntary public service program founded in 1993, has largely consisted of a nonminority middle-class group, generally 20 to 29 years old, who had the financial assistance of family while serving. African American participants may be experiencing AmeriCorps-based programs differently, in areas such as financial solvency, job readiness skills, and the ability to begin or return to college. This qualitative study was designed to reveal the perceptions and experiences of African American participants who have completed AmeriCorps service in a Midwest metropolis. Using the lens of critical race theory, which explored African American Corps members through a historical position …

Catalysts To Transformational Leadership Between Managers And Analysts In Public Service, Eugene Davis Stevenson Iii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Transformational leadership (TL) is the ability of a leader to convince a subordinate or follower to adopt organizational goals as their goals. Transformational leaders utilize intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence to engage and mold their employees. Within the sphere of public management, current leadership research acknowledges the effect of TL but is still incomplete or inconsistent on how to catalyze TL consistently. The focus of this study was how TL is used between managers and analysts within California state public service. The theoretical framework for this study is complexity theory. Complexity theory states that the world …

Retention And Efficiency Of Qualified Teachers In Rural Nigerian Secondary Schools, Mary Abiodun Abioye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Low retention rates and inadequate efficiency of qualified teachers in rural Nigerian secondary schools have negatively impacted the educational system in Nigeria. Rural communities have suffered negligent and untold hardship. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify strategies that influence the retention and efficiency of teachers working in rural Nigerian schools. Although it is not unusual for a teacher to change schools, the rate of turnover of teachers in rural areas is quite high. Hence, it is instructive to consider the theories, concepts, and models that impact the retention and efficiency of teachers within these communities. Data …

Exploring Factors That Prepare Nigeria Police Officers For Performance Improvement, Lanre Ogunlowo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police officers in Lagos State, Nigeria lack information on how to prepare for performance improvement that may enhance their knowledge on the requisite skills needed to protect lives and property. The purpose of the study was to understand this problem, and the central research question for the study was used to address how police officers may enhance their knowledge on the requisite skills necessary to protect lives and property in Lagos State, Nigeria. This qualitative exploratory case study used human competence model as extension of behavioral engineering system and recruited 15 participants. Yin’s five steps of (a) data compilation, (b) …

Experiences Of Public-Private Partnership Concession Uncertainties In The Federal Capital Territory Administration Of Nigeria, Chigbo Rowland Chikelu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Structuring successful public-private partnership (P3) concession contracts is a problem for both the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) of Nigeria and private concessionaires that partner with the government to finance the delivery of public goods in the territory. Researchers have estimated the percentage of P3 concession failures in Nigeria to be between 50% and 60%. The purpose of this study is to explore concessionaires’ lived experiences involving P3 concession uncertainties, opportunities, and barriers while they partner with the FCTA of Nigeria to deliver public goods. The key research question examined the meaning of P3 concession uncertainty to concessionaires with the …

Camp Quest Leader Perspectives On Virtual Summer Camps Options During Pandemics, Timothy James Cummings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summer overnight camping, a noteworthy childhood leadership growth opportunity, has suffered greatly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Camp Quest, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides federated support services and governance to 12 independent nationwide camping organizations, was forced to cancel all of its in-person sessions. Hence, they now face an existential crisis that perhaps virtual camping sessions (i.e., camping activities performed remotely and online using computer equipment) can mitigate. Accordingly, this generic qualitative professional administrative study sought to understand and describe the perspectives of the camping leaders related to their experiences with virtual camping so that their mission …

Familial Challenges Of Women Emergency Managers For No-Notice Activations, Linda Josephine Gonzalez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women employed as emergency response personnel have faced familial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goals of this research were to identify the perceived underlying causes of work-life conflict for women serving in emergency response roles and how such work-life conflict can be addressed. In-depth interviews were used to collect data in this qualitative research study. The snowball method was used to recruit the nine study participants; inclusion criteria focused on a distinct group of emergency response professionals. Transcription analysis was applied to the data collected from the interviews. Thematic analysis uncovered five themes from the data: (a) more women …

Residents’ Perceptions Of Healthcare Disparities In Rural Sierra Leone, Joseph Gbanabom Conteh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Limited or lack of access to essential healthcare services affects the social and economic wellbeing of residents in most remote, neglected, and underserved rural communities of Sierra Leone. The ability of residents to embark on productive activities is directly connected to poor health conditions resulting in high mortality rates, increasing levels of poverty, and prevalence of disease and illness. The lived experience was explored of lack of access to essential healthcare services and resources for residents in the Bombali Sebora chiefdom of Sierra Leone. The theoretical framework guiding the research was the Levesque conceptual framework and model for healthcare access. …

Canadian Policymaker Experiences On Reducing Syndemic Stigma For Hiv And Substance Use Disorder, Nickolas James Cherwinski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

People living with HIV (PLWH) and substance use disorder (SUD) experience highly stigmatized lives fraught by influences such as criminal law and stigmatizing public policies. Despite free access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and mental health services for all Canadian citizens, suboptimal adherence to ART and administratively cumbersome mental health interventions still exist. Many researchers have found the health services for both HIV and SUD to be dynamic, costly, and difficult to maintain; as such, the purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge gap related to the policy implications of syndemic stigma experienced by PLWH and SUD in Canada. …

Perceptions Of Emotional And Social Intelligence Competencies Among Leaders Within Collective Impact Initiatives In Puerto Rico, Geraldine Bayron-Rivera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The complexity of global societies’ issues requires leaders whose competencies facilitate collective impact initiatives as strategies for coordinating multisector efforts to transform substantial social problems. In Puerto Rico, such endeavors are not producing expedient long-term impact. It is crucial to implement said collaborations relying on leaders' emotional strength and skills, enabling efficient processes to find solutions for subpar circumstances in communities. It was unknown whether senior managers in Puerto Rico understood the necessary emotional and social intelligence leadership competencies which must be developed to improve organizational processes in local cross-sector collaborations. This phenomenological study aimed to understand whether these leaders …

Retention Of Case Managers Within The Metro District, Gabrielle Evette Jack

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States has issues involving child abuse/neglect with children being abused and neglected every 47 seconds. In 2018, approximately 443,000 children in the country were in foster care. The purpose of this administrative study was to identify measures for reducing turnover and improving retention among case managers within a GA agency. Qualitative data were collected from 10 case managers through virtual interviews and analyzed using NVivo to identify key themes. The three key themes emerged from the data collected: case managers need support from leaders and supervisors to perform their daily obligations, second, the leaders’ unrealistic expectations make case …

Twitter And Millennial Participation In Voting During Nigeria's 2015 Presidential Elections, Deborah Zoaka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMillennial participation in voting has been low since democratic governance was restored in Nigeria in 1999, after 26 years of military rule, constituting a grave threat to democratic consolidation and electoral legitimacy. Little is known about how Nigerian millennials were mobilized to participate in the 2015 presidential elections using Twitter as a major tool. Research questions focused on how Twitter as a social media platform define participation of millennials in promoting voter turnout in Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election. The study was sited within the theoretical framework of democratic participant theory and the uses and gratifications theory. A qualitative phenomenological research …

Effects Of Latino Inequity In The Illinois State Government: An Analysis Through The Polarities Of Democracy, Rebecca Sanchez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHispanics in Illinois make up 17.5 % of the population yet are disproportionately represented in state government, composing only 6.5 % of the workforce. Unequal representation deprives ethnic and underserved groups of participating in program and policy decisions that provide communities opportunities. Hispanic leaders have expressed their concerns and dissatisfaction to state legislators and actively requested equity in the state’s workforce. However, there were no studies that examined the perceptions of Hispanic community leaders in Illinois regarding solutions to address this disparity. To address this gap, a qualitative study using Benet’s polarities of democracy as the theoretical framework was conducted. …

Social Exclusion And Community Severance In Impoverished Neighborhoods, Melissa Kerry Stickel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Transportation infrastructure, such as highways and interstates, creates a barrier that can physically limit access to those living in adjacent neighborhoods, a phenomenon known as community severance. In addition to creating a physical disconnect, these infrastructures can leave residents feeling socially isolated and excluded from the rest of the community. This qualitative single-case study focused on social exclusion and community severance and problems arising from the U.S. transportation network, addressing the development of the interstate system and its possible impacts on communities. The exclusionary effects of transportation-related severance were well supported in the literature. However, most of research had been …

Faculty Candidates' Lived Experiences During The Preemployment Hiring Process, Janet Grayson Chappell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of touch points of interaction during the preemployment hiring process for faculty candidates at public and/or for-profit institutions raised social quality concerns. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover the lived experiences of faculty candidates regarding the preemployment hiring process and social quality. Schuler’s social validity theory provided the framework for the study aiding to identify and address if there is adequate information, participation, transparency, and communication with the four mechanisms. The research questions helped discover and explore the faculty candidates’ perceptions toward the preemployment hiring process and incorporate specific suggested enhancements for a better …

Effect Of Political Party Affiliation On Refugee Admissions To The United States, Alison E. Bell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The president determines the number of refugees to be admitted to the United States each year after consultation with Congress, but there is a gap in literature related to whether party affiliation affects refugee admissions. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the political party affiliation of the president on refugee admissions and any moderating effect of Congressional majority affiliations. The eight research questions centered on the effect of the president’s party on the refugee ceiling and admissions, regional allocations and admissions, and the extent to which Congressional majority parties moderate these effects. Total global and …

Social Networking As A Motivator For Social Gathering, Henrietta Abeley Abbey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn the United States, many activists use social media platforms to interact with protesters to organize demonstrations and protests rapidly. Some politically motivated social gatherings are organized online without the knowledge of government or law enforcement personnel. Gatherings can become violent and result in chaos. The purpose of this research is to determine the extent to which a variety of social media platforms contribute to New York City protesters and activists’ participation in demonstrations that potentially pose a threat to the community. The study involved a qualitative methodology explicitly focused on a phenomenological understanding of responses provided by activists and …

The Political Astuteness Of The New Mexico Registered Nurse, Gloria Sue Doherty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States spends the most per capita of all the developed countries on healthcare but demonstrates the worst healthcare outcomes. National agencies have turned to Registered Nurses (RNs) to improve healthcare outcomes through participation in healthcare policy development. Although the recommendation for participation in policy development exists, RNs, including those in the U.S. state of New Mexico have not participated at high levels. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to measure the political astuteness of RNs in New Mexico and to determine to what extent nursing leaders have been successful in diffusing Institute of Medicine recommendations. Rogers’s …

Paradigm In Social Security Measures: Impetus For Policy Reform In Zimbabwe, Locary Kuponandishe Hlabanu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was intended to address lack of knowledge regarding how the social security system in Zimbabwe is perceived by recipients and government employees and what policy reforms could be sought. The study explored perceptions of participants regarding the existing social security system in Zimbabwe. The welfare state theory guided the detailed inquiry. A qualitative case study research design was used to extract feelings, thoughts, and intentions of recipients of social security and government employees and to explore how the results could be applied to improve social security policy in Zimbabwe. Data were collected from a nonrandom purposefully selected sample …

Nuclear Facility Emergency Management: Effective Implementation Of Training, Drills, And Exercises, Jesseca Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The continuous availability of affordable and sustainable energy is the essence of modern economies, not only in the developed countries, but also in developing countries. However, nuclear power also has considerable public health and safety hazards that create emergency situations that must be responded to urgently and effectively. It is necessary that every player in the nuclear industry implements effective training, drills, and exercises to ensure emergency preparedness and response in line with the federal requirements. The normalization process theory was applied in this qualitative, single case study to address the key factors needed for effective training, drills, and exercises …

Corruption In Togo's Land Registration And Its Impact On Real Estate Development, Gbati Kakaye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract:Researchers have asserted that following malaria and AIDS, land-related conflict, exacerbated by rampant real estate corruption, is the third-largest problem and leading cause of death in Togo. The current study provided a means of gaining better understanding of the impact of corruption on real estate development in Togo by addressing the following research questions: How is corruption manifested in Togo’s land registration process and how has corruption in land registration process impacted real estate development? Theoretically, the study was underpinned by the cultural and neo-institutional economics framework. Data were collected through individual interviews and a focus group discussion with 15 …

The Implementation Of David’S Law To Address Cyberbullying In Texas Public School Districts, Helene Marie Topping

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSince the advent of the internet and the proliferation of social media in recent decades, a new form of bullying, cyberbullying, has emerged with serious repercussions for the physical and mental health of many persons, especially youth. In response, legislation was passed in all 50 states, including Texas, where the mandate to address all bullying, including cyberbullying, behaviors in schools was formalized by David’s Law in 2017. This law requires that policy and procedures be put in place in Texas public school districts. The problem is that it has not been determined whether David’s Law has been implemented in all …

Evaluating Compliance With The Produce Safety Rule And Managing Mycotoxins, Yvette May Molajo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Foodborne diseases are the cause of many illnesses that occur from foods that contain mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are produced from fungi and are environmental and carcinogenic agents that contaminate agricultural foods during preharvest and postharvest conditions. While researchers have conducted many studies on mycotoxin occurrence and production, there is a significant gap in the current literature regarding which environmental factors could put farmers’ ability to remain in compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule at risk. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate which environmental factors could put farmers’ ability to remain in compliance with …

Exploring Citizen Security In The Nigeria Federated State: Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency In Perspective, Adesoji Olaitan Ogunsanya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe research problem of this study was centered on the state of insecurity in Lagos State and the intervention of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency. Evidence from previous studies supported the use of community policing, police reform, training of security personnel, and collaboration amongst security agencies as measures to address issues of insecurity in Lagos State. The purpose of this qualitative research was to examine the impact of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Agency on the security challenges of the state and generate additional discourse. Institutional theory was used as the theoretical foundation for this research with a purposive sampling …

Medical Brain Drain And Its Effect On The Nigerian Healthcare Sector, Oluwakemi Osigbesan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nigeria suffers from a huge brain drain issue across different sectors, particularly in the healthcare sector. The WHO assessed that there is a current shortage of 2.8 million physicians in the world A heuristic phenomenological method was used in this study to explore the lived experiences of 12 Nigerian healthcare practitioners that migrated to the United States. The push-pull theory served as the theoretical framework that grounded this study. The central research questions for this study focused primarily on the reasons healthcare practitioners are leaving Nigeria and what the impact of those decisions have on the Nigerian healthcare sector. Qualitative …

Juvenile Probation Officers’ Perspectives On The Success Factors Of Youth Diversion Programs, Kya Tanique Robertson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The goal of youth diversion programs includes reducing recidivism while granting opportunities for youth to refocus their paths. Although juvenile probation officers' role is vital to supervised probation in youth diversion programs, the problem is that there is a lack of literature that assesses the success of the factors of mentoring, education, and mental health treatment that directly connect youth with social services. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of juvenile probation officers on the success factors of youth diversion programs as they relate to mentoring, education, and mental health treatment. Becker's labeling theory …