Organizational Communication Commons^™

Exploring The Web And Language Accessibility Of Medical Tourism Providers’ Websites: Implications For Online Marketing And Patient Recruitment Practices, Alicia Mason, Elizabeth Spencer, Kristen Livingston, Treyton Meyers

Faculty Submissions

Background: Web accessibility as an attribute of the digital presence of organizations has been studied across domains and contexts. Our study aims to add to existing lines of research inquiry by examining the web and language accessibility of medical tourism provider (MTP) websites commonly used to market and promote international medical tourism treatments and services globally.

Objective: This study aims to (1) systematically analyze the web and language accessibility of MTP online health messages and (2) discuss challenges and implications for medical tourists’ user experiences when seeking health information online.

Method: We conducted an exploratory quantitative content analysis of web …

Interactive Pathways: Designing Accessible Museum Experiences, Bryce M. Christian

Senior Theses

This research examines the educational strategies employed by the Columbia Museum of Art in addition to similar institutions to explore how museums can optimize their educational impact on K–12 students by applying human-centered design strategies that prioritize accessibility, engagement, and real user needs. Many museums struggle to fully serve K–12 students due to physical, financial, and perceptual barriers. While digital platforms have expanded reach in some institutions, others prioritize in-person experiences and community engagement. This research uses artificial intelligence tools such as supervised data to accelerate and enhance the analytical process. The study evaluates these approaches through the lens of …

Internal Communication And Organizational Culture: A K–12 District Office Phenomenological Study, Jessica Coleman Scogin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study utilized motivating language theory to explore the experiences that K–12 district office staff had with internal communication. The purpose of the study was to find how these experiences impacted an employee’s feelings of safety, value, and positive emotions in the workplace. The lens of motivating language allowed for a view of how empathetic language, meaning-making language, and direction-giving language shaped experiences for employees. Communication is an integral part of the culture of an organization; yet it is often overlooked as an influencing factor in job satisfaction and well-being. In fact, poor internal communication can lead to negativity …

Anchored Networks: Navigating Formal And Informal Pathways To Access Educational Resources In Transient And Military Families, Lara Ray

Dissertations

This study examines how Navy families in San Diego establish and use formal and informal networks to access educational resources for their children following relocation. Grounded in social capital theory, the research employed a multiple-case study approach, integrating data from interviews, focus groups, and digital analysis of Navy-affiliated social media platforms. The study explores how parents navigate these networks to promote their children’s academic success, with particular attention to key decision-making moments, resource negotiation, and equity considerations. Participants included Navy spouses from diverse ranks (E-3 to O-6) and socioeconomic backgrounds, providing insight into disparities in resource access. Findings reveal that …

Newsletter, Wku Staff Senate

Staff Council

Newsletter created by WKU Staff Council to report on work accomplished.

Ethics In Digital Marketing: A Gen-Z’S Perspective, Suruchi Bhatt

School of Business

Almost 72% of Americans report they have a sense of being tracked online through their cellphones, by their advertisers or companies they follow, around 20% think their activities across their days are tracked, with almost 47% reporting the government tracks their cellphones, behaviors, and everything they do online. (Atske, 2019) It is no secret that when people say privacy is a myth, it is upon the behaviors of the companies to inform the customers of what, where, and why their activity is being tracked. Answering how the activity is tracked and when it will be tracked are key factors that …

Building Blocks For New Kinship Partnerships And Coalitions, Kathy L. Dial, Daniel J. Koltz, Janet Salo, Erin Beasley

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Building successful kinship partnerships and coalitions requires intentional effort to establish trust, align goals, and foster inclusivity. These collaborations are essential for addressing the unique and evolving needs of kinship families, who often face limited access to resources due to the informal nature of many caregiving arrangements. Effective partnerships prioritize clear missions, open communication, and active engagement with stakeholders, particularly those with lived experiences such as kinship caregivers. Research demonstrates that coordinated efforts among organizations enhance resource availability, improve advocacy capabilities, and strengthen service delivery. By integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion principles, coalitions can ensure that diverse perspectives shape solutions …

Podcasting Towards Togetherness: Utilizing Podcasts To Improve Departmental Camaraderie And Well-Being, Michael Petrauskis, Colleen Gutman, Rosemarie Fernandez

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Physician burnout is on the rise, and this is of particular concern in emergency medicine. Burnout is associated with medical errors, adverse events, poor professionalism, and litigation. A sense of community can build engagement and mitigate workplace stressors on well-being. Emergency physicians may have trouble connecting due to the nature of shift-work and various practice settings. Communication technology, and particularly podcasting, has the potential to help overcome these barriers and positively impact relatedness and well-being.

Approach: We developed an inward-facing podcast, “The ER Break Room” within the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Florida. Through the …

Newsletter, Wku Staff Senate

Staff Council

Newsletter created by WKU Staff Council to report on work accomplished.

Leadership Practices For High-Performing Teams: Insights From Senior Military General Officers And Flag Officers, Kimberly Mitchell

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify and describe how senior military general officers and flag officers (GOFOs) used the three competencies of high-performance teams (HPTs; clarity, connection, and communication) to achieve objectives in their organizations. The second purpose of this study was to determine the degree of importance that senior military GOFOs perceived the three high-performance team effect (HPTE) core competencies impacted their leadership for creating HPTs.

Methodology: This mixed methods study identified and described nine senior military officers’ perceptions of strategies to lead HPTs while focusing on the three core competencies: clarity, connection, and …

A Multilayer, Multimethod Web And Language Accessibility Analysis Of U.S. Nonprofit Organization Websites: Considerations For The Marketing And Promotion Of Online Giving, Alicia Mason, Lauren Baldwin, Tatum Ahring

Faculty Submissions

In lieu of recent declines in individual giving to US nonprofits focused on social causes, education, environment, and animal welfare, this study examines the web and language accessibility of US nonprofit websites. By examining potential accessibility design barriers, we seek to understand whether US nonprofit organizations are limiting their outreach to online donors, specifically persons with disabilities (PwDs). Nonprofit websites were systematically and randomly sampled from Charity Navigator's Alphabetical Listing of the Top 1000 Most Visited Charities database. Using a multimethodological approach consisting of manual verification and computer-automated analysis techniques, we assess the web and language accessibility of leading US …

Strategic Business Communication: A Competency-Based Approach To Writing, Speaking, And Research., Rose Helens-Hart

All Open Educational Resources

This text is for the Honors section of BCOM301 at Fort Hays State University. Business Communication: A Competency-Based Approach to Writing, Speaking, and Research is a practical, engaging book designed to help undergraduate students and business professionals develop competence and build confidence in their business writing, research, and presentation skills. Readers will learn about the five core competencies of business communication: professional, clear, concise, evidence-driven, and persuasive. They also will learn strategies for applying each of these competencies across a range of real-world business documents. This text is a remixing of the following four OER textbooks and original content authored …

Redefining Success: Insights From Lebanese Women Leaders In Higher Education, Lina H. Safa

Education Division Scholarship

This presentation explores how Lebanese women leaders in higher education define and measure success, emphasizing their innovative approaches and transformative impact. By examining personal narratives through a phenomenological lens, the study reveals how these leaders navigate cultural challenges, offering insights into leadership dynamics in a patriarchal society and contributing to global discussions on gender equity and academic leadership.

Importance Of Library Metrics And Effective Methods Of Communication With Provosts, Katy Zane

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Provosts and librarians share a common goal of needing to measure library activity in such a way that appropriately conveys how it contributes to the institution’s campus initiatives and strategic planning. The goal of this research was to determine how best to analyze these activities through agreed upon metrics and preferred communication styles. By combining the two aspects of analytical metrics and communication methods, this research would provide a common ground that both provosts and librarians could build upon for the future growth and development of the library.

“I’M Anywhere In The Country That Has A National Park”: Seasonal National Park Service Employee Organizational Identification Targets, Rachel Taylor

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Organizational Identification research is well established and explores the concept of individual oneness to a larger human collective yet often focuses on traditional types of work. Seasonal work carried out by National Park Service (NPS) employees is a non-traditional form of work entirely dependent on the organization's needs in a particular season, typically summer. Literature regarding seasonal work often focuses on types of hospitality organizations, rather than the NPS. This study sought to understand how the unique situation of seasonal workers may have influenced their identification with multiple organizational targets. Through qualitative interviews with 12 individuals who have been seasonal …

Newsletter, Wku Staff Senate

Staff Council

Newsletter created by WKU Staff Council to report on work accomplished.

Experiences Of Community Leaders And Organizers Within The Stop Six Community, Caitlin Herron

Social Work Theses - Archive

Although community-based and grassroots leadership research exists, little exists in the way of exploring the personal and relational experiences of community organizers to their work and to their community. Using data collected from semi-structured interviews with self-identified community leaders, this research addresses insights into their lived experiences. In particular, a thematic exploration looks at what appeared across each interview. This research is intended to serve as a basis for future research into the lived experiences of community organizers outside of one specific experience or cause, but rather to take an in-depth look into them, their perceptions, and their relationship to …

Exploring Advancement Department Staff Perspectives On Strategic Communication And Philanthropic Donor Giving At Public Universities, Miranda Hodges

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated advancement staff perspectives on how donor communication impacts philanthropic giving at higher education institutions. The purpose of this study was to identify the communication practices that are most influential for philanthropic donor giving. While prior research has examined university marketing efforts, why alumni give back, and how affinity for a university compels donors to give, there is a research gap in how strategic communication impacts donor behavior at public universities. Eight university advancement staff members (N=8) from public universities across the Southeast United States were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed via semi-structured interviews. After interviews, …

Resilience And Reality: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of People Living With Hiv In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study., Ahmed F. Alanazi

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities …

The Influence Of Family-School Communication On Junior High School Students’ Academic Success, Stephen Junior Amoah

Masters Theses

This study examines the influence of family-school communication on students' academic success in the context of Ghana, with a particular focus on Junior High School (JHS) students. While existing research emphasizes the importance of family involvement in educational outcomes, limited studies explore how family-school communication directly affects academic success in Ghana. By using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines quantitative and qualitative data collection. The quantitative component includes an online survey distributed to JHS graduates, assessing the frequency, impact, methods, and barriers of communication between families and schools, as well as their perceived effect on academic performance. The survey includes …