PHD, Kent State University, 2015, College of Business and Entrepreneurship, Ambassador Crawford / Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship

Research has shown that new product development's (NPD) impact on firm performance is ever important to a firm's competitive position, as it enhances competitive differentiation, establishes entry barriers to markets, and increases revenues and profits (e.g. Cooper 2011; Chen et al. 2010). Technology in today's markets has provided customers with greater information and the ability to communicate with companies on a global scale. With the growing transparency between firms and customers, more firms are utilizing customer participation in the NPD process, a collaborative NPD activity in which customers and firms create new knowledge and value through mutual, ongoing interactions (Blazevic and Lievens 2008). Research has shown that firms that utilize customers in NPD are expected to be more innovative (Fang et al. 2008) and have greater financial performance (Coviello and Joseph 2012). While initial empirical studies seem promising, much work still remains. The majority of research has focused on specific contexts, user groups, and has relied on case studies. This dissertation seeks to expand the nomological net of customer participation in NPD by examining its antecedents, consequences, and boundary conditions of its effectiveness in a more generalized context. While gaining insight from customers may be advantageous to develop new products, firms must be able to internalize the information in order to capitalize on it and must possess the resources and capabilities to maximize its effectiveness. As such, organizational learning theory, the resource based view and its extension, the dynamic capabilities literature, help guide the arguments in this dissertation. This research suggests that not all firms may wish to integrate customers into the NPD process and customer participation's effectiveness may be contingent upon a firm's absorptive capacity -- the ability to acquire, transform, assimilate, and exploit external knowledge and apply it to commercial ends (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2009, Business Administration

By drawing on the entrepreneurship literature and what we know about the entrepreneurial spirit of both founders and top leaders within existing organizations, I examine the propensity of individual employees to behave entrepreneurially at work. In doing so, I develop the intrapreneurial orientation construct, conceptualized as a propensity towards an entrepreneurial approach to one's work, and demonstrate the impact of this orientation on employee performance and job satisfaction in a service context. In services, when there is no tangible product, it is the interaction between the employee and customer that defines service delivery. As such, the organization's brand is largely embodied by its employees who serve as the face of the organization to the customer. This is particularly true of frontline employees, those individuals who interact directly with customers. The performance of the frontline is of principal importance to the organization, because within many service organizations frontline employees are responsible for not only delivering the service to the customer, but also for sales. Traditionally, in services marketing, we have emphasized a customer orientation as one of the most important employee characteristics within service organizations. However, in this dissertation, I show that while highly customer-oriented employees are particularly effective in the service aspect of their jobs, it is employees who are highly intrapreneurial who are more effective in a sales role. Furthermore, an intrapreneurial orientation is found to have a considerably greater impact on employee performance than does a customer orientation. In addition to its effect on performance, I also show that an intrapreneurial orientation negatively moderates the impact of work environment variables on job satisfaction. The job satisfaction levels of intrapreneurial individuals are less impacted by manager integrity, teamwork and person-organization misfit, suggesting that these indi (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Program in Population Health Leadership DNP, Xavier University, 2024, Nursing

Abstract Orienting new RNs to a new organization can easily be derailed by pairing them with a preceptor who has no training. A RN unhappy with orientation is much more likely to leave the organization in the first year of employment. Ensuring RNs receive the appropriate training by a preceptor who has formal preceptor training that includes conflict resolution, adult pedagogy, and how to provide feedback at a minimum is vital to a successful orientation. Here we examine how the creation of a preceptor list to choose appropriately trained preceptors for all new RNs impacts new RN and preceptor pairings, new RN satisfaction, length of orientation, and costs associated with orientation. The Project uses qualitative statistics to examine new RN satisfaction, orientation duration and cost with trained versus untrained preceptors. Following the distribution of a preceptor list for unit managers and educators an 85% improvement in the use of trained preceptors was noted. Choosing trained preceptors can provide a more structured orientation, eliminating variance due to lack of guidance. A more structured orientation can improve new RN satisfaction with orientation, decrease the duration of orientation, and reduce orientation cost for hiring organizations.

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Administration

This study explores the critical issues of student retention at Wilberforce University, America's first private historically Black college and university (HBCU). Using a convergent mix-methods approach to draw on institutional data, student surveys, student focus group, faculty interviews, and retention models, this review identifies critical factors impacting student persistence to sophomore year, including academic support, financial challenges, and campus engagement. The study examines both historical and contemporary retention efforts at Wilberforce, offering strategies for improving graduation rates. This analysis aims to contribute to the broader conversation about retention challenges at HBCUs and the significance of sustaining student success upon leaving the 12th grade.

MA, Kent State University, 2022, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences

Prior time perspective research suggests being future-oriented has beneficial health implications. That research has focused primarily on prevention health behaviors and less so on detection health behaviors. Two studies in the context of dental hygiene examined the relationship between time perspective and health outcomes. Messages concerning plaque-preventing and plaque-detecting mouth rinses were designed and individuals were either randomly assigned to (Study 1) or viewed both (Study 2) messages. Time perspective was assessed via temporal orientation (Study 1) and consideration of future consequences (Study 2). Attitudes, intentions, and preferences for the mouth rinses were primary outcomes. Hypothesis 1 predicted time perspective would positively relate to outcomes and both studies provided some support for this hypothesis. Hypothesis 2 explored the interaction between time perspective and behavioral function (prevention vs. detection). A consistent interaction was found in Study 1 showing future-orientation was associated with more positive outcomes with the detective mouth rinse and present-orientation was associated with more positive outcomes with the preventive mouth rinse. Study 2 data did not support this interaction but did find information avoidance mediated the relationship between time perspective and preference between the mouth rinses; future-orientation led to less information avoidance, which in turn led to greater preference for the prevention mouth rinse and immediate-orientation led to greater information avoidance, which in turn led to greater preference for the detection mouth rinse. Inconsistent findings in the present work may be due to measurement differences of time perspective, differences in study designs, or the use of young adult samples. Even so, this work provides initial evidence that time perspective and behavioral function may create an interactive effect on health outcomes, and that information avoidance may explain this relat (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Business Administration, Cleveland State University, 2020, Monte Ahuja College of Business

Business analytics (BA) continues to be one of the top technology trends in recent years as well as one of the top priorities for CIO's in many large enterprises. Business analytic tools can significantly help small businesses in quickly responding to changing market conditions and improving their organizational performance. However, prior studies report that the adoption rate of business analytics in small businesses is extremely low such that only 32 percent small businesses have adopted Business Intelligence (BI) and analytics solutions till now (SMB Group, 2018). As small businesses constitute a major force in the US economy, a slow rate of adoption of significant technological innovations, such as BA, may be a critical concern that can affect the economy in the longer run. Despite this, the extant small business literature as well as the information systems literature fails to provide an understanding of why small businesses are not receptive to current BA trends. Therefore, drawing upon the theoretical underpinnings of organizing vision theory, strategic orientation literature, and theory of upper echelon, this study investigates the willingness of small businesses to adopt newer innovations in BA. More specifically, this study investigates the impact of the reception of organizing vision of BA by owner-managers, learning orientation of small businesses, analytics orientation of small businesses, and personal characteristics of owner-mangers on small businesses' willingness to adopt BA. By drawing its motivation from prior strategic orientation and BA literature, this study is also among the first one to propose, formally develop, and validate the measurement construct of analytics orientation.

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2018, Mechanical Engineering (Engineering and Technology)

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the plastic anisotropic mechanical properties of drawn and annealed copper tubing through mechanical testing and texture analysis. Three standard tube diameters were considered to analyze the effect of increasing amounts of prior cold work induced by drawing. Samples were also examined in a heat-treated state to simulate a brazing thermal cycle, which effectively anneals the material. Tensile tests were performed on specimens from each diameter and condition (as drawn and annealed), and in the axial (drawing direction) and transverse (perpendicular to the drawing direction) orientations. This was done to quantify the anisotropic stress-strain response. The stress-strain response was then modeled using the Voce constitutive equation in combination with the Hill and Hosford anisotropic yield criteria for orthotropic symmetry. The microstructure was characterized using optical light microscopy, micro-hardness testing, and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD). The axial specimens consistently exhibited a higher flow stress in both the as-drawn and annealed conditions when compared to the transverse specimens. Transverse specimens exhibited higher tensile ductility (elongation before fracture) than axial specimens. Plastic strain ratios were calculated for the axial and transverse orientations to experimentally quantify plastic anisotropy. Plastic strain ratios were found to increase towards 1.0 with prior cold-work in both the as-drawn and annealed states. A Voce type constitutive equation was fit to the stress-strain data with a high degree of precision. The transverse plastic flow stress was predicted using the axial state of stress and plastic strain ratios with the Hill and Hosford anisotropic yield criteria. Both yield criteria overestimated the transverse stress state with Hill's yield criterion providing more accurate predictions. Light microscopy and EBSD of the as-drawn condition revealed clear grain distortions (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts, University of Toledo, 2017, Sociology

With colleges and universities functioning more as businesses, students have been conceptualized as consumers and customers of the “products” and services “sold” by higher education institutions. Anecdotally, a considerable amount of college students have consumer-orientations. This rise in student consumerism has not only transformed student ideologies regarding the purpose of higher education, but its negatively impacting student behavior and learning processes inside the classroom. However, empirical studies have yet to support the suggested prevalence of student consumerism. Additionally, no study has attempted to understand student consumerism at the social psychological level. Using an electronic survey administered to undergraduate students at a public university, this pilot study shows that student-consumer orientations are moderate at best, and many students do not agree with certain beliefs or behaviors that are attributed to consumer-orientations. At the social psychological level, multiple regression results indicated student consumer attitudes are significantly associated with social exchanges or activities involving academic costs. Furthermore, the results suggested that males find academic activities or exchanges more costly than females, and males also find putting off academic work for non-academic social exchanges or activities more rewarding than females. In using a social psychological perspective on student consumerism, this pilot study will contribute to future research that explores students educational decision-making processes.

Doctor of Business Administration, Cleveland State University, 2017, Monte Ahuja College of Business

Signaling theory has improved our understanding of how the release of new private information signals by a firm insider can influence the decision-making processes of outsiders. While much research has focused on the influences of hard information signals (easy to codify unambiguous information; e.g., a new patent approval), we still know relatively little about soft information signals (hard to codify ambiguous information; e.g., a market orientation). This dissertation explores this gap in the literature by studying the soft signals of normative and economic orientations sent by top managers to the market in the context of quarterly earnings conference calls—a routine corporate practice wherein top managers inform shareholders about the firm's current and future strategy. The present dissertation makes an important distinction between normatively oriented soft signals (concerned with the creation of normative value) and economically oriented soft signals (concerned with the creation of economic value). The antecedents and consequences of these signals are studied, and the following research questions are asked: How do earnings for the quarter (met or missed) influence normative and economic signaling in a conference call? How does the market react to normative and economic signals, under different earnings conditions? These research questions are investigated through computer-assisted-text-analysis (CATA) methodology and event-study methodology with a multi-quarter longitudinal sample of 1,920 observations. Analysis of variance and fixed-effects regression analyses were performed to test this dissertation's hypotheses. Firms that missed their earnings were found to use more economic language than firms that met/beat their earnings, while normative language was not found to differ based on earnings conditions. When earnings were met/beat, both normative and economic orientation signals were found to positively influence market performance, but the latter had a grea (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1983, Graduate School

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2009, Engineering : Materials Science

Controlling the extent of nano-lamellar crystalline orientation is of great interest in polymer processes because an inexpensive plastic film can be converted into a higher valued film of dramatically improved properties. Where high degrees of uniaxial orientation are required, the polymer is typically oriented in a solid state drawing post-processing operation, where the polymer is stretched in a single direction at temperatures just below the melting point. One commercial example, currently drawing wide interest in the polymer processing field, is known as machine direction orientation (MDO). During this process, pre-existing nano-crystallites are transformed into rigid, anisotropic structures. The presence of these rigid structures significantly enhances the moduli and break strength of the polymer film. A direct connection can be formed between the polymer's analytic characteristics, MDO processing conditions and the final engineering properties of the film. Within this dissertation are: Structure-property model applicable to a wide variety of polymers that predicts critical properties of the oriented film. Process model that estimates the film temperature throughout the orientation process, a necessity for relating the effects of processing conditions to the properties of the film. Experimental examples of the use of the structure-property model, which provides a detailed description of the structural changes that are occurring during orientation. This dissertation provides several comprehensive tools for the understanding and the modeling the process-structure-property relationship of oriented polymer films. A universal structure-property model has been developed that predicts the critical properties of a wide range of oriented polymer films. A heat transfer model has also been developed that estimates the film temperature throughout the orientation process. This model can be used in conjunction with the fiber/non-fibrous gel model to understand the eff (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2009, Family Resource Management

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a better understanding of individual characteristics related to savings and the relationship between saving goals and saving behaviors. Hypotheses based on Regulatory Focus Theory are developed to make predictions related to the connection between saving goals and individual characteristics related to saving. The hypotheses are tested using two different methods: an experimentally manipulated survey and secondary data analysis. In Study 1, using an Internet-based survey format, data were collected to examine the effects of framing and different saving goals on individuals' attitudes toward saving. Messages preceding the questionnaire differed as to framing and saving goal characteristics. Individual characteristics were measured based on self-reported responses. In Study 2, data from the 2007 Survey of Consumer Finances was analyzed to explore the relationship between saving goals and savings behavior. Multiple regression and multivariate analysis of variances were employed to analyze experimental data. Logistic regression was used to analyze the Survey of Consumer Finances data. Results from Study 1 revealed that demographic variables played a significant role in explaining attitude toward saving. However, when demographic variables were not considered, characteristics of saving goals and individual regulatory orientation were significantly related to attitude toward saving. Specifically, promotion-related saving goal and the characteristics of being promotion- or prevention-oriented, positively influenced attitudes toward saving. Study 2 revealed that having a saving goal significantly increased the likelihood of saving, whether the goal was promotion- or prevention-related. In addition, the effect of saving goals was moderated by a household's regulatory orientation. The likelihood of regular saving was higher when the household exhibited prevention orientation and when the household also listed saving goals that ar (open full item for complete abstract)

BA, Oberlin College, 2008, Sociology

The aim of this honors thesis was to compare the first-year and transfer student experience during orientation at Oberlin College in the Fall of 2007. The research aimed to examine a population that is not typically included in conceptualizing college orientation, to understand how transfer students and first-years differently experience the freshman-centric atmosphere on-campus during orientation and to provide a complete outline of how orientation can best support all new students. The transfer student during orientation represents a blending of first-year and upperclassman characteristics because they must experience the first-year-centric environment but they have previous college experience. How can the transfer student population be best served during orientation at Oberlin College?

Master of Arts in Education, Defiance College, 2009, Education

This study was conducted with 17 women basketball players of a private, Midwest, NCAA Division III (National Collegiate Athletic Association) college. The purpose of this project was to determine if self-perception of competitiveness among collegiate female basketball players changed after the implementation of competitive drills during practice. The researcher used two instruments for data analysis for this project which were the Sports Orientation Questionnaire and the Sports Orientation Written Prompts. These two instruments were utilized as assessment tools and were administered before and after the intervention period. The intervention period consisted of three weeks of competitive drills conducted daily during basketball practices. The findings from this project indicated a slight increase in the self-perception towards being competitive among the female collegiate basketball players that participated in this research project.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2010, Psychology/Industrial-Organizational

The purpose of this study was to examine whether goal orientation influences the interaction between job demands and job control in predicting physical symptoms and job satisfaction. Two-way interactions were predicted between job demands and performance-avoidance goal orientation with physical symptoms and job satisfaction as outcomes. Three-way interactions were also predicted between job demands, control, and mastery-approach goal orientation for both outcomes, and between job demands, control, and performance-approach goal orientation in predicting job satisfaction. None of these hypotheses were supported using either self-report measures or O*NET measures of job demands and control. However, main effects were found for self-reported job demands in predicting physical symptoms, for self-reported job demands and control in predicting job satisfaction, and for O*NET independence (control) in predicting job satisfaction. Additionally, two-way interactions were found indicating low self-reported control strengthened the negative relationship between self-reported job demands and job satisfaction, performance-approach goal orientation strengthened the positive relationship between self-reported control and job satisfaction, and mastery-approach goal orientation strengthened the relationship between O*NET independence (control) and physical symptoms.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2009, Higher Education Administration

This research study describes the set of student pre-college and college characteristics that contribute to or predict students' orientation towards diversity as measured by the four scales of the Miville-Guzman Universality Diversity Scale Short Form (M-GUDS-S) instrument: Diversity of Contact, Relativistic Appreciation, and Overall Attitudes toward Diversity. Findings from this study were consistent with the literature. First, students who identified as female, first-generation, and non-White, were significantly more likely to have a positive orientation toward diversity. Second, many of the academic and engagement pre-college and college variables were also significant as contributors and predictors of students' orientation towards diversity. In addition to being female, there were two pre-college variables that positively predicted students overall attitude toward diversity; attending a high school that was predominantly White and participating in community service/volunteer work. One pre-college variable, having a high school peer group that was predominantly White, was a negative predictor of students' overall attitude and orientation toward diversity. Of the five college variables that predicted a student's overall attitude toward diversity, four were positive and one was negative. The variables predicting students' overall positive attitude toward diversity as college students were: (a) a major strength in discussing controversial topics, (b) often interacting with race/ethnicity groups different from one's own, (c) took a diversity course, (d) completing the required cultural diversity general education course at Bowling Green State University. However, students who reported often feeling discomfort around racially diverse peers while in college were predicted to have a more negative orientation toward diversity. Recommendations for increasing students' positive orientation toward diversity include: Increase or maintain structural or physical diversity of (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2009, Psychology/Developmental

The goal of this study was to compare students' achievement goal orientation within schools that take a more direct instruction approach to education (e.g., schools that are not affiliated with any educational organization) and schools that take a more constructivist approach to education (e.g., Montessori schools). Participants included 209elementary school students. The results revealed that although Non-affiliated students were more performance oriented than Montessori students, Non-affiliated students and Montessori students had an equal level of mastery orientation. Additionally, the results indicated that both Montessori and Non-affiliated student were more mastery oriented than performance oriented. Lastly, it was found that students' mastery orientation was related to adaptive outcomes.

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2006, Psychology/Industrial-Organizational

Transformational leadership has been linked to higher subordinate performance as well as to higher subordinate job satisfaction. Research suggests transformational leaders accomplish this by fulfilling subordinates' needs. The present study suggests that because goals are considered by some to be concrete manifestations of needs, goals may be superior to needs when studying the effects of transformational leadership. Specifically, the present study hypothesizes that both mastery and avoidance goal orientation will moderate the transformational leadership – outcome relationship (both performance and satisfaction). Results were generally not supportive of the hypothesized relationships.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2010, Chemical Engineering

Experimental observations show fiber orientation and layer orientation in filter media effect the permeability and the separation efficiency of coalescing filters. The effects of fiber orientation have been studied by various industries including polymer, paper and textiles, to enhance their product lines. This has also been proven beneficial to the filtration industry because orientation of fibers can lead to lower pressure drop. The main objective of this work is to study the effects of layer orientations and test its performance. This technique is an alternative to using electric field for making oriented fiber media. It incorporates stacking micro fiber sheets at different angles (0,30,45,60 and 90). For capture of liquid droplets, the decrease in pressure drop obtained is offset by the decrease in capture efficiency, resulting in nearly constant quality factor regardless of fiber orientation. However, in coalescing filter media this method shows improvement in liquid drainage from the filter and can improve the quality factor from 20 to 60%. In coalescing filter media the fiber orientation can have an added benefit of reducing the liquid saturation in the filter media, which leads to an improved quality factor for the filter media and can be very useful in making self-cleaning filters. The stacking sheets can be extended to a pleated structure, which is relatively easier to construct from an industrial point of view. However, it is challenging to control the angle of the pleats during the construction of the media. Therefore varying the angle of the pleated structure with respect to the flow can surmount this problem. Another filter design is proposed which can mimic the angled pleated design by keeping the pleating angle constant (at zero degree) and changing the angle of the filter holder. Both designs have higher performance compared to a regular pleated media. Multiphase continuum equations are used to model the flow through the media to calculate the veloc (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2007, Psychology-Industrial/Organizational

Contemporary feedback researchers have adopted theoretical perspectives in which broad personal characteristics interact with the work environment to influence a more narrow, domain-specific trait (i.e., feedback orientation), which in turn, is thought to affect the extent to which individuals engage in the feedback process and feedback seeking. However, to date empirical studies have not examined whether individual difference variables moderate the effects of the feedback environment. In the present study, the organization's feedback environment was thought to interact with trait goal orientation to influence feedback orientation, in turn influencing the extent to which one engages in feedback seeking behavior. In addition, the current study assessed the mediating influence of role clarity on the feedback seeking/ job performance link and the moderating effects of social skill on the feedback seeking/role clarity relationship. While the primary focus of this study was on the model linking the feedback environment to feedback seeking to impact job performance, this study had a secondary purpose; to more closely investigate the link between the multidimensional constructs of the feedback environment and feedback orientation. With the exception of the direct link between feedback seeking and job performance, the results support the proposed model. Perceptions of a supportive feedback environment influence employee feedback orientation, which in turn, positively influence feedback seeking behavior. Furthermore, while feedback seeking directly influenced job performance, role clarity partially mediated this relationship. Moderator analyses indicated that learning goal orientation and performance-avoid goal orientation moderated the feedback environment/feedback orientation link. Results of the facet-level analyses demonstrated that supervisor feedback quality accounted for more variance in utility, accountability, and social awareness than any other feedback environment (open full item for complete abstract)