<p> Expatriates of U.S.-based MNCs (Americans) on overseas assignment face unique adjustment and job-performance issues that have affected employer operations, resulting in financial loss and low morale. The specific problem was the poor adjustment of Americans in Russia, due to type of job, type of position, and prior-international experience. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine whether differences existed in the process of adjustment of Americans in Russia based on job-specific attributes. The quantitative study featured a causal-comparative design. The sampling frame included the estimated 4,000 Americans working for US-based MNCs, members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (ACCR). ACCR&rsquo;s membership-list was used to gather a simple random sample of 197 through an anonymous online survey, a pre-validated 5-point Likert scale based on the Peltokorpi-Cultural Adjustment (2008) scale. Results for a one-way ANOVA showed no significant difference for employee adjustment based on type of job or position, and a significant difference was found for prior-international experience (p&lt;.05). Recommendations for practice included (a) encouragement of U.S.-based MNCs that do business in Russia to incorporate the finding of this study, and (b) for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to create programs to assist member firms to develop a knowledge base and recruitment practices for better adjustment of Americans in Russia. Recommendations for future research included (a) a causal-comparative study to evaluate pre-assignment training as a moderating factor to explain differences in adjustment for employees with different types of job and positions, and (b) a quasi-experimental study to further assess interactions among the current study variables as to the influence on Americans' adjustment.</p>

<p>The current quantitative correlational study used statistical analysis to determine if a significant relationship existed between accountability and commitment (predictor variables) and flight crew performance (criterion variable). A random sample of 205 flight crew personnel were selected from the targeted population of 371 personnel. Descriptive statistics were conducted on the sample and variables of interest. Cronbach?s alpha reliability statistics were also presented for the scales. Multiple linear regression tests were conducted to address the research questions. Accountability composite scores ranged from 3.25 to 5.00. Composite scores for commitment ranged from 2.63 to 4.43, and composite scores for team performance ranged from 3.72 to 4.28. Simple linear regression tests were used in the study to test two hypotheses that involved the influence of accountability and commitment on flight crew teams? performance. Findings for the study indicated that the assumptions were met and that a significant relationship existed between the influence of accountability and commitment on airline flight crew teams? performance. In addition, results from the linear regression tests determined that there were significant positive correlations between accountability and commitment (independent) and flight crews? team performance (dependent) variables.

<p> The craft beer industry has experienced significant growth over the past several years, especially in the Commonwealth of Virginia. While the effects of winery operation on the tourism industry have been widely researched, a dearth of similar knowledge exists for the craft brewery. Moreover, there lacks an understanding of who these visitors to craft breweries aree, how similar they are to their winery counterparts, and if the same individuals are visitors to both. </p><p> This study of Virginia wineries and breweries sought to begin the process of satisfying this need for information through an exploratory study using a questionnaire through intercept interviews. Respondent demographics, cursory visitation patterns, and general expenditure patterns comprise the three main components of research undertaken. The information discovered is of particular value to brewery and winery marketers, advertisers, festival coordinators, policy makers, DMOs, DMCs, and any industry that serves in the tourism industry. </p><p> Through analysis of the survey results, conclusions on who brewery and winery visitors are and whether or not they are the same, as well as recommendations to continue the growth of beverage tourism in the Commonwealth of Virginia are explored. Lastly, areas of future research are delineated to foster future research in this tourism niche.</p>

A major goal of information systems management is to improve the efficiency of the software development process. However, the history of software development is filled with failures, late deliveries, cost overruns, and user dissatisfaction. Ongoing efforts are being made to enhance the processes and techniques used in the management of software projects, but despite the gains that have been made in the past decade, we still lack an understanding of the modern software development process, especially in the area of management and control of environmental resource dependence. The objective of this research has been to study and model the general management strategies, processes, and techniques used in managing software projects from a resource dependence perspective. A survey of the literature and a survey of computer professionals were conducted to gain insight into the problems and opportunities in managing software development projects. Based on the literature and the survey findings, an integrated model for software project management was developed. This model was tested against data collected from a large software development project at a major corporation. Software project management trends were further explored by reviewing the latest development in software project management tools. From the findings of the model test and the review of software tools, a set of opportunities for future research in software project management were suggested.

Contemporary businesses compete in a highly reactive marketplace that demands a new breed of sophisticated knowledge workers. Managing these valuable people requires understanding the effects of their work environment on productivity. Frequent interruptions are an integral part of the knowledge worker's day. In this laboratory study, two attributes of interruption, frequency and length, are examined in conjunction with two levels of task complexity. A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design with a control group for each level of task complexity resulted in ten unique treatments. Using personal computers, 122 student subjects from undergraduate courses in production management, took a practice, multiple-choice examination (the primary task) over course material. All subjects were allowed exactly 45 minutes to work on the primary task. Interruption episodes of trivia questions were generated at random intervals. Subjects were interrupted either two or six times with interruption lengths of either 30 seconds or 120 seconds. Performance on the primary task is measured using a point scoring system. A post experiment questionnaire was used to validate experiment manipulations. Using a multiple regression approach to analysis of covariance, approximately 70% of variance in performance is explained. Final models include a covariate for prior classroom performance. Four significant conclusions emerged from the analysis: (1) In the high complexity version of the primary task, short interruptions result in an average performance reduction of 44% relative to control subjects. (2) For the low complexity task, long interruptions result in an 11% average performance improvement over control subjects. (3) Performance in long interruption treatments is significantly better than performance under short interruption treatments for both levels of task complexity. (4) No consistent effects for frequency of interruption occur at the levels used in the study.

The need for personal financial planning has increased in the past few years because of deregulation of the financial industries. Expert system development has begun to emerge as a tool for many industries to increase their access and manipulation of information and data. This research looks at the domains of personal financial planning and expert systems technology by combining them with the systems development methodology. The qualitative and quantitative sides of financial planning have not been previously combined in an expert system for financial planning. Experts from the five main areas of financial planning and one hundred and ninety-one financial planning companies were included in the study. The expert system developed was evaluated in a 2 by 2 factorial design with the presence of the expert system on one axis and the presence of the expert planner during the process on the other axis. Eighty-five of the companies had the system installed at their site for two months of everyday use on the job and measurements were taken during the last two weeks. Fifteen hundred and sixty-seven plans were developed and analyzed. Data was collected from the files and the plans generated by the expert system or by the existing system. It was also collected from questionnaires filled out by both the planners and the clients before and after their use of one of the systems. The data were analyzed with respect to twenty-one hypotheses using statistical analysis, primarily ANOVA. The results indicate that the expert system can significantly increase the information processing capacity of financial planning companies. The process used for financial planning by the expert system was more comprehensive than existing systems which tend to focus on only one area of financial planning. The organizational structure was changed as a result of introducing the expert system into the financial planning process as witnessed by the increase of expertise for both the expert planners and the non-expert clerks.

This study provides further evidence regarding the predictive value of quarterly earnings for improving the forecasts of annual earnings. Using an analytical model, it is shown that for a specific class of time-series models, the predictive values are determined by the time-series properties, as measured by parameter value, of quarterly earnings. In particular, the model demonstrates that the accuracy of annual earnings forecasts increases as additional quarterly reports become available, and that the time-series model parameter value is positively related to both total improvement and the first quarter's relative improvement in annual earnings forecasts. These theoretical predictions are empirically tested using a sample of 235 firms over a five year period from 1980 to 1984. Empirical results are consistent with the theoretical predictions. First, annual earnings forecasts become increasingly accurate as additional quarterly reports are available, suggesting that quarterly earnings are useful for improving the forecasts of annual earnings. Second, there are cross-sectional variations in the degree of the improved accuracy in forecasts. More importantly, time-series properties (parameter value) of quarterly earnings are an important determinant of the variations in both total and relative predictive values. This result is robust with respect to different time-series models, forecast error metrics, and statistical methods.

<p> Business model innovation, business model enablers, and strategic agility are terms explicitly evaluated and explored by researchers and practitioners. The focus of this dissertation research project included the previous terms and the respective associations with business and leadership decision-making in the context of strategy and innovation. Research design and methodologies included a qualitative, embedded, single case-study through one-on-one, in-depth interviews with primary decision-makers from small technology companies in Minnesota, United States. Primary respondent qualifications were: (a) minimum of five years of experience, (b) minimum of five subordinates, and (c) decision power to influence business model innovation, business model enablers, or strategic agility. Three research questions guided the project: (1) How do the pillars of strategic agility (strategic sensitivity, leadership unity, and resource fluidity) affect business model innovations? (2) How can managers apply the pillars of strategic agility to enhance organizational strategic agility? and (3) How do senior leadership teams manage the contradictions and paradoxes within strategic agility? Respondent interviews were imported and analyzed through Nvivo qualitative data analytics software (QDAS). Over 50 findings are narrated in Chapter 4, of which included one of the key findings: Every company was actively engaged in the paradox, but none of the company leaders specifically calculated or processed the exact phrase &ndash; strategic agility paradox. Proposed in Chapter 5 are the set of recommendations for future researchers. The recommendations advocate research in or on contrasting industries and geographies, respondents with contrasting profiles, supplementary qualitative and quantitative techniques, alternative strategic agility pillars, and new research questions.</p>

<p> Mobile technology has been one of the most pervasive information technology trends in the past 20 years. From 2012 to 2017, experts project that global mobile data traffic will reach an estimated 11 exabytes per month. Mobile shopping, also known as mobile commerce (m-commerce), has been on the rise as another avenue for consumers to use. Certain organizations, especially small businesses, have been slower to embrace mobile commerce than individual consumers. The general business problem is that many small businesses have not adopted mobile strategies that will meet consumer expectations for mobile commerce. The specific business problem is that no specific data explains the extent to which performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence may influence small businesses&rsquo; intention to adopt mobile commerce. The purpose of this correlational study, based on quantitative, non-experimental research, was to examine the factors of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence that may affect the small businesses&rsquo; intention to adopt mobile commerce. The research focused on small businesses in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. This study is motivated by six research questions: (1) To what extent is there a relationship between performance expectancy and the intent to adopt mobile commerce? (2) To what extent is there a relationship between effort expectancy and the intent to adopt mobile commerce? (3) To what extent is there a relationship between social influence and the intent to adopt mobile commerce? (4) To what extent does performance expectancy influence the small business decision maker&rsquo;s intent to adopt mobile commerce? (5) To what extent does effort expectancy influence the intent to adopt mobile commerce? (6) To what extent does social influence influence the intent to adopt mobile commerce? This study used the Unified Theory of the Adoption and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as a framework to investigate these questions. A random sampling technique was used to collect online survey responses from small businesses (n = 124). Pearson Correlation found significant positive relationships between performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence and the intention to adopt mobile commerce into small business operations. Multiple Linear Regression found only performance expectancy and social influence to have a significant effect on the intention to adopt mobile commerce. Additional investigation discovered that the small businesses&rsquo; customer type was a moderating factor that changed the outcome of results. This supplemental analysis revealed effort expectancy to have a significant effect on the intention to adopt mobile commerce.</p>

<p> Planning for disasters has been linked to positive outcome in the business recovery process. However, unpreparedness for disasters is prevalent in many developing countries where most small businesses do not maintain a disaster/emergency plan. Sri Lanka in recent years has experienced upsurge in natural disasters from floods, wind storms, droughts, landslides and cyclones where the majority of small businesses experienced a slow recovery. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to gain insight into the perceived barriers and challenges that small business owners in the City of Negombo (Sri Lanka) experienced when developing a disaster/emergency preparedness plan as well as factors that may motivates small businesses owners to adopt a disaster/emergency plan. The study population consists of all 1,780 small businesses located within the city of Negombo, Sri Lanka. The purposive sample included 16 small business owners for individual interviews and 11 members from business associations for three focus group discussions (each including 3-4 participants). After receiving informed consent, data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interview protocol using open ended interview questions until data saturation occurred. . To mitigate study limitations and enhance credibility of this study; prolonged engagement and persistent observation, peer debriefing, member-checking, and data triangulation, were used. The findings of this study yielded 12 distinct themes most of which were fully or partially supported by existing literature. Five themes pertaining to the barriers and challenges business owners encounter when establishing a disaster/emergency plan: lack of knowledge or know how, access to/ problems with insurance, lack of money and resources, disaster will not happen again, and it is not my responsibility. Four of the themes focused on business owners&rsquo; perceived motivators for establishing a disaster/emergency plan: reduce business losses from disasters, train staff to manage crisis situations, business continuation, and save lives. The key recommendations include local and central government authorities, (a) advocate disaster awareness to small business owners, (b) establish mechanisms for small business owners to attain relevant information to prepare for disasters, (c) provide essential resources for the small business owners to set up disaster/emergency plans, and (d) identify ways for business owners to get access to affordable and accessible disaster insurance plans.</p>