Employee turnover is 1 of the most significant concerns for organizations because it involves loss of investments and increased costs of hiring, training, and replacement. The turnover rate in the U.S. retail industry is relatively high at 60% for full-time employees, and this rate continues to increase rapidly. The purpose of this case study was to explore the retention strategies retail managers in big-box retail stores use to decrease frontline cashier turnover. Using Herzberg's two-factor hygiene theory, as the conceptual framework, the study was conducted with a sample of 8 retail managers, located in Huntsville, Alabama, who have decreased frontline cashier turnover. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with participants, and an interview protocol was used. To ensure that the data were captured correctly, data triangulation was used by combining company data, detail notes, and interview recordings. Data were analyzed using Yin's data analysis method: compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding to develop themes. Three prominent themes were found for retention strategies that may decrease turnover of frontline cashier's pay, training, and voluntary turnover. These themes suggest retention strategies that may decrease turnover of frontline cashiers, cultivate staff relationships, and enhance quality of work life for frontline cashiers. The implications for positive social change include the potential to increase work life balance for frontline cashiers by reducing turnover rates.

In 2014, there were 75% new small businesses failed within the first 3 years of operation in Cameroon. Small businesses contribute to generate jobs and drive innovation that is vital to the Cameroon economy. The purpose of this multiple exploratory case study was to explore the financial strategies and resources that small lodging business owners use to help their businesses survive beyond 3 years. Fiedler's strategic contingency theory was the conceptual framework. There were 5 owners from 5 separate successful small lodging businesses in Kumba, Cameroon, who participated in the face-to-face interviews. The results from computer-aided qualitative data analysis, methodological triangulation of the interview data and company document analysis, following Yin's 5 step analysis led to the emergence of 3 major themes: passion and dedication of the owner, preparing for the seasonality of the business, and hiring the right employees. These findings could be of interest to small business owners interested in improving financial strategies to avert future failures. This study promotes positive social change as improved business success may lead to a decrease of unemployment and improve living conditions in Cameroon and other local communities.

Leadership style and competency are relevant to the failure or success of a project. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the leadership styles and competencies that project managers possess to improve information technology (IT) project outcomes. The targeted population included 5 project managers from an organization headquartered in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States who have successfully managed U.S.-based IT projects and improved the project outcomes. The 3 traditional leadership styles (transformational, transactional, and participatory) were the conceptual framework for this study. Data collection included review of archival organizational documents and semistructured interviews with 5 qualified participants. Data were compiled, organized, dissembled, reassembled into a sequence of groups, and interpreted for meaning. The interview protocol, interview transcription, member checking, and methodological triangulation added to the trustworthiness of the findings. Three themes emerged from the data analysis: selecting leadership style, selecting leadership competency, and identifying project factors affecting project outcomes. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to increase job opportunities through improved organizational performance that may result from improved project outcomes.

Project failures are costly to businesses and are increasingly present in the news. In many industries, projects have a 40% failure rate, and 90% of venture capital projects fail even to start. Project managers play a key role in delivering successful projects. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between project manager’s age and years of project experience and project success. The population of this study consisted of 108 active or former project managers working in Albania or Kosovo who were LinkedIn members. The study was not grounded in a named theory; rather, based on the conceptual framework that project managers’ age and years of project experience may predict project success. The independent variables were project managers’ age and years of project experience, and the dependent variable was project success. Data were collected using a questionnaire posted on the SurveyMonkey website and analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results revealed that age has a negative, though not statistically significant, effect on project success. Project managers’ experience has a positive influence on project success; this effect is also not statistically significant. The coefficient of determination R2 was .02, which demonstrated that only 2% of project success relates to the independent variables. The study may contribute to positive social change by helping project managers and leaders of international development agencies, that conduct project to positively affect social change through improvements in areas such as agriculture, water, sewage, health, nutrition, education, environment, and social development. An increased rate of project success may translate into an improvement of livelihood for local communities in low-income countries.

High turnover of new sales agents costs insurance leaders millions of dollars and adversely impacts profit margins. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the retention strategies that insurance leaders from central New Jersey used to reduce sales agent turnover. Study participants included 5 insurance leaders with sales management experience ranging from 3 to 5 years. Job embeddedness theory was the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected via semistructured interviews, company reports, and archival records. Using thematic analysis, the data were examined and coded and generated 4 key themes: recruiting and selection process; value of coaching, training, and mentoring; leadership engagement; and organizational culture. The implications of this study for social change include the ability of insurance leaders to allocate increased profits to funding local and community-based service organizations and philanthropic initiatives. Additionally, with increased profits, insurance leaders may be able to invest in developing indemnity products and services tailored for underserved populations, such as women, minorities, and low-income individuals and families, thereby contributing to positive social change.

Nonprofit organizations' functionality is impacted by a shortage of volunteers. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore the strategies that nonprofit organizational leaders implemented to retain volunteers. The conceptual framework for this study was Maslow's functional motivation theory. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 3 leaders of nonprofit organizations in Georgia who implemented effective strategies for retaining volunteers for at least 1 year. Data analysis of the interview responses and archival documents consisted of compiling the data, coding the data, disassembling the data into common themes, reassembling the data into themes, interpreting the meaning, and reporting the themes. The 5 major themes from the findings of this study were strategies for providing proper training to volunteers, strategies for keeping volunteers engaged and motivated, strategies for showing volunteers the effects of their volunteering, strategies for building relationships with volunteers, and strategies for providing volunteers with a positive and fun experience. Nonprofit organizational leaders could use the findings of this study to implement successful strategies for recruiting and retaining volunteers. The implications for positive social change include creating a balance between the nonprofit organizations and the volunteers who provide their service to contribute to the communities they serve.

A majority of delinquent mortgage loans during the foreclosure crises were unmodified. Lending institutions lost on average 50% of a home's value in future profit from each foreclosure. The purpose of this single case study was to explore what strategies mortgage loan officers might use to improve the selection of delinquent borrowers for mortgage loan modification. The conceptual framework for this study was contract theory. The target population included mortgage loan officers from one community bank who successfully implemented strategies to modify loans for delinquent borrowers during the foreclosure crisis. Semistructured interviews were the data collection method. Emergent themes were identified in the data using a form of pattern matching called explanation building. The following key themes emerged: asymmetric information is essential to a mortgage loan officer's ability to select delinquent borrowers for mortgage loan modification and mortgage loan officers could create value for their organizations through mutually beneficial contracts. The results of this study can be used by leaders in financial institutions to improve the processes and procedures pertaining to mortgage loan modification. Improving mortgage loan modification practices can reduce foreclosure and the impact foreclosures have on the deterioration of communities, property values, and the degraded ability of governments to provide services due to the loss of revenue.

University administrators of nonprofit higher education private institutions face challenges to maintain financial stability as the projected tuition revenue is expected to decline over the next 15 years. In addition, projected closure or mergers for all colleges and universities is expected to reach 50% by 2030. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies higher education private institution administrators use to manage financial stability. Kaufman's complexity theory was the conceptual framework for this study. Purposeful sampling was used to select 4 university administrators from an Ohio higher education private institution for face-to-face interviews. Semistructured questions provided the basis for data collection to identify the strategies these administrators used to manage financial stability. Additional sources of data included strategic plans, financial responsibility scores, and operational budget reports. Through thematic analysis, 4 themes emerged: budgetary controls, a shift in marketing strategy, creating value, and competitive environment. Implications of social change includes the potential to provide possible business strategies to Ohio area higher education private institution administrators for the development and sustainability of financial stability, which could lead to improving the economic conditions for the local community.

Researchers have reported that corporations in the United States incur hundreds of billions of dollars of annual direct and indirect costs from workplace injuries. Employing a theoretical framework underpinned by the job characteristics theory, this correlational study examined the relationships between task identity, safety climate, and job satisfaction to assist transportation managers with information for improving workers' job satisfaction for increasing productivity and organizational performance. Three validated survey instruments (Safety Climate, Job Characteristics Inventory, and Job Satisfaction) and one demographic instrument were distributed to railroad workers in the eastern region of North Carolina (n = 80). The survey response data provided the basis for identifying the significant predictors, moderators, and mediators of workers' job satisfaction. Structural equation modeling and partial least squares software indicated a significant (p < .001) positive correlation between the indicator variables of Employees' Task Identify, Safety Climate, and Job Tenure and the dependent variable of Job Satisfaction. Although there was a significant positive correlation between railroad employees' job tenure and job satisfaction, job tenure did not significantly (p > .05) moderate the relationship between railroad workers' task identity and job satisfaction. The findings may be of value to railroad transportation managers developing new initiatives to improve safety climate for increasing employee job satisfaction. Improving safety climate and job satisfaction could effect beneficial social change by decreasing accidents affecting both railroad worker and public safety.

In 2009, the U.S. government allocated $27 billion to health care agencies for electronic health records (EHRs) implementation. The increased use of EHR systems is expected to drive down health care costs and increase profits. To meet this anticipated return on investment (ROI), hospital managers need to be able to successfully design, deploy, and manage EHR systems. The purpose of this single case study was to explore organizational management strategies that hospital managers can use to ensure their investments in EHRs meet targeted ROIs and work efficiency goals. The conceptual framework for this study was based on the technology acceptance model. Primary data were collected from a criterion sample of 6 hospital managers with direct experience designing and implementing successful EHRs in a small hospital in the Northeastern United States. Secondary data were collected using public financial records available on the Internet. After cataloging and grouping the raw data, 4 emergent themes were identified: (a) training, (b) the role of organizational management strategies, (c) technological barriers, and (d) ongoing support and maintenance. Findings may contribute to social change through an increase in the quality of patient care and making health care records more accessible to doctors in isolated areas.