The dissertation consists of two essays. The first essay investigates if market illiquidity is a significant determinant of capital structure decisions. We hypothesize that firms would likely compare the illiquidity of two sources of external funding at a given point in time and issue the one with lower illiquidity. Therefore, if the level of illiquidity is a key driver of firms’ capital structure decisions in that year, the higher the level of stocks illiquidity, the more of its financing needs are satisfied by the issuance of debt, and the higher the level of bonds illiquidity, the less of its financing needs are satisfied by the issuance of debt. We find that illiquidity of the two sources of external funding affects significantly the capital structure decisions of U.S. firms over the sample period 2003-2018. Specifically, the coefficient of relative bonds illiquidity is negative, large, and strongly significant regardless of leverage measurement, and the coefficient of relative stocks illiquidity is positive, large, and strongly significant regardless of leverage measurement. The second essay investigates if markets illiquidity is a significant determinant of investment decisions. We argue that an increase in investment opportunities due to an increase in bonds liquidity is for the decrease of the firm’s cost of capital and the decrease in its issuance cost. With a lower cost of capital and a higher ability to issue securities, firms are able to undertake more investment opportunities. We find that bonds and stocks illiquidity affect significantly the investment decisions of U.S. firms over the sample period 2003-2018. Specifically, the coefficients of bonds and stocks illiquidity are negative, large, and strongly significant regardless of investment measurement. Also, we find the effect of bonds illiquidity is more pronounced for financially constrained firms using different financial constraints measures.

The first chapter evaluates the zero-leverage effect on firms' financial constraints. Moreover, using investment- and cash-to-cash-flow sensitivities as financial constraint indicators, the results suggest that unleveraged firms are expected to face lower constraints relative to leveraged firms. Lastly, the results indicate that the zero-leverage effect on firms’ financial constraints is more likely stronger for smaller firms, zero-dividend firms, firms with lower proportions of tangible assets, and growth firms. The second chapter develops a new quantitative measure that reflects the extent to which a firm complies to Shariah relative to the other firms located in a certain region at a certain time. This measure can be customized to be consistent with each investor’s objectives, constraints, and beliefs. We argue that the use of this measure is preferable to the existing use of ratio thresholds for the following two reasons. First, it is more Shariah-appropriate because it provides the Shariah-compliant investor with a clear understanding of the relative compliance status of each firm he wishes to invest in. Second, it can be incorporated into any portfolio optimization model to create a balance between improving Shariah compliance and not compromising investment returns.

Standard asset pricing theories suggest that only systematic risk is priced. Empirical studies report a relationship between idiosyncratic volatility or risk (IVOL) and asset price. The most common explanation for this anomaly is that households under-diversify creating a Bad Model problem. This paper uses an Intermediary Asset Pricing Model (IAPM) as a way to control for under-diversification in evaluating the relationship between IVOL and asset price. We find that IVOL premia is lower in an IAPM. Our findings indicate that under-diversification can explain the anomaly partially.

Young adults with disabilities face barriers that affect their financial capability and financial inclusion in the marketplace. Barriers include a lack of autonomy, skills, and opportunities. This mixed method strengths and needs assessment aimed to explain and explore the financial skills and goals of young adults with disabilities. A standardized scale captured young adults with disabilities financial skills, photovoice participatory action research documented their valued financial skills and goals, and semi-structured interviews notated parents financial aspirations and goals for their daughters and sons. The mixed methods analysis suggested young adults with disabilities underlying financial skills fell 25 percent below the average score among U.S. adults; valued financial skills and goals included their hobbies, talents, and continued education to pursue a livelihood; and parents aspired that their daughter or son acquired meaningful employment, independence to include financial independence, and money management skills.

Bank managers have transacted six trillion dollars of new loans in low and moderate income (LMI) communities because of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) mandate. CRA originated mortgages accounted for over 42% of the defaulted loans because of limited risk strategies. Based on the Aguilera conceptual framework, the purpose of this exploratory single case study was to explore the strategies CSR bank managers used to reduce the risks associated with lending in LMI communities. Data were collected and analyzed from semistructured interviews of five bank managers working in one financial organization located within the U.S. Northeast. Data also included the use of recorded field notes and review of public documents, such as CSR committee minutes and CSR policies and procedures from the organization's website for methodology triangulation purposes. Data analysis included using deductive and open coding techniques. Three themes emerged from the collection of data, which were to reduce risks, follow government guidelines, and training and develop data analytics. Several strategies developed that showed how LMI lending is competitively profitable notwithstanding banks conventional lending strategies. Approaches were using subsidies, marketing through community events that encourage Veterans to use the program, offering education programs for loan officers, regulators, and homebuyers, and measuring the organization's compliance with CRA regulations. The implications for positive social change include adopting effective strategies that could reduce the risks and make lending more available. The success of this study came through risk reduction, corporate and community alliances, and new ideas involved in changing the negative perception of lending.

Voluntary employee turnover destabilizes small retail businesses and is a costly business problem for small retail business owners. Some small retail businesses experience voluntary employee turnover of up to 50% annually. Guided by Herzberg's 2-factor theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore successful strategies used to reduce voluntary employee turnover. The target population consisted of 3 small retail business owners in Kingston, Jamaica. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and member checking, and human resource (HR) manuals containing HR policies and procedures. Data were analyzed into emerging themes using Yin's 5-step method. Based on the analysis of the data, 6 themes emerged. These themes included: employee empowerment and involvement, rewards recognition and incentives, career advancement opportunities, competitive compensation and benefits, tools to perform and, positive interpersonal relationships. These themes were identified as the strategies used to reduce turnover. The analysis of the data from the interviews and HR manuals showed that small retail business owners used these combinations of strategies to reduce voluntary employee turnover by increasing overall job satisfaction among employees. The findings from this study may contribute to positive social change by providing strategies to small retail business owners and HR managers to reduce voluntary employee turnover, increase profits, and improve economic conditions in the communities where they operate.

Small business entrepreneurs face high failure rates, yet the success of local, state, and national economies relies on the success of small business. With a lack of capital commonly cited as a reason for failure, entrepreneurs must find ways to predict business survival. Grounded in pecking order and enactment theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the efficacy of bootstrap financing and numbers of employees in predicting business survival, measured by the business age. The research question was answered by using a predictive correlational quantitative research method with a cross-sectional survey design. The central question was whether the amount of bootstrapping financing, measured by a bootstrapping survey, and numbers of employees significantly predicts firm success, measured by firm age in years. Study participants (n = 111) were owners of small businesses in the state of New Hampshire who had been in business for a minimum of 5 years. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis indicated that bootstrap use and number of employees did not significantly predict business survival. Results indicate support for the pecking order theory of financing with minimal evidence of entrepreneurs enacting their environment. The majority of entrepreneurs surveyed used at least one method of bootstrap finance to support the business. Bootstrapping methods with the highest rate of use were offering the same conditions of all customers, negotiating the best payment terms with suppliers, and buying used equipment over new equipment. The implications for positive social change include the potential to provide New Hampshire small business entrepreneurs with information for making informed financial decisions and creating financial models.

The mortgage industry played a major role in the recession faced by the U.S. economy in 2008, with approximately 8.8 million borrowers, or 10.8% of all homeowners, with negative equity in their homes. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies mortgage loan executives use to prequalify mortgage loan applicants. The target population consisted of 8 mortgage executives at 5 mortgage lending firms located in northwest Arkansas who demonstrated strategies to enhance the prequalification of mortgage loan applicants. The conceptual framework for the study was the theory of asymmetric information. In-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted and the home loan toolkit and standard disclosure packets were reviewed. The data analysis technique used in this study followed Yin's 5-step data analysis process. Each interview response was interpreted, synthesized, and shared with the participant for validation during the follow-up member checking meeting. I coded the data to identify similarities in the data and prevalent themes, and to align the new data with previous literature. Based on methodological triangulation and thematic analysis, 4 themes emerged: counseling, government guidelines and regulation, disclosure, and literacy. Social change benefits include a more knowledgeable mortgage consumer that will benefit from enhanced education by the mortgage lender, which may result in lower mortgage defaults. This can increase homeowners' self-esteem, provide for community growth and development, and stabilize, and eventually grow, property tax revenues that could strengthen communities by expanding services and improving infrastructure.

Since 2011, drastic declines in tuition revenue for many rural community colleges have hindered institutional budgets and have been the primary driver for the financial strategy decisions made by college leaders. Recent declines in revenue for rural community colleges have created a constrained fiscal environment causing college leaders to increase focus on internal operations. The aim of this research was to expand the understanding of how management decisions influence tuition revenue when demand fluctuates. Data from multiple archival sources including several national and state statistical databases were used. This study used a multiple regression analysis to investigate the relationships between tuition revenue and (a) tuition rate setting strategy, (b) the management of institutional funds, (c) local economic conditions, and (d) age demographics. It was found that tuition rate setting strategy had the largest influence on tuition revenue among the internally controlled factors. Age demographics and economic conditions were found to be significant external factors that influence the tuition revenue at rural community colleges. This study promotes positive social change by providing financial leaders at community colleges greater insight into budgeting strategies that may help protect the financial viability of rural community colleges. The financial strength of community colleges is important for positive social change in rural communities because it assures that these institutions can continue to offer and expand solutions that meet the educational needs of the local communities they serve at a price affordable by all.

The economic cost of financial statement fraud continues to be a problem for organizations and society. The research problem addressed in this study was the limited risk management strategies available for the early detection and prevention of financial statement fraud by corporate managers and auditors. These strategies are important to the proactive prevention of fraud. This study is important to future trustworthiness of financial statements. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study was to explore current early detection and prevention methods in financial statement fraud using a risk management conceptual framework. The research question focused on current fraud detection and prevention policies and risk management strategies that are currently used for proactively detecting and preventing financial statement fraud. Multiple sources of information were used, including examining recent financial fraud scandals, interviews, documents, and past research. The target population was managers and auditors of publicly traded corporations. A purposive sampling procedure was used to select 23 participants, which provided rich data. The qualitative data was coded and analyzed using the concept of risk management, along with triangulation to ensure credibility. The key findings indicated that current practitioners are moving beyond the era of reactive measures born from the past fraud crises and are working toward improved financial statement quality and trust. The results of the study also indicated that future research should include proactive methods of preventing fraud. This study is socially significant because it could enhance the ability to trust financial statement reporting in the future and improve corporate reputations.