Corporate organizations are facing a shortage of future senior management leaders. The purpose of this single case study was to explore leadership mentoring strategies used to develop future C-suite executives in the waste industry. Companies may improve business practices by mentoring future generations to understand corporate responsibilities and expectations. The target population came from a regional waste company located in central Florida. The study participants consisted of 3 C-suite executives of the company responsible for the management and mentoring of future C-suite executive mentees. The conceptual framework for this study was rooted in transformational leadership theory. Data were collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews, along with supporting documentation provided by the C-suite executives, including the company succession plan. Through methodological triangulation, coding, and thematic analysis, 4 themes emerged that could help C-suite executives in the successful mentoring of future C-suite executives. The 4 themes that emerged from the study, were (1) C-suite executives use various strategies to identify talent, (2) C-suite executives use various mentoring and coaching strategies to develop future C-suite executives, (3) C-suite executives use formal and informal leadership strategies to mentor, and (4) succession planning is in place or planned. The implication for social change was improved mentoring strategies for future C-suite candidates. These strategies may transfer to industries that face generational mentoring issues and challenges, improving structural and managerial growth and stability, which will aid in providing community employment opportunities.

Reaching users on mobile devices has never been more critical for retailers given the ubiquitous use of mobile devices. U.S. consumers who shop online are using personal computers less and mobile devices more when doing so. The purpose of this single case study was to explore mobile device marketing strategies used by retail marketing leaders to reach mobile users effectively. Rogers's diffusion of innovation theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. Participants included a purposeful sample of 8 marketing managers employed by a Fortune 1000 retail organization in the Pacific Northwest. Data collected via in-person, semistructured interviews and a review of the marketing plan documents were thematically analyzed and methodically triangulated. There were 11 themes that emerged from the interviews and marketing plan document review. The results indicated that mobile marketing managers could focus their efforts on 3 of the 11 themes to reach mobile users. The 3 primary themes included getting close to their customers to learn about customers' preferences, gathering and using big data in an intelligent way, and tailoring experiences by sending messages and offers at times when users are most likely to transact. Results from this study may foster positive social change by increasing profits within the organization as a result of more effective mobile device marketing strategies. The profits retailers generate through effective mobile device marketing strategies could allow them to provide additional community support through charitable donations and provide additional support through the creation of new positions within the community.

Because sales are the primary revenue generators for insurance companies, reducing attrition of sales agents is essential to organizational success. The purpose of this single descriptive case study was to explore strategies that 6 Nebraskan sales leaders within the insurance industry used to reduce attrition. Participants had experience in sales leadership and the attrition of sales personnel and were able to provide insight into the unique perspectives on attrition in the insurance industry. Participants met the following criteria: (a) manage an insurance sales office or organization or (b) held an insurance sales leadership position for at least 1 year and (c) are actively employed in the insurance industry. Data were collected from interviews with sales leaders, focus groups with sales representatives, and documentation from organizational websites for data triangulation. The expectancy theory framework guided the data analysis process. The data analysis process involved using thematic analysis which allowed coding data that related to the expectancy theory and research question. Data analysis also included the uncovering of repetitive themes and patterns and synthesizing results. Five themes emerged from data analysis: (a) leadership's responsibility for motivating sales personnel, (b) organizational commitment to creating a culture of engagement, (c) the use of compensation and rewards as sales motivators, (d) the necessity for training and development, and (e) a need to improve the selection process for new candidates. Organizational leaders may apply findings in other, similar settings to strategize community growth initiatives encouraging young people entering the workforce to stimulate local economies. Other possible benefits include reduced customer issues and claims.

The declines in oil and gas prices in 2014 by 50% or more led governments in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to decrease healthcare budgets correspondingly by more than 30%. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the marketing strategies that managers of international pharmaceutical companies have successfully implemented in the MENA region to ensure profitability after the 2014 decreases in the healthcare budgets, which followed the decline in oil and gas prices. The study involved data collection through semistructured interviews of 6 middle and executive managers working in 2 international pharmaceutical companies located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The cultural intelligence and strategic flexibility theories constituted the conceptual framework for this study and exploration of challenges associated with implementing marketing strategies for international pharmaceutical companies in the MENA region. Participants had a minimum of 5 years of experience in planning and implementing marketing strategies in the MENA region. The findings from the thematic data analysis led to the identification of major marketing strategies, which have helped to maintain business sustainability of pharmaceutical companies, despite difficulties with the reduction in healthcare budgets in the MENA region. The important themes emerging from this study included: (a) product launch strategy and operating model, (b) transformation of leaders by vision and guidance, (c) recognition of culture and diversity, and (d) the importance of training and learning agility. The results of the study may contribute to positive social change because pharmaceutical and healthcare knowledge benefits human health and may serve to influence positive job creation and enrichment of the economies of the region.

Consumers of the Generation Y cohort, also referred to as Millennials, include approximately 75 million Americans who have significant purchasing power. These consumers access social media on a daily basis, but they often ignore advertisements that are targeted to them. Previous studies on social media marketing to Generation Y consumers have focused on consumer input but lacked data from marketing professionals. The purpose of this phenomenological study of social media marketers in the United States was to determine successful strategies to engage Generation Y on social media. The study's conceptual framework was attitude toward the ad. The data were gathered through semistructured telephone interviews conducted with 20 social media marketing professionals who were recruited through email and social media. The data were coded using inductive codes of reoccurring themes. Social media marketers were found to be most successful when remaining honest and transparent, and when personalizing their communications to their target audiences. Marketers reading this study can gain insight into the social media behavior of Generation Y consumers and can apply the strategies presented in this study in their social media campaigns. This study may promote social change by improving the relationship between social media marketers and Generation Y consumers, allowing Generation Y consumers to gain a stronger voice in marketing, and by highlighting the need for marketers to communicate and advertise more honestly with their consumers.

Dentists graduate dental school ready to practice dentistry, but 85% do not feel prepared by the dental school to open and manage the operations of a general dental practice. General systems theory grounded this multisite case study. The research provides information on 3 solo practitioner dental practices that sustained beyond 5 years in the Washington, DC suburbs. At each operating practice, the dentist who owned the practice and 1 employee that also worked at the practice during the first 5 years were interviewed. The dentist provided marketing documents used during the first 5 years of the practice operations. Data triangulation was used to ensure the trustworthiness of the analysis of the data from the interviews and documents collected. The data collected was analyzed using coding, establishing nodes, and creating mind maps to identify 5 themes. The themes included working hard to provide dental care and relieve pain, marketing to ensure potential patients had the practice contact information when they needed it, learning continuously to improve the practice operations, putting patient's health before practice profits, and minimizing debt. The implications for positive social change for residents of the Washington, DC suburbs include the potential to receive the needed dental care and pain relief they need because dentists who learn from this research will stay late and return to their practice to treat patients who found the dentist's contact information from their marketing. The implications for positive social change for owners of dental practices include building a sustainable dental practice by implementing these research findings that include working hard, marketing, continuous learning, putting patients health first, and minimizing debt.

Social media marketing influences consumer trust in businesses, and trust accounts for about 37% of consumer purchasing decisions. The purpose of this multiple case study research was to identify the barriers to social media marketing that owners of small retail clothing businesses must overcome to be competitive. The conceptual framework was the technology acceptance model. Collected data consisted of company documents and semistructured interviews with 3 small retail clothing business owners in Chicago, Illinois, who had experience with social media marketing. Data analysis consisted of an open coding approach and member checking. The study revealed the small business owners who participated in this study had not experienced insurmountable barriers to their use of social media marketing. However, participants cited difficulties relating to the cost and time involved in social media marketing and the lack of suitable training. The 4 main themes that emerged relating to the perceived benefits of social media marketing were cost, convenience, ability to reach a large audience, and benefits relating to visual marketing. The study has implications for the success of the small business sector as well as the U.S. economy because data yielded insight into effective practice in social media marketing in the small retail clothing industry, as well as the types of barriers and difficulties that small business owners must overcome. This study has potential for social change because knowledge about the barriers to social media marketing could empower small businesses, especially in Chicago, to adopt strategies to overcome barriers, thereby remaining competitive and adding to the stability of small businesses as a significant source of jobs and economic growth.

Leaders of North American nonprofit healthcare organizations require funding from international markets but lack the resources to reach these markets through traditional marketing or the skills to reach them through digital marketing, a cost-effective alternative. The purpose of this multiple case study was to document digital fundraising strategies successfully used to reach international markets by the marketing leaders of 5 North American nonprofit healthcare organizations. Participants in the study were involved in implementing digital fundraising strategies. Marketing systems theory was the framework for the study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analysis of documents that illustrated the digital marketing techniques of each organization. Interview transcripts and documents were examined to identify key ideas, and then analyzed using cross-case analysis to identify common themes. Included in the findings were themes such as the importance of cultural understanding, the value of message translation, the power of partnership with local organizations, and the effectiveness of e-mail marketing. The findings from this study may result in social change by increasing revenue and growth for nonprofit healthcare organizations, making them better able to provide services to all members.

The Office of the Inspector General in the Department of Justice reported cases of government contracting employees accepting bribes totaling over $540 million within a 6-year period. The purpose of this case study was to explore the perceptions of government contracting managers regarding the knowledge needed to mitigate employees' unethical behaviors when administering government contracts. Previous studies on government contracting employees' unethical behaviors focused on employees' behaviors, but lacked data concerning managers' roles in mitigating employees' unethical behaviors. The study's conceptual framework was stakeholder theory. The data were gathered through semistructured interviews conducted with 21 government contracting managers in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States and from company documents. Data from the semistructured interviews and company documents were analyzed, coded, and then grouped into categories using a modified content analysis technique. Key themes suggested that to mitigate government contracting employees' unethical behaviors, these government contracting managers required continued training. These managers also found trust to be vital to dissiminating ethical requirements to employees, and they also reported benefits to conducting ethical government contracting. Member checking of participants' responses strengthened credibility and trustworthiness of these interpretations. Findings and recommendations from this study may contribute to positive social change by improving training and ethical standards in government contracting, which could lead to enhancing societal trust in government contracting organizations.

Between the years 2013 and 2016, e-commerce sales grew as a percent of total retail sales in the United States from 5.8% to 8.5%, an increase of $129 billion. Some brick-and-mortar (B & M) retailers struggle with maintaining the historic levels of revenue in their stores. A multiple case study design with retail store managers was used to understand what factors engage customers to shop at B & M store locations. The consumer-dominant value creation logic was the conceptual framework. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 5 retail store managers in Texas who demonstrated successful strategies for engaging customers in their B & M stores, and notes from observations. Data from semistructured interviews were analyzed with a traditional method to identify themes. The found themes included fun at work, customer connection, relationship, pride, and genuine care. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to enhance the economic vitality and development in the surrounding community by creating additional jobs and generating additional income for members of the community that could be spent in local economies.