The nursing shortage and high turnover rates are a problem in the United States. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore leadership strategies that hospital senior nurse managers in the Rocky Mountain states use to improve nurse retention. Participants were 6 hospital senior nurse managers including 3 chief nursing officers, 1 assistant chief nursing officer, and 2 directors who had demonstrated effective leadership strategies in retention of nurses. The leadership-motivated excellence theory was the conceptual framework. Semistructured interviews with open-ended interview questions were used to collect data; organization websites and documents were used to help corroborate evidence for triangulation. Data were analyzed using Yin's data analysis method. The major themes were leadership and retention strategies. The leadership strategies were senior nurse managers guiding, coaching, and mentoring registered nurses, and the retention strategies were tools used to motivate and retain registered nurses. The results may bring about positive social change by providing hospitals with leadership strategies to retain nurses. Improved retention rates of registered nurses may enhance the competitive advantage for hospitals by improving patient satisfaction scores and improving care. This improvement may result in increased hospital reimbursements and may influence organizational commitment to improving patient outcomes.

Healthcare administrators can improve patient care and safety by stimulating nurse engagement as a means of improving internal relationships. The purpose of this case study was to explore engagement strategies that healthcare administrators use to stimulate nurse engagement. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 4 healthcare administrators in a Missouri hospital setting. The engagement theory informed the conceptual framework of the study. Data were analyzed using Yin's 5-step process that included compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding. Analysis revealed 4 major themes: teamwork, nurse and administrator communication, nurse recognition, and nurse empowerment. Strategies were identified through the exploration and analysis of the 4 themes, and the major findings included healthcare administrators increase trust with nurses by forming teams, and administrators who increase communication are more likely to stimulate nurse engagement. The social change implication for this study was that findings of nurse engagement may lead to improved patient care and contribute to a positive patient experience, which benefit patients and their families. Improved patient care may lead to greater faith and credence in medical care benefiting citizens, practitioners, and healthcare administrators.

The increase of students with an emotional and/or behavioral disorder (EBD) and the increased time they are in the regular education classroom presents multiple challenges for untrained regular classroom teachers. At the local site it was noted that leadership needed a deeper understanding of the practices used by the teachers with EBD students. The purpose of this study was to identify educator's descriptions of effective instructional strategies when working with EBD students. Using Vygotsky's theories of defectology and zone of proximal development as the framework, the guiding questions for this study focused on training, instructional strategies, and behavior management tools that teachers deemed successful in the inclusion classroom. Data were collected using a case study exploring the design with purposeful sampling strategies for participant recruitment. Two focus groups with 14 regular Kindergarten through fifth grade classroom teachers were conducted along with personal interviews with 5 behavior specialists. Data were analyzed using open and axial coding with iterative re-categorization strategies. The findings highlighted effective teaching strategies that focused on improving the overall educational experience in the inclusive classroom by targeting improvement of academic performance, social skills, communication techniques, and behavior management strategies. This study focused on a positive social change by positioning teachers to create a successful educational environment for all students. The study's project provided a culminating professional development project that presented the various strategies discovered during the data collection and analysis process.

Half of new businesses in the United States cease to exist after the first 5 years of operations, and the failure rate continues to increase after the first 10 years. The study was grounded on von Bertalanffy's systems theory to explore business strategies that small business restaurant owners use to sustain their business beyond 5 years. Data were collected by engaging 3 small restaurant business owners in the Little Rock, Arkansas metropolis who sustained their business beyond 5 years. Information obtained from face-to-face interviews and data mining organizational document were analyzed with the support of qualitative software to generate themes. Data analysis included semistructured interviews and review of business documents using data mining and coding keywords for thematic analysis. A total of 5 themes were discovered from the findings, which included formal and informal training, customer relationship, startup resources, capacity building, and consistent quality of food and services. The social change implications of the study include identifying strategies to sustain small restaurant business to create more jobs for local residents, which can positively impact the economic viability of the Little Rock area.

Employee turnover is an inherent challenge encountered by managers at nonprofit organizations. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies some community-based organization managers used to reduce employee turnover in western New York. Five organizational managers were selected who had successfully implemented strategies to reduce employee turnover. Herzberg's 2-factor theory was the conceptual framework for this doctoral study. Data collection occurred through semistructured interviews and review of organizational documents. Data analysis involved collecting data, organizing the data into codes and themes, and interpreting and revealing information about the themes. Member checking and methodological triangulation increased the validity and reliability of the study. The 3 themes that emerged from the study were building positive relationships to promote communication, offering employee training and advancement, and recognizing that compensation is an important factor but does not influence employee behavior. Recommendations for action include redesigning processes to change organizational culture and implementing strategies to mitigate employee resignations. The findings from this study may contribute to social change, because organizational managers could use the study results to reduce employee turnover, which could lead to increased service quality in communities.

Small used car dealership ventures experience high business failures in the marketplace. Grounded in the resource-based view (RBV) theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used car dealership owners and managers employ to remain profitable and sustain operations for longer than 5 years. In this study, 10 participants, including 5 owners and 5 managers from small used car dealerships in Colorado participated in face-to-face semistructured interviews. These participants have developed successful strategies to remain profitable for at least 5 years. Using methodological triangulation, field notes and documentary evidence supplemented the data collected through semistructured interviews. Through thematic analysis, 3 themes emerged from the research findings: customer care, aggressive marketing, and business knowledge. The findings showed the need for managers and owners of used car dealerships to employ strategies to compete in the marketplace and sustain growth. The positive social change resulting from this study includes the potential to increase small business successes, which could increase employment opportunities and the potential for job creation. The success of these small businesses could contribute positively to the economic empowerment of other related businesses and improve the economic wellbeing of communities through an increase in tax revenues and contributions to local nonprofit organizations.

Discrimination lawsuits can bankrupt organizations and are a continuous problem for many organizations. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies restaurant managers used to deter discrimination lawsuits. The conceptual framework for this study was a theory of 4Cs, which represent critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity. The targeted population consisted of 10 restaurant managers who have implemented successful strategies that reduced discrimination lawsuits, work in the Boston metropolitan area, and have 10 years of recent experience in the restaurant industry. Data were collected from face-to-face semistructured interviews, direct observation, and review of company document. Data analysis included methodological triangulation. Themes emerged from data analysis, including hiring practices, employee training, and discrimination prevention policies and procedures. Managers who practice these strategies and comply with the Equal Employment Opportunity law may reduce discrimination lawsuits, which may promote the self-worth, dignity, equality, and human rights for those who might otherwise suffer discrimination. The result of these managers' practices may contribute to social change, which may reduce bias, prejudice, and create a healthy society.

Banking leaders who fail to implement social media data-driven marketing strategies lose opportunities to increase customer market share through customer acquisition and retention, improved customer service, heightened brand awareness, customer cocreation, and relationship management. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies banking leaders used to integrate social media analytics into marketing strategies to increase customer market share. The target population was 6 senior bankers from 2 banks in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, with a significant social media presence, including 25,000 or more followers across 2 social media platforms. The disruptive innovation theory served as the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and a review of the organizations' public business documents, websites, and social media websites. Data were analyzed using coding to determine themes. By analyzing these sources and performing methodological triangulation, 8 key themes emerged that were categorized into 4 groupings: (a) social media knowledge management, (b) social media marketing strategy implementation, (c) social media data challenges and communication, and (d) social media competitive gain and future enhancements. The implications of this study for positive social change include social and environmental benefits such as creating jobs and economic growth through a corporate social responsibility initiative. Current and prospect customer bases, local communities, bankers, and stakeholders might benefit from the findings of this study.

Nigerian women who migrate to the United States are faced with complex social challenges as they acculturate to a new society. Stressful conditions and acculturation experiences may threaten the overall mental health of these immigrant women. The purpose of this study was to explore the acculturation experiences of Nigerian immigrant women living in the United States, identify stressors associated with the process, and highlight the coping strategies they employed. Stress and coping theory provided the theoretical framework for the study and phenomenological inquiry guided the research questions and method. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews. Content analysis and coding were utilized to find relevant themes. Participants described their immigration experiences as being difficult although they reported their lives are "much better now". The women adopted a positive, hard working attitude; relied on their faith in God; and sought mentors and a supportive community. Most participants reported being unaware of the resources available to them and more than half reported not having access to any resources. Participants reported receiving support from their friends, family members, and communities of faith. Research on the acculturative experiences of these women would be useful in developing gender specific programs that would support the integration process and reduce mental health issues that may arise as a result of acculturation stressors. In an advocacy effort towards social change, results from this study may inform service providers of Nigerian immigrant women's unique cultural needs as they acculturate to living in the United States.

Retail industry leaders seek effective strategies to improve employee motivation to increase levels of workforce productivity. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies successful retail industry leaders used to motivate their employees to achieve higher levels of workforce productivity. The conceptual framework for the study was Vroom's expectancy theory of motivation. The research participants consisted of 2 retail store managers from the same retail store located in southeastern mid-Atlantic region of the United States who successfully motivated their employees. Data collection consisted of semistructured interviews, direct observation, and review of company documents. Data analysis included theme interpretation and data grouping, as well as transcript reviews, and verified the emerging themes from the interview data. The 3 main themes developed from data analysis were workplace motivation, leading by example, and performance. Retail industry leaders might use the findings of this study to provide managers with strategies to motivate their staff. The implication of this study for social change is that retail leaders might apply strategies that engage employees in their jobs while maximizing the sustainability of the organization.