Retaining Military Veterans in the Civilian Workforce

With veteran retention rates as low as 20% to 35%, in the first two years post-service transition, organizations need to have a better understanding of the factors that affect veteran churn (Ford, 2017). This high rate of churn has a huge financial impact on employers, costing billions of dollars in addition to the loss of productivity. In addition to the high cost for employers, veterans are also negatively impacted by post-service employment churn with periods of unemployment, difficulty assimilating into civilian culture, a lack of peer and social support, and social isolation. This study provides a systematic review of the literature regarding the factors affecting veteran churn rates and how organizations can increase veteran retention. The findings of this research discussed six common themes that contribute to veteran retention and attrition: social/peer support, culture, mental and physical disabilities and functional impairment, supportive leadership, cultural competency, and mismatched job skills. The themes were viewed through the theoretical lens of social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) and Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy of needs. The article provides concrete recommendations for employers that may help to reduce veteran churn, saving employers money and improving the veteran transition process. The recommendations, for employers, on the findings and flow through the theoretical lens and consist of: 1) culturally competent hiring and training, and 2) social/peer support and supportive leadership.

Toxic Leadership in the Military

In over 40 years in the workplace, I have witnessed creativity and communication stifled because of toxic leadership. Though my experience was in the military and my research was with the military, my goal is to better understand toxic leadership to inform potential mitigation techniques that are applicable to both business and military environments. Toxic leaders tend to draw conclusions hastily without thinking about viable alternative conclusions. They tend to weave a negative story out of the facts known to them and not appreciate that there is information or facts they do not know. My research suggests toxic leadership exists because senior leaders, those leaders above the toxic leader, allow it to exist, either unwittingly or knowingly. Furthermore, non-toxic leaders can create toxic environments by their inaction or inability to make timely decisions. That inaction allows problems to develop, then fester and ultimately, creates a toxic environment. Also, non-toxic leaders can create toxic environments by not dealing with incompetent subordinates, like the senior leader who allows a toxic leader to continue to act out toxic behaviors. Incompetent subordinates generate problems that can contribute to a toxic environment due to their technical shortcomings or low EQ (emotional quotient). The most effective mitigation is confronting and reporting toxic leader behaviors when they occur.

Investigating Market and Regulatory Forces Shaping Artificial Intelligence Adoptions

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. Consequently, there has been considerable hype, interest, and even misinformation in the media regarding this emergent technology. Practitioners and academics alike are interested in learning how this market functions in order to make evidence-based decisions regarding its adoption. The purpose of this manuscript is to perform a systematic examination of the current market dynamics as well as identify future growth opportunities for the benefit of incumbents in addition to firms seeking to enter the AI market. The primary research question is: how do market and governmental forces reportedly shape AI adoptions? Drawing on predominantly practitioner focused literature, along with several seminal academic sources, the article begins by examining and mapping stakeholders in the market. This approach allows for the identification and analysis of key stakeholders. Semiconductor and cloud computing firms play a substantive role in the AI adoption ecosystem as they wield substantial power as revealed in this analysis. Subsequently, the TOE framework, which includes the technology, organization and environmental contexts, is applied in order to understand the role of these forces in shaping the AI market. This analysis demonstrates that large firms have a significant competitive advantage due to their extensive data collection and management capabilities in addition to attracting data scientists and high performing analytics professionals. Large firms are actively acquiring small and medium sized AI businesses in order to expand their offerings, particularly in dynamic emerging fields such as facial recognition technology and deep learning.

Warren Buffett Faces Insider Trading: A Case Study

In March 2011, Warren Buffett stepped into chaos. The Chairman of one of Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries, David Sokol, had resigned his position, but there was more to the story. As soon as Buffett is informed of the insider trading claim, the situation turns into a decision-making problem with four core elements: 1) Managerially difficult; 2) Emotionally charged; 3) Intense media coverage; 4) Ethical and moral paradox. This case study explores the issues and Buffett’s response to the insider trading example.

Case Study: A Systematic Review of the Most Effective Career Training Programs for a Workforce Board

A systematic review was conducted for a state-sponsored workforce board, a non-profit quasi-governmental workforce development organization located in the northeastern U.S., to determine what are the most effective career training programs in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, hospitality, and marine economy industries for job seekers in U.S. based organizations. The absorptive capacity theory was utilized in examining the research problem through a theoretical lens. The results indicated that on-the-job training (OJT) was found to be the most effective training technique across all the industries. Career advising was also considered a crucial element of career training within the healthcare, hospitality, and marine economy industries. Recommendations for the workforce board included revamping their current OJT program and connecting with career advisors at the local high schools. Industry-specific recommendations for the workforce board included providing academic support in healthcare, workforce flexibility in advanced manufacturing, multilingual training in hospitality, and exposure to oceanic concepts in academics for the marine economy.

What Factors Can Increase the Supply of Missing Middle Housing Types in Walkable Urban Core Neighborhoods? A Qualitative Study

There is a need for a variety of low-rise housing types in walkable urban core neighborhoods. These housing types once existed in the urban core but are now missing. Daniel Parolek (CNU, 2018) proposed bringing back the Missing Middle Housing (MMH) types as one way to increase the supply. However, the risks of regulations, neighborhood opposition to increased densities, and apparent under-capitalization due to financing restrictions deter suppliers (developers) from helping to increase the supply. This qualitative study utilizing a grounded theory approach examines experts and industry leaders in the field supporting the claim that MMH types are “missing.” A risk, risk reduction and capital flow mapping that influence supply emerged at the thematic portion of the research. This research suggests there is a willingness to solve the MMH types issues by mitigating the risks of all three factors of neighborhood opposition to density, lack of developer, and lender interests due to regulation and costs which inhibit supply. Further research is necessary for mitigating the risks and infusing capital with the power brokers, the capital investors, and the suppliers.

Chamber of Commerce Leaders: How aligned are they for success?

There are over 7,000 chambers of commerce in the United States. Most are led by a paid staff Executive who serves for multiple years as a fulltime employee. They are also driven by a volunteer Chairperson who, typically, serves for one year. Working together is critical for organizational success.

Practitioner Driven Action Research…Created by a Practitioner, for Practitioners!

The dissertation culminates in an artifact creation called the Practitioner Driven Action Research (PDAR) framework. It was conceptualized, refined, and field-tested during a yearlong Action Research project at the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). PDAR focuses on immediate problem-solving and driving practitioners towards adopting action-driven outcomes grounded in Action Research. The framework seeks to help practitioners across USSOCOM approach organizational problem-solving more systematically and scientifically along with better integrating academic resources into the process.

Nudging Small Business Owners to Adopt Workplace Retirement Plans

Lack of workplace retirement plan adoption by small business owners is driving todays retirement savings crisis. This paper addresses how the use of two artefacts that were developed and implemented using nudging principles influenced small business owners to adopt workplace retirement plans at a much higher rate.

Which cultural interventions most effectively reduce retaliatory behavior within organizations

The purpose of this systematic review is to explore retaliation within organizations and their culture. Specifically, this research examines extant scholarly literature regarding retaliation and how senior leaders, managers, and workers can help reduce it. Further, this study provides organizations intervention recommendations to help mitigate retaliation in small and medium organizations. In this study, complex adaptive systems (CASs) theory was found to be an appropriate mechanism for exploring and understanding how to mitigate retaliation effectively in the workplace. CASs is a people-based, people-driven, and behaviorally focused framework that requires collaboration and shared responsibility among the individual agents and agent-groups sharing a particular system, rather than just the system’s leaders or workers. This qualitative systematic review presents consistent evidence that in organizations retaliation can be reduced by: (1) promoting a culture of collective identity and justice; (2) using structures that maintain and restore justice; and (3) using training and pro-social relations to reinforce the organization’s cultural values. Based on the themes found in the research, three recommendations emerge as cultural interventions that will effectively reduce retaliatory behavior within organizations: (1) institutionalize an organizational culture of collective identity and justice; (2) create a structure that maintains and restores justice; and (3) reinforce values and policies through training and positive social relations.