Electronic Theses and Dissertations (2010 - Present)
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10657/1
The University of Houston Libraries collect and make publicly available all electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) produced in UH graduate and PhD programs through the UH institutional repository. ETDs become available after the student submits them to the UH Graduate School, the document is approved by all appropriate parties, and any embargo on the document expires.
Collection Scope
UH Libraries began publishing ETDs from several UH Colleges in 2010. As of Summer 2014, all UH Colleges that require a thesis or dissertation for graduation began submitting these documents in electronic format. Below is a list of UH Colleges that currently participate in the ETD program and their coverage dates in this repository.
UH College | Coverage Dates |
---|---|
C.T. Bauer College of Business | 2010-Present |
Cullen College of Engineering | 2012-Present |
Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management | 2015-Present |
College of Education | 2010-Present |
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences | 2012-Present |
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics | 2012-Present |
College of Optometry | 2010-Present |
College of Pharmacy | 2010-Present |
College of Technology | 2012-Present |
K. G. McGovern College of the Arts | 2016-Present |
G. D. Hines College of Architecture & Design | 2016-Present |
Graduate College of Social Work | 2012-Present |
Additional Information
- Online access for content outside these coverage dates may be available electronically through ProQuest.
Note: As of Fall 2017, all theses and dissertations produced at UH will be submitted to ProQuest. Additionally, some UH Colleges have contributed content to ProQuest at different periods of time in the past. - For print theses and dissertations found outside these coverage dates, please consult UH Libraries’ catalog.
- Additional information on submitting ETDs can be found at the UH Graduate School.
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Browsing Electronic Theses and Dissertations (2010 - Present) by Author "Abbott, JéAnna L."
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Item Corporate Social Responsibility in the Brazilian Lodging Industry: A Perspective of Small and Medium-Sized Properties(2016-05) Fernandes Guzzo, Renata; Koh, Yoon; Back, Ki-Joon; Abbott, JéAnna L.This study investigates the extent to which corporate social responsibilities (CSR) activities are communicated by small and medium-sized accommodation properties (SMPs) in a developing country, Brazil. Findings then were compared to the CSR activities of the top 150 lodging companies worldwide. For the comparison purposes, 150 Brazilian SMPs were selected randomly and content analysis done of 150 individual websites. The results show significant differences between the two groups and in two levels of communication. Content-wise, Brazilian companies paid more attention to society/community wellbeing and diversity/accessibility whereas the top 150 companies emphasized employment quality, society/community wellbeing, and environmental goals. Further comparison was made with regard level of communication and significant differences were found between commitments and initiatives. Brazilian lodging SMPs demonstrated to be in an incipient stage regarding CSR, where companies are mainly focusing on categories that tend to bring short-term benefits or had legal requirements rather than those that indicate a deeper social responsibility.Item Perceived Inclusion Climate for Leadership Diversity: Conceptualization and Scale Development(2023-05-15) Gip, Huy; Guchait, Priyanko; Madera, Juan M.; Abbott, JéAnna L.; Okumus, FevziGrowing concerns exist regarding a lack of diverse representation at the leadership level throughout all employment sectors nationwide. While organizations have taken steps to improve diversity and inclusionary work practices for employees, limited studies investigate how employees’ inclusion climate perceptions can be fostered through policies that promote the acceptance of leadership diversity. Moreover, no instrument exists in the literature or industry that measures employees’ perceived inclusion climate for leadership diversity. Therefore, the current study aims to fill this void in the literature by developing a Perceived Inclusion Climate for Leadership Diversity (PICLD) Scale. Study 1 details three phases for generating and checking for face and content validity of scale items. In phase one, interviews were conducted with four leaders and four employees in the hospitality sector using an inductive approach. Interview data were used to add, delete, refine, or modify a pool of scale items generated to measure the new PICLD construct. In phase two, this study conducted a face validity check for the 13 scale items developed to measure the new construct. In phase three, a content validity check was conducted on the 13 items designed to measure the new PICLD construct. In total, the new PICLD construct has a total of 12 measurement items. Study 2 extended the new PICLD Scale’s nomological network by testing its relationship with other variables (i.e., diversity beliefs, organizational justice, performance, engagement, and turnover intention) to complete the scale development process. The results indicate that PICLD positively correlates with employees’ perceptions of organizational justice. Moreover, diversity beliefs did not moderate the relationship between PICLD and organizational justice as predicted. Finally, organizational justice had a significant mediation effect between all three proposed relationships: PICLD with performance, PICLD with engagement, and PICLD with turnover intentions. In conclusion, the newly developed PICLD Scale contributes to literature and can be adopted by scholars studying diversity, equity, inclusion, and leadership. Moreover, the results indicate that PICLD has a significant and positive relationship with employees’ perceptions of organizational justice, indirectly influencing their work behaviors, such as performance, engagement, and turnover intentions. This dissertation provides various theoretical and practical implications on the importance of fostering an inclusive climate that promotes the acceptance of leadership diversity and how it can influence employees’ working behaviors.Item Sexual Harassment: Evaluating Organizational Responsibility Attributions and Organizational Responses to Minimize Liablity(2013-12) Abbott, JéAnna L.; Elkins Longacre, Teri; Phillips, James S.; Werner, Steve; Ahearne, MichaelSexual harassment in the workplace remains a serious problem for organizations despite numerous federal and state laws that have been enacted to combat its existence. An allegation of sexual harassment and legal claims stemming from those allegations can be devastating for the victim, for the transgressor, and for the organization in which the harassment has been purported. This dissertation has three papers addressing this important topic. The first paper, “Apologies: Their Psychological Bases.” explores how victims perceive their employer’s responses to sexual harassment claims. Specifically, it explores whether an apology by the organization is even a plausible solution considering that it may be deemed an admission of liability, and assuming that the apology is protected by law: does the apology accomplish its underlying goal of reducing the negative effects of a sexual harassment claim? The second paper, “States’ Apology Laws: A Summary,” summarizes states’ apology laws, provides an overview of apology effectiveness, and discusses directions for future research on the use of an apology as an organizationally-relevant conflict resolution strategy. In the first two papers, apologies are posited to be effective tools in combating the negative consequences of sexual harassment claims. In the third paper, one of many important empirical issues is addressed to further consolidate our understanding of how and when to use apologies as effective conflict-resolution mechanisms. Paper three poses the question of what role attributed responsibility for harassment plays in alleged victims’ reactions to the transgression. I answer this question through an empirical study using an experimental design. Paper three suggests that victims are more likely to engage in legal claiming behavior when they attribute responsibility to the organization versus the alleged transgressor.Item Shattering the Glass Ceiling to Sliding off the Glass Cliff: Increasing Inclusion in Hospitality Management(2022-04) Russen, Michelle Ann; Dawson, Mary; Abbott, JéAnna L.; Madera, Juan M.; Kitterlin-Lynch, MirandaFeelings of exclusion have been linked to increased burnout, counterproductive work behaviors, lowered self-esteem, and reduced feelings of thriving at work, which are all issues for hospitality organizations in the fight to retain employees and managers. Happiness, attachment to the organization, and a desire to work with coworkers are outcomes of providing an inclusive environment. The purpose of this dissertation was to, (1) develop a theory that provides a framework for inclusion in leadership within the hospitality industry to understand how these organizations may develop an inclusive environment; and (2) test the framework for accuracy and determine outcomes of an inclusive environment. First, constructivist grounded theory methods based upon 20 semi-structured interviews were used to develop the leadership inclusion theory (LIT). This theory states individual, organizational, and societal levels of inclusion must be addressed first within an organization, then equitable practices should be placed to provide a more diverse workforce, which finally leads to more positive organizational and employee outcomes. Individual-level inclusion is comprised of teamwork and transformational leadership. Organizational-level inclusion is comprised of diversity management and inclusive culture. Societal-level inclusion is comprised of generational differences and attitudes toward women and minorities as managers. LIT posits once inclusion at all levels is addressed, organizations must distribute equitable remuneration and talent management to all staff members because this will lead to higher levels of diversity due to perceptions they too will be valued. Second, the inclusion portion of the theory that was developed in study one was tested with 302 responses from current hospitality managers. The leadership inclusion framework (LIF) was described as a higher-order model whereby individual, organizational, and societal inclusion were the higher-order factors, and their respective items were the lower-order factors. An EFA was utilized to ensure that each measurement was its own construct and adaptions were adequate, which was then followed by a CFA to ensure fit with the data. A hierarchical SEM was used to test the hypotheses on the final model. With a significant correlation, individual and organizational inclusion are higher-order factors while generational differences was the sole representation of societal inclusion. Individual and organizational inclusion and generational differences were found to be significant predictors of hospitality managers’ job satisfaction, organizational justice perceptions, employee engagement, and intent to stay.Item The Importance of Error Management in Hospitality Organizations:Evidences from Error Management Culture and Error Tolerance(2019-05) Wang, Xingyu; Guchait, Priyanko; Abbott, JéAnna L.; Madera, Juan M.; Eisenberger, RobertIdentified as two core components of the organizational error management, error management culture and error tolerance have been found to be effective managerial tools that shape employees’ positive job attitudes and behaviors. However, there is a dearth of research that helps better understanding the emotional and cognitive underlying mechanisms linking error management practices and employees’ work performance, especially in the error-prone hospitality industry. Study 1 examines the impacts of the error management culture on employees’ emotional exhaustion and service recovery performance through two discrete emotional paths: gratitude and anxiety. Across three-wave data collected from 218 hotel employees, the results showed that anxiety and gratitude mediated the relationship between error management culture and emotional exhaustion. Moreover, employees’ emotional exhaustion had a significant negative relationship with service recovery performance rated by their supervisors. Study 2 aims to investigate the impacts of error tolerance on employees’ perceived psychological safety and learning behavior, which in turn, influence service recovery performance and error reporting. Using data collected among 234 restaurant employees, this study revealed that error tolerance is positively related to employees’ service recovery performance and error reporting, through the mediating role of perceived psychological safety and learning behavior. The findings of study 1 and 2 shed light on the important roles error management can play in shaping and developing positive cognitions, emotions, and work performance among hospitality employees. As a managerial strategy, the organizational error management is able to turn the frequently-occurred and often negatively-perceived error situations into a unique occasion to 1) shape positive moral emotion (e.g., gratitude); 2) eliminate negative affective strain following the stress-producing environment (e.g., anxiety); 3) reinforce psychological safety; and 4) promote learning. In addition, these positive emotional and cognitive outcomes that resulted from organizational error management had a strong positive relationship with employees’ service recovery performance and error reporting behavior. Therefore, managers of hospitality organizations should hold a more positive view toward error occurrence and adopt a proactive error management strategy to not only better handle errors, but also form employees’ job attitudes, emotions, as well as behaviors that contribute to the creation of a positive work environment and organizational effectiveness.Item The Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on Job Seekers and Employees: A Lodging Industry Perspective(2020-05) Fernandes Guzzo, Renata; Abbott, JéAnna L.; Madera, Juan M.; Dawson, Mary; Werner, SteveOrganizations have been proactively seeking to address not only shareholders' value but also broader societal challenges. Still, owners and leaders often engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) without knowing how they can affect stakeholder’s perceptions and behaviors (De Roeck & Maon, 2018). There is an increasing interest in CSR in hospitality, and although employees are vital stakeholders in services industries and play critical roles in implementing CSR activities, questions regarding under which circumstances CSR affects employees remain (Rhou & Singal, 2020). Specifically, research on how, when, or why CSR influences prospective and current employees, is limited (Jones, Willness, & Heller, 2016; Rhou & Singal, 2020). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanisms that influence the relationship between CSR and employees’ (prospective and current) individual and work outcomes. Study 1 draws from signaling theory to investigate the causal effect of CSR on job seekers’ intentions to apply for a hotel position. A between-subjects design experiment was conducted to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that CSR messages in a job offer had a positive effect on pursuit intentions through perceived value fit (PVF) and the sequential mediation effect of PVF and anticipated organizational support (AOS). Also, when job seekers’ community values were high, the influence of CSR on pursuit intentions through PVF was significantly stronger only when financial values were low. When job seekers financial values were low, independent of their community values, the effect of CSR on pursuit intentions through PVF was always significant. Study 2 draws from social identity theory and affect theory of social exchange, aiming to understand how employees’ CSR participation promotes well-being and positive extra-role behaviors. A survey was conducted to test the theoretical model, and PLS-SEM was used to test the hypotheses. Findings revealed that hotel employees’ CSR perceptions had a significant effect on their CSR participation. Employees’ CSR participation, in turn positively influenced their hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Only eudaimonic well-being influenced loyalty boosterism. The mediation effect of eudaimonic well-being between CSR participation and loyal boosterism was also significant. This study offers several theoretical and practical contributions. Knowing that very few studies can be found related to CSR and recruitment in hospitality (Rhou & Singal, 2020), this study expands the literature by investigating important signaling mechanisms and by evaluating personal values. Besides, most studies in hospitality test the effects of CSR perceptions and omit the actual behavioral aspect of engagement in CSR activities (Supanti & Butcher, 2019). Aiming to address this gap, Study 2 provided empirical evidence of the effects of CSR participation as an antecedent of individual and work-outcomes. Moreover, study 2 is among the first attempts to empirically demonstrate the impact of CSR on both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in hospitality. This research might be of particular relevance for corporate leaders and managers who want to create and develop a CSR culture that helps in attracting, developing, and retaining employees.