Small businesses, constituting over 90% of enterprises worldwide, are pivotal to global economic growth but often face resource constraints that impede innovation and competitive advantage (World Bank, 2020; SBA, 2021). This study examines the roles of Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO)—encompassing innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking—and Big Data Analytic Capability (BDAC) in fostering Business Model Innovation (BMI) within small businesses. Grounded in the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory, the research investigates whether BDAC moderates the proposed relationship between EO and both novelty-centered and efficiency-centered BMI. A quantitative survey was administered to 190 small business owners and top managers in the United States across diverse industries, revealing key demographic insights such as an average participant age of 44 years and businesses averaging 13 years in operation with 21 employees.
The findings indicate that EO dimensions have differential impacts on BMI: innovativeness and proactiveness are significant positive predictors of novelty-centered BMI, while risk-taking significantly predicts efficiency-centered BMI. BDAC exhibits a strong positive effect on both dimensions of BMI, underscoring its critical role in enabling innovation. Contrary to expectations, BDAC does not moderate the relationship between EO dimensions and BMI, suggesting that EO and BDAC independently contribute to business model innovation in small businesses. These results highlight the importance for small business leaders to independently develop entrepreneurial qualities and data analytics capabilities to enhance innovation outcomes. The study contributes to the literature by elucidating the distinct roles of EO dimensions and BDAC and recommends that future research explore conditions under which EO and BDAC may interact synergistically, potentially involving additional moderating variables or different organizational contexts.
KAREN ROSHAUN MCLEAN. Exploring Post-secondary Educational Experiences of Black Women with Learning Disabilities: Multiple Case Study
(Under the direction of DR. CHANCE LEWIS)
The road to obtaining an education has not been easy for Black women. Without any mental impairments, Black women have to prove themselves within educational spaces to display themselves as worthy of obtaining higher education. Even with the many obstacles that Black women have encountered in their pursuit of an education, various narratives serve as evidence that even amongst adversity, Black women still rise. Throughout history, numerous accounts of Black women have made tremendous gains in education. Scholars such as Mary McLeod Bethune, Charlotte Hawkins Brown, Lucy Laney, Fanny Jackson, and Nannie Helen Burroughs have demonstrated the strides that Black women have made within education (Collier-Thomas, 1982). Not new to the literature are the educational experiences of Black women. Unfortunately, what is lacking in the literature are the educational experiences of Black women with learning disabilities enrolled in postsecondary institutions. Using a critical lens, the goal of this study was to explore the post-secondary educational experiences of three Black women diagnosed with learning disabilities and how these experiences impacted their lives past, present, and future.
Keywords: Black women, learning disabilities, post-secondary, resilience, transition
In this quasi-experimental, mixed methods study, a curricular intervention was tested to determine whether adding labs and discussions focused on both psychosocial and math content skills to an online college algebra course could boost student achievement and retention. College algebra has notably low success rates in the United States. The labs and discussions were designed based on Keller's ARCS Model of Motivation, and the psychosocial factors examined were motivation, self-efficacy, self-regulation, attribution, and anxiety, all significant in prior community college research.
The study compared 29 students from an 8-week course with full treatment and 49 students from 16-week courses with partial treatment to results from students in previous years' business-as-usual courses at a community college. Results showed that the treatment improved achievement and retention when compared to prior sections taught by the researcher and those taught by other instructors. Students' attribution of their success or failure, as well as the other four PSFs, were also analyzed. While quantitative measures showed no significant change in psychosocial factors, student reflections suggested some improvement. Interestingly, adult learners were particularly affected by the interventions. A regression model based solely on psychosocial factors predicted student achievement without consideration of demographics or background. Future research aims to expand the sample size, involve more instructors, and refine the research tools to confirm these findings.
Background: Effective anesthetic management is essential for managing elective orthopedic spine surgeries. Dexmedetomidine (DEX), a highly selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, has emerged as a promising adjunct in anesthetic practice. Using DEX after surgery can provide benefits such as reduced opioid requirements, stable hemodynamics, and minimal respiratory depression (Hwang et al., 2015; Okello et al., 2018). However, its postoperative outcomes are not well studied. Purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to assess the effects of intraoperative DEX administration on hemodynamic stability, pain control, and respiratory outcomes in patients undergoing elective lumbosacral spine surgeries. Methods: Utilizing a descriptive correlational design and retrospective quantitative data analysis data from 50 patient charts, aged 35-75 undergoing 1-3 level lumbosacral spine surgeries at a tertiary community care hospital, were collected and analyzed to explore the postoperative effects of using DEX as compared to not using DEX. Results: No significant differences were found between the DEX and non-DEX groups in terms of hemodynamics stability, pain scores, or respiratory events. However, DEX was associated with a safe postoperative profile, with no increase in adverse effects like hypotension or bradycardia. Conclusion: DEX did not significantly improve outcomes, but it showed evidence of having a safe profile, making it a viable option in multimodal anesthesia. Further investigation is needed to explore its impact on opioid use and broader surgical outcomes.
Keywords: dexmedetomidine, lumbosacral spine surgery, hemodynamic stability, respiratory events, pain management, postoperative outcomes
Surgery causes the body to enter a catabolic state, which can lead to complications in the postoperative period. However, protocols have been created to overcome this state, starting preoperatively with surgical and anesthetic approaches. Therefore, we explored the implementation of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol compared to non-ERAS care at a rural hospital in South Charlotte for patients undergoing laparoscopic or robotic-assisted hysterectomies. Our overarching clinical question was: In 30- to 70-year-old female patients who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomies (with or without robotics), how did the use of an ERAS protocol compare to traditional care impact postoperative pain scores, postoperative nausea and vomiting, or length of stay at a community hospital in South Charlotte? Data were collected via a retrospective chart review of 50 charts per age group (30-50 years old and 51-70 years old), and information was analyzed using descriptive and correlational statistics. The retrospective chart review for this QI project found no significant difference in the medications provided in the preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative setting, thus leading to no significant difference in postoperative pain, PONV, or length of stay between the ERAS and non-ERAS groups at this specific site. However, this is not a negative outcome. This showed that regardless of the surgeon’s particular order, most patients received multimodal anesthesia; therefore, if all patients received multimodal anesthesia, there should be an overall decrease in PONV, PACU pain, and LOS.
The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project aims to assess current practice at a large level one trauma center and compare it to the most recent clinical guidelines. With this data, the project will determine if anesthesia practitioners are following evidence based guidelines. It is essential providers follow clinical guidelines to ensure patients are not underdosed or overdosed when given neuromuscular reversal agents.
In patients aged 18-44 undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgeries requiring neuromuscular paralysis, how is sugammadex administered for neuromuscular blockade reversal at a large level one trauma center, compared to current evidence based guidelines? This includes train of four count, weight-based dosing, and timing of extubation.
The purpose of this quality improvement project aims to assess current practice at a large level one trauma center and compare it to the most recent clinical guidelines. With this data, the project will determine if anesthesia practitioners are following evidence based guidelines. It is essential providers follow clinical guidelines to ensure patients are not underdosed or overdosed when given neuromuscular reversal agents.
In patients aged 18 to 44 years undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgeries requiring neuromuscular paralysis, how is neostigmine administered for neuromuscular blockade reversal at a large level one trauma center compared to current evidence based guidelines? This includes train of four count, weight-based dosing, and timing of extubation.
Background: Dexmedetomidine (DEX), a selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, has been shown to have a promising role in decreasing opioid consumption, normalized hemodynamics, and minimizing respiratory depression in spine surgeries. However, its postoperative outcomes are not well studied. Purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to assess the effects of intraoperative DEX on hemodynamic stability, pain control, and respiratory outcomes in patients undergoing elective lumbosacral spine surgeries. Methods: Using a retrospective, descriptive correlational design the data from 50 patients aged 35-75 undergoing 1-3 level lumbosacral spine surgeries at a Level 1 trauma center was analyzed. Postoperative outcomes between patients who received DEX and those who did not were compared. Results: No significant differences were found between the DEX and non-DEX groups in terms of hemodynamic stability, pain scores, or respiratory events. However, DEX was associated with a safe postoperative profile, with no increase in adverse effects like hypotension or bradycardia. Conclusion: DEX did not significantly improve outcomes, but it showed evidence of having a safe profile, making it a viable option in multimodal anesthesia. Further research is needed to explore its impact on opioid use and broader surgical outcomes.
Background: Dexmedetomidine (DEX), a selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, has been shown to have a promising role in decreasing opioid consumption, normalized hemodynamics, and minimizing respiratory depression in spine surgeries. However, its postoperative outcomes are not well studied. Purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to assess the effects of intraoperative DEX on hemodynamic stability, pain control, and respiratory outcomes in patients undergoing elective lumbosacral spine surgeries. Methods: Using a retrospective, descriptive correlational design the data from 50 patients aged 35-75 undergoing 1-3 level lumbosacral spine surgeries at a Level 1 trauma center was analyzed. Postoperative outcomes between patients who received DEX and those who did not were compared. Results: No significant differences were found between the DEX and non-DEX groups in terms of hemodynamic stability, pain scores, or respiratory events. However, DEX was associated with a safe postoperative profile, with no increase in adverse effects like hypotension or bradycardia. Conclusion: DEX did not significantly improve outcomes, but it showed evidence of having a safe profile, making it a viable option in multimodal anesthesia. Further research is needed to explore its impact on opioid use and broader surgical outcomes.
Preoperative anxiety is a common problem for patients undergoing general anesthesia and can create untoward hemodynamic effects for patients in the operating room. Dexmedetomidine is an Alpha-2 adrenergic agonist commonly used for sedation by continuous infusion. Dexmedetomidine is now used for preoperative anxiolysis, however, there are no clinical recommendations for dosing and appropriate patient selection. Due to the hemodynamics of the medication, administration can result in the adverse effects of hypotension and bradycardia.
The Quality Improvement project consisted of a retrospective chart review of 100 patients. 50 patients were aged 65-85 at a large urban trauma center and 50 patients were aged 45-64 at a smaller affiliate site. The dose of dexmedetomidine ranged from 4 to 20 micrograms.
At both sites, heart rate change was not significantly associated with age, ASA status, or dexmedetomidine dose. Blood pressure change was not significantly associated with age, ASA, or dexmedetomidine dose.
This project found that in patients aged 46-85 at both sites doses of 4-20mcg for anxiolysis did not commonly result in bradycardia or hypotension. This suggests that it is safe to administer small doses of dexmedetomidine up to 20 mcg without the need for vasopressor support to lessen preoperative anxiety.