The National University System Repository exists to increase public access to research and other materials created by students and faculty of the affiliate institutions of National University System. Most items in the repository are open access, freely available to everyone.
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Item African American Owned Small Business: A Phenomenological Study Examining Success Strategies to Survive Five Years and Beyond(2025-12)Small businesses in the United States are vital to the economy's overall health, representing 99% of employer organizations. Small businesses provide critical resources to their communities by creating jobs, fostering economic stability, and building family wealth. However, only 49% survive for 5 years. African American owned small businesses (AAOSBs) experience the highest rates of failure compared to other racial groups and are four times less likely to succeed in business. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the skillsets and strategies required from the perspective of successful business owners in the Midwest region to help increase the survival rate of AAOSBs. AAOSBs are opening businesses faster than any other racial group, but struggle more when keeping their business open beyond 5 years. The problem identified was that AAOSB owners in the Midwest region often lacked the necessary skillsets and strategies, contributing to only 4% of AAOSBs surviving the first 5 years. The conceptual framework that guided this study was strategic planning and resource-based theory (RBT). Using a phenomenological qualitative design, data were collected through one-on-one semi-structured interviews of 20 AAOSB owners. All participants were successful AAOSB owners in business for 5 years or longer, representing Midwest states: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The business industries included fashion design, event planning, grocery store, healthcare, hospitality, professional hairstyling, restaurants, retail, and the beauty industry. The analysis was guided by Colazzi’s seven-step method and NVivo 14. Trustworthiness was established through reflective journaling, member checking, and triangulation of data. The skillsets and strategies identified were people management, time management, goal orientation, problem-solving, continuous learning, business planning, business strategy, marketing strategy, and resource management. Positive implications included managing resources to reach goals and achieve business success. Negative implications included the inability to obtain needed resources and failure to achieve business success. Recommendations for future research included conducting a quantitative or mixed-methods study to identify specific skillsets and strategies that correlate to specific business success metrics. Practice recommendations included conducting business planning, developing business strategies, creating a business and marketing plan, and hiring skilled employees.Item Investigating How the Use of Social Media by Senior Leaders in the United States Army Has Made a Significant Impact on the Lives of Soldiers Within Their Formations.(2026-03)This mixed-methods study examined the impact of senior Army leaders’ social media use on Soldiers’ lives within their formations. While social media has enhanced communication, accessibility, and leader–Soldier engagement, concerns persist regarding its effects on operational security, unit cohesion, discipline, and mental well-being. The study sought to understand how leaders’ digital presence influences Soldiers’ perceptions, morale, and trust, and to identify measures to mitigate associated risks while strengthening professional communication. Data were collected through surveys administered to 120 Soldiers and focus group discussions with 5–8 participants per session, providing both quantitative and qualitative insights. Findings revealed a critical disconnect between the increasing reliance on social media in modern leadership and the Army’s existing framework for regulating its use. Participants acknowledged the benefits of improved communication and transparency but also highlighted significant risks, including security vulnerabilities, erosion of professionalism, and negative impacts on mental health and unit cohesion. The study concludes that leaders’ social media presence is no longer solely personal but a professional extension of leadership that directly influences organizational climate. Recommendations include strengthening policy enforcement, enhancing leader education on responsible social media use, and integrating digital leadership practices into professional military development. These findings contribute to improving leadership effectiveness and safeguarding Soldiers in an increasingly digital operational environment.Item Advancing Equity for Women and Girls with Disabilities: A Small Wins Approach for Inclusive and Rights-Based Education(2026)This Open Educational Resource (OER) presents original research titled Advancing Equity for Women and Girls with Disabilities: A Small Wins Approach for Inclusive and Rights-Based Education. The research provides the conceptual foundation for a five-unit curriculum designed for secondary and postsecondary learners, equipping students to examine barriers to inclusion and advance rights-based educational practices. The OER first outlines the research framework supporting the curriculum and then presents the instructional modules in the Appendix. Women and girls with disabilities remain among the most marginalized learners globally, facing intersecting barriers shaped by gender, disability, poverty, culture, and structural inequality. This OER examines these inequities through a global lens and proposes the Small Wins strategy as a practical, evidence-informed approach to advancing inclusive education. Drawing on international frameworks, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 5, and 10), the work illustrates how incremental changes in policy, pedagogy, and school culture can collectively expand access, agency, and educational opportunity. Designed for educators in disability studies, gender studies, global education, and human rights education, this resource provides classroom-ready models, discussion pathways, and instructional examples demonstrating how Universal Design for Learning (UDL), culturally sustaining pedagogy, and rights-based teaching can translate global commitments into everyday educational practice. Ultimately, the analysis highlights how sustained, strategic small wins can generate meaningful and lasting change within educational systems. The Small Wins Approach to Gender and Disabilities Curriculum consists of the following modules: Module 1: The Global Landscape of Women, Girls, and Disabilities in Education Module 2: Barriers and Intersectionality: Violence, Poverty, Culture, and Policy Module 3: The “Small Wins” Strategy: Theory and Application Module 4: Education as Empowerment: Rights, Development, and Practice Module 5: Implementation Pathways: From Policy to PracticeItem The Impacts of Intergenerational Trauma on African Americans and their Perspectives on Seeking Mental Health Treatment(2026-03)This qualitative ethnographic study addresses the negative impact of intergenerational trauma on African Americans' perspectives on seeking mental health treatment in the U.S. The objective was to understand how cultural norms and practices shape perspectives on mental health and to explore how the history of intergenerational trauma can reduce willingness to seek mental health support. The study focused on African American adults aged 21 and over, using purposive sampling to select 14 participants who understood cultural values, customs, or beliefs and could serve as representatives. Social learning theory served as the foundation for this research. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews to obtain information on the negative impacts of intergenerational trauma. A narrative analysis was utilized for this study to identify key themes in each participant's experience. The research findings revealed a variety of themes, including effects of intergenerational trauma on African American communities, how cultural norms and practices shape mental health perspectives, and the impact of the history of intergenerational trauma. The findings of this research study identified several barriers resulting from intergenerational trauma, including mistrust of healthcare systems, financial hardship, limited access to care, and a lack of culturally competent providers. The results also highlighted the complex and sometimes contradictory roles that cultural factors play in shaping mental health perspectives and behaviors within African American communities. Based on these findings, this study offers three recommendations for practice. First, for African Americans to develop trust in the healthcare system, resources must be accessible, affordable, and tailored to their needs. Second, to minimize stigma, silence, and secrecy around help-seeking and mental health discussions, additional community spaces should be established to facilitate dialogue about the benefits of mental health services. Third, African American communities should focus on reshaping their self-narrative, prioritizing self-perception over societal views.Item An Examination on the Challenges that Black Women Experience in Starting a Business in Georgia: A Phenomenological Study(2026-03)The problem addressed in this study was the challenges that Black women entrepreneurs experienced when starting and sustaining a business in Georgia (Williams, 2024). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the challenges that Black women entrepreneurs experience when starting a business in Georgia and to identify strategies that promote business sustainability and success. This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of 15 Black women entrepreneurs who owned or sustained businesses in Georgia, focusing on the systemic challenges they encountered during business initiation and sustainability. The intersectionality theory and disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship examined how gendered racism, discrimination, and institutionalized chauvinism converged to shape entrepreneurial trajectories. The disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship posits that Black women pursue entrepreneurship not solely for opportunities but also due to exclusion from traditional labor markets and systemic racial barriers that hinder financial success. The phenomenological approach was employed to obtain rich narratives that illustrated structural and relational constraints, including funding issues, lack of support, non-acceptance, and racial and gender discrimination from dominant entrepreneurial networks, and persistent racialized and gendered bias. Participants provided strategic insights for rising Black women entrepreneurs and emphasized the importance of community building, mentorship, resilience, and engagement in professional development. Based on the findings, Black women-owned businesses in Georgia accounted for a significant share of new ventures and entrepreneurial networks, yet these networks remained inequitable and under-resourced. The findings suggested a need for policy reform and support from other Black businesses and from local, state, and federal agencies. This study contributed to the growing body of entrepreneurship literature by enriching the knowledge of entrepreneurship through the lens of intersectionality theory and the disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship. These frameworks collectively highlighted the interconnected systems of oppression that shaped the participants’ entrepreneurial voices as business owners in Georgia, thereby impacting the sustainability and viability of their businesses.
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