This dissertation studies two distinct but equally essential industries: higher education and water utilities. In the context of higher education, I investigate the impact of subsidies on equilibrium prices and quality levels. For water utilities, I explore the differences between public and private providers in terms of productivity and…

The purpose of this quantitative study is to test the relationship between degree choice and post-graduate outcomes for students in the United States by describing the relationship between a selected major and post-graduate outcomes including employment sector, salary for women and men. As college costs rise, and enrollments fall for the first…

Barriers to education and training can have a generational impact on socioeconomic status and economic development. Post-traditional students have been shown to experience a variety of barriers to education and family-sustaining employment. Social capital has been shown to help alleviate some of the barriers for students, resulting in stronger…

Crisis necessitates society to renew itself, frequently in a disruptive manner. The recent pandemic is accelerating the transformative modalities of learning, working, and relating with one another, both abruptly and radically. This paper examines the area of online education and attempts to show the effects of how institutions of higher education…

The academic outcomes of retention, completion, persistence and final exam scores between courses taught with open educational resources (OER) and courses taught with publisher content (non-OER) were investigated in this mixed method sequential study. The perceptions and experiences of the instructors who taught the courses were also explored. The…

The event management segment of the hospitality industry has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. As a result, demand for qualified event management professionals continues to increase. To help prepare qualified professionals for the event management industry, higher education institutions in the United States are now offering…

The results of this qualitative descriptive study provide insight into the impact Career and Technical Education has on Native American male students in Northern Arizona. This study was created in response to the lack of research, especially qualitative research in this area. Moreover, it provided Native youth an opportunity to share their stories…

Some low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) aim to designate the information and communication technology (ICT) sector as a central pillar to expedite their economic development, and a key element of ICT sector development is to nurture capable ICT workers. Scholars and policymakers concerned with those ICT workers tend to focus on nurturing…

Linked Learning is an approach that has proven effective in transforming the learning experiences for high school students. An instrumental case study was conducted in a large urban district in Southern California where district and school leaders implemented Linked Learning as a systemic high school reform initiative. Analysis of the data…

Aerospace companies needed additional research on technology-based training to verify expectations when enhancing human capital through online systems analysis training. The research for online systems analysis training provided aerospace companies a means to verify expectations for systems analysis technology-based training on business…

Alcoholic beverages in the State of Arizona are regulated by the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control (ADLLC). Education programs in the alcohol industry must align with the needs of students working in the industry and with the criteria set forth by the ADLLC. Prior research has concentrated on irresponsible alcohol consumption…

The purpose of this research was to identify a well-defined, comprehensive portrait of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) expected of students graduating from baccalaureate institutions conferring four-year degrees in hospitality management and further, to utilize those KSAs as foundations for curriculum development. This study provided a…

Innovation is the key to productivity growth and prosperity. Most empirical cross-country analysis of the determinants of innovation focus mainly on developed countries. The objective of this study is to fill this gap in the research and analyze the determinants of innovation in transition countries of Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union.…

The greatest challenge we face in the next ten years is the challenge of making sure we have a qualified workforce able to meet the demands of living in a global economy. To do this we will need to expand the capacity of our workforce development and educational system to meet the training needs of business and industry. In order to assess the…