arbs 2020 research abstracts 7 annual conference march...

ARBS 2020 Research Abstracts

7th Annual Conference

March 26-27, 2020

Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, KY

Edited by:

Kristen Wilson


Research Abstracts: Appalachian Research in Business Symposium, Eastern Kentucky University, March 26–March 27, 2020 2

2020 Appalachian Research in Business Symposium

Conference Committee:

Sandra Vannoy, Appalachian State University

Kristen Wilson, Eastern Kentucky University (Conference Chair)

Prasun Bhattacharjee, East Tennessee State University

Steve Ha, Western Carolina University

Drew Carnes, Western Carolina University

It is our pleasure to present the Research Abstracts of the 7th Annual Appalachian Research in

Business Symposium from the 2020 conference. The conference was to be held March 26-27,

hosted by the College of Business and Technology at Eastern Kentucky University. However,

due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the in-person conference had to be cancelled due to travel

restrictions and for safety. In lieu of an in-person conference, authors of blind peer-reviewed,

accepted research abstracts were offered the opportunity to share their research through this

online publication.

The Appalachian Research in Business Symposium provides a venue for presenting new

research, discovering contemporary ideas, and building connections among scholars at

Appalachian State University, Eastern Kentucky University, East Tennessee State University,

Marshall University, Radford University, and Western Carolina University.

Acknowledgements:

The Conference Committee for the 2020 Appalachian Research in Business Symposium wishes

to extend our gratitude to all authors, conference contributors, and volunteers for their time and

effort in service to the conference. While we were disappointed not be able to see our colleagues

in person for the 2020 Appalachian Research in Business Symposium, we are grateful for the

flexibility and kindness shown as we were forced to adapt.


Website, Registration, and On Campus Planning:

Tom Erekson

Mike Hawksley

Trish Isaacs

Allison McCann

Heather Morris

Mike Roberson

Sandy Taylor

Ashley Twehues

Reviewers:

Appalachian State University

Pia Albinsson

Austin Eggers

Steve Forsyth

Steve Leon

Dawn Medlin

Rajat Panwar

Sandy Vannoy

Ken White

East Tennessee State University

Michelle Freeman

Allen Gorman

Jill Hayter

Matthew Jenkins

Michael McKenney

Joseph Newhard

Umit Saglam

Anca Traian

William Trainor

Xin Xie


Maggie Abney

Faridah Awang

Lee Allison

Laura Barthel

Jim Blair

Phil Boutin

Jim Fatzinger

Sarah Feltus

Robert Mahaney

Tom Martin

Beth Polin

Marcel Robles

Kristen Wilson

Weiling Zhuang

Western Carolina University

Andrew Carnes

Steve Ha

Yue Hillon

Peter Ormerod

Ronald Parker

Patrick Payne

Charles Scott Rader

Audrey Redford

Barbara Jo White

Research Abstracts Editor:

Kristen Wilson


Table of Contents

The Implications of Viewing Ethical Memes on Individuals With Higher Levels of

Attitude Towards Helping Others and Long-Term Orientation Through a Student

Assignment..................................................................................................................................... 5 Blair, James, Eastern Kentucky University

Antecedents and Outcomes of Servant Leadership: Implications for the Sales Force........... 7 DeConinck, James, Western Carolina University DeConinck, Mary Beth, Western Carolina University

Founder Perceptions of Social Media and Brand Reputation .................................................. 9 Dent, Heidi, Western Carolina University

Examining the Evolution of The Supply Chain Life Cycle in Nascent Firms ....................... 11 Jenkins, Matthew, East Tennessee State University Halcomb, Mary, University of Tennessee

Attorney Discipline in The Sixth Circuit: Complaints and Likelihood of Formal

Charges ........................................................................................................................................ 13 McKinney, Michael, East Tennessee State University Dotterweich, Douglas, East Tennessee State University

A Journey to Level 5 Executive Leadership ............................................................................. 15 Rogers, Thomas, Western Carolina University

The Effects of Renewable Energy Sources on The Macroeconomic Efficiency of The

High- and Low-Income Economies ........................................................................................... 17 Saglam, Umit, East Tennessee State University

Using Barbells to Lift Your Risk-Adjusted Returns ............................................................... 18 Trainor, William, East Tennessee State University Cupkovic, Dan, ARGI Investment Services Chhachhi, Indudeep, Western Kentucky University Brown, Christopher, Western Kentucky University

Collaborative Advantage or Inertia: Comprehensive Literature Review on

Collaboration Topics .................................................................................................................. 20 Xiao, Qian, Eastern Kentucky University

Association of Social Network/Support and Depression With Mental Health Service

Use Among Us Adolescents ........................................................................................................ 22 Xie, Xin, East Tennessee State University Wang, Nianyang, University of Maryland Chu, Jun, University of Maryland


The Implications of Viewing Ethical Memes on Individuals With

Higher Levels of Attitude Towards Helping Others and Long-Term

Orientation Through a Student Assignment

James Blair

Department of Management, Marketing, and International Business

College of Business and Technology


521 Lancaster Avenue

Richmond, Kentucky 40475

[email protected]

724.877.0517 (Contact Author)

Key words:

Ethics, memes, pedagogy, attitude towards helping others, long-term orientation

Ethics are a significant problem in the business world (Masanja 2019). We see countless examples

of organizations, employees, and other stakeholders committing transgressions. Teaching the

importance of ethics in the classroom can be beneficial to the student learning process and to

potentially avoid future transgressions. The marketing field current lacks assignments and

activities reinforcing ethical choices in the classroom (Paul 2019). This research provides an

assignment where students create memes, a common communication method, to convey ethical

messages. Students present their memes to an audience of students, faculty, staff, and community

members. Our research explores the effect of these memes on the audience members in regards to

their perceived ethical values and choices they will make in the future. Consumers with higher

levels of attitude towards helping others and long-term orientation were examined. Previous

research has found gender (Wang & Calvano 2015) and personality are associated with ethics

(Bratton & Strittmatter 2013), but it has not specifically explored attitude towards helping others

and long-term orientation. Attitude towards helping others is one of two dimensions comprising

attitudes influencing monetary donations to charitable organizations, with the other dimension

being attitudes toward charitable donations. Webb, Green, and Brashear (2000) define attitude

towards helping others as “global and relatively enduring evaluations with regard to helping or

assisting other people.” Long-term orientation is “the cultural value of viewing time holistically,

valuing both the past and the future rather than deeming actions important only for their effects in

the here-and-now or the short-term” with individuals possessing higher levels valuing hard work,

perseverance, planning, and tradition (Bearden et al. 2006). A sample of students, faculty, staff,

and community members (n = 123) answered questions after seeing students present their memes

as part of Ethics Awareness Week. Respondents answered scaled questions pertaining to the

variables of interest in a survey that took approximately ten minutes to complete. This was done

in the field as judges deliberated over the best student meme submissions. The results of our study


support individuals with higher levels of attitude towards helping others and long-term orientation

who view a series of memes resulted in several perceived beneficial outcomes. This includes their

likelihood of making good ethical choices, recommending others viewing ethical memes,

satisfaction with viewing ethical memes, and their confidence in decision making abilities when

confronted with an ethical dilemma. This research provides business instructors a template for

creating an assignment integrating ethics into the creation of a popular promotional medium

(memes). Results support the benefits of this ethical meme assignment when presenting the final

memes to specific members of the population. Several stakeholders benefit including educators

utilizing this student to provide future generations of business students experience creating

marketing content through the form of memes to promote ethical behaviors. Society as a whole

benefits with some members of the population perceiving themselves as making more ethical

decisions after viewing these ethical memes. Policymakers and researchers should further explore

these effects on the public through the use of public service announcements.

References

Bearden, W. O., Money, R. B., & Nevins, J. L. (2006). A measure of long-term orientation:

Development and validation. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 34(3), 456-467.

Bratton, V. K., & Strittmatter, C. (2013). To cheat or not to cheat? The role of personality in

academic and business ethics. Ethics & Behavior, 23(6), 427-444.

Masanja, N. M. (Ed.). (2019). Contemporary Issues in Business. NMM PRINTERS.

Paul, P. (2019). A gap analysis of teaching marketing ethics: Desired versus current state. Journal

of Education for Business, 1-11.

Wang, L. C., & Calvano, L. (2015). Is business ethics education effective? An analysis of gender,

personal ethical perspectives, and moral judgment. Journal of Business Ethics, 126(4), 591-602.

Webb, D. J., Green, C. L., & Brashear, T. G. (2000). Development and validation of scales to

measure attitudes influencing monetary donations to charitable organizations. Journal of the

Academy of Marketing Science, 28(2), 299-309.


Antecedents and Outcomes of Servant Leadership: Implications for

the Sales Force

James DeConinck

School of Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Sport Management, and Hospitality & Tourism


1 University Way

Cullowhee, NC 28723

[email protected]

828-227-3704 (Contact Author)

Mary Beth DeConinck



1 University Way

Cullowhee, NC 28723

[email protected]

828-227-2476

Key words:

Servant leadership, professional selling

Business scandals during the last 20 years have shown the importance of leadership. Leadership

is particularly significant in professional selling because of the uniqueness of a salesperson’s job

and the challenges of managing the salesforce. Salespeople often work in physical and social

isolation from other employees, which makes managing them more difficult. As boundary

spanners between the organization and clients, salespeople encounter conflicting demands. This

unique situation requires leadership skills not found in a traditional management position.

Marketing scholars have examined various leadership styles. However, during the last ten years

research focused on salesforce leadership has started to examine the influence of servant

leadership on salespersons’ behaviors and organizational outcomes. Servant leadership is an (1)

other-oriented approach to leadership (2) manifested through one-on-one prioritizing of follower

individual needs and interests, (3) and outward reorienting of their concern for self towards

concern for others within the organization and the larger community. The reason for the

increased focus on servant leadership is based on research indicating that servant leadership

provides incremental increases in salespersons’ attitudes and behaviors beyond that of the

leadership styles of transformational, transactional, authentic, and ethical.

The research on servant leadership has provided important insights. However, existing research

has focused on outcomes of servant leadership and not antecedents. This study examined both


antecedents and outcomes of servant leadership. A model analyzing the relationship among

religiosity, moral identity, servant leadership, organizational justice and ethical work climate was

tested with a sample of 302 business-to-business salespeople and 114 sales managers. The

findings indicate that religiosity and moral identity symbolization are direct antecedents of

servant leadership. Servant leadership is both an indirect predictor (through organizational

justice) and a direct predictor of ethical work climate. The study makes an important contribution

to the existing literature by analyzing how moral identity and religiosity influence servant

leadership. Neither variable have been included in a study of servant leadership. In addition, this

study investigates the influence of servant leadership on two outcomes, organizational justice

and ethical work climate.


Founder Perceptions of Social Media and Brand Reputation

Heidi L Dent


College of Business


Forsyth 104

Cullowhee, NC 28723

[email protected]

828.227-7185

Key words:

Social media, start-ups, reputation management, brand building

Social Media is a channel used by start-ups and small businesses to initiate the brand building

process. Often times, social media is outsourced or delegated to small agencies, interns or relatives

as the Founder focuses on running the business. Social Media, defined as a “group of Internet-

based applications that are based on ideological and technological foundation of Web 2.0 and allow

the creation and exchange of user generated content” (Kaplan & Haenlien, 2010), is influential on

company branding. Whereas, brand is represented with combination of vision, values, personality,

benefits and culture attributes (Ruzzier & Ruzzier, 2015). While social media and branding are

complementary and reciprocal; organizations use social media to create brand recognition,

recruitment, employee awareness, information gathering and marketing (Schultz et al., 2015).

Brand building and marketing programs are used to build brand awareness to create positive brand

associations (Aaker, 1993) and should reflect the vision and corporate culture (Aaker &

Joachimsthaler, 2000). Start-ups and small business are typically lean organizations; therefore, the

question arises relative to the ability to create effective brand building programs if there is a

disconnect between leadership and communication channels.

Qualitative research will be utilized in order to provide insight into the Founder/CEO perspective

with regards to the influences of social media on reputation and ultimately company brand. The

research question focuses on how leadership perspectives influence social media usage or lack

thereof and resulting brand and reputation management practices. Individual interviews will be

conducted in order to capture the entrepreneurial leader’s perspective. The individual interviews

will be conducted using a semi-structured approach, that is, the participants will be asked to

comment on a series of questions or prompts regarding their knowledge of branding, reputation

management and social media as it relates to their business. The sample will include Founders,

CEOs and leaders of start-ups and small businesses exploring their social media acumen and its

impact on their brand.


Research has suggested that Founders, since they had the original business idea, can be strong-

minded in their opinions of the role their company will play (Schein, 1983). Corporate reputation

affects business performance (Rokka et al., 2014) and reputation is increasingly shaped in online

environments, including social media (Rokka et al., 2014). The framework in this research builds

upon extant theories around the impact of branding on customer acquisition, retention and

reputation (Bresciani & Eppler, 2010). Adding sagacity to Founder perceptions of the role of social

media and brand reputation offers important practical implications for marketing,

entrepreneurship, and management research. Practical applications for management consultants,

start-up advisors and marketing agencies will be offered. Research results will contribute to the

creation of knowledge regarding a topic that is likely misunderstood or unknown and build

awareness around the potential benefits and risks for startups and small business.


Examining the Evolution of The Supply Chain Life Cycle in Nascent

Firms

Matthew Jenkins

Department of Management and Marketing


Johnson City, TN 37614

[email protected]


Mary Halcomb

Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management

Haslam College of Business

316 Stokely Management Center

University of Tennessee

Knoxville, TN 37996

[email protected]

865.974.1658

Key words:

Nascent Firms, Supply Chain Life Cycle, Supply Chain Orientation, Organizational Life Cycle

The organizational life cycle has been studied in-depth in the strategic management literature. The

combined knowledge from these studies has allowed scholars and managers to accurately predict

and describe strategic changes in nascent firms (i.e., young emerging companies) as they mature.

However, extant research does not offer insight into how supply chain management (SCM)

competitive priorities, structures, and processes evolve in nascent firms. For many nascent firms,

the goal is to successfully develop and introduce a new technology and/or product in order to

achieve market adoption for the purposes of firm survival and growth. It is proposed that SCM,

and more specifically the successful alignment of supply chain competitive priorities, structures,

and processes with conditional aspects of specific organizational life cycle stages, plays a crucial

role in achieving this goal. Furthermore, it is proposed that a specific recipe of supply chain

competitive priorities, structures, and processes exists for each life cycle stage which increase the

probability of a positive result. Consequently, the purpose of this research is to explore how

managers confront challenges associated with building and implementing supply chain capabilities

in nascent firms, and how supply chain competitive priorities, structure, and processes evolve as a

firm matures.

Using grounded theory, we interviewed 26 managers from 15 nascent firms across multiple

geographic locations. We employed a constant comparison process to develop theoretical

categories, dimensions, and propositions for future research. Counter to the predictions of


congruence theory, our findings suggest that supply chain competitive priorities, structure, and

processes are more aligned with firm strategy during periods of instability and less aligned during

periods of stability. Additionally, our findings suggest that, while a firm’s strategic priorities shift

toward efficiency and compliance in the latter stages of organizational development as predictive

by organizational life cycle theory, the supply chain competitive priorities maintain a focus on

customer service and quality throughout the maturation process creating a strategic rift. This

research contributes to both theory and practice by providing a detailed understanding of the

elemental supply chain management structural formula at each life cycle stage, and how this

“recipe” varies in each developmental stage in order to successfully support firm growth.

Managers will find this information useful as they attempt to scale supply chain operations in

resource-strapped nascent firms. Moreover, this research provides a foundation for continued

theoretical academic study of SCM in an often-overlooked context – nascent firms.


Attorney Discipline in The Sixth Circuit: Complaints and

Likelihood of Formal Charges

Michael M. McKinney



305 Sam Wilson Hall


Johnson City, Tennessee 37614

[email protected]

423-202-5225 (Contact Author)

Douglas P. Dotterweich

Department of Economics and Finance


303 Sam Wilson Hall


Johnson City, Tennessee 37614

[email protected]

423-439-5357

Key words:

Attorney discipline, complaints, charges

Attorneys are required to exercise sound legal and ethical practices in their professional activities.

Each state has published rules of professional conduct and requirements for fulfilling one’s ethical

obligations. These rules discourage or prohibit certain conduct undertaken by attorneys in handling

client matters. Failure to comply with standards can result in complaints to the state oversight or

disciplinary board to investigate and administer discipline if warranted.

The authors began studying the nature and disposition of complaints in Tennessee in 2013 and are

extending their work nationally. Employing data on disciplinary complaints obtained from annual

reports of state bar associations, a model was developed to identify differences in the disciplinary

processes among states. The model utilized annual reports on complaints filed, investigations

conducted, and discipline administered. After discovering many complaints are dismissed, the

authors were concerned that such actions may impact incentives for ethical behavior among

attorneys and force businesses to rely on ineffective legal counsel.

If a business hires an attorney and experiences a potential ethical breach during representation,

what is the probability the complaint will be processed by the state bar and does this likelihood

vary across states? In this paper, the authors examined the four states in the Sixth Circuit for the

United States Court of Appeals (Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee).


In the first stage of the research, descriptive statistics were calculated to measure complaints per

population and number of attorneys in each state. Standardized Z scores were employed to allow

comparisons between states within a circuit. Then, t-tests were performed to identify significant

differences across regions. In this paper, annual reports from disciplinary boards were used to

examine the disposition of complaints in relation to the number of complaints filed for the four

states in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. The study will include data from 2013-2017.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether differing likelihoods of complaints advancing

to formal charges could potentially impact business policy. For example, if the probability of

formal charges being filed is high, would this encourage attorneys to exercise higher standards of

care and ethical performance when executing client matters? Alternatively, if complaints are

routinely dismissed would individuals and businesses using attorneys be less likely to bother filing

complaints? Also, would a lower threshold of risk regarding sanctions foster decreased levels of

due care on the part of attorneys? The ultimate objective of this paper is to document differences

among states in complaints resulting in formal charges. If a standard is developed, efforts on the

part of states to reduce disparities in advancing complaints should produce greater confidence in

the quality of counsel received by individuals and business entities.


A Journey to Level 5 Executive Leadership

Thomas M. Rogers

Department of Economics, Management and Project Management

College of Business


Forsyth 104

Cullowhee, NC 28723

[email protected]

828.227.3714

Key words:

Leadership, Roadmap, Empowerment

Becoming a Level 5 Executive leader is a journey. Combining research on above the line

leadership with Jim Collin’s work on leadership (2005), this research proposes a roadmap that

companies may use to grow their people to Level 5 Executive leadership.

Collins’ (2005) leadership hierarchy gives us the guide posts for our roadmap. To use this roadmap,

you must acknowledge where you want to go (i.e., what level of leadership you want to achieve)

and the reality of where you are. To reach the first guide post on this roadmap, you must take

responsibility for yourself and your performance. As a highly capable individual at Level 1,

however, the focus on yourself conveys an attitude that everything must be done “By Me” (Rogers

2015) which means that you are still below the line as a leader (Satterwhite 2020, Emerald 2010).

Becoming an effective, contributing team member is a transition step on this journey to above the

line leadership which corresponds with the next guide post on our roadmap, “Level 2 Contributing

Team Member” (Collins 2005 p. 5). As a contributing team member, you build relationships and

work effectively with others. The ability to work effectively with others is essential for your growth

into a leader who organizes “people and resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of

predetermined objectives” (Collins 2005 p. 5).

Achieving Level 3 in Collin’s (2005) hierarchy places you firmly above the line as a leader and

completes your transition from thinking of yourself as an individual to a competent manager who

considers and helps others perform to the best of their ability (Dethmer 2015); you shift your focus

from “me” to through me (Rogers 2015). As a Level 3 Competent Manager, you ensure all of the

teams you direct know why they exist and have the resources they need to achieve their objective.

Incorporating the roles of Creator, Coach, and Challenger found in The Empowerment Dynamic

(Emerald 2010) into your skill set is how you reach the Level 4 Effective Leader guide post.


Proficiency in these roles is how you “catalyze commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and

compelling vision” (Collins 2005 p. 5) for an entire company.

At the last guide post on our roadmap, Level 5 Executive leaders “build enduring greatness through

the paradoxical combination of personal humility plus professional will” (Collins 2005 p. 5). As a

Level 5 leader, you let everyone know about the guide posts on this roadmap, make sure the

journey is open to everyone, and start the “business flywheel” (Olaisen and Revang 2018). A clear

vision of where the company is headed combined with ensuring everyone knows the roadmap to

Level 5 leadership exists and communicating that the journey is open to everyone energizes the

business flywheel to sustain the success of your company.


The Effects of Renewable Energy Sources on The Macroeconomic

Efficiency of The High- and Low-Income Economies

Umit Saglam


College of Business & Technology


1276 Gilbreath Dr., Box 70300

Johnson City, TN, 37614

[email protected]

(423)-439-4576

Key words:

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), Energy Efficiency, Multi-Criteria Decision Making,

Renewable Energy Sources.

Global warming and climate change become the most critical environmental and political issues

for all high- and low-income economies. A total of 192 countries have signed the Kyoto Protocol

which delimits the production of greenhouses gas (GHG) emissions to fight global warming and

climate change. More recently, the 193 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change (UNFCCC) members have signed the Paris Agreement; 184 of them have ratified it, which

aims to reduce the global average temperature to pre-industrial levels. Therefore, renewable energy

sources, which produce a negligible amount of GHG emissions, have gained enormous attention,

especially in the electricity sector over the past decade. In this paper, a two-stage Data Enveloped

Analysis (DEA) is developed to quantitatively evaluate the impact of renewables on

macroeconomic efficiencies of the high – and low-income economies by using pre-determined

inputs (labor, capital stock, and renewable energy consumption) and outputs (real GDP and carbon

dioxide emission) variables. The sensitivity analysis is conducted to test the robustness of the DEA

models. Tobit regression models are conducted by using the DEA results for the second stage

analysis to investigate the effects of renewable energy consumptions. We hope that the results of

this study shed some light on this relationship for both energy practitioners and policymakers.


Using Barbells to Lift Your Risk-Adjusted Returns

William J. Trainor Jr.

Professor, East Tennessee State University


Box 70686


[email protected]

Dan Cupkovic, CFP

Director of Investments

ARGI Investment Services, LLC

2201 High Wickham Place

Louisville, KY 40245

[email protected]

Indudeep Chhachhi

Chair and Professor, Western Kentucky University

Department of Finance

1906 College Heights Blvd.

Bowling Green, KY 42101-1061

[email protected]

Christopher L. Brown

Professor, Western Kentucky University

Department of Finance

1906 College Heights Blvd.

Bowling Green, KY 42101-1061

[email protected]

Key words:

Barbells, portfolio theory, low volatility

After two major “once in a century events” in the last 20 years, the importance of mitigating

downside risk is still relatively fresh in investor’s minds. Currently, with the longest running bull

market in history, investors have every right to be nervous about when and how severe the next

market correction will be. Appetite for risk reducing equity-like products is large given

demographic trends of an aging population that can’t bear the brunt of a full market downturn.

Low volatility equity products and option-based Leland & Rubinstein (1976) portfolio insurance

type ETFs have recently been introduced to the market garnering billions in assets.


This study demonstrates how a barbell strategy invested primarily in fixed income assets coupled

with in-the-money long-term call options on various equity asset classes can achieve a significant

percentage of upside appreciation while considerably reducing downside risk. An examination of

exchange traded funds (ETFs) covering the S&P 500, NASDAQ 100, mid-cap, small-cap,

developed international, emerging, and real estate, show a barbell strategy composed of 88% bonds

and long 12% in call options returns 71% to 149% of the geometric annual return of the underlying

ETFs from 2003 to 2019. In any given year, an 88/12 bond/option barbell will attain approximately

86% of the fixed income return and 48% of the underlying ETF’s appreciation. The return sacrifice

during upward markets is compensated by reducing the standard deviation by more than half and

cutting maximum loss by 75%.

A barbell investment strategy should be attractive to the more risk averse investor, those

approaching or in retirement, and for any investor unable to ride out extreme market losses. The

relatively simple and easy-to-implement strategy proposed here is not a market timing strategy

and, thus, can be implemented as a permanent, core, portion of the portfolio.


Collaborative Advantage or Inertia: Comprehensive Literature

Review on Collaboration Topics

Qian Xiao, Ph.D.

Management, Marketing and International Business Department



521 Lancaster Avenue, BTC178

Richmond, KY 40475

[email protected]

Key words:

Collaboration, Collaborative advantage, Collaborative inertia, Collaboration capability

‘Strategic alliance’, ‘joint venture’, ‘public-private partnership’, ‘coordinated service delivery’,

‘community development’ are all terms now in common usage. Examples of collaboration have

been emerging in virtually every sector of society—business, government, labor, and communities.

A wide review of research articles and case studies shows that some critical issues of collaboration

need to be addressed for understanding collaborative alliances and particularly important for

additional theorizing. For example, what are the expected outcomes when organizations

collaborate? What constitutes successful collaboration (collaborative advantages versus

collaborative inertia)? Are specific elements associated with the success or failure of a

collaborative alliance?

The paper starts with a clear definition of collaboration to clarify the nature of collaboration. We

distinguish between collaboration and the most frequently interchangeably used terminologies of

co-operation and coordination. Then the collaboration theories are reviewed in relationship of its

two counter-posed concepts collaborative advantage and collaborative inertia on a continuum of

the collaboration process. Finally, three factors of collaboration capability, timing of collaboration

and relationship structure are discussed that, if manipulated well, contribute to collaborative

advantage.

While investigating collaborative relationships from a variety of theoretical perspectives, the paper

tries to provide an analytical framework to identify the key success factors that may predict

whether the proposed collaborative relationship will be successful and sustainable, and help

evaluate the existent collaborative relationships.

In the end of the paper, implications of this research are discussed briefly. On the one hand, the

framework provides a basis for measuring a broad range of potential predictive factors and a

perspective to identify these factors that have the great impact on the extent to which collaborative

members achieve collaborative advantage. The result of the study will facilitate the development


of more effective training and technical assistance programs for collaborative members. On the

other hand, another practical use of the framework is in the assessment of proximal outcomes for

collaborative relationship. Diagnostic tools based on the framework can help leaders and

coordinators of the collaboration determine if their collaborative efforts are on the right track.

Moreover, such tools can give them a way to regulate and coordinate the collaborative process,

and stimulate constructive thinking about what steps can be taken to make collaborative advantage

happen.

Figure 1. Key Success Factors for Collaborative Performance

⚫ Collaboration

capability

⚫ Timing of

collaboration

⚫ Relationship

structure

Collaborative

advantage

Collaborative

performance

Collaborative

inertia


Association of Social Network/Support and Depression With Mental

Health Service Use Among Us Adolescents

Xin Xie


College of Business & Technology



[email protected]


Nianyang Wang

Department of Health Policy and Management

School of Public Health

University of Maryland

College Park, MD 20742

[email protected]

Jun Chu

Department of Health Policy and Management

School of Public Health

University of Maryland

College Park, MD 20742

[email protected]

Key words:

Social network and support; Depression; Mental health service use; Cluster analysis

Social network and support affect adolescent mental health; however, few studies have focused on

the associations of social network and support with mental health service use in United States (US)

adolescents. This was a cross-sectional study with 1979 adolescents who received mental health

service out of 13,600 total adolescent respondents (aged 12 to 17) from the 2014 National Survey

on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). While most of the social network and support factors are

correlated, we divided a set of numeric variables into disjoint clusters. Weighted univariate and

multiple logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the associations of potential factors

with mental health service use. The results showed that the overall prevalence of mental health

service use was 13.9% (10.9% in males and 17.1% in females). 16 variables related to social

network and support and depression were grouped into 5 clusters. From each cluster, one variable

was selected, which has a strong correlation with variables within its own cluster but has a weak

correlation with variables in other clusters. Bivariate logistic regression analyses showed that those

who experienced major depressive episode in the past year (p<0.0001) and who participated in


programs to help substance abuse (p<0.0001) were more likely to go for mental health service;

whereas those who believe religious beliefs influence life decisions were less likely to use mental

health services (p<0.0001). Multiple logistic regression models further support the results based

on bivariate analysis. In conclusion, mental health service use is positively associated with

participating in substance abuse programs controlling demographic characteristics and health

needs.

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