Business, Dhillon School of
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- ItemIntersectional impacts of sex and gender on employment outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis(Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dhillon School of Business, 2025) Okeowo-Grant, Maryam A.; University of Lethbridge. Dhillon School of Business; Runté, MaryAbstract Background More than 33 million people worldwide suffer from Atrial Fibrillation (AF) (Chugh et al., 2014; Goren et al., 2013). The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to explore the research question: How does sex and gender impact employment outcomes in adult patients with atrial fibrillation? Methods A systematic search was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines using keywords and MeSH terms related to atrial fibrillation, employment, sex and gender. Studies were included if they presented sex or gender-specific outcomes or employment outcomes for adults with AF. Data was presented in forest plots and using I² statistics. Data Synthesis and Analysis A fixed-effects meta-analysis was conducted using R software. Results were expressed as Odds Ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). The I² statistic was used to assess statistical heterogeneity. Forest plots were generated to represent effect sizes and heterogeneity visually Results A total of twenty studies met the inclusion criteria for qualitative synthesis, and eight were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. Pooled data indicated that males with atrial fibrillation (AF) had 24% lower odds of unemployment compared to females (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.65–0.86). Unemployment was associated with a 44% increased risk of AF (OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.29–1.59). Shift work was linked to an 11% higher risk of incident AF (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.05–2.17), although heterogeneity was substantial (I² = 90.59%). Many studies conflated sex and gender. Conclusions The findings from this study suggest that structural inequities tied to sex and gender exacerbate employment challenges and health risks for AF patients. Policies that provide flexible scheduling, caregiving support, and equitable labour conditions may reduce the socioeconomic and cardiovascular burdens associated with AF.
- ItemThe role of online communities for Canadian immigrants: knowledge and support systems provided by Reddit(Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dhillon School of Business, 2025) Koshuta, Makayla R.; University of Lethbridge. Dhillon School of Business; Basil, Debra Z.This research study examined how Canadian newcomers seek and share settlement information on Reddit. Applying a transformative consumer research (TCR) lens, the research study explores motivational factors behind information sharing on social media within the context of the Canadian immigrant community on Reddit. The key hypothesized factors for immigrants’ motivations to share information regarding the Canadian immigrant settlement process on Reddit include empathy, sense of community, and advocacy and activism. The study analyzed 10 Reddit discussion threads obtained through data scraping, with a total of 691 comments after data cleaning, using qualitative content analysis as well as some quantitative analyses for hypothesis testing. The results of the study revealed a significant expression of shared experience and advocacy and activism within the Reddit conversations, as well as a small positive correlation and statistically significant relationship between empathy and shared experience. The findings also revealed that many immigrants tend to seek informal information and supports from Reddit, rather than through formal settlement support organizations such as government and non-profit organizations. Overall, this research study provides a better understanding of how settlement information is sought and shared by existing and prospective Canadian immigrants through Reddit discussion forums. These findings can benefit those engaged in transformative service research and social marketing efforts to facilitate immigrant settlement in Canada.
- ItemIncompleteness in digital public services: A case study of Lethbridge's construction permitting process(Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dhillon School of Business, 2024) McLeod, Bradley I.; University of Lethbridge. Dhillon School of Business; Bao, YongjianThis thesis examined the digitization of the permit application process at the City of Lethbridge. The findings focused on service delivery and the tension between operational efficiency and human-centric values by employing a grounded exploratory case study approach, interviewing eleven members of the public and nine staff members. The research identified significant time savings and efficiencies while highlighting challenges, such as accessibility issues, personal interaction loss, and trust degradation. The concept of incompleteness is introduced in complex and non-transactional public services, highlighting how digitization can negatively impact human-centric values such as connectedness, satisfaction, and trust. This research integrated design thinking with public value management theory to emphasize the need to balance operational efficiency and human-centric values. The case study revealed that while digitizing the permit application process increased accessibility for many users, it created new inequities. This thesis advocates for a hybrid model that combines digital service platforms with additional support to address the issue of incompleteness. This ensures that the digitized services remain accessible and legitimate. This research provides insights into the lived experiences of digitizing public services and emphasizes the need to balance technological efficiencies with human-centric values and proficiencies. It contributes to the theoretical discourse on public value management and offers practical recommendations for policymakers, service designers, and practitioners looking to implement inclusive digital public services.
- ItemWitnessed incivility: consequences and moderating factors(Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dhillon School of Business, 2024) Emegokwue, Tsemaye Patience; University of Lethbridge. Dhillon School of Business; Stuart-Edwards, AnastasiaThis study examined the relationship between witnessed incivility and workplace outcomes (emotional exhaustion, organizational citizenship behavior, and work engagement) by drawing on the Conservation Resource Theory (COR) and the Job Demands-Resources Theory (JD-R Model). Furthermore, this study sheds light on mindfulness as a moderating factor and the impact of power distance on how witnessed incivility is perceived and interpreted. Data was collected using a time-lagged survey design. A total of 202 surveys were completed amongst workers and supervisors across various industries in Nigeria and Canada. Findings from the study revealed that there was a significant relationship between witnessed incivility and two workplace outcomes (emotional exhaustion and OCB-O). While power distance did not moderate the relationship between witnessed incivility and workplace outcomes, it was observed that country as a moderator, moderated the relationship between witnessed incivility and OCB-O for participants in Nigeria. Also, mindfulness moderated the relationship between witnessed incivility and emotional exhaustion. More studies are required for a broader insight into the witnessed incivility literature.
- ItemThe relationship between cost of equity and ESG: the effect of COVID-19(Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dhillon School of Business, 2024) Fan, Ruijie; University of Lethbridge. Dhillon School of Business; Tian, Gloria; Asem, EbenezerSeveral prior studies report that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives temper the cost of equity. More recent studies show that COVID-19 increased the cost of equity. It is unclear whether the ESG mitigated the higher cost of capital during the COVID period. I focus on studying this using ESG and basic financial data for the period ranging from 2015 to 2022 based on U.S. and Canadian firms listed on NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ. The results show that the increase in the cost of equity during the COVID period concentrates less on firms with high ESG performance scores, suggesting ESG mitigated the increase in the cost of equity. This is consistent with the insurance-like effect of ESG on the cost of capital, cushioning the increase in the cost of capital during uncertain periods. In addition, my study reveals that the amplified ESG benefit in cost of equity reduction can be moderated by levels of industrial GDP growth and the stringency of the COVID-19 government policy.