Date of Conferral

10-20-2026

Date of Award

October 2026

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Management

Advisor

Walter McCollum

Abstract

Promotion and retention challenges can destabilize workforce continuity and increase organizational costs. Human resources (HR) hiring managers and senior executive business leaders are concerned by persistent promotion and retention challenges, which disrupt productivity, increase turnover, and raise talent replacement costs. Grounded in leader-member exchange theory and social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry research project was to explore strategies HR hiring managers and senior executive business leaders used to increase promotion and retention rates while reducing talent replacement costs. The participants were seven HR hiring managers and senior executive business leaders employed at medium-sized companies in southeast Michigan who had successfully implemented strategies to increase promotion and retention. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis process. Three themes emerged: (a) strategic leadership communication, (b) intentional career development pathways, and (c) inclusive and equitable HR practices. A key recommendation is for business leaders to implement structured employee development plans that provide clearly defined advancement steps and ongoing guidance to strengthen employee motivation and retention. The implications for positive social change include the potential to strengthen career mobility and improve workforce stability for both employees and the surrounding community.

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