Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Business Administration
Advisor
Rocky D. Dwyer
Abstract
Retail business owners suffer billions of dollars in financial loss from employee theft and fraud activities, which impacts a retail business owner’s ability to remain financially stable and profitable. Retail business leaders are accountable for employee theft because employee theft goes beyond the financial loss to impact business failure and the organization’s loss of reputation. Grounded in Cressey’s fraud triangle theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies retail business leaders use to prevent and mitigate employee theft. Participants included six retail business leaders in Nigeria who had successfully used strategies to prevent and reduce employee theft. Data were gathered using semistructured interviews and reviews of organization documents. Braun and Clarke’s six phases of thematic analysis yielded three core themes: monitoring and internal control, separation of responsibilities, and building a loyal and responsible team. Key recommendations to prevent employee theft are to deploy an enterprise resource planning system; conduct regular internal and external audits; limit cash on employees’ hands; and use closed-circuit television cameras, anti-theft devices, and surveillance teams to safeguard the business environment. The implications for positive social change include the potential for business leaders to increase employment opportunities, promote individuals’ dignity, and enhance communities’ standard of living.
Recommended Citation
Alcobary, Mohammed, "Strategies That Retail Business Owners Use to Prevent and Reduce Employee Theft" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13151.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13151
