Date of Conferral

6-5-2025

Date of Award

June 2025

Degree

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

School

Business Administration

Advisor

Michelle Preiksaitis

Abstract

Challenges in achieving optimal performance outcomes among employees with disabilities in U.S. business organizations can contribute to decreased organizational profitability and increased stress among managers and other employees. Business leaders have expressed concern about the lack of effective strategies to recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities, which may hinder overall organizational performance. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore the effective strategies business leaders use for recruiting, hiring, and retaining employees with disabilities to increase organizational productivity. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with six purposively sampled U.S. business leaders with at least 5 years of successful experience recruiting, hiring, and retaining individuals with disabilities. Thematic analysis of the data revealed three key themes: (a) leaders are educated through establishing clear goals, training, and sharing; (b) successful leaders provide accommodations, resulting in higher productivity; and (c) some leaders receive training for providing accommodations. A key recommendation is for business leaders to develop training programs that focus on how to implement current laws and policies using role playing and follow-up techniques that are inviting to people with disabilities. The implications for positive social change include the potential for organizational leaders to expand employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, enabling them to achieve financial independence and contribute meaningfully to their families and communities.

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