Digital Commons Network^™

Bridging The Gender Gap: A Journey Of Women And Men In Communications Leadership, Steven Bruce Pelham

Theses and Dissertations

"Throughout history, there have been various gaps: racial, gender, income, education, skills gaps...society today is not any different"(Andrews, 2017). Despite advances to close these gaps, a large gap still remains in communications leadership: the gender gap. Approximately 75 percent of practitioners are female and female practitioners only make up 20 percent of senior-level positions (Oakes & Hardwick, 2017). Existing research suggests there are several reasons why a gap exists: an unconscious bias that favors male leaders (Devillard, Hunt, & Yee, 2018), only 60 percent of women have the confidence they can advance into leadership positions (KPMG, 2018), lack of mentorship …

The Effect Of Leadership Courses On Community College Student Success, Lisa Tanner Rhodes

Theses and Dissertations

This research study was conducted to determine if there was a relationship between community college Leadership (LEA) courses and student success. This study compared students who took LEA courses to students who did not take LEA courses. This study employed a quantitative causal-comparative research design with one independent variable (leadership courses) and two dependent variables (GPA and completion). The research design was a between-subjects design. The grouping variables were ACT scores, race, and gender, and the groups consisted of students who took two LEA courses in two semesters and students who took at least two semesters but did not take …

"Our Leaders Were Mighty": Identifying Modern Leadership Philosophies In The Book Of Mormon, Christopher J. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides a multitude of leadership opportunities to its members. Although many valuable leadership training resources are available, the Book of Mormon is surprisingly absent as a source material on leadership. Written by and about leaders in the ancient Americas, it seems like the Book of Mormon should contain important principles on how to lead within the context of building God’s kingdom that could be instructive. The Book of Mormon was not preserved to teach modern leadership styles, nor does its usefulness depend on how it does or does not connect to these …

Does Organizational Culture Serve As An Antecedent To The Dynamic Capability Of An Automated Customer Relationship System As An Example Of A Big Data Analytics Program In A Firm? A Case Study, Franklin Gregory Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

This study seeks to determine if and how organizational culture can be an antecedent to the formation and exploitation of a dynamic capability at the firm level. This proposed study method is a holistic single case study of a privately owned multi-state regional independent insurance agency to determine the relationship between organizational culture and the dynamic capability of an automated customer relationship management system (ACRMS). The theoretical framework used in this study is dynamic capabilities developed by Teece, Pisano and Shuen (1997) and further modified and refined by Teece (2014). This framework is based on the premise of the ability …

The Effect Of Leadership Programs On Engagement, Megan Ann Henry

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that collegiate leadership programs offered through Leadership Rowan had on student levels of engagement at Rowan University. This study sought to find a connection between participation in leadership programs and higher levels of engagement as well as evidence of applied leadership skills as a result of their engagement. The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) was used to develop a measurement instrument to quantify student engagement. The survey was distributed to undergraduate students who engaged in the leadership Rowan Leadership Certificates at the Silver and Gold Levels.

The conclusions revealed …

El Liderazgo Traducido: Traducción Y Análisis Del Libro De Edward Burger Y Michael Starbird, The 5 Elements Of Effective Thinking, Karla J. Gutierrez

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a translation of part of the book The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking (2012) and an analysis of the translation process. This project explores the need for literature on leadership within the Spanish speaking community. For the analysis, three chapters of the book The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking (2012) have been translated into Spanish. The authors of this book, Burger and Starbird, teach the reader the five main thinking strategies to become better at whatever we do and provide examples of how this thinking process can change someone’s life. The book does not have a specific …

Developmental Stages Associated With Organizational Learning: An Instrument Development Study, Kalene Mears Ethington

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Previous research has identified four distinct developmental stages associated with organizational learning in high-performing hospital units: identity and ownership, team and respect, accountability and support, and reliability and sustainability. We designed a research instrument to measure these constructs. The purpose of this thesis was to establish the content and predictive validity of this instrument.Methods: The Organizational Learning Development Instrument (OLDI) consists of a total of 35 items in Likert-scale format. Item-level and instrument-level content validity were assessed using three cycles of cognitive interviewing with 28 nurses, and eight expert ratings. The OLDI was administered to nurses in Magnet® hospitals …

A Case Study Of School Leaders’ Understanding And Practice In Providing Feedback During The Teacher Observation Process, Karen Allen Benton

Theses and Dissertations

New teacher evaluation reforms in the state of New Jersey and across the country have put an increased emphasis on the role of classroom observations as a method to improve teacher practice. School leaders are expected to facilitate the observation process and provide meaningful feedback that leads to teacher engagement in professional learning that results in instructional improvement and increased student achievement. To meet state mandates for increased number of classroom observations for all teachers and adoption of state-approved evaluation tools, such as the Danielson Framework, districts have increased the work demands of administrators. Yet there has been little guidance …

Dolphins In Space: Quantifying The Relative Positions Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Megan S. Mcgrath

Theses and Dissertations

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are socially sophisticated mammals with high fission-fusion dynamics and complex communication. The relative positioning of individual dolphins as they swim within their social group may aid in the expression of social roles. This study sought to quantify relative positioning in a small social group of female bottlenose dolphins at the National Aquarium in Baltimore that included two mother-daughter pairs, maternal and paternal half-sisters, a half-aunt and niece, and one unrelated female. We devised a method for scoring relative positioning in three dimensions. We found that the two mothers and their juvenile and adult daughters …

Effects Of Growth And Fixed Mindset On Leaders' Behavior During Interpersonal Interactions, Anna Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

Growth mindset, the belief that traits are changeable, is a concept that has impacted the field of education and has recently gained a foothold in the world of business. This mixed methods study sought to better understand how high-level leaders’ internal growth or fixed mindsets affect their behavior in interpersonal interactions with others. 12 directors and vice presidents participated in a self-assessment and interviews to ascertain their general mindsets in five domains and their experience of workplace interactions. The study found that leaders’ mindsets affect their interactions with others. The study also found that leaders who scored as having growth …

Designing An Impact Assessment Framework For Evaluating A Leadership Development Program At An Employee Experience Focused Organization, John Ramerman

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated a potential design for an impact assessment framework for evaluating a leadership development program at an employee experience focused organization. Data were collected by surveying 11 past program attendees and interviewing 8 key stakeholders of the program, including executive sponsors, program designers/facilitators, and past attendees regarding the knowledge areas, behaviors, and results to be assessed in the framework, data sources to use, and methods for evaluating results. Findings and recommendations indicated that several knowledge areas, behaviors, and results consistent with the program objectives should be evaluated. Participants advised that pre/post testing as well as ongoing monitoring are …

A Case Study Of Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of A Principal’S Behaviors That Influence School Climate, Classroom Practices, And Student Achievement In A Title I School, Kristy F. Budny

Theses and Dissertations

Public schools have increasingly transformed throughout the years, and the growth in suburban areas has brought many diversified schools that sometimes mirror schools in an urban setting (Kneebone and Berube,2013). Building principals, particularly those in charge of Title I schools, face numerous challenges each day within their buildings (Kahlenberg, 2001). Not only have the demands of high-stakes testing increased over the years, other external factors also present challenges within the school setting. While the school stakeholders play an integral role in how the school is shaped, the building principal’s behaviors ultimately serve as the overarching guide in shaping how the …

Leadership Influence And Organizational Culture Influence In Private Schools: A Comparative Multiple Case Study On The Relationship Between Organizational Culture And Strategic Leadership, Julia E. Tucker-Lloyd

Theses and Dissertations

The top leader of an organization influences the organizational culture, and the organizational culture influences the leader. Strategic thinking on the part of the leader is a result of organizational culture and/or will impact organizational culture. This qualitative study is a comparative multiple-case study that examines the relationship between leaders and organizational culture and what the leader’s strategic decision-making and organizational changes indicate about the relationship between leadership and organizational culture. The organizational context of private schools is used to better understand the dynamics between leadership and organizational culture.

This study uses an interview protocol with CEOs of private schools, …

Exploring The Influence Of Spirituality In The Initial Development Of Authentic Leadership Identity, Rosalie L. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to explore the connection between authentic leadership, spirituality, and human development theory to determine if spirituality contributes to the emergence or formation of an authentic leadership identity. An interdisciplinary research approach was conducted by reviewing literature on authentic leadership, spirituality, and human development. A sequential explanatory mixed method design was used to collect and analyze the personal beliefs and life experiences of individuals who were nominated as authentic leaders. Sixty-one participants completed a questionnaire and a subset of eleven participants completed semi-structured interviews. Quantitative findings identified that nearly 94% of participants considered themselves to …

Best Practices Of Women Leaders In The Public Sector, Candy Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: This study sought to determine the best practices of women leaders in the public sector. Methods: This phenomenological study used purposive sampling to identify women leaders and used the interview protocol. Researcher interviewed 8 women leaders from City, State, County, and higher education agencies. Researcher used public open source Web sites such as LinkedIn and LAAAWPPI to recruit participants, and 12 open-ended interview questions were posed. From these, 5 themes emerged (a) Collaboration, (b) Communication, (c) Be coachable, (d) Manage Bureaucracy, and (e) Have integrity. Findings: The findings show women in the public sector face challenges in the workplace, …

Understanding Aquarium Culture In The Context Of Strategic Change, Katie E. Mcconnell

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between organizational culture and strategic change. Specifically, how leaders can identify a preferred culture to support a new vision and create an action plan for shifting the existing to the preferred culture. Two frameworks were used: The Competing Values Culture Framework and Appreciative Inquiry. The combination of these models can be a helpful tool to create practical knowledge about culture and provide action plans to support the preferred state. Leaders indicated a 52% decrease in hierarchy and a 120% increase in adhocracy culture would effectively support the new vision. These results mapped to literature findings …

Leading Consciously: Examining Global Leadership Self-Awareness Across Healthcare Executives, Carole N. Bennett

Theses and Dissertations

The well-being of people around the world and in every community depend on healthcare. Yet, exponential shifts in globalization, technology and the environment have destabilized healthcare systems across the globe. Hence, the future of healthcare is forecast to be volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (Porter & Teisberg, 2006). To face current and future challenges, healthcare leaders will be expected to operate consciously and effectively while under extreme pressure. While a number of inter- and intra-personal characteristics and traits are associated with effective leadership through volatility, chief among them is self-awareness (Hernandez, Luthanen, Ramsel, & Ostauke, 2015). Unfortunately, however, no study …

Disrupted Leadership: Strategies And Practices Of Leaders In A Vuca World, Victoria Kimball Brodie

Theses and Dissertations

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected through intricate networks in technology-laden environments, leadership has become exponentially more complex. This VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) context disrupts long-held leadership constructs. Historically, leaders have been able to reflect on past decision making to guide their current and future decisions. No longer is this practice viable; leaders now require new skills to lead competently in this rapidly iterating ecosystem. With its challenges, this dynamic environment also offers opportunities for those who are able to capitalize on the next waves of disruption. Social entrepreneurs, tackling the world's most pressing challenges, are leading systems-wide …

Studying The Impact Of Leadership Development Training Within A Mid-Sized Engineering Consulting Firm, Patrick Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

This study assessed the impact of leadership development training on retention, career progression, and behavior adaptation inside a mid-sized engineering consulting firm. This study used a mixed-method design and gathered data in three phases using two surveys and one interview. These methods were used to capture participants’ reactions, learning, application, and outcomes related to the Leading from the Front training. Descriptive statistics were calculated for quantitative data, and a content analysis was used to examine the qualitative data. Overall, the leadership training was found to have an impact on retention, career progression, and behavior adaptation. Although certain limitations affected the …

Exploring Leadership Development In Native American Business Organizations Within The Tourism Industry, Douglas Quist

Theses and Dissertations

With the tourism business consistently evolving and changing, Native American tribal businesses and leaders face challenges as they continue to grow and thrive in the industry. Although all businesses in the tourism industry face challenges and have commonalities, certain challenges are specific to Native American businesses. Often located in rural areas, hiring tribal members when available, and with limited talent pools, these Native American businesses are running complex software and hardware systems that require very specific and complex technical expertise. From recruiting to hiring, onboarding to training seasoned executives, specific leadership and technical needs must be met, regardless of limitations. …

Strategies For Incorporating Systems And Practices Into Manufacturing Environments To Increase Employee Engagement And Reduce Turnover For Front-Line, Millennial Employees, Karen Fitzgerald

Theses and Dissertations

Generation Y has a reputation of being lazy, entitled, and self-centered. Other generations struggle to find ways to relate and work with them. Companies are spending large sums of money to learn how to engage and lead with them. This study examined the factors that affect front-line millennial employee’s engagement and turnover in a manufacturing environment. It also identified systems and practices to engage and reduce turnover with millennial front-line employees in a manufacturing environment. From a study of 50 employees, leadership and purpose were among the highest scored factors that impacted engagement and turnover for the millennial generation. Additionally, …