Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Intercultural Perspectives On Managing Organizational Change In Response To Government Policy Reform: A Case Study On The Leadership Of New Oriental Education, Yihe Yang

Dissertations

In 2021, a policy aimed at addressing educational inequality triggered a significant upheaval in the private tutoring sector of China by fundamentally transforming prevailing business models and financial viability within the industry. New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. (New Oriental Education), one of the preeminent private tutoring enterprises in China, attracted considerable attention for its subsequent organizational change. This study explored the leadership dynamics and organizational change efforts implemented by New Oriental after the policy enactment.

The theoretical framework synthesized organizational change theory, organizational culture, and transformative leadership approaches from both Western and Chinese perspectives. It elucidated effective practices …

From Command Posts To Corporations: Applying United States Marine Corps Leadership Development To Corporate Organization Development, Paul D. Gowin

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the applicability of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) leadership development (LD) to corporate organizational development (OD). Despite significant investment in LD, many corporate programs do not meet expectations, highlighting the need for effective models. The USMC LD approach, emphasizing personal and subordinate leadership skills development, mission accomplishment, and team welfare, presents a unique model for exploration. This study examines the integration of USMC leadership components-traits, principles, and core values-into corporate leadership roles and evaluates the perception of USMC veterans on their applicability in corporate settings. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys of 125 …

Teacher Perceptions On The Sustainability Of Trauma-Informed Practices In A Delaware School, Joy Elaine Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore teacher perceptions about the sustainability of trauma-informed practices implementation in a secondary, public comprehensive school. For the purpose of this study, the researcher examined perceptions of 10 staff members who have knowledge of and experience with implanting trauma-informed practices into their school routine. The findings from this study can be used by teachers, support staff, school leaders, and district leaders to help sustain an institutional application and implementation of trauma-informed care in schools. The implication from this study suggests resources for school staff to successfully sustain trauma-informed care.

Autonomy And Coordination: A Field Study, Jessica Kaufman

Theses and Dissertations

With an emerging remote and dispersed workforce that is consequently more autonomous, OD professionals will need to understand how autonomy relates to coordination to help organizations adapt and be effective. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between team member autonomy and inter-team coordination in organizations. The manager-team participants in this study spanned eleven industries, including 22 teams from 15 companies. The researcher took a mixed-method approach using interviews and surveys to assess autonomy and coordination. The research resulted in five variables: three variables measured coordination and two variables measured autonomy. Autonomy and coordination were significantly and …

Overcoming The Space Between Us: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Bridge Building, Kate Hanisian

Theses and Dissertations

Facilitators in organization and community contexts (and other practitioners whose job it is to move groups of people forward together) are faced with the undercurrent of human conflict every day in meetings and gatherings around the world; often with limited access to an overarching tool to help prevent and manage conflict in most settings. The purpose of this paper was to uncover patterns in bridge building practices so that anyone who finds themselves in the role of facilitating conversations between people who are very different or do not like each other might lean into a set of practices that can …

Evaluating The Prevalence And Dimensions Of Poetry Interventions To Enable Change And Transformation In Organizations, Elizabeth Kathleen Mcgraw

Theses and Dissertations

Today, organizations and their employees operate in times of increased complexity, ambiguity, and constant change. Traditional methods for enabling change and transformation are no longer sufficient to generate alignment and shared understanding to create adaptive ways of working. Organizations must identify new tools when engaged in change and transformation. Poetry, a time-honored practice, is an unconventional choice for organizational interventions. Still, it may be a solution for organizations seeking to unstick, reframe, and pivot quickly toward a new and shared reality. This study evaluated the practice and dimensions of poetry interventions used by change practitioners when enabling change and transformation …

The Intersection Of Ethnic-Racial Identities And The Development Of Leadership Identity For Asian American Women Leaders And The Impact On Their Success, Nann Chan Chan Aye

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the intersectionality of ethnic-racial identity and leadership identity in Asian American Women Leaders (AAWLs) in the United States and its potential impact on leadership success. Findings reveal that community, inclusivity, and growth are the elements that intersect the three pillars: ethnic-racial identity, leadership identity, and organizational climate/environment for AAWLs to embrace the ownership of collective leadership identity. AAWLs strongly desire to foster positive organizational cultures that value service, collaboration, trust, autonomy, diversity, and growth. Another prominent finding is the enthusiasm of AAWLs to share and pass down learnings and experiences through open dialogues and mentorship to fellow …

Strategies To Influence Meaning Creation To Address Resistance In A Change Initiative, Rebecca L. Escobar

Theses and Dissertations

Organizational change has been a constant and essential aspect of human societies for centuries, driving innovation and adaptability. However, despite the abundance of models and content on managing change, organizations still struggle to implement and sustain effective transformations. This research aims to address this challenge by exploring strategies to create meaning and address resistance during transformational change. The research will employ a qualitative approach, conducting 15 interviews to capture participants' experiences and strategies in influencing meaning creation during change initiatives. The data collected will be transcribed, coded, categorized, and analyzed for themes, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the strategies …

Shifting Institutional Paradigms To Ignite Organizational Equity Amongst African American Professionals, Michael Fountain

Theses and Dissertations

African Americans can become discontented with their jobs and even consider resigning due to workplace anxiety. This quantitative study among African American business professionals in the U.S. highlighted the critical factors that foster positive working environments and organizational equity for African American professionals. The researcher focused on increasing an organization's effectiveness through managing diversity, allowing employees to feel inclusivity, and being part of a team. As a result, there will be happier, satisfied, and committed workers, thereby increasing the level of knowledge in the workforce while reducing expenses. This study analyzed conflict management, cultural diversity, marginalized employee emotions, teamwork, and …

High Potential Programs In Professional Service Firms, Charlene Robison

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined whether a mixed-cohort of billable and non-billable (e.g., marketing, human resources, accounting, technology) participants in a high-potential development program is beneficial to the organizations that utilize this development approach and to the participants in such programs. This research focused on professional service firms with time-defined and structured high-potential programs. This study utilized a mixed-method design and gathered data in two phases: a survey and a focus group. These methods were used to obtain participant sentiments of participating in their respective high-potential programs. Twenty-five high-potential professionals completed the survey and six participated in the focus group. The study …

Co-Creating The Future: Working With Groups To Assess, Plan, And Innovate, Gregory A. Smith

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Evolving conditions require organizations to change. Organizational leaders must engage with stakeholders to co-create their shared future; in many cases, this involves working with groups of people. This presentation shares five techniques for facilitating effective group sessions:

1. Establish and uphold rules of engagement.
2. Ask specific, deliberate questions.
3. Use constraints to unleash creativity.
4. Use concrete resources to stimulate thinking.
5. Sequence activities to achieve desired outcomes.

Organizational Change: The Experiences Of Practitioners Transitioning To A Fee-For-Service Model, Anthony Zazzarino, Zakia Clay, Ann Reilly

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Many human service agencies are in the midst of a transition for a fee-for-service model. Through the midst of the transition, organizations must shift the culture of their agency and adapt to the new service delivery approach. Some organizational changes can create feelings of insecurity among staff, fewer resources, and greater potential for employee burnout. Though there is some research that provides valuable information, it often fails to highlight the individual experiences of the worker. This phenomenological study begins to explore the experiences and perceptions of practitioners working in supported housing agencies during the transition to a fee-for-service approach. The …

Saving A Seat For A Sister: A Grounded Theory Approach Exploring The Journey Of Women Reaching Top Policing Executive Positions, Nicola D. Smith-Kea

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The world of women in law enforcement is a thought-provoking one that has received increasing attention both in academia as well as in practice over the past few decades. Even more intriguing, and despite advances in the profession, is the low number of women in executive leadership positions in law enforcement. There is a vast underrepresentation of women in top executive leadership positions across the 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the complex journey of women to top executive policing leadership positions. Embracing a positive psychology approach, …

Managing The Affective Responses Of Employees During Organizational Change In Higher Education, Brad Kennington

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education is facing a period of continual change driven by numerous external and internal forces. Consequently, higher education leaders are faced with the frequent and daunting task of planning and managing organizational change in higher education institutions, which are both complex and dynamic in nature. Adding difficulty to this task is the fact that employees often react to change with emotional responses that are both challenging to understand and complicated and to manage. Managing affective dimensions of change can be overwhelming to leaders, which can lead to failed organizational change efforts. This study explored and answered (a) how a …

Assessing The Impacts Of Work-Related Applications Of Improvisation Training On Psychological Safety In Teams, Marne Maykowskyj Nordean

Theses and Dissertations

This paper discusses improvisational training (IMPT) and psychological safety and seeks to find if the former impacts the latter. For this study, improvisation has four main tenets: ensemble / co-creating, 'yes, and' / accept and heighten, authenticity / celebrating failure, and listening and communication skills. Psychological safety is defined as the shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking and a sense of confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject or punish someone for speaking up. This confidence stems from mutual respect and trust among team members. It is described as …

Love As An Organizational Norm: An Exploration At A Values-Centered Organization, Vangie Marie Bogaty-Rodríguez

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated to what extent, if any, developing a norm of love might be accepted, incorporated, sustained, and beneficial to an organization. Participants included 18 directors, manager, and supervisors of a 24-year-old telecommunications company located in Puerto Rico. Data were collected through individual interviews where interviewees shared their perspectives on the possibility of adopting the norm of love, their acceptance of it, and how they would implement it. Findings indicated that a majority (83.33%) of the participants acknowledged that love is part of the human essence and whole selves, and that such a norm would be beneficial to employees …

Success And Failure Rates, Factors, And Alignment With Change Models: A Meta-Ethnographic Analysis Of Planned Organizational Change Qualitative Case Study Literature, Diana Mcburnett

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The literature on planned organizational change contains numerous theories and models proposed and many references to success and failure rates and factors. However, the literature does not currently provide a synthesized body of evidence on such rates and factors and the effectiveness of specific models. The literature was reviewed to provide a brief historical overview of organizational change, evidence on change success and failure rates and factors, and an overview of contingency and paradox theories which provided the theoretical underpinnings for the study. This study provided a meta-ethnographic synthesis of 298 articles reporting qualitative case studies of planned organizational change …

Creating Sustainable Support Systems For The Cultural Integration Of International Students At A Medium Size Ontario University, Muzi Li

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This OIP investigates the lack of cultural integration and support for international students at Medium-Size Ontario University (MSOU). The support for cultural integration of the international students at MSOU is inadequate and international students are facing social, emotional and academic challenges as they are not provided with the needed assistance to acclimatize to Western culture. Three potential solutions to address the PoP are demonstrated and evaluated. The chosen solution of implementing extended orientation and workshops is inspected in detail. Transformational Leadership and Confucianism are examined to ensure their relevancy and appropriateness to address this PoP and OIP and connected to …

Influence Of Organizational Change On Health Records Management Practices In Local Government Areas Of Osun State, Nigeria, Michael Segun Omole Dr., Tajudeen Temitayo Adebayo Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study reported the influence of organizational change on health records management practices in local government areas, with a view to contributing to finding solutions to problems associated with organizational change in relation to health records management practices in local government areas of Osun State.

Survey research design was adopted for the study. The study population was three hundred and six (306) medical and health officers in the 30 local government areas of Osun State. Total enumeration technique was used. A validated questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The response rate of 93.1% was obtained and data …

Factors And Considerations For Change At James Madison University, Robert P. Zaepfel Jr.

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The objective of this qualitative case study was to develop a thematic change model and taxonomy of change factors specifically designed for higher education practitioners at James Madison University (JMU). This research will provide resources to guide future institutional change at JMU while focusing on the practical nature of applying resources and techniques to facilitate organizational change. This study will bridge the gap between academic research and practitioner application by creating a cyclical theoretical framework grounding the exploration of complex higher education change dynamics at JMU. Individual interviews focused on recent change events were conducted with participants identified through the …

Tracing The Change Process: Fostering And Sustaining Student Affairs Cultures Of Assessment, Margaret Leary

Dissertations

Student affairs professionals have long been strong contributors to college student learning and development and supporters of the perspective that holistic postsecondary learning is critical for not only the individual but society as well. With more attention focused on the value of this learning, student affairs has taken steps to foster and establish cultures of assessment by creating positions for individuals to coordinate assessment efforts across the division – a student affairs assessment leader. Most of the literature focusing on student affairs is informed by valuable practitioner experience and can be strengthened by empirical study. This explanatory single case study …

Roadblocks To The Implementation Of Problem-Oriented Policing In Montevideo, Federico Del Castillo

Student Theses

In the broad context of Uruguay’s police reform, the Ministry of Interior is implementing a pilot Problem-Oriented Policing (POP) program in Montevideo since late 2012. This research examined the obstacles confronted by the program throughout its implementation. Using a grounded theory approach, qualitative data was collected through 20 semi-structured interviews with members of the Uruguay National Police (UNP) of different ranks. Findings were analyzed based on the following categories: a) contextual factors; b) theoretical and practical inaccuracies; c) characteristics, skills and actions of project managers; d) resistance and motivational issues; e) resources; f) external support and cooperation. Consistent with research …

A Strategic Approach To Improving Workplace Performance At The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, Sheila Ireland, Stuart Smith Phd

Research in Human Capital Development (HCD 770)

In this paper I will focus on the talent management issues in my own department rather than the ones in the larger organization. Specifically, I used the framework proposed in Beyond HR to help my department:

1. Identify our strategic pivot points
2. Identify the organization and talent pivot points that matter most
3. Develop the program policies and investments that will make those pivot points happen.

As I have the authority to do so within my own department my role has accordingly changed from Influencer of Action to Change Agent. I have used a combination of library research and action research for …

Understanding Arts-Based Methods In Managerial Development, Steven S. Taylor, Donna Ladkin

Faculty Articles

With the rising use of arts-based methods in organizational development and change, scholars have started to inquire into how and why these methods work. We identify four processes that are particular to the way in which arts-based methods contribute to the development of individual organization managers and leaders: through the transference of artistic skills, through projective techniques, through the evocation of "essence," and through creating artifacts such as masks, collages, or sculpture, a process we call "making." We illustrate these processes in detail with two case examples and then discuss the implications for designing the use of arts-based methods for …

Unpacking Unintended Consequences In Planned Organizationalchanges: A Process Model, Guowei Jian

Communication Faculty Publications

The author develops a process model of the unintended consequences in planned organizational change that draws on the structuration, organizational change, and organizational tension literatures. The model depicts the communicative actions of both senior management and employees and reveals the dynamic through which unintended consequences unfold. The model extends theoretical understandings of planned organizational change and discusses how future research can build a dialectic and dialogic model of planned change focused on employee participation. The author illustrates the model with a case study of organizational change and its unintended consequences. The article concludes with insights on change management for practitioners …

The Roles And Attributes Of Human Resource Leaders During Organizational Restructuring, Alison Anne Brown

Dissertations

Problem. As the number of organizations involved in major restructuring increases, Human Resource (HR) leaders find themselves in a labyrinth of evolving roles. How might they facilitate the organization's desire to successfully wed human needs and experiences to profit expectations and strategies?

Purpose. This qualitative study seeks to increase understanding of the dual role played by human resource leadership, as they are both survivors and facilitators of organizational restructuring. It answers the overarching question: What are the unique contributions made by HR leaders to the organizational restructuring process?

Methodology. Through a purposive sampling process, 11 HR leaders were identified who …