Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Study Of Transformational And Transactional Leadership In Computer-Based Communication, Luann Watson

Theses and Graduate Projects

A two-part survey was administered to 88 adult students in master's and undergraduate programs at Augsburg College to determine the relationship between the amount of time spent in computer-based communication between leaders and followers and the leadership style of the leaders. The two leadership styles studied were the transformational and transactional styles first described by James MacGregor Burns (1978) and further developed by Bernard M. Bass (1985). Most leaders exhibit both transformational and transactional leadership styles, but in differing degrees. However, transformational leadership is thought to be more motivational. It was hypothesized that the transformational style would be less prevalent …

Beyond The Mirror, Judith Thyen Jordan

Theses and Graduate Projects

The history of disability discrimination as dehumanization is explored as a foundation for the paper. This question is then explored using a framework of socially constructed reality and symbolic convergence theory. For this analysis, communication and perception are the key elements drawn from each theory.

The conclusion of this analysis is that genuine "empowerment" requires a reconstructed social reality that defines people with visible physical disabilities as "normal."

Generation Xers And Boomers: How Evolving Work Values, Life Stages, And Generations Explain The Differences, Lucille A. Stoffels

Theses and Graduate Projects

Eighty-eight percent of today's workforce was born between 1943 and 1981 that make up the two generational groups called Boomers and Generation Xers (Farren & Mauer, 1999).

Over the past several years it has become increasing evident that there is a conflict in the workplace between these two groups. Some of the work related issues between the groups may or may not be limited to their generational group, but may also be reflective of their developmental life stage and the evolving work values.

Coincidentally, Generation Xers are in the life stage of youth and most Boomers are in the middle-aged …

The Leadership Of The Domestic Violence Movement In Minnesota, Suzanne Koepplinger

Theses and Graduate Projects

The beginnings of the domestic violence movement were heavily influenced by cultural feminist thought and servant leadership styles. In recent years, more hierarchical and professional service providers have gained ground and changed the face of service provision, legislative efforts and public outreach in the domestic violence movement. What began as a social change movement has evolved into an institution in its own right. This shift has caused new styles of leadership and a new paradigm to take root. Transforming, empowering and visionary leadership, all with a base in feminism, mark the current players. It has not been an easy transition, …

Writers Who Are Servant-Leaders: Applying Robert Greenleaf's Theory To The Lives And Works Of Madeleine L'Engle, Vaclav Havel, And Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Patricia Park

Theses and Graduate Projects

In his 1970 essay The Servant as Leader, Robert Greenleaf (1904-1990) introduces his theory of servant-leadership. Greenleaf presents his belief that everything begins with the initiative of the individual. While Greenleafs ideas have been applied mainly to organizational settings, they also have great relevance to individuals involved in artistic pursuits. Greenleaf suggests studying the lives of servant-leaders for inspiration. An exploration of the lives and works of three writers who embody the principles of servant-leadership--Madeleine L'Engle, Vaclav Havel, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez--provides valuable insights into Greenleaf's theory. These three highly creative individuals exemplify these key characteristics of a servant-leader as …

Leading The Sales Team: Using Greenleaf's Servant Leadership Paradigm To Facilitate Team Building, Patricia A. Campanaro

Theses and Graduate Projects

According to Peter Drucker, Robert K. Greenleaf is known as the grandfather of the modern empowerment movement in business leadership. Greenleaf fervently believed that true leaders are those who lead by serving others. He was also a strong proponent of ethics and integrity in the ranks of managers/leaders.

A research study in the Journal of Marketing Management, Spring/Summer 1997, reported that the personal factor found to have the greatest influence in the performance of sales managers was training. This paper applies the Servant Leader Model to the demands of the sales leadership role. Traditional sales training concentrates on the mechanics …

Discipleship: Empowering Followers For The Modern Church, Gordon Thomas

Theses and Graduate Projects

The modern church finds itself under increasing pressure as the number of individuals entering the ministry continues to fall short of the number accepting vocational calls outside of ministry or retiring. Churches of all denominations are looking for creative ways to re-engage their members into accepting a broader range of responsibility in the church. The term many are using is 'discipleship'.

This study will first examine the stewardship theory developed by Peter Block - the choice of service over self-interest. This theory will then be contrasted with the work done by Pastor Michael Foss in his recent book Power Surge. …

Using Complexity Theory To Select Between Leaders And Managers, Michael W. Jordan

Theses and Graduate Projects

Several authors have attempted recently to extend Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) theory to organizations and business management (Wheatley, 1992; Lind, 1994; Beccone, 1998; Zimmerman, Lindberg & Plsek, 1998, Eoyang & Olson, 2001). The theory might be useful for practitioners, but it cannot provide detailed scientific predictions. The following questions are posed for analysis: Could CAS theory be applied to hiring and promoting leaders and managers? Would it be possible, and would it make sense, for organizations to identify emergent leaders as management prospects given Beccone's analysis of the distinction between leaders and managers? How might the procedures and results likely …

Best Practices For Retention Of Nursing Assistants In Hospitals: The Build Model, Lynda R. Frayne

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study is a review of the phenomenon of poor job retention for nursing assistants in hospitals and long-term care facilities, with special emphasis on the practices that may enhance the retention of nursing assistants in hospitals.

The study establishes that the nursing assistant retention problem exists and identifies the main reasons nursing assistants leave some jobs and stay in others. It also discusses the significance that leadership has for enhancing higher retention rates of nursing assistants. The study reveals the BUILD model for initiatives to retain nursing assistants, a tool for front-line managers to use. Finally, recommendations for implementing …

The Elder Family Meeting: Leading To The Heart Of The Matter, Kathryn Ringham

Theses and Graduate Projects

The aging of the population is poised to challenge our current system of medical, economic and social supports. It will also test the limits of our national compassion. Professionals working in the field of aging are preparing for the demographic bulge and are seeking cost-effective interventions to help elders and their families develop cooperative caregiving and decision-making skills. Caregivers are often at the center of the family system trying to deal with a situation they don't want and don't understand.

One intervention common during health transitions is the family meeting. This application project describes the context of caregiving and healthcare …

Genre Studies: Temporary Homogeneous Grouping To Improve Reading Or Merely Another Form Of Tracking?, Brenda Wright Campbell Edd

Dissertations

For the last fifty years, raising the achievement levels of students thought to be “at-risk” has proven to be one of the most difficult and vexing problems facing educators. Although many different strategies have been tried with varying levels of success, no single at-risk solution has emerged that both promotes significant achievement gains and helps to narrow the achievement gap between people of color and whites. This study examined the effectiveness of a particular district-wide literacy strategy in its first year that focused on literacy to educate students identified as “at-risk”. Specifically, this study used data gathered from two measures …

Leadership For Inter-Organization Collaboration, Dawn Cvengros

Theses and Graduate Projects

This work related project implemented strategies of leadership behavior designed to assist representatives from organizations that represent state and local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and industry make advancements to develop a sustainable collaboration among these organizations. The representatives voluntarily convene to improve the nutritional wellness of low income people in Minnesota. The dynamics of strategic leadership theory as it was applied to this project are illustrated. The purpose of this project was to identify ways to assist them inter-organization collaboration (IOC) achieve the goal: to develop and sustain a cohesive, visible, inclusive, and productive collaboration among member organizations. The objective …

Cultivating Purpose & Meaning In Health Care Employees: A Case Study Of Spirituality Integrated Within An Organization, Denise Cleveland

Theses and Graduate Projects

This case study explores the impact of spirituality between an organization and employee. The literature supports a growing interest among leaders in the idea of integrating spirituality into the workplace. Many leaders are recognizing the role of spirituality in fostering the human spirit to create relationships and systems that allow people to feel valued and supported. These values contribute to a sense of community within the work environment. This study seeks to understand more about the attributes, characteristics and outcomes of an organization that integrates spirituality throughout its organizational culture.

Collaborative Leadership In Middle Schools And Teacher Job Satisfaction: A Search For Relationships, A. Greg Bowden Edd

Dissertations

This correlational study examined the relationship between the leadership practiced by middle school principals and the job satisfaction reported by their teachers. Data were collected from 10 middle school principals who completed a demographic survey and the Principal Leadership Survey-Self (PLS-S). Data were also collected from 183 teachers who completed a demographic survey, the Principal Leadership Survey-Other (PLS-O), the School Participant Empowerment Scale (SPES), and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). Sub scale scores from the PLS-O and the SPES were used to measure collaborative leadership. Telephone interviews were conducted with nine of the teachers who reported the highest degree of …

Leadership: The Missing Variable In The Economic Development Of Sub-Saharan Africa, Osei K. Bonsu

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Contemporary economic theories, modernization and dependency, have overlooked the fact that the development process depends on the interaction of social factors. Specifically, the theories have ignored the role of leadership in analyzing economic development. This dissertation seeks to incorporate the importance of leadership into the analysis of development. It argues that sub-Saharan African countries have not developed economically because leaders in the region have been less than successful in establishing a culture conducive to industrialization. African leaders have failed to establish the high moral and scientific cultures necessary to promote economic progress. In place of those cultural attributes, the leaders …

Point Of Transition Service Integration Project: A Multiple-Case Study Of A Systems Change Intervention, David A. Noyes Edd

Dissertations

The Point of Transition Service Integration Project (POTSIP) was initiated in 1997 in California as a three-year model demonstration grant funded by the Department of Education. The goal of the project was to improve the level of cooperation and collaboration among public schools, the State Department of Rehabilitation, and the State Department of Developmental Services related to efforts assisting students with severe disabilities who are transitioning from school to adult life. This qualitative study examined a stakeholder-centered perspective on the transition process within the POTSIP model. The purpose of this study was to identify the critical incidents and factors that …

Leadership In Virtual Field Service Organizations, Charley Price

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study examines the leadership effectiveness of technology-based companies and their respective virtual field service organizations. Specifically, this research surveyed four service-based organizations whose managers were responsible for both local and remote field-engineering personnel. Local engineers are defined as residing in the same office or city location with their manager, and remote engineers are defined as residing in a different office and city location from their manager. Each participating service organization's personnel, made up of managers and engineers, participated through an anonymous survey response.

The survey collected information about each participant's belief of how effective their organization's leaders managed their …

Extra-Curriculuar Leadership And Service Learning Program For Fifth Grade Students, Barbra Ann Muffett

All Graduate Projects

The design of leadership education for fifth grade students was studied. Through the review of literature it was found that leadership education should have a student-centered approach. Leadership education and service learning can be taught together because students can directly apply their leadership skills to an authentic situation. From the review of literature it was discovered that true service learning involves several key elements. The benefits of service learning, specifically for at-risk students are addressed.

Supervisor Leadership Style And Counselors' Burnout: A Comparative Study Of High School Counselors And Rehabilitation Counselors, David J. Lubofsky Edd

Dissertations

This quantitative study investigated whether the perceived leadership style of high school principals and rehabilitation supervisors had an effect on the burnout of high school and rehabilitation counselors. Demographic and work related characteristics were also assessed to determine if these factors affected burnout rates. Survey data from the three separate scales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) were combined with demographic data to estimate a series of three regression models. The models focused on the effects of demographic, work-related and leadership variables on counselor burnout. Data were collected from 96 high school counselors and …

Veteran Teacher Perceptions Of The Grossmont Model Of Peer Assistance And Review. Is It A Viable Alternative To Traditional Evaluation?, Edwin L. Basilio Edd

Dissertations

This study looked at factors that influenced veteran teacher perceptions of the newly implemented Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) program in the Grossmont Union High School District. More specifically, the study explored (1) reasons why teachers with at least five years of successful teaching experience voluntarily chose to forfeit their regularly scheduled traditional evaluation and substitute it with a peer review, (2) factors that contributed to positive perceptions of the PAR program, (3) factors that contributed to negative perceptions of the PAR program, and (4) perceived differences between the traditional and PAR methods of teacher evaluation. This study incorporated multiple …

Perception And Reality: An Empirical Assessment Of Navy Leadership Styles And Business Process Reengineering Outcomes, Andre D. Murphy Edd

Dissertations

Seeking to improve mission readiness and organizational effectiveness while reducing expenditures, the Department of the Navy (DoN) eliminated and reconstructed many of its business practices. Reconstruction of the military's business practices was accomplished through business process reengineering (BPR). Business process reengineering is a change strategy that provides organizations the opportunity to do “more with less.” Although doing more with less is not a new concept in military settings, the organizational change construct of business process reengineering is new. Most organizations in the private sector that attempt reengineering do not attain their intended results; the literature reveals that 50–70% of organizations …

A Model Health-Related Elementary Physical Education Program For Saipan: Teachers' Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices, Kurt C. Barnes Edd

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was significant differences in changes of knowledge, attitudes, and practices between elementary school teachers who took part in an in-service physical education training program and those who did not take part. The in-service training program utilized a model health-related physical education program. The setting for the study was a school district on Saipan whose teachers were required to teach physical education. Teachers in five of nine public elementary schools were placed in the in-service training program. A questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices, was administrated as a pre- and post-test. …

Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction Of Repatriated Managers, Michael A. Duoto Edd

Dissertations

Turnover due to repatriation is an increasingly costly occurrence for multinational corporations. Understanding why repatriates decide to leave their companies upon being called back from abroad may help to devise ways in which organizations can mitigate such turnover and reduce cost in hiring and training new personnel. To that end, this study examines the impact of training and orientation programs on the job satisfaction of repatriated managers. In general the study looks at whether or not training, orientation, and family support programs have an impact on the job satisfaction of repatriated managers. The study puts forward the hypothesis that training …

Aircrew Adaptive Decision Making: A Cross-Case Analysis, Constance Ann Gillan Edd

Dissertations

Although the accident rate for military aviation has declined significantly from earlier decades, during the 1990's it reached a plateau. Human error in the cockpit still accounts for over 80% of the aircraft mishaps resulting in loss of life or over one million dollars in damage. Decision error has been a contributing factor for approximately 60% of these mishaps. The purpose of this research was to investigate aircrew process performance variables as predictors of decision-making outcomes. This study was modeled on elements of previous research in naturalistic decision making. Data were collected for cross-case analysis of the role experience plays …

The Development Of The Tavistock And Tavistock-Inspired Group Relations Movement In Great Britain And The United States: A Comparative And Historical Perspective, Amy L. Fraher Edd

Dissertations

In order to gain a deeper understanding of authority, people must analyze human behavior in groups. To study these behaviors, a group relations movement was spawned approximately 60 years ago and has influenced people's thinking about leadership and authority in groups and organizations ever since. This study analyzed primary and secondary historical sources, including data from extended videotaped interviews the researcher conducted with thirteen group relations experts throughout the United States and Great Britain, as a way to reconstruct the history of a significant part of the group relations movement. These videotaped interviews are available for viewing. Specifically, the study …

Modeling The Effects Of Financial Aid On Student Enrollment Decisions: A Quantitative Case Study Of A Private Catholic University, Linda Siefert Edd

Dissertations

Over the last two decades, many institutions of higher education have experienced admissions-related problems due to fluctuations in student enrollment and the increasing need for institutional financial aid. Because of this, administrators need tools that can help them modify policy as the market changes. The purpose of this research was to develop a tool for a private, more selective institution that would answer the following questions: (1) what is the probability of enrollment for each admitted student, and (2) how would changes in the financial aid package affect this probability? The model in this research was based on both economic …

Heritage College: Partnership Leadership As Catalyst To A Multicultural Learning Community, Mary Ann Joan Elizabeth Kaczmarski Edd

Dissertations

Heritage College, a four-year, fully accredited, independent, nonprofit college located in rural, south central Washington, serves multicultural populations that have been educationally isolated. It was created against tremendous odds in 1981 by a small, diverse group of committed individuals. An initial study of Heritage College, conducted in 1991, yielded such compelling findings in the areas of leadership, mission, and community, among others, that a more rigorous, in-depth research study was called for. This dissertation is the follow-up study. The president of Heritage College states that the College sees itself as a leadership- and team-oriented institution with a distinctive focus on …

Electronic Mail: What Leaders Need To Know, Marsha J. Thiel

Theses and Graduate Projects

Electronic mail (email) was introduced to the business environment in the early 1970's. It was estimated that 130 million workers sent approximately 2.8 billion messages every day in 2000. Today, leaders all across the nation are installing email systems in their organizations. Many leaders understand the benefits but they do not understand the risks of implementing an email system. Some of the issues and risks to an organization may be: lack of "rules" for proper use, personal use on company time, perceptions of privacy, lack of confidentiality, and legal liability to the organization. Leaders may reduce the risk to their …

Achieving Alignment Through Adaptive Leadership, Susan Schultze

Theses and Graduate Projects

This application project will focus on achieving strategic alignment through adaptive leadership. It will look at intrinsic motivation as a means for adaptive leadership to develop the entrepreneurial spirit within an organization. It will develop the intrinsic motivation building blocks as a means of working through alignment frameworks. The emphasis will be on components that can be used at the workgroup level, as individuals and as a team. The Five Disciplines of the Learning Organization support the concept of connectivity across an organization that achieves alignment through iterations of the alignment model. This project will also refer to complex adaptive …

Retaining Volunteers, Nancy A. Hudson

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study investigates what initially motivates a volunteer and if this motivation remains constant over time or if it changes. Using a modified Volunteer Functions Inventory, volunteers in a human service organization were questioned to determine their initial motivation and why they either remain active volunteers or no longer volunteer.

Volunteers have always been a component of the American culture. From the Minutemen of the American Revolution to today's volunteer firemen, volunteers are vital to the success of many organizations and programs. Recruiting volunteers can be as easy as "asking them", but once volunteers are recruited and trained, how does …