Leadership Studies Commons^™

Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Servant Leadership In The United States And Latin America, Ismael Merino

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this study, the subject matter evaluated is the difference between the United States and Latin America concerning the practice and acceptance of servant leadership. This research compares the practice and the acceptance of servant leadership between the United States of America and Latin America. In order to do this, a cross-cultural comparison was conducted between these two groups. The objective was to find the differences in the leadership styles of these two groups and subsequently analyze the results. The Hofstede’s cultural dimensions were used to be able to compare cultural differences, and understand why these differences appear in the …

Identifying Team Dysfunctions Within Two Natural Resources Conservation Service Offices, Norman E. Pipkin

Masters Theses

Many teams fail to recognize what causes dysfunction within their team. The purpose of this study is to examine team dynamics and produce an example of applied leadership research for leadership educators. By identifying the causes of dysfunction, teams will be able to advance the functionality and success of their team by achieving a higher level of cohesiveness and production for the customers and communities in which they serve. Leadership educators will be able to use this study in discussing how team functionality can be studied and improved.

NRCS offices in two counties were given the opportunity to participate in …

The Emergence Of Efficacy: Effects Of An Orientation Leader Training Program On Participant Self-Efficacy, Hayley Marisa Walker

Communication Studies

This study examined the effects of California Polytechnic State University’s Spring Training Program for student Orientation Leaders on participants. Specifically, the present research explored the impact of the programming on participant levels of self-efficacy over the course of ten weeks. Data were collected from individuals who volunteered to partake in the research by responding to two questionnaires throughout the program. The results show that participants’ reported higher perceptions of self-efficacy at the end of the program than they did at the beginning. Further, such increases are significantly influenced by the performance of, and relationships with, prominent leaders within the program. …

Toward A Sustainable Leadership Model For Pastoral Leaders, Derrick B. Wells

Ed.D. Dissertations

Leadership is a dynamic process. Pastoral leadership, though often times rewarding, can also be challenging. Insofar as pastoral leaders are equipped and have the leadership agility and dexterity to effectively manage through the demands of their call, their emotional intelligence abilities and transformational leadership behaviors may prove invaluable when being leveraged toward mission effectiveness, funding, and volunteer involvement. Emotional intelligence and transformational leadership are viable constructs that serve as the conceptual frameworks for this research. Enabling pastoral leaders to enhance their leadership skill through the development of these respective constructs offers benefits to the pastoral leaders and the member constituents …

Bridgers In The Third Space: An In-Country Investigation Of The Leadership Practices Of Us-Educated Chinese Nationals, Maria L. Martinez

Educational Studies Dissertations

This in-country grounded theory study examined the lived experiences of 24 Chinese returnees who completed advanced degrees in the United States. The study found that the four types of organizations in mainland China determine the social context of the application of Western education of the Chinese returnees. Returnees working in multinational corporations apply their Western education more than the returnees working in the other types of organizations. Themes that revolved around the international educational experiences of the Chinese students, including the development of cultural intelligence and new understanding of the ‘other’, and their realization of the differences between their home …

Optimizing Workforce Performance: Perceived Differences Of Army Officer Critical Thinking Talent Across Level Of Education, Richard B. Ayers

Dissertations

The U.S. Army’s operating environment continues to become increasingly complex and unpredictable, where U.S. technological advantage continues to erode. The complexities stem from the Army’s doctrinal assumption that the future operating environment is unknown and constantly changing (Department of the Army [DA], 2014a). Diminishing technological advantage results in more reliance on soldiers’ cognitive capability, and less on high technology weapons systems (McMaster, 2015).

A review of military literature shows extensive research on the importance of Army leaders to be talented critical thinkers (Fischer, Spiker, & Riedel, 2008, 2009; Gerras, 2008; Thomas & Gentzler, 2013). Human capital literature reveals many college …

The Creative Entrepreneur Leading Innovation, Karina Loera Barcenas

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The Creative Entrepreneur Leading Innovation is a course designed for undergraduate students. Students will learn the entrepreneurial mindset through the creative process triggering innovation and leading transformation to face and adapt in the current constant and fastest changing era. This course also has a skill development component through which students will be able to experience personal transformation towards positive change.

Capstone Summary Report, Kayla Blais

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Leadership is vital to the practice of public health. The following review of current literature delves into present understanding of leaders that the public health field needs. As leadership within public health is being explored, specific skills required of future leaders, different types of leaders, and the impacts we can expect to see are being defined.

Emotional Intelligence And Self-Efficacy In Military Leaders, Kelly A. Hudson

Dissertations

\Purpose: This quantitative study was conducted for the purpose of determining the relationship between emotional intelligence and self-efficacy in military leaders.

Methodology: This quantitative, correlational study measured emotional intelligence and self-efficacy in military leaders to determine the relationship between them. The study involved differentiating between non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers in order to determine if a difference exists between the types of leaders in the military.

Findings: The findings from this research illustrate that there is a relationship between the leaders’ emotional intelligence and self-efficacy.

Conclusions: The study supported the hypothesis that the higher a leader’s emotional intelligence, the higher …

Understanding Millennial, Generation X, And Baby Boomer Preferred Leadership Characteristics: Informing Today’S Leaders And Followers, Lee-Volker Cox

Dissertations

Purpose. This quantitative study’s purpose was to describe and determine the degree of difference and importance of leadership characteristics as perceived by Baby Boom, Generation X, and Millennial generational cohort followers in STEM-related U.S.-based or headquartered aerospace and computer organizations as measured by the Multigenerational Leadership Characteristics Questionnaire (MLCQ).

Methodology. This was a cross-sectional, nonexperimental, comparative and correlational quantitative, ex post facto study. A web-based MLCQ was developed after conducting an academic literature review. Participants used a 6-point Likert scale identifying the importance of 30 characteristics with 2 aggregation questions identifying the most and least important characteristics; 408 members of …

A Qualitative Study To Discover And Describe Common Ground Strategies Used By Exemplar Law Enforcement Leaders To Proactively Transform And Resolve Conflict As They Attempt To Shape The Future, Christopher M. Fuzie

Dissertations

The purpose of this thematic, qualitative, phenomenological study was to discover and describe the lived experiences of exemplar Municipal Police Chiefs in the use of six domains of conflict transformation; collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, ethics, process, and problem solving, in order to find breakthrough results and transform conflict. This study was accomplished through the lived experiences, perceptions and interpretations of exemplar Municipal Police Chiefs, and through these experiences, put forward the commonalities, patterns of behavior, or repetitive themes that are used to find common ground and produce breakthrough results. The findings from this research illustrate how exemplar municipal police chiefs …

Exploring The Transition Experience For The First Time Local Conference Presidents In The North American Division Of Seventh-Day Adventists: Narratives From Conference Presidents' Career Transitions, David E. Weigley

Dissertations

The position of the president of a conference in the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (a senior leadership role) has currently no policy stipulating leadership training prerequisites. Leaders transitioning into the president’s position typically are selected from a pool of successful pastors, departmental directors, and executive secretaries by a constituency meeting of delegates from local churches and conference institutions.

This qualitative study probed the transition of 12 first-time local conference presidents. The information was gathered by recording in-depth interviews. Eight themes surfaced from the exploration. Leaders experienced the transition as overwhelming, challenging their spirituality, involving new constellations of relationships, …

Colaboratory: Design Collaboration For The Greater Good, Stephanie Arends Neal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A university campus is comprised of countless students enrolled in an array of degree programs that logistically creates a diverse population that can and should culminate into a dynamic professional network for graduates. How can higher education capitalize on this melting pot to provide experiences for students and fuse this network? A place, where students collectively solve problems by applying knowledge from their degree-specific areas, will foster interdisciplinary collaboration. By requiring working-relationships between students that benefit their community, a design center will provide students with experiences across disciplines that mirror a real-world, collaborative work environment while they identify opportunities and …

Effectiveness Of High-Fidelity Simulation In Changing Citizens’ Attitudes Toward Police, Jeffrey A. Pardue Ma

All Student Scholarship

The use of deadly force is the most serious decision a police officer has to make. Recent highly-publicized law enforcement lethal encounters have led to a growing need for police to proactively engage in educational discussions with community members in hopes of improving the perceptions of their work.

Communication Efficacy Using Technology Within Virtual Teams, Jeremy Daros Ma

All Student Scholarship

Technology has given businesses the flexibility to allow employees to collaborate beyond the limitations of geography. Today’s businesses are taking advantage of collaborative teams that are separated by distance, but work together as if they are in the same room.

Engagement, Gamification, And Workplace Satisfaction: A Convergent Study Of User Indicators, Josiah J. Eikelboom Ma

All Student Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a correlation between the personal indicators of gamification users, game preferences, and workplace engagement. A three-part survey was deployed through an online, opt-in gamification platform in order to gauge individual user preferences.

Leadership Within Collegiate Student Organizations: Does Membership Contribute To Leadership Development?, Shawn Plante Ma

All Student Scholarship

Student organizations vary in membership size, values, mission, and organizational structure, which can create a variety of leadership opportunities for students. However, there is an unclear understanding regarding the association between student organizational leadership, career preparation, and leadership development.

Exploring The Intersection Of Fat+Wom*N+Leadership: An Action Research Study, Jessica Jamese Williams

Dissertations

Cultural propaganda promotes an ever-changing feminine ideal which is parasitically reliant on women preoccupying themselves—ourselves—with our physical aesthetic. For women that identify as fat, most spaces openly neglect or are simply intolerant of her and even the stores meant for her are riddled with products meant to bind, reshape and essentially change her body. Fat women embody the paradox of being both conspicuous and unseen. Within systems, fat women are often silenced by shame, bias and discrimination; the unwanted and soiled identity hold us at the margins and serving as a barrier to effectively connect with others and practice leadership. …

Global Reach, Local Markets: The Challenges Of Leading Global Innovation, Sarah Higgins

Honors Theses

This Global Studies honors thesis addresses how managers and leaders of global firms manage innovation across multiple markets. Current research on multinational corporations provides an understanding of different kinds of innovation and the ways to attend to multiple markets. However, there is less documentation of how these innovation strategies are actually implemented on the ground and the tensions that these efforts might produce. Therefore, my research focuses in particular on the challenges and tensions faced by leaders of global firms as they implement transnational innovation strategies. This study is based upon in-depth interviews with 20 participants who held positions in …

A Study Regarding Organizational Health, Leadership Styles And Practices And Job Satisfaction In The Associacao Central Amazonas Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church According To The Perception Of The Pastoral Ministry, Sergio Alan Alves Caxeta

Master's Theses

Problem

Due to the perceived partial insatisfaction on the part of the district pastors and local church leaders in the Associação Central Amazonas (ACeAm) based on the amount of work added to the annual planning and the Organization activities calendar, it was decided to investigate the health organization, the leadership practices and styles, as well as the job satisfaction accrding to the perception of the ACeAm pastoral ministry which may be at the basis of the problem

Method

The study was conducted among AceAm 59 pastors divided in three leadership categories described as Top Leadership, Management and Work Force according …

A Study Regarding Organizational Health, Leadership Styles And Practices And Job Satisfaction Within The West Central Brazil Union Mission Of Seventh-Day Adventist Church According To The Perception Of The Employees Of The Administrative Office, Alijofran Lima Brandao

Master's Theses

Problem

Evaluations done at the West Central Brazil Union Mission office in 2015 found that the items related to proactive attitude and job satisfaction of the employees had the lowest score. Both the general evaluation and the self-evaluation revealed that creativity, conflict resolution, praises and rebuke, and self-development were the least developed items. It was assumed that the above described situation may reflect leadership practices and styles within UCOB.

Method

The study was conducted among 48 UCOB’s administrative office employees divided in three categories as described by the OLA research instrument (Top Leadership, Management and Work Force), which analyses the …

Building A Successful Youth Soccer Academy: Key Leadership Tactics Of Expert Coaches, Evan Fuhs

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study examines the actions of successful soccer coaches in changing team culture. More specifically, in-depth interviews were conducted with eight coaches who met criteria for expertise and success. In order to discern the particular tactics these coaches used to build a successful team culture from the ground up, the interview guide was derived from a conceptual framework that was based on the theoretical tenets of transformational leadership and organizational culture change, as well as practical research of those subjects in the athletic arena. The findings are reported and provide support for the utility of transformational leadership tactics and change …