Digital Commons Network^™

Communication And Leadership Styles Utilized By Mill Managers Compared To Front Line Leaders, Ashley Meaghan Moore

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Paper mills can be a dangerous place to work; therefore, effective leadership by the mill manager and front line leaders are crucial to the safety of their employees. Leaders within all mills encompass many methods of leading and communicating with their teams. However, research on the consistency in these methods across the two levels of leaders is lacking. To help fill the gap, the author engaged in a case study and collected data through an online survey and guided interviews to examine their personal experiences with their leadership and communication styles within the mill environment with Mead’s (1934) Symbolic Interactionism …

Generational Growing Pains As Resistance To Feminine Gendering Of Organization? An Archival Analysis Of Human Resource Management Discourses, Kristen Lucas, Suzy D'Enbeau, Erica P. Heiden

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Guided by a feminist communicology of organization framework, we examine generational growing pains by analyzing discourses appearing in HR Magazine at three different points in time, which approximately mark the midpoint of Baby Boomers’, Gen Xers’, and Millennials’ initial entry into the workplace. We reconstruct historically situated gendered discourses that encapsulate key concerns expressed by human resource management professionals as they dealt with younger generations of workers: Personnel Man as Father Knows Best (1970), Human Resource Specialist as Loyalty Builder (1990), and Talent Manager as Nurturer (2010). We propose that frustrations expressed by older generations about Millennials may not be …

Mission-Driven Communication For The Non-Profit Organization: A Case Study Of The Downtown Spokane Partnership, Lindsey Pilar Klemmer

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"The development, content, and application of mission statements have been highly researched, studied, and discussed in generic terms. This case study was designed to develop and expand understanding of the mission of Downtown Spokane Partnership, rather than to generalize beyond it. Mission-focused questions were included in a communication audit conducted for Downtown Spokane Partnership [DSP], a non-profit organization [NPO] that advocates for the development of the downtown Spokane area. The study investigated perceptual differences and similarities of the DSP mission expressed by downtown business owners and DSP constituents compared to those expressed by DSP's staff and board members. The results …

How & Why Technology Matters In Consulting & Coaching Interventions, Keri Stephens, Eric D. Waters

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Influence Of Management Communication Behaviors On Employee Engagement, Alicia J. Hart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An engaged workforce can increase organizational productivity and decrease employee turnover. Current research on employee engagement exists, yet little research exists on how the communication behaviors of management affect employee engagement. Guided by the conceptual framework of systems theory and communications theory, an exploration of the influence of management communication behaviors on employee engagement was conducted. A descriptive research design helped explore the influence of management communication behaviors on employee engagement within local, government entities of the Tidewater, Virginia, area. Data included semistructured interviews with 23 participants (11 managers and 12 employees). Data analysis occurred using the modified van Kaam …

Improving The Patient Experience By Implementing Patient-Centered Care In A Community Hospital, Richard A. Billingsley Dnp, Mha, Rn

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Health care is a complex business currently undergoing extensive reform. These changes require new methods of care deliver and ways in which health care organizations are operating. At the forefront of this change effort is the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which is transforming health care from a volume-based, fee-for-service process to the delivery of services that have value, improve quality outcomes, increase satisfaction, elicit greater efficiency, demonstrate improved safety outcomes, show cost-effectiveness, promote better access to services, and result in high reliability between providers and organizations. The goal of providing a more positive health care experience is …

Complete Issue 50(1)

Speaker & Gavel

Complete digitized issue (volume 50, issue 1) of Speaker & Gavel.

Obama Transforming: Using Functional Theory To Identify Transformational Leadership, Kristina Drumheller, Greg G. Armfield

Speaker & Gavel

The 2008 presidential campaign convention speeches broke records as viewers flocked to the speeches by Obama, Palin, and McCain in numbers that rivaled American Idol ratings. Adapting functional theory (Benoit, 2007) to include transformational leadership characteristics (Bass & Avolio, 1990), President Obama‘s 2008 nomination acceptance speech was used test the adapting of functional theory for analyzing leadership claims. Secondary data were used as evidentiary support of Obama‘s efforts to make changes once in the White House. Results are discussed and framed within functional theory and transfor-mational leadership.

Complete Issue 52(1)

Speaker & Gavel

Complete digitized issue (volume 52, issue 1) of Speaker & Gavel.

(Re)Building A Team Culture, Todd T. Holm

Speaker & Gavel

The purpose of this article is to provide a director of forensics who wishes to rebuild a forensics program with advice, ideas, and guidance based on organiza-tional theory, organizational change research, and lived experience. This article approaches organizational culture as a dynamic construct of an organization. “Proponents of the perspective of culture as a dynamic construct are interested in both a better understanding of organizations through application of a cultural per-spective and a conscious development of organizational culture” (Sackmann, 1990, p. 133). This perspective treats culture as something an organization is and something an organization has. The shaping of forensics …

Meeting The Needs Of A Culturally And Racially Diverse Student Body Online, Gretchen Elizabeth Hormel

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The citizens of the United States contribute a rich blend that includes (but is not limited to) cultural heritage, race, gender, sexuality, and socio-economic backgrounds. Therefore, it is integral that online curriculum meets the challenge of effectively communicating with a diverse student body, as well as effectively facilitates a democratic learning environment. An online academic environment that is respectful and responsive to diverse backgrounds and perspectives is oftentimes referred to as a democratic online learning environment. Research indicates that seven components make up a democratic online learning environment and include: 1 - Culturally competent staff (Thorpe, 2002, p. 115, Ramsay, …

A Structurational Approach To Organizational Change: Exploring Idaho’S Students Come First Initiative, Matthew Aaron Mccarter

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This study embraces a structuration approach to explore how the staff at the Idaho State Education Agency (SEA) reacted to implementing a unique and sweeping K-12 education reform package commonly known as “Students Come First.” By embracing a communicative perspective to studying change in public education, this study provides insights to how public sector employees at an SEA who work in a field governed by a unique set of features (politically-driven policies from elected officials and outcome expectations from the electorate), and who are driven by a passion to serve children engaged in changes that challenged their everyday understandings of …

Talk Matters At Work: The Effects Of Leader Member Conversational Quality And Communication Frequency On Work Role Stressors, Guowei Jian, Francis Dalisay

Communication Faculty Publications

Although it is clear that leadership plays a significant role in followers’ psychological health, the specific mechanisms by which leadership effects may take place await further theorizing and investigation. We argue that communication practices may constitute such specific mechanisms. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine how leader-member conversational quality (LMCQ) and communication frequency are associated with members’ perception of work role stressors. Through an online survey, the study found that LMCQ has a significant predictive effect on work role ambiguity and role overload. However, LMCQ interacts with communication frequency in their effects on role conflict. These findings …

Editor-In-Chief’S Introduction To Fall 2015 Issue: Announcing Retirement Of Editor-In-Chief And Search For A Replacement, As Well As New Articles In Five Sections, William P. Ferris

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

Organizations Don’T Resist Change, People Do: Modeling Individual Reactions To Organizational Change Through Loss And Terror Management, James R. Bailey, Jonathan D. Raelin

Organization Management Journal

This article has three premises that stand in contrast to emphases found in contemporary organizational change research. First, examination of resistance must start with the individual. Organizations don’t resist change, people do. Second, people react not to the change per se, but to the loss it represents. Third, loss engenders a deeply rooted peril response that is largely emotional in nature. To support these premises, we apply Terror Management Theory to locate resistance in existential buffers: emotional defense mechanisms that prevent awareness of loss and allow participation in a larger meaningful system. We argue that the buffers threatened during organizational …

He Effects Of Informal Social Structures: A Cognition–Structure–Action Approach, Harry "Trip" Knoche, Gary J. Castrogiovanni

Organization Management Journal

The purpose of this article is to examine the effects of epistemic motives and social structures on individual actions and the implications for organizational outcomes. It has been suggested that the informal social structures that develop within organizations affect the behavior of individuals, perhaps more so than formal structure. If this is true, when studying organizations it may be important to examine the effects of informal social structures on individual actions and organizational outcomes. Drawing on findings from epistemic motive theory and expanding social capital theory, a cognition–structure–action model is introduced as a way to begin systematically examining the informal …

Using Feedback In Organizational Consulting By Jane Brodie Gregory And Paul E. Levy, Bishakha Majumdar

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

Organizations Don’T Resist Change, People Do, Craig R. Seal, Donncha Kavanagh

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of External Contexts On Alliance Governance In Biotech–Pharmaceutical Firm Alliances, Joanne L. Scillitoe, Shanthi Gopalakrishnan, Michael D. Santaro

Organization Management Journal

The interest in strategic alliances has increased over the years, especially in high tech global industries such as biotechnology, as firms seek to gain access to needed resources, expertise, and knowledge for developing and commercializing new products and technologies. The governance structure of these alliances, which is an important consideration in understanding alliance formation and performance, is influenced by both external and internal contexts of the alliance partners. However, evidence from prior research has been inconclusive regarding the impact of external contexts on alliance governance selection. To better understand this impact, we simultaneously examine three key partner external contexts - …

Creating A Data-Based Facebook Engagement Plan For Chabad At Binghamton, Justin Hayet

Capstone Projects 2015-Present

Core Capstone Question: How does Chabad at Binghamton maximize its online Facebook Engagement in a fashion which mirrors the needs of its diverse online stakeholders?

Schmalzbauer (2013) calculated that two thirds of America’s 400,000 Jewish college students attend schools with a Chabad chapter” (p. 120). Binghamton University’s student population is thirty percent Jewish, that is, 3,500 Jewish students (Hillel, 2014). Chabad at Binghamton’s seven full time staff members and student leadership of eighty-seven designated positions seek to engage all 3,500 of those students through weekly programs, Shabbat dinners, large scale programs and individual meetings. Chabad at Binghamton has been serving …

Understanding How Patients Perceive Their Medical Providers’ Communication In A Hospital Based Emergency Department Setting, Balpreet K. Grewal-Virk

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: In recent years, a chief patient complaint has been that there is a breakdown in communication with their healthcare provider. This is concerning because poor provider-patient communication can lead to reduced medication adherence, misdiagnosis, increased healthcare costs, and even death. Furthermore, the implementation of the Affordable Care Act has availed healthcare insurance to more individuals, which will increase the insured patient population. This will lead to a rise in patient visits, but also means that there are not enough physicians to support this new volume of patients. Other healthcare providers, like nurse practitioners and physicians assistants are more …

Creating A Customer Centric Organization, Theresa Kiefer

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The objective of this research project is to demonstrate how organizations, and their employees, may benefit from following a customer centric business model to include having a better understanding of the organizational goals and roles of employees. The study is built on the philosophy that organizational culture--and messages that both frame and result from that culture—plays a vital role in the daily lives of employees, which can enhance or detract from the customer experience. The research also examines the implication that poor service has on customers, employees and the organization as a whole and investigates the negative, residual effects of …

Incorporating Situational Crisis Communication And Attribution Theories Into A Crisis Communication Plan For Xyz Organization, Linda Kay Gorman

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

A crisis can be defined as “an unexpected, non-routine event that creates uncertainty and threatens an organization’s priority goals” (Dean, 2004, p. 192). If not handled properly, it may have negative effects on the organization’s reputation and overall viability. Therefore, it is essential that organizations prepare an effective crisis response plan to implement once a crisis occurs. Situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) is a proven theory used in developing effective crisis response strategies. This theory asserts that organizations must select the crisis strategies most appropriate to the type of crisis (Coombs, 2006). Heider’s attribution theory asserts that how we react …

Best Practices Of Organizational Communication In Group Travel Planning, Natalie N. Gilliam

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

To succeed in the travel industry, professionals must continuously seek new ways to improve their service. In group travel, clients expect their tour director to meet and exceed all expectations. As I prepare to lead a tour group of high school students to Walt Disney World, I will put my knowledge of four organizational communication practices to the test. These best practices will be utilized in planning for challenges that may arise as well as handling any obstacles throughout the tour. Success will be measured through the thoughts of the clients during and after the trip and future recommendations will …

Using Critical Incidents: The Development Of A Behaviorally Based Training Program For Supervisor Citizenship Behavior And Feedback Skills, Jody J. Lecheler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

It has been argued (Greer, 2013) that supervisors are a critical component in organizational effectiveness. Supervisors are required to hold many roles within the organization (Evans, 1965). Specifically, employees often see supervisors as representatives of the organization, while the organization depends on supervisors to maintain production (Greer, 2013). Many supervisors also fill a variety of other organizational roles such as mentor, trainer, motivator, disciplinarian, evaluator, and leader (Evans, 1965). For these reasons, effective supervisors are crucial to organizational success. The present study developed a behaviorally based training program for supervisors for a poultry processing organization. The training program content included …

Organizational Change In Volunteer-Based Organizations: Communication Change Strategies In Church Congregations, Daniela Viviana Fuentes Riffo

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study fills a gap in the communication and management literature by providing additional insight regarding the effective communication strategies used by church leaders during organizational change. The researcher sought to find out how beliefs held by church members predicted their receptivity to change and their intent to leave their organization. Participants from diverse church denominations (N = 208) completed an online survey questionnaire asking them to think about a particular change they had experienced in their current or former church. The results of statistical analysis showed: (a) Church members´ beliefs regarding discrepancy, efficacy, principal support, and valence, positively …

A Case Study Of Professional Coach-Client Communication., Scott Shank

Honors Theses

Organizations increasingly embrace coaching as a core process to improve employee learning, increase overall performance, and develop leaders. Extant research on coaching is increasing, yet communication-based theories are underrepresented in the literature despite the fact that coaching is fundamentally discursive in nature. Further, although the coaching literature suggests that coaching conversations contribute to client identity growth and potential transformation, studies that specifically explore such activities are underrepresented in existing scholarship. Further, there lacks sufficient research examining how coaching contributes to the ongoing identity development of the coaches themselves. To fill this gap, this qualitative study explored the role coaching plays …

Designing Together With The World Café: Inviting Community Ideas For An Idea Zone In A Science Center, William Travis Thompson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation brings attention to the communication processes taking place during design of an Idea Zone at a science center. It focuses on the conceptual phase of design, during which designers seek to integrate the ideas and needs of stakeholders into design processes through such frameworks as Participatory Design (PD). In bringing a focus on communication process to conceptual design frameworks such as PD, I explore the assumed roles behind participatory design processes and the contexts created through those processes during actual design work. As these Idea Zone design efforts took place in a museum and also within the context …

Vocational Narratives Of Senior Executive Retirees In A Technical Agency And Their Sense Of Safety In The Workplace, Sarah Bender

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

While research has been conducted on safety and risk management in technical agencies as well as vocational histories of senior executives, little research has been done to determine how a senior executive's vocational narrative helps him or her develop a safety mindset. The goal of this study is guided by the following research question: How does the vocational history of a senior government executive in a technical agency help contribute to his or her sense of safety and risk management? Through the use of in-depth, vocational narrative interviews with retired nuclear executives and thematic analysis, this study found reoccurring themes …

Taking Nothing For Granted In Management Education: A Systemic Perspective On The Role Of Reflective Questioning, A. Georges L. Romme, Inge C. M. Van Seggelen-Damen

Organization Management Journal

Questioning is one of the most critical behaviors in management education and learning. In this article we explore the antecedents, processes, and outcomes of reflective questioning, as a key element of management learning and education. Reflective questioning involves raising tentative, nonrhetorical questions. By reviewing and synthesizing the literature, we develop a model of reflective questioning in the form of a causal loop diagram. This model implies that reflective questioning can be taught through particular forms of management education, but is also contingent on the psychological safety of the group setting, the individual need for cognition, and challenging tasks and experiences.