Digital Commons Network^™

Team On Teams: A Collaborative Inquiry, Jennifer Sa Leigh, Joy E. Beatty, Paul S. Szwed

Organization Management Journal

Over the course of an academic year, we collaborated to adopt a new instructional design for teams in our classes. We recount the story of our collaboration, outlining our process of inquiry, reflection, and support. Our simple search for better techniques shifted as our colleagues helped us reveal hidden assumptions about our roles as teachers. Our critical reflection allowed us to increase our self-awareness, specifically considering the following: how power influences our classroom interactions, how we contribute to and reinforce elements of the system that are not in our best interest, and the evolving stages of our own development as …

Mentoring Dialogues: An Investigation Of The Dialectical Tensions And Management Strategies In Mentoring Relationships, Paul J. Kosempel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the past 30 years, mentoring has gained perhaps the largest recognition of any phenomenon related to career success. Much of the current research that has explored mentoring relationships has been conducted in fields other than communication studies, although better communication is often the recommended solution to improve mentoring. The majority of research has focused on the outcomes of mentoring relationships, rather than the process of mentoring relationships. Mentoring has also not been studied through a relational dialectics perspective. This study explored the communication dynamics within mentoring relationships through a relational dialectics theoretical lens. The study utilized multiple methods including …

Identity And Technology: Organizational Control Of Knowledge-Intensive Work, Guowei Jian

Communication Faculty Publications

Much has been written about the functioning of managerial ideologies in identity-based organizational control. However, less attention has been given to the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and identity defined by a technological discourse in regulating knowledge-intensive work. The purpose of this research is to examine the roles of identity and ICTs in the control of knowledge-intensive work. A case study of a technology service organization reveals that the construction and consumption of a technologist identity operate as organizational control, and that ICTs enable the functioning of a dialectic of technological control. This study also demonstrates the paradoxical …

Organizational Credibility Counts, Christine G. Springer

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

As economic stressors increase and voting participation decreases, it is important for public administrators to find ways to minimize the negative consequences of distrust in government and to rebuild credibility by making the necessary changes to organizational culture, improving business practices, working with the media to build new more positive relationships, and by accentuating the good news about progress made. Events like Hurricane Katrina tragically teach us how long lasting one negative event can truly be because it is truly a disaster not only for those directly affected but also for those indirectly involved due to its negative affect on …

Organizational Culture And Change: Understanding The Western Herald's Newsroom Culture, Sarah Ling Wei Lee

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore organizational culture and change in a college newspaper's newsroom. Student journalists often use college newspapers as a means to get editorial experience and also to get published. Even so, the college newspaper newsroom is unlike a typical metropolitan or local community newspaper's newsroom in the way that it experiences change. College newspapers encounter organizational change as part of the newsroom's inner workings constantly because of frequent turnover and other factors. As a result, they are suitable for understanding how staff members make sense of newsroom culture in a dynamic, changing environment. Two …

You’Re An Organization Development Practitioner-Scholar: Can You Contribute To Organizational Theory?, Jean M. Bartunek

Organization Management Journal

Mainstream organizational theorizing and the work of organization development (OD) practitioner-scholars have followed somewhat separate paths during the past decades. Currently, however, as illustrated in the development of evidence-based management and as exemplified by Van de Ven’s Engaged Scholarship, there is considerable interest among management scholars in enhanced academic–practitioner relationships. The contemporary situation offers possibilities for OD practitioner-scholars to forge much stronger links between their work and academic theory by means of facilitating academic– practitioner forums and developing skills in theorizing about them. This paper suggests some means for doing this.

Back To Basics: Reviving Ethical Practice In Library Management, Suzanne Milton

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

This paper examines the last twenty years of literature on the subject of organizational ethics. It reflects on the cultural tide and reasserts the need for establishing core values as a basis for management practice. It concludes with steps towards achieving a viable organization.

On The Convergence Of Innis's International Political Economy And Sebald's Novels, Joseph S. Pinter

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In his paper "On the Convergence of Innis's International Political Economy and Sebald's Novels" Joseph S. Pinter contributes to the development of an area of scholarship on Harold A. Innis and Canadian political economy which deals with issues of representation, landscape, and memory. Pinter draws attention to a specific aspect of Innis's approach to political economy and focuses on ways in which Innis was able to represent fundamental aspects of the settlement process in Canada. Pinter argues that Innis focussed on landscape as a basic element in the European experience of North America (US and Canada) that, in turn, enabled …

Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration And Learning, Deana D. Pennington

All UNF Research

Complex environmental problem solving depends on cross-disciplinary collaboration among scientists. Collaborative research must be preceded by an exploratory phase of collective thinking that creates shared conceptual frameworks. Collective thinking, in a cross-disciplinary setting, depends on the facility with which collaborators are able to learn and understand each others’ perspectives. This paper applies three perspectives on learning to the problem of enabling cross-disciplinary collaboration: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, constructivism, and organizational learning. Application of learning frameworks to collaboration provides insights regarding receptive environments for collaboration, and processes that facilitate cross-disciplinary interactions. These environments and interactions need time to develop and require …

Navigating The Paradoxes Of Working From Home, Susan L. Rosiek

ETD Archive

Many of today's organizational employees are turning to flexible work programs, such as telework, to help them balance their work and life responsibilities. Previous research indicates working from home has positive effects, but the same research reveals telework can have a negative impact on work-life balance. There are gaps in the amount and variety of theoretical development in the area of telework. The goal of this research study was to extend the scope of telework analysis beyond technology use by exploring the various tensions teleworkers encounter when working from home, learn how teleworkers alter their communication practices to deal with …

Pioneers In Twentieth Century Mormon Media: Oral Histories Of Latter-Day Saint Electronic And Public Relations Professionals, Jonice L. Hubbard

Theses and Dissertations

The project consists of three parts: a summary of the research, a collection of sixteen oral histories of Latter-day Saint Electronic Media and Public Relations professionals who contributed to the development and growth of media in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and a one-hour documentary film, Pioneers in Mormon Media, which gives a brief history of the development of modern mass communications and its use by the Church. This qualitative study investigates who has been involved in Church media, what projects have been accomplished and provides some explanation as to why the Church uses media. The oral …

Jane's Decision: Her Experience As A Plebe: Instructor's Manual, Andra Gumbus, Jill Woodilla, Christopher C. York

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

The Potential Of Erin Brokovitch To Introduce Organizaitonal Behavior Topics, J. Benjamin Forbes, Jonathan E. Smith

Organization Management Journal

Real organizational behavior is rich, and messy, and emotional, and at times painful, but at other times immensely rewarding. The movie, Erin Brockovich, captures this richness and provides an exciting means to introduce a variety of individual or micro- organizational behavior concepts (such as perception, personality, and motivation) typically covered at the beginning of the Organizational Behavior course. In this paper, we describe the use of the film, including a takehome viewing assignment, an in-class assignment, a description of clips and comments for in-class use, and suggestions for the types of issues to discuss in relation to the major topics …

Jane's Decision: Her Experience As A Plebe, Andra Gumbus, Jill Woodilla, Christopher C. York

Organization Management Journal

Jane (a pseudonym) describes her experience as a first year student at one of the military service academies sometime during the period 2000-2005. She portrays the rigors of training to be an officer in the US military service and the special burdens of being a good-looking, high-achieving woman in this environment. She provides an insider's perspective on the academy culture, including the importance of the honor code, and spoken and unspoken rules against fraternization and for protecting ―one's own. At the end of the case Jane must make a decision that could change the course of her life. The case …

Book Review Leading With Values: Positivity, Virtue And High Performance, Leslie E. Sekerka

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

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 …

Lessons In Leadership: Robert Oppenheimer And The Los Alamos Laboratory, Richard C. Ringer

Organization Management Journal

The leadership of Robert Oppenheimer, Director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during WWII, serves as a vivid lesson in leadership. The recollections of those who worked with Oppenheimer at Los Alamos clearly attribute much of the success of the laboratory to Oppenheimer’s leadership. Of specific interest are: Oppenheimer's efforts in recruiting, his ability to create a sense of meaning and purpose at the laboratory, his technical competence, and his ability to generate commitment and involvement among members of the laboratory.

Individual Incentives Versus Team Performance: Lessons From A Game Of Charades, Shawn E. Peacock, Patricia Denise Lopez, Marlon F. Sukal

Organization Management Journal

In this article, we describe a modified game of Charades that was developed to facilitate a discussion on the basic principles of effective reward system design. Students are organized into small groups. Incentive schemes are then manipulated so that one player within the group strives for an individual incentive, while the rest of the team play for a group reward. Through this simple and “fun” activity, students learn firsthand what happens when individual and team interests and incentives are not aligned. This experiential learning activity also offers excellent opportunities to discuss group dynamics, communication and coordination, and the importance of …

Lessons In Leadership: Robert Oppenheimer And The Los Alamos Laboratory, Richard C. Ringer

Organization Management Journal

The leadership of Robert Oppenheimer, Director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during WWII, serves as a vivid lesson in leadership. The recollections of those who worked with Oppenheimer at Los Alamos clearly attribute much of the success of the laboratory to Oppenheimer’s leadership. Of specific interest are: Oppenheimer's efforts in recruiting, his ability to create a sense of meaning and purpose at the laboratory, his technical competence, and his ability to generate commitment and involvement among members of the laboratory.

Individual Incentives Versus Team Performance: Lessons From A Game Of Charades, Shawn E. Peacock, Patricia Denise Lopez, Marlon F. Sukal

Organization Management Journal

In this article, we describe a modified game of Charades that was developed to facilitate a discussion on the basic principles of effective reward system design. Students are organized into small groups. Incentive schemes are then manipulated so that one player within the group strives for an individual incentive, while the rest of the team play for a group reward. Through this simple and “fun” activity, students learn firsthand what happens when individual and team interests and incentives are not aligned. This experiential learning activity also offers excellent opportunities to discuss group dynamics, communication and coordination, and the importance of …

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Shane Bevell, David Ashley, Mamie Peers, Grace Russell, Lisa Shawcroft

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

News Groups Must Innovate Or Die, Carla Kimbrough

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

Without dedication to and movement in innovation, the newspaper industry will surely die a slow and painful death.

Innovation is something our industry struggles with, but most realize we must innovate or die. The American Press Institute launched Newspaper Next, a project designed to research and test new business models. API is working with Innosight, a consulting and training firm founded and led by Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen. Doing business the old way just won't do anymore. API and its Newspaper Next task force, Gannett and the Atlanta Journal- Constitution are examples of taking that realization seriously and …

Taking The Time To Rebuild Trust In Government, Christine G. Springer

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

The author reflects on the importance of trust. She stated that trust is more significant than ever to public managers as trust in the government ebbs. It is important to public managers because it directly impacts the speed and cost of getting things done. Moreover, she considers command and control management and downsizing and reengineering as threats to any trust infrastructure.

Spanning The Boundaries Of Work: Workplace Participation, Political Efficacy, And Political Involvement, Guowei Jian, Leo Wayne Jeffres

Communication Faculty Publications

Based on the political spillover theory, this study examines the boundary-spanning aspect of workplace participation—the association between participation at work and in politics. A telephone survey was conducted using a regional probability sample. Results indicate that decision involvement at work is positively associated with political voting while work community participation is positively associated with involvement in local communities and political party and campaign activities. The study reveals that internal political efficacy mediates the relationship between job autonomy and political participation.

Individual Moral Development And Ethical Climate: The Influence Of Person-Organization Fit On Job Attitudes, Maureen L. Ambrose, Anke Arnaud, Marshall Schminke

Management, Marketing and Operations - Daytona Beach

This research examines how the fit between employees’ moral development and the ethical work climate of their organization affects employee attitudes. Person–organization fit was assessed by matching individuals’ level of cognitive moral development with the ethical climate of their organization. The influence of P–O fit on employee attitudes was assessed using a sample of 304 individuals from 73 organizations. In general, the findings support our predictions that fit between personal and organizational ethics is related to higher levels of commitment and job satisfaction and lower levels of turnover intent. Ethical P–O fit was related to higher levels of affective commitment …

Inside Unlv, Shane Bevell, Diane Russell, Grace Russell

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Editor's Introduction, Eric H. Kessler

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

“Nuts!” An Experiential Exercise In Ethics And Decision Making, D. Jeffrey Lenn

Organization Management Journal

The current debate about how to address managerial misconduct in American business has renewed an interest in the role of ethics in business school curricula. The search for pedagogical tools by which to ensure effective teaching of ethics has led to experiential learning as an important method. This exercise introduces business ethics through a focus on a purchasing decision in a local grocery. It lays a foundation for understanding the interplay between ethics and everyday decision making in order to clarify the ethical dimension of decision making in business. The process of setting up the exercise as well as facilitating …

“Nuts!” An Experiential Exercise In Ethics And Decision Making, D. Jeffrey Lenn

Organization Management Journal

The current debate about how to address managerial misconduct in American business has renewed an interest in the role of ethics in business school curricula. The search for pedagogical tools by which to ensure effective teaching of ethics has led to experiential learning as an important method. This exercise introduces business ethics through a focus on a purchasing decision in a local grocery. It lays a foundation for understanding the interplay between ethics and everyday decision making in order to clarify the ethical dimension of decision making in business. The process of setting up the exercise as well as facilitating …

Effective Empowerment In Organizations, Gary A. Yukl, Wendy S. Baker

Organization Management Journal

Psychological empowerment is the perception that workers can help determine their own work roles, accomplish meaningful work, and influence important decisions. Empowerment has been studied from different perspectives, including employee perceptions, leadership behaviors, and management programs. Despite positive rhetoric, programs designed to increase empowerment seldom achieve the benefits promised. Inconclusive and seemingly contradictory outcomes stem from the fact that few companies give employees significant control and access to management information. A half century of research suggests that empowerment strategies can offer real benefits. We outline facilitating conditions for effective empowerment, including characteristics of organizations, leaders, employees, and the work itself.