Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Antecedents To Work Engagement And Psychological Well-Being Within A Canadian Provincial Ministry, Kris Ellis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A gap exists in organizational development strategies on why some individuals remain disengaged with their work. This study addressed whether a combination of specific contextual factors could support individuals, teams, and leaders to demonstrate the attitudes and behaviors consistent with work engagement. The theoretical frameworks of social constructivism, the conceptual framework of symbolic interactionism, and a hermeneutic inquiry approach were used to address how individual psychological traits/abilities of employees support work engagement. Nineteen employees of a Canadian provincial government ministry completed an engagement survey, MSCEIT, MBTI, and SDI assessments. They also participated in focus groups. Survey results showed high engagement …

Increasing Productivity Of Retained Employees After A Workforce Reduction, Jason Michael Matyus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is an increased use of downsizing across telecommunications in the northeast United States, and organizational leaders are challenged to motivate the productivity of the retained employees. Guided by systems theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore successful downsizing strategies of a small group of organizational leaders and managers in the operations of telecommunications in the northeast United States. The study participants, chosen for their motivation success in motivation after downsizing, consisted of 2 purposefully selected business leaders who completed individual, face-to-face interviews and a focus group of 5 managers. The coding of data and word …

Government Senior Executives' Perceptions Of Brain Drain On Leadership In The United States Virgin Islands, Shurla Jeffers-Knight

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Highly qualified individuals are leaving the Caribbean and relocating to the United States and other developed countries. Researchers describe this resulting flight of human capital, or brain drain, from the Caribbean as a problem which has no clear definition or immediate solution. This phenomenological study explored perceptions of government senior executives in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) of the cause and impact of brain drain. Burns' and Bass's transformational and transactional leadership theories were used as the framework for this study. Data were collected through a demographic questionnaire and semistructured interviews with a snowball sample of 10 participants. Data …

Factors Required For Small Business Sustainability In Nigeria, Preye Elizabeth Buowari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Nigeria, many small businesses fail before their 5th anniversary. Small businesses make up a major percentage of the businesses in Nigeria and provide jobs for 50% of the populace. The purpose of this qualitative multi-unit case study was to explore the factors required by small businesses in Nigeria to sustain operations beyond the first 5 years. The conceptual framework grounding this study was general systems theory. A review of the literature focused on small business failure and factors required to sustain a business longer than 5 years. Data collection occurred through semistructured interviews of a purposeful sample of 3 …

Attachment Style, Leadership Behavior, And Perceptions Of Leader Effectiveness In Academic Management, Rehema Underwood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational effectiveness is related to both effective leadership styles and to having leaders with secure attachment styles. Transformational and charismatic leaders often have secure attachment styles. However, the relationships between insecure attachment styles and leadership styles remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine whether insecure attachment in leaders (fearful, preoccupied, and dismissing attachment styles) is related to transformational, charismatic, transactional, and laissez faire leadership. A quantitative, non experimental approach was taken in this study. Participants included those in leadership positions (college deans, chairpersons, and provosts) (n = 18) and instructors (subordinates) (n = 36) from local community …

A Mixed Methods Perspective: How Integral Leaders Can Contribute To The Growth Of Emerging Leaders, Susan M. Hayes

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Given that organizational complexity continues to increase, leaders are looking for credible information, and a process that helps them become a better leader. Emerging leaders are faced with trying to be the best leader they can be while leading teams of people who think and act differently from them. To assist emerging leaders with their leadership, this study explores the literature and looks to highly respected and admired leaders for how they became the leader they are today. The purpose of this study was fourfold: first, to identify and describe first and second tier integral theory leaders from a sample …

Toward Transforming Health Systems: A Practice Study Of Organizing And Practical Inquiry In Academic Medicine, Thomas A. Ellison

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Transformation of health care systems will be grounded in new professional relations and collective, cross-disciplinary actions to impact care delivery. Organizing such relations and actions involves practical inquiry rather than applying professional knowledge. This dissertation presents an exploratory, performative study of the initial organizing of the Health Systems Innovation and Research (HSIR) Program in Health Sciences at the University of Utah. The HSIR program was conceived principally to catalyze cross-disciplinary innovation and health services research and enhance care delivery changes by documenting care improvements and publishing research. This study includes a composite narrative of the organizing and practical inquiry work …

Powerlessness Within A Budget-Driven Paradigm: A Grounded Theory Leadership Study From The Perspective Of Michigan Corrections Officers, Timothy Michael Eklin

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explored the lived-experiences of 15 correctional officers and 5 sergeants working in adult state-operated prison facilities in Michigan. In particular, this qualitative grounded theory study revealed the impact that budget driven decision-making had on the lives of correctional officers: its effect on institutional custody, security, and safety. The study finds that many recent policy changes resulted in a sense of powerlessness expressed by the participants of the study. Participants found themselves in a precarious position, situated in between the prison population and the administration. Having an understanding of how correctional officers make meaning of their work in relation …

A Mixed Methods Study: Dimensions Of Cross-Cultural Professional Success: Experiences Of Western Women Living And Working In Eastern Cultures, Tami J. France

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In this world of global interconnectedness women continue to develop cross-cultural careers and their experiences impact and influence global scholarship and practice. Through this study, the relationships, resources, and characteristics that support female expatriate success were explored, with additional focus on the role of mentor and coach relationships. The mixed-methods study was conducted using a sequential approach to research that began with one-on-one semi structured interviews with ten professional women from the United States and Canada working or formerly working in China and Hong Kong. A survey was designed based on the interview findings. Professional women from western countries working …

Integrating Organisational Change Management And Customer Relationship Management In A Casino, Charlie Chi Cong Mai, Chad Perry, Erwin Loh

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

This research aims to solve the problem: how can casinos manage organizational change programs, and internal and external customer relationship management (CRM) programs? To find a solution, it uses two stages of qualitative methods: convergent interviewing and case research about four departments of a casino in Australia. After a thorough data analysis of documents and interview data, 12 themes were identified and they led to the development of a model of how organizational change management and CRM can be integrated to improve initiatives in organisations such as casinos. The model has seven core elements: vision, key challenge, objective, measure, strategy, …

Strengths In Action: Implementing A Learning Organization Model In A Human Service Setting, Barbara Ann Whitbeck

Dissertations and Theses

Although learning organization theory evolved in corporate settings, literature suggests that the theory has much to offer human service organizations. This dissertation examines the implementation of a modified learning organization model in three small field offices of a publicly-funded vocational rehabilitation organization in the Pacific Northwest, at a time when the organization was negotiating financial cutbacks and organizational changes. The model - known as Strengths in Action - was based on Senge's five learning organization disciplines, and informed by organizational culture theory. In each participating office, all staff worked together to set a goal, make a plan, and achieve the …

A Movement Tool Kit For The Divergent And Convergent Cps Guidelines: Instruction Cards And Activity Floor Mats, Adela Vangelisti

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

A Movement Tool Kit for the Divergent and Convergent CPS Guidelines:

Instruction Cards and Activity Floor Mats

Movement is as natural to humans as breathing is, and, yet, passivity starts early in schools. We are taught to sit still and in silence for long periods of time. By the time we reach adulthood and enter the workforce, we have almost forgotten our sense of embodiment. This lack of movement is counter-productive, not only to learning but to the development of creativity as well. For this project, I designed a tool to recapture the joy and playfulness of movement. Furthermore, the …

Does Who We Are Influence What We Say? The Impact Of Organizational Identity On Responses To Ethical Issues, Amy J. Guerber

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Business organizations frequently face ethical issues which may lead stakeholders to question the competence or integrity of organizational actors. In such cases, the way the organization communicates with its stakeholders can play a critical role in preserving or restoring organizational reputation, financial performance, and trust. Thus, understanding factors that influence organizational communication in the wake of ethical issues is important. Previous research has focused on the impact of situational characteristics on organizational responses and stakeholder reactions to those responses but has not explored the role that organizational characteristics play in shaping firms' responses to ethical issues.

The current study seeks …

From Zen To C-Level, Carie Martin

Learning Showcase 2014

From the non-stop pull of smart phones to overcommitted working parents, the average American worker is constantly plugged in and on the go. Such a cognitive overload can have dire consequences. These consequences include: memory and concentration problems; hostility and aggression; anxiety; and poor judgment (Smith, 2014). These effects of overload most certainly decrease the effectiveness of work productivity. To get the best out of their employees, restoring their wellbeing and re-engaging them at work should be of value to organizations across the country.

Being mindful can increase wellbeing and engagement in activities along with improving concentration. Mindfulness also decreases …

Implementation Of A New Enterprise Resource Planning System, Lacy Payne

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The objective of this thesis was to upgrade an Enterprise Resource planning system that was outdated into a new age Enterprise resource planning system based centered on a scheduling algorithm. This was a key change that needed to be made to transform the company from old thinking to new. Primarily the testing of this implementation was done through mapping of processes, followed by trial and error, and finally improving and sustaining the processes it took to use the system correctly. The mapping of the processes was completed by the Process Manager as well as the Lead, Supervisor, or Manager of …

Bumps Along The Long And Winding Road: Factors Related To Truck Driver Turnover And Job-Induced Tension, Layla Rhiannon Mansfield

Dissertations and Theses

Voluntary turnover rates among truckload carriers are extremely high, ranging from 50% to more than 100% annually (Griffin & Kalnbach, 2002), furthermore, long-haul truck drivers operate in a stressor-filled environment, which exerts enormous adverse influence not only their well-being but also on their intent to quit. This study explores the relational aspects of the driver's work environment to highlight how the relationships that a driver has with their organization, supervisor, and dispatcher can explain turnover and job-induced tension. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory, Conservation of Resources Theory, and concepts from Hirschman's (1970) theoretical framework of Exit, Voice, and Loyalty, this …

Embracing Paradox In Management: The Value Of The Competing Values Framework, Peter Arsenault, Sue R. Farman

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

Management As A Liberal Art: The Legacy Of The Hartwick Humanities In Management Institute, Theodore D. Peters, Jeffrey Nesteruk

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

An Autoethnographic Perspective On The Messy Business Of Change, Michael B. Elmes, Joy E. Beatty

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

From Academics To Change Agents In A Gender Equity Initiative, Sonia M. Galtz, Patty Sotirin

Organization Management Journal

Firsthand experience offers a valuable perspective on the lived complications of change initiatives. We describe how we suddenly found ourselves in charge of a university-wide gender equity initiative. Despite our experience with campus issues of gender bias and larger discussions about implicit bias, we were unprepared for the personal, community, and institutional implications of taking on such a widespread and very visible initiative. We reflect on the complexities of our struggles to reframe our own assumptions, to engage with the campus community, to respond to multiform resistances, and to ensure institutional accountability. Our reflections have implications both for equity initiatives …

An Integrated Course Design Model For Beginning Faculty, Thomas F. Hawk, Amit J. Shah

Organization Management Journal

It is rare that faculty members begin their first full-time teaching position with an integrated and consciously constructed practical model for course design, teaching, and learning. The purpose of this article is to offer new faculty members a starting point for constructing an integrated model of the course design and teaching and learning processes. The model begins with the instructor’s choice of course learning goals, objectives, and outcomes and progresses through the translation of those learning goals and objectives into articulated evaluation and feedback rubrics, the choice of specific learning activities and materials reflected in a learner-centered syllabus, the conduct …

Transnational Companies And Radical Transformation Processes: A Study Of Performance In Comparison To Other Multinational Companies, Jorge Alejandro Palacios

HCBE Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to answer the following question: Do organizations that were defined as having successfully adopted the transnational model, as per Bartlett and Ghoshal (1989), and labeled as transnational companies (TNC), perform significantly better than other multinational companies (MNC) when going through radical transformation processes?

This research question was answered through a mixed method research design. The first part used a quantitative research approach and evaluated the financial performance of TNCs selected from the Bartlett and Ghoshal (1989) research, using secondary data sources from 6 TNCs and 20 MNCs. The second part used a qualitative approach …

Patient Safety Culture And High Reliability Organizations, Jared D. Padgett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A 1999 evaluation of case studies performed by staff from the Institute of Medicine found that between 40,000 and 98,000 patients died from preventable errors, while 43,598 individuals died in car accidents that year. A 2011 report increased that estimate nearly 10 times. Widespread preventable patient harm still occurs despite an increase in healthcare regulations. High-reliability organization theory has contributed to improved safety and may potentially reverse this trend. This explorative single case study explored how the perceptions and experiences of nursing and respiratory staff affected the successful transition of a healthcare organization into a reliability-seeking organization. Fourteen participants from …

The Relationship Between Wellness Behavior Traits And Organizational Citizenship Behavior Traits, Vicki Yeager Brumfield

Dissertations

In difficult economic times a healthy employee that has consistently low absenteeism rates and who volunteers or takes on extra responsibilities at the workplace could be an asset for any business or organization. The personnel component is a significant area of expense for most businesses that includes costs related to salaries, insurance, and training. An effective and efficient employee impacts the morale, productivity, and the fiscal health of a workplace. The aim of the present study was to examine the pattern of relationships between organizational citizenship behavior and employee wellness behaviors. Data sets that consist of a combination of a …

Psycap And The Impact On The Development Of Intercultural Sensitivity Of Healthcare Educators: A Mixed Methods Study, Helen A. S. Fagan

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to examine the intercultural sensitivity development process of faculty and staff at a health sciences college in the Midwest. In the quantitative phase, this study investigated changes in intercultural sensitivity over a three year period, along with the relationship between developmental level of intercultural sensitivity (as measured by Intercultural Development Inventory [IDI] [Hammer, Bennett, & Wiseman, 2003]) of participants and Psychological Capital (PsyCap, a multidimensional construct consisting of hope, efficacy, resiliency, and optimism [Luthans, Youssef, & Avolio, 2007]). In the qualitative phase (Case Study) data collection and analysis further explored …

Technology Acceptance In A Mandatory Environment: A Test Of An Integrative Pre-Implementation Model., Mohanned Al-Arabiat

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

Technology acceptance has been studied extensively within the IS discipline. The introduction of the technology acceptance model (TAM) has given researchers the opportunity to produce a vast body of knowledge; however, existing gaps within the technology acceptance literature warrant further investigation of these understudied areas. Namely, few if any have studied end users’ acceptance of newly implemented technologies within organizational contexts before end-users start using the technology. Additionally, leadership is one of the areas that has not yet been sufficiently integrated with the technology acceptance literature. The Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory with its roots in the social exchange theory offers …

Older-Worker-Friendly Policies And Affective Organizational Commitment, Kerri Anne Crowne, Jeremy Cochran, Caryl E. Carpenter

Organization Management Journal

In the United States the Baby Boomer generation is advancing toward retirement age and many are choosing to stay in the workforce. This study develops and analyzes a model of the impact of older-worker-friendly (OWF) policies in organizations on job satisfaction, strain-based work/family conflict, and affective organizational commitment in older workers. The data included 368 full-time employed persons age 50 years or older who participated in a telephone survey. Linear regression was used to analyze the hypothesized relationships. Results indicated that the model was supported. Older workers who were employed at organizations with more older-worker-friendly policies had higher levels of …

An Interpretivist Case Study Of Leadership Transition In The Context Of A Southern Baptist Church, Ronald Tuck

Dissertations

This ethnographic study examined the experiences of key individuals involved in a senior leadership transition in the context of the church. Leader transition constitutes a significant aspect of organizational leadership theory, yet succession planning is often neglected in the context of churches. This study revealed that leadership transition is not a single event in the history of a church organization, but rather an evolution of events involving a multiplicity of factors and individuals. Narratives from five individuals directly involved in the pastoral leadership transition process informed the study: the search committee chair, the outgoing and incoming pastors, and two differently-located …

Assessing An Animal Humane Society Using Mckinsey’S 7s Framework To Make Recommendations For Organizational Improvement, Tandreia Sherice Dixon

Open Access Theses

An organization's effectiveness is predicated upon the degree of fit and alignment of its internal components. Organizational effectiveness and alignment are both essential to successfully create and implement strategies within an organization. An animal humane society suffering from employee turnover wanted to improve their organizational effectiveness. There were strategies and recommendations provided for employee turnover; in hope of successful implementation, the researcher investigated the animal humane society further by evaluating the current state of the organization with an organizational framework. The McKinsey 7s's Strategic Readiness Survey derived from the McKinsey 7s framework was used to evaluate the current state of …

A Systems-Based Framework For The Assessment Of Performance Measurement System Implementations In R&D Organizations, Kenneth S. Baggett Jr.

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Performance measurement is utilized by organizations in all industries, including research and development (R&D). Measures are developed, data are collected, and the measurement results are used to drive the organization. The implicit hope is, of course, that the measures drive the organization to improve. However, literature identifies high failure rates directly related to performance measurement system (PMS) implementations. Establishing the fundamental operational characteristics associated with successful PMSs would provide a significant contribution towards the establishment of PMS assessment criteria. This research addresses this gap through the use of a grounded theory method employed to identify these operational characteristics, assesses the …