Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Outcome-Based Assessment On Microenterprise Programs, Margaret A. Johnson, Umasundari Akella, Jule Lalande

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

The changing environment in the nonprofit sector has subjected microenterprise programs to a new paradigm that emphasizes rationality principles. These principles ask practitioners to increase their outcomes while minimizing costs and to demonstrate that they are doing so with outcome-assessment measurements. This paper presents a case study of what happened to 11 microenterprise programs that adopted outcome assessment. Factors affecting the adoption of outcome assessment were changing norms in the nonprofit sector, demands from state legislators for information on program outcomes, and mandates from funders. A funding formula was implemented; program responses included going along, adopting practices to fit the …

Training Providers: Working With Lesbian Clients., Laurie A. Drabble

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Fairness In Chinese Organizations, Kai-Guang Liang

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the roles of organizational justice and individual cultural characteristics in affecting employees' work attitudes and behaviors, in particular, the contextual aspect of job performance in Chinese organizations. Data were collected from 232 employee-supervisor dyads in three Sino-western joint ventures in the People's Republic of China. Results indicated that distributive justice had a significant impact on one dimension of contextual job performance, i.e., interpersonal facilitation, and various attitudinal outcomes, such as job satisfaction, pay satisfaction, affective commitment and turnover intention. Among the three procedural justice variables (participation at company level, participation at job level, and appeal mechanism) examined, …

The Relationship Between Workplace Aggression And Alcohol Use: A National Survey, Susan Kay Mcfarlin

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the relationship between alcohol use and workplace aggression. A nationally representative sample of civilian employees (N = 300) was interviewed with psychometrically sound measures of workplace aggression and alcohol use frequency. It was hypothesized that increased alcohol use would be associated with victimization from and perpetration of workplace aggression during the year before assessment and during the respondents' lifetimes. For the I-year time period prior to assessment, increased days of any drinking were significantly associated with increased verbal victimization from and verbal perpetration of workplace aggression. In addition, increased days of …

A Model Of Organizational Responsiveness To Stakeholders, Caron Chess

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

Dr. Chess explores the relationship between risk management and risk communication and its affect on an organization/stakeholder relationship.

The Role Of Access In Evaluating Distance Learning Program Effectiveness, Carole A. Richardson

Dissertations

Distance learning technologies are increasingly used within public post-secondary institutions as a way to deliver courses to students remote from the home campus. Many proponents of distance learning argue that its use provides a method for reaching the educationally undeserved, i.e., those who lack access to higher education. If a distance learning program decreases access barriers, then it is congruent with traditional American values of providing universal access to education to all citizens. Distance learning program evaluation strategies, therefore, need to include a means of measuring the extent to which access goals are met.

The purpose of this study is …

Life Beyond Nuclear Testing The Nevada Test Site, Fina Martinez-Myers

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Nevada Test Site (NTS) has served a crucial role in protecting the nation's security over the last 50 years. Changing national budgets and fiscal priorities have signaled dramatic adjustments for the NTS. Following the 1992 nuclear testing moratorium, the U.S. government has begun to make parts of the NTS available for private-sector use in an effort to generate money, utilize the Test Site's unique resources and capabilities, and provide economic development to southern Nevada. The initiative to attract private industry to the NTS is similar to activities taking place at other nuclear facilities across the nation. With a change …

Organizational Change Theory And The Factors For Sustaining Change: A Case Study Of Three Public Sector Organizations Winners Of The Virginia Award For Continuing Excellence, Mary Redd-Clay

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors associated with organizational change and with sustaining change in public sector organizations recognized for their change efforts as recipients of the Virginia Award for Continuing Excellence.

This was a case study of three public sector organizations, located in and around urban settings in the state of Virginia. They include Air Combat Command located in Hampton; Hanover County Public Schools located outside Richmond; and Norfolk Naval Shipyard located in Portsmouth. Each of these organizations is notable as winners of the Virginia Senate Productivity and Quality Award for both the Medallion and …

Perestroika All Over Again: Is Khatami Gorbachev?, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article provides a brief analysis of national political events in Iran within the context of a seemingly analogous moment in the mid to late 1980s--that of perestroika in the Soviet Union.

Philosophy And Purposes Of Distance Education, Dr. Janet K. Poley, Mr. Erik France

Nebraska Network 21: Publications

In considering how best to tackle this topic, I ultimately decided that in Nebraska the "best" approach is usually the "most straight forward" one. Given that much of the conversation about distance education is filled with myth and marketing hype, I decided what we could best contribute to the conversation would be the facts. While some of the other authors may have a better in-depth grasp of distance education opportunities and realities in Nebraska, Erik and I come as native Nebraskans with a good understanding of the history, economy, communities and cultures in our home state. My early faculty career …

A Management Role Perspective Of Adult Protective Services, Isaac Garza

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study examines the most important management roles, as viewed by Adult Protective Services supervisors and Adult Protective Services staff members in Region 11. A total of 6 supervisors and 51 staff members were mailed questionnaires on October 1, 1998. A total of 5 supervisors and 26 staff members completed and returned the questionnaires.

The study is limited by a lack of a consistent management role theory, limited to a basic method of aggregation, and limited to a specific population.

APS supervisors were found to believe the management roles of leader, monitor and disturbance handler as being most important to …

The Collegial Environment And The Functional Organization, Mary K. Bolin

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Libraries are generally organized by function in order to carry out their mission efficiently. Academic librarians who are faculty also have a collegial organization that exists apart from any functional arrangement. Public and technical services librarians in this sort of organization are colleagues who have responsibility for the library in the way that teaching faculty are responsible for the programs in their departments. This article discusses the characteristics of the successful collegial organization and the relationship of technical and public services librarians in a collegial library.

Diversity, Collaboration, Reflective Practice, And Technology In Professional Education Programs: Strategic Choices For Higher Education, Caren L. Sax Edd

Dissertations

Today's postsecondary students are entering American institutions of higher education (IHEs) with different experiences, expectations, and learning needs than students of previous generations. Calls for more diverse campuses, advanced technology, and lifelong learning are maintaining pressure on IHEs to adjust to new demands for a more encompassing vision as traditional approaches are no longer adequate. The challenges are tremendous; the responses must be extensive and reflective if higher education is to achieve its goals of preparing students for productive and meaningful lives. This study investigated student experiences in a yearlong professional education program that was focused by four strategic choices …

A Methodology To Apply Business Process Reengineering Within The Brazilian Aeronautical Ministry, Ricardo F. G. Santos

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine Business Process Reengineering as a feasible methodology to be used to help reorganize the Brazilian Aeronautical Ministry. Using a qualitative approach, this research developed an analysis of BPR beginning with the concepts elaborated by Hammer and Champy. The research also investigated the laws and regulations used by the United States Government to apply BPR in all branches of its military. After establishing the framework, some methodologies and case studies were analyzed to obtain the big picture about the application of BPR as a managerial tool to reorganize organizations. The results of this …

Caddoan Ceremonial Sites Of The Caddoan Cultural Area Of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, And Texas: Draft Caddo National Landmark Nomination, Mark R. Barnes, Timothy K. Perttula

Index of Texas Archaeology: Open Access Gray Literature from the Lone Star State

Since 1997, we have been working on the development of a National Historic Landmark (NHL) cover nomination for Caddoan ceremonial sites - earthen mounds in the Caddoan cultural area of southwestern Arkansas, northwestern Louisiana, eastern Oklahoma, and northeastern Texas. Such a nomination establishes the historic context within which all similar cultural properties can be evaluated for significance according to the NHL criteria, as it establishes the research and other criteria by which a cultural property may be identified as a significant archeological resource.

Law Enforcement Organizational Culture: A Comprehensive Study Of Sworn Vs. Non-Sworn Personnel In Relation To Attrition Caused By Non-Sworn Personnel Career Ceilings, Geraldine Anne Gour

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Peacemakers In Conflict - Building Transnational Frameworks For Human Security Across Global Divides, Anna Christine Snyder

UMSL Global

No abstract provided.

A Leadership Case Study: Application Of Burns' Transformational Leadership Theory, Ann Paulsen Cahill

Theses and Graduate Projects

James McGregor Burns defines transformational leadership as leaders seeking power to implement an agendn to help others lead better lives, and to enhsnce their ability to positively influence the world around them. The two essentials of power are mative and resource, Burns contends that transformational leaders will use them both to elevate the moral standing of society. The following research was conducted using James McGregor Burns' Transformational Leadership lheory as a foundntion for studying a leader in the business world. By understanding this leadership theory, the resesrcher was able to apply these characterisffcs to the leader and make conclusions regarding …

What Academic Librarians Should Know About Creative Thinking, John Olson

Librarian Publications

Librarians need to explore their individual creativity. Creative thinking is an underutilized problem-solving skill that can be learned and applied to any situation. This article explains how librarians can understand, develop, and use their creative thinking abilities and skills in the workplace.

Strategic Planning For A Communication Department: Process And Promise, Catherine Konsky

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of planning, most notably strategic planning, and describes a process for developing a department strategic plan by involving the entire faculty in its creation. Principles of business planning and small group communication are joined to address academic department planning needs. Moreover, planning needs to capitalize on the essential soft information lacking in separate groups of planners such as planning departments frequently used in business settings. Soft information refers to experiential knowledge that comes, in this case, from faculty, doing the job as opposed to relying on the numerical data that drive many business …

Foreign Private Investment In Palestine Revisited: An Analysis Of The Revised Palestinian Investment Law, David P. Fidler

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Study Of Managerial Stress In Greater China : The Direct And Indirect Effects Of Coping Strategies And Work Locus Of Control, Oi-Ling Siu, Paul, E. Spector, Cary, L. Cooper

CAPS Working Paper Series

The present study aims at comparing the direct and indirect effects of coping strategies (control and support coping) and work locus of control (externality) on the stress-strain relationships among managers in Greater China (Peopled Republic of China [PRC], Hong Kong, and Taiwan) using the Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI). Self-administered survey method was employed to collect data from 249 (164 males, 85 females) managers in China, 280 (159 males, 120 females, 1 unclassified) managers in Hong Kong, and 347 (191 males, 151 females, 5 unclassified) managers in Taiwan. The direct and indirect effects of control coping, support coping, and locus of …

Research To Practice: The Successes And Struggles Of Closing A Facility-Based Employment Service, John Butterworth, Sheila Fesko

Research to Practice Series, Institute for Community Inclusion

A brief overview of findings from the Conversion to Integrated Employment monographs.

Recent Dissertations On Service And Service-Learning Topics, Robert D. Shumer, Ann Treacy, Madeleine S. Hengel, Lily O'Donnell

Bibliographies

Rumor has it that there is very little research on service and service-leaming. A brief literature review of dissertations from 1990 onward revealed that over 110 studies have been completed on service and related topics. So much for the rumor!

Our intent in performing this literature review is to identify academic studies that have been completed in the past several years on issues related to service-learning. Covering a variety of interest areas and related topics, the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse is initially interested in identifying studies that add to the knowledge base on service-learning. The collection of titles, authors, and abstract …

Will The Real Adam Smith Please Stand Up?: Teaching Social Economics In The Principles Course, Jonathan B. Wight

Economics Faculty Publications

Part of the difficulty of introducing social economics into the principles course is the perception that social economics is anathema to mainstream economics. As noted by Warren Samuels, however, "neoclassical economics is already a form of social economics" despite its "pretensions of methodological individualism and value-neutrality". Heilbroner also makes the case that the " ... the preponderance of great economists were aware of economics as explanation systems of particular socio-economic formations." Like it or not, economists err in omitting from their models what McCloskey calls "S" variables--variables representing the "social embeddedness" of values which direct human choices.

Promises Of The Patiarchy : A Study Of Leadership Within The Promise Keepers Movement, Daniel W. Beeman

Honors Theses

By looking at the roles that gender and faith play in an organization and their leadership, this paper will make a significant advance in leadership studies that is not overwhelmingly present. The field of leadership studies will be able to use this as a way to understand those two contexts in addition to being able to see one more way to look at the leadership of an entire movement.

A Proposal For Leadership Consulting, Jess Timmerman, Raegan Williams

Honors Theses

In the course of the past two decades, the study of leadership has increasingly found its proponents in a variety of contexts. From academic circles to non-profits and corporate industries, leadership studies is rapidly becoming a topic of paramount import. As this evolution occurs, students of leadership studies find themselves highly sought-after for positions in a myriad of fields. Increasing, too, is the need for students of leadership studies to find and develop additional links to industries and corporations traditionally reserved for students of other academic areas. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the leadership curriculum in the Jepson School of …

A Professional Competency Survey Of Organizational Consultants In San Diego County, Angie Mays Edd

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain a clearer understanding of the rapidly growing field of Organizational Consulting. Specifically, this research focuses on developing profiles of various types of organizational consultants in San Diego County. The types of profiles considered included: Executive Coaches, Feedback Specialists, Motivational Speakers, Trainers, Educators, and Consultants. The research topics examined included: background and professional preparation of consultants, professional resources utilized, interventions most commonly used, and level of job satisfaction. A descriptive survey was employed to aid in the investigation. The questionnaire consisted of questions revised from Waller's (1988) national survey of training consultants, and …

Board Transition In A Student Government Organization: Developing Effective Organizational Change, Rolando Eduardo Inzunza

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

I focused the research project on creating effective transition in a graduate student government organization of which I was the president in 1998-1997. I conducted the evaluation as an insider, using a participatory-action research model. My search of the literature focused on principles of community psychology and how the literature on learning organizations could apply these principles as organizational goals. I then used organizational development as a model for putting these principles and subsequent goals into practice. I guided the evaluation and improvement of board transition with measures of board effectiveness. I collected the data from in-depth qualitative interviews with …

A Leadership Case Study: Application Of Koestenbaum's Diamond Leadership Theory, Ann E. Paulsen

Theses and Graduate Projects

Peter Koestenbaum's Diamond Leadership Theory illustrates how a leader's greatness can be evaluated by looking at four different categories: ethics, courage, reality, and vision. According to his Diamond Leadership Theory, he stresses that all four dimensions must be equally developed and balanced, in both the personal and professional life of the leader. Koestenbaum contends that a balanced leader will show leadership skills in all aspects, not just in their professional lives.

The following research was conducted using the Diamond Leadership Theory as a foundation for studying a leader in the business world. By understanding these basic principles, the researcher was …