Digital Commons Network^™

Family Of Origin Influence On Workplace Dynamics: A Qualitative Study, Megan E. Malave

Theses and Dissertations

This study delves into the intricate interplay between Family of Origin influences and the professional practice of Organizational Development (OD) practitioners. Rooted in the recognition that Family of Origin experiences significantly shape individual perspectives and behaviors, this research investigates how OD practitioners leverage this understanding to navigate complex workplace dynamics. Grounded in the Use of Self framework, which emphasizes intentional utilization of one's complete being for enhanced effectiveness, this study explores the multifaceted connections between Family of Origin dynamics and common relational aspects such as leadership, influence, power, conflict, and belonging. Through qualitative analysis of OD practitioners' perspectives, the study …

A Global Perspective On Mindfulness-Based Interventions In Schools, Rebecca H. Laff

Theses and Dissertations

The practice of mindfulness, which originated in ancient Buddhist philosophy, has gained popularity in secular society through the work of Western researcher Jon Kabat-Zinn. Kabat-Zinn's focus on using mindfulness to help chronically ill patients cope with stress soon expanded into non-clinical areas, including education. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) adapted from Kabat-Zinn’s work, have been utilized in schools since 2005, but there has been a lack of systematic research on the effectiveness of MBIs in classroom settings globally. To address this gap, this critical interpretive synthesis (CIS) study conducted a comprehensive literature review of quantitative and qualitative studies from around the world …

Give And You May Receive: Examining Transparent Leadership Through The Lens Of Leader-Follower Relationships, Edward J. Piecek

Theses and Dissertations

Transparency is a term often used to describe a solution to many organizational problems and a fundamental quality that employees seek from their leaders, yet its definition and application to leadership theory remain unclear. This study adopted a grounded theory approach to examining transparent leadership, using semi-structured interviews to explore transparent leader behaviors across multiple contexts. The sample included 25 mid-level leaders working for six non-profit healthcare organizations in the western US. Based on analysis of interview responses, the results revealed a dynamic, reciprocal transparent leader-follower relationship distinct from existing leadership theories. As the first known empirical study of transparent …

Psychological Safety In Startup Organizations, Jessica Barhydt

Theses and Dissertations

Psychological safety is an individually held belief that a group is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. Scholars have studied the concept primarily as a team-level construct. However, recent studies suggest that climates of psychological safety exist at the organizational level. An examination of the dynamism of the construct at the organizational level is needed: how it grows, changes, and declines. Startups, which grow and change quickly, are an excellent context to study organizational psychological safety. Through interviews, this study explored psychological safety as an organizational-level construct in startup organizations. Specifically, it examined potential commonalities between high and low psychological safety as …

The Meta-Leadership Inventory: Developing A Valid And Reliable Instrument For International School Leaders, Matthew D. Wilkens

Theses and Dissertations

International school leaders must be prepared to steer their schools through ongoing crises and changes, regardless of the factors creating the crises and the need for swift change. To achieve the best possible outcomes from these dynamic situations, international school leaders must strategically deploy skills and abilities delineated by the Meta-leadership framework developed by Marcus et al.(2015). This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable instrument that measures the Meta-leadership competencies of international school leaders: the Meta-leadership Inventory for International School Leaders (MLI-ISL). This instrument development study involved a three-phase design. An initial set of items based on a …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Community Based-Organizations: A Case Study Of Jewish Organizations, Orit Zigmanlador

Theses and Dissertations

When COVID-19 started to spread in March 2020, no one could anticipate the impact it would have on the world. Social behavior is one key aspect that has changed dramatically as a result of the pandemic. Through restrictions that imposed social distancing, masks, and quarantines, feelings of loneliness, depression, and isolation increased. At the same time, there was also evidence of prosocial behavior, with the emergence of people helping those in need. As the pandemic turns endemic with restrictions lifting, the longstanding impact of the pandemic on people’s behavior is still unclear. One way to explore this phenomenon is through …

The New World Of Onboarding: A Comparison Of Virtual And Hybrid Onboarding Experiences, Hannah Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The world of work has changed significantly due to the global pandemic of 2020. As a result, many organizations have shifted to remote or hybrid work models, requiring new ways of thinking about all aspects of the employee experience. This paper explored the impact of both remote and hybrid work models on the employee onboarding experience, focusing on employee sentiments toward the organization. The study occurred within a consulting organization and involved interviews with twelve new hires, to understand the successes and the challenges of their onboarding experiences. The results indicated that remote onboarding negatively impacted feelings of connection with …

A Preliminary Exploration Of The Workplace Expectations Of Generation Z Amidst Covid-19, Elizabeth Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

For the first time in modern history, up to five generations are working side-by-side in the same organizations. The high number of generations working together can cause intergenerational conflict. Generation Z (Gen Z), born after 1995, is significantly different from previous generations due to the cultural realities that have shaped their development. Gen Z has their own attitudes, beliefs, and expectations about the workplace and the centrality of work. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the attitudes, beliefs, values, and expectations about work and toward leadership in the workplace and how those expectations may have been …

An Examination Of Leading Through Change Using Snyder’S Hope Theory And Lewin’S 3-Step Model, Scott E. Sorensen

Theses and Dissertations

Never has the world experienced such rapid change, and the environment in which organizations operate necessitates increased change capability and organizational agility (Argyris, 1991). Strebel (1996) found success rates for change initiatives in Fortune 1000 companies ranged from a low of 20% to a high of 50%. Later studies would substantiate Strebel’s (1996) findings, claiming that, on average, failure rates of transformational change initiatives approach 70% (Beer & Nohria, 2000; Sirkin et al., 2005). Suppose this is so, and companies wish to thrive in such a dynamic environment. A fundamental understanding of why change efforts fail and how to drive …

Evaluating The Prevalence And Dimensions Of Poetry Interventions To Enable Change And Transformation In Organizations, Elizabeth Kathleen Mcgraw

Theses and Dissertations

Today, organizations and their employees operate in times of increased complexity, ambiguity, and constant change. Traditional methods for enabling change and transformation are no longer sufficient to generate alignment and shared understanding to create adaptive ways of working. Organizations must identify new tools when engaged in change and transformation. Poetry, a time-honored practice, is an unconventional choice for organizational interventions. Still, it may be a solution for organizations seeking to unstick, reframe, and pivot quickly toward a new and shared reality. This study evaluated the practice and dimensions of poetry interventions used by change practitioners when enabling change and transformation …

The Intersection Of Ethnic-Racial Identities And The Development Of Leadership Identity For Asian American Women Leaders And The Impact On Their Success, Nann Chan Chan Aye

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the intersectionality of ethnic-racial identity and leadership identity in Asian American Women Leaders (AAWLs) in the United States and its potential impact on leadership success. Findings reveal that community, inclusivity, and growth are the elements that intersect the three pillars: ethnic-racial identity, leadership identity, and organizational climate/environment for AAWLs to embrace the ownership of collective leadership identity. AAWLs strongly desire to foster positive organizational cultures that value service, collaboration, trust, autonomy, diversity, and growth. Another prominent finding is the enthusiasm of AAWLs to share and pass down learnings and experiences through open dialogues and mentorship to fellow …

Recovery At Work: Seeking Relief From Toxic Workplace Behavior Through The Adult Children Of Alcoholics And Dysfunctional Families Model, Matthew D. Devandry

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated whether the Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (ACA) 12-step recovery model might be relevant to reducing toxic workplace behavior. Seventeen participants in the ACA program were interviewed to answer what changes in work-life are experienced by those who have worked in the ACA program and what components of ACA do practitioners believe have been most influential in their work-life changes? Interviewees reported experiencing positive results in their work lives, categorized by internal, philosophical changes, changes in behavior regarding interpersonal issues, changes in behavior regarding issues of self, and changes in overall outcome. These findings …

Strategies To Influence Meaning Creation To Address Resistance In A Change Initiative, Rebecca L. Escobar

Theses and Dissertations

Organizational change has been a constant and essential aspect of human societies for centuries, driving innovation and adaptability. However, despite the abundance of models and content on managing change, organizations still struggle to implement and sustain effective transformations. This research aims to address this challenge by exploring strategies to create meaning and address resistance during transformational change. The research will employ a qualitative approach, conducting 15 interviews to capture participants' experiences and strategies in influencing meaning creation during change initiatives. The data collected will be transcribed, coded, categorized, and analyzed for themes, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the strategies …

Against All Odds: The Successful Leadership Journey Of A Saudi Woman In A Male-Dominated Stem Corporation, Maha Aldaajani

Theses and Dissertations

Huda Al-Ghoson became the first Saudi woman in an executive leadership position at Saudi Aramco, defying gender discrimination in a male-dominated corporate. This dissertation examined Al-Ghoson's groundbreaking journey and its implications for Saudi women, addressing the scarcity of information on successful Saudi female leaders' strategies and experiences. The literature review explored gender-related theories, Transformational leadership theory, and Full-Range leadership theory. A qualitative exploratory single-case study design was employed, with Huda Al-Ghoson as the focal point. The research questions were: (a) as a Saudi woman in a top leadership role, how does Al-Ghoson perceive her ascension to leadership in a male-dominated …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Beliefs Related To Gender Equality In The Church Of Christ, Timothy J. Priestley

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, American Christian churches, including the Church of Christ, have grappled with the role of women in their congregations. As women have gained legal rights, expanded social roles, and access to leadership, certain churches, including the Church of Christ, have lagged in adapting to these changes. This study aims to understand the organizational change process within these churches, exploring why belief systems can be slow to change and how some congregations have successfully transitioned from a complementarian to an egalitarian stance related to women's leadership roles. The research employs a contextual lens, considering how human psychology influences beliefs …

Shifting Institutional Paradigms To Ignite Organizational Equity Amongst African American Professionals, Michael Fountain

Theses and Dissertations

African Americans can become discontented with their jobs and even consider resigning due to workplace anxiety. This quantitative study among African American business professionals in the U.S. highlighted the critical factors that foster positive working environments and organizational equity for African American professionals. The researcher focused on increasing an organization's effectiveness through managing diversity, allowing employees to feel inclusivity, and being part of a team. As a result, there will be happier, satisfied, and committed workers, thereby increasing the level of knowledge in the workforce while reducing expenses. This study analyzed conflict management, cultural diversity, marginalized employee emotions, teamwork, and …

Best Practices Of Virtual Learning For K-5 Students, Bailey Hooper

Theses and Dissertations

With the increase in technology, virtual learning programs continue to grow in popularity within the United States. Before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the kindergarten through fifth grade (K-5) virtual learning population has increased each year slowly since the late 1900s. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic millions of K-5 students were engaged in virtual learning. However, the academic outcomes and learning loss that resulted from the school shutdowns caused many misconceptions regarding the educational and social developments of K-5 students enrolled in virtual classes. Yet, studies consistently prove synchronous virtual instruction can be as effective as traditional face-to-face learning. The …

Exploring Disc Attitudes Toward Organizational Change, Christie Cooper

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study explored how different personality styles, using the dominance, influence, steadiness, and compliance (DISC) personality assessment to address the concept of change. Specifically, the attitudes the four main DISC personality styles have toward change. The study aimed to contribute to the body of knowledge. There is a significant gap in the empirical research investigating DISC and change.

This study’s significance was to fill a gap in the literature in an area that has limited empirical research conducted. European and Asian countries do far more work on the front-side of change to ensure people are prepared for the change …

What Are The Conditions Of Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In Organizations, Given The Recent Social Climate?, Angela Dixon Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Following George Floyd’s death in 2020, grassroots activism and protest reminiscent of the historic 1960s Civil Rights movement spread across the United States and abroad. Unlike the movement of the 1960s, the government did not respond with laws and oversight agencies to hold organizations accountable for change. Instead, corporate leaders voiced resounding commitments of financial pledges. Many organizations rapidly hired experts specializing in Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) to address activist demands. Inspired by the 2020 social movement, this study aimed to explore the contemporary landscape of DEI through the lens of leaders in the field. The study applied a …

An Application Of Lewin In A Trans-Pandemic World: A Narrative Inquiry In A Case Study With A Suggested Model For The Future, Chandler Barksdale Ewell Caldwell

Theses and Dissertations

Change is constant in today’s post-pandemic world. This is truly evident in online business success with entrepreneurs that defy past limitations and rely on future vision. This study purposely attempts to identify and qualify the impact of stylized change focused leadership in response to workplace changes during the variant challenges of the corona virus pandemic. The relevancy of Lewin’s organizational change model in today’s new normal provides the foundation for this research. Data were gathered through interview with a purposive sample of 12 managers executives and team members from a public sector organization. Evolving through an iterative process of evaluation …

Transformational Leadership Strategies In U.S. Public Universities, Jason C. Hardman

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the transformational leadership strategies used by university leaders to transform their respective institutions of higher education in the post-pandemic era. The study builds on Bass's (1985a) transformational leadership model, and the guiding research question is, "What transformational leadership strategies do university leaders use to transform university environments?" The study utilizes a narrative inquiry approach to collect and analyze data from publicly available and accessible sources. The data analysis highlights four themes of transformational leadership practices, including idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. The findings reveal that transformational leaders exhibit high moral standards, personal …

Leadership Development Of Physician-Trainees, Julie Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Physicians frequently occupy leadership roles, yet training in leadership development in the medical education continuum is scarce (Angood, 2015; Dhaliwali & Sehgal, 2014; Rotenstein et al., 2018; Varkey et al., 2009). Effective leadership training can guide physician-trainees on a journey toward self- and others- awareness and management utilizing emotional intelligence (Goleman, 2006), integrity, authenticity (Erhard et al., 2010; George, 2003; Snook et al., 2012), communication, teamwork (Hackman, 2012; Larson & LaFasto, 1989), change management (Kotter, 1995; 2012), and systems thinking (Senge, 2006). The call to enhance leadership development of physicians across their education continuum is unmistakable (Blumenthal et al., 2012, …

Autonomy And Coordination: A Field Study, Jessica Kaufman

Theses and Dissertations

With an emerging remote and dispersed workforce that is consequently more autonomous, OD professionals will need to understand how autonomy relates to coordination to help organizations adapt and be effective. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between team member autonomy and inter-team coordination in organizations. The manager-team participants in this study spanned eleven industries, including 22 teams from 15 companies. The researcher took a mixed-method approach using interviews and surveys to assess autonomy and coordination. The research resulted in five variables: three variables measured coordination and two variables measured autonomy. Autonomy and coordination were significantly and …

Did The Psychological Implications Of Covid-19 Influence Employees To Say, “I Quit”, Lori Fay

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the forces that influenced employees to quit and how the employee-manager relationship mitigated this. The research centered on employees employed in the retail industry throughout the year 2020. This study aimed to investigate what factors motivated employees to remain committed to their organizations amidst the psychological impacts of COVID-19. The findings of this study suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental well-being of individuals, as evidenced by their experiences of anxiety, depression, and emotional fatigue. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on employee turnover and the influence of the employee-manager relationship …

Overcoming The Space Between Us: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Bridge Building, Kate Hanisian

Theses and Dissertations

Facilitators in organization and community contexts (and other practitioners whose job it is to move groups of people forward together) are faced with the undercurrent of human conflict every day in meetings and gatherings around the world; often with limited access to an overarching tool to help prevent and manage conflict in most settings. The purpose of this paper was to uncover patterns in bridge building practices so that anyone who finds themselves in the role of facilitating conversations between people who are very different or do not like each other might lean into a set of practices that can …

Culture: The Key To Shifting Your Organization During Post-Pandemic, Qiang Qiang

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Organizations are facing challenges and obstacles caused by COVID-19. After widespread vaccines, lifestyle became normal and entered the post-pandemic era. Organizational culture is the key that organizations shift during the post-pandemic. In this article, there are three recommendations that the organization can think of to make cultural changes effectively. First, the organization needs to assess and diagnose if it is an agile organization. Second, Lewin’s change model and the MCR framework can help the organization manage the changing process. Last, leadership is the key to ensuring the change is in the right direction. The leadership discussion focuses on evolutionary leadership …

It’S About Time: Understanding Job Crafting Through The Lens Of Individuals’ Temporal Characteristics, Hannah Weisman, Uta K. Bindl, Cristina B. Gibson, Kerrie L. Unsworth

All Faculty Open Access Publications

Job crafting refers to the myriad ways employees customize their jobs, such as by altering their tasks and social interaction at work. Numerous scholars over the past 20 years have remarked on the overall need to better understand the role of time in job crafting. However, the literature has not considered how employees think about time, or, relatedly, how they use and manage it—and why this might matter for job crafting. To address these unresolved issues, the current paper develops a conceptual model of individual-level, time-related characteristics that shape employees’ engagement in job crafting and the effects of job crafting …

High Potential Programs In Professional Service Firms, Charlene Robison

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined whether a mixed-cohort of billable and non-billable (e.g., marketing, human resources, accounting, technology) participants in a high-potential development program is beneficial to the organizations that utilize this development approach and to the participants in such programs. This research focused on professional service firms with time-defined and structured high-potential programs. This study utilized a mixed-method design and gathered data in two phases: a survey and a focus group. These methods were used to obtain participant sentiments of participating in their respective high-potential programs. Twenty-five high-potential professionals completed the survey and six participated in the focus group. The study …

The Axis Of Access: A Quantitative Ethnography Of Presidential Discourse On The Construct Of College Access In The United States, Pamela M. Donnelly

Theses and Dissertations

Federal discourse pertaining to college access requires clarified definition. Use of the college access construct has become commonplace, yet no unified refinement of meaning exists. This study, which covered U.S. presidential communications from January 2009 to October 2021, addressed the abstraction of language as leaders presented ideas, policies, and opinions. Observable trends impacting social mobility for students from underserved populations were of central interest. The research methodology, Quantitative Ethnography (QE), used the tool of Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA). Eight codes were identified through grounded analysis: Affordability, Pathway Program, Underserved Populations, Class Systems, Upward Mobility, Career Readiness, Trajectory, and Career Technical …

All For One And One For All: One Market-Oriented Culture, Four Ceo Leadership Styles, Chris Linden Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The value of a market-oriented culture as one that sustainably satisfies customers, engages employees, and provides profitable growth is well-established. Market-oriented firms are more profitable, more innovative, and deliver higher customer and employee satisfaction than their competitors. However, we still know little of how leaders of such operations create and sustain their organizations’ market orientation. This research, positioned at the intersection of leadership and marketing strategy, draws on interviews with 66 CEOs and senior executives across a variety of firms and industries to generate insights into how these leaders developed their market-oriented approach and to identify the behaviors they engage …