Digital Commons Network^™

Utilizing Emotional Intelligence To Cultivate Occupational Therapy Students' Leadership Skills, Talina Minasian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Emotional intelligence (EI) education is a crucial component to facilitating professional and leadership skills. Strengthening emotional competence through training and education can support clinician success. The healthcare sector is complex and presents many challenges and emotionally demanding circumstances. Sharpening emotional intelligence skills can provide tools for students, practitioners, and leaders to effectively respond and rise above difficult situations. There is a strong need for healthcare programs to supplement their curriculums with EI learning.

This doctoral project explored the benefits and impact of integrating emotional intelligence education into a leadership course for entry-level occupational therapy (OT) students. Using current literature, a …

Sweden’S Casino Cosmopol Stayed Open During The Pandemic: What Can We Learn?, Kasra Ghaharian, Bo Bernhard

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated countless research questions for academics in every conceivable field. Chief among those are the biomedical questions, particularly those related to diagnosis, prevention and treatment (National Institutes of Health, 2020), as this public health crisis relentlessly spreads across the globe. Meanwhile, virtually every other research field finds itself exploring the intersections of those biomedical questions with more specific queries on a range of everyday impacts. Sweden’s approach to COVID-19 has captured the imaginations of critical thinkers worldwide. Sweden has resisted the tendency of governments to shut down society, instead electing for a more sustainable approach. Our …

Exploration Of The Intersection Of Social Identities Of Female Leaders In Postsecondary Education: A Phenomenological Approach, Sara Shaw

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of female leaders currently in leadership roles in postsecondary education. This hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted to explore intersecting identities and how the identities affected female leaders’ leadership experiences and decision-making processes. Through the theoretical framework of intersectionality, I explored the relationships among females, leadership, career decision-making, and other categorical social identities. Data gathered from semi-structured one-on-one interviews and demographic surveys with 11 female postsecondary leaders sought to understand how gender and selected social identities affect career decision-making of women in postsecondary leadership positions. The researcher identified seven themes: …

Assessing Generational Preferences In Characteristics Of An Admired Leader Among Career Library Professionals, Amy Tureen, Susie Skarl

Library Faculty Publications

This study utilizes Posner and Kouzes’ Characteristics of an Admired Leader (CAL) instrument to determine if there are generational preferences in characteristics of an admired leader among career library professionals. Data was gathered from nearly 800 respondents, coded into generational cohorts, and assessed from commonalities across generational lines. Additional assessment of the data sought trends across generational cohorts within the context of employment status, library type, library subfield, and generational identity. The authors concluded that while there is little generational difference in the characteristics of an admired leader, there are commonalities across the profession at large and suggest that library …

Leadership’S Influence On Environmental Sustainability, Stallar Lufrano-Jardine

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

A phenomenological study within the gaming industry is currently being conducted to determine influential indicators within business operations. Based on interviews of executive leadership at global companies, participants disclosed the environmental developments at their organization based on industry norms and the ability to develop/execute environmental initiatives. Four themes emerged: the leader’s ideology and the political climate; the company’s founding principles; support from the industry and/or within the company; and the ability to change industry dynamics. Each leader touched on these four points. Regardless of department type, level of leadership, and the desire to be globally conscious, all participants remarked on …

A Group Development Program Based On Transformational Leadership To Improve Team Performance, Anne-Marie Schenk

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As reimbursement models move from volume-based to value-based, organizations increasingly depend on meeting patient outcome goals in order to achieve their budgetary targets. Leadership teams are a vital part of healthcare organizations and their performance is crucial to the overall organization’s performance. The organization of interest saw a group of strong individual leaders struggle with outcome production due, in part, to overall team dysfunction. To address this need, this DNP project is a group development program, based on the concepts of transformational leadership. As functional groups and transformational leaders are known to drive outcomes, when implemented, this program’s goal is …

From Temporary To Transformative: Leveraging Externally-Funded Special Collections Projects As Organizational Learning And Development Opportunities, Cory K. Lampert, Marina Georgieva

Library Faculty Presentations

This poster proposes an academic library approach to addressing temporary project staffing in Special Collections and Archives with a focus on organizational transformation, professional development, and mentoring. The strategy includes both managerial perspective and insights from a visiting faculty librarian on key aspects of hiring, supporting, and leveraging temporary professional staff for impactful organizational development. While the focus of temporary projects is often completing deliverables on time, this poster presents three areas of layered learning outcomes that leverage project work as a catalyst for organizational development, managerial development, and new professional mentoring.

An Examination Of Perceived Leadership Behaviors And Employee Engagement In The Us Federal Government: An Exploratory Study, Jason Barker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Leadership can exist in any organization or entity. It has been studied extensively and examined comprehensively. There have been various theories of what type of leadership is ideal or suitable for a group or organization. From transformational to transactional leadership, leadership styles exist that can contribute to organizations and the style they employ. Employee engagement can be based on either or both transformational and transactional leadership factors. Transformational leadership behaviors generally show an increase in employee engagement. Employee engagement has an association with job satisfaction and leadership perception. Leadership styles will be defined, in addition to factors in the employee’ …

Hearts And Minds: An Analysis Of Checks And Safeguards, Monitoring, And Performance Review Of Executive Boards And Their Executive Directors Within Select Nonprofit Corporations., John Michael Wagner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Horror stories of ineffective nonprofit organization management arise in the media far too often. When these stories emerge, the public demands accountability from those responsible. Ultimately, accountability rests with the fiduciaries of the organization. For nonprofit

organizations in the United States, fiduciary responsibility and accountability reside with the board of directors.

Board governance has been widely studied in the for-profit sector. Due to the critical nature of the work nonprofits perform, there has been an increasing effort to study board governance in nonprofit organizations. Employing in depth interviews, with both executive

directors and board members, checks and safeguards such as …

Identifying Outcomes And Gaps Impacting Tobacco Control And Prevention In African American Communities, Leah M. Ranney, Hannah M. Baker, Delmonte Jefferson, Adam O. Goldstein

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Great racial disparities exist in smoking and related health outcomes in the United States. African American (AA) smokers start smoking later and smoke less than white smokers but are less likely to quit. In 2008, the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health funded the National African American Tobacco Prevention Network (NAATPN) to focus tobacco control leadership, expertise and promotion in the AA community. In 2012, NAATPN sought to determine significant outcomes of tobacco control efforts impacting Black and AA communities by conducting a qualitative document search and series of interviews with experts in the field. Thirteen identified outcomes were categorized …

Leadership Competencies At Concordia University System Institutions, Samuel Joseph Seefeld

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine leadership competencies within the Concordia University System based on McDaniel’s (2002) leadership schema using the quantitative instrument developed by Smith and Wolverton (2010). This study extended the Smith and Wolverton (2010) instrument by exploring whether or not variables such as gender or employment classification (i.e., an individual’s role within the institution) show significant differences in perception of leadership competencies. This study utilized principal component analysis to determine factors based on the individual competencies and multivariate analysis of variance to determine if differences arose between reported scores in gender and employment classification. Data …

Transformational Leadership Increases Self-Determination And Positively Impacts Hospitality Frontline Employees, Xiao Zhang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This professional paper presents literature by exploring the role of self-determination theory between the relationship of transformational leadership and hospitality employees’ well-being. It integrates the present research on leadership style, needs theory and well-being and provides useful and meaningful information for executives and organizations who are dedicated to improve employees’ well-being.

Servant Leadership And Related Issues In Chinese Hotel Industry, Yiqing Wang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Because of the economy growth and the Open Door Policy, Chinese hotel industry was under a huge expansion. Since more and more western customers are visiting and Chinese customers are having more hotel experience abroad, the service Chinese hotels used to provide dose not meet the standard anymore. So the managers and leaders need to find an appropriate approach to encourage their employees to improve the service to their customers. This research went through over 40 articles about Chinese hotel industry and Chinese culture and found out that servant leadership style should be the best approach to engage the employees.

A Narrative Study Of Latinas' Experiences With The Leadership Pipeline In Higher Education, Ana Cecilia Marrero-Lopez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to report the stories of Latina’s experiences with the leadership pipeline in higher education, and determine what venues within that pipeline facilitate or impede access to executive level administrative positions. The practical significance of this study would include expanding the quantity of academic research on Latinas’ interest and inclusion in obtaining executive leadership positions in higher education, where little has been recorded of their presence or successes (Lopez-Mulnix, Wolverton & Zaki, 2011). In addition, though many studies have been conducted on racial and ethnic minority faculty (Eddy, 2009; Moses, 2009; Green & …

An Autoethnography Of Heart-Based Hope Leadership: A Matter Of Life Or Death, Cynthia Jeanne Kimball

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This qualitative, reflexive autoethnography explores my health journey over a span of 20 years and beginning with the 1994 diagnosis of breast cancer, through the 2012 diagnosis of an endothelial ischemic microvascular pattern heart dysfunction, and up to the 2014 writing of this dissertation study. The purpose of this study was to define the construct of hope-based action from the perspectives of nine participants and myself. As researcher-participant, I used reflexivity and personal narrative to describe the language and rituals of a culture of hope. The construct of hope was investigated from the perspectives of Snyder's hope theory (1994) from …

Leadership In Action: Leading, Learning, And Reflecting On A Career In Academic Libraries, Patricia A. Iannuzzi

Library Faculty Presentations

The library literature is rife with books and articles about leadership, much of it derived or applied from the research external to the library profession. Our professional literature is also rich with surveys about the qualities of leadership. This opening session provides a counterpoint to the theoretical, academic approach to the study of leadership in libraries. Based upon more than 30 years of experience, including positions ranging from library assistant to dean, Patricia Iannuzzi provides a practical approach to leadership roles for academic librarians on campus, in our profession, and within the higher education arena. In this personal reflection, Iannuzzi …

Managerial Behavioral Complexity And The Collegiate Registrar, Katherine Jeanette Humphreys

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Colleges often put an emphasis on the student experience and the student as a "customer" that should be courted, tracked, and understood. Yet, there are few academic studies that address the administrative roles that oversee the offices with direct student contact. All colleges have a registrar's office, or an office responsible for much of the institution's infrastructure from enrollment to graduation. Gunn & Backes (1992) point out, "In a climate where schools are competing for the best students, something as simple as making the registration system run smoothly and efficiently for the student can have major impacts, providing services that …

The Utah Model: Lessons For Regional Planning, Brenda C. Scheer

Brookings Mountain West Publications

Utah has become an unlikely leader in regional planning through a voluntary partnership of key leaders, agencies, local government, and the general public. Given that regional planning efforts around the nation have generally evoked strong reactions from residents concerned about losing local control, the success of Envision Utah—the organization that emerged as a key driver of regional planning in Utah—in building a consensus around regional growth management holds lessons for other regions.

Envision Utah adopted several strategies that have distinguished Utah’s regional planning efforts from other regions and given rise to what can be called the “Utah model” of collaborative …

School Leadership Readiness: Traditional Vs. Online Administrative Preparation, Jose Delfin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

According to the National Center of Educational Statistics (2006-2007) report, 92% of two and four-year Title IV degree-granting postsecondary institutions offered distance education courses due to students' demand for flexible scheduling. That same report cited that 82% of those institutions were seeking to increase student enrollment via distance education. There is little empirical research that pertain to the topic of degrees earned through online, or hybrid methods that have any bearing on job preparedness for past, present, and future educational leadership candidates. For all concerned, online programs are here to stay. Arguably, online courses are fast becoming the norm rather …

The Leadership Orientations And Effectiveness Of College And University Career Services Directors, Jacob A. Livengood

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Career service directors lead the third most common division within student affairs departments, but the leadership of a collegiate career services office has not been represented in higher education research. Obtaining a "good job" has consistently been noted as a main reason to attend college (Pryor, Hurtado, Saenz, Santos & Korn, 2007). The rising costs of higher education have also yielded the question, "What can college do for me?" financially and with future career opportunities (Baum & Payea, 2005; Moretti, 2004; Pryor, Hurtado, Saenz, Santos & Korn, 2007; Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, 2009). The functions of career services …

Facing The Music: Student Power Relations In Student Leadership Within High School Band Programs, Curtis James Melton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Bullying among children in our nation's schools has gripped the nation's collective interest, leading to grief, anger, and inquisition. Recent headlines suggest that the public is asking why bullying is taking place among our youth, so much so that it is costing children their lives. Recent teen deaths have swept the airwaves and headlines in the last two to three years, and it appears to be a problem that is starting to become a national epidemic.

The purpose of this study was to examine bullying within student-sanctioned programs within a school, specifically, whether or not student leaders in those programs …

Leadership Practice In Elementary School Dual Language Programs: A Collective Case Study, Joanie K. Monroy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research in effective programming for English language learners has demonstrated the efficacy of dual language education as a model for closing persistent achievement gaps for this growing population of students. With goals of high academic achievement, linguistic proficiency in two languages, and cross-cultural proficiency, dual language education is an enrichment model of education that eschews the deficit thinking often associated with language-minority students. Based on the promise of enriched education for all participants, the number of dual language programs is increasing nationwide. As districts across the United States plan for the implementation of dual language programs, identifying effective leadership practices …

Creating A Hospitality Leadership Development Training Program For A Country Club, Joan Ho

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to design a hospitality leadership development training program for a medium sized country club.

Statement of Objective: This paper will present a set of guidelines for creating and implementing an effective hospitality leadership development program for the country club and subsequently implemented for other hospitality and tourism organizations. The leadership development training program aims to attract the employees to retain in this trade. Therefore there is clearly a need for the hospitality and tourism industries to understand what constitutes effective leadership and how it can be achieved. Different definitions of leadership and important …

Bridging The Chasm: Emerging Model Of Leadership In Intercollegiate Athletics Governance, John C. Chandler Iii

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation examined how the executive leadership model influenced the leadership and governance of intercollegiate athletics. The focus centered on understanding the role of Athletic Directors who concurrently serve as institutional Vice Presidents using the Social Constructivist framework. Qualitative analysis was utilized to achieve the kind of examination necessary to uncover the rich and in-depth perspectives of the participants. At the time of the study, there were 119 institutions housing NCAA Division IA athletic departments. Of the 119 distinct athletic departments, there were 17 athletic departments that employed an athletic director that had been appointed to the post of university …

It's A Matter Of Principal: Examining Relationships Between Leaders' Change Facilitator Style And Students' Academic Progress, Diane Lewis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

At no other time in the history of American education have school principals been faced with as many challenges as today. The era of accountability has increased the daily pressures of leading a school, while responsibility for student achievement is at an all time high.

Some studies have examined a leaders’ impact on teacher behaviors. Fewer studies have examined the possible impacts that principals have on student learning. In this study, leadership research was reviewed; not only in education, but in business, sports, and other fields. The traits and styles of leaders were explored in an attempt to define the …

Emergency Managers As Change Agents, Christine G. Springer

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Publications

Since 2001, FEMA and others have been defining and refining competencies for emergency management professionals. In so doing, they have addressed directly and indirectly the qualities of leaders. We know that leadership is not a person or a position. It is a complex relationship between people, based on trust, obligation, commitment, emotion, and a shared vision of the good. We also know that transformational or change-based leadership has become an organizational necessity given the fact that emergency management as a profession is just now coming into its own and emergency management jobs are not traditional in terms of the how, …

The Underrepresentation Of Women In Interscholastic Sport Leadership: A Qualitative Study On The Effects Of Role Incongruity, Dana Massengale

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate the underrepresentation of women in interscholastic sport leadership positions by analyzing perceptions of state association administrators and athletic directors of the function, if any, that role congruity theory plays in the underrepresentation women. Previous research has examined potential causes for this underrepresentation but no previous study had examined this phenomenon from a prejudice toward women in a leadership role perspective. Data were collected through indepth, semi-structured interviews involving nine women leaders in interscholastic athletics. The criteria for participation placed them into one of three categories: (1) participants who were currently working as …

Configurations Of Site-Based Financial Leadership Practice Within School Contexts, Sylvia Tegano

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study employed an ethnographic perspective to generate a grounded theory that contributes to the understanding of financial leadership practice in four elementary school contexts: Non Title I School, Title I School, Empowerment School and Charter School. The literature, interviews, observations, document analysis, and review of relevant financial artifacts at each site were used to form an Innovation Configuration Map, which represented financial leadership practice.

Results showed that financial leadership practices are rooted in targeted resource tools, mindful internal accountability routines, and collaborative, inquiry based mindsets of school practitioners. Moreover, variations emerged such that financial leadership practices adapted to the …

Creating And Testing The Higher Education Leadership Competencies (Helc) Model: A Study Of Athletics Directors, Senior Student Affairs Officers, And Chief Academic Officers, Zachary A Smith

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was threefold: to extend existing knowledge of McDaniel's (2002) qualitative inquiry of higher education leadership competencies by testing her theory using quantitative methods; to either affirm or create a new, more refined model of higher education leadership competencies based on the results of the data analysis; and finally, to compare the similarities and differences of important competencies necessary for effective leadership between and within three groups of leaders in higher education: athletics directors (ADs), senior student affairs officers (SSAOs), and chief academic officers (CAOs); Goodness of fit results indicated McDaniel's 4-category model of higher education …

Attitudes Of Diverse Women Superintendents Toward Nine Tenets Of Effective Leadership, Salwa Abdel-Hamid Zaki

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Current data show that approximately 65--75% of the teaching force is women, yet only 12--13% of today's public school superintendents are women. The purpose of this study was to examine the leadership styles, behaviors, and attitudes of diverse women superintendents. Nine tenets of effective leadership, taken from extant research, evolved from the WILD (Women in Leadership Development) Project, a study of women in executive leadership positions across multiple fields and disciplines (Wolverton, et al., 2003). The nine tenets were: (1) Effective leaders are passionate about their organizations. (2) Effective leaders are reflective. (3) Effective leaders are competent. (4) Effective leaders …