Digital Commons Network^™

Small College Registrars As Leaders: A Multiple Case Study Of Shared Leadership, Kyle John Wigboldy

Dissertations

This study investigates the leadership relationship between the small college registrar and the people with whom they work most closely. The college registrar is not structured to be a strategic leader within the small college, but their leadership contributions across the campus are constantly felt. This research uses a qualitative case study approach to explore how three college registrars lead and participate with coworkers.

This investigation used a multiple case study design where data collection involved exploring three small colleges of fewer than 1,000 students. The study used semi-structured interviews with the registrar at each of the three colleges, and …

Organizational Diagnosis Toolkit, Ann Marie Lindley, Catherine Nolan, Connie L. Halvorsen, Franki C. Hand, Isys S. Mccormack, Jennifer A. Hance, Jess Beutler, Kelsey Spaulding Caras, Sara German Jimenez, Stephanie Graves

Capstone Projects

The complexity of organizations requires organizational diagnosis to be an iterative process tailored to the context, needs, and uniqueness of each organization. This toolkit is designed to walk a consultant or leader through a structured diagnostic approach and the various resources that can be leveraged along the way. It is organized into four sections: foundational diagnostic frameworks and models, practical consulting, case-study application, and reflection and learning. It was created by students in the Western Michigan University Organizational Change Leadership masters and doctoral programs as part of the course OCL 6460, "Organizational Diagnosis and Consulting," under the supervision of Professor …

Breaking Barriers For Student Success: Leading In Challenging Times, Lisa Marie Dewey

Dissertations

This study explores how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) directors in one Midwestern state understand and lead equity initiatives in K–12 public education. The purpose of the study was to examine how DEI leaders make sense of their roles and the challenges of sustaining equity work within complex and often politicized systems. Using a basic qualitative methodology, the research examined how personal identity, sociopolitical context, and organizational structures shape DEI leadership. Critical Race Theory (CRT) framed the study, centering race, power, and systemic inequity in participants’ experiences.

Seven DEI directors participated in semi-structured interviews. Three key themes emerged. First, participants’ …

A Multiple Case Study Of Four-Year Public, Non-Flagship Universities: Meeting Common Institutional Goals Of Increased Enrollment And Academic Profile, Alicia Kornowa

Dissertations

For several reasons, the number of students seeking and enrolling in a postsecondary education has started to decline in the United States (U.S.) and the decrease is expected to intensify for the foreseeable future. This trend is cause for concern among higher education enrollment leaders, especially those who serve at institutions not among the most elite universities or without a national brand—the campuses researchers project will have the greatest difficulty maintaining enrollment levels. Using strategic enrollment management (SEM) as an example of general systems theory and systems thinking, this multiple case study explored how four public, four-year, non-flagship institutions increased …

Women, Collective Creative Practice, And Community Health, Anne Hensley

Honors Theses

A growing body of research shows that art therapy yields positive outcomes for those experiencing stress and mood disorders. Creative arts therapies have been shown to lower cortisol, improve personal and universal outlook, decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression, increase self-esteem and confidence, alleviate burnout, help individuals to cope with trauma, and support brain function through activity-dependent plasticity. However, little research has been done on collective and collaborative arts, and the enhanced benefits communal practice might bring. Additionally, art therapy is inaccessible to many, due to a dearth of practitioners and cultural and socioeconomic barriers to participation. Peri-, menopausal, and …

Investigating The Impacts Of Ai Integration On Workplace Well-Being, An Exploratory Case Study, Anezka Viskova-Robertson

Dissertations

In an era characterized by rapid technological advancement, organizations are grappling with the profound changes brought by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). This study examines the impact of AI integration on workplace well-being, conceptualized as a key indicator of the health of an organization’s socio-technical system. Conducted over a four-month period, this research utilized an exploratory case study approach, collecting data from 35 participants across four distinct organizations. By employing a socio-technical systems perspective and the tripartite model of attitudes, the study investigates the intricate interactions between AI technologies and human factors within organizational contexts. The findings reveal that …

From Pages To Pixels: Library Workers’ Perceptions Of Power In The Digital Era, Sean Gaffney

Dissertations

This work explores how library workers experience power during the era of digital transformation. As libraries transition from traditional knowledge repositories to dynamic, technology-driven information centers, power structures within these institutions are undergoing significant change. Despite the extensive implementation of digital transformation initiatives, there is a critical gap in understanding how digitalization is impacting employees’ experiences of power within the library context.

Drawing on French and Raven’s Bases of Social Power model, this study investigates how digital tools, platforms, and processes influence how power is perceived among library workers and its distribution and sources. A qualitative survey study was conducted …

Mothering, Leadership, And Career: A Narrative Analysis, Joanne Susan Roehm

Dissertations

In March 2020, much of the world was “sent home” from work and periods of lockdown began. In West Michigan, Friday, March 13 was the day that most workplaces closed their doors and employees began working from home for what was assumed to be a period of weeks. In the spring of 2020 between March and April, some million mothers living with school-age children left active work—either shifting into paid or unpaid leave, losing their job, or exiting the labor market all together.

The stories of mothers who experienced the “balancing act” of mothering and working at home during the …

The Unconscious At Work: A Psychosocial Study Of Leaders' Unconscious Processes Impacting Participatory Change Leadership, Vanessa Hills

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the varied dynamics impacting how organizational leaders conceptualize and enact their roles in participatory change processes. To that end, a multiple-case study informed by a psycho-social approach and using Free Association Narrative Interview (FANI) methods was conducted. Each case was comprised of a single business leader. The findings, presented through individual case analyses and cross-case comparisons, reveal a discrepancy between leaders’ rhetoric and the reality of their change leadership behaviors. While leaders express support for collaborative change, factors such as a desire for control, fear of failure, and bias toward their own capabilities lead them to adopt …

Pathways To Leadership In A Professional Association, Cheryl Lynn Endres

Dissertations

This purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to explore the experiences of former volunteer leaders who served in the role of president for a professional association. A qualitative design framed by phenomenology is appropriate when seeking to understand individual reflections on a common experience (Brinkmann, 2008, Patton, 2018, Creswell & Poth, 2018). The research was framed as exploratory due to the limited qualitative studies on leadership in professional associations, and more information to understand this experience can be gained by using the qualitative phenomenological method. The phenomenon of focus in this study is motivations related to volunteer leadership, in …

Measuring Multicultural Competence In Counseling, Martha Mae Golubski

Dissertations

Pedersen (1999) described multicultural counseling as the “fourth force” in psychology. The description is used to imply that multiculturalism is the next theory to understand human behavior, complementary to the other three forces: psychodynamic, behavioral, and humanistic explanations. Despite the attention being given to multiculturalism, professional organizations, training institutions, and service providers are still trying to understand what it means to have competency in multicultural counseling. Researchers have made decades of efforts to define and measure multicultural counseling competence; yet, there is still limited data about how multicultural training efforts influence these competencies and how counselor multicultural competency affects clients’ …

Internationalization Strategies In Chinese Higher Education Institutions: Examining A Selection Of Award-Winning Four-Year Universities, Yuqian Zhang

Dissertations

China is building the fastest growing higher education system, in quality as well as in quantity, in the world and emphasizes internationalization in education policy as a guide to building its own capacity and developing native talent. With regained self-confidence and geopolitical ambition, China is also emerging as a new potential higher education leader along its New Silk Road. The purpose of this study was to explore internationalization strategies employed at select, award-winning Chinese four-year universities, specifically those awarded the National Teaching Achievement Award, the highest national award in teaching and education in the country, for their internationalization efforts.

This …

Complex Adaptive Systems Leadership In A Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, And Ambiguous (Vuca) Environment: A Case Study Of A First-Year Female Superintendent Of Color, Karika Ann Parker

Dissertations

Superintendents in the K-12 education system in the United States are called upon to ameliorate problems and issues derived from many internal and external forces since its inception. Current literature reveals that, superintendents face complex challenges to improve district level educational outcomes for students within environments that are more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) and do require a shift from dominant traditional (hierarchal and control) leadership approaches. The aim of this qualitative case study of interviews is to represent the single voice of a first-year female superintendent of color’s (Asian, Indian descent) perspective, perceptions, thoughts, and experiences. The interviews …

Professional Misfits: “You’Re Having To Perform . . . All Week Long”, Brenda L. Beagan, Kaitlin R. Sibbald, Tara M. Pride, Stephanie R. Bizzeth

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Occupational therapy professes commitment to equity and justice, and research is growing concerning the experiences of clients from marginalized groups. To date, almost no research explores the professional experiences of therapists from marginalized groups. This qualitative study explores how exclusion operates in the profession among colleagues.

Method: Grounded in critical phenomenology, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 occupational therapists who self-identified as racialized, disabled, ethnic minority, minority sexual/gender identity (LGBTQ+), and/or from working-class backgrounds. Iterative analysis was conducted using constant comparison and employing ATLAS.ti for team coding.

Results: Across identity groups, four processes of exclusion …

Client-Centered Practice When Professional And Social Power Are Uncoupled: The Experiences Of Therapists From Marginalized Groups, Brenda L. Beagan, Kaitlin R. Sibbald, Tara M. Pride, Stephanie R. Bizzeth

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Client-centeredness is foundational to occupational therapy, yet virtually no research has examined this aspect of practice as experienced by therapists from marginalized groups. The discourse of client-centeredness implicitly assumes a “dominant-group” therapist. Professional power is assumed to be accompanied by social power and privilege. Here, we explore what happens when professional and social power are uncoupled.

Method: In-depth interviews grounded in critical phenomenology were conducted with Canadian therapists (n = 20) who self-identified as disabled, minority sexual/gender identity (LGBTQ+), racialized, ethnic minority, and/or from working-class backgrounds. Iterative thematic analysis employed constant comparison using ATLAS.ti for team coding. …

Organizational Culture In Schools: The Impact Of Positive Culture On Staff Retention At Vista Charter Academy, Karrie Elizabeth Munster

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Wmux Makers Lab: Designing And Measuring Tranformational Outcomes, Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Assessment in Action Conference

In this interactive session, you will design a transformation--an outcome focused on a change in thinking and ability--and a brief curriculum plan to foster that transformation. Using a clothesline method, you will then identify an authentic performance task, objectives, and measures that align with your transformation. You will work individually with paper and pen and collaborate with others in breakout rooms to share and further develop your ideas. It will be highly interactive, so come prepared to share ideas and don't forget to bring paper and a writing utensil.

Developing A Model To Measure Public Sector Knowledge Management Performance Using The Analytic Network Process, Hussein N. Chalabi

Dissertations

Knowledge Management (KM) is a relatively a nascent field under the discipline of public administration. Specifically, KM performance measurement in the public sector is one of the areas that, to some extent, received less attention from scholars. This study aims to develop a model to measure KM performance in the public sector. The model of this dissertation is derived from system theories, where KM is depicted as a system consisting of intertwined and interacting elements. The proposed model is hypothesized to measure KM through evaluating knowledge resources, knowledge processes, and environmental factors identified as a prerequisite to the success of …

The Role Of Motivation In Employee Disposition And Choosing To Act Among Manufacturing Employees: A Grounded Theory Of Discretionary Effort, Shawn Michael Andrews

Dissertations

Managers are often tasked to accomplish more with the resources at their disposal. Doing more with less is especially associated with the manufacturing industry providing a rich and relevant backdrop for study. Understanding discretionary effort as a resource, how it manifests, and when and how manufacturing employees choose to do more than is required is key to achieving results in an increasingly competitive and evolving industry. This constructive grounded research study investigated how 25 non-salaried manufacturing employees conceptualized how and why they chose to engage in activities that were considered above and beyond job role expectations. Extant literature was considered …

An Occupation-Based Clinic Makeover: Perceptions And Experiences Of Occupational Therapists, Wendy B. Stav, Alison Herman

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Researchers sought to discover the experiences of occupational therapists transitioning from existing clinical practice to exclusively occupation-based approaches.

Method: This phenomenological study captured the experiences of clinicians as exercise-based equipment was temporarily removed from the rehabilitation gym and replaced with occupation-based kits. The therapists used the new occupation-based materials with all clients for 4 months and participated in interviews and a focus group.

Results: The study yielded a greater understanding therapists’ process and experiences through the themes: (a) challenges to occupation-based practice and (b) occupation-based metamorphosis.

Conclusions: The personal and contextual obstacles associated with implementing …

School Principals’ Awareness Of Their Emotional Intelligence And Connections To Leadership, Lourdes M. Pimentel Soto

Dissertations

Leaders set the tone and mood of the organization through their attitudes and actions. This emotional climate set by the leader has been found to influence employee’s performance, including their sense of job satisfaction and commitment. In other words, what sets great leaders apart from their peers is their ability to drive the emotions of those they lead in the right direction. This ability to understand and manage one’s and other’s emotions is what is known as emotional intelligence (EI).

This qualitative study explored the perceptions of K-12 principals’ awareness of their EI in relation to how they lead, and …

Understanding The Experience Of Mid-Level Community College Change Leaders, Kelley L. Conrad

Dissertations

This qualitative study investigates the phenomenon of leading major change as a midlevel administrator or faculty member at a Michigan community college. Specifically, this study explores how three leaders experienced their roles in implementing the guided pathways strategic change initiative, how they describe the emotional aspects of leading change, and how they made sense of their experiences. One overarching research question guided this study: How do guided pathways leaders at Michigan community colleges experience their roles in the strategic change process?

The results of multiple, in-depth interviews are presented as three profiles, one per participant, using their own words to …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session June 24, 2021, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda – Chen-Zhang

Approval of the Minutes (April 22, 2021 Meeting) – Chen-Zhang

Remarks by the Chair – Chen-Zhang

Remarks by the President – Montgomery

Comments by the Faculty Senate President – Kritzman

Comments by the Western Student Association President – Morris

Comments by the Graduate Student Association Interim President – Hiremath

Public Comments Regarding Action Items – Schuemann

• Action Items – Chen-Zhang

Trustee Emeritus Recognition for Ron Kitchens – Schuemann

Honorary Degree for Audrey Morean Petersen – Montgomery

Academic Tenure and Promotion – Bott

Sale of Parcel in WMU BTR2 to Kalamazoo County Consolidated Dispatch Authority …

Community Attitudes Toward Police In Benton Harbor And St. Joseph, Michigan, Brian Molina

Dissertations

The present study sought to help investigate which public safety interventions may be appropriate for improving the safety and quality of life of Benton Harbor community members. To begin answering this question, researchers collected baseline measures of community attitudes toward police (ATP). St. Joseph residents were sampled to allow for a direct comparison of two sister cities within the same county, with nearly opposite racial and economic characteristics.

To obtain these data, surveys were administered to both Benton Harbor and St. Joseph community members. There were nine demographic/predictor variables included in the community perception survey. The variables were (a) location, …

Michigan Municipal Manager Perceptions On Lgbtq+ Inclusion: A Narrative Policy Framework Case Study, Christopher R. Surfus

Dissertations

This study explores the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) of municipal managers regarding the LGBTQ+ community in three Michigan cities—Grand Rapids, Holland, and Kalamazoo. The purpose is to understand managers’ beliefs and attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community and how policies are implemented and enforced to reduce discrimination. The specific research questions deal with how the beliefs and attitudes of public managers reflect an understanding of and competency on LGBTQ+ issues, how they are affected by the presence of LGBTQ+ staff members, and how they differ from the actual policy provisions affecting the LGBTQ+ community. These questions are examined in the …

Laugh Until It’S No Longer A Scandal: The Use Of Humorous Apologia To Reframe Crisis Narratives On Saturday Night Live, Vanessa S. Hills

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the role of humor-based apologia as a crisis communication strategy for celebrities. Using a rhetorical method, it explicates the role that humor plays in shaping crisis narratives in response to kategoria within the context of Saturday Night Live. Four case study analyses determine whether the generic parameters of apologia include the use of a humor-based apologia or whether humorous apologiae should be classified as a unique subgenre. These findings further the body of research on apologia and highlight the need for additional research on the effectiveness of humor as a crisis communication strategy.

A Study Of Communication Practices Between Office And Field-Based Personnel In Home Healthcare Agencies, Ruth M. Bates-Hill

Dissertations

The population of developed countries is rapidly aging. People want to age in their residence, and as they advance in years, most people will need assistance with activities of daily living and perhaps medical assistance to remain at home. Home health aides provide a large portion of such care. However, the annual turnover rate of home health aides exceeds 60% due to factors such as low wages, poor benefits, and a challenging work environment. Many studies have been conducted to elucidate the factors contributing to job satisfaction in the home health aide population, yet despite decades of research, turnover among …

Mental Health And Well-Being Of College Students Of Color, Raquel Rice

Honors Theses

This paper reviews the mental health and well-being of students of color at a Midwestern public university. The paper presents data from the Healthy Minds Study and combines this information with findings from a focus group of students of color at the university. The focus group was conducted as part of the university’s involvement in the Equity in Mental Health Framework Implementation Pilot Project. The Equity in Mental Health Framework was created through a partnership of The Steve Fund and The JED Foundation, and identifies ten strategies and recommendations for universities to implement to support students of color on campus. …

Development Of Palestinian Social Work In Israel: The Formative Years (1968–1982), Ibrahim Mahajne, Anwar Khatib, Arnon A. Bar-On

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Based on primary and secondary sources and interviews with Arab social workers employed in welfare bureaus during the time under review, the article describes the development of Palestinian social work in Israel in its formative years (1968–1982). The primary finding is that this development took place under a "policy of contempt" towards the Palestinian community's needs. The authorities acknowledged these needs but perpetuated a discriminatory allocation of resources in meeting them compared to Jewish Israelis and disregarded the society's narrative by maintaining a dual welfare system: one for the country's Jewish citizens and a lesser one for their …

Implementing A Professional Learning Community In A Private School In The Dominican Republic: An Instrumental Case Study, Miguelina Adelaida Coronado Cornelio

Dissertations

The initiative of turning schools into Professional Learning Communities (PLC) is being implemented by many schools and school systems in different countries. PLC processes have shown to be successful in enhancing teachers’ and students’ learning (Gumus, 2013; Michalak, 2009; Mullen & Schunk, 2010). The fact that the Dominican Republic (DR) is committed to improving the quality of education, the implementation of PLC processes seems to be a compelling option to reach this goal. The Dominican Ministry of Education has followed the guidelines that research in the U.S. and other countries have set and has recently adopted PLCs’ features and processes …