Digital Commons Network^™

Supports And Barriers Of The Lived Experience Of Hmong Women K-12 Administrators Seeking Advancement In Leadership Positions, May Moua

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the supports of cultural, family, community, professional career, and mentorship Hmong women administrators experienced in their career path toward a high-ranking educational administrative position. Additionally, the purpose of this study was to examine the cultural, family, community, professional career, and mentorship barriers Hmong women administrators experienced as they ascended to high-ranking educational administrative positions.

Methodology: This study was conducted using qualitative research methods. The researcher utilized a group of highly educated Hmong female administrators in the Central Valley, California area. This group of individuals shared their experiences of supports …

Employee Experiences With Leaders’ Influence On Autonomous Motivation: A Mixed Methods Study, Melissa Wheat

Dissertations

Organizational performance and success require employee motivation (Delaney & Royal, 2017; Devarapalli & Hinkes, 2016; Good et al., 2022; Howard et al., 2016; Mohamud et al., 2017; Olafsen et al., 2018; Ryan & Deci, 2017; Van den Broeck et al., 2021; Wiley, 1997). However, organizational leaders fail to effectively motivate employees to engage in the workplace and achieve high performance (Delaney & Royal, 2017; Fisher, 2009; Good et al., 2022; J. D. Jensen, 2018; Pappas, 2021; Webb, 2007; Workers Are Motivated by Different Drivers and Needs, 2022). This study explored employee experiences with leaders’ influence on autonomous motivation to …

Power-Up With Emotional Intelligence: Exploring Flight Attendant Leadership And Crew Resource Management In A Dynamic Post-Pandemic Travel Environment, Carlin Laviolet Clarke

Dissertations

In the post-pandemic travel environment, disruptive passengers fail to accept flight attendants’ leadership and cause unruly incidents that compromise flight safety, damage airlines, and present behavioral challenges that can lead to physical harm (Al-Arshani, 2021; Albert, 2016; Araiza, 2022; Albert, 2016; FAA, 2021; Inspire Academy, n.d.-a.; International Air Transport Association [IATA], n.d.-b; James, 2022; Pederson et al., 2021; Ramona & Anbro, 2017; Timmis et al., 2018; TSA, 2021; Wong & Neustaedter, 2017). Flight attendants rely on Crew Resource Management (CRM) skills to manage inflight incidents; however, CRM promotes team effectiveness and flight attendants are often dispersed throughout the cabin and …

A Qualitative Study Of Redemptive Intelligence And The Leader’S Opportunity To Grow Performance Through Failure, Jonathan Eastman

Dissertations

This is a qualitative study about the redemptive intelligence of successful leaders and their opportunity to grow their personal and team performance through failure. Leaders who have a strong ability to leverage failures for improved performance for self and team, exhibit high levels of redemptive intelligence. Leaders who have a weak ability to leverage failures for improved performance for self and team, exhibit low levels of redemptive intelligence. After failure happens there are one of three paths that everyone will follow. They are first, a path to improved performance than what was experienced before the failure. Second, a return to …

Impact Of School Leaders’ Actions On Teachers And Their Practices, Dinara Metova

Dissertations

School leaders play a vital role in teachers' performance; while some leaders create an environment conducive to learning, collaboration, and achievement, others inadvertently contribute to teacher attrition and educational disparities. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of school leaders' actions on teachers and their practices. The context of this inquiry includes two stakeholder groups: 582 school leaders and 1,054 teachers from all 50 states who are members of Facebook Educator Groups. I implemented a mixed methods design by researching scholarly articles and using qualitative and quantitative survey data to find the most effective school leader practices …

Women In Leadership: Journey To The School District Superintendency, Jessica Mcintyre

Dissertations

Educational leadership positions within school districts across the country are becoming more inclusive and representative of the diverse populations they serve; however, there is still a staggering gender gap within the school district superintendent position. This mixed methods research study was conducted to learn about the experiences of women who have already achieved this top position within a school district. The study involved a primarily qualitative approach through interviews with supplemental quantitative survey data. The three research questions guiding this study were: What are the unique barriers women face during their journey to the school district superintendency? What experiences and …

School Accountability Within The Dominican Republic: A Qualitative Study Of School Principals’ Beliefs And Knowledge, Massiel Cohen Camacho

Dissertations

The school accountability system in the Dominican Republic (DR) involves the use of several national assessments, the reporting of such data, and the training of principals on how to use such data as part of school improvement efforts. While this type of indicator accountability system does not include specific consequences, there is still significant measuring and reporting of student achievement data, with the implied connotation of teacher and principal responsibility for specific school outcomes. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of research on what school principals know about such school accountability in the DR, and how they …

The Perception Of Army Counselors On The Impact Of Emotional Intelligence Training On Army Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership Decision-Making Effectiveness, Geraldine Turituri

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the perception of Army counselors in the Military Family and Life Counselor (MFLC) program about the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) training on Army non-commissioned officer (NCO) leadership decision-making effectiveness in their supervision of the soldiers they are responsible for. This study also researched the perception of these counselors about the benefits and challenges of incorporating EI leadership preparation with traditional Army training for NCOs.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study explored Army counselors’ perceptions about the need for EI training for Army NCOs to perform as effective decision-makers. Since …

School Principals As Leaders Of Educational Environments In School Settings: Recontextualization Of American Educational Practices In China, Wei Zhang

Dissertations

Chinese principals play a significant role in recontextualizing the U.S. principals’ practices in leading their school reform and student outcomes in Chinese social, cultural, and educational contexts. The purpose of this basic qualitative study is twofold: (1) to describe and interpret how Chinese principals make meaning of their experiences as active democratic leaders and (2) to identify the challenges they are going through in creating an educational environment based on the creative use of U.S. research and theory supporting best practices for principals. The study has a total of 50 participants (n=50) across the United States (n=32) and China (n=18). …

A Program Evaluation Of The Reasons Some Educators Do Or Do Not Remain In The Teaching Profession, Joshua Karren

Dissertations

Abstract According to Sutcher et al. (2016), hundreds of thousands of teachers (eight percent of the overall United States teaching force) leave the profession annually for various reasons. These reasons include dissatisfaction with some parts of their jobs, including poor leadership, lack of control over teaching, family or personal reasons, pursuing a job outside of education, retirement, and financial reasons. The purpose of this study is to understand why teachers choose to stay at their school, why they leave certain schools and what school and district leaders can do to keep teachers in their classrooms. The context of this inquiry …

The Journeys Of Women In Local Elected Office: From Community Engagement To Making Meaningful Contributions, Andrea Marr

Dissertations

Women remain underrepresented across every level of elected office in the United States. More than 30 years after the supposed “Year of the Woman,” women hold less than 30% of the elected positions in local, state, and federal office. In the past, researchers attributed the paucity of women in office to structural barriers, including sexism in the electorate, fundraising difficulties, and discrimination by party gate keepers. A growing body of research, however, attributes the dearth of female politicians to a lack of political ambition among women and to gender socialization that prevents women from seeing themselves as political leaders.

The …

The Lived Experience Of Hmong Women In Leadership Roles, Nou Vang

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and understand the lived experiences of Hmong women who have achieved leadership positions.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experience of 12 Hmong women who have ascent to leadership roles through personal, face-to-face, in- depth, open-ended questions. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for emergent themes. Related artifacts from the participants, along with the participant interviews, were collected to triangulate data. Research findings were a result of the correlating themes based on the qualitative data analysis and research question.

Findings: The findings of the study indicated that …

Leading With Cultura Y Corazón: Culturally Responsive Leadership And Latina Mid-Level Leaders In The California Community Colleges, Gabriela Lopez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this ethnographic study was to identify and describe how California community college Latina mid-level leaders are culturally responsive in their leadership strategies, based on Horsford, Grosland, and Gunn’s (2011) culturally relevant leadership framework.

Methodology: This ethnographic study identified and described how Latina mid-level leaders within the California community colleges utilize culturally responsive leadership strategies using Horsford et al.’s (2011) culturally relevant leadership framework. The researcher was part of a thematic team of 6 researchers who developed and vetted a semi-structured interview protocol aligned with the theoretical framework. Sixteen participants were identified and selected using purposeful criterion …

Exemplary Senior Navy Female Leadership: A Study Of How Navy Female Leaders Use The Grit Characteristics Courage, Conscientiousness, Long-Term Goals, Resilience, And Excellence Versus Perfection To Create Extraordinary Results Within Their Organizations, Cache' Hapner

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe how exemplary senior Navy female leaders used five principles associated with grit (courage, conscientiousness, long-term goals, resilience, and excellence versus perfection) to accomplish extraordinary results in their organizations.

Methodology: This qualitative study used a phenomenological method to describe how eight senior Navy female leaders use five characteristics of grit to accomplish extraordinary results in their organizations. Respondents were purposively chosen. The researcher collected data through interviews, transcripts, and artifacts that were triangulated and coded for themes using NVivo software.

Findings: Exemplary senior Navy female leaders use …

The Infinite Mindset: A Phenomenological Study Of Exemplary Student Affairs Leaders, Kevin Giang

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe how exemplary leaders in the field of student affairs perceive the practices of Simon Sinek’s Infinite Mindset Framework are embedded within their organizations to inspire the achievement of extraordinary results. A further purpose of this study was to understand the organizational supports and barriers these exemplary leaders perceive affect the development of an infinite mindset.

Methodology: Interviews were used to explore and describe how exemplary student affairs leaders perceive the five practices of Sinek’s Infinite Mindset are embedded within their organizations. The study seeks to explore and make …

The Dark Side Of Leadership: Mid-Level Managers And Their Experience With Hubristic Behaviors Of Executives, Leili Sadaghiani

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to identify the emotional reactions of mid-level managers to executives’ hubris behaviors in a corporate setting.

Methodology: This leadership study uses qualitative phenomenological methodology was executed to explore the lived experiences of mid-level managers with past executives who practiced hubristic behavior.

Findings: The findings of this research on the lived experiences of mid-level managers with hubristic behaviors of executives suggest that the lack of support lessens the mid-level manager’s confidence; with little support; the mid-level manager was either afraid to fight the executive or gave up trying; the mid-level manager faced stress even …

Establishing A Student-Centered Culture: A Case Study Identifying Leadership Skills Of Exemplary School Principals, Katie Booth

Dissertations

Purpose: The phenomenological study identifies and describes how elementary school principals who have been recipients of the Terrel H. Bell Award develop a student-centered school culture.

Methodology: This qualitative study identifies and describes an elementary school principals’ ability to build guided coalitions and form strategic visions to ensure a student-centered culture. Participants were purposefully chosen based on specific criteria. The researcher collected data through semi-structured interviews, observations, and artifacts. Data was coded and themes were identified allowing the researcher to analyze findings and draw conclusions.

Findings: Analysis of data from 13 participants led to 10 major findings on how …

Grit And Leadership: How Exemplary Middle School Principals Use The Principles Of Grit To Accomplish Extraordinary Results, Gabriela Aldana

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe how exemplary middle school principals use the five principles associated with grit (courage, conscientiousness, long-term goals, resilience, and excellence versus perfection) to accomplish extraordinary results in their organization.

Methodology: This phenomenological study described the lived experiences of exemplary middle school principals in Los Angeles and Orange County. The participants were selected through nonprobability purposeful sampling and met the criteria for exemplary middle school principals. As a member of a thematic research team of nine peer researchers and three faculty advisors, we developed a semistructured interview protocol for data …

Overcoming The Impostor Phenomenon: Exploring The Strategies Special Education Charter School Leaders Used To Cope During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Damaris Ocasio Owens

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive mixed method study was to explore and describe the coping skills used to overcome the nine behavioral characteristics by special education charter school leaders who identified as experiencing impostor phenomenon (IP) by the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (Clance,1985), while leading the transition to distance learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: This descriptive mixed-methods research design used quantitative and qualitative data to identify special education leaders with IP and explore the coping skills they used during distance learning. The first phase of the study was a quantitative 20-question survey, the CIPS, used to …

Red, White, Blue & Black: A Phenomenological Analysis Of The African American Officer Experience Of Mentorship In The California Army National Guard, Larry B. Rankin Ii

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological analysis is to explore the perception of mentorship through the experiences of African American Officers (in the ranks of O-4 and above), as it relates to their retention in the California Army National Guard.

Methodology: For this study, a qualitative design was used to conduct research to identify and describe the perception of mentorship through the experiences of African American Officers. The sample was composed of five African-American officers (rank O-4 and above) still serving in the California Army National Guard.

Findings: Analysis of the data collected from 10 semi structured interview questions …

An Exploration Of Hispanic Female Principals’ Career Advancement Through The Lens Of Intersectionality, Natalie Baptiste

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceived impact of barriers created by the intersection of gender and ethnicity on the advancement of Hispanic females to the K-12 principalship. A second purpose of this study was to identify strategies Hispanic females leverage to overcome barriers due to intersectionality while advancing to the K-12 school principalship.

Methodology: This qualitative research study employed a phenomenological approach to describe the lived experiences of nine Hispanic female principals serving in public K-12 schools in Orange and Riverside counties in California. Data collection included an interview protocol of 13 …

A Phenomenological Study Of How Exemplary Elementary Principals Perceive The Five Practices Of The Infinite Mindset Inspire The Achievement Of Extraordinary Results, Jeff Heilig

Dissertations

Purpose. This phenomenological study aimed to explore and describe the perceived impact of the infinite mindset and its five essential practices on exemplary elementary principals to inspire the achievement of extraordinary results. A further purpose was to understand the organizational supports and barriers exemplary leaders perceive affect the development of an infinite mindset.

Methodology. This study explored and described the perceived impact of the infinite mindset on inspiring extraordinary results as perceived by exemplary elementary principals in south Los Angeles County. A thematic team of eight peer researchers and four faculty advisors collaboratively developed the semistructured interview protocol used in …

How Exemplary Directors Of Special Education Use The Five Principles Associated With Grit To Accomplish Extraordinary Results: A Phenomenological Study, Maria L. Moore

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe how exemplary directors of special education use the five principles associated with grit (courage, conscientiousness, long-term goals, resilience, and excellence versus perfection) to accomplish extraordinary results in their organizations.

Methodology: This qualitative study was part of a larger thematic research study conducted by nine peer researchers under the guidance of three University of Massachusetts Global faculty chairs. The qualitative research design encompassed a phenomenological model. Data for this study were gathered through a combination of eight semistructured interviews of exemplary directors of special education who met the predetermined …

Grounded Roots Research Synthesis: A Meta-Analysis/Meta-Synthesis Of Strategies Used By Exemplary Leaders, Robert Allen

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative meta-analysis and qualitative meta-synthesis was to conduct an analysis of five thematic research studies to aggregate and integrate findings to form new interpretations of the research field of grounded leadership.

Methodology: This quantitative meta-analysis and qualitative meta-synthesis was conducted as a secondary analysis of five thematic research studies to aggregate and integrate findings to form new interpretations of the research field of grounded leadership. The sample was composed of 79 exemplary leaders from five different fields.

Findings: Examination of 79 participants found that that aggregated population of exemplary leaders maintain grounded leadership by (a) …

Exploring Grit In Exemplary School Superintendents, Denise Jaramillo

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe how exemplary superintendents use five principles associated with grit (courage, conscientiousness, long-term goals, resilience, and excellence versus perfection) to accomplish extraordinary results in their organizations.

Methodology: This qualitative study was part of a larger thematic study conducted by nine doctoral candidates under the supervision of three University of Massachusetts Global faculty. The study used a phenomenological design to identify and describe how exemplary superintendents use five principles associated with grit to accomplish extraordinary results. Data were gathered through a combination of eight semistructured interviews, related observations, and a …

Teaching Shante Curtelia Dominique Ophelia Brown Johnson : An Autoethnography Of A Black Male, Seventh-Day Adventist, Jazz Avant-Garde Artist, Michael Gayle

Dissertations

Leadership is part and parcel of societies and cultures. Leadership research can provide understanding that in turn provides knowledge, resources and growth opportunities for leaders. Leadership may be understood from a personal perspective as being bound up with identity. As I examine myself as a person and as a leader, I realize that several identities are prominent: Black male identity, Christian identity, jazz avant-garde artistic identity. Each of those identities have features that contribute to leadership.

The purpose of this study is to describe and explore leadership experiences of a Black male, from the Seventh-day Adventist Christian tradition who is …

"A Raisin In A Box": The Experiences Of Racialized Black Males In Leadership Roles In The Non-Profit Sector In Toronto, Canada, Morris Anthony Beckford

Dissertations

Problem

The marginalization of Black and other racialized bodies (people of colour) has led to the position of a leader becoming so synonymous with Whiteness that it is normalized and naturalized; and worse, there has been limited analysis about why this is so. There is even less analysis of the experiences of the few people of colour who occupy leadership roles in organizations (Berkshire, 2008; Bradshaw et al., 2009; Mills et al., 2010; Nkomo, 2011; Ospina & Foldy, 2009). Astonishingly, organizations in diverse communities also have exiguous conversations about such salient issues like race and gender even though there is …