Digital Commons Network^™

The Leadership Of A Superintendent: Putting The California School Reform Movement To Work, Jennifer L. Jeffries Edd

Dissertations

Public education has been engulfed in a dramatic and turbulent time. In California, the drive for improvement in public education was codified in Senate Bill 813, passed in 1983. Each school district wrestled with the intent and the mandates of this massive reform document. During the implementation stage of this legislation, the organizational climate in school districts was ripe for leaders and followers to engage each other in dialogue and debate about the direction and form the legislation would take. This dialogue and debate rendered policies in response to the legislative mandates. Senate Bill 813 provided opportunities to promote and …

The Influence Of Glasser's Control Theory And Reality Therapy On Educators: A Case Study, Debra Cullinane Edd

Dissertations

The influence of Glasser's control theory and reality therapy on educators' perceptions of change, relationships and self reflection has to date not been researched. The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe the influence that control theory and reality therapy training had on educators in one school district. A case study method was chosen because of its descriptive and evaluative strength in educational settings, its qualitative character and its flexibility. All educators currently employed who had participated in one week of training or more were sent a fifteen item survey. From the group of 100 who received the …

Meeting Graduate Student Needs Through Alternative Programs: An Analysis Of The Impact Of Factors Related To Student Choice, Debra Jill Wright Edd

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore the design and initiation of alternative graduate programs and their impact on student needs, to examine the university organizational structure and environment that fosters the development of alternative graduate programs, and to identify the factors graduate students see as important in their choice to attend and participate in an alternative graduate program. The intent of the research was to rank the factors significant in the design of a graduate program to meet the factors meaningful to the student in meeting their needs related to graduate programs. The content of the survey instrument …

The Maintenance Of Statistical Process Control (Spc) With Organizational Behavior Management (Obm) Techniques, Pollis Robertson

Dissertations

Many organizations have implemented statistical process control (SPC) programs in response to demands in the marketplace for high-quality products that are efficiently built. Many of these organizations have been unhappy with the difficulty of getting their statistical process (SPC) control programs started and the long-term economic success of these programs.

This study systematically investigated for two years various components of statistical process control programs and attempted to enhance economic effectiveness by buttressing SPC methods with Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) techniques. This study was conducted in a Gray Ductile Iron Foundry that employed 87 employees.

Positive results were observed when OBM …

The Impact Of Third Party Reimbursement On Occupational Therapy And Vision Rehabilitation Services: A Comparative Case Study, Tiehan Liu

Dissertations

This is a comparative case study of occupational therapy and vision rehabilitation services. The purpose of this study is to describe how environmental forces, especially third party reimbursement, shape occupational therapy in terms of organizational form, setting, procedure of services and documentation process. The study will further examine the current external and internal conditions under which vision rehabilitation professionals may develop third party payment, especially Medicare and Medicaid. Based on environment theories and the experience of occupational therapy, the potential impact of such reimbursement on vision rehabilitation services is discussed.

Three forms of data were used in this study: (1) …

A Study Of The Impact Of "Interconnections 90": Scientific And Applied Technology And The Corporate Workplace On Curriculum Change, Marsha K. Bollendorf

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Bicultural Women In Monocultural Organizations: Professional Hispanic Women's Experiences Of Diversity And Their Recommendations For Organizations, Carmen Mestas Bárcena Edd

Dissertations

The composition of the work force in this country is changing from one in which the White male was dominant to one in which by the year 2000 women and ethnic minorities will be dominant. Work force diversity will impact organizations at all levels, including top management, which has been closed to women and minorities, and in particular, minority women. The diverse work force's expectation for advancement into top levels of management will present challenges to organizations. Some organizations have recognized that to remain competitive they need to manage a more diverse work force. The purpose of this study is …

Leadership Relationships And The Superintendency, Theresa M. Peterson Edd

Dissertations

Leadership in the 1990s is perceived as the primary solution to the political, social, economic and educational problems encountered today by our western society. The solutions that have worked in the industrialized society of the past are being re-evaluated and questioned by our technocratic society of today. The concept of leadership is undergoing a change. The old industrial view of leadership is making way for the emerging postindustrial view--a view that regards leadership as an inter-relational process among people who intend real, substantive changes berthed from a mutuality of purpose. This research focused on the leadership relationships forged in the …

Effective Administration And Implementation Of External Programs Addressing Social Issues Operating Within Schools, Roselyn R. Cole

Dissertations

Problem. It is difficult for schools to make sound decisions regarding whether to use external programs to address teenage pregnancy, AIDS, substance abuse, or any other social issue. Questions arise as to which administrative factors impact decisions to use an external program and also what indicators influence successful program implementation. The effects of central office support for a program, staff training, and ample funding are administrative factors to be examined before a program is selected.

Method. The research was conducted across several school districts within Indiana. Data collection involved the distribution of a questionnaire developed for this study. Schooladministrators comprised …

Addressing The School Culture As Part Of The Change Process, Peggy Chnupa Ondrovich

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Compliance With Selected Educational Policies In The Archdiocese Of Milwaukee Catholic Elementary School System, Thomas C. Martin

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Empowerment As A Dynamic Of The Leadership Relationship: A Study Of Two Local Governmental Organizations, Danell Scarborough Gavares Edd

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of the empowerment processes operating within organizations and to theorize about the relationship between empowerment and leadership. The study focuses on empowerment in two local governmental organizations--the City of Carlsbad, California and the City of Scottsdale, Arizona. The research design combined the key characteristics of naturalistic inquiry with the analytical approach of grounded theory methodology. The researcher interviewed the members of both management teams and spent time as a participant observer. The data were synthesized into a conceptual model--a picture of the empowerment practices within these two organizations. The …

Factors Associated With Success In A Participative Decision Making Program For Supervisors, Managers, And Salaried Professionals, Eric Paul De Nijs

Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate the factors associated with success in a participative decision making program, based on the quality circle concept, involving teams of first-line supervisors, managers, and salaried professionals. The teams were formed to initiate and implement cost saving projects. A total of 35 subjects from six teams participated in the study conducted in a food processing company located in the Midwest. Cross-functional teams representing the main functional areas of a company were ranked on the basis of their success, defined as the proportion of the savings goal the team attained. From this ranking, the top three …

The Effect Of Leadership Styles On Hospital Labor Productivity, Anthony R. Tersigni

Dissertations

This research examined hospital management leadership style and its effects on hospital labor productivity . Information derived from this research will be useful in the education and training of future health care executives and in the continuing education of those responsible for the day-to-day operations of general acute hospitals.

The hypothesis that was researched in the study was that high consideration/high structure and high consideration/low structure leadership styles would increase productivity in hospital employees who are in the middle stages of organizational development. This was operationally defined in the alternate hypothesis as a relationship between productivity as measured by the …

A Comparison Of Junior High Schools To Middle Schools With Respect To Achievement And Attendance, Darrell Clay

Dissertations

During the past 30 years, the middle school movement has been a comprehensive effort to restructure middle level education. Literally thousands of school districts have chosen to change from junior high schools to middle schools for a variety of reasons. Research to support this massive reorganization of American schools has not been evident. The early research did not provide consistent evidence of improvement for middle school students. Most of this early research was based solely on the grade configuration of the schools being compared rather than the conceptual framework of the school.

The purpose of this study was to compare …

Catholic Elementary Schools In Chicago's Black Inner City: Mission And Organizational Effectiveness, Sheila Nelson

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of The Principal's Role In The Implementation Of The Concept Of Shared Decision-Making And The Extent Of Implementation Of The Concept At Selected Junior High/Middle Level Schools In Illinois, Kenneth D. Stellon

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Entrepreneurial Leadership: A Delphi Study Of New Venture Success Factors, Alan J. Grant Edd

Dissertations

Over a million new U.S. enterprises are formed each year. Virtually all the country's net new jobs come from these and other new ventures. Yet 60% of new ventures still fail within two years. The purpose of this study was to isolate the most dominant leadership success characteristics of a typical early stage, high-growth potential venture. Thus discovered, these factors could properly focus the enterprise's tactics on improving its probability of fulfilling its original success related objectives as well as enhancing new job creation and in turn, economic wealth. A Delphi Technique research methodology was employed. The advice and counsel …

Valuing A Culturally Diverse Work Force: An Examination Of Intended Changes And Successes As Perceived By Upper And Middle Management, Supervisors, And Line Staff In A Health Care Organization, Cynthia L. Camberg Edd

Dissertations

The growing diversity of the work force is having and will continue to have a significant impact on organizations. The diversity of cultures, lifestyles, and household compositions compels managers and organizational leaders to make a variety of organizational changes. Additionally, the globalization of business, the integration of the world economy, and the rapid changes in corporate life require a reexamination of how organizations are thought of, and how employees are managed (Copeland, 1988; Betters-Reed & Moore, 1988-89; Goldstein, 1988). Since in the past organizations have been based on white male European traditions, a revolutionary response is needed from organizational leaders …

Constructing And Testing Practical Procedures For Describing A Corporate Culture: The Electric Troublemen, Timothy S. Vonder Edd

Dissertations

During the 1980s much attention was focused on trying to understand and apply the concept of corporate culture. Scholars and practitioners worked on clarifying the definition of culture as it applies to workplace settings. Scholars adapted the anthropological concepts of culture to fit within the framework of a business organization. Both scholars and practitioners attempted to investigate the cultures of many organizations throughout the business world. Scholars conducted lengthy case studies and used a mixture of qualitative and quantitative techniques. Business world practitioners conducted short studies and used mostly quantitative survey techniques. What was found was that the scholarly approach …

The Impact Of The Accountability Movement On Principals In A Large Southern California School District, Dianette T. Mitchell Edd

Dissertations

Organizations achieve uniqueness in their functions despite similarities in their structure. This uniqueness is true of school districts as well. Though there are specific similarities which have been found in effective schools and districts who have joined the accountability movement, each has its own systematic method of modifying and controlling desired behavior and possible achievement. This research focuses on one unique group of people, the site administrators in a large school district, and seeks to ascertain the effects of the effective schools' accountability movement as seen from the perspective of school principals. The three major objectives of this study were …

An Analysis Of Staff Development Practices In Selected Illinois Elementary School Districts, Barbara J. Mackey

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Catholic Elementary Schools In Chicago's Black Inner City: Mission And Organizational Effectiveness Volume 1, Sheila Nelson

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Organizational Development Through The Implementation Of Strategic Plans, Susan M. Eickhoff

Dissertations

Organizations today need effective and efficient total organizational change strategies in order to ensure both short- and long-term organizational health. As a result of an organization being a multi-dimensional entity, the ingredients for its change strategy must necessarily be representative of all its dimensions such as business management, information system, behavior analysis, behavioral systems analysis, total quality management and statistical process control techniques. Those ingredients of a comprehensive change strategy exist but have not been put together into a totally integrated package so far. In the present study, a fully-integrated organizational change strategy was systematically employed with the goal of …

A Study Of Principal Leadership In Applying The Change Research To School Improvement Efforts At The K-5 Level, Gail Daniels Fahey

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Leadership Development At A Training Center In The Philippines, Henry Heng-Lee Tan Edd

Dissertations

The great tragedy today is the dearth of leadership in many of our organizations. The cry for leadership, "Where are the leaders?" reverberates around the world without any active response. Consequently, many organizations have initiated steps to incorporate the process of developing leaders from within their organizations. One such organization is the Campus Crusade for Christ International. This researcher examined the leadership training program of Campus Crusade's Great Commission Training Center (GCTC) in Manila, Philippines by asking nine research questions arising from "How is training for leadership presently incorporated into the GCTC curricula?" A questionnaire was designed incorporating the characteristics …

Ethnic Inclusion Strategies For The World Affairs Council: A Case Study, Adriana Cornelia Theresia Zylmans Edd

Dissertations

The inclusion of people of diverse ethnicities in voluntary organizations is a challenging endeavor. Cultural diversity, rich traditions, historical perspectives, ethnic celebrations, religion, and language are lenses through which leaders of organizations can view the many uniquenesses, differences, and similarities among ethnic groups. The World Affairs Council of San Diego, from January 1,1989 to July 1, 1990, undertook an ambitious community project entitled, "Community and Citizen Involvement in Foreign Policy," funded by the Ford Foundation, to increase the participation of ethnic groups, women, and youth in the Council. In this research study, the ethnic inclusion strategies used by the Council …

Integrated Thematic Instruction : A Descriptive Case Study Of Its Adaptation And Implementation, Premalatha Gaikwad

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to describe the operational form of the innovation--Integrated Thematic Instruction within the context of its implementation.

An embedded single case study design was used to carry out this qualitative study, with Integrated Thematic Instruction (ITI) as the unit of the case study. The questions that guided the study were: What does ITI look like when implemented by the teacher? What are the contextual elements of implementation of this program? What variations are found in the implementation of this innovation by different teachers?

A review of related literature revealed the historical, philosophical, and theoretical underpinnings …

The Effect Of Sexual Harassment On Female Naval Officers: A Phenomenological Study, Kathleen Anne Krohne Edd

Dissertations

Sexual harassment has grown to epidemic proportions since being documented as a workplace problem. Court cases are rising along with costs to organizations from litigation, turnover, absenteeism and stress-related medical claims. Courts are continually refining the legal definition of sexual harassment, resulting in a steady expansion of employers' liability. Perceptions of men and women regarding what constitutes sexual harassment differ markedly as do their responses to sexually oriented behaviors at work. Development of a formula for effectively preventing sexual harassment is, therefore, a complex and perplexing exercise. Two of three women serving in the military report that they have been …

Education For Christian Leadership, James H. Ford Edd

Dissertations

There is an increasing number of nonordained catholic men and women trained for leadership and ministry in the United States. What are the perspectives of these women and men on leadership in the church, the nature and purpose of leadership, and education for leadership? This qualitative study compared transforming leadership with the perspectives on leadership discovered among the 17 participants in the study. The respondents expect to exercise leadership in a church that faces a challenging future. The researcher also outlined those future challenges facing leaders and participants who practice the process of leadership. The author makes prescriptive suggestions on …