Digital Commons Network^™

Leadership Technology Acceptance In Nonprofit Organizations, Nathan Ogle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The lack of technology acceptance in substance use and recovery nonprofit organizations creates operational barriers and limits leaders’ ability to align mission, governance, service delivery, and sustainability with digital change. This qualitative, flexible design multiple case organization study examined leadership technology acceptance in California nonprofit substance use and recovery organizations and the effects on operational performance. Grounded in pragmatism and framed by adaptive leadership theory and the technology acceptance model, the study linked technology innovation, financial stability, governance, leadership barriers, and organizational life to technology acceptance, operational barriers, strategy, and leadership behaviors. Data came from interviews, surveys, field notes, and …

“We’Ve Always Done It That Way”: A Qualitative Multiple Case Study Of Rural Texas School District Stakeholders’ Understanding Of Instructional Change, Lindy S. Welborn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore how stakeholders in rural Texas public school districts experienced and interpreted organizational systems and leadership processes related to instructional change. The theory that guided this study was transformational leadership theory, which provided a framework for understanding how leaders inspired and empowered others to achieve higher levels of performance in pursuit of collective goals. The central research question that guided this study was: How do stakeholders in rural Texas public school districts experience and interpret organizational systems and leadership processes associated with instructional change initiatives that challenge longstanding traditional practices within …

Underrepresentation Of Women In C-Suite Positions In North American Technology Companies, Joy Lynn Obey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Women remain underrepresented in C-suite leadership within North American technology firms despite continued organizational attention to diversity and inclusion. The purpose of this flexible-design qualitative multiple case study was to explore how organizational cultures, structures, leadership-development practices, and succession-planning systems influenced women’s advancement toward executive leadership. Guided by a constructivist paradigm, Transformational Leadership Theory, and Social Role Theory, the study examined the experiences of 26 women who currently held, previously held, or occupied near-C-suite roles in North American technology firms. Data were collected through 26 semi-structured individual interviews and six focus groups. Member checking was completed by 25 participants, and …

Integration Of Industry 4.0 Technologies In Automotive Supply Chains, Christopher Mcdonald

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the study is to empirically examine the relationship between Industry 4.0 technology integration and supply chain performance outcomes among automotive supply chain managers and executives with at least five years of direct professional experience. The study is guided by three research questions addressing the extent to which Industry 4.0 adoption correlates with disruption frequency, the relationship between cybersecurity implementation and supply chain resilience, and the moderating effect of organizational technological capability on the relationship between Industry 4.0 adoption and operational efficiency. Data are collected through a validated electronic survey instrument using multi-item measures of Industry 4.0 adoption, …

Making Sense Of Organizational Culture Through Internal Communication: A Qualitative Descriptive Study Of University Staff Experiences, Candida A. Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Guided by Craig’s sociocultural communication tradition, organizational culture theory, and Barnlund’s transactional model of communication, this qualitative study sought to understand how internal communication practices at a large public university are interpreted by staff as central to meaning-making, trust, and engagement among staff. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews representing multiple divisions, roles, and campus locations at the institution. Thematic analysis revealed: 1) authentic and effective communication, 2) information flow and access, 3) institutional belonging and commitment, and 4) crisis communication breakdowns. Findings revealed that while the institution employs multiple internal communication channels, staff frequently perceived institutional-level communication as delayed, …

The Lack Of Social Interaction In The Full-Time Remote Work Environment And Career Development, Tiphany Moguel-Young

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the lack of social interaction in the full-time remote work environment and its influence on career development for remote workers at a U.S.-based financial services organization in Dallas, Texas. The theory that guided this study was social cognitive career theory. The central research question was, “What attributes of social interactions do remote workers perceive as assisting or hindering their career development?” Data collection consisted of semistructured interviews with nonmanagerial remote workers, a focus group with managers, and anonymous open-ended survey responses and reflective journaling from all participants. The data …

Bridging The Gap: Understanding Intergenerational Workplace Conflict And Collaboration Between Baby Boomers And Gen Zers, Cynthia P. Harvey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Today’s information technology (IT) workplaces include Baby Boomer and Gen Z employees whose differing communication experiences and interpretations may contribute to misunderstanding, equivocality, conflict and challenges in collaboration. The problem examined in this study was the limited understanding of how Baby Boomers and Gen Zers interpret and negotiate meaning in everyday communication and how differences in sense-making through the processes of organizing and symbolic meaning-making may generate equivocality and ambiguity that were perceived as missed deadlines and enhanced work processes. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how Baby Boomer and Gen Z IT professionals experienced, interpreted and …

The Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities Of Certified Anduncertified Medical Assistants In Medical Clinics: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology Study, Shannon Waller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore how supervising clinicians, including medical doctors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, described the knowledge, skills, and abilities of certified and uncertified medical assistants in healthcare clinics in the United States. The problem was that it was unknown how supervising clinicians described the knowledge, skills, and abilities of certified and uncertified medical assistants. Becker’s human capital theory served as the theoretical framework for this study. Participants were recruited through professional social media platforms and clinician-specific online communities. Data collection included semi-structured interviews, a focus group, andwritten responses to a writing …

Implementation Of Staff Education To Reduce Or Prevent Pressure Injury, Beverley A. Moses

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pressure injuries (PIs) present a significant clinical challenge in healthcare settings, particularly among patients with limited mobility, comorbidities, and complex musculoskeletal injuries. These injuries lead to adverse patient outcomes, such as increased morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and an increase in healthcare costs. Despite advancements in clinical practice, PI prevention remains a critical area for quality improvement, necessitating a standardized, patient-centered approach to care. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to improve patient outcomes by implementing a standardized educational initiative for nursing staff in a bone and joint unit at a private hospital in Upstate New York. The project …

The Lived Experiences Of Special Education Teachers Regarding The Influence Of Transformational Leadership: A Phenomenological Study, Jaleesa Glover

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of school leadership among special education teachers in inner-city charter schools in the United States. At this stage in the research, the lived experience of school leadership support is generally defined as how special educators perceived, interpreted, and responded to the leadership behaviors of their school administrators within their professional roles. The theory guiding this study was Burns’ transformational leadership theory. The central research question addressed in this study was: What are the lived experiences of special education teachers in inner-city schools with school leadership support? Data …

Examining High School Special Education Teachers’ Experience Implementing Social-Emotional Curriculum In Public Schools: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Trisha Rae Dorsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study examined the experiences of high school special education teachers implementing social-emotional learning in Capitol County Public Schools, guided by Bandura’s social cognitive theory. The study explored how professional development, teacher self-efficacy, institutional support, and perceived student outcomes influenced social-emotional learning implementation. A transcendental phenomenological design examined the shared experiences of 11 teachers using interviews, follow-up surveys, and document analysis. Three themes emerged: (a) instructional practices and social-emotional learning integration, (b) implementation experiences and challenges, and (c) perceived student outcomes. Participants identified positive teacher–student relationships, behavioral modeling, and embedded SEL instruction as essential to implementation, while professional …

Leadership Changes And Employee Performance Impact In Higher Education Institutions, Timothy Mimbs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study addressed the limited understanding of how leadership transitions disrupt the people and systems that sustain a public higher education institution's ongoing operation. The purpose was to generate a grounded, comparative account of how a change in senior leadership transmits downward through an institution and of the conditions under which institutions mitigate or worsen its effects. A flexible multiple case study design within the post-positivist paradigm examined three pseudonymized Florida College System institutions that experienced structurally different transitions: an unplanned presidential departure filled externally, a planned provost retirement filled externally, and a planned presidential retirement filled through internal promotion. …

Transferable Teacher Leadership In Professional Military Education (Pme): Case Study, Jarrod W. Stoutenborough

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the techniques of teacher-leader development for civilian teachers within a professional military education (PME) environment in the northeastern United States. Guided by transformational leadership theory, the study employed a holistic, explanatory case study methodology, utilizing document analysis, direct observations, and semi-structured interviews with 12 civilian faculty members. The central research question that guided this study was: How can teacher-leader development of civilian teachers in a PME environment in the northeastern United States be transferred to other higher education institutions? The findings revealed a deeply embedded and intentional culture of teacher …

Differences In Private School Leadership Styles Based On North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship Participation Status And Geographic Setting: A Causal-Comparative Study, Tahira Copland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative causal-comparative study examined whether leadership style differs between private school leaders of North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship participating schools and nonparticipating schools in urban and rural geographic settings. This study is important because the rapid expansion of school voucher programs has implications for the accessibility and effectiveness of private schools now serving larger numbers of recipients. This study adds to the literature on the behaviors of private school leaders in the context of school vouchers in distinct settings. The study comprised a convenience sample of 89 North Carolina private school leaders recruited statewide who were at least 18 years …

Lived Experiences Of Faculty Working In Recently Consolidated Public Secondary Schools In Rural Southeastern United States Of America: A Phenomenological Study, Mary Elizabeth Baker Vick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of faculty members of a consolidated secondary public school within a rural district in the southeastern United States. The theory guiding this study was Lewin’s theory on institutional change as it explains how individuals experience the unfreezing, changing, and refreezing phases during organizational transitions. The Central Research Question was, what are the lived experiences of secondary public school faculty during and following the consolidation of their secondary public school in rural Southeastern United States of America? This qualitative research study utilized a transcendental phenomenological approach to investigate …

Leadership Team Responses To Sudden Newcomer Enrollment: A Multi-Site Case Study, Nicole D. Burrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative multi-site case study was to explore how leadership team members in public schools supported educators during a sudden mid-year influx of newcomer students. The theory guiding this study was transformational leadership theory, which provided a framework for how leaders influence, motivate, and support those they lead, particularly during times of challenge and organizational change. The central research question guiding this study was: How did leadership team members support educators during a sudden mid-year influx of newcomer students across multiple public school sites? Ten participants were recruited through the researcher’s professional networks and snowball sampling and …

Effective Strategies To Improve Telemedicine Services For Veterans In Baltimore, Maryland: A Qualitative Single-Case Study, Dolapo Uthman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative single-case study investigated the inefficiency and limited accessibility of telemedicine services within a selected healthcare organization located in Baltimore, Maryland. The purpose of this study was to investigate how telemedicine services can be improved to enhance healthcare outcomes for patients and their overall quality of life. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 16 participants, supported by fieldnotes, and publicly available documents, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Methodological triangulation was used to validate the findings to ensure credibility and consistency. The research indicated that telemedicine enhances access to healthcare and supports continuity of care, especially for …

A Strategy For Identifying, Equipping, And Empowering High-Capacity Church Leaders Within The Zero Collective Network, Blake Hicks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctor of Ministry action research project addressed the shortage of high-capacity lay leaders within The Zero Collective (TZC), a multi-church network in West Michigan, which has limited the sustainability and expansion of ministry initiatives. The purpose of this project was to develop a practical, biblically grounded strategy for identifying, equipping, and empowering high-capacity leaders to strengthen the network’s leadership pipeline and support its mission.

Using an action research methodology, this study engaged a select group of lay leaders identified as having high leadership potential. Data were collected through a triangulated approach, including pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, …

The Role Of Employee Recognition On Nurse Turnover And Departmental Engagement In Public Hospitals: Department Type As A Moderator, Dawn M. Jenkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Nurses are indispensable to the operation of public hospitals, often serving on the front lines of patient care in high-pressure environments characterized by limited resources and elevated patient acuity. These conditions contribute to burnout, disengagement, and turnover, threatening healthcare quality and workforce sustainability. This quantitative, correlational, and predictive study examined the relationship between recognition received through a digital recognition portal with nurse engagement and turnover in public hospital settings. Drawing on two years of archival organizational data, this research examined whether recognition frequency and recognition satisfaction predicted engagement and turnover, and whether department type moderated those relationships. Analyses included linear …

Correctional Leadership And Its Relationship To Psychological Well-Being And Job Satisfaction Among Former Department Of Corrections Staff, Brittaney Brown Kovacs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Correctional institutions represent complex work environments in which leadership may influence employee psychological well-being and job satisfaction. Although prior research has primarily focused on correctional officers, less attention has been paid to the broader workforce within Departments of Corrections (DOCs), including educational, healthcare, and administrative personnel. This retrospective mixed-methods study examined the relationships between employee perceptions of transformational, transactional, and authoritarian leadership styles and employee outcomes among former staff of state-level DOCs in the United States. Participants included 75 former DOC employees from multiple states. Quantitative data were collected using standardized measures of leadership, job satisfaction, and psychological well-being. Multiple …

Bridging The Visibility Gap: Advancing Radio Frequency Identification Integration For Customer-Facing Supply Chain Transparency And Operational Efficiency, Henry Steven Groulx

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined a persistent challenge in operations management, the gap between the internal capabilities of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems and their limited external application in customer-facing and supply network contexts. Grounded in a constructivist-pragmatic perspective and guided by adaptive structuration theory, the research employed an exploratory qualitative multiple-case study design across six manufacturing and logistics organizations. Data were collected through 24 semi-structured interviews, organizational documents, and operational artifacts, which were triangulated to support robust analysis. Findings indicated that RFID systems effectively supported internal operations, including inventory accuracy, process control, and exception management. However, their value diminished when extended …

The Perceived Effectiveness Of Kotter’S Change Leadership Model In The Knox County Association Of Baptists Churches, Luke England

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the perceived effectiveness of Kotter’s change leadership model in Southern Baptist churches in the Knox County Association of Baptists located in East Tennessee. This phenomenological study utilizes a qualitative research methodology to uncover the perceived effectiveness of Kotter's eight-step change leadership model in Southern Baptist churches in the Knox County Association of Baptists in East Tennessee. This research seeks to understand the five major challenges Senior Pastors believe to be the greatest impairment to instituting change within the local church. Moreover, this research uncovers the perception of pastor’s agreement towards the …

The Challenge Of Leaders Within The Public Sector Organization To Adapt Their Leadership Skills To Reflect The Changing External Environment, Leading To Poor Quality Production And Resulting In The Inability To Improve Performance, Kingsford Agyemang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research examined the influence of leadership adaptation, leadership competencies, and strategic decision-making on organizational productivity and performance in the United States public sector. It addressed the challenge of leaders’ limited capacity to adapt effectively to evolving organizational environments, which may lead to diminished production quality and lower employee performance. The objective of this mixed-methods study was to investigate how leadership behaviors can be modified to improve organizational outcomes and to identify essential competencies that enhance performance. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed to integrate qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative component consisted of semi-structured interviews with eight leaders. The …

The Effect Of Return-To-Office Mandates On Worker Engagement And Perceived Work-Family Conflict, Caleb M. Daughhetee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this cross-sectional, quasi-experimental study was to examine relationships among employee perceptions of return-to-office (RTO) mandates, employee engagement (EE), and work-family conflict (WFC) among previously remote U.S.-based workers. Despite extensive RTO mandates following the COVID-19 pandemic, limited research has examined the relationship between worker perceptions, EE, and work-family dynamics. Grounded in personal engagement theory (Kahn, 1990), role theory, and the Job Demands-Resources model, this study investigates whether RTO perceptions predict EE and WFC, and whether WFC mediates or moderates the relationship between RTO perceptions and EE. Data were collected from 145 participants using a researcher-developed RTO perception scale …

Broken Promises: The Lived Experiences Of African American Employees Who Interpret The Removal Of Dei Policies As A Breach Of Psychological Contract, Geneva A. Henderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The publicized murder of George Floyd in 2020 prompted organizations across the United States to affirm their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Following the 2025 presidential administration, however, many organizations began retracting DEI policies and adopting merit-based initiatives aligned with new federal mandates. For African Americans (AA), this shift echoed a familiar historical pattern of progress followed by withdrawal, requiring them to navigate promises made and promises withdrawn. Despite the significance of these changes, little is known about how AA employees experience the workplace after the removal of a value-laden policy. This interpretative phenomenological analysis study explored the …

Project Future: Turner Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church Leadership Development And Success Planning Project, Tonya Renee Mcclure

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study found that adaptive, relational, and vision-centered leadership approaches significantly enhance emerging leader development and engagement at Turner Chapel AME Church. Grounded in contingency theory (Fiedler, 1967), decision-making theory (Vroom & Yetton, 1973), and Northouse's (2022) transformational and servant leadership concepts, the mixed-methods research integrated quantitative and qualitative data. The findings underscore the essential roles of coaching, strategic organizational design, and spiritual formation in cultivating authentic leaders. Integrating transformational and servant leadership creates a lasting framework for emerging leader development, pointing to the value of intentional, data-driven leadership pipelines within faith-based organizations.

Organizational Change Model Modified For A Biblical Worldview, Mark Alan Van Dyke

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The goal of this proposal was to implement the first six steps of Kotter’s eight-step organizational change model at Emmanuel Lutheran Church to help the leadership improve unity and cohesion within the congregation. A key part of this process was training a guiding coalition of important leaders in essential communication skills, team leadership, and intergenerational ministry concepts. Successfully completing this process and training positioned the congregation to serve its community as a family-oriented culture where disconnected and disillusioned people can find belonging. Using a well-known organizational change theory in a church setting presents its own challenges for pastoral leaders, who …

Imago Dei Leadership Model, Jessica Lei Kritner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Dissertation-in-Praxis sought to observe the intentional application of leadership styles at Birmingham Master Commission (BMC), a traditional discipleship program for college aged adults (ages 18–25). While biblically centered and focused on spiritual formation, BMC lacked healthy leadership precedent and defaulted to peer-leadership only. This practice created a sporadic leadership culture that restricted student growth, autonomy, and investment in the program. This Dissertation-in-Praxis served as a process-based intervention on the psychological and spiritual impacts leadership styles have on young adult leaders. Transformational, servant, and participative leadership practices were modeled in existing ministry systems: one-on-one mentoring, leadership labs, and small group …

The Lived Experiences Of African American Clergywomen In In New York City, Rosa Queen-Allen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In this century, there has been a notable escalation in the tally of African American women purporting the imperative in their lives to serve within the Black Church in clergy oversight positions. Despite overt inequities in clergy leadership regarding the percentage of males versus females, there is a dearth in the ministerial leadership literature concerning African American females. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of African American females in senior ministry in New York City. For this study, African-American clergywomen will be generally defined as African-American women who lead a church or are called/ordained …

Leadership Development Training In Governmental Organizations: A Qualitative Examination Of Managerial Perceptions And Employee Engagement, George Marcus Barber

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study is designed to examine how leadership development training influences management competency in the public sector. Most organizations are intentionally interested in the subject of leadership development, investing considerable time, resources, and effort. Although existing literature on leadership development training programs is extensive, the current research is distinguished by focusing directly on managers and more specifically aimed at exploring how such a program influences decision-making processes, employee engagement levels, and overall job satisfaction in public sector organizations. Based on the theory of public sector leadership (Van Wart, 2003), this study aims to uncover some core competencies that contribute …