Digital Commons Network^™

After The Moon: A Study Of Governmental Agency Decline And Nasa, Wendy Noel Whitman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The concept of decline has variously been applied to businesses, organizations, groups, and government (Levine 1978; Lorange and Nelson 1987; Whetten 1980). The term decline has also been used to describe various government agencies such as NASA. It is the theory put forth presently that decline in its traditional form in the literature does not apply to government agencies. Decline has been previously characterized as a time of decreasing or restricted resources, conflict, a decrease in innovativeness, a decrease in organizational size, a decrease in income or profits, and an organization's inability to adapt (Cameron, Whetten, and Kim; Weitzel and …

The Re-Innovation Of Ford Motor Company To A Sustainable Lean Enterprise., Kenneth A. Ryan 1968-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many years the concept of Lean Manufacturing has been applied in automotive development as a tool to refine the manufacturing practices to the greatest efficiency possible through waste reduction. Continuous Improvement is a quality innovation process that supports this objective, based on the manufacturing pillar – work processes and scientific experiments must be controlled and constantly modified and improved by the people who do, and are accountable for the work. Continuous Improvement implicitly implies the understanding and recognition of what is a problem and problem solving techniques used to formulate the best countermeasures to those problems. The process of …

An Investigation Of Gender Differences In Motivation Of Senior Administrators In Virginia Community Colleges Using Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory., Jewell Bevins Worley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the gender differences regarding motivation in the individuals who serve in senior administrative positions in Virginia's community colleges. Institutional morale can be damaged by administrators who become dissatisfied with their positions. Institutions use millions of dollars yearly to conduct searches for individuals to replace senior administrators who leave their positions because of lack of job satisfaction or high job dissatisfaction. This study also addressed the possibility of differences between male senior administrators and female senior administrators regarding job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction.

Frederick Herzberg' 2-factory theory of motivation regarding job satisfaction and …

The Effect Of Job Strain In The Hospital Environment: Applying Orem's Theory Of Self Care, Diane Andrews

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the causal relationships between job strain, the practice environment and the use of coping skills in order to assist in the prediction of nurses who are at risk for voluntary turnover. It was conducted at the level of the individual nurse employee in order to better understand the health consequences associated with job strain, the factors in the professional practice environment which may contribute to the propensity to leave and the influence of coping behaviors in response to workplace stressors. It was undertaken with the intention of identifying intervention strategies which will …

U.S. Symphony Orchestra Bylaws: Policy Anomalies And Trends, Anita Loomis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bylaws serve as the skeleton of any nonprofit organization's administrative culture. They are the laws and rules that govern the internal affairs of an organization. (Pickett 2000) Since the primary function of bylaws is to support the effective management of operations, the examination of bylaws content is particularly relevant when looking for evidence of innovative adaptations to organizational change. As students of arts administration, the focus of the researcher's investigation centered on cultural organizations; symphony orchestras in this instance. Symphony orchestras, like other cultural organizations, must adapt to survive internal and external change. The reason for choosing to examine bylaws …

Identifying Factors That Influence Gender Disparities In Physician Income: Implications For Public Policy, Wendy Bolyard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that female physicians continue to earn less than their male counterparts. From both social justice and feminist perspectives, laws requiring equal pay should provide just income for females as compared to males. However, the literature continues to indicate that in general females earn less than males, a trend that is also true for physicians. Theoretically informed postulates are measured here with structural equation modeling to test the influence of the unique latent construct "specialization" on the income gap while controlling for demographic and contextual variables. The analysis tests the assumption that the influence of specialization is the …

Values As A Component Of Leadership And Their Relationship To Organizational Efficacy And Culture; An Ethnographic Study Of Leaders' Influence At A Pennsylvania Non-Profit Organization 1965-2005, Emma Lee Mccloskey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An ethnographic case study approach of a Pennsylvania non-profit organization was used to develop an understanding of leaders' values as they relate to organizational culture and organizational efficacy using testimony of organizational leaders and followers as well as organizational documents. Past Executive Directors, the current Executive Director, past Chairpersons of the Board of Directors and a random sample of Leadership Council members were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide to answer the following research questions:

How, if at all, do the values of a leader affect the organizational efficacy?

How, if at all, do the values of a leader affect …

"Teamsters Are Beautiful" In The Twenty-First Century: The 'Sisterly' Organizing Rhetoric Of The International Brotherhood Of Teamsters, Elesha Ruminski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In line with Tim Kuhn's work on organizational communication genres, this project seeks a generic understanding of Teamsters organizing rhetoric through analysis of the unique rhetorical situation at hand: the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) organizing female members by using rhetoric that invites women to identify themselves as Teamsters. This approach reveals how Teamsters organizing rhetoric relies on reinforcing a particular organizational identity that reflects the union's ideologically conservative roots as a "bread-and-butter" labor organization dependent on the organizing principle of brotherhood while permitting newer "sisterly" understandings of what it means to be a Teamster. Thus, the organizational genre of …

Assessing The Effect Of A Learning Organization On Change In Levels Of Developmentally Supportive Care In The Newborn Intensive Care Unit, Barbara Zapalo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study assessed the effect of a learning organization of clinical nurse leaders on an increase in levels of developmentally supportive, family-centered care (DSC). The intervention occurred in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Magee-Womens Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA. Clinical nurse leaders (N = 9) were encouraged to model research-based, developmentally supportive techniques. The "Checklist for Observing Developmentally Supportive Care in the NICU" was developed to assess the levels of DSC in 17 measurable techniques in three conceptual areas: environmental support, individualized support, and family-centered care. The checklist includes adaptations for infants with medical or familial issues. Infants and caregivers …

The Role Of Community College Registrars In Relation To Student Information Systems Implementation, Sandra Lepley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of implementing Web-enabled technology systems on the functional role of the community college registrar. The focus on systems implementation included in-house, outsourced, consortia, or combination of implementation strategies. A quantitative and qualitative approach included several interviews and a mailed survey questionnaire. The researcher developed the instrument from human resources position description forms, an adapted administrative Q-sort technique, and a role conflict and ambiguity perception questionnaire. The study targeted the members of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. The research findings indicated that some aspects of perceived role, role conflict (harmony), and ambiguity …

Faculty Development In Member Institutions Of The Florida Faculty Development Consortium: Strategic Plans, Evaluation Models, Organization, And Funding, Laura Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine strategic plans and evaluation models in light of organizational structures and funding to determine if member institutions in the Florida Faculty Development Consortium were investing in faculty development based on strategic and measurable criteria. Data were gathered through a mixed method survey mailed electronically to the individuals responsible for faculty development at 31 member institutions of the Florida Faculty Development Consortium. Even though the Consortium was comprised of public and private four-year institutions and public two-year institutions, faculty development programs in these institutions had similarities. Most programs had strategic plans, centralized faculty …

Leadership Orientations Of Senior Administrators At American Metropolitan Universities, Diane Trees

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Universities in the United States continue to evolve far beyond traditional concepts. While problems of an academic, economic, governmental, and educational nature beset any university, the metropolitan institution must grapple with these issues not as an individual entity but as a partner in a group of many players. Educational leadership for the American metropolitan university necessitates distinct and unique skills. This study sought to explore leadership behaviors of senior administrators at American metropolitan universities as conceptualized by Bolman and Deal's Four-Frame Model of Leadership (1991). Using Bolman and Deal's (1990) Leadership Orientations Survey (Self) instrument with an additional Respondent Information …

An Assessment Of Alignment Between Project Complexity And Project Management Style, Alper Camci

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main drivers for this research are the complexities associated with the project management and an organization's project management style in dealing with these complexities. This research aims to demonstrate that alignment between project complexity and project management style increases project performance and decreases project issues, and also, with increased project issues, project performance deteriorates. In order to test these claims, this research developed measures for assessing project complexity, project management styles and project issues by employing a survey of project management professionals. The measure for project complexity is based on a taxonomy with four categories: organizational complexity, product complexity, …

A New Theory And Measure Of Ethical Work Climate: The Psychological Process Model (Ppm) And The Ethical Climate Index (Eci), Anke Arnaud

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With this dissertation I developed a new theory and measure of ethical work climate (EWC). Currently, there exists one dominant theory and measure of EWC developed by Victor and Cullen (1988, 1987). Even though researchers have identified problems with this theory, such as inconsistencies with regard to its limited theoretical scope and troubling psychometric properties, it is the most widely utilized framework for conceptualizing and testing EWC. Therefore, I propose to develop an improved theory and measure of EWC, one capable of addressing some of the principle shortcomings of earlier efforts. Building on Rest's (1986, 1979) "Four-Component" model of individual-level …

Organizational Change At The Service Delivery Level: An Investigation Into The Perceived Reaction To Change Initiatives In Moral, Larry Cochran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the speed of change increases, federal agencies are challenged more often to develop and implement improvements to existing programs, new programs to meet new needs, or adjustments to programs based on changed circumstances of delivery. Built on the foundation of systems theory, expectancy theory, and field theory, this research seeks to explain why some managers do not propose changes in their organizations---even when the very survival of the organization is at risk. By measuring the fields of influence encountered by managers, we find that the chain of command is supportive of change initiatives. Other organizational elements--human resources and legal …

Police Organizational Performance In The State Of Florida:Confirmatory Analysis Of The Relationship Of The Environment And Design Structure To Performance, Jeffrey Goltz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To date, police organizations have not been rigorously analyzed by organizational scholars and most analysis of these organizations has been captured through a single construct. The purpose of this study is to develop confirmatory police organizational analysis by validating a multi-dimensional conceptual framework that explains the relationships among three constructs: environmental constraints, the design structures of police organizations, and organizational performance indicators. The modeling is deeply rooted in contingency theory, and the influence of isomorphism and institutional theory on the covariance structure model are investigated. One hundred and thirteen local police organizations from the State of Florida are included in …

Leadership Styles Of Entrepreneurs In Small Land Surveying Businesses., Jerry Wayne Nave

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to analyze the leadership styles of owners of small land surveying businesses in the states of Tennessee and Virginia to determine what leadership style was currently being employed by the majority of those owners. The participants in this study were chosen from members of the Virginia Association of Surveyors and the Tennessee Association of Professional Surveyors. The respondents to the questionnaire were licensed land surveyors who owned small firms of fewer than 101 employees. In addition, a corollary purpose was to flesh out the skeletal literature available on small business leadership styles and …

The Impact Of Participation In The Johnson City, Tn Citizen's Police Academy., Angela Elkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A Citizen's Police Academy allows citizens to attend the police academy to learn more about police departments and police work. While increasing in popularity, very little research has focused on participant impact. This study examines the impact of the Johnson City CPA on participants' attitudes and beliefs about police work. Surveys were analyzed to discover differences in age, education levels, gender and prior interest in police work concerning satisfaction, importance of training, and behavior change. Older respondents reported the most benefit from participation, while younger respondents were more likely to change their behaviors. Those with mid level educations gained the …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Company's Online Health And Safety Training Program By Assessing Its Employees Perceptions And Knowledge., Jo Nell Maynard Mullins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate a company’s online H & S training program. The ABC Company’s online 8-hr HAZWOPER refresher course is based on current OSHA standard topics required for certification and principles flexible to fit site- or task-specific situations and conditions.

An 18-question survey was used to evaluate employee perceptions of online training compared to traditional classroom training. Perceptions were compared by demographic variables (e.g. gender, position, race, age and longevity with the ABC Company), which suggested that only age had an influence on employee response. Fifty-five percent of the employees surveyed preferred online training as compared …

Reducing Non-Urgent Utilization Of The Emergency Department By Self-Pay Patients: Analysis Of The Impact Of A Community-Wide Provider Network, Karen Karen Van Caulil

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a coordinated and comprehensive system of care for the uninsured changed the behavior of the uninsured by decreasing non-urgent utilization of the emergency departments within a large, urban county. The literature on emergency department trends and interventions designed to decrease "inappropriate" or non-urgent use of the emergency departments was reviewed and links to relevant theoretical concepts were identified. Utilization data from six emergency departments and six federally qualified health centers were evaluated. Secondary data over a three-year time period were abstracted from patient and organizational records at the hospitals and federally …

Social Work Values And Hospital Culture: An Examination From A Competing Values Framework, Amanda Evans

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to assess the perceptions of social workers employed in Florida hospitals in relation to the core values of their profession and the alignment of those values within the culture of their current work setting. The conceptual framework for the study was from organizational behavior theory specific to culture, values, and trust. The Competing Values Framework (Cameron & Quinn, 1999) provided a method to distinguish co-existing competing values within an organization. The research findings indicated that 65% of the professional social workers who participated in the study perceived that the core values of their profession …

Trends In Employee Communications : A Research Project On Employee Communications In Mississippi, Edith J. Mcconnell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Of Implementations Of Smaller Learning Communities In Florida High Schools, Todd James Bondurant Sparger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The issue of high school reform has received national attention during the first part of the 21st century. One idea brought forth in this restructuring effort has been the desire to create high schools with smaller student populations. However, in an era of tight budgets, where resources are not always available to build more schools, educators have explored the possibility of dividing existing large high schools into smaller units. This restructuring approach has many titles, but is frequently referred to as a Smaller Learning Community (SLC). Since 2000, the federal government has pledged $245 million to schools willing to create …

Email Utilization By University Employees And Its Relationship To Job Satisfaction, Anthony Recascino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of technology, such as electronic mail and the Internet, is becoming the norm in many workplaces. This is especially true in academic workplaces. The present study examined several issues related to electronic mail use and job satisfaction for employees within a higher education workplace. Results of the study found that administrative level employees both sent and received more email than non-administrative level staff. Job satisfaction was not found to be related to the amount of email sent or received. No difference in job satisfaction was found between employees at the main campus versus regional locations, nor was there …

Rejection In The Job Selection Process: The Effects Of Information & Sensitivity, Clayton Yonce

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Most people will experience rejection in the job selection process. Rejection from job opportunities is often issued via a letter from a hiring manager. These letters elicit reactions from applicants who may, in turn, have less favorable self perceptions and less favorable perceptions of the organization from which the applicant was rejected. Numerous research articles have been published that deal with delivering notification of selection and/or rejection to applicants in the job selection process. However, relatively few use a realistic laboratory design to obtain results. This study examined the effects of sensitivity and information in notifications of rejection when applicants …

Regional Readiness For Intelligence Information Sharing To Support Homeland Security, Christine Genet Kemp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age was created to produce recommendations on how to best leverage intelligence and information to improve security without compromising existing civil liberties. Their second report proposed that the government set up an information-sharing network using currently available technology to improve our ability to prevent terrorist attacks, while protecting civil liberties. The Markle recommendations have been incorporated into the recent Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. The proposition is that the Markle task force recommendations are sufficient to achieve the required data integration in the United States. To affirm …

Relationship Between Supervisor Locus Of Control And Employee Satisfaction In A Residential Care Facility, Patricia Chene Nowotniak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to identify factors that may contribute to employee satisfaction. Review of the literature revealed potential factors influencing employee satisfaction, such as locus of control, difficulty of the work itself, and working conditions. These literature findings guided this research, to establish if a relationship existed between employee satisfaction of caregivers employed in a developmental institution and locus of control. Supervisors and their employees were given a locus of control scale; employees were additionally given a job satisfaction survey. The relationship between the supervisors' locus of control and employee satisfaction was evaluated as well as the …

The Relationship Between School Culture And Student Achievement In Middle Schools, Karen Vislocky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was developed to produce data about the cultures of selected Florida middle schools. The research was intended to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on collaboration, collegiality, and self-determination/efficacy as related to student achievement. The focus for this study was provided through three research questions: (a) to determine to what extent middle schools scoring in the top half and the bottom half on the modified version of Wagner and Masden-Copas' School Culture Triage Survey differed on various demographic elements; (b) to determine what differences, if any, existed between the cultures of the selected Florida middle schools and …

A Survey Of School Principals And Teachers Regarding Teachers' Professional Development Participation, Richard Inge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was twofold: First, to gather perspectives of randomly selected administrators and teachers in two central Florida school districts concerning the participation of teachers in professional development (PD), and secondly, to determine if there was a significant differences in the amount of participation of teachers from different academic departments in these activities. Results indicated that a teacher's assignment to a particular academic department has a relationship to the amount of PD involvement. Results also suggested that building principals' perceptions concerning teacher support of and participation in these activities were moderately accurate. Data were collected using two …

What Do Physicians Want? Information Technology Acceptance And Usage By Healthcare Professionals, Virginia Ilie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study builds on the theory of planned behavior, institutional and innovation diffusion theories to investigate physicians' responses to introduction of electronic medical records (EMR) in large healthcare organizations. Using a case study methodology, we show that physicians' attitudes towards using EMR are influenced by their perceptions of EMR complexity, relative advantage, compatibility with professional beliefs and individual predisposition to change. Specifically, we found that EMR usability characteristics such as system interface, "navigation," "search" and "speed" are major dimensions underlying physicians' perceptions of EMR complexity. To the extent that navigating and searching for clinical results are seen as difficult, physicians' …