Digital Commons Network^™

Characteristics Of Global Thai Leaders, William Vaughn

Theses and Dissertations

The global trade across multiple countries has greatly increased in the last few decades. Nationalist organizations are focusing on global trade (Rhinesmith, Williamson, Ehlen, & Maxwell, 1989). China and Japan are the driving forces in Asian global trade; but countries like Thailand are developing their global economies as well. The volume of western based leadership research benefits global businesses entering the U.S. market place compared to Japanese or Chinese culture. The lack of leadership research on Thailand creates challenges for large corporations wanting to outsource or manufacture in Thailand. Large multinational companies can enter Thailand but understanding how the culture …

Work-Life Balance: Organizational Leadership And Individual Strategies Among Successful Women Real Estate Brokers, Kerri Jones

Theses and Dissertations

This study defined and utilized the qualitative method of phenomenology to focus on the lack of work-life balance, consequences, and the negative impact on a culture of 15 female real estate brokers who were interviewed. The study examined the participants' experiences, insights, perspectives, and understanding of the female real estate brokers based on data collected from semi-structured interviews to create a remedy for the unresolved issues. Therefore, a compelling, dynamic work-life balance is necessary in order to create successful women in leadership roles who are real estate brokers. Female real estate brokers who are leaders facing unlimited demands predominantly in …

The Relationship Between The Rates Of Job Satisfaction And The Degree Of Person-Job Value Congruence For Senior Healthcare Leaders, Benjamin Ritter

Theses and Dissertations

Acute care hospitals and senior healthcare leaders are facing increasing governmental regulations enacted by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Value-Based Programing, and a constantly changing political agenda. Senior healthcare leaders are expected to solve these new challenges and lead their employees and organizations during these challenging times. However, the ever-changing healthcare environment, which may be attributing to the high turnover rates and low rates of job satisfaction for senior healthcare leaders, is preventing lasting solutions to the current challenges the healthcare industry is facing (Fiabane, Giorgi, Sguazzin, & Argentero, 2013; Keyko, Cummings, Yonge, & Wong, 2016). Research supports that intrinsic …

Developing Effective Leadership: Exploring The State Of Vertical Development In Practice, Hannah Elise Jones

Theses and Dissertations

This research builds upon arguments for the use of the psychological theory of adult vertical development to transform traditional organizational practices of leadership development, and build leaders needed for the future. The purpose of this study is to understand the current state of vertical development theories in organizational leadership development practices. Specifically, the research considers what strategies and practices are being used, and what challenges practitioners have faced in implementation. It was found that an organization's success in implementing vertical development largely depended on three factors: 1)overall leadership development strategy, 2) ability to overcome new variations of organizational challenges that …

Promoting Conflict Management Competencies Within Informal Structures And Informal Networks, Roslynn Almas

Theses and Dissertations

Conflict typically is associated with negative and destructive connotations within organizations. However, a shift is taking place in workplaces to view conflict through a positive frame and to consider conflict as an opportunity to establish an environment that is more creative and innovative while identifying ineffective policies, behaviors or actions. This study was developed to examine how organizations can enhance conflict management competencies to empower leaders and employees to manage conflict by employing problem-solving tactics and collaborative approaches. Furthermore, this study was designed to understand what strategies and practices leaders and specialists in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution utilize …

A Small Business Case Study Of Focused And Distributed Leadership Hybridity In South Africa, Siphokazi Ntetha

Theses and Dissertations

There is convincing evidence that effective leadership is a major contributing factor to small business growth and success. However, attention to leadership focused on founding CEOs abounds at the expense of exploring the distribution of leadership across an organization. This study explored they hybridity of focused and distributed leadership enactment in a fast-growing small business situated in South Africa. The first objective was to form a holistic view of how the members of the organization lead, incorporating leadership focused on key individual leaders and that which is shared and distributed amongst and between others. The second objective was to contextualize …

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Leadership Style In Educational Leaders, Diana Fannon

Theses and Dissertations

Current research suggests that emotional intelligence continues to grow in importance and is a critical component of effective leadership. Although not usually listed as a specific job requirement, high emotional intelligence allows one to make more informed decisions and to solve problems more easily. A gap persists in research on emotional intelligence and leadership in the K–12 setting and determining whether educational leaders possess the skills to lead effectively, or if they need additional support in developing additional facility in emotional intelligence to support students. This quantitative correlational study examined the relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership style of educational …

Forensic Patient Flow: An Imbalance Between Capacity And Demand, Versie J. Bellamy

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The United States (U.S.) has an ever-growing incarcerated population. The sheer volume of this population coupled with inefficient patient flow through the judicial and health care systems, create a large imbalance between the high demand for services and the capacity to deliver them. The delay in criminal defendants accessing mental health services is impacted by the lack of patient flow, which creates barriers to entering and exiting the forensic hospital system. The increasing demand for inpatient forensic services, coupled with a static supply of resources, warrants further intervention by treatment and service providers. Identifying and removing barriers to patient …

Examining Faith-Based Communities As Leverage Points For The Prevention Of Childhood And Adolescent Obesity, Caroline Glagola Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

Faith-based research and partnerships are becoming more popular as an approach to address the health of underserved populations including racial and ethnic minorities and rural populations. Despite growing interest in faith-health partnerships, little research is available assessing faith-based interventions as potential leverage points for the prevention of childhood and adolescent obesity and the promotion of healthy behaviors. This research aimed to examine the potential for such partnerships within the context of ongoing research partnerships in South Carolina. Specifically, the first study assessed current peer-reviewed literature to determine reporting of reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM elements) in faith-based nutrition …

The Readiness Monitoring Tool: Investigating The Psychometric Evidence For Group-Level Aggregation In Two Samples, Samantha N. Hartley

Theses and Dissertations

Organizational readiness is an essential factor for successful implementation of a particular innovation. Although there is general consensus within the research literature on the importance of organizational readiness, there has been significantly less agreement on the nature of readiness as a construct and how it should be operationalized. Previous research has focused on organizational readiness for change at both the individual and organizational levels, but measures based on these theories of readiness have typically lacked evidence of reliability and validity.

The R=MC2 heuristic and its associated measure, the Readiness Monitoring Tool (RMT), offer a compelling and comprehensive approach by which …

Implementation Of Provider And Workflow Strategies To Increase Adherence To Tqip Guidelines In Traumatic Brain Injury, Regina Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and permanent disability worldwide. The American College of Surgeon’s Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) has developed a set of recommendations for the management of trauma-related injuries, including TBI. The objective of this evidenced-based practice project was to implement provider- and workflow-based strategies to improve adherence to TQIP recommended guidelines for the placement of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitors. The primary outcome measured was number of ICP monitors placed post-intervention.

The author reviewed available literature and found six articles pertaining to guideline implementations. Analysis of the literature was performed utilizing Melynk and …

An Examination Of Teacher Perceptions Within Professional Learning Communities, Nicole Tiffany Reese

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to determine the strength of the relationship between elementary teachers’ perceptions of the six school practices of the professional learning community (PLC) model and students’ science achievement and if differences exist among teachers at the target school district’s five elementary schools. The six practices of the PLC model are (a) shared and supportive leadership, (b) shared values and vision, (c) collective learning and application, (d) shared personal practice, (e) supportive conditions–relationships, and (f) supportive conditions–structures. The PLCs are presently defined as one of the most discussed school reforms within kindergarten to Grade 12. They assist …

Authentic Leadership, Research Integrity, And Institutions Of Higher Learning: Why Focusing On Departmental Leadership Is Critical For Preserving The Sanctity Of Science, Katherine I. Echols

Theses and Dissertations

One of the most overlooked and complex problems that universities and colleges face nation-wide is how to reduce and eliminate research misconduct. Because of the confidential nature of allegations of research misconduct and the high rate of underreporting, administrators at scholarly institutions struggle with understanding the cause of such behavior. Without a clear picture of the prevalence of misconduct or the barriers to reporting, leaders at institutions of higher learning find themselves at a disadvantage when dealing with these problems. This uncertainty coupled with a growing regulatory emphasis from federal funding agencies, results in a reactionary approach while questionable practices …

Effecting Organizational Change At The Macro Level Of Professions, Robert Anthony Green

Theses and Dissertations

Much has been written in academic and popular publications about organizational change. Topics have ranged from case studies to anecdotal stories of how leaders can change an organization. There is little written on changing the culture and vision of a profession at the macro level. This dissertation shows that one key to effecting change within a profession is to educate those at the entrant level and thereby effect change with the profession. Over time, these new entrants to the profession will rise to senior positions and be able to effect greater change through the hiring, training, and mentoring processes inherent …

An Examination Of Factors Influencing Persistence At Columbus State University, Varonika Brown Hardman

Theses and Dissertations

The researcher designed the mixed method study to contribute to the field of study on persistence and provide information to CSU leadership, faculty and staff that may benefit efforts to reach and retain students. A better understanding of the factors influencing persistence may become vital for funding. Some form of performance-based funding is in place in 32 states. Georgia policymakers are considering factors such as student progression and degree completion.

For the study, the researcher asked:

1. What are the reasons graduating CSU students give for persisting at CSU? 2. What are the reasons incoming CSU students give for choosing …

Faculty Perceptions Of Effectiveness And Impact Of Professional Development For Teaching, Research, And Service, Claudia Vela

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to examine faculty perceptions of effectiveness and impact of professional development for teaching, research, and service in a higher education institution in South Texas. This study provided quantitative and qualitative data from 165 faculty members from a Hispanic Serving Institution in South Texas. Participants in this research consisted of tenured 56.9% (n = 95) and tenure-track 41.1% (n = 69) faculty members who taught in different departments in the colleges of Health Affairs, Sciences, Liberal Arts, Engineering and Computer Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, and Education and P-16 Integration. The …

Academic Interventions In Secondary Schools: Examining Teachers' Perceptions Of Implementing A Multi-Tiered System Of Support, Shannon Mortrud

Theses and Dissertations

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2015) only 34% of eighth grade students in the U.S. scored at or above proficient in reading and only 33% were at or above proficient in math. Reading comprehension is essential for the acquisition of knowledge in all coursework and those students who have reading deficits may experience increased academic failure. Deficits in math skills may also increase core academic failure for secondary students expected to complete rigorous courses in algebra and beyond. In a review of the literature, Blount (2012) deduced that academic failure is one of the main predictive risk …

Analiza E Origjinës Dhe Natyrës Së Strategjisë Së Menaxhimit Që Ndikon Në Efektivitetin Organizativ. Rast Studimi Knkk, Pranvera Vokshi

Theses and Dissertations

Ky është një hulumtim për mënyrat e të menduarit rreth organizatave ndër-qeveritare dhe menaxhimit të tyre, veçanërisht menaxhimit strategjik. Ndërsa shumica e teksteve të menaxhimit strategjik kanë të bëjnë me paraqitjen e elementeve kryesore dhe përshkrimeve të menaxhimit strategjik që gjenden në diskursin mbizotërues në këtë çështje, kjo temë ka të bëjë me supozimet e nënkuptuara për t'u dhënë në mënyrat e të menduarit të shprehura në atë diskurs dominues. Qëllimi, pra, është të përmbledhë atë që mendimtarët strategjik kyç kanë shkruar në lidhje me strategjitë e përgjithshme që menaxherët duhet të ndjekin për të siguruar përparësi konkurruese dhe kështu …

Containerizing Containment: The Automation And Globalization Of The National Security Waterfront, 1945-1997, John Douglas Forrest

Theses and Dissertations

After the introduction of the cargo container and related automation systems in the late 1950s, the numbers of maritime laborers who worked along the piers and aboard ship along American waterways steadily declined. In the late 1950s, tens of thousands of longshoremen and merchant mariners plied their respective trades, but the process of “containerization” reduced their numbers by nearly 70 percent by the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Department of Defense (DoD) similarly containerized and automated its cargo handling during this era. The introduction of the container also had negative consequences for defense maritime policy. Containerization of the National …

The Role Of Cognitive And Affective Change Readiness In The Adoption Of Information Systems: A Multilevel Perspective, Martin J. Ndicu

Theses and Dissertations

Extant information systems literature has viewed systems acceptance and adoption from a technocentric viewpoint that emphasizes post-implementation intentions and attitudes - mainly usefulness and ease of use. Further, the effects of organizational hierarchy and work-environment factors have not been adequately factored largely because the single level user-level perspective has dominated. This dissertation addresses this gap by incorporating work environment factors while focusing on users’ preliminary, pre-implementation attitudes, perceptions, and intentions. It thus employs a multilevel perspective that allows for deeper insights into the interplay between workgroup- and individual-level phenomena. The objectives herein are, first, to illuminate change readiness as a …

To Grow Or Not To Grow: Socio-Cognitive Determinants Of Small And Medium Firm Growth And Threshold Mentality, David A. Alvarado

Theses and Dissertations

Small business owners (entrepreneurs) are heterogeneous in their motivations and goals, with some seeking to expand firm scope, size, and purpose, and others seeking stability. The small and medium firm growth literature indicates that growth intention varies, but why does it vary so much, and so often? Why do some firms have a threshold mentality, represented by a stability intention, while others have a growth intention? To explore these questions, this dissertation empirically examines the socio-cognitive determinants of small and medium firm growth intentions. Participants included owner/managers of independent Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) decision-making authority for their firms. 159 …

Feedback And Effort: A Translational Study, Andressa Arana Sleiman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate an arrangement to establish feedback as more preferred when delivered after higher effort responding rather than lower effort responding. The study took place in the laboratory settings to simulate a working environment. Participants had to complete a mock medical data entry task, and after either one or 20 responses they received feedback. Participants in this study were 16 undergraduate students. The main dependent variable was the percentage of preference change in paired stimulus preference assessments for two categories of stimuli; shapes that signaled which condition they were in and managers that …

Utilization Of A School Specific Intervention Manual To Increase Teacher Perceptions Of The I&Rs Process And Reduce Special Education Referrals, Jacqueline Jade Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

One of the primary purposes of the Intervention and Referral Services (I & RS) process is to assist school staff in addressing students' learning, behavior, or health needs (N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1 [a]). This study sought to improve I & RS process and student outcomes in a southern New Jersey elementary school that services students from grades Pre-Kindergarten through second grade. At the outset of the study, school administrators reported that an area of need was to formulate an intervention resource for the school's I & RS committee and teaching staff. It was determined that an online/interactive intervention manual would be created …

Web Conference Vs. Webcast: The Perceived Effectiveness Of Training Sessions At A Southeastern Community College, Jenny Bailey Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Professional development is a lifelong learning process and technology has provided and will continue to provide new and different delivery methods. Regardless of the delivery method, the intention of professional development is to increase teacher knowledge, which in turn, increases student achievement. At a southeastern community college, meaningful professional development and technology training became a service requested by faculty and staff. The college identified the need to provide in-service training that could fit within their employees’ schedules and incorporate the college’s existing infrastructure. This need grew into the creation of virtual training sessions hosted by the eLearning department of the …

Workplace Bullying: Proven Methodologies To Mitigate The Issue Within The Government Contracting Workplace Environment, Wendy Jan Kirk

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study is to ascertain proven methods to adopt within the workplace to mediate workplace bullying in organizations in a specific region of north Alabama, with emphasis given to organizations whose workforce is mixed, consisting of federal government employees as well as contracted staffers. At the theoretical level, this study aims to consolidate knowledge from Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) in the field of workplace bullying and outline concrete steps and implementable plans for area corporate leadership to implement within their organization. At the practical level this study aims to bring attention to the issue of workplace …

A Comprehensive Study Of Intrapreneruship As A Cultural Form Of Innovation And Sustainable Competive Advantage, Timothy Charles Mcdowell

Theses and Dissertations

Intrapreneurial activity within the firm varies within the contexts of employee perception and motivation. The problem explored in this study is to better understand complex internal workings of organizational dynamics, discovering what factors energize employees to perform intrapreneurially in the aerospace industry. This study examines antecedents and consequences of intrapreneurial activity within firms leading to innovation as a sustainable competitive advantage. The need for specific research is evident from limited data available regarding intrapreneurial motivation from the individual perspective within the aerospace community. The phenomenon of intrapreneurship within the aerospace industry often occurs over multiple years. This study examines the …

The Development Of A Short Form Of The Clinically Adaptive Multidimensional Outcome Survey, Peter William Sanders

Theses and Dissertations

The Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) movement has gained considerable influence in the healthcare industry, including psychotherapy. The American Psychological Association's (APA) official stance on EBP encouraged clinicians to used standardized outcome measures in routine practice in order to establish the efficacy of their interventions. Routine Outcome Measurement (ROM) systems were designed specifically to accomplish this purpose, and have been shown to improve client outcomes and provide valuable aggregate data that contributes to empirical literature. Despite this research and the endorsement of the APA's official EBP stance, these measures have not been widely adopted by clinicians. Several studies have found that clinicians …

School Climate, Stigma By Association, And Adolescent Psychological Distress, Kathryn D. Ferdon

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports the results of a research project that examined whether school climate has a moderating effect on the relation between Stigma-by-Association and psychological distress among adolescents in a rural Midwestern county.

Managing Reform Efforts In Times Of Uncertainty: Effects Of Principal Support And Leadership On Teachers’ Implementation Commitment To Common Core Reform Initiatives, Lee Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) require a major shift in instructional practices among teachers. Such changes cause much uncertainty as teachers’ roles and identities begin to change. Major school reform creates difficulty for school leaders who must develop teacher support and dedication to ‘top-down’ reform initiatives in their classrooms. Literature suggested that proper support from building and district leaders is needed to reduce the uncertainty caused by such changes. Guided by organizational change theory, the purpose of this study was to examine whether perceived organizational support (POS), perceived environmental uncertainty (PEU), perceived principal support (PPS), and principal and teacher …

Determining Field Requirements Of The Air Force Supply System: A Delphi Study, Dominic G. Baker

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force Supply System can be a convoluted network of organizations with different classes of supply being managed by different organizations. Individuals deployed to austere environments must interact with multiple organizations to get logistics support. Recent supply organizational changes have improved the Air Forces ability to present combat support capability to the combatant commands and deployed logisticians. This research focused on simplifying the process by identifying the need for and determining the ideal capabilities provided by a Logistics Command and Control support cell that would provide a touch point for logistics support to those in a deployed or austere …