Digital Commons Network^™

Cultivating A Culture Of Belonging: Elementary Principal Practices, Sara Macneil

Educational Studies Dissertations

A sense of belonging is a fundamental human need that influences students’ experiences, relationships, and engagement within their school context. It is shaped through intentional actions and everyday experiences. Understanding how school leaders intentionally shape conditions that foster students’ sense of belonging requires further exploration. This study focused on an elementary school principal and sought to identify specific leadership practices that strengthen the sense of belonging for elementary students. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through a sense of belonging survey and small group interviews. The survey data provided a measure of students’ sense of belonging and were used …

Evaluating Mentorship, Professional Networking Participation, And Leadership Classifications For Women In Health Service Organizations, Marina Nagy Hanna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite women comprising a substantial portion of the U.S. health care workforce, they continue to be underrepresented in leadership across health service organizations. Mentorship and professional networking opportunities are commonly used to support women’s professional growth; however, inequities in leadership attainment remain prevalent, particularly among women from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds. The purpose of this quantitative archival comparative study was to examine associations across mentorship participation indicators, professional networking participation indicators, leadership classifications, and racial and ethnic classifications. The study was underpinned by intersectionality theory and social capital theory, which supported examination of how demographic identities and access to …

Early Childhood Teachers’ Perceptions Of Early Childhood Teacher Leadership, Their Leadership Experiences, And Teacher Leadership Skill Development, Danyle Watkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed in this study is that research into early childhood leadership has focused on early childhood directors and programs for leadership, but little research has been conducted on early childhood teachers’ (ECTs’) perceptions of the ECT leadership. Guided by the McCormick Center Whole Leadership Framework, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore ECTs’ perceptions on characteristics of teachers as leaders, their leadership experiences, and their leadership skill development in a Midwestern U.S. state. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 10 ECTs employed in licensed early childhood centers serving children from birth through …

Transforming Faculty Development: Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Arts-Based Design, And Communities Of Transformation In Stem Education, Kristen L. Ferris

Organization, Information and Learning Sciences ETDs

This dissertation investigates the relational conditions enabling institutional transformation and diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) within STEM higher education. Despite needs for systemic change, sustaining faculty engagement remains difficult due to entrenched power dynamics, lack of pedagogical training, and political repression. To address these barriers this research introduces Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB) as an analytic lens and functional infrastructure for change.

Through three papers, this study 1) establishes OCB via a systemic literature review as an actionable metric for faculty development; 2) details the design of a cross-institutional Community of Transformation (CoT) as a design case; and 3) Presents …

Breaking The Glass Ceiling From The Ground Floor: Bipoc Women Classified Professionals’ Journey In California Community Colleges, Lusyna Kim Narvaez

Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined how women in classified professional positions navigate institutional barriers and access professional development within California community colleges. Using Critical Liberatory Feminist Pedagogy, Critical Race Feminist Theory, and Challenging Leadership Theory as analytical frameworks, the study explored the lived experiences of 18 participants across five Northern California community colleges through individual interviews and focus groups. Findings revealed three central themes: strategic communication as a survival mechanism, institutionalized exhaustion, and professional development as gatekeeping. Participants described employing calculated communication strategies to navigate workplace dynamics while minimizing personal and professional risk. The study illuminated how institutional structures create systemic …

What Leadership And Operational Strategies Should Twin Cities Black-Led Charter Schools Have To Promote School Improvement, Enhance Student Achievement, And Ensure Sustained Organizational Success?, Donald W-R. Allen, Ii

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Allen, D. (2026). What Leadership and Operational Strategies should Twin Cities Black-led Charter Schools have to Promote School Improvement, Enhance Student Achievement, and Ensure Sustained Organizational Success?  

This dissertation examined my story along with the leadership and operational strategies employed by Twin Cities Black-led charter schools to support school improvement, enhance student achievement, and sustain long-term organizational success. Black-led charter schools emerged as community-centered educational alternatives designed to provide culturally responsive learning environments for Black students and families while addressing persistent educational inequities. Despite their important role within Minnesota's educational landscape, limited empirical research has examined the organizational conditions that …

Embodied Leadership And Conditional Legitimacy: Critically Conscious Male Leaders Navigating Systems Of Power, Luis A. Legaspi

Dissertations

Leadership is not a neutral concept; it is shaped by overlapping systems of power, including empire, whiteness, neoliberal capitalism, and cisheteropatriarchy. These interlocking systems influence how leadership is defined, recognized, and legitimized, often privileging particular identities and forms of authority. The persistent underrepresentation of people of color, women, and queer individuals in positions of leadership reflects how dominant conceptions of leadership remain closely aligned with historically entrenched structures of power.

This critical narrative inquiry study examines how men, who disproportionately occupy positions of social and institutional authority, make meaning of masculinity, power, and leadership within these systems. Drawing on relational …

A Phenomenological Examination Of Principal Leadership Practices In Arkansas High-Performing Middle And High Schools, Zondria R. Campbell

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the leadership practices of Arkansas secondary school principals in schools that received an “A” rating outlined by the state’s grading system for schools. Grounded in the instructional and distributed leadership theory, this study sought to explore principals’ lived experiences and the strategies that influenced high levels of student achievement.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight principals that met the criteria to participate in the study. Interviews were held virtually, and the discussions were recorded and transcribed for analysis. This approach allowed the researcher to identify patterns and key themes across participants through thematic coding.

The …

What Learning Benefits Can Leadership Bring To Social Dilemma Situations?, Kyisha M. Walter

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Social dilemmas are ethical dilemmas that citizens, students and employees face every day. When faced with a social dilemma, an individual must work alone and along with others in a group. These situations create conflict between personal and group interests and can be easily mismanaged. Research has started to tackle the question of how we can teach people to best manage a social dilemma. The current exploratory study asks the same question with respect to leadership. Undergraduate students (N=20) played a social dilemma board game twice in groups of four, received a lesson on social dilemmas, and completed …

From Learners To Leaders: Informal Learning And Leadership Emergence In The Workplace, Ami Rupesh Shah

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study explored the relationship between informal learning behaviors and leadership emergence in workplace settings while also looking at the moderating roles of occupational self-efficacy and learning climate. Using a correlational, cross-sectional design, data was collected from 361 working professionals through an online survey with 341 being the final sample size. Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing informal learning behaviors, occupational self-efficacy, learning climate, and leadership emergence. Correlational and moderation analyses were performed to test the study hypotheses. Results showed that informal learning behaviors was positively and significantly related to leadership emergence. Moreover, occupational self-efficacy and learning climate both were …

A Creative Climate Framework For Developing Leaders Who Can Navigate Complexity, Uncertainty, And Change Now And Over Time, Christa M. Heydt-Hernandez

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

As organizational environments grow increasingly volatile and complex, leaders face a widening gap in the skills hardest to cultivate in adults: creative thinking, systems thinking, and human-centered design thinking. Yet leadership development has prioritized culture over climate, overlooking a more direct lever for change. This project argues the gap is fundamentally developmental: the skills most demanded of today's leaders are best introduced across childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood—long before the workplace—through what the author terms the Long Game of Leadership Development. In response, this project introduces the Creativity Steward™ framework, a longitudinal model grounded in developmental psychology, creative climate research, …

What Happens When Leaders Don’T Live Up To The Ideal? How The Leadership Perception Gap Can Undermine Leader Development And Intentions, Julia Macgregor-Peralta

Theses and Dissertations

Despite decades of research on leadership development, we know surprisingly little about why capable, confident people choose not to pursue leadership. This study introduces the Leadership Perception Gap (LPG), a construct that captures discrepancies between ideal leader views and the leaders people actually observe, and tests whether those discrepancies reduce the desirability of leadership roles. LPG was assessed using latent congruence modeling (LCM) to compare ideal leader ratings with vignette-based leader evaluations. The vignettes manipulated leadership style (agentic, communal, balanced) and team composition (all-male, all-female, balanced). Participants were randomly assigned to one condition and evaluated their interest in joining the …

Leading For Impact: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study On Leadership Actions Driving Academic Gains Beyond Mock Projections, John Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how principals lead schools to achieve academic outcomes that exceed projected performance. Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, the study first identified campuses that demonstrated statistically significant improvement between projected outcomes based on mock assessments and actual performance on state accountability measures. Quantitative analyses, including paired-samples t-tests, repeated measures ANOVA, and correlation analyses, revealed significant differences between projected and actual outcomes, variation across assessment cycles, and increasing alignment between mock and summative assessments over time. Standardized mean difference scores were used to identify campuses that demonstrated the greatest positive deviation from projected performance.

In Phase 2, …

Bridging Leadership Theory And Practice In University Advancement: Exploring Transactional, Transformational, And Followership Dynamics, Austin D. Quick

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Leadership in higher education fundraising represents one of the most relational and complex forms of organizational influence. Unlike traditional hierarchies, university advancement operates through networks of trust, reciprocity, and shared purpose; conditions that can challenge leadership models designed for positional authority. This qualitative, phenomenological study examined how advancement professionals experienced and integrated transactional and transformational leadership behaviors within relationship-driven systems, and how followership shaped the interpretation and uptake of leadership intent over time. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory (Blau, 1964), Augmentation Theory (Bass, 1985), and Followership Theory (Riggio, 2014), the study reconceptualized leadership as a co-created process grounded in relational …

Role Of Dynamic Capabilities In Firms' Competitiveness And Performance In The Telecommunication Sector In The United States, John L. Kahi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Telecommunications firm leaders often struggle to integrate dynamic capabilities into their core business processes, thereby reducing competitiveness. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore how dynamic capabilities influence competitiveness and performance in U.S. telecommunications firms. Grounded in the dynamic capabilities view (DCV), the study addressed the overarching research question of how dynamic capabilities influence competitiveness and performance in telecommunications firms in the United States. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with six telecom and technology-sector leaders and analyzed using iterative coding and thematic analysis software. Four themes emerged: (a) continuous environment interpretation, (b) disciplined strategic commitment, (c) …

Toward A Neuroleadership Framework, Bryan G. Wood

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Neuroleadership is an emerging field that seeks to connect neural mechanisms, psychological processes, and leadership behaviors within organizational contexts. Despite continued scholarly interest, the literature remains conceptually fragmented and lacks a coherent framework for organizing its recurring themes and constructs. The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for neuroleadership through a quantitative analysis of records retrieved from the PsycINFO database and interpreted through qualitative synthesis. The findings revealed recurring themes related to core leadership processes, applied contexts, and associated outcomes while also indicating thematic convergence without full conceptual integration across the field. These patterns were organized …

Leadership Approaches In Music Administration: Intra And Interconnections Of Adaptive, Servant, And Transformational Leadership In Music Educators Transitioning To Administrative Roles, Joel Raynald Defayette

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Music educators who transitioned into administrative leadership roles brought a distinct set of pedagogical, interpersonal, and artistic leadership practices; however, these approaches were not always fully recognized or understood within broader educational leadership contexts. As leadership theory expanded across disciplines, a need emerged to examine how music educators’ leadership identities evolved as they moved from classroom instruction to administrative positions. This study addressed how leadership styles—particularly adaptive, servant, and transformational leadership—were experienced, interpreted, and enacted by music professionals who advanced into educational leadership roles. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore whether a dominant leadership style emerged …

Leadership Practices And Staff Well-Being In Psychiatric Emergency Services: The Impact Of Staff Morale And Burnout On Retention And Attrition, Shamagne N. Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workforce burnout, low morale, and high turnover are persistent challenges in psychiatric emergency services, where clinicians work in high-acuity environments. These conditions threaten workforce sustainability and continuity of crisis care. The problem addressed in this study was difficulty retaining staff within a nonprofit psychiatric emergency services organization due to burnout and morale erosion. The purpose of this study was to examine how leadership practices influence staff morale, burnout, and workforce retention at Psychiatric Emergency Stabilization Services X, located in New Jersey. The study was grounded in a qualitative conceptual framework informed by the Baldrige Excellence Framework. The study population included …

Exploring The Value Of International Research Experience For Leadership Development, Lisa Luken

Leadership Studies

The world has become more complex and interconnected, with challenges that span countries and disciplines. To navigate these challenges, individuals are needed who are equipped with skills and competencies to lead in cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary environments. These leadership skills and competencies can be developed through participation in experiential learning programs. However, the impact of international research-based programs remains unexplored. This is a qualitative, phenomenological study within a bounded case that explored the lived experiences of students who participated in an international graduate student research program from a leadership development perspective. Mezirow’s (1978a) transformative learning theory was utilized as a theoretical framework …

Servant Leadership And Student Achievement In High Schools: Graduation Rate And Regents Performance In Mathematics And English, Saida Rodriguez-Tabone

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative, correlational study examined how teachers’ and families’ perceptions of principals’ servant-leadership behaviors relate to student outcomes in New York City (NYC) public high schools. Guided by Greenleaf’s (1977) servant leadership theory, the study examined whether leadership grounded in purpose, empathy, and collaboration is associated with improved academic outcomes. Data were drawn from the 2022 NYC School Survey Reports for 122 schools across the five boroughs of NYC school district. Composite indices representing teacher- and family-perceived servant leadership served as predictors of three school level outcomes: 4-year graduation rate, Algebra I Regents proficiency, and English Language Arts (ELA) Regents …

Imposter Phenomenon And Leadership Effectiveness In Female Leaders: Exploring The Roles Of Intellectual Humility, Perfectionism, And Mentorship, Christina Clarke

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

First identified by Clance and Imes in 1978, Imposter Phenomenon describes a widespread psychological experience marked by persistent self-doubt, difficulties in accepting personal achievements, and a fear of being exposed as an unqualified "fraud" despite demonstrated competence. For over 45 years, most research on IP has primarily focused on its negative impacts, both personally and professionally, although limited recent studies have highlighted some positive aspects. While IP doesn’t differ amongst groups, most of the research and layman’s content on IP is associated with females. Drawing on empirical data that gender-diverse leadership outperforms homogeneous leadership teams, this research seeks to address …

5.4.1. Cultivating Cross-Generational Leadership, Shela Ammani Sullivan

Doctor of Leadership

Need Problem Opportunity (NPO) Statement

In the current corporate landscape, there is a lack of effective leadership models for the developing Millennial and Gen Z leaders.

Key Benefits from Research

Research and prototype testing yielded several key discoveries. While digital formats such as vlogs and ePlaybooks offer accessibility and relatability, the strongest outcomes emerged from in-person engagement. Stakeholders’ feedback emphasized the importance of relational depth, experiential learning, real-time feedback, and recommended digital supplements to enhance accessibility and reduce costs. These findings confirm that leadership development initiatives must integrate adaptability with relational practice to achieve sustainable and meaningful impact. The project …

Improving Evacuation Effectiveness On Cruise And Large Passenger Ships : An Analysis Of Human Factors, Safety Culture, And Behavioral Dynamics, Antonios Andreadakis

World Maritime University Ph.D. Dissertations

Maritime trade has long constituted a central pillar of economic development, supporting global commerce and cultural exchange. Nevertheless, the maritime environment is inherently hazardous and therefore the protection of human life has consistently constituted and will continue to remain a central priority (Casson, 1995). An instrumental turning point in maritime safety occurred after the sinking of Titanic in 1912, which prompted in 1914 an International Conference dedicated to the protection of human life at sea; which ultimately led to the adoption of the International Convention on Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) (Dalaklis, 2017). This Convention introduced internationally imposed safety …

Leading The Temporary Workforce: Leadership Communication And Adaptation Among Seasonal Employees, Alfred Kwabena Obiri

Theses and Dissertations

Seasonal employees constitute an essential yet understudied workforce sustaining organizational operations during peak demand periods across industries. Despite the growing organizational reliance on temporary employees, organizational communication studies have primary focused on permanent employees with extended socialization periods, leaving important questions about how leadership communication operates in compressed timeframes inadequately addressed. This qualitative study examined how leadership communication practices shape seasonal employees’ adaptation, belonging, and morale within the temporal constraints characteristic of temporary employment. Drawing on organizational socialization theory, leader-member exchange theory and cultural dimensions, this study employed semi-structured interviews with 19 seasonal employees across hospitality, camp, retail, and education …

Journeying Together: A Coaching Framework Empowering Voice And Transforming Teams, Kari Michele Kinard

Doctor of Leadership

To be seen, heard, and to have a voice are deeply human desires, regardless of where one finds oneself in the world. In the culturally and ethnically diverse Saharan nation, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (RIM), the capital, Nouakchott, serves as a central hub shaped by a strong Islamic identity, historical hierarchies, and long-standing foreign involvement in development efforts. These dynamics create both meaningful opportunities and real challenges for leadership practices across sectors.

Development efforts in RIM have long sought to strengthen communities through education, healthcare, and economic initiatives. While these efforts are well-intentioned, sustaining impact has remained a persistent …

A Contribution To Constructing A Theory And Model Of Social Work Leadership, Cheri Darlene Bilitz

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Few schools of social work provide formal leadership education and training for emerging social workers—the research topic under exploration was how social work leaders constructed their leadership style. The purpose of the study was to develop a model of social work leadership through understanding leaders’ journeys into leadership and the contextual factors that shaped their leadership. Participants shared the qualities they believed were paramount for leading today and into the future. Seeing schools of social work as leadership incubators for emerging social workers, participants shared their suggestions for scaffolded leadership curriculum. The methodological approach for this research study was constructivist …

Student Centered Approaches To Analyzing Engagement And Discourse, Kamil Hankour

Theses and Dissertations

Student engagement and participation in classroom discourse are widely recognized as powerful predictors of meaningful science learning, yet students’ own perspectives on the factors that shape their engagement and participation are currently underexamined. Prior research has established strong links between engagement, discourse and outcomes such as academic achievement (Bae & DeBusk-Lane, 2019; Fredricks et al., 2004; Sedova et al., 2019), but less is known about how students understand and interpret their experiences across individual, group-level and classroom contexts, particularly within historically marginalized populations (Cook-Sather, 2013; Schaefer et al., 2024). This three paper dissertation advances a line of inquiry integrating a …

Coaching-Based Leadership Communication In Higher Education Hybrid Work Environments, Lisa Erck

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how coaching-based leadership (CBL) communication practices were associated with participants’ perceptions of communication, collaboration, and engagement within a hybrid higher education work environment. Grounded in constructivist leadership theory (CLT), CBL, and action research (AR), the study explored how intentional shifts in leader communication behaviors influenced team interactions over time. Using a qualitative AR design, I partnered with a higher education administrative leader and their team in a hybrid setting. The participant group included the leader and their direct reports. Data were collected across iterative AR cycles through semistructured interviews, observational data, and participant reflection journals. Data analysis …

Faith-Based Leadership, Mckenna Hohenadel

Honors Program Theses

The thesis paper that follows centers on the concept of faith-based leadership and its impact on organizational outcomes. Leaders play a critical role in shaping not only the success of an organization but also the experiences and well-being of its employees. This research aims to explore the intersection of Christian faith and leadership, best displayed through three styles of leadership including servant leadership, transformational leadership, and spiritual leadership. The literature review covers these three styles and provides the background information for the empirical research. The empirical research concerns how faith-based leaders manage the relationship between their faith values, their leadership …

Strategies Leaders Use To Reduce Voluntary Attrition Among Employees With Access To Wellness Programs, Cara Murray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Voluntary employee attrition presents ongoing challenges for organizational leaders, particularly among employees whose workplace needs and preferences are unmet. The problem is that many leaders lack effective strategies to mitigate voluntary attrition, which negatively impacts productivity, morale, and overall organizational performance. Grounded in the job demands–resources model and wellness climate theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore strategies leaders used to reduce voluntary employee attrition among employees who have access to workplace wellness programs. The participants were six organizational leaders from mid-sized and public-sector organizations who successfully mitigated voluntary attrition. Data were collected through semistructured …