Digital Commons Network^™

Sentinels And Entrepreneurs: Advocacy And Development In Brazil, Robin M. Wright

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

This article discusses, firstly, the significance of Sandy Davis’ activism for the international indigenous support movement from the 1970s through the late 1980s, and the strategies that were deployed during the global campaign in support of the Yanomami Indian Park. Secondly, it looks critically at some of the models of support for indigenous peoples being implemented in Brazil today, for the purpose of understanding what has changed in the ways indigenous support organizations develop partnerships with indigenous movements. What has changed in the way indigenous and indigenist organizations in Brazil understand their goals and the means for attaining them? What …

Chimes: November 11, 2011, Calvin College

Chimes

CTC produces gem by Abby Zwart

Shoebox blessings gathered by Andrew Steiner

Test standards revised by Marissa Beversluis

Rhinos transported to new home by Allison Schepers

Calvin artist debuts work at local venue, talks about trial and inspiration by Samantha Wade

Swim/dive teams prevail by Mark Zylstra

Sustainability Leader Competencies: A Grounded Theory Study, Pamela G. Schwalb

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this critical qualitative study was to develop a theory of the competencies of a sustainability leader, grounded in research. A sustainability leader is generally described as an individual who creates profit for his/her stakeholders, while protecting the environment and improving the lives of those for whom he/she impacts as a result of his/her leadership. Nearly 60 individuals familiar with sustainability were asked to characterize an effective leader of a sustainability initiative or a sustainability organization.

The study revealed there is more than one way to be a sustainability leader—different paths can result in decisions and actions that …

Southern Collegiate Leadership Conference Program 2011, Southern Collegiate Leadership Conference

Southern Collegiate Leadership Conference (2006-2019) (Archived)

Conference Program

The Parthenon, September 16, 2011, Kristin Steele

The Parthenon

The Parthenon, Marshall University’s student newspaper, is published by students Monday through Friday during the regular semester and weekly Thursday during the summer. The editorial staff is responsible for the news and the editorial content.

Promise And Possibility For Aspiring Principals: An Emerging Leadership Identity Through Learning To Do Action Research, Stella C. Batagiannis

The Qualitative Report

This case study explored the promise and possibility of doing action research both for aspiring principals engaged in such research and for professors using it as pedagogy for teaching educational leadership. The study of a class of graduate students aspiring to be principals had a constructivist theoretical framework. The research design consisted of three tiers: tier one: a reflective self-study by the professor evaluating the pedagogy of developing action research team projects; tier two: an analysis of the self-evaluations of the aspiring principals on the pedagogy of developing action research team projects and its effect on their learning; and tier …

A Profile Of Latina Leadership In The United States: Characteristics, Positive Influences, And Barriers., Damary M. Bonilla-Rodriguez

Education Doctoral

Latinas face obstacles achieving proportionate representation in significant leadership roles. This research aimed to identify characteristics unique to Latina leaders that represented shared values and beliefs of Latinas, and to understand positive factors and obstacles associated with Latina leadership in the United States. Survey responses from three hundred thirty-five Latinas and four interviewees from across the U.S. suggested that there are forty-three characteristics an effective Latina leader should possess. Four essential characteristics identified were: creative, good listener, optimistic/positive, and passionate. The forty-three characteristics were categorized into five groups of similar characteristics to synthesize what study participants believed were essential characteristics …

Formative Assessment: The Implementation Of Learnia And The Impact On Students' Proficiency Of The New Jersey Mathematics Standards, Nicole Santora

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research project was to afford teachers with data regarding their eighth grade students' current levels of proficiency on the New Jersey's mathematics standard. Through professional development, teachers were provided with the opportunity to use these data to create an instructional plan in which they could focus their instruction on the specific standards in which their students were not demonstrating proficiency. The data were collected through a comparison of student performance on the pre-assessment and post-assessment of the standards, interviews, questionnaires, and a leadership attribute survey. The first conclusion was that a formative assessment program had …

As-729-11 Resolution On Proposed New Degree Program: Bachelor Of Science In Agricultural Communication, Agricultural Education And Communication Department

Academic Senate Resolutions

Approves the proposed Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communication program.

Daily Announcements May 2011, Wofford College. Office Of Marketing And Communications

Communications Office Daily Announcements

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Peer Leadership Competencies And Skills, John P. Baker

Dissertations

A significant leadership challenge exists while leading others without legitimate or formal authority. Leading without legitimate authority may require different and limited leadership skills and competencies, especially when leading peers. This quantitative study analyzed the leader competencies and skills needed for effective peer leadership.
A literature review identified four competencies cited frequently as important: (a) communication; (b) support; (c) mental/hard work ethic; and (d) reflection/feedback. Analysis of an ROTC leadership assessment database provided convergent validity for the literature review while adding one additional competency, physical. The lack of existing instruments measuring peer leadership competencies and skills necessitated the development of …

A Dynamic Network Analysis Of Vision In Complex Organizations, Jon Christiansen

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to model the role of vision in a complex organization and the roles that agents, tasks, knowledge, roles, resources and beliefs play. For this purpose, an investigation into the current structure of this model is conducted. Additionally, this study sought to develop a better understanding of how agent's individual vision and beliefs about the organizational vision can be influenced over time. This purpose sought to identify the evolution of vision, therefore, required a method that simulates how these entities change over time. Dynamic Network Analysis was utilized to capture an understanding of the existing …

Self-Monitoring Personality At Work Revisited: A Comparative Meta-Analysis, Michael P. Wilmot

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The validity of self-monitoring personality in work and organizational settings was reexamined. Comparative meta-analyses using both random-effects and fixed-effects models were conducted (349 total samples; N = 75,811) to test the relationship between self-monitoring personality and work-related and demographic correlates, as well as the reliability of the self-monitoring measures. Contributions were made to the literatures of self-monitoring and meta-analysis. Self-monitoring: Results indicated that self-monitoring related to a number of relevant organizational outcomes, including job effectiveness and success, leadership, and ingratiation. Some results ran contrary to the prior meta-analysis (Day, Shleicher, Unckless, & Hiller, 2002). Meaningful differences were found between the …

Toward A Functional Followers’ Model In The Organizational Leadership Process, John Ekundayo

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

There are many researchers and practitioners who have at various times and situations defined the term leadership to suit their whims and caprices. A popular scholar in the field of management and leadership opined that “there are almost as many different definitions of leadership as there are persons who have attempted to define the concept” (Bass, 1981, p. 11). There is no gainsaying the fact that in organizations, leadership plays a vital role almost on a daily basis. It is perhaps based on this premise that makes many practitioners and scholars to focus more on leaders when discussing or writing …

The Leadership Practice Of Museum Educators, Tina R. Nolan

Dissertations

This grounded theory study is an examination of the culture, context, conditions and competencies of a set of six museum educators from a large city in the United States. Participants were education department leaders from a variety of museum types, including: A science museum, an ethnic arts museum, a settlement house museum, a children‘s museum, an aquarium, and a zoo. An analysis of data points to an emerging framework that codifies particular leadership settings and domains of practice for leaders of museum educators. An array of data collections were employed in the study, including: Semi-structured interviews, unstructured observations, written reflections …

Shared Leadership As A Function Of Role Assignment And Task Difficulty In A Distributed Computer Game, Alexandra Proaps

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The use of computer game based architectures may help provide a safe, controlled environment in which geographically dispersed military units can develop leadership skills while rehearsing a specific task such as search and rescue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among task difficulty, team task performance, role assignment and emergent leadership within a shared leadership model using a modified version of the popular video game, Half Life 2 ™. The researcher assessed leadership emergence through verbal content analysis methods that have only been employed in email and message boards media formats. Across levels of task difficulty …

Understanding The Context Of Balanced Scorecard Implementation: A Hospital-Based Case Study In Pakistan., F Rabbani, Sabrina Nh Lalji, Farhat Abbas, Sm Wasim Jafri, Junaid A. Razzak, Naheed Nabi, Firdous Jahan, Agha Ajmal, Max Petzold, Mats Brommels, Goran Tomson

Section of Urology

Background: As a response to a changing operating environment, healthcare administrators are implementing modern management tools in their organizations. The balanced scorecard (BSC) is considered a viable tool in high-income countries to improve hospital performance. The BSC has not been applied to hospital settings in low-income countries nor has the context for implementation been examined. This study explored contextual perspectives in relation to BSC implementation in a Pakistani hospital. Methods: Four clinical units of this hospital were involved in the BSC implementation based on their willingness to participate. Implementation included sensitization of units towards the BSC, developing specialty specific BSCs …

Nonlinear Dynamical Systems Applications To Psychology And Management, Stephen J. Guastello

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Spiritual Leadership On Unit Performance [Retracted], Louis W. Fry, Sean T. Hannah, Michael Noel, Fred O. Walumbwa

United States Army: Publications

Issues regarding workplace spirituality have received increased attention in the organizational sciences. The implications of workplace spirituality for leadership theory, research, and practice make this a fast growing area of new research and inquiry by scholars. The purpose of this research was to test a dynamic relationship between spiritual leadership and spiritual wellbeing (i.e., a sense of calling and membership), and key organizational outcomes in a sample of emerging military leaders. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), results revealed a positive and significant relationship between spiritual leadership and several unit-level outcomes, including organizational commitment and four measures of performance. These relationships …

Virtual Teams And Their Leaders: A Paradigm On Achieving Learning Agility, Laurie Pearson

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

This paper provides a brief historical background on the redefinitions of school leadership preparation programs in a particular state (Illinois) in the United States. The paper chronicles the collaborations, challenges, and accomplishments of a professional organization, from the period of 2001 to 2010. Set in the context of concerns about school leadership preparation at the national level, the paper focuses principally on the work of the Illinois Council of Professors of Educational Administration (ICPEA) as it engaged with multiple stakeholders at university and state levels to strengthen school leadership preparation.

A Commentary About The Black And Latino Doctoral Experience In The United States, Pamela Felder, Milagros Castillo

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The Central Educational Center is a product of multiple visions, desires, and hopes. The ideal vision is outlined in a book entitled “The Eden Conspiracy” (Harless, 1997). Other perspectives include a requirement from local business that basic skills of high school graduates need to be rapidly improved, the desire of a growing local school system to provide costly industry-standard career-technical education to all high school students, the vision of a regional technical college to “dual enroll” high school students and make technical college a viable post-secondary option, and the hopes of a Governor looking for a viable model to support …

Leadership Traits, Tools, And Practices: Decision Making In A Crisis, Linda M. Murawski

Ed.D. Dissertations

Crises often present complex, uncertain, and unstable situations where routine decision making is not enough. Crises are typically unpredictable yet leaders must prepare to make decisions using a variety of traits, tools and practices. While all leadership is dependent on many factors and subject to many variables, in a crisis, those variables are magnified. Effective decision making during a crisis is a key trait of crisis leaders and is developed over time and with practice.

Using the classic Delphi Technique, the researcher obtained qualitative data from experts in crisis management concerning (a) the difference between non-crisis and crisis decision making, …

The Role Of International Education In California Community Colleges: Perspectives Of College Leaders, Claudia M. Acosta

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years government and businesses have stressed the need of increasing the number of workers in the U.S. who can effectively interact with interests on an international level. As a result, various actions have been taken toward advancing international education in higher education in California. As stated by the California Education Code, established in 1999 ("California Community Colleges," n.d.), one of the primary missions of community colleges is to advance California's economic growth and global competitiveness through education. International education contributes to the state's economy and to a diverse college environment, and enhances both academic and curricular programs. However, …

A Phenomenological Study Of Competing Priorities And African American Women Striving To Achieve Work-Life Balance, Gayle Colston Barge

Theses and Dissertations

Organizations must address a myriad of issues from diversity initiatives to ensuring that work-life programs are responsive to the needs of its fastest growing segment--women of color of which African American women are the largest minority group. Despite the significance of their presence, research to date on the topic of work-life balance and family issues is based primarily on the experiences of middle-class white women. All women struggle with issues related to work-life conflict. Missing from this dialogue are the voices of African American women. Despite evidence that work is a significant domain in their lives, researchers have limited information …

Exploration Of The Project Management Practitioner's Emotional Intelligence Competencies, Linda A. Hooper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The success rate of information technology projects is on a downward trend, with reported losses in the billions of dollars. Recent studies indicate a 50--56% project success rate based on quality, budget, and on-time criteria. Building upon the conceptual framework of the emotional intelligence and knowledge management theories, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how project management practitioners apply self- and cultural-awareness competencies to affect project outcomes. Using a purposeful sampling method, 24 experienced U.S.-based project management practitioners participated in a web-based questionnaire. Following Giorgi's data reduction process resulted in numeric data coding. Thematic analysis revealed themes …

Emergent Leadership In Virtual Work Teams, Natalie Learned

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This dual method (quantitative and qualitative) study sought to discover the perceptions of leadership in virtual work teams. The ability to communicate among team members, in this environment, becomes increasingly difficult. Specifically, this study analyzed emergent leadership characteristics, as identified by participants, in a virtual work environment. The philosophical framework for this study is based on Boster’s (2006) concept “communication results in social influence.” This study is grounded in the theoretical work of Walther’s (1992) Social Information Processing CMC model, and Graen and Uhl-Bien’s (1995) relationship-based LMX model. The data obtained for this study was achieved through a survey of …

A Psychometric Analysis Of The Leader Resilience Profile©, Pamela E. Paustian

All ETDs from UAB

This study assesses the validity and reliability of the Leader Resilience Profile (LRP©), a quantitative survey instrument designed to measure the strength of multiple dimensions of resilience typically evident in leaders. Although content of the LRP© was initially tested for construct validity by a panel of experts, reliability and internal validity were not tested. The current research uses data gathered in a cross-sectional survey to analyze the individual instrument items and the instrument as a whole for internal consistency, validity, and reliability utilizing exploratory factor analysis. The study sample consisted of 327 LRP© surveys completed from January 2011 through August …

School Based Management In Colorado Public Schools: The Impact Of Administrative Decision Making On The Achievement Of Low-Socio Economic And Minority Students, Belinda A. Lujan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

One of the most popular reform initiatives of the 20th century was the decentralization of administrative services and decision making in public schools. The implementation of site-based decision making (SBDM) or school-based management (SBM) was an effort to delegate decision making authority to the schools sites. The hope was that those working closest to the students would be able to make the best decision to improve student achievement. As popular as this reform effort became, over the years there has not been much research to measure its direct impact on student learning and achievement especially for minority and low-socio economic …

A Descriptive Study Of The Factors That Prevent Principal Candidates From Advancement To The Principal Position, Robyn Regina Witcher

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the perceived barriers to the principalship by prepared principal candidates as a means of understanding why some candidates are unsuccessful in acquiring a principalship. The use of a questionnaire, interviews, and reflection postcards served as the data collection methods concerning their lack of success in achieving a principal position. Portraitures were used to illuminate the journey of these candidates as they completed the necessary requirements, developed the skill vital to becoming a principal, and interviewed for prospective openings.

The findings revealed that the barrier to the principalship for these candidates is their own lack of awareness …

Enough Hope To Spare: The Transformative Experience Of Birth Parents As Leaders In Child Welfare, Nicole R. Bossard

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explores the transformative experience from client and service recipient to collaborative leader and partner in child welfare. Rather than expanding on existing literature that examines the nature and quality of the client experience from a service or customer satisfaction perspective, this study reflects the lived experiences of "real, bonafide" birth parent leaders in child welfare systems in the State of Kansas, several counties in Washington state, and Contra Costa County, California. The goal of the study is to illuminate the journey from clienthood to leadership as experienced by the nine birth parent leaders in the study through research …