Digital Commons Network^™

Therapeutic Listening In Caring Relationships, Jennifer Mae Defoe

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Therapeutic listening is a proven and highly valuable tool used in professional, semi-formal, and formal caregiving relationships. The following work is a pilot project intended for use as a continuing education tool in the training of formal, yet unpaid, caregivers in a spiritual ministry serving in long-term, one-to-one relationships with a single care receiver. Methods used were derived from adult learning theory, small group communication theory, humanistic psychology, behavioral learning theory, social learning theory, symbolic interactionism, and interpersonal communication theory to name a few. Active listening and active learning strategies designed for adults are explored and utilized. The final project …

Expectancy Violations: Their Impact On Organizational Change Messages, Kristie Ward

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study looks at expectancy violation theory (Burgoon, 1978), the application of the theory in organizations, and foundational pieces of organizational communication to address how violations impact the reception of change messages among non-managers. Organizations grow and downsize for various reasons, including business performance and economic climate. Regardless of the reasons, downsizing is a hard message to deliver. It can matter little if it is to the employees who will be leaving the organization or to the „survivors‟ left behind. How the messages are delivered and understood are important for the organization to move their employees through change and move …

Endometriosis And Livejournal: How Women Use Social Media For Health Communication, Beena Gohil

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis examined how women who have or are affected by endometriosis use the social blogging site LiveJournal as a means of communicating about the disorder, and what gratifications they received in the process. The philosophical framework for this study stemmed from Martin Buber’s (1923/1958) work on “dialogic ethics.” The theory that grounded this study is a version of Uses and Gratifications theory that has been expanded so that it is applicable to social media. The data was gathered as part of a content analysis study in which blog posts and their comments were collected, coded, and analyzed. The results …

Multi-Generational Differences: Bridging The Gap, Leigh Mcmaster Bowes

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Today's business market is experiencing several trends such as organizational restructuring, corporate takeovers, changes in technology, mid-life career changes becoming more common, older employees choosing partial retirement rather than full retirement and the aging oftoday's largest workforce. As a result, the business community is faced with a new dynamic environment comprised ofmulti-generational difference and it is imperative that managers understand the generational differences and use their knowledge as a tool to create more employee productivity, innovation and loyalty (Fogg. 2009). This thesis used Constructive-Development Theory and Generational Cohort Theory to guide this research. Survey results concluded that managers did observe …

"Nothing Sacred": Ignatian Principles Of Heroic Leadership In Entertainment Media, John Briand Levesque

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The series Nothing Sacred lasted less than one full season on broadcast network television. Critically acclaimed for its writing but also vigorously opposed for having an anti-Catholic agenda, it embraced a set of values consistent with Ignatian leadership philosophy. Scholars paid little attention to the show after its cancellation in 1998, but an examination of several episodes and the writing of its co-creator, a Jesuit priest, suggests that the series propagated the principles of Ignatian leadership in much the same way as Lowney (2003), who proposed that the 16th-century philosophy of leadership espoused by Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit …

The Role Of Communication In Sustainable Development, Tracy Ging

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

As population growth accelerates, there are new strains on agricultural production and a growing consideration for sustainable development. Within the field of sustainable development, collective action models or collaborative processes have been favored as a way to engage multiple stakeholders and address complex issues. Collective and collaborative action studies have emphasized communication, but little specifics have been offered about the role of communication. Using a qualitative interview process and ethnographic analysis, this case study explores the role of communication in collaboration. In addition to developing insights into specific communication practices, the research reveals a significant emphasis on mutually supportive relationships …

Etymology, Contemporary Usage And Intercultural Implications Of The Word: Gringo, Jaren Scott

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis examines intercultural perceptions between Americans and Mexicans, and the etymology/implications of the term gringo. Whereas most investigations have focused on the Hispanic experience within the United States, this research asks participants to create a cultural casting of the typical gringo. Historical events combined with current academic literature in intercultural communication theory examine these stereotypes and their implications in a rapidly merging, or mutually integrating society, consisting of the United States and Mexico. The thesis surveys modern Mexican attitudes in regards to their North American neighbors with emphasis on Stella TingToomey’s identify negotiation and face theories. More importantly, the …

Reality Television And Its Effect On The Academic Achievement Of Inner-City High School Students, Natifia Mullings

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The impact of heavy television viewing and the effects it has on young viewers has been a dominant topic since the 1960s. With the ever-changing landscape of television programming, reality television has become increasingly popular, especially among the pre-teen and teen audiences. This study explores George Gerbner‘s Cultivation Theory (1998), which assumes that television has the ability to influence the attitudes and perceptions of its viewers, and uses it as a foundation to determine if there is an association between reality television consumption and the attitudes inner-city high school students have towards education. A total of 251 inner-city high school …

Communication Techniques: Promoting Corporate Social Responsibility, Laurie Beth Fried

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is increasingly important for businesses and their stakeholders. Successful communication ofa companies' CSR program remains a huge challenge. It is important for business leaders to understand how to build customer awareness of CSR efforts, and identify the factors that positively impact customers' beliefs and purchasing behavior, and thus the bottom line. Research for this study was both quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative analysis utilized data from a recent e-mail customer survey conducted by a national retailer. Top CSR Communicators were identified and then a qualitative analysis was applied with in-depth employee interviews. The results revealed that …

Employee Health In The 21st Century: An Investigation Of Exercise Incentives In Four Medium-Sized Western Australian Organisations, Troy Fuller

Theses

The first decade of the 21st century has shown how organisations are dynamic and turbulent. Many employees are time-poor, working longer and longer hours and are expected to be contactable 24/7, motivated and available to work. Research has shown that employee health is at great risk. Some organisations are now offering incentives for employees to exercise (‘exercise incentives’), and rigorous research was needed to understand and manage these incentives and support health.

The major research question in the study involved employees’ experience of exercise incentives in four medium-sized organisations in Western Australia. Four subsidiary questions provided detail as to the …

An Investigation Into The Neural Substrates Of Virtue To Determine The Key Place Of Virtues In Human Moral Development, Andrew P.J Mullins

Theses

Virtues, as described by Aristotle and Aquinas, are understood as dispositions of character to behave in habitual, specific, positive ways; virtue is a critical requirement for human flourishing. From the perspective of Aristotelian-Thomistic anthropology which offers an integrated vision of the material and the rational in the human person, I seek to identify the neural bases for the development and exercise of moral virtue. First I review current neuroscientific knowledge of the capacity of the brain to structure according to experience, to facilitate behaviours, to regulate emotional responses and support goal election. Then, having identified characteristics of moral virtue in …

Fruit And Vegetable Intake And Food Store Access: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study In Ypsilanti, Michigan, Jana A. Hirsch, Kausar J. Hafeez, Timothy B. Kaselitz, Jing K. Lu, Hanna N. Oltean, Paul D. Shea, Matthew J. Simpson, Silpa S. Thaivalappil, Lynda D. Lisabeth

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Given declines in supermarkets in Washtenaw County, Michigan (MI), we aim to characterize the relationship between food store access and fruit and vegetable intake in Ypsilanti, MI. A cross-sectional, convenience sample survey was conducted in March 2011 at the Ypsilanti District Library (n=83). Self-reported food store access, perceived food environment, and fruit and vegetable intake were assessed. Linear and logistic regressions were performed between store access, fruit and vegetable intake, and meeting dietary recommendations. Perception was evaluated for effect modification. Adjusting for demographics, each food store within one mile of participants’ homes increased odds of meeting recommended intake by 105% …

Geographical Information Systems Facilitate Child Lead Screening Efforts, Daniel Kruger, Lauren Shirey, Sherry Taylor

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Background: Children at the highest risk for lead poisoning are African American, living in families with low incomes, or are living in housing built prior to 1946. The Greater Flint Lead Safe Children Program (GFLSCP) was designed to increase the proportion of African Americans under 6 years of age who are tested for lead in a State-designated high risk area for childhood lead poisoning. Objective: We used Geographical Information Systems to create maps that facilitate program process and evaluation. Methods: We created maps of neighborhood outreach coverage and lead screening results. We identified areas with higher concentrations of African American …

Evaluating The Recidivism Rates For Parolees Enrolled In M-Coit, A Community Mental Health/ Substance Abuse Treatment Program, Pamela J. Walsh, David Atkinson

Michigan Journal of Public Health

This paper focuses on an evaluation of recidivism rates of parolees with severe and persistent mental illness enrolled in a mental health/ substance abuse treatment program (M-COIT) at a community mental health center in southeastern Michigan. The two partners in the study were a community mental health center located in a city bordering the southern part of Detroit and Eastern Michigan University located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The purpose of the study was to identify the recidivism rates and factors that affected these rates for parolees who participated in the M-COIT Program. This was a retrospective medical record review. The practical …

Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Awareness: An Innovative Participatory Intervention, Delbert M. Raymond, Tsu-Yin Wu, Mary J. Richard, Mary J. Mcdonagh

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Among American men and women, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer as well as the third leading cause of cancer death. The importance of CRC screening is supported by improved survival rates associated with early diagnosis. Despite these well known facts, half of eligible adults in the United States have not been tested. This paper reports on a novel intervention utilizing a uniquely designed community-based CRC education program to promote CRC awareness and increase participant’s intention to participate in CRC screening. Trained teams of oncology nurses worked with senior level nursing students who provided a two-tier …

Critical Analysis Of Hiv/Aids Communication Messages, Charli Marie Wilson

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

For the last thirty years HIV/AIDS has affected the lives of many people in the United States. Since the first introduction of the disease to America, healthcare officials have implemented several methods in various disciplines to prevent new cases. The information in this thesis examines how public health campaigns have contributed to the prevention of HIV. The research method in this thesis assumes a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of three HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns and how these media educate men who have sex with men (MSM) about prevention. The CDA method is useful in identifying consistent emerging themes in the campaigns …

Teleconferencing In Large Corporations, Thomas E. Howard

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Technology based communication tools in business represent an area that has been intensely researched. Of all the available tools, teleconferencing remains the most widely and frequently used in business communication. This case study explores whether teleconferencing is a useful communication tool for leadership to express objectives to the organization’s members. Philosophical assumptions in this paper are based on Aristotle’s components of rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos. Media Naturalness (Kock, 2004) and Social Presence Theory (Short & Williams, 1976) provide the theoretical basis for this paper. The study is based on qualitative data gathering and analysis surrounding the 3rd Quarter Organization-wide …

The Facebook Effect: Considering The Influence Of Facebook On The User's Sense Of Community, Stephanie Jo Hansen

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

A recent report on the impact of social media on children, adolescents and families cautioned that parents should now be concerned about Facebook Depression. This alleged new condition has been gaining popularity in social commentary regarding the effects of social networking websites, such as Facebook.com. Thus, it is critical that the potential effects of this social networking site be studied to counteract under-researched claims. This thesis focused on how the observable community construct created by Facebook may or may not have an effect on the user’s sense of community. Specifically, this paper used Walther’s Social Information Processing theory to explain …

Actor Skills In Managerial And Professional Development: Effective Leadership Training For The Information Age, David Hendrik De Vries

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The knowledge-based economies of today’s information age demand a higher level of communication skills in the workplace. One viable method of teaching communication skills leverages the techniques found in actor training. This thesis explores the use and effectiveness of actor training in the training and development of managers and professionals. The theories of Aristotle, Burke, Dewey and Ong are referenced to understand the value of the performance metaphor—“As a leader, you’re always onstage”—as an underlying approach, while the theories of Wiener, Watzlawick, Baxter, Ting Toomey and others reinforce the viability of actor training in the field of communication. A review …

President Barack Obama's Speech In Cairo: A Metaphor Analysis, George Ebimobowei Oti

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study investigates the metaphors embedded in President Barack Obama’s speech in Cairo, delivered on June 4, 2009. Mr.Obama delivered his speech at a time when the dissonance between the Muslim world and the West expanded. The rhetor’s motive was to arrest the increasingly compounded atmosphere of rapprochements between the two worlds. The study employed two philosophical foundations, Burkean identification- consubstantiation and Buber’s I-thou personality theory. The two philosophies promote the notion of humankind’s sharing of a bond. The study categorizes the deployment of metaphors into archetypal and transcendent metaphors; the results show that both types of metaphors serve a …

Incorporating Aspects Of The 'Emotional Intelligence' Theory To Tactical Fundraising Strategies For Non-Profit Organizations (Npo's) In Recessive Economic Times "Vision Of Hope: Fundraising In Recessive Economic Times", Marc Knutson

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The global economic picture over the past decade has created tough financial times for nations, individuals, and industry in general. With respect to organizations, there is no one single area more affected by devastating economic stress than non-profits. In economically prosperous times, philanthropists and other donors to non-profit organizations are open to, and regularly schedule, donations. However, as financial situations require belt-tightening and acute frugality, donations to non-profits are reconsidered. In light of the slumping economic times, I suggest that non-profit organizations, specifically those supporting laboratory research of debilitating diseases, review their fundraising strategies defining a differentiation strategy that sets …

What Impact Does Social Media Have On Knowledge Transfer?, Michael Walgren Showalter

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Knowledge management and knowledge transfer is vital to the long-term success of any organization. Social media is connecting people in a way never before possible. Previous research has concluded that knowledge transfer is more likely to take place between individuals in an organization who have built a relationship with each other. In parallel, social media is compared to Roger‟s Diffusion of Innovations Theory and his Technology of Acceptance Model. This thesis contains the results of focus groups conducted with engineers from an international aerospace corporation and examines the likelihood of knowledge transfer taking place based on social media relationships. This …

Bridging The Gap Between Academic And Practical Crisis Response Strategy Using A Public Risk Perception Model, Kyle Davidson

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

As risk is inherent in any profitable or viable business, it can be assumed that at some point an organization may face a crisis stemming from known or unknown risks. As such, it is important for organizations to understand how to respond to crises. Crisis communication really has one simple goal in mind: to minimize the effects of the crisis on the organization’s reputation. William Benoit’s “Image Restoration Theory” and Timothy Coombs’ “Situational Crisis Communication Theory” set a framework for how organizations can respond successfully in crisis situations. Yet much of the contemporary academic theory fails to translate from academic …

Gender Bias In Network News Reporting: Inaccurate Risk Information About Male And Female Birth Control, Krista Currer

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Pharmaceutical companies spend considerable amounts of revenue on advertising; therefore, media networks must portray an agenda which supports those companies. This thesis attempts to discover if and to what extent women are marginalized by the promotion of hormonal birth control. Particular focus is placed on the link between these drugs and breast cancer risk, as well as the existence of gendered messages. Framework for the study is established through Agenda-setting Theory and Marxist and feminist criticism. Media messages about birth control are then interpreted through content analysis. Only 9% of messages about female birth control mention the link with breast …

The Reconciliation Of Personal-Corporate Identity Conflicts By Evangelical Christian Workers, Michael E. Anderson

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Communication can be viewed as a negotiation of identity. In that negotiation it is inevitable that conflicts in identity will occur (Lederach, as cited in Stewart, 2006). When that conflict is between one’s personal identity and the corporate identity an organization asks, or even requires of that person, what processes are used to reconcile those differences? This question becomes even more salient in an organization utilizing a cultural style of organizational structure (Conrad & Poole, 2005). Cultural organizational structures are rooted in a belief that people, as emotional beings, need to feel connected to their work community. Understanding identity reconciliation …

The Corporate Social Network As An Internal Communication Medium: Employees' Perceptions Of Its Usefulness, Jeffrey Brady

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Social media have become important tools in the workplace, allowing employees to share ideas and participate in running the business. Most large corporations currently use a corporate social network for internal communication, with over 80% of Fortune 500 companies using the Yammer platform alone (Yammer, 2012). Deetz (1992, 2003) theorizes that this return to the ancient Greek concept of participation has the potential to improve corporate productivity—and ultimately, profitability.

This pilot study set out to better understand employees’ perceptions of social networks, and how they influence productivity and engagement. Twenty-one participants responded to an online survey on these topics. The …

The Role Of Communication And Listening In Leadership, Elinor Kay Van Engen

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

In our world today, leadership is important in many organizations. Leaders create the opportunity to develop relationships based on listening. Listening is a multidimensional construct that requires further integration within leadership studies. This study aimed to seek the validity of focusing on listening within the study of leadership. The research promotes the understanding of the verbal and nonverbal characteristics of the listening process that have the greatest ability to influence a person’s leadership potential, as well as examining what leadership characteristics can influence a person’s listening. Understanding these characteristics presents evidence that listening deserves the recognition to be studied as …

Communication In Engineering: Developing A Targeted Course, Krysta Nicole Kirsch

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

In many technical undergraduate programs, specifically engineering, focus is placed on developing the technical abilities of students. Little emphasis is placed on communication, to include verbal, written, and presentation skills. In a dynamic corporate world, technical students can be put at a disadvantage if they are not taught the importance of being able to communicate with a variety of demographics in varying contexts. Companies are looking for engineering graduates who have strengths in both arenas. To address this issue, a semester-long communication course for engineering majors has been developed. The foundation is in current research on communication apprehension, the communication …

The Use Of Mobile Phones For Development In Africa: Top-Down-Meets-Bottom-Up Partnering, Laura Hosman, Elizabeth Fife

Political Science

The African continent currently boasts the highest mobile telephony growth rates in the world, bringing new communications possibilities to millions of people. The potential for mobile phones to reach a large and growing base of users across the continent, and to be used for development-related purposes, is becoming widely recognized, evidenced by the growing number of development-oriented projects, applications, and programs that specifically make use of mobiles. Pent-up demand and limited resources have led to innovative usage and services being developed at the grassroots level. Yet much remains to be done by governments in order to support further growth of …

Mandibular Bone Mechanics And Evaluation Of Temporomandibular Joint Devices, Shirishkumar Marutirao Ingawale

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Knowledge of the mandibular and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) biomechanics is of importance in various clinical scenarios as it helps better understanding of the structure and function necessary to diagnose, prevent, and treat temporomandibular disorder (TMD). The objectives of this dissertation research were to characterize biomechanical behavior of cadaveric human mandible, and to design and analyze patient-specific total TMJ prostheses. We performed a combined experimental-numerical study to validate the finite element (FE) models of 16 cadaveric human mandibles by comparing strain gauge measurements with FE-predicted surface strains. Analysis of experimental data showed that strains at the condylar locations were significantly different …