Digital Commons Network^™

A Framework For Resilience-Based Governance Of Social-Ecological Systems, Ahjond S. Garmestani, Melinda Harm Benson

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Panarchy provides a heuristic to characterize the cross-scale dynamics of social-ecological systems and a framework for how governance institutions should behave to be compatible with the ecosystems they manage. Managing for resilience will likely require reform of law to account for the dynamics of social-ecological systems and achieve a substantive mandate that accommodates the need for adaptation. In this paper, we suggest expansive legal reform by identifying the principles of reflexive law as a possible mechanism for achieving a shift to resilience-based governance and leveraging cross-scale dynamics to provide resilience-based responses to increasingly challenging environmental conditions.

Perceptions Of Innovations: An Examination Of South Carolina Superintendents, Alfred Lamont Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of South Carolina public school superintendents regarding individual and organizational attitudes toward innovation. Specific characteristics of South Carolina public school superintendents and public school districts, including enrollment, poverty level, school report card grades, age, gender, and years of experience, were analyzed to determine individual superintendents' and their school districts' orientations toward innovation. The findings have the potential to provide much-needed guidance to superintendents in training so that they may be better equipped to meet the challenge of school reform and innovation in relation to student achievement. In addition, the study …

Drawing The Line: Student Reassignment Policies In South Carolina, Naomi Rachel Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the complex nature of student reassignment plans developed between 2006 and 2008 in three South Carolina school districts: York School District 3, Dorchester School District 2, and Greenville School District. The study is guided by the following research question: How are the district policies for student reassignment understood through the lens of institutional and organizational theories? To answer this question this research draws on Institutional Theory (both old and new) to develop a comprehensive model that specifically addresses the strategies a district uses to create a plan that responds to the demographic and political pressures exerted on …

Delivery System Capacities For Recovery-Oriented System Of Care (Rosc) For Substance Abuse Disorders: An Examination Of Organizational Readiness, Jonathan Peter Scaccia

Theses and Dissertations

Adopting and implementing a Recovery-Oriented System of Care (ROSC) (innovation) requires that organizations have recovery-specific systems and features (capacities) in place. Organizations, however, may requires more than specific capacities, they require the motivation to put recovery-based innovations into place. This thesis reviews the literature to examine which capacities have been identified as integral to providing recovery-oriented services within a ROSC. Surveys were distributed electronically to delivery and support staff at organizations that provide substance abuse services under the jurisdiction of the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to examine how these …

A Pilot Intervention To Engage Nurses To Lead Transformation Of The Workplace, Molly Patton

Theses and Dissertations

The often toxic work environment in which nurses practice contributes to decreased well-being, job dissatisfaction, and poor retention rates, while negatively impacting quality and patient safety. Most leadership programs and resources target nurses in formal leadership positions and are exclusive of the bedside nurse. The purpose of this research utilization project was to determine immediate and short-term outcomes of an educational leadership workshop for nurses, including intent to change the work environment and subsequent action to change the work environment. The goal was to develop, deliver, and evaluate an evidence-based educational intervention to empower nurses at all levels of care …

Readiness For Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports (Pbis) And School Mental Health (Smh) Interconnection: Development Of A Stakeholder Survey, Vittoria Anello

Theses and Dissertations

Positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) and school mental health (SMH) are prominent initiatives in the United States to improve student behavior and promote mental health and wellness, led by education and mental health systems, respectively. Unfortunately, PBIS and SMH are often separate initiatives in districts and schools, which usually results in many missed opportunities from this failed interconnection. The current paper details a necessary first step in the process by describing the development of a measure of assessing readiness to interconnect PBIS and SMH within the schools. Relevant literature, pilot data, and methodology are discussed, in addition to psychometric …

Is Openness To Using Empirically Supported Treatments Related To Organizational Culture And Climate?, David A. Patterson Silver Wolf (Adelv Unegv Waya) Phd, Catherine N. Dulmus Phd, Eugene Maguin Phd

Brown School Faculty Publications

An established literature indicates that organizational factors such as culture and climate can impede the implementation of empirically supported treatments (ESTs) in real world practice. What remains unclear is whether certain worker attitudes create barriers to implementing ESTs and how these attitudes might impact the working culture and climate within an organization. The overall purpose of this study is to investigate workers’ openness towards implementing a new EST and whether the workers’ openness scores relate to their workplace culture and climate scores. Participants in this study (N=1273) worked in a total of 55 different programs in a large child and …

Working For A Higher Purpose: A Theoretical Framework For Commitment To Organization-Sponsored Causes, John B. Bingham, Bret W. Mitchell, Derron G. Bishop, Natalie J. Allen

Faculty Publications

We explicate the theoretical foundations of employee commitment to organization-sponsored causes—voluntary, socially responsible practices or programs espoused by an organization—as targets of employee commitment. Although scholarly interest in organization-sponsored causes is increasing, little is understood about the mechanisms for employee involvement in organization-sponsored causes, since the motives and context for participation may differ significantly from participation in such causes outside of work. We propose that commitment to organization-sponsored causes can be conceptualized in terms of affective and normative mindsets and suggest that these mindsets, both separately and in combination, influence employees' behavioral support for the cause. We also draw upon …

Taking Nonprofits At Their Word: The Role Of Conflict Over Mission In Organizational Change And Response To Environmental Pressures, David Gregory Berlan

Public Administration - Dissertations

Central to any nonprofit is a mission; a defining purpose and set of values that provide its exempt purpose, differentiate it and motivate action by the organization and others on its behalf. Even the most formal and established mission is subject to redefinition, interpretation and different ideas over achieving it. This dissertation addresses the question of what role these interpretations of mission play in the processes by which nonprofits change, not just mission but also leadership, strategy and structure. Two distinct theoretical models are examined for fit with empirical results: (1) change processes as a response to external pressure moderated …

Perceptions Of Leadership Styles And Job Satisfaction In A Sample Of High School Athletic Directors In The United States, Colin J. Turey

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined how athletic directors perceive their leadership roles in interscholastic athletics and the relationship of their leadership styles to their job satisfaction. The conceptual framework of this study was Bass and Avolio’s (1994) full range leadership model, also known as the transformational-transactional leadership model, which consists of 9 factors—5 transformational behaviors: idealized influence (attributed), idealized influence (behavior), inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration; 2 transactional behaviors: contingent reward and management-by-exception (active); 2 passive/avoidant behaviors: management-by-exception (passive) and laissez-faire. These 9 factors are measured by the Multi-Factor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). The study was also informed by …

Professional Learning Communities And Collaborative Teams: Tools To Jump-Start The Learning Outcomes Assessment Process, Sharon Sandeen

Faculty Scholarship

The legal community has talked for years about proposed changes to the American Bar Association's (ABA) standards for the accreditation of law schools to include some form of learning outcomes assessment (LOA).' Although it is still unclear if and when comprehensive new standards will take effect and, more importantly, when law schools will be required to fully implement LOA processes, it is never too early to help law students meet their full potential since the essential purpose of LOA is to improve student learning. Moreover, current ABA Standard 203 (Strategic Planning and Assessment) requires law schools to regularly assess their …

Youth Treatment Adherence At A Rural Community Mental-Health Clinic, Asma S. Ali

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined the relationships between youth and adult psychopathology, and sociodemographic factors and treatment adherence for youth attending outpatient treatment at a rural community mental-health clinic. “Adherence” was defined as attending more than five sessions, while “non-adherence” was defined as attending fewer than or equal to five sessions. Results revealed no significant differences between youth adhering or not adhering to treatment depending on the relation of caregiver to youth or the mode of transportation taken to the clinic. Furthermore, caregiver and youth psychopathology and caregiver’s estimated travel time to the clinic did not predict treatment adherence. Incidentally, examination of …

Jour 7100/8100: Entrepreneurial Journalism (Syllabus), Carrie Brown-Smith

Journalism and Strategic Media Syllabi Archive

Course Description: This course will examine business models and new media tools that can encourage entrepreneurial thinking and planning in various fields of mass communication, as well as the theory and practices of traditional media management. Subjects will include environment assessment, organization and strategy, budgeting, decision-making, and other functions in advertising, news, and public relations.

A Mixed-Methods Approach To Examining The Memphis Crisis Intervention Team (Cit) Model: An Exploratory Study Of Program Effectiveness And Institutionalization Processes, Megan Magers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study utilized a mixed-methods strategy to examine the effectiveness, diffusion, and institutionalization of the Memphis Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model. To evaluate the effectiveness of the training component of the CIT model, a panel research design was employed in which a sample of 179 law enforcement officers and 100 correctional officers in nine Florida counties were surveyed on the first day of training (pretest), the last day of training (posttest), and one month following their completion of CIT training (follow-up). These surveys measured the extent to which CIT training achieved several officer-level objectives, including increased knowledge of mental …

Senior-Level School District Administrators' Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of A Florida Preparing New Principals Program, Eddie Ruiz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine and measure Preparing New Principals Program completers and their readiness to meet the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards. This study was also conducted to identify the Florida Principal Leadership Standards that senior-level school district administrators identified as the most beneficial to future principals in improving student achievement despite increased accountability within the state. A group of 40 senior-level school district administrators who served on the superintendent’s cabinet between 2008 and 2011 were sent a perceptual survey regarding the Preparing New Principals Program and the Florida Principal Leadership Standards. Survey participants had the …

The Third Sector Is Missing, Roger A. Lohmann

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This article offers a detailed critique of Antonin Wagner's (2012) discussion of market, state and the intermediate institutions of civil society. It was one of 7-8 articles critiquing Wagner's previously published piece. It is argued that Wagner's perspective dissolves the third sector into a set of phenomena subordinate to markets and states; that the third sector essentially dissolves into market and state components. The article also offers an outline for a broader, multi-faceted third sector.

The Social Intelligence Of Principals: Links To Teachers' Continuous Improvement, Joan Mcquade

Educational Studies Dissertations

Despite multiple efforts to reform 21st education to better meet the needs of all students, school improvement successes have been sporadic and debatable. Research suggests that significant improvement lies within the purview of teachers and principals, and this current research provided the underpinnings for the study. Based on neuroscience research and the continuous improvement concept, I examined linkages between principals' social intelligence and teachers' continuous improvement. Using a mixed method sequential explanatory research approach, the study consisted of four phases that employed both quantitative and qualitative measures. Massachusetts' principals (127) and teachers (331) were contacted by email to participate in …

Climatequal® And Thinklets: Using Climatequal® With Group Support Systems To Facilitate Discussion And Set Priorities For Organizational Change At Criss Library, Audrey Defrank, Nora Hillyer

Criss Library Faculty Publications

Objective – This article discusses a series of actions taken by the Criss Library at the University of Nebraska at Omaha to implement organizational change, using the ClimateQUAL® survey and facilitated discussions with ThinkTank™ group decision software. The library had experienced significant changes over a five-year period, with a renovation of the facility and three reorganizations resulting in a 50% staff turnover. Recognizing the strain that years of construction and personnel changes had placed on the organization, there was a desire to uncover the mood of the employees and reveal the issues behind low morale, uneasiness, and fear.

Methods – …

Acdc Program Review Self Study 2013, Uno Academic & Career Development Center

Student Learning

The Academic & Career Development Center (ACDC) would like to thank the members of the Program Review Committee for examining and evaluating the services provided by ACDC. Your time and thoughtful consideration is appreciated. Your insights, suggestions and recommendations will be used to improve the career services offered to University of Nebraska at Omaha students and alumni. Also, a special thank you to Dr. Daniel Shipp for his guidance and support in writing this report. The recommendations listed below are listed in priority order.

Social Networks, Individual Orientations, And Employee Innovation Outcomes: A Multi-Theoretical Perspective, Travis J. Grosser

Theses and Dissertations--Management

I examine individual innovation in organizations from a social network perspective. I employ two theoretical lenses to examine innovation outcomes in three separate empirical studies. First, I use a sociopolitical framework to examine how political skill and social network structure interact to predict successful innovation initiation and, ultimately, career success. I find that innovation initiation mediates the relationship between political skill and career success. Moreover, structural holes in employees’ social networks moderate the mediated relationship between political skill and career success such that the relationship is stronger for employees with many structural holes in their social network. Second, I use …

Employing Quality Management Principles To Improve The Performance Of Educational Systems: An Empirical Study Of The Effect Of Iso 9001 Standard On Teachers And Administrators Performance In The Indonesian Vocational Education System, Andreas Kuncoro

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ISO 9001 has been world widely implemented in both manufacturing and service organizations. A lot of studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of ISO 9001 implementation on the performance of these organizations. Most of these studies show that ISO 9001 implementation realized positive operational improvements and financial success. Building on the merits of successful implementation of ISO 9001 quality management system in manufacturing and service, educational institutions have been attempted to adopt it in their operations. Even though there are studies relating ISO implementation to education, no research has been done to investigate the effects of ISO 9001 …

A Framework For Measuring The Value-Added Of Knowledge Processes With Analysis Of Process Interactions And Dynamics, Jose Cintron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The most known and widely used methods use cash flows and tangible assets to measure the impact of investments in the organization’s outputs. But in the last decade many newer organizations whose outputs are heavily dependent on information technology utilize knowledge as their main asset. These organizations’ market values lie on the knowledge of its employees and their technological capabilities. In the current technology-based business landscape the value added by assets utilized for generation of outputs cannot be appropriately measured and managed without considering the role that intangible assets and knowledge play in executing processes. The analysis of processes for …

Increasing Supervisors' Confidence In The Assessment Of Students' Religious And Spiritual Diversity Competence, Heather M. Ambroson

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Since the 1980s, there has been a movement towards using a competency-based approach as a way to measure and evaluate the progress of students and trainees in professional psychology. A core competency that has been defined is individual and cultural diversity, which includes the areas of religious and spiritual diversity. Research has shown that the primary way graduate students learn about religious and spiritual diversity is through clinical experiences, especially supervision (Vogel, McMinn, Peterson, & Gathercoal, in press Worthington et al., 2009). Therefore, it is important for supervisors to be aware of the expected knowledge, skills and attitudes students should …

Virtually Speaking: How Digital Storytelling Can Facilitate Organizational Learning, Matthew Millitello, Francisco Guajardo

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

Digital storytelling can be used as a tool in participatory action research. An organization developed to enhance teaching and learning in high schools used this method as a way to collect narratives from the rural community it served. The staff and students who participated in digital storytelling became researchers focused on the personal narrative. Digital storytelling was used to give voice to community members and also to explain policy initiatives that directly affected the community. Digital storytelling was a way for the organization to engage its members in a way that would benefit all stakeholders.

Examining Generational Differences Across Organizational Factors That Relate To Turnover, Kimberly Asuncion

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Turnover continues to pose a problem for all organizations across industries. This study examines the complex nature of turnover, by examining the relationship of turnover intentions with perceptions of distributive justice, procedural justice, growth opportunities, and recognition across age groups. Age groups will be used as a proxy for generational cohort membership. Results of the study confirm previous research that generational differences do exist; however, those differences are fairly small. Perceptions of distributive justice, procedural justice, growth opportunities, and recognition were found to be significant predictors of turnover intentions regardless of the age group.

Closeness And Conflict In Schools: Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis) And Teacher Perception Of Student Behavior And Student-Teacher Rapport, Christopher James Cochran

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study measured elementary teachers' perceptions regarding the fidelity to which PBIS has been implemented in their school, and the impact that PBIS has had on student behavior and student-teacher rapport. Participant responses (N=175) were analyzed using correlation, regression, t-test, and ANOVA. Demographic variables included teacher gender, current grade taught, Title I/non-Title I school placement, years of teaching experience, years of PBIS implementation, and teacher perception of PBIS implementation fidelity. The primary focus of this study was to compare teachers' perception of the impact PBIS has on student behavior and the impact PBIS has on student-teacher rapport. The study's primary …

Religious/Spiritual Beliefs And Practices Of Asian/Asian American Mental Health Professionals & Students And The Impact On Treatment, Georgia Yu

Theses and Dissertations

Religion and spirituality is often an overlooked feature of culture and diversity. Robust research suggests that that religion and spiritual beliefs and practices of clinicians and clients can influence the treatment process and provide benefits to overall mental health and psychological well-being. This dissertation study provides an overview of the religious and spiritual beliefs, practices, and affiliations of psychologists compared to the general population. A specific focus is placed on that of mental health professionals and students of Asian and Asian-American descent, particularly given the religious and spiritual diversity among this ethnic group. Despite nearly 3 decades of research among …

Effects Of Improvisation Techniques In Leadership Development, Farnaz Tabaee

Theses and Dissertations

Studies show that improvisation in leadership decision making is on the rise, and it transpires in organizations 75-90% of the time, yet very little research has explored this skillset. No other leadership skillset that is applied two thirds of the time has ever been so underdeveloped. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a pilot workshop applying a Holistic Improvisational Leadership Model as developed by the researcher and based on the latest improvisation research. The study employed a mixed methods design to gather qualitative and quantitative data for a descriptive evaluation of the pilot training workshop. …

"Doing It The Right Way" A Qualitative Study Of The Development Of Corporate Social Responsibility Among U.S. Fortune 500 Global Companies, Denise D. Berger

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, phenomenological study provides a detailed look at corporate social responsibility (CSR) among selected U.S. Fortune 500 global corporations that show evidence of advanced stages of CSR development, herein referred to as itCSR. While CSR broadly conveys business' role in society, itCSR is a construct meant to indicate business' ideal contribution in society that epitomizes meaningful triple bottom line (TBL) impact. Using the Global Leadership Network Framework of business strategy, leadership, operational excellence, and engaged learning, this research explored what motivates executives to develop itCSR and the success strategies for instituting itCSR practices at America's largest publicly-traded multinational corporations …

Best Practices In Integrating Acquisitions, Suzanne Dickinson

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined six people-integration best practices during mergers and acquisitions (M&As): cultural due diligence, cultural integration, integration planning, integration managers and teams, communication practices, and leadership support. Interviews were conducted with 12 individuals who played key roles in M&As. The study findings supported the use of all the best practices with the exception of cultural due diligence and integration managers. Recommendations of this study are to perform cultural exploration, implement the best practices validated by the study, and hold leaders accountable for supporting the M&A effort. Recommendations for research include examining the impact of external factors on M&A success …