Digital Commons Network^™

Getting Thrown Under The Bus: The Impact Of Destructive Narcissistic Management On Group Sensemaking, Russell Allen Royston

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Despite the vast research and scholarship on leaders with narcissistic traits and tendencies, little research has focused on the impact these leaders have on group communication. This thesis uses an ethnographic research methodology to explore a group under destructive narcissistic management. Karl Weick’s (1995) theory of organizational sensemaking is used to examine the affected group’s communication. The study was conducted from a phenomenological perspective of the group’s lived experience. Kierkegaard’s theory of communication is also applied to learn how the group made sense of was happening to them during a period of substantial change (Anderson, 1963). The results show that …

Patient-Centered Medical Homes: An Analysis Of The Effects Of Practice Capabilities On Costs, Mary Temm

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH) practice capabilities and costs. Complexity science theory was used to develop a theoretical framework to address three primary and twelve secondary hypotheses. Secondary data from a consortium of physician organizations participating in Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's Physician Group Incentive Program and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's administrative claims data were used to test hypothesized relationships using fixed effects panel regression models. It was found that higher levels of aggregated PCMH practice capabilities were negatively associated with certain costs, specifically average readmission costs. …

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: A New Approach To The Reasonable And Bona Fide Expenditure Defense, Elizabeth S. Shingler

Brooklyn Journal of Corporate, Financial & Commercial Law

No abstract provided.

Ay 2013/2014 Sec Meeting Minutes, 2013-10-30, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Archives

No abstract provided.

Key To Effective Leadership Development For Western Multinational Companies In Japan In The Eye Of The Beholder, Yoshiharu Matsui

Theses and Dissertations

In today's global, dynamic, and uncertain business environments, the need for developing leaders and managerial talent throughout the organization is increasingly evident, especially for multinational companies. While the important role of job assignment for leadership and managerial development has been well recognized, there is no aligned, comprehensive global leadership development model. This study focused on understanding leadership development assignments and experiences of successful Japanese managers who are functioning in for-profit multi-national Western companies in the consumer products industry in Japan. A sequential explanatory mixed method design incorporating phenomenological interviews was used to first explore work-related strengths and developmental experiences and …

Photography As A Spiritual Technique, Laura Elizabeth Garza-Meza

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to compare the spiritual benefits of practicing photography to the spiritual benefits of practicing prayer, meditation and yoga. Benefits noted were divided into the 4 dimensions of being human: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. The study considers Mexican leaders' perceptions of photography as a spiritual practice. A total of 105 Mexican leaders answered surveys. Of the 105 leaders, 14 were professors, 30 were entrepreneurs, 46 were business executives and 15 were students and homemakers (listed as "other") varying in ages from 21 to over 61. The design of this study is descriptive, while the …

The Utility Of Diversity Training In The New Millennium: Does It Impact A Leader's Ability To Manage Differences And Create An Inclusive Work Environment?, Lisa Chanel Woodson

Theses and Dissertations

Although diversity training is an $8 billion industry, questions surrounding its utility and impact remain. To address the issue of diversity training effectiveness, the research project goes beyond reviewing workforce diversity as a measurement, and investigates whether diversity training impacts a leader's ability to manage differences and create an inclusive work environment. Data were collected from 44 individuals in leadership roles across multiple organizations in the United States. All participants completed a condensed Diversity Relationship Indicator TM assessment, as well as a 6 question interview protocol to gauge their experience with diversity training. The results of the research reflected the …

Building A Sustainable Learning And Development Culture Through Communities Of Practice, John Atwood

Theses and Dissertations

The world has become considerably smaller through the effects of technology, media, science, transportation, the Internet, and the spread of global commerce. There has been a great deal of discussion about how to manage knowledge and foster individual, group, and organizational learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the practices and behaviors that led to the formation of communities of practice (CoPs) in a multinational corporation, their impact on distributed global offices, and their influence on a learning and development culture. The study addressed the following question: What impact do CoPs have on a multinational corporation's learning and …

The Essential Leadership And Management Skills Of Mid-Level Managers In Non-Profit Organizations, Vicki L. Clements

Theses and Dissertations

The role of the middle manager in organizations is evolving. As organizations shift from strictly hierarchical structures to ones that are increasingly horizontal and interconnected through team-based collaborations, middle managers are being asked to assume more leadership responsibilities in addition to their traditional management duties. While there is agreement that both leadership and management skills are required for organizations to be successful, there is limited information on the specific skills that are required to both manage and lead from the middle. Mid-level managers who successfully develop both skill sets are well positioned for future leadership positions. Preparing middle managers for …

Translating The Values Of Clinical Pedagogy Across Generations, Alistair E. Newbern

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Clinical teaching is a Baby Boomer. After an extended infancy, it came of age in the 1960s. It challenged the entrenched isolation and aloofness of law school by questioning the very methods by which law is taught. Channeling the Boomers' cultural tenets of dismantling hierarchy, fostering collaboration, and advocating for social change, it shook off legal academia's suit and tie and rolled up its sleeves, bringing the community into the classroom and putting the university to work. These Boomer-era values are reflected in clinical teaching's enduring core principles of non-directive teaching, reflective practice, close and immediate supervision, learning from experience, …

Managerial Descriptions Of Characteristics And Communication Rule Violations Of Millennial Employees: Insights Into The Hospitality Industry, Nicole Baker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Millennials are the newest generation to enter the workforce. When Millennials enter organizations, managers construct perceptions about Millennials’ communication behaviors, including their characteristics and adherence to organizational rules. These perceptions help managers decide Millennials’ organizational fit. A review of literature revealed a scarcity of empirical research in this area with little empirical research from communication scholars who apply communication frameworks, theories, and concepts. This research used the lens of social constructionism to understand the membership categorization devices and category-bound activities managers use to characterize Millennials. In order to better understand how Millennials conform to and change organizational culture, data were …

Identifying The Impact Of Leadership Practices On Organizational Agility, Alethea G. Young

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods case study examined the impact of leadership on practices to organizational agility. Leaders and employees from three organizations (two universities, one financial institution) participated in surveys and interviews to generate data related to the organizational and personal leadership orientations and styles exhibited, the degree of agility in the organization, and the impact of organizational and personal leadership orientations and styles on organizational agility. Study findings suggested that leadership varies based on industry- and organization-specific demands, organizational agility can exist across industries and organization types, and that adopting a long-term focus and practicing agile leadership behaviors throughout the organization …

Exploring The Third Culture Building Approach For Effective Cross-Cultural Interaction For Black American Professionals In Predominantly White Institutions, Tessa R. Sutton

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Professional interactions that are both functional and mutually beneficial are rare. The purpose of this study is to explore an application of a Third Culture Building (TCB) approach, a mutually constructed interpersonal process between two individuals, for Black American professionals (with advanced knowledge acquired from institutions of higher learning), to generate a new space in Predominantly White Institutions (PWis). These institutions include settings where the racial composition is becoming consistently more diverse (through past desegregation efforts). Although the U.S. has moved beyond integration and the monumental Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, racism and intercultural barriers that prevent functional cross-cultural …

Structure And Mission Effectiveness: A Study Focused On Seventh-Day Adventist Mission To Unreached People Groups Between 1980 And 2010, Abraham Guerrero

Dissertations

The present study examines the impact of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's structure on mission effectiveness in taking the gospel to unreached people groups between 1980 and 2010. A historical descriptive study, this dissertation's theory base includes structure from an anthropological perspective; structure, mission, and effectiveness from an organizational perspective; and church structure and mission effectiveness in Christian history.

The impact of structure on mission effectivenessis evaluated in the present work by looking for patterns in history in which the structure has been either a facilitator or a hindrance for establishing churches among those who have not been reached with the …

Change And Discomfort In Academia: How Far Should We Stretch In Our Readiness For Change?, Laurie A. Branch

Student Scholarship

Employee attitudes and their effect on successful implementation of organizational changes continue to engross researchers and practitioners alike. In this study, we investigated the significance and nature of discomfort as it affects readiness for change in business school settings. This choice of context is deliberate. There is a strong push for change in business schools to align with market needs and there are high levels of individual and collective efficacy. Our findings indicate discomfort as a mediator explains significantly more variation in readiness than is explained by perceived collective efficacy. Surprisingly, we found that some forms of discomfort such as …

A Mixed Methods Multiple Case Study Of Implementation As Usual In Children’S Social Service Organizations: Study Protocol, Byron J. Powell, Enola K. Proctor, Charles A. Glisson, Patricia L. Kohl, Ramesh Raghavan, Ross C. Brownson, Bradley P. Stoner, Christopher R. Carpenter, Lawrence A. Palinkas

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Hospital Financial Performance: A Look At Governance And Hit Strategies, Taleah Collum

All ETDs from UAB

Taken together, the purpose of the three papers included in this dissertation is to provide empirical evidence on the relationship between strategies employed by hospital managers and hospital financial performance. The findings of these studies are important to managers as they search for ways to sustain and improve hospital financial performance in light of environmental changes that have taken place over the last three decades. The results of this dissertation suggest that to improve financial performance hospital leaders (e.g. management, board of directors) should choose strategies that are more amenable to their control. Specifically, having BOD members that are independent …

A Quantitative Study Of Mathematics Teaching Self- Efficacy And Principal Instructional Leadership In Alabama Elementary Schools, Dilhani Uswatte

All ETDs from UAB

Given the current pressure on educational leaders to successfully implement the Mathematics Common Core Standards, which is currently in its infancy stages in Alabama, the possible relationship between mathematics teaching self-efficacy of Alabama elementary teachers and principal instructional leadership was evaluated. The relationship between mathematics teaching self-efficacy and grade level taught, years of teaching experience, gender, and school location were also evaluated individually and as part of a multiple regression model. A representative sample of 144 Alabama elementary teachers completed an on-line survey which contained demographic questions, and questions from two previously validated instruments to measure mathematics teaching self-efficacy (the …

Increasing The Cultural Competence Of Assessment Professionals Via Online Training, Jennifer L. Schroeder, Maximino Plata, Harry Fullwood, Melanie Price, Jennifer Dyer

Faculty Publications

The preponderance of literature suggests that culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners demonstrate unexpected underachievement in academic areas, mainly due to educators’ inability to differentiate between students’ cultural attributes rather than demonstrable cognitive dysfunction. Thirty assessment practitioners participated in a study to investigate the effectiveness of teaching cultural information and culturally-relevant assessment practices via an online teaching platform. The Munroe Multicultural Attitude Scale Questionnaire (MASQUE) and short-answer tests were used to obtain participants’ pre- and post- training attitudes and knowledge regarding cultural diversity. Results indicated that online training improved attitudes toward multicultural issues in education. A number of suggestions for …

A Qualitative Inquiry Into Teachers' Perceptions Of Change, Theresa Gardner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify teachers' perceptions of how leadership styles and practices of administration can improve the process of broad-based change in an educational organization. The study focused on the lived experiences of 12 teachers and school administrators (coresearchers) during a major change in their school district. Guided interviews were utilized in order to understand the essence of their experiences. Results indicated the importance of communication during the process of change as it relates to perceptions of involvement, buy-in, self-worth, job satisfaction, and support and impact on instruction.

The Effects Of Charismatic Leadership And Religion On Decision Making, Brandt A. Smith

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

We examined the effects of leadership and religious priming on decision-making in a resource allocation task involving a decision between funding hydro-fracture mining research and/or solar energy research. We found strong main effects for charismatic v. non-charismatic leadership, and for religious priming v. non-religious priming. Further, we found a significant interaction in that the effects of religious priming on economic decision-making in a resource allocation task was stronger in the non-charismatic condition than in the charismatic condition. Implications of this research and recommendations for future studies are discussed.

You Can’T Put Old Wine In New Bottles: The Effect Of Newcomers On Coordination In Groups, Matthew W. Mccarter, Roman M. Sheremeta

ESI Working Papers

A common finding in social sciences is that member change hinders group functioning and performance. However, questions remain as to why member change negatively affects group performance and what are some ways to alleviate the negative effects of member change on performance? To answer these questions we conduct an experiment in which we investigate the effect of newcomers on a group’s ability to coordinate efficiently. Participants play a coordination game in a four-person group for the first part of the experiment, and then two members of the group are replaced with new participants, and the newly formed group plays the …

An Evaluation Of Performance As It Relates To The Adventist Community Services Nonprofit Leadership Certification Program In The United States, Sung Kun Kwon

Dissertations

Problem

The purpose of this study was to understand the effectiveness of the Nonprofit Leadership Certification Program (NLCP) by examining the relationship between an individual’s completion of the program and their individual performance growth in attitude, knowledge, and skills. Since the program represents a major financial investment on the part of the Adventist Community Services (ACS) organization, ACS leaders need to know if the time, resources, and effort that have been poured into this leadership program are actually improving the participants’ performance in skills and knowledge, and if they have effectively contributed to changes in leadership attitude.

Method

This study …

Researching Critical Incidents Of Transformation, Paul R. Scheele

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examined transformation within individuals in a collaborative adult learning context. Using a combination of methods—surveys and critical incident technique (CIT)—the study explored in depth the experiences of 28 subjects from a population of 100 participants in an open-enrollment workshop, the Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium produced by the Pachamama Alliance. The program employs high-impact training approaches to inform participants about social injustices and environmental practices that threaten the planet, and to encourage them to act on that information. The research focused on critical incidents at or shortly after the workshop that produced significant and meaningful change …

A Values-Based And Integral Perspective On Strategic Management, Nancy E. Landrum, Carolyn L. Gardner, David M. Boje

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Landrum, Gardner, and Boje apply a Model for Integral Strategy which uses internal, competitive, and external tiers of strategic planning to combine economic, social, and environmental organizational imperatives with values, social responsibility, and sustainability. Their approach seeks to balance short-term with long-term objectives and economic with non-economic concerns all while addressing the sustainability challenges facing organizations today.

Diffusion Of Csr In Global Business Networks: An Embeddedness Perspective, Valentina Marano

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the role of firm embeddedness in its global business network, relative to the adoption of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices. Global business networks refer to the nexus of inter-firm and intra-firm relationships, in which focal actors are engaged. These networks are focal firm specific, span multiple countries and involve different types of economic relationships between the focal actor and its business partners. This study argues that global business networks affect a focal organization's CSR adoption decisions, since they provide access to resources and information and also channel CSR-related institutional influences from the various countries where the focal …

Smart Regulation And Federalism For The Smart Grid, Joel B. Eisen

Law Faculty Publications

This Article examines the “Smart Grid,” a set of concepts, technologies, and operating practices that may transform America’s electric grid as much as the Internet has done, redefining every aspect of electricity generation, distribution, and use. While the Smart Grid’s promise is great, this Article examines numerous key barriers to its development, including early stage resistance, a lack of incentives for consumers, and the adverse impacts of the federal-state tension in energy regulation. Overcoming these barriers requires both new technologies and transformative regulatory change, beginning with the development of a foundation of interoperability standards (rules of the road governing interactions …

Superintendents’ Beliefs About Barriers That Can Influence Their District Technology Leadership Practices, Sharon M. Biggs

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Organizational Sense-Making And Enactment: Public Policy And Change-Making Of Private Professional College Administrations In Kerala, India, Biju A. Chittuparamban

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Eyes Wide Open: Learning As Strategy Under Conditions Of Complexity And Uncertainty, Patricia Patrizi, Elizabeth Heid Thompson, Julia Coffman, Tanya Beer

The Foundation Review

· Foundation strategy is hampered by a failure to recognize and engage with the complexity and uncertainty surrounding foundation work. This article identifies three common “traps” that hinder foundation capacity to learn and adapt: 1) linearity and certainty bias; 2) the autopilot effect; and 3) indicator blindness.

· This article urges foundations to alter their mindset, questions, and processes to foster a more committed approach to strategy and adaptation. In essence, it argues for learning as strategy.

· This article draws on literature from systems theory, business strategy, and philanthropic practice as well as data from foundation benchmarking surveys.