Digital Commons Network^™

Building A Culture Of Innovation: A Case Study In Digital Integration, Anthony H. Vonbank

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This case study dissertation examines the implementation of digital technology in a mid-sized public school district in southern Minnesota. The methodology involved unstructured interviews and close observation of several teachers, administrators and related staff in the junior-senior high building. These observations were presented in informative vignettes that help to tell the story of the culture of innovation in this school, as well as highlight some of the implementation strategies that aid this school and district in meeting its goal to meet all learners in a 21st century society. The study identifies common barriers such as staff resistance, funding, and technology …

Leadership And Followership, Robert H. Jerry Ii

UF Law Faculty Publications

“[B]etter followers beget better leaders.”

Through the years, I have been fond of a set of expressions I sometimes use to underscore the importance of an idea or a cause I believe important and worthy of personal or institutional investment, or both. The expressions fit together like this: our society has a particular problem that needs attention; our colleges and universities, being institutions broadly representative of our society, also have this problem (as we should expect); we need to work on this problem in our colleges and universities; if we cannot solve this problem in our institutions of higher learning, …

A Case Study Of The Adoption And Implementation Of Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis) Tier 2 In Two Elementary Schools, Kathleen Emma Affigne

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study was designed to explore four primary research questions. Why do schools and districts adopt PBIS? Which stakeholders were included in the decision-making process to adopt PBIS? Do these adoption dynamics influence PBIS Tier 2 implementation? With PBIS Tier 2 implementation fidelity as a desirable outcome, what are the relevant facilitators, constraints, and obstacles?

Does The Presence Or Absence Of Virtues Define The Character Of A Leader And Impact Performance?, Glenn A. Williams

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

A Case Study Of Principals' Knowledge Of Early Childhood Literacy, Christine Elizabeth Leblanc

Theses and Dissertations

Nationally approximately 40 percent of third grade students do not read at grade level. Principals play a critical role in providing leadership in the implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI) to ensure that students not making adequate yearly progress receive targeted instruction to address their deficiencies. The purpose of this study is to explore the experience of five principals through an investigation of their understanding of the reading process as it relates to the implementation of RtI in their schools. I specifically wish to understand: What do principals know about early childhood literacy and how do they use that knowledge …

Perspectives On Transitioning To The Assistant Principalship Among Peers: A Qualitative Study Of Six New School Administrators, Everette Hix Workman

Theses and Dissertations

The role of the assistant principal in the public schools is under studied and undervalued. As the largest group of school administrators and as future principals in training, the assistant principals' socialization process begs understanding. This study questions the transition from teacher to assistant principal, accounting for the setting and context of the move into school administration. Through a qualitative, in-depth phenomenological interview study of six assistant principals in their first years as public school administrators, this study focuses on their lived experiences with the transition. The theoretical framework constructed to examine the lived experiences of these six recently transitioned …

Keep Relationships Positive Or Do Things Right: Bridging Women Leaders’ Conflict Management Strategies In Non-Profit Organizations In Taiwan And The Us, Chin-Chung Chao, Dexin Tian

Communication Faculty Publications

Purpose – The present study aims at contributing to the knowledge of organizational communication and cross-cultural female leadership by examining the conflict management strategies between Taiwanese female presidents and their American counterparts in Rotary Clubs.

Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through field observations and 25 in-depth interviews with 14 Taiwanese female presidents and 11 American female presidents in Rotary Clubs. Theme analysis of the interpretive method was used in this research.

Findings – This study revealed that the female presidents in both cultures applied obliging and integrating strategies to handle management conflicts. Yet, due to the interference of past presidents, …

Where's The Boss? The Influences Of Emergent Team Leadership Structures On Team Outcomes In Virtual And Distributed Environments, Marissa Shuffler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The influence of leadership on team success has been noted extensively in research and practice. However, as organizations move to flatter team based structures with workers communicating virtually across space and time, our conceptualization of team leadership must change to meet these new workplace demands. Given this need, the current study aims to begin untangling the effects of distribution and virtuality on team leadership structure and subsequent team outcomes that may be affected by differences in conceptualizing such structures. Specifically, the goals of this study were threefold. First, this study investigated how the physical distribution of members may impact perceptions …

"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 …

An Effective Model Of Developing Teacher Leaders In Stem Education, Heidi Sublette

Theses and Dissertations

In the last 5 years, industries have begun to recognize a growing gap in the production of college graduates in areas of STEM. Researchers in various industries believe this gap will create a significant loss of competitive edge in the STEM fields, which will leave the United States pursuing STEM graduates from foreign countries and may ultimately leave the US behind in the industry of science, technology and innovation. This qualitative study analyzes the value and impact of STEM teacher leaders in secondary education. A phenomenological study was conducted with 10 secondary school science and math teacher leaders in order …

Teacher And Principal Assessment Literacy, Michael Lee Perry

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

ABSTRACT Perry, Michael, Ed. D., May 2013 Educational Leadership Teacher and Principal Assessment Literacy: A look at the level of assessment literacy of high school principals and high school teachers in the state of Montana. Chair: Dr. John Matt The implementation of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act in 2002 has increased the emphasis on standardized achievement tests. Principals are asked to lead instruction and improve student achievement through assessment. NCLB has sanctions that could include replacing a school principal. The purpose of this study was to look at the level of assessment literacy of high school principals in …

The Evolving Role Of Department Chair: Leading Faculty Through Times Of Change, Domenick Pinto

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

How does one manage conflict and change in a very volatile economic climate where academia is experiencing greater accountability, increased emphasis on outcome assessment, declining enrollment and great uncertainty for the future? The role of department chair has, in many cases, become one entrenched in conflict between the role of faculty and administrator and has experienced a tremendous evolution over the last 25 years.

The role of department chair has changed as economic, social and student climates have changed. This paper will summarize collected data from chairs of departments of various sizes and types in order to discuss and understand …

Emotional Intelligence Of Entrepreneurs, Eric P. Swift

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Entrepreneurship benefits the individual and society, but it was unclear whether emotional intelligence (EI) predicts entrepreneurial outcomes. New ventures fail at a high rate. A possible factor in the success or failure of small business could be the emotional intelligence (EI) level of the entrepreneur, defined as the ability to perceive, use, understand, and manage emotions. However, few studies to date had empirically explored EI and entrepreneurship or investigated the predictive value of EI in important measures of entrepreneurial outcomes, such as the success rate in starting new businesses, business longevity, and business profitability. The present study was designed to …

The Regional Accreditation Process At Community Colleges: A Case Study Of Effectiveness, Alissa L. Young

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This companion dissertation reports the findings of applied case study research on four community college organizational units that consistently meet or exceed standard performance measures. In addition, prior ample evidence confirms that performance extended significantly beyond what might be explained by available tangible resources alone. The case study contexts are common in higher education in general: a) an external partnership, (b) an ad hoc team, (c) a traditional, cross-divisional service unit, and (d) a grant-funded student service unit.

Emerging positive organizational theory and research shows promise for revealing performance-influencing phenomena and behaviors that are not adequately represented in standard measures. …

Strategies Under Stress: How Senior Student Affairs Officers Are Managing In The Midst Of Institutional Retrenchment, Christopher Thuringer

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Higher education had been one of the highest funding priorities in most states, however, in recent years, governors and state legislators have focused their efforts in higher education on cutting budgets to deal with historic gaps in revenue. As a result, university administrators have been challenged to modify their institutions’ academic programs, administrative units, and student affairs operations to contain costs and increase revenue. This study examined the extent of financial challenges faced in student affairs divisions at four-year, state-supported institutions during the period between 2008 and 2012 and the strategies utilized by senior student affairs officers to manage them. …

Why Doctors Lead Multidisciplinary Prostate Cancer Clinics: A Grounded Theory Study Of Leader Motivation, Lisa E. Perrine

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop a construct that describes the motivations of physicians to lead multidisciplinary prostate cancer clinics (MPCCs). Medical leaders play a key role in increasing the number of MPCCs, which are not yet widely available to patients in the United States. Understanding what motivates these physicians to lead is an important dimension of developing, recruiting, and retaining MPCC leaders. This study collected qualitative, empirical data from 12 MPCC medical leaders located throughout the United States. Utilizing theoretical sampling and constant comparison, the data derived from face-to-face interviews were used to create a …

Exceeding Expectations: Key Strategies To Increase High School Graduation Rates, Shannon Dick

Theses and Dissertations

An alarmingly number of students drop out of high school every day; however, the need for a high school diploma has become increasingly more important for the U.S. to remain globally competitive. Minority students and students living in poverty are disproportionally affected by this issue dropping out at significantly higher rates. Throughout the years, a number of reform efforts have been targeted at the federal, state, and local levels to address this issue. Some of these efforts have shown promising results. In an Education Week report (Diplomas Count, 2010), 21 urban school districts were identified as districts that are defying …

Leaders And The Importance Of The Manager-Staff Relationship, Richard Martin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify the importance of the manager's relationship with frontline staff. There continues to be a need for top leadership to understand clearly and value this relationship and provide managers with the support they need to deliver on their visions, missions, and corporate goals. The manager-staff relationship sets the tone for the frontline staff and creates an environment of trust. The communication the manager provides is pivotal to helping staffs understand the goals and vision top leadership established. In addition, the positive atmosphere created by this relationship helps to cement the staffs' commitment to …

A Quantitative Study Of Stem Goal And Role Alignment Across Stakeholder Leaders In California: Advocacy For Application Of A Systems Solution Approach, Dawn Garrett

Theses and Dissertations

Both the nation and California are faced with a critical threat to our long term strength and welfare due to an acknowledged deficit in STEM ready students and workers as we head into the 21st century. The STEM workforce gap requires integrated conversations and solutions as it impacts multiple stakeholder groups who do not necessarily fully comprehend each other's needs and challenges. There is a broad consensus that increasing the STEM workforce is critical to the U.S., impacting standard of living, as well as national security in areas such as international competitiveness, combating terrorism and addressing global warming, to name …

Called To Lead: An Examination Into The Phenomenon Of Calling, Hughie Jackson Barnes

Theses and Dissertations

Perhaps the most widely known episode of a calling is the burning bush experience of Moses, leader of Israel's sojourn to freedom from Egyptian captivity. At present, the phenomenon of being called to a place, vocation, or career has limited social science research. Indeed, prior to the middle of the 21st century this concept was lacking both theoretically and empirically. Any coverage of the subject of a calling was primarily found in religious periodicals and similar publications (Newman, 2006). In 2007, Scott attempted to advance the discourse on career development by examining callings and the corollary meanings which college students …

Examining The Effects Of Leader Social Intelligence On Employee Engagement, Josh Dazel

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the effects of leader social intelligence (SI) on employee engagement (EE) by measuring 36 leaders' SI and interviewing 10 leaders. Although managers were rated as utilizing SI competencies, there were no direct relationships with follower EE ratings. Findings suggested that Empathy may be the most effective SI for EE. Findings suggested that the SI competency of Teamwork also may have some impact. Mixed support was generated for the other five SIs. Support was inconclusive regarding direct relationships between leader SI and EE. However, 17 leaders with the highest EE scores exhibited significant relationships between EE and the …

Emotional Intelligence Implications On The Career Advancement Of Women In A Fortune 500 Pharmaceutical Company, Shawn D. Andrews

Theses and Dissertations

Women account for more than 50% of college graduates, more than 50% of professional degrees such as M.D. and J.D., and more than 50.0% of management, professional, and related occupations (Labor, 2011). However, women hold only 14.3% of executive officer positions of the Fortune 500 companies, and the number of female CEOs at these companies is 3.8% (Catalyst, 2012). Given these statistics, a natural shift to a more gender-balanced senior management should be a reasonable, expected outcome. In addition, research in the past decade lead by Daniel Goleman (1995, 2000, 2004) has identified an individual's emotional intelligence as a key …

African American Female Leaders: Resilience And Success, Shanetta Weatherspoon-Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Women make up half of the workforce in America. Despite this, in traditional organizations, leadership roles are overwhelmingly held by men. Of the small number of African American women employed in the workforce, 30% hold professional or management positions and women in general are more educated, qualified and transformational than their male counterparts. Despite this, African American female leaders experience organizational barriers, social labeling, and biases driven by their intersectionality that hinders their career opportunities. Black feminist research suggests that social norms place women in subordinate roles in comparison to men in society. African American women face such social barriers …

A Descriptive Study Of The Key Leadership Characteristics Of Mid-Level Managers In The Business Divisions At A Federally Funded Research And Development Center (Ffrdc), Kevin Michael Caporicci

Theses and Dissertations

Leadership sets the tone and determines and shapes the organization. The more proficient individuals are in leadership and management skills, the more the organizations will thrive. Technical challenges have and will always be barriers, but competent leadership will always resolve those barriers. There are leaders of organizations who revel in success and those that perish in futility. What is the difference? Is it the organizational structure? Could it be luck? Throughout history there are individuals who have been praised for their leadership abilities. What can we learn from them? The purpose of this study was to determine the key leadership …

A Study Of Rural Police Leadership Behaviors In Kentucky: A Full Range Perspective, Frank P. Kubala Jr.

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the leadership behaviors of rural police chief's in Kentucky through their self-perceptions and the perceptions of their subordinate officers utilizing the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) Form 5X Short. The author assessed differences in the leadership factors of the Full Range Leadership Model and leadership outcomes between rural police chiefs and their subordinate officers. The sample included 47 rural police chiefs from 4 different regions of Kentucky and 94 of their subordinate officers.

The results indicate that 8 out of the 9 leadership factors differed between the self-reported ratings by the rural police …

Barriers And Obstacles To The Implementation And Practice Of Servant Leadership Among Pastors And Lay Leaders Of Evangelical Church Winning All (Ecwa), Nigeria, Habila Saidu

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Shared Leadership In Six Sigma Teams From The North Shore-Lij Health System, Brian J. Galli

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The main goal of the research was to identify the relationships that the internal research team environment and external coaching variables had with the degree of shared leadership in the context of Six Sigma teams from the North Shore LIJ Health System. Furthermore, the research ascertained the relationships that these variables had with two performance metrics: a team's ability to complete project deliverables and satisfy customer's requirements. This research also sought to understand additional factors that affected the five variables.

The research found that while shared leadership did not positively change as a team progressed through the phases of the …

Dialogue In The Relationships Between Principals And Teachers: A Qualitative Study, Tracie Shelley Prichard

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examines dialogue and discourse patterns between principals and teachers. It analyzes daily verbal interactions in order to identify shared meanings, hidden messages, and the dynamics of power. This study is also based on the belief that democracy in education is vital to maintaining a collaborative, people friendly approach to working together to improve learning for all students.

Although much has been written on the importance of school culture and collaborating effectively, little has been written about the role dialogue plays in shaping school culture. While we know many successful leadership paradigms, including distributed leadership and collaboration, …

Marketing Faculty And Marketing Staff: Framework Of Shared Opportunity, Lynn W. Mcgee

AMTP Proceedings 2013

Marketing faculty and university marketing professionals are finding opportunities to collaborate that deepen research in marketing for higher education, enrich the marketing student experience and enhance marketing effectiveness at their institutions. This exploratory research brief draws on two advancement experts to describe the potential-- and the challenges--of research in higher education marketing, reviews a sample of published research to identify the types of published collaborations and uses a case study of a public comprehensive university to identify types of marketing faculty/staff collaboration. As faculty across all disciplines are asked to take more leadership in marketing their schools and departments, marketing …

A Narrative Approach To Delivering Bad News In Organizations: Effective Or Not?, Michael S. Carriger

WCBT Faculty Publications

Purpose: This paper presents empirical evidence for the use of narrative to deliver bad news within an organization, specifically bad news about layoffs. The attempt is to extend previous empirical work, using narrative by senior leadership to convey corporate strategy, to a different leadership challenge and further explicate a model for understanding the effectiveness of narrative as a leadership communication tool. Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper presents further original research on the effectiveness of narrative as a leadership tool. And theoretical implications for leaders seeking effective communication tools are explored. Findings: Data presented to substantiate that narrative use, as opposed to a …