Digital Commons Network^™

Achieving High Organization Performance Through Servant Leadership, David E. Melchar, Susan M. Bosco

Business Faculty Publications

This empirical paper investigates whether a servant leader can develop a corporate culture that attracts or develops other servant leaders. Using the survey developed by Barbuto and Wheeler (2006), servant leader characteristics in managers were measured at three high-performing organizations. Results indicate that servant leaders can develop a culture of followers who are servant leaders themselves. This is one of the few studies to empirically test the model of servant leadership in an organizational environment. The success these servant leaders have achieved in a for-profit, demanding environment suggests this leadership style is viable for adoption by other firms.

Leadership Behavior Impact On Employee Engagement, Michelle J. Marquard

Theses and Dissertations

As the age of employer enlightenment continues to unfold, for the past half-century researchers have collected mounting empirical evidence linking management theory and environmental factors to worker productivity. The rise of professional research over the past several years has however signaled a change in the marketability of this research within the business community. The change is prompted by a newfound interest in workforce productivity as a source of profitability (Colan, 2009; Corporate Leadership Council, 2004; Gebauer, Lowman, & Gordon, 2008; Thomas, 2000, 2009). The study of management systems, the system of interrelationships between supervisory characteristics and organizational performance, has gained …

A Leadership Program In An Undergraduate Nursing Course In Western Australia: Building Leaders In Our Midst, Joyce M. Hendricks, Vicki C. Cope, Maureen Harris

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper discusses a leadership program implemented in the School of Nursing at Edith Cowan University to develop leadership in fourth semester nursing students enrolled in a three year undergraduate nursing degree to prepare them for the dynamic ‘changing world’ environment of healthcare. Students were invited to apply to undertake the program in extracurricular time. Nineteen students applied to the program and ten were chosen to participate in the program. The numbers were limited to ten to equal selected industry leader mentors. The leadership program is based on the belief that leadership is a function of knowing oneself, having a …

The Development Of Leadership Competencies For Children And Youth For Implementation In Pathfinder Club, Hyungsik Ju

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Children and youth members in the Korean Adventist church have been steadily decreasing in numbers. Although there are many causes, the most serious problem is a lack of leadership development training for children and youth. And then, the lack of a leadership program for young people not only fails to promote an evangelistic passion, but also causes a deficit of training for future church leaders. In this sense, various leadership competencies should be applied and developed in order to nurture young people spiritually.

Method

Library research, a theological analysis, a contextual analysis of South Korea and the Korean Adventist …

Developing And Implementing A Team Leadership Approach At The Alpha Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Gordon S. Jones

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Church life is not confined to a single or normative approach to leadership. Leadership must be decisively contextual The perennial challenge is developing, implementing, and practicing appropriate leadership. This project reports how this challenge was addressed at the Alpha Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Method

Cultural shift was fundamental to this challenge. The first step towards this transformation was establishing a theological and academic foundation. Next, four distinct phases were identified and employed in developing and implementing a team leadership approach for the Alpha Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Result

The project concluded with an evaluation instrument, which suggests that the new approach …

Leadership Practices, Competitive Priorities, And Manufacturing Group Performance, Ravi Kathuria, Fariborz Y. Partovi, Jeffrey H. Greenhaus

Business Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of manufacturing leadership in enhancing manufacturing performance for different manufacturing configurations.

Design/methodology/approach

– Survey data collected from three levels of respondents in excess of 480, from 98 manufacturing units in the USA are used to test the study hypothesis using the cluster analysis and regression models.

Findings

– Effective leadership is positively associated with overall manufacturing performance beyond the fixed effects of organizational variables, such as competitive orientation and industry membership. The manufacturing leadership, however, does not seem to affect customer satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper illustrates …

Enhancing Education Through Technology: Prinicpal Leadership For Technology Integration In Schools, Lisa R. Rivard

Wayne State University Dissertations

Principals need to acquire understanding of, and proficiency in, technology skills and integration to be effective instructional leaders. As issues concerning the lack of systemic change in school reform and technology integration persist, little research has been published concerning the extent to which technology leadership behaviors identified in the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A; International Society for Technology in Education, 2002) are being implemented in schools. The purpose of this study is to analyze the extent to which Michigan elementary principals employ behaviors that support their role as effective technology leaders.

Michigan K-6 school principals (n = 280) …

Perceptions Of Required Leadership Behaviors For Nurse Leaders As Measured By The Leadership Practices Inventory, Shelly Lummus

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States a significant nursing shortage exists. To compound this shortage, the health care system is in need of reform. In order to impact effectively these issues, strong nursing leadership will be critical. Historically, nursing education has focused primarily on clinical judgment and the nurse-patient relationship. Leadership education and mentoring has been limited. Because nursing theory does not emphasize leadership development, it is important to investigate the possible use of existing leadership theory and assessment tools from other disciplines and bring them to the nursing environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of required …

New Ceo's Personality And Leadership Styles As Measured By The Traits Of Age, Education, And Prior Experiences And Their Effect On The Firm's Performance, Stanley Wonkoo Cho

Theses and Dissertations

New technologies and increased competition require CEOs to assess and analyze vast amounts of information. They need cognitive ability and higher education and training. Moreover, CEOs are under more pressure to act quickly, to recognize potential problems or opportunities, and to take action immediately. They must be willing to take risks (Joos, Leone, & Zimmerman, 2003). Companies are turning to younger CEOs (Loomis, 2007) as they are more familiar with new technologies, better able to endure high stress environments, more open to new ideas, and less reluctant to take risks. This study examined the relationship between the financial performance of …

Leadership Alignment Within A Safety Culture Change Process, Nicholas P. Krump

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to determine the key components of effective leadership alignment within the safety culture change process at the National Cooperative Refinery Association in McPherson, Kansas. The implementation efforts provided data regarding leaders' actions, employee perceptions, and leadership alignment interventions. Research data gathered through 129 paper surveys and 25 group interviews were analyzed to identify relationships between work-related demographic indicators and workplace attitudes. The final analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between the "alignment" composite and salaried employees, meaning salaried employees were more likely to answer positively than hourly employees. Secondly, the findings showed a strong …

A Synthesis Of Leadership Principles Emerging From The New Testament, Stan Patterson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of An Elder-Leader Training Course For An Upper-Middle Class Church In Santiago, Chile, Michael John Strecker

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Leadership Responsibilities Associated With Student Academic Achievement: A Study Of The Perspectives Of National Distinguished Elementary School Principals In An Era Of High Stakes Accountability, Michael Valenti

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Leadership Characteristics And Team Outcomes In The Development Of A Marketing Web Page, Garry L. White, Karen H. Smith

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Team structures are changing under the pressures of e-commerce and globalization. Today teams have to manage the challenges of working across functional boundaries, such as marketing and web development. In such an environment, research in the disciplines of management and psychology have found that shared leadership among team members may be superior to traditional leadership by a single team member, but this notion has not been tested in the contexts of marketing and web development. This paper presents the results of an empirical study showing that teams with shared leadership exhibited better performance and greater member satisfaction than teams with …

Giving Voice To Values: How To Speak Your Mind When You Know What's Right (Book Review), Andra Gumbus

WCBT Faculty Publications

Book review by Andra Gumbus.

Gentile, Mary. Giving Voice to Values: How to Speak Your Mind When You Know What's Right. New Haven: Yale University Press, c2010.

ISBN 9780300161182

Narrative Vs. Powerpoint: For Leaders, It May Not Be A Matter Of Fact, Michael S. Carriger

WCBT Faculty Publications

This paper aims to argue that narratives, skillfully deployed by senior leaders in an organization, can be a very effective tool for creating, disseminating and executing corporate strategy. The paper presents a model for narrative use by leaders and a practical guide to implementing the model. Preliminary and anecdotal data are presented to substantiation a case for leaders' use of narrative as an alternative means for conveying corporate strategy. Implications for the practical use of narratives by leaders are explored by this paper.

Group Processes, Donelson R. Forsyth, Jeni Burnette

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

Social behavior is often group behavior. People are in many respects individuals seeking their personal, private objectives, yet they are also members of social collectives that bind members to one another. The tendency to join with others is perhaps the most important single characteristic of humans. The processes that take place within these groups influence, in fundamental ways, their members and society-at-large. Just as the dynamic processes that occur in groups--such as the exchange of information among members, leading and following, pressures put on members to adhere to the group's standards, shifts in friendship alliances, and conflict and collaboration-change the …

Inclusive Leadership And Employee Involvement In Creative Tasks In The Workplace: The Mediating Role Of Psychological Safety, Abraham Carmeli, Roni Reiter-Palmon, Enbal Ziv

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study examines how inclusive leadership (manifested by openness, accessibility, and availability of a leader) fosters employee creativity in the workplace. Using a sample of 150 employees, we investigated the relationship between inclusive leadership (measured at Time 1), psychological safety, and employee involvement in creative work tasks (measured at Time 2). The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis indicate that inclusive leadership is positively related to psychological safety, which, in turn, engenders employee involvement in creative work.

Addressing Anger Managment In A Middle School Setting: Initiating A Leadership Drive Anger Management Group, Isaac Burt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of a leadership driven anger management group on angry middle school students. Twenty-five participants from a local middle school were nominated by school faculty to be participants in the study. Twenty individuals participated and eighteen completed the study. The eighteen participants were assessed at pre and post test on measures of anger, anger control and personal relationships. Three research questions were tested: (1) Does a short term leadership focused anger management group reduce youths' overall anger? (2) Does such a group increase angry youths' ability to control anger urges? (3) Does this group reduce youths' …

Principal And Teacher Perceptions Of Change Implementation Practices In 2007 And 2008 Small Learning Communities Grant Recipient, Benjamin Bristo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leading through change is a difficult process. School leaders who hope to create meaningful, long-term change must be cognizant of numerous factors. This study was undertaken with the hope of increasing educational leaders' awareness of how their decisions are viewed by those who follow them. Case studies revealed pertinent data within two schools that have undertaken a significant change initiative. All 2007 and 2008 Small Learning Communities (SLC) grant-recipient schools in Florida were invited to participate in a series of case studies. Participating principals were questioned about their perceptions of how they fulfill their change leadership role related to the …

Building Level Principals As Change Agents In A Response To Intervention Reform Initiative, Kristen Elizabeth Ninni

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the principal in a systems change effort. Utilizing Response to Intervention (RtI) as a means of studying principals as change agents, this researcher examined the principals' ability to implement and sustain a reform effort such as RtI as perceived by the principal, problem solving team, and teachers. This study examined how the perceptions influenced the change process and the extent to which the principal demonstrated characteristics of change such as knowledge of change, self-efficacy or their belief in their ability to make changes, and skills of change as supported …

The Relationship Of Parent Involvement And Student Success In Gear Up Communities In Chicago, Wendy M. Stack

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Nationally, the education pipeline is not preparing enough students for success and high school dropout rates in the nation’s urban areas are alarming. This mixed methods (QUAN→qual) empirical study examines the influence of parent involvement on the academic success of 1,774 GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) students matched to their parents in 21 high schools in Chicago. The results of the regression analyses were presented to focus groups composed of GEAR UP parents and staff to assist in making meaning of the data and to gain deeper insight and understanding of the results. The study …

Expanding Leader Capability: An Exploratory Study Of The Effect Of Daily Practices For Leader Development, Simon Rakoff

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Leadership is, at its essence, an influence relationship between people. Leaders are often thought of as those who are able to influence people to take actions oriented toward achieving specific goals and objectives. While many books have been written, and myriad scholarly research studies conducted enumerating countless personal characteristics, qualities, and skills of the exemplary leader, little has been done to understand and convey the ways in which an individual might go about cultivating these virtues; which are often said to include charisma, empathy, communication skills, and others. Through a multiple single-subject design, this research examines the individual-level effect of …

Eutopiagraphies: Narratives Of Preferred Future Selves With Implications For Developmental Coaching, Florence Anne Diehl

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Eutopiagraphy is a narrative of a preferred future self that extends the research tradition of biography and autobiography. Taking place at the intersection of adult development, futures studies, and the practice of developmental coaching, this research asked the question, “what can eutopiagraphy reveal about a client’s meaning-making that may inform a coaching relationship, goals, and outcomes?” Using an adapted form of the subject-object interview, and subsequent thematic analysis, the eutopiagraphies of eight participants were collected and studied. Structures of constructive-developmental theory (values, view of others, range of perspective, control, and responsibility) were identified and constructive-developmental stages were estimated. This work …

Cross-Race Relationships As Sites Of Transformation: Navigating The Protective Shell And The Insular Bubble, Karen Audrey Geiger

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The context of leadership has evolved to incorporate greater social identity differences. Therefore, learning ways to navigate differences in social identity becomes important work leaders must now do. Because these differences surface in relationship with others, examining a relational framework helps us understand the nature of what happens between people (Ely & Roberts, 2008). This study explored the processes by which Black African American and White European American women enact leadership by creating and sustaining cross-race relationships as they work to change unjust systems around them. Using grounded theory methodology (Charmaz, 2006; Strauss & Corbin, 1990), a model was developed …

Strategic Asymmetric Multicultural Alliances In Business, Anthony James Scriffignano

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Global economics and other factors make it increasingly difficult for organizations to operate within the boundaries of one country in a rational way (e.g., leveraging best practices, profitable, achieving goals). In this study, I looked at strategic business alliances, transcending simple quid pro quo relationships to deliver ongoing partner value. I refined my study to multicultural relationships, having differing cultural identities (i.e., ideas, heritage, language, or demographics from differing geographies). Finally, I considered asymmetry (i.e., inequity in working relationship). Using a mixed-methodology design, I surveyed alliance participants and interviewed participants from selected alliances. A multi-case study addresses emergent themes of …

Special Education Teacher Tenacity: The Leadership And Commitment Of Those Who Stay In The Field, Marilyn Shea

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Those who choose to teach special education have accepted some of the most challenging jobs teaching has to offer. Unfortunately for their students, almost half of special education teachers leave the profession within their first five years (Singer, 1992). Finding and keeping qualified special education teachers in positions working with more challenging students has become a national problem. Through qualitative interviews, this study examines the stories of 14 Colorado special educators. These teachers have demonstrated their commitment to the field by teaching for four or more years. Their stories give valuable insight into the issue of teacher commitment in difficult …

Principals' Perceptions Of Meeting Vision And Collaboration Standards In Alternative Schools, Perry Dicarlo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The present research was designed to address principals’ perceptions of meeting vision and collaboration standards in alternative schools. A multiple case study was used to accomplish the goals of this study. The objective and questions of this research pertains to school leaders’ behavior, knowledge, and performance within the context of a school leadership situation. Ecological theory framed this study as it refers to a student’s life within and outside of the school walls. The six research questions were formed and the basis of this exploration of two alternative school principals and contributes to an eventual portrait of the importance of …

[Introduction To] Leading Change In Multiple Contexts: Concepts And Practices In Organizational, Community, Political, Social, And Global Change Settings, Gill Robinson Hickman

Bookshelf

The first book to bring together both leadership and change theories, concepts, and processes, Leading Change in Multiple Contexts uses a consistent framework and the latest research to help readers understand and apply the concepts and practices of leading change.

Key Features

Brings together leadership and change concepts and practices in five distinct contexts—organizational, community, political, social change, and global

Draws from a wide range of classic and recent scholarship from multiple disciplines

Includes the perspectives of change and leadership experts

Offers real-life vignettes that provide examples of leading change in every context

Provides readers with application and reflection exercises …

The Impact Of Participation In Oncology Nursing Society Leadership Development Institute On Sustainable Leadership, Christine Guidry Gatlin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) realized many years ago that it would take skilled, qualified leaders in oncology nursing to sustain the specialty of oncology care for years to come. With the nursing shortage and shortage in leadership, it is imperative to examine the impact of attending a leadership program on the future of oncology nursing. The control group and study group of identified oncology nurses were sent the Oncology Nurses Sustainable Leadership Survey Instrument via email from the Oncology Nursing Society. The control group of oncology registered nurses had not yet started the ONS Leadership Development Institute fellowship program. …