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A Delphi Study: Retention Of Women In Leadership Positions In Stem Disciplines, Kimberly T. Luthi

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This Delphi study explores barriers and support systems that impact women’s professional advancement in STEM disciplines. There were 20 expert panelists who committed to participate in the study and 15 panelists completed the four rounds of the study after attrition. The panelists were selected based on specific criteria including educational background, diversity within STEM disciplines, experience as a former or current female administrator who served at two-year degree offering institutions, leadership and membership within women’s advocacy organizations in STEM and related workforce education fields, and depth of knowledge and understanding of the research questions. Through the four rounds of the …

Picking Up The Pieces: Managing People During And After A Reorganization, Catherine B. Soehner

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Libraries need to change rapidly in response to advances in technology, expectations of users, funding, and other pressures from both inside and outside the library. Often library administration/management reorganizes personnel, duties, and departments to accomplish new goals and to shift focus of library services. Both during and after a reorganization, employees respond to the changes in a wide variety of ways, ranging from acceptance and positivity to anger and resistance. Fortunately, administrators and managers have a variety of tools available to help employees deal with change and to move them toward success. There are many books and articles on the …

Improvisation And Leadership Development: Understanding Improvisational Theater Arts As Leadership Skills, Jack Skalican

Doctoral Dissertations

Leadership development is immersed in a philosophical struggle. Past efforts at developing leaders have missed a set of skills important to the role of today’s leaders. Since Frederick Taylor invented the practice of scientific management, the study of management and leadership has largely focused on traits, practices, and behaviors that conform to this model such as planning, analysis, control, and monitoring. Missing in this focus, however, are less transactional leadership skills like intuition, improvisation, and creativity. As a result, organizations have begun drawing on improvisational theater skills as one answer to fill this leadership development gap.

This case study focuses …

An Investigation Into Full Range Leadership And Leadership Development Methods In Public Parks And Recreation Organizations In California, Heather Vilhauer

Doctoral Dissertations

As current public parks and recreation organizational leaders age and retire, it will become important for qualified professionals to be prepared to fill these positions. A study by Hurd and McLean (2004) examined the perceived competencies of CEOs in public park and recreation organizations. Leadership and management were rated as the most important competencies for CEOs. However, these perceived competencies are not only for the CEOs; all professionals employed in parks and recreation, from administrative leaders to direct service providers, must demonstrate leadership to succeed in their positions (Russell, 2005). Thus, it is crucial for parks and recreation organizations to …

Assessing Factors Influencing Employees' Voice Behavior In Organizations, Nikita Agnihotri

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of the present study was threefold: (1) to investigate the relationship between organizational based self- esteem and voice behavior, (2) to examine whether or not organizational identification interacts with organizational based self-esteem in significantly predicting voice behavior, and (3) to test another moderation effect, interaction of perceived organizational support and organizational based self-esteem in predicting voice behavior. Based on data from 482 undergraduate students, results suggested organization based self-esteem is strongly positively related to voice behavior. Additionally, the interaction of organization based self-esteem with both perceived organizational support and organizational identification in predicting voice behavior was not significant. …

The Cost Of Inconsistent Supervisor Treatment On Psychological Detachment And Daily Home Affect : A Multilevel Mediation Study, Yi-Ren Wang

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

With the assumption that the more justice the better, studies in the past have overlooked the implications of the consistency in daily justice experiences. Interpersonal justice especially tends to be associated with frequent fluctuations on the daily basis among the justice dimensions. Drawing on uncertainty management theory (Van den Bos & Lind, 2002; Van den Bos, 2001), the author argued that the uncertainty and the difficulty in consolidating a sense of justice from inconsistent fairness treatments can make people engage in sense-making or rumination after work. Hence, the purpose of the study was to investigate the potential negative spillover impact …

The Impact Of Performance Management System Characteristics On Perceived Effectiveness Of The System And Engagement, Laura Ricci

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine performance management systems to determine the characteristics that are most influential in predicting desirable organizational outcomes. Results of an online survey administered to 159 participants revealed that the four performance management system categories significantly predicted employees’ perceived effectiveness of their performance management system and employee engagement. The activities category was found to be the strongest predictor of perceived effectiveness and employee engagement. Four performance management system characteristics significantly led employees to perceive their performance management system to be effective and be engaged at work. These four performance management system characteristics include …

Recreation At Work: More Than Fun And Games?, Andrew Lacanienta

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of Duerden, Courtright, and Widmer's (n.d.) Recreation at Work (RAW) Model and explore the relationship between RAW and employee flourishing (i.e., resilience, work engagement, organizational identification). This study explored the unique contribution from RAW and work activities in relation to employee flourishing. Structural equation modeling revealed RAW and leisure as a state of mind (LSM) perceptions (i.e., intrinsic motivation, perceived freedom, positive affect) had positive relationships with personal expressiveness (β = .704, p < .001) and organizational identification (β = .164, p = .002). Additionally, RAW had a positive relationship with resilience mediated by personal expressiveness (β = …

A Holistic Process For Leading Organizational Change, Robert John Eschlemann

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Ed.D. dissertation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Full Text of the Dissertation

With over two million resources available for organizational change, and an emphasis on church revitalization by organizations as such as NaMB, is it possible the disconnected variations of organizational change have created so much confusion that it prevents a simple, comprehensive, and comprehensible understanding? In order to explore this question, and to advance a preferred method, case studies of organizational change within the Bible were conducted, and secular organizational change studies were evaluated. context analysis was used to review current change theory literature. Six functions of change were …

Does The Way We Measure Fit Matter? : Predicting Behaviors And Attitudes Using Different Measures Of Fit, Jennifer A. Cavanaugh

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The literature on person-organization (P-O) fit has been plagued with inconsistencies in the conceptualization, operationalization and measurement of P-O fit. Despite numerous studies examining the relationship between P-O fit and outcomes, these inconsistencies in measurement and operationalization have led to mixed findings concerning specific individual outcomes. The goal of this dissertation was to address some of these inconsistencies by examining the relationship between P-O fit, using perceived and subjective measures of fit, and attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. In addition, previously unexplored mediators of the P-O fit-outcome relationships were examined.

Preparing Future Leaders In Higher Education: Excellence Practices From Staff To Mid-Level Management Role Transitions, Erica Sherese Little

Theses and Dissertations

Mid-level leadership is key to a functioning university and it is important that mid-level leaders feel they have the tools and resources they need in order to succeed. To be successful in a new mid-level leadership position, entering supervisors must clearly communicate a strong sense of vision, values, and principles to their staff and establish positive relationships to encourage inclusivity, support, and effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to determine what higher education institutions can do to prepare staff for a successful transition into mid-level management and leadership roles successfully. This purpose was achieved by identifying successes and challenges …

Abusive Supervision In The Workplace: An Examination Of Current Research And A Proposal For Preventive Measures, Samantha Kemper

University Honors Theses

Abusive supervision is a serious and growing problem plaguing today’s organizations, affecting up to 16 percent of employees. This paper provides an overview of workplace mistreatment research, focusing specifically on abusive supervision and its antecedents and consequences, and proposes a course of action for organizations interested in reducing and preventing abusive supervision. In total, 93 articles were included based on the originality of their contributions to the literature. The central objective of this paper is to create a foundation of knowledge and understanding of abusive supervision, which organizations can then use to identify and prevent the occurrence of abusive supervision. …

Change Management For Small Business Leaders, Lora Elizabeth Higdon

Theses and Dissertations

Small business owners face challenges associated with leading change, and many times lack the necessary resources to manage it properly. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to determine what challenges leaders of small businesses face in managing change, what strategies and practices those leaders employ, and how the leaders of small businesses measure success in managing change. This study also determined what advice leaders of small businesses would suggest for managing change. Four research questions were created to assist with this process, and 13 semi-structured interviews were conducted in various cities throughout the state of Michigan. The participants …

Leading By Design: Physicians In Training And Leadership Awareness, Meridithe Anne Mendelsohn

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Patient-centered care requires robust physician leadership in all aspects of healthcare in order to lead organizations to this ideal.Programs in Graduate Medical Education provide inconsistent and limited exposure to formal leadership development experiences for physicians in their final year of residency training.Literature addressing leadership training for residents focuses on the scarcity of effective programs that deliver adequate training and provide measurable outcomes.The purpose of this study was to explore how chief medical and surgical residents develop leadership awareness and experience training in leadership and engage chief residents, faculty mentors, and program administrators in a collaborative process, developing a leadership training …

Business Leadership Education: A Virtual Storytellers Exercise, Maria Mendez, Yue Cai Hillon, Khadija Al Arkoubi

Management Faculty Publications

Online courses are becoming popular in business education and require creative strategies to maintain students’ engagement and facilitate contextual and complex understanding of class concepts and theories. In this paper, we are proposing an exercise for online undergraduate Organizational Behavior courses to motivate students and enhance their understanding of class concepts through the use of storytelling. In this exercise, students work in teams to narrate stories that describe with rich detail different concepts and theories pertaining to team management in general and virtual team management in particular. The results suggest that students develop a higher level of critical thinking in …

Assessment Of The Relationship Between Organizational Culture And Lean Implementation In The Aerospace Industry, Jesus Arroyo

Theses and Dissertations

The aerospace industry is facing a wide range of economic and global challenges that are working together to put tremendous pressure to become more efficient. These challenges are forcing organizations to utilize the skills and competencies of its human resources more effectively. Firms must encourage behaviors and work practices that help elicit the organization’s potential. For most aerospace organizations, lean—a total quality management approach—has become a tool for addressing these challenges and meeting expectations. Many researchers see lean as a general system to improve the profitability of manufacturing, but there is some discontent in implementing lean manufacturing. Some researchers explain …

The Leadership Process: An Analysis Of Follower Influence On Leader Behavior In Hospital Organizations, Shawn M. Warren

Theses and Dissertations

The healthcare environment, specifically hospitals, face a turbulent environment and external forces that present difficult challenges to leaders. Hospital leaders are required to do more with less and navigate to ensure a profitable bottom line and high ratings of patient satisfaction. However, viewing solutions, such as developing a new force of leaders, to navigate through such a hostile environment may not be the only answer. This study seeks not to understand the leader solely, but is focused on the leadership process and the effect followers create due to their behaviors and attributes that influence leaders. The study draws from the …

Strengths In Action: Implementing A Learning Organization Model In A Human Service Setting, Barbara Ann Whitbeck

Dissertations and Theses

Although learning organization theory evolved in corporate settings, literature suggests that the theory has much to offer human service organizations. This dissertation examines the implementation of a modified learning organization model in three small field offices of a publicly-funded vocational rehabilitation organization in the Pacific Northwest, at a time when the organization was negotiating financial cutbacks and organizational changes. The model - known as Strengths in Action - was based on Senge's five learning organization disciplines, and informed by organizational culture theory. In each participating office, all staff worked together to set a goal, make a plan, and achieve the …

Why And How Organizational Members Encourage Their Peer Coworkers To Voluntarily Exit The Organization: An Investigation Of Peer-Influence Exit Tactics, Michael Sollitto

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Previous scholars have found that organizational members use various tactics to encourage their peer coworkers to voluntarily exit their organizations. These tactics are known as peer-influence exit tactics. What has been missing from the literature is clarity about the factors that influence organizational members' use of peer-influence exit tactics. This dissertation explored the construct of peer-influenced exit to develop greater clarity about the motives for encouraging peer coworkers to leave, the characteristics of the peer-influence exit tactic source and receiver, and the organizational influences on peer-influenced exit. Study 1 used an open-ended survey design to explore the motives, process, and …

Bumps Along The Long And Winding Road: Factors Related To Truck Driver Turnover And Job-Induced Tension, Layla Rhiannon Mansfield

Dissertations and Theses

Voluntary turnover rates among truckload carriers are extremely high, ranging from 50% to more than 100% annually (Griffin & Kalnbach, 2002), furthermore, long-haul truck drivers operate in a stressor-filled environment, which exerts enormous adverse influence not only their well-being but also on their intent to quit. This study explores the relational aspects of the driver's work environment to highlight how the relationships that a driver has with their organization, supervisor, and dispatcher can explain turnover and job-induced tension. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory, Conservation of Resources Theory, and concepts from Hirschman's (1970) theoretical framework of Exit, Voice, and Loyalty, this …

Conceptual Frameworks And Research Models On Resilience In Leadership, Janet Ledesma

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article was to discuss conceptual frameworks and research models on resilience theory. The constructs of resilience, the history of resilience theory, models of resilience, variables of resilience, career resilience, and organizational resilience will be examined and discussed as they relate to leadership development. The literature demonstrates that there is a direct relationship between the stress of the leader’s job and his or her ability to maintain resilience in the face of prolonged contact with adversity. This article discusses resilience theory as it relates to leadership development. The concept associated with resilience, which includes thriving and hardiness, …

Perceptions Of General Education Deans And Department Chairs Of Their Colleges As Learning Organizations, May Charmayne Mulligan

Dissertations

Higher education institutions are being pushed towards increased assessment practices because of rising costs, mass access, new delivery methods, and rising competition on the national and global scale. Academic deans and department heads are at the center of these assessment efforts, and assessment should guide changes within the organization for improvement. Learning organization theory provides a framework for creating an environment favorable to assessment and improvement. Six learning organization principles – learning, communication, measurement, problem-solving, structure, and vision – were used for this study.

An online questionnaire was used to capture the perceptions of deans and department heads as to …

A Multifoci Model Of Workplace Incivility And Deviance : Examining The Moderating Role Of Prosocial Orientation, Wisanupong Potipiroon

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Despite the scholarly interest in workplace incivility in the field of organizational behavior, public administration (PA) scholars have paid much less attention to this timely and relevant topic. Based on a unique sample of 401 individuals (nested in 83 work units) employed in a public organization in Thailand, the present study seeks to address this void by examining whether different sources of workplace incivility (i.e., supervisors, coworkers and customers) will have differential effects on different types of employee deviant behaviors (i.e., deviance directed towards the organization, supervisors, coworkers and customers). Based on a multifoci and target-specificity framework, the present study …

A Curricular Reform Viewed Through Bolman And Deal’S Organizational Frames, Lucinda J. Lyon, Nader A. Nadershahi, A. Nattestad, P. Kachalia, Daniel A. Hammer

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Professions exist to serve the needs of society, communities and, in the case of the dental profession, patients. Academic dental institutions strive to help meet these needs by educating and developing future practitioners, educators, researchers, and citizen leaders who serve the community and shape the changing environment in which they practice and provide care. The American Dental Association Commission on Change and Innovation affirms, “If dental educators are to meet these purposes, change and innovation in dental education must be responsive to evolving societal needs, practice patterns, scientific developments, and economic conditions”(Haden, et al., 2006). Guiding any institution through such …

Work Design Characteristics As Moderators Of The Relationship Between Proactive Personality And Engagement, Damon Thomas Drown

Dissertations and Theses

This study examines which and how trait relevant work design characteristics moderate the relationship between proactive personality and engagement. Proactive personality is defined as an individual's tendency to intentionally and directly affect change in their environment (Bateman & Crant, 1993; Crant, 2000). Previous research has been primarily focused on the positive aspects of proactive personality; to fill this gap, I used trait activation theory (Tett & Burnett, 2003) to identify which work characteristics will activate proactive personality to affect engagement and developed specific hypotheses about which work characteristics will attenuate the proactive personality engagement relationship. In the study I identified …

The Impact Of Transformational Leadership On The Relationship Between Organizational Learning Culture And Employee Outcomes, Leanne Marie Tortez

Theses Digitization Project

Research in leadership has emphasized the importance of factors like organizational culture, empowerment, and employee innovation. The current study sought to address these topics by considering the contribution of organizational learning culture to employee outcomes, such as psychological empowerment and innovative behaviors, while investigating the moderating effect of transformational leadership. Participants consisted of 387 employed men and women from various organizational backgrounds.

Comparative Analysis Of Corporate Culture In A Multinational Organization, Don G. Gilman

Theses and Dissertations

This study built upon the Project GLOBE (House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman, & Gupta, 2004) analysis by using a Web-based version of the GLOBE Questionnaire in order to examine the extent to which the cultural values and practices of middle managers in a multinational organization vary depending on (a) their cultural background and the region in which they work, (b) whether they were a member of a recently acquired company, and (c) the number of years employed by the multinational organization. Multinational organizations face the unique challenge of operating in societies that have different sets of cultural norms, expectations, beliefs, and …

The Effects Of Psychological Contract Breach On Job Outcomes, Nichole Simone Ballou

Master's Theses

The present study examined the effects of psychological contract breach on attitudinal and behavioral job outcomes including job satisfaction, intention to remain with one's organization, perceived organizational support, and organizational citizenship behaviors. Additionally, the present study also examined whether the effect of the psychological contract breach on these job outcomes varied based on the type of psychological contract an employee had (i.e., transactional or relational). A total of 89 part- and full-time employees participated in this study. Results showed that the breach of one's psychological contract had a significant effect on one's job satisfaction, intention to remain, and perceived organizational …

Workplace Conflict: A Phenomenological Study Of The Types, Processes, And Consequences Of Small Business Conflict, Clare Fowler

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation concerns the conflicts experienced by small businesses. A small business is defined in this study as a business less than 10 years old with 5 to 50 employees. According to the U.S. Census, the majority of American employees work in small businesses. The literature shows that most of these small business owners report spending a substantial amount of their time and money dealing with conflicts. This dissertation analyzes the types of conflicts reported by small business owners, and some possibilities for resolving those conflicts. The literature suggests that conflicts are inevitable in the workplace, but that there are …

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 …