Digital Commons Network^™

Measuring Normlessness In The Workplace: A Study Of Organizational Anomie In The Academic Setting, Tayo Glenn Switzer

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The dissertation explores leadership and change by examining normlessness in the workplace through a multi-layered study of anomie theory, anomie research in the workplace, and organizational and business management theory. The research validates a quantitative survey designed to measure the level of normlessness experienced by workgroups within an organizational context. The survey reflects a set of six normative aspects that when disrupted produce organizational anomie—a state of normlessness that leads to an increase in worker resistance and a reduction in worker consent. The audience studied in this dissertation is associate professors at a large Midwestern research university. Data were gathered …

Examining Competencies For The Human Resources Professional Within Idaho State Government, Cecil R. Torres Jr

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examines the vital competencies of the Human Resource (HR) professional within Idaho state government. Through the lens of comparability and factor analysis, the competencies examined in this study utilize the Human Resource Competency Survey (HRCS) study framework as a basis for study. Since the HRCS model was primarily designed for the private sector, this study examines these study findings in light of public services on a state government level.

This study establishes a competency model that the human resource professional in state level government can use in various facets related to their individual performance, training and development, recruitment, …

Workplace Spirituality, Meditation, And Work Performance, Pawinee Petchsawanga, Dennis Duchon

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

This paper reports two studies that examine how an organization might enable more productive work practices by encouraging the expression of its employees’ spiritual selves in an eastern context. Study 1 shows that people who regularly practice meditation have higher workplace spirituality scores than people who do not regularly practice meditation. Study 2 reports a quasi-experimental study in which people practiced insight meditation. The data did not reveal a direct effect for the meditation, however spirituality does relate to work performance. Moreover, the practice of meditation is also found to partially mediate the relationship between workplace spirituality and work performance.

Organizational Behavior In Mental Health Services: A Needs Assessment, Geovana Varela

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to know the needs of non-profit organizations that will help increase their effectiveness and enhance the delivery of mental health services.

Maintaining And Regaining Organizational Legitimacy : The U.S. Securities And Exchange Commission, Karen R. Bryce

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Focusing on organizational legitimacy is an essential element to the survival of an organization. Suchman (1995) suggests that "Legitimacy is a generalized perception or assumption that the actions of an entity are desirable, proper, or appropriate within some socially constructed system of norms, values, beliefs, and definitions" (p. 574). Legitimacy must first be gained and then maintained. If lost, legitimacy must be regained or the organization is unlikely to survive. Organizations can use both symbolic and substantive means of gaining, maintaining or regaining legitimacy. This dissertation explores organizational legitimacy by examining the case of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission …

Using Appreciative Inquiry In The 360-Degree Survey Feedback Process For Leaders, Aaron C. Herbert

Theses and Dissertations

This study identified how an appreciative 360-degree leader survey enhanced the feedback process for leaders. The qualitative study was conducted at a 1500-member Protestant church in Virginia. The two senior-most leaders (pastor and executive associate pastor) were evaluated by 10 subordinates. Examination of the impact of the appreciative process on the implementation and use of survey results identified risks, benefits, and suggested interventions. The study found that the appreciative process generally enhanced subordinates' willingness to participate, although some concerns did arise. Pastors and subordinates stated they did not have sufficient time to absorb the feedback or to identify deliberate action …

An Exploratory Study Of Work-Related Imagined Interactions With Real-Life Coworkers, Paula Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Communication between individuals in social systems includes not only interpersonal, external acts of discourse, but also intrapersonal communications within each person's interior cognitive space. One type of intrapersonal communication, imagined interactions, involves mentally imagining communication encounters with others in an internal dialogue symbolic of real-life conversations. This research project explored the phenomenon of imagined interactions with real-life coworkers as a component of the interior work lives of working adults. The research question was: How do supervisors utilize imagined interactions to make sense of and manage workplace relationships? An existing survey instrument, the Survey of Imagined Interactions, was modified to limit …

A Phenomenological Study Of Selected California Small Business Founders' Motivational Paradigms, Jennifer M. Darling

Theses and Dissertations

Organizational vision has become an increasingly important tool in many professions. A founder's vision may permeate an organization's culture and have a lasting impact on how the organization is later run. Organizational vision is a tool that helps leaders create alignment within their organizations and provides flexibility for adaptation to the ever-changing marketplace. In order to facilitate this alignment, leaders often use various motivational techniques. Ideally, the motivational technique the leader selects best motivates his or her employees to act in alignment with the vision. How effective the founder is in selecting the most appropriate motivational technique may be contingent …

A Study Of Health Care Payment Organizations' Culture And Adaptability To Revolutionary Change, Susan Andree Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. health care system is in the midst of revolutionary change. Health care costs continue to rise, significant portions of the population remain uninsured, and government regulation is increasing. The culture of organizations influences their ability to change, and research demonstrates that those with the characteristics of learning organizations are most adaptable. This study sought to establish the characteristics of health care payment organizations and to determine how well these align with the characteristics of learning organizations. A survey was sent to 138 individuals employed by 79 organizations in multiple segments of the industry to obtain their perception of …

Exploring Cultural Intelligence: An Exploratory Study Of The Impact Of Cultural Intelligence On Team Effectiveness In A Multinational, Organization Development Graduate Program, Jack P. Schlafer

Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory study focused on the impact of cultural intelligence (CQ) on team effectiveness (TE) in a multinational, organization development graduate program. This field study included preliminary measures of both CQ and TE, an educational and focus group intervention for enhanced CQ skills, and post-CQ and TE reassessment. The results suggest that CQ skills, specifically Metacognitive CQ and Behavioral CQ, had a positive relationship on a team's ability to meet objectives and satisfy customers' needs in cross-cultural engagements. Curiously, Metacognitive CQ seemed to have diminished a team's ability to deliver results in a timely manner. Demographics such as age negatively …

Telling The Story: Teaching Leaders The Art Of Storytelling And Its Impact On Individuals And The Organization, Julie Jones O’Leary

Theses and Dissertations

There are many different approaches to communicating a story which engages and inspires the audience. The opportunity comes in teaching employees a framework to tell a story that influences outcomes. This study analyzed the effects of a storytelling class delivered to employees of a Fortune 500 organization. Data for the study was sourced from a mixed-method approach: archival interviews, class evaluations, and face-to-face interviews. These methods measured the participants' reaction to the training, evaluated the relevance to the job, and determined the impact of learning the art of telling a story. The findings showed participants reported improved confidence, strengthened relationships, …

Human And Relationship Capabilities In A Global Change Program, Elena Tran

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined human and relationship capabilities developed through a change program at an oil/gas exploration and production multinational organization. A convenience sample of 10 leaders and members of the change program were interviewed for the study. Although study participants were mixed in the assessment of the program's priority and the company's ability to deliver it successfully, the study found that the program most strongly developed capabilities related to leading and managing transformation and change, building infrastructure and process excellence, and developing critical skills and experience. Key program impacts reported were reducing risk, managing complexity, and better utilizing resources. Participants …

Exploring Relationship Awareness In Organizational Change Using The Strength Deployment Inventory, Angie Burwell Kerr

Theses and Dissertations

Most planned approaches to organizational change specify a set of steps intended to apply to most change efforts, without recognizing contextual factors impacting the approach or the individual changes required to achieve organizational results. The purpose of this study was to determine if increasing personal awareness of self and others through the Strength Deployment Inventory may affect planned change actions, as well as individual thinking and beliefs about change. The study contributes to a greater understanding of a relationship-centered change model. The case study was conducted in the Organizational Effectiveness department of an insurance corporation. Differences in wants and needs …

Sustainable Operations At Portland State University: Relevant Organizational Issues And A Path Forward, Molly Mae Bressers

Dissertations and Theses

Large organizations such as Portland State University (PSU) play an important role in the environmental impact and sustainability of a city, EcoDistrict and region. Through their resource use and operations, such organizations can assist in mitigating environmental damage, as well as educate their members and community. PSU does not currently have any formal policies that support sustainable operations, and there is room to improve the sustainability of campus operations. Feedback from PSU employees was solicited through two surveys, and these data were qualitatively analyzed to identify salient organizational issues that may serve to inhibit implementation of sustainable operations at PSU. …

Determining The Relationship Between Employee Morale And Management Practices Of An Organization In The Aerospace Industry, Balenda F. Fulton

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The applied dissertation was designed to measure employee morale and to examine the relationship between employee morale and employee perceptions of the effectiveness of the morale intervention and management practices. The managers of the repair facility at an organization in the aerospace industry disputed the accuracy of the results of the 2008 company survey that indicated the majority of employees had low satisfaction levels with the work environment and managers. In 2009, the managers of the repair facility implemented an employee morale-intervention program to increase employees’ satisfaction levels and ultimately improve worker morale.

A correlational design was utilized to explore …

A Self-Organizing Group Within A Hierarchical Organization, Sheila Yuter

Doctoral Dissertations

This study was conducted to discover and describe the characteristics of a community of practice (CoP) and the health care system within which it formed. The study explored the relationship between a CoP of primary care physicians and a health care system that was both a hierarchical organization and a complex adaptive entity. It further examined the impact that relationship may have had on the organization’s sustainability within its environment.

A qualitative approach was used for the collection and analysis of data. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four members of the CoP and three members of their administrative hierarchy. There …

Entrepreneurial Passion: Sources And Sustenance, Melissa S. Cardon Phd, Michael Glauser

Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurial passion helps coordinate cognition and behavior of entrepreneurs, providing the fire that fuels innovation, persistence, and ultimate success. But where does entrepreneurial passion come from? Using a phenomenological approach, we conduct a qualitative study of 80 entrepreneurs and analyze their oral histories to explore the sources of entrepreneurial passion, as experienced by entrepreneurs. Our discovery process in the interviews suggests six major sources of entrepreneurial passion: passion for building/developing the venture, passion for people, passion for the product or service, passion for inventing, passion for competition, and passion for a social cause.

Face-To-Face Communication Versus Memo Communication To Announce Mergers And Acquisitions The Importance Of Media Richness, Janell Marie Hopeck

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine the current research on mergers and acquisitions which includes organizational factors, such as communication processes, and their impact on employee reactions. The current study addresses this issue through a simulated M&A announcement laboratory experiment with 156 CSUSB undergraduate students.

Strategic Management In Nonprofit Mental Health Service Organizations: Understanding Processes And Impact On Performance, Jennifer Schurer Coldiron

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Managing the performance of social service-providing nonprofit organizations: NPOs) has become more and more complex in the past few decades as executives have had to cope with increasing competition, demands from a diversified set of stakeholders, rapidly changing technologies, and mounting scrutiny from funders and consumers. To help reduce the complexity of strategic management, organizations have been encouraged to adopt formal strategy formation processes, such as highly-structured strategic planning models. However, there are no demonstrated "best practices" or conclusive evidence of the utility of formal strategy formation within the nonprofit sector. The stakes of mismanagement are high for the organizations …

Identity As The Foundation For Change In School Systems, Amy E. Scalia

Theses and Dissertations

Citizens, politicians, scholars, and educators agree that the nation's educational system is failing to serve our youth. Despite energy, resources, research, and readiness, schools remain unchanged and ineffective. This study builds on existing research in the corporate landscape about the role identity plays in an organization's capability to change. The school system has not made a distinct statement about what it stands for. The researcher hypothesized that a clear identity will better prepare the educational system and schools within it to implement change effectively. The study explored the question, "Does a clear identity better equip a school to implement change?" …

Assessing The Impacts Of A Leadership Development Program On Skill Development And Organizational Performance, Gina Paone

Theses and Dissertations

The quality of an organization's leaders substantially influences organizational effectiveness (Bass, 1990. One way organizations seek to enhance the quality of their leaders is to conduct leadership development training. However, training and development does not automatically produce results (Cook, 2006). Too many organizations conduct training based on the implicit belief that it is beneficial, rather than upon quantifiable evidence. It is important to evaluate what tangible benefits actually can be associated with the training. This study assessed the impact of a leadership development program on one multinational organization, particularly as it concerned skill development and organizational outcomes. This study used …

Storytelling Strategies For Leading Change In University Prestige, Matthew T. Paden

Theses and Dissertations

Universities across the United States desire to enhance their level of institutional prestige in order to recruit top students, hire outstanding faculty members, and increase financial support. The purpose of this study is to discover storytelling strategies for leading change in university prestige. This qualitative study utilized the Dynamic Narrative Approach in conducting interviews to collect data from university leaders whose titles included president, provost-vice president, and academic dean. The interview instrument consisted of semistructured questions, was reviewed for validity by a panel of experts, and was administered through the use of technology. A review and synthesis of the literature …

Successful Change Strategies For A Major Research And Consulting Company, Islam Ahmad Azzam

Theses and Dissertations

This case study describes a major change initiative undertaken by a major consulting-contracting agency, 3 Tier Research and Development, Inc., engaged in market branding, research, and development in the United States. Focusing on one client account, Go-Green Auto Corp, the study scrutinizes relevant organizational theories as they apply to real-time organizational leadership and change-management strategy scenarios. Members of the studied organization from one office in Southern California, predisposed by their own mind-sets and training in the organization's mission statement and policies and procedures of operation, voluntarily participated in field research that included questionnaires and interviews by the researcher. The goal …

Significant Traits, Characteristics, And Qualities Of High Effective United Methodist Church Clergy, Grant John Hagiya

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation attempts to identify the key traits, characteristics, and qualities of high effective United Methodist Church clergy. The experimental study employed a mixed methods design, with a quantitative component that compared high effective and low effective clergy on the dimensions of their Emotional Intelligence using the BarOn Assessment, leadership qualities using the Leadership Practices Inventory, church size and vitality, and finally, self identification as to leadership abilities and ministry effectiveness. It also included a qualitative component in the form of in-depth interviews with high effective United Methodist Church clergy on their leadership traits, characteristics, and qualities. The dissertation's quantitative …

The Role Of Process Consultation And Appreciative Inquiry In The Coaching Model At Los Angeles Universal Preschool, Karel Kreshek

Theses and Dissertations

Enabling American students to race to the top through the education reform launched by the Obama Administration begins with attention to its youngest citizens. Studies have shown that high-quality early childhood education is associated with improved school achievement in later years. However, limitations in the reach and effectiveness of federal and state preschool programs have prompted the creation of nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving access to preschool for underserved children. One such organization is Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP), whose design includes coaching for childcare providers to heighten the quality of their preschool programs. This study examined the use and …

The Use Of Assessment For Institutional Sensemaking By Top Administrative Officials, Johnston Niven Hegeman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study explored the relationship between the degree to which top administrators of four-year colleges and universities that have been effective in implementing and sustaining assessment view the use of assessment and seven components of institutional sensemaking at their institutions. The underlying premise is that outcomes assessment practices represent a transformational change in higher education, and institutional sensemaking has been identified as a central feature of institutional transformation efforts. Understanding how assessment results and institutional sensemaking are intertwined should be useful for professionals charged with designing or implementing assessment plans, because it may lead to new ways to connect assessment …

Implementation Of Islamic Ethics In Organizations: Malaysian Experience, Nor Azzah Kamri

Research Publications (2006 to 2010)

Ethics plays an important role in producing ethical staffs for managing an organization. The ethical staffs will ensure their duties are performed ethically and the best service is offered to the customers. Thus, Malaysian government as an Islamic country has encouraged to implement Islamic ethics. This article attempts to investigate the concept of Islamic ethics, its principles and components as a framework to be implemented in organizational context. It also discusses the Malaysian government’s initiatives in instilling Islamic ethics in its civil service in particular, and the people in general. Finally, this article concludes that Malaysian government has showed seriousness …

Exploring The Effect Of Unfair Work Contexts On The Development Of Fairness Beliefs, Sonia Goltz

College of Business Publications

This paper examines what happens when individuals who perceive a fair situation discover that the situation is in fact, unfair. In a previous study, women who sued their universities discussed their initial expectations that the university would treat them fairly despite several studies that clearly indicated discrimination at universities is still a problem (Goltz, 2005a). Thus, using interview excerpts from this past study, the current paper explores how these women's expectations of fairness may have been formed, as well as how they changed after a discriminatory experience. Results suggest that the women's expectations of fairness arose in part from three …

Building Perceived Organizational Support Through Justice : The Mediating Effect Of Perceived Organizational Support On The Relationship Between Justice Interventions And Organizational Outcomes, Maria Belen Arboleda

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Research on perceived organizational support has focused on theoretical antecedents and organizational outcomes, however to date there is limited research on practical interventions to enhance POS. The present study examined, in a lab setting, whether two operationalizations of justice, provision of information (informational justice) and encouraging suggestions (procedural justice) influence the extent to which employees feel supported by their organization. Further, this study explored the mediating effect of POS on the relationship between these justice interventions and organizational outcomes supported in the literature, affective commitment, extra-role performance and in-role performance. One hundred and seventy three participants were randomly assigned to …

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 …