Business Commons^™

The Impact Of Authentic Leadership Behavior On Employee Engagement And Organizational Ethical Culture In Nigeria, Adayehi B. Peter

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

Authenticity in leadership is an old phenomenon that has recently sparked a new research interest in management and the human resource development (HRD) literature (Peus, Wesche, Streicher, Braun, & Frey, 2012). An upswing in highly publicized corporate scandals, management malfeasance, and broader societal challenges facing public and private organizations has contributed to the recent attention placed on authenticity and authentic leadership (Walumbwa, Avolio, Gardner, Wernsing, & Peterson, 2008). Authentic leadership behavior allows leaders and organizations meet the raised expectations of fairness, morality, and social responsibility held by employees and organizational stakeholders (Kiersch, 2012).

The primary purpose of this study was …

Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Servant Leadership In The United States And Latin America, Ismael Merino

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this study, the subject matter evaluated is the difference between the United States and Latin America concerning the practice and acceptance of servant leadership. This research compares the practice and the acceptance of servant leadership between the United States of America and Latin America. In order to do this, a cross-cultural comparison was conducted between these two groups. The objective was to find the differences in the leadership styles of these two groups and subsequently analyze the results. The Hofstede’s cultural dimensions were used to be able to compare cultural differences, and understand why these differences appear in the …

A Taxonomy Of Effective Leader Behaviors In The Construction Industry, Enrique Leonardo Cabrera-Caban

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The construction industry is a major part of the United States economy, but it is also one of the most dangerous and high-risk industries. The industry is currently facing a shortage of effective leadership, and leaders face unique challenges in coordinating multiple teams of subcontractors on projects. The first step in remedying this shortage is to identify the behaviors of an effective construction leader. To address this need, a taxonomy of effective leader behaviors in construction was developed using grounded theory methodology and rated by construction industry subject matter experts. Archival focus group data from 10 focus groups in three …

Change Management And Guided Pathways: Creating A Plan For Implementation At A Washington State Community College, Sandra Spadoni, Saovra Ear

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

Objective: This article addresses a problem of practice in community college leadership: how to effectively use change management strategies to implement a guided pathways model at a community college. Guided pathways is a recent national movement to create more structured and better coordinated academic pathways within community colleges. Using the case study of one Washington State community college looking to implement this model, we identified change management strategies for community college leaders seeking to implement the guided pathways model. Methods: We conducted interviews with national consultants, state system leaders, and college leaders around the country who have effectively …

Veteran As Leader: The Lived Experience With Army Leader Development, Michael James Kirchner

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined the lived leader development experience of Post 9/11 Army veterans while serving in the armed forces. At least $10-$15 billion is spent annually on leadership development in the United States and human resource executives claim developing leaders is their number one priority over the next five years. Simultaneously, companies actively hiring veterans claim the former service member's leadership abilities are their most desired quality. Inspection of the Army’s leader development program offers an opportunity for employers to integrate revised approaches in their own leadership development initiatives.

A purposive sample of ten Army veterans—six males and four …

The Creative Entrepreneur Leading Innovation, Karina Loera Barcenas

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The Creative Entrepreneur Leading Innovation is a course designed for undergraduate students. Students will learn the entrepreneurial mindset through the creative process triggering innovation and leading transformation to face and adapt in the current constant and fastest changing era. This course also has a skill development component through which students will be able to experience personal transformation towards positive change.

From Creativity To Team Innovation: Building The Bridge In Organizations, Jonathan Brown

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The outcome of this project is a new model for team innovation. It was created as a result of the need for teams to be better prepared to innovate. The approach of this project was to investigate, clarify, combine, synthesize and finally propose useful ways to accelerate team innovation in organizations. It started with a diagram and evolved into an articulation of each step of the model. This prototype model is called Model for Purposeful Team Innovation. The model is divided in seven steps that include identity, mission, quality, targets for improvement, roadmap, execution, monitoring to assess the maturity and …

Emotional Intelligence: A Leader's Impact On Productivity In A Distribution Environment, Herbert Callahan

Dissertations

ABSTRACT Emotional Intelligence: A Leader’s Impact on Productivity in a Distribution Environment by Herbert Callahan Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the impact of a supervisor’s Emotional Intelligence on the performance of the associates that work for them within a distribution environment. The research design will include assessing a supervisor’s levels of emotional intelligence through the administration of the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal®–Me Edition and will include the gathering of data through semi-structured interviews from identified associates that work with them. Methodology: Convenience purposeful sampling was used to identify supervisors within a distribution environment. A …

Understanding Millennial, Generation X, And Baby Boomer Preferred Leadership Characteristics: Informing Today’S Leaders And Followers, Lee-Volker Cox

Dissertations

Purpose. This quantitative study’s purpose was to describe and determine the degree of difference and importance of leadership characteristics as perceived by Baby Boom, Generation X, and Millennial generational cohort followers in STEM-related U.S.-based or headquartered aerospace and computer organizations as measured by the Multigenerational Leadership Characteristics Questionnaire (MLCQ).

Methodology. This was a cross-sectional, nonexperimental, comparative and correlational quantitative, ex post facto study. A web-based MLCQ was developed after conducting an academic literature review. Participants used a 6-point Likert scale identifying the importance of 30 characteristics with 2 aggregation questions identifying the most and least important characteristics; 408 members of …

Values Of Hospital Chief Executive Officers In Ontario, Alexander Smith

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Value-based health systems, where the fundamental goal of the system is to maximize patient value, have been suggested as a means to improve health service delivery. However, our understanding of various stakeholder values in Ontario is limited. This study collected interview responses from 26 Ontario hospital Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in an attempt to understand their personal values, alignment with health-system values, and use of values to drive decision-making. Results suggest that Ontario hospital CEOs have two value sets; a set of core values (i.e. integrity, compassion, empathy) that are established at a young age and are largely non-negotiable, and …

The Transformational Leadership Communication Of Socially Close And Distant Leaders On Vision Integration, Bethany Weaver

Wayne State University Dissertations

Applying the theories of transformational leadership and distributive leadership and drawing from diffusion of innovations, this work posits that transformational leaders are successful in transferring vision and subsequently transforming the organization by enacting their communication both systematically and interpersonally. From a system level perspective, transformational leaders in executive leadership roles direct their communicative attention to the key influencers in the organization. They expend their time and effort on an interpersonal level ensuring these individuals are infused with the vision of the organization, understand it, develop the skills necessary to contribute to its achievement, and are equipped and motivated to transfer …

An Exploration Of Leadership Styles And Motivation In Egyptian Business Organizations, Nady Ahmed El-Zayaty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leadership styles can have a profound impact on employee motivation and performance. The changing global business landscape has drawn much attention to transformational leadership as an approach that addresses the demands of organizations in this complex environment. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to understand the nature of employee motivation with regard to leadership styles and the role of transformational leadership in Egyptian business organizations. Seventeen Egyptian professionals were recruited through a combination of e-mail and telephone procedures and were interviewed regarding their experiences with organizational leaders; their perception of the ideal organizational leader; their feelings about …

Reducing Employee Turnover In Retail Environments: An Analysis Of Servant Leadership Variables, Beatriz Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a competitive retail environment, retail store managers (RSMs) need to retain retail customer service employees (RCSE) to maximize sales and reduce employee turnover costs. Servant leadership (SL) is a preferred leadership style within customer service organizations; however, there is disagreement regarding the usefulness of SL in the retail industry. The theoretical framework for this correlational study is Greenleaf's SL theory. Seventy-four of 109 contacted human resources managers (HRMs) from a Fortune 500 United States retailer, with responsibility for evaluating leadership competencies of the RSMs they support, completed Liden's Servant Leadership Questionnaire. RCSE turnover rates were available from company records. …

Leadership Styles And Learning For Performance Within Commercial Banks In Kenya, Teckie Michelle Karoki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The literature indicates that leaders influence the establishment of organizational learning culture (OLC) by the application of transformational (TFO), transactional (TAC), and passive-avoidant (PAV) styles. Further, the literature links OLC to the financial performance of organizations by leadership involvement in establishing learning organizations. However, the manner in which the practice of OLC occurs and the relationship of OLC with TFO, TAC, and PAV is unclear, as is the link between OLC and financial performance (ROA); especially for growing economies outside North America. The purpose of this study was to address this gap in the literature through a quantitative study of …

Servant Leadership And Non Servant Leadership Organization Triple Bottom Line Reporting Outcomes, Lydia M. Daniels

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The competitive environment of the 21st century, failure of U.S. companies, and the financial crisis of 2008 have moved leadership expectations to the forefront of research. However, there is a lack of empirical research about organizational reporting outcomes of self-identified servant leadership (SL) organizations compared to self-identified nonservant (non-SL) organizations. Guided by Greenleaf's SL theory, the purpose of this study was to compare information on organizational data for triple bottom line (TBL) reporting outcomes in SL organizations and non-SL organizations. Using causal comparative research design and global reporting initiative data with a sample of 12 organization reports, reporting outcomes were …

The Role Of Strategic Leadership In Banking Profitability, Joseph Ochien'g Witts

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A study on corporate leadership failure in America by Vugt and Ronay has shown that the failure rate of business leadership in meeting profitability targets is as high as 60%. Most organizations fail to attain profitability targets due to limited experience and exposure to strategic leadership. The aim of this single case study design was to explore the role of strategic leadership in banking profitability. Twelve purposively selected senior bankers and members of the board of directors with over 10 years of experience in banking and profitability and 3 years in the top management team participated in the study in …

Exploring Bank Managers' Strategies For Developing Millennials For Leadership Roles In Commercial Banks, Kenneth Morton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Understanding strategies to prepare Millennials for leadership roles in commercial banks is critical to ensure organizational stability and success and to avoid knowledge gaps and leadership deficiencies created by large numbers of retiring Baby Boomers. Guided by learning network theory and generational theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that 3 bank managers in North Carolina and South Carolina used to prepare Millennials for leadership. These 3 bank managers had a minimum of 2 years of experience leading teams of employees which included Millennials. The study included semistructured interviews to elicit detailed narratives from …

The Merits Of Trust In Transformational Leadership, Yonnette Hyman-Shurland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Trust in transformational leadership is related to motivation, self-enhancement, and positive job outcomes. Trust in the leader-follower relationship, from the perspective of subordinates, has yet to be examined. Trust is considered an important factor when seeking to improve the chances for organizational success and positive job outcomes. The merits of trust in transformational leadership were addressed in this qualitative case study for the purpose of understanding the value of trust in leader-follower relationships viewed from the experiences of subordinates. Interviews were conducted with 30 participants from 2 organizations within the Newton and Rockdale counties located in the state of Georgia; …

Senior Army Women's Leader Behaviors And Their Civilian Career Transition, Sharon R. Hamilton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Female retired Army colonels (FRACs) have significant potential to contribute to civilian organizations. To take advantage of that talent, it is important to have a better understanding of their behaviors based on their dual identities as women and leaders. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the under researched factors accounting for the development of FRACs' leader behaviors and the transfer of those behaviors to civilian careers. The 4 underlying meta categories of leadership behavior formed the conceptual framework. The theory of planned behavior was used to explore potential influences on FRAC leader behavior development. The 3 …

Developing Sustainable Leadership Strategies To Increase Corporate Revenue, Linda Goulet Crosby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The business environment is in constant flux where stakeholders encourage organizational leaders to consider sustainable business tactics alongside corporate profits. While most business leaders recognize the importance of including sustainability into corporate goals, evidence suggested that only 10% have sustainable action plans in place. Using the honeybee leadership model as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the sustainable leadership strategies that business leaders from small- and medium- sized companies integrated to increase corporate revenue. These companies were B Corp certified which ensures a third party endorsement of sustainable practices. The data were collected …

Examining How Knowledge Managers Facilitate The Process Of Knowledge Creation In Organizations, Dean Allen Call

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was how knowledge managers facilitated the process of knowledge creation. Researchers identified this area as important because it begins to fill the literature gap in the dynamics surrounding knowledge creation. Using 4 research questions developed from the theory of dynamic organizational knowledge creation, the study investigated how knowledge managers facilitated and supported knowledge creation, promoted knowledge formation, and accounted for knowledge gaps. The theory was selected to provide a framework and an analytical perspective on the process of knowledge creation. A qualitative research design was used to learn from a sample of 12 Chief …

Closing The Innovation Gap For Business Sustainability, Wayne Philip Stamler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Senior business leaders may deliberately impede innovation or inadvertently fail at creating a culture of innovation to foster new product development. The gap between desired and achieved levels of innovation is cause for concern. Addressing the innovation gap may require new ways of thinking from senior executives and a departure from a locked-in mindset to make the linkage between innovation, branding, and financial performance. In this quantitative research study, multiple regression analyses were used to examine and analyze the relationship between innovation rankings, brand valuation, and economic sustainability to address possible reasons for an innovation gap. The theoretical framework of …

Managing Hiv/Aids Outreach Strategies In The Black Church: A Case Study, Angela Gail Hicks-Bennett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem under investigation is that there is little research about how church leaders develop and design HIV/AIDS education and support programs in selected counties of New York State. The gap in the literature is that there is little known about how church leaders support the educational process for the HIV/AIDS Black community in New York state. The theory of normative decision making was the primary conceptual framework for this research. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory multi-case study was to discover how church leaders managed their HIV/AIDS outreach program strategies. The overarching question asked what programs and education do …

Employee Turnover In Frontline Hospital Staff, Jeanne Lynn Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover is costly in service-intensive organizations where employee-customer interactions directly affect the organization's success. The purpose of this multiple case study was to identify strategies community hospital leaders use to reduce frontline support employee turnover. The study population consisted of leaders of a community hospital in southeast Louisiana. The conceptual framework for this study is Kahn's model of employee engagement. Semistructured interviews were conducted with eight hospital leaders in southeast Louisiana who were selected through census sampling. Interview transcripts were analyzed and coded following Yin's case study analysis process. Methodological triangulation allowed for a comparison of the findings of …

Who Leads Nonprofit Organizations And What Does It Matter? A Mixed Methods Study Of The Impact Of Different Sector Experience On Nonprofit Leadership, Darrent Robert Tune

Dissertations

The nonprofit sector serves an important economic and community-building role in California and the rest of the United States. However, the nonprofit sector may be facing a leadership deficit due to inadequate succession planning and training of future leaders. Given that nonprofit organizations are often pressured to become more business-like and that many nonprofit organizations may need to adhere to regulations imposed upon them by government funders, nonprofit organizations may be able to find qualified leaders from the for-profit and public sectors.

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to build on prior research on the sector …

Assessing Nurse Manager Competencies In A Military Hospital, Ruby O. Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Military health care organizations need competent frontline managers with knowledge and skills to manage health care complexity and ensure evidence-based practice. With systematic, planned turn over of military managers, more civilian managers are needed to fill permanent positions in military hospitals. The purpose of this project was to provide a better understanding of the competencies perceived by nurse managers at a military medical center and whether they differed by military or civilian status. The American Organization of Nurse Executives competency model and framework provided the theoretical framework for the project. The design was nonexperimental, with an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional approach. …

A Study Of Followers Under Transformational Leadership, Song X. Zhang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A gap exists in scholarship on how transformational leadership inspires healthcare workers in the eastern United States, which is important as healthcare costs are approximately 20% of the United States gross domestic product and rising. Improved healthcare performance may contribute to cost containment or even cost reductions. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of employees working for a transformational leader in a healthcare facility in the eastern United States. The conceptual framework was Bass's transformational leadership theory and von Bertalanffy's general systems theory. The overreaching research question asked how transformational leadership affected …

The Correlation Of Leader Traits And Learning Organizational Culture, Mark Reginald Porter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many researchers in numerous studies have focused on leadership style and organizational cultures, but there is an absence of research regarding leader personality traits and productive work cultures in Alberta's oil and gas industry. The purpose of this correlational study was to assess the relationship between leader traits and preestablished learning organization culture benchmarks within Alberta's oil and gas industry. Learning organization culture is an extension of Senge's learning organization theory. Simple random sampling was used to attain a population comprised of 52 employees in Alberta's oil and gas industry who were accountable to an organizational supervisor. Data were collected …

Perceived Best Practices Of Small Business Executives In War Zones, Eric Wayne Barton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The ability to sustain small businesses operating in war-torn areas is important not only to the business owners, but also to foreign communities receiving United States contract services for recovery from widespread decimation. While all small businesses address a wide range of issues, businesses operating in war-torn areas also face cultural diversity, local regulations, and potential threats to employee safety. The conceptual framework for this exploratory multiple case study was transformational-transactional leadership theory, guiding the research to discover traits and strategies of successful leaders in the population of small businesses that were profitable beyond 5 years while operating in the …

Globalization, Mobile Technology, And Social Media's Influence On Leadership Communication Involving Millennials, Rasheedah Dunston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current research identifies effective leadership communication, which includes frequent direct conversational communication from company leaders, influences worker performance during organizational change. Social media, mobile technology, and the Millennial workforce have shifted leader communication style from purely top-down, town hall style communication to incorporate more collaborative and engaging forums. The case study addressed how globalization, social media, and mobile technology affects leadership communication and then subsequently effects worker performance as Millennials join the workforce. Qualitative data were collected from observations and interviews from a purposeful selection of 9 Millennial employees, including 2 Millennial leaders, and 8 non-Millennial leaders of a Fortune …