Business Commons^™

Site Visitation: School Leaders' Perceptions Of A Diagnostic Tool For School Improvement, Mary Shannon C. Chiasson

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This case study explored the use of site-visitation as a diagnostic tool for school improvement. Nine charter schools in New Orleans were selected for the study. Based on qualitative research and systems theory, a within- and cross-case analysis of nine semi-structured interviews with school leaders were conducted. The school leaders’ experiences with the state-run site-visitation model and their use of the findings for school improvement was explored. The findings led to the development of a hybrid accountability model that encompasses the components school leaders believe will lead to school improvement. This study aims to assist educators, policy makers, and researchers …

Integrating Organisational Change Management And Customer Relationship Management In A Casino, Charlie Chi Cong Mai, Chad Perry, Erwin Loh

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

This research aims to solve the problem: how can casinos manage organizational change programs, and internal and external customer relationship management (CRM) programs? To find a solution, it uses two stages of qualitative methods: convergent interviewing and case research about four departments of a casino in Australia. After a thorough data analysis of documents and interview data, 12 themes were identified and they led to the development of a model of how organizational change management and CRM can be integrated to improve initiatives in organisations such as casinos. The model has seven core elements: vision, key challenge, objective, measure, strategy, …

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 …

The Generational Divide: Generational Differences In Psychological Capital, Heather Staples

Theses & Dissertations

Human resource development has customarily focused on social and human capital; however, an innovative new theory within positive organizational behavior focuses on psychological resources. The purpose of this research was to examine the differences across generations on dimensions of psychological resources using the core construct psychological capital. Using a quantitative survey research approach, this study focused on the differences among the three largest generations in the current workforce: Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. The independent variable, generations, was defined through a self-identified connection with age and significant events. The dependent variable, psychological capital (PsyCap), was defined as a …

Correlating Coworker Relations, Employee Involvement, And Leadership With Associate Commitment In Select Healthcare Companies Using A Mixed Sequential Explanatory Design, Kimberly Ann Lee

Theses & Dissertations

Increasing patient demands and decreasing reimbursement require better efficiency and effectiveness in health care systems and, subsequently, in health care teams. These environmental and societal factors are further complicated by the complex initiatives set forth by the Affordable Care Act (2010). In this study, the researcher sought to examine and identify the strongest variables of health care teaming and to explore resulting themes through the perception of groups of health care associates. This mixed sequential explanatory design first examined the relationships between coworker relations, employee involvement, and leadership with associate commitment and with each other. An existing database of associate …

Diversity Programs: Learning And Effectiveness As Viewed Through The Eyes Of The Diverse, S Michelle Cox

Theses & Dissertations

This research examines corporate diversity programs and initiatives from the perspective of the self-described diverse employee because they are intended to be the recipient of the benefits of diversity programs and initiatives. The research question is: In what ways have self-described diverse employees found that the diversity programs in their workplaces helped or hindered others in relating to them in ways that recognize their knowledge, skills, and abilities and allow them to be treated with respect and civility. To obtain information about the research question, a qualitative study using basic interpretive methodology was used which included face to face personal …

Eco-Friendly Or Eco-Frenzy? A Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Companies’ Environmental Decisions, Sandria S. Stephenson, Natalie Rodriquez

Faculty Articles

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and analyze the incremental costs of businesses becoming “green.” It answers the overarching question: are businesses becoming eco-friendly or eco-frenzy? For the purposes of this paper, eco-friendly is defined as companies that strive to be environmentally conscious. Conversely, companies that are eco-frenzy become environmentally conscious for the wrong reasons, such as gaining an environmental reputation. With the increase in popularity of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the legal requirements related to environmental laws, more businesses have been incorporating the ideas of sustainability into their strategic positioning. At the start of the 21st …

A Movement Tool Kit For The Divergent And Convergent Cps Guidelines: Instruction Cards And Activity Floor Mats, Adela Vangelisti

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

A Movement Tool Kit for the Divergent and Convergent CPS Guidelines:

Instruction Cards and Activity Floor Mats

Movement is as natural to humans as breathing is, and, yet, passivity starts early in schools. We are taught to sit still and in silence for long periods of time. By the time we reach adulthood and enter the workforce, we have almost forgotten our sense of embodiment. This lack of movement is counter-productive, not only to learning but to the development of creativity as well. For this project, I designed a tool to recapture the joy and playfulness of movement. Furthermore, the …

The Effects Of Religion On Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Joel S. Ivy

Honors Theses

Research shows that religion has numerous effects on how people behave and act, so the goal of this study is to expand the body of knowledge about religion and see if it affects workplace behavior, specifically organizational citizenship behavior. Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is discretionary individual behavior that is not directly or explicitly recognized by the formal reward system and promotes the effective functioning of the organization. This study seeks to understand if religion, broken down further into internal and external religiosity, has any effects on how people behave at work. Further, if religion does have an effect on workplace …

Gender Differences In Narcissism: A Meta-Analytic Review, Emily Grijalva, Daniel A. Newman, Louis Tay, M. Brent Donnellan, Peter D. Harms, Richard W. Robins, Taiyi Yan

P. D. Harms Publications

Despite the widely held belief that men are more narcissistic than women, there has been no systematic review to establish the magnitude, variability across measures and settings, and stability over time of this gender difference. Drawing on the biosocial approach to social role theory, a meta-analysis performed for Study 1 found that men tended to be more narcissistic than women (d = .26; k = 355 studies; N = 470,846). This gender difference remained stable in U.S. college student cohorts over time (from 1990 to 2013) and across different age groups. Study 1 also investigated gender differences in three …

On The Limitations Of Using Situational Judgement Tests To Measure Interpersonal Skills: The Moderating Influence Of Employee Anger, Jerel E. Slaughter, Michael S. Christian, Nathan P. Podsakoff, Evan F. Sinar, Filip Lievens

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Many authors have suggested that situational judgment tests (SJTs) are useful tools for assessing applicants because SJT items can be written to assess a number of job-related knowledges, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs). However, SJTs may not be appropriate for measuring certain KSAOs for some applicants. We posit that using SJTs to measure interpersonal skills may lead to invalid inferences about applicants with higher levels of angry hostility (AH), and thus, AH should moderate the relation between interpersonally oriented SJTs and job performance. Three studies, using samples of healthcare workers (n = 225), police officers (n = 54), and …

Negotiating Deals From A Position Of Powerlessness, Michael Schaerer, Roderick I. Swaab

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

When you are negotiating a deal it pays to have viable alternatives to fall back on – or at least that’s what most people think. New research suggests that being powerless can be liberating and help you achieve better deals.

Does Who We Are Influence What We Say? The Impact Of Organizational Identity On Responses To Ethical Issues, Amy J. Guerber

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Business organizations frequently face ethical issues which may lead stakeholders to question the competence or integrity of organizational actors. In such cases, the way the organization communicates with its stakeholders can play a critical role in preserving or restoring organizational reputation, financial performance, and trust. Thus, understanding factors that influence organizational communication in the wake of ethical issues is important. Previous research has focused on the impact of situational characteristics on organizational responses and stakeholder reactions to those responses but has not explored the role that organizational characteristics play in shaping firms' responses to ethical issues.

The current study seeks …

From Zen To C-Level, Carie Martin

Learning Showcase 2014

From the non-stop pull of smart phones to overcommitted working parents, the average American worker is constantly plugged in and on the go. Such a cognitive overload can have dire consequences. These consequences include: memory and concentration problems; hostility and aggression; anxiety; and poor judgment (Smith, 2014). These effects of overload most certainly decrease the effectiveness of work productivity. To get the best out of their employees, restoring their wellbeing and re-engaging them at work should be of value to organizations across the country.

Being mindful can increase wellbeing and engagement in activities along with improving concentration. Mindfulness also decreases …

‘I Just Want A Job’: The Untold Stories Of Entrepreneurship, Lucia Garcia-Lorenzo, Lucia Sell-Trujillo, Paul Donnelly

Books/Book Chapters

In this chapter, we explore the untold stories of Spanish and Irish necessity entrepreneurs to better understand the process of becoming an entrepreneur. Working with narratives, media articles, and policy documents, we illustrate how necessity entrepreneurs do not recognize themselves in the institutionalized entrepreneur narrative as empowered, creative and independent individuals. It is necessity, not opportunity that is pushing, not pulling, them to become entrepreneurial. The process is experienced as more fragmented than official narratives outline. In exposing these untold stories, the chapter expands our understanding of entrepreneurship, presenting a more nuanced view of both entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial process.

Web 2.0 Use And Knowledge Transfer: How Social Media Technologies Can Lead To Organizational Innovation, Namjoo Choi, Kuang-Yuan Huang, Aaron Palmer, Lenore Horowitz

Information Science Faculty Publications

The concept of Web 2.0 has gained widespread prominence in recent years. The use of Web 2.0 applications on an individual level is currently extensive, and such applications have begun to be implemented by organizations in hopes of boosting collaboration and driving innovation. Despite this growing trend, only a small number of theoretical perspectives are available in the literature that discuss how such applications could be utilized to assist in innovation. In this paper, we propose a theoretical model explicating this phenomenon. We argue that organizational Web 2.0 use fosters the emergence and enhancement of informal networks, weak ties, boundary …

A Comparative Analysis Of Training, Mentoring And Coaching In The Sales Environment: Evaluating The Impact Of Personal Learning On Role Ambiguity And Organizational Commitment, Shalonda K. Bradford

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

The move towards a more knowledge-intensive sales market has increased the complexity of the sales job. Salespeople must continuously learn and grow to meet the evolving demands of the job. A critical concern for organizational leaders becomes identifying learning strategies to encourage salespeople to apply what they learn. Researchers have advanced multiple studies on the learning needs of salespeople, yet there is not a consensus as to the most effective mechanisms to increase learning transfer in the sales environment. To determine which knowledge tools better prepare the sales force for success, this study investigates whether training, mentoring and/or coaching is …

Winter 2014 Issue Introduction: Teaching & Learning Articles Dominate This Issue, William P. Ferris

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

Experiential Exercises For Courses From Introduction To Business Through Business Strategy, Catherine C. Giapponi

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

Understanding Individual Differences In Employee Empowerment, Kristin B. Backhaus

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

Preference For Managerial Boundary Setting In Relation To Empowerment: Adding Clarity To The Role Of Boundaries, Edward R. Kemery, W. Alan Randolph, Lisa T. Stickney

Organization Management Journal

This study explores the role of manager and employee preference for managerial boundary setting in empowerment. Research has shown a clear relationship between managers’ empowerment practices and employee psychological empowerment, but confusion persists in the empowerment literature about the role played by boundaries in creating empowerment. We add clarity to the role of boundary setting by considering how the individual difference variable of manager and employee preference for managerial boundary setting impacts empowerment. Results indicate that higher preference for managerial boundary setting was associated with greater utilization of empowerment practices by managers and with greater psychological empowerment of employees. For …

Linking Teams With Technology: Integrating Databases In Experiential Exercises In An Introductory Business Course, Anne Walsh, Susan C. Borkowski

Organization Management Journal

The arrival of the “virtual generation” on campus has shifted the pedagogy in most business courses. Students in this generation not only are adept in navigating an array of mobile devices, but also have distinct preferences for courses that enable them to leverage their technology skills. Despite their affinity for technology, many of these students may not be as aware of the nuances related to digital content and often rely upon familiar but less relevant online resources to support course projects. This article presents several experiential exercises developed to enable students to leverage technology via database hyperlinks in an introductory …

Learning Through Collaboration And Competition: Incorporating Problem-Based Learning And Competition-Based Learning In A Capstone Course, Ashay Desei, Michael Tippins, J. B. Arbaugh

Organization Management Journal

This article discusses an innovative capstone course to prepare students to be more business-ready upon graduation. By combining aspects of problem-based learning (PBL) and competition-based learning (CBL), a new undergraduate course allows students to gain practical experience while applying classroom knowledge to real business problems. Students are organized into teams of three to five and act as “consultants” to local businesses. Student consultants then develop and present competing recommendations (similar to the television show The Apprentice) to high-level managers within the organizations. Benefits from this course accrue not only to students, but also to faculty members, area businesses, and the …

Windows On The World: An Experiential Exercise, Mary Garlington Trefry, Valerie Labun Christian

Organization Management Journal

In Windows on the World, participants explore how national culture differences may affect managerial practices when expanding into another country. In the exercise, a U.S. niche grocery retail chain plans expansion into Brazil and China. The role-play is between a consultant team and a client team that has hired them. The consultant team gives expert advice about which, if any, of the managerial practices in place in the home market might require modification in Brazil or China. Facilitators can suggest “cultural due diligence” as a way to increase the likelihood of successful international business expansion.

Doing And Undoing Hrm In Sri Lanka, Donncha Kavanagh

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

Making Sense Of Late Academic Careers: Stories, Images, And Reflections, Stephen Brown, John Ogilvie, Diana Stork, Jill Woodilla

Organization Management Journal

Four late-career academics take a “first person” view of their careers over time, using written autobiographies. These stories were coded for common phases, themes, and tensions, retold as narratives, reimagined as metaphors, and recreated as visual stories. A brief overview of relevant career theory and identity theory is presented, and various activities undertaken during the self-discovery process are described and linked to storytelling or narrative theory. Interpretation focuses on similarities and differences in the four late academic careers and identity work during role transitions. Connections are made to career theory and identity theory. The authors believe this article might serve …

Hrm As A “Web Of Texts”: (Re)Articulating The Identity Of Hrm In Sri Lanka’S Localized Global Apparel Industry, Dhammika Jayawardena

Organization Management Journal

This article examines human resource management (HRM) in Sri Lanka’s apparel industry vis-à-vis its role in the management of women shop-floor workers in the Global South. Informed by poststructuralist notions of language, it analyzes the rupture of HRM that appeared at the moment HRM emerged in the industry in the 1990s. The article suggests that this rupture led to the formation of two (apparently) antagonistic sets of labor management practices: “doing” and “undoing” HRM. Along with the language of HRM, the article examines these two practices, and shows that HRM in the apparel industry appears or unfolds a “web of …

Careers, Identity, And The Transition From Academia, Michael Elmes

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

Women Directors On Public Company Boards: Does A Critical Mass Affect Leverage?, Cindy K. Harris

Business and Economics Faculty Publications

This study examines the relationship between corporate leverage (the ratio of total debt to total assets) and gender diversity on US public company boards, with particular focus on boards that have at least 25% women directors. Using this critical mass of women eliminates from consideration boards with lesser female representation, whose female directors may be marginalized in their contributions to board functioning and decision-making. I hypothesize that when boards have this minimum threshold of gender diversity, the influence of risk-averse female directors will impact board decisions related to financing, resulting in lower debt ratios when compared to boards with no …

Ua41 University College Connection, Dennis K. George, Dean, Wendi Kelley, University College, Western Kentucky University

UC Publications

No abstract provided.