Business Commons^™

The Awesome Responsibility Of Leadership (Chicago), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this address at the University of Chicago's Booth Graduate School of Business, Pollard reflects on the need for servant leadership among corporate managers. Such leadership, he contends, will be rooted in faith and oriented to the holistic development of those the organization employs.

Followership, Leadership And Social Influence, Burak Oc, Michael R. Bashshur

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Traditional research in leadership has largely relegated followers to the role of passive recipients or, at best, moderators of leader influence and behaviors. However, recent work in the area of followership has begun shifting this focus and emphasizing the possibility that followers actively have an influence over leaders, in particular leader behavior. This paper revisits traditional areas of the leadership literature and builds on the emerging followership literature to reintroduce followers as part of the social context of leaders. In an attempt to build theoretical rationales for how followers influence leader behavior we draw on the social influence (e.g., Social …

Role Of Business Leaders In The Integrality Of The Working Indivual, Ms. Cristine Atienza, Prof. Maria Andreas Santiago

Center for Business Research and Development

In a world where the benefit to the common good has been overshadowed by the need to spur demand to increase profitability, one begins to wonder if business has turned a blind eye and if the workforce has grown so detached that who they are at work is different from who they are outside the workplace. Fragmentation (Alford and Naughton 2001) and compartmentalization (McIntyre as cited in Martin 2011, Rozuel 2011) at varying degrees and across different arenas have become possible traps for every worker.

Bridge Over Troubled Strategies, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

If strategy is the future of an organisation, implementation is its bridge. And successful implementation should be straightforward. But it isn’t. A new website has the answers...

New Perspectives In Leadership: How To Lead From The Middle With Evidence-Based Decision Making: A Conversation With A New Department Head, Leo S. Lo, Adriana Gonzalez

Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

An interview with Adriana Gonzalez, head of the faculty and Graduate Services Department at Kansas State University (K-State) Libraries is presented. She relates how she became convinced that high value should be placed on assessment. She suggests several ways for instilling confidence in team members. She describes her approach to creating an assessment plan for her department.

Principles Of Governance, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Speaking at Romania's Emanuel University, Pollard reflects on what it takes to be a successful board of trustees. In particular, he notes that in order to effectively set the moral tone of the organization the board must understand itself as a steward of what is in fact God's property.

Cross-Generational Perspectives On Work-Life Balance And Its Impact, D. Roebuck, D. N. Smith, T. El Haddaoui

Faculty and Research Publications

This qualitative study focuses on how women of three different generations, Generation Y, Generation X and Baby Boomers, view the concept of work-life balance and what relationship these views have to their attainment of workplace leadership positions. Work-life balance was defined differently across the three generations, but the generational lines faded as most women reported struggling with finding a balance. Some women conveyed choosing not to pursue high-level leadership positions as the personal cost was too high. Those who had obtained high-level leadership positions shared what types of support were most effective in helping them juggle personal and professional obligations. …

Awesome Responsibility Of Leadership (Newport, Va), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Speaking at Christopher Newport University (Newport, VA), Pollard outlines his vision of leadership, arguing that the exercise of true leadership can never be divorced from questions of faith. This is because leadership is fundamentally about character development. When exercised in a servant-like manner it has the ability to create an organization that is as much a moral community as it is a profit-oriented institution.

Closing The Leadership Gap In Asia, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Emerging Asian markets – which are expected by the International Monetary Fund to grow by 8.5 percent in 2014 – are indispensable for any large firm with aggressive growth commitments. Although such projections may prove optimistic, companies still rely on Asia to compensate for under-performing mature markets. CEOs in Asia report that their targets for regional business units average 5 percent above the rate of regional economic growth — a target that can only be reached by capturing significant market share from the competition. Over-performing in hypercompetitive

Asian markets depends, in large part, on the quantity and quality of Asia …

Management As A Liberal Art (Seattle), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In these opening remarks recorded for a fall seminar at Seattle Pacific University, Pollard outlines Peter Drucker's theory of management as a liberal art and details the ways in which it was implemented in the ServiceMaster organization. He also notes why such a vision is important for contemporary management education.

How Kaizen Group Leader Selection Affects Group Participation, M. Joleen Byerline

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Organizational communication research indicates group member participation increases as the legitimate power differences among group members decreases. Lean principles and practices indicate Kaizen Event members will contribute regardless of legitimate power levels, due to member training, education, and the Lean team-oriented culture. Further study is needed to determine if Lean culture and training maximize group member contribution, or if legitimate power levels in Lean environments manipulate participation. The focus of this case study is a central Kentucky Lean manufacturing organization that practiced Lean principles for at least three years and completed a Kaizen Event within twelve months previous to the …

Engaging And Expanding Communities: Widening The Circle Of Stakeholders, Lisa Deangelis, Maureen A. Scully, Andrea Wight

Emerging Leaders Program Team Projects

The 32 fellows in the 2013 Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) worked with community partners to investigate the theme, “Engaging and Expanding Communities".

They worked with six community partners, and identified ways to help them expand beyond their core stakeholders to a wider circle of stakeholders and broader potential impact. The fellows gave their time and professional skills to understand how to reach new business partners, new participants, new advisors, and new donors. They conducted surveys, interviews, and focus groups; explored social media options; examined best practices; and considered ways to tell powerful stories about the vitally important work of the …

Narcissism And Accounting Majors, Jill C. Brown, Michael D. Akers, Don Giacomino

Accounting Faculty Research and Publications

Narcissism is a personality trait that varies in individuals much like other characteristics. Accordingly, narcissism can positively or negatively impact the leadership style and career of business leaders. While personality research has examined the level of narcissism in college-aged students over the past 30 years, only recently has limited research examined narcissism in business students. Prior research has not examined accounting students. Using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), we assess the level of narcissism in accounting students at a public and private institution in the Midwest. Our findings show accounting students have a lower level of narcissism than other business …

Authentic, Transformational Leadership: A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Black/White Biracial Leaders, Carmen R. Zafft

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

This phenomenological study described the racial identity and leadership experiences of eight community, education, and business Black/White biracial leaders. Four central themes emerged relating to the participants’ racial identity choices: (a) family discourse, (b) social networks, (c) appearance, and (d) identity work. Three central themes emerged relating to the participants’ leadership experiences: (a) cultural agility: “Blessed to be flexible”, (b) perceived representation: “I look like them”, and (c) transformational leadership: “I lead so others can grow.” Because the participants were conscious of their identity development experience, all demonstrated a strong sense of self which influenced how they experienced leadership. As …

Harnessing Charisma For Leadership Training, Meagan Roper

Masters Theses

Effective leadership develops followers toward objectives that focus a group's energy to engage in its task and accomplish its goals. The following study sought to understand charismatic leadership and its role in creating transformational change. Through a mixed methods case study using surveys and interviews, this researcher sought to explain the essence of charismatic leadership. Within the organization this study investigated, this meant first establishing organizational vision for a family atmosphere and guiding members on the path to achieving that vision, generating motivation and dedication to the task goals. The researcher discovered practical communicative strategies for incorporating charismatic leadership in …

Positive Leadership, Modesto A. Maidique

Center for Leadership Current Research

No abstract provided.

Investigating Virtual Worlds, Patricia D. Sobczak

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

The global phenomena of online gaming engages millions of people, some playing over 45 hours a week - the equivalent of a second full-time job. Our children are logging over 10,000 hours of gaming time before they are 21 years old; the equivalent of the time children spend in formal classrooms from grades five through 12. Players in one of the most popular online games have logged over 5.3 million years of play time since 2004.

These statistics show that virtual worlds, including online games, have become an important component of modern culture, but their impact on society has yet …

The Ups Approach To Employee Relations, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

But at UPS, the management starts off every meeting by reciting one of the policies in the company’s policy handbook that contains guidelines on how to handle employees, stakeholders and customers. Mary Yeo, vice president of supply chain operations at UPS South District, said at a talk presented at Singapore Management University (SMU): “This is a reminder to all of us working at UPS that we cannot overlook any important matters happening in our environment by simply forgetting the good culture at UPS.”

Social Innovation Through Spiritual Leadership, Lauren Klaus, Mario Fernando

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the 2nd International Conference on Social Responsibility, Ethics, and Sustainable Business Bournemouth, UK, September 5 & 6, 2013.

Contextual Support For Innovation In An Australian Financial Services Firm, Agung N. Fahrudi, Denise E. Gengatharen, Yuliani Suseno, Craig Standing

Research outputs 2013

Organizational learning can facilitate innovation and it is affected by internal and external contexts. Leaders can provide internal contextual support for learning to occur in the organization in order to respond to changes in external contexts. However, there are limited studies about how leaders affect innovation in financial services firms. This paper applies Crossan et al.’s (1999) 4I framework to examine the impact of internal and external factors on an organization’s learning process and the extent of its innovation. An on-going case study of a large Australian financial services firm is used to gain insights about contextual support for innovation. …

Keep Relationships Positive Or Do Things Right: Bridging Women Leaders’ Conflict Management Strategies In Non-Profit Organizations In Taiwan And The Us, Chin-Chung Chao, Dexin Tian

Communication Faculty Publications

Purpose – The present study aims at contributing to the knowledge of organizational communication and cross-cultural female leadership by examining the conflict management strategies between Taiwanese female presidents and their American counterparts in Rotary Clubs.

Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through field observations and 25 in-depth interviews with 14 Taiwanese female presidents and 11 American female presidents in Rotary Clubs. Theme analysis of the interpretive method was used in this research.

Findings – This study revealed that the female presidents in both cultures applied obliging and integrating strategies to handle management conflicts. Yet, due to the interference of past presidents, …

What Is Character And Why It Really Does Matter, Thomas A. Wright, Tyler L. Lauer

Business Faculty Publications

Conclusion:

In presenting our overview of character, we set out to challenge the increasingly prevalent (and narrow) self-interest perspectives of character considered as merely freefloating values and cults of personality. One can almost hear Theodore Roosevelt’s eloquent call for a renewal of more traditional views of character. Our take-away point is simple. As with the impending financial debacle, we find ourselves in a similar moral dilemma. The time is now to carefully consider the many benefits of character and character-based leadership

A Narrative Approach To Delivering Bad News In Organizations: Effective Or Not?, Michael S. Carriger

WCBT Faculty Publications

Purpose: This paper presents empirical evidence for the use of narrative to deliver bad news within an organization, specifically bad news about layoffs. The attempt is to extend previous empirical work, using narrative by senior leadership to convey corporate strategy, to a different leadership challenge and further explicate a model for understanding the effectiveness of narrative as a leadership communication tool. Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper presents further original research on the effectiveness of narrative as a leadership tool. And theoretical implications for leaders seeking effective communication tools are explored. Findings: Data presented to substantiate that narrative use, as opposed to a …

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

Antioch University Full-Text 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 …

Characteristics Of Contemporary U.S. Progressive Middle Schools, Jan Ware Russell

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Progressive education has a long history within the American K-12 education system dating back to the late 1800s. During this period, two very distinct ideologies represented progressive education: 1) administrative progressives supporting standardization as a means of efficiency and 2) pedagogical progressives supporting child-centered learning based upon a well-rounded education. This study looks at 82 contemporary pedagogical progressive schools to identify common characteristics. Child-centered learning, community integration, and democratic decision-making were the three overarching philosophies covered in this study. Data was collected through an online survey of school leaders. The majority of research surrounding progressive education is qualitative and focuses …

Staying Hungry, Staying Foolish: Academic Reflections On The Life And Career Of Steve Jobs, Amy E. Hurley-Hanson, Cristina M. Giannantonio

Business Faculty Articles and Research

The 2011 death of Steve Jobs, Apple CEO and cofounder, generated a flood of articles in the popular press acknowledging his influence on the design and delivery of consumer products that changed the way multiple generations work and play. As one of the most visible, yet controversial CEOs in recent history, stories of his management style are likely to fuel a debate over his leadership effectiveness. It is expected that scholarly and academic articles will emerge in the next few years detailing the business lessons that can be learned from the way that Jobs ran Apple Computer, NeXT, Pixar, and …

Financial Services Innovation: Opportunities For Transformation Through Facial Recognition And Digital Wallet Patents, Debora S. Bartoo

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Bringing innovation to the marketplace for new products and services involves creativity, a culture in which change flourishes, and leadership that thrives on transformation and complexity. This study explored the potential for market disruption or change based on innovations involving patents granted to nonfinancial services organizations that could affect financial services, specifically consumer or retail bank products. It involved analyzing documents related to recently granted patents and completing a mixed methods survey integrating the Delphi research technique. This method required multiple iterations of a survey presented to expert panelists or industry thought leaders to attempt to gain consensus ("Consensus", 2011) …

Museums As Sites Of "Being In Conversation": A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Randy C. Roberts

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

In times of great change, institutions must be able to adapt while not losing their essence, those qualities that are central, enduring, and distinctive. While it is understood and acknowledged that museums must change their approach to be relevant and sustainable in a world in which there have been monumental shifts in the ways that people communicate, access information, and experience connection, the essential qualities of museums are not well-defined or agreed upon. More than a decade into the new century and in spite of much discussion, contemplation, and experimentation, the 21st century museum model remains unsettled. To explore the …

Exploring Tribal College And University (Tcu) Faculty Collegiality, Nora Antoine

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation study explores Tribal College and University (TCU) faculty collegiality utilizing qualitative and indigenous research methodology approaches. Since collegiality is a multidimensional construct, a Rolling Survey process was developed to provide a vehicle for discussion. Within focus group settings, TCU faculty participants created a composite about their relationships, communications, and professional development. Dialogue affirmed important professional relationships and explored issues that contribute or detract from TCU faculty work experiences. The results of this study further suggest wider applications for leadership and businesses in general, affirming the importance of and the need to support professional working relationships. The electronic version …

Internal Marketing Implications Of Workplace Bullying: The Integration Of Multiple Perspectives, Mary F. Mobley, Michael C. Mobley, Richard Easley, Clinton Amos

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

This special session will highlight marketing, behavioral, leadership, and legal perspectives of workplace bullying behavior and how such behavior can negatively affect an individual’s wellbeing and adversely impact an organization’s welfare. The discussion will be couched within an internal marketing framework with special emphasis on strategic implications. Behavioral aspects of those who bully and the impact that their behavior can have on their targets will be given special consideration. Also, various leadership issues that arise in workplace environments with respect to workplace bullying will be explored. Further, an overview of the legal ramifications of workplace bullying will be integrated into …