Business Commons^™

When Knowing Is Not Enough: A Narrative Exploration Of How K-12 Teachers Make Decisions About The Transfer Of Critical Competencies From Professional Learning To Daily Practice, Nell E. Ballard-Jones

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

School districts spend millions of dollars each year to provide training and learning to staff working in direct and indirect service to students (National Council on Teacher Quality, 2021). This financial commitment says nothing about what is even more important: the need for school employees and the systems in which we work to serve students more effectively. Despite vast allocations of time and money and presumably best intentions for better social and academic outcomes for students, very little data exist that reflect regular transfer and application of training/learning into professional practice (Nittler et al., 2015). By and large, schools and …

Employee Perceptions Of Honesty And Integrity Within National Park Service Leadership, Christy Lea Strand

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study focuses on employee perceptions of leadership honesty and integrity within the National Park Service in response to the 2018 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey results. Answers to two questions on the survey returned highly negative reactions to employee perspectives on senior leaders’ honesty and integrity and low measures of employee motivation and commitment levels. The qualitative nature of the research presents a case study design that develops an understanding of negative employee perceptions of honesty and integrity within leadership and employee commitment and motivation. It addresses the general problem of negative employee perceptions of leadership honesty and integrity and …

A Phenomenological Study On The Impact Of Servant Leadership For Establishing A Culture Of High Performance As Perceived By High School Principals, Darrick Rice

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the perceived impact of Patterson’s (2003) 7 servant leadership constructs on high school principals in establishing a culture of high performance.

Methodology: The qualitative phenomenological study described the lived experiences of high school principals who lead schools that have implemented Patterson's (2003) 7 servant leadership constructs for establishing a culture of high performance in Los Angeles County, California. The researcher was a part of 8 peer researchers and 2 faculty advisors. The data collection included virtual face-to-face semi structured interviews using a protocol developed by the thematic team. …

University Professors As “Transformative Leaders”, Cam Caldwell, Verl Anderson

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

University professors have a moral obligation to be ethical leaders in guiding their stewards. Transformative Leadership, a concept identified in both the educational and business leadership literature, provides a valuable model for university professors to consider as they interact with students and help them to learn and to prepare for the challenges of the modern world. This paper integrates the education and business leadership perspectives of Transformative Leadership and identifies the contributions that this leadership model can contribute to the effectiveness of university professors who adopt its principles.

Building Relationships And Resolving Conflicts: Infusing Critical Thinking Into Workplace Practices, Joseph P. Hester

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

As we are now living in a world characterized as a “new normal,” nothing is more important than leaders who are adept at critical thinking enabling them to enhance their businesses by making judicious decisions while remaining sensitive to the needs of their employees. When talking about critical thinking, often neglected is the descriptor “critical.” Among other things, “critical” means significant, vital, essential, and analytical, and involving skillful judgment as to truth and merit. From the point of view of commonsense, “critical” may also imply an effort to see a problem or situation clearly and truthfully in order to make …

Improving Clinical Communication And Collaboration Through Technology, Michelle Machon

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Problem: Over the last 30 years, clinical communication methodologies in healthcare have evolved to become such disparate systems that they lead to confusion, wasted time, and clinician dissatisfaction. The Joint Commission (2016) reports up to 78% of sentinel events in hospitals are linked to communication failures, which have obvious implications for hospital systems in the quality and safety of their current communication systems.

Context: The purpose of this project was to determine the effectiveness of implementing a unified clinical communication technology platform in an acute care hospital setting and to make recommendations from that implementation to the organization’s larger health …

How Leaders And Employees Experience, Make Sense Of, And Find Meaning In Humility, David Perryman

Theses & Dissertations

By just about any measure, organizations today are more dynamic, diverse, and interdependent than at any other time in history. This environment puts unprecedented pressure on the human capacity to lead. And still, we demand more from our leaders—even as employees experience rising stress levels, declining loyalty, and deteriorating trust in their employers, and organizations face historically high rates of employee turnover along with the resulting financial and emotional costs. Clinging to romanticized notions of the larger-than-life leader blinds us to the paradoxical promise of humility; namely, that a leader’s greatest strength may lie, ironically, in the ability …

Critical Followership: Faculty And Leader Relations Impact On Leadership Turnover At A California Community College, Erik William Christianson

Doctoral Dissertations

Community colleges are experiencing higher levels of executive leader (chancellor, vice chancellor, and dean) turnover than four-year universities. Many different factors account for the high turnover and low retention: the need for dynamic leaders, the leadership succession process, the lack of professional training and development, as well as stakeholders and outside forces. The relationship dynamic between faculty and leaders as a contributing factor has not been previously studied. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine leaders’ misperceptions of faculty’s needs. Surveys and interviews were utilized to cross-examine data and perceptions from faculty and leaders. Through the lens …

A History Of Nashville Children's Theatre: 1977-2019, Robert Roberts

Student Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to collect a formalized history of Nashville Children’s Theatre (or NCT), a nonprofit arts organization, between the years of 1977 and 2019. Previous theses by students at other universities have recorded NCT’s history prior to 1977, but much of the company’s evolution during the time since has only been kept via a loose oral tradition amongst employees, an oral tradition that becomes increasingly distorted and destroyed as staff members and volunteers come and go from the organization or pass-away. This thesis project collected memories from 18 individuals who worked for, volunteered with, performed at, …

Towards A Model And Strategy For Transformational Change, Abeni El-Amin Ph.D., Babu George

Management Faculty Publications

Leaders must ask critical questions when deciding to initiate change such as: Where to begin? What and how to organize resources? How to distribute responsibilities within the organization? These questions are especially important when an organization faces the need to change in the instance of a crisis. Leaders must develop objectives, which accomplish strategic goals. Logically, these goals categorize into explicit actions: the organization should clarify how they sequence and correlate a change strategy. Articulating precisely which capacities, structures, and product offerings influence how stakeholders perceive change within organizations is vital. This article sketches key processes and pathways that make …

Exploring The Perceived Barriers That Create A Disadvantage For Black Women To Obtain Leadership Positions In The Finance And Investment Industry, Porscha L. Baines

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study focused on the barriers implied towards Black women when they pursue leadership opportunities in the finance industry, because the demographic is obtaining secondary level degrees at a high level rate, they remain underrepresented in leadership roles. The organizational standards that may disqualify Black women from achieving promotional opportunities in the workplace were explored for insight into the workplace experiences of Black women to determine the barriers present in the work structure that may cause promotional obstacles for the demographic. Through conducting interviews, the experiences of Black women that have been promoted to leadership roles along with those who …

The Leader's Role In Motivating Public Sector Workers, James B. Meeks Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In municipalities throughout the United States, there exists a belief that many public sector workers are unmotivated, disengaged from their work and disinterested in serving the public (Lavigna, 2014). This qualitative case study sought to understand the central phenomenon of the perceptions of public sector leaders in South Carolina for motivating their workers. Herzberg’s theory regarding the efficacy of leaders to understand the intrinsic motivational factors influencing worker performance, along with the four aspects of transformational leadership served as the theoretical framework for this study. Franklin (2016) explored the impact of leadership styles using Herzberg’s two-factor theory and a variety …

Evaluating Ethical Technology Leadership: Organizational Culture, Leader Behavior, And A Cyberspace Ethic Of Business, Mark Lee Pickel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Evaluating ethical technology leadership at a financial services firm in North Carolina requires discovering interactions amongst organizational culture, leadership approaches, and ethical decision-making practices. This study provides insight into how the participating firm’s organizational culture creates a leadership climate accommodative of an applied cyberspace business ethic. A cyberspace business ethic provides guidance to technology leaders addressing ethical challenges arising from emergent digital technologies. The identification of four key influencers that support ethical decision-making and provide protection against reputational risk exposures create an understanding of the collective nature of core values, relational, reputational, and technological influences on ethical behaviors. Self-determination theory …

An Examination Of Optimal Level Of Ceo Narcissism: Why, How, And When Narcissism Impacts Firm Performance, Scott Boswell

Dissertations

Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) may have narcissistic tendencies that impact the firm and its performance. We explore the definition of narcissism, how it is measured, and when it might be optimal or harmful to the firm’s performance. Leaders exhibiting higher scores on one or more Dark Triad traits often are viewed negatively both inside and outside the firm. Should such negative perceptions disqualify a leader who displays a measure of a Dark Triad trait? This research answers the primary question, is there an optimal level of CEO narcissistic traits and if so, are there moderating factors that impact the level? …

Leader-To-Leader: Reflexive Leadership In The Midst Of Covid-19 And Social Unrest, Ward Ulmer

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

A leader is only one person in one position, and one person’s ideas are not a panacea for all social ills. But effective leadership can shift the outcome of an organization to manifest its mission of positive social change considering changes in society. Most people have been exposed to leaders who tinker around the edges and others who call for revolution. Leaders are leaders only because they have capable followers. The truth is that some things are just too big for one individual. And when we happen upon those things, we must stand together, hold each other accountable, and encourage …

The Squeaky Wheel Gets The Oil? On The Interpersonal Effects Of Boredom Expression, Manuel F. Gonzalez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

I explored how people react to employees who express boredom at work. I consider boredom expression as a social signal that the current situation does not adequately stimulate the expresser. The expression may then propel others to help stimulate the expresser, depending partly on others’ initial appraisals and reactions to the expression, and on the surrounding context. In Study 1, using qualitative surveys, I uncovered various affective, cognitive, and behavioral reactions to employees who expressed boredom. In Study 2, using experimental vignettes, I manipulated the emotion expressed by a “subordinate” (boredom, enthusiasm, or no emotion) and the manager’s beliefs about …

Change Management In Construction: Necessity, Obstacles,And Suggested Solutions, Ihab M. H. Saad

The Professional Constructor

The construction industry is one of the major harbingers of the economy of any industrialized nation. Its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product is undeniable. The major economic downturn that lasted from 2008 to 2011 resulted in a lot of change in the industry personnel at both the administration and labor force levels. This resulted in expediting the retirement of a generation of seasoned professionals, and creating a gap in the ranks of construction firms that is still to be completely filled. Similar impacts followed the uncertainty resulting recently from Covid-19 and the economic instability and uncertainty it caused. One …

Leadership Behaviors And Their Impact On Employee Retention, Shaun Patrick Nichols

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study analyzed the impact leadership behaviors had on employee retention in the Houston, Texas manufacturing sector. Many authors’ work was reviewed with literature pertaining to leadership behaviors and employee retention. Multiple interviews were conducted with current leadership at Houston, Texas manufacturing organizations to gain a better understanding of the experience of these employees. The results of the leadership study have a profoundly positive impact on employee retention. Three emergent themes were developed based on data analysis, which included empathy, listening, and employee development.

The Status Of Women Leadership In Government–State Of Utah, April Townsend, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Organizations increasingly thrive when both men and women hold leadership roles and work together. Gender inclusivity in leadership benefits not only Utah’s businesses, but also its government organizations, such as state legislatures, city councils, and state and local bureaucracies. Recent events underscore the need for government—and democratic governance processes in general—to demand diversity at all levels.

Leaving Your Mark: Seven Strategies For Indelible Leadership, James S. Welch Jr

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

One of the major concerns within contemporary leadership consists in the myopic view many leaders and followers have regarding leadership success. In the modern context, there are countless firms engaging in some variation of myopic management simply to drive short-term results. To counteract the short term view of leadership, this article presents a leadership construct focusing on seven strategies designed to help facilitate long term leadership impact and organizational sustainability. The seven strategies examined in this article consist of the following: embracing organizational diversity, encouraging positive change, displaying emotional intelligence, possessing a long term orientation, casting a strategic vision, developing …

Summer/Fall 2020

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

No abstract provided.

Multilevel Perspectives On Leadership In The African Context, Michael A. Abebe, Amanuel G. Tekleab, Augustine A. Lado

Management Faculty Publications

Despite the depth of research on leaders and leadership in the Western and Asian contexts, the study of leadership in the African context remains at a nascent stage. In this special issue, we take a multilevel perspective to review and synthesize current research on leadership in Africa in three distinct scholarly domains (Organizational Behavior & Human Resources (OB/HR), Strategy and Entrepreneurship). Based on this review, we offer specific recommendations to advance leadership research and improve the scope and rigor of theoretical and methodological approaches. Finally, we present three scholarly works that highlight the distinctive nature of leadership in Africa, including …

Sweden’S Casino Cosmopol Stayed Open During The Pandemic: What Can We Learn?, Kasra Ghaharian, Bo Bernhard

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated countless research questions for academics in every conceivable field. Chief among those are the biomedical questions, particularly those related to diagnosis, prevention and treatment (National Institutes of Health, 2020), as this public health crisis relentlessly spreads across the globe. Meanwhile, virtually every other research field finds itself exploring the intersections of those biomedical questions with more specific queries on a range of everyday impacts. Sweden’s approach to COVID-19 has captured the imaginations of critical thinkers worldwide. Sweden has resisted the tendency of governments to shut down society, instead electing for a more sustainable approach. Our …

Motivating Language And Employee Outcomes: A Multinational Investigation, Cau Ngoc Nguyen, Wei Ning, Albi Alikaj, Quoc Nam Tran

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Purpose – This study aims to examine the impact of managerial use of motivating language on employee absenteeism, turnover intention, job satisfaction and job performance for employees from three nations: India, the USA and Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach – Data is collected from 614 employees working in India, the USA and Vietnam. A variance-based partial least squares structural equation modeling technique is used to test the hypotheses. In addition, a statistical test is used to examine the statistical differences in the results across the three nations.

Findings – The findings are consistent with the motivating language theory, in that managerial use of …

The Relationship Between Leadership Practices And Organizational Commitment Of Telecommunicators, André Lanier

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The performance of 9-1-1 telecommunicators can mean the difference between life and death for the person on the other end of a phone. Effective leadership is critical to the success of the public safety answer point (PSAP) and the organizational commitment of the 9-1-1 telecommunicator. Bass and Riggio’s (2006) Full Range of Leadership Theory (FLRT) is the basis for the current study. The FRLT covers leadership styles from laissez-faire to transformational (Matikainen, 2019).

The purpose of conducting the study was to identify and describe the 9-1-1 telecommunicator’s organizational commitment based on the PSAP leadership categories. The study made use of …

Metacritiques Of Upper Echelons Theory: Verdicts And Recommendations For Future Research, Brett H. Neely Jr., Jeffrey B. Lovelace, Amanda P. Cowen, Nathan J. Hiller

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

After more than 35 years, Hambrick and Mason’s upper echelons theory (UET) stands as one of the most influential perspectives in management research. However, as the literature and its attendant reviews have become more numerous and specialized, discussion of the fundamental conceptual and methodological critiques leveled against research utilizing the UET perspective has grown fragmented. As such, the first aim of the present review is to identify and synthesize a set of common critiques levied against UET research. In doing so, we unpack important nuance within each critique while establishing a common vocabulary to facilitate greater consistency in how these …

Mike Ettore, Trust-Based Leadership: Marine Corps Leadership Concepts For Today's Business Leaders, Noel F. Palmer

Mountain Plains Journal of Business and Technology

Mike Ettore, Trust-Based Leadership: Marine Corps Leadership Concepts for Today's Business Leaders (Fidelis Press, 2019), 576 pages, $30 paperback.

An opportunity to read about trust and its importance in leadership piqued my interest in this book. I expected content in the manner of Dirks & Ferrin’s (2002) seminal work on trust in leadership, or follow-on work by Colquitt, Scott, & LePine (2007) who examine trust and the influence of leaders as trust referents. Yet, the book is less about trust-based leadership and more about “Marine Corps leadership concepts.”

Carson Sublett, Bosses Are Hired…Leadership Is Earned, Susan Jensen

Mountain Plains Journal of Business and Technology

Carson Sublett, Bosses are Hired…Leadership is Earned (Silver Tree Publishing, 2019), 223 pages, $19.95 paperback.

This compilation of instructive stories offers helpful lessons about everything from how to handle a crisis, navigate office politics, and diagnose organizational culture.

With extensive leadership experience in the textile and pharmaceutical industries to draw from, Carson Sublett uses the storytelling method to share what he has found to be the foundation for effective leadership. Those beliefs are centered around the need for a leader to “walk the talk” and consistently demonstrate integrity, view feedback as a gift, and create an environment that fosters creativity. …

Daphne Scott, Waking Up A Leader: Five Relationships Of Success, Susan Jensen

Mountain Plains Journal of Business and Technology

Daphne Scott, Waking Up a Leader: Five Relationships of Success (Lioncrest, 2019), 280 pages, $15 paperback.

Daphne Scott’s engaging self-help book argues that effective leaders operate from a position of trust rather than fear and offers practical exercises to enhance mindfulness.

Scott describes her own ‘awakening’ that radically shifted her perspective, enhanced her quality of life, and strengthened her ability to connect with and inspire others. Drawing largely from her personal experiences, Scott asserts the key to effective leadership is mindfully addressing key relationships with time, money, ourselves, friends, and the unknown. She argues that mindfulness is a core leadership …

Leadership After A Tornado Strike: Supply Chain Management Triage, Gregory Benson, Susan Jensen

Mountain Plains Journal of Business and Technology

An F2 tornado had tracked less than 100 feet from the Caldwin manufacturing plant, the largest producer of an essential engine value train component in the United States. Bob, Materials Manager at the plant and a member of the senior management team, was at home when the evening storm hit. Bob immediately headed to the plant when he received word of the emergency situation. On his way to the factory a rush of questions nearly overwhelmed him. How bad was the situation? How prepared was his team of employees to handle the situation? What should customers and suppliers be told …