Leadership Commons^™

Strategic Judgment In Leadership Decision-Making: Evaluating Ai In Organizational Contexts, Cate Wengelnik

Southwestern Business Administration Journal

This paper presents a classroom-based approach for teaching strategic judgment in leadership decision-making through the evaluation workplace communication and incorporates the use of artificial intelligence (AI). As AI tools become more common in organizational settings, leaders and employees must be prepared to assess outputs that may appear professional while containing inaccurate, unsupported or potentially risky information. This paper describes an instructional case in which students examine an AI-generated response to an employee inquiry about workplace accommodations and Human Resources related matters. Students (1) evaluate the message for clarity, tone and apparent usefulness, then (2) analyze the organizational risks created when …

People Orientation And Thing Orientation In Business Majors: Implications For Assessing The Impacts Of Cross-Functional Business Program Curricula, Todd J. Hostager, David A. Christopher, Kristy J. Lauver, Christopher Knowles

International Journal for Business Education

Background/Introduction/Purpose:  Prior research documented significant differences in people orientation and thing orientation (PTO) based on type of major and sex.  This study examines a set of measures for helping business programs to assess whether they are producing graduates equipped to consider both people and things when making decisions, regardless of their major or sex.

Methods/Design:  Students in a strategic management capstone course spent a single 75-minute session responding to a brief new venture pitch by identifying what types of additional information they would need to decide whether to invest in the business.  Three Likert-scaled options gauged the extent to participant …

Repairing Workplace Trust: A Process-Based Classroom Exercise For Management Education, Luke A. Langlinais Ph.D.

Posters

Trust is essential in every workplace, but conflicts, mistakes, and broken promises are inevitable. This project develops an experiential classroom exercise in which students diagnose workplace trust violations, examine the perspectives and emotions of both parties, and practice selecting and communicating evidence-based reparative actions. The exercise translates organizational behavior research into a practical learning experience that develops not only managerial competence but also the character, empathy, and relational wisdom needed to build healthy organizations and promote human flourishing.

I gratefully acknowledge peer review feedback on this project, and I am accountable for writing of this product without generative AI and …

The Startup: Critical Perspectives On Technology Entrepreneurship And Digital Labor, Kochav Koren

All Duquesne Faculty Scholarship

Communication and media studies are rapidly reshaped by socio-technological forces within the framework of informational capitalism, where startups emerge as key drivers of the global creative economy. This study critically examines the global startup movement through political economy, classical sociology, and Southern perspectives to assess whether digital entrepreneurship fosters genuine, decentralized innovation or perpetuates speculative financialization and labor precarity. Employing a multi-layered theoretical framework—including Schumpeterian creative destruction, Marxist commodity fetishism, and Weberian charismatic authority—and qualitative fieldwork across North and Latin American tech hubs, the analysis reveals startups as network enterprises that both disrupt markets and reproduce structural inequalities. The findings …

The Strategic Role Of Frontline Sales Personnel In Semiconductor Manufacturing Markets, Daisuke Yahiro

Jesselton Journal of Educators and Scholars

This study examines the strategic role of frontline sales personnel within semiconductor manufacturing environments characterized by technological volatility, operational interdependence, and evolving customer demands. Drawing upon emergent strategy, strategy-as-practice, and organizational sensemaking perspectives, the study explores how frontline personnel contribute to organizational responsiveness and strategy formation beyond conventional execution-oriented roles. A qualitative interpretive research design grounded in pragmatism and symbolic interactionism was adopted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews involving 12 participants engaged in semiconductor manufacturing sales, customer coordination, and managerial activities in Japan. The findings reveal that frontline personnel function as strategically embedded organizational actors who contribute to operational …

Overcoming Adversity With Resilience: A Phenomenological Examination Of African American Women Leaders Facing Microaggressions In Corporate Spaces, Dionne Trenise Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

African American women leaders in Fortune 500 companies experience persistent challenges of subtle yet pervasive systems of discrimination in the form of microaggressions that cause negative impacts to their psychological well-being, workplace performance, and career advancement. These women exhibit incredible resilience that enable them to thrive at work, mitigate mental health challenges, and navigate their careers successfully. However, unlike people who fall into either a racial minority group or a gender minority group, African American women experience compounded effects of microaggressions due to the intersection of their race and gender. As a result of microaggressions, these women experience impacts to …

Communication Competency And Intercultural Adaptation Of Multinational Company Leaders In The Local Cultural Context, Andi Kurniawati S.E., M.M., Dr. Fuad Mas'ud , Mir

International Conference on Business and Management Research (ICBMR)

This study discusses the role of intercultural communication competencies of leaders in the context of multinational companies in Indonesia. The background is a multicultural global business landscape, where the ability to communicate across cultures is key to organizational success. The objectives of this research are to identify the forms of intercultural communication competencies that emerge in interactions between foreign leaders and local employees, to explore leaders' communication adaptation strategies in the Indonesian cultural context, and to analyze how local cultural dimensions such as high communication context, power distance, and collectivism influence the effectiveness of leadership and communication styles of multinational …

Aligning Strategy And Execution: The Role Of Senior Leaders In Project-Driven Organizations, Kenneth J. Boff

M.S. in Leadership

Strategic alignment remains a persistent challenge in project‑driven organizations, where shifting priorities and distributed execution often create gaps between strategic intent and project‑level action. This study examined how Senior Leadership Communication Practices influence Strategy–Execution Alignment and tested whether Organizational Culture for Alignment and Change Management Readiness mediate that relationship. A quantitative, cross‑sectional survey was administered to 54 senior leaders in project‑driven environments. All constructs demonstrated strong reliability, and correlation & regression analyses confirmed significant positive relationships among leadership communication, cultural alignment, readiness, and strategic alignment. Leadership communication significantly predicted culture (R² = .444), readiness (R² = .431), and alignment (R² …

Advancing Sustainability In The Indonesian Oil Field Services Landscape, Firmansyah Arifin, Sudarso Kaderi Wiryono, Sylviana Maya Damayanti, Gatot Yudoko

The Qualitative Report

This study examines sustainability practices in Indonesia's drilling and oil field services (OFS) industry, addressing a critical research gap from a business and management perspective. Using a qualitative case study approach, ten in-depth interviews with industry leaders identified key performance variables and developed a sustainability model specifically designed for the OFS drilling sector. The findings highlight three core dimensions: Internal Variables (e.g., Employee Health and Safety, CSR Initiatives, ESG Performance, Cost Savings, Energy Efficiency, Carbon Footprint Reduction), External Variables (e.g., Green Financing, Stakeholder Engagement, Community Welfare), and Performance. Novel contributions include operationalizing advanced HSE technologies like cyber rigs and tailored …

Supersuit Up Or Get Left Behind: Why A Personal Agentic Os Is Required For Commercial Viability In The New Economy, Gary Sheng, Ron Roberts

Digital Laboratory: Publisher of Internet Journal

In my first article, The Writing on the Wall, we laid out the case: self-improving AI has arrived, the economy is splitting, and every organization faces an existential choice. This paper answers the question we heard most after that piece: “Okay, I believe you. What do I do on Monday morning?” The answer is your Personal Agentic OS. It is the minimum viable infrastructure that turns you from a passive consumer of AI into a sovereign operator of it. And in April 2026, three events converged to make this the most urgent professional skill in the world: Andrej Karpathy’s LLM …

Brand Voice: A Proposed Integrative Model Approach, Stephen Carlson

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Ai-Scm Cmm: A Capability Maturity Model For Artificial Intelligence Integration In Supply Chain Management, Lordt Becklines, Omar F. El-Gayar, Patti Brooks, Insu Park

Annual Research Symposium

Artificial intelligence is increasingly deployed in supply chain management, yet many organizations struggle to align adoption efforts with process readiness, data quality, governance, and workforce capabilities, and they still lack validated supply chain specific roadmap for assessing readiness, sequencing investments, and reducing implementation risk. This study develops and evaluates a Capability Maturity Model for Artificial Intelligence Integration in Supply Chain Management to address that gap. Using a design science research approach, the study synthesizes prior literature and practitioner knowledge to define maturity dimensions, capability indicators, and staged progression levels for AI integration in supply chain contexts. The artifact and assessment …

The Writing On The Wall: The Rise Of Applied Ai And The Life-Or-Death Choice Every Ceo Must Make Now, Gary Sheng, Ron Roberts

Digital Laboratory: Publisher of Internet Journal

Applied AI is putting AI to its highest and best use: running your organization as autonomously as possible so you can deliver value for humanity while maximizing the scale of the value. The economy is splitting. Organizations that adopt applied AI are expanding their capacity, accelerating their impact, and pulling ahead. Those that don't are quietly becoming irrelevant, not because they're doing bad work, but because the gap between what they can do and what the moment requires is widening every day. This is not a technology question. It is a leadership question. This paper is written for organizational leaders, …

How Does Communication Breakdown Impact Group Cohesion Over The Lifespan Of A Team?, Hannah Dyche

University Honors Theses

Communication is one of the main determinants of whether a team or group achieves a successful outcome; when it starts to erode, the team's overall goal often erodes with it. Communication breakdown within teams directly impacts group cohesion, causing small misunderstandings to escalate into larger conflicts. Every team experiences ups and downs, but maintaining a strong foundation of communication and continually strengthening it will prevent this breakdown.

Most of the existing research on team dynamics focuses on corporate environments. By shifting the focus to a short-term academic team, this thesis shows how communication breakdown impacts group cohesion over the lifespan …

Design Thinking For Corporate Social Responsibility Program Proposal Creation, Michelle "Mindy" D. Danovaro

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study used action research to explore how the use of design thinking engaged employees in the creation of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program proposal in a small- to medium-enterprises (SME) in the Sacramento region of California. The purpose of the study was to assess whether employee participation in a design thinking exercise could improve employee perception of engagement, inclusion, and reciprocity during the CSR program proposal creation. The study was grounded in social exchange theory, stakeholder theory, and design thinking methodologies. The iterative research process followed action research cycles (i.e., plan, act, observe, and reflect) integrated with …

Extending The Emotional And Multiple Intelligence Theories: Integrating Cultural And Spiritual Intelligence Constructs To Fill Research Gaps, Kimberly J. Mcdonald

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

This proposed mixed-methods convergent research study aims to explore extending the Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Multiple Intelligences Theories by integrating Spiritual Intelligence (SI) and Cultural Intelligence (CQ) constructs. The goal is to explore the interconnectedness of these intelligences to bridge existing research gaps concerning leadership, EI, SI, and CQ. By employing both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods from organizational leaders, this study seeks to develop a more comprehensive and holistic understanding of leadership efficacy across various organizational contexts. The anticipated outcomes aim to contribute to the body of knowledge and potentially impact leadership development in business, education, and other …

Marketcrafters: The 100-Year Struggle To Shape The American Economy, Jay Nathan

Journal of Global Awareness

No abstract provided.

Assessing Leadership In Business: A Critical Investigation Of Lorne Michaels, Emily Laput

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis critically investigates the leadership effectiveness of Lorne Michaels, the executive producer behind the comedic institution Saturday Night Live (SNL). For nearly half a century, Michaels has cultivated a unique and high-pressure environment credited with launching the careers of numerous comedic actors. Drawing upon Kouzes & Posner's Five Principles of Exemplary Leadership framework and peer-reviewed research, this analysis examines the balance Michaels strikes between fostering innovation and exercising strict control. Ultimately, this thesis aims to provide a nuanced understanding of Lorne Michaels' leadership, assessing its effectiveness within the dynamic and often volatile environment of live television production and …

The Importance Of Leader-Member Exchange And Psychological Contracts In Highly Qualified Researchers, Robin L. Ingerick Dba

Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the significance of the relationship between leader-member exchange (LMX) and psychological contracts in United States-based research organizations. When the organization-manager-employee relationship deteriorates, psychological contract breaches can occur, negatively affecting employee outcomes and the organization's financial success and stability. Existing knowledge highlights several factors that influence relationships, including reciprocated treatment, work behaviors and reactions, trust, professional respect, affect, mutual interaction, work autonomy, communication, job satisfaction, and fulfillment. The study sought to determine to what extent is there a predictive relationship between LMX and psychological contracts (employee obligations, employer obligations, fulfillment, and contract transitions) of highly qualified United States-based …

Ignite Collaboration For Interactive Meetings, Kelli Erwin

TxDLA Journal of Digital Learning

This article explores how intentional design, inclusive facilitation, and purposeful tools can transform meetings into interactive environments that foster collaboration, creativity, and meaningful outcomes. Designed for educators, instructional leaders, and organizational facilitators, it provides practical strategies to elevate meetings through collaboration, interactivity, and purposeful design.

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

The Mediation Of Job Satisfaction And Organizational Commitment On Transformational Leadership And Employee Retention In Business Process Outsourcing Companies In Metro Manila: A Serial Mediation Analysis, Joel Mark Pirote Rodriguez, Jessie F. Sergote, Lourdes Palallos, Nelson R. Garcia

The South East Asian Journal of Management

Research Aims: Few studies have taken into consideration transformational leadership's influence on employee retention via work satisfaction and organisational commitment, despite the fact that it has been demonstrated to positively affect organisationally relevant employee attitudes and performance. This paper fills this gap and looks into the serial mediation of these two variables in the relationship between transformational leadership and retention of employees in BPOs in Metro Manila.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative serial-mediation design was used, with a sample of 400 purposively selected respondents having at least 6 months of tenure. The PLS-SEM method was used to estimate direct and indirect relationships. …

Beyond Compliance: Investigating The Motivational Power Of Equality, Diversity And Inclusion (Edi) In European Hospitality, Alessandro Ferrazza Dr

ICHRIE Research Reports

The base concept of this study is to explore the interrelationship between Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) practices, employee motivation and performance within the European Hospitality Industry. The research aims to identify the barriers and facilitators that shape motivational synergies stimulating performance outcomes, particularly for underrepresented employee groups. The researcher employed a mixed-methods approach underpinned by a pragmatic interpretivist framework. The findings revealed that there is wide use of discriminatory practices, limited career progression and poor work-life balance which act as significant demotivators (Siu et al., 1997). The study also reconceptualises EDI not merely as a compliance requirement, but as …

Toward A Theoretical Model Of Shared Leadership And Innovation In Family Business, Pamala J. Dillon, Leslie Blake-Davis, Eugene See, Mengjie Xu, Craig L. Pearce, Charles C. Manz

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

We advocate shared leadership as a key mechanism for unlocking innovation in family businesses. Family businesses, however, typically emphasize hierarchical leadership, reflecting the family power structure, which can pose challenges for successful innovation by limiting resources and knowledge sharing between family and non-family members. Shared leadership, enabled by both empowering from formal hierarchical leaders, as well as self-leadership practices across the organization, can help to overcome this challenge by leveraging the familiness, and related social capital, present in family businesses. Exploring the impact of shared leadership on innovation, familiness and social capital are proposed to improve innovation in the family …

The Impact Of Culture And Language On Internal Communication And Patient Care In Small To Medium-Sized Black Immigrant-Owned Healthcare Practices In Texas., Chisom Nwosu

Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how cultural competency in small to medium-sized Black immigrant-owned healthcare practices in Texas affects internal communication and patient care. Through semi-structured interviews with nine clinical and administrative leaders in Dallas and Houston, five themes emerged: culturally competent leadership, intentional communication structures, language and interpretation practices, patient-centered cultural sensitivity, and the use of technology for adaptation. Findings suggest that culturally aware leadership and inclusive communication strategies foster team cohesion and improve patient trust and care. Participants reported adapting workflows to meet religious, language, and communication needs through human and technological tools. The study underscores embedding cultural …

Perceived Leadership Behaviors And Workplace Motivation: The Predictive Role Of Generational Cohorts In The U.S. Construction Industry, Leslie D. Klinegardner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which perceived leadership behaviors predicted workplace motivation among construction workers across generational cohorts in the Greater Houston, Texas area. Grounded in self-determination theory, the research explored how transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant leadership behaviors predicted the satisfaction and frustration of psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The analysis also considered whether leadership behaviors and generational cohort served as significant predictors of workplace motivation outcomes. The study followed a quantitative, predictive, cross-sectional design using survey methodology. Data were collected using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and the Basic Psychological Need …

Toward The Professionalization Of Executive Coaching: A Delphi Study Of The Requisite Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities For Coaching Executives To Behave Ethically, Richard R. Fletcher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem explored through this research involved the lack of consensus on executive coaching knowledge, skills, and abilities for facilitating ethical behaviors on the part of business executives. This problem led the researcher to employ a mixed-method Delphi study to explore professional executive coach perceptions concerning the establishment of a governing body overseeing the activity of executive coach consulting and to assess the knowledge, skills, and abilities perceived as fundamental to executive coaching. The researcher focused the research approach through a systematic, iterative research design where a panel of six experts in the field of professional executive coaching located in …

The Career Breaking Point: Mid-Career Women’S Perceptions Of Organizational Communication And Their Career Disruptions, Laura Nicole Miller, Karen Mccullough

Applied Business Faculty Publications

When women in leadership experience career disruptions, they and their organizations lose. Companies forfeit experienced, mission-aligned talent, while women face instability and professional setbacks. This qualitative study offers a diagnostic foundation for understanding how organizational communication contributes to these disruptions. Guided by the cultural approach to organizations and using a constructivist grounded theory methodology, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with 14 mid-career women who experienced career interruptions. Findings identify three interrelated communication-related factors: mission-driven overwork, gaslighting, and value incongruence. Rather than prescribing solutions, the study centers on women’s lived experiences to highlight the communication patterns they perceive as harmful. …

Exploring Dimensions Of Crystallized Identities, Candice L. Ruh

Feminist Pedagogy

For college students, learning about the components of identity can generate deeper knowledge about how personal and social identities differ, and how identities influence the way individuals experience socio-cultural systems and structures. The Exploring Dimensions of Crystallized Identities activity uses principles of self-reflexivity and dialogue to explore theoretical frameworks for practical application. This experiential activity is a facilitated dialogue driven by student involvement and is best suited for students in mid- to upper-level undergraduate courses. It encourages students to reflect on their and others’ identities, and to consider the social impacts of diversity in their lives.

Behind The Degree: The Hidden Struggles Of Graduate Student Life - A Qualitative Analysis Of Student Perspectives, Barbara Holmes, Kent Willis, Kyle Borske, Conner [email protected], Jared Gerke, Kaitlyn Calabrese, Dylan Sawicki, Mattie Schimenz, Dejuanna Parker

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This qualitative study explores the persistent challenges facing graduate students in contemporary higher education, where attrition rates remain at approximately fifty percent. Through analysis of graduate student narratives and existing literature, this research identifies key barriers to degree completion including financial constraints, mental health challenges, online learning isolation, work-life balance issues, and academic preparation gaps. The study presents findings from direct student perspectives and offers institutional recommendations for improving graduate student retention and success.

Keywords Graduate Student Attrition, Scholarly Writing, Persistence, Student Perspectives