Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons^™

Leadership Engagement For Military Hospitals: A Case Study Of The Effects Of Executive Leader Engagement In Military Hospitals That Have Become High Reliability Organizations, Russell Phillips

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and explain the leadership strategies that military hospital executive leaders used to engage hospital staff in implementing the six principles of High Reliability Organizations (HROs).

Methodology: A qualitative case study approach was selected for this study. Interviews were conducted with three executive leaders describing their experiences with initiating and managing the change development of HRO. The participants in this study were executive leaders of military hospitals across the Puget Sound Military Health System. All participants had direct experience with the implementation of HRO. Interview transcripts were analyzed and reviewed …

The Motive To Work: Assessing Organizational Motivation Within The Federal Probation System, Aleda M. Thomas

Dissertations

Competition within the United States workforce is growing at an unprecedented rate. Turnover rates of all organizations and businesses have reached an all-time high. According to the U.S. Labor Department, 4.3 million Americans quit their job in the month of August alone. Times have shifted to where the ball no longer resides on the side of employers, but now it resides with employees. As such, it is vital to ensure workplaces are enjoyable and encompass cultures that produce high levels of motivation, satisfaction, and engagement. As such, the retention of skilled and qualified employees must be at the forefront of …

Leadership Development In Saudi Arabia’S Private Sector: A Mixed Methods Approach, Khaled Hanaky

Dissertations

There is currently a proliferation of business-focused leadership development programs in Saudi Arabia. These programs represent a reaction to the shortage of qualified leaders who can drive and sustain both recent and future advances introduced by Saudi Vision 2030, the national transformation program that is introducing social and economic reforms. Importantly, business leadership development has not been studied in this context of contemporary Saudi Arabia.

This study examined the state of Saudi leadership development programs by employing an explanatory sequential case study design that focused on a particular leadership development program. Through the use of surveys and participant interviews, results …

How Exemplary Industrial Production Managers Lead Successfully Through The Turbulence Of The Covid-19 Crisis, Wendi Fast

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover and describe behaviors that exemplary industrial production managers in organizations practice to lead their organizations through the turbulent times of COVID -19 using the leadership attributes of personal temperament, concern for the collective interest, resilience, and moral purpose.

Methodology: This qualitative study used a phenomenological research design. Data was collected from 10 interviews of industrial production managers and artifacts collected to discover and describe behaviors that industrial production managers in manufacturing organizations practice to lead their organizations through the turbulent times of the COVID-19 crisis.

Findings: The study revealed 27 …

How Exemplary Industrial Production Managers Lead Successfully Through The Turbulence Of The Covid-19 Crisis, Wendi Fast

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover and describe behaviors that exemplary industrial production managers in organizations practice to lead their organizations through the turbulent times of COVID -19 using the leadership attributes of personal temperament, concern for the collective interest, resilience, and moral purpose.

Methodology: This qualitative study used a phenomenological research design. Data was collected from 10 interviews of industrial production managers and artifacts collected to discover and describe behaviors that industrial production managers in manufacturing organizations practice to lead their organizations through the turbulent times of the COVID-19 crisis.

Findings: The study revealed 27 …

Value Creation By Private Equity Firms: A Resource-Based View, Kei Pang

Dissertations

Despite the growing importance of the private equity (PE) industry in the United States, it is unclear how PE firms create value. This study contributes to the PE literature and strategic management research by examining PE firm resources and competencies that drive the success of equity-backed management buyout deals. Specifically, my work proposes a framework to describe the key value creation drivers and sub-drivers that position PE firms for success in all four stages of the PE value chain: Fund Raising, Deal Sourcing, Governing/Managing, and Exiting. I utilize Porter’s (1985) value chain analysis (VCA) and the resource-based view (RBV) to …

Safety Climate And The Use Of Personal Protective Equipment By Petroleum Refinery Workers, Mark Zapp

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the impact of peer and supervisor influences of task risks associated with refinery workers’ use of PPE while working in an industrial environment. The study focused on the safety climate model to discover the perceived value workers placed on safety and Fishbein and Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior’s roadmap for understanding their use of PPE.

Methodology: This study used phenomenological qualitative methodology to collect responses from 16 petroleum refinery contractor workers from Los Angeles, California, regarding the influences peers, supervisors, and task risk have on their use of PPE. Respondents …

Dames Paving Pathways To Directorships. A Study About Female Leaders In Art Museums In The United States, Mechele Manno

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine and describe the career pathways of female art museum directors in the United States

Methodology: This phenomenological study described lived experiences of eight female art museum directors with over five years of directorship experience from museums with operating budgets over $10 million and in states that receive the highest private funding: CA, DC, IL, MA, NY, OH, PA, and TX. Data collection consisted of in-depth interviews using a scripted interview guide in research categories: a) motivation; b) career advancement; c) barriers; and d) support.

Findings: All major findings were …

Organizational Stressors As Predictors Of Burnout, Kristen Albritton

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if organizational stress, measured by role conflict and role ambiguity, predicts burnout among employees. A review of the related literature identified variables that demonstrate a relationship with burnout, supported by the Maslach (1998) theory of burnout and Katz and Kahn’s (1966) organizational role theory. The researcher also examined whether organizational level and demographic variables (gender, education level, and job tenure) moderate the relationships between role conflict, role ambiguity, and burnout.

The study follows a non-experimental, cross-sectional design using data collected from a survey. Results of linear regression analyses reveal role conflict and …

Generational Diversity: Absenteeism Examined Through Perceptions Of Organizational Justice And Authentic Leadership, Ebony Lisa Spencer-Muldrow

Dissertations

This study explored the impact of authentic leadership (AL) on employee perception of organizational justice and employee propensity to engage in negligible absences—those that could be avoided by the employee but are not. The study sought an understanding into possible differences between the absence behaviors of the Millennial generation and Generation X. Data were collected from 214 participants primarily located in the Midwest United States. Participants were nearly equally distributed between the two target populations. Participants completed a comprehensive, web-based survey comprised of Colquitt’s (2001) Organizational Justice Measure (OJM) and the Walumbwa et al. (2008) Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ), along …

The Masks We Wear In The Workplace Masquerade: An Examination Of Antecedents Of Facades Of Conformity And The Impact Of Abusive Supervision, Kevin Sansberry Ii

Dissertations

Years of research conducted into abusive supervision (Tepper, 2000) have provided a greater understanding of how abusive supervision impacts workers including various negative outcomes as well as employee coping mechanisms. One of the possible ways that an employee may respond to abusive supervision is feigning their agreement with organizational values. The literature is somewhat deficient, however, in examining the manifestation of these facades of conformity (Hewlin, 2003). In this study, the relationship between abusive supervision and facades of conformity was examined, as well as several moderators of this relationship. The results indicated that abusive supervision was positively and significantly related …

Talent Retention: An Empirical Examination Of A 21st Century United States Department Of Agriculture, James Ellis Jordan Jr

Dissertations

Federal organizations at all levels are experiencing difficulty retaining talented employees and must examine current strategies to retain talented high performing employees. Thirty-one percent of government-wide employees will be eligible to retire by 2022 (GAO, 2019). As a result, government organizations need to examine generational expectations and values related to talent retention, which may prove beneficial when developing strategies for the current workforce. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-five Generation X and millennial federal government employees to gain an in-depth understanding of their insights related to talent retention in the federal government context. Additionally, supplemental quantitative data were collected that …

Training To Develop Academic Advisor Efficacy And Workforce Readiness, Jessica Powers

Dissertations

The competitive workforce views training as an investment in human capital, which is seen as its most valuable asset. In order to meet labor demands of tomorrow, the workforce will depend on higher education to educate workers. This will put academic advisors and the training they receive further in the spotlight, as they play a meaningful role in student success. Training has been shown to increase occupational self-efficacy and impact employee performance, but empirical research is lacking from the advisor perspective to explore their perception of training and occupational self-efficacy. In a study of N = 108 of faculty and …

The Relationship Between The Perceived Value Of Professional Development, Job Satisfaction, And Intent To Leave, Wendy Marie Wells

Dissertations

Organizations striving to remain competitive compete in the war for talent in order to recruit and retain employees. Studies assessing intent to leave and turnover suggest numerous strategies to mitigate the revolving door of employees quitting jobs (Allen, 2008; Allen, Bryant, & Vardaman 2010; Lee, Hom, Eberly, & Li, 2018). This study assesses the relationship between the perceived value of professional development, job satisfaction, and intent to leave. Results of the study reveal as one finds professional development, valuable job satisfaction increases. In assessing the relationship between professional development and intent to leave, the results of the study suggest that …

Phenomenological Study Of Military Veteran Ceos: The Transition Experience And Mentorship From The Battlefield To The Boardroom, Anthony Gagliardo

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the transitional and mentoring experiences as described by veterans who achieve civilian executive leadership positions within Fortune 500 companies.

Methodology: The participants in the study were 8 former military leaders who subsequently achieved senior executive positions within Fortune 500 companies. Participants answered questions about their experience as a military leader and mentee during the service to civilian transition, organizational enculturation, and promotion to a civilian leadership position. Interview transcripts and artifacts were reviewed for the emergence of major topics and themes.

Findings: The participants unanimously credited mentorship experiences …

Do We All Agree? A Mixed-Methods Study Of The Impact Of Climate Strength On Psychological Safety, Team Learning, And Team Performance, Taylor Harrell

Dissertations

The majority of today’s organizations rely on teamwork to drive innovation and achieve success. Evidence suggests that two constructs—psychological safety and team learning behavior—demonstrate significant predictive power on performance. Existing research posits that the more psychologically safe a team feels, the more it can learn, which enhances its performance. While organizational literature has established links among psychological safety, team learning, and team performance, the conditions under which these relationships are enhanced or diminished are less clear.

Recent studies indicate that climate strength is a factor that significantly influences the relationship between climate variables and outcomes. Climate strength refers to the …

Laissez Fairy Tales: Consensus, Cohesion, And Corporate Culture During The Collapse Of Lehman Brothers, William Howard Burr

Dissertations

Understanding the ways in which organizations fail is foundational to the organization studies discipline. Organizational sociologists have outlined the various ways organizations and organizational cultures can fail separately or simultaneously, temporarily or totally. Yet, little effort has been directed toward proving that organizational culture is capable of surviving the complete and total collapse of the organization from which it emerged. This work uncovers a new way that organizations can fail that leaves their organizational culture intact. the author considers employee interactions during the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy by reassembling the cultural artifacts contained in a company email archive to demonstrate that …

Identifying The Leadership Skills Needed To Develop The Competencies To Lead In A Postcrisis Organization: A Delphi Study, Paul Turgeon

Dissertations

Purpose: Organizational leaders play a pivotal role in postcrisis activities. There is abundant research in the actions of leaders in a crisis; however, there is limited research regarding the leadership competencies required postcrisis, and a gap remains in knowing which leadership skills are needed postcrisis. The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the leadership skills needed to promote organizational resilience, to act with integrity, and to possess a learning orientation of organizational leaders in the postcrisis phase.

Methodology: This study used a 3-round Delphi technique to identify the leadership skills that support the possession of the competencies needed …

The Challenges Navy And Marine Corps Veterans Face While Seeking Civilian Employment In San Diego County, California, Absalom Morris

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Navy and Marine Corps veterans who have transitioned to the civilian workforce in San Diego County, California since the 2011 draw-down of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom with respect to personal, mental health, cultural/societal, and organizational support and barriers.

Methodology: This phenomenological, qualitative study identified and interviewed six U.S. Navy veterans and six U.S. Marine Corps veterans who have transitioned from active duty military service to the civilian workforce. The participants were purposefully and conveniently selected based on specific criteria.

Findings: After the analyzing, …

Relationship Between Self-Development, Mentorship, And Senior Military Officer Moral Judgment, Garry Thompson

Dissertations

Despite a renewed emphasis on ethics programs across the Department of Defense (DOD) since 2007, the number of senior officer ethical failures increased by 13% from 2015 to 2017 (Copp, 2017). If the trend of ethical failures and misconduct continue, the military faces a further decline in public confidence (DoDOIG, 2017). The 2017 DOD Inspector General report noted the trend of senior leader ethical failures might foster negative public perceptions regarding military leader’s overall dedication, sacrifice, ethics, and character (DoDOIG, 2017).

A review of military literature revealed the importance of mentorship and self-development in professional development; however, gaps between …

The Replication Of The Globe Study In Turkey: Understanding The Effects Of Social, Economical, And Political Changes On Cultural Dimensions And Leadership Ideals: A Mixed Methods Study, Zeki Pagda

Dissertations

Starting in 1995, the GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness) project has conducted a comprehensive study of cultural values and leadership ideals of 62 countries. GLOBE has identified nine cultural and six leadership dimensions, examined the relationship between cultural values and leadership ideals, grouped countries into clusters, and presented culturally derived leadership ideals. According to the 1995 GLOBE findings, Turkey fits in the Middle Eastern cluster with its corresponding expectations regarding leadership ideals. However, in the past thirty years, Turkey has undergone dramatic social, economic and political changes that may have affected ideals of leadership. The goal of this …

Factors Of Women-Founded High-Growth Technology Startup, Renee Gillard

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to identify and describe critical startup factors of high-growth technology startups as identified by women founders in Seattle, Washington.

Methodology: This mixed-method study identified and described 15 women founders of high-growth technology startups in Seattle. Participants were chosen based on specific criteria and recommendations of a sponsor and expert panel. Interviews were conducted with the participants and they completed an online survey.

Findings: Ten major findings emerged from the data. Founders fostered a strong network of professional and personal relationships to help develop and solidify their identity; they also …

The Importance Of Leadership Motivational Activities In Encouraging International Students To Return To Their Tier 1 Universities, Eric Hall

Dissertations

Abstract

The problem is international students are not returning to their undergraduate Tier 1 institutions during a period when quality student enrollment is essential, and there is scant research on academic advising strategies that can be used to combat international student attrition at these universities (O’Keefe, 2013). Studies have often lumped all international students together and made efforts to attract more international students, but the reasons why international students chose research universities, and returned, were not being investigated in this manner (Hegarty, 2014).

The purpose of this proposed study was to gain an understanding of the decision-making and reasoning processes …

Examining Inter-Relationships Between Supervisor Full-Range Leadership, Organizational Climate Strength, And Employee Job Satisfaction Using Multi-Level Modeling, Bharat Mohan

Dissertations

Employee job satisfaction, organizational climate, and supervisor leadership style have long been researched due to their influences on critical metrics for measuring organizational success. While the relationships between these three variables have been investigated, current research suffers from two major issues. First, no existing study has explored the inter-relationships between the aforementioned components within the same model. Second, existing studies are fraught with levels-of-analysis issues that yield findings that are either incomplete or inaccurate. This study addresses these issues by introducing organizational climate strength as a mediating variable (between supervisor leadership and employee satisfaction) and by employing multi-level modeling techniques. …

Truth Or Myth? Millennial Stereotypes, Self-Image, And Engagement In The Workplace, Stephanie Van Dellen

Dissertations

There are approximately 58 million Millennials working for corporations in the United States. Millennials generally born between the years 1980 to 1995 are said to have been shaped by events such as the invention of the Internet and cell phones. Given that Millennials make up a large percentage of the active workforce, it is important to understand the perceived stereotypes of Millennials and how these generalizations may impact their engagement and effectiveness at work.

This research aims to better understand how managers perceive Millennial employees, how Millennials self-identify with their generational stereotypes, and how they differ from other generations. The …

Employee Engagement And Burnout: A Quantitative Study Of Their Correlations With Job/Organizational Satisfaction, Sarah Burnett

Dissertations

Since Kahn introduced the concept of employee engagement in 1990, the focus on motivating employees has been en vogue in practitioner literature. The federal government as well now measures its agencies annually on how well they implement conditions conducive to engagement. Federal agencies are also ranked annually as “Best Places to Work” based on their aggregated score on three survey items deemed to represent job/organizational satisfaction. The concept of burnout, or the so-called “erosion of engagement”, however, has received significantly less attention. To begin to fill this void in the literature, secondary survey data from the 2017 Organizational Assessment Survey …

Promoting Workplace Health Using Wearable Technology: A Mixed Methods Study In A Nonprofit Organization, Mitchell Tarver

Dissertations

Despite efforts to improve the designs and benefits of workplace wellness programs (WWPs), there are two major problems preventing employers from optimizing the human capital of their employees: (a) many WWPs are limited and do not include an exercise component, which increases the potential for chronic health conditions; and (b) more than 50% of employees are reluctant to participate in WWPs due to the common barriers of time, convenience, and location. A lack of physical activity is a problem because studies have shown that chronic conditions increase rates of absenteeism and presenteeism, both of which increase productivity loss. Additionally, low …

Exploring The Perceptions Of Leaders In Investor-Owned Utilities In California On Managing Organizational Change Initiatives, Maria Liza Legaspi

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study employing in-depth interviews was to identify the strategies and practices executive leaders and midlevel managers of investor-owned utilities (IOUs) perceive are effective in creating employee acceptance and support of organizational change and to identify the supports and barriers executive leaders and midlevel managers perceive as affecting employee acceptance or resistance to organizational change in IOUs.

Methodology: A qualitative research design enabled the capture of deeper thoughts and insights of executive leaders and midlevel managers of 4 IOUs in California. The study delved into the strategies and practices used by IOUs that are perceived …

Exploring Workplace Spirituality And The Benefit It Has On Teams, Tracey Kimberly Johnson

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and understand the perception of nonprofit leaders on how spirituality in the workplace fosters a positive workplace culture.

Methodology: In this phenomenological qualitative study, data were collected using interviews of 12 nonprofit leaders. The essential data collection method for this study was in-depth, semi-structured, open-ended interview questions, key informant interviews, and pilot study data interviews. After the data were collected and transcribed, the coding process began, and themes were identified.

Findings: The research on spirituality in the workplace and spiritual intelligence of nonprofit leaders has been completed. There is still …

Leading With Trust: A Phenomenological Study Of The Strategies Leaders In Certified B Corporations Use To Build Trust With Their Employees, Victoria Wodarczyk

Dissertations

Purpose:The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how senior management leaders of certified B Corporations (B Corps) build trust with employees, using the 5 domains of connection, concern, candor, competence, and consistency.

Methodology:Aqualitative phenomenological approach was used in this study to explore how senior leaders of certified B Corps build trust with their employees using The Values Institute (TVI; Weisman, 2016) trust framework and the accompanying domains of connection, concern, candor, competence, and consistency. Participants were purposely chosen based on study criteria of a senior management leader in a certified B Corp including leadership for at …