Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons^™

Maximizing Online Intersession Enrollment Through Targeted Course Offerings, Heather S. Mcmillan, Charles D. Mcallister

Journal of the North American Management Society

Abstract

Online winter intersession courses have become an increasingly important strategy for universities seeking to support accelerated student progression while generating incremental tuition revenue. This study examines ten years of winter intersession enrollment data from a public, master’s-level comprehensive university in the Midwestern United States to identify course characteristics associated with higher student enrollment. Using 12,520 individual enrollment records, the analysis focuses on course type (general education versus major requirement), course classification (lower level, upper level, blended undergraduate/graduate, and graduate), and course discipline. A series of ANOVAs and Bonferroni post-hoc tests reveal significant differences in enrollment across these dimensions, with …

Syllabus: Workplace Motivation, Alice M. Brawley Newlin

Open Syllabus Collection

This syllabus is for an upper-level undergraduate class in workplace motivation that utilizes a combination of open, free, and library-licensed material. The course is designed to provide students with a “toolbox” of work motivation theories to critically select from and use well. This open syllabus also includes an annotated reading list with stable links to materials and availability notes.

The Dark Side Of Leadership: Mid-Level Managers And Their Experience With Hubristic Behaviors Of Executives, Leili Sadaghiani

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to identify the emotional reactions of mid-level managers to executives’ hubris behaviors in a corporate setting.

Methodology: This leadership study uses qualitative phenomenological methodology was executed to explore the lived experiences of mid-level managers with past executives who practiced hubristic behavior.

Findings: The findings of this research on the lived experiences of mid-level managers with hubristic behaviors of executives suggest that the lack of support lessens the mid-level manager’s confidence; with little support; the mid-level manager was either afraid to fight the executive or gave up trying; the mid-level manager faced stress even …

The Philanthropic Process Of Private And Publicly Traded U.S. Companies, Carla Woodson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The author looks at the essence of corporate philanthropy, analyzing the drivers of why corporations give and how these organizations assemble themselves within the face of crises. While there is significant research on the different types of corporate philanthropy and its drivers, there is very little known about the way decisions are reached by committee members and executives who oversee allocating these funds. Using a qualitative method approach with semi structured in-depth interviews of respondents who currently work in the field of corporate giving for a US based private or publicly based company. A case study of three companies reveals …

Where The Rainbow Ends: The Hidden Humanitarian Crisis For Members Of The Lgbtqia+ Community In International Business, John R. Krendel

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Before pursuing an international career, members of the LGBTQIA+ community must be aware of the hardship that may be exacerbated by living and working abroad. This study addresses the trends in laws, including employment and anti-discrimination laws, that provide and restrict certain rights of members of the LGBTQIA+ community in eight countries. These nations, both progressive and discriminatory, include the United States, England, Switzerland, Germany, Taiwan, China, the Philippines and Kazakhstan. Eight LGBTQIA+ business professionals spoke on their experiences living and working in each of these countries and provided advice to members of the community wishing to pursue an international …

Network Orientation, Organisational Improvisation And Innovation: An Empirical Examination, Ao Zhang, Weiyong Zhang

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

In today's highly competitive world market, businesses can hardly maintain their competitiveness without strong innovation abilities. In the past, many Chinese enterprises have enjoyed success through imitation. But to continue to succeed in a global marketplace, they must develop ambidextrous innovation abilities. The resource‐based theory eloquently posits that competitive advantage is associated with different and heterogeneous resources. To obtain such resources, firms must establish an external network to acquire necessary knowledge and skills. In this paper, we develop a theoretical model linking network orientation, organisational improvisation, ambidexterity and competitive tension. We postulate that organisational improvisation has a mediating effect and …

How Should Bosses Lead? New Revelations From Frontline Managers, Bonnie A. Curtis

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Strategic business change in the 21st century has been fraught with issues, resulting in failure for more than half of all attempted efforts to transform companies. Frontline managers (FLMs) are key to successful corporate change, transforming a company’s direction into action and results and the COVID-19 pandemic has presented a unique business challenge for every Consumer Products Group (CPG) company and FLM by interrupting supply chains. The aim of this grounded theory study was to create theory by conducting open-ended interviews with 20 frontline managers to determine how they viewed themselves and their roles, teams, and bosses during change. Results …

Impacts Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Business Education: Case For The Aacsb’S Agility Standard, Lucy Ojode, Mulugeta Wolde, June Claiborne

Southwestern Business Administration Journal

We explored an undergraduate business program’s navigation of an unplanned change, response to the Covid-19 pandemic-occasioned move to online learning, and the resilience of its curriculum by following cohorts of students through two consecutive courses from the end of 2019 through 2020 up to summer 2021. The exploration was aimed at the assessment of the impact of the pandemic-induced disruptions, i.e., how the school’s curriculum fared through the pandemic. Premised on the school’s accreditor, AACSB’s agility-cultivating curriculum guideline, the curriculum should adapt and stabilize post-pandemic. To identify the appropriate cohort for observation, we scrutinized the four progressive levels of agility …

A Systematic Literature Review : Information Technology Capital And Performance, Ilham M, Anis Eliyana, Tri Siwi Agustina

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review of research in the field of Information Technology Capital and Performance with data from all international research publications. The data obtained in this study amounted to 113 academic documents published from 1994 to 2020 globally. Research has discussed a lot about the causal relationship between information technology capital and company performance, the results of empirical studies vary to some extent with the exception of Information Technology business partnerships which are referred to as Information Technology business and strategic alignment. To that end, strategic alignment has emerged as one of the most …

Business Education: How Culture And Leadership Impact Organizational Outcomes, Joyce Lemay, Chris Kaiser

Business Faculty Publications

Leadership and organizational culture influence the outcomes of any business. Many companies look at various information to measure results but may not know how to manage the information or interpret it in a way to make ethical and effective decisions. Many organizational cultures are broken and leadership needs to better understand how culture impacts the required outcomes. This article reviews the demands of a broken culture and creative ways to impact culture to ensure effective organizational outcomes. In times of crisis, like COVID-19, organizational culture can direct, redirect, or worsen the desired outcomes. The ability to analyze, understand and positively …

Book Review: Seeds Of Greatness By Denis Waitley, Jennifer Maynard

Marriott Student Review

Book review of Seeds of Greatness by Denis Waitley, personal anecdotes and summaries of research on the secrets to success in life and in the business world.

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 …

The Relationship Between Personality Traits And The Income Of Small Business Owners, Staci Lashawn Parker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Researchers have found that the Big Five personality trait of conscientiousness correlated consistently with high performance across industries. However, previous research was limited to self-reported data collected based on the opinions of the participants and did not include the subtraits of conscientiousness (achievement and dependability). Previous studies also did not provide data specific to entrepreneurs operating as small business owners and did not compare them to their peers. Thus, the purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore whether or not there was a relationship between the personality traits of achievement and dependability and the income of U.S. …

From Play To Performance: Building An Effective Organization, Jessica N. Selee, Jade Johnson, Jocelyn N. Murray, Anna Samuelson, Jasmine Li, Andrew Lacanienta, Mat D. Duerden, Mark Widmer

Marriott Student Review

Under the Mentored Experience Grant, six students studies the impact that non-work activities (recreation or leisure) have on individual contributors or organization. Some employees refrain from participating in Leisure-at-Work (LAW) due to lack of time or skill, to cliques, to differing preferences, or fear of negative connotations. Employees report that LAW increases productivity, establishes and enriches social interactions, improves communication, attracts and retains employees in a company, and facilitates a culture of engagement, trust, and camaraderie. At the conclusion of our analysis, we identified areas of future research and recommendations for best practice.

The Importance Of Cross-Cultural Management In International Business: China And The United States, Natalie (Tilly) Barnett

Scripps Senior Theses

Attention to cross-cultural management in today’s globalized workplace and marketplace is paramount to professional success. In this exploration I examine the nuances of Chinese business practices and organizational culture as well as their likely points of divergence from American traditions. The variance between organizational culture across national borders is often significant and, as demonstrated by the cases herein, can prove to be either an opportunity to succeed beyond expectation or fail to the same extent.

Ethnic Diversity Of Boards Of U.S. Companies: Business Sustainability And Group Dynamics, Saajan Sappal

UROP Posters

Ethnic minorities are significantly underrepresented on the Board of Directors of large US firms. White males comprise nearly twice the proportion of directorships of Fortune 1000 companies as they do the total US population. Ethnic diversity in corporate governance is valued as an asset per two prominent theories: Resource Dependence theory and Agency theory. However, Ethnic diversity on the Board of Directors can also impair the group process per Status theory and constraints such as tokenism and marginalization. This paper is aimed at developing both a theoretical and empirical understanding of the value of ethnic minorities on the Board of …

7 Tips To Grow Your Rural Business With Purpose And Meaning, Connie I. Reimers-Hild, Alyssa Dye

Community Vitality Initiative

No one can predict the future; however, rural entrepreneurs and business owners can use a future-focused leadership approach, which includes examining megatrends, to shape the future of their businesses. Megatrends are global shifts that influence society, the economy and the environment. The purpose of this article is to help rural entrepreneurs discover ways to grow their businesses with Living with Purpose and Meaning Megatrend.

Become A Future-Focused Leader: Use Three Megatrends To Grow Your Rural Business, Connie Reimers-Hild, Alyssa Dye

Community Vitality Initiative

No one can predict the future; however, rural entrepreneurs and business owners can use a future-focused leadership approach, which includes examining megatrends, to shape the future of their businesses. Megatrends are global shifts that influence society, the economy and the environment. This article discusses three megatrends shaping the future of rural businesses:

1) The Rise of the #GigEconomy

2) Living with Purpose and Meaning

3) The Decentralized Marketplace

The article also provides coaching tips for rural entrepreneurs on how to use megatrends to grow their businesses.

While many companies are struggling to keep up with the rapid rate of change, …

Organizational Innovation's Moderation Of Culture Effects On Company Financial Performance, Christopher Lee Slaughter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite 40 years of research, little is known about what moderates the relationship between organizational culture and company financial performance. This quantitative study examined if innovation moderates the relationship between an organization's culture, as measured by the Denison Organizational Culture Survey, and a company's financial performance, as indicated by return on assets (ROA). Understanding if innovation moderates the relationship between organizational culture and ROA could help business leaders foster a culture that maximizes financial performance. Lewin's field theory was the theoretical foundation explaining organizational culture. Denison Consulting provided the archival dataset, which included organizational culture scores and ROA data for …

Transnational Companies And Radical Transformation Processes: A Study Of Performance In Comparison To Other Multinational Companies, Jorge Alejandro Palacios

HCBE Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to answer the following question: Do organizations that were defined as having successfully adopted the transnational model, as per Bartlett and Ghoshal (1989), and labeled as transnational companies (TNC), perform significantly better than other multinational companies (MNC) when going through radical transformation processes?

This research question was answered through a mixed method research design. The first part used a quantitative research approach and evaluated the financial performance of TNCs selected from the Bartlett and Ghoshal (1989) research, using secondary data sources from 6 TNCs and 20 MNCs. The second part used a qualitative approach …

Identifying The Factors That Influence Conflict Management Behavior Of Human Resource Professionals In The Workplace: An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Personality And Conflict Management Behavior, Gail Joyce Shapiro

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Effective conflict management in the workplace can reduce the negative consequences of conflict. These negative outcomes can include low productivity, health-related stress, increased employee turnover, or litigation. A Human Resource (HR) professional can help mitigate these negative outcomes in the workplace when using effective conflict management behavior with employees. However, there is a void in research pertaining to HR professionals’ use of conflict management behavior.

This quantitative, correlational research study examined whether personality has an impact on assertive or cooperative conflict management behavior of HR professionals in the workplace. Statistical testing found a significant relationship between the harmonious, people-person (a …

Women Managing Women: A Good Idea?, Wendy Cook, Nancy Graber Pigeon, James L. Nimnicht

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Business

As women continue to move into the workplace and into managerial positions, the wage gap for female employees is not improving. In this study, we examine the effect of having a female manager on the wages and hierarchical growth of female employees. Findings suggest that female employees may be better served by working for male managers.

Sustainability Leader Competencies: A Grounded Theory Study, Pamela G. Schwalb

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

The purpose of this critical qualitative study was to develop a theory of the competencies of a sustainability leader, grounded in research. A sustainability leader is generally described as an individual who creates profit for his/her stakeholders, while protecting the environment and improving the lives of those for whom he/she impacts as a result of his/her leadership. Nearly 60 individuals familiar with sustainability were asked to characterize an effective leader of a sustainability initiative or a sustainability organization.

The study revealed there is more than one way to be a sustainability leader—different paths can result in decisions and actions that …

Stories Of Resistance: Black Women Corporate Executives Opposing Gendered (Everyday) Racism, Cheryl D. Jordan

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

For this research, I explored contemporary resistance strategies that Black women executives in the corporate world use to oppose negative behaviors by others associated with their race and gender. The dissertation reviews scholarship about the major role the convergence of race and gender play in the day-to-day existence of Black women. Historically, negative images and beliefs have influenced the treatment of Black women in society. These same thoughts and images affect Black women executives in today’s workplace. African-American women continue to see limited advancement to senior levels within the corporate organization, even though diversity programs abound. As leaders in the …

Not So Black And White: The Color Of Perception In Corporate Layoffs, Carole A. Isom

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This research addressed the question of whether or not the perception exists that African Americans are disproportionately impacted during layoff periods within corporations. Portraiture was the selected method of inquiry for this research as it captures the experience of the participants and enables storytelling which is based upon perception as opposed to hard, quantitative data. Additionally, portraiture’s autobiographical roots supported my autoethnographic position, encouraging the artistic process while including aesthetic aspects. Portraiture allowed for the voice of the researcher everywhere: in the assumptions, preoccupations, and frameworks brought to the inquiry; in the questions asked; in the data gathered; in the …

Strategic Asymmetric Multicultural Alliances In Business, Anthony James Scriffignano

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Global economics and other factors make it increasingly difficult for organizations to operate within the boundaries of one country in a rational way (e.g., leveraging best practices, profitable, achieving goals). In this study, I looked at strategic business alliances, transcending simple quid pro quo relationships to deliver ongoing partner value. I refined my study to multicultural relationships, having differing cultural identities (i.e., ideas, heritage, language, or demographics from differing geographies). Finally, I considered asymmetry (i.e., inequity in working relationship). Using a mixed-methodology design, I surveyed alliance participants and interviewed participants from selected alliances. A multi-case study addresses emergent themes of …

Edge Leadership: Using Senior Leadership Perceptions To Explore Organizational Turnarounds, Lynn William Olsen

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The researcher developed the concept of an edge leader—that is, one who can mindfully turn around a troubled business to sustain it for the future. In an increasingly turbulent and competitive climate, more edge leaders must be developed to sustain their organizations for the benefit of shareholders, employees, communities, and society. The researcher's review of the classic and contemporary leadership and change literatures suggested that four elements are necessary to develop leaders capable of leading even basic beneficial change. They include: having broad, successful experience; being emotionally and socially aware; having the ability to think differently about priorities and paradoxes …

Using Van Valens Procedure In Business Research To Assess Consistent Differences In Multidimensional Variability In Two Or More Groups, Mark L. Berenson, Kimberly Killmer Hollister

Department of Information Management and Business Analytics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Much business research involves comparisons in two or more groups on many dimensions. This paper primarily focuses on demonstrating and providing guidance as to how researchers should approach a multivariate analysis in the comparison of sets of corresponding characteristics in two or more independent groups. In particular, this paper demonstrates the utility of a simple but not widely known procedure developed by Van Valen (1978) that should be employed to test for the significance of differences in overall variability in the sets of corresponding characteristics in two or more groups, a test that enjoys much statistical power in detecting significant …

Subsidiary Entrepreneurship: An Exploratory Study, Enda Carolan

Masters

This is a study of subsidiary entrepreneurship. In recent years entrepreneurship has been promoted by academics, practitioners and governmental agencies as a panacea for subsidiary managers as they attempt to sustain and grow their subsidiaries. The research question that underpins this works relates to the transposition of the concept of entrepreneurship into large nature business units of multinational corporations (MNC). Drawing on four case studies of subsidiary managers who invoke the discourse of entrepreneurship to make sense of their managerial behaviour, this study examines the difference between entrepreneurship and subsidiary entrepreneurship. There are two key findings. Firstly subsidiary entrepreneurship is …

Sole Survivors: How Exceptional Companies Survive And Thrive At The Edge, Anto Kerins

Books / Book chapters

Some companies seem born to fail, while others manage to survive and thrive despite great adversity. What are the secrets of the survivors?. Sole Survivors puts nine such companies under the microscope to discover what sets them apart from their less-successful competitors, what make them "exceptional". But these nine are neither blue-chip multinationals nor high-tech operators. They are small to medium-sized European companies in a traditional section that has been decimated in recent times-footwear manufacturing. This book tells the stories of these companies in detail from their historical development through to their current business strategies, from their organisational structures to …