Organizational Communication Commons^™

Empowering The Plus Size Body Using Dance As Therapy, Ashley Sampson

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

In Western society, having the “ideal” body image and size is a societal issue. It is advertised throughout media outlets that the “ideal” body is what should be desired, and any other body type is “abnormal”. This capstone thesis focused on the effectiveness of dance as therapy and changing the perspectives of all body types, to support and empower all bodies including plus-sized bodies. The use of individual interviews, in an open dialogue model, with a select few members (3) of Soul thru Sole, including the CEO of the dance company; which focuses on empowering women no matter their age, …

Collaboration In Social Hobby Groups: Transferring Qualities Of Teamwork From The Social Sphere To The Professional Sphere, Emily M. Mccormick

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Workplace collaboration has been the subject of much research and writing. Social collaboration can help inform our understanding of how people prefer to work together and should be studied for its aspects that could be transferred to the professional sphere. This research examines how members in social hobby groups collaborate with each other and what aspects of that collaboration can be applied to the workplace. I observed and surveyed five local hobby groups to better understand how the members worked together and what made this type of socializing appealing to members. One of the primary aspects of this social collaboration …

The Impact Of Bureaucracy, Power, And Structure On The Black Graduate Student Experience, Demetria Scherell Green

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This thesis utilizes muted group theory to understand the impact bureaucratic structure has on Black graduate students at predominantly white institutions. Muted group theory is used to inform individuals of the impact power functions have on both verbal and nonverbal communication. The premises of the theory focus on the lack of underrepresented voices present in policies, structures, and organizations. In order to gain clarity on the experiences of Black graduate students in particular, the use of qualitative data gathering provided unique insights to answer the research questions guiding this study. A focus group was first used to generate key themes, …

Ua45/6 Commencement Program, Wku Registrar

WKU Administration Documents

Commencement program listing graduates with order of exercises for all WKU campuses. Includes biography of Sam Bush, recipient of the honorary doctorate of fine arts.

The Impact Organizational Factors Have On Role Ambiguity Amongst School Social Workers, Melissa Kichura

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore what organizational factors increase or decrease role ambiguity amongst school social workers. This study attempted to provide practical information for schools on the influence of specific organizational factors on role ambiguity so that they can provide a supportive work environment for school social workers and students. A cross-sectional survey design was used to provide a snapshot of the current organizational factors impacting the ambiguity of school social work roles from a sample of 73 members of the School Social Work Association of America. Some findings were not congruent with the literature. The …

Connecting Youth To Public Lands Through The Social Change Model Of Leadership Development: The Yosemite Leadership Program, Amanda J. Dworak Rowland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the success and outcome of the Yosemite Leadership Program (YLP) through its foundation in the Social Change Model of Leadership Development. There are research studies of collegiate programming and the Social Change Model (SCM); however, a literature review uncovered the limited amounts of research around leadership programming connecting collegiate students to their gateway public lands sites. The goal of this research was to identify how the SCM could be used to implement methods and practices of leadership development with college students in partnership with a public lands agency. The specific leadership development themes that were explored …

Supervisor-Subordinate Conflict Negotiation: Examining The Core Concerns In Light Of Communication Accommodation And Gender Roles, Piyawan Charoensap-Kelly

Dissertations

This quasi-experimental study examined a supervisor-subordinate negotiation of an emotion-laden conflict from the lens of the core concerns framework, communication accommodation theory, and gender roles research. Results empirically support CCF that, by accommodating or attending to the employees’ core concerns, managers can stimulate employees’ positive emotion and integrative intention. However, under- and overaccommodating the core concerns can lead to distributive intention. Additionally, the employees’ perception of manager goodwill can strengthen or attenuate the positive effect of core concerns accommodativeness on outcome variables especially for male managers. Thus, moderate accommodation is recommended for male managers. For female managers, the results show …

Using The Theory Of Emotional Stakeholders To Experimentally Test The Influence Of Proxy Communicators About Organizational Crises In Digital News Reports, Alicia Mason, Elizabeth Spencer, Kelley Macek, Alison Smith, Stephanie Potter

Faculty Submissions

The emergence of new and social media has transformed the way that stakeholders and organizations interact between and amongst each other. Online news consumers are now able to directly respond to crisis news reports by offering their own interpretation, thus expanding the diversity of viewpoints audiences are exposed to (Carpenter, 2010; Springer, 2014). Using the Theory of Emotional Stakeholders framework our study aims (1) to understand how positive and negative user-generated comments in response to online news reports of crisis events impacts audience perceptions of organizational blame; (2) to examine the persuasive effects of user comments when expert or official …

Exploring A University System Through Organizational Communication Routines Involving Risk, Sean Fourney

Dissertations

Given the nature of differing risks that can damage higher education institutions, perception from leaders’ perspectives is crucial in viewing organizational behavior regarding potential damage to the system. This case study investigated how a university staff perceives, communicates, and organizes about risk. Thirty interviews (27 one-on-one, 2 via email, and 1 over the phone) with campus leaders sought to identify how those in a higher education institution collectively communicates elements of risk within and beyond its environment while potentially forming relationships in attempts to mitigate it. An applied thematic analysis revealed that informants perceived risk as a system issue to …

The Practice Of Children’S Ministry: Developing A Cohesive Vision Of Practice With Church Leaders, Shannon Clarkson Rains

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to create a congregational workshop for church leaders that leads to the development of a cohesive vision for the practice of children’s ministry. In order to do this, I began by presenting the evolution of children’s ministry in the Churches of Christ along with the current tensions that exist between ministers and church leadership created by a lack of cohesive vision for the practice of children’s ministry. This foundational understanding of the origins of this tension supports my discussion of a vision for children’s ministry that includes attention to the spiritual formation of children—an …

Raj Soin College Of Business Newsletter - May 2019, Raj Soin College Of Business

Raj Soin College of Business Newsletter

A four page newsletter created by the Raj Soin College of Business at Wright State University documenting current affairs of the college.

Communicating For Project Management Success: Pro-Tips From Accidental Project Managers, Annie Bélanger, Preethi Gorecki, Jesus Espinoza

Presentations

Library professionals are often asked to lead projects; yet, few are given the training to proceed with confidence. This session will address major aspects of a successful project communication and management: understanding how to propose projects; skills and tools to initiate, plan, and manage projects efficiently and effectively; and knowing how to wrangle the tasks that make up projects. We will also cover how to communicate and lead through influence within a project team setting.

Social Class And Social Networks: How Sociocultural Upbringing Affects Organizational Social Networks, Jacqueline Tilton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Organizations are a key venue where individuals from different backgrounds have the opportunity to interact and yet we know very little about how social class background shapes interactions within the workplace. There is reason to believe that the differing value systems of social class groups influence their attitudes and behavior towards workplace connections and relationship formation. This article considers how social class background affects organizational social networks as well as the class-distinct values and attitudes that shape networking behavior of employees. To study this phenomena, I analyze a sample of 490 employees from a broad range of roles and organizations …

Tribal Gaming Leader Strategies Toward A Sustainable Future, Janie A. Hall, Patricia I. Fusch, Janet M. Booker

The Qualitative Report

One aspect of leadership strategy is the need to account for the core values of the organization.The purpose of this case study was to explore the tribal gaming leader strategies used toward sustainability, an action that leads to tribal economic development and stability. The conceptual framework of situational leadership theory was used to guide the scope and analysis of this study. Six tribal gaming leaders from Oklahoma participated in a focus group session; 7 additional tribal gaming leaders from the same gaming organization participated in individual interview sessions. Member checking was used to strengthen the credibility and trustworthiness of the …

The Bride, Millennial Identity, And Instagram: A Case Study Of Hillsong Australia’S Instagram Account, Jessica Delp

Senior Honors Theses

Identity has become an incessant focus for millennials. They ascribe ever-growing significance to identity anchored in an accepting community that elevates their perception. Subsequently, identity is increasingly significant for brand and consumer relationships. Successful brands understand this and incorporate a pervasive sense of their unique identity into their brand, visually and otherwise. This case study of Hillsong Church hopes to help churches understand the importance of visuals in communicating identity. Hillsong Australia’s Instagram is examined using the Saussure model of visual semiotic theory to understand how they present their church identity in relation to millennial identity. The two most dominant …

Communication Barriers Faced By Female College Students (18-24) During Business Internships, Gail Foldenauer

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to gain insight on the young, female intern experience specifically within the business industry. In order to be interviewed, all participants had to identify as female and have had a business internship while they were between the ages of 18 and 24. Potential participants were invited to be interviewed for this project via word of mouth or social media. Once they agreed to the terms of the study, they took part in a 30 to 45 minute interview and were asked to share experiences about their internship and how their coworkers shaped their intern …

Cross Cultural Volunteering: A Best Practices Guide For Aspiras Usa, Lindsey King

Honors Theses

This thesis project explores the topic of cross-cultural volunteering in the context of volunteer opportunities facilitated by Aspiras USA, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on youth and community development efforts in the Dominican Republic. Aspiras partners with various college student organizations in the US and offers them opportunities for international volunteering in the Dominican Republic. Knowing how popular international volunteering is, and that it can result in negative outcomes, I was interested in the experiences of these Aspiras volunteers and the community hosts, and how to improve said experiences. I completed a thorough review of literature surrounding volunteer tourism …

The Effects Of Different Types Of Virtual Reality Display On Perception Of A Virtual Presenter, Ferran Poage

Honors Theses

Virtual reality (VR) displays present an immersive 3D virtual world that convey a sense of presence. These displays are rapidly increasing in fidelity, from traditional 2d desk monitors to head-mounted displays (HMD’s) like the Oculus Rift. Research must investigate the relationship between this growing level of fidelity in displays and the virtual experiences they produce, especially as high-fidelity devices become more widespread. Evidence shows that the fidelity of VR displays can affect a variety of factors such as spatial awareness, communication, engagement, arousal, enjoyment, and presence. The current study investigated the potential relationship between the fidelity of VR displays and …

Wright State University Libraries Annual Report 2018, Wright State University Libraries

University Libraries' Annual Reports

This 2018 annual report by the Wright State University Libraries details the statistics of services rendered, usage of available materials, collaborations with community partners, and more.

From Cyber To E-Mail Incivility: A Psychometric Assessment And Measure Validation Study, Kimberly Mccarthy, Rajnandini Pillai, Bennett Cherry, Michael Steigerwald

Organization Management Journal

Conducting research on organizational communication, and on how e-mail is used and misused by employees, is an important question addressed by this research. Specifically, we assess and address the deficiency in the existing construct of cyber incivility. This research examines how the existing scale is lacking, explains why a new scale is needed, and then develops and tests a new measure of rude e-mail. In this study we perform a quantitative test of the quality of the existing cyber incivility scale. In addition, we develop and propose a new scale with improved psychometric properties and test its validity on a …

The Modern Face Of Workplace Incivility, Devi Akella, Vance Johnson Lewis

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

Resilience Only Gets You So Far: Volunteer Incivility And Burnout, Sheridan B. Trent, Joseph A. Allen

Organization Management Journal

Although multiple factors have been found to induce burnout in volunteers, studies examining relationships among volunteer coworkers as a potential stressor are sorely lacking. Through the lens of conservation of resources (COR) theory, we investigated coworker (i.e., from both paid and unpaid coworkers) incivility as a predictor of burnout in a sample of volunteers. COR theory postulates that environmental stressors lead to burnout or other negative outcomes by depleting an individual’s resources. The present study also explored resilient coping as one factor that might help volunteers cope with the burnout emanating from incivility. Using regression, we found that incivility from …

Incivility And Beyond At The Top Management Team Level, Joanne O. Martinez, Julia Eisenberg

Organization Management Journal

Although incivility has been gaining increasing attention in the literature as well as in the industry, academic studies have not examined the effects on top management team (TMT) members. TMT members are different from employees at other levels because they are officers of their organizations who are held to a much higher level of responsibility than those in lower echelons. They are crucial in setting the norms of an organization and have far-reaching influence. This article seeks to uncover the mechanisms that explain what happens when TMT members are targets of uncivil leadership behavior. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 …

Raj Soin College Of Business Newsletter - April 2019, Raj Soin College Of Business

Raj Soin College of Business Newsletter

A three page newsletter created by the Raj Soin College of Business at Wright State University documenting current affairs of the college.

On Observers’ Conjunctive Attributions And Blame For Workplace Mistreatment, James M. Wilkerson, Janet C. Meyer

Organization Management Journal

This essay reflects on the need for more research to address observers’ perspectives and reactions when witnessing or hearing about workplace mistreatment. After describing workplace mistreatment with respect to a behavioral spectrum ranging from incivility to violence, this essay focuses on observers’ causal attributions and blame for workplace mistreatment. We relate observers’ conjunctive causal attributions to multifocus blame that positions the organization as decidedly more blameworthy than typical research in a traditional causal attribution paradigm would suggest. We also offer some suggestions for future research that is more responsive to observers’ blame for workplace mistreatment.

What Is Workplace Incivility? An Investigation Of Employee Relational Schemas, Jonathan Samosh

Organization Management Journal

This qualitative study investigated relational schemas of workplace incivility to develop an understanding of incivility from the employee perspective, refine theoretical comprehension of the incivility construct, and begin collecting data to support development of applied interventions. Two hundred and five currently employed respondents answered open-ended survey questions about schematic features of incivility and normative questions about how it should be addressed at work. Responses were analyzed with phenomenological methodology. Workplace incivility was defined in relational schemas similarly to current scholarly conceptualization, but respondents’ examples of incivility included more severe mistreatment as well. Perpetrators, targets, bystanders, and interveners were identified as …

Spring 2019

Conversations

Play Ball! The College of Communication kicks off a new degree program in sports communication; Forging Futures: DePaul and Harper College partner to give community college students an easier path to a bachelor's degree; Can We Talk? Associate Professor Tim Cole teaches the art and science of interpersonal communication; Fred Astaire's Dancing Lessons: Professor Dustin Goltz bridges the LGBTQ generation gap with his solo performance piece; Bookshelf; In Pursuit of Impact: Investigative journalist Prabjot "PJ" Randhawa garners her first Emmy Award; Around the College; Accolades: A Life of Purpose and Passion: Communication double major trains at the Climate Reality Project.

Ua77/1 Wku Spirit, Wku Alumni Relations

WKU Administration Documents

WKU's alumni magazine. Contents:

• McAdoo, Anthony. Executive Director Notes
• WKU Honors Veterans, Unveils New Panel at Guthrie Bell Tower
• Julia Roberts & Tracy Inman Win Legacy Book Award
• New WKU Graduate Impacts Community Through ENACTUS
• Office of Scholar Development Celebrates 10 Years of Big Dreams
• Phi Kappa Phi Grants
• Emilie Gill: Ogden Foundation Scholar
• College Heights Herald Wins 17^th Pacemaker; Talisman Wins Best of Show
• Deven Richardson: Rangel Fellow
• WKU Graduate Student Presents Research at Artic Circle Assembly – Jason Fox
• Scholarships – Hannah Nafziger, Dominic Castlen
• Caboni, Timothy. From the President
• Climbing to Greater Heights: WKU Strategic Plan …

Gold & Blue, Spring 2019, St. Mary's University- San Antonio, Texas

Gold & Blue

This is the Spring 2019 edition of Gold & Blue which is St. Mary's University's official school publication.

There She Blows: Public Perceptions Of Mt. Merapi And Mt. Agung, Trey Atticus Spadone

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the archipelago is repeatedly affected by tsunamis, landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Indonesia has the most active volcanoes of any country in the world due to subduction zones between the Eurasian and Indo-Australian plates. The last major eruptions were in 2017 (Mt. Agung in Bali) and 2010 (Mt. Merapi in Central Java) which both required thousands of people to be evacuated from their homes. Since volcanoes have such a geological presence in the country, I was interested in investigating how aware the public is of volcanoes and their associated risks. Where …