Leadership Studies Commons^™

Rural Civic Action Project Poster, Heartland Center For Leadership Development

Heartland Center for Leadership Development Materials

The final project for the Rural Civic Action Project is to create a poster that includes the Community Capital Mapping activity (CCMA; Keith & Kinsey, 2013). The Community Capital Maps provide an opportunity to evaluate the impact of the projects from the participants’ perspective. Fellows should include one map on their poster: the center of the map should be “Engaging in the Rural Civic Action Program. Also included on the poster is a narrative describing the map.

The Sankofa Bird And Reflection, Appiah Kubi Kwarteng

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

As a minister of the Gospel, I have often reflected on the tension between Paul’s counsel in Philippians 3:13, 14 (forgetting those things that are behind, I press toward the mark) and Ellen G. White’s (1902) counsel that “we have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and his teaching in our past history” (p. 196). On the one hand it seems that we should forget the past, while on the other hand we are advised to remember our past and the way the Lord has led us in …

Relational Leading: Practices For Dialogically Based Collaboration. By Lone Hersted & Kenneth J. Gergen., Stanley E. Patterson Phd

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

RELATIONAL LEADING: PRACTICES FOR DIALOGICALLY BASED COLLABORATION By Lone Hersted & Kenneth J. Gergen. Chagrin Falls, OH: Taos Institute Publications (2013). Kindle edition, 197 pages.

The Taos Institute and the authors have made a valuable contribution to the leadership community by providing not only a theoretical base for relational leadership but also a description of a practical application of the concept. The model is explored primarily in the corporate management context where “new and highly complex problems require linking many different kinds of knowledge; cooperation across cultural borders is increasingly necessary; work teams are needed to supply continuous innovation. Successful …

Developing Relational Leadership: Resources For Developing Reflexive Organizational Practices. By Carsten Hornstrup, Jesper Loehr- Petersen, Joergen G. Madsen, Thomas Johansen, & Allan Vinther Jensen, Stanley E. Patterson Phd

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

DEVELOPING RELATIONAL LEADERSHIP: RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPING REFLEXIVE ORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICES. By Carsten Hornstrup, Jesper Loehr- Petersen, Joergen G. Madsen, Thomas Johansen, & Allan Vinther Jensen. Chagrin Falls, Ohio: Taos Institute Publications (2012). Kindle edition, 225 pages.

The book is presented in two general sections: theory that informs the practice of relational leadership and application of relational leadership in practice. Since most leaders do not emerge as leaders in the relational model, the constructionist implications would suggest that it is possible to become a relational leader. Though this rationale is not clearly articulated in the Preface, it is nonetheless implied in the …

Understanding Millennial, Generation X, And Baby Boomer Preferred Leadership Characteristics: Informing Today’S Leaders And Followers, Lee-Volker Cox

Dissertations

Purpose. This quantitative study’s purpose was to describe and determine the degree of difference and importance of leadership characteristics as perceived by Baby Boom, Generation X, and Millennial generational cohort followers in STEM-related U.S.-based or headquartered aerospace and computer organizations as measured by the Multigenerational Leadership Characteristics Questionnaire (MLCQ).

Methodology. This was a cross-sectional, nonexperimental, comparative and correlational quantitative, ex post facto study. A web-based MLCQ was developed after conducting an academic literature review. Participants used a 6-point Likert scale identifying the importance of 30 characteristics with 2 aggregation questions identifying the most and least important characteristics; 408 members of …

Ua3/9/7 State Legislative Update, Wku President's Office - Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Email from WKU president Gary Ransdell to faculty & staff regarding budget.

Ua3/9/7 2016 Budget Update, Wku President's Office - Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Email from WKU president Gary Ransdell to faculty & staff regarding the budget.

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: A Content Analysis On Media Framing Of Incarceration, Shannon Elise Ardamica-Hall

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis uses a content analysis in order to answer the question of how incarceration is framed by popular reality and fictional dramas focused on prisons. Employing a coding system to analyze the episodes of two popular televisions show about incarceration, this study is concerned with how and what content is being presented to the audience and how it is framed. Using Oz and Lock-up as text, the study used Entman’s (1993) four processes of framing communication. It was determined that the information and themes of incarceration in the television programs were unrealistic representations of prisoners, rehabilitation programs within the …

Ua3/9/7 Wku President's Announcement, Wku President's Office - Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Email from WKU president Gary Ransdell to faculty & staff regarding the budget.

Ua3/9/7 State Budget Update, Wku President's Office - Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Email from WKU president Gary Ransdell to faculty, staff & students regarding the budget.

Improving Intercultural Dialogue Between Mining Companies And Native American Communities In Northern Nevada, Lisa A. Becker

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study analyzed intercultural communication and cross-cultural hurdles between a multinational mining company, “the Company,” and the indigenous Western Shoshone community in Northern Nevada. Standpoint theory, as presented by Wood (2004), was the framework used to analyze the engagement methods utilized by the Company and the local tribal organizations to identify communication barriers between the two groups. This study explored an external perception of the Company and the general mining industry from tribal employees, as well as the unique perspective of those participants who bring a Native American standpoint to their position of employment within the Company. Research data was …

Marina Mahathir [Malaysia, Activist], Marina Mahathir

Digital Narratives of Asia

Daughter of Malaysian Prime Minister and socio-political activist Marina Mahathir, shares with DNA on her schooling days, her views on censorship, education system, leadership crisis, and religious movements. Her work in helping HIV-infected women has led her to seek larger democratic space for everyone.

Inside Jokes: A Sensemaking Resource For Understanding Sarcasm And Teasing In The Workplace, Tara Gray Anderson

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Humorous exchanges using sarcasm and teasing can be found in many workplaces despite the fact that they are often considered inappropriate. This study looked at what causes people to participate in sensemaking after engaging in these types of humor and examined how people make sense of sarcasm and teasing. The framework for this study was Sherif’s Social Judgment Theory (SJT) (1969) and Sensemaking (1995). Twenty people were interviewed about their last workplace exchange involving these types of humor and their answers were recorded and analyzed. The results showed that recipients, through sensemaking, assimilated jokes that were insulting and not humorous. …

Ua3/9/7 President Gary A. Ransdell To Retire In 2017, Wku President's Office - Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Email from WKU president Gary Ransdell to faculty & staff regarding his retirement.

Ua3/9/7 Governor Matt Bevin's State Of The Commonwealth Address, Wku President's Office - Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Email from WKU president Gary Ransdell to faculty & staff regarding the budget.

Ua3/9/7 2016 Spring Semester Welcome Message, Wku President's Office - Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Email from WKU president Gary Ransdell to faculty & staff.

The Implications Of Doing Gender In The Digital Dating World, Brianna May Badili

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study investigates digital dating and how men and women function within the phenomena in terms of gendered communication. The theory of semiotics, as described by CK Ogden and Roland Barthes, was used as a frame to analyze photographs, text, and actions among men and women particularly on the application Tinder to understand the construction of gender within a digital dating world. Original research was conducted using 15 participants, 11 female and 4 male, with 15-50 minute interviews, investigating their experiences with symbols and exploring gendered communication and symbols that perpetuate ideas about gender roles within dating in online settings. …

Media Literacy Education: A Media Literacy Campaign On The Social Significance Of Media Literacy And Its Educational Need, Agnes Poliquin

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Research has shown that the amount of media that today’s youth is exposed to continues to rise dramatically each year. Averaging 11 hours a day, youth are encountering new challenges like miscommunication and risking becoming a less productive citizen by the time they finish secondary school. Media literacy is a tool that combats this overexposure of media to educate, create and develop ways youth can combat this influence of mass media messages. This project promotes media literacy education, based in the use of the Jon Piaget’s constructivist learning theory and George Gerbner’s cultivation theory. The project is a media literacy …

Maximizing Organizational Value Through Social Interactions, Zach Moffett

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This project looks into maximizing value for organizations and customers through customer service. Media richness theory was used to help the researchers understand how to best serve content to customers of a company that offers tech support channels. Video tutorials were determined to be the richest form of media just after human interaction (Face to Face). The project was designed to help content creators understand best practices around creating video tutorial content. Site visitors are asked to complete a survey after reading through the content. The survey was designed to help the researchers understand if the content is useful. For …

Ua12/2/2 2016 Talisman - Life More Life, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

2016 Talisman yearbook.

• Paris, Rachel. Dawn of Delta Zeta
• Ziege, Nicole. Kick It to the Limit – Soccer
• Paris, Rachel. Immersion: Band
• Houston, Emily. Immersion: Dance
• Paris, Rahcel. Immersion: ROTC
• Ziege, Nicole. Immersion: Theatre
• Holt, Delaney. Major Pride – WKU Majorette Style Dance Team
• Houston, Emily. Hollow Spike – Volleyball
• Moscoe, Carrie. The Intergallactic Tightrope – Elliott Talkington, Theatre & Dance
• Gilliam, Ashely. Tops on Top – Cheerleaders
• Young, Kreable. A Grand Adventure – Grand Canyon, Outdoor Recreation Activity Center
• Voorhees, Jessica. Home Team Advantage – Track & Field
• Homecoming
• Sproles, Katherine. Saddle School – Dylan Davis, Rodeo
• Sims, Bryna. …

Building Hope: An Experiential, Interfaith And Peacebuilding Leadership Curriculum Design For American, Israeli And Palestinian Teenagers, Jack M. Karn

Capstone Collection

This research explores the design, implementation, and results of an interfaith and peacebuilding leadership curriculum prepared for the 2015 Jerusalem Peacebuilders Leadership Camp in Brattleboro, Vermont. Drawing upon different theories of moral and transformative leadership, experiential education, youth leadership, and peacebuilding and conflict transformation, this curriculum design offers a new and unique approach to leadership development for Israeli, Palestinian, and American teens. Spanning six 1.5-hour units, the curriculum includes: icebreaker and teambuilding activities, theory and practice connections, dialogue, and opportunities to practice leadership and peacebuilding skills on several small group projects. Supported by a literature review, eight interviews from youth …

The Impact Of Facebook, Twitter, And Youtube On Millennials' Political Behavior, Nicholas M. Njegomir

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Social media plays a prominent role in the daily lives of Millennials. The majority of Millennials use some form of social media, and with the amount of political content on various social media sites, it is worth examining how social media influences Millennials’ political behavior. This study focused on three social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. This research was rooted in George Gerbner and Larry Gross’ Cultivation theory (1976), which states that long-term media exposure shapes reality. The study consisted of survey and focus group research, which attempted to determine how much time Millennials spend on each site, how …

Decoding Impressions: Understanding Appearances A Nonverbal Training Program, Michelle Lynn Spring

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Given the multitude of clothing options, jewelry, and adornments that exist in the modern world and the variety of colors these artifacts are available in, there is a need to understand the how appearance cues impact impressions. Saussure’s theory of Semiotics was used as the framework for this project as a means to decoding the sign structures associated with appearance cues that influence impressions. This project outlines an active training program that walks students through the semiotic theory, the elements of appearance cues and the resulting impressions that may be formed by artifact choices. The goal of this project is …

A Glimpse At Media-Framing Effects On Place Attachment In Rural Northwest Montana, Gregory D. Bruns

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study examined how outdated media framing can disturb rural place attachment. Evaluating this concept against the backdrop of south Lincoln County, Montana, which is nearing the end of a years-long EPA Superfund cleanup, over 100 regional visitors were surveyed to learn if media framing affected place-attachment sentiments. The investigation revealed that existing news stories, some up to 15 years old, may be playing a lingering and consequential role in attracting first-time destination seekers to the region, in support of framing theory. Furthermore, these findings also lend credence to the significance of sound Internet search-engine optimization practices, and provide an …

Examining How Supervisor/Employee Communication Affects Employee Intentions To Leave An Organization, Courtney R. Malengo

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Americans who are full-time employees spend more hours at work than they do with family and loved ones. Management articles and research lament organizational communication woes, specifically amongst employees and their supervisors. This study explores supervisor/employee communication and the affect it has on employees’ decisions to stay or leave an organization. Specifically, the study examines how satisfied employees are with their respective supervisor and their organization, correlating findings to Deetz’s organizational communication theory and Graen & Uhl-Bien’s leader-member exchange theory. Respondents included 132 adults, 18 years and older, 58.4% were female and 41.6% were male, largely spanning the nonprofit/association and …

Call-Out Culture: How Online Shaming Affects Social Media Participation In Young Adults, Ethan M. Huffman

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Communication via social media is important to many young adults. While participation affords benefits, it can lead to acts of online shaming. This study hypothesized that young social media users are concerned that the information they post online could cascade out of control leading to a verbal attack by an anonymous crowd. As a result, users reduce the frequency of posting content to social media after witnessing or experiencing acts of online shaming. Academic attention has not focused on social media participation, or the lack thereof, as a behavioral trait akin to organizational silence. Drawing on Morrison and Milliken’s (2000) …

A Gendered Lens Of Understanding Confidence, Abbey Johnston

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Women make up approximately half of the U.S. workforce, yet far fewer women than men reach senior management and leadership positions. Women enter the workplace at levels similar to men, with comparable credentials and expectations, but their career paths rapidly diverge. This discrepancy among males and females can be associated, in part, to the documented difference in confidence between men and women. This study addressed the critical topic of how gender may impact an individual’s understanding and level of confidence and utilized the theoretical lenses of Mead’s (1934) Symbolic Interactionism and the Standpoint Theory of Harding (1991) and Wood (2004). …

Communication And Leadership Styles Utilized By Mill Managers Compared To Front Line Leaders, Ashley Meaghan Moore

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Paper mills can be a dangerous place to work; therefore, effective leadership by the mill manager and front line leaders are crucial to the safety of their employees. Leaders within all mills encompass many methods of leading and communicating with their teams. However, research on the consistency in these methods across the two levels of leaders is lacking. To help fill the gap, the author engaged in a case study and collected data through an online survey and guided interviews to examine their personal experiences with their leadership and communication styles within the mill environment with Mead’s (1934) Symbolic Interactionism …

Competing For Attention: U.S. Millennial Perception Of Traditional And Social Media, Carl Neal Hudson

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study examines how U.S. Millennials view information reported by traditional and social media using Christians and Fackler’s (1993) communitarian ethics and Entman’s (1989) ideas on media “frame analysis” as a foundation for analysis. For the purposes of this study, Islamic State – a radical extremist organization rooted in the Middle East – is widely reported on both platforms and is used as a focal point for the study’s purposes. U.S. Millennials who participated in this study address their concerns with how information is reported in today’s 24/7 news coverage and constant outreach from organizations that report on world events. …

Extroversion And Media Richness: An Analysis Of Media Preferences Of High Extroverts Within Sales Organizations, Donna M. Dudek

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Personality traits and vocational acumen have been the source of research in recent years. Using personality measures such as the Five Factor model, researchers have sought to find common traits which may predict success in critical organizational roles. Communication needs and desires, including media richness choices, have also been the subject of past research. The purpose of this thesis is to tie these two themes together. Using a survey instrument containing both a personality inventory and a questionnaire examining media preferences in different scenarios, the author gathered data from sales professionals, client service professionals, and managers to evaluate similarities and …