Leadership Studies Commons^™

A Phenomenological Approach On Communication Experiences Between Strength And Conditioning Coaches And Head Sport Coaches, Benjamin Charles

Leadership Education Capstones

This study investigates communication experiences between Strength and Conditioning Coaches and Head Sport Coaches using a phenomenological approach. Sixteen Strength and Conditioning Coaches were surveyed, via Qualtrics, to obtain basic demographics and answer open-ended questions to understand communication experiences and strategies Strength and Conditioning Coaches use to have effective relationships, teamwork, and athletic performance with Head Sport Coaches. Participants were required to be currently working for a DI-DIII 4-year University in the United States, have at least 1-year of Strength and Conditioning experience, an accredit certification related to training athletes at the college level, and be at least 21 years …

Women In Leadership: A Narrative Study On The Elements That Manifest Barriers And Opportunities, Misty Sweat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this narrative inquiry study is to explore the barriers and opportunities women in K-12 leadership face, particularly with how they navigate conflicts in their work-life balance and in what ways they have been afforded opportunities. Work-life balance will be generally defined as the reconciliation of the conflicting demands and obligations between a women’s professional requirements and her personal life. Opportunities will be defined as events that lead to a woman’s career advancements and accomplishments. The study was designed to identify perceived barriers and opportunities during both the ascension to and experience of holding a public K-12 educational …

Teacher Expectations, Self-Efficacy, And Collective Efficacy In Three Tennessee Literacy Networks, Amanda Tinker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was a significant difference in the dependent variables- teacher expectations, self-efficacy, and collective efficacy among the three levels of the independent variable- membership in one three literacy networks in Tennessee- Leading Innovation for Tennessee (LIFT), Read to Be Ready Coaching Network (RTBR), and Tennessee Early Literacy Network (TELN)- and if significant correlations existed between the dependent variables for each network. The population consisted of 161 K-3 Tennessee teachers who had been involved in the work of one of the three networks. Participants responded to an online survey via Google …

Leadership Styles Of Head Nascar Executives: A Historical Perspective, Joseph A. Hurd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to explore the leadership styles and theories employed throughout the existence of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The research examines the decision process and subsequent outcomes, exploring how they ultimately affected the business and trajectory of the sport. NASCAR is the product of unique and specific characteristics of racing enthusiasts who turned their passion into an international empire. This illustrates how leadership styles, specifically dictatorial leadership, successfully managed decisions of the business. Through the use of qualitative research to review historical accounts of events, this study strives to explain how leadership guided the …

Leadership Experiences Of Rural School Principals In Culturally-Cohesive Communities: A Phenomenological Study, Paige Ryan Raney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe leadership experiences of rural school principals in K-12 schools in culturally-cohesive communities in Alabama. Three theories guiding the study were Blanchard’s situational leadership theory (Hersey & Blanchard, 1977) as it described different leadership styles and directing others to desired results, Dweck’s mindset theory (Dweck, 2006) by considering how fixed mindset was the inability to think beyond a situation and growth mindset focused on the process of learning and development, and Burns’ and Bass’s (1978) transformational leadership theory in how principals display leadership. Rural principals’ experiences were defined as ways they …

Evaluating First-Generation Students’ Career Readiness, Mariana N. Robledo De La Torre

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

Research shows that first-generation students have historically had less guidance and resources to support their educational attainment and career development (Tate et al., 2015). This has resulted in considerable growth in the amount of support systems, programs, and services implemented by educational institutions across the United States to help first-generation college students thrive in higher education and their future careers. This study sought to improve my understanding of the career readiness of first-generation students at USD. By engaging with and gathering data from first-generation students, I have greater insight about ways of supporting first-generation students’ career readiness and vocational confidence …

Characteristics That Motivate A Volunteer Workforce: A Case Study Of One Of America’S Largest Volunteer Organizations, Jono Anzalone

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A vast amount of research exists on organizational development and leadership theory targeted for organizations with a paid workforce as well as literature that discusses volunteer motivation and management. However, existing literature fails to address leadership theory, practices in organizational development, and performance improvement for a volunteer-led workforce, one in which both volunteer and paid staff compose the workforce. A bridge of the gap in literature is needed to help inform training and development practices of the American Red Cross and other non-governmental organizations. In addition, high volunteer turnover and low satisfaction has a costly impact on organizations critical …

Exploring The Political Styles And Strategies Used By Successful Women Classified Managers In Educational Agencies, Colleen Stanley

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover and describe the political styles of successful women classified managers within California’s central coast region who advanced from middle management to top-level management level positions within an educational agency. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to explore and understand the political strategies that they perceived enhanced or hindered their ability to be promoted.

Methodology: This phenomenological study captured the stories of classified women managers’ lived experiences as they successfully advance in their careers to high-level management positions within an educational agency. A sample size of 15 …

Have You Gone To Galilee? Spiritual And Religious Formation For Catholic School Educators In Western Australia, Margaret Scharf, Chris Hackett, Shane Lavery

eJournal of Catholic Education in Australasia

This paper explores the personal and professional perceptions of twenty-two Catholic school educators in Western Australia who participated in a spiritual and faith formation program called Galilee. The paper initially outlines the background of the program followed by a review of the literature that focuses on five concepts: people are spiritual and religious beings; a desire to belong; the place of prayer; a journey of faith; and spiritual and faith formation. The research methodology is then provided. Specifically, the research was based on qualitative and quantitative data derived from an on-line survey. The results are reported in four sections. The …

Complete Issue

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

A Phenomenological Study On The Representation Of Female Senior Enlisted Leaders In The U.S. Army's Basic Combat Training Units, Allison Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore retired female senior enlisted leaders’ lived experiences while assigned as first sergeant (1SG) and command sergeant major (CSM) in initial entry training (IET) to ascertain if their experiences shed light on the underrepresentation of female leaders in the basic combat training (BCT) environment. Data collection emphasized factors that led to success in the IET environment, as well as challenges and barriers they may have faced. The theoretical framework that underpinned this study included the social role theory that the expectations for men and women are based on sex differences that …

Experienced Pediatric Oncology Nurses Using Self-Reflective Practices In The Clinical Setting: A Descriptive Phenomenological Investigation, Daniel Josue Bonilla

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Pediatric oncology nurses can develop hazardous feelings of burnout over decades of clinical practice (Boyle & Bush, 2018). Interventions that help decrease burnout and improve professional development are reflective practices (Caldwell & Grobbel, 2013). Currently, there is a paucity of information on pediatric oncology nurses with 10 or more years of experience and how they use self-reflection to cope with workplace stressors. The purpose of this study was to explore how expert-level pediatric oncology nurses describe their experiences using self-reflective practices in the clinical setting. An interview-based exploration of the lived experiences of participants was necessary to understand the unique …

Cyberbullying: School Administrators' Perceptions Of Law And Prevalence, And Their Roles In Prevention, Intervention And Discipline, Suzan Gragg Denby

Theses and Dissertations

This study was aimed at investigating secondary school administrators’ experiences with and their perceptions of cyberbullying, as well as their intervention and prevention procedures. As technology has become ubiquitous in our society, students’ use has increased and impacted the school environment. Given the potential for cyberbullying and the negative effects of such, schools harbor the responsibility to prevent and intervene in such occurrences. This can be a tricky process.

This study included 12 administrators of secondary schools across eight school divisions in Virginia. Through an interview process, administrators spoke of their experiences with technology and cyberbullying incidents, and how they …

Turning Around Small, Private, Tuition Dependent Colleges: How Boards Of Trustees Impact Decline And Turnaround, Michael Bills

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Even before the COVID-19 Pandemic, higher education has been facing unprecedented threats to existing business models. Small, private colleges heavily dependent on tuition revenue are particularly at risk. These at-risk small, private colleges need to make significant changes if they are to stave off decline and turn themselves around. Most of the literature on turnarounds of colleges and universities is focused primarily on the president, and is largely the reminiscences of former presidents. The board of trustees, however, is the ultimate governing authority of a college/university. If an at-risk institution needs to change in order to survive, the board must …

Rising Above The Adobe Ceiling: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of Mentoring And Social Capital Influences Among California Latina Nonprofit Leaders, Belinda Hernandez

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Empirical research studies that focus on the experiences of Latinas in executive leadership are limited. In its entirety, workforce research has overlooked how social and cultural experiences influence this group’s leadership development. This gap in research has failed to uplift the Latina executive voice and their achievements. Addressing this gap has the potential to influence distinctive workforce practices and future scholarship. Utilizing an asset-based perspective, this study presents counter narratives that intentionally focus on exploring Latina leaders’ voices. The importance of intersectional experience and social identities illustrate non-monolithic, yet aligned, experiences among study participants.

This foundational dissertation explored mentoring phenomena …

Economically Empowering Women As Foreign Policy: A Phenomenological Study On Building Peace In Northern Uganda Through Social Enterprise, Lisa Liberatore Maracine

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation advocates for the role of social enterprise in building sustainable peace by giving women agency and power in their communities. It examines this phenomenon through the lens of a social enterprise non-governmental organization, 31 Bits, that offers a valuable case study in the post-conflict Northern Uganda town of Gulu where over 100 women have been employed in the last ten years in a five-year training program that equips them to become fully self-sustainable through the creation of jewelry handmade from recycled paper. The holistic approach moves beyond the nonprofit model of charity and survival to giving their beneficiaries …

Harry Potter And The Shy College Classroom Student: A Perceived Sense Of Belonging Through Social Identity And A Hogwarts House, Mickey D. Harrison Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines self-identifying shy college classroom students. Using social identity theory, identified shy students are studied based on their inclusion in a Hogwarts House from the Harry Potter book series. The purpose of this research is to examine how group identity can cultivate and create a sense of belonging for these students and lead them to academic and personal success. The stories shared by these shy learners reinforce the need and importance of belonging to a social identity group to strengthen an individual's sense of self and personal growth. This study encourages the use of a fictional social group—like …

Leadership Development In East Africa: A Case Study Of A Multi-Year College Student Leadership Program, Gregory Armen Muger

Theses and Dissertations

Effectual and ethical leadership is a top need throughout all sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa (Adadevoh, 2007; Ncube, 2010). Unfortunately, there is currently very scant literature on Sub-Saharan African leadership theory or programming (Bolden & Kirk, 2009). A large Christian nonprofit organization operated a multi-year servant leadership-based Christian leadership program for thousands of college students throughout sites in East Africa called the Leadership Development Program (LDP). The LDP endeavored to groom local, ethical, and capable leaders. Therefore, studying the LDP model and its impacts could add significant value to Sub-Saharan African leadership practitioners as well as add to the limited body …

Best Leadership Practices Of Female Film Directors, Sara Carraway

Theses and Dissertations

Female film directors are highly underrepresented within the U.S. film industry, especially within narrative film (S.L. Smith, Pieper, & Choueiti, 2013). In 2019, only 12% of directors in the top 100 grossing films were female (Lauzen, 2020). There are several obstacles female directors face in their careers. Financing is more difficult to obtain for female directors due to stereotypes of women as risky investments (P. Smith et al., 2013). Closely tied to financing, gendered networks and homophily can prevent women from making relationships with gatekeepers and accessing the same opportunities as men (Jones & Pringle, 2015; Wing-Fai et al., 2015). …

How Christian College Student Leaders Discover Purpose, Emmanuel Ayiku

Masters Theses

Among college students, research has revealed that 76% of them reported that they search for meaning in life (Dunn & Hammer, 2015). Spirituality is one specific way in which students begin their search for meaning. A qualitative approach was used to examine the perspectives of how six Christian college student leaders from three different campus ministries found their purpose. By examining and understanding purpose from one subset of religious students who serve in a leadership position, we may gain insight into the interplay of meaning-making, purpose, and leadership. This study concluded that faith or spirituality played an important role in …

Designing Leadership: Using Design Thinking To Create, Practices, And Implement A Formal Leadership Development Program, Jon Samuel Wedding

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine what happens when design thinking is used to create a leadership development program, increase leadership competencies, and participants perceptions of design thinking. This study uses action research to examine the experiences and design thinking to create a leadership program in a formal hierarchical. This study collected data during a two-cycle action research process. The findings from this study revealed that design thinking can be used to create a formal leadership development program. The ability to use design thinking’s human centered design can also help increase the leadership competencies of trust and collaborations. …

Latinx Diversity Officers In Higher Education: Capacitating Cultural Values As Champions Of Equity, Diversity, And Inclusion, Maria Teresa Chavez-Haroldson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this research study is to share scholarly data that may assist in the recognition and cultural understanding of LatinX Chief DOs in higher education institutions. This multi-phase, qualitative study critically considers the participants’ sociopolitical, psychological, and, cultural situated-ness as equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) leaders in higher education institutions (HEIs). Despite the psychological stressors, the participants described how and why they are energized by their commitment to creating change as social justice campeonas (champions). This study explains why LatinX DOs leading EDI institutional change in the 21st century, places them in precarious sociopolitical circumstances. Cultural values are …

A Case Study: The Role Of Compassionate Cities, Healthy Cities, And Un Sustainable Development Goals In City Leadership And Planning, Lisa A. Berkley

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This research is a case study examining the relevance of three holistic city frameworks—Compassionate Cities, Healthy Cities, and UN Sustainable Development Goals—to the intentional or tacit thinking of city leaders, community leaders, and activists of Marina, California. Beginning with a discussion of the origin and development of the three frameworks, the study occurred in three phases: Phase I involved interviewing the five elected leaders, city manager, community development leaders, and two planners; Phase II consisted of a survey of appointed city leaders and community organizers and activists; and Phase III was an analysis of relevant public discourse, drawing from local …

Examination Of Athletic Academic Support Services Of Ncaa D-I Hbcus, Clifford Eugene Harrell Ii

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since 1991, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has mandated academic support services for student-athletes at all Division I institutions. Today, there is a vast difference of athletic academic support units at Power 5 Conferences compared to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The resources at Power 5 Conference institutions are also immensely different at HBCUs although the main services provided are similar. Advising, tutoring, orientation, assessment of study skills, compliance checks, personal counseling, career counseling, student-athlete scheduling/advising, testing of academically at-risk student-athletes are all services that are provided at both Power 5 institutions and HBCUs but there is still …

Political Styles And Strategies Used By Exemplary Suburban Unified District Superintendents With Board Members: A Mixed Methods Study, Tammy Blakely

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this thematic, explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to understand the political styles of superintendents and school board members as perceived by superintendents. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to identify and explain the political strategies superintendents use to work with the different political styles of board members.

Methodology: This explanatory sequential mixed methods study research design used data collected from a quantitative survey followed by qualitative data collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews. The data in this study were obtained from 5 exemplary suburban unified superintendents using the 9 political styles framework from …

Book Review: Our Towns: A 100,000 Mile Journey Into The Heart Of America, Keith Morton

eJournal of Public Affairs

Book review of James and Deborah Fallows, Our towns: a 100,000 mile journey into the heart of America

Leadership Theories And United States Demographic Shifts: Responsiveness In The Workplace, Sherry H. Latten, Jonathan Perez

Journal of Research Initiatives

As the United States becomes increasingly more diverse, it is imperative that organizations consider the implications of their leadership pipeline. Given the differences that can exist by social identity groups in experiences, values, interests, and communications, it raises a question about the responsiveness of current leadership theories to the changing demographics. This article explores the responsiveness of transformational leadership, authentic leadership, and leader-member exchange (LMX) theory to the demographic changes as a means of helping organizations consider how existing leadership norms and theories need to be expanded to encompass the future population of leaders across race, sex, and age.

A Phenomenological Study Of Leadership Outcomes In Short-Term Study Abroad, Jeanette Milius

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

The impact of global citizenship is far-reaching and encompasses skills and outcomes beyond simple economic and business success. Enhancing all students’ knowledge and ability to navigate a global community is not just of interest to governmental units, policymakers, and global organizations, but also to universities who wish to adhere to accreditation standards. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to identify characteristics related to an individuals’ motivation to complete a short-term study abroad (one to three weeks in duration) and the impact that experience had on their personal and leadership growth. Eighteen self-identified leaders enrolled in a college degree or …

The Inaugural Kathy A. Krendl Distinguished Lecture Series Invitation, Otterbein University

Kathy A. Krendl Distinguished Lecture Series

Distinguished Speaker Anita Perez Ferguson, Ph.D.

Preparing For An Uncertain Future: Two Reliable Roads, Otterbein University

Kathy A. Krendl Distinguished Lecture Series

Dr. Perez Ferguson will share her insights into the impact e-commerce is having on face-to-face service jobs and how international labor markets, material sourcing and trade agreements are impacting reliable job forecasting in the United States.