Leadership Studies Commons^™

Enabling Hitler : An Able Body For A Dangerous Mind, Parker O. Roe

Honors Theses

There is no doubt today in the minds of the world's population that Adolf Hitler, the leader, the Fuhrer of Nazi Germany was responsible for horrendous acts and possessed of insane intentions. However, what was is that enabled him to see his goals through to the extent that he was able? In truth, there exist hundreds of insane and sadistic people in today's world, however a "Fourth Reich" has not yet emerged. In other words, how was it that Adolf Hitler was able to be the demigod of a country and movement which branded the continent of Europe for all …

The Wei-Ji Theory Of Crisis Leadership And The Case Of The Flu Hunters, Patrick A. Oliver

Honors Theses

There is considerable research and literature on crisis management, especially as it applies to formal organizations dealing with crisis. This literature focuses mainly on the for-profit sector of organizations; attempting to provide useful frameworks to facilitate understanding of how to react at different points in different crisis situations. The great majority of this literature can be divided into two sections: (1) preparation for and (2) reactions to different crisis situations. The dynamic which is missing from the crisis management literature is leadership. Crisis management literature takes an active view towards the preparation for crisis and identification process of a crisis,but …

Outsiders' Perceptions Of An Organization's Leadership Through Exposure To Its Nonverbal Ecology, Dominick S. Feriozzi

Honors Theses

This study's importance rests on its focus to discover whether individuals accurately perceive the leadership style of an organization through exposure to its nonverbal ecology, in this case the lobby/reception area. Leadership style is reflected in "the social dimensions of organizations, such as patterns of communication (frequency and occurrence of various kinds of inter- and intradepartmental, formal and informal, interactions), perceptions of participation in decision making, and job autonomy." More simply stated, leadership style reflects the manner in which work is completed throughout the organization due to the relationships that exist between leaders and followers.

A Look At Collaborative Leadership In The Inner City Business Growth Of Two American Cities, Christian J. Dawson

Honors Theses

The ultimate goal of the following research project is to explore how public / private partnerships can be most effective in revitalizing and sustaining inner city economic growth. It presents two academic models which have been synthesized in an attempt to explain how vici collaborative leadership is best utilized as a tool by communities who are eager to effectively formulate, manipulate and sustain a downtown revitalization project.

Leadership As The Process Of Healing : An Exploration Of How We Heal Ourselves So That We May Heal Our World, Kelly Clark

Honors Theses

Differences exist at all levels of living systems and must be taken into consideration, but my focus here is on the underlying similarities. My discussion of the parallel between the leadership and healing processes begins with an overview of leadership literature.

Preserving The Arts For Future Generations, Adrienne Capps

Honors Theses

The majority of arts supporters and enthusiasts these days are older persons. The large amount of leisure time these people have is one reason why they support the arts, but the biggest reason is because they were taught to value the arts when they were young. In today's society where children and young adults are faced with difficult issues that even their parents did not have to confront. such as drugs, sexual orientation, violence, suicide, guns, teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, rape, murder, and many others, the arts take a place in the far back seat. Often due to these …

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Foreign Education On Leadership : Mary Robinson, Benazir Bhutto, And Shimon Peres, Maia Carter

Honors Theses

The world today. going into the twenty-first century is much "smaller" than the world in 1900. Most scholars, business leaders, and politicians would agree that we are all part of an increasingly global community. The fax machine, telephone, and internet allow for instantaneous communications with people around the world. In addition, most professionals are forced to come into contact with members of other cultures, whether it be for academic research or commence. This study arises out of the question, what implications does globalization have for leaders, and how are leaders affected by extended experiences, such as study abroad, in which …

Tribal Leadership : The Traditional And Modern Leadership Of The Xhosa, Zulu And Swazi Of South Africa, Amanda J. Bruning

Honors Theses

Charismatic leadership, bridge leadership, communication and vision and leadership, decision-making and leadership, gender and leadership. How many times have we, as leadership scholars, encountered these phrases and buzz words throughout the course of our leadership studies? It seems as if they are around every comer, waiting for further discussion and debate. They have been applied to businesses and organizations through projects, service learning experiences, and internships. Case studies and real-life examples are used all the time in order to lea about the discipline of leadership studies.

The Power Of Prime-Time Television, Chris Boyd

Honors Theses

I intend to illustrate the possibilities of prime-time television's impact on creating positive social change. For this to occur, television would be acting as a leader to the audiences at home. Through the images shown on screen, lessons would be learned and attitudes would be changes. This change can happen through various avenues, but they all lead to the same goal, an improved society.

For Black Leaders : A Study Of West African And African-American Leadership, Markita M. Boney

Honors Theses

Ninety-two years ago WEB DuBois wrote, "The Problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the Color Line." This line is not just one experiences by blacks or merely a problem for the United States, but, rather, a problem the entire world faces. Many events in this century have supported his statement. However, I feel that the problem for Black America is the lack of intellectual and spiritual leadership within our community.

The Dark Side Of Leadership And The Arts, Gordon L. Blair

Honors Theses

During the twelve years of the Third Reich, thousands of oil paintings and watercolors were removed from museums and hundreds of sculptures were taken from churches and other buildings. Many would dismiss this behavior as simply another example of Hitler's megalomania. Indeed, this attack on all modern art (at the time, considered to be some of the best in the world) os a display of authority and arrogance. However, it is also a tacit assertion of Hitler that he fully understood the power of art as a form of expression. He realized that art exists not only as a vehicle …

The Impact Of Collaborative Leadership On Community Building, Lindsay Sikes

Honors Theses

As the twentieth century comes to a close a shift in paradigm is taking place in civic life. The feeling of anomie and disaggregation is slowly giving way to the belief that citizens do indeed have the capability and desire to invest in and take responsibility for their communities. Past attempts in problem solving have seen repeated failures and an increase in the frustration of communities as the same problems plague their lives. In hopes of eliminating this cycle of despair, the citizens of today's society are turning more and more to the benefits of collaborative efforts.

After five months …

Campaign Managers: Strategic Leaders Or Organizational Administrators, Chris Smith

Honors Theses

Through this paper I will address not only the subject of campaign managers, but the relationship between managers and candidates, the relationship between managers and the rest of the campaign organization, and the role of campaign managers as leaders. Though many trade journals and news magazines, such as Time and Newsweek have reported what are essentially case studies of campaign managers in national presidential elections, there has been very little synthesis and generalization of this information to other national campaign organizations, or to campaign organizations at the state and local levels. Even scholarly studies that do minimally focus upon the …

Trends Affecting Both Legitimate Business And The Italian-American Mafia And The Resulting Changes In The Leadership Process, Kimberley M. Reiners

Honors Theses

The past two decades have brought with it a wave of movies and novels attempting to explain, or at least accurately portray, the Italian-American Mafia. One who has viewed the Godfather quickly becomes fascinated by this subculture and its ability to exist simultaneously with the rest of society. Moviegoers are mesmerized by codes of loyalty, silence, and kinship. However, much of what the public perceives as fact is little more than fabricated fiction. Part of what makes this world so intriguing is so little is known about it. For example, until 1986 there was no solid proof that the Mafia …

Dance As An Instrument For Social Change Leadership, Meredith Mccanse

Honors Theses

From responses of audience members, a domestic violence expert, and a Dance professor, it is apparent that the performance of Silent Cries was a catalyst of change. While not all viewers were raised to a new level of consciousness, a number of participants reported raised awareness and/or intentions to take action in support of domestic violence survivors. An overwhelming majority of those polled reported some form of emotional response to the dance. This is evidence that even with a well-educated audience, dance has the power to make a connection and move hearts. The domestic violence expert as well as general …

The Impact Of Mentor Programs For At Risk Youth: Leadership Through Service, Buzz Lambert

Honors Theses

It is becoming more and more common for children to be raised by single parents or by ulterior guardians in today's society. Children need role models who can help fill the gap of parents or older siblings. Role models are viable for support or to answer questions these children may have about life. Effective mentors can enlighten children about the importance of education and hard work. This evolution does not happen overnight. In fact, success takes much energy and effort. It is also important to understand that some youth cannot be reached. Mentoring is not fail-safe. At times, it can …

Leadership And Self-Esteem In Girls, Amy Jones

Honors Theses

Self-esteem development and leadership development in girls is topic that has not been widely researched. It was the aim of this study to establish a firm ground for that connection to be developed further. I firmly believe that an increase in girls' self-esteems will trigger the ability and willingness of girls to take on more leadership roles and responsibilities. This research project, through design, implementation, and analysis, has confirmed my personal beliefs on the subject.

Almost seventeen percent of a girl's leadership capabilities stem from high self-esteem but the remainder of other factors play a large role in that process …

A Beginning Look At Leadership In A Church Setting, Kevin M. Hass

Honors Theses

This paper will call upon three types of information to express current thought in how Leadership occurs (or should occur in the Church setting. These two different sources are 1) an accumulation of two local Pastors' thoughts and ideas gathered from two separate interviews the I conducted, and 2) my experiences and insights as I have dealt with leadership in this setting over the course of my life-time, but more specifically in the last four years.

The History Of Women In The Virginia General Assembly : Their Legislation, Support Groups And Leadership, Tiffany Morris

Honors Theses

The study of women and politics and their involvement throughout American history has lacked depth and consistency. While the changing role of women during the 1960's spurred many political changes, it was not until the second wave of the feminist movement. which was in a political activist direction, that the status of women in politics became a legitimate topic of academic study (Milano 5). The intention of this paper is to study the history of women in the Virginia General Assembly in terms of their leadership, legislation. and the impact of women's network groups on their political success. I hope …

Cross-Cultural Leadership Training, Merilee Karr

Honors Theses

Research is cross-cultural training is a young and growing field. The practitioners included in this research have yet to develop a comprehensive training based on needs or desired outcomes. Therefore the level of understanding for this growing area of human resources and increasingly important issue in global competition has yet to reach a point where managers can confidently justify the expense to the company. That is not to say that some companies do not see the need for this type of training, but without proper proof of the effectiveness of the expense, it is difficult to convince executives of its …

King David : God's Annointed One : A Study Of Leadership Theory Through Analysis Of King David, Chris Headley

Honors Theses

The intention of this text is to examine Biblical leadership principles. Because this author believes wholly in the full Divine Inspiration of the Bible, these principles are deemed, in this text, to be accurate, appropriate, and applicable to the daily lives of leaders. The leadership principles of the Bible will not be evaluated by outside texts regardless of current academic leadership thought.

There is a great deal that should be said to summarize what King David taught generations of people about leadership. Some of the lessons are solely Christian, others are very applicable to the secular world. In summary, David's …

Leadership In William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet And Julius Caesar, Kelly Lynn Pearce

Honors Theses

The body of my paper is divided into several sections. In the first section, I will briefly discuss the existing literature on leadership and Shakespeare and my methodology in determining aspects of Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar that pertain to leadership. In Part II of my paper, I will provide an overview of the Elizabethan world-view and history, focusing primarily on perceptions of leadership, in order to provide a context for discussion. Part Ill will be an evaluation of Romeo and Juliet. First I will analyze the play as to how it reflects Elizabethan concerns regarding leadership. Immediately following …

Leadership Curricula And The Changing Organization, Matthew Repella

Honors Theses

This project involves many issues regarding organizational leadership. It seems in the past, all people thought of was management. True, those were different times, when manufacturing was the primary means of employment and factory workers were everywhere. As businesses have progressed through the industrial revolution and the service industry has become more prevalent, the workforce has changed with the times. This requires new thoughts on organizational leadership. It cannot be said that leadership does not change as the situation and/or the followers change. Likewise, as we progress into future, un-chartered territory, leadership will be affected. This paper seeks to determine …

Leadership And The War Between The States, Matt Cobb

Honors Theses

The concept of a Servant Leader is fascinating because it seems to be an oxymoron. How can one be a servant if they are to lead? This seems even stranger when placed in the context of military leaders. Robert Greenleaf argued that "The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead."' Individuals such as Jesus Christ, Mohandas Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. immediately seem to fit the definition for servant leaders. Each individual involved with the military serve their respective …

Leadership In The Field Of Drumming, John O'Donnell Jr.

Honors Theses

Music has been an important part of my life for a long time. I have played the drums for seven years and have been interested in the drumming industry for just as long. As a student of leadership I have often pondered how I would combine my studies with my music to find a successful and enjoyable career. If there is one thing I have learned as a student of leadership it is that leadership is everywhere. The subject is so vast and so young that, given the innumerable possibilities, the body of research is quite small. Leadership is most …

Empowerment In The United States Congress, James D. Mark, Christopher J. Poulos

Honors Theses

The purpose of the forthcoming study is to gain an understanding of how empowerment is utilized in the political arena. The project will primarily deal with Congress and the relations between Members. With all of the facets of the legislative branch, it is necessary to narrow this study to several aspects of the body. Due to the diversity of Congressional Members and the formal structure of House and Senate committees, this investigation will serve to provide a concentrated, yet thorough analysis of the presence of empowerment.

Clinton, North, And Intellectual Leadership : A Media Analysis, Brian Cavanagh

Honors Theses

The media has often been accused of irresponsibly depicting the news by slanting coverage toward a specific bias. Since very few people witness news-worthy events firsthand, they rely on the written media to reveal the facts, details, and implications of a given event. At times, the coverage is altered by the ideologies of the individual author, the publication, or the subject of the article. Therefore, the media serves as a form of Intellectual Leadership, abusing a relationship with the public by attempting to shape and formulate public opinion. The purpose of the following project is to research two major historical …

Leadership In Teams At Owen And Minor, Inc., Jay Carroll

Honors Theses

In this paper, we researched concepts directly linked with the idea of leadership as it relates to teams. As a result of our initial reactions to leadership in teams at Owens & Minor, we decided to explore the relationship between teams and organizational culture, communication, motivation and empowerment. However, we did not limit ourselves only to these concepts. We selected the above leadership and team concepts based on a review of research that explored issues associated with the use of teams in organizations.With direction provided by our supervisors and other members of the Jepson faculty, we narrowed the plethora of …

Leadership In Community Health Organizations, Stephanie C. Eken

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project was to analyze the characteristics and motivations of leaders in community health organizations and determine if they were initiators and collaborators in bringing about real change in providing health care for their own neighborhoods. To date, there has been little research concerning leadership in the medical field and even less addressing leadership in community health organizations. Yet, every day there are "ordinary" people making significant changes in the lives of Virginians through community-based health promotion. Their efforts and accomplishments in community health care can provide new insight into leadership in an evolving context and in …

Present To Future : The Innovations Of Leadership Studies, Christopher Hartman Engels

Honors Theses

Formal leadership education is the latest craze at the secondary level of education. Private high schools have for years stated in their brochures that their school produces leaders. However, only recently are these same schools clearly articulating a more formal structure in leadership education. An in-depth case study analysis of three private high schools in Virginia will not only allow for a look at their leadership curricula, but will allow for conclusion to be made about the best possible means of teaching leadership.