Leadership Studies Commons^™

Servant Leadership And Transformational Leadership In Church Organizations [Dissertation Notice], N. F. Scuderi

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Exemplary Leadership Practices Of Senior Pastors And Church Growth Measures [Dissertation Notice], M. H. Stewart Jr.

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Mentor, Eddy Witzel

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Navigating The Pathway To Leadership: A Study Of The Process Women Follow In Assuming Executive Level Leadership Roles Within Christian Higher Education Institutions., P. J. George

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"this dissertation is a study and examination of how Francis E. Clark utilized written communication, global travel and organization to re-shape the global Protestant church’s ministry to young people through the Christian Endeavor Society. First, given that a biography has not been written about clark in almost a century, this dissertation first tells the story of his unique and long-lasting contributions to youth ministry as the church knows it today. Second, it tells the story of the growth of Christian Endeavor under the leadership of Clark. While some books and papers have some sections about Christian Endeavor, none really address …

Changing The World Through Servant Leadership, Michele Anne Spain

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"this historical case study recognizes the leadership of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and analyzes the supposition that she was a servant leader. Shriver had the vision that became the Special Olympics movement that transformed the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and their families and communities worldwide. the fact that under the leadership of Shriver the Special Olympics achieved global success makes a study of her leadership style significant to the field of organizational leadership. this qualitative case study sought to determine if leadership behaviors of the research subject, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, exemplified the 10 characteristics (behaviors) of servant leadership as …

Leadership With Liberal Arts : From Ehebia To Jepson, Shaye Ellis

Honors Theses

“Leadership is one of the most observed and least understood phenomena.” Despite his extensive research and knowledge in the field, James MacGregor Burns still professes the complexity of the concept of leadership. The abstract nature of the topic does not lend itself to a brief synopsis or a limited understanding of a specific aspect of leadership. In many ways it eludes being confined to a particular category and exists across and between different academic disciplines. In the absence of a prescribed curriculum or method of study, institutions of higher education establish programs and departments that disseminate a distinct model or …

Tribes Paying Outsiders To Audit Their Membership, David E. Wilkins

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

There is no greater responsibility for a tribal leader than to be a steward of their nation’s citizens/members. Yet in the area of constitutional reform and development, tribal membership, and enrollment policies and practices, many tribal governments have entrusted these most intimate of governmental responsibilities to outside organizations like CSN, Inc. (Constructing Stronger Nations)-DCIAmerica, the Harvard Project for American Indian Economic Development/Native Nations Institute, Automated Election Services, the Falmouth Institute, J. Dalton Institute, and others. In the case of membership, some of these for-profit organizations conduct, what I would suggest, are privacy invading enrollment audits.

Leading Dangerously: A Case Study Of Military Teams And Shared Leadership In Dangerous Environments, Alex J Ramthun, Gina S. Matkin

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

In a qualitative case study, we described and explained shared leadership in dangerous contexts for military teams. We conducted eight semistructured interviews with shared, team, and military leadership subject matter experts in order to gain an improved understanding of the relationship between shared leadership and team performance in the presence of danger. We found the themes of mutual influence, leadership emergence, dangerous dynamism, and distributed knowledge, skills, and abilities provided rich description of the phenomenon. Specifically, our findings suggest military teams in dangerous situations use mutual influence and leadership emergence to share leadership and achieve high performance. Additionally, we found …

Wheel Of Innovation : How Leaders' Attitudes And Behaviors Drive Disruptive Technology In The U.S. Navy, Eddy Wayne Witzel

Dissertations

Problem and Purpose

Innovative solutions in national defense are needed to respond to national security threats in our uncertain environment. Leader attitudes and behaviors have a substantial impact on innovation. Unfortunately we did not completely understand the effect of leader attitudes and behaviors on innovation and the team dynamics that lead to innovation, especially in the military. The purpose of this study was to determine how leadership attitudes and behaviors contribute to product innovation within the U.S. Navy and how leadership emerges within this complex adaptive system of innovation.

Method

The research was a qualitative design based on a multiple …

A Quantitative Case Study Of Transformational Leadership Characteristics Of Valley View University In Ghana, Isaac Boateng

Dissertations

Problem. Finding transformational leaders for private higher education institutions in Ghanais a major problem facing the governing boards of such institutions. There is tremendous growth at Valley View University. Finding transformational leaders could help support the growth of Valley View University (VVU). The task of university leaders has become very complex, ranging from communication, interaction, collaboration, shared leadership, policy interpretation, meeting the needs of foundations, boards, parents, students, alumni, faculty, staff, accreditation boards and the government. Therefore, finding transformational leaders for Valley View University to meet the above leadership challenges is a major problem.

Purpose. The purpose of this study …

Whites And The Active Representation Of Racial Minority Interests, Maykao Y. Hang

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

This study explored personal and organizational factors that contribute to White public administrators actively representing the interests of racial minority minorities. Data collection comprised of 15 semi-structured interviews. The average age was 54, and the length of service was 3-33 years. Subjects were asked about their personal background, what it means to be White, and work experiences in local county government.

Personal factors found were racial consciousness, major life events, and significant relationships with people of color. Organizational factors included a diverse and inclusive work environment, bureaucracy, legal and compliance issues, and supervisor support. Findings included that Whites did not …

Sustainability Policy’S Inherent Dilemmas – Exemplified Via Critical Examination Of The Las Vegas Metropolitan Sustainability Campaign, Kathryn A. Zimmerman

All Master's Theses

In response to a dual problem of critical water scarcity and rapid population growth, leaders of metropolitan Las Vegas implemented a region-wide, internationally marketed sustainability campaign. Preliminary studies found that, while sustainability policy attains its rhetorical goals, solutions initiated not only perpetuate but also purposefully expand the original dual problem to justify continuous water resource acquisitions. To examine this sustainability conundrum constructed by leadership—problem-perpetuation rather than problem-resolution—a critical examination in resource management asked two basic questions: what is being sustained and by what means? Via this inquiry, specific processes by which leaders perpetuate problems can be identified; and, so-informed, new …

Explorando El Liderazgo Femenino En América Latina: Lo Que Podemos Aprender De Michelle Bachelet, Cristina Fernández De Kirchner Y Dilma Rousseff, Claudia Raigoza

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis explores the leadership styles of three female presidents in Latin America: Michelle Bachelet (Chile), Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (Argentina) y Dilma Rousseff (Brazil). These three women were chosen because each has been the first generally elected female president in their respective countries. Each woman’s profile is divided into two parts: 1) an expository evaluation of the life and career of each woman, and 2) a case study of her specific leadership style based on a particular event or challenge faced during her presidency. It is important to understand the political trajectories of these women because they demonstrate how …

The Making Of Latina Leaders: Leadership Styles, Influences, And Challenges, Alejandra Rivera

CMC Senior Theses

The purpose of this qualitative study was to find common themes among Latina leaders. This study aimed to identify the leadership styles and leadership qualities unique to Latina leaders. It also analyzed the factors that have contributed to or inhibited the advancement of Latina leaders, as well as the challenges they have faced during their journey to the top. Sixteen Latina leaders, representing a variety of sectors, were interviewed by the author asking each one to share her story of what has influenced the leader she has ultimately become. Three predetermined general research questions served as a basic structure for …

Idealized, Inspirational, And Intellectual Leaders In The Social Sector: Transformational Leadership And The Kravis Prize, Tawney A. Hughes

CMC Senior Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to determine the importance of transformational leadership in the social sector. Transformational leadership is a theory of behaviors and attributes focused on the relationship between leaders and followers of a group or organization (Avolio, 1999; Bass & Avolio, 1990a). It involves four factors: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration.

In order to gain more insight into leadership in some of the most high-impact and innovative social sector organizations, the research consists of interviews and case studies on five of the ten recipients of the Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership. Having …

Learning New Management Viewpoints: Recontextualizing Strategic Leadership In Global And Regional Context, Ahmad Raza, Hasan Sohaib Murad

Business Review

This paper makes a theoretical critique of the current paradigm on strategic leadership and proposes an epistemology of managerial practice as unfolded in the business contexts. It is argued that there exist dichotomic views of managerial practice based on profit-logic versus responsibility logic throughout the corporate world. The strategic leaders, instead of practicing one of these logics, should try to synthesize best of the both at the cognitive level and then apply them into the business and management environment. The rapid technological changes coupled with the profound cultural heterogeneity at the workplace have also created the determinants of humanly responsive …

Small Group Crisis Response Strategies In Relation To Large Groups, Nina Madeline Sorber

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Crisis communication, as a whole, has been widely studied by many communication researchers. Much of the research focuses on large corporations and devastating crises that become a household name. Crises such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989 or the criminal scandal of the Enron Corporation in 2001 are deliberately studied for the success and failures of its crisis management teams. What remains understudied are the crises of small groups. Socha (1997) describes a small group as being more than two and less than 15 people. With the millions of professional small groups in the world today, crises are …

Relationship Between Narrative And Engagement, Shelley Janine Svedahl

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study examined the use of narrative, specifically storytelling, on the perception of participation in the decision-making process. The changing demographics increased diversity in the workplace, and the need to increase understanding between cultures is particularly important when difference is often perceived as a barrier. A number of studies have been conducted to explore the use of narrative, and it is critical that communicators seek ways to create opportunities for sharing stories. This study utilized an ethnographic focus group and individual interviews involving a sample of eleven First Nations and non-First Nations people employed in a Branch where storytelling is …

Establishing Credibility Online Through Impression Management Strategies, Shauna Vanbogart

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This project sought to understand how individuals establish credibility online through impression management strategies. Applying Goffman’s (1959) impression management theory, the literature review highlighted four leading self-presentation tactics that bolster credibility effectively on the Internet: structure and aesthetics of personal websites, publication of content that is consistent, insightful and authentic, the use of self-disclosure, and verification of expertise through testimonials and references. These four self-presentation strategies were applied to analyze eight entrepreneurs who have successfully built a credible presence online. These case studies were further developed through the design of online course that teaches entrepreneurs how to use impression management …

Silent Voice: Buberian Philosophy And Nonverbal Disability, Elizabeth M. Minium

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Individuals who are developmentally disabled and nonverbal, possessing little if any symbolic expressive or receptive language, are virtually invisible in the United States. This study presupposes that all persons, including those who are nonverbal and/or developmentally disabled, have a unique “voice” and contribution to the communication practices of humanity and society. This philosophical study analyzes the qualities of communication of developmentally disabled, nonverbal individuals and their communication partners through the lens of Martin Buber’s dialogic philosophy. Conclusions suggest: 1) developmentally disabled, nonverbal persons do relate and communicate, and definitions of “communication” and “dialogue” should include those who do not think …

How The Narrative Paradigm Affects Military Stories, Richard Irving Mcnamara

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This project defines how the narrative paradigm can be used with military storytelling to improve the credibility of the U.S. military. Furthermore, it outlines how the American Forces Network (AFN) can model its training with the narrative paradigm to become an innovative organization. The literature review examines the rules that the military has to follow with their stories, the narrative paradigm, transformational leadership and the path to innovation with the intent of creating a path for military Public Affairs leaders to follow while leading an AFN, or any story producing unit. The primary purpose of this project is a completed …

Mothers, Daughters, And The Intent To Breastfeed, Aquila Brooke Mendez-Valdez

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The decision to breastfeed is a deeply personal one for every woman. There are often factors such as family and medical support that are outside a new mother's control and can influence her in how she views the nourishment of her infant. Previous studies have documented the effect doctors, nurses, and lactation consultants have on breastfeeding success. Less popular, however, is investigating how familial support and interpersonal communication plays a role in encouraging or discouraging the practice. This study examines how mothers and daughters communicate about breastfeeding, and the role it plays in both Mexico and the United States in …

Surviving The Digital Age, David Franklin Meland

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This project provides a look at educational studies, theories, and principles to help people understand the enhancing and diminishing characteristics of contemporary communication technologies. The project uses the theoretical framework of media ecology to show that through an understanding of today’s media environments, society can better grasp just how media technology has been, and continues to be, an influential part of everyday life. The primary feature of the project is a comprehensive website – titled Surviving the Digital Age (http://melandd.wix.com/survivingdigitalage) – which also serves as a way to show how media plays an enormous role in shaping who we are …

Rio Grande Valley Student Completion Rates In University Schools Outside Of The Rio Grande Valley, Demetrius James Villanueva

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The goal of this study is to create understanding of why Hispanic students from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas have trouble completing their higher educational goals once they leave the area. This study applies communication accommodation theory to better understand how students adapt their communication styles in their academic, personal, and social lives. This study also applied standpoint theory to see how growing up in the Rio Grande Valley impacts the students’ sense of selves. Ethnographic research was conducted with five students attending four different universities around Texas. Through observations and interviews, the researcher found several ways that the …

Understanding The Role Of Communication Anxiety/Uncertainty Management (Aum) Among Female Teenage Bloggers, Heather Carleston

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study examines how and what female teenagers communicate through blogging; how they manage uncertainty and anxiety within their posts and/or comments; the role communication anxiety/uncertainty plays in self-presentation and self-disclosure for this population; and how, when faced with bullying, flaming and adverse responses, they express and manage anxiety and uncertainty online. Using both Buber’s (1970) I-It and I-Thou philosophy and Gudykunst’s (2005) Anxiety and Uncertainty Management theory, this study examined the blog sites of three female U.S. teenagers. Examining the five most recently published blog posts, the study analyzed the details and self-disclosure levels, from site design and development; …

Indigenous Engagement And Resistance In The 21st Century: Empowering Indigenous Identity With Indigenous Film, Heather A. Hafer Cole

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Indigenous people of the United States have historically been and continue to be objectified and misrepresented in art, history, science, literature, and mass media. This continued colonization contributes to loss of respect for culture, identity crisis among indigenous youth, health disparities of epidemic proportions, poor performance in education, substance abuse, violence and poverty. This qualitative study expands upon existing scholarship in media anthropology (Dilworth, 1996; Ginsberg, 1991 & 2008; and Prins, 2002) and indigenous studies (Rader, 2011; Singer, 2001; and Tuhiwai Smith, 2012) by analyzing the indigenous voice expressed through media practice, storytelling as a tool for empowering indigenous identity …

Using General Systems Theory To Evaluate Channels Of Feedback In A Law Enforcement Agency, Trent Aaron Gerbers

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The principles of General Systems Theory and Management Cybernetics have been used, not only to analyze and evaluate organizational communication, but also to help improve communicative efficiency through the strengthening of message sending/receiving channels. This thesis continues the exploration of channel efficiency and feedback by examining the principles of General Systems Theory and Management Cybernetics through the daily interactions that occur at a municipal police department. The unique ranking structure and paramilitary nature of the law enforcement agency dictates policy that regulates the means of vertical communication between employees, but measuring the department’s current communication system against the principles of …

How Broadcast Journalists Use Twitter To Present The Message Of The State Of The Union: #Sotu, Jeffrey Hayden Haynes

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

With the social media revolution and the sense of urgency people have, the way people receive their news has altered. Twitter is becoming a more popular platform to receive news because of its ability to spread news faster than any other medium. This study addresses the ability of broadcast journalists to spread their agenda using Twitter. This study is a content analysis and quantitative analysis of the Twitter accounts of broadcast journalists Greta Van Susteren and Chris Matthews during the 2014 State of the Union address. Using the Agenda Setting theory and the Two Step Flow model, this study found …

Media Framing, Proximity And Spheres: The Media Account Before And After The August 21, 2013 Syrian Chemical Attack, Jeremy D. Crisp

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The conflict in Syria over the past two years came to the forefront of international policy, and media reporting, following the August 21, 2013, chemical attack within the country which left more than 1,400 civilians dead. The United States administration was thrust into a position to respond in some fashion to those attacks. President Barack Obama and some U.S. policy makers called for limited military intervention. Others officials called for non-intervention. Diplomacy ultimately prevailed. How the media framed the conflict before and after the attack is the crux of this research, as media framing can play a role in how …

Communication And Longevity In Deaf-Hearing Marriage, Michael B. Ballard

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

"Marriage with a hearing person is frowned upon. Deaf marry Deaf approximately nine times out of ten" (Lane et al, 1996, p. 71). With the assistance of Burgoon's (1988) Expectancy Violations Theory and Philipsen's (1997) Speech Codes Theory, this thesis identifies cultural and language conflicts that may arise in Deaf-hearing marriages and questions the general assumption that 90% of all Deaf-hearing marriages end in divorce. This assumed statistic prompts the research question: What communicative practices do spouses use to contribute to the longevity of Deaf-hearing marriages? Fifty-seven individuals completed an original mixed-method survey identifying how they resolve cultural and language …