Leadership Studies Commons^™

[Introduction To] Leading Organizations: Perspectives For A New Era, Gill Robinson Hickman

Bookshelf

Featuring readings from 44 prominent U.S. and international scholars in a variety of disciplines, Leading Organizations: Perspectives for a New Era aims to increase the reader’s understanding of shared responsibility for leadership. Editor Gill Robinson Hickman prepares readers for the study and practice of leadership by providing an overarching framework illustrated in the Introduction, which outlines the components of leadership in organizations. The text has been divided into eight succinct parts for the reader to easily maneuver between leadership components including: 1. The Context of New Era Organizations, 2. Current Theories and Concepts of Leadership and Followership, 3. Shared or …

“Angles Of Approaching Gender Equality: Top-Down Vs. Bottom-Up”, Manali Basu

Dissertations and Theses

The international community has attempted to integrate and implement norms into their domestic structure for many decades. They have incorporated the norm of gender equality through many different measures, however failed to identify a successful approach to implementing this type of norm effectively. This paper will explore how these international norms are spread and analyze two separate approaches to integrating gender equality: top-down and bottom-up. It will assess these approaches through a case-study analysis of India and Ghana. This will provide an in-depth explanation of each approach and it will analyze how they have, respectively, impacted the country’s education and …

The Influence Of Power Dynamics On The Israeli-Palestinian Ethos Of Conflict, Bryan Turkel 9842267

CMC Senior Theses

The study of intractable conflicts has risen in recent years particularly with the work of Daniel Bar-Tal’s work on the ethos of conflict. The ethos of conflict is an original psychological concept that captures the collective societal mindset of cultures locked in intractable conflicts and examines the various factors that keep groups in conflict or help them towards peace. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is arguably the most researched, publicized, and discussed intractable conflict in history. The purpose of this paper is to first examine the foundation of that intractable conflict through the lens of Bar-Tal’s theory and apply it once more …

Architechture: Rebuilding The Traditional University For The 21st Century, Sarah E. Shearer

CMC Senior Theses

This senior thesis is an examination of the major complexities and considerations encountered in developing an e-learning program. In light of the changing landscape of higher education resulting from technological advancement, combined with changing pedagogies and financial pressures, traditional institutions are under heightened scrutiny and most in need of innovation. Online learning as been proposed as a solution to many of these issues, but creating a successful program is no small feat. Furthermore, experimental research on specific course designs and delivery often fails upon real-world implementation. Looking through the lens of Design-Base-Implementation Research (DBIR), an emerging research model that seeks …

Heuristics And Consumer Uncertainty: Sorting Through Online Reviews, Cory Catalano

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

As shopping online continues to grow in popularity and convenience, so does the way consumers communicate information about products they have purchased. Most online retailers utilize some form of product review system (PRS) and customers are often encouraged to leave feedback about the product and their online shopping experience. Often a product can have radically polarizing reviews making it confusing for consumers. Using Berger’s and Calabrese’s Uncertainty Reduction Theory (URT) as well as Chaiken’s Heuristic-Systematic Model of Information Processing (HSM), this study looks to deduce what heuristic methods are the best for consumers who are looking to make informed decisions …

Organizational Uses Of Social Media For Internal Communication, Melanie Brooke Pannell Steel

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The current study aims to investigate the use of social media by organizations for internal communications. Theoretical basis for the study is found in the organizational social capital, communities of learning, and social learning theory. Additional areas of research were consulted including current uses of social media for both personal and organizational use. Three research questions were presented: (1) To what extent are organizations utilizing social media tools to replace other internal communication channels, (2) Do employees prefer the utilization of specific social media tools in place of other internal communication channels, and (3) What is the impact on an …

Blended Family Dynamics And Its Impact On Behavioral Communication And Overall Success, Megan Salazar

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

With an average divorce rate of approximately 50 percent (Carter & McGoldrick, 2005), it is estimated that 20 percent of U.S. adolescents have at least one stepparent. Because family structure plays a large role in shaping both individual self-identity and the identity of the family unit as a whole, blended families differ from traditional families in terms of communication styles, behavioral outcomes, and several other factors. For the purposes of this paper, a blended family refers to one in which the household contains at least one stepparent, and a traditional family refers to one in which both biological parents are …

Assertiveness In Professional Women, Barbara Louise Kelley

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis is grounded in the Expectancy Violations Theory, developed over several years by Burgoon and Hale (1988). This study explores the ways in which professional women communicate and behave assertively in their organizations – sometimes in violation of social expectations that women should be meek and compliant rather than assertive. This study was devised to answer the following questions: In the continuum of assertive traits, which traits and practices do professional, self-described assertive women particularly value and strive for? What reasons do they provide? What moments in their lives do these women see as turning points when they began …

Gatekeeping Social Media In Today's Newsrooms, Matthew A. Clark

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Social media has changed the face and function of today’s traditional newsrooms. But, more than that, social media has changed how editors and reporters report the news and, perhaps more importantly, control the flow of information via social media channels. Because social media has sped up the news gathering process, the way news and information in controlled from newsrooms to the general public and vice versa has changed. This study examined seven news professionals ranging in title and duty and asked how big of a part social media played in their day-to-day professional lives and how their respective news outlets …

Veterans And Reintegration Issues Looking Specifically At Society, Employment, Schooling, Ptsd And Veterans’ Organizations, Kerri Zelenak

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

If the veteran is lucky enough to ask for help, or help somehow finds them, then transitioning back into civilian life can be much smoother and tolerable; however, if a veteran is not so lucky, transitioning back into civilian life can be rough, confl1sing, and isolating. Trust issues between the veteran and the civilian is low making it hard for a veteran to seek the help they need in order to exist in civilian life. While serving every soldier is taken care of-everything they need is provided. Once entering civilian life, the soldier is left to fend for himself or …

Ethical Considerations For Digital Manipulation Of Sports Photography, Jeffrey A. Garrison

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The idea that photos can be manipulated has been around nearly as long as the art itself. In the days of the darkroom photos were burned, dodged, cropped and even spliced together to create a desired image. Today photos are taken digitally and easily manipulated through the use of computer software programs like Adobe Photoshop. This ease of manipulation brings ethical considerations into question more than ever as photographers and photo editors can now manipulated an image in ways that not only change the message of the photo, but can also alter the reality the photo once represented at the …

Internet Slang And High School Students: A Teacher’S Perspective, Thomas W. Fish

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study analyzed the perceptions of secondary education teachers on the use of Internet Slang by their high school students. The researcher analyzed educators’ perceptions in order to answer what teachers’ thoughts were on the use of Internet Slang being introduced into secondary education academic assignments. Additionally, were there negative or positive effects from the use of Internet Slang via texting, social media, and messaging on the writing skills of students? A literature review and a qualitative applied research approach with the use of document analysis via an open-ended survey were the methods for this study. This assisted the researcher …

Relationship Management On Facebook: Male College Students, Kathleen M. Aikin

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Facebook as a social media technology is prominent in a variety of scenarios, including interpersonal relationship management. There have been numerous studies on how social dynamics are informed by social media, especially in regards to young adults. Within this group, female social dynamics have garnered much attention; however, there is a dearth of research, which explicitly examines how males utilize the technology. Thus, this study collected data via an online survey of college students that examined various aspects of online interpersonal relationship dynamics. The theoretical framework of this study was based on Petronio’s (1991) communication privacy management theory, Baxter and …

The Use Of Social Media By Student Activists In Immigration Reform, Adrian Reyes

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis examined the use of social media by student activists wanting to enact change in our society and specifically around the topic of immigration reform. Coordinated Management of Meaning Theory (CMM) was utilized to interpret the results of online interactions with those that are considered activists in the immigration reform movement. Research has shown that collectively we create our reality based on events and objects of our social world (Pearce & Cronen, 2006). Further, we also can see that humans create reality through interaction (Allen, 2005). The research conducted consisted of seven one-on-one interviews with current under-grad and graduate …

Promoting Transformation In Listeners Through The Utilization Of Strategic Public Speaking, Shawn Vanover

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis identifies how transformational speakers, through the art of public speaking, are able to communicate in a way that enables transformation within the listener. Public speaking is essential for influencing an audience; therefore it is imperative to explore and identify the most effective communication strategies and techniques for delivering transformational speeches to empower and deeply impact listeners. The thesis analyzes Steve Jobs’s 2005 Stanford Commencement speech to understand how transformational leaders deliver transformational speeches to a given audience, and to further study how speakers utilize the social penetration theory to build a connection with the audience to create a …

The Silent Dimension Of A Healthcare Narrative: How Patients Perceive Practitioners’ Nonverbal Cues, Sarah Steele

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study examines patient perceptions of medical practitioners’ nonverbal behavior. The philosophical framework is based on Buber’s (1923/1958) work on “dialogic ethics,” and grounded in Giles’ (1987) communication accommodation theory. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered by means of survey research, and examined through correlational and content analysis. Results show a significant positive correlation between patient perceptions of practitioner nonverbal immediacy and subsequent satisfaction. Analysis of survey comments revealed listening as the nonverbal behavior most valued and noted by patients. These findings serve to inform medical professionals on how to maximize patient satisfaction and care through effective use of …

Political Ideology And American Intergroup Discrimination: A Patriotism Perspective, Crystal L. Hoyt, Aleah Goldin

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

In this research we take the theoretical approach advocated by Greenwald and Pettigrew (2014) and demonstrate the powerful role of ingroup favoritism, rather than hostility, in American intergroup biases. Specifically, we take a novel perspective to understanding the relationship between political ideology and discrimination against ethnic-minority Americans by focusing on the role of patriotism. Across three studies, we show that political ideology is a strong predictor of resource allocation biases and this effect is mediated by American patriotism and not by prejudice or nationalism. Conservatives report greater levels of patriotism than liberals, and patriotism is associated with donating more to …

Ethical Decision Making And Leadership: Merging Social Role And Self-Construal Perspectives, Crystal L. Hoyt, Terry L. Price

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

This research extends our understanding of ethical decision making on the part of leaders by merging social role and self-construal perspectives. Interdependent self-construal is generally seen as enhancing concern for justice and moral values. Across two studies we tested the prediction that non-leading group members’ interdependent self-construal would be associated with lower levels of unethical decision making on behalf of their group but that, in contrast, this relationship would be weaker for leaders, given their social role. These predictions were experimentally tested by assigning participants to the role of leader or non-leading group member and assessing the association between their …

A Tribute To Vine Deloria, Jr.: An Indigenous Visionary, David E. Wilkins

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

A Standing Rock Lakota citizen, Deloria was arguably the most intellectually gifted and articulate spokesman for Indigenous nationhood in the twentieth century. He was never quite comfortable with the notion that he was, in fact, the principal champion of tribal nations and their citizens, since he expected that each Native nation and every tribal citizen express confidence in their own distinctive identities, develop their own unique talents, and wield their collective and individual sovereignty in a way that enriched not only their own nations but all those around them as well.

For Deloria, freedom and justice could only be achieved …

Playing (With) The Villain: Critical Play And The Joker-As-Guide In Batman: Arkham Asylum (Vg 2009), Kristin M.S. Bezio

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

Rocksteady's 2009 video game Batman: Arkham Asylum begins with a prototypical ending: when the game begins, the player is shown a cinematic cutscene (in which the player is a passive viewer) that begins in Gotham City while the static-y voice of the police dispatcher says, "The Joker has been apprehended; Batman is now en route to Arkham Island."¹ The scene cuts to a sign pointing the way to Arkham Asylum as the Batmobile speeds past. We see Batman-driving-for only a few seconds before the "camera" shifts to focus on the Joker, bound and semiconscious in the back seat. Batman …

On "Strongly Fortified Minds": Self-Restraint And Cooperation In The Discussion Tradition, Sandra J. Peart, David M. Levy

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

Accordingly, this essay explores some unappreciated benefits of discussion.² While educators frequently favor discussion as a means to encouraging engaged learning, they nonetheless rarely attempt to explain how or why these benefits arise. More than this, the role of economists from Adam Smith through Frank Knight and his student, James Buchanan, in explaining the benefits associated with discussion has been neglected both within economics and throughout the academy. In this tradition one accepts the inevitability of an individual "point of view" and the good society is one that can govern itself by means of an emergent consensus among points …

How Do Leaders Lead? Through Social Influence, Donelson R. Forsyth

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

This chapter considers leadership to be a social influence process that derives from multifarious sources, manifests itself in a variety of forms, and generates outcomes both extraordinary and commonplace. However, it cuts through some of influence’s complexities by distinguishing between two oft-contrasted forms of influence: the direct and the indirect (Falbo, 1977; Kipnis, 1984). Military leaders, as legitimate authorities in the services, can and do issue orders to subordinates who are duty-bound to follow those orders. Politicians speak directly to their constituents, explaining their policies and asking for support. Team leaders identify the subtasks that must be completed by the …

Developing Critical Thinking Within A Master Of Science In Leadership Program, Daryl V. Watkins, Matthew P. Earnhardt

Publications

Critical thinking involves an important set of competencies, skills, and behaviors that can be systematically developed and cultivated. Critical thinking is fostered within the Master of Science in Leadership Program to help students achieve higher levels of thinking through the program and also to help them improve their leadership acumen. The paper describes critical thinking, provides background on the Paulian view of critical thinking used within the program, and presents the approach used to infuse critical thinking into the curriculum. The Master of Science in Leadership Program introduces critical thinking in the first required course and weaves critical thinking concepts …

The Field Trip, Randy Harritan

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A soldier grapples with horrifying events in Vietnam, then comes home to grapple with the effects those events have had on him.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Blue Devil 2, Malik Hodari

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A soldier in Vietnam continues to face interpersonal conflict as he fights to keep his team alive and complete his mission.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Blue Devil 1, Malik Hodari

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A soldier in Vietnam keeps his team alive and moving while grappling with interpersonal conflict.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

The Impact Of The Quota-Based System On Social Stratification Among The Students At The Indian Institute Of Technology, Madras, India, Thyagarajan Vaidyanathan Ammachathram

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study attempted to identify the impact of the recent expansion in the quota system among Quota-Based Students (QBS) and General Category Students (GCS) at the Indian Institute of Technology (Madras) (IIT(M)). The study emphasized various institutional behaviors that affected the students and their educational endeavors and examined the impact of institutional practices on the students. This study examined some of the socialization practices of QBS and GCS based on Van Maanen and Schein’s (1979) work and revealed that hostels (residence halls) played a significant role especially among QBS educational endeavors at IIT(M). Van Maanen and Schein’s (1979) investiture socialization …

Understanding The Impact Of Leadership And Organizational Culture On Nonprofit Employees’ Commitment And Turnover Intention, Nancy A. Toscano

Theses and Dissertations

Child and family nonprofit organizations are essential for the implementation of United States public policy in their role as service providers. Human service nonprofit organizations held approximately 20,000 government contracts, totaling more than $100 billion in 2009 (Boris, deLeon, Roeger, & Nikolva, 2010). Almost 33,000 human service nonprofit organizations contract with the government to deliver services (Boris, et al., 2010). The services provided by these organizations are critical to the lives of vulnerable American citizens. These organizations depend on committed employees to serve this group, carry out the mission, and reach organizational goals. Employees are nonprofit organizations’ greatest resource, investment, …

Anna Julia Cooper: A Quintessential Leader, Janice Y. Ferguson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study is a leadership biography which provides, through the lens of Black feminist thought, an alternative view and understanding of the leadership of Black women. Specifically, this analysis highlights ways in which Black women, frequently not identified by the dominant society as leaders, have and can become leaders. Lessons are drawn from the life of Anna Julia Cooper that provides new insights in leadership that heretofore were not evident. Additionally, this research offers provocative recommendations that provide a different perspective of what leadership is among Black women and how that kind of leadership can inform the canon of leadership. …

Powerlessness Within A Budget-Driven Paradigm: A Grounded Theory Leadership Study From The Perspective Of Michigan Corrections Officers, Timothy Michael Eklin

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explored the lived-experiences of 15 correctional officers and 5 sergeants working in adult state-operated prison facilities in Michigan. In particular, this qualitative grounded theory study revealed the impact that budget driven decision-making had on the lives of correctional officers: its effect on institutional custody, security, and safety. The study finds that many recent policy changes resulted in a sense of powerlessness expressed by the participants of the study. Participants found themselves in a precarious position, situated in between the prison population and the administration. Having an understanding of how correctional officers make meaning of their work in relation …