Leadership Studies Commons^™

The Self-Perception Of Leadership Efficacy Of Teachers And The Effects On Student Achievement, Julie L. Clark

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Decades of research and the unprecedented demands being placed on our nation’s schools have revealed changing conceptions in school leadership. Increasingly, teachers are taking a more central role in the daily functions of their schools and are becoming more involved in important decision-making that was once reserved for principals. While the topic of teacher leadership continues to garner support in the literature, little attention has been given to studying teacher leadership through an organizational lens. Closely related to the idea of teacher leadership is collective efficacy, an organizational concept that has previously been linked to student achievement. This study utilized …

Antebrazo, Ernesto Seman

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

nada puede ser más parecido a un campo de concentración que el útero, con sus paraedes húmedas y rugasas, los ruidos de aguera asordinados, la luz que apenas llega. Carecemos de voluntad propia y de su ejercicio. Nuestro destino sujeto a fuerzas que imaginamos, sin saber cuándo ni porqué. Para los que vengan, en el muro oscuro con la punta del mango de una cuchara tallaría hasta hacerlas chillar: «Acá estuvo durante nueve meses Heraldo Dornou. No sabemos adónde nos lleban ni qué será de nosotros desde hoy. Marzo 1976 ¡Hasta siempre¡».

Exploring The Intersection Of Fat+Wom*N+Leadership: An Action Research Study, Jessica Jamese Williams

Dissertations

Cultural propaganda promotes an ever-changing feminine ideal which is parasitically reliant on women preoccupying themselves—ourselves—with our physical aesthetic. For women that identify as fat, most spaces openly neglect or are simply intolerant of her and even the stores meant for her are riddled with products meant to bind, reshape and essentially change her body. Fat women embody the paradox of being both conspicuous and unseen. Within systems, fat women are often silenced by shame, bias and discrimination; the unwanted and soiled identity hold us at the margins and serving as a barrier to effectively connect with others and practice leadership. …

[Introduction To] College Teaching: Practical Insights From The Science Of Teaching And Learning, Donelson R. Forsyth

Bookshelf

Everything matters when it comes to teaching and learning: student characteristics, the school itself, and cultural ideas about the value of higher education, to name a few. Most of these influences are outside the college instructor's control. Other issues, however such as a course's intellectual demands, the type of feedback students receive, the instructional methods, and the relationship that connects professor to student are controllable. This book examines the many choices professors make about their teaching, beginning with their initial planning of the course and its basic content through final decisions about grades and assessing effectiveness.

This book is for …

[Introduction To] Leading Through Conflict: Into The Fray, Donelson R. Forsyth, Dejun Tony Kong

Bookshelf

Effective leadership requires the capacity to successfully manage conflict. This edited volume examines the causes and consequence of conflict in groups, organizations and communities, and identifies ways that conflict can be managed and resolved.

[Introduction To] Frontiers In Spiritual Leadership: Discovering The Better Angels Of Our Nature, Scott T. Allison, Craig T. Kocher, George R. Goethals

Bookshelf

This book reviews the landscape of spiritual leadership and the spiritual principles that are fundamental to effective and inspired leadership, celebrating the many gifted and enlightened individuals whose leadership embodies the most exquisite qualities of humanity.

[Introduction To] Shaper Nations: Stategies For A Changing World, William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro

Bookshelf

Shaper Nations provides illuminating perspectives on the national strategies of eight emerging and established countries that are shaping global politics at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The volume’s authors offer a unique viewpoint: they live and work primarily in the country about which they write, bringing an insider’s feel for national debates and politics.

The conventional wisdom on national strategy suggests that these states have clear central authority, coherently connect means to ends, and focus on their geopolitical environment. These essays suggest a different conclusion. In seven key countries―Brazil, China, Germany, India, Israel, Russia, and Turkey―strategy is dominated by …

Crisis Leadership During The Great Recession Of 2008, Steven M. Walker, Matthew P. Earnhardt, Jason M. Newcomer, James W. Marion Jr, Jon C. Tomlinson

Publications

Understanding leadership characteristics, frameworks, components, and contexts that are beneficial to the guidance of organizational policy is useful for understanding the way in which leaders should act during a crisis. Recessions are common throughout economies; yet, many see recessions as crises. Due to the chaotic nature of economic recessions, leaders must work in conditions of uncertainty, complexity, and volatility. Therefore, using a qualitative phenomenological approach, an examination was conducted on leaders’ lived experiences of the Great Recession of 2008 to further understand the concept of crisis leadership. A discussion is included on the way in which leaders internalize and analyze …

The Impact Of Values Clarification And Expression Of Beliefs On Dysfunctional Leadership Among Church Lay Leaders, John F. Cosgrove

Dissertations

Problem

Leaders face challenges from within themselves and from others. Dysfunctions within the leader and with their group can lessen leadership effectiveness. It appears some leaders manage these dysfunctions better than others. More needs to be understood about how these dysfunctions are best mediated and some have suggested clarification of values and beliefs can do that.

Method

This study followed a quantitative correlational research design. Data were obtained using surveys that 84 participants completed on line. Participants were selected from current lay leaders and former lay leaders of not more than three years past from Christ United Methodist Church of …

Exploring The Transition Experience For The First Time Local Conference Presidents In The North American Division Of Seventh-Day Adventists: Narratives From Conference Presidents' Career Transitions, David E. Weigley

Dissertations

The position of the president of a conference in the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (a senior leadership role) has currently no policy stipulating leadership training prerequisites. Leaders transitioning into the president’s position typically are selected from a pool of successful pastors, departmental directors, and executive secretaries by a constituency meeting of delegates from local churches and conference institutions.

This qualitative study probed the transition of 12 first-time local conference presidents. The information was gathered by recording in-depth interviews. Eight themes surfaced from the exploration. Leaders experienced the transition as overwhelming, challenging their spirituality, involving new constellations of relationships, …

A Study Regarding Organizational Health, Leadership Styles And Practices And Job Satisfaction In The Associacao Central Amazonas Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church According To The Perception Of The Pastoral Ministry, Sergio Alan Alves Caxeta

Master's Theses

Problem

Due to the perceived partial insatisfaction on the part of the district pastors and local church leaders in the Associação Central Amazonas (ACeAm) based on the amount of work added to the annual planning and the Organization activities calendar, it was decided to investigate the health organization, the leadership practices and styles, as well as the job satisfaction accrding to the perception of the ACeAm pastoral ministry which may be at the basis of the problem

Method

The study was conducted among AceAm 59 pastors divided in three leadership categories described as Top Leadership, Management and Work Force according …

A Study Regarding Organizational Health, Leadership Styles And Practices And Job Satisfaction Within The West Central Brazil Union Mission Of Seventh-Day Adventist Church According To The Perception Of The Employees Of The Administrative Office, Alijofran Lima Brandao

Master's Theses

Problem

Evaluations done at the West Central Brazil Union Mission office in 2015 found that the items related to proactive attitude and job satisfaction of the employees had the lowest score. Both the general evaluation and the self-evaluation revealed that creativity, conflict resolution, praises and rebuke, and self-development were the least developed items. It was assumed that the above described situation may reflect leadership practices and styles within UCOB.

Method

The study was conducted among 48 UCOB’s administrative office employees divided in three categories as described by the OLA research instrument (Top Leadership, Management and Work Force), which analyses the …

Rural Brain Drain: A Quantitative Study Of The Potential Impact On The Youth In Rural Aroostook County, Jill Bouchard Cairns Ma

All Student Scholarship

The present research explores the phenomenon commonly referred to as rural brain drain and whether it occurs in rural, Aroostook County Maine. The aim of the study also included an examination of how family, friends, community, school counselors, teachers, social media and early college courses are impacting student decisions post-high school graduation.

Leadership Within Collegiate Student Organizations: Does Membership Contribute To Leadership Development?, Shawn Plante Ma

All Student Scholarship

Student organizations vary in membership size, values, mission, and organizational structure, which can create a variety of leadership opportunities for students. However, there is an unclear understanding regarding the association between student organizational leadership, career preparation, and leadership development.

Communication Efficacy Using Technology Within Virtual Teams, Jeremy Daros Ma

All Student Scholarship

Technology has given businesses the flexibility to allow employees to collaborate beyond the limitations of geography. Today’s businesses are taking advantage of collaborative teams that are separated by distance, but work together as if they are in the same room.

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 …

Got Inclusion? How Inclusive Is Your Organization? Assessing Inclusion Through The Icat: Inclusion Capacity Assessment Tool For Organizational Capacity, Charlotte Taylor Westfall

Capstone Collection

Inclusion is a popular buzzword in development, but how can organizations evaluate and learn from their internal practices to better meet the needs of a more diverse population? In order for organizations to assess their strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for growth, organizational development and capacity tools, if conducted in a participatory way, are essential for revealing this information through the process of evaluation and learning. In this course-linked Capstone, social inclusion and capacity assessments are thematic focuses. The paper will begin by briefly tracing the origins and context of social inclusion and then establish the definitions, reasoning and practice behind …

Colaboratory: Design Collaboration For The Greater Good, Stephanie Arends Neal

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

A university campus is comprised of countless students enrolled in an array of degree programs that logistically creates a diverse population that can and should culminate into a dynamic professional network for graduates. How can higher education capitalize on this melting pot to provide experiences for students and fuse this network? A place, where students collectively solve problems by applying knowledge from their degree-specific areas, will foster interdisciplinary collaboration. By requiring working-relationships between students that benefit their community, a design center will provide students with experiences across disciplines that mirror a real-world, collaborative work environment while they identify opportunities and …

The Role Of Social Dominance Orientation And Patriotism In The Evaluation Of Minority And Female Leaders, Crystal L. Hoyt, Stefanie Simon

Psychology Faculty Publications

This research broadens our understanding of racial and gender bias in leader evaluations by merging implicit leadership theory and social dominance perspectives. Across two experimental studies (291 participants), we tested the prediction that bias in leader evaluations stemming from White and masculine leader standards depends on the extent to which people favor hierarchical group relationships (SDO) and their level of patriotism. Employing the Goldberg paradigm, participants read identical leadership speeches attributed to either a woman or a man described as either a minority (Black or Latino/a) or a majority (White) group member. Results show SDO negatively predicted evaluations of minority …

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 …

This Is Not A Cage Match, Joseph C. Shepard

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

During the 2016 presidential election season, Senator Ted Cruz’s use of social media to promote his campaign and build up a grassroots following was masterful. This case study explores Cruz’s digital outreach efforts in the shadow of GOP rival Donald Trump’s commanding use of traditional earned media. This case study views the Cruz campaign’s digital outreach strategy through the lens of the Agenda Setting theory of communication, which seeks to explain the mass media’s ability to influence what the important issues are to the public, and through the reverse agenda setting effect, meaning if the airtime is unavailable through traditional …

Upward Communication In Organizations: The Connection To Company Culture And Employee Engagement, Janet K. Clancy-Feliciano

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

In today’s American society, effective upward and downward communication between supervisors and subordinates is lacking now more than ever before. The importance of effective downward communication from organizational leaders receives ongoing attention, but more attention needs to be given to the importance of open reception to upward communication. It is critical that leaders in organizations build trust and encourage upward communication from employees in order to maintain organizational wellbeing and to avoid employee dissatisfaction. To help close the gap in this area of communication, this study focused on and collected data utilizing on-line surveys and employee interviews in order to …