Leadership Studies Commons^™

Safety First: Unpacking Key Roles Of Arctic Adventure Guides, Barbara Olga Hild, Betty Weiler Professor

International Journal of Tour Guiding and Visitor Attraction Research

Building on past research on tour guides and guiding, this paper provides an in-depth examination of the safety management role of tour guides leading adventure trips. A review of previous literature identifies broad dimensions of tour guiding and, within these dimensions, specific guiding roles mainly in relation to communication. The current study’s qualitative examination of experienced Arctic guides, however, illustrates how environmental conditions contribute to near misses and points to safety management as an adventure guide’s fundamental role. The findings highlight the need for guide competence and certification and underpin recommendations for research in relation to guide education and practices …

It’S Worse If Superman Does It: Perceptions Of Moral Transgressions Committed By Superheroes And Supervillains, Justin F. Martin, Hansika Kapoor

Heroism Science

Superheroes are distinguished from supervillains due to their morally relevant behavior. However, what happens when they both engage in immoral behavior? This study examined how individuals perceive moral transgressions by their favorite superhero/villain in a quasi-experimental design. In line with Social Cognitive Domain Theory and Moral Foundations Theory, transgressions related to harm and justice were assessed. Specifically, participants (N = 363, predominantly White/Caucasian and South Asian) assessed characters’ likability, character traits, and moral evaluations. In line with hypotheses, results suggested that (a) superheroes were liked more than supervillains; (b) transgressions by superheroes were more morally impermissible than those by supervillains, …

The Impact Of Emotional Intelligence On Project Success And Team Dynamics In Finance Organizations, Richa Shah

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

This research investigates the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on leadership effectiveness within the finance industry, with a focus on its influence on team dynamics, decision-making, and the overall success of projects. The study seeks to address a gap in the current literature by examining how finance leaders apply emotional intelligence in high-pressure, fast-paced environments, where quick decisions and high-stakes situations are common. While emotional intelligence has been widely studied in other sectors, there is limited understanding of how it operates in finance, a sector known for its high demands and intense work culture.

The research employs a qualitative methodology, …

The Perceived Effect Of The Cliftonstrengths Assessment Of Christian Leader Self-Awareness, Daniel Lee York

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perceived congruence between the coached CliftonStrengths (CS) assessment model and leader self-awareness (SA: internal, external, and spiritual) as described by the participants (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The theory behind this study was emotional intelligence, with specific attention on self-awareness and its import to general leadership theory (Antonakis et al., 2009; Bar-On et al., 2000; Goleman, 2019; Higgs, 2002; Eurich, 2017).

A selective phenomenological study was utilized because the author evaluated leaders’ perception of the effect of CS on their SA or “What is it like to experience such-and-such?” (Leedy …

Leadership Diversity In The Technology Industry, Renee' Y. L. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Diversity is a relevant topic in the modern workplace. This research is an exploration of diversity in the workplace from a leadership perspective. Specifically, this research includes the lack of leadership diversity in the technology industry and its impact on employee turnover and operational costs. The purpose of this research was to contribute to the extant body of knowledge by understanding the issue and determining factors to mitigate the issue. This study utilized a flexible design and qualitative research methodology, specifically a case study. A constructivist paradigm aligned with my Christian worldview. The study included interviews, surveys, and documents as …

The Relationship Between Servant Leadership Attributes / Behaviors And Congregant Commitment Among United Pentecostal Church International Churches, Corey D. Driggs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research regarding servant leadership has grown and resulted in positive results supporting the potential benefits for organizations to adopt a servant leadership culture among leaders (Neubert et al., 2008; Walumbwa, Hartnell, and Oke, 2010). Most prior research has focused solely on the development of a working construct model (Barbuto and Wheeler, 2006; Dennis and Bocarnea, 2005; Ehrhart, 2004; Hunter, et al. 2013, Liden, Wayne, Zhao, and Henderson, 2008; Parolini, Patterson, and Winston, 2009; Sendjaya, Sarros, and Santor, 2008; van Dierendonck, 2011). Studies have also shown that there is a significant relationship between servant leadership attributes and behaviors with organizational commitment …

Character Challenges American Christian Business Leaders Face In The Secular Digital Age, Kevin J. Kennedy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the digital age, Christian business leaders are a minority who are commonly expected to change their leadership priorities to fit within the secularized culture. These expectations for change in their leadership principles can generate character challenges to the very core of a Christian business leader’s beliefs forcing them to make decisions which pit the practice of their proclaimed faith against a secularized business practice. In these workplace challenges, the Christian business leader’s faith, freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion compete with secularized practices accepted in today’s American culture. This research documents the insufficient understanding of …

Leadership In The Age Of Advanced Technology, Matthew Brancatelli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Invention has been the catalyst for societal advancement, altering human occupations, changing the business world, and bringing geographically separated societies closer. This case study research looked at the impact of advanced technologies on business leadership—digital transformation reshaping every aspect of the business world, including the people, processes, and platforms. An interview guide (Appendix A) was used with open-ended questions to gain insights into the problems and issues faced in manufacturing related to technology's impact on business leaders and the actions and behaviors an organization can develop to be better prepared to address emerging technology. The insights gathered in this study …

Identifying Effective Leadership Styles Among Winning College Head Football Coaches: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Valin Kattoula

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to discover and interpret the successful leadership styles of winning college head football coaches (HFC) in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The theory that guided this study is Bass’s (1995) transformational leadership theory. The central question asked, “What are the lived experiences of winning college HFCs leadership initiatives?” The study used a hermeneutic phenomenological design where HFCs participated in interviews and a focus group and submitted a writing prompt response to obtain the lived experiences about proven winning leadership styles. The study’s findings identified sixteen themes and five sub-themes. The sample …

Using Situational Leadership To Disciple And Develop Men For Spiritual Leadership In The Home, Christopher N. Andrews

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

God has designed the family to be the primary source of faith and spiritual formation, commanding all parents to pass along the faith and teach the commandments to their children. Scripture teaches that men hold a special role as the spiritual leader of the home. For men to fulfil this God appointed role they need to be trained and mentored. At the time of this research there was no formal ministry dedicated to the spiritual development of men at FBC Brandenburg. The purpose of this research was to test the Situational Leadership Model in a discipleship program designed to train …

Federal Election Commission And Indiana Secretary Of State Campaign Finance Information Resoures, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

This presentation covers campaign finance information resources produced by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and Indiana Secretary of State. It describes how these agencies began, details how they oversee and regulate U.S. federal and Indiana state elections, and documents contributions made by individuals, organizations, political parties, and political action committees to individual candidates and organizations. Reporting documentation on these election races is also included.

Scoping Out Leadership Opportunities And Motivational Factors Of Doctor Of Physical Therapy Students, Laura Stephens, Ronald Childress

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to open investigation into the scope of leadership opportunities available to students at a physical therapy educational program and to identify factors that motivated students to pursue leadership development opportunities during their pre-professional education. Methods: This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews to investigate the experiences and perspectives of current and former student leaders. Participants were queried regarding what leadership opportunities were available to them and what motivated them to pursue those specific roles. Results: Findings revealed the scope of leadership development opportunities included experiences within and external to the Doctor of Physical Therapy …

Leader Age And Conflictual Behavior In International Relations, Michael B. Cox

Student Publications

The United States 2020 election of Joe Biden over Donald Trump led many Americans to argue the need for younger politicians and presidential candidates, as they had concerns that older presidents, like Trump and Biden, were unfit mentally and physically to lead the nation. In particular, some expressed fears that these leaders, because of their age, would be more likely to engage the United States in or escalate interstate disputes. Scholarship in the field has found conflicting results, with Horowitz et al. finding older leaders are more likely to engage their states in interstate disputes, while Bertoli et al. found …

Interstate Conflict Initiation And The Age Of International Leaders, Katelyn L. Laplaunt

Student Publications

The 2024 presidential election in the United States amplified concerns regarding the age of international leaders and their ability to lead. Current research indicates that differences in individual characteristics such as ideology, biological sex, and aggression, can cause leaders to interact with foreign countries in varying ways. Especially important is the manner in which a leader’s age might impact their tendency to initiate interstate conflict, as the effects of these conflicts can have major impacts on the international system. In alignment with my hypothesis, most research indicates that older leaders will initiate fewer interstate conflicts than younger leaders. This is …

How Does Highly Educated Chinese Woman’S Endorsement Of Traditional Family Values Impact Her Well-Being?, Qiong Zhou

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

With global advancements in gender equality and open-minded influence, Chinese women now have more opportunities to pursue higher education or independent work. However, there is a question of whether Chinese traditional family value still impacts Chinese women’s lives, thus affecting women's individual well-being.

Based on the results of a questionnaire survey and regression analysis of 301 highly educated Chinese women, we find that the endorsement of traditional family values by these women can indirectly affect their individual well-being through their engagement in job and family; that is, their achievements and satisfactions of job, family and self will be impacted by …

Does Relationship Conflict Reduce Novel Idea Communication Through Perceived Leader Openness? Power Distance Orientation As A Moderator, Ming-Hong Tsai

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate why followers have low perceptions of leader openness and thus feel reluctant to communicate novel ideas by examining leader–follower relationship conflict (i.e. interpersonal incompatibility) and a follower’s power distance orientation (i.e. an acceptance of uneven power distribution in organizations) as antecedents. Design/methodology/approach: The research administrators conducted a three-wave work behavior survey in Study 1, a laboratory experiment in Study 2, and an online experiment in Study 3. Findings: The results demonstrated that leader–follower relationship conflict reduced followers’ perceptions of leader openness. However, the negative impact of relationship conflict became non-significant when followers have high …

Does Ceo Agreeableness Personality Mitigate Real Earnings Management?, Shan Liu, Xingying Wu, Nan Hu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Despite efforts to mitigate aggressive financial reporting, earnings management remains challenging to parties interested in inhibiting its dysfunctional effects. Using linguistic algorithms to assess CEO agreeableness personality from their unscripted texts in conference calls, we find that it is a determinant that mitigates a firm's real earnings management. Furthermore, such an effect is more pronounced when firms confront intensive market competition and financial distress and have weaker managerial entrenchment or when CEOs face stronger internal governance. Our findings persist even after we utilize several alternative real earnings management metrics and control other confounding personalities in prior earnings management studies. The …

The Relationship Between Servant Leadership Practices And Employee Job Satisfaction In Public Organizations In Tanzania, Herrieth C. Limo, Mrisho M. Malipula, Rashid R. Yusuph

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

This study assesses the relationship between servant leadership practices and job satisfaction in public organizations in Tanzania, with a focus on Posts Corporation Headquarters (TPCH). It employed a descriptive survey and correlational design involving 150 respondents. Quantitative data were analyzed using the statistical program IBM SPSS Statistics 25, while qualitative data were examined using content analysis. The findings indicate that servant leadership has been thoroughly practiced at TPCH, as indicated by a mean score of 3.63 and a standard deviation of 0.943. The relationship between characteristics of servant leadership and job satisfaction is highly significant and positive (rp values ranging …

Civic Education For Civic Leadership: Renewing Faith In Democracy, Ryan V. Weaver

eJournal of Public Affairs

Civic education and civic leadership are at the forefront of renewing faith in democracy on our campuses and communities. There is an urgent need for higher education to return to its historical foundation to fulfill the mission of democracy by educating students for democratic citizenship (Harkavy, 2006). Effectively integrating curricular and co-curricular civic engagement involves a balanced approach that is “both political and non-political” (Ehrlich, 2000, p. vi) to guide students to identify core values, develop civic knowledge, and build civic leadership skills (Finley, 2011; Hurtado, 2019). Civic leadership is an integral student learning outcome embedded within civic engagement praxis, …

Collective Leadership Development In The Civic Arena, Lori E. Kniffin

Leadership Faculty Publications

As a collective paradigm of leadership emerges in the literature, many community leadership programs still align with leader-centric perspectives. The Kansas Leadership Center’s Leadership Transformation Grant is an exemplar of developing collective leadership in the civic arena. The purpose of this article is twofold: (1) to present the findings of a community-engaged, qualitative research study on the impact of collective leadership development on the practice of civic leadership and (2) to discuss relevant implications learned from reflections on the methodology for the practice of community-engaged research.,This study is a form of engaged research (Van de Ven, 2007) and is consistent …

The Affect Of Diversity And Ethical Principles In Primary And Secondary Educational Leadership: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology Study, Charles P. Holloway Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of diversity and ethical principles in educational leadership for teachers, administrators, and classified licensed professionals within minority school districts. Downton’s (2016) theory on transformational leadership guided this study's theoretical framework for the research and ensuing findings. This research was created to answer the following central question: What are the perceived effects of diversity and ethical principles on teachers, administrators, and classified licensed professionals within minority school districts? Three sub-questions were used to understand the experiences of diversity and ethical principles in educational leadership within minority school districts. The …

Journey To Becoming A Superintendent In New York: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jeremy R. Koch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences an individual encounters on their journey to becoming a superintendent at a school district in New York. The theory used in this study was the push-pull model (PPM) by E. G. Ravenstein and the push-pull mooring model by E. S. Lee and later B. Moon, to study the lived experiences of those who have become school district superintendents. The PPM was used to determine what themes are present in an individual’s journey to the superintendency that pulls them to the position, pushes them away, or causes them …

An Explanatory Study Of Toxic Leadership And Servant Leadership Related To Organizational Culture And Behavioral Trust, Daniel Timothy Thames

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative ex post facto correlational study was to determine if a relationship exists between followers’ perceptions of toxic leadership and servant leadership as they relate to organizational culture and behavioral trust as measured by the Toxic Leadership Scale (TLS), the Servant Leadership Questionnaire (SL-7), the Organizational Culture Scale (OCS), and the Behavioral Trust Inventory (BTI). Toxic leadership was evaluated through the framework of Padilla et al.’s (2007) toxic triangle and Thoroughgood et al.’s (2012) susceptible circle of followers of toxic leaders. Exploring the theoretical context of toxic leadership, this project studied the effects of toxic leadership …

Aiding A Reformed Church Into A Multiethnic And Economically Diverse Congregation, Leroy E. Childress Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Ethnic and economic diversity can be experienced in the local church. There is a biblical undertone in the Scriptures that shows Jesus, the apostles, and Old Testament themes that point to Revelation 7 for the reality of it. This reality can be lived on earth while Christians practice for heaven. While 95 percent of the churches around America remain homogeneous, with intentionality, adequate training, and a willingness to engage in difficult conversations, historically Reformed churches can also experience ethnic and economic diversity within their congregations. Although many churches do not feel the capabilities to become multiethnic and economically diverse, by …

Success Treating Substance Use Disorder: A Case Study Of Minnesota Adult And Teen Challenge, John Joseph Lenss

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge (MNTC) is an addiction treatment center. The reason for this qualitative case study was to discover why clients of substance use disorder treatment programs believe that they can graduate from their program when 50% of those who start the same long-term program drop out. This case study focused on graduates from MNTC in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This study discovered the graduates' common attributes that may improve MNTC treatment center programs, which could decrease the number of people who walk away from addiction recovery programs prematurely and increase the number of those who graduate. According to MNTC …

Measuring Technical Super-Efficiency Of Christian Faith-Based International Humanitarian Organizations, Barbara G. Price

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

COVID-19 left a wake of destruction upon its descension, pervasion, and diffusion across the continents. Not only did this happen at individual, household, and corporate levels, but also the nonprofit world. Christian ministries, faith-based organizations, and faith-based charities are among some of the largest international relief and development agencies that are on the front lines of humanitarian and disaster relief efforts (MinistryWatch & Smith, 2023). Understanding the effects of COVID-19 or phenomena with similar magnitudes on faith-based organizations is critical to understanding the impact at the level of their international humanitarian development and relief programs. There is a need for …

Gsep Research Symposium Proceedings - 2024

GSEP Research Symposium

The 8th Annual GSEP Research Symposium, was themed "Dismantling Barriers between Research and Practice: Shining a Light on Global Interdisciplinary Solutions," took place on July 18-19, 2024, at the picturesque Château d'Hauteville in Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz, Switzerland.

The annual symposium is hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP). The symposium served as a dynamic platform for students, faculty, alums, and staff to come together and explore innovative ideas across multiple disciplines. Featuring 69 selected presentations under five distinct tracks, the proceedings showcase groundbreaking research, foster meaningful discussions, and promote professional development.

The symposium aimed to bridge …

Developing Peace Leadership: Lessons From The Peace Practice Alliance, Whitney Mcintyre Miller, Lisa Hilt, Rabab Atwi, Nick Irwin

Education Faculty Articles and Research

In 2020, Euphrates Institute piloted the Peace Practice Alliance (PPA), a virtual six-month program that brings together an international cohort of peacebuilders to learn peace leadership theories and develop related skills and practices. The program framework is based on integral peace leadership, which focuses on four interrelated areas of Innerwork, Knowledge, Community, and Environment. As part of an emergent field, limited research has documented the application of integral peace leadership in peacebuilder training and development programs. This paper, therefore, examines the pilot PPA program to understand the ways in which an online, global peace leadership training program can support the …

Everyday Heroism And The Journey Of The Community In The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet By Becky Chambers, Jari Käkelä

Heroism Science

This article examines the impact of everyday heroism on community in the science fiction novel The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (2014) by Becky Chambers. While science fiction often features superhuman action or scientist heroes and technocratic dystopian futures, Chambers’s novel represents the recent trend of hopepunk, which sets stories within mundane social interactions to imagine gradual positive change. Instead of its action-adventure potential, the narrative in Chambers’s novel focuses on the relationships between a multi-species crew of a spaceship, creating a heightened sense of the crew as a found family where individuals come to accept and support …

A Case Study: Do You Address Your Volunteers’ Well-Being Or Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic? If So, How?, Daniel J. Robotham, Suzanna R. Windon, Ann E. Echols

Journal of Extension

The uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound negative impact on volunteer mental health and well-being. We surveyed local non-profit organizational leaders about their practices toward addressing volunteer well-being and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study results indicated that while over a quarter of organizations did nothing to address volunteer well-being, other organizations utilized several approaches, including one-on-one and group meetings, program implementation, office culture investment, task assignment, and information dissemination. These findings provide valuable insight for Extension educators to develop community mental health and well-being programs to assist non-profit organizations' response to future uncertainty.