Leadership Studies Commons^™

Exploration Of Leadership Competencies In College Athletes: An Impact Of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee On Leadership Development, Karina Jolly, Alison Fridley, Jake Simms, Chris Corr, Sarah Stokowski

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is designed to engage college athletes in decision-making processes that influence the NCAA and its member institutions. College athletes provide personal insight into the NCAA intercollegiate athletic experience, thereby influencing policy. SAAC participation prompts the application of transferable sport-specific skills such as leadership and work ethic in a professional setting. This study explores SAAC’s impact on the leadership competencies of college athletes. Results reveal that college athletes who participate in SAAC scored higher on three of the nine leadership factors examined. These findings highlight the importance of leadership programming tailored for college athletes, with SAAC …

Gender Dynamics In Upward Influence: Career Outcomes And Organizational Implications, Carrie Berg Ed.D.

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This study explores gender-based differences in the perceptions and outcomes of upward influence strategies within nonprofit organizations. Using qualitative thematic analysis grounded in Social Role Theory and Impression Management Theory, this research draws from structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 37 professionals across diverse nonprofit sectors. Findings reveal that men’s influence efforts are more frequently perceived as credible and authoritative, while similar strategies used by women are often subjected to increased scrutiny and bias. Key themes include gendered influence styles, differential recognition and credibility, mental and emotional labor, organizational gatekeeping, leadership receptivity, and informal networks. The study contributes to understanding …

Bill Brand Interview By Alex Morris, April 6, 2026, Bill Brand, Alexander Morris

HIST 4798/5798: Recording Memory: Methods and Uses of Oral History

In this 2026 interview, Bill Brand, a former corporate executive and, since 2023, a trustee on the Ohio University Foundation Board, discusses his lifelong connections to Ohio University (OU) and Athens, Ohio. An OU alum, Brand earned a Bachelor of Science from the Scripps College of Communication in 1987. He discusses what about OU—from when he first visited in the early 80s up until now—has continued to entice him into involvement with the university. In particular, he touches on the strong sense of community within both the university and Athens as a whole, which he asserts serves as a safe …

How Managers Build Employability: A Qualitative Study Of Networking Competence And Personal Brand, Weronika Szymkiewicz, Marzena Fryczyńska

European Management Studies

Purpose: The purpose is to explain and assess the connections between phenomena such as manager’s networking competence, personal brand, and employability.

Methodology: A qualitative study (IDI) was conducted using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were carried out using ICT tools among managers in Polish enterprises (N=13) and analysed using MAXQDA software. The data were complemented by literature review. Inductive reasoning was used.

Findings: Professional networks are used to reach new job offers or allow to skip some stages of recruitment. Competences, knowledge and experience turned out to be more important for keeping employment. Personal brand was more often …

How To Build A Successful High School Sports Program, Jacob Jude Mulligan

M.S. in Leadership

The goal of this study was to explore the most influential factors for building a successful high school sports program. Through an expansive literature review, including testimonies from Hall of Fame coaches, themes emerged around the importance of Vision, Relationships, Belief, and Identity when it comes to the question of how to build a successful high school sports program. This research was conducted with the purpose of highlighting evidence of how these four themes have led to a positive culture and success for sports programs and athletes. This study is designed to help current and future high school coaches so …

Leading Like Christ: A Phenomenological Study Of The Biblical Shepherd Motif In Christian Parachurch Executive Leadership, Alex Sefton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Christian nonprofit parachurch organization executive leaders in southeastern Indiana (i.e., Decatur County and its adjacent counties). For the purpose of this study, executive leaders was defined as those who hold a top-level leadership position at an organization, and Christian nonprofit parachurch organization was defined as an organization designated under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) that advances biblical principles and social welfare. Shepherd-like leadership was generally defined as a leadership style that demonstrates relational care, personal guidance, and protection of well-being, as seen in Psalm …

Bridging The Gap: Leadership Support For Military Veterans Who Transition To Civilian Employment, Kimberly S. Buchanan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A gap in leadership support hinders military veteran employees from effectively leveraging their skill sets during their transition from military service to civilian employment, leading to decreased performance, low job satisfaction, and reduced retention of Veteran talent. This flexible qualitative single-case study explored why gaps in leadership support exist for military veteran employees, the extent to which these gaps hinder the utilization of their skill sets, and how leaders can address them. The study included semistructured interviews with 18 military veteran participants, representative of the U.S. Military and diverse in backgrounds. Data analysis involved coding, theme development, and review of …

Leadership Strategies And Registered Nurse Burnout, Chloee Wendorf

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Burnout among registered nurse leaders has intensified within academic medical centers, where increasing clinical demands, staffing challenges, and organizational complexities converge. This qualitative single-case study explored how 32 nurse leaders within the experienced and responded to burnout, and how leadership strategies shaped emotional resilience and team well-being. Guided by the Job Demands–Resources model and transformational leadership theory, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using memoing, coding cycles, and NVivo-assisted thematic analysis. Findings revealed that burnout was largely driven by workload intensity, emotional labor, and misalignment between demands and available resources. Transformational leadership strategies, including individualized support, relational transparency, …

A Phenomenological Study On Pastoral Leadership In Post-Covid In-Person Worship Attendance Growth Within Southern Baptist Congregational Polity, David Christian Justice

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research is to examine and reveal the perceived experiences of pastoral leadership in post-COVID in-person worship attendance growth among North Carolina Southern Baptist Churches (NCSBCs) operating within the framework of congregational polity. The theory guiding this study is that pastoral leadership is vital for post-COVID in-person worship growth in Southern Baptist Churches (Bryan, 2024; Hudson, 2018). Hudson’s (2018) competency model for church revitalization identifies pastoral leadership as “one of the most consistent predictors of a church’s ability to grow after a period of plateau or decline” (p. 3). The unique leadership structure of Southern …

The Efficacy Of Youth Leaders' Outreach Approach Impacting Gen Z: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Hannah Hattie Mcbean

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of youth leaders’ outreach strategies for engaging Generation Z (Gen Z) in attending church, as well as the lived experiences of Gen Z as recipients of these outreach strategies. The study investigated the factors that impact youth leaders’ decisions to employ specific strategies to sustain church attendance among Gen Z and how Gen Z perceived the efficacy of these strategies. A phenomenological approach allowed for a comprehensive examination of participants' subjective experiences in real-world settings. The research utilized purposive sampling to recruit youth leaders and Gen Z participants from nondenominational churches in …

The Impact Of The Application Of Disability Ministry And Discipleship Within The Southern Baptist Churches Of Virginia, Minsoo Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study examined how individuals with disabilities serving as church leaders and congregants experienced belonging within Southern Baptist churches in Virginia. The researcher framed the study using Baumeister and Leary’s (2017; 1995) need to belong theory, which posits that human beings possess an innate drive to form and maintain meaningful interpersonal relationships. The researcher examined how belonging was expressed through physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions within congregations engaged in disability ministry and contributing to fulfillment of the Great Commission. The researcher employed purposive sampling to recruit 11 participants from Southern Baptist congregations in Virginia who self-identified as individuals …

Church Disaffiliation's Impact On Black Christian Millennials' Faith Development, Kevin M. Simmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The researcher explored the faith, ways of living, and ideologies of Black Christian millennials that unite them with others and with God, leading to what James Fowler called the “ultimate environment” (Attfield, 1994). The study employed a qualitative phenomenological research design to examine whether the faith development path of Black Christian millennials had been impacted by church disaffiliation. From their perspective, identifying factors that fuel their beliefs, religious expressions, and views on their religious identity (Thomas, 2017). Faith, in its simplest form, is defined not by creeds or their institutional practices, Fowler acknowledges. However, its foundational truth lies in the …

Do Financial Institutions’ Senior Leaders’ Shared Vision Moderate Or Mediate The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Sales Professionals’ Work Engagement?, Jacob Glen Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The modern workplace is driven by rapid changes, complexities, and challenges resulting from disruptions in the global marketplace. The disruptions have prompted organizations to prioritize leadership effectiveness to navigate the required business changes better and maintain a competitive advantage. The prioritization of leadership effectiveness has brought emotional intelligence, transformational leadership, and employee work engagement to the forefront of research. This study evaluated the relationship between the emotional intelligence of financial institutions’ leaders and their sales professionals’ work engagement as mediated or moderated by the leaders’ communication of a shared vision. The sales professionals and their leaders at select asset managers …

Training & Support Impacts To Leader Mental Health: A Multiple Case Study, Casey R. Childers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This expansive body of work displays a composite overview of the problem considered, research process employed, and conclusive findings centered on mental health in leadership within the healthcare setting. From the research background, literature review, planning phase, execution tasks, data analysis, and conclusive findings, the research comprehensively signifies a complex contribution to the current body of knowledge. Throughout this study each of the specific research phases are carefully outlined to fully identify the problem surrounding insufficient support systems and the subsequent impact on team engagement, retention, and overall performance. The study leverages a flexible design to approach the problem statement …

Reforming Academic Publishing To Support The Sustainable Development Goals: A Call For Leadership, Seán Lacey

Publications

Paywalls and high article processing charges in academic publishing restrict access to scientific knowledge, limiting who can produce, use, and benefit from research. These barriers disproportionately affect researchers and institutions in low- and middle-income countries, reinforcing global inequalities in research capacity and evidence-informed policymaking. Addressing these challenges requires determined system leadership to reform funding models, expand equitable open access pathways, and ensure publicly funded research is freely available. Without coordinated action, the promise of inclusive, globally shared scientific progress central to the Sustainable Development Goals will remain unrealised.

The Mental Game: Understanding Mental Health Challenges Among Ncaa Diii Student-Athletes, Kaitlin J. Bouchard

Thinking Matters Symposium

This study explores the lived experiences of NCAA Division III student-athletes as

they relate to mental health challenges, coping strategies, and perceptions of

institutional support. Although awareness of student-athlete mental health has

increased, barriers such as stigma, limited resources, and cultural pressures

within collegiate athletics continue to influence help-seeking behaviors. Using a

phenomenological qualitative approach, confidential survey data were collected

from approximately 56 NCAA Division III student-athletes across divisions. Data

included both multiple-choice and open-ended responses, allowing participants

to share their experiences in their own words. Thematic analysis was used to

identify common themes and inform recommendations for improving mental …

Maurice Q. Robinson ’09 Honored At 16th Annual Ballsa Celebration, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Cardozo School of Law honored alumnus Maurice Q. Robinson ('09) at the 16th Annual BALLSA Celebration for his leadership, service, and commitment to mentoring students and strengthening the law school's alumni community. The event also recognized recipients of the BALLSA Scholarship and celebrated the contributions of Cardozo's affinity groups.

Carrying The Call: A Literature Review On Pastoral Burnout, Nisaa Robinson

College of Arts and Cultural Studies

This literature review examines theory and practice related to the leadership challenge of burnout among Black full-time pastors serving mid—sized urban churches in the Midwestern United States. Utilizing 21 sources across peer—reviewed, professional, popular, and action—network literature, the review applies pragmatic and interpretive research philosophies to evaluate contributing and mitigating factors, conceptual frameworks, validated assessments, and leadership practice implications. The review synthesizes foundational literature, clergy—specific extensions, and culturally responsive scholarship to identify evidence—based insights. Significant gaps in culturally specific, regionally disaggregated research are identified, with implications for future inquiry and organizational leadership practice.

Seeing Women Govern Encourages Support For Women In Politics – With No Apparent Backlash Among Men, Vladimir Chlouba

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

Quotas designed to bring gender parity to parliaments have an overall positive impact on support for female political leadership – especially after women members of parliament take office. Furthermore, there is no evidence of a backlash among men.

That’s what I found in a study published in October 2025 looking at the impact of gender-parity quotas in Namibia, in sub-Saharan Africa.

Developing Strategies For Pce Outreach, Mariah Blankenbaker, Gordon Carlson, Daniel Adesoji, Levi Eck

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

In collaboration with Professional and Continuing Education (PCE), we produced projects to automate their internal tasks, as well as to promote their services. By taking advantage of software techniques, we bridged live-action footage with 2D and 3D computer visuals for promotional material. In addition, we researched the capabilities of creating a custom Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) and trained it to analyze and interact with thousands of industry datapoints.

Behaviorally-Anchored Team Member Feedback In Undergraduate Learning: Linking Verbal Communication To Ai-Detected Emotional Expressions, Ryan Will, Brent J. Goertzen, Magdalene Moy, Jace Hesford

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This study examines how undergraduate team members’ verbal communication behaviors are associated with the emotional expressions of their teammates during student project team interactions. Drawing on data from a semester-long, team-based undergraduate course, three key team meetings were video-recorded across the team life cycle. Verbal communication was analyzed using a systematic content analysis with an a priori codebook capturing emotionally relevant behaviors such as optimism, empathy, building bonds, developing others, service orientation, and task-focused communication. Nonverbal emotional expressions were assessed using AI-based facial expression analysis grounded in Facial Action Coding System research, generating average emotion scores for each team member. …

Validating Llm-Assisted Coding Of Student Leadership Teams For Formative Feedback, Jace Hesford, Magdalene Moy, Ryan Will, Brent Goertzen

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Leadership education scholarship increasingly calls for direct assessment of leadership behaviors rather than reliance on proxy measures (Banks et al., 2023). This poster reports a validation study situated in a project-based leadership course at a midsized university. While teams meet regularly throughout the semester-long project, three meetings are digitally recorded, transcribed and analyzed to provide students with objective feedback based on the content of their communication. Team meetings are coded using an a priori framework grounded in emotional intelligence (Salovey & Mayer, 1990; Lee & Wong, 2017), with codes reflecting self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, social awareness, and relational management as enacted …

Ethical Decision-Making Frameworks In Ai-Driven Pharmaceutical Research & Development, Dhaval Dinesh Panchal, Osama Mohd Hash Ansari, Sudha Divya Madhuri Kallam

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being utilized in pharmaceutical research and development to speed up drug discovery, enhance clinical trial design, and support regulatory decision-making. However, the increasingly rapid adoption of AI in the pharma industry has outpaced the development of consistent ethical governance, raising concerns related to data privacy, transparency, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder trust. This study explored the methods by which project managers could develop and utilize ethical decision-making frameworks to facilitate responsible AI implementation in pharmaceutical research and development. Guided by the Responsible Innovation framework, this research employed a mixed-methods design combining semi-structured interviews and quantitative surveys with …

Optimizing Project Success In Civil Engineering: Assessing The Impact Of Integrating Agile Methodologies In Large-Scale Construction Projects., Sameerullah Sheik

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Building and civil engineering projects face numerous challenges during their lifespans. A study was conducted to investigate the use of Agile and hybrid methodologies for improving project performance. The contingency theory was applied to determine the impact of Agile on cost, schedule, quality, and stakeholder engagement. It also explored obstacles and factors in successful implementation. The study used qualitative research design and interviewed 15 construction project professionals from different sectors. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis to extract information about Agile and hybrid methodologies. The major findings showed that these methodologies were not used in their pure form. Instead, …

Defining The Meta-Story Of Heroism Science: Initiation, Formation, And Governance In An Emerging Discipline, Peter Bray

Heroism Science

This article traces the meta-story of the journal Heroism Science across Volumes 1–10 by treating the publication record as a living narrative of field formation. Using an eight-dimension decoding framework (D1–D8), it argues that the journal’s development is best understood as a braided trajectory in which methodological maturation and theoretical maturation co-evolve. Special issues function as turning points: downside dynamics, whistleblowing, and heroic screens formalize consequence sensitivity and contestation, while later conference and legacy issues consolidate pluralism and reflexive ethics. The article contributes (a) an explicit coding and audit method for reading a journal as a field-forming narrative and (b) …

Organizing To Engage: A Framework For Conflict Strategy, Paul Mason Carpenter

Dissertations

Conflict strategy can be exceedingly complex. While many of the basics are simple, even the simple can be highly complicated to execute. The Schlieffen Plan in World War I appeared straight forward, but execution was a great deal more complex. It failed and the result was years of trench warfare.  In addition, leaders entering conflict may not fully appreciate the full context, its effect, and the need for a long term result--a better state of peace.

Strategy and tactics may be challenging to transform as an engagement evolves. In addition, strategists must often commit to courses of action within very …

Inmate Reentry: Success Through Faith - A Mixed-Methods Study On Inmate Conversions And Life After Release, Eric S. Campbell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation-in-praxis (DiP) explored the circumstances surrounding the emotional responses and past traumatic experiences that led inmates to commit their lives to Jesus. The DiP also researched the high rate of recidivism amongst released inmates. The researcher partnered with Reach the Forgotten Jail Ministry (RTF), as well as local churches, in an effort to create a program that would work with inmates prior to and after release. The qualitative study established a paradigm highlighting the significance of comprehensive leadership training in a time of transition by drawing upon transformational leadership theory, adaptive leadership theory, as well as servant leadership theory. …

Morality Meets Education: Transactional And Transformational Leadership Of Business Students, Arthur L. Conyers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In an era where ethical failures in business can destabilize markets and damage public trust, understanding how future leaders develop moral clarity is becoming increasingly urgent. Transformational leadership highlights relational influence and purpose, while transactional leadership provides structural clarity that supports organizational operations. Morality, broadly defined as adherence to a standard of righteousness, remains essential for leadership in commerce, policy, and organizational contexts. This qualitative phenomenological study looked into how business and management students experience leadership development, moral decision-making, and faith integration in their academic and personal lives. Students enrolled in accredited colleges and universities were interviewed, and transcripts were …

Mentorship Leadership Succession: Implementing Paul's Discipleship Practices, Matthew Scott Beagle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project addresses the lack of empowered, biblically qualified leaders at Pinecrest Baptist Church in Portsmouth, VA, where discipleship has often been treated as complete with conversion, baptism, and initial ministry involvement, rather than as a process that produces future leaders within the congregation. The project proposed that a mentor-based discipleship succession process, modeled on Pauline discipleship, could help current leaders shift from a maintenance mindset to a culture of multiplication and leadership development. Using an action research design, the study implemented a twelve-week mentor-discipleship succession curriculum that guided participants through four phases of leadership development: calling that …

Impact Of Hierarchical Organizational Structures On Gen-Z Turnover Intention, Mason W. Doty

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research project sought to address the influence hierarchical organizational structures have on Gen-Z turnover intention. Technological advancements coupled with Gen-Z entering the workforce with their unique perspectives and expectations have sparked a new phenomenon of “job-hopping.” This research focused on U.S. servicemembers and Department of War civilian employees that are employed at a military installation in Texas to evaluate turnover intention as a direct result of their hierarchical organizational structure. This research featured two survey instruments: the 6-item Turnover Intention Scale (TIS) and 25-item Expanded Multidimensional Turnover Intention Scale (EMTIS) to identify potential correlations in turnover intention across the …