Leadership Studies Commons^™

Teleconferencing In Large Corporations, Thomas E. Howard

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Technology based communication tools in business represent an area that has been intensely researched. Of all the available tools, teleconferencing remains the most widely and frequently used in business communication. This case study explores whether teleconferencing is a useful communication tool for leadership to express objectives to the organization’s members. Philosophical assumptions in this paper are based on Aristotle’s components of rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos. Media Naturalness (Kock, 2004) and Social Presence Theory (Short & Williams, 1976) provide the theoretical basis for this paper. The study is based on qualitative data gathering and analysis surrounding the 3rd Quarter Organization-wide …

Impact Of Improvisation On Interpersonal Communication, Brooklin Green

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Improvisational games have grown outside the scope of performance to become tools to enhance, creativity, and communication. Recently, people have begun to use these games in a variety of fields including psychology, public speaking, corporate businesses, medicine, and education. Improvisational games help people learn through play. It shows that the use of these games can create an environment that opens communication to achieve learning and innovation. It is a positive tool in promoting confidence, empathy, listening skills, self-awareness, group awareness, quick thought and focus in the moment. While research on the benefit of improvisation does exist, few concentrate on the …

Communication In Engineering: Developing A Targeted Course, Krysta Nicole Kirsch

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

In many technical undergraduate programs, specifically engineering, focus is placed on developing the technical abilities of students. Little emphasis is placed on communication, to include verbal, written, and presentation skills. In a dynamic corporate world, technical students can be put at a disadvantage if they are not taught the importance of being able to communicate with a variety of demographics in varying contexts. Companies are looking for engineering graduates who have strengths in both arenas. To address this issue, a semester-long communication course for engineering majors has been developed. The foundation is in current research on communication apprehension, the communication …

Cracking The Case: Uncovering Key Communication Practices Of Successful Financial Professionals, Heidi Struve Currey

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The economic events of recent years have unquestionably had an impact on the financial services industry; however the challenge to retain quality financial services professionals has been a struggle for decades. A review of the literature found that Cognitive Bias Theory, Social Judgment Theory, Cognitive Dissonance Theory and the Narrative Paradigm Theory uncovered two potentially valuable communication techniques that could be used by financial professionals: asking questions and sharing stories. The philosophical and ethical underpinning of this study assumed that all financial professionals view every client relationship as if it were personal; so that when a financial professional experiences success …

Transparency Through Social Media: Improving The Credibility Of Pr Professionals In The Twenty-First Century, Pete Voss

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This correlational study identifies opportunities for PR (public relations) professionals to gain trust by engaging online communities using unprecedented levels of transparency. The thesis begins by reviewing literature and setting the stage for how and when PR gained its PR problem (Thomas et al., 2009). The study observes how PR professionals are currently engaging these audiences, and also demonstrates how the public perceives these actions. The philosophical framework for this study stemmed from Aristotle's belief in goodwill in communities (Book 1, Chapter 1), and Augustine's (1909) belief that "All wish to rejoice in truth" (p. 186). Sherif's Social Judgment Theory …

Cultivating Culturally Empathic Environments In The Academic Setting, Sharon-Rose Lau

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Teachers, as leaders and facilitators in the classroom, not only disseminate information, but ultimately propagate and perpetuate ideologies that shape their students' cognitive world. However, with the enrollment of minority students increasing in the United States, greater challenges are encountered as teachers struggle to promote advocacy, respect, and understanding in the classroom. Navigating the relationally ambiguous or uncertain requires certain cognitive tools. The Uncertainty Management Theory which encompasses relational mindfulness and empathy assists individuals in developing the communicative skills necessary to fortify relational contingencies. This thesis explores the communicative methods teachers use to create culturally empathic environments within the academic …

Youth Mentoring: A Guide For Mentors With Practical Application Of Communication Principles To Facilitate Interpersonal Relationships And Youth Development, Erin Camille Wilson

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

As individuals, we believe we have the unique ability to choose our paths and carve out our destiny in America. As we sculpt our path, through a variety of decisions, our relationships often serve as a governing force developing our person along our journey. Due to their influential nature, this project explores the power of mentor mentee relationships as it relates to youth development. Grounded in the theory of transcendence, the social penetration theory and the uncertainty reduction theory, this project investigates youth mentoring and its positive influence on three basic parameters: social and emotional effect, cognitive effect, and identity …

Negotiating Online Identities In Social Media: A Study Of University Students, Christine Elise Benage

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Identity and identity construction are constantly changing areas of study, especially as they relate to communication studies. Online communication is an increasingly common mode of communication, and social media is one of the fastest growing forms of online communication. In social media, individuals create pages that seemingly represent themselves. This representation contains both initial and ongoing negotiation of identity. This study explores how college students, as an active demographic in social media networking, negotiate and manage their online identities. The theory primarily used to study this mode of communication is Computer-mediated Communication theory, which encompasses other theories including social presence …

E-Ffects On Relationality In Leadership: Looking At The Effects Of The Use Of Social Network Sites On Aspiring Leaders Through The Lens Of Relational Dialectics, Lori M. Throupe

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study will examine the effects of the use of social network sites (SNS), specifically Facebook, on the relationality of aspiring leaders. The use of SNSs has skyrocketed among people all over the world, and particularly within the younger generation. An increasing amount of studies have been undertaken to look at the effects of using such SNSs. Further, as such SNSs take root and reveal substantial influence on relationships and habits within daily life, they seem to be increasingly leveraged by influential people for leadership purposes. As leadership remains one of the most critical topics within our culture, and relationality …

How Communication And Leadership Affect Collaboration In A Partnership: An Exploratory Study, Joseph Carrasco

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Homelessness is a persistent and pervasive issue in the United States. The complexity of the problem has produced federal policies that make collaboration a requirement for homeless advocacy organizations to receive federal funding. In turn, cities, towns, and other entities have created partnerships in order to receive funding as well as combine resources and share information to help reduce if not remedy the homeless problem in their areas. This thesis explores how communication and leadership affect collaboration in a partnership. The study is grounded in the theories of dialogical ethics and transformational leadership to examine two collaborative partnerships serving the …

Surrealism Is Not Dead: A Look At Surrealism In Contemporary Mass Communication Via Analysis Of Modern Popular Films, Joi Deanne Chadwick

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study examined three modern films - Toy Story 3, Alice in Wonderland, and Iron Man 2 - to understand the place of Surrealism in contemporary communication. The thesis began with a review of literature regarding Surrealism's revolutionary propensities and its flow into the mainstream. The review's basis was postmodernist philosophy rooted in Roland Barthes's and Umberto Eco's semiotics and Stuart Hall's cultural studies. This underlying philosophy asserted the complexity and mutability of signs and styles, a media role in acceptance and mutation of signs/styles, and endurance of ideas through cultural shifts. Semiotic analysis was crucial methodology in this study …

The Experiences Of Expatriate Teachers In International Schools: Five Ethnographic Case Studies, James S. Anderson Edd

Dissertations

An increasingly global economy has produced a growing demand for teachers to work in international schools. However, data about teachers who elect to move abroad and work in international settings are limited. The lack of research in this area is surprising, given the relatively large number of expatriate teachers who work in international schools. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how expatriate teachers perceive their experiences in international schools and the role that these perceptions may play in their decisions to continue at a school or to seek other employment. In order to explore …

Critical Theory And Gender Communication Studies In Small Organizations, Ellie Parvin

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis explores gender and organizational communications by utilizing Deetz’s (1982) Critical Theory of Communication. Furthermore, this qualitative study examines how communication practices within a firm (Powder Blue Productions) can distort decision-making, possibly affecting the health of the organizational environment. The thesis expands on Deetz’s theory by addressing two fresh angles: One, this research looks at small organizations; and two, it examines a company that is primarily female staffed (two males only). In addition, the research examines interpersonal communication and its effects on the work culture within an organization. Due to the explorative nature of this study, the research questions …

Self-Talk And Cognitive Strategy: Exploring Relationships Between Self-Talk, Cognitive Strategy, And Factors That Cause Change, Justin Sebens

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Appropriate use of self-talk and cognitive strategy has been shown to improve individual performance on a variety of tasks by increasing confidence, focus, and awareness. Likewise, depending on its use, self-talk and cognitive strategy has also been shown to be detrimental to performance. Little research has been undertaken to explore the relationship between self-talk and cognitive strategy and the factors that precipitate changes between the two. To fill this gap, this study examined long distance runners to determine the factors that cause change in self-talk and cognitive strategy as well as the relationship between the two if change occurs. Additionally, …

New Yoga Studio Encourages Positive Impact On Community Through Communication And Leadership, Shauna Stelzer

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore the ways in which a well-attended Yoga studio can inspire health, wellness and the desire to contribute to one’s community. Members of the community who have been attending Yoga for varying amounts of time were given the opportunity to comment on their experiences and their heightened communication abilities with community members as a result of their attendance in Yoga classes. Additionally, studio owners gave their thoughts and opinions on the businesses in their community, as well as expressed their beliefs and knowledge of transformations that they have witnessed in the community because …

Communication And Leadership: Faculty Perceptions Of The Department Chair, Kathleen Czech Edd

Dissertations

With department chairs providing a critical link between faculty and administration, their leadership impacts universities on a broad level. However, chairs often report dissatisfaction with the position and experience rapid turnover. In an effort to help understand the role that communication plays in effective leadership for department chairs, this study provides an empirical test of Gibb's theory of defensive vs. supportive communication. As such, this project investigated the communication and leadership behaviors of university department chairs as evaluated by their faculty members. Specifically, 202 randomly selected faculty members from colleges and universities affiliated with the Council of Independent Colleges, Washington, …

Telling Our Stories: A Phenomenological Study Of The Leader’S Gendered Experience Of Self-Disclosing, Dee Giffin Flaherty

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Leadership is a personal process that involves creating communities and influencing change through relationships of influence. This research explores one aspect of leadership, that of self-disclosing. The self-disclosure of leaders affects all aspects of leadership. Self-disclosure is personal in that people’s voices are unique and come from their sense of self. The appropriate use of self-disclosure can facilitate increased self-awareness, and greater mental and physical health. Leaders can influence change by the strategic sharing of their disclosures. Communities are built when people can identify with leaders stories and be guided toward a shared vision. The purpose of this study is …

Linking Succession Planning To Employee Training: A Study Of Federal Employees, Douglas E. Fenner Edd

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine whether differences emerged in federal male and female middle managers and supervisors' perceptions concerning organizational career development culture, succession planning components used for linking employee-training activities, reasons for succession planning and barriers impacting succession planning within their organization. Quantitative methodology supported this research study. A test-retest of the eighty-two-statement survey instrument was conducted for reliability among 40 participants (20 male and 20 female). The survey was then administered to 300 federal middle managers and supervisors (150 male and 150 female). Participants' grade level ranged from general schedule (GS) GS-12 to GS-15. Of …

Wresting And Arresting Sense In Academe: The Complicated Discursive Structures Of Female Assistant Professors, Alana M. Nicastro Edd

Dissertations

Women in academe often become entangled in an intricate equation of sensemaking as they work to balance the professional demands of teaching, research, and service, while at the same time learning the political and moral meanings of being a scholar. Structuration theory offers avenues for closely examining communicative strategies women utilize to navigate their roles as assistant professors. Through intensive interviews with seven female assistant professors this research investigates their process of wresting and arresting sense of the complicated roles, rules, and structures in academe. Analysis of interview data reveals the multiple discourses that frame organizational practices that facilitate and …

A Case Study Of Shared Governance At Imperial Valley College, Gregorio A. Ponce Edd

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze and synthesize the perceptions and experiences of individuals and groups responsible for implementing shared governance at Imperial Valley College. Consequently, this investigation sought to establish (a) who was directly involved with the governance process, (b) how the process was operationalized, and (c) the benefits, drawbacks, and unresolved issues for implementing the governance process. The design of this investigation was a qualitative case study. Noting that the use of multiple sources of data collection adds to the reliability and validity of a study, interviews, observations, documents, and the professional literature on governance were …

Communication In Leadership, George C. Ruotolo

Honors Theses

Through my leadership studies I have found that the one common link between virtually all great leaders has been the comprehension and mastery of the art of communication. From those who were powerful and influential orators, to those who lead through the written word, to others who found alternate means such as non-verbal (i.e .. setting examples) methods, each recognized and utilized the process and importance of communication. It was this finding that has lead me to believe that at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies we should teach about communication and its role in the leadership process.

Hence, I …

Talent-Oriented Leadership, The Small Group, And Implications For Organization, Daryl Vander Kooi

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.

A Study Of The Impact Of A Quality Circle On A Public Secondary School In Southern California, Ronald E. Williams Edd

Dissertations

The goal of this research was to establish a quality circle at a Southern California public high school and to determine what effect the quality circle process would have on problem resolution and communication at that specific institution. The circle was composed of eight faculty members who volunteered plus an administrator who served as the facilitator. The circle met weekly for one school year. The objectives of this study were twofold. The first was to utilize the quality circle as a process to identify, analyze, and solve specific school concerns selected by quality circle members. The second objective was to …