Leadership Studies Commons^™

The Relationship Of Servant Leadership Attributes To Sales Performance Of Salespersons In The Healthcare Industry In 2011, William R. Auxier

Dissertations

Problem. Servant leadership scholars have claimed that servant-led business organizations are more financially viable, but these claims are based on anecdotal evidence. This quantitative study examines the relationship of servant leadership to revenue generation in business organizations by analyzing the predictability of servant leadership attributes on sales performance. This was accomplished by studying salespersons in the healthcare industry.

Method. One hundred ninety-four study participants completed questionnaires providing quantitative measurements of the seven factors of servant leadership: (a) developing and empowering others, (b) humility, (c) authentic leadership, (d) open participatory leadership, (e) inspiring leadership, (f) visionary leadership, and (g) courageous leadership, …

Staying Hungry, Staying Foolish: Academic Reflections On The Life And Career Of Steve Jobs, Amy E. Hurley-Hanson, Cristina M. Giannantonio

Business Faculty Articles and Research

The 2011 death of Steve Jobs, Apple CEO and cofounder, generated a flood of articles in the popular press acknowledging his influence on the design and delivery of consumer products that changed the way multiple generations work and play. As one of the most visible, yet controversial CEOs in recent history, stories of his management style are likely to fuel a debate over his leadership effectiveness. It is expected that scholarly and academic articles will emerge in the next few years detailing the business lessons that can be learned from the way that Jobs ran Apple Computer, NeXT, Pixar, and …

Leadership Development For Pro-Environmental Behavior Utilizing Peer To Peer Communication And Learning: An Academic Pilot Project, Mark Wayne Carrera Ma

All Student Scholarship

There is a cultural perception that the onus of responsibility for shark conservation falls on the shoulders of environmental and scientific communities’ leaders. Given the diminutive size of these two communities when compared to the vastness of American society, responsibilities should be shared by leaders of educational organizations who can communicate with greater populations. The general public must be encouraged to act pro-environmentally for effective shark conservation to ever take place in the world.

Paralinguistic Cues And Their Effect On Leader Credibility, Monte Brian Reid

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Paralinguistic cues are powerful non-verbal communication elements that have the ability to make even good news sound horrible or bad news more palatable. Drawing upon the hermeneutical phenomenology communication theory of Dilthey (1961) and Shannon’s (1949) communication channel model, this thesis targeted the six primary paralinguistic cues of fluidity, articulation, sonority, tempo, emotion, and dynamic intensity to discover how these cues interact and affect the credibility and palatability of a leader’s message. To facilitate remembrance of these cues, the acronym F.A.S.T.E.D. was coined and used. Three different groups consisting of managers, non-managers, and media and public relations professionals were surveyed …

Empathy During Times Of Crisis And Corporate Reputation, Ann T. Gallagher

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

How an organization responds to victims is central to crisis communication management and protecting organizational reputation. While there is significant literature about best practices for crisis response, one area which has not been explored is the relationship of empathic communication and corporate reputation during times of conflict. This study examined this relationship through a study of the British Petroleum Gulf Oil crisis of 2010. The qualitative study used focus groups with working professionals and personal interviews with communication experts. The research is grounded in Coombs’ (1998) Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT), and Benoit’s (1977) image restoration theory, which is used …

The Effectiveness Of Social Media In Advancing Transformational Change, Kenneth Wesley Dey

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The goal of this study is to determine the effectiveness of social media in advancing transformational change. Successfully implementing transformational change in an organization is heavily dependent on the support of key stakeholders. But engaging those stakeholders requires effective communication. Transformational efforts often fail because of the lack of credible communication or a failure to define a vision that can be easily communicated (Kotter, 2007). Researchers say that the key to successful transformational change is embracing a communication based in the realm of conversation where there is genuine two-way dialogue that is focused on listening and probing for more information …

Technology Use In A Virtual World To Build Organizational Culture And Identity, Tim Carroll

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Organizations are embracing agile work environments for their employees more and more every day. This thesis explores the ability to create and maintain organizational culture in a virtual world through technology use. As more of these organizations move to a virtual workplace it is becoming more imperative to find ways to connect these virtual employees together as peers and to the organization as a whole. This communication audit is formed using the cultural approach to organizational theory, by Geertz and Pacanowsky, and uses surveys as well as interviews to assess how effectively organizational culture is expressed and maintained through the …

Sororities, Interpersonal Relationships, And A Dialogical Perspective, Jessica Lynn Fresques

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study focuses on interpersonal relationships and skills gained through sorority membership. The purpose of this research sought to develop the understanding of potential developmental outcomes, in which a sorority can provide to its members. Research methods used: online surveys and follow-up interviews. The dialogical perspective by Martin Buber helped develop an understanding of the I-thou relationship, whereas, each person within conversation is fully valued for what they have to say. In general, sororities are known as social organizations and the use of dialogue is important when communing or working with others. Alumnae who participated provided enough feedback to determine …

The Intrapersonal Phenomenon: The Interactional Effects Of Intrapersonal Adjustments In The Organizational Change Of A Small Business, Jennifer Wilkes

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

It is inevitable that change involves varying levels of communication. A relationship may consist of an individual's communication with one's self or with one or more persons. The functionality of a relationship depends on the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the communication of those individuals involved. When change is necessary in any form of organization, the level of communication for each member plays a vital role, especially in a small company. Based on literature and theory, intrapersonal development and influence relies on the structure of one's cultural language. Language structure shapes one's inner speech and self-talk through processes of internalization. The …

The Effectiveness Of The United States Air Force Developmental Teams, Jason Michael Newcomer

Aeronautics

The Results-Based Leadership Group surveyed 470 companies and discovered that the top 25companies with effective leadership practices dedicated twice as much effort to leadership development as did other companies, indicating a strong relationship between success and leadership development. The problem explored in the current study was the lack of qualitative analyses of the U.S. Air Force Development Team processes. The purpose of the case study was to survey Development Teams at the U.S. Air Force in Washington, DC to explore how effectively the teams’ processes resulted in identification, selection, and/or development of leaders who meet strategic needs of the service. …

Melungeon Portraits: Lived Experience And Identity, Tamara L. Stachowicz

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The desire to claim an ethnicity may be in response to an institutional and systemic political movement towards multiculturalism where ethnic difference is something to be recognized and celebrated (Jimenez, 2010; Tatum, 1997). Those who were a member of a dominant or advantaged group took that element of their identity for granted (Tatum, 1997). Identity work has included reflections and congruence between how individuals see themselves and how they perceive others to see them, including Optimal Distinctiveness Theory where one determines the optimal amount of individual distinctiveness needed to feel a healthy group and personal identity (Brewer, 2012). When most …

Emerging Forms Of Awareness About Forgiveness: An Analysis Of What High Profile Leaders Think, Stephen Bauman

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Over the last several decades forgiveness research has exploded across a wide array of scholarly disciplines from psychology and sociology to political theory, medicine and the arts, but it has not yet captured the full attention of researchers concerned specifically with leadership. This situation is further complicated by the lack of an agreed-upon definition/understanding of forgiveness both within and across disciplines. This study explores what high profile leaders think about forgiveness and begins to fill the gap in leadership studies concerning the meanings and applications of forgiveness among leaders. Data was gathered through responsive interviewing of 13 high profile leaders …

Financial Services Innovation: Opportunities For Transformation Through Facial Recognition And Digital Wallet Patents, Debora S. Bartoo

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Bringing innovation to the marketplace for new products and services involves creativity, a culture in which change flourishes, and leadership that thrives on transformation and complexity. This study explored the potential for market disruption or change based on innovations involving patents granted to nonfinancial services organizations that could affect financial services, specifically consumer or retail bank products. It involved analyzing documents related to recently granted patents and completing a mixed methods survey integrating the Delphi research technique. This method required multiple iterations of a survey presented to expert panelists or industry thought leaders to attempt to gain consensus ("Consensus", 2011) …

Museums As Sites Of "Being In Conversation": A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Randy C. Roberts

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In times of great change, institutions must be able to adapt while not losing their essence, those qualities that are central, enduring, and distinctive. While it is understood and acknowledged that museums must change their approach to be relevant and sustainable in a world in which there have been monumental shifts in the ways that people communicate, access information, and experience connection, the essential qualities of museums are not well-defined or agreed upon. More than a decade into the new century and in spite of much discussion, contemplation, and experimentation, the 21st century museum model remains unsettled. To explore the …

Applying A Leadership Framework To Historically Black Colleges And Universities (Hbcus) Post Fordice, Armenta Hinton

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have a list of outstanding accomplishments that span over a century; however, this segment of higher education continues to be underfunded and remains in a position of justifying its existence in a postracial America. The issues facing HBCUs are significant. Race-based legislation has created a dual system of American higher education that adversely affects these minority serving institutions, impacting the quality of education they dispense and producing potentially negative effects on vulnerable and under-served collegians. Supreme Court Justice Thomas’s opinion in the U.S. v. Fordice (1992) case opposed the creation of HBCUs as “enclaves …

Measuring Normlessness In The Workplace: A Study Of Organizational Anomie In The Academic Setting, Tayo Glenn Switzer

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The dissertation explores leadership and change by examining normlessness in the workplace through a multi-layered study of anomie theory, anomie research in the workplace, and organizational and business management theory. The research validates a quantitative survey designed to measure the level of normlessness experienced by workgroups within an organizational context. The survey reflects a set of six normative aspects that when disrupted produce organizational anomie—a state of normlessness that leads to an increase in worker resistance and a reduction in worker consent. The audience studied in this dissertation is associate professors at a large Midwestern research university. Data were gathered …

Exploring Tribal College And University (Tcu) Faculty Collegiality, Nora Antoine

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation study explores Tribal College and University (TCU) faculty collegiality utilizing qualitative and indigenous research methodology approaches. Since collegiality is a multidimensional construct, a Rolling Survey process was developed to provide a vehicle for discussion. Within focus group settings, TCU faculty participants created a composite about their relationships, communications, and professional development. Dialogue affirmed important professional relationships and explored issues that contribute or detract from TCU faculty work experiences. The results of this study further suggest wider applications for leadership and businesses in general, affirming the importance of and the need to support professional working relationships. The electronic version …

The Virtue Of Profit (California), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

This particular version of the "Virtue of Profit" speech was prepared by Pollard for a meeting with a Chinese business associate. In it he contends that profit can be considered virtuous when it allows servant leaders to invest in employees, thereby contributing to the moral and spiritual formation of human beings.

Encouraging The Heart, Sherry L. Early Phd, David Sleasman

Leadership Studies Faculty Research

Bowling Green State University’s Center for Leadership hosts workshops throughout the year for skill enhancement, reflection, and overall leadership efficacy. The student interaction we would like to share was as co-facilitators for a workshop based on Kouzes and Posner’s “Encouraging the Heart” principle from The Leadership Challenge.

Leadership And Corporate Governance: Challenges For Bank Regulators, Lucy Surhyel Newman

Economic and Financial Review

Given likely challenges to obtaining legislative approvals on acceptable behaviour as foundational to good corporate governance practices, this paper recognizes the attendant challenges for bank regulators and recommends measures that Nigerian bank regulators can explore in enhancing their effectiveness in advocating for and where necessary, enforcing good corporate governance practices, based on universally defined pillars and elements of corporate governance.

Examination Of Employee Work-Life Balance Within Healthy Organizational Cultures, Cari Ann Lyle

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study examined the work-life balance of employees within the U.S. communications industry, specifically focusing on how employees can build collaborative relationships with their colleagues while maintaining active lifestyles outside the office. The effects of a healthy work-life balance on organizational culture has become a popular topic in American organizations during the past decade, and this research used focus groups and interviews to help determine how leaders can encourage employees to prioritize their professional and personal obligations. Study participants were asked questions developed around Edgar Schein’s organizational culture research, Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and communication theories about balance and …

Leading Higher Education Organizations: The Role Of Humor, Peggy E. Collins

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The role of humor in life is an important one. Though important, few people can explain humor, and can only describe instances of humor. This qualitative study was based on three common communication theories relative to humor: incongruity, relief, and superiority. Senior academic leaders discussed their particular use of humor and their leadership styles through semi-structured interviews. Examination of humor theories and leadership styles revealed a mix of leadership styles (transformational and transactional), and a blending of humor styles, with an emphasis on self-deprecating humor. Humor is a potentially critical communication skill, and a leadership skill. It is also likely …

2012 Applied Projects Evaluation Interim Report, Caster Family Center For Nonprofit And Philanthropic Research, University Of San Diego

USD Evaluation of Applied Learning Model in Nonprofit Leadership and Management Master's Program

In order to assess the value of applied projects completed by NPLM students for client nonprofit organizations, evaluation surveys are sent biannually. The statistics below demonstrate key findings from 69 responses to surveys administered during both the spring and fall of 2011 and 2012. The quotations included here are from the most recent survey conducted in the fall of 2012.

Values-Based Ethical Leadership: Developing Leaders With Integrity, Sherry L. Early Phd, Kim Kushner

Leadership Studies Faculty Research

Values-based leadership and ethical decision-making are hot topics. However, the expectations and frameworks surrounding these characteristics are often unclear. The purpose of this article is to analyze values-based, ethical leadership by defining values and ethics, summarizing values-based ethical decision-making frameworks, and examining how leadership educators (scholars and practitioners) can develop students who lead with integrity.

The Ecology Of Vocation, Terri L. Elton

Faculty Publications

Those who care about the future of the church have a vested interest in both the quantity and the quality of candidates preparing for ministry in this generation and into the next. And it is easy to see those pastors as the product of a series of independent and individualized decisions. A college student, for example, meets with her pastor to discuss her future. Or an engineer sits at the kitchen table with his wife asking if they have the money for him to quit his job and head off to seminary. The future of ministry does indeed depend on …

Entrepreneurship, Professionalism, Leadership: A Framework And Measure For Understanding Boundaryless Careers, Kim-Yin Chan, Moon-Ho R. Ho, Oleksandr S. Chernyshenko, Olwen Bedford, Marilyn A. Uy, David M. Gomulya, Y. L. Sam, Wei Ming J. Phan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We propose a person-centered framework for conceptualizing subjective careers in an increasingly boundaryless work context. Specifically, we argue that entrepreneurship, professionalism, and leadership (EPL) can serve as three key dimensions of subjective career space. We relate this framework to earlier macro-level national and organizational career models proposed by Kanter (1989) and Schein (1978). Our empirical study involving 10,326 Singaporean university students demonstrated that entrepreneurial, professional, and leadership career aspirations (including motivations, efficacies, and intentions) can be measured independently, that these career dimensions are independent of vocational interests, and that they are to some degree viewed as competing career alternatives. We …

Examples Of Calling And Work, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Originally entitled "Business as a Calling," this document serves as the outline for a speech Pollard delivered at the 2012 Emerging Leaders Conference in Philadelphia.

Modeling The Way: Mutually Beneficial Outcomes Of Collaboration, Sherry L. Early Phd, Michael Baumhardt

Leadership Studies Faculty Research

Collaboration is a term often identified as essential, but far less frequently practiced. As leadership practitioners and scholars, the act of collaborating with colleagues by way of sharing best practices, resources, and knowledge is a must.

Specific Communication Choices Of A Transformational Leader That Followers Perceive As Necessary For Effective Leadership, Karen Creasy

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The basis of this research is to examine the transformational leader in regards to the way he or she communicates. The study will pursue a unique angle on this topic and examine leadership communication choices from the viewpoint of the follower. The rationale behind this focus is that the follower has insight into the effectiveness of the leader’s communication choices by process of affiliation. The thesis goal therefore, is to answer what the specific communication choices are of a transformational leader that followers perceive as necessary for effective leadership. This paper provides an overview of research and three theories that …

Beyond Leadership, Kees Rietsema, Daryl Watkins

Publications

Organizational leadership must evolve beyond a focus on those occupying the positions of organizational leadership. Complex systems provide the opportunity to rethink the leadership function in terms which are holistic and comprehensive. Applying the principles of complexity may provide the basis for a more collaborative, distributed and productive “way of being” for today’s organizations.