Organization Development Commons^™

Complexity, Polycentricity, And Climate Change: An Embedded, Multi-Level Case Study Of A Climate Meta-Network, Timothy Staub

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The earth is in crisis, and without urgent, systemic, and collective global action to address the emerging threat of climate change, we will continue to see catastrophic events impacting humanity, threatening our very survival in many regions of the world. Temperatures will rise, ice shelves will melt, seas will rise, crops will fail, water scarcity from drought and new weather patterns will increase and spread, wildfires will accelerate, and food and water insecurity, violence, and the largest human migration in history will ensue. These climate crises will displace over 1.2 billion people by 2050 at a rate currently exceeding 21.5 …

Psychological Safety And Belonging In High-Risk Search And Rescue Teams: A Mixed-Methods Study, Sarah Seiler

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Wilderness search and rescue (SAR) volunteers and teams are essential for the safety of outdoor adventurers, and yet, organizational culture has not been studied closely within this population. While extensive research is available regarding psychological safety in corporate and healthcare environments, the role of psychological safety in high reliability teams, like wilderness SAR, is limited. Organizational belonging is a burgeoning research area that has yet to be explored in wilderness SAR. This mixed methods phenomenological study increased the understanding of the experience of psychological safety and organizational belonging in wilderness SAR volunteers. Initial quantitative statistical analysis that utilized t-tests, correlation …

Perceived Environmental Uncertainty Levels Of Ncaa Athletic Directors, Tiffany Brutus

Dissertations, 2020-current

This study explores predictors of perceived environmental uncertainty among college athletic directors (ADs) of National Intercollegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member institutions amidst the evolving dynamics of the intercollegiate athletics industry. This research specifically focuses on uncertainty associated with environmental forces outlined in the political, economic, sociocultural, technological, environmental, and legal (PESTEL)model, which captures recent industry disruptions such as Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) legislation, social justice movements, the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in transfer rules, and conference realignments. Using a contingency theory perspective, the central inquiry of this study is how AD individual, departmental, and institutional characteristics relate to ADs' perceptions …

The Leadership Identity Presented On Linkedin, Carl L. Tolbert

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

LinkedIn has evolved in a way similar to other social media platforms but is unique in that it focuses on professional networking and careers. Many professionals seek to showcase their leadership skills and philosophies as part of a publicly showcased online persona. This paper aimed to examine the posts specific to leadership and thematically investigate presentation strategies, motivation, and purposes behind the posts. The paper begins with a historical review from the inception of LinkedIn through pivotal milestones in the history of the company. Key concepts from the literature are then reviewed specific to social media use and motivations behind …

Beyond Technical Skills: The Impact Of Emotional Intelligence On Project Management In Turkey, Dilsa Dogan

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

This study was conducted to examine the effects of emotional intelligence (EI) on project management in Turkey. It analyzed the impact of EI on communication skills and project outcomes. The analysis included project managers, team members, stakeholders, and faculty members from various sectors, reflecting their perspectives on EI.

The results demonstrated that EI plays a significant role in project management in Turkey, positively influencing communication skills and project outcomes. Additionally, the study statistically supported the effects of EI on project success criteria, including scope, time, cost, and quality.

The study emphasized that on-the-job training and mentoring programs are effective methods …

Examining The Impact Of Workplace Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Programs On Marginalized Groups: A Focus On Lgbtqia Employees, Lisa Garcia Rodriguez

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. The research aims to understand the experience of LGBTQIA individuals in the workplace and identify strategies for promoting their inclusion. The study will draw on prior research and best practices for promoting the inclusion of individuals in the workplace to contribute to the development of more inclusive work environments that benefit both employees and organizations. Examining the impact of workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) on marginalized groups, the question to be answered is: What are the impacts of diversity, equity, and inclusion DEI initiatives in the workplace, and how can organizations create more equitable and inclusive environments? …

21st Century Community Learning Centers: Program Evaluation Evidence From Texas, Rosilyn Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Texas afterschool programs strive to enhance academic performance and meet students' needs, yet gaps in program quality persist. This study evaluated 21st Century Community Learning Centers’ performance in reading, math, GPA, attendance, in-school suspension, and engagement, both within these categories and against program goals and demographics. Theoretical frameworks used in this study include the logic model, social justice theory, and cultural relevance theory. This quantitative study utilized a nonexperimental and secondary data research design which utilized five statistical tests: the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, One-Way repeated ANOVA, Spearman Correlation, the Independent Samples t-Test, and the Mann-Whitney U Test. Results showed that …

Unlocking Lean Construction: Decoding The Root Causes Of Initial Implementation Failures, Adam Hoots

All Theses

In recent years, the construction industry has increasingly adopted lean construction methodologies, with the aim of enhancing project efficiencies, eliminating waste, and delivering projects that exceed all project owner expectations. With this as the industry’s focus, many projects struggle with the initial implementation of lean principles, leading to disrespect of people and resources, cost overruns, schedule delays, stakeholder misalignment, and compromised quality. This research investigates the reasons behind initial failures and how they influence the broader industry's perception of lean construction.

Drawing from a comprehensive case study of a higher education dormitory and dining facility project, this research study explores …

Organizational Toxicity: Exploring Factors That Cultivate Toxicity In Air Force Maintenance Organizations And Their Impact On Enlisted Airmen, Bryan Keith Wong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Workplace toxicity negatively impacts organizations and harms employees within those organizations. However, each organization is subject to various influences and contexts, and understanding toxicity within specific contexts provides practitioners with the knowledge of its origin, influential factors, and how to respond. The U.S. Air Force is rich in culture and subcultures; it is also subject to toxicity, which is affected by several military-unique factors. Yet, toxicity in the military has been primarily explored through the leadership lens with limited insights into other influential elements, such as followers and the workplace environment. Additionally, little attention has been placed on the effects …

Organizational Characteristics As Drivers Of Employer Attraction, Naomi L. Akins-Osuma

Dissertations

This research study examined perceptions of attraction to different organizational characteristics based on an individual’s Career Stage in Super’s (1980) life-span model. Using a diverse sample of 230 participants in the U.S. workforce 18 years or older, the study manipulated the opposing Reputation and flexible working arrangement (FWA) conditions of a hypothetical hiring organization in the technology industry. The results indicated that the main effects of Reputation and FWAs on general attraction, intention to pursue, perceived economic citizenship, and perceived ethical citizenship were significant. Although the high levels of Reputation and FWA yielded the highest mean scores among the dependent …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Black Entrepreneur Women’S Personal Development And Its Effect On Their Self-Identity, Mayrion Ann Washington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore Black entrepreneur women’s personal development and its effect on their self-identity. The study specifically aimed to explore personal development, entrepreneurship, and self-identity as they related to and affected Black entrepreneur women, in the United States, and their experiences with oppression, challenges, barriers, intersectionality, and systemic subordination. Historically, Black entrepreneur women have experienced systematic oppression and faced increased challenges that have and continue to negatively affect their entrepreneurial progress and their self-identity. Preliminary findings from the literature found that when Black entrepreneurial women engage in personal development, the results are reflected in …

The Changing Nature Of Work And Its Effects On Employee Well-Being, Lauren O'Connell

Student Publications

The nature of work is constantly evolving, shaped by societal shifts and the absence of a universal standard for organizations. Remote work, initially a temporary solution during the COVID-19 pandemic, has emerged as a lasting norm, with flexible work-from-home (WFH) arrangements becoming a defining feature of the modern workplace. Despite the growing prevalence of WFH, limited research remains on its effects on employee well-being. This paper examines the benefits of WFH, like flexibility and autonomy, alongside challenges, such as longer hours, reduced supervisor support, and weakened employee connections. These trade-offs impact roles that depend on a positive and cohesive team …

An Extremely Important Document: Khea's Struggle For A Contract, 1974-1978, John L.S. Daley Dr

KNEA 50th Anniversary

In 1973, the Kansas State College, Pittsburg administration fired thirteen faculty members without cause. In order to improve administration-faculty relations, remaining faculty organized, petitioned for recognition, and drafted PSU/KNEA's first contract with PSU/KBOR, which went into effect five years later. The narrative covering this period draws on Axe Library's KNEA Collection and interviews of former faculty.

Differences Are Not Deficits: Women Introverting While Black Through The Ascent To Executive Leadership In Higher Education, Jeri A. Bingham

Dissertations

Diversity of personality type in the workplace can lead to improved morale and productivity when organizations acknowledge and support the attributes and differences of employee behaviors and characteristics. Black women executives identifying as introverted who lead with their authentic personas and intersected marginalized identities, benefit employers, employees, students, and the institution’s brand and bottom line. Introversion and extroversion, ways to describe diversity of personality type, and each having different connotations in office culture, are relevant to this exploration as literature suggests that the population of both personality types is almost evenly distributed. The implications of judgement and the association to …

Disrupting Vocational Awe: Strategies For Supervisors To Identify, Counter, And Prevent Unsustainable Workloads And Unreasonable Expectations, Amanda Koziura, Amy Tureen

Library Faculty Research

This chapter provides practical recommendations for supervisors on combating the impacts of vocational awe and its resulting unsustainable workloads and unreasonable workplace expectations. We focus on supervisors because they are generally more empowered to make structural changes to employee responsibilities and job descriptions than are employees themselves. Tis formal authority to adjust work- loads in response to changing external factors renders supervisors key players in reducing organizationally embedded vocational awe and the results thereof.

A Regulatory Focus Theory Perspective On The Dynamics Between Action And Power, Shereen Fatimah, Hun Whee Lee, Lance D.. Ferris, Henry R. Young

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Building on the strong consensus that the experience of power motivates individuals to take action, prior research postulates a positively reinforcing cycle wherein taking action leads to power, which in turn leads to subsequent actions. Applying regulatory focus theory, we differentiate between promotion-oriented and prevention-oriented actions to develop a within-person theory of when and why promotion-oriented and prevention-oriented actions should relate to power, and vice-versa. Across two studies, we find that when employees engaged in promotive voice behaviors, they were more likely to experience a sense of power; this effect was amplified for employees with trait promotion focus. When employees …

My Manager Endorsed My Coworkers’ Voice: Understanding Observers’ Positive And Negative Reactions To Managerial Endorsement Of Coworker Voice., Emily Poulton, Szu-Han Joanna Lin, Shereen Fatimah, Cony Ho, Lance Ferris, Russell Johnson

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Research on managerial voice endorsement has primarily focused on the processes and conditions through which voicers receive their managers’ endorsement. We shift this focus away from the voicers, focusing instead on the dual reactions that endorsement generates for observing employees. Drawing from an approach-avoidance framework, we propose that managerial endorsement of coworker voice could be perceived as a positive and negative stimulus for observers, prompting them to approach opportunities and avoid threats, respectively. Results from a pre-registered experiment and a multi-wave, multi-source field study revealed that managerial endorsement of coworker voice was positively related to observers’ voice instrumentality, thus prompting …

Book Review: Credible: The Power Of Expert Leaders, Carl L. Tolbert

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

Amanda Goodall’s (2023) book Credible: The Power of Expert Leaders argues why expert leaders are needed more now than ever across all organizational domains. Goodall describes the book as a chronicle of the “natural experiment” showcasing failures of nonexperts leading various sized groups and organizations, also citing parallel success by expert leaders (p. 1). The book is divided into eight chapters, starting with the introduction and examining the need for experts, the recruitment and development of experts, and finally, the organizational environment to sustain experts. The introduction begins as a corollary to Nichols’ (2024) work regarding how society no longer …

Remote Work: How Leaders Impact Employee Wellbeing, Russ Carfagno, Jonas Strömbäck, Cheryl Joyner, Gilbert Franco

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

Leaders face many challenges in motivating team members including maintaining remote workers' sense of organizational inclusion. Remote work and flexible working arrangements (FWA) have increased the complexity. Flexible working arrangements (FWA) provide value to employees and may help with work-life balance yet FWA can create employee loneliness and contribute to higher turnover. This quantitative study looked at whether leadership behavior affected remote workers’ loneliness, and the intention to quit. An online survey was conducted through LinkedIn sampling 92 adults who worked remotely at least 20 hours per week in the United States. The study found that the leader-member relationship does …

Employees Speak Up: Engaging Voices From The Human Services Field, Henry J. Davis, Janna C. Heyman, Linda White-Ryan, Dana Marlowe

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

This qualitative study aims to understand the perceptions and experiences of human services professionals working within urban communities with respect to their work experiences, compensation, and work-life balance. Focus groups were used to collect data from direct service staff and executive leadership from diverse agencies. This study examined the words and stories, generating the following overarching themes: (1) dedication to agency model and communities served; (2) compensation and responsibilities; (3) reality of work-life balance; and (4) desire for professional growth and personal growth. The results show that while employees expressed personal fulfillment with their work, the issues of compensation, workload, …

Leadershift Today: Balancing Ego And Altruism, Joan F. Marques

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

This article addresses a behavioral dichotomy that seems to be a prerequisite in proper leadership performance in today’s world, especially in organizational settings that cultivate a culture of wellness and reciprocal progress. While the involved concepts - ego and altruism - are generally familiar human traits, the need for a shift from one to the other once leadership has been attained, has not been discussed as such before. This article therefore aims to evoke within leaders the awareness of the need to shift their mindset, and therefore their behavior, from ego-driven to collective-focused once elevated into a leadership position. The …

Organizational Challenges: The Impact Of Role Clarity On Burnout In A Technology Division, Jessica Arriaza

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Organizations grapple with significant challenges such as burnout, turnover, and low job satisfaction. Studies indicate that emotional exhaustion, influenced by job demands and available resources, significantly impacts job performance positively or negatively. This quantitative study uses secondary data from the Work, Family, and Health Study to investigate the relationship between role clarity and burnout within Tomo, the technology division of a Fortune 500 company in the United States. The findings reveal a significant inverse correlation between role clarity and burnout, with participants reporting "Never" experiencing burnout more likely to have well-defined roles. Supported by chi-square and linear regression analyses, these …

Mitigating Workplace Burnout Through Transformational Leadership And Employee Participation In Recovery Experiences, John Pladdys

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Burnout is a complex organizational phenomenon that diminishes employee well-being and overall organizational productivity. Researchers propose that leadership style contributes to employees’ well-being, which impacts employee productivity. Organizations and leaders must address the causes of burnout and promote techniques employees can use to mitigate burnout, such as employee participation in recovery experiences. Recovery experiences are non-work activities that create positive outlooks and restore the energy needed to focus on one’s work.

This literature review examines current research in employee recovery experiences, conservation of resource theory (COR), burnout, and transformational leadership theory. Studying burnout through the lens of COR shows how …

Embracing Change With Power And Love: Shifting Organizational Paradigms Leveraging Systems Thinking, Brandi R. Muñoz

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

This article delves into the complexities of organizational change, emphasizing the critical roles of power and love in facilitating successful transitions. It distinguishes between the generative and degenerative effects of power and love within organizational contexts and underscores the importance of balancing these elements to foster collaboration, innovation, and sustainable change. Furthermore, the principles of systems thinking are highlighted, advocating for a holistic approach to understanding and analyzing organizational systems. The interconnectedness of system components and the necessity of feedback loops for informed decision-making and strategic planning are examined. Additionally, the article discusses the detrimental impact of overconfidence bias on …

Personal Reflections From A Grassroots Peacebuilding Journey, Mark Clark

New England Journal of Public Policy

This article presents the author’s personal reflections from experiences over the past thirty years, working at the intersection of leadership development, complexity, and conflict: a journey from corporate law, the British Army, and armed conflict, through the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the US-led coalition’s intervention in Iraq, emergency humanitarian response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and violence reduction and post-conflict reconciliation in Papua New Guinea, to a Jordan-based international peacebuilding organization that supports grassroots peacebuilding efforts in fifty-two countries, and finally a return home to Scotland. It is a journey of naïveté, hubris, curiosity, and an …

Leader-Expressed Humility: Development And Validation Of Scales Based On A Comprehensive Conceptualization, Kraivin Chintakananda, James M. Diefendorff, Burak Oc, Michael A. Daniels, Gary J. Greguras, Michael R. Bashshur

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We introduce new leader humility scales capturing a theoretically rich conceptualization of leader-expressed humility aligned with traditional and ethically-grounded philosophies. These scales draw from recent inductive research (Oc et al., 2015) identifying nine dimensions of leader-expressed humility: (1) having an accurate view of self, (2) recognizing follower strengths and achievements, (3) modeling teachability and being correctable, (4) leading by example, (5) showing modesty, (6) working together for the collective good, (7) empathy and approachability, (8) showing mutual respect and fairness, and (9) mentoring and coaching. The first three dimensions overlap with the most prominent conceptualization of leader-expressed humility in the …

A Review Of Leading Global Teams: Translating Multidisciplinary Science To Practice, Taylor Presley

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

The aim of this book review is to explore Jessica Wildman and Richard Griffith’s Leading Global Teams: Translating Multidisciplinary Science to Practice and the unique challenges and strategies for leading diverse, multicultural teams.

The Influence Of Trauma And Tradition In Culinary Conformity And Chef Retention: Is Institutional Isomorphism Forcing Culinary Homogeneity Impacting Chef Retention?, Kevin Ward

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

For chefs, the kitchen is not merely a workplace. It is a complex socio-cultural domain shaped by history, tradition, and societal expectations, where a separate world view is shared, along with the ritual customs, artefacts and practices that define them as a tribe. Indeed chefs have a distinctive transformative power as role models, with the capacity to bestow symbolic meaning to food, the fabric of our memories, societies, and daily practices. The culinary domain, like any other institution, is defined not solely by its creations, but also by its perpetuated lived experiences including traumas, memories or traces, created and preserved …

Unified In Christ, David Morris

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

Statement of the Question/Problem

The United Methodist Church is facing a season of incredible struggle. The modern American United Methodist Church is facing a crisis of Division during this season of disaffiliation and restructuring. Division within church is not a new phenomenon. In fact, it is not new in the Methodist tradition. This repeating cycle of denominational fracture begs the question, “why does division in the church happen, and how can we avoid it in the future?” Currently the United Methodist Church is dividing supposedly over the issue of human sexuality. I would argue these divisions do not solely rely …

Onboarding To Retention: First Year Experiences Of Faculty And Staff Of Color At A Predominantly White Institution, Paige Jones

Dissertations

Proactive onboarding is essential to a long-term retention strategy. Past research has highlighted the challenge of retaining diverse faculty and staff and how an unwelcoming climate affects the decisions of leaving or staying for faculty and staff of color differently than their White coworkers. Using Bauer’s Four Cs framework, this study explores the role of first-year onboarding experiences in the retention of faculty and staff of color at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) in higher education. Purposive sampling was used to select participants, and semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with nine faculty and staff of color at a PWI in Southern …