Organization Development Commons^™

Organizational Planning Practices Under Uncertainty: The Case Of Ngos In Hadhramaut, Yemen, Khulood Taleb Alamodi

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Hadhramaut, Yemen plan and operate under conditions of fragility and uncertainty. Although strategic planning is often presented as a formal and structured process, NGOs in fragile settings face ongoing disruption, unstable funding, and weak institutions. This study asks how planning takes place in practice under these conditions. The study uses qualitative data from 22 semi-structured interviews with NGO leaders, staff, and external actors. A conceptual framework combining contextual fragility, resource dependence, organizational capacity and resilience, and legitimacy and networks was used to examine how these factors shape organizational planning. The findings …

Egypt’S Accession To Brics: Hedging And Strategic Positioning In A Multipolar Order, Daria Konstantinova

Theses and Dissertations

Amid Egypt’s longstanding, multifaceted cooperation with the U.S. and Western institutions, spanning political support, economic partnerships, and IMF/World Bank programs, 2024 BRICS expansion included Egypt as one of the new group’s members. This move might be explained by leadership strategic vision, domestic constraints, and geopolitical global and regional dynamics. This research explains the drivers behind Egypt’s accession to BRICS and the way this decision reflects Egypt’s strategic positioning in a changing global order, using agency-centered approach and the theoretical framework of strategic hedging.

While existing literature on BRICS expansion partially explains the reasons behind the new members’ accession and its …

The Game Within: An Anthropological Approach To Games And Play, Nehal Maged Mohamed

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is based on an eighteen-month ethnography of El Ghawasa, an Egyptian play-based organization that designs educational games, tools, and services. Claiming that El Ghawasa, with its ethos of play, seeks to create an alternative to the capitalist corporate structure. Through tracking how this organization navigates ruptures, negotiates constraints, and experiments with different practices and internal restructuring, I explore the possibilities and limitations of El Ghawasa, while attempting to resist absorption by the very system it opposes. I ask: when the rules keep changing (while the logic of the capitalist corporate structure remains the same), and the boundaries of …

Reflections In Practice, Joshua William Erickson

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio narrative documents my professional development through the Master of Social Work program at the University of Montana. It discusses how I've developed my skills through practicum sites at Youth Villages and the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) at Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) as well as coursework spanning from clinical practice, policy analysis, program evaluation, and community organizing. Using the Five Elements of Advanced Integrated Practice and all ten CSWE competencies as an organizing structure, clinical skills with adolescents, families, and older adults are reflected on. Growth in macro-level practice, program evaluation, and interdisciplinary leadership is …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Black Students In Criminal Justice Programs And Its Implications On Social Justice, Demetrius C. Dacres

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the experiences of Black students who graduated with degrees in criminal justice within the last five years, as well as professors serving criminal justice programs. In this study, Black students are defined as those who identify as Black or African American, and the research focused on a criminal justice higher education institution’s educational program in the Northeast. This qualitative phenomenological study drew on Lent’s Social Cognitive Career Theory and Tinto’s Student Integration Model to investigate how Black students experienced criminal justice programs and the resources and strategies they utilized to navigate and adapt. The study addressed a …

Corporate Social Responsibility And Firm Value: A Critically Appraised Topic, Shinika L. Byrd

Engaged Management ReView

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an important component of strategic management, yet whether it enhances firm value remains a debated question. This Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) synthesizes the most recent peer-reviewed evidence to examine the relationship between CSR and the firm value of U.S. publicly traded companies. The guiding research question is: Does corporate social responsibility improve firm value? Findings indicate that CSR does not consistently improve firm value. Rather, its impact depends on factors such as strategic alignment, governance quality, transparency, stakeholder perceptions, and market conditions. Evidence suggests that strategically integrated, employee-centered CSR initiatives are more likely to …

The Human Side Of Leadership: How Personality Assessments Build Self-Aware, Accountable, And Emotionally Intelligent Public Sector Leaders, Hillary Faulkner

Certified Public Manager® Applied Research

Public sector organizations face a persistent set of leadership challenges, including miscommunication, inconsistent accountability, and reactive decision-making, that are rarely resolved through technical training alone. This study examines how the intentional use of personality assessments can improve self-awareness, emotional intelligence, accountability, and communication among public sector leaders, and how those improvements contribute to more effective and cohesive leadership teams. Using a qualitative case study design, this research draws on Organization Analysis and Design (OAD) personality assessment data and in-depth interviews with two supervisors at a municipal government organization in Henderson, Texas, who participated in a structured six-month personality-based leadership development …

A Poetic Call For And A Reflection And Commentary On Clarity, Understanding, Hope, Courage, And Compassion, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Finding a published poem I had written as a teenager, titled “The Heavens Weep.” this article uses that poem as the basis for a commentary that reflects on the state of the world today (2026),  As a commentary, the article uses the poetic and metaphoric words in the poem as a relevant "reality check" for what is still going on today.  In essence, the commentary is about a call for Clarity, Understanding, Hope, Courage, and Compassion, or what I call Archetypal Energies, Higher Vibrational Energies that operate deep within our individual and collective psyches to creatively urge us to "see" …

The Confluence Of Conflict-Induced Vulnerability, Organized Crime, And Sex Trafficking In Receiving States: A South African Civil Society Perspective, Monique Emser

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The crime-conflict nexus has been well-documented in conflict-affected and post-conflict states. Criminal networks make use of manifold methods and strategies to exploit individual and structural vulnerabilities, particularly those affected by war, displacement, and precarious migration journeys, forming the backbone of most conflict-induced trafficking ecosystems, whether in countries of origin, transit, or receipt. This article examines the intersection of sex trafficking, diaspora communities, and organized crime within South Africa as a receiving state from a civil society perspective. It underscores the deficiencies in traditional, reductionist, enforcement-based approaches to counter-trafficking by the state, where nested subsystems, such as those produced by endemic …

Keeping Communities Safe Through An Alternative First Response Model: Predictors Of Civilian First Responders’ Self-Efficacy In Handling Crisis Situations, Jasmine Desiderio

Organization, Information and Learning Sciences ETDs

The expansion of civilian alternative first responder models reflects a national shift toward community-based approaches to crisis intervention. Grounded in Albert Bandura’s social learning theory, this study examined the extent to which demographic characteristics are associated with crisis self-efficacy, explored how perceptions of the responder role relate to confidence, and identified supports necessary for effective crisis response. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed with civilian first responders in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Quantitative data were collected with the Crisis Self-Efficacy Scale, and semi-structured interviews gathered qualitative data. Exploratory regression analyses (n=31) were not reliably associated with crisis self-efficacy, while role …

Transforming Faculty Development: Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Arts-Based Design, And Communities Of Transformation In Stem Education, Kristen L. Ferris

Organization, Information and Learning Sciences ETDs

This dissertation investigates the relational conditions enabling institutional transformation and diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) within STEM higher education. Despite needs for systemic change, sustaining faculty engagement remains difficult due to entrenched power dynamics, lack of pedagogical training, and political repression. To address these barriers this research introduces Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB) as an analytic lens and functional infrastructure for change.

Through three papers, this study 1) establishes OCB via a systemic literature review as an actionable metric for faculty development; 2) details the design of a cross-institutional Community of Transformation (CoT) as a design case; and 3) Presents …

From Theory To Practice Implementing A Mission, Vision, And Values Statement To Support Change In An Academic Library Liaison Program, Patricia Fiorillo, Kristy Padron

Faculty Scholarship

Academic library liaison programs historically varied in their functions and adapted to their organizational needs and priorities. This case study examines the integration of a mission, vision, and values statement into the liaison program at Florida Atlantic University Libraries. Originating from business and organizational theories, these statements have been adopted by nonprofit organizations, including academic libraries, to guide administrative processes and services. The study highlights a re-visioning of an established liaison program during a period of transition. This fostered a shared understanding of the library’s priorities and documented its goals and objectives. This alignment was particularly crucial as Florida Atlantic …

The Effects Of Functional Coaching On Increasing Functional Play Behaviors In Adults, Abby L. Pattengale

Theses and Dissertations

Play is a critical developmental context for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), supporting cognitive, social, communication, and adaptive skill development. However, many adults, specifically registered behavior technicians (RBTs), demonstrate limited engagement in developmentally appropriate play behaviors, which can restrict the quality of play-based interventions, which are essential for effective treatment. However, little research has examined interventions designed to improve adult play behaviors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of functional coaching on increasing adult functional play behaviors during therapy sessions with children diagnosed with ASD. Two RBTs participated in the study, and two children receiving …

From Metrics To Impact: Exploring Social Dimension Impact Within Employee Lens In Banking Sector, Meiwinda Mariana Sianturi, Marko S. Hermawan

Jurnal Akuntansi dan Keuangan Indonesia

Background: This study explores the integration of the social dimension of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles within the banking sector, using the GRI 400 standards as a guiding framework. Method: Drawing on qualitative data from 18 employees at different levels ranging from outsourcing staff to Group Head level at one of Indonesian private bank. Findings: The findings reveal a clear gap between formal ESG metrics and employees’ real-life experiences. Employee awareness and perceptions differ notably by position, with higher level employees often showing greater responsiveness and a stronger intention to integrate sustainability into their daily work. Conversely, outsourced and …

Work Precarity, Mental Health, And Performance Among Humanitarian Aid Workers In Egypt Post-2025 U.S. Funding Reduction, Mariam Allam

Theses and Dissertations

The humanitarian sector is increasingly characterized by precarious employment conditions and work precarity, including short-term contracts, unclear renewal terms, inadequate compensation, heavy workloads, and job insecurity, exacerbated by volatile donor funding. The 2025 U.S. funding cuts have intensified these vulnerabilities, particularly in countries like Egypt, with massive humanitarian operations because of being a significant destination for asylum applications and one of the largest refugee host countries. Despite the prevalence of precarious work in the humanitarian sector, limited research examines its effects on workers' mental health and work performance, especially during funding crises. This qualitative study explores the perceived effect of …

Adaptive Leadership In Performance-Based Budgeting: Overcoming Implementation Barriers In Texas Municipalities, Tracy Rosalies

Certified Public Manager® Applied Research

This article examines how adaptive leadership shapes the implementation of performance-based budgeting (PBB) in Texas municipalities. PBB has been promoted as a rational reform linking government spending to measurable results. Through qualitative interviews with two Texas city managers, this article explores how trust, education, and ethical stewardship influence whether performance information is interpreted as meaningful guidance or treated as a compliance task. The findings show that leadership behaviors, rather than measurement systems alone, determine the durability of performance reforms. When leaders create conditions for shared understanding and reflective learning, PBB becomes a collaborative framework that supports fiscal discipline, transparency, and …

The Evolution And Impact Of Artificial Intelligence In Municipal Grant Applications And Management, Butch Calvert

Certified Public Manager® Applied Research

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into municipal operations represents a paradigm shift in how local governments approach resource acquisition and management. As municipalities face increasing pressure to secure funding while operating with limited staff and resources, AI technologies offer promising solutions to streamline grant processes, enhance proposal quality, and improve post-award management. This research examines the current landscape of AI applications in municipal grant writing, application preparation, and post-award management, exploring both the transformative potential and the challenges that accompany these technological innovations

Social Innovation In The Peacebuilding Sector, Michelle Helman, Phd, Katherine Ronderos, Mariafernanda Burgos-Ariza

Peace and Conflict Studies

Social innovation is an expanding practice in the peacebuilding sector. In this article, three peace scholar-practitioners reflect on our experiences as peacebuilders and consider the utility, tensions, and possibilities for peace and social innovation in theory and in practice. We draw insights gleaned through a focus group workshop with peacebuilding colleagues and highlight three case study examples from Colombia, the Philippines, and Kenya, each demonstrating the challenges and opportunities of social innovation in the peace sector. In doing so, we offer a reimagining of- and recommended action steps to engage innovation through a collaborative, feminist design approach. This article contributes …

Georgia Southern University Athletics Media And Publicity Collection, Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections

Finding Aids

This collection consists of reference files compiled by Georgia Southern University Athletics documenting university sports from 1988 to 2010. The files include newspaper and press clippings, statistics, game reports, and other published documents related to athletic teams, seasons, and events. Materials document football, men's basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and other non-revenue sports.

Elevating Voices: Exploring The Impacts And Experiences Of Required Workplace Dei Training, Marika Barto

Dissertations

Mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training is a common element institutional DEI initiatives in their response to dismantling racial inequity in government organizations; yet, the lived experiences of racially marginalized participants remain critically underexamined—particularly in government settings, where the bureaucratic structures implementing these trainings are themselves racialized. This research was conducted during one of the most politically hostile environments for DEI work in recent memory. Federal executive actions in 2025, specifically the “Bondi memo,” directed entities subject to federal antidiscrimination laws to cease DEI practices, creating immediate chilling effects that directly impacted this study and reminded us that the …