Public Administration Commons^™

Let’S Talk About Trust: Exploring The Importance Of Communication In Building And Maintaining Public Trust In Local Government, Amanda M. Cantlin

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

In the decades leading up to the 1960s, the majority of citizens trusted the government to do what was right. But as the country advanced toward 1970, this idyllic state transformed suddenly and unexpectedly. The decline of trust that has characterized decades ever since is of concern because there are some troubling consequences of public distrust. These impacts include disobedience, obstinance, disrespect, and selfishness. Some fear that incessant distrust threatens to erode the democratic principles on which this nation is founded. This study considers whether the way in which citizens and local public officials communicate impacts the level of public …

Impact Of Departmental Procedural Fairness On Officer Psychological Well-Being And Engagement In Organizational Citizenship Behaviors, Jennifer Mehnert

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Abstract

The present study investigated the impact of departmental procedural fairness on officers' psychological well-being and engagement in citizenship behaviors. An additional variable considered was the mediating impact of psychological safety on officers' psychological well-being and citizenship behaviors. The findings of this study identify internal operations of police departments as fertile ground for systemic improvements within policing.

The Impact Of Leadership Style On Employee Job Performance In The Embassy Of The Central African Republic In Washington D.C, Xaverie Sandrine Biloa

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Organizations are led by leaders who are expected to lead their employees toward a great performance capable of meeting or exceeding organizational goals. In order to achieve organizational goals, leaders can utilize different leadership styles depending on the situations that they face. Thus, this study aims to show how the three leadership styles: democratic, autocratic, and laissez-faire, can impact or influence the job performance of employees. The study was conducted at the Embassy of the Central African Republic in Washington, D.C. A sample of 10 participants was drawn, and semi-structured interviews were used as a method to collect data. The …

Factors Contributing To The Success Of Rising Latino Leadership In Central California, A Qualitative Inquiry, Yammilette Rodriguez

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This research study is a qualitative inquiry into Latino public servants in Central California. Drawing from the knowledge of 60 Central Valley Latinos, the study provides details of their inside accounts of their public service paths and political journeys. The public servants shared personal stories of successes and barriers from their experiences and lessons learned through in-depth interviews and focus groups. The findings translated into recommendations for potential Latino leaders to seek public life as volunteers or to run for political office. The themes of political ambition and social networks and capital arose with subthemes of policies, gender politics, leadership …

Perceived Transformational Leadership Styles And Job Satisfaction Among Probation Officers, Joann Ruth Mcgee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the field of probation service work evolves, so does the role of the probation officer. The problem addressed in this study is that probation officers are experiencing more complexities related to job satisfaction, however there exists limited amount of research on probation leadership and probation officers overall job satisfaction. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between the level of job satisfaction of probation officers and supervisors' transformational leadership style. Malsow's hierarchy of need theory and Bass and Avolio's full-range leadership model was utilized as the theoretical framework for the research. The …

The Imperatives Of Political Will For Revenue Diversification In Delta State Nigeria, Benson Chukwuweike Ojoko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Proceeds from crude oil export account for about 90% of the revenue of the federal, state, and local governments in Nigeria. Given the vagaries of the international oil market, scholars have advocated the need for the government to look beyond oil for other revenue sources with little or no success to date. Despite the plethora of research on the phenomenon of political will, there is no research on how the construct affects revenue diversification at the subnational level. This study examined how central political will is in the design of expansionary revenue policies in Delta State, Nigeria. Developing an understanding …

Understanding The Leadership Crisis In Africa Using The Case Of Nigeria, Jones Oladehinde Arogbofa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leadership effectiveness is instrumental in the socioeconomic and political development of any society. In Africa, ineffective leadership has resulted in crises of varying degrees, with poor development visible in the society. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand individual lived experiences of leadership crisis in Nigeria, specifically, and its impact on the relationship between the leaders and their followers, in order to extrapolate to the continent. Using transformational leadership theory, the study sought to understand breakdowns in trust networks between leaders and followers, perceptions of leadership accountability, failure of leaders to align their campaign promises with their …

U.S. Military Treatment Facility Reform: Decision-Based Plan Of Action And Milestones, Sean E. Marshall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2017, the U.S. Congress mandated a specific reorganization and centralized approach in military medicine. The Air Force developed a medical reform construct to organize military treatment facilities (MTFs). The leaders of each unit are required to comply with the reorganization using internal resources with no additional funding or personnel. The purpose of this study was to deliver a plan of action and milestones (POAM) suitable for workgroup implementation to achieve the mandated health unit integration at a medium-sized MTF. The practice-focused question asked how a POAM road map guides effective decision-making. A consultancy approach was used to assist leadership …

Impact Of Leadership Style On Moral Conduct In The Ghana Air Force, Kwabena Krampah Antwi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The conduct of personnel in the military is important in maintaining professionalism. The traditional hierarchical level of interactions in the military environment imposes on commanders a critical role to balance their authority in shaping the attitudes of subordinates to achieve objectives. This study was conducted to address the lack of awareness of how commanders’ leadership styles influence the moral conduct of personnel in the Ghana Air Force. The theoretical framework for this study was Bass and Avolio’s full range leadership model. The research question focused on subordinates’ perceptions of operational commanders’ leadership on subordinates’ moral conduct. This non-experimental correlational design …

Public Trust And Citizen Engagement As Tools Of Democrcay For Good Governance In Nigeria, Olukayode Gilbert Ojo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSince Nigeria gained independence in 1960, political leaders' and elected officials' behavior and actions have contributed to a decline in public trust and people's engagement with the democratic system. It is currently unknown whether the concepts of public trust and citizen engagement can be democratic tools for good governance in Nigeria, with its diverse religions, ethnicities, and cultural values. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the Yoruba people’s perceptions of the barriers to and facilitators of public trust and citizen engagement in the Nigerian democratic system. The theoretical framework was polarities of democracy theory, espoused by …

Narrative Inquiry Into Postsecondary Transition Outcomes For Young Adults With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, Eric Sarrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) continue to struggle with community engagement despite decades of research and policy initiatives addressing postsecondary transition. Evidence shows that persons with IDD are engaging in employment, postsecondary education, independent living, socialization, and other roles at significantly diminished rates, yet little data exists describing this participation in the voices of those affected. The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to describe community integration of persons with IDD in the decade following postsecondary transition in their own words. Critical disability theory was used as a lens to explore the successes and failures of public …

The Role Of Nonprofit Organizations Serving Vulnerable Populations During Disasters, Joy Dvornicich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disasters can strike any population, but research has shown that poor, disabled, medically underserved people and children are more adversely affected than the general population. This qualitative descriptive case study aimed to understand better nonprofit organizations' (NPO) impact on vulnerable populations during disasters. Data was collected through semistructured interviews with representatives of NPOs from a southeastern city in Pennsylvania whose clients are vulnerable populations. This qualitative case study was based on Weisbrod’s theory of government failure. The 4Cs of communicate, collaborate, coordinate, and cooperate were investigated through semistructured interviews and a review of secondary data. The research questions were designed …

A Female Perspective On Overcoming Barriers To Become A City Manager In Californian Municipalities, Jessica M. Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are significant implications related to understanding perceived barriers experienced by women in local government. The purpose of this study was to identify career barriers of women executives in municipal administrations based on their own experiences. Approached using the situational leadership theory and role congruity theory and the narrative research design along with thematic analysis, this study was comprised of one-on-one interviews with nine female city managers currently working in Californian municipal administrations. Five themes (early influences, home life, work life, leadership experiences and development of others) were not only present within each of the participants’ experiences, but also represent …

The Effects Of Federal Funding Reductions On Emergency Shelters In Urban U.S. Sanctuary Cities., Venice Hylton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWhen the U.S. federal government reduces funding to urban sanctuary cities because of those cities’ refusal to cooperate with federal law enforcement agents this affects the services offered by the municipalities to their residents. The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of the effects that withdrawal of federal funds from urban sanctuary cities have on people experiencing homelessness. The social exchange theory provided the theoretical foundation for the study, which featured a qualitative exploratory case study design and involved interviews with four shelter administrators in three mid-Atlantic states. The participants described (a) the effects of reduced …

A Process Evaluation Of Intelligence Gathering Using Social Media For Emergency Management Organizations In California, Alan Barner

Master's Projects

When responding to an emergency, correct and timely information is often the difference between a successful response and a potential disaster. The information that emergency managers in California receive from the public often dictates how agencies respond to emergencies. The emergence of social media has presented several benefits to emergency managers regarding intelligence gathering during the emergency response process. Simultaneously, the emergence of social media has raised several concerns for the stakeholders involved. One major issue involves inaccurate information circulating on social media platforms during ongoing disasters. If emergency managers cannot discern incorrect information from correct information, disaster response may …

Racial Equity, Diversity, And Inclusion Workplace Competencies At A Washington State Agency, Yolanda Denise Geolingo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative project provided a content analysis of secondary data to develop and implement racial equity, diversity, and inclusion workplace competencies for a White-led Washington State government organization. This organization sought to work towards racial equity at its center, based on Governor Jay Inslee's mandate. Consequently, leaders have redesigned systems and cultures using a racial equity lens to understand the concept better. Understanding racism helps to bridge a gap in the literature on how personal and professional beliefs play a significant role in institutional racism and its operation within their organization. The critical race theory informed leaders on how policy, …

Designing A Standardized Workflow For Improved Contract Administration In Non-Profit Organizations, Shaneva D. Mcreynolds

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored a process that can help nonprofit organizations design and implement a new contract management system with a standardized workflow associated with administering their government contracts. The problem directly resulted in a decrease in efficiency and profitability for the organization. A mixed method study was conducted based on the business process reengineering (BPR) model. Previous studies have indicated that additional knowledge and development is required in the area of BPR implementation. Critical sources of evidence in the study included the partner organization’s stakeholders, its staff, including those of its subsidiaries, and peer-reviewed literature. Qualitative interviews with 10 participants …

The Impact Of Food Justice Advocates In Creating And Influencing Public Policy, Michael Joseph Chadukiewicz

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This case study explored the impact that food justice advocates had on creating and implementing public policy to provide access to adequate, healthy, and culturally appropriate food for the residents of New Haven, Connecticut. The problem the case study explored is in 2020 food insecurity affected 22% of the residents of New Haven, more than twice the national average. This qualitative case study used grounded theory to analyze the experiences of 31 food justice advocates that were members of a coalition of researchers, food service providers, non-profit agencies, grassroot organizations, and residents tasked with improving the city’s emergency food system. …

Exploring The Predictors Of And The Relationship Between Evidence Cultures And Flood Risk Management Performance, Jenna Tyler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Over the past two decades, public organizations have been encouraged and, at times, required to incorporate evidence in their decision-making processes. Evidence broadly refers to data and or knowledge that is gathered, analyzed, and used to generate a conclusion. Despite arguments and the intrinsic assumption that using evidence to inform decisions will improve organizational performance, there is limited empirical research to support this assertion. The proposed study addresses this gap in research and others in the context of local flood risk management. Specifically, using primary data gathered from local floodplain managers and secondary data from the US Census and the …

Coastal Housing Recovery In A Postdisaster Environment: A Supply Chain Perspective, Rafael Diaz, Joshua Behr, Beatriz Acerp

VMASC Publications

In coastal cities, the damage stemming from hurricanes and severe tropical storms may reduce housing stock. Accelerating the reconstruction of housing stock becomes crucial in minimizing the time that residents are displaced. It is critical to understand how to better coordinate all available resources for an effective and balanced reconstruction where nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), government agencies, volunteers, and many other complex resources converge. This study combines Monte Carlo and beta models to assess supply, costs, and recovery times. The models capture the immediate and long-term costs of reconstruction activities under highly uncertain conditions using embedded stochastic components on projected materials, …