Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Educational leadership|Management|Business education'

The workplace is in a transition with age demographics (Mann, 2006). The baby boomers, once a large and dominating force in the workplace are now in their initial years of a decade?s move into retirement. And with such a large demographic change, there is a vacuum that is created and then filled. Many industry analysts have deemed this transition as the "Great shift change." In the workplace, vacancies are being created en mass at the managerial and executive levels. Due to the recession of 2008-2012, the baby boomers remained in the marketplace for an extended period of time, some say to rebound with their depleted retirements. As the economy made its way back to normalcy, an intersection of market forces hit. This collision of market forces is the emergence of an economy out of recession and an age demographic beginning an advanced pace of retirements that analysts say will last up to 20 years. Due to a high turnover of the baby boomer generation with the Millennial generation in the market, succession planning is key to maintain productivity and smooth the transition in demographics while providing services to increasing student populations. This dissertation will utilize case studies to analyze this market event and see how private higher education institutions located in Los Angeles, California are handling succession planning in an aggressive employment demographic change.

This study investigated the impact of cocurricular activities on leadership development. College graduates recognized as community leaders were selected from three communities in Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Through survey and interview techniques, the leaders were asked to reflect on high school and college experiences that led to their development as leaders. The study included a focus on differences in experiences of male and female leaders. Developmental influences such as family, mentors, global experience, and the cocurricular activities engaged in during high school and college were explored. Title IX had no impact on increased opportunities for women in this group of participants, as only two female participants were in college in 1972. Results of the study include the importance of mentors, the strength of high school teachers and cocurricular activities, and the weak influence of college cocurricular activities. High school activities most frequently reported to have influenced leadership development include student government, group music experiences, athletics, and church youth groups. College activities with the most impact include resident hall living and internships. Gender differences in experiences include women's lack of identified community mentors and the importance of a college internship experience for women. Opportunities for men's participation in sports in high school and college as well as their descriptions of community mentors provided different learning experiences for men. Recommendations include a call to higher education to develop a more comprehensive and integrated approach to leadership education. Teaching mentoring skills to future K-12 education professionals as well as college faculty and administrators is recommended to higher education. Student Affairs preparation programs have a role to play in training future professionals how to plan meaningful leadership learning opportunities for students on campus and through distance education. Applying the best practices in experiential education will move college cocurricular activities to a higher level in achieving student learning outcomes. Accreditation bodies are also called to include such criteria in the evaluation of leadership education programs. The community leaders in this study offered leadership development advice to college students including becoming lifelong experiential learners, giving back to community, and preparing broadly for the future.

Advocacy and leadership style are essential concepts in education. This qualitative case study was undertaken to demonstrate how Robert K. Greenleaf’s servant-leadership framework could be a useful framework to adopt by educational leaders and child advocates. Servant-leadership identifies the needs of others as a primary goal of leadership. The study contributes to understanding the value of exemplary servant-leadership and advocacy in public education as demonstrated by David Lawrence Jr. The researcher addressed questions regarding how Lawrence embodies servant-leadership traits and explored how a servant-leader has been positively influencing early childhood public educational policy in Florida to benefit all children. There were 16 interviews conducted with individuals from four interest groups in Florida: business leaders, political leaders, local South Florida leaders and educational leaders. In addition, data were gathered by observing and interviewing Lawrence. His speeches and other archival documents were also analyzed. The findings illustrated the ten traits of the servant-leadership framework and identified five additional traits modeled by Lawrence that have contributed to his influence on public educational policy. A paradigm shift from authoritarian leadership to an authentic servant-leadership style that advocates for young children and promotes the importance of early childhood educational policy. The dichotomy examined throughout this research focused on servant-leadership and advocacy that is instrumental to make a difference in education as an educational leader navigates through political agendas. Lawrence leads a “Children’s Movement” in Florida that includes an ongoing bi-partisan individuals movement that has changed early childhood education in Florida. The findings of this investigation validate that servant-leadership framework could influence the transformation of public education.

The government of Yemen has been developing government offered services designed to improve the quality of education management. Yemen's managers of education and managers of higher education in the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) have sought to improve quality of education, reduce costs, and provide timely information for decision-making processes by implementing an integrated management information system (IMIS). The problem was the lack of understanding the barriers that hinder successful IMIS implementation by the MOE and MOHE, and the role that lack of collaboration has played in prior unsuccessful attempts. The purpose of this case study was to identify barriers and success factors related to previous attempts to implement an IMIS in Yemen's MOE and MOHE. Diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory and the technology acceptance model (TAM) provided the conceptual framework. A purposeful sampling was used to select participants for semistructured interviews. The interviews were conducted with 3 ministry personnel, 8 managers, and 4 administrators from various governorates who are currently working or have worked in the Yemen MOE or MOHE. Open coding was used to identify themes and patterns. Themes were related to insufficient human and material resources, lack of understanding and acceptance of IMIS, inadequate IMIS education and training, incompetent program managers, and fear of change. These findings may contribute to positive social change by improving the management of education, thereby the overall quality of education in Yemen. Improving management in education could increase the quality of life by contributing to increase of prosperity through a better-educated society, an active citizenry, and a reduction in the level of societal violence.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1999.
Title from title page screen, viewed July 24, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Paul J. Baker (chair), Dianne E. Ashby, Donald S. Kachur, Patricia H. Klass. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 276-280) and abstract. Also available in print.

The educational problem addressed in this study was the lack of empirical research of the effects of how principal leadership characteristics and style influence the culture of multicultural schools. This qualitative case study identified and explored the leadership strategies used by a reputedly successful principal of a multicultural school. A successful principal was the case being studied. The conceptual framework was anchored in Burns' transformational leadership theory. Three research questions focused on the principal's leadership characteristics, the participants' perceptions of how the principal applied the leadership style, and the influence of the principal's leadership style on school culture. A principal, an assistant principal, and 8 lead teachers knowledgeable of the principal's leadership style participated in semistructured interviews. School climate surveys were examined to enhance understanding of school climate under the principal's leadership. Data analysis strategies included transcribing interview data, thematic development, and data triangulation. Results showed that the principal's abilities to share decision-making and communicate the school's vision were important skills. The principal had profound influence on school culture and also shaped how teachers created a safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment sensitive to multicultural students. A central recommendation of the study is that principals in similar settings should build trust and collaboration to create inviting and equitable learning environments for diverse students and their families. This study contributes to positive social change by providing insight that may help current and emerging principals in similar situations lead school personnel in ways that contribute to positive and productive learning environments that ultimately provide increased awareness of diversity and ensure student success.

Communication is a key aspect of organizational success and along with technological improvements and increase in use of digital tools, it is becoming more important to understand how to undertake the change process known as digitalization. This paper researches the digitalization performed within a higher education institute in order to cope with Covid-19 and how communication was performed at different levels within the hierarchy. The aim is to identify how communication during change differs across the hierarchy and especially how this ties together with change management, role/position, and leadership. Furthermore, this will be compared against existing research and literature on communication to see whether there exist contradictions or contrasts which may be identifiable using i.e. position. The research question developed for this is: How do managers at different levels in the hierarchy of a higher education institute communicate with their staff during an externally forced digitalization? The findings show that, in practice, there are clear differences between the way managers at different levels in this institute communicate during the change process. This includes aspects such as the clearly reduced communication resulting from the more limited timeframe lower levels of management get prior to the implementation of change. It also includes certain speculative differences based on the information presented during interviews, although it is presented as speculative as the information may not present the full story. While these differences can be important to note in terms of their practical influence, it is also interesting from a theoretical perspective as new theories will need to be developed: It is also relevant for the societal aspect as e.g. differences between upper and lower managers, especially during challenging times such as digitalization, can lead to needless stress and friction if they are not understood.

Between 2011 and 2016, 84% of senior leaders in community colleges indicated retirement intentions and thereby exposed a need to provide better mentorship, training, and early selection of potential replacements for college executives. The purpose of this study was to determine the nature and extent of the relationships between the independent variables (mentorship, leadership training, and time in the position as dean) and the dependent variable (demonstrated leadership of academic deans in community colleges). A popular approach that describes this dynamic is Graen and Uhl-Bien's leader–member exchange theory, which was operationalized by the LMX–7 instrument. A causal–comparative design was used to assess the effects of deans' time in the position, previous mentorship, and leadership training on their LMX scores. I sent the LMX–7 to academic deans and faculty members at 1,641 of the 1,655 community colleges in the United States. Responses were received from 45 academic deans and 508 faculty members. A linear regression showed no significant correlations between the deans' leadership training, mentorship, or time in the position as academic dean and the LMX–7 score reported by their faculty. On the other hand, the findings showed that LMX scores generally were lower than was expected and suggested that gender equality may be an issue during the selection process for deans. These findings may lead to a better understanding of leadership at the community college level, the potential for beneficial research into gender inequality during dean selection, and a deeper understanding of the effect that previous leadership training, mentorship, and time as a dean have on the dean's relationship with faculty.

This study assessed discrepancies between residential employees' work values and program directors' perceptions of the residential employees' work values. Additionally, work values of residential employees were analyzed to identify variations when considering gender, age, educational level, length of service, job classification, and current position. The study was undertaken to assist in developing a clearer understanding of the work values of residential employees for the purpose of enhancing administrator-associate relationships and to determine factors in the work setting that might contribute to longevity and more productive, satisfied, motivated employees. Data for the study were gathered from 172 program directors and residential employees in the First Tennessee District by the use of Donald Super's (1970) Work Values Inventory and Demographic Information Questionnaire. Analysis of the data included t-test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Tukey's Post-hoc Analysis. There were eight major findings. Residential employees scored higher on the work values creativity, esthetics, and surroundings than program directors perceived they would score. Over 55 age group valued economic returns, independence, intellectual stimulation, and security less than other age groups. No significant differences were found to exist when considering gender or length of service of residential employees. Residential employees with less education placed less value on intellectual stimulation than employees with more education. Residential employees with high school diplomas placed more significance on surroundings than bachelor degree employees. Full-time residential employees placed greater merit on independence and intellectual stimulation than part-time employees. Shift workers placed more merit on economic returns, intellectual stimulation, and security than houseparents. Recommendations were made for program directors for the following work values: way of life, esthetics, surroundings, creativity, economic returns, achievement, altruism, supervisory relations, and intellectual stimulation. Recommendations were also made for future studies on older residential employees, adolescents' perceptions of quality of services received, and the work environment of residential facilities.

The purpose of this study was to examine how academic deans perceived the characteristics of facility built environment and its impact on learning in higher education. Q methodology was used as the means to explore the subjective opinions of academic deans within the State of Florida regarding the facility built environment’s impact on learning in higher education. For this Q study, the concourse statements were the result of communications taken from the subject literature and participant responses to this study’s online concourse questionnaire. The resulting 32 item Q sample was sorted online by 43 academic deans, associate and assistant deans. In completing the survey, the participants ranked statements representative of the characteristics of facility built environment according to their own beliefs and subjective opinions. From the resulting data and subsequent analysis, three distinct factors emerged that represented the collective opinions of this study’s participants. The emergent factors for this study were named Traditionalist – Focused on Functionality and Universal Rationality; Modernist – Technology Conscious Seeking Innovation and Flexibility; and Abstractionist – Contextual and Expressive.

Research on employee engagement revealed a positive correlation between employee engagement and positive business outcomes. Within a university setting, positive business outcomes can be measured and demonstrated through higher-than-benchmarked employee engagement, student engagement, and student retention. To effect these desired outcomes, the literature revealed the need for employees to work together; to be fully invested in their work; and to advance the university’s mission, vision, and core values towards positive student success outcomes. There is a full complement of research regarding employee engagement, student retention, and student engagement as specific topics within the literature. A deficiency in the literature existed concerning the correlation of these topics as one body of research. This study examined these interrelated topics within a large, private, not-for-profit research university setting. Principal components analysis and logistical regression were used to determine the relationship between student engagement and student retention, the relationship between employee engagement and student retention, and to determine if employee engagement and student engagement predict student retention. Study results suggested that student engagement alone was not a statistically significant factor in predicting retention at the research setting. However, employee engagement was associated with student retention at the university level. When analyzed together, both student engagement and employee engagement were revealed as a statistically significant predictor of student retention at the university level.

This research determined the preferred project delivery method utilized by campus planners when building student housing on a university campus. Four key performance indicators were also evaluated to determine if they influenced the campus planner to select a particular project delivery method. The four key performance indicators were: owner input, cost, safety, and on-time completion. Campus planners identified though the Society for Campus and University Planners (SCUP), were invited to participate in this survey research method. Five research questions were explored in this study. They were: 1. What is the preferred project delivery method (PDM) when building a residence hall on a college campus? 2. Do key performance indicators influence a campus planner’s choice of preferred project delivery method? 3. Does the preferred project delivery method differ by the number of beds? 4. Does the preferred project delivery method differ geographically? 5. Does the preferred project delivery method differ between public and private institutions? Based on the survey findings, analyzed using SPSS, sufficient information was garnered from the data to allow responses to the five research questions. In sum, there was a significant preference on the part of campus planners for the construction management at risk project delivery method when building student housing. This finding was consistent across regions and between public and private institutions. The design-bid-build project delivery method was the preferred approach when building student housing of less than 200 beds. Key performance indicators were shown to have little influence on the decision regarding which project delivery method to choose.

Due to funding diminishment from traditional sources, many insurance and risk management undergraduate degree programs have turned to alternative funding resources in order to survive. This qualitative multi-case study interviewed key participants (college faculty, department chairs, and deans) in three insurance and risk management programs in order to identify the effects of systemic budget constraints and alternative public and/or private funding strategies and resources that were being utilized. Additionally, the collected data were analyzed to evaluate the appropriateness of Bess and Dee's Models of Organization - Environment Relations to an undergraduate insurance and risk management degree program. Their model incorporates organizational theories (resource dependency theory, contingency theory, institutional theory, population ecology theory, niche theory, and the random transformation model) to explicate policies and practices in higher education institutional organizations. Interview participants confirmed the effects of the funding decline, with the most significant impact being on faculty engagement. Alternative funding strategies were identified and categorized by the source of funds. An analysis of the majority of collected data indicated an alignment with contingency theory in all three programs. In exploring the efficacy of Bess and Dee's Models of Organization - Environment Relations (2012), this theoretical construct was evaluated for contextual appropriateness. This study proposed that this theoretical model may have value for consideration in evaluating an undergraduate insurance and risk management program's relationship with its external insurance stakeholders and donors. Keywords: insurance and risk management undergraduate degree programs; alternative funding; Models of Organization - Environment Relations; organizational theories

Leaders are frequently required to lead change due to mergers, expansions into new markets, and new initiatives to enter global markets compounding the need for change leadership. Frequent change is more the rule rather than the exception. Change is more needed today yet a poor result from leading change can adversely impact a leader's influence. How does a leader know when to lead a change initiative or when to take the easier route and simply stay with the status quo?

An in depth study of what appeared to be a very risky and highly successful organizational change initiative was thought to possibly shed light on answering these difficult leadership questions. This inductive qualitative case study discovered a university that achieved a successful, sustainable organizational change. The leader overcame the organizational change odds of one-third to two-thirds of the outcomes are often unsuccessful (Beer & Nohria; Bibler; as cited in Gilley, Dixon, & Gilley, 2008). "The rate of failure to deliver sustainable change at times reaches 80–90%" (Cope as cited in Gilley, Dixon, & Gilley, 2008, p. 153).

The leader in the private university organization in the Midwest that led the successful organizational change was inspired by his personal vision. He did not lead change using a theoretical framework. He was successful in persuading the board to authorize implementation of his vision. The president established goals to lead the way for workers to help achieve the organizational change. He effectively communicated his vision and goals and met resistance due to the status quo. The president overcame the challenges of status quo, and the successful organizational change resulted in an effervescent campus environment with record breaking-fundraising. Regardless of the type or size of the major change, organizations that seek to make change may glean insights from this study of how leaders of one organization approached significant change.

An organization's ability to achieve its goals depends on the quality of its leaders and their ability to produce a highly engaged workforce. High levels of employee and managerial turnover and burnout can impede an organization's workforce engagement and ability to grow and be successful. To minimize the impact of these 2 constructs (turnover and burnout), this study examined the link between leadership behavior practice patterns' and employee work engagement in a nonprofit that supports the homeless. Responses from 48 non-managerial employees were used for this study. To investigate this study data were collected using 2 survey instruments: the Leadership Practice Inventory (LPI) and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Both surveys were completed by the same population on the same day. The combination of cross-sectional survey designs using quantitative and descriptive correlational research methods helped the researcher analyze the data to identify relationships between the variables under investigation. According to the respondents' ratings, a positive correlation was found to exist between leaders' behavior practice patterns and employee work engagement. Moreover, the results found no negative correlations between the LPI scores and the UWES scores. High employee engagement in a nonprofit organization leads to better economic outcomes for the community and a better workplace for employees who feel their organization cares about their health and well-being, which leads to a more tenured workforce and effective group of leaders. Future directions for research include exploring other variables (leader responses and gender) to potentially predict different work engagement levels and leadership behaviors that could impede employee burnout and turnover.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Leadership, over the years, has changed due to the rise of new technology, globalisation of markets and increased shareholders' tempo. Leaders are expected to accomplish projectsfaster and with fewer resources. Therefore, to be able to respondto these rapid changes in organisations and the market place, leaders are faced with the challenge of changingthe way people work together. The typical ways of relatingto one another seem more ineffective with each changing day. Organisationsshould therefore face the fact that, today, the quality of relationships is as importantto business success as the quality of products and services produced. Working with people involves some degree of skills in the realm of feeling, along with whatever cognitive elements are at play. This process stands in sharp contrast to purely cognitive competencies, which a computer can be programmed to execute about as well as a person can do it. Emotional intelligence skills, however, are synergistic with cognitive ones, and star performers will have both. The new measure that organisations make use of and take for granted, is that employees will have enough intellectual ability and technical know-how to get the job done. Their focus has moved to personal qualities such as initiative, empathy, adaptability and persuasiveness. It has been found that corporations that seek to employ MBA graduates are looking for capabilities such as communication skills, interpersonal skills and initiative when employing. Research supports the claim that Emotional Intelligence is a form of intelligence, in that it encompasses a set of skills which are coherent and can be measured. Emotional intelligence competencies, such as persuasion, motivation, focus and leadership, can be acquired or learnt. Emotional intelligence should further be seen as an acquired skill that can enhance intellectual performance. Emotional intelligence management therefore gives individuals the opportunity to further their knowledge of people. Emotional intelligence training is mostly about behavioural change: through repeated experiences, people's minds are programmed to react in a certain way when faced with feared encounters or stressors. Old mind patterns keep forcing people to revert to using preset reactions, even though this may be unintentional. Emotional intelligence training will therefore take time and commitmentfrom both the student's and the lecturer's perspectives. Most higher education programs, however, do not focus on emotional intelligence training as part of their curricula, and therefore a serious void exists in terms of essential skills required for success in the workplace, used for piloting their careers and for leadership. Even though more statistical research needs to be done to prove the relative significance of emotional competencies as compared to cognitive abilities, analyses indicates that emotional intelligence translates into hard results within the workplace. For example, sales people can create better and more trusting relationships with clients, customer care representatives can handle customers more effectively, and engineers are able to not only deal with the technical skills required by their positions, but are able to relate to co-workers in a more constructive manner. Taking into consideration that researchers within the field of emotional intelligence believe that emotional intelligence is a more reliable predictor of success in the workplace, it would therefore make sense to start including emotional intelligence training in higher education programs.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Leierskap het oor die jare verander, as gevolg van faktore soos vooruitgang in tegnologie, globalisering van markte en versterkte druk van aandeelhouers. Daar word verder verwag van leiers om projekte te realiseer met minder hulpbronne en in korter periodes. Ten einde opgewasse te wees teen hierdie veranderinge, word leiers inherent gekonfronteer met die uitdaging om die manier waarop mense in groepe saamwerk te verander, omrede die bestaande wyses waarop mense met mekaar betrokke is, meer en meer as oneffektief bestempel word. Dit is 'n realiteit dat die kwaliteit van hedendaagse werksverhoudinge net so belangrik tot 'n suksesvolle besigheid is, as die produkte en dienste gelewer. Wanneer daar met mense omgegaan word, behels dit beide 'n gevoels- en kognitiewe element. Hierdie proses is in direkte kontras met suiwer kognitiewe vaardigheid, wat net soveel 'n kwaliteit van 'n rekenaar as die van 'n mens is. Emosionele intelligensie is egter in sinergie met kognitiewe intelligensie, en uitblinkers besit beide kwaliteite. Die nuwe maatstaf wat deur organisasies gebruik word gaan van die veronderstelling uit dat werknemers voldoende tegniese vaardigheid besit om die taak na wense te verrig. Daar is klaarblyklik 'n fokusverskuiwing wat homself meer leen tot kwaliteite soos inisiatief, empatie, aanpasbaarheid en oorredingsvermoë. Daar is verder bevind dat besighede wat MBA gegradueerdes wil aanstel, meerendeels op die uitkyk is vir individue met kommunikasievaardighede, interpersoonlike behendigheid en inisiatief. Navorsing is dit verder eens dat emosionele intelligensie 'n daadwerklike vorm van intelligensie is, gesiene dat dit gemeet kan word en dat dit bestaan uit 'n stel samehangende vaardighede. Emosionele intelligensie vaardighede, soos oorreding, motivering, fokus en leierskap, kan verder aangeleer word. Dit behoort dus gesien te word as 'n verworwe vaardigheid wat 'n persoon se intellektuele kapasiteit versterk. Die bestuur van emosionele intelligensie skep ook die moontlikheid van verdere geesteswetenskaplike studie, en opleiding in emosionele intelligensie omvat meerendeels gedragsverandering. Deur herhaalde blootstelling word die brein geprogrammeer om op spesifieke maniere te reageer wanneer vrese gekonfronteer word. Selfs al word daar gepoog om anders te reageer, word daar teruggeval op ingebedde gedragspatrone. Opleiding in emosionele intelligensie neem dus tyd en toewyding van beide die dosent en sy student. Die meeste tersiêre opvoedingsprogramme fokus egter nie op emosionele intelligensie as deel van die kurrikulum nie, en daar is dus 'n ernstige leemte in die voorbereiding van studente betreffende voldoende vermoëns wat deur leierskap in 'n beroep vereis word. Alhoewel verdere statistiese navorsing benodig word om die relatiewe belangrikheid van emosionele behendigheid teenoor kognitiewe vaardigheid te bepaal, is daar indikasies dat emosionele intelligensie wel bepalend kan wees in die werksomgewing. Verkoopspersoneel kan byvoorbeeld sterker en meer vertrouenswaardige verhoudings bewerkstellig met kliënte, kliëntedienste kan meer effektief hanteer word en ingenieurs kan bemagtig word om in meer as slegs die tegniese aspekte van hulle werk met medewerkers om te gaan. In ag genome dat menige navorsers dit eens is dat emosionele intelligensie 'n getroue voorspeller van sukses is, maak dit dus sin om opleiding in emosionele intelligensie in tersiêre opleidingsprogramme te vervat.

Educational leaders across the United States face changes affecting the educational system related to federal and state mandates. The stress of those changes may be related to superintendents’ longevity. The superintendent position has a mobility rate that is quite high. Every superintendent is different and may have a different leadership style than their predecessor. The district culture, goals, and expectations may change depending on the superintendents’ leadership style. If superintendents’ leadership style affects principals’ performance, it may affect the principals’ success or failure. The purpose of this quantitative correlational research study was to identify if correlations existed linking 126 principals’ perception of superintendents’ leadership style and principals’ performance as reflected by student achievement data. The goal was to obtain principals’ perception of the superintendents’ leadership style as measured by the MLQ and principals’ performance as measured by AIMS reading and math data from the 2011- 2012 to 2012-2013 school years. The results indicated that superintendents’ transformational, passive avoidant and transactional leadership styles did not correlate positively to math difference scores. However, the results indicated that the passive avoidant leadership style was positively, correlated to reading difference scores. The results also indicated that there was a positive correlation between reading and math difference scores. Educational leaders should be aware that the analysis of data indicates that it is plausible that passive avoidant leadership may be more complex than nonleadership as labeled in previous research.

Ascending into the executive level of an organization can be considered a crowning achievement in one’s profession. It is usually a position in which those most qualified could ultimately arrive. Yet, some organizations, particularly within the U.S. federal government, claim that coveted executive positions are remaining vacant or are not being filled as readily as has traditionally occurred. Even with programs available for a person to become more qualified for advancement, the positions remain unfilled. The level at which employees traditionally qualify for executive positions is the level at which fewer seem to be applying for those positions. In other words, it appears that potential executive candidates are refusing to advance into executive vacancies, which is often referred to as the progression paradox. An organization unable to promote employee advancement into executive vacancies could potentially inhibit its own progression.

The ideas of position qualification and position refusal are two concepts that have not been studied collectively nor received the level of scrutiny that is perhaps needed to answer the fundamental question: Why are gaps in executive-level positions not being filled as expected? Therefore, the researcher utilized grounded-theory analysis to develop a theory into whether adequately defined capabilities freely and clearly enable employee advancement into executive leadership levels. This study delved into the literature and reviewed several inquiries made into the personal perspectives of employees at various levels throughout a Department of Defense agency regarding constructs that could affect ascension into executive leadership ranks. The researcher then built on the findings from these inquiries to create a model of alignment with an organization’s core purpose. Essentially, this research offers an increased understanding into the mask of ambiguity that inhibits progression and identifies the elements needed to assist qualified employees who are refusing to advance into executive vacancies.

This study considered the correlative value of servant leadership on admission team success at private universities in the Midwestern United States. The study examined university admission teams at several institutions. Participants completed questionnaires that helped to determine what, if any, servant leadership traits and attributes they display. These traits were cross-referenced with admissions individuals and team success ratios. As private universities in the Midwest strive to gain market position, an understanding of how servant leadership can enhance their admission teams is beneficial.

When risks are too great for any one organization, and the opportunity cost for not trying is far greater, Strategic alliances between public and private sector organizations present collaborative opportunities to achieve success. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to understand how executives perceive the nature of their involvement in strategic alliances between public and private sector organizations in the United States. The central research question was, “How do executive leaders perceive their involvement in forming and sustaining cross-sector strategic alliances between public organizations and private entities?” This question and its associated sub-questions were explored using a survey and executive interviews as the sources of data for in-depth phenomenological analysis to determine themes perceived critical to successful cross-sector strategic alliances. Executives in this study suggested their role was to ensure the Strategic Alignment, Mutual Benefit, effective Communication, and a clear Vision were present in their organization’s collaborative activities. Conversely, lack of establishing the aforementioned themes was perceived to be detrimental to strategic alliances. The application of this research spans from senior leaders in the public and private sectors to leadership scholars that are interested in better understanding cross-sector collaborations. Respondents asserted that executive leaders are responsible for ensuring that these themes are evaluated in the formative and sustaining phase of a strategic alliance. Additionally, executive leaders may use this research to inform their decision-making about how to avoid failure of their Cross-Sector Strategic Alliance; and for those that were successfully formed, how to affect sustainability.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2010.
This research study considers how executive education institutions should be training leaders for the future. The research outlines possible future challenges facing leaders in order to determine the type of training offered by executive education institutions. The study also looks into the current training practices of executive education institutions and explores the challenges currently faced by such institutions. This study discusses the role executive education institutions perform and how learning partnerships between executive education institutions and organisations can influence the role of executive education institutions. This research study has a specific focus on the training processes used by the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) Executive Development Ltd as an example of an executive education institution and offers some recommendations for consideration. These recommendations, amongst others, include the inability of off-the-shelf training programmes in not being able to always address the training needs of a company and that a thorough needs analysis should therefore always be done prior to the training; that executive education institutions should strive to be more flexible; that a more solid interdisciplinary research methodology focusing on business-related problems should be employed; that the importance of recognised accreditation should not be negated; and lastly, that anticipatory action learning should be included as part of the training process.

Most high school students have the opportunity to participate in athletic programs during a transformative time in their personal and academic development. Very little qualitative research examines how former high school athletes perceive these experiences after they graduate. In this descriptive, exploratory study, former athletes viewed their participation as a key experience that continues to affect them positively two to five years later. During semi-structured interviews, they spoke of having developed and maintained new capacities for leadership, greater personal accountability, and healthier overall lifestyle choices. They also learned how to relate to others, both on and off the athletic field in more authentic and caring ways, and thus how to establish and maintain lasting relationships. Many of these outcomes echo aspects of self-concept and character development as described in the literature. Although athletic coaches' behaviors were described as both positive and negative, participants were generally able to overcome the negative aspects. Especially when budget cuts threaten many non-academic and extra-curricular offerings, the results of this small and geographically limited study point to the need to further explore how high school athletics may have lasting positive effects on participants.

Leadership Development Programs (LDPs) programs are employed by firms globally in different multiple manners that are aimed at accelerating the development and growth of highly capable candidates. Among these candidates, depending on the particular LDP, may be those possess engineering skills typically afforded through engineering education as measured by completion of an engineering degree. Infrastructure reductions might be afforded corporations if multiple LDPs could be supplanted with one program such as an Engineering Leadership Development Program. In practice, however, economic constraints limited the total sample population of this category to 67 (48 with engineering degrees and 15 without). Employing SPSS Sample Power 3, based on the pilot testing for CPMs, 113 subjects per group (with and without engineering degrees - totaling 226) would be required to yield a power of 80%, and of the 350 received completed surveys received, CPMs meeting the desired criteria accounted for only 63 (18%) of the total number of rated organizational leaders. Consequently, while all testing included the CPM group, the scope was expanded to also include managers with and without PMI certifications as well as managers with and without engineering degrees. The first research hypothesis was Ho: There is no affiliation amongst Transformational Leadership (TL) and engineering education. Thus, the author’s aim is to determine the role, if any, that engineering education plays in perceived leadership style as exhibited by CPMs and non-CPMs holding engineering degrees (e.g. EE, ME, IE, etc.) versus the same without engineering degrees. A secondary goal is to determine, within the management category, which style (transformational or transactional) serves as the dominant style of leadership. With this in mind, the independent variable, CPMs with and without engineering degrees, was operationally defined consistent with this Project.

This study attempted to identify the issues confronting athletic directors at the NCAA Division I FBS membership institutions from the following athletic conferences: American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mid American Conference, Mountain West Conference, and Sun Belt Conference. These conferences are considered to be non-BCS automatic qualifying conferences. Since the literature showed a lack of research on most of the issues that impact the university athletic director, this research attempted to present an enhanced perspective of the issues that the athletic director must confront in his or her career and daily life. The researcher utilized an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design to identify and explore the issues. Twenty-two of sixty-one athletic directors responded to a thirteen item electronic survey. Follow-up interviews were administered to six of the athletic directors who indicated a willingness to participate. Athletic directors identified fundraising, managing the budget and finance issues, and student-athlete welfare as the top three issues affecting his or her career. Athletic directors identified the following as those issues that consumed most of their time: fundraising, managing his or her department's budget, and staying current on NCAA regulations. Athletic directors identified the following as their most stressful issues: fundraising, budget, decision making, personnel, the pending autonomy of the high resource conferences, and general uncertainty. Warning signs identified by the athletic directors included: national lawsuits, declining attendance (both alumni/fans and students) at sporting events, and decreasing state support. In addition, individual athletic directors identified the following issues that may impact the future: negative impact on the United States Olympic movement due to significantly increased emphasis on football and men's basketball, impact of non-practioner perspective in governance of collegiate athletics, and possible significant change in the definition of amateurism.

Since the late 1980s, a different way to do business began to achieve more widespread support. The intention of this form of business—sustainable business—is to conduct itself in a way that does not jeopardize the basic needs of present and future generations by unnecessarily sacrificing environmental, social, and economic resources. This is in contrast to traditional Western business practices that focus on maximizing short-term financial profit without much consideration of the impact on environmental and social resources. It appears that any change in business from the single bottom line of monetary profit to a triple bottom line of "people, planet, and profit" requires a different type of leadership. Research indicates that some practices that are meant to cultivate attention (e.g., meditation) contribute positively to leadership behavior, yet there is very little empirical evidence on the specific impact of attention cultivation practices on leadership capacities that may enhance sustainability in business.

This study uses the qualitative method of narrative inquiry in which six co-participants and I explore the role of attention cultivation in furthering sustainability in business. The six co-participants were clients in my leadership attention coaching practice who had received at least nine months of attention coaching, were employed at the time they received coaching, and were alumni of or currently enrolled in an MBA program geared towards sustainable business. Through a narrative analysis of interviews, narrative excerpts, and images of artwork, this study reveals three behavior patterns: Acquiring Equanimity, Nonjudgmental Attention, and Letting Go. Further examination of these patterns reveals that the impact of this specific attentional practice may support a leader's capacities for mindfulness, adaptive and authentic leadership, postconventional stages of mental complexity, and systems thinking, all of which have been suggested in the literature as capacities that contribute to furthering sustainability in business.

This study suggests that the primal faculty of the deployment of attention is foundational in a leader's capacity for movement that advances sustainability in business. Recommendations are offered for programs that train leaders in sustainable business, for leaders who are interested in advancing sustainability in business, and for further research.

Universities must retain satisfied employees to enhance productivity and reduce turnover. Leadership represents one of the fundamental factors in job satisfaction. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between perceived academic administrator leadership styles and the satisfaction of faculty members. The independent variables were the transformational, transactional, and passive/avoidant leadership styles of academic administrators as evaluated by faculty members. The dependent variable was job satisfaction of full-time faculty members. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire was used to identify the leadership style of an administrator as perceived by faculty members. Spector's Job Satisfaction Survey was used to assess a faculty member's level of job satisfaction. One hundred four participants from a state university in Florida completed the online survey. A logistic regression model was developed, and the statistically significant correlations indicated that (a) faculty members who identified transformational leadership as dominant had increased job satisfaction, (b) faculty members who identified transactional leadership as dominant had increased job satisfaction, and (c) faculty members who identified passive/avoidant leadership as dominant had decreased job satisfaction. Based on a 95% significance level, there was a significant relationship between the 3 leadership styles and job satisfaction. Using this model, academic leaders can take further action by refining their leadership styles on the basis of their faculty members' indicated preferences. The study results may contribute to social change by making academic administrators aware of effective leadership models that promote higher job satisfaction among faculty in universities.

The overall purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how one's motivation influences the relationship between work satisfaction and utilization of certain attributes associated with virtual team effectiveness. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used to measure and analyze correlations between individual work satisfaction and utilization of virtual team effectiveness attributes dependent upon participant motivation patterns and characteristics. In the first, quantitative phase of the study, the Motivation Sources Inventory (^© Future Leadership) was utilized in collecting data globally from employed virtual team members via an online survey to measure participant work motivation for the five sources, as defined by Leonard, Beauvais, and Scholl (1999): Intrinsic Process, Self-concept Internal, Self-concept External, Instrumental, and Goal Internalization. A modified version of The Virtual Teams Survey instrument developed by Lurey (1998) was employed concurrently to measure perceptions about the levels of utilization of various virtual team effectiveness attributes and the level of work satisfaction.

In the second qualitative phase, follow-up interviews were conducted to confirm and help explain the quantitative results. Insight into how an individual's motivation influences the relationship between work satisfaction and utilization of virtual team effectiveness attributes suggests that individuals possessing moderate or higher levels of goal internalization relative to other types of work motivation may find virtual team work satisfying. However, findings suggest that work satisfaction, regardless of motivation pattern, may be improved by strengthening team leadership, aligning rewards with goals, and enhancing the communications technology utilized by virtual teams. More importantly, this knowledge may aid virtual team leaders in integrating, leading, and empowering diverse teams so that they function cohesively and effectively in achieving their missions.

As we continue to work towards a better understanding of intercultural competence, leaders must identify areas where they can facilitate change in themselves and in the organizations they lead. This quantitative study incorporates the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) to measure orientations towards cultural differences of leaders in substance abuse treatment facilities. This study also incorporates the Organizational Culture Inventory (OCI) to measure how the followers' perceive the organizational culture. Data was analyzed using statistical software program (SPSS) and statistical correlations and multivariate analysis of variance were computed. This study is unique in that it breaks new ground in the measurement of the level of intercultural competence of leaders in substance abuse treatment facilities and how their followers' perceive the organizational culture according to the OCI scores.

Results revealed a statistical significance with leaders that scored in the denial orientation of the IDI and their followers that scored the organizational culture as passive/defensive on the OCI. This study points to recommendations for change, from a developmental training perspective and to encourage leaders to become aware of their intercultural competence orientation. Use of the IDI, OCI and interventions to assist in finding ways to increase awareness will strengthen leaders and organizations.

The Ellison Executive Mentoring Inclusive Community Building (ICB) Model is a paradigm for initiating and implementing projects utilizing executives and professionals from a variety of fields and industries, university students, and pre-college students. The model emphasizes adherence to ethical values and promotes inclusiveness in community development. It is a hierarchical model in which actors in each succeeding level of operation serve as mentors to the next. Through a three-step process--content, process, and product--participants must be trained with this mentoring and apprenticeship paradigm in conflict resolution, and they receive sensitivitiy and diversity training, through an interactive and dramatic exposition. The content phase introduces participants to the model's philosophy, ethics, values and methods of operation. The process used to teach and reinforce its precepts is the mentoring and apprenticeship activities and projects in which the participants engage and whose end product demontrates their knowledge and understanding of the model's concepts. This study sought to ascertain from the participants' perspectives whether the model's mentoring approach is an effective means of fostering inclusiveness, based upon their own experiences in using it. The research utilized a qualitative approach and included data from field observations, individual and group interviews, and written accounts of participants' attitudes. Participants complete ICB projects utilizing the Ellison Model as a method of development and implementation. They generally perceive that the model is a viable tool for dealing with diversity issues whether at work, at school, or at home. The projects are also instructional in that whether participants are mentored or seve as apprentices, they gain useful skills and knowledge about their careers. Since the model is relatively new, there is ample room for research in a variety of areas including organizational studies to dertmine its effectiveness in combating problems related to various kinds of discrimination.

The field of critical theory within organizational theory discusses different specific situations in a middle manager´s work life. The focus often lies within the private sector and a gap can be found in research in the public sector. Universities are among the most complex environments in the public sector, and the middle manager position, the prefect, becomes even more complex than in other organizations. The purpose of this paper is to look at the dilemmas and paradoxes that middle managers in higher education, handle as prefects. We aim to uncover the conflict between interests, values and ideas that creates organizational hypocrisy. The research has an emancipatory philosophy with an inductive approach, which has led to ten interviews with prefects in the south of Sweden. The findings indicate that there are dilemmas in working as a collegial leader and that a paradoxical situation arises between what people see as valuable attributes in a prefect and what they want and need. There is also a paradoxical relationship between the feelings about a decoupled organization depending on who in the hierarchy is exploiting it. There are also findings that support the fact that the extensive amount of administrative duties for prefects generates hypocrisy. The research also found dilemmas concerning individualistic employees. Since the combination of organizational hypocrisy, paradoxes, dilemmas and prefects has not been researched before, this can be an interesting insight in how these may coexist.

Business organizations are decreasing funding for training. The problem investigated in this study was to determine if there was a relationship among the leadership behavior of training leaders, the use of newer methods of training, and organizational profitability. A sample of 57 organizations from the Fortune 500 was surveyed to determine leadership behavior and the use of newer methods of training. The Leadership Practices Inventory was used to measure leadership and the Affective Communication Test was used to measure charisma. Profitability data were obtained from the literature. Return on assets, return on equity, the Moody's Corporate Bond Rating, and the Standard and Poor's Opinion were used as profitability measures. Correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze the data. No relationships were shown between leadership behaviors and training methods or between leadership behaviors and profitability. A positive relationship was shown between the number of newer training methods used and organization profitability as measured by return on assets. The following were the newer training methods: (a) accelerated learning, (b) case study methods, (c) computer-based training, (d) experiential exercises/games/simulations, (e) interactive video instruction, (f) multimedia, (g) non-computerized self-study, (h) problem-based learning, and (i) video teleconferencing.

Studies show that improvisation in leadership decision making is on the rise, and it transpires in organizations 75-90% of the time, yet very little research has explored this skillset. No other leadership skillset that is applied two thirds of the time has ever been so underdeveloped. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a pilot workshop applying a Holistic Improvisational Leadership Model as developed by the researcher and based on the latest improvisation research. The study employed a mixed methods design to gather qualitative and quantitative data for a descriptive evaluation of the pilot training workshop. Nonproportional quota sampling and triangulation were used to maximize cross verification and validity of the data. This study explored the skills leaders acquired and applied during, immediately after, 1 month after the workshop, and in 3 months. The study was pilot-tested on 6 different groups and a total of 67 leaders from various regions, industries and organizations.

Primary findings revealed that participants gained the highest benefits in working with others and their ability to lead. Executive and educational leaders gained the awareness that 79% of their decisions at work were made spontaneously as opposed to 71% for all leaders. 100% of executives and senior leaders indicated acquiring more effective listening skills. Moreover, the concept of competent risks and celebrating failure appeared to have the most transformational impact on the participants' sense of self, willingness to take risks, and acquire new skills. The workshop seemed to bring participants' stress level down to an optimal level and enhance mindfulness. Ultimately, it was concluded the study's workshop was most effective as a continuous 3.5 hours.

Learning to improvise experientially includes a process of unlearning old routines of decision making and re-learning more effective skills. Hence, the researcher recommends follow-up learning sessions to complete the cycle of learning. Utilizing grounded theory, the findings from the study led to the revision of Tabaee's Holistic Improvisational Leadership Model. The researcher recommends following the model by teaching the competencies not only to leaders but to all employees for achieving OPTIMAL strategy and performance for the organization.

This quantitative corrleational descriptive study was to investigate if a correlation existed between the emotional intelligence (EI) and transformational leadership attributes of African American men and women. The study used 23 African American men and women in management or leadership positions throughout the United States. The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership skills of African American men and women. The research questions guiding the study were (a) is there a significant difference between EI components of African American men compared to African American women? (b) Is there a significant difference between the EI components and transformational leadership skills of African American men compared to African American women? The EQ-i by Reuven Bar-On (2006) and the MLQ5x by Avolio and Bass (2004) were used as the instruments to assess emotional intelligence and transformational skills. Overall, results from the data revealed that a positive correlation existed for the emotional intelligence attributes for African American men and women. The results also indicated there is no significant correlation with emotional intelligence and transformational leadership skills of African American men and women. Further studies should be initiated to explore this research with a larger sample size and across ethnic groups.

Organizational environments continually change. Organizations that do not meet the demands for change do not survive. The required changes differ for banks versus universities, suggesting that leaders in each type of organization need to use unique styles to adapt to their unique environments. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to test a contingency theory of leadership that leaders of banks are change-oriented, whereas leaders of higher educational institutions are administrative in their style. The research questions dealt with differences in the uncertainty of internal operations and the external environment of banks versus universities, and the leadership style most appropriate for each type of organization. The research method was a cross-sectional, correlational, field study, with data collected by means of a tested, reliable, and valid standardized survey instrument. From the target population of 2,400 potential participants from three banks and three universities, 203 respondents completed an online survey. A series of t-tests confirmed most of the alternative hypotheses. Banks encountered a higher level of internal and external uncertainty and adopted more change-oriented leadership styles than universities. However, a hypothesis test failed to confirm the claim that administrative leadership style is more effective for universities. Findings of the study offer insights to university leaders about the importance of change-oriented leadership styles, which have the potential to engage staff more directly in the strategic changes required for organizational survival and success, thereby bringing about a higher level of individual, organizational, and social change.

There are currently 4 different generations in the workplace, and the newest generation, Generation Y, has caused leaders within organizations to rethink their management and workplace cultural approach to leading this emerging generation. This qualitative phenomenological dissertation examines the work environment preferences of Generation Y contract managers who work in the Los Angeles area in the defense and aerospace industry by interviewing 11 participants from both the public and private sectors. The research indicates that this new generation, Generation Y or Millennials, prefer to have autonomy over their workload and schedule, but prefer to have their direct manager active in a mentoring and coaching role, rather than acting as a task-master. In addition, the participants in this study preferred a healthy amount of pressure, but not too much of a workload that would cause them to fail. Lastly, this dissertation found that Millennials have a high preference for innovation and using innovative technology in the workplace to increase efficiency.

The purpose of this descriptive, case study was to explore how servant leadership influenced employee engagement within the United States offices of an international engineering consulting firm. An additional purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which the factors of race, gender, or tenure were related to employee engagement. Leaders in the firm completed the Revised Servant Leadership Profile (RSLP). The Revised Servant Leadership Profile (RSLP) 360° was then administered to the staff of self-identified servant leaders. Once identified, servant leaders were then compared against the engagement scores of divisions and units within the firm under investigation, based on results from their biannual employee engagement survey. The second part of this research involved structured, survey interviews with self-identified servant leaders and their staff. Results showed partial support for servant leadership effect on employee engagement and no support for matching perceptions of servant leadership between leaders and their employees. Structured survey interviews revealed that both leaders and followers were unfamiliar with the term, servant leadership. However, both groups reported employee empowerment, employee development and a strong sense of teamwork in the organization, indicating some similarities in the perceptions of the two groups. There was partial support for claims that gender and ethnicity were relevant to servant leadership and employee engagement. Conclusions drawn from this research were that servant leadership was not conclusively linked to employee engagement. Further research is recommended.

Keywords: Employee Engagement, Servant Leadership, RSLP.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2006.
This study project sets out to examine the validity of an idea - an idea to create a study-abroad programme complemented by combining studies with mission work for Christian university undergraduates. In support of this idea, this study researches the overwhelming arguments that would validate the programme. The study then looks into how the programme can be designed and what its desired focus should be. In this study, the author first examines the prominent external forces that justify the programmes' needs. Two prominent forces include the lack of valued, quality leadership roles in today's business community, as well as the coming of a more integrated world where business managers must gain the skills to transact beyond borders. These two forces become the focal point of the education component, while the last external issue examined explores the business mission possibilities for southern Africa. The study then delves to understand how business schools are adapting to the issues of teaching leadership skills and the ability to transact beyond borders. The author finds that even though many schools have responded by adding soft skill courses such as leadership or internationalising their student bodies and curricula, many organisations are still reporting the lack of quality global leaders. With this, many organisations are creating Corporate Universities where they themselves educate their employees through the use of Action Based Learning (ABL). The author thus believes this ABL concept is a most effective tool in not only training for specific functions of business, but also in tacitly improving the soft skills of business management, which is becoming important for today's global leaders. Knowing these external and internal issues, the author studies the potential of such a programme by analysing a Christian university's existing curriculum and ABL missions structure, and then meets with prospective students, deans, professors, and administrators who may desire a programme that combines study abroad with mission work. The findings suggest that the focus of the programme narrow in on global based leadership education complemented with the use of Action Based Learning in the missions field to promote multidisciplined business missions. However, designing this Global Leadership Programme will require a model from which to begin. The author chose the Value Chain concept; however, Porter's (1985) Value Chain concept was thought to be too onerous for developing this short-term programme. The author then describes and illustrates the use of Sviokla and Rayport's Virtual Value Chain model (1994) and chose to use this model in designing the programme. As a result, the subsequent Chapters first establish direction by suggesting vision and mission statements and the Global Lead Programme objectives, and then research the content (what is offered) and context (how the content is offered) components of the model. In the end, the author concludes the study by offering insight into infrastructure (the enabler) considerations and options to enable the Global Lead Programme to grow and succeed.