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- Williams, Susan D. (x)
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Show moreThis research attempts to correlate outcomes of the change process as changes in work behaviors, the individual response to change on the frontlines of an organization, in terms of change content and process attributes. A goal of the research was to use existing research to develop an integrated understanding of what happens when change is implemented by understanding potential mechanisms that may be involved in influencing successful change. A causal model of organizational change is developed, based upon the theory of planned behavior, with attitude as a precursor to changes in work routines, and causal linkages are hypothesized via three influence mechanisms; structural, efficacy, and social. The model is tested in two different settings, and the results suggest that the three mechanisms play a different role during formation of behavioral intention and manifestation of behaviors. The study reinforces the use of traditional intervention strategies like participation, leadership and communication but highlights the role of supervisors of frontline staff, the importance of consistency of organizational change interventions, and the role of affective response during change.
Doctorate of Management Programs
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Show moreThe nature of the employee/employer relationship continues to evolve as firms respond to competition, globalization, shifts in technology and other changes in the business environment (Cavanaugh & Noe 1999; Hallier & James 1997; Handy 1990). Employees are increasingly assumed to be responsible for their own career progression and ultimately their own employability (Cavanaugh & Noe 1999). These changes in employee's expectations and obligations to the firm have important implications for individual and organizational outcomes. One way to examine the evolution of the employee/employer relationship is through psychological contract theory. The psychological contract has been defined as an "individual's beliefs regarding reciprocal obligations" (Rousseau 1990: p.390). Although early work focused primarily on employee expectations (Robinson & Rousseau 1994; Robinson, Kraatz & Rousseau 1994; Rousseau 1990) psychological contract theory has increasingly emphasized the dyadic nature of the employee/manager relationship (Tekeleab & Taylor 2003; Turnley, Bolino et al. 2003; Uhl-Bien & Maslyn 2003; Lester, Turnley et al. 2002). We add to a growing body of prior work on psychological contracts that suggests that it is the degree to which the employee beliefs about the contract do not match, or are incongruent with, the contract beliefs of the employer that impact performance outcomes. The studies of employer and employee disagreement on global measures of psychological contracts, termed incongruence in the literature (Morrison & Robinson 1997) have found that disagreement leads to lower performance outcomes (Turnley, Bolino et al. 2003; Lester, Turnley et al. 2002). However, little work has been done to date on the impact of disagreement on the specific terms of psychological contracts. We depart from the incongruence literature by suggesting that employee/manager disagreement with respect to different types of psychological contracts produce different performance outcomes. Although we agree that global or overall disagreement leads to lower performance outcomes we hypothesize that disagreement with respect to the terms of different types of contracts produce different effects on overall incongruence. Few studies have examined this issue and the one study that has appears to lend support to this hypothesis. In that study disagreement on relational terms of the contract (non-economic, socio-emotional obligations) was associated with lower performance outcomes while disagreement on the transactional terms of the contract (economic obligations) had no relationship to these outcomes (Turnley, Bolino et al. 2003). This study provides support for the proposition that the type of contractual disagreement occurring between a manager and an employee is important and different types of overall incongruence lead to different performance outcomes. We study the effect of incongruence in psychological contract terms on important individual and organizational outcomes, such as in role and extra role performance, opportunistic behavior, and creative performance. Prior work suggests these are important outcomes for organizations, and more specifically that these are outcomes are positively related to employee/manager congruence on psychological contracts (Tekeleab & Taylor 2003; Turnley, Bolino et al. 2003; Uhl-Bien & Maslyn 2003; Lester, Turnley et al. 2002). We argue that the direct effect of contract incongruence on these outcomes will be mediated by trust and commitment, constructs that have been shown to be highly relevant in the literature (Robinson 1996; Hunt & Morgan 1994; Morgan & Hunt 1994; Konovsky & Pugh 1994). We proceed by discussing psychological contracts in more depth, focusing on how the mismatch in contract perceptions between employees and managers is of particular relevance to understanding work behavior and performance in the organization. Secondly, we focus on the role of trust and commitment, which are hypothesized as key mediating variables in our study (Morgan & Hunt 1994). We then examine performance outcomes, which may be either organizationally desired (in role and extra role behaviors and creative performance) or not (increased opportunistic behavior).
Doctorate of Management Programs
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Show moreThe work describes and probes the relationships between the institutions of elite and non – elite secondary education and selected graduates of these institutions in Jamaica over an approximately fifty – year period. It considers the curricula, pedagogy, and values of the institutions, viewed as independent variables, and the propensity of a selection of their graduates to contribute to the accumulation of social capital, through civic engagement and the display of high levels of trust, and sociability, viewed as dependent variables, The research suggests that the institutions of education are the loci of the incorporation of individual actors’ stances towards the dominant society, and have effects on their perceptions of their identity and ways of viewing and playing their social roles. The Inspirational Teacher and the Father - as -Interpreter of the society’s norms provide the primary foci through which these internalisations occur, and viewed as mediating variables, predispose individual actors to respond in ways which may or may not demonstrate a capacity and propensity for collaboration, and the building of socially, rather than personally, beneficial networks. The analysis attempts to tease out explanatory patterns and regularities in participants’ recounting of their educational experiences over the period of their high school years.
Doctorate of Management Programs
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Show moreThis paper studies the effect of term limits and the professionalism of legislatures on four states and concludes that term limits appear to have a negative effect on the ability of legislators to navigate the legislative process on behalf of their constituents, and that the professionalism of the legislature may compound this effect. Partisanship within the legislature, unity of government and the strength of the governor are seen as factors in legislative performance. Effectiveness is measured by enactment of legislation and the management of the budget process. This is an exploratory study into the effects of term limits and professionalism on four states representing the possible combinations of these factors: with and without term limits and fulltime and part-time legislatures. This study is based on the perceptions of legislative actors as reported in a series of interviews. Further study is recommended to extend this study to most of the states and to add a dimension of time to the examination.
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Show moreThis study examined company plans for complying with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 from an institutional theory perspective. Qualitative research methods were employed by interviewing practitioners involved in Section 404 work and academics with research interests close to the subject. Through thematic coding a concept model was developed to illustrate environmental and organizational factors that may affect firms’ choices. Strategic choices included actively resisting Section 404, for example, not yet starting to plan for Section 404, minimizing costs associated with compliance efforts, focusing on satisfying the external auditors and actively seeking strategic improvements. The concept model can be used as an analytical tool to anticipate and discuss factors that influence company responses to Section 404.
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Show moreThe present study examined employees' work related behavior at four compnaies with Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). The study's three hypotheses were: if a worker perceived he/she had a substantial economic interest in the firm through the ESOP, as the employee approached retirement age, or as the employee's years of service increased; then the employee's work related behavior would be positively affected. Companies participating in the study were small (annual revenues of $55 million or less), profitable (in at least four of the last five years), privately owned (no company shares traded in public markets), operated in the manufacturing sector, and had an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP owned at least 30 percent of the company and had been in place for at least four years). Data was gathered from the four participating companies by interviewing company officials and by administering questionnaires to all ESOP participants who met the study guidelines. Approximately 65 percent of the individuals receiving questionnaires or 301 participants returned them. Rather than having the participants self-report their attitudes or motivations, the participants self-reported their work related behavior. The method of measuring work related behavior should be refined. When the data from the four companies are considered as a single unit, the present study supported earlier research studies that suggested the effects of the Extrinsic Satisfaction Model (financial return) and the Instrumental Satisfactor Model (employee participation) on work related behavior were positive. Additionally, a positive relationship between work related behavior and annual pay was noted. No relationship between work related behavior and age and seniority were found. Results among the individual companies varied. at three of the companies, employee participation (Instrumental Satisfaction Model) had a significant effect on work related behavior and at one company the perceived financial value of the individual's ESOP account (Extrinsic Satisfaction Model) had a significant effect on work related behavior. Each company's financial health also had an influence on whicvh of the Models were significant. research results may be lost unless the size of the ESOP companies, the reason for the ESOP's formantion, and each company's economic fortunes are considered. Even if the same types of companies are grouped for study, important research results may be lost in aggregating the data.
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Show moreSeven large nonprofit organizations across the United States which had recently undergone executive director/CEO transition were selected for study. In interviews with key board members and CEOs, hiring criteria, organizational health and occupation and gender stereotypes were examined as mediators of the hiring process. Participants were asked to describe the factors which influenced the development of the hiring criteria, candidate selection and interview process. In all but one organization board members expressed their belief that they hired the best candidate for the job, regardless of gender. The results indicate that board of directors treat the hiring process very seriously and invest many volunteer hours to hire a CEO. None of the participants acknowledged holding stereotypes about management or gender; however, seventy five percent of the organizations studied hired a man. Key points in the interview process have been identified where an understanding of gender and occupational stereotypes could have altered the outcome of the hire.
Doctorate of Management Programs
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Show moreWith the current competitive challenges facing for-profit and nonprofits organizations, observers have advocated the implementation of internal entrepreneurial actions as a response. Internal entrepreneurship – defined as risk taking, innovativeness, and proactiveness actions – are examined to determine what mechanisms are at work in promoting these actions among both managers and employees in organizations. Four organizations – two from each sector – were studied using a grounded theory approach, with semi-structured qualitative interviews performed with 15 managers and employees. Data analysis and coding resulted in a conceptual model that provides a parsimonious explanation of the mechanisms that promote entrepreneurial actions in organizations. Three key mechanisms that stem from individual, managerial, organizational, and situational characteristics – trust, motivation, and an enabling mechanism – were identified as key mediating variables and represent constructs that have not been previously studied in the context of internal entrepreneurship. Given the small sample of the study, future large scale hypothesis testing research is called for.
Doctorate of Management Programs
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Show moreAcademic literature on work entry and professional growth in the United States lacks studies of individuals from cultures other than the dominant culture. Given the prime importance of academic research in the development of public goods, this lacuna contributes to the sub-optimal achievements of efforts to improve employment outcomes for some of America’s unemployed and under-employed population.
Doctorate of Management Programs
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Show moreThis research explored the ways in which the contemporary notion of transformational leadership might help to extend the neoinstitutional approach to organizational change and politics. The role of leadership in converting deeply taken-for-granted, change-impeding structures and practices, such as shared governance, into ones that facilitate organizational adaptation in the highly institutionalized field of liberal arts colleges, was explored.The original research model accounted for institutional forces in which leadership styles (transactional and transformational) might variously reconfigure the effect of these forces on innovation and change. It was hypothesized that the president’s leadership style would impact institutional outcomes such as financial viability, indices of quality, and curricular innovation by its effect on in-place consensus structures. It was further hypothesized that the effect of leadership on these outcomes would be moderated by the level of organizational trust, the level of job satisfaction, and budget stability. Results indicate that transformational leadership style does mediate predict change in these highly legitimized institutions, providing the means for converting these taken-for-granted structures into vehicles of change. In addition, presidents and faculty hold notably different views on the role of consensus-making structures in the change process and the impact of leadership on these relationships. Standing committee work predicts change according to faculty leaders, and is facilitated by transformational leadership in the president. Among presidents, adhoc committee work predicts program change directly. These f Neoinstitutional research has produced a considerable number of studies in response to criticisms regarding its over-emphasis on stability and uniformity in organizations and organizational fields (e.g., Mezias, 1990; Brint & Karabel 1991; DiMaggio, 1991; Oliver 1991, 1992; Borum & Westenholz, 1995; Beckert 1999; Scott et. al., 2000; Greenwood, Suddaby, & Hinings, 2002). These studies constitute a successful effort to integrate into new institutionalism various dynamics that were central to ‘old institutionalism,’ such as interests, power, and politics (Scott 1995, 2001). However, few scholars have considered the implications of the potential disjuncture between the two institutionalisms in terms of level of analysis. Whereas most neoinstitutional studies examine processes at the inter-organizational level (notable exceptions include Ritti & Silver, 1986; Covalevski & Dirsmith, 1988; Goodrick & Salancik, 1996), old institutionalism focused on intra-organizational processes in explaining politics and change. For instance, Selznick’s work on goal displacement and organizational transformation at the Bolshevik party (1952) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (1949) and Barnard’s (1938) work on the societal responsibilities of corporate executives placed specific emphasis on the ways in which power and politics inside the organization mediated the effects of the external environment on these organizations. Distinctively, such studies articulated intra-organizational processes in terms of leadership dynamics. As outlined by Selznick (1957), the common thread was a focus on how leaders aligned internal arrangements with external pressures and opportunities towards their own and/or their organization’s benefit. In the new institutionalism, views on taken-for-granted practices can be paradoxical. While these practices are viewed as sources of organizational legitimacy (Meyer & Rowan, 1977; DiMaggio & Powell 1983) necessary for survival, they are also considered obstacles to successful adaptation to new pressures and circumstances (e.g., Hinings & Greenwood 1988; D’Aunno, Sutton, & Price, 1991). The notion of transformational leadership may help overcome or perhaps ‘capitalize’ on this paradox. Leadership as a mediator of organization-environment interactions: preserving the organizational archetype. This research explored the way in which the contemporary notion of transformational leadership (Bass, Avolio, and Goodheim, 1987) helps to extend the neoinstitutional approach to organizational change and politics. Specifically, it explored the role of leadership in converting deeply taken for granted, change-impeding structures and practices into ones that facilitate organizational adaptation to market forces in the highly institutionalized field of liberal arts colleges. Transformational leaders possess the capability of drawing on prevailing structures and practices in ways that facilitate profound change in organizations. In the face of external pressures, they can reformulate organizational value commitments, realign competing interests and power differentials, and build significant capacity to bring about organizational innovations (Bass and Avolio, 1993; Avolio, Bass, and Jung, 1999). To use Anthony Giddens’ (1979, 1984) concepts, if structures are both enabling and constraining, their enabling features are likely to be more pronounced under transformational leadership. In the new institutionalism, views on taken for granted practices can be paradoxical. While these practices are viewed as sources of organizational legitimacy (Meyer & Rowan, 1977; DiMaggio & Powell 1983) necessary for survival, they are also considered obstacles to successful adaptation to new pressures and circumstances (e.g., Hinings & Greenwood 1988; D’Aunno, Sutton, & Price, 1991). The notion of transformational leadership may help overcome or perhaps ‘capitalize’ on this paradox. The work of Greenwood and Hinings (1996) provides a partial but useful parallel to this attempt to incorporate the notion of transformational leadership into the institutional frameworkapproach. Greenwood and Hinings (1996) These scholars explicitly pointed to the need to focus on intra-organizational dynamics as a means to bridge the new and old institutionalisms. Drawing on their earlier work on organizational archetypes (e.g., Greenwood & Hinings, 1993), they proposed a model that accounts for external market factors as well as internal organizational factors, such as values and power relations, to explain organizational change. They argued that profound changes in an organization’s basic archetype result from the interaction between external pressures and internal dynamics. The work of Greenwood and Hinings (1996) provides a partial but useful parallel to this attempt to incorporate the notion of transformational leadership into the institutional approach. As did the adherents to the old institutionalism, this research extends their perspective that leadership may mediate the organization-environment interaction in ways that result in innovation without abandoning the basic organizational archetype. In the face of external pressures, transformational leaders can reformulate organizational value commitments, realign competing interests and power differentials, and build significant capacity, drawing on prevailing structures and practices, to bring about organizational innovations (Bass & Avolio, 1993; Avolio, Bass, & Jung, 1999). If structures are both enabling and constraining (Giddens, 1979; 1984), their enabling features are likely to be more pronounced under transformational leadership. The way in which transformational leadership (Bass, Avolio, & Goodheim, 1987) acts to convert deeply imbedded, taken for granted, change-impeding structures and practices into ones that facilitate organizational adaptation to market forces in the highly institutionalized field of liberal arts colleges is the focus of this study. This research extends this perspective, as did the adherents to the old institutionalism, that leadership may mediate the organization-environment interaction in ways that result in innovation that need not require the abandonment of the basic organizational archetype.
Doctorate of Management Programs
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Show moreThe adoption, subsequent deployment, and use of new technology, is a topic of great interest to scholars and practitioners alike. Research to date has done much to identify and understand factors that influence technology adoption decisions of end users (Morris, 2001; Roberts & Henderson, 2000). But much less has been done to distinguish and account for the factors that influence the adoption decisions and the behaviors of managers. This paper seeks to bring managers, in the guise of trial court judges, to the forefront and identify those factors and characterize their technology adoption behaviors. The research identifies five direct influences and several indirect ones on trial court judges’ decisions to adopt a new case management system. All but one of them are consistent with end-user-based models of technology adoption. It also describes technology adoption behaviors of managers. These are consistent with theories about the diffusion of innovation and organizational economics. The end-user-based and diffusion of innovation models and the ideas of organizational economics as they pertain to the behavior of managers appear to be complimentary and work together to help explain how trial court judges adopt new technology.
Doctorate of Management Programs
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Show moreFor the purpose of this research I have conducted four focus groups with a total of twenty four participants in two distinct geographical areas of the US and within two distinct organizations. I was amazed to realize while doing the data coding and data analysis that in the absence of geographical clues it was almost impossible to distinguish the focus groups from each other. How is it possible that such disparate groups of people from different educational and professional backgrounds located in such different social environments have exactly the same experience in the US-based Haitian organization? Why is it that their understanding of the organizational issues are so identical that some are representing the symptoms while others are recommending solutions for the same symptoms? In the following pages my aim is to present the necessary empirical evidence supporting my findings and also to offer additional social science theory to facilitate the understanding of this revealing, and complex, social phenomenon. I will first introduce my preliminary conceptual model supported by the theoretical foundations of social and ethnic identities, followed by my research questions as outlined in my research proposal. Then I will continue with the data analysis, presenting my research findings and offering a preliminary interpretation of this data based primarily on Bourdieu’s concept of “habitus”. Finally as a practitioner at heart, I will offer a revised conceptual model with the promise of designing effective management interventions for US-based Haitian organizations. In the following pages is a summary of the findings of my research. After introducing my preliminary conceptual model, I will outline my research methodology including my methods of data analysis. Then, I will offer my understanding of the research findings and conclude with a revised conceptual model supported by recommendations for future research to solidify the model.
Doctorate of Management Programs
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Show moreThe number of Catholic priests available to lead and administer Catholic parishes is declining. The Roman Catholic Church is facing a leadership crises. To help understand the nature of pastoral leadership, this study was designed to examine the impact of pastoral leadership on parishioner satisfaction and parishoner support in 135 Catholic parishes in the Cleveland Diocese. Parishoner satisfaction was assessed from 52,786 Vibrant Parish Life surveys collected from these parishes. Parishioner support was defined as mult-year trends in the parishes' financial and sacramental data. Pastoral leadership was measured through the frequency use of emotional intelligence competencies by pastors from 32 of these parishes. The results showed that five variables emerged constituting parishoner satisfactions: outreach, sense of community, sacramental, faith formation and stewardship. Emotional intelligence competencies of thepastor significantly predicted parish vibrancy as measured by parishioner satisfaction. It did not predict parish vibrancy as measured by parishoner support. The hypothesized moderating effects concerning the presence of a parish school and size of the parish were found not to alter the impact of the pastor's leadership on parishoner satisfaction.
Doctorate of Management Programs
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Show moreThere are many questions about leadership development that remain unanswered. There is also a wide variety of different theoretical approaches to explain the complexities that exist in the leadership field. This research paper addresses the topical issue of leadership development in adolescent boys. It approaches the study from a perspective of investigating the role of authoritative parenting style, parental teaching and guidance strategies, and the meditative effect of psychological autonomy in adolescents. Through qualitative research methods of semi-structured interviews, and a limited number of measurement scale questions, the thoughts and feelings of parents and their scouts are explored. The data collected from these interviews, and an extensive literature review provided the basic framework to construct a conceptual research model, which potentially will be able to predict preferable leadership outcomes in adolescents. By offering this conceptual model, this research paper aims to generate new and useable knowledge in the field of leadership studies, and child and adolescent development.
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Show moreIn spring 2004, residents of historic districts in Phoenix described how they achieve historic preservation success, which factors account for success, and why some designated districts seem to achieve more success than others do. Interview transcripts were parsed through ATLAS/ti qualitative analysis software. Subsequently, a theoretical model was conceptualized and sketched. Success in neighborhood historic preservation — how residents achieve successful historic preservation outcomes — remains an important question that hold potential for redirecting the focus of professional preservation managers. Such questions also provide neighborhood preservationists with opportunities to weigh methods for working more closely with their best ‘worthy opponents.
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Show moreResearchers are challenging extant models of nonprofit governance practices. Given an apparent shortfall in effective practice, a deductive study is conducted to determine the impact of a refined management model, relational governance, on outcomes cited in the literature as examples of effective practice. Relational governance emphasizes partnering, advising relationships between board and management and builds on recent nonprofit governance literature while contrasting on several dimensions with the well-known extant model policy governance. A research design is presented for empirically testing the relational governance model by means of a survey instrument made available to the unit of research, current and former nonprofit board members. An early result of the research provides empirical support which demonstrates the value of putting a board’s varying skills to good use, maintaining a board/CEO relationship as one of advising and partnering, and maintaining an open flexible, innovative work environment to better manage a nonprofit organization. Research results may have implications for practitioners and researchers interested in understanding how to optimize the utilization and potential contribution of senior nonprofit volunteers and directors.
Doctorate of Management Programs
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Show moreThe increase in information technology (IT) projects has brought about related growth in project manager/project sponsor dyads. Although this dyad is acknowledged as important to project success, the nature of the relationship and its impact on project success factors remain under explored. Using 87 project manager/project sponsor dyads, the author of this study analyzed the effects of two interpersonal trust dimensions (cognitive trust and affective trust) on performance and satisfaction outcomes. Results of the data analysis show that project management dyad work is affected by the introduction of interpersonal trust. In particular, cognitive trust has a positive impact on metrics such as schedules and budgets. Affective trust improves satisfaction and perceived value of the project to the organization and to those who worked together on the project. Support was also found for the effect of two organizational trust dimensions (culture of trust and social norms). Specifically, culture of trust had a positive effect on interpersonal trust, whereas social norm had a negative effect on interpersonal trust. This research contributes to the discussion of IT project work by confirming that internal dynamics of project dyads are an important driver of project success. The research also makes a contribution to trust research through the finding that exclusive and complementary outcome effects are found in the interpersonal trust dimensions (cognitive and affective) and the organizational trust dimensions (culture of trust and social norm) with respect to project dyads.
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Show moreUsing a case methodology this study focuses on how two state colleges responded to fiscal stress in the decade of the 1990's, a period of national recession and political change for public higher education. Informed by archival information, fiscal data and interviews with campus decision makers, this work tells the story of how these two campuses addressed fiscal decline. The recollections and perceptions of those who played a role in crafting and implementing response to change are analyzed as efficiency and effectiveness strategies that comprised the unique approach taken by each college. "Shaw College" and "Dalton College" were deliberately chosen because of their similarity (mission, size, area of the state, consistency of leadership). And while the institutions described similar strategies to address the fiscal crisis, there were differences in outcomes. Such divergence was confirmed and illustrated using two different approaches. Cameron and Smart's (1998) "Dirty Dozen," focused on effectiveness and variables of dysfunction. Paul Salipante's (1992) work on traditionality/rationality concentrated on the linking behavioral and rational modes to address change. This coupling contributes to the case for a linkage between mission adherence and effectiveness. The case studies did provide evidence of colleges going beyond efficiency measures In addressing fiscal crisis demonstrated that revenue decline does not necessarily elicit panic responses nor does it send the signal that longer-term goals need to be forsaken. Finally, the case studies suggest that in managing in crisis/change, the coupling of strategies focused on both the core mission and traditions of higher education and strong decision-making and the rational analysis of the external environment for the college contributes to the longer term success and survival of colleges and universities.
Doctorate of Management Programs
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