In an Idaho-based hospital, the registered nurse (RN) turnover rate in the float pool was excessively high. The purpose of this project was to examine the effect of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) on a RN's sense of community (SOC) in a float pool and an RN's intent to stay employed after attending an AI event. Although much had been written about nursing retention, AI, and SOC separately, there was nothing on how AI could be used to increase a RN's SOC or intent to stay employed. AI is a change management framework that has been used to engage employees in a meaningful way. The goal of this project was to engage RN float staff in a 6-hour AI workshop to generate ideas on improving the work environment. The SOC theory by McMillan and Chavis provided the context for measuring RN perception. It was anticipated that participation would lead to an increased SOC and an increased likelihood of staying employed in the float pool. The Sense of Community Index 2 survey was administered pre and postworkshop to a convenience sample of RNs (n = 22) recruited from the float pool. Additionally, RNs were asked before and after the workshop how likely they were to leave their current position in the next 12 months. Data analysis was a paired t test based on a 1-group pretest and posttest design. Demographic data were collected to describe the sample population. The results, although not statistically significant, showed both an increased SOC and an increased intent to leave following the AI workshop. The findings show that AI may be useful for increasing SOC. However, as a tool for nursing retention, both AI and SOC require better understanding. It is hoped this study will provide leaders with a starting point for further investigation into how AI and SOC can be used to improve the nursing work experience.

This is a qualitative exploratory, descriptive study to ascertain the feasibility of public administrators at the local government level using an Appreciative Inquiry approach to increase direct citizen participation. It is framed by the interpretive paradigm. Twenty city managers or their designees from cities of between 40,000 and 250,000 citizens were interviewed. Specifically, respondents were asked twelve semi-structured interview questions. Content analysis was used to identify six themes in the data. Ultimately, this study found that Appreciative Inquiry may be useful in limited circumstances as long as barriers to implementation were adequately addressed. However, the potential risks may outweigh the benefits. / Ph. D.

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Schools develop organizational cultures of their own; these cultures establish traditions and norms that guide everyday life in schools. The purpose of this case study was to examine teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of how a positive school culture has been shaped, maintained, and sustained over the past four decades at one midsized Catholic high school in Southeastern Ontario. The qualitative research design combined document analysis and qualitative interviewing with the aim to establish a greater understanding of the school’s history. The interviews were conducted with current and former teachers and administrators who have worked at the school between 1970 and 2013. By looking at this school as a case study, I have attempted to gain a deeper insight to the subjective experiences that different teachers and administrators have had with the school over the course of its recent history, and have thereby developed an understanding of the motivations and actions undertaken to both preserve and change the school’s normative structure over the course of time. The results of the study indicate that the school has been able to maintain and sustain a positive culture over the past forty years. The findings have determined the school’s cultural manifestations at each of the three levels of organizational culture, and recognize the fundamental importance of the role of selected stakeholders in projecting, and reflecting the existing culture in order to preserve core underlying assumptions in the process of adaptation to internal and external changes. The school’s long-standing history, tradition of excellence, and strong focus on Catholic education and “educating the whole person” have allowed for the establishment of a close community network within the school. From an ecological perspective (recognizing schools as living systems) these networks, supported by strong leadership, have served to sustain the healthy elements of the school’s culture allowing it to evolve over time. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2013-08-03 14:26:59.744

Historically, institutions of higher education have been perceived to be isolated from the real concerns of the world. They have appeared to be ivory towers and bastions of knowledge to which mere mortals can only aspire. There is currently still a call in the South Africa for education that is relevant and applicable to the development of South Africa. Through emphasizing community engagement and implementing service learning various dynamic approaches are now being considered to link “traditional domains of foundational knowledge and professional knowledge with a new emphasis on socially responsive knowledge” (Altman in Kenny & Gallagher, 2000:1). Altman suggests that service learning links the knowledge, skills and experiences of learners in a way that enables them to act and respond to social problems and engage with communities. The aim of the research was to through an appreciative inquiry framework determine what is being done in respect to and how best to support and encourage the continued implementation of community engagement and service learning in South Africa. The research focuses on how service learning and community engagement can be made sustainable in South Africa. It identifies what service learning practices are being established by higher education institutions in South Africa following the period typified as the era of the Community Higher Education Service Partnership programme. Over a period of nine years, higher education institutions received external support from the Community Higher Education Service Partnership programme. In 2008, the Community Higher Education Service Partnership programme was transferred to the Higher Education Quality Committee and the support and funding, previously supplied by the Community Higher Education Service Partnership programme, was terminated. The research investigates how service learning and community engagement has since continued to be sustained and implemented in higher education institutions. Service learning and community engagement, as an entity, is positioned to “produce powerful transformative effects for learners, teachers, schools, universities, communities and policy-makers” (Le Grange, 2007:8). These developments in higher education serve as a backdrop for the need for transformation and change in South Africa. In response to the fundamental changes occurring in South Africa, there is an imminent need to transform the function, role and purpose of higher education institutions. The findings of the research should generate a greater understanding of the current status of service learning and community engagement in South Africa.

Det finns mycket forskning som pekar på en tärande arbetssituation för den myndighetsutövande delen i socialtjänsten inom barn och unga. Denna kvalitativa studie influeras av förhållningssättet Appreciative Inquiry för att undersöka de positiva faktorerna, arbetsglädje och arbetsmotivation, med att arbeta som socialsekreterare inom den myndighetsutövande delen i socialtjänsten. Sju stycken semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes, där socialsekreterare fick dela med sig av sina upplevelser av arbetsglädje och arbetsmotivation i deras profession. Resultatet visar att det som ger arbetsglädje och arbetsmotivation är klientarbetet i sig, där möjligheten att kunna göra skillnad och hjälpa är viktig. En förtroendefull relation till klienten där det finns en ömsesidig förståelse är också av betydelse. Relationen till kollegor, både genom en mer stödjande roll i arbetet och en vänskapsrelation, är ytterligare en viktig faktor. Appreciative Inquiry upplevdes positivt då socialsekreterarna upplever att de sällan pratar om det som är positivt. Genom att lyfta det som är positivt vill vi stärka yrkets positiva faktorer.

Attutforska och definiera vilka faktorer som bygger upp en långsiktigt hållbarverksamhet med välmående och flexibla medarbetare är viktigt i ett samhälle medkrav på snabba förändringar. Appreciative leadership är en ledarskapsfilosofivars praktik i teorin kommer ur de fem kärnstrategier (5 I) och vars förväntadeeffekter starkt korrelerar med det som i litteraturen be-skrivs somfriskfaktorer i arbetslivet. Syftet med arbetet är att bidra med kunskap kringhur de fem kärnstrategierna kan omsättas i praktik och utforska om utövandetger effekter på den psykosociala arbetsmiljön. I studien användes mixed methodsoch resultatet har sin grund en kvantitativ enkät som följdes upp medkvalitativa djupintervjuer samt fokusgrupp. Till grund för resultatet låg ocksåövergripande observationer samt dokumentanalys. Resultatet visar att samtligafem kärnstrategier i hög grad finns närvarande i verksamheten och att samtligamed-arbetare skattade och beskrev sin psykosociala arbetsmiljö som utmärkt. Detkunde också konstateras att utövande av de fem kärnstrategierna i verksamhetentill stor del sker genom ett antal väl valda arbetssätt och metoder, blandannat en stark hjälpande kultur, inre ledarskap och klar kommunikation. Iresultatet går även att utläsa att det finns utmaningar med arbets-sättet ochatt det finns några grundläggande förutsättningar som beskrivs viktiga för attarbets-sättet som helhet ska fungera, däribland hög grundbemanning och starkgemensam värde-grund. Utifrån att kärnstrategiernas praktiska utövande isamtliga steg i studien beskrivs bidra till arbetslivets friskfaktorer ärslutsatsen att det är högst troligt att ett medvetet och praktiskt utövande av5 I kan bidra till en hälsosam arbetsplats, öka arbetsglädjen och iförlängningen minska risken för arbetsrelaterad ohälsa. / In a society   which demands rapid change, exploring and defining which factors build up a   long-term sustainable organisation with prosperous and flexible employees is   important. Appreciative leadership is a leadership philosophy which can be   split into five core strategies. (5 I) These strategies strongly correlate   with what is described in the literature as ”health factors” in the work   environment. The purpose of this study was to discover how the five core   strategies can be put in to practice and to explore what effect this has on   the psychosocial work environment. The study used mixed methods and the   result is based on a quantitative questionnaire that was followed up by   qualitative in-depth interviews and focus group. The basis for the result was   also general observation and a brief literature review. The result showed   that all five core strategies were present in the organization and that all   em-ployees described their psychosocial environment as excellent. It was also   noticed that the practice of the five core strategies in the organization   takes place through a number of well-chosen methods, including a strong   supportive culture, internal leadership and clear communi-cation. The result   also revealed that there were challenges with the actual way of working and   that there were some basic conditions that were described as important for   the method as a whole. These included high staffing and strong common values.   The practice of the core stra-tegies were described as contributing to the   health factors of working. It was concluded that it is highly likely that a   conscious practice of 5 I can contribute to a healthy work place, increase   work satisfaction and in the long term decrease the risk for work-related   illness. / <p>2019-06-27</p>

A journey comprised of three paths is the metaphor through which I i) reflect and report on my involvement with four New Zealand primary school Boards of Trustees (BOTs) investigating the emancipatory potential that applications of information and communication technologies (ICTs) may have on their governance processes, ii) analyse appreciative inquiry through application(s) of critical theory, with specific reference to the investigation above so as to deepen understanding of the research method, and iii) reflect on my personal development, as achieved through my engagement with participants and the research process. Stemming from an interest in improving school governance I was keen to identify current use of ICTs by BOTs and to work with them to identify potential applications. Appreciative inquiry with its focus on enhancing existing positive organisational attributes seemed to provide an appropriate structure for my investigation. At the back of my mind however, a concern was formulating: Does this method of research deliver the benefits the literature espouses? What influence would the positive orientation have on the research process and on the power dynamics within the research environment? Complementary streams of critical thinking and reflexivity were invoked to assist my analysis. Applications of ICTs which may appear 'helpful' to BOT governance processes are identified in this report. However, uncritical uptake of these applications may not necessarily be consistent with the emancipatory intentions I aspire to. Framed within Habermas' theory of communicative action, the potential colonisation of the BOT lifeworld by the system is considered. Domesticating influences may potentially constrain democratic processes at local school and societal levels. The participatory action research process undertaken facilitated a deepened understanding of governance for all involved. Identification of time and funding constraints indicates BOTs may be prevented from reaching their true potential. Attempts to enhance governance through additional applications of ICTs will be of minimal effect unless efforts are made to better understand and resource the governance efforts of Trustees. Purported empowerment of the community as mandated in the Education Act 1989 comes with a heavy cost, for schools and individuals. Care must be taken to ensure that 'efficiency' gains are not made at the expense of democratic processes. Critical analysis of appreciative inquiry as a research method highlights the influences of power and language use within the research process. Appreciative inquiry should be seen as a process for, rather than a master of change. The contribution of appreciative inquiry to organisational and personal transformation may be drawn from the ontological basis of the approach rather than from the technicalities of a specific form of implementation. I suggest the focus on what is 'good' be made more complex, to recognise that appreciation may also mean 'to know, to be conscious of, to take full and sufficient account of'. Application of an enhanced definition of appreciation has deepened my understanding of not only the situation under investigation but also the research process itself. Through my enhanced concept of 'appreciation' embedded and sometimes obscured influences were highlighted, better understood, and at times transformed to serve the emancipatory aspirations of participants. In keeping with the reflexivity mandated by my commitment to critical theory and action research, I applied this enhanced definition of appreciation to my personal development during my engagement with participants and the research process. My struggles to apply my chosen social constructionist and critical theory lenses to this work are evident in my attempts to work with the largely functionalist literature in this field and the influence of my undergraduate education. Recognising the theoretical and personal developments I gained as I travelled the three paths of my PhD journey, the scene is now set for me to challenge the predominance of functionalist, mechanistic metaphors which dominate organisational literature. In doing so, I seek an alternative approach to understanding organisational activity; and a new vocabulary through which I might extend my understanding, and negotiate new and emancipatory meaning(s) with others.

The goal of nursing is to promote health and alleviate suffering. Using Appreciative Inquiry, this study explored the possibilities for the nursing profession to reduce the health implications of poverty. Select Saskatchewan registered nurses (RNs) engaged in appreciative interviews that identified positive experiences working with low income clients. The participants were activists challenging the status quo through their practice. Analysis illuminated the best practices of these RNs, constructing a vision for change rooted in their understanding clients realities and communicating those realities through advocacy. By bringing their personal passions to client interactions, and connecting with a broader social justice context, RNs create an opportunity to respond to the effects of income inequities on health.