Leadership emergence is best conceptualized as a complex, multi-level process arising from the dynamic interplay of all elements in the process: group members, relations, and context (Day, 2014). This study seeks to simultaneously examine to the role of each in the leadership emergence process by assessing leader and follower traits, their trait similarity, task, behaviors, and the network itself. Using a rotation design, 99 cadets in groups of three completed four tasks with alternating partners and subsequently provided sociometric ratings of each of their group members. Data was analyzed using Exponential Random Graph Modeling, which controls for endogenous group effects. In general, there was a tendency toward nominating others as leaders. High scores on dominance and intelligence predicted leadership emergence, and low scores on dominance predicted follower emergence. The type of task did not affect leadership emergence. Perceived leader behavior unexpectedly reduced the likelihood of nominating another as a leader. Results from this study highlight the importance of studying all components of leadership process and are once step closer toward doing so completely and accurately. / Master of Science

The purpose of the present study was to establish evidence for the suggested integration of the theories of connectionism and leadership. Recent theoretical writings in the field of leadership have suggested that the dynamic representations generated by the connectionist perspective is an appropriate approach to understanding how we perceive leaders. Similarly, implicit leadership theory (ILT) explains that our cognitive understandings of leaders are based on a cognitive structure that we use as a means of understanding and categorizing the behaviors of individuals we believe to be leaders. It was predicted that when asked to select a leader from a group of potential leaders, individuals select the leader based on personal belief alignment when the context of the leader selection is personally relevant, or based on cognitive expectations when the context is low in personal relevance. In addition, when experiencing moments of greater personal relevance, individuals will experience a more dynamic cognitive representation of a leader that those experiencing the moment as less personally relevant. Sixty-seven individuals provided usable data from a repeated measures design that asked participants to record their cognitive representations of a leader, participate in a leader selection task, and provide information about their cognitive representations of a leader after the selection task. The results of the study provide support the expectations of the experimenter and the suggestions of the connectionist perspective. / Master of Science

The use of teams and work groups in organizations has become increasingly more popular in the last decade. Within each of these groups, a leadership role must be filled in order for the team to achieve its task. This study posited that the method by which the leader comes into this role may have a direct impact on the group's performance and its perceptions of the group's interpersonal processes and efficiency, satisfaction with the group, satisfaction with the group output, and support for the leader. In addition, the influence of leader assignment was expected to change based on the level of interdependence required by the task. One hundred forty-eight subjects were assigned to one of four conditions in a 2X2 design (appointed vs. elected leaders X high vs. low interdependence task), and were asked to fill out a questionnaire upon completion of their task. Results found that the higher level of interdependence was significantly related to more favorable ratings of Perceived Group Efficiency ( F =6.89, p <.05) and Satisfaction with Group Output ( F =7.69, p <.05). Possible limitations and future research opportunities are addressed. / Master of Science

Performance appraisals - a study of the performance appraisals significance as a tool for development in the public sector. Anders Larsson and Åsalill Olsson Performance appraisals have been given a central role in leading businesses in the public sector and are seen as a tool to create development opportunities and achieve better results. This has resulted that performance appraisal in many organizations takes up capacity and time. This was the starting point of our interest to study whether the time spent on performance appraisals effectively pays for itself in the organization, in other words whether the effects expected actually are achieved. The paper examines first line managers` views on staff appraisal purposes and effects of a function within the Landstinget. The survey design, methodology and transaction are of qualitative and quantitative method with three different sources: literature review of previous research, interviews with first line managers in Landstinget Västmanland and the results from an employee satisfaction survey conducted on behalf of Landstinget Västmanland. The result shows that the majority of first line managers` views on the purpose of staff appraisal are that they have a focus on the individual worker and the work environment and not to any significant degree is their purpose linked to the work place goals or to improve the performance of the organization. Keywords: leadership, performance appraisals, leadership styles, leader behavior, leader.

This is a thesis in Personal- och Arbetslivsprogrammet at Dalarna University with thepurpose of evaluating an education initiative in Borlänge kommun. The educationCoaching Leadership is an initiative for the managers in the organization to exercisegood leadership and the education also serves as an incentive for managers. Eightbusiness managers and one from the HR staff have completed the training. Out of thetotal 9 participants in the training, six of them took part in this evaluation. Based on thethesis aim and questions we wanted to explore participants' attitudes to the education,and what skills and abilities they have acquired on the basis of educational goals andcontent. To obtain results, a semi-structured interview methodology was used, this inorder to get answers to predefined questions while the participants would have theopportunity to give an as broad picture as possible.The result of this evaluation demonstrates that the participants are in favor of trainingand they've got the tools, knowledge and ability to apply coaching in their job role,which was included in the educational goals. For the CL-education to promote theorganization's development potential, the participants mentions that it takes time totrain and that employees must have the knowledge of the organization's educationaldirection. / Detta är ett examensarbete inom Personal- och Arbetslivsprogrammet vid HögskolanDalarna med syftet att utvärdera en utbildningssatsning inom Borlänge kommun.Utbildningen Coachande Ledarskap är en satsning för cheferna i organisationen för attutöva ett gott ledarskap, utbildningen fungerar även som ett incitament för cheferna.Åtta verksamhetschefer och en HR-medarbetare har genomfört utbildningen varav sexdeltagare deltog i denna utvärdering. Utifrån examensarbetets syfte ochfrågeställningar ville vi undersöka deltagarnas inställning till utbildningen samt vilkakunskaper och förmågor de erhållit utifrån utbildningens mål och innehåll. För att fåfram resultat användes en semistrukturerad intervjumetodik, detta för att kunna få svarpå fördefinierade frågor samtidigt som deltagarna skulle kunna få möjlighet att ge en såbred bild som möjligt.Resultatet av denna utvärdering påvisar att deltagarna är positivt inställda tillutbildningen och att de har fått de verktyg, kunskaper och förmåga att tillämpacoaching i sin befattning vilket inkluderades i utbildningens mål. För att CLutbildningenskall kunna främja organisationens utvecklingsmöjligheter, nämnerdeltagarna att det krävs tid för att träna och att medarbetare måste få vetskap omorganisationens satsning.

Changes in the workplace and impending shortages of organizational leaders make it imperative that HRD professionals develop a better understanding of the developmental processes of emergent leaders entering the workplace. While leader development research within the field of HRD has typically focused on established workers, the research in this study assumes a lifespan approach to leader development. This study contributes to the development of the field by examining the leadership experiences of 18 to 20 year olds who were leaders of organizations in high school and how these experiences shaped the identities of these emergent leaders. Themes that emerged related to their experiences included their relationships with others, how they led by example, the development of authentic leadership qualities, and their motivation to lead in new venues. Implications for practice and future research are identified.

Magistro baigiamajame darbe analizuojamas LEADER programos įgyvendinimas ir perspektyvos Akmenės rajone. Pirmojoje magistro baigiamojo darbo dalyje nagrinėjama Lietuvos ir užsienio autorių įžvalgos apie kaimo plėtros politikos raida, mokslininkų kaimo plėtros apibrėžtys, LEADER programos koncepcija išskiriant pagrindinius LEADER metodo veiksnius, LEADER programos įgyvendinimas ES ir Lietuvoje bei Lietuvos VVG vertinimo aspektai. Empirinėje dalyje analizuojama LEADER programos įgyvendinimas 2007 – 2013 m. ir perspektyvos Akmenės rajone. Analizuojama Akmenės rajono vietos plėtros strategija, Akmenės rajono vietos veiklos grupės ataskaitos, veiklos ataskaitos, Akmenės rajono vietos veiklos grupės projektų ataskaitos. Remiantis VVG vertinimo metodologija, VVG veiklos sėkmės veiksniai buvo surūšiuoti į rodiklių sistemą, kuri leidžia kiekybiškai įvertinti VVG atliktus darbus. Siekiant įvertinti visą VVG veiklą, veiksniai buvo sugrupuoti į tris grupes: Akmenės r. VVG turimi ištekliai, jų naudojimo proceso eiga ir pasiekti veiklos rezultatai. Gautų rezultatų pagilinimui naudotas kitas kokybinių duomenų rinkimo metodas – pusiau struktūruotas interviu su informantais ir nestruktūruotas interviu su ekspertu. Interviu metu sužinota informantų nuomonė apie LEADER programos įgyvendinimą 2007-2013 m. bei tobulinimo galimybes rengiant 2014 – 2020 m. vietos plėtros strategiją. Išgryninant VVG veiklos aspektus, užtikrinančius sėkmingą LEADER programos įgyvendinimą ir tobulinimo galimybes 2014... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This Master degree thesis analyses the implementation and prospect of the LEADER programme in Akmene’s district. The first part of the thesis examines the insights of Lithuanian and foreign authors into the evolution of rural development policy, the scientific definitions of rural development, and the concept of LEADER programme by highlighting the key elements of the LEADER approach, the implementation of the LEADER programme in the EU and Lithuania and the evaluation aspects of Lithuanian LAG. The empirical part of this thesis analyses the implementation and prospects of the LEADER programme in Akmene’s district from 2007 to 2013. The objects of the analysis are as follows: the local development strategy in Akmene’s district, the reports of Akmene’s district local action group, proceeding reports, the project reports of Akmene’s District local action group. Based on the evaluation methodology of the LAG, the success factors of the LAG were organized into a system of indicators that allows us to quantify the work done in the LAG. In order to evaluate the overall activities of the LAG these factors were grouped into three categories: stock of the LAG resources in Akmene’s district, the process of their use and the achieved work results. One more qualitative data collection method – semi-structured interviews with informants and unstructured interviews with experts – was used to deepen the received results. During the interview it was ascertained the opinion of the informants... [to full text]

A implantação de um sistema de produção enxuta (PE) é complexa e requer ênfase na gestão das operações de manufatura, visto que as mesmas costumam concentrar parte substancial das perdas em um sistema produtivo. Esse trabalho relata o desenho de gestão do processo operacional na implantação do modelo enxuto na planta de uma empresa do ramo de autopeças de atuação global, na qual o uso da PE era uma política corporativa. Este desenho teve duas etapas marcantes: a transformação física de 5 linhas de produção em 55 células de manufatura; a criação de condições favoráveis à melhoria contínua, por meio do desenho do processo de gestão do processo operacional destas 55 células. Este trabalho se foca na segunda etapa, a de gestão do processo operacional e no detalhamento da estruturação deste, no qual um elemento chave foi o desenvolvimento das lideranças . As etapas seguidas, boas práticas usadas e dificuldades encontradas podem servir de referência para outras empresas envolvidas com a implantação da PE. / The implementation of a lean production system (LPE) is complex and requires emphasis on the operations manufacturing management, since the same focus often substantial losses in a productive system. This paper describes the design operating management process in an implementation lean model in a branch company plant from auto parts global operations, in which the use of the PE was a corporate policy. This design had two milestones: the physical transformation of 5 production lines in 55 manufacturing cells, the creation of conditions to continuous improvement through the managing process design of these cells 55. This paper focuses on the second stage, the management of the operational process and the details of this structuration, in which a key element was the development of leaders. The steps, best practices used and difficulties encountered can serve as a benchmark for other companies involved with the implementation of the LEP.

A implantação de um sistema de produção enxuta (PE) é complexa e requer ênfase na gestão das operações de manufatura, visto que as mesmas costumam concentrar parte substancial das perdas em um sistema produtivo. Esse trabalho relata o desenho de gestão do processo operacional na implantação do modelo enxuto na planta de uma empresa do ramo de autopeças de atuação global, na qual o uso da PE era uma política corporativa. Este desenho teve duas etapas marcantes: a transformação física de 5 linhas de produção em 55 células de manufatura; a criação de condições favoráveis à melhoria contínua, por meio do desenho do processo de gestão do processo operacional destas 55 células. Este trabalho se foca na segunda etapa, a de gestão do processo operacional e no detalhamento da estruturação deste, no qual um elemento chave foi o desenvolvimento das lideranças . As etapas seguidas, boas práticas usadas e dificuldades encontradas podem servir de referência para outras empresas envolvidas com a implantação da PE. / The implementation of a lean production system (LPE) is complex and requires emphasis on the operations manufacturing management, since the same focus often substantial losses in a productive system. This paper describes the design operating management process in an implementation lean model in a branch company plant from auto parts global operations, in which the use of the PE was a corporate policy. This design had two milestones: the physical transformation of 5 production lines in 55 manufacturing cells, the creation of conditions to continuous improvement through the managing process design of these cells 55. This paper focuses on the second stage, the management of the operational process and the details of this structuration, in which a key element was the development of leaders. The steps, best practices used and difficulties encountered can serve as a benchmark for other companies involved with the implementation of the LEP.

This thesis focuses mainly on local action groups and their impact on rural development. The chief aim of this work is to compare existing working methods in rural development with the LEADER method.