<p> This exploratory dissertation examines governmental influences during the ongoing emergence of NewSpace, which is a community of private, entrepreneurial organizations pursuing space-related business opportunities outside of the traditional NASA-Military-Industrial complex model. </p><p> While recent research has provided significant insights into how organizations, populations and communities emerge, our understanding of the influence of government in this process has been minimal. Since government is the single most important actor in the modern economy, correcting this oversight is crucial to any modeling of community emergence. As emerging communities are lacking in traditional quantitative data, and the goals of this research are exploratory rather than theory testing, an inductive, qualitative methodology is utilized. The first step towards understanding governmental influence during the emergence of a new community is documenting exactly what the government does in this environment. Chapter IV uses grounded theory methodology to produce a Taxonomy of Governmental Roles in the Emergence of High-Technology Communities. The question of whether government facilitates the creation of new industries - or whether entrepreneurs manipulate government - is of critical importance to researchers of entrepreneurship and policy. Chapter V uses historical analysis to consider the causal role of government in the establishment of the environment in which this new community of organizations is emerging. Institutional legitimacy is crucial to the survival of entrepreneurial firms as well as to new populations and communities. Chapter VI considers the government's key role as legitimizer, and proposes a theoretical model for the process of legitimacy transfer from governmental agencies to entrepreneurial firms, populations and communities. </p><p> This dissertation makes contributions to the literatures of organizational evolution, community emergence, institutional theory, entrepreneurship and policy. It offers researchers a framework to better model governmental influence. It also provides entrepreneurs with a holistic view of governmental influence on their environments and offers governmental actors a fuller understanding of the impact that their legislation and enforcement activities have on new organizations and industries.</p>

<p> As noted by research journalists, &lsquo;t Hart, Stern &amp; Sundelius (1997), foreign policy decisions &ldquo;&hellip;are shaped in relatively small groups and informal face-to-face interaction&rdquo; (p 4). This study explores the influence of small groups on the effectiveness of decision-making techniques and examines how to counter the new forms of groupthink such as an inner-circle of influence. </p><p> This project utilizes an experimental design study to test the relative efficiency of two decision-making models in a pre-scripted scenario in countering this new inner-circle form of groupthink. Using a cross-over research design, participants responded to each scenario with random assignment into one of two decision-making models: the Delphi model and an iterative feedback technique referred to in this paper as the Continuous Group Problem Solving (CGPS) model. After completing two decision-making scenarios, participants identified the most effective decision-making model overall and potential for this method to counter dominance by an inner-circle of influence. </p><p> The results from this study are significant since the findings reconceptualize the term groupthink as a simpler term implying inner-circle influence that preempts thorough decision-making. The findings also provide insight for future application in countering the deleterious control of an &ldquo;inner-circle.&rdquo; These exploratory research results are ripe for replication in large corporate or Government organizations, The desire to have a voice in the decision process and to overcome inner-circle influence will be of value to those conducting future research.</p>

<p> Military organizations are often called upon to assist with emergency management missions, so it is critical that they have appropriately established and well understood organizational perceptual factors. Military organizations are often unique within a nation, which increases the challenge for scholars to effectively analyze how organizational factors are influenced by the dynamics of national use of military forces for emergency management missions. There are several disparate theories of government organization, but the most recent and relevant is Keith James' organizational science of disaster and terrorism prevention and response theory. James' theory identified several important organizational factors specific to emergency management organizations. These factors include organizational structure and networks, processes, teams, leadership, and technology. James' organizational factors guided the development of this qualitative comparative case study's interview protocol with 24 members from the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of the United States National Guard and Israeli Homefront Command. Results revealed why two nations use their military forces for disaster response as well as provided a description of how each organization is used within their respective nation. The data affirmed aspects of James' theory, including relevant structural, networking, and procedural factors and identified the other organizational factors within James' theory as possible areas for future research. Finally, based upon interview participant perceptions, recommendations were made to the leadership of the Homefront Command and National Guard regarding areas of potential organizational emphasis to include internal messaging, additional doctrine, and clarified organizational structures for disaster response.</p>

<p>This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological design to examine the experiences of former Accomopharm (a pseudonym) executive managers that implemented innovative management to achieve sustainable profitability. Understanding innovation in the field of organizational management as it pertained to recognizing opportunities for innovation through managerial change was foundational to this research. The study examined participants&rsquo; perspectives on organizational innovation as revealed by an analysis of organizational vision, participative safety, task orientation, and support for innovation. The factors were found to provide significant predictions of perceived team effectiveness that determined the extent to which management teams were able to think of new ways and methods for developing and implementing innovative products, managerial methods, and services. The researcher analyzed data obtained from personal interviews conducted telephonically with 10 former executive managers with Accomopharm that volunteered for the interviews. The participants spoke openly and explicitly regarding their experiences with innovative management and in implementing managerial change in achieving sustained organizational profitability. Additional insights into organizational change advanced by an enhanced knowledge of innovation may provide leadership with better strategies that will improve the rates of successful change initiatives. </p>

<p> The nursing workforce shortage is not a new phenomenon but dates as far back as World War II. It is believed that the hospital nursing shortage poses a serious threat to the health and welfare of this nation. Therefore, the debate over nursing workforce shortages has been contentious and unresolved about appropriate solutions to address the shortage. Because nurses comprise the major and largest component of all health care employees and serve on the front line of patient care, a hospital's ability to attract and retain registered nurses must be met with competent, adequate and satisfied nursing staff. The nursing workforce shortage has received attention from hospital leaders and public policy makers alike in their approach to resolve this imminent national shortage of hospital nurses. Some researchers postulate there is no shortage of nurses in the United States but in response to poor working conditions, these same licensed registered nurses are consciously choosing not to work in the hospital industry due to deteriorating working conditions. To solve this problem in hospitals, the very same management and leadership practices that created this fictional crisis are the ones that can improve registered nurses' work conditions and enhance the attractiveness of nursing as a profession. The purpose of this study was to empirically describe the impact leadership practices of nurse managers and the nurse practice environment have on job satisfaction of registered nurses in two urban teaching hospitals. A cross-sectional quantitative research design using survey data was implemented to assess leadership practices of nurse managers, presence of the nurse practice environment, and job satisfaction of registered nurses. Results of this study reveal that nurse managers with exemplary leadership practices and favorable nurse practice environments have subordinate registered nurse staff with greater job satisfaction. Findings from this study might assist healthcare leaders to better understand the organizational characteristics associated with how to best organize nurse practice environments and the leadership practices of the nurse manager in better shaping the hospital environment to enhance the quality of nurses' work lives.</p>

Portuguese-Canadians have historically faced disadvantages in the Canadian education system (Coelho, 1973, 1977; Fonseca, 2010; Morgado, 2009; Noivo, 1997; Nunes, 1999; Ornstein, 2000, 2006; Santos, 2006). While there have been studies conducted into this phenomenon, these disadvantages remain relatively unexplored by the research community and unknown to mainstream society. Furthermore, many of those studies have focused primarily on the various manifestations of the problem of educational disadvantage and have not explored the specific programs or practices adopted by the community to address these issues. Community based educational organizations have been shown to assist in the cultural adjustment process of immigrant youth. These organizations provide youth with the necessary cultural capital to allow them to construct high academic and vocational aspirations, and to cope with the various discouraging experiences they may have in schools (Bielenberg, n.d; James, 2005; James & Haig-Brown, 2001; Zhou, 2005). The purpose of this study was to describe a community-based tutoring and mentoring program and to examine the stakeholders' perceptions of the program's impact on the Portuguese-Canadian students whom it serves, to respond to the educational disadvantages this group faces. This program was established by members of the Portuguese-Canadian community in Toronto as a reaction to data outlining this group's educational disadvantages. Document and transcript analysis provided a rich description of the program and revealed how the program impacted the students whom it served. Specifically, this program supports its students during transitions, helps to address negative schooling experiences, and fosters their acquisition of English. This ultimately results in improvements in these students' academics, social skills, and self-esteem and is having an overall positively impact on their attitudes and perceptions of education. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2012-09-19 18:09:53.088

<p> Despite the popularity and financial benefits Six Sigma programs produce, Six Sigma has its weaknesses. Critics of Six Sigma recommend inclusion of systems thinking, a method that examines an organization as a system and views its processes holistically with Six Sigma. The purpose of this quantitative study is to compare organizations that use Six Sigma only and organizations that use an integrated approach. The research questions explore to what extent organizations that implement an integrated quality improvement method differ in the success and duration of their Six Sigma programs compared to those that implement Six Sigma as a standalone method. In addition, the study investigates factors that contribute to the success of integrating Six Sigma and system thinking, as well as differences in leadership support for an integrated model compared to those that use Six Sigma only. Conceptually, this study is framed within the theories of Six Sigma and systems thinking. The data was collected through an electronic survey of 289 participated from professional associations, whose membership include practitioners of Six Sigma and systems thinking. A descriptive analysis was conducted including frequency distribution and cross tabulation analysis. The results of this study suggest there is no statistically significant difference in the Six Sigma program success between those organizations that use Six Sigma only compared to those that use an integrated approach; they both report success. However, there is evidence of organizations that use the integrated approach of systems thinking tend to use feedback loops more frequently, have a more holistic view of quality management, and examine their organization's interdependencies more than organizations that use Six Sigma only. There is evidence that as the duration of the organization's use of Six Sigma matures so does the respondents' support for factors of systems thinking concept. Evidence also supports that an integrated approach contributes to the success of Six Sigma programs. No empirical research on an integrated approach to quality management was available. This study contributes to providing an explorative foundation for further research as well as creating a survey questionnaire previously not available to explore the integrated approach with Six Sigma programs.</p>

<p> This multi-case study examined interorganizational relations of co-coordinated volunteer program partnerships between select U.S. National Park Service (NPS) sites and their nonprofit partners. National parks face ongoing funding challenges, resulting in staff reductions and the inability to address many park and visitor needs. Cutbacks and more park visitors translate to greater need for volunteers. Many national parks have nonprofit partners that traditionally focused on fundraising. In 14 cases, these nonprofits expanded their activity to include co-coordination of volunteer programming with NPS partners.</p><p> Six partnerships were selected for in-depth study based on a quantitative survey. The study's research questions focus on how the partners collaborate, structures of their co-managed volunteer programs, the programs' adherence to research-based tenets of volunteer program management and interorganizational collaboration, and similarities and differences among the cases. In each case, the partnerships resulted in substantial growth of volunteer programming. </p><p> As predicted by Interorganizational Relations and New Institutionalism theories as well as research on volunteer programs managed by a single organization, the volunteer program partnerships have many similar structures, face comparable challenges, and employ many of the same strategies to address challenges. However, the partnerships developed additional practices related to their volunteer programs being co-managed, including staff co-location, daily partner communication, creating a shared volunteer program mission, use of technology for communication, longevity of key staff, and innovative ways to multiply the number of their volunteer coordination positions. The partnerships employ a combination of ad hoc, decentralized, and centralized structures for their volunteer programs as well as a combination of universal, contingent, and configurational practices for volunteer program management. The largest volunteer partnerships also use more agreements, structures, and strategies.</p><p> Despite partially adhering to New Institutional theories that suggest structures within organizational fields become more similar over time, these volunteer programs also remain distinctive based on the partners' responses to unique features, challenges, and opportunities at their parks as well as due to different management practices. The most impactful programs take greater advantage of features of their locations, surrounding populations, and available staff. Finally, 'love' for certain parks emerged as a factor that both helps ameliorate conflict among partners and serves as the primary motivator for many volunteers. Overall, these partnerships resulted in expanded volunteer programs, enhanced partner relationships, and greater ability to adapt to changing conditions and opportunities.</p>

<p> The Royal Canadian Navy employs Logistics Officers at sea, who possess a financial management specialty; financial resources are accounted and managed by Naval Logistics Officers in Her Majesty&rsquo;s Canadian Ships. The annual, deployed, financial expenditures, managed by Naval Logistics Officers, have consistently deviated from planned mission allocations for maritime units deployed on international operations. The problem is that even though there are programs in place to train Naval Logistics Officer on the use of financial resources, it appears that there is a lack of accurate operational fund management. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, ex post facto research study was to compare the differences between financial expenditure deviations within Her Majesty&rsquo;s Canadian Ships (HMCS), based on Royal Canadian Navy Logistics Officer Qualification Board results attained between 2000 and 2010, categorized by the nature of Canada&rsquo;s military operations in Afghanistan (OPERATIONS APOLLO, ALTAIR, or SAIPH) between 2000 and 2010. Findings presented in this study demonstrate that there is statistically no difference in mean RCNLOQB score and financial deviation. However, based on observed differences, RCNLOQB results were found to have a statistically significant effect on financial expenditure deviation within Her Majesty&rsquo;s Canadian Ships that deployed in US-led military operations with multiple nations compared to HMC ships that deployed in operations with only the US or in multinational campaigns. The effects of qualitative subjective factors were not included in this study and require further research to determine their degree of influence on financial management performance outcomes.</p>

<p> Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) play a major role in disasters around the world. As they carry out disaster work NGOs are often grouped together as the "NGO sector," although their varied size, scope, focus and country of origin make generalizations difficult. Coordinating NGO disaster work has been an ongoing challenge for governments and for NGOs themselves for reasons ranging from the wishes of NGO funders to uncertainty about what coordination means to competition for funds. </p><p> This thesis uses a complex adaptive system (CAS) framework to understand how NGOs may coordinate their own work. A complex adaptive system is made up of a set of independent agents that interact with each other to form a whole entity without the benefit of an explicit central control mechanism. </p><p> The qualitative study carried out semi-structured interviews with 16 NGOs active in disaster in Honduras to explore to what extent their interactions conformed to six characteristics of complex adaptive systems - 1) schemata; 2) self-organization; 3) communication and information; 4) rules; 5) learning and adaptation; and 6) aggregate outcomes, and relations with government. </p><p> Results of the interviews showed that many NGOs have multiple links among themselves with active communication channels that depend heavily on personal relationships. Interviews showed that collaboration among NGOs has increased over the past decade, although the degree of cooperation among them was inconsistent. Interviewees found it difficult to name an aggregate system-wide outcome. Government relations were found to be mixed - many NGOs had both positive and negative things to say about their relationships with government. </p><p> The NGOs were found to have both characteristics of a CAS and factors that did not fit a CAS description. NGOs must continually invest energy to maintain a system because entropic forces away from increased organization remain strong.</p>