<p> The fast-growing trend of using virtual teams comes with challenges including the lack of knowledge by some virtual team leaders for managing virtual teams. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the communication strategies that leaders use to manage virtual teams in real time to enhance team performance. The sample was composed of 4 successful virtual team leaders of a multinational accounting firm whose headquarters is in the northeastern region of the United States of America. The conceptual framework that guided this study was Tuckman&rsquo;s small group developmental model. Data consisted of semistructured interviews and the review of archival company documents. The interview protocol, interview transcription, member checking, and methodological triangulation allowed for data reliability and validity. Five themes emerged regarding completion of the 4 stages (comprehension, synthesizing, theorizing, and recontextualizing) of data analysis: time synchronization, face-to-face interaction, continuous training, communication tools and frequency, and leadership training and development. The findings of this study could contribute to social change enhancing communication strategies used in virtual teams, which could result in higher employee satisfaction, which in turn could benefit the organizations and virtual employees, their families, and communities.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the process of learning and organization development and change (ODC) in a community-based enterprise in Myanmar as impacted by a certificate program in organizational development. Decades of military rule, civil war, and limited access to high-quality health and education services led to the creation of over 200,000 community-based organizations and enterprises in Myanmar. One initiative to support development and change in these organizations was the Payap University-International Rescue Committee Certificate Program in Organizational Development that was offered to members of over 100 organizations in Southeast Myanmar and along the Thai-Myanmar border from 2014-2017. </p><p> One exemplary organization that had four members participate in the certificate program was selected for this study, and data were collected over a four-week period through interviews, observations, documents, and a focus group. The primary research question framing this study addressed how the process of learning and ODC occurred in this organization as impacted by the certificate program. </p><p> The following three categories emerged from the data analysis: learning from the certificate program, the process of learning and change, and evidence for change. These findings led to an understanding of the essence of the process of learning and change, first through the diffusion of learning in the organization as a driver of development and change, and then through an open-systems change model including its inputs, changes processes, and outputs. In addition to the certificate program as an input to development and change processes, this study showed the importance of political and economic changes, culture, and organization characteristics as antecedents to change. This research highlighted the centrality of social learning through role modeling in the diffusion of learning and demonstrated the importance of buy-in from the organization&rsquo;s members as well as their perceived alignment of the change efforts with the needs or the organization.</p><p>

<p> <b>Purpose.</b> The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe the behaviors exemplary municipal police chiefs and sheriffs practiced leading their organizations through conversation using Groysberg and Slind&rsquo;s (2012) four elements of conversational leadership: intimacy, interactivity, inclusion, intentionality. </p><p> <b>Methodology.</b> A phenomenology qualitative method was used to describe the behaviors of exemplary municipal police chiefs and sheriffs in southern California and their lived experiences related to conversational leadership. The study combined semi-structured interviews, observations, and artifact collection. These qualitative tools helped the researcher gain insight into participants&rsquo; conversational leadership behaviors. The researcher analyzed the data with the aid of NVivo software to reveal patterns and sort them into categories. </p><p> <b>Findings.</b> Examination of the data resulted in 20 themes and 574 references to the four elements of conversational leadership. Eight key findings were identified based on the frequency of references by study participants. </p><p> <b>Conclusions.</b> The eight key findings were summarized into four conclusions, one for each conversational element: (1) municipal police chiefs and sheriffs who want to provide an intimate, trusting environment must form comfortable conversational environments and create authentic, honest conversations to build trust; (2) municipal police chiefs and sheriffs committed to stakeholder interactivity and exchange of ideas create an environment for open dialogue and engage members in two-way dialogue; (3) municipal police chiefs and sheriffs committed to inclusion and sharing of ideas utilize effective conversation strategies for sharing, and create empowered internal stakeholders; (4) municipal police chiefs and sheriffs who want to ensure clarity of purpose with clear goals and direction should focus on methods to create clarity and purpose. </p><p> <b>Recommendations.</b> Further research is advised by replicating this study in other types of law enforcement organizations, as well as business, education, and possibly the military. Conduct a study to combine the results of this study with the peer-researchers in this thematic team to compare the results.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore and find out the criteria that leaders of corporate boards in Ghana consider in appointing non-executive directors. Twenty for-profit corporations made the sample size for interviews and observations. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with convenient and willing board chairmen. The interviews involved open-ended questions about competencies and qualifications looked for in board member candidates. Data from secondary sources such as curriculum vitae of existing non-executive board members were reviewed to validate data. The QSR NVivo 8 software product was used to code and analyze the research data into themes. QSR is a software package that analyzes data for themes in words, sentences, or paragraphs of electronic written data, often discovering themes the human eye could miss. Nine themes emerged representing criteria considered in selecting and appointing non-executive directors. The criteria identified were independent mind, expertise and experience, availability of the prospective appointee, entrepreneurial orientation, proving integrity, leadership orientation, good academic background, networking advantage, and trusted friends. The results of the research may ensure the appointment of right persons to corporate boards for good corporate governance in Ghana and high profitability in organizations. The Ghana government may incorporate in the corporate governance regulations standard criteria for appointment of non-executive directors to all boards of organizations.</p><p>

<p> This dissertation investigated approaches which key informants and practitioners have used to successfully align leadership development and strategy management. The subjects interviewed in this study were familiar with organizations that made significant investments in leadership development programs and overcame the challenges associated with aligning leadership development with strategy management. The study explored how the participants described their approaches to aligning leadership development with strategy management via semi-standardized interviews from a targeted population of key informants and practitioners with significant experience as business executives, consultants, and academic leaders focused on the processes of leadership development and strategy management in organizations. Six key findings emerged from this study regarding the alignment of leadership development with strategy management: 1) leadership development in organizations should be differentiated to fit varying roles, yet integrated throughout the organization through similar and shared competencies, 2) leadership development competencies should be connected to and leveraged within the organization&rsquo;s strategy management processes, 3) organizations should have a formal approach that aligns leadership development, not only with the company&rsquo;s current strategic management objectives, but also with where the company was headed, 4) leadership development competencies should be aligned with the beliefs and behaviors of senior executives, 5) leadership development competencies should be linked to the organization&rsquo;s key results through a strategic framework, 6) developing leadership competencies that lead to specific results was an ongoing process best achieved through action-learning. Regardless of the business sector or size of the organization, the findings of this study indicated that a successful approach to facilitating the alignment of leadership development with strategy management was an approach that incorporates leadership, culture, teamwork, and alignment: the components of organizational capital.</p><p>

<p> Volunteers are necessary for the economy and impact the community by helping non-profit organizations provide services to those in need. The need for productive volunteers is growing and will likely continue to grow amidst nation-wide budget cuts. Finding practical, low-cost strategies to facilitate engagement within volunteer workforces is the next step in addressing how non-profit organizations can alleviate the volunteer shortage. Following social exchange theory and reciprocity norms, I propose that volunteer meetings are an avenue through which exchange relationships between organizations and their volunteers may be generated, thereby influencing volunteer engagement. Specifically, I hypothesized that volunteers&rsquo; satisfaction with meetings will be associated with their engagement and that volunteer perception of voice and role clarity will moderate the relationship between satisfaction with meetings and engagement. Survey responses from volunteers in a variety of non-profit organizations was collected. Data was analyzed using factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. Volunteers&rsquo; satisfaction with meetings was strongly associated with their engagement. However, the relationship of volunteer engagement on meeting satisfaction was not moderated by volunteers&rsquo; perception of voice nor role clarity.</p><p>

<p> Volunteers represent an important resource to many nonprofit organizations. Keeping volunteers committed and engaged is as significant a goal to nonprofits as keeping paid employees committed and engaged is to for-profit companies. This study identified the factors that affect engagement for two volunteer leadership councils at one nonprofit organization. Engagement levels for 19 volunteers were assessed using a validated survey and 5 participants from each council were then selected for follow-up interviews about factors that affect their engagement. Findings indicated that both councils were similarly engaged in their work at the nonprofit. Meaningful work, intrinsic rewards, desire to make a difference, organizational commitment, attachment to the mission, perceived supervisor support, rewarding interpersonal relationships, extrinsic rewards, challenging work, and other job characteristics increased engagement. Performing disliked activities, unrewarding interpersonal relationships, lack of time to volunteer, and other factors decreased engagement. Practical recommendations and suggestions for continued research are offered.</p><p>

<p> This study examined the impact of involvement in strategic planning initiatives on employee perceptions, change behaviors, and engagement within one federal public health agency. Forty-six staff completed a survey and 12 completed an interview. Both strategy participants and non-participants reported neutral to positive scores for perceived value and benefits of the strategic initiatives, discretionary change behaviors, and engagement factors, with few significant differences. All participants reported strong levels of engagement and that strategy participation would or did increase their levels of engagement. Public agencies should carefully consider when, how, and where to deploy employee-led strategy teams. Specifically, this research indicates that the involvement of employees in strategy for engagement purposes only should be avoided. Additional research is needed to extend and confirm these findings.</p><p>

<p> Organization development (OD) is a field of scholarship and practice with a tradition of contributions to successful organizational change since the 1930s. In recent years proponents of OD have articulated the need for the field to address global issues, including sustainability. The World Commission on Environment and Development of the United Nations in 1987 published <i> Our Common Future,</i> also known as the Brundtland Report, and called for attention to urgent issues of environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Subsequent sustainability scholars and practitioners identified organizational and social changes requisite for its achievement. This descriptive, qualitative, empirical study links the two fields. Eleven internal organization development practitioners (IODPs) were interviewed about their role as change agents for sustainability within their organizations. Thematic analysis was used to identify five themes from their responses about their organizations of employment: the constancy of change, the variety and forms of sustainability in evidence, the work of IODPs, organizational relationships of IODPs and their reflections on their practice, and the IODPs&rsquo; perspectives on being agents of change. The findings have implications for how IODPs are integrated into the sustainability initiatives of organizations as well as for the education and training of these practitioners.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this action research study was to understand the contribution of an appreciative inquiry (AI) intervention to a church ministry. Twenty-three ministry stakeholders participated in a 9-hour, 2-day AI process. Immediate post-event survey results indicated participant agreement that the AI intervention created a shared vision for the ministry. Survey data were analyzed using content analysis to identify four areas of opportunity for ministry growth and development. All participants reported interest in supporting these opportunities in the ensuring 3 months. Participants rated seven potential factors to support the implementation of opportunities. Recommendations are offered for the study organization and churches considering the use of AI. This study was intended to contribute to the continuing development of AI practice and theory for churches. The principles, practices, and the results generated from it are hoped to provide value in planning AI interventions within other congregations. </p><p>