<p> This qualitative dissertation &ndash; which employed a descriptive phenomenological design &ndash; examined the associative links that situate racialized knowledge, leadership, and the actions leaders in organizations take to secure competitive advantage. The intent was to investigate the circumstances embedded in the everyday experiences, perceptions, and knowledge of leaders in ethnically and racially diverse organizational settings to discern patterns and themes that might illuminate more fully the complexity of racialized knowledge and its potential to inform decision-making, leadership practices, and organization competitive advantage. The study used a semi-structured interview format to obtain data from eight White and eight non-White participants via an online asynchronous interface. Seven significant themes emerged from participant interviews &ndash; <i>reckoning relationships and individual differences, race-coded communication, debunking bias, perspectival diversity, immutable leadership practices, racial spaying, and competitive diversity </i> &ndash; which extended the body of knowledge related to racialized knowledge, leading racially different others, and the actions undertaken by leaders to sustain organization competitive advantage. This research is significant to leaders in organizations because it helps them make sense of the often complex and shadowy world in which racialized knowledge is sanctioned, formalized, and operationalized by actors in social organizations.</p>

<p> There was need for additional research on humility leadership characteristics to provide clarity on employee charitable giving and volunteering at work in support of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The dissertation study attempted to relate a theoretical framework of humility to leaders demonstrating humility characteristics within a company that provides charitable giving and volunteering opportunities for employees. The problem addressed was the lack of full understanding of the correlation between leaders demonstrating humility characteristics and employee charitable giving and volunteering. A predictive research model was used for this quantitative study. The validated scale of humility was provided to employees of a northwestern Wisconsin company to rate leader-demonstrated humility characteristics on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Participants agreed or strongly agreed supervisors demonstrated each of the humility characteristics. Multiple regression analysis was performed to test the null hypotheses. Pearson correlations were performed to test correlations between the independent and dependent variables. Findings showed significant correlations between each of the characteristics and employee charitable giving; however, a combination of the six dimensions showed a weak correlation to employee giving. Correlations between two of the six characteristics and employee charitable volunteering were significant; the other four characteristics were not significant in correlation. Multiple regression was conducted to examine to what extent the humility characteristic variables predicted employee giving and volunteering. In combination, the six dimensions provided a very weak statistical correlation and did not significantly predict employee volunteering, <i>r</i>² = .04, <i>F</i>(6, 226) = 1.35, <i>p</i> > .05. The combination of the six dimensions of the leadership humility characteristics did statistically significantly predict employee giving and it explained 9% of the variance of employee giving, <i> r</i>² = .09, <i>F</i>(6, 226) = 3.60, <i> p</i> = .002. However, no single predictor was statistically significant, so the model is limited in terms of practical significance. Recommendations for future research include surveying employees of companies of varying size, geographical location, and culture. Focused analyses on gender or age might show different correlations and predictive outcomes. Likewise, a qualitative study might allow for additional information to be discovered. For practitioners, the rationale for this study was to analyze data that might benefit leaders of companies with CSR missions or of social welfare agencies. For researchers, the rationale for this study was to build on existing theory since the review of available literature revealed inconclusive data as to what consistently motivates employees to participate in charitable giving and volunteering at work.</p>

<p> Declines in federal spending from continuing resolutions and sequestration events during the 2011 &ndash; 2014 time frame reduced and delayed government purchases of products and services from small business owners operating in the federal sector. These actions affected the survivability of many federal sector small businesses, yet some leaders thrived and grew their firm&rsquo;s revenues while others struggled or failed while operating under the same economic conditions. Exploring the successful actions that enabled leadership effectiveness during this time frame and under these business conditions was the dominant activity in this study. Examples of success practices included the use of rolling forecasts for financial planning because leaders must adjust monthly to unpredictable revenue streams resulting from federal budget uncertainty. Leaders must acquire and operate government-approved business management systems, follow un-optimized business processes codified throughout federal regulations, and invest in employees&rsquo; education and experience so each meets minimum eligibility requirements for working on contracts. Leaders must also manage the real risk of the federal government terminating their contracts without explanation for its own convenience, and losing competitively awarded contracts in instances in which the government decides to insource that work from the contractor for its own benefit. The successful practices of federal sector small business leaders identified in this study are nuanced from commercial sector practices. This new research may facilitate the refining of operating models applicable for both the federal and commercial business sectors, with such understanding benefiting and enabling greater business success among struggling federal sector small business owners and leaders.</p>

<p> This study presents the findings revealed because of the lack of empirical research exploring police perceptions of informal accusations of racial profiling. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive single case study focused on exploring police decision-making following an informal accusation of racial profiling, in which no litigation occurred, during a police-motorist interaction. The purpose of this study included exploring police recommendations of what guidelines are necessary to reduce accusations of racial profiling. This study used a descriptive framework to explore accusations of racial profiling, feelings, perceptions, training, and leadership. Face-to-face and Skype&reg; semi-structured interviews used a purposeful and convenience approach. Eighteen police volunteers were selected for this study. Six themes emerged based on the participant&rsquo;s perceptions and experiences regarding informal accusations, responses to accusations, and police recommendations. The themes were focus on completing the task, responding professionally, fairness and respect, education, community interactions to change misperceptions, and perceptions of racial profiling. The participants advised communications between police and the community they serve is essential for reducing accusations. Implications for leadership to consider based on this study are a need for a comprehensive approach for how to interact within the community they serve, how to ensure personnel are not intentionally engaging in racial profiling, and to correct personnel actions that do not follow departmental rules. Recommendations included police-community interactions, open-forums, and better communications to allow police to explain behaviors before the media intensifying accusations.</p>

<p> The realization of growth synergies across products and services in a global multi-unit firm is a topic of discovery that has substantial implications for the profitability of multi-national corporations. A driver for the realization of this incompletely tapped potential is the influence of organizational design. The scholar comprehensively examines a singular case study in which a multidimensional organizational design is used to exploit growth synergies in a global multi-unit firm. For many firms, collaboration is connected to synergy realization, which is critical to growth in saturated and emerging markets. Cross-business unit strategy research has been largely focused on diversification rather than on synergies. Additionally, the literature addresses synergy realization in very turbulent or static markets; however, in this case, the scholar illustrates how a multi-unit firm in a moderately dynamic market attempted to exploit growth synergy opportunities through (a) focused action, (b) the application of an organizational design that exploits decentralized collaboration, (c) lateral support mechanisms that preserve business unit (BU) self-interest, (d) a designed relationship with the corporate center, and (e) a singular context with clients. The intent of these actions is to enhance profitability theory by analyzing rapid evolutionary change in an integrated global value chain. This study attempts to show whether or not a multi-unit firm made of business units that are related diversifiers can be combined, or recombined, to exploit complementary resources. Furthermore, this study advances emerging research on the exploitation of multidimensional organizational design, its dynamic capabilities, co-evolutionary organization-wide change leadership, and cross-unit innovation.</p>

Does memory conspire with morality? Essay 1 details evidence from four experiments demonstrating that dishonest behavior impairs memory for moral rules. After engaging in cheating behavior, individuals dispel conscience from consciousness through pushing aside memories of burdensome moral rules. Across four experiments, cheaters demonstrated moral forgetting relative to control and honest participants. Moral forgetting appeared to result from suppressed access to morality in general after cheating. While forgetting moral rules may help individuals exonerate themselves from their previous unethical actions, it may potentially send them on a downward spiral toward ever more deviant future behavior. How can this slippery slope be forestalled? Essay 2 tests one intervention to curb cheating behavior: requiring a signature before facing an opportunity to cheat. Evidence from three experiments suggest that simply asking for a signature at the start of a task as opposed to at the end promoted honest reporting, through making morality salient right before it mattered most. While this simple intervention in the form of a signature request effectively increased honesty on a subsequent task, how does one promote ethical behaviors over the longer term? Because moral dilemmas often require self-control, morality may function as a muscle—it may actually draw on the same reserves of self-regulation as physical strength. Essay 3 explores the relationship between morality and physical strength through demonstrating that mere contemplation of a moral choice leads to increased muscular strength. Together, these essays cover one way by which individuals manage their morality after cheating (through the forgetting of moral rules) and one intervention that could curb cheating before it is committed (through introducing a signature request before the temptation to cheat). The final essay investigates the relationship between moral decision-making and physical strength, offering preliminary evidence that modeling morality as a muscle may be more than mere metaphor.

<p> Leaders are frequently called to apologize on behalf of their organizations, in some cases skillfully resolving episodes of failure while meeting the unique, competing needs of diverse stakeholders. However, too often leaders handle apology poorly, exacerbating tense situations and alienating key constituents. This study is an examination of the practice of apology as a leadership behavior in an organizational context. To answer the question, <i>How might the existing literatures on apology be examined, integrated and refocused to apply specifically to leaders operating within an organizational context </i>? the study provides a meta-analysis of the diverse literatures that address the practice of apology. Examining literature from theology and philosophy, the social sciences, law, public relations and organizational management, the study builds a framework to understand and evaluate apology and its appropriate application to episodes of organizational failure. The literature integration and analysis demonstrates a diversity of perspectives on the definition of apology, its purpose and goals, the modes through which apology is delivered, the process or steps involved in apology, and the alternatives to apology. Using the adaptive leadership framework and a stakeholder management perspective on organization, the research is organized around the unique and distinct needs of organizational leaders. The Organizational Apology Model, offered in Chapter 5, provides a robust set of tools and examples designed to support organizational leaders considering the practice of apology.</p>

<p> Positive psychological capital (PsyCap), a second-order construct formed from optimism, hope, resilience, and self-efficacy, has predicted the performance and psychological well-being of a variety of full-time workers, and mediators of the relationships between PsyCap and performance and psychological well-being have rarely been examined. Using self-determination theory, broaden-and-build theory, and the conceptual framework of positive psychology, this study was an exploration of (a) the relationships among PsyCap, (b) basic psychological need satisfaction (i.e., autonomy, competence, relatedness), and (c) psychological well-being and performance using a sample of 103 working actors and stunt people. A serial mediation model was proposed whereby PsyCap predicted performance through need satisfaction and psychological well-being. Statistically significant bivariate correlations were found among PsyCap, autonomy, competence, relatedness, psychological well-being, and performance. Multiple regression analyses yielded indirect effects tested for statistical significance using bias-corrected bootstrapping. Results showed a total indirect effect of PsyCap on psychological well-being through need satisfaction and a specific indirect effect of PsyCap on psychological well-being through relatedness. Results showed no total indirect effect for PsyCap on performance through need satisfaction but did show a specific indirect effect of PsyCap on performance through relatedness. No statistically significant indirect effects of autonomy, competence, and relatedness on performance through psychological well-being were found. Theoretical and practical implications for future researchers, independent workers, and organizations supporting independent workers are discussed.</p>

<p> Deviant leadership is pervasive and destroys value and lives while leadership and followership are indispensible dyadic components of organizational performance and value in post-industrial, globalized, and complex competitive environment. Deviant leadership is an understudied destructive sub-optimal force by misapplication of organizational leadership resulting in loss, underperformance, and adverse individual impact in the modern complex organizational environment. Deviant leadership is leadership behaviors, traits, or styles that destroy organizational performance and value, and impact followers&rsquo; followership, well-being, and engagement. The emerging crucial knowledge of deviant leadership within the broader field of complexity-based leadership is oriented at destructive sub-optimal actions of leaders; contrary to the corpus of leadership literature on positive traits, theories, styles, and applications. The knowledge and application gap between destruction and loss created by deviant leadership and strategies, mitigations, and awareness for eliminating or reducing the phenomenon created a need for the exploration of deviant leadership from the follower perspective. The study of the experience of deviant leadership for followers and followership is a parallel-interrelated field of leadership study, as new organizational imperatives have resulted from a complex, connected, information-based global economy in the post-industrial age. Complexity leadership theories use complex adaptive systems as basic whole units of studying the continual dyadic relationships and interactions of leaders, followers, and followership as the interconnected symbiotic system that creates organizational value. Despite the huge volume of modern literature and knowledge on positive leadership, the serious problem of deviant leadership was unabated, understudied, and pervasive in modern complex organizations, and was addressed through rich, deep qualitative phenomenological exploration. The purpose of the study was enhanced understanding of deviant leadership for crucial awareness in maximizing effort and minimizing loss in complex adaptive organizational systems within the global economy with added information, strategies, and interventions. The meaning, essence, and invariant nature of deviant leadership was explicated from 12 organizational followers in the United States who compete in the global competitive environment. Collected and processed data enabled the qualitative phenomenological determination of how deviant leadership exists. Deviant leadership was found to be a pervasive phenomenon affecting followers and their followership in the global competitive environment.</p>

<p> This case study examines response to organizational change and the structuring interactions between knowledgeable agents and organizational context. The conceptual framework for this study combines Piderit&rsquo;s (2000) concept of multidimensional resistance to change and Stones&rsquo; (2005) strong structuration theory in order to investigate external and internal structures and active agency. The research site was a small regional hospital within a large mid-Atlantic health system. The health system introduced a new online reporting system (ORS) in February 2014. This empirical study examined the file manager&rsquo;s response to ORS change within the organization. Data was collected through observations, documents and interviews with the health system leadership, ORS change agents, and file managers. Stones&rsquo; (2005) methodological bracketing approach guided the data collection and analysis. </p><p> The study identified the organizational contextual features that shaped the file managers response to organizational change. The findings present the structuring interactions between the internal and external structures as displayed through the active agency of the file managers. By examining the active agency between structures, five primary structuring interactions were identified as shaping the file managers&rsquo; response to the ORS change: (1) alignment of values, (2) prioritization, (3) influence, (4) engagement, and (5) managing tension. This study demonstrated that structuring interactions influence the active agency of the file managers related to the ORS change, and shaped file managers multidimensional response to the ORS change across cognitive, emotional, intentional and behavioral dimensions.</p>