<p> This study was motivated by the fact that despite its numerous advantages, the use of the Workload Indicator of Staffing Need (WISN) methodology in Health Human Resource (HHR) planning and management is constrained. This is because some WISN users find the methodology especially, the implementation of its technical steps complex and laborious. Moreover, to date, the knowledge gained through the diverse WISN implementation experiences remains fragmented and untapped for peer learning and improvement of the WISN methodology. To promote peer and organizational learning, this study set out to use the direct experiences of the WISN users to obtain and document the lessons learned, innovations developed, and recommendations for WISN improvement. The traditional Delphi approach was used to collect data from 23 purposively selected WISN experts from 21 countries through a three-round Delphi online discussion. The WISN experts discussed and came to a consensus on the practicability of carrying out each of the WISN technical steps, key strategies and innovations that can be used to mitigate the common challenges encountered during WISN implementation. The experts also made recommendations of how to ease implementation of the WISN technical steps and to improve the WISN methodology as a whole. These included: revising the WISN User&rsquo;s Manual, training, and Software; using a combined approach for setting activity standards; adapting the workforce optimization model&rsquo;s approach to account for individual and category allowances; advocating for enabling policies for WISN implementation; establishing systems to facilitate benchmarking and peer learning; and establishing systems to ensure sustainable provision of WISN technical support to countries.</p><p>

abstract: Unethical behavior is a phenomenon that is unavoidable in the workplace. Ethical transgressors, when caught, often receive feedback regarding their actions. Though such moral feedback—feedback that is in response to an ethical transgression—may be aimed at curtailing future unethical behavior, I seek to demonstrate that under certain conditions, moral feedback may promote subsequent unethical behavior. Specifically, I propose that moral intensity and affective tone are two primary dimensions of moral feedback that work together to affect ethical transgressor moral disengagement and future behavior. The notion of moral disengagement, which occurs when self-regulatory systems are deactivated, may account for situations whereby individuals perform unethical acts without associated guilt. Despite the burgeoning literature on this theme, research has yet to examine whether feedback from one individual can influence another individual’s moral disengagement. This is surprising considering the idea of moral disengagement stems from social cognitive theory which emphasizes the role that external factors have in affecting behavior. With my dissertation, I draw from research primarily in social psychology to explore how moral feedback affects transgressor moral disengagement. To do so, I develop a typology of moral feedback and test how each moral feedback type affects transgressor future behavior through moral disengagement. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Business Administration 2018

<p> The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how wiki-based collaboration is affected by the generational characteristics of Baby Boomer (1943&ndash;1960) and Millennial (1982&ndash;2000) instructional designers in midsized corporations. Collaboration theory was applied to strengthen the depth and accuracy of the data analysis and justify the study findings. A basic qualitative methodology was applied to explore the research problem. The target population consisted of Baby Boomer and Millennial instructional designers who worked in midsized corporations within the continental United States and had collaborated on a wiki-based work project within a team. The sample consisted of three instructional designers between the ages of 52&ndash;65 years old (Baby Boomers) and three instructional designers between the ages of 21&ndash;35 years old (Millennials) who possessed master&rsquo;s degrees in instructional design or a related field, were employed in midsized corporations within the continental United States for at least 1 year, and collaborated on a wiki-based project within a team during the past 12 months prior to participation in the study. Data analysis included evaluation and synthesis of participant interview transcripts to identify patterns that emerged from constant comparative analysis while identifying changes to the patterns when combined. Wiki-based collaboration was not affected by the generational characteristics of Baby Boomer and Millennial instructional designers in a midsized corporate context. </p><p>

<p> This research study utilized the gap analysis framework developed by Clark and Estes (2008) as foundational scaffolding to understand how a highly successful pre-IPO technology company is addressing the development of its next generation of executive leaders. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, motivation, and organizational assets and barriers influencing the ability of direct reports to the executive leadership team to develop the critical leadership competencies needed to advance into executive leadership positions, or to assume more complex leadership roles as the organization continues to grow in size and scale. The design of this study drew from four principle data sources to understand and evaluate the current practices of leadership development; they included literature review, surveys, individual interviews and document analysis. The literature review identified fourteen requisite knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences. Through analysis of survey, interview, and historical document data, eight influences were validated of the fourteen initially identified. Key points from the eight influences recognized the need for a shared understanding of the leadership competencies needed by future leaders, that leadership development tools and infrastructure are in place to the development process, and that current executive leadership fosters an organization culture where developing future leaders is as high a priority as building valued products or revenue generation. The Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick New World Model (2016) was utilized in the development of recommendations and evaluation mechanisms. This model facilitates the development of a holistic approach in selecting recommendations to close the validated influence gaps and evaluation strategies to monitor and measure impact. While the results and recommendations from this study provide one unique company an approach to developing its next generation of leaders, selected recommendations may transfer to other organizations.</p><p>

<p> This study investigated the knowledge, motivation, and organizational elements necessary for understanding the implications of happiness on performance in the workplace. Using the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis, a set of knowledge, motivation, and organizational assumed influences were documented based on the support of literature and generated hypotheses. Subsequently, data was collected through interviews and surveys and triangulated via observations. A subset of the assumed influences were validated based on collected data, indicating that while happiness is not a clear indicator of performance, it does have a direct correlation with an individual&rsquo;s desire to go above and beyond expected responsibilities, particularly as it relates to embedding creativity in assignments.</p><p>

<p> A general aviation industry segment member known as a Certified Non-scheduled Air Taxi Operator (CNATO) conducts passenger flights on-demand for hire. While airline accidents have reached historic lows, CNATO accident rates remain above one per 100,000 hours (NTSB, 2015b). Unlike airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration has not made safety management system implementation mandatory within CNATOs. As a result, there has been no decrease in CNATO organizational accidents over a 6-year period since 2009. Study goals strove to find a predictable method of variable identification influencing at-risk CNATOs. </p><p> The study utilized a sequential transformative design comprising quantitative surveys and aviation accident databases to answer four research questions. Research questions used explanatory correlational methodology of independent and intervening variables examining descriptive, relational, and comparative results. Safety Culture Indicator Scale Measurement System (SCISMS) and Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) Form 5x served as survey instruments that gathered leadership and safety culture information. Accident data was obtained from government sources through the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASAIS) database. </p><p> An inclusion criterion, stratified random cluster, and systematic random sampling narrowed the entire 2,046 CNATO population to a sample size of 25 participants from three FAA flight standards regional offices. Each participant had 3-weeks to complete an online survey containing 106 questions. Twenty participants completed the survey. Data analysis followed a discriminant function analysis to develop quantitative correlations between multiple variables. Characteristics of each participant yielded no conclusive data to suggest CNATOs share common safety culture dimension dominance. Study results concluded there was no relationship between leadership style, safety culture dominance, and accident rates. A comparison of CNATOs using safety management systems and accident rates also showed no relationship exists. The final research question sought to find a relationship between leadership style, safety dimension, and accident rate. None was found, however, a statistical trend emerged outside the research questions as a result of sequential research design. Data indicated a relationship among transformational leadership characteristic scale and SCISMS mean score. While the study yielded seminal individual results, research questions proved safety culture remains difficult to define and found relationships to identify at-risk organizations remains elusive.</p><p>

<p> Tragic, life-changing, and fatal incidents are a reality on large-scale, civil construction projects. Despite a decline following the enforcement of the 1971 Occupational Safety and Health Act, serious and fatal incidents on heavy construction projects remain higher than that of the active military and have not declined in any notable way in the past decade. Industrial-organizational literature suggested a lack of applied testing for the well-developed theory of authentic leadership (AL) to impact safety outcomes. This quasi-experiment combined the constructs of authentic leadership with safety climate perception as quantifiable measurement of potential safety outcomes in the workplace. The research question focused on whether AL would impact safety climate, thus, reducing injury and fatalities on the job. The researcher examined 1 of the 4 segments that comprised a $1 billion freeway improvement project. Perceptions of 108 field craft personnel were collected on a Likert-type instrument before and after their supervisors attended a brief AL workshop. Utilizing an ordinal scale, statistical significance was calculated pre- and postintervention by computing a Mann-Whitney <i>U</i> for independent samples. Significant improvement was found following the supervisor workshop. The reduction in incidents, when compared to the jobsite&rsquo;s history and the other 3 jobsite segments associated with the highway improvement project, suggests a potential for this framework to support positive social change, that is, to reduce the human cost and suffering associated with industrial accidents.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative, single case study was to understand leadership behaviors that motivate internal stakeholders to trust a leader&rsquo;s vision, embrace change, facilitate employee willingness to passionately implement actions needed for an organizational change initiative and willingly sustain a change initiative. A sample of 20 internal stakeholders was studied, five leaders and 15 followers within an organization of 800+ employees, located in the southwestern region of the United States, which is currently undergoing a change initiative. The research questions were based upon Kurt Lewin&rsquo;s three-step model of change: unfreezing, transitioning, and refreezing. This research asked how leadership behaviors facilitated employee willingness to trust a leader&rsquo;s vision and embrace change, passionately implement actions needed for a change, and sustain a change initiative, making an implemented initiative the new normal for the organization. Three themes emerged to address the research questions: 1) know your audience and walk your talk; 2) communication, vision, trust, and buy-in; and 3) residual passion and perseverance. Findings suggested that leadership behaviors influence internal stakeholders in relation to a change initiative and that leaders who are hands-on, consistent, and demonstrate a clear vision increased the possibility of gleaning passion and trust to increase the potential for success during an organizational change initiative. </p><p>

<p> Conflict typically is associated with negative and destructive connotations within organizations. However, a shift is taking place in workplaces to view conflict through a positive frame and to consider conflict as an opportunity to establish an environment that is more creative and innovative while identifying ineffective policies, behaviors or actions. This study was developed to examine how organizations can enhance conflict management competencies to empower leaders and employees to manage conflict by employing problem-solving tactics and collaborative approaches. Furthermore, this study was designed to understand what strategies and practices leaders and specialists in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution utilize to promote conflict management skills. Additionally, the research sought to identify the challenges these individuals encountered when implementing conflict management interventions in organizations, understand how success was measured, and determine recommendations to develop conflict management competencies. Fifteen Alternative Dispute Resolution leaders and specialists participated in this phenomenological study by voluntarily responding to 12 semi-structured interview questions. Based on the participants&rsquo; responses 46 themes emerged across the four research questions. Strategic conflict management planning, engaging stakeholders in the process, consensus building, and convening and inquiry were the top strategies and practices mentioned by the participants in the study. When facing challenges during an implementation of conflict management interventions the theme commonly mentioned was lack of stakeholder engagement and how participants managed obstacles was through being agile and emphasizing positive communication. Measurements of success used by the participants that ranked highest were receiving feedback on process and outcomes, metrics on conflict/issue, and organizational performance metrics. The top theme that surfaced among all participants was how they developed conflict management competencies through a combination of experience and various formal training. The participants indicated the desire to have further conflict management training and education earlier in the career. Based on the research the following three frameworks were developed to enhance conflict management competencies in organizations (a) problem-solving culture framework, (b) conflict management intervention model, and (c) conflict manager competency paradigm. </p><p>

<p> The pastoral care ministry in one Catholic parish recently experienced transitional leadership changes. The assignment of a different parish priest and new coordinators of the Pastoral Care Ministry presented the opportunity to explore new and diverse ideas for improvement in process, faith formation, and sustainable change. Implementing an action research inquiry (AIM) was a perfect opportunity to create synergy and cohesion for all involved and to explore what additional resources and support are needed with the ministry. Our results identified many improvements to continue to work on, but more importantly, through cycles of action and reflection we built relationships and developed a community of practice (COP) with the coordinators and the pastoral care ministers. Trust was established, allowing for vulnerability, new ideas, and confidence in our efforts to seek improvement, training, and faith formation within the group.</p><p>