<p> It is increasingly being recognized that students are not developing all the skills in school that employers need. Much of this skill gap stems from students not developing soft skills such as the ability to communicate, form interpersonal relationships, and act professionally. This is a problem for students because it limits their employability, a problem for employers because it limits the capabilities of the emerging workforce, and a problem for educators because it limits the practical value of the degree programs they offer. </p><p> While soft skills are difficult to develop in the classroom, it is known that internships provide an effective alternative. However, the nature of internship experiences that develop interns&rsquo; soft skills has been largely unexplored. Therefore, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the research question: <i>What is the nature of internship experiences that develop interns&rsquo; soft skills?</i> Sub-questions included: (a) <i>What internship experiences contribute to interns&rsquo; soft skill development?</i> and (b) <i>How do these internship experiences develop interns&rsquo; soft skills?</i> </p><p> To investigate these questions, data for this study was collected through semi-structured interviews with a diversity of 19 research participants engaged in internships at a large scientific and cultural organization. Based on a review of experiential learning, internship, soft skill, and experiential learning theory literature, questions posed to participants were specifically designed to explore a variety of factors relevant to the research question of this study. These factors included communication, relationships, professionalism, mentorship, biography, context, sensation, reflection, comprehension, and action. </p><p> Based on analysis of the data, this study offered three principal conclusions. (1) interns develop soft skills when they interact, relate, and are professional with others; (2) interns develop soft skills by pushing boundaries, reflecting with mentors, being motivated, and repeating action; (3) the nature of internship experiences that develop intern soft skills is their capacity to offer a full range of opportunities to practice soft skills.</p><p>

When students leave the university they enter a world filled with complex organizations. The U.S. education system socializes students to function well in the workforce (Bidwell, 2005; Hallinan, 2005; Bowles & Gintis; 1977, 2002). The focus of this study is how attending a large public university prepares students for life in complex organizations. Schools along with families are primary socializing agents of students (Hallinan, 2005). Policy is a powerful tool used by complex organizations to shape and structure individual behavior (Morgan, 1997; Schuman, 1976). Policies and policy implementation are designed to produce intended consequences, or outcomes; however, policy implementation has unintended and unanticipated consequences as well. One study of higher education found students who attend college are comfortable with complex organizations (Schuman, 1982). Large public research universities have grown into complex organizations, described by Kerr (1995) as "Multiversities." It is in this multiversity environment that a student learns about complex organizations. Although policy consequence studies exist, exploration of unintended consequences is not a typical dissertation topic. Organizational structure affects student learning (Berger, 2002). Unintended consequences of policy implementation in the loosely coupled, complex organization of a large public university remain relatively unexplored. This phenomenological study explored the unintended consequences to student's lives of a single policy, Absence from Class Due to Illness, in the loosely coupled, complex organization of a large public university through observation of study participant experiences. Study participants included university personnel: faculty, administrative deans, health service physicians, health service staff, and students interviewed between June 2006 and February 2007. Data collection included semi-structured interviews and document review. The complexity of the university appears through this single policy lens and allows us to see how students learn to live in this complex environment. The dissertation discussed three student learning themes emerging from study participant stories (1) learning the system, (2) making the system work, and (3) handling ambiguity. Implications and future research for the study of higher education are discussed.

<p> Higher education leaders have a unique position of power and influence that can span generations (Clawson, 2009). Previous research discovered emotional intelligence to be the single biggest predictor of performance in the workplace and strongest driver of leadership and personal excellence (Bar-On, 1997; Brown, 2009; Goleman &amp; Boyatzis, 2008; Zeidner, Matthews, &amp; Roberts, 2012). Play develops sensing capabilities for teamwork, self-awareness, empathy, trust, and compassion, which inform development of emotional intelligence. Exploring the influence of play in developing emotional intelligence fills a void in existing research. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study sought to discover the power of play in developing emotional intelligence in higher education leaders and the resulting impact on their ability to develop and lead emotionally intelligent teams in creating a high-performing organization. Research questions focused on assessing individual emotional intelligence, team emotional and social intelligence, the meaning of the power of play and its impact in developing emotional intelligence, personal play history descriptions, power of play in developing emotional intelligence (individual and team), and describing emotional intelligence skill level and its impact on personal leadership success. The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), Team Emotional and Social Intelligence (TESI), and personal play history narratives (gathered with five researcher-designed questions) were the instruments used. The study was conducted with the eight members of the University Cabinet of a private, Liberal Arts university in the Midwest. All eight members fully participated in the research, with honest and oftentimes personal responses, providing rich data for examination. Participants expressed a high level of awareness of the value of play over a lifetime to maintain good physical and psychological health. They also were able to make direct linkages to their play experiences in developing their individual and team emotional intelligence skills. Finally, a common desire was expressed to grow emotional intelligence skills, integrate play more into the work environment, and build the high performing, playful, and healthy organizational culture they desire. The contribution this study makes is important to allow future researchers to gather and examine additional evidence to support the relationship between play, emotional intelligence skill development, and leadership success.</p>

<p> This dissertation is a qualitative inquiry that explores and pinpoints those exact communication strategies in leadership communication that enable higher educational leaders in sustaining their positions. This study was initiated with the intent to lay out the foundational literature on the content of communication that is utilized by higher educational leaders on a daily basis to achieve their departmental and institutional goals. For this purpose, communication was the core idea of focus, pertaining to which, verbal and non-verbal skills of leaders were explored. From the notion of communication and upon further investigation of communication literature, theory and leadership studies posit persuasion and trust as two prime components of leadership communication, without which, a leader&rsquo;s functionality would be greatly mitigated. Therefore, the three main constructs that this study examined are communication, persuasion, and trust. This study was strongly driven by the motive to explore the utilization of those specific communication strategies that enhance persuasion and trust among higher education leaders and their staff and colleagues. The method of inquiry was in-depth, face-to-face interview protocol that enabled the researcher to formulate carefully worded interview protocol questions that were meticulously sequenced and worded to extract the lived communicative experiences of its participants. From this point, thematic coding was utilized to code the responses of the participants and draw out the common themes that emerged across all interviews. The results of this research are comprehensive and contribute to the existing base on communication literature. This research brought forth the pivotal role of relational communication in facilitating leadership, the need for all leaders to make conscious efforts in choosing their verbal and non-verbal communication strategies meticulously in their daily professional lives, and the indispensable role of persuasion and trust in dynamic leadership communication.</p><p>

<p> This study examined the nature and impact of supervisor support on employee job satisfaction among fundraising staff within higher education. Sixteen fundraisers working in higher education institutions were interviewed about supervisor support for fundraiser task needs and personal needs, participant job satisfaction and supervisor impact on it, and participant intention to stay in their jobs and the field. Participants reported satisfaction with their supervisors&rsquo; task-related and personal support, high job satisfaction, and strong intentions to stay in their jobs and the field. Key mechanisms of supervisor support included aiding employee growth and development; accelerating and facilitating task completion; being caring, accessible, and communicative; and empowering employees. Doing meaningful work and attaining career achievement and growth also enhanced their job satisfaction. Factors increasing their stay intentions included their sense of achievement at work, rewards, and positive relationships. Suggestions for practice and continued research are offered.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore the reasons for the continued underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in education and why barriers continue to exist for women from the perspectives and lived experiences of professional women leaders in education. A phenomenological approach within the qualitative research method of inquiry lends itself to help identify personal experiences of those who have knowledge of these situations (Thomas &amp; Lacey, 2016). Using a phenomenological design allowed for the exploration of the &ldquo;foundational question in phenomenology: What is the meaning, structure, and essence of the lived experience of this phenomenon by an individual or by many individuals?&rdquo; (Johnson &amp; Christensen, 2010, p. 385). Twelve women in educational leadership positions employed in various educational institutions in the southeastern and rocky mountain region of the United States were the focus of this study. The results revealed that barriers are still in place for women regardless if they have shattered the glass ceiling. The barriers are related to how women are viewed in the work place. This study is important for women, young girls, teachers, administrators, and officials in educational leadership. The ability for women to have their voices and experiences heard is one of the primary benefits from this study. </p><p>

<p> Leaders in higher education are discovering that autocratic leadership is ineffective in meeting the challenges faced by educational institutions. Through leadership styles of managers, organizations in the 21st century must create a balance between interdependence and diversity. Leaders must govern by moral principles in behavior, life, and a personal schema. This popular approach to leading with morals and ethics results in increased job satisfaction and improved job performance. Leadership decision making is most often based on the central tenets of the mission and vision of the organization. </p><p> This survey research study triangulated collected quantitative and qualitative data. A correlational research design was used for the quantitative approach to leadership styles and job satisfaction and a university student survey was used for the qualitative approach. A correlational research design was chosen to examine relationships between the explanatory variables (servant leadership and transformational leadership) and faculty job satisfaction as a response variable. Job performance was measured using quantitative and qualitative data from the University Student Survey. </p><p> Statistical findings indicated a strong positive correlation between servant leadership and transformational leadership and faculty job satisfaction. Participating faculty members demonstrated strong traits and attributes of servant and transformational leadership, correlated with positive student reviews in measuring faculty job performance.</p><p>

<p> <b>Purpose:</b> The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify and describe the perceptions of open educational resources (OER) higher education experts regarding the activities needed at colleges and universities in the United States in order to advance faculty adoption of OER over the next 10 years. Also, this study examined those activities that were most important and had the greatest likelihood of being implemented. </p><p> <b>Methodology:</b> The researcher utilized a mixed-methods Delphi study technique to identify and describe activities to advance faculty adoption of OER. The target population for the study consisted of a group of OER higher education faculty experts from postsecondary institutions within the United States. This study utilized a purposive criterion sampling method to identify 16 experts. The Delphi method employed questionnaires over 3 successive rounds to gather data from and build consensus among the expert panel. In Round 1, the researcher asked the expert panel for activities to support faculty adoption of OER. In Round 2, the expert panel rated the 35 activities for degree of importance and likelihood of implementation. In Round 3, the panel had an opportunity to revise their score, if desired, in order to move toward consensus. </p><p> <b>Findings:</b> Analysis of the quantitative data from the study revealed 17 OER activities that received consensus for importance and 11 OER activities that indicated consensus concerning likelihood for implementation. Finally, there were 6 OER research findings on which the expert panel came to consensus concerning equally importance and likelihood of implementation. </p><p> <b>Conclusions:</b> Based on the data and research findings, 6 conclusions were drawn related to faculty adoption of OER within colleges and universities over the next decade. </p><p> <b>Recommendations:</b> There were 8 recommendations for further research covering these topic areas: (a) replication of the study within different higher education arenas and across other stakeholder groups; and (b) examination of faculty receptivity and resistance to adopting OER, utilizing a change theoretical framework; (c) a model for open pedagogy; and (d) an examination of K-12 educators&rsquo; OER adoption practices.</p><p>

<p> Increasing complexity and rapid change associated with globalization and the knowledge economy have diminished the relevance of traditional linear models of leadership. Researchers have begun to view leadership not in terms of individuals and hierarchal exchanges but as a collective influence process among members of a group to achieve shared objectives that focus on enabling learning and adaptation in organizations rather than predicting outcomes and controlling behaviors. Complexity theory and its central phenomenon, emergence, are particularly well-suited to study both new leadership approaches and how to manage social systems at a time when prediction and control are elusive. </p><p> At the same time, institutions of higher education have come to play an increasingly important role in knowledge-based economies and as important actors in economic and human development. Leadership research and practice in higher education have not kept up with this trend, and require a new approach in order to meet the demands of a highly dynamic and disruptive environment. Generative leadership, which focuses on constructing the rules, conditions and constraints for interaction, collaboration and experimentation throughout organizations, fostering innovation and adaptation, and may be particularly well-suited for the creation, dissemination and application of knowledge in higher education. In this context, a qualitative, multiple case study design was used to explore how generative leadership might foster emergence in four initiatives designed to increase the ability to create, disseminate and apply knowledge in an institution of higher education. </p><p> Two major findings resulted from this study. The first relates to the increased incorporation of generative leadership, emergence, and complexity theory into the existing research and practice on teams. The second major finding relates to the role that the study&rsquo;s results, along with the notions of generative leadership and emergence, can inform higher education pedagogy for continued transition into the knowledge age and beyond. The researcher hopes that this study, its results and findings promote a continued shift towards complexity- and emergence-based thinking to solve some of our most pressing knowledge challenges as we continue to move through a time of change and disruption. Ultimately the results and findings of this study could promote additional research on generative leadership, emergence and knowledge capacity in higher education for the benefit of local, regional and global social and economic ecosystems.</p><p>

<p> <b>Purpose.</b> The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between faculty trust and readiness for change at mid-sized private non-profit universities. This quantitative study examined the independent variables of faculty trust in colleagues, trust in their Deans, and trust in their institution, and the dependent variable of readiness for change. Moreover, the present study examined the mediating factors of institutional trust on the relationship between interpersonal trust and readiness for change. </p><p> <b>Methodology.</b> The present study was related to individual faculty members&rsquo; perceptions of the variables trust and readiness for change. Faculty participants (N =89) recruited for this study were randomly sampled from six universities across the United States. An online questionnaire consisting of 48 items regarding perceptions of trust in colleagues, trust in Deans, trust in the institution, and readiness for change was administered. </p><p> <b>Findings.</b> The bivariate correlations between the interpersonal trust variables (trust in colleagues and trust in Deans) and readiness for change were not significant. Due to the lack of significant relationships, the model did not meet the criteria for institutional trust to mediate interpersonal trust and readiness for change. A significant positive relationship was found between institutional trust and readiness for change. </p><p> <b>Conclusions.</b> This study adds to the empirical research regarding the relationships between the constructs of trust and readiness for change within higher education, in which there is a gap in the literature. Interpersonal trust is an important construct within institutions of higher education and predicts institutional trust. Additionally, institutional trust is a precursor to readiness for change for this population. </p><p> <b>Recommendations.</b> For practice, higher education administration should focus on increasing the levels of interpersonal and institutional trust at their institutions; this can be done through assessing trust levels and creating opportunities for faculty to have one-on-one interactions with senior administration and the Board of Trustees. For research, replicating the study with a larger population; examining a predictive model of the variables; conducting a study with more specificity on the scope and type of change; and exploring collective trust could expand the literature on higher education, trust, and readiness for change.</p><p>