Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Do campaigns have an effect on the outcome of elections? This question is usually answered using one of two methods. The first method is when political pundits examine the two opposing campaigns and judge which one had a greater impact on the polls. The second method is when political scientists use statistical methods to analyze whether a campaign had an effect on the election outcome. Both methods fail to consider the factors influencing campaign strategies and the effect these campaign strategies have on the election outcome. A third method, which I present in this dissertation, uses a formal model. This formal model treats the presidential election as a game between the two candidates competing for electoral votes in fifty-one locations. The model incorporates the assumption that the two candidates can have different prior probabilities of winning each state and can have different degrees of effectiveness at getting votes. The solution to this model is straightforward, but interesting. Candidate strategies are determined by the effectiveness of the candidates, the competitiveness of the state, and the state's electoral value. Candidates will allocate more resources 1) to states with higher electoral value, 2) to more competitive states, and 3) when they are more effective at getting votes. The structure of the model also provides an answer of when candidates can have an effect on the election outcome. When one candidate is more effective at getting votes, then that candidate will allocate more resources and receive a greater marginal return on each unit of resource than their opponent, resulting in an effect on the election outcome in their favor. To test the model, I examine the historical record of the campaigns and candidate strategies in the nine presidential elections from 1976 to 2008. These historical accounts provide qualitative support for the assumptions and predictions of the model. I also statistically analyze data from five of these presidential elections and show quantitative support for the assumptions and predictions of the model. Finally, I conclude by showing that the model is useful in answering other questions regarding campaigns in general, such as how candidates should allocate resources in governor and senate elections; how third party candidates should allocate resources; what happens if candidate effectiveness varies across state or time; and what happens if the cost varies across state? The model's ability to answer these questions shows that it can have a broad and substantial influence in the study of campaigns and elections.

The purpose of this study was to identify the strategies and tactics community college presidents used to influence state legislators. Selected State Board for Community and Technical Colleges staff and legislative staff members were asked to independently name 3-5 presidents whom they perceived to be most influential with legislators. Ten names were nominated; however, only five presidents were invited to participate in the study. The research identified five strategies and supporting tactics presidents used to influence state legislators. The strategies and tactics were: Strategy One: Build and Maintain a Relationship with Legislators and the tactics were: cultivate the relationship, make the interactions worthwhile, make personal contact, and invite legislators to campus; Strategy Two: Know the Players and the Process and the tactics were: contact legislative staff, know the legislative structure and protocol, and know legislators' issues. Strategy Three: Become a Resource for Legislators and the tactics were: be factual and knowledgeable, be broader than the college, be an advisor, and be accessible. Strategy Four: Broaden your "Sphere of Influence" and the tactics were: involve the community and staff, work with other legislators, and be bipartisan. Strategy Five: Communicate and Frame the Issue and the tactics were: use State Board staff expertise, ask for legislators' support, make the message meaningful, and testify at hearings. The findings suggest that successful community college presidents must develop personal and professional relationships with legislators based on honesty, trust, respect, care, and genuineness. Presidents should devote time to learning the legislative process to determine when and how decisions are made and by which political leaders. Because political work is time consuming, presidents must involve others, such as community leaders, faculty and staff, in the college's legislative activity. All the presidents in this study exhibited similar viewpoints on particular issues that the researcher contributes to these presidents' ability to influence. The presidents shared common viewpoints related to how they viewed legislators, themselves, the college, and the community. Community college presidents must be actively involved in influencing public policy decisions that affect the mission, finances, curriculum, support services, facilities, and overall operations of the college. / Graduation date: 2002

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia State University, 2006. / Cynthia Hoffner, committee chair; Mary Stuckey, Mchael Bruner, committee members. Electronic text (65 p.) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Apr. 26, 2007; title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references (p. 54-59).

The purpose of this interpretive, multiple case qualitative study was to explore factors associated with presidential derailments in community colleges. The case studies involved interviews, document analysis, and observation. The population consisted of four community colleges in the United States. These distinctly different institutions produced the data for the investigation. The findings revealed five derailment themes among the four cases. These were: problems with interpersonal relationships, failure of the president to adapt to the institutional culture, difficulty working with key constituencies, failure to communicate, and a flawed search process. Two of the five themes from community colleges related directly to Leslie and Van Velsor’s (1996) derailment themes from the corporate sector. These were: problems with interpersonal relationships, and the inability to change or adapt to the culture of an organization during a transition (failure to adapt to the institutional culture). Finally, implications for preventing presidential derailments and for improvement in the presidential selection process are also presented.

The purpose of the study was to determine the nature and extent of differences in expectations and perceptions reported by presidents, members of boards of trustees, and administrative staff members relative to Christian college presidential leadership behavior. Study participants included fourteen presidents, ninety-three members of boards of trustees, and one hundred and two administrative staff members from fourteen charter member colleges of the Christian College Coalition.Each participant completed the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire - Ideal in order to report expectations relative to ideal presidential leader behaviors. Each participant also completed the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire - 1957 in order to report perceptions relative to actual presidential leadership behaviors. The Leader Behavior Description Questionnaires measure perceptions and expectations relative to two dimensions of leadership behaviors, Initiating Structure and Consideration.- Initiating Structure refers to leadership behaviors which define and establish patterns of organization, channels of communication, and methods of procedure. Consideration refers to leadership behaviors which encourage friendship, mutual trust, respect, and warmth between the leader and his subordinates:Four different scores were generated from responses provided by each participant. The four scores related to ideal presidential Initiating Structure behaviors, ideal presidential Consideration behaviors, actual presidential Initiating Structure behaviors, and actual presidential Consideration behaviors. Mean scores were, calculated for responses from each of the three reference groups relative to each of the four dimensions of leadership.Seven null hypotheses were developed in order to facilitate the determination of differences in expectations and perceptions relative to presidential leadership behaviors as reported by the three reference groups. The .05 level was established as the critical probability level for rejection of hypotheses, and significant findings were reported at both the .05 and .01 levels.Group mean scores were treated by means of the analysis of variance statistical technique in order to determine the statistical significance of differences between scores.Ten major findings resulted from the analysis of data:1. Presidents and staff members reported similar expectations relative to ideal Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors.2. Reported expectations of trustees relative to ideal Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors were statistically significantly higher than the expectations relative to ideal Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors reported by either presidents of staff members.3. Presidents, trustees, and staff members reported virtually the same level of expectations relative to ideal Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors.4. Reported expectations of presidents relative to ideal Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors were statistically significantly higher than the expectations reported relative to ideal Christian college presidential Iniating Structure behaviors.5. Trustees reported virtually the same level of expectations relative to both ideal Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors and ideal Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors.6. Reported expectations of staff members relative to ideal Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors were statistically significantly higher than the expectations reported relative to ideal Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors.7. Presidents and staff members reported similar perceptions relative to actual Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors.8. Reported perceptions of trustees relative to actual Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors were statistically significantly higher than perceptions relative to actual Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors reported by either presidents or staff members.9. Presidents and trustees reported similar perceptions relative to actual Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors.10. Reported perceptions of staff members relative to actual Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors were statistically lower than perceptions relative to actual Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors reported by either presidents or trustees.Three general conclusions were drawn:1. Christian colleges are unique educational communities with common religious ties which tend to produce a family-like atmosphere among members of the college community. The atmosphere appears to influence community member perceptions relative to the leadership role of Christian college presidents.2. The leadership role of Christian college presidents is perceived differently by members of boards of trustees and administrative staff members in spite of religious homogeneity among community members.3. Christian college presidents interact in different communication patterns and organizational settings with members of boards of trustees than with administrative staff members.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 195-210).

Thesis (M.A.)--Baylor University, 1965. / Shelved in the Library's Special Collections; access is restricted. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-99) and abstract.

Thesis (doctoral)--Göttingen, 1979. / Cover title: Strukturanalyse traditioneller und moderner Herrschaft in Ghana. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 497-539).

Title from title page of PDF (University of Missouri--St. Louis, viewed March 1, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.