Workplace toxicity may negatively influence the well-being and work performance of employees. Best practices of successful leadership approaches and behaviors have been unidentified when addressing low-toxicity work environments. The purpose of this qualitative narrative case study was to develop a deeper understanding of how leaders selected and applied specific leadership strategies and behaviors in nontoxic workplace environments. Data were collected from 10 participants in New Hampshire using a purposive sampling technique and semistructured interviews based on Alvarado's triangular model of workplace toxicity. This study was structured using a narrative approach to explore ways positive leaders practically implemented styles and behaviors to mitigate workplace toxicity. All participants met this study's qualification parameters; they had past experiences with toxic leaders that shaped their personal leadership styles. NVivo was used to compare and analyze data from all interview transcripts entered for recurring themes. These themes were coded according to how answers connected to a specific research question, and findings were collated across interviews to form results. Three major themes emerged from the data: experience with toxic leadership, leadership approaches to toxicity, and leadership behaviors toward toxicity. Insights from this study may help company leaders avoid lawsuits, low productivity levels, and high staff turnover due to toxic workplace elements left unattended or ineffectively managed. The study may contribute to positive social change by generating practical models of and suggestions for creating a less toxic work environment, thereby creating healthier and happier employees, which increases public wellbeing and company success.

The presence of unethical behavior continues to plague the global business community, however, and its impact in the finance industry is widely thought to be having an even more devastating impact than ever before. Scholarly literature provides little understanding of what drives ethical decision making, or the processes involved and a little evidence that ethical standards have been developed as part of leadership decision making training in finance. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the drivers and processes in the development of training that supports ethical choices that leaders make in their decision-making role within the finance industry, as well as to understand what effects those decisions have on followers and on organizational culture. The research question examined the processes and training involved in ethical decision making in the field of finance. Rawls' justice as fairness theory provided the theoretical framework. The data were collected interviewing purposefully selected 7 directors and managers in the financial industry. The data were analyzed using a constant comparative approach and the development of vignettes based on Stake. The results showed that leaders were not able to make sound ethical decisions and the need for ethical standards. When these standards and values are compromised, leadership behaviors can affect organizational culture, as they tend to decrease commitment, performance and motivation of employees, while increasing absenteeism and turnover, thus adversely affecting company operations and incurring costs. The study results can have implications for social change through developing higher standards in ethics and adequate morale training.

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No description available.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between second-order change leadership behaviors and the grade assigned to schools in large urban districts by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE). A total of 101 Title I elementary school principals from large urban school districts with 60+% students on Free and Reduced School Lunch participated in the study. Specifically, this study analyzed 7 of the 21 second-order change factor responsibilities. They include (a) knowledge of curriculum, instruction, assessment, (b) optimizer, (c) intellectual stimulation, (d) change agent, (e) monitoring/evaluating, (f) flexibility, and (g) ideals/beliefs. The findings of this study were delineated through an examination of the data as it was related to the following questions: (a) What are the differences, if any, in the Principal Actions Survey scores of Title I elementary principals based on the 2008 school grade, according to the FLDOE? (b) What relationship, if any, exists among professional demographics of the principals (years at the school, years as an educator, years as an administrator prior to becoming a principal, years as a principal, highest degree earned, age, gender) and the second-order change leadership behaviors? (c) What are the differences, if any, in the second-order change leadership behavior subgroup scores based on the 2008 school grade according to the FLDOE? Although Research Question 1 had no statistical significance, principals who had a higher mean on the Principal Actions Survey led A and B-rated schools. Statistical significance was found in Research Question 2 for the second-order change leadership behavior of Change Agent and Ideals/Beliefs. Though statistical significance was not found in Research Question 3, each mean score for each sub-group in each grade group indicated consistent answers between Strongly Agree and Agree, which demonstrated a large degree of agreement. Additionally, comments from telephone interviews with selected principals determined that these leadership behaviors could positively impact elementary schools and the field of education. Recommendations of the study were to: (a) Conduct a follow-up study to gather the perceptions of teachers from the same Title I schools regarding their principals' second-order change leadership behaviors, (b) conduct a similar study with principals in Title I middle and high school settings, (c) conduct a qualitative study on second-order change leadership behaviors of non-Title I elementary, middle, and high school principals, (d) engage in further research to investigate professional development activities that may assist principals in enhancing second-order change leadership behaviors and improve instruction, (e) investigate the relationship between principals' second-order change leadership behaviors and achievement of Adequate Yearly Progress (f) replicate the study in states other than Florida (g) explore the relationship between second-order change leadership behaviors of district administrators and their district's academic success.

Sveriges kommuner står inför utmaningar som kräver att sektorn effektiviseras. En ökad kvalitet i verksamheten är ett möjligt, och till synes det mest attraktiva, sättet för kommunerna att effektivisera sig. Verksamheter med en stark kvalitetskultur har större chanser att uppnå god kvalitet och resultat. Kan kopplingar hittas mellan en stark kvalitetskultur och existerande goda resultat i kommuner torde en kvalitetskultur vara av intresse för kommunala verksamheter att uppnå. Den föreliggande studien därför har undersökt om kommunledningen (chefer och medarbetare) i två kommuner med erkänt hög kvalitet har en högre upplevd grad av kvalitetskultur än två kommuner utan kvalitetsutmärkelser. Studiens syfte har därtill varit att undersöka om det finns skillnader mellan chefers och medarbetares syn på organisationens kvalitetskultur i de valda organisationerna.      Datainsamlingsmetoden för denna studie var kvantitativ med kvalitativa inslag och baserad på ett positivistiskt förhållningssätt. Enkäter med möjlighet till öppna svar skapades och skickades till fyra olika kommuner, där totalt 70 respondenter deltog i studien. Respondenterna var chefer och medarbetare inom kommunledningen i de utvalda kommunerna.       Resultatet visade inte att det finns en genomgående högre grad av upplevd kvalitetskultur i kvalitetskommuner än i de två kommuner som valts ut i studien som inte erhållit kvalitetsutmärkelser. Studiens resultat visade dock att det genomgående fanns skillnader mellan chefers och medarbetares upplevda kvalitetskultur i samtliga studiens teman och inom samtliga utvalda kommuner. / The municipalities in Sweden are facing challenges that require the sector to be more effective. Improving the quality of operations is a possible, and seemingly the most attractive, way for municipalities to make themselves more efficient. Businesses with a strong quality culture have greater chances of achieving good quality and results. If links can be found between a strong quality culture and existing good results in municipalities, a quality culture should be of interest for other municipalities to achieve. The present study has therefore investigated whether the municipal management (managers and employees) in two municipalities with recognized high quality has a higher degree of perceived quality culture than two municipalities without quality awards. The purpose of the study has also been to investigate whether there are differences between managers' and employees' views on the organization's quality culture in the selected organizations.      The data collection method for this study was quantitative with qualitative elements and based on a positivist approach. Questionnaires with the possibility of open text answers were created and sent to four different municipalities, where a total of 70 respondents participated in the study. The respondents were managers and employees in the municipal management in the selected municipalities.       The results did not show that there is a consistently higher degree of perceived quality culture in municipalities that have received quality awards than in the two municipalities selected in the study that have not received quality awards. The results of the study did however show that there were consistent differences between managers' and employees' perceived quality culture in all the study's themes and in all selected municipalities.

Denna studie är en magisterexamen i företagsekonomi med inriktning ledarskap, skriven av Sanna Svensson under vårterminen 2022. Studiens titel är; “Distansarbetets påverkan på utövandet av ledarskap under covid-19, betraktat utifrån ett ledningsperspektiv”. Distansarbete har under covid-19 blivit den nya normalen. Detta har resulterat i många olika utmaningar som ledare har varit tvungna att hantera. Syftet med studien är att bidra med kunskap om hur distansarbete har påverkat utövandet av ledarskap under covid-19 utifrån ett ledningsperspektiv. Studien forskningsfråga är; ”Hur har distansarbete under covid-19 påverkat utövandet av ledarskap utifrån ett ledningsperspektiv?”. För att kartlägga kunskapen innanför ämnesområdet har det genomförts en litteraturgenomgång. I den teoretiska referensramen presenteras resultatet av litteraturgenomgången i form av tre ledarskapsbeteenden; kommunikation, tillit och stöd. Dessa tre ledarskapsbeteenden är viktiga vid övergången till distansarbete. Ledares förmåga att tillhandahålla tydlig kommunikation till medarbetare under covid-19 är viktig för att medarbetare ska kunna hantera krisen effektivt, mästra övergången till distansarbete och upprätthålla medarbetarnas produktivitet och arbetsvilja med distansarbete. För att medarbetare ska kunna arbeta på distans är det viktigt att organisationer litar på sina medarbetare och har tillit till att de utför sitt arbete på distans. Vidare är det viktigt att ledare är tillgängliga och ger medarbetare det stöd och den hjälp de behöver för att hantera arbetssituationen med distansarbete, detta för att uppnå produktivitet och framgång med distansarbete. Denna studie baseras på en kvalitativ metod i form av semistrukturella intervjuer med åtta HR-ledare i offentlig sektor i Norge. I empiriavsnittet presenteras respondenternas svar utifrån kategorierna kommunikation, tillit och stöd. Det framgår av intervjumaterialet att dessa tre kategorier har varit viktiga för samtliga respondenter under distansarbetssituationen. I analyskapitlet diskuteras och jämförs den teoretiska referensramen med datan från den empiriska undersökningen utifrån de tre underrubrikerna som presenterades i teori- och empiriavsnittet. Analysen utgör grunden för studiens slutsats. Studiens slutsats visar att respondenterna under distansarbetssituationen har varit mer tillgängliga för sina medarbetare och försett dem med mer stöd. Vidare framgår det av studiens resultat att samtliga respondenterhar använt Microsoft Temas för att informera om statusuppdateringar och upprätthålla mötesverksamhet, kommunikation och samarbete med distansarbetande medarbetare. Slutsatsen visar även att ledare måste ha en hög grad av tillit till distansarbetande medarbetare. Vidare framgår det av slutsatsen att tre respondenter under pandemin har givit sina distansarbetande medarbetare ökad autonomi. De medarbetare som inte har fungerat på hemmakontor, har tre av respondenterna följt upp extra genom ett mer kontrollerande och styrande beteende. Detta avviker från teorin som visar att ledare under distansarbetssituationen har haft ett mindre kontrollerande och styrande beteende. / This study is a master thesis in business administration with a focus on leadership, written by Sanna Svensson during the spring semester of 2022. The title of the study is; "Teleworks impact on the exercise of leadership during covid-19, viewed from a management perspective". Teleworking has become the new standard during covid-19. This has resulted in many different challenges that leaders have had to deal with. The purpose of the study is to contribute with knowledge of how telework has affected the exercise of leadership during covid-19 from a management perspective. The study research question is; "How has teleworking during covid-19 affected the exercise of leadership from a management perspective?". In order to map the knowledge within the subject area, a literature review has been carried out. In the theoretical frame of reference, the results of the literature review are presented in the form of three leadership behaviors: communication, trust and support. These three leadership behaviors are important in the transition to teleworking. Managers' ability to provide clear communication to employees during covid-19 is important for employees to be able to handle the crisis effectively, master the transition to teleworking and maintain employees' productivity and willingness to work remotely. For employees to be able to work remotely, it is important that organizations trust their employees and have confidence that they are performing their work as intended. Furthermore, it is important that leaders are available and give employees the support and help they need to handle the work situation during covid-19, this to achieve productivity and success in the telework situation the pandemic has created. This study is based on a qualitative method in the form of semi-structured interviews with eight HR leaders in the public sector in Norway. In the empirical section, the respondents' answers are presented based on the category’s communication, trust and support. It appears from the interview material that these three categories have been important for all respondents during the telework situation. The analysis chapter discusses and compares the theoretical frame of reference with data from the empirical study based on the three subheadings presented in the theory and empirical sections. The analysis forms the basis for the study's conclusion. The study's conclusion shows that the respondents during the teleworking situation have been more accessible to their employees and provided them with more support. Furthermore, the results of the study show that all respondents have used Microsoft Teams to inform teleworkers about status updates and maintain meeting activities, communication and collaboration with their employees. The conclusion also shows that leaders must have a high degree of trust in teleworkers. Furthermore, it appears from the conclusion that three respondents during the pandemic have given their teleworkers increased autonomy. The employees who have not functioned during the teleworking situation, have been followed up by three of the respondents through a more controlling and governing behavior.