Competitive advantage does not depend solely on the creation and storage of existing and new knowledge. Rather, it requires sustained exploitation and production. The challenge becomes driven towards maintaining some mechanisms to help in producing new, and sharing existing knowledge. Harnessing the power of managing and sharing knowledge enabled companies like Apple and IBM to gain competitive advantage over their competitors. While such challenges have been closely examined in the extant literature, the context of knowledge management and sharing in higher education institutions (HEI) has only been lightly considered. However, considering the highly unique features of HEIs context in terms of autonomy, climate, distinct leadership and role of academics as knowledge workers, it can be argued that examining knowledge-sharing in the context of higher education is greatly needed. The literature has shown fragmented nature of examining academics' KS determinants in contemporary research. Thus, the need to comprehensively examine those influencers is essential. This thesis seeks to address the research gaps and contribute to the literature by asking What antecedents influence the process of knowledge-sharing (KS) between academics in HEIs, and how can the process of KS in HEIs be improved? Through the use of a quantitative research methodology, the research has developed eleven hypotheses to investigate the above-mentioned question. The findings in this study revealed to a very great extent that academics themselves can contribute towards influencing knowledge production and management, and determine the levels to which the universities will be able to share knowledge internally. The research reveals that organizational factors (affiliation, innovativeness, fairness represented by organizational climate and HEI leadership) were stronger predictors of academics' knowledge-sharing than individual (perceived loss of knowledge power, knowledge self-efficacy, perceived reciprocal benefits and trust) or technological ones.

The goal of the research is to help government agencies and non-profit-organizations (NPOs) better prepare for events that require a point-of-dispensing (POD) unit. The research team developed a training exercise that simulated a real world anthrax outbreak, by using groups of untrained nursing and pharmacy students. These students were then separated and trained in two different groups: asynchronously and synchronously. By outlining how to successfully reuse a point-of-dispensing (POD) unit during emergencies, the researcher compared Qualtrics surveys that were distributed at the beginning and end of the exercise. These surveys were meant to show students’ understanding of POD exercises and then evaluate their understanding of pivotal concepts (retention, cost, new algorithms, and teaching methods). It was found that the retention of new material dropped drastically after two months regardless of the type training. The first month retention dropped to 77% and the second to 46%. On top of the retention needed, eight trained volunteers would need to be stationed for every 100 people attending the POD. No city would be able to supply the amount of trained professionals required to satisfy these requirements, so untrained civilians would need to be used. The cost associated with consistently training this amount of untrained citizens would surpass any budget. The only feasible chance to train the amount of volunteers needed, would be to have the material readily available ahead of time. Asynchronous training is the only viable means to producing a training program with the scale and retention levels that a real world event would require.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand Indiana High School principals’ perceptions and practices of cultural competence in their schools. The projected changes in the demographics of the United States (US) school age population will result in traditionally underserved ethnic minority students being the majority in US schools in the next few years. Despite the billions of dollars that have been spent to close the achievement gap (TAG) between Whites and traditionally underserved ethnic minority students, TAG persists. Scholars have proposed that cultural dissonance, incompatibilities between a school’s culture and that of its students, may be a reason for TAG. As a result, cultural competence may be a vehicle that institutions can use to reduce cultural dissonance and close TAG. This study used a phenomenological framework and utilized semi-structured interviews to obtain data from 10 Indiana High School Principals whose schools had at least a 40% traditionally underserved ethnic minority population. The data were analyzed using Lindsey et al’s (2009) <i>5 Essential Elements of Cultural Proficiency</i> as well as 15 indicators of cultural competence that were gleaned from their research. Open coding was conducted using a framework described by Tesch (1990) to identify emergent themes from the principals’ commentaries. Results showed that principals demonstrated high proficiencies in assessing their cultures, valuing diversity, and adapting to diversity within their institutions. Growth, however, is required in their abilities to manage the dynamics of difference within their institutions and their propensity for institutionalizing cultural knowledge.

Thesis (D. Ed. Min.)--Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-118).

This thesis researches how the consultant can participate in the creation of successful processes in organizations using multiple theoretical and practical traditions and a pragmatic reflexivity. The research shows how the consultant can do this using a heuristic model developed in the thesis called the consultancy room consisting of three dimensions: distinctions of position, distinctions of system, and distinctions of time. The thesis shows 6 different and distinct positions that the consultant can use in practice: the OD, systemic, solution-focused, appreciative, narrative and strategic position. To show their practical usefulness multiple examples of developing teams are described. The research shows that positions are firstly to be understood as theories that the consultant knows from experience and literature and brings to the organization and secondly the research also shows how such positions are created and coordinated with the customer before and during the consultancy process. The thesis further shows how the consultant can work with multiple distinctions of system. Three prototypical distinctions of system are introduced: the individual, the group, and the organization as part of the consultancy room to help the consultant increase his orientational abilities in practice. And a further distinction between the conversational and the linguistic system is made to help the consultant reflect in and on practice. The conversational system addresses the design of the process by reflecting with the customer about who should talk to whom in order to develop the situation. The linguistic system addresses how the system in focus is being talked about. The thesis shows how the different positions look at and give different possibilities for action in relation to the different distinctions of system. Finally the thesis shows how the consultant can work with multiple distinctions of time. Three prototypical distinctions of time are introduced: the moment, the meeting, and the process as part of the consultancy room to help the consultant navigate in practice. Again the different positions give different ideas of how to act in the moment and how to design meetings and longer processes. The research is done using the researchers own practice as data. A pragmatic research method is created and based in particular on the work of John Dewey (Dewey 1916 1938, Brinkmann 2006) and Gregory Bateson (Bateson 1972 1984)looking at similarities and differences between multiple examples from the researchers practice.

This thesis seeks to study the phenomenon of transformational journeys in major organisations, defined as a process of radical change delivering dramatic and sustained improvement in market competitive performance within an aggressive timescale. This is characterised by strategic repositioning, alongside shifts in both strategic and organisational architecture, and is observable as periodic in the life of an organisation. A research framework for observation and explanation is taken from theories and research in strategic change, strategic intent and competitive advantage, strategic and organisational architecture, management process in transformation and typologies of transformational journeys. The primary research question, “how do top managers in different organisations lead and manage transformational change?” was addressed with an overall qualitative dual approach: firstly a pilot cross-company study with executives from 23 organisations to develop a high level typology and compare and contrast aspects of process; secondly longitudinally to examine in detail the complex interrelationships and aspects of emergent process. The prime empirical work was a main case study of Thames Water Utilities on a 7 year journey. Limited or secondary data was used from around 7 other longitudinal cases. The thesis conclusions make a number of specific propositions: around effective use of the descriptive framework and metaphor of a journey; on dependencies between aspects of context, content and process of change in transformation; on typologies of different journey management styles; on perceived conditions for success; and on practical applicability. Specifically, the adoption of “navigational leadership” capability, defined by a number of dimensions and characteristics, is explored as a new and emergent style appropriate in future business circumstances of increasing change and uncertainty. The research also concludes that such styles can be learnt and adopted by top teams.

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Project (D. Min.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1983. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 266-271).

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 1992. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 232-242).