The goal of this research effort is twofold. First, this project revises and extends a propositional framework delineating the nature of the interplay between misanthropy and persuasion. Of special concern is the delineation of successful persuasion approaches given the validity of the underlying theoretical frame. A second major goal of this effort is to propose a series of studies designed to test theoretically-derived hypotheses. Study 1 tests theoretical hypotheses in a sample of adolescents. Study 2 extends earlier work on misanthropy by testing theoretical hypotheses in an adult sample (Alvaro & Burgoon, 1995) and replicating tests of some of the hypotheses from study 1.

Strategic planning is a critical part of establishing an organization's direction. Although strategic planning is utilized throughout the United States Air Force today in various forms, group sessions can become time-consuming without structured planning and a focus on group communication. Computer-supported strategic planning is one way of making effective use of technology to improve the strategic planning process. This research implements a group support system (GSS) as a communication tool to facilitate the strategic planning process. The researcher investigates effects of a facilitator's using technology to structure verbal and electronic communication, with the goal of increasing quality output and improving group member satisfaction. This project was completed at Mountain Home Air Force Base with the support of the 366th Wing. As predicted, a GSS facilitator's structuring verbal and electronic communication improved the quality of the strategic plan, reduced time to complete a strategic plan, and increased satisfaction with the strategic planning process. The results did not indicate increased commitment to implement the strategic plans developed by a group using GSS facilitation.

This dissertation reports on an investigation of task-based, synchronous, computer-mediated communication (CMC) and its relationship to second language lexical acquisition among learners of English. Over the course of one university semester, twenty-four intermediate-low and intermediate level non-native speakers of English from the English Language Center at Michigan State University engaged in multiple communicative tasks in pairs using ChatNet, a browser-based chat program. One of the overarching objectives of this study was to evaluate the viability of implementing computer-mediated communicative language learning tasks as a tool for promoting language learning in the ESL classroom. This study also sought to explore how intermediate level international ESL students collaborate in reaching mutual understanding, and whether and how they negotiate meaning when communication problems arise while engaged in these CMC tasks. Another purpose of this study was to test existing frameworks used to describe student interaction and negotiation, as well as to explore the role of task type in learner-learner CMC. Finally, this study sought to determine whether task-based CMC could help us establish a more direct link between negotiated interaction and lexical acquisition. A detailed analysis of the chatscripts as well as the pre- and post-test measures provide strong evidence that learners use a wide variety of communication strategies in an effort to smoothly navigate computer-mediated conversations while engaged in language learning activities. Learners were also found to negotiate for meaning when problems in understanding arose in ways that are similar to those observed in the oral interaction literature. Task type was found to influence learner choices in dealing with unknown lexical items as well as the overall amount of negotiated interaction learners engaged in. Moreover, based on the pre- and post-tests, this study provides strong evidence for a more direct link between negotiated interaction and second language acquisition, specifically the acquisition of lexical items. Post-treatment questionnaire and interview data suggest that learners, while engaged in task-based CMC activities found the experience valid, useful, enjoyable, and virtually stress-free. Based on the findings above, this study concludes that task-based CMC is a viable and effective toot for promoting language development in the intermediate-level ESL classroom. This is especially true when learners are engaged in those tasks that have been shown to elicit high levels of negotiated interaction. Further, in view of the favorable ratings by students, task-based CMC seems to offer a positive affective environment, which compliments the communicative language learning experience.

During the 20th century, a significant portion of the field of public health has evolved to focus on the impact of lifestyle on health and chronic disease, and survey research is considered a staple to both public health practice and research. Because of the costs associated with non-response and nonparticipation, it is important to consider strategies and techniques that maximize participants. This dissertation examines this area of compliance by studying the impact of the foot-in-the-door technique (FITD) (Freedman & Fraser, 1966) in two studies utilizing health related survey measures. The FITD technique is tested in two applied settings to determine effectiveness. The project is unique in that the project uses test of multiple targets at once, and multiple critical requests. Independent variables include size of critical request, exposure to multiple critical requests over time, psychological reactance, preference for consistency, and demographic variables. Results show that the FITD is effective when used to recruit multiple individuals at once, and with multiple critical questionnaires. In addition, the size of critical questionnaire is inversely related to participation, for both treatment and control subjects. Finally, although the FITD was not supported as effective when compared with a control group over time, it was significantly more effective than a 'standard treatment' that did not use a 'short' FITD questionnaire, but rather used standard length questionnaires over time. Psychological reactance and preference for consistency did not impact compliance with critical requests. In addition, demographic variables did not impact completion of critical requests questionnaires.

<p> The purpose of this study is to explore global leadership communication competencies, as the communicative knowledge, skills and abilities of current business leaders do not meet the current sophisticated and fast-paced business demands of the interconnected global marketplace. Specifically, this study examines what attributes comprise communication competency for corporate leaders with global responsibilities, how those competencies are developed, and finally the impact the competencies have on organizations. A qualitative field study was conducted with two global leaders from two different regions of the world as they interacted with others from different cultures. A separate quantitative survey was administered to 95 global leaders from North America, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Findings from a review of the literature combined with the correlation of these two studies are as follows: (a) virtual communication efficacy may be greatly enhanced when the terms and conditions associated with non-verbal clues is deliberate and modeled by leadership; (b) foreign language competency is deemed more important by global leaders outside of North America, but all respondents report general dissatisfaction with the corporate support of foreign language competency; (c) the concept of facework, and its associated competencies, are key to working across borders but awareness and understanding of this concept is very low. The findings of this study demonstrate a business case for building global leadership communicative competency with new skills, in new ways, for new demands in the face-paced and interconnected business environment.</p>

<p> Employee engagement is a relatively new construct in academic literature and an increasingly popular idea in practice. Proponents of employee engagement claim a strong positive relationship between engagement and business success, both at the firm and individual levels, and outcomes including retention, productivity, profitability, and customer loyalty and satisfaction. Despite numerous academic and practitioner publications on employee engagement, no consistently-accepted conceptualization of the construct or its sub-dimensions exists, and there is an ongoing debate regarding whether the employee engagement construct is a new idea or a re-hashing of old ideas. Similarly, no consistently-accepted tool to measure employee engagement exists. In the absence of consistent conceptualization and measurement, relationships between employee engagement and its antecedents and outcomes cannot be empirically tested. Drawing on prior literature and practitioner interviews, the present study defines employee engagement as an attitude towards one&rsquo;s work at one&rsquo;s company, comprising feelings of vigor, dedication, and absorption; cognitive appraisals of psychological empowerment; and motivation to act, both within role and extra role, in the service of the organization&rsquo;s goals. In addition, the present study validates a self-report instrument to measure this conceptualization of employee engagement, using construct and scale validation procedures accepted in marketing and information systems literature.</p>

<p> The goal of this study is to determine the effectiveness of social media in advancing transformational change. Successfully implementing transformational change in an organization is heavily dependent on the support of key stakeholders. But engaging those stakeholders requires effective communication. Transformational efforts often fail because of the lack of credible communication or a failure to define a vision that can be easily communicated (Kotter, 2007). </p><p> Researchers say that the key to successful transformational change is embracing a communication based in the realm of conversation where there is genuine two-way dialogue that is focused on listening and probing for more information (Dobbs, 2010). Creating conversations is a key component of social media: a platform of online tools designed to connect people and easily share information (Jue, Marr &amp; Kassotakis, 2010). Social media has the potential to achieve employee engagement, enhance productivity and increase collaboration (Ou, C. J., Davison, R. M., Zhong, X., &amp; Liang, Y.,2010). </p><p> To determine the effectiveness of social media at driving transformational change a study of existing literature related to transformational change and social media was coupled with a qualitative and quantitative study of organizational users of social media and stakeholders of those organizations. The study employed both a questionnaire and interviews. Results showed a clear preference for the use of social media as an effective form of relationship development and effective communication, but a challenge remains on how organizations can best use social media to create and sustain the relationships required to accomplish transformational change.</p>

<p> Community policing is a philosophy that promotes mutual partnerships between the police and community members to address public safety issues (Traina, 2010). When community policing is successful, it can reduce crime by allowing the police and public to share ideas and programs (Somerville, 2009). Traditional law enforcement is largely a reactive process with its primary focus on emergency response rather than seeking solutions to prevent or reduce crime (Sun &amp; Triplett, 2008). The general problem has been the existence of police-citizen communication barriers that hinder the prevention, reduction, and solving of crimes. The specific problem is that police-citizen communications/relations have prevented the understanding, use, and effectiveness of community policing efforts (Schneider, Rowell, &amp; Bezdikian, 2003). As the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2003) stated, 37% of residents in 12 cities reported seeing police interacting with neighborhood members, and only 24% of respondents observed police implementing crime-prevention and community participation activities. The purpose of this nonexperimental, quantitative research study was to analyze the difference, if any, between police and citizens&rsquo; perceptions of community policing styles and effectiveness in Clark County, Nevada. The results of this study revealed a generalized need for improving the understanding, use, and efficiency of community policing programs.</p>

<p> Problem: Servant leadership scholars have claimed that servant-led business organizations are more financially viable, but these claims are based on anecdotal evidence. This quantitative study examines the relationship of servant leadership to revenue generation in business organizations by analyzing the predictability of servant leadership attributes on sales performance. This was accomplished by studying salespersons in the healthcare industry. </p><p> Method: One hundred ninety-four study participants completed questionnaires providing quantitative measurements of the seven factors of servant leadership: (a) developing and empowering others, (b) humility, (c) authentic leadership, (d) open participatory leadership, (e) inspiring leadership, (f) visionary leadership, and (g) courageous leadership, utilizing the Servant Leadership Profile&mdash;Revised (SLPR). Sales performance was measured by sales ranking within each respective salesperson's company, and broken down into three categories; (a) Top 20%, (b) 21%&ndash;40% and (c) 41% and below. </p><p> Results: Discriminant function analysis generated two discriminant functions that were significant. The first discriminant function was labeled <i> Voice</i> and had the strongest relationship with the following factors of servant leadership: developing and empowering others, authentic leadership, and visionary leadership. The first discriminant function was a good predictor of sales performance. The second discriminant function was labeled <i> Human Resource Management</i> and had the strongest relationship with the following factors of servant leadership: open participatory leadership, courageous leadership, and inspiring leadership. The second discriminant function predicted membership in the 21%&ndash;40% sales-ranking group, mediocre sales performance. One factor of servant leadership, humility, was eliminated as a predictor of sales performance. </p><p> Conclusions: Developing and empowering others, authentic leadership, and visionary leadership are good predictors of sales performance. Open participatory leadership, courageous leadership, and inspiring leadership predict mediocre sales performance. Humility was eliminated as a predictor of sales performance. Business leaders with high mean scores for developing and empowering others, authentic leadership, and visionary leadership are likely to have a positive impact on the financial viability of a business organization.</p>

<p> This thesis describes a preexperimental, within-subject, pretest-posttest design used to measure the impact of an in-service training about computerized language sample analysis (CLSA) on the knowledge, comfort level, and implementation practices of21 graduate students in Communicative Disorders enrolled at California State University, Long Beach. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through three surveys: one delivered during clinical practicum didactic sessions prior to the training, one on the day ofthe training, and one survey delivered 12 weeks post-training after the graduate student clinicians had an opportunity to use the computer program they learned about in the training. Results indicated that CLSA knowledge, comfort level and likelihood of implementation increased slightly immediately following the training, but were found to decline over time due to lack of exposure and practice. However, these results were not statistically significant. Findings are discussed as they relate to the current speech-language pathology literature, and possible avenues for further research into this area are explored.</p>