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Management Factors Associated with Perceived Effectiveness in Reform Jewish Congregations: Questionnaires Eliciting Leader and Member Perspectives

Shnider, Doris T.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1038324180

Abstract Details

2002, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Social Work.
This study applies some aspects of the management research previously done with nonprofit organizations in general to Reform Jewish congregations specifically. The investigation was informed by a social constructionist perspective and a multiple constituency model. Given the difficulty in establishing an objective measurement of effectiveness for congregations, congregational effectiveness was defined in terms of reputational effectiveness. Two questionnaires were developed, one for leaders and one for members. The leader questionnaire included indicators of five constructs – shared vision, member empowerment, board development, self-evaluation and reputational effectiveness. The member questionnaire included indicators of three constructs – shared vision, member empowerment, and reputational effectiveness. The questionnaires were mailed to all leaders and members of two mid-western Reform Jewish congregations. The mailing resulted in 53 usable leader responses and 235 usable member responses. Factor analysis of the member responses developed three scales for members based on the constructs included in the member questionnaire. The factor analysis from the member data also formed the basis for the leader scales resulting in five leader scales based on the constructs included in leader questionnaires. The scales were demonstrated to be reliable and valid. The member and leader scales were subjected to multiple regression analysis. The results for leaders revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between board development and reputational effectiveness and between member empowerment and reputational effectiveness. This leader data also resulted in a significant explanation of the variance in reputational effectiveness by a linear combination of shared vision, member empowerment, board development, and self-evaluation. The results for members revealed significant positive correlations between shared vision and reputational effectiveness and between member empowerment and reputational effectiveness. The member data also resulted in a significant explanation of the variance in reputational effectiveness by a linear combination of shared vision and member empowerment. A moderator effect of member/leader status was found. With shared vision and member empowerment as predictors, the expected change in ratings of effectiveness is influenced by the members/leader status of the respondents . The data in this study of Reform Jewish congregations was consistent in many ways with the research done with nonprofit organizations in general. Synagogue managers and consultants can apply this data by encouraging organizational planning that includes member input and board education. By engaging in management behaviors that facilitate a sense of empowerment among leaders and members congregations are likely to improve the perceptions of effectiveness among both of these constituent groups. This data demonstrates the value of including leader and member perspectives when attempting to understand the functioning of a religious congregation.
Thomas Gregoire (Advisor)
171 p.
Reform Jewish congregations; nonprofit organizations; management factors; member/leader status; social constructionism; multiple constituencies; reputational effectiveness; shared vision; board development; member empowerment; self-evaluation

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Citations

  • Shnider, D. T. (2002). Management Factors Associated with Perceived Effectiveness in Reform Jewish Congregations: Questionnaires Eliciting Leader and Member Perspectives [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1038324180

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Shnider, Doris. Management Factors Associated with Perceived Effectiveness in Reform Jewish Congregations: Questionnaires Eliciting Leader and Member Perspectives. 2002. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1038324180.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Shnider, Doris. "Management Factors Associated with Perceived Effectiveness in Reform Jewish Congregations: Questionnaires Eliciting Leader and Member Perspectives." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2002. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1038324180

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1038324180
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© 2002, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.