Doctor of Management, Case Western Reserve University, 2010, Weatherhead School of Management

More and more, non profit health and human service organizations are turning to collaboration to address community problems. Challenging economic times are reducing and restricting funding requiring non profits to look for new creative solutions in contrast to restricting themselves to business as usual. Building sustained collaborations provides one solution while reducing overhead costs, eliminating service duplication, and building effective networks. This paper integrates three research studies: a conceptual study; a qualitative study; and a quantitative study. Each study examines elements that can sustain collaboration. The qualitative data suggests that enduring collaborations are characterized, on the one hand, by employee behaviors typically considered aberrant – including rule breaking and rule making – and on the other, “appreciative” participant behaviors. Findings imply non profit governance and leadership can purposefully foster environments in which collaboration ownership can be reproduced. The quantitative study examines the relationship between the sense of ownership felt by non profit partners and their intent to sustain collaboration. We posit that rule breaking, rule making, and appreciative behaviors all encourage participants to develop a sense of ownership leading to collaborative sustainability. Our findings indicate that rule breaking and rule making behaviors reinforce a sense of collaboration ownership, which contributes to collaboration sustainability.

Committee: Paul Salipante, Ph.D. (Advisor) Subjects: Organizational Behavior; Public Health Education; Social Structure

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2024, Media and Communication

The World Bank classifies the Lebanese economic crisis as one of the 10 worst such crises globally since the 19th century—and possibly one of the top three. Azma fawq ‘azma [crisis upon crisis] includes financial collapse, inability to care for 1.5 million refugees, the highest number of refugees per capita in the world, the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic on an already fragile healthcare system, and the catastrophic explosion in Beirut, one of the worst non-nuclear explosions in human history, that killed 218 people, injured 7,000, and left 300,000 unhoused. Due to unprecedented levels of inflation, the Lebanese pound has lost 90% of its value, food prices have risen 500%, and 80% of the population lives in poverty. These crises have transformed Lebanon from a beacon of success to a failed state. Given the severe lack of organizational communication research in the Mashreq (Middle East), this dissertation is of particular importance as it fills a critical gap in research. The dissertation takes an interdisciplinary approach to examine how NGOs mobilize support, provide services, and engage in interorganizational collaboration to support citizens, residents, and asylum seekers struggling to survive in Lebanon. The triangulated methodological approach includes policy analysis, two phases of field research in Lebanon, and in-depth interviews with leaders, administrators, employees, and volunteers representing 52 NGOs. Interview respondents (n = 64) provided first-hand experiences, insights, and assessments of NGOs' efforts to combat intersecting crises, reflected on the complexity of these crises, and highlighted the need for economic and political reform to assuage the feelings of being trapped in the azma fawq ‘azma. Emergent themes include the importance of collective identity through interorganizational collaboration, the benefits of group cohesion in providing support and services, a sense of purpose that has expanded alongside the crises, a continuing (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lara Martin Lengel Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Lori Brusman Lovins Ph.D. (Committee Member); Terry Rentner Ph.D. (Committee Member); Ellen Gorsevski Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Area Planning and Development; Banking; Communication; Economics; Management; Middle Eastern Studies; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Near Eastern Studies; Organization Theory; Organizational Behavior; Peace Studies; Political Science; Regional Studies; Rhetoric; Sustainability

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2020, Leadership and Change

In the United States, cross-sector partnerships, a form of collaboration, are becoming increasingly common in practice (Gray & Purdy, 2018). However, questions remain regarding the effectiveness of these partnerships and if the many challenges of using them can be overcome. In particular, the intersection of cross-sector partnerships and power, which can deeply impact these partnerships, needs more attention. This study used interpretive phenomenology to understand, from the participant perspective, (a) the experience and construction of power, (b) the impact of power on participants, and (c) how power dynamics in these initiatives compare to dynamics in organizations. Seventeen participants from four homelessness-focused Collective Impact (CI) initiatives, a popular cross-sector partnership model, were interviewed about their experiences. In addition, I reviewed key documents about each initiative. Data was interpreted using a variety of theoretical lenses, including critical theory, as well as my own work experience in this area, and carefully analyzed through iterative re-engagement, reflexivity, and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that power presented in six different ways: resources, structures and processes, identity, resistance, formal leadership, and framing and communication. When examining the differences between collaborations, differences in these six areas, as well as the identity and ways of operating of the partner who began the partnership, seemed to influence the experience of power. Financial resources were a dominant form of power and provided some partners with disproportionate influence. Dominant partners were also able to stack power across these six areas. The impacts of power dynamics were largely negative. Other significant findings included that some partners did not experience power at all. Critical theory and positive framing may explain this outcome. I call for an expanded CI model with a sixth condition related to power. As par (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lize (A.E.) Booysen DBL (Committee Chair); Donna Ladkin PhD (Committee Member); Kirk Emerson PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Public Administration; Public Policy; Social Psychology; Social Research

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2017, Leadership and Change

Interorganizational collaboration is a process used by committed stakeholders within a problem domain to solve 'messy' or complex issues. Joint identification and resolution of complex problems is achieved through an iterative process, using elements for success: committed members, resources, time, communication, trust, shared goal, defined process, and collective identity. This study utilized an exploratory sequential mixed methods process as a practical approach, resulting in richer data and increased understanding of the phenomenon of collaboration. The guiding research problem explored which elements influence successful collaborations and, specifically, how collective identity is developed, sustained, and related to the perception of success. The research population was comprised of collaboration experts and the participants in 46 collaborations that submitted applications to receive the Colorado Collaboration Award in 2013 and 2014. The research focused on the following questions: what elements of collaborations were evident from the Colorado Collaboration Award applications and the interviews with subject matter experts, how did subject matter experts and survey respondents describe successful collaborations, what collaboration elements influenced survey respondent perception of collective identity and success, and how did survey respondents and focus group participants describe their collaboration's efforts to achieve collective identity and success? The results of the study identified dimensions of success: collective identity, the development of relationships that bring value to communities, and despite challenges and differences, the building of something wonderful together. A new model for developing collective identity was justified. This dissertation is accompanied by the author's MP4 video introduction. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu/, and OhioLINK ETD Center, h (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lize Booysen DBL. (Committee Chair); Carol Baron Ph.D. (Committee Member); Carl Larson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Matthew A. Koschmann Ph.D. (Other) Subjects: Communication; Organizational Behavior; Social Research

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2017, Public Policy and Management

This research analyzes the impact of U.S. Federal technology policy on the emergence of a complex network of strategic alliances in the semiconductor industry during a critical period in its evolution. During the mid-1980s the U.S. region of the global semiconductor industry was on the verge of collapse. A tectonic shift in the technological landscape occurred favoring the robust networked organizational form found in the Japanese keiretsu, and by 1985 Japan had taken the largest share of the global market. In the United States, industry leaders and policymakers moved to support and protect the U.S. manufacturing and supply infrastructure, crafting an organizationally innovative technology policy, called Sematech, which was implemented in 1987. Sematech was a public-private industry consortium that included fourteen U.S. firms, featuring sponsorship and protection by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Sematech is widely regarded as a critical element in the recovery of the U.S. region of the semiconductor industry. However, very few studies exist that demonstrate empirically how policy implementation achieved policy outcomes. This dissertation presents new evidence and analysis revealing a global network of research and development (R&D) based strategic alliances residing between policy and outcomes. The primary argument of this dissertation is that the emergent R&D contract network in the semiconductor industry represents a critical but overlooked element in the causal logic of policy implementation, which represents an intermediate causal mechanism residing between technology policy formulation and implementation, on one hand, and industry recovery and firm performance outcomes, on the other. The central propositions of this research are, first, that technology policy, via Sematech, facilitated the emergence of a complex self-organizing strategic alliance network and enhanced the network centrali (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Caroline Wagner S (Advisor); Michael Leiblein J (Committee Member); Trevor Brown L (Committee Member); Anand Desai (Committee Member) Subjects: Public Administration; Public Policy

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2008, Business Administration

Buyer-supplier collaboration is an important element of successful supply chain management. Previous research on facilitators or determinants of interorganizational collaboration has typically focused on firm-level variables. However, a distinct difficulty with supply chain collaboration is that many of the enablers and barriers are related to people, and reside at the interpersonal level.The goal of this study is to provide a deeper understanding of the extent to which key contact employees are able to facilitate collaborative practices between buyers and suppliers. A dual level of analysis is employed, comparing the effects of interpersonal relationship quality between key contact employees and interorganizational relationship quality. Relationship quality is measured as a second-order construct consisting of trust, relationship commitment, and relationship satisfaction. Four collaborative practices are considered: information sharing, joint problem solving, joint performance measurement, and flexibility. Data were collected from purchasing managers at 169 firms using a cross-sectional survey. Firms were sampled across a wide range of industrial sectors and consisted primarily of manufacturers. The results show that even after taking interorganizational relationship quality into account, the level of interpersonal relationship quality with key contact employees at the supplier has a significant impact on the level of collaboration at the buying firm. Higher interpersonal relationship quality has a direct, positive influence on information sharing and an indirect, positive influence on joint problem solving, joint performance measurement, and flexibility. Overall, the empirical results confirm that interorganizational and interpersonal relationship quality can be differentiated, and that both types of ties play an important role in shaping collaborative practices between firms.

Committee: Martha Cooper PhD (Advisor); Keely Croxton PhD (Committee Member); Michael Knemeyer PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Management; Marketing; Organizational Behavior; Personal Relationships

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2003, Nursing

The objective of this study was to identify the conditions (i.e. inhibiting and facilitating factors) and strategies which affect the ability to progress from the inceptive efforts in the development of a multi-agency critical incident stress management (CISM) program through that of an established program. A qualitative cross case study design was used to examine 16 CISM programs across the state of Ohio. Data were gathered via a focus group interview and 23 telephone key informant interviews. Polivka's (1995) model of interagency collaboration provided a theoretical framework to analyze the data. Data were initially analyzed inductively using content analysis to identify consistent themes across the cases and then analyzed deductively according to the interagency collaboration model. Key findings indicated that program developers capitalized on the occurrence of critical incidents in the area and the subsequent acknowledged need for stress management services to initiate program development. Successful programs required assessment of the community to determine available resources and perceived support for a CISM program prior to initiating program development. Educating community stakeholders to create trust and consensus regarding CISM as a priority for first responders ultimately increased program support. Program developers also found that utilizing existing networks to initiate contact and obtain resources assisted in overcoming a lack of experience with collaborative efforts and a lack of program funding. Prior research has documented the significance of awareness, or knowledge of other agencies and their personnel and services, as a facilitating factor to interagency collaboration. The need for resources is also a documented factor in facilitating relationship building. However, the significance of this study is the identification of strategies utilized by program members to create or enhance these facilitating factors. Findings suggest that interventions sh (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Barbara Polivka (Advisor) Subjects: