Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2020, Management

Leadership literature has documented positive outcomes when managers develop their subordinates. Yet after decades of research, viewing the development of leadership in others still have not fully penetrated the daily habits of managers. Without the hope of development, U.S. workers are left with staggering low levels of work engagement. Daily conversations between the manager-subordinate, even in performance appraisals, do not appear to motivate the development of others. Recent research suggests that the approach to developing and coaching others can be more effective if it focuses on the quality of the relationship and invoking openness to new ideas and change in others. A mixed-methods design was used, beginning with semi-structured interviews (Study 1) with 30 executive decision-makers. Executives confirmed that the performance appraisal tool continues to be utilized and can hurt engagement and change within the manager-subordinate relationship. The primary findings were that subordinates sought opportunities for feedback and development, while managers sought control and compliance. Study 2 assessed the quality of relationships, feedback, role clarity, and engagement among 103 manager-subordinate dyads. Shared vision, compassion, and relational energy, and role clarity had a positive impact on engagement. The type of feedback, positive or negative, did not have a significant impact on employee engagement. Study 3 was a further evaluation of 94 of the dyads, which showed that shared vision and source credibility had a positive impact on engagement. Study 4 was a qualitative review of 15 performance appraisals among these dyads, which showed an imbalance of transactional approaches to the relationship rather than the shared vision, compassion, and energy found in the earlier studies. Implications for future research on manager-subordinate coaching are explored.

Committee: Richard Boyatzis PhD (Committee Chair); Philip Cola PhD (Committee Member); Anthony Jack PhD (Committee Member); Ellen Van Oosten PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Management

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

A vast literature on the emotional intelligence (EI) has studied comparatively little teams. What little exists emphasizes that job-related factors influence employee engagement. However, a variety of factors can contribute to more engaged employees. In this paper I report findings of a qualitative inquiry involving thirty-six (36) members of twelve (12) IT teams – half of them effective and half less so – that explored the relationships between team EI and team performance. Trust, conflict resolution skills and team communication ? characteristics of individual EI ? were seen to differentiate effective and less effective teams, as is the ability to adapt a shared vision. Findings support that teams, like individuals, exhibit emotional intelligence, and that it influences how they function and to what effect. We further adopt a contingency perspective and investigate interactions between individual characteristics and cultural and job related factors as to determine their effect on employee engagement. Survey data from 231 employees in two organizations indicate that individual factors moderate the effects of structural and cultural characteristics on job and organizational engagement.

Committee: Richard Boyatzis, Ph.D. (Advisor); Nick Berente, Ph.D. (Advisor) Subjects: Communication; Organizational Behavior

Doctor of Management, Case Western Reserve University, 2017, Weatherhead School of Management

The complexities of global business require rapid and effective responses across borders. These demand an understanding of factors that influence success with transnational multiparty collaboration. Core issues for collaboration in such settings include: 1) understanding the role that culture and identity play in creating a fused individual and organizational identity; 2) development of strong connectedness between parties; and 3) creation of shared vision. This thesis reports on a mixed methods research study which involved the use of qualitative data gathered through interviews with business professional's experience on transnational multiparty projects and quantitative data gathered through surveys representing eleven national/cultural sectors. Our findings show: 1) as differences in culture can be a show-stopper, energy must be expended for active management and awareness of cultural differences; 2) collaborative environment is created through empathy and trust that acknowledges Identity (role and individual) and 3) the significance of an inclusive process of creating a shared vision. We apply a systems approach to understand the role of various components that interact in generating a collaborative space. We approach collaboration as an emergent process created when all three elements are present and interact.

Committee: Chris Laszlo, Ph.D. (Advisor); Richard Boland, Jr., Ph.D. (Advisor); Kathleen Buse, Ph.D. (Advisor); Philip Cola, Ph.D. (Advisor) Subjects: Cultural Resources Management; Environmental Management

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2018, Management

The U.S. Census Bureau indicates that only 1% of Black companies generate over a million dollars in sales yet they are responsible for 61% of all jobs created by minority-owned firms. How can more Black businesses be positioned to contribute? This research seeks to better understand Black business growth by employing an exploratory sequential mixed methods design approach beginning with a qualitative study followed by two quantitative studies. This three-part research project unfolds by first exploring barriers that high performing African American and non-minority firms are confronted with when trying to grow their businesses. Findings revealed that African American firms are faced with a number of different forms of racial discrimination. Gender bias is found to be a barrier for women-owned firms and access to capital is still found to be an obstacle to growth for African American firms. These barriers were overcome by leveraging numerous types of relationships, utilizing preferential procurement programs and relying on faith and prayer. The findings from the first study informed measures for a quantitative phase to determine to what extent leadership attributes such as emotional and social intelligence and faith/prayer reliance correlate with small business growth attitudes among minority entrepreneurs. Findings suggest that the sense of God at work has a positive relationship with small business attitudes, specifically the importance of sales and employment growth. Additionally, perceived shared vision fully mediates the effect of emotional and social competency inventory (ESCI) Leadership traits on the importance of sales and employment growth. It is the integration of these two studies that prompt a deeper look at Black business growth. The third study measures discriminatory business practices and its association with business growth as well as other factors that may contribute to growth. The following factors were measured: faith, entrepreneurial (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Diana Bilimoria (Committee Chair); Richard Boyatzis (Committee Member); Julie Exline (Committee Member); John Butler (Committee Member); James Gaskin (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; Business Administration; Business Community; Religion; Spirituality

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2018, Management

Who doesn't want an extraordinary leader working for them? Who doesn't want to work for an extraordinary leader? Chief executives to directors are constantly searching for the next generation of leaders and invest billions into those they perceive as “high potentials” only to lament later in board meetings about the dearth of talent. So, what's going on? This research looked at what senior leaders do to help the development process through the lens of emotional and social intelligence and relational climate. Our journey led to a new concept called the Professional Development Mindset which is focused on chief executives and their overt support and active participation in the development of the leaders in their companies. This research was based on a mixed-method approach combining findings from three studies: an initial qualitative study based on interviews with 32 senior leaders ranging from chief executives to directors from a cross section of industries; a survey-based quantitative study with 211 respondents consisting of chief executives to senior managers from a cross section of industries; and a third quantitative study which was an extension of the second which moved from self-report data to dyadic data gathered from 104 senior leaders ranging from chief executive to directors and one of the senior leader's direct reports. The overall findings suggest that senior leader's professional development mindset and the creation of a shared vision are key antecedents in their attempt to create a cadre of leaders able to help their companies flourish in the 21st century as measured by financial performance, work engagement and leader effectiveness. In particular, both shared vision and relational energy, subsets of relational climate proved to be key components which when coupled with professional development mindset drives improvement in key business outcomes. This new mindset focuses on what senior leaders do to create development opportunities for subord (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Richard Boyatzis Dr. (Committee Chair); Phillip Cola Dr. (Committee Member); Shannon French Dr. (Committee Member); Melvin Smith dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Management; Organizational Behavior

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2017, Management

This research project focuses on how Employee Owned Companies, more commonly known as ESOPs, can accomplish both productive and successful acquisitions. A productive and successful acquisition is defined as one that fulfills or exceeds the acquiring company's expectations. Most successful ESOPs generally implement various types of progressive management strategies including open book management and open door communication. These practices propel active employee engagement and participation and have been demonstrated to enhance productivity and profitability because the employees are both personally and financially empowered to improve organizational performance. Somewhat of a mystery is the question of why there are not more ESOP participants. If their numbers are to increase, it can only occur through two methods: 1) employees purchase the company from an owner and 2) other non-employee owned (Non-ESOP) target companies are acquired by an existing acquiring ESOP company. Most previous studies focus on the first option as well as on specific case studies involving ESOP acquisitions. This study focuses on the second option by examining ESOP organizations in general in diverse industries located throughout the U.S. and researching how these organizations can accomplish productive and successful acquisitions and what, if any, organizational behavior patterns may propel this process. The first study utilizes a qualitative approach by interviewing ESOP executives from both the acquiring and target companies, who have experienced both successful and unsuccessful acquisitions. The second study utilizes academically validated and self-designed scales for a quantitative survey also administered to ESOP executives with acquisition experience. The third study involves another qualitative approach by interviewing consultants with both ESOP and Non-ESOP acquisition experience to obtain a third-party viewpoint. The distinctive findings from all three studies of this proje (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Simon Peck Ph.D. (Advisor) Subjects: Management; Organizational Behavior

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2015, Management

Although difficult, complicated, and sometimes discouraging, collaboration is recognized as a viable approach for addressing uncertain, complex and wicked problems. Collaborations can attract resources and increase efficiency, facilitate visions of mutual benefit that can ignite common desires of partners to work across and within sectors, and create shared feelings of responsibility. Collaboration can also promote conceptualized synergy, the sense that something will “be achieved that could not have been attained by any of the organizations acting alone” (Huxham, 2003). However, previous inquiries into the problems encountered in collaborations have not solved an important question: How to enable successful collaboration? Through exploratory sequential mixed-methods research conducted in three empirical studies, I discover how interorganizational collaborations can overcome barriers to innovate and rejuvenate communities and understand the factors and antecedents that influence successful collaboration. In the first study (Chapter 2), I use a grounded theory approach to identify the factors involved in successful collaboration. My interviews with leaders in affordable housing cross-sector collaborations revealed most collaborations for affordable housing encounter a common set of obstacles: funding, partnering, community, and/or government. Key findings suggest leaders of successful collaborations exhibit heightened emotional and social competencies, take actions intended to create a better future, remain mission-focused, and continuously redesign to meet ongoing challenges. Further, successful collaborations were innovative—creating solutions that rejuvenated their communities. To confirm and validate the findings in the first study, I propose a theoretical model emerging from the qualitative research, designed and empirically tested through a survey of 452 leaders and managers participating in ongoing or recently completed interorganizational collaborations (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Tony Lingham (Committee Chair); Bonnie Richley (Committee Member); Mary Dolansky (Committee Member); James Gaskin (Committee Member) Subjects: Management

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2002, 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 mem (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Thomas Gregoire (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2012, Management

University endowments with broad portfolio diversification have been correlated with superior performance, but antecedents to investment committees' asset allocation decisions have received little attention. This research examines the composition and group norms of investment committees that influence their processes of information acquisition, analysis, and decision-making. Three group norms—shared vision, open-mindedness and a commitment to learning—were found to contribute to greater acquisition of relevant external knowledge, which led to greater exploitation of the expanded knowledge. That process of building absorptive capacity was found to contribute to greater portfolio diversification and higher risk-adjusted returns. Committee expertise in a variety of investment asset classes had a significant effect both on absorptive capacity and on portfolio diversification. A scale was developed to measure the committee's use of Modern Portfolio Theory principles, another contributor to portfolio diversification. In sum, the three research papers in this dissertation provide insights regarding how institutional investment management committees overcome typical investor biases that keep them from adopting broader portfolio diversification. Implications for endowment leaders are to obtain diversified investment expertise on the committee and to foster a learning-oriented climate where knowledge and capabilities are expanded and effective decisions are made.

Committee: Timothy Fogarty PhD (Committee Chair); Diana Bilimoria PhD (Committee Member); Bo Carlsson PhD (Committee Member); Toni Somers PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Finance; Organizational Behavior