Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Behavior study'

The literature supports that as leaders pursue personal and professional growth, they achieve a sense of well-being, become healthier, more engaged, and more productive. This study explores how Christian leaders who have a strong core spiritual identity experience growth toward their best-self. According to the literature, the best-self is a positive psychology approach to personal growth that utilizes a person’s natural strengths and skills to describe one’s personal best. Adult identity development is multifaceted and influenced by numerous factors. A spiritual identity built upon strong beliefs results in a salient identity that influences every part of one’s life. Utilizing a generic qualitative methodology and a snowball sampling strategy, eight participants were interviewed. Multiple consistent themes were identified in the data: (a) an integration of spiritual identity (b) enhanced self-awareness (c) saliency of spiritual identity, (c) roles and motivations defined by faith, (d) altruism, (e) role identity as a calling, (f) faith-based decision-making, (g) intrapersonal and interpersonal prayer, a personal relationship with God, (h) the need to be supported by like-minded individuals, (i) the alignment of organizational values and personal values, and (j) personal growth defined by God. One unexpected finding was the way the participants defined best-self. Based on their narratives, the participants viewed their best-self, including their talents and abilities, as being defined by God, stating that to become the person that God designed them to be would be achieving best-self. The significance of spirituality in the workplace was discovered through the participants’ experiences. This was also supported in the literature. These themes are presented and explored along with recommendations for future research.

In recent decades, the study of leadership has focused on the qualities of leaders rather than on those of followers. However, it has been argued that there can be no meaningful construct of leadership without a coherent understanding of followership and group behavior. While the body of literature is replete with information on the study of groupthink and conformity as it relates to followership, the neurobiological drivers of such behavior remain under-investigated. The purpose of this work was to investigate the neurobiological basis of groupthink (conformity of thought) as a component of followership. Specifically, this work seeks to investigate six research questions: How does cognitive rigidity and ideological commitment interact to influence groupthink, does the presence or absence of decision-making protocol affect groupthink outcomes, to what extent does the presence or absence of a leader, as well as leader bias drive groupthink, and how does the brain respond in each of these conditions with regard to groupthink and conformity. Two separate experiments were used. The first experiment served as a pilot condition to test the efficacy of a hypothetical vignette. However, an opportunity was seen to test an interactional matrix of cognitive rigidity and ideological commitment (the first research question). In the second experiment, the research questions were tested in a similar mock decision-making group using the same vignette. However, quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) baseline pretest data and posttest data were taken and compared to assess for changes in the brain related to groupthink. Both studies utilized confederates to form the groups to which the researcher measured conformity. While no statistically significant relationships were found directly for any of the research questions, the research did show some interesting patterns. The use of decision-making protocol did seem to slow down conformity when taken into account with other variables, such as leader style. Additionally, consistent with the pre-existing literature, patterns were seen in study two with regard to changes in the frontal cortex, including the medial frontal gyrus, and anterior cingulate. Implications for organizations and churches as well as suggestions for future studies are presented in the final chapter.

This study addressed the problem of conflict in the workplace as experienced by leader-member exchanges (LMXs). The background and significance of this study concerned the research problem and questions asking about systems conflict in the workplace according to LMXs. The study used a generic qualitative research design; participants were obtained online via purposive and snowball sampling. Participants who were Facebook users were asked to describe their conflict experiences in the workplace that were then thematically analyzed. Results showed that either systems conflict in LMXs described leadership and followership; or that types of members in such exchanges described conflict systems. Addressing the problem by answering the research question fills a knowledge gap that the scientific community and organizational leaders might use to address systems conflict in the workplace.

Keywords: generic, qualitative, systems, conflict, leader-member exchanges.

In order to develop a better understanding of the role of the froth phase in coal flotation, froth stability measurements have been conducted using a continuous flotation cell. The results indicate that the mass flow rate of coal or mineral matter reporting to the product is linearly related to the flow rate of water reporting to the product. This relationship has been used to distinguish the relative contributions of hydrophobic attachment or hydraulic entrainment to the total product recovery. Simple mathematical expressions have also been developed to characterize the cleanability of various coals.

A mathematical model based on first principles has been developed to provide additional insight into the complex relationship between the various operating parameters of a flotation cell and the froth behavior. The predicted results compare favorably to actual flotation test data for most conditions. In addition, a simple method was developed to study the fundamental interactions of various frothing agents with coal particles. The results of these studies indicate that the adsorption behavior of frothers in the presence of coal depends on both the physical properties of the frothing agent and the coal.

The purpose of this qualitative, single case study was to understand leadership behaviors that motivate internal stakeholders to trust a leader’s vision, embrace change, facilitate employee willingness to passionately implement actions needed for an organizational change initiative and willingly sustain a change initiative. A sample of 20 internal stakeholders was studied, five leaders and 15 followers within an organization of 800+ employees, located in the southwestern region of the United States, which is currently undergoing a change initiative. The research questions were based upon Kurt Lewin’s three-step model of change: unfreezing, transitioning, and refreezing. This research asked how leadership behaviors facilitated employee willingness to trust a leader’s vision and embrace change, passionately implement actions needed for a change, and sustain a change initiative, making an implemented initiative the new normal for the organization. Three themes emerged to address the research questions: 1) know your audience and walk your talk; 2) communication, vision, trust, and buy-in; and 3) residual passion and perseverance. Findings suggested that leadership behaviors influence internal stakeholders in relation to a change initiative and that leaders who are hands-on, consistent, and demonstrate a clear vision increased the possibility of gleaning passion and trust to increase the potential for success during an organizational change initiative.