M.A. in Organizational Leadership

The fundamental concepts and techniques of data mining in conjunction with the application of social media database concepts to management information systems.

Research and analysis of the foundational biblical principle and models upon which the Kingdom Business precepts are based and their integration/application to modern business culture and practices.

How to formulate and research a problem; collecting and analyzing data to support a decision. Persuading others to join in one’s recommended action.

Principles and application of change management concepts necessary to effect change in healthcare organizations. Includes methods for assessing organizational environments, competitive situations, developing strategic plans, and processes ensuring successful strategy implementation.

Key issues and trends in Strategic Human Resource Management with a focus on planning, strategy formulation, and implementation of initiatives aligned to the business results in an organization.

Prepares the student to understand the coaching process, certification, ethics, coach-client relationships, and to develop a biblical worldview of coaching.  The course is one of three courses (LDRC 501, LDRC 502, LDRC 503) that comprise the concentration in Coaching and is constructed to align with the academic requirements outlined by the International Coach Federation (ICF) portfolio certification track.  ICF certification requirements are posted at www.coachfederation.org and require a combination of direct training and mentoring, coaching experience, and other items to receive certification.

An understanding of leadership from the wisdom literature from the evolution of leadership/management thought from 1900 to the present. Leadership as a contingent/context-specific application and organizational problems that have leader- follower interaction as a cause.

Qualitative and quantitative research methods and data analysis that leaders and consultants use in organizations with particular attention to interview and observation.

Explores the psychological contract between leader and follower that takes any of many forms between two people or between the leader and small groups.  Students study group formation and group development, as well as the intricacies of coaching, mentoring, and discipling.  Students study organizational behavior and explore how OB concepts affect leadership effectiveness.

Examines organizational communication, including dyadic, small group, formal and informal communication, as well as the relationship of communication to organizational satisfaction and effectiveness.  In addition, students study how communication defers in leader-member exchange and mass-communication of charismatic leader/large group interaction.

Compares and contrasts strategic thinking with strategic planning and presents the value of both. Students study the leader’s role in organizational change – creating and preventing change, as well as determining the organization’s readiness for change.  In addition, students explore the reasons for resistance to change and strategies for coping with resistance.

Technology as the study of tools and methods and explores how leaders help followers interact with tools and methods to accomplish the organization’s objectives. This includes job design, human-computer interaction, understanding how new technology should cause current tools and methods to change, and how to help followers through the adoption and diffusion of the innovation process.

Explores the breadth of communication tools available to organizational leaders for instituting change, perception, and organizational growth.  Communication vehicles to be examined include Internet, intranet, print and broadcast media, and various presentation forums, as well as the underlying internal and external public relation strategies guiding their proper selection and execution.

Seeks a thoughtful engagement of how Servant Leadership works in a contemporary world regarding issues such as social movements, social corporate responsibility, justice & humanity.  Cross-listed with LDSL 772.