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Succession Planning in Organizations: Understanding Organizational Survival Patterns in Nonprofit Organizations

Abstract

Organizational succession planning plays a critical role in the survival of nonprofit and faith-based nonprofit organizations. Seventy-three percent of nonprofit organizations report having no documented succession plan in place (Succession Planning for Nonprofits – Managing Leadership Transition, 2019). This finding is alarming as 60% to 75% of the nonprofit executives plan to leave their organization in the next five years (Moyers, 2011). Within faith-based nonprofit organizations, the baby boomer generation is facing a crisis where its founding leaders are now retiring and having difficulties transitioning responsibilities to the next generation (Dingman, Gyertson, & Kidd, 2014). If nonprofit organizations are to survive beyond the current generation, an understanding of the survival patterns that helps to enhance the succession planning process needs development and deployment in these organizations. This study explores the survival patterns that help nonprofit organizations achieve a successful succession process. The results of this study indicate foundational elements of talent management, strategic planning, and a culture of knowledge sharing help to enhance the succession process. Organizational assessments, board involvement, and the use of consultants were also found to aid in positively affecting the succession process.

Entrepreneurial Passion and Perceived Startup Performance: The Moderating Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation

Abstract

There is a dearth of systematic empirical evidence regarding passion in entrepreneurship. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the dimensions of entrepreneurial passion (inventing, founding, and developing), the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (risk, innovativeness, and proactiveness), and the dimensions of perceived performance (profit and growth). Few entrepreneurial passion-related studies have examined inventing, founding, and developing, together. This research was inspired by theories focusing on identity/role identity, entrepreneurial orientation, and organizational performance; all of which, combined, raises interesting and fascinating questions about the behavior and decision-making aspects of entrepreneurs, organizational strategies and practices, and organizational outcomes related to performance. Two questions were addressed: What is the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and perceived startup performance? Does entrepreneurial orientation moderate the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and perceived startup performance? An examination of relevant literature about the three constructs preceded the answers. I collected data from 91 leaders/CEOs of early-stage startups (ranging from one to five years of age) – located in a St. Louis, Missouri-based incubator. I used multiple linear regression and hierarchical multiple regression analyses to test the study’s 24 hypotheses. Overall, I rejected each of the hypotheses – as well as the 24 models that were found to be statistically insignificant. In four particular models, findings suggested that passion for inventing and the entrepreneurial orientation dimension of risk are partial contributors to enhancing perceived performance – specific to profit; passion for founding and the entrepreneurial orientation dimension of risk are partial contributors to enhancing perceived performance – specific to profit; passion for founding and the entrepreneurial orientation dimension of innovativeness are partial contributors to attenuating perceived performance – specific to growth; and passion for developing and the entrepreneurial orientation dimension of proactiveness are partial contributors to attenuating perceived performance – specific to profit. These findings fill an empirical void pertaining the emerging study of entrepreneurs, passion, and startups operating in an incubator environment. I present directions for future research.

Impact of Agripreneurial Competency on the Performance of Agro-Based SMEs In Nigeria and the Moderating Influence of the Business Environment

Abstract

A robust body of knowledge has grown around entrepreneurs’ need for superior skills and personality characteristics, the ones that enable them to compete and survive effectively. This study, controlled for gender, owner-manager or manager, firm size, and firm age, investigated the impact of agripreneurial competency on the financial and non-financial performance of agro-based SMEs in Nigeria and the moderating influence of the business environment. This study examined two research questions. The first was what impact do entrepreneurial competencies have on the performance of agro-based SMEs in Nigeria? The second was: to what extent will dynamism and competitiveness from the business environment moderate the relationship between agripreneurial competencies and the performance of agro-based SMEs in Nigeria? The study adopted the mix-method empirical study to survey 312, randomly selected respondents. The following three survey instruments were deployed to collect field data: AGRIPRECOM scale by Man, Lau, and Chan (2002) to measure agripreneurial competence, PERF scale as developed by Venkatraman and Ramanujam (1989) to measure performance, and BUSENV scale by Jansen, Van den Bosch and Volberda (2006) to measure the business environment.  A hierarchical regression combined with a thematic analysis was adopted to examine the impact of agripreneurial competency (independent variable) on the performance of agro-based SMEs in Nigeria (dependent variable) and the influence of the moderating variable of the business environment. The results revealed that agripreneurial competency dimensions of relationships, innovativeness, analytical, opportunity, strategic, human, operational, commitment, personal strength, and learning competencies had a significant impact on SMEs’ financial and non-financial performance. The study also revealed a partial moderating influence of the business environment dimension of dynamism on the non-financial performance of agro-based SMEs.

Leading Air Force Cyber Warriors: Cyber Wing Commander Competencies

Abstract

This study of essential leader competencies and critical leader development needs for Air Force cyber wing commanders was vital for understanding how to recruit, select, and develop future cyber wing commanders. As the executive-level strategic leaders who are on the front lines of the hotly contested cyber warfare domain, Air Force cyber wing commanders must have the relevant competencies to be successful in carrying out this most critical mission for the security of the United States and support of its allies. With no empirical studies in the literature focused on the leader competencies or developmental needs of Air Force cyber wing commanders, this study purposely began to fill that void. The participants (N = 22) in this study were selected from a pool of experts (N = 23) who were currently serving or had served previously as Air Force cyber wing (or equivalent) commanders. The online Delphi facilitated by Codigital Limited’s crowdsourcing platform allowed the anonymous interaction and engagement of dispersed participants who engaged in an online forum to submit ideas, suggest revisions to other participants’ contributions, and vote ideas up or down using a pairwise methodology. The results of this study showed a broad correlation to the Air Force foundational competencies with the following competencies showing strongest correlation: information seeking, communication, strategic thinking (planning), influence, creative thinking, resource management, leadership, initiative, fostering innovation, teamwork, and decision-making. The Delphi panel of experts consistently highlighted a critical competency and developmental need for expertise, literacy, and currency in cyber law and legal and ethical boundaries for future cyber wing commanders. This competency was not part of the most current cyberspace officer development guidance. The researcher recommended the Air Force consider developing cyber law curricula and providing refresher courses on legal and ethical boundaries for future cyber wing commanders.

Keywords: online Delphi, leadership, leader competencies, leader development, cyber warfare, cyber warrior, cyber law, wing commander

The Impact of Ethical Leadership on Organizational Citizenship Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Psychological Safety

Abstract

This study examined the impact of ethical leadership on follower organizational citizenship behaviors and the mediating role of psychological safety in this relationship. A number of studies have researched the effect ethical leadership has on organizational citizenship behaviors with some studies also having investigated possible mediating variables in this relationship. However, no work had existed that

examined the mediating effect of psychological safety in the relationship between ethical leadership and organizational citizenship behaviors. The study aimed to answer the research questions: to what extent, if at all, is ethical leadership related to organizational citizenship behavior dimensions of altruism, conscientiousness, sportsmanship, courtesy, and civic duty and to what extent, if at all, does

psychological safety mediate the relationship between ethical leadership and the organizational citizenship behavior dimensions of altruism, conscientiousness, sportsmanship, courtesy, and civic duty? A total of 15 hypotheses were presented to test the research questions. The study used a sample size of 78 full-time adult employees located in the United States from various industries. A quantitative methodology using multiple regression was employed to test the hypotheses. Results from the study confirmed the assertion that ethical leadership would have a positive and significant relationship with the organizational citizenship behavior dimensions of conscientiousness, courtesy, and civic virtue. However, the following assertions for the study were found false: that ethical leadership would have a positive and significant relationship with the organizational citizenship behavior dimensions of altruism and sportsmanship, ethical leadership would have a positive and significant relationship with psychological safety, and psychological safety would partially mediate the relationship between ethical leadership and the organizational citizenship behavior dimensions of altruism, conscientiousness, courtesy, sportsmanship, and civic virtue. The study findings contributed to the scholarly domains of leadership and management as the first study to include psychological safety as a mediating variable in the relationship between ethical leadership and follower organizational citizenship. Moreover, it contributes more empirical research on the theoretical concepts of ethical leadership, organizational

citizenship behaviors, and psychological safety.

City of God: A dialogue with society about the social role of the Church in community transformation

Abstract

Jesus’ teachings and actions enacted shalom-making principles and denounced shalom-breaking systems that sustain the city’s economic, social, and cultural structures of power and oppression. He showed how Shalom works –he favored the poor, the weak, the oppressed, the outcast, and the foreigner. The study produced an exegetical survey of four pericopes in the Lukan Travel Narrative (Lu. 9:51- 19:47) in which Jesus showed how shalom should inform sociocultural norms: (1) the parable of the Good Samaritan, (2) the healing of the crippled woman, (3) the rich man and Lazarus, and (4) the cleansing of the temple. The analysis is twofold. In the first part, through Social Rhetorical Analysis (SRA), the exegesis produced ten social themes addressed by Luke: (1) crime and violence, (2) racial segregation, (3) disadvantaged groups, (4) class-based privilege, (5) profit-driven healthcare, (6) elite policy-making, (7) socially responsible wealth management, (8) unhoused residents, (9) protesting, and (10) social capital formation. The second part employed in-depth interviews based on the ten questions created from the social themes about the Church’s role in such issues. Sampling utilized Mintzberg’s (2015) three-sector society model –public, private, and social to interview twenty-six participants, including the Chief of Police, the city Mayor, CEOs from private companies, pastors, and community organizers, among others. Utilizing Qualitative Content analysis Software Atlas.ti, the answers rendered six themes: (1) challenges, (2) values, character traits, (4) organizations, (5) people, and (6) actionable items. The findings show commonalities with Jesus’ actions and teaching on bringing biblical community transformation to the city. The shalom-making process starts with the Church assessing and repenting from its internal challenges, intentionally creating relationships of trust with people and organizations, and collaborating with them to transform the city into a more biblically just environment in which the Church adds value to the life of the community. Recommendations for future research include a broader exegetical analysis of the Gospels, a more extensive and diverse pool of participants, a more comprehensive taxonomy of the social sectors, and the creation of a quantitative instrument that allows faith-based organizations to measure their shalom-making effectiveness.

Alignment of Leaders

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry was to understand the impact that the alignment of a leader’s espoused and practiced value has on an employee’s organizational identification. Leaders have a significant influence on their followers’ actions and views on issues, and the value that a leader espouses resonates with employees and inspires them to identify with the organization. Followers have an increasingly pivotal role in ensuring that organizations function both ethically and professionally. The theoretical construct that undergirded this study is the social identity approach (SIA), which is made up of the social identity theory (SIT) and the self-categorization theory (SCT). This researcher employed a qualitative phenomenological inquiry to explore the lived experience of followers and revealed how they responded to the alignment/misalignment of their leaders’ espoused and practiced values in identifying organizationally. Purposeful sampling was used to identify 10 participants from a multinational bank, with participants split equally between the Ghana and Nigeria staff. These two West African countries have a diversified population with international exposure, and therefore provided a varied view. The findings of this study provided evidence of the impact that the alignment or misalignment of leaders’ values has on the organizational identification of followers. 

Emotional Intelligence and its Effect on Police Officer Burnout

Abstract

The policing profession is known to have a high amount of stress and fatigue as a result of responding to and handling critical incidents often involving the threat of physical violence or even death. This stress can lead to extreme fatigue and the possibility of mental health deterioration that can lead to burnout. The purpose of this study is to provide literature on the correlation between emotional intelligence and burnout in police officers. Participants were administered the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Survey (WLEIS) along with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The WLEIS provided scores of the four different components of emotional intelligence that include self-awareness (EI1), recognition of emotions in others (EI2), use of emotions to facilitate performance (EI3), and emotional regulation (EI4). The MBI provided scores of the three components of burnout that include emotional exhaustion (BO1), reduced accomplishments (BO2), and depersonalization (BO3). The data were collected through the dispersion of surveys by an online program and analyzed using IBM SPSS Version 27 software. The analysis of the data was examined using hierarchical regressions, and it was determined that there is a significant relationship between police officers’ emotional intelligence and their burnout.

Gauging the Validation of an Instrument to Measure the Impact of Hope in Strategic Plan Implementation

Abstract

In 2008, Winston et al. published “An Instrument to Measure the Impact of Hope in Strategic Plan Implementation.” Snyder (2000) suggested that hope is the only factor that influences positive outcomes related to employee expectations. Other theories, such as expectancy theory, value chain theory, and faith, were thought to influence outcomes. In contrast, research by Winston et al. (2008) suggested that faith be removed from the list of factors that define hope. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation was to determine to what extent the instrument was concurrently and discriminantly valid and reliable. The sample population included higher education institutions because, as documented by Degn (2015), higher education institutions implement strategic plans to remain competitive in the marketplace. Employees of higher education institutions tasked to implement a strategic plan within the past 5 years completed an initial electronic survey. This survey comprised of “An Instrument to Measure the Impact of Hope in Strategic Plan Implementation” by Winston et al., “Hope Theory” by Snyder et al., and “Organizational Citizenship Behaviors” by de Jong et al. Two weeks later, the participants completing the initial survey were asked to complete the Winston et al. instrument again. Results showed no relationship with the Snyder et al. “Hope Scale” and a positive relationship with the de Jong et al. “Organizational Citizenship Behavior Scale – Adapted.” The Winston et al. instrument did show strong statistical test-retest reliability. This finding suggested that more research is needed to examine the value chain and expectancy theory portions of the scale by Winston et al. to establish concurrent validity. Such research is crucial because organizations cannot effectively utilize the Winston et al. tool to determine the relationship between hope and strategic plan implementation. Understanding this relationship is valuable to organizations because Snyder et al. (1991b) suggested that those with high hope also have a high likelihood of high performance.

Organizational Support for Followership Skills Development in Nigeria

Abstract

The phenomenological research examined organizational support for followership skills development in Nigeria. The study was to reveal the impact of organizational support for followership skills development in Nigeria. The study sought to determine how organizational efforts or behavior assisted in followership skills development. The study’s significance resides in the organization’s ability to develop competencies that will help them function as followers. Organizational support is perceived to have a negative impact on followership skills development in some selected federal agencies in Nigeria. Nguyen and Seung-Wan’s (2018) findings of organizational support for followership behavior were the theoretical foundation for the study. Their study revealed that perceived organizational support’s is crucial to influence followers’ behaviors in organizations. There was also a review of related materials on organizational support, followership skills development, the design method, the data collection method, and coding for the data analysis method for the study. The study involved the use of an in-depth interview method for data collection. The purposeful sampling research required 12 HR heads who worked in the 12 selected federal agencies. The experiences obtained from this research conformed to theories of in-depth phenomenological studies (Patton, 2015). The study results indicated that followers do not receive the necessary support for followership skills development from the selected federal agencies in Nigeria. The study also revealed 20 new followership skills. Some of the followership skills include (a) analytical skills, (b) teachability skills, (c) listening skills, (d) humility skills, and 16 others. Also presented are research and practitioner reflections, recommendations for future research, and limitations.

Keywords: organizational support, followership skills