Skip navigation

An Exploratory Quantitative Comparison of Direct Reports

An Exploratory Quantitative Comparison of Direct Reports’ Perceptions of Entrepreneurial Leadership of Biotechnology Founders Versus Nonbiotechnology Founders

Lawrence Jones II | 2018

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test for empirical evidence to distinguish the entrepreneurial leadership behaviors of the biotech entrepreneur. A review of the literature showed that Shimasaki (2014) proffered that the biotechnology (biotech) entrepreneur is unique from all other entrepreneurs because the biotech entrepreneur not only has entrepreneurial skills but additional characteristics, such as being an accomplished life science business person, scientist, bioengineer, or physician. Unfortunately, no empirical data support exists for whether these additional characteristics would affect entrepreneur leadership behavior. The study methodology closely followed Thornberry (2006) who developed an Entrepreneurial Leadership Questionnaire (ELQ) to assess the various behaviors that each founder must have. The statistical software GPower 3.0 was used to determine that a minimum of 70 survey participants would be needed for each of the groups to achieve the 90% confidence interval. There was complete confidentiality and anonymity for the responses and names of the organizations. Data were collected via an online SurveyMonkey survey and then uploaded and analyzed with SPSS software. T tests were conducted on the data to confirm hypotheses. Four alternative hypotheses showed statistically significant differences at the 90% confidence level. The explorer importance, accelerator importance, miner importance, and miner frequency were identified as variables where the results were higher for biotech founders than nonbiotech founders. The research contributions for this study may initiate and expand the importance of understanding what founders of biotech firms may need to consider in entrepreneurial training and development.

Entrepreneurial Leadership in the Coffee Industry in Africa: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Relationship Between Leadership and Innovation in the African Coffee Value Chain

Entrepreneurial Leadership in the Coffee Industry in Africa: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Relationship Between Leadership and Innovation in the African Coffee Value Chain

Frederick S. M. Kawuma | 2018

Abstract

This doctoral dissertation focuses on the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and innovation in the African coffee value chain. The argument is that despite its unique status as the birthplace of both commercial varieties of Arabica and Robusta coffee, the innovations and consequently the benefits in the sector have been external to Africa. The study responds to the research question: What are the underlying issues of entrepreneurial leadership that have held back innovativeness in the African coffee value chain and need identification and tackling if Africa is to realize the benefits of its resource? The study investigated the key characteristics of entrepreneurial leaders in the African coffee sector that could strategically position them to take advantage of opportunities and bring out significant innovations. In addressing the research question, a review of relevant literature examined entrepreneurial leadership, organizational culture, knowledge creation, creativity, innovation, and design thinking. A case study based on a purposive sample of 12 firms and drawn from the East African region, which accounts for more than 70% of Africa’s coffee exports, was conducted using a phenomenological design. Most respondents articulated their critical roles as entrepreneurial leaders, though in practice many were preoccupied with operational matters and were noted as giving less attention to issues of strategy. All leaders indicated a high level of exposure through international engagements and various networks, though such knowledge did not seem to lead to significant transformational innovations. There was limited evidence of application of disruptive approaches to the current status quo in the African coffee value chain. From looking at the strengths and deficiencies, unfortunately, only a minority showed evidence of fitting the accurate description of entrepreneurial leaders. The study pointed out areas of significant deficiencies, which if addressed could improve the entrepreneurial leadership in the sector. The study recommended areas of further research.

Facilitating Academic Entrepreneurial Education and Entrepreneurship Through Mentoring: Exploring the Potential Role of Professors at German Universities

Facilitating Academic Entrepreneurial Education and Entrepreneurship Through Mentoring: Exploring the Potential Role of Professors at German Universities

Johann Kornelsen | 2018

Abstract

Under the label of the “third mission,” the new requirement for European and German universities is to contribute actively to the future growth and prosperity of regions through the commercialization of research. Academic spin-offs are the flagship of the commercialization of research with those involved being mainly students. Due to the high failure rates of academic spin-offs, mentoring has been recognized as an effective means of entrepreneurship education and of reducing the failure rate significantly. While external mentors are visibly involved as mentors in the German context, the involvement of the professors that are closest to the new ventures is not researched at all. I explored the mental and structural determinants of professorial mentoring within academic spin-offs in Germany, which was the first study of that kind in Germany. The results of the study indicated entrepreneurial mentoring functions that could be provided by faculty members, at least as effectively as by external business mentors. Data were gathered through explorative qualitative interviews with 18 professors from different types of universities, national states, and faculties and a focus group with 5 higher education representatives. The data were analyzed through content analysis, combining a deductive and inductive approach. The interviewees reported that, while being open to interesting mentoring projects, most professors in Germany prioritized research and teaching instead of commercialization activities and mentoring. Participants stated most German professors were not suited to be ASO mentors. Even suited and motivated professors adopted a passive stance because traditional activities promised more reputation and career opportunities. Most students in Germany decide to become employed; therefore, there is a low demand for mentoring within academic spin-offs because few academic spin-offs are founded. The resistance of German higher education leaders and professors toward the third mission must be solved before mentoring can play out its strengths in entrepreneurial education. The results of the study indicated suggestions for European and German policy makers and university leaders to facilitate commercialization within German academia.

Followership and the Relationship Between Kelley

Followership and the Relationship Between Kelley’s Followership Styles and the Big Five Factor Model of Personality

Donald Robert Kudek | 2018

Abstract

Kelley (1988), considered to be a pioneer in the field of followership, stated, “Followership dominates our lives and organizations, but not our thinking because our preoccupation with leadership keeps us from considering the nature and the importance of the follower” (p. 143). The lack of interest and/or research in followership has caused misunderstandings of the follower. Because many leadership theories incorporate personality traits that can “explain people’s behavior across different situations” (Barrick, Parks, & Mount, 2005, p. 745), the current research determined the relationship between an individual’s personality traits and followership characteristics. An instrument consisting of demographic questions; the 20-item Kelley’s Followership Questionnaire, which measures active engagement and independent thinking; and the 20-item Mini-International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) personality test, which measures a person’s Big Five personality levels of extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience was sent to 238 full-time working adults in the United States through SurveyMonkey®. With the survey data, a Pearson product-moment correlation was done to determine the strength of a linear association between each of the five personality types in relation to the two followership characteristics. A positive relationship was found between the personality characteristics of extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience with the followership attributes of active engagement and independent thinking. The correlation strength ranged from .136 to .374 with all but one significant at the p < .01 level. Neuroticism was negatively correlated to both active engagement and independent thinking at the -.120 and -.133 levels, respectively. Although the research population was diverse, based on geographical location, age, organizational level, and work experience, the respondents indicated an ethnicity of 84% White/Caucasian. Future research should include a longitudinal study to determine if changes occur over time—research to determine if various demographic characteristics, including international cultures, would have an impact on the relationships.

Psychological Ownership: The Mediating Effects of Participative Decision-Making on Employees

Psychological Ownership: The Mediating Effects of Participative Decision-Making on Employees’ Attitudes and Identification Towards the Organization

Paul A. Kuffel | 2018

Abstract

The possessions we choose to surround ourselves with in the workplace can influence the way we think not only about ourselves but how we think about the people around us (Dittmar, 1992). Employees create relationships with objects through a conscious owning and/or through a physical possession of the object(s) or felt as a relationship between person and nonphysical entities such as ideas, words, artistic creations, as well as other people (Pierce, Kostova, & Dirks, 2001). Expanding this knowledge of employee ownership in the workplace can offer leaders a route towards creating a more effective culture supporting and motivating workers as effective members of the organization. This study advances the psychological ownership literature by examining the effects of employee ownership in three ways: (a) looking at the effects of employees’ taking part in the decision-making process as a mediator of the relationship between psychological ownership and employee perceived control, (b) the effects of employees being part of the decision-making process as a mediator of the relationship between psychological ownership and organizational identification, and (c) evaluating the mediating effect of participative decision-making on the relationship between psychological ownership and perceived control and organizational identification. This study is important for leaders to help understand different factors motivating employees in the workplace. This study explored the relationship between psychological ownership, perceived control, and organizational identification when mediated by participative decision-making in a sample of U.S. government employees (N = 82). The results indicate that psychological ownership positively influences perceived control, and participative decision-making mediates the positive influence on perceived control. No significant relationship was found between psychological ownership and organizational identification or influence of the mediator in the relationship between the variables. It concludes with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of these findings, along with study limitations and recommendations for future research. This research helps to build a better picture for helping to understand how ownership and involvement in decision-making influences employees in the workplace.

Exploring Servant Leadership in a Top-Down Environment

Exploring Servant Leadership in a Top-Down Environment

Roosevelt Mareus | 2018

Abstract

This study used both Greenleaf’s (1977) theory of servant leadership and Spears’s (1995) ten characteristics of servant leadership to explore the concept in a top-down environment. The study proposed to answer the research question: To what extent, if any, is a mayor of a metropolitan area in the Northeast region of the USA displaying at work the ten characteristics of servant leadership as defined by Spears? Twenty selected studies relevant to the current subject were reviewed. This study used an exploratory single-case study design and purposeful sampling techniques. The methodology consisted of in-depth, semistructured, open-ended interview with leaders from the community and employees from each of the various departments throughout City Hall. Thirteen participants who represented a diverse selection of community leaders and employees were interviewed because saturation occurred quicker than expected. Interviews, observation, and archival data were the primary sources of data collection. The key finding of this study revealed that four of the ten servant leadership characteristics as defined by Spears were dominant characteristics with regard to the mayor’s leadership style: building community, commitment to the growth of people, empathy, and stewardship. The scope of this research was limited to the mayor of a metropolitan area in the Northeast region of the USA. Future research should examine other mayors and governors in other regions of the USA using the framework of Greenleaf’s (1977) theory of servant leadership and as defined by Spears to explore if the themes found in this case study are found in other case situations.

Exploring the Influence of Leader-Member Exchange(s) on the Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Commitment Among Telecommunications Employees

Exploring the Influence of Leader-Member Exchange(s) on the Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Commitment Among Telecommunications Employees

Bobby Thomas Carmickle | 2018

Abstract

This study was designed to address the lack of data available regarding the extent of the relationship between leader emotional intelligence (EI) and employee organizational commitment (OC), and the potential influence leader-member exchange (LMX) might have as a moderating variable. I utilized a quantitative research design to test if a relationship existed between leader EI, as perceived by employees and member OC, and if LMX influenced (moderates) the relationship between leader EI and employee OC. The participants for this study were employees from a midsized southwestern telecommunications company in southern California. Three validated surveys were used to measure study variables. The Wong and Long Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS; Wong & Long, 2002) was used to measure EI of leaders, as perceived by employees. The three component model (TCM) Employee Commitment Survey (Meyer & Allen, 1991) was used to measure OC of employees. Additionally, the LMX-7 instrument (Bell, 2017) was used to measure LMX. Study predictor variables included the 4 dimensions of EI (self-emotions appraisal [SEA], others-emotions appraisal [OEA], use of emotion [UOE], and regulation of emotion [ROE]). Criterion variables included the 3 components of OC (affective commitment [AC], normative commitment [NC], and continuance commitment [CC]), and the moderating variable was LMX. Multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis was conducted to determine the relationship among the variables. The research results did not support a predictive relationship between any of the 4 dimensions of EI and any of the 3 components of OC. These were consistent with prior research findings that failed to establish a relationship between EI and OC (Boivin, 2013; Brent, 2017; Willyard, 2017). Conversely, the results did indicate a significant predictive relationship between the moderating variable LMX and each of the 3 criterion variables of OC (AC, NC, and CC). The results also indicated that LMX significantly positively moderated the relationship between leader ROE and employee AC, leader OEA and employee AC, leader OEA and employee NC, and leader UOE and employee NC.

A Phenomenological Study of Different Followership Styles as Perceived or Experienced by Officers and Non-commissioned Officers While Serving on Combat Missions in Afghanistan or Iraq Wars

A Phenomenological Study of Different Followership Styles as Perceived or Experienced by Officers and Non-commissioned Officers While Serving on Combat Missions in Afghanistan or Iraq Wars

Nestor Luis Colls-Senaha | 2018

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the different followership styles, as experienced and perceived by United States Army officers and noncommissioned officers serving in combat situations in the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. Literature is almost nonexistent concerning followership in the military. In particular, what is not evident are the different followership styles exhibited by United State Army officers and noncommissioned officers in different situations. This qualitative study incorporated a hermeneutic phenomenological approach by conducting in-depth, semistructured interviews. The research was reduced to one central overarching question and several subquestions. The open-ended supporting questions further analyzed the phenomenon and divided the central question into supportive parts. Purposeful sampling was used to select 10 personnel from the 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) or Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Eighteen candidates were contacted; of these, 12 accepted and three later dropped out, which resulted in nine qualified participants. The research used NVivo, computer-assisted qualitative analysis software, to assist in coding and categorizing responses from the interviews. The sample population was limited to the 3rd Infantry Division, and the convenience sample may have impacted the data because it was chosen for the proximity to the researcher. The study concluded there is no one best followership style that is best for every situation.

A Qualitative Study of the Relationship Between Morality and Authentic Leadership

A Qualitative Study of the Relationship Between Morality and Authentic Leadership

Probal DasGupta | 2018

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the relationship between morality and authentic leadership based on a research question that inquired whether a high moral standard was required of an authentic leader in order for him to achieve a good outcome for society. The study adopted the phenomenological approach, using in-depth interviews and the guided interview technique, to explore the constructs. A purposeful sampling technique of the snowball variety was utilized to select 16 business leaders as participants. Data collection was done through in-person and telephone interviews. Data saturation was determined to have been reached with eight interviews; two more interviews validated the saturation. The statements and narratives collected were subjected to a thematic analysis involving coding and reduction procedures, and the patterns that emerged appeared to reflect some common and some divergent views of authentic leadership and morality. The study discovered that authentic leadership and morality appear to be related in various ways: (a) authenticity might be intrinsically moral because benevolence, genuineness, honesty, and goodness are common characteristics of both the authentic person and the moral person; (b) both the authentic person and the moral person appear to demonstrate the quality of integrity; and (c) authenticity and morality appear to share a dyadic relationship that, on the one hand, define the leader, and on the other hand, empower the leader to make good decisions, thereby facilitating a good outcome for society. In presenting its findings, the study also aimed to bridge the researcher–practitioner gap by providing some evidence-based guidelines for the practicing leader and the leadership consultant.

The Moderating Effect of Environmental Empowerment on the Relationship Between Personal Growth Initiative and Motivation to Lead Among African Americans in Corporate Organizations

The Moderating Effect of Environmental Empowerment on the Relationship Between Personal Growth Initiative and Motivation to Lead Among African Americans in Corporate Organizations

DeVata Davis | 2018

Abstract

Empirical research of personal growth initiative (PGI) and motivation to lead (MTL) among various cultural groups is scarce. Additionally, there are no studies relating environmental empowerment to PGI and MTL. Research on PGI has focused primarily on college students and addressed the cognitive and behavioral components that influence individuals to look for opportunities to engage in self-change and to seek opportunities to grow and develop. MTL research has focused on personality traits, sociocultural values, leadership self-efficacy, and past leadership experiences. Studies on environmental empowerment have addressed organizational outcomes such as job satisfaction, job performance, organizational commitment, and turnover. To this researcher’s knowledge, the current study is the first to examine the relationship between PGI and MTL and the influence of environmental empowerment on that relationship, specifically among African Americans in corporate organizations. This study used a nonexperimental, cross-sectional, quantitative approach to examine the moderating effect of environmental empowerment on the relationship between PGI and MTL among African Americans in corporate organizations. Hierarchical multiple regression and Pearson product-moment correlations were used to test the hypotheses. Results of this study did not fully demonstrate a moderating effect; however, dynamic structural framework proved to strengthen the relationship between intentional behavior and affective-identity MTL. Intentional behavior also proved to be the strongest predictor of affective-identity MTL and noncalculative MTL. Leadership experience and intentional behavior were the strongest predictors of social-normative MTL. Theoretical and practical implications as well as limitations of the study are discussed. Recommendations for future research are also provided.