Browsing by Subject "Organizations"
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Item Behind the Sony scandal : the role of talent agencies in perpetuating inequality(2016-05) Simon, Samantha Jones; Williams, Christine L.; Glass, JenniferHollywood talent agencies are powerful organizations that act as gatekeepers to the industry and structure the labor market for actors, directors, and writers. This thesis applies Rosabeth Moss Kanter’s work on tokenization, Joan Acker’s theory of gendered organizations, and R.W. Connell’s concept of hegemonic masculinity to understand the organizational structures and narratives of success that privilege white men in talent agencies. Through interviews conducted with talent agents, I found that these organizations are defined by men’s monopoly of powerful positions, professional networks exclusive to men, a patrimonial system of mentorship, and discourses that prize certain masculine performances and disparage femininity. This thesis illuminates the exclusionary organizational structures and discourses operating within talent agencies that may help explain the white male domination of these spaces.Item Complex systems leadership in ideal organizations : a mixed model study of perceived essential components(2010-12) Schoenbeck, Ryan John; Field, Sherry L.; Northcutt, Norvell W.; Salinas, Cynthia S.; Resta, Paul E.; Bellows, William J.This mixed model approach research explored what are the perceived essential components of an ideal organization. The data were collected from 150 leadership development seminars from 2000 to 2006 hosted by a Fortune 500 company with participants from over 239 organizations producing 5396 responses. The qualitative primary data were unitized and statistically analyzed and synthesized to reveal significant categories and their relationships. The statistically significant categories represent the essential components of an ideal organization. The original qualitative responses manifesting the significant categories are presented in alignment with the emerging complex systems leadership perspective.Item Foundations for a sociological business performance paradigm based upon the fundamental reliance on and awareness of cultural imperatives(Texas A&M University, 2005-02-17) Marshall, Henry SamuelThis thesis develops the theoretical foundation of the strategic-culture paradigm. This model focuses attention upon culture and appeals to the profit requisite associated with commercial activities, and is an integrator of business / domestic cultural expectations. I describe culture as an organizational attribute integral to behavior and strategy which represents a potentially powerful resource facilitating operational effectiveness, sustained competitive advantage, and increased business social accountability. This explanation relies upon conceptualizing culture at both the national and company level, and then explicating the dependent interplay between these realms. Specifically, I submit that corporations who establish and continually adapt their culture with the aim of striving to maintain a fit with the domestic context are more inclined to realize opportunities, attract customers, and endure unanticipated business environmental pressures. Using information collected on Nucor Steel and Southwest Airlines, I provide a preliminary assessment of the virtues of the strategic-culture model as it relates to explaining these firms and their operations.Item From class to club : an exploration of high school civic-minded student organizations from 1996-2011 in Corpus Christi, Texas(2012-05) Noyola, Sonia Adriana; Field, Sherry L.; Davis, O. L. (Ozro Luke), 1928-Our educational system has long claimed that preparing students to be active citizens is one of its main goals. With high-stakes testing pressures, schools with high minority enrollment have been found to cut back social studies programs and/or implement a drill and practice fragmented teaching style. (Center on Education Policy, 2007; McNeil and Valenzuela, 2000). This research project seeks to understand how civic engagement opportunities were provided for, the impact of these opportunities on students and community members in Corpus Christi, Texas, during the last 15 years, and the ways in which these opportunities may serve to maximize civic engagement for today’s Latino/a student. Using oral histories and archival data as a means to uncover the history of civic-minded organizations in Corpus Christi, Texas, on high school youth and their community, this research project will investigate the founding of the organizations, the people involved in them, and the impact of these organizations as it is perceived by alumni and those with direct experience of the organizations. While a study of this type may not be highly generalizable, it will provide new insights into promising civic education and engagement for previously marginalized groups of students. The findings of this research should add to the educational and social science literature by providing a nuanced understanding of how civic engagement opportunities may be tailored to fit into the learning environment of the high school civics classroom and beyond.Item Leader perspectives of organizational growth and communication(2006-05) Nail, Adrianna Noel; Lewis, Laurie K.This study examines the growth phase of the organizational life cycle and its impact on internal and external organizational communication. A qualitative case study of a national nonprofit operating foundation was performed, revealing several changes brought on by the recent growth of the organization. Interviews with the organization's leaders and other members reveal the communicative challenges experienced within the organization. Findings bolster previous claims presented by organizational scholars and highlight the role of communication in the organizational growth process. Further, three hypotheses regarding organizational growth and communication are proposed for future research regarding growth in the field of organizational communication.Item Machina ex deos. Successes and challenges of implementing mobile computing technologies for development. The experience of nine Indian village health projects using a project-issued mobile application(2016-05) Schwartz, Ariel, Ph. D.; Weaver, Catherine, 1971-; Densmore, Melissa; Heinrich, Carolyn; Lentz, Erin; Ward, PeterAs mobile computing technologies become increasingly functional and affordable, global donor and local development organizations find ways to justify and fund their use in grassroots development work. This dissertation asks two questions: (1) In resource-constrained social sector settings, what project features govern and structure use of work-issued mobile devices? And: (2) How do decision-makers adjust to maximize the benefit of newly-introduced devices while minimizing new burdens to the project and project staff? More simply, what variables under social sector projects’ control might promote successful use of information and communication technologies in development (ICTD) projects? This research represents systematic, qualitative comparison of nine extended deployments of a popular mobile health application, CommCare. Each studied project deployed devices loaded with CommCare to health workers in India as a supportive job aid and/or a data collection tool to help monitor beneficiary populations’ health status and frontline workers’ work. This dissertation examines the conditions under which these health workers were able and willing to use CommCare devices in their jobs, and whether and how they deviated from the use of those devices prescribed by their supervisors. Primary data for this study come from 62 in-depth, semi-structured interviews, extensive review of project documents, and personal observations from field study in India over six months in 2013. Employing a sociotechnical lens and a principal agent model, my data support expectations that use of CommCare devices would help align community health workers’ behavior with their supervisors’ organization and mission-related priorities. Use of the devices improved health workers’ professional competence and improved communications, data quality, and data access. These improvements facilitated project supervisors’ monitoring of health workers and beneficiaries, and funders’ monitoring of projects. Contradicting expectations, use of CommCare devices also weakened organizational oversight and control through new data challenges and increased health worker autonomy in their personal and professional lives. These dual benefits and challenges ultimately served the overall projects’ missions.Item Organizations and the state: An interactive view(2005-12) Cavazos, David E.; Washington, Marvin; Boal, Kimberly B.; McDonald, Robert E.; Szyliowicz, DaraThis dissertation examines field level relations among organizations and the state. I develop a perspective that takes into account both state legitimating activity as well as the actions of interest groups whose activities shape actions of the state as well as organizations. This dissertation focuses on federal agency rule making behavior. Because the agency rule making process, the process that occurs once a rule is proposed by an agency, is independent of legislation, organizations must directly participate in the rule making process rather than utilizing influence tactics such as lobbying and political action committees. By examining such interaction, aspects of the nature of state-organization interactions that have previously not been considered are revealed. To illustrate the process three agencies are qualitatively and quantitatively examined. Transportation and Security Administration (TSA), rulemaking is examined as is NHTSA (National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration) rulemaking activity in the form of FMVSS (Federal motor vehicle safety standard) 225, a rule aimed at establishing standards for vehicle child restraint systems. FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) rulemaking is also examined. Federal docket comments concerning TSA, NHTSA and FAA rules are examined using qualitative and quantitative approaches respectively Findings suggest that agency rule making activity is shaped by agency interactions with organizations and interest groups who attempt to shape policy in their interests; however the nature of this interaction depends on the nature of both the organizations and state actors in question. More specifically, like other organizations, state actors will vary in their power and influence depending on their size and age. It is these aspects of state actors that dictate the nature of and extent of organizational influence on state agency rulemaking.Item Organizations and the state: an interactive view(Texas Tech University, 2005-12) Cavazos, David E.This dissertation examines field level relations among organizations and the state. I develop a perspective that takes into account both state legitimating activity as well as the actions of interest groups whose activities shape actions of the state as well as organizations. This dissertation focuses on federal agency rule making behavior. Because the agency rule making process, the process that occurs once a rule is proposed by an agency, is independent of legislation, organizations must directly participate in the rule making process rather than utilizing influence tactics such as lobbying and political action committees. By examining such interaction, aspects of the nature of state-organization interactions that have previously not been considered are revealed. To illustrate the process three agencies are qualitatively and quantitatively examined. Transportation and Security Administration (TSA), rulemaking is examined as is NHTSA (National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration) rulemaking activity in the form of FMVSS (Federal motor vehicle safety standard) 225, a rule aimed at establishing standards for vehicle child restraint systems. FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) rulemaking is also examined. Federal docket comments concerning TSA, NHTSA and FAA rules are examined using qualitative and quantitative approaches respectively Findings suggest that agency rule making activity is shaped by agency interactions with organizations and interest groups who attempt to shape policy in their interests; however the nature of this interaction depends on the nature of both the organizations and state actors in question. More specifically, like other organizations, state actors will vary in their power and influence depending on their size and age. It is these aspects of state actors that dictate the nature of and extent of organizational influence on state agency rulemaking.Item Relationship of organizational communication methods and leaders' perceptions of the 2002 Farm Bill: a study of selected commodity-specific, general agricultural, and natural resources organizations(Texas A&M University, 2005-11-01) Catchings, Christa LeighThe purpose of this study was to determine perceptions of organizational communication methods used by selected commodity-specific, general agricultural and, conservation or natural resources organizations to disseminate information about the Farm Security and Rural Investment (FSRI) Act of 2002 within their organizations. A secondary purpose was to evaluate if preferred organizational communication methods related to organization leaders?? perceptions of the FSRI Act of 2002. Previous studies have assessed organizational communication methods and members?? perceptions, but little research has been completed on the combination of these variables. The instrument used in this study was derived from modified versions of Sulak??s (2000) 1996 Farm Bill survey, a similar instrument by Catchings and Wingenbach (2003), and Franklin??s (1975) organizational communication survey. The target population (N=300) was all selected Texas organizations?? board members. The accessible population (n=160) were selected Texas organizations (commodity-specific, general agriculture, and conservation or natural resources) board members. There were 70 respondents with a response rate of 44%. iv The respondents from this study were mostly board members from a commodity-specific organization and were 46 to 55 years old. They had attended college or completed an undergraduate degree, were raised on a rural farm or ranch, and currently live on rural farm or ranch. The respondents from selected Texas organizations indicated that they had some knowledge about 17 of the 18 primary issues or programs in the 2002 Farm Bill. Selected Texas organizations board members strongly agreed that their respective organizations wanted to meet their primary objectives and information about important events or situations were shared within their organizations. The respondents strongly agreed with the statement ??farm organization coalitions were essential for enacting the 2002 Farm Bill,?? and ??farm organizations strongly influenced the 2002 Farm Bill.?? This study summated and correlated the perceptions of organizational communication methods and perceptions of influencers affecting the outcome of the 2002 Farm Bill. Through that correlation, this study can conclude there was a moderately significant and positive relationship between perceived organizational communication methods and perceived levels of influencers affecting the outcome of the 2002 Farm Bill.Item The Tao of coopetition in organizations: culture and categorization of competitive behaviors in teams and working relationships(2009-05) Keller, Josh Wheatly; Huber, George P.; Loewenstein, JeffreyThis dissertation provides a cultural-cognitive perspective on the relationship between cooperation and competition within organizations. Instead of explicitly defining the relationship between cooperation and competition, I examine lay beliefs about the relationship and the impact of these beliefs on perceptions and behavior. This dissertation consists of two studies. In the first study, I examine the role of peoples’ categorization of competitive behaviors as cooperative or non-cooperative in teams. I assess the influence of dialectical reasoning, a culturally-shaped reasoning style, on the categorization of competitive behaviors and the reaction to competitive behaviors within teams. I test my predictions with a laboratory experiment with participants in the US and China. The analyses from this study reveal cultural differences in perceptual and behavioral reactions to competitive behaviors, with differences partially attributed to reasoning style and categorization. In the second study, I examine the role of people’s categorization of competitive behaviors as cooperative or non-cooperative in working relationships. I assess the influence of culture and categorization on people’s ego-centric network of working relationships. I test my predictions with a survey of working professionals in the US and China. The analyses from this study demonstrate that people who categorize certain competitive behaviors as cooperative are more likely to be more cooperative with people they are more competitive with instead of having exclusively cooperative or competitive relationships. The analyses also reveal national cultural differences in people’s networks of working relationships that are partially attributable to categorization of competitive behaviors. By empirically connecting culture and reasoning style to cooperative and competitive behavior in teams and working relationships, this research enhances our understanding of fundamental aspects of organizations, suggesting a new approach to examining the influence of societal factors in behavior within organizations.Item Time out : organizational training for improvisation in lifesaving critial teams(2012-08) Ishak, Andrew Waguih, 1982-; Browning, Larry D.; Ballard, Dawna I.; Stephens, Keri K.; Maxwell, Madeline M.; Ziegler, Jennifer A.Exemplified by fire crews, SWAT teams, and emergency surgical units, critical teams are a subset of action teams whose work is marked by finality, pressure, and potentially fatal outcomes (Ishak & Ballard, 2012). Using communicative and temporal lenses, this study investigates how organizations prime and prepare their embedded critical teams to deal with improvisation. This study explicates how organizations both encourage and discourage improvisation for their embedded critical teams. Throughout the training process, organizations implement a structured yet flexible “roadmap”-type approach to critical team work, an approach that is encapsulated through three training goals. The first goal is to make events routine to members. The second goal is to help members deal with non-routine events. The third goal is to help members understand how to differentiate between what is routine and non-routine. The grounded theory analysis in this study also surfaced three tools that are used within the parameters of the roadmap approach: experience, communicative decision making, and sensemaking. Using Dewey’s (1939, 1958) theory of experience, I introduce a middle-range adapted theory of critical team experience. In this theory, experience and sensemaking are synthesized through communicative decision making to produce decisions, actions, and outcomes in time-limited, specialized, stressful environments. Critical teams have unique temporal patterns that must be considered in any study of their work. Partially based on the nested phase model (Ishak & Ballard, 2012), I also identify three phases of critical team process as critical-interactive, meaning that they are specific to action/critical teams, and they are engaged in by critical teams for the expressed purpose of interaction. These phases are simulation, adaptation, and debriefing. These tools and phases are then placed in the Critical-Action-Response Training Outcomes Grid (CARTOG) to create nine interactions that are useful in implementing a structured yet flexible approach to improvisation in the work of critical teams. Data collection consisted of field observations, semi-structured interviews, and impromptu interviews at work sites. In total, I engaged in 55 hours of field observations at 10 sites. I conducted 31 semi-structured interviews with members of wildland and urban fire crews; emergency medical teams; and tactical teams, including SWAT teams and a bomb squad. I also offer practical implications and future directions for research on the temporal and communicative aspects of critical teams, their parent organizations, and considerations of improvisation in their work.