Dissertations – Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership Program

Followership’s Impact on Readiness for Change and Innovative Output at the Workplace

Lynn Ampadu-Boateng | 2025

Abstract

The efficacy of an organization is influenced by how a leader manages changes, followers, strategies, conflicting priorities, and available resources (Yukl, 2013). Continuously, the followers encounter challenges such as readiness for change that impairs coordination, performance, and overall innovation output (Abawari et al., 2024; Alliger et al., 2015; Burnes et al., 2016; Thompson & Choi, 2006). This empirical and quantitative study aimed to explore and elucidate the workplace’s difference in principal support, valence, and innovative output by followership styles. The study used the following instruments: Kelley Followership Questionnaire (Kelley, 1992), Organizational Change Recipients’ Beliefs Scale (OCRBS; Armenakis et al., 2007; principal support six questions and valence four questions), and Innovative Output (De Jong & Den Hartog, 2008; six employee rated questions). Over a short period, 362 completed responses—117 male and 245 female—were received. Participants’ ages ranged from 18 to above 50; 66.9% of respondents were 50 years and above. The survey’s reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s coefficient alpha (Bonett & Wright, 2015). The study indicated Cronbach’s alpha values of .88, .95, .92, and .91, demonstrating that all scales (independent thinking, active engagement, OCRBS, innovation output) showed excellent or good consistency, confirming the measure’s reliability and validation. A one-way analysis of variance and a Bonferroni post hoc test were performed using SPSS to examine the significant differences in readiness for change (principal support and valence) and innovative output based on followership styles. This study accepted all three hypotheses, providing significant new insights into followership styles, organizational readiness for change, and innovation output. The study’s findings are valuable in cultivating organizational change policies and frameworks, such as implementing a structural change communication system, providing training, and initiating change activities early in the change process. These strategies enhance change accomplishment by developing a favorable organizational environment that promotes change, thus improving innovative output.

The Impact of Engagement on the Success of New Entrepreneurs in Business Incubators

Staci Boone | 2025

Abstract

This qualitative case study explored how engagement, mentorship, and concern influence the success of new entrepreneurs participating in business incubator programs. Using a bounded case study design, the study collected data through the purposeful sampling method and one-on-one semistructured interviews with seven former incubator participants. The findings revealed that consistent, multimodal communication; clearly defined mentorship structures; and authentic concern from mentors are critical to building trust, accountability, and entrepreneurial growth. Participants reported that mentorship was most effective when it balanced technical guidance and personal support that helped them navigate the constraints, develop strategic plans, create business plans, and expand their professional networks. This study contributes to the scholarly literature by emphasizing the relational dynamics of mentorship and highlighting the need for structured, emotionally connected, expansive mentor–mentee interactions for practitioners. Limitations of the study include a geographically specific sample and reliance on self-reported data. Future research should expand the net to include mentor perspectives and use mixed methods to broaden the understanding of successful business incubator programs.

Keywords: engagement, business incubator, mentors, concern

Exploring The Influence of Bioethical Committees on Ethical Decisionmaking: A Phenomenological Study

Elizabeth M. Cooper-Reelhorn | 2025

Abstract

Bioethics is an evolving and complex field that requires a dynamic leadership approach to face the ethical dilemmas in scientific research. While bioethics committees are crucial in guiding ethical decision making, limited research examines the specific outcomes of participation in these committees. Bioethics committees are multidisciplinary, bringing together leaders from diverse fields to collaborate and influence ethical governance. This study explored the intersection of leadership and decision making in bioethics committees within private-sector life sciences, biology, and health organizations. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach, semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 bioethics committee members to examine their decision-making processes, challenges, and leadership strategies. The analysis identified three key theoretical constructs—dynamic conformity, signal amplification and attenuation, and distributed ethical leadership—along with 13 related themes. Findings indicate that groupthink and signaling influence decision making within bioethics committees. This study addresses a critical research gap by providing a comprehensive understanding of leadership dynamics within bioethical committees. The findings offer practical insights to nonprofit organizations, health care institutions, and academic research communities, enhancing their ability to effectively interpret and apply ethical committee recommendations. The research contributes to the evolving discourse on ethical leadership, offering a nuanced perspective on collaborative decision-making in bioethics.

Keywords: Bioethics decision making, Ethical dilemmas, Groupthink, Leadership, Multidisciplinary teams, Signaling