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Ph.D. in Global Leadership

Sample Dissertations

Recent dissertations, dr. stephanie thum, 2024.

Entangled: A Phenomenological Study of U.S. Federal Government International Trade Administrative Leaders’ Lived Experiences With Red Tape

This study explored how 10 non-elected U.S. government administrative leaders with extremely complex global leadership roles describe their experiences with red tape at work. Many people intuitively understand red tape as a metaphor associated with hassle in their interactions with government. Red tape also comes with a scholarly theory that centers on arcane, costly, and burdensome processes and rules that consume an organization’s resources but serve no necessary purpose. Thirty years of research connects red tape and its related concepts of burden, regulation, and sludge to inefficiency and negative human experiences. Quantitative evidence shows red tape persists. Therefore, one might presume administrative leaders wish to tackle red tape. After all, government administrative leaders are supposed to work in customer-minded, serviceoriented ways. However, red tape can also serve a protective purpose and administrative leaders must also protect taxpayer interests. A leadership challenge emerges when one considers leader success is based on program uptake, but red tape can keep eligible people from participating in government. Scholars continually discuss whether political or elected leaders are mainly responsible for red tape. One voice that has been missing in scholarship is that of administrative leaders themselves and how they experience red tape in their jobs. This study aimed to fill that gap. Four themes surfaced: boundary-spanning, pragmatism in leading, risk-based leadership choices, and most-cited red tape origination points. Ultimately, this research may inform leadership development decisions and customer and employee experience policies in government administration, thereby contributing to more efficient government services for all.

Dr. Christopher D. Logan, 2024

The Lived Work Experiences of African American/Black Male Full-time Faculty at Midwestern Community Colleges

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived work experiences of African American/Black male full-time faculty at Midwestern community colleges. Narrative inquiry was used as the design in this study. The data reflects the national statistics indicating the low number of African/American Black male full-time faculty employed at community colleges in the Midwestern region of the United States. The focus of the study is how implicit bias, explicit bias/racism, and stereotyping manifest themselves in day-to-day interactions amongst faculty, administrators, students, and the overall environment within community colleges. The study participants were selected based on gender, ethnicity, community college classification (i.e. rural, urban, or suburban), age range, and years of service. The method of data collection used in this study was through semi-structured interviews, and field notes. Critical race theory (CRT) was utilized as the theoretical framework. CRT explores culture and society, in relation to power, law, and race (Dixson, & Rousseau Anderson, 2018; Price, 2010). CRT is based on “an assumption that racism is not a series of isolated acts, but an epidemic in American life, deeply ingrained legally, culturally, and even psychologically” and offers a “a challenge to traditional claims of neutrality, objectivity, colorblindness, and meritocracy as camouflages for the self-interest of dominant groups in American society” (Job, 2009, p. 83).

The inquiry into this research phenomenon is based on the existence of fear and frustration with African American/Black male full-time faculty members at these institutions of higher education. The results of this study may be beneficial as a future guide to institutions of higher education that seek to implement practices that will help them become more viable global entities.

Dr. Stephen J. Shoda, 2024

Moral Imagination in Aerospace Risk Decision Making: “Houston, We’ve Had a Problem!”

The global aerospace industry performs countless risk decisions every day. These decisions are generally mundane and their correctness trusted upon by stakeholders. As in any human endeavor, there have been several aerospace tragedies. As the industry expands globally, the risk potential for poor decision outcomes expands. Applied global leadership research may provide insights for risk reduction. This applied research study, utilizing Patricia Werhane’s (2008) business ethics theory of moral imagination, synergizes her moral managerial decision-making theory with contextual intelligence model (Kutz, 2017), triune ethics meta-theory (Narvaez, 2016), and responsible leadership theory (Miska & Mendenhall, 2018). Additionally, an understanding of moral virtues was derived from Pine (2022) as a guide for deconstructing moral content from the participants; lived experiences. This multidisciplinary approach holistically combined the theories to reach a deeper understanding of aerospace risk decision-making. The theoretical framework may serve as a basis for other research into moral imagination. A phenomenological research methodology (Creswell & Poth, 2018), informed by the descriptive phenomenological design in psychology (Giorgi, 2009), evaluated moral imagination from a global leadership research perspective. Eight participants provided lived experiences. Eight themes emerged from the analysis. The themes for aerospace leaders from this research were a) safety first, b) issues need identified and addressed in their earliest stages, c) compliance needs achieved while operations need kept moving, d) organizations need viewed as a work in progress, e) discordant moral and ethical behaviors often emerge during problem solving, f) use facts and data when developing solutions and courses of planned action, g) aerospace leaders embody a personal conviction for others safety, and h) aerospace leaders must establish and consistently practice their moral codes. It is intended that the outcomes of this study are useful for applied research in moral imagination and informing recommendations for global aerospace policies on risk decision making. 

Dr. Scott Schaller, 2024

A Case Study Exploring the Influence of Education Agents on Indian Students Pursuing Master’s Programs at Universities in the United States

International student recruitment has become a major priority for universities, especially in the United States. With an uptick in international student enrollment expected, higher education institutions are having to compete for international students on a global scale. The current study explores the influence of education agents on Indian students pursuing their master’s degrees from universities in the United States. This study is guided by a theoretical framework comprised of the push-pull theory, model of student choice, and the college choice process model. Through a case study design, the analysis of semi-structured interviews revealed how participants perceived the influence of education agents during the search phase, while on campus, and when it came to further understanding the U.S. culture. This led to the development of two core themes that revealed Indian students perceived education agents as integral resources and were beneficial but with some shortcomings. Universities could use the findings of the current study to help advance the effectiveness of their international student recruitment efforts by communicating additional support for education agents and international students. The study’s findings help advance global leadership by expanding knowledge of the influence that education agents have on international students’ understanding of U.S. culture and capturing universities’ ability to support international recruitment objectives.

Dr. Deirdre Hendersen, 2023

A Narrative Inquiry into the Influence of a Global Mindset of Women in Leadership in Black Greek Letter Sororities

The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences of women leaders in Black Greek Letter sororities and how a global mindset informed their leadership. Data collection was conducted using one-on-one interviews. This study provides suggestions on how global leadership and developing a global mindset can enhance opportunities for the organization to expand globally. This study will hopefully influence the conversation about the lack of research on the role of leadership in Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLO). The emphasis on global leadership and global mindset of BGLO leaders can have a positive impact on its members and other stakeholders. Followership and transformational leadership theories were the theoretical frameworks employed to guide this study. The following themes and sub-themes emerged from the data: (a) challenges, (b) leadership, (c) follower, (d) education and sub-themes (1) transformation, (2) global mindset. This research hopefully provides a platform for addressing major gaps on women’s leadership and the benefits of serving in Black Greek Letter Sororities.

Dr. Jeffrey H. Witte, 2023

Leadership Practices That Promote the Delivery of Customer Satisfaction With Police Services in a Diverse, Multicultural Environment: A Case Study Through the Perspective of Distributed Leadership

A qualitative case study with the Yonkers (New York) Police Department utilized semi-structured interviews and a review of relevant documents and media. Yonkers is one of the most diverse cities in the state and the region, with 31% of residents foreign-born, 46% of households speaking a foreign language, and a school district comprised of students from 100 different cultures and nationalities. Theoretical thematic analysis identified interactions between leaders, followers, and situations that contributed to delivering customer satisfaction and procedural justice. Themes determined through data analysis are: (a) A positive tone and supportive environment from police and city leaders promotes the delivery of customer satisfaction by police officers, (b) Peer officer interaction is the strongest influence in promoting the delivery of customer satisfaction by police officers, (c) Police and city leaders are conduits for gathering information from customers and disseminating it to the police officers who deliver service to the customers, (d) A synthesis of departmental activities, policies, and tools (technology) promotes the delivery of customer satisfaction by police officers, and (e) A variety of departmental performance measures ensure (or promote) the delivery of customer satisfaction by police officers. In addition to identifying interactions within the leader-follower-situation framework, the study led to the creation of a revised model of distributed leadership, which more accurately represents the structure of police agencies. While the study is limited by a relatively small sample size, it demonstrates the viability of the distributed leadership model in understanding how leadership practices evolve within police agencies. The distributed leadership framework provides police leaders with a new way of looking at departmental dynamics and allows them to better understand how and why police officers perform in accomplishing department goals and objectives, so that productive interactions can be fostered, expanded upon, and rewarded.

Dr. Nikki Pham, 2023

Cultivating Global Leaders: A Critical Examination of the Mediating Role of Campus Climate in Asian American College Student Leadership Development

The disparity between Asian Americans’ high level degree attainment and underrepresentation in executive offices suggests that Asian American college students are achieving academically, but somewhere along the journey from college to career they are missing the connections that will transform them into global leaders. In order to prepare Asian American college students to ascend to positions of global leadership, it is imperative that collegiate student leadership development programming is informed by an understanding of how experiences with racism influence the student leadership development process. This mixed methods study addressed gaps in higher education and global leadership studies by furthering understanding of the collegiate experiences and perceptions of the diverse and complex Asian American college student population, and by examining how critical approaches to the statistical analysis of quantitative Asian American college student experience data may provide further insight into their experiences and leadership development process. The findings from this three-part study showed that: (1) campus climate partially mediated the relationship between student experiences and leadership outcomes for Asian American college students, (2) there was not an association between racism-related stress and leadership self-efficacy for Asian American college students, and (3) Asian American college students perceive or experienced racial stress in their college experiences and that Asian American college students’ leadership self-concept was informed by perceptions or experiences with racial stress in their college experiences.

Dr. Melissa Roberts, 2023

Courageous Followership in Student Affairs: An Exploration of Women Serving in Dual Roles as Leaders and Followers

Higher education within the U.S. has become increasingly complex over the past few decades. In a field where the majority of those working within student affairs departments are women, there is little research on the experiences of women serving in these roles. More specifically, there is little research on women serving in dual roles as leaders and followers while working with international students. This study explored the lived experiences of women existing in dual roles as leaders and followers within complex higher education student affairs environments while working with international students. The study sought to provide currently absent insight into the experiences of women working in such complex environments with multicultural student populations, which may assist other women as they navigate their roles working with similarly diverse student populations. The theoretical framework for this study consisted of courageous followership (Chaleff, 2009) and Maslow’s (1943) Hierarchy of Needs. The central research question that guided this qualitative study was: How do women in dual roles of leader and follower describe their experiences as courageous followers in complex higher education student affairs environments while working with international students? The following themes emerged from the research findings: (1) creating community and contributing to increased intercultural awareness for the global good; (2) advocating for and centering students who may not have a voice or seat at the table; (3) changing staff roles in light of the global pandemic, external climate shifts, and the international student population needs; and (4) maintaining awareness of current world events in order to empathize and best support international students.

Dr. Keith Wallace, 2023

A Phenomenological Study Exploring U.S College Students’ Study Abroad Experiences: Understanding Self-Leadership Through Initiators and Outcomes of Transformative Learning

As globalized industries evolve, leaders of today and tomorrow will need multifaceted skills for multilayered engagement in an international environment. One method to develop competencies built for a global setting is study abroad, where U.S. colleges embed students in a travel context beyond classroom walls and borders. Study abroad is made up of pre-departure, in-destination, and reentry that remains less understood across U.S. colleges yet may produce a transformative learning experience. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of U.S. college study abroad students during the reentry phase. Specifically, this study sought to understand initiators and outcomes of transformative learning in selfleadership development after studying abroad. The following 10 deductive themes and two deductive subthemes emerged: (a) Lacking languages in the United States, (b) Viewing my world in a new lens, (c) Realizing a great sense of empowerment, (d) Catching the travel bug, (e) Seeking transformative lessons, (f) Open mindedness through experiential learning, (g) More inclusivity for a diversified community, (h) Going global for new professional practices, (i) Increased capacity for complexity, and (j) Understanding complexity eases pressure. The two subthemes were (a) Leading with a shifted worldview and (b) Refining leadership with a new worldview. Disorientation profiles were also created for each participant. Findings revealed that initiators of transformative learning took place through disorienting experiences as well as transformative outcomes were realized by students after reentry. The findings of the study have identified for the first time in research the developed frameworks of transformative learning theory, the disorientation index and typology of transformative outcomes, as a functional combined tool to understand initiators and outcomes of transformative learning. These findings may assist international educators, multinational businesses, and global leaders of today and tomorrow.

Dr. Marcus McChristian, 2023

A Qualitative Study Exploring the Cultural Adaptation of U.S. Diplomatic Leaders Working in Africa

The United States government relies upon diplomatic leaders to promote and protect the interest of U.S. citizens all over the world. To successfully carry out these duties, diplomatic leaders are required to establish, build, and maintain relationships with individuals who often have different beliefs, standards, and opinions about how policies and decisions are made. U.S. diplomatic leaders must be able to integrate themselves culturally while managing unavoidable conflict. This study provides information about diplomatic leaders’ conflict management style choices while working in Africa, the most culturally diverse continent in the world. Diplomatic leaders’ ability to integrate into these new cultures and manage conflict while working in African environments often determines their capability to successfully lead host-country nationals and work with local government officials to accomplish U.S. foreign policy agenda.

Dissertation Archive

Dr. philip smith, 2022.

Bahamian Police Leadership and Organizational Culture through a Transformational Leadership Lens

Bahamian leadership throughout history has needed to create a culture of efficiency at fighting global crime (United States Embassy Nassau, 2014). The purpose of this inductive qualitative case study was to understand the organizational culture of the Bahamian Police force as attendees of the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) leadership training. This study explored the organizational culture of participants who graduated from ILEA training and non-attendees. This study explored how leaders within the Royal Bahamian Police force (RBPF) may have influenced organizational traditions and practices. This study employed an inductive qualitative case study methodology that utilized purposive non-probability sampling.Semistructured interviews with open-ended questions provided the narrative data while the ILEA training module and RBPF website provided the supporting evidence. The interview questions explored participant perceptions of leadership behaviors within the RBPF. This study applied a transformational leadership theory lens to describe the Royal Bahamian police organizational culture. Findings revealed that the RBPF leaders had created change within their organizational culture to reflect transformational leadership theory.

Dr. Katie Parrish, 2022

Mainstream Preservice Teachers Perceived Readiness in Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions to Educate English Learners

This study investigated how mainstream preservice teachers in educator preparation programs (EPPs) in the State of Indiana feel they are ready to meet the growing EL population’s needs. Further, the study investigated how EPP faculty perceive the readiness to educate ELs of the mainstream preservice teachers they prepare. Additionally, this study compared how mainstream preservice teachers and EPP faculty perceive the readiness to educate ELs in knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Using a quantitative, nonexperimental comparative approach, this study explicitly describes how mainstream preservice teachers perceive their readiness to educate ELs’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Past literature supports the increase in the EL population, the achievement gap between ELs and their non-EL peers, and a despairing representation of mainstream teachers who hold EL certification to support the academic growth of this increasing population of learners. The results of this study identify the perception of readiness of mainstream preservice teachers and the perception of readiness as evaluated by EPP faculty for the mainstream preservice teachers they prepare in knowledge, skills, and dispositions to educate ELs. Overall, the results showed that mainstream preservice teachers and EPP faculty do not perceive the mainstream preservice teachers ready to educate ELs. The results were the same for the areas of knowledge, skills, and dispositions. The current findings, grounded in the complexity leadership theory, support the notion that EPPs are complex adaptive systems and must respond to the need to integrate EL coursework throughout educator preparation programs to prepare mainstream preservice teachers to educate ELs effectively upon program completion.

Dr. Priscilla Deleon, 2022

A Case Study of Global Leadership in Allied Health: Supporting the Enhancement of Employees’ Engagement and Job Satisfaction

Global allied health leaders play a key role in promoting health and wellbeing for their employees. This study contributes to exploring how global leaders in allied health support employees’ job satisfaction and levels of engagement. This study used a qualitative methodology, employing a case study research design to explore servant leadership and allied health leaders; specifically, whether servant leadership plays a role in job satisfaction and employee engagement. The main component of the theoretical framework used for this study was Greenleaf’s (1970) servant leadership. The findings of this study offered five themes that emerged from the data: importance of leadership, listening and communication, building teams to be successful, job satisfaction and making a difference on the job, and professional development increases job satisfaction. The results of this study may create an opportunity for global allied health leaders to explore whether the characteristics of a servant leader can support employee engagement and job satisfaction in allied health fields

Dr. Saju Alex, 2022

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Global IT Companies in India: Lessons of Experiences on Sustainability

This qualitative study aimed to understand how sustainability leaders in India’s Information Technology (IT) industry perceived the sustainability leader development phenomenon. The four concepts constructed the theoretical framework for the study were: (1) leadership development, (2) sustainability, (3) values-based leadership, and (4) moral development. In addition, the study was framed by a constructivist paradigm, utilizing descriptive phenomenological methodology. The purposeful sampling criteria outlined by Moustakas (1994) were used for participant selection. Ten participants who worked in senior-level management positions at different IT companies and had experience in sustainability ranging from four to eleven years were selected. The data was collected through informal and interactive interviews using open-ended questions.The data were analyzed according to the transcendental phenomenological analysis processes Moustakas (1994) recommended. As a result, seven themes emerged from the participants’ textural descriptions of how they experienced the phenomenon: (1) leadership development, (2) workforce/professional development, (3) global competitiveness, (4) vision and values, (4) sustainability strategies/development, (6) organizational culture, and (7) it’s all about economics. The findings contributed to scholarship an understanding of sustainability leadership development and corroborated global leadership. However, the participants did not comment enough on the environment and social components of sustainable development to emerge as significant themes. As I pointed out, future research should focus on how or why the disconnect came about?

Dr. Kimberly Lehman, 2022

Immigration as an Antecedent for Changes in Leadership Behavior: A Study of How Buddhist Leaders’ Immigration from Myanmar to Indiana Affected Their Self-reported Leadership Behaviors

This qualitative, phenomenological study examined the perceptions of Buddhist leaders to understand if and how these leaders perceived their own leadership behaviors changed as a result of immigrating from Myanmar to Indiana. Between 2006 and 2014, there have been more than7,000 Buddhists who have immigrated to Indiana largely because of civil war and unrest in their home country (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], n.d.). This substantial migration of refugees has led to the building of several new Buddhist facilities to support their transition. This study used Liden et al.’s (2008) model of servant leadership as a theoretical framework to better understand this phenomenon. This model of servant leadership includes antecedents, behaviors, and outcomes as a framework to examine the process of servant leadership. The model is appropriate for instances with varying antecedent conditions and in this study, the antecedents of context and culture changed when Buddhist leaders immigrated from Myanmar to Indiana. The data set for this study was a group of six Buddhist leaders who immigrated from Myanmar to Indiana and who are leading congregations in Indiana. The qualitative data for this study was gathered via semistructured interviews with Buddhist leaders who met the requirements outlined in this dissertation with an aim to understand these leaders’ self-perceptions of changes in leadership behaviors. The qualitative data obtained in the interviews was analyzed to understand which, if any, of the seven servant leadership behaviors outlined in Liden et al.’s (2008) model of servant leadership changed and, if so, how they changed. This study contributed to a better understanding of immigrant leader behaviors and servant leadership behaviors in international populations whose context and culture for leading changed as a result of immigrating to a new country. The study also has local significance for Indiana’s religious leaders (Buddhist as well as other faiths), civic leaders, and refugee populations.

Dr. Lizzie Bronte, 2022

A Phenomenological Study Exploring the Lived Experiences of Women Leaders in Information Technology in Nairobi, Kenya

There have been few studies on the experiences of African women in leadership and minimal research in the field of technology. While the number of women in leadership has steadily increased across most industries, this has not occurred in the information technology (IT) industry, especially in the continent of Africa. The IT industry has had slow growth in women’s progression into leadership positions. Studies that examine women and career advancement in technology note barriers to women’s development, including gender bias, lack of interest by women after midcareer, rapidly changing IT trends, lack of trust by male leaders, and cultural biases towards women leaders; these barriers explain the global shortage of women as IT leaders (e.g., Madsen, 2017; Sample, 2018). This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore the lived experiences of women leaders who work in IT companies in Kenya. This study explored the characteristics of African women’s lived experiences in their roles as leaders in a volatile and complex IT environment. The study explored the challenges encountered through their journey and how they overcame these challenges, including the support they may have received that enabled them along the way. The researcher used ten broad questions to explore women’s lived experiences in Kenya. The research findings validated the literature in certain areas and revealed opportunities for future research in unexpected places. In Kenya, women leaders in IT were a minority who experienced gender bias due to patriarchal beliefs and cultural expectations for women, inequalities, and prejudice in a male-dominated industry. An unexpected finding of imposter syndrome revealed that women limited themselves due to their beliefs of not being good enough to compete with men. Overcoming these challenges required proactive behaviors such as developing competence, mentoring, and networking with men and women to understand and excel in the workplace.

Dr. Henry King, 2022

A Case Study Exploring How Culturally Intelligent Transformational Higher Education Leaders Foster Organizational Innovations in a Multicultural Student Environment

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore how higher education leaders at a public university in the Southeast United States employed cultural intelligence and transformational leadership to successfully foster organizational innovations to adapt to their growing multicultural student context. The objective of this study was to gain knowledge of how the university’s cultural intelligence transformational higher education leadership phenomenon worked from a holistic process perspective. Transformational leadership theory was introduced and applied as the theoretical framework for the study, while the cultural intelligence theory and organizational innovations concepts were used to support the theoretical framework. The researcher collected in-depth and rich empirical data from 10 higher education leaders at the public university using unstructured open-ended questions through Zoom one-on-one virtual interviews. The researcher also collected data from artifacts such as the university’s strategic plan documents, annual student success reports, transcribed podcasts, and student success book. The following five themes emerged from the robust thematic analysis and triangulation strategy: (a) employ internal and external motivational drivers, (b) employ the ability to strategically adapt, (c) positive influence on self-confidence and affective commitment, (d) employ cultural intelligence, transformational leadership practices, and (e) foster innovative student support solutions and equitable student success outcomes. The five emergent themes addressed the objective of this study and research questions. The knowledge gained from this study contributed to cultural intelligence, transformational leadership, and organizational innovations scholarship and advanced such knowledge in domestic and global higher education leadership studies and practices.

Dr. Dawn Moore, 2022

Attaining Leadership Authenticity: Exploring the Lived Experiences of African American Women Faculty at Predominantly White Institutions

As 21st Century scholars emphasize the importance of globalization, cross-cultural climates that foster genuine engagement with race and gender are becoming increasingly significant to the development of global leaders. African American women faculty, however, are often challenged in attaining authentic leadership, particularly with the intersection of their race and gender at educational institutions that are predominantly White. Consequently, exploring their experiences would provide invaluable insight into the roles that race and gender play in attaining authentic leadership. This study explored nine African American women faculty’s narratives about their lived experiences with senior administration at predominantly White institutions. Analysis of data from interview transcripts identified the emerging themes of adversity, self-authorship, and self-efficacy regarding their difficulties and successes in attaining authentic leadership. This research offered a foundational lens with the theoretical frameworks of authentic leadership, Black feminist thought, and intersectionality for understanding leadership authenticity in cross-cultural climates through the perspectives of African American women faculty at predominantly White institutions as a contribution to the field of global leadership.

Dr. Mustapha Atar, 2021

Predictors of Organizational Commitment in an Intense Global Environment: A Quantitative Study of IT Professions in the United States

Dr. Jennifer Wegleitner, 2021

A Mixed Methods Study Examining Faculty Perceptions of Business Students’ Incivility and Its Impact on Preparing Global Leaders

Dr. Christopher Snyder, 2021

Exploring Philanthropic Perceptions of Millennial Global Leaders

Dr. Laura Lumbert, 2021

Exploring Followers Lived Experiences with Autonomous Motivation and Leader Support During a Global Organizational Restructuring

Dr. Mandy Wriston, 2021

A Case Study of How Leaders in an Appalachian County View Themselves in a Global Society

Dr. Magnus Jansson, 2021

Innovative Work Behavior: Leadership Receptiveness, Individual Perseverance, and Organizational Climate as Enablers

Dr. James Kisaale, 2021

Community Leaders’ Transformational Leadership Style in Fostering Community Development: Kenya’s Christian Impact Mission

Dr. Russ Timmons, 2021

Exploring Global Disruptive Leadership in Practice: A Multi-level Pragmatic Synthesis Model

Dr. Chad Copple, 2021

Rural Community College Internationalization: Experiences, Challenges and Successes of Leaders

Dr. Vanetta Busch, 2021

Glocal Human Resources Leaders Roles, Role Conflict, and Competencies

Dr. Greg Madsen, 2021

Male Allies’ Perception of Gender Bias and the Relationship Between Psychological Standing and Willingness to Engage

Dr. Tariq Zaman, 2021

A Phenomenological Study of Followership Roles from the Perspective of Followers in the Ready-Made Garment Industry in Bangladesh

Dr. Dr. Martha Martin, 2021

Leaders in Libya: A study of Libyan Mid-Level Oil Executives Examining Leadership Transformation from Expatriate Study of 16 Habits of Mind Curriculum

Dr. Fidelis Agbor, 2021

Experiences of African Born Leaders in the U.S. Army

Dr. Heather Finney, 2021

Relationship between Leadership Styles and Total Quality Management in Chemical Manufacturing Companies in India and the United States

Dr. Eric Christensen, 2020

Servant Leadership in a Global Context: Organizational Relationships in Online Mental Health Service Startups

Servant leadership is a theory that suggests desirable organizational outcomes are a function of a leader’s focus on those other than him or herself (Stone, Russell, & Patterson, 2004). Servant leadership has been applied to a variety of organizational contexts, including those in the healthcare industry (Hanse, Harlin, Jarebrant, Ulin, & Winkel, 2016; O’Brien, 2010). However, as technological advancement drives social change, the structure and nature of organizations change as well. Accordingly, this research studies servant leadership in a global organizational context, extending the consideration of this leadership framework to the virtual mental healthcare field. Associations with organizational follower-level variables of empathic concern, public service motivation, affective commitment, and perceptions of organizational innovativeness are considered from a review of literature building on servant leadership theory and a theory of the on-demand economy. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed servant leadership was significantly correlated with the study’s measure of public service motivation, affective commitment, and perceptions of organizational innovation. Implications for scholarship and practice are discussed. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Anna Lilleboe, 2020

Courageous Followership in the United States and Japan: Examining the Role of Culture in Ideal Followership

Followership is a nascent yet emerging subject. An increasing number of scholars are recognizing the critical role of followers and that leadership cannot exist without followership. Most followership studies take place in the United States, which constrains knowledge growth on followership from a global perspective. Understanding regarding ideal followership has largely been limited to reflect Western values. One of the most popular propositions regarding ideal followership is the courageous followership concept developed by Ira Chaleff. Chaleff’s book on courageous followership has been published globally in six different languages, yet the argument that the concept represents ideal followership has not been explored outside of the United States. This study contains an examination of whether the belief that courageous followership represents ideal followership is shared between American and Japanese followers as the countries offer an interesting contrast in cultural values and can offer a non-Western perspective. Through a quasi-experimental mixed factor repeated measure design, analysis of variance with covariates revealed how followers from each country perceive courageous followership behaviors as ideal and how often these followers practice such behaviors. The results showed that American participants favored courageous followership as ideal form of followership more so compared to Japanese participants. American participants also reported higher level of courageous followership behaviors in practice compared to Japanese participants—except for behaviors associated with the courage to take moral action. The study’s findings help advance global leadership by expanding knowledge regarding followership from a global perspective, testing courageous followership concept in a non-Western context, and capturing how different followers from different cultures practice followership behaviors. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Collin Barry, 2020

The Relationships between Authentic Leadership, Job Satisfaction, and Organizational Commitment among Generation Z in the United States Marine Corps

The following study explores the relationships among authentic leadership theory, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment among deployed active duty enlisted Generation Z members serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. It is argued that leaders who influence with authenticity have a greater chance of positively affecting those around them, focusing on the global-operating U.S. military, a melting pot microcosm of American society. Authentic leadership theory is defined, suggesting that the majority of this style’s characteristics can influence Generation Z more effectively than other styles of leadership, thus improving job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The generalized idiosyncrasies of Generation Z are identified, finding common themes among current scholars of generational theory. The leadership style of authoritarianism is explored, postulating that a method once utilized to lead past U.S. military generations is no longer effective. Generational influence within the commonly autocratic-driven U.S. Marine Corps is addressed, suggesting that a positive relationship exists between the qualities of authentic leadership and the follower needs of Generation Z. Hypotheses will be tested by utilizing a quantitative correlational survey design to gather data that may reveal relationships among the predictor variable of authentic leadership and outcome variables of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Tobey Zimber, 2020

Global Followers’ Identities Within the Global Social Movement of the Women’s March: A Phenomenological Study

Complex global business environments have posed significant demands upon leaders and inspired organizations to study ways to achieve organizational effectiveness. Within this complex, global environment, individuals form collaborative relationships where they work toward common goals. Currently, there is limited theorizing and little empirical evidence on global followers and their influence in the leadership process. This study explores the lived experiences of global followers in relation to leaders within the context of the global social movement of the Women’s March. Social identity theory, followership theory, and the construct of global followership are discussed as underlying theoretical and conceptual elements of this research. The two central research questions that guide this investigation are: (1) How do global followers describe their lived experiences associated with the global social movement of the Women’s March? (2) How do global followers of the global social movement of the Women’s March describe how their activities, characteristics, and traits influence their followership? Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, and the interviews were transcribed and analyzed with a qualitative analysis software, Dedoose. Research findings led to the emergence of the following seven themes: (1) We are a community of like-minded people with similar values, (2) I want to be a solution to the problem, (3) I hope to be an inspiration for others, (4) Power of the present and fear of the future, (5), Using my voice to fight global injustice, (6) We need to work for visibility and inclusion, (7) Being in service to something bigger than myself. Findings highlight the collaborative efforts and contributions of global followers as co-creators of leadership and proactive agents within the leadership process. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Nuchelle Chance, 2020

“Nevertheless, She Persisted”: Exploring the Influence of Adversity on Black Women in Higher Education Senior Leadership

This dissertation explored the concept of adversity and the lived experiences of Black women in higher education senior leadership. Using phenomenology, this study specifically explored how adversity has led Black women to leadership serving in higher education senior leadership. Past literature shows that Black women leaders undergo extreme challenges, including limited role models, the concrete ceiling, double discrimination, and the intersectionality of racism and sexism, as well as tokenism. The current findings validate the literature as some of the more salient codes of adversity that emerged were challenges with identity: (a) cultural diversity and belonging, (b) discrimination such as racism, sexism, ageism and the intersection of these, (c) varying adverse childhood experiences [ACEs], (d) career discernment, (e) divorce and/or dissolving romantic relationships, (f) financial issues, and (g) health issues. Yet Black women are resilient and strong. Referred to as “superwomen,” Black women have been able to overcome countless odds to advance and become pioneers in their fields and reach advanced levels of educational attainment. The results of this study reveal that Black women use adversity as fuel to overcome crucible experiences, thus helping them develop the necessary skills to prepare them for leadership. Their strength through adversity is driven by resilience. Resilience has manifested itself in many ways for the participants of this study, varying from motivation factors such as family and relationships, mentors, community support, self-care and nurturing, friendships and sisterhoods, as well as the support of cultural identity and diversity. The current findings grounded in the crucible leadership theory (Bennis & Thomas, 2002) support the notion that adverse crucible experiences shape Black women into leaders with emphasis on higher education senior leadership. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Mohamed Yahya Abdel Wedoud , 2020

A Single Case Study Exploring Male Millennial Leaders’ Perceptions of Women as Leaders in a Large Mauritanian Organization

This study used a qualitative case study research design to explore male millennial leaders’ perceptions of women as leaders in large Mauritanian organizations. Transformational leadership theory and social dominance theory were used as the theoretical bases to guide the study. The study raises awareness about aspects of African women leaders through the eyes of the male, millennial leaders in a historically male-dominated society. Furthermore, the study provides data to enhance the understanding of local, regional, and global leaders who work to liberate female leaders through organizational development and gender equality, globally. Perceptions of male leaders were explored to find out what can be done to change perceptions that may limit the possibilities for women to gain access to leadership roles in Mauritanian organizations. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Abdurrahim Hocagil , 2020

Exploring Global Followership Phenomenon in Global Organizational Context: A Study of Global Followers Within Global Technology Companies

The purpose of the current phenomenological study was to explore the global followership phenomenon within a global organizational context, specifically within global technology organizations to understand the lived experiences of global followers and how they develop their global followership behaviors. The present study used three overarching research questions to explore lived experiences of global followers: (1) How do global followers at global technology organizations describe their lived experiences that help them develop global followership behaviors? (2) How do global followers describe how global organizational context plays a role in global followership development processes? (3) How does global followers’ national culture shapes their global followership behaviors? In light of these research questions, the researcher developed open-ended interview questions that explored participants’ experiences of development of global followership behaviors. The interview questions scrutinized the experiences of global followers, the influence of global organizational context, and the influence of culture on their behaviors. The theoretical framework guided the study was followership theory and the concept of global followership. Purposeful sampling and snowball sampling strategies were used to recruit participants. After selecting individuals who meet the initial criteria, the researcher emailed screening questions to selected individuals and collected self-reported information. Based on their responses to screening questions, individuals who self-reported that they support and practice freely, constructively, and courageously contributing to leadership processes as well as supporting and practicing constructively opposing their leaders’ decisions by voicing their concerns and opinions against their leaders when they see necessary to enhance leadership processes acknowledged as global followers and selected as participants. Data were collected through the use of semi-structured interviews and the interviews were transcribed and then analyzed using NVivo 12 qualitative analysis software. Data analysis led to the development of four core themes that explained the experiences of global followers and their development of effective global followership behaviors: (1) following effectively, (2) following globally, (3) developing continuously, and (4) managing challenges. The current study’s results are consistent with Tolstikov-Mast’s (2016)’s assertions and confirm global followership concept is different than followership in domestic contexts due to the complexities of global environment. The findings of the present study may help future global followers that they could learn the developmental pathways presented by the participants and try to train to be effective global followers and contribute to co-construction of global leadership processes in their organizations. Global leaders could also learn from findings of this study and try to foster global followers that would help them to enhance global leadership outcomes. Global organizations could use the findings of the present study to develop specific global followership development activities or trainings in order to develop effective global followers and enhance global leadership outcomes in their organizations. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. David Ransom , 2020

An Exploration of Perceptions, Internal Mechanisms and External Forces that may Influence Ethical Decision Making

This study sought to explore the underlying perceptions, internal mechanisms, and external forces that may influence the ethical decision-making process of middle managers in a multinational organization. A qualitative phenomenological research approach was undertaken as it provided the best opportunity to develop a common description from participants’ lived experiences that highlighted ‘what’ the participants experienced and ‘how’ they experienced it. This study contributes to the field of global leadership studies by providing an understanding of how global managers perceive an ethical issue, the ways in which they construct their own ethical reality, and how they explain the complexity of their ethical reasoning. In addition, this study shows the value in developing an ethics training program for multinational organizations in order to develop better cross-cultural understanding. Ultimately, this can result in improving the effectiveness of managers’ ethical reasoning skills through a learning environment that is experience-based and involves problem-solving activities and collaboration. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Eric Pilon-Bignell , 2020

Exploring Improvisation: The Human Element of Decisions Made by Executives in States of Complexity within Consulting Firms

The purpose of this research is to use transcendental phenomenology to explore the lived experiences and events of executives, and how improvisation is experienced when decisions are made in states of complexity within a consulting firm. The central research topic of this doctoral study focuses on executives in moments of complexity. The stated phenomenological method was engaged to explore the lived experiences of management and technology consulting firm executives on how they experience improvisation when making decisions in states of complexity. To guide this study, a theoretical framework consisting of complexity leadership theory, human elements of decisions, and improvisation was developed. Findings from this study highlighted five core themes that emerged from the phenomenon:(1) leading through complexity, (2) using improvisation, (3) leading with no data, (4) leading with only data, and (5) mixing humans and data. For academics and practitioners, the data gathered from this research creates an essence of the experience of how improvisation is experienced in complexity by executives in a consulting firm. The author hopes that this research in some way, will assist current and future executives to better understand the value of improvisation and how it can be applied successfully to lead in the complexities of the global business landscape. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Kevin Rooney , 2020

Transformational Leadership and Organizational Commitment in a Multinational Organization: The Partial Mediating Role of Cultural Intelligence

Organizations are undergoing unprecedented change, driven mainly by cost effectiveness and globalization. These changes leave organizations seeking a new type of leader, one who can manage a global workforce, navigate the impact of globalization, and foster employee organizational commitment. Through the grounding of transformational leadership theory, the present study examines the partial mediating relationship of cultural intelligence on the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational commitment in an intercultural context. The current study operationalized concepts through three surveys: multifactor leadership questionnaire form-5X (MLQ Form-5X), three-component model commitment survey (TCM), cultural intelligence survey (CQS). Using a sample of 102 full-time professionals who had a geographically dispersed intercultural relationship with their manager provides evidence that cultural intelligence partially mediates the relationship between transformational leadership style and employee normative commitment. Additionally, this study evidenced that cultural intelligence does not partially mediate the relationships between transformational leadership style and affective or continuance commitment. Supplemental analyses supported that a manager’s cultural intelligence had a significant association with their demonstration of transformational leadership style and an employee’s level of affective and normative commitment. Theoretical and practical implications of this study clarify the interactions between cultural intelligence, transformational leadership, and organization commitment addressing a growing concern surrounding how intercultural leaders effectively manage complexity emanating from geographic dispersion, multiculturalism, and organizational cultural diversity; furthering the competencies of effective global leaders. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Michael Fields , 2020

Exploring the Relationship of Predispositions Before and During the College Experience, Including Study Abroad, Which May Impact Intercultural Competence of University Students

With the continued globalization of the workforce today, it is becoming more and more important for today’s workers to be globally competent. For workers to be globally competent, it is essential that they gain the necessary skills while completing their college education. To gain these competencies, institutions of higher education need to produce graduates with high intercultural competence. Impact of intercultural competence has to be acquired through specific formal and informal experience for students to have the greatest gains during their college experience. These experiences actually begin before college and continue during their time in college. While literature has long stated that study abroad positively impacts intercultural competence, that alone may not be the best or only way to positively impact intercultural competence. This study explores the impact of precollege characteristics, college experiences, and study abroad on students’ intercultural competence at a rural, public, 4-year liberal arts university. To assess this impact of intercultural competence, students were asked to answer a demographic survey capturing the data on precollege characteristics and the college experience, as well as a survey instrument assessing intercultural competence. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Steven Stauffer , 2019

The Impacts of Business Curriculum Internationalization on Student Completion and Success in Ohio Community Colleges

The purpose of this global leadership study was to investigate the impact community college business curriculum internationalization has on the key components of the Ohio State Share of Instruction (SSI) funding formula. This analysis should assist institutional decision-makers in determining whether or not to incorporate such initiatives at their schools as many accrediting bodies are placing greater emphasis on student success and numerous states are tying public funding to completion rates. Starting in Fiscal Year 2014, the state of Ohio began implementing a new performance-based formula that allocates funding to universities and colleges based on student success instead of enrollment. As community colleges across the state work to adjust to the new formula, many are considering novel methods to expand their resource base through curriculum internationalization. This study sought to determine the existence and degree of a quantitative relationship between business curriculum internationalization and student course completions, program and certificate completions, and success points within the Ohio SSI funding model. Ultimately, the results of this inquiry indicated that no statistically significant relationship existed between the variables, primarily due to a lack of distinctive differences between the various Ohio community colleges in terms of their degrees of business curriculum internationalization. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Wendy Kobler , 2019

A Phenomenological Study: The Lived Experiences of Women Who Have Achieved CEO Positions in Four-Year Higher Education Institutions

Progress has been made with women gaining more employment opportunity through the years in higher education. The progress has been seen in the lower positions; but the higher a woman climbs in four-year higher education institutions, the fewer positions she will find open to her gender. Notably, gender inequity still exists in higher education leadership and especially in the top leadership positions in this sector. Until 2016, the accepted remedy for this gender equity issue was to create a pipeline for more women to be qualified and ready to flow into the openings of the chief executive officer (CEO) position of four-year higher education institutions as they became available (American Council of Education, 2016). The American Council of Education (ACE) in 2016 declared the pipeline remedy a myth (2016). With that declaration, the American Council of Education stated that there was a need for more research on pathways women can take to successfully reach the top CEO positions in higher education (2016). The purpose of this study was to seek to understand the phenomenon of how women have overcome barriers and secured the presidency in colleges and universities (ACE, 2016). The goal of this phenomenological study was to determine the pathway that these women CEOs took and to answer the call for more research on the pathways of how more women can obtain the position of CEO. It comes at a time when there is possibly the greatest climate that is conducive for women to achieve positions that have seldom been open to them in past history. The study was guided by research by Susan Madsen (2008) on the lived experiences of women university CEOs that is now considered the seminal work in the arena of higher education leadership and gender inequity. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Danielle Lombard-Sims, 2018

Exploring Antecedents of Organizational Success for Bicultural Global Female Leaders

Global leadership research arose out of a need for organizations to develop individuals who can successfully manage people, markets, and strategies globally (Mendenhall, et al., 2013). As the field is relatively new, there is gap in global leadership literature in understanding the antecedents of success of bicultural global female leaders in multi-cultural organizational environments. In addition, views from a power dynamic of critical theory has not been fully explored. As a result of this gap in the literature, this dissertation study explored the intersectionality of success, gender, and biculturalism to understand, through the voice and lived experiences of bicultural female leaders, how they assign meaning to the attainment of organizational success in global healthcare leadership positions in order to encourage organizational change. Utilizing the phenomenological van Kaam 8-step method of data analysis (Moustakas, 1994), this study identified five themes related to how global leadership competencies, the meaning of success, and organizational influencers impact bicultural female global leader success. This study added unique contributions in understanding (a) the shared meaning of success for bicultural global female leaders across various cultural groups as told through their voice, (b) how gender and biculturalism intersect to inform their experience as global leaders, specifically in empowering them to overcome historical biases that exist in organizations, and (c) actions organizations can do to help more bicultural women become global leaders. In addition to the unique contributions, findings related to successful global competencies, transformational leadership characteristics, and female leaders’ role in assisting with equal opportunities correspond with empirical and theoretical research on the success of global bicultural female leaders. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. James Campbell, Jr., 2018

A Case Study Exploring the Lived Experiences of Direct Support Professionals: Examining the Link between Lived Experiences and Leadership Style

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of direct support professionals who support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As well, this study examined the relationship between the lived experiences of direct support professionals and the leadership and business practices of their organizations. This study employed an embedded mix-method multiple-case study design, which allowed multiple data collection methods that probed the essence of the participants’ lived experiences within their workplace. A sequential mixed-method procedure was commenced by convenience sampling of 50 direct support professionals from each organization to complete a survey instrument that possessed four major categories considered important to direct support professionals. Survey responses served as a guide while conducting face-to-face interviews with the senior leaders of each organization. Prior to interviewing senior leaders, five direct support professionals with at least five years of employment were randomly selected to be interviewed. The interview questions explored the lived experience of participants and their perceptions of the quality of organizational leadership and culture. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Danielle Lombard-Sims , 2018

Exploring Antecedence of Organizational Success for Bicultural Female Leaders

Global leadership research arose out of a need for organizations to develop individuals who can successfully manage people, markets and strategies globally (Mendenhall, et al., 2013). As the field is relatively new, there is gap in global leadership literature in understanding the antecedents of success of global leaders, and specifically bicultural global female leaders, in multi-cultural organizational environments. In addition, views from a power dynamic of critical theory has not been fully explored. As a result of this gap in the literature, this dissertation study explored the intersectionality of success, gender and biculturalism to understand, through the voice and lived experiences of bicultural female leaders, how they assign meaning to the attainment of organizational success in global healthcare leadership positions in order to encourage organizational change. Utilizing the phenomenological van Kaam 8-step method of data analysis (Moustakas, 1994), this study identified five themes related to how global leadership competencies, the meaning of success, and organizational influencers impact bicultural female global leader success. The five themes identified include (a) successful global leadership organizational competencies (b) meaning of success (c) intersection of gender and biculturalism on organizational success (d) organizational facilitators of success for bicultural global female leaders and (e) organizational inhibitors of success that require change. This study added unique contributions in understanding (a) the shared meaning of success for bicultural global female leaders across various cultural groups as told through their voice, (b) how gender and biculturalism intersect to inform their experience as global leaders, specifically in empowering them to overcome historical biases that exist in organizations, and (c) actions organizations can do to help more bicultural women become global leaders. In addition to the unique contributions, findings related to successful global competencies, transformational leadership characteristics, and female leaders’ role in assisting with equal opportunities correspond with empirical and theoretical research on the success of global bicultural female leaders. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Jehu Chong , 2018

Workplace Longevity and The Lived Experiences of Senior Leaders’ Perceptions of Millennial Job Satisfaction: A Multigenerational Study of the Dutch Caribbean Financial Sector

The topic of workplace longevity includes a vast area of scholarly writing relating to the themes of organizational success, job satisfaction, work commitment, effective managerial leadership, employee engagement, workforce-retention strategies, and cultural influences on work habits. The focus of this exploration is to discover how job satisfaction impacts the tenure of senior leaders and to uncover the association of emerging trends using a generational perspective that directly derives from senior leaders’ lived experiences. The objective was to solicit responses about the concepts affecting employees’ self-identified organizational motives, thus explaining an employees’ realization, awareness, and understanding of the components that factor into their choice of whether to stay or leave a company. Herzberg’s (1978) motivation theory was introduced and applied to this study as the theoretical framework. This theory explored the hygiene factors and motivator factors that cause job satisfaction or job dissatisfaction. Seven themes emerged from this qualitative transcendental phenomenological research study: (a) millennials, (b) training and development, (c) mentality shift, (d) corporate culture, (e) workplace longevity, (f) change and adaptability, and (g) communication. The research study was promulgated upon a global platform and thus includes a discussion of global implications and a new definition of global leadership. Global leaders in the present work climate are charged with managing diverse populations of employees from assorted cultures, with a mixture of mind-sets, and with a comprehensive collection of ideals, beliefs, values, and principles. This research explored global leadership through the lens of innovation and a team-oriented perspective. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Michael Call, 2017

Home or Abroad? Determinants of Major Charitable Giving to Domestic Vs. International Causes

This study provides insight into demographic and psychographic distinctions between major donors ($10,000 USD or more in a single gift) to domestic causes, international causes, and both types of causes. A simple random sample telephone survey of 410 U.S. individuals with annual household incomes of $250,000 or more and who have a history of charitable giving provided data for this analysis. Of these 410 respondents, 118 had given only to domestic causes in the past 12 months, 143 had given only to international causes, and 149 had given to both types of causes. All of these gifts met the filter of at least $10,000. Items in the survey included demographic data, number of major gifts to charity, sizes of gifts, type of recipient organization, and psychographic traits. These psychographic traits included experiential traits of childhood extracurricular activities, childhood volunteering, childhood religiosity, childhood traumatic events, adult religiosity, and adult engagement in civic groups. Values-based psychographic analysis relied on Kahle’s List of Values (LOV). A test for Chronbach’s alpha verified the data were reliable. Statistical analyses conducted include tests of correlation and association, multiple regression analysis, discriminant function analysis, and multinomial regression analysis. Results show significant differences between major donors to domestic causes only, major donors to international causes only, and major donors to both types of causes. Determinants of major giving to domestic causes only include the LOV traits of self-fulfillment and sense of belonging, as well as the experiential traits of childhood traumatic event, childhood religiosity, and adult engagement in civic groups; determinants of major giving to international causes only include the LOV value of being well respected and the experiential trait of childhood extracurricular activities. Determinants of major giving to both types of causes include the LOV trait of being well respected and the experiential trait of adult engagement in civic groups, as well as the demographic traits of being a single male not living with or married to a partner. Two models are presented for further research and insights. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Angel Baez Vega, 2017

The Lived Experiences of Latina Women It Leaders in Global Organizations: Exploring Their Stories on Intercultural Sensitivity and Trust

The goal of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Latina women IT leaders at global organizations as they cultivate trust and acceptance of intercultural differences. Trust and intercultural sensitivity are recognized elements in the development of successful team collaborations. However, little research has been devoted to describe the experiences of Latina women leaders in the IT sector in the process of cultivating trusting and interculturally sensitive relationships with others. That being the case, this study was guided by the following overarching research questions: (1) How do Latina women IT leaders describe their experiences developing trusting and interculturally sensitive relationships with their followers? (2) How do Latina women IT leaders describe their experiences cultivating trust and intercultural sensitivity as they interact with other leaders? (3) What experiences are perceived by Latina Women IT leaders as barriers to the development of an organizational culture that supports trust and acceptance of intercultural differences? This researcher asked interview questions to explore the role of trust and intercultural sensitivity on the effectiveness of Latina women leaders in the IT sector of global organizations.Global leadership, behavioral leadership, intercultural sensitivity and trust theories provided the theoretical framework that guided this study. Semi-structured interviews guided the data collection with the study participants. A purposeful sampling approach was used for the selection of the seven study participants. Data collected was transcribed and with the exception of one discussion that was conducted in English, the interviews were translated from Spanish into the English language. Then, the data was uploaded for analysis into Dedoose® social research analysis software. Five core themes emerged from the data analysis addressing issues concerning the development of a working environment that foster trust and intercultural sensitivity: (1) cross-cultural competence, (2) good working relationships, (3) asymmetry, (4) organizational culture and (5) effective leader. From this study findings, the “Behavior-based Trust and Inter-cultural Sensitivity Development” Model was developed showcasing the connection between the behavior of leaders and the core dimensions that emerged from the interviews in the study. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Mia Johnson , 2017

Resilience and Intercultural Competence: Examining the Relationship in Community College Transformational Leaders

The main purpose of the study was to determine if there was a correlation between resilience and intercultural competence in transformational leaders at Ivy Tech Community College. Kouzes and Posner’s Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership was used to establish leaders’ transformation leadership qualities; the Connor-Davidson CD-RISC was used to assess leaders’ resilience, and Fantini’s Assessment of Intercultural Competence (YOGA Form) was used to measure leaders’ intercultural competence. The study population included leaders in supervisor roles from two regions within Ivy Tech Community College. The findings of the study indicate there was no significant correlation between resilience and intercultural competence in transformational leaders. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Kristina Creager , 2017

Emotional intelligence & academic success: A study of academically underprepared students in the second semester

The globalization of higher education and changing demographics of the collegiate classroom necessitate the ability for students to regulate their own feelings, recognize others’ emotions, solve real-world problems, communicate effectively across cultures, build relationships, and ultimately manage stress. This emotional intelligence is especially true in the growing population of academically underprepared students. Through analysis of correlations between emotional intelligence and academic success factors – semester and cumulative GPAs, persistence data, as well as demographic variables, this study closes the gap in the literature focused on this specific student population and contributes to the field of global leadership in practice within higher education. This dissertation argues that emotional intelligence is a critical leadership trait, skill and practice regardless of capacity or field. Likewise, the study persists that emotional intelligence is a skill necessary for academically underprepared students to develop early on in their educational careers and it is an aspect directly correlated to the success of global leaders inside and outside of the university setting. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Thomas Lawrence , 2017

Followership in a Global Context: Examining the Relationship between Chinese National Culture and Follower Role Orientation

Followership is an emergent field of study dedicated to the contributions of followers to the processes and outcomes of leadership. The discipline privileges followers at the center of theory development and acknowledges their central role as causal agents. The study of followership has largely been a phenomenon constrained to the U.S. Thus, the role of national culture remains unexplored. Drawing from Uhl-Bien et al.’s (2014) reversing the lens theory of followership and Hofstede’s (2010) national culture dimensions, this study examined the relationship between national culture and follower role orientation, including the moderating effects of considerate leadership, among Chinese adults living and working throughout mainland China. Using a survey design, data was collected from 178 Chinese workers using three validated instruments. Relationships between the concepts of study were explored using descriptive inferential statistics, including hierarchical linear regression. The findings support Uhl-Bien et al.’s contention that leadership outcomes result from the interactive product of follower behavior, guided by implicit following schema, and the concomitant response by leaders to deliberate influence attempts. Analysis revealed Hofstede’s dimensions of power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and collectivism contributed to the development of follower’s underlying role schema and belief in the co-production of leadership. The study also confirmed the fundamental role of context in the development of follower beliefs. Leader consideration acted as a moderator of power distance in a sub-set of the sample (first-level supervisors) and contributed the greatest effect in the predictive model. This dissertation contributes to the field of global leadership by expanding knowledge of followership, testing the validity of followership theory beyond the U.S., and supporting organizational development in culturally heterogeneous contexts. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Julia Porter , 2017

Factors that Support Student Success and Their Perceptions of Success: Lessons from a Scottish University

In this qualitative study, a case study approach was utilized in order to explore the factors that contribute to student success as well as students’ own perceptions of success at Abertay University in Dundee, Scotland. Twelve participants were interviewed including seven students who were had passed all of their courses and were on track to graduate and five faculty members that had experience in teaching successful students. This study particularly focuses on trait theory and how the Big Five contribute to student success as well. The study identified the themes that contributed to Scottish student success, which were: (1) the ability to find employment following graduation, (2) support from others, (3) academic achievement, (4) acquiring new skills, and (5) personal dedication to their studies and Abertay University. Additionally, through the analysis of the data and in understanding the themes, it was indicated that the traits most exhibited by those who found success at Abertay University were extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Alicia Wireman , 2017

International Students and U.S. Faculty in Complex Educational Environments: Exploring the Need for Global Leadership in the Classroom. A Case Study

Global leadership scholars have attempted to understand global leadership in a variety of contexts. However, the complex environment of the classroom in higher education is an area that has not been explored. Classrooms in higher education are becoming more complex due to their complexity and uncertain nature, thus creating situations where global leadership is necessary. The purpose of this case study was to determine a need for global leadership in the classroom by exploring perceptions of instructors’ leadership behaviors and communication apprehension in the complex classroom. The study is an exploratory embedded single-case of instructors’ communication apprehension and leadership behaviors at a private institution of higher education. Data collection included institutional documents, surveys, and focus groups. The case’s data included an analysis of institutional documents as well as a survey with faculty regarding their communication apprehension and leadership behaviors when interacting with international students in the complex classroom. The survey used the Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension (PRICA) and the Leadership Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQ) to examine instructors’ communication apprehension and leadership behaviors when interacting with international students in the classroom. Then, a follow-up focus group with faculty was used to understand their survey responses. Finally, the case’s data collection included a focus group with international students, which aimed to explore their perceptions of instructors’ communication apprehension and leadership behaviors. The findings of the study (a) indicated leadership behaviors that are important for instructors in higher education, (b) communicated international students’ needs for instructors’ leadership behaviors, and (c) focused on the need to train and develop instructors to be global leaders. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Charles Dunn , 2016

The Real Deal: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Authentic Global Leaders within International Cooperative Organizations

The purpose of the current phenomenological study was to understand the developmental experiences of authentic leaders by documenting their own stories of how they view their growth into a successful global leader. The study used three overarching research questions: (1) How do leaders within international cooperatives describe their lived experiences that contributed to their development into successful and authentic global leaders? (2) How do cooperative leaders explain how they apply/use the principle of stewardship on a daily basis? (3) What experiences are described as challenges in the application of authentic leadership? Using these overarching questions as a guide, the current study posed interview questions that explore participants’ experiences in developing into an authentic leader. The study also explored how operating in a global environment has influenced their ability to be authentic in their leadership. Additionally, interview questions explored the context of authentic leadership and global leadership within cooperative organizations and how the role of being a steward for the organization influences their leadership style. The theoretical framework for the study was guided by global leadership theory, authentic leadership theory, and stewardship theory. Purposeful sampling and snowball sampling were used to select study participants who are senior leaders within international cooperative organizations. Data was collected through the use of semi-structured interviews, and the interviews were transcribed and then analyzed using NVivo qualitative analysis software. The information collected and subsequent analysis may help future cooperative leaders develop into successful and authentic global leaders, as well as help close the gap in the literature on leadership within international cooperatives. The research findings led to the development of five themes surrounding the phenomenon of developing into an authentic leader within an international cooperative: (1) leading successfully, (2) leading globally, (3) developing authentically, (4) meeting the leadership challenge, and (5) cooperative appeal. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Stephen Young , 2016

Follower Perceptions of Frequent Leadership Rotations: A Sequential Explanatory Study

Current leadership study is well established within the context of developing leaders in the global organization through leadership development initiatives to include leadership rotational programs. Leadership rotational programs are an accepted practice to develop the skills of global leaders. Studies have shown the positive results that these strategies can produce within the global organization and towards the development of global leaders’ skills. Empirical research has focused on the advantages to the leader but has failed to fully identify the potential consequences to the follower within the organization. This study addresses the follower perceptions and feelings towards leadership rotations that are not currently found in current leadership research and literature. The purpose of this sequential explanatory study was twofold. First, this study aimed to discover the types of followers found in the global organization. Second, and the primary focus of this research was to explore the perceptions of followers when subjected to rotating leadership. This exploration fully identifies the effect of the leadership rotation phenomenon and addresses the research question: How do differing types of followers within complex adaptive systems of a global organization experience frequent leadership rotations? A two-phase, sequential explanatory design was used to gather the experiences of the organizational follower through a non-experimental survey, semi-structured interviews, and a phenomenological analysis of collected data. Followers were first classified in to one of five follower types. Participants from each follower were then interviewed. An interview protocol was followed and participant responses were analyzed to develop themes related to the phenomenon of rotating leadership. The outcomes of this study offer four conclusions related to the followers in the global organization and how these individuals perceive rotating leadership. This research advances the current understanding of the relationship between the leader and follower and offers new insight into how the common leadership development practice of rotating leaders within the organization affects both the global organization and the organizational follower. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Joyce Parks, 2015

Preparing Global Citizens for the 21st Century: Examining the Intercultural Competence of Study Abroad Students

In today’s rapidly changing global society, college graduates will need to develop skills that will prepare them for the 21st century. More importantly, intercultural skills that will be beneficial in terms of helping students become global citizens and having the ability to compete for jobs in a global workforce. This study examines the impact short-term study abroad programs have on the intercultural competence of students. Additionally, the study provides strategies to increase the intercultural competence of students to assure students gain the following intercultural abilities; skills, awareness, knowledge, and attitudes which are skills that are necessary to interact effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds. An explanatory quantitative correlational research design was utilized for the study and a sample size of 125 students from a university in the Midwest. The Accessing Intercultural Competence (AIC) section 7 was utilized to measure the intercultural competence of study abroad students to determine if the students were developing intercultural competence. The independent sample t test was used and indicated a significant difference in the intercultural competence of students who studied abroad and students who did not study abroad. The implications of the findings are beneficial to study abroad administrators and higher education institutions by providing suggestions and improvements for short-term study abroad programs. The study is also an important contribution to the literature in terms of the impact study abroad programs have on the intercultural competence students who travels abroad. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Frank Banfill , 2015

Multiple Case Studies in Effective Africa Leadership: A Study of the Leadership Behaviors of Effective Local Church Pastors in the Africa Inland Church Tanzania Mara and Ukerewe Diocese

This study explores the behaviors of effective local Christian church pastors in Tanzania, East Africa and it addresses gaps in the current knowledge related to African religious leadership, leadership theory in the African context, leadership across African cultures, and African leadership in relationship to followership. A qualitative research method using a multiple case study design was employed to provide an understanding of effective African pastors as local leaders who contribute to African social welfare. Effective pastor leaders with a demonstrated record of numerically growing their churches while also conducting development projects for the betterment of local communities were interviewed, along with focus groups of members from their congregations. Additional data were gathered through observations and by reviewing documents. Results of transformational leadership theory surveys (Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-MLQ) completed by Tanzanian pastors are also presented. The study found that effective Tanzanian pastors demonstrated behaviors consistent with transformational leadership behaviors, improved the lives of parishioners and community members, and were instrumental in growing the numerical membership and financial base of their churches. The study identified the activities taken by effective pastors when they began their tenures, as well as the ongoing and decision-making/problem resolution activities throughout their tenures. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Joseph Lestrange , 2015

Values Based Leadership 2.0: A Multi Method Study Toward the Development of a Theoretical Framework for Global Leaders

The continuously expanding and rapid pace of globalization has created a climate of ambiguity, uncertainty and change as businesses struggle to find new paradigms of leadership that can be used cross culturally; mainly because many previously tried and tested approaches such as transactional leadership no longer seem effective in the global context (Robinson & Harvey, 2008). This multi-method research study explored whether or not Values Based Leadership (VBL) is an appropriate leadership framework to assist global leaders in navigating the multiplicity, interdependence, ambiguity and flux of today’s global leadership environment. Based on research gaps discovered during the literature review, this study developed a definitive theoretical framework for VBL in the context of global leadership that distinguishes it from other confused and/or overlapping theories. The methodology consisted of an integrative literature review and subsequent interviews conducted in the phenomenological discipline. Through the process of inductive, thematic analysis; a total of 10 themes emerged based on the participants’ “lived experience.” These themes were: Creates a Positive Organizational Valance by Inspiring Followers and Maintaining Presence, Empowers Others Through Active Follower Engagement, Displays Empathy, Respect & Genuine Caring for Others, Projects Legitimacy by Building Relationships on Trust, Encourages a Learning Organization, Possesses Strong Character, Develops a Strategic Vision & Focuses Resources Accordingly, Strives for Organizational Excellence, Demonstrates Humility & Stewardship, and Promotes Transparency by Effectively Communicating with Followers. This new VBL framework provides insight into universally endorsed leadership values held by today’s global leaders operating across multiple world cultures and contexts. If developed further, the research suggests that this framework could provide a strong foundation to assist global leaders in navigating the multiplicity, interdependence, ambiguity and flux found it today’s modern global business environment. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Lisa Kindred , 2015

Leadership Fit as a Condition for Meaningful Work: A Study of Iraqi-Born Employees

In this qualitative study a phenomenological approach was utilized to explore the experiences and perceptions of meaningful work for Iraqi refugees in South Bend, Indiana. The central research question examined how the participants constructed meaningful work. This study had a particular focus on the characteristics associated with leadership fit and how leadership fit contributed to perceptions of meaningful work. The research procedure consisted of fifteen in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed five overarching themes that contributed to perceptions of meaningful work: 1) having an impact, 2) relationships with others, 3) distinguished from others, 4) correspondence with oneself, and 5) environmental correspondence. While leadership fit did not emerge as a central issue, the participants’ preferred way of relating with a leader was revealed. This study contributes to the growing literature on meaningful work by strengthening a theoretical model and expanding the model with the inclusion of a new pathway to meaningful work. Additionally, this study highlights the importance of applying person-environment fit models with current meaningful work theory. Finally, this study provides practical application for refugee relocation agencies and employers based on the findings and offers suggestions for future meaningful work research. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Brett Whitaker , 2015

An Analysis of the Academic Disciplinary Development of Global Leadership Education

This research examined the development of global leadership degree granting programs within higher education. This research utilized an organizing framework of academic disciplinary development, and drew upon current theoretical literature describing the nature of global leadership. The two stated purposes of this study were, “to examine the field of global leadership education as compared against established criteria of academic disciplines”, and “to describe the manifestation of global leadership education in three institutions of higher education.” A qualitative, multiple case study approach was utilized in this research. Inductive reasoning formed the basis for inquiry, as this research was exploratory and attempted to describe the nature and history of several degree granting programs. Rigorous qualitative methods were employed, utilizing multiple data sources to gather information and triangulate understanding of each case institution. Within-case and cross-case analysis was conducted to develop emergent themes, and this analysis was augmented through the use of a qualitative analysis software. Verification was achieved through the use of member checking, journaling, and a peer-debrief. Themes emerged for each case institution, and were organized into themes related to the emergence of each program, and themes related to program outcomes. Within the cross-case analysis, three themes emerged: the pragmatic and politically driven emergence and development of programs, the tendency for global leadership programs to be tied to a related disciplinary area and that area to be more strongly represented in the curriculum, and a value orientation among the outcomes of each program. Each of these themes was supported by relevant data, quotes, and observations. The findings of this study support the notion that while global leadership has indeed begun to emerge within higher education, it remains somewhat underdeveloped. Some elements of disciplinary development are present, but most are not. Educators, administrators, and ultimately, students, stand to benefit from rigorous inquiry into the nature of how global leadership is being manifested in higher education. Comprehensively describing the current state of the discipline, will allow program stewards to more intentionally design programs that align with current theoretical and empirical scholarship of global leadership. This research provides the beginning point of that scholarship. Read Abstract Close Abstract

Dr. Paul Hayes, 2014

Virtual Environmental Factors and Leading Global Virtual Teams

This correlative study focuses on the leaders of global virtual teams and determines if there is a comparative advantage in using 3D avatar-based collaborative environments instead of more traditional 2D audio and video teleconferencing environments in terms of fostering engaging environments that lead to improved leader and member interaction. Sixty freshman student volunteers from random Southeastern and Central Florida colleges collaborated in face-to-face and virtual reality environments. The participants were comprised of individuals born in 13 different countries, including the USA. Six participants acted in the role of leader and 24 participants acting in the role of subordination. Each group was comprised of six, five-member teams. The sample consisted of 46 males and 14 females ranging in age from 18 to 30 years old. The study suggests face-to-face participants perceived higher, statistically significant levels of engagement than the teams using Second Life. No statistically significant difference was found between reported levels of leader-member exchange (LMX) quality for either the members of Face-to-Face collaboration or the members of Second Life collaboration. There was no statistically significant difference between composite ratings of LMX relationship quality with measures of engagement as provided by the ITC Sense of Presence Inventory. All employees need training to maximize virtual team collaboration efforts in avatar-based collaboration to ensure collaboration focuses on solving problems and not just re-creating “real world” problems in a virtual world or computer mediated environment. Read Abstract Close Abstract

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Leadership Dissertation Topics

• Updated on  
• Jan 10, 2023

A dissertation is a lengthy essay that is based on the independent research of the author. In the final semester of UG , PG , and PhD courses, it is submitted. The dissertation requires a lot of research and written documentation, so it usually takes 1-2 years to finish. The purpose of a dissertation is to evaluate a student’s capacity for research. Through this, students can improve their research , problem-solving , project management , and numerical skills. Students learn how to present their evidence-based conclusions to the thesis they selected while writing a dissertation.

This Blog Includes:

Leadership dissertations, leadership and organisational culture, negative leadership and its effects on the organization, how employee productivity can lead to effective leadership, how decision making can make an influence ethical leadership, how organisational challenges can be solved through a leadership role, additional leadership dissertation topics, skills required, organize your time first, leave the introduction until the conclusion, don’t wait until the very last minute to ask your boss for feedback.

Leading and guiding subordinates for group well-being is a quality of leadership . Few people actually succeed in achieving their dream of becoming a leader. It’s because management and leadership are two very dissimilar ideas. Neither a manager nor a leader can be both at the same time. Consequently, a leader is capable of managing a team without having formal authority.

Having said that, exploring and studying the field of leadership is fascinating. If you want to write a dissertation on leadership and are in desperate need of some outstanding leadership research topics , don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Find the most interesting and pertinent list of leadership research topics.

Below mentioned is a suitable list of leadership dissertation topics to guide you as a potential researcher.

To analyse how leaders can help in improving the culture of the organization.

To check how negative leadership can affect the organization.

To examine how the productivity of employees can turn out in leadership quality.

To analyse how effective decision-making can make ethical leadership.

To analyse how leaders can be helpful in sorting out organisational challenges.

Check out the additional leadership dissertation topics mentioned below:

• How Leadership & Sustainability can lead to Climate Crisis
• Transformations and leadership
• How emotional intelligence can enhance leadership development
• Team Behavior and Aspects of Leadership
• Effective leadership learning processes in an organisation
• How do your innovation strategy and leadership create a business?
• A closer look at leadership in evidence-based management
• How can communication skills enhance leadership development?
• How do leadership and management relations build up a business?
• Analysis of leadership style on the performance of employees
• Exploring the link between poor leadership and organizational culture?
• A critical analysis of social and leadership skills for new Entrepreneurs

No matter what kind of dissertation you write or what subject you choose, you must demonstrate the following skills:

• Defining and outlining a research topic with a particular issue: determining the most significant issues.
• Getting the required information: Taking its reliability and validity into account.
• Considering the evidence from both sides of a debate to reach a well-informed decision
• putting your study’s results into a coherent, engrossing, and persuasive presentation while adhering to all formatting requirements.

Effective Dissertation Writing Tips

Some of the main writing tips to write a dissertation are as follows:

Create a schedule for the day and specify your deadlines. Determine how long a section or chapter will take to write. Select the time and begin working on it. You’ll be able to finish this within the allotted time if you do it in this manner.

Keep in mind that the first draught of your essay is not the finished product. Verify your writing several times for errors. This will force you to be more specific when describing your augmentations.

To give yourself time to collect your thoughts, try to write the main body first. As you have been working on the introduction for a while, you will be able to present it clearly in this way.

Try to share your research work more frequently and much earlier than the deadline to give yourself plenty of time to correct any mistakes. You might be able to avoid having to rewrite several chapters and sections.

Use a reference manager to save time and make it simpler for you to cite sources.

To get a sense of how to organise your dissertation, look at our example. Here is a guide that will walk you through the process of writing a dissertation.

One challenging quality for leadership skills is “Self-Awareness”.

It represents a study of theories, approaches to its development, and styles of leadership.

Becoming an effective leader depends on the leader’s leadership style. Successful leaders have vision and charisma, also Leaders should have an ongoing personality, and be talkative, careful and self-disciplined.

These were some popular leadership dissertation topics common for recruitment and admission processes. Hopefully, this blog has given you a better insight into leadership. For further assistance on how to prepare an application to universities abroad, seek help from the Leverage Edu experts to make your dream come true. Our mentors will help you draft a perfect application and guide you with other admission-related rounds. 

Heena Pahuja

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Online Ph.D. in Leadership Studies

Prepares you to guide organizations, solve challenges, and make a lasting impact.

Programs & Requirements

Mission & goals.

• Career Outcomes
• Request Info

Every company, community, and country needs inspiring and capable leaders.

With a PhD in Leadership Studies, you could prepare to guide and lead educational organizations, solve the challenges facing today’s schools and learners, and make a lasting impact in your community. With the flexible option to study online, you can pursue our online doctoral program in leadership studies on your schedule — even while working full time. When you speak with us about your professional goals in leadership, be sure to learn your financial aid options to make reduce the financial burden while you learn.

A doctorate in leadership studies focus on the theory and practice of organizational leadership. Explore how strategic organizational leadership can help you effectively guide, manage, and improve educational settings, from companies to higher education to nonprofits.

By the Numbers

Doctor of philosophy (phd) in leadership studies.

The PhD in Leadership Studies Online at University of the Cumberlands is designed to help you guide educational organizations into the future. You’ll learn the skills you need to lead with empathy and insight, inspire staff and students, and contribute insightful research to your field. Online courses and flexible scheduling make it possible to earn your Ph.D. in Leadership. and set your sights on new goals—even while working full time.

With our online PhD in Leadership Studies you will participate in a comprehensive study of effective leadership and administrative methods, while gaining an in-depth look at the political factors involved in organizational decision making. Program planning, assessment strategies, and global trends in leadership round out the online Ph.D. leadership curriculum.

Additionally, if you are a current educator wishing to obtain Kentucky Rank 1 certification, you may complete an approved Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) program through the School of Education and transfer up to thirty (30) hours of the program toward the Ph.D. in Leadership Studies.  Note that a Ph.D. or Ed.D. alone will not lead to the Kentucky Rank 1 certification without first completing an Ed.S. through the School of Education. Our knowledgeable advisors are here to help you enroll in the classes you need to complete your Rank 1 certification and then the Ph.D. in Leadership Studies.

Course Requirements

LEAS 730 The Politics of Organizational Decision-Making

LEAC 731 Learning in Adulthood

LEAS 732 Program Planning and Assessment

LEAS 830 Leadership in Theory and Practice

LEAS 833 Higher Education in America

LEAS 835 The Change Process

LEAC 834 Leadership in Historical Context

LEAS 836 Current Trends and Issues in Leadership 

DSRT 734 Inferential Statistics in Decision-making

DSRT 736 Dissertation Seminar

DSRT 834 Advanced Statistical Applications

DSRT 837 Professional Writing and Proposal Development 

DSRT 839 Advanced Research Methods

DSRT 850 Qualitative Research 

DSRT 930 Dissertation

DSRT 931 Dissertation

Students pursuing a PhD in leadership studies at Cumberlands are required to complete ONE specialty area.

Criminal Justice

• CROL 631 Law Enforcement Administration                            
• CROL 632 Critical Issues in Law Enforcement: Race & Gender
• CROL 633 Corrections Administration                                       
• CROL 634 Critical Issues in Community Based Corrections
• CROL 635 Legal and Ethical Issues in Homeland Security
• CROL 636 Critical Issues in Homeland Security
• CROL 637 Juvenile Justice Administration and Management 
• CROL 641 Violent Offenders: Crimes & Psychology
• CROL 651 Recovery and Relapse
• CROL 674 Advanced Statistical Analysis (Ph.D. Elective hours only)
• CROL 677 Applied Leadership (Ph.D. Elective hours only)
• CROL 681 Proseminar in Criminal Justice 
• CROL 683 Criminal Justice Program Evaluation 
• CROL 685 Qualitative Methods in Criminal Justice (Ph.D. Elective or CJ Spec hours)
• CROL 687 Legal Research and Analysis 
• CROL 689 Life-Course Criminology 
• CROL 691 Drugs and Crime

Education courses EdD and PhD students may enroll in.

Some courses require field/clinical hours that students must complete to earn a passing grade. Some courses listed may have prerequisites and may not be available to students who have not previously completed the prerequisites

• ADOL 631     School Program Improvement
• ADOL 633     Applied Research
• ADOL 636     School Law I
• ADOL 637     School Law II
• ADOL 643     Special Education and School Leadership
• ADOL 655     Team Leadership
• COOL 633     Children and Adolescent Counseling
• EDOL 542     Change, Pd, and Teaching Improvement
• EDOL 547     Diversity in a Multicultural Society
• EDOL 562     Theory of Teaching and Learning
• EDOL 634     Curriculum Management And Assessment
• EDOL 636     Problems In Education
• REOL 633     Literacy Leadership
• SPOL 530     Characteristics, Identification, and Instruction of Students with Disabilities
• SPOL 631     Special Education Assessment and Evaluation
• SPOL 632     Consultation and Collaboration for Curriculum Design
• SPOL 636     Advanced Assessment Strategies and Prescriptive Writing
• ENGL 534 Studies in British Literature
• ENGL 535 Studies in Modern Literature
• ENGL 550 Practice of Creative Writing
• Approved electives

Health Professions  

• LEAC 847 Diversity and Multicultural Education for Health Professions   
• LEAC 848 Student Assessment in Health Professions  
• LEAS 849 Current Topics and Trends in Healthcare   
• LEAC 840 Foundations of Instructional Technologies    
• BADM 667 Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare Elective  

Elective (Select one course):  

• HHP 638 Administrative and Management Strategies (3 hours)   
• BADM 668 Strategic Management in Healthcare Administration  
• BADM 665 Healthcare Policy and Economics
• Approved HHP 500 or 600 level courses 

Health Science

• HHP 532 Applied Nutrition
• HHP 533 Health and Fitness Psychology
• HHP 534 Exercise Physiology
• HHP 535 Exercise Testing and Prescription
• HHP 536 Foundations of Physical Activity in Health Promotion
• HHP 537 Coaching and Fitness Leadership
• HHP 630 Health Promotion through Physical Activity
• HHP 631 Advanced Coaching and Fitness Leadership
• HHP 632 Current Issues in Health Promotion
• HHP 633 Current Issues in Coaching and Fitness Leadership
• HHP 634 Strength and Conditioning
• HHP 635 Youth Health and Fitness
• HHP 636 Supplementation for Health and Human Performance
• HHP 637 Applied Sports Medicine
• HHP 638 Administrative and Management Strategies
• HHP 639 Special Topics
• HIST/HIOL 531 Selected Topics

Mathematics

• MAOL 530 Topics in Mathematics I
• MAOL 630 Topics in Mathematics II

Missions and Ministry

Required courses (6 credits):

• MMOL 537 Christian Education
• MMOL 634 Christian Leadership Development

Approved electives (6 credits): Select 2 of the following

• MMOL 531 Old Testament Survey I  
• MMOL 532 Old Testament Survey II
• MMOL 533 New Testament Survey I  
• MMOL 534 New Testament Survey II
• MMOL 535 Christian Theology I
• MMOL 536 Christian Theology II

 Additional electives (6 credits):  Select 2 of the following

• MMOL 631 Focused Study of the Old Testament
• MMOL 632 Focused Study of the New Testament
• MMOL 635 Church Administration
• MMOL 637 Planting High Impact Churches
• MMOL 538 The Church and Contemporary Culture
• Any other 500 or 600 level MMOL course
• NURS510 Theoretical Basis for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 520 Issues in Advanced Practice
• NURS 530 Epidemiology
• NURS 532 Healthcare Technologies and Informatics in Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 550 Advanced Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice
• NURS 590 Advanced Pharmacology
• NURS 592 Advanced Health Assessment
• NURS 594 Advanced Pathophysiology
• NURS 670 FNP Advanced Practice I, 6 hrs.
• NURS 672 FNP Advanced Practice II, 6 hrs.
• NURS 674 FNP Advanced Practice III, 6 hrs.
• NURS 690 FNP Advanced Practice Internship, 6hrs.

Student Personnel Services

• EDOL 631: Advanced Human Development, Learning and Behavior
• LEAC 781 Higher Education and Student Personnel Services
• LEAC 782 Higher Education Enrollment Management
• LEAC 783 Higher Education Law and Policy in Student Services
• BADM 533 Marketing Management
• COUN 539 Counseling Theories & Techniques I OR COUN 633 Counseling During Grief and Crisis

Courses in the following Masters will matriculate as the Doctoral specialty if the program is completed as a second Masters:

• Master of Science in Global Blockchain Tech.
• Master’s in Project Management
• Master’s in Strategic Management
• Or other approved electives

Information Systems

Instructional Technology

• LEAC 840 Foundations of Instructional Technologies 
• LEAC 841 Trends and Issues in Instructional Technology
• LEAC 842 Leadership and Instructional Technology
• LEAC 843 Ethical and Legal Issues related to Instructional Technology
• LEAC 835 Teaching and Learning Online*

Elective (Select one):

• LEAC 844 Management and Evaluation of Instructional Technology and Design 
• LEAC 845 Instructional Multimedia Integration
• LEAC 846 Digital Game-Based Learning

Public Administration

Required Core: 

• BUPA 660 Fundamentals of Public Administration
• BUPA 661 Public Enterprise Systems
• BUPA 662 Emergency Management & Continuity of Operations
• BUPA 663 Administrative Law & Regulatory Processes
• BUPA 664 Public Sector Budgeting
• BACC 632 Governmental and Not-for-profit Accounting
• BADM 623 Project Management Processes
• BADM 632 Advanced Human Resource Management
• BADM 652 Strategic Organizational Design

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This mission of the PhD in Leadership Studies degree program at Cumberlands is to prepare you for ethical and effective leadership in your company, community, or country.

Leadership Careers & Outcomes

All stats from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Top Executive: $100,090

Top executives plan strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals.

Chief Executive: $189,520

Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

University Administrator: $99,940

Postsecondary education administrators oversee student services, academics, and faculty research at colleges and universities.

Administrative Services Manager: $101,870

Administrative services and facilities managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities that help an organization run efficiently.

Marketing Manager: $138,730

Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services.

Management Analyst: $95,290

Management analysts recommend ways to improve an organization’s efficiency.

Common Questions

A Ph.D. in Leadership or Leadership Studies is a research doctorate that focuses on the theory and practice of organizational leadership. In many programs, students have the opportunity to study leadership within a specific field, such as education. In this case, you’ll explore how strategic leadership can help you effectively guide, manage, and improve educational organizations—from schools to colleges to nonprofits. Courses in subjects such as decision making, program planning and assessment, change management, and other skill areas will prepare you for leadership opportunities that call for advanced scholarship and expertise.

While many working educators opt to earn a Ph.D. in Leadership, these programs differ slightly from practitioner degrees such as the Ed.D. Namely, research plays a larger role in the Ph.D. You’ll take courses in research methodology, including qualitative and quantitative research methods, inferential statistics, and statistical analysis. And you’ll embark on an original dissertation that furthers the body of knowledge in your field.

With a Ph.D. in Leadership, you can pursue growing career paths in educational organizations such as schools, colleges, and universities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that postsecondary administrator jobs will increase over the next decade as more students pursue higher education to achieve their goals. Postsecondary administrators bring together expertise in organizational management and education to lead and manage academic programs, research activities, and student services. Alternatively, candidates who pursue additional requirements for certification could become administrators at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.

With a research doctorate under your belt, you could also pursue a career as a postsecondary teacher . Overall, this field should grow at a faster-than-average rate of 12 percent over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most roles require a doctoral degree—generally, a Ph.D. 

Finally, earning a doctorate in leadership could equip you for a management analyst career path. Management analysts evaluate organizations and suggest strategies for solving problems, improving efficiency, and growing profits. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that management analyst jobs will grow by 14 percent over the next decade—much faster than average.

Is an online Ph.D. in Leadership a respected credential? Will earning your Ph.D. be a worthwhile investment in your career? For most candidates, the answer is yes. Not only could your doctorate in leadership studies help you stand out in the job market, but now that online learning is a popular and credible way to earn a degree, there’s no difference between a traditional and online Ph.D. in Leadership beyond the convenience of studying in a virtual setting. Potential advantages include:

• Career opportunities. Earning a doctorate is typically a requirement for roles such as postsecondary administrator and postsecondary teacher. With a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies, you’ll learn the skills you need to take your career to the highest level.
• Higher earnings. With a Ph.D., you could qualify for roles that command a higher salary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, postsecondary administrators earned a median annual salary of $96,910 in 2021. Postsecondary teachers earned $79,640 in the same period.
• A bigger impact. Leading your school or organization into the future calls for advanced preparation. Earning a doctorate in leadership studies will equip you with the theory, skills, and research experience you need to solve urgent problems, drive positive change, and make a lasting difference.

Are you a current educator wishing to obtain Kentucky Rank 1 certification via our online leadership doctorate? You can achieve your goals by taking additional coursework within the School of Education. Keep in mind that a Ph.D. or Ed.D. alone will not lead to the Kentucky Rank 1 certification without an accompanying planned program from the School of Education that includes the courses required for Rank 1. Our knowledgeable advisors are here to help you enroll in the classes you will need for both your Ph.D. in Leadership Studies and the Kentucky Rank 1 certification.

All programs at University of the Cumberlands are offered at some of the lowest rates in the nation – and we even include free textbooks through our One Price Promise! For more information on how affordable this program would be for you, visit our Financial Aid page.

I would give my highest recommendation of this program. My perspectives and understanding about leadership has reached a level beyond my imagination. The faculty at UC always go the extra mile to create a phenomenal learning environment with the highest professionalism and the most compassionate personal cultivation and care. My PhD journey at UC has been the most uplifting and enlightening one for me. Way to go, UC! Dr. Amy West Graduate, PhD in Leadership Studies

Faculty Experts

Find out more about the caring and experienced faculty at Cumberlands.

Dr. Robert Meade

Contact information.

Dr. Matthew P. Ewers

Dr. Jacob (Jake) Bryant

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Leadership and Management Dissertation Topics

February 18, 2022

Dr Jana Martiskova

Click here to place an order for topic brief service to get instant approval from your professor.

Leadership and Management Dissertation Topics: Leadership and management are two distinct but related concepts. Leadership is the ability to inspire and guide individuals or groups to achieve a common goal. Management is the process of planning, organizing, and overseeing the work of a team to accomplish a task or goal.

Effective leadership involves setting a clear vision, communicating expectations, and providing support and guidance to team members. It also involves the ability to motivate and inspire others, build relationships, and make tough decisions.

Effective management involves organizing and allocating resources, setting goals and objectives, and measuring and evaluating progress. It also involves the ability to delegate tasks and responsibilities, solve problems, and make decisions based on data and analysis.

Both leadership and management are important for the success of any organization. While they are distinct concepts, they often overlap and are complementary skills that a successful leader or manager should possess.

Best Leadership and Management Dissertation Topics for college students

Although both leadership and management are different aspects of personality and have their own individual areas of operations.

However, when combined together, they provide a new area for students to research and check for. Dissertation topics in leadership and management focus on all those areas that provide combined results of leadership and management.

Studying these two topics separately does not provide as inclusive results as their combination can provide. Therefore, researchers always go for both these areas in a collective manner.

If you are also interested in understanding how leadership and management work together, you can take a look at our chosen list of research topics in the field that has been given below:

• Leadership and management in mental health services: focusing on the role played by consumers in the field.
• Governance, management and leadership in the domain of school federations: a descriptive approach.
• Leadership versus management: how they are different and the same at the same time?
• Teaching leadership and management to university level students through strategic planning: a qualitative analysis.
• Studying the impacts of leadership and management practices on teacher engagement at university levels.
• The role played by law in the domain of leadership and management in school federations: a review of the literature.
• Leadership and management practices for the first-line social workers and managers: a quantitative approach.
• Educational leadership and management: research methods being employed in the field.
• Relationship between decision-making and leadership and management: a systematic analysis.
• Relationship between leadership, management and spirituality in the healthcare domain: a correlational analysis.
• Investigating the place of females in the domain of leadership and management: a historical analysis.
• Cross-cultural leadership and management: the UK versus China.
• Why is leadership and management training necessary for community nurses? A survey research design.
• A comparative analysis of educational and organizational sectors on transformational leadership, commitment to change, and change management.
• Relationship of transformational leadership and management practices and compliance with work behavior in the healthcare sector.
• Women competing for leadership and management positions in organizations: potential challenges and interventions.
• Factors related to the impacts of decision-making on leadership and management in organizational setups.
• Leadership and management strategies in African organizations: a review of the literature.
• Relationship between charismatic leadership and management in organizations: a descriptive approach.
• Leadership and management in operation theaters: how the hospital industry is linked with this field?
• Leadership and management in IT-centered organizations: a review of the literature.
• Relationship between change management and change leadership: a historical analysis.
• Impacts of leadership and management practices on organizational performance levels: a quantitative study.
• Instructional leadership and organizational management in school sector: a review of the literature.
• Effects of leadership on performance, knowledge sharing and efficacy in management teams: a systematic review.
• Leaders versus managers: focus on the field of public administration.
• Effects of leadership development programs on building managerial capacity in nonprofit organizations.
• The future of educational leadership and management: a descriptive approach.

Above is the best list of Leadership and Management Dissertation Topics if you are still looking for dissertation topics in leadership and management fill out the form below and get a dissertation topic mini proposal on your requirements. Click here to place an order on Leadership at a 25% discount!

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• Harvard Business School →
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Organizational Behavior

• Technology & Operations Management
• Program Requirements

Scholars in the doctoral program in Organizational Behavior at Harvard Business School are prepared to pursue an interdisciplinary inquiry into issues that are broadly related to the functioning of individuals within groups, at either the micro or macro level. Graduates of our program go on to become the leading researchers and thinkers in organizational behavior, shaping the field and advancing theoretical understanding in posts at schools of management or in disciplinary departments.

The Organizational Behavior program is jointly administered by the faculty of Harvard Business School and the Department of Sociology in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and students have the opportunity to work with faculty from both the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Business School.

Curriculum & Coursework

Our program offers two distinct tracks, with research focused either on the micro or macro level. Students who choose to focus on micro organizational behavior take a psychological approach to the study of interpersonal relationships within organizations and groups, and the effects that groups have on individuals. In macro organizational behavior, scholars use sociological methods to examine the organizations, groups, and markets themselves, including topics such as the influence of individuals on organizational change, or the relationship between social missions and financial objectives.

Your core disciplinary training will take place in either the psychology or sociology departments, depending on the track that you choose. You will also conduct advanced coursework in organizational behavior at HBS, and complete two MBA elective curriculum courses. Students are required to teach for one full academic term in order to gain valuable teaching experience, and to work as an apprentice to a faculty member to develop research skills. Upon completion of coursework, students prepare and present a dossier that includes a qualifying paper, at least two other research papers, and a statement outlining a plan for their dissertation. Before beginning work on the dissertation, students must pass the Organizational Behavior Exam, which presents an opportunity to synthesize academic coursework and prepare for an in-depth research project.

Research & Dissertation

Examples of doctoral thesis research.

• Cross-group relations, stress, and the subsequent effect on performance
• Internal group dynamics of corporate boards of directors
• Organizational mission and its effect on commitment and effort
• Psychological tendencies and collaboration with dissimilar others

Aurora Turek

Justine Murray

Jaylon Sherrell

“ In HBS’s Organizational Behavior program I receive outstanding, rigorous training in disciplinary methods and also benefit from the myriad resources that HBS has to offer. HBS scholars are looking to apply their research to real-world problems, come up with interventions, and make a real difference. ”

Current Harvard Sociology & Psychology Faculty

• George A. Alvarez
• Mahzarin R. Banaji
• Jason Beckfield
• Lawrence D. Bobo
• Mary C. Brinton
• Joshua W. Buckholtz
• Randy L. Buckner
• Alfonso Caramazza
• Susan E. Carey
• Paul Y. Chang
• Mina Cikara
• Christina Ciocca Eller
• Christina Cross
• Fiery Cushman
• Frank Dobbin
• Samuel J. Gershman
• Daniel Gilbert
• Joshua D. Greene
• Jill M. Hooley
• Rakesh Khurana
• Alexandra Killewald
• Talia Konkle
• Max Krasnow
• Michèle Lamont
• Ellen Langer
• Joscha Legewie
• Ya-Wen Lei
• Patrick Mair
• Peter V. Marsden
• Katie A. McLaughlin
• Richard J. McNally
• Jason P. Mitchell
• Ellis Monk
• Matthew K. Nock
• Orlando Patterson
• Elizabeth A. Phelps
• Steven Pinker
• Robert J. Sampson
• Daniel L. Schacter
• Theda Skocpol
• Mario L. Small
• Jesse Snedeker
• Leah H. Somerville
• Elizabeth S. Spelke
• Tomer D. Ullman
• Adaner Usmani
• Jocelyn Viterna
• Mary C. Waters
• John R. Weisz
• Christopher Winship
• Xiang Zhou

Current HBS Faculty

• Julie Battilana
• Max H. Bazerman
• David E. Bell
• Ethan S. Bernstein
• Alison Wood Brooks
• Edward H. Chang
• Julian De Freitas
• Amy C. Edmondson
• Robin J. Ely
• Alexandra C. Feldberg
• Carolyn J. Fu
• Amit Goldenberg
• Boris Groysberg
• Ranjay Gulati
• Linda A. Hill
• Nien-he Hsieh
• Jon M. Jachimowicz
• Summer R. Jackson
• Leslie K. John
• Jillian J. Jordan
• Rakesh Khurana
• Hyunjin Kim
• Joshua D. Margolis
• Edward McFowland III
• Kathleen L. McGinn
• Tsedal Neeley
• Michael I. Norton
• Leslie A. Perlow
• Jeffrey T. Polzer
• Ryan L. Raffaelli
• Lakshmi Ramarajan
• James W. Riley
• Clayton S. Rose
• Arthur I Segel
• Emily Truelove
• Michael L. Tushman
• Ashley V. Whillans
• Letian Zhang
• Julian J. Zlatev

Current Organizational Behavior Students

• Jennifer Abel
• Yajun Cao
• Grace Cormier
• Megan Gorges
• Bushra Guenoun
• Elizabeth Johnson
• Caleb Kealoha
• Kai Krautter
• Justine Murray
• C. Ryann Noe
• Elizabeth Sheprow
• Jaylon Sherrell
• Yoon Jae Shin
• Erin Shirtz
• Samantha N. Smith
• Tiffany Smith
• Channing Spencer
• Yuval Spiegler
• Emily Tedards
• Aurora Turek

Current HBS Faculty & Students by Interest

Recent placement, hanne collins, 2024, evan defilippis, 2023, hayley blunden, 2022, lumumba seegars, 2021, karen huang, 2020, stefan dimitriadis, 2019, elizabeth hansen, 2019, julie yen, 2024, jeff steiner, 2023, ahmmad brown, 2022, yanhua bird, 2020, jeffrey lees, 2020, alexandra feldberg, 2019, martha jeong, 2019, nicole abi-esber, 2023, elliot stoller, 2023, ariella kristal, 2022, leroy gonsalves, 2020, alicia desantola, 2019, catarina fernandes, 2019.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Ethical Leadership Program 

• The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Ethical Leadership Program
• Bachelor of Science in Leadership
• Project CLEAR
• Project Charlie
• Project NLERA
• Project Delphi
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Be the leader our world needs

In today’s complex and rapidly changing world, ethical leaders are in higher demand than ever before. Become the leader within an organization who develops ethics training and compliance programs. Play a vital role in ensuring your organization is operating ethically and responsibly. Create a culture of trust and respect throughout your organization. Inspire others to be the best they can be.

The  Woods Global Ph.D. in Ethical Leadership  is specifically designed to prepare you to be a leader who is ready to make a tangible difference and inspire others to do the same.

Ethical leaders are the architects of a thriving environment, cultivating powerful relationships that unleash the full potential of individuals. Armed with profound self-awareness, an expert grasp of group dynamics, and a mastery of organizational effectiveness strategies, they don’t just lead – they ignite unparalleled success and growth. Become the catalyst for positive change, where leadership is not just a role but a transformative force.

This isn’t your average online degree program. We’ve combined more than 150 years of academic excellence with up-to-the-minute topics to ensure you’ll graduate with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed. The program is designed specifically for working professionals who want to advance their careers and make a real difference in the world. Our expert faculty have created an advanced curriculum that is aligned with the needs of today’s corporations and communities.

Ignite your leadership journey with the Ph.D. in Ethical Leadership. Tailored for professionals, this program seamlessly blends ethical principles and leadership theories for immediate impact in diverse environments. Ideal for those in management, government, public service, higher education, educational administration, business, healthcare, and more, our cross-disciplinary curriculum offers project-based learning experiences. Elevate your career, infuse ethical prowess into every facet of your work, and join a vibrant scholarly community committed to making a difference. Your transformation begins here.

Career Trajectory

The Ph.D. in Ethical Leadership is designed for full-time working professionals serving or aspiring to serve organizations as:

• Business Executives
• Industry Professionals
• Non-Profit Directors,
• Federal, State, & Local Government Administrators
• Leadership & Management Consultants
• Policy-Makers & Advisors
• School & District Administrators, Superintendents, & Principals
• Higher Education Faculty & Administrators
• Change Makers

Program Highlights

• Maximum Accessibility: Fully online courses with intensive program residencies to establish professional networking opportunities and once-in-a-lifetime experiential learning opportunities create flexibility to allow learners to prioritize work and family while prioritizing their own development.
• Affordability: An affordable price point well below our national competitors provides learners with quality without the financial burden.
• Pace of the Program: Within a span of three (3) calendar years, the program accommodates full-time working professionals for completion (54 total credits, taken one 3-credit hour course per 8-week term).
• Transfer Credits Accepted: Adaptive credit-transfers policies allow students to accelerate their program and graduate in a fraction of the time.
• Rolling Admissions: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis to ensure for convenient start dates.
• Ease of Application: A personalized admissions advisor is provided to every prospective student ensuring consistent and timely communication, while not requiring a standardized test (e.g., GRE, GMAT, etc.) to create ease for the applicant.
• Learner-Focused Faculty: Relational nationally renowned faculty members work with students to be adaptive to the complications of work, family, and personal obligations.
• Dissertation Options: Three dissertation options are provided to align with the learners’ career trajectory and passions (more information below).

Imagine working side-by-side with military personnel on an integrated advance to rescue the passengers of a capsized vessel, or having a behind-the-scenes tour of an art museum with access to interview artists and musicians about how creativity creates the foundation for how we can lead better, or sitting with industry professionals and policy-makers to wrestle with the complex challenges of our world.  These are only a few of the experiences that we have carefully cultivated for you to provide a distinctive experience well beyond your expectations.  

As a hallmark of the Ph.D. in Ethical Leadership program, the Residency Experience engages students in collaborative activities that promote networking with peers, faculty, and industry professionals while creating a supportive community. Experiential learning through immersive activities creates a pathway for students’ application of theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios that advance their organizations. The relationships forged during the residency serve as a foundation for ongoing collaboration, mentorship, and support, paving the way for persistence and success throughout the PhD journey and beyond. Residencies are the key component in shaping well-rounded ethical leaders ready to make a positive impact in their respective fields.

However, the residencies are not just for the program students.  We believe that it is important to validate the sacrifice and commitment of our Ph.D. students’ families.  As such, destination residencies allow for family vacations and specialized leadership development sessions for spouses and children that create a one-of-a-kind experience for all. 

Residencies are held at three points during the students’ 54-credit academic journey in alignment with transition points (e.g., First-Year Networking, Second-Year Career Integration, and Third-Year Dissertation).  

LDR 710 – Leadership Foundations*

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an overview of theoretical foundations for the program including program expectations and core competencies.

LDR 760 – Interpersonal Leadership

Students within this course will develop capacity for self-reflection, a deeper understanding of self, personal hardiness, a more integrated philosophy of leadership, and a more transcendent perspective on how they and others can maximize individual growth and create more emotionally intelligent and psychologically safe organizations. 

LDR 750 – Decision-Making & Moral Imagination 

This course develops capacity for moral imagination aimed at advancing organizational decision-making.  Students will engage in experiential activities to improve decision analysis and leadership effectiveness.  Additionally, students will discover biases in judgment, the possibilities, and pitfalls of rapid cognition, and incorporate structured decision-making techniques to shape cultures of effective delegation, crisis management, and design thinking in organizations.

LDR 720 – Communication & Influence*

Students within this course will explore theoretical foundations for interpersonal communication, influence, and persuasion as they apply to shaping organizational growth and maximizing performance and motivation.  

LDR 715 – Culture & Inclusion*

This course focuses on the historical, cultural, political, and social influences that have shaped the systems that govern organizational practice. Strategies for advocacy and change surrounding organizational and community diversity, equity, and inclusion through leadership set the foundation for this course.  

LDR 740 – Coaching & Talent Management  

Students within this course will develop the capacity to maximize the performance of those whom they work with in organizational settings. Students will learn applied processes grounded in transitional and developmental coaching to maximize individual and organizational performance. Students will also explore the major facets of talent management from developing core competencies to the design and implementation of performance management systems to recruit, assess, and develop talent to drive employee engagement and retention.

LDR 730 – Crisis & Change*

This course explores crisis as not a single event but a series of errors involving humans.  Proactive and applied leadership practices for dealing with crisis will be analyzed and create the foundation for effective change management and enhanced organizational resilience.  

LDR 755 – Creativity, Innovation, & Disruption*

This course focuses on the processes of creativity, innovation, and disruption with respect to capturing markets, cultivating organizational support, and building organizational sustainability.  

LDR 765 – Assessment & Evaluation  

Students within this course will explore and develop formative, summative, and developmental assessment and evaluation metrics. Students will learn about, design, and apply key performance indicators (KPI) and collaboration, learning, and adaption (CLA) practices that will advance organizational projects and strategic initiatives. Additionally, students will learn about how to justify and articulate return on investment (ROI) to stakeholder groups and customer bases. 

LDR 725 – Strategic Leadership & Globalization

This course leverages strategic thinking and global leadership strategies amidst an ever-changing global landscape.  Students will develop capacities for leading across international boundaries and in a changing geopolitical arena.  

LDR 770 – Complex Problems

This course explores questions in human well-being, organizational sustainability, and community development building upon a foundation for addressing challenges associated with our most pressing global problems. Transdisciplinary experts will lead diverse and innovative experiences engaging students in discussion-based inquiry, complex adaptive problem-solving, and the integration of economic, environmental, health, political, and social systems and perspectives.

RHS 715 – Research Methods

This course focuses on applying the principles, practices, and strategies for conducting research in the social sciences, particularly dealing with the interface of the human dimension in the social and behavioral sciences.

RHS 720 – Quantitative Research

This course examines theory and practice in the design, conduct, analysis, and interpretation of experimental, quasi-experimental, and survey procedures for research and evaluation of programs. The development of basic skills required in the understanding, planning, and executing of a research study will be covered. 

RHS 740 – Qualitative Research

This course explores the methods and procedures used in qualitative research. Topics include the philosophical basis for the method, the conceptualization of research questions, and selection of appropriate research designs, data collection data, manual and computerized data analysis, and the drawing of inferences.

DIS 780 – Dissertation I 

Students will develop a doctoral research plan in collaboration with their chair. This course and the accompanying content create the trajectory for the culminating research experiences within the Ph.D. in Ethical Leadership program.  Additionally, students will develop an introduction to the problem, background, context, and abbreviated theoretical framework, the purpose of the study, research objectives/hypotheses, the significance of the study, investigator scope, definition of terms, and an organizational timeline for completion of the doctoral research process.

DIS 781 – Dissertation II 

Students will submit their IRB application and develop their literature review including theoretical and/or conceptual frameworks. Additionally, students will develop their research methodology/design including research purpose, objectives/hypotheses, data treatment, data collection, and data analysis.

DIS 790 – Dissertation III 

Students will collect and analyze data associated with research in collaboration with the chair and compose the findings and results section of the doctoral research process.

DIS 791 – Dissertation IV

Students will compose the resulting implications, recommendations, and study limitations.  Additionally, the student will prepare a formal presentation for the chair and committee members in hopes of successfully defending their dissertation or implementing the results from their applied dissertation process.  

LDR XXX – Special Topics in Ethical Leadership*

Students interested in curricula and topics not included in the Ph.D. in Ethical Leadership formal course progression can elect to develop an alternative project, research endeavor, systematic review, meta-analysis, etc. associated with expanding their knowledge for the broad fields of ethical leadership, leadership learning, leadership development, and leadership studies.  Special Topics listings are offered in concert with a faculty mentor and can be substituted for other courses to maintain the pace of the program pending approval of the faculty mentor working with the student and the Ph.D. in Ethical Leadership Program Director.

*These courses are currently undergoing title changes to align more closely with the emerging literature influencing the broad fields of ethical leadership, leadership learning, leadership development, and leadership studies.  The future titles have been provided.  

**Please note that the preceding course order follows the traditional progression for students completing the program.  Each course builds upon the previous allowing students to continually deepen their knowledge and applications of leadership theory and practice within contemporary settings.  

Research can be defined as a systematic and persistent approach to answering questions (Gall, Gall, & Borg, 2007).  As such, the dissertation process is about informing passions and answering the critical questions that provide implications for the diverse fields of leadership and our world. To this end, we created three (3) dissertation options to align with the diverse students and industries that we serve.  

Traditional Dissertation  – The traditional dissertation process yields a product that is generalizable to a given population or transferable to like contexts.  It provides a traditional approach to developing a five-chapter document explaining the context for the study, the theoretical and conceptual foundations, methodology, findings, and conclusions/recommendations.   

Article Dissertation  – The article dissertation is a process that leads to the development of a minimum of three articles within a given line of inquiry.  The articles form a cohesive body of work that supports a theme or themes providing implications for a population or context.  This allows doctoral candidates to share their work with a much broader audience and increase the scope of their impact.  

Applied Dissertation  – The applied dissertation is specifically applicable to a tangible means for advancing a given organization.  These can include but are not limited to analytic reports, white papers, design, facilitation, and evaluation of curriculum, training, etc., ROI (Return on Investment) metric development and application, strategic planning and strategic implementation framework, comprehensive marketing plans, large-scale assessments, evaluation plans, processes, and metrics, and diffusion/adoption strategies.  Doctoral candidates will work closely with their doctoral research chair and committee to choose which option can maximize benefit for the candidate and align with career aspirations.  

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Leadership Dissertation Topics

Leadership is a fascinating topic that spans many disciplines, including Management, Politics, Sociology, and Psychology. This makes it a very popular dissertation choice for undergraduates and postgraduates alike.

If you’re thinking of writing a dissertation on leadership then it’s important to choose an interesting and engaging topic. Most importantly, you should choose a topic that allows you to critically engage with the existing literature. That said, the following sections will highlight some of the key issues and debates within the field of leadership, including issues related to ethics, culture, COVID-19, and digital innovation.

Styles of Leadership

Culture and gender differences in leadership, leadership and organisational culture, change management and leadership in the wake of covid-19, leadership, sustainability, and the climate crisis, digital transformations and leadership.

There are many theories of leadership, some of which favour an impersonal style (transactional) and some of which favour a visionary and emotional style (transformational). Many leadership dissertations tend to identify a particular ‘style’ of leadership and then evaluate its relationship to another variable, such as organisational performance. This could be a good option if you are looking for a tried-and-tested dissertation topic. More recently, theorists have begun to consider what it means to be an ‘Ethical’ leader, and the extent to which decision making is based on moral factors. This could an interesting option if you are looking for an up-to-date leadership dissertation topic for 2021. Example titles are provided below:

• Does leadership style (transformational, transactional, authoritarian) influence employee satisfaction?
• What is the link between transformational leadership, innovation, and organisational performance?
• Is servant leadership an effective form of leadership in the not-for-profit sector? A case study approach.
• Are leaders born or made? Evaluating the trait approach to Leadership
• To what extent does the sector determine the style of leadership needed? A comparison between primary, secondary and tertiary sectors.
• Recruiting, selecting, and retaining ethical leaders: Searching for a ‘best practice’ approach.
• Are psychometric tests capable of selecting ethical leaders?
• What is the link between transformational leadership and creativity?
• Is transformational leadership always effective? A critical approach.
• Do leaders make decisions rationally or intuitively? A review of the existing literature.
• What are the antecedents of moral decision making in the workplace?

Now that we are living in an increasingly globalised and diverse world, it is necessary to consider how culture and gender might interact with theories of leadership. Here are some title suggestions to get you started:

• Is leadership diplomacy linked to employee satisfaction? A cross-cultural analysis of Canada vs. the Netherlands.
• Analysing the effectiveness of servant leadership in China’s public sector.
• Is directive leadership more common in ‘masculine’ (Hofstede) countries?
• Analysing the differences between Chinese and Western leadership styles: Is globalisation bringing us closer together or not?
• Exploring the role of gender differences in leadership, what is the significance of ‘social confidence’?
• Are women more likely to be ethical leaders? A qualitative approach
• Exploring the challenges faced by expatriate leaders in South East Asia: A qualitative approach.

One of the key debates in the Management literature relates to whether (and to what extent) leaders are able to influence organisational culture. If you are looking for a topic fit for 2021, then this could be a great debate to get your teeth into. Here are some title suggestions:

• Do ethical leaders have a positive ‘trickle-down’ effect on organisational culture?
• Could servant leadership foster a positive work culture?
• Exploring the relationship between organisational culture, leadership behaviour, and job satisfaction.
• Do formalised performance reviews inspire employee motivation? A qualitative approach.
• How do leaders in the Healthcare sector foster employee motivation and a positive organisational culture?

According to a recent article by People Management, the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us a lot about leadership and opened up new possibilities for this field of study. Notably, we’ve seen examples of highly ethical leadership (e.g., New Zealand MPs taking a voluntary pay cut), but we have also witnessed ethical misdemeanours (e.g., leaders refusing to compensate staff adequately). We have also witnessed the strength of community leadership as people have come together to support each other in their time of need, thereby problematising the idea that a leader is just a single person. So, why not impress your tutor with an up-to-the-minute leadership dissertation related to COVID-19? Here are some suggestions:

• Analysing the leadership response to the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study of the UK government.
• Using Kottler’s 8-step change model to analyse Deliveroo’s response to COVID-19.
• How important is leaders’ communication style during times of a crisis? A discourse analysis.
• Analysing community leadership responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Unethical leadership in times of crisis: Analysing Tim Martin’s (JD Wetherspoon’s) response to the pandemic.
• Leading teams from behind the screen: How have managers in the corporate sector adapted to remote working?

Leadership lends itself perfectly to topical debates surrounding climate change and sustainability. Here are just a few suggestions for your dissertation:

• Exploring the links between sustainability, innovation, and organisational performance.
• How does Syngenta’s leadership team normalise the use of neonicotinoid pesticides? A discourse analysis.
• Mapping the rise of vegan culture: Who are the leaders and how do they lead?
• Analysing the ethical leadership failure at Starbucks/Amazon
• The climate change debate: Analysing political leaders’ rhetoric

Finally, there’s no denying the awe-inspiring digital transformations we have witnessed over the last decade. The rise in AI and robotics, for example, has transformed the way we communicate and consume. In the leadership literature, there is a need to understand how leaders are adapting to these digital innovations. Moreover, within the HRM literature, there is a need to understand how to recruit and retain the most promising ‘digital leaders’ in 2021 and beyond. That said, here are some topic suggestions you could choose for your leadership dissertation:

• Is leadership theory keeping pace with technological innovation?
• How do gig economy organisations use digital innovations to lead their workers?
• How are leaders using AI to enhance organisational performance in the fashion and retail sectors?
• Recruiting and retaining ‘digital leaders’ in 2021 and beyond.

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100s of Free Management Dissertation Topics and Titles

Published by Grace Graffin at January 6th, 2023 , Revised On April 16, 2024

Introduction

The subject of management involves an in-depth understanding of the various aspects of business management, such as employee management, risk management, organisational behaviour, and many more.

When choosing a topic for your management dissertation, make sure to consider diverse topics that explore both the theoretical and practical aspects of management.

We understand that getting a dissertation topic approved can be extremely challenging as academic supervisors require students to research a unique case.

This is where our team of writers comes into play. Our writers can up with exciting and manageable management dissertation topics to help get the juices flowing in your head so you can write your dissertation on a unique and engaging topic.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting  a brief research proposal  from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an  introduction  to the topic,  research question ,  aim and objectives ,  literature review  along with the proposed  methodology  of research to be conducted.  Let us know  if you need any help in getting started.

Check our  dissertation examples  to get an idea of  how to structure your dissertation .

Review the full list of  dissertation topics for here.

How to Select the Best Management Dissertation Topic?

A dissertation topic must be selected based on research interests, availability of data, time limitations, and the research’s scope and significance. The following management dissertation topics are carefully shortlisted while considering all these parameters. Please review these topics and let us know if you have any queries.

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2024 Management Research Topics

Topic 1: an evaluation of organizational change management- why do people tend to oppose change.

Research Aim: The research will aim to assess the structure of organizational change management and to find the reasons why people resist or oppose the changes in an organization. There are many reasons through which change in organization’s management becomes important but some employees’ does not accept that changes. There are many reasons why people resist changes on organization. In certain circumstances, resistance to change might be beneficial. Resistance to change is, in fact, a crucial feedback mechanism that must not be neglected.

Topic 2: Investigating the effectiveness of customer relationship management in airlines

Research Aim: The research will aim to study the efficiency of CRM in airlines. Customer relationship management has evolved into a critical technique used by every corporation to better its operations and obtain a competitive advantage over competitors. Customer relationship management has evolved into a key priority for airline firms and an integral part of airline businesses’ corporate strategy to distinguish themselves from rivals in the eyes of the consumer. The goal of facility organisations, such as airlines, is to provide services that attract and maintain satisfied, loyal customers who promote the airline.

Topic 3: How does leadership affect employees’ productivity? A case of IT firms

Research Aim: This research will focus on leadership positions in IT organisations with the goal of increasing staff productivity and performance. Leadership is essential for increasing employee retention, career drive, and efficiency. Most companies’ progress is accelerated by effective leadership. As a result, it is critical to organisational success. Employee performance, on the other hand, is a critical pillar of every firm, and companies must examine the variables that contribute to great performance. Leadership is based on confidence, which is based on skill, sincerity, ethics, transparency, reactivity, empathy, and kindness.

Topic 4: The effect of organisation advancement tools on business performance

Research Aim: The research will aim to find the effect of organization advancement on business performance. Organizational tools are objects that assist you in organising your workspace, resources, and tasks in order to make your workday more effective. Physical instruments, planners, and software platforms are examples of what they can be. Organization advancement tools are a great source to improve your business performance as they help you in managing your daily tasks and workforce.

Topic 5: The importance of leadership and social skills in new entrepreneurs: An investigative study

Research Aim: The research will aim to investigate the importance of leadership and social skills in new entrepreneurs. Developing talent, introducing innovative goods and services, delivering efficiency, and gaining market share all benefit from improved leadership qualities. If you wish to stay small, you might be able to get away with not growing your leaders. Otherwise, it will restrict your progress. Social skills enable entrepreneurs to interact with customers more effectively, resulting in more agreements and more profitability.

Covid-19 Management Research Topics

Crisis management during covd-19.

Research Aim: This study will identify crisis management aspects during COVD-19, including its challenges and solutions.

Business management during COVID-19

Research Aim: This study will review business executives’ challenges in various scale industries and how they are recovering from the loss. How far did they succeed?

Hospital and medicine management during COVID-19

Research Aim: This study will highlight the role of hospital management during COVID-19, the challenges they came across, and the ways to overcome those challenges.

Educational management during COVID-19

Research Aim: This study will address the issues faced by students and educational institutes. How are they trying to overcome the challenges of imparting education during the coronavirus pandemics?

Maternal health care management during COVID-19

Research Aim: The lockdown situation has been an issue of concern for the patients, including pregnant women. This study will address the role of Maternal health care management during COVID-19.

Management Dissertation Topics for 2023

Topic 1: analyzing the traditions and trends in public administration and management in post-wwii europe.

Research Aim: The purpose of the research will be to analyze the characteristics of cultural and national communities that have influenced public administration and management in the 1970s and 1980s in Europe. The study will be carried out using a systematic literature review.

Topic 2: The Impact of Gender-inclusive Gatekeeping and Predecessors Influence on the Success of Female CEOs

Research Aim: The purpose of the research will explore how local organisational agents and contexts can help women leaders overcome barriers and achieve success at higher levels in corporate firms. The study will focus on CEO succession events and predecessor CEOS factors and their influence on women post-succession. The research design will be developed qualitatively.

Topic 3: Analysing the Impact of Daily Psychological Power on Organisational Leaders

Research Aim: The research will use quantitative techniques to analyze power-holders relational and interdependent work contexts. The study will examine the effect of daily psychological power using the factors of abusive behaviour and perceived incivility.

Topic 4: Examining the Impact of Cultural Diversity on Interaction Process and Performance

Research Aim: Using quantitative techniques, the research will analyse the interaction process and performance factors in two groups of employees in the services industry – homogenous and culturally diverse. The effectiveness in operation and arrangements will be examined.

Topic 5: Analyzing the Impact of ‘Voice’ and ‘Silence’ on Destructive Leadership

Research Aim: The research will examine the limited and biased view of silence in management literature. The study will also analyse the impact of silence in an organisation in terms of a functional value using quantitative research techniques. Furthermore, how silence in organisations can be used as a strategic response will be discussed.

Topic 6: Examining the Relationship between Productivity, Management Practices, and Employee Ability in the UK Setting

Research Aim: Using quantitative techniques, the study will analyse a relationship between productivity, management practices, and employee ability using data from management practices surveys and employees’ longitudinal earnings records.

Topic 7: Analysing the Factors that Impact International Differences in Gender Pay Gap

Research Aim: The research will use quantitative techniques to analyse microdata from various countries between 1980 and 2010. The study will use the factors of wage structures, net supply, wage compression, collective bargaining coverage, and unionised wage setting to identify the lower gender pay gap internationally.

Topic 8: The Impact of Psychosocial Hazards on Workplace Risk Management

Research Aim: The study will investigate workplace risk management practices in industry sectors with a high risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and mental health disorders (MHDs) and the extent to which they may rise from psychosocial hazards. The research will be conducted using qualitative research techniques.

Strategic Management and Organisational Behavior Dissertation Topics

Strategic management and organisational behaviour can be described as the actions a firm takes to achieve its business objectives primarily derived from competitive markets’ dynamic behaviour. Following are some interesting dissertation topics under this field of study;

Topic 1: The Impact of Organisational Goals on Organisation Behavior

Research Aim: The primary focus of this research will be to combine factors from the theory of action, phases and self-determination theory to develop a motivational model that will explain the relationship between organisational goals setting process that lead to organisational behaviour. The research will be conducted using mixed methods of research techniques.

Topic 2: Integrating the Principles of Strategic Human Capital and Strategic Human Resource Management to Improve Organisational Performance

Topic 3: comparing the impact of family and non-family firm goals on strategy, family and organisational behavior.

Research Aim: This research will analyse the differences between family and non-family business goals and their impact on how businesses develop strategies. Also, the research will assess how these developed strategies would affect family and organisational behaviour. This research will use quantitative research techniques.

Topic 4: Analyzing the Effect of Strategy, Innovation, Networks and Complexity on Organisational Adaptability – The Mediating Effect of Leadership

Research Aim: The current study will use empirical analysis to examine the effects of strategy, innovation, networks, and complexity of organisational adaptability using leadership as a mediation factor.

Topic 5: Examining the Effect of Appointment of a Racial Minority Female CEO on White Male Top Manager Intrapsychic and Behavioral Responses

Research Aim: This research will examine white male managers’ behavioural responses to a female racial minority CEO’s appointment. The behaviour that the research will analyse is the amount of help that the white male top manager provides to their fellow executives. The research will be conducted using quantitative techniques.

Topic 6: Analysis of the Effectiveness of an Affect-Based Model to Portray Recipients Responses to Organisational Change Events

Research Aim: The study will use the Affect-Based Model developed by Oreg et al. (2016) to analyse if it is useful in documenting and portraying the recipient responses to organisational change events. The research will use factors of valence and activation to assess the effectiveness of the model. The study will be conducted using quantitative techniques.

Topic 7: Evaluating the Relationship between the personality of a CEO and Employee Motivation

Research Aim: This research will investigate the relationship between a CEO’s personality and employee motivation. The core of this study will be to assess whether a CEO’s character possesses the power to influence employee motivation or not. Case studies from various companies will be used in this study.

Topic 8: Assessing the Role of Managers in Bringing and Implementing Technological Change in an Organisation

Research Aim: This research will focus on how managers implement technological change in their organisations. Change management is challenging as not all employees are open to accepting change. This research will focus on various ways through which managers successfully implement technological change in their companies.

Topic 9: An Analysis of Organisational Change Management: Why Employees Resist Change?

Research Aim: This research will focus on why employees resist change in organisations, i.e., why employees dislike change. Different causes and factors will be discussed in this study, and the research will conclude why employees do not wholeheartedly accept the change.

Knowledge Management Dissertation Topics

The importance of knowledge management for organisations can’t be understated because this aspect of management enhances the workforce’s capabilities and overall productivity. It leads to a competitive advantage and provides the basis for differentiating an organisation from its competitors. Some interesting dissertation topics under this field are;

Topic 1: Examining the Impact of Enterprise Social Networking Systems (ESNS) on Knowledge Management and Organisational Learning

Research Aim: The research will investigate the effect of ESNS on knowledge management processes and organisational learning. The research will use knowledge creation and sharing to play the mediating role in analysing the proposed relationship. The proposed study will use empirical research methods.

Topic 2: A Review of Knowledge Management Research

Research Aim: The research paper will use a systematic literature review technique for the proposed study. The research will review the last twenty years of knowledge management literature to assess the presence of bias in explaining knowledge integration over research by exploring knowledge differentiation processes.

Topic 3: The Impact of the Internet of Things (IoT) on Innovation and Knowledge Management Capacity

Research Aim: The purpose of this research will be to investigate the plausible relationship between knowledge management systems, open innovation, knowledge management capacity, and innovation capacity in firms. The research will be conducted using empirical techniques to draw reliable conclusions.

Topic 4: The Impact of Strategic Knowledge Management on MNC and their Subsidiaries Performance

Research Aim: The research will develop a model to test the possibility of a relationship between strategic knowledge management (SKM) processes and organisation performance compared between multinational companies and their subsidiaries. The research will also analyse the impact of relational context on knowledge creation and transfer.

Topic 5: Analyzing the Relationship between Knowledge Management Practices and Knowledge Worker Performance - The Mediating Role of Organisational Commitment

Research Aim: The study will analyse the role of knowledge management practices to address the issues of insufficient organisational commitment and knowledge workers’ performance in the UK’s public sectors. The proposed study will use quantitative research techniques to fulfil its aim and objectives.

Topic 6: The Relationship between Knowledge Management Processes and Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Private Business Schools in the UK

Research Aim: The proposed research will explore the impact of knowledge management processes on sustainable completive advantages by using knowledge-based view (KBV) and resource-based view (RBV) as mediators in the relationship. The research will be conducted using quantitative techniques of data collection (i.e. questionnaire) and analysis (i.e. structural equation modelling).

Topic 7: The Impact of Strategic Knowledge Management on Manufacturing Firm’s Performance

Research Aim: The purpose of the study will be to empirically investigate the relationship between the availability and use of IT solutions for strategic knowledge management and a manufacturing firm’s performance, which will be measured in unit production. The research will use the resource-based view and the knowledge-based theory to develop a conceptual framework to analyze this relationship’s effect.

Topic 8: Evaluating how Knowledge Management Impacts Company Performance: A Case Study of Sainsbury

Research Aim: This research will discuss the basic concepts of knowledge management. The study will also discuss the impact knowledge management has on a company’s performance, i.e. how it helps companies achieve their goals. The main focus of this research work will be on Sainsbury’s knowledge management framework.

Topic 9: Knowledge Management as a Core Competency? Evaluating the Application and Benefits of Knowledge Management

Research Aim: This research will uncover how companies utilise knowledge management as their core competency and how it benefits their business operations. This study’s main focus will be on applying the various concepts of knowledge management and their implication for businesses.

Topic 10: Exploring the Managerial Concerns and Issues in Knowledge Management and Their Impact on Organisations

Research Aim: This research will explore the managerial concerns and issues related to knowledge management. The study will also focus on assessing the impact of these issues on businesses and how they can influence day-to-day operations. This will be an evidence-based study where evidence from different companies and various situations will be evaluated.

Leadership and Management Information System Dissertation Topics

Leadership drives the organisational agenda and is regarded as one of the most influential factors in streamlining organisations’ processes. Good leadership results in better performance of any organisation because it gives direction to the business activities under the market conditions and requirements.

Similarly, management information systems are pivotal to any organisation’s success and successfully implementing them can benefit the organisation in many ways. Following are some dissertation topics under the subject of leadership and management information systems;

Topic 1: The Role of Information Systems (IS) in Enterprise Architecture and its Impact on Business Performance

Research Aim: This study will examine the relationship between IS Enterprise Architecture and business performance using technical alignment and IS capabilities mediators. This research will be conducted using quantitative techniques to fulfil its aim.

Topic 2: Exploring The Relationship between Ethical Leadership and Employee Knowledge Sharing

Research Aim: This research will use social learning theories and self-determination to investigate the relationship between ethical learning and employee knowledge sharing. The study will be conducted using empirical research techniques.

Topic 3: Analysing the Impact of Relationship Leadership and Social Alignment on Information Security Systems Effectiveness in Private Organisations

Research Aim: This research will use social capital theory as its theoretical foundation to explore the impact of relational leadership on social alignment between business and IT executives. The relational model will study the factors of integrated knowledge, information security system effectiveness, and organisational performance. This research will use empirical techniques.

Topic 4: Examining the Relationship between Operating Room (OR) Leadership and Operating Staff Performance

Research Aim: This research will analyse the relationship between Operating Room leadership and operating staff performance. This will be done using emotional intelligence and collaboration variables to assess staff performance, using recovery numbers. The relationship will also be examined through the mediating role of leadership principles. The data will be collected and assessed using quantitative research techniques.

Topic 5: The Role of Transformational Leadership as a Mediating Variable in the DeLone and McLean Information Success Model.

Research Aim: The research will use the DeLone and McLean Information Success Model to analyse if productivity software implemented in an organisation can improve its performance. However, the research will also evaluate the model and propose modifications to include transformational leadership as a mediating factor in the information success model. The research will be quantitative in nature.

Topic 6: Assessing the Role of Leadership in an Organisation to Help Adopt Advanced Technological Systems

Research Aim: This research will assess the role of leadership in an organisation to help companies realise the importance of innovative, technologically advanced systems. Many companies today are still naive to the ever more important role of technology. Thus this research will aim to help companies adopt innovative technological systems through leadership. The research will be evidence-based in nature.

Topic 7: Evaluating How Changing Business Leadership Impacts Technological Organisational Performance

Research Aim: Changing leadership in organisations can prove a disaster if not handled properly. The transition process is extremely challenging, and companies should have the capability to handle this phase. This research will explore how their decision to change leadership impacts technological and organisational performance and how to optimise the process. This research will be quantitative in nature.

Topic 8: Can Information Systems in Organisations Be Considered a Competitive Advantage?

Research Aim: Information systems, if implemented successfully, benefit organisations immensely. The impact that an information system has and its results help companies stay ahead of their competitors. This research will assess how companies can turn their information systems into a competitive advantage, and most importantly, whether they or not information systems should be considered a competitive advantage.

Topic 9: Understanding the Leadership Challenges of Implementing and Managing an Advanced Information System in an Organisation

Research Aim: This research will help explain the challenges that managers and the entire leadership of an organisation face when implementing an advanced information system. Bringing a change in a company is challenging, and throw in a technology to implement, the process becomes even more challenging. This study will explore in detail all related challenges through quantitative research.

Topic 10: Do all Business Processes in an Organisation need Information System Management?

Research Aim: It is often argued that not all business processes require information systems. However, when talking about today’s world and the technological advancements taking place, it is recommended that business processes in organisations adopt the technology. This research will be a comparative analysis of whether companies are successful and profitable with information systems or without them.

Also Read: Business Dissertation Topics

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Organisational Culture and International Business Dissertation Topics

Organisational culture shapes the work ethics and helps in defining the professional image of organisations. Organisational culture plays a huge role in international business.

Organisations that adopt the country’s culture they are operating in are known to run their operations more successfully. The following topics are related to organisational culture and international business and help students choose an appropriate topic according to their interests.

Topic 1: The Impact of Organisational Culture of Collaborative Networks Influence on IT Governance Performance in Large Enterprises

Research Aim: This research will explore the influence of collaborative networks’ organisational culture on IT governance performance. The study will use a case study to analyse multinationals as they have a wide working network. The purpose of the research will be to determine whether or not organisational culture helps businesses effectively use IT in business operations. The research will be conducted using mixed methods research.

Topic 2: Analysing the Relationship between Supervisor’s Job insecurity and Subordinates’ Work Engagement

Research Aim: The purpose of this research is two-fold. The research will analyse the relationship between the supervisor’s job insecurity and subordinates’ work engagement using a mediator and a moderator. The research will first examine the mediating role of subordinate’s pro-social voice between supervisor job insecurity and subordinates’ work engagement. Next, the research will examine the moderating role of organisational culture between the supervisor’s job insecurity and sub-ordinates pro-social voice. The research will be conducted through quantitative techniques.

Topic 3: Analysing the Impact of Individual Perception of Organisational Culture on the Learning Transfer Environment

Research Aim: The research will be conducted empirically to assess the relationship between culture (as perceived by employees) and the work environment based learning factors (i.e. learning transfer environment [LTE]) in the organisation). LTE is measured using feedback and coaching factors that received resistance or openness to chance, personal outcomes, and supervisor and peer support.

Topic 4: The Role of Organisational Culture on the Development of Psychological Distress in the Workplace

Research Aim: The purpose of the study will be to analyse how organisational culture may cause the symptoms of psychological distress in the workforce. The study will use corporate culture and work organisation conditions as base factors to relate them to employees’ psychological distress. The research will be conducted using quantitative research techniques.

Topic 5: Analysing the Role of Leadership and Organisational Culture

Research Aim: The research will examine the relationship between organisational culture, leadership and employee outcomes. The paper will focus on the mediator of leadership processes and their impact on the relationship between culture and employee outcomes. The study will be conducted using quantitative research techniques.

Topic 6: The Role and Relationships among Strategic Orientations, Cultural Intelligence, International Diversification and Performance of Organisations

Research Aim: The research will aim to understand the drivers of the international expansion of globalised firms. The research will explore the relationship between strategic orientations and cultural intelligence as drivers and international diversification and firm performance. Strategic orientations used in the study include international market orientation (IMO) and entrepreneurial orientation (IEO). The study will be conducted using quantitative research techniques.

Topic 7: Dynamics of Corruption Culture Distance to Core Values

Research Aim: The research will examine how corporate bribery is impacted by cultural distance between multinational enterprises (MNEs) in their home and host countries. The research will also analyse the organisational distance to core value between MNE’s entry into the host country and its headquarters. The research will use empirical data collection and analysis techniques.

Topic 8: Examining Organisational Export Performance by International Business Competencies

Research Aim: The study aims to explore the relationship between international business competencies and export performance. The research will also analyse export performance by singular analysis or combined analysis of the competencies. The research will be conducted using empirical data.

Topic 9: Does Organisational Culture Influence the Leadership Type that a Company Should Adopt?

Research Aim: This research will argue whether companies should hire leaders concerning their culture or not. Organisational culture and leadership are interconnected. Thus companies that do not operate according to their culture struggle to grow exponentially. This research will aim to focus on the possible relationship between leadership and organisational culture. The research will be evidence-based.

Topic 10: Organisational Culture and International Business Competition: Are they Interrelated?

Research Aim: Organisational culture plays a huge role in making a company competitive internationally. When a business’s culture is motivating to all employees and identifies the right culture for its employees, there is every likelihood of rapid growth for both the company and the employees. The research will explore how the two concepts are interrelated.

Important Notes:

As a management student looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment with existing management theories – i.e., to add value and interest to your research topic.

The management field is vast and interrelated to many other academic disciplines like operations management , business , business administration , MBA , human resource management and more. That is why creating a management dissertation topic that is particular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field is imperative.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic based on your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in writing your dissertation , as you may end up in the cycle of rejection at the initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

Keeping our advice in mind while developing a research topic will allow you to pick one of the best management dissertation topics that fulfil your requirement of writing a research paper and adds to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalizing your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Please look at some of our sample management dissertation topics to get an idea for your own dissertation.

How to Structure your Management Dissertation

A well-structured dissertation can help students to achieve a high overall academic grade.

• A Title Page
• Acknowledgements
• Declaration
• Abstract: A summary of the research completed
• Table of Contents
• Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems. An outline of the structure of a dissertation can also be added to this chapter.
• Literature Review : This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analysing published and unpublished literature on the chosen research topic to address research questions . The purpose is to highlight and discuss the selected research area’s relative weaknesses and strengths while identifying research gaps. Break down the topic and key terms that can positively impact your dissertation and your tutor.
• Methodology : The data collection and analysis methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter, which usually includes research design , research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods, and data analysis strategy .
• Findings and Analysis : Findings of the research are analysed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include graphs, charts, and tables in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
• Discussion and Conclusion : The researcher presents his interpretation of results in this chapter and states whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section is establishing the link between the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regards to implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
• References : Make sure to complete this by your University’s requirements
• Bibliography
• Appendices : Any additional information, diagrams, and graphs used to complete the dissertation but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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How Does a PhD in Global Leadership and Change Prepare You for Success?

Natural leaders often find themselves looking for that next big step in their career. If you feel like you're ready to take your career to the next level, you may be considering a doctoral degree. Depending on your industry, you likely have a number of options to choose from when it comes to degree programs.

But what if you're looking for something that will allow you the flexibility to pursue visionary leadership opportunities in a variety of industries—non-profit, for-profit, education, and even government? You'll want to find a doctoral program that is well-rounded, challenging, reputable, and aligns with your personal values.

The PhD in Global Leadership and Change program at Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology checks all those boxes and more. Read on to find out how this dynamic leadership program can set you up for success in whatever path you choose.

What is a PhD in Global Leadership and Change?

The PhD in Global Leadership and Change program prepares doctoral students to become visionary leaders and change-makers across a number of global sectors, including for-profit, non-profit, government, and academic settings.

This researcher-scholar model of doctoral training is a rigorous program designed to hone their leadership skills through a global perspective. The three-year program includes core courses in leadership theory and practice, ethics, organizational behavior, international policy, and advocacy, among other specialization courses.

Combined with national and international trips, interaction with prominent global experts and expert faculty members, and a two-year dissertation requirement where doctoral students have the opportunity to contribute unique academic literature to their field, graduates will leave the program well-prepared to pursue a wide array of career outcomes.

Who Should Pursue a PhD in Global Leadership and Change?

The PhD in Global Leadership and Change is designed for both domestic students and international students who want to increase their earning potential and are looking for opportunities to lead global initiatives in their industry of choice. Candidates for the program should have a strong belief in social responsibility and be ready to invest their time and resources into the study of leadership.

The flexible schedule of both in-person and online instruction makes this program ideal for working professionals. The admissions requirements for this academic program include a Bachelor and Master's degree in a closely related field, as well as official transcripts, a statement of purpose, letters of recommendation,Your resume, writing samples, application,  and a personal interview.

6 Ways a PhD in Global Leadership and Change Can Prepare You For Success

Pursuing a highly-competitive degree program such as this offers so much more than just another degree on your resume. You'll gain real-world experience that will set you up for success in any professional context. 

1. Enhance Decision-Making and Strategic Thinking Skills

Throughout this PhD program, you’ll encounter situations that mimic real-world challenges. You'll be required to analyze data, consider multiple perspectives, and make important decisions that have a wide range of implications. You'll sharpen your critical thinking skills so you're prepared to face high-pressure situations with confidence and use strategies that are innovative, sustainable, and impactful.

2. Gain a Deep Understanding of Leadership Theory

The core curriculum will give you a better grasp of the traditions, methodologies, and development of research questions in leadership. You'll discover tools and analysis commonly used in leadership research and engage with research literature in leadership that covers themes such as:

• faith and purpose
• diversity and inclusiveness

You'll also begin to develop your own personal leadership style, solidifying your personal vision for leadership, strengthening your emotional intelligence, and practicing ethical decision-making. These are crucial skills that will shape you into a responsible leader who has the power to influence change.

3. Develop a Global Perspective and Understand Cultural Context of Complex Issues

A PhD in Global Leadership and Change will encourage you to expand your thinking beyond your current experiences and consider global challenges from a variety of different cultural perspectives. Through international learning experiences, you'll learn how cross-cultural issues influence the dynamics of organizations, policy decisions, and organizational effectiveness. 

These experiences will teach you to navigate and lead in varying social, economic, and political climates. This immersive experience turns theoretical knowledge into practical knowledge, equipping you with the ability to lead diverse teams and make informed decisions that consider multiple cultural factors.

4. Network With Other Future-Ready Leaders in Your PhD Program Who Share Your Passions

One of the best ways to improve your own leadership skills is to surround yourself with other exemplary leaders. A significant advantage of this doctoral study program is the opportunity to network and learn from your fellow students and the highly-regarded faculty at Pepperdine University. You'll meet like-minded professionals who share your passions and interests, and learn from accomplished professionals who hold doctorates from some of the most prestigious schools around the world. 

5. Make a Contribution to Current Literature Through Your Chosen Doctoral Dissertation Topic

Doctoral dissertations are an immense source of pride for PhD students. This is your opportunity to shine by contributing unique research to the academic field. The dissertation isn't just a long essay or a formality; it's a rigorous process where you propose new ideas or findings to the global academic community. It requires creativity, critical thinking, and perseverance. When you finish your dissertation, you have not only a diploma to hang on the wall but, more importantly, a tangible representation of your expertise and hard work that has the potential to influence your peers and leaders across industries.

The oral defense part of the process is your opportunity to present and defend your findings before a panel of experts. You'll have the opportunity to field questions, clarify points, and demonstrate your expertise. You'll also get feedback from other scholars who've been where you are and who can provide valuable insights.

6. Stand Out in a Competitive Job Market and Secure a Leadership Role

Advanced degrees are becoming much more common than they used to be. A PhD in Global Leadership and Change sets you apart from others in your field and tells potential employers that you have a strong grasp of advanced leadership theory and research methods.

Whether you’re aiming for a C-suite position, a role in government, or leadership in a non-profit organization or for-profit professional setting, this PhD will give you an edge over the competition. It shows that you're not just ready to take on the job, but also to drive change and inspire growth.

Career Outcomes With a PhD in Global Leadership and Change

Whether you're looking for a role in a Fortune 500 company, seeking a position in academia, or want to lead a non-profit organization, this PhD program will prepare you the knowledge, skills, and insights to become an effective leader in any industry you choose.

C-Level Executive

As an executive at the top of an organization, you'll make the major decisions that guide the strategic direction and overall success of the company. You'll be responsible for driving growth and development and using your expertise to collaborate with other key leaders. Your vision will heavily influence company culture, shape ethical practices, and establish the benchmarks that define success in your industry.

University Faculty or Administrators

University faculty can work at the community college or university level in undergraduate programs, or work as faculty in graduate and doctoral programs. You'll be able to use your unique knowledge to lead future generations who follow in your footsteps. There is also the opportunity to conduct continued academic research and contribute to academic journals and publications.

If you're looking for a leadership position in academia, you may also find roles such as Academic Dean or Chief Academic Officer, where you'll oversee student services and other faculty members and have the opportunity to guide the overall direction of the departments you oversee.

Nonprofit Director/Founder

If you have a heart for service, you may choose to work in the non-profit world. Whether you start your own non-profit organization or find a leadership role within an existing non-profit, you'll be able to use your knowledge for a cause you feel passionate about.

Fundraising is a major part of the success of non-profit businesses, so if you have a strong background in finance, this may be a great fit for you. Your financial expertise will be helpful in allocating resources and ensuring longevity of the organization.

Leadership/Executive Coach

Executive coaches can work as either consultants or in-house staff at a large organization. You'll be responsible for assessing and coaching team members, creating action plans for improvement and growth, and providing support and guidance to leaders within the organization. Leadership coaches often work with department heads and mid-level managers to help them improve their skills.

Learning & Development Leader

A Learning and Development leader works with HR departments to help with hiring, training, and developing team members within an organization. They're often seen as the bridge between the employees and the company; helping everyone work together to achieve goals. You may be the leader of an entire development department, or work alongside the HR department. In this role, your insights will directly contribute to building talent and creating an environment of continuous learning that supports the organization's objectives.

Organizational Consultant

Organization consultants are similar to leadership coaches, but they work with the entire organizational setting as a whole, rather than the individual leader. You'll have the opportunity to use your knowledge of psychological research to help create a strong and positive workplace culture. 

You may take on responsibilities such as training new hires or working with management and C-level leaders when conflicts arise. As an organizational consultant, you'll need to be able to see things at a higher level and guide leaders towards improving the organization as a whole.

Research Manager

If research is your area of expertise, you may choose to work as a leader who supervises the process of research projects in educational or government settings. You'll be responsible for things like drafting proposals, managing funding, hiring research staff, and presenting findings.

In addition to these responsibilities, you'll likely have a pivotal role in shaping research directions and ensuring the integrity and quality of the work. Your leadership will drive the success of individual projects as well as influence future research and policy development.

Human Resources Director

HR directors usually work in for-profit corporate settings, overseeing all aspects of human resources. You'll have a strong influence over company practices and policies, hiring and recruiting, and even organizational operations. If you love working with people and have strong communication skills, you may be a great fit for a role as an HR director.

Military Leadership

If you have a military background, there are plenty of opportunities to work in military leadership. You'll need to demonstrate the ability to work in high-pressure settings and make critical decisions in high-stress environments. You'll likely have a number of direct reports underneath you, who you'll be responsible for training and managing.

Policy Director

The role of policy director varies depending on the sector you work in, but you'll likely be responsible for influencing and creating laws and policies, as well as implementing strategies to carry out organizational agendas. You'll need to be well-versed in local, state, and federal laws and ordinances and have the ability to influence change on a number of levels. You'll need to have excellent people skills, as you'll likely work with many key stakeholders and community officials.

Explore the PhD Program in Global Leadership and Change at Pepperdine University

Pepperdine University's PhD in Global Leadership and Change is designed for professionals who want to lead with purpose and acquire a deep understanding of today’s complex societal and organizational challenges.

The program requires 66 credit hours plus 2 per term for your dissertation. The core courses and electives are designed to expand your leadership capabilities. You can expect to study current issues in global leadership, ethics, and strategic change management, giving you a deeper understanding of what it means to lead in a diverse world.

For more information about the academic experience, application deadlines, and degree requirements, attend an information session or request more info online.

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Advice for surviving your PhD dissertation

Tips for each step of researching, writing and refining a PhD dissertation

From initial research and writing to revision, defence and award, the journey to completing a PhD is often described as a marathon. Here, academics offer their insight on each step towards producing an original work of scholarship. Starting with choosing a supervisor and establishing healthy habits, the advice goes on to cover how to structure a PhD dissertation, establish a writing routine, write an abstract, prepare for a viva and beat procrastination when motivation flags.

.css-7qmtvr{overflow:hidden;max-height:108px;text-indent:0px;} Get a head start in the first year of your PhD

Andreï V. Kostyrka

University of Luxembourg

How to start writing your PhD thesis

Strategies for writing a dissertation: write before you’re ‘ready’

Monique Dufour

Virginia Tech

How to navigate the PhD thesis

Luis R. Rojas-Solórzano

Nazarbayev University

How to write a PhD thesis: a step-by-step guide

Kelly Louise Preece

University of Exeter

One thesis, two supports, three months

Mariam Shadan

Dubai Medical College for Girls

How to tackle the PhD dissertation

Dalhousie University

Get your PhD thesis beach ready

John Sinclair

Colorado State University Global

Finding supervision and support

Top tips for choosing a PhD Supervisor

Near East University

Buddy system: creating community through writing

Lena Steveker, Laura Spadon

Individual consultations can help PhD students to complete their studies

Szabolcs Várbíró , Judit Réka Hetthéssy, Marianna Török

Semmelweis University

Transitioning to a PhD: common struggles and how to overcome them

Camille Bou

The London School of Economics and Political Science

Protect your emotional well-being for a happier writing experience

Burcu Totur Dikmen

Why getting a PhD is like building a Lego duck

The University of Edinburgh

Advice for doing a PhD by publication

Why get a PhD by publication (and other career tips)

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Publication-based doctorate: is it for me?

Northumbria University

Advice for supervising a PhD by published works

Alison Brettle

University of Salford

How to write an abstract for a research paper

Ankitha Shetty

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Read this before you write your abstract

Michael Willis

How to find motivation, keep going and finish your thesis

Five ways to beat the procrastination monster

Glenn Fosbraey

University of Winchester

Bad news, kids (and academics): the magical motivation fairy doesn’t exist

Hugh Kearns

Flinders University

What is your academic writing temperament?

Rachael Cayley

University of Toronto

How to develop a researcher mindset as a PhD student

Shaif Uddin Ahammed

University of the West of Scotland

Evidence synthesis: what every student (and researcher) should know

Alessio Bellato

University of Southampton

Preparing for the viva or defence of your PhD

‘Augmenting’ the doctoral thesis in preparation for a viva

Edward Mills

How to answer viva questions

Jenny Scoles

Tips for writing a PhD dissertation: FAQs answered

Campus team

Doctor of Education Leadership

Additional Information

• Download the Doctoral Viewbook
• Admissions & Aid

America needs transformative leaders in preK–12 education whose passion for education quality and equity is matched by a knowledge of learning and development, the organizational management skills to translate visionary ideas into practical success, and a firm grasp of the role of context and politics in shaping leadership. Graduates of the three-year, multidisciplinary Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education will be prepared to become those leaders.

The Ed.L.D Program — taught by faculty from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Harvard Business School, and the Harvard Kennedy School — will train you for system-level leadership positions in school systems, state and federal departments of education, and national nonprofit organizations. Ed.L.D. is a full-time, three-year program built on a cohort learning model. Cohorts consist of up to 25 students from diverse professional backgrounds (including district/charter management leaders, nonprofit directors, principals, teachers, and policy researchers) who progress through the program together.

All Ed.L.D. students receive a full tuition funding package plus stipends, work opportunities, and a paid third-year residency at a partner organization.

The Ed.L.D. Program prepares graduates to do work for the public good in the American public education sector, whether that be at the system or state level. Specifically, the program is designed to accelerate the progress graduates make toward achieving meaningful impact in influential roles and/or crossing boundaries in the following spaces in the public education sector:

• PreK–12 district or CMO leadership roles : superintendent of schools, chief academic officer, and/or deputy superintendent
• Foundation/philanthropy roles:  director, president and CEO, senior fellow
• Education nonprofit roles : president or executive director of backbone or collective impact organizations which support preK–12 schools. Ed.L.D. graduates will lead education nonprofits that explicitly focus on improving outcomes and opportunities for children, families, and communities.
• State or federal education leadership roles : commissioner or deputy commissioner roles. Could also include public education advocacy or education policy advisers to senior government officials.
• Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation roles:  Founder, CEO, president

Curriculum Information

The Ed.L.D. curriculum is a balance of multidisciplinary coursework and practice-based learning. Core courses and electives are taught by recognized leaders from across Harvard’s graduate programs in fields like data-based education reform, organizational change and innovation, and effective leadership strategies for urban schools. You will develop and test your leadership skills through team projects and an immersive third-year residency.

All students in the cohort take the same classes in four foundational content areas: learning and teaching, leadership and organizational change, politics and policy, adult development, and leadership inside and out (including one-on-one executive coaching). Courses taken during the first-year focus on practice-based learning and serve as the framework of your first-year experience.

Sample HGSE Courses

• Leading Change
• How People Learn
• Ed.L.D. Proseminar
• Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Learning
• Race, Equity, and Leadership
• Practicing Leadership Inside and Out
• Sector Change
• The Workplace Lab for System-Level Leaders

View  all courses  in the Academic Catalog.

Each cohort member works with program advisers to choose an individualized sequence of electives from any of the Harvard graduate schools. You will work closely with the program faculty and staff during your second year to determine the best match with a partner organization for your third-year residency. Matches are driven by mutual interest between the resident and the partner organization, and each student's career and learning goals and geographic preferences.

• Second Year Practicing Leadership Inside and Out
• Driving Change 
• Education Sector Nonprofits
• Negotiation Workshop
• Coaching with Equity in Mind
• Ethnic Studies and Education
• Deeper Learning for All:  Designing a 21st Century School System
• Institutional Change in School Organizations, Systems, and Sectors

You will take part in a 10-month paid residency at one of our partner organizations. There, you will work on a strategic project which synthesizes your experience and learning into a written Capstone project. You will stay connected to your Ed.L.D. cohort and HGSE through technology and by returning to Harvard periodically for intensive workshops.

Paid Residency 

Our partner organizations include school systems and departments of education, as well as some of the nation's most influential and dynamic nonprofit, mission-based for-profit, and philanthropic organizations.

You will be intentionally pushed out of your comfort zones and asked to work systemically and make a significant contribution to the partner organization. In addition, the residency will provide you with the professional mentoring, practical experiences, and network of connections they need to position themselves as future leaders in the education sector. 

Strategic Project 

You will define (with supervisors from your partner organization) a strategic project on which to focus. You will have the opportunity to lead one or two major efforts on behalf of the organization, such as the creation or implementation of current initiatives. The project allows you to practice and improve leadership skills, add important value to the mission and strategy of the partner organization, work systemically, and hold high-level accountability.

During the residency period, you will produce a written Capstone. The Capstone is a descriptive, analytic, and reflective account of your third-year leadership contributions to a strategic project within an Ed.L.D. partner organization. It is a demonstration of your ability to engage others, develop strategy to successfully address and diagnose challenges, work toward a vision and goals, and learn from the results.

Sample Topics

• Accountability, Coherence, and Improvement: Leadership Reflection and Growth in the Los Angeles Unified School District
• Leadership Development for Entrepreneurial Education Leaders Working to Build Public & Private Sector Support
• Disrupting Teacher Preparation: Lessons in Collaboration and Innovation Across the Learning to Teach Community of Practice
• Pursuing Educational Equality for English Language Learners

Sample Summaries 

• Breaking Down Silos in a School District: Findings from an Ed.L.D. Project in Montgomery County
• Expanding Students' Access to Meaningful STEM Learning Opportunities Through Strategic Community Partnerships
• Developing a New Teacher Leadership and Compensation System in Iowa: A Consensus-Based Process
• Finding Great Teachers for Blended-Learning Schools

GSE Theses and Dissertations from Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH)

Program Faculty

Ed.L.D. students learn with renowned faculty from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Kennedy School. Faculty from the three schools share their individual expertise in the Ed.L.D. Program and work collaboratively to provide a challenging and coherent experience for students. Faculty who teach in the Ed.L.D. core curriculum and advise Ed.L.D. students include:

Faculty Director

Frank D. Barnes

Frank Barnes is faculty director of the Doctor of Education Leadership Program. He has over 30 years experience as an educator, researcher, and organizer. As a chief accountability officer, he led turnaround efforts for large public school districts, including Boston Public Schools and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Kathryn Parker Boudett

Ebony N. Bridwell-Mitchell

Jennifer Perry Cheatham

Elizabeth City

Candice Crawford-Zakian

Marshall Ganz

Adria D. Goodson

Deborah helsing.

Monica C. Higgins

Deborah Jewell-Sherman

Lisa Laskow Lahey

Mary Grassa O'Neill

Irvin Leon Scott

Catherine Snow

Michael L. Tushman

Martin west.

Introduce Yourself

Tell us about yourself so that we can tailor our communication to best fit your interests and provide you with relevant information about our programs, events, and other opportunities to connect with us.

Program Highlights

Explore examples of the Doctor of Education Leadership experience and the impact its community is making on the field:

Do We Need Happiness Teachers?

After a trip to meet with the Dalai Lama, an Ed.L.D. student says we do

Combatting Chronic Absenteeism with Family Engagement 

As post-COVID absenteeism rates continue unabated, a look at how strong family-school engagement can help

• Best Ph.D. In Leadership Online Programs

Best Ph.D. In Leadership Online Programs Of 2024

Updated: Oct 11, 2023, 10:48am

Organizations across industries and sectors require strong leaders to meet goals, motivate workers and oversee departments. Whether these leaders manage workers at private companies or oversee government departments in the public sector, leadership is key to meeting business forecasts and delivering results.

The highest level of leadership degree is a doctorate, which often appears as a Ph.D. These doctoral programs prepare graduates to pursue leadership and executive roles in many professional fields, often featuring specializations that align with particular industries. Some schools have even pivoted to the virtual space by offering online Ph.D. in leadership programs.

Online degree programs offer greater flexibility in completing assignments and scheduling classes, also extending learners’ access to faraway universities. Our in-depth guide explores the top online Ph.D. in leadership programs, including accreditation and tuition costs.

Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Education

Forbes Advisor’s education editors are committed to producing unbiased rankings and informative articles covering online colleges, tech bootcamps and career paths. Our ranking methodologies use data from the National Center for Education Statistics , education providers, and reputable educational and professional organizations. An advisory board of educators and other subject matter experts reviews and verifies our content to bring you trustworthy, up-to-date information. Advertisers do not influence our rankings or editorial content.

• 6,290 accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities analyzed nationwide
• 52 reputable tech bootcamp providers evaluated for our rankings
• All content is fact-checked and updated on an annual basis
• Rankings undergo five rounds of fact-checking
• Only 7.12% of all colleges, universities and bootcamp providers we consider are awarded

Our Methodology

We scored five accredited, nonprofit colleges offering online Ph.D. in leadership degree programs in the U.S. using 15 data points in the categories of credibility, affordability, student outcomes and student experience.

We pulled data for these categories from reliable resources such as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ; private, third-party data sources; and individual school and program websites. Data is accurate as of January 2023.

We scored schools based on the following categories:

Student Outcomes :

• Overall graduation rate
• Median earnings 10 years after graduation

Affordability :

• In-state graduate student tuition
• In-state graduate student fees
• Alternative tuition plans offered
• Median federal student loan debt
• Percentage of students in federal student loan deferment

Student Experience :

• Student-to-faculty ratio
• Socioeconomic diversity
• Availability of online coursework
• Total number of graduate assistants
• More than 50% of graduate students enrolled in at least some distance education

Credibility :

• Fully accredited
• Programmatic accreditation status
• Nonprofit status

We listed all five schools in the U.S. that met our ranking criteria.

Find our full list of methodologies here .

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Best Online Ph.D. in Leadership Degree Options

Should you enroll in an online ph.d. in leadership program, accreditation for an online ph.d. in leadership, how to find the right online ph.d. in leadership for you, frequently asked questions (faqs) about online ph.d. in leadership programs, concordia university-chicago, johnson university, indiana institute of technology, beulah heights university, adler university.

Graduate Tuition

$753/credit

Percentage of Grad Students Enrolled in Distance Education

Overall Graduation Rate

Headquartered in River Forest, Illinois, Concordia University Chicago (CUC) offers an organizational leadership Ph.D. entirely online. With options for either a Ph.D. or an Ed.D., CUC offers doctoral-level leadership degrees with a specialization in organizational leadership.

This business-focused degree includes coursework in inclusive leadership, the follower-leader relationship and developing human capital for organizations. Along with a comprehensive exam, each student completes a nine-credit dissertation to graduate.

• Our Flexibility Rating: Learn on your schedule
• School Type: Private
• Application Fee: Free
• Degree Credit Requirements: 67 credits
• Program Enrollment Options: Full time
• Notable Major-Specific Courses: Quantitative analysis, leading the knowledge enterprise
• Concentrations Available: Organizational leadership
• In-Person Requirements: No

$715/credit

The online Ph.D. in leadership studies at Johnson University (JU), headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Kissimmee, Florida, includes concentrations in business and faith-related areas. JU offers competitive scholarships for doctoral students based on academic potential, experience with leadership and financial need.

Coursework spans from big-picture issues like global policy to more interpersonal concepts, like cultural considerations in leadership. Learners must complete a dissertation, working closely with faculty to propose, research, present and defend a topic relating to leadership studies.

• Application Fee: $15
• Degree Credit Requirements: 60 credits
• Notable Major-Specific Courses: Applied ethics, principles of research
• Concentrations Available: Educational leadership, ministry leadership, missional leadership, organizational leadership, philosophy of leadership, theology of leadership

$928/credit

At Fort Wayne’s Indiana Institute of Technology , students can pursue a transfer-friendly, online Ph.D. in global leadership. Indiana Tech offers leadership concentrations in business, health and education, along with a business administration pathway for MBA graduates.

Amid online coursework, students must also complete yearly, in-person residency weekends. These practical experiences allow learners to connect with peers and instructors on campus. Each student must produce a dissertation and defend their findings to a panel of faculty members.

• Degree Credit Requirements: 57 credits
• Notable Major-Specific Courses: Leading in a time of global change, global leadership development
• Concentrations Available: Global health leadership, higher education administration, organizational leadership, organizational leadership/higher education administration
• In-Person Requirements: Yearly residency

$538/credit

Beulah Heights University , located in Atlanta, Georgia, features a 60-credit Ph.D. in organizational leadership available through online and hybrid delivery. The curriculum blends theoretical concepts and real-world applications in faith-based coursework to prepare graduates to act as ethical decision-makers.

Coursework is divided between a foundation and research block, core courses, electives and a dissertation. After completing classes in areas like development, communication and planning for organizations, each student must propose, research and defend a dissertation topic to faculty members.

See our notes on institutional accreditation for clarification on Beulah Heights’ accreditation status.

• Our Flexibility Rating: Learn around your 9-to-5
• Application Fee: $100
• Notable Major-Specific Courses: Biblical leadership, organizational change
• Concentrations Available: N/A

$924/credit

The organizational leadership Ph.D. online program at Adler University , available entirely online, takes a socially conscious approach to management. Coursework centers methods for researching and analyzing data to implement policy in communities, businesses and nonprofit organizations.

This transfer-friendly program allows students with relevant master’s degrees to cover up to 39 credits of the Ph.D. Along with a comprehensive exam and a dissertation, each learner also completes a social justice practicum experience.

• Application Fee: $30
• Degree Credit Requirements: 69 credits
• Notable Major-Specific Courses: Followership, advanced group dynamics
• In-Person Requirements: Social justice practicum

As online education has grown in recent years, many schools have expanded their distance offerings to include Ph.D. programs in organizational leadership and other related fields. But before applying to an online Ph.D. in leadership program, make sure to take stock of your personal and professional obligations.

Consider your bandwidth and personal learning style as you research Ph.D. in leadership online programs. While online degrees can offer greater freedom in scheduling courses and completing assignments, this flexibility requires you to independently stay on top of coursework with little oversight. Distance programs may also offer fewer opportunities for networking and directly interacting with instructors.

Keep these factors in mind while comparing schools, along with the following considerations.

Institutions of higher education and individual degree programs can voluntarily seek accreditation by third-party organizations through a stringent evaluation process. Accrediting agencies assess schools, departments and programs for their academic rigor, student outcomes and preparation for the workforce.

Institutional Accreditation

Attending an institutionally accredited school qualifies you to receive federal student aid, transfer credits between schools and qualify for certain professional credentials. The following agencies, recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), are the most common institutional accreditors:

• Higher Learning Commission
• Association for Biblical Higher Education
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• WASC Senior College and University Commission
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
• New England Commission of Higher Education

However, ED and CHEA approve other agencies to accredit higher education institutions as well. Beulah Heights University, for example, holds institutional accreditation from two faith-based agencies: the Association for Biblical Higher Education Commission on Accreditation and the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools Accreditation Commission. CHEA and ED recognize both organizations.

Programmatic Accreditation

This form of accreditation applies to programs and departments within universities. Accreditors for leadership programs may vary depending on which department houses the program.

For example, organizational leadership programs, usually housed within business departments, may hold accreditation from a business-focused agency, such as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, or the International Accreditation Council for Business Education.

Similarly, a doctorate in educational leadership may hold accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

Regardless of the specific field, programmatic accreditation indicates that a department or program has undergone rigorous review for its educational offerings and outcomes and meets industry standards.

Consider Your Future Goals

At this point in your education journey, you likely have a strong grasp on your professional goals. Pursuing a Ph.D. requires a significant investment of time, energy and finances, often as the culmination of many years spent in higher education. To find the right online Ph.D. in leadership, consider your professional aspirations.

For example, if you want to work in the business world as an executive or in another managerial role, an organizational leadership Ph.D. online program may offer the best pathway. Similarly, if you want to craft school-wide policies for colleges and universities, a concentration in higher education administration may be an ideal option. Allow your goals to guide your program choice.

Understand Your Expenses and Financing Options

Attending higher education at any level requires a serious financial investment. Some Ph.D. programs are “funded,” meaning the school covers tuition in exchange for an assistantship or other related work program, often with a monthly stipend. On average, the schools in this list charge about $48,500 in total tuition.

To help lower your overall financial burden and focus on your studies, look to student aid. File a FAFSA to learn which financial aid sources you qualify for; these may include grad PLUS loans and unsubsidized loans. But before relying on loans, which require repayment, seek out scholarships and grants, which do not.

How long does it take to get a Ph.D. in leadership?

Earning a Ph.D. in leadership typically takes three to seven years. You will need about three to four years for coursework and several more to complete research and/or dissertation requirements. However, degree timelines for doctoral programs vary widely.

Can you teach with a Ph.D. in leadership?

Yes, you can teach college courses with a Ph.D. in leadership. However, to teach in public elementary, middle or high schools, you’ll need a state teaching license.

Why get a doctorate in organizational leadership?

A doctorate in organizational leadership is the highest level of degree in the field. Earning this degree demonstrates your mastery of the field and allows you to pursue executive-level roles across industries, including in education administration.

Matt Whittle has experience writing and editing accessible education-related content in health, technology, nursing and business subjects. His work has been featured on Sleep.org, Psychology.org and NurseJournal.org.

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• Undergraduate Comprehensive Leadership Program
• M.A. Communication & Leadership Studies
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• Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies
• Global Engagement

Professional Development

Program overview.

We believe that great leaders are always in the process of becoming leaders — that their potential to serve and motivate unfolds over a lifetime. That's why we've structured our program as flexibly as possible, to accommodate you no matter where you are in the process or in the world. 

Quick Facts

• Average completion time: 5-7 years, including dissertation 
• Average class size: 12-15 students
• Three start dates: Fall, Spring, and Summer

Why Gonzaga

• Designed for working professionals and full-time scholars
• Accessible from anywhere in the world
• Immersions provide opportunities to connect with faculty, build community, and network with fellow students
• Transdisciplinary approach supports a wide variety of research and dissertation topics
• Curriculum is designed so that students and faculty may explore emergent topics related to the growing field of leadership studies

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies will:

• Be able to write in an academic and scholarly manner
• Define and understand epistemological assumptions and frameworks
• Demonstrate an understanding of personal, organizational, and global perspectives of leadership studies
• Be able to conduct and evaluate research
• Explore and critically evaluate leadership, organizational, and global models, frameworks, and theories
• Explore and understand pluralism from various ontological perspectives
• Become increasingly committed to social justice to advance society
• Understand and practice principles of listening, contemplation, discernment, and dialogue
• Develop and practice ethical reasoning skills that foster positive relationships and advance society social change

Questions? Contact:

Heather Schmitt, Admissions Specialist Call or Text: (509) 313-6240 or (866)380-5323 Email: [email protected]

Program Attributes

Flexibility

The DPLS program is accessible from anywhere in the world, with courses offered in various modes, including immersion-based, on campus, online and independent study. With three opportunities to take courses throughout the academic year (fall, spring, summer), course progression plans can be personalized to accommodate the needs of working professionals and full-time students.

Unique Dissertation Approach

The Ph.D. program's transdisciplinary design supports a wide variety of research and dissertation topics. The dissertation procedure guides students through the process along four major milestones: candidacy, proposal seminar, proposal defense, and the dissertation. Graduates have been honored with national dissertation awards, reflecting the program's strong foundation of scholarship.

International Presence

With well over 600 graduates, the Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies has achieved national stature and international reach. The faculty come from diverse backgrounds and students of the program represent a broad range of professions and cultures. Most recently, the program has welcomed students from Afghanistan, Canada, China, Germany, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe, as well as from the Spokane Native American Nation and several other indigenous nations of the Pacific Northwest.

Learn More About the PhD Journey

The PhD Process

The steps to earning a PhD in Leadership Studies, from admission to graduation.

The interdisciplinary curriculum of Gonzaga's Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies focuses on personal systems, organizational systems and global systems.

Learn more about these unique experiences that deepen student inquiry and enhance the learning community.

A Brighter Future Unfolds

Connect With Your Admissions Specialist Now

15 Outstanding Dissertation Topics On Educational Leadership

In order to write a compelling dissertation on educational leadership, it is important that students have a very deep understanding of the subject matter. Sometimes, the knowledge that a lot is expected makes some students very nervous. When this happens, it becomes very difficult for such students to come up with interesting topics on the subject matter. If you are nervous or needs inspirations in order to come up with your own topics, here are some ideas to inspire you. They are as follows:

• Understanding some of the elements required for effective teaching
• Are there changes in elements of leadership between college instructors and high school instructors
• Impact of improving communication within students with multi cultural backgrounds
• Understanding the influence of great education leaders on international students from various countries
• Primary school pupils – What are the best and most effective reform measures to adopt
• A look at reform measures that need reevaluation in order to achieve increased positive growth among younger students
• An evaluation of the impact of good relationship between principals and teachers on students
• The role of the principal or dean in helping students achieve success
• A look at the best leadership strategies for both teachers and principals
• What makes a good educational leader?
• The impact of educational leadership on a given society
• The effect of educational leadership on researches
• The impact of educational leadership on a given country’s transformation
• What are the impacts of effective educational leadership on students?
• Understanding the relationship between educational leadership and the path to success

These are some of the topics you can choose for your dissertation on educational leadership. You can also get inspirations from these topics and as a result, come up with a very interesting topic of your own. Educational leadership has come to stay and over time, it has kindled the spark in a lot of people and in turn, gave them the nudge they needed towards accomplishing their academic goals with great zeal. Through effective educational leadership, a good number of students have been able to follow the footsteps of their teachers and succeeded in making significant progress in life.

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Educational Leadership Dissertations

Candidates for a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) at UNE complete a culminating dissertation employing their professional knowledge and new learning in order to demonstrate transformative leadership, organization, and community change.

Dissertations from 2021 2021

Exploring Sense Of Belonging As A Factor Of Well-Being Among Home Care Aides , Anonymous UNE Author

A Data Analysis Of Emotional Intelligence Interventions With Third Year Medical Students , Frank Bailey

Exploring Public, Primary School Educators’ Perceptions Of Adverse Childhood Experiences , Jessica Berry

Re-Defining Leadership: Exploring Women’s Roles As Successful Leaders In Online Higher Education , Kristen Card

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Restorative Practices In K–8 Classrooms , Jamie Elizabeth Coady

The Impact Of Student-Centered Coaching On Teacher Self-Efficacy: An Exploratory Case Study , Dustin L. Collins

Dual Enrollment Programs: Advising Policies And Practices For High School Students In Post-Secondary Institutions , Devin V. Cribb

Faculty Perceptions Of Self Efficacy In Interprofessional Healthcare Education , Rose M. DeFeo

Computer-Mediated Communication Of History Museums In The Midwestern United States: A Web Content Analysis , Heather Lynn DiAlfredi

The Lived Experience Of New Physical Therapy Graduates Working In The Early Intervention Setting: Perceptions Of Preparation , Michelle L. Donahue

Role Of Health Professions Faculty Leadership In Student Success: Exploring Student And Faculty Views , Kim Emery

First-Generation College Students: Making Sense Of Academic Advising And Advisor Leadership For Student Success , Andrew Martin Frazier

Compassion Fatigue Among Help Me Grow Care Coordinators: A Case Study , Alexandra Goldberg

Exploring The Roles, Responsibilities, And Leadership Styles Of Rural School Principals , John L. Hewitt III

The Influences On And Experiences Of Underrepresented Minority Females In One Southeastern United States Medical School , Brianne Holmes

Creating The Conditions For Deeper Learning: Leadership Practices For Reframing 21st Century Education Systems , Caryn M. Lewis

Experiences Of Successful African American And Hispanic Non-Traditional Single Mothers At An Urban Community College , Gerald Maitre

Childhood Factors Influencing Elder Never-Married Women’s Avoidance Of Economic Vulnerability , Kimberley J. (Mendall) Mondoñedo

Rural Teachers’ Perceptions Of School Principals’ Leadership Behaviors Affecting Motivation To Improve Professional Practice. , Zeljko Micevic

Value Perceptions Of Basic Clinical Laboratory Assistant Training With Certification , George Noll

People Manager Mindset Perceptional Influence On Culture At A Large Technology Company , Robert Patterson

Women C-Suite Executives In Cybersecurity: Transformational Experiences And Gender Barriers On Their Leadership Journeys , Toni C. Plato

Professional Advisor Practices For Student Identity Development , Brittany Potter

The Impact Of Administrative Support For Dental Hygiene And Nursing Online Faculty , Margarita Rivera

Rural Elementary Teachers And The Impact Of Professional Development On Mathematics Instruction , Heather Rockwell

The Influence Of Concept-Based Instruction On Student Academic Engagement , Amanda Romey

Measuring Faculty Motivation And Engagement Through An Institutionally Supported Faculty Development Program At An Academic Healthcare Center , Elizabeth S. Rose

1:1 Chromebooks In High School Classrooms: Teacher Perceptions Of Integration Efforts , Jason Saltmarsh

Transformative Leadership In Nature-Based Preschool Education , Stanley F. Sampson III

Attitudes Related To Trauma-Informed Care In The Educational Setting: An Exploratory Case Study , Natalie Lynne Smith

Urban Teachers Program: Culturally Responsive Middle School Teachers Describe Their Competencies , Kristina Sterling

The Benefits And Barriers To Arts Integration: Arts Accessibility In Public Montessori , Heather Teems

How African American College Graduates Who Attended An Early College Describe The Benefits , Reginald L. Towns

Organizational Change In The Legal Education Environment: Institutional And Individual Responses To Times Of Crisis , Mary E. Wilson

Leadership Style And Subordinate Work Stress , Jennifer Yoho

Dissertations from 2020 2020

The Effect Of School Discipline Processes On Student Perceptions Of Personal Safety In Rural Middle Schools , Jaslene Atwal

Educator Perceptions Of Social-Emotional Learning Embedded In Academic Instruction To Improve Student Outcomes , Christopher T. Basta

Nontraditional University President: From Candidate To President , Mark J. Braun

Exploring The Sport Identity Of Female NCAA Division I Assistant Women’s Soccer Coaches , Kristin M. Cannon

Surviving Higher Education: Retention & Persistence Through The Lens Of Psychological Survivorship , David R. Cartwright

Relationship Of Procedural Justice And Public Satisfaction In A Sub-Urban Maine Community , Kevin J. Chabot

Implementing The SIOP Model To Support English Language Learners , Pamela T. Chandler

Examining The Relationship Between Teacher Stress And Disruptive Student Behavior , Sidney Crudup II

The Effectiveness Of Read 180 At A Cooperative High School In New England (CHSNE) , Michael E. Daboul

Program Director Support For Adjunct Faculty In The Promotion Of Student Success , Nicholas Anthony DeJosia

COVID-19: Descriptive Case Study Of A K-8 School District’s Abrupt Transition To Remote Learning From A Traditional In-Person Model , Matthew C. Ferreira

Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Observation, Coaching, And Feedback Cycle , Susan B. Ficke

Soft-Skill Development In Co-Curricular Programs: An Evaluation Of A Community College Student Leadership Program , Michael James Fischer

First-Generation College Students: Examining The Perceived Impact Of Roommate Pairings , Jodie Ruth Hurley Gay

Understanding The Importance Of Formative Assessment Programs In Undergraduate Medical Education , Matthew Gentile

A Comparative Analysis Of Tardiness Policies Of Elementary Schools , Diana J. Goodwin

Ethical Considerations For Outpatient Behavioral Healthcare In North Texas , Carolyn B. Guillory

American Registry Of Radiologic Technologists Exam Preparation: A Case Study , Sarah E. Harradon

Building Student Development Through Creative Writing Workshops , Kerry C. Hoey

CLEW’d In: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Leaders Performing Clinical Learning Environment Walks (CLEWs) , Lisa Ingram Hutcherson

Stop-Out Factors For Nontraditional Students In Online Competency-Based Education Programs , Henry T. James

Designing Student Services: A Case Study Of Design Thinking At A University , Sukhwant S. Jhaj

Equal Access To Educational Opportunities In Texas: An Analysis Of English Language Learner Programs , Edna E. Johnson

Avoiding Cultural Calamities: Exploring The Influence Of Culture In Intercultural PLCs At An International School , Eric K. Johnson

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Homework Assignments Effective At Increasing Student Homework Completion , Jennifer E. Keck

A Brain-Based Approach To Educational Pedagogy , Troy M. Kennett

Cultivating Leaders: Professional Development Needs Of Community College Chairs , Heidi Kirkman

Competency-Based Education In A Postsecondary Setting: An Analysis Of Leadership Perception , Thomas D. Lescarbeau

The Influence Of Fraternity Membership On The Leadership Identity Development Of Latino Men Attending Primarily White Institutions (PWIs) , Francisco M. Lugo

The Tesol 6 Principles Of Exemplary Teaching Of English Learners: Perceived Effectiveness In The Community College Esl Classroom , Stephanie N. Marcotte

Motivation, Practice, And Self-Efficacy And Their Impact On The Development Of Musical Abilities , Eli Marcus

Occupational Therapy Student Preparedness For Clinical Fieldwork , Jean A. McCaffery

Barriers And Opportunities For Provision Of Specialized Programming For Rural, Low-Incidence Students , Eric McGough

Evaluating Leadership Development Through Experiential Learning In A Virtual Environment , Paul J. McKenney

A Phenomenological Study Of Emotion Amid Significant Organizational Change , Ian Menchini

An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of The Higher Education Anatomy Educational Software Mastering Anatomy & Physiology , Jason L. Moir

Androgynous Leadership: A Gender Balanced Approach To School Administration , Kristie Morin

The Student Placement Decision-Making Process: A Study Of Administrator Considerations , Jonathan Roland Normand

Physical Therapists’ Perceptions Of Leadership Orientations: An Exploratory Case Study , Theresa O'Neil

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Students’ Perceptions And Experiences: African American Students In Band And Orchestra Programs , Sharese Pearson-Bush

Latinx Student Development At An Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution In The Midwest , Gilberto Pérez Jr.

Parent Perception Of The Parent And Placement Team Process , Deborah Perry

Student Leadership Development: Accreditation Considerations For PharmD Programs , Cyndi Porter Fraser

Investigating Early Childhood Educators’ Experiences In Teaching Phonological Awareness: A Case Study , Kristine Reilly

Wellness Programming For Adults With Disabilities: A Qualitative Inquiry Of Stakeholders’ Perspectives , Courtney Roca

Knowledge And Access: An Investigation Into Course Material Models At The Collegiate Level , Jonathan David Sadhoo

Brain-Targeted Teaching As A Tool To Facilitate Implementing Mind Brain And Education Science Into Community College Pedagogy , Adrienne Seegers

The Value Of Food: A Small Rural School Cafeteria Budget Case Study , Rosie Rochelle Slentz

Examining The Challenges And Benefits Of Inclusion In Urban Secondary Schools , Jeff James Spaletta

Examining The Communication Strategies Utilized During An Organizational Change Within Universities’ Branch Campuses , Portia R. Stallworth

Promoting A Successful Transition To A Professional Career For Vocal Studies Graduates , David C. Strobbe

Curriculum Developers’ Experiences Adopting Assistive Technology In An Educator Preparation Program , Keisha Tipton

The Connection Of Academic Advising To College Student Identity Development , Kaela Urquhart

Student Perceptions Of Mathematical Mindset Influences , Jaclyn S. Vitale

International School Leadership: A Phenomenological Study Of Climate And Culture , Richard Webster

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How Ideology And Pedagogy Impact Technology Adoption In The Classroom, A Causal-Comparative Study , Christopher J. Bernard

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Dissertation Database

As the culminating experience of their graduate programs and with the guidance of the faculty, PhD students in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis are producing dissertations which contribute to the knowledge base regarding education and offer important insights about improving educational practices and policies. Listed below are ELPA PhD graduates with links to their dissertations.

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Steps to creating top notch dissertation.

• Higher mathematics PhD dissertation
• Sociology thesis proposal
• Doctoral thesis about innovation

List Of Impressive PhD Thesis Topics About Leadership

Leadership is one of the few things that keep us going in life. We have seen examples of great leaders that have made several sacrifices at great levels and have rose through the ranks. If you are to write a paper on this subject, there will certainly be a few things that you will have to account for. While there are certain elements that need to be considered in detail, you will have to be extremely careful about the selection of topic.

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Selecting a topic on leadership is one of the most difficult things about the job in general. You will understand that there are several topics on which people have already written a lot on leadership. You can still choose one of these topics and be sure about what you are writing in the first place or use a thesis generator for creating custom thesis topics. So here are a few topics that you might find useful when writing about leadership.

Impressive thesis topics for PhD

• Development and balancing of leadership: the fundamentals and beyond
• Professional growth and self-insight: development of leadership
• What would be the future of leadership without motivation?
• Executive and inclusive practices that help in building all-round leadership around us
• Managing human resources and a few evolving practices that are doing the rounds
• Leadership issues: the contemporary mess created all around
• Is self-discipline a viable alternative to leadership? State a few tenets that can be followed
• A short handbook on leadership: what needs to be corrected now?
• The role of ethnicity and discourse in leadership
• Full articles and text books in leadership development: what matters and what does not?
• The persisting economic management styles in economy of the world
• The definition of a leader: what qualities make a leader in any field?
• The role of tradition and culture in determination of business culture
• Leadership in multi-leadership business organizations: where are we faltering?
• CEO: the term that defines leadership in the corporates
• The underlying controversies about some of the most charismatic leaders of our times
• Some attributes that all charismatic leaders share in common

Differences in gender and development of charismatic leadership

You are always free to choose new and preferably self-made topics about leadership. These are just a few pointers that will help you gain better understanding of the subject as a whole. Another great way is to read books on leadership. You will be able to extract several new topic ideas for your PhD thesis on leadership.

Education Leadership (online)

Graduate Program

The Master’s in Education (Ed.M.) prepares students with the skills needed to change the world through education. The online Master’s in Education Leadership is a part-time, two-year Ed.M. program from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with Higher Education and PreK-12 pathways. The program is specifically designed for working education professionals who bring at least seven years of relevant or transferrable work experience. Through this program, students will strengthen the invaluable skills they’ve already developed and develop the tools to propel themselves to new leadership opportunities and to even greater impact.

New leadership roles at UChicago Medicine: Emily Chase, Alesia Coe and Deval Daily

The University of Chicago Medicine announced a series of leadership promotions this spring as part of the growing academic health system’s efforts to transform and advance its patient care and the consumer experience and improve its processes to deliver high-quality care.

The changes come as UChicago Medicine continues to expand its footprint across the Chicagoland region.

In the past year, the health system broke ground to build the state’s first and only  standalone structure dedicated to cancer care and research , in addition to opening a new location in Northbrook  for urogynecology and women’s health care, as well as two new primary care locations in Cottage Grove  and Kenwood .

In April, UChicago Medicine opened a new multispecialty care center in Northwest Indiana . The Crown Point facility houses one of only two comprehensive cancer centers in Indiana. Last year, the health system also acquired four regional oncology centers from Michiana Hematology Oncology.

Among the new changes in leadership:

Emily Chase, PhD, RN, NE-BC, FACHE

Executive Vice President and UCMC Chief Operating Officer

Emily Chase has been named Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Chicago Medical Center, the hub of the University of Chicago health system.

Chase, who joined the organization in 2011, has served as UCMC’s Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services since 2020. From June 2022 until March 2023, she was also Interim President and CEO at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey. Chase previously worked as Vice President of UChicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital.

In her new role, Chase will continue to oversee many clinical functions, including nursing, but from a different vantage point in the organization.

Chase earned her doctorate in nursing from the University of Illinois Chicago and received a bachelor of science in nursing from St. Mary’s College in Indiana.

Alesia Coe, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE

Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer

Alesia Coe has been named UCMC’s Vice President, Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, replacing Chase.

Coe was previously Vice President for Adult Inpatient/Emergency Services and Associate Chief Nursing Officer at UChicago Medicine, where she directed the nursing staff and programs for the adult inpatient units in medicine, surgery, cardiology, orthopaedics, neurology, dialysis, multispecialty areas and emergency services.

She joined UChicago Medicine in 2018 as Associate Chief Nursing Officer and Executive Director of Adult Inpatient Hospitals. Prior to her work at the academic health system, Coe was System Associate Nurse Executive, Inpatient Services for Cook County Health.

In 2022, Coe received a fellowship from the Carol Emmott Foundation, which recognizes women making an impact as healthcare executives.

Coe earned her undergraduate and graduate nursing degrees from Saint Xavier University and her doctorate in nursing from the University of Alabama.

Deval Daily

Chief Operational Transformation Officer

Deval Daily has joined UChicago Medicine as the health system's Chief Operational Transformation Officer, working to oversee the Operational Excellence and Quality Performance Improvement teams. She will also collaborate with leaders across the health system on operational integration and strategic initiatives.

Daily joins UChicago Medicine from Rush University Medical Center, where she was Chief Administrative Officer for multiple service lines and was most recently its Vice President of Operational Excellence.

As a healthcare executive with more than a decade of progressive experience in operations and service line development, Daily previously managed multiple, complex departments and is skilled at enhancing performance, reducing costs, optimizing revenue capture, increasing productivity and more.

Daily earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and her master of science in health system management from Rush University.

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How Your Ph.D. Prepares You to Be an Entrepreneur

You can deploy skills you develop as a grad student and postdoc in a variety of careers, including working for a start-up or founding your own, Chris Smith writes.

By  Chris Smith

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Innovation has become a hot topic in economic circles over the past few years. In March 2022, the United States’ National Science Foundation created its first new directorate in over 30 years : Technology, Innovation and Partnerships , or TIP. The passing of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 helped fund the directorate, the mission of which is to “advance U.S. competitiveness​ and societal impact by nurturing partnerships that​ drive and accelerate diverse innovation ecosystems, technology translation and development, and workforce development.” The U.S. is investing heavily in research and innovation—which you can take advantage of as a Ph.D. researcher working in academia or beyond.

Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars already contribute much to research and innovation in the United States through their work on a variety of projects supported by the federal government and industry partners. But despite that fact, few consider a career focused on the leading edge of innovation: entrepreneurship.

Being willing to push the boundaries of human knowledge and forge new ideas into products is essential for entrepreneurs. And to secure backing, entrepreneurs must also work to articulate the value they and their products bring to individuals, organizations and the nation. Fortunately, plenty of resources are available to assist in those efforts, although many graduate students and postdocs may not be aware of them.

To encourage more technology commercialization and entrepreneurship, in the latter half of the 20th century the federal government established two funding programs for academics and others seeking to either move full-time to a start-up company or obtain funding to develop and commercialize new technologies. The Small Business Innovation Research program supports the growth of start-up companies, while the Small Business Technology Transfer program is aimed at technology commercialization.

Both the National Institutes of Health and NSF fund grants from both programs, and both offer a variety of other mechanisms to foster an innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem in the United States. In addition, NIH provides numerous resources to educate people about entrepreneurship and special programs like the Small Business Transition Grant for New Entrepreneurs (see a webinar on the program here ), which helps researchers interested in transitioning to entrepreneurship via a mentor.

American universities also offer an increasing number of programs that either focus on training Ph.D.s for careers in the technology transfer space or assist them in learning how to commercialize technological and other innovations coming from their research work, as our Innovation Postdoctoral Fellowship here at Virginia Tech seeks to do. In addition, NSF’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps) provides a seven-week experiential training program that prepares scientists and engineers to extend their focus beyond the university laboratory and toward commercialization by engaging in customer discovery and other activities. Such programs can be a bridge between traditional academic research and exploring an entrepreneurial career or employment in the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Many academics may mistakenly believe that entrepreneurial skills are only relevant if one is planning to run a start-up company. Yet most faculty members running research groups at large universities are effectively leading small businesses inside their institutions. They must articulate a value proposition to get hired and ultimately secure funding for their research. In addition, most faculty leaders or principal investigators are in charge of hiring those who work in their labs and must manage these individuals and their projects toward a larger, common goal. A faculty leader must create a vision for their group and think strategically about how the various projects align toward both short- and long-term goals. This is entrepreneurship in an academic research context.

And just as an entrepreneurial mindset is essential to a successful academic career, it is also extremely useful for any scholar looking to create their own company, independent of their institution.

Entrepreneurial Skills From Your Ph.D. or Postdoc

Ph.D. training offers graduate students and postdocs many experiences to help them navigate entrepreneurship and/or working in a start-up company, such as the following.

• Project planning and management. Completing a doctoral dissertation involves extensive project planning and management skills, from ideation to execution and dissemination. This directly translates to the ability to plan and manage large projects as an entrepreneur.
• Independent work. Ph.D. students, and especially postdocs, often work independently with minimal oversight, building the drive and accountability needed to accomplish tasks without rigid external deadlines—a crucial skill for entrepreneurs.
• Networking and collaboration. Entrepreneurs thrive on networking. Similarly, Ph.D. students and postdocs benefit from building strong connections—engaging with industry professionals, attending conferences and collaborating across disciplines to enhance their network. Such connections can lead to job opportunities, collaborations and funding.

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• Thirst for knowledge. A core requirement for a Ph.D. is an insatiable desire to learn and expand one’s knowledge base. Entrepreneurs must constantly step out of their comfort zones and learn new skills, making this thirst for learning invaluable for Ph.D.s and postdocs looking to focus on entrepreneurship as a career.
• Research skills. Doctoral training equips individuals with the ability to seek out, evaluate and synthesize quality information from various sources—a vital skill when navigating the unfamiliar territories of entrepreneurship.
• Curiosity about the big questions. Starting a business requires asking and answering big questions about target audiences, value propositions and strategic direction. Ph.D.s are trained to take disparate information and craft cohesive narratives to address complex inquiries. Successful entrepreneurs do the same.
• Problem-solving. Overcoming research obstacles and failed experiments hones problem-solving abilities in Ph.D.s and postdocs. As entrepreneurs constantly face new challenges, this skill is indispensable for finding innovative solutions.
• Resilience and adaptability. Entrepreneurship involves risk-taking and overcoming failures. Ph.D. students and postdocs learn resilience by navigating setbacks. This adaptability prepares them for a dynamic marketplace for their products and ideas and the post-Ph.D. job market itself, where flexibility and the ability to pivot are critical.

In essence, the rigorous training and self-driven nature of doctoral programs and postdoc positions cultivate skills like project management, working both independently and collaboratively, learning agility, strategic thinking and problem-solving—all of which are invaluable assets for successful entrepreneurship. The key to honing these skills is taking increased agency in your projects so that you learn all aspects of the process of identifying a gap in knowledge or application, scoping out the current landscape of that area and working toward a solution. It is certainly not easy work, but it can help you in graduate school, postdoctoral training and beyond.

In sum, by embracing an entrepreneurial mindset in your job search, you identify opportunities in industry, start-ups, government or nonprofits or create your own position through entrepreneurship. And even if you don’t decide to go that direction, innovative thinking and treating one’s career development like a start-up can propel you to professional growth and success. The fact that cultivating the entrepreneurial skills I’ve described can also be significantly helpful for an academic researcher means leaning into them is a win-win for any graduate student or postdoc.

Chris Smith is the postdoctoral affairs program administrator at Virginia Tech. He serves on the National Postdoctoral Association’s Board of Directors and is a member of the Graduate Career Consortium—an organization providing an international voice for graduate-level career and professional development leaders.

Career Prep Tip: Creating Meaningful Job-Shadow Experiences

Short-term on-the-job experiences can promote career exploration among students and help them determine paths after g

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Call or Text the Maternal Mental Health Hotline

Parents: don’t struggle alone

The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides free, confidential mental health support. Pregnant people, moms, and new parents can call or text any time, every day.

Start a call: 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262)

Text now: 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262)

Use TTY: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 , then 1-833-852-6262 .

Learn more about the Hotline

• Programs & Impact
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• Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development
• Workforce Development Projects

Maternal and Child Health Nutrition Training Program

Project profile.

Barbara Laraia, PhD, MPH, RD Phone: 510-643-7896 Email: [email protected]

Goals and objectives:

The state of California is the largest and most diverse US state. California has one of the lowest nutrition to population ratios, is facing a critical shortfall for nutritionists and registered dietitians, and must diversify its workforce. Over 23% of the state leadership are projected to have retired. This Training program will train short, medium and long-term MCH Nutrition leaders with the skills to identify, implement, monitor and evaluate programs and policies to promote optimal nutrition for women, children, and families with a focus on critical developmental periods and social disparities. Proposed Services: The training will focus on key Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) and Title V objectives such as nutrition during pregnancy, education and promotion of breastfeeding, combatting child obesity, and addressing household food insecurity. To do this, training at UC Berkeley focuses on a lifecourse perspective - understanding how nutritional needs at critical periods of growth and development influence health trajectories - and an intergenerational approach - how nutrition influences reproductive health in the grandmother may determine infant outcomes in the grand-daughter. Because contemporary nutrition issues are complex and multilayered, involving individual behaviors and stressors, family dynamics, economic inputs, community and school environments, and food and nutrition policy, we train students in research methods; systems level critical thinking skills; and policy analysis. In addition to courses in diet and disease, maternal and child health and nutrition, and nutritional epidemiology, we also have courses in nutrition policy and food systems. For example, in the Nutrition Policy Field Experience two-day course in Sacramento, CA, students learn how food and nutrition policy is created and implemented in a real world setting. In this MCH Nutrition training program, students will engage in lactation and breastfeeding education training through online modules and funding to become a Lactation Educator. Trainees will complete community-based fieldwork in a maternal and child related area. Clinical experiences and interdisciplinary training will be provided through placements at UC San Francisco. Trainees and MCH leaders will participate in several high-level research and practice conferences, symposium and seminars for training and continuing education. Major events include: 1) The annual MCH Training Grant national meeting; 2) The annual meeting of the Nutrition Leadership Network that trains state level dietitians and nutritionists in emerging topics in nutrition and leadership skills; 3) PHN and MCH CoE Research Symposium; 4) Networking and collaborative opportunities with trainees, faculty, and partners in other MCHB programs. Populations Served: The MCH Nutrition Leadership Training grant aims to provide training in leadership development for Registered Dietitians and Nutritionists matriculated in the 1- or 2- year MPH program and doctoral students seeking a public health nutrition concentration at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Training and continuing education is provided to key MCH Nutrition leaders throughout the western region. Technical support is provided to MCH Nutrition programs at the local and state level.