Leadership and Conflict Resolution on the Production Line

Conflict between coworkers on the production line can be expensive as well as time consuming for companies. The business problem investigated in the study is the inability of supervisors on the production line to resolve conflict in nonunion companies, which, consequently, may lead to a drop in organizational productivity. Behaviors impacting shop floor productivity and performance were detected through miniethnographic and descriptive case study qualitative research methods through research of the production line leadership in a global company that manufactures kitchen and fireplace accessories. Results obtained from themes demonstrated that the production supervisor had some leader–member exchange leader characteristics including modeling behavior, individualized support of team members, resolving conflict in an appropriate manner that respected company culture and the existence of inner as well as outer circle members. Recommendations for future research included calling for additional empirical studies exploring the relationship between gender, diversity, and leader–member exchange effectiveness

Empowering Internal Stakeholders Through the Dissemination of Useful Information: A Review of Crisis Management Concepts

In this article, we define crisis management as not only a problem, but also an opportunity for leaders to be flexible, creative, and innovative that contributes to social change. In the past, organizational leaders often looked at crisis management as a quick fix or stopgap to business as usual. Empowering internal stakeholders and disseminating useful information that is relevant, valid, timely, and reliable to people within the organization can lead to crisis resolution at the closest point of action and contribute to social change. We look at the primary and secondary stakeholders and stewardship of the employees during the crisis and discuss crisis management as the action research process and the relationship to social change. Moreover, corporate social responsibility from the perspective of the for-profit business leader can be a marketing and branding effort to improve organizational performance from the crisis management process that also contributes to social change

How to Conduct a Mini-Ethnographic Case Study: A Guide for Novice Researchers

The authors present how to construct a mini-ethnographic case study design with the benefit of an ethnographic approach bounded within a case study protocol that is more feasible for a student researcher with limited time and finances. The novice researcher should choose a design that enables one to best answer the research question. Secondly, one should choose the design that assists the researcher in reaching data saturation. Finally, the novice researcher must choose the design in which one can complete the study within a reasonable time frame with minimal cost. This is particularly important for student researchers. One can blend study designs to be able to use the best of each design that can mitigate the limitations of each as well. The authors are experienced ethnographers who currently chair dissertation committees where a student has chosen a mini-ethnographic case study design

Are We There Yet? Data Saturation in Qualitative Research

Failure to reach data saturation has an impact on the quality of the research conducted and hampers content validity. The aim of a study should include what determines when data saturation is achieved, for a small study will reach saturation more rapidly than a larger study. Data saturation is reached when there is enough information to replicate the study when the ability to obtain additional new information has been attained, and when further coding is no longer feasible. The following article critiques two qualitative studies for data saturation: Wolcott (2004) and Landau and Drori (2008). Failure to reach data saturation has a negative impact on the validity on one’s research. The intended audience is novice student researchers

A Near Miss: The Lived Experiences of Telecommunication Technicians’ Injurious Accidents and Near Misses

Due to a dearth in the literature, this study was conducted to explore the lived experiences of telecommunication field technicians who have experienced near miss and injurious accidents. Using protection motivation theory (PMT), we sought to explore if, after an accident, a technician would alter behaviors and insights regarding safety practices while executing their job duties. Participants for this qualitative phenomenological study included six telecommunication technicians with an average of 19 years’ experience and who had experienced an injurious or near miss accident at work. Findings suggested that after experiencing such an event, technicians demonstrated PMT characteristics including a heightened perception of the severity and probability of a threatening event. Technicians also hold themselves and crew members accountable for safety, believe the industry views worker safety as inconsequential, and that companies and oversight entities should be accountable for enforcement of workplace practices. While many factors influence workplace safety, adopting and enforcing a safety climate that encourages safety practices, quality training, and employee input into the safety climate of the organization, could result in lower injurious accident or near miss accident rate, larger profit margins, and also create a culture of safety that is supported and sustained by employees

Why Culture Matters in Business Research

Organizations today are changing rapidly due to technology, globalization, and cutting-edge production, subsequently morphing into new structures and workflow processes. Organizations are becoming more diverse in terms of gender, age, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. The business workplace is not the melting pot that many were taught about, but that of the ethnic salad, blended yet distinct. The core of organizational composition worldwide still remains within the human resource realm for a shared and cohesive culture is behind the success of every company. The study of workplace culture is important for business research to ascertain the construct of the successful organization. The article begins with a discussion about culture, relates culture to the workplace, and ends relating important business research to workplace culture. The intended audience is business management majors and instructors

The Ethical Implications of Plagiarism and Ghostwriting in an Open Society

Plagiarism is the theft of intellectual property. Plagiarism has been a problem in academic settings and appears to be on the increase, now moving into areas including the medical and scientific fields as well as industry, manufacturing, military, and legal briefs. The ethical implications can have serious consequences for organizations, individuals, and society, resulting in harm being done to others in favor of expediency. In this scholarly essay, the authors explore and discuss the ethical implications of plagiarism and the increase of ghostwriting in a free society through the writings of Kant, Popper, Kostenbaum, Plato, Whedbee, and others. The conclusion is that the act of stealing is not the true crime; rather, it is the act of deception that inflicts moral harm on all parties by damaging the reputation of self and others, insulting others’ intelligence, and harming the integrity of all. The intended audience is students in their first year of a doctoral program

The Ethical Implications of Plagiarism and Ghostwriting in an Open Society

Plagiarism is the theft of intellectual property. Plagiarism has been a problem in academic settings and appears to be on the increase, now moving into areas including the medical and scientific fields as well as industry, manufacturing, military, and legal briefs. The ethical implications can have serious consequences for organizations, individuals, and society, resulting in harm being done to others in favor of expediency. In this scholarly essay, the authors explore and discuss the ethical implications of plagiarism and the increase of ghostwriting in a free society through the writings of Kant, Popper, Kostenbaum, Plato, Whedbee, and others. The conclusion is that the act of stealing is not the true crime; rather, it is the act of deception that inflicts moral harm on all parties by damaging the reputation of self and others, insulting others’ intelligence, and harming the integrity of all. The intended audience is students in their first year of a doctoral program

Are We There Yet? Data Saturation in Qualitative Research

Failure to reach data saturation has an impact on the quality of the research conducted and hampers content validity. The aim of a study should include what determines when data saturation is achieved, for a small study will reach saturation more rapidly than a larger study. Data saturation is reached when there is enough information to replicate the study when the ability to obtain additional new information has been attained, and when further coding is no longer feasible. The following article critiques two qualitative studies for data saturation: Wolcott (2004) and Landau and Drori (2008). Failure to reach data saturation has a negative impact on the validity on one’s research. The intended audience is novice student researcher

Tribal Gaming Leader Strategies toward a Sustainable Future

One aspect of leadership strategy is the need to account for the core values of the organization.The purpose of this case study was to explore the tribal gaming leader strategies used toward sustainability, an action that leads to tribal economic development and stability. The conceptual framework of situational leadership theory was used to guide the scope and analysis of this study. Six tribal gaming leaders from Oklahoma participated in a focus group session; 7 additional tribal gaming leaders from the same gaming organization participated in individual interview sessions. Member checking was used to strengthen the credibility and trustworthiness of the interpretation of the participants’ responses. Additionally, company documents were reviewed to triangulate the data. Four emergent themes were identified after data analysis: business value, which was attributed to tribal leaders’ alignment to their mission; strategic vision, which included their marketing and overall business environment; collaboration, which was evident wherein the tribal gaming leaders utilized internal and external partnerships to improve local communities and maintain competitive advantage; and communication, which was emphasized for its importance as a daily skill for information sharing