Developing competence: A qualitative inquiry of college student leadership in university outdoor orientation programs

Forty-nine formal research studies have been conducted on participants of college outdoor orientation programs. Although many variables have been examined for the incoming students, only one study has focused on the impact on the student leaders. The goal of this study was to understand how student leaders in outdoor orientation programs understand the impact of their leadership experience, and what aspects of the leadership role fostered value or personal significance. The study also investigated whether there were any notable differences between leadership experiences in faith-based versus non-faith-based programs. Data was collected from 36 first-time student leaders from 4 programs using a post-trip response essay & an in-depth interview with each student. Findings indicate that students place high value on the leadership experiences, and perceived benefits of the leadership role are shared across the four programs examined in this study. Prominent thematic findings are presented as a 4-stage model of the trip leaders experiences. Student respondents believe the outdoor leadership experience shaped their identity in three major ways. First, the most commonly described change is increased confidence; this refers to the belief in one\u27s personal capability to be successful in the face of adversity; one\u27s belief in the value of his or her perspective, leading to an ability to exercise his or her voice appropriately; and one\u27s belief in his or her proficiency for leadership. Second, students recognize a change in interpersonal growth, described by a better ability to work well with others and facilitate social situations. The third change was reported only by students at the two Christian colleges. Within the faith-based programs, students reported experiencing spiritual growth. According to the themes generated in this study, outdoor orientation program student leaders report accelerated growth in at least four of Chickering and Reisser\u27s (1993) seven vectors: developing competence, managing emotions, moving through autonomy toward interdependence, and developing mature interpersonal relationships. The outdoor leadership experience was highly valued by the student leaders and perceived as a significant growth experience. Outdoor orientation programs may have a beneficial impact on the growth of leaders as well as participants

Quantitative analysis of powder mixtures by raman spectrometry : the influence of particle size and its correction

Particle size distribution and compactness have significant confounding effects on Raman signals of powder mixtures, which cannot be effectively modeled or corrected by traditional multivariate linear calibration methods such as partial least-squares (PLS), and therefore greatly deteriorate the predictive abilities of Raman calibration models for powder mixtures. The ability to obtain directly quantitative information from Raman signals of powder mixtures with varying particle size distribution and compactness is, therefore, of considerable interest In this study, an advanced quantitative Raman calibration model was developed to explicitly account for the confounding effects of particle size distribution and compactness on Raman signals of powder mixtures. Under the theoretical guidance of the proposed Raman calibration model, an advanced dual calibration strategy was adopted to separate the Raman contributions caused by the changes in mass fractions of the constituents in powder mixtures from those induced by the variations in the physical properties of samples, and hence achieve accurate quantitative determination for powder mixture samples. The proposed Raman calibration model was applied to the quantitative analysis of backscatter Raman measurements of a proof-of-concept model system of powder mixtures consisting of barium nitrate and potassium chromate. The average relative prediction error of prediction obtained by the proposed Raman calibration model was less than one-third of the corresponding value of the best performing PLS model for mass fractions of barium nitrate in powder mixtures with variations in particle size distribution, as well as compactness

Giving up the Single Life: Leadership Motivations for Interorganizational Restructuring in Nonprofit Organizations

This paper addresses a gap in our understanding of why leaders of nonprofit organizations pursue interorganizational restructuring (defined as mergers and similar arrangements). It draws on several theories that explain interorganizational relations as adaptive responses to environmental conditions. The study analyzes four examples of interorganizational restructuring involving 11 nonprofit human service organizations. The research finds that theories emphasizing single-factor motivations (such as the need for resources, power, legitimacy, or greater efficiency) are incomplete; a multiple-factors approach suggested by Oliver\u27s (1991) integrated theory of interorganizational relations provides a more satisfactory basis for theory development. Researchers can use this work to develop a more complete understanding of interorganizational restructuring as a phenomenon; practitioners can use it to inform strategy development

Means versus ends in opaque institutional fields: Trading off compliance and achievement in sustainability standard adoption

__Abstract__ The long-standing discussion on decoupling has recently moved from adopters not implementing the agreed-upon policies to compliant adopters not achieving the goals intended by institutional entrepreneurs. This “means-ends decoupling” prevails especially in highly opaque fields, where practices, causality, and performance are hard to understand and chart. I conceptualize the conditions under which the adoption of institutions in relatively opaque fields leads to the achievement of the envisaged goals. Voluntary sustainability standards governing socioenvironmental issues illustrate these arguments. I argue that the lack of field transparency drives institutional entrepreneurs to create and maintain concrete and uniform rules, apply strong incentives, and disseminate “best practices” to ensure substantive adopter compliance. However, such rigid institutions are ill-equipped to deal with the causal complexity and practice multiplicity underlying opacity while they smother adopter agency. The ensuing tension between substantive compliance and goal achievement leads to an inherent trade-off: institutional entrepreneurs who remedy the policy-practice decoupling may enhance the disparity between means and ends, and vice versa. While sustainability standards and other institutions in highly opaque fields can, therefore, not fully achieve the envisaged goals, the trade-off can be reduced through systemically designed institutions that promote goal internalization and contain niche institutions

Outdoor Orientation Leaders: The Effects of Peer Leadership

In this study, we investigated how student (peer) leaders of college outdoor orientation programs understand the effects of their leadership experience on personal growth and development. We collected data through in-depth interviews of 36 first-time student leaders at four colleges. Findings indicate that the majority of students at all four colleges placed high value on their leadership experiences. Students reported that the experience led to positive changes. The experiences of the leaders are explained in a four-stage model. Student leaders believe the outdoor leadership experience increased confidence to face adversity, increased confidence in exercising one’s voice appropriately, and increased leadership self-efficacy. Students also reported a positive change in interpersonal growth, describing a better ability to work well with others and facilitate social situations. Within faith-based programs, leaders also reported significant spiritual growth

The State of Knowledge of Outdoor Orientation Programs: Current Practices, Research, and Theory.

Outdoor orientation programs represent a prominent area of experiential education with over 25,000 participants annually. More than 191 outdoor orientation programs currently operate in the United States and Canada. The research examining outdoor orientation programs consists of 25 peer-reviewed published studies and 11 dissertations. A new theory explaining the success of these programs has emerged based on research and the belief that students experience a special sense of belongingness promoted by social dynamics found in these programs