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Influences on federal manager’s telework decisions: A systematic review of the literature
No full textThis presentation will focus on what factors guide federal government managers’ decisions to support telework
programs.Non-Cognitive Predictors of Student Success:
A Predictive Validity Comparison Between Domestic and International Students
Federal Managers prohibit
telework due to a lack of trust,
technology and employee
performance measuring. Non-Cognitive Predictors of Student Success:
A Predictive Validity Comparison Between Domestic and International Students
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download the poster
PRESENTER: Joeletta Patrick
Mentor: Dr. Denise Breckon
Influences on Federal Manager’s
Telework Decisions: A
Systematic Review of the
Literature
Problem Statement
Federal agencies and private companies are
competing to attract and retain talent which
has led to the implementation of work-life
programs such as telework.
• The research on the productivity of
teleworkers is mixed.
• Office of Personnel Management (2018)
reports that federal managers are hesitant
and resistant to implementing telework
programs.
• Telework allowance decision has
implications on fairness, work coordination,
retention, motivation, and task completions
(Beham et al., 2015).
Research Question
RQ – What factors guide federal government
managers’ decisions to support telework
programs?
Methodology
Clarifying the Problem and Research Question
Explore the problem space and formulate a review question and scope
Appraising
the quality of
articles and
define
inclusion and
exclusion
criteria
Synthesizing
the extracted
data and
describing the
findings
Conclusion and
Recommendations
Engaging
stakeholders to
interpret and make
use of the evidence
Finding
the
relevant
studies
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW (Gough, Oliver, & Thomas, 2017)
Data Findings
Total Factors 16 – Top 5 (not a ranking order)
• Trust
• Technology
• Disruption of Work
• Preconceived Notions
• Supportive Manager’s Attitudes
PRISMA
Synthesizing
Implications for Practitioners
A decision-making tool that will:
• Help managers clarify the option of telework
for employees that will benefit the
organization.
• Improve managers’ responsiveness to
employee work-life balance needs through
telework.
• Reduce bias concerning telewor
Cultural intelligence: Amplifying success for international mergers and acquisitions executives
No full textThis presentation explores what cultural intelligence strategies multinational enterprises’ top management teams can employ to successfully execute international mergers and acquisitions.Cultural Intelligence: Amplifying Success for International Mergers and Acquisitions Executives
Selena A. Ramkeesoon
The Problem for M&A Executives
The Evidence
RQ and Propositions
Methodology
Conceptual Model
Implications for Practitioners
Implications for Scholars
2018 M&As Worldwide
Transactions: ~49,000
Total value: ~$3.8 trillion
Multinational enterprises use mergers and acquisitions (M&As) for rapid expansion. Although the failure rate can be as high as 70% to 90%, executives still pursue this strategy.
Cultural intelligence (CQ): An individual’s capability to function and manage effectively in culturally diverse settings (Early & Ang, 2003).
Examining how CQ affects the M&A continuum can mprovesuccess rates.
RQ: What are the cultural intelligence strategies that multinational enterprises’ top management teamscanemploy to successfully execute international mergers and acquisitions?
P1: Cultural intelligence is pertinent to the mergers and acquisitions process and organizational outcomes.
P2: Cultural intelligence strategies influence the pre-and post-phases of the mergers and acquisitions process.
P3: Cultural intelligence strategies positively impact international mergers and acquisitions.
Evidence-based Research: Systematic Review
Theoretical Lens: Social Cognitive Theory
Evidence Identification: EBSCO/UMUC OneSearch; ProQuest ABI/INFORM
Data Extraction: PRISMA
Quality Appraisal: Weight of Evidence, TAPUPAS
Analysis and Synthesis: NVivo Coding, Configurative Review, Narrative Thematic Synthesis
P1: Significant relationship between CQ and M&A continuum.
P2: CQ strategies positively influence the pre-and post-M&A phases.
P3: CQ strategies positively impact international M&As with improved organizational outcomes.
Pre-M&A: Individual CQ strategies improve intercultural negotiations.
Post-M&A: Implementing individual and organizational CQ strategies can serve as underlying strategies to successfully execute international M&As.
SR enhances managers’ understanding of how to leverage CQ strategies to successfully execute international M&As in the pre-and post-integration phases.
Managers use findings to identify and execute applicable CQ strategies for international M&As.
TMTs can use findings to tailor learning/training opportunities, emphasizing development of CQ capabilities.
SR contributes to research on CQ and M&As; shows how CQ strategies can be applied to international M&As.
Findings emphasize the importance of CQ along the M&A continuum—especially in multifaceted global pursuits, such as international M&As.
Use conceptual model to better understand how CQ dimensions can be effectively employed for successful international M&As.
Primary Advisor: Dr. Sharon G. Hadary
Result
Strategies to improve sterile processing operational efficiency
No full textThe Medical Center has experienced challenges with policies and procedures that
impact operation efficiency. Sterile Processing Technicians play a critical role in the
delivery of quality patient care supporting the operating rooms, emergency room, labor
delivery, ancillary clinics, and inpatient units with a healthcare organization. Sterile
Processing Departments contribute to quality healthcare outcomes, preventing surgical
site infections, and hospital readmissions which link to the bottom-line. The work
performed by the SPD technicians is extremely important because the department
contributes to the overall success of perioperative services division which is considered
the economic engine of the hospital.
Kotter’s 8-Step Model served as the primary theoretical framework; along with
Systems thinking, and Appreciative Inquiry to develop strategies that can improve the
sterile processing department. This project utilized standards of the Association of Talent
Development (ATD) and International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) to
conduct a systematic review of processes and procedures aimed to optimize the
performance of the department. The project includes a literature review, needs analysis,
qualitative data collection plan and analysis, intervention design, and recommendations
for improvement.
This capstone project involved all stakeholders including healthcare
administrators, nurses, and technicians to investigate opportunities that will improve the
Sterile Processing Department. The recommendations for improvement will be detailed
in the change management plan deliverable.STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE STERILE PROCESSING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY
by
Kevin M Bush Jr.
TODD D. CHESTER, PhD, Faculty Mentor and Chair
TIMOTHY BROCK, PhD, Committee Member
JOHN KLOCINSKI, PhD, Committee Member
Heather Welzant, PhD, Dean, School of Education
A Doctoral Capstone Project Presented in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Education
Capella University
July, 2019
© Kevin M. Bush Jr., 2019
Abstract
The Medical Center has experienced challenges with policies and procedures that impact operation efficiency. Sterile Processing Technicians play a critical role in the delivery of quality patient care supporting the operating rooms, emergency room, labor delivery, ancillary clinics, and inpatient units with a healthcare organization. Sterile Processing Departments contribute to quality healthcare outcomes, preventing surgical site infections, and hospital readmissions which link to the bottom-line. The work performed by the SPD technicians is extremely important because the department contributes to the overall success of perioperative services division which is considered the economic engine of the hospital.
Kotter’s 8-Step Model served as the primary theoretical framework; along with Systems thinking, and Appreciative Inquiry to develop strategies that can improve the sterile processing department. This project utilized standards of the Association of Talent Development (ATD) and International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) to conduct a systematic review of processes and procedures aimed to optimize the performance of the department. The project includes a literature review, needs analysis, qualitative data collection plan and analysis, intervention design, and recommendations for improvement.
This capstone project involved all stakeholders including healthcare administrators, nurses, and technicians to investigate opportunities that will improve the Sterile Processing Department. The recommendations for improvement will be detailed in the change management plan deliverable. iii
Dedication
First and foremost, I would like to thank God for allowing me to fulfill my full potential and become a blessing to my family and community. Special thanks to my mother Irene Desmond for her unconditional love and support; without you this doctoral journey would not have been possible. While I struggled confused about what to do with my life you presented two options; military or college. You knew I had no choice but college because the military would not accept me with asthma and a heart murmur.
I want to thank the many people and institutions that have supported me on my journey in healthcare leadership. There were times when I felt there was not seat at the table for me in senior leadership in corporate; however, I was inspired by various leaders to never forget the many shoulders I stand upon. I would like to acknowledge my family for allowing me to work unlimited hours on my personal quest for knowledge and continuous self-improvement. Most of all, I appreciate my grandmother Yvonne R. Guarte, who answered my every inquiry all day and night as a child. You are and will forever be my inspiration and motivation for learning. I know that you are smiling proud and watching over me.
iv
Acknowledgments
Thank you to all the professors that have imparted their knowledge and wisdom throughout my doctoral program. I would still be at milestone one without my faculty mentor, chair, and champion - Dr. Todd D. Chester. I could not have completed this doctoral process without your motivation, humor, and encouragement. You were always there to guide me in the right direction, even if it took me six revisions. Also, I would like think my committee members Dr. Timothy Brock and Dr. John Klocinski for your guidance through the doctoral capstone process.
I appreciate the institution that sponsored my doctoral capstone project and the executive leadership that dedicated resources.
v
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments iv
List of Tables vii
List of Figures viii
SECTION 1. BACKGROUND 1
Overview of Doctoral Capstone Project 1
Alignment to the Specialization 1
Problem Statement and Purpose of the Deliverable 2
Evidence/Data Used to Establish Rationale for Deliverable 3
Historical Background of the Problem 3
Organizational Context 4
Theoretical Framework 6
Other Scholarly Literature 10
Ethical Considerations 14
SECTION 2. PROCESS 19
Introduction 19
Project Design/Method 20
Project Outcomes 24
Development Process 24
Evaluation Plan 31
SECTION 3. APPLICATION 34
Introduction 34
Application and Benefits 34 vi
Target Audience 35
Institution/Setting 35
Beyond the Local Setting 35
Implications for the Professional Specialization 35
Relevant Outcomes and Findings 38
Recommendations 53
Conclusion 56
REFERENCES 58
APPENDICES 66
Appendix A – Interview Guide 66
Appendix B – Meeting Agendas 67
Appendix C – Change Management Plan Survey 69
Appendix D – Thematic Coding Raw Data 71
STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL WORK
vii
List of Tables
Table 1. Sterile Processing Technicians and Management Unstructured Interview Participation 37
Table 2. Coding Report through Data Analysis 39
Table 3. Alignment of Themes and Sub-categories 41
viii
List of Figures
Figure 1. Kotter’s 8 Step Process 7
Figure 2. General Systems Theory 8
Figure 3. Appreciative Inquiry 4D-Cycle 9
Figure 4. Logic Model 32
Figure 5. Chart for patient safety culture subthemes 42
Figure 6. Chart for recommendations for improvement subthemes 45
Figure 7. Returned instrument trays and case carts from the operating room 47
Figure 8. Loaner instrument shipped from external vendors. 47
Figure 9. Chart for change culture and organizational readiness subthemes 49
Figure 10. Post Change Management Plan Survey 55
Page 9 of 146
SECTION 1. BACKGROUND
Overview of Doctoral Capstone Project
This capstone project aimed to advance the practice of performance improvement leadership by developing recommendations that can improve the Sterile Processing Department’s operational inefficiencies through development of a change management plan. The Sterile Processing Departments improvement can be linked to improved patient care outcomes, quality, and the bottom-line finances. The change management plan will be used to guide the implementation of effective and efficient processes for the Sterile Processing Department. This project will utilize standards of the Association of Talent Development (ATD) and International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) to conduct a systematic review of processes and procedures aimed to optimize the performance of the department. This assessment will involve all stakeholders including healthcare administrators, nurses, and technicians to investigate opportunities that will improve the Sterile Processing Department. This capstone project will inform process improvement professionals, regulatory professions, sterile processing professionals, and healthcare administrators regarding the benefits of interdisciplinary healthcare collaboration to foster process improvement initiatives in the sterile processing department and create sustainability.
Alignment to the Specialization
The deliverable followed the standards set forth by Capella University for doctoral capstone projects. This project utilized International Society for Performance Improvement Standards in conducting a systematic review of processes and procedures that impact sterile Page 10 of 146
processing operations (ISPI, 2017). The purpose of this deliverable is to demonstrate the ability to conduct research and explain the purpose, findings, methodology, and new knowledge gained (Capella, 2017). Research has shown that capstones allow students to apply and integrate knowledge learned in their field of expertise (Kenzie, 2013). This capstone project will investigate problems within the organization, develop interventions, develop a change management plan, and evaluate the effectiveness of the change management process using the doctoral project guidelines.
I selected Kotter’s 8-Step Model (Kotter, 1996) to create organizational change for this capstone project because it can be used to engage the stakeholders and develop interventions to optimize the Sterile Processing Department’s performance. Kotter’s model includes establishing a sense of urgency, creating a guiding coalition, developing a vision or strategy, communicating change, empowerment, establishing short-term wins, consolidating gains and producing more change, and sustaining change (Baloh et al. , 2018; Kotter, 1996; Pollack & Pollack, 2015). This capstone project involved stakeholder collaboration to design interventions and select the appropriate interventions for improvement. The interventions will be implemented through a change management plan deliverable after the submittal of the capstone project. The change management plan will serve a guide of recommended best practices that can be incorporated into daily operations for improvement. This project will seek to validate Kotter’s methods as an effective change management model in selecting and designing interventions for healthcare.
Problem Statement and Purpose of the Deliverable
The organization has experienced challenges with inefficient processes and procedures in the Sterile Processing Department (SPD) that can result in poor patient outcomes, decreased customer (surgeon/nurse) satisfaction, and increased bottom-line cost. This doctoral capstone will validate the effectiveness of performance improvement methodologies on the healthcare Page 11 of 146
profession. Using Kotter’s 8-Step Model, together with Appreciative Inquiry and Systems Theory, will demonstrate the value of interdisciplinary collaboration for improving healthcare systems (Cooperrider &Whitney, 2005; Kowalski, 2018; Pollack & Pollack, 2015).
Evidence/Data Used to Establish Rationale for Deliverable
Evidence of the problem exists in the financial reports that indicate: (a) the Sterile Processing Department is over budget for overtime ranging from 124 to 354 hours to assemble instrument sets; (b) Censitrac system data show inefficiency in receiving instrumentation; and (c) an increase in bio-burden, incomplete trays, and daily shift productivity reports.1 Past employee engagement surveys indicated that staff do not approve of being mandated for overtime and they reported poor supervision and ineffective training. The organization has an Operational Excellence Department fully dedicated to improving processes through Black Belt and Lean Six Sigma. Prior leadership have taken advantage of these resources by conducting Black Belts for throughput, Rapid Improvement Events (RIE) for quick process wins, and Kaizens. The recommended improvements were not supported or sustained as leadership changed.
Historical Background of the Problem
Sterile processing departments have become challenged with meeting the regulatory requirements required by the local department of health, The Joint Commission, The U.S. Department of Transportation, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Food and Drug Administration (DeMeo, 2010; Ly, 2009; Passut, Duro, Berg, Seavey, & Swenson, 2015). These organizations/agencies conduct surveys by industry professionals to validate patient safety and the quality of patient care. The organizations/agencies recognize that preparation for surgery starts with sterile processing; without proper sterilization there can be no sterile technique
1 Bioburden according to Farlex Medical Dictionary cab defined as the degree of microbial contamination or microbial load; the number of organism contaminating an object. Page 12 of 146
(Hopper & Moss, 2010; Sargent, 2018; Young, 2014). Sterile processing can impact three critical areas of interest: hospital readmissions, surgical site infections, and hospital acquired infections. These areas can have a direct financial link to the organization’s bottom line (Burden, 2016; Seavey, 2015). Due to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act hospitals have been mandated to reduce cost, excessive hospital readmissions, and improve quality or Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) will reduce payments (
Perez, 2016).
Over the past five years, the role of sterile processing technicians to the forefront of healthcare. According the Center for Disease Control (CDC, 2016), one in every 25 patients is dealing with a hospital-acquired infection (HAI) resulting from medical care. This number equals about 722,000 cases of healthcare-acquired infections per year and contributes to about 75,000 deaths. While the role of sterile processing technicians is critical, it is not typically viewed for its organizational value.
As organizations adjust to new external regulatory requirements, improved procedures and processes become critical. The improvement of processes and procedures can potentially have a positive impact on staff morale, retention, patient safety, and quality (Condon, 2012; Sargent, 2018; Su, 2016). Sterile processing departments are responsible for developing benchmarks and key performance indicators that influence daily operations (Seavey, 2010; Swenson, 2016; Swenson 2013). The most common sterile processing department benchmarks fail to capture the data needed to improve processes and procedures (Swenson & Conklin, 2016). Focusing on process standardization is the best practice to eliminate variability, predict outcomes, and improve the work environment (DeFrancesco, 2014; Sonstelie, Dorval, & Pfeifer, 2016). Page 13 of 146
Organizational Context
The Medical Center is a level one trauma center located in rural Central Pennsylvania. Level one trauma centers are responsible for offering the highest level of care 24/7 and meeting the criteria established by the American College of Surgeons (Clark, 2015; Kim, 2014; Smith, Stonko, Guillamondegui, & Dennis, 2018). The focus of the organization has been dedicated to teaching, research, and patient care. Working in the perioperative environment is stressful, fast paced, and requires a leader who is politically savvy. The Sterile Processing Department (SPD) within the organization has experienced high turnover rates with new leadership, new technicians, and operational issues. The work performed by the SPD technicians is extremely important because the department contributes to the overall success of the surgical services division and ambulatory clinics. Some of the operational errors include defective trays with bio-burden, incomplete instrumentation, and untimely preparation of instrumentation.
The SPD is responsible for contributing to about 60% of the organization’s revenue that is derived from the surgical service business line. Without sterilized instrumentation, no surgeries can be performed which has a direct impact on the hospitals bottom-line finances. The lack of consistent leadership has created poor working relationships between sterile processing and both operating room leadership and surgeon/physicians. Over the last 2-3 years, external consultants were brought in to mentor the senior leadership and improve operations; however, the efforts failed. The SPD has maintained a high turnover for leadership and supervisors. The key performance indicators show that bio-burden, incomplete instrumentation, and overtime expenses have all increased. The key performance indicators are linked to failures in processes, procedures, and productivity standards.
The impact of sterile processing department on healthcare has been historically misunderstood and undervalued. This doctoral capstone project can provide evidence to hospital Page 14 of 146
administrators, regulatory agencies, and consultants regarding the importance of the sterile processing profession. The results of this research may expand the knowledge regarding sterile processing and provide interventions that can be used to improve external sterile processing departments.
Theoretical Framework
The change model that guided this capstone project is Kotter’s 8-Step Model to create organizational change (Kotter, 1996). This model was used to engage the stakeholders and develop interventions to optimize the SPD’s performance. Kotter’s model includes establishing a sense of urgency, creating a guiding coalition, developing a vision or strategy, communicating change, empowerment, establishing short-term wins, consolidating gains and producing more change, and sustaining change (Kotter, 1996; Pollack & Pollack, 2015). Kotter’s method is well suited for healthcare because its foundation is based on behavioral change through emotional connection (Burden, 2016; Calegari, Sibley, & Turner, 2015). Kotter’s methods have been used in inter-professional process improvements within academic medical centers to improve process and procedures (Kowalski, 2018; Reed, 2017). This capstone project involved stakeholder collaboration to design interventions and select the appropriate interventions for improvement. The interventions will be implemented through a change management plan. This project will validate Kotter’s methods as an effective change management model in selecting and designing interventions for healthcare. Kotter’s 8-Step Model was used as the foundation to develop the change management capstone project. Page 15 of 146
Figure 1- Kotter’s 8 Step Process
In this section on the theoretical framework, I delineate each theory selected and how the foundations and concepts support my capstone project. The theories selected are Kotter’s 8-Step Model, Systems Theory, and Appreciative Inquiry. Kotter’s model was already discussed in the prior section. Systems thinking is integrative; it connects multiple disciplines and merges them to become holistic (Bertalanffy, 1972; Luhn, 2016; Peters, 2014; Rousseau, 2015). Appreciative inquiry (AI) is a process improvement model that is used to advance the current practice and identify what is required to create a perfect state (Cooperrider &Whitney, 2005; Van Vuuren & Crous, 2005). Researchers have developed theories centered on many of the aspects associated with systems theory (Bertalanffy, 1972; Irby, Brown, Lara-Alecio, & Jackson, 2013; Rousseau, 2015). The concept originated in the natural sciences and has been extended to the social sciences. Systems Theory can be used as a link to understand how different disciplines are connected (Bertalanffy, 1972; Coghlan, & Rashford, 2006; Ryba, 1996). All things can be Page 16 of 146
viewed as a system because they are made up of smaller parts or subgroups that can be considered large units. When these subgroups are combined they form larger functioning parts that can be viewed as systems—such as people, organizations, and societies (
Bertalanffy, 1972; Rousseau, 2015). Systems Theory will be used to support the role of interdisciplinary teams collaborating to develop process improvement initiatives for the change management plan.
Figure – 2 General Systems Theory
Appreciative inquiry (AI) is a process improvement approach that can be used to build on some of the existing organizational development practices such as business re-engineering, restructuring, and coaching (Cooperrider &Whitney, 2005; Fifolt & Lander, 2013). Appreciative Inquiry is a democratic approach to developing a process which allows for the participation of all parties (Cooperrider &Whitney, 2005; Van Kesteren, Koster-Kooger, & Beekhof, 2017). Appreciative inquiry consists of a process that has the following four steps: discovery, dream, Page 17 of 146
design, and destiny. These steps are similar to process improvement methods. The discovery phase engages stakeholders and focuses on the positive aspects; it builds on established methods. The dream phase gives stakeholders the opportunity to envision how the process would function in a perfect state. The design phase provides the opportunity to create the dream. The destiny phase consists of activating the design and sustaining the improvements. Appreciative inquiry can engage all members of the team because it involves input. Appreciative inquiry can be used to foster meaningful dialogue in organizations and the literature has supported its proven outcomes (Cooperrider &Whitney, 2005; Ohlemacher, 20
Cultural intelligence: Amplifying success for international mergers and acquisitions executives
No full textThis presentation examines cultural intelligence strategies that multinational enterprises’ top management teams can employ to successfully execute international mergers and acquisitions.Cultural Intelligence: Amplifying Success for International Mergers and Acquisitions Executives
Selena A. Ramkeesoon
The Problem for M&A Executives
The Evidence
RQ and Propositions
Methodology
Conceptual Model
Implications for Practitioners
Implications for Scholars
2018 M&As Worldwide
Transactions: ~49,000
Total value: ~$3.8 trillion
Multinational enterprises use mergers and acquisitions (M&As) for rapid expansion. Although the failure rate can be as high as 70% to 90%, executives still pursue this strategy.
Cultural intelligence (CQ): An individual’s capability to function and manage effectively in culturally diverse settings (Early & Ang, 2003).
Examining how CQ affects the M&A continuum can mprovesuccess rates.
RQ: What are the cultural intelligence strategies that multinational enterprises’ top management teamscanemploy to successfully execute international mergers and acquisitions?
P1: Cultural intelligence is pertinent to the mergers and acquisitions process and organizational outcomes.
P2: Cultural intelligence strategies influence the pre-and post-phases of the mergers and acquisitions process.
P3: Cultural intelligence strategies positively impact international mergers and acquisitions.
Evidence-based Research: Systematic Review
Theoretical Lens: Social Cognitive Theory
Evidence Identification: EBSCO/UMUC OneSearch; ProQuest ABI/INFORM
Data Extraction: PRISMA
Quality Appraisal: Weight of Evidence, TAPUPAS
Analysis and Synthesis: NVivo Coding, Configurative Review, Narrative Thematic Synthesis
P1: Significant relationship between CQ and M&A continuum.
P2: CQ strategies positively influence the pre-and post-M&A phases.
P3: CQ strategies positively impact international M&As with improved organizational outcomes.
Pre-M&A: Individual CQ strategies improve intercultural negotiations.
Post-M&A: Implementing individual and organizational CQ strategies can serve as underlying strategies to successfully execute international M&As.
SR enhances managers’ understanding of how to leverage CQ strategies to successfully execute international M&As in the pre-and post-integration phases.
Managers use findings to identify and execute applicable CQ strategies for international M&As.
TMTs can use findings to tailor learning/training opportunities, emphasizing development of CQ capabilities.
SR contributes to research on CQ and M&As; shows how CQ strategies can be applied to international M&As.
Findings emphasize the importance of CQ along the M&A continuum—especially in multifaceted global pursuits, such as international M&As.
Use conceptual model to better understand how CQ dimensions can be effectively employed for successful international M&As.
Primary Advisor: Dr. Sharon G. Hadary
Result
Team building, group dynamics, and innovation in organizations
No full textThis presentation examines to what extent may innovation in organizations within the United States may be increased by manager-led group and team building.Team Building, Group Dynamics, and Innovation in Organizations
Advisors:
Dr. W. Christopher Cason
Dr. Sharon G. Hadary
Dr. Richard G. Milter
Allen Azmoudeh
The Graduate School
University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, MDProblem for Managers
•The widely-held position in contemporary, popular, non-scholarly management literature that group and team building may encourage groupthink and may thereby stifle creativity and innovation appears unsupported
•Managers who engage in group and team building may be required to intervene to stymie the development of in-group consensuses and biases; failure to do so may result in lower levels of team cohesiveness and performanceFindings
•Group and team building is frequently believed in contemporary, popular, non-scholarly management literature to encourage groupthink and to perhaps stifle creativity and innovation in organizations
•That perception may encourage managers to adopt by default a hands-off approach, with minimal investment in group and team building
•Lack of clarity as to whether that approach may encourage or discourage innovation presents a problem for managers in the United StatesImplications for ManagersEvidence
Secondary data were collected, consisting entirely of the findings of peer-reviewed, published, scholarly literature on group and team building
Keyword terms for database searches: (group* OR team*) n10 build* n10 (manag* OR lead*) n10 innovat* n10 (“United States” OR “U.S.*” OR America*)
Data were subject to systematic review (research methodology) and meta-ethnography (synthesis methodology) in pursuit of original findings
•Selection of a literature sample required the use of a quality-or relevance-appraisal framework; Boaz and Ashby’s “fit for purpose” approach was chosen
•19 results met all four of Boaz and Ashby’s criteria for assessing research quality, which covered quality and transparency in reporting, methodological quality, appropriateness of methods, and the quality of messages in the researchResearch Question
To what extent may innovation in organizations within the United States be increased by manager-led group and team building?
Variables: manager-led group and team building (independent variable) and innovation in organizations (dependent variable)
Units of analysis:research question addressed from the macro-level (organization) rather than the micro-level (individual)
Research question does not mean to exclude any populations, and is inclusive of organizations in all contexts, sectors, and industries in the United StatesMethodology
•The research’s findings establish that innovation in organizations is more likely than not to be increased by manager-led group and team building
•Ensuring that group and team building efforts are manager-led may help to prevent the development of in-group consensuses or biases that can stifle innovation in organizations
•Manager-initiated group and team building can improve worker productivity levels and effort; worker creativity, e.g. the generation of ideas that may become innovations; and the likelihood of the successful implementation of organizational change initiatives, e.g. the implementation of innovations through the practice of innovation management
Team leadership theory; key authors and concepts:
•Lewin’s seminal theories in group dynamics and the resolution of social conflict
•Tuckman’s model of group or team development
•Steiner’s analysis of group processes & productivity
•Belbin’s list of roles considered essential to teams
•Blake and Mouton’s managerial (leadership) grid
•Hill model for team leadership
•Hackman’s six enabling conditions leading to effective team functioning
•Larson and LaFesto’s markers of team excellence
•McGrath’s critical leadership functionsImplications for Scholars
•The research’s findings reinforce rather than contradict established theories of team leadership; they do not suggest a need for modifications to existing theory; most notably, the seminal theories of group dynamics proposed by Kurt Lewin appear to be reinforced by the findings
•The literature still offers limited practical insight as to how organizations can devote attention to group and team building in a manner that consistently confers benefits across organizational typesTheoretical Len
E-Resources Troubleshooting and User Support at a Primarily Distance Learning/Online Higher Education Institution: Current Practice and Future Considerations
No full textResolving user access issues is inherent in managing electronic resources in libraries. The University of Maryland University College (UMUC) Library, situated within a predominantly distance learning-centered institution, has developed a series of web-based technical help pages to facilitate resolution of typical issues reported by its approximately 80,000 students located worldwide. The author details the types of support resources the library makes available to its users and discusses new technologies that may improve authentication, identity management, and communication with users.This is the Author’s Original Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in the Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship on September 6, 2019, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/1941126X.2019.1635400
Title of Column: ERM Ideas & Innovations
E-Resources Troubleshooting and User Support at a Primarily Distance Learning/Online Higher Education Institution: Current Practice and Future Considerations
John F. Coogan, Electronic Resources & Systems Librarian, University of Maryland University College Library, [email protected]
From the Column Editor, Randall Lowe:
This ERM Ideas and Innovations column is authored by John Coogan, Electronic Resources & Systems Librarian at the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) Library. UMUC, a constituent member of the University System of Maryland (USM), is a predominantly distance learning-centered institution serving approximately 80,000 students located all over the world. As a result, the UMUC Library focuses its collection development activities almost exclusively on licensing and delivering access to a large number of electronic resources. While resolving access issues is inherent in e-resources management work, the scale of UMUC’s online collection and size of its student body necessitates taking a unique approach to providing user support. John details the types of e-resources access issues that UMUC Library users typically report and the series of web-based technical help pages that have been developed to facilitate their resolution. He then discusses some new technologies that UMUC is investigating to further enhance the library’s technical infrastructure and user support, especially in relation to authentication, identity management, and communication.
Abstract:
Resolving user access issues is inherent in managing electronic resources in libraries. The University of Maryland University College (UMUC) Library, situated within a predominantly distance learning-centered institution, has developed a series of web-based technical help pages to facilitate resolution of typical issues reported by its approximately 80,000 students located worldwide. The author details the types of support resources the library makes available to its users and discusses new technologies that may improve authentication, identity management, and communication with users.
Column:
2
Providing technical support to distance education students for e-resources has its share of challenges. In this column, I will describe some of these challenges and discuss the ways that the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) Library has responded to them, including the use of tools to help our patrons avail themselves of our resources. I will also discuss some technologies that might be considered for future use.
About UMUC and the Library
The University of Maryland University College was founded in 1947 to serve working adults in Maryland. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, the university branched out to serve military students in Europe and Asia. In the 1990’s, we began offering online courses and today we are predominantly online, serving 80,000 students worldwide. Our focus continues to be on the non-traditional, adult learner. (University of Maryland University College, 2019).
Because UMUC is a distance education provider serving students across the globe, our library collection is primarily online and our collection development plan is exclusively electronic (University of Maryland University College Library, 2019f). While our students in Maryland can use any library in the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) Consortium – and we ship books from the consortium to students anywhere in the continental United States – print is a small and not very scalable portion of what we offer. Rather, our aim is to provide full text resources that are available immediately, anywhere in the world. “We live and die by remote access” (to quote a colleague) and EZproxy is the tool we use to connect users to our resources.
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The library currently provides access to over 100 databases (including expanding ebook collections), and we use EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) – which we have branded as “OneSearch” – as our primary search and discovery tool. EDS includes all of our EBSCO e-resources, and to make it as encompassing as possible, EBSCO has helped us set up “custom links” to full text outside of EBSCO (for example, links to Elsevier, Gale, and JSTOR), and has created sidebar widgets that patrons can click to run their searches on ProQuest’s platforms.
In addition to licensing these e-resources and making them discoverable and remotely accessible, what needs to be done to support their use? What types of problems do patrons encounter and how do we address them?
Technical help page
Common issues emerged from the patron e-resource support requests we received over the years. Some are on the patron’s end (browser settings, PDF plugins, firewall and security software), others are on the library’s end (EZproxy settings, bad links), and some are on the vendor’s end (error messages or features not working properly). Other issues are more a matter of patron education on how to use complicated resources (installing digital rights management software for downloading ebooks).
In response to these issues, we developed a technical help page (University of Maryland University College Library, 2019e) (Image 1) that addresses the more common ones. To make it as easy as possible, we have pages that will automatically run specific tests (e.g. checking browser settings, checking for a PDF reader plugin, checking for firewall issues) that will tell 4
patrons right away if their settings need to be adjusted. The library also maintains a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page (University of Maryland University College Library, 2019c) and additional help pages that provide user education for our more complicated resources. Patrons may or may not find these pages on their own, but when they contact the library, we can readily point them there and walk them through the steps, if necessary.
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Image 1. Technical help page
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Some of these common problems and the help pages we have created to address them are described in the following sections, as well as issues related to communicating with patrons and dealing with vendors.
“Tech questions”
All questions are initially fielded by the Reference Team. When patrons are having what appear to be technical issues, the questions are referred to the Access Team and handled primarily by two librarians who have a systems background.
Communication issues
Occasionally a “tech question” comes in by phone and gets transferred to one of the Access Team members, but we typically handle technical issues asynchronously via email. If a tech question comes into the library via instant message or chat, the reference librarian will create an email ticket and refer it to the Access Team. Since we are not typically “talking” to the patron or “seeing” their screens, we need to rely on written communication. The first hurdle is ascertaining what the patron is actually doing and experiencing. Their initial communications are often sorely lacking in detail – “I can’t get into the database.” “My article won’t come up.” “I can’t open the ebook.” “I click the PDF button and nothing happens.” So, we need to determine what resource they are using and what they are trying to do. To minimize the number of back-and-forth emails, I usually make an educated guess at what they are doing and will reply with specific instructions. For example, “To verify that I understand what is happening, what happens when you click this link [link] and try to do this [specific action]? If you are getting this error message [specific text], please see this help page [link].” 7
Sometimes patrons do write back with helpful clarification and we can address their issues in more depth. At other times, they write back and say that it is still not working and we need to verify that they actually followed the steps we provided earlier (which often seems to do the trick). Many times, we hear nothing further from them and are never actually sure if we resolved their issue. We can only hope that they got what they needed.
Login issues
Several years ago the library implemented single sign-on to allow patrons to log into library resources with the same ID and password they use for all other campus functions. However, access to library resources is restricted to those periods where the students are actively taking classes (followed by a grace period). They sometimes try to access the databases before their library account is activated or after their grace period expires. When their login fails, they get directed to a page (Image 2) that explains the library’s database access policy and also offers them the opportunity to submit a login problem report form if they need further assistance.
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Image 2. Login error page
Browser issues
Given that the web browser is the primary tool for accessing library resources, we developed a browser test page (University of Maryland University College Library, 2019a) (Image 3) that will instantly tell the patron if they have cookies and Javascript enabled (with instructions on how to enable these), and also provides information on how to clear cookies and open a new private browsing session. When we suspect that the patron is experiencing a cookie issue, having them try searching in a new private browser session is a good way to confirm it.
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Image 3. Browser test page
PDF issues
With so many articles and chapters in PDF format, we needed a way to help patrons determine if they have a PDF reader plugin installed and configured properly in their browser. We mounted a PDF test page (University of Maryland University College Library, 2019d) (Image 4) that tells the patron instantly if their browser has a PDF plugin installed and working. The page provides a link to download Adobe Reader, if needed.
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Image 4. PDF test page
Firewall issues
Because our patrons are almost 100% off campus, everyone must log in through EZproxy to access library resources. This can be problematic for some students who are behind corporate or military firewalls, which can block access to our EZproxy server. Some of our military students are stationed at remote locations and only have access through their military network, so this 11
presents an especially difficult problem for them. Even an occasional user at home runs into an issue if their security software it set at a highly restrictive level.
To help diagnose the issue, we developed a firewall test page (University of Maryland University College Library, 2019b) (Image 5), which logs the patron in through EZproxy and directs them to a page that says “Congratulations” if they are successful. If they get to that page, then their EZproxy connection is not being blocked. If they do NOT get to that page, then they could be facing a firewall issue. Our firewall page gives further instructions to help verify whether it might be a firewall issue (trying a different browser on the same computer, trying a different computer on the same network, etc.) and provides some information about adding EZproxy to their firewall exceptions if they are able to. If patrons cannot get their settings changed, the page lists some free resources that might be helpful, such as Google Scholar. We also offer to send them a specific article if they know what they are looking for. Unfortunately, the bottom line is that some patrons hit roadblocks that we are unable to resolve.
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Image 5. Firewall test page
Satellite issues
Sometimes patrons write in with very baffling technical issues. During one such interaction, it came to light that customers who use satellite communications for their Internet Service Provider (ISP) may have an “accelerator” turned on that caches pages for faster loading, but can also interfere with EZproxy connections. The key is to turn off the accelerator. We don’t have an automatic “test” for this, but merely tell patrons that if they are using satellite, to try turning off their accelerator to see if it makes a difference. Unfortunately, we cannot tell them how to do that but can only refer them to their service provider for documentation and assistance. 13
Remote access issues
When patrons report that they are encountering a vendor login screen or vendor message that says they do not have access, the first thing we check is whether the resource is getting proxied properly. Even though we test new resources when we add them to our EZproxy configuration, sometimes things change on the vendor side that require an update to the EZproxy configuration; we are not always aware of these changes. If we test the resource and find out that it is not getting proxied correctly, we check the OCLC EZproxy configuration recommendations for that resource (or the vendor recommendations) and update our EZproxy configuration file accordingly.
Vendor issues
On occasion, a patron will report a problem that turns out to be an issue on the vendor’s end.
If we test the interface and find that a feature is not working properly, content is missing, or error messages are being returned, we make a detailed report to the vendor, giving them the exact steps to reproduce the problem. We have a handy internal staff Web page that lists our primary vendors and provides their contact link and our customer ID number, so that we can quickly contact them. If the problem happens only when logging in through EZproxy but not locally, then we provide them with a guest login to our EZproxy server so that they can reproduce it. We also use SnagIt (TechSmith, 2019) to capture screenshots to send as attachments to illustrate exactly what is happening. Providing all the necessary details has been extremely helpful to vendors. When a problem is confirmed, we will post a notice (in red) under the database name in our A-Z list to alert patrons that there is an issue. 14
User education issues
Some resources are a bit complicated to use and require setup on the part of the user. For example, to download ebooks from EBSCO for offline viewing, the user first needs to create a free EBSCO account, and must also download and configure Adobe Content Manager. Because we were getting many questions about how to do this, we developed a help page with screenshots, giving step by step instructions that cover the entire process.
Known issues with individual resources
Some resources have “known issues” that are problematic, so we try to address these either by a help page or an entry in our FAQ. For example, linking to Books24x7 can be tricky, and sometimes classroom links are improperly formatted and students get error messages. Our workaround page gives them a procedure to follow, which sets a Books24x7 cookie in their browser and allows the classroom link to work. (Of course, incorrect links in the classroom also need to be fixed, but the workaround at least gives the student access during the interim).
Future considerations
While the above sums up our current practice, and we have done our best to respond to the types of difficulties that patrons encounter, we need to think about the next steps to take to improve e-resource access and user support. How can we overcome remote access barriers for patrons who are behind military and corporate firewalls? Can we make resources easier to use by taking advantage of single sign-on that many vendors now offer, obviating the need for patrons to create personal accounts? Is there a way for us to SEE what the patrons see when they encounter 15
stubborn access issues? Can we SHOW them what to do instead of merely providing them a set of written instructions? Here are some tools worth investigating, both in terms of authentication and identity management, and in terms of offering enhanced communication.
OpenAthens
OpenAthens (OpenAthens, 2019) is a potential replacement for EZProxy, as it uses a more updated authentication mechanism and also provides identity management for single sign-on. It may possibly resolve two issues. First, EZproxy is a “proxy” mechanism (users connect to the proxy, and the proxy, in turn, connects to the resource), which can run afoul of restrictive firewall settings, particularly affecting users on military and corporate networks. Unlike EZproxy, which mediates between the user and the resource, OpenAthens connects the user directly to the resource via an “SAML handshake.” No “proxy” is involved, and I am given to understand that this should resolve the firewall issue. Second, a number of our resources require the user to set up a personal profile in order to fully use their services. (For example, to use EBSCO folders, the user must set up their own personal EBSCO account). For vendors that work with OpenAthens, this step would be unnecessary; personalization would happen automatically via the identity management/single sign-on capabilities of OpenAthens, making the user experience more seamless (although not without privacy concerns). For these reasons and others (including better usage statistics), OpenAthens looks promising as a successor to EZproxy. (See Schonfeld (2016) for a more in depth discussion on “rethinking authentication”).
Web conferencing for synchronous patron support 16
Because written e-mail communication can be problematic, it may be worthwhile to investigate web conferencing tools (for example, WebEx, GoToMeeting, Zoom) that would allow us to have a real-time conversation with the patron where they can share their screen. This would allow us to see what they are doing and give us the opportunity to talk them through the issue more directly. For sticky problems that are not easily solved by email, this may be very useful. (I have actually done this once, and it was helpful. The patron and I agreed on a time to meet online, and I sent a link for a WebEx meeting).
Screencasting
Our help pages and some of our email responses to patrons can involve a fair amount of text instructions, which the patron must carefully follow to get the best results. It may be worthwhile to create brief screencasts to SHOW the patron how to do something. All the librarians have SnagIt (TechSmith, 2019) on their computers, which can be used to create brief screen capture videos and can include voice narration. The videos are output as .mp4 files, which can either be sent to the patron as an email attachment or stored in the cloud (with a link that can be sent to the patron). We could even go back and add short videos to some of our existing help pages.
In sum
The UMUC Library has developed tools and help pages to address many of the difficulties that students have reported encountering. These tools have limitations, and newer technologies offer the possibility of offering enhanced communication and more seamless access to our resources. We’ve come a long way since our founding in 1947, and our mission, which is to improve the lives of adult learners, will continue to guide our efforts. 17
References
OpenAthens (2019). OpenAthens. Retrieved from https://openathens.org/.
Schonfeld, R. (2016, June 22). Rethinking authentication, revamping the business. The scholarly kitchen. Retrieved from https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2016/06/22/rethinking-authentication/.
TechSmith (2019). Snagit. Retrieved from https://www.techsmith.com/screen-capture.html.
University of Maryland University College (2019). Our mission, history, and values. Retrieved from https://www.umuc.edu/about/mission-and-history/.
University of Maryland University College Library (2019a). Browser help. Retrieved from https://libcf.umuc.edu/browsercheck/browsercheck.html.
University of Maryland University College Library (2019b). Firewall issues. Retrieved from https://sites.umuc.edu/library/libresources/firewalls.cfm.
University of Maryland University College Library (2019c). Frequently asked questions. Retrieved from https://libanswers.umuc.edu/index.php.
University of Maryland University College Library (2019d). PDF viewer test. Retrieved from https://sites.umuc.edu/library/libresources/pdftest.cfm.
University of Maryland University College Library (2019e). Technical help. Retrieved from https://sites.umuc.edu/library/libhow/gethelp-technical.cfm
University of Maryland University College Library (2019f). UMUC Library Electronic Resources Collection Development Plan. Retrieved from https://sites.umuc.edu/library/libabout/collectiondevelopment.cf