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Diversity Programs: Learning and Effectiveness as Viewed Through the Eyes of the Diverse
Get PDFThis research examines corporate diversity programs and initiatives from the perspective of the self-described diverse employee because they are intended to be the recipient of the benefits of diversity programs and initiatives. The research question is: In what ways have self-described diverse employees found that the diversity programs in their workplaces helped or hindered others in relating to them in ways that recognize their knowledge, skills, and abilities and allow them to be treated with respect and civility. To obtain information about the research question, a qualitative study using basic interpretive methodology was used which included face to face personal interviews with individuals who volunteered to share their perceptions of how they have been treated in the workplace because of their differences perceived by others. The ten interviewees were identified using convenience and then snowball sampling which was initiated through social media. The data collected was analyzed utilizing message units which had a rich point. The major finding is that the respondents do not identify themselves as diverse based on Equal Employment Opportunity Commission definitions. While others used external factors to define the participants, the diverse employee felt like the other based on culture in the workplace, energy versus apathy, politics in the workplace, and a hiring manager granting an opportunity. These themes are not the predominant way that companies view diversity in their organization; however, this research suggests that they should consider changing their processes
Experiences in Embroidery: Stories from the High Fashion Embroidery Industry
Get PDFFashion embroidery has been an integral part of high fashion since before King Louis XV of France in the 18th century. Upon the development of haute couture in France, a professional fashion embroidery industry arose to serve the needs of the new high fashion designers. Despite significance of professional embroidery in high fashion, there is little documentation of the history of the fashion embroidery industry. Particularly scarce is information about the professional embroiderers working in the industry. The purpose of this qualitative study was to capture the life stories of the people working in the modern fashion embroidery industry in France, Italy, and England. This qualitative study utilized oral history methods for designing and conducting face-to-face interviews with 20 participants who worked in professional high fashion embroidery workshops in France, England, and Italy. The primary research question guiding the study was: How do professional embroiderers represent their work and life as an embroiderer? The participants were all professional embroidery professionals chosen via purposeful and snowball sampling methods. 16 participants took part in audio-recorded interviews, while 4 additional participants’ contributions were captured in field notes. All but 2 of the interviews took place in the participant’s embroidery workshop. Interview transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method of analysis. I uncovered 3 primary themes in the embroiderers’ conversations: education and career progress of embroiderers, evolution of the company and methods, and current challenges and future aspirations. Findings revealed that the embroiderer’s education or training was one of the most influential events in their lives. The embroiderer’s education not only shaped the future of the embroiderer, but also impacted the future of the embroiderer’s employing company. In addition to education, a company’s history and present working methods also strongly affect the company’s potential for future survival and ability to compete globally. The stories of the embroiderers also provide support for teaching embroidery history not only in European embroidery programs, but in American fashion design programs as well
BLESSED IS SHE WHO DANCES FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE
Get PDFCarla De Sola, a Juilliard-educated dancer, choreographer, teacher, and author, has led sacred dance on issues of peace, the environment, and social justice. Dance and the arts can lead lamentation in the face of evil and nurture imagination and creativity. The fear that leads to violence is often irrational and prompted by emotions. Arts can help to illumine and to heal feelings. The ideas of Teilhard de Chardin, SJ, influenced De Sola and led to the name Omega Liturgical Dance Company. De Chardin’s ideas underlie her extensive use of dance based on caring for creation including the annual St. Francis’ day Earth Mass which annually draws about 5,000 to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. It began in 1985 and continues to this day. Whether dancing for peace with the Soviets or the Irish or leading people in anti-nuclear demonstrations, De Sola’s compassion and grace allure people to follow her lead
Perceptions of a Learning Management System: Acceptance, Usefulness, and Usage Among University Undergraduate Faculty
No full textThis qualitative research investigated individual perceptions of usefulness and ease of use of technology-based learning systems among undergraduate faculty at a private university located in the southwestern United States, with branch campuses in Latin American and Asia. The focus was on perceptions of usefulness and ease of use. In addition, focus was on emerging processes and procedures that facilitated ease of technology acceptance and usage. Participants were capable of reflecting on technology, its presence in their activities, and its usage in a higher education environment. Participants served as a purposeful sample and included nine undergraduate faculty members representing three geographical locations. Three major themes including motivations toward technology, organizational communications, and usage disturbance were established. All themes came from data collections directed by research design. Results drove the conclusions that usefulness and ease of use were different from each other. Usefulness came from participants’ history and experience while ease of use from university and participant relationships. Processes and procedures came directly from participants’ motivation toward technology, individual confidence, and organizational support and communications. The results found that communications, relationships, and engagement benefit universities and their implementation of technology such as learning management systems. An emergent theory referred to as fragmented utilization of technology believes technology is utilized but at limited levels. Limited utilization was due to several factors including the lack of communication, engagement among participants, and disturbance of usage. The technology acceptance model could evolve into the technology acceptance process, using factors of the previous while adding end-use reflections and organizational reviews
A BETTER WORLDLINESS: DISCIPLESHIP FOR THE COMMON GOOD
Get PDFThis paper explores specific episodes from the life of two contextually diverse Christian disciples—Abraham Kuyper and Dietrich Bonhoeffer—in order to make a unique contribution, first, to a notion of the common good, and second, to connecting that notion of the common good to concrete practices of just peacemaking. After introducing the concept of the common good, the paper follows a unique development and application of the concept of common grace in the Dutch Reformed theology and practice of Kuyper. Then, the paper traces Bonhoeffer’s involvement in advocating for and articulating the practice of confession of guilt for the renewal of society. A final section creatively interprets the life and thought of Kuyper and Bonhoeffer in order to define and apply with concreteness the notion of the common good, particularly as it relates to the contemporary practices of the Just Peacemaking Initiative
Effect of Whole Beetroot on Muscular Endurance and Power in Powerlifters and Physique Competitors
Get PDFNitrate ingestion improves aerobic exercise performance, but the efficacy in resistance training has not been established. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether consuming whole beetroot, as a means to ingest nitrate, had an ergogenic benefit in muscular power and endurance in resistance training in powerlifters and physique competitors. Thirteen men and women (mean ± SE age, 21.2 ± 0.8 y; mass, 83.1 ± 5.9 kg) that had competed in a powerlifting or a physique competition in the previous year were studied in a randomized double blind controlled crossover trial with a seven day washout period. Participants ingested 200g of beetroot or cranberry puree (control) 2.5 hours prior to performing ten sets on the bench press with 50% of their one repetition maximum with each set taken to fatigue. Between each set 120 seconds of rest was given. Heart rate and rate of perceived exertion was measured throughout the protocol and blood pressure was measured prior to the protocol. No differences were found for total repetitions, work, or power output between trials for the ten sets (P\u3e0.05). No differences were found for heart rate or perceived exertion between trials (P\u3e0.05). Systolic blood pressure tended to be lower in the beetroot trial (beetroot, 118 ± 3.3 mmHg; control, 124 ± 4.8 mmHg), but was not statistically significant (P= 0.238). In conclusion, beetroot ingestion did not provide a statistically significant difference in muscular endurance or power in the bench press. Beetroot would not be recommended as an ergogenic aid in these groups under these conditions. It is possible a beetroot loading period is needed to see a greater change in performance
Consequences of Destructive Leadership Through the Experiences of Millennial Followers
Get PDFDestructive leadership has serious detrimental effects on organizations and their employees. Today U.S. companies are spending an estimated $23 billion annually on healthcare costs (e.g. chronic absenteeism, high turnover, and dissatisfaction) resulting from the negative impacts of destructive leaders (Tepper, Duffy, Henle, & Lambert, 2006). This emerging theory was worthy of additional research because of the adverse effects it has on the personal and professional lives of followers. According to Padilla, Hogan, and Kaiser (2007), the success of a destructive leader depends on susceptible followers (Millennials) and a conducive environment, which creates a toxic triangle. In 2009, Trickey & Hyde conducted a 10-year qualitative study that focused on the dark side of leadership from the generational perspective. They discovered that Millennials prefer to abide by the rules, strive to please others, deliver work of high quality, have little trust in leadership, and demonstrate low self-efficacy. The purpose of this interpretive qualitative study was to describe the meaning of consequences of destructive leadership from the followers’ lived experiences. The two research questions answered in this study were: (1) what were the followers’ lived experiences when working for leaders perceived as destructive; and (2) how did destructive behaviors affect the personal and professional lives of the followers? In the study, I conducted 10 personal interviews. The participant demographic characteristics included individuals from the Millennial generation, completion of a four-year college degree, and worked fulltime for five years or more. The interview questions elicited data on experiences and the impact of working for a perceived destructive leader. The results indicated that the participants had an in-depth understanding about destructive leadership behaviors and were adversely affected by the destructive leaders. This is reason for concern for our future generation of leaders because supervisors who have abusive tendencies were victims of destructive leadership in their career (Aryee, Chen, Sun, and Debrah, 2007; Hoobler and Brass, 2006; Tepper, 2007). Research in this area is growing and this study provided valuable contributions to the research community that is focused on the dark side of leadership. It will help educate followers and their organizations about the detrimental impacts of destructive leadership
Self-Esteem of Boys During the Transition From a Single-Sex Middle School to a Coeducational High School
Get PDFThe purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how men who attended a single-sex elementary and middle school as a boy describe their experiences following their transition to coeducational high schools and how the participants perceived those experiences influenced their global self-esteem during the first years in high school. Two questions guided the research. 1) What changes, if any, did the men in this study perceive in their global self-esteem, as measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale after their transition from a single-sex middle school to a coeducational high school? 2) If there were changes to the levels of global self-esteem, how much of the change do these men perceive was attributed to the influence of the different educational environments of the single-sex school and the coeducational school? Using a qualitative case study methodology, data was collected through interviews, self-surveys, demographic questionnaires, and artifacts. Each participant reported a decrease in their global self-esteem during the first year of attending a coeducational high school. Data analysis revealed three central themes extracted from the perceptions of the participants that influenced the reported decrease in self-esteem following the transition from a single-sex middle school to a coeducational high school: (a) a feeling of loss of both peer and adult relationships that were built over many years, (b) participants experienced a change in values and ethics once they entered the coeducational high school, and (c) The focus of competition changed from self- improvement and team building to the goal of dominating others
Contemporary U.S. Expatriate Artists in San Miguel De Allende, Mexico: Challenges of Transnationalism and Acculturation
Get PDFThe purpose of this interpretive qualitative study was to explore the transnational lives of contemporary U.S. expatriate artists living in San Miguel de Allende, a colonial town in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, and the effect that location and the acculturation process have in their artistic production. The focus of this study was on U.S. expatriate artists living in San Miguel de Allende and how their transnational lifestyle influenced their artistic production, their integration into the local community, and their relationship with other Mexican and international artists living in San Miguel de Allende. Two research questions structured this qualitative study: (a) How do the contemporary U.S. expatriate artists living in Mexico make sense of their transnational lives and experiences? (b) How does the intercultural contact influence their artistic expressions and body of work? Nine participants were selected utilizing the snowball sampling technique and were interviewed through open-ended questions. The analysis of the data revealed five themes that are presented and related to the research questions and professional literature. The study found that the U.S. expatriate artists were able to live comfortably in both cultures and identified the social network factor as the most common connecting thread that wove through all of the participants’ comments. The constant influx of international artists mixed with the local art community provided the unique setting for the intercultural exchange of ideas and experiences that influenced the artistic perspectives of the U.S. expatriate artists. This study specifically helps to fill in a void regarding knowledge and available scholarly research and literature on the perspective of contemporary U.S. expatriate artists in San Miguel de Allende. The findings of this study not only confirmed earlier studies but also contributes to the expanding field of transnationalism and acculturation. This study provides multilayered perspectives of the expatriate artists in keeping their familial and cultural links to their homeland through social networking and digital media ICT technology. The digital media ICT network allowed the artists to produce and distribute their work in a transnational global context unlike the traditional productions that occur in the context of the same time and space