Date of Award
8-2011
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Legacy Department
Educational Leadership
Committee Chair/Advisor
Marion, Russ
Committee Member
Cawthon , Tony
Committee Member
Satterfield , James
Committee Member
Zagenczyk , Tom
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to understand the emergent dynamics that shape the organizational culture of a faith-based college incorporating a comprehensive network approach. The study adapted Martin's (2002) Three Perspective Theory of Culture utilizing the Dynamic Network Analysis methodology. To understand the cultural manifestations of the organization, several networks of beliefs and agent interactions were examined.
The results demonstrated that religious values are deeply embedded in the institution and there is a rich diversity of beliefs within the institution and its subcultures. The role of resources was examined, and financial resources emerged as a crucial element that stresses the operational culture. These findings combined to identify the emergent dichotomies related to ideological and operational cultural manifestations and how they interact together.
Additionally, there were two findings that supported Complexity Leadership Theory (CLT). The first finding was that while organizational learning did occur within homogenous subcultures, greater organizational learning was demonstrated when the subcultures were brought together. This finding supported the premise of CLT, which suggests that a diversity of perspectives foster enhanced organizational learning. The second finding supported CLT through identification of clusters of employees utilizing common resources, tasks, and knowledge sets. The implication is for the organization to create bottom-up approaches that interact with existing top-down structures which would enable organizational learning, knowledge development, and problem-solving.
Recommended Citation
Bennett, Daniel, "Complex Organizations: A Cultural Analysis of a Christian College" (2011). All Dissertations. 809.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/809