Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
5-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Dr. John Harrison
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Dr. Janet Tareilo
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Dr. Sandy Harris
Abstract
This qualitative case study explored the challenges faced by the cabinet-level administration of a South Texas K-12 public school district in navigating intragroup and intergroup identity dynamics, impacting leader-member exchange, follower obligation, organizational behavior, and citizenship. Poor integration led to silo mentalities due to a lack of communication skills and social identity awareness among leadership. The study explored the influence of leaders’ attitudes and behaviors on intergroup and intragroup identities by examining how positive leader-member exchange practices affected collective organizational behaviors. Employing the framework of social identity theory, this study contributed to understanding specific leadership domains and the effective motivation of followers within an organizational context influenced by their perceptions. Over three months, the researcher interviewed four cabinet-level leaders, observed eight direct reports, and reviewed artifacts. Thematic analysis revealed the importance of proximity in facilitating open communication and the challenges it introduced, such as perceptions of favoritism. Identified effective communication channels and quick responses are pivotal for fostering trust and organizational effectiveness. Followers’ perceptions highlighted the significance of trust, collaboration, and transparent communication in fostering ingroup dynamics and a positive sense of belonging, aligning with organizational goals. The study underscored the need for leaders to skillfully navigate complexities to foster purpose-aligned outcomes and cultivate a supportive environment in which team members feel empowered to contribute effectively towards shared objectives, thereby striving towards improvement.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Berger, Larry R., "Cabinet-Level School Administrators Intragroup and Intergroup Identity and Positive Leader-Member Exchange Dynamics: A Single Case Study" (2024). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 789.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/789