Category: LDRS 591

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Unit 4, Assessment

Part A

In both quantitative and qualitative studies, researchers review literature at the beginning of the study’s research process. In the case of quantitative research, researchers use the literature to substantiate the research problem. The literature is then used to prescribe the direction or intent of the study. On the contrary, quantitative research does not focus on the literature to prescribe specific variables or hypotheses, choosing instead to inform the overall approach.

Evaluating the Statement of Problem in the Research Report:

Article reviewed is Servant leaders inspire followers: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization (Hunter et al., 2013). The following is an evaluation of the statement of problem in the research report.

  1. The topic is interesting – Rating 3 Excellent – Immediately in the abstract the authors indicate their purpose which was “…to test the relationship between personality, servant leadership, and critical follower and organizational outcomes” (Hunter et. al., 2013, p. 316). The topic is most interesting as there has not been enough research conducted on the effects of a servant leadership style.
  2. The study addresses at least one clear problem – Rating 3 Excellent – Again in the abstract it indicated the “Leader agreeability was positively and extraversion was negatively related to servant leadership, which was associated with decreased follower turnover intentions and disengagement” (Hunter et. al., 2013, p. 316). As well in the introduction the point is made that most research to date has focused on construct development and points to the research studies that support this.
  3. Important of the problem justified – Rating 3 Excellent – Yes, several references are provided to support the evidence of the importance of the problem. These references can be viewed in the Introduction section of the report.
  4. There are deficiencies in the knowledge about the problem – Rating 3 Excellent – In the article the author provides 10 hypothesis to demonstrate that the research is needed and not yet available to support the hypothesis.
  5. There are audiences that can benefit from this knowledge – Rating 3 Excellent – Absolutely the knowledge would be of value to many different audiences. The research is showing that a servant leader can impact company attrition, a more favorable service climate for example.
  6. The passage clearly argues that the study is warranted – Rating 3 Excellent – yes the introduction describes information currently not available in other research studies and also points out why organizations could benefit from the research.
  7. The passage is well written –Rating 3 Excellent – I would describe this research study as professionally constructed, east to follow and a fair written report based on the study conducted.

Total score is 21 which indicates the report is of high quality.

Overall assessment is that the report is nicely formatted, has excellent evidence why the research was needed and clearly demonstrates that the research is new.

References

Hunter, E. M., Neubert, M. J., Perry, S. J., Witt, L. A., Penny, L. M., & Weinberger, E. (2013). Servant leaders inspire servant followers: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization. Leadership Quarterly, 24(2), 316-331.

Part B 

Literature review

Article reviewed is Servant leaders inspire followers: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization (Hunter et al., 2013). The following is an evaluation of the literature review.

  1. The review includes relevant literature – Rating 3 Excellent – the review is comprehensive and includes numerous sources throughout. Every statement is backed by previous literature and references as to where to find the literature.
  2. The review examines sources that are recent and of high quality – Rating 3 Excellent – sources listed are leading researchers known for their work on servant leadership. There are also recent references listed and so yes the sources are up to date.
  3. The literature review is appropriately document – Rating 3 – Excellent – I could not find any errors or omissions with the citations. All appear to be carefully documented.
  4. The literature is thoughtfully synthesized – Rating 3 – Excellent – Yes the literature is organized into major themes and is carefully identified by the use of headings.
  5. The literature is critically examined – Rating 3 – Excellent – the researches included a heading called strengths, limitations and future research and in this section identified issues with potential deficiencies, strengths and weaknesses.
  6. The study has a strong foundation in literature – Rating 3 – Excellent – the study utilized previous successful methods in conducting its research as well as provided references to previous literature.
  7. The use of the literature fits the study’s overall research approach – Rating 3 – Excellent – Yes the literature justifies the problem and provides major variables. In the introduction it points to the support as to why previous literature is missing information, as well as the report includes 10 hypotheses.

Overall score is 21 which means the literature is of high quality. Overall assessment is that the literature provides evidence of lots of previous references where the new research can be built upon.

References

Hunter, E. M., Neubert, M. J., Perry, S. J., Witt, L. A., Penny, L. M., & Weinberger, E. (2013). Servant leaders inspire servant followers: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization. Leadership Quarterly, 24(2), 316-331.

Part C

Purpose Statements and Research Questions

Article reviewed is Servant leaders inspire followers: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization (Hunter et al., 2013). The following is an evaluation of the statement of the purpose statement and research questions.

  1. The study’s purpose is clearly specified – Rating 3 Excellent – The abstract clearly states the purpose of the report. Additionally the introduction clearly states the reason why previous reports do not contain information related to the research questions.
  2. The focus of the study is appropriate – Rating 3 Excellent – Yes the focus of the study is clear and concise. The researchers kept the focus clear and examined to major qualities of servant leaders – agreeableness and extraversion versus introversion personalities.
  3. The overall intention of the study is appropriate – Rating 3 Excellent – The intent is precise and to the point. It outlines what studies have focused on to date and what this particular research will focus on and what gaps the research will serve to answer.
  4. The participants and sites are appropriate – Rating 3 Excellent – the people identified completing the surveys were clearly identified. So too were their demographics as well as possible deficiencies or impacts to the outcomes were identified.
  5. The purpose is narrowed through appropriate research questions and or/hypotheses – Rating 3 Excellent – yes each hypothesis explained the theory and why the theory was appropriate to the study.
  6. The purpose follows logically from the statement of the problem and literature review – Rating 3 Excellent – The hypothesis indicated what outcome the research team was wanting to learn more about. Additionally the hypothesis utilized previous research study methodologies.
  7. The purpose is consistent with the study’s overall approach – Rating 3 Excellent – the research questions and hypothesis were narrow and specific, based on literature and applicable theory, predetermined and remain fixed during the study. The questions asked of the participants were based on previous research questions.

The overall score is 21 – High quality. The report was a qualitative report based on specific questions that were formulated from previous research. Findings of the research were supported by providing statistics and correlations.

References

Hunter, E. M., Neubert, M. J., Perry, S. J., Witt, L. A., Penny, L. M., & Weinberger, E. (2013). Servant leaders inspire servant followers: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization. Leadership Quarterly, 24(2), 316-331.

Part D

The most important points one needs to consider for determining if a research report is of high quality includes

  • Credibility of researchers
  • Previous research on the top with list of literature references
  • APA formatted and published report.
  • Headings and well-structured report
  • Evidence of new problems presented and lack of knowledge
  • Indication of gaps in research and where more knowledge in the future is needed.
  • References and citations included

The information prior to working on Unit 4 that I was aware important to identify if the research is well written is the essentially the same principles applied to any style of writing. A credible author with respected knowledge on the top. The information is organized in a well thought out manner and that any information that has the backing of previous research be included and given proper credit for. New information or knowledge gained includes the formatting specific to APA style writing and that like most written documents, you need to capture the reader’s attention immediately to encourage them to read on. Perhaps one new concept is the indication in the research regarding the gaps in the research and where further research can be conducted. While this was news to me that this is something that should be included in all research reports, intuitively I believe that most human beings have a bit of skepticism and would more likely support the research if the flaws were included.

The information that was easy to remember and learn was related to the writing style of a research study. It would seem logical that a well thought out research question, with justification as to why the new knowledge is needed as well as including this information in an organized fashion, would be appealing to a reader. Answering the who, what, why, when is part of human curiosity and would serve well in a research paper as it does in any written material. The part difficult to remember is the APA reference formatting. There are a number of different accepted rules to follow which is important to get correct. It certainly helps having a guidebook to reference, particularly when there is a type of formatting not regularly used. It’s this attention to detail that takes time and patience, as well as a lot of proof reading. While this is perhaps the most tedious and difficult part it is important to give credit for previous knowledge. Sufficient time should clearly be allocated for reviewing and editing references and citations.

In considering my current roll and applying the knowledge gained, the APA style of writing can be adapted to many types of written reports. It’s important to sometimes slow down writing and carefully consider any points wanted to get across. In providing previous knowledge and evidence it is much easier to instill change to the most skeptic reader. It also shows a level of respect to those being given credit for previous knowledge.

Putting out a quality research paper obviously takes time and patience. In a business setting and in considering a major organizational shift or change, how much time on average do you think should be dedicated toward putting together a quality research paper?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Unit 3 Blog

Part 1

My previous experience with APA writing is very limited, although I do require writing a number of business documents in my current employment. I would describe myself as an amateur with lots to learn.

The importance of learning the APA scholarly style of writing in the context of my leadership in an indigenous business include:

  • It’s important that former knowledge be respected and acknowledged by giving credit to the author or research contributor/participant. This knowledge in an indigenous setting can have impacts on indigenous rights and title. For example when putting together traditional knowledge, references that include former academic publications is often used as evidence.
  • Using the APA style encourages one to take an objective approach to any given topic. As a leader in my organization decisions can impact employees and community. These decisions can be detrimental if not carefully thought through.
  • APA serves as a good reminder that the answers to some questions require time and thorough investigation. By presenting a clear and precise analysis, often the right decision or direction will reveal itself.
  • In a leadership role one will be subjected to judgement based on their writing skills. Learning to keep to the point and be concise in writing is essential.
  • A leader can be required to write extensive reports, tenders or other documents. These documents can be shared with employees or with shareholders and again instills a level of confidence if properly formatted.
  • Often leaders are responsible for company liability and do not want to find themselves or the company they are working for in a plagiarism legal problem. By following APA guidelines this can be avoided.
  • My organization has been working with scholarly people in putting a traditional knowledge document together which is intended to be published in the near future. I look forward to now to going back to this document and determine if APA formatting was followed.

Part 2

Areas of weaknesses in my writing is knowing the correct APA formatting style intuitively. I believe this will come with time, however to be accurate I will utilize the tools available to ensure it is correctly formatted. Tools such as online resources, textbooks and APA example papers. Another area I would like to learn more about is in conducting research. This is not an area that is a requirement of my current position and so throughout this course I’m looking forward to increasing skills and competency of APA style research.

APA style writing is extensive and covers many professions where research can get quite complex. An example of this I would believe to be in a clinic trial setting in monitoring human behavior. While interesting, it is not an area I can see will benefit me, in my current career path. Are there any books that are specific to APA style writing for business that can be recommended and or utilized as a quick reference document?

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Unit 2 – Blog

Unit 2 Blog

Part A

While considering the research question “What is the best model of indigenous economic development that will help build a healthy and thriving community” the following challenges were identified:

  • Currently there is little information available to First Nations on what are best practices when it comes to creating economic development entities in Canada. Some entities are focused on creating economic wealth through rights and title while others are focused on capacity building or both. Within Canada many First Nations are also only now, starting up economic development companies and so scarce sources are available thus explaining why little research has been conducted.
  • While researching, it was necessary to broaden the search to include “tribal indigenous economic development” as in the U.S.A., the word tribal is more widely used. Also due to a government decision allowing indigenous communities in the U.S.A to open gaming on reserves, many nations have been participating in successful businesses ventures for a longer period of time. This has resulted in more sources of scholarly information published in the U.S.A.
  • While searching some specific journal and article sources, specifically targeting indigenous topics, a number of indigenous driven organizations were found. An example is the UCLA American Indian studies center which may prove to be an excellent source of information in the future.

Part B

The following is an evaluation of a journal called “Realizing the Potential: Global Perspectives on Indigenous Economic Development” related to the targeted research question in Part A:

Author – The Author is Canada’s public policy forum. The public policy forum is a non-profit indicating that its purpose is to improve the quality of government through dialogue. In evaluating any one specific author, it was not indicated and so it required further investigation as to whom the forum was made up of. The forum participant names listed appeared to be mainly from industry as opposed to being identified as indigenous participants. That said each participant was not identified as indigenous or non-indigenous specifically. It was from company or job titles only that it could be surmised that a participant was indigenous. For example one participant was listed as a Chief.

Currency – The article was published in May of 2014 and so moderately current.

Purpose – Not clearly stated however upon reading the information it became apparent that the purpose was to educate businesses wanting to forward projects in the traditional territories of First nations, by providing guidance on approaches. Also it was intended to encourage businesses, in particular in the resource sector, to establish joint ventures and or support other indigenous economic development.

Publication type/process – The publication I would classify as an article and not scholarly in nature. The publication was the outcome of a public forum and based on the opinions of the forum participants. The article was not peer reviewed.

Biases – Project partners included oil and gas companies as well as resource extraction companies. Listed also as forum participants included representatives from these groups. The title of the article is perhaps misleading as it might lead one to believe that the ideas are presented as options that might be of value to indigenous communities involved in economic development. However given the lack of indigenous participants and the project partners core business activities, this article does not factor or consider a comprehensive indigenous perspective.

References

Realizing the potential : global perspectives indigneous on economic development. (2014). Ottawa, Ontario : Canada’s Public Policy Forum, [2014]. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.student.twu.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat05965a&AN=alc.1353928&site=eds-live

Part C

In considering what sources of information are needed to conduct research on the question, “What is the best model of indigenous economic development that will help build a healthy and thriving community”, it is apparent that there is minimal scholarly information available on the topic. This has required creativity in searching for key words as well as broadening the search to worldwide sources such as Australia and the United States. The research will to require local surveys and interviews from local indigenous communities as well as industry professionals. The web is also a source for consideration as legislation requires indigenous communities to post audited financial statements. These financial statements will not necessarily answer research questions specifically but will point to indigenous communities that can be targeted for survey’s or interviews.

In consideration of a research question where there is difficulty in locating scholarly sources, does one give up on a topic one is passionate about and is seeking answers for, or is it better to get excited about the topic and take on the challenge?

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Unit 2, Assignment 2 Research Interest

Assignment 2 – Clarifying your research interest

After completing my concept map, I came up with the following research questions:

  1. How does economic development help indigenous people?
    2. How does economic development help indigenous people in capacity building?
    3. How does economic development build healthy indigenous communities?
    4. What is the best model of indigenous economic development that will help build a healthy and thriving community?

The research question I feel strongest about is question number 4. My justification for this question being the strongest, is because while there is much information out there about why economic development is important to First Nations, there are limited resource materials available that speak about best practices and or best models. There are many questions that come to mind in this research:

  1. Most models are heavily interwoven into the decisions set out by indigenous governments but are these always the best business models?
  2. Do community elections impact their decision making?
  3. Are they building economic wealth only or are they also effecting change in their communities by creating employment opportunities?
  4. How are indigenous communities leveraging rights and title to support economic growth?
  5. Urban indigenous communities have the advantage of leveraging their lands however how to indigenous communities outside of urban centers leverage the opportunity to get involved with economic development?
  6. Is it indigenous people making decisions on economic development for their communities or is it non-indigenous people and does this matter?
  7. What unique ways are communities building capacity?
  8. What does success look like?
  9. How long does it take to build a successful model?
  10. How did any given community get started?
  11. Are there any lessons learned?
  12. How has the market procurement policies impacted the growth of indigenous business?
  13. What capital was utilized to get started in economic development?
  14. Is the nation still supporting the economic development entity? If not, when did the financial support stop?

I anticipate the need to research answers by coming up with a questionnaire for the following:

  1. Literature review – this will be difficult as recently I have been speaking with a researcher from Simon Fraser University whom shared that there are limited studies available. So limited that there is only one well known article which is from Harvard however is not necessarily applicable to a Canadian Indigenous community
  2. Speak to indigenous people – inquire how economic development has helped them personally as well as how it has impacted their community.
  3. Speak with other indigenous economic development companies (urban, suburban and remote) to review various models – Urban/Suburban might include – Seyem’ Qwantlen, Osoyoos, Musqueam, Tsawwassen, Metis, Squamish, etc. Remote – Komox, Lytton, Merritt.
  4. Professional Institutions such as the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, BC economic development association, New Relationship Trust.
  5. Speak with industry professionals doing business with First Nations such as banks, construction companies, BC Hydro, Law Firms. What are these institutions seeing as successful models?
  6. Interview elders
  7. Interview government representatives that put out tenders with priority to indigenous people, or representatives that manage grants to help indigenous people.

 

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LDRS 591 – Unit 1 Blog

Part 1

My name is Brenda Fernie and I am currently employed by the Seyem’ Qwantlen Business Group as the Vice-President. Seyem’ Qwantlen is responsible for lands, resources and economic development on behalf of the Kwantlen First Nation. On the economic development side I regularly informally research things like new software systems, industry trends and best leadership practices. On the lands and resources side it is extremely important that the research receives a scholarly lens, and that it remains at arm’s length. The reason for the scholarly review on the lands and resources side of the company is because the research is utilized for rights and title and needs to stand up in a court of law. Research related to rights and title includes a review of archaeological evidence, a review of historical journals, historical maps, ethnographical review and elder’s interviews to collaborate the evidence. This research is conducted in collaboration with universities and professionals of various fields. My company is the holder of this information and recently has started a Geographical Information System data base as a place holder of this important information. The key difference in every day research versus scholarly research is that the chance of scholarly research being disputed is unlikely while everyday research can often be untested or the outcome definitively unknown.

Part 2

One decision I recently made as a leader, was to invest in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool. The tool meant a sizeable investment in the company and so I evaluated the cost versus risk with the status quo. The following is a list of factors that went into my decision making:

  • Financial information was difficult to extract on the current system. Information that was available was often months behind.
  • QuickBooks was not meant for a multi-company. It meant finance staff had to close and open up a new page as each company did not interface with one another.
  • Management staff were frustrated about not having financial information. At times I felt like we were hiding something however this was not the case. The information was not available.
  • I felt the need to fix the problem or at least demonstrate to staff that we were doing something about it.
  • We hired a consultant to conduct a review of our business and recommend an ERP system that would work for our business. The consultant confirmed that Quickbooks was not adequate and that a better fit would be Microsoft Dynamics.
  • The company did not have HR software which I felt was a risk. I also knew this was not best practice for a company our size. While there were many options for HR software I knew Microsoft Dynamics had the ability to integrate Finance with HR which would save me on administrative staff and reduce the risk of errors from duplicate entries.
  • The company had invested in temporary solutions, all of which did not communicate with one another such as a Timeclock software, scheduling software, dispatching software, point of sale software, etc. All of which did not communicate with one another.
  • My past employment influenced my decision to invest in an ERP system. I came from a large organization that was accountable to the public and so the need for up to date financial information was integral. I felt the same was true in being accountable to our own government at Kwantlen.
  • I discussed with many of the impacted staff and they also felt not have an ERP system was one of our biggest organizational risks. We had to find a solution before growing any larger.
  • In being accountable to the community I did not like being put in a position of not having data that was evidence based, particularly when it came to budgets. I wanted real information that would add to my credibility.
  • I often had a hunch in some areas where I saw there could see improvements within different parts of the business, but without the financial information to back it up it was really just my opinion. I wanted financial data so that Managers could concentrate in areas of their business that required their attention and so that I too could provide feedback to Manager’s on where to focus their attention.
  • Finances impacted my decision as the cost of an ERP system meant a substantial investment. However in evaluating the upfront cost of the ERP versus the cost to add additional staff I was able to justify that in the end the savings would come from improvements within the business.

Scholarly inquiry applies to everyday decision making as we react to circumstances based on past experiences and what works. There are times as leaders we might make a decision based on what has worked in the past however as the world evolves our information may suddenly be out of date. At this point as leaders it is important that we experiment with new ways and form new conclusions on what works. This starts with asking an objective question. For example a few years back I had considered how I as an employee was motivated to not miss work. I knew that I wanted to move up in the company and if I kept my record clean I could do many things. I therefore as a supervisor took it upon myself to meet more regularly with employees and come up with a career plan for them. I was motivated partly because I dreaded doing attendance interviews but also because I felt like we as supervisors did not talk to our employees until their attendance was actually a problem. I wanted to keep them on track before they became a problem. I had no evidence my theory would work however in years later, evaluating the data it did have an impact. My assigned group attendance records, in comparison to others, was significantly less. Many of my direct reports as well went on to become supervisors, trainers or moved into other positions within the organization.

Part 3

The authors of Understanding scientifically based research: A mandate or decision making tool? (Trybus, 2007) and Evidence-based management (Pfifer & Sutton, 2006) conceptualize evidence-based decisions, as using science based research in decision making. Science based research is research that is soundly conducted and uses a systematic approach with rigorous data to support the findings.

Science based evidence is research that is data driven, can be either quantitative or qualitative, references previous studies if available. Evidence can also include the integration of professional wisdom. Professional wisdom may come from companies running trial programs, pilot studies and small experiments.

Evidence-based decision-making is important in leadership as leaders are often challenged with finding ways for continuous improvement. Particularly with the advancements in technology, companies are needing to be on the lookout for ways to increase productivity, increase its competitiveness and their customer base. Making a decision without using evidence based decisions could become costly, cause delays and in some cases result in the closure of the business due to a poor investment decision. The employees of any organization are in trust of the leadership to make the right decision. If the right decision is not made the employees may lose trust and faith in their leadership which ultimately may result in employees leaving the company. While leadership makes decisions they must also share in the logic of their decision. If employees feel the decision has not been well thought out, they may not support the implementation of a new policy or technology. On the contrary if leadership utilizes evidence based decisions making, it may actually aid in the success and or buy in of its employees and in some cases its customers.

In the case of Seyem’ Qwantlen Business Group, the responsibilities of departments are quite diverse. With one side of the company dealing with rights and title and the other working in the fast pace environment of economic development it is quite the contrast. I can see at times friction between the two groups as one group of employees relies on a very evidence based research approach while the other is required to make quick decisions daily, based on informal research. I wonder though, how might each group work together and share in their strengths when it comes to how my organization approaches research?

References

Trybus, M. (2007). Understanding scientifically based research: A mandate or decision making tool? Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 73(4), 5-8.

Pfeffer, J. & Sutton, R. I. (2006). Evidence-based management. Harvard Business Review

 

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Introduction ldrs591

My name is Brenda Fernie and I am seeking to complete my MA in Business Leadership. I am currently working for my nation, the Kwantlen, located in Fort Langley, BC. My day to day responsibilities involves working for the economic development arm of the nation and my role is the Vice-President. I am most interested in developing my skills as a leader and in serving my community to the best of my abilities.

I live in South Surrey and have been in the area for my entire life. I’m married with two children whom are 7 and 11. The eldest is diagnosed with ASD/OCD and as such I oversee a home based program. In June of 2017 my family was gifted with an ASD dog named Hughey. He has quickly become an important part of my family.

My great, great, great Grandfather was Grand Chief Wattlekanium whom met Simon Fraser’s expedition in present day New Westminster. He moved the Kwantlen people for protection beside the Fort, which was operated by the Hudson’s Bay company. His daughter married a worker of the Fort whom was an American Indian – Chippewa. In addition to my Kwantlen lineage I am also of Musqueam descent. My great, great, great, Grandfather was a Musqueam Chief. His daughter, Mooskum Pooki, also married a worker of the Hudson’s Bay company with the last name Emptage. Emptage was a homesteader and cleared the land that the TWU Langley campus sits on today. These lands stayed in my families hands including up to the time of my late Grandmother. In the fall, the Fort Langley National Historic site hosts the ghost walking tours and the main subject is about my great, great grandfather, William Henry Emptage and his wife, Mooskum Poki (anglasized name – Louisa). It is said that the Fort Langley cemetery is haunted and that William is often seen wandering and looking for Louisa. I’m not sure I believe this as I’ve never seen a ghost myself but it makes for a fun story.

I’m looking forward to collaborating with the other students and in improving my research skills.