Posts

Posted on

Unit 3 – Comments on a walk in the woods

I enjoyed reading the blog from awalkinthewoods, Unit 3 assignment. First I’d like to comment that I like all of the humble responses from all of the students regarding their APA writing experience. The part that I found most interesting about awalkinthewoods post is the experience of attending a speaker event where the speaker provided references for speaking points. We’ve learned about APA writing but I cannot recall reading about speaking engagements. In any case I do think it it is courteous and professional to give credit in a speaking engagement and can add credibility to the speech. There are some APA rules I can see that might have some relevance such as the section on Permission to Quote, Reprint, or Adapt. “You may need written permission from the owner or copyrighted work if you include lengthy quotations or if you include reprinted or adapted tables or figures” (American Psychological Association 2010). Perhaps a little excessive for some audiences however if presented at a major conference where there are a number of subject matter experts its best to air on the side of caution. Thank you awalkinthewoods for sharing this important lesson.

References

American Psychological Association (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Posted on

Week 2 reply to student post

Would you prioritize research about first nations people done by local authors over the same topic done by outside researchers? What are the advantages and inconveniences of either choice? By E. depressing

I feel qualified to answer the question regarding researching first nations by local authors or by outside researchers. I am a First Nations person and work for my community for the economic arm as described in my opening blog. I will do my best to share my thoughts based on my experience.

Advantages of a local authors:

  • First nations pass down traditional knowledge orally and are careful to share information only with those that are most trusted. There are many examples of local authors that have long standing relationships with indigenous communities and are trusted to share the information respectfully. An example of this type relationship is often with archaeologists. Many communities will work with an archaeologist for their entire career as they are trusted with traditional knowledge and have the best interest of the nation at heart. The archaeologist will also often assist with supporting rights and title and so have quite a bit of experience in conducting research on behalf of a nation.
  • There are some quality local resources that are great sources. A good place to start is call a local indigenous community and ask if their lands department can recommend some local, credible books. Indigenous lands departments can be a great help, in particular in tracking down older publications.

Inconveniences:

  • The amount indigenous subject matter experts might limit your availability of quality research.
  • In thinking about rights and title you need to be careful in examining your sources. There is a great deal of misinformation out there that stems from nations wanting to strengthen their rights and title claims. By utilizing an outside researcher you will likely get a more objective viewpoint.
  • Also be careful that you examine the sources of the researchers. As an indigenous person I often get frustrated with the references and citations even from some of the most qualified researchers. I’ve seen history change because of propaganda of individuals further their rights and title.
Posted on

Week One – Reply to other students

“Question from Lara – A parting question for you…

As a leader within your organization, do you find it difficult to challenge past practices that team members continue to use that are no longer justifiable? How do you initiate integrating evidence based changes? What research sources do you use most frequently to build your knowledge base?”

To answer this question I can say that yes sometimes I am challenged at times with past practices that team members continue to use that are no longer justified. I say sometimes because as I grow and learn about Indigenous traditional teachings I become less skeptical and open to practices that I may not have been aware of.

Prior to coming home from my community I came from a very structured environment with sound business practices. The business functioned like a well oiled machine however looking back, I can honestly say that the people working there were not happy. While on the surface it may have been successful I can’t help but think how much more successful it could have been if the employees felt engaged and happy.

In the case of indigenous community practices there is not much research available but instead anecdotal evidence that has been passed on orally from generation to generation. While I think it is important to integrate evidence based changes, I also think it is also important to acknowledge that just because the research isn’t available doesn’t mean that the practice is not right. In the end we all need to work together to be successful and so forcing employees to change without involving them in a discussion first, will only lead to unhappy employees. As leaders I think we need to be open as well that we may not always have the best answer available.

In leadership in my community we live by the seven traditional laws “Since time immemorial, we live by the seven traditional laws that guided our ancestors: health, happiness, generations, generosity, humbleness, forgiveness and understanding” (Kwantlen First Nation, time immemorial). Understanding in this case can go a long way to achieving employee engagement.

References

Unknown (time immemorial). The Kwantlen First Nation [online reference]. https://www.kwantlenfn.ca/

Posted on

Unit 5, Assessment

Part A    

In the guidebook, Understanding Research by Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015), they provide the following explanation to describe the differences between Quantitative and Qualitative research:

“In quantitative research the research problem tends to call for:

  • An explanation of the relationship that exist among variables,
  • A measurement of trends in a population” (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, p. 59).

“In qualitative research problems tend to call for:

  • An exploration because little is known about the problem,
  • A detailed description and understanding of a phenomenon” (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, p. 59).

“In quantitative research, researchers identify research problems that call for an explanation of the relationships among variables” (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, p. 59).

“Qualitative Research is best suited for research problems that call for the need to explore and learn from participants because important variables are unknown or insufficient for describing a phenomenon” (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, p. 59).

Assessment of qualitative research

Research Report select written by Van Winkle, Allen, DeVore & Winston (2014).

  1. The choice of the research design is appropriate and justified – Rating 3 – the research design was based on previous collection method and were tested against previous results for accuracy. The researchers utilized previously tested collection methods and resulted were tested against previous results for accuracy. As stated “The ESLB scale (Winston & Fields, n.d.) was chosen for its design, brevity, and reliability” (Van Winkle, Allen, DeVore & Winston, 2014, p. 74). Also chosen was Laschinger et al.’s (2010) CWEQ II, because it “extends an existing model of workplace empowerment and integrates Kanter’s (1977, 1993) theory of structural power in organizations and Spreitzer’s (1995) notion of psychological empowerment” (Laschinger et al., 2010, P.5). So yes the research design is appropriate and justified.
  2. Good quantitative procedures are used to select and assign participants – Rating 2 – the researchers checked with an outside review board to receive approval prior to the data collection. The researchers selected adults 18 years of age, employed at small businesses. They also worked with a college and received permission to work with adult business students. While the procedure as to selecting participants was approved, it could have been improved by including a larger population base, participants from across the country and also diverse populations.
  3. Good quantitative data collection procedures are used – Rating 2 – A survey link was sent to 156 participants and 130 of the surveys were received. Of the 130, 116 were useable. My reasoning for a score of 2 is because it is not clear how the survey was controlled to ensure that it was in fact the employees and not supervisors responding. For example if the survey was passcode protected it could have ensured the further step in ensuring the data collected was in fact from the intended participants. It was also not described why some of the respondent’s survey results were not useable.
  4. Good quality data analysis procedures were used – Rating 2 – as indicated in the research paper “The Pearson Product-Moment (PPM) correlation coefficient (r) was used to measure the relationship between the participant’s perceptions of their supervisor’s servant leadership and overall empowerment, as well as each empowerment subscale” (Van Winkle, Allen, DeVore & Winston, 2014, p. 75). The data could have been better controlled by using a unique passcode to ensure the participants were the correct participants that were requested to participate in the study. A survey link was sent to participants, likely for efficiency but the report does not address control measures that were in place for accuracy.
  5. Good quantitative results and conclusions are reported – Rating 3 – the researched provided a table indicating the result of their study and then further went on to discuss the results of the scores in more detail.
  6. The study used a rigorous research design – Rating 2 – The research design could have been improved by including a larger population based, samples from different parts of the country and more information on the demographics of those that participated in the research.
  7. The use of the quantitative research design addressed the study’s purpose – Rating 3 – As stated in The Relationship Between the Servant Leadership Behaviors of Immediate Supervisors and Followers’ Perceptions of Being Empowered in the Context of Small Business “The purpose of the study was to measure the relationship between followers’ perceptions of the servant leadership of their immediate supervisor and followers’ sense of empowerment in the context of small business” (Van Winkle, Allen, DeVore & Winston, 2014, p. 70). Also as quoted under the heading of Small Business, according to Wang and Pouziouris (2010) “There has been little written about small business leaders and servant leadership, and according to Wang and Poutziouris (2010), “research on the leadership in the small business domain remains immature” (p. 350). So yes the research addressed the studies purpose.

Overall score is 17/21 which indicates an adequate quality overall quantitative research report.

Part B

Quality criteria for data collection utilizing research by Van Winkle, Allen, DeVore & Winston (2014)…

  1. The sampling strategy is appropriate and justified – Rating 2 – The researcher’s strategy was to utilize email to send the surveys out. There were no details about controls in place to ensure the surveys were completed by the right group. The strategy was not very detailed and appeared like the researchers were looking for a quick turnaround.
  2. The sample size is appropriate and justified – Rating 3 – “The sample size of 116 resulted in a power of 100%, (using Howell, 2013) suggesting the sample size was more than adequate to support the correlation found” (Van Winkle, Allen, Devore & Winston, 2014, p. 76).
  3. High quality instruments are used to gather data – Rating 1 – the instrument used it appears to gather data is an emailed survey. The survey was sent to business owners and employees recruited on campus. There are a number of concerns with this method in that there is not mention on how the surveys were controlled and that steps were put in place to ensure employees were able to complete the survey as opposed to business owners. There is also no mention of anonominity and so the participants may have not been truthful in their responses out of fear of owner retribution.
  4. The data are gathered using ethical quantative procedures – Rating 3 – there does not appear to be any issues related to ethics.
  5. The data are gathered using standardized quantative procedures – Rating 3 – yes the data included previously recognized quantative procedures and the results shared in a table.
  6. The study has a high level of internal validity – Rating 3 – The study utilized numerous other quantitative studies and build on former knowledge. Also the study utilized former knowledge in reviewing the data and comparing result of previous data.
  7. The study has a high level of external validity – Rating 3 – the authors are qualified with credential suitable for this type of report. The report is also published by a respectable and well known Journal publication which means the study would have undergone a peer review.

Overall score 18/21 indicating a high quality collection of quantitative data.

Part C

Evaluation of the data analysis and results utilizing research by Van Winkle, Allen, DeVore & Winston (2014)…

  1. The data was rigorously scored and prepared – Rating 3 – The data was collected using a 5-point Likert scale and so the score was outlined prior to the participants responding to the survey.
  2. Good descriptive analysis were conducted – Rating 3 – The analysis was well written and shared in the results, discussions and findings section. References were providing drawing a correlation to previous known knowledge and newly found knowledge.
  3. Good hypothesis testing procedures were used – Rating 0 – It does not appear that the authors provided any hypothesis.
  4. The results are comprehensive – Rating 1 – I felt the authors had the opportunity to research and provide more analysis then they did. The results shared were minimal and perhaps without having a number of hypothesis to be researched, it did not require extensive results to be shared. I feel like this is a missed opportunity.
  5. The results include sufficient information – Rating 1 – again I did not feel the report provided sufficient information and left me wanting to know more such as how the results might have differed by gender, age and race.
  6. The data analysis represents a good quantitative process – Rating 3 – the author’s analysis in the discussions and findings did correlate back to the quantitative process that was followed.
  7. The results provide a good explanation of the study’s purpose – Rating 3 – the results did indicate that the study’s purpose was met.

Overall quality 14/21 indicating adequate quality results for the data analysis and results, likely pointing back to gaps in collection of data.

Part D

As a consumer of research reports, the most important aspects needed to consider in the methods and results section of a high quality quantitative report is citing literature that includes models of how to design a study and how to collect and analyze data. If a research paper utilizes previous successful methods, the information and results are more likely to be credible and measurable. Detailed information about how the information is collected and what controls are in place to ensure credible data is also equally important.

The collection of data appears to be time consuming and difficult for the average person to have access to collection models that ensure anonominity, security and reliability of the data in a quantitative report. The other skillset that is needed of researchers is mathematical skills that can explain the data in an anonymous way. Depending on the field of study this could potentially prohibit individuals from participating in a research report if not comfortable in a mathematical setting.

One thing that is evident in creating a credible qualitative research report is that it takes time to set up collection methods and to think through potential gaps in the research. Also taking time to think about a hypothesis in advance may help to shape what data is collected. In my current role as a leader, having the time to create a research report is not likely however having the ability to read research reports on industry trends is essential. In particular in reading research reports on leadership styles and trends that effect employee morale and productivity.

What kinds of research tools are available and accessible to an amateur researcher, for the collection of qualitative data?

References

Howell, D.C. (2013) Statistical methods for psychology (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage.

Kanter, R.M. (1977) Men and woman of the corporation. New York, NY. Basic Books.

Laschinger, H., Gilbert, S., Smith, L., & Leslie K. (2010). Towards a comprehensive theory of nurse/patient empowerment: Applying Kanter’s empowerment theory to patient care. Journal of Nursing Management, 18, 4-13

Plano-Clark, V., & Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Spreitzer, G.M. (1995). Psychological empowerment in the workplace: Dimensions, measurement and validation. Academy of Management Journal, 38(5), 1442-1465. doi:10.2307/256865

 

Van Winkle, B., Allen, S., DeVore, D., & Winston, B. (2014). The relationship between the servant leadership behaviors of immediate supervisors and follower’s perceptions of being empowered in the context of small business. Journal of Leadership Education, 13(3), 70-82.

Wang, Y., & Poutziouris, P. (2010). Leadership styles, management systems and growth: Empirical evidence from UK owner-managed SMEs. Journal of Enterprising Culture, 18(3), 331-354.

Winston, B.E., & Fields, D. (n.d.) Development and evaluation of a new parsimonious measure of servant leadership. Manuscript under review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on

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?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on

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?

Posted on

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?

Posted on

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.

 

Posted on

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

 

Posted on

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.