Influence of Organizational Culture and Leadership Styles on Nonprofit Staff Members' Commitment

Influence of Organizational Culture and Leadership Styles on Nonprofit Staff Members’ Commitment by Simone Hinds MHR, DeVry University, 2008 MPA, John Jay University, 2006 MS, Hunter College, 2003 BA, Hunter College, 2001 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration Walden University February 2019 Abstract Organizational culture and leadership styles of a leader are important to staff members’ commitment in a nonprofit organization, yet little is understood about the role of leadership style and the degree to which staff are committed to organizational effectiveness in nonprofit organizations. Using Avolio and Bass’ conceptualization of transformational leadership as the theoretical foundation, the purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the organizational culture, leadership styles, and nonprofit staff members’ commitment in 1 large organization in the United States. Survey data were collected (N=100) through an instrument that combined Cameron and Quinn’s Organizational Cultural Assessment and Avolio and Bass’s Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. These data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to examine organizational culture relative to leadership style. The statistical analyses in this study examined organizational commitment and organizational culture in each leadership style. There were differences in the proportion of organizational commitment and organizational culture among leadership styles, which were measured using coefficients of variation. Notably, when participants perceived a leader to exhibit transformational leadership traits, there also were greater proportions of perceptions of organizational commitment and positive organizational culture within those groups. The implications for positive social change stemming from this study include recommendations to organizational leadership to identify the employees’ backgrounds, cultures and practice, and to determine the organizational culture’s relevance. These recommendations may increase engagement and job satisfaction, thus reducing turnover, increasing profitability and influencingOrganizational culture and leadership styles of a leader are important to staff members’ commitment in a nonprofit organization, yet little is understood about the role of leadership style and the degree to which staff are committed to organizational effectiveness in nonprofit organizations. Using Avolio and Bass’ conceptualization of transformational leadership as the theoretical foundation, the purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the organizational culture, leadership styles, and nonprofit staff members’ commitment in 1 large organization in the United States. Survey data were collected (N=100) through an instrument that combined Cameron and Quinn’s Organizational Cultural Assessment and Avolio and Bass’s Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. These data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to examine organizational culture relative to leadership style. The statistical analyses in this study examined organizational commitment and organizational culture in each leadership style. There were differences in the proportion of organizational commitment and organizational culture among leadership styles, which were measured using coefficients of variation. Notably, when participants perceived a leader to exhibit transformational leadership traits, there also were greater proportions of perceptions of organizational commitment and positive organizational culture within those groups. The implications for positive social change stemming from this study include recommendations to organizational leadership to identify the employees’ backgrounds, cultures and practice, and to determine the organizational culture’s relevance. These recommendations may increase engagement and job satisfaction, thus reducing turnover, increasing profitability and influencing organizational commitment, resulting in a highly productive workforce. Influence of Organizational Culture and Leadership Styles on Nonprofit Staff Members’ Commitment by Simone Hinds MHR, DeVry University, 2008 MPA, John Jay University, 2006 MS, Hunter College, 2003 BA, Hunter College, 2001 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration Walden University February 2019 Dedication I dedicate this research to my husband, Christopher, and my mom, Annette Miller. My husband and mother have been my support system. They encouraged and nurtured me through this long and challenging journey of pursuing my doctorate. Their patience has driven my perseverance. To my mom: I thank you for raising me to be a robust and confident woman. You motivated me to pursue my goals, no matter how difficult and challenging the process. You taught me to always to believe in myself and look toward the future with hope and determination. To my husband and best friend: I sincerely thank you for always being there for me. You have guided me through this journey with patience and understanding. Thank you for holding my hand and being my therapist during stressful times. Most of all, thank you for believing in me when I began to lose hope. You are truly my hero. Acknowledgments I would like to thank everyone who has offered and continues to offer great encouragement and support throughout this doctoral process. Thanks to Dr. Ernesto Escobedo, my committee Chair, and Lori Demeter, my Methodologist, for pushing me to do better and for demonstrating understanding, patience, and excellent guidance. They gave their energy and time to lead me gently in the right direction. Both committee members’ expertise and professionalism assisted in making this goal attainable. In my family of graduates, I am the first one to pursue a doctoral degree. Obtaining a good education has always been one of my family’s most important values. Two of my sisters earned baccalaureate degrees, and my brother obtained his master’s degree. I have my mother, Annette Miller, to thank for supporting me, inspiring me never to stop, and instilling in me that the light at the end of the tunnel was worth pursuing. I will pass on my goal of continued scholastic achievement and family values to my future children. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority for their great support and strong belief in education.