Date of Award
2018
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
Abstract
In the context of an increasingly competitive and complex higher Education market, postsecondary leaders are challenged to sustain the viability of their institutions. In response to these challenges, college and university leaders routinely pursue change and innovation. Yet, the process to implement change successfully is elusive. In other industries, researchers have found that social networks are influential in the success and sustainability of change. The purpose of this study was to explore if there is a relationship between social network characteristics and faculty members beliefs about organizational change at a small, private university. The results showed that the strength and diversity of network connections related to faculty members beliefs about whether changes were appropriate and supported by leaders and trusted peers. These findings indicate that social networks are influential in higher Education. Leveraging informal, social networks can provide postsecondary leaders with another strategy to successfully implement change at small, private institutions of higher Education.
Recommended Citation
Bushnell, Elizabeth J., "Network Effect: How Social Networks Relate To Beliefs About Organizational Change At Private Colleges" (2018). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1679.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/1679