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East Tennessee State University

The Contemporary Manager.

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>Diversity has entered the leadership arena, as it has all other aspects of life. As we prepare leaders to lead in a more diverse world and train managers in the skills needed to succeed in a competitive society, we must understand what managers’ activities consist of and how leadership styles differ. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the activities of Chief Executive Officers in businesses from a variety of sectors, document differences in male and female leadership styles, and compare these findings with previous studies. Data were collected through observation and creative interviews with three female and three male CEOs, one of which was a minority. The CEOs had been employed in his or her position for at least two years, and the organizations were diverse, successful, and well-known.</p> <p>Observation notes, dialogue and creative interviews were analyzed using Glaser and Strauss’s (1967) constant comparative method. Variety, brevity, and fragmentation were found in the activities of a contemporary manager, and attitudes toward scheduled breaks, interruptions, outside activities, outside businesses, reflection, communication, technology, and identity were found to be similar between male and female leaders. The CEOs tended to value the importance of breaks, have tolerance for interruptions, participate in outside activities, and establish outside business relationships. Also, they tended to value reflection, have informal and formal ways of sharing information with employees, have been impacted for the better by technology, and have a multi-faceted identity.</p> <p>Additional qualitative and quantitative research was recommended to further explore how studies can help prepare leaders by understanding the activities and leadership styles of contemporary managers.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
EdD (Doctor of Education)
Level thesis:degree_level
Dissertation - restricted
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Educational Leadership
Year dc:date.issued
2003

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Sevier, Lou Ann Hopper

Subjects

dc:subject × 6

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • Copyright by the authors.

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/812
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-1969

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
East Tennessee State University
Base URL
dc.etsu.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Sevier, Lou Ann Hopper. The Contemporary Manager.. Dissertation - restricted thesis, 2003. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/812