An Exploration of the Relationship Between a Black-Owned Radio Station's Organizational Culture and Its Social Impact
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An Exploration of the Relationship Between a Black-Owned Radio Station's Organizational Culture and its Social Impact by Antoinette Carter Jenkins B.A. in Psychology, August 2006, George Mason University M.B.A. in Business Administration, August 2009, University of Maryland University College A Dissertation submitted to The Faculty of the Graduate School of Education and Human Development of The George Washington University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education May 18, 2014 Dissertation directed by Neal E. Chalofsky Associate Professor of Human and Organizational Learning The Graduate School of Education and Human Development of The George Washington University certifies that Antoinette Carter Jenkins has passed the Final Examination for the degree of Doctor of Education as of March 4, 2014. This is the final and approved form of the dissertation. An Exploration of the Relationship Between a Black-Owned Radio Station's Organizational Culture and its Social Impact Antoinette Carter Jenkins Dissertation Research Committee Neal E. Chalofsky, Associate Professor of Human and Organizational Learning, Dissertation Director Maria Cseh, Associate Professor of Human and Organizational Learning, Committee Member James A. Miller, Professor of English and of American Studies, Committee Member ii Dedication To Mommy and Granny, my first and most influential teachers, for everything. iii Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge the many wonderful people who have enriched my life, offering love and support at various stages of my journey. To my husband, John: I am so fortunate to have you as my partner in life. Thank you for your boundless love, unwavering support, and for being a loving and nurturing father to our children. I love you and I appreciate you more than words can say. To my daughter, Alexis: Being your mother is one of the greatest honors and joys of my life. In what seems like the blink of an eye, you have transformed from my sweet little baby girl into an amazing young woman. Thank you for your love, support, and patience. I love you. To my son, Jared: You are the pure embodiment of love and I am honored to be your mother. Watching you grow to become a brilliant little gentleman with a compassionate heart is a source of great pride for me. Thank you for your love, support, and patience. I love you. To my precious little one: You have been my constant companion and a treasured source of comfort for the past five months. With every flutter you add joy to my life and excitement for my next phase of motherhood. I love you and I can’t wait to hold you in my arms. To my stepson, Austin: I am so proud of the man you are becoming and I am grateful that you welcomed me to be a part of your journey. I love you. To my mother, Laura Nadine Ruffin: You loved me deeply, nurtured my inquisitive mind, and celebrated my every accomplishment. You provided an environment where I was free to exercise my independence in thought, word, and deed. iv For all of that and so much more, I am truly grateful. I miss you immensely and I love you more than words can say. To my dad, Phil Watson: You have guided me through life with love, honesty, and wisdom, while providing plenty of space for me to exercise independence in navigating my path. Thank you for being a dedicated father and an ardent supporter of our community. I love you and I appreciate you. To my brother, Chris: I love you. To Granny and Poppy: Through the beauty of your marriage and love for each other, I learned the true meaning of partnership. Through your community involvement, I learned the importance of living my values. Thank you for loving me and leading by example. To Deeda: A long time ago, you told me, “God will provide.” I carry those words and my memories of you in my heart. To my uncles, Gregory and Vincent, and my aunt, Robin: You have always been there for me and for that I am truly grateful. I love you all so much. To my parents-in-law, Rev. Holt and Mary Louise Jenkins: Thank you for welcoming me into your family, loving and supporting me, and for being such wonderful grandparents to our children. I miss you both dearly. To Candice: Your friendship is like none I have ever known and it is a gift that I will forever treasure. Sharing in this dissertation process and other life experiences along the way has been comforting, enlightening, and fun. Thank you for being you. I am so grateful to have you (and your family) in my life. v To Rubens: You welcomed me into the HOL program and have been a big brother ever since. Thank you for your friendship and support. To Mr. Patrick Ellis: Getting to know you over this past year has been a gift. Thank you for welcoming me into the “HUR family,” delighting me with your storytelling, and teaching me about radio production. Your support and encouragement have been immeasurable, and for that I am truly grateful. To Mr. Jim Watkins: Thank you for granting me the opportunity to learn more about WHUR. It was heartwarming to discover how much you and the HUR family— both past and present—have enriched our community. To my participants, Vanessa Deal, Molette Green, Renee Nash, Brittani Riddle, Steve Robinson, Charles Tate, and Jacquie Gales Webb: I learned so much from each of you. Thank you for sharing your time and experiences with me. To Dr. Neal Chalofsky: Learning with you has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Thank you for taking me under your wing and providing space for me to fly. I appreciate all that you are and all that you do. To Dr. Maria Cseh: From the moment we met, I knew that HOL was my home. Thank you for your mentorship, listening ear, heartfelt words, and great big hugs over the years. I am fortunate to have you in my life. To Dr. James Miller: I am so grateful to have you as a member of my dissertation committee. Thank you for your interest and your support. To Dr. Thomas Battle: Thank you for your guidance. I sincerely appreciate you. To the many other family, friends, colleagues, teachers, and students who have offered support and encouragement along the way – Thank you. vi Abstract of Dissertation An Exploration of the Relationship Between a Black-Owned Radio Station's Organizational Culture and its Social Impact The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between a Black-owned radio station’s organizational culture and its social impact. Although these constructs have been researched in isolation, there are no known studies that have considered whether a relationship exists between the two constructs. Furthermore, there is no evidence that either construct has been studied within the context of a Black-owned business. Businesses owned by Black Americans represent an important and fast- growing segment in the American economy and, therefore, warrant further investigation in order to contribute diverse perspectives to research and theory building in organizational science. The primary research question guiding this study was, “what is the relationship between a Black-owned radio station’s organizational culture and its social impact?” Secondary research questions examined social impact in relation to specific elements of organizational culture and how listeners experience the radio station’s social impact. The study was conducted using case study methodology. The site of this study was WHUR- FM (WHUR), the commercial radio station owned by Howard University. Interview participants included 10 purposefully selected Black Americans: 8 current and former employees and 2 listeners of WHUR. Other sources of evidence analyzed for the study included observations, documentation, archival records, and physical artifacts. This study found evidence of a synergistic relationship between the organizational culture and social impact of WHUR. The findings were based on consistencies observed vii between the radio station’s values-based organizational culture and its impact on internal and external communities. viii Table of Contents Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ iv Abstract of Dissertation .................................................................................................... vii List of Figures ................................................................................................................... xii List of Tables ................................................................................................................... xiii Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................1 Overview ..........................................................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................3 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................3 Research Questions ..........................................................................................................3 Significance of the Study .................................................................................................4 Conceptual Framework ....................................................................................................5