Collaborative Leadership Roles in the Implementation of Adventist Health Lifestyle: a Case Study of the Chinese Union Mission
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Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2014 Collaborative Leadership Roles in the Implementation of Adventist Health Lifestyle: A Case Study of the Chinese Union Mission James Wu Andrews University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the Medicine and Health Sciences Commons, and the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Wu, James, "Collaborative Leadership Roles in the Implementation of Adventist Health Lifestyle: A Case Study of the Chinese Union Mission" (2014). Dissertations. 1566. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/1566 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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ABSTRACT COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ADVENTIST HEALTH LIFESTYLE: A CASE STUDY OF THE CHINESE UNION MISSION by James Wu Chair: Erich Baumgartner ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University School of Education Title: COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ADVENTIST HEALTH LIFESTYLE: A CASE STUDY OF THE CHINESE UNION MISSION Name of researcher: James Wu Name and degree of faculty chair: Erich Baumgartner, Ph.D. Date completed: July 2014 Problem Little is known about the roles of the institutional leader’s role in the collaborative implementation of the Adventist health lifestyle programs of the Chinese Union Mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Such an understanding would provide clues regarding how collaborative leadership and the implementation of Adventist lifestyle programs meet the challenge of non-communicable diseases. According to the World Health Organization report, about 36 million people died in 2008 of non-communicable diseases, and the trend continues upward. Evidence-based research, such as the China Study and the Adventist Health Studies, provides a strong support for the ability of Adventist health lifestyle programs to combat non- communicable diseases and ultimately to improve health. Method This qualitative case study describes the background, process, and outcomes of collaborative leadership with institutional leaders playing important roles in the implementation of Adventist health lifestyle programs. A purposive sample of 12 leaders from institutions representing union hospitals, colleges, local conferences, a publishing house, and local churches was selected. I conducted personal interviews, convened focus groups, and made observations of all the leaders as they worked. Major themes were categorized and analyzed to create a set of findings that represented the common experience and perspectives of the leaders. Results The research resulted in two major findings: the first pertains to the four roles of the institutional leaders—finder, supporter, builder, and owner—in the collaborative implementation of Adventist health lifestyle programs. These four leadership roles are exercised in two groups of collaborative activities. The first group is foundational for collaboration in finding resources, training health workers, and the operation of lifestyle health centers; while the second group comprises the service-based healthful lifestyle programs. The second finding is a complex integrated relationship of factors, metaphorically described as a four-strand woven cord, represented by (a) the four leadership roles, (b) the implementation of Adventist lifestyle programs, (c) the organizational structure of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and (d) the collaborative leadership skills of the leaders. The primary challenge for the leaders’ roles is to find ample resources for collaboration. A significant tension among the leaders in the context of the union organizational structure is the question who should initiate the common agenda for collaboration and the mechanism of the sharing of resources. Conclusions This case study resulted in 10 recommendations for the global Adventist church and her 120 unions. The experience of the Chinese Union Mission could be a model for collaborative leadership in the implementation of Adventist health lifestyle programs to combat non-communicable diseases in order to improve global health. The research also discovered opportunities for further research that may enhance leadership development. Andrews University School of Education COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ADVENTIST HEALTH LIFESTYLE: A CASE STUDY OF THE CHINESE UNION MISSION A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by James Wu July 2014 © Copyright by James Wu 2014 All Rights Reserved COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ADVENTIST HEALTH LIFESTYLE: A CASE STUDY OF THE CHINESE UNION MISSION A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by James Wu APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: ________________________________ ______________________________ Chair: Erich Baumgartner Dean, School of Education James R. Jeffery _______________________________ Member: Shirley Freed ________________________________ Member: Duane Covrig ________________________________ ______________________________ External: Ernest Buck Date approved TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ....................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................... vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................... viii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1 Background of the Problem ....................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ........................................................................... 4 Purpose of the Study .................................................................................. 4 The Central Research Question ................................................................. 4 Research Design......................................................................................... 5 Theoretical Conceptual Framework ........................................................... 5 Significance of the Study ........................................................................... 6 Delimitations .............................................................................................. 7 Definitions.................................................................................................. 7 Summary of the Study ............................................................................... 9 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................ 11 Introduction ................................................................................................ 11 Perspectives on Lifestyle and Health ......................................................... 12 Lifestyle and NCDs.............................................................................. 12 The China Study .................................................................................. 13 Adventist Health Studies...................................................................... 16 Perspectives on Leadership and Health Improvement ............................... 18 Leadership and Organizational Behavior ............................................. 18 Collaboration and Collaborative Research .......................................... 19 The Perspective of What Motivate Partners to Collaborate ..................................................................................... 19 The Perspective of How Collaboration Works and Processes ........................................................................................ 21 The Perspective of Collaboration Making a Difference ...................... 23 Leadership and Health Communication............................................... 24 Health Communication .................................................................. 25 Adventist Health Perspectives ....................................................... 26 The Adventist Church Organizational Structure .................................. 28 iii Adventist Church Organization and Health Improvement .................................................................................. 32 The Adventist Chinese Union Mission and Health Improvement .................................................................................. 34 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY..................................................................... 36 Introduction ................................................................................................ 36 General Research Design ........................................................................... 36 Self as Research Instrument ......................................................................