Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2010 The weetS Briar Way: The search for organizational identity in higher education Denice Katherine Ross Haynes Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Educational Administration and Supervision Commons Recommended Citation Ross Haynes, Denice Katherine, "The wS eet Briar Way: The es arch for organizational identity in higher education" (2010). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 11441. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/11441 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Sweet Briar Way: The search for organizational identity in higher education by Denice Katherine Ross Haynes A dissertation to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Education (Educational Leadership) Program of Study Committee: Lori Patton Davis, Major Professor Eric Abbott Larry Ebbers Latrice Eggleston Florence HamricK Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2010 Copyright © Denice Katherine Ross Haynes, 2010. All rights reserved ii Dedication This work is dedicated to God; in hopes that the inspiration that was given to me to embark on this project inspires those who work with students, as they have the power to do so, provide the best educational environments possible for their students at their respective institutions. To my life companions, daughter Adrienne Brooke Haynes and son Jeremiah Ivory Haynes, the phrase often heard; “I could not have done it without you” will be forever etched on my forehead when I look at you both. I can’t believe I get to have you two as my children! Our right hands will forever be tightly linked. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................. vi ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER ONE. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................1 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................4 A College Called Sweet Briar: A Personal Introduction ...................................................4 Research Questions .........................................................................................................9 Significance of the Study .................................................................................................9 Delimitations, Contributions, and Limitations ................................................................ 15 Organization of the Dissertation .................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER TWO. LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................... 18 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 18 Organizational Theories of Higher Education Institutions, Campus Environments, and Campus Culture ...................................................................................................... 19 Organizational Theory in Higher Education ............................................................. 19 College and University Institutions as Systems ........................................................ 21 Organizations as Loosely Coupled Systems ............................................................. 22 Environmental Research .......................................................................................... 24 Women’s Colleges ................................................................................................... 26 Organizational Adaptation Theory ........................................................................... 30 Culture Studies ........................................................................................................ 32 Identity and Cognitive Structure of Culture .............................................................. 33 Subcultures .............................................................................................................. 33 Summary ................................................................................................................. 34 Organizational Identity Theory ...................................................................................... 36 Organizational Identity: Propositions ....................................................................... 37 Identity-Referencing Discourse ................................................................................ 39 Beginnings of Organizational Identity Theory .......................................................... 39 Development of the Concept .................................................................................... 40 Identity Threat ......................................................................................................... 41 Identity, Culture, and Image ..................................................................................... 41 Limitations of Current Research .............................................................................. 41 Summary ................................................................................................................. 42 CHAPTER THREE. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................. 44 Research Methodology Choice ...................................................................................... 44 Research Design ............................................................................................................ 46 Building a Chain of Evidence/Data Sources ............................................................. 46 Documents and Archival Records ............................................................................ 47 Interviews ................................................................................................................ 51 Direct Observation and Participant Observation ....................................................... 55 Physical Artifacts ..................................................................................................... 56 iv Development of a Case Study Database ................................................................... 56 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 57 Deductive Analysis .................................................................................................. 58 Inductive Analysis ................................................................................................... 60 Rationale for Development of Definitional and Ideational Components Versus Traditional Themes .................................................................................................. 62 Triangulation and Construct Validity ....................................................................... 64 Transferability ......................................................................................................... 65 Thick Description .................................................................................................... 65 CHAPTER FOUR. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION .......................................................... 67 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 67 Organization of Findings ............................................................................................... 72 Ideational and Definitional Components ........................................................................ 74 Definitional Component 1: We Are a Legacy Institution for Women ............................. 77 Historical Vignette #1 .............................................................................................. 77 Findings: Definitional Component 1 ........................................................................ 80 Definitional Component 2: We Are a Mission Mindful Institution ................................. 94 Findings: Definitional Component 2 ........................................................................ 94 Definitional Component 3: We Are Academicians with a Distinct Academic FrameworK .................................................................................................................. 107 Historical Vignette #2 ............................................................................................ 107 Findings: Definitional Component 3 ...................................................................... 108 Definitional Component 4: We Are Partners in the Development of Our Students ....... 123 Historical Vignette #3 ............................................................................................ 123 Historical Vignette #4 ............................................................................................ 125 Findings: Definitional Component