Pepperdine University Pepperdine Digital Commons Theses and Dissertations 2017 When women win: prominent leadership traits that contributed to the successful election of women in California Diandra Simone Bremond Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/etd Recommended Citation Bremond, Diandra Simone, "When women win: prominent leadership traits that contributed to the successful election of women in California" (2017). Theses and Dissertations. 767. https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/etd/767 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology WHEN WOMEN WIN: PROMINENT LEADERSHIP TRAITS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUCCESSFUL ELECTION OF WOMEN IN CALIFORNIA A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership by Diandra Simone Bremond February, 2017 Dr. Laura Hyatt This dissertation, written by Diandra Simone Bremond under the guidance of a Faculty Committee and approved by its members, has been submitted to and accepted by the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION Doctoral Committee: Laura Hyatt, Ed D, Chairperson Paul Sparks, Ph.D. Judge Tobin, J.D. © Copyright by Diandra Simone Bremond (2017) All Rights Reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vii DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................. viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... ix VITA .............................................................................................................................................. xi ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. xii Chapter 1: Government Landscape ................................................................................................. 1 Organization of the Chapter ................................................................................................ 1 Background ......................................................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement .............................................................................................................. 5 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................... 7 Research Questions ............................................................................................................. 7 Conceptual Framework ....................................................................................................... 7 Design of the Study ........................................................................................................... 16 Significance and Relevance of the Study .......................................................................... 17 Operational Definitions ..................................................................................................... 18 Summary ........................................................................................................................... 21 Chapter 2: Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 22 Organization of the Chapter .............................................................................................. 22 Overview of Leadership .................................................................................................... 22 Leadership Theory ............................................................................................................ 26 Four Factors of Transformational Leadership .................................................................. 33 Gender and Leadership ..................................................................................................... 35 Public Leadership .............................................................................................................. 43 Women as Leaders in Government ................................................................................... 45 Women’s Participation in Government in California ....................................................... 50 Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................... 51 Summary ........................................................................................................................... 61 Chapter 3: Methods ....................................................................................................................... 63 Organization of the Chapter .............................................................................................. 63 Purpose and Research Questions ...................................................................................... 63 Design of the Study ........................................................................................................... 64 Data Collection ................................................................................................................. 71 v Page The Instrument .................................................................................................................. 72 Validity ............................................................................................................................. 73 Statement of Bias .............................................................................................................. 77 Data Analysis .................................................................................................................... 77 Data Display ...................................................................................................................... 79 Limitations of the Study .................................................................................................... 79 Summary ........................................................................................................................... 80 Chapter 4: Analysis of Findings ................................................................................................... 81 Chapter Structure .............................................................................................................. 81 Purpose and Research Questions ...................................................................................... 81 Overview of Methods ....................................................................................................... 82 Participant 1 (P1) .............................................................................................................. 83 Participant 2 (P2) .............................................................................................................. 83 Participant 3 (P3) .............................................................................................................. 83 Participant 4 (P4) .............................................................................................................. 83 Participant 5 (P5) .............................................................................................................. 83 Participant 6 (P6) .............................................................................................................. 84 Participant 7 (P7) .............................................................................................................. 84 Participant 8 (P8) .............................................................................................................. 84 Participant 9 (P9) .............................................................................................................. 84 Participant 10 (P10) .......................................................................................................... 84 Data Collection ................................................................................................................. 85 Data Analysis .................................................................................................................... 86 Study Validity and Reliability .......................................................................................... 87 Research Findings ............................................................................................................. 89 Research Question 2 and Corresponding Interview Question .......................................... 91 Research Question 3 and Corresponding Interview Question .......................................... 93 Research Question 4 and Corresponding Interview Question .......................................... 94 Research Question 5 and Corresponding Interview Question .......................................... 95 Summary ..........................................................................................................................