EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MULTI-PARTNER LEADERSHIP CHARACTERIZED BY SHARED AND EQUAL DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY (SEDMA) AND ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE A Dissertation by JENNIFER KORI WHITENER Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSPHY Chair of Committee, Larry Dooley Committee Members, Kim Dooley Jia Wang Ben Welch Head of Department, Fredrick Nafukho December 2015 Major Subject: Educational Human Resource Development Copyright 2015 Jennifer Kori Whitener ABSTRACT Leadership characterized by multiple partners with shared and equal decision- making authority (SEDMA) is a unique leadership structure. The dynamics of this structure influence organizational culture differently than other types of leadership. Conversely, organizational culture also influences the decision-making process of this leadership structure differently. The unique nature of a shared and equal partnership and its reciprocal relationship with organizational culture is an under-studied topic. Many of the studies of these constructs approach the relationship between leadership and culture from a prescriptive view. Many researchers view organizational culture as something that can be manipulated by leaders to meet goals. This study argues that leaders are as much influenced by culture as they influence culture and this relationship is more complicated when unique leadership structures are involved. The purpose of this study was to explore the dynamics of SEDMA leadership and how it influences culture and is influenced by culture. This study utilized a focused, realist ethnography grounded in a seminal organizational cultural theory to explore the relationship between SEDMA leadership and organizational culture. For 10 months I collected data from a small professional services firm with three partners who had shared and equal decision-making authority. I utilized semi-structured interviews, observations, and job shadowing to explore the relationship between leadership and culture in this organization. ii Findings suggest that for SEDMA leadership to be successful, partners must have mutual respect and well-defined roles and responsibilities, recognize each strengths and weaknesses, have a long-standing relationship, understand the culture of their organization, and adapt and change as organizational and partner needs change. In addition, the study suggests that SEDMA leadership creates a fragmented culture characterized by ambiguity on cultural manifestations. The findings also show SEDMA leadership is impacted and influenced by culture, indicating a reciprocal relationship between leadership and culture. Results from this study suggest a new form of leadership, SEDMA leadership, and provide more evidence of the reciprocal relationship between leadership and culture. The results indicate a need for future study in the area of SEDMA leadership and its relationship with organizational culture to add to Human Resource Development (HRD) theory, research, and practice. iii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my ever-patient, loving, and supportive husband, Jeffery Fellows. It is also dedicated to my parents Tom and Janet Whitener whose love and support not only encouraged me to start this journey, but who were also with me every step of the way. Finally, this is dedicated to my Meme and Pop, Mary Beth and Eugene Scott, who taught me the value and importance of education and life-long learning from a very young age. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my committee chair, Dr. Larry Dooley, and my committee members, Dr. Kim Dooley, Dr. Jia Wang, and Dr. Ben Welch, for their guidance and support throughout the course of this research and for being willing to step in and help me finish this dissertation. I would also like to thank my original committee chair Dr. Jamie Callahan for starting this journey with me and helping guide the design of this study. Thanks also go to my friends and colleagues and the department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development faculty and staff for making my time at Texas A&M University a great experience. I also want to extend my gratitude to Office Experts (OE) for letting me be a participant observer in their organization for almost an entire year. Finally, many thanks and much gratitude to Robin Smith Mathis and Mike and Pat Smith, who provided tremendous help and support throughout the entire data collection process. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION .................................................................................................................. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... v TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................. vi LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ ix CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1 Prescriptive View of Organizational Culture ........................................................... 2 Leadership and Culture Relationship ....................................................................... 3 Leadership ...................................................................................................... 4 Influencing Culture ......................................................................................... 5 Shared and Equal Decision-Making Authority (SEDMA) Leadership .......... 7 Studying Organizational Culture ............................................................................ 11 Martin’s Organizational Culture Theory ...................................................... 11 Purpose of the Study .............................................................................................. 12 Research Questions ...................................................................................... 13 Method .......................................................................................................... 14 Definition of Terms ...................................................................................... 14 Significance ............................................................................................................ 19 Delimitations .......................................................................................................... 21 Chapter Outline ...................................................................................................... 22 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................... 23 Leadership .............................................................................................................. 23 Leadership as a Shared Construct ................................................................ 26 Organizational Culture ........................................................................................... 34 Single Perspective Culture Studies ............................................................... 35 Relationship between Leadership and Organizational Culture .............................. 41 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 46 vi CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY ................................................................................... 48 Research Questions ................................................................................................ 48 Methodology Overview ......................................................................................... 49 Research Design ........................................................................................... 51 Data Collection ....................................................................................................... 54 Data Analysis ......................................................................................................... 58 Standards of Trustworthiness ....................................................................... 60 Limitations .................................................................................................... 64 Role as Ethnographer ............................................................................................. 65 CHAPTER IV FINDINGS ............................................................................................... 67 Organization of the Data ........................................................................................ 68 Characteristics and Dynamics of the Partnership ................................................... 69 Division of Ownership ................................................................................. 69 Partner Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................... 71 Partnership Dynamic .................................................................................... 80 Orientation to Consensus ....................................................................................... 86 Employee Perception of Organizational Culture .......................................... 86 Values ..........................................................................................................