ORGL-501: Methods of Organizational Research

Expected Competencies

  1. Crafting a Well-Defined and Focused Research Topic
    Ability to identify a specific area of interest, narrow it into a manageable research question, and ensure relevance to existing literature and contribution to the field.

  2. Analyzing and Synthesizing Primary Research Articles
    Proficiency in extracting key information, evaluating research design and findings, and integrating multiple sources to form a cohesive scholarly narrative.

  3. Utilizing Theoretical Models or Approaches
    Capability to apply appropriate theoretical frameworks or methodologies that align with the research question and support study design and analysis.

  4. Streamlining and Narrowing Literature Scope
    Skill in identifying key trends, themes, and relevant sources within a broad literature landscape while excluding unrelated content to maintain research focus.

  5. Formulating Research Rationales and Questions
    Demonstrated ability to justify research significance and develop meaningful, precise research questions that address identified gaps.

  6. Developing Proficiency in Research Methods
    Mastery of qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research strategies, including the ability to select, execute, and defend chosen approaches effectively.

  7. Writing Scholarly Papers in APA Format
    Adherence to APA style guidelines in formatting, citation, and referencing, ensuring professional standards in academic writing.

Achieved Competencies

  1. Literature Review
    Conducted a comprehensive literature review identifying a gap in research related to servant-leadership in NICU settings, highlighting the need for further study.

  2. Understanding of Servant-Leadership
    Gained a thorough understanding of servant-leadership principles and their application to healthcare, especially within high-stakes NICU environments.

  3. Research Rationale
    Developed a compelling justification for exploring servant-leadership in NICUs, emphasizing its potential to enhance patient care and family experience.

  4. Research Questions
    Formulated focused, theory-driven research questions to guide a qualitative phenomenological study examining leadership impact on NICU outcomes.

  5. Methodology
    Gained knowledge of qualitative methodologies, including surveys, interviews, and case study approaches appropriate for healthcare research.

  6. Ethical Considerations
    Demonstrated awareness of ethical responsibilities in human subjects research—such as informed consent, confidentiality, and minimizing psychological risk—particularly in sensitive environments like NICUs.

Applied Competencies

  1. Research Topic Development
    Identified a research gap and formulated a clear question exploring how servant-leadership affects NICU family experiences, contributing meaningfully to leadership studies in healthcare.

  2. Primary Source Synthesis
    Critically reviewed and synthesized a wide body of literature on servant-leadership, healthcare leadership models, and NICU patient outcomes to inform the research proposal.

  3. Theoretical Framework Application
    Selected and applied servant-leadership theory as the conceptual lens for a qualitative phenomenological study, aligning framework to inquiry goals.

  4. Literature Scope and Focus
    Narrowed the literature to studies most relevant to neonatal care and servant-leadership, strategically focusing the research design.

  5. Research Rationale and Questions
    Articulated a strong rationale for the study and posed relevant questions aimed at closing a documented gap in leadership studies specific to NICU settings.

  6. Research Methods Proficiency
    Proposed a qualitative methodology using interviews and phenomenological analysis, demonstrating methodological alignment and research feasibility.

  7. APA Scholarly Writing
    Produced a complete research proposal adhering to APA formatting and citation standards, integrating scholarly voice, consistency, and rigor.

Artifact Inclusion

Research Abstract
Premature birth affects over 15 million infants annually and represents a significant healthcare, emotional, and financial burden. Families in the NICU are at elevated risk for trauma-related stress, which can be mitigated by emotionally supportive care environments. This research proposes a qualitative phenomenological study exploring the impact of servant-leadership in NICU care delivery, investigating how leadership behavior influences family experiences. The study aligns with servant-leadership principles such as empathy, empowerment, and personal development, aiming to inform both practice and policy in neonatal care systems.

References

  1. American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.).

  2. Eriksson, P., & Kovalainen, A. (2008). Qualitative methods in business research.

  3. Fink, A. (2010). Conducting research literature reviews: From the internet to paper.

  4. Griffin, E. A. (2006). A first look at communication theory.

  5. Neuman, W. L. (2012). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches.

  6. Rubin, R. B., Rubin, A. M., & Haridakis, P. (2010). Communication research: Strategies and sources.

Key Words

Premature; NICU; Servant-Leadership; Neonatal; Phenomenological; Qualitative; Organizational; Outcomes; Ethical; Survey; Interview; Research; Nurse; Patient; Study.