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Winning the organizational leadership game through engagement: a gap analysis

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Winning the organizational leadership game through engagement: a gap analysis

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Content Running head: WINNING THE ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP GAME

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WINNING THE ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP GAME THROUGH ENGAGEMENT:
A GAP ANALYSIS

by

Megan Sue Nicholson

_______________________________________________________________________

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

May 2020

Copyright 2020 Megan Sue Nicholson

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To my family, who has provided unwavering support and encouragement throughout my
life, and most especially over the last three years. Your constant love gave me the courage to
begin this journey and persevere during the many occasions in which this program drove me to
question my own sanity.
To my professors and classmates, who challenged me to look at organizational problems
in a new light, to remember that when we talk about people systems we should maintain
sensitivity to the varying experiences and orientations that each person brings to their role.
To Dr. Pedro Garcia, my first professor in this program. Thank you for the legacy of
leadership you shared with each of your students. I will forever strive to be an agent of change
and a merchant of hope.
To my committee, Dr. Kenneth Yates, Dr. Briana Hinga, and Dr. Susanne Foulk, thank
you for your guidance, wisdom, and compassion throughout this dissertation process. I am so
honored to have learned from each of you, and humbled by your contribution to my work as a
researcher.
Finally, and most importantly, I am grateful to God for the countless blessings received
throughout every phase of this experience. My cup runneth over, I simply could not ask for
more.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements 2
List of Tables 5
List of Figures 7
Abstract 8
Chapter 1: Introduction 9
Introduction to the Problem of Practice 9
Organizational Context and Mission 9
Organizational Performance Status/Need 10
Related Literature 10
Importance of the Organizational Improvement 14
Organizational Performance Goal 15
Description of Stakeholder Groups 15
Stakeholder Groups’ Performance Goals 16
Stakeholder Group for the Study 17
Purpose of the Project and Questions 18
Methodological Framework 19
Definitions 19
Organization of the Dissertation 19
Chapter 2: Review of the Literature 21
Influences on the Problem of Practice: Employee Engagement 21
Culture and Climate of Engaged Workforces 25
Challenges in Achieving and Sustaining High Employee Engagement 27
Role of Stakeholder Group of Focus 30
Clark and Estes’ (2008) Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences 31
Framework
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences 32
Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge and 47
Motivation and the Organizational Context
Conclusion 48
Chapter 3: Methodology 50
Participating Stakeholders 50
Data Collection and Instrumentation 53
Data Analysis 55
Validity and Reliability 57
Credibility and Trustworthiness 59
Ethics 61
Limitations and Delimitations 63
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Chapter 4: Results and Findings 66
Participating Stakeholders 67
Determination of Assets and Needs 68
Results and Findings for Knowledge Causes 69
Results and Findings for Motivation Causes 81
Results and Findings for Organization Causes 90
Summary of Influences, Needs or Assets 104
Chapter 5: Recommendations 107
Purpose of the Project and Questions 108
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences 108
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan 126
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Approach 145
Limitations and Delimitations 146
Future Research 147
Conclusion 149
References 152
Appendices 162
Appendix A: Survey 162
Appendix B: Interview Instrument and Protocol 166
Appendix C: Survey Invitation Email and Information Sheet 169
Appendix D: Electronic Participant Survey Completed Immediately After 172
Training Workshop
Appendix E: MSN Athletics Engagement Survey Distributed Electronically 173
Approximately Six Months Following Training Workshop
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Organizational Mission, Organizational Goal and Stakeholder Performance 17
Goals
Table 2. Knowledge and Skills Influences and Assessments for Knowledge Gap 36
Analysis
Table 3. Motivational Influences and Assessments for Motivational Gap Analysis 41
Table 4. Organizational Influences and Assessments for Organizational Gap Analysis 46
Table 5. Responses for Demographic Item 68
Table 6. Survey Results for Conceptual Knowledge of MSN Athletics Staff 70
Table 7. Survey Results for Procedural Knowledge of MSN Athletics Staff 73
Table 8. Survey Results for Metacognitive Knowledge Influence 1 of MSN Athletics 76
Staff
Table 9. Survey Results for Metacognitive Knowledge Influence 2 of MSN Athletics 79
Staff
Table 10. Survey Results for Self-Efficacy as a Motivational Influence of MSN 82
Athletics Staff
Table 11. Survey Results for Value as a Motivational Influence of MSN Athletics Staff 85
Table 12. Survey Results for Emotion/Mood as a Motivational Influence of MSN 88
Athletics Staff
Table 13. Survey Results for Cultural Models as Organizational Influences of MSN 91
Athletics Staff
Table 14. Survey Results for Cultural Models as Organizational Influences of MSN 95
Athletics Staff
Table 15. Survey Results for Cultural Settings as Organizational Influences of MSN 99
Athletics Staff
Table 16. Survey Results for Cultural Settings as Organizational Influences of MSN 102
Athletics Staff
Table 17. Knowledge Assets or Needs as Determined by the Data 104
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Table 18. Motivation Assets or Needs as Determined by the Data 105
Table 19. Organization Assets or Needs as Determined by the Data 105
Table 20. Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations 111
Table 21. Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations 116
Table 22. Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations 121
Table 23. Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes 129
Table 24. Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation 131
Table 25. Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors 133
Table 26. Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program 139
Table 27. Components to Measure Reactions to the Program 140

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. KMO analysis for employee engagement 48
Figure 2. Employee engagement dashboard conceptual design 144

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ABSTRACT
This study applied an improvement plan approach using the Gap Analysis framework (Clark &
Estes, 2008) to understand the needs and assets influencing organizational employee
engagement in a higher education athletics department. The purpose of this study was to
identify the knowledge, motivation, and organizational challenges that contribute to the
organization’s goal of achieving 100% employee engagement. Mixed methods were used to
collect survey data from 26 participants, interview data from six participants, and data from an
analysis of documents to identify and validate the knowledge, motivation, and organizational
needs that influenced the organization’s employee engagement goal. Findings from this study
indicate that collaborative goal setting that aligns job roles with organizational success, job
autonomy, and effective feedback structures would positively contribute to the organization’s
employee engagement status. Findings also suggested adoption of training for managers to
learn coaching skills in order to apply engagement strategies and language into their daily
leadership. This study contributes to the existing literature on the subject of employee
engagement and offers an opportunity for demonstration of proven employee engagement
improvement strategies in an empirical setting.

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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Introduction to the Problem of Practice
Research shows that low employee engagement has a negative impact on workplace
performance, innovation, and productivity (Gallup, 2017; Rich, LePine, & Crawford, 2010).
Although the reported values vary greatly from one research firm to another due to differences in
how researchers collect and classify the data, multiple reports from Gallup (2017) show that on
average only a third of the American workforce is engaged, with 16% actively disengaged.
Studies around the globe assert that employee engagement positively contributes to performance
and innovation within an organization (Chen, Leung, & Evans, 2016; Gallup, 2017; Gichohi,
2014). This evidence highlights the increasing need for strategies to establish organizational
cultures that foster improved and sustained employee engagement. It is important to address
because an organization’s successful growth and creativity is limited or even diminished when
employees are not engaged.
Organizational Context and Mission
MSN University (a pseudonym) is a premier public research university located in
Western United States. MSN offers 80 undergraduate degrees and 98 graduate or professional
degrees, with undergraduate enrollment hovering around 30,000 and graduate 6600 annually. In
addition to these learning opportunities, MSN sponsors a Division I athletics program in the
National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) with 18 men’s and women’s sport programs
involving over 300 student-athletes participating annually in their respective sport seasons.
MSN Athletics employs just over 400 coaches and staff throughout a variety of sport-specific or
general athletics department roles.
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The overall mission of MSN Athletics is to facilitate and enrich the education and
personal growth of its students through their participation in competitive NCAA Division I
athletics. In order to achieve this, MSN Athletics must establish and maintain an organizational
culture that is focused on achieving and sustaining high employee engagement to reduce
department turnover, improve work production output, and establish MSN Athletics as a
desirable place to work. A research-based engagement assessment survey will provide MSN
Athletics with a roadmap for formation of a department-wide employee engagement
programming with measurable outcomes that will support enhancement and maintenance of high
employee engagement.
Organizational Performance Status/Need
At the time in which this study was conducted, the performance status for MSN Athletics
in relation to employee engagement was reported from a 2017 Gallup survey provided university
wide. In this survey, MSN Athletics reported a 39% engagement index. While this ranks MSN
Athletics above Gallup’s reported average of 33% nationally, it still demonstrates significant
room for improvement to achieve high employee engagement (2017). High employee
engagement is consistently reported to have a positive influence on workplace performance,
innovation, and productivity (Gallup, 2017; Rich et al., 2010). Each of these characteristics of a
workforce are vital to the success of MSN Athletics’ overall mission. In its effort to achieve
high employee engagement, MSN Athletics required a research-based assessment tool that would
lend insights which will direct and support engagement programming.
Related Literature
One of the most significant challenges to analysis and assessment of employee
engagement is the lack of a universally accepted definition. Though William Kahn (1990) is
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commonly referred to as the father of “employee engagement,” describing physical, emotional,
and cognitive investment of oneself into work roles, his definition has been reworked and
updated quite frequently without standardization over the last few decades. Kennedy and Daim
(2010) likened employee engagement to intrinsic motivational theories, not dissimilar to that of
Maslow’s (1943) Hierarchy of Needs Theory. Passion and commitment to invest oneself;
devoting discretionary effort toward the goals of the organization were definitions used by
Macey and Schneider (2008). They also reflected at least some agreement with Kahn when they
determined that engagement can be classified into three different bases: psychological,
behavioral, and attitude. Pitt-Catsouphes and Matz-Costa (2008) suggested a quantifiable
definition when they described meaningful work that inspires employees to devote discretionary
time and effort. It is conceivable that each of these definitions can be combined into the concept
of positive behavioral, emotional, and cognitive energy given above and beyond the status quo to
support the organizational values and goals.
Differences amongst academic and practitioner communities regarding purpose and use
of employee engagement empirical studies has led to further challenges for research and
implementation. Practitioners believe that knowledge should be relevant to pressing concerns in
real time for real-world application right now, rather than knowledge that is generated for its own
intrinsic value and benefit, which is often the general intent of academic research (Bailey, 2016).
Kennedy and Daim (2010), and Shuck, Nimon, and Zigarmi (2014) share common findings that
practitioners are increasingly aware of the benefits of engagement and so they conduct annual
engagement surveys and collect data on their employees. However, there is a gap in academic
research that constructively advises what to do with that information in the day-to-day of an
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existing organization. The absence of clarity on the concept does not imply that engagement
lacks practical utility and significance, in fact that remains the one point everyone can agree on.
Employee engagement is demonstrated through specific indicators or outcomes at the
individual and organizational levels. Individuals with higher levels of engagement will
demonstrate personal initiative and role expansion, attending to a broader range of tasks than are
explicitly required for their position (Macey & Schneider, 2008). Employees who are engaged in
their work report lower levels of emotional exhaustion and higher levels of psychological well-
being (Shuck & Reio Jr., 2014). Bedarkar and Pandita (2014) suggest that employee
engagement fostered through transparent communication of organizational goals and values,
results in innovation, competitiveness, and effectiveness across the organization. The employee
and organizational benefits resulting from an engaged workforce put in the forefront the
importance of engagement for human resource directors, as well as hint at the negative outcomes
that may present themselves when employees are not engaged in their work.
Organizations that fail to foster an engaged workforce suffer financially and
competitively, underlining the importance of assessing and improving employee engagement.
Gallup’s (2017) annual State of the American Workplace study found that employees who are
disengaged were nearly two times as likely as engaged employees to look for new jobs, leading
to increased frequency of turnover expenses for hiring new staff. Gallup further argues that
actively disengaged employees cost the U.S. somewhere between $483 and $605 billion each
year in lost productivity. Additionally, opportunities for new revenue sources may be missed
because disengaged employees do not feel supported to take risks and innovate. When the
antecedents of engagement don’t exist or are unbalanced, employees feel devalued or taken
advantage of, and may fear the consequences of personal investment and creativity (Rich et al.,
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2010). In contrast, engaged employees are the human capital driving success in the workplace
by devoting discretionary energy to the organization.
Research reveals that employee engagement improves performance at the organizational
and individual levels, and more specifically is a positive indicator for workplace creativity and
innovation. The foundation for Gallup’s (2017) 12-element survey on employee engagement is
an employee’s needs for performance development. They make the claim in their research that
engaged employees are psychologically and emotionally invested in not only their own work, but
also the success of their team and organization as well. Rich et al. (2010) found that employees
who reported higher levels of engagement tended to receive higher marks from their supervisor
assessments on task performance, even suggesting that engagement leads employees to expand
the breadth of their roles in the organization. Job characteristics consistently held the most
significant positive relationships with creativity and innovation in a meta-analysis conducted by
Hammond, Neff, Farr, Schwall, and Zhao (2011). Their results suggest that creativity and
innovation is not solely trait or tenure driven, rather there is an additional driving force necessary
to support overcoming challenges to creative and innovative work. Vinarski-Peretz and Carmeli
(2011) examined the social contexts that facilitate innovative behaviors and found that the same
environments indicative of employee engagement are where employees receive psychological
support and see themselves as valued and essential to the success of the organization, so they feel
secure in displaying creative and innovative behaviors. Leadership and organizational contexts
are important variables in support or hindering of creative and innovative workplace behaviors
(Hughes, Lee, Tian, Newman, & Legood, 2018). Employee engagement is shown to be a
positive indicator of creativity and innovation, which are necessary for effective organizational
change and maintaining competitive standing in a continuously transforming context.
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Present research indicates that anywhere from 33–65% of U.S. employees are engaged at
work, so managers are hard pressed to understand the constructs and drivers of engagement
(AON, 2018; Gallup, 2017). The significant range in engagement reports is likely related to
variations in definitions of engagement which will lead to differences in metrics used to analyze
the data, driving home the need for clear and universally accepted definitions in the research.
Bedarkar and Pandita (2014) conducted a meta-analysis on engagement and found a great many
identified “predictors.” These drivers of engagement were all people and employee centered,
focusing on interpersonal relationships and how employees feel their contribution is valued by
the organization. This drives home the need for a clear and universally adoptable definition for
engagement; as Peter Drucker (https://www.drucker.institute) frequently reflected, “what you
can’t measure, you can’t manage.”
Importance of the Organizational Improvement
It is important for MSN Athletics to integrate a research-based employee engagement
assessment for a variety of reasons. Work in the field shows how impactful an engaged
workforce can be for an organization (Bedarkar & Pandita, 2014; Macey & Schneider, 2008;
Shuck & Reio Jr., 2014). Additionally, the research from Rich et al. (2010), along with Gallup’s
(2017) annual State of the American Workplace study, reveals the high cost of failing to create
an organizational culture that fosters and supports employee engagement. In this current
business environment, including that of college athletics, it is essential to for a company to
differentiate itself from competitors, with a unique product and a workplace that the most
qualified and sought-after candidates want to work at. Only the companies that treat their
employees like their most important asset are going to be able to adapt the most effectively to the
changing local and national expectations of a top performing college athletics program.
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Organizational Performance Goal
By June 2021, through combined use of a research-based self-assessment tool and a
research-supported engagement program developed from the aforementioned assessment, MSN
Athletics will achieve a 10% improvement in employee engagement. This will be an initial step
toward the ultimate goal of 100% employee engagement. The goal of the engagement
programming will be to offer time, resources, and support to address the knowledge, motivation,
and organizational context needs as determined by the self-assessment.
Description of Stakeholder Groups
A stakeholder group is a group of individuals who directly contribute to and benefit from
the achievement of the organization’s goal. Each would be required to extend themselves,
including their time, to those in other areas/disciplines to exchange ideas and educate each other
on facts and issues relevant to their unique role in the organization.
MSN Athletics stakeholders included coaches and staff, student-athletes, and community
support or “boosters.” Staff were broken down into senior staff, middle managers or directors,
and entry level positions. Senior staff included the Athletics Director, Deputy Athletics Director,
Senior Woman Administrator (SWA), and all Senior Associate Athletic Directors. There are
instances where one individual can hold more than one title, as was the case with MSN Athletics,
where the SWA was also the Deputy Athletics Director. The role of staff was to provide the
framework and structure of support in order to facilitate the development of a premier athletics
program for student-athletes and the community. Coaches included sport head, associate, and
assistant coaches, and they may be paid or hired on a voluntary basis. The role of coaches was to
educate and instruct student-athletes, providing the skills and training necessary to develop
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individual and team performance. They must work with staff to promote the goals of the
university and the athletics department.
Student-athletes were the major receiver of the efforts of the overall athletics department.
Their successes or failures in competition, academics, and personal life impacted not only the
reputation of their respective sport programs, but that of the university, conference, and the
NCAA. Boosters were community fans and supporters of MSN Athletics. They would attend
games, connect with coaches and student-athletes, and became highly invested in the success of
individual sport programs and the overall athletics department for a variety of reasons.
Stakeholder Groups’ Performance Goals
Included in Table 1 are the stakeholder goals as aligned with the overall organizational
performance goal and mission of the institution. The primary stakeholder group of interest in
this study was MSN Athletics staff.

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Table 1
Organizational Mission, Organizational Goal and Stakeholder Performance Goals
Organizational Mission
The mission of MSN Athletics is to facilitate and enrich the education and personal growth
of its students through their participation in competitive NCAA Division I athletics, while
maintaining organizational culture that is focused on achieving and sustaining high
employee engagement.
Organizational Performance Goal
By June 2021, through combined use of a research-based self-assessment tool and a
research-supported engagement program developed from the aforementioned assessment,
MSN Athletics will achieve a 10% improvement in employee engagement. This will be an
initial step toward the ultimate goal of 100% employee engagement.
Senior Staff
By July 2020, senior staff
will create a plan of action to
implement engagement
programming for department
based on initial results from
research-based assessment
survey.
Coaches
By July 2021, all
coaches will participate
in department
engagement
programming in order to
improve overall
engagement.
Staff
By July 2021, staff will
participate in department
engagement programming and
demonstrate a 10% improvement
in employee engagement as
determined by the research-based
employee engagement assessment
tool.

Stakeholder Group for the Study
Although a complete analysis would involve all stakeholder groups, for practical
purposes only one stakeholder group was selected as the focus for this study: the stakeholder
chosen was the staff of MSN Athletics, tasked with the goal of improving employee engagement
by 10% or greater by June 2021. This goal was to be achieved by developing a research-based
assessment tool to determine the current status of MSN Athletics. This tool was then used to
develop research-based strategies for employee engagement and later annually assessing the
impact of the newly implemented programing.
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The staff were essential to the success of MSN Athletics’ employee engagement goals as
they were the individuals assessed and engagement is a highly internal, personal response to a
workplace environment. This stakeholder group was key to the success of the overall
department goals because the staff functioned as a support system for all aspects of the
organization, including but not limited to fundraising, facility maintenance, marketing, academic
resources for student-athletes, and local or national public advocacy and representation. Failure
to achieve and maintain high employee engagement for MSN Athletics would result in lowered
work production volume and quality, increased costly employment turnover, and reduced public
profile for the overall organization as a desirable place to work therefore making it more difficult
to attract the top candidates to the organization. Without the support and involvement of the
staff, MSN Athletics could not expect to see an increase in employee engagement.
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this project was to conduct a needs analysis in the areas of knowledge and
skills, motivation, and organizational resources necessary to reach MSN Athletics’ performance
goal. The analysis began by generating a list of possible influences and then moved to
examining those systematically to determine which were assets or needs for the organization.
While a complete study would have focused on all stakeholders, for practical purposes the
stakeholder focused on in this analysis was the MSN Athletics staff. The questions that guided
this gap analysis were the following:
1. What are the staff’s knowledge and motivation needs and assets related to attaining
100% employee engagement?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and staff’s
knowledge and motivation?
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3. What recommendations in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational
resources may be appropriate for MSN Athletics to solve employee engagement
deficiencies in their organization?
Methodological Framework
Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis, a systematic, analytical method that helps to clarify
organizational goals and identify the gap between the actual performance level and the preferred
performance level within an organization, was adapted for this needs analysis. Assumed
knowledge, motivation and organizational needs were generated based on personal knowledge
and related literature. These needs were assessed by using surveys, document analysis and
interviews, literature review and content analysis. Research-based solutions were recommended
and evaluated in a comprehensive manner.
Definitions
The following terms were used throughout the study.
Employee engagement: positive behavioral, emotional, and cognitive energy given above
and beyond the status quo to support the organizational values and goals (Kahn, 1990).
NCAA: National Collegiate Athletic Association is a non-profit organization which
regulates all aspects for collegiate sports experience for coaches, staff, and student-athletes of
over 1,200 North American institutions and conferences (NCAA.org).
Organization of the Dissertation
Five chapters are used to organize this dissertation. This first chapter provided the reader
with the key concepts and terminology commonly found in a discussion about employee
engagement. The organization’s mission, goals and stakeholders as well as the initial concepts
of gap analysis adapted to needs analysis were introduced. Chapter 2 provides a review of
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current literature surrounding the scope of the study. Topics of employee engagement,
knowledge, motivation, and organizational structure will be addressed. Chapter 3 details the
assumed needs for this study as well as methodology when it comes to choice of participants,
data collection and analysis. In Chapter 4, the data and results are assessed and analyzed.
Chapter 5 provides solutions, based on data and literature, for addressing the needs and closing
the performance gap as well as recommendations for an implementation and evaluation plan for
the solutions.

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CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
This study focused on the concept of employee engagement and its effects on workplace
success. Lack of employee engagement is estimated to cost the U.S. somewhere between $483
and $605 billion each year in lost productivity (Gallup, 2017). Furthermore, company cultures
that support and sustain highly engaged employees find that their employees are psychologically
and emotionally invested in their work as well as the achievement of the overall company goals,
which leads them to expand the breadth of their roles in the organization (Gallup, 2017; Rich et
al., 2010). Creating an organizational environment that will foster employee engagement, and
therefore creativity and innovation, will be the factor that separates great organizations from
average or subpar organizations. The purpose of this chapter is a review of the literature
surrounding the concept of employee engagement. This chapter begins with a review of current
research on the influences on employee engagement. Following the general research literature
this chapter addresses the role of the staff employed at MSN Athletics. Finally, this chapter
reviews the staff’s knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences and completes the
chapter by presenting the conceptual framework of the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis.
Influences on the Problem of Practice: Employee Engagement
History and Development of the Concept
Emerging in the early 1990s, the concept of engagement in the workplace, or employee
engagement, has had a relatively short lifespan yet maintains a place of esteemed value and
significance in the field of human resource management and psychology. Widely revered as the
father of the concept of employee engagement, Kahn (1990) found that the psychological
conditions of the workplace environment contributed to performance. Specifically, when
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employees experience meaningfulness, safety, and availability to extend themselves in their job
roles, they are able to express their full selves, demonstrating cognitive, emotional, and
behavioral engagement. Although practitioners and academics have presented a variety of
frameworks as well as differing definitions for employee engagement, Bailey, Madden, Alfes,
and Fletcher (2017) compiled an evidentiary synthesis and found that the most commonly used
definition comes from the Utrecht Group (Schaufeli, Salanova, González-Romá, & Bakker,
2002): “a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigor,
dedication, and absorption” (p. 74).
Shuck et al. (2014) conducted a review of academic and practitioner engagement
literature in human resource development where four definitive frameworks of engagement were
identified, beginning with Kahn’s (1990) original framework, which suggests a need-satisfying
approach to understanding an individual employee and their needs or motivations within the
organization. Kahn’s engagement framework also incorporates a constant state of flow with
highs and lows that are often dynamic and very personal to the individual. Maslach, Schaufeli,
and Leiter (2001) developed their framework as an opposition to burnout. This was largely
contrived from theoretical frameworks grounded in the effects of job role demands and
organizational resources, or lack thereof. A third framework took a satisfaction-engagement
approach (Harter, Schmidt, & Hayes, 2002). Though this framework does not appear to have
been developed further than early concept, there is some indication that Gallup actually
supported the development of this concept and may currently use it in their engagement
consulting work (Schaufeli, 2013). The fourth major framework, from Saks (2006), used Kahn’s
earlier work as a foundation, and expanded to a multidimensional approach. Saks focused on the
employee choice to engage based on their experience, how they perceive themselves during work
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moments, developing natural connections with others and the organization. The concept of
employee engagement has existed in some form for just under 30 years and during this time it
has transitioned from job satisfaction focusing entirely on the employee toward a greater
consideration for the relationship that the employee has with their work organization. This
development has significantly impacted the current status of employee engagement
considerations among academics and practitioners.
Current Status of Employee Engagement Theories and Definitions
There have often been disjointed or overlapping efforts from practitioners and academics
toward generation of an employee engagement concept. Anitha (2014) outlined the timeline of
employee engagement concept adoption, gaining popularity among practitioners in the early
2000s while academics took on the concept around 2006 and expanded it into job and
organizational engagement. Shuck and Wollard (2010) found that some concepts regarding
employee engagement have been embraced in both the academic and practitioner fields; that
engagement is a personal decision which cannot be forced, it is triggered on an individual level,
and rooted in an employee’s psychology which demonstrates itself in behavior. Commonly
accepted is the idea that there are three types of people: engaged employees, non-engaged
employees, and actively disengaged employees (Gallup, 2017). However, there is an existing
divide among practitioners and academics when it comes to use, value, and application of
employee engagement (Bailey, 2016). Some of this misalignment can be attributed to varying
motivations and incentives. For example, academics can be perceived to be concerned more
with the meaning of engagement rather than development of strategies in the field. Bailey
(2016) posited that perfectly measuring employee engagement is of limited value if there isn’t a
complimenting strategy for application of engagement research into practice. There is little
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evidence that academic research is commonly used in practice application (Anitha, 2014; Bailey,
2016; Shuck & Wollard, 2010). Consultant groups tend to rely heavily on in-house developed
engagement models and surveys that become proprietary information, commercialized, and
designed to serve client needs and create more business as opposed to utilizing established and
validated academic methods and instruments. Though the motives and incentives of
practitioners and academics have not always appeared to align, what they agree on is the value of
the concept of employee engagement. Continued growth and development of the dominant
theories of engagement will further align the efforts of both practitioners and academics.
Areas for Future Research
Employee engagement research should continue to develop in the areas of diversity,
equity, and organizational context, reflecting upon the stakeholders who will be directly
impacted by the engagement intervention implemented, and are therefore necessary for its
ultimate success. Partnership between practitioners and academics would provide an opportunity
to develop a common language and instrumentation that offers precision and accuracy in
findings as well as being usable and potentially generalizable across cultures (Shuck et al., 2014;
Truss, Shantz, Soane, Alfes, & Delbridge, 2013). Bailey (2016) identified practical strategies to
bridge the gap between academics and practitioners: workshops and conferences where members
of both groups can enter into conversational practice and discuss the concept on equal ground,
commit to developing engagement research topics that address the needs of practitioners, and
intentional consideration of potential readers through language and tone of distributed materials.
Academic studies that demonstrate greater sensitivity and connection to the challenges and
motivations of practitioners will also provide the opportunity for enhancing the diversity of
existing research. Historically studies of the sociological aspects of the workplace tend to
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benefit the male worker over women and there has been a lack of female scholars speaking out in
the field of human resources (Truss et al., 2013). Shuck et al. (2014) also assert that
recommendations and models for engagement should reflect the context of their organization and
Truss et al. (2013) argues that we cannot overlook those populations that are typically
marginalized. There is a need for examination of the engagement experience of diverse
populations, male and female, varying cultural backgrounds and ethnicities, individuals with
disabilities, as well as other underrepresented populations. The context in which academics and
practitioners choose to apply engagement theories will influence the models and measurement
instruments implemented in engagement strategies. However, it is of vital importance that the
language and communication utilized is sensitive to the stakeholders’ needs and motivations.
Culture and Climate of Engaged Workforces
Drivers of Employee Engagement
Kahn (1990) is credited with originally conceptualizing employee engagement and
identifying those factors that will foster it. His work has since been expanded upon to provide
more complex assessment of organizational success of engagement strategies. Kahn theorized
that there were three psychological characteristics of employees and organizations that acted as
precursors or drivers for employee engagement: psychological meaningfulness or the self-
perceived work role value to organization; safety through organizational support and
relationship; and psychological availability, which is primarily influenced by one’s perception of
self-efficacy. In a quantitative study on the correlation between work relationships and
performance, Rich et al. (2010) found that individuals self-reported an increased level of job
engagement when they also reported higher levels of value congruence, perceived organizational
support, and core self-evaluations. Value congruence existed when personal values aligned with
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that of the organization, providing employees the opportunity to express their preferred self,
finding meaningfulness in their work. Encouraging environments where employees can invest
themselves in their job roles, taking risks without fear of consequences, will contribute to
perceived organizational support. Finally, core self-evaluations refer to general level of
confidence in one’s capabilities and value. Anitha (2014) conducted a quantitative study with
middle and lower managers, hoping to identify the factors influencing employee engagement.
This study resulted in the identification of seven factors: leadership, training and career
development, compensation, organizational policies, workplace well-being, work environment,
and finally team and coworker relationships. The final two factors demonstrated the greatest
influence on employee engagement. Bailey et al. (2017) conducted a meta-analysis of peer
reviewed journal articles on employee engagement that had been published in English since 1990
when Kahn published his seminal work on the topic. They uncovered five common themes
influencing an individual’s level of engagement: psychological state, experienced job design
factors, perception of relationship with leadership and management, individual perceptions of
organization overall, and organizational interventions. Though reported in various states of
specificity, these studies found very similar results on the drivers of engagement and each
concluded that there is a significant relationship between high levels of employee engagement
and job performance (Anitha, 2014; Bailey et al., 2017; Kahn, 1990; Rich et al., 2010). The
determinants of employee engagement, while grounded in individual perceptions and responses
to the workplace environment or experience, can be influenced by organizational leaders in order
to maximize engagement levels. Further, the benefits of fostering an engaged workforce
demonstrate the value and necessity for engagement programming.
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Indicators of Employee Engagement
Studies show that the outcomes of an engaged workforce support the assertion that
harnessing the concept of employee engagement is vital to the success of an organization.
Improved job attitudes, job performance, and individual as well as organizational health and
wellbeing are some of the employee and organizational outcomes attributed to employee
engagement (Anitha, 2014; Bailey et al., 2017; Christian, Garza, & Slaughter; 2011; Rich et al.,
2010; Schneider, Macey, Barbera, & Martin, 2009). Increased levels of performance outcomes
as a result of employee engagement can be categorized into team performance and individual
performance. Team performance outcomes included enhanced customer satisfaction and
therefore increased return on investment for organization as well as financial success (Bailey et
al., 2017; Schneider et al., 2009). Individual performance outcomes included in-role as well as
extra-role performance, with in-role generally specified by job role and organizational
contribution while extra-role consists of going above and beyond in alignment with
organizational values which then tends to reinforce an engaged organizational environment
(Bailey et al., 2017; Rich et al., 2010; Schneider et al., 2009). Engagement benefits the overall
environment of the workplace and positively influences the workplace product. The question
that remains is how high employee engagement can be achieved and then sustained.
Challenges in Achieving and Sustaining High Employee Engagement
A significant amount of research evidence demonstrates that high employee engagement
brings with it noteworthy organizational benefits, driving practitioners to seek reliable
assessment and implementation instruments. This section will outline the dominant assessment
models in academic research as well as proven implementation and sustainability methods. It is
only when an organization truly understands their existing organizational context and appreciates
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the influence that context has on successful methods of implementation that they can put in place
a strategic plan for where they aspire to reach, and hope to maintain.
Assessment Models
A variety of assessment models exist, each with benefits and challenges depending on the
focus or purpose of the intended research. Therefore it is critical that organizations understand
the alignment of chosen frameworks and assessment models. Bailey (2016) found that data
collection frameworks and assessment models typically start at the organization level followed
by refining their focus down to the department or management level, and finally the individual
employee. Practitioners, lacking trained evaluators and organizational resources, tend to contract
with outside consulting firms to assess organizational engagement. However, these firms utilize
internally determined definitions and measurement instruments which the firm maintains as
confidential and proprietary information (Shuck et al., 2014). This creates challenges for the
data analysis and interpretation of organizational engagement results, requiring further
dependence by organizations on consulting firms to not only interpret data but identify
appropriate solutions. Academic scales have been made available for public use but limited
organizational ability to utilize them ensures minimal adoption by practitioners.
Shuck et al. (2014) described three frameworks of engagement from which currently
employed assessment models are derived: need-satisfaction, burnout-antithesis, and
multidimensional. Need-satisfaction framework is grounded in Kahn’s (1990) concept of
engagement, that it is based on understanding the individual employee and their unique needs
within the workplace. Kahn found that the ability to bring one’s full self to their job roles was
correlated with an individual’s psychological fulfillment of meaningfulness, safety, and
availability. Burnout-antithesis framework is grounded in the operationalized concept of
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engagement as a preventative of burnout (Maslach et al., 2001). As an antidote to disorder, this
approach considers engagement benefits such as well-being and optimal functioning. Saks’
(2006) multidimensional framework is also grounded in Kahn’s (1990) engagement concept,
however it looks at the multidimensional construct of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral
components. How employees experience, interpret, and act upon the work environment through
each dimension is the context of this framework. From these frameworks the five most
commonly accepted assessment models have been developed. Psychological Engagement Scale
is rooted in the needs-satisfaction perspective, Job Engagement Scale aligns with the
multidimensional framework, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scales (UWES) and Maslach-
Burnout Inventory General Survey (MBI-GS) are grounded in burnout perspective, and finally
the Passion Scale represents concepts that are currently emerging in engagement research (Shuck
et al., 2014). Though the UWES appears to be the most widely used scale, Saks and Gruman
(2014) caution that its foundation as the antipode of burnout may enable scenarios where burnout
dimensions and measures are collected instead of the unique and distinct concept of employee
engagement. The context of an organization should drive the framework from which research
questions are developed, and those questions drive the assessment methodology. Data collected
from sound and reliable methodology in alignment with the context of the organization will
increase the value and impact that the research can produce for the organization.
Implementation and Maintenance
Perhaps the most underdeveloped area of the concept of employee engagement is
evidence of successful implementation methods to establish and sustain high levels of
engagement across an organization. Academics and practitioners have focused a considerable
amount of research attention to employee engagement in the last decade yet alignment on
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definition and measurement has resulted in limited clarity on identification of the most effective
employee engagement interventions (Bailey et al., 2017; Saks & Gruman, 2014). Existing
research lacks longitudinal empirical studies to support recommendations for employee
engagement improvement. The most promising studies incorporate the approach of assessing
who is highly engaged and disengaged, then examining what accounts for that gap to take action
for change, followed by repeating that three step cycle to continuously assess and correct
(Culture Amp, 2017; Shuck & Wollard, 2010). Even with the significant evidence supporting
the need for a culture of engagement, there is little empirically-supported research to demonstrate
how to accomplish that. The purpose of this review will be to ascertain what barriers exist
preventing MSN Athletics from achieving its goal, and developing an engagement strategy for
the organization to implement.
Role of Stakeholder Group of Focus
The proliferation of sport administration and management as a profession, particularly in
the field of higher education, can be attributed to the growth and success of the National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). During the latter portion of the 19th century,
universities holding athletic competition between student teams from each school saw the need
for oversight when coaches and teams alike were driven to be creative and innovative in their
pursuit of competitive advantage (Smith, 2000). Combined with growing commercialization and
concern for the well-being of student participants following several deaths in the sport of
football, there was clearly a need for oversight and restriction. In 1905 President Roosevelt
called for a review of rules and regulations for intercollegiate sport which led to the development
of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association, later renamed the NCAA in 1910 (Falla, 1981;
Schubert, Smith, & Trentadue, 1986).
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Over the last century, continued maturation of the collegiate sport model has dramatically
increased the need for a wide and diverse range of staff roles associated with the production and
management of intercollegiate sport. Coaches may have highly specialized experience, by
position, event, or roles like recruiting and player personnel. Staff titles and responsibilities are
typically only limited by department budgets and imagination or creativity, and can include
finance and budget, sport medicine, academics, compliance, or facilities to name a few. The
great variety in specialty and area of influence further supports the importance of high employee
engagement to ensure that staff are connecting and contributing to the success of the overall
organization beyond simply clocking in and out each day.
Clark and Estes’ (2008) Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational
Influences Framework
The Clark and Estes (2008) framework provides a structure to increase performance
through identification of gaps and how to apply research-based practices to address performance
issues. This framework is suitable to study MSN Athletics’ performance within the context of
MSN University, identifying human causes, needs and assets, and appropriate solutions when
deficiencies exist. This framework consists of three critical factors that should be examined
during the performance and goals evaluation process: knowledge, motivation, and organizational
constructs. This problem solving process is based on: (1) understanding stakeholder goals with
regard to the organizational goal, and (2) identifying assumed performance influences in the
areas of knowledge, motivation and organization based on general theory, context-specific
literature and an existing understanding of the organization. What follows is the stakeholder-
specific KMO assumed influences.
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In this case study, the Clark and Estes framework was adapted as a needs assessment to
identify both the assets and needs that contribute to MSN Athletics’ goal accomplishment. A
modified version of the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis methodology was used to examine
strengths and deficiencies. This study included an examination of assumed knowledge,
motivational, and organizational assets and needs that impacted MSN Athletics’ ability to
achieve and maintain high employee engagement.
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences
Knowledge and Skills
Knowledge influences. In this section we will examine existing knowledge literature
that is relevant to MSN Athletics and their goal of achieving and sustaining high employee
engagement. Rueda (2011) describes the understanding of the knowledge a person must have in
order to achieve his or her goals, as essential to the analysis of current performance levels and
goals. Without this understanding it can be difficult to identify the core causes for successful or
failed goal achievement (Clark & Estes, 2008). The knowledge analysis is utilized to elucidate
upon the breadth and depth of assumed knowledge causes that influenced MSN Athletics’ ability
to accomplish its goal.
Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) describe four different types of knowledge: factual,
conceptual, procedural, metacognitive. Factual or declarative knowledge refers to basic
disciplines or contexts that are easily recalled. Conceptual knowledge expands upon factual and
arranges information into categories, common areas, structures, etc. This type of knowledge
addresses the understanding of how to make meaning and identify relationships between two or
more facts (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001; Rueda, 2011). Procedural knowledge goes beyond
the who and what, referring to how to do something. Metacognitive knowledge allows one to
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know the when and why of an activity, considering contextual aspects of the given activity. This
level of knowledge implies self-awareness in the learning process. Each of the four types of
knowledge contribute to overall understanding of the knowledge that employees must possess to
achieve MSN Athletics’ goal of high employee engagement.
Influence 1: Athletics staff know how their job roles contribute to achieving the
organization’s overall goals. The first knowledge influence on MSN Athletics’ ability to
achieve its goal is for staff to know how their job roles contribute to achieving the organization’s
overall goals. Anitha (2014), Krathwohl (2002), and Rueda (2011) argue that employees must
have knowledge about how to perform their job duties and how those duties contribute to the
overall organization and its goals. Employees possessing conceptual knowledge about their
organization’s goals and how their roles contribute to the success of the organization have a
sense of direction and ownership over their part in the overall organization. Lack of this
knowledge can lead to loss of direction or value attributed to the accomplishment of goals
(Bolman & Deal, 1997; Clark & Estes, 2008).
Influence 2: Knowledge about how to meet performance expectations and what
indicates employee engagement. The second knowledge influence on MSN Athletics’ ability to
achieve its goal is knowing what to do to meet performance expectations and what indicates
employee engagement. It is critical that supervisors provide specific and timely feedback for
staff to understand the performance expectations of their role, where there is room for
improvement, and how the individual can demonstrate employee engagement (Shute, 2008).
Shute (2008) suggests that without effective feedback, behavior modification and motivation to
learn or improve in job contribution are not supported and may even cease.
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The knowledge influence in this instance can be categorized as procedural knowledge.
MSN Athletics’ staff must understand what performance expectations exist for their respective
roles and how they can not only demonstrate meeting those expectations, but what they can do to
demonstrate engagement. Ambrose, Bridges, DiPietro, Lovett, and Norman (2010) describes
procedural knowledge as knowing how and when to apply various methods or approaches.
Procedural knowledge involves combining and implementing different kinds of declarative
knowledge, acting as a catalyst toward goal accomplishment (Ambrose et al., 2010; Krathwohl,
2002). The procedural knowledge that MSN Athletics staff must master is therefore vital to their
ability to benchmark success and engagement in their unique role and contributions to the overall
organization.
Influence 3: Knowledge about what their assets and improvement needs are. The third
knowledge influence on MSN Athletics’ ability to achieve their goal of high employee
engagement is knowing what their assets and improvement needs are. Reflection by staff on
how their behavior impacts the achievement of employee engagement will reinforce the
knowledge that they have the ability to influence the success of the organization overall.
Employees that are self-aware and cognizant of their own engagement levels understand that
high employee engagement is a simultaneous contribution of mentality and action (Christian et
al., 2011).
Influence 4: Athletics staff need to understand how the learning and development
opportunities provided by MSN University are related to their own growth and development.
Expanding upon this metacognitive knowledge influence, Bakker (2011) argues that engaged
employees are more likely to be open to new ideas or approaches, demonstrate greater
productivity, and apply efforts above and beyond those behaviors explicitly required of their
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basic roles. MSN University offers a wide range of self-reflection and personal or career
development opportunities to employees, and tapping into that resource will not only
demonstrate engagement but also be self-sustaining as it fosters further self-reflection and
assessment of individual employees’ workplace engagement.
Table 2 provides a summary of MSN Athletics’ mission, its global goal, the goal of MSN
Athletics, and the knowledge influences of MSN Athletics’ staff described above. Table 2
further indicates how these knowledge influences will be assessed in this study.

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Table 2
Knowledge and Skills Influences and Assessments for Knowledge Gap Analysis
Organizational Mission
Facilitate and enrich the education and personal growth of its students through their
participation in competitive NCAA Division I athletics.
Organizational Global Goal
Maintaining an organizational culture that is focused on achieving and sustaining high
employee engagement.
Stakeholder Goal
Athletics staff will continue to achieve high employee engagement as reported on research-
based survey. Establish department-wide employee engagement programming with
measurable outcomes that will support the enhancement and maintenance of high employee
engagement by July 1, 2020.
Knowledge Influence Knowledge Type Knowledge Influence Assessment
Athletics staff know how their job
roles contribute to achieving the
organization’s overall goals.
Declarative
(Conceptual)
Ask staff to describe how their
work performance impacts the
achievement of organizational
goals.
Athletics staff know how to meet
performance expectations and what
indicates employee engagement.
Procedural Staff will be interviewed and
asked to describe how they meet
expectations of performance from
their supervisors.
Athletics staff know what their
assets and improvement needs are.
Metacognitive Staff will be interviewed and
asked to reflect and explain their
strengths and weaknesses (as they
relates to the organizational goal
of employee engagement).
Athletics staff know how the
learning and development
opportunities provided by the
organization are related to their
own growth and development.
Metacognitive Staff will be asked to describe the
impact of learning and
development opportunities on
their own growth and
development.

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Motivation
This section will review the literature that focuses on the second component of the Clark
and Estes (2008) framework, motivation-related influences impacting MSN Athletics’ goal.
Defined by Schunk, Pintrich, and Meece (2009), motivation is a goal-oriented action that is
initiated and sustained. Both of these phases are influenced by internal and external factors.
Research demonstrates that there are three common indicators of motivation: active choice,
persistence, effort (Anitha, 2014; Clark & Estes, 2008; Mayer, 2011; Rueda, 2011; Schunk et al.,
2009). Active choice refers to deciding one action over another; to take action and involve
oneself, or not. Persistence is the commitment to continue that task or action, even over an
extended period of time, and in the face of distraction. Finally, effort is the mental work required
to attain new knowledge and achieve the learning goal (Rueda, 2011).
There are key motivational variables that enhance learning when people possess them.
Rueda (2011) and Mayer (2011) describe, among these variables, self-efficacy, value, interest,
goals, attributions, goal orientation, and emotions. Bandura (1997) defines self-efficacy as the
concept that learners are willing to put in more effort when they believe that they have the ability
to be successful. Value refers to the importance the learner attaches to the given task.
Expectancy value theory deals with two factors: the learner’s expectancy for success and
subjective task values, cost versus benefit (Eccles, 2006). Attribution is the concept that when a
learner connects their success or failure to their effort, they are more likely to work harder than if
they connect their success or failure to their ability or other external factors (Rueda, 2011).
Emotion, or mood, is the theory that the learner is more likely to stay on task when they feel
positive about the learning process, rather than anxious or depressed (Mayer, 2011). Interest is
the concept that learners work harder on a task that involves something that interests them
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(Mayer, 2011). Motivation based on goal orientation is the concept that learners are more
committed to the learning process when they want to understand the material, rather than when
they want to outperform others (Pintrich, 2003).
Research supports the concept that engaged employees are motivated to perform at high
levels, achieving personal and organizational goals by actively choosing to apply efforts beyond
the minimum expectations, persisting throughout, and expending the required mental effort to
succeed (Anitha, 2014; Clark & Estes, 2008; Mayer, 2011; Rueda, 2011). There are many
motivational influences that can be evaluated, however for the purposes of this study, the
motivation theories or constructs that will be reviewed for MSN Athletics through the lens of
employee engagement are self-efficacy, expectancy value theory, and emotion or mood.
Self-efficacy. Self-efficacy deals with the individual’s belief that they are capable of
accomplishing the task at hand (Bandura, 1977). Pajares (2006) found that learning and
motivation were enhanced when individuals have a positive expectancy for success. Clear and
concrete feedback as well as behavior modeling are also purported by Pajares as positive
influences on self-efficacy. When employees believe that they have the ability to be successful,
they are more likely to put in the effort toward their work responsibilities.
Motivational construct 1: Athletics staff are confident they can apply the strategies to
improve and maintain Athletics employee engagement, leading Athletics in its engagement
efforts.
When Athletics staff demonstrate high self-efficacy, this self-awareness will influence
the challenges, courses of action, and goals they will pursue (Bandura, 2006). Additionally, high
self-efficacy will positively influence the commitment and effort applied to accomplishing those
goals. The goal of establishing and maintaining high employee engagement is a complex task
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and will require perseverance and resilience. The level of self-efficacy that Athletics staff have
toward this goal will not only influence their approach to the task, but also their persistence in
the face of obstacles and the quality of their emotional well-being (Bandura, 2006).
Expectancy value theory. The expectancy value theory is a model developed by Eccles
(2006) that connects achievement related choices to two factors: expectancy for success, and
subjective task values such as how useful or enjoyable the task is. Clark and Estes (2008)
measure expectancy as the amount of confidence an individual demonstrates in their ability to
accomplish a given task. When individuals value themselves, the work that they contribute to
and the organization overall, Eccles (2006) found that an individual’s engagement improved and
performance was increased.
Motivational construct 2: Athletics staff value the process of maintaining and
improving employee engagement and its benefits for MSN Athletics. Expectancy value theory
addresses two key elements of motivation: whether an individual believed they could engage
with and achieve individual and organizational goals, and whether they desired to partake in the
task (Eccles, 2006). Rueda (2011) asserted that the importance one associates with a task is
value. There are four constructs of value including attainment, intrinsic, utility, and cost (Eccles,
2006; Rueda, 2011). The dynamic influence of each factor cannot be ignored and they should
each be addressed in order to improve the value an employee associates with a given task.
Expectancy value theory addresses two of these constructs, attainment and cost. This is
demonstrated when employees believe that their contribution will increase the likelihood of
accomplishing an organizational goal, and they value the success of that goal over exertion or
other cost required to achieve it.
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Mood/emotion. Emotion, or mood, is the concept that an individual is more likely to
stay on task when they feel positive about the learning process, rather than anxious or depressed.
The ability of employees to maintain a positive affect while experiencing a variety of positive
and negative stimuli is valuable for optimal effectiveness and productivity (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Employees who find their work meaningful and have positive attitudes toward that work are
more likely to invest effort in the organizational goals (Attridge, 2009; Clark & Estes, 2008;
Macey & Schneider, 2008).
Motivational construct 3: Athletics staff feel positively about their contribution to MSN
Athletics’ overall organizational goals. Athletics staff need to not only feel that their work is
manageable, but also that it is valuable and significant. When positive feelings are attributed to
their work and its alignment with the organizational goals, employees have hope about the
future. They will devote effort toward tasks and other work responsibilities in order to assist the
organization in achieving its goals (Macey & Schneider, 2008). Athletics staff feeling positively
about their contribution to the overall organizational goals will be engaged in their work because
they have a personal connection to it. Task performance that includes rewarding interpersonal
interactions with co-workers will improve the emotional environment present in the workplace,
fostering further personal and professional engagement at work (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Table 3 provides a summary of MSN University’s mission, its global goal, the goal of
MSN Athletics and the motivation influences of staff described above. Table 3 further indicates
how these motivation influences will be assessed in this study.

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Table 3
Motivational Influences and Assessments for Motivational Gap Analysis
Organizational Mission
Facilitate and enrich the education and personal growth of its students through their
participation in competitive NCAA Division I athletics.
Organizational Global Goal
Maintaining an organizational culture that is focused on achieving and sustaining high
employee engagement.
Stakeholder Goal
Athletics staff will continue to achieve high employee engagement as reported on research-
based survey. Establish department-wide employee engagement programming with
measurable outcomes that will support the enhancement and maintenance of high employee
engagement by July 1, 2020.
Assumed Motivation Influences Motivational Influence Assessment
Athletics staff are confident they can apply the
strategies to improve and maintain Athletics
employee engagement, leading Athletics in its
engagement efforts (Efficacy).
Ask the staff to what degree they feel
confident about their ability to apply
the strategies and maintain high
employee engagement.
Athletics staff value the process of maintaining
and improving employee engagement and its
benefits for Athletics (Value).
Interview staff regarding their feelings
about the significance of employee
engagement for the organization.
Athletics staff feel positively about MSN
Athletics’ overall organizational goals
(Emotion/Mood).
Ask the staff about their feelings
regarding the organizational goal of
high employee engagement.

Organization
General theory. An organization’s culture can be analyzed based on the cultural settings
and cultural models that exist in it (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Cultural settings are visible
and concrete, such as organizational resources, policies, goals, accountability structures, etc.
Cultural settings can be found where two or more people come together to carry out joint activity
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that accomplishes something they value (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001; Sarason, 1972).
Cultural models refer to shared understandings, values and beliefs among a group, of how the
world works, or should work, and are often so familiar that they go unnoticed by the group
(Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001; Rueda, 2011). These shared thought processes can include
group environmental and event interpretations, which imply that members of this culture group
would respond similarly to a given stimulus.
Stakeholder-specific factors. The cultural settings of the workplace remain concrete
and include the employees, their tasks, how and why tasks are completed, and the social context
in which their work is performed. When employees are attempting work that is challenging,
clearly communicated, varied, creative, autonomous, and they have the appropriate resources for
those tasks, they are more likely to find their work roles meaningful (Kahn, 1990). The quality
and effectiveness of cultural settings present within MSN Athletics will have significant
influence over an employee’s interest or ability to engage at a high level. In order to develop and
maintain high employee engagement, cultural settings of support, collaboration, and trust are
vital. Similarly, cultural models in the workplace will either foster or inhibit employee
engagement. Cultural model influences that will encourage employee engagement for MSN
Athletics include consistent, specific, individual feedback, and reduced pessimistic or negative
beliefs and attitudes.
Cultural model influence: MSN Athletics instills employees’ trust by modeling
inclusion, commitment, and transparency. Employee engagement has been defined for the
purpose of this study as the positive behavioral, emotional, and cognitive energy given above and
beyond the status quo to support the organizational values and goals (Kahn, 1990). For Athletics
staff to exceed the minimum expectations of their job roles, it is vital that the organization
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establish a culture of trust, especially trust in Athletics staff to do their jobs and do them well
(Buckingham & Coffman, 1999). Further, Macey and Schneider (2008) point out that an
organization with a mission that conveys staff involvement, commitment, passion, enthusiasm,
focused effort, and energy will support employee engagement. Inclusion and commitment may
be demonstrated through hiring practices, personal and organizational goal development, and
communication styles or formats. Transparency in decision making, especially in difficult times,
will benefit MSN Athletics by modeling to employees the trust that is instilled in them thereby
reinforcing the organizational inclusion and commitment (Hayward, 2010).
Cultural model influence: MSN Athletics fosters a culture of support and
collaboration among its employees. Building from the previous influence, MSN Athletics’
ability to model inclusivity and collaboration amongst all levels of the organization will
influence the extent to which employees contribute individually to MSN Athletics’ overall
organizational goals (Buckingham & Coffman, 1999). Organizations can increase employee
engagement by supporting their leaders to effectively and consistently support the employees
(Hayward, 2010). Therefore, it is imperative that MSN Athletics leadership provide an
environment for employees in which they are able to interact consistently and are given
appropriate opportunities to serve as a point of support for one another. Athletics staff will have
personal satisfaction and a sense of inspiration and affirmation received from work and being a
part of MSN Athletics when support and collaboration are fostered and maintained (Bakker &
Shaufeli, 2008). MSN Athletics should establish an organizational culture that supports an
energetic, attentive, and approachable environment which enables optimal functioning and deters
workplace strain (Alarcon & Lyons, 2011).
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Cultural setting influence: MSN Athletics ensures that staff get timely, clear, and
constructive feedback about their performance with respect to job role and engagement.
Feedback that is timely, specific, and private, enables employees to be engaged in their own
development, linking use of learning strategies with improved performance (Shute, 2008).
Feedback, formal or informal, from supervisors or even colleagues, aids in connecting what
employees are to receive from the organization with what they were to be giving to the
organization (Buckingham & Coffman, 1999). A cultural setting that includes this type of
feedback for employees enhances meaningfulness for the work role. The provision of a
framework for expected behaviors to demonstrate work proficiency allows employees to
experience psychological safety, improving autonomy and likelihood of innovation (Kahn,
1990). When MSN Athletics staff receive structured and efficient feedback, they are more likely
to find meaningfulness in their work role, connecting personally to their goals and taking
ownership of their performance.
Cultural setting influence: MSN Athletics staff have the resources necessary to be
successful in their jobs including clear and communicated goals and job roles that align
with professional development. Inadequate resources can prevent even the most
knowledgeable and motivated individuals from accomplishing their goals (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Athletics staff must have the resources they need to work on a variety of rich, complex, and
challenging projects that are meaningful, incorporating both rote and new skills that allow
Athletics staff to experience a sense of both competence from routine tasks and growth and
learning from new or varying responsibilities (Kahn 1990). Organizational goals and resources
aligned with employees’ professional development opportunities demonstrate how MSN
Athletics values the well-being and professional development of its employees. Clark and Estes
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(2008) as well as Gruman and Saks (2011) have found that this will enhance MSN Athletics
staff’s job and organizational engagement.
Table 4 provides a summary of MSN University’s mission, its global goal, the goal of
MSN Athletics, and the organizational influences of staff described above. Table 4 further
indicates how these organizational influences will be assessed in this study.

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Table 4
Organizational Influences and Assessments for Organizational Gap Analysis
Organizational Mission
Facilitate and enrich the education and personal growth of its students through their
participation in competitive NCAA Division I athletics.
Organizational Global Goal
Maintaining an organizational culture that is focused on achieving and sustaining high
employee engagement.
Stakeholder Goal
Athletics staff will continue to achieve high employee engagement as reported on research-
based survey. Establish department-wide employee engagement programming with
measurable outcomes that will support the enhancement and maintenance of high employee
engagement by July 1, 2020.
Assumed Organizational Influences Organizational Influence Assessment
Cultural Model Influence:
MSN Athletics instills employees’ trust by
modeling inclusion, commitment, and
transparency.
Ask Athletics staff how MSN Athletics shows
its trust in Athletics staff. How do they know
MSN Athletics has their best interest in mind?
Cultural Model Influence:
MSN Athletics fosters a culture of support
and collaboration among its employees.
Interview or survey Athletics staff about the
support systems available for collaboration
and innovation. How does MSN Athletics
demonstrate that staff are valuable?
Cultural Setting Influence:
MSN Athletics ensures that staff get timely,
clear, and constructive feedback about their
performance with respect to job role and
engagement.
Interview or survey Athletics staff regarding
the types of feedback they receive, how that
feedback is received, and how that feedback
helps them.
Cultural Setting Influence:
MSN Athletics staff have the resources
necessary to be successful in their jobs
including clear and communicated goals and
job roles that align with professional
development.
Interview or survey Athletics staff about the
opportunities that MSN Athletics provides to
engage in new or challenging projects. Ask
how job responsibilities align with MSN
Athletics’ overall goals and the professional
development offered.

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Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge and Motivation
and the Organizational Context
The value of a conceptual framework is the structure provided for analysis of concepts,
theories, and beliefs that inform and support a research study (Maxwell, 2013). For this study,
the Clark and Estes framework was adapted as a needs assessment to identify both the assets and
needs that contribute to MSN Athletics’ goal accomplishment. This study includes an
examination of assumed knowledge, motivational, and organizational assets and needs that
impact MSN Athletics’ ability to achieve and maintain high employee engagement. Although
the influences of knowledge, motivation, and organization were presented as independent
concepts, it is important to recognize that they do not function exclusively from one another.
Figure 1 demonstrates how each of the concepts interact in order to influence employee
engagement for MSN Athletics.
Figure 1 demonstrates the interaction between knowledge, motivation, and organizational
influences that impact the organizational goal of MSN Athletics to achieve 100% employee
engagement. These influences were determined to be assets or needs and will be discussed in a
later section, however for the purpose of this section they will be reviewed as assets. The largest
circle represents the organization’s cultural models and settings in which MSN Athletics exists.
Within this environment, the knowledge and motivational factors combine to drive
accomplishment of organizational goals, in this case high employee engagement.

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Figure 1. KMO analysis for employee engagement.

Conclusion
This study addresses the value of high employee engagement for organizations, as well as
the assets necessary to achieve and maintain high employee engagement. The purpose of
Chapter 2 was to examine the existing literature to reveal the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational factors that influence employee engagement in the workplace for staff of the
Athletics Department at MSN University. A variety of factors were identified in each of the
three categories and while each exists independently, it will be demonstrated that they work
Stakeholder
Knowledge (i.e.,
knowledge types),
Skills, Motivation
(i.e., self-efficacy,
value, etc.)

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together to either support or hinder the goals of the organization. Chapter 3 will present the
study’s methodological approach through assessing the validity and extent to which the
knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors exist and influence employee engagement for
MSN University.

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CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
The purpose of this project was to conduct a needs analysis in the areas of knowledge and
skills, motivation, and organizational resources necessary to reach MSN Athletics’ performance
goal. The analysis began by generating a list of possible needs and then moved to examining
these systematically to focus on actual or validated needs. While a complete study would have
focused on all stakeholders, for practical purposes the stakeholder to be focused on in this
analysis was the MSN Athletics staff.
This chapter will outline the research design and methods for data collection and analysis.
The Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis model was applied using a research-supported survey
based on the conceptual framework of the gap analysis, looking at needs and assets of MSN
Athletics staff knowledge, motivation, and organizational culture. The questions that guided this
gap analysis were the following:
1. What are the staff’s knowledge and motivation needs and assets related to attaining
100% employee engagement?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and staff’s
knowledge and motivation?
3. What recommendations in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational
resources may be appropriate for MSN Athletics to solve employee engagement
deficiencies in their organization?
Participating Stakeholders
While all stakeholders play a valuable role in the success of the organization’s goals, the
primary stakeholder group for this study was the Athletics staff at MSN University. This
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stakeholder group is important to study because through understanding MSN Athletics staff’s
knowledge and skills, their motivation to succeed, and their experience or feelings about MSN
Athletics and its goals, MSN Athletics leadership would gain a better understanding of the
current department culture and be able to implement a research-supported program to achieve
and maintain high employee engagement. All of the 63 members of the stakeholder group were
invited to complete the employee engagement survey.
Survey Sampling Criteria and Rationale
Criterion 1. Participant must be a current full-time staff member employed by MSN
Athletics.
Criterion 2. Participant must have been a full-time staff member with MSN Athletics
for minimum of six months. This ensures that the staff member is no longer a probationary
employee and will have completed the existing onboarding protocols and training as well as been
employed during at least one sport competitive season.
Survey Sampling (Recruitment) Strategy and Rationale
The initial step in this study involved gathering data from the identified population,
Athletics staff at MSN University. In order to collect quantitative data the researcher used
Merriam and Tisdell’s (2016) typical purposeful sampling approach and sought total population
participation. All full-time staff members with MSN Athletics were contacted through email
with the approval and assistance of the Human Resources Director. The guidelines from the
Institutional Review Board (IRB) were included in the survey solicitation email. Confidentiality
and anonymity of the participants was maintained.
Of those invited, 26 responses were received. One respondent failed to answer any
questions and two respondents only included answers to the first question regarding
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demographics. These three respondents were included in the data used in analysis and recorded
as no response for those items to which they did not respond. The 23 stakeholders that chose to
complete the survey were also asked if they would be willing to participate in an interview phase
of the data collection. Survey response rate reflected a 41.27% participation from the total
sample population.
Interview Group Sampling Criteria and Rationale
Criterion 1. Participant must be a member of key stakeholder group and meet survey
sampling criteria.
Criterion 2. Completed survey.
Criterion 3. Represent desired diverse population or specific population as determined
by survey data results (Conditional).
Interview Group Sampling (Recruitment) Strategy and Rationale
At the end of the survey, all staff members were asked if they would volunteer to be
interviewed; if they were willing to volunteer, participants were asked to enter their email and
length of employment in the recruitment log. Of the 23 surveys that were completed, eight
participants also volunteered for follow-up interviews. Volunteers were contacted to arrange
meeting date, time, and location for interviews. It was desired that there would be a minimum of
six staff members volunteering to be interviewed. If there were more than five volunteers, then
Criterion 3 would have been utilized to support either a diverse respondent pool or a very
specific pool as determined by the survey data. The researcher would select a purposeful sample
from the volunteers based on length of employment with MSN Athletics, as that was the only
demographic information collected in the survey. When the volunteers were contacted to
schedule interviews, one individual decided not to participate further and another did not
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respond. Ultimately there were six staff members who volunteered for interviews and arranged
interview appointments, so no further sampling steps were necessary. Anonymity of the
participants was respected and the volunteers for interviews were not made aware of who else
volunteered to interview.
Data Collection and Instrumentation
This study utilized document analysis and researcher-generated surveys to determine the
knowledge, motivational, and organizational influences and needs required for MSN Athletics to
achieve its organizational and stakeholder goals. With these two methods, data was triangulated,
increasing the credibility and validity of the research. Interviews were conducted with six
voluntary members of the population of 23 individuals that completed the survey. The purpose
of the interview was to extrapolate additional data from survey items that did not generate usable
or statistically significant data in order to improve validation of recommendations. The research
questions provided a framework for assessing what the researcher desired to understand, which
directed the determination of data collection methods (Maxwell, 2013). The following sections
detail the use of these data collection methods.
Surveys
A survey instrument was created to assess the needs and assets for MSN Athletics using
the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences. For each of the assumed influences, survey items were generated.
The survey contained 42 questions in a Likert scale format and one question regarding length of
employment with MSN Athletics. The survey was estimated to take no more than five to ten
minutes to complete. Following University of Southern California Institutional Review Board
(IRB) approval, the MSN Athletics Human Resources Director facilitated the survey process by
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providing contact information for all staff members meeting the survey sample criteria. The
MSN Athletics staff were solicited via email from the researcher with a link to complete the
survey which was made available and completed online through Qualtrics, which also offered a
mobile-friendly option for participants. Staff were asked to complete the survey by a designated
date. The deadline to complete the survey was two weeks from the time the original email
survey request was delivered. A reminder email and link was sent out to the survey population
one week prior to the deadline to remind staff to complete the survey on or before the deadline.
A copy of the survey instrument is provided in Appendix A.
Interviews
At the end of the survey, the respondents were asked if they would be willing to
participate in a follow-up interview lasting no longer than one hour. Since the survey was
provided electronically, stakeholders who chose to volunteer for a follow-up survey were
directed to another website at the conclusion of the survey to provide their email address to be
contacted at a later time. Interviews were conducted with six individuals which ended up being
100% of those that volunteered to participate and responded to interview scheduling emails from
the researcher.
The purpose of the interview was to extrapolate additional data from survey items that
did not generate usable or statistically significant data in order to improve validation of
recommendations. Interview format followed a semi-structured framework. Interviews lasted
anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, during which time the interview was recorded with participant
permission and electronically transcribed. The researcher also took notes during and after each
interview to record thoughts and reflections arising during the conduct of the interviews. The
interview questions focused primarily on the respondent’s experience, behavior, opinions, and
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beliefs, with specific attention to how knowledge, motivational, and organizational influences
affect MSN Athletics. A complete example of the interview protocol is provided in Appendix B,
however the questions given priority for the interview time-frame were based on improving the
validity of data when there were gaps or discrepancies found in the survey response data. In
addition to elucidating the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences for employee
engagement, the interviews provided the researcher with an opportunity to explore why the
survey data was skewed or resulted in a lack of differentiation as applicable.
Documents and Artifacts
In order to triangulate the data, results from an engagement survey completed in Winter
Quarter of 2017 were reviewed to provide information on previous years’ engagement survey
results. This data was compared to new data collected from survey and analyzed for changes
over time. Additional documents and artifacts evaluated included onboarding materials,
department communications, web-based performance management program for structured
feedback on growth and development, and the annual merit-based salary recommendation
process.
Data Analysis
Survey
Once the online survey window closed, results were collected from the sample population
of full-time staff at MSN Athletics. The number of participants who did or did not participate
was counted and a wave analysis used to determine if the number of participants who did not
respond could have influenced the results, indicating a response bias (Creswell, 2014). Then the
survey results underwent descriptive statistical analysis, providing calculations for mean,
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median, mode, and standard deviations for each survey item. Finally, the quantitative research
results are discussed in Chapter 5.
Interview
Following completion of survey collection, in-person interviews with staff were
scheduled. Interviewee participants were contacted one week in advance with date, time, and
location for interviews. Interviews lasted no longer than 30 minutes, during which time the
interview was recorded with participant permission and electronically transcribed. Analysis
began during the data collection phase. Analytical memos and summaries were documented
during and following each interview. This written analysis included researcher thoughts,
feelings, reactions, and reflections on the information collected. All of the interview data
collected was reviewed to determine if there were common concepts or ideas developing.
Following the completion of all interviews, each was coded for confidentiality of the participant
and aggregation of the data to organize themes or patterns that developed (Creswell, 2014). This
study utilized a priori coding, which is codes developed prior to the examination of the data. A
priori codes reflected those assumed influences in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and
organizational resources. In vivo coding was also employed, to denote themes arising that were
not initially looked for. Codes included topics from the literature, items that were surprising or
otherwise not anticipated, items that were unusual and of interest by themselves. Next the
themes were categorized to support connections described in the results presentation.
Documents
Documents and artifacts were analyzed for evidence consistent with the concepts in the
conceptual framework. A copy of the previous year’s employee engagement survey was
provided by MSN Athletics for the researcher’s use. Materials were collected from Human
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Resources training sessions on the university’s merit-based employee evaluation process and the
recently-introduced manager feedback and collaborative goal setting program. Periodic
communications from MSN University and the Athletics Department were reviewed for subject,
frequency, and purpose. Finally, a sensory assessment was made to gather data reflecting the
work environment for MSN Athletics staff.
Validity and Reliability
The first phase of this study involved data collection through survey instrument, a
characteristic of quantitative research. Quantitative research must establish validity and
reliability in order for the data generated from quantitative instruments to be considered
meaningful and useful (Creswell, 2014).
Validity refers to accuracy of the instrument, or measuring what the research intended to
measure (Salkind, 2014). Yin (2017) describes three types of validity which can be judged for
quality of research: construct validity, internal validity, and external validity. Construct validity
refers to operational measures applied to the study. Yin points out that meeting the test of
construct validity requires the researcher to use clearly defined terms and concepts, complete
with operational measures matching those concepts. This study incorporated construct validity
through the use of primary research questions that guided the decision making process
throughout the development and application of the study. Internal validity typically only applies
to causal or explanatory studies, where the researcher is attempting to establish a causal
relationship between two or more conditions. The Clark and Estes (2008) model for gap analysis
is grounded in the causal relationship between knowledge, motivation, and organizational
influences that affect behavior. Since this study was not explanatory in nature, rather
exploratory, the logic of internal validity is not appropriate (Yin, 2017). Finally, external
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validity concerns the generalizability of the study findings; if a causal relationship exists it would
apply across different populations, settings, and times (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). This athletics
department would be considered “mid-major” in size and influence, implying that a moderate to
high response rate for the survey instrument would likely represent the average NCAA Division I
department. However, the study may not be generalizable outside of higher education settings,
or settings beyond collegiate athletics departments.
Reliability is the consistent measurement or repeatability of a test, when responses
gathered reflect similar themes each time the question is asked under the same conditions
(Robinson & Leonard, 2019). Lincoln and Guba (1985) recommend transparency of study
methods, sample, and data collection sites as strategies to limit threats to external validity, with
the goal of minimizing errors and biases. Strategies incorporated into this study to increase
validity and reliability predominantly occurred in the development of the instrument and pilot
testing phase. To address transparency, the researcher kept a detailed log of procedures and
steps taken during the conduct of the study as suggested by Yin (2009). The questions generated
for the survey were grounded in substantial research and theory principles regarding knowledge,
motivation, and organizational influences relating to employee engagement. In the piloting step,
a sample of individuals were provided the survey instrument to complete. This practice
confirmed that the survey could be completed in the anticipated time frame of ten minutes or
less. Additionally, the piloting step provided information about the standardization, clarity, and
internal triangulation of the survey instrument as well as the survey process itself. The results
from the pilot test were analyzed to determine if responses reflected participant understanding of
questions and if similar questions were answered in appropriately similar ways. Ultimately
confirmed, this demonstrated that the survey instrument possessed clearly worded questions
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provided in a frequency and format that would collect the intended research data (Robinson &
Leonard, 2019). Finally, peer review was also incorporated to increase both validity and
reliability, as this study included a built in peer review through dissertation committee.
Credibility and Trustworthiness
The second phase of this study included data collection through one-on-one interviews
and document analysis, two types of qualitative research. In order for qualitative research to
generate data that is considered meaningful, it must demonstrate credibility and trustworthiness.
Credibility is associated with researcher-presented data and findings that are considered plausible
and believable in light of the data collected (Maxwell, 2013). Trustworthiness of research is
directly correlated to the ethics and trustworthiness of the researcher (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016;
Patton, 2015). Demonstration through research design and administration that the researcher
seeks truth as opposed to personal agenda or influence, supports the dependability of the
researcher and the data presented.
To increase credibility and trustworthiness of the qualitative aspect of the study, several
research supported strategies were implemented. First, triangulation of collected data was
utilized through comparison of results from the survey, documents, and interviews. This step
limited the likelihood of researcher bias influence that can present itself when only utilizing
singular research methods, as findings from one method can be confirmed or called into question
with data from other methods (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000; Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). Additionally, respondent validation was utilized during the interview stage. This strategy
involved gathering feedback from participants on emerging findings (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
For the purposes of this study, interview questions included checking on preliminary findings to
determine if interpretation was confirmed. Finally, the responses collected during interviews
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were audio recorded to limit researcher bias and provide adequate evidence for coding and
clarification of participants’ perceptions of their experience working in the organization
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Patton (2015) argued that rigorous methods and steps taken in the development of study
protocol and procedure will add to the credibility and trustworthiness of the researcher. Protocol
and procedure during the analysis phase speaks to the credibility and trustworthiness of the data
and results. Maxwell (2013) identifies three analytical strategies that were also applied during
the analysis phase of this study: memos, categorizing strategies, and connecting strategies. As
previously indicated, interviews were recorded and transcribed. The researcher listened to
interview recordings and read transcripts consecutively, during which time memos (what the
researcher saw, heard, felt, and developing ideas about the data) were logged. Maxwell (2013)
suggests that not only are memos an effective way to track and log analytical thinking, but they
may also encourage and stimulate analytical processing. The coding process of the interviews
and document analysis, breaking up text into discrete chunks and resorting them into similar
groups, reflects the categorizing strategy where similarities and differences were assessed to
classify and organize emerging concepts (Creswell, 2014). Once the interviews and document
data were coded and categorized, the third strategy is connecting strategies. This step is distinct
from categorizing in that its goal is understanding the data in context, identifying relationships
between different concepts and elements of the text (Maxwell, 2013). The categorizing and
connecting phases complement each other and this pairing becomes the cornerstone for theory
building.
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Ethics
In human subjects research, ensuring the wellbeing and rights of participants is the
primary responsibility of the researcher. Glesne (2011) asserts that all unnecessary risks to the
participant should be eliminated and benefits to the participant or society, ideally both, should
therefore outweigh any potential risks. This study demonstrated ethical consideration of all
participants before, during, and after the study was conducted. Further, to ensure that the data
collected were both valid and reliable, and that the participants were protected from harm, the
researcher maintained adherence to the code of ethics advised by the Institutional Review Board
(IRB) at the University of Southern California. In order to ensure this study provided for such
ethical responsibility, the researcher incorporated informed consent, ensuring voluntary
participation, securing permission to record, confidentiality of participants, security and storing
of data.
Informed consent is an essential component of any study, ensuring that participants are
provided a clear understanding of the purpose of the research and any risks they may assume by
participating (Rubin & Rubin, 2012). Participants should not be coerced or influenced to
participate in the study at any time. They must be informed that their participation is voluntary
and participants can remove themselves from further participation at any point in the study if
they so desire (Glesne, 2011; Rubin & Rubin, 2012). Before the study began, the researcher
provided information to the prospective participants regarding the purpose of the study and the
anticipated time commitment (Glesne, 2011). A copy of this document is provided in Appendix
C.
In light of potentially controversial information that could have been disclosed during the
course of the study, the anonymity of the participants and confidentiality of the information they
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provided was essential (Glesne, 2011). While conducting research that incorporates qualitative
analysis — that is, interviews — securing permission to record the conversation between
participant and researcher is necessary to remind the participant that they are being studied and
their responses will be used in the research (Rubin & Rubin, 2012). Further, security of the
study materials and data generated must be ensured (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The data
collected throughout the study was stored in a password-protected database on a password-
protected computer that remained in the locked office of the researcher. Additionally, all data
collected was coded to protect the anonymity of the participants such that no participants could
be identified through their responses. At the onset of the data collection in the survey
administration, each participant was informed in writing that their participation was voluntary
and that they had the option to remove themselves from further participation at any time. Each
participant was requested to consent to recording of interviews prior to conducting the interview.
This study was conducted at MSN University in the Intercollegiate Athletics Department,
where the researcher was employed at the time as an administrator at the middle management
level. In their role, the researcher did have oversight and leadership responsibilities, including
but not limited to the supervision of two full time employees as well as education and monitoring
responsibilities over the job role related activities of all staff, coaches, and student-athletes with
respect to NCAA, conference, and university rules and regulations. In this context, the
researcher was a part of the learning community of colleagues and friends, and desired to see
MSN Athletics achieve its goals. Additionally, the data gathering process could have presented
ethical dilemmas for the researcher. Glesne (2011) cautions that as a result of personal and
professional interest in the outcome of the project, the researcher may find themselves compelled
to take on certain roles; in the case of this study, the “advocate” or “friend.” The advocate role is
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someone who takes a position on some issue they become aware of during the research process
and champion that cause. The ethical dilemma of the friend is such that the participant
potentially shares information that they would not otherwise disclose had that relationship
between researcher and participant not been present.
In order to minimize the impact of this potential for bias, the researcher maintained a log
throughout the study to document decisions and steps taken. This allowed for an increased level
of transparency in the research process and reliability in the researcher. Additionally, survey
responses remained entirely confidential from the researcher. Though the interviews were
conducted by the researcher, every effort was made to ensure that this phase of the study was
conducted in a manner to ensure privacy and anonymity for the participants. Interviews were
conducted at a time that worked for the participant, in a private meeting room, and did not
disclose their participation to other members of the department.
An important aspect of this study remaining ethically sound was the explicit
understanding that all participation in the study, or lack thereof, would remain confidential both
during and after the study was completed. While the researcher did have an interest in the results
of this study, that interest was rooted in the department-wide benefit of an applicable research-
based instrument to assess and plan for employee engagement programming.
Limitations and Delimitations
Limitations
Limitations are the circumstances surrounding the study that are not within the
researcher’s ability to change. The primary limitation of this study was that the solutions and
recommendations may not be generalizable to other departments of higher education or
collegiate athletic departments as this study was conducted only within MSN Athletics. This
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limitation refers to external validity threats (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) where the narrow
characteristics of the participants, their setting, and the time-bound study prevent generalizability
of the results. The generalizability of this study is further limited by the response rate of the
study participants. Though the survey response rate of 41.27% reflects a statistically significant
representation of the sample population, the original population size was somewhat small.
Further, the six participants in the interviews only represent 9.5% of the sample population.
Therefore, while the data generated from the interviews was valuable and contributed greatly to
the understanding of MSN Athletics, it also limited the generalizability of the recommendations
from the study. An additional limitation was that the primary researcher worked within the
department at MSN Athletics during the time in which the study was conducted, and this may
have permitted bias within the study in the form of either respondents being less forthcoming
with information than they would if the researcher were not connected to the department, or
through the data analysis and interpretation of findings. Finally, the data generated in this study
was based on the voluntary participation and self-reporting of information from participants.
This potentially introduced respondent bias as much as it was more likely that engaged staff
would volunteer to participate than their otherwise disengaged colleagues.
Delimitations
Unlike limitations, delimitations are choices made by the researcher during the study that
may have implications for the study results or recommendations. For this study, data collected
was only from full-time staff and did not include perspectives or experience from coaches or
student employees. The determination was made to only ask one demographic type question of
study participants in the survey. No other demographic information was collected so it was not
possible to disaggregate data in that manner or demonstrate generalizability based on
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demographic representation. Data collected from the qualitative phase was collected after the
quantitative phase. No data collection was conducted through observations.

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CHAPTER 4
RESULTS AND FINDINGS
The purpose of this study was to conduct a needs analysis in the areas of knowledge and
skills, motivation, and organizational resources necessary to reach MSN Athletics’ performance
goal. The analysis began by generating a list of possible needs and then moved to examining
these systematically to focus on actual or validated needs. While a complete study would focus
on all stakeholders, for practical purposes the stakeholder focused on in this analysis was the
MSN Athletics staff. The questions that guided this gap analysis were the following:
1. What are the staff’s knowledge and motivation needs and assets related to attaining
100% employee engagement?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and staff’s
knowledge and motivation?
3. What recommendations in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational
resources may be appropriate for MSN Athletics to solve employee engagement
deficiencies in their organization?
In order to assess these questions, the study included a survey distributed to all full-time
staff employed by MSN Athletics. Participants from the survey were invited to volunteer for
follow-up interviews conducted after the conclusion of the survey collection. Additionally, a
document analysis was conducted during and after the conclusion of interviews. Results from an
engagement survey completed in Winter Quarter of 2017 were reviewed to provide information
on previous years’ engagement survey results. This data was compared to new data collected
from survey and analyzed for changes over time. Additional documents and artifacts evaluated
include onboarding materials, department communications, performance management program
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for structured feedback on growth and development, and the annual merit-based salary
recommendation process.
Participating Stakeholders
A survey invitation was emailed to 63 full-time staff members employed by MSN
Athletics. Of those invited, 26 responses were received. One respondent failed to answer any
questions and two respondents only included answers to the first question regarding
demographics. These three respondents were included in the data used in analysis and recorded
as no response for those items to which they did not respond. Survey response rate reflected
41.27% participation from the total population.
At the end of the survey, participants were invited to sign up for follow-up one-on-one
interviews, to which eight participants volunteered. When the volunteers were contacted to
schedule interviews, one individual decided not to participate further and another did not
respond. Ultimately, interviews were conducted with six participants to gather information in
relation to their unique experience and point of view regarding employee engagement.
The survey included only one item requesting demographic information. Item Q1 asked,
“How long have you been employed with [MSN] Athletics?” This item was measured on a ratio
scale of measurement and participants were able to type in their response. The average or mean
response was 8.22 years and the median was 7 years so there do not appear to be significant
outliers skewing the average. The standard deviation was 8.48 with a sample variance of 71.89.
Finally, the range of responses was 34.75 years, with three months being the lowest and 35 years
being the greatest. Table 5 displays the respondent breakdown for item Q1.

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Table 5
Responses for Demographic Item

0–1 yr. 2–5 yrs. 6–10 yrs. 11–15 yrs.
Over 15
yrs.
No
Response
Q1 % # % # % # % # % # % #
How long
have you
been
employed
with MSN
Athletics?
23.08% 6 19.23% 5 26.92% 7 15.38% 4 11.54% 3 3.85% 1

Data generated from item Q1 was aggregated into the following categories: 0–1 years, 2–
5 years, 6–10 years, 11–15 years, and greater than 15 years. Once sorted in this format, the
mode, or most frequently occurring response, was 6–10 years. With 42.31% of staff reporting
five years or less of employment with MSN Athletics, it appears that a significant portion of
MSN Athletics staff respondents are relatively new to their positions in the department compared
to their more tenured colleagues.
Determination of Assets and Needs
Data was collected from a combination of in-person interviews, a department-wide
survey, and document analysis. Using these various data sources enabled triangulation, through
comparison of the three different types of data sources, to determine if they are in agreement or
contradict one another. Surveys were distributed to all MSN Athletics staff and each survey
respondent was invited to participate in in-person interviews. Each staff member who
volunteered was interviewed, therefore saturation was achieved to the extent possible. During
analysis, a benchmark or cut score was established in order to identify the influence as a need or
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an asset. The cut score for survey items was 70% and the minimum agreement from interviews
was at least five of the six participants. Documents and artifacts were considered as either
agreeing or disagreeing with the determination generated from surveys and interviews. If there
were data that supported an influence as a need or an asset, but failed to meet the cut score
requirements, the documents and artifacts were assessed as a decisive factor.
Results and Findings for Knowledge Causes
Results and findings for knowledge causes were determined using a combination of
quantitative and qualitative methods to determine if the assumed causes for the knowledge
category are needs or assets for MSN Athletics. This section discusses the results from the
survey, interviews, and document analysis as they relate to MSN Athletics staff’s conceptual,
procedural, and metacognitive knowledge in regards to employee engagement.
Conceptual Knowledge
Influence 1: Athletics staff know how their job roles contribute to achieving the
organization’s overall goals.
Survey results. MSN Athletics staff were asked to rate their agreement level with three
items declaring knowledge of job role and its influence on the overall success of the
organization. For each item, over 90% of respondents agreed at least to some degree with the
statement. One item, “The success of the organization is impacted by my work contribution,”
had two respondents that did not at least agree to some degree. Among the three items, this item
also had the least number of respondents reporting that they strongly agreed, so it reflected a
greater dispersion. However, all three items demonstrated significant agreement overall.
Therefore, this influence is determined in the survey as an asset. See Table 6 for a breakdown of
these responses.
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Table 6
Survey Results for Conceptual Knowledge of MSN Athletics Staff

Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Neither
Agree Nor
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Influence % # % # % # % # % #
I know how my job
role relates to the
organization’s goals
0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 34.8% 8 60.9% 14
The success of the
organization is
impacted by my
work contribution
0% 0 0% 0 8.7% 2 39.1% 9 52.2% 12
My work
contributes to the
achievement of the
organization’s goals
0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 30.4% 7 65.2% 15

Interview findings. It was evident that all six interview participants knew and were able
to speak on their knowledge of how their job roles contribute to the organization’s overall goals.
Participant 2 observed that their position as hiring manager provided significant contribution to
the organization: “my goal was to hire really good [people who] get the philosophies I had.
That’s the best way I can contribute.” Though not in a position to make hiring decisions,
Participant 6 phrased their role and contribution to the department as “[showing] the world who
we are as a university, so that they can come and see it further and what exactly the university
has to offer.” Both Participant 3 and Participant 5 reflected that their roles involved supporting
and encouraging creative problem solving for the organization. Participant 3 offered staff the
“opportunity to be creative in trying to figure out ways to do things with limited resources,” and
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Participant 5 similarly described their role as “striving for identifying the most efficient
processes that we can follow.” Finally, Participant 1 listed MSN Athletics’ commitment to
community service and drew connections between the work “you were charged to do [and] the
value that we’re doing . . . Another component that developmentally helps the department.”
Therefore, this influence was determined to be an asset.
Observation. No observations were conducted for this influence.
Document analysis. Onboarding materials and training documents were reviewed in the
context of this influence. While these artifacts existed to an extent, what was utilized appeared
limited to perfunctory enrollment forms to properly administer salary and benefits. There were
not any department-specific documents that would identify the mission, vision, and culture of the
athletics department. While new hires may have been directed to a webpage for “New Employee
Information” this site heavily reflected only the necessary steps to complete official hiring
process rather than effectively integrating into the organization. Enhanced learning opportunities
were available through a web-based system-wide learning center, but one must independently
explore and locate learning opportunities that may be beneficial. While some documentation
existed, it did not connect knowledge of organizational values and culture to the daily
experiences new employees in the Athletics Department would experience, therefore it was
determined to be a need.
Summary. The assumed influence that staff know how their job role contributes to
achieving the organization’s overall goals was determined to be an asset in the survey and
interview responses. In contrast, the document analysis demonstrated that there are limited
artifacts supporting connection of organizational knowledge to the daily experiences of MSN
Athletics staff. However, since over 90% of the survey respondents agreed at least to some
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degree that their job role contributed to organizational success, and 100% of the interview
participants were able to describe how their job roles supported and influenced achievement of
organizational goals, the influence was ultimately determined to be an asset.
Procedural Knowledge
Influence 1: Athletics staff know how to meet performance expectations and what
indicates employee engagement.
Survey results. MSN Athletics staff were asked to determine the degree to which they
agreed with the statement, “I know how to meet performance expectations of my job.” For this
item 100% of the respondents agreed at least to some extent. However, the other two items for
this influence demonstrated a greater level of respondent distribution. For the item, “I know how
to demonstrate ‘above target’ performance,” one respondent chose neither agree nor disagree,
and one respondent indicated that they somewhat disagreed with the statement. Finally, the third
item, “My supervisor communicates my performance expectations effectively,” received four
responses of neither agree nor disagree, and one response of somewhat disagree. While this only
reflects 21.7% of the respondents, it indicates that at least a portion of MSN Athletics staff knew
what their performance expectations were but that awareness occurred exclusive of their
supervisor influence. Since knowledge was the tested influence and not the source of that
knowledge, this influence was determined to be an asset. See Table 7 for a breakdown of these
responses.

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Table 7
Survey Results for Procedural Knowledge of MSN Athletics Staff

Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Neither
Agree Nor
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Influence % # % # % # % # % #
I know how to meet
the performance
expectations of my job
0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 34.8% 8 65.2% 15
I know how to
demonstrate “above
target” performance
0% 0 3.8% 1 3.8% 1 38.5% 9 46.2% 11
My supervisor
communicates my
performance
expectations
effectively
0% 0 4.3% 1 17.4% 4 39.1% 9 34.8% 8

Interview findings. Each of the interview participants were able to describe
characteristics of engaged employees in great detail with the most common themes being a
shared vision and doing more than the minimum to pursue that vision. Participant 2 shared that
“everybody is kind of like on the same page. Everybody’s trying to do their part to help us reach
our corporate goal.” Similarly, Participant 1 reflected that an engaged employee is “committed
to doing the best that they can for an ultimate goal or vision of the department,” and Participant 5
described engagement as “[willingness] to go the extra mile.” Participant 3’s knowledge of
employee engagement was shaped by experience in a previous organization: “everybody enjoyed
coming to work, everybody enjoyed what they did. Everybody knew what the mission was. We
were collaborative, we were communicative, we cooperated with each other.” Participants 1, 4,
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and 6 all described an engaged employee as selfless and organizationally focused, “someone who
acknowledges the small successes” and is “not always self-centered” but rather “they understand
they need to do the best job and they, their job is to put the department organization in the best
light, because they’re there for that and not for their own personal gain.” While specific
interview questions asking staff to list performance expectations were not asked, it is clear from
the respondents’ descriptions of employee engagement that they understand how this concept
transcends simply performing the job role.
Observation. No observations were conducted for this influence.
Document analysis. Policy and procedure documents were downloaded from the MSN
University web-based performance management program. This program reflected a change from
previous annual performance assessments to a quarterly feedback and interactive communication
system between employees and supervisors. This program requires supervisors and employees
to establish short- and long-term goals, as well as gather feedback from employees about their
engagement needs. The university offered extensive mandatory training prior to launching this
platform in 2018, however compliance with the use of the performance management program
was reportedly low (Anonymous, personal communication, April 13, 2019) and this led the
Human Resources department to transition from a quarterly review to a trimester review in an
effort to alleviate some of the barriers preventing program compliance. While it appears that
documentation reflecting this influence existed, it is also apparent that this resource had not yet
been utilized to its full potential and staff did not currently value the process enough to dedicate
time and effort. Since the documents existed, this is determined to be an asset, however there is
significant room for improvement.
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Summary. The assumed influence that staff know how to meet performance expectations
and what indicates employee engagement was supported by the survey and interview data.
Additionally, though not utilized to their full potential at the time, document analysis also
indicated that this assumed influence was an asset for MSN Athletics. Therefore, this influence
is determined to be an asset.
Metacognitive Knowledge
Influence 1: Athletics staff know what their assets and improvement needs are.
Survey results. MSN Athletics staff were asked to indicate the degree to which they
agreed with statements regarding their knowledge about their own skills and weaknesses or
growth and development. In response to “I know how to effectively communicate with my
supervisor regarding my skills and development needs,” 95.6% at least agreed to some degree,
with only one respondent indicating that they somewhat disagreed with the statement. While all
but one respondent indicated some level of agreement to “I can evaluate my own performance to
determine skills and weaknesses,” this item demonstrated a 56.5% respondent rate of only
“Somewhat Agree.” Somewhat in contrast, 73.9% of respondents reported that they strongly
agreed with “I often reflect on my professional growth and development.” Though there were a
small number of outliers, the overall response rate demonstrated that this influence is an asset for
MSN Athletics. See Table 8 for a breakdown of these responses.

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Table 8
Survey Results for Metacognitive Knowledge Influence 1 of MSN Athletics Staff

Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Neither
Agree Nor
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Influence % # % # % # % # % #
I know how to
effectively communicate
with my supervisor
regarding my skills and
development needs
0% 0 4.3% 1 0% 0 21.7% 5 73.9% 17
I can evaluate my own
performance to
determine skills and
weaknesses
0% 0 0% 0 4.3% 1 56.5% 13 26.1% 6
I often reflect on my
professional growth and
development
0% 0 0% 0 8.7% 2 13% 3 73.9% 17

Interview findings. The interview participants reflected a variety of methods for
determining what their assets and improvement needs may be. Participant 4 indicated that their
specific career track offered tests to “help [them] to determine areas that [they’re] lacking
competency in, or areas of improvement.” Participant 1 identified external feedback as a tool
they used for self-reflection on strengths and weaknesses, when “you are given more
opportunities to develop. . . I’m guessing they are seeing some skill sets that I might have.”
Whereas Participants 2, 3, 5, and 6 shared themselves as the most impactful assessor of
professional growth and development. Participant 2 reported “I know what I know and I know
what I don’t know,” and Participant 3 evaluated themselves against “different measures of
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metrics and the goals [they’d] set for [themselves].” Participant 5 stated that they recognize
“traits that other people have that, you might be not as strong as . . . and then how could you
incorporate into your development,” and they also recognized that “just because I’m
comfortable, does that mean that’s it? Or, you know, at what point do you want to push yourself
to improve?” Through similar self-reflection, Participant 6 shared:
I feel like a lot of, a lot of knowing strengths and weaknesses has to come from yourself
and has to be, you know, take care of yourself and know, know where you stand and do
the research and see what else is going on.
How one reflects on their own knowledge and learning can be as unique as the individual, so it is
not surprising that MSN Athletics staff metacognitive process reflects a similar variety. Based
on these responses, the interviews support this influence as an asset for MSN Athletics.
Observation. No observations were conducted for this influence.
Document analysis. Document collection for this influence revolved around the web-
based performance management program, the annual merit consideration criteria, and the
corrective action plan materials. These documents are readily available for public access through
the university Human Resources website and regular trainings are offered to effectively utilize
and implement each policy or process. However, the intentional disconnect between the
performance management program and merit consideration may be confusing for supervisors
and employees. Additionally, unless an employee attends one of the training sessions offered, it
is unlikely that they will have any familiarity with either process or the criteria associated with
its use. Further, corrective action plans were found to be a document-heavy process and required
significant supervision and administrative support in order to ensure the process was followed
efficiently and successfully. Without appropriate training though, the documentation may be
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overly bureaucratic and burdensome, especially for supervisors who don’t have experience in the
area of performance improvement. While the documents supporting this influence existed, it is
unclear if they were being capitalized upon for the department. However, since the
documentation is readily available to those motivated to seek it, this influence is supported as an
asset for MSN Athletics.
Summary. The assumed influence that staff know what their assets and improvement
needs are, was supported by both the survey items and the interview respondents. Additionally,
extensive documentation and structure for performance evaluation and improvement process,
appear to be thorough and effective to some degree. Therefore, this influence is determined to be
an asset.
Influence 2: Athletics staff know how the learning and development opportunities
provided by the organization are related to their own growth and development.
Survey results. MSN Athletics staff were asked to determine the degree to which they
agreed with the statement, “I know how the professional development offered by the
organization aligns with my jobs goals.” For this item, 60.8% agreed at least to some degree,
while 26.1% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 8.7% somewhat disagreed. This knowledge
influence survey result represented the greatest variance across the responses with 34.8% not
agreeing to any degree with the statement. Additionally, the respondents that agreed to some
degree did not meet the 70% threshold and therefore this influence was determined to be a need.
See Table 9 for a breakdown of these responses.

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Table 9
Survey Results for Metacognitive Knowledge Influence 2 of MSN Athletics Staff

Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Neither
Agree Nor
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Influence % # % # % # % # % #
I understand how the
professional
development offered by
the organization aligns
with my job goals
0% 0 8.7% 2 26.1% 6 30.4% 7 30.4% 7

Interview findings. There was not a unanimous stance from the interviews with respect
to this influence. While some participants identified professional development opportunities
through the university, it was shared that staff need to be independently motivated to seek out the
benefits of professional development. Participants 3 and 5 spoke of leadership and professional
development programs offered through campus, “which definitely [helped] implement some new
tools as a manager to engage with [our] staff and help them, the staff, engage with their duties.”
One specific professional development program was an “educational seminar that lasted the
whole year . . . that was actually a good opportunity for me, personally and professionally.” It
became clear that many of these professional development opportunities were perceived as
invitation-only or accessed through staff memberss own effort, as Participant 1 stated, “there are
avenues where you could get opportunities if you’re willing to invest in yourself.” Participant 2
recalled their experience working in another athletics department where professional
development and training opportunities were specific to and offered in the athletics department.
Participant 2 shared the opinion that “[MSN Athletics] should do that here too, so everybody’s
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knowledgeable about what happens.” A shared understanding of how the learning and
development opportunities in the organization are related to individual growth and development
was not expressed by the interview participants. For that reason, it was determined that this
influence is a need.
Observation. No observations were made for this influence.
Document analysis. The documentation reviewed for this influence was department and
campus communication materials to inform staff about professional development opportunities
offered through the university. Specifically within MSN Athletics, there are no bulletin boards
or shared space for information about learning and development opportunities to be presented.
This form of communication was accomplished through email typically, though the structure and
frequency of the communication was inconsistent, sometimes appearing thorough and well
planned, other times seemingly rushed and less polished. Though there were documents to
review, it lacked the benefit of structure and foresight in the communication that would build
interest and understanding about how the learning and development opportunities in the
organization relate to an individual’s own growth and development. For this reason, this
influence was determined to be a need.
Summary. The assumed influence that staff know how the learning and development
opportunities provided by the organization are related to their own growth and development, was
determined to be a need in each of the data types, survey, interviews, and document analysis.
The survey respondents indicating this influence was an asset did not meet the 75% threshold
and the interviews did not demonstrate a shared knowledge of how MSN Athletics staff’s growth
and development was connected to the professional development being offered. The documents
used to communicate with staff regarding learning and development opportunities did not
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connect MSN Athletics staff’s daily experience with the resources the document was intended to
convey. Therefore, this influence was determined to be a need for MSN Athletics.
Results and Findings for Motivation Causes
Results and findings for motivation causes were determined using a combination of
quantitative and qualitative methods to determine if the assumed influences for the knowledge
category are needs or assets for MSN Athletics. The motivation section of the survey consisted
of eight Likert scale questions designed to assess needs and assets for MSN Athletics in the areas
of value, self-efficacy, and emotion or mood as motivational influences. Motivational questions
were included in the interviews and document analysis was conducted for each influence as well.
Self-Efficacy
Influence 1: Athletics staff are confident they can apply the strategies to improve
and maintain Athletics employee engagement, leading Athletics in its engagement efforts.
Survey results. Two survey items addressed staff’s confidence in their ability to support
MSN Athletics in the goal of achieving 100% employee engagement. The first item, “I am
confident I can apply improvement strategies for employee engagement” resulted in 47.8%
strongly agreeing and 26.1% somewhat agreeing. With a total of 73.9% having agreed to at least
some degree, this met the 70% threshold, and indicated that this was an asset. Additionally, for
the second motivational item on the survey, “I am confident that I can positively affect the
organization’s overall goals,” 60.9% strongly agreed and 21.7% somewhat agreed, for a total of
82.6% having agreed to at least some degree with the statement. Therefore, the survey
respondents indicated that this motivational influence was an asset for MSN Athletics. See
Table 10 for a breakdown of these responses.

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Table 10
Survey Results for Self-Efficacy as a Motivational Influence of MSN Athletics Staff

Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Neither
Agree Nor
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Influence % # % # % # % # % #
I am confident I can
apply improvement
strategies for employee
engagement
4.3% 1 4.3% 1 17.4% 4 26.1% 6 47.8% 11
I am confident that I
can positively affect
the organization’s
overall goals
0% 0 4.3% 1 8.7% 2 21.7% 5 60.9% 14

Interview findings. Throughout the interview process, participants not only expressed
confidence in their abilities to influence employee engagement in their organization, but also
gave examples of strategies they currently implement in their respective roles. The exact
language varied at times, from Participant 4’s “I’m fairly confident” and Participant 2’s “I would
be fairly confident I think,” to Participant 6’s “I’m very confident that I can apply those
[strategies].” However, upon further probing, each participant was able to enhance their self-
assessment to include current methods and incorporation of new strategies. Participant 1
described goal setting and career planning with staff, “I know you have higher aspirations. Let’s
talk about what that looks like and let’s develop a plan to help you get there.” Participant 3
indicated that work autonomy and room for innovation were strategies they applied with staff, “I
feel like I give the staff opportunity to be creative in trying to figure out ways to do things with
limited resources.” Participant 6 modeled engagement strategies when they described
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“physically going and seeing people and then chatting with them, whether it’s about work, or
otherwise, even trying to do that outside of work, and bring people together to, you know, so it’s
getting to see people outside of their normal nine to five routine and making an effort to bring
everyone together.” Finally, establishing an interaction between knowledge and motivation,
Participant 5 recognized their positionality within the organization and the influence that it
provided, “In terms of the department’s functioning, you know, the nuts and bolts of [my job
role] contributes significantly to every area.”
Observation. No observations were made for this influence.
Document analysis. No document analysis was made for this influence.
Summary. The assumed influence that MSN Athletics staff are confident they can apply
the strategies to improve and maintain employee engagement was determined to be an asset in
both the surveys and interviews. Not only did respondents indicate some degree of agreement to
the survey items, beyond the threshold of 70%, but the interview participants also demonstrated
self-confidence in ability to apply engagement strategies by describing the strategies they were
already incorporating to improve engagement. For these reasons, this motivational influence of
self-efficacy was determined to be an asset.
Value
Influence 1: Athletics staff value the process of maintaining and improving
employee engagement and its benefits for Athletics.
Survey results. MSN Athletics staff were asked four survey questions addressing their
value of employee engagement. For the question assessing the staff’s value of the benefits of
achieving high employee engagement, 100% of the respondents agreed at least to some degree,
with 78.1% strongly agreeing. When it came to valuing the organizational goal of achieving
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high employee engagement, the distribution of respondents varied, one respondent somewhat
disagreed and another strongly disagreed. Nevertheless, 78.2% agreed at least to some degree.
For the question of willingness to go above and beyond for the organization, 95.6% agreed at
least to some degree with 65.2% having strongly agreed. There was one outlier within the value
survey items, “I believe the organization values my success as an individual.” This item
received 30.4% neither agree nor disagree and 13% disagreeing at least to some extent. While
the 52.2% that agreed to some degree did not meet the 70% threshold, the remaining items for
the value influence outweighed this item. In totality the survey data indicates that the
motivational influence of valuing employee engagement is an asset. See Table 11 for a
breakdown of these responses.

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Table 11
Survey Results for Value as a Motivational Influence of MSN Athletics Staff

Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Neither
Agree Nor
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Influence % # % # % # % # % #
I value my
organization’s goal of
achieving high
employee engagement
4.3% 1 4.3% 1 13% 3 21.7% 5 56.5% 13
I value the benefits of
achieving high
employee engagement
0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 21.7% 5 78.3% 18
I believe the
organization values
my success as an
individual
4.3% 1 8.7% 2 30.4% 7 26.1% 6 26.1% 6
I am willing to go
above and beyond for
my organization
0% 0 4.3% 1 0% 0 30.4% 7 65.2% 15

Interview findings. It was clear that all six of the interview participants valued the
benefits of high employee engagement. Participants 1 and 3 spoke visually of the challenges to
the organization when employees are not engaged, “everybody’s trying to protect their little
piece of the pie, not thinking that piece is a part of a bigger part” and “when you have low
employee engagement, and low morale, you don’t get anywhere and you are basically stuck in
the mud, trying to spin your wheels out of it.” The benefits of high employee engagement to an
organization were significant, including but not limited to achieving organizational goals.
Participant 4 indicated that “if you have happy employees, or employees that their needs are
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being met, you’re going to have a more productive staff.” Participant 2 shared, “I think when
you engage your employees, I think you do a better job of keeping them.” Further, Participant 3
observed that high employee engagement could also alleviate existing challenges, “[employee
engagement] is again critical to a department that has, may have, limited resources to have that
engagement and have that passion and motivation for staff.” Finally, Participant 6 reflected on
their own efforts to maintain and improve employee engagement:
I think it’s a very important goal and priority, and it’s something that I strive to do. I try
and communicate and engage with all departments, because I feel like that will help me
and that will help everyone to know what other people are doing. The information and
communication that they have with other people, you know, the more that’s known
throughout the more transparency, the better everybody can do their jobs.
As each interview participant responded positively toward their value of employee engagement
for the department, it was determined that this motivation influence is an asset.
Observation. No observations were made for this influence.
Document analysis. No document analysis was made for this influence.
Summary. Through analysis of the survey data, it was evident that the respondents value
employee engagement and were willing to put forth effort toward achieving high employee
engagement. The interviews also indicated that MSN Athletics staff valued the benefits of an
engaged organization for both department and individual goals. Therefore, it was determined
that this motivational influence is an asset.
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Emotion/Mood
Influence 1: Athletics staff feel positively about MSN Athletics’ overall
organizational goals.
Survey results. MSN Athletics staff were asked to indicate the degree to which they
agreed with two statements on their feelings about devoting effort to the goal of high employee
engagement and MSN Athletics’ decision to make high employee engagement a priority for the
organization. For the first item, “I feel positive about investing effort toward employee
engagement strategies,” 82.6% of respondents indicated that they agreed to at least some degree.
This response exceeded the 70% threshold and suggested that staff would be willing to devote
effort toward improving employee engagement. However, item two, “I feel positive about my
organization making employee engagement a priority” did not receive a similar response. Only
43.4% of staff indicated they agreed at least to some degree with the statement, falling
significantly below the threshold of 70%. Additionally, 26.1% percent of respondents disagreed
with this statement to some degree, and 30.4% neither agreed nor disagreed. Since this influence
appears to be polarizing for the survey respondents, it indicates that this is a need for the
organization. See Table 12 for a breakdown of these responses.

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Table 12
Survey Results for Emotion/Mood as a Motivational Influence of MSN Athletics Staff

Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Neither
Agree Nor
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Influence % # % # % # % # % #
I feel positive about
investing effort toward
employee engagement
strategies
0% 0 4.3% 1 13.0% 3 26.1% 6 56.5% 13
I feel positive about
my organization
making employee
engagement a priority
8.7% 2 17.4% 4 30.4% 7 21.7% 5 21.7% 5

Interview findings. Each of the interview participants shared that they felt positively
about the organizational goals and making employee engagement a priority. Participant 1
reflected, “I think [employee engagement] absolutely has to be [a priority for the department]. . .
I think when people feel like an organization or agency is invested in them, that their mindset
about doing work and coming into work, and being good at what they do is a lot different.” This
sentiment was echoed by Participant 6, “I think there are a lot of people here that are invested in
that and that they have had to overcome a lot of roadblocks and challenges. And so that’s why
I’m optimistic and why I stay engaged. And there’s a lot of opportunity to get to a point where
we are working as a collective and at the highest level that we can be.” Participant 3 saw the
organizational priority of employee engagement as an opportunity for the department, “I feel like
with the opportunity to change some of [the previous issues] and increase the engagement with
staff. I only see good things for the department.” Similarly, Participant 4 remarked, “I think
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overall, it is an incredible opportunity and area of improvement for us to be successful and be an
amazing program.” Participant 5 reflected that while an organization may not be founded on the
goal of employee engagement, perhaps achieving the goals the organization chooses to strive for
requires engagement, “I think your employee engagement is critical to that mission.” Participant
2 envisioned MSN Athletics as an organization where employee engagement also influenced the
career interest in the organization, “we’re a destination, I would love it to be that way . . . I’m
really excited about that.” The responses from the interviews suggest that MSN Athletics feels
very positive about the goal of improving employee engagement and this influence is an asset.
Observation. No observations were made for this influence.
Document analysis. No document analysis was conducted for this influence.
Summary. The survey respondents for this influence demonstrated conflicting feelings
or moods toward this motivation influence. While a strong majority felt positive about investing
effort toward employee engagement strategies, this was contrasted with less than 50% feeling
positively about the organization making employee engagement a priority. Additionally, nearly
one in three respondents indicated that they held no position on the organization prioritizing
employee engagement. It is unclear what the possible rationale would be for this, however, it is
apparent that survey respondents felt this item triggered mixed emotions at best. On the other
hand, interview participants reflected that they were excited about MSN Athletics’ prioritization
of employee engagement. They envisioned a future for the department where it was not viewed
as a stepping stone, but rather became a career destination, credited to high employee
engagement. Staff appear to feel positive about employee engagement benefits, but when it
came to organizational priorities the mood fell flat. This may have been related to the interim
status of the Athletic Director which prevented MSN Athletics from establishing a shared
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mission for which staff could have an emotional response. For these reasons, this motivational
influence was determined to be a need.
Results and Findings for Organization Causes
Results and findings for organization causes were determined using a combination of
quantitative and qualitative methods to determine if the assumed causes for the organizational
influence category are needs or assets for MSN Athletics. The organizational section of the
survey consisted of 19 Likert scale questions designed to assess needs and assets for MSN
Athletics in the areas of cultural settings and cultural models as organizational influences.
Organizational questions were included in the interviews and document analysis was conducted
to support determination of the assumed influences as needs or assets.
Cultural Models
Influence 1: MSN Athletics instills employees’ trust by modeling inclusion,
commitment, and transparency.
Survey results. MSN Athletics staff were asked to indicate the degree to which they
agreed with statements about the trust established by the organization modeling inclusion,
commitment, and transparency. For the item, “The organization encourages staff involvement
and inclusion,” 52.2% of respondents agreed to some degree, which did not meet the 70%
threshold. Additionally for this item, 17.4% of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed, and
26.1% somewhat disagreed with the statement. The remaining survey items for this influence,
“The organization encourages passion and commitment to my job,” and “The organization
promotes communication and feedback,” resulted in 69.6% and 69.5% respondents, respectively,
agreeing at least to some degree. Although they are very close, neither of these item responses
met the threshold of 70%. Further, each of these items had at least 13% of respondents
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indicating that they did not agree with the statements at least to some degree. The survey items
indicated that this influence was a need. See Table 13 for a breakdown of these responses.

Table 13
Survey Results for Cultural Models as Organizational Influences of MSN Athletics Staff

Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Neither
Agree Nor
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Influence % # % # % # % # % #
The organization
encourages staff
involvement and
inclusion
0% 0 26.1% 6 17.4% 4 26.1% 6 26.1% 6
The organization
encourages passion
and commitment to my
job
0% 0 13% 3 17.4% 4 34.8% 8 34.8% 8
The organization
promotes
communication and
feedback
4.3% 1 8.7% 2 17.4% 4 56.5% 13 13% 3

Interview findings. During the interview process, there was a common thread relating to
this influence: generally respondents felt that there was not a sense of trust established under
previous leadership. However, a notable improvement had occurred over the past year that
respondents reflected upon as a positive sign for the future of MSN Athletics. Participant 4
recalled an all-staff meeting that occurred at the beginning of the 2018–2019 academic year and
was the first of its kind in several years: “I think [the all-staff meeting] was definitely
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foundational, and we can absolutely build upon that.” Participant 1 also expressed cautious
optimism for the organization: “I think that trend is changing, and in a good way. But we’ll see.
I mean, people are still a little protective of what they do.” “Just having clear goals and more
visibility out of the administration, and the higher ups that you know, set those [goals], and
hearing more straight from them,” was Participant 6’s reflection on what they felt was necessary
to instill trust. Transparent behaviors or communication was something other participants
believed was lacking as well. Participant 3 indicated:
The best strategy is transparency, to make sure everybody has or feels that they have a
say in either decisions that are being made, to get buy in to some of the strategic
processes or engagement efforts that we’re trying to do.
Again, this was described as a changing culture that still has significant room for improvement.
Participant 2 shared that “[leadership] has been much more communicative about what goes on,”
and in the same vein Participant 1 reflected, “I think our current leadership [models engagement]
well. Clearly more visible, clearly more actively engaged, where you don’t always see [them] as
being the [boss] because of how [they are] with people.” While there was clearly an asset of
positive change excitement, this still needed to become a cultural model rather than just a unique
year and for that reason this influence was determined to be a need.
Observation. No observations were made for this influence.
Document analysis. Documents collected for this influence included department mission
statement and strategic plans available online. Additionally, wall posters and other public
workplace postings were looked for but ultimately not present. During data collection, the
department mission was under revision with the new Athletic Director placed in early June.
Additionally, the strategic plan located online was from several years prior so no longer
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reflective of the culture or mission of MSN Athletics at the time the study was conducted.
Therefore it was determined that the document analysis indicates this influence is a need.
Summary. For all three of the data collection types it was demonstrated that up to this
point this influence had been a need. Survey respondents presented contradicting feelings
toward this organizational influence. Interview participants shared cautious optimism toward the
future direction of the department, while also reflecting on the culture challenges of the past.
Perhaps most importantly, the published mission and strategic plan were outdated and needed to
be updated to reflect the actual vision for the department. Therefore, this influence was
determined to be a need for MSN Athletics.
Influence 2: MSN Athletics fosters a culture of support and collaboration among its
employees.
Survey results. MSN Athletics staff were asked to indicate their level of agreement to
statements about the culture of support and collaboration in the department. The only item for
which the respondent frequency came close to meeting the threshold of 70% was, “The
organization encourages collaboration,” with 69.2% indicating that they agreed at least to some
degree. Two other items which also demonstrated the highest percentage of respondent
agreement at least to some degree with the statements were, “The organization supports staff
autonomy in how to accomplish goals,” and “I frequently receive support and inspiration to
accomplish my goals,” with 50% each. There were three items for which 34.6%, the highest
frequency of respondents for each item, indicated “neither agree nor disagree.” Those statements
were, “The organization supports work variety,” “The organization provides resources to prevent
job burnout,” and “The organization provides training for managers to be effective supervisors.”
For the item, “The organization supports work variety,” 15.4% of respondents strongly agreed,
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23.1% somewhat agreed, and 15.4% somewhat disagreed. While the respondents who agreed to
some degree with the statement represented a majority at 38.5%, this fell far short of meeting the
70% threshold. The next item with a significant number of respondents landing in the middle of
the road was, “The organization provides resources to prevent job burnout.” Of note on this item
is the fact that it received the highest frequency of negative responses on all the items for this
influence, with 38.5% disagreeing at least to some degree. With respect to the item, “The
organization provides training for managers to be effective supervisors,” outside of the
respondents who neither agreed nor disagreed, the respondents demonstrated the most equitable
distribution among the remaining survey response options. Respondents for strongly disagree,
somewhat disagree, and somewhat agree were 15.4% each, with 7.7% strongly agreeing. The
survey respondents generally indicate that while there have been positive experiences with this
organization influence, it remained a need for the organization. See Table 14 for a breakdown of
these responses.

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Table 14
Survey Results for Cultural Models as Organizational Influences of MSN Athletics Staff

Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Neither
Agree Nor
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Influence % # % # % # % # % #
The organization
supports work variety
0% 0 15.4% 4 34.6% 9 23.1% 6 15.4% 4
The organization
supports staff
autonomy in how to
accomplish goals
3.8% 1 15.4% 4 19.2% 5 30.8% 8 19.2% 5
The organization
encourages
collaboration
3.8% 1 7.7% 2 7.7% 2 42.3% 11 26.9% 7
I frequently receive
support and
inspiration to
accomplish my goals
0% 0 11.5% 3 26.9% 7 38.5% 10 11.5% 3
The organization
provides resources to
prevent job burnout
7.7% 2 30.8% 8 34.6% 9 11.5% 3 3.8% 1
The organization
provides training for
managers to be
effective supervisors
15.4% 4 15.4% 4 34.6% 9 15.4% 4 7.7% 2

Interview findings. Each of the interview participants were able to reflect on their
experience in the department and recognize that while collaboration was not a cultural model for
MSN Athletics in the past, efforts had been made to establish a collaborative culture. Participant
2 remarked, “I didn’t see it for a long time. I see it now, and collaboration just means to
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communicate to me . . . So communication, I think is the most important thing and I think we’re
doing a much better job of that.” Similarly, Participant 3 shared, “In the past, [collaboration]
was nonexistent. I think in the last few years specifically . . . from where I come, or I’m situated,
it’s gotten much better.” Participant 1 felt disheartened by the previous lack of collaboration: “I
find that absolutely amazing. I find it sad that people are still so in a space that is not
comfortable enough for them to engage with colleagues that work with you . . . Again, I think
that culture is changing.” Participant 4 recognized that culture, especially culture change, cannot
be driven by leadership alone, “it takes willingness from all parties to be open and wanting and
the desire to collaborate.”
Some participants were able to share a few strategies they have seen or would like to see
the department implement to encourage collaboration.
In terms of engaging with coworkers, and those types of things, over the years, we’ve
done sort of informal, you know, softball game or staff tennis you know. Years ago we
did a staff golf outing, which was a fun opportunity to feel connected with those that you
work with
were examples of department collaboration Participant 5 experienced. Participant 6 shared, “I
don’t know if [collaboration and innovation] is as strong as it could be. I think there are ways
that ideas that people have that can be put into action that would probably help.” Participant 6
also remarked:
[engagement strategies] don’t necessarily happen very often. But I think just more, I
don’t know if it’s events, or just more, more times when the entire department is
involved, whether it’s meeting for an actual meeting or if it’s for something fun and
lighthearted.
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Though each participant identified the existing culture toward collaboration to be improved from
previous years past, it remained a need for the overall department.
Observation. No observations were made for this influence.
Document analysis. During document analysis, artifacts pertaining to department
activities were examined. Those that were available included department strategic plan, calendar
events for staff, department or sport program social media feeds. Other items that may have
spoken to this influence but were ultimately not available included minutes from department
meetings, wall posters or other physical public postings, and employee testimonies. Of the
documents analyzed, there were some assets though mostly underutilized. The strategic plan
was previously determined to be out of date and under review with senior leadership.
Department calendar hosted a few department-wide events like the all-staff meeting at the
beginning of the academic year starting with 2018–2019, a holiday season luncheon, and an end-
of-year BBQ. Additionally, communications via email were periodically distributed to
encourage department attendance and support for certain campus and department events
including but not limited to home opener contests for teams, speaking events on campus, and
welcome or farewell receptions for campus and department leadership. Social media is an
additional document that could have been capitalized on in a manner to connect and inspire staff,
however the communication format was primarily used to communicate with fans and
prospective student-athletes. It appears that all of the basic structures were in place, but
ultimately not utilized to their potential, and for that reason this influence was a need.
Summary. Survey respondents suggested that this influence, “MSN Athletics fosters a
culture of support and collaboration among its employees,” was somewhat established as a
culture for the department. However, the number of respondents that neither agreed nor
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disagreed, or disagreed to at least some degree, indicated that a cultural model of support and
collaboration was not experienced department-wide. Interview participants also supported that
they believed key elements of this influence existed, though ultimately underdeveloped. Similar
findings were observed from document analysis as well. Therefore, this influence was ultimately
determined to be a need for MSN Athletics.
Cultural Settings
Influence 1: MSN Athletics ensures that staff get timely, clear, and constructive
feedback about their performance with respect to job role and engagement.
Survey results. MSN Athletics staff were asked to indicate the degree to which they
agreed or disagreed with statements regarding the influence of feedback as it relates to their job
role and engagement. One item was previously discussed as it relates to a knowledge influence,
however it also gives insight to this organization influence. This item, “My supervisor
communicates my performance expectations effectively,” also was the only item for which
respondents who indicated at least some degree of agreement met the threshold of 70%. Two
other items, “The organization supports staff by providing clear goals and expectations,” and
“The feedback I receive contributes to my ability to succeed in my job role,” received a 50%
respondent rate or higher for agreement to at least some degree. The final items regarding this
influence not only failed to meet the threshold of 70% for any degree of agreement, but they also
demonstrated over 30% respondent frequency of disagreement to at least some degree. With
only one item meeting the threshold, the survey respondents indicate that this influence was a
need. See Table 15 for a breakdown of these responses.

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Table 15
Survey Results for Cultural Settings as Organizational Influences of MSN Athletics Staff

Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Neither
Agree Nor
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Influence % # % # % # % # % #
The organization
supports staff by
providing clear goals
and expectations
7.7% 2 7.7% 2 23.1% 6 34.6% 9 15.4% 4
The organization
provides constructive
feedback in a timely
and clear manner
7.7% 2 26.9% 7 34.6% 9 15.4% 4 3.8% 1
I have the resources
necessary to
successfully engage in
my job role
11.5% 3 23.1% 6 30.8% 8 15.4% 4 15.4% 4
The feedback I receive
contributes to my
ability to succeed in
my job role
0% 0 11.5% 3 19.2% 5 46.2% 12 11.5% 3
My supervisor
communicates my
performance
expectations
effectively
0% 0 4.3% 1 17.4% 4 39.1% 9 34.8% 8

Interview findings. Interview participants shared some of the forms of feedback they
experienced with MSN Athletics. Participant 4 reflected that they receive the majority of their
performance feedback from the individuals that they support in their role, while Participant 6
shared that they received feedback “from [their] immediate supervisor who has done this for
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around 30 years, and a lot of the other people within the department who definitely have a lot of
experience.” Participant 1 indicated that they did not necessarily feel they talked with supervisor
on performance expectations, “but [was] given more opportunities to develop things that [they]
believe [supervisors] see.” Both Participants 2 and 3 suggested that that leadership in the
department must take an active role in providing performance feedback, and Participant 3 shared
that there are “definitely more opportunities for proactive, responsible leadership.” Ultimately,
given the limited feedback scenarios participants could identify, interviews indicated that this
influence is a need.
Observation. No observations were made for this influence.
Document analysis. Documents reviewed for this influence were the university
performance management program and the results from the campus-wide engagement survey
with Gallup. The performance management program was a quarterly (transitioned to trimester
during summer 2019) implemented to support alignment of employee performance with
employer expectations. At certain periods of the year, non-represented staff submit feedback for
their own goal accomplishment and performance. This is followed up with response submission
from supervisor and an in-person discussion of the content. While MSN University provided
extensive communication and education timed with the initial roll out of the program in fall of
2018, there remained a significant deficiency in compliance with the program. Reasons for this
were suggested in some of the interviews and circulated around the sense that it was more work
and there wasn’t a clear understanding of the benefits for either party. Regarding the Gallup
survey, MSN Athletics respondents included both staff and coaches and the scoring was
compared to Gallup’s overall database. One of the areas for which MSN Athletics scored below
the 25th percentile was “In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing
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good work.” However, when looking back over a longer period of time, respondents
demonstrated a more positive experience. Specifically, for item “In the last six months someone
at work has talked to me about my progress,” respondents indicated an average of 3.91 on a five
point scale, placing MSN Athletics in the 25th to 49th percentile with Gallup. This influence
appeared to be a need based on document analysis.
Summary. While it appears that staff were receiving some forms of structured feedback,
it was ultimately ineffective. Within each of the data sources there remained inconsistency in the
experiences of timeliness, clarity, and constructive benefits for the feedback methods used by
MSN Athletics, therefore this influence was determined to be a need.
Influence 2: MSN Athletics staff have the resources necessary to be successful in
their jobs including clear and communicated goals and job roles that align with
professional development.
Survey results. MSN Athletics staff were asked to indicate the degree to which they
agreed with statements about professional development as a cultural setting for the department.
There were three items posed to assess respondent experience with this organizational influence,
none of which received enough support to suggest this influence was an asset for MSN Athletics.
The item, “The organization supports staff to pursue challenging work projects,” was the only
item for which at least 50% of respondents indicated at least some level of agreement. The other
items demonstrated that about one in four respondents neither agreed nor disagreed and the
remaining respondents were almost equally split between at least some level of disagreement and
at least some level of agreement. Given the significant number of respondents being in the
middle of the road on these items, the survey indicated that this influence was a need. See Table
16 for a breakdown of these responses.
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Table 16
Survey Results for Cultural Settings as Organizational Influences of MSN Athletics Staff

Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Neither
Agree Nor
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Influence % # % # % # % # % #
The organization
supports creativity
3.8% 1 23.1% 6 23.1% 6 26.9% 7 11.5% 3
The organization
supports staff to pursue
challenging work
projects
0% 0 7.7% 2 30.8% 8 46.2% 12 3.8% 1
My professional
development is
complemented by
opportunities provided
by my organization
11.5% 3 19.2% 5 26.9% 7 23.1% 6 7.7% 2

Interview findings. Several common threads presented themselves during the interviews,
one being the awareness that financial resources are a challenge and second that perhaps there
was a need for leadership to take a proactive role in encouraging staff in professional
development opportunities. As Participant 3 shared, for a “department that doesn’t have a whole
lot of resources, we definitely need to be creative on the professional development side.”
Establishing a “gold standard” of support was suggested by Participant 4: “As a support staff
member, I think bringing attention to the support, to the subdivision and getting it on track and in
line with other institutions.” Participant 1 proposed a culture of professional development:
I would hold people accountable for at least trying to develop a professional development
plan . . . You can’t just say, we like you, we hired you. How do we continue to help your
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grow? How do we continue to make you shine, which makes us look good? And prepare
a transition plan? We don’t do a good job of that.
Participant 2 recognized that if you’re not engaging and growing your staff you have a harder
time keeping them: “we’ve had a lot of turnover around here, and that’s not good for an athletic
department.” When human capital is stretched thin, due to increasing demand and limited
financial capital, it can be a “little hard to see the opportunity when you’ve got your nose to the
grind all the time,” reflected Participant 6. While Participant 5 couldn’t recall the exact career
opportunity that made the difference, “I don’t know if it was luck, or fortunate, or to have good
supervisors,” Participant 3 seemed certain, “leadership has to be proactive at being able to
provide staff with opportunities to do professional development and be engaged more than they
have in the past.” Based on the interviews, it appeared there was a shared understanding of
needs for MSN Athletics.
Observation. No observations were made for this influence.
Document analysis. MSN University maintains an online learning center for university
faculty and staff. This system along with monthly calendars for upcoming workshops or training
programs were reviewed for document analysis. The combination of the online learning center
and in-person educational opportunities presented a comprehensive educational and
developmental opportunity for university employees. There was no documentation available to
show that MSN Athletics’ cultural setting aligned with this professional development
programming. The institutional resource existed, but the alignment of MSN Athletics staff goals
to the education is what was lacking and therefore a need for the department.
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Summary. Many of the key elements existed for MSN Athletics for this influence.
However, the cultural setting where the resources available, connect to the job roles and goals,
was lacking. For these reasons, this influence was determined to be a need.
Summary of Influences, Needs or Assets
Tables 17, 18, and 19 show the knowledge, motivation and organization influences for
this study and their determination as an asset or a need.
Knowledge
Table 17
Knowledge Assets or Needs as Determined by the Data
Assumed Knowledge Influence
Asset or
Need?
Declarative (conceptual)
Athletics staff know how their job roles contribute to achieving the
organization’s overall goals.
Asset
Procedural
Athletics staff know how to meet performance expectations and what
indicates employee engagement.
Asset
Metacognitive
Athletics staff know what their assets and improvement needs are. Asset
Metacognitive
Athletics staff know how the learning and development opportunities
provided by the organization are related to their own growth and
development
Need

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Motivation
Table 18
Motivation Assets or Needs as Determined by the Data
Assumed Motivation Influences
Asset or
Need?
Athletics staff are confident they can apply the strategies to improve and
maintain Athletics employee engagement, leading Athletics in its engagement
efforts. (Efficacy)
Asset
Athletics staff value the process of maintaining and improving employee
engagement and its benefits for Athletics. (Value)
Asset
Athletics staff feel positively about MSN Athletics’ overall organizational goals.
(Emotion/Mood)
Need

Organization
Table 19
Organization Assets or Needs as Determined by the Data
Assumed Organizational Influences
Asset or
Need?
Cultural Model Influence: MSN Athletics instills employees’ trust by modeling
inclusion, commitment, and transparency.
Asset
Cultural Model Influence: MSN Athletics fosters a culture of support and
collaboration among its employees.
Need
Cultural Setting Influence: MSN Athletics ensures that staff get timely, clear,
and constructive feedback about their performance with respect to job role and
engagement.
Need
Cultural Setting Influence: MSN Athletics staff have the resources necessary to
be successful in their jobs including clear and communicated goals and job roles
that align with professional development.
Need

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Chapter 5 offers recommendations for an intentional framework that will support MSN
Athletics to achieve its goal of high employee engagement. The chapter utilizes empirical
evidence to provide an answer to the final research question, “What recommendations in the
areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources may be appropriate for MSN
Athletics to solve employee engagement deficiencies in their organization?”

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CHAPTER 5
RECOMMENDATIONS
This study focused on determining the needs and assets in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational influences affecting the ability for MSN Athletics to achieve and
maintain high employee engagement. Chapters 1, 2, and 3 discussed the problem of practice,
outlined existing literature on the concept of employee engagement, and presented the
comprehensive mixed method approach applied to the data collection respectively. In Chapter 4,
analysis was provided for the data collected during the study. This data included quantitative
surveys completed by MSN Athletics’ staff, semi-structured interviews with staff who
volunteered at the completion of the survey, and document analysis. Those influences
determined from the data analysis to be needs provide the principal focus for the
recommendations.
Chapter 5 presents context-specific recommendations addressing the determined gaps
influencing MSN Athletics staff’s ability to achieve and maintain high employee engagement.
The New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) outlines a simple program
for assessing the effectiveness of a given training program and provides the framework for the
recommendations in this chapter. This model has four levels of evaluation, presenting a series of
actions and behaviors, which allows for a variety of potential methods to address MSN Athletics’
influence needs. Additionally, the evaluation model presented later in this chapter will provide
an innovation of a self-assessment tool that MSN Athletics will be able to utilize to monitor their
ongoing goal of maintaining high employee engagement.
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Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this project was to conduct a needs analysis in the areas of knowledge and
skills, motivation, and organizational resources necessary to reach MSN Athletics’ performance
goal. The analysis began by generating a list of possible needs and then moved to examining
these systematically to focus on actual or validated needs. While a complete study would have
focused on all stakeholders, for practical purposes the stakeholder focused on in this analysis was
the MSN Athletics staff. The questions that guided this gap analysis were the following:
1. What are the staff’s knowledge and motivation needs and assets related to attaining
100% employee engagement?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and staff’s
knowledge and motivation?
3. What recommendations in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational
resources may be appropriate for MSN Athletics to solve employee engagement
deficiencies in their organization?
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences
This study is an improvement model, identifying the influences that are hindering MSN
Athletics staff’s ability to achieve and maintain high employee engagement. Recommendations
for MSN Athletics are presented categorically using the Clark and Estes (2008) framework of
knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences. Addressing MSN Athletics’ knowledge,
motivation, and organizational needs within this framework increases the likelihood of
successfully overcoming those barriers and accomplishing the organizational goal. The tables
that follow outline the influence, determination as an asset or need, literature supported
principles directing the proposed solution, and a brief description of recommended actions and
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behaviors. Some of the influences were determined to be assets for MSN Athletics, therefore
these items will have recommendations for maintaining performance while the influences
determined to be needs for the organization are accompanied with recommendations for change
strategies to support improved employee engagement.
Knowledge Recommendations
Introduction. Organizations must identify and remedy knowledge gaps in order to
achieve organizational goals (Clark & Estes, 2008). Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) describe
four different types of knowledge: factual, conceptual, procedural, metacognitive. Factual or
declarative knowledge refers to basic disciplines or contexts that are easily recalled. Conceptual
knowledge expands upon factual and arranges information into categories, common areas,
structures, etc. This type of knowledge addresses the understanding of how to make meaning
and identify relationships between two or more facts (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001; Rueda,
2011). Procedural knowledge goes beyond the who and what, referring to how to do something.
Metacognitive knowledge allows one to know the when and why of an activity, considering
contextual aspects of the given activity. This level of knowledge implies self-awareness in the
learning process. Each of the four types of knowledge contribute to overall understanding of the
knowledge that employees must possess to achieve MSN Athletics’ goal of high employee
engagement.
The knowledge influences in Table 20 represent the complete list of assumed knowledge
influences on MSN Athletics’ ability to achieve its goal of high employee engagement. The only
influence that was determined to be a need was the metacognitive influence, “Athletics staff
know how the learning and development opportunities provided by the organization are related
to their own growth and development.” While MSN Athletics does need to prioritize addressing
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this knowledge gap, it is important that the influences determined to be assets are not forgotten
as they are currently contributing toward MSN Athletics’ goals. Along with the knowledge
influences, Table 20 identifies related theoretical learning principles and offers context-specific
recommendations based on these principles and the results of this study.

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Table 20
Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Knowledge*
Influence
Asset
or
Need?
Priority?
Yes, No
(Y, N) Principle and Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
Athletics staff know how
their job roles contribute
to achieving the
organization’s overall
goals. (D)
Asset N — but
should
maintain
How individuals organize
knowledge influences how
they learn and apply what
they know (McCrudden &
Schraw, 2007).
Provide an opportunity for
MSN Athletics’ staff to
identify how those goals
align with the
organizational mission and
goals.
MSN Athletics’ staff
know how to meet
performance expectations
and what indicates
employee engagement.
(P)
Asset N — but
should
maintain
Feedback as well as actual
success on challenging tasks
positively influences people’s
perceptions of competence
(Borgogni, Dello Russo, &
Latham, 2011).
Modeling to-be-learned
strategies or behaviors
improves self-efficacy,
learning, and performance
(Denler, Wolters, & Benzon,
2014).
Provide MSN Athletics’
staff with models and
demonstration of
performance expectations
and employee engagement,
as well as opportunities to
receive feedback.
MSN Athletics’ staff
know what their assets
and improvement needs
are. (M)
Asset N — but
should
maintain
Self-regulatory strategies,
including goal setting,
enhance learning and
performance (Dembo &
Eaton, 2000; Denler et al.,
2014).
Feedback that is private,
specific, and timely enhances
performance (Shute, 2008).
Provide opportunities for
MSN Athletics’ staff to
check their progress and
adjust their learning
strategies as needed.
Athletics staff know how
the learning and
development
opportunities provided by
the organization are
related to their own
growth and development.
(M)
Need Y To develop mastery,
individuals must acquire
component skills, practice
integrating them, and know
when to apply what they have
learned (McCrudden &
Schraw, 2007).
Facilitating transfer promotes
learning (Mayer, 2011).
Provide opportunities for
MSN Athletics’ staff to
identify their personal
growth and development
goals, and determine what
skills and knowledge are
necessary to accomplish
them.
* Indicates knowledge type for each influence listed using these abbreviations: (D)eclarative;
(P)rocedural; (M)etacognitive
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Declarative (conceptual) knowledge. MSN Athletics staff need to know how their job
roles contribute to achieving the organization’s overall goals. Anitha (2014), Krathwohl (2002),
and Rueda (2011) argue that employees must have knowledge about how their job duties
contribute to the overall organization and its goals. Employees possessing conceptual
knowledge about their organization’s goals and how their roles contribute to the success of the
organization have a sense of direction and ownership over their part in the overall organization.
As this influence was determined to be an asset for MSN Athletics, recommendations are related
to maintaining this knowledge for staff. McCrudden and Schraw (2007) found that how
individuals organize knowledge influences how they learn and apply what they know. This
would suggest that providing MSN Athletics staff with opportunities to identify how their job
roles align with and support the organizational mission and goals will continue to support their
learning.
Information Processing Theory outlines how a learner takes in new information,
processes it and responds in some output format: sensory, working, or long-term memory
(McCrudden & Schraw, 2007). This theory suggests that in order to facilitate learning, we
should organize new complex information into smaller more manageable chunks of information
and connect new learning to existing knowledge using a variety of teaching styles. When staff
are able to connect their performance and goals with much more complex organizational goals,
staff are better able to transfer this understanding to new tasks and apply procedural knowledge.
Additionally, this knowledge can positively influence value attributed to staff roles, improving
motivation, which will be discussed later in this chapter. The recommendation then is for MSN
Athletics to continue to provide staff training, feedback, and job aids that connect staff goals
with those of the overall organization.
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Procedural knowledge. The data from this study identified the procedural knowledge
influence as an asset. MSN Athletics staff know how to meet performance expectations and
what indicates employee engagement. Shute (2008) suggests that without effective feedback,
behavior modification and motivation to learn or improve job contribution are not supported and
may even cease. Receiving feedback and experiencing personal success with challenging tasks
can positively affect staff’s procedural knowledge and perception of competence (Borgogni et
al., 2011). Additionally, Denler et al. (2014) argued that modeling and demonstration of
expected behaviors is an effective method to improve learning, performance, and self-efficacy.
These principles are related to Expectancy Value Theory (Wigfield & Eccles, 2000) which also
contributes to motivation. This influence was determined to be an asset for MSN Athletics
therefore it is recommended that the organization continue to provide staff with effective
modeling and feedback to support the development of procedural knowledge.
Metacognitive knowledge. Two metacognitive influences were assessed in this study.
The first was determined to be an asset for MSN Athletics: staff know what their personal assets
and improvement needs are. This indicates that MSN Athletics provided opportunities for staff
to check their progress and adjust learning strategies as needed. The second influence however,
was determined to be a need. MSN Athletics Staff did not know how the learning and
development opportunities provided by the organization were related to their own growth and
development. McCrudden and Schraw (2007) posited that in order to develop mastery,
individuals must acquire component skills, practice integrating them, and know when to apply
what they have learned. To address this metacognitive knowledge need, MSN Athletics needs to
provide opportunities for staff to identify their personal growth and development goals, and
determine what skills and knowledge are necessary to accomplish them. This suggests that MSN
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Athletics needs to provide opportunities for staff to identify their personal growth and
development goals, and determine what skills and knowledge are necessary to accomplish them.
Using the framework of Information Processing Theory (Mayer, 2011), MSN Athletics
staff need to move beyond simple awareness of skills and weaknesses, and access new learning
that will address those knowledge gaps. MSN Athletics can facilitate this learning by providing
job aids that attribute on-the-job skills and knowledge with professional development
opportunities currently offered through the University. Connecting these learning opportunities
to the knowledge goals that staff have determined through self-reflection and self-regulation will
encourage meaningfulness and value attribution to the learning opportunity (McCrudden &
Schraw, 2007). MSN University offers a wide range of self-reflection and personal or career
development opportunities to employees. Tapping into that resource will not only demonstrate
engagement but also be self-sustaining as it fosters further self-reflection and assessment of
individual employees’ workplace engagement. Self-reflection by staff about what is known or
unknown regarding job performance is an important step to effective professional development
planning, but also must be connected to specific resources and training currently available at
MSN University.
Motivation Recommendations
Introduction. The second component of the Clark and Estes (2008) framework
addresses motivation-related influences. Motivation is defined by Schunk et al. (2009) as a goal-
oriented action that is initiated and sustained, consisting of three essential factors: choice of one
action over another, persistence in the face of distraction over time, and mental effort required to
attain new knowledge (Rueda, 2011). When knowledge is combined with these motivational
factors, performance in enhanced.
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The data from this study did not show significant gaps in the motivation areas of self-
efficacy and value. However, there was a demonstrated need in the motivational influence of
emotion or mood. Table 21 identifies related theoretical motivation principles for each influence
evaluated, and offers context-specific recommendations based on these principles and the results
of this study. Some of the influences were determined to be assets for MSN Athletics, therefore
these items will have recommendations for maintaining performance, while the influences
determined to be needs for the organization are accompanied with recommendations for change
strategies to support improved employee engagement.

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Table 21
Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Motivation
Influence
Asset or
Need?
Priority?
Yes, No
(Y, N) Principle and Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
Athletics staff are
confident they can apply
the strategies to improve
and maintain Athletics
employee engagement,
leading Athletics in its
engagement efforts.
(Efficacy)
Asset No, but
should
maintain
High self-efficacy can
positively influence
motivation (Pajares, 2006).
Learning and motivation are
enhanced when learners have
positive expectancies for
success (Pajares, 2006).
Modeling to-be-learned
strategies or behaviors
improves self-efficacy,
learning, and performance
(Denler et al., 2014).
Social Learning Theory,
people learn from one
another, via observation,
imitation, and modeling
(Bandura, 1977).
Models who are credible and
similar (e.g., gender,
culturally appropriate) can
foster positive values
(Pajares, 2006).
Provide staff with models
that are credible and
relatable, that show
enthusiasm and interest in
employee engagement
strategies.
Provide staff with
measurable and
challenging goals so that
they can experience
success at difficult or new
tasks.
Athletics staff value the
process of maintaining
and improving employee
engagement and its
benefits for Athletics.
(Value)
Asset No, but
should
maintain
Rationales that include a
discussion of the importance
and utility value of the work
or learning can help learners
develop positive values
(Eccles, 2006; Pintrich,
2003).
Learning and motivation are
enhanced if the learner values
the task (Eccles, 2006).
Provide MSN Athletics
staff with materials and
training to understand the
correlation between
employee engagement
levels and organizational
or individual success.
Athletics staff feel
positively about MSN
Athletics’ overall
organizational goals.
(Emotion/Mood)
Need Yes Positive emotional
environments support
motivation (Clark & Estes,
2008).
Provide MSN Athletics
staff with opportunities to
contribute to goal setting
and autonomy in their job
roles.

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Self-efficacy. Bandura (1997) defines self-efficacy as the concept that learners are
willing to put in more effort when they believe that they have the ability to be successful.
Additionally, Bandura’s (1977) Social Learning Theory conjects that people learn from
observing others modeling critical behaviors and then imitating those models. Pajares (2006) has
posited that high self-efficacy can positively influence motivation, and that learning and
motivation are enhanced when learners have positive expectancies about their performance
ability. Pajares (2006) also indicated that models who are credible and similar can foster positive
values. This principle suggests that behavior modeling as well as clear, concrete, and timely
feedback would be effective implementation strategies for self-efficacy improvement.
Therefore, MSN Athletics staff should be provided with models that are credible and relatable,
that show enthusiasm and interest in employee engagement strategies. MSN Athletics needs to
provide staff with measurable and challenging goals so that they can experience success at
difficult or new tasks.
In a qualitative study illustrating the psychological conditions of personal engagement in
the workplace, Kahn (1990) found that engaged employees demonstrated psychological
availability which is directly related to self-efficacy. Bailey et al. (2017) also found that self-
efficacy was a common antecedent of employee engagement. Results from data collection
indicate that Athletics staff were confident they could apply the strategies to improve and
maintain employee engagement, leading MSN Athletics in its engagement efforts. Therefore,
this influence was determined to be an asset for MSN Athletics. While the organization does not
need to prioritize addressing this influence, continued use of strategies to maintain this asset
status, like those described previously, are recommended.
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Value. Individual perceptions, not reality, influence personal motivation (Clark & Estes,
2008). MSN Athletics staff must perceive that employee engagement is important to individual
success and organizational goal accomplishment. This perception will positively influence staff
to value the effort required to achieve this organizational goal. Eccles (2006) and Pintrich (2003)
suggest that the discussion of the importance and utility value of a task can help learners attribute
value to the work or learning task. MSN Athletics needs to provide staff with training and job
aids to identify and understand the correlation between employee engagement levels and
organizational or individual success. This will encourage value attribution toward the effort
required to improve and maintain employee engagement. Understanding by staff of the risks of
low employee engagement will strengthen the value staff attach to the task, especially in
comparison to the cost required to achieve it.
Rueda (2011) asserted that the importance one associates with a task is value. When
individuals value themselves, the work that they contribute to and the organization overall,
Eccles (2006) found that an individual’s engagement improved and performance was increased.
Results of this study indicate that MSN Athletics staff valued the process of maintaining and
improving employee engagement and its benefits for MSN Athletics. While this influence was
not found to be a need, it is important that MSN Athletics continue to foster staff motivation as it
is influenced by their value for the organizational goal of high employee engagement. MSN
Athletics should continue to provide staff with measurable and challenging goals so that they can
experience success at difficult or new tasks, increasing self-efficacy.
Emotion or mood. The influence of emotion or mood was the only motivational
influence determined to be a need for MSN Athletics in this study. Specifically, Athletics staff
need to feel positively about MSN Athletics’ overall organizational goals. Clark and Estes
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(2008) have indicated that positive emotional environments support motivation. As an
organizational environment becomes more emotionally positive, beginning a task and persisting
at said task over time, even in the face of resistance, becomes more likely (Boekaerts, 1993;
Bower, 1995; Ford, 1992). Weiner (1986) pointed out that anger tends to be the emotional
product of a perception that self-control or autonomy is being threatened. It is recommended that
MSN Athletics provides its staff with opportunities to contribute to goal setting and autonomy in
their job roles. This would improve the emotional state for staff and increase motivation to
support the overall organizational goals. Ways in which MSN Athletics might create a positive
emotional environment include involving staff in goal setting conversations for the organization,
asking staff what policies if modified or eliminated might increase their enjoyment, encouraging
enthusiastic and supportive behaviors in supervisors and managers, or permitting staff to bring
whole self to workplace by decorating personal workspaces and listening to music in the office
(Bower, 1995; Clark & Estes, 2008).
When MSN Athletics staff hold positive feelings toward their work and its alignment
with the organizational goals, they are more likely to devote effort toward tasks and other work
responsibilities in order to support the organizational goals (Macey & Schneider, 2008). These
recommendations will support staff’s need for autonomy and choice in the workplace, which
activates personal interest through opportunities for choice and control and can increase
motivation (Bono, Foldes, Vinson, & Muros, 2007; Eccles, 2006). Clark and Estes (2008) posit
that motivation is ultimately the result of interactions between people and their environment. A
work environment that is positive, or at least perceived as positive, will support personal and
professional engagement in job roles (Clark & Estes, 2008).
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Organization Recommendations
Introduction. The third and final component of Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis is
the organizational culture, comprised of the cultural settings and cultural models that exist in it
(Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Cultural settings are visible and concrete, such as
organizational resources, policies, goals, and accountability structures. Cultural settings can be
found where performance occurs, environment where two or more people come together to carry
out joint activity that accomplishes something they value (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001;
Sarason, 1972). Cultural models refer to shared understandings, beliefs and values among a
group, and suggests that members of this culture group would respond similarly to a given
stimulus. The quality and effectiveness of cultural settings and models present within MSN
Athletics have significant influence over an employee’s interest or ability to engage at a high
level. Table 22 represents a summary of the assumed organization influences and their
determination as either an asset or a need based on data collected from this study. Some of the
influences were determined to be assets for MSN Athletics, therefore these items will have
recommendations for maintaining performance, while the influences determined to be needs for
the organization are accompanied with recommendations for change strategies to support
improved employee engagement.

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Table 22
Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations
Assumed
Organization
Influence
Asset
or
Need?
Priority?
Yes, No
(Y, N) Principle and Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
Cultural Model
Influence:
MSN Athletics instills
employees’ trust by
modeling inclusion,
commitment, and
transparency.
Asset No, but
should
maintain
Organizational effectiveness
increases when leaders are
trustworthy and, in turn, trust
their team. The most visible
demonstration of trust by a
leader is accountable autonomy
(Clark & Estes, 2008).
The more a leader acts in a way
that followers feel is
appropriate ethical leader
behavior, the more a leader
will be trusted (van den Akker,
Heres, Lasthuizen, & Six,
2009).
Organizational effectiveness
increases when leaders behave
with integrity. The most
powerful teaching tool a leader
has is leading by example,
which is occurring all the time,
whether intended or not,
conscious or not (Clark &
Estes, 2008).
Provide staff with
models of trust,
ethical leadership,
and accountability.
Cultural Model
Influence:
MSN Athletics fosters
a culture of support
and collaboration
among its employees.
Need Y Organizational effectiveness
increases when leaders
facilitate creative and
collaborative problem solving
(Clark & Estes, 2008).
Organizational culture is
created through shared
experience, shared learning and
stability of membership.
It is something that has been
learned. It cannot be imposed
(Schein, 2004).
Provide staff with
opportunities to
engage in
collaborative
problem solving in
a non-competitive
setting.

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Table 22, continued
Assumed Organization
Influence
Asset
or
Need?
Priority?
Yes, No
(Y, N) Principle and Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
Cultural Setting
Influence:
MSN Athletics ensures
that staff get timely,
clear, and constructive
feedback about their
performance with
respect to job role and
engagement.
Need Y Learning, motivation and
performance will be enhanced
if participants have clear,
current and challenging goals.
For feedback to be effective, it
should be timely, concrete
(task focused) and goal-
focused (Kluger & DeNisi,
1996).
Provide staff with
effective feedback
regarding
performance goals.
Cultural Setting
Influence:
MSN Athletics Staff
have the resources
necessary to be
successful in their jobs
including clear and
communicated goals
and job roles that align
with professional
development.
Need Y Organizational effectiveness
increases when leaders help the
organization set clear, concrete
and measurable goals, aligned
with the organization’s vision
(Clark & Estes, 2008).
Organizational effectiveness
increases when leaders insure
that employees have the
resources needed to achieve the
organization’s goals (Clark &
Estes, 2008).
Insuring staff’s resource needs
are being met is correlated with
increased student learning
outcomes (Waters, Marzano ,&
McNulty, 2003).
Provide staff with
clear, concrete and
measurable goals
aligned with
personal and
organizational
success.

Cultural models. There were two cultural models assessed in this study; one was
determined to be an asset while the other was found to be a need for MSN Athletics. The first
cultural model influence was, MSN Athletics instills employees’ trust by modeling inclusion,
commitment, and transparency. Employee attitudes, particularly feeling as though they matter
and their work makes a difference, are correlated with numerous organizational outputs
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(Buckingham & Coffman, 1999; Harter, Schmidt, Killham, & Asplund, 2006; Schlossberg,
1989). Clark and Estes (2008) suggest that leading by example is the most powerful teaching
tool a leader has. Transparency from leadership models trust in employees, reinforcing
organizational inclusion and commitment (Hayward, 2010). The data from this study indicated
that this influence was an asset for MSN Athletics, and suggests that MSN Athletics models
trust, ethical leadership, and accountability. Though this influence was determined to be an
asset, it should be considered a priority for MSN Athletics to maintain. Strategies that MSN
Athletics might use include leaders that do what they say they will do, listening more than
speaking, owning mistakes, and avoiding micromanaging.
The second cultural model influence assessed was that MSN Athletics fosters a culture of
support and collaboration among its employees. The data from this study indicated that this
influence was a need for MSN Athletics. Alarcon and Lyons (2011) found that an energetic,
attentive, and approachable environment enables optimal functioning and deters workplace
strain. Organizational effectiveness increases when leaders facilitate creative and collaborative
problem solving, and organizational culture is established through those shared experiences
(Clark & Estes, 2008; Schein, 2004). Therefore, MSN Athletics needs to provide opportunities
for staff to engage in collaborative problem solving, preferably in a non-competitive setting.
This will enhance the establishment of a work environment for staff that fosters cross functional
support systems. While a little competition may be a very motivating experience, a culture of
rivalry can be destructive, taking energy away from organizational goals (Clark & Estes, 2008).
An organizational culture of collaboration and support will decrease the likelihood of
encountering resistance to organizational changes (Clark & Estes, 2008). Fidishun’s (2000)
work with adult learners suggests that when employees perceive information, ideas, or actions
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are being imposed upon them, they are likely to resist. Existing research reinforces the
correlation between workplace well-being and employee engagement. Anitha (2014) used
Kahn’s (1990) three dimensions of engagement to describe antecedents for engagement, positing
that team and coworker relationships promote interpersonal harmony, allowing employees to
invest themselves in work, exploring creative solutions to organizational challenges. MSN
Athletics Staff will gain a sense of personal satisfaction and affirmation from their work when
support and collaboration are fostered (Bakker & Shaufeli, 2008).
Cultural settings. The data from this study indicated that there were needs in the area of
cultural settings for MSN Athletics. Firstly, it was not demonstrated that MSN Athletics staff
receive timely, clear, constructive feedback about their performance with respect to job role and
engagement. Kluger and DeNisi (1996) prescribe cultural settings of clear, current, and
challenging goals in order to enhance learning, motivation, and performance. Therefore MSN
Athletics must ensure staff receive effective feedback regarding performance goals.
Feedback, formal or informal, timely, specific, and private, from supervisors or even
colleagues, aides in connecting what employees are to receive from the organization with what
they were to be giving to the organization (Buckingham & Coffman, 1999; Shute, 2008). MSN
Athletics staff’s associated meaningfulness for their work roles is enhanced in this form of
cultural setting. Kahn (1990) suggested that by providing a framework for expected behaviors to
demonstrate work proficiency, an organization allows its employees to experience psychological
safety, improving autonomy and likelihood of innovation. When MSN Athletics staff receive
structured and efficient feedback, they will be more likely to find meaningfulness in their work
role, connecting personally to the organizational goals and taking ownership of their job
performance toward achieving those goals.
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The second cultural setting influence, that MSN Athletics staff have the resources
necessary to be successful in their jobs including clear and communicated goals and job roles
that align with professional development, was also determined to be a need. Waters et al. (2003)
suggest that ensuring staff’s resource needs are being met is correlated with increased learning
outcomes. Clark and Estes (2008) similarly posit that organizational effectiveness increases
when leaders ensure that employees have the resources needed to achieve organizational goals.
Further, organizational effectiveness is improved when leaders help set clear, concrete and
measurable goals, aligned with the organizational vision (Clark & Estes, 2008). MSN Athletics
needs to provide staff with clear, concrete and measurable goals aligned with personal and
organizational success.
Rich et al.’s (2010) quantitative study on work relationships and performance indicated
that perceived organizational support was a precursor for job engagement. MSN Athletics staff
must have the resources they need to work on a variety of rich, complex, and challenging
projects that are meaningful, incorporating both rote and new skills that allow them to experience
a sense of both competence from routine tasks as well as growth and learning from new or
varying responsibilities (Kahn 1990). Bedarkar and Pandita (2014) suggest that employee
engagement fostered through transparent communication of organizational goals and values,
results in innovation, competitiveness, and effectiveness across the organization. Distribution of
clear and concrete organizational goals as well as resources aligned with staff’s professional
development opportunities demonstrate how MSN Athletics values the well-being and
professional development of its employees.
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Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan
Implementation and Evaluation Framework
The New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) outlines a simple
program for assessing the effectiveness of a given training program. This model has four levels
of evaluation: Level 1 — Reaction, Level 2 — Learning, Level 3 — Behavior, and Level 4 —
Results. Level 1 is described as the degree to which participants react favorably to the learning
environment. Are the participants motivated by the program and do they find value in it? In the
original definition, Level 2 is the degree to which participants acquire the intended knowledge,
skills and attitudes based on their participation in the learning event (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick,
2006). In the New Model, confidence and commitment have been added. Is the training system
effective while it is being implemented? Level 3 is the degree to which participants apply what
they learned during training when they are back on the job. This consists of critical behaviors,
required drivers and on-the-job learning. Finally, Level 4 is the degree to which targeted
outcomes occur as a result of the learning events and subsequent reinforcement. While this
model is executed in order, planning effective training should utilize the model in reverse from
Results to Reaction.
Organizational Purpose, Need and Expectations
The overall mission of MSN Athletics is to facilitate and enrich the education and
personal growth of its students through their participation in competitive NCAA Division I
athletics. In order to achieve this, MSN Athletics must establish and maintain an organizational
culture that is focused on achieving and sustaining high employee engagement to reduce
department turnover, improve work production output, and establish MSN Athletics as a
desirable place to work. A research-based engagement assessment survey will provide MSN
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Athletics with a roadmap for formation of a department-wide employee engagement
programming with measurable outcomes that will support enhancement and maintenance of high
employee engagement.
By July 2021, through combined use of a research-based self-assessment tool and a
research-supported engagement program developed from the aforementioned assessment, MSN
Athletics will achieve a 10% improvement in employee engagement. This will be an initial step
toward the ultimate goal of 100% employee engagement.
In the fall of 2019, MSN Athletics senior staff will commit to the recommended training
program and evaluation plan for employee engagement. On or before July 1, 2020, MSN
Athletics senior staff will approve a budget for the 2020–2021 academic year for proposed
training and recommendations for the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences. By
July 2021, staff will participate in department engagement programming and demonstrate a 10%
improvement in employee engagement as determined by the research-based employee
engagement assessment tool. This stakeholder group goal was key to the success of the overall
department goals because the staff functioned as a support system for all aspects of the
organization, including but not limited to fundraising, facility maintenance, marketing, academic
resources for student-athletes, and local or national public advocacy and representation. Failure
to achieve and maintain high employee engagement for MSN Athletics would result in lowered
work production volume and quality, increased costly employment turnover, and reduced public
profile for the overall organization as a desirable place to work, therefore making it more
difficult to attract the top candidates to the organization. Without the support and involvement of
the staff, MSN Athletics could not expect to see an increase in employee engagement.
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The goal of the engagement programming will be to offer time, resources, and support to
address the knowledge, motivation, and organizational context needs as determined by the self-
assessment.
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators
As MSN Athletics implements a comprehensive employee engagement improvement
program, it is critical to monitor progress toward the outcomes. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick
(2016) suggest that identifying and measuring leading indicators to confirm they align with the
organizational goals will support organizations in ensuring that their goals are met. Therefore,
leading indicators or results denote the degree to which targeted outcomes occur as a result of the
training program.
Internal outcomes include all MSN Athletics employees participating in employee
engagement training, improved work environment for MSN Athletics, as well as improved
collaboration and innovation among MSN Athletics employees. By accomplishing these internal
outcomes, MSN Athletics can then expect to see the external outcomes achieved as well.
External outcomes include increased job retention, improved work performance outcomes, and
positive public perception of MSN Athletics as a desirable place to work. Table 23 describes the
external and internal outcomes for MSN Athletics if the organizational goal is achieved as a
result of the recommended training program.

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Table 23
Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes
Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
Increased job retention
rates.
Number of returning staff
each year. Number of
staff vacancies each year.
Human Resources data regarding staff
vacancies.
Increased employee
engagement.
Employee engagement
surveys and public
statements or records.
Biannual campus-wide Gallup survey, or
Employee Engagement Survey tool from this
study, exit interviews with staff and coaches.
Increased work
performance outcomes.
Improved student-athlete
performance,
academically and
competitively.
Quarterly grades, annual NCAA academic
performance report, sport season performance
rankings, conference recognition for student-
athletes and coaches.
Improved perception of
MSN Athletics as a
desirable organization
to work for.
Community and job
seeker perceptions.
Feedback from community organizations, job
search engine rankings.
Internal Outcomes
Increased MSN
Athletics staff and
coaches receiving
employee engagement
training.
Number of staff and
coaches receiving training
through records of
workshop attendance.
Collected during program.
Improved work
environment (well-
being, attitudes,
beliefs) for MSN
Athletics staff and
coaches.
Scores on employee
surveys and verbal
reporting.
Informal meetings with staff, coaches, and
supervisors. Formal discussion through
university performance feedback program
check-ins 3x annually. Biannual campus-
wide Gallup survey, or Employee
Engagement Survey tool from this study, exit
interviews with staff and coaches.
Improved collaboration
and innovation among
MSN Athletics
employees.
Number of projects and
programs involving more
than one department of
MSN Athletics.
Reported and reviewed annually in
preparation for annual All Staff Meeting.

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Level 3: Behavior
Critical behaviors. To achieve the stakeholder goal for MSN Athletics staff, Level 3 of
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s (2016) model identifies what behaviors must be demonstrated and
how they are measured. This level is revered as the most significant and challenging, resulting in
few interventions producing the desired outcomes for organizations when they fail to ensure
critical skills and behaviors from training are embedded in the day-to-day practices of individual
job roles and the organizational culture (Clark & Estes, 2008). Critical behaviors indicate to
what degree stakeholders are applying the knowledge and skills from the program, on the job
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). When these critical behaviors are performed consistently,
they will have the most significant influence on the organization’s Level 4 goals. Sustaining
these critical behaviors is only achieved when they are reinforced, encouraged, rewarded, and
monitored. Table 24 outlines the critical behaviors and describes the specific metrics, methods,
and timing for the evaluation of each of these behaviors.

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Table 24
Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation
Critical Behavior Metric(s) Method(s) Timing
1. MSN Athletics staff
will participate in MSN
learning and
development
opportunities that align
with all their personal job
goals.
Number of trainings
completed by MSN
Athletics staff.
Worksheet matrix of
currently offered learning
and development and
how it aligns with skills,
knowledge, and career
goals.
Human Resources
reviews,
maintains,
updates.
Initially submit
following
training.
2. MSN Athletics staff
will contribute to goal
setting decision making
for the organization.
Feedback from middle
management and entry
level staff.
Survey and open
forum for
discussion.
Annually, prior
to establishing
academic year
(or greater)
organization
goals.
3. MSN Athletics staff
and supervisors will
participate in the
trimesterly performance
feedback system adopted
by the university.
Number of feedback
meetings among staff and
supervisors.
University
performance
feedback system.
Three times
annually.
4. MSN Athletics staff
engage in daily problem
solving with their peers
and supervisors.
Number of problem
solving interactions.
Noted by
supervisors and
MSN Staff.
Daily.

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Required drivers. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2006) described processes and systems
that reinforce, encourage, reward, and monitor the performance of critical behaviors, as key to
accomplishing the desired on-the-job application of what is learned during training. These
processes and systems, or required drivers, will establish a work environment for the critical
behaviors to be supported and sustained. Reinforcing, encouraging, and rewarding drivers will
support critical behaviors, while monitoring drivers serve as accountability measures for critical
behaviors.
Reinforcing drivers highlight the importance of transfer of new skills into daily activities
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). These include knowledge recommendations such as job aids
to support identification of job goal and organizational goal alignment, leadership models of
engagement, and self-directed learning opportunities. Encouraging drivers encompass
motivation recommendations such as modeling strategies and goal setting, to inspire participants
to persist with transfer of skills on the job (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Rewarding drivers
recognize implementation of the skills and knowledge from the training, appropriately and
effectively applying those behaviors to job role (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). These drivers
may include public recognition or acknowledgement of critical behaviors, as well as incentives
for continued performance. Monitoring drivers address accountability for sustained behaviors,
and are vital to the long term transfer and adoption of on-the-job skills. These can include action
plan monitoring, observations, key performance indicators, and surveys. Table 25 summarizes
the required drivers that are critical to the successful outcome of the training for MSN Athletics.

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Table 25
Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors
Method(s) Timing
Critical
Behaviors
Supported:
1, 2, 3, etc.
Reinforcing
Job aids to support identification of professional
development opportunities.
Ongoing 1, 2, 3
Department/team meetings to establish
incremental, measurable goals and timelines
toward long-term goals.
Monthly 1, 2, 3, 4
Use all-staff email list serve to reinforce
organizational communication outside of formal
meetings.
Monthly at minimum,
more frequently as
applicable
1, 2, 3
Department/team meeting to troubleshoot
collaboratively and for additional training.
Weekly 1, 2, 3, 4
Encouraging
Collaboration and peer modeling during team
meetings.
Weekly 3, 4
Feedback and coaching from supervisors. Ongoing 2, 3
Rewarding
Public recognition or acknowledgement at all
staff meeting.
Annual or quarterly
basis
1, 2, 3, 4
Recognize staff demonstrating critical behaviors. Quarterly, or project-
based (season based
for coaches)
1, 2, 3, 4
Monitoring
Executive HR Director in Athletics collects report
from each department which describes how staff
have evolved, adapted, integrated learning into
work.
Annually, prior to all
staff meeting
1, 2, 3, 4
Surveys, interviews, and/or focus groups Bi-annually 1, 2, 3, 4
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Organizational support. Accountability on the part of MSN Athletics to ensure that the
required drivers occur is critical to the achievement of the organization’s employee engagement
goals. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) found that accountability systems for training
evaluation can reinforce the knowledge and skills gained from training programs, resulting in as
much as 85% on-the-job application. As previously indicated, desired behaviors will not be
sustained if they are not reinforced, encouraged, rewarded, and monitored. Two strategies that
MSN Athletics might employ to enhance the likelihood of required drivers being continued are
mitigation of limited resource concerns and assignment of Level 3 activities as a core
responsibility for all employees.
Limited fiscal resources do not restrict an organization’s ability to support its employees;
they simply force the organization to hone in on the most efficient course of action, aligning
organizational resources and organizational change initiatives (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Organizational resources include financial and human capital. Of the three organizational
influences found to be needs for MSN Athletics, none of them explicitly require financial capital
to address. Rather, they necessitate efficient and effective use of human capital, focusing on the
areas that will provide the greatest return on investment. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016)
caution organizations from spending heavily on training in Levels 1 and 2, leaving limited
resources for the critical job of ensuring effectiveness at Levels 3 and 4. Properly supporting
Level 3 requires effective allocation of resources that may be intensive, but this step will ensure
the greatest impact on the organization.
Establishing Level 3 drivers and oversight as a primary duty reinforces the significance
of the critical behaviors and accomplishing the overall goal for increased employee engagement.
Ultimately Level 3 determines the long-term impact of the training, the degree to which staff
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apply what they learned when they are back on the job. These drivers should be modeled and
supported by senior staff, which will enhance their integration into the culture of the
organization.
Level 2: Learning
Learning goals. Learning targets the impact of training programs while they are being
implemented, and can serve as an early warning sign if performance improvements get off track.
This level aims to close the gap between behavior and learning, which is the addition of
confidence and commitment. The list that follows are chosen learning goals for MSN Athletics
staff that the training program will aim to influence positively.
Following the program, MSN Athletics staff will be able to:
1. Explain how their personal goals align with MSN Athletics’ mission and goals. (C)
2. Define and recognize employee engagement. (F)
3. Demonstrate engagement in their work roles. (P)
4. Analyze their work performance to determine opportunities for growth. (M)
5. Explain the relationships between available learning and development opportunities
and personal growth and development goals. (C)
6. Be confident in setting clear, concrete, and challenging goals to experience
accomplishing personal growth and development goals. Break down the “big picture”
into steps and sub-goals. (SE)
7. Value the correlation between high employee engagement and organizational or
individual success. (V)
8. Value and attribute successfully accomplishing sub-goals to their own effort and
engagement. (SE)
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9. Value the process of improving and maintaining employee engagement. (V)
10. Feel positive about their outcome expectancies, sense of control, and work
experience.
Program. The learning goals listed in the previous section will be accomplished through
an employee engagement workshop with all MSN Athletics staff, senior staff and coaches, over
one and a half days, and facilitated by a person outside of the organization. The workshop will
cover a variety of employee engagement topics and strategies, including opportunities to practice
and receive feedback on engagement strategies.
On the morning of Day 1, the workshop facilitator will provide a brief overview of the
concept of employee engagement, what precedes it, what it looks like in an organization, and
how it benefits individuals and the organization. During the latter portion of the morning, table
group predetermined to ensure relatively equal distribution of roles (senior staff, staff, and
coaches) will review handouts describing strategies to drive engagement, and discuss how to
apply these strategies to their own job roles. Strategy concepts will be shared and discussed as a
whole, including developing ways in which different departments can partner and collaborate to
implement strategies. The goal of this portion of the workshop will be to outline the strategies
that MSN Athletics will apply to establish an organizational culture of engagement.
On the afternoon of Day 1, the workshop facilitator will engage in an interactive
discussion on hiring practices and onboarding techniques that support employee engagement.
Table recommendations will be shared for the entire group and facilitator will add evidence-
based strategies to support as well. Each table will have a mock hiring scenario to demonstrate
for the whole group, with the first version of each being a strategy that will likely not support
engagement and the second version demonstrating specific changes to turn the interaction into an
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engagement supporting strategy. Workshop facilitator will lead demonstration pointing out the
areas needing change and ask for ideas on how it could be improved, before the group
demonstrates the recommended strategy. One example of this would be using engagement
language and coaching in a team feedback setting. Results of this study, as well as the Gallup
survey done across campus in 2017, indicated that leaders and managers needed resources in the
form of training and skill development for giving supportive and effective critique or feedback.
Practicing developing and using employee engagement and coaching vocabulary will better
prepare employees to apply it in real time in the organization. The last portion of the afternoon
will provide some time for individual self-assessment and development of a personal
engagement plan, which will be incorporated into goal setting with supervisors. Finally there
will be time for questions and a short summary of Day 1.
The beginning of Day 2 will open with a brief opening for clarification or questions from
previous day. Workshop facilitators will engage in a discussion of strategies to measure
engagement progress, setting goals and sub-goals that will promote confidence and self-efficacy.
Attendees will break into small groups and discuss their goal setting and measuring strategies,
with specific goals and measurements for their position. The final portion of the workshop will
include a discussion of organizational strategies to nurture, encourage, and inspire employees,
with the ultimate goal being to establish a caring environment in the organization. To conclude
the workshop, some time will be spent to recognize staff and coaches that have demonstrated
employee engagement in the previous year followed by a beach BBQ for all staff and coaches.
Evaluation of the components of learning. Evaluating the Level 2: Learning
components of the Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) model represents formative evaluation,
occurring during and at the conclusion of the program. The components of learning include
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declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge, attitude, confidence, and commitment. Informal
learners ultimately hope to develop skills their employers will recognize (Kirkpatrick &
Kirkpatrick, 2016) and research suggests that learners are poor assessors of their own skill level
(Sitzmann, Ely, Brown, & Bauer, 2010). Therefore it is critical to set learning goals that are
achievable and measurable. Table 26 illustrates the components of learning for the program that
are used to evaluate the determined learning goals.

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Table 26
Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program
Method(s) or Activity(ies) Timing
Declarative Knowledge — “I know it.”
Pre-tests and post-tests Prior to, during, and at the
conclusion of the training
Small group discussions, then share with everyone During and after training
Knowledge checks during training Topic transitions and at the
conclusion of training
Procedural Skills — “I can do it right now.”
Demonstration of applying engagement strategies to personal
work roles
Numerous, short exercises
during training
Demonstration of hiring and onboarding strategies Numerous, short exercises
during training
Demonstration of goal planning Numerous, short exercises
during training
Attitude — “I believe this is worthwhile.”
Instructor and facilitator evaluations Throughout training
Retrospective pre- and post-assessment End of training
Discussion of any concerns or issues During training
Discussion about the value and impact During training
Confidence — “I think I can do it on the job.”
Staff volunteer demonstrations and practice Topic transitions and at the
end of training
Retrospective pre- and post-assessment End of training
Discussion in small groups of the concerns or possible obstacles During and after training
Commitment — “I will do it on the job.”
Retrospective pre- and post-assessment End of training
Discussion of implementation challenges, successes that
deserve praise
During and after training
Self-reports on progress After

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Level 1: Reaction
Level 1 evaluation intends to measure the degree to which participants find the program
enjoyable, satisfying, engaging, and relevant to their jobs. This evaluation is both formative,
collecting feedback on the content and instructor during the program, as well as summative,
allowing time for thought and reflection. Table 27 demonstrates the methods, tools, and timing
that will be used to represent how MSN Athletics staff reacted to the training workshop.

Table 27
Components to Measure Reactions to the Program
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Engagement
Sign-in sheet At the beginning of training
Asking thoughtful questions During training
Participation in group practice scenarios During training
Relevance
Anonymous survey After workshop
Mini survey checks or discussion Before and after breaks during training
Customer Satisfaction
Verbal and nonverbal feedback During training
Anonymous survey After training

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Evaluation Tools
Training programs should include evaluation plans to gauge the quality of a program,
improve the program based on evaluation feedback, ensure transfer of learning to behavior, and
demonstrate value to the organization (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). The program
recommended for MSN Athletics includes a two-step evaluation plan, one during and
immediately following the training program, and a delayed assessment approximately six months
following the training program. The feedback collected from the immediate and delayed
evaluations will be used to update and refine the training program, and that will become an
annual department event, not only to reinforce the organizational culture of engagement, but also
to cultivate and inspire MSN Athletics employees that have joined the organization since the
previous training program. The following sections outline a Level 1 and Level 2 evaluation
conducted immediately following the training, and a Level 1 through Level 4 evaluation to be
completed approximately six months after the training occurs.
Immediately following the program implementation. Level 1 and 2 evaluations are
most effective when conducted promptly after training completion (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick,
2016). In order to capture the staff’s immediate reactions to the training as well as the workshop
leaders’ reflective assessment, this evaluation step will occur upon conclusion of the employee
engagement workshop. The initial evaluation will consist of both Level 1 and Level 2
assessments in a single tool. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) recommend this approach to
prevent survey fatigue, in this case for MSN Athletics staff. A blended evaluation form will
include questions relating to all Level 1 dimensions, as well as questions about confidence and
commitment to apply learning on the job for Level 2. Finally, this tool will include items that
assess the staff’s anticipated application and expected outcomes. This assessment will be a
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mobile response form accessible either on staff’s mobile phones or one of the iPads available at
the conclusion of the workshop. Staff will be encouraged to complete the assessment through a
raffle offered at the beach BBQ; completion of the survey will generate a raffle ticket for the
drawing. This survey instrument is provided in Appendix D.
Delayed for a period after the program implementation. Effective evaluation of the
workshop will require a delayed assessment in addition to the immediate one. This affords time
for the influence of the training program to unfold and affect the organizational environment,
increasing the likelihood of more insightful feedback (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). In the
delayed evaluation, Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) suggest focusing on how training
participants have applied what they learned and what support they receive on the job for Level 3,
and the outcomes they have achieved for Level 4. For the purposes of the program for MSN
Athletics, this evaluation will assess the demonstration of the critical behaviors determined in
Level 3. In this delayed blended evaluation format, Level 2 and Level 1 will also be assessed.
For Level 1, staff will be asked to reflect back on the training and value of the program now that
they have had the opportunity to apply what they learned. For Level 2, staff will be asked to
update their sense of confidence and commitment to persist with applying what was learned in
the workshop. This evaluation tool is included in Appendix E.
Data Analysis and Reporting
Data collection earns its value when it is reported in a manner that leads to action, either
for change or to reinforce what the data demonstrates. Simply reporting on outcomes has
minimal benefit, whereas data analysis as described by Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016)
provides a methodology for implementing continuous improvements. For this to occur, the data
presentation must be easily understood and free of ambiguity. Impactful analysis is simple to
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execute, displays accurate and straightforward results, and is timely for the organization
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016).
The data collection and analysis from this study provided statistically significant data for
the primary stakeholders, MSN Athletics staff, including senior staff. That data analysis serves
as a baseline for the recommendations in this chapter. The survey instrument used in this study
will be adapted for the delayed evaluation to not only assess effectiveness of the training
program, but also measure the organization’s progress toward its overall goal of high employee
engagement.
Figure 2 represents a draft conceptual design for reporting on the data analysis for MSN
Athletics’ employee engagement goals. It will incorporate a real-time single-year summary
report and a year-over-year comparison report to track progress. This report will include the
option to filter data by respondent role to determine if specific roles are experiencing greater
success or challenges, permitting broader customization opportunities for future training
programs. Quantitative and qualitative data are summarized in the report, thereby offering a
combination of data elements which Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) suggest will increase
persuasive power and value of the data to the organization.

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Figure 2. Employee engagement dashboard conceptual design.

Summary
The four-level evaluation process developed by Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) offers
a framework for training evaluation to ensure that targeted outcomes for training are achieved.
The New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) construction flows in
reverse order from Level 4 to Level 1, from Results to Reaction. This approach provides the
opportunity to maintain alignment with the program end goals throughout the evaluation
development process. Performed in numerical order, each step supports and reinforces the next
when applied to the training program. Organizing this evaluation plan in tandem with
formulation of the recommendations delivers a plan for assessing formative results, leading
indicators, and summative data.
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Expectations for MSN Athletics’ integration of recommendations and implementation
strategies are grounded in the conceptual framework of Clark and Estes’ (2008) research
methodology of the Gap Analysis and evaluation of training programs through the Kirkpatrick
and Kirkpatrick (2016) New World Kirkpatrick Model. Utilizing these frameworks in
partnership offers the ability to identify performance needs while developing effective solutions
to the identified challenges, and implementation of training program and structured evaluation
plan to demonstrate positive influence on the organization. The major challenges for MSN
Athletics focus on knowledge, motivation, and organizational culture which do not directly
indicate necessity for funding increases and expensive human or financial capital projects.
Commitment from MSN Athletics to investment in training and continual evaluation as
recommended in this study has the potential to significantly impact the organization’s employee
engagement goals.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Approach
This study combined the Clark and Estes (2008) Gap Analysis Framework and
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) New World Kirkpatrick Model to understand the influences
preventing MSN Athletics from achieving its high employee engagement goals. The utilization
of these two frameworks in combination provided a strategic approach to turn research into
results, and results into recommendations. The main strength of this Gap Analysis approach is
the opportunity to examine current state and desired future state for the organization, then
incorporate the New World Kirkpatrick Model to work backwards mapping out how the
organization can get there. Possible weaknesses or disadvantages include that use of the KMO
framework in the Gap Analysis may not have considered all possible influence needs for the
organization, additionally the New World Kirkpatrick Model does require true commitment and
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investment from the organization of time, money, and effort in order to achieve optimal learning
outcomes. On the other hand, failure to apply the necessary resources to recommendations may
result in greater loss of time, money, and effort.
Limitations and Delimitations
The primary limitation of this study was that the solutions and recommendations may not
be generalizable to other departments of higher education or collegiate athletic departments as
this study was conducted only within MSN Athletics. This limitation refers to external validity
threats (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) where the narrow characteristics of the participants, their
setting, and the time-bound study prevent generalizability of the results. This study was
conducted in one department at one institution of higher education, over a short period of time
during which significant leadership changes occurred. Further, while the response rate was
overall significant, the relatively small sample size from which data was collected further limits
the generalizability of the study. An additional limitation was that the primary researcher
worked within the department at MSN Athletics during the time in which the study was
conducted. This study addressed personal knowledge and motivation through self-reporting of
data, which may have permitted bias in the form of respondents being less forthcoming with
information than they would have been if the researcher were not connected to the department.
Additional bias may have been introduced through the data analysis and interpretation of
findings processes, conducted by the primary researcher who has a vested interest in the success
of the organization.
Delimitations in this study were choices made by the researcher during the study that may
have implications for results or recommendations. For this study, data collected was only from
full-time staff and did not include perspectives or experience from coaches or student employees.
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As a result the data collected may not be robust enough to explain the complex employee
engagement barriers existing in the context of workplace environment for not only staff, but also
coaches and student workers. Second, this study incorporated a mixed-method approach where
data collected from the qualitative phase was collected after the quantitative phase. This
determination was made with the intention to add to the depth and breadth of organizational
understanding, to explain the complex issues explored in the quantitative phase. While any order
or format for study presents inherent challenges, mixed-methods approaches are typically more
time consuming and complex, and therefore the interpretation of the findings can be unclear
(Creswell, 2014; Maxwell, 2013).
Future Research
There are two major areas for future research that are critical for further development of
the concept of employee engagement and goal achievement for MSN Athletics. Specifically, the
generalizability of the study could be enhanced through further data collection. Increasing the
number and type of demographic questions, and the inclusion of additional members of MSN
Athletics employees as well as other campus departments or athletics departments at other
institutions of higher education would support the generalizability of the study recommendations.
Very limited demographic information was collected in this study, however, a greater
understanding of effective employee engagement strategies might be supported through analysis
of demographic data such as years at a particular organization, gender identification, ethnicity,
etc. An example of information that may be generated could include generational differences in
motivational needs or influences.
Secondly, there is an established need for empirical research that demonstrates successful
outcomes from theoretically supported employee engagement improvement strategies. Research
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that occurs over a period of time to allow longevity of data collection and testing of
recommendations would add significant value to existing research literature on the subject of
employee engagement. Continued use of the recommended New World Kirkpatrick Model
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) to evaluate training and learning as well as progress toward
MSN Athletics’ goal for high employee engagement, will permit MSN Athletics to gather data
over a period of time that will add to the quality of the data and generalizability across the
department.
A few additional areas of consideration for future research developed during the data
collection phase. Two topics that appeared on multiple occasions during the qualitative phase
were the challenges presented by the specific geographic setup of the department, or the physical
workplace environment, and the need for leadership to proactively support talent growth.
Offices and departments within MSN Athletics are generally located in the same vicinity of
campus, however distances exist between offices that create communication and collaboration
challenges. This physical barrier may have an influence over the organization’s ability to
achieve its employee engagement goals. Additionally, study participants indicated that to at least
some level they believed there was a need for leadership to take a more proactive approach to
support and grow talent within the organization. Opportunities exist to develop skills and
experience, however knowledge and access to those opportunities may be an area that leaders
need to enhance. This was not a specific KMO influence explored during the conduct of this
study. Finally, while MSN University provided extensive communication and education timed
with the initial roll out of its goal setting and performance feedback program in fall 2018, there
remained a significant deficiency in compliance with the program. Reasons for this were
suggested in some of the interviews and centered on the sense that it simply created more work
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and there wasn’t a clear understanding of the benefits for either the supervisor or the employee.
Use of the Clark and Estes (2008) Gap Analysis Framework could be implemented to understand
the knowledge, motivational, and organizational influence needs that are limiting adoption of this
institutional program.
Although no observations were included in this study, the researcher noted that in
addition to the geography of the department, observation of the physical workplace environment
might provide valuable information relating to motivational influences. As part of their
recommendations for increasing motivation, Clark and Estes (2008) reference Bower (1995),
who suggests improving emotional environment at work by permitting decoration of personal
workspace and allowing people to listen to music as long as it doesn’t decrease efficiency or
interfere with others. He also recommends elimination of rules or policies that might reduce
work enjoyment while failing to provide measured benefit outweighing the loss of commitment
they cause. For example, administrative office hallways that are completely whitewashed may
be intended to limit clutter, however this type of “symbolic artifact” (Davis, 1985) can have
multiple interpretations leading to both intended and unintended outcomes. Future research
could enhance the quality of improvement recommendations MSN Athletics and generate
valuable insight into the influence of physical setting impact on motivational influences.
Conclusion
This dissertation examined the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences
acting as needs or assets for MSN Athletics’ ability to achieve its goal of high employee
engagement. The analysis began by generating a list of possible needs and then moved to
examining these systematically to focus on actual or validated needs. While a complete study
would focus on all stakeholders, for practical purposes the stakeholder focused on in this analysis
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was the MSN Athletics staff. The questions that guided the design, methodology, data analysis,
and recommendations were the following:
1. What are the staff’s knowledge and motivation needs and assets related to attaining
100% employee engagement?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and staff’s
knowledge and motivation?
3. What recommendations in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational
resources may be appropriate for MSN Athletics to solve employee engagement
deficiencies in their organization?
The Clark and Estes (2008) Gap Analysis Framework provided the structure for
identifying six influence gaps or needs including one knowledge, one involving staff motivation,
and four organizational influences. Through quantitative, qualitative, and document analysis,
each of these influences was determined to be a need for MSN Athletics acting as a barrier
preventing the organization from achieving its goal of high employee engagement. The
knowledge and motivation strategy recommendations from this chapter are supported by the
recommendations for organizational culture, which, when performed in concert, offer the
opportunity to establish a culture of high employee engagement that is reinforced and sustained.
Use of the New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) to plan,
implement, evaluate, and refine its employee engagement training program, affords MSN
Athletics the resources to apply the engagement data collected from the department and the
autonomy to adapt programming so that it remains relevant and valuable to the organization.
Commitment from MSN Athletics to adopt these recommendations will not only contribute to
the organization’s achievement of high employee engagement, continued use of the engagement
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151
assessment tools provided in this study will allow MSN Athletics to gain unique understanding
of the workplace environment and the complex ways employees exist and interact within it.
The findings of this study contribute to current employee engagement theory regarding
barriers to high employee engagement. They may also provide greater understanding of
employee engagement within higher education administration, and specifically athletics
departments. With the buy-in and long term support of the organization, adoption of the
recommendations in this study presents an opportunity to contribute new knowledge about the
effectiveness of employee engagement improvement strategies. As the concept of employee
engagement continues to grow and develop, true value will be achieved when theoretically
supported strategies to improve employee engagement are confirmed through empirical research.

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APPENDIX A
SURVEY
Winning the Organizational Leadership Game Through Employee Engagement
How long have you been employed with [MSN] Athletics?
________________________________________________________________
Please select the degree to which you agree or disagree with the following statements

Strongly
disagree
Somewhat
disagree
Neither
agree nor
disagree
Somewhat
agree
Strongly
agree
I know how my job role relates
to the organization’s goals
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I know how to meet the
performance expectations of my
job
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I understand how the
professional development
offered by the organization
aligns with my job goals
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I know how to demonstrate
“above target” performance
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I know how to effectively
communicate with my
supervisor regarding my skills
and development needs
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The success of the organization
is impacted by my work
contribution
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I can evaluate my own
performance to determine skills
and weaknesses
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
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Strongly
disagree
Somewhat
disagree
Neither
agree nor
disagree
Somewhat
agree
Strongly
agree
My supervisor communicates
my performance expectations
effectively
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I often reflect on my
professional growth and
development
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
My work contributes to the
achievement of the
organization’s goals
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I value my organization’s goal of
achieving high employee
engagement
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I am confident I can apply
improvement strategies for
employee engagement
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I am confident that I can
positively affect the
organization’s overall goals
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I value the benefits of achieving
high employee engagement
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I feel positive about investing
effort toward employee
engagement strategies
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I believe the organization values
my success as an individual
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I feel positive about my
organization making employee
engagement a priority
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I am willing to go above and
beyond for my organization
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢

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Please rate the degree to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about the
organizational culture in the athletics department.

Strongly
disagree
Somewhat
disagree
Neither
agree nor
disagree
Somewhat
agree
Strongly
agree
The organization encourages
staff involvement and inclusion
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization encourages
passion and commitment to my
job
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization supports work
variety
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization supports staff
autonomy in how to accomplish
goals
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization encourages
collaboration
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization supports staff
by providing clear goals and
expectations
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization supports
creativity
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization supports staff
to pursue challenging work
projects
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization promotes
communication and feedback
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization promotes
honesty and respect
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization promotes
accepting our mistakes and
learning from them
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
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Strongly
disagree
Somewhat
disagree
Neither
agree nor
disagree
Somewhat
agree
Strongly
agree
I believe the organization trusts
me to do my job
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I frequently receive support and
inspiration to accomplish my
goals
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization provides
resources to prevent job burnout
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization provides
training for managers to be
effective supervisors
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The organization provides
constructive feedback in a
timely and clear manner
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
I have the resources necessary
to successfully engage in my
job role
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
The feedback I receive
contributes to my ability to
succeed in my job role
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
My professional development is
complemented by opportunities
provided by my organization
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢

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APPENDIX B
INTERVIEW INSTRUMENT AND PROTOCOL

Interview protocol/script

Hello and thank you for agreeing to participate in this research study and taking time out of your
day today for this interview. As a brief reminder, we are assessing the needs and assets here at
[MSN] with respect to employee engagement. Our goal is to create an employee engagement
program based on those determined needs and assets.

Everything that you say during this interview will be kept confidential — responses to this data
collection will be used only for research purposes. Your name (and the names of other interview
participants) will not appear on any transcript, report, or other publication. Responses will be
used for research and educational purposes only.

The interview will take approximately 30 minutes. I will record the interview for note-taking
accuracy. The recording will be heard only by myself and my dissertation committee, and all
identifying information will be removed from the audio before it is transcribed and stored.

Your participation in this interview is voluntary and you do not have to answer any questions
you don’t want to. With your permission, I will start the recording now. (If anyone does not
want to be recorded, invite them to end the interview and leave the room.)

Hit Record Button!

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Before we begin, do you have any questions for me?

The questions from the survey you completed were related to the subject of employee
engagement. Through the interview I am hoping to get a better understanding of your unique
experience and point of view regarding employee engagement.

1. What does employee engagement mean to you? Can you describe what might
characterize an engaged employee?

2. How does your job role contribute to achieving the overall goals for the organization?

3. How would you describe your areas of strength? Areas for improvement?

4. In what ways do the learning and development opportunities at [MSN] support your own
growth and development?

5. How confident are you that you can apply improvement strategies for employee
engagement at [MSN] Athletics?

6. How do you generally feel about high employee engagement as an organizational goal?
a. What are some of the best strategies you have seen used at your organization to
engage employees?

7. How do you know if [MSN] Athletics has your best interest in mind?

8. What does collaboration look like at [MSN] Athletics?
a. To what extent do you believe [MSN] Athletics values and supports collaboration
and innovation?
i. Example?

If time permits, additional questions . . .

1. How do you use the feedback you received from supervisors and/or peers?

2. Describe how your job responsibilities align with [MSN] Athletics’ overall goals.
a. What kind of professional development has been offered to you in support of
those goals?

3. What opportunities does [MSN] Athletics provide to engage in new or challenging
projects?

4. What influence do you believe high employee engagement has on the success of the
overall department?

We have reached the end of the prepared questions. Is there anything else you would like to tell
me about your experience with employee engagement in the department?
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Thank you very much for participating in this interview.

Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or would like to add anything to what
you said today. (Offer participants your business card.)

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APPENDIX C
SURVEY INVITATION EMAIL AND INFORMATION SHEET

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University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
3470 Trousdale Pkwy, Los Angeles CA, 90089

INFORMATION/FACTS SHEET FOR EXEMPT NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH

Winning the Organizational Leadership Game Through Employee Engagement
You are invited to participate in a research study. Research studies include only people who
voluntarily choose to take part. This document explains information about this study. You
should ask questions about anything that is unclear to you.

Purpose of the Study

This research study aims to collect data to identify needs and assets in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources that are negatively influencing employee engagement in
the organization. The information generated from this study will be used to develop an
employee engagement program to assist the organization in achieving and maintaining high
employee engagement.

Participant Involvement

If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to complete an online survey which is
anticipated to take 5–10 minutes. You do not have to answer any questions you don’t want to.
You may just leave the response blank. At the conclusion of the survey, you will be asked to
volunteer to participate in a follow-up one-on-one interview with the researcher. The interviews
will take approximately 30 minutes and will be audio-taped. You do not have to answer any
questions you don’t want to; if you don’t want to be audio-taped, you cannot participate in the
interview portion of the study.

Confidentiality

Any identifiable information obtained in connection with this study will remain confidential. No
personally identifiable information will be collected during the survey process. Email addresses
will be used to schedule interviews, however that information will be destroyed at the conclusion
of your interview. Your interview responses will be coded with a false name (pseudonym) and
maintained separately. The audio-tapes from interviews will be destroyed once they have been
transcribed. Interview participants will also have the right to review the audio transcripts.

Required Language

The members of the research team, and the University of Southern California’s Human Subjects
Protection Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP reviews and monitors research
studies to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.

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Investigator Contact Information

Principal Investigator — Megan Sue Nicholson at msnichol@usc.edu or phone at 949-701-1853
Faculty Advisor — Dr. Kenneth Yates at kennetay@usc.edu or phone at 213-740-6793

IRB Contact Information

University of Southern California Institutional Review Board, 1640 Marengo Street, Suite 700,
Los Angeles, CA 90033-9269. Phone (323) 442-0114 or email irb@usc.edu.

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APPENDIX D
ELECTRONIC PARTICIPANT SURVEY COMPLETED IMMEDIATELY AFTER
TRAINING WORKSHOP
Please select your role in the department.
⃝ Coach
⃝ Staff
⃝ Senior Staff
Please indicate the degree to which you agree or disagree with the following statements.
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
1. The facilitator held my attention ⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
2. I was encouraged to participate
throughout the workshop
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
3. What I learned will help me in my work ⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
4. I am clear about how to implement the
strategies I learned
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5

5. What is the first thing you plan to implement from what you’ve learned today?

6. How can workshop be improved?

WINNING THE ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP GAME

173
APPENDIX E
MSN ATHLETICS ENGAGEMENT SURVEY DISTRIBUTED ELECTRONICALLY
APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS FOLLOWING TRAINING WORKSHOP
Please select your role in the department.
⃝ Coach
⃝ Staff
⃝ Senior Staff

Please indicate the degree to which you agree or disagree with the following statements.
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
1. After the workshop, I spent adequate
time goal setting how I would apply what
I learned in my job
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
2. I have adequate resources on the job to
apply what I learned in the workshop
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
3. I understand how the professional
development offered by the organization
aligns with my job goals
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
4. I was encouraged to use the workshop
training
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
5. I know how to effectively communicate
with my supervisor regarding my
professional growth and development
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
6. I value my organization’s goal of
achieving high employee engagement
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
7. I am already seeing positive outcomes as
a result of the training program
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
8. I believe the organization values my
success as an individual
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
9. My organization encourages staff
involvement and inclusion
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
10. My organization promotes accepting our
mistakes and learning from them
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
WINNING THE ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP GAME

174
11. I frequently receive support and
inspiration to accomplish my goals
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
12. The organization provides resources to
prevent job burnout
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5
13. There was an adequate system of
accountability to ensure workshop
training was applied on the job
⃝ 1 ⃝ 2 ⃝ 3 ⃝⃝ 4 ⃝⃝⃝⃝⃝ 5

14. How are you currently using what you learned during the training workshop?

15. What positive outcomes have you experienced as a result of what you are doing?

16. If you are not using the skills you learned during the training, what are the challenges
impacting your ability to apply the workshop skills?

17. How can the organization continue to support a culture of engagement?

Abstract (if available)

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Asset Metadata

Creator Nicholson, Megan Sue (author)

Core Title Winning the organizational leadership game through engagement: a gap analysis

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Publication Date 03/03/2020

Defense Date 01/16/2020

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag employee engagement,gap analysis,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Yates, Kenneth (committee chair), Foulk, Susanne (committee member), Hinga, Briana (committee member)

Creator Email Msnichol@uci.edu,Msnichol@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-276153

Unique identifier UC11673205

Identifier etd-NicholsonM-8201.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-276153 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-NicholsonM-8201.pdf

Dmrecord 276153

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Nicholson, Megan Sue

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA