Date of Conferral
12-17-2024
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Business Administration
Advisor
LeVita Bassett
Abstract
Business owners risk failure when they lack effective strategies for innovation and employee morale. In the fashion industry, many leaders have been forced to close their brick-and-mortar stores due to inadequate innovation and leadership strategies, which hindered their ability to adapt and thrive. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to explore and identify the strategies that fashion industry leaders use to improve employee morale, foster innovation, and drive business success. The participants consisted of seven fashion boutique leaders from the United States, each of whom managed either an active online boutique or a brick-and-mortar store. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and public documentation, such as human resources policies and production plans, as well as the companies' websites and social media pages. Through thematic analysis, three themes were identified: (a) fashion, (b) innovation/technology, and (c) strategies. A key recommendation is for boutique leaders to implement technology as an innovation strategy, such as AI and social media, to increase marketing and outreach and enhance their brand identity. The positive social change implications include the potential for greater success in the fashion industry as more leaders adopt a transformational leadership style. This could lead to increased innovation through technology, enhanced employee morale, and the likelihood of higher profits and development tax revenues, which would benefit local communities and their citizens.
Recommended Citation
Glover, Jasmine Shanise, "Effective Transformational Leadership Strategies for Catalyzing Employee Morale for Innovation Within Fashion Boutiques" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 16845.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/16845
