Date of Conferral

2017

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

David D. Bouvin

Abstract

There is little research about how clerics manage and lead small to midsized non-denominational nonprofit organizations. The rate of clergy failures in non-denominational organizations has left many questions about what is needed to create organizational success. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences and perceptions of clergy manager-leaders' management training in non-denominational organizations. Fourteen full-time clerics from Bloomingdale, Georgia, Rincon, Georgia, and Savannah, Georgia participated in face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The data analysis process involved the use of Edward and Welch's extension of Colaizzi's data analysis procedures, which resulted in the emergence of 4 themes. The themes included: (1) management education and training, (2) experiencing the call of God, and (3) servant leadership. There was common experiences and perceptions among clerics that there was a need for management training to improve workforce productivity, soft skills, and improve the performance of the organization to match the changes in their communities. The findings provide indications from clerics responses that organizational success is dependent upon clergy manager-leaders' effectiveness in their role as full-time clerics as perceived by the expectations of their members, followers, and community stakeholders. This study is significant in that its findings could promote awareness for the need of management training in non-denominational organizations. The potential implications for social change is an innovative work environment, organizational success, community and social responsibility.

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