graduate Research projects
Master Theses
The Effects of Knowledge and Integrative Complexity on Acceptance of Wilderness Designation
Student: Sean McLaughlin, M.S.
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Joshua Carroll
Dichotomies often develop when the concept of federal Wilderness designation arises (e.g., is Wilderness designation perceived as an ecological and societal necessity, or as a waste of natural resources?). Using a pre-post design, this study investigated the effects of knowledge, and a cognitive measurement tool known as integrative complexity, on acceptance of federally designated Wilderness areas. Specifically, the study examined the relationship between increased knowledge about Wilderness designation and integrative complexity, and their effects on acceptability of management actions such as designation of Wilderness areas.
"The Non-Profit Human Service Sector: Understanding an Organization's Capacity to Innovate"
Student: Rebecca Foss, M.S.
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Bob Barcelona
This study examined how nonprofit human service organizations (NHSO) respond to environmental change and the role of innovation in that process. A total of nine practitioners, managers, and board members participated in the study in order to gain a preliminary understanding of how this sample viewed their organization's capacity for innovation and responsiveness to its environment. The semi-structured interviews provided a forum for NHSO staff to describe environmental changes faced by their organization, define innovation in the nonprofit sector, and describe the role that the innovation process plays in enhancing the sustainability of their organization.