Aeron Zentner | Coastline Community College (original) (raw)
Dr. Zentner's occupational background consists of over a decade of research, analytics, business intelligence, strategy, and development in public higher education and in various business sectors. He currently serves as the Dean of Institutional Effectiveness (e.g., research, analytics, evaluation, assessment, planning, grant development, accessibility, and accreditation) at Coastline College. Dr. Zentner has been a part-time faculty of business law, SQL database development, supply chain management, data science and data analytics for more than five years in undergraduate and graduate programs.
During his time in research, Dr. Zentner has led the completion of thousands of analytics and research projects, served as a Co-PI on many grants, and has more than 50 research publications. Additionally, he also serves as college research and planning consultant and editor/author for SAGE publications and McGraw Hill in the topics of data analytics and data information systems. Dr. Zentner also serves as the chair of the Research & Ethics Review Board (IRB equivalent) at his current and previous institutions.
Dr. Zentner's educational credentials include a Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) with an emphasis in Strategy and Innovation, a Master of Science in Administration (M.S.A.), a Master of Science in Leadership (M.S.L.) and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Business Administration (BA). He also has certifications in data science, executive data science leadership, leading breakthrough innovation, innovation leadership, disruptive strategy, qualitative research methods, foresight practitioner, contract law, root cause analysis, total quality management, six sigma, project management, supply chain management, and CITI IRB: research with human subjects.
Address: Laguna Hills, California, United States
less
Uploads
Papers by Aeron Zentner
Assessing Data Quality, 2021
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016
Servant leadership focuses on the betterment and support of others by seeking to meet the interes... more Servant leadership focuses on the betterment and support of others by seeking to meet the interests, needs, and ambitions of others’ above one’s own. The following paper looks at philanthropy as a catalyst to drive servant leadership behaviors based on situational proximity. The findings of the case study suggest as an individual’s proximity or associativity to current or previous philanthropic event so will their willingness to help support others within similar situations and thus exhibit servant leadership principles.
Social Science Research Network, 2018
Servant leadership focuses on the betterment and support of others by seeking to meet the interes... more Servant leadership focuses on the betterment and support of others by seeking to meet the interests, needs, and ambitions of others’ above one’s own. This can be exhibited through many ways and the case of Bill Gates, philanthropy and humanitarianism has been the central to his success. The following paper will highlight the servant leadership principles displayed by Bill Gates, as catalyst to drive strategies and ventures.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made a major impact on higher education and affected students’ liveliho... more The COVID-19 pandemic has made a major impact on higher education and affected students’ livelihoods and attainment of education. To help students during these challenging times the Federal CARES Act was established to provide financial relief and support students in their time of need, However, not all students are eligible to participate and these limitations have impacted funding to specific institutions. The following research study examined the implications of the CARES Act for higher education by assessing the current factors associated with the national funding model. Additionally, three additional models were created to estimate the FTE impact and approximated the financial implications of the Act in relation to the unserved or excluded populations. A survey was conducted to understand current student essential needs and the implications of COVID-19 on their livelihoods. The survey was reverse engineered to understand enrollment patterns to determine the proportionality of n...
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2019
Data visualization is a graphic representation of data with the intention of easing ease access t... more Data visualization is a graphic representation of data with the intention of easing ease access to information, enhancing data readability, and strengthening information literacy. Over the past decade, data-informed decision-making has become a crucial part of institutional planning in public higher education. Similar to the private sector, higher education is inundated by data, but is oftentimes limited in its capability to review and interpret information in an efficient manner. Literature posits that by making information palatable and accessible, leaders may be able to more effectively foster an infrastructure around data access and utilization. The following study examines the components across literature that relate to developing effective data visualizations and conducts a mix methods study with higher education professionals to identify alignment with historical themes.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2018
The churn rate of innovation has become constant with the emergence of globalization and technolo... more The churn rate of innovation has become constant with the emergence of globalization and technological advancements. The ability for organizations to maintain competitive advantage stems from many different veins; however, modern perspective and strategies indicate that for long-term sustainability, firms are scaling outside of their market (blue ocean strategy) or competing within their market (red ocean strategy). Both approaches require organizations to apply non-traditional practices to advance their strategic portfolio. These methods are centered around innovation from disruptive to fast-second and many other innovation methods. Essential components are needed to ensure these innovation strategies can transition ideas into action leading to positive change. The following article provides a framework for leaders to measure organizational capacity for innovation.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2018
As higher education institutions continue to operationally mature, there is an inherent need to a... more As higher education institutions continue to operationally mature, there is an inherent need to adopt new technology to maintain relevancy and efficiency. To meet the demand and expectation of modern society, information technology (IT) departments have seen rapid growth in higher education. However, similar growth trends within many industries have warranted these technical capabilities, which places these positions in high demand. A challenged faced by higher education institutions is the capability to attract, cultivate, and retain IT professionals based on the competitiveness of the market. Previous research has demonstrated that job performance has been found as an antecedent for turnover intention within the overall industry and IT occupations. The purpose of this study is to determine if similar associativity exists between perceived job performance and turnover intention within IT professionals in higher education. The results of the research can provide relevant information for institutions seeking to develop employee retention plans with IT departments.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2018
The emergence of technological and social expectancy, intentional actions, and real-time results ... more The emergence of technological and social expectancy, intentional actions, and real-time results have higher education institutions rapidly shifting policies, practices, and behaviors to meet the needs of their respective communities (e.g., prospective students, current students, alumni, employees, partners, and external compliance organizations). The purpose of this article is to highlight a few emerging trends that will be essential for colleges and universities to adapt to increase the quality of instruction, service, and overall sustainability and effectiveness.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2018
An unstable climate exists within higher education as there is an anticipated high rate of employ... more An unstable climate exists within higher education as there is an anticipated high rate of employee attrition to occur over the next decade with the mass retirement of the Baby-Boomer generation. To be proactive, institutions have developed staffing plans, which provide an arbitrary framework that outlines human capital needs based on educational demand. While these plans can set a standard expectancy to maintain current or historical performance, many lack the capacity for projection and effectively responding to new and emerging trends. Therefore, based on the external anticipation for change blended with the rapid shift to globalization and technological advancements there is a need to create a framework to help institutions navigate the future of attracting, hiring and retaining employees.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2017
The focus of the study was to determine if a difference existed with student academic level place... more The focus of the study was to determine if a difference existed with student academic level placement when utilizing traditional placement exams versus using high school performance metric multiple measure placement. Additionally, the study explored academic performance outcomes between similar populations that utilized the different placement instruments. The findings of the study showed that multiple measures assessments placed the majority of students higher in comparison with the traditional placement exams. Student academic history in the courses that students were placed into shows no difference in course success between students using multiple measures assessments and traditional placement exams.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2017
A challenge faced by educational leaders is defining factors attributed to student attrition from... more A challenge faced by educational leaders is defining factors attributed to student attrition from application to college and enrollment in courses. The following study sought to identify reasons that influenced student decision not to enroll in a two-year public college. The findings from the study aligned with previous literature regarding barriers to enrollment in higher education institutions.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2018
In today's data-filled society, institutions are abundant with information but lacking in... more In today's data-filled society, institutions are abundant with information but lacking in the transformation of information to knowledge and further utilization of knowledge to support actionable change. The focus of the present study was to develop an instrument to gauge institutional maturity with regard to the level in which information is utilized to support decisions, planning, and change. The findings from a field test yielded a conceptual model to assess institutional maturity of information utilization. Additionally, the pilot of the IUMI instrument found high rates of internal reliability and may be used as a catalyst to spark institutional movement towards a culture of evidence-informed practice.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016
The direction is an essential component for leadership effectiveness and organizational success a... more The direction is an essential component for leadership effectiveness and organizational success as without it; organizations would maintain stagnant. Direction, vision, and communication of an organization are similar to the neural network in the human body, as a simple misfire could trigger major implications. An emerging strategy throughout many industries and setting is building effective connections and relations to support cohesive organizational movement. The following paper examines the attributes of the Nissan case study of organizational change and outlines how leadership behaviors of the study align with the framework of emotional intelligence.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2017
Accreditation is an important distinction of education quality in the realm of colleges and unive... more Accreditation is an important distinction of education quality in the realm of colleges and universities. According to the US Department of Education, the purpose of accreditation is to certify that the education given by institutions meet national standards of quality. Fundamentally, accreditation ensures that students are obtaining a quality education – and for future employers and graduate programs to recognize education at a specific standard. While accreditation is an essential component of institutional success and sustainability, it has been considered an administrative procedure that focuses on compliance and not for institutional effectiveness. Therefore, recent participation in accreditation shows to be somewhat limited in warranting participation from faculty, primarily at the two-year college level. The following study sought to define gaps within accreditation participation and identify solutions to support inclusiveness and contribution of faculty to the accreditation process.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016
The topic of grit has been a highly sought after set of traits as it carries positive correlation... more The topic of grit has been a highly sought after set of traits as it carries positive correlation with individual performance and in turn, has reflected to have a positive impact organizational outcomes. Recently, grit has emerged in higher education as a non-cognitive factor to drive student performance. Relevant research finds that there are variances in student academic performance and race. To determine if grit plays a role within that trend, the following paper examines if a difference exists between grit scores of Asian-American/Pacific Islander in comparison with the general student population.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016
Recently, mentorship has emerged in higher education as a supplemental support system to build st... more Recently, mentorship has emerged in higher education as a supplemental support system to build student engagement and provide a haven for students to obtain support. Relevant research finds that there are variances in student academic performance and race. Culturally, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population is rooted in community-oriented settings. While many AAPI students excel, there seems to be a lack of community engagement at the two-year institution level that may be hindering academic performance. The following study aimed to assess the impact of peer mentorship frequency on student academic performance and identify underlying challenges of the AAPI student population.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016
Diatoms of research articles throughout different settings and industries disaggregate diverse co... more Diatoms of research articles throughout different settings and industries disaggregate diverse communication behaviors reflect the positive associativity with leadership. The reflection of Lincoln’s communication skills sets affirmed that the principles of the communication are timeless to building relationships and influencing other. The focus of the paper was to outline communication behaviors of Abraham Lincoln and determine if the principles of communication were still relevant to modern day application.
Assessing Data Quality, 2021
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016
Servant leadership focuses on the betterment and support of others by seeking to meet the interes... more Servant leadership focuses on the betterment and support of others by seeking to meet the interests, needs, and ambitions of others’ above one’s own. The following paper looks at philanthropy as a catalyst to drive servant leadership behaviors based on situational proximity. The findings of the case study suggest as an individual’s proximity or associativity to current or previous philanthropic event so will their willingness to help support others within similar situations and thus exhibit servant leadership principles.
Social Science Research Network, 2018
Servant leadership focuses on the betterment and support of others by seeking to meet the interes... more Servant leadership focuses on the betterment and support of others by seeking to meet the interests, needs, and ambitions of others’ above one’s own. This can be exhibited through many ways and the case of Bill Gates, philanthropy and humanitarianism has been the central to his success. The following paper will highlight the servant leadership principles displayed by Bill Gates, as catalyst to drive strategies and ventures.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made a major impact on higher education and affected students’ liveliho... more The COVID-19 pandemic has made a major impact on higher education and affected students’ livelihoods and attainment of education. To help students during these challenging times the Federal CARES Act was established to provide financial relief and support students in their time of need, However, not all students are eligible to participate and these limitations have impacted funding to specific institutions. The following research study examined the implications of the CARES Act for higher education by assessing the current factors associated with the national funding model. Additionally, three additional models were created to estimate the FTE impact and approximated the financial implications of the Act in relation to the unserved or excluded populations. A survey was conducted to understand current student essential needs and the implications of COVID-19 on their livelihoods. The survey was reverse engineered to understand enrollment patterns to determine the proportionality of n...
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2019
Data visualization is a graphic representation of data with the intention of easing ease access t... more Data visualization is a graphic representation of data with the intention of easing ease access to information, enhancing data readability, and strengthening information literacy. Over the past decade, data-informed decision-making has become a crucial part of institutional planning in public higher education. Similar to the private sector, higher education is inundated by data, but is oftentimes limited in its capability to review and interpret information in an efficient manner. Literature posits that by making information palatable and accessible, leaders may be able to more effectively foster an infrastructure around data access and utilization. The following study examines the components across literature that relate to developing effective data visualizations and conducts a mix methods study with higher education professionals to identify alignment with historical themes.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2018
The churn rate of innovation has become constant with the emergence of globalization and technolo... more The churn rate of innovation has become constant with the emergence of globalization and technological advancements. The ability for organizations to maintain competitive advantage stems from many different veins; however, modern perspective and strategies indicate that for long-term sustainability, firms are scaling outside of their market (blue ocean strategy) or competing within their market (red ocean strategy). Both approaches require organizations to apply non-traditional practices to advance their strategic portfolio. These methods are centered around innovation from disruptive to fast-second and many other innovation methods. Essential components are needed to ensure these innovation strategies can transition ideas into action leading to positive change. The following article provides a framework for leaders to measure organizational capacity for innovation.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2018
As higher education institutions continue to operationally mature, there is an inherent need to a... more As higher education institutions continue to operationally mature, there is an inherent need to adopt new technology to maintain relevancy and efficiency. To meet the demand and expectation of modern society, information technology (IT) departments have seen rapid growth in higher education. However, similar growth trends within many industries have warranted these technical capabilities, which places these positions in high demand. A challenged faced by higher education institutions is the capability to attract, cultivate, and retain IT professionals based on the competitiveness of the market. Previous research has demonstrated that job performance has been found as an antecedent for turnover intention within the overall industry and IT occupations. The purpose of this study is to determine if similar associativity exists between perceived job performance and turnover intention within IT professionals in higher education. The results of the research can provide relevant information for institutions seeking to develop employee retention plans with IT departments.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2018
The emergence of technological and social expectancy, intentional actions, and real-time results ... more The emergence of technological and social expectancy, intentional actions, and real-time results have higher education institutions rapidly shifting policies, practices, and behaviors to meet the needs of their respective communities (e.g., prospective students, current students, alumni, employees, partners, and external compliance organizations). The purpose of this article is to highlight a few emerging trends that will be essential for colleges and universities to adapt to increase the quality of instruction, service, and overall sustainability and effectiveness.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2018
An unstable climate exists within higher education as there is an anticipated high rate of employ... more An unstable climate exists within higher education as there is an anticipated high rate of employee attrition to occur over the next decade with the mass retirement of the Baby-Boomer generation. To be proactive, institutions have developed staffing plans, which provide an arbitrary framework that outlines human capital needs based on educational demand. While these plans can set a standard expectancy to maintain current or historical performance, many lack the capacity for projection and effectively responding to new and emerging trends. Therefore, based on the external anticipation for change blended with the rapid shift to globalization and technological advancements there is a need to create a framework to help institutions navigate the future of attracting, hiring and retaining employees.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2017
The focus of the study was to determine if a difference existed with student academic level place... more The focus of the study was to determine if a difference existed with student academic level placement when utilizing traditional placement exams versus using high school performance metric multiple measure placement. Additionally, the study explored academic performance outcomes between similar populations that utilized the different placement instruments. The findings of the study showed that multiple measures assessments placed the majority of students higher in comparison with the traditional placement exams. Student academic history in the courses that students were placed into shows no difference in course success between students using multiple measures assessments and traditional placement exams.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2017
A challenge faced by educational leaders is defining factors attributed to student attrition from... more A challenge faced by educational leaders is defining factors attributed to student attrition from application to college and enrollment in courses. The following study sought to identify reasons that influenced student decision not to enroll in a two-year public college. The findings from the study aligned with previous literature regarding barriers to enrollment in higher education institutions.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2018
In today's data-filled society, institutions are abundant with information but lacking in... more In today's data-filled society, institutions are abundant with information but lacking in the transformation of information to knowledge and further utilization of knowledge to support actionable change. The focus of the present study was to develop an instrument to gauge institutional maturity with regard to the level in which information is utilized to support decisions, planning, and change. The findings from a field test yielded a conceptual model to assess institutional maturity of information utilization. Additionally, the pilot of the IUMI instrument found high rates of internal reliability and may be used as a catalyst to spark institutional movement towards a culture of evidence-informed practice.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016
The direction is an essential component for leadership effectiveness and organizational success a... more The direction is an essential component for leadership effectiveness and organizational success as without it; organizations would maintain stagnant. Direction, vision, and communication of an organization are similar to the neural network in the human body, as a simple misfire could trigger major implications. An emerging strategy throughout many industries and setting is building effective connections and relations to support cohesive organizational movement. The following paper examines the attributes of the Nissan case study of organizational change and outlines how leadership behaviors of the study align with the framework of emotional intelligence.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2017
Accreditation is an important distinction of education quality in the realm of colleges and unive... more Accreditation is an important distinction of education quality in the realm of colleges and universities. According to the US Department of Education, the purpose of accreditation is to certify that the education given by institutions meet national standards of quality. Fundamentally, accreditation ensures that students are obtaining a quality education – and for future employers and graduate programs to recognize education at a specific standard. While accreditation is an essential component of institutional success and sustainability, it has been considered an administrative procedure that focuses on compliance and not for institutional effectiveness. Therefore, recent participation in accreditation shows to be somewhat limited in warranting participation from faculty, primarily at the two-year college level. The following study sought to define gaps within accreditation participation and identify solutions to support inclusiveness and contribution of faculty to the accreditation process.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016
The topic of grit has been a highly sought after set of traits as it carries positive correlation... more The topic of grit has been a highly sought after set of traits as it carries positive correlation with individual performance and in turn, has reflected to have a positive impact organizational outcomes. Recently, grit has emerged in higher education as a non-cognitive factor to drive student performance. Relevant research finds that there are variances in student academic performance and race. To determine if grit plays a role within that trend, the following paper examines if a difference exists between grit scores of Asian-American/Pacific Islander in comparison with the general student population.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016
Recently, mentorship has emerged in higher education as a supplemental support system to build st... more Recently, mentorship has emerged in higher education as a supplemental support system to build student engagement and provide a haven for students to obtain support. Relevant research finds that there are variances in student academic performance and race. Culturally, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population is rooted in community-oriented settings. While many AAPI students excel, there seems to be a lack of community engagement at the two-year institution level that may be hindering academic performance. The following study aimed to assess the impact of peer mentorship frequency on student academic performance and identify underlying challenges of the AAPI student population.
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016
Diatoms of research articles throughout different settings and industries disaggregate diverse co... more Diatoms of research articles throughout different settings and industries disaggregate diverse communication behaviors reflect the positive associativity with leadership. The reflection of Lincoln’s communication skills sets affirmed that the principles of the communication are timeless to building relationships and influencing other. The focus of the paper was to outline communication behaviors of Abraham Lincoln and determine if the principles of communication were still relevant to modern day application.