Adrian Popa - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Adrian Popa

Research paper thumbnail of Learning about the Predictive Power of Young Voter Party Affiliation and Leadership Perceptions in U.S. Presidential Elections

Journal of Leadership Education, 2018

Opportunities to observe presidential leadership capacities and to be an active citizen in apprai... more Opportunities to observe presidential leadership capacities and to be an active citizen in appraising presidential leadership practices have increased the relevance of perceptions of candidates' leadership qualities in presidential and campaign politics. Based on prior evidence, the current study predicted and confirmed that a sample of 1,087 young voter perceptions of presidential candidates' leadership practices predict intent to vote for a particular candidate after accounting for party affiliation. Additionally, party affiliation was reconfirmed as predicting differences in perceived leadership practices. Interestingly, male and female perceptions of presidential leadership practices varied and were contextualized by factors related to identity development. The study concludes with a discussion of implications as they pertain to leadership theory and leadership education.

Research paper thumbnail of Form Follows Function

Journal of Leadership Education, 2009

The purpose of this paper is to describe a backward design model implemented to develop a leaders... more The purpose of this paper is to describe a backward design model implemented to develop a leadership ethics course taught in a graduate leadership program. Backward design was implemented to deeply embed the construct of applied ethics within the fabric of leadership curriculum while capturing intended course competencies. Course curriculum integrates a servant leadership theoretical framework and pedagogy that serves to shape and develop moral imagination in leadership students. Backwards design contributed to clarity, integrity, and alignment of course curriculum with program objectives and university mission.

Research paper thumbnail of Developing Moral Imagination in Leadership Students

Journal of Leadership Education, 2008

Imagination is the exercise of generating new and novel mental images. Because of its utility for... more Imagination is the exercise of generating new and novel mental images. Because of its utility for the arts, it is primarily thought of as a purely aesthetic tool. And yet, as a cognitive orientation to the world, imagination has much to offer business leaders. Imagination shifts leaders away from ingrained ways of thinking; it emphasizes reframing existing situations, moving beyond constraining mental models, and formulating innovative responses. In short, imagination is the critical cognitive link connection between what is and what might be. This application brief describes a module designed to develop moral imagination in leadership students in Gonzaga University's Masters in Organizational Leadership Program. It outlines the use of popular film-in this case, the classic Woody Allen (1989) film, Crimes and Misdemeanors-to help students identify ethical events, assess various viewpoints concerning these events, and then practice reframing the events using moral imagination.

Research paper thumbnail of Using Backwards Design to Develop An Online Organizational Leadership Course

Research paper thumbnail of Leadership: A Critical Text, by Simon Western

Administration in Social Work, 2010

Leadership continues to be a widely investigated construct explored by a number of academic tradi... more Leadership continues to be a widely investigated construct explored by a number of academic traditions that span across social and behavioral science, management sciences, humanities, arts, and most recently quantum physics, biological and ecological paradigms that focus particularly on interrelations and the complexities of adaptive systems. Some texts describe development, some explore new pathways, and some even expand theoretical thought, while few take a contrarian perspective and systematically critique leadership theory to provoke critical thinking about the complexity of this construct. Simon Western takes a refreshing leap into developing a critical theory framework informed by critical theorists that aims to increase both collective human agency and autonomy in the study of leadership. In order to understand leadership and organizations from a critical perspective, Western developed a framework in Chapter 1 that poses four key critical lenses. The first stance of emancipatory critical approach, grounded in the early Frankfurt School of thought, ethically aims toward an emancipator agenda that spotlights power relations within social structures and methods to transform practices that weaken liberties into methods that enhance human agency. The second stance of depth analysis introduces an approach grounded in psychoanalytic theory that taps into the intricacies of the unconscious process internalized and systemically enacted by individuals, social groups, and organizations—facets important to understanding various models of leadership. Looking awry is the third stance, which focuses on depth through historical and contextual perspectives that engages multiple angles and personal assumptions in a reflexive way. The final stance of systemic praxis applies critical theory to the ecology of leadership and takes the contrarian perspective of not simply studying the leader in isolation from the context, but rather investigating inter-relations of living systems in environments like organizations. These four stances are introduced to create theoretical frames for renewing ‘leadership in practice,’ diminishing post-industrial exploitive power relations, and enhancing individual and collective autonomy.

Research paper thumbnail of The Perceived Relationship Between Leadership Practices and Job Attitudes In Human Service organizations

Journal of Business and Leadership

This paper contributes to leadership knowledge in the field of child welfare by studying the rela... more This paper contributes to leadership knowledge in the field of child welfare by studying the relationship between agency leadership and caseworker job attitudes. This qualitative study included three focus groups with administrators and caseworkers to explore perceived leadership practices and caseworker job attitudes. Qualitative findings revealed a divergent perception of leadership practices between caseworkers and administrators, while providing specific content representative of both strengths and limitations of agency leadership. Lastly, frontline workers exclusively also perceived a relationship between certain leadership practices and job satisfaction. Findings lead to a number of organizational implications.

Research paper thumbnail of Learning about the Predictive Power of Young Voter Party Affiliation and Leadership Perceptions in U.S. Presidential Elections

Journal of Leadership Education, 2018

Opportunities to observe presidential leadership capacities and to be an active citizen in apprai... more Opportunities to observe presidential leadership capacities and to be an active citizen in appraising presidential leadership practices have increased the relevance of perceptions of candidates' leadership qualities in presidential and campaign politics. Based on prior evidence, the current study predicted and confirmed that a sample of 1,087 young voter perceptions of presidential candidates' leadership practices predict intent to vote for a particular candidate after accounting for party affiliation. Additionally, party affiliation was reconfirmed as predicting differences in perceived leadership practices. Interestingly, male and female perceptions of presidential leadership practices varied and were contextualized by factors related to identity development. The study concludes with a discussion of implications as they pertain to leadership theory and leadership education.

Research paper thumbnail of Form Follows Function

Journal of Leadership Education, 2009

The purpose of this paper is to describe a backward design model implemented to develop a leaders... more The purpose of this paper is to describe a backward design model implemented to develop a leadership ethics course taught in a graduate leadership program. Backward design was implemented to deeply embed the construct of applied ethics within the fabric of leadership curriculum while capturing intended course competencies. Course curriculum integrates a servant leadership theoretical framework and pedagogy that serves to shape and develop moral imagination in leadership students. Backwards design contributed to clarity, integrity, and alignment of course curriculum with program objectives and university mission.

Research paper thumbnail of Developing Moral Imagination in Leadership Students

Journal of Leadership Education, 2008

Imagination is the exercise of generating new and novel mental images. Because of its utility for... more Imagination is the exercise of generating new and novel mental images. Because of its utility for the arts, it is primarily thought of as a purely aesthetic tool. And yet, as a cognitive orientation to the world, imagination has much to offer business leaders. Imagination shifts leaders away from ingrained ways of thinking; it emphasizes reframing existing situations, moving beyond constraining mental models, and formulating innovative responses. In short, imagination is the critical cognitive link connection between what is and what might be. This application brief describes a module designed to develop moral imagination in leadership students in Gonzaga University's Masters in Organizational Leadership Program. It outlines the use of popular film-in this case, the classic Woody Allen (1989) film, Crimes and Misdemeanors-to help students identify ethical events, assess various viewpoints concerning these events, and then practice reframing the events using moral imagination.

Research paper thumbnail of Using Backwards Design to Develop An Online Organizational Leadership Course

Research paper thumbnail of Leadership: A Critical Text, by Simon Western

Administration in Social Work, 2010

Leadership continues to be a widely investigated construct explored by a number of academic tradi... more Leadership continues to be a widely investigated construct explored by a number of academic traditions that span across social and behavioral science, management sciences, humanities, arts, and most recently quantum physics, biological and ecological paradigms that focus particularly on interrelations and the complexities of adaptive systems. Some texts describe development, some explore new pathways, and some even expand theoretical thought, while few take a contrarian perspective and systematically critique leadership theory to provoke critical thinking about the complexity of this construct. Simon Western takes a refreshing leap into developing a critical theory framework informed by critical theorists that aims to increase both collective human agency and autonomy in the study of leadership. In order to understand leadership and organizations from a critical perspective, Western developed a framework in Chapter 1 that poses four key critical lenses. The first stance of emancipatory critical approach, grounded in the early Frankfurt School of thought, ethically aims toward an emancipator agenda that spotlights power relations within social structures and methods to transform practices that weaken liberties into methods that enhance human agency. The second stance of depth analysis introduces an approach grounded in psychoanalytic theory that taps into the intricacies of the unconscious process internalized and systemically enacted by individuals, social groups, and organizations—facets important to understanding various models of leadership. Looking awry is the third stance, which focuses on depth through historical and contextual perspectives that engages multiple angles and personal assumptions in a reflexive way. The final stance of systemic praxis applies critical theory to the ecology of leadership and takes the contrarian perspective of not simply studying the leader in isolation from the context, but rather investigating inter-relations of living systems in environments like organizations. These four stances are introduced to create theoretical frames for renewing ‘leadership in practice,’ diminishing post-industrial exploitive power relations, and enhancing individual and collective autonomy.

Research paper thumbnail of The Perceived Relationship Between Leadership Practices and Job Attitudes In Human Service organizations

Journal of Business and Leadership

This paper contributes to leadership knowledge in the field of child welfare by studying the rela... more This paper contributes to leadership knowledge in the field of child welfare by studying the relationship between agency leadership and caseworker job attitudes. This qualitative study included three focus groups with administrators and caseworkers to explore perceived leadership practices and caseworker job attitudes. Qualitative findings revealed a divergent perception of leadership practices between caseworkers and administrators, while providing specific content representative of both strengths and limitations of agency leadership. Lastly, frontline workers exclusively also perceived a relationship between certain leadership practices and job satisfaction. Findings lead to a number of organizational implications.