Date of Award

Fall 12-2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Dr. Robyne Elder

Second Advisor

Dr. Susan K. Isenberg

Third Advisor

Dr. Robert Steffes

Abstract

As several businesses and organizations push to be profitable and successful, many lack efforts in enforcing and maintaining an effective vision and mission as part of the business strategy. This qualitative, ethnographic study aimed to identify the relationship, if any, between andragogy, an adult learning theory, and the perceived ability of the study company’s hybrid and virtual employees to live the seven corporate core values (trust, humility, embracing change, passion, positive attitude, teamwork and honesty and integrity) based on Knowles’ (1973, 1995) six assumptions of the characteristics of the adult learner and the eight process elements (theoretical framework) by which adults learn best. Participants for the study included hybrid and virtual employees from XYZ Technology Company. Demographic survey, interview, and focus group data were collected and analyzed to make comparisons and draw conclusions about employee perceptions on how living the XYZ core values relates to the andragogical theoretical framework. The demographic survey was utilized as a method to identify and understand each participant’s background on a more personal level. As for the interviews and focus groups, the researcher was able to obtain in greater detail what specific core values were, either more or less, needed for each employee, whether hybrid or virtual, and how he/she aligned directly to Knowles’ six assumptions and eight key business concepts. The results of this study indicated there is a relationship between XYZ Technology company’s hybrid and remote employees’ perceived ability to live these core values and the unconscious daily application of the six assumptions of the characteristics of the adult learner and eight process elements. Results showed that having open iii communication and collaboration, whether virtual or hybrid, was vital to employees and trust is needed in both the hybrid and virtual environment but is emphasized more in the virtual world. Also, virtual and hybrid employees both need to be self-directed and have the drive to want to learn on their own. Other emerging themes consisted of motivation, individualism, work-life balance, training, and relationship building. One recommendation to build up the trust in a strictly virtual environment is for teams to be fully reliant on that individual to complete his or her work. The results of this study will help other employers that have similar core values better prepare current and future employees, through a more thorough understanding of the andragogy concepts in helping employees, whether hybrid or virtual, live by a company’s core values.

Rights

Copyright 2018

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