Tarleton State University

About: Tarleton State University is a education organization based out in Stephenville, Texas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Educational leadership. The organization has 718 authors who have published 1118 publications receiving 23420 citations. The organization is also known as: Tarleton & Texans.

Toward a theory of spiritual leadership

Abstract: A causal theory of spiritual leadership is developed within an intrinsic motivation model that incorporates vision, hope/faith, and altruistic love, theories of workplace spirituality, and spiritual survival. The purpose of spiritual leadership is to create vision and value congruence across the strategic, empowered team, and individual levels and, ultimately, to foster higher levels of organizational commitment and productivity. I first examine leadership as motivation to change and review motivation-based leadership theories. Second, I note the accelerating call for spirituality in the workplace, describe the universal human need for spiritual survival through calling and membership, and distinguish between religion and spirituality. Next, I introduce a generic definition of God as a higher power with a continuum upon which humanistic, theistic, and pantheistic definitions of God can be placed. I also review religiousand ethics-and-values-based leadership theories and conclude that, to motivate followers, leaders must get in touch with their core values and communicate them to followers through vision and personal actions to create a sense of spiritual survival through calling and membership. I then argue that spiritual leadership theory is not only inclusive of other major extant motivationbased theories of leadership, but that it is also more conceptually distinct, parsimonious, and less conceptually confounded. And, by incorporating calling and membership as two key follower needs for spiritual survival, spiritual leadership theory is inclusive of the religious- and ethics and valuesbased approaches to leadership. Finally, the process of organizational development and transformation through spiritual leadership is discussed. Suggestions for future research are offered.

Greater sensitivity to drought accompanies maize yield increase in the U.S. Midwest

Abstract: A key question for climate change adaptation is whether existing cropping systems can become less sensitive to climate variations. We use a field-level data set on maize and soybean yields in the central United States for 1995 through 2012 to examine changes in drought sensitivity. Although yields have increased in absolute value under all levels of stress for both crops, the sensitivity of maize yields to drought stress associated with high vapor pressure deficits has increased. The greater sensitivity has occurred despite cultivar improvements and increased carbon dioxide and reflects the agronomic trend toward higher sowing densities. The results suggest that agronomic changes tend to translate improved drought tolerance of plants to higher average yields but not to decreasing drought sensitivity of yields at the field scale.

Spiritual leadership and army transformation: Theory, measurement, and establishing a baseline

Abstract: Spiritual leadership theory (SLT) is a causal leadership theory for organizational transformation designed to create an intrinsically motivated, learning organization. Spiritual leadership comprises the values, attitudes, and behaviors required to intrinsically motivate one’s self and others in order to have a sense of spiritual survival through calling and membership—i.e., they experience meaning in their lives, have a sense of making a difference, and feel understood and appreciated. The effect of spiritual leadership in establishing this sense of leader and follower spiritual survival is to create value congruence across the strategic, empowered team, and individual levels to, ultimately, foster higher levels of organizational commitment, productivity, and employee well-being. The primary purpose of this research is to test the SLT causal model that hypothesizes positive relationships among the qualities of spiritual leadership, spiritual survival, and organizational productivity and commitment using longitudinal data from a newly formed Apache Longbow helicopter attack squadron at Ft. Hood, Texas. The results provide strong initial support for SLT and its measures. A methodology was developed for establishing a baseline for future organizational development interventions as well as an action agenda for future research on spiritual leadership in general and Army training and development in particular. We conclude that spiritual leadership theory offers promise as a springboard for a new paradigm for leadership theory, research, and practice given that it (1) incorporates and extends transformational and charismatic theories as well as ethics- and valuesbased theories (e.g., authentic and servant leadership) and (2) avoids the pitfalls of measurement model misspecification.

The relationship between peak height velocity and physical performance in youth soccer players.

Abstract: Longitudinal changes in height, weight and physical performance were studied in 33 Flemish male youth soccer players from the Ghent Youth Soccer Project. The players' ages at the start of the study...

Maturity-associated variation in the growth and functional capacities of youth football (soccer) players 13–15 years

Abstract: The objective was to estimate the contribution of experience, body size and maturity status to variation in the functional capacities of adolescent football (soccer) players. The sample included 69 players 13.2-15.1 years of age from three clubs which competed in the highest division for their age group in the first Portuguese national division. Height and weight were measured and stage of pubic hair development was assessed at clinical examination. The number of years of experience in football was obtained at interview. Three tests of functional capacity were administered: 30-m dash (running speed), vertical jump (explosive power) and a yo-yo intermittent endurance test (aerobic resistance). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate the relative contributions of age, stage of sexual maturity, height, weight and years of formal training in football to the three indicators of functional capacity. Stage of puberty, body size and years of training accounted for 21% to 50% of the variance in the three tasks. Sexual maturity status was the primary contributor to the variance in the intermittent shuttle run, whereas weight and height were the primary contributors to the explained variance in the 30-m dash and vertical jump, respectively. In conclusion, biological maturity status significantly influences the functional capacity of adolescent football players 13-15 years of age. Training is a significant contributor to aerobic resistance, whereas weight and height are significant contributors to the sprint and vertical jump, respectively.