Date
12-2019
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)
Chair
Kenneth R. Tierce
Keywords
Salvation Army, Early, Resignation, Officers, Southern Territory, United States
Disciplines
Christianity | Leadership Studies | Religion
Recommended Citation
Platt, Everette F., "A Phenomenological Study of Early Resignation Among Southern Territory Salvation Army Officers" (2019). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2300.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2300
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand early resignation of Salvation Army officers in the Southern Territory by investigating their lived experiences with the phenomenon. The theories guiding this study were role identity, as it explains the differences in perceptions and actions that accompany a role and emotional intelligence (EI), which refers to a generic competence in perceiving emotions, both in oneself and in others. The central research question addressed how former Salvation Army officers in the Southern Territory perceive that their officership experiences impacted their decision to resign early. The subquestions for this study addressed (a) how former Salvation Army officers in the Southern Territory who resigned early perceive that their training prepared them to handle the challenges of officership; (b) how former Salvation Army officers in the Southern Territory who resigned early describe the impact of role expectations on their officership; and (c) how former Salvation Army officers in the Southern Territory who resigned early perceive that they exhibited EI in their officership. Through purposeful sampling, 10 participants were selected. In addition, data collection included individual interviews, focus group interviews, and archival records. Data analysis involved the review of interview transcripts and identifying significant statements for coding and analyzing purposes in order to understand the lived experiences of officers who resigned early. Findings indicated that officer development in practical administrative responsibilities, along with EI training and in-depth biblical studies, increased resiliency, ability, self-confidence and self-care, thereby reducing the attrition rate of officers in the Southern Territory.
