Date of Award

1-24-2017

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Thomas Barrett

Abstract

The qualitative comparative case study had as its purpose to explore perceptions of nonclinical competencies as viewed through the lens of organizational theroy, vis-a-vis the perceptions of educators and employers and the environmental pressures placed on them through institutional and task environments, by organizational factors, and through interorganizational relationships. Knowledge and abilitites which are not clinical in nature, yet are essential in professional postitons, are termed nonclinical competencies. The literature on organizational theory and nonclinical competency in speech pathology was reviewed. A conceptual framework was developed from reviews of the related literature and was used as a guide to the research involving organizations from higher education and employment sectors related to speech-language pathologists. Twelve graduate speech pathology program educators and twelve employers of recent speech-language pathology graduates were selected to provide a purposive sample with specialized expertise that would insure a broad range of perceptions of nonclinical competencies. Findings of the study's cross-case analyses revealed that employers' perceptions of repetitive routines were primarily finite and tangible skills whereas educators' perceptions of repetitive routines were also concrete, but included many abstract or intangible entities. Educators' and employers' perceptions of nonclinical competencies were different for every variable within the conceptual dimensions of the study's organizational theory based framework indicating disconnect in communication between educators and employers. The study concluded that conditions in task and institutional environments, together with organizational factors and interorganizational relationships within the sample groups, clearly influenced the organizational response. The organizational responses were manifested as strategic responses which influenced the educators' and employers' perceptions of nonclinical competencies. Emerging issues necessitated the additiona of three variables to the conceptual framework: diversification--extent of organizational differences between the two study groups, bridging--extent to which the focal organizations establish and utilize formal communication structures, and formalization--extent of organizational structures for assessment of requisite skills. In order to enhance shared understandings regarding nonclnical competencies in speech-language pathologists, communications between academics and employers is essential. The dissertation concluded with recommendations to practitioners for how this communication might be facilitated and recommendations to future researchers for how these perceptions might better be explained through additional investigation.

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