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LEGISLATORS AS LEADERS: INVESTIGATING AND ELUCIDATING THE INFLUENCE OF GENDER, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, AND MINDFULNESS ON LEGISLATIVE DECISION MAKING

Battaglia, Alison J.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1492344337818609

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Management.
State and Federal Legislators determine policies that impact both our constitutional rights and government obligation towards citizens of the United States. Legislators deliberate on hundreds of bills requiring an equal number of ultimate decisions in any given term. This mixed method exploratory sequential research includes three independent, but closely related, studies focused on the legislator's decision-making process. This dissertation will examine the influencing factors of legislative deliberations including whether mindfulness, originating from the practice of spirituality, influences legislative policy-making and effectiveness. Gender differences informed all areas of inquiry. The goal of this research is to gain an improved understanding of the best ways to unite legislators with policy advocates and other engaged citizens. To do this, I seek to understand what influences legislative policy decision-making? Are there gender differences in decision-making style and approach? Do religious practices, family values, and in turn, mindful decision-making influence male and female legislators differently? Through this research, I discovered male and female legislators in my sample approach policy decision-making differently. Men employ an agentic decision-making style, and women employ a communal decision-making style. The most significant driver of decision-making, and in turn legislative priorities, for both male and female legislators that I interviewed is their personal values or faith. Legislative mindful decision-making has a noteworthy impact on the outcomes of legislative deliberation. Mindful legislative leadership increases effectiveness, confidence, and decreases the legislative stress that comes from diverging policy decisions. Practicing mindfulness and the legislators who commit to it are more effective in developing common ground and are emotionally resilient. Overall, the implications of this dissertation extend to advocates, citizens, and legislators. As advocates are developing their strategic approaches for support of issues, understanding the core values of legislators, their decision-making process, and gender differences will help guide stakeholders, including voters, to understand the philosophy of policy makers on complex and divisive issues ultimately leading to better legislative outcomes for all involved. The practice of mindfulness in legislative decision-making is central to the success of the community, the constituents and the longevity of the legislator's career.
Diana Bilimoria, PhD (Committee Chair)
Kalle Lyytinen, PhD (Committee Member)
Kathleen Buse, PhD (Committee Member)
Eileen Doherty-Sil, PhD (Committee Member)
202 p.
Management; Political Science
Keywords; legislators, policy, gender; decision-making, religion, mindfulness,constituents, advocates

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Battaglia, A. J. (2017). LEGISLATORS AS LEADERS: INVESTIGATING AND ELUCIDATING THE INFLUENCE OF GENDER, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, AND MINDFULNESS ON LEGISLATIVE DECISION MAKING [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1492344337818609

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Battaglia, Alison. LEGISLATORS AS LEADERS: INVESTIGATING AND ELUCIDATING THE INFLUENCE OF GENDER, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, AND MINDFULNESS ON LEGISLATIVE DECISION MAKING. 2017. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1492344337818609.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Battaglia, Alison. "LEGISLATORS AS LEADERS: INVESTIGATING AND ELUCIDATING THE INFLUENCE OF GENDER, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, AND MINDFULNESS ON LEGISLATIVE DECISION MAKING." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1492344337818609

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.