Roger Forte
Dominican University of California
Subject Listing - Business
Advisor: Dr. Christopher Leeds
Thursday, Poster Session 1, Presentation Kiosk 27 A, Health & Fitness Center
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN MARIN COUNTY CALIFORNIA
The purpose of this research is to develop and test a practical and effective needs assessment tool to determine the need for leadership development in small businesses in Marin County, with particular emphasis on small business members of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The results of this research will be used to better facilitate the creation of a new leadership education program at Dominican University of California focused on aiding small businesses in achieving a greater degree of overall business performance through leadership development and training as well as raising overall awareness of the value added by these same disciplines. Research will also be aimed at assessing the current unmet needs of small business proprietors and entrepreneurs for leadership development and assessing currently available resources in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. The creation of the needs assessment tool was guided by current leadership best practices in business and a comprehensive review of existing needs assessment tools for small businesses, with particular focus on California and Marin County. Assessment of current leadership needs is being determined through the use of surveys, focus groups and strategically targeted interviews with small businesses and entrepreneurs in Marin County. Each member of the Marin County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is being electronically surveyed with a questionnaire designed to assess current leadership training/development needs. Following the surveying, four focus groups will be randomly selected from the respondents, each consisting of six to eight individuals. In addition, 15 randomly selected respondents will complete in-depth interviews. Recognized needs will be used to help pilot a new leadership development program, including the curriculum and pedagogy for courses, within the Institute for Leadership Studies at Dominican University of California.
Advisor: Dr. Christopher Leeds, Associate Professor, School of Business, Dominican University of California, San Rafael, CA