The International Society for Performance Improvement is proud to honor excellence in student research through our Distinguished Dissertation Awards. The initiative is funded by the Society’s Research Committee. In addition to a monetary honorarium, recipients are asked to submit a manuscript based on their dissertation for consideration in Performance Improvement Quarterly and encouraged to submit a proposal to for ISPI's annual conference.

Click here for the 2014 award announcement.
  

2013 Distinguished Dissertation Award Recipients

First Place: Interactive Effect of Modeling Strategies and Goal Orientations on Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Training Outcomes
Martin Lauzier, PhD
Faculty Sponsor: Robert R. Haccoun, PhD
University of Montreal

Second Place: Asian Indian Perspectives: Cultural Competencies Needed to Work Effectively With Americans on Intercultural Project Teams
William R. Levacy, PhD
Faculty Sponsor: Keith J. Johansen, PhD
Capella University

Third Place: Building an Army: A Corollary Study of Group Interaction and Group Productivity
Joseph A. Huber, PhD
Faculty Sponsor: Darlene Van Tiem, PhD
Capella University

2012 Distinguished Dissertation Award Recipients

First Place: A Mediated Model of Trust and Its Antecedents in the Client-Consultant Relationship
William L. Solomonson, CPT, PhDFaculty Sponsor: Ingrid Guerra-Lopez, PhD
Wayne State University

Second Place: A Delphi Study into the Efficacy of Clinical Simulation Performance Assessment in Credentialing Healthcare Providers
Kristina Stillsmoking, PhDFaculty Sponsor: Jaime Barron, PhD
Mentor: Paul Hardt, EdD
Capella University

Third Place: The Instructional Effects of Knowledge-Based Community of Practice Learning Environments on Student Achievement and Knowledge Convergence
Darryl C. Draper, PhDFaculty Sponsor: Susan M. Land, PhD
Pennsylvania State University

2011 Distinguished Dissertation Award Recipients

First Place: Change Capacity as a Determinant of Sustainable ROI Implementation in Human Resource Development Practice
Holly J. Burkett, CPT, PhD, SPHR
Faculty Sponsor: Cyndi Gaudet, PhD
The University of Southern Mississippi

Second Place: A Study of Performance Support for Higher Education Faculty Teaching Web-based Courses
Robert W. Lion, PhD
Faculty Sponsor: John Klocinski, PhD
Capella University

Third Place: An Examination of Supervisory Support as a Factor Affecting Training Transfer in a Sales Organization
Michael L. Patterson, EdD
Faculty Sponsor: Mark Allen, PhD
Pepperdine University

2010 Distinguished Dissertation Award Recipients

First Place: A Cross Cultural Analysis of Human Performance Technology Interventions
Ramaswamy Vadivelu, PhD
Faculty Sponsor: James D. Klein, PhD
Arizona State University

Second Place: Critical Success Factors: How One Multinational Company Develops Global e-Learning
Edward Nathan, PhD
Faculty Sponsor: Keith J. Johansen, PhD
Capella University

Third Place: A Level 4 Evaluation of a Structured On-the-Job Operator Training Intervention at a North American Paper Mill
Pamela Robinson, PhD
Faculty Sponsor: Barbara A. Bailey, PhD
Capella University

Special thanks to all 2010 participants!
Claudia Barnett, PhD
John Buford, PhD
Stephanie Fuentes, PhD
Zulma Hernandez Agosto, PhD
Edward Nathan, PhD
Pamela Robinson, PhD
Paul Sabourin, PhD
Ramaswamy Vadivelu, PhD

2009 Distinguished Dissertation Award Recipients

David G. Gliddon, PhD, The Pennsylvania State University received 1^st place for his study Forecasting a Competency Model for Innovation Leaders Using a Modified Delphi Technique and was awarded a $1500 honorarium.

Donna C. Crossman, PhD, Capella University received 2^nd place for her study The Impact of Safety Culture on Worker Motivation and the Economic Bottom Line and was awarded a $1000 honorarium.

Maria S. Kokas, PhD, Wayne State University received 3^rd place for her study An Exploration of Factors Involved in Workers Making Meaning of Job Searches After Layoff and was awarded a $500 honorarium.

2008 Distinguished Dissertation Award Recipients

Timothy R. Brock, PhD of Lockheed Martin, received the 3^rd place award for his study Training NASA Astronauts for Deep Space Exploration Missions: A Research Study to Develop and Validate a Competency-Based Training Framework and was awarded a $200 honorarium.

Kimfong (Jason) Lei, PhD of JetBlue received the 2^nd place award for his study Development and Validation of a Cross-Disciplinary Team Learning Model and was awarded a $300 honorarium.

Frank Nguyen, PhD of San Diego State University received the 1^st place award for his study The Effects of an Electronic Performance Support System (EPSS) and Training as Performance Interventions and was awarded a $500 honorarium.