Data-Driven Organizational Culture: An Interview with Dr. Angela Kline and Dr. Stephanie Dolamore
Author: Jimmy A. Young, PhD
How many of you wonder what being a data-driven organization actually involves? What is this term, Data-Driven, actually mean? In this episode of the Podcast I explore these questions and more with the help of Dr. Angela Kline and Dr. Stephanie Dolamore as we center our conversation around their article “Understanding Data-Driven Organizational Culture: A Case Study of Family League of Baltimore,” which was published in the Journal of Technology in Human Services in 2020. Dr. Angela Kline is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Policy and Administration at West Chester University. She teaches in West Chester’s MPA and DPA programs. Her research interests include topics in nonprofit management and accountability, social equity, and effective mentoring. Dr. Stephanie Dolamore is an assistant professor of public administration in the School of Civic Leadership, Business, and Social Change at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. She teaches in American Sign Language and English for the bilingual Master of Public Administration program for D/deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing students. Her research explores the intersection of social justice and organizational culture in the public sector. Drs. Dolamore and Kline are currently working on an edited volume titled Organizational Culture and Social Equity: An Experiential Guide. This book focuses on how organizations can practice strategies that advance social equity through their policies, physical characteristics, leadership behavior, and socialization, among other characteristics. It will be published by Routledge in late 2022.
During the podcast we talk about some organizational theory, the importance of feedback loops and having good communication among staff within the organization and also stakeholders in the community. I learned how data can help build trust within an organization because the lack of access to data can be detrimental to building trust, but we also need to remember that the data collected needs to be quality data. Data-driven and just data in general can be fairly ambiguous and we need to step back to really understand what being data-driven actually means. I appreciated that my guests explained how we need to think about how data can be used to tell a story that resonates with humans, and how organizations need to be in tune with the bigger picture to use data in a better way. And there is also a great analogy about Airplanes and institutional knowledge. So, sit back or pick up that walking pace and I hope you enjoy this episode of the husITa podcast.
As usual, I want to note that these blog posts are mainly place holders for any links and information that we thought would be good to share with our audience. The Posts will eventually also be home to the episode transcripts. We welcome any digital volunteers who would like to transcribe the episodes and if you feel so inclined, please reach out to us via our Contact page or on social media. Let us know if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions. See you next month.
Links of Interest:
Dr. Angela Kline on Twitter @adkline1
Dr. Stephanie Dolamore on Twitter @sdolamore
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APA (7th Ed) citation for this podcast:
Young, J. A. (Producer). (2021, May 29). #6 – Data-Driven Organizational Culture: An Interview with Dr. Angela Kline and Dr. Stephanie Dolamore. [Audio Podcast]. husITa Podcast. Retrieved from https://husita.podbean.com/e/data-driven-organizational-culture-an-interview-with-dr-angela-kline-and-dr-stephanie-dolamore/