A Phenomenological Study: Examining Organizational Change Initiatives Within the U.S. Army to Influence Racial Climate

Author

• Reginald Gerald Dash IIFollow

Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Division of Education and Counseling

First Advisor

Renee Akbar, Ph.D, Chair

Second Advisor

Zwila Martinez, Ed.D.

Third Advisor

Larkin Page, Ph.D.

Keywords

Racial Climate, Organizational Change, African American Soldiers, Military Leadership, Systemic Racism, Racial Equity, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Career Advancement, Phenomenological Study, Institutional Racism, Underrepresentation, U.S. Army

Abstract

This research study was aimed at examining organizational change initiatives influencing the racial climate among African American soldiers in the United States (U.S.) Army. African Americans comprise a significant portion of the U.S. Army. However, African Americans’ significant contributions do not readily translate into “equal treatment”, which includes proportional representation at the highest levels of leadership. African Americans in the U.S. Army face career navigation challenges rooted in systemic racial division. The goal of this qualitative phenomenological study was to add African American soldiers’ voices to the existing literature by interviewing African American soldiers with at least five years of experience in the military and capturing their perceptions of the racial climate. The research findings’ results are vital for supporting future initiatives regarding organizational change within the U.S. Army’s racial climate.

Recommended Citation

Dash, Reginald Gerald II, "A Phenomenological Study: Examining Organizational Change Initiatives Within the U.S. Army to Influence Racial Climate" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 183.
https://digitalcommons.xula.edu/etd/183