bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Building Highly Productive Work Teams through Positive Leadership
Authors: Gilbert C. Ronald
Published: July 2015

The most central issue in improving productivity may just well be the most neglected: management capacity. Current management philosphies, under the label of “transactional leadership” style, can acutely reduce the overall effectiveness of boss-subordinate relationships. A more effective philosophy emphasizes “transformational leadership” in which the psychological commitment of boss and subordinate is advanced, rather than plasticized. Whatever management approach is employed, the consequences will be found in the degree of productivity of organizational work teams.
Use of Assessment Centers by Metropolitan Fire Departments in North America
Authors: Yeager Samuel J.
Published: July 2015

Fire departments in half of the major metropolitan cities in North America use assessment centers in making selection decisions for a wide variety of positions. This study examines the extent and characteristics of their usage and offers both theoretical and practical explanations for the patterns identified.
Training the Raters: A Key to Effective Performance Appraisal
Authors: Martin David C. , Bartol Kathryn M.
Published: July 2015

Although appropriate rater behaviors are critical to the success of any performance appraisal system, raters frequently receive little or no training regarding how to carry out their role successfully. This article outlines the major elements which should be included in an effective rater training program. Suggested training approaches and the need for refresher training also are discussed.
The Effects of Supervisor Sex and Work Environment on Attitude toward Older Employees
Authors: O'Brien Fabius P. , Robinson Jerald F. , Taylor G. Stephen
Published: July 2015

The effects of supervisor gender and work environment (public versus private sector) on supervisors' attitudes toward older employees were investigated. Participants attending a supervisory development institute completed questionnaires relating to performance appraisal practices in the public and private sectors. As part of this larger study, 120 participants were selected at random and combined in a balanced, 2 × 2 factorial ANOVA. Two independent variables — supervisor sex and type of work environment — were manipulated to assess their effects on supervisors' attitudes towards older employees. A significant main effect was found for type of work environment, confirming the hypothesis that public sector supervisors were more lenient in their evaluations of older employees. A main effect was also found for supervisor gender, but not in the predicted direction. Female supervisors were found to be more unfavorable in their evaluations of older employees. No interaction was found. Implications of findings and suggestions for future research are offered.
Frequently Encountered Problems in the Application of Regression Analysis to the Investigation of Sex Discrimination in Salaries
Authors: Barrett Gerald V. , Alexander Ralph A. , Anesgart Martin N. , Doverspike Dennis
Published: July 2015

Regression analysis has played an important role in social science research and litigation involving sex discrimination in pay. Seberhagen is typical of those researchers who have conducted a regression analysis and reached a conclusion that there was discrimination against females in pay. He concluded that 70% of the male-female pay differential was due to sex discrimination. An analysis of his regression procedures, identification of variables, definition of discrimination, and a micro analysis of individual cases indicated that little confidence could be placed in Seberhagen's conclusion of discrimination in compensation.
Selected Personnel Policies for Faculty Members: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Tanner John R.
Published: July 2015

There are few who would disagree with the fact that sound personnel policies are important to any organization. This would include personnel policies and procedures for university faculty members as well as members of other organizations. This study was designed to analyze any change which had occurred in faculty personnel policies in selected southeastern and midwestern universities from 1972–73. Significant improvements were made in the areas of performance appraisal procedures, promotion systems, the use of position descriptions, and job evaluation systems. This is an encouraging trend in colleges and universities, and one that will hopefully continue to improve.
Doing More with Less
Authors: Bellman Geoffrey M.
Published: July 2015

As an introduction to this special issue on “Training in Tough Times,” the author presents several actions managers can take, as part of their normal operations, to prepare for cutbacks in the organization's financial and human resources.
Management Development at Work in Texas
Authors: Hilliard Cora L.
Published: July 2015

The State of Texas' management development effort begins with the strong commitment of and collaboration between the Office of the Governor, the State's agencies and departments, and the private sector—all of which realize the dynamic nature of the population and economy and the subsequent impact on the demand for public services. In order to ensure the development of effective management strategies in Texas state government, a system was designed to develop and strengthen the skills of all management levels. The unique aspect of this effort has been its pervasive nature and the utilization of a multiplicity of management development strategies.
Assessing the Impacts of Career Development in Organizations: A Case in Point
Authors: Stump Robert W.
Published: July 2015

An examination of follow-up surveys of participants in ten career planning and development workshops at the Naval Surface Weapons Center (NSWC) indicates that on every measure which shows a statistically robust difference, the change is in a direction that was suggested or recommended by the workshop. Participants (1) give the workshop high marks in helping them meet the NSWC objectives, (2) do the things which the workshop teaches and recommends to advance their careers, (3) overwhelmingly recommend the workshop to others in NSWC, (4) accomplish both the one-month and six-month goals they set for themselves, and (5) see improvements in their performance on the job. The supervisors who recommended these participants to the workshop believe the workshops are worthwhile, and judge that the workshops meet the objectives they had for sending the participants in the first place. Following their article, the author presents a bibliography on career development in organizations.
Development of Performance Standards: A Practical Guide
Authors: Brown Dan G.
Published: July 2015

This article presents a broad training format undertaken by a public jurisdiction for the successful development of performance standards. The article is based on a three-hour training course given by the agency's training division which includes one hour of lecture, one and one-half hours on a simulation exercise (Appendix A), and one-half hour of discussion on the performance report form and appraisal interview. Appendix B presents a sample of standards resulting from the simulation exercise.
Does Your Organization Have the Right Climate for Merit?
Authors: Wisdom Barry , Patzig Dennis
Published: July 2015

The success of merit systems is closely linked to the establishment of key expectations in the minds of employees concerning the relationship between pay and performance. Results of a national survey suggest that different expectations are being formed in the public versus the private sectors. The role organizational climate plays in this finding and in the individual employee's decision making process regarding effort expended at work is modeled and discussed. Suggestions for fostering merit success are also addressed.
Veterans' Preference in the State of Montana: Equal Employment or Affirmative Action?
Authors: Tummala Krishna K.
Published: July 2015

In 1983, the Supreme Court of Montana, in the case of Vivian Crabtree v. Montana State Library, decided that veterans were entitled to absolute preference in public service based on a 1921 statute as amended in 1927, thus ending preference as a tie-breaker in employment. This paper addresses the question whether veterans' preference, as such, contributed to either equal employment or affirmative action, and concludes that it violated both. Data show that preference as a tie-breaker, let alone absolute preference, led to over-representation of veterans, with lesser representation of females, the disabled and minorities, particularly Native Americans. The findings also warrant a fresh, dispassionate look at veterans' preference.
Public versus Private: Not That Different, Not That Consequential
Authors: Baldwin J. Norman
Published: July 2015

There are several differences between the public and private sectors which are referred to frequently in the public administration literature. However, there are few studies which verify these differences. This article reports the findings from a study of three “classic” differences between the public and private sectors that are relevant to public personnel management. It also examines the impact of these differences on employee motivation. The findings indicate that the classic differences do exist, but are not as substantial as the literature would lead one to believe. They also indicate the public-private differences do not have a substantial impact on employee motivation.
Smoking versus Nonsmoking at Work: A Survey of Public Agency Policy and Practice
Authors: Timmins William M.
Published: July 2015

The author conducted a 1986 national survey of smoking/nonsmoking policies and practices at the worksite. He found 38 percent of public agencies responding do have restrictions or bans on smoking among members of the workforce. The article reports on a variety of practices, including restrictive hiring, incidents between smokers and nonsmokers requiring management intervention, segregation of workers, disability costs, smoking habits, and so forth. The article concludes with some “next steps” for jurisdictions which implement such policies.
A Note on the Effectiveness of Flextime as an Organizational Intervention
Authors: Buckley M. Ronald , Kicza Diane C. , Crane Nancy
Published: July 2015

It has been suggested that managers of organizations believe that the implementation of flextime can influence outcomes ranging from job satisfaction and morale to relations with co-workers and spouses. Specifically, managers assume that implementing flextime is a simple process and that productivity will be increased due to its implementation. The purpose of this paper is to propose that the advantages which are commonly associated with the implementation of a flextime system have not been found in research studies on flextime. It is proposed that if an organization decides to implement flextime, it should be done so with the realistic expectation that it will not magically cure existing problems not previously addressed by those who make decisions in the organization. In addition, the role of managers in flextime implementation is discussed: managers must assist with the employees' adjustment to a flextime schedule by administering programs such as realistic job previews and, at a minimum, they should seek an awareness of the potential positive and negative outcomes which may occur with the implementation of a flextime program.
Decision Support Systems in Collective Bargaining: A Capacity-Building Measure for the Public Manager
Authors: Patterson R. M.
Published: July 2015

This article discusses the use of decision support systems (DSS) in collective bargaining. The article reviews the circumstances of collective bargaining that point to the employment of decision support systems, summarizes the concept of decision support, contrasts decision support systems with other forms of computing, and reviews the steps required for development and implementation of DSS. The author focuses on the microcomputer environment in particular. Decision support systems are a viable means to increase decision—making efficiency and accuracy, with the ultimate benefit being an increase in governmental capacity.
Comparable Worth: A Comparison of Litigated Cases in the Public and Private Sectors
Authors: LaVan Helen , Katz Marsha , Malloy Maura S. , Stonebraker Peter
Published: July 2015

Various approaches have been developed as methods to reduce comparable worth differences. These include judicial (increased enforcement, lawsuits, and legislation), interest group activities (collective bargaining, non-unionized negotiations, and public awareness activities), and actions of public administrators (job evaluations and voluntary pay adjustments). However, the number of comparable worth lawsuits against public sector organizations continues to increase. This study compares public sector litigation to that which occurred in the private sector. Findings include that private sector organizations have moved towards the more quantitative job evaluation methods and away from the job classification method, which public sector employers in the litigated cases used. While pay was of focal interest in the public sector, judgments tended not to support the awarding of monetary compensation in the public sector. The issue of lack of training opportunities was more prevalent as a basis for litigations in the private sector, but litigation with respect to promotion was found only in public sector cases.
Educating Organizational Consumers about Employee Assistance Programs
Authors: Roman Paul M. , Blum Terry C. , Bennett Nathan
Published: July 2015

There has been an exponential growth of employee assistance programs but a relative dearth of objective information about them available to organizational decision makers. Organizational consumers of employee assistance programs are often faced with a myriad of information about workplace strategies from purveyors of various programs or others with vested interests, but they have little in the way of solid information with which to evaluate these various organizational interventions. Working from a base of research experience, this paper presents a scenario where an employee assistance program can contribute solutions to organizational problems in addition to helping troubled employees. It specifies the core technology and goals of employee assistance programs, and distinguishes employee assistance programs from parallel workplace strategies. Perspectives on assessing the effectiveness of employee assistance programs by balancing individual client and organizational outcomes are discussed.
The EAP Part of Personnel Function
Authors: Delaney Thomas J.
Published: July 2015

In the past two decades much has changed in the way of employee assistance programs. However, substance abuse among workers and its interference with job performance has not changed. While some have argued that greater emphasis be placed on preventative measures, the author believes that from the inception, employee assistance programs have been preventative—by educating the public, by performing screening and gatekeeping functions for referrals, and by providing feedback from providers on how employees are progressing.
Making Things Happen in Organizations: Does Gender Make a Difference?
Authors: Rizzo Ann-Marie , Mendez Carmen
Published: July 2015

This research study reports that women employ fundamentally the same personal influence strategies as male managers to affect others (co-workers, supervisors, subordinates) in a work organization. Assertive behavioral strategies remain one of the few characteristics distinguishing male from female respondents. Specific recommendations for change are addressed in the conclusion.
A Practical Approach to Conducting and Using the Training Needs Assessment
Authors: Schneier Craig Eric , Guthrie James P. , Olian Judy D.
Published: July 2015

Although training needs assessment (TNA) is essential for effective training efforts, this important component of training and development is often ignored. The authors present a systematic, legally defensible TNA which has proved to be successful. Sample materials for conducting a TNA are included. The use of the TNA as a central data base for other personnel/human resource management activities is also discussed.
The Changing Nature of Public Administration in Australia
Authors: Dixon John
Published: July 2015

This article overviews the changing nature of public administration in Australia in the 1980s. It gives details of the reforms introduced or planned and then explores the efforts of public sector managers.
Effects of Performance-Contingent Pay on Employee Attitudes
Authors: Schay Brigitte W.
Published: July 2015

This article compares the effects of two different pay-for-performance systems implemented as a result of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. Analyses are based on responses to five annual attitude surveys administered between 1979 and 1984 to civilian employees at four Navy R&D laboratories. Two of the labs, located in California, implemented pay for performance for all their white collar employees under a CSRA demonstration project testing an integrated approach to pay performance appraisal and position classification. The other two labs, located on the East coast, served as a comparison group for the federal-wide merit pay system covering supervisors and managers. Overall results were found to be more positive for the two demonstration labs in California.
The New Environment for Compensation and Performance Evaluation in the Public Sector
Authors: Hyde Albert C.
Published: July 2015

“The question comes to mind as to whether or not many civil service agencies have been facing the facts of life. The place of the agency in the administrative structure of government tends to insulate it against many types of problems, but any deficiencies in pay policy may not be so explained. The current difficulties resulting from such deficiencies may be attributed in part to a situation which the agency itself probably helped create—the mores of public personnel administration. One of these mores is that various classes of employees should work for less money in the public service than they might be able to command elsewhere…

The actual amount of compensation paid is generally a major determinent of whether or not a governmental unit attracts high-grade applicants and retains them in service after employment. Therefore, it is time that greater attention be given to rates of pay prevailing in the sources of recruitment for the public service. It is time that more consideration be given to the salaries paid by competitors for the services of trained employees. It is time that programs be inaugurated which translate such facts into action, that removes inequities from public pay schedules”
A Comparison of Employee Attitudes toward Two Performance Appraisal Systems
Authors: Harris Claudia
Published: July 2015

This study was designed to compare employee attitudes toward two performance appraisal systems—a trait-rating scale and a performance standards system. Based on prior research, it hypothesized that employees would prefer a performance standards system to the trait-rating scale. Surprisingly, results of the study showed no difference on two factors and significant difference in the opposite direction from that which was hypothesized on a third factor. Factors which may have influenced employee attitudes toward the performance appraisal systems are discussed.
College Grade Point Average as a Predictor of Adult Success: A Meta-Analytic Review and Some Additional Evidence
Authors: Bretz Robert D.
Published: July 2015

The use of college grade point average (GPA) as a predictor of adult achievement has been debated. Prior reviews of this literature have relied on qualitative analysis to determine the usefulness of GPA in predicting future success. Since qualitative reviews are subject to our human information processing limitations, they often fail to provide definitive conclusions. This research uses meta-analytic techniques to review a substantial subset of the published research on this topic. The results generated are mixed. The overall analysis suggests that no relationship exists while subgroup analyses of success in business and success in teaching suggest that significant relationships do exist. Empirical analysis of an additional data set generally supports the finding of the meta-analysis. Three barely significant relationships are found. Based on the relative weakness of these relationships and confidence in the overall meta-analytic results, it is suggested that if a relationship does exist between GPA and job success it is tenuous at best. Since other more significant predictors of success are available, the use of GPA in this capacity is not recommended.
College Grade Point Average as a Predictor of Adult Success: A Reply
Authors: Dye David A. , Reck Martin
Published: July 2015

The following is a reply to an article which appeared in the Spring 1989 issue of Public Personnel Management, entitled “College Grade Point Average as a Predictor of Adult Success: A Meta-Analytic Review and Some Additional Evidence,” by Robert D. Bretz, Jr. The article that follows suggests that the conclusions made by Bretz about college GPA as a predictor of job success need to be reconsidered. The purposes of this reply article are to suggest why the results presented by Bretz have likely underestimated the potential usefulness of college GPA as a predictor of job success, and to highlight the findings of a recent comprehensive research effort to investigate the effectiveness of measures of education, including college GPA, as predictors of job performance.1
An Achievement Based Approach to Evaluating Engineering Technicians
Authors: Warrenfeltz Rodney B.
Published: July 2015

A national survey was conducted with all state highway departments (Departments of Transportation) which revealed that engineering personnel were assessed primarily with training and experience questionnaires and internally developed objective exams. Several problems were identified in reference to these assessment procedures and an alternative was proposed which utilized the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). Two studies were conducted to evaluate the usefulness of the NICET assessment program. Study I involved a sample of 33 applicants for engineering technician positions and study II involved 411 engineering technicians covering a variety of subfields and job levels. Both studies found the NICET assessment program to be well constructed and to exhibit adequate reliability and validity. In addition, it was found to be useful as a training needs assessment and to be very favorably received by those assessed under the program. A model was presented for incorporating the NICET program into an organization's on-going assessment procedures and conclusions were drawn concerning implementation of the program.
Performance Appraisal in Higher Education: Comparing Departments of Management with other Business Units
Authors: Clement Ronald W. , Stevens George E.
Published: July 2015

The study reported here extends our knowledge of personnel practice in the public sector by looking at faculty performance evaluation in U.S. business schools. This study examined not only the relative importance of teaching, research, and institutional service, but also the emphasis placed by administrators upon the many performance activities within teaching, research, and service. For example, within the research category, the importance of published articles, other publications, and many forms of non-published research were examined. And for teaching performance, the relative weights given to student inputs, peer evaluation, and certain data on the courses taught were considered. In addition, the study reported here compared evaluation practices of departments of management with those of other departments within the typical business school.
Bargaining Representation and Union Membership in the Federal Sector: A Free Rider's Paradise
Authors: Masters Mariek F. , Atkin Robert
Published: July 2015

The federal government is extensively organized in terms of the number of employees belonging to exclusively recognized bargaining units. Yet, the largest federal-employee union is in serious financial trouble because of its relatively small membership. This article examines bargaining representation and union membership data among the three principal federal-employee unions during the 1981–1987 period. It finds that 1) each union faces a sizable free rider problem, and 2) the magnitude of the problem differs substantially across unions. The article discusses the financial implications of this problem and offers insights as to future directions in federal-sector unionism.
Quality Circles: Promise, Problems, and Prospects in Florida
Authors: Bowman James S.
Published: July 2015

Productivity improvement is a national priority in the 1980's. The dramatic spread of quality circles (QCs) demonstrates that they are perhaps the most popular technique to achieve this goal. There are, however, few systematic studies of these programs. It is important, therefore, not to draw sweeping, premature, and possibly erroneous conclusions based on uncritical acceptance of claims made by QC advocates and critics. This analysis adds to the limited data base on quality circles by exploring their use in Florida government. Placing Florida in the context of national developments, it examines the QC form, problems encountered with it, and approaches used to address these difficulties. This is followed by an analysis of QCs in the state's public sector. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for current and future QC programs.
Participants' Reactions to Special Assignment Programs: Favorability and Predictors
Authors: Taylor M. Susan , Giannantonio Cristina M. , Brown Judy S.
Published: July 2015

Career experts have long advocated the use of special assignment programs for spurring the career progress of talented individuals. While these programs have existed for many years in the private sector, within the past two decades they have also emerged in the public domain as well. Although special assignment programs generally receive enthusiastic endorsement from the organizations that employ them, there have been few empirical attempts to examine their effects. This article examines participants' reactions to a special assignment program that had operated in the executive branch of the federal government for twenty years. A survey was sent to all 275 individuals who had participated in the special assignment program during any point in its twenty year existence. A total of 131 participants (48%) completed the survey. Results indicated that participants generally react favorably to their experiences and suggested ways to further increase the favorability of such reactions. The article suggests that program administrators, applicants, and sponsoring agencies be aware of the factors that contribute to the success of special assignment programs.
Ability Testing in the 1980's and Beyond: Some Major Trends
Authors: Anastasi Anne
Published: July 2015

This article is the complete text of the keynote address delivered at the 1989 International Personnel Management Association Assessment Council Conference, held in Orlando, Florida.

In this article, Anastasi discusses the magnitude of changes in psychological testing and the rapidity of their development. She described trends taking place in three categories: the role of the test user, technical methodology of test construction, and substantive interpretation of test scores. The focus on the test user emphasizes efforts to correct the misuses of tests by unqualified persons in education, industry, clinical practice, and other applied settings. Anastasi reviews the importance of test users having knowledge about the statistical properties of test scores, the psychological characteristics of the behavior assessed, and confirmatory data from other sources, in order to make an adequately informed sustantive interpretation of test scores.

The increasing emphasis on qualified test users has in no way diminished the concern for psychometrically sound instruments. Anastasi outlines approaches to the development of valid tests through multiple procedures, which are employed sequentially, at different stages of test construction. Several examples describe special techniques for local validation purposes. The contribution of validity generalization, item response theory, and adaptive testing are reviewed. Subjective interpretation of test scores requires knowledge about the behavior domain assessed by the test. Many current misuses and misinterpretations of test scores result from erroneous or outdated knowledge about human behavior. Proper interpretation of test scores are examined in relation to real-life contexts—both past and present—within the framework of cultural diversity.
Performance Appraisal: An Unnerving Yet Useful Process
Authors: Glen Robert M.
Published: July 2015

This article describes the challenges that individuals face in appraising employee performance in the workplace. The Navy's Personnel Management Demonstration Project, initiated in July 1980 under Title VI of the Civil Service Reform Act, is offered as an example of recent change in federal performance appraisal, with attitude survey results from affected employees and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) study findings. Finally, conditions for a successful performance appraisal event are suggested. The conclusions reached in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this department nor other Center managers. This is intended as a brief, thought-provoking document on a difficult and controversial topic.
Developing Job Specific Appraisal Factors in Large Organizations
Authors: Solomon Robert J.
Published: July 2015

A method is presented for identifying job specific performance appraisal factors in large organizations across a wide range of jobs. This study covered 375 classifications out of 450 in a county government. Jobs ranged from custodial and labor trades through middle level staff, line, and management positions. A single 284 item duty oriented questionnaire was developed and administered to incumbents in all classifications. Factor analysis was used to isolate 79 factors. These were further reduced to 29 factors through the use of professional judgement. Job specific combinations of these factors were assigned to each classification by managers. Examination of factor overlap within a classification and across departments indicates consistency of factor assignment. Four evaluations suggest that the factors are content valid. The direct cost of implementing this methodology was $15.10 per classification.
Yesterday's Solution Becomes Today's Problem: Consolidating Clerical Classes
Authors: Lewinsohn Thomas F. , Dieckhoff Foster
Published: July 2015

Beginning in the middle 1960's office automation and public sector labor relations impacted on the classification systems of many jurisdictions. New class titles evolved as a result of emerging technology and to preserve management “confidentiality.” Clerical classifications were substantially affected by these trends. This article traces the rise and fall of the number of clerical classifications needed to provide effective administrative support as we enter a new decade.
The Power and Reasons behind Sexual Harassment: An Employer's Guide to Solutions
Authors: Remick Helen , Salisbury Jan , Ginorio Angela B. , Stringer Donna M.
Published: July 2015

This article applies the models of achieved, ascribed and situational power to describe various forms of sexual harassment. Seven specific reasons for sexual harassment are discussed with specific proposals for effective employer responses to each type of harassment.
The Employment Interview: Guaranteed Improvement in Reliability
Authors: Baker Herbert George , Spier Morris S.
Published: July 2015

Much criticism is leveled at the nature and usefulness of the employment interview. Yet, there are continuous efforts made to refine and enhance interview procedures and techniques. Despite its shortcomings, despite the availability of more objective means of selection, classification, and placement, the personal interview is used pervasively.
Public Sector Managers' Reactions to Appraisals by Subordinates
Authors: McEvoy Glenn M.
Published: July 2015

This study is an initial exploration into the user acceptance of subordinate appraisals of managerial performance. Survey data from 128 public sector managers in five organizations suggest that subordinate ratings are acceptable primarily if used for developmental—as opposed to administrative—purposes. User acceptance was related to perceived accuracy and fairness, predicted morale effects, expected distortion, and feelings about the degree of knowledge that subordinates have regarding their managers' jobs. Further, certain management performance dimensions were found to be most appropriate for subordinate rating based on perceptions of accuracy and fairness.
Managing the Grapevine
Authors: Mishra Jitendra
Published: July 2015

The formal network, made up of memos, reports, staff meetings, department meetings, conferences, company newsletters and official notices is highly documented and as such has very little chance for change. However, nearly all of the information within the grapevine is undocumented and is thereby open to change and interpretation as it moves through the network. It often travels faster than formal channels. The grapevine is very useful in supplementing formal channels. It provides people with an outlet for their imaginations and apprehensions as well. It also helps satisfy a natural desire to know what is really going on. The primary objective of this article is to develop a conceptual model to be tested later. The article defines the term rumor/grapevine, discusses reasons for grapevine, exploreshow accurate is grapevine, type of grapevine, how grapevine is spread, role of various participants and how to manage the grapevine. Dealing effectively with the grapevine is a challenge that will always be a part of a manager's job. Those who are able to understand the power of the grapevine will be better prepared to utilize it to provide stability and credibility in the work environment that is needed in order to achieve organizational goals.
Human Resource Implications of Structural Changes in OSD
Authors: Cosier Richard A.
Published: July 2015

Recommendations to change the structure of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) have been offered in the Staff Report to the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate (1985) and the Final Report by the President's Blue Ribbon Commission on Defense Management (1986). Both reports pay little attention to the human implications of structural change. This paper argues that incentives are an important mediator between people and structure. Also, the preferred management style of key leaders needs to fit the organization structure. The Blue Ribbon (Packard) Commission recommendations appear compatible with current incentives and values. However, the Staff Report has major implications requiring changes in job designs and management styles in OSD.
Explaining Rights Arbitrator Willingness to Accept Public Sector Interest Arbitration Cases
Authors: Vest Michael J. , O'Brien Fabius P. , Vest Jusanne Meltzer
Published: July 2015

A model is proposed to explain rights arbitrator willingness to accept interest arbitration cases. Findings suggest that rights arbitrators are more likely to accept interest arbitration cases if they are younger, they are not a NAA member, they have strong beliefs in their ability to render interest arbitration decisions, and they have more experience handling interest arbitration cases. The proposed model accounted for just under half the variance (Adjusted R2 = 0.48) in rights arbitrator willingness to accept interest arbitration cases. Study limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Political Activity among State Executives: The Effect of Hatch Act Repeal
Authors: Pearson William M. , Castle David S.
Published: July 2015

The debate over Hatch Acts centers around the effect repeal would have on political involvement of public servants and relatedly the impact of recision on the public service. This study examines the consequence of Hatch Act repeal from the perspective of high-level state administrators, reporting executives' estimates of their political activity levels at two intervals: the present and, potentially, if state Hatch Acts are repealed. The findings indicate that repeal would result in a significant increase in political activities of state executives. If Hatch Acts are revoked and state executives act according to projections, the goal of a neutral and nonpartisan public service could be jeopardized.
Assessment of a Merit Pay Program for School District Administrators
Authors: Heneman Herbert G. , Young I. Phillip
Published: July 2015

Pay-for performance (PFP) has long been a subject of theoretical and empirical scrutiny. Such examination has occurred from both individual and organizational perspectives. While ultimately complementary, these two perspectives differ in focus and emphasis.
To Grieve or Not to Grieve: Why “Reduce it to Writing?”
Authors: Duane Michael J.
Published: July 2015

Financial and economic implications of processing employee grievances are discussed. Several factors that cause union stewards in the public sector to file grievances are examined. Regression results suggest that while perceived management accommodation, perceived constituent competition, and informal dispute resolution contribute to the variance in grievance rates, clarity of contract langugage does not.
Apprenticeship Training in the Public Sector: Its Use and Operation for Meeting Skilled Craft Needs
Authors: Riccucci Norma M.
Published: July 2015

This article explores in a preliminary way the past and current use of apprenticeship training in the public sector. In particular, it looks at reasons why it has been or is becoming popular with some government employers for training in the skilled, blue-collar professions. Specific apprenticeship experiences in the public sector are described, including the potential benefits and drawbacks.
Organizational Values and Value Congruency and Their Impact on Satisfaction, Commitment, and Cohesion: An Empirical Examination within the Public Sector
Authors: Boxx W. Randy , Odom Randall Y. , Dunn Mark G.
Published: July 2015

The present study examines the impact of organizational values and value congruency on satisfaction, commitment, and cohesion within a not-for-profit setting. Information for the study was collected from 387 highway and transportation department executives. The findings indicate that organizational values affect satisfaction, commitment, and cohesion. Moreover, value congruence (i.e., a fit between professed organizational values and the values deemed appropriate by employees) also impacts these behavioral variables. If organizations lack the values studies and/or value congruence is low, the study results indicate that action should be taken to change the organization's value orientation.
The Urban Public Hospital as Street-Level Bureaucracy: The Employee Perspective
Authors: Thomas John Clayton , Johnson Victoria
Published: July 2015

Urban public hospitals have many of the defining characteristics of Lipsky's (1980) street-level bureaucracy, but relatively little is known about what problems these characteristics produce for hospital employees, professionals in particular. This paper develops evidence on the extent of those problems as reported in a survey of employees of an urban public hospital in the Midwest. The data suggest a divided verdict on Lipsky's predictions. Hospital professionals are dissatisfied with how the hospital constrains, and society disdains, their work, but they are largely satisfied that the intrinsic nature of their work is appropriate to their training. Those findings may mean that the plight of the professional in the urban public hospital is not as bleak as Lipsky implies. As such, that plight may also be amenable to improvement by actions these hospitals can afford.
Institutionalizing Ethics in Government
Authors: Brumback Gary B.
Published: July 2015

Because unethical behavior stems from an interaction of certain personal and situational conditions and invariably affects other people, ethics in government or in any other workplace must be both an individual and an organizational responsibility. There are two kinds of unethical behavior, the legal and the illegal. The legal kind is by far the most common. This article identifies the basic causes of unethical behavior, the essential elements of a government ethics program, and discusses a few of the elements.
Merit Pay in Academia: Perceptions from the School of Business
Authors: Prewitt Lena B. , Phillips J. Donald , Yasin Khalad
Published: July 2015

In a survey of 1000 professors in schools of business accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), this study examined the nature and functioning of merit pay plans and the level of satisfaction with and extent of participation in the design and implementation of these plans in the subject schools. The findings of this study suggest that while merit pay is a concern of professors in AACSB schools, the perceptions and criticisms of merit pay plans do not differ markedly from those reported in the relevant literature.
MPA Graduates and the Dilemma of Job Satisfaction: Does Crossing the Sector Line Make a Difference
Authors: Blunt Barrie E. , Spring Kris Anne
Published: July 2015

This study examines levels of job satisfaction for MPA graduates employed in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Findings are based on a survey and indicate that MPA graduates derive greater satisfaction with pay and promotion opportunities in the private sector than in the public or non-profit sectors. No significant differences were noted between the sectors with regard to work satisfaction or satisfaction with supervisor or co-workers. Further, no differences in levels of satisfaction were noted between four categories of public sector employment; federal, state, regional, or local.
Mechanical vs Consensus- Derived Assessment Center Ratings: A Comparison of Job Performance Validities
Authors: Pynes Joan , Bernardin H. John
Published: July 2015

A comparison of the validities of mechanically-derived and consensus-derived assessment center ratings found no significant differences between the two approaches for the prediction of on-the-job performance. No significant differences were found in the predictive validities on any of the dimensions. Adverse impact percentages were almost identical between the two approaches.
Applicant Drug Testing: An Intriguing Odyssey
Authors: Atwood Jay F.
Published: July 2015

Applicant drug testing is one of the most complex and controversial issues confronting public employers today. Initiating applicant drug testing will result in an intriguing odyssey with many political, legal and personnel policy challenges. The State of California recently completed such a three-year odyssey.
Perceived Importance and Usage of Dress Codes among Organizations That Market Professional Services
Authors: Easterling Cynthia R. , Leslie Judith E. , Jones Michael A.
Published: July 2015

A survey was conducted to investigate the nature and use of employee dress codes of organizations that market professional services. The study sample consisted of personnel administrators employed in selected service organizations that are members of the American Society of Personnel Administrators; the total sample included 1000 administrators. The analysis of responses revealed that dress is important in marketing services and that compliance to a dress code is a criterion for employee performance evaluation. While most administrators agreed that dress is a significant factor in their companies' success, few organizations had formal written dress codes; dress codes are most often communicated orally.

Traditions in the professions, the expectations of customers, Chief Executive Officers of the organizations, and past experiences were the factors that dominate the development of dress codes. On the question of dress code requirements for male vs. female employees, the study revealed that more service organizations specify dress for males than for females. For traditional business attire, comparing the dress codes of the different service organizations revealed several significant relationships.
Predicting Job Performance from Background Characteristics: More Evidence from the Public Sector
Authors: Lavigna Robert J.
Published: July 2015

Despite extensive research on employee selection, managers still do not have clear guidance on whether specific background characteristics predict good performance. To help clarify this issue, this study analyzed the relationships between several academic/work background characteristics and performance appraisal scores for entry-level professionals in a public sector agency. Agency managers were also surveyed to determine if they believed that these characteristics predict performance. Although the managers perceived that most of the characteristics studied are linked to performance, only one characteristic, grade point average, was found to be statistically related to appraisal scores. This study's findings support other research which suggests that it may be better to base employee screening/selection decisions on specific job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities, instead of relying primarily on background characteristic “signals.”
They Ought to Know Better: The Incidence and Correlates of Inappropriate Application Blank Inquiries
Authors: Vodanovich Stephen J. , Lowe Rosemary H.
Published: July 2015

Application blank items from 88 organizations located in the Southeast were examined for job relatedness and compliance with EEOC guidelines. The findings indicated that 100% of the application blanks contained at least two “inadvisable” items, with the average being 7.4 items per form. Further analyses demonstrated that private companies, compared to those that were publicly owned, asked significantly more inadvisable items. Smaller companies did not include significantly more questionable items on their application blanks, although this difference approached statistical significance.
Developing a Theory Z Culture in Local Government
Authors: Watson Douglas J. , Burkhalter Bettye B.
Published: July 2015

The concept of organizational culture became prominent during the 1980s partly because of the international success of Japanese industry. Differences between Japanese and American approaches to developing efficient and productive organizations have been noted extensively in the management literature. While changing organizational culture is not an easy process, it can be accomplished by emphasizing a commitment to the individual employee. Despite the literature's heavy emphasis on the private sector, many of the elements of Theory Z can be found in public organizations. This article describes one city's effort to change culture by emphasizing fair treatment of organizational members, employee involvement, two-way communication, employees' personal development and recognition and camaraderie.
The ADA: Public Personnel Management, Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship
Authors: Greenlaw Paul S. , Kohl John P.
Published: July 2015

The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990. This article reviews and summarizes the impact of the ADA on the public sector, and discusses two key concepts of the law, “reasonable accommodation” and “undue hardship.” These two concepts impact all management functions, including personnel management, and are the most troublesome of the Act to interpret and apply.