bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Personal Value Systems and Decision-Making Styles of Public Managers
Authors: Connor Patrick E. , Becker Boris W.
Published: July 2015

This study investigated the question of whether public managers' personal values are related to their decision-making styles. One hundred sixty-one state government managers participated, completing the Rokeach Value Survey and the Rowe Decision Style Inventory. Results indicate that there is an identifiable relationship: Of Rokeach's 14 clusters of values, 12 were significantly related to particular decision-making styles.
Employee-Proposed Discipline: How Well is it Working?
Authors: King Karen N. , Wilcox Denise E.
Published: July 2015

Using data from 298 disciplinary action records of employees with the City of Albuquerque (New Mexico) Public Works Department from 1995–1999, the researchers examined the use of employee-proposed discipline as provided for in two collective bargaining agreements. Unlike punitive discipline, which typically involves managers coercing employees into changing conduct or job performance, an employee-proposed discipline policy encourages workers to take responsibility for their actions by allowing them to propose their own discipline. Results of the study indicate that employee-proposed discipline is being used in approximately 40 percent of the disciplinary actions and that the management acceptance rate is about 60 percent, even though the discipline proposed by employees was more lenient than that recommended by management.
‘Hands up’: Mentoring in the New Zealand Public Service
Authors: Bhatta Gambhir , Washington Sally
Published: July 2015

Mentoring is now widely accepted as a useful tool for helping individuals develop their careers, and for organizations to enhance their human resource capability. Using the results from the 2000 Career Progression Survey, this paper sketches the status and nature of mentoring evident in the New Zealand Public Service (NZPS). In particular, the survey results show that mentoring is now practiced throughout NZPS, and contrary to evidence elsewhere, women — specifically, women managers — are more likely to be mentored than their male counterparts. The paper also compares the survey results with existing jurisdictional and conceptual evidence, in particular on Hale's (1995) categorization of four sets of problems in mentoring. While evidence on two of the four questions (‘recognition’ and ‘mentor identification’) is corroborated in the NZPS, further inquiry is necessary on the ‘variance’ and ‘socialization’ problems.
Municipal Government Part-Time Employee Benefits Practices
Authors: Roberts Gary E.
Published: July 2015

Municipal government part-time employee benefit practices were analyzed using a sample of 358 local governments. Municipal governments provide part-time employees with benefits at significantly lower rates than for full-time employees. The provision of part-time benefits is associated with organizations that provide more family-friendly benefits and have more highly educated personnel directors and benefits administrators. The most frequently provided municipal part-time benefits include vacation, sick leave pension and health insurance. Municipal government benefit provision levels are substantially higher than private sector employers, however.
The Next Wave of Civil Service Reform
Authors: Beecher Donna D.
Published: July 2015

New civil service demonstration projects are necessary to drive continuous improvements in human capital management. Current discussions about civil service reform center on concepts that are embedded in 20–year old demonstration projects, concepts such as pay banding and pay for individual performance. More recent demonstration projects test modest variations to these well-established concepts. New demonstration projects that test fresh concepts will generate lessons for the next wave of civil service reform.
Linking Employee Assessments to Succession Planning
Authors: Kim Soonhee
Published: July 2015

Due to widespread downsizing and an aging workforce, succession planning is rapidly becoming a key strategic planning tool for human resource management and for improving government performance and accountability. The purpose of this paper is to offer ideas on the connection between employee assessments and succession planning. After describing links between employee assessment and succession planning, the paper presents results from a survey designed to measure employee attitudes toward career development and perceptions of succession planning at the Nevada Operations Office of the Department of Energy. The paper analyzes how employee assessment procedures can take into account career development, training needs, retirement plans, workforce diversity, succession planning and mentoring programs. Last, the significance of employee assessment procedures for facilitating succession planning management decisions that comply with organizational objectives as well as strategic workforce plans is discussed.
The Relationship between Self-Esteem and Job Satisfaction of Personnel in Government Organizations
Authors: Alavi Hamid Reza , Askaripur Mohammad Reza
Published: July 2015

In this article, the relationship between self-esteem and job satisfaction (satisfaction from the kind and the nature of work, satisfaction from the manager or supervisor, satisfaction from co-workers, satisfaction from promotion, satisfaction from salary and wages) are considered and examined. A random sample of 310 personnel in the Kerman province of Iran was selected. Two valid and reliable questionnaires, the Kruskal-Wallis test and the median test, were used in data analysis. The results indicated that there is a meaningful (significant) relationship between self-esteem and the following factors: The degree of job satisfaction; the degree of satisfaction from the kind and the nature of work; the degree of satisfaction from the manager or the supervisor; the degree of satisfaction from the co-workers; the degree of self-esteem and the degree of satisfaction from promotion; and the degree of satisfaction from salary and wages. There is no significant difference between the degree of job satisfaction and its five dimensions, in the different levels of each of the modifying variables: sex, age, salary, marriage, the number of family and the record of service.
A Content-Oriented Approach to Setting Minimum Qualifications
Authors: Prien Erich P. , Hughse Garry L.
Published: July 2015

Minimum qualifications (MQ's) are typically estimated using a whole job, impressionistic approach. This article reports a series of quantitative job analysis studies using a decomposed approach with replication, and then extended to a comparison using a holistic approach for a sample of jobs. The results indicate that Subject Matter Experts (SME's) agree on the years of educational attainment scaling of GED scale interval definitions (replicated), that job analysts can reliably assign GED ratings to tasks (replicated) and that job analysts can reliably assign GED ratings using a holistic approach. The decomposed and the holistic approach differ slightly in their results, with the decomposed approach producing a more conservative estimate of MQ's and less differentiation among jobs. The conclusion drawn from these studies is that educational MQ's can be established for clerical jobs using either of these techniques.
Women and Minorities in State Government Agencies
Authors: Kim Chon-Kyun
Published: July 2015

This paper explores the relationship between size, type and location of agency and representation of women and minorities in state government agencies through an examination of the recent demographic data on full-time employees in the state governments of Michigan and Pennsylvania. Findings indicate that while type and location of agency are directly linked to female representation in Pennsylvania and Michigan, these variables are not related to minority representation. Women are likely to be overrepresented in redistributive agencies and agencies located in large cities. Surprisingly, size of agency is not linked to female or minority representation in either of these states. Further, women and minorities tend to be overrepresented in clerical and paraprofessional jobs and underrepresented in administrative and technical jobs, as past studies demonstrated. African Americans are well represented, whereas other minorities, such as Hispanics and Asian Americans, are poorly represented in these states.
Motivating Personnel at Russian Nuclear Power Plants: A Case-Study of Motivation Theory Application
Authors: Katsva Masha , Condrey Stephen E.
Published: July 2015

The article examines the case of personnel management at the facilities of the Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy (Minatom). The data are derived from surveys of nuclear facility employees conducted by Minatom Professional Training Institute Atomenergo. This analysis compares the survey's findings on personnel motivation with the findings of a major Russian polling organization, and uses motivation theory to develop recommendations for personnel management strategies at Russian nuclear power plants (NPPs). The study has important implications as increased scrutiny is focused on the safety and security of Russia's nuclear stockpile and ultimately on the role that personnel management systems will play in positively or negatively influencing nuclear security.

The article also draws upon the authors' experience in teaching and consulting with the Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy since 1999. Additionally, one of the authors is a Russian citizen.
Ethical Leadership and Administrative Discretion: The Fire Chief's Hiring Dilemma
Authors: Haraway William M. , Kunselman Julie C.
Published: July 2015

Recent efforts to reform government are challenging many of the basic theoretical and managerial assumptions of governance at the federal, state, and local levels. Under the political rubric of reinventing government, reform initiatives have devolved administrative decision making to more local levels. In practice this can result in ethical dilemmas for local government administrators as they attempt to reconcile constitutional governance, legal accountability and political environments with the search for flexibility, innovation, and productivity while mimicking private sector processes and practices. This article describes such an ethical dilemma faced by a local government human resource manager and fire chief who were confronted with the decision to succumb to political pressure from prominent citizens, volunteer fire chiefs and city council members to hire unqualified firefighter candidates, or to discount their input and reject the candidates. The authors describe the ethical dilemma and discuss the importance of practicing ethical leadership to build public trust and accountability in the responsible use of administrative discretion while pursuing the public interest.
Institutional Values: The Foundation for Civil Service Change
Authors: Schuh Anna Marie
Published: July 2015

The U.S. federal civil service system, which focuses on using common human resource management procedures developed through a political process, is disappearing. Since the literature suggests that inclusion of institutional values is key to successful administrative systems such as human resource (HR) management, developers of alternative federal HR systems need to know what values are most important to American institutional stakeholders. This research addresses the question of most important values from the perspective of one key stakeholder—the president. Recognizing that the president as the institutional gatekeeper is the most sensitive articulator of American values, the author uses content analysis of presidential speeches to determine which values the president articulates most frequently. The research finds that presidents consistently use ethics language when speaking to the nation. Performance and support are also regular subjects, but their intensity varies over time. Although presidents showed little interest in leadership language during colonial times, as the nation has aged, leadership language has grown exponentially.
Merit Pay in a Public Higher Education Institution: Questions of Impact and Attitudes
Authors: Schulz Eric R. , Tanguay Denise Marie
Published: July 2015

The use of merit pay is increasing in public institutions. The prevalence of merit pay has extended to public universities to evaluate faculty performance. A general perception is that faculty scholarship is disproportionably used relative to instructional and service activities in assessing whether merit pay is warranted. Yet, little actual empirical research has been conducted to predict what components of faculty performance lead to merit pay awards. A survey concerning perceptions of faculty performance and subsequent merit pay was distributed to the entire faculty of a large public eastern research university. Logistic regression analysis found faculty research activities were significantly more predictive of merit pay receipt compared to instructional and service performance. Female faculty members were less supportive of merit pay compared to their male colleagues and perceived less improvement in their overall performance post merit pay awards.
Looking for Loyalty in All the Wrong Places: A Study of Union and Organization Commitments
Authors: Carson Paula Phillips , Carson Kerry D. , Birkenmeier Betty , Toma Alfred G.
Published: July 2015

Unionized public employees were divided into those who were (a) committed to the union, (b) committed to the organization, (c) committed to both the organization and the union, and (d) uncommitted. ANCOVA was used to assess the effect of differential impacts of commitment on organizational outcomes.

It was found that two groups (the dually committed and the organizationally committed) generally had higher positive outcomes that the other two groups (the uncommitted and the unionists). For example, the dually committed and the organizationally committed report higher job satisfaction, supervisory effectiveness, occupational identity, and control over work as compared to the other two groups. However, when comparing those who were dually committed to those who were organizationally committed, it was found that there was only one significant positive outcome—enhanced union-management relations. In contrast, those who were dually committed compared to those who were unionists report higher job satisfaction, promotion satisfaction, occupational identity, community support, supervisory trust, supervisory effectiveness, enhanced control and improve morale. Therefore, from the organizational perspective, there may be some marginal value in fostering dual commitment. More importantly however, it would be counterproductive to use resources to compete against the union for employee loyalty. From the union perspective, it appears that their members would greatly benefit from being dually committed.
Collective Bargaining and Deputy Sheriffs in Florida: An Unusual History
Authors: Pynes Joan E. , Corley Brian
Published: July 2015

There is an unusual history of collective bargaining and deputy sheriffs in the state of Florida. While police officers have been allowed to unionize and collectively bargain since 1968, it has only been since 2003 that deputy sheriffs have been given that right. (Please note that despite the similarities in job duties, deputy sheriffs were not considered to be public employees for the purposes of collective bargaining.)
The U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies Constructive Discharge under Title VII
Authors: Crumpacker Martha , Crumpacker Jill M.
Published: July 2015

In 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court established a defense for employers to minimize liability against a Title VII claim of hostile work environment due to a supervisor's harassment unless the employee suffered a tangible employment action, such as termination, demotion, or an undesirable reassignment. At that time, the Supreme Court did not address whether a tangible employment action includes constructive discharge. Since then, circuit courts of appeals have reached conflicting conclusions, resulting in possible inconsistencies in human resources advice and guidance. On June 14, 2004, the Supreme Court resolved the split among the circuits in Pennsylvania State Police v. Suders. This article revisits the current employer liability defense, the effect of the Suders decision on that defense and the responsibilities and opportunities that Suders imputes to human resources practitioners to minimize employer liability in constructive discharge cases.
Causes of Employee Turnover in Sheriff Operated Jails
Authors: Price William H. , Kiekbusch Richard , Theis John
Published: July 2015

County jails have faced a high employee turnover problem for some time. For this study, five county jails were surveyed to determine the predominant predictors for turnover. This county government environment includes management problems not often found in a typical corporate scenario. Certain predictors for turnover are under the control of the sheriff, the government, and the economy. It was concluded that the most important variables a managing sheriff can actually control include communication of genuine interest, realistic promotion opportunities and the full use of employee skills.
Organizational Trust, Trust in the Chief Executive and Work Satisfaction
Authors: Perry Ronald W. , Mankin Lawrence D.
Published: July 2015

This article examines the interrelationships among employee trust in the chief executive of the organization, trust in the organization and work satisfaction. These three concepts capture the essential experience of the employee's work life, but their interrelationships have been more often a subject for speculation than for research. Employees in one government organization and one manufacturing firm offered their visions of critical features in managerial trust and organizational trust. With respect to defining chief executive trust, employees emphasized the manager's employee orientation, honesty, ability, fairness and forthrightness. Critical features that employees used to define organizational trust included the social significance of organizational mission, quality of output, and the organization's persistence beyond the human lifespan. Trust in the chief executive and organizational trust were found to be uncorrelated with one another, as expected from the conceptual review. Instead, these variables were conceptually linked through their individual relationships with employee work satisfaction.
Affirmative Action in Federal Employment: Good Intentions Run Amuck?
Authors: Kogut Carl A. , Short Larry E.
Published: July 2015

This study examines the impact of affirmative action programs on federal employment to determine if equality of opportunity has been achieved across the various occupational categories and management, professional and supervisory positions. The study differs from most studies of EEO in that it utilizes the five-percent Public Use Microdata Sample from the 2000 Census rather than the database normally used by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The findings suggest that after 40 years of intensive affirmative action efforts the federal government continues to employ a disproportionate number of minority group members than would be expected from their representation in the labor force. The disparity in employment of various minority group members is surprisingly large, suggesting that good intentions may have only intensified discrimination in federal employment for some minority employees.
Psychological Testing in Personnel Selection, Part I: A Century of Psychological Testing
Authors: Scroggins Wesley A. , Thomas Steven L. , Morris Jerry A.
Published: July 2015

This article is the first in a three-part series that examines the development of selection testing. Part I focuses on the historical development of personnel selection testing from the late 19th century to the present, with particular attention given to personality testing. Attention is given to the efforts of early industrial psychologists that shaped and defined the role of testing in the scientific selection of employees. Part II examines the development of methods and standards in employment testing with particular emphasis on selection validity and utility. Issues of selection fairness and discrimination in selection are explored as they relate to psychological testing. Part III explores the development and application of personality testing. The transient nature of models of personality is noted, and current paradigms and the utility and fairness of personality testing for modern organizations are discussed.
Nonrandom Response and Rater Variance in Job Analysis Surveys: A Cause for Concern?
Authors: Stetz Thomas A. , Beaubien J. Mathew , Keeney Michael J. , Lyons Brian D.
Published: July 2015

When conducting a job analysis, one of the most prevalent strategies for establishing content validity is using an incumbent survey. A major issue related to surveys is the possibility of receiving a low rate of response. To further the job analysis literature, this article reports on a study conducted to examine the characteristics related to nonrandom response and rater variance in job analysis surveys. Job analytic surveys were randomly distributed to incumbents in 21 different jobs in a U.S. federal government agency. A total of 150 out of 349 (43%) surveys were completed and submitted for further analysis. Results indicated that race, job performance, and employee grade were significantly related to survey return, and education was related to rater variance. The practical implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.
How Does the SCHIP Exclusion Affect Health Insurance Coverage for Children of Low Income State Workers?
Authors: Ketsche Patricia , Gabel Joan T. A. , Mansfield Nancy R.
Published: July 2015

A provision of the law that created the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to provide low cost coverage for moderate income children whose parents do not have employment-based coverage excludes children whose families are eligible for participation in a state employee health benefit plan from enrollment in the state's SCHIP program. This exclusion applies even when a child is not covered and would otherwise be eligible for SCHIP based on his or her family's income. This article presents an analysis of the implication of this policy on coverage among state employee dependents and the potential effect on these children. We found no evidence that low income children of state workers were disproportionately lacking coverage from 2002 to 2004, but rapidly increasing premiums in state benefit plans may portend problems for these children.
Managing Talent in the South African Public Service
Authors: Kock Ruwayne , Burke Mark
Published: July 2015

Given South Africa's social and economic development challenges, general human resources management (HRM) practices may not be adequate to address the challenges of transformation and executing the expected developmental role. A review of the literature and practices regarding the envisaged role of the Public Service in what is characterized as a developmental state is undertaken here, and the existing inadequacies with respect of attracting and retaining skilled employees are highlighted. The argument is offered that talent management should be adopted as a complementary HRM practice to achieve Public Service objectives. This is necessary in the context of a shortage of skills and the need to redress past racial biases in the Public Service.
Employees' Perception of Organizational Change: The Mediating Effects of Stress Management Strategies
Authors: Yu Ming-Chu
Published: July 2015

This study explores employees' perception of organizational change and how those perceptions are shaped by trust and stress management strategies. Four hundred and five analyzable surveys were received from employees of four Taiwanese governmental departments undergoing change. These surveys were conducted within the Ministry of National Defense, the Coast Guard Administration, the National Police Agency, and the National Fire Agency. Results showed that organizational change had a significant negative influence on employees' trust and job involvement. However, stress management strategies and an understanding of organizational change can positively influence employees' organizational identification and job involvement. As a result, it is suggested that stress management workshops be instituted within an organization undergoing change in order to provide strategies for stress relief and to improve employees' organizational identification and job involvement.
Perceived Fairness of a Background Information Form and a Job Knowledge Test
Authors: Forsberg Anna M. , Shultz Kenneth S.
Published: July 2015

Applicants for the jobs of engineering aide and plumber with a large public employer were asked to provide their assessments of the perceived fairness of two different HR selection devices—a background information form and a written job knowledge test. Significant differences were found in the applicants' perceptions of the fairness of the two selection devices. In addition, the differences found depended on the classification of the job for which individuals were applying. Specifically, engineering aide applicants saw the background information inventory as more just, while plumber applicants preferred the written exam. Implications of the results for HR selection are discussed.
Conflict Handling Preferences: A Public-Private Comparison
Authors: Brewer Brian , Lam Gilbert K.Y.
Published: July 2015

In recent years the traditional boundaries between the public and private sectors have become increasingly blurred as public organizations have adopted business-oriented management policies and practices. Yet, there is evidence to suggest that public sector employment continues to attract individuals with different values and expectations than those who choose a career with a profit-making firm. In this study, the Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory (ROCI-II) was administered to a total of 107 Hong Kong Chinese accountants from the Treasury Department and a large private accounting firm, to test whether the same interpersonal conflict-handling strategies would be used in conflict situations with a superior. The data indicated that public and private sector employees are similar in their overall approach to conflict resolution. However public employees favored more strongly the integrating, problem-solving approach, which requires information exchange, looking for alternatives and reaching a solution acceptable to all. These findings are interpreted in relation to the Hong Kong public sector's well-established principles of procedural due process and formal dispute-resolution mechanisms. The study indicates that the public-private distinction continues to exist and it is not appropriate to apply universally private sector strategies to personnel management in public organizations.
Does Job Standardization Increase Organizational Citizenship Behavior?
Authors: Chen Li-Chan , Niu Han-Jen , Wang Yau-De , Yang Chyan , Tsaur Sheng-Hshiung
Published: July 2015

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is of key importance in the workplace. Researchers have discussed numerous motivation factors affecting OCB, but they have not examined the relative contributions of job standardization to OCB. This article describes an empirical study that examined the relationship between job standardization and OCB in the hospitality sector. Regression analysis of survey data from 214 hotel employees supported the relationship between job standardization and OCB. ANOVA analysis revealed that high degrees of job standardization indicate a higher level of OCB.
Florida's HR Reforms: Service First, Service Worst, or Something in Between?
Authors: Crowell Elsie B. , Guy Mary E.
Published: July 2015

Despite the original intent of civil service reform as set forth in the Pendleton Act of 1883, some states have implemented reforms that drastically alter the HR function as envisioned by early policymakers. The State of Florida offers an example of such reforms. This paper reports a study of how selected state employees perceive and interpret the outcome of Florida's 2001 civil service reform and privatized HR administrative processes. Respondents give mixed reports on the civil service reform but uniformly report that it has become more difficult to manage the HR function since it was outsourced.
The Micromanagement Disease: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Cure
Authors: White Richard D.
Published: July 2015

“The best executive is one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done,” Theodore Roosevelt once observed, “and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” Unfortunately, many managers have not heeded TR's century-old advice to practice self restraint, but instead needlessly over-manage, over-scrutinize, and over-frustrate employees. Such meddlesome bosses now are called micromanagers.

A micromanager can be much more than just a nuisance in today's complex organization. The bothersome boss who second guesses every decision a subordinate makes, frets about the font size of the latest progress report, or inspects all of his employees emails not only frustrates and demoralizes his harassed workers, but seriously damages the productivity of the organization and, over the long run, may jeopardize the organization's survival. Unfortunately, micromanagement is a fact of management life. Why do so many people hate to be micromanaged, yet so many managers continue to do it? Why have we all worked for micromanagers—but have never been one ourselves? But have we? Maybe the noted management consultant and cartoon icon, Pogo, had it right when he quipped, “We have met the enemy…and he is us.”

Micromanagement now commonly refers to the control of an enterprise in every particular and to the smallest detail, with the effect of obstructing progress and neglecting broader, higher-level policy issues. Micromanagement has been practiced and recognized well before we labeled it as an organizational pathology. In 1946, Peter Drucker called for a “democracy of management” whereby organizations need to decentralize and delegate more decision making authority to employees. In 1960, Douglas McGregor described a Theory X manager as one possessing many of the characteristics of the modern micromanager, one who is poor at proper delegating but one who believes he delegates well. While micromanagement has always disrupted organizational life, it only recently has entered the workplace vocabulary, with the first mention of the term appearing in 1975 in an article in the Economist. Since then, increasing concern has been focused on the impact of picayune bosses.
The Challenges of Competency Testing in a Divided Society
Authors: Bissessar Ann Marie
Published: July 2015

In 2005, in the small twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies, the government in a radical departure from the old method of promotion based primarily on seniority introduced competency testing in order to fill the newly established positions of deputy permanent secretaries. This new method of promotion, however, has been fraught with a number of problems such as charges of cultural bias, and allegations that there was inadequate time to prepare for these tests. One of the more pressing complaints leveled against the new method of promotion, however, was that while it was supposed to allow for transparency and impartiality, this did not occur. It was also suggested that the lack of transparency was an indication that the method of competency testing was merely a façade by which the government ensured that its supporters maintained top positions in the public service. This paper has a number of objectives. Firstly, it looks at some of the factors that were responsible for the change from promotion based on seniority to that of competency. Secondly, it examines the problems that were experienced in introducing such a system. It also investigates the extent to which the charges of patronage were valid.

This paper looks at the introduction of competency testing for the first time in the public services of Trinidad and Tobago. This new mechanism was introduced in order to fill the newly established positions of deputy permanent secretaries. However, a number of officers have filed claims for judicial review claiming that the process of selection intended to promote supporters of the ruling party to top-level positions. This paper, using an old model proposed by Fred Riggs in the 1966, suggests that while a new model may be applied as a result of either ideological or global pressures, what actually emerges is that it may prove to be unsuccessful because the old attitudes, beliefs, values and mistrust are still prevalent in that society. In addition, while the trappings of the “new” fads are imposed, it is not accompanied by the basic culture to support its introduction. Inevitably a brief background to the country will first set the stage for the discussion which follows.
Managing Stress in the Expatriate Family: A Case Study of the State Department of the United States of America
Authors: Wilkinson Amanda , Singh Gangaram
Published: July 2015

We identified international relocation as a source of stress for the expatriate family as it generates uncertainty, reduces control and increases ambiguity. We then described the initiatives taken by the State Department of the United States of America to reduce the stress that the family feels when relocating to a foreign assignment. Each initiative is discussed in terms of its potential to reduce uncertainty, increase control and reduce ambiguity. We concluded that the State Department provides a comprehensive set of initiatives which can help to reduce stress in the foreign-service family.
Reorganization or Political Smokescreen: The Incremental and Temporary Use of At-Will Employment in Mississippi State Government
Authors: Goodman Doug , Mann Stacey
Published: July 2015

In recent years, Mississippi has temporarily suspended civil service protections for employees in some departments, reorganized those departments, and then reinstated civil service protection in those departments. State HR directors are surveyed to seek their opinions about at-will employment. Five survey items focus on the respondents' opinions concerning at-will employment as a managerial instrument; the responses are discussed and analyzed. We find that HR directors from smaller agencies and HR directors who trust political officials find utility in at-will employment as a managerial tool. We also find that female HR directors and HR directors with private sector experience disagree with the at-will employment in the public sector as a managerial tool.
System Failure: Implementing Pay for Performance in the Department of Defense's National Security Personnel System
Authors: Haga Barbara I. , Richman Roger , Leavitt William
Published: July 2015

The National Security Personnel System (NSPS) was to be a transformational reform of the federal civil service, designed to increase manager's flexibility, discretion and effectiveness in supervising some 700,000 Defense Department civilian employees. The new system replaced the traditional GS classification and rating system with a pay for performance model. The NSPS used broad pay bands, pay pools, “performance shares,” distribution formulas, a new five-level rating system, and important changes to labor relations and collective bargaining subjects, all without significant participation and support from employee unions. It didn't work. After five years of troubled implementation, widespread employee dissatisfaction and mistrust of the new system, lawsuits and lobbying, Congress dismantled the NSPS and directed that more than 200,000 participants be returned to the GS system. This article reviews the history of pay for performance in the federal government, then reviews the failed implementation of NSPS, and concludes with a preview of the future of pay for performance within the federal government after the demise of the NSPS.
Information Technology in Human Resource Management: An Empirical Assessment
Authors: Mishra Alok , Akman Ibrahim
Published: July 2015

The present paper begins by introducing a number of observations on the applications of information technology (IT) in the field of human resource management (HRM) in general. This is due to the fact that IT and its wide range of applications have already made their presence felt in this area. This will be followed by a report on the findings of a survey on the present trends in organizations with in the different sectors in Turkey. Although the impact of IT on HRM has long been attracting the interest of academics, no empirical research has ever been realized in this field in Turkey, and few studies have been reported elsewhere. The survey was conducted among the 106 IT managers and professionals from various sectors, based on whose results, the data shows that IT is used extensively in the organizations to perform HRM functions in Turkey's dynamic economy. The results also indicated that, while IT has an impact on all sectors in terms of HRM to certain extent, the types of IT used vary significantly between recruitment, maintenance, and development tasks. However, the empirical results here reveal that these organizations are not applying these technologies systematically and maturely in the performance of HRM functions.
The Impact of Management Work Habits on Public Sector Performance: A Study of Local Government Managers
Authors: West Jonathan P. , Berman Evan M.
Published: July 2015

This study finds that hands-on strategies of working with individual managers are effective in identifying, addressing and overcoming bad management work habits. Up to now, very little has been known about the work habits of public sector managers and their impact on perceptions of organizational performance. Based on a national survey of senior managers in city governments with populations over 50,000, this study finds that while productive work habits are widely present, bad management work habits are also significantly present. The latter most commonly involve managers being overly passive, judgmental, defensive, intimidating, closed-minded or tardy in their performance. Bad (or, unproductive) management work habits significantly 1) offset performance gains from good (or, productive) management work habits, and 2) are a highly significant barrier to cultivating good work habits. Raising awareness of managers' bad habits is an essential step in addressing them. Managers' work habits are significantly associated with perceptions of organizational productivity, and addressing bad management work habits is therefore a significant pathway to higher performance.
Performance Management and Appraisal in Human Service Organizations: Management and Staff Perspectives
Authors: Selden Sally , Sowa Jessica E.
Published: July 2015

To demonstrate their effectiveness, nonprofit organizations, like public and private sector organizations, are facing increasing pressure to demonstrate how well they perform and their plans for future improvement. An essential part of this process of measuring and fostering effectiveness is managing the performance of organizational members; typically this is accomplished with performance management processes, as the ability of nonprofit organizations to meet their goals is directly dependent upon the ability of the staff to perform effectively in the management and delivery of services. Performance management systems have been studied extensively in the public and for-profit sectors but have not been adequately explored in the nonprofit sector to surface possible sector-specific challenges. This study addresses this gap in the nonprofit knowledge base by comparing the utilization of different components of a performance management system from the perspective of management and frontline staff. It identifies gaps in the perceptions of management and staff concerning performance management and identifies five different models of performance management systems, concluding with lessons for practice.
Workplace Violence: Awareness, Prevention, and Response
Authors: Bruce Mary D. , Nowlin William A.
Published: July 2015

The purpose of this study is to determine if formal organizational policies on workplace violence (WV) influence hiring practices, employee training, and ability to manage violent situations. A sample of 72 members of the Industrial Relations Research Association, which has been renamed Labor and Employment Relations Association, completed an Internet original survey on WV, with 40 organizations having these types of policies. Findings indicated that organizations with formal policies on WV were more likely to have heightened awareness of issues involving WV than organizations without these types of policies. WV policies generally are zero tolerance; however, they may lack enforcement by supervisors. Having a formal policy on WV may indicate that organizations are more aware of and concerned with protecting their employees and clients from violent situations.
Promoting and Auditing Affirmative Action in the South African Public Service
Authors: Sing Danny
Published: July 2015

The South African Constitution and concomitant legislation lay the policy foundations for promoting, monitoring and evaluating affirmative action in the South African Public Service which is the largest employer in the country. In 2006, the Public Service Commission, which is a principal oversight state institution, published as part of its Constitutional mandate, a major document entitled: An Audit of Affirmation Action in the Public Service. Its findings and recommendations pose significant challenges for legislators and public managers.
Future Shock for Personnel Administration
Authors: Mitchell James M. , Schroeder Rolfe E.
Published: July 2015

“We may define future shock as the distress, both physical and psychological, that arises from an overload of the human organism's physical adaptive systems and its decision making processes. Put more simply, future shock is the human response to over-stimulation.”
Legislated Arbitration: Legality, Enforceability, and Face-Saving
Authors: Bowers Mollie H.
Published: July 2015

Challenges to the legality of legislated arbitration will occur, but without sting; enforcement will be successful, though little needed; and its exploitation as a face-saving device by both parties is likely to continue.
Improving Applicants' Performance in the Completion of Applications
Authors: Porter Wayne R. , Levine Edward L.
Published: July 2015

“Applicants often reduce their chances of hire by submitting deficient application forms and, in so doing, reduce the personnel administrator's capacity to reliably and validly evaluate the applicant. A new brochure for applicants has been introduced in Arizona to help solve this problem; it is described in some detail in this article.”
Can Urban Management Control the Organized Employee?
Authors: Saltzstein Alan L.
Published: July 2015

“The conclusions of this study argue that city managers view themselves as representatives of management and as such they are prone to oppose the demands of labor organizations. They may also be supported by councils who desire the control of organized employees. If this is true, municipal labor faces a potent force when it tries to tangle with public management in council-manager communities.”
Monitoring Position Classification—Practical Problems & Possible Solutions
Authors: Schulkind Gilbert A.
Published: July 2015

“This article seeks to examine the practical problems and pressures on the monitoring authority in a post-audit system of classification control, and it proposes a change in law to provide grade retention rather than salary retention, when jobs are found to be overgraded, as a means of defusing these pressures. It also proposes that the CSC be given authority to require suitable management improvements and organizational changes when necessary or desirable.”
Employing the Black Administrator
Authors: Williams Cortez H.
Published: July 2015

“The rationale for this paper stems from the fact that black administrators in white corporate and governmental structures in this country are a relatively new phenomenon. Therefore, we must conclude that, because of the cultural diversity, black administrators have met and will continue to encounter a wide spectrum of socio-political administrative problems that are not specifically stressed or deemed warranted for study in the classroom. Although the problems discussed are mainly those of blacks, their relevance to other ethnic minority groups is important also.”
Ineffectiveness and Inefficiency in Government Management
Authors: Imundo Louis V.
Published: July 2015

“In recent years the public has been reluctant to accept tax increases, the principle means of supporting government services. one reason is the public's belief that government is ineffective and inefficient.”
Should Personnel Selection Tests Be Used on a Pass-Fail, Grouping, or Ranking Basis?
Authors: Sproule Charles F.
Published: July 2015

The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures contain provisions on “Method of Use” of selection procedures. These provisions indicate that tests should be used on a ranking, grouping, or pass-fail basis depending on a number of criteria.

This article reviews legal requirements and professional testing standards as they pertain to method of use; describes a trend in merit system cerfitication practices, which represents one method of controlling how test scores are used; provides guidance and procedures which can be used to help decide on the appropriate method of use; provides guidance on the use of score grouping; and gives examples of how to explain grouping to applicants, legislators and others.

The information in this article is a summary of information and concepts presented in a pre-conference workshop on this topic at the 1983 Annual Conference of the International Personnel Management Association Assessment Council.
Saving Millions through Judicious Selection of Employees
Authors: Schultz Charles B.
Published: July 2015

Tests and other personnel selection procedures help in selecting good employees. Test utility studies show the value of selection for increasing productivity. Information about a test and about productivity of the workers can be used to quantify the gain that can be achieved by selecting the better workers. Increasing productivity by $5,000 per year per hire is not too much to expect.
Work Group Reactions to New Members: Tool or Trap in Making Selection Decisions?
Authors: Fairfield-Sonn James W.
Published: July 2015

While most models of the employee selection process emphasize the need to match individuals with organizations, this paper goes a step further by suggesting work group reactions to new members should also be considered in making these decisions. A theoretical model for predicting these reactions is presented. The model suggests a group's receptivity to a new member in general and the nature of the specific position to be filled will interact to create four different types of reactions. These reactions are acceptance, avoidance, confrontation, or nurturance. After the diagnostic model is described, several practical applications of the model are discussed.
Productivity Management for Public Sector Organizations
Authors: Hyde Albert C.
Published: July 2015

Productivity improvement is arguably the most significant management theme of the 1980s. Major declines in the nation's annual rate of productivity growth have alarmed many private and public sector leaders and have spawned a host of new initiatives by organizations to increase productivity. Organizational approaches have integrated traditional measurement techniques with new forms of participative management to include team building, quality circles, and quality of worklife experimentation. Six major models for productivity improvement are examined and implications for personnel managers explored.