bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Job Applicants' Perceptions of Resumes versus Employment Application Forms in the Recruitment Process in a Public Organization
Authors: Udechukwu Ikwukananne , Manyak Terrell
Published: July 2015

The aim of the research was to determine the differences in job applicants' perceptions when using resumes versus employment application forms in the recruitment process. Of six variables that were investigated for each type of job application tool— ease of use, accuracy, conveyance of information, flexibility, convenience, and preference, only ease of use produced a difference in perception in favor of resumes for the job applicants in the recruitment process. Other variables showed no difference in the way job applicants perceived the use of resumes or employment application forms. This research helps to dispel misperceptions regarding individual preferences associated with either using resumes or employment application forms in the recruitment process. It was concluded that it may still be important to require job applicants to submit both resumes and employment application forms since neither was identified as having a clear advantage over the other.
Why Age Matters in the Work Preferences of Public Employees: A Comparison of Three Age-Related Explanations
Authors: Bright Leonard
Published: July 2015

Age diversity is a major issue in the American public sector workplace. Public managers must figure out how to retain and motivate highly skilled older employees who are transitioning out of the workplace, while at the same time remaining attractive to lesser skilled younger employees who are entering into the workplace. Fulfilling this goal is more difficult in light of the evidence that older and younger public employees desire different work opportunities. Before managers develop effective strategies to respond to these age differences, they must first understand why these differences are present. This study sought to explore why age differences are present by comparing three explanations. Using a sample of three hundred and forty-nine public employees drawn from a large county jurisdiction in Oregon, this study revealed that the reasons why age matters depends on employees' generational differences, access to desirable work opportunities, and socialization experiences in public organizations. The implications of this study for theory and practice in the field of public administration are discussed.
Balancing Outlook: Assessment of Public Service Training in Hong Kong by Providers and Clients
Authors: Vyas Lina
Published: July 2015

Do clients and providers embrace similar views on the value and outcome of services? Usually, evaluations by clients of training services in the public sector do not receive serious attention as one group of officials succeeds another. Such a practice severely restricts the prospect of improvement, since the providers' opinions are not formally sought. This article seeks to achieve a balanced view by soliciting opinions of both clients and providers of training programs offered at the Civil Service Training and Development Institute (CSTDI) in Hong Kong. Surveys and interviews were carried out to explore the views of both clients and providers on the training programs, their contents, and impact. The response from trainees and trainers reveal differences as well as similarities. Trainees feel that training generally keeps them informed about the latest developments but doesn't help them to adjust to the changing environment. Further they felt that adequate training was not provided for performing on the job. Trainers have different views, but there is consensus to the fact that the institute is unable to cope with the task and responsibility of training the entire public service and there is a realization that it is difficult to anticipate the future training needs since changes are very rapid.
Competency-Based Management—An Integrated Approach to Human Resource Management in the Canadian Public Sector
Authors: Bonder Arieh , Bouchard Carl-Denis , Bellemare Guy
Published: July 2015

With a new appreciation for the value of their employees, many organizations are moving rapidly to embrace Competency-Based Management, a relatively new approach to human resource management. Competency-Based Management involves the management of key HR activities such as staffing, learning and performance management, around a competency profile for the work to be carried out. This article describes how Service Canada, a key service delivery agency within the Canadian Federal Public Service, was able to bridge the two worlds of job analysis and competency modeling in order to successfully implement a working competency framework in a large unionized organization.
Does Public Service Motivation Affect the Occupation Choices of Public Employees?
Authors: Bright Leonard
Published: July 2015

This study explored the connection between public service motivation (PSM) and the occupation choices of employees in public organizations. Specifically, it focused on understanding whether high levels of PSM lead individuals into public service occupations verse non-public service occupations in public organizations. Using a random sample of respondents from three public organizations in the states of Indiana, Kentucky, and Oregon, this study found that PSM was not a predictor of the occupation choices of public employees. Individuals with high levels of PSM were no more likely to be present in public service work than non-public service work. However, this study found that education level and gender were the best determinates of the occupation choices of public employees. The implications of this study are discussed.
Sexual Harassment Training: Person versus Machine
Authors: Preusser Melissa K. , Bartels Lynn K. , Nordstrom Cynthia R.
Published: July 2015

Computer-based training is rapidly being implemented in organizations. Many advantages of this approach have been suggested (e.g., self-paced instruction, uniform content, and long-run cost efficiency) along with several potential disadvantages (e.g., noncompletion rates, computer availability). Despite the purported advantages of computer-based training, little research has examined the effect of computer-based training on learning. This field study systematically compared computer-based sexual harassment training with traditional instructor-led training. Overall, the results suggested that having a training course on sexual harassment, regardless of method of training, increased learning among the university employees who participated in these sessions. Reactions to both types of training were positive.
Using a Recognition and Reward Initiative to Improve Service Quality: A Quasi-Experimental Field Study in a Public Higher Education Institution
Authors: Kopelman Richard E. , Gardberg Naomi A. , Brandwein Ann Cohen
Published: July 2015

We describe an intervention undertaken to improve service quality in a public sector institution. More specifically, our service quality initiative focused on improving the work behavior and job attitudes of employees in a job category that is often overlooked, yet which is integral to the success of most public (and private) sector organizations—administrative assistants. In colleges and universities it has long been customary at the end of each academic year to recognize the outstanding achievements of faculty and students; however, administrative assistants have traditionally never received any accolades. A recognition and reward initiative for administrative assistants was implemented during the three academic years (2003/2004 through 2005/2006) as part of a service excellence initiative. Data on service quality were collected on an ongoing basis by an independent entity, Educational Benchmarks, Inc. After the third year of the recognition and reward initiative, survey data were also obtained from administrative assistants and individuals in related job titles. In general, attitudes were highly favorable (e.g., 89 percent of respondents wanted the program to continue), and numerous positive comments were provided such as “it is a good feeling to be recognized by your peers and commended for your work.” The present action research suggests that a recognition and reward intervention can improve service excellence in a public sector higher education organization. Further, we believe that the present intervention is transportable to various public sector entities.
Promoting Organizational Fit in Strategic HRM: Applying the HR Scorecard in Public Service Organizations
Authors: Cunningham J. Barton , Kempling Jim
Published: July 2015

Some models of strategic HRM promote the idea of linking HRM's practices so they “fit” line managers' needs for implementing their strategies and objectives. We tried to apply the idea of “fit” by using the HR Scorecard in two public sector organizations: the Victoria Cool Aid Society and the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. In our applications, we took each of the organization's strategic themes and asked a series of questions to identify HRM objectives, activities, initiatives, and measures to respond to internal client needs. The projects focused on the long range outcome of helping each organization achieve its strategies and objectives in an effective and efficient way. It did this by helping develop a better “fit” between HRM's systems, procedures and practices and what various line departments needed.
Whistleblower Retaliation in the Public Sector
Authors: Lee Katie , Kleiner Brian
Published: July 2015

“Blowing the whistle” has never been an easy decision whether an employee is from the private sector or the public sector. Laws to protect employees from the private sector had been long established while whistleblowers from the public sector may have been scrutinized. After the media aired many high profile cases in which federal whistleblowers go through a series of retaliations by their supervisors, laws have been introduced to protect government whistleblowers as well. Although these laws have significantly given courage to whistleblowers, it is not without its flaws. There are still agencies that ignore these laws or find ways around these laws in order to cover up some of their own mistakes. The government must continue to find ways to encourage more people to step up and expose wrongdoings for the good of society.
The Educated Unemployed
Authors: Jones Warren Will , Fox Warren Halsey
Published: July 2015

The Aerospace Employment Project is an intergovernmental effort to adapt professional manpower from aerospace to urban government, from which some important insights concerning career transfer and the continuing education role of the university have been gained.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky Executive
Authors: Herrick John S.
Published: July 2015

“… since the average executive is so dissatisfied with the fulfillment of his security needs, one wonders whether stable is an apt description. Should he be described as something else—perhaps as in a rut or stagnant or lacking ambition?”
Why Don't Public Administrators Take Productivity More Seriously?
Authors: Balk Walter L.
Published: July 2015

“Until government managers, employees, legislators and the public become intensely involved in the processes of controls, reward systems and political institutions, motivation is liable to remain at a low level.”
An Unnecessary Chore for Employment Applicants
Authors: Schultz Charles B.
Published: July 2015

“Most popular reading for adults is at the 10th grade level or below. Best selling novels are often at the 5th or 6th grade reading level… . Best selling nonfiction is only slightly more difficult, and Time magazine is at the 10th grade level. But how difficult should a test be?”
Hiring College Graduates through Off-Campus Selection Interviewing
Authors: Kohn Mervin
Published: July 2015

“On what basis do employment managers and off-campus interviewers decide which prospective graduates will be tendered an employment offer? And why do students accept or reject a job opportunity if it is offered?”
An Application of Job Enrichment in a Civil Service Setting: A Demonstration Study
Authors: Gomez Luis R. , Mussio Stephen J.
Published: July 2015

This study—on one of the few experiments designed to empirically evaluate the effects of job enrichment—found evidence that job enrichment does increase the level of job satisfaction and can improve job performance.
Municipal Management's Split Endorsements of Labor Organizations
Authors: Jennings Kenneth
Published: July 2015

“…both labor and management representatives have to recognize each other as being legitimate to the goals of their respective organizations; without this mutual endorsement, hostility, confusion and uncertainty may occur and continue.”
The Felony Conviction and Teacher/Counselor Certification
Authors: Marsh John J.
Published: July 2015

“The administrative procedures relative to the certification process are clearly lacking … educators, individually and collectively, have made little effort to develop a coherent, rational, and fully implemented policy and procedure relative to felony convictions and certification.”
Disciplinary Actions in New York State Service—A Radical Change
Authors: Donahue Robert J.
Published: July 2015

A report on a contractual discipline procedure that promises to give managers options other than discharging employees or not disciplining them at all.
Attitudes towards the Public Service: A Survey of University Students
Authors: Bowman James S. , Norman David L.
Published: July 2015

“If university graduates place less emphasis on monetary incentives and productivity values than in the past, the business community may have cause for concern. Does this mean that government employers can expect to benefit from a possible change in societal values?”
The Organizational Imperative and Supervisory Control: Their Effects on Managerial Ethics
Authors: Rizzo Ann-Marie , Patka Thomas J.
Published: July 2015

Tom Reynolds is in charge of a group of building inspectors. Generally, his policy is to allow the inspectors to make their own decisions as to whether a building violates local codes, a policy they strongly support. Two inspectors have reported to Tom that they have found a number of slum buildings in their jurisdiction to be in serious violation of the law. This afternoon, Tom has been informed by an aide to the Mayor that the buildings are owned by one of the Mayor's strongest supporters in the last election. The Mayor's office views the owner's support as critical in the coming election. However, the owner has threatened to withdraw his support if his buildings are found to be in violation. It is suggested to Tom that he knows what to tell his inspectors. Tom is wondering what to do and has decided to approach his supervisor.
Productivity Improvement for Public Sector Managers: A Federal Perspective
Authors: Wakham E.C.
Published: July 2015

The overall environment concerning productivity improvement in the public sector, and especially in the federal government, involves policy, political, and managerial dimensions. While there is a mandate for change, specific solutions must take into consideration social, political, and administrative realities. Federal managers, while welcoming new initiatives in this area, view with concern long-range prospects for effective change. A special role for personnel management is imperative.
Establishing a Productivity Program in NASA
Authors: Braunstein David R.
Published: July 2015

NASA's productivity improvement program began with a strong commitment from top management to not only develop a program that would make the organization more effective, but would address wider concerns about the nation's overall productive capacity. Strategies involved a strong planning approach, extensive employee participation, and an overall concept of integrating quality, productivity, and innovation. A unique aspect of NASA's approach has been the strong involvement of its contractors and NASA's concern with educational outreach.
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Quality of Worklife Survey
Authors: Jimeno Julius C. , Carney Brian
Published: July 2015

A major component of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's productivity improvement efforts has been the Quality of Worklife (QWL) Survey. Use of the survey in an action-research approach has enabled managers and employees to focus in on productivity problems without losing sight of work environment objectives. Survey findings are presented and survey methodologies reviewed for possible applications by other organizations.
Phoenix's Productivity Improvement System: Some Perspectives on Improving Productivity in Cities
Authors: Schlar Edward
Published: July 2015

Initiated in 1970 as a centralized industrial engineering-based program, the City of Phoenix productivity effort now encompasses City-wide efforts combining a broad base of behavioral and analytical dimensions. The article provides a brief history of the program and summarizes the key elements. Insights on potential areas for success and difficulty are provided. The author candidly shares his feelings about his experiences with the City of Phoenix and municipal productivity in general.
Concession Bargaining in the Public Sector: A Lesser Force
Authors: Mitchell Daniel J.B.
Published: July 2015

A wave of union concessions to management has attracted substantial interest in the private sector. However, little attention has been paid to this phenomenon in public employment. Various reasons can be cited which could encourage or discourage the same kinds of concessions in government. The empirical evidence suggests that while concession bargaining has occurred in government, it has been less extensive than in the private sector and has been concentrated in a few states. Where it has occurred, the background has been similar to the private sector, namely economic distress and threatened or actual mass layoffs. But public sector concession bargaining does not appear to mark a fundamental change in collective bargaining.
Flexible Work Schedules, Work Attitudes, and Perceptions of Productivity
Authors: McGuire Jean B. , Liro Joseph R.
Published: July 2015

This study compares job satisfaction and perceptions of productivity under two forms of flexible scheduling and standard fixed schedules. Respondents reported greater satisfaction under more flexible true flextime than under staggered fixed hours and standard scheduling. Flexible hours had no effect on commuting patterns, suggesting that the beneficial effect of flextime might be the result of feelings of greater autonomy and responsibility. Respondents did not report that flextime allowed them to work hours during which they were most productive.
Alternate Work Schedules, Productivity, Leave Usage, and Employee Attitudes: A Field Study
Authors: Harrick Edward J. , Vanek Gene R. , Michlitsch Joseph F.
Published: July 2015

Alternate work schedules reduced leave usage significantly during a nine month intervention time period in a government agency. The effects of the change on individual productivity were mixed. Employee satisfaction with work schedules increased significantly, while other traditional satisfaction variables were not significantly affected by the work schedule intervention.
The Relevance Question Revisited: A Mid-Careerist Perspective on Public Service Education
Authors: Durant Robert F. , Taggart William A. , Horne Amy
Published: July 2015

Although nearly two decades have passed since the Honey Report was issued, MPA education is still wrestling with the “relevance question.” This exploratory study seeks to assess the relevance issue from the unique vantage point of 183 mid-career MPA students at sixteen universities across the country. Queried are mid-careerist perceptions of the content, effect, and curriculum development needs of their MPA educational experience. The findings indicate: (1) a concern about the theoretical versus practical application focus of the mid-careerist experience; (2) a perception by these students that MPA education was having a substantial effect on their work habits, attitudes, and values; (3) a feeling that the balance afforded to ethics, politics, and skill development should probably differ among the subdisciplines; (4) a convergence of opinion with pre-service students on the most appropriate teaching styles for PA classrooms; (5) the perception that distinct differences existed in pre-service/mid-careerists to help academics provide a more applied view of the public service to pre-service students. The study concludes by arguing for the adoption of a service delivery ethic stressing knowledge co—production in the MPA educational process.
The Activity/Achievement Indicator: A Possible Alternative to the Behavioral Consistency Method of Training and Experience Evaluation
Authors: Ash Ronald A.
Published: July 2015

This paper describes the development of a new type of selection procedure, the activity/achievement indicator (A/AI), and compares it with the behavioral consistency method of training and experience evaluation. Total scores from these two methods were found to correlate at r = .58. Examination of the six dimension scores of each method by means of the multitrait-multimethod matrix technique revealed convergent validity for only two of the dimensions, and discriminant validity for none. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Accurate Selection of Police Officials within Small Municipalities: “Et Tu Assessment Center?”
Authors: O'Hara Kirk , Love Kevin G.
Published: July 2015

Two unique issues raised in using an assessment center to select a municipal official were successfully addressed. Community input, involvement and acceptance of an innovative selection process (i.e., the assessment center method) was gained through the use of interviews, a mail-out survey and by training selected community residents to serve as assessors. Expenditure for the selection process was minimized by using unpaid professionals as assessors and by utilizing city offices as the setting for the assessment center. A mail-out survey approximately one year later indicated the community residents perceived the project and candidate selection as successful.
Public Sector Collective Bargaining Agreements: How Readable are They?
Authors: Scott Clyde , Suchan James
Published: July 2015

This article assesses the readability of a representative cross-section of public sector collective bargaining agreements. The purpose is to determine how easily public sector union members and officers and first-line supervisors can understand the contracts which affect their working lives. Three clauses (seniority, discipline, and grievance) were analyzed from each of the forty-nine agreements chosen for this study. The readability level of each clause was measured using three commonly accepted readability formulas. The results show that the reading comprehension skills of at least a college graduate are required to understand these clauses easily.
Demands for Change: Interfacing Environmental Pressures and the Personnel Process
Authors: McEnery Jean M. , Lifter Mark L.
Published: July 2015

This paper is a summary of the environmental, economic, technological, demographic, and sociological changes that have created a demand for change in personnel processes. Some discussion is included of both public and private sector responses to such pressures. it is concluded, however, that no prescription for activity exists. Personnel management in the future must be characterized by both constant environmental scanning and flexibility in reactive and proactive change.
Designing a Developmental Assessment Center in a Government Agency: A Case Study
Authors: Cochran Daniel S. , Hinckle Thomas W. , Dusenberry Don
Published: July 2015

This case study reviews an innovative management development approach used by a government agency to assist in dealing with a federally mandated reduction-in-force (RIF). A description of the background leading to the developmental intervention, the intervention design itself, and subsequent lessons learned are detailed.
Identification of Substance Abusers in the Workplace
Authors: Rosen Theodore H.
Published: July 2015

Substance abuse is one of the major social issues facing us today. It not only has a direct impact on the individual user, but on society as a whole. Since it can have a large, direct impact on productivity in the workplace, management needs to identify substance abusers in order to assist them in becoming fully productive members of the organization. This article discusses the primary methodology presently used for the detection of substance abuse in the workplace—urinalysis—and then offers an alternative to this popular, albeit costly and controversial, procedure.
A Typology for Union Discrimination: A Public Sector Perspective
Authors: Riccucci Norma M.
Published: July 2015

This paper presents a framework for union discrimination against women and minorities in the public sector. Based on this framework, alternative ways that public policy might try to reduce union discrimination are discussed. It is suggested that the success of these efforts depends on whether the policy actions “fit” the fundamental sources of discrimination presented in the framework. A clearer understanding of why unions discriminate can help policymakers and lawmakers address this problem in an effective fashion, one that is at least partially acceptable to all concerned parties.
Remediation and Equity: A Case Study of Gender Integration
Authors: Pecorella Robert F.
Published: July 2015

This paper addresses the issue of gender integration in the uniformed services by examining the New York City Department of Sanitation's formulation of a program to introduce women into its blue-collar work force. The department efforts indicate that comprehensive gender integration programs must pursue two distinct and often conflicting values—remediation and equity. On the one hand, the department is attempting through remedial programs to address some of the common on-the-job problems faced by gender pioneers; on the other hand, the department is committed to standard operating procedures designed originally to insure equitable treatment for all personnel.
Performance Mangement in City Government: A Case Study
Authors: Nordstrom Rodney , Rucker Greg , Hall R. Vance
Published: July 2015

Productivity improvement programs in the public sector have recently become a popular topic of concern among both academics and practitioners. Many methods of productivity enhancement programs have been discussed ranging from the privatization of services to improved management training. This article describes how a behaviorally-based management training program was used to increase employee productivity in a large city department. The results show that nonmonetary rewards can substantially increase employee performance. Group earned time off, individual employee time off, and goal setting and feedback were all effective for improving employee performance. These cost effective techniques saved the city over $80,000 the first year of implementation. The case study is described by the manager who conducted the project.
Assessing the Effectiveness of Florida's Impasse Resolution Procedures: A Survey of Public Sector Practitioners
Authors: Jennings Kenneth M. , Paulson Steven K. , Williamson Steven A.
Published: July 2015

Public employees in Florida have been permitted by law since 1974 to engage in collective bargaining with their employers. Along with the right to engage in collective bargaining, the law established a dispute resolution process for resolving bargaining impasses in lieu of the strike, which was strictly prohibited. This law also established the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC), which was created to oversee the process. The present study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the present impasse procedure as perceived by the concerned parties. This study was exploratory in nature and designed to provide PERC and thus the Florida Legislature with the documentation required for review of the present law. A total of 1,150 questionnaires were mailed to union representatives and public employers. A 45 percent return rate was achieved. The return was approximately equally divided between the unions and the employers. Frequency distributions of these responses and regression analyses are presented and conclusions are drawn as to the perceived effectiveness of the process.
Human Resource Management: An Index and its Relationship to Readiness for Change
Authors: Fox David G. , Ellison Robert L. , Keith Karen L.
Published: July 2015

Employees who reported that human resources were poorly managed in their work group and that changing work group procedures could make a positive difference also tended to report that the needed changes were not likely to occur. Periodic monitoring of management practices and the work group environment to point out needs and stimulate a concerted effort toward change is seen as necessary to avoid organizational decline.
Human Resources Management Practices in Japanese Organizations in the United States
Authors: Dicle Ulku , Dicle I. Atilla , Alie Raymond E.
Published: July 2015

This study is an examination of human resources management practices in Japanese organizations operating in the United States in general and those operating in Fort Custer Industrial Park, Battle Creek, Michigan, in specific. The study attempts to identify the characteristics of human resources management in the subject organizations, compares them with the practices of their parent organizations in Japan, and looks at the modifications necessitated by a new culture and the requirements of a new environment.
The Impact of Merit Raise Scores on Employee Attitudes: The Matthew Effect of Performance Appraisal
Authors: Gabris Gerald T. , Mitchell Kenneth
Published: July 2015

This article attempts to demonstrate that the score an employee receives on his or her performance appraisal can influence attitudes toward general management, organization change, and fairness of evaluation instruments. Employees who score well tend to be positive toward management and supportive of the evaluation process, whereas average to low scorers are more cynical toward management and feel the evaluation process is unfair. Thus, performance appraisal scores can alienate exactly those employees who most need to improve. Instead of trying harder, average to low scorers rationalize why they are right and the raters wrong. This hardens their attitude toward the organization and can lead to lower performance. Hence, good employees tend to continue doing well and average to poor employees can become worse. For this reason, performance appraisal, even though it is handled objectively, can lead to a Matthew Effect. In general, employees don't like hearing bad news, even if it is correct.
Anti-Nepotism Rules: The Legal Rights of Married Co-Workers
Authors: Reed Christine M. , Cohen Linda J.
Published: July 2015

Anti-nepotism rules in public organizations have led to law suits based on anti-discrimination statutes and the U.S. Constitution. Plaintiffs claim they are entitled to work with their spouses if they are qualified employees. Employers, on the other hand, defend anti-nepotism rules as a business necessity, arguing that married co-workers are a potentially disruptive influence in the office. A review of federal and state court decisions suggests that married co-workers rarely prevail in such cases. In this area of civil and constitutional litigation, public employer liabilities appear to be limited to situations where restrictions are unreasonably broad.
Health Care Cost Containment in Large American Cities
Authors: Moore Perry
Published: July 2015

This research provides information about the health care cost containment efforts of local governments and agencies across the United States, particularly in large American cities. Survey results indicate that while the public sector lags behind the private sector, public agencies are beginning to match the cost containment efforts of private employers. While initiation of these efforts represents considerable recent progress, their tangible benefits are not yet apparent.
Environmental Change and the Personnel Function: A Review of the Research
Authors: Hays Steven W.
Published: July 2015

This article examines the changes and adjustments that have occurred within public personnel management in response to the vast environmental transformation that has transpired during the past three decades. After reviewing the environmental variables that are identified in the literature as being relevant to the personnel function, the empirical research that assesses their impact is surveyed. Emphasis is given to both the internal organizational role of personnel management and the reforms that have been implemented in merit systems at all levels of government.
Public Sector Labor Relations Research: The First Generation
Authors: Loney Timothy
Published: July 2015

Early in the evolution of public sector labor relations, concerns were raised about the viability of collective bargaining in the public sector. Many of these concerns were described by Wellington and Winter in their classic book, The Unions and the Cities. These concerns have been very influential in the direction and thrust of Labor Relations research. Researchers have risen to the challenge in testing and validating assumptions regarding program impact. Research to date indicates that early concerns were exaggerated.
The Pacer Share Demonstration Project: Implications for Organizational Management and Performance Evaluation
Authors: Gilbert G. Ronald , Nelson Ardel E.
Published: July 2015

McClellan Air Force Base is engaged in a five year demonstration project aimed at both simplifying the current personnel management system and improving quality production and services in a logistics setting. The fundamental purpose of the demonstration is the design and test of a management system exportable to the entire federal sector that will accomplish the goal of better management, improved product and service quality, and correct the various deficiencies associated with traditional efficiency models. This article discusses the Pacer Share Project which offers a prototype model, using changed personnel policies, practices, and procedures to improve overall mission accomplishment performance and quality work life at the McClellan Air Force Base. This article represents the opinions of the authors and should not be construed as in any way representing official or unofficial viewpoints of the U.S. Air Force or the Office of Personnel Management.
Human Resource Management in the Caribbean: Planning for the Future
Authors: Isaacs Hedy
Published: July 2015

Human resources planning is becoming more important as the Public Services (primarily of Belize, Grenada, Guyana and Jamaica) face the scarcity of “human capital”, and begin to plan for, rather than react to, human resource management problems. The effectiveness of human resource planning depends largely on how well the information resource is managed. This article focuses on general considerations for implementing and managing human resource information systems, shares related Caribbean experiences and imperatives for the future.
Assessing the Professional Orientation of Public Personnel Administration Courses
Authors: Wooldridge Blue
Published: July 2015

Courses in public personnel administration form an important part of the public administration curriculum. However, public administration education has come under substantial criticism for not adequately preparing professionals for careers in the public service. This article describes some key characteristics of education for the professions and uses these characteristics as criteria to assess the course syllabi for nearly forty public personnel administration courses. After finding that the vast majority of these courses appear to lack the requirements for courses in professional education, the article presents some suggestions that instructors of public personnel administration might wish to incorporate in the design and delivery of their efforts.
Compensation Control Mechanisms in the American States
Authors: Lawther Wendell C. , Traynham Earle C. , Jennings Kenneth M.
Published: July 2015

There are few studies which report on the personnel practices in the American states. A survey of state compensation analysts in the Summer of 1987 elicited information concerning the use of compensation controls in state government. Results indicate that with the exception of wage and salary surveys, data concerning compensation controls is rarely collected. Initial analysis indicates that the role of the legislature and the existence of collective bargaining may have an impact on the number of controls used.
Employee Participation in Federal Management
Authors: Larson James S.
Published: July 2015

Employee participation in management is increasing with the influence and success of Japanese and European management practices. The federal government is following the lead of American business in adopting procedures like quality circles and the use of employee suggestions, and these procedures have highly productive results. MSPB data indicates that the limited use of quality circles in federal government has shown them efficient, and the wide use of employee suggestions has improved productivity as measured by benefit-cost ratios. The future of these forms of participation seems assured, but more wide-ranging forms like employee involvement in decision making and quality of work life programs await a final verdict on their futures.
Greenville, South Carolina and Alexandria, Virginia: Problems and Successes Using Private Sector Techniques to Motivate Personnel in the Public Sector
Authors: Duke Lois Lovelace
Published: July 2015

This study analyzes the implementation of a merit pay program in two American cities. One city's Personnel Department has been successful while the other city has encountered numerous problems in implementing a system of paying employees for their performance or on the basis of merit. One key factor in the successful city's planning for this personnel change has been consideration of both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards as described by Lawler and Porter.
Organizational Variables and Management Development
Authors: Hoberman Solomon
Published: July 2015

There is a tendency to assume that all organizations can benefit from management development and that approaches are equally effective for different organizations. An analysis of management development in two UN agencies, the Secretariat and the United Nations Development Program, indicates that this not the case. The variables found to have the greatest impact on management performance and effectiveness of management development are agreement between organizational and personal objectives and the criteria for selection and promotion of managers. This finding is seen to have application to both public and private sectors.
The Officer Fitness Report as a Performance Appraisal Tool
Authors: Cozzetto Don
Published: July 2015

Performance evaluation is an important tool for effective management. Much of the recent literature has focused on the efficacy of civilian performance appraisal systems. As a result, there is a knowledge gap with respect to military appraisal systems in general, and those of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps in particular. The 1978 Civil Service Reform Act spawned several performance appraisal systems within each of these agencies; the USMC utilizes five separate systems in the evaluation of civilian and military personnel; the Navy has adopted three separate appraisal mechanisms. This article specifically examines the device used to evaluate senior military staff in the Navy and Marine Corps—the fitness report. Because this particular appraisal methodology differs radically from its federal civilian counterparts, a rather detailed descriptive section serves as an orientation for the reader. The approach is intended to supplement John Pelissero's article on performance evaluation in the Department of the Army (Pelissero, 1984).
A Dissenting View of MBO
Authors: Halpern David , Osofsky Stephen
Published: July 2015

The argument of the article is to question the core assumptions upon which MBO theory rests. While MBO, in various of its practical versions may succeed here or there, defective theory is not cured by select citations of effective practice. MBO has not produced a coherent theory in which to ground its prescriptions. Rather, it derives legitimacy from other disciplines. Drucker's classical formulation of MBO is pseudo-participative despite his claim that its essence is employee collaboration and input into setting their work objectives. Drucker critically fails to give specific detailed protection to the subordinate in the MBO process against superior manipulation or arbitrariness nor recourse to via any appeals procedure. Nor does Drucker complement the obligations set by the MBO process with correspondingly concrete rewards for fulfillment. This basic asymmetry fundamentally flaws the process as does the psychologically unrealistic alternating roles for the judge-turned-subordinate. Reformist critics call for such reformulations as panels of judges, genuine adult-to-adult models for MBO negotiators, and a differential approach to the types of subordinates—high achievers versus low achievers—enlisted in the process. Others advocate the critical need to set hard goals and to enlist commitment—above all else—to the goals by individuals. Yet, we are lost in a fog as to how goal commitments are obtained or why goal setting affects subordinate performance more than Drucker's central inducement of participation. Indeed, according to certain critics, authoritarian MBO is more effective than participative MBO. In conclusion, MBO must stand or fall as a practical management tool, or if it aspires to theoretical validity, strive to co-opt the on-going theoretical research of goal setting theory. As it now stands, it is characterized by inadequate conceptualization of variables and glib generalizations from idiosyncratic laboratory conditions to the multifarious real world of many non-homogeneous industries and professions. In ignoring the raw material of the labor force—how it derives its ideas and attitudes—it utterly fails to account for the variety of that material and its built-in resistances to manipulation. The labor force cannot be regarded as so much homogeneous clay to be molded by any combination of ego psychology or the setting of hard goals in either a pseudo-participative or authoritarian process. MBO must proceed from an analysis of the concrete material conditions through which it must function, MBO must either aspire to the realm of theory or shrink to the level of a hit-or-miss performance appraisal procedure.
The Assessment Center: Reducing Interassessor Influence
Authors: Lowry Phillip E.
Published: July 2015

Four assessment centers were conducted using scoring and evaluation procedures patterned after the Nominal Group Technique. Assessors determined scores on performance dimensions after each exercise and just prior to and during the consensus discussions. These scores were never attributed to the assessor. No significant interassessor influence was found in any of the centers.
Home Based Employment—A Consideration for Public Personnel Management
Authors: Joice Wendell H.
Published: July 2015

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is examining the feasibility and utility of home based employment (HBE) as a tool for improving employee recruitment, retention, and other aspects of personnel management to meet the workforce challenges of the coming decade. This paper discusses the findings of a comprehensive review of the area and presents recommendations regarding HBE program design. The discussion covers HBE background, evaluations of HBE programs, and desirable design characteristics for HBE programs.
Improving Training in the Public Sector
Authors: Sims Ronald R. , Sims Serbrenia J.
Published: July 2015

Conducting training programs in public agencies in a manner that fosters employee development requires identification and management of those aspects of the training program influencing the learning process. This article discusses the importance of managing the learning process in training in public agencies by adapting training methods to a particular employee's learning style. Such an approach creates training activities and training environments which improve the effectiveness of public agency training programs.
The Impact on Utility, Race, and Gender Using Three Standard Methods of Scoring Selection Examinations
Authors: McKinney William R. , Collins John R.
Published: July 2015

This study examined the utility implications of three commonly used personnel selection methods in terms of social and economic equity. The comparative analysis stemmed from the controversial issues of weighing social policy as identified by EEOC standards and affirmative action guidelines against an employer's right to hire the most productive job applicants. How the social equity and productivity issues are addressed, according to an organization's desired outcomes, can help determine the type of selection procedure adopted. In terms of productivity, the top-down raw score approach was by far the best, followed by the minimum cutoff procedure and the within-group standardized score method produced the greatest selection of minority groups, followed by the minimum cutoff procedure and the top-down raw score approach. The top-down raw score approach clearly showed a disparate impact on minority groups, while the within-group standardized scoring method demonstrated adverse impact on the white group, indicating a potential for reverse discrimination. The results from comparing these selection strategies in terms of the gain in productivity and in social equity are of enormous assistance when making a final decision as to the appropriate selection strategy.
A Comparison of Training Priorities of Local Government Employees and Their Supervisors
Authors: Haas Peter J.
Published: July 2015

The training needs of non-supervisory personnel, as they perceive them, have been overlooked both by local governments and the public personnel literature. This article seeks to determine whether and in which ways the priorities of local government employees differ from those of their supervisors. Data from a survey of local government employees in Santa Clara County, California, are analyzed and suggest that whereas many employees view training as a means of acquiring technical skills, their supervisors may be more attracted to the potential for training in human development.
Taking the Measure of Human Resource Management Flows
Authors: Pinfield Lawrence T. , Morishima Motohiro
Published: July 2015

All active organizations engage in internal and external staffing activities. However, as employment grows and the number of staffing decisions multiplies, it often becomes difficult to keep track of human resource flows and to maintain a manageable overview of these staffing activities. In this paper, we propose a simple methodology through which an easily understandable summary of organizational staffing activities may be obtained. This methodology combines a graphic representation (called human resource maps) of personnel stocks and flows with a number of quantitative indicators which measure different human resource flows through the organization. Uses of this methodology are illustrated with an application to a thirteen-year history of a large organization.
Locality Pay: Balancing Theory and Practice
Authors: Fay Charles , Risher Howard , Hempel Paul
Published: July 2015

At the time this article was written, Howard Risher was a Principal with the Wyatt Company in Philadelphia. He is currently President of Human Resource Quality in Villanova, PA. He has over 20 years of compensation consulting experience in both the public and private sector. He served as the project manager for the pay reform study commissioned by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. He is currently a member of the National Academy of Public Administration panel that is studying alternatives for reforming the federal classification system. He has a B.A. in Psychology from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA and a Ph.D. from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.