Performance Management Commons^™

Evaluating Performance Competencies In The Royal Saudi Air Force Engineering Directorate And Squadrons, Faisal A. Al Dawood

Theses and Dissertations

The effectiveness of tasks performed by the directorate of aeronautical engineering and squadrons in RSAF directly impacts flight safety, which in turn influences the organization either positively or negatively. Therefore, improving engineers' competencies will improve the overall performance of the organization. The study refined and reconstructed a model, namely a T-shape competency model, to assess the engineers' competencies which revealed some management and competency-related deficiencies and concluded with managerial recommendations.

An Analysis Of Telework Performance During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Patrick J. Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many individuals to shift from an atmosphere of face-to-face work to the digital work environment known as telework. Telework is an effective mitigation tool that ensures the continuity of operations. However, maximized telework may not be effective for all individuals. Many individual, organizational, and group level factors influence one’s telework performance and this study examines four of the most influential antecedents. Using linear regression analysis, conscientiousness, overload, communication, and non-distractibility were found to be significant predictors that account for over half the variance explained in telework performance. Supported by self-regulation theories, both conscientiousness and non-distractibility contained …

Analysis Of Task Performance During Radiological Surveillance By Means Of Discrete Event Simulation, Michael H. Ames

Theses and Dissertations

The surveillance and detection of radioactive contamination on surfaces and in the environment are commonly investigated by surveyors utilizing portable detection equipment. The availability of Discrete Event Simulation (DES) and Human Performance Modeling (HPM) allows for the analysis of physical and cognitive processes associated with these operations, as well as the effect that external environmental factors have on surveyor performance. This research uses the Improved Performance Research Integration Tool (IMPRINT) to approximate the performance of a radiological detection task informed by the observation of six surveyors. The effects of chemical Individual Protective Equipment (IPE) use is evaluated along with the …

Factors That Influence Nonprofit Sector Employees’ Motivation: A Case Study From Egypt, Nada Shaaban Miry

Theses and Dissertations

The issue of employee motivation received much attention in the last few decades. That attention came from its significant practical and theoretical role in the field of management. To understand how motivation influences employees’ behavior, we have to know that every employee is motivated differently based on their preferences and characteristics. Therefore, it is essential to discover individual motivation factors for each employee. This study examines the factors that stimulate employees’ motivation and explain how to use those motivational factors to improve employees’ performance and engagement. It focuses on three non-profit organizations in Egypt and provides empirical evidence of the …

The Impact Of Changing The Size Of Aircraft Radar Displays On Visual Search In The Cockpit, Justin R. Marsh

Theses and Dissertations

Advances in sensor technology have enabled our fighter aircraft to find, fix, track, target, engage (F2T2E) at greater distances, providing the operator with more data within the battlefield. Modern aircraft are designed with larger displays while our legacy aircraft are being retrofitted with larger cockpit displays to enable display of the increased data. While this modification has been shown to enable improvements in human performance of many cockpit tasks, this effect is often not measured nor fully understood at a more generalizable level. This research outlines an approach to comparing human performance across two display sizes in future F-16 cockpits. …

Examining The Critical Success Factors Of Rapid Acquisition: A Human Capital Perspective, Christine J. Jestice

Theses and Dissertations

Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition programs continue to encounter schedule delays and cost overruns despite past reforms. Global threat uncertainties and high-velocity technological advances are also prevailing. Given the current rate at which program offices are fielding weapon systems, the United States (US) may be fighting with obsolete weapons and technology. Gaining superiority demands a new approach – to expedite the rate of capability delivery through rapid acquisition programs who have demonstrated success in delivering capabilities with speed. This research examines whether the attributes in the people dimension of an expedited framework contribute to success of rapid defense acquisition programs. …

Perception Vs. Reality: Improving Mission Commander Decision-Making Capabilities By Use Of Heart Rate Zone Feedback In Training Environments, Caitlin M. Oviatt

Theses and Dissertations

In the military environment, it is common for commanders to rely exclusively on perceptional information (e.g., visual observations) to make decisions on their personnel’s physical capabilities. There is little evidence to support the idea that the information provided by physiological feedback technology, typically made available to the individual visually, could improve assessments and decision-making capabilities of outside observers (e.g., mission commander in a remote location). Through experimental examination this research shows that commanders who have Heart Rate Zone (HRZ) biofeedback information about their Airmen by use of physiological technology were able to more accurately predict the level of effort and …

A‌ ‌Study‌ ‌Of‌ ‌The‌ ‌Factors‌ ‌That‌ ‌Lead‌ ‌To‌ Burnout‌ ‌In‌ ‌The‌ ‌Accounting‌ ‌Profession‌, Stephen N. Kervin

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide information on the causes of burnout to employees in the accounting profession. A review of the literature revealed research on many different industries, but a lack on research within the accounting profession. The purpose of this research study was to examine what demographic variables increase the likelihood of an employee suffering from burnout.

In order to identify the causes of burnout for accountants, this study used a descriptive research design. The research utilized the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey and a demographic questionnaire.

Quantitative analysis was applied to the interpretation of the descriptive data …

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Uav) Operators’ Workload Reduction: The Effect Of 3d Audio On Operators’ Workload And Performance During Multi-Aircraft Control, Sungbin Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The importance and number of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations are rapidly growing in both military and civilian applications. This growth has produced significant manpower issues, producing a desire that multiple aircraft are controlled by a single operator as opposed to the current model where one aircraft may require multiple operators. A potential issue is the need for an operator to monitor radio traffic for the call signs of multi-aircraft. An investigation of the use of 3D sound was undertaken to investigate whether an automatic parser, which preselected the spatial location of relevant versus irrelevant call signs, could aid UAV …

A Comparative Study Of Learning Curve Models And Factors In Defense Cost Estimating Based On Program Integration, Assembly, And Checkout, Brandon J. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the flattening effect at tail end of learning curves by identifying a more accurate learning curve model. The learning curve models accepted by DOD are Wright’s original learning curve theory and Crawford’s Unit Theory. The models were formulated in 1936 and 1944 respectively. This analysis compares the conventional models to contemporary learning curve models in order to determine if the current DOD methodology is outdated. The results are inconclusive as to if there is a more accurate model. The contemporary models are the DeJong and S-Curve and they both include an incompressibility …

Analysis Of Inpatient Hospital Staff Mental Workload By Means Of Discrete-Event Simulation, Erich W. Maxheimer

Theses and Dissertations

Many process improvement tools have been applied to the healthcare industry to improve safety and efficiency. However, nearly all of these tools have neglected to explicitly quantify mental workload of healthcare providers despite the consensus that it is related to human performance. This research uses the Improved Performance Research Integration Tool (IMPRINT), a discrete-event simulation (DES), to quantify mental workload. Specifically, this research examines staff members in an inpatient unit at the Wright-Patterson Medical Center to detect workload differences between staff, identify trends which lead to high workload demands, evaluate the influence of patient load on mental workload, and test …

The Effect Of Stages And Levels Of Automation And Reliability On Workload And Performance For Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operations, Stephen P. Katrein

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates incorporating different stages and levels of automation with varying degrees of reliability into a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) surveillance task in order to determine how automation implementation and reliability affect operator workload and system performance. The study uses IMPRINT discrete event simulation to evaluate three levels of reliability in twelve different baseline automation implementations within a remotely piloted vehicle task. Three stages and four levels are modeled, for a total of twelve combinations, along with a baseline task with no automation. The stages modeled are the information acquisition stage, the decision and action selection stage, and the …

Supplementary Computer Generated Cueing To Enhance Air Traffic Controller Efficiency, Laurienne Cibelle Rodrigues De Assis Santana

Theses and Dissertations

Air traffic controllers are often required to simultaneously communicate with several aircraft over multiple radio frequencies. As a result, during peak loading, it is common for the controller to receive multiple concurrent communications, each from a different aircraft, making it difficult to discern audio messages received from multiple pilots simultaneously. To address this problem, a modified air traffic control (ATC) interface was prototyped with the goal of increasing controller-to-pilot communication efficiency. This prototype included supplementary text cueing which was provided by a hypothetical automated text to speech system in an on-screen text box for controller reference in the event of …

High-Performance Work Practices: A Case Study Using The Phenomenological Approach, Aaron J. Zorn

Theses and Dissertations

The fast-paced work environment that exists today requires organizations to adapt quickly in order to sustain high performance. Research suggests that the use of high-performance work practices (HPWPs) in human resource management is a possible way to increase performance. As the United States Air Force continues to face decreasing budgets, possible fixes such as the use of HPWPs may be considered. This research used a phenomenological approach to collect data from civil engineer controllers throughout the Air Force about their experiences and perceptions. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether current human resource practices are potentially contributing to …

The Effect Of Supply Chain Management Processes On Competitive Advantage And Organizational Performance, Ronald M. Salazar

Theses and Dissertations

One of the most significant changes in the paradigm of modern business management is that individual businesses no longer compete as solely autonomous entities, but rather as supply chains. In this emerging competitive environment, the ultimate success of the business will depend on management's ability to integrate the company's intricate network of business relationships. Effective supply chain management (SCM) has become a potentially valuable way of securing competitive advantage and improving organizational performance since competition is no longer between organizations, but among supply chains. This research conceptualizes and develops three dimensions of SCM practice (supplier relationship management, manufacturing flow management, …

The Moderating Effect Of Psychological Empowerment On The Relationship Between Network Centrality And Individual Job Performance, David A. Washington

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify the effect of psychological empowerment (PE) on social network location and individual performance. This study sought to test three hypotheses, which were introduced through a comprehensive literature review, regarding the relationships between social network centrality and individual job performance. Research has indicated a positive relationship between network centrality and performance; however, other research suggests performance can be better predicted by including motivation in the model. Therefore a moderation model was developed and tested to identify the relationships between network centrality, PE, and three categories of individual job performance: task performance, organizational citizenship …

Architecture Based Workload Analysis Of Uas Multi-Aircraft Control: Implications Of Implementation On Mq-1b Predator, Jason D. Mcgrogan, Michael F. Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

An increased demand for use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) without commensurate increases in pilot manpower has prompted proposals for simultaneous control of multiple aircraft by a single pilot or Multi-Aircraft Control (MAC). To understand the potential effects of MAC, an IMPRINT Pro, Multi-Resource Theory, pilot workload model was developed from pedigreed system architecture. Feedback from active UAS pilots was used to validate the model and establish a workload saturation threshold value of 60, above which pilots may experience performance degradation over extended periods of time. The model predicts that pilots experience low workload when operating one or two UASs …

Leadership Criteria Under Maximum Performance Conditions, Aaron J. Pauli

Theses and Dissertations

Since the seminal work investigating the relationship between typical and maximum performance by Sackett, Zedeck, and Fogli in 1988, there has been a marked increase in research in this area. Although much research has furthered the relationship between typical and maximum performance, none have attempted to identify which leadership effectiveness criteria are considered most important to an individual’s maximum performance, or assessment of one’s potential. Thus, this empirical study seeks to identify the leadership effectiveness criteria under maximum performance conditions as it relates to entry and middle level managers. Using an exploratory factor analysis, the results suggest an interesting comparison …

The Positive Impact Of Negative Feedback, Mark B. Richey

Theses and Dissertations

While feedback is an essential element of performance, there is little theory explaining the effects of negative feedback. Disagreement exists as to whether negative feedback is good or bad and this impacts its use. Fortunately, control theory provides scholars with an opportunity to better understand negative feedback and the conditions necessary to support its intended function. This study examined the relationship between negative feedback and task performance in a leadership development environment. This work asserts that performance is contingent on perceived feedback usefulness, such that the relationship is stronger when feedback usefulness is high and weaker when it is low. …

Understanding The Effectiveness Of Performance Management Practices, Ross T. Johnston

Theses and Dissertations

Effective employee management is an essential element for achieving and sustaining a competitive advantage. Through a variety of performance management practices organizations can translate competitive strategies into individual performance expectations and transform employee potential into desired organizational outcomes. Despite the promise of robust performance management practices, a significant research gap exists between the scientific research in Organizational Behavior (OB) and the performance management practices espoused by the “practitioners.” The purpose of this thesis research is to explore a set of performance management practices as an initial step toward providing direct, empirical support for the linkages between performance management practices, the …

An Analysis Of Competencies For Managing Science And Technology Programs, Sidney W. Goehring

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to analyze competencies needed for successful program management of Research and Development (R&D) programs -- also known as Science and Technology (S&T) programs -- within the Department of Defense (DoD). Current competency models are in development for the DoD Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (AT&L) functional areas. Using an interim competency model developed for the Program Manager career field comprised of 36 technical competencies and 27 professional competencies, the research compares competencies' criticality scores rated by traditional acquisition program managers (PMs) with those rated by S&T program managers. In 42 out of 63 instances (67%), …

High Performance Individuals And How They Manage Their Personal Knowledge For Decision-Making: An Exploratory Study Of Us Air Force Leaders, Kenneth M. Ivey

Theses and Dissertations

The ability of Colonels, Generals, and Chiefs to effectively manage their personal knowledge may lead to better decisions; however, the Air Force does not have an understanding of how these high performance leaders manage their personal knowledge. This research used a multiple-case study methodology to explore how USAF leaders manage their personal knowledge when making routine and novel decisions. Viewing personal knowledge management as it related to sociotechnical theory provided the basis to determine how the need to accomplish the tasks associated with personal knowledge management impacted the people, technology, organizational structure, and the tasks associated with managing personal knowledge. …

Group Performance In Military Scenarios Under Deceptive Conditions, Michael C. Hass

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to investigate how changes in modality (communication type) and external conditioning (warnings of player deception) relate to perceptions of deception and task difficulty and in turn how these perceptions relate to the final group game scores in a cooperative effort with conflicting goals. One hundred and eight participants were grouped into teams of three, given similar instructions but different goals, and asked to play a cooperative game called StrikeCOM that mimics the intelligence gathering needed to develop an air tasking order and subsequent air strike on three military targets. The analysis of the post-game …

An Exploration Of Cultural Factors Affecting Use Of Communities Of Practice, Peter L. Hinrichsen

Theses and Dissertations

On-line communities of practice are potentially powerful social learning networks that can improve organizational performance. Unfortunately, administrators of on-line communities of practice report that community members do not take full advantage of this potential. This study used Shaw and Tuggle's (2003) factors of knowledge management (KM) culture affecting organizational acceptance of a knowledge management initiative to explore this issue. It was hypothesized that respondents whose communities of practice possessed higher average community use per member would rate KM culture variables higher than respondents whose communities possessed a lower average community use. An analysis of survey data collected from Air Force …

An Experimental Investigation Of Productivity Stratification And Knowledge Transfer In An Electronically Mediated Environment, Jachin Sakamoto

Theses and Dissertations

The idea of anywhere and anytime learning is enticing from a military standpoint, given the high deployment rates in the current operational environment. Electronic-based learning is seen as an answer to this requirement. Currently there are many variations in electronic-based instructional media, and little has been done to determine which format or combination of formats is most conducive to facilitating knowledge transfer and learning. The research project explores, through the use of an experiment, three primary constructs of media richness, content flexibility, and forced engagement, in their relation to effectiveness or productivity in facilitating learning in the experimental participants. The …

An Investigation Of Air Force Communities Of Practice: A Descriptive Study Of Evolution Through Assessment Of People, Process, And Technology Capabilities, Jason R. May

Theses and Dissertations

A variety of theories state that communities of practice (CoPs) "evolve" or "mature" through various stages over time. Such theories posit that each stage is characterized by different people, process, and technology attributes/capabilities that ultimately necessitate differing strategies for achieving effectiveness (Gongla and Rizzuto, 2001). A primary goal of AFMC/DRW, AFMC Electronic Learning (eLearning) Knowledge Management Integrated Project Team, and the office of the Air Force Chief Information Officer is to increase CoP participation and effectiveness. This descriptive, cross-sectional research, surveyed all CoP managers of all CoPs "hosted" by AFMC/DRW with a quantitative/qualitative, 86 question, 5-point Likert, survey. This research …

Text Manipulation Judgment Accuracy: An Exploratory Study, Randy S. Wardak

Theses and Dissertations

Deception aims to affect a decision-making process in a way that somehow benefits the deceiver. More knowledge is desired in the area of purely text-based scenarios. Thirty-seven graduate students at the Air Force Institute of Technology participated in an experiment in order to gain an initial understanding of how people determine whether text has been manipulated, and to identify specific areas that may be more closely investigated in future research. Excerpts were drawn from editions of a current-events newsletter that the participants receive on a weekly basis as part of their enrollment in the graduate program. Some of the excerpts …

Utility Assessment Of Specificity In Upward Feedback Instruments For Leadership Development, Theresa M. Wardak

Theses and Dissertations

Recently, organizations have been modifying performance appraisal systems to collect data from multiple sources to guide the development of supervisors. Upward feedback programs focus on development rather than appraisal by supplementing traditional downward feedback with subordinate feedback. The utility of two upward feedback instruments was assessed in this study; one is a commercially available instrument, the Leadership Practices Inventory (Posner & Kouzes, 1988) and the other is the recently developed, non-proprietary Upward Feedback Instrument (2002). The Upward Feedback Instrument was designed to measure leadership behaviors at a more specific level. It was thought that greater feedback specificity world lead to …

Perceptions Vs Reality: A Longitudinal Experiment In Influence Judgment Performance, Monti L. Knode

Theses and Dissertations

Government reliance on computer-mediated information has transformed it from "enabler" to "target" which now demands the detection of manipulated and deceptive measures a primary security objective. As people are not inherently good performers at detecting deceptive communications, this study draws on interpersonal deception theory (Burgoon, 1986) and social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986) to measure personal perceptions that influence decisions operationalized as the successful detection of a deceptive measure. Department of Defense personnel (N--119) participated in a longitudinal experiment that measured detection performance before and after training and feedback treatments. Self-efficacy and perceived training effectiveness emerged as dominant factors in predicting …

Developing A Leadership Commitments Inventory, Abigail L. White

Theses and Dissertations

Organizations have been modifying performance appraisal systems to collect data from multiple source to guide supervisor development. Multiple rater programs provide leaders with more than one source of feedback, and give them a more complete, and possibly more accurate picture of their performance, which can facilitate meaningful behavioral change. The purpose of this thesis was to develop and validate a Leadership Commitments Inventory (LCI) from a 360-degree feedback approach that reflected a six-factor leadership taxonomy composed of twelve distinct indices, Using successive content adequacy tests, 48 items were validated and the web-based LCI was administered to 278 participants. Internal consistency …