Recreation Business Commons^™

The Role Of Family-Friendly Benefits On Job Self-Efficacy And Organizational Commitment Of Public Park And Recreation Professionals, Michael A. Mulvaney

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

The number of dual-career couples, workers with eldercare responsibility, single-parent families, and working parents with young children has become increasingly common in the American workplace (Breaugh & Frye, 2008) and has led to increased work-family conflicts for the park and recreation professional. In response to these workforce changes, family-friendly employee benefits programs (FFEBP) are becoming more readily available and offered by public park and recreation agencies. Guided by these challenges, this study sought to explore the link between FFEBP and job attitudes (organizational commitment) and employee motivation (self-efficacy) among public park and recreation employees. Specifically, the effects of two FFEBP …

A Creative Approach To Comprehensive Planning, Michael A. Mulvaney, Hollice Clark Iii, Kelly Lamore

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

Today, the provision of recreation services and facilities is recognized as an essential component of a community’s master plan. Residents want opportunities for participation in quality recreation programs, attractive parks, and effective and safe recreation facilities. Only through local government provisions can recreation truly be made available to all residents. Local government provides the major opportunity for many people, and the only opportunity for some of the people, for access to recreational facilities such as parks, recreation centers, tennis courts, softball and baseball diamonds, swimming pools, and other specialized facilities.

In remaining accountable for expenditures and to meet these community …

Online Learning: Examining Instructional Design Strategies In Leisure Curriculum, Michael A. Mulvaney, William R. Mckinney, Lynn A. Barnett

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

An assessment of the park and recreation-related educational programs and departments within the United States indicates an increasing presence of web-based distance learning (WBDL) environments. According to a voluntary listing posted on NRPA’s official website, over 35 courses are offered within a WBDL environment with almost 20 U.S. colleges and universities participating. In addition, some programs currently offer a 100% WBDL baccalaureate and/or master degree. These numbers are also somewhat conservative as additional programs offered by universities continue to emerge as evident by the dialogue and postings on the online discussion forum of the Society of Park and Recreation Educators …

Measuring The Costs Of Employee Turnover In Illinois Public Park And Recreation Agencies: An Exploratory Study, William R. Mckinney, Kenneth R. Bartlett, Michael A. Mulvaney

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

Employee turnover is an unavoidable part of most public park and recreation agencies. Agencies must become increasingly concerned with understanding the repercussions of an employee leaving an agency as they attempt to strategically assess current and future economic and human resource plans. This exploratory study considers the issue of turnover within a cost analytical framework and proposes a model for park and recreation agencies to accurately quantify their employee turnover costs. Specifically, the study incorporates Cascio’s (2000) costing model of turnover to explore the costs associated with the departing employee and the placement of a new employee. Building upon Cascio’s …