Business Commons^™

Socio-Technical & Team Management Theory At A Greenfield Site, Macon Brown Iii

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research project is to answer the question, "How and with what effects does Logan Aluminum, Inc. translate and implement the principles of socio-technical and team management theory into its organizational culture and operational activities?" To answer this question the researcher first examined the literature related to those theories and then conducted on-site interviews and ethnographic research to witness their implementation. The researcher found strong evidence to prove the validity and accuracy of many of those theories when practiced in an organizational setting. Theories particularly proven were those relating to the necessity of constant training, the role …

Training Program Content Validation: A Practical Application Of Educative Techniques, Julia A. Howard-Johnson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A McDonald’s training program for the positions of grill and counter was evaluated in order to identify recommendations for curriculum refinement or enhancements. The methodological approaches developed by Ford and Wroten (1984) and Bownas, Bosshardt, and Donnelly (1985) were applied. Three evaluation assessment inventories were developed: The Job task Inventory, The training Emphasis Inventory, and The Training Effectiveness Inventory. These inventories were constructed with the assistance of 49 managers, trainers, and employees with six or more months of service. Four managers, seven trainers, and 22 recent training graduates responded to the appropriate inventory and these ratings were used in the …

Does Sex Discrimination Exist In Faculty Salaries At Western Kentucky University? An Empirical Examination Of The Wage Gap, Reed Vesey

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This thesis examines wage differentials between male and female faculty salaries at Western Kentucky University. A human capital model of salary determination is examined by using regression analysis on relevant personal and job characteristics of faculty members. A large portion of the wage gap between men and women is explained through differences in the personal and job characteristics. A portion of the wage gap remains unexplained, however, the probability of discrimination playing a substantial role in salary is very small.

From Authoritarian To Participative Management & Back Again: A Field Study Of The Effects Of Employee Participation In A Manufacturing Setting, William Pierce

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study consists of two surveys administered sixteen months apart in a large (1000 employee) Fortune 100 organization which was sold to a Japanese company during the period under study and underwent several other chaotic changes. The purpose of the study was to assess the perceived differences brought about by training and participation. Six factors that were assessed for differences were: productivity, communication, employee participation, work teams, management leadership, and mergers/acquisitions.

Results were compared from the two time periods across all six factors. Productivity and communication proved statistically significant at p(.05, while employee participation and work teams prove statistically significant …

The Influence Of Marketing Strategies On Employee Perception Of A Small Rural Kentucky Hospital, Renee Perkins

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A well-known fact relating to health care in the 1990s is the delimma being faced by small rural hospitals across the United States. They are now at a crossroads between survival and closure. This thesis addresses the influence that effective marketing strategies can have on the outcome of rural hospitals if such strategies are targeted to the right populations Although the patients, the community, and the physicians are important target groups, this thesis addresses the impact marketing can have on the employee population and how that population can, in turn, affect community perception.

This is the first study to be …

An Estimation Of Human Capital Loss Resulting From Subversive Deaths Due To The Northern Ireland Conflict, Brian Armour

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Conflict entails numerous sacrifices in human resources in addition to loss of life, while it is difficult to appraise the real cost of conflict, one can determine the number of fatalities. It is the primary goal of this thesis to develop an accounting technique by which the human capital cost of fatalities due to the Northern Ireland Conflict may be measured in an accepted unit of account. While the development of a model for measuring human capital loss is in itself an important part of the study, the ultimate objective is to arrive at an estimate of the human capital …

Effects Of Three Organizational Policies On Individuals’ Attitudes About Drug Testing, Alan Walker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The consensus of recent literature appears to be that drug testing is both legal and valid. However, a testing program can meet legal and technical criteria and still fail to meet organizational objectives because one vital component has been left out – employees’ attitudes. The present study uses data from 148 college juniors and seniors to assess the effects of three hypothetical drug testing policies: (a) consequences of detected drug use (termination vs. rehabilitation), (b) timing of the program (expected interval vs. random interval vs. reasonable cause), and (c) business purpose (weak vs. strong) on attitudes toward drug testing. It …

The Sex Stereotype Of A Job As A Moderator Of Sex Bias In Performance Evaluations, Sandra B. Crooks

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In accordance with the stereotype-fit model of discrimination (Dipboye, 1985), the results of past research indicate that the extent to which jobs are sex stereotyped dictates whether or not a main effect for rate sex is present in performance evaluations. The purpose of this study was to further examine the relationship between the sex stereotype of the job and the presence of sex bias in evaluation. Two hundred and five undergraduate psychology students viewed one of eight videotapes of a confederate job applicant performing a work sample task and evaluated the observed performance. A 2 x 2 x 2 between …

Quicksand Craft Center: Documentation & Analysis Of A Handweaving Program In Vest, Kentucky, Deborah Champion

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Data on the handweaving program at the Quicksand Craft Center in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky were compiled and analyzed. Four areas--history of the craft program, business organization and financial structure, weave patterns of goods woven and sold by the craft center, and weavers employed in the program --were examined to assess the success of the program in the local community. Factors in the four areas examined contributed to the success of the program. The benevolence, perseverance, and co-operation of the founders, directors and community members involved with the craft center have been largely responsible for the continued success …

Development Of A Weighted Application Blank For The Carryout Clerk Classification In A Large Retail Organization, Linda Gabbard

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a Weighted Application Blank to predict turnover for use as a selection tool for a large retail organization. Utilizing the England (1971) procedure, it was hypothesized that significant derivation and cross-validities would be obtained. The hypothesis was partially supported: the derivation validity coefficient was significant (r = .28, p < .01) and the resulting cross-validity coefficient was net significant (r = 19, p < .05). The results and recommendations for implementation of the WAB are discussed.

Identification Of Training Needs: A Focus Group Interview/Q-Sort Methodology, Michele Erb

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In light of research that suggests that formal needs analysis leads to efficient and productive training programs, managers and a sampling of non-management employees from a mid-size manufacturing company participated in a needs assessment to determine future training needs for the company's mangers. The information was collected through focus group interviews and a Q-sort technique was developed to categorize the issues raised in the interviews. The categories of training issues and related concerns identified as a result of the focus group interview process were compared to a list of training topics generated by managers through an informal survey prior to …

Sharing The Wealth: Movement Toward Gender Parity In Managerial & Professional Specialty Occupations From 1950 To 1980, D. Leeann Jolly

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Data on the managerial and professional specialty occupations that were specified by the United States Census of the Population for the years 1950 through 1980 were used to analyze the influence of occupational sex ratios, growth rates, and male and female salary levels on the ability of females to move into those occupations. An analysis of the change in the Standardized Occupational Sex Ratio (SSR) showed that, over the thirty year period studied, growth rates became more important than salary levels in influencing movement toward parity in high status occupations.

Before the 1980 census year, occupational growth rates were found …

An Exploratory Study Of Organizational Trust & Its Multiple Dimensions: A Case Study Of General Motors, Kerry Hart

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Over 1700 employees of the General Motors Corporation defined trust and described personal work experiences that affected their trust toward the organization. These employee comments were factor analyzed to determine the dimensions of organizational trust. An instrument was developed from employee comments to measure the level of trust in a GM location. With the level of trust quantified, the demographic effects on trust and the relationship between trust and management's communication effectiveness were investigated.

This approach provided new knowledge of trust in an industrial environment. Three dimensions of organizational trust were identified: Openness/Congruity, Shared Values, and Autonomy/Feedback. Age, length of …

Weighted Application Blanks: An Empirical Approach For The Selection Of Delivery Personnel Psychology, Barton Lee Dahmer

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a biographically weighted application blank for use in selecting delivery personnel. The England (1971) procedure for weighting biographical information was utilized. The criterion was a ratio of planned work time to actual work time. It was hypothesized that (a) significant derivation and cross-validities would be obtained, and (b) significant practical benefits in terms of correct placement of workers in the high and low criterion groups would result. The first hypothesis was partially supported in that a significant derivation validity was obtained (r = -.56, P < .05). However, the cross-validity (r = -.12) was not significant. Thus, the second hypothesis was not supported. A discussion of the results and recommendations for the implementation of the weighted application blank are provided.

The Loving Of The Game: A Study Of Basketry In The Mammoth Cave Area, Denis O. Kiely

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The production and marketing of baskets in the Mammoth Cave area of Kentucky from 1880 to the present is observed in light of the cultural, technical, aesthetic, ad traditional aspects involved. The process of making a white oak ribbed basket is documented, as well as the technical and aesthetic variables from which the basket maker renders his product. The changing role of social organization and communication in the production and marketing of a traditional craft objects is also considered.

A Validity Study Of An Operational Pre-Hire Assessment Process For Professional, Managerial, Technical Personnel, John Galbraith

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Research concerning the validity of various procedures for assessing managerial potential is reviewed. It is found that several assessment techniques are valid for identifying and/or predicting potential and that a combination of techniques usually accounts for a significantly greater amount of criterion variance than does a single assessment procedure used alone. The lack of research concerning the use of multiplecomponent assessment techniques for the selection of individual job applicants for lower-level managerial positions is pointed out. The present study concerns itself with an operational individual assessment program designed to identify and select from among experienced job applicants those individuals exhibiting …

A Comparison Of Perceived Employee Satisfaction With Downward Communication Within Department Stores In Cities Of Varying Size, Karen Attig

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Three retail department stores of varying size were compared to determine if store size affected employee attitudes toward downward communication. Chi-square and multivariate analyses were used to determine results based on a questionnaire administered to employees within three department stores. Employees within the small department store were found to be less satisfied with the communication received from their store manager than were employees in the medium size and large department stores. Employees within the large department store were found to be more satisfied with downward communication than subjects from other stores.

An Analysis Of Selected Personnel Managers For Company Attitudes Toward Industrial Recreation In North Carolina, Cynthia Dean

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study was made in attempt to assess company attitudes toward industrial recreation in order to draw conclusions concerning present and future trends in employee recreation. A survey instrument was devised with the aid of a jury of experts to validate and improve upon the questionnaire. The questionnaires were distributed through the mail to the one hundred largest manufacturing firms in North Carolina. Personnel managers were asked to answer the survey as to reflect company attitudes and not necessarily thelr own. The questions pertained to areas such as recreational opportunities, amount of participation, utilization of recreational personnel, the availability of …

A Case Study Of The Recreational Needs & Interests Of Rural Adults In Russell County, Kentucky, Bennett Bratcher

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Russell County, Kentucky, is a small rural county, with a population of 11,900, located 85 miles east of Bowling Green, Kentucky, There were approximately 2800 adults between the ages of 25 and 45 living in the county during the summer of 1980. The problem of this study was twofold: (1) to assess the recreational needs and interests of 25 to 45 year old adults in Russell County, Kentucky, during the summer of 1980, and (2) to make recommendations based upon the findings of the study. A survey instrument was developed, with the aid of a jury of experts, t.) serve …

The Traditional Sex-Stereotype Of A Job As A Moderator Variable For The Directionality Of Sex Biases In Performance Evaluation, Bernard Bena

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Accurate and objective performance appraisals are absolutely necessary due to their utility in important personnel decisions such as promotion, demotion and training. This study examines the contaminating effects of sex bias on performance evaluations and it's relationship to the sex-stereotype of the job and levels of performance. Unlike previous studies, this study not only examines these effects at the extremes of performance, but at average levels as well. Also, unlike previous studies, the subjects empirically determined the sex-typed nature of the jobs and the levels of performance within those jobs rather than the experimenter having made a priori decisions. Hypothetical …

The Operational Effectiveness Of The Behavioral Expectations Scale & The Mixed Standard Scale: A Comparative Evaluation, Deborah Boniske

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Performance evaluations were obtained on firefighters in a large Midwestern City. The evaluations were conducted through utilization of two different scale types (The Behavioral Expectation Scale and The Mixed Standard Scale). These evaluations were obtained in order to test the hypotheses that the MSS was psychometrically superior to the BES in the reduction of halo and leniency error and that the MSS was also the better scale type in terms of producing higher interrater reliability. Leniency error (in both the absolute and comparative sense) was examined by conducting a series of T-tests. Halo error was investigated by a comparison of …

Stereotype Bias In Selection: A Process Approach, Donald V. Currie

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This investigation was to determine if an applicant’s sex and the job’s sex orientation stereotypes affected the evaluation of applicant information and subsequent selection decision outcomes. Interviewers (N=48) were asked to rate the employment suitability of 49 hypothetical applicants. The results indicated that an interaction of the applicant’s sex and job’s sex orientation had marginal affect on the importance weightings in two of the four applicant attribute factors, motivation/ability and personality/appearance. Applicants with equivalent qualifications did not receive comparable employment suitability ratings, Unfair job discrimination was demonstrated by these data. It was concluded that the applicant’s sex and the job’s …

Occupational Injury Control Through System Safety Analysis - A Comparative Study, Victor Aeby

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The study was a comparative retrospective analysis to determine the effectiveness of MORT (Management Oversight and Risk Tree), a system safety method, in reducing the incidence and cost of occupational injuries occurring at the Tennessee Wheel and Rubber Company. Implementation of MORT on April 1, 1974 at the plant facility allowed for statistical comparison of accidents between the time periods April 1, 1972 through March 31, 1974 and April 1, 1974 through March 31, 1976.

Data on injury incidence were gathered by researching the company's worker compensation reports. Cost figures for injuries were drawn from computer printouts provided by the …

A Survey Of The Work-Study Programs In The State Universities Of Kentucky, Glen Knight

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study was undertaken to determine the status of the work-study programs in the eight state universities of Kentucky. A review of the literature indicated that little research had been conducted in the area of work-study administration, and thus this study was performed to increase the knowledge in this area. A questionnaire was developed to survey the work study program at the eight universities concerning the following three areas: organization and administration, evaluation procedures, and professional preparation. A high degree of centralization was indicated at all of the universities in regard to their student work programs, and administrative policy was …

A Development & Testing Project On A New Proposed Method To Produce Technical Documentation For Use In Training & Work Performance By The United States Army, Charles Burleson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the development, evaluation, and testing of a technical manual produced by the new United States Army Improved Technical Documentation and Training concept. The concept involved a complete systems analysis of the hardware being considered prior to the actual writing of the manual. The manuals were validated and verified by actual soldiers performing maintenance tasks using only the manuals.

A comparison of the new manual with the old manual was Performed using untrained and trained soldiers.

Conclusions formulated were that the new manual seemed to be a great improvement over the old manual …

A Kentucky Dressmaker, Mrs. A.H. (Carrie) Taylor: An Examination Of Her Role In Fashion At The Turn Of The Century, Janice Centers

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

One dressmaker, Mrs. A. H. Taylor of Bowling Green, Kentucky, was studied in order to draw attention to the role of the dressmaker in American fashion. A biography of Mrs. A. H. Taylor and the business history were compiled; available designs were analyzed in relation to current fashion; and an investigation of the business organization was made. It was found that the dressmaking establishment played an important role in the lives of women of that time period. Fashionable custom fit clothing was made available to local residents and to mail-order customers. The establishment was one of the few businesses which …

A Survey Of Selected Corporate Practices Which Influence Exit Interviewing Techniques Among Kentucky Manufacturing Firms, Barry Landis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of the present study was to examine organizational practices related to exit interviewing techniques. Prior research has neglected the study of the variables which cause the use of the exit interview to fluctuate, focusing rather on the study of the validity and format of the exit interview. The present study, by means of a questionnaire, cross-tabulated certain independent variables with the dependent variables contained in the questionnaire and found that at least three independent variables significantly affected use of the interview: (1) the size of the company (2) unionization of the company and (3) the annual turnover rate …

Wisconsin Railroad Planning: A State's Perspective Of Abandonments, Barbara Busse

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Federal legislation enacted in January 1974 created federal agencies to produce a rail plan process for the Northeast United States and to monitor and evaluate the programs. A a result of the federal enactment, many states are producing rail plans. Wisconsin is presently preparing one such plan which included the elements of freight operations. The State also has produced a Manual for State Railroad Planning. Both documents have included railroad abandonment as topic of discussion. The present planning process in the State is not sufficient to determine future courses of action concerning abandonments. A case study is presented to determine …

A Statistical & Cartographic Analysis Of The Size-Distribution Of Retail Grocery Stores In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Luke Hall

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial distribution of retail grocery stores in Bowling Green, Kentucky using the formal element of store size as a controlling theme. This purpose was behaviorally accomplished through a cartographic analysis of the city wide arrangement and a statistical analysis measuring the degree and intensity of selected variables. A survey of pertinent literature was undertaken to discover locational trends and to uncover sixteen specific variables suggested to provide association with grocery store distribution. One general and six specific hypotheses were presented! all were rejected. The cartographic displays did, however, yield promising similarities …

An Application Of The Income Elasticity Concept To The Demand For Housing, Loyce Bagwell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Many studies approach the housing-income relationship by calculating the income elasticity of demand for housing. This study employs this approach in order to (1) test the implications of the permanent income hypothesis by using data which provide both biased and unbiased elasticity coefficients and (2) test the effects which the explanatory variable, family composition, may have on the elasticity coefficients.

The methodology involves regressing the log of housing expenditure on the log of disposable income for seven different family compositions in order to obtain the income elasticity coefficients. This approach is applied to data (cross section 1960-61 BLS consumer surveys) …