Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Human Resources Management Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Air Force Institute of Technology

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type

Articles 61 - 90 of 270

Full-Text Articles in Human Resources Management

A Comparative Study Of Learning Curve Models And Factors In Defense Cost Estimating Based On Program Integration, Assembly, And Checkout, Brandon J. Johnson Mar 2016

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the conventional models to contemporary learning curve models in order to determine if the current DOD methodology is outdated.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 …


Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Uav) Operators’ Workload Reduction: The Effect Of 3d Audio On Operators’ Workload And Performance During Multi-Aircraft Control, Sungbin Kim Mar 2016

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 …


Analysis Of Inpatient Hospital Staff Mental Workload By Means Of Discrete-Event Simulation, Erich W. Maxheimer Mar 2016

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 …


Application Of Non-Rated Line Officer Attrition Levels And Career Field Stability, Christine L. Zens Mar 2016

Application Of Non-Rated Line Officer Attrition Levels And Career Field Stability, Christine L. Zens

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force monitors the strength of its active duty officer force and attempts to achieve the difficult challenge of employing a diversity of talent among career specialties and experience levels. This study completes two objectives, predicting future manning levels for 23 career fields, and providing a statistical framework to assess the stability of these fields. The first part of the study applies regression and survival analysis to subpopulations within the active duty Air Force officer corps, and then aggregates them by year to forecast future personnel levels. Four career fields are considered, including Acquisitions (ACQ), Logistics (LOG), Support (SPT), …


Forging Tomorrow's Air, Space, And Cyber War Fighters: Recommendations For Integration And Development, Mark Reith Jan 2016

Forging Tomorrow's Air, Space, And Cyber War Fighters: Recommendations For Integration And Development, Mark Reith

Faculty Publications

Today’s Airmen operate in contested environments, and years of technical-data spillage, coupled with policies emphasizing commercial-off-the-shelf acquisition, ensure that the immediate future will remain contested as our adversaries seek to exploit level playing fields. Long gone are the days of Operation Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom when air superiority dominated and the supporting elements of space, communications, and computers were largely out of reach for many nation-states. Since then, technology has become ubiquitously intertwined in weapon systems and today largely turns the gears of warfare, allowing a range of actors to erode national instruments of power.


The Effect Of Stages And Levels Of Automation And Reliability On Workload And Performance For Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operations, Stephen P. Katrein Mar 2015

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 …


Pragmatic Divestment Of Kc-135 Navigators In The Special Operations Air Refueling Mission, Andrew P. Nation Mar 2015

Pragmatic Divestment Of Kc-135 Navigators In The Special Operations Air Refueling Mission, Andrew P. Nation

Theses and Dissertations

In the late 1990s, the Air Force eliminated over 200 KC-135 navigators, leaving 50 remaining for the aircraft's most complex Special Operations Air Refueling (SOAR) mission. As the Air Force unveils the KC-46 Pegasus, this mission will continue but without a position for the navigator. Instead, navigators will undergo divestment as the SOAR mission transfers to the KC-46. Current plans indicate navigators will not only remain as the KC-46 arrives, but inbound navigators will continue arriving until 2018. This thesis applies the Delphi method, a process eliciting analysis anonymously from a panel of experts, in order to examine the elements …


Non-Rated Air Force Line Officer Attrition Rates Using Survival Analysis, Jill A. Schofield Mar 2015

Non-Rated Air Force Line Officer Attrition Rates Using Survival Analysis, Jill A. Schofield

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force structures its workforce around rank structure and work specialty codes (Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs)). The challenge is to grow and manage personnel to fill a variety of skill sets at a variety of ranks over a 20-30 year planning horizon. To ensure that the missions are accomplished while adhering to congressionally-mandated force allocations, the Air Force is continually attempting to \right size its force by maintaining the correct balance of personnel in each career field. The Air Force conducts its force structure management responsibility by comparing historical attrition rates to current manpower requirements for each AFSC …


Supplementary Computer Generated Cueing To Enhance Air Traffic Controller Efficiency, Laurienne Cibelle Rodrigues De Assis Santana Mar 2013

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 …


Usaf Aircraft Maintenance Officer Knowledge, Skills And Abilities And Commonalities Among The Logistics Officer Corps, David M. Thompson Mar 2013

Usaf Aircraft Maintenance Officer Knowledge, Skills And Abilities And Commonalities Among The Logistics Officer Corps, David M. Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated options to improve 21A training and education by first validating the Air Force's logistics mission sets as Deployment, Distribution, Supply Management, Repair Network Integration, Mission Generation, Lifecycle Logistics and Joint Logistics. Then, the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) considered important to execute each mission set were gathered from a representative sample of Air Force Logistics Officers via field interviews and focus groups. An analysis of results categorizes probable needs (high, medium, low) of KSAs for each mission set and assesses how well they are currently taught, if at all. Additionally, lists of KSAs that overlap multiple mission …


Cognitive Mentorship: Mediating Protégé Performance, Brian R. Mauntel Mar 2013

Cognitive Mentorship: Mediating Protégé Performance, Brian R. Mauntel

Theses and Dissertations

The role of cognitive apprenticeship has been emphasized in facilitating individual performance in the classroom, but there is limited quantitative research directly linking cognitive behaviors to mentoring relationships and workplace performance. This study investigates the characteristics of mentoring behavior that influence group performance using archival data from 52 different organizations. A mediation model is developed and the results indicate that the group-level of mentors' cognitive behavior plays a central role in the mentor-protege relationship. The findings suggest that the mentors' collective articulation of problem solving processes fully mediate the unit's performance, while reflection and exploration partially mediate the relationship. The …


An Analysis Of The Impact Of Job Search Behaviors On Air Force Company Grade Officer Turnover, Teri M. Hunter Mar 2012

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Job Search Behaviors On Air Force Company Grade Officer Turnover, Teri M. Hunter

Theses and Dissertations

This study assesses the turnover behavior of Air Force Company Grade Officers (CGO) over a 17-month period. The study separated passive job search --behaviors that demonstrate a search for information to form an employment goal -- and active job search -- behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to pursuing an employment goal. The group of officers just beginning the job search process explain the least amount of variance in intent to turnover, yet explain the greatest amount of variance in actual turnover. Conversely, the group of officers near the end of the job search process explain the greatest amount of variance …


The Effect Of Supply Chain Management Processes On Competitive Advantage And Organizational Performance, Ronald M. Salazar Mar 2012

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, …


An Analysis Of Turnover Intentions: A Reexamination Of Air Force Civil Engineering Company Grade Officers, Joshua D. Connell Mar 2012

An Analysis Of Turnover Intentions: A Reexamination Of Air Force Civil Engineering Company Grade Officers, Joshua D. Connell

Theses and Dissertations

A potential retention problem is facing company grade officers (CGOs) in the Air Force Civil Engineer (CE) career field. This is due to the stress caused by a demanding workload experienced during a prolonged period of conflict (Iraq and Afghanistan), which is compounded by a reduction in force. The possibility of reduced retention is thus a concern for CE leadership. Based on past research, and the prior study conducted by Riddel (2010), a new model of turnover intentions was developed. The new model expands on Riddel's simplified model of turnover and attempts to focus on key factors that may help …


Turnover Intentions: A Quantitative Analysis Of Comments From Air Force Civil Engineering Company Grade Officers, Tj E. Gabrielson Mar 2012

Turnover Intentions: A Quantitative Analysis Of Comments From Air Force Civil Engineering Company Grade Officers, Tj E. Gabrielson

Theses and Dissertations

Voluntary turnover is a concern for the military and many other organizations from a financial and performance standpoint. This study applied grounded theory to code and network comments provided by CE officers in 2010. The results of this study found the most influential construct that predicts turnover intentions to be the relationship of OPSTEMPO influencing interrole conflict. This conflict is increased by the workload at home station due to under manning within CE. OPSTEMPO is an important aspect of a military member's decision to stay or leave the service because it was found to interact with a multitude of other …


Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flight Test Approval Process And Its Implications: A Methodological Approach To Capture And Evaluate Hidden Costs And Value In The Overall Process, Tuan U. Tran Mar 2012

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flight Test Approval Process And Its Implications: A Methodological Approach To Capture And Evaluate Hidden Costs And Value In The Overall Process, Tuan U. Tran

Theses and Dissertations

The advancement in small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) technology has brought a new revolution in the military domain. Their uses have become more synonymous with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. Concerns over their flight test safety and accountability have been addressed in multiple policies to mitigate mishaps and increase proper accountability. However, current DoD and FAA mandated regulations and policies concerning UAV flight tests are sometimes considered slow and time-consuming, which may lead to delays in UAV research and development. This study explores the quantitative and qualitative measure of benefits associated with an abbreviated flight test process for SUAVs. Specifically, …


The Moderating Effect Of Psychological Empowerment On The Relationship Between Network Centrality And Individual Job Performance, David A. Washington Mar 2012

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 …


High-Performance Work Practices: A Case Study Using The Phenomenological Approach, Aaron J. Zorn Mar 2012

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 …


Decision Analysis Using Value-Focused Thinking For Retention Of Long-Term Officers In The Korean Army, Jaebum Kim Mar 2012

Decision Analysis Using Value-Focused Thinking For Retention Of Long-Term Officers In The Korean Army, Jaebum Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The North Korean attacks on the South Korean naval vessel, the Cheonan, and on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong in 2010 have resulted in the deterioration of the relationship between North and South Korea. The death of Kim Jong Il in December 2011 has raised serious concerns over the future of North Korea and political stability on the Korean Peninsula. Against this background, South Korea has continued its agenda of military reform to improve the retention and management of its military personnel. However, South Korea needs better methods and measures for evaluating its personnel to distinguish highly qualified officers …


Personnel, The Class 0 Supply Item: A Logistics Management Approach To Supplying Combatant Commanders With Warfighters, William P. Beard Mar 2012

Personnel, The Class 0 Supply Item: A Logistics Management Approach To Supplying Combatant Commanders With Warfighters, William P. Beard

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force's end strength has drawn down from 530,000 to just over 332,000 in the past 20 years. All indications are that resources will continue to become more restricted in the future, including manpower. Meanwhile, studies indicate that the Air Force will likely continue to withdraw permanently stationed forces overseas and rely increasingly on the Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) construct for rapid mobility and force projection. With the AEF and efficient manpower utilization projected to become increasingly important, this study provides the first examination of the AEF as an overarching process for improvement opportunities. It proposes that the concept …


Architecture Based Workload Analysis Of Uas Multi-Aircraft Control: Implications Of Implementation On Mq-1b Predator, Jason D. Mcgrogan, Michael F. Schneider Mar 2011

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 Mar 2011

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 Mar 2011

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. …


A Linear Programming Approach For Determining Travel Cost Minimizing Ecss Training Locations, Jason S. Boerboom Mar 2010

A Linear Programming Approach For Determining Travel Cost Minimizing Ecss Training Locations, Jason S. Boerboom

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense is currently operating in a fiscally constrained environment, and Air Force leaders are pressured to minimize spending while pursuing mission critical objectives. Personnel travel usurps a significant portion of the Air Force’s annual operations and maintenance (O&M) budget each year, but receives little attention with respect to cost saving strategies. During the Air Force’s implementation of the Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS), in which over 250,000 end-users will require training, it is vital that the Department determine the training locations that minimize costs incurred through personnel travel. This thesis seeks to determine which potential ECSS training …


Downside Risk Optimization Of The Thrift Savings Plan Lifecycle Fund Portfolios, Matthew C. Beck Mar 2010

Downside Risk Optimization Of The Thrift Savings Plan Lifecycle Fund Portfolios, Matthew C. Beck

Theses and Dissertations

The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), the defined benefit contribution plan for the US Government, introduced the asset allocation Lifecycle (L) Funds in August 2005. These funds seek to minimize risk and maximize expected portfolio return via mean-variance optimization (MVO). The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and examine the efficiency of the TSP L Funds and create alternative L Fund portfolios via downside risk optimization (DRO). Whereas MVO minimizes the portfolio variance (standard deviation), DRO seeks to minimize the risk below an investor’s minimal acceptable return in the market, defined as the Co-Lower Partial Moment (CLPM). The research team …


A Study Of Formal And Informal Mentoring In The United States Air Force, Russell H. Gheesling Mar 2010

A Study Of Formal And Informal Mentoring In The United States Air Force, Russell H. Gheesling

Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring has been identified as a significant contributor to employee performance and development. Debate has come about as result of implementation of formal mentoring programs where mentors are assigned to protégés as opposed to informal relationship formed out of mutual respect and liking. Secondary data, including measures of leader member exchange, similarity, contact time, and others, were used from a 1998 survey of company grade officers (protégés) and their formal and informal mentors. Analysis of Variance compared mean values between formally and informally mentored protégés. Additionally, a logistic regression was used to understand the impact that different measures had on …


Understanding The Effectiveness Of Performance Management Practices, Ross T. Johnston Mar 2010

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 …


Analysis Of The Military Medical Retirement System, Joseph M. Barnum Mar 2009

Analysis Of The Military Medical Retirement System, Joseph M. Barnum

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the 60 year old military medical retirement system. Specifically, this thesis answered three research questions regarding a comparison of pay between the current system and the societal standard for injury and illness, identification of current segments of the military population disproportionately affected by the current system, and establishment of a minimal standard for medical retirement compensation. Previous research established the societal standard for compensation as the Value of Statistical Life. This thesis compared the current military medical retirement system with the Value of Statistical Life and identified several segments of the military …


The Correlation Of Human Capital On Costs Of Air Force Acquisition Programs, Stephen E. Gray Mar 2009

The Correlation Of Human Capital On Costs Of Air Force Acquisition Programs, Stephen E. Gray

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have linked human capital with performance. The studies have shown performance, measured as output, of a firm can be increased by adding more personnel and/or increasing education levels. This research uses the Cobb-Douglas Production function to build upon that relationship of inputs to outputs. The output in this study is the average cost overrun of Aeronautical Systems Center research, development, test, and evaluation contracts managed from 1994 to 2008. The inputs are the numbers of military/government employee financial managers, program managers, engineers, rated personnel, and military/government employees in those career fields possessing a graduate degree or higher. A …


Modeling U.S. Occupational Health Costs, Joseph M. Bauer Mar 2009

Modeling U.S. Occupational Health Costs, Joseph M. Bauer

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this research was to improve the effectiveness of cost comparison analyses for the 75th Aerospace Medicine Group, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Bioenvironmental engineers sought a more robust cost comparison tool, allowing engineers to quickly determine the viability of proposed occupational health-related expenditures. To justify the funding of potential projects, engineers must quantify the expected cost savings. Improved cost comparison analysis enables personnel to better justify worthy projects or filter out uneconomical solutions. A secondary purpose of this research was to validate Department of Defense (DoD) occupational illness cost factors. This research effort focused on cost …