Human Resources Management Commons^™

Improving Police Officer Performance Appraisal, Leslie D. Simpson

Theses

This thesis will examine the development of American police management practices and organizational structure from its inception during the eighteenth century to the present. The organizational structure and management philosophy will be discussed concerning the influence they have on police officer performance appraisal.

Private sector business organizations have undergone monumental changes in management philosophy during the past twenty years. Most successful enterprises have shifted to a form of quality management that recognizes the benefits of employee participation in management programs. With emphasis on customer service, quality, process improvement, and human resource management American businesses are regaining their leadership role in …

An Understanding And A Quest For Excellence In Human Resources At An Urban Public School District, Juliette E. Douglas

Theses

This thesis will focus on how to transition the Human Resource Division at St. Louis Public Schools into a customer focused, responsive service organization. Like many other industries, urban education has some uniqueness but there are also some common issues. To better understand the management style traditionally used in urban education, this project started with conducting extensive research on the history of management in education.

History is only important in understanding the past. Good management must focus on the present and create the future. To better plan to create a changed human resource function, two basic management concepts were also …

An Evaluation Of The Competency Modeling Method Used By A Major Telecommunications Company, Sharon K. Kramer

Theses

This thesis focuses on competency model development methods and evaluating an actual competency model development method used by a consulting company on behalf of its client.

As HRD professionals get down to actually measuring human performance against the model they set forth to specify competency and its associated behaviors, they often find behavioral measurements to be subjective and relative, rather than objective and criterion-based.

The purpose of this study is to review competency model definitions and development methods, as well as the implications for using competency models to improve human performance, business results and competitive advantage.

The competency model development …

Employee Motivation: What Works, What Doesn't, Michelle A. Koenig

Theses

Corporate America has seen a multitude of changes in the last century, but the change with the greatest impact is that of the employees. In the 'old' days, it was an employer's market. Employees felt lucky just to have a job. Companies did not spend time or money worrying about whether or not their employees were happy or motivated. The majority of jobs required manual labor and little or no education. This made replacing an unhappy or unmotivated worker much easier. In addition, there weren't as many U.S. or foreign companies competing for employees.

In today's competitive market, hiring and …

The New American Family, And A New Generation Of Young Americans Entering The Workforce, Flo A. Kistner

Theses

This thesis focuses on the dysfunction of a significant proportion of America's youth and shows how it can be attributed directly to lack of parental presence or parental control. Today's youth are in total chaos. Research shows there is a definite lack of quality time with today's children from their parents. This lack of parental involvement plays a crucial role in the development or lack of development of today's youth and tomorrow's workers.

The purpose of this study is to examine the changes in the structure of the American family, and the resulting need for management to assume a more …

Employee Benefits, Kimberly Elinor Miller

Theses

This paper discusses how group benefits have changed over the past ten years, what corporations are offering their employees such as medical insurance, employee assistance programs, wellness training programs, child care programs, flexible compensation plans, continuing education benefits and retirement benefits and how each one of these benefits is set up. Employers want not only to implement benefit programs which will help them meet their organizational goals, but also to attract, retain and motivate employees. In order to succeed in these efforts they must install a program of benefits that is both cost effective and will meet organizational profit goals. …

Facets Of Job Satisfaction Among Social Service Workers, Mary Ann Meegan

Theses

Workers in the field of social services report being overworked and underpaid. Studies have shown evidence that this is an accurate perception. Yet those same studies, as well as others, indicate that social service workers are generally satisfied with their jobs. This presents a question as to what the source or sources of this satisfaction are. An instrument designed to explore facets of job satisfaction specifically in the social services professions was administered to 40 Children's Services Workers of the Division of Family Services in St. Charles Co., Mo. The results indicate that, while less than satisfied with salary, promotional …

Concepts Of Career Planning, Stephanie G. Venable

Theses

This thesis study consists of general information and historical perspectives on vocational guidance. Vocational guidance is researched and the problems of managing one's own career. This study introduces major writers and summarizes their contributions of work in vocational guidance. Specifically the research of what organizations and schools are doing to help individuals manage their careers. The most important research to this focus is job hunting and in-depth discussion on various topics related to this focus.

The Building Of A Diversified Work Force, Kirstie K. Hickman

Theses

This thesis will discuss the trend toward a diversified labor force, as we move toward Workforce 2000. Many statistics show that the upcoming workforce will have fewer white males. Significant increases in the numbers of minorities , women, and immigrants will have a serious effect on how Human Resource Departments operate within companies. These demographical changes in the face of the labor market will require new methods of managing and training in all sectors of the corporate structure.

Moving forward t o manage and train individuals for the challenges of the year 2000 and beyond will require corporations to address …

Strategic Planning For Downsizing And The Human Resource Factor, Kathleen M. Kaiser

Theses

This thesis will focus on the study of downsizing , the importance of a strategic plan for downsizing and the effect the on human resource factor .

Businesses experienced unprecedented growth throughout the 1960 1 s and early 1970 ' s ; in the 1980 1 s the recession slowed this growth and downsizing became a necessary economic device for businesses to remain competitive . Some of the reasons stated for downsizing are : to safeguard profit mar gins , stagnant growth , poor earnings , market driven cuts , foreign competition , advancing technology , and a last ditch …

Characteristics And Criteria Of Effective Training, Michelle D. Yepsen

Theses

This thesis was written to center on the difficulties faced when delivering quality training to today's businesses.

Approaches to training change every year with the additions to technology, but some aspects of the field will remain the same. No matter what type of program is being designed, instructors must assess their students beforehand to ensure that training will provide what is needed.

So often, off-the-shelf training is used without consideration to the audience. The literature reviewed suggested that trainers need to tune into their subjects and work on their communication skills. Also, corporations have objectives that they expect to be …

The Downsizing Of American Corporations: Have They Gone Too Far?, Patricia A. Sturm

Theses

This thesis will focus on the study of corporate downsizing and its impact on Americans and American businesses. Has it really been the cure-all that most top executives believe it to be, or is it simply a temporary fix that creates additional problems? Whatever the answer, this phenomenon, which began in the early eighties and still exists today, has changed the way corporations do business and the way Americans feel about their jobs.

Over the years executives have made many mistakes as they took a slash and burn type of approach toward eliminating jobs. They found that although this method …

Rational Bias And Its Relationship To The Glass Ceiling, Kelly A. Levengood

Theses

This thesis will focus on the affect of rational bias to the "glass ceiling." Research has suggested that a "glass ceiling" exists in corporate America . It attributes the lack of women in middle and upper management to the "glass ceiling."

Some theorists acknowledge that not all women want to be at the top in management due to the "mommy track" or general lack of interest for that position. However, for those women who desire a position in upper management, some theorists believe women are blocked from upper management positions by the "old boys network" . . . the "glass …

Worker's Compensation: Difficulties, Causes, And Remedies, Joseph G. Newman

Theses

This thesis will focus on the study of the Missouri workers' compensation system. its difficulties, the causes, and possible remedies. Current research reveals that the rising cost of workers' compensation is causing industry. labor. and government to consider major reforms to the system. These reforms might be directed toward curtailing rising medical costs. Workers' compensation costs have increased significantly through the 80's, and continue to rise. Excessive litigation 1s another factor influencing the cost of workers' compensation.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the difficulties found in administering a fair and equitable workers' compensation system. It is hypothesized …

Managing The Diverse Workforce, Kevin W. Williamson

Theses

This thesis will focus on the changes that are occurring in the composition of the population of the U.S. - how diverse it has become - and diversity's impact on the U.S. business entity.

Research has indicated that the largest percentage of new growth in the labor market will minorities and women. By the year 2000 the workforce will become more heterogeneous from a race, skill and experience standpoint. With the population of the U.S. shrinking, the pool from which employers have to select prospective employees from is also shrinking. The issue is employer demand. Companies that strive to remain …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Settlement Process In The Securities Industry, Woody D. Johnson

Theses

This thesis will focus on the settlement process in the securities industry and the different methods and frequencies by which securities firms disburse payments to their customers.

Many brokerage firms have realized the value of technological advancements in cash management services and have invested large dollars in their systems capabilities to remain competitive . Other firms do not have the resources to invest in such systems. To stay competitive, many firms are now looking at customer service, focusing on customer payments as a marketing tool.

Historically, securities firms exploited the financial success in their customers' accounts to offset the lack …

A Plan To Integrate Cockpit Resource Management Into Training Programs Of Non-Automated, Transport Category Aircraft, C. H. Meyerholtz Jr.

Theses

Pilot error has been listed frequently as the probable cause of aircraft accidents. In most cases this does not refer to an error in piloting skills, but rather an error in judgment or inept use of resources available to the pilot. Researchers found that the skills required to effectively use all resources and encourage a team spirit in the cockpit had not been sufficiently developed. Further, according to the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, these resource management skills are just as necessary as flying skills in order to effect safe flight. In the mid-1970's, cockpit resource …

The Use Of High-Tech Sales Recruitment In The Data Communications Industry, John J. Speraneo

Theses

The purpose of this study is to conduct a research investigation of the use of executive recruitment. While corporate America automates and downsizes in order to compete in the worldwide market, workers try to find creative ways to market themselves and use the best means to locate jobs in this competitive environment.

The main focus of this study is to determine the primary means used to locate high-tech sales positions in the data communications industry. This could vary from executive recruiters, classified ads, personal referrals, and other miscellaneous methods.

The following paper is an empirical study, designed to provide an …

Investigation Of A Program That Manages Cultural Diversity To Determine Its Relationship To A Profitable And Efficient Business Operation, Joan M. Hubbard

Theses

This thesis begins with the purpose of investigating a program that recognizes, accepts, values and manages cultural diversity in the workplace to determine its relationship to a profitable and efficient business operation.

Significant demographic changes are expected to occur by the year 2000 resulting in a more culturally diverse labor force. In addition to a labor force wherein "white males" become the minority, this labor force will be more resistant to shedding ethnic and sexual distinctions.

In the past, managers have achieved high-level mastery over physical production . However, as labor constitutes the greatest single cost component of output, the …

Venture Stores: A Case Of Self-Inflicted Labor Shortages, Eugene J. Vargo

Theses

This thesis will focus on the corporate personnel problems that are expected to occur from the babyboom retirement and the babybust.

Research shows that in the last few years major corporations have felt the pinch of regional labor shortages. Facing an eminent labor shortage caused by the babybust, employers are looking into various ways of improving worker productivity and company performance.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census are forcasting that by the year 2000 the United States will see a significant change in the workforce. The median age will rise. There will be less 16-22 year olds entering …

Effective Disciplinary Process In Management, Ying-Lung Teng

Theses

The application of discipline is the punitive behavior by the employer to suppress the employee's undesired behavior in the work place. However, there are many considerations have to be concerned when applied discipline.

An organization has to support the supervisor when applying discipline because it gives the supervisor the great power in dealing with problem workers. Organizational policy has to specify the degree of discipline and timing of discipline in order to make the supervisor and the employee have an idea about discipline.

The employee becomes satisfied with supervision when the supervisor uses good leadership skills to manage. In order …

The Relationship Of Life-Script Decisions To Occupational Interests, Jacqueline Holler

Theses

This study considered the relationship of life-script decisions to an individual's occupational interests. A variety of definitions and functions of work were discussed, and the influences or early family parenting styles and mode-ling were explored.

The theory of Transactional Analysis was used as the basis tor explaining emotional and psychological needs of individuals. The origins of the three ego states, Parent, Adult, and Child, were described and defined The life script, or life plan, of individuals, developed from decisions: which are based on messages and modeling from parental figures, was used to determine the executive ego states of the subjects. …

The Relationship Between The Number Of Sexual Harassment Incidents Reported In The Manufacturing Industry And Personnel Administrators' Knowledge Concerning The Problem, Brenda J. Willenborg

Theses

This thesis focuses on sexual harassment in the workplace and how it relates to personnel administrators' knowledge thereof.

As sexual harassment claims rise, businesses suffer tremendous financial loss. However, most researchers believe that many claims could be prevented if businesses implemented strong anti-sexual harassment policies, in addition to education and training for all employees. Personnel administrators are often assigned these difficult tasks without much thought as to how well-informed they may be about sexual harassment. If not very knowledgeable themselves, how practicable will their prevention programs be?

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a relationship …

Inconsistencies And Turnover, Lori A. Strawhun

Theses

In any organization, turnover is inevitable - employees come and employees go. A great deal of research has been devoted to exploring the causes of turnover as well as turnover's costs and benefits. There is much to say about turnover. It is a complicated phenomenon affected by many variables and having many effects itself.

To better- understand turnover, several formulas have been created to quantify this phenomenon in terms of percentages. These formulas are presented and one formula was used to examine a company referred to in this text as "Company X". There is little agreement on how much turnover …

The Environmental Impact On Management Decisions, Daniel C. Ingham

Theses

This thesis will focus on how the environment will impact management decisions. The impact is measured in dollars when possible,

Management needs to have a working knowledge of how their decisions can impact the environment and ultimately the bottom line. The environmental impact ranges from depletion of the ozone to contamination of groundwater. The potential business changes due to the environment cover the range from the planning to the disposal stages of a product and to include shifts in marketing and advertising strategies.

The environment is getting more attention today from the public than at any other time. The public …

Employer Supported Childcare, Mark James Winstel

Theses

One of the more progressive types of employee benefits a company can offer to its work force is that consisting of child care.

While more and more businesses are getting into the concern, still only 10% to 15% of all firms have such a package to give their employees. There appear to be many advantages to having a benefits offering. Studies have determined there would be a reduction in absenteeism and turnover, improved hiring and recruitment, and even better productivity, to name a few.

Today, the typical family of the male wage earner with spouse and kids at home has …

Pay Equity: The Time Is Now, Stephanie Ann Nowack

Theses

The thesis "Pay Equity: The Time Is Now" by Stephanie Ann Nowak explores the persistent issue of wage disparity between men and women in the United States. Highlighting historical and societal factors, Nowak examines how traditional gender roles have contributed to systemic pay inequities, with women consistently earning less than men in comparable positions. This wage gap, exacerbated by societal expectations and occupational segregation, has been perpetuated by entrenched biases that undervalue women’s work, even in fields requiring similar skills to male-dominated roles.

Nowak discusses the impact of landmark legislation, such as the Equal Pay Act of 1964, which aimed …

Sexual Harassment Of Unskilled Working Women, Jane Marie Goebert

Theses

This study was done to develop an understanding of what determines a sexual harassment victim. The purpose was to determine if women, who are unskilled and lower paid, have a higher risk of being sexually harassed.

The survey was conducted in the St. Louis area. The sample consisted of both men and women working at various skill levels and incomes. There were 201 respondents, consisting of 132 women and 69 men.

The survey results were analyzed and compared to surveys taken in other geographical areas. This was to determine if there were any differences based on demographics.

The findings of …

Management Of Personnel Systems, James P. Ward

Theses

The "Management of Personnel Systems" course (BA-332), taught at Lindenwood College in Spring 1986, provides a comprehensive framework for understanding key components in personnel and industrial relations. Designed for graduate-level students, the course emphasizes both theoretical foundations and practical applications of human resource management. Its core objective is to equip students with the philosophy, skills, and experiential learning necessary to operate effectively within the personnel function of organizations.

The syllabus covers a broad spectrum of topics, including job analysis and design, staffing and recruitment, equal employment opportunity, performance appraisal systems, compensation and benefits, labor relations, collective bargaining, organizational development, safety …

A Review Of Personnel Policies And Procedures Developed For St. Charles County In 1984, Richard L. Balicki

Theses

This paper will discuss the development, design and formulation of personnel policies and procedures for St. Charles County in 1984. At the time the process of development started, the county was without an approved personnel policies and procedures system and was concerned about a possible federal audit that could result in their losing federal funds because of the lack of formal policies.

In order to develop a system that would be used by the various county offices, input was sought from elected and appointed officials as well as other levels of county employees. The success and failure of this method …