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No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

In the current study, a person-centered approach was taken to the examination of the relation between leader effectiveness and personality preferences. Type Theory and Adaption-Innovation Theory precepts were examined in tandem using cluster analytic techniques in order to discover whether past variable-centered findings relating these two theories would generalize to a person-centered examination. Eight patterns were hypothesized to emerge from the cluster analysis based on past correlational research, and three of these patterns were present in the seven-cluster solution. Leader effectiveness was measured in terms of multisource ratings on Benchmarks™. Hypotheses were proposed based on past variable-centered research examining the relations between Jungian personality types and self, superior, peer, and subordinate ratings of leader effectiveness. Some support was found for the variable-centered predictions, but the pattern-focused approach provided insight into the dynamics of the five personality preferences examined as well as suggested that indicators other than what would be predicted based on variable-centered studies may contribute to perceptions of leader effectiveness. Overall, the results of this study show that, taken together, variable and person-centered approaches to research may help strengthen the sometimes fragile relationship between personality and leader effectiveness. / Ph. D.

This research studies the effects of group stewardship and group learning on permanent work groups performing the core work and service processes in their organizations. Stewardship has been proposed as a potentially significant form of intrinsic motivation that causes people to act collectively in the best interests of their organization's stakeholders. However, stewardship has not been operationalized nor have its antecedents and consequences been empirically tested in prior field research. After defining group stewardship, the construct is shown to be distinct from related concepts such as psychological ownership and identification with the organization. While previous research has studied the concepts of individual and organizational learning, the concept of group learning is just emerging in the group effectiveness literature. Group learning is shown to be a multidimensional concept including integration of external perspectives, within-group collaboration, and practical application through experimentation. Within and between analysis (WABA) is utilized to determine which task, group and organizational constructs relate to the development of group stewardship at the individual, group and organizational levels of analysis. Four constructs, the need for analysis in doing the group's work, group potency, affective trust, and identification with the organization, are shown to be especially significant in developing group stewardship. Additionally, each of these four factors is shown to support different aspects of group learning. Finally, group stewardship is shown to be highly correlated with the presence of group learning, proactive behaviors, group performance, and employee job satisfaction. / Ph. D.

One of the most controversial questions in public administration today is the question of effectiveness and how well it is achieved by public and private organizations. Some studies hold private enterprise up as more effective; however, some others have argued the case in favor of the public sector. In examining the question, theorists have largely neglected the issue of quality of service. This study generates an effectiveness rating that takes into account quality as a major factor in addition to costs. This research uses the largest manpower training program in America, Job Corps, as a model for study. Job Corps encompasses both the public and private sectors, with a majority of the 107 Job Corps centers managed by private enterprise under contract to the United States Government. Two public and two private Job Corps centers were compared. Data were compiled from the following sources: 1) direct personal observation; 2) in-depth interviews; 3) Job Corps financial reports; and 4) student survey results. An effectiveness quotient for each center was developed from the data. Results show that each of the four centers has its own characteristic strengths and weaknesses. The public centers offered somewhat better quality of services as well as lower costs, and therefore noticeably better effectiveness than did the private centers. The public centers also surpassed the private centers in successfully meeting the job satisfaction needs of their employees. Unexpected findings included the fact that the centers that kept their costs the lowest also had the highest quality, and thus were scored as more effective. We conclude that the differentiating factor between public and private Job Corps centers is not their ownership, public or private, but rather how well-managed a center or class of centers is. In order to improve Job Corps operations, this study recommends a change in the assessment procedures for Job Corps, emphasizing quality of services and effectiveness of services rather than statistics on cost and average length of stay. It also suggests that continuing attention be paid to program management systems, including elements as diverse as communication among staff and control of students. / Ph. D.

A simulation model analyzes cost effectiveness of remote facility monitoring for risk reduction in rural water supply systems by performing a break-even analysis that compares operating costs with manual and remote monitoring. Water system operating cost includes the value of water loss (i.e., realized risk) resulting from operating excursions which are inversely related to mechanical reliability. Reliability is controlled by facility monitoring that identifies excursions enabling operators to implement mitigating measures. Cost effectiveness refers to the cost relationship among operating alternatives that reveals changed economic conditions at different operating rates inherent in the inverse relationship between fixed and variable costs. Break-even analysis describes cost effectiveness by identifying the operating rate above which the more capital intensive alternative will result in lower operating cost. Evidence indicates that increased monitoring frequency associated with remote monitoring can reduce water system operating cost by improving reliability, but whether remote monitoring is cost effective depends upon system-specific factors. The lack of a documented tool for evaluating this type of cost effectiveness led to the project objective of developing a model that performs break-even analysis by simulating water system operating costs as functions of system size (delivery rate). When the spreadsheet-based static deterministic parametric simulation model is run for the Tazewell County, Virginia water system based upon 1998 data, break even is predicted at approximately fifty-five percent of annual capacity (116,338,000 gallons) with operating cost of $1,043,400. Maximum annual operating cost reduction from a $317,600 investment provides payback in nine years. / Master of Science

Teacher evaluation systems were developed and implemented to increase accountability but also to increase teacher effectiveness. A review of the research and findings of previous teacher evaluation studies demonstrated the need to further examine the feedback in evaluation systems and their role in teacher professional growth. The purpose of the study was to identify the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the feedback teachers receive from the teacher evaluation process, how they perceive the impact of feedback on teacher growth, and what professional development has been offered because of the feedback. This descriptive study used qualitative data and quantitative data derived from a modified version of the Teacher Evaluation Profile (TEP) survey. The findings from this study indicated that teachers perceive the quality of feedback they received to be lower than administrators perceived the quality of the feedback they gave, specifically in regards to the frequency of the feedback and quality of the information contained in the feedback. In addition, there was a significant difference in the perceptions of the quality of feedback between elementary teachers and administrators and secondary teachers and administrators. Though teachers and administrators both perceived the working relationships as positive, few teachers reported making adjustments to their teaching practices in response to the feedback received. Teachers did not perceive teacher professional growth from adjustments made in their teaching practice in response to the feedback. Teachers also noted few opportunities for professional development suggested in feedback. As suggested by the findings, professional development needs to be specific in regards to providing effective feedback. Finally, teachers, with the help of administrators, need to focus on creating goals and growth plans with specific professional opportunities to help teachers grow professionally and positively impact student outcomes. / Ed. D.

Yes / The key questions to be addressed in this study are: with the benefit of hindsight, what conflict prevention 'packages' could the international community have designed in order to minimise the probability of the conflicts that actually took place? How much would have been saved if these packages had been implemented, given reasonable estimates about their costs, compared with the actual cost of conflict and post-conflict intervention. The first section provides a background to the conflicts. This is followed by an assessment of the levels of resources that the international community has committed to the Western Balkans since 1991. The third part of the study provides two hypothetical scenarios for CP interventions that might have restrained conflict from breaking out. These CP packages are then costed and an assessment of their probability of success is made.