<p> From classic to contemporary leadership theory, scholars stress the need for leaders to achieve success through the productivity of their subordinates. The police executive position choice is arguably more important because of the constitutional powers that police officers possess on a daily basis. Officers have the ability to restrict one&rsquo;s liberty and even use deadly force if necessary. </p><p> The critical first step in the selection process is to identify competencies necessary for effectiveness at the executive level. Similar studies have addressed this question, yet the competencies measured are often validated by scholars and police executives themselves. The purpose of this study was to increase this criterion validity further, comparing those competencies with perceptions from both executives and the subordinates they seek to lead as well as to create a more comprehensive competency model that is in accordance with the tenets of contemporary leadership theory, by examining the traits that police subordinates consider imperative for sustained success. </p><p> Participants for this study consisted of 28 police executives and 145 subordinates (approximately a 5:1 ratio, subordinates to executives, respectively). An independent samples t test was utilized to compare the means between the two samples and a Cronbach&rsquo;s alpha test was performed to ascertain construct validity and internal consistency. </p><p> The findings indicate some competency perception rating disparities between the two sample populations. While there was a reliable relationship for most of the competencies measured, these statistically significant disparities could prove essential in the construction of a more comprehensive, police executive competency paradigm. Implications of these findings, as well as recommendations for policy, practice, and future research are all discussed in this study.</p>

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

<p> Between 1990 and 2010 changing perceptions of water-scarcity and evolving adaptation strategies to water stress transformed water management in San Diego, California. This project examines how perceptions of water scarcity affect the programmatic variety, geographic scale, and types of adaptations that are undertaken. It also investigates whether a cultural consensus developed within San Diego County as a whole about what causes particular water problems. Lastly, the research shows how adaptation responses to the collective action problem of water provisioning contributed to resolving the other collective action problems of wastewater production and water conservation. The project presents San Diego as an example of polycentric governance arrangements that were adaptive to the challenges of a changing social-ecological system. </p><p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative exploratory multiple case study is to explore what influence lifestyle polygraph screening hiring requirements have on federal government agencies to attract Millennial applicants in the Washington D.C. area. The broad theoretical framework under which this research study falls includes Maslow&rsquo;s hierarchy of needs theory, generational theory, the social cognitive theory, and the social exclusion theory. Data collection for this research study involved conducting semi-structured interviews with thirteen members of the Millennial Generation and thirteen former federal government hiring managers in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The interview data was entered into NVIVO 11 for data mining and categorization. This resulted in the establishment of common themes about the perceptions of Millennials and former federal government hiring managers about the lifestyle polygraph hiring requirement. The results of the study concluded that the lifestyle polygraph hiring requirement is not a deterring factor on the ability of federal government agencies to attract Millennial applicants. However, the lifestyle polygraph hiring requirement was found to be a deterrent in achieving federal government employment objectives in hiring Millennials. This study provided organizational leaders and managers with empirical data for evaluating and effecting potential hiring process changes. Recommendations for future areas of research include reassessing drug test requirements, exploration of potential polygraph examiner bias, and early intervention marketing at the middle and high school levels.</p><p>

This study investigated burnout and aspects of perceived work environment among employees of selected state-operated community residences in western Massachusetts. The primary aim of the study was to compare alternative approaches to diagnosing burnout: a traditional regression model, and a burnout phase model. This comparison was employed to assess the relative utility of the burnout models for guiding managerial decisionmaking about organizational change interventions. The descriptive component of the study found that the sample was characterized by low burnout. Low burnout was strongly associated with positive perceptions of the work environment, as expected. Both burnout and work environment perceptions varied significantly for the sample subgroups of high/low contact workers, workers with previous experience in private social service agencies, and workers assigned to either apartments or to the more restrictive and closely monitored Intermediate Care Facilities. Diagnosis using the traditional approach suggested the primacy of structural factors in predicting burnout, while the phase model implicated social factors. In addition, the traditional approach suggested that burnout was not an issue of concern in the organization studied, while the phase approach led to the finding that a significant portion of the employees were severely burned out. Thus the guidance provided for managers through application of the traditional versus phase approaches differed depending on which model was used. Although the study supported a functional difference between the phase and traditional approaches, further research using objective outcome measures and comparing groups over time is needed.

<p> On October 1st of every year, college campuses throughout the United States are required to publish an annual security report (ASR), which provides an overview of the institution&rsquo;s security program. The ASR includes policies and procedures as well as crime statistics for the previous 3 years. The intent of the Clery Act was to provide valuable information on campus safety and security so that students, faculty, and staff can make more informed decisions as to either attend and/or work at a specific institution. This study examined how knowledgeable campus security authorities (CSAs) are with respect to these ASRs, also known as the Clery Act. Furthermore, this research examined whether or not the Act has influence on the success of the institutions&rsquo; missions. This is a qualitative study, which consists of data collected from structured interviews from 14 participants from 2 institutions representing four-year, for-profit colleges. Questions asked during these structured interviews focused on each respondent&rsquo;s knowledge of the Clery Act and its various provisions. The study revealed that the CSAs were unsure whether the Clery Act made college campuses safer; they were aware of the Act but not very familiar with the provisions of the Act; they were unable to identify resources other than additional personnel-power; and finally, they were familiar with the annual requirement of the Act and the published data but not with other provisions of the Act.</p>

<p> This research advances a water infrastructure vulnerability index (WIVI) in order to assess levels of susceptibility within the water sector and its respective infrastructure system(s). WIVI provides an assessment tool that can assist decision makers and policymakers in making better investment decisions supported by a prudent data-driven instrument. The index is dependent upon individual water utility data that are publically available, making it a transparent process that is repeatable and reproducible. Normalization of the data was used to establish baselines, and indicators were developed to represent the different levels of a functional water utility. WIVI provides a quantifiable snapshot of a water utility&rsquo;s past and present state of vulnerability. WIVI is a supportive tool that assists in data-driven decision management, which will determine the direction and allocation of financial infrastructure upgrades pertaining to a water system&rsquo;s need to rehabilitate, replace, or abandon current water system infrastructure.</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Open University. BLDSC no. DX215640.