Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1967. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Western Michigan University, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 217-225).

This study deals with the indirect effects of industrial technology upon the behavior of first-line supervisors. Homans' paradigm of the constituents of social behavior, and Woodward's observations regarding organizational correlates of technology provide the rationale for the enunciation of specific hypotheses pertaining to the nature of supervisory activities, interactions and sentiments associated with each of three categories of industrial technology. The validity of the specific hypotheses is tested thru a secondary analysis of data reported in a number of observational studies of organizational behavior. The perennial "man in the middle” concept of the first-line supervisor is rejected. It is not a valid ideal-type concept that is representative of supervisory behavior in all forms of contemporary production organizations. It appears that the dominant mode of technology within a production organization or work unit affects organization structure and processes. The latter phenomena seem to be important factors shaping supervisory role demands, characteristics of work environment, and, hence, supervisory behavior. Thus, the study suggests the utility of three ideal-type constructs of supervisory behavior; one for each of the three categories of technology. Unit-and small-batch-production technology Role demands include an important technical element. Administrative activities include personally attending to personnel matters, production reports and specifications, and coordinating and monitoring work flow through the unit. Interactions with fellow supervisors along the work flow are minimally required. Interactions with both subordinates and staff specialists are typically task-oriented, face-to-face and devoid of conflict. Interactions with superiors may be mediated by the reports of staff specialists if the latter are found in the organization. Sentiments toward subordinates, superiors and staff specialists tend to be neutral to friendly in tone and fairly constant over time. Mass-production-assembly-line technology The supervisor typically neither possesses, nor is required to possess, a significant body of technical knowledge or set of technical skills. Administrative activities are directed toward coordinating and monitoring work flow through the unit, and, in general, achieving the collaboration of others. These activities are effected by verbal interactions, mainly with non-workers such as staff specialists. The requirement for interactions with fellow supervisors along the work flow ranges from being minimally required to inherent in the productive process. Interactions with staff specialists are face-to-face, task-oriented, and typically hostile. Interactions with superiors tend to be task-oriented, hostile and heavily mediated by the reports of staff specialists. Supervisory interactions with subordinates tend to be face-to-face, frequently hostile, and primarily task-oriented. The sentiments of supervisors toward subordinates, and particularly superiors, are characteristically those of defense and hostility; they are unstable over time. Sentiments toward staff specialists tend to be neutral to hostile and generally stable over time. Continuous-process technology Role demands of the supervisor include an important technical element; technical advice is both sought from and given to subordinates and staff specialists. As the degree of automaticity of production control increases, the need for coordination of work flow within and between units decreases; similarly for the requirement for exclusively task-oriented interactions with other organization actors. Administrative activities include inspection and control functions designed to assure the safety of both personnel and the process and equipment. Interactions with subordinates and staff specialists tend to allow for the mutual evaluation of technical issues. As the degree of automaticity of production control increases, such interactions tend to be characterized by the exchange of advice and information. Sentiments are generally neutral to friendly and slightly unstable over time. V.V. Murray, Supervisor / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

No description available.

This study assessed the importance of the first-line supervisor's knowledge of his subordinates' work. The impact of the supervisor's style of leadership served as a basis for comparatively evaluating the importance of the supervisor's knowledge. The criteria variables used were morale and productivity. Supervisors and subordinates representing routine and nonroutine work groups were tested. The routine group was represented by postal clerks and the nonroutine group by computer programmers. All subjects were chosen as a convenience sample and were U.S. Army personnel stationed in West Germany. Test results of seventy-eight subordinates and their supervisors were used in the analysis. The test to measure the job knowledge of postal workers was the only test which had to be specially prepared for this study. Internal consistency reliabilities indicated the test would be appropriate. Supervisors both ranked and rated their subordinates' productivity. Various other standard tests were used. The primary hypothesis of the study was that the first-line supervisor's knowledge of his subordinates' jobs has a greater impact on productivity and morale than the supervisor's leadership style. It was hypothesized that increases in the supervisor's knowledge would have favorable effects. Path analysis was employed as the method of evaluating the hypothesis. The layout of path diagrams reflect various other hypotheses of the researcher. The first path analysis model examined indicated additional variables should be considered. An expanded model indicated that knowledge is likely positively related to productivity though negatively related to morale. That portion of the hypothesis specifying that knowledge would have a greater impact than leadership style could not be justified by the analysis and interpretation of the diagrams. The participative style of leadership appeared to be more positively, causally related to productivity than the supervisor's knowledge.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1986 R533 / Master of Science / Psychological Sciences

No description available.

Peiguan Wu. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-89). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, Morgantown, 1997. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1954. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-107).