Public Administration ETDs

Publication Date

5-5-1977

Abstract

All organizations recognize the need of the adaptation of personnel policies and practices to meet organizational needs. Organizational structure, management system in use, size, and complexity influence the degree to which the organization is able to adapt to meet these needs. The purpose of this research study is to review selected personnel policies and practices in three public/ private research and development organizations and in three federal science agencies and make a comparative analysis of the differences and similarities between the two types of organizations. The personnel areas included in the study are recruitment, examination, job analysis, assessment of individual performance, and assessment of personnel policy outcome. The three public/private research and development organizations are: the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California; the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratories, Los Alamos, New Mexico; and the Sandia Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The three federal science agencies are: the Air Force Weapons Laboratory of the Air Force Systems Command, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; the Albuquerque Operations Office of the Energy Research and Development Administration, Albuquerque, New Mexico; and the Johnson Space Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Houston, Texas. Information and data was acquired through on-site interviews, with the open-end question method of interviewing used. The interview schedule was developed from secondary research findings in the personnel areas included in the study. Qualitative data was changed to quantitative data to facilitate the comparative analysis and to provide for visual cross analysis between organizations. The results of the study indicate that, based on the method utilized for measuring "significant," there is not a "significant" difference in personnel policies and practices between public/private research and development organizations and federal science agencies. The conclusion reached, however, is that while there are many similarities, there are some major differences including: the distribution of time spent on recruitment functions; the use of comprehensive, written, standardized qualification criteria on which applicant qualification and examination are based; methods of ranking both internal and external applicants for position vacancies; methods of evaluating employees for merit pay increases; regulations pertaining to selection from a list of applicants; authority of line managers in administering the personnel management program, particularly in regard to professional employees; diversity of procedures in use within a personnel area based on diversity of needs; the role of the personnel office in the organization; and policies on the assessment of personnel policy outcome.

Degree Name

Public Administration

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

School of Public Administration

First Committee Member (Chair)

Albert H. Rosenthal

Second Committee Member

Ferrel Heady

Third Committee Member

Zane Oscar Hopper

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

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