Aaron J. Zorn

Date of Award

3-22-2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Systems Engineering and Management

First Advisor

Alfred E. Thal, PhD.

Abstract

The fast-paced work environment that exists today requires organizations to adapt quickly in order to sustain high performance. Research suggests that the use of high-performance work practices (HPWPs) in human resource management is a possible way to increase performance. As the United States Air Force continues to face decreasing budgets, possible fixes such as the use of HPWPs may be considered. This research used a phenomenological approach to collect data from civil engineer controllers throughout the Air Force about their experiences and perceptions. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether current human resource practices are potentially contributing to the perceptions of controllers. The results were analyzed and coded into overall themes. These collected data were compared to models of HPWPs to identify which practices could be altered to possibly increase performance. There were five key findings from this research. Controllers felt that there were too few senior leaders in the career field, there was an unawareness of their role by other squadron members, there was inconsistent employment and recognition of controllers, they needed advanced training, and there was a lack of standardized guidance.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GEM-ENV-12-M22

DTIC Accession Number

ADA557537

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