Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A)
School
Public Policy and Administration
Advisor
Raj Singh
Abstract
The client agency’s special assignment promotions do not have transparent recruitment processes, resulting in artificial barriers within the noncompetitive ranks. The purpose of this professional administrative study was to explore the limitations associated with artificial barriers to the noncompetitive opportunities within fire departments and whether the removal of the barriers would add to job satisfaction. Data were collected from interviews with ten firefighters ranging from captains to chiefs in competitive and noncompetitive positions within the client agency. The findings from coding and thematic analysis indicated artificial barriers are present in the client agency and are classified as political, constraining systems such as the good old boy system and obstructed policy through the lack of a policy. A remedy for the presence of the artificial barriers is a formal recruitment and installation policy such as that required for the competitive systems. The recruitment policy would include benchmarks and requirements to enter the noncompetitive classes as described in a professional growth and development plan. Well-defined pathways in the client agency could promote positive social change through transparent opportunities throughout the region and collaborative efforts to remove artificial barriers.
Recommended Citation
Mitchell, Eric, "Effective, Efficient, and Fair Conduct in Fire Department Special Assignment Selection Procedures" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13597.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13597
