Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Kenneth C. Sherman

Abstract

Government leaders have not been successful in their strategies for developing a pipeline of African American college students to address the absence of African American representation in civil service management positions. Increasing African American representation among civil service personnel may produce a government workforce that reflects American society, which may promote equitable and responsive solutions in serving public interests. The purpose of this qualitative modified Delphi study was to build consensus among a nationwide expert panel of government-affiliated talent managers as to strategies for creating a sustainable civil service pipeline of annual graduating classes of African American collegians. The research questions, grounded by Chamberlain's theory of strategy, focused on determining the desirability and feasibility of strategic tactics for recruitment. From 4 rounds of questionnaires, with Likert-type scales, median scores were calculated for each strategic tactic to reveal the level of consensus for each tactic. Consensus-based findings included 6 different types of tactics: (a) competitive and transparent compensation packages; (b) recruiting at African American workshops and conferences; (c) quality and affordable insurance; (d) career training and development opportunities; (e) internships to African American college students; and (f) recruiting from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics program organizations. This study contributes to positive social change by providing practitioners with consensus-based tactics to enable more African Americans to have the opportunity to have a career in the civil service, which may yield a more proportionate, socially responsible citizenry and a healthier, more economically competitive economy.

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