Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Terry Halfhill

Abstract

The merits of veteran affirmative action placement and review of performance by management were the rationale of this study. The mismatch theory was applied to explain when an individual receives a favor from affirmative action but is unable to keep pace with others performing in the same role. This quantitative quasi-experimental study was used to examine what differences exist between managerial perceptions of job-related performance and employee designations. A series of hypothetical scenarios were administered to respondents using vignettes that describe the actions taken by employees regarding an unfair labor practice. A paired t test was conducted in this quantitative research to assess if there were differences in the scores of the hypothetical characters specifically as it pertained to their veteran designations. From a 107 person sample and an inclusion criteria of federal government managers who manage attorneys hired with and without veteran-related affirmative action assistance, an analysis included conducting a test for 24 different pairs that compared the characters' aggregate scores and specific performance measures. The test showed that there were no real differences in the ratings of the employees after disclosing their veteran status to the raters. This study indicated greater insights on whether management can identify actual differences in employee performance or if the 2 designations themselves, veteran and nonveteran, are the driving forces of their comprehension and subsequent action. Positive social change may emanate from this study because the insights revealed offer a greater context for the effectiveness of affirmative action programs like veteran preference and if greater controls and/or training needed to be implemented to fortify their effectiveness.

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