Motivation of managers assigned to a Federal agency towards participation in government-sponsored training

This study examined the motivations of managers in a Federal government agency to participate or not participate in voluntary government-sponsored training. The researcher distributed a questionnaire, via agency electronic mail, to managers and supervisors in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The questionnaire comprised items selected from three instruments used and validated in previous adult education participation studies and provided the data for this study. Section 1 of the questionnaire addressed demographics, Section 2 addressed non-participation, and Section 3 addressed participation. Respondents rated the degree of influence or importance each item had on their decision to participate or not to participate in government-sponsored training.The data revealed the relative importance of the reasons for participation and non-participation and their relationship to the demographic variables. Cognitive interest and professional advancement were the primary motivations for participation in training. Lack of course relevance and time constraints were the primary motivations for not participating in training. There was no significant difference in motivation between men and women managers for either participation or non-participation. Other demographic variables had low to mid-range correlations with specific reasons for participation and non-participation, none of which were concentrated on a single cluster or factor.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Adult and Continuing Education

Department dc:contributor.department

Adult and Continuing Education

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1998

Author dc:creator

• Nason, Alan Barry

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Wiswell, Albert W.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Howard, Melissa M.
• Reio, Thomas G. Jr.
• Boucouvalas, Marcie
• Stubblefield, Harold W.

• adult education
• training
• participation
• managers
• government agency

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-5198-13568

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/30573