COPELAND, CURTIS WAYNE; PHD
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS, 1980
POLITICAL SCIENCE, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (0617)
The purpose of this research is to investigate the innovation process in municipal
personnel offices by
answering three questions. What factors are related to the innovativeness of
personnel offices? What
factors are involved in the diffusion of personnel innovations from one city
to another? What
intraorganizational processes are involved in the decision to adopt personnel
innovations? This research
focuses on ten innovations selected by a panel of both personnel academicians
and practitioners. Data
collection involved a mail survey sent to all cities over 25,000 in the Chicago
and Dallas federal regions
and in-depth interviews with personnel directors in twenty-two cities. Personnel
innovativeness was
measured by using indicators of the speed of adoption, extent of implementation,
and a combined
indicator for each of the ten innovations. Independent variables included characteristics
of the
community, organizational environment, personnel offices, and the directors'
perceptions of the
innovations themselves. Correlation and regression analysis reveal only modest
associations with a few
of the independent variables employed, thereby indicating that no particular
city or organization is most
conducive to personnel innovativeness. The data do indicate, however, that certain
variables produce a
greater change in the innovativeness measures than others; the directors' perception
of innovation
radicalness has a negative effect on innovation, while city size, director tenure,
and the perception of a
governmental mandate are positively related to change. Innovation diffusion
is investigated by examining
the rate and extent of adoption and the directors' assessments of information
sources and by identifying
innovation leaders. Adoption graphs reveal that none of the cumulative adoption
patterns approximate
the 'S'-shape evidenced in earlier studies and that virtually all the innovations
began or experienced a
rapid increase in adoption around 1971-1972. Directors' ratings of informational
sources indicate federal,
state, and regional agencies are not likely sources of information, while journals,
meetings, other cities,
and individuals within the city are more acceptable. Directors believe that
federal assistance is of little
value and that state and regional assistance is unavailable. Six cities are
identified as innovation leaders,
although they have few common characteristics and are seldom mentioned as sources
of information by
other cities. Most directors named cities within their own state and of the
same size when looking for
information about personnel innovations. Interviews with directors concerning
the adoption process
reveal the director and the city manager are often primary motivators of personnel
innovation due to their
professional experience. The city council usually becomes involved only if the
change requires
modification of existing ordinances or if added money is needed. Factors these
officials believe are
important to adoption include director professionalism, proper staffing, and
outside assistance early in
the change process and political and communication skills during adoption and
implementation.
Economic resources and the priority the personnel function is accorded are important
throughout the
process of innovation. The implications of this research are both practical
and theoretical. Officials
interested in more complete innovation diffusion would do well to stress the
nonradicalness of the
change and any applicable governmental mandates. Federal, state, and regional
governments can
obviously improve both the availability and applicability of personnel information.
In terms of theory, the
research offers support to both the rational and power-based models of decision
making and change,
although the latter seems most appropriate in explaining radical change.
Social
Systems Simulation Group
P.O. Box 6904 San Diego, CA 92166-0904 Roland Werner, Principal Phone/FAX (619) 660-1603 |