AN ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN ATTITUDES OF SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS TOWARD SUPERVISORY PRACTICES, COMPANY POLICIES, AND SUPERVISOR OPINIONS

This descriptive study was designed to ascertain if there were any statistically significant changes in participants' attitudes concerning Supervisory Practices, Company Policies, and Supervisor Opinions while participating in a training program designed to bring about positive changes in these areas. The objectives of the study were: (1) to identify areas that are being significantly changed due to training, and (2) to determine the relationship between and within each of the following areas contained in the How Supervise? evaluation instrument, Forms A and B. The areas were: (A) Supervisory Practices, (B) Company Policies, and (C) Supervisor Opinions.; The population for the study consisted of one thousand and six supervisors and managers at Tinker Air Force Base, who completed the First-Level Supervisory Course at the Management Training Center located at Oscar Rose Junior College, Midwest City, OK. Four hypotheses were formulated and tested in this study. The statistical analysis performed on each of the hypothesis were: Pearson's product-moment correlation, scattergram, and analysis of variance (Anova). The Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) was used to provide the programs needed for data analysis.; The results of testing the four null hypotheses revealed a significant difference at the .05 and .01 level of significance in each area contained in the How Supervise? evaluation instrument, Forms A and B.; The following recommendations for further research were: (1) A study be made of industrial supervisors and managers to determine if demographic factors (age, sex, and education level) have an impact on attitudes, (2) A study be made of industrial supervisors and managers to determine if length of supervisory/managerial experience and organizational climate has any impact on attitudes, (3) An indepth evaluation of specific types of training to determine the impact for change in attitudes, (4) a study be made to identify the relationship of training course content to items contained in the How Supervise? evaluation instrument, (5) develop a modification of Form B of the How Supervise? instrument to be administered at the mid-point of a training program, and (6) a study involving the re-administration of Forms A and B of the How Supervise? instrument upon participants return to attend other courses at the Management Training Center located at Oscar Rose Junior College, Midwest City, Oklahoma.