NCJ Number
56416
Journal
MANAGERIAL FINANCE Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (1977) Pages: 29-42
Date Published
1977
Length
14 pages
Annotation
IN FEBRUARY 1973 AN EXPERIMENTAL COURSE WAS RUN BY THE DURHAM (ENGLAND) UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL FOR THE ENTIRE TOP MANAGEMENT STRATA OF THE DURHAM PROBATION SERVICE. ONGOING EVALUATION HELPED PLAN EACH CLASS.
Abstract
THE PROGRAM WAS UNIQUE IN THAT TOP OFFICIALS FROM THE BUSINESS SCHOOL, WHO HAD LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEMS OF THE PROBATION SERVICE, DEVELOPED THE COURSE JOINTLY WITH TOP-LEVEL PROBATION OFFICERS WHO NEEDED HELP WITH MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES. THERE WERE FOUR VARIATIONS OF THE TRAINING, ONE FOR THE CENTRAL OFFICE PERSONNEL AND ONE FOR THE PERSONNEL OF EACH THREE BRANCH OFFICES. BEFORE TRAINING BEGAN PARTICIPANTS FILLED OUT PERSONAL OBJECTIVES QUESTIONNAIRES WHICH INDICATED THAT THEIR MAJOR PROBLEMS WERE DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP ABILITY, UNDERSTANDING THEIR ROLE IN RELATION TO ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, AND DEVELOPING SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES. BECAUSE THE BUSINESS SCHOOL STAFF WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH PROBATION SERVICE PROBLEMS, IT WAS DECIDED TO USE ONGOING EVALUATION TO KEEP THE COURSE ON TARGET. AFTER EACH SESSION PARTICIPANTS FILLED OUT RATING SHEETS WHICH WERE USED TO DEVELOP THE NEXT SESSIONS. A FINAL EVALUATION CONDUCTED 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TRAINING ENDED FOUND THAT THE INFORMATION HAD BEEN VALUABLE AND THAT THE MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL WERE USING THEIR NEW SKILLS TO IMPROVE DAILY OPERATIONS. THE ONGOING EVALUATION INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO LEARN ON THE PART OF THE INSTRUCTORS AND CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO THE POSITIVE OUTCOME. THE QUESTIONNAIRES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (GLR)