Date of Award
1998
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Business Administration
Department
Business
First Advisor
Daniel W. Kemper
Second Advisor
Laura DeRigne
Third Advisor
John Sherbenz
Abstract
This thesis will focus on a newly-created leadership manual and the likelihood of increased effectiveness in job performance and perceived benefit among company-level leaders in the United States Army Reserve who use it. In this thesis, this handbook or leaders' manual - which summarizes and highlights applicable military regulations, policies, guidances and code as well as provides helpful hints for the company commander - was reviewed by subject matter experts who rated the manual on the basis of accuracy, utility and potential for use among Army Reserve leadership. Specifically, it was hypothesized that these experts would view the handbook as well-written, useful, and likely to be used.
The history of military leadership has shown that it is difficult to clearly define specific physical or psychological leadership traits. The supporting evidence, both in specific cases of individuals in particular situations, as well as in research by social scientists, shows that effective leadership at its roots is, most simply, individuals acting logically, boldly and effectively under situational specific circumstances. To transfer this background knowledge of military leadership to a more defined environment - company-level leadership in a U. S. Army Reserve unit -- requires looking past the current leader development paradigm of institutional learning, increasingly challenging operational assignments, and a system of self-development. This current model bas been shown to have been inadequate to the challenges of leadership in the Army Reserve as shown in the alarmingly high annual personnel attrition rates, particularly among the junior enlisted soldier, and in the lack of readiness to go to war among units who are, in theory, supposed to be among the first to mobilize.
In this study, five subject matter experts - current USAR officers who have served or currently serve in a company-level leadership position - were given this newly-created USAR Company Commander's Handbook. They were requested to critically review this handbook and then complete a survey which solicited their views on the handbook, both objectively and subjectively. The survey used a classic five-point Likert scale, as well as a "comments'' section after each question and each major portion of the survey.
Results of the surveys completed by the subject matter ex pens showed that the USAR Company Commander's Handbook was well received. These raters' evaluations showed that they viewed the handbook as being effective, and therefore likely to be used by both new and experienced company-level commanders.
Recommended Citation
Fielder, David Winston, "The USAR Company Command Handbook: A Study of Potential Benefit and Impact on Effective Performance by Army Reserve Leadership" (1998). Theses. 146.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/theses/146
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