The Development of an Integrated Performance Category System for Supervisory Jobs in the U.S. Navy

Abstract

When a single job is the target, established job analysis approaches provide relatively straightforward methods for identifying performance requirements. However, when multiple jobs are involved, the identification of a single set of relevant performance dimensions can be more daunting. In the application here, there was also a compelling requirement to develop a dimension set that conformed with U.S. Navy fleet personnel perceptions of the performance domain. Accordingly, the behavioral performance constructs that experienced Navy officers believed differentiate effective from ineffective supervisory performance were gathered using a personal construct theory protocol. We then used a methodology suggested by Borman and Brush (1993) to integrate and summarize these personal work constructs, to provide—through a series of qualitative and quantitative strategies—a dimension set targeted toward supervisors in all Navy communities. The resulting dimensions revealed certain themes that might not have emerged if traditional job analysis strategies had been used. The dimension set and the resulting behaviorally anchored rating scales appear widely relevant to Navy supervisor jobs, and the performance appraisal system that employs the scales is nearing implementation. In addition, performance feedback and development tools were developed to complement the performance appraisal system.