Officer Career Development: Factors that Predict Subspecialty Decisions and Proven-Subspecialty Status
Abstract
The research's goal was to help the Navy more fully meet its need for technical and acquisition-management specialist at intermediate and senior grade levels. Toward that end, the research attempted to identify those factors that would predict who would become a proven subspecialist in the targeted grade levels and who would remain totally committed to a warfare specialty. The researchers believed that proven-subspecialty status is the culmination of the following: (1) the perceived value of subspecialties for career advancement influences the officer's decision on whether to obtain a proven subspecialty, (2) the decision to obtain a proven subspecialty requires a decision on whether to obtain a postgraduate degree, and (3) since attendance at postgraduate school is voluntary, the decision to pursue that goal should be a good predictor of proven subspecialty status. Three FY82 questionnaire- determined factors, used in combination, produced the best predictions of proven subspecialty status in FY86/87: the proven- subspecialty and postgraduate-degree decisions, and operational mission. These predictors produced a fairly high correlation of .49. Recommendations were offered on how to motivate officers to assume more responsibility for the development of subspecialty expertise.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA234874
Entities
People
- Gerry L. Wilcove
- Robert F. Morrison