An evaluation of a human relations training program for engineers

Engineers have been presented, almost traditionally, as highly skilled specialists who tend to lack skills in the human relations area. This study evaluated a human relations training program for engineers which had been developed to fill the gap in their earlier training. The program is part of the...

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Main Author: Wilson, Blair
Language:English
Published: 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2429/19637
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spelling ndltd-UBC-oai-circle.library.ubc.ca-2429-196372018-01-05T17:40:07Z An evaluation of a human relations training program for engineers Wilson, Blair Engineers Education Interpersonal relations Engineers have been presented, almost traditionally, as highly skilled specialists who tend to lack skills in the human relations area. This study evaluated a human relations training program for engineers which had been developed to fill the gap in their earlier training. The program is part of the Diploma in Administration for Engineers offered by the British Columbia Council on Continuing Education for Engineers in conjunction with the University of British Columbia. Three instruments were used in the study, namely the Leadership Opinion Questionnaire (LOQ), the Leadership: Employee Orientation and Differentiation Questionnaire (LEAD) and the Profile of Organizational Characteristics (Form-S). The LOQ is a well-established instrument which measures two variables identified as Consideration (C) and Structure (S). The LEAD instrument is relatively new and measures two variables, identified as Employee Orientation (E) and Differentiation (D), which are purported to be similar to the LOQ variables. The Form-S instrument was developed to establish profiles of the characteristics of an organization. On this study, it measured the subjects' perception of their organization at the time of the course (N = Now) and as they wanted it to be (L = Like). Matched control and experimental groups of engineers and technically-oriented personnel, each with fifteen subjects, were selected at a location in Northern British Columbia. The experimental group was exposed to approximately twenty-four hours of total course time, in two weekends spaced one month apart, of a structured human relations training course. The control group was not exposed to any training. Seven hypotheses were tested to determine the effects of the training course on the six variables of the LOQ, LEAD and Form-S instruments. Specifically, a positive increase for the C and E means of the experimental group was expected together with a positive correlation between these two variables. In addition, S and D for both the experimental and control groups were expected to remain unchanged and the two variables were expected to show positive correlation. Education, Faculty of Educational Studies (EDST), Department of Graduate 2010-02-05T01:19:47Z 2010-02-05T01:19:47Z 1975 Text Thesis/Dissertation http://hdl.handle.net/2429/19637 eng For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
collection NDLTD
language English
sources NDLTD
topic Engineers
Education
Interpersonal relations
spellingShingle Engineers
Education
Interpersonal relations
Wilson, Blair
An evaluation of a human relations training program for engineers
description Engineers have been presented, almost traditionally, as highly skilled specialists who tend to lack skills in the human relations area. This study evaluated a human relations training program for engineers which had been developed to fill the gap in their earlier training. The program is part of the Diploma in Administration for Engineers offered by the British Columbia Council on Continuing Education for Engineers in conjunction with the University of British Columbia. Three instruments were used in the study, namely the Leadership Opinion Questionnaire (LOQ), the Leadership: Employee Orientation and Differentiation Questionnaire (LEAD) and the Profile of Organizational Characteristics (Form-S). The LOQ is a well-established instrument which measures two variables identified as Consideration (C) and Structure (S). The LEAD instrument is relatively new and measures two variables, identified as Employee Orientation (E) and Differentiation (D), which are purported to be similar to the LOQ variables. The Form-S instrument was developed to establish profiles of the characteristics of an organization. On this study, it measured the subjects' perception of their organization at the time of the course (N = Now) and as they wanted it to be (L = Like). Matched control and experimental groups of engineers and technically-oriented personnel, each with fifteen subjects, were selected at a location in Northern British Columbia. The experimental group was exposed to approximately twenty-four hours of total course time, in two weekends spaced one month apart, of a structured human relations training course. The control group was not exposed to any training. Seven hypotheses were tested to determine the effects of the training course on the six variables of the LOQ, LEAD and Form-S instruments. Specifically, a positive increase for the C and E means of the experimental group was expected together with a positive correlation between these two variables. In addition, S and D for both the experimental and control groups were expected to remain unchanged and the two variables were expected to show positive correlation. === Education, Faculty of === Educational Studies (EDST), Department of === Graduate
author Wilson, Blair
author_facet Wilson, Blair
author_sort Wilson, Blair
title An evaluation of a human relations training program for engineers
title_short An evaluation of a human relations training program for engineers
title_full An evaluation of a human relations training program for engineers
title_fullStr An evaluation of a human relations training program for engineers
title_full_unstemmed An evaluation of a human relations training program for engineers
title_sort evaluation of a human relations training program for engineers
publishDate 2010
url http://hdl.handle.net/2429/19637
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