Management Leadership Skills Dissertation

This dissertation investigates the relationship between management leadership skills, organizational training, and personnel performance in the U.S. military, specifically focusing on Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers (CPACs). The study utilizes a quantitative approach, analyzing survey data from active duty Army veterans and retired GS civilians to determine if there is a correlation between leadership skills gained through training and the performance of GS employees.

Running head: MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP SKILLS, ORGANIZATIONAL BASED TRAINING AND PERSONNEL PERFORMANCE: A CORRELATION STUDY 1
MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP SKILLS, ORGANIZATIONAL BASED TRAINING AND
PERSONNEL PERFORMANCE: A CORRELATION STUDY
By

dissertation:
MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP SKILLS, ORGANIZATIONAL BASED TRAINING AND
PERSONNEL PERFORMANCE: A CORRELATION STUDY
The committee:

ABSTRACT
This thesis is based on my correlation study that examined the correlation between
management leadership skills, organizational based training and the performance of personnel
based on their training. The study was quantitative and best practices in conducting quantitative
research were adhered to during the entire research process. For instance, I Secured Approval
from IRB (Institutional Review Board) that allowed me to proceed with conducting research that
examines the correlation between management leadership skills, organizational based training
and the performance of personnel based on their training. I also secured approval from AHRPO
(Army Human Resource Protections Office) that allowed me to conduct research on my target
population of interest that comprised of active duty Army veterans and retired General Schedule
and or civil servants who worked for the United States military. A survey questionnaire was used
as the preferred method for data collection and survey data was statistically analyzed using SPSS
22.0 software. 30 participants participated in the study.

Personnel and leadership training programs that are present in different organizations
vary. Organizational leadership training is characterized by leadership training programs that are
present in organizations. Leaders can be trained on best practices in organizational leadership
that they are expected to adhere to. Employees on the other hand can be trained on work based
standards and equipped with skills that will enable them to perform their specific work based
roles. Leaders are different based on their specific approach to leadership and experience. On the
other hand, employees vary in terms of their skill sets, experience, and other personal attributes
such as preference. Performance of leaders and other employees is impacted by factors such as
the quality of training that they receive, their level of experience, the culture of the organization
that they work for and resources that they have access to. Therefore, this study was a quantitative
correlation study that examined the correlation between management leadership skills,
organizational based training and the performance of personnel based on their training. The
research focused on poor customer service at Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers. Conclusions
for this study are based on research findings that were discovered during this research study.
Each chapter outlines details that are relevant to this study.

DEDICATION
I dedicate this dissertation to my mother, Joan Watts, who has been the most supportive with my
development from a child to an adult, military career, and academic choices. I couldn’t
remember how many wrong choices I have made since your approach for parenting contained
unlimited goals and many forgiving ways to achieve them. To my sister, Terrin Watts, I will
always remember you for your selflessness, I always felt like I had to make something of my life
for my big sister and for our father to be proud. My goal for joining the service and leaving our
home at such an early age was only to fill the need in giving back and to become a positive
influencer during my lifetime. The funding for this program has not been the easiest, but you
never turned me away, thank you for assisting me in a time where it could have felt most
embarrassing but most certainly did not. To my father who is no longer here, I recall all of your
success through photographs, which really made the difference for me, I captured your light and
have never let it burn out and someday my sister and I will make it to Hong Kong and China to

pick up a pair of our traditional holiday pajamas and continue to wear them in your memory. To
my children Kainen DeArmond and Makade DeArmond, who have been so understanding,
patient, and strong, I promise you that your bravery and sacrifice during our separation in part of
my militant duty and or having a Soldier for a mother helped me the most to go on by your
example and mimicking the same indefatigableness. With this strength I was able to return home
from many military assignments, training, and tours back to your same smiles so many times, I
will forever repay my debt to you guys. To my husband, John Hillard, we are both new to our
marriage and I am ecstatic about our future. I want to sincerely, thank you for not allowing me to
quit during my academic journey, and career. It is an honor to have such an accomplished man
and Soldier supporting, commending, and believing that any of my goals and accomplishments
are mirrored in the same way as I look at you. To all of the Soldiers and many servants across
countries, thank you for contributing to building the best nation we the people can all live in.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES.........................................................................................................................10
LIST OF FIGURES.......................................................................................................................11
CHAPTER 1..................................................................................................................................14
Background of Problem.............................................................................................................18
Statement of Problem................................................................................................................20
Purpose of Study........................................................................................................................21
Significance of Study to Leadership..........................................................................................23
Nature of Study..........................................................................................................................26
Research Questions & Hypotheses............................................................................................26
Theoretical Framework..............................................................................................................28
Definition of Terms...................................................................................................................29
Assumptions..............................................................................................................................32
Scope..........................................................................................................................................33
Limitations.................................................................................................................................34
Delimitations..............................................................................................................................34
Chapter Summary......................................................................................................................34
CHAPTER 2..................................................................................................................................36
Title Searches, Research Documents, Articles & Journals........................................................37

History of CPAC........................................................................................................................39
Literature Review......................................................................................................................40
Internal Customers.....................................................................................................................40
360 degrees feedback.................................................................................................................42
Behavior based Safety...............................................................................................................43
Management by Objectives.......................................................................................................43
Soft skills neglect.......................................................................................................................44
Generational differences............................................................................................................45
Staff loyalty and trust.................................................................................................................46
Leadership Development...........................................................................................................47
Transformational Leadership & Theory....................................................................................48
Transformational leadership skills.............................................................................................49
Leadership styles & Challenges within customer service fields...............................................50
Management Theories...............................................................................................................50
Situational Leadership Theory...................................................................................................51
Participatory Leadership Theory...............................................................................................52
Customer Service and Satisfaction............................................................................................52
Communication & Customer Focus..........................................................................................53
Empowerment............................................................................................................................54
Ethics.........................................................................................................................................54

Chapter Summary......................................................................................................................55
CHAPTER 3..................................................................................................................................56
Research Methods & Design Appropriateness..........................................................................57
Research Questions & Hypotheses........................................................................................58
Population and sample...............................................................................................................59
Sampling....................................................................................................................................59
Informed consent.......................................................................................................................60
Confidentiality...........................................................................................................................60
Geographic location...................................................................................................................60
Data collection...........................................................................................................................60
Instrumentation..........................................................................................................................61
Instrument validity & Reliability...............................................................................................61
Validity & Reliability................................................................................................................63
Internal validity & External validity......................................................................................63
Data Analysis.............................................................................................................................64
Summary....................................................................................................................................65
CHAPTER 4..................................................................................................................................65
Research Questions and Hypotheses.........................................................................................66
Data collection...........................................................................................................................67
Data Analysis.............................................................................................................................67

Survey Questionnaire Statistical Results...................................................................................68
SPSS Output Results..............................................................................................................94
Assumptions for Multiple Linear Regression............................................................................98
Summary....................................................................................................................................98
CHAPTER 5................................................................................................................................100
Discussion of findings.............................................................................................................100
Conclusions and Recommendations........................................................................................101
Implications of Study...............................................................................................................102
Limitations and Delimitations of Study...................................................................................102
Contributions to the Field of Study.........................................................................................103
Suggestions for Future Research.............................................................................................104
Summary..................................................................................................................................105
References....................................................................................................................................106
APPENDIX..................................................................................................................................111
Appendix A: Informed Consent...............................................................................................111
Informed Consent: Participants 18 years of age OR older......................................................111
Appendix B: Permission to Use Existing Survey....................................................................115
Appendix C: Survey Instrument..............................................................................................116
Appendix D: Letter of Invitation to Take Survey....................................................................120

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Summary..........................................................................................................................35
Table 2: Correlations.....................................................................................................................94
Table 3: Correlations.....................................................................................................................95

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Relationship....................................................................................................................25
Figure 2: Survey results.................................................................................................................67
Figure 3: Survey results.................................................................................................................68
Figure 4: Survey results.................................................................................................................68
Figure 5: Survey results.................................................................................................................69
Figure 6: Survey results.................................................................................................................69
Figure 7: Survey results.................................................................................................................70
Figure 8: Survey results.................................................................................................................70
Figure 9: Survey results.................................................................................................................71
Figure 10: Survey results...............................................................................................................71
Figure 11: Survey results...............................................................................................................72
Figure 12: Survey results...............................................................................................................73
Figure 13: Survey results...............................................................................................................73
Figure 14: Survey results...............................................................................................................74
Figure 15: Survey results...............................................................................................................75
Figure 16: Survey results...............................................................................................................76
Figure 17: Survey results...............................................................................................................77
Figure 18: Survey results...............................................................................................................78
Figure 19: Survey results...............................................................................................................79
Figure 20: Survey results...............................................................................................................80

Figure 21: Survey results...............................................................................................................80
Figure 22: Survey results...............................................................................................................81
Figure 23: Survey results...............................................................................................................82
Figure 24: Survey results...............................................................................................................82
Figure 25: Survey results...............................................................................................................83
Figure 26: Survey results...............................................................................................................84
Figure 27: Survey results...............................................................................................................84
Figure 28: Survey results...............................................................................................................85
Figure 29: Survey results...............................................................................................................86
Figure 30: Survey results...............................................................................................................87
Figure 31: Survey results...............................................................................................................87
Figure 32: Survey results...............................................................................................................88
Figure 33: Survey results...............................................................................................................89
Figure 34: Survey results...............................................................................................................90
Figure 35: Survey results...............................................................................................................91
Figure 36: Survey results...............................................................................................................91
Figure 37: Survey results...............................................................................................................92
Figure 38: Survey results...............................................................................................................93
Figure 39: Descriptive statistics.....................................................................................................94
Figure 40: Correlations..................................................................................................................94
Figure 41: Model summary...........................................................................................................94
Figure 42: ANOVA.......................................................................................................................95
Figure 43: Coeffecients..................................................................................................................95

Figure 44: Correlation....................................................................................................................95
Figure 45 : Correlation...................................................................................................................96
Figure 46: Permission..................................................................................................................114
Figure 47: Survey Instrument......................................................................................................115

PREFACE

CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Organizations need to remain competitive if they are to survive and thrive in their
organizational operations. In order to compete effectively with rivals, organizations must
maintain superior performance standards. They do this by developing a competitive advantage
by establishing systems, processes, and resources that enable them to be more strategic (Ma,
2000). Organizations differentiate themselves from one another by creating competitive
advantages (Ma, 2000). Management teams and management-level personnel can have a major
effect on their organizations’ competitiveness (Martineau & Hannum, 2004). Skilled leaders and
highly skilled employees tend to help their organizations perform better. Management-level
employees are responsible for facilitating leadership in their organizations, so it is important to
hire managers with good leadership skills (Randall, 2003).
The process of hiring and training these managers varies widely. Some organizations hire
experienced employees who have already developed their professional skills. Others hire
inexperienced employees and train them to develop work-based skills.
The U.S. military uses the approach of hiring inexperienced personnel and subjecting
them to organizational specific training. As a result, it must invest in personnel development
programs that enable its personnel to effectively perform their functions (Farrell, 2008). The
hiring process for the U.S military is based on military recruitment policy (Farrell, 2008).
Training then happens after recruitment (Farrell, 2008). The military also uses progressive
training, which is characterized by continued work-based training programs throughout a
person’s military career (Farrell, 2008).

Civilian personnel can be hired by the military if they have specialized skills in areas
such as engineering, medicine, and administrative service (Noah, 2016). Skilled civilian
personnel are also trained to develop their skills within a military environment (Farrell, 2008).
Active duty personnel and General Schedule (GS) personnel (primarily civilian
employees working for the military) work in different occupational specialties (Farrell, 2008).
These two categories of employees differ in their roles and areas of specialty (Farrell, 2008).
Military training for active duty personnel normally happens after recruitment, whereas training
for GS personnel can either be administered by learning institutions such as universities or by the
military (Adam, 2016). Specialists such as accountants, engineers, strategists, doctors and other
professionals are hired to provide their services to the military (Farrell, 2008). General Schedule
training normally focuses on enabling them to effectively understand their roles, the operations
of the military and other military functions (Adam, 2016). The impact of the training that
military personnel are subjected to varies depending on employee performance (Giber, 1997). It
can either be positive if it leads to the enhancement of performance, or it can be negative if it
fails to help military personnel to effectively perform in their specific job categories (Parry,
1997).
In the military context, management leadership skills can be developed through training
and through manager roles. Managers vary in terms of their leadership skills; some managers are
more effective than others (Coleman, 2012). The variation in the effectiveness of trained
managers is evident in the context of managing the civilian General Schedule personnel who
work in the military.
For the purpose of this study, organizational leadership training programs are leadership
training programs that exist in or can be introduced by the military (Martineau & Hannum,

2004). This study was undertaken to investigate the relationships (if any) between organizational
training in leadership, leadership skills, and the customer service performance of General
Schedule personnel working in the military. More specifically, the researcher investigates if there
is a correlation between organizational leadership training and the leadership skills used by
leaders tasked with managing General Schedule personnel, and if there is a correlation between
those leadership skills and the performance of General Schedule civilians. The motivation for
this study stems from the identified problem of poor quality services offered by General
Schedule civilian personnel in Customer Performance Advisory Centers (CPACs). The General
Schedule personnel in CPACs work to ensure that they provide quality guidance and assistance
to other military personnel deployed on military missions and spouses who may seek information
concerning soldiers’ whereabouts and condition. Effective CPAC General Schedule employees
enhance the effectiveness of other military personnel (Farrell, 2008).
Background of Problem
Prior research has shown that management leadership skills are affected by three factors:
the level of training that managers receive; their personal and professional experience, and the
leadership situations to which they are exposed (Parry, 1997). Research has also shown that the
performance of an organization is affected by the organizational policies that are adopted, the
management strategies that are developed, and the quality of employees (Randall, 2003).
Furthermore, managers differ in terms of their leadership approaches, attitudes, levels of
expertise, and other factors (Randall, 2003). These leadership skills have a negative or positive
effect on employees and the organization as a whole (Randall, 2003). Complaints by active duty
personnel about poor quality customer service that they receive from General Schedule
employees who in CPACs has increased (DAIG, 2014). General Schedule employees play an

important role in providing vital services for the military, including offering assistance to
military personnel who inquire about issues that are important to military missions (DAIG,
2014). General Schedule employees can be managed and trained effectively. However, when
they do not function effectively, the quality of the training they have received must come into
question. The poor customer service that are provided by a majority of the CPAC personnel is as
a result of the training that they receive, and which did not fully equip them with interpersonal
skills necessary for CPAC personnel to effectively perform their roles (Giber, 1997).
Customer service personnel perform the important role of advising other personnel-based
on their inquiries (Swartzlander, 2004). The quality of service that this category of personnel
offer varies because the customer service personnel differ in their experiences, attitudes,
preferences and other personal and professional attributes (ACSI, 2015). Active duty soldiers,
their spouses and other stakeholders tend to interact more frequently with the employees who
work in the military’s Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers when they need information or to
make inquiries (ACSI, 2015). Poor customer service can affect their experience of customers,
and this can hurt the reputation of an organization (Swartzlander, 2004). The reputation of the
U.S. Military, like other organizations, can be impacted negatively by poor customer service.
Given the critical role played by General Schedule personnel, poor customer satisfaction from
the military’s Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers (CPAC) employees can negatively affect
organizational performance overall (Swartzlander, 2004). To improve customer satisfaction and
organizational performance, it is important to invest in more effective organizational training that
focuses on best practices in customer service delivery. It is also important to develop leadership
attributes in General Schedule Personnel (Bulut & Culha, 2010). The desirable leadership
qualities can also be instilled in management level employees who work in an organization and

performance levels for every General Schedule personnel and identifying a way to measure the
performance is an effective way to intervene in how General Schedule employees apply
themselves in conjunction with the military’s mission (Noah, 2016).
Results for surveys conducted that focus on General Schedule customer Schedule
personnel and other General Schedule employees show that there is great variation in the levels
of satisfaction of active duty personnel and their dependents who seek for assistance from
General Schedule employees (ACSI, 2015). Findings from previous surveys show that not all
managers are skilled enough to lead effectively, and organizational based training strategies
which vary in every organization. Some organizations can be effective in terms of administering
effective training whereas others can fail to administer effective training to their managers and
employees (Bulut & Culha, 2010). Ineffective leadership skills tend to impact negatively on
personnel performance and the impact of organizational based learning varies depending on how
the learning process impacts on the performance of all categories of personnel (Bulut & Culha,
2010). A survey of literature (Bulut & Culha, 2010) it is apparent that there is a lack of adequate
research that focuses on examining the correlation that exists between leadership skills used to
facilitate leadership for military personnel, and the training programs that are initiated in the
military, and the performance of military personnel who work at Civilian Support Advisory
Centers.
Statement of Problem
There is a growing concern among active-duty soldiers and their dependents relating to
the provision of poor customer service by General Schedule (GS) Personnel who work at
Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers (CPAC establishments). It is evident that ineffective
training can impact negatively on the performance of General Schedule personnel who are

employed from and work at Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers, management level military
personnel and active duty personnel (Lynton & Pareek, 2000).
Some organizational management level employees lack effective managerial skills or
leadership abilities that are necessary for managers who want to manage effectively (Daugherty,
2014). This means that poor management or leadership is the end result of poor leadership skills
and this can have a negative implication on organizational performance (Collins, 2013). Some
employees do not understand what is expected of them and also lack the necessary skill sets
needed in order for them to work effectively, and clearly this is a problem (Collins, 2013). The
specific problem (Lynton & Pareek, 2000) is that there is poor customer service among
employees of Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers. Poor customer service is a problem that
affects organizations and it is important for the problem to be resolved (Swartzlander, 2004).
Poor decision making normally leads to poor organizational performance and the decision-
making process is impacted by the skills and knowledge used to facilitate the decision-making
process (Randall, 2003). Research problems normally tend to focus on examining specific
problems of interest that form the basis for the research. The section that focuses on the problem
statement for this research specifies the specific research problems that will be explored in this
study. This study is a correlational study examining the relationships (if any) between
organizational training in leadership, leadership skills, and the customer service performance of
General Schedule personnel working in the military. Personnel performance, organizational
training, and management leadership are the basis of the variables that will be examined.
Variables tend to be different depending on the nature of the research (Creswell, 2003).

Purpose of Study
At its core, this study is an examination of leadership training among General Schedule
personnel in the U.S. Army and the effectiveness of trained leaders in facilitating positive
performance among their “follower” personnel. The purpose of the study is to determine the
relationship (if it exists) between management leadership skills and organizational based
training, and to determine if there is an indirect relationship between the resultant leadership and
the performance of CPAC employees. It is an investigative study that applies best practices in
quantitative research which is characterized by relying on data that can be represented
numerically then subjected through statistical analysis aided by use of advanced statistical
software (Mayer, Gamst, & Guarino, 2013). It is an extensive study that involves researching on
the specific areas of focus such as management leadership, impact of leadership and management
skills on performance, training (employee development) and strategy. Data will first be gathered
from sources through the use of a survey questionnaire which comprised of key survey questions
that will be relevant to this research and which primarily enable a researcher to strategically
gather appropriate data from sources such as research participants (Mayer et al., 2013). This
section of this chapter and it prioritizes on processing data into appropriate findings that can be
used to inform policies made in the military about ways to enhance the performance of General
Schedule personnel and other military personnel such as military leaders. It is an appropriate
research because it aims to establish whether poor performance by General Schedule personnel is
as a result of the training that they receive before working for the military or training received
after working for the military. The study explores the performance of General Schedule
employees who work in the United States military and explores the possible ways to enhance
their performance. This is important because it can enable the military’s policy planners to

develop effective leadership policies, employee relationship policies, training programs and
effective decisions that can be used as the basis for enhancing the performance of General
Schedule personnel and the performance of other military personnel (Dougherty, 2014). Poor
customer service in and from Civilian Personnel Advisory centers employees that have been
established by the military in many ways can be viewed as a problem but can be resolved if the
factors that impact on the negative performance are identified, established or known (Collins,
2013). This correlation study aims to identify the causative factor or factors that cause the poor
performance registered by the CPAC personnel and also propose an effective solution that can be
applied to effectively solve the problem. The solution is based on findings that will be realized
from processing quantitative data gathered through the use of a survey questionnaire prepared by
the researcher and interpreting the findings into viable results that will aid in finding a viable
solution to the research problem (Vogt, 2007). The above outline is a summary of the purpose of
this study.
Significance of Study to Leadership
The leadership process is facilitated by leaders who can either be effective or fail to be
effective in terms of the way they make decisions that impact on the performance of other
employees (Randall, 2003). If leaders are fully equipped with the necessary skills sets that are
appropriate for their specific organizations and the type of employees that they are required to
inspire and manage, the leaders tend to perform better than leaders who have not been subjected
through effective training and who lack the necessary skill sets that are appropriate for leaders
who seek to manage effectively (Randall, 2003). Organizational training programs that focus on
leadership training are mostly aimed at enabling leaders to develop their leadership skills and the
programs can be effective or less effective depending on the way they impact on the performance

of leaders who also influence the performance of other employees through leadership (Parry,
2007). Military leaders play an active and important role of leading Active duty and General
Schedule military personnel and problems such poor performance registered by General
Schedule personnel can be resolved by the military leaders tasked with the responsibility of
managing the General Schedule personnel if they actually know of effective ways to find a
solution to the problem (Daugherty, 2014). Most organizational training programs are introduced
by leaders, so it is therefore it is important for them to identify proper training programs
(Randall, 2003). If organizational training fails to impact positively on organizational
performance, an organization can be affected negatively in terms on poor performance standards
(Parry, 1997). On the other hand, if organizational training effectively manages to equip
employees with work-based skill sets that enable them to perform effectively; the organization
can benefit in terms of enhanced performance standards (Parry, 1997). If poor performance
levels by some employees are tolerated by the leaders of an organization, the organization can
face the challenge of it being exposed to risks such as: It not being able to compete effectively
for human capital, labor or employees when it seeks to hire, decreased levels of performance and
other performance based challenges that can vary in every organization (Randall, 2003).
The study’s significance arises from the observation that concerns have been constantly
raised by active duty personnel with respect to the poor quality of services that are delivered by
the General Schedule employees hired by Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers. Poor quality of
service leads to client dissatisfaction, and client dissatisfaction will taint the reputation of the
whole organization. It is therefore imperative that reasons for poor quality of service are
investigated. Insights from such investigation can be used to inform the development of
strategies designed to remedy the issue of poor customer satisfaction with the services offered by

General Schedule employees. Although poor personnel performance is no doubt a complex
problem, the role of leadership in influencing personnel performance cannot be ignored. The
influence of leadership quality on work performance of followers is well documented in
literature (Randal, 2003). Thus, with the goal of making inroads to addressing the serious issue
of General Schedule employees’ poor customer service, the study investigates if there is indeed a
relationship between the organizational training and the leadership skills of the trained leaders,
and if, in turn, there is a relationship between leaders’ skills and their personnel’s quality of
service performance (an indirect relationship with the leaders organizational training). The study
is significant because the findings will enable the leaders tasked with the key responsibility of
managing the General Schedule personnel working in and from CPAC establishments to identify
the factors that cause the employees to perform poorly in their respective work roles. This means
that an effective solution to the problem can be developed by first understanding the problem and
strategizing on an effective approach that can be applied to effectively resolve the problem. An
effective management strategy for General Schedule personnel can be developed if the military
leaders understand industry trends, factors that impact on employee performance and other
important factors that need to be considered when making decisions that impact on all employees
and the organization (Randall, 2003). This study will facilitate the introduction of change
programs that are aimed at enhancing the performance of General Schedule employees and also
the performance of active duty personnel who will benefit from the provision of better advisory
services by the General Schedule employees. The findings will also make it easier for leaders to
identify effective organizational learning programs that can be adopted and can positively impact
on organizational performance (Randall, 2003).

Nature of the Study
This study is a quantitative correlational research study. This method and research design
have been selected because they are the most appropriate for this study. Quantitative research is
characterized by relying on numerical data that are processed into useful findings (Vogt, 2007).
Quantitative data can be analyzed using statistical software that can be selected based on the
expertise and preference of the researcher such as SPSS, a statistical software program developed
by IBM (Mayer et al., 2013). Rapid innovation and developments in statistics as a field has
resulted to the development of advanced software that effectively facilitates data analysis (Mayer
et al., 2013). The sample for this study consisted of 30 participants. It was important to find
participants who will be in a better position to provide better responses (Bouma, Wilkinson, &
Ling, 2008). The participants were active duty Army veterans and retired General Schedule
civilians who worked for the United States Army.
Research Questions & Hypotheses
The relationships featured in this study can be seen in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Graphical representation of the relationships being investigated in the present
correlation study
The following research questions and accompanying hypotheses guided this study:

RQ1: Is there a relationship between leadership skills gained through training administered by
the military and the performance of general schedule employees who are work in CPACs
(Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers)?
Hl0: There is no relationship between leadership skills gained through training
administered by the military and the performance of General Schedule employees who
are work in CPACs (Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers).
H1A: There exists a relationship between leadership skills gained through training
administered by the military and the performance of General Schedule employees who
are work in CPACs (Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers).
RQ2: Is there a relationship between leadership strategies at CPAC centers and the quality of
employee performance in terms of customer service?
H20: There is no relationship between leadership strategies at CPAC centers and the
quality of employee performance in terms of customer service.
H2A: There exists a relationship between leadership strategies at CPAC centers and the
quality of employee performance in terms of customer service.
Theoretical Framework
According to the expectancy disconfirmation theory, consumers judge the quality of a
service or product by evaluating the actual product or service (Anderson, 1973). Satisfaction is
measured by comparing expectations with experience. The assimilation theory, based on
dissonance theory, (Festinger, 1957) posits that after a consumer uses a service or a product, they
will make comparisons between that service or product and another. Adaptation level theory
focuses on customers’ expectations and level of satisfaction after using a product (Helson, 1964).

The theory dictates that people usually perceive stimuli based on an adapted standard, so
perceptions of quality tend to vary based customer expectations (Helson, 1964).
The theoretical framework serves as the bases for identifying appropriate research
questions (Ennis, 1999). This section focused on organizational training, personnel performance,
management skills, management theory, leadership, personnel management, customer
satisfaction and organizational development. Organizational training consists of the in-house
training programs that focus on training personnel within an organization (Bulut & Culha, 2010).
Personnel performance focuses on how the employees who are part of an organization perform
and performance standards can either be favorable or unfavorable depending on how the
standards affect the organization (Bulut & Culha, 2010). Management skills and management
theory focus on managerial aspects (Ma, 2000).
Definition of Terms
Defining the meaning of terms for a specific study helps to minimize confusion or
difficulties in understanding why the terms have been used (Bouma et al., 2008). These
definitions have been included in order to assist the reader to understand the specific meaning of
certain terms and phrases used in this chapter.
Active-duty personnel: For this study, the term refers to soldiers who work in the military
on a full-time basis. They are deployed to participate in military activities and missions
either within or outside the U.S. (Adam, 2016).
CPAC: This abbreviation refers to Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers.
Customer: A customer is a person who uses a service or specific product being sold or
offered by an organization (Swartzlander, 2004).

Customer Service: Support or assistance provided to customers, including complaints and
inquiries, problem solving, and other issues (Adam, 2016).
GS: This refers to General Schedule (Adam, 2016).
Productivity: Productivity is the level of output for each employee and for the entire
organization (Burke & Black, 1990). It is affected by different factors such as
management strategies, level of training, employee skills and resources invested (Burke
& Black, 1990).
Assumptions
It is important to examine research assumptions since they may color the nature of the
study. Assumptions are based on researchers’ beliefs, judgments, or opinions related to a specific
issue (Creswell, 2003). In the present study, it is assumed that participants will answer the survey
questions correctly, be truthful, and be cooperative. It is important to note that participants can
falsify their responses, fail to be truthful, and be non-cooperative (DeSimone, 2015). Another
assumption is that there will be minimal level of bias from participants and minimal bias from
researchers when analyzing the data collected through the use of a survey. Minimal levels of bias
normally lead to the discovery of more reliable and more accurate findings (Klugh, 2013). Other
assumptions underlying the research include that poor managerial skills tend to negatively affect
the performance of other employees and that employees perform based on their leaders’
influence.
Leaders who guide their employees and serve as good example to their subordinates tend
positively influence the performance of their subordinates. Some General Schedule employees
working at CPACs are aware of their poor performance, but they failed to embrace change by

enhancing their performance standards and changing their attitudes. Ineffective training has a
negative effect on personnel performance (Giber, 1997).
Scope
The scope of this study is limited to General Schedule personnel, management
leadership; customer service by CPAC personnel, active duty personnel, organizational based
training and personnel performance. Participants for this study were active duty Army veterans
and retired General Schedule civilians who worked for the United States military. A limited
scope that focuses on specific areas makes it easier for researchers to define specific objectives
and devise ways to achieve those objectives (Creswell, 2003). Failing to limit the scope of a
study can make it difficult for researchers to conduct a meaningful study (Creswell, 2006).
Limitations
The most obvious limitation of this study is geographic. Geographic limitations
characterized by difficulties in conducting surveys and accessing information in specific
geographical locations (Creswell, 2003). Accesses to resources needed to facilitate the research
were limited and this is an example of another limitation. Access to participants was also another
limitation because of bureaucratic obstacles such as being required to seek permission before
conducting a survey. Other limitations included managing a large sample size, limits to data
collection methods, and difficulties in accessing software needed for statistical analysis (Vogt,
2007).
Delimitations
Delimitations refer to the specific boundaries that are created by the researcher so that the
researcher can control the extent of the study (Creswell, 2003). The participants are limited to
retired military personnel: active duty army veterans and retired General Schedule civilian

employees. Other delimitations include prioritizing surveys: Conducting a study that will be
correlational and quantitative and using appropriate literature that will be in line with the
objectives that have been defined for this research. The study will be quantitative because this
design will be the most appropriate for this research: This is because it will require numerical
data to be subjected through extensive statistical analysis (Vogt, 2007).
Chapter Summary
This chapter contained an introduction to this thesis detailed information about this
quantitative correlational study. The study was undertaken to establish the correlation (if any)
between leadership skills, management-based training, and the quality of employees’
performance. Leadership skills tend to vary from organization to organization, and leadership
strategies vary depending on organization type (Randall, 2003). In the U. S. military, leaders are
required to effectively oversee complex operations (Davis, 2015). This includes personnel
management and introducing policies and training programs that affect the performance of
employees across the organization (Davis, 2015).
The General Schedule (GS) employees discussed in this chapter are civilian personnel
hired by the military to offer services including medical, technical, logistical, engineering, and
supporting staff. General Schedule (GS) personnel vary in terms of their areas of specialty and
performance levels (Adam, 2016). This chapter contains a description of the background of the
problem that formed the basis of this research and the study’s problem statement as well as the
purpose of this study. This section also includes a discussion of the significance of the study, the
nature of the study, and specific research questions. The chapter ends with the study’s theoretical
framework.

CHAPTER 2
Review of Literature
This study is concerned with the poor customer service offered by General Schedule
employees. This literature review contains articles about leadership, training, personnel
satisfaction, work ethics, communication, leadership empowerment and customer service factors
(Greene & Kropf, 2011). The review of literature aids in increasing levels of comprehension
about how customer service relationships can be developed by developing an effective customer
service relationship management programs, policies and strategies. The influence of leadership
on personnel performance is explored. Leadership attributes, organizational training and
effective personnel performance are explored. The literature review explores issues such as
loyalty theories, customer service, management concepts, management theories, organizational
leadership concepts, work-based policies, communication strategies, change programs and
leadership practices. The literature review highlights how decision-making impacts on
performance and how ethics and organizational policies can be used as the basis for developing
performance evaluation standards, guidelines and practices that are effective (Giber, 1997).
It is established that the quality of services directly impacts levels of satisfaction among
military personnel who need assistance, guidance or help. This study primarily focuses on the
quality of services in Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers. The significance of study is detailed
in Chapter 1. As established in Chapter 1, it is evident that poor customer service by CPAC
employees cause hardships to active duty military personnel and their dependents. Soldiers and
their spouses who are deployed to new locations to serve in military missions usually require
time to adapt to new locations.

Title Searches, Research Documents, Articles, and Journals
The literature for this review was gathered from journal articles, books, and other
relevant information resources. The databases used to find these articles include ProQuest,
AOM, EBSCOhost, peer reviewed articles from sources such as JSTOR, military websites,
government websites, and other online sources.
Table 1
Summary of Research
Search topic or area
of focus
Scholarly
Journals
Peer
Reviewed
sources
Military &
Government websites
Others
CPAC functions
Customer service at
CPAC
Leadership Strategy
Organizational
Training
Communication and
ethics
Military Personnel
Performance of
Military personnel
Role of CPAC and
Impact on personnel

performance
Management
leadership skills and
strategy
Active Duty
Personnel
History of CPAC
The United States military CPAC (Civilian Personnel Advisory Center) was established
to advise military personnel, their spouses, other civilian personnel and stakeholders who need to
be assisted in terms of the inquiries that they make (Fort Sam Houston, 2010). The center
operates based on guiding principles and operations policies that have been developed by the
military so as to serve as the basis for enabling the CPAC personnel to understand and
appropriate perform their roles. Among them include insuring that the CPAC personnel comply
with regulatory, legal and institutional requirements (Fort Sam Houston, 2010). CPAC
employees interact with external parties on a regular basis considering the fact that the
establishments that they work in serve as advisory centers. The development of CPACs started
during 1776 whereby it was referred to as the Board of War and Ordnance. Its roles at that time
ranged from dispatching soldiers, servicing and maintaining administrative records, paying
personnel and facilitating the provision of appropriate equipment. The establishments or centers
have evolved over the years and are now more diverse in terms of their operations, functions and
capabilities. Current roles of CPAC include: planning, acquiring, sustaining, structuring,
transitioning and developing programs that are in line with the objectives that need to be

accomplished (Fort Sam Houston, 2010). The CPACs are required to work closely with military
leaders (Commanders) Supervisor, Army units and establishments; military personnel by
providing guidance and support that is needed. They oversee civilian programs and work
towards ensuring that policies and key directives are adhered to in every military installation.
CPACs also work to ensure that the rights of civilian personnel are not violated and also assist
the spouses of soldiers who have been deployed to missions based on their inquiries (Dept. of the
Army, 1998).
Literature Review
The literature review contains articles about leadership skills, theories on management,
organizational policies, customer satisfaction, performance measurement standards, factors that
affect performance, and organizational based learning. It is important for the military to invest
resources in ensuring that soldiers and their spouses receive quality customer service from
CPACs (Collins, 2013). This chapter contains a review of the theoretical framework for
providing customer service based on how customer service is delivered to stakeholders in the
military. The theoretical framework based on leadership attributes is explored and the impact of
customer service on organizational management is also explored. This chapter discusses the
leadership process, managerial behaviors and the impact of ineffective training on personnel
performance. This chapter discusses theories that will help or assist the readers in terms of
enabling them to understand the link that exists between front line employees, leaders
(managers), the CPAC’s and the customers. The theories will serve as a foundation used as the
basis for answering the research questions.
Internal Customers

According to (Swartzlander, 2004); internal customers refer to the different categories of
employees who work in an organization and seek services that are provided by other employees
in the same organization (Swartzlander, 2004). They differ from external customers because the
external customers tend to buy goods or services produced by an organization whereas internal
customers are the employees who rely on each other for support, assistance, advice and other
work-based needs that tend to vary in every organization (Change & Kelly, 1994). The internal
customers include the employees’ directors and managers who work in an organization and their
roles tend to vary. Based on the observations made by (Swartzlander, 2004); organizations that
are more successful normally prioritize on satisfying the needs of each category of customers.
For instance, an organization can adopt an audit policy that focuses on identifying the needs of
the internal customers and focus on establishing a committee that focuses on developing a
strategy that is aimed at ensuring that the organization effectively satisfies the internal customer
needs that have been outlined (Change & Kelly, 1994). A committee that has been established
can focus on developing a culture that promotes or encourages all employees to interact
effectively and conduct their roles more effectively. Service standards that outline the specific
performance standards that need to be adhered to, performance management and employee
training can be used to improve internal customer service experience (Change & Kelly, 1994).
Effective customer service is an essential part of an organization that aims to impact
positively internal customer experience (Swartzlander, 2004). On the basis of CPAC
establishments, the customers who rely on the services offered by employees who work at CPAC
include: Active duty personnel, military leaders, dependents and spouses of military personnel
and other General Schedule personnel. Varying customer needs need to be satisfied and the level
of satisfaction varies depending on the varying needs of customers. Poor customer service is

noticeable, so is important to discourage all employees from being less productive. Prior research
by (Swartzlander, 2004) has demonstrated that poor customer service does negatively affect
organizational performance. Managers or leaders can influence the way internal customer
services are provided in an organization by developing policies such as a performance-based
guidelines and programs such as a performance enhancement course. These can be aided towards
enhancing the way employees interact with each other (Change & Kelly, 1994).
Evidently, effective customer service is an essential part of an organization
(Swartzlander, 2004). On the basis of CPAC establishments, the customers who rely on the
services offered by employees who work at and are hired by CPAC include: Active duty
personnel, military leaders, spouses of military personnel and other General Schedule personnel.
Varying customer needs need to be satisfied and the level of satisfaction varies depending on the
varying needs of customers. Prior research by (Swartzlander, 2004) has demonstrated that poor
customer service does negatively affect organizational performance. Managers or leaders can
influence the way internal customer services are provided in an organization by developing
policies such as a performance-based guidelines and programs such as a performance
enhancement course. These can be aided towards enhancing the way employees interact with
each other (Change & Kelly, 1994).
360 degrees feedback
Feedback needs to be gathered and shared continuously (Lepsinger, Lucia, & Lepsinger,
2009). Feedback is important because it facilitates effective planning, effective interactions and
better performance. When employees make inquiries that are aimed at seeking for clarity,
information or assistance from other employees, it is important for timely feedback to be
provided (Lepsinger, Lucia, & Lepsinger, 2009). An interaction is much more effective if it

involves adequate feedback that is shared, on time, by every employee and managers. Frequent
feedback tends to make it easier for the employees to operate or perform based on the specific
work-based standards that have been defined by the managers. For instance, the management
teams at CPACs should prioritize on ensuring that all the CPAC employees provide adequate
feedback to the internal customers who can be regarded to as the active duty personnel, leaders
in the military and their dependents and spouses. Inadequate feedback can limit an organization
from realizing its full potential because of lack of effective collaboration by the employees, the
management and external stakeholders such as regulatory agencies (Lepsinger, Lucia, &
Lepsinger, 2009).
Behavior-based Safety
Behavior-based safety relies on the science of behavioral change to develop safety
standards for employees and managers (Williams, 2015). The standards outline what is should be
done and how it should be done. The aim of behavior-based safety is to create an organization
that is safe for all employees to work for. The expected employees’ behaviors and roles need to
be clarified. Roles need to be assigned and conflict resolution procedures need to be defined
(Williams, 2015).
Management by Objectives
Management by objectives is primarily a model aimed at enhancing organizational
performance by specifying the objectives that need to be accomplished and managing the
employees to ensure that they are focused on achieving the specific objectives (Cardona & Rey,
2008). This means that the managers work collaboratively with the employees. Adequate
guidance, support, resources and assistance must be provided to employees (Greenwood, 2017).
Employees, on the other hand, are normally required to be committed, ethical and productive and

they play an important role of working with each other in a way that will enable them to achieve
the key objectives that are defined by the management (Čiutienė & Petrauskas, 2012).
Performance based objectives should specify the performance goals that need to be achieved
during a specific period. Provision of feedback on performance is necessary on a regular basis to
examine if objectives are being met. Employees need to be motivated so that they actively
participate in working towards defined objectives, and motivation is increased if progress is
actively monitored (Greenwood, 2017). This applies to General Schedule personnel who work at
and are hired by CPACs. Performance should be rewarded or fail to be rewarded depending on if
the outcomes that are realized are in line with the goals or objectives that the employees are
required to accomplish (Ward, 1968).
Soft Skills Neglect
Soft skills are the personal attributes that make it easier for them to interact effectively
with other people (Daft & Marcic, 2014). These skills can differ between individual people
because no person is identical in terms of attitudes, beliefs, experiences and personalities (Daft &
Marcic, 2014). In contrast to soft skills, hard skills (such as reading, sewing, writing and
programming) can be taught relatively easily. Soft skills are personal, and they are usually
developed rather than taught (Nonaka & Johansson, 2017). Many employees lack the soft skills
that are critical for personal and organizational success (Farmer, 2015). Most employees tend to
possess hard skills that have been acquired through training such in areas such as data
management, operating equipment and performance monitoring (Daft & Marcic, 2014). There is
much variation in employee soft skills. Those with better soft skills tend to perform better than
those employees with weaker soft skills because they are able to collaborate effectively and
interact more effectively with others (Daft & Marcic, 2014). In a workplace where interaction

with others is crucial, soft skills tend to enhance the strengths of an employee. Ideally,
employers, when hiring, should focus on evaluating both soft and hard employee skills (Farmer,
2015). Unfortunately, most employers place emphasis on evaluating the hard skills, and often
neglect evaluating employee soft skills. This is problematic because poor organizational
performance will likely result from hiring employees who are well equipped with hard skills but
are deficient in soft skills (Daft & Marcic, 2014).
Employees with excellent soft skills are more effective at social interaction and will
usually provide better customer service (Farmer, 2015). Customers tend to prefer organizations
with better services and products (Farmer, 2015). This means customers will be more satisfied by
the services that they receive (Farmer, 2015) when employees have strong soft skills (as well as
adequate hard skills). Conversely, poor customer service is as a result of lacking appropriate
social skills and will likely negatively affect the customer experience and the performance of the
organization as a whole (Daft & Marcic, 2014). It is therefore important not to neglect
employees’ soft skills when hiring and evaluating their performance (Farmer, 2015).
Generational Differences
People born in a certain generation tend have certain shared values, opinions and attitudes
(DelCampo, 2010). Current generational classifications list the following categories: Generation
Z, born after 1996; Generation Y, born between 1977 and 1995; Generation X, born between
1965-1976; Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964; and Traditionalists, born before 1945
(Gravett & Throckmorton, 2007). These groups tend to share certain characteristics. Members of
Generation Z are younger and active, and they tend to want to work in organizations that they
personally find appealing in jobs that they consider to be less stressful or demanding (DelCampo,
2010). Members of Generation X tend to be more considerate than others, and Traditionalists

tend to be less adaptive to change (DelCampo, 2010). Levels of productivity also tend to vary
from generation to generation (DelCampo, 2010). Disregard for work regulations and rules are
mostly common among younger employees and specifically among those from Generation Y and
Z (DelCampo, 2010). For instance, the work attitudes, behaviors, beliefs and preferences of
customer service personnel at the military’s CPAC born during different generations tend to be
different (Emma, 2014).
Staff Loyalty and Trust
According to Hajdin (2005), the employees who work for an organization need to be
loyal to the organization. Loyal employees normally prioritize on ensuring that their organization
succeeds and pride themselves for being part of the organization (Hajdin, 2005). Employees who
are more loyal to their employer mostly perform better than employees who are not loyal to their
employer. Some differences in performance may therefore be attributed to the extent to which
individual employees are loyal to their organizations (Hajdin, 2005). Some CPAC personnel who
work at the centers and hired from the center to work in a military unit or organization, are more
productive than others because they are loyal to the military (DAIG, 2014). Other CPAC
employees who are not loyal to the military tend to underperform by providing poor quality
services to military personnel who seek for assistance from the CPACs (DAIG, 2014).
Employees who trust each other collaborate effectively with each other (Sprenger, 2004).
On the other hand, the employees who do not trust each other tend to collaborate ineffectively,
and this has a negative effect on their performance and the general performance of their
organizations (Sprenger, 2004). Leaders who do not trust their subordinates can fail to
effectively work with their subordinates because the lack of trust will limit them from sharing
adequate information and other work-related feedback to with their subordinates (Jiang & Probst,

2015). It can also be argued that the subordinates or lower-level employees who do not trust their
managers can fail to effectively work with their managers (Sprenger, 2004). A significant
number of CPAC personnel who do not trust military personnel can fail to effectively provide
quality service (Jiang & Probst, 2015). The level of trust that employees have towards each other
can affect the way they relate with each other (Jiang & Probst, 2015).
Leadership Development
Leadership development can be aided by learning and practice (Russell, 2005). Initiating
new learning programs aimed at developing employees’ leadership skills help an organization
develop better leaders. Leaders who are skilled and experienced in their specific areas of practice
tend to perform much better than leaders who are less skilled or inexperienced in their respective
areas of specialty (Kets de Vries, & Korotov, 2011). Employees tend to learn from their leaders,
so it is therefore important for leaders to develop leadership strategies that inspire their
subordinates (Russell, 2005). Leaders need to understand their employees, and this is important
because it facilitates the creation of better strategies that are in line with the preference of not
only the leaders but also the employees who work for an organization. Understanding employees
can be aided by use of the Myers-Briggs type indicator instrument. The instrument can be used
to measure and evaluate the personalities of all employees (Kets de Vries, & Korotov, 2011).
Transformational Leadership and Theory
Transformational leadership is a leadership approach that can be applied to facilitate
effective leadership (Krishnan, 2001). Transformational leadership mainly focuses on motivating
employees so that they focus on achieving their full potential through transforming or changing
the way processes normally operates in an organization (Krishnan, 2001). For instance,
transformational leadership can be applied to facilitate a change program in an organization.

Facilitating change involves evaluating the specific situations that require leadership, and then
adopting appropriate strategies that will enable the leader to more effectively handle the specific
scenario that they are dealing with (Krishnan, 2001). To enact change, goals must be identified,
and resources mobilized to ensure that the specific goals set will be achieved at a specific date
(Krishnan, 2005). Subordinates who are working on organizational goals are normally rewarded
based on their performance (Krishnan, 2001). The theory is based on the strategies developed on
paper that focus on transformational leadership and which have not been implemented (Randall,
2003). For a leadership strategy, or any approach to leadership, to be considered as either
effective or not effective, the strategy must be implemented, and more importantly, evaluated
(Randall, 2003). A change program that is for instance adopted by the military and aimed at
enhancing the operations at CPACs, can be implemented effectively and evaluated over the long
term such that the military leaders can determine if the strategies, programs and policies are
effective or not (Randall, 2003).
Transformational Leadership Skills
The transformational leader should have effective communication skills (Spinosa,
Glennon, & Sota, 2008). This allows subordinate employees and other leaders to understand the
goals that need to be achieved, their roles, strategies that need to be implemented, and other
important organizational aspects (Koehler & Pankowski, 1997). The objectives to be achieved
during a specific timeline need to be clarified. Every employee needs to understand what is
expected from them, and this can be aided by effective communications (Koehler & Pankowski,
1997). Leaders should be innovative and think about the long-term aims of the company
(Koehler & Pankowski, 1997). The leader can visualize the organization’s future. This allows
them to be creative as well as focused on achieving this vision (Spinosa, Glennon, & Sota, 2008).

The leader can inspire other employees so that they become more motivated to work towards
achieving the vision (Spinosa, Glennon, & Sota, 2008).
Collaborative skills: Transformational leaders should possess the ability to effectively
collaborate with their subordinates (Koehler & Pankowski, 1997). Leaders can provide necessary
guidance, assistance and resources that are required to enable other employees to perform their
specific roles. Leaders can collaborate with other employees and resources. Bold leaders can
ensure that all employees effectively perform their roles (Ullah, 2011).
Leadership Styles and Challenges within Customer Service Fields
The leadership styles present in the customer service fields vary depending on the
preferences and skills of leaders (Randall, 2003). Transformational leadership, facilitative,
strategic and autocratic leadership styles are all examples of leadership styles that are present in
customer service fields (Krishnan, 2001). Leadership styles tend to vary depending on the
preference and skill-set of leaders who work at the CPACs. The way the leadership process is
facilitated tends to directly impact on the performance of other employees or subordinates
(Randall, 2003). Leaders at the CPACs who are more skilled and focused on ensuring that all
employees perform based on the set standards normally. Challenges that are present include:
Bureaucracies that can make it difficult for the CPAC personnel to communicate with each other
and their leaders, poor levels of collaboration; Lack of adequate personnel needed to meet the
demand for customer service needs and time constraints which can make it difficult to meet the
needs of all customers at a specific timeline (Randall, 2003).
Management Theories
Management theories focus on the responsibilities of managers and supervisors (Ward,
1968). They also focus on developing reward systems used to compensate personnel based on

their performance and punishment systems used to discipline personnel based on unethical
behavior (Randall, 2003). Punishment systems are developed so as to enable the management to
identity the performance areas that are less productive (Randal, 2003). Unproductive employees
can be identified and subjected to disciplinary action. Disciplinary action is a process that may
involve demotion, perhaps not awarding them with performance bonuses, and possibly
suspension. Rewards are awarded in order to motivate personnel so that they become inspired to
work more effectively (Krishnan, 2001). Productivity and performance can be enhanced by
developing a better reward system that identifies more productive and less productive employees
and reward them based on their performance (Smith, 2003).
Situational Leadership Theory
Situational leadership focuses on facilitating leadership by changing the style of
leadership or leadership strategies depending on the leader’s environment and goals (Yukl,
2012). No single leadership approach is perfectly viable for all leadership situations, so leaders
should prioritize on being adaptive (Yukl, 2012). Developed by Dr. Hersey (Hersey, 1985), the
research focuses on analyzing leadership-follower relationships, which are based on support
provided by the leaders and readiness of leaders when it comes to facilitating leadership or
performing leadership functions (Hersey, 1985). Based on this theory, leaders are required to
diagnose situations in order to effectively understand them and strategize effectively (Hersey,
1985). They can be adaptive and adopt a leadership style that is more appropriate for the specific
situation (Hersey, 1985). Leaders can communicate effectively with other stakeholders such as
employees so that the employees understand the strategy, objectives and their roles and
situational leaders also can ensure that they strategically lead their subordinates (Hersey, 1985).

Effective situational leaders can effectively influence employees and also effectively manage
change programs (Smith, 2003).
Participatory Leadership Theory
Participatory Leadership Theory can be used as the basis for developing an organization’s
culture. For instance, the theory argues that the employees should be allowed to participate in the
decision-making process (Smith, 2003). Differing opinions between employees and managers
when it comes to decision-making can play an important role of enabling an organization to
adopt better policies, strategies, and resolutions (Smith, 2003). A culture that promotes
collaboration among the employees and managers can be developed or be nurtured if the
management applies this theory on leadership. Other employees or subordinates can participate
in making decisions and the managers can either accept or reject the proposals that are made by
the employees (Smith, 2003). This means that a lot of proposals or suggestions can be made, and
the management will be able to make better decisions. The employees can be empowered to be
actively engaged in contributing ideas, suggestions or proposals that can enable their managers to
make decisions that are better (Ullah, 2011).
Customer Service and Satisfaction
Levels of satisfaction among different customers tend to vary; some customers can be
less satisfied whereas others can be more satisfied with the customer service experience that they
receive when interacting with CPAC employees (Swartzlander, 2004).
Communication and Customer Focus
Managers are expected to communicate effectively with employees, customers, and other
stakeholders. They must therefore ensure that there are systems and policies in place that will
make it easier for all stakeholders to communicate with each other effectively (Randall, 2003).

Customer relationships can be enhanced by as use of face to face communication, facilitating
real time feedback, and providing information that is relevant to customer inquiries (Smith,
2003). Levels of trust among customers, employees and management can be enhanced if these
stakeholders communicate with each other effectively (Smith, 2003). Better communication
involves sending and receiving relevant feedback. The process can be easy or complex
depending on many factors such as the medium used, bureaucracies involved, languages used,
location of the people communicating, and the kind of feedback that is being requested (Randall,
2003). Bureaucracies that make it difficult for managers, their subordinates, customers and other
stakeholders need to be minimized (Ma, 2000).
Viable customer relationship management strategies need to be developed at the CPAC
because this will enhance the way the personnel communicate with the customers (Swartzlander,
2004). A customer focus prioritizes on the needs of customers and providing specific services for
them. Customers expect to receive timely and informative feedback when they request
information or for assistance (Williams, 2015). If their expectations are met, their levels of
satisfaction increase, and this is beneficial to both the organization and the customers. Customer
feedback should be analyzed and used as the foundation for enhancing the way services are
offered (Swartzlander, 2004).
Empowerment
Empowerment focuses on creating an environment for employees in which they have the
authority to perform their roles effectively (Williams, 2015). Effective organizational structures
tend to facilitate the creation of better policies. Problems such as poor service delivery, poor
personnel productivity, and low levels of efficiency should be identified before creating an
empowerment policy that is aimed at making CPACs service more effective (Randall, 2003).

Personnel who are empowered and knowledgeable can be hired to replace less productive or less
effective CPAC personnel. Training and mentorship programs can also be introduced to inspire
less productive personnel to improve their performance (Parry, 1997). Customer feedback should
be used as the basis for improving service and developing learning programs that will benefit the
organization (Swartzlander, 2004).
Ethics
Ethics focus on acceptable behavioral standards. In an organization, standards of ethics
specify how employees are expected to conduct themselves (Randall, 2003). The relationship
between employees and customers must adhere to ethical standards (Swartzlander, 2010). The
significance of ethical standards can be perceived differently by managers and leaders because
they have different ideas about what should be treated as right or wrong. Leaders and employees
who are ethical tend to create an organizational culture characterized by high standards of ethics
(Dougherty, 2010). Customer service at CPACs can be enhanced if embrace high ethical values.
Ethics promote trust among all stakeholders : employees, customers, leaders, regulatory
agencies, and managers. Clear ethical objectives for the CPACs should be outlined so that
personnel are aware of the standards they are expected to embrace (Farrell, 2008).
Chapter Summary
Chapter Two includes a review of studies that focus on customer satisfaction,
management leadership, and organizational training. From this review, it is evident that poor
customer service normally has a negative effect on an organization’s performance (Swartzlander,
2004). Work relationships that are based on effective communication, trust, and respect benefit
an organization (Swartzlander, 2004). Providing customer service requires the stakeholders

involved to interact with each other in addressing tasks that focus on asking questions and
seeking information or assistance (Greene & Kropf, 2011).
This chapter also included a history of CPAC that described its establishment and growth.
This was followed by a summary of the literature that formed the basis of this study. Customer
preferences and issues such as behavior, personnel soft skills, feedback, loyalty, and trust were
discussed. Leadership aspects such as transformational leadership, best practices, and leadership
development were described, and it is evident that leadership strategies affect personnel
performance (Randall, 2003).
This chapter concludes with a discussion of leadership styles that are applied in customer
service fields, as well as leadership strategies used in the United States military. This discussion
emphasizes the importance of enhancing customer service and uses relationship theory to explain
why providing quality customer service is important. Management theory, situational leadership
theory and behavioral theory were briefly described. Participatory leadership theory was used to
explain leadership roles and approaches to effectively influence employee performance.

CHAPTER 3
Methodology
The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between management leadership
skills and organizational based training and to determine if there is an indirect relationship
between leadership and performance of employees hired by CPAC (Civilian Personnel Advisory
Center). Quality customer service can be a competitive advantage for organizations, so it is
important for employees to provide high-quality customer service (Swartzlander, 2004).
In this study, a self-reporting survey was used to gather survey data from the study’s
participants. The survey consisted of scales and subscales that were used to measure specific
constructs relating to management leadership skills, personnel performance and organizational
training (Klugh, 2013). The survey questionnaires were administered to the participants using
SurveyMonkey.
The survey was made available to targeted participants who agreed to the informed
consent. The informed consent described different aspects of the study such as its focus, benefits
and , what their roles are, how the data will be used, possible risks of the survey, and other
informative details that will inform the participants about the research. The quantitative survey
data that was collected then analyzed using SPSS.22.0 which refers to a software program or
package that is used to analyze statistical data (Mayer et al., 2013). The software was appropriate
for this research because it can be used to analyze the correlation that is evident among variables
that are being examined (Mayer et al., 2013). Relationships that exist among the variables were
determined using the SPSS software. Statistical tests were conducted in order to establish if any
assumptions that needed to be met were violated (Mayer et al., 2013). Quantitative studies

involve analyzing data and then processing the data to useful findings that are appropriate for a
specific study (Vogt, 2007).
Research Methods and Design Appropriateness
This study is a quantitative correlational study. This cross-sectional correlation research
design is appropriate for this study because its aim is to determine the relationship between
personnel performance, management leadership and organizational based training. This study
answered the research questions that have been outlined below. The findings can be used to
enhance customer service at U.S. military CPAC establishments. Better information about new
policies and best practices will facilitate effective customer service (Swartzlander, 2004). The
relationship between variables was important, so a correlation method was appropriate (Mayer et
al., 2013).
Research Questions & Hypotheses
RQ1: Is there a relationship between leadership skills gained through training administered by
the military and the performance of general schedule employees who are work in CPACs
(Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers)?
Hl0: There is no relationship between leadership skills gained through training
administered by the military and the performance of General Schedule employees who
are work in CPACs (Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers).
H1A: There exists a relationship between leadership skills gained through training
administered by the military and the performance of General Schedule employees who
are work in CPACs (Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers).
RQ2: Is there a relationship between leadership strategies at CPAC centers and the quality of
employee performance in terms of customer service?

H20: There is no relationship between leadership strategies at CPAC centers and the
quality of employee performance in terms of customer service.
H2A: There exists a relationship between leadership strategies at CPAC centers and the
quality of employee performance in terms of customer service.
Population and Sample
The research participants were active duty Army veterans and General Schedule civilians
who had worked for the United States Army. Thirty participants were surveyed. The sample size
was determined using power analysis. The calculation was based on the target population, a
confidence level of 95% and confidence interval of 18. According to Bouma et al. (2008), it is
important to find participants who are well informed and therefore able to share data that is
appropriate for the study. Gender, time in service, and military/civilian roles were considered
when selecting the participants. The United States military maintains over 300,000 civilian
employees. CPAC personnel are primarily selected from this civilian pool. Purposive sampling
was used.
Sampling
The sample was selected from the population of study. The population of study was
veterans and civilians who worked for the United States military. Purposive sampling was used
because it was important to identify participants with information that is relevant to this study
(Bouma et al., 2008).
Informed Consent
Participants were invited to participate in this study (Bouma et al., 2008). The invitation
details consisted of a brief overview of the study and its timeline, potential risks, benefits of
participating, a guarantee of participant confidentiality, researcher contact information and the

roles of the participant and the researcher (Bouma et al., 2008). Participants who agreed to the
study’s terms were required to select yes in order to participate (Bouma et al., 2008).
Confidentiality
It was important to maintain the confidentiality of details shared by the participants
(Bouma et al., 2008). Personally, identifying information was not collected in the survey. A
confidentiality agreement between the researcher and the participants was used. SPSS 22.0
findings were stored in a separate hard drive and not on the researcher’s computer. All research
files were treated as confidential and password-protected to minimize any loss of data or
unauthorized use of the information (Vogt, 2007).
Geographic location
The participants are based in the United States. The study primarily focused on the
United States.
Data Collection
Data collection was aided by using self-report surveys (Bouma et al., 2008). Participants
were made aware of the survey by an audience panel and invites using SurveyMonkey. Giving
informed consent was a qualifying pre-requisite, and participants were required to give their
consent before accessing the survey. SPSS 22.0 was used to process the survey data into
statistical results. The findings were analyzed and used as the basis for making research
conclusions (Mayer et al., 2013).
Instrumentation
A self-report survey questionnaire was made available online to participants. The survey
questionnaire provided a platform for participants to share data that could be then processed into
useful research findings (Bouma et al., 2008). It is important to validate research instruments

before using them. The reliability and validity of instruments used in this study were determined
before the study began.
Instrument Validity & Reliability
Instruments appropriate for conducting the study were used. Construct validity is the
degree to which an instrument captures the construct that it is supposed to measure. The
instruments need to effectively measure different constructs and yield reliable results regardless
of when the measurement is taken (Bouma et al., 2008). During the research, valid and reliable
instruments were used in line with research best practices (Bouma et al., 2008).
Dependent and Independent Variables
Independent Variables
Management leadership: A Likert-type scale was used to explore this variable.
Participants rated the performance of their leaders and managers in terms of inspirational
leadership and leadership by example. Participants were asked: Do your leaders and managers
inspire you? Do they lead by example? Answers ranged from 1 to 5, with a higher score will
mean higher levels of inspirational leadership whereas lower scores meant lower levels of
inspirational leadership and leadership by example (Lavrakas, 2008).
Participative decision-making: This was measured using the participative decision-
making subscale of the Likert type scale. Participants were asked, to what extent do you
participate in the decision-making process? Answers could range from 1 (never) to 5 (always). A
lower score thus meant lower levels of participative decision-making and a higher score meant
higher levels of participative decision-making (Lavrakas, 2008).
Manager leadership/managers leading by example: Managers’ coaching abilities were
measured using the coaching and informing subscale on the Likert type sale. Subscale scores

ranged from 1 to 5. Higher scores meant higher levels of leadership coaching skills and lower
scores meant lower levels of leadership coaching skills (Lavrakas, 2008).
Organizational based training: This variable was measured by using a subscale in the
Likert type sale. The question in this sub-scale focused on organizational support for employee
training and how it affected performance. Scores ranged from 1 to 5.
Dependent Variable
Personnel performance: This variable was measured using a Likert scale. The scale
tracked five items: Level of customer and employees’ satisfaction; Quality of service (Employee
performance); Level of interaction, Preference and Attitude towards customer service personnel.
Participants rated each of these items.
Validity & Reliability
Internal Validity
Internal validity can be affected by selection, especially in studies with a non-random
participant distribution. The dependent variable is normally affected when purposive sampling is
used as the preferred sampling method. Statistical regression is generally inversely related to test
reliability. If a measurement is not reliable, extreme scores will be expected to move towards the
mean. The testing procedure used can affect the scores that are realized after the post test.
External Validity
External validity can be influenced by sample bias, in which a study’s sample may not
represent the population of interest. For instance, the sample may include participants who lack
adequate information about the topic of study.

Data Analysis
The data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 statistical-analysis software. Survey data were
also analyzed using SurveyMonkey. The relationships among the variables were established
using SPSS 22.0 (Mayer et al., 2013). All appropriate steps for analyzing data with SPSS were
followed. A statistician was used to confirm the validity of the data analysis, problem statement,
and statistical findings (Bouma et al., 2008).
Data were entered into SPSS 22.0 manually and subjected to extensive statistical analysis
(Mayer, Gamst & Guarino, 2013) in order to test the hypotheses. Standard deviations, means,
maximum scores, minimum scores, and time in service for CPAC employees were considered
during the analysis process. Violation of statistical assumptions such as Homoscedasticity and
Normality needed to be tested (Mayer et al., 2013). The significance level of P <.05 was used to
determine the statistical significance of the multiple linear regression model. The model R2 aided
in determining the model effect size. The effect sizes for each independent variable can be
documented using the semi-partial r2 (Bouma et al., 2008).
Summary
This chapter contains an outline of the research methodology that was used in this study.
This includes details about the steps that were followed to gather and analyze data so that other
researchers could replicate the study or verify the findings. The primary purpose of this
quantitative correlational study was to determine the relationship between management
leadership skills, organizational based training, and the performance of CPAC employees, who
are general-schedule civilian personnel hired by the military. The knowledge gained from this
study will be useful in enhancing customer service in CPAC establishments and other
organizations. According to Creswell (2003), organizational leaders tend to make better

decisions when they have access to better information. When leaders understand the behavior of
their employees and the needs of their customers, they can enhance the quality of services that
they deliver, and they can more easily ensure that they hire skilled employees and give them
effective organizational training (Krishnan, 2001).

CHAPTER 4
Presentation and Analysis of Data
Quality customer service in important organizational aspect: Organizations need to
always prioritize on developing policies, mechanisms and programs that enhance the quality of
customer service (Greene & Kropf, 2011). This chapter is a detailed outline of results of the
statistical analyses that were conducted on the data collected using the survey questionnaire. The
chapter also explains the statistical results for this research. Research questions, hypotheses,
statistical assumptions and statistical results that are based on the survey questionnaire are
outlined in this chapter.
Research Questions and Hypotheses
RQ1: Is there a relationship between leadership skills gained through training administered by
the military and the performance of general schedule employees who are work in CPACs
(Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers)?
Hl0: There is no relationship between leadership skills gained through training
administered by the military and the performance of General Schedule employees who
are work in CPACs (Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers).
H1A: There exists a relationship between leadership skills gained through training
administered by the military and the performance of General Schedule employees who
are work in CPACs (Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers).
RQ2: Is there a relationship between leadership strategies at CPAC centers and the quality of
employee performance in terms of customer service?
H20: There is no relationship between leadership strategies at CPAC centers and the
quality of employee performance in terms of customer service.

H2A: There exists a relationship between leadership strategies at CPAC centers and the
quality of employee performance in terms of customer service.
Data collection
Permission to conduct research on my target participants was secured from the IRB
(Institutional Review Board). The researcher first sought for permission to be allowed to conduct
this research and IRB approval was secured. Researchers who intend to interact with or conduct
research on human subjects need to first seek for permission from the IRB (Institutional Review
Board) (Vogt, 2007). Participants were panelist via SurveyMonkey.com. A survey questionnaire
was used for data collection. The survey questionnaire was developed using SurveyMonkey.com
which is an online survey platform. Participant responded to each survey question contained in
the survey questionnaire. Survey responses were made available to the researcher’s profile
within SurveyMonkey.com
Data Analysis
Survey data was statistically analyzed. Statistical analysis based on survey data was first
conducted using SurveyMonkey. SPSS 22.0 was also used for statistical analysis. SPSS 22.0 is a
software program that is used for analyzing statistical data (Mayer et al., 2013). A set of
statistical analysis were conducted, and the statistical results have been outlined in this chapter.
Survey Questionnaire Statistical Results
Participants were required to indicate whether they agree or not agree to participate in the
study. 93% of the target respondents agreed to participate in the study. 7 % did not agree to
participate in the study. This is shown in the output result below:

Figure 1: Survey results
Participants were supposed to have served 5 or more years in the military. Based on
statistical findings, 85.96% of participants had served more than 5 years in service whereas 14.04
of participants had served more than 20 years in service. On the survey questionnaire,
participants were supposed to indicate the number of years that they had served in the military.
Figure 2: Survey results
Q5: Participants rated the importance of adequate and constructive feedback from the
management. Below are the statistical results for this construct. Of the respondents, 40%
indicated that constructive and adequate feedback from the management is extremely important,

37% responded very important, 17% somehow important 3% not so important and 3% not at all
important.
Figure 3: Survey results
Figure 4: Survey results
Q6. Participants rated how well the management gave them adequate and constructive
feedback and the statistical findings based on this construct have been outlined below:
Figure 5: Survey results

Q7: Participants rated how important participation was them in the goal setting process
and below is an outline of the findings:
Figure 6: Survey results
Q8: Participants rated how their management encouraged them to participate in the goal
setting process and below is an outline of the findings based on this construct:

Figure 7: Survey results
Q9: Participants indicated how important the appraisal process was to them and the
statistical results have been outlined below:
Figure 8: Survey results
Figure 9: Survey results
Q10: Participants rated the fairness of the appraisal process Statistical results based on
this construct have been outlined below:

Figure 10: Survey results
Q11: Participants rated how important management praise based on their performance as
employees. Below is an outline of results for this construct.
Figure 11: Survey results
Q12: Participants rated how well their management praised them for their good
performance.
Figure 12: Survey results

Q13: Participants rated how important to them was working in a team oriented
workplace.
Figure 13: Survey results
Q14: Participants rated how well their management promoted a team oriented workplace
Figure 14: Survey results

Q15: Participants indicated how important a competitive salary was to them.
Figure 15: Survey results
Q16: Participants rated how competitive their salary was.
Figure 16: Survey results

Q17: Participants rated how important a good benefits package such as health insurance,
sick days, vacation, 401k and other benefits was important to them.
Figure 17: Survey results
Q18: participants rated the quality of the benefits package

Figure 18: Survey results
Q19: Participants rated how important a good communication was between management
and employees.
Figure 19: Survey results
20: Participants rated how well the management promoted and encouraged
communication between the management and employees.

Figure 20: Survey results
Q21: Participants rated how important paid training and tuition reimbursement programs
were to them.

Figure 21: Survey results
Q22: The participants rated how well the management encouraged or promoted paid
training and tuition reimbursement programs.
Figure 22: Survey results

Q23: Participants rated how important to them was using their skills and abilities when
doing their job
Figure 23: Survey results
Q24: Participants rated how well their managers encouraged or promoted opportunities
for employees to use their skills and abilities.

Figure 24: Survey results
Q25: Participants rated how important to career development or advancement
opportunities was to them: The output results are shown below:
Figure 25: Survey results
Q26: Participants rated how well their management promoted or encouraged career
development and advancement opportunities.
Figure 26: Survey results

Q27: Participants indicated if having a mentor or mentors was important to them. Below
are the statistical results for this construct.
Figure 27: Survey results
Q28: Participants rated how well their management encouraged or promoted mentoring
Figure 28: Survey results

Q29: Participants rated how important work-life balance was important to them.
Figure 29: Survey results
Q30: Participants rated how well their managers encouraged or promoted work-life
balance.
Figure 30: Survey results

Q31: Is it important for the management to take employee complaints seriously? Below is
an outline of what the participants think how the management should handle employee
complaints.
Figure 31: Survey results
Q32: Did your managers take employee complaints seriously?
Figure 32: Survey results

Q33: Participants rated how important to them was having autonomy and independence
to do your job as they see fit without being micro-managed
Figure 33: Survey results
Q34: Participants rated how well your management respected employee autonomy and
independence.

Figure 34: Survey results
Q35: Participants indicated how important it was for the management to value their
contribution and talents. Below are the results for this construct.
Figure 35: Survey results
Q36: Participants rated how well their management valued their talent and contribution.
Figure 36: Survey results
Q37: Participants rated their overall job satisfaction.

Figure 37: Survey results
SPSS Output Results
The results of the SPSS analysis are reported below. The output results are based on
multiple regression tests and Pearson’s correlation test that were conducted. The statistical
results outline correlations, model summary, ANOVA and Coefficients. N represents the number
of participants in this study. Based on the ANOVA table p=.013. The correlation that is present
within the variables that were explored in this research was tested and statistical output derived
from SPSS. 22.0 have are outlined. This analysis was performed using the following variables:
1. Organizational based training
2. Management Leadership
3. Personnel Performance
Management leadership Organizational based training Personnel performance
5 5 5

3 4 4
5 4 5
5 5 5
3 4 5
4 5 2
3 3 4
4 3 3
4 5 5
4 4 4
4 1 4
5 1 1
4 4 3
3 4 2
4 4 5
4 2 2
4 3 3
2 3 3
5 5 4
5 4 5
4 4 4
3 4 2
2 2 3
4 3 3
5 5 4
4 5 3
3 1 2
2 4 5
4 5 4
1 3 2

Figure 38: Correlations
Interpretation: The results of the analysis revealed that there was statistically significant
correlation between Organizational based training and personnel performance (P<.01) but not
between Management Leadership and Personnel performance.
Figure 39: Model summary
Interpretation: The model summary revealed an r-square of .276 demonstrating that 27.6% of
the variance in the dependent variable can be explained by the predictor variables.

Figure 40: ANOVA
Figure 41: Coeffecients
Interpretation: Organizational based training has a much greater impact on personnel
performance since it is .463 for organizational training vas .147 for Management Leadership.
Figure 42 and 43 are from the same regression analysis output.
Pearson Correlation test
Output results for the Pearson’s correlation test are detailed below:

Figure 42: Correlation
Table 1: Correlations
Correlations
Management
Leadership
Personnel
performance
Management
Leadership
Pearson Correlation 1 .282
Sig. (1-tailed) .065
N 30 30
Personnel performance Pearson Correlation .282 1
Sig. (1-tailed) .065
N 30 30
Interpretation: The correlation coefficient between Management leadership and Personnel
performance, r=.282 p>.05 was not statistically significant. There was a weak positive
relationship between the two variables. The null hypothesis is retained.
Figure 43 : Correlation
Table 2: Correlations

Correlations
Organization
al based
training
Personnel
performance
Organizational based
training
Pearson Correlation 1 .506**
Sig. (1-tailed) .002
N 30 30
Personnel performance Pearson Correlation .506** 1
Sig. (1-tailed) .002
N 30 30
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (1-tailed).
Interpretation: The correlation coefficient between organizational based training and personnel
performance was .r=506, p<.01. This represents a statistically significant relationship between
the two variables; therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected.
Assumptions for Multiple Linear Regression
The assumptions include:
1. Linear relationship: The relationship that is present or exists between dependent and
independent variable needs to be linear.
2. Multivariate normality: Another assumption is that all variables are supposed to be
normal. Normality can be tested using a histogram or a Q-Q plot derived from
analyzing data using the SPSS 22.0 software. A goodness of fit test can be used to
check for normality or normal distribution.
3. Assumption on No auto-correlation.
4. Assumption on little or No multicolliniarity: Multiple linear regression normally
assumes that Multicollinearity is not present or very insignificant in the data such as

independent variables. Multicollinearity can be tested computing the correlation
matrix, tolerance, variance Inflation factor and condition index. For instance, when
computing the condition index, values of more than 30 or values of >30 will indicate
that there exists a strong multicollinearity. Values of 10-30 would mean little
multicolleniarity exists.
Summary
Chapter 4 basically focuses on presentation and analysis of research data. This chapter
has outlined statistical output results for the study. The output results for this study were
analyzed and interpretations were based on the statistical findings. Research questions have been
outlined and hypotheses that were part of each research question were tested. This chapter also
outlines insightful information about statistical assumptions.

CHAPTER 5
Summary and Discussions
This chapter is a summary and discussion of findings. Conclusion and recommendations
are based on the research findings for this study. 30 participants participated in the study. The
survey process was conducted using a survey questionnaire and the survey was administered
using SurveyMoney.com which is a platform for administered surveys to target research
participants. Survey data that was collected during the study was analyzed via the surveying
platform and using SPSS.22.0. Output results that were realized from analyzing the survey data
have been outlined. Results were interpreted, and conclusions are based on the research findings.
Recommendations for this research such as recommendations for future research are based on
research findings and conclusions for this study.
Discussion of findings
For Management leadership and Personnel performance, r=.28 which signifies a
moderate positive correlation. P = 0.1. Null hypothesis was accepted because p value was more
than 0.05. For Organizational based training and Personnel performance, r=.506 which signified
a moderate positive correlation. P = 0.004. The P< 0.05 therefore Null hypothesis was rejected. It
was discovered that there exists a weak positive relationship between leadership strategies at the
CPAC centers and the quality of employee performance in terms of the customer service that
they offer. A weak positive relationship between leadership skills gained through training
administered by the military and the performance of General Schedule employees who are hired
by and work within and for CPAC.
On the basis of survey, it is determined that approximately 50 % participants were retired
general scheduled army and served army for more than 5 years. However other 50 percent have

served less than 5 years. Further, it was analyzed that approximately 80.5 percent participants
where involved with organization and its training program mes for 5 years and more while other
10.5 were employed in organization for over 20 years.
Apart from this, from the survey it is found out that 23.68 % that is 27 participants
collects pension and are retired from active army veteran. In addition, it was analyzed that
according to 40 % participants hat is 12 constructive feedback plays an important role in
improving individual working ability because it helps the person in determining own strengths
and weakness. While, as per 1 respondent it is not at all important because it is sometime based
and can influence motivation and morale of working. In accordance with constructive feedback
11 participants discussed about leadership and motivation which is core aspect of feedback. It is
the basis of training for employee and therefore it is necessary for the workers to seek
constructive feedback to bridge gap between own weakness.
As per effectiveness of feedback by management to employee it is demonstrated that 13
respondent that is 43.33 % are satisfied from feedback by management because according to
them it is given by managers by evaluating individual performance on the basis of their roles and
responsibilities. On the other hand as per 3 respondents constructive feedback from managers
plays a crucial role in improvement but is biased or inadequate which influences individual
motivation of working. In accordance with this, it can be said that constructive feedback is
valuable and essential for employee but is needs to performance based and critical to make
workers understand their own strengths and weakness.
Adequate and constructive feedback from the management is extremely important for
employees. A majority of participants were satisfied with the way their management shared
feedback with them. Findings revealed that participation in the goal setting process is very

important for employees and employees prefer to be managed by managers who allow them to
participate in making decisions. An effective appraisal process is important for personnel. Based
on research findings, most employees were satisfied with their appraisal process. Good
performance needs to be recognized and appreciated by the management (Krishnan, 2001). A
team oriented workplace, a competitive salary and good benefits package were preferred by a
majority of participants. Good communication is very important, and management should
communicate often to the personnel that they manage. Training and career development are very
important (Koehler, J., & Pankowski 1997). It a discovered that work life balance and having a
mentor are extremely important and micromanaging personnel’ is not always an effective
management leadership strategy (Krishnan, 2001). Personnel complaints need to always be taken
seriously. Skills for transformational leadership include: (1) Inspiring other employees by
engaging in conduct that leaders want other employees’ to embrace, (2) Collaborating effectively
as a team and with customers, (3) Being respectful towards customers, (4) Accountability or
being accountable, (5) Then being innovative is another skill for transformational leadership
(Koehler, J., & Pankowski 1997).
Conclusions and Recommendations
All organizations need to offer quality customer service. Poor quality customer service
has a negative implication on the reputation and operational efficiency of organizations.
Organizational employees who are required to offer customer service need to be trained on best
practices that they are expected to engage. Organizations need to hire management leaders who
are experienced and able to lead effectively (Krishnan, 2001). Organizations need to develop
effective personnel training programs that will enable their employees to effectively perform
their roles. For instance, customer service employees need to be trained on best practices in

customer service that they are supposed to adhere to. Progressive leadership and personnel
training programs need to be developed (Krishnan, 2001). This chapter is a summary and
discussion of research results for this study. The conclusions and recommendations outlined in
this chapter are based on findings that were discovered in this study.
Implications of Study
The study will have an implication on management practice because management leaders
will be able to learn more about how their leadership practices impact on personnel performance.
Results or findings from this study can be used to facilitate organizational changes at Civilian
Personnel Advisory Centers. The study outlines new knowledge that will expand the current
knowledge base regarding the research topic. The study will influence the way policy decisions
are made within organizations that intend to develop effective employee training programs,
personnel performance standards and policies on management leadership. Study findings can be
used to enhance decision making in organizations that intend to provide better customer service
(Krishnan, 2001).
This study will inform and educate people who want to learn and know more about the
research topic. Other researchers can conduct more research or subsequent research in future in
order to explore further the research problem that was explored in this study. Personnel
performance and organizational training programs can be enhanced based on the
recommendations of this study. Personnel or employees who work in organizations need to be
productive and effective (Krishnan, 2001).
Limitations and Delimitations of Study
Limitations

1. Geographic limitations due to difficulty in conducting surveys in specific
geographical locations and accessing information from such locations that make it
difficult for an effective study to be conducted (Creswell, 2003).
2. Access to resources needed to facilitate the research will be limited and this is an
example of another limitation.
3. Access to participants is also another limitation because of the bureaucracies involved
such as being required to seek for permissions or consent before conducting a survey.
4. Other limitations include managing a large sample size; data collection methods are
limited and potential difficulties in accessing software needed for statistical analysis
(Vogt, 2007).
Delimitations
1. The participants are active duty Army veterans and retired General Schedule civil
servants. Other delimitations include:
2. Priority was on using surveys.
3. The study was Correlational and quantitative.
4. Appropriate literature that was in line with this study objectives was explored.
5. The study was quantitative because the quantitative design was the most appropriate
for this research. Quantitative data based on survey findings need to be statistically
analyzed when conducting research (Vogt, 2007).
Contributions to the Field of Study
This study will contribute literature that can be applied in organizations. The literature
can facilitate Transformational or change leadership. The literature outlines insights and
knowledge that can be used to develop strategies for enhancing operations at Civilian Personnel

Advisory Centers for the U.S. military. For instance, provision of customer services at the
facilities will become more effective (Krishnan, 2001). The literature can also benefit
organizations that intend to enhance or improve their internal organizational culture. New
training programs that will focus on enhancing customer service employees’ skills can also be
developed. Military leaders can learn about best practices that they need to engage in if they
intend to lead effectively. An effective organizational culture can also be developed based on
best practices that have been outlined in this literature (Greenwood, 2017).
Suggestions for Future Research
1. Research on Innovations in personnel training and management is an example of a
research that should be conducted in future.
2. In depth research on how ineffective leadership in the military and other
organizations influences employee performance, development and health is another
suggestion for future research. Findings from the proposed study would be very
insightful and useful for organizations.
3. It would be beneficial to conduct research on the impact of automation in customer
service on organizational performance.
4. Research that will focus on developing better standards for quality customer service
in organizations would definitely be beneficial.
5. It would also be beneficial to research about the effect of Technology disruptions on
organizational growth.
6. More research on managing innovation and knowledge management in future.
7. More research to further refine or elaborate my research. The findings have been
outlined in this thesis.

8. Other researchers can use the concepts, findings, strategies and other details outlined
in this study as a basis for conducting their research (Meyers, Gamst, & Guarino,
2013).
Summary
The customer service process in organizations needs to be effective. Effective customer
Relationship management programs and mechanisms need to be developed (Randall, 2003).
Performance of personnel who are required to provide customer service to other employees and
other stakeholders needs to be evaluated on a regular basis in order to determine if the services
provided are of good quality or poor quality (Smith, 2003). Provision of quality or better
customer service at U.S. military Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers will benefit stakeholders
who work for the military, their dependents and spouses, civilians who seek to make inquiries
and the military in general. This is a summary for Chapter 5.

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APPENDIX
Appendix A: Informed Consent
INFORMED CONSENT: PARTICIPANTS 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER
working on a Management and Organizational Leadership degree. I am conducting
research study that is titled “Management Leadership Skills, Organizational Based Training and
Personnel Performance Training: A Correlation Study”. The purpose of the research is to
determine the relationship (if it exists) between management leadership skills and organizational
based training, and to determine if there is a direct or indirect relationship between the resultant
leadership, and the performance of the General Scheduled (GS) Employees working for the U.S.
military within and for the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center (CPAC) and Active Duty Army
veterans.
Your participation will involve completing an online survey, which will take about 20
minutes. A survey questionnaire will be sent to you and you will be required to fill in (complete)
the questionnaire by providing appropriate responses to the questions that will be asked in the
questionnaire. My expectation is that all participants will complete the survey questionnaires as
soon as they receive it and send it back to me after they finalize on answering the questions
outlined in the questionnaires. Participation in this study is voluntary hence participants are free
to decide on whether or not to participate in this research. Once you start, you can withdraw from
the study at any time without any penalty or loss of benefits.
Although there may be no direct benefit to you, a possible benefit from your being part of

this study is contributing towards the creation of knowledge that can be applied to facilitating
effective change in the organization that you work for. This research is extensive, and all
personally identifiable records or information will be protected. The procedures to be followed
after gathering data from the participants will involve subjecting the data through statistical
analysis then using the findings as the basis for making informed research decisions that can be
supported by facts. The results of the research study may be published but your identity will
remain confidential and your name will not be made known to any outside party. In this research
there are no foreseeable risks to you hence I look forward to having you as one of the
participants I this research.
If you have any questions about the research study, please reach me by email at
([e-mail]). For questions about your rights as a study participant, or any
concerns or complaints, please contact the University of Phoenix Institutional Review Board via
email at As a participant in this study, you should understand the following:
1. You may decide not to be part of this study or you may want to withdraw from the study
at any time. If you want to withdraw, you can do so without any problems. You can
withdraw from the study selecting the withdraw option on the survey.
2. Your identity will be protected.
3. Amber De Armond Hillard, the researcher, has fully explained the nature of the research
study and has answered all of your questions and concerns.
4. Data will be kept secure. It will be secured through encryption. The data will be kept for
three years, and then destroyed. Deleting it will destroy data.
5. The results of this study may be published.

“By signing this form, you agree that you understand the nature of the study, the possible risks to
you as a participant, and how your identity will be protected. When you sign this form, this
means that you are 18 years old or older and that you give your permission to volunteer as a
participant in the study that is described here.” Please return this form to
( ) I accept the above terms. ( ) I do not accept the above terms. (CHECK ONE)
Signature of the research participant ______________________________ Date _____________
Signature of the researcher _____________________________________ Date _____________
Appendix B: Permission to Use Existing Survey
Figure 44: Permission
Figure 45: Survey Instrument
Appendix C: Survey Instrument

Appendix D: Letter of Invitation to Take Survey
This letter is an invitation for you to participate in a quantitative research titled
“Management Leadership Skills, Organizational Based Training and Personnel Performance: A
Correlation Study”. The purpose of this study will be to determine the relationship (if it exists)
between management leadership skills and organizational based training, and to determine if

there is an indirect relationship between the resultant leadership, and the performance of the
CPAC military personnel.
Your participation in this study will be voluntary and the information collected from
participants will take kept confidential. The survey questionnaire should take approximately 20
minutes to complete. The responses that will be collected from the participants will be subjected
through statistical analysis. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or inquiries.
Should you have any interest in the results of this survey and would like to obtain the results,