NASP-X is the latest of many iterations of the National Administrative Studies Project, all of which rely on survey-based research designs. Each iteration varied with regards to the issues addressed, sample parameters, and survey designs. This iteration is the first to implement an exclusively internet-based survey mechanism. A random sample of state-level workers will be asked a series of questions oriented towards (1) their own work related attitudes and behaviors and (2) the management of the organizations they work for. Themes addressed in this study include: organizational use of social media; rules and red tape; decision making; and individual attitudes towards change and risk. Like previous iterations of NASP, it is anticipated that this study will provide data for several dissertations and dozens of articles.

This study relies on internet survey responses from a sample of several thousand state-level workers in several states including Florida, Indiana, Nevada, and New Hampshire. Individuals listed on the government directories are identified for inclusion in this study.

The following papers characterize some of the previous research related to our study:

Boardman, C., Bozeman, B., & Ponomariov, B. (2010). Private sector imprinting: an examination of the impacts of private sector job experience on public manager's work attitudes. Public Administration Review, 70(1), 50-59.

Bozeman, B., & Feeney, M. K. (2009). Public management mentoring: What affects outcomes? Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, 19(2), 427-452.

Bozeman, B., & Murdock, A. (2007). Public managers' religiosity: Impacts on work attitudes and perceptions of co-workers. International Public Management Journal, 10(3), 287-306.

Bozeman, B., & Ponomariov, B. (2009). Sector switching from a business to a government job: Fast-track career or fast track to nowhere? Public Administration Review, 69(1), 77-91.

Chen, C.-A. (2011). Sector imprinting: exploring its impacts on managers' perceived formalized personnel rules, perceived red tape, and current job tenure. The American Review of Public Administration. April 28, 2011. doi: 10.1177/0275074011402492

Feeney, M. K. (2008). Sector perceptions among state-level public managers. Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, 18(3), 465-494.

Feeney, M. K., & Boardman, C. (2011). Organizational confidence: An empirical assessment of highly positive public managers. Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, 21(4), 673-697.

Kim, J. (2010). Strategic human resource practices: introducing alternatives for organizational performance improvement in the public sector. Public Administration Review, 70(1), 38-49.

Lee, G. (2011). Uncovering the blurring of sectors: A comparison of perceived organizational values between the public and nonprofit sectors. International Review of Public Administration, 16(3), 1-23.

Lee, Y., & Wilkins, V. M. (2011). More similarities or more differences? Comparing public and nonprofit managers' job motivations. Public Administration Review, 71(1), 45-56.

Ponomariov, B. L., & Boardman, P. (2011). Organizational pathology compared to what? Impacts of job characteristics and career trajectory on perceptions of organizational red tape. Public Administration Review, 71(4), 582-597.

Su, X., & Bozeman, B. (2009). Dynamics of sector switching: Hazard models predicting changes from private sector jobs to public and nonprofit sector jobs. Public Administration Review, 69(6), 1106-1114.

This research project has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Georgia-the organization that works to ensure that all university research is conducted responsibly. As part of our commitment to the responsible conduct of research we provide the following notice to our study participants:

Thank you for participating in the National Administrative Studies Project. The purpose of this study is to enhance our understanding of how organizations work. Your participation will entail responding to a series of questions related to your workplace, and your work attitudes; a special emphasis is placed on issues of decision-making. The survey should take about 10 minutes. Your involvement in the study is voluntary, and you may choose not to participate or to stop at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.

The results of the research study may be published, but your name will not be used. In fact, the published results will be presented in summary form only. Your identity will not be associated with your responses in any published format. Please note that Internet communications are insecure and there is a limit to the confidentiality that can be guaranteed due to the technology itself. However, once we receive the materials, standard confidentiality procedures will be employed. For example, any material or documents linking individuals to responses will be password and firewall protected and destroyed upon completion of data collection. References to these data in presentations and publications will be limited to aggregate forms only. The state and organization information will be used as variables, however, we protect individual identities by surveying a large number of individuals from each state and organization so as to preclude identification of individuals through affiliation with their state or organization.

There are no direct benefits for participating, but the findings from this project may provide information helpful to better understanding and managing organizations. There are no risks or discomforts expected from participation, but you may skip any questions you do not want to answer. If you have any questions about this research project, please feel free to call me or at 706-583-5570, or send an e-mail to nasp@uga.edu. Questions or concerns about your rights as a research participant should be directed to The Chairperson, University of Georgia Institutional Review Board, 629 Boyd GSRC, Athens, Georgia 30602-7411; telephone (706) 542-3199; email address irb@uga.edu.

By completing the following survey you are agreeing to participate in the above described research project. Participants must be 18 years of age or older. If you wish, please feel free to print and keep a copy of this page for your records.

Again, thank you for participating.

Barry Bozeman, Principal Investigator
Ander Crenshaw Chair and Regents’ Professor Public Policy
University of Georgia, Department of Public Administration and Policy
 

Derrick M. Anderson, Project Director
University of Georgia, Department of Public Administration and Policy
Phone: 706-583-5570
Email: derrick@spia.uga.edu

On-site Development Team

Barry Bozeman, Principle Investigator

Hal Rainey, Co-Principle Investigator

Derrick Anderson, Project Director and Co-Data Captain

Dennis Dong, Co-Data Captain

Justin Stritch, Senior Research Associate

Justin Bullock, Senior Research Associate

Erika Stinson, Senior Research Associate

Meriem Hodge, Senior Research Associate

Brian Gamsey, Senior Research Associate

Affiliated NASP Researchers

Stu Bretschneider, Syracuse Univesity

Branco Panimariov, University of Texas-San Antonio

Stephanie Moulton, Ohio State University

Su Xu, University of South Carolina

Craig Boardman, Ohio State University

Mary Feeney, University of Illinois-Chicago

David Coursey, University of Texas-Arlington

Chung-An Chen, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore