Abstract
A descriptive research method was used in a study of the Navy's Federal Women's Program to identify the program's general characteristics--such as age, sex, education, grade level, job status (full-time, part-time or collateral duty)--of the program's managers, the extent to which the program is implemented within the Navy, and, as perceived by the managers of the program, the attributes of the program as currently implemented, the effectiveness of the program, and the level of job satisfaction possessed by the program's managers. Five objectives were developed which, when attained, would define these characteristics. A mailed survey instrument was sent to each of the Navy's 212 shore commands located within the fifty United States and its possessions which were subject to implement a Federal Women's Program. By 20 June 1988, an eighty-four percent return rate was obtained. This return rate more than exceeded the 137 responses required out of a population of 212 needed to provide a confidence of ninety-five percent in the survey. The study found that the Federal Women's Program is implemented Navy-wide, determined that the typical program manager is a female in a low status position with limited experience and education, defined the major attributes of the Navy's program, concluded that upper management does not display a positive attitude toward the program, ascertained that the program manager duties are a job satisfier, and found that the program was not effective in increasing the status of women at half of the organizations which were surveyed. Four policy recommendations were provided which if implemented could improve the effectiveness of the program. The major thrusts of the recommendations were to increase the status, thus power and visibility, of the Federal Women's Program Managers and to provide training on issues concerning women to all Navy management personnel. Nine unresolved issues were identified and phrased as potential research questions for future evaluations.