Using Q-methodology in competency development for CEOs in public parks and recreation

Abstract

This study generated a systematic and comprehensive view of park and recreation CEO competencies by examining how CEOs in public parks and recreation subjectively ranked various competencies using Q-sorts and Q-methodology. Results found three different types of CEOs: the practical CEO, the structured CEO, and the traditionalist CEO. The Practical CEO focused on employee involvement in decision making thus making the work environment a more positive and reinforcing place. The Structured CEO placed an emphasis on structure, organization, and skills. The Traditionalist CEO placed emphasis on formal skill sets, task orientation, and external validation of skills. Understanding that the importance of specific competencies is viewed from different perspectives allows a more informed understanding of how CEOs in public parks and recreation perceive the importance of competencies.

Cultivating the Pedagogy of Experience Through International Field Trips

“…Perfectly aligned with what McLean, Hurd, and Rogers (2007) put forward, Kuala Lumpur, Daejeon, Gallipoli, and Taipei field trips have been perceived as quite attractive, because students, particularly the “Y generations,” saw them as opportunities to combine leisure activity (e.g., traveling, seeing new places, and expanding social networks) with education (e.g., study away from university and home). The highlights of these results are illustrated in Figure 1, and the main issues from the conducted surveys between 2008 and 2011 are presented and discussed below.…”

From the CEO perspective: Critical competencies for effective performance

“…Other empirical studies establish typologies and models. McLean et al (2005) in their results identify three different types of CEOs by examining their employees, defining them as either practical, structured or traditionalist. Hurd and McLean (2004) drew up a competencies model for CEOs based on six factors, each also split into sub-groups: business acumen, communication and marketing, relations with the community, leadership and management, evaluation and planning and professional practice.…”

Learning in the Geoscience Classroom: Q-Methodology, Learning Styles, and Individual Preferences

“…Q-method is based on the assumption that subjectivity can and will be expressed by a person's own behavior as reported through their ranking of statements (Wigger and Mrtek, 1994). Operationally, Q-method asks subjects to systematically sort a set of statements based on how strongly they agree (positive on the Q-sort board) or disagree with each statement (negative on the Q-sort board; Brewer et al, 2000;Robbins and Krueger, 2000;Jacobson and Aaltio-Marjosola, 2001;McLean et al, 2005). It requires that participants evaluate each statement in relation to every other statement and reflects the person's worldview of the topic (Brewer et al, 2000).…”

“…The P-sample, or person sample, is the number of people ranking the competencies. So, the Psample for McLean et al (2005) was 13, where there were 13 CEOs ranking 82 competencies.…”

“…A Q-sample, or the statements or elements to be evaluated, are commonly derived from previous research. For example, McLean et al (2005), studied competencies of public recreation and park chief executive officers (CEOs). In their study, they derived 82 competencies from Hurd and McLean's (2004) research on CEO competencies.…”