A study of the broader responsibilities of supervisory officers in handling government employees, with special reference to the Forest Service

Supervisors of workers in general are charged with obtaining results that meet measurable standards in quantity and quality. These standards are based on past experience under similar or comparable conditions and verifications of forecasts are often obtained by time and motion studies of some form that will fit the situation. In the process of production, human beings and machines are combined in varying proportions to work with raw materials and out of the controlled processes come desired results in the form of consumption goods, more production goods or services that are put to further use to benefit human existence. Science has devised ways of controlling combinations of raw materials and means of treatment so the results will satisfy specific needs. Machines used in processing and fabrication are under control regarding design and speed of performance to a nice degree and some progress has been made in controlling human performance. Most progress has been made, however, in manufacturing under the assembly line system where every operation is subject to measurement over short periods. The employee in this type of work either produces up to standard or he does not. There is a very narrow margin of variance for the foreman, superintendent or supervisory officer to measure; therefore, his training for overseeing his workers is easily acquired and applied in a comparatively simple manner. He has little apparent reason to use knowledge of human behavior and fills his job quite satisfactorily with his rules of thumb and ease of measuring results, backed up by power of quick demotion or dismissal for obvious failure on the part of those under his supervision. The purpose of this thesis is to point out the problems that exist because of the inadequacy of our training in proper personnel procedure among supervisory officers in the Forest Service in particular and furnish case studies and reference material that will assist those who wish to improve themselves.