An empirical study of occupational families in the youth labour market

This research aims at identifying job families for use in broadly based training for young people. A total of 455 job incumbents in the youth labour market were interviewed using the Job Components Inventory (JCI). The job sample was heterogeneous, reflecting a wide range of industries and job titles; some of these were skilled but mainly they were semi- and unskilled. The JCI covers the use of tools and equipment, physical and perceptual skills, mathematical requirements, communication, decision making and responsibility. Cluster analysis of items identified 36 skill components. These formed the basis for job-holder profiles, which in turn were grouped by hierarchical clustering. The optimal solution resulted in six clusters, the characteristics of which were described in terms of JCI component scores. The six clusters were labelled as clerical, skilled interpersonal, operative, unskilled manual, intermediate skilled technical and skilled technical. The stability of these six clusters was assessed using split-half replications. Results are discussed and evaluated in the context of contemporary youth training needs.     

THE JOB COMPONENTS INVENTORY AND THE ANALYSIS OF JOBS REQUIRING LIMITED SKILL

The Job Components Inventory, a new job analysis technique examining the use of tools and equipment, physical and perceptual requirements, mathematical requirements, communication requirements, and decision-making and responsibility requirements, is introduced. Results of a study of 100 job holders demonstrate a high reliability of the technique in terms of supervisor-job holder agreement, and the method is shown by analysis of variance and cluster analysis successfully to discriminate between and within job titles. The technique is proving to be a practical instrument for use in curriculum development, careers guidance and broad-based training, and recommendations for its further use and evaluations are made.     

THE RELATIONSHIP OF STAFFING PRACTICES TO ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL MEASURES OF PERFORMANCE

Scholars have noted the relative lack of research on the contribution of effective staffing practices to organizational level measures of performance (Schmitt & Schneider, 1983). We collected survey data from the heads of the HRM departments of 201 organizations regarding the extent of use of five staffing practices supported by the academic literature. We also investigated whether organizations that used more of these practices had higher levels of profitability and sales growth than organizations that used fewer of them. We found a significant positive relationship between organizations'use of the five staffing practices and both annual profit and profit growth across all industries. However, the strength of the relationship between the use of the staffing practices and organizational performance was found to vary by industry type. We also found that the extent of use of the staffing practices was related to both industry type and organizational size. Our study provides some initial data on the possible positive impact of these staffing practices on organizational level outcomes.     

The Relation of College Internships,College Performance,and Subsequent Job Opportunity

This study examined the relationship of business college internships to college performance and to subsequent job opportunities. Whites were more apt to have had an internship than African Americans; there was no difference by gender. Students with internships had a significantly higher overall grade point average, were somewhat younger upon graduation, and were more apt to be employed upon graduation than students without internships. Internships were thus related to both better college performance and to receiving a job offer upon graduation. Discussion centered on the role of internship in realistic job expectations and recommendations for improving internships.