MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS IN STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENTS

NATIONAL HIGHWAY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCES WERE INITIATED IN 1956 UNDER THE SPONSORSHIP OF AASHO AND THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY USERS CONFERENCE TO PROVIDE HIGHWAY OFFICIALS A PROGRAM FOR DISCUSSION OF MANAGEMENT THEORY AND PRACTICE. BECAUSE THE CONFERENCES ARE CHIEFLY OF A SEMINAR NATURE, ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN KEPT LOW; ONE RESULT HAS BEEN THE CREATION OF STATE CONFERENCES PATTERNED ON THE NATIONAL MODEL. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE FOR THE STATES RESPECTING THE MANAGEMENT LEVELS AT WHICH TO AIM, THE LOCATION AND FACILITIES OF SEMINARS, SCHEDULING AND DURATION, SEMINAR SIZE, SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS FOR A GIVEN SEMINAR, TEACHING METHODS, DISCUSSION LEADERS, SEMINAR DISCUSSION TOPICS, APPRAISALS BY PARTICIPANTS, AND FOLLOW-UPS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM IN STIMULATING MANAGEMENT CHANGE IN STATE HIGHWAY ORGANIZATIONS.