Rick Best, Ph.D.

Title:

Health Services Investigator

Company:

Lockheed Martin; Business Process Solutions

Advisor:

Dr. Ronald G. Downey

Job Description:

Design, manage, and conduct research studies for the Military Health Systems Clinical Quality Care Program (formerly called the National Quality Management Program), directed by TriCare Management Activity. Responsible for designing, managing, and conducting health services research projects with a specific focus on organizational change and development within the Military Health System. Manage all aspects of special studies dedicated to the Military Health Systems Clinical Quality Care Program, managed by TriCare Management Activity. Responsibilities include designing research using Clinical Microsystems theory, engaging multiple, geographically dispersed Military Treatment facilities, collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data, and producing technical reports to inform the primary client, TriCare Management Activity, of trends and results specific to quality of care initiatives. Help Lockheed Martin create new business opportunities and grow the Business Process Solutions division. Compose and publish scholarly and technical reports and manuscripts featuring project results and contribute to the production of research grants.

Dissertation Title:

Are Self-Evaluations At The Core Of Job Burnout?

Dissertation Abstract:

While investigations of antecedent conditions for job burnout have traditionally focused on the environment, this research explored a possible dispositional source as well. Accordingly, core self-evaluations was examined for its precipitating influence on the dimensions of job burnout. Indeed, the core self-evaluations variable is a higher-order construct (composed of self-esteem, generalized self-efficacy, locus of control, and emotional stability) that has shown promise as a dispositional basis for job satisfaction (Judge, Locke, Durham, & Kluger, 1998; and Judge, Bono, & Locke, 2000). In addition, because the nature of interpersonal contact has demonstrated predictive validity for job burnout (Best, Downey, & Gill, 1999; and Best, 2000), it was also examined as a contextual antecedent. Thus, the focus of this research was a partially mediated model relating core self-evaluations with job burnout directly, and through the nature of interpersonal contact. Because core self-evaluations revealed significant relationships with each dimension of the job burnout construct, a direct association was established. Further, core self-evaluations was indirectly related to each burnout dimension through the nature of interpersonal contact, thus satisfying both conditions for the partially mediated model. Although core self-evaluations revealed significant direct, and indirect influences on job burnout, the impact of interpersonal contact was substantial and significant. This particular model was also cross-validated on a randomly derived holdout sample to assess its stability. Results supported the stability of this model when applied to other samples drawn from the same population. Although the influence of a dispositional source as an antecedent to job burnout represents a substantive contribution to the research, examination of consequent conditions is equally important. Therefore, job burnout was also assessed for its relationship with constructs relevant to employee withdrawal behavior as a common outcome of job burnout. Results indicated a robust influence of job satisfaction on intention to turnover, over and above the effect of job burnout.

Education:

Ph.D., Psychology, Kansas State University, 2002

E-mail:

rbest@satx.rr.com