Officer performance appraisal in the Coast Guard : an analysis of the fitness reporting system

Abstract

The purpose of this research effort was to investigate the U.S. Coast Guard's Fitness Reporting system, which is used to appraise and evaluate its officer personnel. The current system has been successfully used for the past fifteen years, but is now suffering from marked inflation and what have been called 'the problems typical of similar performance appraisal systems.' The approach used for this investigation focused on the non-numerical aspects of the system in an attempt to enhance the 'quality' of information provided to the system users, and to increase the credibility of the present system throughout the service. An analysis of the current system was made, set against the background of a comprehensive literature review. Data from telephone interviews, a sample of 100 actual Coast Guard fitness reports, and other sources were analyzed to determine which systemic variables were/were not effective. Based on the foregoing analysis, several system modifications were suggested to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the current system. (Author)