Date of Graduation

5-2017

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Higher Education (EdD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders

Advisor/Mentor

Hammons, James O.

Committee Member

Mamiseishvili, Ketevan

Second Committee Member

Ashton, Dub

Keywords

Social sciences; Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how Indian managers assessed the influences leading to their transition from technician to manager when working for a company in the U.S. This study was based on interviews with fifteen Indian managers who had track-switched from a technical job to a management position in the U.S. in a U.S. company. The interviewees were asked five questions about what they believed made them successful in track-switching, and the consensus among interviewees was that for a technician to track-switch effectively, the technician had to have excellent technical skills. In addition to technical skills, the technician needs to develop soft skills based on effective communication. Interviewees said that their desire to become managers was based on fulfilling a higher role of responsibility in the company and serving people so that those they served could be successful. Successful teamwork was central to the motivation for track-switching. To take advantage of opportunity to track-switch, the interviewees counseled finding mentors who would provide advice about track-switching and about working as a manager. Most of the interviewees found that their work environment provided opportunity for track-switching, but technicians had to take advantage of those opportunity by being ready to make the move into management. Interviewees did not note that training within the company prepared them to track-switch. Of the five interviewees who mentioned training, only one cited in-house training the interviewee participated in at a different company than the one in which he was employed. Interviewees were emphatic in giving credit to their family background in India as preparing them for success in their careers because their family and close friends all stressed the need for excellent performance.

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