This research tests the validity of the assertion in the public administration literature that the career progressions of city managers consistently begin with service as an assistant to a city manager, lead to managing a small city, and end with city managers progressing to management of larger and larger cities until retirement. This research expands quantitatively upon recent research that suggests there are multiple career paths to becoming a city manager by effectively operationalizing city population as the independent variable and using individual city manager career progressions as the dependent variable. The intervening variables, as established and operationalized in prior research, are age, gender, tenure, education, educated in state where serving as city manager, previous city management experience, pre-city management experience, and council and mayoral electoral structure. These variables not only allow for examination of career paths, but also permit close examination of the demographic correlates of city managers according to city population. As a result, two new city manager career paths emerged, thus adding support for recent suggestions in the city management literature that there are indeed significant differences in the career paths of city managers.

This dissertation examines Black city managers in the State of Texas, specifically how these individuals became city managers, and what challenges, barriers, and obstacles they encountered while reaching and serving in these positions. The dissertation utilizes semi-structured surveys and narrative inquiry to determine whether, and if so, how the conflict between professional and community norms influences their career paths and choices. These stories demonstrate how outside factors and dynamics shape career paths and city managers' performance of their duties. The result of this process found that Black city managers have educational backgrounds similar to their White counterparts, and they mostly followed the ladder climber career path.

Most of the content in the Career Pathways Handbook is based on a series of career profiles - each one packed with four pages of valuable information, including the latest U.S. employment statistics and wage information, career dialogues with "real people" who work in the occupations, and extensive information for identifying and comparing related occupations. Each profile uses a consistent format to allow for easy reading and useful comparisons between occupations. While this book is based on a foundation of 154 different occupations, it also includes valuable information on several hundred occupations via the career path and related occupations tables. It is important to me that the information in this book will not only be useful to readers, but also be as current and reliable as possible. Therefore I have included the most recent information from reliable Government sources, as well as my own proprietary information from 20 years of extensive occupational research. The Government sources are U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) programs. For example, I have incorporated information from DOL's new O*NET Database, which includes the occupation titles and definitions, common job tasks, key skills and abilities, and related occupations. I have added the most recent employment statistics and wage information from DOL's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Finally, from our own research, I have added career path and "real people" career dialogue elements, and have enhanced and expanded the DOL information throughout. For example, the O*NET Related Occupations lists were significantly expanded and education/training information, along with growth and wage data, were added to make occupational comparisons more meaningful. The Job Tasks have been expanded to make them more useful. The education and training information is based on DOL's Typical Education Levels, but has also been expanded for this book. I have also written or rewritten many of the job outlook and analysis statements that are incorporated into the Employment Outlook sections. Finally, I have included a number of resource guides to help job seekers and career explorers reach their goals. Beginning on page 617, there are guides on Planning Your Career, Researching Occupations, Education & Training Options, Looking for a Job, Competing for a Job, Writing a Resume, Writing a Cover Letter, Completing the Application, Preparing for the Interview, and Common Interview Questions. There are countless numbers of books (both good and bad ones) on all of these subjects, so I've included a list of my favorite books on my website under Readers' Resources (see www.cassio.com). Also included on this website is an online guide to "State Training & Postsecondary Education Directories" and a list of my "Favorite Job Websites." Best regards, Jim Cassio www.cassio.com An absolutely essential career reference for finding comprehensive job information spanning a total of 150+ occupations. This is the all-inclusive guide to helping a job seeker go from planning a career to looking for a job. The career profiles offer extensive statistical research on employment and job skills for each career path. Highly recommended for all public and academic libraries. Regina Jimenez, Research Librarian, Folsom Lake College This book is a wonderful and powerful tool for guidance counselors and individuals who are looking to start, change, or enhance their careers. The Career Pathways Handbook provides useful and insightful job skills information in a clear and reasoned manner. The personal point-of-view provided by the career professionals in each career gives the user an inside perspective on making career decisions that is refreshing! David Owens, Retired Research Manager, California Employment Development Department “/p>

This ground-breaking Handbook on Gender and Public Administration brings together a rapidly growing new field of study, exploring the emerging contexts of gender and public administration. Capturing the many facets of this dynamic trend, the book explores gender equity and further examines masculinity, intersectionality and beyond binary conceptions of gender.

Managing Local Government: An Essential Guide for Municipal and County Managers offers a practical introduction to the changing structure, forms, and functions of local governments. Taking a metropolitan management perspective, authors Kimberly Nelson and Carl W. Stenberg explain U.S. local government within historical context and provide strategies for effective local government management and problem solving. Real-life scenarios and contemporary issues illustrate the organization and networks of local governments; the roles, responsibilities, and relationships of city and county managers; and the dynamics of the intergovernmental system. Case studies and discussion questions in each chapter encourage critical analysis of the challenges of collaborative governance. Unlike other books on the market, this text’s combined approach of theory and practice encourages students to enter municipal and county management careers and equips them with tools to be successful from day one.

Religious thinkers have overlooked an important truth: God's act of creation is interpersonal and immediately causes only perfect creatures with perfect freedom to respond. Uniquely integrating and deepening what traditional theists have always believed, the author relates the untold story of freedom in creation. Particular attention is given to the unconscious dimension of the mind and to its roots in the spiritual. The book highlights the infinite freedom of God and the perfect finite freedom of all persons within the Creator's activity. Awakening to God's gift of two different, but intimately related creations...absolute (out of nothing) and redemptive (out of something)...twenty-first century believers are offered a momentous opportunity for humility and joy. Readers are given a whole new vista for understanding suffering and love.