Management of Animal Care and Use Programs in Research, Education, and Testing

Robert H. Weichbrod, Gail A. (Heidbrink) Thompson, John N. Norton, Robert H. Weichbrod, Gail A. (Heidbrink) Thompson, John N. Norton

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781498748445
• eBook ISBN: 9781351648226
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Medicina
• Subtopic: Teoria, pratica e riferimenti medici

AAP Prose Award Finalist 2018/19

Management of Animal Care and Use Programs in Research, Education, and Testing, Second Edition is the extensively expanded revision of the popular Management of Laboratory Animal Care and Use Programs book published earlier this century. Following in the footsteps of the first edition, this revision serves as a first line management resource, providing for strong advocacy for advancing quality animal welfare and science worldwide, and continues as a valuable seminal reference for those engaged in all types of programs involving animal care and use.

The new edition has more than doubled the number of chapters in the original volume to present a more comprehensive overview of the current breadth and depth of the field with applicability to an international audience. Readers are provided with the latest information and resource and reference material from authors who are noted experts in their field. The book:

- Emphasizes the importance of developing a collaborative culture of care within an animal care and use program and provides information about how behavioral management through animal training can play an integral role in a veterinary health program

- Provides a new section on Environment and Housing, containing chapters that focus on management considerations of housing and enrichment delineated by species

- Expands coverage of regulatory oversight and compliance, assessment, and assurance issues and processes, including a greater discussion of globalization and harmonizing cultural and regulatory issues

- Includes more in-depth treatment throughout the book of critical topics in program management, physical plant, animal health, and husbandry.

Biomedical research using animals requires administrators and managers who are knowledgeable and highly skilled. They must adapt to the complexity of rapidly-changing technologies, balance research goals with a thorough understanding of regulatory requirements and guidelines, and know how to work with a multi-generational, multi-cultural workforce. This book is the ideal resource for these professionals. It also serves as an indispensable resource text for certification exams and credentialing boards for a multitude of professional societies

Co-publishers on the second edition are: ACLAM (American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine); ECLAM (European College of Laboratory Animal Medicine); IACLAM (International Colleges of Laboratory Animal Medicine); JCLAM (Japanese College of Laboratory Animal Medicine); KCLAM (Korean College of Laboratory Animal Medicine); CALAS (Canadian Association of Laboratory Animal Medicine); LAMA (Laboratory Animal Management Association); and IAT (Institute of Animal Technology).

IVProgram Management and Stewardship of Resources

11Human Care

Pamela A. Straeter, Carolyn M. Malinowski, and Laura A. Conour

Introduction

What Is a Manager?

Management Activities

Training for Managers

Employee Composition

Recruitment

Selection and Staff Onboarding

Retention

Development

Workforce Diversity and Career Development

Conclusion

References

Introduction

The daily roles a manager fulfills within an organization are numerous and diverse. Although certain skills, such as emotional intelligence and communication, are innate for some managers, many, including staff management and oversight of personnel performance issues, must be learned. In this chapter, one of the most important roles of a manager is explored, the supervision and care of humans. As managers of human resources, we need to recruit, develop, and retain people with the knowledge and skills necessary to function at a level that will aid in achieving organizational goals (Jones et al. 2010a).

What Is a Manager?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines management as “the act or skill of controlling and making decisions about a business, department, etc.” (Merriam-Webster 2015b), whereas the Oxford English Dictionary defines management as “the process of dealing with or controlling things or people” (Oxford Dictionaries 2015). Yet another definition was coined by Mary Parker Follett, a pioneer in the field of organizational behavior in the early 1900s. She defined management as “the art of getting things done through people” (Reddy and Tripathi 2008). Although there are slight differences in the definitions above, the central theme of accomplishing tasks is pervasive. Based on these definitions, one is able to intuitively assume that a manager is someone with responsibilities in both personnel and task management. In this chapter, the focus will remain on the personnel aspect of a manager’s job.

Central to managing people is the theory of emotional intelligence. This concept is “the ability to perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth” (Swijtink 2016). In layperson’s terms, managers should be able to perceive, understand, use, and manage emotions through self-awareness, self-regulation, social skills, empathy, and motivation (Swijtink 2016). While emotional intelligence in inherent for some managers, it may be a learned trait for others.

In addition to emotional intelligence, there are many other traits that are desirable in a manager, including diplomacy, tact, and fairness. These traits, along with personal attitudes, behaviors, and actions, determine a manager’s individual style. No single recipe for the perfect manager exists. Management style is often influenced by existing infrastructure, such as the location, size, and type of institution (e.g., academic, government, military, pharmaceutical, or contract research); the type of labor force (e.g., contract or union); and the goals of the organization. Regardless of infrastructure type, a manager who is able to establish a positive working environment, empower and encourage employees, provide for the development of staff, and acknowledge and appreciate staff contributions will realize a sizable return on investment in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, and loyalty. However, several caveats exist: What is effective at a large pharmaceutical firm may not be the case at a large university. Loyalty may be evident with a union labor force, but not with contracted, temporary staff. What is efficient at a large institution may not be practical in a smaller one. Each manager must determine what works for him or her and which style abides by the culture of his or her workplace environment.

An important delineation must be made between the management of groups and individuals, as the two are often handled very differently. To ensure uniform treatment of staff, most institutions have developed policies, guidelines, or procedures for handling tasks, such as recruitment, discipline, and performance reviews. Often, these procedures are in place to ensure consistent treatment of all staff. However, the application of established protocols should be adapted to both the individual and the situation. For example, one employee may find directness intimidating, while another finds it refreshing. Thus, a manager must learn to effectively interact with individuals while treating all employees equally and fairly.

Management Activities

The activities in which managers engage are too numerous to individually identify in a single book chapter. This section breaks these activities down into core concepts and how the resulting activities may be measured.

According to the Institute for Certified Professional Managers (ICPM), there are four main activities in which managers engage: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Although these activities may occur individually under certain circumstances, they often occur in the order listed above. When planning, managers identify strategies, goals, and courses of action. Additionally, they allocate resources to aid in achieving set goals and objectives. When organizing, managers work to establish good working relationships between coworkers, enabling them to cooperate and collaborate. Leading occurs when managers motivate employees and teams. Finally, when controlling, managers evaluate, measure, monitor, maintain, and improve the performance of outlined objectives (Jones et al. 2010b).

Two key, recurring management concepts are efficiency and effectiveness, both of which may be used to measure performance in the attainment of goals. Efficiency focuses on how well resources are used, while effectiveness focuses on both the appropriateness and degree of achievement of organizational goals (Jones et al. 2010c). These are common concepts in popular management strategies, including Lean Management™, Six Sigma™, and ISO 9000™, all of which emphasize continuous improvement in value, efficiency, and quality.

Training for Managers

In the field of laboratory animal care, it is not unusual for employees to advance through the ranks without formal training in the skills necessary to be successful managers. However, it is essential that managers receive training to support success in fulfilling their new roles and responsibilities. One of the most common sources of training is through the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), where various certifications may be obtained. These levels ascend in hierarchy based on length of time in the field, education, and experience. They include the assistant laboratory animal technician (ALAT), laboratory animal technician (LAT), laboratory animal technologist (LATG), and Certified Manager of Animal Resources (CMAR). Another source of management training offered by AA...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Foreword
• Preface to the Second Edition
• Editors
• Contributors
• Reviewers
• Section I Introduction/Historical Overview
• Section II Developing a Collaborative Culture of Caring
• Section III Compliance, Assessment, and Assurance
• Section IV Program Management and Stewardship of Resources
• Section V Physical Plant
• Section VI Environment and Housing
• Section VII Husbandry
• Section VIII Animal Health and Care
• Section IX Conclusion
• Index