SUPPORTING STATEMENT - PART A
Bringing the Invisible Talent to the Table: The Underrepresentation of Women in Executive Leadership Survey – 0701-UWEL
1. Need for the Information Collection
The Liberty University Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) program equips leaders to direct organizational change, become an effective servant leader, and implement principles of executive management theory. The DSL degree is a professional doctorate focused on applying students experience in new and effective ways. A full description of the program on the schools website, https://www.liberty.edu/online/business/doctoral/strategic-leadership/. The DSL requires the completion of a thesis as part of the curriculum. Ms. Wanda Jones-Heath is a Liberty University student conducting research on the Underrepresentation of Women in Executive Leadership in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). A survey of senior executive service members and general officers will provide senior level insights.
The survey is necessary to understand the senior level perspectives as it relates to direct or indirect barriers women face in advancing to executive leadership. The survey is based on the initial research conducted by Ms. Jones-Heath that highlighted women may experience challenges or obstacles associated with gender gap, placement in non-leadership roles, gender bias, stereotyping, and skills being underrated during their journey to executive leader opportunities. The 2020 DAF Racial Disparity Review highlighted the fact that DAF has not maintained a diverse senior civilian workforce (GS13 – SES level) and women are significantly underrepresented at the senior level. The 2021 DAF Disparity Review specifically calls outs gender as a significant challenge at the senior level. In addition, the civilian career progression line of effort under the barrier analysis working group is providing barrier and challenge information from the lower level viewpoint. If the survey is not conducted, then the research project will not include both views that will be vital to helping the DAF understand the barriers and determine specific actions (policy, programs, etc.) needed to provide more opportunities to women.
2. Use of the Information
The survey is a list of 13 questions using the Likert Scale that asks participants to provide their opinion on the barriers that limit women opportunities to gain senior leadership positions. The participation is voluntary and the responses are completely anonymous. The responses will provide perspectives that would otherwise not be available through literature review. Ms. Jones-Heath will compile the survey responses to analyze to better understand barriers, challenges, and perspectives that women face. During the survey process, no Personally Identifiable Information is collected. The information collected will be protected using multiple security methods during collection, review, and storage. All electronic files will be stored on a password-protected laptop and paper documents and a voice recorder will be secured in locked cabinets. After three years, all paper and digital files will be shredded, voice recordings will be deleted, and files will be permanently removed from the laptop. Information collected on gender, age, and race/ethnicity is used to provide demographic insights and is completely voluntary.
The researcher will use surveys and interviews to collect data. The target population is DAF senior executive service members and general officers. Ms. Jones-Heath will request a list of senior executive service members and military general officers' emails. A request to participate recruitment letter, survey, and survey consent form will be emailed to participants. The recruitment letter provides additional information about the research study, highlights participation is voluntary, and provides Ms. Jones-Heath contact information. Participants will be requested to return the survey and consent form via email to Ms. Jones-Heath within a pre-determined time. Once the surveys and consent forms are returned those participants will be emailed an interview consent form and the interview questions. Participants who return the interview consent form will be scheduled for an interview. Before starting the interview, participants will be given an opportunity to opt out along with consent to be recorded.
Ms. Jones-Heath will tentatively select approximately 35-40 participants (roughly 10% of the target population) who returned the voluntary survey and consent forms for interviews. Interviews are designed to elicit participants' experiences, perceptions, and thoughts. Based on research it is anticipated that the baseline saturation point will be achieved with fewer than 16 interviews. Final determination of the saturation point is unknown until interviews begin. The researcher will use specifically designed research questions during the interview along with data from other DAF studies and reports. The research questions are open-ended questions that will be provided to the participants.
Names and other identifying information will be requested as part of this study, but the information will remain confidential. Numbers will be assigned to all participants to disassociate responses to specific individuals. Ms. Jones-Heath will be the only one with access to collected information and will keep the names or any information that identifies participants separate and protected. Participants will be provided an opportunity to review their interview transcript if requested. The end results of the information collected are files with answered questions and recording transcripts. Ms. Jones-Heath may use face-to-face, Microsoft Teams, or telephone to conduct participant interviews.
3. Use of Information Technology
100% of survey responses will be collected via email.
4. Non-duplication
The information obtained through this collection is unique and is not already available for use or adaptation from another cleared source.
5. Burden on Small Businesses
This information collection does not impose a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses or entities.
6. Less Frequent Collection
The survey will only be conducted one time. The research project is only a few months long.
7. Paperwork Reduction Act Guidelines
This collection of information does not require collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines delineated in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).
8. Consultation and Public Comments
Part A: PUBLIC NOTICE
A 10-Day Federal Register Notice for the collection published on Friday, March 18, 2022. The 10-Day FRN citation is 87 FR 15413 FRN 15413-15414.
Part B: CONSULTATION
No additional consultation apart from soliciting public comments through the Federal Register was conducted for this submission.
9. Gifts or Payment
No payments or gifts are being offered to respondents as an incentive to participate in the collection.
10. Confidentiality
A Privacy Act Statement is not required for this collection because we are not requesting individuals to furnish personal information for a system of records.
A System of Record Notice (SORN) is not required for this collection because records are not retrievable by PII.
A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) is not required for this collection because PII is not being collected electronically.
The information collected is electronic. The records disposition is T36-27 R13.
11. Sensitive Questions
The during the interview process the selected participants will be asked to identify race and/or ethnicity for demographics purposes only. It is desired to have an inclusive set of participants to gain enterprise perspectives.
12. Respondent Burden and its Labor Costs
Part A: ESTIMATION OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Survey
Number of Respondents: 75
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 75
Response Time: 15 minutes
Respondent Burden Hours: 18.75 hours
Interview
Number of Respondents: 16
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 16
Response Time: 40 minutes
Respondent Burden Hours: 10.6 hours
Total Submission Burden
Total Number of Respondents: 75
Total Number of Annual Responses: 91
Total Respondent Burden Hours: 29.3 hours
Part B: LABOR COST OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Survey
Number of Total Annual Responses: 75
Response Time: 15 minutes
Respondent Hourly Wage: $87.35
Labor Burden per Response: $21.84
Total Labor Burden: $1,638
Interview
Number of Total Annual Responses: 16
Response Time: 40 minutes
Respondent Hourly Wage: $87.35
Labor Burden per Response: $58.18
Total Labor Burden: $930.88
The Respondent hourly wage was determined by using the Defense Accounting and Finance Service [https://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/], Department of Labor Wage [https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/top-executives.htm#tab-5], and Office of Personnel Management [https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2019/executive-senior-level] websites.
13. Respondent Costs Other Than Burden Hour Costs
There are no annualized costs to respondents other than the labor burden costs addressed in Section 12 of this document to complete this collection.
14. Cost to the Federal Government
Part A: LABOR COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Survey
Number of Total Annual Responses: 75
Processing Time per Response: 15 minutes
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $92.30
Cost to Process Each Response: $23.08
Total Cost to Process Responses: $1,731
Interview
Number of Total Annual Responses: 16
Processing Time per Response: 40 minutes
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $92.30
Cost to Process Each Response: $61.53
Total Cost to Process Responses: $984.48
Overall Labor Burden to the Federal Government
Total Number of Annual Responses: 91
Total Labor Burden: $2,715.48
Part B: OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
Cost Categories
Equipment: $0
Printing: $0
Postage: $0
Software Purchases: $0
Licensing Costs: $0
Other: $0
Total Operational and Maintenance Cost: $0
Part C: TOTAL COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Total Labor Cost to the Federal Government: $2,715.48
Total Operational and Maintenance Costs: $0
Total Cost to the Federal Government: $2,715.48
15. Reasons for Change in Burden
This is a new collection with a new associated burden.
16. Publication of Results
The results of this information collection will not be published.
17. Non-Display of OMB Expiration Date
We are not seeking approval to omit the display of the expiration date of the OMB approval on the collection instrument.
18. Exceptions to “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Submissions”
We are not requesting any exemptions to the provisions stated in 5 CFR 1320.9.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Kaitlin Chiarelli |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2022-03-19 |