Perceptions of competencies needed for a selected upholstered furniture occupation

The purposes of this study were to: (1) determine the competencies which individuals employed as sewers in the manufacture of upholstered furniture in North Carolina perceived as necessary for their occupation; (2) determine the competencies which supervisors perceived as necessary for the occupation of upholstery sewer; (3) determine the extent to which the performers' and their supervisors' perceptions of job competencies were consistent; (4) determine the extent to which the respondents' attitudes toward work were consistent; and (5) determine the extent to which the respondents' perceptions were related to five selected dimensions— length of employment, age, sex, educational level, and method of payment. It was hypothesized that there would be no significant relationships between respondents' perceptions of competencies needed for the occupation of upholstery sewer when compared by occupation, length of employment, age, sex, educational level, and method of payment. It was also hypothesized that there would be no significant relationship between attitudes toward work as perceived by the sewers and supervisors. There were 176 sewers and supervisors, employed in seven upholstered furniture firms in North Carolina, who participated in the study. The firms were randomly selected from those belonging to the Southern Furniture Manufacturers Association (SFMA). Only firms that had personnel directors were chosen