An organizational development specialist tells how he prepared a management workshop on conducting effective meetings by first interviewing the managers and finding out what they wanted. Includes his "front-end analysis" questionnaire and the workshop format. (MF)

As part of the process of redefining institutional growth and vitality, the Dallas Community College District is attempting to become a "learning society," that is, an institution which is capable of on-going critical self-examination, which is process-oriented, and which encourages the development of new ideas. The major components…

Reviews and organizes modern leadership theories. Notes the research supporting the main thesis of contingency theory and that effective leadership style is contingent upon situational factors. Characteristics of management training based on the contingency approach are identified. (Author/MLF)

The Duke University (North Carolina) experience using adventure-based or wilderness learning programs for staff development is discussed, focusing on the program rationale, planning, common responses of participants and nonparticipants, and outcomes. Quotations from program assessments are included. A brief list of relevant industry resources is…

Created in response to requests from organizations across the country that wanted help in establishing teams for many purposes, this guide is an easy-to-use recipe book on the essential areas of teaming. It does not cover all the aspects of teaming, but focusses on the essential components of team development necessary for a team to function. The…

Training in human relations will help managers improve productivity of employees, according to the author, who reviews numerous suggestions and plans for improving production and then proposes several techniques for trainers to use in training supervisors and managers. (MF)

Stating that management training programs usually contribute little to organization results because they focus on improving personal characteristics, the authors describe a training and development strategy and training design to produce performance-improvement results. Programs using this strategy are described. (MF)

This book is aimed at managers, chief executives, personnel directors, and all those who want to know what action learning can do for their organizations. Part 1 (Chapters 1-3) provides a general introduction to action learning. It describes the underlying theory and principles of action learning and the benefits that organizations can expect to…

A practical view is offered to leaders, managers, and teams of how to think about their companies and reinvent them without losing the value and knowledge embedded in their current organization. Organizations can break through challenges and recognize entirely new business opportunities through the creation of interlocking, boundary-crossing…

The management development program should respond to diagnosed needs of current and relevant data; the man responsible for it must have a variety of skills, and be able to gather data, analyze it, and intervene in the management process at the right moment with the right methods. (Author)

It is argued that administrators cannot increase their administrative capabilities in isolation from the rest of the institution. The motivation to achieve a high level of competence must be supported at the institutional level. An approach to the simultaneous development of administrators and institutions is outlined. (Author/JMD)

Based on research on management improvement efforts at developing colleges and universities, a model of evolutionary change in organizational structure and management practices is outlined, and change strategies considering both formal and informal management needs are proposed. The model assumes that management needs are intertwined with…

Although action research in education offers researchers and practitioners a clear and philosophically appealing way of making improvements, fostering learning, and developing the individual and the organization, adherents sometimes find themselves defending this type of research because it has been practiced without appropriate rigor. This book…

This book attempts to link academic theory and research on educational practices and organizational administration to classroom practices. Written within the framework of the social and behavioral sciences, it describes and critiques concepts, analytical tools, case material, and organizational theory and behavior from the public, business, and…

The idea of "Executive Mind" carries with it the notion of purposeful and effective action. Part I of this paper characterizes three complements to "Executive Mind"--"Observing Mind,""Theorizing Mind," and "Passionate Mind"--and offers historical figures exemplifying all four types. The concluding…