Involvement in a number of action-learning programmes and associated development opportunities has led the Professional Development Centre Limited to question the relevance of a strict adherence to the "rules" of action learning as described by Reg Revans. A deliberate focus of one such programme to a financial services organisation…

Action research is a method of organizational development and improvement often used in educational settings. This study implemented an action research process in an alternative school that serves students with significant special needs. The action research process was implemented by classroom teams who developed a research question, collected and…

Organizational leaders often work to retain their employees and teach them the knowledge needed in becoming future organizational leaders. The purpose of the study examined in this article was to determine how mentoring within Camp Adventure Child and Youth Services contributes to the development of students selected to deliver programs to…

Purpose: With rapid industrialization and population growth in the urban and rural areas in India, the demand for public transport has risen sharply. In the fast changing scenario in the public transit sector, the role of a bus depot manager (DM) has also undergone substantial transformation. This paper aims to identify and gauge the…

Purpose: This paper aims to review the relevant literature on training needs assessment (TNA) with an objective to provide users/beneficiaries of TNA with the understanding of its growing concept, multiple uses (outcomes), and valuing these uses (antecedents). Design/methodology/approach: To conduct the literature review on uses of TNA, the…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that drive a firm's decision to invest in training in India's IT-enabled services/business process outsourcing (ITeS/BPO) sector. It aims to consider a much-neglected area and an often-cited need to consider external factors, especially the needs of an organisation's clients in a firm's…

Review of the current state of human-resource-development literature includes definitions, models, and dominant biases. The review concludes that the literature is fragmented and reflects a diverse range of issues and opinions. (73 references) (SK)

Discusses how those who learn basic human performance technology (HPT) skills can expand expertise in three directions: extended HPT (including generalist, project manager/integrator, and implementation specialist); specialized HPT; and HPT linked to related fields. Presents examples of applications of each alternative. (JKP)

Explores concerns over the direction the field of organizational behavior is developing. Karl Weick identifies approaches to theory building that are misleading. Peter Frost identifies blind spots in teaching and application. Walter Nord compares both papers. The authors offer their views on directions in which the field might move. (Author/BEF)

Described a statewide project to plan, design, and implement an ongoing training network for inservice education of professionals working in the field of aging. A system of interorganizational relationships has proven effective in bridging the gap between acquisition of knowledge and application in delivery of services and development of policy.…

Discusses six major errors in management development programs. These failures include (1) not tying development programs to strategic considerations, (2) not properly qualifying participants, (3) not using proper training methods, (4) not differentiating group and individual development, (5) not providing posttraining support, and (6) not…

Discusses benefits of mentoring for the novice, the organization, and the mentor. Outlines key principles of successful mentoring: proper preparation; formal training; effective pairing of individuals; organizational support; time for reflection and evaluation; and follow through. (AEF)

Describes a model for identifying and meeting needs of entire organizations and the society which the organization serves, and suggests ways to integrate these into planning, development, and organizational success. It is suggested that training success can be improved by decreasing focus on means and getting more precise about results. (MBR)

Multisource assessment is a tool for obtaining quality performance feedback by collecting performance information from multiple work associates. Topics include performance facilitation; performance feedback; assessing training effectiveness; continuous learning; and development or performance management. (AEF)

All organizations need someone who is clearly responsible for training people to do their present tasks properly, educating certain employees so they can assume greater responsibilities in the future, and developing people and entire organizations for the future. (CT)