This article was written in response to the editor's invitation to provide an alternative perspective to Zarestky and Cole's article in this same issue. While appreciating the perspective provided, I question the assumption that SOAR (strengths, opportunities, aspirations, results) as an approach to strategic planning will strengthen organization…

If training is to make a real difference in the organization, we need an alternative to the vacuum of performance. A view exists that springs from two fundamental premises: (1) every individual operates in the context of a performance system and (2) improvements in performance will occur only if we understand the variables in that system. (JOW)

Compares community substance abuse programs that have worked with some that have not by applying principles from complex systems theory and ideas from learning communities. (JOW)

To design cost-effective solutions to nursing practice problems, staff development educators must be able to identify problems accurately. This article presents approaches to problem identification and criteria for problem classification that will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of staff development departments and activities. (Author)

This article examines some of the reasons attempts to tighten the couplings between legislative and judicial intent and site level implementation have remained problematic. Specifically, this article argues that the assumption that program evaluation can force program implementation is faulty. (Author/BW)

Educators must adapt the way they think about change if they and their students are to see the benefits of instructional technology. This new paradigm is called systemic change, and combines general systems theory and what has traditionally been called diffusion of innovations. This paper explores some of the lessons it holds for integration of…

After noting the lack of attention paid to the evaluation of staff development programs in practice and in the literature, this monograph presents a conceptual framework for planning program evaluations. The monograph first discusses the purposes of staff development evaluation and then considers three prerequisites for the development of an…

This article considers the nature of creativity in industrial and business settings, describes the Manchester (England) Business School Creativity Unit, models creativity in systems terms, reviews action research of the 1970s, and identifies recent areas of research at Manchester including creativity blocks and the impact of creativity training in…

The application of a systems approach to intergenerational programs is described. This collaborative programing involves structured thinking about program development and problem solving. Components of the process of linking systems are presented, and some examples of local, state, and national efforts are described. Anticipated outcomes of the…

In addition to publishing the papers given at key meetings, this series on health facilities includes discussions and responses. The series is intended to help meet the information needs of health service providers and others who require direct access to concepts and ideas evolving from the exchange of research results. Health facility reuse is an…

Since its beginning in 1965, the Job Corps has enrolled more than a million impoverished and undereducated 16- to 21-year-olds in an intensive program of re-education and job skills training. The Job Corps' basic education program uses the systems approach to instruction in reading, mathematics, and high school equivalency subjects; and…

On-the-job training (OJT) is the most frequently used training method in industry. This OJT is mostly unstructured. While off-job-site training (OJST) should prepare for or supplement OJT, coordination between OJT and OJST is often poor. Advantages of OJT include its low cost, realistic nature, and motivating force. However, it is usually…

The U.S. military has made numerous important contributions to the development of adult and continuing education. As in civilian adult education, military innovations in education have consistently used workplace learning. The educational benefits produced by the GI Bill democratized education by exploding the myth that "common" people…

In 1997, the South West Institute of TAFE (Technical and Further Education) in Victoria, Australia, and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology jointly developed an online workplace delivery model for administrative and clerical workers. The model was aligned with national standards encompassing the formal qualifications for four certificates in…

The effectiveness of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 was critiqued. WIA was praised for providing an avenue for communication among state and local agencies during development of workforce development plans, potentially allowing individuals to choose from a wider array of services and service providers, spreading the concept of one-stop…