Decrying the lack of professional standards, the author attempts to define an organizational development professional in terms of the personal traits, skills, and competencies needed. He outlines a learning sequence for skills development and presents a skills assessment scale for self-evaluation. (SK)

A series of structured telephone interviews with members of 40 organizations revealed that career development is a highly regarded contributor to organizational effectiveness. (Author/SSH)

The author presents preliminary findings of a report he is conducting concerning the competencies needed by educational technologists. Discusses instructional development, instructional psychology, field internships in training and human resource development, performance technology, and message-design skills in product design and development. (CT)

Updates a 1986 study of the human resource development function in Fortune 500 companies. Data suggest that for American industry to remain competitive, it must (1) respond to global opportunities; (2) manage the impact of technological development; (3) produce more without an increase in resources; and (4) develop a results-oriented perspective.…

Results of a survey of 11,280 employees in seven Toledo, Ohio, organizations showed that a greater share of the work force participates when career development activities are part of a formal career development system. (SK)

Describes a study of 200 employers in which the key questions were: How many people do you train each year? How many person hours of training occur? What subjects are studied? How much money is spent? Results are reported and analyzed. (CT)

Research conducted by the American Society for Training and Development and the U.S. Department of Labor found that American employers are not doing enough management training. They need to provide more and better formalized training and much more development. (JOW)

A survey of 361 human resource developers (HRD) found that trainers are more satisfied with training than with their previous positions because HRD gives them the chance to do different things, make use of abilities, try their own methods, and earn satisfactory pay. (JOW)

Students and career changers can use human resource development (HRD) internships as a practical introduction to the profession. This survey of 125 HRD professionals indicates what practitioners think about internships and presents a realistic picture of what career aspirants can expect from the experience. The questionnaire is included. (JOW)

A study of 50 employees of two research and development organizations sought to determine why certain employees became stuck in a career role and the strategies they used to combat the problem and successfully pursue new careers. Determined that companies need to adopt better career planning programs for employees to minimize the problems of…

The authors report data from a survey of perception of training from the viewpoint of the organization, the trainee, and the trainer. The article also presents a sample of the strategies traditionally available for improving these perceptions. (CT)

Presents a study which looked at the ways in which managers affect employees' careers. The study resulted in the formation of a proposed schedule for a training program and a career planning process model. The authors also suggest a possible set of feedback guidelines. (CT)

Describes a survey of 43 Fortune 500 industrial corporations on management training. Results include the finding that evaluation of training programs is not up to the desired standard. (CH)

A recent study of academic programs in human resources development (HRD) produced the following profile of the academic researcher in HRD: male, in the field of education, graduate student or professor, focusing on training and development, doing unfunded research, method of research is descriptive rather than experimental. (JOW)

Discusses the importance of a well-conducted needs assessment to the healthy functioning of a social services agency. Describes the assessment of its training needs undertaken by the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa-Carleton, Canada. (JOW)