This paper focuses on the relationship between participation in communities of practice (CoP) and outcomes of organizational socialization (learning and adjustment) early in the career. Results from responses of employees in a Korean IT company show that participation in CoP is more strongly related to adjustment (job satisfaction, organizational…

High stress levels experienced by child protection workers have been well documented. This study examined the effectiveness of a stress management program in a child protection agency. Subjects were case workers, immediate supervisors, and clerical staff; 320 subjects participated in pretesting and 279 subjects participated in posttesting.…

A rapidly growing change in the workplace is the replacement of a fixed work schedule with a variety of alternative work schedules (AWS), including both flexible and compressed schedules. Experimenting organizations (N=901) evaluated one of four major categories of AWS in office and nonoffice settings, i.e., a flexible 8-hour day;…

Although organizations spend increasingly large amounts of money on training, little effort or money is spent on evaluating the effectiveness of training programs. When evaluations are done, they are often designed for specific programs and often consider only participant reactions and immediate learning, and ignore behavior changes and long-term…

Field research was conducted to evaluate the workgroup meetings of an organization. The evaluation served to determine whether management's established objectives for the meetings were reached and to develop research strategies useful in examining individual communication activities. Two questionnaires (for supervisory/nonsupervisory personnel)…

Effectiveness of on-the-job training (OJT) in maintenance has become more important in recent years due to increased technological sophistication of military equipment and systems, the diversity of tasks which a service person may be asked to perform, and the need for persons to have skills necessary to move within their speciality area. There are…

This report discusses the outcomes of a South Dakota project designed to develop and validate a natural support system involving typical co-workers providing on the job training and support to individuals with disabilities. The Co-Worker Mentoring in Supported Employment (CMSE) project had the following outcomes: (1) job development activities…

The effectiveness of biofeedback and relaxation training in reducing occupational stress was examined in a study of 50 individuals employed in various occupations in Iran. The study sample consisted of 15 workers (5 females, 10 males); 15 managers (5 females, 10 males); 9 guardians (3 females, 6 males); 5 dentists (2 females, 3 males); and 6…

One focus of a year-long study of West German apprenticeship was the conditions that are most supportive of learning on the job. The study design incorporated two distinctions that the Germans consider critical: manual versus white-collar occupations and size of training firm. Two occupations were studied--auto mechanic and…

A recent evaluation of the effect of a Nepalese language teacher training program on student language learning is described and discussed, focusing on the difficulties faced by external evaluators working in difficult circumstances and not on study results. The program provided inservice training for secondary school teachers of English as a…

To investigate methods of improving both employees' productivity and the quality of their work life, workers from four businesses were surveyed before and after their organizations implemented a total employees involvement program. Survey questions covered employees' perceptions of (1) the quality of the product produced, (2) the leadership's…

A 3-year research program on workplace learning was based on action research and involved the gradual implementation of "Work Activity Briefings" every 2 weeks or whenever a major task was to be undertaken at selected construction sites managed by an Australian mining and construction company. The briefings were regular meetings between…

This document contains four papers on organizational enhancement and human resource development (HRD). "Motivation to Improve Work through Learning in Human Resource Development" (Sharon S. Naquin, Elwood F. Holton III) argues that HRD's traditional conceptualization of motivation should be expanded to incorporate motivation to use…

Cooperative extension service faculty at New Mexico State University started the Steps to Employment and Personal Success (STEPS) program to help Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) clients qualify for and maintain full-time employment and strengthen their families for long-term success. Clients are referred to STEPS by New Mexico…