The determination of the cost/effectiveness or cost/benefit figures for training should be the responsibility of training specialists. If training specialists are any good, they ought to be able to prove it; they should show how job performance requirements are determined, how instruction is developed and implemented, and how accountability is…

Various types of human resource accounting systems are described and analyzed: asset models, expense models, the utility formula, cost/benefit analysis, and a comprehensive program design. Steps in this last design (e.g., review all jobs in the organization, analyze training needs for targeted jobs, determine training programs that have the…

The author discusses various aspects of training and development: formal job-related training and development, the behavioral/cognitive split in informal learning on the job, workplace training inside and out, costs and benefits of workplace learning, and forces accounting for growth and decline in the training and development function in…

Using a computer for interactive training opens up a whole new range of capabilities which would otherwise be prohibitively expensive. This article reviews procedures for developing programs and introduces ideas for exploration. (JOW)

Explains how to design training programs in which the trainer and the work group collaborate on designing a program that produces agreed-upon behavioral changes in employee performance. The modified critical incident technique is a diagnostic tool which provides information concerning the cost effectiveness of education and training programs. (CT)

The authors' research indicates that participants' reaction to training experiences, while it may provide valuable feedback for program modifications, is not sufficient to demonstrate that the training experience has indeed been worthwhile to the organization footing the bill; evaluation should be carried out at several levels and at several…

The contingency approach applied to the selection of training methods (based upon five independent variables: cost, training objectives, time, class size, and learning principles) holds considerable promise for adding objectivity to training decisions and assuring the choice of appropriate training techniques. (Author/BP)

Describes a self-instructional system called PACT (Programmed Audio Cassette Training) adapted by the U.S. Civil Service Commission for relatively low-cost training of large numbers of employees or trainees. Included are a chart of PACT's benefits for both learners and management, with a detailed cost comparison methods study. (MF)

Four specific problems associated with ineffective and expensive joining-up which are examined in the article are: (1) mismatched expectations; (2) stifling creativity and challenge; (3) lack of managerial awareness and sensitivity to joining-up issues; and (4) using inappropriate or incomplete screening criteria. Solutions are suggested; a table…