The author is fascinated about the notion of "the changer and the changed." Having change imposed upon everyone can be difficult and one can become resistant. On the other hand, having an inspirational encounter can excite one about making change. When people initiate some new actions, what drives that change? How do they become changed in the…

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the importance of new employee orientation (NEO) programs, the quality of typical NEOs, and how to improve NEOs. Design/methodology/approach: The paper provides a viewpoint of the importance of new employee orientation programs, the quality of typical NEOs, and how to improve NEOs. Findings: Although western…

Transition training helps people examine their responses to change, to develop productive responses, attitudes, values, emotions, perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors, and to relate to change. Cultural transition training is needed when the organization changes; personal transition training is needed when people change roles within an organization.…

This article recounts successful strategies for increasing student staff commitment to the organization's vision and deadlines, inviting "buy in" for projects, and enhancing staff work relationships. The discussion will outline activities that have resulted in increased employee satisfaction with work, smoother interactions between coworkers,…

In this article, the author offers his critique on Holburn and Cea's notion on "excessive positivism" that person-centered planners are overconcerned with scientific verification and logical proof. The author believes that Holburn and Cea's notion blurs the important messages they have for person-centered planners by leading toward a debate about…

Following a landmark organisational change event within the University of Western Sydney, when the university ceased operating as a federation of four distinct, inter-related elements and merged to become a single entity, four foundation College Managers made a strategic decision to form an alliance. This alliance significantly enhanced the…

This paper reports on a study that took place in a faculty of humanities and social sciences at a UK university. The institution had recently undergone a radical restructure and the vision for the future presented by the new senior management team highlighted internationalization as one of four major areas for growth. The internationalization…

Rather than a direct report on staff development programs, the speaker presents a case study of a district's experiences in organization change that were planned to improve the ways in which the school system fulfills its basic mission and goals. The change plan emphasized staff development at the administrative level as a means of decreasing the…

Describes and compares the foci, methods, and outcomes of experiential-education and organizational-development models. Explores the synthesis of the two models in developing corporate adventure programs and services. Lists the contributions that each approach offers to corporate programs. (KS)

Consultation in organization development offers methods for encouraging staff members to collaborate humanistically in solving their own problems. (Author)

Among the primary social pressures on schools to change are the demands for individualization, relevance, accountability, educational technology, and humanizing relationships. These five pressures challenge the educational administrator and offer categories in which to plan professional development activities. The adaptive school is an avenue for…

Outlines an organization development view of change, identifying strategies for implementing the approach and noting how staff developers' roles change with the organization development perspective. As organization development specialists rather than trainers, staff developers must develop skills in group process, facilitation, team building,…

Claiming that staff development is a new concept that is not well-defined or understood by college administrators, this paper proceeds to define the concept in terms of organizational renewal theory, and present a model useful in planning, organizing, and analyzing staff development activities, programs, and processes in community colleges. A…

This article defines the strategic planning process at the school level, focusing on steps involved, ways to diagnose school readiness for undertaking the effort, skills needed for effective process facilitation, and implications of strategic planning for staff development. Such planning is effective in improving the organizational ability of…

Discusses the need for coordinated efforts between an organization and its staff development support that are congruent with the articulated goals of the district, the school sites, and individual members of the organization. Strategies are presented for changing the role of staff developers in renewal efforts that support a learning organization.…