In reference to Peter Kuchinke's manuscript, the author points out that current MBA programs suffer from a myriad of ills that are somehow detrimental to organizations and that there is a similar problem with human resource development (HRD) programs (hence the reference in the title to "birds of a feather"). In this article, he shares his…

Peter Kuchinke has written a powerful and relevant article that should generate much discussion in the human resource development (HRD) community. The focus of Kuchinke's paper is the question of whether HRD academic programs should emulate the value preference of business schools or march to a different drum. In this response, the author argues…

Use of ethnographic methods to assess learning and staff development needs for workplace adult education programs is discussed, focusing on the teacher's role as ethnographic researcher. Four stages of ethnographic research are identified: (1) open-ended, inductive study; (2) structured observation; (3) analysis; and (4) speculation and sharing of…

Most teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) face a number of challenges: large and heterogeneous classes, specialized student needs, and poor funding and employment continuity. Many work part time, often in more than one program and serving simultaneously as administrator and teacher. While most have college degrees, their training is…

Small and mid-sized businesses must change their production and service delivery methods if they are to remain competitive in a global economy. According to businesspersons, service providers, and employees who participated in 18 focus groups in 10 cities throughout the United States, businesses are being forced to change their ways of doing…

Tumultuous changes in the world's economic and social orders and technological advances are transforming the world from an industrial society to a knowledge society. The globalization of markets and rise of high-performance companies are altering the workplace dramatically and changing the roles and responsibilities of vocational-technical…

The need for higher education to plan curricula based upon generalizable human, analytical, and technical skills is discussed in view of historical and economic changes, productivity questions, demographic projections, and employment forecasts. Questions are posed regarding the form of undergraduate education that will best prepare the college…

This "Q & A" discusses how employment preparation can be integrated into English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) curriculum, whether in a workplace or standard adult ESL program. It first chronicles the historical link, since federal legislation in 1964, between employment and adult education and the relationship between employment and…

This publication is part of the study materials for the distance education course, Adults Learning: The Changing Workplace A, in the Open Campus Program at Deakin University. The first part of the document examines the relationship between technological change and skills development. The following topics are discussed: the new technological…

This document consists of a two-part report that was developed as part of a project to develop a national workforce development (WfD) system to ensure that people in the United Kingdom develop the basic, intermediate, and other skills needed in the 21st century. The first report sets out proposals for a more demand-led system that places skill…

A two-round Delphi study was conducted to identify the characteristics of viable and sustainable employees in northeastern Tennessee in 2015. The Delphi panel selected for the study consisted of 25 experts who represented a cross-section of the businesses and communities in the 10-county area of northeastern Tennessee served by Walters State…

This module for a Total Quality Management (TQM) course was designed to give students a broad background in TQM and its influence on the business world in the United States. It can be used in a U.S. history class, an economics class, an English class, or as part of a TQM course for high school or community college students. The module covers the…

This module for a 1-semester Total Quality Management (TQM) course for high school or community college students covers the topics of empowerment and teamwork. It includes the following components: (1) a narrative summary of the topics; (2) a discussion of employee empowerment; (3) a discussion of teamwork and self-directed teams; (4) a discussion…

This document contains three papers on human resource development (HRD) in Latin America. "Looking at the Literature on Workplace Democracy in Latin America: Factors in Favor and Against It" (Max U. Montesino) discusses selected issues related to workplace democracy in Latin America and identifies salient issues for further research,…

From a macroeconomic perspective, the evolving demand for skills in the United States has been triggered by the accelerated expansion of computer and information technology, which has, in turn, brought significant changes to the workplace. Technological advances have made some wholly manual jobs obsolete. But even for many other workers, a rapidly…