Appreciative Inquiry is a technique for organizational change that focuses on discovering what works well and why and determining how success can be extended throughout the organization. Its application to local government in Hampton, Virginia, revitalized the city work force. (SK)

A county personnel department undertook reclassification of all positions by collecting and using job analysis data to rewrite job descriptions. External pay equity and validated selection procedures resulted with only a modest increase in payroll costs. (SK)

The Local Government Training Act in South Africa sets policy for creation, development, and maintenance of suitable training for the diverse functions of local government. The past exclusion of blacks from government positions means that training of municipal workers is a critical need. (SK)

Reviews issues involved in imposing health and fitness standards for firefighters, including legal/discriminatory concerns and emphasis on health promotion rather than punitive efforts. (SK)

Age and rank of assessor were the only characteristics significantly affecting scores given in three police and six fire service assessment centers, but the magnitude of the effect was quite small. Results were attributed to assessor selection processes, the way centers were conducted, and type of assessor training. (SK)

Describes the kinds of economic analysis that Fairfax County, Virginia, used to win a case charging it with discriminating against Blacks in its hiring practices. (IRT)

Over 60% of 533 local government units responding (of 1,215) employ workers lacking basic skills, which impedes mobility and affects customer service. About 26% cope by providing basic skill training or making accommodations for lack of language or computational skills. (SK)

As the largest single employer in Los Angeles County and the largest county government in the nation, Los Angles County is heavily affected by demographic and workplace trends. Its unique diverse, multilingual population presents particular challenges in the preparation of a literate work force. (SK)

Responses from 303 of 411 North Carolina municipalities determined that use of modern personnel practices was greatest in recruitment/selection, moderate in compensation/benefits and employee rights/regulations, and marginal in performance appraisal. Factors affecting greater use were larger work force and presence of city managers. (SK)

According to 200 usable responses from 725 government agencies, about 25% mandate preretirement programs, 52% offer them. Their use as a strategy to open career paths may backfire and discourage retirement. Many of these programs are failing to recognize the growing diversity of the workforce. (SK)

The authors argue that relatively few local governments conduct rigorous cost-benefit evaluations of their supervisory training and management development programs. The authors conclude that more attention to upper-level evaluation is warranted and provide an evaluation grid with practical suggestions for each level of training program evaluation.…

Describes the development of job-specific performance appraisal factors for 375 of the 450 classifications in a county government, which covered 90 percent of all employees. (Author)

A survey of 300 public agency personnel directors received 208 responses indicating that 65 percent have substance abuse policies, 66 percent of those test applicants. Most agencies that test employees verify positive results with a second test before disciplinary action; 85 percent have employee assistance programs. Personnel directors' attitudes…

All city employees of Palm Desert, California, were assigned either to experimental or control groups. Pre- and posttests measured attitude before and after the experimental group received training. Job behavior change was measured six months later. T-tests indicated no statistically significant attitudinal or behavioral changes, perhaps because…

A study designed to distinguish Mexican Americans from other Hispanics obtained 278 responses from municipal administrators (103 Mexican Americans, 44 blacks, 107 Anglos/whites). Findings indicated that, in contrast to other studies, Mexican-American managers have seniority, educational levels, and on-the-job training experiences that are…