A decision maker must organize information into a pattern that enables judgments to be made. Vocational education programs can be viewed as systems of components which can be categorized and interrelated for effective decision making. (SK)

A summary of themes and observations in the development of management and planning techniques for colleges and universities is presented. Suggestions are included on how institutional researchers may assess changes in the management systems of their own institutions. (MSE)

Humanistic management calls for a continual search for opportunities to achieve a synergistic relation between the needs of the organization and the unique capabilities and potentials of the individual employee. (Author)

Ways in which to identify the correct problems to solve thereby avoiding the misappropriation of time, talent, and resources are presented. The text is divided into 3 parts: "The Foundation for Smart Thinking,""How to Solve the Right Problems," and "Systems Thinking for the Systems Age." The chapters under these headings are: Chapter 1, "The…

Two systematic ways of analyzing and planning the components of a program or project, both used extensively by industry and government, are discussed in this paper. The methods are Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) Networks and Critical Path Method (CPM) Arrow Diagrams. The purposes of this paper are (1) to explore the need for…

Chronicles development and implementation of a performance-management system for nonfaculty employees at Wittenberg University (Ohio). The initiative featured principles of continuous quality improvement. Seven key lessons learned are presented for other institutions, including selection of the design team, changing the status quo, defining and…

Argues that to make improvements in sponsored research administration, it is necessary to understand that: it is a system of interdependent components, and improvement requires systematic, highly integrated methods and a holistic view of the role of research administration in the larger research system. Provides a framework for…

This paper provides an introduction to a particular systems-theoretical approach to problem-solving in the management of education usually referred to as soft-systems methodology (SSM), developed by Peter Checkland in the 1970s. SSM should provide a powerful tool for managers in education at any level who have a strategic role because it can be…

This booklet presents information on how total quality management can be applied to school systems to create educational improvement. Total quality management offers education a systemic approach and a new set of assessment tools. Chapter 1 provides a definition and historical overview of total quality management. Chapter 2 views the school…

This manual describes and illustrates ED QUEST (Quick Environmental Scanning Technique), an educational planning model designed to identify emerging issues and events which portend threats and opportunities to colleges and universities, to analyze the probable impact of these variables on the organization, and to facilitate the development of…

This first of two monographs dealing with comprehensive institutional planning is directed at executive officers and institutional planners of two-year colleges interested in initiating or improving their approach to planning. Chapter 1 discusses planning as an essential administration function for the 1980s; such planning must be sensitive to…

This packet contains the materials necessary for presentation of the first of ten modules which comprise a portion of the National Training and Development Service Urban Management Curriculum Development Project. This module introduces strategic planning which is a process for reducing the uncertainty under which systems operate. Its primary…

This article argues that a sound performance evaluation system benefits the employee, supervisor, and organization by providing a written record of efforts, by motivating employees, and by maximizing employee growth potential. It proposes that such performance evaluations are compatible with the Total Quality Management approach. Principles of…

Designed to improve the long-term operational efficiency of the Montgomery County, Maryland, Public Schools (MCPS) payroll system, this study begins with an executive summary, including a set of recommendations and a chapter-by-chapter synopsis. Following an introduction to the study and a general description of the payroll system in chapters 1…

This second of two monographs dealing with comprehensive institutional planning is directed at institutional representatives involved in the planning process at two-year colleges. It contains (1) information on a step-by-step approach to developing and implementing a comprehensive planning process (chapters 1-3) and (2) a case study of planning…