Conventional human performance technology has had a good run. It allowed scientific and data-based research to be applied to improve performance, usually just individual performance. The field must be expanded without losing this individual performance focus to include a scope that measurably improves performance for individuals and organizations…

All organizations are means to societal ends, and thus Mega thinking and planning starts with a primary focus on adding value for all stakeholders, including our shared society. It is pragmatic, realistic, practical, and ethical. Defining and achieving continual organizational success is possible. It relies on three basic elements: (1) a societal…

Reviews the organizational elements model of Kaufman and English, which uses internal factors alone as the basis for planning, and argues for reversing its order of consideration to achieve more useful results; i.e., to start with outcomes (societal requirements) and then move back through outputs, products, processes, and inputs. (Author/JD)

Explains and differentiates among several types of needs assessment, recommends one type, the external needs assessment, and presents the steps for implementing this and other types of needs assessments. (Author/CHC)

Defines needs assessment and compares different models in terms of levels (mega, macro, micro) and process and input. Recommends assessment of strengths and weakness of a model before using it in human resource development. (SK)

Describes ways training is linked to levels of organizational efforts, results, and impact; an allocation of functions to organizational personnel; cases-in-point concerning responsibilities; tools used by organizational personnel; and a training requirements identification and development cycle. Relationship of this Organizational Elements Model…

Strategic planning identifies results, based upon an "ideal" vision, to be achieved at three levels: individual, organizational, and societal. This article recommends a megalevel educational planning model that helps planners contemplate societal outcomes in a practical way. A holistic, proactive planning process involves scoping, data…

Elements of a program development model are discussed, including change requirements, maintenance requirements, and development of a problem-solving management plan (identify problems based on needs, determine solution requirements and identify solution alternatives, select solution strategies from among alternatives, implement solution…

Suggests that trainers take innovative approaches to training clients who work in high-risk jobs such as the military and recommmends that external needs assessment, front end analysis, and task analysis be used to establish training goals and objectives. Nine references are listed. (MER)

Describes a model for identifying and meeting needs of entire organizations and the society which the organization serves, and suggests ways to integrate these into planning, development, and organizational success. It is suggested that training success can be improved by decreasing focus on means and getting more precise about results. (MBR)

This paper helps identify the major varieties of organizational development models and methods and analyzes the characteristics of some. It proposes that most models are only descriptive and fail to offer the predictive and control aspects that are central to success. A predictive "synthesis" is offered. (Author)

This book applies quality management, an organizational theory that has been successful in business and industry, to education. Chapter 1 describes the basic elements of quality management (QM)--continuous improvement, client satisfaction, positive return on investment, and doing it right the first and every time. Ways to implement Deming's 14…