Technical efficiency is the ability of a firm to produce its maximum output using a set of inputs or to minimise the use of its inputs to produce a certain level of output. When a firm is operating at its most efficient, operating costs can be minimised, profits maximised and competitiveness improved. This study investigates the role of a firm's…

This report concludes the final phase of a project designed to help occupational and manpower training administrators apply the best available management concepts to the analysis and solution of a wide variety of problems. This 2-week experimental institute was presented to a group of Massachusetts administrators from such organizations as public…

These three papers are from a symposium that was facilitated by R. Wayne Pace at the 1995 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development (HRD). "High Performance Work Systems" (Martha A. Gephart) assesses the state of theory and research on high performance work from a "systems" perspective and identifies challenges…

Focusing on contributions of educational resources to the growth of nonfarm enterprises in small towns and sparsely populated areas of the Southeast, this paper discusses four major problems which are at least partly amenable to educational solutions and examines various educational means for overcoming those problems. Research and development…

This document contains three papers from a symposium on charting the future of human resource development (HRD). "Choose Your Future: Independent Technomancer or Holistic Human Developer" (Steven W. Semler) reports a study that used an historical vector analysis approach to identify three major changes in the roles of HRD professionals…

The current United States industrial policy is not working in the new international economy. As jobs are increasingly exported overseas, the United States faces a major problem in revitalization of its economy. Occupational education has a major role in the revitalization of the country's economy through the upgrading of the training and…

Exploratory, descriptive research was conducted to identify potential and existing shortages of skilled manpower in the petroleum industry. Data came from interviews with 60 individual companies, governments, industry groups, and professional associations. Company characteristics that were significant determinants of training were size, foreign or…

The proceedings of this seminar, attended by state directors and other leaders in vocational and technical education from 41 states, the District of Columbia, Saipan and Puerto Rico, contain presentations by 18 leaders from industry, government, and education. Specific objectives were to: (1) provide a forum for presentations concerning personnel…

Three presentations are provided from Symposium 16, Improving Human Resource Development (HRD) Practice through Research, of the Academy of HRD 2000 Conference Proceedings. "Why HRD Practitioners Can Lack Respect: Sizing the Credibility Gap between What Top Managers Want and HRD Professionals Deliver" (Robert L. Dilworth, Timothy…

Discusses the impact of new technologies and competitive management goals on the fast-changing training industry. Offers suggestions on implementation, such as fostering a supportive training environment, avoiding information overload, and helping employees manage change.(YKH)

This document discusses the training capabilities, software, and related products of GTE Sylvania Training Operations (STO). With the rapid emergence and development of the Third World, the technical knowhow of large manufacturing industries has become a marketable commodity in the international transfer of technology. Manpower training and human…

Recent Australian research provides a solid body of evidence that training investments can yield very high levels of returns for firms across a range of sectors. It highlights these important factors about returns on investment (ROI): ROI come in many forms; immediate ROI are highest when training is highly focused; measuring ROI is not always…

Producing goods and services of high quality is not expensive, but correcting poor quality costs U.S. companies as much as 20 percent of sales revenues annually. One survey reported that only 1 out of 300 U.S. companies involved management and engineering staff in quality training. The tendency is to have a quality control department, separate…

In order to determine adequately how community and technical colleges can work with business and industry to meet the training needs of the existing work force, one must first understand the relationship between lagging productivity and the national economy. In the short run, lagging productivity increases inflation and unemployment, lessens our…

This document reports on a 2.5 day workshop that trained 23 middle managers from Wisconsin school districts in developing and using information on trends relevant to vocational, technical, and adult education (VTAE) program planning, including trends in technology, the labor market, demographics, and education. A nine-page description covers the…