This introductory article argues that creativity and innovation are key requirements for the growth and adaptation of organizations. Articles focusing on how creativity and innovation can be encouraged in the workplace are reviewed. Useful directions for future research are discussed along with the methodological issues likely to arise. (Author/CR)

Assesses the effectiveness of the Team Management Index and raises questions about measurement techniques. Argues that data collection can never provide complete proof of a link between interventions and organizational change. Suggests that evaluators study a team's change process. (SK)

Describes two experiences that illustrate the value of the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI). Highlights include measuring organizational results; identifying opportunities to improve performance; training as part of the solution; the role of ISD (instructional systems design); HPT (human performance technology) issues; and…

Call center staff answered calls in 4 treatments: alignment job design (n=35), autonomous work teams (n=35), high-involvement work processes (n=43), and controls (n=36). Job satisfaction improved in alignment job design and high-involvement treatments, most significantly in the latter. Skill level and attitude toward autonomous work might have…

Organizations must balance rational/technical efficiency and emotions. Action learning has been proven to be effective for developing emotional openness in the workplace. Facilitators of action learning should draw upon the disciplines of counseling, Gestalt, psychodynamics, and Eastern philosophies. (Contains 23 references.) (SK)

A 3-year psychobiographical study of 16 diverse adults aged 40-50 examined career history and spiritual values. All participants expressed spiritual purposes of developing and becoming self, serving others, unity with others, and expressing self. When they could no longer enact these purposes in work, they made inter- or intrarole career…

Presents findings of a study exploring teacher leadership roles in a metropolitan K-8 school district. Results show that the development and performance of these roles are mediated by their organizational contexts. Teacher leadership should be approached as an organizational development issue rather than solely as an individual empowerment issue.…

A creatology matrix is developed to examine the abilities, processes, and products of four kinds of entities (culture, organization, group, person). Also examined are creativity as a matter of knowledge, identification with basic cultural values, and typicality of creative people within a culture. (JDD)

Training plays a key role in the development of work teams. Seven components of successful work teams are clear goals, talent, understanding of roles, efficient procedures, good interpersonal relations, active reinforcement, and constructive external relations. (SK)

Surveys the current status of outdoor training for management development in Britain, including types and quality of providers and courses and advice for organizations interested in offering such training to their employees. (SK)

Maintains that communication consultants can help increase organizational effectiveness by therapeutically applying communication research, especially interpretive research, to organizational development. Describes a six-step model of therapeutic organizational communication consultation. Presents an organizational development study to illustrate…

Discusses evaluation for human performance improvement and organizational success. An expanded framework that builds on the traditional four-level training evaluation framework is suggested that includes strategic and tactical planning, performance improvement, organizational development, customer satisfaction, total quality, societal…

Twelve key factors influence an organization's ability to learn and change: strategy/vision, executive practices, managerial practices, climate, organizational structure, information flow, individual/team practices, work processes, performance goals/feedback, training/education, individual/team development, and rewards/recognition. (SK)

Wimbiscus enhances Rummler and Brache's model for improving organizational performance by defining nine performance variables and integrating the model with scholars' views of three human resource development elements: organizations, process, and job/performer. Brache and Rummler respond to parts of Wimbiscus' critique. (SK)

Four focus groups with 300 Fortune 500 managers and two panels of experts were used to build and verify a theory of the impact on management training on organizational performance. The theory suggests that such training design factors as needs assessment, coaching, and simulated practice have a greater impact on performance. (SK)