The job behaviors of local school superintendents were self-reported along four dimensions: (1) the issues addressed; (2) the individuals contacted; (3) behaviors performed; and (4) information sources used. The job profiles obtained were contrasted with reported findings for chief executive officers and managers in the private sector. (Author/GDC)

Explored influences of mobile telework on family life as reported by teleworkers in a large national corporation. Compared this group to office workers within the same company. Teleworkers reported greater work flexibility. Some described positive family influences, whereas others revealed family problems arising from blurred lines between work…

Implementing measurement specialists' ideas about content validity with licensure examinations and the problem of court litigation are discussed. Validity issues surfacing when sponsors of national licensure examinations conduct validity investigations are considered. Issues include local versus national focus on content validity, job analysis,…

Examines how changes in the structure of Canadian entry-level occupations between 1930 and 1980 have been reflected in changes in the distributions of task requirements. Findings indicate that the importance of formal education for occupational access has increased for both men and women. (FMW)

Explores how secondary school counselors might seem more valuable to schools than elementary school counselors by examining which tasks counselors at different grade levels view as important. Upper grade counselors performed more like administrators than did elementary school counselors, making the latter appear more expendable to school…

A discussion of public pressures to measure and describe college faculty work looks at public concerns about higher education, causes of decline in public support, the public's solution, faculty reactions, the nature of resulting research on faculty workload, and how these issues are likely to evolve. (MSE)

Four conditions or trends external to higher education that will have a significant impact on the role of college and university faculty are examined, including: changes in governmental financing of the social agenda, global demographic and environmental changes, growth and interest in privatization of public structures, and development of…

A survey of University of California central administrators sought views on five key aspects of performance appraisal: (1) communication and feedback; (2) work objectives; (3) job duties; (4) communication with supervisors; and (5) effectiveness of communication, training, and rewards. (Author/MSE)

This survey of 164 assistant academic library directors at comprehensive and liberal arts institutions was conducted to analyze the professional characteristics and role of assistant directors. Findings indicated similar characteristics within this group and differences in administrative and service responsibilities, depending on the preferences…

Argues that the language currently used at research universities to describe faculty work is constraining, emphasizing quantity as opposed to quality, extrinsic as opposed to intrinsic characteristics, lack of trust of faculty, and emphasis on procurement of resources. An alternative use of language is proposed, suggesting that, if faculty can…

New college presidents are inundated with requests for their time, and their private life is often sacrificed. Each administrator must decide what is the appropriate balance among various aspects of his/her position. Physical separation of public and private lives is essential, and the role of the spouse, who may have other professional…

American higher education continues to expect college presidents to take on an extraordinarily broad array of responsibilities, although the complexity of each responsibility has grown considerably. Many institutions give up on their presidents too quickly, never gaining the benefits that accrue from a longer tenure; most presidents serve less…

Compares and analyzes job advertisements for catalogers and reference librarians in academic libraries from 1971 to 1990 to trace the impact of automation on job requirements and qualifications. Findings indicate that computer skills are needed, and there are more entry-level jobs being posted for both groups. (Author/JMV)

Over the past two decades, scholars and practitioners in a variety of industries have considered work redesign among a constellation of strategies to promote employee recruitment and retention, development, motivation, and performance. Although educational policymakers in the middle to late 1990s shifted their attention to standards, systemic…

Implementation of IT "solutions" in the context of changes to business processes and efficiency is a common trigger for using formalised project management techniques. The trigger may include topical activities such as job evaluation schemes or quality assurance accreditation. This has led to a blurring of the boundary between projects and…