Research in organizational development and ecological psychology has demonstrated the importance of viewing organizations from a systems perspective. Organizational innovations are planned, designed, and implemented in increasingly complex and dynamic ecosystems. This paper presents a model of organizational change which was developed using a…

A warm and sunny subtropical climate helps make Hawaii an important sugar producer. History records that sugarcane was already present when Captain James Cook discovered the islands in 1778, and that the first successful sugarcane plantation was started in 1835 by Ladd and Company at Koloa. The first recorded export of Hawaiian sugar was in 1837,…

These two articles discuss ways to humanize the work environment and process for the workers. The first article describes government approaches to the humanization of work. The second article discussed types of job enrichment. (EJT)

The Ohio Continuing Higher Education Association (OCHEA) is becoming increasingly vital in Ohio, with a membership of more than half of the state's 140 colleges and universities, and the prospect of continued growth. New initiatives have been launched: the newsletter expansion, the issuance of the first OCHEA publication (covering state…

A study explored employees' perceptions of argumentativeness in the organization, specifically examining (1) how employees perceive argumentativeness and the value of argumentativeness in the organization, (2) to what extent employees argue in the workplace, and (3) whether there is any relationship between these two variables, the perception of…

The lack of a clear role definition for the special education supervisor has resulted in an interpretation of the position as that of a facilitator, planner, and legal rights guarantor for exceptional children. To determine whether differences existed between the self-perceived supervisory methods of special education administrators and their…

The changes required by many school reform policies address problems that are extremely difficult to clarify, with organizational and environmental factors densely intertwined. Accordingly, this document begins by identifying the "four C's" that must be taken into account if any strategy for school improvement is to succeed: complexity,…

New York State is a good example of a diversified economy for a diversified population. Minority middle classes can be found in many places in the state, which has relied heavily on education as a policy tool to increase its human potential resources. Just as the middle of the income scale has been declining nationally, so New York's education…

The effect of the institutional culture on faculty commitment, motivation, and satisfaction when filtered through other factors in the organizational environment was investigated. Preliminary findings from research on "The Organizational Context for Teaching and Learning" at the National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary…

This paper reviews selected literature pertaining to quality circles (defined as a small group of people who meet voluntarily, on a regular basis, to learn and apply techniques for identifying, analyzing, and solving work-related problems), in particular that literature focusing on communication-related variables. It examines 52 studies from the…

Two studies examined the relationship between various indicators of communicative work dependency and response satisfaction. Work dependency is a structural variable that influences individual information processing needs, while response satisfaction is a relational variable pertaining to the communication climate of organizations. For Study One,…

An educational reform effort to implement a comprehensive school act in British Columbia (Canada) is analyzed with a focus on some sociotechnical and political aspects. An overview of the content, background, and implementation of the reform effort is followed by identification of seven contradictions inherent in the plan. Contradictions are as…

A process for evaluating the effectiveness of educational organizations, with a focus on accountability, is described. An evaluation of 15 pilot-test school districts in the Arizona Career Ladder Project reveals the existence of a major discrepancy between meeting program requirements and achieving program success. A theoretical model of…

Testimony is presented concerning the financial burden the United States government is expected to endure from the billions of dollars in loans it has guaranteed (and continues to guarantee) for business, education, housing, and other purposes, many of which are in areas now experiencing economically hard times. The testimony discusses predicting…

In reaction to the economic risks associated with an over reliance on oil and gas exports, residents of the Midland/Odessa area of Texas began seeking diversification options for the local economy and, in 1986, formed the Midland/Odessa Health and Retirement Endeavor (MOHRE). This non-profit corporation was formed to examine the feasibility of…