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…

Little attention has been given to how adults develop through their lifetimes and what roles their workplace environments play in that development. Research and theory regarding adult psychosocial development have confirmed the developmental life-cycle phases of adulthood. These are: leaving the family (ages 16-22), getting into the adult world…

Teachers can take effective schoolwide leadership roles if the principal encourages each teacher to take responsibility for an aspect of school life that the individual teacher cares strongly about. Such opportunities to engage in school leadership are attractive for teachers because (1) they offer possibilities for improving teaching conditions;…

Factors that affect the implementation of information-based improvements in college instruction and decision-making are considered, based on a conceptual scheme for comparing information-based change efforts. Based on a student outcomes project, eight brief case studies of public colleges illustrate different patterns leading to successful use of…