Measured how competition among New Zealand's schools have affected student learning as perceived by teachers and principals. Findings suggest the competition brought about by New Zealand's implementation of full parental choice in 1992 has had negative effects on the quality of student learning and other aspects of schooling in New Zealand…

Introduces the special section on the Student Paper Contest and the Case Competition sponsored by the Canadian Evaluation Society to foster the development of evaluators. The articles are written by former participants and include reflections on the value of the competition for evaluator development. (SLD)

Underachievers generally lack internal locus of control, compete poorly, and undervalue effort. Many underachieving children who have adopted dependent or dominant defense mechanisms can be reached using the Family Achievement Clinic's Trifocal method. This multi-step process features assessment, parent-child communication, identification of the…

When historically black Coppin State College (Maryland) won over the University of South Carolina in the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament, it was the most significant victory in the history of sports at black colleges. During and since the victory, the college has received substantial public support, and the…

Describes how the win-at-all-cost ethic is changing high school coaching, resulting in increased pressure on coaches and the exploitation of athletes. Coaches must find a balance between competition and character building. (LMI)

Discusses usage data that vendors should share with their information provider subscribers as well as additional helpful tools vendors could develop. Highlights include increased competition; integration of advanced technology; information literacy; examples from OneSource Information Services, Inc.; and an analysis of vendor usage statistics at…

Combines the concept of self-worth in sociology and educational psychology with economic modeling to analyze the influence of competition on student learning. Finds, for example, that students prone to negative self-worth are motivated not to study hard in courses involving strong competition, thereby adopting a strategy of winning by not losing.…

Examines employability through the lenses of consensus theory and conflict theory. Expands the latter into positional conflict theory, which explains how the market for credentials is rigged and how individuals are ranked in it. Argues that even employable people may fail to find jobs because of positional competition in the knowledge-driven…

Explores reasons for replacement of the Unified School with the Quality School in Norway and the consequences thereof for both individuals and the country. Unified School reform is derived from an equality-driven educational policy, whereas Quality School reform is competitiveness-driven. (Contains 30 references.) (PKP)

Discusses developments for practitioners in mental health care with the advent of managed care. With managed care's influence and new cost-containment strategies, the roles of clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists are evolving, creating role conflict and competition. This article outlines the changes that have occurred…

Higher education's largest pension companies and others involved in the faculty retirement fund market can expect to face questioning about their investment policies and long-term performance. The Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association and College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF) have been sharply criticized for their investment strategies…

Discusses Dialog Information Service's lawsuit against the American Chemical Society (ACS) over online searching capabilities. Antitrust law is discussed, fair competition issues are raised, the user's point of view is considered, possible outcome scenarios are suggested, and a sidebar summarizes claims and counterclaims by Dialog, ACS, and…

The best efforts of affluent, fast-track parents to produce academically successful children can spawn unintended negative consequences, such as stress disorders and cheating among children unable to cope with such pressure. Supercompetitors have trouble forming close friendships, and their overscheduled parents lack sufficient time for nurturing.…

This special report looks at the new economy from the point of view of the worker. It examines the impact of changing competitive standards and emerging organizational structures on knowledge and skill requirements in the U.S. work force. (Author)

Donald C. Burr, founder and CEO of PEOPLExpress, discusses the keys to the success of PEOPLExpress from the "peanuts fares" to the humanistic style of management, and the eventual demise of the airline. One area discussed is the role of information systems in business and the result of the airline's lack of an effective computerized…