Describes a plan to introduce and achieve a national awareness of agility (and easy entry into the world market) for Albania through the relatively stable higher-education order. Agility's four strategic principles are enriching the customer, cooperating to enhance competitiveness, organizing to master change and uncertainty, and leveraging the…

Ontario university admission data for 1983-93 were analyzed for evidence of high school grade inflation and grade-enhancement practices in response to increased competition for university admission. Results show only a moderate increase in entering grades, and suggest that grade inflation must be distinguished from changes reflecting demographic…

Let's Get Real, a competitive program in its 5th year, challenges teams of secondary students (in public, private, and home schools) to solve actual problems posed by corporate co- sponsors. Proposed solutions are presented at corporate headquarters and judged by corporate executives, scientists, and engineers. (MLH)

Describes how several schools participated in a school improvement project that helped them learn from each other in a competitive climate, noting issues influencing teachers' readiness to collaborate. It proved important to identify issues engaging with fundamental aspects of teaching and learning that were powerful enough to involve other…

Investigates effects of school-choice laws on U.S. teachers' work incentives, using 1993-94 Schools and Staffing Survey data. Examines whether school system competitiveness works to solve the principal-agent problem in education. Results are mixed, but suggest that one type of choice policy--intradistrict choice--enhances teacher motivation.…

The economics of the growing sector of for-profit higher education institutions are examined, comparing the cost-price-subsidy structure of traditional institutions with these nontraditional institutions. Implications for the schools least able to withstand competition with for-profit institutions, generally private colleges and universities, and…

Argues that public schools must change their underlying culture and rules to benefit from competition from charter schools and voucher programs. Discusses differences between educational marketplace and traditional economic models, finding schools less responsive to competitive pressures. Analyzes factors constraining competition and offers…

Argues that the post-September 11, 2001 economy has created a market with contradictory forces--the economy is decelerating at the same time consumer demands are accelerating. States that higher education is heavily impacted by these forces, and that community colleges must organize around contradiction, broaden the conception of resources, and…

Discusses the uses to which the Collegiate Results Instrument (CRI), discussed in another article in this issue, can be put by institutions and prospective students. Explores: What does the CRI teach an institution about its signature in the marketplace? How different are those signatures? Do they differ within and across market segments? What…

One of the primary objectives of Colombian social health insurance reform was to increase competition among for-profit insurers. Unfortunately, the flat capitated formula creates an opportunity for sickness funds to maximize reimbursement gains by "cream skimming"--selecting against unhealthy individuals. This paper explores sickness…

A common set of economic pressures has led the various sectors of higher education to adopt entrepreneurial models of financing and service.

Over the last two decades, Ireland has proactively marketed its educated workforce, its favourable corporate tax rates, membership of the European common market, and other advantages, to multinational technology corporations. The resulting foreign direct investment in high-tech manufacturing operations has driven a booming Irish economy that has…

This paper reviews the historical and current response of the United States to threats to its world leadership in scientific endeavors, with particular attention to the National Defense Education Act of 1958. The current status of the United States in mathematics, science, and engineering education is reviewed with respect to K-12 student…

A multi-method project was conducted in a Local Education Authority (LEA) in the north of England. The relationships between girls' friendships, bullying, school attendance and transfer were explored through documentary analysis, LEA school admission statistics, group interviews and q-sort technique. This paper reports selectively on those…

Conditions producing stress are present in all colleges and universities. In this paper we report on an investigation utilizing heart rate as an indicator of stress in students when participating in activities encountered in a college classroom or laboratory. The activities included presenting an oral report, taking an exam, and participating in a…