A model of the organizational dynamics of innovation in adult basic education (ABE) agencies was developed and tested wherein innovation was measured by a composite index of innovative instructional and administrative practices. It was concluded that organizational variables (size, differentiation of staff roles, reliance on professional…

Highlights twelve common mistakes made in college and university publications and information dissemination, with examples, and offers specific techniques for creating more interesting and persuasive communications. Discussion refers to fund-raising letters, publication headlines and headings, photo captions, use of attributions, use of jargon,…

Describes how to use Internet technologies to create an intranet, or an online training database system, for improving company communications, effectiveness, and job performance. Topics include technology and performance; educating managers and key decision makers; creating a graphic model of the training system; and fitting into the existing…

A 1996 survey of distance learners asked whether college administrators understood their needs as distance students. Respondents, primarily nontraditional students, complained most often about nontechnical issues such as materials distribution, overall communication, financial considerations, and knowledge of the institution's policies and…

Explores "electronic meetings" as a way to solicit ideas, creative initiatives, and improved practices from groups for varied purposes in college administration. Groups meet in a conventional meeting room, but each member provides input by computer. Ideas can be projected on screen and refined immediately. The technique allows rapid, anonymous,…

To better understand how individuals communicate and manage information in offices, four pairs of managers and personal assistants were interviewed and monitored. The study identified and categorized a range of tasks and described the frequency and duration of a common set, indicating variations in performance. Discusses implications for the…

Describes the current status and characteristics of the basic organizational communication course taught in colleges and universities in North America. Compares results of the survey with the 1988 survey. Discusses faculty and course information, course objectives and content, text, instructional methods, assignments, and common instructional…

Offers 10 rules for effective school board members. Good board members are team players--objective, consistent, reliable, and optimistic; visit schools; listen; support board decisions yet retain their individuality; communicate with all constituents; have an investment in education; and support students. (LMI)

As campuses and multicampus systems develop integrated systems for information networking in and among institutions, states must be concerned with their coordination and explore large-scale integration, stimulating cooperation among institutions and systems and use of telecommunications. Arizona, Indiana, Oregon, Colorado, and Wisconsin are…

Investigates the relationship between employee performance with new technology and perceptual and communication factors. Finds strong correlational evidence that three aspects of employees' perceptions of a new technology's attributes and two types of messages affect their productivity levels with that technology. (MG)

Investigates the relationship between perceived supervisor communication competence and supervisor satisfaction as a result of quality circle involvement. Finds that supervisors who participated in quality circles for six months were perceived as being more communicatively competent than their counterparts who had just joined the program. (MS)

Describes a study that examined the flow of information to and from small- and medium-sized public libraries. The findings reported concern the relationships between library size and perceptions of library directors with respect to the effectiveness of various information sources, communication channels, and feedback methods. (seven references)…

A ratio comparing the number of administrators in central offices with those outside central offices was used nationwide in 1988 to assess decentralization in large school districts. Sixteen of 62 districts were decentralized. The same survey in 1980 revealed 39 of 65 districts were decentralized. Decentralization is decreasing as an…

The University of Trondheim's Norwegian Institute of Technology has redesigned its training program for deans and department heads to enhance the jobs' attractiveness, provide training opportunities, reduce problems of re-integration into the academic career, and introduce professional development talks by department heads with all staff. (MSE)

Techniques in using readership surveys to boost the effectiveness and acceptance of a college publication, particularly those intended for faculty and alumni, are outlined. Steps include planning the research, selecting survey participants, drafting a questionnaire, designing a survey package, monitoring response, and reviewing and presenting…