Finds that, due to insufficient communication and poor planning, new organization members (in a post-merger culture after a friendly merger) did not receive information necessary for assimilation, and developed different meanings for organizational messages, and different values and beliefs. Concludes that to preserve an organizational culture…

Results of a survey of 87 members of the American Vocational Education Research Association and review of change literature indicated that the organization is healthy but should consider some changes to maintain future viability. Needs assessment, a futures committee, and a study of member attrition were suggested. (SK)

Discussion of organizational change and possible negative effects which can impact organizational performance focuses on ways a manager can identify problems with employee motivation and productivity and address them in a supportive manner. Topics include clear expectations, open communication, and recognizing employee efforts. (Author/LRW)

Interviews with Cornell Cooperative Extension faculty, staff, and administrators (28 campus-based and 39 county staff) revealed both similarities and differences in views of engagement. County staff view their jobs as the critical link between community needs and university resources; campus staff view themselves as implementers of programs.…

Explores why learning communities have become so pervasive in higher education and the challenges faced by the learning communities movement, including challenges of student learning and faculty development, diversity, institutional change, and purpose. (EV)

A case study of a British water company found that technological change had only a moderate impact on technical skills but increased the need for diagnostic and information technology skills for the maintenance of electronic equipment. Organizational restructuring increased requirements for functional flexibility and interpersonal skills.…

Describes organizational blockages to self-knowledge in universities and shows how self-assessment might alleviate them within the context of a communication department. Presents findings from a multi-method, student-faculty project that examined communication undergraduates, recently graduated students, and professors. Notes that these groups…

A case study of the impact of video technology on surgical work identified technological foundations of two structures in decentralized work units. Unilateral control by a dominant actor in a team works best with segmented tasks and face-to-face context. Teams with group-based coordination work best when team actions involve complex…

Service learning requires faculty and students to step away from habitual methods. It necessitates a culture change in organizations. Examples from nursing education illustrate how it can enrich teaching and learning. (SK)

Discusses personal mastery for organizational change based on experiences used by Learning as Leadership at Fairchild Semiconductor. Topics include individual change leading to more accountability in workplace performance improvement; examining the past to uncover behavioral and communication patterns; creating goals for the future; and taking…

Describes the role of human resource development (HRD) in the restructuring of the Mexican economy since 1982. Presents new challenges faced by the HRD system, including the influence of the World Bank, and recent changes linked to liberalization of the economy. (SK)

A 1997 replication of a 1992 study received 683 responses from businesses. Results show rapid diffusion of high performance work organization (HPWO) practices; adoption of self-managed teams was slower than other practices. HPWOs were associated with increased layoffs and no compensation gains, so restructuring benefits were not mutually shared by…

The origins and early years of the Society of Research Administrators are chronicled from 1966, focusing on the basic premise of the organization, its purpose as stated in the bylaws, its activities into the early 1970s, and the evolution of the national meetings and journal. (MSE)

Looks at issues of college collaboration, asking questions about appropriateness, cost, and impact, and suggesting probable outcomes and necessary conditions for success. Drawing on organizational theories, makes a case for the natural and inevitable development of strong individual campuses, and suggests that collaboration can be constructed as…

Explores entrepreneurialism in universities, stressing that when done right, it strengthens university collegiality, autonomy, and educational achievement. Discusses formation of an entrepreneurial narrative, a convincing story that depicts what progressive universities are like as they combine the new and old in a revised form of organization.…