In France, a "Very Small Enterprise" (VSE) is defined as a legally independent company with fewer than 10 salaried employees. VSEs are characterized by a great deal of movement in the creation, transformation, and disappearance of jobs and the extent of turnover, which seems tied with intensive use of public employment programs, notably…

The Enterprise Florida Jobs and Education Partnership was developed to create and maintain a highly skilled work force able to respond to rapidly changing technology and market opportunities essential to a competitive Florida economy. A review of the partnership found the following: (1) the partnership has adopted a research design as required by…

This report provides an update on Arizona's 10 regional partnerships under a school-to-work (STW) implementation grant from the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education. The report profiles the status of each of the 10 regional STW partnerships as of the midpoint of the state's third year (1997-98) of STW implementation. Profiles are provided in…

A study was conducted in Australia, to determine the factors that affect demand for job training. The study consisted of 30 detailed industry case studies, an industry analysis, and a literature review. Each case study examined current training practices, training decision making in the business, and the determinants of training for the…

A study analyzed the role of adult and community education (ACE) in the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system. It considered the policy and funding contexts. Three premises formed the framework through which ACE's role was examined: ACE is a provider; ACE providers are community-based providers distinct from public and private…

Research on the provision of vocational education and training (VET) for Australia's very culturally diverse work force with non-English-speaking backgrounds (NESBs) considers the extent and nature of the disadvantage. The current definition of NESB limits membership to those born overseas; a proposed two-pronged approach is based on "first…

This document contains five papers from a symposium on the purpose and place of human resource development (HRD). "An Introduction to a Debate on the Foundations of the Field: The Purpose and Place of HRD" (Robert W. Rowden) introduces issues related to workplace learning, which both adult education and HRD claim as an area of practice. "The…

This document is the first of a projected series of reports that explores a statewide solution to the problems of work force quality in Texas. This initial report describes the current status of the Texas work force and introduces the concept of the Human Investment System as a means to improve that status by making human investment and…

These proceedings report on a seminar to review the Network of Adult Education and Community Development Schemes as it had been operating in Spain since 1986. An opening address (Jose Cartagena) discusses achievements to date, including making the most of available resources and introducing new working methods through the established liaison…

Using the results of a literature search, a conceptual framework is developed for comparing the schools of philosophical thought with the aims, methods, curriculum, and teacher-learner relationships found in training and development programs in business and industry. From this analysis, a philosophy for the field of training and development can be…

Job Instruction Training (JIT) is a step-by-step, relatively simple technique used to train employees on the job. It is especially suitable for teaching manual skills or procedures; the trainer is usually an employee's supervisor but can be a co-worker. The JIT technique consists of a series of steps that a supervisor or other instructor follows…

To meet the need for factual and objective information relating to public schools, this report examines the following perceptions about American education: (1) trends in SAT scores show a decline in the quality of public education; (2) schools are costing more and producing less; (3) reducing the educational bureaucracy will free much money needed…

A Performance Analysis for Training (PAT) Model was developed and validated for use in analyzing an organization's performance needs that can be solved with training. The PAT Model incorporated the perspectives of both theorists and practitioners on training needs assessment. Three training needs assessment experts evaluated its content and face…

This report focuses on the foster family home, with special emphasis on the non-relative, county-licensed home in 11 diverse counties of California. The analysis address the following four principal concerns: (1) the process of deciding to remove a child from his or her home; (2) the abuse of children who are already in foster care; (3) the…

Key competencies (or generic skills) have been specified in four sources: Further Education Unit (FEU), United Kingdom (1987); Finn Report (1991) and Mayer Committee (1992), Australia; U.S. Labor Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) (June 1991); and Butterworth and Lovell (1983), New South Wales. A comparison of the four…