The United States needs a skilled, productive work force. The science of human performance technology can be applied to the establishment of performance improvement systems in organizations. (Author)

The author defines job analysis and discusses applications of this process in human resource development. Various techniques of job analysis are reported. The author presents a 12-item job analysis schedule used to report job information obtained through observations and interviews. (Author/CH)

Drug use item responses from the military's Educational and Biographical Information Survey were examined for 10,188 military personnel to determine the criterion-related validity of pre-employment drug use information. Employment suitability rates were found to vary with drug use patterns such that the earlier one began using drugs, the greater…

Attempts to use teacher evaluation methods to assess school psychologists' performance are counterproductive. Schools need instruments to evaluate clinical and general professional skills and to select appropriate evaluators. A sidebar outlines the basics of evaluating psychologists. (MLH)

Although no significant relationship between undergraduate grades and long-term job success has been found, there is no evidence that the same is true for cooperative education. This study concluded that cumulative grade point average is not a useful predictor of job performance of students in cooperative education. (JOW)

Tested three alternative views for understanding work-related responses of employees, including person-centered (gender-related), situation-centered (job-related), and person-situation (joint gender- and job-related) for males (N=97) and females (N=102) in sales jobs. Found gender and job related differences. (Author/ABL)

A population of 41 manufacturing salespeople, 32 distributor salespeople, and 24 manufacturers' agents used a 7-point scale to rate 82 selling competencies. The resulting classification groups, in order of importance, are communication skills, customer relations, professionalism, selling skills, problem solving, business maturity, and management…

Responses from 195 staff nurses indicated that impact of leader's behavior was neutralized among low self-monitoring nurses, but intensified among high self-monitors. Correlations between staff nurses' job performance and their ratings of head nurses' leadership behaviors were not significant for low self-monitoring nurses but were significant for…

Replacing the old-fashioned job description of department heads with the job-results description offers a measurement of actual performance that allows principals to assess the progress of a department while they evaluate the performance of its head. (MLF)

The superintendent search consultant is employed by the board of education and must always act in the board's best interest. Boards want consultants to be friendly and courteous, provide information, and foster an aura of good feeling with candidates and the board. Candidates should receive accurate information, selection criteria briefings,…

Madzar reviews literature on feedback seeking in organizations, examining motivation, contextual influences, barriers, and particular feedback-seeking behavior of newcomers and groups. Morrison comments on some misrepresentations and confusions in the literature review. (SK)

A literature review notes how gender expectations lead to nonverbal communication differences in such behaviors as smiling, eye contact, kinesics, proximics, and decoding. The importance of the effective use of nonverbal communication in human resource development is emphasized. (SK)

Holton critiques Kirkpatrick's four-level evaluation model and presents a new model that accounts for primary intervening variables. Kirkpatrick argues that the criticism fails to account for his model's practical utility. Holton elaborates on the distinction between a model and a taxonomy. (SK)

Training directors can sustain their role in turbulent times by being knowledgeable about business, understanding the role of instructional technology, and developing a sixth sense about change. Their role can evolve into that of performance directors. (SK)

Tips for working more effectively to improve performance and realize goals include time management, enlightened empowerment, good commitments, selective problem solving, and escalation of critical problems. (JOW)