Properly designed and properly evaluated, entrepreneurial activities can have many kinds of positive financial and non-financial results for an alumni program. A service or product line that alumni can not get from any other source can benefit the budget and both internal and external goodwill. (MSE)

This article examines the distributive effects of environmental policies designed to promote sustainability. The article argues that the obligation to preserve environmental resources for future generations should not undermine the obligation to meet the needs of the current generation if environmental initiatives are to succeed. (LZ)

Distance learning is a cost-effective way to offer training to several locations and to employees who are not available for traditional classroom instruction. Effectiveness is enhanced by matching goals with approaches and matching goals and approaches with appropriate technology. (JOW)

Presents a framework for developing technology-mediated interinstitutional relationships for collaborative telelearning. Uses experiences of interinstitutional relationships to illustrate how the framework can be used to both guide the design of new and the assessment of existing relationships. Discusses costs and benefits of interinstitutional…

The Organizational Elements Model is a framework for assessing payoffs from organizational efforts such as training and human resource development, both to an organization and externally. It depicts what should/could be and what is for outcomes, outputs, products, processes, and inputs. (SK)

Provides eight guidelines for the effective design of questionnaires to be used in the assessment of training needs. Highlights include cost effectiveness; the use of surveys; front-end analysis; and examples for each guideline. (LRW)

Suggests that forecasting the usable life of new audiovisual equipment by standard statistical techniques is error prone and often misleading. Claims that Markov analysis allows the user to obtain a clear indication of the typical progression of equipment from being new to be being no longer economically repairable. (RS)

The president of Rio Salado Community College (Arizona) reports both quantitative and qualitative evidence that that institution's investment in Total Quality Management has yielded a variety of benefits including reduced printing costs, increased job satisfaction, and an altered campus culture. (DB)

This update on the costs of two anticonvulsant drugs points out that a substantial price increase for Depakene makes it nearly twice as expensive as Depakote and, thus, now makes Depakote the preferred drug over Depakene. Implications of price increases for treatment of individuals with mental retardation who exhibit behavior or mental disorders…

Cornell Cooperative Extension replaced a series of one-day seminars with a satellite broadcast, reducing travel costs, preparation, and delivery time. The audience expanded beyond New York, participants expressed high satisfaction with program quality, and videotapes of broadcasts are available for reference. (SK)

Examines and reviews literature and evaluates techniques for determining the monetary value of special libraries and describes valuation by time-saved methods, by relationships to productivity, and by cost-benefit analyses. Barriers to valuation are identified and a four-part approach to valuation is suggested. (Author/LRW)

Compares search time and costs of four online searches, identically replicated except for the speed of the modem used to retrieve and download data. Results are presented for 1200-BPS (bits per second) and 2400-BPS modems which demonstrate that searching at 2400-BPS is more efficient and economical. Issues to be resolved before 9600-BPS modems…

A study of 220 users and 198 nonusers of manufacturers' rebates found 3 motivational factors that predicted use: (1) consumers' price consciousness; (2) perceived time and effort to redeem rebates; and (3) perceived satisfaction from saving money. Recommendations for more effective redemptions resulted. (SK)

Principals can provide overworked staff with some valuable assistance by tapping a frequently overlooked source--high school students. In 1989, a New York district created an innovative program called Students Assisting Students (SAS). These students volunteer as tutors in the schools they once attended. The program benefits all participants. (MLH)

Evaluation of the cost effectiveness of a revised curriculum using computer-based training (CBT) in the Dutch postal service found cost savings and satisfactory training results, implying that CBT is an effective strategy for complex work organizations training considerable numbers of employees. (SK)