A guide to understanding the major environmental and procedural factors in planning state-level information systems is presented. Attention is directed to: assessment of the developmental environment (agency authority and role, institutional concerns), selection of a procedural approach to information-system planning, assessment of information…

As studies of organizational development have focused increasingly in recent years on stages of decline and death, theories of revolutionary adaptation have gained currency. The theory of organizational retrenchment developed in this paper is divided into five chronological stages: (1) preresponse, (2) emerging awareness and buying time, (3) alarm…

The context for considering faculty career vitality is addressed. It is suggested that the unit of study should be individual, and that both internal and external influences should be considered. A contrasting view is that the institution should be the unit of study. A Pennsylvania State University study revealed that faculty career decisions were…

According to the second external review of the Partnership for Rural Improvement (PRI), the program demonstrated very good achievement of two of its major objectives: increasing collaboration among agencies and institutions and increasing competency of educational institutions to support rural development and planning. Between February 23 and…

An approach to building an effective training and development (T&D) process within postsecondary institutions is described. The process involves three distinct phases: developing an inservice skills training program, institutionalizing an on-the-job career development process, and conducting organizational development activities. The focus of the…

Collaboration as a strategy to improve the instructional effectiveness of a school's faculty is examined in this bulletin. The first of four chapters provides a brief discussion of teacher isolation and its consequences and the positive effects of collaboration on school renewal, teacher satisfaction, teacher learning, cooperation among students,…

Based on the expertise generated by years of work in minority engineering program development, this handbook consolidates the experiences of program directors, industry sponsors, and school system collaborators. Its purpose is to provide quidelines for setting up a comprehensive precollege engineering program. Discussions include: (1) history; (2)…

Because of concerns about its ability to meet the shifting demands resulting from changes in today's society, the Virginia Extension Homemakers Council (VEHC) undertook a systematic program to change its organizational structure. In 1983, representatives of the VEHC and the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service (VCES) met to identify the causes…

This book describes various aspects of the historical development of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The first chapter, entitled "Origins," sketches the factors leading up to authorization of the BLS in June 1884. A chapter entitled "Carroll Wright: Setting the Course" discusses the views and contributions of the BLS's…

Stressing the importance of the relationship of vocational and technical education to the economy, this paper discusses how existing educational research and development (R&D) resources can assist in preparing for the computer literate, high technology, information society. After emphasizing the magnitude of the education and training industry,…

The consultation model is applied to institutions of higher education in an approach that involves staff and/or faculty in administrative policies and decisions and that will promote innovative educational programs and generate productive working relationships among colleagues. It is suggested that in applying organizational development (OD) in…

An internal evaluative feedback system used at a large multi-campus community college for presidential assessment is described. The purpose of the system is to provide for administrative development of the president; it does not involve presidential retention or dismissal. All those reporting directly to the president, including campus provosts,…

A philosophy of higher education which incorporates organizational principles is presented. The topics addressed include: educational aims and priorities, the external and internal environments, organizational and student development, teaching techniques and curriculum, academic freedom, and governance. Results of other research on related…

Multiple regression in a double cross-validated design was used to predict two performance measures (total variable expense and absence rate) by multi-month period in five industrial firms. The regressions do cross-validate, and produce multiple coefficients which display both concurrent and predictive effects, peaking 18 months to two years…

The exercises and role playing activities in this third and final volume on faculty development are intended to assist college faculty in instructional, personal, organizational, and career development. The first section contains an introductory chapter that describes the three theoretical domains that provide a framework for the volume:…