The global economy movement has four snares: the human resource taking precedence over the human being; a mindset of "the more skills, the better"; competitiveness that subjects people and labor to the imperatives of technology; and the dislocation caused by the emphasis on knowledge as the fundamental resource. (JOW)

"VICA Skills USA Championships" (Bamford) describes the competitions and events of the 1995 National Vocational Industrial Clubs of America Leadership and Skills Conference. "Student Robotics Contest" (Vandenberg) describes an annual competition that invites students to demonstrate their creativity and knowledge of robotics.…

Retired superintendents have the potential to be the best and the worst board members. Although some board members value a former superintendent's background and perspective, many think that retiring superintendents should go right out the door and not look back. Former teachers and superintendents serving on boards often have difficulty shifting…

Schools need not rule out fund raising, trips, and contests. Well-organized groups of music students washing cars at local gas stations can create more positive publicity and goodwill toward music programs than can hundreds of news releases. Exchange concerts, trips to nearby schools, and competition against a predetermined scale can substitute…

Traces the origins of the global economy and the relative decline of the United States in the face of economic competition from newly industrialized countries and multinational corporations. The impact on the labor market and imperatives for vocational education are examined. (SK)

Importance-performance analysis, a marketing research technique using analysis of consumer attitudes toward salient product or service attributes, is found useful for colleges and universities in developing marketing strategies, particularly when competition is considered as an important dimension. Data are drawn from a survey of 252 students at 1…

Tuition and required fees have climbed at double-digit rates in public colleges and universities for the first time in nearly a decade, reflecting financial hardships over the last year. Prospects for improvement this year are bleak. The slower rise of private college rates is attributed to retrenchment and competitive pressures. (MSE)

A study compared three subject groups structured for competition to three subject groups structured for cooperation. Thirty-six 8- to 17-year-old males residing in a treatment center for nonpsychotic psychosocial disorders participated in competitive and cooperative dice games. Results did not support the hypothesis that a cooperative experience…

A survey of journalism faculty (n=407) suggests that ethical standards in college faculty recruitment can not be taken for granted. As the recruitment process becomes more competitive and applicant numbers dwindle, the process should be carefully examined to ensure that truth, trust, and honesty are characteristic of the recruiting procedure. (MSE)

The Japanese are setting new achievement standards for their competitive American peers; meanwhile, Japanese students in American schools are learning to be more creative and assertive. Teachers adjust their instruction to make the classroom more comfortable for Japanese students raised on rote learning. A sidebar describes five elementary school…

Small private colleges should not succumb to the view that being as inexpensive as public colleges is the only way to compete. By doing some aggressive marketing, these institutions can enjoy a significant edge and thrive in what promises to be a difficult decade. (Author/MSE)

This article discusses one high school's program of competitive academic team sports, as well as the Indiana state system of local and regional competitions. Organization of teams, team goals, types of students involved, the role of the coach, and outside help from teachers in different fields are discussed. (PB)

Presents a country-by-country analysis of investment opportunities in Latin American telecommunications. Concludes: Brazil and Mexico are the major focus of interest and expectations; wireless and cellular are expanding rapidly; the expansion of regulatory reform, as promised to the World Trade Organization (WTO) should foster necessary monopolies…

Research findings show public schools benefit from private-school vouchers. Competition is good for learning. When public schools are faced with the possibility of large student transfers and a corresponding loss of funding, the schools make improvements both in how and what they teach. (MMU)

Shares experiences with coaching the Sixth-grade Math Olympiad Team in a middle school. Discusses the Olympiad and concludes that this activity is one way of providing mathematical experiences that have an enriching effect on young women and encourage their personal and mathematical growth. (ASK)