Milwaukee's school choice pilot program allows 1,000 of the city's poorest students to attend nonsectarian private schools with taxpayer-financed vouchers. Only 600 of Milwaukee's 98,000 public school students applied for vouchers, although 55,000 met income requirements. Only 400 slots were available for voucher students in the 7 participating…

Analysis of employment change data for 3,101 counties during recent national recession and recovery periods found that factors derived from human ecological theory (density, infrastructure age, unionization, labor force education, and crime rate) best predicted local competitive dynamics across all business-cycle phases. Contains 60 references.…

Argues that, although most economics textbooks' explanations of imperfect competition may involve three to five models, the concept can be taught using a single, simple model. Uses several business/economic examples as illustrations. (DB)

Fifteen questions about research policy at higher education institutions are posed. The questions address concerns about the credibility and integrity of institutions that perform research in the national interest and are intended to stimulate discussion by policymakers as the country enters a period of likely reductions in federal basic research…

Discusses a mathematics competition in which 18,000 pupils in the educational district of Orleans (France) participated. Describes objectives, including promoting collective work, and stimulating interest in mathematics and science. (DB)

Schools in England and Wales now operate within paraphernalia of a market system. Universalist, collectivist orientation of comprehensive education is being eroded by the development of a diverse, selective, competitive, and atomistic school system. This article summarizes results of interviews with 15 secondary headteachers concerning the market…

Examines trends identified in the American School Food Service Association's research-based "1998-2000 Strategic Plan." Forecasters are projecting that student enrollments will rise over the next five years, labor shortages will continue, competition from fast-food providers is increasing, food-service providers' roles are expanding, and…

Internet collaboration among laboratories allows scientists to work together at a distance, and will eventually enable researchers to examine microscope-produced images simultaneously and participate in meetings and seminars remotely. If the ventures succeed, the resulting technology will allow smaller institutions to cooperate more easily.…

Employing a simple enrollment-demand model, investigates the regional market environment of a private, church-related, comprehensive university. Finds a significant competitive threat coming from the private sector within the region, which raises the net price elasticity of demand for this institution to well above unity. (22 references) (MLH)

Evaluated the effectiveness of an educational game, "The Prosthodontic Olympics," to improve the speed of dental students in their performance of selected laboratory procedures. The students race to complete a procedure which is then judged for quality. Evaluation indicated participants increased their speed by as much as 50 percent without…

Discusses digital technology convergence and its effects on the information and entertainment industries and on public television. Highlights include media-based educational organizations and their place in the knowledge marketplace; relationships between content providers and their suppliers and customers; competition; distance and continuing…

Describes the history of the Physics Olympics, a set of a dozen physics-related competitions for high school students roughly modeled after a track meet. (WRM)

A study of 14 manufacturing firms found significantly better financial performance among those that strongly emphasized recruitment, compensation, and training and development (a human resource orientation). Human resource development that helped sustain competence combined with that orientation to form a valuable competitive advantage. (SK)

Introduces an interscholastic social studies competition designed for high school students by teachers at Sydney High School (Ohio). Briefly describes the game and the success that it found with regional high schools. Offers information for those interested in adopting the competition for their own local schools. (DSK)

Develops an analytical methodology for service organizations by examining four key cultural and managerial developments: understandings of markets and marketing held within the school; organizational responses to the market; use of analytical tools; and development of appropriate marketing strategies. Shows variations in schools' development of a…