To obtain information on workplace diversity initiatives and programs, 12 diversity experts were interviewed. Participants identified organizational and individual barriers to the advancement of diverse groups in the workplace. The following factors were most likely to influence diversity in the workplace: demographic changes, global marketplace,…

Three evaluations analyzed program characteristics and participant results in work force education and coordination in Washington State. The Employment Security Department's evaluation of Job Training Partnership Act Titles II and III looked for an association between participant characteristics and the type of training they receive and between…

The vocational education and training (VET) profession in Australia is confronted with a radical reconstruction, not only in terms of the new work VET professionals are expected to perform but also in terms of the new culture and professional roles that have emerged out of the diversifying sites of professional practice. Reasons for the shift in…

This report summarizes the results of a project conducted to document the skills and behaviors that have been identified as essential for a work force facing the challenges of global competition in an environment of rapidly changing markets. The workplace competencies and foundation skills defined in "Skills and Tasks for Jobs: A SCANS…

This document contains three papers on organizational values. "Understanding the Work Beliefs of Nonprofit Executives through Organizational Stories" (Ava S. Wilensky, Carol D. Hansen) reports on a study during which qualitative interviews featuring a story component established that nonprofit executives constitute a diffuse managerial…

This symposium on executive and management development consists of three presentations. "The Role of the Chief Learning Officer: Implications for Human Resource Development (HRD) Theory and Practice" (Robin Lackey) reports findings that suggest a need for a clarification of the role of these leaders and have led to the identification of…

Expanding upon a report presented to the International Labor Organization (ILO), this book documents the current world employment situation, including how it has fallen short, how current economic policies interact with world employment, and how improvements can be made. Chapter one, "The Commitment to Full Employment," describes how the…

A study examined the extent to which the issues of business ethics and corporate social responsibility are becoming pertinent among the United Kingdom workforce. A self-completion questionnaire sought views on a range of issues relating to employment and asked about perceptions of individual companies/organizations on work and ethical issues.…

This book discusses the causes and impact of global skill shortages, focusing on data from skill shortages measured in the period 1995-1998 in 19 developed and emerging economies. Chapter one contains a brief introduction. Chapter two is a review of theoretical literature on skill shortages, including static and dynamic shortages, efficiency wage…

A study examined the role of technology in the European Union's (EU's) economy and its impacts on employment. Starting point was Technology and Employment Maps of the FUTURES project that identified main emerging technological developments (TDs) and their implications for employment. Technologies' potential impact on productivity growth and…

Political and economic upheavals in the 1990s have left their mark on adult education. A major source of change is globalization of the capitalist economy and its restructuring, which make extraordinary demands on education, particularly adult education. Lifelong learning has become an ideological distraction shifting the burden of increasing…

This report covers a study of barriers for older workers in obtaining and benefitting from training and innovative policies to remove them. After an introduction, Chapter 2 reviews literature on incidence and determinants of older workers' participation in training; barriers to training; and employer and government initiatives to enhance older…

In 1998, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) established the DoD Office of the Chancellor for Education and Professional Development. Although achieving its mission requires that the chancellor's office influence the education and professional development providers' behavior, its charter grants it very limited formal authority to exercise such…

The 1990s have brought about many changes in Estonian society, economy, and social sphere that have necessitated reorganization and development of the vocational education and training (VET) system. A shortage of dialog between private enterprises and vocational education institutions has left schools unable to analyze and meet skill requirements…

This document contains three papers from a symposium on images of human resource development (HRD) that was conducted as part of a conference on HRD. "Analyzing HRD through Metaphor: Why, How, and Some Likely Findings" (Darren C. Short) examines the question of what the uses of metaphor in HRD say about how those in the field view the…