This report compares average rates of frequent teacher absence (more than 10 days) for teachers with and without union or union-like contracts in traditional public schools and charter schools. The study's rationale is that such absences substantively harm students and cost taxpayers billions of dollars. It finds that teachers contractually…

Purpose: For 40 years, it has been widely believed in the West that learning organisations would be healthier, flexible and more competitive than other organisations. By now, one might expect them to be widespread. However, fully developed learning organisations are rare in the West. In contrast, Chinese organisations seem naturally to be learning…

The decision to leave a successful career and great earning potential to start over as a novice with new surroundings and expectations is not made without consideration of a wide array of variables. Making the transition to higher education was not an easy one and the transition itself has presented various other challenges and joys that I have…

This article first summarizes literature that argues educators are highly stressed, as well as small but growing body of literature that indicates a contrary point of view. Then presents the outcomes of three studies conducted in New York State that indicate relatively low stress in school principals and teachers. Finally, it explores possible…

Faculty jobs have a remarkable degree of freedom compared to other jobs, but they have comparatively low salaries. The income difference between academic employment and employment in corporations, law firms, and medicine causes morale problems in faculties. (MLW)

This paper reviews research on the dynamics of school culture and environment and their effect on the quality of teaching and the effectiveness of schools. The way schools are, the corporate experience, and effective schools are explored. Recommendations, including roles for the business community, are offered. (MT)

The role that international businesses can play in local foreign language instruction is described based on experiences in teaching French at a women's college in Virginia. Personal contacts have brought French businessmen into the classroom and have provided students with an understanding of the relevance of their studies, provided an outreach…

Examination of the workplace as a learning environment reveals it is far from ideal and poses unique challenges to the practicum supervisor, especially when that role is assumed by a workplace supervisor. Specific interests of student and employee may not coincide, and the interests of both diverge from those of organizations and owners. (MSE)

Discussion of the evaluation of university faculty compares assessment that leads to judgment of performance (summative) and appraisal concerned with providing useful feedback (formative). Characteristics of each approach are considered, including purpose, criteria, review procedures, evaluators, recipients of results, timing, and follow-up.…

With changing social and economic realities, certain cultural differences in the management of Hispanic workers must be accepted and accommodated in the American workplace, where the scientific approach to management is the general rule. The scientific view of management is hardly accepted by Latin Americans whose management philosophy is more…

Hiring and retaining more women provides numerous important advantages to law enforcement agencies. Research conducted in the United States and internationally has clearly documented that following facts: (1) female officers are as competent as their male counterparts and even excel in certain areas of police performance; (2) female officers are…

The question of why some employers opt to lay off current workers and hire new workers with different skills while other employers retrain and retain their workers was examined. First, the literature on employer-provided training and the role of social capital in the workplace was reviewed. Next, data from a 1994 national employers survey of firms…

Relatively little research has focused on how organizational culture and existing methods of evaluating the job performance of minority ethnic groups have contributed to exclusion from, and discrimination in, the workplace or on how organizations can address these issues. The evidence suggests the existence of a widespread tendency in…