In this paper, a model and tool is proposed to assist universities and other mission-based organisations to ascertain systematically the optimal portfolio of projects, in any year, meeting the organisations risk tolerances and available funds. The model and tool presented build on previous work on university operations and decision support systems…

"Strategic Planning in Higher Education" unveils a comprehensive approach to planning that has proved successful at Rutgers University. The SPHE framework, developed by authors Tromp and Ruben, provides a blueprint for planning--a step-by-step approach that guides leaders on strategic thinking; helps them align organizational goals with…

There's a lot of work happening all over the country to "turnaround" schools. Federal stimulus programs, including Title 1 Improvement Grants and Race to the Top, have caused many states and school systems to focus on how to address schools trapped in a cycle of failure and "turn them around." On the school level, there are…

Increasing rates of childhood obesity has prompted calls for comprehensive approaches to school-based physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) development and related contextual issues within a rural Appalachian county using a Systems Approach. A…

Discussion of the appropriate use of instruction and training for performance problems in developing countries highlights a case study of an unsuccessful instructional project in South America. The importance of front-end analysis and a needs assessment are emphasized, and the sociotechnical systems theory (STS) of organizational development is…

This alternative model for identifying, diagnosing, and treating organizational needs identifies the basic elements of organizations, determines gaps between what is and what should be for each element, and allows interventions which are internally and externally consistent and successful. Common tools for closing these gaps are described. (MBR)

Discusses Computer Sciences Corporation's (CSC) philosophy, objectives, and management principles which provide framework for its training and development programs; describes CSC's corporate and division-level training and development programs; presents a case study of one division-level course's development, implementation, and evaluation; and…

A General Policy Systems Theory is outlined and its application at a university in regard to governance in the face of retrenchment is described. The way that this model of nonrigorous but holistic research supports the Purpose, Target, Results (PTR) strategy and is in turn more useful than either operations research/management or science/systems…

This book details the work required at the outset of all efforts designed to improve an organization's performance at the organization, process, and/or individual levels. The book is divided into four parts that are devoted to the following aspects of conducting the systematic diagnostic analysis required to improve performance: (1) analysis as…

This book, which is designed for human resource (HR) practitioners, details the principles and applications of succession planning, shows how succession planning is conducted, and explains its place in relation to other HR processes and business priorities. The introduction describes the book's intended audience and provides a brief overview of…

This document contains four symposium papers on assessing employee performance. In "Influence of Liking and Similarity on Multi-rater Proficiency Ratings of Managerial Competencies" (Reid A. Bates), the pattern of correlations identified between raters, independent variables, and different competencies suggests that raters may react…

The paper compares aspects of decision making in health and education in the United States and Great Britain from 1890-1970. The major purpose is to demonstrate variety in the degree of centralization within the two policy areas during this period. Centralization is defined as the degree to which all resources of a given type are controlled by one…

Efforts to integrate the delivery of human service programs (HSP) in Colorado's El Paso County and Mesa County were examined through site visits and meetings with 34 members of HSP staff in both counties. The site visits confirmed that staff and management of HSP in both counties have implemented a series of client-centered processes to provide…

This document contains three papers from a symposium on standards and certification in human resource development (HRD). "Implementing Management Standards in the UK" (Jonathan Winterton, Ruth Winterton) reports on a study that explored the implementation of management standards in 16 organizations and identified 36 key themes and…

This document reports on a European Training Foundation Advisory Forum study of vocational education and training (VET) and retraining in the regions of the European Union (EU) that synthesized overviews of the general country situations regarding the territorial organization of the VET system and policy and relevant case studies concerning…