Alternative work patterns are work schedules that allow employees to select the hours and length of their workweeks. Reasons for choosing alternative work patterns include transportation considerations, participation in outside activities, ability to work better during certain hours, child care, and household commitments. Examples of alternative…

Quality circles are part of the movement to provide workers with increased autonomy, responsibility, and authority. Key elements of quality circles are the characteristics of their members, volunteer participation, regular meetings, training, problem identification, and solution implementation. The theoretical bases of quality circles include:…

Questionnaires were completed by 96 editorial cartoonists and by 67 of their newspaper editors in a study of the journalistic autonomy and decision making participation of the cartoonist. It was hypothesized that (1) editors and cartoonists would agree on the cartoonist's role, and (2) cartoonists and their editors would differ significantly in…

To investigate the role of newspaper executives in influencing reporters' political perceptions and coverage of political news, a study examined whether reporters and their executives tend to hold similar views on major domestic and foreign policy issues. Two instruments were developed: a 45-card Q-deck containing liberal, conservative, and…

The traditional approach to collective bargaining as a win/loss situation in the educational field adversely affects staff members' confidence, security, and morale. Typically, those involved in this form of negotiation see only two ways to negotiate: soft and hard. Neither approach proves satisfactory because the soft negotiator often ends up…

Questions and issues critical to an understanding of arbitration in higher education are discussed. Aspects of the academic arbitration model are defined. The following four topics are examined: (1) the procedural similarities and differences between academic arbitration and the industrial model; (2) the possible inherent conflict between academic…

Employees who "blow the whistle" on their company because they believe it is engaged in practices that are illegal, immoral, or harmful to the public, often face grave consequences for their actions, including demotion, harassment, forced resignation, or termination. The case of Allan McDonald and Roger Boisjoly, engineers who blew the…

The similarity between supervisors and subordinates has been shown to influence the attitudes and behavior of both. This study examines three perspectives of similarity: (1) accuracy of perceived instrumentalities; (2) actual and perceived personal similarity of background perspective; and (3) person-environment fit. These perspectives were…

Some of the more frequently asked questions about employing refugees in the United States are answered in this booklet. Information on working papers and hiring procedures is given, as well as suggestions for making the training process easier. The employer/employee relationship is discussed and possible areas of misunderstanding are noted. For…

This paper describes two methodologies designed to address deficiencies in training literature, i.e., procedures which empirically evaluate the content validity of training programs, and strategies linking training programs to needs reassessment and program redesign. In section 1, a methodology for establishing the job relatedness of a police…

Quality circles, small groups of employees working voluntarily toward performance improvement, have become a popular business strategy in the past decade. When effective, the quality circle may be linked directly to the increased productivity of the work group. The quality circle process may be divided into four components: identification and…

A survey was completed by 248 North Carolinian companies in a study conducted to determine the extent to which businesses have responded to recent theories on Japanese management principles and communication technologies. The five areas of the survey focused on (1) characteristics of the respondent and organization, (2) communication and decision…

A reasonable definition of exploitation is an unjust or improper use of another person for one's own profit or advantage. Exploitation predates the age of industry; it is not the sole province of industry and business. Worker responses to exploitation in the evolving industrial democracy have taken the form of labor unions, political clubs, credit…

A study investigated whether people in organizations desired more information related to their jobs or the organization. Specifically, it tested the hypotheses that (1) people who felt they were receiving adequate information would not want more information, and (2) people who felt they were receiving inadequate information would desire more.…

This handbook provides seven hours of training in human relations skills for employers and social workers dealing with transitional black women (the population of women who are underemployed, unemployed, undereducated, poor, or unaware of educational or occupational opportunities available to them). The workshops are designed to allow employers…