Examines four conceptual features of decent work essential to its achievement in a context of globalization: (1) an inclusive approach, (2) rights-based thinking, (3) placing work within a broad economic, political, and social context, and (4) extension of thinking from international to truly global. Contains 17 references. (JOW)

Discusses two trends that are occurring in the workplace: (1) the need for workers to take greater responsibility for their own employability and career development and (2) the death of the job as traditionally defined. Identifies employee career-development programs including those facilitating the movement of workers into a "dejobbed" workplace.…

Traces the expansion of human resource development (HRD) into spirituality. Identifies associated problems: contradiction between the purposes of spirituality and HRD, religious fundamentalism, invasion of privacy, potential for manipulation, coercion into the global economy, and simplistic and naive treatment of spiritual community. (SK)

Examines the relevancy of alternate graduate degrees in library support staff positions from the experiences of a library acquisitions manager. Discusses job duties; degree requirements; library appeal as a workplace; problems with overqualification; individualization of the job; and changes that could make support staff positions more…

Career development activities are being linked to business goals at Tektronix on the basis of the following principles: full truth, win-win, personnel confidentiality, and mandatory training and development. (JOW)

Examines the effectiveness of conversational skills instruction in increasing the integration of workers with severe disabilities in supported employment settings. Results demonstrate that conversation script instruction and questioning asking instruction both increased workers' social interactions. (Author/JOW)

Examines 94 Israeli elementary school principals's work behavior, using a structured observation technique. Principals exhibited certain work characteristics (brevity, variety, fragmentation) supported in other research. They differed from conventional job descriptions in demonstrating internally oriented social (but not political) inclinations,…

Created guidelines for stress management intervention by investigating the relationship of 12 factors with stress reactions and feelings of mastery among 826 Swedish teachers in 27 comprehensive schools. Teacher stress reactions were best predicted by perceived work demands, student misbehavior, and negative feedback, while mastery feelings were…

Explores perceived stress and job satisfaction among 36 primary British headteachers. Around half reported high levels of occupational stress; half were satisfied with their work. Highest satisfaction levels came from personal and organizational factors. School organization was a source of stress and satisfaction. Social support was perceived as…

Examines literacy and work in a high-performance workplace: a factory in South Africa. Conducts the study where workers have secure jobs and are part of a globalised enterprise with a declared policy of empowering workers. Shows that the employees commonly experience their workplace as a highly stressful environment where new learning and…

A study of 587 full-time faculty examined teaching practices and interpersonal climate of different departments using Holland's Environmental Identity Scale. Results supported the scale's reliability and discriminant validity but did not support the assumption that differences among workers in environments with clear identity are more pronounced…

A positive climate is characterized by a comfortable, orderly, and safe environment. A healthy culture exists when all stakeholders understand an organization's goals and purposes and work productively to achieve them. This article contrasts the "McSchool" (efficiency-celebrating) cultural model with the spaceship-discovery model,…

Defining and expanding diversity in the workplace may involve reassessment of the dominant workplace culture in libraries, in order to foster better understanding and more effective management, retention, and promotion of librarians of color. Highlights include a selected bibliography and a survey instrument that analyzes the dominant culture of a…

The major transformation of the economy is redefining work. A critical dimension of preparing workers is alignment of the educational process and the work process. Beyond content or basic skills, workers need interactive or context skills to cope with the chaotic environment of work. (SK)

In individual and group interviews, 14 retiring Scottish headteachers discussed their decision to apply for early retirement. Perceived pushes from the system included external pressures, job expansion/overload, bureaucracy, local authority support, loss of job satisfaction, and school relationships. Early retirement among these principals stemmed…