Nursing managers have tried a number of systems to increase employee participation, and quality circles seem to be the most promising method currently available. Describes effective implementation techniques within a nursing organization. (JOW)

The theory of participative management is sound, but in practice it has been misunderstood. Three common problems are that some managers (1) often view the technique as an exclusive tool, (2) confuse it with democratization, and (3) consciously or unconsciously manipulate the process for their own benefit. (SK)

Explores factors that reinforce the division between college faculty and administrators and discusses processes that can minimize the divide. Offers lessons learned from participation in the Associated New American Colleges (ANAC) Faculty Work Project. (EV)

Examines relationship between principal leadership styles and attitudes toward sharing decision-making with teachers within the context of state-mandated site-based decision-making in Texas. Finds among other things that a principal's collaborative leadership style increases with experience and adaptability. (Contains 34 references.) (PKP)

Presents five strategies (incorporating a strategic plan, shared decision-making, special topic seminars, a community project, and educator seminars) designed to reduce high school student alienation within months and produce long-term effects on students, teachers, and administrators. Cooperation is the key to success. Includes six references.…

Such innovations as employee stock ownership plans, profit sharing, labor-management committees, quality circles, and work redesign appear to be more popular now than in the past. Research on the impact of these programs suggests that they have negligible or short-lived effects. (JOW)

Examines the experience of worker participation and finds that the tendency is for such programs to weaken unions and limit workers' power in significant ways. (JOW)

The working alliance is that sector of the experience of counseling participants characterized by their collaboration, mutuality, and cooperation with the work of counseling. Discusses the dimensions of the working alliance, counselor and client contributions to it, and perceptions of others about it, and reviews obstacles to building the…

The Australian Workplace Industrial Relations Survey of 2,353 companies showed sporadic employee participation in decision making. Although case studies of Ford Motor, Australia Post, Lend Lease, Telecom Australia, and Woodlawn Mining illustrate successful programs, most managers appear cautious about industrial democracy. (SK)

Today's participatory work cultures are moving power down through organizations. Many of them empower self-directed work teams (SDTs) with the responsibility for managing themselves and their work. Key issues in building successful SDTs include selecting team players, training for success, and rewarding team performance. (JOW)

Mainstream development is obsessed with material goods, considers humans superior to nature, disempowers women, centralizes resources, and reduces diversity. Sustainable development seeks harmony with nature, is people oriented, focuses on basic needs of all, decentralizes resources, and requires participatory rather than representative democracy.…

Pacific Gas and Electric's employee involvement program aggressively focuses on customer service, performance measurement tied to management bonuses, and commitment to change in the organizational culture. (SK)

Describes Boulder Valley (Colorado) School District's development of a portfolio approach focusing on the administrator's leadership role in improving school success, rather than individual evaluation. The process features stakeholder collaboration in goal-setting and appraisal of school success, concentration on learning and teaching activities,…

Unless unions can gain a greater role in decision making on the content of work, they risk losing members to management-controlled participation schemes. (JOW)

Discusses the development of evaluation's collective capacity and offers an analysis of ways members of the evaluation community can work to build collective strength. These include better efforts to educate evaluation clients. (SLD)