This paper assesses the impact of business practices on higher education institutional research activities. Institutions who have been implementing total quality management practices are gradually adopting a new method, process redesign, which focuses more on how to achieve improvements using less costly research methods and procedures. This study…

This manual is designed to provide primary health care program managers with guidance on how to use cost analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis as tools to achieve better understanding and management of resource flows. Although it has been prepared primarily for program managers at national, regional, and district levels, other health…

This technical paper is one of three produced by a large-scale effort aimed at implementing a new approach to measuring productivity, and using that approach to assess the impact of feedback, goal setting, and incentives on productivity. The productivity measurement system was developed for five units in the maintenance and supply areas at an Air…

To draw comparisons for assessing transportation costs and developing recommendations for legislative action in New York, this study compares school transportation policies and practices that may be related to differences in transportation costs in eight states having the largest public school enrollments for 1980. Data were obtained from existing…

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)--through the explicit and implicit shelter allowance provided under Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and General Assistance--spends at least $10 billion a year on housing assistance, or about as much as the Department of Housing and…

The results of a survey of the alumni of the class of 1981 of Arizona's three public universities are presented as part of the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness. A letter and survey form were sent to all alumni in this class, and the response rate was good to excellent. Findings…

One of the working papers in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness, this document looks at ways to approach future changes in Arizona, focusing on how they will affect the higher education needs of the state. It is important to consider long term outlooks in order to better…

Two major areas of concern to vocational education are cost benefit and job and task analysis. In recent years vocational education has broadened its outlook in terms of general human development, but the historical context of vocational education and concerns for accountability require evaluation of vocational education programs to consider cost…

The Department of Agriculture's program for purchasing and distributing commodities for the school lunch program was reviewed in 15 school districts, one very large, one medium sized, and one small school district in each of five states--California, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The objectives of the review were to (1) assess the…

Describes a program in Hillsborough County, Florida, where optical scanners are being used in the schools to grade minimum performance tests. States that the system helps teachers identify students' needs more efficiently. Argues that the system will improve students' scores on the state performance tests given later in the year. (TW)

The purpose of this study is to evaluate, from a national perspective, the impact and outcomes of market reform in vocational education and training (VET), particularly the introduction of competitive tendering and "user choice". It does so by examining the structure, composition and dynamics of contestable or "quasi-markets"…

Educators who do not learn to use computers and the information highway in the classroom may be depriving themselves and their students of opportunities to access information and develop skills. This article describes how K-12 and higher education teachers should approach and use technology for management, collaboration, and conferencing. Software…

While the changes facing dental education are greater than ever, skillful planning will allow appropriate response. This will require reevaluation of faculty costs and resources. Cost containment measures could include early retirement programs, decreasing underutilized staff, and maximizing productivity. Income increases could be realized through…

The design and results of a program to support writing and, by extension, research among new college faculty (n=16) are reported. The strategy emphasized six components of writing (motivation, imagination, fluency, control, audience, and resilience), and was found to help participants meet goals for improvement (more articles accepted in refereed…

Based on case studies of Mexican private and public universities, a study used economic development theory to describe institutional strategies for responding to financial stress. Concepts of institutional rules and myths in institutional environment and processes were used to explore the role of institutional environment on decision making.…