Anthropologists and sociologists have found that technological innovators are more likely to find success when they: (1) recognize the group's unique identity; (2) assist the group in understanding and using the technology; (3) empathize with the group's environmental and cultural needs; and (4) empower the group to meet those needs. After…

To gather information for use in developing the curriculum of a new Corporate College executive training program, Hagerstown Junior College (HJC) conducted a study of management and leadership practices at five organizations in the western Maryland region. The study used focus group interviews with hourly employees to gather information from…

To obtain information from female school administrators about their career paths, mentoring, external barriers and strategies used to overcome them, and differences in attitude toward their careers since 5 years ago, 18 of 26 Pennsylvania administrators selected from a total population of 93 were interviewed. The women tended to follow staff…

Instructionally, schools tend to be "weakly normed" organizational systems in which teachers bring relatively little pressure upon each other to change and/or improve their classroom performance. Because teachers tolerate a wide range of behavior among their colleagues and are reluctant to offer criticism of each other, those responsibile for…

Pressures that have negatively affected the work environments of colleges are identified, and research concerning the work experience of faculty and administrators is reviewed. The effect of the extrinsic and intrinsic elements on faculty members' work is considered, including their power and autonomy, their relationships to the institution, and…

This summary of methods for improving the user-computer interface is based on a review of the pertinent literature. Requirements of the personal computer user are identified and contrasted with computer designer perspectives towards the user. The user's psychological needs are described, so that the design of the user-computer interface may be…

Two articles, one by George Strauss and the second by Peter Henle, examine worker dissatisfaction in the United States. The first article explores the causes of worker dissatisfaction. The second article looks at the economic situation for workers today and its effect on job satisfaction. (EJT)

These two articles discuss ways to humanize the work environment and process for the workers. The first article describes government approaches to the humanization of work. The second article discussed types of job enrichment. (EJT)

An attempt is made to assess the effect of human resource diversity in South Africa and provide strategies for managing such diverse institutions. A pilot study using questionnaires was conducted to determine the circumstances surrounding workforce diversity in a number of educational institutions. Thereafter, qualitative interviews provided…

This document reports on an analysis conducted to find out how white-collar workers have been affected by the latest developments in computerization and how current changes influence work organization, personnel training, and skills. The document consists of an introduction, seven chapters, and an 18-page bibliography. The first chapter examines…

Day care for children of working parents in the United States is labeled a "market failure" where supply and demand meet at a level that is substandard to almost all consumers. In this study of the issue of corporate child care, barriers to entry are discussed and a list is given of the range of service firms could consider. Among the barriers…

Poorly planned implementation of microcomputers has been shown to increase stress symptoms. Concerns have also been raised about the impact of new technology on the quality of the work environment. Programming expertise alone is not sufficient to prevent these problems. This paper therefore describes the role that psychologists can play in…

Abuse of alcohol and other drugs has affected the U.S. workplace, diminishing the nation's productivity, reducing its competitive advantage, and threatening the safety of its workers. Individual employees and their families have experienced tragic economic and emotional losses. Some public policies have been implemented, and some treatment…

Two studies examined the relationship between various indicators of communicative work dependency and response satisfaction. Work dependency is a structural variable that influences individual information processing needs, while response satisfaction is a relational variable pertaining to the communication climate of organizations. For Study One,…

Little attention has been given to how adults develop through their lifetimes and what roles their workplace environments play in that development. Research and theory regarding adult psychosocial development have confirmed the developmental life-cycle phases of adulthood. These are: leaving the family (ages 16-22), getting into the adult world…