Weak links among research, education, and extension often result from their informal nature, national agriculture policy environment, and funding shortages. An integrative systems approach can strengthen links to improve agriculture technology systems. (SK)

Human resource development (HRD) is an evolving system, a confluence of disciplines with its own professional identity. Understanding HRD as an evolving system enables professional practice and theory development to emerge within the context of existing taxonomies. (SK)

Describes an approach used at Seattle Pacific University to provide school counseling students with a systemic perspective for delivering guidance and counseling services to schools. Suggests ways this type of learning experience could be adapted by school counselors to enhance school- and district-wide collaboration in implementing and managing a…

Traditional short-term vocational rehabilitation approaches should be replaced by a career development model based on systems theory. In the model, initial counselor interventions for career exploration, decision making, enhancement, and job realization yield to client independence in career self-management, which better supports long-term…

Call center staff answered calls in 4 treatments: alignment job design (n=35), autonomous work teams (n=35), high-involvement work processes (n=43), and controls (n=36). Job satisfaction improved in alignment job design and high-involvement treatments, most significantly in the latter. Skill level and attitude toward autonomous work might have…

The discussion of the use of systematic job evaluation to determine the value of each campus job and allocation of resources looks at employee perceptions and credibility; alternative methods; selecting and weighting compensable factors; validity and reliability; the computer's role; and job evaluation as a management tool. (MSE)

Presents an overview of the mass storage market and discusses mass storage systems as part of computer networks. Systems for personal computers, workstations, minicomputers, and mainframe computers are described; file servers are explained; system integration issues are raised; and future possibilities are suggested. (LRW)

Discusses the trend in academic debate on policy questions toward a wide acceptance of counterplans, encouraging combinations of proposals which appear at face value able to coexist but upon deeper analysis are incompatible. Argues in opposition to this trend by applying concepts from general systems theory to competition. (KEH)

This paper describes the training and development (T&D) profession, discusses problems in proposing a field of practice for it, and proposes a specific field of practice for T&D. It provides an impetus for continued discussion. (Author)

It is ironic that we have coined a phrase "wilderness" to describe a natural state devoid of people, but we have no word to describe a natural state that includes people. A new word, "natominess", is offered that incorporates the notion of balance between humans and nature on a global scale. (TD)

Discusses modern educational technology, including postmodernism; deconstruction; the Shannon-Weaver Model for telecommunication apparatus and the epistemology of educational technology; the systems approach; and possible demands of postmodern educational technology, including technoscience, instructional design issues, and cultural aspects.…

Compares community substance abuse programs that have worked with some that have not by applying principles from complex systems theory and ideas from learning communities. (JOW)

Discusses ethical concerns of information science professionals from two viewpoints: concerns of practitioners and the information industry, including a prototype for ethical contexts and principles for ethical actions; and concerns of theoreticians and researchers, including system principles and ideological, political, and social frameworks.…

Wimbiscus enhances Rummler and Brache's model for improving organizational performance by defining nine performance variables and integrating the model with scholars' views of three human resource development elements: organizations, process, and job/performer. Brache and Rummler respond to parts of Wimbiscus' critique. (SK)

Derived from a committee report prepared for the American Mental Health Counselor's Association, a new definition of professional counseling is presented. Generated from a developmental lifespan foundation, special attention is given to multicultural issues, a broad array of services, and a network approach to service delivery. Implications of…