THE NATURE OF THE RESEARCH ACTIVITIES OF 56 PROJECTS WAS REVIEWED TO FIND WHY USEFUL NEW KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROBLEMS WAS NOT RESULTING FROM THE PROGRAMS. ALSO ANALYZED WAS THE UTILITY OF FOLLOWUP STUDIES FOR GAINING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROJECTS. BOTH SUBJECTS OF INQUIRY WERE CONSIDERED AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE INTENT FOR THE PROGRAMS AND THE PROBLEMS OF RESEARCH INHERENT IN SERVICE-ORIENTED, AS OPPOSED TO RESEARCH, AGENCIES. AMONG THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WERE -- (1) MOST OF THE PROJECTS DID NOT ATTEMPT TO TEST TECHNIQUES OR HYPOTHESES PERTAINING TO TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT, (2) AT MOST, ONLY 9 OF THE 56 PROJECTS HAD ESTABLISHED CRITERIA BY WHICH TO JUDGE THEIR SUCCESS OR FAILURE, (3) THE DATA PRODUCED BY THE PROJECTS DOCUMENTED QUITE CLEARLY THE KIND OF CLIENTELE SERVED AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION BUT WERE MUCH LESS CLEAR ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CLIENTELE DURING TRAINING AND COUNSELING, (4) MOST PROJECTS CONCEIVED OF THEMSELVES AS SERVICE-RENDERING AGENCIES, (5) FOLLOWUP STUDIES CANNOT BE EFFECTIVELY USED TO EVALUATE THE SUCCESS AND FAILURE OF THE PROGRAMS, (6) THE GENERAL ORIENTATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES OF STAFF IN SERVICE-ORIENTED AGENCIES LIMIT THEIR ABILITIES TO CONDUCT MEANINGFUL RESEARCH, AND (7) IF RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE IS TO BE THE PRODUCT OF A PARTICULAR PROJECT, THEN RESEACH MUST HAVE PRIORITY SINCE BOTH RESEARCH AND CLIENT NEEDS CANNOT BE EFFICIENTLY SERVICED IN ONE OPERATION. (ET)