In 1992, questionnaires regarding the training and work organization practices were mailed to a random sample of 4,000 Oregon employers, and focus groups were held with 100 Oregon managers/employers. The main findings from the completed questionnaires (43% response rate) were as follows: most Oregon employers do not plan for training or treat it as an investment; managerial/administrative and professional/technical employees receive the most and greatest variety of training; most training is provided by in-house training departments, external training vendors/consultants, or industry/trade/professional groups; public job training programs, apprenticeship programs, and labor unions are among the least frequently used training providers; and most of the 3% of Oregon employers who have implemented high performance practices have encountered significant employee skill deficiencies in so doing. The following were identified as challenges facing Oregon: engage employers in promoting competitiveness through high performance work organization; cultivate public-private partnerships; develop policies encouraging/sustaining a high-skill/high-wage economy; continue reforms/improvements in public education and training; and continue to measure progress toward achieving training and high performance benchmarks. (Appended are the following: mail survey instrument and results, focus group protocol, and rating scale benchmarks. Contains 41 references.) (MN)