Many organizations believe that their long-range planning problems are due to daily demands for time and resources, but it is suggested that, in fact, they are merely poor long-range planners. Evaluation of work environment; action-agenda group; organization needs, goals, and objectives; and implementing objectives are discussed. (MLW)

Employment prospects for young adults over the next 15 years are summarized, with focus on fewer employment opportunities, more changes in work content and organization, and intense competition. Adaptability and capacity to transfer skills are seen to be of increasing importance. (MLW)

Though telecommuting has been found to increase employee productivity as much as 20%, not all employers and workers embrace the concept. This article examines the pros and cons of telecommuting by presenting case studies of remote employment and a self-owned business. Provides a bibliography of print and nonprint resources for remote working and a…

Results of a survey of 15 directors of large libraries revealed a consensus that despite their adversarial roles and the time and effort it takes to make the relationship work, unions are worth the trouble. Highlights include who runs the library, rewarding mediocrity, salaries, team versus individual, race, negotiating roles, and changes needed.…

Discusses the state of outsourcing in American libraries. Highlights include objectives (to reduce cost, increase the quality of service, and achieve a better price/performance objective); operations that can be outsourced; pros and cons; changes in the way library personnel view their work; outsourcing in special, public, academic, and federal…

Surveyed 229 American and 339 Canadian correctional officers so as to ascertain cross cultural similarities and differences. Results indicate that most of the similarities related to attitudes toward correctional work, such as job satisfaction, custody orientation, and quality of working life. Differences were related to administrative practices…

School administrators today must learn on the job and develop new skills while providing instructional leadership every day. Leaders must accept and adapt new theories and allow themselves to grow. Ultimately, it is the school leaders' responsibility to match skills to the needs of every student. (MLF)

Lists documents and videotapes recently entered into the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) and ECER (Exceptional Child Education Resources) databases that address the issue of enhancing the social competence of adolescents with disabilities at school and at work. Each listing includes a description of the content of the material. (CR)

Examined the job satisfaction levels of American and international college and university media specialists. Discusses findings in terms of the work itself, human relations and related policies, and the physical-economic environment. An average level of "general satisfaction" was found, and the greatest differences in job satisfaction…

Donald Secreast, author of two collections of stories about life in Appalachia, discusses how his experiences growing up in Lenoir, North Carolina; his parents' lives as factory workers; and his escape into academia influenced his writing. His work presents "place" as a far more complex and conflicted reality of Appalachia than do other…

Presents comments spoken at a human rights conference by Han Dongfang, a Chinese activist who was jailed after an attempt to organize China's first independent union from a tent in Tiananmen Square during the democracy movement. Today, he is barred from the mainland but works from Hong Kong through Radio Free Asia. Comments focus on foreign…

Used the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Early Childhood Work Environment Survey to identify workplace predictors of burnout in 137 female child-care providers in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Found that age, decision making, and goal consensus were the only significant predictors of burnout, suggesting the need to balance the freedom of persons to make…

Discusses diversity in the workplace and offers guidelines for practitioners in designing, developing, and implementing diversity training. Highlights include linking the diversity initiative to the organization's mission, cultural climate assessments, reviewing policies and procedures, needs assessment, learner analysis, establishing objectives,…

Assesses the impact of technology on privacy. Discusses electronic monitoring of people in the workplace; interception and reading of e-mail messages; merging of databases which contain personal information; rise in the number of hackers; and the development of software that makes the decoding of digital information virtually impossible. Presents…

The Reggio Emilia approach to education reveals new ways for promoting children's academic learning; offers documentation as a tool for studying, sharing, and planning children's education experiences; and provokes a new way to think about the role of the teacher. (Contains 17 references.) (MLF)