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This article discusses the place of the survey as one approach to human resource strategic planning. Viewed as a simple, efficient and effective approach to be used in the overall strategic planning process, the survey may produce desirable results that would be acceptable to all involved. It also provides opportunities to many individuals in the organisation to become directly or indirectly involved in the planning process, a phenomenon that is increasing in importance to management and non‐management people.

Industrial psychologists are increasingly being asked to consult with organisations on the management of change. This article describes a case and the implications for professional practice in this area of managerial psychology.

Fifty eight per cent of reporting companies have a shortage of skilled workers and 64 per cent of manufacturers believe entry‐level workers lack the necessary skills to positively impact their company. The most recent reports estimate that employers spend around one per cent of payroll on training. Lack of investment in training is an often‐cited reason why companies in the USA. are losing market share to foreign competitors. This study provides data regarding the extent to which training is conducted, formally and informally, in a sample of small businesses. According to the results of the study and a review of current literature, employees need training in a variety of areas and are not receiving adequate training in today’s small business environment. The study specifically includes information with respect to: (1) the types of training that small business owners believe they need to be more successful; (2) the various training methods currently used in training both employees and managers; and (3) the primary training resources used by the small businesses. The study was intended not only to determine what is happening in training and development in small businesses, but also to make owner‐managers more aware of the importance of training to their long‐term success. If owner‐managers of small businesses worldwide both read and apply the results of the study to their own individual small businesses, they could be expected to increase the level of their training programmes and change their overall attitude towards the importance of training.

This study investigates whether or not student’s performance, self‐efficacy, and satisfaction are enhanced by the use of an enterprise system as a support tool for learning business process and enterprise systems concepts. The study compares three instructional delivery methods. A traditional instruction method (lecture format plus reading/exercises) serves as the control. The second and third instructional methods are computer‐based methods. In the second method, students receive traditional lecture format with full access to hands‐on an enterprise system transaction exercise. In the third method, students receive traditional lecture format, but also have full access to simulated hands‐on an enterprise system via Web transaction exercises (i.e. ScreenCam movies). A statistically significant difference between‐instructional methods effect is found. Post hoc analysis showed that the simulated hands‐on instruction group’s performance score was significantly higher than that of the control group. There were no other statistically significant differences found, but practical considerations at this learning environment are discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to present an approach to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities required by a job market by systematically analyzing classified advertisements of position openings. It suggests appropriate methodological techniques to conduct such a study and compares these to traditional methods.

While this paper discusses several methods used to assess the skill, knowledge, and ability (SKA) needs in the marketing research industry, it focuses on a new approach: content analysis. Content analysis is a systematic and an objective qualitative research technique used to identify the needs of hiring firms through the analysis of classified advertisements of position openings in marketing research. These openings (listings available online and through print classified advertisements) can be examined for the general and specific marketing research skills and knowledge areas identified as critical workplace competencies for employers.

Content analysis is an alternative, or supplemental method, not meant to replace, but rather to enhance other methods of assessing the industry's SKA needs.

Human resource managers and personnel responsible for developing professional training and development programs will also benefit from these findings. Assessment results can also be useful in designing marketing research programs, adjusting existing marketing research curricula, and enhancing marketing research career service development efforts.

While content analysis has previously been used to assess advertisements, this is a unique application of the method which adds objectivity to marketplace assessment.

United Kingdom employers in recently privatized and public sector organizations are relying heavily on management training as an intervention mechanism to increase employee productivity. A survey of south‐west organizations confirmed this increase in training activity. Managers, however, did not feel participation in training had contributed towards improving their performance. Respondents felt their organizations should give higher priority to other actions such as increased staff resources and better internal communication systems. Presents an Organizational Performance Policy Matrix which permits employers to determine whether restructuring of managerial roles or training has the potential to increase productivity.

This research intends to establish a model integrating the related theories in strategy management and competency in the HRM field, and to develop a systematic tool that can help a company quickly and precisely identify its core competency.

An internal value activity chain is obtained through analyzing customers' needs. The priority of the activities is then determined via examining external factors. The critical competency needed by the activity is abstracted from a process and operation analysis. Standardized procedures and tools for applying the Process Oriented Core Competency Identification (POCCI) model are sequentially deployed.

An empirical case was illustrated that the POCCI model not only helps a company identify the core competency that prevails over alternative approaches but also draws more recognition from the raters. The linkage between individual competency and organizational competitive advantage was solidified by the POCCI model and evidenced by an empirical case.

Misunderstanding over competency items might impede the consensus formation. A handbook of standardized procedures with unified definition is strongly suggested to facilitate the progression of competency identification.

The model, procedures and tools proposed in this paper can help most companies quickly and precisely identify their specific core competencies.

The POCCI model that emphasizes interdisciplinary integration and practical usage has never been thoroughly investigated in the previous literature and could serve as a prototype for further explorations.

To illustrate how the interdependence among four championing factors, five antecedents, and four moderators affect companies' efforts in valuing the adult learner in e‐learning.

A literature review was conducted to identify the championing factors, antecedents, and moderators that can assist teams in designing e‐learning that values the adult learner. A conceptual model was designed based on the identified factors. The paper provides a description of each factor and provides insight on how the championing factors, antecedents, and moderators are interdependent in valuing the adult learner.

Engagement, learning, and transfer are major outcomes that can be achieved via e‐learning if desirable championing factors, antecedents, and moderators are adhered. Championing factors include leadership, learning culture, technology infrastructure, and finance. Influencing antecedents include needs assessment, learning analysis, work setting analysis, work analysis, content analysis, and task analysis. Moderators include return on investment, learning theory application, technology, and creativity.

The antecedents, moderators, and outcomes discussed reflect a conceptual model that can be used to guide e‐learning teams in their attempts to value adult learners in their e‐learning designs.

While educational theorists and practitioners have provided a body of literature related to valuing adults in school settings, little investigation has been done in corporate contexts. This conceptual model is important to e‐learning teams within corporate settings as it provides an opportunity for critical reflection on how the adult learner can be valued in their e‐learning efforts.

The selling of wines is usually performed by a sommelier in the context of an upmarket restaurant. However, many restaurants cannot afford to employ a sommelier and must rely on the food and beverage service personnel to assist customers with the selection of wine. The food and beverage service personnel are generally not qualified to do this. Restaurants usually do not provide training with regard to wine knowledge, wine service skills and wine selling skills. The purpose of this paper was to establish whether wine service training had an influence on the wine sales of a restaurant.

A quasi-experimental research design used two restaurants from the same franchise. One restaurant was the control group while the other was the experimental group. Wine sales were monitored and recorded for a period of three months, the second month being used for the training intervention of the experimental group.

Although the results were not statistically significant, the results indicated that wine service training increased the wine sales in the restaurant of the experimental group.

This study contributes to the literature in the South African hospitality sector and establishes that wine service training is a necessity for wine sales to explore further in the restaurant industry.

The purpose of this research is to present evaluation findings from the National Public Health Leadership Institute (PHLI) regarding how the curriculum's learning methods work singly and together to produce outcomes for learners and their organizations.

Six months after graduation from PHLI, four recent cohorts of PHLI graduates were asked to report overall reactions to PHLI by using an online survey. The survey consisted of quantitative questions about key leadership behaviors taught in the program and the usefulness of PHLI's five learning methods as well as qualitative questions about changes in understanding, skill, practices, and outcomes.

The evaluation survey yielded a 66 percent response rate (n=133). PHLI's learning methods are interrelated and lead to such outcomes as changed leadership understanding, knowledge and skill development, increased confidence, increased self‐awareness, leadership practice changes, and organizational results. The learning project was strongly associated with development of collaborations, whereas assessment tools and coaching were most often associated with increased self‐awareness.

These preliminary findings support the idea that particular learning methods are related to specific outcomes. However, graduates often integrate information and skills from multiple methods to achieve outcomes. Future research should investigate whether the associations identified in this evaluation are present in other leadership development programs.

This is the first published evaluation that has attempted to link specific learning methods with outcomes for participants of a public health leadership development program.