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The need to maintain up-to-date technological skills despite an aging workforce makes it imperative that organizations increasingly focus on retraining older employees. This article develops an adult career model based on the acquisition of technological skills and gradual skill obsolescence. The model suggests the importance of retraining and provides practical implications to the development of retraining programs. Suggestions for future research are also offered.

This paper questions the validity of traditional scientific method for the study of human learning and proposes five postulates for the advancement of a conversational science. It considers how an evolving capacity for lifelong learning has been constrained by inappropriate research methods and educational practice leading to a learning deficit in the population. Over 25 years of action research offers solid evidence for the humanisation of science as a conversational research process which respects the individual as a unique meaning constructing, self‐organising learning (SOL) entity. A learning conversation pedagogy which enables learners to act as personal scientists and action researchers and a SOL Systems Seven for a community of action researchers is outlined. Finally, the paper considers how SOL entities can function as catalysts for new forms of ORDER with a potential for the emergence of a new species of learning and of being human.

As occupational applications of repertory grid technique continue to grow, there is a need for a method of analysis which can be carried out as conveniently by hand as by computer, particularly in the field of human resource development. This article describes such a method, a cluster analysis called “Focus”, and outlines some applications in personnel and training work by means of an annotated algorithm.

Investigates “empowerment” and its relevance to management and organizations. Discusses in detail the advantages and disadvantages of empowerment and disempowerment. Business organizations are set up so that no one is totally empowered nor totally disempowered. Shows various stages of empowered and disempowered people and cultures to enable further progress and concludes that clarifying, coaching and counselling individuals is the progressive way to go.

Investigates “empowerment” and its relevance to management and organizations. Discusses in detail the advantages and disadvantages of empowerment and disempowerment. Business organizations are set up so that no one is totally empowered nor totally disempowered. Shows various stages of empowered and disempowered people and cultures to enable further progress and concludes that clarifying, coaching and counselling individuals is the progressive way to go.

The Repertory Grid Technique [Repgrid] is an excellent way of discovering people's attitudes or beliefs. In this article I shall show you how to use the technique to conduct an attitude survey. I have used it scores of times in this way to conduct surveys on a small and large scale. The particular survey I am going to recount in this article was a medium sized one with 73 people taking part. I have chosen to use this as an example because • this particular survey was designed to establish management training needs rather than for any other purpose. If I can show you how to use the Repgrid in this context it may be extra helpful in getting you started. • the 73 Repgrids were processed manually. I have conducted larger surveys and had the results processed by computer. In this case I was especially interested to discover how feasible manual processing was. I therefore kept records of how long different stages took and will include this information in this article. Just a bit of background. The survey was commissioned by a successful manufacturing organisation who were interested in moving from autocratic to more consultative/participative ways of managing. There was some previous history of in‐company management training, particularly at foreman and supervisory levels, but none aimed specifically at developing people skills. The organisation, some four thousand strong, had a reputation for putting people under pressure but paying them over the odds. They had tight control procedures with daily reporting systems. Managers right up to the top were expected to know in detail exactly what was happening on their patch. After the usual exploratory meetings it was agreed that I should conduct a survey amongst a sample of their management levels (from foremen upwards) to • Find out what development needs people had in connection with the management of people. • Find out what current attitudes were most closely associated with effectiveness and ineffectiveness when managing people.

In the last four years, since Volume I of this Bibliography first appeared, there has been an explosion of literature in all the main functional areas of business. This wealth of material poses problems for the researcher in management studies — and, of course, for the librarian: uncovering what has been written in any one area is not an easy task. This volume aims to help the librarian and the researcher overcome some of the immediate problems of identification of material. It is an annotated bibliography of management, drawing on the wide variety of literature produced by MCB University Press. Over the last four years, MCB University Press has produced an extensive range of books and serial publications covering most of the established and many of the developing areas of management. This volume, in conjunction with Volume I, provides a guide to all the material published so far.

A Conference on Industrial Training Research was held on 15 November last, organised by the Industrial Training Research Unit jointly with the Ergonomics Research Society. The purpose was to give training officers and researchers an idea of the range and type of projects currently sponsored by the Department of Employment and some of the Industrial Training Boards. It has been decided that the best way to do this was to have several short papers rather than three or four longer and more detailed presentations.

This monograph derives from a two‐part project undertaken for the Manpower Services Commission in 1984 and 1985. The first part of the project involved surveying the literature in order to establish the extent to which the subject of Learning to Learn had been covered and how much practical guidance was available to anyone wishing to help managers.