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This study examines the efforts of British university management to cope with the rapid environmental change experienced during the past fifteen years. Central to these efforts has been the attempt to adopt a more business like approach to management and to inculcate a customer oriented culture amongst staff through training and development. This study explores key assumptions underlying this strategy of change. First, that organization cultures can indeed be managed by development and training initiatives. Second and more specifically, that training can produce the desired attitude towards customers. To do this, the literature on organization culture and change was critically reviewed to establish both a theoretical and empirical bases for the present study. From the review the operational definition of "culture as meaning" was developed and a distinctively eclectic methodological approach was created. Also an additional hypothesis was added, namely that research and instrument design crucially influence the recorded change in attitude and culture indicated by previous studies, that is, the apparent success of intervention was a function of the mode of measurement adopted. The results of the study indicate that, if measurement effects are controlled for, training has no systematic impact at all on attitudes. The key influence on attitude is the total experience of working within a particular organization (the "being there" factor), and that only a holistic approach to organizational development would be feasible. Ad hoc initiatives cannot bring about the desired change.

Availability of managers competent in managing organisations operating in a competitive and global market is among the key factors affecting the likelihood of the success of the transition economies. This in turn will depend on the ability of the higher education institutions to align their curriculum with the needs of industry and commerce. Changes in the curriculum need to be underpinned with the appropriate learning material. This research project, in a small way, fulfils this important need. The primary aim of the work presented in this dissertation is to develop an interactive learning tool that enables the management student to acquire relevant managerial competencies, and knowledge regarding functions and processes of a firm operating in a competitive economy. Development of a business game demands a framework that specifies its requirements. This framework was established by examining the relevant literature, existing business games, and the specific needs of the transition economies. These requirements were used to identify the detailed objectives of the research. The research methodology consisted of: (a) analysis of relevant published papers and existing business games; (b) modelling of business processes; (c) testing the internal validity of the business game using multivariate statistical tools; and (d) testing the external validity of the business game using structured observations, report feedback, and survey of participants. In line with the objectives of this research, a multifunctional Business Simulation Game (BSG) was developed. The game enables the student to acquire skills and knowledge of functional areas, as well as, to develop an understanding of the relationship of those functional areas in the organisation. The resultant BSG has a number of unique features. First, it can operate in two languages, English and Hungarian. Moreover, the program can be easily modified to accommodate other languages. This is important because a majority of students in transition countries can not speak English. Second, based 'on the "white box theory", the students have access to detailed analysis of each functional area. Third, BSG allows the students to choose between practice (playing against the computer) and competitive (playing against other students) mode. Fourth, the development of the functional areas used in the BSG contains new concepts and methods. A new dynamic aggregate market model was developed and validated by using real life data. A new approach for modelling short run production and cost function allows for a deeper understanding of economic theory. The accounting function of BSG includes a completely new methodology for the harmonisation of different accounting systems, and a new approach to computerised accounting. BSG was validated internally and externally. The internal validation included face validation; sensitivity tests; consideration of the existence of dominant factors; and examination of the stability of decision variable – performance criterion relationships. These were accomplished using the response surface methodology and multivariate regression analysis. The external validation was concerned with the effectiveness of BSG as a learning tool. The data was collected by structured observation, report feedback, and survey data from three different cohorts of graduate and postgraduate students. This data was analysed using factor analysis; discriminant analysis; cross tabulation; and independent sample t-test. The analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data suggests that students found BSG to be an effective learning tool. The conduct of this study has found room for further research and improvement to BSG. These include methodological design; content; and the platform of the program. Methodologically, incorporating a linear programming method can improve the final evaluation of the market influential factors of companies, and help to optimise the product distribution. A comprehensive model with short-run revenue and profit functions allows for building up a more comprehensive model. Sustainable development will be included in the future that will be developed on Windows platform. The output of this research project is an interactive learning vehicle that can help the Hungarian business students at all levels to acquire the managerial competencies required to manage in a competitive economy. BSG can also be used by students in other transition economies, as well as students in first and third world countries.

Thesis (M.A. in Homeland Security (Homeland Security and Defense))--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2010. / Thesis Advisor(s): Strindberg, Anders ; Second Reader: Bellavita, Christopher. "June 2010." Description based on title screen as viewed on July 14, 2010. Author(s) subject terms: United States Coast Guard, diversity, workforce diversification, workforce management Includes bibliographical references (p. 95-100). Also available in print.

Increased numbers of women, people of color, and older workers will soon begin to fill positions once held and dominated by European-American men. To aid in such demographic expansions it is estimated that diversity management and/or sensitivity training programs of some sort take place in over half of the U.S. companies with over 100 employees at an approximate cost of 10 billion dollars per year (Lubove, 1997). Such programs are thought to alter attitudes and prepare firms for multicultural staffs and market places. Organizational benefits of such programs are well documented. However, the impact of these programs on employees remains unanswered. Discovering the effectiveness and impact of diversity management training programs on mangers in the lodging industry was the challenge put forth in the present study. The study sought to gain a better understanding of the usefulness of diversity management training programs in the hospitality industry. Specifically, the present study investigated the perceived benefits of diversity management training programs on the individual level by addressing two research questions. The first research question asked if there was a relationship between diversity management training involvement and the personal inputs of various lodging managers. The second question asked if there was a relationship between diversity management training involvement and the personal outputs of lodging managers. The present study used a combination of Adams’ Equity Theory Model, Cox’s Interactional Model of Cultural Diversity, and Charles’ Relationships of Factors Affecting the Recruitment, Retention & Promotion of Blacks Into Upper-Level Management Model. The proposed Diversity Management Training Effectiveness Model identified four major constructs to describe and communicate the potential impacts of diversity management training programs on individuals. Personal inputs, diversity climate (organizational), and personal outputs were utilized to predict lodging managers' involvement in diversity management training programs. Regression analysis, analysis of variance, Pearson Product Correlation Coefficients, Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficients, and Two Mean T-tests were used to analysis the 11 hypotheses generated by the two research questions. The analysis revealed that three personal inputs (age, educational level, and gender) had no relationships with the diversity management training involvement of lodging managers. While loyalty and seniority, also personal inputs did have relationships with the diversity management training involvement, and thus could be used to predict the managers' involvement in such training programs. Revealed also in the study were the relationships between involvement with diversity management training programs and employee personal outputs. Relationships were not found with job/career satisfaction, job involvement, and compensation. Opportunities for advancement were found to be correlated with a lodging managers' involvement in diversity management training programs. While, organizational identification received partial support for the relationship with diversity management training involvement. The model tested in this study provides a means of evaluating the effectiveness and impacts of diversity management training programs on individuals. Forty-nine percent of all managers surveyed felt diversity management training programs were effective to very effective with regards to minority employees, while 50% felt that these same programs were effective to very effective with regards to non-minority employees. The findings also suggest that the involvement in diversity management training programs can increase the overall general satisfaction and organizational commitment of lodging managers. / Ph. D.

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Error management training has been praised as an effective strategy for facilitating adaptive transfer. However, potential variations have not yet been examined to determine if an alternative format may be equally or more effective. As standard practice, error-related instructions in error management training encourage learners to make errors and to view these errors as learning opportunities. Also, an overwhelming majority of research on this topic has focused learner development of procedural computer software skills. The empirical literature provides little guidance in terms of the boundaries within which error management training is an effective training approach. The purpose of this research was to examine the relative effectiveness of a modified error management training approach for influencing adaptive transfer in contrast to both standard error management training and error avoidant training. The modified error management approach encouraged learners to do their best to avoid errors, but maintained traditional instructions to learn from errors. The effectiveness of these three training conditions for promoting adaptive transfer was examined in two studies. The first study applied the error strategies to a complex decision-making task, and the second study compared the strategies relative effectiveness for a fine motor skills task. Study 1 results indicated that both error management training approaches were associated with higher adaptive learning compared to an error avoidant training approach. Error management and the modified error management did not significantly differ. In Study 2, error management training and error avoidant training both demonstrated greater adaptive transfer than did the modified approach. The mediating roles of metacognition and emotion regulation were examined, but unsupported, in both studies. Implications for future research and organizational practice are discussed.

No / SMEs create employment, wealth and a potential for future growth. In Palestine they can also mean survival and freedom. In Palestine they are not a choice but a necessity for sustainable development. But by their nature SMEs are vulnerable in a business environment characterized by uncertainty. To give the managers of SMEs in Palestine a realistic chance of success they need training to enable them to meet the challenge of running their enterprises effectively. Drawing on original research undertaken within Palestine this book explores how the challenge is being met (and considers how it might be even more successfully met) by enabling and empowering the owners and managers of these pioneering businesses.

This study examines the effects of using the internal audit function as a training ground for management and fraud magnitude on internal auditor fraud reporting decisions. Using a 2x2 between-participants experiment, the current study manipulates the use of the internal audit function as a management training ground (used as a training ground vs. not used as a training ground) and fraud magnitude (large fraud, defined as 30 percent of net income vs. small fraud, defined as one percent of net income). The results indicate that internal auditors may be less likely to report a fraud to their superior when the internal auditors are being groomed for management positions. No effect is found for fraud magnitude, as respondents indicated a similar willingness to report small frauds as large frauds. These findings contribute to the whistleblowing literature and the internal audit objectivity literature by demonstrating that undesirable repercussions associated with using the internal audit function as a management training ground can extend to the internal auditor fraud reporting decision.