Aaron W. Hughey

Designing effective employee training programmes

Describes the elements of a successful employee training programme. Explains the distinction between training and education, along with a discussion of why “soft skills” training initiatives are less effective than skills‐based approaches. Discusses the critical role of the training manager in implementing a training programme, as well as important considerations when developing a strategic training plan. Finally, describes several key factors which determine how employee training programmes can best support company profitability.

African American Women at Midlife: The Relationship Between Spirituality and Life Satisfaction

In this study, 147 African American women from six states were asked to complete the Adult Life Satisfaction Scale and the Black Womens Spirituality/Religiosity Measure (BWSRM), and in-depth interviews were conducted with 6 African American women. Although no significant difference was found among the ratings of life satisfaction and spirituality with respect to age or educational level, the women reported higher levels of religiosity than spirituality, which correlated significantly with life satisfaction. An analysis of a subscale of the BWSRM, however, found that the women reported significantly higher levels of spirituality than of religiosity. A moderate correlation was found between age and religiosity, and spirituality was found to be a critical variable that contributed to the life satisfaction of African American women at midlife regardless of age, income, or education.

Leadership in higher education - its evolution and potential A unique role facing critical challenges

Leadership is a key ingredient in the ultimate success or failure of any organization. In this article the authors review the research on leadership in general and then focus on how leadership in the academic world is similar to, yet distinct from, leadership in the private sector. Included in this discussion are a description of how leadership in colleges and universities has evolved, the characteristics that are unique to higher education together with their implications for effective leadership, and consideration of the immense challenges academic leaders face as they attempt to keep higher education responsive to the needs of business and industry. The authors also address the emergence of student affairs administration and the current crisis in academic leadership.

What Higher Education Can Learn from Business and Industry.

Many colleges and universities have traditionally provided local and regional companies with various types of management assistance and employee training programmes. Indeed, consultation with the private sector has long been recognized as one of the primary functions of higher education. In recent years, however, consensus has been growing that this is not a one-way street. Business and industry can also play an important role in the struggle to keep academe viable in the midst of philosophical, cultural and economic turmoil. The management strategies currently being used by many corporations are proving to be instrumental in helping those industries remain vital in terms of both customer satisfaction and overall profitability. Such strategies include more innovative uses of technology, focusing more extensively on quality and customer service, the use of teams and group decision making, better ways of motivating employees, a renewed emphasis on training, and fostering a greater respect for legal and ethical issues as well as diversity. While not all of these ideas and concepts have direct application to higher education, many are at least worth serious consideration. This paper explains how many of the ideas and practices prevalent in the corporate world can be of substantial value to academic administrators as they endeavour to keep higher education responsive to the needs of contemporary society.

Competing values in the culinary arts and hospitality industry Leadership roles and managerial competencies

It is important that education and training programmes align with the needs of the professions they are designed to support. The culinary arts and hospitality industry is a vocational area that needs to be examined more closely to ensure that the skills and competencies taught are those that will actually be needed when students matriculate from career preparation programmes. This study compared the self-assessed leadership roles and managerial competencies of hospitality students and hospitality management professionals in employment. Using the Competing Values Framework (CVF) as a theoretical framework, eight leadership roles and 24 managerial competencies were examined in an effort to identify similarities and differences between the two groups. The authors found limited significant differences between the perceptions of the two groups; overall, the ranking of leadership roles and managerial competencies by the two populations were very similar. Implications for academic culinary arts and hospitality programmes are also presented, together with recommendations for future inquiry.

Application of the Deming Philosophy to Higher Education

A brief overview of the historical significance of the work of W. Edwards Deming, one of the originators of Total Quality Management (TQM), is provided. The essence of the Deming philosophy is that quality must be the pre-eminent consideration in any strategy aimed at long-term success. Within this context, the idea of what constitutes true quality in higher education is discussed followed by an explanation of how Demings famous ‘14 points’ are as applicable to colleges and universities as they are to business and industry. The author then explains how the ‘14 points’ can be used as a framework for ensuring quality, customer satisfaction and greater accountability within the collegiate environment.

Comparative Effects of Exercise Reduction and Relaxation Training on Mood States and Type a Scores in Habitual Aerobic Exercisers

The comparative effects of exercise reduction and relaxation training on dysphoric mood states and Type A scores in persons who exercise beyond the American College of Sports Medicines recommended guidelines for cardiovascular fitness were investigated. Using their scores on the Profile of Mood States and the Jenkins Activity Survey, 57 subjects were randomly divided into 3 matched groups based on age, gender, and exercise regimen. Subjects assigned to the control group maintained their current exercise regimen, those in the second group reduced their exercise regimen to include no more than 5 hours of aerobic activity per week, and those in the third group maintained their current exercise regimen and attended 5 1 1/2-hr. relaxation training sessions. Both inventories were administered again after 10 weeks. Multivariate analysis of covariance showed no statistically significant differences among group means on the dependent variables. Further research on the use of aerobic exercise and relaxation training as auxiliary treatments for anxiety and depression is recommended.

Establishing and Maintaining Organizational Trust in the 21st Century

Recent corporate and academic scandals have led to decreasing levels of trust and confidence in many organizations. Whether the organization is a college or university, a government agency, a private company or a public corporation, the establishment and maintenance of trust is essential to both short-term success and long-term efficacy. This article deals with how managers and leaders can work to establish trust in their organizations via such strategies as fostering behavioural consistency, behavioural integrity, sharing of control, effective communication and demonstration of concern for employees. Also included are strategies of maintaining and enhancing trust, how the level of trust in an organization affects the individual as well as the entire enterprise, and the consequences of losing organizational trust.

Higher Education and the Public, Private and Non-Profit Sectors Equal Partners in Promoting Regional Economic Development

Institutions of higher education throughout the world are increasingly aware of the importance of working more systematically and productively with community and business leaders in order to create better local economies and, ultimately better societies. This article presents an overview of how colleges and universities can assist with the identification and implementation of specific strategies for enhancing the economic development of the regions in which they are located. Also included is a discussion of the emerging advantages associated with developing these kinds of collaborative partnerships, as well as a brief overview of the major approaches to regional economic development.

The truth about teams

Many companies have adopted self‐directed work teams as a way to empower their employees and thus enhance both productivity and quality. Many of these same companies, however, have experienced a myriad difficulties and problems in attempting to implement a team programme. Explains how to determine if your company could benefit from using a team management approach, as well as how best to “set the stage” for an empowerment programme such as teams. Includes useful strategies for implementing teams, a discussion of the critical role of management, how long the transition can be expected to take, how to deal with issues of accountability, and the importance of initial and ongoing training. Addresses the concept of team efficacy in the context of why teams are successful at some companies and disastrous at others.