Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe how Engestrom's "third generation" activity theory, with its emphasis on developing conceptual tools to understand dialogues, multiple perspectives and networks of interacting activity systems, has informed research into professional learning in multiagency service settings in England.…

Many studies have pointed out the increasing intellectual sophistication and skill levels government work will require and the resulting need for bright, capable employees to enter the federal service. In this environment, the federal government must ensure that it is in a competitive position to get its fair share of talented graduates.…

This fact sheet reports findings of an investigation of the reported difficulties experienced by federal agencies in retaining career members of the Senior Executive Service (SES). These responses to a mailed questionnaire are highlighted: (1) the most important reasons for leaving are agency-specific (dissatisfaction with top management,…

Employment data from the 1960 and 1970 censuses were organized using the occupational classification system of John Holland to examine age, sex, and level differences in employment and to detect changes over the 10-year period. Data were organized by both kind and level of work in an attempt to answer the following questions: What are the relative…

Recent economic trends led to several pieces of manpower legislation and the establishment of several programs: the Manpower Development and Training Act of 1962, the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973, and the Emergency Jobs and Employment Assistance Act of 1974. This legislation opened public service jobs and established Federal…

Describes a survey of the 50 top ranked Fortune 500 service organizations that was conducted to determine the prevalence of chief information officers, their reporting relationships, and their reporting responsibilities. Differences between chief information officers and management information systems directors are identified, and suggestions for…

This study surveys directors of organized university programs designed to assist public officials and two groups of practitioners--state government officials and local government managers. The study examines the extent to which these practitioner groups use these university services and their judgment of the quality as compared with services from…

Outlines planning strategies and reports findings from an interview program comprising the second phase of Project INISS, which investigates information needs and services in local authority social service departments. Data gathered are organized under three headings: the context of information needs, organizational communication, and information…

A study was conducted to describe the segments of the U.S. labor force that have been affected by the recent deterioration in U.S. trade. The methodology involved computer modeling of the effects of eliminating the 1987 merchandise trade deficit on employment by detailed industry and occupation, by geographic region, and by wage group. This was…

The problem of arrests not ending in conviction is described in terms of its magnitude and costs. Three major aspects of the role of the police in influencing what happens after arrest are studied. Factors such as tangible evidence and witnesses are influenced by the time between the offense and the arrest. The characteristics of the officers…

The following tables are the result of the Council on Higher Education study of 1972-73 unit costs in public institutions on higher education. This study is the first effort in this state (and perhaps any state) to clearly relate all costs to the instructional, research, and public service efforts of all the public institutions of higher…

To improve vocational educational programs in agriculture, occupational information on a common core of basic skills within the occupational area of the agricultural-industrial equipment dealership set-up and deliveryman is presented in the revised task inventory survey. The purpose of the occupational survey was to identify a common core of basic…

Based on the March 1973 survey for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Division of Labor Force Studies, the report shows that the proportion of workers employed full-time all year (1972) increased, mainly because of expansion in the service-producing industries. The survey provides information on the number of persons who worked at some time,…

Based on speeches presented to the National Civil Service League and to the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, this article reviews key publications and summarizes Federal statistics on part-time employment. Review of the evidence concerning the effectiveness of part-time workers shows positive results. The need for collecting hard evidence…

Preliminary results from a large research project on the use of Frisian and Dutch in the official domain in Friesland focuses on language use in contacts between civil servants and customers in service encounters. Language patterns observed include convergence, neutrality, switching, and asymmetry. (CB)