Top companies realize how vital training is to their success and continue to invest in it, even in trying times. This article presents "Training" magazine's 11th annual ranking of the top companies with employee-sponsored workforce training and development. First-time No. 1 winner Farmers Insurance puts such a premium on learning that its new…

Leonard Nadler, who created George Washington University's doctoral program in human resources development (HRD) in 1962, discusses definitions of HRD and its growth as a discipline. (JOW)

Provides empirical evidence that significant investment in work force development leads to increased shareholder value. Suggests that management should heed the evidence when considering cutting training and development budgets. Profiles 11 companies' stock performance and discusses their training and development initiatives. (JOW)

Limitations of accounting or budgeting practices can confuse a company's long-term investment in training and development. Companies disciplined enough to invest in their people can achieve significant long-term returns. (JOW)

Describes how Docent, Hewlett-Packard, and Saba began country-wide training initiatives that targeted work force development; continuing education, and elementary education. Suggests that the challenges faced multiplied exponentially when dealing with Norway, the Philippines, and the Netherlands. (JOW)

The authors review the concept of andragogy and synthesize recent criticisms of this theory. The use of andragogical techniques in job training is discussed. The authors conclude that, despite some weaknesses, andragogy is important in that it makes the teacher sensitive to the needs and interests of the learner. (CH)

The author presents results from a survey of organizations in the United States with 100 or more employees, regarding their spending on formal training of their employees. The national investment in employer-sponsored training remained fairly constant. About 68 percent of training dollars paid for training staff salaries. (CH)

The author describes the growing movement toward accreditation for human resources development professionals. She covers the issue of diversity, undergraduate versus graduate degrees, and future trends. (CH)

There are inherent problems when unskilled or semiskilled workers are retrained for high skilled jobs that do not and will not exist. Although the consensus is that smarter workers will make the nation more competitive in the world market, the occupation that will add the most jobs by the year 2005 is retail clerk. (JOW)

Older workers are seeking new training opportunities to expand their skill base or a schedule that allows them to grow into retirement. However, many businesses are slow or unwilling to accommodate flexible schedules or provide training. Harmony between these discordant viewpoints must be reached to take advantage of senior skills. (JOW)