Companies such as ARA Services provide lunch every day to more than 1 million students in over 280 school districts nationwide. An Illinois superintendent lists several reasons for school districts to consider "outsourcing" their food-service operations, including cost-saving opportunities, capacity for offering comprehensive services…

Describes Quality Function Deployment (QFD), a systematic method for assessing customer requirements and integrating them into the design and production of any product. Applies QFD to the writing of computer manuals. (SR)

The relationship between role-taking abilities of nursing education administrators (n=30) and their perceived leadership effectiveness as rated by their faculty (n=176) was studied. Organization characteristics (formalization, centralization, job satisfaction) affected perceptions of effectiveness. (JOW)

Analyzed how nurses deal with terminal and dying patients in two inpatient wards in Belgian general hospital. Observed that nurses often felt dissatisfied with their terminal caregiving. Suggests terminal care include specific physical, social, religious, and psychological services, given to terminal patient and family, to obtain as high a level…

Presents data showing Historically Black Colleges and Universities' present, past, and future participation in the international association of Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers (APPA) and its regional associations. Recommendations for future action by the APPA and regional associations as a result of the study are offered. (GR)

Examines gender and three aspects of couples' (N=50) marital intimacy using a method establishing both objective and subjective indices of intimacy. Results suggest that high intimacy is based on both understanding and similarity of intimate experience. Women reported higher levels of intimacy and were also better than men in predicting their…

The perspective of a self-reliant "new career" can be seen as a positive stimulus for career counselors to reform their profession. Recommended actions include: making life satisfaction the major goal; advocating open-mindedness rather than decisiveness; assuming a broad role in dealing with client concerns; normalizing unplanned events;…

A study of 172 older workers found that career commitment and occupational-goal attainment play a central role in planned retirement age. Age and retirement-income satisfaction had the most significant relationship to planned retirement age. Job satisfaction was not strongly related to retirement intentions. (SK)

Suicidal university counseling center patients provided information on reasons for living and dying (RFL/RFD). Analysis showed high levels of interrater reliability. Chi-square results for both coding categories showed coding categories were not equally salient to suicidal patients. Category results can be used to make the underlying constructs of…

A study of 2,505 workers indicated that co-worker social support enhances job satisfaction. Affective and instrumental support are both beneficial. However, neither type buffers the negative effects of job stress on satisfaction. (SK)

Data from a sample of recent medical technology graduates from 1993, 1994, and 1995 (n=457) indicated that younger, less satisfied, and male technologists had stronger intent to leave the profession. Professional commitment accounted for significant variance in intent to leave. (SK)

Responses from 669 of 1,150 Missouri secondary business teachers revealed high levels of job satisfaction. Most were satisfied with relationships with students but 44% cited lack of support from parents and administrators as a problem. (SK)

A study of 992 early retirees indicated that, before retirement, both pull factors (leisure) and push factors (poor health) distinguished between voluntary and involuntary retirees. Voluntary retirees had higher life-satisfaction scores and rated themselves healthier. (SK)

A survey of 15 automobile salespeople indicated that job satisfaction increased when performance appraisals provided clear criteria that met workers' approval and when appraisals were fair and used to determine rewards. (Contains 61 references.) (SK)

Analyzes the effects of postretirement employment on older women's life satisfaction. Findings show that postretirement employment in itself did not contribute to older women's life satisfaction, but financial resources are potential determinants of their life satisfaction. Discusses the need to incorporate the role of financial resources and…