EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL AND THE 95/5 RULE

Many colleges use some form of an employee performance appraisal process. Yet, despite prevalent use, the performance appraisal process is facing growing criticism. The author reviews the literature regarding the process of performance appraisal in higher education, focusing on articles supportive of the use of the performance appraisal, and those that are not. The advocates of performance appraisals cite implementation flaws as the cause for dissatisfaction among users. Essentially, they contend that the process will work if properly used. Furthermore, it is noted that supervisors, more than the employees themselves, tend to favor the use of performance appraisals. Critics of performance appraisals question the validity of the process in general. Followers of W. Edwards Deming view the performance appraisal process as divisive within the organization, and thus counterproductive to organizational development. They state that the use of ratings in an employee performance appraisal establishes arbitrary divisions among employees. Furthermore, they contend that intrinsic rewards are far more effective as a motivator of employees. The author suggests that as an alternative to performance appraisal organizations should consider a professional growth model. Elements in this model include: (a) a focus on employee success, (b) a priority for leadership development training for supervisors, and (c) a special performance appraisal process for those employees who need targeted focus in performance.     

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS IN NURSING HOME RESIDENTS WITH DEMENTIA: THE ROLE OF TRAINING

Residents of nursing homes with a dementing illness constitute a challenge for direct practitioners because of the presence of behavioral problems often accompanying the illness. A before‐after evaluation design was used to assess characteristics of patients and their staff caregivers at baseline and 1 year after the educational intervention. Overall, resident cognition and functioning declined at posttest, as would be expected due to the nature of the illness. Thirty‐six behaviors were assessed to identify staff perceptions of the frequency and difficulty of managing these behaviors. The most frequently reported behavioral symptoms at baseline were poor personal hygiene and bladder and bowel incontinence; however, after the intervention there were no reports of frequently occurring disruptive behavioral symptoms. Overall, staff perceptions of the frequency and difficulty in managing behavioral symptoms declined by 47% at the post‐test. Although managing difficult behaviors of dementia patients is a challenge for staff in long‐term care facilities, results of this study suggest that through training staff may perceive behavioral symptoms as less problematic and thus be enabled to respond more effectively to specific behavioral problems of the residents.     

英语广播在英语学习中的作用和利用

收听英语广播在英语学习具有不可低估的作用,是广大学生学习英语中可以利用的有效途径。英语广播有利于英语听说能力的培养;英语广播有利于英语阅读能力的培养。只要技术条件允许,收听在线英语广播是最佳选择,我们应该善于利用。     

THE ROLE OF CREATIVITY IN EXPLAINING GIFTEDNESS AND EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

In addition to exceptional cognitive abilities and domain‐specific aptitudes, creativity potentials are frequently used to explain high achievement in science and technology. In the Guilford tradition, research focuses increasingly on convergent versus divergent thinking, that is, a suspected dichotomy between intelligence and creativity. Despite important insights about the relationship of ability and creativity, a number of important questions remain unanswered. These relate not only to conceptualization and measurement problems regarding the hypothetical construct “creativity”, but also to its diagnosis and nurturance in childhood and adolescence. It would appear that, in view of current research paradigms, the roles of ability and creativity need to be redefined in order to predict and explain excellent achievements more reliably. Advances are mostly expected from synthetic approaches. Consequently new theoretical models and empirical research results will be presented. Finally, some consequences for the explanation of high ability as well as excellent performances in school, university, and at work will be discussed     

PROBLEMS OF EQUIVALENCE OF STUDIES AND DIPLOMAS IN HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEMS

This article Surveys the problems and the traps of equivalences in higher education and proposes solutions to the former and ways of avoiding the latter. To begin with, one must be clear as to basic concepts and be able to distinguish between recognition and equivalence, the second being synonymous with the first, if formal equivalence is what is meant. But the principal task is one of defining and granting so‐called real equivalence, that is, equivalence based on the comparison of educational programmes, contents, length of study, the methods and the results of evaluations, and appropriate assessments of the academic value of practical work. It is also necessary to be clear at the outset as to the purposes of a given equivalence: to permit further study in another country or to aid in securing employment in a given occupation in another country. A major problem relates to varying conceptions of what is specifically university education in relation to higher education as a whole; the weight to be granted to post‐secondary, non‐university training; the whole question of length of studies; and ambiguities relative to terminology. Although it will never be possible to formulate ideal solutions to all problems, the key to obtaining the best possible solution is to be found in the improvement of the availability of standardized information by the exploitation of such sources as Unesco statistics, student books, analyses of bilateral conventions for applicable analogies, and, eventually, the sort of diploma supplement which Carin Berg and Ulrich Teichler are recommending.     

企业技术创新存在的问题和激励制度探析

目前我国企业技术创新还存在不少问题和不足，必须采取有效措施，从企业、市场、政府不同层面完善技术创新的激励制度。     

ATTITUDES AND PROBLEMS OF ELDERLY STUDENTS IN THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA

Registrars of the junior and four year colleges and universities of the university system of Georgia were asked to supply the names and addresses of elderly students attending their institutions under a state constitutional amendment that provides for free tuition on a space available basis for residents 62 years of age or older. Names were obtained from six junior colleges, eight senior colleges, and one university. Elderly students were asked to complete a form to determine their problems with and attitudes toward college study; 70 responses were received.

Analysis of the responses indicated that the 70 elderly students were above average in education and that they were vigorous and active. Only a few had encountered difficulty in adjusting to college study. A few had difficulty in hearing classroom discussions. Approximately 90% felt that attending classes was stimulating and would recommend the experience to other elderly adults. As a group they felt accepted by faculty and younger students. In common with other students, some found problems in parking. Generally, however, the study reveals that many senior citizens can be accommodated in the typical college classroom without major curricular and administrative adjustments.     

INTELLECTUAL ABILITIES AND THE USE OF METAPHORS IN SOLVING PROBLEMS

Little is known about the use of metaphors in problem solving. In this study, a group of 20 year olds attempted to solve problems with the help of different kinds of metaphors (apt vs. nonapt; remote vs. literal). Different kinds of metaphors were valuable for different aspects of problem solving and for people of differing levels of creativity, but the use of metaphor did not depend on level of intelligence. Literal metaphors did not impede creative thinking, as long as they were apt.

     

城市公共基础设施投融资方式的选择与政府职能定位

城市化的推进迫切需要提高城市公共基础设施建设的速度和使用效率。我国在推进城市化进程中就公共基础设施建设因投融资体制的缺陷存在着巨大的资金缺口。以政府投资为主体格局下的城市公共基础设施建设越来越不能满足城市发展的要求,现存的基础设施又一直处于低效率的运作状态。笔者认为,拓宽融资渠道,实现投资主体多元化,吸引外资和引入民间资本是解决这一问题的良方,其中以BOT、TOT、PPP、PFI、ABS作为投融资方式的最佳组合是加快城市公共基础设施建设的最优选择。     

统购统销政策对我国工业化的作用探析

统购统销政策是我国从1953年开始实行的对粮食和棉花等主要农产品的收购和供应所采取的一项国家计划和管制的措施。该政策实行了30多年，对我国的政治、经济和社会生活产生了深远的影响。它保证了国家粮食的稳定供给，为我国工业的发展提供了最初的资金积累；它通过低价供给城镇居民以粮食，降低了工业生产的劳动成本，对我国工业化的发展起到了巨大的作用。但不可否认，统购统销政策的实行也产生了严重的负面作用。     

内蒙古自治区通辽市城市化进程中民族问题及其对策研究

随着我国经济社会的快速发展,从通辽市发展的现状看,伴随着该市工业化、现代化前进步伐,城市化进程正处在加速发展的阶段。作为民族自治地区和蒙古族人口较集中的地区,民族工作将面临诸多新的内容和问题,民族问题也具有不同于非民族自治地区城市化进程中的特点。通辽的特殊市情,决定了民族工作始终是关系全市大局,影响经济社会各项事业的重要工作。做好民族工作,处理好民族关系,对于“十一五”该市全面实现跨越式发展目标至关重要。