In Search of Excellence —Performance Assessment in the United Kingdom

It is argued that developments in institutional, departmental and individual performance assessment in the United Kingdom cannot be considered in isolation from pressures to change from bee, oligarchic and consensus models and administrative styles of management towards a shared commitment to a dominant and coherent entrepreneurial and market economy model culture with executive styles of management, which implies institutional and managerial performance being assessed in terms of economy, efficiency and effectiveness with increased emphasis on effectiveness.     

The Scientific Manpower Shortage and Its Implications for the Engineering Technician

Some of the background of the present scientific manpower shortage is reviewed. Utilization as an important aspect of engineer efficiency is discussed. With this setting, the engineering technician's complementary function with the engineer is introduced. The limited availability of technicians is cited. A discussion of the stepping-stone aspect of the technician job, an area worth consideration because of its ramifications, is presented and the concept of a four-year program for engineering technicians is shown to have significant value in coping with several phases of technician training. Four areas of study and investigation are suggested that can contribute to solution of the overall need of increased scientific manpower through increased utilization. Utilization would be improved by the proper preparation of an adequate number of engineering technicians.