Suggests that formal mentoring schemes are on the increase in response to the rapid pace of change and the need for people to network in lean delayered organizations. Defines mentoring as a one‐to‐one process of helping individuals to learn and develop and takes a longer‐term perspective...

In the last ten years the computer‐based training (CBT) market has grown tremendously and the quality of the programmes has improved. Sound and vision have been added and educational technology has improved the design and structure. Nowadays keywords are just‐in‐time learning and learning...

Many companies have adopted self‐directed work teams as a way to empower their employees and thus enhance both productivity and quality. Many of these same companies, however, have experienced a myriad difficulties and problems in attempting to implement a team programme. Explains how to...

Gives a basic understanding of what could be done to increase teamwork to benefit an organization. In researching the significance of teamwork and the problems teams confront in the business arena, provides a better understanding of how team building fits into the future of successful...

Explains that an online ISO 9001 based management system has been developed using the Worldwide Web, a hypermedia system and part of the Internet. Subject matter is presented as an alphabetical list of linked encyclopaedia‐style entries. Numerous navigational techniques are available, and the...

Estimates suggest that 100,000 companies are currently registered to ISO 9000 ‐ a phenomenal figure. Yet so comparatively few have made the further quality transition to TQM. In general, published work combining ISO 9000 and TQM is lacking. However, of the little which does exist, the...

Claims that management’s failure to recognize the importance of attitudes and to foster a change is one of the primary reasons for the failure of the quality transformation process. States that successful TQM implementation is dependent on the existence of a total quality culture among all...

Describes the elements of a successful employee training programme. Explains the distinction between training and education, along with a discussion of why “soft skills” training initiatives are less effective than skills‐based approaches. Discusses the critical role of the training...

Highlights the need to improve organizational communication and training. Discusses the need for organizations to develop staff values and objectives before considering the role of communications in such a company.

Argues that empowerment programmes aim at inducing “entrepreneurial” behaviours and attitudes in employees, and that this aim ignores a fundamental internal inconsistency. Further, the traditional structure of formal organizations excludes a number of the conditions necessary to sustain such...