Abstract: Part I: INTRODUCTION. 1. The Challenges of Social Work. 2. Direct Practice: Domain, Philosophy, and Roles. 3. Overview of the Helping Process. 4. Operationalizing the Cardinal Social Work Values. Part II: EXPLORING, ASSESSING, AND PLANNING. 5. Building Blocks of Communication: Conveying Empathy and Authenticity. 6. Verbal Following, Exploring, and Focusing Skills. 7. Eliminating Counterproductive Communication Patterns. 8. Assessment: Exploring and Understanding Problems and Strengths. 9. Assessment: Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, and Environmental Factors. 10. Assessing Family Functioning in Diverse Family and Cultural Contexts. 11. Forming and Assessing Social Work Groups. 12. Developing Goals and Formulating a Contract. Part III: THE CHANGE-ORIENTED PHASE. 13. Planning and Implementing Change-Oriented Strategies. 14. Developing Resources, Organizing, Planning, and Advocacy as Intervention Strategies. 15. Enhancing Family Functioning and Relationships. 16. Intervening in Social Work Groups. 17. Additive Empathy, Interpretation, and Confrontation. 18. Managing Barriers to Change. Part IV: THE TERMINATION PHASE. 19. The Final Phase: Evaluation and Termination.

Abstract: Information systems for large firms are typically designed by a team comprised of both users and systems personnel The Management Information System (MIS) literature discusses a communication gap between the organization oriented users and the more technical systems staff It is often hypothesized that systems personnel and users are different in terms of personality and behavior characteristics and that these differences are one of the primary reasons for the existence of a communication gap This article summarizes a two-phased study The first phase investigated personality characteristics of respondents from thirty-two large organizations who worked on design teams The second phase examines, in detail, a system success and failure in one organization Analysis was performed to see if there are significant differences on personality dimensions between users and systems personnel and to explore the relationship between these differences and system success An operationalization of Jung's personality typology (Myers-Briggs Type indicator) was employed The results show that the users involved in the systems design are very similar to their systems counterparts Even more surprising is that the characteristics of these users are closer to the popular descriptions of systems staff than the analysts are They also suggest that these similarities in personality types may have an impact on system success The general implications of these findings in terms of the management of project teams and the MIS designs they create are discussed

Abstract: The hypothesis that war between the Great Powers is diminishing in frequency but increasing in seriousness is tested for the last five centuries of the modern Great Power system. We define this system, establish its origins in 1495, identify its membership, operationalize and identify its wars, measure these wars along several key dimensions, and analyze the historical trends along each dimension. It is found that the frequency of Great Power war has been diminishing rapidly from the sixteenth century to the nineteenth century, with a slight upturn in the twentieth century. The Great Power wars that do occur, however, have become more serious along every dimension except duration, which has remained unchanged. They have been increasing in extent (number of belligerent Powers), severity (battle-deaths), intensity (battle-deaths per capita), concentration (battle-deaths per nation-year of war), and, to a certain degree, magnitude (nation-years). These trends are explained in terms of technological innovation, increasing interdependence of the modern Great Power security system, increasing rationalization and centralization of military power under the state, popularization of war through the nation in arms, emergence of a peacetime military establishment directed by professionals, and total mobilization of society for the enhancement of the military power of the state.

Abstract: Nicol W. R. (1982) Estimating the effects of regional policy: a critique of the European experience, Reg. Studies 16, 199–210. Macro studies of the effects of British regional policy agree that it has been effective. Elsewhere in Europe, the picture is less clear. What consensus exists disappears, however, in terms of the actual size of the policy effect, how this is apportioned between individual instruments and when macro and micro results are compared. Evaluation approaches show a hierarchy in their potential to isolate the policy effect, but examination of the operationalization of the approaches suggests sophistication and result reliability are not easily equated.

Abstract: This paper explores the strengths and limitations of the continuity perspective on aging. First, current usages of the concept are delineated. Then available literature is reviewed for evidence that continuity is in fact characteristic of the aging process and for indications that it is positively related to morale in old age. While lack of comparable data makes conclusions somewhat tentative, it appears that discontinuity is as characteristic of aging as continuity and that continuity may actually be maladaptive in many cases. Components of a conceptual definition of continuity are discussed, and suggestions are made for operationalization and more rigorous investigation of the concept.

Abstract: The centerpiece of this paper is a proposed model identifying the various factors that ought to be brought into a thorough study of ecological aspects of quality of life. The model suggests that in addition to studying the physical, economic and social situation of an individual it also is important to study his beliefs about how the world works, his personal lifestyle, and his values, goals, aspirations and needs if one is to make adequate inferences about what produces the level of quality of life that he experiences. The model also shows that it is important to look at similar variables for a community or a society in order to arrive at inferences about quality of life for that community or society. Personal and societal learning is a dynamic factor in the model. The paper concludes with a discussion of strategies for operationalizing these factors in empirical studies.

Abstract: The Pine County Model on special education delivery is based on simple, curriculum-based data. Five decisions Are at the center of the model: problem selection, program selection, prOgram operationalization, program improvement, and-program certification. At each stage of the decision making process, student performance data are gathered using the student's classroom materials. In this way, all decisions have a common data base providing continuity to the student's records and clarifying student progress. Specifics for each educational deci-sion and case examples in both academic and social behavior are included. (Author/CL)

Abstract: This paper presents an operationalization of Srinivasan's model for examining multi-stage information processing behavior. Based on theoretical considerations, specific hypotheses regarding multi-stage information processing behavior are posited. An experimental investigation undertaken to test these hypotheses is described.

Abstract: The present paper examines some problems in the current literature on Implicit Personality Theory (IPT) with specific reference to the controversial publications by Mirels (1976) and Jackson, Chan, and Stricker (1979) Their disputes address the question of whether individuals' estimates of trait co-occurrence accurately reflect actual (empirical) trait co-occurrence in personality ratings The cogency of the disputes is undermined, however, by both studies' deficiences at the levels of theory, measurement, and statistical analysis For instance, the indices used for representing estimated and empirical trait co-occurrence are neither adequately justified nor commensurate For future personality attribution research, we discuss both the theoretical distinction between two (comparative and absolute) judgment formats frequently involved in data gathering and the empirical distinction between sophisticated and unsophisticated research strategies involved in data analysis Finally, it was concluded that due to the residual effect of the empiricism of the 1950s and 1960s, and a lack of logical coherence between cognitive psychology, psychometric theories, and statistical data manipulations, IPT is still at an early stage of development Future investigators should therefore develop a rigorous program with the sophistication of so-called “nomological operationalization” for a systematic investigation of IPT

Abstract: The diversity of existing procedures for assessing personal future time perspective requires that we establish whether the techniques used to operationalize even any one dimension are in fact comparable. A sample of 83 older women (mean age = 74.1 years) responded to a questionnaire containing four different techniques commonly employed for determining personal future extension-how far into the future a person is thinking: (a) open-ended thinking and planning; (b) line-marking; (c) line-drawing; and, (d) life-event listing. Results showed a pattern of correlations suggesting only borderline comparability. Same-session retesting of (a), (b), and (c) revealed relatively high correlations, with the exception of open-ended future planning. Based on these data, caution is advised when selecting a procedure to assess future extension.

Abstract: Quality statistical education-like quality in education in general-is a Good Thing. I am sure we all agree to that and agree too that quality statistical education is something to be striven for. But this may be as far as full agreement can be guaranteed-though we might go a little further and agree that a minimum criterion of quality education is that students be given no false information. Beyond that, we would probably find disagreement on how to define and hence evaluate the quality of statistical education. Are we concerned with evaluating curriculum-with determining whether the content of a program is appropriate? And appropriate for whom? For graduate students? For undergraduate majors? For students taking service courses on all levels and from all disciplines? What is the appropriate statistical curriculum? Or are we concerned with evaluating the formal qualifications of those teaching the courses? Is a PhD in statistics necessary for teaching every course in statistics? Is it sufficient? Or are we concerned with evaluating the institutional arrangements for the teaching of statistics across a campus? Minton and Freund (1977) have explored different sorts of institutional arrangements. While they come down in favor of a centralized arrangement, they also remind us that circumstances alter cases. On some campuses a decentralized model is more appropriate, as long as the faculty teaching statistics in various departments communicate with one another. Or are we concerned with evaluating what goes on within the classroom itself? Is our primary concern the accuracy of the information presented or the efficiency of the transmission of knowledge between teacher and students? It seems to me that these are judgment calls-the sort of operationalizing that each of us as a statistician is supposedly trained to do and the sort of question that each of us answers frequently in our professional life. But are they questions that we want our association to answer, to take an official position on? I think not, for I think the diversity in our educational system fostered by not having hard-and-fast, institutionalized answers to such questions is valuable enough to be nurtured, even at the risk of permitting what some of us might consider inadequate departments, curricula, courses, or teaching to exist. But let us assume for a moment, and for the sake of the argument, that we can agree on the dimensions of "quality education." We are then still faced with the problem of how to go about measuring that quality. One way to measure quality is to ask the consumers of the education. Students' course and teacher evaluations, using any one of several carefully constructed standard instruments now available, seem to be reasonably reliable when aggregated over a class of moderate size (more than 20 or so, c.f. Feldman 1977). They have been further aggregated to provide evaluations of entire departments (Stumpf 1979; Smock and Brandenburg 1978). It seems to me that such aggregated student ratings are useless in evaluating the closeness of a curriculum to some ideal, however defined. Aggregated student ratings seem useful, however, in giving a department an idea of how well it is managing to communicate with its students. ASA could provide a service to departments wishing to evaluate their communication in this way by providing a bibliography of student rating instruments and of the empirical work that has been done to validate them. A second way to assess quality is through the use of reputational measures. One simply asks members of a discipline (those members chosen randomly or in some deliberate manner) to rate each department offering degrees in that discipline (usually on a scale ranging from inadequate to outstanding). Reputational measures have been used in several large studies (Cartter 1966; Roose and Andersen 1970) over the last fifteen years. Another such study is currently underway, and it, unlike its predecessors, does include the discipline of statistics. This is a nationwide assessment of researchdoctorate programs. It is being conducted by the Conference Board of Associated Research Councils with administrative and analytic functions to be carried out by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. It differs from earlier studies in that it provides information to raters about the departments being rated-primarily a list of faculty members. Thus the quality of statistical education within statistics departments offering research doctorates is being evaluated by this reputational system, whether we like it or not. It has been claimed that the purpose of these largescale reputational studies is "neither to afflict the comfortable nor to comfort the afflicted" (Logan Wilson in the forward to Roose and Andersen 1970), but rather to offer guidance to students (in particular, graduate students) seeking training and to suggest remediation to those departments found wanting. I can understand the "consumer's guide" aspect of these studies. Clearly the reputation of the department in which one receives one's training has real effects on one's later career (though it is not necessarily true that these effects are mediated by the quality of the training received). I fail to understand, however, how such studies can lead to remediation within departments, unless they signal the need to hire new faculty of high repute-but this begs the question of whether such repute is related to teaching skill. The results of these reputational studies have been validated against such objective measures of faculty and student quality as number of Nobel Laureates, members of the National Academy, and winners of fel*Judith M. Tanur is Associate Professor, Sociology Department, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794.

Abstract: Cross-cultural studies of social work programs indicate that social workers in different countries differ in setting priorities, designing service delivery systems, and in their choices of practice interventions. Although there may be agreement on abstract concepts such as the dignity of the individual, the right to self-deter mination, etc., the operationalization of these concepts in actual programs and practice differ widely among social workers in different countries. This study represents an initial effort to identify differences in social work students and faculty in two countries, Israel and the United States. A questionnaire based on the Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck approach to the definition and measurement of value orientations was administered to 231 Israeli and 135 American students, as well as 21 Israeli and 23 American faculty of professional schools of social work. Significant differences were found between Israeli students and faculty and the U.S. students and faculty on dominant value pattern...

Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the importance and the feasibility of holding mental health programs accountable for results oriented management. In the public sector, where large numbers of policymakers, managers, staff, and consumer representatives push and pull in many directions, programs understandably tend to lack focus and direction. Lack of clear objectives helps to keep programs in existence but contributes to the image of public sector inefficiency and the resulting unwillingness of citizens to tax themselves to meet public needs. Massive forces inhibit results oriented management in the public sector, yet results oriented management occur when policymakers and managers provide incentives for greater accountability. To harmonize and set priorities among competing objectives, management will and policy-level support is required. In some instances, individual managers have used their knowledge of policy goals and service needs to introduce realistic measurable objectives and incentives for improved organizational performance. In other instances, pressure and technical support from higher policy levels have induced managers to operationalize program goals and begin to establish management processes that will stimulate and reward improved organizational performance.

Abstract: : Recent work on the analysis of learners' representations of complex physical systems was reviewed These results were used to introduce the concept of mental models, which, on one hand, are an important part of what must be considered in designing simulation On the other hand, faulty mental models of what simulators should be like ignore almost everything known about how to teach people complicated tasks It is suggested that design specifications for training simulators should include features intended to promote learning and understanding Sometimes it may be necessary to violate physical and temporal fidelity to promote learning This is not a new idea, but it is apparent that, in the acquisition of training devices for new weapon systems, little or no attention is paid to this advice Recommendations include a development effort to operationalize guidelines for specifying and designing instructional task fidelity, as well as to promote and monitor their use Keywords: Analogical learning, Mental models, Simulation, Simulation fidelity (Author)

Abstract: : To a large degree, the classical approach to problem solving in operations research (OR) is to fit a real life situation into a well-known OR model. When OR models are used to deal with major policy problems in which the underlying processes are not well understood, this effort results in too much simplification. Due to an inability to perceive all uncertainties, and a consequent wish to retain flexibility once the decisions are made, decisionmakers are more interested in the 'robustness' of their policy decisions than their 'optimality', which becomes a vague concept due to the nature of these problems. This paper emphasizes the desirability of robustness and criticizes attempts to fit an operationalized measure of robustness into an optimization structure, by the aid of a decision analytic example. (Author)

Abstract: Behavioral Methodology for Designing and Evaluating Applied Programs for Women Linda P. Thurston, Ph.D. To be maxLmally effective in solving problems, researchers must place their methodological and theoretical models of science within social and political contexts. They must become aware of the biases and assumptions in their science and in theirselves and move toward a valid perspectve of social reality. What needs to happen is for psychologists to view women in the situational contexts within which their behavior takes place and avoid the sexist viewpoint of our culture which until recently considered women's problems unimportant. This paper does not attempt to review specific methods or suggest new, specialized methods for designing and evaluating applied behavior analysis programs for women. Rather, this paper will discuss the scientific method in terms of the social and political contexts of our culture, and suggest five critical areas of self-analysis for behaviorists who develop programs for minorities; these critical areas are: 1) formulation of the problem; 2) operationalization of the program/research; 3) consideraton (or lack of consideration) of the social-political context in which women behave, 4) experimenter bias, and 5) analysis and inference. Offered as a case study, using these fi'ie areas of self-analysis, is the methodology for the design developed at Juniper Gardens Children's Project from 1979 to 1982.