RESEARCH ABSTRACTS With this issue, a regular column of research abstracts will appear. The purpose of this column is not to supplant existing ACM abstracting functions (such as Computing Reviews) or to be a kind of all-purpose bibliographic service for SIGCPR members. Instead, it will serve to show the breadth and depth of research on computer personnel issues and to indicate successful, interesting, or controversial lines of research. In addition to hard research articles, this column will also review and abstract more popular literature which reflects the wide range of approaches we take. These are not abstracts in the strict sense of the word since the pieces are written by the column editor; neither are they complete reviews. In the future, we'd like to feature full-length book reviews here, too. If you are interested in providing reviews, please contact the Editor of Computer Personnel. systems...it does not reward individuals in the Work Units based on the achievement of a project office's objectives. Instead, rewards are given based on the achievement of the Work Unit's objectives .... " (pg. 17). Lehman provides an example of an R-and-D-oriented incentive program as well as a list of criteria such a program ought to meet and an incentive development plan. More valuable is an honest approach to evaluating the effectiveness of such a plan, although it is quite simple. There is no indication of the use of his evaluation plan in practice, however. 10-2-2. Henderson, R. and Oscarson, D. Skill Requirements of Technical/Computer-Based Trainers Journal of Systems Management 37(3):35-38 (1986). This article concerns the status of trainers who are involved with the instruction of others in how to use computers. While the article is very general, the authors do emphasize the constant changes which the technology forces upon computer instructors. They characterize trainers as minimizers of "the risk of rejection of technology" and as "agents of change," not surprisingly appellations often used with respect to systems analysts. Henderson and Oscarson stress meetings between supervisors and trainers, allowing the latter to share their expertise in training with the former, who also have some (small) training responsibilities; this again mimics systems analyst skills. \ \ \ 10-2-i. Lehman, D. H. Improving Employee Productivity through Incentives. Journal of Systems Manasement 37(3):14-20(1986). Lehman reviews the rationale and history of incentive plans. A particular format is developed to "...motivate the ... 60% of employees by positive reinforcement, via increased opportunity for recognition, through the use of a liberal awards program." (pg. 15). His special interest is the not-for-profit R & D organization, for which the computation of incentives based on profit is obviously difficult. He mentions three alternatives for funding sources: cost underruns, a variable amount of overhead set aside, and a fixed amount of overhead set aside. Lehman prefers the latter two. He also discusses the tradeoffs in these three alternatives. With respect to who determines the awards, Lehman favors setting up a formal review board. Four possible drawbacks to incentives plans include overestimation of costs, drawn out cost negotiations, the possibility of a change in project or task objectives, and lack of success due more to management failure than worker failure. Of particular interest to those working with computers is our tendency to work in projects rather than functional units. Lehman points out that an incentive program can correct what he terms a "fundamental flaw in most organizations' merit review This article sh~ws how i00 trainer activity items (obtained from the American Society for Training and Development) can be thought of as nine distinct dategories of skills. They use this list to develop evaluation instruments for measuring trainers' effectiveness (hut, as in the Lehman article, there is no evidence that this scheme has actually been tried out). They warn against commercial train-the-trainers programs, pointing out that more mundane self-directed research may prove as effective. On a more positive -- and unusually frank -- note, they point out that computer-involved trainers "appear to enjoy virtually unlimited career opportunities." *cP

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