Nurturing the H in HR: using action learning to build organisation development capability in the UK Civil Service

In the UK, the Civil Service Reform Plan is being implemented with urgency. This requires Civil Service departments and agencies to reform their structures and ways of working in order to deliver effective services in a climate of economic austerity and rapid social and technological change. Historically, Human Resource (HR) professionals have provided services based on the HR Business Partner model which has meant a focus on strategic and operational HR services. As part of these changes, HR managers and other professionals are now required to develop their capabilities in providing Organisation Development (OD) advice to their internal clients. In order to make this happen, the Civil Service's expert OD and Design Service launched an OD Capability Building programme and engaged OD specialists Mayvin to deliver it. The programme incorporates the postgraduate level-accredited Action Learning Question method developed by Dr Richard Hale called, in this context, OD Questions (ODQs). Participants on the OD Capability Building programme are required to complete an ODQ over a five- to six-month period. This entails scoping an OD challenge with key stakeholders, conducting some research and making recommendations for change or implementing such change. The participants work in ‘action learning sets’ and support each other with their problem solving and learning. A final report is written up by each participant leading to the award of postgraduate-level credits. Examples of ODQ areas include: How can I support a newly appointed Director General to align his team to address their challenges at a time of rapid change? How can I help my client department to improve employee engagement? How can I develop my own capability in working as a business partner and adding value alongside my client?     

Music and Recording

Roger D. Kinkle's The Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music and Jazz: 1900-1950 (New Rochelle, N.Y.: Arlington House, 1974—$75.00 for set of four volumes)

Clive Davis and James Willwerth, Clive: Inside Inside the Record Business (New York: Morrow, 1974—$8.95)

Studies in Jazz Discography I (Institute of Jazz Studies University Extension Division, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.—$3.25, paper)

Walter E. Hurst and William Storm Hale's Your Introduction to Music/Record Copyright, Contracts and other Business and Law (Seven Arts Press, Inc., 6605 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Calif. 90028—$10.00/5.00)     

Differential Ability Scales – Second Edition (neuro)psychological predictors of math performance for typical children and Children with Math Disabilities

Concerns about the ability‐achievement discrepancy method for specific learning disability (SLD) determination led to alternative research‐based methods, such as failure to respond to intervention. Neither of these regulatory methods address the statutory SLD definition, which explicitly includes a deficit in basic psychological processes. Examining neuropsychological processing differences among typical children and children with math SLD, commonality analyses revealed that Differential Ability Scales – Second Edition (DAS‐II) predictors accounted for more achievement variance in typical children (46% to 58%) than in children with math SLD (33% to 50%), with substantial loss of predictive validity when General Conceptual Ability was used instead of subcomponent scores. Results suggest that differences in typical predictor‐outcome relationships may provide a foundation for developing specific cognitive and academic interventions for children with math SLD. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.