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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the benefits, barriers and challenges of the transdisciplinary approach to training, and to present findings of a case analysis. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on the research findings of an experimental training program for Greek local government managers co-funded by the European Union. Findings: The adoption of the transdisciplinary approach for the effective training of (local government) managers has a number of important advantages, including the connection of training with real problems that organizations face today, as well as the development of transdisciplinary competences necessary for the effective adaptation and activation of managers in the turbulent environment of the new economy. Research limitations/implications: The experimental training program focuses on managers of Greek local government organizations. However, the critical factors that are described are relative to the training needs of most organizations operating in the new globalized economic environment. Practical implications: The design of the transdisciplinary training programs, as well as their implementation and evaluation processes, can be of use to all organizations interested in the strategic training and development of human resources, regardless of their size and sector. Originality/value: There is a great potential for the development of training programs based on the transdisciplinary approach. Fields of immediate application are those where social, economic and ecological elements interact and should be integrated in a sustainable way. (Contains 2 tables and 4 figures.)

Purpose: This paper's primary purpose is to emphasize the importance of entrepreneur training regarding creativity and innovation. Their significance and the importance of the latter regarding the development of business and training needs are the research questions of a survey conducted in northern Greece. Design/methodology/approach: The survey, of 116 entrepreneurs, owners of small medium and very small enterprises, investigates awareness, attitudes and perceptions regarding creativity and innovation, for facilitating the design and development of training interventions. Data were collected using modified and extended questionnaires of an analogous tool created for the needs of the TRACTORS project. The questionnaires included both open-ended and closed questions. Descriptive statistics were generated by the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. Findings: Findings suggest that entrepreneurs/owners and/or managers of micro and small medium enterprises in northern Greece are largely aware of the significance of creativity and innovation, believing that these are positively related to each other and interact in the development of their business. Training intervention is deemed as of great importance, and obstacles concerning financial resources, experience, time, infrastructure and not risk averse, were underlined. Research limitations/implications: Creativity and innovation training interventions for entrepreneurs in terms of process, content, method, duration, trainers etc., is in a fledgling stage and requires further research to determine the "right training intervention mix" serving the needs of the non homogeneous entrepreneurial category. Originality/value: Although entrepreneurship creativity and innovation are viewed as the "creation of the future", little has been done to train entrepreneurs to participate creatively in the innovation economy. The present paper traces these needs. (Contains 4 figures and 10 tables.)

The aim of this article is to offer a framework model of the planning of the activities of organisations of continuing education and training, which gives the opportunity to determine their mission, to seek specific aims, to develop the available resources and to create a cooperative operating climate. Adopting this recommended model would help these organisations to adapt to the changes and challenges of the contemporary environment, ensure their functioning and the implementation of feedback and, where necessary, use corrective steps in order to achieve the objectives set. (Contains 4 figures, 1 table and 1 note.)

This paper is an "evaluation" study in the form of an extensive "case study" of one particular business school in Greece. Its alleged contribution focuses on the conclusions it hopes to draw in relation to the evaluation research methodology, based on the case evaluation research, experimenting with the use of students' ratings (SETs). The effect of a number of quantitative variables (expected course grade, student study hours, course difficulty, and instructor grading system) as well as of a number of qualitative variables (student's major discipline and reason for taking a course, and instructor gender and employment status) on SETs are examined in order to provide a basis for restructuring the currently employed evaluation research methodology.

With data from 444 civil service employees, a model was developed to weight individual and occupational characteristics in order to assign employees to interpersonal or technical skills training. Age, gender, education, management level, and job tenure were significant variables associated with each type of training. (Contains 56 references.) (SK)

In recent years, empowerment is considered to be a panacea for many organizations in the modern competitive and turbulent business environment, especially in the service sector where employees come into contact with customers. Moreover, rewards play an important role in motivating employees and leading them to have an appropriate attitude to the customers. Although rewards are one of the most fundamental human resource policies, there is a dearth regarding the systematic study of the whole range of them and their effect on the employees' psychological empowerment. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this gap by providing a review of the studies on the relationships between rewards and psychological empowerment and proposing a research agenda concerning the examination of the impact of four intrinsic (information, trust, skill variety, recognition) and four extrinsic rewards (financial rewards, job security, relationships with supervisor, relationships with co-workers) on employees' psychological empowerment., INTRODUCTION In a competitive and turbulent environment in which organizations are anticipated to be faster, leaner and provide more qualitative services, empowering employees is considered to be a sine qua [...]