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Research-Based Practices
Extraordinary Research Yields Ordinary Principles

Thomas, M. N. (2005, February). Yesterday’s Extraordinary Research Yields Today’s Ordinary Principles. Performance Improvement. 44, 15-18.

Executive Summary
Our ordinary performance improvement practices have roots in extraordinary research. Today, we accept as a “Duh!” the learning principle that things that occur together tend to be recalled together. We use this principle of association as an instructional technique. How did we come by this principle? This article explores the vintage research thread of the principle of association. It begins with the earliest formal statement of association attributed to Aristotle, ca. 350 BC. Hobbes in 1651 argued that thoughts become linked by being experienced together. In the 18th century, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Hartley took up associationism. Locke (1700) is regarded as the modern founder of the doctrine of association and is credited as the first to use the expression “association of ideas.” Hume (1739) “rediscovered” two of Aristotle’s three principles. In 1885, Ebbinghaus’ experiments used association as a theory of how learning takes place. In the early 1900’s, Thorndike’s experiments showed that associations are influenced by consequences. There were also rivals, such as Köhler (1917) who argued against Thorndike. Research archives are so much more than yesterday’s dusty journals. If it were not for this heritage, we would not have the tools, models, theories, and practices that we use today.

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Output-Based Job Descriptions: Beyond Skills and Competencies

Thomas, M. N. (2000, August). Output-based job descriptions: Beyond skills and competencies. Performance Improvement, 39, 23-27.

Executive Summary
Traditionally, companies define jobs, select new hires, and measure performance based upon skills and/or competencies. However, skills and competencies are not the bottom line that employees are paid for. Employees are paid for outputs. Therefore, instead of job descriptions based upon skills and competencies, create job descriptions based upon outputs that the company hires and pays workers to accomplish. Job outputs, processes, conditions, and value are clearly stated, leaving less room for ambiguity about the job compared to traditional descriptions. Output-based job descriptions benefit selection and assignment as well as strategic planning, role clarification, performance evaluations, and professional development. This article presents a case report of a cooperative effort between consultant and client to design and develop a process and tools for generating output-based job descriptions. The project methodology, the process and tools for creating the output-based job descriptions, and sample excerpts from old and new job descriptions are provided.

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