New Papers on Higher Education Studies and Research

Conceptual Analysis of Scientific and Methodological Results of the Project: Management and Assessment of Interdisciplinary Training at the Post-University Level

by P. Metreveli T. Bakradze A. Tvaradze R. Cheishvili V. Sadovsky G . Demetradze

6

Paris, 1992

The Division of Higher Education and Research of the UNESCO Secretariat produced, during 1983 - 1989, thirty six titles In the series Papers on Higher Education ( a complete list of titles appears on the last page ). From 1990, this series will continue In a new form New Papers on Higher Education with two sub - titles: one Studies and Research and the other, Documentation of Meetings.

Studies published In the serties "New Papers on Higher Education:Stud1es and Research':

1. Evaluation Procedures used to Measure the Efficiency of Higher Education Systems and Institutions. A study conducted by: The International Association for Educational Assessment. Coordinator: W.B.Dockrell. UNESCO 1990. ED-90-WS-10 ( English only )

2. Study Service In Adult Education: Analysis of an Experience. A study conducted by the Faculty of Education, University of Lujan, Argentina. Coordinator: Silvia Brusilovski. UNESCO 1990. ED-89/WS-103 ( English/French)

3. L'Enseignaient Superleur et le Monde du Travail. A study coordinated by Noel Terrot for the World Federation of Teachers' Unions. UNESCO 1990. ED-90/WS-40 ( French only )

4. Africa: A Survey of Distance Education 1991. A study conducted by the International Council for Distance Education and the International Council for Distance Learning. Coordinator: Keith Harry. UNESCO 1991. ED-91/WS-42 ( English only )

5. Latin America and the Carr1bean: A Survey of Distance Education 1991. A study conducted by: The International Council for Distance Education and The International Centre for Distance Learning. Coordinator: Keith Harry. UNESCO 1991. ED-91/WS-44 ( English only)

ED -92/WS-UNESC0 1992

NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT

This study is the outcome of the pilot project conducted by UNESCO in 1984-1990 within the framework of its programme aimed at acquiring greater knowledge of the contribution which higher education could make to the needs of society through innovative interdisciplinary training and research.

The particular interest of the study lies in the fact that the pilot project was developed in one of the republics of the former Soviet Union, now the Republic of Georgia, situated in the Caucasus area. The reader will certainly note a "stamp of the transition period" in the findings and conclusions of this study, some of which clearly indicate an attempt to tackle education problems from an entrepreneurial standpoint, typically of states moving towards a market economy.

The opinions expressed in the present study are those of the authors and do not correspond necessarily to the point of view of UNESCO.

The Authors

Metreveli P. Deputy Director, Centre for Social Management of IMNE, Dean of the Interdisciplinary Training Faculty, Can.Sc. (Physics and Mathematics)

Bakradze T. Assistant Professor, Chair of Economics at IMNE, Researcher in the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Training, Cand.Sc. (Economics).

Tvaradze A. Senior Researcher in the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Training, Cand. Sc. (Economics)

Cheishvili R. Head of Department of Modelling IMNE, Cand.Sc. (Physics and Mathematics)

Sadovsky V. Head of the Language Teaching Department

Demetradze G. Researcher in the sector of the teaching process methodology of IMNE.

All authors come from the Institute for Management of National Economy (IMNE) under the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Georgia.

ii

Introduction

C O N T E N T S

Chapter 1.

Chapter 2.

Chapter 3.

Appendix 1.

Appendix 2.

Appendix 3.

Appendix 4.

Appendix 5.

Conception of Interdisciplinarity in Training and Research at Post-Uni versify Level.

Methodology of Interdisciplinary Training for Industrial Managers

Analysis of the Scientific and Methodolo­gical results of Organizing Training on an Interdisciplinary Basis

The Modular Approach to the Interdisciplinary Training of Managers

Simulation Model of the Region. Economic and Mathematical Description

Interdisciplinary Training Module. Essence and Objectives

The Tutor in the System of Interdisciplinary nary Training: principles of Selection, Training and Activities

Assessment of the Effectiveness of Interdisciplinary Training of the Management Reserve Pool at an Agro-Industrial Complex (Organization of Entry, Intermediate and Exit Tests of the Trainees)

iii

INTRODUCTION

The dissociation of the sciences is a consequence of the human mind's perennial reluctance to perceive the Universe as an integral whole. The first attempt to overcome the compartmentalization of knowledge was made in the 19th and 20th centuries by the creation of the method Dialectical Materialism, which has served as the key to explain the most important general regulators of development of the nature and society. The aim of dialectical materialism - to cover and master all aspects of a subject - is concretely realized in interdisciplinary research and training. Philosophy plays the leading role in a process of "consciousness broadening" up to the level of integral perception of the universe. The method of dialectical materialism can be considered as an interdisciplinary approach of general importance for a number of other interdisciplinary approaches, having concrete meaning for specific areas of scientific knowledge.

Besides, there are special interdisciplinary methods research and training in any one discipline, e.g. the ecological approach, which is a problem-oriented version of the systematic approach fitted to solve only ecological problems. The same role is played by the preventive approach used in the solution of the interdisciplinary problem of health care.

It should be noted that the transition towards interdisciplinary principles in research and training is highly developed in the sphere of the natural and technical sciences. In contrast, in the social sciences, which retain a goal-oriented role, the principle of interdisciplinarity is understood differently in different countries.

In the conception of interdisciplinary research and training proposed here, a combined approach is used as the main (but not the only) methodological instrument, as that which is most effective and suited to solving complicated interdisciplinary economic problems.

This conception, most directly concerning a branch of social, more precisely economic activities, is based on the principle of planned management of the economy. Hence it is intended for application in the socialist economies.

The main mechanism in the proposed concept is the creation of organizational and technological unity in the cyclical development of the national product. This concept is used in research and training for the first time and constitutes the originality of the "theoretically synthesized system", whose existence is one of the most important requirements for implementing the interdisciplinary approach. The cyclical development theory is based on the need for comprehensive organization of the multiple goal management, which must cover not only the productive cycle but "science production" and "production consumer" cycles as well. These three cycles taken together form the "economic research and production" concept. This term, too, is used for the first time. It refers to the satisfaction of needs in the final product which results from complex economic and technological co-operation between particular groups in heterogeneous branches. The transformation of a large number of related branches into an integral management object known as National Economic Complex can be achieved by

iv

creating a new management structure; then the discovery of regular patterns within the structure of economic and technological relations becomes the most difficult problem, the study of which is possible only on the basis of the interdisciplinary approach.

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Chapter 1

The Conception of Interdisciplinarité in Training and Research at Post-University Level

1.1. Essence, significance, main stages and principles of Interdisciplinarity in Research

Recently, under the influence of the scientific and technological revolution more complex and large-scale problems have been raised, whose solution requires the expansion and further development of interdisciplinary research combining the knowledge, methods and skills of specialists in different disciplines. At present, research on the basis of one discipline or even the group of disciplines representing only the technical sciences or the natural sciences will not provide a complete solution to major problems.

A narrow, sectoral approach to the problem can cause irretrievable damage both to the environment and the social-economic development of regions.

An interdisciplinary approach in research was characteristic of science at different stages of its development in the past, especially in the period of the Roman Empire. The integrating function in science was fulfilled by philosophy, which however, gradually lost its leadership and unifying force.

This integrating process in science resulted in the appearance of such complex subjects as biochemistry, biophysics, cybernetics, etc.

It is generally known that science cannot be presented in a rigid, static state. It is constantly subject to the processes of differentiation and integration. The differentiation and integration of scientific knowledge do not exclude, but complement, one another. However, at different stages of development the inter-relation between the two processes varies. Before the 20th century differentiation usually prevailed over integration. This accounts for the appearance of a great number of scientific disciplines and tendencies, a number of independent branches and sub-branches.

Many researchers think that the differentiation and specialization of science, while increasing our cognitive knowledge, do not provide an overall grasp of problems.

The advantage of the interdisciplinary approach is precisely that it envisages the harmonious use of separate disciplines as well as the whole mass of knowledge in the various sciences (technical, natural and social) related to the object of study. The basis of the interdisciplinary approach is to define the degree of interaction of the different specific disciplines, as well as using them together.

Reviewing the results of research carried out on the IMNE Project, we can single out the following stages and main principles in organizing and conducting interdisciplinary research.

The first stage in interdisciplinary research is to formulate the complex problem under consideration and to form an overall picture of the subject of inquiry. The creation of multidimensional images of the subject by means of

2

maps, models, etc. plays an Important role at this stage and at the following stages of interdisciplinary research. The various disciplines and sciences related to the subject of enquiry are enumerated, together with the interdependencies between them, their main directions and degree of influence on the problem under investigation. The problem of linking different scientific disciplines and transforming them into a single "multi-language" integral system should be solved here. It should be noted that this stage of the interdisciplinary research is the most complicated. Definition of the interdisciplinary interactions between the natural, social and technical sciences involved in the research is impeded by the qualitative differences among them. As is known, the natural sciences deal on the whole with the natural environment, the social sciences with human behaviour, and the technical sciences with the technologies, equipment and generally with the designing and operation of simulated environments.

In order to successfully organize and carry out interdisciplinary research it is necessary to define the main principles of interdisciplinarity as well as their practical application.

First of all, it is expedient to define the principle of the integrated approach to the subject of inquiry.

In order to apply the principle of integration in the interdisciplinary research systems, comprehensive approaches to conducting research are widely used, according to the complexity, scale and characteristics of the problem. The systematic approach leads to rational organization of the potential and efforts of the representatives of different disciplines. At the same time, it cannot solve all problems in investigating complex systems, since its main function is to provide the methodological base for research.

The chief characteristic of interdisciplinary research is its comprehensive approach, which differs from the systemic approach in its wider coverage of problems, cognitive range and intensified mobilization of knowledge of the subject of inquiry. At the same time, the comprehensive approach is more amorphous and does not possess the strict sequence and the degree of integrity characteristic of the systemic approach.

In the era of scientific and technological revolution the influence of the man on the environment is becoming more perceptible, with serious and far-going consequences. In this connection the following global problems -ecology, health care, information science, man as an integrated system, astro-sociology and exploration of extra-terrestrial civilizations, etc. must be rethought. The study and solution of the problems common to all mankind are inconceivable without the interdisciplinary research and global approach.

It should be noted that this division of interdisciplinary research into systemic, global and comprehensive approaches does not mean mutual exclusion. They may complement each other. For example, in the global approach, both the systemic and comprehensive approaches can be used.

The second principle in organizing and carrying out interdisciplinary research is the optimal representation of the different disciplines. Each science enlisted in interdisciplinary research deals with a certain aspect of the task. For example, the social sciences as a rule formulate the task and define the objectives of the research. The natural sciences in most cases define the methods of research. The main aim of technical subjects is

3

design, development and technical support of research.

Among the scientific disciplines involved in the investigation of a definite complex problem, some will be more obviously related to the tasks under study. It is natural that such subjects will gain prominence in the process of investigation, though their influence on other subjects should not be overwhelming.

In the interdisciplinary research no opposition (especially antagonistic relations) among different sciences can be allowed. Optimum results can be achieved only through the harmonious interaction of the different sciences. It follows from this that the third principle of interdisciplinary research is the equality of sciences and their harmonious interaction in seeking the solution to a common problem.

Application of the interdisciplinary approach requires corresponding changes in the system of personnel training and development, on an interdisciplinary basis. The aim of our study is to work out a methodology for interdisciplinary training for managers at post-university level.

1.2. Interdisciplinarity in training: Preconditions and Main Principles; Organization and Application of Interdisciplinary Training

In an era of scientific and technological revolution the increase in technical and technological interdependence among different sectors, the national economy is becoming more apparent. Practical and theoretical problems are longer considered in terms of the traditional sectoral organization of industry, which has a negative influence on decision-making. A consequence has been the rise of large inter-sectoral complexes and corresponding management bodies geared to achieve optimum results. This explains also the creation of agro-industrial complexes combining agriculture, processing industries and services. Inter-sectoral scientific and technical complexes (ISTC) geared to combined use of scientific knowledge for solving specific scientific, technical and industrial problems are similarly organized. Analogous processes of integration (like the European Community) exist at international level.

However, it should be noted that neither the university system of education nor personnel appear to be ready for such radical innovations, in particular, for inter-sectoral and transnational complexes, joint ventures, and especially for the integration of specialized sciences with production. Thus technological development has sharply outstripped the development of the systems of personnel training, retraining and promotion.

Accelerating scientific and technological progress have led to ever-increasing specialization and extension of scientific knowledge. University education has, to a certain extent, responded, updating teaching methods and instituting more specialized postgraduate studies. As a result, graduates have practically no skills in solving complex intersectoral problems. Consequently, the majority of managers from the different subsectors acquire the necessary knowledge and managerial skills intuitively, in their day-to-day work. This state of affairs ultimately limits Che efficiency of the economy.

Thus, the need for a complex approach to the solution of complicated, many-sided problems becomes more and more obvious. It should be noted that

4

interdisciplinarity through auto-regulation long ago penetrated research and managerial processes. Vide use of linear programming and computers in managerial activities and research shows this. Indeed, market research, advertising and the need to forecast demand have given rise to a new discipline known as marketing.

One should not neglect, however, the problem of improving management methods and training and leaving it to a long process of auto-régulât ion. The point is to identify and speed up the above-mentioned processes.

As the experience of the majority of the developed countries shows, one way out of the situation is to organize the educational system on an interdisciplinary basis and, particularly, the system of postgraduate training.

Thanks to research carried out since the 50s, interdisciplinary methods in education have been already devised. In contrast to multidisciplinarity, which means simple juxtaposition of different disciplines, and cross - disciplinarity, which emphasizes one of them, interdisciplinarity implies organic combination and interaction of different disciplines in order to train - in our case - highly skilled managers for the agro-industrial sphere.

We are obviously aware that, even with the broad interdisciplinary approach, it is impossible to create a single, universal, training programme suitable for each case. Some specialization is naturally required. In our particular case, the ultimate goal is to train industrial managers. Thus, the problem-solving approach, being the main principle in research, is the main principle of interdisciplinarity in training too.

Obviously, in a general problem-oriented course for training industrial managers, the proportion of managerial disciplines will be large and proportionately less attention will be paid to ecology, protection of the environment, scientific and technical information, social and psychological aspects, etc.However, in an integrated training programme it is very important to ensure that it is optimally structured by balancing the proportions of the disciplines involved.

Moreover, in order to stimulate the trainees, to encourage creativity and to impart the skills of analytic thinking, training should be research-oriented. In other words, problem-solving is often proposed instead of theoretical management disciplines and economics.

Such training helps trainees to acquire a deep, complex vision of problems and ability to innovate and effectively to solve problems. Indeed, it is quite possible that new solutions to managerial problems can be found during such training process.

Organization of management reserve pool training was based on morphological analysis of a given problem, and presented in sub-problems and separate tasks. It is natural that the most detailed is the problem "Projecting of the training process".

Such analysis allowed the designers clear guidelines for carrying out the work envisaged by the project in terms of methodological principles, methods of organization of the training process, and experimental checking of the

5

results obtained, assessing its effectiveness, etc. Numerous discussions of this problem by the experts-executors of the project and by external experts led to the following conclusion: the end result of interdisciplinary management training should be the ability to assess correctly a situation arising in subsequent work, to identify the main problem, to formulate clearly the corresponding managerial problems, to make the necessary business contacts with experts and bring together quickly available knowledge and skills.

For the initial projection of training process, the number of the trainees and duration of teaching were determined. Training was focussed on creating the most favourable conditions for carrying out the experiment, ensuring maximum representativeness and efficiency from one flow of students to another.

Therefore, it was decided to limit the number of the students in each flow to 15-20 persons.

The problem of the duration of training is of particular importance. k 5-month cycle was chosen as being the most suitable.

This does not exclude the possibility of longer-term periods of training. However, a five-month period is convenient for experimental checking of the effectiveness of teaching (including the degree of interdisciplinary perception by students of acquired knowledge and skills, the most rational timetable of courses and lectures, etc).

Furthermore, a five-month course ensures optimum organization of the whole training process, provides for introducing necessary changes into the training process of the next flow, and helps to define the list of subjects for expansion of the teaching programme.

The key point of strategy for organizing such training is the method for achieving true interdisciplinarity in the training process as well as carrying out regular assessment of their efficiency.

In accordance with the thinking behind the project, interdisciplinary training of the managers' reserve pool is achieved mainly by the following two methods: a periodic interdisciplinary summing up of the separate teaching blocks by the leading lecturers, and carrying out the interdisciplinary training modules. During the first two hours of the course, trainees get acquainted with its structure and contents.

But this is still not sufficient. On completion of each separate unit of the programme, which includes a defined group of related courses, a special interdisciplinary summing-up is conducted by the same lecturer or the department tutor who has taught the introductory course on the structure of the interdisciplinary course. Such intermediate, summing up methods are more effective than the initial ones, since problems considered in the context of retrospective review are perceived better by the trainees.

These training procedures ensure that all necessary interdisciplinary knowledge is acquired at the proper level. As to the acquiring of special skills (on the basis of interdisciplinary training principles) for solving complex managerial problems, this is achieved by conducting lectures in small groups of trainees within the framework of special interdisciplinary modules.

6

The main elements of each training module are: identification of the problems to be solved, and collective conception of tasks in small groups to find the answers, with the assistance of the consultant. At the next lecture a meeting with the consultant is held. One of the group representatives selected by the trainees carries on a discussion on the previously determined conception of the problems. The others, including the tutor, remain relatively passive observers. At the close of the lecture, after the consultant leaves, the tutor not only sums up the results, but also discusses the very process of consulting and assesses the effectiveness of the interchange between the consultant and the trainees.

Thus each training module provides for rather long-term practical courses. Their main objective is to work out problem formulation skills and to define the ways of problem-solving in discussion with the consultant.

The subjects of the modules are defined according to general trends in different spheres of management determined by the corresponding graphs of the skilled labour structure. Having defined the specific managerial sphere for a group of trainees, it is desirable to identify a concrete managerial problem which meets with the concerns of the given group. Identification of the problem is in itself an objective. (Intermediate 1987 report on the Project of the interdisciplinary training module at its first stage).

This identification process is determined by many factors, such as the nature of the training process, personal and professional experience of the trainees, their level of basic knowledge, etc. therefore, the content of the concrete set of problems is revealed for each group of trainees only at the close of the lecture period.

A contemporary manager should be cultured, highly educated and broad-minded; competent in particular disciplines and able to work with and manage people; to carry out thorough financial and economic analysis; and to make optimum decisions about the problems that constantly arise in the course of work.

7

Chapter 2

Methodology of Interdisciplinary Training for industrial Managers

As a result of the UNESCO research project, the methodology of Interdisciplinary training for industrial managers has been developed, and is the basis of 5-month, 2-month and 2-week programmes of manager training. The basic programme is the 5-month one vorked out for interdisciplinary training of managers of agro-industrial complexes. The 2-month programme provides for training, upgrading of industrial products and marketing of the products. The aim of the 2-week programme is to consider all the interconnected problems of a complex problem when training top managers. For example: a 2-week interdisciplinary training programme on comprehensive analysis of foreign economic relations and the operation of joint ventures; or a programme on restructuring economic management in the USSR, etc.

The methodology provides for the following stages:

1. Considering applications, questionnaires received, from prospective trainees, interviewing them and forming them into groups.

2. Entry test of level of knowledge and skills of the students.

3. Training in certain basic disciplines.

4. Training in main interdisciplinary modules.

5. Practical training based on interdisciplinary principles.

6. Preparation and defence of a comprehensive interdisciplinary assignment.

7. Exit test.

Integration of different knowledge and acquisition of skills in interdisciplinary thinking is achieved by using active teaching methods, interdisciplinary training modules (IMT), business games, case studies, computer work, round tables and visual aids.

To improve interdisciplinary perception, special tutors are called upon. Their role and tasks are shown below.

In the diagram below the structures and stages of the interdisciplinary process are shown. Conventional signs are as follows:

1 - names of concrete basic and optional disciplines; 2 - lectures ; 3 - active methods of teaching; 4 - names of specific interdisciplinary teaching blocks; 5 - field studies.

Let us consider each stage separately:

1. The applications and personal particulars of future trainees and their interview are examined with the purpose of detecting possible deviations

8

from pre-established requirements for the training groups.

2. The entry test is conducted on an automatic basis according to a system of entry-exit tests of trainees' knowledge, devised by the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Training and carried out on a Réalité computer (France). As a result of the entry test the initial level of managerial skills of the trainees is determined, together with educational strengths and weaknesses, sharpness and other professional qualities.

9

Diagram:

training.

Structure and stages of training process according to the standard methodology of interdisciplinary management

! Consideration of biographical ! I particulars I ! !

interview

I Formation of training groups

Entry exam

ISocio-psychological training

(Basic discipline! I I

1 1 optional disciplines!

!

2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3

! Interdisciplinary training blocks ! ! !

2 3 5 2 3 5 2 3 5 2 3 5 2 3 5 2 3 5

! Industrial training

! ! Defence of an interdisciplinary assignment

! Final exam (exit test) ! ! !

All this is used for quick changes in syllabuses. A method of conducting the entry-exit test of the trainees' knowledge of the course is given in Appendix 5.

3. Basic and optional disciplines in the teaching process (according to the trainees' choice) include revision of the main specialty, and bridging possible gaps in the basic knowledge of trainees.

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4. An interdisciplinary training module is a complex of closely interrelated parts from different disciplines oriented to a comprehensive explanation of a definite complex problem. The teaching module links the problem, related lectures and field studies with the advanced enterprises of the country. These modules, business games, case studies, computer work and round tables are used here.

5. Practical training in the economic mechanism of management directly in the enterprises enables trainees to get acquainted with different managerial tasks. They acquire practical experience working as assistant managers at various levels.

6. Preparation of a comprehensive final assignment and its defence aim to develop analytical ability, the ability to reveal unused reserves for enhancement of economic efficiency, improved organization of labour and production, improved management and commercial activity and the ability to express thoughts clearly and to defend views and proposals.

7. The exit test assesses the level of acquired managerial skills. (Methods of conducting the entry-exit test given in Appendix 5).

As mentioned above, the general methodology of the training is the basis of the 5-month, 2-month and 2-week training programmes, but with certain modifications. For example, the 5-month programme completely repeats the general methodology scheme. In the 2-month programme the volume of basic and optional disciplines is sharply reduced and consequently reduced is the duration of the practical training in the advanced enterprises. The 2-week training programme does not include any basic and optional disciplines or practical training and is limited to field studies in the enterprises. A description of the three training programmes is given below.

2.1. Programme of the Course of Interdisciplinary Training of Managers of agro-Industrial Complex. Duration of the Course - five months.

Objectives and Tasks of the Course:

Reorganization of the national economy and radical economic reform in the USSR, abandonment of interventionist methods of management, transition to full self-management, the democratization of society and realization of the need to give a free hand to market forces make high demands to the economic knowledge and professional skills of workers, especially managers. Expansion of international economic relations, further increases the significance of these problems.

The main objective of a given course is to train the managerial reserve pool of an agro-industrial complex, to teach them the theory and practice of management, to develop the skills of complex analysis of problem situations and decision making.

The programme includes field study and 6-week practical training in advanced enterprises.

The training programme is worked out with regard to the above-mentioned principles of interdisciplinarity.

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It Includes discussions and contacts with the heads of different ministries and institutions. The programme is flexible and can be modified in accordance with results of entry test and the trainees' wishes. The below-mentioned disciplines and languages (Russian, English, German) can be studied on a voluntary (optional) basis.

The basis of the course is the preparation, by the trainees, using an interdisciplinary approach, of a collective graduation study of an urgent managerial problem.

Plan of Subjects

Name of inter­disciplinary training blocks, disciplines and themes

! l_l

! ! ! I I 1 ! ! I ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! I I ! !

Contents and objec­tives of the course of interdisciplinary training of managers of AIC

Entry test

Social and psycholo­gical training re­laxation of tension, establishment of com­munication and coope­ration, improving students' knowledge and self-knowledge

Organization of scientific and tech­nical information. Significance of in­formation and its classification. Streams of informa­tion in all direc­tions .

Principles of infor­mation science in management

3! 4! 5

40

13

32 10

40

8! 9

16

10! Ill 121 13 14

! ! ¡Interdisciplinary ! I Training Blocks, t

6. 1 Economic mechanism I of management of AIC I

6.1. I Current and long-term ¡planning of socioeco­nomic development of IAIC. Improving scien­tific validity of ! plans !

6.2. ! Modern forms of la-Ibour organization, !payment and economic (stimulation.

6.3. ¡Financial planning land principles of I accounting 20 !10 ! !

6.4. ¡Using financial Imethods to improve ! efficiency of econo-imic activities of ag-!ricultural industries I ! I Control of profits I and expenditure. 116 ! 1

6.5. ¡Mechanisms of self-Ifinancing and deve­lopment of progres­sive forms of pro­duction I

6.5.1.Distribution of pro-Ifit. Financial rela­tions between enter-¡prises and state ¡organizations. ¡Use of economic ¡incentives in differ­ent self-supporting ¡models. ! t 24 I

6.5.2.Organization of eco Inomic viability. ¡Team labour incen­tives; self-support-ling. Team work. ¡101

13!

20!

6.S.3.Lease contract - a ! ¡new progressive form ! lof economic viability1 ¡Specificity of lease ! !model. ! (Leasing of a state ! •enterprise by a ! •collective. Organiza-! !tion of cooperative ! )enterprises and ! •prospects of their I •development. Hecha- ! Inism of establishing ! land functioning of ! •joint ventures 138 I !

6.S.A.Price formation in ! •the market economy ! land free functioning ! lof commodity-money I (relations. 110 ! 1

7. (Management of produc-l '.tion at micro-and ! •macro-economic ! llevéis. I

! ! 7.1. (Theory of management !

•Management as a sci- I lence, profession, vo-I •cation. Interdiscip- ! I Unary character of ! •management. Forma- ! (tion of empirical 1 I trends. Pragmatism I (in management. Oper-! lational research and ! •computers in manage- 1 Iment. Theory of con-! (tingency. Specific ! •features of produc Ition management in •socialist countries (22! !

7.2. (Hierarchical levels ! land organizational ! I structure of manage- ! •ment of national ( (economy as a whole. (22 ! !

7.3. (Appraisal and its ! •place in the process ! (of management. Meth-lods of appraising and!

assessment. Scienti­fic and technological progress and person­nel.

Spec ial,psychological and legal aspects of management.

Labour management

The banking system and its role in in­creasing the effi­ciency of industrial enterprises and the national economy

Economic management and environmental protection.

System of material and technical supply and sales.

Wholesale trade and system of material and technical supply

Contents, main objec­tives and organiza­tion of marketing.

Analysis of economic and financial acti­vities and forecas­ting of agro-indus­trial production.

Economic and finan­cial analysis of activities of agro-industrial enter­prises

Systems analysis of economic situation and management con­sultancy.

Main objectives and principles of fore­casting of the agro-industrial prod­uction.

15

9.4.

10.

10.1.

10.2.

10.3.

10.4.

10.5

11.

12.

13

uctlon.

Methods of forecas­ting and their ap­plication in manage­ment of agro-indust­rial complex.

Regional management

Economic and geogra­phic aspects of re­gional management.

Methodological prin­ciples for organizing integrated regional programmes.

Strategic planning and economic policy.

Simulation model of the development of an administrative and economic region.

Development of cattle rearing.

Exit test.

Consultation on diploma project.

Practice probation

¡Total

!10!6 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

112! 4! 18 ! ! !

!10!6 ! ! ! ! !

16 14 ! ! ! I I

142116! ! !6 1 6! 8

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !12! ! ! 8! ! !

!12! ! !8 ! ! !

14 ! ! ! ! 14 !

!96! 1 ! ! ! !

288! ! ! ! ! ! 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ! ! I ! ! ! ! 9701210 4034!32!24!22 90

4

4

2

6

4

4

82 52

! !

196!

288! !

288196!

*3. Total 4. Lecture 5. Training 6. Interdisciplinary

training modules 7. Business games 8. Work on computer 9. Round table 10. Analysis of speci­

fic cases. 11. Seminars 12. Field studies 13. Practice probation

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2.2. Programme of the Interdisciplinary Training Course on Improving the Professional Skills of Production Managers

Duration of the Course - 2 months

Objectives and Tasks of the Course

This two-month programme, embracing the most urgent and complex managerial problems, is intended to develop the skills of production managers. In particular, this course aims to broaden trainees' knowledge of such Important subjects as the reorganization of the economy in the USSR and other socialist countries, financial planning and principles of accounting under new conditions of management, methods of forecasting industrial production, strategic planning, economic policy, etc.

The training programme includes interdisciplinary training modules (ITH) , case studies and business games using personal computers, consolidation of the learning process, and development of the skills of analyzing options concerning different managerial problems.

The programme provides for field studies on each interdisciplinary training block and two-week practical training courses In advanced enterprises. The trainees can select any of the below-mentioned disciplines.

1.

3.

4.

Name of discipline and topic of inter­disciplinary tra­

ining blocks

Essence, and organization of interdise iplinary training.

Entry test

Social and psycholog­ical training. Organization of sci­entific and technical information (basic di­scipline) .

! I t I

I 4 I

8 !

1 I

H

5 ! 6 _

32 !

!

! 1 I

0

!

_ 7 ! !

1 I 1

1 I

1 I ¡

1 I

1 ! !

tí

I _ 8 !

!~

! 8 !

1 1 ; 1 ! | ! !

1 1 I 1 1 1 I I I I 1 I

R S I

I I I 1 ! 1 _9 !10 !11 !12 I13 I14 !

! I 1 1 ! I ! ! ! ! ! ! I ! I ! I ! I ! I ! I ! 1 I 1 1 I ! ! I I 1 I I 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 ! ! ! ! ! ( I 1 1 I 1 1

! I 14 1 1 1

I ! 1 ! ! !

Principles of infor- ! mation science in ma­nagement (basic dis­cipline) . Interdisciplinary training blocks.

Reorganization of the economy in the USSR and the countries of CMEA.

Conditions and main principles of the re­organization of the economy in the USSR and other socialist countries.

Short- and long-term planning of develop­ment of enterprises

New economic mechanism of production. Comparison of differ­ent models of economic viability.

Financial planning and principles of accoun­ting under new manage­ment conditions.

Preparation of the financial plan of pro­duction development

Planning of income and expenditure and allo­cations to incentive funds

Using financial methods to improve the efficiency of enter­prises.

Financial control of income and expenditure

Accounting and analy­sis of the financial state of the enter­prise. Ways of reforming its finances

18

Reorganization of ma­nagement at macro- and micro- economic levels) 361

Hierarchical levels and management struc­ture of the national economy and of sectors and enterprises 120

Social, psychological and legal aspects of management. ( 10

Labour organization 16

Self-financing and development of pro­gressive forms of production. 140

Re-distribution of profits. Financial relations between enterprises and the state. Use of eco­nomic incentives in conditions of complete economic viability.

Organization of eco­nomic viability. Team labour incentives and economic viability

Lease-contract - a new progressive form of economic viability. Specificity of lease model and its diffe­rent models. Methods of leasing a State enterprise by a team of workers. The experience of leasing in enterprises and organizations in the national economy.

Organization of co-op-, erative enterprises ! and prospects for ! their development. !6

141

16

!2

122!

19

9.5. ! Price formation under new conditions of management.

9.6. t Complete reorganiza­tion of banking system and its role in im­proving economic ef­ficiency.

9.7. I Relations between developed and develop­ing countries.

9.8. ! Establishing and managing joint ventures.

10. ! Material and technical supplies and sales.

10.1. ! Reorganization of material and technical supply of national economy.

10.2. ! Marketing

11. ! Regional management

11.1. ! Economic and geogra­phic aspects of re­gional management.

11.2. I Methodological prin­ciples of preparation of special regional programmes.

11.3. ! Simulation model of ! regional development

11.4. ! Development of cattle -rearing in a region.

12. ! Environmental protec­tion and enterprise management.

13. I Systems analysis of economic situations and management consul­tancy .

14. I Strategic planning and economic policy.

! 1 ! ! ! ! ! 4 14 !

12 ! 2!

16 14 1

! 10! 4!

! 10!4 !

!6 !2 !

!4 !2 !

!22 16 !

!6 14 !

! 2 !2 !

! 8 ! !

! 6 ! !

! 4 ! 4!

114 16 !

! ! ! ! 24!10!

i i

! 16

! 14

! 17

110!

! !6

! 14

! !

1 '. 1 1 ; |

! 12 ! ! ! ! ! ! !

! ! 2!

! ! ! 8!

! !4 ! !

20

15.

16.

! I Exit test

1 Consultations on dip-1 loma project. 1 1 Practical training

!

! Total

! ! ! ! A ! !

! 52! ! ! ! 1 ! 96! I ! ! !

1418!104

! ! I ! ! 1 14 !

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! I ! ! 1 1 1 ! ! ! ! !

32!24!10!24!8

! ! ! 1

! 1 ! ! ! 1 1 ! ! !

! 20128

t

I

| ! 1 ! 1

20!96

i

!

! ! | 1 ¡

52!

* 3 - Total 4 - Lectures 5 - Training 6 - Interdisciplinary

training modules 7 - Business games

8 - Working on computer 9 - Round tables 10 - Case study 11 • Workshops 12 - Field study 13 - Probation period 14 - Consulting on diploma

project

2.3. Programme of the interdisciplinary training for managerial reserve pool according to the complex subjects - Joint ventures in the Republic of Georgia

Duration of the course - 2 weeks

In a context of radical economic reform, measures for fundamental change in management of foreign economic and of joint ventures are being carried out. The government is supporting mutually beneficial relations with both developed and developing countries. Instead of the state monopoly and rigid centralization characteristic of such relations in recent times, completely self-supporting and self-managed structures are taking root in the former USSR. An increase in educational and technical levels and productive efficiency as well as personnel development of business skills is to be achieved as a result of democratic reorganization.

Consequently, the main goal of the short-term course is to acquaint trainees with current legislation, educational materials, propositions and experience obtained both in foreign economic relations and joint ventures; to train them in modern methods of management, technical and economic agreements and the theory of joint ventures; to impart interdisciplinary skills of problem solving; to master document-drafting techniques, etc.

Considerable attention is paid to analysis of contemporary foreign economic relations and joint ventures as well as to advanced experiences abroad in various economic fields.

In this course it is planned to carry out workshops, business games, case studies, and training modules on complex problem solving. Field study is planned at the Chamber of Commerce and in advanced joint ventures. Besides, trainees will be able to study and revise problems of non-economic and joint activities working on a personal computer.

21

The contents of the course are presented in the plan of subjects.

PLAN OF SUBJECTS

Name of the ITM disciplines and topics

H O U R S

3 !4 5! 6!7 10 11112 13 14

1.

2.

2.1.

2.2.

2.3.

4.

Contents and objective of the interdisciplina­ry management training course

Foreign economic rela­tions and their role in speeding up scien­tific and technology progress and social and economic development

Dynamics of development and contemporary foreign economic rela­tions - the achieved results and shortcom­ings

Foreign economic rela­tions and scientific-technical relations with the foreign organ­izations , engineering and consultancy ser­vices , frontier trade

Increase in the role of foreign economic rela­tions and expansion of export potential

Experience of foreign economic relations and joint ventures

Improving management and radical changes in the foreign economic activities of the Republic of Georgia

! ! ! !

22

New foreign economic activities of the former USSR and their organiza­tional, legal, social, psychological and ideo­logical basis.

Carrying out foreign economic activities and establishing joint enterprises

Drafting agreements to set up joint enter­prises

Regulation of Joint ventures

Feasibility studies for joint ventures

Establishing joint ventures by tender

State regulation of foreign economic acti­vities

Currency and financial regulation of foreign economic relations

Legal status of foreign economic activities

Organizational,economic legal, socio psycholo­gical, ecological, demo­graphic, ideological and other aspects of joint ventures

Management economics

Structure and regula­tion of Joint ventures

Technical, economic, financial planning. Distribution of profits and taxation of joint ventures

40! 1281

151

201

23

6.3.

7.

7.1.

7.2.

7.3.

Price formation, pay­ment and labour Incen­tives , rights and duties of workers In joint ventures, social security of JV workers assessment, account­ability and control

Marketing and Its use In foreign economic activities

Theory of marketing

Market research, sales and competition: export potential of Joint ventures ; organization of export operations; patents, licences, know-how. Marketing strategy

Specificity of inter­national marketing

Total

16

2!

! 2!

i

! !1 !

963312

4

101012

* 3. Total A. Lectures 5. Int.train, module 6. Business games 7. Case study 8. Workshops 9. Round table 10.On-job. training 11.Consult, on diploma work

24

Chapter 3

Analysis of Results of the Interdisciplinary Process

From a five-year experience of work on the project, this chapter analyses the most important items (from the actors' point of view) of the training process. The solution of these problems can greatly help in organizing interdisciplinary training.

In this process, one question often arose : is it right to begin the work by raising the question of management and assessment, as appears from the name of the project?

Any new interdisciplinary science is known to require time for the selection and training of the specialist who is to implement it. This takes 1-2 years at a minimum. And one more complicated question arose: is it right to recruit and train new teaching staff, given that they should first be converted to the interdisciplinary approach, or to entrust experts with teaching the new disciplines? Experience shows that work should begin with the theory of interdisciplinarity and training teaching staff. Only at a later stage can we set up the system of management and later devise methods of assessing the course's efficiency.

Working out a single conception of interdisciplinarity for all participants on the project is slow and painful. Most people on the project are established teachers with long-held principles and methods. Transition to a problem-oriented modular training arouses resistance to the need to co­ordinate with other teachers and reorganize lecture material.

One of the difficulties of setting up interdisciplinary training is the absence of a rational way of correlating material at the junction of many sciences.

Training themes are correlated by:

selecting the experts to establish information files;

providing the experts with initial information on programmes in specific areas;

polling experts by means of questionnaires ;

processing the obtained information;

entering this information into a personal computer;

printing out the curriculum project;

confirming the teaching themes; the data is entered into a personal computer to correct contents and structure of teaching themes.

Information obtained from the experts should be applied in the training process since it is characterized by:

25

a range of alternative options ;

definition of factors to be taken into account;

assessment of possible consequences of decisions.

When establishing the list of experts, their competence, breadth of vision and knowledge of other subjects should be taken into account.

Accuracy of expert assessment largely depends on the number of experts in a group. Fixing the optimum number in an expert group is quite a problem.

The group should not include experts in the same specialty since their opinion will be to a certain extent tendentious. When selecting experts it is necessary to take into account complexity of subjects, professional skills and experience, even their personal relations.

All the same, the most important factor in co-ordinating the teaching subjects is to provide the experts with the initial information and conduct the expert poll.

Next, the expert should fill in a technological form about the training programme in order to create a graphic model of training, to carry out the complex revision of the contents and to devise a methodological manual.

We have dealt at length with subject co-ordination because it is crucial in the training process.

The very formulation of such a rational curriculum and training programme presupposes the solution of at least four different but interconnected problems :

1. To define the nature of managers' activity and to theoretical posts at which future trainees would work.

2. Given these model posts, to define the professional qualifications necessary for graduates. These qualifications would include basic knowledge, experience, age, business skills, personal and creative activities of theoretical and practical training.

3. To define the contents of training, i.e. to work out a list of subjects.

4. To plan the training process. This includes defining the curriculum and the training programmes, the contents of training and methods of organization of the training process.

These four tasks represent four directions of research and accordingly four stages of implementation, conducted on an interdisciplinary basis.

For the curriculum: first, a list of subjects is determined; second a sequence is established; third, a rational correlation between theoretical and practical training is determined.

Defining the contents of training depends on the results of the study of the character and specificity of activities the students are trained for. We

26

single out the following main spheres of activities.

1. Production and technical activities

2. Planning

3. Scientific and technical policy

4. Capital construction

5. Material and technical supplies and sales

6. Personnel, labour, salaries

7. Finances, credit and accounting

8. Scientific and technical relations, production and economic ties with foreign organizations and enterprises

9. Rational use of natural resources and protection of the environment

10. Social and psychological aspects of management

In order to deal with all these functions, it is not enough for a manager to have knowledge of management. He should also have organizational, research, creative and pedagogical skills, and high moral qualities.

Consequently, it is very important to define an appropriate professional profile of the manager*.

This profile must properly balance specialization and university background. It is not an easy task. The traditional division of managers into authoritarian and democratic is a first approach to the problem.

Consequently, it is expedient to divide all candidates into four groups. Candidates lacking the practical organizational abilities should be eliminated from the beginning. Democrats with organizational skills should be oriented mainly to managerial problems concerning long-term development, i.e. strategic management. Candidates with pronounced authoritarian features should be oriented chiefly to operations management. As for the strongly pronounced authoritarians, they should be oriented chiefly to organizational and administrative management.

Logically, it is necessary to carry out preliminary selection of the trainees into the above mentioned groups with the help of the entry test and to organize the training process separately for each of these groups.

Entry test * worked out by us enables us to solve this complicated problem. Its complexity lies in the selection of questions for checking knowledge. The proper selection of experts leads to proper selection of questions and consequently to correct assessment of trainees' knowledge. Assessment with the help of a personal computer gives fairly correct information on the knowledge and skills of managers. The fact that the project envisages the interdisciplinary training of managers of AIC in no account means that the main object of management in the training process should be only the agro-industrial complex: the training task should be made

27

wider, considering territorial management from a broad viewpoint. Such an approach is very useful for developing the general strategic thinking of trainees. Studying different forms of economic mechanisms, the manager acquires the knowledge and skills necessary not only for working out the strategy of territorial development but also for solving the problems on a smaller scale.

One of the main problems of the training project is to define its optimum duration.

Experience shows that it is not expedient to make the training process last longer than two months.

This includes theoretical training, but does not include industrial training. When defining the duration of the training process, the preparation of a diploma assignment requiring less than a month should be taken into account.

As to the training of the managers' reserve pool, two different types of training seem desirable:

1. Managers' reserve pool training: university graduates who have worked in enterprises and organizations in non-executive posts for 3-5 years and have shown ability.

Duration of the training:

lectures - up to 2 months;

industrial training - up to 2 months;

preparing and defending a diploma assignment - up to a month

Total - up to 5 months

2. Retraining of management reserve pool:

People having experience as managers in a non-related sphere.

Duration of training:

lectures - one month;

industrial training - one month;

preparing and defending a diploma assignment - 0,5 month.

Total - 2,5 months.

Traditionally the process of training and further training of managers is based on the following classical triad:

transmission of necessary information;

teaching of managerial skills;

28

Solution of practical managerial problems using all information and skills acquired.

Proper organization of the training requires selection of questions having no simple solution in contrast to the traditional method of training when the "correct" solution is already known to the teacher.

Cases selected for the teaching tasks should be not too complicated having several alternative solutions.

A trainee should sense the systems structure of management problem, by means of a deep systems analysis of the problem by the analysts and highly experienced experts. Thus, the problem is identified. Management structure, criteria and subsystems are also defined.

The trainee's position in the systems vision of the problem is identified by means of the training modules. This stage of training provides for passing on all the necessary knowledge that will make a trainee to apply more eagerly and competently to managerial consultants.

Particular attention is paid to imparting the skills of teamwork. Such important skills as ability to listen, to discuss proposals and take into account the opinion of others, are acquired here.

To make the team work more effective it is necessary that the participants should be representatives of societies with definite democratic traditions of management.

In the developing countries the level of social and economic development varies greatly. Trainees from these countries therefore require correspondingly rigorous training, especially as the problems confronting these countries are particularly urgent.

It is clear that the main limitation on the effectiveness of teamwork for representatives of the developing countries is the requirement of self-organization, which has to be learnt through the process of management consultancy. Creation of a team able to identify different problems of an interdisciplinary character lays a solid basis for training lecturers and tutors having all necessary qualities for:

increasing the efficiency of research work;

as the director of an interdisciplinary course, lecturer or tutor;

management consultancy.

Interdisciplinary scientific work provides participants with a number of additional skills difficult to obtain otherwise.

Thus, lecturers on the training course should also take active part in scientific work, especially If it involves interdisciplinary concepts.

In conclusion, it should be stressed that the training process should include the following stages:

29

1. Conception and constant adaptation of the interdisciplinary training strategy.

2. Selection and testing of the corresponding forms and methods of training.

3. Target-oriented training of lectures and tutors.

4. Constant checking of the efficiency of lectures and day-to-day management of the training course.

5. Analysis and assessment of the efficiency of the training course.

30

Appendix 1

The Modular Approach to the Interdisciplinary Training of Managers

Analysis of world experience shows that in the majority of business schools in the developed countries the greater part of the time (80-90X) is devoted to business games and case studies in the auditorium. The current active methods of training differ only in the presentation of the situation. In one case a set of situations covering the most important sides of a manger's practical activity is selected; in another, questions posed by the trainees themselves are discussed; in another, these questions ares et in the form of business correspondence, etc. The trainee manager should take a systemic view of the management problem, which is a very difficult task in itself: in most cases trainees "cannot see the wood for the trees". This is what makes the interdisciplinary approach necessary.

At the same time a management structure is defined which determines the number of managers and their duties, thus enabling each one to determine the techniques to be used at narrower decision-making levels.

Types of decision-making vary according to the technical complexity of the situation. There are cases when:

there is only one managerial solution possible;

there is no simple solution for the managerial task considered.

In the first case we deal with the first two items of the classical triad of training and there are no special difficulties as far as organizing of training is concerned. In the second case we deal with the third item of the triad where active methods of training are used. Here, the "Training cases" (modules) are introduced not separately, but necessarily in the context of the technical problem under consideration, thereby ensuring that a systemic approach is adopted.

The use of the classical triad of teaching activities in interdisciplinary training has already been mentioned (p. * * ) .

In the light of this, we offer the following version of the training process in which attention is mainly paid to the carrying out of the training modules. This approach enables a trainee to learn to combine the skills and knowledge required for developing the strategy of territorial development.

Within the framework of the present project, we have chosen the following unifying principle: it is to draw trainees into the training process over and over again, so that they master decision-making techniques for different situations. The problem here is to construct a complex case study based on modern structures.

The lesson constructed in such a way (computerized interdisciplinary training module "CITM") is problem-oriented aiming to impart the necessary skills of the systems vision of managerial problems.

The alternative solutions within each CITM should be tested on a computer so as to obtain an answer to the question "What would happen if ...?"

31

Thus, the training process starts with the testing of initial knowledge and skills of a trainee who is given the help of a tutor to a concrete economic problem. The results obtained are printed out. Such an approach also tests the ability of a trainee to work on a computer. In this respect, the trainees can be subdivided into:

those who never worked on a computer;

those who have some ability to work on a computer;

those who have considerable ability to work on a computer.

The following criteria are used to define skill in complex problem solving, according to the number of experts enlisted.

up to 25Z

up to 501

up to 75X

up to 100% of the total number of experts necessary for the given problem solving.

Thus we tried to create homogenous groups where the teaching process was based on the results obtained. For example, those who had never worked on a computer took a course in informatics and were offered 2-3 hours for computer games. In the case of unsatisfactory work with the experts (up to SOX), we paid more attention to the "hidden" regime of work in which a trainee was taught to communicate with experts. In cases of unsatisfactory solution of the problem due to incorrect decision-making, the more attention was paid to case study in an "open" regime of work, when each decision of a trainee was printed out so that he could trace the dynamics of the improvement or worsening of an economic situation caused by his own decisions.

Thus, the initial group consisting of 15-20 trainees was divided into 3-4 homogenous groups.

All groups consider the overall structure of the national economy to identify the management problem. At the same time, the organization structure of management, that is the number of managers and their functions, are defined. Teaching also aims to develop general strategic thinking and corresponding skills.

Each group then begins to carry out the first training module: the projecting of a rational economic structure for a region from the very beginning. All decisions are printed out.

An important element of each training module is also the collective formulation of the question, which is then put to an expert In order to solve it. It should be noted that the trainees of each group form a list of experts as a result of their discussion. In some cases they are being assisted by a computer or a tutor.

32

The following teaching element in the next training module is considered in the same way.

Upon completion of each module trainees start to solve a macro-module including all previously considered modules, i.e. they rise to a higher level of management at which sectoral management predominates. The practical experience has shown that the transition from module to macro-module is often complicated by stereotypes constructed by trainees when working at a lower level of management. However, experience in problem-solving helps trainees to eliminate this shortcoming. Nevertheless, a short course on "Principles of Management" is given to regional managers facilitate transition to the higher level.

Upon completion of the training cycle, final round-tables are organized to discuss problems that have arisen and results obtained. All trainees and lecturers take part. A lecturer explains the faults in incorrect solutions, displays an analogous situation on a computer and makes the correct managerial decision. At the same time the trainees from another group can suggest their own solution; thus the problem is solved as the result of a collective effort.

Finally the trainees are given an analogous case to study, in order to determine and fix the results of the teaching. This helps to correct and improve teaching and the quality of the training modules. This can be done by devoting fewer hours to lectures as well as by improving software.

The experience of training the Vietnamese managers' reserve pool has shown that lectures were longer because of translation.

During the teaching process all decisions made by trainees were printed out to make it possible to trace the dynamics of the decision making. The assessment of the decision depended on the profits and losses caused by the decision. So trainees were taught to make the decisions that increase profits by a factor of two or three.

Computerized Interdisciplinary Training Macro-Nodule

"Development of Cattle Breeding in the Region"

The macro-module includes the following modules:

development of beef cattle breeding;

development of dairy cattle breeding;

development of pig breeding;

development of sheep breeding;

By switching on a computer display a trainee can see the description and the map of the region showing the location of cattle breeding complexes. The trainee has to solve different tasks according to above-mentioned training methodology.

The region is agrarian with an undeveloped infra-structure. It is situated in the subtropical zone, total solar radiation is more than 150kcal/sq.sm., precipitation is from 300 to 2000mm., and wind speed is from

33

2 to 20 meters per second. 50X of the land is unfit for agriculture, the remaining SOX being rich soils.

The total area of the region is 5000 sq.km. with a population of 40 thousand people living in the country and four towns - 15 thousand in the capital and 4 thousand in each of the other towns. The average annual rate of population growth is 3X, and labour resources make up 55X of the whole population. All populated areas are supplied with electricity and water and are connected with asphalt motorways.

The following tasks may confront a trainee:

to build a. cattle breeding complex and to determine the rate of return;

to choose the sites;

to distribute funds rationally according to the final objectives;

to define the most profitable correlation of different sectors;

to plan provision of the region with cattle breeding products.

A trainee may call upon experts. There are two versions of communication between the trainees and the experts provided for by the modules. The first is the "hidden" type, when a trainee has to select the list of necessary experts and to print on the display their specialty, and the second - the "open" type, when the list of necessary experts is already displayed.

Establishing cattle-breeding complexes depends on the availability of forage. Therefore, after selecting the site, the manager should determine forage reserve and calculate the capacity of the cattle breeding complex.

A trainee should apply to the "Land-Organizer" expert. In order to assess the information a trainee may require additional data from the experts "GEOLOGIST" and "ECOLOGIST". If the trainee does not take such information into account he will incur expenses working on a useless project.

Having chosen the site the trainee determines the capacity of the forage reserve using the expert "AGRONOMIST".

Then the trainee defines the capacity of the complex with the help of the expert "CATTLE-BREEDER". Here the trainee determines the terms of cattle fattening, expenses on live-stock purchase, amount of cattle sold annually, veterinary measures, salaries and profits.

Later the following experts may be consulted:

1. BUILDER

2. ROAD ENGINEER

3. HYDRAULIC POWER ENGINEER

4. MECHANIC - offers information on expenses on transportation.

5. POWER SPECIALIST - offers information on annual expenses of electricity,

34

bio-gas units, the cost of electricity generated by the units, and the cost of building wind or helium plants.

6. ECONOMIST - offers information on purchase and selling prices of 1 kg. of meat, 1 ton per km., of 1 fodder unit of purchased and sold forage, of 1 kilowatt of electricity, etc.

If a trainee makes a mistake and does not involve some of the necessary experts the computer directs him to them.

All selected information is shown in the window "YOUR CHOICE" and is kept in the computer's memory.

Further modules may be devised concerning:

1. Cultivation of plants: cultivation of tea; cultivation of vines ; cultivation of citrus fruit; cultivation of maize.

2. Development of processing industry: processing of meat; processing of milk; processing of wool; processing of tea; processing of grapes; processing of maize.

3. Development of land-improvement service and chemical fertilizers.

4. Extraction of minerals and their processing.

5. Demographic and ecological situation in the region.

6. Development of cooperation.

7. Development of trade.

8. Development of finances.

9. Improvement of management.

10. Exchanges with foreign market.

Trainees are given a free hand to make choices within the macro-module although it should be noted that the mentioned moduli are interconnected and a decision made in one of them influences the others.

This method was tested on a group of managers from Vietnam. They fairly soon learned to operate the computer on a one-to-one basis, and showed enthusiasm for group discussions. In our opinion this is characteristic of developing countries. Therefore, it would be advisable to organize discussions after finishing courses. This would enable trainees to learn quicker and better.

35

Thus, che course displayed the following advantages :

1. It develops interdisciplinary skills so that, first - the trainee is able to define the location of the cattle breeding site as well as problem-solving strategy; second - by forming the list of experts the trainee understands better the interconnection between different subjects involved.

2. It develops the skills of selecting and processing information.

3. It also develops the skills of decision-making since during the whole teaching process the trainee works independently.

4. It develops the skills of communication with experts.

5. It imparts communication and computer skills.

6. It brings the training process nearer to the practical activity of the manager, since during the case studies the trainee solves the same problems as does a manager in his daily activity.

7. The motivation - created especially by the computers, which are rare in developing countries - improves problem-solving skills.

Finally, the CITH can be adopted to the conditions of different regions, either by the teacher or by the trainee if they possess necessary information.

36

Appendix 2

Simulation Model of the Region

Economic and mathematical description

The problem of simulating and elaborating alternative strategies for developing regions is highly topical. To find solutions, it is necessary to create a system of economic and mathematic computer models, making it possible to investigate and assess different versions in all their complexity.

During this process, we proceed from the economic and geographical description of the simulated region, used as a data base.

Studying the experience of the developing countries and the dynamics of the economy of the developed countries, we managed to work out various scenarios for simulating the activity of the region in different conditions. Particular attention was paid to analyzing the influence of the regional economic environment, and to meeting consumer needs.

At present several versions of Model SR (simulated region) are under way, and the model for agricultural development has been completed, as follows:

It is supposed that the economy of the region is based on private property* and on a free internal market, in which prices depend on supply and demand. Several competing multi-sectoral agricultural firms and Individual small holdings are involved.

There is a two-level structure of management in the simulation model. This management monitors the strategic development of the region and, through taxation, regulates economic activities. The aim of management is the balanced development of the region, its industrialization and regulation, integration in the external economic environment, development of the industrial potential and meeting consumer requirements. With the aim of simulating the work, several blocks are created in the model.

The output planning black: on the basis of data on the previous product Pi(i-1,2,3 ?), and stock Pi (products and market forecasts taking into account the capacity of the competing firms and small farms), the firm plans the output Pi of each G type (G- 1,2 n).

Calculations for assessing the reality of fulfillment the plan indices are made taking into consideration working capital, land available, turnover on the basis of average crop yield and possible variations.

If necessary, a decision-maker (DMP) redistributes his resources with the aim of maximizing output.

The DMP draws up his proposal for sale and purchase of the appropriate plots of land (there are several sorts of land in the model and there is a rule determining the fitness of land for growing different agricultural plants).

37

All decision-makers consult the land sale block and announce the purchase price of the plots. The individual sector can also put its plot on the market. Then there is bargaining and plots are bought. In the next block the DMP compares his funds with the availability of plots and replenishment of means of production. A model is suggested in which there is no production of machine tools in the region, and they are bought abroad.

The DMP then enlists new labour from the regional population by fixing higher salaries.

In the next block, the irrigation capacity of farms are estimated and the managers draw up a programme for its development.

Having provided his farm with the necessary basics, the DMP makes decisions for technological operations - the use of chemicals, water, biological fertilizers. It considers that over-use of chemicals causes soil mineralization and a decrease in crop capacity. The model also considers the need to restore soil fertility with the help of organic fertilizers.

Crops are sold on the regional market in order to meet the requirements of the local population. Prices are fixed according to supply and demand. Import prices are regulated by duties fixed by the manager. Companies can export half of their production to earn foreign currency.

Producers pay taxes on profits (on the internal and foreign markets), regulated by the regional manager.

A DM invests the remainder on development. Farms can also obtain bank credits.

Alongside the agricultural model there is a model of the dynamics of regional sectors, as follows:

1 - sector producing products, to meet demands on the foreign market - P (i.e; oil, tea, gapes, citruses).

2 - sectors producing consumer goods - P

3 - sector producing means of production - P

4 - sector producing means of production for 3.

There is a production function for each sector including:

total production funds of i-sector in the t -th year.

part of consumer funds allotted to sector-i.

number of people employed in production sector-i.

L represents the population coefficient.

Main production funds are represented by coefficient j.

The table shows a block-system of operations and decision-making in the region.

38

Decisions on the development of the region are made in blocks a b e d . The industrial development block includes forward planning options.

Block b solves the problem of the priority of the development of the sectors 1 and 2 by providing products for sale on the foreign market and consumer products to meet population requirements.

Block c makes decisions about sales of consumer products.

Block d presents the main costs for all sectors and for consumer goods in sector 2 bought on the foreign market. In block d decisions are made on the main production costs.

Various business games exist:

a) the region is managed by a regional body. In this case all decisions on the blocks a, b, c, d are made by the regional manager.

In this case criteria for evaluating the manager's efficacy are:

1. The total of the consumer fund in the t - th year. T- 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50.

2. Maximizing consumer fund by the end of the fixed period.

3. Achieving the desired level in minimum number of years.

4. Over a number of years there is a rapid increase in prices abroad or there is a rupture with the outside world. In such conditions the maximization of the consumer fund will take place over the next period.

5. Functioning of the above-mentioned criteria in such conditions, in the event of rapid foreign price movements.

b) The price manager in the foreign market participates in the game c, c, c, c.

c) The manager of the region and the managers of the sectors 1 and 2 take part in the game. If the regional manager makes decisions on blocks a and d, the sectoral manager does so in blocks b and c.

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Model of Co-operative Development for Uniform Enterprises in the Region

Economic activity in a region is represented by a number of enterprises of different capacity producing homogeneous products. These products, expressed as values, are used both for simple and extended reproduction as well as for wages and taxes.

Each enterprise is interested in maximization of its average consumer fund per employee. To this end enterprises increase production capacity independently or in co-operation with enterprises, which in turn, brings down unemployment. The aim of the regional administration is to maximize tax revenues for a certain period, thereby increasing employment, raising living standards, and creating new jobs.

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Appendix 3

Interdisciplinary Training Module.

Essence and Objectives

The Interdisciplinary Training Module (ITM) is a practical type of training to solve complex managerial problems. Trainees become active figures in this process together with a lecturer and experts in management, law, sociology, ecology, demography, etc.

ITM makes it possible to integrate a wide range of knowledge not only on the basis of passive perception of information but rather by creative participation.

ITM is based on an integrated approach to the problem situation, optimal representation of experts in different sciences, equality between sciences and their harmonious interaction when solving a problem.

Thus, great attention should be paid to the optimum choice of experts. Moreover, the definitive solution to the problem under study cannot be adopted so long as there is even one negative opinion. Complete agreement (consensus) must be achieved. For example, if in discussing a joint venture problem, the ecologists protest against the felling of trees, discussion will be continued until a solution is found.

Use of such methods as brain-storming, expert assessment, systems analysis, group-consulting, etc. is applied in ITM.

The main aim of ITM is to develop contemporary economic thinking, to stock data obtained, to teach free use of new economic management methods, to improve competence of managers, broaden their range of vision and to develop the use of the interdisciplinary approach in analyzing and decision making. The training module should also increase skills in public speaking, negotiating and contacts with experts, analytical ability and speed of reaction.

Structure and Methodology of the Interdisciplinary Training Module

ITM proposes the following three stages of work:

1 - preparatory (lectures, seminars and field studies of the problem under consideration);

2 - instruction of trainees on the content of the ITM and how to use it;

3 - the main stage of case study and decision making. The stages of the ITM can be expressed in the form of the following table:

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1. Preparatory stage

I ! lecture, seminar and ! other types of trai-! nlng concerning the t target problem

!

Field studies concerning the study of a target problem

2. instructing the trainees how to use ITM and forming small groups

3. The main stage of ITM

6 7

1. exact formulation of the target problem;

2. breakdown of the problem Into sub-problems and constituent parts;

3. detailed examination of the problem from the point of view of different subjects;

4. determination of compatibilities and Interdependence between certain sub-problems;

5. working out the flexible, complex proposals for solving the problem;

6. technical and economic calculations resulting from the adopted system of proposals for solving the complex problem;

7. detailed proof of the efficiency of the solution.

Let us consider main stage 3 of ITM. First, it is obvious that the trainees should thoroughly study the content, the objectives and final aims of the target problem.

Second, sub-problems and related questions should be defined. To this end a combination of global, complex, systemic and mathematical analysis is used. For example, when carrying out the ITM "Detailed Demonstration of the Efficiency of a Joint Venture Enterprise" problems such as the organizational structure of the venture, technology and technical equipment, etc., are examined.

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The next step is detailed discussion of a complex problem and sub-problems from different points of view, determination of definite compatibilities and interdependencies and formulating proposals for solving all these problems. Proposals made by trainees are ranked in order of cogency. Thus, favourable conditions are created for the eventual solution of the target.

The interdisciplinary training method provides that any unsolved problems emerging from the training process should be considered in the training modules.

The two-week course "Foreign Economic Links and Joint Ventures" includes the ITM "Detailed Proof of the Efficiency of a Joint Venture Enterprise". The module lasts 8 hours in a specially designed lecture room, with the participation of 8 - 10 trainees, a lecturer and experts.

This lecture-room is equipped with modern video facilities, personal computers, an overhead projector, a blackboard, equipment for simultaneous translation, booths for interpreters and booths for experts.

The experts, thus isolated, do not interfere with the work of trainees. They watch, participate only when invited by the trainees or lecturer and/or when the problem is being set up and discussed incorrectly. Hain 1TM activities are video-recorded. Trainees thus have an opportunity to rewatch and assess their performance.

As a rule, the experts are an economist, a lawyer and a sociologist. The ITM is conducted by a lecturer with considerable theoretical knowledge and practical experience, who should also have public speaking skills and the gift of concision. He should also have a sense of humour and communication.

The main stage of the ITM is carried out in a two-week course, when theoretical questions have ben worked out, and field studies finished. Trainees draw up a list of the advantages of organizing Joint ventures for both foreign and Soviet partners. Usually, the foreign partner is interested in our vast market, cheap raw material and cheap labour. The Soviet side is interested in modern technology, new equipment, improving the organization of production, producing export goods and earning convertible currency. The following sociological and psychological problems are discussed: how preferential terms for joint ventures will influence the attitude of workers of State enterprises; will joint ventures attract highly qualified labour and the best engineers? In seeking answers to these and other questions, trainees use personal computers.

In conclusion, trainees make a comprehensive evaluation of the efficiency of joint venture enterprises and the results are recorded on floppy disks.

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Appendix 4

Tutoring in the System of Interdisciplinary Training/

Principles of Selection Training and Activity

The tutor is a key figure in the process of interdisciplinary training. To follow the whole teaching process from inside is a rather difficult task, but useful in designing an interdisciplinary training course.

With this in mind, a group of tutors was formed at the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Training at the Institute for Management of National Economy under the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Georgia. The group was headed by specialists in new methods of accelerated teaching with experience in the pedagogy of cybernetics and applied methods of analysis. The third member was a software expert who had been dealing with the problems of interdisciplinarity in research. The other member was a specialist in applied economic research and professor of Interdisciplinary Training, who attended the lessons in economics and participated in weekly meetings of tutors and other lecturers.

All lecturers working during the week also participated in the weekly meetings. Such meetings were very critical, sometimes even excessively, but they made it possible:

to increase the sense of responsibility of each participant;

to formulate recommendations for correcting the content and methodology of the course and strengthening interdisciplinarity;

to acquire experience for making necessary changes to the structure of the course.

Tutors enjoy trainees' unlimited confidence and thereby accumulate considerable, sometimes informal information, which is a very convenient source of feedback.

It should not be forgotten that the tutors were the major elaborators of the interdisciplinary training concept, and had also been lecturing teachers.

Tutor attended lessons, participated in weekly assessment meetings and prepared measures to eliminate defects.

Tutor training begins with practical study of interdisciplinary training problems. Tutors learn to apply interdisciplinary principles to regional development of management and alternative development of regional infra­structure. After this, they learn the principles of designing an interdisciplinary training course. They will also learn how to co-ordinate courses in order to:

create a general interdisciplinary course;

design related courses on basic management principles;

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apply interdisciplinary criteria to assessing the training process.

At this stage the preliminary training of tutors is completed and participation in the teaching process begins. They should attend all lectures in order to obtain an experience in:

assessing the results of teaching from the point of view of their real efficiency in finding solutions to problems;

assessing the content of related courses on the general curriculum;

assessing the results of teaching methods;

making efficient decisions on the teaching process.

Trainee tutors then go into practical training, where they study the methods of working tutors.

In addition, the training of tutors naturally implies their active participation in all arrangements connected with the entry, intermediate and exit tests of knowledge of the trainees, as well as choosing subjects for, and preparing, final assignments.

Training is designed according to the rotation principle: Each trainee performs the duties of a back-up manager dealing with a range of problems typical of an agro-industrial complex.

Trainees are assessed by tutors after personal references have been analyzed.

Each trainee is assessed personally by tutors. The results of the examination board are also added to this. All the above papers are submitted to the special panel for assessing results of training and working out the future references of trainees.

References given to trainees contain only positive information, whether of a professional or a personal nature. If there is no positive information In the references it does not mean that the trainee lacks these qualities -it is simply because course training methods did not allow them to come to the surface.

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Appendix 5

Assessment of the Efficiency of the Interdisciplinary Training Process of the Management Reserve Fool of Agro-Industrial Complex

(Organization of entry, intermediate and exit tests of the trainees)

1. The role of tests

Tests are one of the main ways of organizing and managing the training courses, and require various types of feedback during the course.

A peculiarity of the training process is that the trainee has some preliminary knowledge from the higher or secondary school, experience of practical activity and his own approach to the solution of problem situations. Required basic knowledge is defined in the curriculum - lack of it may cause difficulties in the process of learning the subject. First of all, there may be possible gaps in basic knowledge. However, the extent of the gap is not the same for different trainees. This in turn raises additional difficulties. Therefore, much attention is paid to carrying out entry tests which make it possible to reveal the gaps in trainees' knowledge and skills. The assessment system of the entry test is based upon the previously devised curriculum. The curriculum should be regularly updated with due regard for the initial practical knowledge of a new group of trainees.

Much attention should be paid to the system of tests.

2. The system of entry-exit tests vas used during the training course.

The system of entry-exit tests was used during the training course. The main aim of the system is the assessment of the training process. It gives information about the knowledge and skills acquired by the trainees in the process of training. For this purpose, it is important to determine the methods of data collection concerning the increase in knowledge and skills after graduation from the faculty. Here is the system we have worked out:

level of understanding - the trainee perceives the sense of the main terms and notions of a given discipline and can start deeper learning of the subject;

deeper level of comprehension - the trainee sees the connection between the different terms and concepts, understands the essence of the subject;

level of reproduction - reproducing actions independently and the use of previously obtained knowledge to solve problem situations;

level of application - productive operations carried out by the trainee with the use of the acquired knowledge and skills resulting in collection of new information for performing other operations when solving non-standard situations;

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level of transformation - creative action carried out by the trainee in the process of which the new information is acquired by the trainee ; new rules for solving any kind of problem are worked out.

Assessment at each of the above-mentioned levels required special methods. Assessment of reproduction, for example, implies the creation of the special conditions necessary for their assessment. It is supposed that such conditions can be created in some special business games, in analysis of the problem situations, etc.

In the system described the stress was laid on the first two levels, as the system of entry-exit tests ensured the assessment of knowledge at the level of understanding and comprehension.

For assessment of training it is necessary to have information about the initial (before taking the course) and the final (after taking the course) extent of the trainees' knowledge. Consequently, it was necessary to get information on "input" (entry test of the trainees) and on "output" (exit test).

The tasks of the system were: definition of the effectiveness of the training process, methods of training, singling out of means promoting successful fulfillment of the training tasks.

Thus, the entry-exit test system had to meet the following main requirements :

to collect information about knowledge of trainees at the levels of understanding and comprehension;

to select and use appropriate methods for this aim;

to carry out double testing: before and after training;

to record the answers of the trainees and each question;

to fix the time for considering each question;

to store information;

to ensure easy access to information;

to process the information;

to prepare special forms and tables for data transfer to the sub-departments responsible for the training process, etc.

One of the main forms of test is a questionnaire. questions may be divided into open, closed and semi-closed.

An open question is a question without any variant answers, vhich takes much longer to answer, especially because answers must be encoded.

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A closed question is a question proper with several possible answers which, on the one hand, makes the question more exact and on the other hand, limits possible answers. Such questions take less time and are easier to process.

A semi-closed question is a hybrid of the previous two types: when a responder can express an opinion which does not coincide with any of the enumerated possible answers.

Since, at this stage, the system had to carry out the assessment of understanding and comprehension, we decided to use the questions of closed type as the most appropriate for this purpose. Two such questions and an alternative should be singled out.

When answering the "menu" question, the responder chooses one or several variants of the answer. The alternative question envisages the choice of only one variant.

Since the trainee, being a responder, often has to operate with indices or signs to define notions in this or that subject, we decided that the test (with the help of closed questions of the "menu" type) is the most appropriate method of gathering information concerning the trainees' understanding and comprehension. The trainee-responder was offered the "menu" questions, to which he could choose one or several answers. The questionnaire is standard set of statements, used in standard conditions for all trainee-responders; the data of the test are processed according to standard statistical techniques.

The whole process was characterized by the following:

all trainee-responders answered the same questions with the standard set of alternative answers;

standard indications and instructions were provided;

The use of computers for processing the data saves much time.

The process involves four main stages. The first stage involves gathering, preparing and fixing initial information and processing such data for the computer.

The second stage involves transferring data input. The third stage includes the processing of data in the computer. The fourth stage - output and representation of the received results. In information processing the first stage is the most labour-consuming and important, since the range of initial information is wide and the methods for obtaining this information are very difficult.

Nevertheless, the second stage is also very important - it is very important to transfer information into the computer without any mistakes in translation, which can lead to the deformation of the research results. It is, therefore, necessary to check correctness of data input.

The most effective means of raising the quality of input checking and correcting of data is transition to shared systems with a complex network of terminals, with trainees operating on personal computers.

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In this way, the below-mentioned conditions, necessary for effective functioning of the test were met:

questions were sent to the trainee-responder; the indefinite sequence-questions, connected by a content, are separated to prevent the trainee from taking advantage of their being connected;

time for considering each question was measured from the moment the question was displayed until the moment when the trainee put in the answer ;

the initial processing of data concerning the knowledge of the trainees was carried out immediately after the test.

when carrying out the entry-exit test system on the computer we first of all put the questionnaires into the computer.

Each record - question has its name - an ordinal number; the questionnaire consists of three parts:

the text of the question itself;

the text of the alternative answers (menu);

information about the correct answer ;

The algorithm for carrying out the test is as follows:

the choice of the type of the test (entry of exit);

the choice of the questionnaire (there is a corresponding list on the screen);

input of the trainee-responder's code;

checking;

working out the test sequence (order on the display);

output of data on the beginning of test;

output of the first question with the answers;

fixation of time - "the question is asked";

input of the answers by the trainee;

Checking the possibility of answer (in the event of an impossible answer, input is repeated);

fixation of time - "the answer is received";

checking of correctness of answer;

fixation of time for considering the question;

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making of the correct answer by a special symbol (*);

output of the next question, etc., until the end of the questionnaire.

After going through the whole questionnaire, the trainee was informed that the test was finished and the process was stopped.

The answers of the trainees and time required to consider each question are kept in special files making up the data base of the results of trainees' knowledge. The existing socio-demographic characteristics, the library of statistical and processing programmes make up the data base, with the help of which the dean's office, the teachers and scientific staff of the faculty acquire analytical information necessary for planning and managing the training process.

3. Methods of Information Analysis:

The training of the management reserve pool at the interdisciplinary faculty consists of three parts: lectures, practice - field training, preparation and defence of a graduation assignment.

In our opinion lectures are the basis of the training process; they determine the success or failure of practice, field training and of the graduation assignment. Lectures are divided into two stages: Stage 1 -transfer of knowledge and skills in different subjects, practical computer skills, work with experts; stage 2 - self-training in small groups on a particular regional problem with the use of computer, expert assistance and equipment.

It is necessary to check and record trainees' progress from the very beginning (entry test) and regularly, during the whole period of training (intermediate test).

The subjects offered to the trainees at the first stage of lectures can be classified into two types.

"Basic" subjects concern concrete notions and definitions, which in their turn can be defined by other notions not exceeding a narrow definition of the subject. Trainees can check their knowledge by identifying the notions with the definitions.

"Training" subjects are those taught on the basis of knowledge acquired in "basic" subjects imparting work skills with different types of information, analysis, etc. "Training" subjects are important when applying interdisciplinary principles to training the management reserve pool.

Knowledge of these subjects can be checked by solving special tasks with the use of files of the corresponding notions and definitions.

When defining the scope of knowledge in "basic" subjects, we mean the entry-exit test system (see 1.2).

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The assessment system is also expected to obtain information making it possible to propose recommendations for forming the small trainees group for further work within the framework of interdisciplinary training module (see Table 1).

Naturally, the test methods are very important. They should meet the following requirements:

the questionnaires should be compact (i.e. one or several questions should be asked at every important key moment of the corresponding subject);

each question in the questionnaire should be asked in a concrete way;

each question asked should always have either one correct alternative answer or a unique set of correct answers ;

each question asked should have a comprehensive answer on condition that there is only one correct answer;

if the correct answer to the question is a set of answers then there is no need for the comprehensive answer.

The list of the requirements can be continued, but we have considered only the major ones. There are many and at present a special methodical handbook of test questionnaires is being prepared. It also concerns the "core" subjects.

As follows from their definition and from the above mentioned facts, the gathering of the entry information concerning the knowledge, of the trainees is only partially suitable and does not cover all subjects. It seems that the main method of gathering entry information in "core" subjects should be the interviewing technique. The subject director should hold a discussion-interview with each trainee in accordance with the questionnaire worked, out in advance. The questions in the questionnaire should be of the open type, which naturally, make it possible to obtain more objective information. Data received during the discussion-interview should be encoded and put into computer in a standard form compatible with other data bases; Thus the level of tuition in a subject should be determined on the basis of the entry test. No less important is recording trainees' progress during study, which is the responsibility of the tutors.

Upon finishing the study of a particular subject, it is necessary to carry out a test to find out if the trainee is able to use the acquired knowledge to solve particular problems and if he is able to transfer to the following stage (stage 2 of lectures).

Such information should be obtained by means of the intermediate test in each separate subject (or a group of subjects), which in fact will be the exit for the first stage and the entry for the stage 2 of lectures.

The intermediate test should provide information concerning the scope of acquired knowledge at the corresponding stage of training and information concerning the use of the skills for the solution of particular problems. In some subjects the intermediate test should be carried out with the help of the system of entry-exit test as in case of training the management reserve pool.

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Table 2 presents the histogram reflecting the results of the intermediate test.

Evidently this histogram is the same as the one shown in Table 1. The histogram reflecting the results of entry and intermediate test is obviously relevant (T.3).

The symbol "+" means the increase in the percentage of trainees giving the correct answer to a question. In the right upper corner the coefficient of the group is given (in percentages).

E - E is the increase of the coefficient.

Naturally it is advisable to use such a system when assessing the effectiveness of the training course. Besides, the trainee should be given special tasks - "problems", whose solution will help us to judge not only about the extent of the acquired knowledge, but also about skills. See Table 2, Table 3.

Information concerning the intermediate test should be stored in the computer, and trainees should have easy access to it and the possibility of processing it. On the basis of the entry results, operative and intermediate tests and of socio-demographic data, it is possible to improve the professional skills of each trainee in all subjects, and it is especially important in case of "core" subjects.

The level of knowledge defined on the basis of the above-mentioned information should serve as entry data for managing the training process at the second stage of lectures.

We have not mentioned the exit test concluding the whole training cycle. In our case, it is a complex graduation assignment concluding the lectures as well as the industrial training.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the term "Problem", used when defining the special tasks of intermediate (exit) test is used in the sense of the Case Study; hence, the work of people constructing these tasks is very important. In fact the construction of special "problems" must become the main technique used in assessment.

Given that the solution of such "problems" should be autonomous (such trainee makes his own decision, solves concrete problem in his own way) the tutors assessing the work of the trainees assume a great responsibility: is the decision reached correct, rational? How quickly is it made? etc.

We think that the work of tutors is very important since they know the teaching objectives, they study together with the trainees and are always informed of everything the trainees need.

Proceeding from the above mentioned, we think that these two problems -the construction of "problems", and the selection and training of experts for assessing the teaching process as a whole should have priority in the organization of intermediate and exit tests.

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Information Report

The Institute for Management of National Economy under the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Georgia, is ready to provide interested countries and organizations, particularly developing countries,with any additional information concerning all questions arising from reading this report, and to provide organizational assistance on introducing the interdisciplinary training of agricultural and industrial managers.

The Institute is ready to undertake the training of managers from developing countries on mutually advantageous terms to be determined through bilateral and multilateral talks.

Our address is : 6 Chitadze Street 380018 Tbilissi Republic of Georgia