04 -~ I V, A Nv,~,'~ I I%J %~ A', I "I ~ I I 'I'- W %Z , V fl IJ ~7~~V V 46Z IW A 0 1' Approved For Release 2000/08/10 CIA-RDP96-00791 R0001 00060001 -1 ABOUT AIR The American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences (AIR) is an independent not- for-profit corporation established in 1946. Over 150 professionals undertake basic and applied re- search and provide technical support and manage- ment services to government agencies, the military, not-for-profit organizations, and private corporations. At present, our annual volume is more than $14 million. AIR's current program encompasses ten areas of emphasis that include: human performance re- search, employment equity analysis, training research, research on the specially challenged, acquisition services, evaluation research, educa- tional research, health research, document design and communication research, and usability ;engmeenng., AIR was incorporated byjohn C. Flanagan in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as an outgrowth of the successful Aviation Psychology Program in the United States Army Air Forces in World War 11. Dr. Flanagan founded AIR as a research organiza- .tion devoted to the scientific study of human re- souices and their effective use. Corporate headquarters are in Washington, DC. Three research centers are located in Palo Alto, California, Bedford, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC. Approved For Release 2000/08/10 CIA-RDP96-00791 R0001 00060001 -1 Approved For Release 000 IA-R 6-0 IROOOI00060001-1 AIR Tq 1~ ewsletter No. 9 Fall 1994 Replacing the DOT by: Norm Peterson, Director Personnel Research Group AIR Washington Research Center ncreased competition in world markets has led United States' i business and government organizations to focus on improving their ability to compete and win in the new global economic environment. A prime example of this effort is a major new Department of Labor initiative to develop a prototype of a new occupa- tional information and classification system to replace the current Diction- ary of Occupational Titles (DOT). I All three AIR offices, along with five other research organizations (Wastat, Personnel Decisions Research Institute, Inc. (PDRII), Management Research Institute (MRI), Jeanneret & Associates, and Policy Studies Associ- .ates (PSA)) are working with the Department to develop and evaluate the prototype by July 1996. The new syste -m is envisioned as an electronic database or set of inter- related databases that would allow a variety of users to take maximum advantage of occupational information; users are expected to include, for example, secondary school students interested in exploring career options; unemployed workers interested in identifying occupations that would make use of their abilities, skills, and knowledge; and corporations interested in identifying job-seekers who possess the skills and knowledge required to successfully perform certain jobs, (Continued on page 4) Pelavin Associates, Inc* and AIR join Forces by: David A, Goslin and Sol H. Pelavin n October 1, 1994, Pelavin Associ- 0 ates, Inc. officially became Pelavin Research Institute, a wholly-owned, for- profit subsidiary of the American Institutes for Research. The merger of Pelavin Associates and AIR represents the culmination of more than eight months of discussions among the officers and senior staff of both organi- zations, as well as AIR's Board of Directors. The complementary strengths of the two organizations provide our sponsors with unmatched capabilities across a broad range of behavioral and social sciences. Established in 1982, Pelavin Associ- ates has been one of the natior~s pre- miere education and training research corporations, providing expert advice to a wide range of govermnent agen- cies and other organizations. Its clients have included the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Ser- vices, Labor, and Interior; the Congres- sional Research Service; the College Board; the states of California, Dela- ware, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington; the National Alliance of Business; and numerous private-sector corporations. Originally focused on education policy analysis for the federal govern- (Continued on page 2) vvft%;~.Z - Signing the final merger documents were (left to right) Alfred H. Munkenbeck, Jr. (Chair, AIR Board of Directors), David A. Goslin (AIR President), and Sol H. and Diane C. Pelavin of Pelavin Associates, Inc. Personnel Ass~s*!ent Usability Testing Program Evaluation Etnployment Equity Analysis Human Factors Engineering Testing & Train Proved FoUR-~IMASOa~00/08/lOEOC4AQ4RDP96-00791R~WM ' Oraction Health Care Research Approved Fo Release 2000/08/1 DP96-00791 ROOOV0060001 -1 Offilcument Design Cen ter Strong, simple solutions to complex problems A M E R I C A N I N S T I T U T E S F 0 R R E S E A R C ff David A. Goslin is Approved Fo se 2000/980W CIA-RDP96-00791 ROOO 100060001 -1 3333 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20007-3541 (202) 342-5077 (202) 342-5033 fax DGoslin@AIR-DC.ORG American Institutes for Research Research and applications in the behavioral and social sciences since 1946