A meta-analytic review of all adequately designed field and laboratory research on the use of incentives to motivate performance is reported. Of approximately 600 studies, 45 qualified. The overall average effect of all incentive programs in all work settings and on all work tasks was a 22% gain in performance. Team-directed incentives had a markedly superior effect on performance compared to individually-directed incentives. This effect was not influenced by the location of the study (business, government, or school), the competitive structure of the incentive system (programs where only the highest performers get incentives versus programs where everyone who increased performance receives incentives), the type of study (whether the study was a laboratory experiment or a field study), or the performance outcome (quality, quantity, or both). In these studies, money was found to result in higher performance gains than non-monetary, tangible incentives (gifts, travel). More research is needed on the relative cost-benefit of cash and gift incentives, and the way different types of tangible incentives are selected. Long-term programs led to greater performance gains than shorter-term programs did, and somewhat greater performance gains were realized for manual than for cognitive work. Explanations based on cognitive psychological principles accompany each of the analyses.

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Demand for human performance technology (HPT) practitioners is growing at the same time as their numbers are increasing. Yet no standard repertoire of professional skills exists, nor is there any agency with authority to define required skill sets. A number of sources do, however, offer guidelines. These are observation of current practice, a rich and expanding literature, professional societies, recognized practitioners and knowledgeable clients. These sources provide us with strong indicators as to what constitute skill sets for both current and future practice. This article presents suggested basic and advanced skill sets, identifies future skill needs, and concludes with suggestions for maintaining and enhancing proficiency as a human performance technologist.

The problem and the solution. Structured on-the-job training (structured OJT), adapted to a developing nation environment, can significantly improve, at low cost, the performance capability of workers. The chapter presents the rationale for structured OJT in this setting;describes an adapted model to fit the context of a specific developing nation, Cameroun;and presents an application of structured OJT complete with results.

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