First and foremost, we thank the individuals who gave us access to their work and workplaces and who participated in the study. Although confidentiality agreements prevent thanking them by name, their cooperation and support made the study possible.
Though responsibility for the final product is ours alone, we benefitted from excellent reviews of an early draft by Steve Barley and Sally Ann Law that helped us refocus and clarify the study findings. We also thank Tom Bailey and John Wirt for their thoughtful suggestions.
Roger Benjamin, director of RAND's Institute on Education and Training, provided funding to complete the study analysis and publication.
The late Charles S. Benson, who directed NCRVE from 1988 to 1993, was generous in his praise and encouragement for this research and our earlier studies on generic skills. We dedicate this work to his memory.