As a result of unexpected cuts in state appropriations, Extension administration must decide which positions to fill and which to eliminate. An Extension agent is faced with the challenge of diversifying an advisory committee. A state youth development specialist ponders whether to address the increasing number of requests for AIDS educational materials. The last decade of the 20th century has proven both transformational and turbulent for the Cooperative Extension system. Values play important roles in determining how we function as individuals, family members, and members of work teams.
Values are a product of our individual experiences.
Consequently, we may organize separate values into identifiable groups or value systems based upon our daily experiences in our respective personal and professional roles. One value system guides our interactions with life partners and family members. Another value system determines how we behave in the work environment. And still another value system influences our actions and behaviors as a member of a specific profession. One sign of a healthy, productive organization is agreement between the organization's values and the daily behaviors of its members.