Rapid technological change, global environmental concerns, and other dramatic ecological and societal changes are rendering previous conceptualizations of environments, and the relationships between environment and behavior, inadequate. Following a brief review of earlier conceptualizations of environments, distinctions between the terms context, environment, behavior setting and situation are drawn. A contextual model that focuses on the behaviors of individuals or groups in response to a prompt, and the personal, social or physical factors that might affect them, is developed. Two types of contextual change are explored: gradual, evolutionary contextual shifts, and sudden or dramatic contextual transformations. Application of a more fully contextual approach to the field of creativity is considered, and an example of organizational creativity focusing on developing and implementing customer service recommendations is used to illustrate the model. A concluding section considers the research implications of a more fully contextual approach to conceptualizing environments. © 1998 Academic Press.

Introduction: A 2-year prospective study evaluated the effectiveness of a managerial training program to enhance corporate compliance with statewide worksite safety and health regulations. The program offered participants information about regulatory requirements and emphasized organizational and environmental strategies for reducing occupational injuries and illnesses. Objectives: To assess the effects of a train-the-trainer program on business managers' knowledge of statewide occupational safety and health legislation and on levels of corporate compliance with regulatory requirements. Methods: Forty-eight small- and medium-sized companies participated in the training sessions during the first year of the study. These firms were compared with 46 control companies that did not receive the training until the conclusion of the study. Results: Participation in the program was associated with higher levels of corporate regulatory compliance 12 months after the training sessions were held (controlling for baseline levels of corporate compliance with the regulations). Program effects on compliance levels were mediated by posttraining changes in managers' knowledge of regulatory requirements. Conclusions: The REACH OUT training program raised managers' awareness of and corporate compliance with statewide worksite safety and health regulations. Impact on Industry: Smaller companies face greater challenges than larger ones in developing and maintaining worksite safety and health programs. Barriers to regulatory compliance, especially in small- and medium-size companies, should be identified and removed to enhance the efficacy of these programs. © 2001 National Safety Council and Elsevier Science Ltd.