In May 1992, Project Panel 20-24 met to select new projects for the "20-24 series." However, in the discussions about possible topics, questions arose about the series' success and appropriate future direction. Although believed to be successful based on anecdotal information, the panel concluded that it was time to check with the intended audience, i.e., the chief administrative officer (CAO) of state transportation departments. Accordingly, the objective of this project was to provide an assessment of (1) the impact of past and ongoing projects within the NCHRP Project 20-24 series on chief administrative officers, specifically, and other top managers of state departments of transportation, (2) the desirability of a research program for chief administrative officers and top managers, and (3), if desired, the issues that would benefit from research. The study is complete; an agency report is available for loan on request. Major conclusions from the study regarding completed work and proposed new research areas are as follows:

Evaluation of Previous Research; * Awareness of the research projects needs to be raised among CAOs; results need to be presented in a higher profile manner. * The formats in which the research projects are presented need to be more accessible to CAOs with busy schedules; the research must be more "user-friendly." * The research needs to present upfront what it can do for CAOs in their policy formulation; the ideas need to be "sold" to CAOs before they can be implemented.

Proposed Research Topics: * Environmental Consensus Building * Project Development * Privatization Options * State DOT Relationships with Other Governmental Units * Decentralization and Organizational Change * Management Support for Chief Administrative Officers * Effective Communication to Chief Administrative Officers * Strategic Investment Analysis: Choosing Among Competing Needs * Manager Training and Retention * Effectiveness of Incentive Systems * Civil Service Regulations