These proceedings of a dissemination conference on occupational research in Texas contain the texts of five reports and the abstracts of twelve research projects dealing with various aspects of vocational education. In the keynote address, on free enterprise and vocational education, the role of vocational education in preserving free enterprise is discussed. Next, a report discusses research perspectives for the eighties; priorities and constraints imposed upon vocational research by public law and federal rules and regulations are overviewed. Presented in the third report are highlights of a 1980 Texas statewide conference at which representatives from the business community and industry spoke about the changes occurring in these areas and about the impact of these changes on the job market and on all levels of vocational education. In the fourth report, on grantsmanship, procedures for locating sources of funding and writing proposals are outlined. The need for vocational research and vocational programs that will be more responsive to the needs of business and industry are discussed in the final report. Abstracts of twelve vocational education research projects funded in Texas in 1979 and 1980 are provided. (MN)