bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Datastream—the use of a business databank
Authors: Eckersley Juliet H. , Rennie Janet S.
Published: March 2007

A survey of the use of Datastream in twenty-one firms, in the City of London, is presented. The service was found to be used by a variety of personnel of different backgrounds age and status but not by librarians or information scientists. Some facilities for manipulating data were not highly used and this was thought to be related to the relatively low use of manuals and other documentation.
Sophisticated science in a small country: A scientometric analysis of superconductivity research in Israel
Authors: Arunachalam Subbiah , Singh Udai N.
Published: March 2007

Small countries practising science rarely graduate to the level of performing quality research in sophisticated areas. Viewed on this background, an analysis of 130 papers on superconductivity published by Israeli researchers and indexed in Physics Abstracts 1971-1982 reveal that Israel does pretty well in this area. Prolific institutions and authors have been identified as well as journals most often used, highly cited papers, etc. Many of the papers appeared in high impact international journals, with Physical Review B (26), Journal of Low Temperature Physics (11) and Solid State Communications (10) leading the field. Among the five institutions active in the area, Tel Aviv University (68) accounts for more than half of Israel's publication output. Hebrew University (32) and Tech nion Institute of Technology (22) are the other major centres of research in superconductivity. Five of the 130 papers have won more than 20 citations each up to 1982, and 22 papers more than 10 citations. Israeli papers in superconductivity seem to belong to the mainstream literature in the area as seen from their decent citation record, which is better than that of Canada and almost close to that of the USA. Most of these papers are theoretical/computational and about 30% of them are experi mental.
Sichel's unification of bibliometric frequency distributions
Authors: Cocks T.M. , Brookes B.C.
Published: March 2007

This paper describes our initial reactions to the inverse Gaussian-Poisson distribution (IGPD) recently introduced into bibliometrics by Sichel. We find that Sichel's claim that the IGPD fits many bibliometric data sets to be fully justified though our difficulties in applying it are described. A problem arising from our attempts to find its transform into a ranked distribution is also briefly discussed.
Information systems planning and operation in Less Developed Countries. Part 1: Planning and operational concerns
Authors: Bell Simon
Published: March 2007

Aimed primarily at academics working in the field of development studies. First, it is intended to give an overview of the major issues involved in the diffusion of information to Less Developed Ccountries (LDCs), and a review of the types of organization that operate in the field, their accessibility and specializations. It is hoped that this presentation will encour age academics to become interested in the value and power of information as a thing in itself, and correspondingly to dedi cate greater efforts to making use of, and furthering the cause of, those information services which are appropriate and cost effective.

Second, the paper is an attempt to pull together the various aspects of the subject of 'information for LDCs', encouraging librarians and information specialists to consider issues other than those concerned mainly with technical access to facilities, (e.g. the political control of information, the 'privatization of information' and appropriate information systems for local populations, etc.).

Generally, recent literature (1978-84) is used throughout. This is partly in order to demonstrate the latest thinking on the subject, but also due to the relative sparseness of earlier material which is still relevant.
What the information scientist has to offer
Authors: Gilchrist Alan
Published: March 2007

Though the information scientist has much to offer, the small institutional power base and public image tend to mili tate against fuller acceptance At present in a somewhat hazy area between librananship and data processing, it is argued that the only way upward and into information management is to dramatically expand the current view of the scope of infor mation work and to support this with a stronger theoretical foundation.
Information technology: human and organizational factors
Authors: Cross Rosemary , Bawden David
Published: March 2007

The importance of human factors (ergonomics/ environment, task design, changing work patterns, organiza tional factors etc.) in the introduction and use of new informa tion technology is discussed, both from the general point of view of 'office work', and more specifically as it relates to library/information work. Considerations in the planning for, and introduction of, IT are outlined, and their significance for the role of the information scientist emphasized. (23 refer ences).
Scientists and information work: the careers of the 1979-1985 MSc graduates from the Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield
Authors: Wood Frances , Richardson Diana , Schur Herbert
Published: March 2007

This paper reports the results of a postal survey (91% response) of students from the Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield who were awarded the MSc in Information Studies between 1979 and 1985, inclusive. Re spondents were asked about their careers and to evaluate the MSc programme. A high proportion (49% if only UK students are included or 44% if overseas students are also included) of the graduates entered industry and commerce as their first destination and only 1% of UK students were 'unknown, unemployed or in temporary employment' (2% if overseas students are included). First posts were likely to be 'tradi tional' information posts but a substantial proportion of subse quent posts were in less traditional areas of employment (the emerging market). 31% were working in less traditional areas (predominantly information technology) at the time of the survey. 93% of all current UK posts held by these graduates involve computer applications. The survey results show that these science graduates are not typical products of the UK library/information studies schools but are like other science graduates who took advanced courses supported by the Science and Engineering Research Council. The evaluation showed that there was a good degree of satisfaction with the present programme and confirmed the need to continue developing the practical computer applications aspects.
The rights of the publisher in the information society
Authors: van Krevelen Laurens
Published: March 2007

For 100 years the philosophical basis of the Berne Conven tion was the concept of intellectual property. However, prop erty and other absolute private rights tend to give way to other interests that are felt to be more fundamental and more social. The system of copyright itself will in future need some ad ditional justification in order to raise a greater interest of politicians and public opinion in the copyright affected profes sions and to get their full support. There are quite a few scholars who indicate that new copyright concepts should also be focused on the 'accessibility of information' and on the 'continuity of creation of new information". If these priorities are to be safeguarded, the role of the producer (or the pub lisher, in the case of books) must be made clear in law and practice, because he is the specialist in the production of and the access to information.

Book publishers have the serious drawback that their pro fession is practically unknown to the public, to politicians and to legislators. Anecdotes and caricatures dating from before Berne still determine the public image of the publisher. Never theless, the role of books in modern society has expanded dramatically in all fields: science, education, culture and enter tainment. Book publishers should make the outside world more aware of their modem functions in the fields of editing, production and distribution. These valuable functions compare in complexity with those of the producers of audiovisual and electronic works. The modem functions of the book publisher require a better legal division between the rights of the author and those of the publisher. The investment risks and the importance of proper access to the work are too great to permit the role of the publisher to remain unresolved. The rights of the publisher should be nothing less than the exploitation right itself. The present practice by which publishers behave as holders of this right would be transformed into a clear division of functions. Such a strong right for publishers will create some obligations too. A fair code of practice in their trade with authors and for the protection of the public interest will be necessary. Such a code should preferably be defined by the profession itself.

Publishers will have to debate a fundamental review of copyright, in which the close partnership of authors and pub lishers should be recognized, along with a clear and practicable division between the author's rights and the publisher's rights. This will be in the interest of the cultural community to which they belong, and also to the continuity of their professions.
Australian scholarly journals: a situation report
Authors: Judge Peter J.
Published: March 2007

In early 1987 a sample of Australian journals in the natural and social sciences was surveyed to examine their editorial procedures, costs, revenues, marketing, production methods and general well-being. The survey has shown that many scholarly journals admit to problems with management and marketing, and do not cover their costs. Most journals are increasingly subsidized by members of their parent Societies or from other sources, and their longer-term future is unclear. The separation in most Societies of the policy, editing and financial functions is thought to contnbute to this situation, which in many cases is simply not yet recognized by those closest to it.
Design and development of the bibliographic database INDEL—using Micro-CDS/ISIS
Authors: Chaudhury Arup Ray , Shukla Milind
Published: March 2007

This paper presents a description of approaches followed in designing and developing the Indian Energy Literature data base (INDEL) using Micro-CDS/ISIS. Analysis Phase, Data base Design Phase, Database Creation and Maintenance Phase and Functional Phase have been identified as major steps in designing and developing a bibliographic database with ready- to-use software. The observations with regard to maintenance of the database, information retrieval and printing of the whole or a part of the database are discussed in detail.
Where do Israeli scientists publish?
Authors: Arunachalam Subbiah , Singh Udai N.
Published: March 2007

From an analysis of papers having a first-author address in Israel and listed in 26 consecutive issues of three editions of Current Contents (CC) (July-December 1982), we have identi fied the Journals often used, the institutions contributing many papers, and the distribution of papers by subject areas. Israel's share of the world's literature is a little over 0.9% in physical. chemical and earth sciences (including mathematics). 1.0% in the life sciences (new biology). and 0.8% in engineering. tech nology and applied sciences. Technion-Israel Institute of Tech nology, Weizmann Institute of Science, and Hebrew and Tel Aviv Universities are the leading puhlishers of papers in the physical, chemical and earth sciences, whereas Hebrew Univer sity, Weizmann Institute and Tel Aviv University lead in the life sciences. Technion leads the field in engineering publica tions. followed by Ben Gurion and Tel Aviv Universities. Most Israeli papers are published in US, UK and Dutch journals. followed by Israeli and Swiss journals. The 1820 papers in our sample appeared in over 740 journals. More than 36% Israeli papers in CC (PCE) and over 42% of papers in CC (LS) have appeared in journals with impact factors greater than 2.0. Thin Solid Films, Journal of Chemical Physics, Physical Review B. Biochimica Biophysica Acta, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA are among the most used interna tional journals, while Israel Journal of Medical Science and Israel Journal of Mathematics are two national journals carry ing many papers from Israel.
Sichel's inverse Gaussian-Poisson distribution: recent advances
Authors: Brookes B.C.
Published: March 2007

Two years ago a welcome was accorded to the arrival of Sichel's Inverse Gaussian-Poisson Distribution [2], with its predictive potentialities, on the bibliometrics scene, but with reservations about difficulties in applying it. Since that time developments have resolved those difficulties and these are briefly reported.
Regulation and deregulation of telecommunications: the economic and political realities
Authors: Shao Hing Tsoi  , Philip George
Published: March 2007

As part of their political ideology, the Conservative govern ment (UK) which came to power in May 1979 decided to dilute the monopoly power held by the then Post Office. This involved first the separation of postal services from telecom munications—the former remained as the Post Office and the latter became British Telecom—and subsequently the passing of the 1981 and 1984 Telecommunications Acts as a prelude to the privatization of BT. The 1984 Act also created a regulatory body known as OfTel (Office for Telecommunications) to serve as a watchdog over telecommunications development in the UK. This paper, which is the second part in the present series. describes the effects which the privatization of BT have had on consumers, equipment suppliers and particularly on its main rival—Mercury. Our study has shown that despite the genuine efforts of OfTel, privatization has had little effect in breaking the overall monopoly of BT, with the possible exception of the equipment supply market. The main beneficiaries of privatiza tion appear to be business consumers and investors. Genuine competition at the root of the industry, namely networks and lines, has not yet materialized.

The privatization programme of the government has always been a highly contentious issue in British politics. Politics emerge obscurely when the government which considers BT as the flagship of its privatization programme quietly raps OfTel for being too harsh on BT, in case actions have a negative effect and subsequently could damage the government's politi cal standing. Nevertheless the trend initiated by the UK has set the ball rolling. Some of the other West European countries, and in particular the members of the EEC, are also planning to open up their respective PTTs to competition. Unlike the UK, they prefer liberalization to privatization. Programmes such as ESPRIT and RACE have been set up by the EEC not only to contain the foreign invasion of the European IT market but also to implement a pan-European digital network. However, because of conflicting national interests and politics, one can only be cautiously optimistic about the prospects of having a unified telecommumcations industry in Europe.
Issues in Group Decision Support System (GDSS) design
Authors: Floyd Lewis L. , Keleman Ken S.
Published: March 2007

This software development proposal addresses the im portant managerial problem of effective and efficient use of groups. Empirically based tool modules are to be selected contingent upon situational variables. A rule-based expert sys tem is recommended for choosing tool modules and linking them into a coherent system.
The impact of information diversity on information overload effects in unstructured managerial decision making
Authors: Iselin Errol
Published: March 2007

Psychologists have found that as the number of cues pro vided to a decision maker increases beyond approximately "10 items of information" [1] decision performance falls. This has become known as the information overload effect. Business researchers have generalized this effect to the business deci sion-making domain. Iselin [2] found in a highly structured decision-making task that the magnitude of the information overload effect varied with the diversity of the information. The information diversity in a set of cues was defined as the number of dimensions (unrelated vanables) in the set. It was found that the higher the information diversity, the larger was the information overload effect. The major objective of the research in this paper was to test if this information diversity effect generalized to unstructured decision-making tasks. Con sequently in an experiment, information diversity was manipu lated in an information overload situation in an unstructured managenal decision-making task. Two other independent vari ables studied were task learning and decision experience. The dependent vanable, decision performance, was operationalized to profit and decision time. The results from the experiment showed that increasing information diversity increased the information overload effect on decision time, i.e. decision time increased. This effect was hypothesized. However, information diversity did not affect profit. The hypothesized effects for learning and expenence were largely supported In general, high expenence and learning both resulted in higher decision performance. The experiment revealed a number of interac tions between the variables. The implications of these findings for practice and future research were considered.
Towards an information management curriculum
Authors: Wilson Tom
Published: March 2007

This paper reviews the emergence of the idea of informa tion management, shows how the subject is developing through its own specialized literature and points to the consequences for curriculum development. The curriculum of the MSc in Information Management at Sheffield and the place of the subject in the MBA programme of the School of Management are reviewed. Finally, possible future developments are out lined.
Searching techniques for databases of protein secondary structures
Authors: Artymiuk Peter J. , Rice David W. , Mitchell Eleanor M. , Willett Peter
Published: March 2007

This paper summarizes the findings of a recent, British Library-funded research project into computer techniques for searching the three-dimensional protein structures that occur in the Protein Data Bank. The work focuses on the secondary structures of proteins and utilizes both angular and distance geometric information. Algorithms are presented for the auto matic identification of secondary structure elements, of sec ondary structure motifs and of proteins with similar secondary structures.
Literature core zones adjusted by impact factors
Authors: Brooks Terrence A.
Published: March 2007

This paper reports a study of the effect of adjusting the frequency of occurrence of journals with impact factors in the literatures of acid rain, superconductivity and management by objectives. Three different Bradford methods were used to demarcate the core-zone journals of the literatures. The effects of adjustment by impact factors created three paradigms: (1) the acid rain literature illustrated the first paradigm, where journals from the unadjusted literature were thrust forward in the adjusted literature, and no unadjusted journal fell into obscurity: (2) the superconductivity literature illustrated the second paradigm, where the most voluminous journal was also the most prestigious and led both the unadjusted and adjusted literatures; and (3) the management by objectives literature illustrated the third paradigm, where the adjustment by impact factors only churned the placement of the journals.
Perceptions of information system domains as a function of professional status
Authors: Belohlav James , Raho Louis , Drehmer David
Published: March 2007

The information system plays a central role in many con temporary organizational activities. How well the information system is integrated into organizational processes, though, is a key factor influencing the degree of effectiveness present in decision making. The underlying, and many times unrecog nized, reality influencing the effectiveness of an information system is the recognition of the different domains or sectors— EDP, MIS and DSS. This study examines the perceptions of information system domains by practitioners and educators.
The export of ideas from information science
Authors: Cronin Blaise , Pearson Stephen
Published: March 2007

An economic analogy is used to explore the contributions made by information scientists to other disciplines. The study analyses the major classes of ideas exported by SLX grandees within the field. The limitations of the methodology are dis cussed and questions for further research identified.
Charging policies and practice in corporate information units in the UK 1: To charge or not to charge?
Authors: Yates-Mercer Penelope A. , Pearson David
Published: March 2007

The advantages and disadvantages of charging for information services, particularly in corporate internal units. are reviewed. Current charging practice was surveyed. mainly in information units in product-based industries in the UK, but supplemented by units in service-based companies in Greater London This indicated that 43% of services in product-based companies charge, although there is some variation between different sectors of industry, and 58% of service-based compa mes charge. Although some people were very enthusiastic, the majority of respondents were not in favour of charging. On balance, units that do charge were slightly larger, but all units seemed to have similar categories of users. It did become clear that respondents have different interpretations of the term "charging".
Effectiveness of query expansion in ranked-output document retrieval systems
Authors: Cuna Ekmekcioglu F. , Robertson Alexander M. , Willett Peter
Published: March 2007

This paper reports an evaluation of three methods for the expansion of natural language queries in ranked-out put retrieval systems. The methods are based on term co-oc currence data, on Soundex codes, and on a string similarity measure. Searches for 110 queries in a database of 26,280 titles and abstracts suggest that there is no significant differ ence in retrieval effectiveness between any of these methods and unexpanded searches.
An overview of the impact of the Iraqi aggression on libraries, information and education for librarianship in Kuwait
Authors: Abdel-Motey Yaser Y. , Al Hmood Nahla
Published: March 2007

A general view of the field of librartanship in Kuwait is presented with special emphasis on the impact of the Iraqi aggression on libraries and information centres in the country. First, a review of the damage and future plans of the main library and information sectors is presented (school, public, academic, central libraries), followed by a summary of the effect of the Iraqi occupation on education in library and information science.
The role of the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Information Services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ali Al-Tasan Mohammed
Published: March 2007

The paper concentrates on one main organization which is responsible as a national centre for scientific and technological information in Saudi Arabia. It describes the services prepared by this national organization, such as databases, information services, computer activities and na tional networks. There are many databases, covering science and technology, bibliographies, terminology and manpower, besides other services such as online services, document deliv ery, union lists and current awareness.
Aspects of a library systems methodology
Authors: Rowley J.E.
Published: March 2007

An information systems methodology to support the selection and implementation of library management systems is proposed. A brief review of the nature and com ponents of information systems methodologies is offered as a basis. The proposed methodology draws from established information systems methodologies and from the literature on computer-based library systems. The methodology which is intended to encourage a more systematic approach to systems selection and implementation has five main stages: definition of objectives; specification of requirements; systems selection; systems implementation, and systems evaluation. Tools take the form of a series of checklists covering issues to be considered at various stages in the project. The methodology has potential applications in other environments where the focus is on the acquisition of hard ware and software and not as the design of an in-house system.
The information economy in South Africa: definition and measurement
Authors: Boon J.A. , Britz J.J. , Harmse C.
Published: March 2007

Most Western economies have already achieved or are progressing towards information economy status. South Africa's progress towards an information economy has not yet been ascertained. An attempt was made to develop a framework for describing and demarcating the information economy in South Africa. This framework ties in with avail able national data. The basic methods of measuring the infor mation economy were established, the first to determine the number of information workers and second to measure the contribution of the information sector to the gross domestic product (GDP). According to Porat's [2] method, there were approximately two million information workers in South Africa in the late 1980s. If the generation and use of information are excluded from the description of the information sector, there were about 400,000 people working in the information sector in the 1980s. The contribution of the information sector to the GDP was about six per cent in the late 1980s. The gross operating surplus, a rough estimate
A bibliometric study on ageing and reception processes of scientific literature
Authors: Glänzel Wolfgang , Schoepflin Urs
Published: March 2007

In an exploratory study, the time behaviour of citations to articles of seven journals representing different scientific fields (sociology, psychology, chemistry, general and inter nal medicine, statistics and probability theory) were analysed to establish: (i) differences in ageing and reception speed between social sciences and other science fields, to determine (ii) if there are connections between ageing and reception, and (iii) if deviations are due to fields or individ ual journals. Bibliometric methods and citation-based indi cators were used within a stochastic model. It was found that obsolescence of the social science journals in the set is slower than for the medical and chemistry journals. The behaviour of the mathematical journal is similar to the ones in social sciences. The study suggests that ageing seems to be specific to the field rather than to the individual journal. On the other hand, slow ageing does not necessarily corre spond with slow response. Impact factors based on the usual two years' observation period may therefore be dis torted by deviating ageing behaviour.
Use of 'leading-edge' information systems by academic chemists in the UK: part I. The results of a preliminary investigation
Authors: Philip G.
Published: March 2007

This paper is the first of a two part series reporting on a British Library funded project which has investigated the current use of automated chemical information systems by academic chemists in the UK. We will describe the results of a preliminary survey of 239 academic chemists based in ten universities and drawn from different geographic regions to represent England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Almost 100% of staff from each university took part in the survey, which enabled us to produce an accurate picture of the extent of use of 'leading-edge' information systems by academics. While around 90% of staff are currently using online bibliographic bases, the percentage falls to 39% for those who use advanced structure-based systems. Obviously, more than 60% of academics are not taking advantage of any of the advanced systems. We have also investigated the use of 'leading-edge' systems in rela tion to: (i) research productivity of departments as measured by the Universities Funding Council's (UFC) research assessment exercise and (ii) subject specialisation of chemists (via organic, inorganic, physical and analyt ical). It was found that those departments which received a higher research rating (3, 4 or 5) in the last UFC rating are also more progressive in the use of 'leading-edge' systems. The figures ranged from 22% for a department with a rating of 2, to 57% for a department which received a top rating of 5. Regarding subject specialisation, our results showed that organic chemists and inorganic chemists make more use of these systems than physical chemists. The percentage of users in each of these categories was 40%, 36% and 23% respectively. This is because most of the currently available 'leading-edge' systems are structure- based and therefore are of less use to physical chemists whose information need has an alphanumeric format.
The SPHERE project: a step towards more sophisticated information systems
Authors: Hébrail G.
Published: March 2007

The goal of the SPHERE project was to build an informa tion system to archive and query the history of the activity of our Research Centre. Two directions have been explored in this project: the construction of a relational database to store all the information available about this activity since 1980, and the design of generic tools to help to extract both detailed and synthetic information from this database. The different components of the information system are described. A data dictionary approach is used to admin ister and query the database, since its structure is very complex and is subject to continuous evolution and change. Special attention has been given to the processing of textual data: an automatic indexing process structures the textual data by extracting keywords from them, a text linker automatically finds related texts, and a text classifier classifies texts automatically into predefined classifications. The typical use of this database is the joint use of different tools, mainly by the management of the Research Centre. These applications include: finding detailed information about the work done at the Research Centre, computing historical cost aggregates, evaluating the costs of past and forecast work, measuring the changes in the activity between two years, improving the communication between researchers by information filtering, drawing maps of Research Centre activities, and discovering automatically a new organisation chart for the Research Centre. Finally, we point out the problems that remain unsolved, such as enabling a wider group of people to use the system, and give some directions as to how we are currently attempting to solve them.
Optimal search available to an individual user
Authors: Frants Valery I. , Shapiro Jacob , Voiskunskii Vladimir G.
Published: March 2007

The paper describes an approach to the design and imple mentation of an information retrieval (IR) system capable of providing an optimal search for each individual user. On the basis of the properties of information need, the paper analyzes the peculiarities of optimal search in documentary IR systems. The problems arising in implementing optimal search in such a system are considered and concrete solu tions of some of these problems are proposed. In particular, the paper describes a simple and convenient method of selecting the 'best result' and proposes an algorithm for organizing optimal search in the systems realizing SDI (selective dissemination of information). This algorithm can be utilized, without substantial modifications, in many systems capable of using different search methods.
Obtaining information accurately and quickly: are structured abstracts more efficient?
Authors: Hartley James , Sydes Matthew , Blurton Anthony
Published: March 2007

BACKGROUND: Structured abstracts - which, like the present one, contain several subheadings - have replaced traditional abstracts in most medical journals. Evaluation studies have shown that such abstracts usually provide more information, are of a higher quality, facilitate peer review and are generally welcomed.
Building lexical tools to manage information written in Spanish
Authors: Carretero Jesús , Rodriguez Santiago
Published: March 2007

Most of the largest operating systems and information retrieval tools do not provide lexical tools for Spanish, which makes it very difficult to check the information fed to the systems. This problem is especially critical in big organisations (libraries, museums, etc) where information is acquired mechanically by scanning or typing, which adds to the already existing errors, new errors caused by the mechanisation process. The need to filter large amounts of information written in Spanish led us to build lexical tools for the Spanish language. This paper presents COES, a complete environment that allows the user to deal with Spanish grammatical problems. Special emphasis has been made on formal specification of Spanish grammar, word tagging and dictionary generation. Finally, some evaluation results of the spelling services are shown. COES has been freely distributed since the end of 1994.
Strategies of Administrative Control and Contextual Constraints in a Less-Developed Country: The Case of Egyptian Public Enterprise
Authors: Badran Mohamed , Hinings Bob
Published: March 2007

Access to 31 state-owned organizations engaged in a variety of industries in Egypt enables the function of work organizations in a less-developed country to be examined. The utilization of public enterprises by government in political and developmental strategies has a considerable impact upon their form and authority. They are shown to be highly structured and highly centralized (using Aston measures) in a way similar to organizations in other socialist and developing countries. In addition, size and techno logy together appear to exert a bureaucratizing effect.
Can the Manager's Mind Be Nationalized?
Authors: Aharoni Yair , Lachman Ran
Published: March 2007

The 'raison d'être' of nationalization of enterprises is usually the achievement of national and collective goals. Adherence to such goals by the executives of the publicly owned enterprises is a key to their achievement. Yet, in many cases, the executive's adherence to public sector goals is taken for granted. This study examines the existence of expected differences in goal perceptions and attitudes among top executives of industrial enterprises affiliated with the public and private sectors in Israel. Almost no differences were found between the perceptions of these two groups of executives. The lack of differences indicates that mere affiliation with nationalized enterprises does not secure 'nationalization' of the executives' goal commitments and goal pursuit, and that the achievement of the nationalization objectives may be hindered.
Comments on 'Contingency and Choice in Organization Theory' (Georg Schreyögg, OS 1/4: 305-326)
Authors: Donaldson Lex
Published: March 2007

In Organization Studies 1/4, Schreyögg has argued that the contingency-design approach to the study of organizations has a number of shortcomings. These are related to the neglect of the analysis of political processes and of historically specific institution al settings. The present reply points out that a number of the supposed inadequacies of the contigency-design framework are based on a mischaracterization. Further, many of the issues addressed in a political action analysis are different from those examined in design research. Only the pursuit of contigency-design enquiries can provide the answers sought on the consequences of structural arrangements.
Interactions between the Educational and Employment Systems in the German Democratic Republic and the Soviet Union
Authors: Pietsch Anna-Jutta
Published: March 2007

This paper investigates the consequences for employment in the GDR and USSR of expansion and changes in education. As in many Western countries, change in education disturbed the balance between systems of education and employment. In East Germany, efforts to remodel the employment system by changing the organi zation of work to fit the qualifications of employees began after an imbalance had been produced by raising the qualifications of skilled workers to a uniquely high level. In the Soviet Union the same imbalance is now occurring. An excess of applicants over places in universities was followed by an attempt to provide an alternative to university by expanding vocational training. In turn, this is raising skills beyond the level required by the existing organization of work, and is being followed by an attempt to change the latter by introducing so-called 'brigade organization'. This is intended to increase the autonomy and responsibility of production workers by what might be described as a partial de-Taylorization.
Research Note: Trade Unions, Conflict, and the Nature of Work in Residential Service Organizations
Authors: Martin Patricia Yancey
Published: March 2007

Conflicts involving trade unions in fourteen small residential service organizations (RSOs)—children's homes, old peoples' homes, and probation hostels—in a western county in England over a 20-month period are studied via a grounded theory methodology. Results indicate that (1) multiple and competing unions stimulate intraworker conflict and complicate labour-management relations; (2) unions representing RSO workers are pragmatic and work-conditions oriented in their collective bargaining activities; and (3) unions' efforts to negotiate the 'nature of work' for their members are based on the 'ideology of service' which pervades British society and views persons dependent on the state for 'basic human needs' as 'deserving' to have those needs met. This 'service ideology' is both exploited by the unions to define workers' jobs and used by management and society to prevent organized RSO workers from employing the 'strike' as a collective bargaining option. Union efforts to negotiate work in RSOs are viewed as dialogues regarding not only workers' rights but the nature and rights of the residents themselves. Additional research is called for on the role of trade unions in organizations in which the 'object' of work consists of fellow human beings.
Technology and Industrial Democracy An inquiry into some theoretical issues and their social basis
Authors: Sørensen Knut Holtan
Published: March 2007

The issue of the possible impact of technology on industrial democracy is explored theoretically, using two different approaches — sociotechnical theory and the Marxist labour-process approach. Within each of these approaches, a model of the interaction between technology and democratization is developed to illustrate how different theoretical conceptions produce different problematics and expose a seemingly similar issue in nearly non-comparable ways. The social basis of these differences is also discussed, and the necessity of further theoretical work is argued.
The Use of Blockmodelling in the Study of Organization Structure: A Methodological Proposal
Authors: Nelson Reed Elliott
Published: March 2007

This paper proposes the use of blockmodelling, a recent development in the field of network analysis, as a complement to traditional methodologies in studying organization structure. Blockmodelling is considered promising because it studies directly the multiple kinds of interactions which constitute organization structure rather than relying on abstractions of global properties (centralization, formalization, span of control etc.). Tests of some of the propositions of James Thompson and Joan Woodward are proposed as examples of how blockmodelling might be used in the study of organization structure.
The Creation and Change of Organizational Cultures: A Conceptual Framework
Authors: Gagliardi Pasquale
Published: March 2007

The primary strategy of an organization is the maintenance of its cultural identity in terms of prevailing values. A virtuous circle from the collective experience of success through stabilized values to cohesion and efficiency sustains the continuity of culture. But if the alternatives allowed for by the culture are unsuited to new problems, then the virtuous circle becomes a vicious circle impeding change. The result may be apparent cultural change, cultural revolution or cultural incrementalism.
Generators of Pioneering-Innovative Management: Some Indian Evidence
Authors: Khandwalla Pradip N.
Published: March 2007

Based on questionnaire data on a sample of Indian organizations, the paper identifies some of the internal and environmental generators of a vigorous mode of management labelled the pioneering-innovative (PI) mode. The internal generators — top management goals and policies — appear to be stronger shapers of PI than environmental variables. The primary generators appear to be management commit ment to attracting talented, creative staff; operating autonomy for managers; striving for greater efficiency; opportunistic diversification; and preference for marketing novel products/services. An opportunity-rich environment, a strong stakeholder orientation, commitment to the organization operating in frontier areas, and a mixture of organic and professionalist administrative policies seem to be significant secondary generators of PI. Several implications of the findings for socially engineering PI are developed.
Modernism, Postmodernism and Organizational Analysis: An Introduction
Authors: Cooper Robert , Burrell Gibson
Published: March 2007

The paper introduces the current debate in the human sciences between the opposing conceptual positions of 'modernism' and 'postmodernism' and discusses its implications for organizational analysis. The debate focusses on the nature of 'discourse' (information, knowledge, communication) and its role in social systems. The discourse of modernism rests on transcendent yet anthropocentric criteria such as 'progress' and 'reason' which are varyingly exemplified in the work of Bell, Luhmann and Habermas. In contrast, postmodern discourse (represented here mainly by the work of Lyotard, Derrida, Foucault, Deleuze and Guattari) analyzes social life in terms of paradox and indeterminacy, thus rejecting the human agent as the centre of rational control and understanding. The paper then considers two contrasting views of the organizing process which follow from these opposing approaches to discourse. In the modernist model, organization is viewed as a social tool and an extension of human rationality. In the postmodern view, organization is less the expression of planned thought and calculative action and a more defensive reaction to forces intrinsic to the social body which constantly threaten the stability of organized life. The implications of the latter view for orthodox organizational analysis are discussed in some detail.
Organizational Design Types, Tracks and the Dynamics of Strategic Change
Authors: Greenwood Royston , Hinings C.R.
Published: March 2007

Change and stability in organizations is to be understood through the twin concepts of design archetypes and tracks. Organizations operate with structural designs which are given meaning and coherence by underlying interpretive schemes. Particular interpre tive schemes coupled with associated structural arrangements constitute a design archetype. The temporal relationship between an organization and one or more archetypes defines an organization's track. Prototypical tracks include inertia, aborted excursions, re-orientations and unresolved excursions. The particular track followed by an organization will be a function of the degree of alignment or compatibility between structures and contingency constraints, the pattern of commitment to prevailing and alternative interpretive schemes and the incidence of interest dissatisfaction of powerful groups.
Transformational and Coercive Strategies for Planned Organizational Change: Beyond the O.D. Model
Authors: Dunphy Dexter C. , Stace Doug A.
Published: March 2007

This paper challenges the universality of O.D. theory, arguing that it presents an incomplete model of organizational change. Two contrasting 'theories' of organization al change are compared and evaluated (the incremental and transformational theses) and also two contrasting methods of change: participation and coercion. All four approaches are seen as legitimate components of a differentiated contingency model of change. The model has implications for the choice of strategies for managing organizational change in differing circumstances and for the training of change agents.
Computer Impacts on Saudi Arabian Public Bureaucracy
Authors: Atiyyah Hamid S.
Published: March 2007

This paper reports the findings of exploratory research on the impact of computers on management and organization in the public sector of a developing country using a sample of 42 work sub-units. Results show that computerization improved information received by management, who used this information in accordance with needs reflecting sub-unit work technology. Hypothesized effects on the number of positions and job content were not supported, but an association was found between computerization and a downward shift in the locus of decision-making. Results were interpreted to suggest the possible moderating effect of computer usage and societal culture.
Organizational Commitment Among Japanese and U.S. Workers
Authors: Near Janet P.
Published: March 2007

The 'psychological model' of organizational commitment has been widely investigated with respect to U.S. workers, but less frequently applied in cross-cultural studies. Results from a survey of 7,000 Japanese and U.S. production workers, reported here, indicated that the Japanese respondents expressed lower levels of organizational commitment than U.S. respondents. The variance explained in commitment by so-called 'Japanese management system' variables — organization structure and context, perceived job characteristics and personal practices — was also lower for Japanese respondents than for U.S. respondents. Implications for current models of commitment are considered; a new heuristic for studying commitment is pro posed.
Perceived Structure: Welfare Organizations in Three Societal Cultures
Authors: Martin Patricia Y. , Glisson Charles
Published: March 2007

This paper replicates Glisson and Martin's (1980) study of social welfare organizations (SWOs) in St. Louis, Missouri (U.S.A.), with data from two samples of Pacific Island cultures, Guam and Oahu, Hawaii. We test the culture-free vs. culture-specific arguments about the effects of societal culture on internal structure. Our structural dimensions are formalization and centralization. They are measured as perceptions (regime) of social service workers rather than form that is officially prescribed. As expected, Guam and Oahu SWOs are smaller and younger than those in St. Louis. Guam SWOs are the most formalized and centralized; Oahu SWOs do not differ structurally from those in St. Louis. Multivariate regression results show that culture/locale significantly predicts formalization (Guam SWOs are the most formal ized) and both culture/locale and size predict centralization. Significant interaction effects were discovered, prompting rejection of the culture-free argument: larger size leads to more formalization in Oahu and St. Louis but to less in Guam; higher average worker tenure leads to more centralization in St. Louis but to less in Oahu. Alternative interpretations and implications of the results are considered.