bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Charting Technique for Control of Low‐Defective Production
Authors: Goh T.N.
Published: January 2008

The technology of modern‐day production processes has improved to such an extent that situations could arise in which the proportion of defective items is so low that the conventional p chart is no longer appropriate for process control. An alternative charting technique, based on more exact probability calculations, has been found to be suitable for controlling processes producing less than one per cent defective. Although the presence of three defectives per sample is tolerated so long as it does not occur more than twice in three consecutive samples, an alarm will immediately be sounded by one or two defectives occuring frequently. Thus the low p chart is more reliable, as there is no loss of reaction to out‐of‐control situations, yet less over‐reaction to very short runs of defectives.
An Empirical Study of American and Japanese Approaches to Quality Management in the United States
Authors: Ebrahimpour Maling
Published: January 2008

The results of personal observations of on‐site visits to ten manufacturing firms are presented. Several important differences between traditional American firms, non‐traditional American firms, and Japanese firms operating in the United States are noted with regard to quality management. Interviews with managers in these firms illustrate various degrees of concern for quality and its improvement. The most important findings are: (1) the Japanese and nontraditional American managers' commitment to quality and use of quality as a strategic tool to improve market shares, productivity and profit; (2) the use of pure financial measures to evaluate managers by the traditional American firms versus the Japanese and non‐traditional American firms which add quality performance to financial measure before evaluating employee performance.
A Review of the Issues Involved in Quality Improvement
Authors: Lascelles D.M. , Dale B.G.
Published: January 2008

A three‐year study, partly funded by the Quality, Design and Education Division of the Department of Trade and Industry, has been carried out on the general subject of quality improvement. As part of this work a literature survey of the English language papers was conducted on such issues as the effects of international competition, the nature of quality management, organisations and change, leadership, how companies set about quality improvement and supplier development. In order to examine topics pertinent to the research subject, the search covered not only the general literature on quality management but also the literature on corporate strategy, marketing, organisational psychology and operations management. The main findings from the literature search are presented and guidance is provided on some authoritative reading on quality improvement.
Nothing New in Management Development
Authors: Robinson Graham
Published: January 2008

This article describes the application of principles applied in the development of a Masters programme in Public Administration in the Netherlands fifteen years ago to the design of a very different programme for senior managers in a UK public bureaucracy. Both programmes placed heavy emphasis upon the role of the manager as learner and on the importance of practical application as the most significant part of the learning process. Rather than teach techniques the development team offered a variety of well established frameworks by means of which participants were encouraged to develop their understanding of themselves, their organisations, their roles within them and the pressures for change arising within the environment of their organisation. The objective was not only to develop areas of managerial competence but, perhaps more significantly, to encourage the higher levels of confidence necessary to managing in an increasingly uncertain and pressured environment. A significant contributor to the achievement of this end was a concentration on those frameworks which had worked effectively in a wide variety of situations and circumstances rather than on more novel and, perhaps, more fashionable approaches.
Hunches and Hunters
Authors: Quillien Jenny
Published: January 2008

What will make the potential reader of Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal pause, pick up this new journal, flip through, stop now and again for a serious look, and return to the journal again and again over time? I do not know for sure, but what I would like to do in this position article is offer my hunch. In addition to being a hunch it is an invitation to start an early dialogue between readers, contributors and editors on just what would be most heuristic.
Styles of Handling Personal Conflict in Egypt, United States, Africa, and the Gulf States
Authors: Elsayed‐Elkhouly Sayed M.
Published: January 2008

This study investigated the impact of culture on styles of handling personal conflicts. The conflict management styles of competing, collaborating, avoiding, and accommodating were measured using the Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory (ROCI) instrument composed of 28 statements. For the purpose of this study four populations were identified. The analysis were conducted using 1089 responses; 779 from Egypt, 144 from the United States,32 from Africa (Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, Zaire, Zambia), and 134 from the Gulf States (the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates). The five styles of handling interpersonal conflict were measured in each region. Factor analysis and multivariate analysis of variance were used to analyze the data.
Word‐of‐mouth Communication in Singapore:With Focus on Effects of Message‐sidedness, Source and User‐type
Authors: Hou Wee Chow , Luan Lim Seek , Lwin May
Published: January 2008

Word‐of‐mouth is a powerful communication tool which is often beyond the control of the marketer. This study used a 3 x 2 x 2 factorial experiment in a laboratory simulation to examine the main and interaction effects of three independent variables — message, source and user‐type — on credibility and behavior intention. The experiment involved 1,440 respondents from two different demographic sample groupings — secondary school students and undergraduates. ANOVA results for the experiments showed that, generally, source and user‐type were found to be significant factors affecting the credibility of word‐of‐mouth. In terms of source, father was perceived to be more credible than close friend as a word‐of‐mouth source. Likewise, past users were found to be more credible than non‐past users. Message was, however, found to affect significantly the behavioral intention variable. Negative message was found to generate the strongest negative behavioral intention than positive message and two‐sided messages. Two‐sided message was also found to have a stronger effect than positive message in behavioral intention. In addition, t‐tests results also revealed significant differences in perceptions between the two samples.
Women in Business — Is a Different Advisory Approach Necessary?
Authors: Doole Isobel
Published: January 2008

To effectively train women to be successful in business, courses are required which recognise the differing strengths and approaches of women and build on these rather than forcing women into traditional, male‐orientated roles. Courses allowing for unisex training, with flexible timetabling to cater for family commitments and a higher concentration on building business skills rather than instilling knowledge, would greatly benefit women setting up in business. With the recession in the UK having broken down many traditional industrial and technical barriers there are tremendous opportunities for women to break into business; appropriate training needs to be devised to save losing many good ideas.
Comparable Worth Measurement: Are Job Evaluation Measures Adequate?
Authors: Madigan Robert M.
Published: January 2008

The feasibility of using job evaluation procedures to establish non‐biased pay structure is a central issue in the debate over comparable worth. Results of two investigations indicate that even under carefully controlled conditions job evaluation results are highly susceptible to random and systematic errors on the part of the evaluators, and are apt to vary significantly from the concept of worth underlying the evaluation plan. The choice of evaluation instruments or scoring procedure can also have a major impact on results. Thus, the feasibility of using job evaluation results as the governing criterion of the relative worth of jobs is highly questionable.
The Single Child Family and its Impact on the Economic Roles of Women in China
Authors: Ho Suk‐ching
Published: January 2008

Participation in various kinds of production is an important way for women to raise their economic status in China. However, this is dependent on the level of their labour productivity and the speed at which they can be relieved of the heavy burden of domestic responsibilities. The introduction of the single‐child family programme since 1979 should have immense repercussions on women's productive and reproductive roles. This must be accompanied by social change, e.g. the ending of the strong preference for sons, to produce the desired broader sexual equality.
THE FAIR EMPLOYMENT (NORTHERN IRELAND) ACT 1976
Authors: Mullan Kenneth
Published: January 2008

The article describes the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976 which seeks to promote equality of opportunity in employment in Northern Ireland between persons of different religious beliefs.
A Decade of Change for US Woman Managers
Authors: Olson Josephine E. , Hanson Frieze Irene
Published: January 2008

This paper is one of a series of studies they have done on the careers of women and men in management. The large alumni data base used for this paper has allowed this research team to study the multiple determinants of managerial salaries. In the future, the authors plan to do a seven‐year follow‐up study to see what changes occurred for women managers in the decade of the 1980s.
Women on Corporate Boards of Directors
Authors: Burke Ronald J.
Published: January 2008

Increasing research attention has been devoted to understanding the roles and responsibilities of boards of directors of North American corporations (Gillies, 1992; Lorsch & Maclver, 1989; Fleischer, Hazard & Klipper, 1988). This has resulted, in part, from increased interest in corporate governance. Scholars continue to explore and debate the question of who controls and is responsible for the activities and performance of corporations in a democratic society (Vance, 1983; Worthy & Neushel, 1982). In addition, the veil of privacy that had historically been accorded CEOs and board members is slowly being lifted. As a result, information about the membership and working of corporate boards of directors is starting to accumulate (Gillies, 1992). Corporate boards of directors also came under increased scrutiny and criticism during the 1980s because of specific decisions made by them (e.g. hostile takeovers, mergers and acquisitions, golden parachutes, excessive levels of executive compensation) and the generally low performance levels of North American organisations in the international marketplace. The latter has resulted in several suggestions for improving the effectiveness of corporate boards (Barrett, 1993; Patton & Baker, 1987; Salmon, 1993; Leighton & Thain, 1993). Suggestions have included the separation of the CEO/Board chairman roles, improved selection of directors, training of directors, clarifying roles and responsibilities of directors (and CEOs), and replacing directors who are not performing well.
Gender Bias in the 1990s
Authors: Tavakolian Hamid
Published: January 2008

Nearly thirty years after Congress passed the Equal Pay Act, job and salary discrimination against women continues to flourish (Nelson‐Horchler, 1991). This is surprising since women are not only a slight majority in the overall population, but also comprise over one‐half of the work force (Job promotions, 1987). Statistics show that women comprise a majority of college students, 69% of white collar workers, 7% of the miners, 6% of the Secret Service, and .5% of the fire‐fighters (Job promotions, 1987). Additionally, within the last ten years, the numbers of self‐employed women have increased 75% in comparison to men's 12% increase (Job promotions, 1987).
Approaching Management Development for Black Managers
Authors: Lawler John
Published: January 2008

The area of race in management and management development is one which has received relatively little attention, certainly in comparison with, for example, the attention given to gender issues in organisations. In the UK attention has been directed towards Equal Opportunities legislation and policies at organisational levels rather than at the experience of black managers per se. This article grows from an approach to consider how the developmental needs of black managers could best be met.
The Use of a Group Discussion in a Further Education College to Enhance Equal Opportunities in the Staff Selection Process
Authors: Banks Nicholas
Published: January 2008

At an anecdotal level it is puzzling that senior management will often spend more time in researching and assessing their needs towards the goal of getting the right colour co‐ordinated office furniture or equipment than they will assessing and selecting employees. It is my personal observation that staff selection interviews in local authority schools and colleges tend in terms of cost to, and commitment of, the organisation, to be given relatively less attention than buying less expensive equipment. A 20 minute “chat” may commit the school or college to £1,000,000 of salary expenditure over a length of employment with low productivity and poor performance outcomes.
The Effect of Technology Selection on Consumer Adoption of In‐home Computerised Banking
Authors: Dover Philip A.
Published: January 2008

In‐home computerised banking is at the early stage of market development in a number of countries. Despite similarities of in‐home services offered by the banks, market penetration of home banking technology varies by country of adoption. The diffusion of innovation theory is used to help explain the variance in home banking penetration levels in France, the UK and the US.
DISEASE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Weisbrod Burton A. , Andreano Ralph L. , Baldwin Robert E. , Epstein Erwin H. , Kelley Allen C. , Helminiak Thomas W.
Published: January 2008

This study sought to measure the impacts of five parasitic diseases on (1) mortality and natality, (2) school attendance and academic performance of children, (3) labor productivity on a rural plantation, and in an urban light‐manufacturing plant — all in St. Lucia, West Indies.
EQUAL PAY AND LOW PAY IN BRITAIN
Authors: Pettman Barrie O. , Fyfe John
Published: January 2008

The major provisions and some implications of the British Equal Pay Act have been noted in the previous article by Robinson and Wallace. The purposes of this comment are to examine the concept of low pay, to analyse progress towards equal pay by changes to national agreements at May 1973 and to discuss the effect of such progress upon the position of low paid men.
Education and the Role of Urban Deprived Youth in Economic Development
Authors: Walter John P. , Leahy William H.
Published: January 2008

Economic studies that attempt to explain or describe the process of economic development in Latin America often overlook the participation of youth. Such studies generally address themselves to such problems as capital formation, investments in natural and human resources, foreign trade, population, and agriculture. Problems faced by the youth within the development process are usually oversimplified or treated as insignificant. For example, the works of Higgins, Kindleberger, Lewis, and Myrdal cover a vast number of economic development topics. But Myrdal's work is the only one that even lightly dwells on the problems faced by youth in the development process. Yet it is today's youth who will be tomorrow's participants in the development process and it is today's youth who must be counted on to solve the existing problems experienced in the development process—shortage of savings, shortage of educational and social services, housing shortages, and all the other problems inherent in a developing country.
A Note on the New Home Economics
Authors: Kinsella R.P.
Published: January 2008

“The importance of the formal results lies ultimately in their relevance to normal communication and to the things that people argue about andfight for”.
The Quality of Working Life
Authors: Newton Keith , Leckie Norman , Pettman Barrie O.
Published: January 2008

The body of literature in the field now commonly known as the “quality of working life” (QWL) has grown steadily over a period in which the industrialised nations have increasingly come to question the role and status of human beings in the modern technological environment. In recent years concern with the nature of work, its impact upon people, and their attitudes towards it, seem to have sharpened. Investigation of, and experimentation with, the qualitative aspects of working life—its ability to confer self‐fulfilment directly, for example, as opposed to being a means of acquiring goods—has gained momentum under the influence of a unique set of economic, social, political and technological factors. The outpouring of books, reports and articles from a wide variety of sources has, not surprisingly, grown apace.
Causes and Effects of Changes in Bank Rate
Authors: Gabor André
Published: January 2008

No issue concerning the Bank Rate could effectively be discussed without constant reference to the complex institutional framework within which it operates. How complex it is can be gauged by the fact that its detailed description in the Report of the Royal Commission on the Working of the Monetary System covers over three hundred closely printed pages. In this paper I will concentrate on the essentials and bring in the background only to the extent to which it is absolutely necessary for presenting the problems in proper perspective.
The Estimation of Costs and Effectiveness of Community — Based Family Planning Services
Authors: Chamberlain Ann
Published: January 2008

The decision to include Family Planning (FP) services within the auspices of the NHS was made in 1973, but their first full year of operation in the community sector was not until 1976. Incentives have been given to encourage utilisation of the services (for example, the removal of price barriers to access) and service delivery (for example, the introduction of the GP fee for contraceptive service). This paper seeks to estimate the cost of FP service provision and to demonstrate a means of showing the effectiveness of these services. Empirical results presented relate to the Grampian Health Board Area for the financial year 1977/78. This Area is located in the North‐East of Scotland. The total population is approximately 450,000. Grampian is divided into three districts, North, West and South, the last containing the City of Aberdeen with a population of over 200,000. Outside of Aberdeen the area is rural with no other major centre of population. Consequently North and West Districts and those parts of South District outside of Aberdeen are fairly sparsely populated.
Solidarity: From Dogma to Economic System: Juan Donoso Cortes and Heinrich Pesch, S.J.
Authors: Ederer Rupert J.
Published: January 2008

The title indicates an evolution which in the prevailing idiom of economics would not be possible. One does not develop an economic system from a dogma, depending to some extent on how one chooses to define dogma. What is more, anyone who is familiar with Juan Donoso Cortes (1809–1853), the man who first designated solidarity as a dogma, knows that he was a political philosopher. And anyone who is familiar with Heinrich Pesch, the man who first outlined a system of economics which he called Solidarism, knows that he was a Jesuit priest, Now while Jesuits and political philosophers, especially Spanish Roman Catholic ones, probably have something to say to each other, what would the likes of them have to do with a value‐neutral science?
Work and Marriage in the Offshore Oil Industry
Authors: Clark David , McCann Kathryn , Morrice Ken , Taylor Rex
Published: January 2008

In her recent discussion of women's incorporation into their husbands' employment Janet Finch produces a useful maxim for prospective wives:
Third World Rural Poverty: Field Observations and Solutions and Some Operating Principles for Religious Groups
Authors: Catanese Anthony V.
Published: January 2008

DePauw University, a private, undergraduate, liberal arts college located in rural, west central Indiana, was founded by the United Methodist Church in 1837. At present, DePauw has a 4–1–4 academic calendar which permits a four‐week term to be placed between the two semesters. The interim term, often called Winter Term, is conducted during the month of January and has been part of the institution since 1971.
Social Catholicism, Marxism and Liberation Theology: From Antithesis to Coexistence, Coalescence and Synthesis
Authors: Nitsch Thomas O.
Published: January 2008

In previous efforts I have indicated that Social Catholicism, qua Roman‐Catholic Social Economycs or Économie politique chrétienne, is now at the one and a half century mark, given its formal introduction with the publication of Charles de Coux's Essais d' économie politique at Paris/Lyon in 1832. This was soon to be followed by Alban de Villeneuve‐Bargemont's Christian Political Economy, or Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of Poverty in France and Europe, etc, (1837), the subsequent founding of the Société d'Economie Sociale in 1856 and publication — inter alia — of La réforme sociale (1864) and Exposition of Social Economics (1867) by P. G. Frédéric Le Play; and, contemporarily, by the separate but related efforts of a host of other “thinkers and doers” to both the left or more radical (“Catholic/Christian‐Socialist”) and the right or “individualist” (cum Christianised individuals!) of Le Play's more centrist‐traditional (and, hence, “reactionary”) position. All this was well prior to the promulgation of the first great social encyclical, Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum (RN), in 1891.
Organistic Theory in Economics: The Contribution of the Historical School
Authors: Jan Krabbe Jacob
Published: January 2008

This essay comprises a reflection on the roots of organistic systems thinking in economics, notably on the contributions made by Wilhelm Roscher and Gustav von Schmoller, outstanding representatives of the Historical school in nineteenth‐century Germany.
The Problem of Optimal Exploitation of Natural Resources: The Need for Ecological Limiting Conditions
Authors: Dietz Frank , van der Straaten Jan
Published: January 2008

The processes of production and consumption as developed by man affect the availability of natural resources for the subsequent processes of production and consumption. The effect takes the form of pollution of air, water and soil, the presence of noise, monocultures, erosion and “asphalted zones”, as well as the exhaustion of supplies of fossil fuels and minerals in the earth's crust. However, for production and consumption, man needs natural resources of reasonably good quality. Reasonably fresh air, reasonably clean water, well‐functioning soil, a certain degree of quietness, a variety of landscapes and the availability of a certain number of fossil fuels and minerals are all indispensable for human life, now and in the future.
Rapid and responsive health technology assessment: the development and evaluation process in the South and West region of England
Authors: Best Lesley , Stevens Andrew , Colin‐Jones Duncan
Published: January 2008

The Development and Evaluation Committee (DEC) provides local guidance on the value of new and existing health care technologies, including drugs, devices, procedures and health care settings. The system is made up of two components: i) literature review and cost‐effectiveness estimation of the proposed and current technologies, and ii) consideration by the Development and Evaluation Committee which arbitrates, makes recommendations and disseminates results across the South and West region. Sixty‐three reviews have been undertaken to date, including, for example, beta interferon for multiple sclerosis, pulsed dye laser in the treatment of port‐wine stains, and paclitaxel in ovarian cancer. The outcomes of this service are guides to purchasing which are both carefully researched and scrutinized.
THE ROLE OF THE TECs IN SUPPORTING SMEs IN ENGLAND
Authors: Boocock Grahame , Lauder David , Presley John
Published: January 2008

Before assessing the role of the Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) in supporting small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in England, this paper highlights the importance of the SME sector and then briefly outlines the development of official policy towards SMEs over the past two decades. The introduction of the TECs in 1989 encompassed a number of features of the UK Government's SME policy. The TECs have been given wide‐ranging and challenging responsibilities. Whilst there is no clear demarcation line between the TECs' enterprise and training activities, this paper is more concerned with their role in promoting ‘enterprise’ in SMEs. A broad brush survey of TECs conducted for this paper reveals that the different TECs have adopted different approaches to fulfilling this role. The paper then describes an initiative offered by one particular TEC; the scheme in question enables SMEs to finance the use of consultants to assist in business planning and management development activities. The operation of this scheme encapsulates many of the key issues involved in SME policy, such as how to select companies for assistance and how to design an integrated programme of SME support. Finally, the implications of these findings for the future of the TECs are explored, with the caveat that the role of the TECs will inevitably mirror the (constantly evolving) government policy towards SMEs.
SMALL FIRMS AND HRM: EXCEPTIONS THAT PROVE THE RULE?
Authors: Goss David , Adam‐Smith Derek , Gilbert Alan
Published: January 2008

This paper uses case study data to explore the potential of Human Resource Management (HRM) within small firms. It is argued that despite a considerable amount of evidence that emphasises the distinct human resource problems that small firms face because of their size, there is no reason to assume a priori that a formalised HRM approach cannot provide solutions to these — provided that it is sufficiently flexible. The article cautions against accepting the ‘informal’ approach to managing people often associated with small firms as an inevitable or unconditional ‘good’, demonstrating the complexities of small firm employment relations through case studies of four small firms that have adopted the Investors In People initiative. This initiative is shown to embody key principles of HRM thinking and to have provided viable answers to the human resource problems faced by the case companies. The article concludes with a discussion of the issues that will need to be faced if the management of human resources in small firms is to be opened up to new and innovative ideas in a manner that is genuinely constructive and beneficial.
COMMERCIAL HEALTH MONITORING OF ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRMS USING PROCESS CONTROL TECHNIQUES
Authors: Reynolds Paul , Day John
Published: January 2008

The work of Scott, Bruce and Cooper on small firm growth and development is reviewed. It is shown that by adapting exponential smoothing forecasting procedures it is possible to monitor the commercial health of a small firm. This is achieved by ‘tracking’ key indicators and producing an exception message when a signal exceeds certain predetermined control limits. The procedure is equally effective for either a step or ramp change in the underlying input data. This suggested approach requires little sophistication in either data or technique and has a practical application to small firm management, while adding to our understanding of the process of growth of small businesses.
ASSESSING ENTERPRISING ATTRIBUTES — THE USEFULNESS OF CAIRD'S GENERAL ENTERPRISING TENDENCY (GET) TEST
Authors: Cromie Stanley , Callaghan Ian
Published: January 2008

Enterprise and the enterprise culture are regularly referred to in everyday conversation but the term enterprise has a variety of meanings. In its broadest sense enterprise refers to a set of attributes, skills and behaviours which may be demonstrated by an individual. In its narrowest sense it is used synonymously with small business founding and management. In general, enterprising people take bold steps in setting up and managing projects and they require certain knowledge, skills and personal qualities if they are to be considered competent in this context.
CARTWRIGHT v. G.K.N. SANKEY LTD.
Authors: Latey J.
Published: January 2008

May 5, 1972 Factory — Statutory duty — Breach — Fume — Prolonged inhalation of low concentration — Chronic lung illness — Employer's actual or constructive knowledge of health hazard — Whether to be determined up to time when action brought — Limits of statutory duty — Whether need to act on expert speculation unaccompanied by hazard warning — Factories Act, 1961 (9 & 10 Eliz. II, c.34), ss. 4(1), 63(1).
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EMPLOYMENT v. ASSOCIATED SOCIETY OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS AND FIREMEN AND OTHERS (No. 2)
Authors: Denning M.R. , Buckley L.J. , Roskill L.J.
Published: January 2008

May 19, 1972 Industrial Relations — Industrial dispute — Emergency provisions — “Irregular industrial action” — Work to rule on railways — “Concerted course of conduct … by a group of workers” — Whether in “breach of their contracts of employment” — Industrial Relations Act, 1971 (c.72), ss. 33(4), 138(1) (2), 139(1) (4), 141(1) (2), 142(1), 143(1) (2). Master and Servant — Contract of service — Effect of railway work to rule disrupting services — Whether in breach of contract — Industrial Relations Act, 1971, s. 33(4).
G.K.N. (CWMBRAN) LTD. v. T.I. LLOYD
Authors: Donaldson John , Briggs H. , Arkell J.H.
Published: January 2008

March 13, 1972 Master and Servant — Redundancy — Dismissal — Offer by employer of unskilled work — Offer refused by employee — Written notice by employee — Whether implied term employee bound to do unskilled work — Whether dismissal by employer or termination of contract by employee — Redundancy Payments Act, 1965 (c.62), s. 3(1).
THE LEWIS SHOPS GROUP v. WIGGINS
Authors: Griffiths Hugh , Boyfield R. , Briggs H.
Published: January 2008

April 26, 1973 Industrial Relations — Unfair dismissal — Reasonableness of dismissal — Manager's inefficiency — Summarily dismissed — Previous warning about unsatisfactory standards — Dismissal procedure not in accordance with code of practice — Whether unfair — Industrial Relations Act, 1971 (c.72), s.24(6).
HAIGH v. CHARLES W. IRELAND LTD.
Authors: Reid  , of Borth‐y‐Gest Morris , Diplock  , of Chelsea Cross , Kilbrandon
Published: January 2008

November 21, 1973 Negligence — Master and servant — Explosive substance — Scrap metal factory — Old safe purchased for scrap — Opened with oxy‐acetylene burner — High explosive in it ignited — “Plant, tank or vessel” — Statutory duty — Factories Act, 1961 (9 & 10 Eliz. II, c.34) s.31 (4).
FRICKER v. BENJAMIN PERRY & SONS LTD.
Authors: Bridge J.
Published: January 2008

December 13, 1973 Master and Servant — Negligence — Manual lifting operation — Load caught on obstruction increasing effective weight — Two men sharing load near safe limit — Whether foreseeable risk that one man would receive a disproportionate share of load — Meaning of maximum safe load.
NOTIONS TRADE UNION
Authors: Carby‐Hall Jo
Published: January 2008

In the last monograph an attempt was made at giving a short historical background of the trade union movement; at defining a trade union; at discussing the closed shop and at looking towards its future.
New Developments in Wrongful Discharge
Authors: Dyas Gary , Kleiner Brian H.
Published: January 2008

The purpose of this paper is to inform managers about the recent increase in wrongful termination suits and the high price employers can be forced to pay if their company is found guilty of wrongful termination. Although the focus is on common termination errors made in the 1980s and 1990s, some steps are suggested to help prevent and defend against wrongful termination suits. Finally, a new method being considered to deal with wrongful termination is presented, The Model Employment Termination Act. Businesses are now more likely than ever to be sued for wrongful discharge. The increase in wrongful discharge cases is a result of recent changes in employment law, court interpretations of employment law, and the highly litigious climate which now exists. Today, the deck seems to be stacked in favor of the terminated employee. In fact, a recent survey in California revealed that plaintiffs who get jury trials win about 75% of the time, the average award being approximately $300,000. In addition, legal expenses to defend wrongful discharge cases averaged $80,000. If that is not bad enough, the situation is expected to get worse before the pendulum begins to swing back towards the employers. The purpose of this paper is not to go over all the employment laws nor is it to analyze all possible situations. The objective is to highlight common errors committed by managers, recent developments in wrongful termination, and point out steps to reduce the chance of losing a wrongful discharge suit. Most wrongful termination cases involve one or more of the following categories: breach of contract, breach of common law duty by the employer, discrimination, fraud, infliction of emotional distress, defamation, violation of public policy, or violation of personnel policy. They all carry unlimited compensatory and punitive damages. Moreover, because charges can be brought against both company and individuals, managers have their own assets at stake. According to Phillip Perry, employers commonly commit seven errors. (1) Use of implied promises in employee handbooks. (2) Making oral promises. (3) Terminating an employee just before the employee is to be vested. (4) Discharging an employee for failing to take a polygraph test. (5) Creating intolerable working conditions to force an employee to resign. (6) Discharging an employee for refusing to violate public policy. (7) Failure to evaluate employees honestly and put the evaluations in writing.
THE CONTRACTUAL ROLE OF BILLS OF LADING UNDER INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND REPORTS
Authors: Zekos Georgios I.
Published: January 2008

Bills of lading had been in use a long time before the first attempts for the standardisation of their terms occurred. Their utility as legal documents was recognised after they have been circulated and used in international trade for some time. More clauses purporting to absolve the carrier from liability were introduced in the content of the bill of lading . A formula for the establishment of minimum liability of the carrier was adopted by a series of conferences after the first world war, in order to stop the practice of contracting in ways which would unduly favour the carrier. The whole effort has resulted in the emergence of the international convention for the unification of certain rules relating to bills of lading 1924. In modern days this document started to be used as a register in the book of loading and after years of practice has established as a new document. A bill of lading is a fundamental and vital document of international trade and commerce, indispensable to the conduct and financing of business involving the sale and transportation of goods between parties located at a distance from one another. A bill of lading has commonly been said to have three characteristics : 1} a contract for the carriage of the goods 2} an acknowledgement of their receipt and 3} documentary evidence of title . However, there is an uncertainty and dispute about its contractual nature. The significance of the establishment of the contractual role of bills of lading based on the necessity that any contractual party should know the final terms of the contract upon which the terms of the International Conventions will be implied to. Contractual terms must not be different to these stated by the International Conventions. Is the bill of lading the contract of carriage upon which the terms of the International Conventions are implied to? In this first article it is proposed to investigate the contractual role of bills of lading as it has been perceived in the different international conventions. The analysis will be based mainly on arguments which have arisen from the content of the conventions themselves, than by investigating the national Acts which were introduced in order to implement the international conventions. Reference to other sources, such as court decisions or views of various scholars, will be made in case that there is a straight relation with the construe of the conventions themselves. The main scope is to find out how the international practice is reflected in the writing of the conventions. This article will be the first of a series of articles which will follow and where their contractual role under the Creek, United States and English law will be investigated.
Professional women's catalogue usage: its relationships with involvement, lifestyle and demographic characteristics
Authors: Kim Youn‐Kyung , Feather Betty L. , McEnally Martha R.
Published: January 2008

Catalogue sales have received increasing attention due to their phenomenal growth in the USA. Professional women, because of their need for convenience and their buying power, are an important market for catalogue marketers. This study was designed to identify clothing categories which professional women tend to purchase through catalogues, compare professional women's involvement with professional clothing versus non‐professional clothing in relation to their catalogue usage and determine the variables that predict professional women's heavy catalogue usage for specific clothing categories. Data analyses were based on a mailed survey of a national sample of professional women catalogue shoppers (N=506). These consumers tended to purchase clothing in distinct categories rather than as one product class, and exhibited greater involvement with non‐professional clothing than with professional clothing. Profiles of frequent catalogue users for three clothing categories (street clothing, footwear and clothing for others) were identified, based on their involvement, lifestyle and demographic variables.
Overview of the South African clothing industry
Authors: Theron Paul
Published: January 2008

The South African clothing industry is well established, catering to a wide range of customer needs. Manufacture includes men's, women's and children's clothing, outerwear, underwear and swimwear.
The competitive nature of the clothing industry in the European Union
Authors: Hines Tony
Published: January 2008

This paper provides a statistical summary of trends and competitive structures within the European Union (EU), concerning employment, trade policy, production, imports, exports, retail structures, consumer expenditure and labour costs aross the Member States.
Consumer reuse and recycling of post‐consumer textile waste
Authors: Domina Tanya , Koch Kathryn
Published: January 2008

A growing sensitivity to environmental issues has stimulated increased consumer recycling of post‐consumer product waste. Post‐consumer textile waste is a largely untapped commodity with strong reuse and recycling potential. This study explored consumer practices regarding textile waste disposal. Findings revealed the use of several textile disposal options with significant relationships between options used and attitudes toward recycling. This research is a necessary precursor to the establishment of organised textile recycling programmes.
Practitioner Papers
Authors: Dodd Christopher A. , Clarke Ian , Baron Steve , Houston Vicky
Published: January 2008

Fashion retailers are increasingly attempting to categorise fashion clothing according to their perceptions of consumer motivations. However, much of the research in this area centres around economic and demographic considerations, disregarding the social and psychological significance of fashion clothing as a means of forming group identity and differentiation. Knowledge of the form and frequency of these group dynamics involved in fashion clothing purchasing will, potentially, have important implications for retailers and marketers alike. The paper considers prevalent theories on the development of social identification, the role of fashion in facilitating these formations (through the semiotic conveyance and interpretation of information), and the mediating role of culture and lifestyle determinants. The relationship of these theoretical underpinnings to the social interactions of the apparel consumer is explored through the construction of an incipient conceptual framework, underlying the cyclical but capricious nature of clothing choice. Implications for future research are identified.
COPING WITH COMPLEXITY
Authors: Sheil B.A.
Published: January 2008

Although the rapid spread of information processing technology is widely expected to have dramatic social impacts, the argument most commonly advanced for this position, a simple appeal to the speed of technical progress, is quite weak. Any more compelling case must identify the attributes of information technology which distinguish it from other, less disruptive, technical innovations. One such is informa‐tion technology's combination of high reactivity, coupled with a basic lack of understanding of its underlying conceptual structure on the part of those who have to adapt to it. This lack of understanding not only implies that users will become alienated from their environment, but also presents practical difficulties to applications of information technology such as office automation. This analysis makes the basic cognitive skills, such as procedural reasoning, underlying any effective use of information processing devices a topic of central concern. However, neither the difficulty nor the importance of these skills are widely appreciated. Most of the techniques which have been proposed to facilitate the use of complex, programmed devices are simply incommensurate in scope with the problem. A Gendanken analysis of programming is advanced to indicate why this is so and to serve as the basis for an agenda of cognitive science research.
SKILL FORMATION IN U.S. ACCOUNTING FIRMS: PRESSURES, TRENDS AND OPTIONS
Authors: Adler Paul S.
Published: January 2008

This report discusses technological, market and strategic factors encouraging change in the dynamics of skill formation in large U.S. accounting firms. Changes in recruiting, organizing, training, retaining and promoting are of crucial importance for the future of the accounting industry. When cost cutting and efficiency are insufficient and where new services are the key to competitiveness, the future of the firm rests on the ability to develop a broad base of higher skills. These changes are perhaps also important for understanding skill formation dynamics in other activities with a high “knowledge intensity”.
ELECTRONIC MAIL AND WEAK TIES IN ORGANIZATIONS
Authors: Feldman Martha S.
Published: January 2008

How information flows through an organization is important to many organizational processes. The information people receive influences the perceptions they have of the organization they work for and the tasks they are assigned. Electronic mail constitutes a new medium in organizational communication. It may alter some of the information flow in the organizations in which it is used. My analysis suggests that some new communication occurs in large organizations that have electronic mail. I suggest that this new communication occurs because the way electronic mail is organized allows people to find other people with common interests at a low cost to either party. This new communication creates links between people who would otherwise not share information. Granovetter's work on the significance of weak ties suggests that such connections may have substantial influence on the way in which behavior is shaped and constrained by one's network and in the manipulation of networks to achieve specific goals. These processes are important to organizational socialization and problem solving, respectively. Other functions of large formal organizations may also be affected.
Emerging systems for computer‐based knowledge processing in office work
Authors: Hägglund Sture
Published: January 2008

Knowledge‐based systems, especially so‐called expert systems, which replicate the problem‐solving or decision‐making capabilities of human experts in specific areas, have recently gained considerable widespread interest. The advent of such systems emphasizes the critical role of employee competence, skills, knowledge and experience in an organization. This paper presents the salient features of knowledge‐based computing systems in modern office environments. In particular, I consider topics related to critiquing consultation systems and the possibilities of re‐using knowledge bases for training. The paper also discusses possible consequences, benefits, problems and other important issues in the area.
Designing for a dollar a day
Authors: Kyng Morten
Published: January 2008

This paper is about the kind of tools and techniques that are accessible to resource weak groups for use in design and evaluation of computer support. ‘Resource weak’ means in this connection, that the economic power and the ability to control the ‘local environment’ of the group is limited. The human resources of such groups are often (potentially) strong, but restrained by the organization of work and society; and although the tools are cheap the activities are demanding in terms of human resources. This kind of work should be seen as a supplement to participation in design processes controlled by others. When end users participate in projects set up by management, these ‘lay’ designers often lack familiarity with the tools and techniques, they lack the power and resources to influence the choice of questions to be considered, and they are not the ones deciding how to utilize the results of a design project when actually changing the workplace. To give the context of the work on which the paper is based, I first describe the Scandinavian tradition of trade union based end user participation in systems development. Then I discuss some of the issues involved in improving the conditions for independent end user design activities. I go on by presenting a set of ‘cheap tools’ and techniques, including the use of mock‐ups. This set covers the issues of establishing the possibility of alternatives, of creating visions of new and different uses of technology and of designing computer support. A central question in relation to the tools and techniques is their accessibility to end users, and I discuss this based on the notions of family resemblance and ‘hands‐on’ experience.
Will this kill that?: Will digital media forever change communications?
Authors: Boutié Philippe
Published: January 2008

The paper proposes and considers the qualitative shift that the Internet will force on corporate and marketing communications, from ‘push’ media to ‘pull’ media. The article first reviews the current state of the debate as it appears in the literature, and then proposes a simple assumption: traditional institutions, corporations, advertisers, marketers, the press even, will no longer be able to control new media.
Whither media training? New developments in media management
Authors: Hewat Jonathan
Published: January 2008

This paper aims to advise the media trainer in industry or the private sector (in the UK or overseas) of some new developments in media management and to alert him or her to a few of the pitfalls of conventional media management.