bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
E‐cash is more interesting than you think: what are the key issues?
Authors: Christie Ian , Goldie‐Scot Duncan
Published: July 2002

Digital money has made slow progress over the last five years, but now momentum is building and banks throughout Europe have begun to deploy digital money on a large scale: GeldKarte in Germany, Proton in Belgium, CASH in Switzerland, etc. Early trials have been inconclusive, markets remain fragmented and cautious, and consumers remain to be convinced that they can place trust in digital services, but the emergence of the Net has revitalised the digital money scene. Discusses the possible consequences of e‐cash transactions in an international networked environment where long established economic and monetary ideas may no longer be valid. Raises key issues such as the implications of e‐cash on the overall money supply and inflation control, how e‐cash systems fit into fair trading regulations, the impact on the tax base, demand for government issued notes and coins and the protection of commercial and personal privacy. The importance of innovation by industry, co‐operation as the basis for competition and the creation of a regulatory framework by government are highlighted. Warns of the need for regulating authorities to ensure that economically disadvantaged groups are not excluded from the digital money environment.
Estimation of fused textile systems shrinkage
Authors: Gutauskas M. , Masteikaite V. , Kolomejec L.
Published: July 2002

Presents the results of investigation of fabrics’ and fused systems shrinkage force and its influence on the shape instability of fused textile systems after various treatments such as wetting and drying. Also the method for determination and prediction of the twisting phenomenon of fused composites is presented. From the analysis of the data the twisting phenomenon was characterised by several parameters. They are system’s twisting sign, the shape of twisted system, the twisting coefficient and fused system’s twisting direction.
An XY‐Theta manipulator for flexible fabric part positioning
Authors: Barrett George R. , Farrington Carlos E. , Clapp Timothy G.
Published: July 2002

Fully automating the apparel assembly process will require generic robotic manipulators which can be purchased as a complete unit and adapted to specific applications. A manipulator that can handle and position non‐rigid fabric parts of inexact dimension is described. The XY‐theta provides three directions of fabric positioning. Further, the manipulator can handle different sizes of a variety of styles. The aligning system is composed of three modules‐ vision, positioning and control, which exchange information and control signals via a 32‐bit bus system. This combination of modules and bus system makes the aligning system very flexible which is represented by the ability to switch the type of microcontroller or motors used. Thus, the generic system can be adapted for specific applications.
The effect of moisture transfer on the compression properties of wool futon padding
Authors: Sukigara Sachiko , Yokura Hiroko , Niwa Masaka
Published: July 2002

Investigates the effects of moisture transfer on the compression properties and the
volume change of wool, polyester and cotton futon padding by taking a series of creep measurements under three relative humidities and obtaining master creep curves from these curves at 20°C, 65 per cent RH. Discovers that the compression phenomena for wool, which absorbed the moisture from a drying state, were different from those obtained from desorption. Reveals that crimpy fibre assembly showed more volume change and better recovery than uncrimpy fibre assembly at high water content. Notes that the fibre crimp is also an important parameter for wool fibre assembly at high water content as well as standard condition.
Effect of the air on the motion of light fabric (the second paper)
Authors: Minami Hirokazu
Published: July 2002

The property of the added air mass of a plane membrane suspended between supports and vibrating in x‐y plane with a half‐sine fundamental mode is obtained again by analysis with a normal method which differs from that presented in the last proceedings. The method used in this paper is that based on a source distribution modeling approach (the last method was that based on a vortex distribution modeling approach). The calculated result of a, the ratio of the added air mass to the mass of the membrane itself, is 0.94/(m/(r)), where m is the mass per unit area of the membrane, r the density of the air flow and l the length of the membrane. This result is roughly equal to that obtained from the method in the last paper.
Strategic alliances of China and Hong Kong in manufacturing and their impact on global competitiveness of Hong Kong manufacturing industries
Authors: Rao Tummala V.M. , Lee Humphrey Y.H. , Yam Richard C.M.
Published: July 2002

Hong Kong is facing severe competition and increasing rivalry from the East Asian countries. In order to face these formidable challenges and to seize the opportunities that are available in the global marketplace of the twenty‐first century, Hong Kong manufacturing industries need to implement strategies to become globally competitive. In this paper, the dimensions of global competitiveness and the core competitive strengths of Hong Kong and China are identified and the corresponding hypotheses are formulated. A questionnaire survey conducted to collect and analyze the surveyed data examined the support for these hypotheses. Then the generalized double diamond model is used to analyze the global competitiveness and to recommend the competitive strategies for Hong Kong manufacturing industries. The survey results and the subsequent analysis indicate that Hong Kong manufacturers should integrate Hong Kong’s core competitive strengths with China’s core competitive strengths, and combine them with foreign technologies, management know‐how and global market knowledge to strengthen their global competitiveness.
International Co‐operation in the Preparation of School Directors in
Spain
Authors: Immegart Glenn L. , Pascual Roberto
Published: July 2002

The Spanish school head is more isolated from colleagues than principals
in other countries because the school is the basic educational unit and
because Spanish school directors have no structural links within the
local system. Describes the design and development of an in‐service
training programme for school directors in Spain. Describes the
implementations of the programme with international and inter‐cultural
co‐operation. Discusses the lessons learned.
Patterns of thinking in educational administration
Authors: Lane Terry
Published: July 2002

Argues that theory in educational administration is not theoretical
but, rather, descriptions of ideological perspectives. This argument is
tied to patterns of thinking which are revealed in the theory debate and
in the descriptive statements of theory. It is proposed that these
patterns of thinking possess an identifiable, psychological mechanism
called a personal construct and this may provide a way for theorists in
educational administration to avoid continuing the theory debate as if
there were opposing paradigms. The proposition that theory in
educational administration constitutes the theorists′ personal
perspectives, based on ethical choices, is followed with some
suggestions as to how theorizing may proceed and, in so doing, avoid
relying on a moral philosophy when attempting to understand
administrative behaviour.
Creative insubordination of school principals and the legitimacy of
the justifiable
Authors: Haynes Eddy A. , Licata Joseph W.
Published: July 2002

Viewing school principals as street‐level bureaucrats, creative
insubordination is the implementation of policies and programmes at the
school level in a way that fits the principal′s values, philosophy, and
goals. Focuses on school principals′ use of creative insubordination in
relationships with the central office, their professional beliefs about
discretion, perceptions of role conflict, and their locus of
control. Creative insubordination was most frequent among veteran
principals who value on‐the‐job competence over completion of degrees
and certificates and are thought to be instructional leaders by central
office supervisors. Social protection from negative sanctions from
central office seemed to be associated with principals′ ability to show
that their insubordination was justifiable in terms of the needs of
their school, teachers or students.
Ideological conflict in education: Western Australia, 1983‐1989
Authors: Goddard David , Punch Keith F.
Published: July 2002

Surveys and analyses developments in the Western Australia education system between 1983 and 1989, a period of dramatic and unprecedented change. Demonstrates that patterns of control are underpinned and shaped by ideologies which exist in a wider socio‐political context. The main changes during this period are shown to proceed from two almost opposite ideological strands: a social imperative and an economic imperative. While reconcilable in theory, the attempt in Western Australia at the simultaneous implementation of changes driven by these imperatives resulted in the social imperative being subjugated to the politically‐based economic imperative. Concludes that this outcome occurred through intervening factors associated with patterns of control.
Student mentality: intentionalist perspectives about the principal
Authors: Jeannie Lum B.
Published: July 2002

The purpose of this study is to examine student perspectives about the principal from an intentionalist perspective. The following claims are made: One, that student mentality appears as a knowledge construction and reified mode of consciousness out of which students perceive and interpret principals’ practices. This mental mode is composed of unconscious and conscious negative images and representations that are shared as general background knowledge to students’ collective intentionality about the principal. Two, that through metaphor we can discover this phenomenon in the reification of consciousness ‐ the objectification of the principal and self‐objectification of students in the relationship based on an information fetishism in the communicative form of gossip. And three, furthermore, that student mentality is supported and reproduced in the traditional hierarchical organization of schools, institutionalized routine practices of principals, and extended through social knowledge networks that students share with other members of the school. Provides a metaphorical analysis of this mental configuration, identifies the social networks and school contexts that contribute to and sustain its construction and suggests that leadership needs to become better informed and sensitively aware in their reflective practices of intentional leadership.
Toward a contingency theory of decision making
Authors: Tarter C. John , Hoy Wayne K.
Published: July 2002

Although there are many models of decision making, there are few attempts to match the appropriate decision strategy with different situations. After reviewing and comparing six contemporary decision‐making models, a framework and propositions are developed that match strategies with circumstances. The article concludes with a discussion of theoretical and practical application of the proposed contingency model decision making.
ISO 9000 quality assurance in an extreme situation: quality management in a home for multi‐handicapped
Authors: Larsen Bøje , Häversjö Tord
Published: July 2002

Although the latest Mobile Oil survey tells us that more than 200,000 accredited ISO 9000‐family certificates have been issued world‐wide up to September 1997, few of these have been given to organisations in the social sector. In this article the implementation of an ISO 9000 system in a public owned home for partially blind and mentally retarded people in Denmark called “Ebo” is analysed. The analysis focuses on three major areas: the motivation for choosing certification, the interpretation of the standard in the social sector, and finally the effects of the implementation process at Ebo. The central findings are that managerial technologies like ISO 9000 have little or no inherent core that makes them more or less compatible with any type of institution. They also have little or no core effects, but effects are a result of social sense‐making processes in an ambiguous situation. If ISO 9000 certification has any non‐socially constructed effects, they will be more pronounced when the cultural distance between the standard and the company culture is the largest. The research project has been conducted by action research methodology, where the authors have been involved in the implementation process as consultants.
Fluid flow and heat transfer mechanisms in the spray deposition of tubular preforms
Authors: Sperring T.P. , Gethin D.T. , Medwell J.O.
Published: July 2002

A combined experimental and numerical investigation into the fluid flow and heat transfer processes that take place in the spray deposition of tubular preforms is presented. The work is concerned principally with impingement mechanisms at jet diameter to target distances that are large in comparison with previous reported studies. The experimental investigation required the design of a novel heat transfer meter that was capable of resolving the heat transfer coefficient within 2.5 per cent. The experiments gave a new correlation for stagnation heat transfer, similar in form to correlations that have been published for small jet diameter to target distance values. The experiments also showed the presence of skewing of the heat transfer coefficient in the deposition zone due to its tapered nature. A finite volume based model of the deposition chamber was developed and run to compare with the experimental data. This model was found to yield trends similar to those measured experimentally, thus confirming its qualitative capability. However the absolute values of heat transfer coefficient that were computed were significantly lower than measured values. This points to the requirement to consider alternative computing schemes and to investigate the methods of representing the heat transfer mechanisms at the physical boundaries, particularly at the preform surface.
Numerical investigation of the interaction of coaxial vortex rings
Authors: Konstantinov M.
Published: July 2002

Presents the numerical investigations of interaction of several coaxial vortex rings in inviscid fluid. For the solution of non‐linear system of ordinary differential equations chooses the method of extrapolation with variable step and order. Controls the accuracy of calculations by the conditions of conservation of the first integrals and also by the comparison of numerical results with the known analytical solutions. Discusses the problems of order and chaos, and presents examples of mixing of fluid particles by interaction of two and three vortex rings.
Finite element formulation for filling a thin section cavity
Authors: Gethin David T. , Abdullah Shahrir
Published: July 2002

Presents a quasi three‐dimensional formulation for filling a thin section cavity which is derived under the assumption that no transverse flow occurs in the gap. A no‐slip condition was applied on all surfaces occupied by the fluid and a slip condition on all air‐filled (empty) surfaces. The formulation was developed to analyse the sections which lie in the xy‐plane or may be oriented arbitrarily in three‐dimensional space. Solves the discretized thickness‐integrated finite element flow equations by using the implicit mixed velocity‐pressure formulation, and uses the volume of fluid (VOF) method to track the free surfaces. Presents numerical examples which confirm the accuracy of the formulation and demonstrate how it can be used to model the filling of planar and three‐dimensional thin section cavities of irregular shape.
A generalized two‐cycle componentwise splitting method for solving three‐dimensional parabolic differential equations with variable coefficients on multilayers
Authors: Dai W. , Nassar R.
Published: July 2002

Describes a generalized two‐cycle componentwise splitting method for solving three‐dimensional parabolic differential equations with variable coefficients which has been developed based on the idea of the regularized difference scheme. The method is simple, unconditionally stable and well suited for simulating fast transient phenomena and for computations on fine spatial meshes. A numerical procedure that employs the generalized two‐cycle componentwise splitting scheme was developed to solve three‐dimensional parabolic differential equations with variable coefficients on multilayers. In the procedure, the generalized “divide and conquer” method for solving tridiagonal linear systems is applied in order to overcome the problem with the unknown value at the interface between layers. Numerical results show that the procedure is accurate and efficient.
Presentation of a gentle discretisation scheme for the numerical treatment of nonlinear heat conduction on unstructured grids in finite volume technique
Authors: Kurz M. , Pusztai A.
Published: July 2002

The discretisation scheme presented for an unstructured triangular grid, is able to reflect the physical properties of stationary, nonlinear heat conduction even in the numerical case and leads to a stabilisation of iterative solution techniques for nonlinearities.
Free convection in micropolar fluids over a uniformly heated vertical plate
Authors: Subba Reddy Gorla Rama , Slaouti A. , Takhar H.S.
Published: July 2002

A boundary layer solution is presented to the steady free convection from a vertical plate with uniform surface heat flux conditions and immersed in a micropolar fluid. Numerical solutions for governing nonsimilar boundary layer equations are presented for a range of values of the material properties and Prandtl number of the fluid. An asymptotic solution is developed for large distances away from the leading edge.
Finite element modelling of radiation in a nonparticipating medium coupled with conduction and convection heat transfer with moving boundaries
Authors: Daurelle Jean‐Vincent , Occelli René , Jaeger Marc
Published: July 2002

The radiation conduction coupling leads to particular problems due to computation time and high heat fluxes. Because of the hemispheric nature of the radiation, it is difficult to take into account symmetric or periodic conditions for the reduction of the modelled domain. We developed a finite element model of radiative heat transfers between grey diffuse surfaces with a nonparticipating medium with periodic or symmetric boundary conditions. The approaches used to decrease the computation time allowed the modelling of moving radiative surfaces. We introduced this model into a finite element convection diffusion code in order to simulate heat transfers in an electrical rotating engine. The main originality of this study lies in the use of periodic radiative conditions with moving surfaces and in the use of a method which is not based on the isothermal approximation.
Transient conjugate heat transfer in a porous medium in concentric annuli
Authors: El‐Shaarawi M.A.I. , Al‐Nimr M.A. , Al Yah M.M.K.
Published: July 2002

Transient conjugated forced convection in the thermal entry region of a thick‐walled annulus, filled with a homogeneous and isotropic porous medium, has been numerically investigated using finite‐difference techniques. Non‐Darcian effects as well as axial conduction of heat have been considered. The flow is assumed to be hydrodynamically fully developed and steady but thermally developing and transient. The thermal transient is initiated by a step change in the prescribed isothermal temperature on the outer surface of the external tube of the annulus while the inner surface of the internal tube is kept adiabatic. A parametric study is carried out to explore the effects of the Darcy number, the inertia term, the Peclet number and the porous medium heat capacity ratio on the transient thermal behavior in a given annulus.
Must female accounting faculty publish more to achieve tenure?
Authors: Buchheit Steve , Collins Allison , Collins Denton
Published: July 2002

We examine whether female faculty in US universities have a higher tenure benchmark relative to their male counterparts. Using survey data from 317 accounting faculty, we compare the role of gender for both favorable and unfavorable tenure decisions. Specifically, we compare: the research output of female faculty who are awarded tenure to that of similarly successful male faculty, and the research output of female faculty who are not awarded tenure to that of similarly unsuccessful male faculty. Contrary to past research investigating gender bias at upper ranks within organizations, we find no evidence that female faculty must achieve higher research output than male faculty in order to be awarded tenure.
Structural impediments to managerial mobility in industrialised nations
Authors: Romanienko Lisiunia A.
Published: July 2002

The relationship between gender and managerial mobility is explored by examining distinct structural elements unique to industrialized nations that have been overlooked in prior occupational opportunity research. Using country specific files of the database, “Comparative project on class structure and class consciousness” the analysis provides a multicultural comparison of female managerial attainment in the UK, Sweden, and the USA. By examining managerial attainment by gender, the findings suggest that the combined associational effects of gender and labor force participation patterns by nation better assess the severity of occupational barriers to managerial mobility experienced by women, than when examining gender participation patterns alone. The data indicate that barriers for female occupational mobility are not merely limited to decision making at the interpersonal level, but provide empirical evidence to suggest that impediments are more institutionally ingrained and culturally distinct than previously imagined.
Measuring the seismic vulnerability of strategic public facilities: response of the health‐care system
Authors: Menoni Scira , Meroni Fabrizio , Pergalani Floriana , Petrini Vincenzo , Luzi Lucia , Zonno Gaetano
Published: July 2002

Strategic public buildings must be made as efficient as possible to allow for emergency operations, like search and rescue activities, taking care of victims, and evacuation. Looks at strategic public buildings as part of urban and regional systems. Addresses factors such as physical vulnerability to a seismic event, location, accessibility, interaction with the soil, links with other public facilities, and the way the latter are used under normal conditions. Considers whether public facilities can continue providing their service under stressful conditions, even when a certain degree of physical damage has been suffered by structures or by medical equipment. The health‐care system has been chosen as a key test field: the result is a framework which helps assess the vulnerability of hospitals serving an area prone to seismic risk.
Managing societal uncertainty in volcanic hazards: a multidisciplinary approach
Authors: Ronan Kevin R. , Paton Douglas , Johnston David M. , Houghton Bruce F.
Published: July 2002

This paper summarizes research involving a multidisciplinary team of volcanologists and social scientists. It describes collaboration in relation to social and physical risk and vulnerability following the Mount Ruapehu eruptions of 1995‐1996. This work stresses a key role for such multidisciplinary teams in reducing the social impact of volcanic hazards through assisting communities, organizations, and individuals following an eruption and, importantly, during quiescent periods. We present an overview of a multidisciplinary approach and related research. In stressing the role of the physical science community in managing societal hazards and risk, the paper addresses how this role can be enhanced through collaboration with social scientists and others. The emphasis here is the facilitation of volcanological knowledge and expertise in threat communication, mitigation, community development, emergency planning, and response management. Our research has examined mechanisms for integration, multi‐disciplinary training, and preparing volcanologists for the social demands encountered in playing an active crisis management role. One area of overlap that can tie together disciplines and assist the public is the idea that volcanic activity and the related uncertainties are, at their essence, simply problems that with increasingly integrated efforts likewise have increasingly attainable solutions.
Recruits’ predictions of positive reactions in diasaster and emergency work
Authors: Moran Carmen C.
Published: July 2002

Recruits entering a firefighting training program gave predictions about the likelihood of positive or negative reactions after a stressful emergency call‐out. Their results were compared with a group of experienced firefighters. Recruits more frequently checked positive than negative reactions, a pattern resembling that of the experienced firefighters. The recruits, however, were generally more optimistic than the experienced group, and this did not change significantly across training. Expectations of positive reactions are not necessarily good or bad. Excessive expectation about positive reactions may increase vulnerability when emergency workers cannot do anything to save lives or prevent destruction. Alternatively, an excessive reliance on positive reactions may form a type of addiction making the emergency worker vulnerable to subsequent breakdown in coping and performance. Recruits’ expectations can be addressed during training, especially those expectations that put emergency workers at risk in disaster and emergency environments.
Modelling psychological and work‐situation processes that lead to traffic and on‐site accidents
Authors: Kirkcaldy Bruce , Martin Terence , van den Eeden Peter , Trimpop Rüdiger
Published: July 2002

In a large scale survey of almost 2,500 medical professionals working in practice throughout Germany, a comprehensive questionnaire was designed to assess diverse socio‐demographic factors, as well as job‐related features such as occupational stress, work satisfaction and working climate, and attitudes towards safety and risk‐taking. Clinical outcome risk variables were also monitored, including on‐site accidents and driving accidents. An attempt was made to apply Lisrel analyses to provide a more detailed insight into the multidimensional nature of the interactions between the various categories of data. Background and personal variables (demographic and attitudes towards risk‐taking and safety‐consciousness) have differential effects on accident behaviour. Overall, on‐site accidents (within the medical practice) were directly and exclusively related to risk‐taking, in contrast to moving vehicle accidents, which were determined by gender, recklessness and safety consciousness. The results explained 6‐7 per cent of the variance which, whilst small, was significant, and more importantly, offers information and implications for understanding accident‐related behaviour.
Quality assurance in subject gateways: creating high quality portals on the Internet
Authors: Belcher Martin , Place Emma , Conole Grainne
Published: July 2002

This paper presents the development of guidelines for assuring quality and consistency in the creation of high quality information gateways and portals on the Internet. This method is presented as a transferable model for quality assurance in the use and development of learning technologies, and as an example of good practice in the management of information on the Internet. The paper demonstrates the importance of quality assurance as part of the process, illustrating how structured guidelines can be used to support the transfer of good practice.
Quality improvement in the TESOL curriculum: a generic benchmarking approach
Authors: Moreland Neil , Jawaid Arif , Dhillon Jaswinder
Published: July 2002

Whilst there are different types of benchmarking, this article, as a result of our research into TESOL (Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages), argues for a type of benchmarking that we call generic benchmarking to help develop quality education. The term generic is used to indicate that this type of benchmark is drawn from a detailed analysis and synthesis of extant literature, leading to the development and codification of quality characteristics and standards for an area. As the approach was used in research in TESOL, the context of the research is provided, as is a worked example drawn from the extensive literature review on planning for TESOL. Possible implications for staff development and curriculum improvement are identified.
Building an infrastructure for quality management in Russia
Authors: Dickenson R.P. , Rogerson J.H. , Azarov V.N.
Published: July 2002

Describes work done to research Russian needs in quality management education and to begin the process of creating an infrastructure to meet them. Needs were determined through a questionnaire, interviews and feedback from key actors at specially organised seminars. Knowledge of quality management ideas and the provision of education and training in the quality field were found to be low. Syllabuses and course structures for quality management were devised consistent with EU norms but harmonised as far as possible with existing practice and traditions. A Centre of Excellence to deliver quality management education was founded called the European Quality Centre. It received its first students in September 1998 and it will be the first node in a regional network of such institutions. The creation of an educational infrastructure will facilitate the building of a cadre of trained quality professionals, ultimately enabling Russian quality management practice to rise to world levels.
Course approval processes
Authors: Horsburgh Margaret
Published: July 2002

Focuses on processes of course approval, which lead to enhancement of the curriculum and student learning. Findings from a recent study concerned with the question: To what extent does quality monitoring impact on the student experience of learning? showed the curriculum, and how it was approved, to be significant factors in enhancing student learning. It is argued that the focus for quality in a rapidly changing world should be on the attributes of graduates, with quality monitoring concerned with improvement and enhancement of student learning. Where quality monitoring does have a positive impact on student learning, through the approval and ongoing monitoring of the curriculum and its outcomes, then these processes should be improved. This should be through a process which fosters collegiality and encourages pedagogical discussion amongst academic colleagues. A series of prompts or questions, which seek to challenge teachers and enhance dialogue with colleagues, is proposed.
Peer Observation of Teaching Performance by Action Enquiry
Authors: Hodgkinson Myra
Published: July 2002

Reviews a research project which examines a small team of lecturers
participating in peer observation of teaching performance. Provides a
review of background literature from which this project was derived.
Includes details of the model adopted and the process from the first
meeting with the relevant head of department, induction of team members,
the programme of visits, to a review by the team members. Considers how
such a scheme could be implemented in institutions of higher education
and concludes that teachers observed should be provided with a summary
derived from the observed visits. A teaching portfolio can then be built
up to use at the staff appraisal interview to justify good teaching
performance in the classroom.
Promoting quality in higher education using human resource
information systems
Authors: Hosie Peter
Published: July 2002

Quality, Deming reminds us, is made in the board‐room, or, in the
educational context, in Senate or Council. The quality of the decisions
made by the incumbents of these offices will be conditional on the
information which is available and accessible to them. People and
information will be the focus of advances in strategic management
systems – in both educational and commercial/industrial
circumstances. Accurate, germane and timely data are a prerequisite,
though not a guarantee, of quality decisions. Describes a quality
framework applicable to higher education, with specific reference to
personnel and human resource management. Follows with an examination and
consideration of the factors governing the acquisition, storage and
retrieval of data pertinent to a human resource information system
(HRIS). Concludes with the generation of a set of criteria which should
be applied to the choice or development of such a system.
TQM at South Bank University: issues in teaching and learning
Authors: Chadwick Priscilla
Published: July 2002

Coming to terms with the far‐reaching changes introduced by the
1992 legislation and faced with the tighter accountability of public
funds allocated to higher education, British universities have been keen
to emphasize the quality of their institutions. However, persuading
academic and support staff that quality issues are as important at an
individual and departmental level as at an institutional level takes
more than a memo from the vice‐chancellor. Quality issues must be an
integral part of the corporate planning process: they need to be applied
to the complex web of relationships involved in any higher education
institution and supported by explicit staff‐development strategies.
Since 1992, South Bank University, one of the largest HE institutions in
London, has been committed to a total quality management initiative:
this has involved a thorough and ongoing review both of the quality of
service it provides for its students and the wider community and of its
academic quality, particularly in the area of teaching and learning. The
first of two articles explores these parallel strands and illuminates
some of the issues related to the strategic management of quality in
higher education.
Quality assessment: two traditions (a review article)
Authors: Withers Robert
Published: July 2002

Identifies two approaches to quality assessment in education. The
Higher Education Funding Council for England favours the control
paradigm which renders assessment political. Until recently, Her
Majesty′s Inspectorate (HMI) practised assessment within the enhancement
paradigm, intended to enhance the practice of the assessed tutor or
teacher. Evaluation should be based on a review of evidence, but is now
widely treated as a simple matter of political rhetoric by apologists
for control. The control paradigm cannot be properly evaluated for some
time, but the changing practice of HMI examined here, raises important
questions: could control also bring about enhancement, or does change
from enhancement to control necessarily involve relinquishing key
values?
Quality assurance for NVQs in higher education
Authors: Billing David
Published: July 2002

Summarizes the quality assurance requirements, criteria and processes of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ), with those for two NVQ awarding bodies active in management education in UK higher education. Describes the effects of these on the quality assurance systems of one large accreditation centre and sets out some implications for the future.
Changing culture
Authors: Sommerville Alaine K.
Published: July 2002

Presents a case study of quality management approaches in a specialist higher education college. Provides the background to this situation and discusses how and why changes have been implemented. In particular, gives details of the new college philosophy and how it was derived. Hence, comments on the value of the kaizen approach at this institution.
AVAs: adding value to access? A cost‐benefit analysis of access quality assurance
Authors: Wilkinson David
Published: July 2002

Builds on the article in Quality Assurance in Education, Vol. 5 No. 1, “Assuring quality in access courses ‐ the authorized version”, by discussing the problematic nature of applying cost‐benefit analysis to the quality assurance mechanisms of this type of educational provision.
The introduction of innovation in teaching and learning within business, management and accounting: a case study
Authors: Hodgkinson Myra
Published: July 2002

Uses a case study to describe how, in one institution, senior management have supported a working group to address the need for innovation in teaching, learning and assessment. Identifies the structure of the group, the duties of group members and the outcomes achieved over the three‐year life of the group. Also attempts to identify whether the success of the group and the use of learning sets to support individual research projects are related.
The Times’ “league table” of universities, 1997: a statistical appraisal
Authors: Yorke Mantz
Published: July 2002

Submits The Times’ 1997 “league table” of universities to statistical analysis. Concludes that the changes made to the table since 1996 have made it more strongly unidimensional, with research performance being overwhelmingly dominant.
Quality assurance and the role of a national organisation involved in credit rating
Authors: Smith Alison , Tilley Stephen
Published: July 2002

This paper presents a critical analysis of a national organisation involved in credit rating, focusing on credit rating as a quality assurance issue. The organisation ‐ The SCOTCAT Health Studies Group (SHSG) ‐ began with an ethos of self‐help and mutual aid. It now inhabits a world sited ambiguously between, on the one hand, professional and fee‐for‐service imperatives and, on the other hand, an emergent Government‐sponsored rhetoric of transparency and cooperation for life‐long learning. The paper stems from our concern that issues of quality may be compromised by these imperatives and tensions. We have used the metaphor of SHSG as a “life form” to facilitate exploration of its origins, structure, and place in a wider context, noting limits in the metaphor’s power to illuminate these matters. The paper addresses issues which SHSG must face, as an organisation having members from both the professional (nursing) and the higher educational domains must face; particularly when the two worlds it bridges are changing. The analysis focuses on four themes: evolution, co‐operation, confidence, and mutual recognition of quality. Each theme has a reflexive aspect. Linkages between the themes are discussed in light of the development of SHSG, and some general issues related to changes in inter‐institutional relationships are raised.
The US accreditation system and the CRE’s quality audits ‐ a comparative study
Authors: Amaral Alberto M.S.C.
Published: July 2002

Presents a comparative study of the US accreditation system and of the CRE’s (European Association of Universities) quality audits. After an examination of the published literature on recent developments of the systems their strong and weak points are discussed. This is followed by a very detailed analysis of the procedures for both systems and based, on the personal experience of the author, it is recommended that the responsibility of creating the necessary mechanisms for quality assessment and quality improvement should lie with each and every institution, while outside independent agencies, such as the already existing six US regional accrediting associations, should assume the role of meta‐evaluating or auditing.
Quantifiable feedback: can it really measure quality?
Authors: Richardson Keyth E.
Published: July 2002

This report is an investigation into how the Department of Hotel Catering and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Technical College (Chai Wan) responded to a policy decision of the Vocational Training Council (VTC) to obtain quantifiable student feedback on each course unit, and to grade each unit on a five‐point scale. It considers how the management of the department made policy decisions that would enable them to meet the VTC requirements, but would also provide data from which it would be possible to identify areas for improvement. Data were collected from several sources including: the VTC academic quality policy; meetings with the head of department, the course leader for the hotel and catering higher diploma, and the principal lecturer responsible for the department’s quality policy; feedback from staff and students. The report concludes that there is merit in such a process, but that to focus on the numerical value of a unit as an indicator of quality is to ignore the detail that is involved. The reflections on the quality achieved, and how to improve it, are of more value to the teaching team and the students than the VTC requirements for a single grade.
Quality assurance systems and educational development: part 2 – the need for complementary staff development
Authors: McKay Jan , Kember David
Published: July 2002

The second of two related articles examines the quality enhancement initiatives that led to the development of a substantially different degree proposal, after the rejection of the first proposal at course validation. The case study continues with a review of the initiatives that allowed the development of a course team that felt ownership of the second proposal, and the staff development initiatives that provided the substance on which the implementation phase was able to progress. The case study illustrates the limitations and powers of quality assurance and shows that it is most effective when operating in concert with educational development processes.
Computer Usage and Job Satisfaction
Authors: Zeffane Rachid
Published: July 2002

On the basis of a survey of 1,300 employees from the Australian
telecommunications industry, examines the impact of computer usage on
job satisfaction. Results reveal that job satisfaction is positively
influenced by the extent of computer usage, aspects of computer‐related
training and demographic characteristics such as tenure and job
position. However, by catering for different areas of computer‐usage and
by controlling for job‐position and tenure, it was found that usage in
different functional areas (by different sub‐groups) tended to affect
user satisfaction to a different degree. The results illuminate some of
the human resource and training issues and challenges that organizations
engaged in extensive computerization may need to address.
The Data Network Disaster Recovery Plan:
Authors: White Stewart
Published: July 2002

First, know your network, its key points, the geographic nature of the
business and how disaster can happen. Second, understand where the
network bottlenecks are positioned. Several options are presented to
reduce bottlenecks such as: permanent alternative paths, coterminous
circuits, packet switching networks. Third, evaluate equipment
redundancy, people redundancy, outsourcing, and multiple carriers. A
network is considered “a disaster waiting to happen” which management
must support via a DRP.
Developing a Successful Network Disaster Recovery Plan
Authors: Edwards Bruce
Published: July 2002

Concentrates on the preparation for and the procedures to be followed in
creating a disaster recovery plan. The recovery strategy, recovery
teams, procedures and action tests, and maintenance and testing are all
discussed in some detail.
Simplifying the state and federal computer crime law maze in the
USA
Authors: Bloombecker Jay
Published: July 2002

Computer fraud, Law, Procedures, Punishment, USA Outlines in chart
format the definitions, prohibitions, procedures and punishments of
computer crime laws in the USA.
Information security baselines
Authors: Fitzgerald Kevin J.
Published: July 2002

Describes a set of “baseline” threats and presents the
reasoning behind the “baseline” security approach. Discusses
an example of the acceptance of the security baseline approach and
suggests the way in which it can be used. Describes the advantages and
disadvantages of the approach and concludes that a baseline approach is
worthy of consideration as a way forward.
Business continuity planning and service level agreements
Authors: Smith Russell
Published: July 2002

Business continuity planning is like any other service that is
provided and, as such, justifies a service level agreement. Promotes the
idea of a master service agreement as an umbrella document for the
establishment and maintenance of service level agreements.
Information security and the Internet
Authors: Doddrell Gregory R.
Published: July 2002

Discusses the business vulnerabilities when using the Internet.
Focuses on the logical barriers required to minimize these exposures.
Explains why protection is required and discusses the role of firewalls
as a “fire‐resistant” rather than “fire‐proof”
security device. Illustrates a range of best practice firewalls and
includes a collection of recent press clippings to give weight and
interest to the discussion.
Extinguishing halons
Authors: Doddrell Greg
Published: July 2002

Discusses the effectiveness and appropriateness of gas flooding systems to control fire in computer rooms. Explains the workings of such systems, detailing their components and operation. Describes the advantages and disadvantages of gas flooding systems. Analyses the environmental impacts of the various alternatives to halon and provides indications as to when gas flooding is appropriate. Presents alternatives to gas flooding systems and describes some guidelines for the safe decommissioning of halon.
KPMG’s UK Computer Security Review 1994
Authors: Kearvell‐White Brian
Published: July 2002

Presents the findings of KPMG’s second computer security survey of 1,500 organizations. Defines computer security as comprising those procedures which ensure that computer‐held information is safeguarded against unauthorized access or modification and is available to authorized users on request. Discloses that documented computer security policies are absent in many organizations, personnel security has deteriorated since the first survey in 1992, and recovery plans are not strongly represented.
Accelerating executive development: hey coach…
Authors: Cramm Susan , May Thornton
Published: July 2002

Describes the requirement for chief information officers, in particular among senior business management, to maintain a high level of credibility and rapport with business peers and constituents. Introduces the concept of executive coaches as a means of bolstering the skills and talents required of a CIO. Promotes coaching by a person external to the organization as a virtual necessity for success in the CIO role. Advises approaches to finding the right coach. Uses case examples to demonstrate the success of coaching.
Internet‐based business opportunities: buyers beware of scams
Authors: Attaran Mohsen
Published: July 2002

The online consumer market is growing geometrically. Although online shopping offers convenience and saves time, it has its serious drawbacks as well. The Internet is a fabulous tool for shoppers and investors, as well as a fabulous tool for scam artists. This article gives an overview of some of the deceptive business opportunities in the virtual mall and provides tips for safeguarding against them.
Avoiding securities class actions arising from Y2K issues
Authors: Smith Brian W. , Morris Andrew J.
Published: July 2002

The threat of securities class actions haunts every public company. The threat probably is worst for information technology companies. Similarly, Y2K claims may threaten every company, and probably are greatest for those most dependent on information technology. It follows that the combination of these risks ± of securities class actions resulting from any of the countless types of possible Y2K claims ± presents public companies with a formidable problem. This article provides an overview of the implications of Y2K for securities class actions, and identifies some practical steps for minimizing the risks from Y2K‐related securities claims.