bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does reflective practice have relevance for innovation in public relations?
Authors: Yeomans Liz
Published: June 2007

Writers such as Schön and Argyris have been influential in our understanding of how people and organisations learn. They contend that “real” learning only takes place when we challenge assumptions and the taken‐for‐granted aspects of everyday working life, as well as the values on which these assumptions are based. Further, the ability of learning to learn (or “double‐loop learning” as it is sometimes called) at both an individual and an organisational level is regarded by such writers as the key skill in adapting to a fast‐changing world. With this framework in mind, professional courses such as the Advanced Professional Diploma in Public Relations at Leeds Metropolitan University have incorporated the philosophy of “reflective learning” in assessment. The assessment tool of this type of course is typically a reflective learning assignment where individual learners critically reflect on their own working practice in the light of newly acquired knowledge and skills. The assignment, at least in theory, is not an end in itself but the start of a continuous process of self‐reflection and challenging of assumptions underlying practice in everyday working life. It follows, therefore, that such an approach could have a relevance for innovation in individual working practices. This paper seeks to examine whether reflective learning conducted within an academic setting has a relevance for innovation in public relations. It draws on theories and discussion in the fields of organisational learning; reflective learning and reflective practice; a critical analysis of 25 reflective learning assignments; and six telephone interviews with public relations practitioners who have successfully completed the Advanced Professional Diploma in Public Relations at Leeds Metropolitan University. It is followed by a discussion of the link between their reflective learning and organisational learning, and suggests where innovation is most likely to occur. Finally, implications for academics and practitioners are discussed.
The impact of the Internet on the investor relations activities of firms
Authors: Kuperman Jerome C.
Published: June 2007

The use of the Internet is becoming more prevalent all the time in the investor relations (IR) activities of firms. This paper explores how the Internet can be used and integrated into the existing IR activities of firms. It argues that the Internet is having a significant impact on IR practices, changing the specific techniques and activities associated with IR. As shown with several examples, the Internet can substantially change how a firm communicates with investment community stakeholders in terms of both its one‐way communication efforts directed at information dissemination and its two‐way communication efforts directed at interactive dialogue.
Communications management for difficult and unpopular projects
Authors: Curtin Tom , Jones Jacqueline
Published: June 2007

Classical PR works on the basis that the public wants to buy the product. But the classic tools – media relations, leaflets, public meetings and exhibitions, and even advertising – all fail instantly when the product offered is unpopular or resisted. The approach for the communications of contentious projects is different and makes use of the “power pyramid”, which is how decisions are made within the democratic system. Stakeholders are the key to the successful communications management of difficult projects. To be successful, contentious projects must utilise a special stakeholder – the third‐party advocate. A mechanism for segmenting these stakeholders and mobilising them – often through a mutually beneficial project – must be in place. This maximises the chances of contentious projects succeeding.
Ethics and PR
Authors: Thomas Harvey
Published: June 2007

“Public relations” should be the uncomplicated concept of getting to know the people you deal with, serving them professionally and developing understanding and trust with each other. Our profession has lost a lot of its reputation over the last few years. This is partly because of the glossy and sometimes blatantly false hype that is seen up‐front in today’s “public relations”. Couple that with mechanical, impersonal “PR programmes”, in which only the name of the company on the word processor changes – and you have a jargonised, smooth‐talking recipe for redundancy. If the profession is to regain its credibility, company directors and practitioners must accept some basic facts about “communication” – and about our informed and sophisticated “publics”.
Fee setting in public relations consultancies: A study of consultancy and client views of current practice in the UK
Authors: White Jon
Published: June 2007

Debate on evaluation of public relations has moved on to questions of value. How can value be placed on public relations services, and – practically – how can realistic fee levels be established for these services? These questions led to the study by the UK’s Public Relations Consultants Association reported in this paper. The study, of consultancy fee‐setting practices, and of client understanding of these practices, found that – in the UK – fee setting is imprecise. Fees are set according to a variety of rules. Rules may be set aside to win the opportunity to provide service, and overservicing – providing more service than budgeted for – is widespread. The study makes recommendations for introducing more order into fee setting, and suggests approaches to answering questions about the value of public relations services.
Ethics – Who needs them?
Authors: Marshall Tim
Published: June 2007

Why should PR professionals bind themselves to a code of ethics when even membership of a professional industry association is not mandatory? Is it not easier to be ethics‐free? The Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) is one of a number of public relations associations around the world that has recently reviewed its code of ethics. The new codes now focus on education first – to encourage understanding and minimise breaches – and discipline second. In a world rocked by corporate scandal, business leaders are rediscovering ethics and even British hip hop musicians are considering drafting an ethics code. The Spingate scandal showed that the ethics of all PR practitioners, be they members of professional PR institutes or not, are subject to public scrutiny and their actions and words may damage their own and the industry’s reputation. PR practitioners are seeking guidance on ethics, to have the confidence they are doing what is generally accepted to be right. Conformance with agreed and widely understood codes of ethics will improve PR practice and the industry’s reputation.
Opinions and loyalty among European motoring journalists
Authors: Hampton Fergus , Emerson Sarah
Published: June 2007

British journalists have long been considered to be more critical than journalists in other countries. This paper examines whether that belief is correct when applied to motoring writers in the UK in comparison with French, German, Italian and Spanish counterparts. The proposition is not supported by the evidence. The paper also tests, and finds reasonable evidence to support, the proposition that UK motoring journalists, like their colleagues from France, Germany, Italy and Spain, are more likely to produce reports which generate positive impact about products from their
home countries – favouritism exists.
On trust: Using public information and warning partnerships to support the community response to an emergency
Authors: Granatt Mike
Published: June 2007

Effective public communication systems are essential for managing crises involving threats to the public. Risk communication is a proven methodology for formulating and delivering appropriate strategies. Modern society, however, is uniquely complex and faces an unknown range of threats. Integrated emergency planning meets multiple contingencies by extending proven everyday systems. For communication, the required capability is to reach mass target audiences swiftly and authoritatively – the everyday function of the news media. Public information and warning partnerships (PIWPs) are voluntary arrangements designed to deliver integrated emergency planning for communication. They harness the collective resources and goodwill of public, private, not‐for‐profit and media organisations without compromising media independence and, therefore, public trust. There are successful national and local examples in the UK, including the national Media Emergency Forum. The BBC’s “Connecting in a Crisis” initiative aims to develop close cooperation between communities and their local stations in emergencies. To develop a fully scalable nationwide response, regional PIWPs – Regional Media Emergency Forums – have been set up.
Transgressive vs conformative: immigrant women learning at contingent work
Authors: Maitra Srabani , Shan Hongxia
Published: June 2007

Purpose

The paper seeks to explore workers' learning in relation to the racialized and gendered organization of contingent work.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is informed by Marxist theorization of labour power and learning. It draws on the interview data of 24 highly educated immigrant women from the research project “Skilled In Vulnerability: Work‐related Learning Amongst Contingent Workers”.

Findings

The two types of learning that we have identified include conformative and transgressive learning. Conformative learning refers to the learning that workers engage in to conform to the workplace expectations. The workers are not rewarded or acknowledged for their learning endeavors, and their efforts end up being appropriated by employers to maximize surplus value. Transgressive learning refers to the learning initiatives undertaken by workers to challenge and transcend the depressing work environment and life conditions.

Research limitations/implications

This research was not able to capture what conditions facilitate transgressive learning versus conformative learning.

Practical implications

The study first calls on the state to deal with the systemic negation of professional immigrants' previous skills and learning experiences. Second, it encourages employers to provide appropriate training and reward the workers for their learning endeavor. Third, drawing on the research findings, work educators could help foster the forms of learning that are conducive to workers' better control of work and life. The authors also suggest that to optimize their work and life opportunities in general, immigrant women workers need to come together, exchange information and knowledge, learn from each other, and form collective actions amongst themselves.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature on workplace learning from a learning perspective. It is one of the first endeavors to look at how highly educated immigrant women learn to exercise agency to challenge contingent work structures.
The Future of the Organization: Selected Knowledge Management Issues
Authors: Coulson‐Thomas Colin J.
Published: June 2007

To assess the relevance of the growing interest in Knowledge Management, the author suggests the need to understand the contemporary context into which it is being introduced. For example, how does it relate to “process management” or the “learning organization”? The results of the author’s research indicates that many companies will pay a high and continuing price for an emphasis on short‐term improvements. In general, a more holistic and people‐centred approach to management that puts more emphasis on learning is required. This paper presents an overview of certain research findings that might be relevant to an assessment of Knowledge Management for the future organization.
The war against terrorist financing
Authors: Allen William
Published: June 2007

Presents a view on the war on terror from the perspective of a small country, the Bahamas, which is an offshore financial centre. Recounts the dispute between the Financial Action Task Force and the Caribbean Financial Task Force over the former’s “naming and shaming” report in June 2000 on the Bahamas’ progress towards leaving the list of uncooperative states as regards money laundering control. Argues that offshore financial centres need a fair chance to make necessary improvements in regulatory systems for combating money laundering, and that these jurisdictions should not have to reach higher standards than other countries, and that progress depends on cooperation, and therefore good will, on all sides.
Mexican suspicious transaction reporting: legislation
Authors: Herrera Vargas Antonio , Backhouse James
Published: June 2007

Traces how Mexico’s anti‐money laundering regime developed, under international pressure, since 1989; the country is considered one of the top 20 centres of laundered money. Outlines the suspicious transactions reporting system in the form of a diagram, and describes how the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit now supervises the financial system. Moves on to problems with the legislation; in spite of membership of the Financial Action Task Force and entry into various other agreements, Mexico still has loopholes in its campaign against money laundering, and these centre on the very slow exchange of information at the national and international levels, plus the fact that banking secrecy remains enshrined in the constitution. Suggests a technical information service with online access for processing reports and detecting patterns of laundering activities.
Using confiscated money
Authors: Murphy Daniel P.
Published: June 2007

Discusses the sharing of assets confiscated from money launderers by the nations that cooperate against the laundering practice, with special reference to Canada’s approach. Examines what the Financial Action Task Force and international conventions say on this subject. Reviews the fairly recent history of victim compensation in Canada and elsewhere, including Canada’s provisions for forfeiture in terrorism cases and for restitution using a victim fund surcharge on offenders. Suggests that an international convention should clearly direct how forfeited assets should be distributed to the victims of the crime; at present it is difficult for a country that prosecutes to ensure equitable distribution to all victims, especially if they are foreign nationals.
Money laundering and gambling: the New Zealand experience
Authors: Brooks Brian
Published: June 2007

Outlines relevant New Zealand legislation against money laundering, including the Crimes Act 1960, the Proceeds of Crime Act 1991, and the Financial Transactions Reporting Act 1996. Discusses a specific case of prosecution of a lawyer under the latter Act in 2002: this was “New Zealand Police v Samuel Devereux”, in which Devereux was convicted for failing to report suspicious transactions. Moves on to the obligations of casino owners to prevent their use for money laundering; gambling in New Zealand has grown rapidly, and there is no clear gambling policy. Outlines the provisions of the Responsible Gambling Bill 2003.
Argentina: countering terrorism in the aftermath of the 1992 and 1994 bomb attacks in Buenos Aires
Authors: Barbaccia José C.
Published: June 2007

Describes Argentina as an ideal target for fundamentalist terrorism, since its local gangs give terrorists logistical advantages, while it has a large Jewish population. Outlines how the MERCOSUR democracies have attempted to deal with terrorism by establishing the Reciprocal Cooperation and Coordination General Plan for the Regional Security and an information exchange forum called the Security Information Exchange of the MERCOSUR (SIESM), and harmonisation of the countries’ legal frameworks has begun with the creation of the South American Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (GAFISUD). Moves on to the domestic framework, including the Cover Up and Laundering of Criminally‐Derived Property Law 2001.
Lawyers and money laundering
Authors: Ruiz Marcelo
Published: June 2007

Outlines the Argentinian Cover‐Up and Laundering of Criminally Derived Property Law; this law punishes not only those actively involved in the offences but those who allow money to be laundered as a result of wrongful omission, fault or negligence, it set up the Financial Services Unit for Argentina, and it imposes the obligation to report. Deals further with the duty to report, and moves on to the position of legal practitioners in relation to money laundering. Points out that the activities of professionals are based on a special relationship of trust with their clients, and that there is a need to update the relevant rules now that such issues as money obtained from drug dealing have become of major importance. Distinguishes the lawyer’s activity when giving legal advice, when it would be clearly illegal to advise on ways to launder money, from when s/he is acting as counsel in a lawsuit: since there is a right of defence at law, a lawyer cannot be breaking the law when defending a money launderer, although the situation concerning the lawyer’s fees for this service remains a matter which needs clarification.
Interdicting tainted wealth ‐ the perspective from Hong Kong
Authors: Saw D. G.
Published: June 2007

Reviews the part played by Hong Kong in the coordination of global efforts against money laundering and terrorist financing; Hong Kong was President of the Financial Action Task Force 2001‐2002. Describes its effective regime to counter money laundering, confiscate tainted wealth through legislation, law enforcement, cooperation with the financial sector, publicity, education and international cooperation. Outlines the 1989 Drug Trafficking (Recovery of Proceeds) Ordinance, Chapter 45, and the 1994 Organised and Serious Crimes Ordinance, Chapter 455, showing how they deal with money laundering as follows: reporting offences, protection of persons making disclosures, investigative powers, restraint and confiscation orders, enforcement of foreign confiscation orders, and financial regulators. Moves on to refinement of this legislation in the Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime (Amendment) Ordinance 2002, which amended shortcomings in the previous legislation regarding: the triggering event for making a restraint order, information on the value of restrained assets, new notification requirements in confiscation proceedings, a new offence, and legal professional privilege. Concludes with further legislation and other measures following the September 11 2001 attacks.
The role of gender in US microenterprise business plan development
Authors: Cook Ronald G. , Belliveau Paul , Lentz Christine
Published: June 2007

Purpose

This paper proposes to examine the role that gender plays in a microenterprise program (MEP) that focused on developing quality business plans.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected over four years from 1,013 participants in a microenterprise business development program. Empirical evidence is presented on the outcomes of the program.

Findings

Women and men had similar program completion rates and similar overall business plan scores. However, women scored significantly better on the presentation of their plan to judges. The level of formal education a participant had upon entering the program mattered, but only for women.

Research limitations/implications

Further research could determine whether the type of formal education made a difference in producing higher scoring plans (liberal arts, business, etc.) or is it the process of formal learning that matters? Startups and existing firms, segmentation of firm type (retail, service, etc.) should be researched in conjunction with gender.

Practical implications

MEPs that emphasize helping women should pay particular attention to the level of formal education a participant has upon entering the program. Women were also found to do a better job of explaining their business plan to outsiders, which should enhance their growth potential.

Originality/value

This article systematically examines differences that gender makes in completing a business plan development program.
A process for the portfolio management of real estate assets
Authors: Varcoe Barry
Published: June 2007

The paper identifies the need for a portfolio approach to the management of real estate assets, and sets out its key components as a ‘macro’ level process. Portfolio management is positioned within an overall model of the corporate real estate function, from which a definition is developed. The main generic components of real estate portfolio management are described, and the most significant findings from a survey of current practices among a group of corporate organisations are presented. The paper concludes that in overall terms a more robust approach to the portfolio management of real estate assets is required to maximise the portfolio’s functional and financial value to the business.
Total quality management applied to corporate tenant representation
Authors: Morris Steven L.
Published: June 2007

Corporations are turning to those commercial real estate professionals who are customer oriented and quality driven to represent them throughout the process of aligning the real estate needs to the driving force(s) within the
company and/or business unit. This relates to value‐added services from consulting in the strategic planning phase to advising in the process of the lease renewal/relocation, purchase/built‐to‐suit . . . along with the requisite negotiating and move management services. Quality is becoming a competitive weapon. A service provider’s success depends on being perceptive to their customer’s needs and being able to link the client’s expectations with the firm’s service capabilities. This paper reviews the total quality management (TQM) philosophy with its customer‐centric thinking and in relation to the tenant‐representation
process.
What e‐commerce may mean for design of corporate real estate
Authors: Duffy Francis
Published: June 2007

Significant changes in business practice mean that the design of the physical working environment is now being used to add value to business performance. Businesses, stimulated by the potential of information technology and goaded by international competition, are seeing corporate real estate as more than a matter of simply accommodating themselves in the most efficient way. They are using building projects to add value to their core activities. They are using the design process to accelerate programmes of technological and cultural change. Three case studies are used to illustrate the new importance of design. The strategic implication of these experiences are that users, at all levels in business life, having become accustomed to radical changes in the design process, and increasingly used to the responsiveness of ecommerce, are likely to become increasingly impatient with old economy versions of office design, construction, and real estate practice.
Aligning corporate real estate with the business of your company
Authors: Roper Kathy O.
Published: June 2007

To bring added value to the corporate real estate function, corporations are dedicating resources to aligning the real estate mission with the major business units of the corporation. Relationship management is a tool used within the real estate department and applied to major client business units to bring the focus on the need for better understanding of the ‘business of the business’. Only when corporate real estate groups fully understand and advocate for the lines of business, can alignment occur. The process and tools used to align with Sprint’s business are examined in the paper.
Outsourcing: What does it take to be a top‐notch service provider?
Authors: Rollins‐Hinkle Beverly
Published: June 2007

Outsourcing has moved beyond a trend and has become a mainstream management practice. As a result, all major real estate brokerage firms now offer some type of corporate real estate service. In fact, typical brokerage houses are merging and consolidating, turning into large service organisations ‐ maturing to meet the ever‐increasing needs and demands of their corporate real estate clients. Correspondingly, the responsibility of the person providing the service is ever‐increasing to meet the evolving expectations and trends of corporate real estate. What does it take to become a leader in providing value added services as an outsourced real estate professional, and why are companies using outsourced firms for functions that have traditionally been handled in‐house?
Real estate partnerships: A new approach to corporate real estate outsourcing
Authors: Asson Tim
Published: June 2007

This paper questions whether carrying out the ‘sale‐and‐leaseback’ of corporate real estate is
compatible with achieving the flexibility and cost effectiveness that companies need in the operation of their facilities. It looks at the advantages and disadvantages of sale‐and leaseback transactions and analyses how these compare with achieving wider business planning issues. The paper also reports on new real estate techniques pioneered by corporate real estate partnerships (REPs) transactions in Europe and examines whether this form of outsourcing is more in harmony with the goals of the modern corporate.
Creating a defensible recapitalisation programme
Authors: Selman John R.
Published: June 2007

Recapitalisation is the planned replacement of facility subsystems, such as roofs, utilities, heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Recapitalisation initiatives continually suffer from the abrupt blows of the CFO axe more than any other real estate and facilities worktype request. In many respects, this harsh treatment results from poor business‐case analysis and the lack of a universally accepted methodology for structuring recapitalisation programmes. This paper will provide methods for using standardised tools and analytical capability to create more defensible recapitalisation programmes. The paper will address several methods for forecasting recapitalisation; dispense with any notion that recapitalisation can be planned for and defended using a flat‐rate method or formulaic approach; and introduce life‐cycle systems analysis in conjunction with the well‐known facility condition index and other scales to create meaningful recapitalisation forecasts.
Optimising value of surplus corporate real estate to achieve business and community objectives
Authors: Karlsgodt Kurt E. , Corwin Clayton M.
Published: June 2007

Corporations with surplus real estate can often obtain substantially higher returns from the property if they maximise their leverage with public jurisdictions surrounding the property. Goodrich Corporation was able to work successfully
with the Port of San Diego and the City of Chula Vista, California, to create a win‐win‐win public‐private partnership. Goodrich ended up with a smaller, more efficient corporate facility, while the public
entities realised the opportunity for substantially higher‐valued re‐use of a large tract of bayfront property. This paper reviews the key points to be aware of in conducting and structuring such a transaction, as well as the
potential pitfalls.
Restructuring and renewing existing leases in today’s commercial office market: Guidelines for tenants to evaluate options and negotiate terms
Authors: Dow J. Michael , Porter Gerald A.
Published: June 2007

Over the past six months, much of the commercial real estate activity across markets has been comprised of lease renewals, many with restructured terms to capitalise on the tenant’s favourable position in the marketplace. With
mounting optimism of an economic recovery on the horizon, this trend is increasing as scores of corporate space users are renewing existing leases to take advantage of rates before the pendulum swings back in the landlord’s favour. Although a renewal and restructure could potentially deliver significant occupancy cost savings, only those carefully considered and effectively negotiated offer tenants the most significant long‐term benefits. This paper provides guidelines for corporate tenants to determine whether a lease restructure is feasible and offers strategies for negotiating the best possible terms.
Corporate real estate management at Aventis
Authors: Kühni Christian , Christmann Björn
Published: June 2007

Corporate real estate management (CREM) is the most important minor matter in nonproperty companies. Therefore CREM must commit to and deliver significant financial results in order to improve core business competitiveness. Ultimate valid criteria for success are contributions to earnings per share (EPS) and free cash flow. Pragmatic ‘on‐site’ solutions are required by business units within their planning horizons, thus speed is key to success. This Aventis Real Estate case study presents an example of how a ‘non‐core activity’ has become an ‘other‐core activity’ within a globally operating pharmaceutical company. This paper demonstrates how measurable results can be repetitively delivered with a lean team and optimised financial deployment.
A case study for in‐house real estate services
Authors: Knowles Guy
Published: June 2007

Many corporations in recent years have considered outsourcing administrative or non‐essential functions. This reflects both a corporate desire to focus on core functions and growing sophistication among providers of these secondary
functions. Rogers Communications Inc., one of Canada’s largest, diversified telecommunications enterprises, considered this option but chose instead to retain and centralise its extensive real estate interests into a single corporate real estate function. The following case study traces Rogers’ experience, from the starting point of distinct real estate portfolios managed by individual operating groups to the end point of a centralised, full‐service, corporate real estate function. It discusses various challenges faced by Rogers during the centralisation process and the corresponding measures and strategies that contributed to a successful outcome. It also suggests useful performance indicators to measure the value contributed by the corporate real estate
function.
Corporate real estate and facilities management process and controls: The direct and implied ramifications of section 404 of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002
Authors: Steele Chris , Gibson Mark
Published: June 2007

This paper introduces section 404 of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002 to corporate real estate (CRE) executives and identifies some of the effects that this new legislation has on the management of CRE operations with respect to financial reporting controls. While section 404’s reach includes all financial reporting, this paper focuses on capital projects and describes one method for establishing necessary financial reporting controls through a Management by Projects approach.
Like kind exchanges: Fundamentals of implementing a corporate real estate programme
Authors: Allen Brenton
Published: June 2007

The Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 1031 provides that ‘no gain or loss shall be recognized on the exchange of property held for productive use in a trade or business or for investment if such property is exchanged solely for property of like kind which is to be held either for productive use in a trade or business or for investment’. 26 USC $1031(a)(1). This provision has particular utility for entities taxed as C‐Corporations, in that they do not enjoy a preferential tax rate on the sale of capital assets and IRC 1221 assets. It also has utility for real estate investment trusts (REITs) not wishing to pass through recognition of gains resulting from necessary redeployment of capital in other real estate sectors or geographic regions. This paper will explore the fundamental issues in accomplishing a successful exchange of real property and in adopting a programmatic approach to a series of exchanges. While it contains a brief summary of authority, the same is provided not as legal advice, but as context for the administrative aspect of an exchange programme, which is the topic of the paper. This paper should not be construed as legal advice. Before commencing or not commencing an exchange or series of exchanges, consult your tax counsel or adviser.
Portfolio management in the midst of uncertainties: How scenario planning can be useful
Authors: Dewulf Geert , van der Schaaf Pity
Published: June 2007

Today’s corporate real estate (CRE) managers are operating in an ever‐changing world. These
dynamics cause many uncertainties about tensions inside and outside the company that influence the performance of the real estate portfolio. Defining a clear CRE strategy in the midst of these uncertainties is hard to do and one way to cope with the uncertainties is scenario planning. This paper explains why scenarios are a useful tool for making strategic real estate decisions in the midst of uncertainty. The authors use their experiences with the DGBA as an example to illustrate the process of scenario planning.
The Lloyd’s building
Authors: Phillips Nicolas J.
Published: June 2007

This paper is based on a presentation made at the 1998 National Summit on Building Performance (Washington, October) and summarises some of the unusual aspects of the building and how those have helped the Lloyd’s headquarters meet the occupier’s needs.
Corporate real estate and capital markets
Authors: Pederson Rick A.
Published: June 2007

This paper is the second of twice‐annual discussions that will appear in Journal of Corporate Real Estate addressing corporate real estate‐related decision‐making and structures within the context of current capital market conditions.
Mind the gap
Authors: Duffy Francis
Published: June 2007

Office design can be a powerful agent in achieving organisational and cultural change; however, far too often office design is relegated to the side lines by supply side‐thinking in the property and construction industries (including architecture), and by ignorance and over delegation on the part of businesses. A wide gap separates supply and demand. Case studies are used to demonstrate what design has done for a handful of organisations who have been prepared to think strategically about office space in the current turbulent business environment. These case studies demonstrate that, if office space is to be used successfully to achieve business purposes, four essential factors must be in place: visionary leadership; integration of the design of the use of information technology (IT), human resources (HR), and office space; large scale user involvement in the process of change, ie change management; and, finally, systematic data collection to measure the relation between buildings and organisational purpose. With all four factors in place the gap that has been identified can be closed and a powerful managerial resource can be put purposefully to work.
Development of performance measurement system in managing supplier relationship for maintenance logistics providers
Authors: Choy K.L. , Chow Harry K.H. , Lee W.B. , Chan Felix T.S.
Published: June 2007

Purpose

To develop a performance measurement system (PMS) in the application of supplier relationship management operated under a supply chain benchmarking framework. Acting as a monitoring tool for evaluating the performance of maintenance logistics providers against the defined performance levels stated in the contract, and facilitating the application of benchmarking approach in maintenance logistics activities.

Design/methodology/approach

A six tiers collaborative management model is designed in building the PMS, by which information sharing of performance history of suppliers is made possible. By following the work flow of the PMS, performance of suppliers is benchmarked with the best‐in‐class supplier, resulting in the identification of the most appropriate supplier for the particular requirement.

Findings

PMS helps a company and its suppliers to understand the performance gap between its service levels with the best‐in‐class practice. The resulting performance gap provides valuable information in the formulating of a new supply chain and strategic plan in solving problems and challenges in aviation industry. By means of PMS, a company can make decisions with the basis of a good relationship with its business partners, especially in the maintenance logistics area.

Research limitations/implications

The design of PMS must take into consideration of the data sources, the duration of taking the required data, and the focal point on collecting information. Moreover, findings from the study have to be revised every two years.

Originality/value

By applying PMS in one of the leading airlines in Hong Kong, suppliers' deficiencies in the logistics performance are identified easily. Moreover, current operational service level is effectively enhanced and the combination of the best‐in‐class supplier service package is accurately selected.
Trends and drivers in the information economy: strategic options for the insurance and banking industry
Authors: Molitor Graham T.T.
Published: June 2007

Hi‐tech communications transform the market‐place, demographics alter consumer demands, global and regional developments recast world dynamics. The USA is enjoying a “Goldilocks economy” – neither too hot, nor too cold – and global trade has tripled over the past twenty years. The factors driving this sustained growth are many, technological, demographic as well as social and behavioural. This article examines the trends driving the economy, especially the impact of information and communications technologies and globalization on business activity with special emphasis on the banking and finance sector.
The formal economy and the real world
Authors: Meštrović Matko
Published: June 2007

This article reports a wide range of complementary or antinomic insights into the multi‐layered globalizing process, in an attempt to understand its causes and significance. Different perceptions and assessments of its far‐reaching consequences all over the world are picked out. The ambiguity of the high‐technology revolution with potential transition from material to time values is contrasted with the self‐destructive bases of self‐interest policies, and the flagrant defeat of the modern economy among those excluded from planetary society. While on the surface it seems to be only a change of relations between the finance sphere and the “real economy”, the more comprehensive and penetrating cognition of recent occurrences reveals a questioning of human values. New forms of social relationships will need to be imagined to define what human worth is.
From the fossil fuel era to the age of light
Authors: Henderson Hazel
Published: June 2007

This article traces global economic trends and sources of energy from the fossil fuel era of the Industrial Age to the Information and Solar Age. Keynesian economics as well as political, economic and military power, led to the industrialized countries’ petroleum addiction and the demonization of OPEC. The shift from the Old Economy to the New Economy will be accompanied by greater emphasis on energy efficiency and a shift towards renewable resources, “green” energy technologies and environmental protection and restoration. The globalization of economics, finance, markets and trade driven by technology and liberalization of capital flows have led to the dematerialization of OECD economies. This will necessitate recognition of, and investment in, people and social infrastructure with education and health care as key economic sectors and knowledge, intellectual, social and ecological capital as the key factors of production. Due to advances in the internet and e‐commerce and the increasing interchangeability of money with information there will be a continuing flight into pure information‐based electronic trading systems and the growth of a less costly and more efficient pure high‐tech barter system. The issues of unequal terms of trade, poverty and the need for development will continue. If OPEC is able to grasp the significance of the shift to the Solar Age, it has an opportunity to reassert its leadership role in development.
The Alpbach futures forum revisited
Authors: Richardson Jacques G.
Published: June 2007

The 56th annual edition of the Alpbach European Forum (EAF), my first visit there in fifteen years, had as its theme “The Future: Experience, Experiment, Design”. The EAF consumes the second fortnight of August in the Tyrolean mountain community of Alpbach, a delightful village tucked away in an Alpine valley just south of the Inn River and an hour’s drive east of Innsbruck. Alpbach’s evenings devoted to music and the arts round out busy daytime dialogues among leaders in politics, business and the economy, science‐technology, and the media – and there are plenty of challenging trails for hiking to offset the tedium of sitting in conference rooms. All in all, a nice place to think about what’s ahead.
A yardstick too far?
Authors: Bishop Peter
Published: June 2007

In his editorial earlier this year, “Measuring the art of the long view”, Colin Blackman wondered how we might evaluate the effectiveness of futures research. But are there any reliable measures? There’s certainly a case for accreditation and certification of futurists, but in the end there’s no escaping the judgment of the market.
Whose life is it anyway? privacy and patenting the genome
Authors: Richardson Jacques G.
Published: June 2007

A small part of the budget of the Human Genome Project was reserved for the study of the social, legal and ethical questions raised by personal genetic profiles. Answers may be slow in coming, but around the world public concern increasingly drives the legislative agenda. There is now a pressing need to agree international standards on this most inalienable of human rights.
Breaking the mould: European manufacturing in the knowledge economy
Authors: Cahill Eamon
Published: June 2007

Manufactured artefacts will always be needed to satisfy human needs, but the business of manufacturing faces a range of challenges in the emerging knowledge economy. Six main areas are identified where manufacturing must develop and excel: concurrency, integrating human and technological resources, the conversion of information to knowledge, environmental compatibility, developing reconfigurable enterprises and innovative processes. There are many emerging technologies which can assist, but if Europe is to remain a force in manufacturing it needs to take positive action to enhance its strengths and alleviate its weaknesses – and nowhere more so than in the field of research.
Systemic surgery: a new social contract for health care
Authors: Busse Reinhard , Zappacosta Mario
Published: June 2007

Modern health care presents challenges for science and technology that go well beyond surgical procedures and physiological monitoring. But although technology is making a rod for policymakers’ backs, it may also be throwing them a lifeline. The research focus is increasingly on information and communications technologies, which are opening up new possibilities in preventive health, self‐diagnosis and even remote surgery. For a public accustomed to paternalistic medicine, the redistribution of R&D resources may come as a shock – but Europe’s overstretched health services need more than sticking plaster solutions.
Beyond formalization: rethinking the future of work
Authors: Williams Colin , Round John
Published: June 2007

Purpose

A long‐standing meta‐narrative regarding the future of work is that, over history, economic activity has shifted from the informal into the formal economy and that the informal economy is now a residue existing only in the margins. This paper aims to evaluate critically this formalization thesis so as to question whether the future of work is inevitably and immutably one of formalization.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data are drawn upon from a study of the work practices of 600 households in Ukraine conducted during 2005/2006 to evaluate the centrality of the formal economy in this post‐socialist society.

Findings

This study reveals only a relatively shallow permeation of formalization in this post‐socialist society and how the informal economy is a core integral component of contemporary work organization relied on not only by some 28 per cent of households who, excluded from the formal economy, utilize this sphere as their principal livelihood practice but also by the vast majority immersed in the formal economy who heavily depend on informal work to secure their livelihood.

Research limitations/implications

This snapshot survey identifies only that the informal economy is not some minor residue as depicted by the formalization thesis. It cannot decipher whether there is movement in Ukraine towards greater reliance on the formal (or informal) economy.

Originality/value

This paper de‐centers the formal economy by re‐positioning it as just one of a plurality of work practices and foregrounds the informal economy as a core component of work organization in this post‐socialist society.
Transforming the future: rethinking time for the new millennium
Authors: Martin Bill , Mason Sandra
Published: June 2007

The next 25 years is likely to see a transformation of attitudes in the UK and other Western countries. This will affect the way we view economic growth and how the benefits of it are used. There will be much greater concern about the quality of time use, and about the way our lives are divided between free time and paid work. Using the example of the UK, this article highlights the reasons why the conventional view of the future is not sustainable, and discusses the actions needed if the required transformation of the future is to be achieved.
Energy in the 21st Century: the return of geopolitics?
Authors: Love Patrick
Published: June 2007

With oil prices hovering around historically low levels, it would be comforting to think that energy shocks are a thing of the past. However, energy markets have never been driven by economic factors alone: technology, policy and international relations all have to be taken into account.
Water resources: meeting future demand
Authors: Love Patrick
Published: June 2007

Water has occupied an increasingly important place on the international agenda since 1993, with questions about the impact of climate change on water resources, the possibility that disputes about access to water might exacerbate regional tensions, and whether large‐scale planning and projects are the best way to meet future needs emerging as key issues. This article examines how thinking on these questions has evolved since 1993 and presents updated projections of the main trends concerning water resources.
Unshackling the future of work from the ideology of full employment
Authors: Williams Colin C. , Windebank Jan
Published: June 2007

This paper argues that by shackling the future of work to a vision of full employment, alternative futures are closed off. At present, employment creation is seen as the sole route out of poverty. Here, however, we reveal that a complementary additional pathway is to help people to help themselves and each other. To show this, evidence from a survey of 400 households in deprived neighbourhoods of Southampton and Sheffield is reported. This reveals that besides creating job opportunities, measures that directly empower people to improve their circumstances could be a useful complementary initiative to combat social exclusion and open up new futures for work that are currently closed off.
The 21st Century: a better world or a brave new world
Authors: Mayor Federico , Bindé Jérôme
Published: June 2007

Based on the world report, The World Ahead: our Future in the Making, this article identifies four major challenges which we face at the dawn of the 21st century: peace, social inequality, sustainable development and long‐term global planning. It argues that society needs to be rebuilt and envisages it as an international democracy founded on four pillars or contracts – social, natural, cultural and ethical – and looks at some of the preconditions and costs.