bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The public relations process: A re‐think
Authors: Gregory Anne
Published: January 2008

Much new work has been undertaken in the field of strategic management in recent years. Corporate planning, especially popular in the 1980s, has given way to new and dynamic management models. Similarly, various techniques for making organisations more effective such as ‘management by objectives’ (MBO) and ‘total quality management’ (TQM) have been employed. Business process re‐engineering (BPR) as proposed by Hammer and Champny was regarded as a radical leap forward in business organisation, but that is being challenged by the newer business transformation as propounded by Gouillart and Kelly and by the concept of the supply chain. Whatever management techniques are used, slimmer, flatter organisations are emerging as ‘right‐size’ and re‐organised organisations. The role of public relations in strategic management and organisation is crucial. Management theorists agree that good communication is vital to successful organisations. Despite the problems associated with it, BPR and its successors are expected to be major infuences on the way in which enterprises are organised. What is now required is a re‐thinking of the structure and role of public relations within process‐oriented organisations. This paper offers some initial thinking on how this could be done and the inherent difficulties. Some of the ideas are borrowed from BPR, but no judgement is made as to whether BPR is a ‘right’ approach. The paper then goes on to look at the implications for the way in which public relations can effectively contribute to ‘new’ organisations and the critical role of information technology.
Living and breathing the brand: The role of internal communication
Authors: Harkness James
Published: January 2008

Branding is becoming increasingly recognised as crucial to business success. A brand is a promise of the goods and service a customer will receive from an organisation. If the organisation is to succeed, everyone working for the company must live and breathe the brand values. This paper focuses on how effective internal communication can ensure that people feel part of the brand and deliver on its promises. It discusses best practice methodology and draws on practical examples from Woolwich plc and Smithkline Beecham.
A critical review of conceptions of communication evident in contemporary business and management literature
Authors: Varey Richard J.
Published: January 2008

Management literature is critically examined, and this finds an outmoded conception of human communication that is convenient when power is the central concern, but dysfunctional when constructive decision making is needed. Communication is widely taken to be the transmission of information and the reproduction of intended meanings. This view is premised on ancient classical assumptions of causality and linearity — of absolute and classifying categories, instead of relative and relational categories. Such a basis introduces intentions and causality into our understanding of communication. This reductionist thinking is seen vividly in stimulus‐response models of human influence that do not adequately explain human interaction. The critique examines social constructionist thinking that sees the world as a complex set of interrelated social phenomena constructed by people in interaction, ie in joint social action. A wealth of constructive thinking is discovered in Nordic, Germanic and Eastern sociologies and social philosophies. This is an alternative to the Western psychological perspective that is dominant and misleading in management thinking. Circular (transactional), rather than linear, models are more helpful in understanding human communication and what is required for responsive and responsible management of communication for productive business enterprise. Causal assumptions can be discarded in taking a view of communication in and of corporations (ie ‘corporative communication’) as both stimulator and stabiliser. Social, political and cultural phenomena can be more richly understood, however, if their linguistic and discursive (interactive) nature is addressed with a constructionist perspective on social reality. Communication cannot be understood without reference to knowledge, understanding, information, meaning and sense. A social constructionist theory of communication is a widened framework for the analysis of communication in a complex and holistic fashion.
Scientific and technical data bases in a multilingual society
Authors: Iljon Ariane
Published: January 2008

The present situation concerning the use of different languages in data bases is outlined. It is somewhat analogous to that in the field of publishing, as English is the predominant carrier language used. Nevertheless, a number of monolingual data bases offer multilingual features, and there exist a few multi‐lingual data bases. This is already an indication that new tendencies are at work.
Study of strategies used in on‐line searching
Authors: Oldroyd Betty K. , Citroen Charles L
Published: January 2008

The paper reports a study of the behaviour of on‐line searchers in looking for the answers to set questions. The work was carried out with a view to learning more about the way actual searches are conducted, so that instructions to users can be given to optimize the generation of references. The study suggests that developments in user education would be made considerably easier by some rationalization among file producers and systems, especially in spelling, vocabulary, basic commands and indexing philosophy.
Euronet‐DIANE: a study on the harmonisation of user manuals
Authors: Casey Michael
Published: January 2008

Up to 25 hosts will eventually make approximately 150 databases available on Euronet‐DIANE. If European users are to benefit from, rather than be totally confused by this massive store of information they must be educated, trained and supported in their efforts to exploit it. The common command set is already with us, as are multilingual thesauri and many other user aids for bibliographic retrieval systems. User manuals, however, present a confused picture to the user because they exhibit such a wide variation in content, structure and design. This paper summarises the recommendations of a study on the harmonisation of user manuals carried out under contract to the Commission of the European Communities as part of the Euronet‐DIANE project.
A mini‐Euronet standard command set at Université Libre de Bruxelles(ULB)
Authors: Van Slype Georges , Laudet Eric , Machgeels Claude , Vander Auwera Yves
Published: January 2008

Brussels Free University Information and Documentation Science Department is implementing a documentary computer system, to be used as an in‐house cost‐free access, educational tool for its students. The online bibliographic search subsystem, called SERIDU, is based on a subset of the Euronet standard command language, which is being implemented by several DIANE hosts. A comparison is made of Euronet and of SERIDU commands, as well as of the data elements of Unisist Reference Manual and of the storage subsystems of the Department. A description is given of SERIDU commands, and is illustrated by a short sample session. The software is briefly described, as well as its present shortcomings and the future developments of the system, which might interest other library schools.
Creative searching in a current affairs database
Authors: Wolf Barbara J.
Published: January 2008

It seems neither hasty, presumptuous nor bold to state that databases are now a permanent part of today's information retrieval world. The tremendous growth of the information industry in the last ten years and the large number of institutions subscribing to online services provide solid evidence that researchers in all settings are discovering the advantages of automated information retrieval. Having thus accepted the existence — and inherent benefits — of the computer terminal in the research center, the researcher is now faced with the problem of how to use these resources most efficiently. The costs associated with automation have forced researchers to become more aware of the value of their time and have underscored the truth of the old adage that “time is money.”
Matching users and user languages in information retrieval
Authors: Meadow Charles T.
Published: January 2008

A review is made of research in the design and use of languages for computer programming, with emphasis on one of its specialized applications, information retrieval, and on the end‐user directly interacting with the computer. It is shown that we lack the criteria for determining what is the best fit of a language to a particular user, although some research has suggested that there is a means by which this can be done, offering the users a wide range of language choice and using the computer as a means of helping him learn and adapt to the language.
Ringdoc — the database for pharmaceutical manufacturers and researchers
Authors: Hoover Ryan E.
Published: January 2008

The RINGDOC database of Derwent Publications Ltd. is the world's most comprehensive database covering pharmaceutical literature. RINGDOC contains over 500,000 references from 1964 to date and is searched using two indexing systems. Codeless scanning is a system of searching keywords and the Ring Code system is a unique method of searching chemical substructures and biological activities. This paper looks briefly at the history and structure of the RINGDOC database and describes methods of searching it.
A comparison of online databases in relation to agricultural research and development
Authors: Johnson B.K.
Published: January 2008

The diverse nature of agricultural information and an increasing number of online databases containing relevant material present problems for the online searcher. Limited database comparisons have been previously carried out, but these have only concerned themselves with comparisons between major agricultural files. The present study compares eleven databases which contain information on various aspects of agriculture, in particular agrochemicals. An in‐depth investigation was carried out on the degree of database overlap with respect to two test questions, and the value of the available search facilities evaluated. The databases were ranked according to the volume of relevant output retrievable from the test questions, and the percentage of novel references calculated with respect to the highest ranking database, and also with respect to all databases. The larger biological databases and Chemical Abstracts supplied the greatest number of references with a relatively low level of overlap. The environmental files produced a lower number of references — even to a question on pollution of freshwater, although figures for percentage novelty were comparable. Thus a comprehensive search would entail the use of multiple databases, although 66% (question 1) to 84% (question 2) of the total number of references were retrieved using 2–3 files. A number of databases could be searched using classification codes, and four files contained abstracts which were searchable via keywords. The improvement in recall from using codes varied across the databases and, to a lesser degree, between questions. There was a uniformly marked increase in relevant recall when keywords were retrieved from abstracts. It was considered valuable for searchers to apply these techniques to other subject areas.
Family Resources Database: a system design to meet information needs in an emerging discipline
Authors: Bodley Margaret J.
Published: January 2008

The Family Resources Database is produced by the National Council on Family Relations' (NCFR) Family Resource & Referral Center (FRRC). It would be impossible to discuss the Family Resources Database without first giving a brief history of the NCFR and the FRRC. The NCFR, which began in 1938, is an international, interdisciplinary professional organization dedicated to the strengthening of marriage and the family. NCFR members make contributions to research, education, applied fields, e.g., therapy/ counseling as well as in programs and services within the family field.
A cognitive view of three selected online search facilities
Authors: Ingwersen Peter
Published: January 2008

This paper discusses the impact of three selected command language facilities on the man—system interface in relation to operational online information retrieval (IR). The concept of data and information is briefly considered in relation to the cognitive viewpoint and Brookes ‘fundamental equation of information science.’ A cognitive IR model is out‐lined, followed by a discussion of variously experienced searchers' knowledge structures. Recently developed online search facilities such as use of positional operators (free text operations), crossfile searching and term frequency analysis (zooming—as the ES A‐Quest command language calls it) are discussed in relation to the IR process. The cognitive view is applied as the means to describe and emphasise the retrieval possibilities and the state of knowledge involved in the interface processes.
What do we really know about online searchers?
Authors: Bellardo Trudi
Published: January 2008

Many panel discussions and public presentations and miles of lines of print have been devoted in recent years to the question of what distinguishes a good online searcher from everyone else. Much of this verbiage appears somewhat self‐aggrandizing; searchers have been telling other searchers that it requires an extra special sort of person to do this job well. Online searching, it has been claimed, demands the very best people—intelligent, self‐confident, but also sympathetic and understanding, creative, and so on. Ordinary librarians cannot hope to excel at this complex and challenging task.
Database in Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Wilkinson Julia
Published: January 2008

The Turing Institute has created a specialist bibliographic database of literature in the field of Artificial Intelligence. This article describes the nature of the literature in the field of AI; the organisation of the database using the BRS/Search information retrieval software; the breakdown of the database according to type of material and age. Access is provided by dial‐up methods directly to end users. The standard native interface is described. Not only is the database a first in the field, but the subscription method for using the database is unusual as it is based on an annual payment which qualifies the subscriber not only to unlimited access to the database, but also to the document provison service of the Library, and the printed awareness services.
Reference Manager: Online and keyboard bibliography entries
Authors: Roberts Justine
Published: January 2008

Reference Manager allows you to do citation entry either through the keyboard or by using items obtained from Medline, or BRS Biosis or BRS Colleague files. Citations can be retrieved by AND‐OR‐NOT Boolean searches by assigned keywords or by those in other specific parts of the citations. Users can create journal‐specific bibliography output formats. Bibliographies can be created by inserting citation numbers into manuscripts or by using subject‐selected citation subsets. Options available with the package include the ability to download the results of online searches.
Information systems should be both useful and used: the Benetton experience
Authors: Zuccaro Bruno
Published: January 2008

Benetton, the clothing multinational, sees information technology as crucial to its operations and constantly seeks new ways to capitalise on the competitive power of properly used technology‐based business systems. The group's information systems strategy, network development and commitment to EDI are described.
What does the user look for from an online host?
Authors: Retlev Ulla
Published: January 2008

The paper examines the user's requirements from an online host, from the point of view of the inexperienced or non‐user and the experienced information specialist. The historical reactions of users who came early to online are recounted with the manner in which information on online was passed on to new users at that time. The article goes on to examine the needs of non‐users who are not information specialists and inexperienced users with some retrieval knowledge, before examining the experienced information specialist's expectations from an online host today.
The MenUSE system for multilingual assisted access to online databases
Authors: Blake Paul
Published: January 2008

The race is on to develop systems which will allow the multilingual interrogation of data‐bases, with the European Commission making this a central theme of the ECU 64 million IMPACT2 programme. But what is out there already and how does it work? Much of this article by Information World Review's Reporter, Paul Blake, is devoted to the latest entrant on the multilingual scene, the MenUSE system developed at the University of Huddersfield in the UK. Originally built to provide assisted menu‐driven access to Medline and INSPEC, a Japanese‐English version searching INSPEC on Data‐Star made its debut this summer, and an English‐Danish‐French prototype is schedule to appear by the end of the year.
HOW MUCH WILL MY ONLINE SEARCH COST? A REVIEW OF THE CHANGING POLICIES OF THE ONLINE HOSTS
Authors: Rowley J.E.
Published: January 2008

The pricing tariffs adopted by the online hosts are full of hidden complexities, such that it is difficult to estimate in advance the cost of online searching. Potential elements of costs are: subscription charges and discount plans, connect time charges, display/print charges, telecommunications charges, session rates, charges for special facilities and charges for special services. The complexities of each of these elements are considered in relation to a number of online hosts. The review offers an insight into the estimation of the costs of online searching.
NEW DATABASE PRODUCTS: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE (ISSUE 3)
Authors: Williams Martha E. , Smith Linda C.
Published: January 2008

This is the third article on Science, Technology and Medicine (STM) databases in a continuing series of articles summarizing and commenting on new database products. Two companion articles, one covering social science, humanities, news and general (SSH) (Online & CDROM Review vol. 18 issue 2) and the other covering business and law (BSL) (Online & CDROM Review vol. 18 issue 3) will appear in the next two issues of this journal. The articles are based on the newly appearing database products in the Gale Directory of Databases. The Gale Directory of Databases (GDD) was created in January 1993 by merging Computer‐Readable Databases: A Directory and Data Sourcebook (CRD) together with the Directory of Online Databases (DOD) and the Directory of Portable Databases (DPD).
COMPARISON OF SOME WIDESPREAD CDROM INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SOFTWARE PACKAGES
Authors: Válas George
Published: January 2008

Until recently there were very few publications dealing with comparison of different CDROM information retrieval software packages (Richards & Robinson 1993). The few exceptions (e.g. Harry & Oppenheim 1993; Jacsó 1991; McFaul 1992; Tian‐Zhu 1991; Zink 1991) mostly deal only with the principles of such comparisons, not with actual comparisons, and mostly only with user interfaces, not with the software as a whole. They usually give collections of rules — how to rank the CDROM publications, how to give ‘award marks’ to them — but this usually characterises CDROM publications and databases, not the software itself. Moreover, the performance factors, the properties most important for professional searchers, are usually completely missing from these collections of rules.
LEGAL DEPOSIT OF ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS
Authors: Hyams Peter
Published: January 2008

Since no one can be sure of future scholars' needs, it is safest to keep a copy of everything published; that is the theory behind legal deposit. Electronic publishing threatens to throw this system into disarray. In the following I refer to some recent discussions of this important topic.
INVISIBLE THESAURI: THE YEAR 2000
Authors: Milstead Jessica L.
Published: January 2008

Reports of the death of controlled vocabularies and indexing in the age of full‐text retrieval have turned out to be somewhat exaggerated. We quickly found that the old ‘garbage in, garbage out’ rule applies, and that from the point of view of any one user at any one time, much of the text in a full‐text database is garbage. That is, it does not provide the required information, even if it happens to contain the words in the query. On the other hand, text that happens not to contain query words may still be very useful.
NEW DATABASE PRODUCTS: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND MEDICINE (ISSUE 11)
Authors: Williams Martha E. , Smith Linda C.
Published: January 2008

This is the eleventh article on science, technology, and medicine (STM) databases in a continuing series of articles summarizing and commenting on new database products. Two companion articles, one covering social sciences, humanities, news, and general (SSH) (Online & CDROM Review, vol. 22, no.3) and the other covering business and law (BSL) (Online & CDROM Review, vol. 22, no. 3) will appear in the next issue of this journal. These articles are based on the newly appearing database products in the Gale Directory of Databases. The Gale Directory of Databases (GDD) was created in January 1993 by merging Computer‐Readable Databases: A Directory and Data Sourcebook (CRD) together with the Directory of Online Databases (DOD) and the Directory of Portable Databases (DPD).
CURRENT AWARENESS IN AN ELECTRONIC AGE
Authors: Rowley Jennifer
Published: January 2008

Technological developments such as the Internet mean that it is necessary to revisit the role and nature of current awareness services and even to reflect on the more fundamental question — what is current information? The information that is available to the business end‐user over the Internet is normally updated with a frequency that is consistent with the nature of the information. Thus, many news and financial information sources provide real time information. Many database producers supply databases on CD‐ROM, with the opportunity to update databases through access to the Internet. For instance, JUSTIS offer a wide range of online updates to the JUSTIS CD‐ROM database. Many Wilson databases that are distributed on CD‐ROM are updated weekly on WilsonWeb. To give a commercial example, Tesco, in their home shopping trials, deliver a product catalogue on CD‐ROM to trial homes. Customers can access Tesco's server over the Internet with a view to placing an order, or to update catalogue details, with new information on, say, prices, special offers, or new product lines.
THE PARETO PRINCIPLE: ITS USE AND ABUSE
Authors: Sanders Robert
Published: January 2008

Vilfredo Pareto was a late nineteenth‐century economist/sociologist who first noted and reported his observation that about 80 percent of wealth was concentrated in about 20 percent of a population. This is the basis for what we now call the Pareto Principle.
ADVOCATES' IMMUNITY FROM NEGLIGENCE ACTION
Authors: RICHARDS KEITH
Published: January 2008

After considering the circumstances in which advocates' immunity from liability in negligence exist, the paper looks at the reasons for the continued existence of the rule and, in particular, the ground of ‘public policy’. It notes that the Courts and Legal Services Act 1991 preserves the common law rule and sets out the reasons why the rule is inappropriate and contrary to principles of justice.
DEVELOPMENTS IN EC AND INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL ADEQUACY REGULATIONS
Authors: ELDERFIELD MATTHEW
Published: January 2008

The paper analyses the current two main initiatives in capital adequacy regulation for banks: the EC Capital Adequacy Directive (CAD) and the Basle Committee on Banking Supervision market risk proposals. The main elements of the CAD are reviewed, problem areas are identified and differences with the Basle proposals are noted. Finally, the paper sets out the likely impact of the CAD and the Basle proposals on UK banks.
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF THE INVESTMENT SERVICES AND CAPITAL ADEQUACY DIRECTIVES
Authors: MUSTILL BERYL
Published: January 2008

The Investment Services and Capital Adequacy Directives must be implemented no later than 31 December 1995. The Personal Investment Authority (PIA), a self‐regulating organisation under the Financial Services Act 1986, recognised in July 1994 and intended to be the lead regulator for retail financial services business, will become a competent authority for the purposes of these Directives and will be making new rules for the ‘investment firms’ among its members in order to give effect to the Directive requirements. The author, in a recent talk reproduced here, describes the new requirements, indicates PIA's approach to implementation and assesses the likely impact on the members of PIA.
Regulatory update
Authors: Gray Joanna
Published: January 2008

SIB Guidance Release 3/96 — standards for the custody of customer's investments The Treasury has decided to make custody of investments an activity requiring authorisation under the Financial Services Act 1986 so SIB has now published Guidance addressed to self‐regulatory organisations (SROs) and recognised professional bodies (RPBs) setting out standards and guidance notes for the safeguards which Securities and Investments Board (SIB) will expect those bodies to incorporate in their rules and maintain so as to afford protection to investors. The SIB looks to SROs and RPBs to require that authorised firms:
Lessons from recent banking crises
Authors: Llewellyn David T.
Published: January 2008

In recent years major banking and financial crises have emerged in several countries. Banking systems seem to have become more crisis‐prone. Banks in many countries have very high levels of non‐performing loans, there has been a major destruction of bank capital, banks have failed, and massive support operations have been necessary. They have involved substantial costs: in some cases the cost has exceeded 10 per cent of GNP (eg in Spain, Venezuela, Bulgaria, Mexico, Argentina, Hungary).
Banking regulation and supervision in Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia: A review of banking sector reforms
Authors: Munzele Maimbo Samuel
Published: January 2008

This paper describes the problems of bank regulation and supervision found in Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, highlighting the institutional weaknesses facing bank regulators. It also reviews the recent banking regulation and supervision reforms designed to strengthen the regulatory and supervisory capacity of the central bank in all three countries and discusses the efficacy of the reforms in mitigating financial distress. It concludes that, while significant strides have been taken in all three countries, there is an important aspect of these reforms that needs to be addressed — the practical problem of differentiating between appropriate and inappropriate regulations for developing economies.
MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING FOR INTERDEPENDENCE
Authors: Hayes Sherman
Published: January 2008

Every institution tracks its financial resources and expenditures through a variety of ledgers, budget reports, account summaries, and files known as management accounting systems. While meeting the legal needs of demonstrating accuracy and integrity in the use of resources, these systems should also provide library managers with sufficient financial information for planning, analysis, monitoring and review.
LIBRARY IMPROVEMENT, REPUBLICAN STYLE
Authors: Alrutz Thomas
Published: January 2008

In this, the closing year of its tenure, the Reagan Administration seems to have moved slightly forward from its advocacy of zero funding for libraries. On April 18, 1988, Secretary of Education William J. Bennett submitted The library Improvement Act (LIA) of 1988 to Congress. This proposed legislation would completely replace the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) and Title II of the Higher Education Act (HEA).
AN OLD FRIEND IN NEW CLOTHES
Authors: Clark Phil
Published: January 2008

Regular readers of this column will know that I've often touted Reflex (by Borland International), calling it an excellent choice for those wanting the number crunching capabilities of a spreadsheet and the data handling capabilities of a database manager. I liked it because it was cheap (normally available at discount for about $100), fast (all data are held in RAM), and did cross‐tabulations—something not featured on programs of this price. There were lots of other things I liked as well, including its ease of use by beginners and occasional users.
CHECKING OUT FINANCIAL PLANNERS
Authors: Schwartz Charles
Published: January 2008

Financial planning may be a leading growth industry, but it has little regulation. Although the majority of financial planners are legitimate, the potential for trouble is there. Almost anyone can hang up a sign that proclaims he or she is in the business. Even the number of financial planners in existence is open to doubt because the process of certification is so loose. As a result, the extent of enforcement actions and the amount of investor losses have increased considerably. Statistics from 1986 — the most recent data available—show that 22,100 investors lost more than $396 million in that year. We all need to be alert to the possibilities of fraud and to what to look for when a financial planner is sought.
PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS: THEY MAY AFFECT YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE
Authors: Hayes Sherman , Gabhart David R.L.
Published: January 2008

One hallmark of a profession is that it creates participatory organizations that offer educational opportunities, publish, and lobby in support of the field. These same professional associations also study and address problems and bring members together for sharing and networking. In the library profession we have several major national and international organizations such as the Special Libraries Association, the American Library Association, and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.
STARTING A FEE‐BASED SERVICE IN A RURAL AREA
Authors: Richards Diane
Published: January 2008

In order to serve the growing needs of the business community while maintaining service to its primary clients, North Dakota State University Libraries began a fee‐based information service. In its first year and a half the North Dakota Information Service to the Community has developed a policy statement, successfully publicized itself, and overcome initial resistance from portions of the community. It is now well established and is operating on a cost‐recovery basis.
SHOULD TELEPHONE COMPANIES PROVIDE INFORMATION SERVICE?
Authors: TUROCK BETTY J.
Published: January 2008

Since the breakup of AT&T, policy debates on the provision of information services—including broadband telecommunications and electronic information—has made news. For librarians, the issues have come closer to home in this decade, as court decisions and pending legislation have put the spotlight on whether regional phone companies should be allowed to supply information services directly. Now librarians are trying to develop a position that would favor library interests.
WHAT LIBRARY SERVICES REALLY COST
Authors: Tebbetts Diane R.
Published: January 2008

The current stringent economic climate requires library managers to be more systematic in cost analyses. Allocating costs to cost centers, determining costs per unit of service, and correlating costs to specific categories of users, helps ensure accurate analyses of costs, productivity, and efficiency. Along with cost analysis, assessment of service is a key component in the complete analysis, for cost and efficiency must be related to quality and effectiveness. In addition to discussing the general process of determining costs for specific library services, this article focuses on the cost center model in more detail, with a case study of the cost of a library's support for grant‐sponsored research.
DISASTER PLANNING: MANAGING THE FINANCIAL RISK
Authors: Fortson Judith
Published: January 2008

A disaster such as a fire, earthquake, hurricane, or flood can cause extensive damage to a library and its collection. Part of an effective disaster preparedness program is making sure your library will be able to absorb the financial risk should you need to replace or repair damaged materials. This article explores the various options for defraying the costs of a disaster, including self‐insurance, federal aid, and the different types of insurance coverage that are available.
LIBRARIES AND ECONOMIC CHANGE
Authors: MARTIN MURRAY S.
Published: January 2008

The state of the U.S. economy is causing some media pundits to issue gloomy reports deploring the decline of manufacturing and the concomitant growth of the service sector. There is no question that our economy is changing — and changing rapidly.
IN THE NEWS
Authors: Martin Murray S.
Published: January 2008

The needs and achievements of smaller libraries often are overlooked because the larger libraries tend to dominate the news. Nevertheless they have, too their success stories.
Information Assets
Authors: McGinn Howard F.
Published: January 2008

An organization's value structure is measured in terms of assets or lack of assets. Assets are items that have an exchange value. In a more strict accounting sense, assets are the resources of a person or business. Common types of assets are cash, equipment, real estate property, inventory, and good will. In the service industry employees are often described as assets to their company because their skills and personal contacts produce value for the firm. Information is considered an asset by organizations ranging from CBS or NBC to the Central Intelligence Agency. For many companies information is an asset, a type of raw material that contributes to the product development process. Information, of course, also may be that company's product. The concept of assets can provide a valuable way of viewing the management of a library.
A competency model for SME MANAGERS
Authors: Phelan Laura , Eustace Anne , Rush Dermot
Published: January 2008

The training needs of owner‐managers of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) have been consistently neglected by management development models. To address this lack of support in such a vital economic sector, researchers in Ireland have produced a bespoke, competency‐based personal development model.
THE NEGLECTED SUCCESS FACTOR
Authors: Graeser Valerie , Willcocks Leslie , Pisanias Nikolaos
Published: January 2008

Assessment and evaluation issues can critically affect the success and failure of outsourcing strategies. As pressure mounts on organizations to put their information technology in the hands of third‐party management a Business Intelligence study suggests many need to overhaul their evaluation practices or risk a costly wrong decision.
Machiavelli's legacy to public affairs: A modern tale of servants and princes in UK organisations
Authors: Harris Phil , Moss Danny , Vetter Nadja
Published: January 2008

Drawing on the work of Niccolo Machiavelli and his appreciation of management and power, this paper explores the contemporary role of public affairs in UK organisations and the type of roles enacted by practitioners. The paper reviews how public affairs and, particularly, the corporate lobbying function have been treated by researchers and outlines recent research into the role played by public affairs practitioners based within a number of leading UK organisations. This study forms part of a longer‐term research programme designed to examine the functioning of in‐house public affairs departments within the UK. The paper explores how the role of public affairs practitioners can be conceptualised and suggests that public affairs and corporate lobbying have gained increasing recognition as strategically important activities, particularly within the more regulated sectors of industry.
Property Taxation and Optimal Capital Structure in Real Estate Investment
Authors: McDonald John F.
Published: January 2008

In this paper the capital asset pricing model is extended to include the local property tax, the corporate income tax, and a borrowing rate that increases with the percentage of property value borrowed. The optimal percentage to borrow increases with the risk‐free interest rate and the corporate tax rate, decreases with an exogenous increase in the borrowing rate, and does not depend upon the property tax rate. REITs and limited partnerships have no incentive to borrow in this model, so other motives for borrowing must be posited.
THE CYCLAMATE BAM AND CONTINUING ISSUES IN FOOD ADDITIVE REGULATION
Authors: HOOP ELIZABETH L.
Published: January 2008

The 1969 Food and Drug Administration ban on the calorie‐free chemical sweetener cyclamate has received widespread comment from scientists, consumers, and politicians. This attention has focused on product safety, not on industry losses and regulatory costs. In contrast, the following analysis centers on the financial costs of the cyclamate ban, the incidence of these costs, and the broader economic questions of food additive regulation.
IMPORTS AND DOMESTIC INFLATION IN LATIN AMERICA
Authors: Cole Julio H.
Published: January 2008

In spite of the large volume of empirical evidence in favor of the monetary explanation of inflation, in many circles the phenomenon is still commonly attributed to other causes. A popular view, both at the level of financial press as well as in academic discussions, holds that the sustained and continuous rise in a country's internal prices is due in part, or even largely, to the increase in import prices. This view, which we will denote as the “import‐inflation hypothesis,” has many variants which are routinely stated in both official and private publications. Some variants stress the relevance of specific imports, particularly petroleum in recent years. The view is also reflected in the exagerated resistance to currency devaluations in countries with balance of payments problems.
VECTOR AUTOREGRESSION: A CRITICAL TOOL IN THE ARSENAL OF SALES RESPONSE MODELING
Authors: Leachman L.L. , Paksoy Christie H. , Wilkinson J.B.
Published: January 2008

This research applies vector autoregression to estimate a system composed of market share and relative advertising expenditures of the seven major competitors in the U. S. replacement passenger tire market between 1972 and 1983. The results of the study suggest that a company's market share in this market cannot be predicted from its relative advertising expenditures.
ARE THE CPI AND WPI APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO USE FOR TESTING THE PPP HYPOTHESIS?
Authors: Miller Dutton Marilyn
Published: January 2008

This paper evaluates the commonly used CPI and WPI proxies for the real exchange rate by comparing them to new measures constructed from a different data series of traded and nontraded goods prices. The tests provide mixed evidence in favor of using the general price indexes to construct measures of the real exchange rate.
Does the Maturity Mix of Government Borrowing Impact Municipal Bond Rates?
Authors: Chopin Marc C.
Published: January 2008

The possibility that government borrowing may crowd out private borrowing has been widely discussed in the popular press and extensively analyzed by researchers. The Clinton Administration's “Operation Twist,” resulting in increased reliance on short‐term securities to fund the Federal deficit, highlights the impact of the maturity structure of Treasury debt issues on interest rates. This paper examines the relationship between changes in the maturity distribution of Treasury issues and Moody's twenty year AA municipal bond yield. Briefly, I find changes in the maturity structure of outstanding Treasury securities Granger‐cause changes in the Moody's twenty‐year AA municipal bond yield. The results suggest that changes in the maturity structure of Treasury borrowing will impact the interest expense of municipal debt issues and therefore the rate of return earned by holders of municipal securities.
WHY DO LARGE U.S. BANKS OUTPERFORM THEIR EUROPEAN COUNTERPARTS?
Authors: Gart Alan , Pierce Edward M.
Published: January 2008

This paper examines the strategies and financial ratios of the largest U.S. and European banks. Why are bank profitability ratios in the U.S. and U.K. vastly superior to those in Germany and Switzerland? Is this related to accounting, tax, economic, or regulatory differences, uses of funds, or management quality?
BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL COINTEGRATION PROPERTIES BETWEEN THE GERMAN AND CENTRAL EUROPEAN EQUITY MARKETS
Authors: GILMORE CLAIRE G. , McMANUS GINETTE M.
Published: January 2008

This paper examines bilateral and multilateral cointegration properties of the German stock market and the three most credible Central European candidates for membership in the European Union. The cointegration tests cover the time period of July 5, 1995, to March 27, 2002. The DAX is used to represent the German equity market and the IFCI indices represent the Central European equity markets. Application of the Johansen (1988) cointegration procedure indicates that there is no long‐term relationship between the German market and the Central European markets, either individually or as a group. The Granger‐causality test does reveal some short‐term effects running from the German to the Polish market but no reverse causality. Overall, the results suggest that neither trade, financial liberalization, nor the introduction of the Euro has yet had sufficient impact to bring these markets into a long‐term relationship.
ASSESSING BANK EFFICIENCY IN AN EMERGING MARKET: THE KUWAITI EXPERIENCE IN THE 1990S
Authors: DARRAT ALI F. , TOPUZ CAN , YOUSEF TARIK
Published: January 2008

Kuwait's banking system has experienced considerable difficulties in the past two decades due to financial and political shocks. In the aftermath of the Gulf War, government financial support re‐established confidence in the financial system, allowing banks to restore their balance sheets and increase profitability starting in the mid 1990s. This paper examines the performance of banks in Kuwait during the period of financial renaissance, 1994–1997. We provide an empirical assessment of the efficiency, productivity, and technological progress of banks on the basis of the Data Evelopment Analysis and the Malmquist Index. The empirical results suggest that Kuwaiti banks fail to optimally utilize a significant proportion of their resources. The sources of bank inefficiency appear to be both allocative (regulatory) and technical (managerial) in nature. The results also indicate that smaller banks in Kuwait are more efficient than larger ones, although all banks have improved their efficiency‐levels and experienced some gains in productivity.
THE EFFECT OF DIVERSIFICATION ON FIRM VALUE: A PRE‐ AND POST‐ DIVERSIFICATION ANALYSIS
Authors: HYLAND DAVID C.
Published: January 2008

Although there are theoretical costs and benefits to corporate diversification, there is ample empirical evidence that the stock market views the costs to outweigh the benefits (Lang and Stulz (1994), Berger and Ofek (1995), Servaes (1996), etc.) These studies are cross‐sectional studies which compare diversified firms to specialized firms and examine valuation multiples. The studies find that diversified firms have lower valuation multiples than specialized firms. This is called the diversification discount. In this paper, a sample of U.S. firms which are specialized and then become diversified are examined. We do not find evidence of a long‐term reduction in firm value associated with diversification.
Statement of Human Resources, 1994
Authors: AB TELIA
Published: January 2008

Through this example from Telia (the Swedish National Telecommunicating Company), with about 33,000 employees, the intention is to show how HRA has been practically applied in Sweden. Telia has published an annual Statement of Human Resources since 1990. This statement includes not only a more conventional human resources report, but also a profit and loss account visualising different human resource costs and a balance sheet including investments in human resources. Except for the balance sheet, it is a typical application of HRA in Sweden. Many of the key ratios are visualised with graphs which are excluded in the following text.
An Improved Method for Estimating Utility
Authors: JUDIESCH MICHAEL K. , SCHMIDT FRANK L. , MOUNT MICHAEL K.
Published: January 2008

Recently, we (Judiesch, Schmidt, & Mount, 1992) concluded that the Schmidt et al. (1979) SDy estimation procedure results in downwardly biased estimates of utility. This conclusion led us to propose a modification of the Schmidt et al. method that involves estimating SDy as the product of estimates of the coefficient of variation (SDy/ Y) and an objective estimate of the average value of employee output (Y). The present article reviews the rationale underlying our conclusion that this modification of the Schmidt et al. method of estimating SDy results in more accurate estimates of SDy, and hence, utility.
Reduced Working Hours and Extended Operation Hours: A Profitable Change to a 6+6‐Hour Shift Model in Essilor Oy
Authors: OLSSON BIRGITTA
Published: January 2008

In this article, the author discusses the implications of a 6+6‐hour model for the production economy of the Finnish Company Essilor Oy. The theory of returns to scale has been used to analyse the results of the change from one 8‐hour shift to the 6+6‐hour‐shift system. It is shown that the company Essilor attained a better production economy and increased profit by introducing a 6+6‐hour‐shift system in one of their departments. The operation time increased by 72%. The wages per month were unreduced and seven new persons were recruited.
Towards a Theory of Implementing the Balance Scorecard: A Study in Association with the Swedish Telecommunication Firm Ericsson
Authors: OLSSON BIRGITTA , KARLSSON MAJVOR , SHARMA ELLEN
Published: January 2008

There are several ways to implement and work with the Balanced Scorecard (BSC). The company Ericsson Data AB was one of the pioneers in employing the BSC in Sweden. As early adopters, they were interested in obtaining an evaluation performed by external researchers. We were fortunate to have that opportunity. During the autumn of 1998, Majvor Karlsson and Ellen Sharma had full access to the developmental department dealing with the implementation of BSC at the company. The present article is based on interviews with managers and developers with the aim to determine how the BSC was implemented and how it functions in the day‐to‐day life of the company. The BSC model introduced in Ericsson was given the name Cockpit. As one might expect, implementing BSC requires a great deal of time and energy. We found that it resembles the process in other organisational changes as well. In our research, we found that there were many aspects of the implementation of BSC with which we could interpret and explain our observations with the help of theories of organisational change. Our findings led us to formulate a theory concerning the implementation process of the BSC. It was a relief to discover that we could use a method that allowed us to listen and learn from the persons involved in the implementation process at Ericsson Data.
Impact of Strategy, Human Resource Management, Budgeting and Participation on Return on Assets
Authors: PARKINSON JOHN , TAGGAR SIMON
Published: January 2008

This study looked at the impact on return‐on‐assets (ROA) of aligning budgeting and human resource management (HRM) practices with strategy. A Lisrel model was tested on 79 large Canadian and U.S. firms. Although HR policy alignment was positively associated with ROA, budgetary alignment was only positively associated with ROA in conjunction with process participation. That is, organisations performed best when the budgets were aligned with the mission of the organisation and numerous levels of the organisation had the opportunity to participate in strategy formation. Furthermore, aligned budgets did not ameliorate the negative affects of implementing a non‐participatory process of strategy formation.