bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Winning new product business in the contract electronics industry
Authors: Hunt Ian , Jones Roy
Published: July 2002

The electronics contract manufacturing market is growing and becoming increasingly competitive with original equipment manufacturers (OEM) expanding their use of contract manufacturers (CMs) to balance workload, lower operation costs and avoid manufacturing capital expenditures. Modern CMs are now expected to be involved in every aspect of an OEM’s product from concept design to customer delivery. This places increased pressures on the CM in terms of service to its customer and it is critical that all aspects of an OEM’s service requirements are determined in order to win business. Provides an overview of a process which may be utilised to capture and manage a customer’s main requirements and expectations from the early phase of contract negotiations to project implementation.
Manufacturing strategy, manufacturing seniority and plant performance in quality
Authors: Brown Steve
Published: July 2002

This paper examines three key factors that help to explain the differences between high and low performing plants in process quality. The three factors are: first, the seniority of manufacturing personnel within the plants; second, the involvement of these senior managers in the business, rather than being confined to the role of a production/technology functional specialist; third, the contribution of a manufacturing strategy which includes quality as part of its content and which feeds into, and forms part of, the overall business plan within the plant. The paper argues that these three factors help to maintain the strategic importance of quality and, consequently, help to explain the subsequent quality performance within the manufacturing plant. The conclusions are that two distinct groups emerge ‐ one, Traditional, and the other, Enlightened ‐ which are different in terms of attitudes, commitment to, and capabilities in, quality.
An objective approach for generating the functional specification of manufacturing planning and control systems
Authors: Howard Alexander , Kochhar Ashok , Dilworth John
Published: July 2002

Outlines an objective model based approach for the functional specification of manufacturing planning and control (MPC) systems. It is based on the premise that there is factual information (company characteristics and management concerns) which can be used to make recommendations about suitable functionality of appropriate MPC systems. A generic MPC system architecture, applicable to medium‐sized batch manufacturing companies, is used to organise the information within the model. The model describes the relationships between the inputs (objective company characteristics and subjective management concerns) and outputs (MPC functional activities). The functional activities have been defined at a level of detail which represents significant choices in functionality and are useful for the functional specification of MPC systems. The model provides reasoning which describes the relevance of the activities in individual cases. Uses field studies to validate and test the elements of the model (inputs, outputs and reasoning). Uses the model output to create an outline functional specification at each of the field study sites. Concludes that the model can be used to obtain an objective view of necessary functionality in MPC systems in medium‐sized batch manufacturing companies. The output from the model can be used as the basis for the development of a final, detailed functional specification. Use of the model results in time savings.
Using simulation modelling for BPR: resource allocation in a police custody process
Authors: Greasley Andrew , Barlow Stuart
Published: July 2002

Presents an assessment of the use of simulation modelling to assist in business process reengineering projects. Considers the relevance of the simulation technique to modelling business systems and relates its use to the main stages of a reengineering project. Presents a case study of the use of the technique as part of a reengineering project at a police force in the UK. The use of simulation in reengineering is shown to be relevant in the areas of performance measurement, testing of alternative change strategies and communication of process execution.
A critical examination of the business process re‐engineering phenomenon
Authors: Biazzo Stefano
Published: July 2002

Few other managerial innovations have become popular as quickly as has business process reengineering (BPR); however, probably no other innovation has been interpreted in so many different ways either. This paper seeks to discover whether there is a conceptual core which both identifies and differentiates BPR from other practices adopted for organizational change and, also, what value it may really have. After illustrating how the concept of BPR, which was initially elaborated in the context of strategic management of information technology, has been ably reconstructed and transformed into the managerial revolution of the 1990s, this paper goes on to show how this reconstructed BPR cannot be considered to be an innovative and distinct approach to organizational change. Furthermore, it will be highlighted how BPR has served to spread a simplistic and Utopian vision of organizations and of organizational change, and how this requires careful reflection and re‐assessment of management fads.
Current practices of engineering change management in UK manufacturing industries
Authors: Huang G.Q. , Mak K.L.
Published: July 2002

The management of engineering changes (ECs) entails serious resource implications in all manufacturing companies, because nearly all the functions of the organisations will be involved. Indeed, these functions may be the sources and also the victims of ECs. Manufacturing companies have to cater for these ECs by adjusting their activities constantly. The robustness of manufacturing can be crippled by ineffective and inefficient management of ECs, irrespective of the advances in manufacturing technologies. This paper studies the current industrial practices in managing ECs in the UK manufacturing industries. The study draws reference from a comprehensive investigation carried out in 1996 within 100 UK manufacturing companies. Numerous aspects have been examined, including the systems, organisations, activities, influential factors, strategies, techniques, and computer aids. One major concern is the balance between the effectiveness and efficiency of the engineering change management (ECM) system. The findings reveal that guidelines for good ECM practices are required for the majority of the companies involved in the study. The study has also shown clearly that ECM has not attracted sufficient attention in research despite its industrial relevance.
Batch scheduling in a multistage, multiproduct manufacturing system – an application
Authors: Kadipasaoglu Sukran N. , Xiang Wenguang , Khumawala Basheer M.
Published: July 2002

This paper reports the results of our collaborative work with Changde Telecommunication Equipment Company (CTEC) which produces digital transfer control systems for telephone networks. The manufacturing operations consist of two principle stages of module production and system assembly. Critical system components are produced in the module production stage where high inventories were a major managerial concern. We studied CTEC’s module production system and proposed three modifications to reduce inventories and improve system performance. The current system and the proposed modifications were simulated and compared in terms of various operational and financial criteria. The simulation was repeated in its entirety under a high level of demand due to CTEC’s anticipation of increased market share. The results, endorsed by CTEC’s management, demonstrate that significant operational and financial benefits can indeed be realized using the proposed modifications. This study provides motivation for the development of concepts and methodologies that will be useful in future theoretical and practical research.
Admission scheduling in acute care hospitals: does the practice fit with the theory?
Authors: Gemmel Paul , Van Dierdonck Roland
Published: July 2002

Admission scheduling is identified as an important strategy to match supply and demand in acute care hospitals. During the last decades, many different theoretical models of admission scheduling have been developed, but only a few of them have reached the stage of implementation. Several authors have given some indication that there may be a gap between theory and practice of admission scheduling. In this study we try to describe this gap using a two‐stage research methodology: an extensive literature review in order to determine the theoretical functional requirements for a system that supports the admission scheduling decision and a telephone survey in order to learn more about the admission scheduling practice in Belgian hospitals. The study finds a large gap between the theoretical requirements and the practical application of admission scheduling in hospitals. In summary, most hospitals have not worked out an admission scheduling policy indicating which resources are critical in the scheduling process and how information on the availability of these resources can be captured.
A multi‐criteria data envelopment analysis model for measuring the productive efficiency of hospitals
Authors: Al‐Shammari Minwir
Published: July 2002

This paper seeks to measure and evaluate the productive efficiency of health‐care organizations (hospitals) using a multicriteria Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology. DEA is a special linear programming model for deriving the comparative efficiency of multiple‐input multiple‐output Decision‐Making Units (DMUs). DEA provides management with information regarding the relatively best practice hospitals in the observation set and locates the relatively inefficient hospitals by comparison with the best practice ones. In addition, it indicates the magnitude of these inefficiencies. The paper selects a set of inputs and outputs for 15 hospitals for a three‐year period. The hospital input measures included are: number of bed days, number of physicians, and number of health personnel. The output measures included are: number of patient days, number of minor operations, and number of major operations. The DEA models are solved using an IBM PC optimization modeling system called LINDO (linear, interactive, discrete optimizer).
Manufacturer selection and price negotiation for competitive wholesale distribution operations
Authors: Das Chandrasekhar , Tyagi Rajesh
Published: July 2002

This paper considers a new class of problems arising in the distribution side of supply chains. It considers cooperative market expansion and price negotiation by wholesalers and manufacturers in a class of franchise‐type distribution markets. For wholesalers, expanding the coverage of geographically dispersed markets while retaining profitability of business requires new levels of price discounts from manufacturers. Manufacturers, on the other hand, attempt to limit such discounts to maintain a resale price to retailers. A successful negotiation results in a set of spatial markets with appropriate wholesale prices for each wholesaler. A sequential method is proposed for this purpose, assuming that the manufacturers and wholesalers are co‐operative and they exchange relevant information. The suggested process uses two optimisation models and is illustrated with a case study.
Continuous improvement capability: assessment within one case study organisation
Authors: Kerrin Máire
Published: July 2002

Continuous improvement (CI) programmes have been recognised as one way of contributing to the productivity and efficiency within the manufacturing setting. However, the development of a sustainable CI programme has proved more problematic and in some cases fails to proceed any further than one‐off improvement activities. The research presented here illustrates the utility of Bessant and Caffyn’s framework for the development of CI capability, by assessing the structure of CI within one case study organisation. The structure of the CI programme and examples of CI activities provide evidence of the link to top down strategic business targets. The discussion suggests that the organisation has moved to a “goal oriented CI” where there is formal deployment of strategic goals through the structure of the CI activities and the relationship with business activities. Practical and theoretical implications of using this framework are considered.
Mathematics in economics: the competition point of view
Authors: Ramos Silva Joaquim
Published: July 2002

Begins by focusing on the rise of formalism in the post‐war period leading to virtual monopoly as far as the method of economic analysis is concerned, and on the main consequences of this process. After mounting criticism of formalism, internal as well as external, it is acknowledged that some signs of renewed interest in a non‐mathematical approach and in its potentialities can be observed, particularly in the 1990s. Moreover, it is postulated that free competition between different methods, as opposed to concentrating on only one, is the best framework for the progress of economics. In particular, it increases the possibilities for dealing with many economic problems in an innovative way. Finally, outlines a possible stage where the two main methods (mathematical and non‐mathematical) have a more balanced and useful role in the course of economic analysis.
Heinrich von Storch’s concept of the use of mathematics in political economy
Authors: Backhaus Jürgen G.
Published: July 2002

Heinrich von Storch (1766‐1835) can claim a very specific position in the history of political economy. Clearly steeped in Camaralist thought, due to his upbringing and later scholarly work in Russia, he was primarily interested in the nature and the causes of the wealth of a nation that he considered to be richly endowed with natural resources yet badly lagging in development and the creation of wealth. He therefore laid specific emphasis not only on the processes of production and circulation of goods, but in particular on the cultural environment in which the economic process can take place. From this vantage point, he developed a system of political economy in which he also addressed the issue of which role different methods could play. In this short article, his view on the use of mathematics or algebraic methods in particular is discussed.
Is Europe converging to optimality?
Authors: Kempa Bernd
Published: July 2002

This paper investigates whether Europe is converging towards becoming an optimum currency area. To this end, a structural vector autoregression with exclusively long‐run exclusion restrictions is employed on European bilateral real exchange rates, relative CPIs and real output to compare the incidence of the underlying shocks to aggregate supply, aggregate demand and the money market over time. Inferences on historical convergence are drawn for the EU15, the 11 countries originally participating in the European Monetary Union (EMU11) and the original members of the exchange rate mechanism of the EMS (EMS6). The results indicate significant convergence across the EU.
Changes in the degree of financial integration within the European Community in the 1980s
Authors: Holmes Mark J. , Pentecost Eric J.
Published: July 2002

Investigates the hypothesis of increased financial integration within the European Union (EU) based on an examination of covered and nominal interest rate differentials between March 1979 and August 1992 using cointegration and time‐varying parameter econometric techniques. Discovers evidence of increased financial integration from about 1983, although this is not universal for all countries within the EU. In particular the UK seems to have more financial independence, perhaps reflecting its non‐membership of the exchange rate mechanism, while Belgium is the country most closely tied to German monetary policy.
Regional determinants of foreign direct investment in mainland China
Authors: Chen Chien‐Hsun
Published: July 2002

Examines how the locational choice of foreign direct investment (FDI) is influenced by regional characteristics in mainland China, such as the potential for market share extension, labour cost differences, allocative efficiency, transportation infrastructure, and research and development capability. Empirical testing is conducted by the conditional logit model using pooled cross‐section and time‐series data. Empirical findings for the 1987‐1991 period indicate that the variable for market share extension potential only affects FDI in the middle region. Surprisingly, labour cost differences do not affect the location of FDI. Interregional railroad connections are found to be positively related to the choice of location of FDI, but FDI may not necessarily locate near innovative Chinese industries.
Forests and economic welfare
Authors: Kant Shashi , Nautiyal J.C. , Berry R.A.
Published: July 2002

A single dimensional measure of economic welfare in terms of per capita income has neglected the contribution of the non‐timber benefits of forests; hence forests have not received their due weight in literature on the development process. Advocates a multi‐dimensional measure of economic welfare. Presents, at the global level, an overview of the contribution of non‐timber forest products and at the micro level a case study from India. Highlights a more complete evaluation of the contribution of forests, and focuses on the economic contribution of forest resources to household income, income distribution, and spread of income over the year.
Stackelberg and Cournot competition under equilibrium limit pricing
Authors: Haan Marco , Maks Hans
Published: July 2002

Proposes a model which shows that Stackelberg competition is not necessarily welfare‐ enhancing compared with Cournot competition. Shows that, although in a simple duopoly model prices in a Stackelberg equilibrium are lower than in a Cournot equilibrium, this is not necessarily true in an entry‐deterrence framework, where post‐entry competition is Stackelberg rather than Cournot. Derives conditions under which in this framework Stackelberg competition leads to lower expected welfare, in the case where demand is linear.
An inquiry into openness in international trade
Authors: Niroomand Farhang , Nissan Edward
Published: July 2002

The ratio of exports plus imports to gross national product may be viewed as a measure of openness in international trade. Constructs indexes for 1967, 1980 and 1988, using this ratio for cross‐country comparison of trade patterns. Analysis of variance and regression reveal that the patterns among countries differ according to levels of income, and that there was a trend towards convergence of the index in the late 1980s reversing an earlier trend towards divergence.
Modern macroeconomics and its evolution from a monetarist perspective
Authors: Snowdon Brian , Vane Howard R.
Published: July 2002

An interview with Milton Friedman in 1996 ‐ presents his reflections on some of the important issues surrounding the evolution of, and currrent debates within, modern macroeconomics. A world‐renowned economist and prolific author since the 1930s, Milton Friedman has had a considerable impact on macroeconomic theory and policy making. Associated mostly with monetarism and the efficacy of free markets, his work has ranged over a broader area ‐ microeconomics, methodology, consumption function, applied statistics, international economics, monetary theory, history and policy, business cycles and inflation. In the interview discusses Keynes’sGeneral Theory, monetarism, new classical macroeconomics, methodology, economic policy, European union and the monetarist counter‐revolution.
An alternative definition of the arc elasticity of demand
Authors: Vázquez Andrés
Published: July 2002

This paper presents a simple alternative measure for the arc elasticity of demand that comes naturally and possesses some attractive properties. In particular, it equals the point demand elasticity at some point inside the interval, thus leading to the exact estimations of demand elasticity when this is constant. It also yields narrower values that Dalton’s, Lerner’s and Allen’s widely used measures, and its relationships with the arc revenue elasticities keep exact analogy with those established for the point elasticity case.
The role of structural change in labour productivity convergence among European Union countries: 1970‐1990
Authors: Doyle Eleanor , O’Leary Eoin
Published: July 2002

New evidence is presented on the degree of aggregate and sectoral labour productivity convergence among 11 EU countries between 1970 and 1990. As with studies for other groups of countries, it is found that there is a greater degree of aggregate than sectoral convergence. Aggregate productivity converged at 0.9 percent per annum, with agriculture and manufacturing both diverging and only services converging (0.6 percent p.a.). We contend that structural change provides one explanation for this finding. When measured as changes in sectoral employment shares, structural change accounted for between 50 percent and 66 percent of the overall rate of aggregate productivity convergence among the EU countries over the period. Countries with relatively low levels of aggregate productivity benefited most from structural change.
Eastern Europe: the EU’s frontier – incorporation or regime competition?
Authors: McDowell Moore , Thom Rodney
Published: July 2002

This paper looks at some aspects of trade and investment relations between the EU and the countries of central and eastern Europe (CEEC). The approach used is based on a model of trade with, and development of, a frontier by a metropolitan economy developed by Ronald Findlay. Findlay’s model posits the existence of a monopolised supply of an input to the metropolitan economy. Development of the frontier enables the metropolitan economy to break the monopoly. The expansion of outward processing trade between the EU and the CEEC, a form of intra‐industry trade, is a notable feature of economic relations in Europe since the fall of the Soviet empire. This is modelled in the paper as a device whereby a supply side constraint (labour market restrictions) within the EU is relaxed by vertical disintegration of production and relocation outside the EU. This in turn has implications for the incorporation of the CEEC in the EU. While they remain outside the EU they provide regime competition, particularly in the area of labour market policy. The income distribution implications of this competition provides a political basis for moves to extend membership of the EU on the basis of the CEEC’s adopting the acquis communautaire.
Aligning parts for micro assemblies
Authors: Moll Mark , Goldberg Ken , Erdmann Michael A. , Fearing Ron
Published: July 2002

Orienting parts that measure only a few micrometers in diameter introduces several challenges that need not be considered at the macro‐scale. First, there are several kinds of sticking effects due to Van der Waals forces and static electricity, which complicate hand‐off motions and release of a part. Second, the degrees of freedom of micro‐manipulators are limited. This paper proposes a pair of manipulation primitives and a complete algorithm that addresses these challenges. We will show that a sequence of these two manipulation primitives can uniquely orient any asymmetric part while maintaining contact without sensing. This allows us to apply the same plan to many (identical) parts simultaneously. For asymmetric parts we can find a plan of lengthO(n) inO(n) time that orients the part, wherenis the number of vertices.
Building a better jazz recording collection on compact disc: a guide to current discography
Authors: Sinclair Bryan T.
Published: July 2002

An overview of the various selection tools currently available for building a better jazz recording collection on compact disc. Evaluative guides, select discographies, general reference works, reviews in periodicals, and World Wide Web sites are suggested to aid in this process. Together, these resources can aid librarians and media selectors in building well‐rounded collections that cover different styles and movements of jazz over the last century, from the latest reissues of albums of historical importance to the best in contemporary recordings. The author concludes with a list of 30 (or so) sound recordings that should be found in any core jazz collection.
Developing electronic resources at the KFUPM library
Authors: Al‐Baridi Saleh , Sajjad Ahmed Syed
Published: July 2002

This paper presents an overview of the development of electronic resources at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) Library. It will highlight KFUPM Library experiences in developing these electronic resources, which were essentially provided as an alternative/supplement to the print and microform collection, in order to satisfy the information needs with greater speed, accuracy and efficiency. The paper will also highlight the use of the KFUPM Library Web site and Internet to enhance the library collection, expand services, and improve operations to provide access to a growing array of internal and external electronic resources. Finally, the authors wish to share their experiences particularly with the library professionals of the Arabian Gulf region.
Preservation surrogacy and collection management
Authors: Edwards April , Matthews Graham
Published: July 2002

Reports on a Library and Information Commission‐funded research project, Developing a National Strategy for Preservation Surrogates, commissioned by the National Preservation Office based at the British Library, and carried out at the Centre for Information Research, University of Central England in Birmingham. The project aimed to develop a national strategy for preservation surrogates in the UK. Presents findings regarding collections suitable for preservation surrogacy and discusses the significance of the definition of “collection”. Examines the project alongside other relevant research and discusses it in the context of these other collection‐based initiatives; in particular, digitisation and access improvement. An outline of the “Draft Preservation Surrogacy Selection Criteria Checklist” developed in the project is provided, and the difficulties associated with recommending preservation surrogacy options for types of collections are considered. Presents recommendations for moving forward the development of a national preservation surrogacy strategy in line with other collection‐based initiatives.
Poster collections in the UK
Authors: Askew Liz , Hart Chris
Published: July 2002

This article reports on a survey of poster collections in UK information units. The authors describe the research and provide a brief guide to some of the major poster collections in the UK.
Continuing a legacy: collecting for a special collections library
Authors: Herrada Julie
Published: July 2002

A description of the Labadie Collection at the University of Michigan, that began in 1911, with a sizable donation from Joseph A. Labadie, an anarchist and printer, and has continued to develop as a special collection of materials on “social protest”.
Surveying faculty book selection in a comprehensive university library
Authors: Kuo Hui‐Min
Published: July 2002

At Kean University, a comprehensive teaching institution, the submission of new library book orders by faculty is a long‐standing practice. In order to identify and assess the academic characteristics of faculty selectors as well as the audience, purpose, criteria, and sources prioritized by faculty selectors when submitting new requests, the library conducted a survey. The survey results indicated that, at Kean, the faculty of Liberal Arts and faculty with 1‐5 years of teaching across all disciplines were the most active in their participation in book selection. The findings also showed that Kean’s faculty ordered books mainly for undergraduate students and teaching; and primarily used publishers’ catalogs and professional journal book reviews for selection sources. This research study provides measurable data and constructive feedback for a comprehensive university library to enhance and facilitate the faculty book selection process effectively.
A guide to selected and freely searchable bibliographic and full‐text databases on the Web
Authors: Hundie Kebede
Published: July 2002

There is a wide variety of information resources on the Internet. Most of these resources are globally accessible free of charge. However, Internet users are overwhelmed by the enormous amount of information on the Web and consequently, retrieving the right piece of information at the right time has become difficult, especially for new users. This paper briefly introduces the Internet and its services; and describes a number of selected freely searchable bibliographic and full‐text databases on the Web, including their URLs. The well‐known databases, such as AGRICOLA, AGRIS, ERIC, MEDLINE and others, are included. The paper can serve as a reference guide to the databases that help Internet users find relevant literature, including indexes, abstracts and, in some cases, full‐texts, on various subject areas. The databases were selected based on their size, dependability, and coverage in terms of geographic areas.
Faculty priorities: where does material selection stand?
Authors: Jenkins Paul O.
Published: July 2002

Presents the results of a survey conducted to determine where library material selection stands in relation to other faculty duties. Limits the survey to one private liberal arts college faculty. Finds that material selection ranks fifth in a list of seven secondary faculty duties.
Using Choice as a collection assessment tool
Authors: Stebelman Scott
Published: July 2002

Examines the use of Choice, a selection tool for academic libraries, at the Gelman Library at George Washington University, Washington DC. Describes a survey into the value of Choice, the methods used and the results obtained. Looks into issues such as publisher group, acquisition of series titles and the frequency with which individual publishers were cited. Concludes that despite its limitations Choice is the best source an academic library can use in maintaining the acquisition program.
Consequences of change: the evolution of collection development
Authors: Rowley Gordon , Black William K.
Published: July 2002

Libraries have experienced dramatic adjustments during the past decade as new directions have impacted the role of librarians, the users they serve, and the product they provide. While attempts have been made to deal with the forces of change at the workflow level through implementation of technology and occasional organizational redesign, it is now time to re‐examine the role of libraries within a new paradigm of library service. An appropriate context for providing this examination is collection development, an area in which the impact of change has been less defined and more subtle. Summarizes changes that have impacted collection development and suggests an approach for the future based on a view of libraries as developers, designers, and managers of knowledge.
Job hunting on the Internet
Authors: Hooper Britta
Published: July 2002

Provides an introduction to the job hunting resources available on the Internet. Gives details of basic Internet navigation from the home page of The New York Public Library Internet site.
Developing a databased budget allocation strategy: The University of Arizona Library experience
Authors: Promís Patricia
Published: July 2002

The library literature provides numerous accounts of the efforts made in libraries ‐ particularly academic libraries ‐ to develop a formula for allocating the materials budget. Explains how, at the University of Arizona, a group of librarians responsible for information resources development and preservation took on the task of leading the library in all the activities associated with collection development. The design of a strategy for allocating the information access budget based on data regarding the needs of the library users is a crucial portion of this assignment. The resulting information will be used to guide the budget allocation process. Describes the steps involved in the first phase of the project and summarizes the plan for the next two phases.
Building a retrospective multicultural collection: a practical approach
Authors: Pettingill Ann , Morgan Pamela
Published: July 2002

Examines the contribution of the library to Old Dominion University’s five‐year strategic plan, which targeted cultural diversity as one of its eight objectives and included specific statements about library support of this goal. To meet its part, the library created a three‐pronged action plan for the selection of videos, development of guides to the collection, and an evaluation of the multicultural collection, the most extensive portion of the project. Explains the choice of university minority and international student populations to assist in prioritizing collection efforts. The actual assessment project was collection‐centered; project coordinators identified a series of appropriate bibliographies to compare against the collection as the most practical way to meet defined objectives.The resulting retrospective desiderata list identified resources (once funding became available) to improve both the depth and scope of the library multicultural collections with very little impact on staffing.
Assessing the functionality of the reference collection
Authors: Sendi Karen A.
Published: July 2002

Explains how reference staff undertook an assessment of the 30,000+ volume collection in an attempt to determine whether materials in the Carlson Library reference collection are useful to faculty, staff and students. Culled from periodical use studies, several qualitative and quantitative assessment methods were identified: a count of every item physically handled; short in‐house surveys administered randomly to willing library patrons; and a questionnaire distributed to a group of instructional staff. The assessment, which began in 1994, continues, and techniques are repeated as necessary. Additional techniques, such as in‐house interviews, will be implemented, giving the reference staff valuable information on the users and the uses of the reference collection. Maintains that the intermediate results have already impacted the materials selected, and predicts that the final results will aid in the development of a current reference collection management policy.
Building and maintaining an academic library pamphlet collection
Authors: Aked Michael J.
Published: July 2002

Describes how the pamphlet collection at the University of Toledo’s Carlson Library is built and maintained, centering on the Pamphlet Collection Manual, which was specifically written for the collection. Discusses the collection’s mission, arrangement, OPAC access, circulation, selection, ordering, online cataloging, processing, weeding and record keeping as detailed in the manual. Provides a review of the literature since 1970 on academic library pamphlet collections.
The Southern Media Resources Website (the University of Alabama)
Authors: Power Ann , Caskey Leigh , Clabaugh Jason
Published: July 2002

Describes a project at the University of Alabama conceived by the bibliographer for the College of Communication as a virtual center for Southern media in which scholars from various disciplines can engage in research in communication scholarship. Details the evolution of the idea from a grant idea for a physical facility to a cyber site for regional studies. Reports on the process a School of Library and Information Studies teaching assistant used in evaluating and compiling links in relation to a detailed outline of the communication field supplied by the bibliographer. Offers insights into online collection development (principles which guide selection and implications for Internet sources used to expand library horizons) as well as major considerations for design and construction of a useful Webpage for researchers. Theory and practice are combined in a new way of collection building which allows the extension of services across local, regional, national and transnational boundaries.
Collection development of Hispanic American materials
Authors: Dawson Patrick J.
Published: July 2002

Highlights the lack of comprehensive collections of Hispanic materials in the USA. Discusses how and why this situation should be remedied. Suggests suitable bibliographies as a starting point for collection building. Describes the assessment of a Hispanic American collection at the University of California, Irvine.
The virtual vertical file
Authors: Thomsen Elizabeth
Published: July 2002

Provides details of resources on the Internet which have useful information for reference librarians. The sites cover a range of subjects, which provide a starting‐point for a reference tour of the Internet.
Libraries as sites for contested knowledges: collection development in the area of Aboriginal studies
Authors: Moorcroft Heather
Published: July 2002

Discusses the complexities of singling out a specific group, such as Aboriginal peoples, to provide library services for, by using Northern Territory University Library as an example. Also discusses the need to re‐evaluate the criteria for the selection of materials, by taking into account value systems of other cultures and other ways of thinking. Takes a brief look at identity as a social construction and concludes that, while racial oppression exists, there will be a need to use categories such as Aboriginality.
Geographical information systems at Princeton University: evaluation and exploration of a new library service
Authors: Jantz Ronald C.
Published: July 2002

Reviews some of the popular Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and related digital data sources. Discusses the results of interviews with Princeton University Library patrons and others involved with GIS within the context of a potential GIS service. Develops a proposal for a GIS service for Princeton University with emphasis on the need for training and creating the digital collections that will be most relevant for the University.
The Beat Generation: a reference pathfinder
Authors: Klein Adam D.
Published: July 2002

Provides direction for researchers, collections developers, and other interested people to locate sources of information on The Beat Generation. Focussing on the primary period of Beat Generation productivity, 1951‐1960, and on the Beat Generation’s two principal milieux, San Francisco’s North Beach and New York City’s Greenwich Village, this pathfinder gives prominence to the works of the two defining figures of the Beat Generation: Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, whose seminal works, respectively Howl and On the Road, inspired a generation of “beatniks” and paved the way for the Hippie flowering and Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Emphasis is placed on the background, context, and impact of the Beat Movement, rather than on a critical analysis of their work.
Creating a consumer health information network
Authors: Ra Marsha
Published: July 2002

Describes how a consortium, consisting of City University of New York Office Library Services, METRO, the New York Academy of Medicine and New York Public Library received a TIIAP grant from the US Department of Commerce in October 1991, to demonstrate the power of the National Information Infrastructure to bring consumer health information to the broadest possible public. The partners demonstrated that libraries have a significant role to play in the implementation of Internet‐based services through their traditional roles of collecting, organizing and making accessible information of all types to the public at large. The site they created, NOAH (New York Online Access to Health) is user‐friendly and consistently organized and bi‐lingual (English/Spanish) which gives access to carefully selected authentic health information. The partners found that the cost of creating and maintaining an information‐rich Web site is not trivial.
Teaching English as a second or foreign language: an annotated bibliography of journals in the field
Authors: Allen Barbara F.H.
Published: July 2002

The field of teaching English as a second or foreign language has become increasingly important at colleges and universities. Academic libraries must provide TESL students and professionals with an adequate selection of journals in the field. This annotated bibliography and summary chart of TESL‐related journals will aid collection development librarians in evaluating and building their collection, provide TESL students with an overview of available professional journals, and help TESL faculty and professionals identify journals in which to publish articles.
Serials “derelegation” from remote storage
Authors: Hickey C. David
Published: July 2002

The quality of library selectors’ initial decisions about which titles to relegate to storage will determine how convenient patrons are going to find the arrangement. Some of these decisions will inevitably need to be reversed over time, as research interests evolve and mistakes come to light. If patrons request storage items frequently, circulation records can identify these items for possible return transfer. Monographs can usually be restored easily, but serials pose harder questions, since back runs take up so much space on the home shelves. At the University of Florida, each request for a stored serial volume is compared to previous requests from the same title. Examining clusters of years retrieved over time provides an opportunity to “derelegate” portions of a back run, rather than the entire mass, to the active collection. Such a transfer saves shelf space, and responds directly to users’ demonstrated needs.
The role of document delivery and collection management for an electronic user clientele
Authors: Gyeszly Suzanne D. , Carrothers Matt
Published: July 2002

Fee‐based electronic resources such as full‐text journals, databases, abstracts, and indexes are widely available for library users. However, scholarly books and reference sources are usually not available in electronic format, and particular disciplines are not significantly represented by available electronic sources. Traditional document delivery serves as a complement to electronic resources, and offers patrons timely access to materials not available in electronic format. The data represent document delivery requests during the academic years 1997‐1999 at the Policy Sciences and Economics Library (PSEL), a branch library of the Texas A&M University General Libraries. The requests were sorted by academic departments, user types, call numbers, and type of material. The statistics served two primary purposes. First, frequently requested items were ordered for the library’s permanent collection. Second, the data were compared to electronic resource usage statistics to determine which resources best serve the patrons. The statistics assisted the library administrators in making collection management decisions and projected short‐ and long‐term budgetary needs.
Universal transducer interface: specifications and applications
Authors: Li Xiujun , van de Goes Frank M.L. , Meijer Gerard C.M. , de Boer Rolf
Published: July 2002

This paper describes the typical specifications and features of a novel low‐cost and high‐performance universal transducer interface (UTI). The easy‐to‐use interface enables fast prototyping of systems with capacitive sensors, platinum resistors, thermistors, resistive bridges and potentiometers. It is shown that a high accuracy and reliability can be obtained by applying a combination of advanced techniques, such as, auto‐calibration, advanced chopping and dynamic element matching. Examples of smart sensor systems, using the UTI and the popular microcontrollers, Intel 87C51FX and PIC16C73, have been presented.
Advanced automotive sensors
Authors: Bogue Robert
Published: July 2002

Reports on a one‐day Institute of Physics seminar on new developments in automotive sensors for hostile environments. Provides details of the nine papers presented.
Evaluating managers’ performance in companies in transition
Authors: Cornuel Eric , Kletz Pierre
Published: July 2002

Perlmutter’s typology distinguishing between ethnocentric, polycentric, and geocentric management is considered classic. It recommends that multinational firms practise a form of globally conceived administration, regardless of the country of origin of its managers. However, an analysis of the phase of economic transition that Central and Eastern European countries have known since the end of the 1980s, demonstrates that the work market is a dual structure (dividing expatriate and local managers). This is largely due to the difficulty companies have in evaluating the capacity of their managers to work alongside the company objectives. Thus, even the structuring of the work market weakens the relevance of an approach of voluntary human resources. It also softens differences between ethnocentric, polycentric, and geocentric management.
Is it really a mediating construct?
Authors: Suliman Abubakr M.T.
Published: July 2002

This paper aims at exploring the mediating role of organizational commitment that continues to be one of the most controversial issues in HRM. Using a self‐administered questionnaire, 1,000 employees from 20 industrial companies were randomly selected and surveyed in order to examine this mediating role. The results revealed that organizational commitment and its two factors (normative and continuance commitment) play different roles in mediating the relationship between perceived work climate and performance, as rated by the employees themselves and their immediate supervisors. The implications of the results for both managers and researchers are also discussed in the paper.
Customer‐focused organisations
Authors: Baker Tim
Published: July 2002

The shift from product‐focused to customer‐focused organisational structures is motivated by the need to come closer to the problems the customer is trying to solve. This shift and the continuing demand for customer workers presents managers, human resource practitioners and workers with challenges that go beyond the development of customer skills. Customer relationship management is a mix of technical and human capacities. These challenges need addressing if companies are to continue to compete in a service‐based economy.
Situational leadership
Authors: Lee‐Kelley Liz
Published: July 2002

Shifting work patterns and increasing organisational cooperations have led to electronically integrated “unbounded” organisations and virtual teams. This study is pivotal in exploring the project manager’s leadership style and control in managing changing project boundaries and permeable interfaces. A survey of clinical research projects indicates that project managers are not overly affected by internal market mechanisms or constraints on face‐to‐face interactions. However, certain project variables such as project objectives, team size, frequency of team changes and project duration play significant roles in the relationship between the project leader and his/her perception of project difficulties. The study’s observations and conclusions are useful to the project owner/sponsor as well as the project manager; either might seek to select situations that would best match the manager’s inclination or style and to avoid projects that are likely to present him/her with situations that are counter to his/her default preference.
The Four Cornerstones and Three Pillars in the “House of Russia”
Management System
Authors: Bollinger Daniel
Published: July 2002

Examines Russian cultural values and discusses their implications for
management systems in Russian organizations today. Using Hofstede′s four
cultural dimensions, combines the conclusions and observations of the
author with literary references and proverbs. Gives valuable insight
into Russian mentality and, hence, into how their management systems can
be developed in the future.