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Following the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), details from the submissions of each institution were made available to the public for the first time via the Internet, thus facilitating a greater degree of scrutiny of the results than had hitherto been the case. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on the publishing patterns of UK academics by examining the accounting education submissions to the RAE 2001. The paper begins by discussing the RAE process in the UK and the findings of prior literature on publication patterns within accounting research in the UK in order to contextualise the examination of the RAE submissions in accounting education. In particular, the dominance of refereed journals over other publication outlets, the increasing prevalence of co-authorship and the characteristics of publishing academics are examined. The paper then reports on the methods used to analyse accounting education research submitted to the RAE 2001 and discusses the main findings. The implications of these findings are discussed in the concluding section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professional progression and skills development are the main expectations of mid-career managers when enrolling on an Executive MBA (EMBA), yet it can be personal development (PD) that turns out to be the unexpected benefit of management education. Joining a growing number of voices making a case for personal development and self-awareness in management education, and calling for schools to incorporate it in the curriculum, this paper advances the case for personal development as a core Executive MBA module. The paper sets out the holistic rationale and philosophic principles used to design and deliver a course underpinned by curiosity and self-reflection on an EMBA in the United Kingdom, and presents empirical findings from a survey conducted among 230 students and alumni. These suggest that the focus on reflective practice and integration of PD promotes a richer and deeper appreciation of the value of reflection for lasting and sometimes unexpected personal growth. In addition, the raising of awareness of self also brings awareness of others, and develops critical thinking in application of the MBA at work. The paper concludes with a discussion re-evaluating the subject of tacit knowledge in reflective practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been much speculation about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism sector. Common narratives have variously depicted an unprecedented crisis, a time of opportunity for innovation and transformation and a chance to build a 'new normal'. The aim of this paper is to investigate how owners and operators of micro- and small enterprises in tourism and hospitality in the United Kingdom made sense of the pandemic and its effects on their businesses. Situated in long-term research engagements with the businesses, three interlocking interpretative repertoires emerged from the analysis of 16 semi-structured interviews conducted between March and May 2021. Participants did not share a progress-driven approach to business change, there was no evidence of a radical 'new normal' emerging and COVID was not perceived as a crisis. While these findings appear counter-intuitive, their principal contribution is as a valid counterpoint to policy and academic discourse about COVID as crisis and opportunity. Furthermore, they highlight the importance of developing more nuanced accounts of the tourism business during and relating to the pandemic. Terms like 'crisis' and 'opportunity' used by policy-makers, practitioners and academics only partially reflect the deliberative efforts and practical perspectives of owners and operators of tourism enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper reviews available UK evidence on (private sector) business attitudes to transport. It follows a 2008 review of public attitudes to transport, and provides an important frame of reference for considering business attitudes. Accordingly the current paper includes comparisons between public and business attitudes. There are some prima facie similarities between public and business attitudes in relation to congestion, the order of importance of transport attributes (especially reliability), stated conditions for support of road pricing, public transport, travel plans, telecommunications and some issues of reducing travel. There are, however, some differences also: transport concerns are less ubiquitous, less attention is given to the environmental concerns associated with road building and there is less attention to wider government goals such as equity, health, social welfare and the environment. However, both similarities and differences may be misleading, as research on business attitudes is less disciplined, and there are no well-established theoretical frameworks (such as exist for individual attitudes) for understanding attitudes, when applied to the corporate views of a commercial body. In essence, many of the business attitudes reports are framed as lobbying material yet, paradoxically, there can be considerable ambiguity attached to the meanings of business attitudes, that in turn can be partially attributed to doubts as to whether responses represent individual or corporate attitudes. As a result, it is very difficult, from the existing evidence, to interpret a clear and coherent view or set of views of business on transport issues. The authors suggest some protocols, with the aim of improving research methods that, if implemented, could help improve the credibility and clarity of claims to represent the 'voice (or, more realistically, voices) of business'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that there have been three distinct phases of enterprise policy in the UK in the past 30 years: the 1970s saw no effective enterprise policy ('policy off'); the 1980s witnessed an attempt to increase the number of start-ups; and the 1990s saw a concentration on 'business quality'. This paper looks at how enterprise has evolved in Cleveland/Tees Valley over the past three decades. It suggests--and finds--that businesses in the 1980s were more numerous but of lower 'quality' (even if the influence of unemployment is accounted for) than those from the 1970s and 1990s. This implies that we should be cautious about the value of policy attempts to increase business formation rates in areas such as Cleveland/Tees Valley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relations between small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and business associations. It identifies sectoral, local and national dimensions and reports survey results in Britain that evidence the range of services supplied and demanded. The paper reviews the theoretical understanding of how associations operate and how they can be expected to relate to their SME members. Using this framework the paper then assesses, largely using new survey evidence, the types of associations most relevant to SMEs, their characteristics, and their services. The paper concludes by arguing that SMEs are one of the least well represented groups of business, their interests are often likely to be swamped in association governance either by large businesses or by employee-status individuals. In general there are also limits to development of services through business associations, although there is strong variation between businesses by sector, location and size. The author concludes that contributions by associations through specific services to individual companies appears to be relatively limited. The chief contribution of associations to competitiveness of their member businesses appears to be their improvement of collective industry standards, e.g. through codes of conduct, information, collective events, benchmarking and management seminars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local government finance has recently been the subject of a review, three consultation papers, a White Paper and major reports from both the House of Lords and House of Commons. This article examines current and feasible changes to the system of local government finance with particular reference to the effects they have on marginal and average accountability. Council tax capping, council tax benefit subsidy limitation, business rates and capital expenditure are among the topics discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considers a possible future organization of local business and training support against the background of the British consultation paper `TECs: Meeting the Challenge of the Millennium.' Impact of the 1964 Industrial Training Act on employers; Status of unemployment in 1987; Achievements of the Training and Enterprise Council documented in the paper.

Background: The European Disability Strategy (2010-2020) seeks to significantly raise the proportion of people with disabilities working in the open labour market. The ERGO WORK project is a collaboration of academic and industrial partners in six European countries, focused on understanding and tackling barriers to workplace inclusion for workers with disabilities. Methods: This study sought to explore the perceptions and needs of stakeholders in terms of workplace adaptation to the needs of employees with disabilities. An exploratory online survey was completed by 480 participants across six countries. Results: The analysis suggests that workplaces could be further improved to meet the needs of employees with considerable scope for training within companies to raise awareness about employees' needs, employers' obligations and workplace adaptation. Conclusions: This snapshot suggests there is still a gap between intent and reality in workplace inclusion and further strategies are needed to improve the opportunities for employees with disabilities. The paper argues that ergonomics may have a key role to play in tackling these challenges and adapting the workplace environment and job design to suit the needs of individual employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Van Stel A. J. and Storey D. J. (2004) The link between firm births and job creation: is there a Upas Tree effect?, Regional Studies 38 , 893-909. This paper examines the relationship between firm births and job creation in Great Britain. It uses a new data set for 60 British regions, covering the whole of Great Britain, between 1980 and 1998. For Great Britain as a whole, no significant relationship between start-ups and employment creation is found in the 1980s, but there is a negative relationship for the 'low enterprise' area of the North East of England. For the 1990s, a significant positive relationship for Great Britain as a whole is found, but for Scotland, which focused policy on start-ups, a negative relationship is found. The authors feel this raises questions over policies designed to raise rates of new firm formation as a strategy for employment creation, particularly in 'low enterprise' areas. Van Stel A. J. et Storey D. J. (2004) Le lien entre la création d'entreprise et la création d'emploi: l'effet Upas, existe-t'il?, Regional Studies 38 , 893-909. Cet article cherche à examiner le lien entre la création d'entreprise et la création d'emploi en Grande-Bretagne. On emploie un nouvel ensemble de données portant sur la période de 1988 à 1998 et pour 60 zones britanniques couvrant toute la Grande-Bretagne. Pour la Grande-Bretagne dans son ensemble, il ne s'avère aucun lien important entre la création d'entreprise et la création d'emploi dans les années 1980, mais un lien négatif pour ce qui est de la zone dite 'à faible entreprise', à savoir le nord-est d'Angleterre. Pour les années 1990, il s'avère un lien positif important pour la Grande-Bretagne dans son ensemble, à la différence de l'Ecosse où la politique a porté sur la création d'entreprise et qui fait preuve d'un lien négatif. Par la suite, des questions se posent sur les politiques qui cherchent à augmenter le taux de création d'entreprise dans le but de créer des emplois, surtout dans les zones dites à 'faible entreprise'. Van Stel A. J. und Storey D. J. (2004) Die Verknüpfung von Firmengründung und Arbeitsbeschaffung: Gibt es einen Upasbaumeffekt?, Regional Studies 38 , 893-909. Dieser Aufsatz untersucht die Beziehung zwischen Firmengründung und Arbeitsbeschaffung in Großbritannien. Dazu werden neue Datenreihen für 60 britische Regionen benutzt, die ganz Großbritannien im Zeitraum 1980-98 erfassen. Für Großbritannien als Ganzes ergab sich während der achtziger Jahre keine signifikante Beziehung zwischen Firmengründung und Arbeitsbeschaffung, doch eine negative in den 'unternehmensschwachen' Gebieten Nordostenglands. Für die neunziger Jahre wird für Großbritannien insgesamt ein signifkant positives Verhältnis festgestellt, aber ein negatives in Schottland, das seine Bestrebungen auf Firmengründungen konzentrierte. Dies wirft Fragen betreff Bestrebungen auf, die speziell auf Anhebung von Firmengründungen als Strategie zur Beschaffung von Arbeitsplätzen abzielten, besonders in 'unternehmensschwachen' Gebieten. Van Stel A. J. y Storey D. J. (2004) El vínculo entre los nacimientos de empresas y la creación de empleo: existe un efecto Upas Tree ?, Regional Studies 38 , 893-909. Este artículo examina la relación entre los nacimientos de empresas y la creación de empleo en Gran Bretaña. Utilizamos una nueva base de datos para 60 regiones británicas, cubriendo Gran Bretaña en su totalidad, entre 1980 y 1998. Para Gran Bretaña en su totalidad no encontramos ninguna relación significativa entre las nuevas empresas y la creación de empleo en los años 80, pero sí encontramos una relación negativa para la zona de 'baja actividad emprendedora' del Noreste de Inglaterra. Para los años 90 encontramos una relación positiva significativa para Gran Bretaña en su totalidad, sin embargo, para Escocia, que concentró sus políticas en la creación de empresas, encontramos una relación negativa. Creemos que esto plantea cuestiones sobre políticas diseñadas a aumentar los índices de formación de nuevas empresas como estrategia de creación de empleo, particularmente en zonas de 'baja actividad emprendedora'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an updated examination of self-employment, concentrating in particular on the UK. It opens with some observations about the type of person who may be suited to self-employment and then provides a commentary and analysis of empirical evidence on incidence, demographic features and social trends. The article concentrates primarily on the multifarious ways in which 'economists' have attempted to analyse this data and presents a contemporary assessment of their findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rail disruption management is central to operational continuity and customer satisfaction. Disruption is not a unitary phenomenon – it varies by time, cause, location and complexity of coordination. Effective, user-centred technology for rail disruption must reflect this variety. A repertory grid study was conducted to elicit disruption characteristics. Construct elicitation with a group of experts (n = 7) captured 26 characteristics relevant to rail disruption. A larger group of operational staff (n = 28) rated 10 types of rail incident against the 26 characteristics. The results revealed distinctions such as business impact and public perception, and the importance of management of the disruption over initial detection. There were clear differences between those events that stop the traffic, as opposed to those that only slow the traffic. The results also demonstrate the utility of repertory grid for capturing the characteristics of complex work domains. Practitioner Summary:The aim of the paper is to understand how variety in rail disruption influences socio-technical design. It uses repertory grid to identify and prioritise 26 constructs, and group 10 disruption types, identifying critical factors such as whether an incident stops or merely slows the service, and business reputation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The opening of the Thai tobacco market, following action brought by the US Trade Representative under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, is seen as a key case study of the tensions between trade and health policy. Interpretations of the dispute cast it, either as an example of how trade agreements undermine national policy-making, or how governments can adopt effective public health protections compliant with international trade rules. As a UK-based company, British American Tobacco has been regarded as peripheral to this dispute. This paper argues that its close monitoring of the illegal trade during this period, the role of smuggling in the company's global business strategy, and its management of the relative supply and pricing of legal and illegal products after market opening provide a fuller understanding of the interests and roles of transnational tobacco companies and the government in this dispute. The findings have important policy implications, notably the role of effective governance in countries facing pressure to open their tobacco sectors, need to better understand corporate-level activities within an increasingly globalised tobacco industry, and need to address the intertwined legal and illegal trade in implementing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research on tourism and climate change has emphasised the contribution that the sector should make to the effort to reduce and stabilise greenhouse gas emissions. However, the tourism sector response on the supply side has been disappointing and highly variable between and within its sub-sectors. This paper addresses the knowledge gap on the willingness and capacity for tourism businesses to mitigate. Innovation is used as the conceptual framework. At the firm level, mitigation requires innovation, yet businesses innovate at different rates and hence their ability to contribute towards emission reductions varies. A cluster analysis is presented of over 400 accommodation providers from south-west England, a major UK destination region. Three distinctive clusters of small- and medium-sized tourism enterprises are identified based on how they innovated to mitigate climate change. The smallest (12%) had introduced a range of process and managerial innovations and was most forward thinking and active. A second cluster (23%) had introduced several process innovations but its approach to managerial innovations was both partial and confused. The largest cluster (65%) had mainly enacted straightforward process innovations but failed to introduce managerial innovations to measure, monitor and act on their environmental performance. Taken together, these data suggest that the contribution from accommodation providers to emissions reductions targets has been at best modest. Moving forward, greater analytical precision is needed if (this part of) the tourism sector is to be widely mobilised towards tackling climate change. Specifically, policy interventions have to be more effectively targeted at business needs and based on a more differentiated view of planned and enacted behaviour changes. One-size-fits-all prescriptions are inappropriate, arguably even counterproductive for encouraging the greatest level of mitigation activity across the widest range of tourism businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The participatory process within four case study organisations with a target population of high mileage business drivers is described. The aim was to work with drivers and their managers to co-develop intervention activities to raise awareness of musculoskeletal health in drivers, including use of the car as a mobile office and manual handling from the car. Train-the-trainer sessions were delivered in each organisation, along with the co-production of training materials. The effectiveness of these activities were evaluated using three sources of data: post-intervention questionnaires, interviews with organisation ‘champions’ and observations from the research team's diaries. The approach raised management awareness of the risks to drivers and was successful in affecting change, and as such, participatory research should consider the early stages of a project as part of any intervention activities. The research team also reflect on conducting applied longitudinal research in the field. Practitioner Summary:Raising awareness of the risks of musculoskeletal disorders in drivers who work from their vehicle is important. This paper reflects on research in the field and provides guidance on the participatory process and evaluating intervention activities. The participatory process was successful in affecting change at management level. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In order to determine how the interior of a car should sound, automotive manufacturers often rely on obtaining data from individual evaluations of vehicle sounds. Company identity could play a role in these appraisals, particularly when individuals are comparing cars from opposite ends of the performance spectrum. This research addressed the question: does company identity influence the evaluation of automotive sounds belonging to cars of a similar performance level and from the same market segment? Participants listened to car sounds from two competing manufacturers, together with control sounds. Before listening to each sound, participants were presented with the correct company identity for that sound, the incorrect identity or were given no information about the identity of the sound. The results showed that company identity did not influence appraisals of high performance cars belonging to different manufacturers. These results have positive implications for methodologies employed to capture the perceptions of individuals. Statement of Relevance: A challenge in automotive design is to set appropriate targets for vehicle sounds, relying on understanding subjective reactions of individuals to such sounds. This paper assesses the role of company identity in influencing these subjective reactions and will guide sound evaluation studies, in which the manufacturer is often apparent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the role of business networks, and especially on the ways in which formal and informal interactions among economic agents shape the tourist product. Local businesses are considered as agents who realize and/or create economic opportunities and develop new goals and strategies. Businesses are not viewed as independent entities, but as actors whose actions are embedded in structures of ongoing relations. As such, similar resources and activities based in rural tourism destinations do not necessarily have the same consequences at different times and places. Business networking is a crucial factor in organizing activities and resources at the local level, leading to spatially different levels of integration. Such differences are focused on here, using illustrative examples and findings from the case-study regions in the UK, Spain and Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are widely used by many of the top recruiters of computer science and business school graduates, providing significant business benefits when implemented effectively. While ERP concepts are taught within Universities from a theoretical point of view, few students have any hands-on experience of using an ERP system when they graduate. As a result, there is a significant gap between the way in which ERP concepts are applied in practice and the way in which they are taught in Universities. This paper describes the adoption of new, innovative material during 2006 which enhances two postgraduate courses taught at a leading UK management school and provides students with hands-on experience with an ERP system. It is argued here that this enhances their student experience, improves their employability and increases their 'readiness' for industry, thereby contributing to aligning the objectives of higher education institutions and practitioners. The paper also describes how a number of challenges to incorporating the new material within existing course structures were overcome, providing guidance for fellow academics embarking on similar ventures. Issues discussed include: coping with the uncertainty of new material, maintaining academic integrity and encouraging critical self reflection and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the influence of the business environment on the choice of strategy within the UK textile industry. The question raised is whether a more radical strategy such as Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) is required, as opposed to TQM, which makes incremental improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant body of literature suggests that enterprises in the public education sector may differ from 'standard production' market firms in important ways. Substantial government involvement is then legitimized. However, this literature often uses withinsector comparisons of school types, rather than cross-sector comparisons of the education sector with other sectors. This paper compares the structure of education enterprises and workplace practices with those in other industries, namely (the rest of) the public sector and the private sector. Key differences, particularly as regards staffing resources, between education providers and these other enterprises are identified from prior literature and then tested. Data from the UK Workplace Employee Relations Survey (1998) are used. Our findings show substantial differences in labour rewards and factor management in the education sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK's NJCC Code of Procedure for Single Stage Selective Tendering (now withdrawn) and its successor, the CIB's Code of Practice for the Selection of Main Contractors are criticized in the light of decisions of the common law courts with regard to regulation of the tendering process. It is argued that a new 'Tendering Code' should be produced in the style and format of a contract document which reflects not only the statutory regulation imposed on public bodies, but common law decisions of the courts. The nature of this tendering contract is explained as a means of regulating the tendering process. Issues discussed are: dealing with errors and irregularities found in tenders; dealing with non-compliant tenders; dealing with tender withdrawal prior to its acceptance or rejection; making provisions as to time for submission of tenders and dealing with late tenders; making provision for submission of tender by fax or other electronic means; making provision for evaluation of tenders received; and imposing or negotiating reductions in price with tenderers prior to acceptance. The paper concludes that the common law obligations placed on the owner to treat all tenderers equally and fairly arid to apply the tender conditions when evaluating tenders and awarding contracts seems to be good common sense and of commercial advantage, not only to the immediate parties concerned but also to the wider community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the prospects in Britain for investment by financial institutions in private rented housing. The first section describes the previous and the current governments'policies on private rented housing, the policy-measures established to revive this sector of the housing market and their impact to date. The second section describes housing investment trusts (HITs) - a new investment vehicle aimed at attracting financial institutions into the market- and explains where they fit into the policy framework. The third section discusses the evidence about the rates of return currently being achieved by private landlords, including BES assured tenancy companies. The fourth section describes financial institutions attitudes' to investment in private rented housing, including returns required, and the circumstances under which investment may be made. The fifth section presents the results of financial modelling of the returns which HITs are likely to earn. The final section assesses the prospects of financial institutions investing in the private rented sector, including via HITs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Ports Council carries out trade forecasting work as an aid to investment appraisal and port monitoring. The work reported in this paper emerged as a by-product of a project to develop a system for providing short-term forecasts of port traffic.[1] In the course of this project, UK trade data were analysed in considerable detail, over 80 commodity flows being distinguished. It was necessary to adjust some observations where known exogenous shocks had caused the level of data to be very different from what it would normally have been. The most obvious shocks which needed to be considered were UK dock strikes, although other disturbances may have had measurable effects on trade. Examples are the 1966 Seamen's strike, the 1971 Postal workers' strike which affected the recording of trade flows by delaying the receipt of documents, and dock strikes in other countries, particularly the USA and Canada. This paper concentrates on the analysis of the effects of three major UK dock strikes.
It is axiomatic that a dock strike will have an effect on trade during the course of the stoppage, as no traffic can move if there are no dock workers to handle it. There is, however, scope for empirical research in determining whether trade is lost due to a strike or merely delayed. If it is lost, what is the magnitude of the loss? If it is delayed, for how long is it delayed? Are there any differences in the effects experienced by different types of commodity? Are exports affected more or less than imports? Sensible answers to these questions were needed in order to smooth out the effects of shocks on the data series.[2] This paper records the research undertaken to investigate these problems and provides some answers and quantitative estimates for a wide range of commodities covering the whole of UK international trade other than trade in fuels and foodstuffs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the business history of Sutherland family. The wealth of the Sutherland family was exercised in influential ways in nineteenth century Great Britain. It had a crucial effect on changes in transport technology in Lancashire; by this wealth was accumulated one of the finest private collections of fine art in Europe; it was employed with traumatic and transforming consequences in the Scottish Highlands; it sustained at least five major aristocratic houses including one which rivalled the royal establishment, itself; it was capital, which helped to improve agriculture on two leading Midland estates to a high peak of efficiency; it maintained a level of sheer consumption, which employed large numbers of servants and providers; it was wealth which flowed, often eccentrically, into unusual parts of the British economy, and to the rest of the world; and it subsidized the lives of a large circle of relatives in the Sutherland family. The purpose of the paper is to establish more clearly than before and for a longer period, some of the dimensions and origins of the great wealth of the Sutherland family. It seeks also to explore some of returns yielded by its investments.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including a survey of business-to-business (B2B) electronic trading, global positioning systems (GPS), and the use of computer-based testing (CBT).

The article presents abstracts of various papers published in the journal Accounting Education. The paper Ethical Sensitivity of British Accountants: An Intra Profession Comparison by A.I.M. Fleming suggests that accountants have a relatively low level of moral maturity. The study takes as its point of departure the fact that in Great Britain there are a range of professional accountancy bodies who recruit and train in quite different ways. The paper sought to explore if there are differences in the ethical perceptions and maturity among the different types of accountants in Great Britain. The paper Shaping the U.S. Academic Accounting Profession: the American Accounting Association and the Social Construction of a Professional Elite by T.A. Lee addresses the issue of academic accounting research. The development of academic accounting research is observed in the competitive environment of the university field of social space. Using the history of the American Accounting Association as an empirical foundation, the analysis identifies the existence of an elite group of researchers within the U.S. accounting education community and its facilitation by the Association.

Obtaining food safety certification is essential for food manufacturers. Potential barriers to obtaining certification are complex, interrelated and broadly relate to, 'knowledge and skills', 'time, cost and resources', and 'communication and access to information'. This study aimed to explore requirements for support to enable food manufacturers in Wales to overcome identified barriers. Food manufacturers (n = 37) participated in group discussions (n = 2) and completed online-questionnaires (n = 29). Support mechanisms, perceived necessary to obtain food safety certification included; funding for training and audit-fees, support for implementing food safety scheme documentation, on-site support through mentoring/coaching and pre-audits. Findings identify the need for a food safety scheme certification support package pathway incorporating online, off-site, on-site and financial support to assist food and drink manufacturers obtain third-party food safety certification. Such assistance would support three critical areas. Findings may inform development of support mechanisms to increase uptake of food safety certification and accelerate food-sector growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the business history in Great Britain. Use of plantation profits in industrial capital formation; Impact of slavery on the Industrial Revolution; Concerns of historians for business activity.

Analyzes the business practice in Great Britain. Theory of manufacturing management; Key aspects of the core manufacturing process; Gap between best practice and actual practice of companies in Northeast and Great Britain.

It is increasingly essential for food manufacturers to have food safety certification. Little is known about certification in the Welsh food industry. This study aimed to explore perceptions of Welsh manufacturers regarding the drivers, benefits and barriers to obtaining certification. Focus groups with manufacturers and stakeholders (n = 68) were conducted. 'Customer requirement' and 'product safety' were drivers for obtaining certification. Benefits related to 'food safety culture', 'supply chain security', 'brand protection', 'due diligence', 'business growth' and 'job security'. Barriers were complex, often interrelated and were broadly defined as, 'knowledge and skills', 'time, cost and resources', and 'communication and access to information'. The research identifies the need to explore requirements for support to enable food manufacturers in Wales to overcome identified barriers. Such data may inform the design and development of support mechanisms to increase uptake of food safety certification and accelerate food sector growth in-line with Welsh Government aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the concept of a partnership between parents and schools or parents and teachers. The concept, for almost two decades in Great Britain, has been written into policy documents such as home-school agreements and homework programmes without the term being adequately questioned. In the emphasis on partnership, the English Conservative Governments of the last two decades have invoked a network of metaphors and within it a language and symbol system to drive forward ideological change. It has been proposed in this articles that the partnership metaphor has been inappropriately invoked from a business lexicon and, it doesn't suits the school and home-school context, potentially does damage to those it claims to involve. It has also been added that partnership is persistent and is used to drive ideological initiatives at the expense of those whom it suggests it serves. A business partnership may be appealing to managers in education, however, they must understand that the practice itself holds implicit rigour and responsibilities.

In this paper we argue that the influence of advertising upon the inter-product distribution of demand is a system-wide phenomenon which is investigated better through a demand equation system rather than through single equation methods. Attention is focused upon a dynamic version of Deaton and Muellbauer's AIDS model modified to include advertising terms. Within this framework, and using data on consumers' non-durable expenditures in the UK, we carry out a preliminary test of Galbraith's hypothesis that advertising may affect the composition of aggregate consumer demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the new Business History Unit in London, England. Professor Leslie Hannah who is Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, took up the Directorship of the Business History Unit on a part-time basis from August 1, 1978. This will become a full-time appointment, of professional status, on January 1,1979. A second post in the Unit was advertised at the end of September 1978 and further posts will be advertised during 1980. The idea of the Unit dates back to the period 1972 to 1973 when professor L.S. Pressnell, professor T.C. Barker and professor W.J. Reader got together to discuss how best to move from the writing of company history, which had made such great strides in Great Britain during the previous fifteen years, to the broader study of business history itself. There was general agreement that Business History was a branch of academic study, which had been rather neglected by British universities. It was agreed from the outset that the relation of science and technology to the growth of industry should form part of the proposed Unit's activities.

A growing number of companies are offering digital products and services for use in funerals. Drawing on interdisciplinary research in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, we explore how funeral directors operate as intermediaries for these digital products and services. We critically examine the popular framing of the funeral industry as a "conservative" business and examine how funeral directors actively mediate between their clients and the companies offering innovative products and services. This study provides an account of current developments in the funeral economy as well as a broader narrative about how funeral industry professionals have engaged with technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, a new wave of hyperlocal community news websites has developed in the United Kingdom (UK), with many taking advantage of new opportunities provided by free open-source publishing platforms. Given the trend in the UK newspaper industry towards closure and retrenchment of their local and regional press titles, it is perhaps understandable that policy-makers have shifted their gaze to these sites. This article examines the viability of hyperlocal news services with a particular focus on those that are independently owned and managed. Such operations often have a longevity that sits in contrast to a number of failed attempts by major media organisations to operate in the hyperlocal space. Yet many of the business models that underpin these sites seem precarious, often benefiting from a degree of self-exploitation. Drawing on 35 interviews with hyperlocal news publishers from across the UK, this article argues that publishers draw upon a civic discourse in order to make sense of their practice. This framing may limit the potential to develop economic sustainability and risks alienating policy-makers keen to work with an idealised “fictive” hyperlocal entrepreneur. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

London's workhouses bought vast quantities of provisions to feed and clothe their pauper populations. This article explores the business of supplying these institutions. Several large suppliers dominated the markets for goods required in bulk. These businesses also sold to other institutions such as hospitals, barracks and prisons. But poor law unions were also keen to buy from smaller local suppliers such as high-street retailers. This can be seen in the provisioning arrangements of a central London union, St Saviour Southwark, and a peripheral parish, St John Hampstead. Guardians wanted to keep rates low by buying from large dealers, but also liked to keep the poor rates circulating within the local economy if possible. There was not a significant geographical variation in pricing across London, but some suppliers charged different amounts to different unions. Possible reasons for these disparities include transport costs, sizes of orders, the quality of goods and anti-competitive behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This examination of a late-Georgian businesswoman, Barbara Ford of Ashbourne in Derbyshire, utilises an extensive but partial and fragmentary range of contemporary sources to demonstrate the significance of a familial network and its commercial undertakings in one woman's enterprise. The activities of Barbara's prosperous family, and its ability to exploit the changing economic circumstances of the age, were not lost on the newly-widowed Mrs Ford. It was not inevitable that she should enter the commercial world but her actions, viewed in the light of her extended familial network, are entirely consistent with their extensive business interests. The research places Barbara Ford in a local and provincial world where commercial success depended as much on interpersonal communication and reputation as it did upon business acumen. Rather than regarding Barbara Ford as an outlier, an atypical woman of middle-rank, forced into a commercial world by economic necessity, the evidence is strongly suggestive that her decision to continue her husband's business was guided by choice. Her reputation in the community was enhanced, not diminished, in consequence. Most of all, the research demonstrates female agency: the strength, skill, and determination of one woman to negotiate her way in an age that placed so many limitations on the lives of women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free and open source software (FOSS) solutions are not only considered to be a disruptive force in the proprietary software industry but have helped firms deliver efficient and proficient processes and position themselves in global supply networks. The purpose of this study was to conduct an investigation of FOSS adoption in firms operating in high-velocity environments and identify factors that have an impact on the adoption process. Primary data were gathered from a cluster of firms operating in a high-velocity environment. The results provide an insight about the FOSS adoption process to both practitioners and academics alike. Our results indicate that performance attitude of managers, data regulation and facilitating conditions are important determinants of a firm's behavioural intention (BI) to adopt and use FOSS. Interestingly, influences from social and organisational domains have little effect on a firm's BI to adopt FOSS solutions. Overall, the article provides a structure to FOSS adoption which is relevant to managers and academics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the author analyzes an original case study of an enterprise IT architecture function in a large federated U.K.-based global pharmaceutical company. He uses alignment theory to identify a close relationship between enterprise IT architecture and IT strategy from an organizational viewpoint and demonstrates how a number of factors, especially structure, influence and in particular inhibit the contribution of the architecture function. The author offers practical insights into how architects cope with the tensions that arise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-migrants played an important role within port-city merchant communities, but the contribution of German-born merchants to Liverpool's development in the nineteenth century has been largely ignored. This article has four interrelated objectives. First, it establishes the size and composition of the German merchant community in terms of the place of birth, occupational classification, length of residence, and relative wealth of German-born merchants. Secondly, it measures the degree of acculturation and integration based on a range of indicators including choice of bride, child- and house-naming practices, the employment of fellow nationals, and the acquisition of British citizenship. Thirdly, it analyses their role within Liverpool society, focusing on their involvement in the city's associational networks, their participation in voluntary and charitable associations, and their entertainment profile. Finally it assesses how the growth of German nationalism after 1871 and the institutional role of the German Protestant Church reinforced ethnic identity, influenced decisions relating to citizenship and settlement, and affected business networking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on what appears from the surviving records to have been the most troublesome of the new Bank of England's functions: the telling of money. The Bank's tellers had a complex job and the mistakes they made often proved costly, thus careful consideration was given to the means by which errors could be limited and servants incentivised to perform at their best. The methods used to motivate the tellers and manage the department, therefore, can reveal much about the men who implemented Britain's financial revolution and can give insights into the reasons for the Bank of England's business success and subsequent longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the Roman trade with South India. It states that there was a stream of Roman gold coins found in hoards all over South India, and Roman pottery that has turned up in port Alagankulam. It states that Muziris and the Malabar coast emerge as central to Roman interests in India, especially for pepper, which has been found on archaeological sites all over in Germany and Britain. It states that references in the Tamil literature to developments of the land and land relations with consequent effects on tribal structures.

Industrial relations were reconstructed in the UK in the 1970s, but only in a limited way. This article examines how business preserved ultimate managerial prerogative in the organisation of the firm and the workplace by constraining the process of reconstruction. The analysis contributes to understanding of business in the 1970s and varieties of capitalism literature on comparative political economy by suggesting that changes in industrial relations were accepted by business only where congruent with corporate strategy. Evidence comes from industrial relations surveys and the Bullock Inquiry on board-level worker participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the diversity of business history and related periodical literature in Great Britain from 2005 to 2007. The author focuses on the international banking and financial business sectors of business. Contributing factors, including corporate governance, industrial relations, and trade, are examined. Europeanization is discussed. Studies related to corporate social responsibility, occupational safety, as well as a study comparing the business history of the U.S. to that of Great Britain are also mentioned.

Most research into the early telephone system has focused on telephone providers rather than users, and this article begins to address that imbalance. The telephone was initially used to improve internal communications within firms, by connecting offices with warehouses, or by enabling staff working away from the office to report back. With the expansion of exchange networks, the commercial, intermediary and brokering sectors became heavy users of the technology for routine information transfer within business districts. Business elites continued to favour face-to-face contact for strategic business negotiations, however, and delegated telephone use to their employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successive British governments have encouraged young people to accumulate skills and attributes that would enable them to obtain jobs in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as develop careers in enterprise. This article evaluates the contribution of the 1994 Shell Technology Enterprise Programme (STEP) that subsidised the placement of students in SMEs. In 1997, responses were gathered from STEP students as well as a control group of non-STEP students. The human capital profiles of students reporting full-time employment positions in smaller private firms as well as those reporting a favourable attitude towards self-employment or business ownership were ascertained. Participation in the programme was not found to be significantly associated with the selected outcomes. Skills and attributes honed by the programme were, however, significantly associated with the selected outcomes. Policy-makers need to appreciate that the skills and attributes reported by students associated with the propensity to obtain employment positions in smaller private firms are not the same as those associated with the propensity to report a favourable attitude towards self-employment or business ownership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years social economists have been utilizing a broader than conventional perspective for examining the behavior of economic agents. While traditionally the focus has been on the one-dimensional maximizing “individual with this newer approach the focus is on the multidimensional “person.” Thus the name “Personalist Economics.” Long ago the British writer Thomas Carlyle devoted volumes of pages to the sorts of topics and issues that are prominent in the personalist approach. Here are explored some areas of overlap between Carlyle's and today's personalist perspective, and some questions that might be raised about the two approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business communities have major concerns with the implementation of road user and workplace parking charges, and this contribution will help to overcome the paucity of research in this area. Close dialogue interviews in Nottingham revealed that fears regarding economic impact are based on scepticism and lack of confidence in the ability of government to spend revenues wisely. Business may also be as much concerned with fairness and equity issues associated with charging, and with its expected administrative irritations and aggravations, as with the potential for economic displacement. These findings suggest that successful implementation of schemes may depend on clearer articulation of how red-tape will be avoided, and how charging increases the ability to deliver improved transport infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the innovation process in an important leisure-based industry in Great Britain since 1960. It explores the peculiar juxtaposition of social, economic, technological, and sporting forces, which provided the springboard for a number of British outdoor companies, including Karrimor, Berghaus and Mountain Equipment, to become leading international brands. More particularly, it highlights the way innovations were developed in relatively small entrepreneurial firms. The prime focus is on the way in which networking activity underpinned innovation and, by implication, the competitive advantage of firms. To achieve this, it also traces the bridges within the supply chain and, by exploring the relationship between innovation and markets, places an emphasis on products and their design. The small companies of the British outdoor trade were able to achieve high levels of innovation through a combination of personal knowledge and networks. The environment itself--with buoyant, emerging, and changing markets--encouraged innovation, which in turn was inseparable from sporting advances. Networking behavior also evolved through time, with changes in market conditions, company profiles, and the environment. Personal networks were especially important in the 1960s and 1970, when firms were small and where owners were usually responsible for both designing and marketing.