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Management training and development is currently in vogue. There appears to be a growing belief in the benefits of investment in training and development. When a market is buoyant is the time to consider and anticipate the consequences of a future downturn in demand. Such a downturn in demand may demonstrate increasing pressure to “justify” investment in training and development. There is a long established academic body of knowledge on the subject of evaluating training and development. From research evidence and the authors′ experience, the sponsors and the providers of training and development pay scant attention to systematic evaluation of these activities and investments. It is the authors′ contention that when the market′s critical assessment of the value of training and development increases there will be an increasing interest in evaluation. An overview of the history of evaluation traditions is provided and the state of play is commented upon. It is noted that there is a shortfall between theory and practice. It is argued that evaluation is a worthwhile and important activity and ways through the evaluation literature maze and the underpinnings of the activity are demonstrated, especially to management. Similarly the literature on evaluation techniques is reviewed. Tables are provided which demonstrate areas of major activity and identify relatively uncharted waters. This monograph provides a resource whereby practitioners can choose techniques which are appropriate to the activity on which they are engaged. It highlights the process which should be undertaken to make that choice in order that needs of the major stakeholders in the exercise are fully met.

This paper seeks to discuss the Investors in People (IIP) initiative in relation to SMEs and to consider the value of IIP in helping to inculcate a learning culture within this sector.

A case study investigating the work of a Business Link (BL) in relation to IIP and SMEs highlights the conflicts advisers face in delivering the government agenda and in fulfilling the education and training needs of SMEs. The case identifies the particular challenges that the advisers face in trying to deliver a consultancy service to SMEs which is valuable to them and which also satisfies the government's requirement for commitment to and recognition of attainment of IIP. The research involved in‐depth interviews with IIP advisers at a Business Link which sought to understand the nature of their work, the methods they use and what they saw as the issues and challenges in meeting customer needs. The key issues regarding IIP generally, and in relation to SMEs, are elicited from the literature.

The research confirms previous studies detailing the difficulties in matching IIP requirements with the individual requirements of SMEs. It also highlights the fact that Business Links need to “play the system” in order to reach the government‐set targets. IIP advisers are caught in the undesirable position of trying to deliver a useful consultancy service (which may not lead to IIP recognition) to the firm and the need to achieve specified commitment and recognition rates.

While it is recognised that a single case has its limitations in terms of universal applicability, this example provides an aspect of IIP that has not previously been explored. The views of those charged with implementing government initiatives are rarely sought, although considerable research has been undertaken with the firms themselves.

This paper suggests that a more market‐led approach to education and training within the SME community might bring a more positive reaction to learning opportunities and a more appropriate targeting of government funds.

Investors in People (IIP), the government initiative designed to enhance organisation training and development practices, adopted a new standard in 1999, which focuses on the development of a “training culture” within an organisation. Previous studies of IIP have been conducted on firms accredited using the old standard, and most of these have focused on large firms. Few studies have examined the process of implementing IIP through the eyes of people within the firm and from the point of view of all organisation members. Likewise few studies have examined the process by which accreditation for IIP is achieved under the new standard in small firms where various pressures to adopt the standard may result in significant and wide‐ranging effects on existing organisation culture. This paper discusses the differences between the old and the new standard from a cultural perspective and explores the challenges and impact of implementing the new standard in one small printing firm, Checkprint Ltd, through the eyes of those in the firm. The paper considers possible changes required in the way IIP is implemented and evaluates the applicability of methods used by IIP to determine qualification for accreditation. The paper concludes with implications and recommendations concerning the implementation of IIP.

This case study aims to describe the work of a Business Link in relation to the promotion and implementation of Investors in People (IIP) with small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Its purpose is to highlight the views of IIP advisors with regard to working with SMEs and the appropriateness of the award.

The case identifies the particular challenges that the advisors face in trying to deliver a consultancy service to SMEs which is valuable to them and which also satisfies the government's requirement for commitment to and recognition of attainment of IIP. The research involved in‐depth interviews with IIP advisors at a Business Link which sought to understand the nature of their work, the methods they use and what they saw as the issues and challenges in meeting customer needs.

The research confirms previous studies detailing the difficulties in matching IIP requirements with the individual requirements of SMEs. It also highlights the fact that Business Links need to “play the system” in order to reach the government set targets. IIP advisors are caught in the undesirable position of trying to deliver a useful consultancy service (which may not lead to IIP recognition) to the firm and the need to achieve specified commitment and recognition rates.

While it is recognised that a single case has its limitations in terms of universal applicability, this example provides an aspect of IIP which has not previously been explored.

This paper suggests that listening to and consulting with those “at the coalface” could have considerable benefits in both ensuring that assistance for SMEs is appropriate and that funding is targeted appropriately.

The views of those charged with implementing government initiatives are rarely sought, although there has been considerable research undertaken with the firms themselves.

To describe an exploration in the use of synergistic learning methods in the delivery of an innovative pilot programme designed to teach entrepreneurship capacities. The programme took a tripartite approach involving nascent entrepreneurs, existing entrepreneurs and facilitators using an action research and action learning approach.

Action research methodology is used to provide insights in entrepreneurship andragogy. The programme is delivered in a collaborative, peer‐learning environment using synergistic learning techniques (action learning).

There is evidence from all participants for the usefulness of the learning methods employed; however there are challenges to using these methods in organisation applications.

The implications and challenges of using synergistic learning methods in organisation applications are discussed. Directions for further research into how such a programme could be used in the workplace are also presented.

The paper describes innovative and effective methods to teach entrepreneurship capacities that mirror the “real” world experience of existing and nascent entrepreneurs.

Little research has explored individual experiences of cyberbullying in working contexts. To start bridging the gap in our current understanding, we used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore individuals' shared experiences of cyberbullying encountered through work. In-depth interviews, conducted with five cyberbullied workers from the pharmaceutical, charity and university sectors, resulted in five superordinate themes: attributions of causality; crossing of boundaries; influence of communication media richness on relationship development; influence of communication explicitness and openness; and strategies for coping. Overall, some similarities emerged between cyberbullying experiences and traditional bullying research, yet the complexities associated with managing relationships, both virtually and physically, were central to individuals' subjective experiences. Practical implications in developing effective leadership and business policies to support virtual groups and manage behaviours are discussed.

This paper aims to present recently published resources on information literacy and library instruction providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering all library types.

This paper introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2016.

The paper provides information about each source, describes the characteristics of current scholarship and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.

The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.

All societies in the modern world are troubled by crime, and the general public is equally fascinated by criminals and fearful of criminal behaviour. In the United Kingdom, events such as the murders of Jack the Ripper, the Yorkshire Ripper and Harold Shipman, and the Soham tragedy, coupled with film and television programmes including Silence of the Lambs, Cracker and Crime Scene Investigation, have fuelled the public's consciousness of the criminal mind.In the fight against crime, the development of offender profiling by the FBI in the USA has further captured people's imagination. The technique was introduced to help law enforcement agencies solve serious crimes such as serial rape or murder, and to a lesser extent arson and property crime. At the heart of profiling lies the belief that by combining psychological principles with crime scene analysis, it is possible to identify the likely characteristics of a perpetrator.Although advances in crime detection are welcomed, the profiling field appears riddled with contradiction and disagreement. Social scientists argue that the discipline is unscientific due to methodologically weak research, while police officers appear sceptical about its benefits for solving crime. In Britain, profiling has witnessed both notable successes, for example Canter's profile of the serial rapist and murderer John Duffy, and dramatic failures, such as the Colin Stagg profile in the Rachel Nickell inquiry. This article reviews the offender profiling literature, examines its applicability in the legal system and identifies areas for future research.

This paper aims to present recently published resources on information literacy and library instruction through an extensive annotated bibliography of publications covering all library types.

This paper annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2017 in over 200 journals, magazines, books and other sources.

The paper provides a brief description for all 590 sources.

The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.

This study aims to examine Victorian primary school parents’ perspectives about a potential school-provided lunch program (LP).

An online cross-sectional survey was conducted in Victoria, Australia, in 2022 to explore parents’ perceptions regarding the lunch menu, funding source, amount willing to pay, frequency of meals and special dietary needs of a school-provided LP.

Over half of parents (57% out of 359) said they would allow their child to participate in a school LP, 34% were unsure and only 9% said they would not. The opportunity for hot cooked lunches at school and the perceived convenience for parents were the top two reasons for favouring such a program. Fifty-eight percent were in favour of hybrid-type funding from both the government and parents. The most preferred amount to pay per meal was AUD5-6 (43%), followed by AUD3-4 (25%). Parents expected meals to be healthy and made from whole food and cater to the special dietary and cultural needs of their children. They also expected enough time to be allocated so children could eat and enjoy the meals.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore Victorian parents’ perceptions regarding the above aspects of a school-provided LP. The findings suggest that parents are receptive to a school-provided LP; they, however, did have several expectations regarding the menu and time for eating. These findings provide important directions for designing future school-provided LPs at primary schools in Australia.