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When the first edition of Poems by Emily Dickinson was published in 1890, Samuel G. Ward, a writer for the Dial, commented, “I am with all the world intensely interested in Emily Dickinson. She may become world famous or she may never get out of New England” (Sewall 1974, 26). A century after Emily Dickinson's death, all the world is intensely interested in the full nature of her poetic genius and her commanding presence in American literature. Indeed, if fame belonged to her she could not escape it (JL 265). She was concerned about becoming “great.” Fame intrigued her, but it did not consume her. She preferred “To earn it by disdaining it—”(JP 1427). Critics say that she sensed her genius but could never have envisioned the extent to which others would recognize it. She wrote, “Fame is a bee./It has a song—/It has a sting—/Ah, too, it has a wing” (JP 1763). On 7 May 1984 the names of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman were inscribed on stone tablets and set into the floor of the newly founded United States Poets' Corner of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, “the first poets elected to this pantheon of American writers” (New York Times 1985). Celebrations in her honor draw a distinguished assemblage of international scholars, renowned authors and poets, biographers, critics, literary historians, and admirers‐at‐large. In May 1986 devoted followers came from places as distant as Germany, Poland, Scandinavia, and Japan to Washington, DC, to participate in the Folger Shakespeare Library's conference, “Emily Dickinson, Letter to the World.”

Few issues in recent times have so provoked debate and dissention within the library field as has the concept of fees for user services. The issue has aroused the passions of our profession precisely because its roots and implications extend far beyond the confines of just one service discipline. Its reflection is mirrored in national debates about the proper spheres of the public and private sectors—in matters of information generation and distribution, certainly, but in a host of other social ramifications as well, amounting virtually to a debate about the most basic values which we have long assumed to constitute the very framework of our democratic and humanistic society.

The library marketplace for reference services is a rapidly changing environment. Various types of technologies have been introduced during the past twenty years to facilitate the retrieval of periodical information. Beginning with online access to databases, and progressing from menu‐driven systems to access online databases, the library community is now ready to embrace the latest and most revolutionary technology for libraries—CD‐ROM.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the influence of different Specialized Physical Education (SPE) teaching programs on the level of students’ physical abilities.

In the Academy of Criminalistic and Police Studies (ACPS), one of the teaching program goals is an improvement of student's physical abilities level. Since the establishment of ACPS, three SPE programs have been implemented differing in number of class hours. Five different tests were used: “Isometric dead lift,” “Hand grip,” the Long jump (LJ), the Sit-up test and the Cooper test.

Multivariate analysis of variance results indicated a statistically significant difference between the programs in tests LJ, Sit-up and Cooper. The Bonferroni test showed differences between all three programs. The discriminant analysis showed that both discriminant factors are statistically significant. The greatest factor in the first function was the test LJ, while the greatest factor in the second discriminant function was the Sit-up test.

The importance of research was the fact that by determining the changes of students’ physical abilities level, the authors can evaluate the effectiveness of various SPE programs. Results could be used in planning standards, selection and control of the achieved physical abilities level.

Changes could contribute to the positive effects of the educational process on improvement of students’ physical abilities.

This is one of the few studies which examine the influence of quantitatively different teaching programs on the level of physical abilities within a period of 15 years.

We publish this month a report of a case which was recently heard by the Stipendiary at Middlesbrough, in which a Co‐operative Society was summoned for being in possession of meat which was condemned as tuberculous and as unfit for human food. In view of the magisterial decision, it is of interest to review the facts of the case. It appears that Inspector WATSON visited the defendant society's slaughter‐house, and that he saw there several carcases hanging up and an employee dressing a carcase which was obviously tuberculous. In reply to Inspector WATSON'S demand, the internal organs of the animal were produced and were found to be covered with tuberculous nodules. Dr. DINGLE, the Medical Officer of Health, accompanied by Mr. G. ANDERSON, the Chief Sanitary Inspector, subsequently visited the slaughter‐house and agreed that the carcase was undoubtedly tuberculous and quite unfit for human food. Accordingly they seized the carcase which was subsequently condemned by order of the magistrate. When the defendant society was summoned before the Court, the counsel for the prosecution pointed out that when Inspector ANDERSON visited the slaughter‐house he asked the slaughterer why he had continued dressing the carcase when it was obvious to anyone that the meat was tuberculous. The condition of the carcase was not disputed by the defendants, but it was contended that the slaughter‐house was under the control of the manager and that no carcase would be removed until it had been inspected by him. In view of this contention for the defence, the magistrate held that it had not been proved that the meat was intended for human food, despite the fact that the diseased internal organs had been removed, and that the carcase had been dressed as if it were intended for use as food. If the decision in all such cases rested upon evidence of a similar nature, it is obvious that the Public Health Acts would become inefficient and useless, inasmuch as it would only be necessary for a defendant to state that any diseased meat found in his slaughter‐house was awaiting the inspection of the manager, and then the law could not interfere. Such a condition of things would obviously be unsatisfactory. The Stipendiary observed that the prosecution was justified, and commended the ability with which the Health Department carried on its work.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of information communication technology (ICT) in small rural hospitality businesses. Although ICT is often presented as a means of reducing the impact of being rural, little is known about the extent or level of use of ICT. This paper addresses these issues.

The paper employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to gather and analyse data. The study had two stages: an initial survey to determine the extent and pervasion of ICT; and a second interview stage to explore the role and applications of ICT.

The authors find that 84 per cent of the businesses use ICT effectively, mainly to provide information and improve service quality. In addition, some firms had adopted very successful methods of using the internet for sales and marketing but ignored supply functions. The authors were surprised to find that ICT was seen as a way of enhancing personal service and that rather than a barrier, it was seen to promote quality of service. Moreover the respondents did seem to have used ICT effectively to overcome the disadvantages of location and rurality.

The survey was carried out in a single rural environment and this limits its generalisability. Nonetheless, the study develops some interesting issues about the application of ICT in the rural context.

The paper identifies the benefits derived from the enthusiasm of some rural business owners. They had recognised the efficacy of computing and can provide lessons in how to apply ICT to overcome distance.

The paper addresses a gap in research and offers some insights into the application of ICT in rural areas.

This article aims to examine one aspect of Chinese culture, guanxi. Guanxi, “special relationships” has long been employed to facilitate business in China. The authors ask whether this is likely to continue in the rapidly changing environment. China's long history of insularity has created a culture and business environment considered to be uniquely based on Confucian values. Yet in the last couple of decades China has opened its doors to globalisation. These forces, in conjunction with what many see as Confucian dynamism of Chinese entrepreneurship, have generated economic growth levels in excess of 11 per cent per annum. This blending of the old and the new raises questions about how practices may be changing.

The authors employed a survey of two groups; middle managers in Hong Kong and young middle class in mainland China. These groups represent the modern, Hong Kong as westernised; the old, but with new perspectives, the affluent middle classes of present day China. Open‐ended questions about perceptions of understanding and use of guanxi were asked.

The research finds many contrasts between the respondent groups. The Hong Kong respondents did not really understand guanxi, but still thought it important in China. The mainland group both understood and used guanxi, but similarly to the Hong Kong group, did not like it or enjoy its use. Both groups saw a diminishing application of guanxi as China's regulatory and market environment improves.

The paper establishes that guanxi persists and may remain essential in China. However guanxi will work in conjunction with markets and regulations, rather than as a replacement.

This paper explores the links between the theory and practices of marketing and small business. The review of the literature highlights the close association of the more advanced conceptualisations of marketing, especially relationship marketing, and those of small business, particularly entrepreneurial small business. Given these theoretical similarities and the ensuing symmetry of actions and behaviours described in theory, the research question is posed, how does an appreciation of these links aid our understanding of entrepreneurial practices? The question is addressed by employing a participant observation methodology to create a case study of one small rural firm and by inductive analysis techniques. The findings show that it is difficult to disentangle or even to distinguish, the practice of relationship marketing from entrepreneurial action. This leads one to suggest that it may be useful to reconsider relationship marketing as a facet of entrepreneurship.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the composition and role of a board of directors in a family-owned microfinance institution (FO-MFI) in Tanzania.

The paper is based on a longitudinal analysis of the board practices based on boardroom observations for the period between 2012 and 2015. The study further collected and analyzed qualitative data from interviews with board members, management, and institution staff.

The findings indicate that even though external board members were appointed as a result of their diverse expertise and skills, their personal relationships with shareholders, life-cycle stage of the institution, and the nature of the industry influenced their selection. It was also found that the board played more of the service role in strategy formulation, resource mobilization, and networking, and, through that, members were also able to exercise control of the firm.

Because this paper is based on a qualitative approach, it suffers from the challenge of generalization. However, numerous research issues have been raised that require further investigation.

This study contributes to the governance literature by showing what really happens in a family-owned firm, as it is based on a unique data set drawn from the boardroom of the FO-MFI in a context of a developing economy. This context is unique, given that most private MFIs operating as family enterprises do not have a professional board of directors. The study shows how the board contributes to a strategic direction of the firm in which the management and ownership are not separated, and the first generation is running the firm.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence of purposeful and ethical leadership in a UK county police force – referred to by the pseudonym PoliceOrg. The paper also evaluates the extent to which officers feel their values fit with those of the organisation, and the outcomes achieved by purposeful and ethical leaders.

A questionnaire survey, interviews and focus groups were conducted at PoliceOrg. The findings are compared with those from a public sector case study and with a representative sample of the UK working population.

Purposeful leaders at PoliceOrg have a positive impact on important outcomes for their direct reports and provide a sense of direction and guidance to those who do not feel a strong fit between their values and those of their organisation.

The study focuses on a new construct (purposeful leadership) that has not previously been explored in the academic literature. Consequently, the findings cannot be directly compared with those of other studies. The survey focused on the views of police sergeants and constables, and only one police force participated as a case study; hence, the generalisability of the findings is limited.

Police organisations should nurture and sustain workplace environments where leaders can translate their personal moral code and ethical values into their role behaviours to address the policing challenges of the future.

This study elucidates the concept of purposeful leadership in the context of a police force.