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National policy's inadequate evidential base potentially undermines the modernising social services agenda. Energy may be diverted from the production of welfare and real performance for the people by ‘tick box’ preoccupation with targets that are not outcome‐driven and through ‘death by a thousand inspections’.

As every householder knows to his cost, do‐it‐yourself methods are essential in these straitened times. The “hardware” shop stuffed with odd planks of wood, “pounds” of nails and drawers filled with every conceivable size of washer has been replaced by the streamlined “home improvements” supermarket. One such very successful chain is Texas Homecare, a division of Home Charm Ltd, who specialise in the “systems” approach selling complete plumbing, double‐glazing or furniture kits packed and ready for the customer to assemble at home. In the second of our company analyses (see RDM Sept/ Oct 1976) Dr. David Walters examines some of the factors which have helped to treble Home Charm's turnover in three years.

The purpose of this paper is to understand what sales management practices (SMPs) are being used by managers in the current market place, changes over time, insights that can be gained and future research needs.

Data for this paper were collected via a cross-sectional internet-based survey using a sampling frame provided by a professional sales publication. ANOVA was used to analyze 159 sales manager respondents.

Empirical results indicate that several differences are evident across the 68 SMPs items gathered, especially in terms of the size of the sales force and establish some data on using technology in sales management. However, in spite of significant changes in the sales environment, many SMPs have had limited change.

The limitations of this paper include a sample frame drawn from a single source and via the internet and, thus, may have excluded some possible respondents from participation and somewhat limit generalizability.

The results of this paper raise a number of important issues for sales managers to consider. First, which SMPs should they be using? Managers need to give serious thought as to which practices they choose to use. Second, why are so many of them not making more extensive use of sales force technology? Third, is it wise for sales managers to be relying on executive opinion as their most extensively used forecasting method or should they be emphasizing another approach? A fourth issue is the continued heavy emphasis on generating sales volume as opposed to profits.

The data provide a rare and updated understanding of the use of SMPs by sales managers.

The study reported perceived sales interaction conflict (PSIC) as a construct in need of evaluation. As a first step toward validation of a PSIC measure, the study draws perceptual data from a sample of professional industrial buyers. The researchers provide evidence as to the dimensionality of PSIC and its relationship to other variables characteristic of the buyer‐seller relationship.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the suitability of additive manufacturing technologies in the reconstruction of archaeological discoveries as illustrative models. The processes of reverse engineering and part fabrication are discussed in detail, with particular emphasis placed on the difficulties of managing scaling and material characteristics for the manufacturing process.

Through a case‐based approach, this paper examines the reconstruction of a fifteenth‐century ship recovered from the River Usk in South Wales, UK. Using interviews and process data, the paper identifies challenges for both archaeologists and manufacturers in the application of additive manufacturing technologies for archaeological reconstruction applications.

This paper illustrates both the suitability of additive manufacturing in archaeological restoration, but also the challenges which result from this approach. It demonstrates the practical considerations of scaling process and materials, whilst also highlighting the techniques to improve accuracy and mechanical properties of the model.

Whilst the technologies of additive manufacturing have previously been applied to model making, little scholarly research has considered the practical techniques of design elicitation and manufacturing for archaeological applications. Using an in‐depth case study, this paper highlights the principal considerations for these applications, and provides guidance in the mitigation of manufacturing issues.

Outlines the opportunities for building surveyors in Poland as discovered by the Bureau of European Building Consultants and Experts (BEBCE) on their visit to Warsaw in 1991. Discusses the new Poland in the light of recent building contracts, the pace of change in the Warsaw economy, modernization of domestic housing and political change. Explores aspects of maintenance and refurbishment, offering examples from site visits undertaken to a block of flats and a housing estate. Examines the need for greater management skills which could be filled by British specialists and suggests the potential for increased expansion in the future.

To propose that the notion of digital content creation needs to be more firmly perceived by the library community as an essential skill for all new entrants to the profession rather than an occasionally desirable one.

The article provides a reflective viewpoint.

That digital content creation needs to be given a central plank in librarianship and that all new entrants to the profession should be taught the skills and knowledge necessary to manage digital creation projects. The paper also offers some observations regarding potential critical success factors for libraries engaged in digitisation projects.

The article reflects on a specific aspect of practice, and thus may be of interest to practitioners who are involved in digital content creation in libraries.

The paper provides a reflective viewpoint on the skills modern library graduates should be taught, and as such may be of interest to library educators and practitioners.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight a selection of poetry titles from the Poets House Showcase of 2006.

This article provides reviews of selected titles from the 2006 Poets House Showcase.

This review represents a wide‐ranging selection of contemporary poetry collections and anthologies.

This list documents the tremendous range of poetry publishing from commercial, independent and university presses, as well as letterpress chapbooks, art books and CDs.

The purpose of this paper is to review the establishment of this new type of elected official and the conduct of those in office during the first twelve months of their official existence, and to consider whether a compelling case has yet been made for its retention as the principal method of police governance.

The paper will review policy papers and data which preceded and followed the establishment of the office of police and crime commissioner (PCC) in November 2012; review the 2012 elections and their implications, review conduct since, particularly in respect of formal duties, principally setting budgets and police and crime plans; consider the potential for politicisation; and consider whether a case has been made for the retention of the office in future.

The paper concludes that the government has succeeded with PCCs in implementing a major plank of the Conservative party's 2010 manifesto. It can reasonably be anticipated that the Conservatives will promote this record at the next election. However, it is simply too early to tell if PCCs are individually or collectively adding value to the sum of policing in England and Wales. A compelling case for their retention as a means of police governance is therefore yet to be made. On the other hand, Labour has still to determine whether it will offer the electorate an alternative in 2015.

With only ten months having elapsed since the first elections, it is early to draw firm conclusions about the effectiveness or, more pertinently, the added value that PCCs have brought to policing. Conversely, the first twelve months was an opportunity for PCCs to make a positive impression and this has not occurred.

PCCs ought to be subject to a rigorous appraisal of effectiveness. This is unlikely, for political reasons, to occur.

First rigorous review of PCCs based on a review of available data.

The purpose of the paper is to describe the law‐scholarship scheme, which enables administrators and caseworkers at the Crown Prosecution Service to become lawyers.

The paper highlights the reasons the scheme was introduced, the way in which it operates and some of the outcomes. It emphasizes the role of e‐learning in implementation of the scheme.

The paper reveals that the law‐scholarship scheme has become a central plank of the CPS's equality policy, opening up the service and its legal work to people from any background. In the 2005‐2006 intake, 51 scholars were aged between 16 and 25, 140 aged 25‐34, 116 aged 34‐54 and one over 55. Around 70 percent of scholars are women and 30 percent from a black or ethnic‐minority group.

The paper emphasizes the importance of making the most of the talents of existing employees.

The paper demonstrates that, although the aim was for CPS staff to qualify as solicitors or barristers, the organization recognized that simply improving legal knowledge would benefit both staff and the service.