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In 2002 Birmingham libraries launched a marketing campaign to change their image and introduce a new branding. An integrated approach to strategic planning, performance measurement and marketing techniques enabled the campaign to achieve its objectives. The example of Birmingham libraries illustrates the various stages of a marketing campaign through planning, market research, defining objectives, target groups and messages, media planning, implementation and evaluation. It emphasises the link between the libraries’ strategy and concrete marketing targets. Birmingham libraries’ image campaign was awarded the CILIP and Emerald Public Relations and Publicity Award in 2002. The judges described the work as “a textbook example of a job done properly with serious professional support … this level of marketing for libraries should be encouraged”.

The purpose of this paper is to examine notable instances of fraud that have occurred in Southeastern Connecticut and surrounding areas since the development of two large casinos in that region.

Fraud case histories and prosecutions in which the gambling actions of individuals provided the incentive or pressure for the fraud to occur are examined.

A number of employees who work in business and government have stolen significant sums of money to support gambling activities. The cases are linked to the growth of casino gambling and an accompanying increase in pathological and problem gambling; which research indicates doubles within 50 miles of a casino. Consistent with prior research, most of the thefts were not discovered by auditors or management in a timely manner.

This paper examines the impact of fraud due to casino gambling in one region, further research will examine other regions. One limitation in the research process is the reluctance of businesses to report instances of fraud, thus resulting in an underreporting of the extent of the problem.

The paper recommends actions to be taken by managers in casino areas that can prevent employees from committing such fraud. These actions include the establishment of internal audit procedures, use of an external auditor for specific internal control tasks, upper management review of certain key business documents, increased accountability for organizational check registers, improved control for incoming cash receipts, and fraud awareness training.

Managers in casino regions that become aware of the risks and employ the recommended measures may prevent and minimize business fraud.

The paper describes the use of a Digital Rainbow computer for organising, listing, displaying and retrospectively storing records of journals sent for binding at Sunderland Polytechnic Library. It touches briefly on the problems of the old manual system, and on the general difficulties of establishing a binding policy. The paper goes on to describe the creation of the main database files, and the command files which produce lists for the binders, integrated informative lists of all material away at a time, and lists of journals not bound. Also described is the creation of separate disks and files for retrospective storing of binding of records. The results are twofold: a more informative and efficient system of recording binding issues has been produced; and the automated system has generated the formation of a comprehensive binding policy.

The virtual organization is upon us, or so we are led to believe. No longer will we have to worry about finding enough space for so many workstations, as people will be sitting in cyberspace waiting either to send or receive their next communication. It will not matter where in the universe someone is, provided that they can communicate. People will be working in physical isolation, but this does not matter as they can, yes you’ve guessed it, communicate! There is no doubting that communicating is good and absolutely necessary, but it is quality of communication which is needed, not just any old garbled message. Are standards of communication deteriorating? The media by which we are sending messages are improving, of that there is little doubt, but it is the content and usefulness of this content which must be brought to question.

This case explores the turnaround and corporate renewal of the Chicago Blackhawks professional hockey team, which transformed from one of the worst-run organizations in all of professional sports in 2007 to one that won the Stanley Cup (the National Hockey League championship trophy) in 2010. W. Rockwell “Rocky” Wirtz was faced with making critical decisions shortly after inheriting the team from his father, who was the individual most associated with the organization's decline. The team faced financial trouble and had narrowly avoided missing payroll; the previous customer relations strategy (which included refusing to televise home games or to conduct effective marketing) had resulted in significantly diminished brand value; and management and player personnel were devoid of effective leadership. At its nadir, the team was named “The Worst Franchise in Professional Sports” by ESPN in 2004. After assuming control, Rocky embarked on an ambitious corporate renewal strategy that included the following components: leadership: install a new management team with clear goals and creative ideas about how to turn around the organization; culture: reward players for accomplishing their goals and establish a performance-based culture; financial: seek new corporate sponsorships and increase ticket prices once the team established a winning record; and brand and marketing: send a clear message that the team was intent upon winning the championship and design a customer-focused marketing strategy.

After analyzing the case, students should be able to: recommend strategic, financial, and operational changes needed to turn around the organization, and identify key leadership qualities that enable execution of a turnaround plan.

The rapid expansion of the Canadian gambling industry since 1969 has generated substantial profits for provincial governments and industry operators. As gambling expands its reach and regulatory structures evolve, a growing body of researchers is starting to scrutinize the industry and its socio‐economic impacts on Canadians. This article provides background information on Canada's gambling industry and presents an overview of essential information resources.