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The purpose of this paper is to understand the nature of staff/employee (i.e. learning and teaching, curriculum support and administrative staff) perceptions, anxieties and worries about early merger change in the UK further education (FE) sector.

Survey data were collected from 128 out of 562 employees to examine perceptions of psychological contract (post-merger announcement) on an FE college in England. Paired t-tests were used to analyse quantitative data. Additionally, a content analysis of open-ended questions was incorporated as part of a combined methods survey evaluation approach for discussion and triangulation purposes.

Quantitative results from t-tests showed there had been a decrease in the perception of fulfilled obligations in nine of the ten areas of the psychological contract. Qualitative results indicated that communications, job security and uncertainty were common negative outcomes post-merger announcement. Implications for education managers from the case study include: a need for improved organizational communication; developing trust and mentorship for greater employee support, as well as; promoting further employee training and new opportunities for teamwork.

Psychological contract theories for evaluating organizational change are useful given the recent interest in sharing public services and institutional mergers in the UK. This research demonstrates the benefits of using psychological contract, as well as how to apply such an evaluation for understanding staff concerns.

The paper demonstrates a usable (psychological contract) survey evaluation approach for studying the impact of early merger change on staff in the FE, or higher education sectors in the UK (or elsewhere).

This paper is a development of a talk given by the author at a conference in November 2000, entitled, ‘How will T&C affect senior management? They, in particular, need to comply’. It examines and comments upon the introduction of and the interaction between the new ‘Training & Competence’ and ‘Senior Management’ arrangements that the Financial Services Authority will introduce at N2 which is expected to be no later than the end of November 2001.

A UK construction‐services company is giving its director‐level managers a broader understanding of the business through a development program that helps them to make the transition from project management to strategic management.

To describe how the role of the compliance function and the compliance officer originated in the UK, how it has evolved over the past 20 years, how boundaries are defined for the compliance function's areas of responsibility, and how the compliance function is expected to change over the next few years.

Begins with a background on how the compliance function originated with securities laws in the 1930s in the USA and the Financial Services Bill in the UK in 1985, describes how compliance officers were first designated, describes how the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) of 2000 began to require statutory as opposed to self regulation, discusses the increasing importance of Training & Competence (T&C) among compliance responsibilities along with the role of the human resources function in T&C, outlines the role of the compliance function in the prevention and detection of money laundering and fraud, details other areas of responsibility such as data protection and health and safety that may be found in some compliance departments, and discusses the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) requirement that the compliance function be separate from the internal audit and risk functions.

The compliance function is going through a process of radical change with widening responsibilities, having evolved from something of a back‐room technical role to become a strategic, forward‐facing management function that has the ear of the board and senior executive. Except for the lack of requirement to pass a professional examination, the compliance function has many of the attributes of a profession. Compliance is now a well remunerated occupation that attracts recruits from other professions such as law and accountancy as well as straight from university. One increasing problem is the growing cost of compliance, which is unlikely to lessen with the increasing impact of MiFID over the next few years.

Provides a view of how the compliance function has evolved and is expected to keep changing from the standpoint of an experienced consultant.

First Johnson Matthey, then BCCI and now Barings. The Bank of England's growing list of regulatory failures is as alarming for ordinary investors as it is embarrassing for the Government. The Board of Banking Supervision's (BBS) Report into the collapse of Barings chaired by the Governor of the Bank of England, only adds to general incredulity. Gallantly refusing to criticise The Old Lady, it instead firmly passes the buck for the untimely demise of Britain's oldest merchant bank on to a 28‐year‐old rogue trader, Nick Leeson, and a 51‐year‐old senior manager at the Bank of England, Chris Thompson. If Leeson was the ‘active agent’ in the £827m downfall of Barings, then the Bank of England, as UK ‘lead regulator’ was certainly a passive contributor. But the Report, while tracing a detailed web of accountability at Barings, is striking for its failure to do the same at the Bank of England, preferring instead to gloss over critical issues such as why the Bank of England failed to overhaul its supervision of financial conglomerates. All in all, it serves as damning testimony to the perpetuation of the ‘culture of complacency’ existing within the Bank, and does little to enhance public confidence that lightning will not strike twice.

Describes the efforts of the owner/directors of a private limited company to put into place a succession strategy. Considers three major themes: second generation entrepreneurs/management succession; action learning as a human resource development strategy and philosophy; and the learning organization. Concludes that people (and organizations) “learn” best from the priorities of the business, once they have been identified, and that organizational learning is really based on institutionalization of what has been learned – requisite learning.

Aims to present a report of a conference held at London Metropolitan University in June 2006 that presented and discussed the findings of a two‐year research project, funded by the Higher Education European Social Fund. The project investigated the experiences of LGB workers following the introduction of the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulation 2003 in the United Kingdom.

The research was a qualitative study carried out in 16 case study organisations, seen as representing “good practice” in the area of employment of LGB workers. The case studies involved: the analysis of company documentation and reports; interviews with 60 management, trade union and LGBT network group representatives, a short survey and in‐depth interviews with 154 LGB employees. The case studies were supplemented by a series of 25 national key informant interviews with individuals in UK organisations representing government, employers, employees, and LGB people charged with disseminating advice and promoting good practice.

Just over half (57.8 per cent) of the LGB respondents were out to everyone at work. A third (33.8 per cent) were out to some people, while 8.4 per cent said that they were out to very few people or nobody at work. The research indicated that equal opportunities and diversity policies which include sexual orientation; the establishment and promotion of same sex benefits; positive employer and trade union signals; the existence of LGBT groups, the presence of LGB colleagues and LGB senior managers can help LGB people come out. However, LGB people may be prevented from coming out by fears about career progression; lack of visible senior LGB staff; temporary employment status; previous negative experiences of discrimination and harassment; desiring privacy; “macho” or religious attitudes/behaviours of co‐workers.

Little research exists in the UK on the experiences of LGB workers, and this is one of the first studies to focus on the experiences of LGB workers following the introduction of legislation to protect workers against discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation in 2003.

Evidence from the USA/Australia suggests whole‐school interventions designed to increase social inclusion/engagement can reduce substance use. Completeness of implementation varies but contextual determinants have not been fully explored. Informed by previous interventions, the paper aims to examine these topics in an English pilot of the Healthy School Ethos intervention.

This intervention, like previous interventions, balanced standardization of inputs/process (external facilitator, manual, needs‐survey and staff‐training delivered over one year to enable schools to convene action‐teams) with local flexibility regarding actions to improve social inclusion. Evaluation was via a pilot trial comprising: baseline/follow‐up surveys with year‐7 students in two intervention/comparison schools; semi‐structured interviews with staff, students and facilitators; and observations.

The intervention was delivered as intended with components implemented as in the USA/Australian studies. The external facilitator enabled schools to convene an action‐team involving staff/students. Inputs were feasible and acceptable and enabled similar actions in both schools. Locally determined actions (e.g. peer‐mediators) were generally more feasible/acceptable than pre‐set actions (e.g. modified pastoral care). Implementation was facilitated where it built on aspects of schools' baseline ethos (e.g. a focus on engaging all students, formalized student participation in decisions) and where senior staff led actions. Student awareness of the intervention was high.

Key factors affecting feasibility were: flexibility to allow local innovation, but structure to ensure consistency; intervention aims resonating with at least some aspects of school baseline ethos; and involvement of staff with the capacity to deliver. The intervention should be refined and its health/educational outcomes evaluated.

Examines burials, grave rights and how problems connected with these events require sensitive and positive handling. Demonstrates feelings of perceived discrimination not falling within normal areas of the topic recognized by law – such as exhumations. Gives case examples and also gives verdicts and explanations to aid with research. Concludes that there are difficulties with regard to advice for the bereaved, whether for valid or invalid reasons of exhumation.