Retail buyers are typically more entrepreneurial than their industrial counterparts, tending to have better negotiating skills, and perhaps greater creativity and vision. But in…
Abstract
Retail buyers are typically more entrepreneurial than their industrial counterparts, tending to have better negotiating skills, and perhaps greater creativity and vision. But in recent years there have been a few innovations in industrial buying which, the author suggests, would benefit the retailer. These relate to the areas of price, delivery, and quality.
The purchasing function is particularly vulnerable to fraud. Recent research revealed a number of blind spots in the audit process: collusion between buyer and seller, suppliers…
Abstract
The purchasing function is particularly vulnerable to fraud. Recent research revealed a number of blind spots in the audit process: collusion between buyer and seller, suppliers taking advantage of incompetent purchasing staff and fraudulent activities by the buyer. A check‐list is provided to monitor the effectiveness of the purchasing operation.
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On 1st September 1972 the International Institute of Social Economics was founded in Hull by Dr. Barrie O. Pettman. The Institute aims to assist in the development of Social…
Abstract
On 1st September 1972 the International Institute of Social Economics was founded in Hull by Dr. Barrie O. Pettman. The Institute aims to assist in the development of Social Economics as a recognised discipline with a scientific foundation and accepted standards of qualification and ethics; to improve standards of Social Economics by encouraging communication and the interchange of ideas within a growing body of people educated to appreciate the broad field of Social Economics; to help and encourage Social Economists at all levels to understand and apply newly developing ideas and techniques and to assist in translating them into practical terms; to provide an organisation through which new knowledge can be added to the discipline of Social Economics, by research, by conferences, by publications and by all other means; to assist in the continuing advance of internationally recognised measures of social and economic progress; and to assist and encourage colleges and universities to develop and maintain sound and adequate Social Economics teaching.
Siva Ganapathy Subramanian Manoharan, Rajalakshmi Subramaniam and Sanjay Mohapatra
Much attention in the field of international marketing has recently been focused on the need for adaptation of strategies to new environments. One aspect of this is the extent to…
Abstract
Much attention in the field of international marketing has recently been focused on the need for adaptation of strategies to new environments. One aspect of this is the extent to which products and promotion require adaptation for success in foreign markets. Writers have advanced various guidelines as to when products and promotion strategies should be standardised versus adapted. Most of the literature on this topic is in reference to the operations of U.S. firms overseas, and few broadly based empirical studies are available to substantiate the theorising. We are given many individual examples, mostly of foreign marketing failures, with too little systematic analysis.
The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured overview of so‐called business process improvement (BPI) approaches and their contribution to the actual act of improving…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured overview of so‐called business process improvement (BPI) approaches and their contribution to the actual act of improving. Even though a lot is said about BPI, there is still a lack of supporting the act of improving the process. Most approaches concentrate on what needs to be done before and after the improvement act, but the act of improving itself still seems to be a black box.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is mainly based on a review of literature that deals with the term “Business Process Improvement”. The analysis of the literature is supported by qualitative content analysis. The structure of the evaluation follows the mandatory elements of a method (MEM).
Findings
A lot of literature and consulting approaches deal with the restructuring and improvement of business processes. The author finds that even so‐called BPI approaches do not describe the act of improvement itself. And if they do, they lack a methodological structure that can be reused.
Research limitations/implications
To constrain the complexity of this research at this first stage of investigation only the search criterion “business process improvement” was used in the database search (EBSCO and Emerald).
Originality/value
The paper is valuable for academics and practitioners because the impact of BPI on organizational performance is high. Its originality is in the structured evaluation of so‐called BPI approaches according to the MEM, which so far no one has investigated.
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BARBARA B. ALEXANDER and BILL PAGE
The Sterling C. Evans Library, Texas A & M University, holds over 3,000,000 microforms. As many of the Evans microform collections are not catalogued, access to them can be…
Abstract
The Sterling C. Evans Library, Texas A & M University, holds over 3,000,000 microforms. As many of the Evans microform collections are not catalogued, access to them can be perplexing to patrons. To ease that problem, the microtext staff created Guide to the Microform Collections in the Sterling C. Evans Library, which describes the microform materials currently housed in six different departments of the Library. Entries are arranged alphabetically by title and are identified by format. The Guide allows patrons to examine a scope note for each set, to discover indexes which enable efficient use of various sets, and to search for microform materials by subject. Call numbers for microform materials, locations, indexes with appropriate call numbers, and subject headings are integral parts of each listing. In addition to describing the current collection, the Guide provides an effective means of assessing collection strengths or weaknesses. The article presents information on selecting materials for inclusion in the Guide, content and form of entries, and updating the guide.
The ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Administration at the University of Oregon acquires, indexes and abstracts documents relating to the theory and practice of administration…
Abstract
The ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Administration at the University of Oregon acquires, indexes and abstracts documents relating to the theory and practice of administration and publishes newsletters, bibliographies and interpretive reviews of research studies. The Clearinghouse is responsible for documents dealing with the leadership, management and structure of public and private educational organizations at the elementary and secondary levels. Attention is paid to documents bearing upon not only educational but also other areas of administration and to relevant publications relating to the humanities and the social and behavioral sciences. In this paper administrators and scholars in the field are advised how to draw on the resources of ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Administration.