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Successful technology adoption in an SME is often dependent on a concomitant upgrade in management skills. This report assesses the impact of various marketing, finance, human resources and production management techniques on performance among SMEs in Thailand. The findings have numerous implications for public policy makers and business educators attempting to design management training programs.

On‐site interviews were conducted with distribution managers in 20 technology‐based manufacturing firms located in Canada. The managers were asked to indicate the thoroughness with which they identified, selected, and recruited middlemen. Perceptions of the importance and success accorded each activity were also obtained. The results indicate that although many criteria are used or consulted, the thoroughness with which the activities are undertaken is significantly less than maximum. Additional analysis suggests that success in conducting these activities may be related to the perceived importance of each activity, and the thoroughness of the processes employed.

As China moves from a command economy to one more directed by customer demands, its enterprises must acquire an entirely new understanding of the purpose of business. The marketing concept appears to offer an approach to management that is dramatically new to China but much needed in its current state of development. Reports the results of an empirical study concerning the market orientation of various types of Chinese enterprises based on their size, location, ownership and sector. The data suggest substantial differences between the various types of operations. Since the existing literature relating to market orientation is devoted almost exclusively to Western business settings, this study provides benchmark data that may be used to track the evolution of an economy that is in the midst of a dramatic economic transition.

China′s ambitious economic reforms, which began in the late 1970s, were designed to revitalize existing enterprises. As part of this reform, various Western marketing practices were introduced into the economy. Since the current Chinese economic system is a hybrid, combining elements from both planned and market economies, the role of marketing in this setting may be quite different from that in Western countries. Through an analysis of empirical data collected from 282 Chinese enterprises, explores the adoption and nature of marketing practices among Chinese enterprises and the extent to which they differ between the state‐owned and collective/privately owned enterprises; between enterprises in the coastal cities and inland cities; and between small and large enterprises.

In today′s world businesses function in a marketing environment. The banking industry is no exception. However, the changing world situation always requires bankers to reassess their strategies in order to stay competitive. As part of the banking establishment, bank branch managers play a very important role. This article examines the new roles and functions of bank branch managers through their own experiences in this ever‐changing marketing environment. The research results shed some new light on how to successfully manage these full‐service branch offices in today′s marketing era.

The finite element analysis capabilities of DART and the design routines for the computerized design in accordance with CP 110 and BS 5337 are briefly described. The DART program is used to compare some reservoir roof systems including a novel floated dome. Temperature effects on reservoirs can appear to yield severe stresses, but do they? The DART program is used for the design of non‐axisymmetric loaded structures and examples are given of wind loads on water towers and chimneys. A simple procedure has been incorporated into DART to allow for soil—structure interaction. The DART program can print out reinforcing or prestressing requirements. An elementary cost study has been made on reservoir walls to compare the relevant merits of the two methods of design. A facility has been incorporated into the DART program to find the optimum shape of reservoirs and water towers for a given set of construction costs. The Dynamic Programming method has been used for this purpose. Natural frequencies and mode shapes can be determined by the DART program using the Sturm sequence property and inverse iteration respectively.

Details of the Hydraulic, Engine Control, Electrical, Fire Protection, Flight Control, Air Conditioning and Cabin Pressurization, Ice and Rain Protection, Radio and Auxiliary Power Plant Systems. IN order that high utilization rates and low maintenance costs may be achieved it was necessary to match the fail‐safe, long‐life structure of the HS.748 to trouble‐free systems. The system design philosophy adopted on the Hawker Siddeley 748 was ‘avoid complication and use proven components wherever possible’. This approach together with a layout whereby external access is provided to all systems has produced easy and almost trouble‐free maintenance. The majority of the system components are installed under the cabin floor and are grouped as shown in Fig. 1. Access is through the landing gear doors or four large quick release elliptical access panels enabling all trades to work on the aircraft at the same time.

THE Twenty‐fifth S.B.A.C. Flying Display and Exhibition is to be held at Farnborough during the week Monday, September 5, to Sunday, September 11, promises to be one of the most interesting yet held as for the first time member companies of the Society have nominated for entry aircraft from member countries of the European A.I.C.M.A. (Association Internationale des Contructeurs de Materiel Aérospatial) that are powered by British engines. Seven European aircraft will be taking part, four of them sponsored by Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd. and three by Rolls‐Royce Ltd. The dominant theme of the Show will be collaboration, and it is fitting that the foreign aircraft have been sponsored by the aero engine manufacturers as they have advanced farther along this road than the airframe companies. Between them, they have close associations with practically all the major engine manufacturers in the Western world. Apart from the models and displays which will be mounted by the major airframe and engine manufacturers reflecting their growing involvement with European projects, the stands of the Associate Members of the Society of British Aerospace Companies will have many examples of materials, techniques and equipment that these companies are producing in support of current programmes, some of which will be for the American military aircraft now on order for the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.

NZTrio is more than a traditional piano trio that performs music from the classical repertoire: it is a professional chamber ensemble with a difference. The members of the Trio, totalling three musicians and two administrators have a community orientation. Their vision is to forge links into other artistic, educational and business fields and in doing so they create and participate in events that evoke visceral encounters. In this way they confirm Esposito’s view that communitas is disruptive of stasis and that to belong is to change. In community, identity is disrupted and new possibilities of the self can emerge. This becomes possible through provocative performances that implicate the body. For instance, shouting commands through a megaphone in Jack Body’s O Cambodia and the repeated pattern of chords in the third movement of Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 are emotionally and physically encountered as audiences feel what it is like to be both perpetrators and victims of violence. NZTrio uses music like this as well as works from the standard repertoire to create aesthetic experiences rich in options for communion. Furthermore, through professional development events, business leaders and young people gain the opportunity to understand how the physicality of leadership works in a high performing team.

IN the two years since the last Farnborough Air Show was held by the Society of British Aerospace Companies the aircraft industry has achieved an almost complete metamorphosis from the body blows in the form of major programme cancellations that almost felled it in 1965 to the very healthy position that it holds today.