Search results

Public procurement is one of the principal instruments used by the Commission to open up the European Single Market. This paper presents a critical assessment of public procurement policy in the context of developing policies on electronic commerce and the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) within the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The paper focuses on how business can access public procurement opportunities in Europe, and what opportunities exist for improved electronic means of access to information. The proposed future for electronic tendering in Europe, SIMAP, is discussed and compared to similar systems in the USA. The paper suggests that a new legislative framework is required for public procurement and electronic commerce in Europe to ensure that governments and businesses do not suffer a competitive disadvantage in the electronic future of world trade.

Employment legislation regulating industrial action introduced to Britain between 1980 and 1993 by Conservative governments has substantially endured under Britain’s New Labour administration. Re‐examining the legislation affirms that it restricts fundamental union purposes and traditional forms of action. A review of the case law and the legislation’s impact on strikes in the late 1990s suggests that its influence continues to be felt. The State and capital remain firmly opposed to the significant changes in the legislation which the TUC demands. Pursuing a strategy of social partnership that requires a posture of moderation, some union leaders aspire to a “strike‐free” Britain. This has substantially inhibited union campaigning for legislative change. Rejecting industrial action on which collective strength ultimately depends and the necessary legal protection may, in reality, sustain rather than transcend the unions’ present lack of power. Alternative approaches to power‐building, calculative militancy and membership mobilization demand attention from trade unionists.

Introduction In the intense debates concerning industrial relations reform in the last decade and a half, few issues have attracted more heated controversy than the question of the closed shop. The industrial events of the winter of 1978–9 have led to a renewed debate. This culminated in the TUC producing a Code of Practice for trade unions on the operation of the closed shop; and the Conservative Party in their election manifesto committing themselves to a reform of the present legislation in this area.

Are quality initiatives in the public sector part of a political project or can they be a legitimate goal? These contrasting, but not necessarily incompatible, interpretations will be examined in this paper, first, by reviewing approaches to quality and their application in the public sector in general, and second, with reference to a case study based on assessment of the Government Purchasing Agency (Northern Ireland) against the European Quality Model (EQM) criteria. Through this, the paper concludes that quality improvement can be a legitimate goal and political project at the same time; that private sector quality models need to be adapted and integrated with other methods to fit public sector organisations; and finally, that their application to a commercially oriented departmental agency (whose customers are largely internal rather than the public at large) is easier than to other public sector organisations in more contentious, politically charged areas.

I RECEIVED a most unusual publication through the post the other day which may not strictly come within the scope of this column, since it won't answer any particular problem except that of where to go for your holidays. It's called The North: a feminist local history and holiday guide by Susan Evasdaughter and is one of a series of similar booklets that includes London, Home Counties, West Country, Wales, and Central England. The books are not intended to be comprehensive holiday guides listing the best places to stay, the most interesting walks etc, but rather set out by area some of the most important things of specific interest to women. Information ranges from ‘pre‐historic matriarchal times’ to present day feminist activities. There is information on women castle builders, famous lesbians, local women heroes, artists, queens and witches, suffragettes, politicians, discoverers etc. Where possible information is given about places for women to stay although there aren't many specifically for women. The quality of printing is fairly basic; I expect the booklets were produced on a shoestring, so don't expect tourist board glossies. However, a lot of work has obviously gone into them, each has a name index, and they would be useful additions not only for local studies collections but also for any libraries who have a community information section on women's studies. The booklets cost £1.00 from 47 Ladysmith Avenue, Newbury Park, Ilford, Essex.

High suicide rates among men presents a global challenge for commissioners and clinicians. Innovative approaches towards suicide prevention interventions designed for men are needed. The James’ Place (JP) service opened in 2018, and its model of practice is a clinical, community-based intervention for men experiencing suicidal crisis. This paper aims to describe the implementation framework within which the JP model is applied.

Fostering a public health case study approach, this paper provides a description of how the JP service operates, including the referral pathways, key components of this innovative model and its impact upon the men who receive the intervention. Illustrative case studies derived from semi-structured interviews from men and therapists are reported.

The JP model is dynamic and flexible, allowing the tailoring of a suicidal crisis intervention to suit the needs and priorities of the individual and the wider local community. Clinical and practical implications, such as reduction in suicidality, are discussed.

Rapidly accessible, effective community-based interventions for men experiencing suicidal crisis are required. Yet, while widely advocated in policy, there remains a dearth of evidence illustrating the real-world application and value of such services within a community-setting. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the JP model is the first of its kind in the UK and an example of an innovative clinical, community-based suicide prevention intervention offering support for men experiencing suicidal crisis.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of personality traits on teachers’ technology acceptance.

To this end, a demographic information survey, Five-Factor inventory, and technology acceptance measure were used for data collection. The data were analyzed via structural equation modeling.

According to the findings, conscientiousness has no significant effect on behavioral intention (BI) whereas openness and extraversion have positive indirect effects. On the other hand, agreeableness and neuroticism have negative indirect effects on BI. It was seen that the developed model explains 70 percent of BI, 77 percent of attitude toward use, 42 percent of perceived usefulness, 64 percent of perceived ease of use, and 15 percent of computer self-efficacy (CSE). It was revealed that CSE mediates the indirect effects of different personality traits on these variables.

In this regard, highlighting the conveniences to be brought by using Tablet PCs and equipping teachers with competencies to use relevant technologies during teacher training and in-service training may be effective in developing BI to use Tablet PCs among teachers.

The present study is different from previous studies in that it examines more than one technology through more than one measurement, takes personality as the predictor of technology use tendencies, and focuses on causal relationships between technology use and personality.

The organising model of trade unionism, developed in the United States since the early 1990s, has been subject to a good deal of scrutiny. Accounts stemming from the AFL-CIO, or those close to it, are, unsurprisingly, enthusiastic and largely uncritical (Mort, 1998). On the left of American social thought, there are critics who contend that the changes wrought by the new leadership of the Federation are of little significance and charges that older forms of business unionism and class collaboration still dominate practice (Moody, 1999; Slaughter, 1999). Between these poles are a number of writers who are supportive, but have criticisms and concerns about aspects of the programme being developed by the AFL-CIO and amongst unions more generally. These issues range from union attitudes towards the Democrats (Brecher & Costello, 1999), through the lack of innovative tactics adopted to gain certification (Bronfenbrenner, 1997), to the absence of internal democracy (Benson, 1999). Questions have also been raised about the very adequacy of the organising model to address the problems facing the working class of America as a whole (Eisencher, 1999a).

The situating of pimatisiwin as a framework for spatial justice and self-determination aids educators in strengthening their understandings of Indigenous knowledges to support an authentic inclusion of Indigenous students with disabilities. Through the sharing of Canada’s colonial history, and by critically examining the principles of care within special education, the author exposes its relationship with ableism, normalcy, eugenics, and white privilege to show how Indigenous peoples continue to be marginalized in the twenty-first century. This justice work asks educators to shift their perspectives of inclusion and wellness through the insertion of an Indigenous lens, one to help them see and hear the faces and voices of disabled Aboriginal children and their kinships. The chapter discusses the social model of disability, the psychology of Gentle Teaching, Indigenous ethics, and principles of natural laws through the voices of Nehiyawak and other knowledge keepers, in order to suggest an agenda for educators to come to an understanding of an emancipatory and gentle education. Spatial justice and Indigenous epistemologies merge as synergistic, inclusive, and holistic entities, to support Aboriginal children and youth as both they and those who teach learn to celebrate disabled ontologies. The chapter concludes by presenting how Gentle Teaching and Indigenous ways of knowing should be honored in this quest of creating an equitable, caring, and inclusive society for all disabled Indigenous children and youth.