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In recent years, both management and marketing fields have emphasized the importance of a customer orientation. In this project, a different set of lenses is adopted to examine customer orientation from the customer’s point of view. Customers can enact four specific roles that enable them to create a partnership with human services firms. Customers can be important resources for the firm. They can actively participate in the firm’s activities as co‐producers of the service. As buyers, customers can develop a relationship with a service organization, and as recipients they register evaluations of their encounter. Analysis of an extensive survey of customer perceptions and investments in a firm’s activities provided an outside‐in look at customer orientation. The results present clear evidence that customers can influence the outcomes they experience. Avenues for future research and practical opportunities for managers to capitalize on their relationships with customers are discussed.

Various companies, including Dow Chemical, Dow Corning, PMC Specialities, Vanderbilt Corporation and Kusumoto Chemicals, with a long history of service to the paint, printing ink and allied industries, are represented. Products featured include antimicrobials, cellulose ethers, resins, propylene glycol ethers, silicones and a variety of speciality additives designed to meet the demand within surface coatings for improved properties.

Surfex '88 is the first UK exhibition with the new Akzo Corporate Identity to operate in a more market orientated structure. Within the chemical division of Akzo a group has been formed to promote the wide range of Akzo chemicals for coatings applications. Among the products that can be discussed will be:

Different techniques applied for the fabrication of thick‐film fine lines have been analysed. The basics, achievements, advantages and disadvantages of improved screen printing, screen printing with metal masks, the direct writing method, offset printing and photoformed or photoetched thick‐film are presented. In addition, current trends in front metallisation of silicon solar cells are described. Based on a critical review, the use of thick‐film fine lines for this purpose is discussed.

Ball‐point ink is a heterogeneous, viscous multi‐phase fluid. It consists of resins, solvents, diluents together with solid pigment and filler. The fluid is contained in a thin polyethylene tube which acts as a fluid reservoir continuously supplying the ink to a narrower brass tube. The latter has an inner diameter of about 0.8 mm and holds a small ball at its tip. During storage for long periods, agglutination of the ink takes place in the brass tube and around the ball as well. The rate of such agglutination is strongly related to the environmental conditions. In the present work, a technique is developed to measure the thickness of the agglutinated ink film by means of a microscopic examination. Hence the thickness of the deposited solid layer on the internal periphery of the brass tube will be estimated. Furthermore, factors affecting the agglutination process will be investigated and methods to decrease or even to eliminate that phenomenon will be put forward.

Lawrence Industries, Mitcham Industrial Estate, Streatham Road, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 2AP, market the Engelhard ASP range of aluminium silicates and the Reichard Coulston iron oxides — both from the USA. The latter have recently added 1475SS iron oxide to their range, which is recommended for top quality primers. It is a naturally occurring high iron content ore which has been thermally treated to improve its chemical properties and lower the water soluble salts content.

The year opens with omens good, and foreboding, for librarians. Of the first kind is the re‐opening after two years of the Science Museum at South Kensington. The second was the astounding proposal of the Air Ministry to commandeer the British Museum for its administrative work. After three years of a war which has shown the devastating results of the neglect of things educational and spiritual the rulers of this country had apparently acqui sced in a proposal which, in the words of the President of the British Association, would “cause a shudder to run through all civilised countries. Were it carried out it would cover the British nation with lasting obliquy.” As we go to press, however, it is announced that the proposed outrage is not considered to be necessary and will therefore not take place. We rejoice over the repentance of the Government; but the fact that the proposal was made seriously, and for a time upheld, is so significant that it behoves all who value the treasures of the nation to be upon their guard. The war, also, is not over yet.

The Commercial Chemicals group of 3M will be showing new developments in their range of Fluorad fluorochemical surfactants and specialised epoxy curatives and additives at the Resins and Pigments Exhibition, London, November 8–9.

The Akzo Chemicals stand will display its full range of chemicals for coatings applications.