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Crosby suggested that “quality is free”. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the argument that, although it is not free, it can reduce costs. The UK’s Benefit Enquiry Line (BEL) for people with disabilities is used to illustrate this. The evolution of quality management systems implemented by BEL is examined. These include Charter Mark, Service First, Investors in People, the Business Excellence Framework and the EFQM Excellence Model. A comparative analysis is undertaken between the findings of the authors and those of other academic writers. Conclusions are drawn as to the appropriateness of these quality initiatives in facilitating continuous improvement at minimal cost.

The importance of emotional intelligence (EI) for management success has been established. This paper aims to examine the influence of increased EI capabilities on project success.

This paper first examines the literature in relation to EI then reports on a case study conducted in the defence contracting sector in the USA. The qualitative, case study approach is supported by pre‐ and post‐training surveys. Regression analysis was conducted to test the effect of the training on EI competencies and the impact of the increase in competencies on employee satisfaction and project success.

Results of the case study and survey indicate that developing EI capabilities will contribute to increased project management success.

The research reported upon in this paper is limited to one organisation within the defence contracting industry in the USA.

The aim of every project leader is to develop their intended project benefit. The results of the study reported in this paper will have implications for project leaders and project team members as it provides insights into capabilities which have the potential to further improve project performance.

Although the value of EI skills for employees, especially managers and supervisors, has been established, no specific study of the impact of these skills on project performance, using pre‐ and post‐tests, has previously been reported. It will provide a valuable point of comparison for similar research in other non‐defence contracting environments to build a body of knowledge on EI and project performance.

Research on death and dying in Western culture holds that individuals engage in a denial and repression of thoughts about death. However, this paper aims to propose that some individuals actively make attempts to exercise control over their eventual demise by engaging in decision-making to achieve an “appropriate death.” A framework is introduced that provides the basis for exploring aspects of decision-making for end of life.

Depth interviews were conducted with 18 consumers about their dispositions toward death and their decision-making regarding their own funerals.

An analysis of the consumer narratives suggests that individuals make efforts to prepare for end of life by reducing conflict and finishing business, enlisting identity management strategies and coming to terms with death itself. Unique consumption experiences and decisions accompany each of these efforts.

This research provides understanding regarding how individuals cope with death by attempting to enlist control over a situation in which they have very little control. In doing so, these individuals make efforts to achieve an “appropriate death” by making explicit decisions for end of life.

Instead of actively engaging in defense mechanisms to deny and repress thoughts of death, this research demonstrates that individuals may recognize the inevitability of death as fulfillment of life. In doing so, they may subscribe to positive illusions regarding end of life and make attempts to exercise control over the event.

Numerous factors relate to the effectiveness of health and safety (H&S) management within construction; but a specific factor influencing the extent of H&S “incidents” on site, is the amount of H&S knowledge held by construction workers. This paper aims to offer some initial observations on construction workers' H&S knowledge, based upon test‐result data from an invigilated online H&S test.

Data from 564 candidates were analysed principally by observing mean performance scores and apparent differences, among the sample and defined sub‐samples, for each of five H&S subject groupings that make up the test.

Mean scores indicate better retained knowledge in “general H&S” questions and lower knowledge in “manual handling” questions. There was little difference in mean scores between defined candidate age groups; or between different size classifications of candidates' employer organisations. Perceived characteristics of employers' training regimes did not appear to impact test results either.

Disparity among sub‐sample sizes within the data means that these findings are indicative and accordingly, have implications for a follow‐on study that will utilise deterministic modelling to more definitively confirm the effect of formal training and other (e.g. workplace) characteristics, on worker H&S knowledge retention.

The paper shows that workers having recently undertaken H&S training exhibit greatest retained knowledge, the level of which remains relatively consistent regardless of where a candidate lives, or a candidate's age group.

Analyses the articles published in the FIU Hospitality Review during a seven‐year period from 1989‐1995. Identifies seven main themes: people and organizations; marketing; environmental change; total quality management and strategy; education; financial analysis and accounting practice; tourism and technology. Summarizes by highlighting the linkages between the themes and the related sub‐themes.

Once the third largest port in the country, the London ‘overspill’ town of King's Lynn has been revitalized in the last decade. Richard Brooks examines this once rather sleepy market town, which now has one eye on Europe and the other on the Midlands and South‐East. Photographs by Colin Porter.

The purpose of this paper is to look at the competitiveness motive and mastery motive across 33 countries. The competitiveness motive is found to be a significant but negative predictor of employee training.

The dataset was collected from two sources. Competitiveness motive and mastery motive scores of countries were collected from Lynn's study (1991); and work relation variables, such as employee training, worker motivation, and the world competitiveness score, were collected from the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2008. Correlations, regression models and Sobel test were applied for analysis.

Although people with a strong competitiveness motive are eager to beat others, the results indicate that they may not see training as an effective method of beating others in terms of the competitiveness positions of their country. Employee training is found to be related to the work motivation of employees, and thus to the competitiveness positions of countries. Some suggestions are made for such outcomes.

The paper highlights the importance of employee training in organizations.

The paper demonstrates the importance of training with regard to global competitiveness positions.

IN JANUARY 1899 an advertisement appeared in the national daily newspapers, including the Manchester Guardian, the Leeds Mercury, the Birmingham Post and the Standard: ‘Wanted a competent man as Chief Librarian and Secretary, Salary £100 per annum. Copies of testimonials and particulars as to character, ability and experience to be sent to Hon. Secretary of the Stanley Library, Town Hall, King's Lynn, on or before the 27th inst.’

Describes award‐winning management training at Land Registry, UK, introduced ahead of a major organizational change to centralize the agency's HR function.

Explains the reasons for the Developing Management Capability (DMC) program, how it was devised, the form it took and the results it achieved.

Reveals that the training helped managers to develop a base‐line level of knowledge and skills, take responsibility, be consistent, follow and share best practice and develop communities of managers.

Explains how a small team of highly regarded internal HR and training experts delivered the training, cutting the cost while bringing their knowledge of organizational culture.

Highlights the wide‐ranging benefits of investment in providing managers with the practical skills they require to carry out their role effectively.

Reveals that the program has transformed the perception of management training in Land Registry. Managers are taking ownership of people issues at the lowest and most appropriate level and acting promptly to resolve issues at an early stage.

The purpose of this study is to highlight the techniques and applications used to adapt information literacy (IL) modules in such a way that students acquired the IL skills through the use of tablet technology. The focus at higher education institutions has been placed on embracing the ever-changing Web technologies to enhance teaching and learning. This case study reports on a collaborative effort between faculty and librarians in 2014, where tablet technology was integrated into the Information Literacy Certificate Programme of Environmental Management Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) students.

To support teaching with technology at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), a pilot project was conducted in 2014 using tablet technology to train IL to a group of 20 ECP Environmental Management students in the Applied Sciences Faculty. All modules were adapted for this purpose meaning that students used the tablet throughout the training sessions.

Good collaboration between librarians and faculty, as well as interaction between students increased. Some of the challenges faced were unstable internet connection; many Web applications identified by the trainers to use during the training were not compatible with the Nexus 7 Tablet. Overall, the training went well. In the end, the librarians were successful in achieving learning to take place among students.

Currently CPUT Libraries promotes the Information Literacy (IL) Certificate Programme to first year students, integrating IL into the curriculum of faculty. It is hoped that this paper will give insight for academic librarians wishing to incorporate mobile technologies into their IL training programmes.