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Qualitative information‐gathering techniques are focused on to determine whether they can be adapted or adopted to support strategic goal‐setting. Much of the literature suggests that if planning is based on information gathered and presented in a manner which managers can understand they are more likely to act on it, and, for this reason, qualitative rather than quantitative techniques are stressed here. Factors which are not amenable to numerate analysis but which are useful to the strategic planner, such as experience, judgement and intuition, are also isolated and analysed. An attempt is made to facilitate the use of qualitative data‐gathering methods and suggestions are made as to where particular techniques may prove beneficial, together with their limitations. Research, from a small (n = 20), in‐depth survey of small business owners/ managers in Canada, is included which shows that they do not use quantitative planning processes but that judgemental techniques were most widely used; in general, the less sophisticated the planning process the higher it would be ranked among the survey participants. The research from other surveys also shows that scientific mathematically based models often do not fit with small business organisational reality and that methodologies should be developed that integrate research into the decision‐making process.

This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/09696479510075606. When citing the article, please cite: Phillip C. Wright, Monica Belcourt, (1995), “Down in the trenches: learning in a learning organization”, The Learning Organization, Vol. 2 Iss: 1, pp. 34 - 38.

This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/EUM0000000004015. When citing the article, please cite: Marilyn P. Rowan, Phillip C. Wright, (1994), “Ergonomics is Good for Business”, Work Study, Vol. 43 Iss: 8, pp. 7 - 12.

The librarian and researcher have to be able to uncover specific articles in their areas of interest. This Bibliography is designed to help. Volume IV, like Volume III, contains features to help the reader to retrieve relevant literature from MCB University Press' considerable output. Each entry within has been indexed according to author(s) and the Fifth Edition of the SCIMP/SCAMP Thesaurus. The latter thus provides a full subject index to facilitate rapid retrieval. Each article or book is assigned its own unique number and this is used in both the subject and author index. This Volume indexes 29 journals indicating the depth, coverage and expansion of MCB's portfolio.

As Europe approaches 1992, there is little evidence that para‐professionals are preparing to harmonise certification programmes in readiness for changing trans‐border work patterns. Using the example of the Canada‐US Free Trade Agreement and its effect on the “service sector”, it is suggested how certification and training for the para‐professions might be effected in Europe, in that different nationalities have been shown to have varying traditions of certification and training.

Summarizes experience gained from implementation and review of the needs assessment process in 12 client‐driven applied research studies and puts it forth as a set of propositions which relate to decisions concerning organization and societal economic development projects. Suggests that a needs‐assessment process must be client‐owned, pragmatic and result in outcomes which are usable and perceived by stakeholders to be important. As well as being grounded in economic and research theory, a needs assessment must contain definable data sets comprising skill/knowledge profiles categorized into some usable format. The 12 studies provide support for these ideas, validating models characterized by intensive involvement and topdown/bottom‐up consultation developed in the authors′ previous publications.

Reports a study which investigated the attitudes, knowledge and practices of CEOs in the computer security area. It was found that a relationship exists between CEO review of policies and the presence or absence of a “well‐designed security programme”. These data suggest that large numbers of corporations remain unprepared to deal adequately with computer crime.

Reports on a study of current and past training literature which suggests that, to be effective and to isolate both training needs and those problems having other, non‐trainable solutions, training must be preceded by a needs analysis. Proposes a needs assessment model to illustrate an optimum needs assessment process, and compares this model with the Ontario Government′s “Ontario Skill” (OS) programme, a multi‐million dollar, provincially‐funded training scheme. If, as the literature suggests, needs assessment must preclude training, then it is likely that OS monies are being wasted, as under the current administrative system it is virtually impossible to conduct in‐depth assessments. Suggests ways in which needs assessment can be improved, by shifting the burden from the Government′s consultants onto specially‐trained employer representatives. It is felt that such a shift would enable sufficient time to be spent on the thousands of needs assessments conducted every year under the auspices of this massive training initiative. The methodology suggested here would be applicable to any large‐scale provincial or state‐run industrial training programme.

Treats sexual harassment as an issue that affects employee effectiveness. Not only is there an obvious effect on the person being harassed, but everyone, fellow employees, management and even the harasser, is less productive. Sexual harassment is shown to be a function of the power relationship between individuals and groups of individuals. Discusses the obligations of management in the development of a harassment‐free work culture from the viewpoint of increasing the effectiveness of organizations.

This paper discusses the difference between industrial‐espionage and competitive intelligence so that practicing managers will be more able to formulate policy in this critical area. As well, procedures for securing information as part of a competitive intelligence process are outlined.