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Ironically, the business challenges which require many senior executives to develop greater personal flexibility and adaptability often reduce the time available for personal development. An approach to assessing executive‐level development needs, which is both time‐and cost‐effective, is described. A framework for successful development, the determination of company expectation, establishment of the personal change context, auditing of personal strengths and development needs, and a development‐planning process is outlined. A summary model of the entire process concludes.

FROM THE GROWING NEED, AS IDENTIFIED BY OUR COMPANY'S managers and specialists for more skills training in interviewing, a small team (the authors of this article) set out to examine what Central Training Services were now offering in this area and how it could be improved. Existing at the time were two modules concerned with specific types of interview, selection and appraisal. Each module discussed their processes in relation to the company and both included role‐playing interviewing with feedback using CCTV and behaviour analysis. Related sessions were also included on management, supervisory and sales courses under such titles as ‘interpersonal skills and communications’.

A large number of fastener holes have to be drilled with high quality in the circumferential splice region during the assembly of aircraft fuselage. The purpose of this paper is to design an automatic stepping mechanism for a circumferential splice drilling machine, to meet the requirements of large workspace and high accuracy in drilling at the same time.

A docking position detection method based on magnetic proximity sensors is proposed for the positioning of the arc-shaped rail with respect to the circumferential rails, which significantly improves the accuracy and reliability of automatic stepping. The slipping phenomenon of the end-effector is analyzed, and the optimized counter weights are used to eliminate the slipping and improve the working stability of the stepping mechanism.

An automatic stepping mechanism is developed for the circumferential splice drilling machine, which comprises the docking position detection method and the elimination/suppression method of the end-effector’s slipping.

The proposed automatic stepping mechanism has been integrated into the circumferential splice drilling machine for the fuselage assembly in an aircraft company in China.

An automatic stepping scheme for the circumferential splice drilling machine is proposed, which enhances the efficiency in circumferential splice drilling in aircraft fuselage assembly.

In the last four years, since Volume I of this Bibliography first appeared, there has been an explosion of literature in all the main functional areas of business. This wealth of material poses problems for the researcher in management studies — and, of course, for the librarian: uncovering what has been written in any one area is not an easy task. This volume aims to help the librarian and the researcher overcome some of the immediate problems of identification of material. It is an annotated bibliography of management, drawing on the wide variety of literature produced by MCB University Press. Over the last four years, MCB University Press has produced an extensive range of books and serial publications covering most of the established and many of the developing areas of management. This volume, in conjunction with Volume I, provides a guide to all the material published so far.

The purpose of this study is to examine the choices social enterprises in the USA have about the legal formation of their business. Recently, new legal forms have been developed in the USA to ensure social goals are legally embedded into the firm. While the development of these new alternative supports social missions, organizations should be aware of both the benefits and drawbacks, which are outlined in this paper. Additionally, we draw on the US Supreme Court’s decision in the Hobby Lobby case to illustrate how social enterprises can embed their social mission into their legal foundation using traditional legal structures, accomplishing the same purpose as the new socially oriented alternatives.

The authors provide a detailed assessment of the social-oriented legal forms of business based on precedent set in the US Supreme Court Hobby Lobby case.

Based on precedent in the Hobby Lobby case, the authors’ view is that traditional US legal business structures can be as effective as alternative socially oriented legal forms in the US as a method to legally prevent mission drift by legally embedding social goals into the legal structure of the firm.

By highlighting how social enterprises can use traditional US legal business forms to ensure their social mission as part of the organizational goals, the authors provide another legal avenue, and so US-based social enterprises can continue to focus on addressing social issues without worrying about mission drift from legal pressures.

There is quite a lot of hype surrounding the development and adoption of socially oriented legal business forms in the USA with little discussion about the actual need for these new forms. The alternative perspective by the authors informs social enterprises how they can operate within the traditional US legal system while still focusing on their social mission.

The authors are one of the first to argue, based on precedent in the Hobby Lobby case, that US social enterprises need to critically examine which type of legal form is right for their business and what will offer them most benefit to their social mission in the long run.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on the many dimensions of the principal's positionality by using a unique research approach to link the experiences of the policy implementing principal to embodiment.

The researchers employed a form of critical policy analysis that utilized photovoice to examine the experience of two principals in South Carolina, USA.

The findings suggest that these two principals do feel, beyond a cognitive emotional level, the experiences of being the policy implementing principal, where the multiple physically imprinted identities typified one principal's experiences and the highly entropic world of her high school causes another principal to physically and metaphorically integrate situations into her physiology.

In this paper, the authors are able to expand discussions of the principals’ engagement with policy by using a unique theoretical and methodological approach.

The picture exchange communication system (PECS) is an established communication intervention for non-verbal children with autism. The purpose of this paper is to present an evaluation of a computer-based PECS approach, in which young non-verbal children with autism respond to an on-screen “virtual tutor” through the manipulation of picture/symbol cards. The paper presents research to investigate how the virtual tutor’s voice influences the children’s participation and performance.

Eight non-verbal children between six and nine years old and with a diagnosis of autism were presented with a series of computer-based activities, using a virtual tutor with either a natural or synthetic voice, in two separate sessions. Data were gathered using a within-participants counterbalanced design to control against variations between individuals and effects of presentation order.

Analysis of the children’s responses suggest that they were able to use the system more effectively when the virtual tutor had a synthetic voice, rather than a human voice. The findings demonstrate that a computer-based virtual tutor can provide an engaging method of supporting symbol-based communication for non-verbal children with autism, and that a synthetic voice type was preferable for the sessions undertaken.

Investigations of voice type and its influence on non-verbal children’s participation and performance have so far provided inconclusive results (Ramdoss, 2013). This research suggests that the voice type is an important feature of the learning experience of non-verbal children with autism, and can have a significant influence on their participation and performance in virtual tutor-led learning.

This paper is an evaluated case study of the Wellbeing Coordinator (WBC) service in Cheshire, UK. WBCs are non-clinical members of the GP surgery or hospital team who offer advice and support to help people with long-term conditions and unmet social needs remain independent at home. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

A mixed method design assessed the outcomes of care for recipients and carers using interviews, diaries and validated wellbeing measures. Service utilization data, interviews and observations of WBC consultations enabled investigation of changes in processes of care. Data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics, established instrument scoring systems and accepted social science conventions.

The WBC complements medical approaches to supporting people with complex health and social care problems, with support for carers often a key service component. Users reported improvements in their wellbeing, access to social networks, and maintenance of social identity and valued activities. Health and social care professionals recognized the value of the service.

The WBC concept relieves the burden on health and social care professionals as the social elements of ill-health are addressed. A shift in thinking from ill-health to wellbeing means older people feel more able to regain control over their own lives, being less dependent on consulting professionals.

The WBC is a new service focussing on the individual in their health, social and economic context. Process and outcomes evaluations are rare in this field.

An individual's advancement in a meritocratic hierarchy may depend on his or her willingness to ingratiate themselves with others.

Four years ago the University Grants Committee, the Department of Education and Science, and the Scottish Education Department published the Brynmor Jones report on audio‐visual aids in higher scientific education. It gained Brynmor Jones a knighthood, led to the setting up of the National Council for Educational Technology, stimulated marginal interest, and made no fewer than 56 recommendations. The most important of these, the establishment of a national centre under NCET, has never been implemented. On the other 55 recommendations, progress has depended very largely on the enthusiasm of particular university centres.