The interlibrary loan service was and is an ‘open ended’ service. The gross characteristics were known and details of each transaction were on record. What was not known was the…
Abstract
The interlibrary loan service was and is an ‘open ended’ service. The gross characteristics were known and details of each transaction were on record. What was not known was the pattern of interaction between readers, the science section and the co‐operating libraries. This analysis is restricted to indicating this aspect. An alternative approach outlining the use to which information on the publications borrowed is put has been published earlier (WOODWARD, W. B., The management of periodical subscriptions in the science section of the University Library, Durham, Aslib Proceedings, 27 (9), September 1975, p. 385–8).
W.B. Woodward and M. Hird
Among the more serious problems recognized in the last five years by our library staff were those arising from a time‐hallowed practice of lecturing staff. This practice is to…
Abstract
Among the more serious problems recognized in the last five years by our library staff were those arising from a time‐hallowed practice of lecturing staff. This practice is to suggest that undergraduates should read either the complete text or some part of those texts which the lecturer considers may enhance his lectures. It follows that relatively large numbers of students can try to read a relatively small number of actual copies of publications during a relatively short space of time. When this happened we recognized that:
The Science Library (S.L.) serves 12 departments of the University, the subject interests fall in areas of the physical, life and social sciences. Some 170 staff, 300 research…
Abstract
The Science Library (S.L.) serves 12 departments of the University, the subject interests fall in areas of the physical, life and social sciences. Some 170 staff, 300 research students and 2,000 undergraduates expect the library to provide access to periodicals of interest to them. The intention is to hold in the S.L. those titles which will satisfy the largest possible proportion of the demand. The sum of money allocated to the S.L. for periodicals in 1974–75 is £25,600 and this will buy some 900 serials of all types. Rather more than 200 additional tides will be acquired by gift or exchange. A major problem facing the S.L. is well known to the majority of librarians and can be expressed in this way. The number and cost of subscriptions that might be placed increases, the number of readers and their demands increase, but the money allocated does not increase at an optimum rate. We cannot satisfy the highest possible proportion of the demands made unless some form of management is practised.
Sarah Drakopoulou Dodd, Sarah Jack and Alistair Anderson
Although the literature addressing entrepreneurial networking is reaching a fairly high degree of sophistication and scope, there are certain critical areas where important…
Abstract
Although the literature addressing entrepreneurial networking is reaching a fairly high degree of sophistication and scope, there are certain critical areas where important questions remain unanswered. Specifically, research into the processes of entrepreneurial networking has been hindered by a paucity of longitudinal studies. Thus, the consideration of change over time is de facto limited. Moreover, accounts of how individuals actually use networks to learn about entrepreneurship, its practices and processes remain sparse. Yet, we know that learning is a social process, so the research gap lies in relating networks, as social contexts to the entrepreneurial learning process. Furthermore, since social relations are fundamental to everyone's life, and emerge, develop and change throughout their life course, people are embedded in social situations that put them in touch with others (Kim & Aldrich, 2005). Consequently, learning is often “located in the relations among actors” (Uzzi & Lancaster, 2003, p. 398). As well as direct learning through network contacts, network transitivity also facilitates learning by one embedded network member, through the knowledge held by a second member, about a third, as shown in Uzzi and Gillespie's (2002) study. Accordingly, in many ways how entrepreneurs go about using their networks and with whom they network may be critical for entrepreneurship and thus warrants investigation. It is to this end that we now consider the shape, content and process of entrepreneurial networking.
This paper considers the relevance which networks have for research at the Marketing/Entrepreneurship Interface. The paper argues that while there is some evidence to suggest that…
Abstract
This paper considers the relevance which networks have for research at the Marketing/Entrepreneurship Interface. The paper argues that while there is some evidence to suggest that networks are an important tool for entrepreneurial firms, there is a need to more clearly explain what is meant by the terms “network” and “networking”. It is proposed that by using a definition of networks borrowed from the field of social anthropology, current understanding of the marketing benefits that can accrue to firms which make entrepreneurial use of networks can be advanced. Drawing upon the findings of research which employed such a definition, the paper concludes that networks and the activity of networking are indeed important entrepreneurial marketing tools and that further research attention to these is required to acquire a comprehensive understanding of these.
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Research in library and information service I take to be any systematic attempt to investigate problems and arrive at solutions. The problems can be small‐scale, e.g. the best way…
Abstract
Research in library and information service I take to be any systematic attempt to investigate problems and arrive at solutions. The problems can be small‐scale, e.g. the best way to file pamphlets; or large‐scale, e.g. the optimum distribution of reference libraries throughout the country. They can be specific to one institution, e.g. the best method of providing current awareness to Members of Parliament; or of general import, e.g. the economics of micro‐filming. They can be short‐term, e.g. a brief study and recommendations concerning a specific indexing job; or long‐term, e.g. a continually deepening exploration of the functions and structures of bibliographic records in all kinds of library situations. They can be very practical, e.g. redesigning the layout of a library; or very theoretical, e.g. developing a linear programming model for resource allocation.
One of the fundamental human requirements is a working environment that allows people to perform their work optimally under comfortable conditions. Given that buildings and air…
Abstract
One of the fundamental human requirements is a working environment that allows people to perform their work optimally under comfortable conditions. Given that buildings and air conditioning systems are designed on the basis of a certain level of discomfort, this raises the key question ‘What is the effect of the level of comfort on the productivity of people working in office environments?’ The purpose of this paper is to quantify this relationship as an aid to making choices regarding the working environment at strategic level within the facilities management process, with particular emphasis on thermal conditions.
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The author describes the situation in the Library of the University of Hull which led to a programme of periodical cancellations. The methods for determining which titles should…
Abstract
The author describes the situation in the Library of the University of Hull which led to a programme of periodical cancellations. The methods for determining which titles should be cancelled and in what order are outlined and the effects of these cancellations on the academic and teaching life of the University discussed. Periodicals were ranked by importance by departments and action taken accordingly with various checks and balances to ensure that certain fringe subjects and local interests were not denuded of coverage altogether. Despite the relatively ‘unscientific’ methods used the author shows that much useful data was collected on reading habits and use of stock which had not previously been available.
Haibin Yang and Gregory G. Dess
This paper explores the origin of entrepreneurial orientations (EO) from an organizational embeddedness perspective. It examines the impacts of firms’ network embeddedness such as…
Abstract
This paper explores the origin of entrepreneurial orientations (EO) from an organizational embeddedness perspective. It examines the impacts of firms’ network embeddedness such as structural, positional and relational on three dimensions of EO, namely, risk-taking, proactiveness and innovativeness. After a brief review of the EO construct and social network theory, we derive a set of testable propositions that relate embeddedness properties such as centrality, structural holes, direct/indirect ties, and network density, to the magnitude of three key EO dimensions. We argue that each dimension may vary independently with each other and has its own formation mechanism, which entails rich implications for entrepreneurial network research.
Thomas S. Lyons, John S. Lyons and G. Jason Jolley
The purpose of this paper is to argue that defining, measuring and developing skills are crucial to successful entrepreneurship and that being able to do so can help to build…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to argue that defining, measuring and developing skills are crucial to successful entrepreneurship and that being able to do so can help to build strong rural entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Design/methodology/approach
The literature on entrepreneurship success and entrepreneurial skills is reviewed, and this knowledge is used to create and describe the Entrepreneurship Skill-building Framework (ESBF), which provides a scaffold for thinking about the identification, measurement and development of essential entrepreneurship skills. The same literature is used to develop a tool for effectuating the ESBF, called the Readiness Inventory for Successful Entrepreneurship (RISE), which assesses entrepreneurship skills using the communimetrics theory of measurement.
Findings
Both the ESBF and the RISE are detailed, and they are applied to the successful development and maintenance of rural entrepreneurial ecosystems, with an example from practice. Specific implications for rural entrepreneurship-focused economic development are also discussed.
Originality/value
The ESBF represents a new way of framing entrepreneurship skills and their development. The RISE is a skills assessment tool that is clinical, not predictive, utilizing an innovative theory of measurement. Together, they offer a fresh approach to thinking about the purpose and effective implementation of entrepreneurial ecosystems.