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Few authors have examined the intellectual capital of non‐profit organizations or discussed their strategic management in terms of intangibles. The Australian Red Cross Blood Service (ARCBS), a third sector organization, is the subject of this study. The purpose of the study is to better understand the value dimensions of the ARCBS from an external stakeholder perspective. Outcomes include the creation of a value hierarchy, inclusive of the views of 11 stakeholder groups. The results show overall agreement amongst stakeholders about the four most highly valued key performance areas (KPAs) of ARCBS (safe product, product sufficiency, donor and volunteer management and public confidence). However, there were many differences between different stakeholder groups in their perceptions of the relative importance of the nine KPAs and their constituent attributes. As a result of the study ARCBS has a basis to manage strategy, organizational performance and communication with stakeholders.

Laser soldering, as a viable technique for surface mounting assemblies, is reviewed. The criteria for selection of a CO2 or a Nd:YAG laser are discussed. New data are given that quantify the beneficial effects of laser soldering on the solder fillet microstructure, and how this relates to in‐service performance.

This paper seeks to analyze how local media in Serbia, North Macedonia and Bulgaria have integrated digital technologies and tools into their work and corporate communication during the pandemic.

The methodology used in the research is based on a qualitative approach reflected in the use of semi-structured interviews with 26 media professionals. The research questions were: (1) In terms of their use of digital technologies, what are the differences and similarities between Serbia, Bulgaria and North Macedonia? (2) How did the local media digitize their work and internal communication during the state of emergency in the target countries? (3) Is there a digital divide between local and national media?

The results show changes in the work conditions for local media during the pandemic, both regarding the needs of the public and media professionals, along with a greater call for the integration of digital technologies and tools relative to the pre-pandemic period. The integration of digital technologies into local media’s daily work and the mechanisms in which they can change the way of reporting, production and work environment in this part of the world has been underresearched.

This research is limited by the number of interviewed media professionals as well as the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results can be the basis for broader research on local media in Balkan countries that have not been the focus of academics so far.

The study looks at how digital technologies are integrated into media production processes as well as into internal strategic communication and work organization under the influence and conditions of the pandemic. This type of analysis has not yet been carried out in any of the three countries, and it is especially pertinent because it compares data from nations that are culturally similar yet have distinct political, social, and digital development and features. In addition to that, the study focuses on the impact of local media and thus contributes to theory further, as the impact of local media has been underresearched internationally despite its large influence on public opinion formation.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its related economic meltdown and social unrest severely challenged most countries, their societies, economies, organizations, and individual citizens. Focusing on both more and less successful country-specific initiatives to fight the pandemic and its multitude of related consequences, this chapter explores implications for leadership and effective action at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. As international management scholars and consultants, the authors document actions taken and their wide-ranging consequences in a diverse set of countries, including countries that have been more or less successful in fighting the pandemic, are geographically larger and smaller, are located in each region of the world, are economically advanced and economically developing, and that chose unique strategies versus strategies more similar to those of their neighbors. Cultural influences on leadership, strategy, and outcomes are described for 19 countries. Informed by a cross-cultural lens, the authors explore such urgent questions as: What is most important for leaders, scholars, and organizations to learn from critical, life-threatening, society-encompassing crises and grand challenges? How do leaders build and maintain trust? What types of communication are most effective at various stages of a crisis? How can we accelerate learning processes globally? How does cultural resilience emerge within rapidly changing environments of fear, shifting cultural norms, and profound challenges to core identity and meaning? This chapter invites readers and authors alike to learn from each other and to begin to discover novel and more successful approaches to tackling grand challenges. It is not definitive; we are all still learning.

The purpose of this paper is to examine user perceptions toward consumer-facing words used by fashion brands to stimulate sustainable consumption and post consumption behavior.

A self-completion, survey based matching exercise was administered to 100 active fashion-shoppers in Hong Kong aged between 18 and 35 years old. A probability sampling method was used for on-street intercepts to ensure a random selection within the defined population. This was accompanied by 20 individual ethnographic interviews.

A lack of understanding and comprehension of key green language terminology used frequently in user facing communications is problematic for fashion brand marketers as the impact of their messages is often unclear, distributed and more likely to lead to user frustration rather than positive engaged consumer decision making and action. Further, there is an emerging indication that this approach is highly unlikely to enhance knowledge, engagement and action or to influence brand loyalty.

Data were collected in Hong Kong and is culturally bounded, so while providing a good indication of the findings in situ this can also be replicated in other locations.

Recommended outcomes from the findings suggest that brand messages should be delivered that are intended to stimulate sustainability behaviors that are core to one key brand theme so that user outcome decision making and actions fit with the core brand values. This suggested approach will have a greater likelihood of leading to brand trust, responsible business action and greater clarity about the issue of sustainability and related action to be taken on behalf of the user.

The paper raises concerns about the effectiveness and outcomes of fashion brand marketing communications and findings provide insights into the confusion of understanding and the rise in frustration among targeted fashion shoppers 18-35 years, despite the use of frequently used words in brand communications to promote sustainable fashion consumption behaviors.

Translating the well-established theory of the gendered organization into strategic interventions that build more gender equitable organizations has proven to be difficult. The authors introduce the emergence of the “bifocal approach” and its subsequent development and examine the potential of the “bifocal approach” as a feminist intervention strategy and an alternative means of countering gender inequalities in organizations. While pre-existing transformative interventions focus on more immediately apparent structural change, the focus begins with the development of individuals. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Developed through iterative cycling between theory and practice, the “bifocal approach” links the existing focus on women’s development with a focus on transformative organizational change. The bifocal approach deliberately begins with the organization’s current way of understanding gender in order to build towards frame-breaking transformative change.

The authors show how the bifocal is able to overcome some of the main difficulties of earlier transformative approaches, maintaining organizational access, partnership building, sustaining a gender focus and ultimately sustaining the change effort itself. The bifocal approach seeks structural change, however, the change effort rests with individuals. The development of individuals, as conceived within the bifocal approach was designed to create a “small wins” ripple effect, linking individual (agency) and organizational change (structure).

The bifocal approach offers a comprehensive re-modelling of traditional interventions for other scholars and practitioners to build on. Organizational interventions previously categorized as “fixing women” could be re-examined for their capacity to provide the foundation for transformative change.

The contribution of this paper lies in proposing and examining the bifocal approach as a feminist intervention strategy that overcomes the dualism between the existing frames of organizations and the transformative frame of scholars, in order to move practice and theory forward.

The purpose of this study is to describe and evaluate the implementation of an online self and peer assessment model (SPARKPLUS) to assess team work skills of accounting students.

This study describes the background and implementation of SPARKPLUS and employs a survey questionnaire administered to students enrolled in an undergraduate company accounting subject before and after the implementation of the model. The survey results and selected qualitative data are used to evaluate students' attitudes to group work and the impact of SPARKPLUS.

The study suggests that students understand the benefits of group work activities in developing their technical knowledge in company accounting. However, students do not appreciate the value of group work activities in developing generic skills or how SPARKPLUS supports group work activities.

Professional and accreditation bodies require evidence of teaching and learning activities and assessment of team work skills during the students' undergraduate accounting degree. This study demonstrates that students require significant teaching and learning activities in relation to team work skills and the assessment model for successful implementation.

This study makes an original contribution to the accounting education literature pertaining to assessment of team work skills in two respects. First, the study outlines the design, implementation and preliminary evaluation of an online self and peer assessment model in an undergraduate company accounting course. Second, preliminary evidence concerning the impact of this model on group work activities and team work skills is provided.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse job ads as relatively accessible indicators of the knowledge, skills and competencies required of librarians by employers. It then uses a framework provided by the literature on professional jurisdiction to examine what may be trends and shaping factors for the Library and Information Studies (LIS) profession with regard to jurisdiction in a changing information landscape.

Job ads were examined in two separate studies; one comparing job ads in Australia and the USA over eight weeks in 2004, and the other looking at one month snapshots of Australian job ads in 1974, 1984, 1994 and 2004. The text from the job ads was analysed using a content analysis software package. The literature on professional jurisdiction provided an interpretive framework.

The Australian snapshots over time showed that there is an increasing lack of clarity about the skills and competencies required of librarians. The American job ads seemed to rank jurisdictional knowledge and professional qualifications more highly than their Australian counterparts. Interpersonal skills, behavioural characteristics and technical services skills are in demand in both countries.

In addition to reporting on the knowledge, skills and competencies required of librarians, by applying an interpretive framework from the literature on professional jurisdiction the paper exposes some of the challenges ahead for the LIS profession. Research limitations/implications – The research used a small number of sources and a relatively small number of ads. It is acknowledged that job ads are only one source of information about knowledge, skills and competencies.

BOOKS on Work Study and its related techniques written by British authors are a mere runnel when contrasted with the literary Mississippi which flows from the American presses. A new one is an event, so we are glad to welcome Michael Avery's volume on Methods Engineering which embodies some material previously contributed to this journal.