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According to the Project Management Institute, 70% of projects fail globally. The causes of project failure in many instances can be identified as non-technical or behavioral in nature arising from interactions between participants. These intangible risks can emerge in any project setting but especially in project settings having diversity of cultures, customs, beliefs and traditions of various companies or countries. This paper provides an objective framework to address these intangible risks.

This paper presents a structured approach to identify, assess and manage intangible risks to enhance a project team’s ability to meet its objectives. The authors propose a user-friendly framework, Intangible Risk Assessment Methodology for Projects (IRAMP), to address these risks and the factors that cause them. Meta-network (e.g., a network of networks) simulation and established social network analysis (SNA) measures provide a quantitative assessment and ranking of causal events and their influence on the intangible behavior centric risks.

The proposed IRAMP and meta-network approach were utilized to examine the project delivery process of an international energy firm. Data were gathered using structured interviews, surveys and project team workshops. The use of the IRAMP to highlight intangible risk areas underpinned by the SNA measures led to changes in the company’s organizational structure to enhance project delivery effectiveness.

This work extends the existing project risk management literature by providing a novel objective approach to identify and quantify behavior centric intangible risks and the conditions that cause them to emerge.

This paper aims to draw conclusions about the likelihood that Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Chairman Christopher Cox will take significant action to reduce regulation affecting hedge funds based on how the SEC has dealt with hedge fund regulation in both the rule making and enforcement arenas since Mr. Cox became Chairman.

Assesses actions taken by the SEC under Mr Cox's leadership with regard to PIPE (private investment in public equity) transactions by hedge funds, hedge fund registration rules, portfolio disclosure requirements, and alleged collusion among short‐selling hedge funds, research firms, and journalists.

The SEC's enforcement activities with respect to hedge funds that make short sales before the announcement of a PIPE transaction indicate that the SEC has no plans to lighten the regulatory or enforcement burden on hedge funds. The SEC's response to the DC Circuit Court's decision striking down the hedge fund registration rule likewise indicates that additional hedge fund regulation remains an SEC priority. While it remains to be seen how the SEC investigations and civil actions regarding the alleged collusion between short‐selling hedge funds, research firms and journalists will turn out, it appears unlikely that Chairman Cox will take any bold action to protect freedom of expression and the marketplace of ideas from attacks by disgruntled companies.

Provides a timely and insightful view of the near‐term outlook for SEC regulatory and enforcement policy toward hedge funds.

This paper demonstrates, using empirical cases from the National Health Services (NHS), how existing practices in demand specification, procurement and supply management fail to address the significant problems caused by the misalignment of demand and supply. When examining internal demand management a number of problems arise including: product overspecification, premature establishment of design and specification, frequent changes in specification, poor demand information, fragmentation of spend, maverick buying, inter-departmental power and politics, and the risk-averse nature and culture of the organisation. It is argued that unless these problems are addressed and eliminated the NHS will not be in a position to select the most appropriate reactive or proactive approach from the range of sourcing options available. An improvement path that NHS Trusts might follow to achieve more efficient and effective procurement and supply management is outlined.

Within the supply chain the need for much closer, long‐term relationships is increasing due to supplier rationalisation and globalisation and more information about these interactions is required. The research specifically tested the well‐accepted Williamson's economic organisations failure framework as a theoretical model through which long‐term collaborative relationships can be viewed.

An exploratory research project was designed and carried out on a self‐selected census of 54 monopolistic relationships representing £575.8 m annual spend on equipment and associated services within the UK defence procurement organisation (a 10 per cent sample). Its aims were to understand the relationship dynamics within long‐term, sustained monopolies and to determine if generic success factors could be found to assist managers to break out of the essentially negative situation. A triangulated data capture approach was employed using both quantitative and qualitative methods from both the industry and MoD sides of each relationship and the research instruments concentrated on the five dimensions of the theoretical model with questions grounded in the literature.

The study demonstrated that the theoretical model could provide powerful insights into the research subject and especially revealed the important part played by co‐operation, co‐ordination and collaboration (C³ behaviour) in reducing the inherently negative effects of close proximity and limited choice relationships.

The research has used a narrow view through a specific theoretical model lens to achieve a broad understanding of business relationships within a single, albeit large, organisation.

Managers can reduce sources of frustration that generate negative behaviours by taking joint actions. Central to achieving this is C³ behaviour where setting synchronised objectives, pursuing joint approaches to service and product delivery, lowering costs and risks and promoting measures to support the growth of trust appear to be the best ways of halting negative behaviour spirals.

The prime contribution of this exploratory research is the exposure of relationship dynamics within a large sample of long‐term, collaborative supply chain business dyads using an integrated application of Williamson's organisations failure framework.

This paper outlines the general theoretical approach adopted in the power regime perspective on sourcing and relationship management. The paper focuses on the art of the possible. This means that managers have to develop sourcing relationships that are appropriate given the circumstances in which they find themselves. To understand appropriateness it is argued that buyers and suppliers must understand the five sourcing choices available and the power circumstances that exist between them in supply chain networks. Only by understanding the power regime that exists can buyers and suppliers fully understand what is the appropriate way for them to manage relationships.

This case examines the causes and consequences of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy during one of the most fascinating weekends in financial history. It's about the commercial paper market, a major funding market served by Lehman Brothers, and the events that led to “breaking the buck” on money market funds. It also examines the CDS market where Lehman was such a big player, the potential impact that CDSs had on the crisis, and the notion and validity of the too-big-to-fail hypothesis.

The purpose of this paper is to focuss on customer driven supply chains and what this means for the management of freight transport, a key process in the supply chain as it acts as a physical link between customers and suppliers. It aims to assess whether some of the new collaborative models for transport management are delivering better optimised solutions.

The paper is based on a multi‐dimensional methodological approach, which includes empirical, model building, opinion and archival evidence. Much of the thinking and findings in this paper have been derived from a series of quasi‐delphi discussion sessions with logistics industry experts from three sectors, steel, grocery and construction and experienced academics in the fields of logistics and supply chain management.

The paper sets out to argue that new innovative solutions are emerging for better transport optimisation, that exploit the competitive power of collaboration, both vertically with supply chain partners and horizontally with other logistics service providers (LSPs).

The research was largely focused on the road freight transport industry in the UK and Europe. However, it is felt that similar thinking can be deployed in other settings for alternative transport modes and other geographical regions. From an academic perspective the paper contributes to the notion that supply chain management as well as focussing on vertical coordination and process integration also needs to incorporate the potential considerable power of horizontal collaboration.

In particular it is original in that it highlights how important it is to combine vertical collaboration with horizontal collaboration if better optimised transport solutions are to be achieved. This is of considerable value and interest both to practitioner and academic communities.

To share latest presentations and highlight discussion generated at this Annual Brick and Click Symposium.

The need for new information technology applications to support new library functions is the focus of this annual symposium, now known as a mature conference.

Current technologies and products remain under utilized. Several presentations demonstrated many creative applications using packages such as ColdFusion and RefPole to name a few to provide newer and more efficient ways to handle statistical compilations, manage information services, contribute to in‐house library needs that measure transactions and more expedient and easy ways to do things.

Some very creative thinking and new ideas that have not made the traditional literature are introduced in this forum. Included this year are examples of software to track reference and other staff‐intensive interactions; appropriate technologies to create knowledgebases and institutional repositories, and to deliver government information in more consistent digital formats; compatibilities with course management software, distance delivery platforms and other larger technology‐based services.

To highlight content of interest to this journal’s readership that promotes current thinking and activities in Information Technology.

Selective conference report of the annual meeting of the American Library Association and pre‐conference.

The largest conference of librarians, the variety of programs, activities, exhibit halls, creates one of the best professional development opportunities for librarians. Attracting librarians from all sectors and work environments from around the globe, this conference is hard to describe in a brief way except to say it is an experience. The article documents relevant programs about information technology was the goal of this contribution.

Contains information of particular interest to readers who did not attend these sessions. Introducers them to presenters and important hot topics. Provides an alternative to not being present while gaining some information and coverage.