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This paper challenges and expands commonplace assumptions about problems of time and temporality in emergencies. In traditional emergency powers theory “emergency time” is predominantly an “exceptional time.” The problem is that there is “no time” and the solution is limited “in time”: exceptional behavior is allowed for a special time only, until the emergency is over, or according to formal sunset clauses. But what is characteristic of many emergencies is not the problem of “no time” but the ways in which time is legally structured and framed to handle them. Using the Israeli High Court of Justice 1999 decision on the use of physical interrogation methods under conditions of necessity, this paper illustrates how legally significant emergency-time structures that lay beyond the problematic of exceptional time, gravely implicate the way that “exceptional measures” are practiced and regularized.

My theme under the heading ‘Leadership as a resource — interpersonal skills’ will focus attention on recognising, developing, constructing and resourcing a major, albeit often unrecognised, and apparently intangible, factor in the success or failure of ‘adaptation’: the skills, perseverence and abilities of ‘leaders’ to guide, see, support and motivate people through change. There is, of course, nothing new in change, although perhaps it would be true to say how the pace of that change has increased in recent years. Indeed, it surrounds us at this conference in the changing world of information retrieval — a long way from philistines such as myself who refer to ‘librarians’ and visualise piles of paper, rubber stamps and dusty archives. Far removed from the key resource we now represent within organisations for the competitiveness and dynamism of the organisation itself. I have in mind the ‘Big Bang’ mentality of the city, or the competitiveness of industry and commerce, where information is increasingly knowledge and knowledge aids decisions, and decisions create action and management policy. And those who get it right in our competitive climate will survive and prosper — others will not. Adapting to change is not new. I am reminded of a quote:

The purpose of this paper is to compare knowledge employees' perceptions of contingent work with their managers' perceptions, highlighting potential differences in their respective psychological contracts which might produce dissonance in the employment relationship.

Original research using interviews and scalar data of both contingent knowledge workers and their managers are reported. The study sample consists of 32 contingent knowledge workers and 33 managers in five industries in Canada: two public sector and three private sector.

The results of this study indicate that differences exist between contingent knowledge workers and their managers with how contingent work affects career goals, promotion opportunities, and training and development opportunities. Additionally, differences occur in the constructs that mirror the traditional empirical measurements of the psychological contract. Two major themes are revealed: coping with uncertainty and integration with the organization on the part of contingent workers and managers.

This study contributes to research on contingent employment as it compares manager and contingent knowledge worker responses in terms of the psychological contracts formed by each.

The Human Rights Act 1998 is due to come into force on 2 October 2000. This article considers the impact this legislation will have on local social services and health authorities and looks at some recent cases as examples of how the courts may approach human rights points in practice. It warns authorities not to be complacent and urges them to review policies and procedures in readiness for the implementation of the Act.

The rise of the ‘green movement’ in Europe over the last 10 years has been quite astonishing. From being dismissed as cranks and eccentrics, they have reached the position where they are either important pressure groups (as in the UK) or have real political power (in those countries that have proportional representation). This pressure and power has implications for the way in which businesses carry out their activity. We are already seeing the ‘greening’ of commerce, starting with those organisations who are nearest to the end user such as retail stores. This ‘greening’ process will move backwards up the supply chain over the next few years to influence many organisations.