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A description is given of the Professional, Industrial and Commercial Updating (PICKUP) Europe Unit, operated by a consortium consisting of Bradford University, South Bank Polytechnic, Leeds Polytechnic and Spicers Centre for Europe, which will offer employers “one‐stop shopping” where they can obtain advice, consultancy and short courses. An initial network of 20 Regional Centres is being established to gather market intelligence, identify development needs and highlight good practice. Appropriate research will be commissioned and the results disseminated in a variety of ways. Broad outlines of the training implications of the Single Market are identifed. These range from the knowledge of legislation relating to the market itself to the likely effects on manpower planning. The need for a response from educationists is emphasised, as transnational study programmes, aided by distance learning methods and satellite and computer links, grow in importance.

Makes the point that many UK small and medium‐sized business are probably misguided in supposing the single European market will not affect them significantly. The DTI provides information but trade associations and professional bodies have a key part to play. Reports on a survey of such bodies and their “readiness” for guiding their members into 1992 by: publishing bulletins, providing advice, setting up a document “bank” and training.

This special “Anbar Abstracts” issue of Education + Training is split into four sections covering abstracts under the following headings: Further education; Higher education; Managemetn education; Generald education and training.

Concentrates on ways of helping employers to keep their workforce up to date and adaptable. Contains precised articles exploring the relationship between employers and the world of education. The final group of precis examines the concept of knowledge management, which can help organizations to exploit their hidden talents.

Arguably, businesses are facing their most challenging moment in time as we enter the twenty‐first century. Companies that have relied on industrial‐age advantages such as access to distribution channels, mass production, economies of scale, capital investments, switching costs, and even government policy, have all but been rendered obsolete in today’s blisteringly fast‐paced business environment ‐ an environment that is now based on information and knowledge. Today’s business environment is anything but stable and predictable. In fact, it moves in real time. Technological advancements, deregulation, and globalization are generating upheavals in both organizations and products and services. Markets are fragmenting. Barriers to entry are crumbling ‐ even in capital‐intensive industries. New businesses are starting up in venues that did not even exist a few years ago. The Internet and its World Wide Web alone have created ‐ almost overnight ‐ a borderless global economy. Customers can be of any creed, religion, color or race. Matching products, services and employees to customers will become a key and critical ingredient for business and financial survival in the twenty‐first century. The challenge will be to find, acquire and retain the right customers ‐ who could come from anywhere in the world ‐ in order to fuel long‐term business success. This will require keen attention, and a holistic focus, on customers themselves. This will require customer relationship management.

Covers a special issue of this journal (E+T) which looks at various ways of keeping the workforce data specific and able to adapt. States that some of the articles explore the relationship between employers and the education world of business. Draws on experiences from the USA, the UK and Europe; and among the businesses discussed are: Microsoft; IBM; Maytag corp.; Vauxhall; St John Ambulance; McDonald‘s; Bradford Management Centre; Bayer; Newcastle upon Tyne City Council and the University of Northumbria; University of Leuven (Belgium); and Stanford University Office of Technology licensing. Proposes that the overriding theme herein is that the lethargy within UK companies must be overcome if the UK is to remain an economy with competitiveness as its catchword. Concludes that the recruitment of the right people, allied to training, will lead to retainment of the staff and increases in creativity and productivity.

At the World Bank we are learning that economic development is more of a process of knowledge accumulation than of capital accumulation, all the more pertinent because the creation and dissemination of knowledge are accelerating rapidly. The stock of understanding of knowledge itself is growing more rapidly as a result of advances in our understanding of scientific principles. In addition, rapid developments in information and communications technologies (in part the results of these advances) are themselves speeding the rate of generating and diffusing knowledge. This is largely being achieved by reducing the cost of codifying and processing information.

Explains the theory of mind mapping, how to construct a mind map and the situations in which it may be useful. Highlights the effectiveness of the technique in getting to the heart of a matter. Shows how it can be used to improve note‐taking and presentations, and to make meetings more effective. Concludes by examining the potential uses of mind mapping in life‐management.

This special issue of Education + Training looks at ways of keeping the workforce up to date and adaptable, and so capable of achieving the Government’s aims. It contains a number of précised articles exploring the relationship between employers and the world of education. It pays particular attention to the ways in which business – particularly UK business – is using education. Usual issues of Education + Training contain substantive, reflective, research‐based articles which have been subject to peer review. This special issue, in contrast, is case‐study oriented, containing vignettes of best practice.

This special “Anbar Abstracts” issue of the Journal of Product & Brand Management is split into ten sections covering abstracts under the following headings: Marketing strategy; Customer service; Pricing; Promotion; Marketing research; Product management; Channel management; Logistics and distribution; New product development; Purchasing.