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An examination of the economy reveals it to be structured in ways that contradict generally accepted ethical values. This is primarily due to the narrowness of its principles, being focused on the maximisation of monetary costs and benefits and on the separation of the economic realm from the realm of ethics. Economics now exists as an independent realm in which some crucial values can be routinely disregarded. The problematic nature of the economy is most apparent when issues of global sustainability and justice are considered. It is argued that these problems are systemic; they are inevitably generated by the structures built into the current economic theory and practice and cannot be remedied without fundamental system replacement. A radically alternative economy is sketched, in which institutions and practices enable and reward more satisfactory values. Implications for the economics profession are considered, notably to do with the lack of concern with the problems evident within economics. It is suggested that “virtue ethics” best enables thinking about this field. This paper seeks to discuss these issues.

The paper is a critical theoretical discussion of the ethical implications of the economy. Thus, there is little to say about “methodology” other than that several aspects of conventional economic theory and practice are considered, and in general rejected.

The paper rejects conventional economic theory and practice and points to the need for a radically alternative model.

The author is not aware of work making the main points this paper raises, i.e. to do with the important connections with “The Simpler Way” perspective on sustainability and economics.

The purpose of this paper is to examine corporate governance (CG) issues among boards of directors (BODs) in Barbados’ state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by utilizing agency and institutional theories as the theoretical framework.

This research adopts a mixed methods approach using quantitative and qualitative methods. Data are collected in five stages including data initially from a governance workshop attended by BODs. The findings are presented and feedback obtained in subsequent stages including several seminars attended by BODs, government officials, regulators and other stakeholders.

BODs perceive that they perform their roles and responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner, influence decision making, exercise control in SOEs and conduct well-organized meetings. However, respondents from the various stages report that there is lack of accountability and transparency, inadequate disclosure, lengthy board meetings resulting in excessive delays in decision making, unclear accounting and auditing guidelines, and a lack of training in financial and CG matters. Political interference, board appointment and composition are also cited as major concerns.

Suggestions include reduced political interference, increased training, following OECD (2005) best practices and greater accountability.

The paper extends the literature on CG in BODs in SOEs in emerging economies. This study utilizes the agency and institutional frameworks to understand the phenomenon.

This study aims to examine how and when trainers' muscle mass impacts service purchase of personal fitness training, drawing upon signaling theory. Specifically, the authors investigated (1) the mediating role of perceived competence in the relationship between trainers' muscle mass (highly vs moderately muscular) and customers' service registration intention and (2) the moderating role of customer expertise in this mediating mechanism.

The authors conceptualized trainers' muscle mass, developed its experimental stimuli and validated them through the two pretests (total n = 387). Using the validated stimuli, the authors conducted the two experiments (total n = 802). In both experiments, the authors recruited participants via MTurk using the convenience sampling method and employed a single-factor between-subject design based on random assignment.

Findings supported the authors’ proporsed model. Consumers perceived highly (vs moderately) muscular trainers as more competent, which in turn engendered greater service registration intention. This effect emerged for expert consumers but not for novice consumers.

This study is one of the first attempts to empirically test the influence of trainers' muscle mass on consumer acquisition in the context of personal fitness training. It also expands the sport marketing literature to the consumer psychology and behavior fields addressing the characteristics of sport-service providers. The findings also provide fitness organizations with managerial insights into how to effectively leverage trainers' physical appearance as a marketing tool.

Based on a background paper on the same subject, written on invitation by the World Bank, as a contribution to a general policy review on vocational and technical education and training. Draws primarily on the practical experience of the author and several of his colleagues in the International Training Service during the period 1961‐87 and on his personal consultancy activities since 1987 in a wide range of developing countries in addition to the UK. Pursues the following main themes: practical guidelines for developing enterprise training strategies and policies; the role and training of the enterprise trainer and the industry level training adviser; criteria for determining the location of training and the resources needed for it inside and outside the enterprise; financing training and measuring its results; and the special problems of training in the small enterprise. Focuses throughout on case examples and practical experience rather than on other people’s theories.

In January 1986 employment training for adults in Sweden was reorganised, when all the vocational training centres were grouped into a fully autonomous government institution aimed at more flexibility in meeting labour market needs, the optimal use of resources and extensive decentralisation. The effects of the reorganisation are assessed from the point of view of the organisation (AMU) itself, the trainees, the trainers, the trade unions and the employers. The possible advantages of the new system are presented.

This paper aims to present the work and contributions of Karol Adamiecki in comparison with Frederick Winslow Taylor and discusses the various contexts in which both scholars conducted their research. The purpose of this study is bring to light some of the main accomplishments of Adamiecki and contribute to the discussion of reasons why the work of some scholars draws wide acclaim, while similar work of others remains unnoticed.

The background for the discussion is the work and ideas of Karol Adamiecki, a Polish engineer and manager, whose methods and findings were similar to those of Frederick Taylor and are contemporary, and, in some cases, precede those of the Father of Scientific Management. The methodology used in this study is a review of the original work of Adamiecki and Taylor to find the true meaning and purpose behind their writings, as well as a review of relevant literature regarding the context of the realities in which both scholars constructed their research.

The concepts and inventions of Karol Adamiecki are, in many aspects, similar to those of Frederick Taylor and his followers. Several factors are identified and discussed which may have influenced the varied level of recognition of conceptually similar ideas evolved in different parts of the world. These factors are, among others, the socio-political reality of Eastern Europe and Poland under the influence of Russia and the Soviets as compared to that of the USA and the Western World and the support of various interest groups and government institutions, as well as the impact of the academic circles.

In today’s world of globalization reaching all aspects of life, it is necessary to recognize and acknowledge the developments emerging in different settings, regions and cultures. Furthermore, the social and political realities in which research is constructed may impact the future acceptance, dissemination and popularity of the findings and authors.

Although some research exists outlining the work of Adamiecki, this study contributes to the body of historical management knowledge by focusing on the main accomplishments of Adamiecki based on his original writings and placing his accomplishments in a historical context in comparison to Taylor, thus analyzing the reasons for the lack of wider acclaim for Adamiecki’s contribution to scientific management.

The purpose of this column is to inform librarians and other information professionals about prompt engineering (PE) and to challenge them to consider how it relates to the work that they are doing and consider if it might enhance their current ability to serve users.

PE is a new job category in the fields of technology and artificial intelligence. Prompt engineers use various approaches to elicit the best possible outputs from large language module technologies such as ChatGPT. This column examines the various elements present in effective prompts and how the skills, knowledge and abilities relate to the work that librarians already do, where there are disruptions and how the field of library and information science may approach studying the emergence and effectiveness of PE in resolving information needs.

While PE shares many of the goals, procedures and skillsets that librarians already know and use, it is a disruption in information-seeking processes. It is a highly complex undertaking that requires a mix of knowledge, skills and abilities. If done well, PE will allow information seekers to achieve a whole new level of results both in terms of the information retrieved and the content that is produced based on that information.

Librarians are currently generally not considered to be prime candidates for PE positions. However, this column introduces the idea that many librarians already have the knowledge, skills, abilities and aptitude to do PE. This may be as prompt engineers or by integrating PE into their existing professional practice.

Since the first Volume of this Bibliography there has been an explosion of literature in all the main areas of business. The researcher and librarian have to be able to uncover specific articles devoted to certain topics. This Bibliography is designed to help. Volume III, in addition to the annotated list of articles as the two previous volumes, contains further features to help the reader. Each entry within has been indexed according to the Fifth Edition of the SCIMP/SCAMP Thesaurus and thus provides a full subject index to facilitate rapid information retrieval. Each article has its own unique number and this is used in both the subject and author index. The first Volume of the Bibliography covered seven journals published by MCB University Press. This Volume now indexes 25 journals, indicating the greater depth, coverage and expansion of the subject areas concerned.

In the last four years, since Volume I of this Bibliography first appeared, there has been an explosion of literature in all the main functional areas of business. This wealth of material poses problems for the researcher in management studies — and, of course, for the librarian: uncovering what has been written in any one area is not an easy task. This volume aims to help the librarian and the researcher overcome some of the immediate problems of identification of material. It is an annotated bibliography of management, drawing on the wide variety of literature produced by MCB University Press. Over the last four years, MCB University Press has produced an extensive range of books and serial publications covering most of the established and many of the developing areas of management. This volume, in conjunction with Volume I, provides a guide to all the material published so far.