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Meeting market requirements was the incentive for reorganising the production process, material supply and planning of a small electronics company. Reorganising — simplifying — the production process was also an important step before implementing a new MRP II system. Gert ten Cate, of the Dutch management consultants Berenschot, describes how the project reduced throughput time from eight weeks to four days, so that now production is on order instead of to stock.

Presents over sixty abstracts summarising the 1999 Employment Research Unit annual conference held at the University of Cardiff. Explores the multiple impacts of globalization on work and employment in contemporary organizations. Covers the human resource management implications of organizational responses to globalization. Examines the theoretical, methodological, empirical and comparative issues pertaining to competitiveness and the management of human resources, the impact of organisational strategies and international production on the workplace, the organization of labour markets, human resource development, cultural change in organisations, trade union responses, and trans‐national corporations. Cites many case studies showing how globalization has brought a lot of opportunities together with much change both to the employee and the employer. Considers the threats to existing cultures, structures and systems.

Criticizes the attitude of separatism used in evaluating management performance. Asserts that looking at narrow functional areas does not provide a holistic picture of an organization, for example, production may reduce its costs by using inferior quality materials but marketing and sales may not be able to sell the product so their performance declines. Suggests that some organizations suffer from conflict between functional areas because they are evaluated on the outcomes from activities they control, affecting overall organizational performance. Indicates that asset investment decisions should be based on the interdependent relationship between accounting, finance and marketing departments, and that this can best be achieved if a cross‐functional team makes the asset investment decisions. Points out the inherent difficulties in evaluating intangible assets. Focuses on advertising and research and development (R&D) and how investments could be evaluated using functional and cross‐functional teams, based on financial data (on 126 firms) accessed from the Compustat PC Plus database. Takes a look at economic value‐added, which questions the differences between the accounting and economic models of a firm. Uses regression analysis to examine the impact of advertising, R&D and other explanatory variables on market value, accounting profitability and sales. Finds support for using cross‐functional teams in evaluating intangible asset investments. Recommends areas for further research.

One of the common law duties owed by the employer is his duty to take reasonable care for the safety of his employee. This common law duty is an implied term in the contract of employment and is therefore contractual in nature. Because of the difficulties which may arise in bringing an action in contract for breach of the employer's duty of care, the employee who has sustained injuries during the course of his employment (although he may sue either in contract of tort will normally bring a tort action.

Reports research statistics that reveal that half of all working women are likely to suffer some form of sexual harassment during their careers, particularly those in non‐traditional posts. Outlines different explanatory theories for sexual harassment proposed in current literature, focusing in particular on socio‐cultural, organizational and individual differences models, and seeks to examine the interaction between various factors identified. Discusses the main effects of power distance, attitudes towards women and gender/job match on sexual harassment, and develops models of sexual harassment behaviour to examine the interaction between these three factors for women with male supervisors in traditional and non‐traditional roles, identifying the circumstances in which quid pro quo and hostile environment sexual harassment are most likely and most unlikely to occur. Illustrates how the different factors involved foster different kinds of sexual harassment at different levels of severity, and concludes that multiple strategies are required to address such behaviour.

The idea for this hugely successful event at the Crucible Theatre on 7 June, came first from the pages of New Library World, believe it or not. Reading one of Jane Little's articles advertising Feminist Book Fortnight, I noticed that there was not going to be a feminist book fair in this country this year, and that the main fair was to be in Oslo. It seemed an ideal opportunity to alter Sheffield's image as the macho snooker playing capital of the North and the idea for the First Sheffield Women's Book Fair was born.