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We have reprinted the powerful letter addressed to the Daily Mail by MR. H. W. WILSON, the author of “Ironclads in Action,” advocating the immediate adoption of a policy of reprisals for the Zeppelin murder raids. In our view it is the duty of every journal, whatever may be its raison d'être, to assist in keeping the attention of the public fixed upon this matter, to aid in preventing the general feeling of disgust and indignation from cooling down, and to support those who have the brains to understand the nature of the Hun in their efforts to compel the Government to adopt the most effective means at present available to put an end to the murderous excursions of the German vermin into this country. As MR. WILSON points out, the deliberate Hun policy of slaying women, children and non‐combatants is either permitted by the laws of war recognised by civilised nations or it is not permitted by those laws. If it is permitted, “then clearly the Power which refrains from making similar attacks on the enemy's towns, villages, and residential districts, loses greatly from the military standpoint.” If it is not permitted then the only course— “the force behind the laws of War”—is a policy of drastic reprisals. Moreover, it is the only course that the Hun can understand. The methods of “frightfulness” are definitely laid down in the German military system as methods to be ruthlessly followed whenever this can be done with impunity and the fear of reprisals is also definitely laid down as the only consideration which is to be allowed to operate as a check upn “frightfulness.” “The Power which fails to take reprisals when a great offence is committed is as the negligent judge or the faithless jury that acquits a murderer. It sins against humanity … it encourages the criminal in his crime.”

THE exact date of the first foundation of the library is not discoverable, but it was within the first two years of the formation of the Medico‐Chirurgical Society (1805–1807), as a Library Committee was appointed as early as March, 1807.

Only a day or two ago the Stars and Stripes were floating over the House of Lords and the invigorating “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was sung at St. Paul's in the presence of the King Emperor. The events were unique, and to all Britons happy in prophecy. English librarians have long admired their American brethren and their work; and of late they had read with regret the rather querulous remarks in at least one American library journal about the restrictions on book imports incidental to the blockade, and such phrases as “we have friends in both countries,” which gave the impression that our American friends failed to distinguish between the moral value of right and wrong in this world‐struggle. All this was intensified by the fact that every Briton in his heart believes the American to be of his own household, “to come of the blood,” and the want of understanding which we thought we detected was a particularly bitter thing. Of course this was a superficial view, and many of us realized how great was the sympathy between the English speaking races, and how difficult for the American the interracial problems of his country. Now, however, the air has been clarified, and the English librarian may look upon his American brethren as at one with himself in the struggle to preserve that freedom in the world which pervades the literature of our common language.

How often does the financial director pore over his latest set of management accounts, nodding with satisfaction at the improvements during the period, frowning at those disappointing variances from budget that tend to creep in, but wondering all the time whether the figures really come up to scratch, wondering whether his standards are the right ones, whether the company is doing as well as the competition, whether there aren't a number of weaknesses buried half way down the second page which are hard to spot without some external yardstick. He is wondering in fact whether there isn't some method of comparing his company's performance with that of other firms in his industry to see where he is going wrong, if at all, and how he can become more profitable.

THAT the United States should have taken speedy steps to bolster the dollar was to be expected. The fall was dramatic and laden with dire possibilities for American pride. That it would have helped considerably in their export field had perforce to take second place.

Information provided for managers by an accounting department can be divided into two broad categories: (a) information which will help managers to control future costs incurred, and (b) information which will enable managers to be well‐informed when making decisions involving a choice between alternative courses of action. Both accountants and managers need to understand the way in which costs respond to changes in the level or type of activity if appropriate information is to be presented and used effectively. Furthermore, the ability to employ techniques such as standard costing, budgetary control and marginal costing, which are commonly used in planning and controlling organisations' activities, must be based on an appreciation of the basic relationships between costs and volume.

Purpose – The broader aim of this research is twofold. First, we aim to better understand how the business computer was conceptualized and used within U.S. industry. Second, this research investigates the role of social factors such as relational structure, institutional entrepreneurs, and position in the formation of conceptualizations of new technologies.

Design/methodological/approach – This paper is theoretically motivated in the sense that it responds to the lack of attention to the failure of institutional entrepreneurs to change belief systems. Through detailed archival, network, and descriptive statistical analysis, the paper shows how the failed institutional entrepreneur fits conventional explanations for success. The paper then analyzes two matched cases, comparing the insurance industry's rejection of the institutional entrepreneur with manufacturing's acceptance, in order to identify what is missing in current explanations of institutional entrepreneurs.

Findings – Our analysis reveals that the role of the audience structure in interpreting the institutional entrepreneur's message influences the change outcome. In our case, the institutional entrepreneur's view of the computer as a brain that supported decision-oriented applications did not fit with views of the insurance groups who had centralized authority over interpreting the computer. Because manufacturing had less centralized control in its discourse around the computer, there were fewer constraints on assimilation, allowing the entrepreneur's views to resonate with some of the occupational groups.

Research limitations/implications – This paper develops a theoretical approach to institutional entrepreneurship that situates the entrepreneurial efforts of individual actors within a system characterized by the structure of its audience and subject to distinct historical macro-structural processes that present significant obstacles to the realization of their entrepreneurial projects.

Jelinek has developed a multi-level model for conceptualizing the contextual influences through which intellectual property (IP) is “understood, interpreted and made sense of” by key parties to IP “deals.” This commentary reflects upon that model through a historical examination of industry–university relationships in one case – specifically, IBM. Since the late 1920s, IBM has encouraged multifaceted relationships with universities. From the start, IBM sought relationships with academia not only because of the market potential represented by university campuses, but also because Thomas Watson Sr. viewed academic customers as potential research collaborators, a novel idea at the time that later proved instrumental in the development of the corporation's successful research enterprise. IBM's university relationships have continued to evolve over time, reflecting shifts in the corporation's business strategy, and changes in larger macroeconomic structures. The case of IBM reveals complex interactions among governmental, corporate, and academic actors and their policies at different points in time, providing support for Jelinek's multi-level approach to framing IP dynamics, and suggesting possible refinements of the model for the future.

This article seeks to depict the pivotal role Hugo Munsterberg, the great pioneer in industrial psychology, played in the lives of his students, some of whom were feminists regardless of his own chauvinistic opinions. The article aims to examine the contributions made by Mary Calkins, Ethel Puffer, and William Marston, all former students of Munsterberg, who went on to make valuable contributions in psychology, women's issues, the polygraph, and the creation of the first and most famous comic book super heroine.

Synthesizing articles from history journals, writings about the figures of interest, published works by the figures themselves and other resources, this paper illustrates how Hugo Munsterberg impacted the scholarly careers of Calkins, Puffer, and Marston who all made valuable contributions to academia and popular culture.

This paper concludes that Munsterberg's influence was evident in the works of Calkins, Puffer, and Marston in areas as diverse as the psychology of beauty to the detection of deception. Despite his own chauvinistic views Munsterberg had an amicable and productive relationship with the aforementioned students, which sometimes extended beyond a professional relationship. Consequently, they initiated a research agenda that was greatly influenced by Dr Munsterberg.

This article highlights Dr Hugo Munsterberg's influence on Calkins, Puffer, and Marston, who made valuable contributions in women's issues, as well as the development of DISC theory, and the super‐heroine Wonder Woman.

We issue a double Souvenir number of The Library World in connection with the Library Association Conference at Birmingham, in which we have pleasure in including a special article, “Libraries in Birmingham,” by Mr. Walter Powell, Chief Librarian of Birmingham Public Libraries. He has endeavoured to combine in it the subject of Special Library collections, and libraries other than the Municipal Libraries in the City. Another article entitled “Some Memories of Birmingham” is by Mr. Richard W. Mould, Chief Librarian and Curator of Southwark Public Libraries and Cuming Museum. We understand that a very full programme has been arranged for the Conference, and we have already published such details as are now available in our July number.