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Lancaster University was a pioneer in library automation in the early 1970s. The last ten years have seen a consolidation of these early systems, a change to a more effective circulation system, and gradual enhancements. Lack of funding has impeded further developments, but has now led to the development of a strategy which it is hoped will lead to the creation of a ‘future‐proof’ environment based on in‐house developed software using the Pick operating system.

Downsizing is the concept of utilising low cost equipment (often IBM PCs or compatibles) for applications that previously required relatively large and expensive computers. At Lancaster University Library, we have, over the last few years, developed an “integrated” library system that has been purpose‐built for our requirements. We have used the Pick Operating System, and automated our systems, starting with Acquisitions and moving to Cataloguing, OPAC, and so on. Along the way, we have included inter‐library loans, slides, serials and other associated systems.

Lancaster University began a programme of retrospective catalogue conversion in 1990, initially using data from BNB on CD‐ROM, and more recently Library of Congress CDMARC Bibliographic. Records are downloaded in custom format (rather than MARC), and inhouse programs convert the data to the Lancaster catalogue format, and update the catalogue and related indexes. The proportion of library stock in full machine‐readable form has increased from 30 per cent in December 1990 to 72 per cent in July 1994. This article reports on technical details of the procedure, and implications in terms of staffing arrangements, work patterns, success rates, costs, and quality considerations.

As a consequence of both limited funding and a desire to remain independent of any single supplier, the University of Lancaster Library is developing an integrated library package with software based on the Pick operating system. The first stage in the library's automation programme, an acquisitions system, went live in April 1987. This article presents an account of its implementation, and shows how wide participation in its development has resulted in various refinements and in swift acceptance by all levels of staff. A full description of the system is given, showing the day‐to‐day procedures involved and the unlimited enquiry potential provided by the Pick access language. The system is judged a great success, both on its own merits and as the First stage in the library's continuing automation programme.

The LANSLIDE slide management system developed by the University of Lancaster Library is a multi‐user, stand‐alone system designed for operation on an IBM PC‐AT (or compatible) which is capable of running under the Pick operating system. LANSLIDE provides facilities for slide cataloguing with access to the records by keyword searching. Search facilities are enhanced by boolean AND/OR/NOT combinations and through the option of truncated keywords. Mini‐labels containing captions are produced by the system for fixing to the mounts of 35mm transparencies.

Addresses the issue of business failure. Identifies different types of business failure and provides a framework for further research into this aspect of strategic management. Draws from the management literature to describe the causes and processes of each of the failure contexts covered and provides case illustrations to contextualize them.

This study aims to examine whether movies are pivotal in developing empathy, nostalgia, perceived risk, place familiarity and place image that can shape viewer attitude towards and intention to visit a place.

Data were collected from two sample frames of patrons at a large cinema chain located in a major shopping centre in Perth, Western Australia. The experimental group watched the romantic comedy, Friends with Benefits. The control group watched the romantic comedy, Desi Boyz which is set in London and India and is not associated with New York. A quota for data collection was set at 230 subjects in each group. The two groups watched their movies concurrently in different theatres at the same cinema chain in the same shopping centre. Subjects in both groups were asked for their responses to New York immediately after viewing the movie.

In an experimental study, subjects who watched a romantic comedy set in New York had significantly higher empathy, place familiarity, attitude towards and intention to visit New York and significantly lower performance/financial risk associated with visiting New York than the control group. However, perceived risk played no significant role in influencing place familiarity in the experimental group, whereas nostalgia played no significant role in influencing place familiarity in the control group.

The proposed decision-making framework provides academics with theoretical underpinning for future empirical tourism studies in the research area. The findings also encourage more collaboration between government, movie producers, destination management organisations and marketers to deliver a movie that provides consistent branding in its story, location and product placement strategies.

A case study about the creation of four scenarios that were used to make sense of the fast-moving pace of COVID-19 and the consequences for New Zealand tourism.

Adapting global visitor economy scenarios, a set of New Zealand tourism scenarios were constructed using a “back of house Shell” method and were supplemented with an expert panel to test the reliability and validity of the scenarios.

The four scenarios constructed were based on two critical uncertainties, namely economic recession and the moral dilemma of the consumer. Four scenarios were portrayed using film and TV titles to help participants visualise the scenarios. Crazy Rich Asians: Recovery represented many of the attributes of tourism in New Zealand prior to COVID-19 i.e. a focus on high value tourists from Asia. Contagion: Survival of the Fittest represented the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic. This Side of Paradise: ReThinking Tourism focused on rebuilding tourism based upon the principles of sustainability. The Colony: Gated Communities represented fortress destinations trying to keep COVID-19 at bay. Each scenario portrayed several features including a unique narrative, tourism, the tourist, vision, strategy and risks. The paper highlighted the trade-offs and conflicts between the scenarios as COVID-19 unfolded in different directions.

In a fluid situation, the paper reminds readers of the value of scenarios as framing devices to understand the fast-moving pace of COVID-19 when New Zealand was in unchartered waters. Thus, this study highlights how a scenario-planning process builds resilience and foresight to help stakeholders and actors make sense of crisis situations.

The stereotypical image of the profession is poor with accountants appearing in the popular media as either the object of satire or the criminally inclined expert who deceives the public for self-gain. Extant research on the portrayal of the stereotypic accountant is limited in two ways: (1) existing research assumes a unitary concept by inferring a dominant image when the accountant stereotype is multifaceted; and (2) it is unclear from existing research whether the dominant image results from perceived character traits or the duties undertaken by accountants. This paper relies on qualitative methods of data analysis to unpack the elements that underpin stereotypical images in accounting to develop a framework of external perceptions that distinguishes one image from another. The framework is constructed on two broad criteria that comprise accountants (personality traits and physical characteristics) and accounting (task functionality). The interplay of these two criteria creates four subtypes representing positive (Scorekeeper and Guardian) and negative (Beancounter and Entrepreneur) interpretations of the two basic categorizations: bookkeeper and business professional. Further analysis revealed four primary dimensions (Ethics and Sociable, Skill and Service) that underlie the construction of the subtypes. In general, the ‘Scorekeeper’ rates more highly than the ‘Beancounter’ on ‘Ethics and Sociable’ and the ‘Guardian’ rates more highly than the ‘Entrepreneur’ on ‘Ethics’. Accounting researchers and the profession could benefit from understanding how stereotypical perceptions are constructed and managed.

The COVID-19 pandemic is considered a “once in a century” public health shock that, at the time of writing, continues to have a profound impact on global tourism and New Zealand. The paper aims to assess how consumer behaviour trends changed using a trends analysis framework.

Positioning the paper in the prognosis–prediction paradigm from futures studies and using a trend analysis approach, the authors forecasted a series of tourist trends at the beginning of COVID-19 based upon a multitude of sources trends. Then, 12 months later, they reported on the accuracy of these forecasts.

The matrix identifies 15 trends based upon consumer behaviour changes, which are either dominant, slowed, advanced or arrested. The prognosis was largely correct, which was supported by evidence gathered 12 months later.

The paper uses a series of different data sources to reflect on the initial forecasts. To some, this may be an issue of rigor, but the authors argue that through triangulation, credibility and validity are increased.

First, the evaluation matrix allows users to make sense of COVID-19 based upon the concepts of dominant, slowed, advanced or arrested trends. Second, the matrix allows users to evaluate changes and movement of trends. Third, the trends featured in this paper could be generalisable to several different circumstances associated with simple identity. Fourth, this paper has tested the ability to predict trends in an uncertain environment within the context of the ontological paradigm of prognosis and prediction of futures states.