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Since logistics employee substance abuse can have a significant negative effect on logistics efficiency and effectiveness, logistics managers should develop policies and procedures effectively to control logistics employee substance abuse. This article provides a benchmark for managers who seek to develop such policies by reporting the results of a survey of current US corporate logistics substance abuse policies and practices. Forty per cent of the respondents reported not having a written substance abuse policy. The most widely used detection methods were management observation followed by drug testing. Only 50 per cent of the firms employed pre‐employment screening and less than 40 per cent screened current logistics employees. Of those who did drug test, more than two‐thirds tested for cause only, in all logistics occupations except truck driver, airline pilot and vehicle mechanic. Logistics management should aggressively pursue substance abuse policy development, pre‐employment screening, detection methods for all job classifications and employee assistance programmes.

Often small business owners/managers feel they haveinadequate time for formal forecasting and/or that they lack the expertise to do so. Since forecasting is an important decision‐aiding tool, managers in small retail establishments can benefit by implementing a simple forecasting process. Doing so will enable them to better anticipate the firms future level of sales and lead to more successful operations. We suggest the use of relatively simple quantitative methods that have proven to work well in a wide variety of situations. Exponential smoothing, basic regression methods, and time series decomposition can be employed with relative ease in the context of a small retail business. Inexpensive computers and forecasting software make it possible for small retailers to utilize these forecasting methods in a cost effective and timely fashion.

Volume 25 celebrates the 25th year of publication for the American Journal of Business (AJB). Launched by eight MAC schools of business in March 1986, the Journal has featured more than 700 authors who have contributed more than 330 research articles at the intersection of theory and practice. From accounting to marketing, management to finance, the Journal prominently covers the breadth of the business disciplines as a general business outlet intended for both practitioners and academics. As the Journal reaches out beyond the MAC in sponsorship, authorship, and readership, we assess the Journal’s first quarter century of impact.

The world faces greater environmental, social and governance challenges than ever before and a growing number of organisations are establishing sustainability functions, strategies and plans in an effort to address these complex issues. However, limited research exists on the critical behavioural competencies required to maximise leadership impact on sustainability initiatives. With the stakes so high and the task so complex, the purpose of this paper is to identify the key behavioural competencies of corporate sustainability leaders and set out a model for assessing these behavioural competencies.

Based on a review of the empirical literature, the study sets out five competency groupings, which informed a hypothesis. This was tested quantitatively via a self-report tool that enabled a quantitative analysis of behavioural competencies. Contributions from 97 participants were triangulated with data collected from colleagues who rated the participants on the same set of competencies.

Ten critical and ten prominent behaviours of sustainability leaders in five competency groupings were identified. The analysis also explored how the business sector, location, years of experience and level of qualification impacted upon the sample sustainability leaders’ perceived effectiveness.

The sample size means that the competency model derived from the findings should be seen as propositional and requiring further validation. Impact measures would add considerable robustness to the findings.

The research offers a means to better focus and tailor leadership development experiences and as a tool for the recruitment of sustainability leaders.

The study is based on a robust quantitative approach, and the behavioural competency model developed as a result provides a tool for sustainability leaders to map current behaviours and monitor their progress over time.

The importance of early and developmentally appropriate science education is increasingly recognized. Consequently, creation of common guidelines and standards in early childhood science education has begun (National Research Council (NRC), 2012), and researchers, practitioners, and policy makers have shown great interest in aligning professional development with the new guidelines and standards. There are some important issues that need to be addressed in order to successfully implement guidelines and make progress toward accomplishing standards. Early childhood teachers have expressed a lack of confidence in teaching science and nature (Torquati, Cutler, Gilkerson, & Sarver, in press) and have limited science and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) (Appleton, 2008). These are critical issues because teachers’ subject-matter knowledge is a robust predictor of student learning outcomes (Enfield & Rogers, 2009; Kennedy, 1998; Wilson, Floden, & Ferrini-Mundy, 2002) and is seen as a critical step toward improving K-12 student achievement (National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century (NCMST), 2000; NRC, 2000). We argue that the same is true of preschool teachers.

This chapter discusses: (a) theories and practices in early childhood science education (i.e., preschool through 3rd grade) in relation to teaching for conceptual change, (b) research on methods of professional development in early childhood science education, and (c) innovative approaches to integrating scientific practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas with early childhood professional development.

This issue is a selected bibliography covering the subject of leadership.

Explores some of the causes of conflict in academia, some examples of conflict, and finally what attempts to deal with conflict are being made. Lists and discusses the main causes of conflict as: faculty‐to‐student; student‐to‐student; faculty‐to‐faculty;and faculty‐to‐administrator. Gives examples of conflict and ways to handle grievances. Concludes, in a conflict situation, both sides must be prepared to bend a little to enable a satisfactory outcome.