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In the UK the last decade has been a period in which the supply of freight transport services has generally exceeded demand, while both the characteristics of the transport managers, who are the industry′s customers, and organizational variables, which affect their behaviour, have changed. Examines how these changes have altered the duration of relationships with hauliers, the factors which determine haulier selection and the relative importance of the different aspects of service provided by hauliers. Shows that, although buyers value long‐term relationships, they are more active in the market than they were, dropping many and taking on new hauliers where appropriate. While service remains the most important selection determinant, price has become a factor of major importance. Furthermore, the relative importance of the different aspects of service has changed, with “flexibility” and “understanding of problems” ranking above some of the more traditional variables. While buyers perceive themselves as demanding customers, they attempt to manage their relationships with suppliers by creating an atmosphere which emphasizes collaboration. Concludes with recommendations for suppliers and with a discussion of the relevance of the IMP Group′s Interaction Model to the freight transport market.

The UK market for freight transport services used to be characterized by buyer inertia and high levels of source loyalty. For the last decade, suppliers of freight transport services have been operating in competitive markets in which supply has exceeded demand. Simultaneously attitudes to distribution management have been changing. Although transport costs account for a large percentage of total distribution costs, little is known of the effect of these changed attitudes on this function and on the nature of the relationships between buyers and suppliers. Using the Interaction Model of the IMP Group as a conceptual framework for the research, reports the results of a survey of transport managers conducted in Scotland, a coherent geographical region within the United Kingdom. Contains tables showing the distributions of ages and years of experience of transport buyers, their qualifications, the annual sum spent on transport and the contribution of the cost of haulage to the final cost of the major product transported, the frequency with which transport cost information goes to senior management and transport managers′ assessments of their firm′s senior management′s attitudes to distribution. Shows that transport managers have a higher status in their organizations than before and greater independence of decision making. Provides profiles of the transport manager′s job in companies with an “advanced” and “traditional” approach to distribution. These changes in the characteristics of transport managers and in the organizational factors which influence their behaviour are important to hauliers, as they affect both the nature and the duration of the relationship between buyer and supplier and the determinants of haulier selection.

A report on this subject has recently been issued by the Local Government Board. It owes its origin to the interest—unfortunately brief—that was aroused some two years ago, when certain allegations were made concerning the methods in vogue on the other side of the Atlantic for, the preparation of meat products intended to be placed on the English market, and has been drawn up by Dr. A. W. J. MACFADDEN. The report is based on the results obtained by Public Analysts throughout the country, who, in the performance of their official duties, were called upon to examine various samples of canned meat sent out by the United States packing houses; on certain statements made by trade representatives to Dr. MACFADDEN; and, finally, on the results of some analyses of canned meats made by Mr. ELLIS RICHARDS, F.I.C., at the request of the Board. The figures must be regarded as representative of the state of affairs then and now. By far the greater quantity of canned meat that reaches this country and is consumed therein is imported from the United States, and hence, almost of necessity, any criticisms that are made regarding this part of our food supply resolve themselves into criticisms of the Federal Meat Inspection law of the United States and the way in which it is applied by the officials there. The conclusion that Dr. MACFADDEN draws as to the efficacy of this law so far as it regards ourselves is one that was expressed in this journal in May last. He observes that “our position, so far as safeguards provided by American law are concerned, is apparently much as it was before the enactments came into force,” that “so far as the use of preservatives is concerned, the new law has not affected the conditions under which the canned meat trade has been conducted with this country in past years,” and that “the onus of protecting their inhabitants in this respect continues to rest, in the first place, with the Governments of the foreign countries themselves.” The first two statements are sufficiently damning, and the corollary is, of course, obvious. The difficulties must be tackled from this side, but the entire absence, up to the present, of all official standards renders the task of the Public Analyst and the other municipal officials who are jointly concerned with him as regards the health of the districts with which they are connected, a most difficult one, and the business of the unscrupulous “poisoner for dividends,” to use an American phrase, correspondingly easy. We go a little farther than Dr. MACFADDEN, and say that the new law does not protect us even with regard to the general wholesomeness of these products. As late as January last the Inspecting Officer of the Manchester Port Sanitary Authority had occasion to draw attention to the unsatisfactory nature of certain canned goods that were imported direct from America. The examination of a consignment of 1,200 six‐pound tins of canned meat showed that 157 tins were blown, and that 156 tins were of doubtful quality. It follows that in this single instance 1,800 pounds of garbage were exported to this country from the United States, the new law notwithstanding.

WHILE there is no doubt that the system of issuing books at “net” prices is of great benefit to booksellers, there is also no doubt that, unless care is taken, it is a serious drain upon a limited book‐purchasing income. A few years ago the position had become so serious that conferences were held with a view to securing the exemption of Public Libraries from the “net” price. The attempt, as was perhaps to be expected, failed. Since that time, the system has been growing until, at the present time, practically every non‐fictional book worth buying is issued at a “net price.”

Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).

The March issue of the Journal of Chemical Technology contains the following article, with every word of which we cordially agree. It is gratifying to find that there is one—if only one—of our scientific Journals which has the courage and the patriotism to speak out and to do so in vigorous terms. The indictment of the flabby persons belonging to the Chemical Profession who by their ineptitude and inertia are condoning the bestial crimes of the modern Huns is well‐timed and thoroughly deserved.

Since 1973, the pharmacy operations division of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program (KPMCP) has used long-term action research programs as the principal method for orchestrating change. This chapter covers the evolution of action research theory within large, complex organizations, with particular attention to health care organizations. Four case examples from KPMCP are discussed in depth and mapped to the recently advanced Roth model of insider action research. This model considers external and internal business context, the perceived need to create new organizational capabilities, as well as insider action research theory and learning mechanisms used in change programs. Issues posed by the Roth model are explored, and new theory is advanced regarding the need for a long-term perspective, the advantages and difficulties posed when managers act as insider action researchers, and the quality of data gathering that takes place during insider action research change programs.

This paper traces and acknowledges the heretofore generally overlooked contributions that anthropology and anthropologists have made to the history of management thought. Particular attention is devoted to tracing the early anthropological roots, highlighting the contributions made to the Hawthorne studies, and featuring the work of William Foote Whyte.

Although sport museums are considered an important sector in nostalgia sport tourism, annual visitations of the major sport Hall of Fames (HoF) have been decreasing, often resulting in operational and financial difficulties for the HoF. The current study examined the relationship between sport museum image, motivation, constraints, monetary and non-monetary promotions (as a mediator), and visit intention among those who have attended or never attended.

Data was collected from the residents in the Northeast Ohio area via an online survey questionnaire using Qualtrics (N = 1,607). Two sets of data parameters were generated based on consumers previous visitation to Pro Football HoF (visited group n = 754; never-visited group n = 853) and each group's monetary and non-monetary promotion models (total of four models) were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and reliability tests were processed via IBM SPSS Statistics 26 and the structural relationships among the constructs were examined using SmartPLS 3.

Among all the antecedents, positive perceived image of HoF has been identified as the most significant predictor for both promotions and visit (revisit) intention. Social motivation was found to be a strong driver for visiting a sports museum regardless of the types of promotions. Promotions' mediation effects were found. The monetary promotion between cost constraints and visit intention implied, cost constraints can be mitigated through monetary promotion.

This is the first study examining the role of relationship between image, motivation, constraints and visit intention relative to sport museums. Results provide practical insights for the sport museum marketers and researchers relative to visit intension.