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The decline in published thematic mapping, especially U.S. government census mapping, the growing availability and affordability of computers, and the rise of geographic information systems have been important catalysts in moving map libraries toward the establishment of public access computer‐assisted mapping programs. Until recently, most computer‐assisted mapping systems were tied to large computers and required a significant degree of technical expertise. A program on computer‐assisted mapping at the Spring 1984 Western Associa‐tion of Map Libraries meeting in Seattle found few examples of microcomputer‐based mapping sys‐tems and none that was really designed for direct public access. However, the past five years have seen the explosive growth of microcomputers and applications software, the rise of desktop publishing (and by extension desktop mapping), the development of large databases on CD‐ROM and their use in libraries, and increasing librarian familiarity with microcomputers. These technical advancements in combination with changes in data distribution have contributed to the recent rise of public access computer‐assisted mapping programs in academic libraries.

Over recent years there have been massive changes in working life and workplaces. Across the 1990s there has been a marked increase in reports of work‐related psychological distress in the UK. This paper uses the results of the most recent Occupational Health Decennial supplement (Office for National Statistics (ONS) & Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 2007), based on nationally representative data sources on distress at work, working conditions, sickness absence and psychiatric morbidity to examine the reasons for the apparent increase in work‐related psychological distress.

The creation of this commission was unanimously agreed by the General Assembly of AIEST in Krakow, Poland in September 1977. The Commission met three times so far with a varied range of participants of different institutions involved in the education in Tourism. The meetings were held in Breda, Turin and at the University of Surrey, Guildford. In the first meeting the objectives of the commission were defined:

An ever‐increasing number of companies are recognising the reputational risks and opportunities that corporate responsibility brings, and for these companies aligning corporate behaviour with stakeholder expectations is an ongoing business priority. Communication, however, often remains the missing link in the practice of corporate responsibility. The information requirements of a range of opinion leader and mass stakeholder audiences are not currently being satisfied by many companies, so they are not getting full credit for their responsible corporate behaviour. Of course, there are specific challenges in communicating corporate responsibility – including scepticism towards company messages and potentially hostile reactions from the media, campaign groups and others. The diverse information requirements of different stakeholder groups also present special communication challenges, and these requirements are examined in turn. Using MORI’s British opinion research to illustrate the case, this paper first examines communication to opinion leader audiences (such as legislators, business press, investors and non‐governmental organisations), and in particular the opportunities and limitations of the social report. It then goes on to address communication of corporate responsibility to the general public and the need to trigger wider consumer engagement in this topic. Lastly, it covers the communication opportunity presented by companies’ own employees and the internal communication challenges surrounding corporate responsibility. The paper suggests, in conclusion, that effective communication of corporate responsibility depends on a clear strategy which evaluates both the opportunities and the risks to the brand, and which tailors messages to different stakeholder groups. It calls for a coordinated approach, which ideally embeds corporate responsibility messages into mainstream communications. The paper also identifies internal communication as an under‐utilised and potentially powerful channel for enhancing a company’s reputation for responsibility among its key stakeholders.

Describes the transformation of HR at QBE Insurance, focusing on how the group HR team has engaged both the business and divisional HR teams across an international operation to enable this transformation.

Discusses integrated changes, driven by group HR, which aim to raise awareness of the contribution that more effective people management can have on business goals. Explains how changes in culture, executive development, performance management, personal‐development planning, succession planning and talent management have been introduced by influencing business leaders and divisional HR teams, underpinned by a clear and consistent HR vision that is aligned to business needs.

Reveals that the group general manager, HR's approach to implementing QBE's “One HR” plan has transformed group HR's relationship with the company's business leaders, supported the transformation of the HR operating models in each of the divisions and helped to improve QBE's overall business results.

Presents experiences that may be useful to other HR teams developing their role in an international business, wanting to become more strategic or setting out to increase their credibility and influence with business leaders.

Describes how HR, by focusing on the right things, can work more effectively across geographical boundaries to help leaders to achieve better ways of managing people.

Demonstrates how HR can help a company to gain more value from its people.

This article presents an empirically induced “high-performance” “human resources (HR) bundle”, comprising six HR practices, for supporting lean service operations.

This was a multiple case study. A qualitative data set, including transcripts from 27 semistructured in-depth interviews with lean practitioners from across five service organizations that have adopted lean practices, was thematically analyzed to establish key HR practices on the road to lean maturity.

A “high-performance” HR bundle of three work practices and three employment practices emerged from the analysis. These practices typically mature implicitly rather than systematically to support organizations in successfully implementing lean service operations by resourcing the most suitable people for carefully defined roles, providing workers with extensive lean training opportunities, appraising workers' performances such that lean behaviours are recognized and rewarded and encouraging a participative teamworking culture.

This article uses cross-sectional data from five case studies to induce a “high-performance” “HR bundle” theoretical model and process. A larger number of case studies and/or longitudinal data would add credence.

Lean service managers should regard HR practices as integral to the lean maturation process and might usefully conceive of them as processes allowing for greater management control to achieve incremental improvements to lean service provision.

The article provides deeper understanding of the importance of HR practice for lean service organizations and offers practical suggestions for managing HR practices in this context.

This article describes one of the issues that arose from my research into the Longcare abuse scandal: how local authorities place learning‐disabled adults in out‐of‐area settings far from their original homes, and then fail to visit them regularly to check on their welfare. It describes the failings of three local and health authorities in the Longcare case, and then reveals that the problem was not confined to those authorities that placed adults at the Longcare homes. It also suggests that placing vulnerable adults in out‐of‐area homes puts them at a greater risk of abuse. The article concludes that, ten years on from the exposure of the Longcare regime, many local authorities are still placing vulnerable adults in out‐of‐area homes and failing to visit them. It calls for a national audit of out‐of‐area placements and for measures to be introduced to allow learning‐disabled adults to live in placements closer to their families and friends… and care managers.