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This paper aims to synthesise and evaluate the properties of a novel smart material consisting of a metal-free organic black pigment with a unique chromophore for bifunctional applications in optoelectronics.

A robust and highly efficient organic reaction, namely, a double [2 + 2] cycloaddition, was deployed to transform a rod-like structure for charge-transfer applications to a strongly conjugated light-absorbing molecule for both optical and electronic applications.

The synthesis and characterisation of an air-stable metal-free black pigment is reported, which contains an unconventional donor–acceptor panchromatic chromophore with an absorption window spanning 600 nm; the compound was synthetically converted from an organic semiconducting molecular rod and retains strong charge-transfer properties. The chromophore comprises tetracyanoquinodimethane adduct on either side of a dithienothiophenyl core, capped with hexyl thiophenes that ensure solubility in common organic solvents. Its propensity to form excellent thin films on different substrates such as glass and paper, with a total opacity in organic solvent, gives it the potential for wide-ranging applications in organic optoelectronics.

The synthetic chemistry and fundamental properties are investigated in the present study, with more detailed treatments and analysis to be soon developed. One leading smart material is presented, with further derivatives under investigation.

The work presented shows the possibility of converting structures from one application to another with relative ease, but how they retain properties for both, using well-known and facile conditions.

The structures are novel and an enhanced air-stable organic panchromatic chromophore is reported for processing in common organic solvents.

Discusses some current and future applications of genetic modification of food production, and describes some of the initiatives under way to raise awareness of these developments among industry and consumer groups.

The wind of change is blowing through the stores of this country, not least in terms of how we may be paying for our purchases in the coming decades. Electronic funds transfer was the subject of a seminar held recently by Retail Conferences (“Retail Cash Handling in the Eighties”), and one of the speakers there gave a run‐down of the evolution of commodity, coin and paper. How long before we swap paper for the plastic card? His criteria for the acceptance of these payment systems was that they were, at one time or another, convenient, secure and universally acceptable. Does the plastic card meet these requirements? Particularly on the last score, where it would have to be acceptable to the banks, the retailers and the consumer? And who pays for the experiments necessary before full implementation of EFTS? And what about the numbers among our population who do not at the moment have bank accounts? Can they be drawn into the system?

UNEASY though it might be — and we just hope and trust it is not merely a truce — the settlement achieved in both British Leyland and British Steel is to be welcomed. Strikes are never pleasant and, in general, there are none who win and all lose. Worse, they all too often leave a feeling of resentment that is frequently fostered and exploited by those who have least either to gain or lose by continual conflict except their personal aggrandisement. It is so easy to wield a big stick when you yourself are safe from any rebounding blows from it!

Evaluates the current success of projects within the Achieving Sustainable Quality in Maternity clinical effectiveness programme initiated in 1994 when 23 improvements in the standards of maternity care were chosen as priorities for improvement, and a further 22 added in 1996 and 1997. The interventions used to achieve improvement were guidelines, cyclical audit of cases, monthly feedback meetings, patient specific reminders and educational training sessions. The setting was North Staffordshire Maternity Acute and Community Services. Main outcome measures were measures of maternal morbidity and “near‐miss” mortality, perinatal morbidity and “near‐miss”, patients’ satisfaction, communication, staff well‐being. Presents results from the 45 audit topics. Concludes it is possible to achieve significant improvements in the quality of maternity care through the use of local guidelines, cyclical audit, monthly feedback meetings and training courses but there has not been the same success in achieving high standards in communication and informed choice.

A NEW YEAR is a season of Stocktaking in normal times; this year it is especially so. The library journals of the world all fill their pages with discussions on libraries in a time of economic depression and financial stringency; and in America this note is even more Stressed than in any country, and we trust that some good may come of it seeing that America has proved more helpless in the face of world depression than any nation had thought possible. That, however, is by the way. The immediate problem of the New Year is how to ensure that in the general reductions of expenditure that are being made the expenditure on libraries is reduced as little as possible.

This paper aims to set out a coherent intellectual framework to help to better understand how people create, organise, manage, use and dispose of their personal digital archives. The context for this is the increasing volume and diversity of digital information objects being captured and stored by individuals in their personal capacities and the need to find ways to preserve this material for posterity.

The research presented here is based on literature analysis, the questions having been informed by an earlier series of in‐depth interviews. The approach taken is to synthesise key concepts from the computer science, information management, and archives and records management literatures. Key concepts from the existing literature in computer science, information management, and archives and records management were elicited and synthesised to create a coherent document lifecycle narrative.

Individuals exhibit great diversity in terms of personal information management and digital archiving practice at just about every point in the digital information cycle: much more so than is the case in formal repositories. Practices exhibited are not always conducive to efficient document management. This represents a very keen challenge for professional curatorial practice.

Little is known about how individuals manage digital information resources in their personal capacity, outside of their corporate or institutional employment. Yet both individuals on their own and professional curators on behalf of repositories are increasingly being faced with the challenge of how to deal with digital media. It is hoped that this paper will contribute to a growing debate in this area.

Personal information management from the perspective of personal digital archives is a surprisingly under‐researched area and the proposed model adopts an archival information lifecycle approach. It seeks to apply and promote an archivally‐oriented personal information management.

This paper seeks to investigate experiential marketing as a potential strategy for cultural attractions operating in a highly competitive leisure marketplace.

The paper examines the relevance of the experiential approach for the UK arts and cultural sector with its multiple stakeholders and innate tensions between commercial objectives and curatorial/artistic goals, between visitor access and preservation and between scholarship and entertainment.

Experiential marketing is evaluated as a means by which organizations in the arts and cultural sector can capture uncontended market space while satisfying the wants and expectations of an increasingly discerning visitor. The analytical basis for the evaluation is provided through comparative case studies – one from the heritage sector and one from the performing arts.

The experiential approach is considered and the findings applied to a conceptual model, with a view to offering proposals for the dissemination of best practice and identifying directions for further research.