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The purpose of this paper is to address the relationship between a leader’s use of nonverbal immediacy (specific hand gestures) and followers’ attraction to the leader. This study provides initial evidence that certain hand gestures are more effective than others at creating immediacy between leaders and followers.

In an experimental study, participants (male=89; female=121) were shown one of three videos of an actor, as leader, using three positive hand gestures, three defensive hand gestures, and no hand gestures, which have not been previously operationalized (and were grouped arbitrarily by the experimenter). Three hypotheses were tested using a 3×2 ANOVA (by group and gender) for main and interactional effects.

The independent variable, positive hand gestures (M=2.4), was perceived by participants as more immediate than the other two independent variables, defensive hand gestures (M=−19.2) or no hand gestures (M=−21.6). Analysis of data indicate that participants perceived leaders with no hand gestures and defensive hand gestures to be distant or non-immediate and the leader with positive hand gestures to be more immediate or attractive.

This study is limited as a pilot study establishing differences between specific hand gestures for the first time.

The research provides initial evidence that the hand gestures arbitrarily defined as “positive” create more immediacy between the followers and the leader than usage of “negative” gestures and no gestures.

The current research can act as a motivator for leaders to fast forward relationships with followers through the use of specific hand gestures.

The results suggest the possibility that some hand gestures are more effective than others.

Summarises the results of a study aimed at measuring the information skills of UK and international students pursuing an undergraduate course in business studies. Investigates the hypothesis that international students studying in the UK might be disadvantaged as a consequence of their different educational backgrounds. The recent higher education curriculum shift towards a more learning‐centred approach and an emphasis on independent learning means that information skills are now far more fundamental to a student’s survival and success. No significant difference between the information skills of UK and international students was found. Only about one‐quarter of students performed well on the test, while three‐quarters had inadequate information skills. The majority of students feel negative or neutral towards library and information skills – with international students having a more positive attitude than home students. One of the main sources of negative attitudes cited was the inability to find information without help.

Builds on work within The Lawson Mardon Group – one of the world′s largest packaging firms. Reviews, in particular, discontinuous change and the relationship between responsiveness and organizational learning – the latter expressed as a model identifies different organizational development patterns and the shift demanded in organizational assumptions at each stage of development. The underlying concepts are of special interest to practitioners in that the material goes some way towards describing not only the evolution of the learning organization, but where processes such as TQM and autonomous work groups fit into the overall journey.

Investigates the differences in protocols between arbitral tribunals and courts, with particular emphasis on US, Greek and English law. Gives examples of each country and its way of using the law in specific circumstances, and shows the variations therein. Sums up that arbitration is much the better way to gok as it avoids delays and expenses, plus the vexation/frustration of normal litigation. Concludes that the US and Greek constitutions and common law tradition in England appear to allow involved parties to choose their own judge, who can thus be an arbitrator. Discusses e‐commerce and speculates on this for the future.

The following bibliography focuses mainly on programs which can run on IBM microcomputers and compatibles under the operating system PC DOS/MS DOS, and which can be used in online information and documentation work. They fall into the following categories: