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Presents evidence on the prevalence of work stress and the apparent reluctance of many to recognize the interdependence of individual and organizational health. Consequently focuses on the urgent need for organizations to engage in stress prevention and stress management activities. Previous approaches to stress prevention and stress management have often appeared to be rather haphazard, so outlines a practical, all encompassing, cost‐saving model which brings the organization towards a philosophy of “total stress management”.

Changes in female food shopping habits and in retailing locations have prompted a major survey investigation of food shopping by members of the University of Ulster. The survey, which included interviews with 300 women, was carried out at three out‐of‐town shopping centres in Northern Ireland. The findings reveal that many of the shoppers were employed and were constrained by “time”: time for shopping and time for cooking. Critical time pressures influenced the choice of retailer, shopping times and product purchases, thus sending a number of important signals to food retailers in Britain.

As the twenty‐first century beckons, the competitive terrain of the UK food retailing industry is set to change. A host of forces signal the need for food retailers to embark on programmes of strategic change in order to find a defendable position within an increasingly competitive industry. Highlights the strategies adopted by successful retailers in Northern Ireland which reflect adaptation to environmental forces. Identifies some of the opportunities which are available to food retailers in other regional centres throughout the UK, together with suggestions for their exploitation through a focus on shopping in provincial towns.

If organization development is to achieve the objective of improving organizational effectiveness, it is essential that companies adopt a proactive and preventive approach to stress management. Such an approach would reduce the costs of stress which result directly from organization development and, additionally, the costs of previously existing stress factors such as high labour turnover, absenteeism and reduced productivity. A practical all‐encompassing model is presented which brings the organization towards a philosophy of “total stress management” (TSM). Organizations which develop this philosophy, through the adoption of the practical action model, will be able to reduce the cost of stress substantially.

This article highlights the fact that in an attempt to cope with the turbulence and hostility which characterize their operating environments, many public sector organizations have embarked upon far‐reaching programmes of unsettling strategic change. These programmes often exhibit features of disintegration. Additionally they are frequently formulated by senior managers in isolation from organizational members, who are then expected to implement them without question or consultation. This article argues that such approaches to change management are unlikely to bring about the desired transformation. Rather, using a case study of one public sector organization in the Republic of Ireland, it is argued that organizations are more likely to experience the required metamorphosis where the change commences at the periphery and is led by relatively junior front line staff, with senior management practitioners acting as facilitators of organizational transformation.

Organizations are being forced to contend with an increasingly diverse range of influential factors which have implications for their efficiency and effectiveness. Such factors are likely to create a cumulative spiral of pressures for organization members and render them susceptible to the adverse effects of stress. Increased prevalence of work stress among employees, coupled with its harmful effects for the operation of companies, prompted an investigation of managerial attitudes to stress at work in the clothing industry. Structured interviews were carried out with managers from 44 companies. Of the respondents 70.5 per cent believed that employees in their company experienced stress at work. Many identified a range of causes and effects, and 81.4 per cent acknowledged that stress is a problem for individuals and organizations. However, few companies had any mechanisms for identifying and helping stressed employees. Highlights a need for companies to take cognizance of the costs of stress within organizations and to take corrective action.

In common with other elements of the public sector, local government organisations are being required to achieve ever increasing performance targets. Responding effectively to such demands is likely to be influenced by, and to influence, the underlying state of health of the organisation. Employee absence is considered to represent one indicator of organisational health, and is frequently cited as being a costly problem for organisations. Based on the findings of a study into employee absenteeism within local government in Northern Ireland, it is argued that organisations must adopt a holistic approach towards the management of attendance. The latter is likely to foster the creation of more healthy work organisations which are well placed to deal effectively with the challenges presented by hostile and turbulent operating environments.

Outlines the anticipated effects of the Channel Tunnel on the transportation of goods from a peripheral region. Argues that the combined effects of the Single European Market and the opening of the Channel Tunnel are likely to disadvantage industries within peripherally‐located regions such as Scotland, the North of England, Wales and Ireland. Presents some findings from a study which was carried out within Northern Ireland to assess the vulnerability of peripherally‐located firms to the effects of forthcoming events. The findings, based on 89 firms within five industrial sectors, highlight a need for regional firms to enhance their awareness of the effects which the Channel Tunnel is likely to have on performance and hence a need to prepare for this forthcoming infrastructure development.