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Individuals worldwide are seeking to remain relevant and effective through learning which, if not actually continuous, is an integral part of their working life. Organizations are increasingly recognizing the need to compete on the basis of collective learning and the ability to apply this learning in practice. Technology is increasingly an enabler in this ongoing learning process. Pioneering institutions are developing architectures that support individual and organizational learning. World‐class development programmes are being delivered using the “virtual university” model. So too is support for lifelong learning. Issues being addressed include: creating, maintaining and distributing courseware; ensuring access to current and archival literature; programme supervision and the development of a community of learning. Claims further benefits for scholars of electronic publishing are being realized, but much potential remains untapped.

The British Food Journal has had a long and distinguished career as an information source both for those involved in regulation and those who produce within the food industry. Indeed, in 1988 the journal enters its 90th year of this service. A review of its past also provides a review of key trends and evolutions in food manufacture and control. The article highlights key issues and developments from 1899 to 1988.

Three events of significance to this country took place in 1899 – the British Food Journal was launched, Australia retained the Ashes, and the Boer War hostilities commenced. If challenged on the order of their importance, cricketers and Empire‐builders may be excused their preference. However, looking at it purely from the standpoint of pro bono publico, the dispassionate observer must surely opt for the birth of a certain publication as being ultimately the most beneficial of the three.

Summarizes several strategic briefings, conference presentations and reports on the topic of logistics management. Covers in turn logistics in China and Japan, including a profile of Braun Electric; methods of improving the supply chain, highlighting new technology, the “bullwhip effect” of distorted information and a case study of Tektronix; logistics in retailing, including direct mail in Japan, home shopping and distribution networks; and applications of the Internet in the logistics field, focusing on “knowledge logistics” (electronic publishing). Concludes with a summary of research conducted by McKinsey which suggests that doing business in a world of plentiful and cheap interactions will require new skills and new ways of thinking and those who anticipate and understand the fundamental nature of the changes will be best placed to exploit the opportunities.

This special issue contains selected extracts from Marketing and Selling Bank Services, a learning resource from MCB University Press designed to help practising bank managers to refine and apply bank marketing skills. Competition in financial services is growing and an organisation's ability to market and sell its services is essential for success. Marketing, marketing channels, service levels, pricing, communication with customers, persuading the customer, creating an effective salesforce, interviewing the customer, and international banking are all aspects that are discussed. Suggestions for action are made to enable a manager to put into effect some of the ideas presented.

Three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) assembly model has become important resource for design reuse in enterprises, which implicates plenty of design intent, assembly intent, design experience knowledge and functional structures. To acquire quickly CAD assembly models associated with specific functions by using product function requirement information in the product conceptual design phase for model reuse, this paper aims to find an approach for structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation of mechanical CAD assembly model before functional semantic-based assembly retrieval.

An approach for structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation of CAD assembly model is proposed. First, the product knowledge model is constructed based on ontology including design knowledge and function knowledge. Then, CAD assembly model is represented by part attributed adjacency graph and partitioned into multiple functional regions. Assembly region and flow-activity region are defined for structure-function correlations analysis of CAD assembly model. Meanwhile, the extraction process of assembly region and flow-activity region is given in detail. Furthermore, structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation are achieved by considering comprehensively assembly structure and assembled part shape structure in CAD assembly model. After that, a structure-function relation model is established based on polychromatic sets for expressing explicitly and formally relationships between functional structures, assembled parts and functional semantics.

The correlation between structure and function is analyzed effectively, and functional semantics corresponding to structures in CAD assembly model are labeled. Additionally, the relationships between functional structures, assembled parts and functional semantics can be described explicitly and formally.

The approach can be used to help designers accomplish functional semantic annotation of CAD assembly models in model repository, which provides support for functional semantic-based CAD assembly retrieval in the product conceptual design phase. These assembly models can be reused for product structure design and assembly process design.

The paper proposes a novel approach for structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation of mechanical CAD assembly model. Functional structures in assembly model are extracted and analyzed from the point of view of assembly structure and function part structure. Furthermore, the correlation relation between structures, assembled parts and functional semantics is expressed explicitly and formally based on polychromatic sets.

This article aims to provide examples of opportunities to implement disruptive innovation and offer a framework to introduce it in the public sector – proposing a way to use innovation to make public programs radically cheaper without slashing services.

By focusing on the public sector job to be done – promoting public safety through incarceration vs electronic monitoring – can illuminate how to accomplish the core goals of an existing process in a different way.

The paper finds that the best place to start disruptive innovation tends to be in a market segment that is vastly over‐served or not served at all by the current, dominant model of delivery.

Government has an array of tools and channels that can be used to foster the growth of disruptive technologies.

From homeland security to education, from health care to defense, what is needed are innovations that break traditional trade‐offs, particularly that between price and performance. Disruptive innovation offers a proven path to accomplish this goal and in the process transform public services.

The purpose of this paper is to provide comment on the contribution of the Environmental performance accountability special issue of Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal published in 1997 towards the innovation through a personal reflection developed from the perceived need to move academics and practitioners into the same space on environmental improvement by organisations. In addition, the paper will offer future directions for environmental performance accountability research, including the potential for tools such as integrated reporting, the need for theoretical pragmatism and importance of a transdisciplinary approach to research.

The diegetic method used for this article allowed for the provision of a narrative about actions, characters and events of interest to an audience. This method facilitated the intersection between the biographical and the historical content and context, and a hypodiegesis provided the ability for an embedded story within the larger history. The approach allowed for a hypodiegetic as the story within the story of developing the relationships between academic accountants and practitioners.

Contained in the special issue is a set of articles marking the extremes of academic and practitioner perspectives on what is broadly termed environmental performance and accountability. Review of the content of the special issue reveals that the bias is towards academic rather than practitioner appreciation. Review of the context providing the setting for the special issue shows the need for publishers to engage in the social media mechanisms needed to commence dialogue and convey the messages of academics to practitioners.

Subjective assessment is overtly recognized rather than subsumed in the research methods adopted.

The embedding of articles in special issues within a broader communications portfolio for practitioner understanding is suggested.

The nature of the personal reflection means that thoughts recorded are novel and unique.