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The purpose of this paper is to build on the insights of mobilisation theory to examine the interplay of structure and agency dynamics in strike activity. It proposes to do so by investigating the 2007 36‐hour strike undertaken by 2,300 engineering and infrastructure workers employed by the private consortium Metronet on the London Underground, focusing attention on the relationship between workers’ militancy, trade union leadership and left‐wing politics within a highly distinctive and union favourable “opportunity structure” context.

Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with 24 RMT union informants within Metronet and the London Underground (including union members, reps, branch and regional officers); analysis was made of documentary industrial relations and trade union material; and personal fieldwork observation.

Although favourable specific contextual and contingent factors served as both provocations and resources for strike action, notably in enhancing workers’ bargaining position and lending feasibility to a strike mobilisation approach, the role of trade union leadership and left‐wing politics at every level of the union in collectivising workers’ experiences and aspirations in forms which directly encouraged combativity was also crucial.

The specificity of the case study limits the degree of generalisation that can be made to other industries. Researchers are encouraged to test the proposed analytical approach further.

The paper provides case‐study empirical evidence into an important arena of employment in the UK, contributes to our understanding of the multi‐dimensional causes of strike activity; and adds an important political dimension to the analysis of collective mobilisation often neglected in both industrial relations and social movement literature.

Describes how neuro‐linguistic programming (NLP) techniques helped employees of a Tube maintenance company during a period of major organizational upheaval.

Explains the background to NLP training among the learning and development team at Metronet Rail, and the use the team members made of the techniques.

Details, in particular, how good communication, listening and empathy skills proved invaluable as the significant organizational changes unfolded.

Reveals that NLP techniques also helped the learning and development team to develop individualized options to assist other people caught up in the change.

Highlights how NLP techniques can help people to develop as individuals, as well as employees, to the benefit of society as a whole, as well as individual employers.

Reveals how NLP training can help to get the best out of people during organizational change.

This is the seventh article on social science, humanities, news and general databases in a continuing series of articles summarising and commenting on new database products. It has two companion articles: one covering science, technology and medicine (STM) appeared in Online & CDROM Review vol. 20, no. 1 and the other, covering business and law (BSL), will appear in Online & CDROM Review vol. 20, no. 3. The articles are based on the newly appearing database products in the Gale Directory of Databases. The Gale Directory of Databases (GDD) was created in January 1993 by merging Computer‐Readable Databases: A Directory and Data Sourcebook (CRD) together with the Directory of Online Databases (DOD) and the Directory of Portable Databases (DPD).

Over the last three years, many of Michigan's public libraries have begun to redefine themselves in order to continue a long tradition of providing quality educational, recreational, and informational resources to the state's residents; 378 public libraries in Michigan provide public library service to 99.9 percent of the state's residents. With such impressive coverage of statewide service, it is little wonder that public libraries feel a strong responsibility to provide their clients with access to electronic information resources.

Evaluates a proposal by Invercargill City Council to contract out the Invercargill City Libraries to, initially, the present library manager. The reasoning of a move from the traditional form of public library governance is discussed, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of a library service being provided by a private company. The purpose of the paper is not to advocate contracting out but provides information to stimulate debate and add to the limited published research that exists in New Zealand and overseas.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current development of public information infrastructure in eastern USA. It proposes discussing lessons learned from four case studies of public information infrastructure projects to gain a better understanding of the challenges and implications of open access for broadband services and to provide a foundation for evaluating the advisability of mandatory open access policies.

Four cases were selected for in‐depth study in the eastern area of the USA. Multiple data collection methods were used – in‐depth face‐to‐face and telephone interviews with people associated directly with the projects.

The study recommends appropriate policy measures that can promote open access.

The case studies shed light on how future public information infrastructures may evolve within the larger context of national and global information infrastructure.

The UK government argues that the benefits of public private partnership (PPP) in delivering public infrastructure stem from transferring risks to the private sector within a structure in which financiers put their own capital at risk, and the performance‐based payment mechanism, reinforced by the due diligence requirements imposed by the lenders financing the projects. Prior studies of risk in PPPs have investigated “what” risks are allocated and to “whom”, that is to the public or the private sector. The purpose of this study is to examine “how” and “why” PPP risks are diffused by their financiers.

This study focuses on the financial structure of PPPs and on their financiers. Empirical evidence comes from interviews conducted with equity and debt financiers.

The findings show that the financial structure of the deals generates risk aversion in both debt and equity financiers and that the need to attract affordable finance leads to risk diffusion through a network of companies using various means that include contractual mitigation through insurance, performance support guarantees, interest rate swaps and inflation hedges. Because of the complexity this process generates, both procurers and suppliers need expensive expert advice. The risk aversion and diffusion and the consequent need for advice add cost to the projects, impacting on the government's economic argument for risk transfer.

The expectation inherent in PPP is that the private sector will better manage those risks allocated to it and because private capital is at risk, financiers will perform due diligence with the ultimate outcome that only viable projects will proceed. This paper presents empirical evidence that raises questions about these expectations.

This study investigates critical success factors which are impacting on the performance of NZ public library managers in generating extra revenue for their organisations. It identifies a number of ways in which the owning authority and the library manager/entrepreneur can increase the chances of success in raising revenue by non‐traditional means. It focuses on four main areas: organisational, characteristics of local government, characteristics of public libraries and library managers, and the external environment.

Identifies key activities that network users can perform in order to use the network effectively. Offers recommended reading, from beginner to expert user status. Explains some commonly used terms (e.g. Turbo Gopher with Veronica!). Lists useful Internet resources.