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Describes how dialogue is increasingly used as a transformational tool ‐ in communication, relationships, performance and organizational development. Reports on how it works with reference to a department in a public sector organization, where key issues and needs that need to be addressed were revealed, which will hopefully lead to a new strategy for success.

Recounts the experiences of a line manager and consultant, and his attempts to transform performance appraisal for the benefit of the individual, manager and organization. Describes the methods by which appraisal was handed back to the staff, using upward feedback from internal customers and teams, and gives some of the learning points that resulted. Concludes that a more “empowering” appraisal process can be created which is better aligned with the needs of all stakeholders.

Examines the way in which companies plan for the future and argues that current strategic planning and re‐engineering approaches alone will not enable organizations to compete in the future. Advocates the idea of all stakeholders pooling knowledge and resources to build up a “rich picture” to improve the organization’s systems. Describes Future Search conferences, where a large number of stakeholders are brought together to explore the past, agree the present and draw up action steps for the future. Examines in detail the case of two equal opportunities groups needing to merge and develop a coherent strategy.

THE COMMENT by Don Revill in the August issue of NEW LIBRARY WORLD raises a number of interesting points. The allocation of library book funds between departments or between site libraries has always proved a sticky problem, and, as Revill points out, a variety of solutions have been advocated. Of course, the actual division of the funds presents no real problem (everyone is willing to spend the money!) once the bases on which this division is to be made have been decided. Thus the real decisions boil down to judgements of the relative value (to the university? to the state? to the librarian?) of such factors as:

The British Library Research and Development Department (BLR &DD) has long been interested in the developing technologies in the fields of imaging and multimedia, and in 1988 published An overview of image processing and image management systems and their application. This report reviewed several fields where these technologies were already being used and also highlighted the future trends for the industry and standards. Since then imaging and multi‐media projects with relevance to the library and information world have featured as a priority area in the allocation of the Department's funds. It is therefore not surprising that this year's Anglo‐French seminar (24–26 June), the eighth in a series of annual seminars aimed at bringing researchers together to discuss ongoing work on topics of common interest, had image handling in museums and libraries as its theme.

Greenwood Electronics Makers of the Oryx range of soldering tools and equipment, Greenwood Electronics have recently appointed John Polden as Managing Director. Formerly General Manager of the Microelectronics Division of Welwyn Electronics, Mr Polden is a qualified electronics engineer and has worked in electronics design with the Ministry of Defence. Prior to his eight years with Welwyn, he obtained a Master's degree in business studies at the London Business School.

The aim of this study is to shed light on the mechanisms involved in, and consequences of, developing a sustainability report in a small to medium enterprise.

Action research is used to provide insights into the initial stages of the development of the sustainability report and its consequences. “Mike” is an Italian small organisation with a sustainability orientation selling products and services about wellness and health. It decided to develop a sustainability report in 2013.

The authors find that the organisation’s initial aim to report on its sustainability later extended beyond disclosure to using the information to enhance its sustainable development approach and awareness, consider long-term planning, support strategy-making based on the sustainable development concept and establish and enhance its reputation.

This research is limited to the analysis of only one small Italian organisation and as such cannot claim generalisability of its findings.

The findings indicate that the sustainability initiative of this organisation, while originally focussed on reporting, evolved into strategy and planning. Managers in similar organisations may learn from this experience to focus on strategy-making and social and environmental value creation.

The study examines sustainability reporting in the previously overlooked area of small and medium enterprises.

This chapter describes two change efforts involving participatory action research within the pharmacy operations division of Kaiser Permanente. Focus is on a parallel learning mechanism that has been used to support communications and change during two large-scale information technology interventions. It begins with basic background information on participatory action research in organizations. Since the case setting is Kaiser Permanente, the chapter provides some information on the U.S. healthcare industry context and then shifts to Kaiser’s communication forum, a learning mechanism that has been in place for 35 years. Cognitive, structural, and procedural aspects of the learning mechanism are explored, and the chapter features interviews with some of the key forum players. Both in the forum’s infancy and in its current more institutionalized state, the pharmacy organization has been in crisis. Implications for the use of parallel learning structures on a long-term basis to support long-term participatory action research are explored along with contributions to theory on insider/outsider action research.