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This study aims to discuss the creation and development of China’s National Science and Technology Library (NSTL), provide an overview of the information services it provides for sci-tech researchers throughout the People’s Republic of China, and highlight the leading role it plays in fostering scientific innovation in China.

The author uses a case study approach based on his own professional experience at the NSTL.

The NSTL offers a wide variety of information, reference and document delivery services for sci-tech researchers in China.

The NSTL plays a leading role in the provision and innovation of such services, and as such has a direct and positive impact on the quality of scientific research and innovation in China.

The definition of the ‘information industry’ is given. The state of the art of China's information industry is described. The problems and the opportunities for its development are analysed. And finally, considerations on its development are put out.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the suitability of current care pathway modelling techniques for supporting business improvement and the development of information systems. This is in the light of current UK government policies advocating the use of care pathways as part of the £12.4 billion programme for Information Technology and as a key strategy to reducing waiting times.

A qualitative analysis of the variety in purpose, syntax and semantics in a selection of existing care pathways is conducted.

Care pathways are typically modelled in an ad hoc manner with little reference to formal syntax or semantics.

The research reviews a small selection of existing pathways. The feature set used for evaluation could be further refined. Future research should examine the suitability of applying existing process modelling techniques to care pathways and explore the motivations for modelling care pathways in an ad hoc manner.

The development of care pathways can aid process improvement and the integration of information systems. However, while syntax and semantics are not standardised the impact of care pathways in the work of Department of Health agencies, in particular Connecting for Health, is likely to be limited.

The results provide insight into the limitations of the state of the art in care pathway models. This highlights a significant omission in the Department of Health's approach and identifies an important direction for further development that will aid Connecting for Health, healthcare organisations and healthcare professionals to deliver more effective services.

Competitive intelligence (CI) is a promising tool in the strategic planning arsenal of top managers. As companies expand globally, it is imperative that CI be conducted across national boundaries and cultures. The practice of CI in various international markets is clearly impacted by the cultural context of gathering and analyzing information. Therefore, one of the key ingredients to successfully conducting CI globally is the ability to understand the local culture and business practices, and then integrate this knowledge within contemporary CI strategies. This paper aims to address these issues.

This study analyses CI practices in the developed markets of Europe and Japan, as well as the emerging markets of China, Russia, South Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East by using extant literature, primary as well as secondary sources.

Owning to the complexity of cross‐cultural CI practices, often companies fail in their entry into foreign markets. This is due to misjudgment and poor understanding of the countries' cultural, social, and political environment. As cultural factors have a major influence on the collection, analysis and outcome of any CI project, firms doing international business must have a cross culturally aware CI program, which can be established with the help of a five‐step process as described in the paper.

This paper provides a snapshot of comparative CI practices from across the globe, and contrasts developed and emerging CI practices. This is a qualitative review‐based paper, and hence does not have any empirical corroboration. Most the understanding is gleaned from the extant literature as well as our in‐depth interviews with 12 CI consultants in various global markets.

Global managers need CI in order to succeed in foreign markets. Most of times, these managers use the same CI practices that are being used in their home markets. This paper provides a good approach through which they could develop a “cross‐culturally aware” CI program in their company.

Cultural factors play a major role in CI practices of firms across the globe. This research compares and contrasts CI practices in various cultures and markets, and provides some key guidelines and approaches for global managers in order to conduct successful CI in a variety of cultures. This research would be very valuable to global companies as it provides timely and practical solutions.

The research is based upon HRM and technological changes and explanations of these changes offered to employees in the “big four” clearing banks between 1990 and 1994. The specific aim of this paper is to suggest that the metaphor of the panopticon aids our understanding of changes in banking in the 1990s. The essence of the panopticon is caught by Foucault in the following quote:

Index by subjects, compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals: Facilities Volumes 8‐17; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐17; Property Management Volumes 8‐17; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐17.

Compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals published by MCB University Press: Facilities Volumes 8‐18; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐18; Property Management Volumes 8‐18; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐18.

Compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals published by MCB University Press: Facilities Volumes 8‐17; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐17; Property Management Volumes 8‐17; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐17.

In the former Yugoslavia and Soviet Bloc countries of Central and Eastern Europe most information technology was unavailable, unaffordable or discouraged for forty years. These countries realise that they must improve their internal infrastructures if they are to become integral parts of the global information infrastructure. We report the results of a mail survey conducted in late 1994 and early 1995 of seventy research libraries in Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, building on the findings from interviews conducted with 300 persons in the region in 1993–1994. Results show that these libraries are acquiring automated processing systems, CD‐ROM databases, and connections to computer networks at a rapid rate and that automation activity has increased substantially since 1989; we report specific data on system implementation and network services by country and by type of library. ‘Access’ is their top reason to automate, which appears to mean placing the catalogue online with better search capabilities and putting items on the shelves faster — but does not necessarily mean improvements in self‐service for library users. Co‐operation and standards are highly‐ranked automation goals, yet we find anomalous results on each. Management goals focus more on speed and processing than on management information, staffing or advancing the mission of the parent organisation. Management of human resources ranks low, despite the need for wider staff involvement in the system selection process, education of technically‐trained library professionals, continuing training of staff and training of library users. We conclude with implications of these results for the region.

Index by subjects, compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals: Facilities Volumes 8‐18; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐18; Property Management Volumes 8‐18; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐18.