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This article aims to focus on one of the most intriguing issues related to the public sector reforms: the accountability systems. In particular the paper aims to deal with the relationships between accounting‐based reforms, forms of accountability, and people‐changing or people‐processing approaches to service provision within Italian social work.

The paper draws on the accountability and people changing/processing literature to interpret and discuss the evidence gathered in an in‐depth longitudinal case study conducted in a social service public organization between 2007 and 2009.

The article reveals that the case study site had developed two distinct groups of services: “Territoriali” and “Residenziali”. “Territoriali” engage in a traditional mode of social care, they provide professional support to clients with, sometimes, quite intractable problems, and aim to modify clients' characteristics, behaviour and attitudes. In contrast, “Residenziali” deal with, and often outsource, more standardized care packages in the form of residential care, day care and some home‐based services. The accounting reforms were received very differently in these two areas. “Territoriali” was resistant to the changes but, in large part, “Residenziali” embraced them. The article then argues that this reflected the extent to which each service area was willing and able to implement a people‐processing rather than a people‐changing approach. The adoption of the people‐processing method had profound implications for the ways that accountability was both experienced and delivered in the services.

This article deals with the under‐researched area of social care. It integrates two literatures not previously articulated together: accountability and people changing/processing. A three‐year longitudinal study is presented, enabling an in‐depth appreciation of the changes affecting social services and the differential responses to accounting and consequent shifts in accountability in two contrasting service areas.

Studies the reasons why people have changed career in order to become members of the library profession. Focuses on the career change decision process. This includes discussion of drift versus active choice, previous career experiences, context of life as a whole, nature of library work and the influence of other people. Measures the amount and nature of satisfaction to be derived from having made the career change. Offers suggestions for the library profession as a whole in marketing itself in order to recruit and properly remunerate skilled and enthusiastic people.

Despite previous work on expert systems in the manufacturing sector very few articles relate to a classification scheme for the application of Expert Systems (ES) in the service operations area. Based on a review of more than 200 abstracts from the ABI/INFORM database, seeks to provide a categorization of ES in the service sector and also to detail future needs in the application of this vital information technology in service operations. Enhances the manager′s understanding of ES technology and provides a perspective on how ES have been used in service operations.

The aim of this case study is to show how HR can help an organization meet its business goals. Investing strategically in HR can result in cost savings, enhanced productivity and improved customer service.

The case study feature follows the development of HR at a retail marketing agency in the UK and its five‐year journey from being non‐existent to becoming a fully functioning department with a strategic positioning on the board of directors.

With a team of 70 people, changing employee legislation and large corporate accounts, five years ago the organization was at risk as it had no HR function in place. Also, operating in the creative industry where high employee turnover rates, burnout and job dissatisfaction are common issues, it was missing out on using its human resources and strong culture to gain a competitive advantage and facilitate growth.

Putting in place an HR strategy requires buy‐in from the senior management team, and introducing HR for the first time is made easier by involving employees and management early in the process. In this case, an employee survey, supported by a strong communications program, proved to be a key tool in highlighting the issues that needed to be addressed by the new HR function and in providing an ongoing tool for continuous improvement and engagement with employees. Involving clients and taking into account the needs of external stakeholders further boosts the effectiveness of people policies.

Discusses why, if quality is concerned with changing behaviour, we leave so much to chance. Asserts that organisations need to design into their TQM programmes the means for people to tackle and solve quality problems. Demands a clear focus on the customer and total commitment throughout the organization. Asserts that what is lacking is an effective balance between the goals and tasks of achieving quality and organizational values and behaviours. Contends it is balanced attention to values as well as goals which will drive the “culture change” required for long‐term success of TQM. Stresses responsiveness to customer needs. Believes that quality improvement depends on people changing their behaviour. Observes that to create change both passion ‐ shared vision and values ‐ and systems are needed.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how HR can help an organization to meet its business goals.

Reveals that a UK retail‐marketing agency that set up its HR department five years ago now has HR representation on the board of directors. Explores the various stages in HR's development at the business.

Contends that six years ago, with a team of 70 people, changing employee legislation and large corporate accounts, the company was at risk through not having an HR function in place. Argues that, operating in the creative industry where high employee‐turnover rates, burnout and job dissatisfaction are common issues, it was missing out on using its human resources and strong culture to gain a competitive advantage and facilitate growth.

Advances the view that putting in place an HR strategy requires buy‐in from the senior management team, and introducing HR for the first time is made easier by involving employees and management early in the process. Show that, in this case, an employee survey, supported by a strong communication programme, proved to be a key tool in highlighting the issues that needed to be addressed by the new HR function and in providing an ongoing tool for continuous improvement and engagement with employees. Involving clients and taking into account the needs of external stakeholders further boosted the effectiveness of people policies.

Demonstrates how investing strategically in HR can result in cost savings, enhanced productivity and improved customer service.

Workplace restructuring implies people changing roles, leading to the deskilling of people who must learn their way back to competence. Reports the case of a person learning in a new role. The conceptual framework for the analysis is the Dreyfus model of skill development. Shows the model to be effective both for research and for individuals to understand their own development. The results enrich the understanding of workplace learning, in particular the manner in which people can be helped to learn a new role.

Pupil control behaviour is conceptualized as a continuum ranging from “custodialism”, which views students as irresponsible and undisciplined needing strictness and punishment to “Humanism”, which emphasizes a democratic atmosphere in which students are capable of self‐discipline and are treated accordingly. The theoretical framework relates dogmatism, pupil control ideology and pupil control behaviour. The general hypothesis is that closed‐mindedness will be positively related to custodialism in pupil control ideology, which in turn manifests itself in custodial pupil control behaviour. The prediction was supported. The results of the investigation indicate that dogmatism and pupil control behaviour are related; but more importantly, that the association is not direct. The analysis suggests that dogmatism operates through ideology to structure behaviour.