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What triggers organisational change? A recent UK survey of 200 companies suggests that the trigger is more likely to be a crisis than a positive response to a perceived opportunity, or in order to pre‐empt threats. The observed change initiatives did, however, follow current wisdom associated with total quality management perspectives, and customer awareness. A minority of the changes focused on “siege mentality” strategies, slimming the company to its barest core. The authors conclude by asking whether UK companies have the courage, while dealing with present crises, not to destroy the “excellence” path to a profitable long‐term future.

Proposes a framework for gaining a greater understanding of all types of managerial learning which builds upon Gregory Bateson′s (1973) notions of levels of learning. Goes on to discuss a major emergent issue, which has implications for the everyday realities of course content and design, namely a cyclical view of the learning process. As a means of grounding theory in reality, concludes by exploring the rudiments of a particular Ashridge course, which uses this framework extensively to guide its development. Ultimately, the course is guided by the notion of “individually tailored learning”.

Management development is facing the same types of need for radical change as their clients – organizations, and practising and future managers. While Business School Faculty find it easy to advise others it is interesting to observe the extent to which they are able to practise what they preach. Presents an overview of the challenges facing management development providers and suggests the attitudes, approaches, skills, resources that will be needed by “learning centres” of the future.

The management development market has become client‐led but it remains difficult to make sense of a saturated market. Presents an investment formula for management development which has been applied in Kent County Council.

Suggests that, in many cases, where formerly excellent manufacturing companies have suffered a decline in their fortunes, they failed because they did not change with their customers; their operations were too remote. Considers how this might be avoided by applying a service quality model to manufacturing. Examines the differences between service and manufacturing operations and highlights the difficulties which manufacturing companies have in being close to their customers. Provides definitions of quality for products and services before presenting the model. Describes the features of the model – taking a total view, achieving a balance between expectations and delivery, system design and response to change‐as they apply both to service and manufacturing. Highlights the need to exceed expectations to maintain a competitive edge. Argues that, whilst this is achieved through committed staff in service industries, this same commitment can, with appropriate communication, be achieved in manufacturing companies.

This special “Anbar Abstracts” issue of the European Business Review is split into six sections covering abstracts under the following headings: Top management issues; Marketing and distribution; Personnel and training; Information management and technology; Operations and production management; Accounting and finance.

During this month the average librarian is given furiously to think over the estimates, and in this year, perhaps more than any other, will that adverb be applicable. The matter is so important that we do not apologise for dealing with it once more. In March in nearly every town there will be a determined effort by men who call themselves “economists” to reduce the appropriation for public libraries. The war is the most handsome excuse that the opponents of public culture have ever had for their attacks upon the library movement. It is obvious that these attacks will take the direction of an endeavour to reduce the penny rate, where this has not been done already. In the year that has passed retrenchment has been the watchword of all municipal work, and many librarians have either ceased to buy new books or have bought only those of vital importance. This has meant that a certain amount of money usually devoted to books has accumulated. Seeing that legally money which has been raised for library purposes cannot be expended in any other direction, the only way in which the “economists” can work is to propose a reduction of next year's rate by an amount corresponding to the balance. It is an extraordinary thing that after decades of demonstration the average local public man cannot or will not see that money taken from the funds of a public library cannot be restored to it later. The limitation of the penny rate is nearly always forgotten or ignored, and the common phrase of such men: “You must economise now and we will give you more money after the war,” has been heard by most librarians. An endeavour should be made to drive home the fact that retrenchment in books, or in other matters in connexion with libraries, now means so much actual irreparable loss to the libraries. We have dealt several times in these pages with the vexed question of balances. Practice differs so much in different localities that it seems impossible to get any universal ruling in connexion with this matter. Many libraries have been able to invest their balances in some form of war loan ; in others the librarian has been told emphatically that such investment is illegal. We can speak of towns within five miles of each other in one of which money has been invested, and in the other investment is banned in this way. Unfortunately librarians have been rather silent upon this point, and it is difficult to obtain any reliable information as to how many towns have investments. It would strengthen the hands of many librarians if they knew that in so many other municipalities the library funds were so invested.