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This paper looks at a number of approaches to health informatics that support decision‐making relevant to the integrated development and management of information systems with clinical and managerial practices in healthcare. Its main aim is to explore three such approaches for integrated development, the soft information systems and technologies methodology, participative simulation modelling and stakeholder analysis. A description of the health informatics research and development environment in the UK is given as necessary background to the paper. Organisational and social aspects are examined through these approaches including information and clinical process development, telemedicine, ethical issues of drug use and management, health policies and information management and strategies, tele‐education and modelling structures. In the conclusion the synergies between the three approaches are discussed and some principles are extracted for future research and development in integrated approaches to health informatics research.

Most manufacturing processes tend to involve more than one level of detail at the design phase. These often consist of a higher level that represents the building‐blocks of the firm and a lower level that represents a more detailed structure of the process. When designing such processes, this type of structure is difficult to capture without some form of modelling. In such cases simulation can be used to help overcome this problem. This paper presents an investigation of simulation packages.

These simulation packages were investigated regarding their abilities to model business processes related to manufacturing systems.

The research findings suggest that no one simulation package currently available can alone offer sufficiently flexible facilities for the variable detailed modelling of manufacturing systems design.

The paper relates to one specific design framework called manufacturing system design (MSD). It defines the higher level of detail as the conceptual modelling level and the lower level as the detailed design level. A four‐step framework is proposed, and it is argued that this may better deal with problems of detail variability.

Discrete event simulation (DES) is widely known to be a quantitative research tool. A simulation modelling process is mainly based on feeding quantitative data into a model to produce quantitative results in a structured sequential process. Qualitative approaches to research take a less structured approach with more of an inclination towards judgmental and expert knowledge rather than hard data. In this paper the authors suggest that DES can be employed as both a qualitative and quantitative research tool. The paper demonstrates how simulation may represent both stances either separately or combined. This is based on the fact that the basic objectives of simulation are either for understanding – which needs a qualitative perspective – or performance measurement – which a needs quantitative perspective. Traditional quantitative and qualitative methods are discussed showing how DES might cope with the weaknesses of both stances. A structure for using DES as a combined research methodology is proposed.

Notes that patients attending public outpatient departments in Hong Kong spend a long time waiting for a short consultation, that clinics are congested and that both staff and patients are dissatisfied. Points out that experimentation of management changes in a busy clinical environment can be both expensive and difficult. Demonstrates computerized simulation modelling as a potential tool for clarifying processes occurring within such systems, improving clinic operation by suggesting possible answers to problems identified and evaluating the solutions, without interfering with the clinic routine. Adds that solutions can be implemented after they had proved to be successful on the model. Demonstrates some ways in which managers in health care facilities can benefit from the use of computerized simulation modelling. Specifically, shows the effect of changing the duration of consultation and the effect of the application of an appointment system on patients’ waiting time.

Discrete event simulation (DES) application is not as widely perceived as being useful for problem solving in the health‐care arena as in other application areas. Suggests that this might be due to the way DES is applied in health‐care modelling, as it follows a traditionally based‐on‐engineering approach. This may not be a problem in itself; however, health‐care systems are often complex in that they involve multiple decision‐makers and thus understanding and communication between the various stakeholders are potentially problematic. Thinks that problem understanding and efficient communication tools largely contribute to the solution; consequently, proposes a modelling approach to enhance stakeholder understanding and communication. The approach is based on participation of stakeholders; it is also iterative rather than step‐based. To demonstrate this approach, gives an example, aiming to show how this approach has been used successfully to facilitate the understanding process, concluding that involving stakeholders throughout not only helps them to understand their problem better, but also enables them to more fully appreciate the findings resulting from the model. This approach thus serves usefully to enrich the communication between the stakeholders.

In the last four years, since Volume I of this Bibliography first appeared, there has been an explosion of literature in all the main functional areas of business. This wealth of material poses problems for the researcher in management studies — and, of course, for the librarian: uncovering what has been written in any one area is not an easy task. This volume aims to help the librarian and the researcher overcome some of the immediate problems of identification of material. It is an annotated bibliography of management, drawing on the wide variety of literature produced by MCB University Press. Over the last four years, MCB University Press has produced an extensive range of books and serial publications covering most of the established and many of the developing areas of management. This volume, in conjunction with Volume I, provides a guide to all the material published so far.

A corporate takeover (with major stake in equity) gives the acquirer the right to appoint majority of directors in the target’s board to control its management and policy decisions. When such acquisition is unsolicited and unwelcome, it becomes a “hostile takeover.” In such cases, the acquirer is said to be a “raider” and the raider’s management team may act under the influence of “hubris” implying that they seek to acquire the target for their own personal motives ignoring pure economic gains for the owners of both the companies. The hostile bidder makes all possible efforts to justify the takeover by paying handsome premium over the target’s fairly valued share price. In a hostile takeover, the target management or target promoters resist and fight tooth and nail against the raider to convey to the world that the bidder’s acts are not in the best interest of all their stakeholders. Any unsolicited and hostile takeover offer is generally viewed as oppression, domination or coercion by the bidding company against the target and its management. In a hostile bid, the existing target management always believes that whatever they do is in best interest of everyone. They feel complacent and assume that their standards of corporate governance are of highest order. Therefore, they are unwilling to succumb to the aggression and hostility of another corporate entity for takeover. The “so-called” victimized target resorts to all means to gain sympathy from peers, press, common shareholders, employees and general public. In today’s regulated market for corporate control, an intelligent hostile bidder would probably not acquire a business unless it has good strategic or financial reasons to do so. Hence, “stewardship” on the part of bidder’s management is very important in case of any hostile takeover. This chapter derives motivation from a three-and-half-decade-old abortive hostile takeover bid in India by Caparo Group of the UK and also the recently completed hostile takeover in India of a famous mid-sized information technology company, Mindtree by Larsen & Toubro, a major conglomerate. This research aims at developing a distinctive model to demonstrate that unsolicited hostile takeover may not be a good mechanism for a successful business combination.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the deposition of SS–Al transitional wall using the wire arc directed energy deposition (WA-DED) process with a Cu interlayer. This study also aims to analyse the metallographic properties of the SS–Cu and Al–Cu interfaces and their mechanical properties.

The study used transitional deposition of SS–Al material over each other by incorporating Cu as interlayer between the two. The scanning electron microscope analysis, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffractometer analysis, tensile testing and micro-hardness measurement were performed to investigate the interface characteristics and mechanical properties of the SS–Al transitional wall.

The study discovered that the WA-DED process with a Cu interlayer worked well for the deposition of SS–Al transitional walls. The formation of solid solutions of Fe–Cu and Fe–Si was observed at the SS–Cu interface rather than intermetallic compounds (IMCs), according to the metallographic analysis. On the other hand, three different IMCs were formed at the Al–Cu interface, namely, Al–Cu, Al₂Cu and Al₄Cu₉. The study also observed the formation of a lamellar structure of Al and Al₂Cu at the hypereutectic phase. The mechanical testing revealed that the Al–Cu interface failed without significant deformation, i.e. < 4.73%, indicating the brittleness of the interface.

The study identified the formation of HCP–Fe at the SS–Cu interface, which has not been previously reported in additive manufacturing literature. Furthermore, the study observed the formation of a lamellar structure of Al and Al2Cu phase at the hypereutectic phase, which has not been previously reported in SS–Al transitional wall deposition.

Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.

In order to succeed in an action under the Equal Pay Act 1970, should the woman and the man be employed by the same employer on like work at the same time or would the woman still be covered by the Act if she were employed on like work in succession to the man? This is the question which had to be solved in Macarthys Ltd v. Smith. Unfortunately it was not. Their Lordships interpreted the relevant section in different ways and since Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome was also subject to different interpretations, the case has been referred to the European Court of Justice.