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The management of autonomous, heterogeneous network resources and services provides new challenges which libraries are now addressing. This paper outlines an approach based on the construction of broker services which mediate access to resources. It outlines a framework – the MODELS Information Architecture – for thinking about the components of broker services and their logical arrangement. It describes several development projects and services which show how brokers are developing. It uses examples drawn from the serials environment to describe some of the issues. Technologists understand that they must build more stable and unobtrusive media. They must establish more coherent contexts into which the technology may disappear.

To describe and analyze in detail an Interpretive Release (the “2006 Interpretation”) approved on July 12, 2006 by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regarding the soft dollar safe harbor under Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Following a brief discussion of the history of soft dollars, describes and analyzes in greater detail relevant aspects of the 2006 Interpretation, including an explanation of the three‐part test concerning the use of soft dollars to pay for products and services under the safe harbor, a discussion of “mixed use” items, further detail on soft dollar arrangements, an explanation of liabilities and obligations of managers and broker dealers, and an implementation timeline.

Under the 2006 Interpretation, a money manager may rely on the safe harbor to acquire products or services only upon satisfaction of each part of a three‐part test. First, does the product or service meet the eligibility criteria of Section 28(e)(3)? Second, does the eligible product or service provide lawful and appropriate assistance in the performance of relevant responsibilities? Finally, may the money manager properly conclude, in good faith, that the commissions paid are reasonable in relation to the value of the research and brokerage products and services provided by the broker (in relation either to the particular transaction or to the money manager's overall responsibilities with respect to discretionary accounts)? The 2006 Interpretation also is relevant to broker‐dealers who may receive soft dollars. Under Section 28(e), a money manager can pay soft dollars only to broker‐dealers who “provide” research or brokerage services and “effect” transactions. Under the 2006 Interpretation, the circumstances under which broker‐dealers will be seen as “providing” services and “effecting” transactions will be interpreted more broadly than under past interpretations, allowing brokers and money managers greater flexibility to structure soft dollar and commission‐sharing arrangements in a manner that will better serve the interests of investors.

Provides a detailed analysis of the 2006 Interpretation concerning soft dollars.

The purpose of the paper is to adapt the SERVQUAL instrument and provide a unique analysis of service quality, value, customer satisfaction and loyalty of Singapore stock investors. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses results from a mail survey with 300 copies of a self‐administrated questionnaire utilising the SERVQUAL instrument with experienced stock investors using stockbroker (remisier) services in Singapore. Altogether, 169 useable returns (56 percent response rate) were analyzed.

Investors expect high quality service from brokers, particularly in terms of reliability. There was a 15 percent gap in service quality, and a 20 percent gap in service value. Customers who relied on brokers' advice perceived higher service quality. Brokers need more empathy with customers. SERVQUAL translated to Singapore stock broking customers with good reliability.

Results may not generalize beyond Singapore or to other financial services.

Brokers need to focus on personal, empathetic relationships with investors and aim for near perfect reliability in accurate and timely execution of customers' orders. Customers' level of expertise is important and brokers need to make more effort to educate their clients, and proactively advise them.

Service quality, customer perceived value, customer satisfaction and loyalty of customers have been important research areas in the marketing literature. Research on these variables simultaneously in stock brokerage services is limited and the study sheds light on these variables in a new field. The study provides practical advice for brokers and other financial service providers, particularly in the light of emerging credence service and commercial friends concepts in the financial services sector.

The article explores the role of information brokers and information consultants, their development, reasons for their emergence, their main characteristics and activities and their relations with libraries. Finally, the future of information brokers/consultants is examined.

Notes that the insurance broking industry is unattractive and subject to long‐term change. Cites factors contributing to this such as industry saturation, low entry barriers and low product differentiation. Notes expected responses to such conditions, including those from the large, medium‐sized and provincial or high street brokers. Suggests that the latter are likely to decrease in number, faced with the increasing efficiency of direct writers and attempts by medium‐sized brokers to enter their market to offset losses in the upper levels of the market. Notes that this pattern is reflected in other areas of financial services.

This is targeted at the “soft dollar” industry. It explores to difficult “dos” and “don'ts” of compliance policies and procedures. It is a practical “Q&A” discussion of the many gray areas of legal compliance.

Brokers must realise that the promotional and logistical services they provide wholesalers help to determine the wholesaler's satisfaction with them. Although the results of the research presented in this article clearly show that high quality performance of both types of services is important, logistical services play a more important role in determining wholesaler satisfaction. Consequently, manufacturers must realise that brokers are an important link in the physical distribution channel and can help deliver high customer satisfaction via superior physical distribution service.

This paper discusses disclosures required of on‐line broker‐dealers, and recommends various internal measures that on‐line broker‐dealers should take to comply with securities trading regulations. On‐line trading is transforming the relationship between investors and broker‐dealers. While the services offered by on‐line broker‐dealers may be different from those offered by full‐service brokers, the differences are diminishing, and both activities are subject to the same rules and regulations. A GAO report of May 2000, revealed that many on‐line broker‐dealers did not comply with disclosure requirements, resulting in complaints by customers who lost money or financial opportunities. As the SEC is strengthening its examinations, this article is helpful to firms that offer trading on‐line to comply with disclosure requirements for investor protection. This article is especially helpful for internal auditors of these firms in implementing internal policy and procedures to ensure adequate disclosures and to mitigate risks of investors’ litigation.

A key element in the personalisation of health and social care is the upfront allocation of a budget to disabled and older people which they can use to obtain the supports they require. The benefit of this arrangement in increasing user choice and control will not materialise unless recipients can either acquire or access the skills of brokerage needed to plan and arrange their supports. The independent support broker is one important response to this need. However, the role needs to match the intentions of personalisation and avoid the undesirable characteristics that many social care users associate with the term ‘professional’. This raises specific questions about the definition of the role and training requirements of brokers, and broader themes which are explored with reference to the findings from two recent projects undertaken by the National Development Team for Inclusion. The second of these projects was commissioned by Skills for Care London, and led to a set of proposals for the training and accreditation of support brokers.

The purpose of this study was to assess equity investors satisfaction with stockbroker services. Four components emerged from a factor analysis of 14 variables of retail equity investors’ satisfaction with stockbroker services. According to the findings, these elements have a substantial impact on investors’ trust and confidence in stockbrokers.

By physically visiting stockbrokers’ offices in Punjab, including Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mohali, 1,000 questionnaires were distributed to retail equities investors. Stockbrokers were chosen using a simple random selection process due to their large number. Questionnaires were filled out by personally visiting stockbrokers’ offices and handing over surveys, instructing them to fill them out with information from their clients and personally visiting stockbrokers’ offices and instructing their clients to complete the questionnaires. The respondents completed 373 surveys. A total of 45 surveys were determined to be incomplete and were removed from the study. The remaining 328 surveys were used to conduct the analysis. The study uses ordinal regression to assess investors’ trust and confidence in stockbrokers’ services.

The findings of the study highlighted the importance of variables evaluated by respondents when seeking stockbroker services. These criteria included the accuracy of stockbrokers’ information, the speed with which accounts are settled and the brokers’ willingness to give valuable service to investors. These 14 variables, which measure investor satisfaction with stockbroker services, were subjected to factor analysis. With the use of component analysis, four factors were identified: satisfaction with stockbroker services, stockbroker regulations, stockbroker transactional services and stockbrokers’ image in the eyes of investors, which explained 72.55% of the variation in the data. With the use of ordinal regression analysis, it was discovered that these four criteria have a considerable impact on investors’ trust and confidence in stockbrokers.

The current study, which is being conducted at the state level, might be expanded to include the entire country. It might be possible to look into the impact of retail capital market investment on rural investors. The research might be expanded to include a look at how reforms affect the functioning of stock markets. A study on the awareness of retail investment trends among women investors could be conducted. It is possible to investigate the ramifications of internet stock trading in India. It is possible to investigate the impact of technical innovation on capital markets. In this study, a survey has been conducted, in the future, the behavior of the investors can be observed to analyze whether they are satisfied with the services of stockbrokers or not.

This research would be extremely beneficial to investors who make investment decisions and employ stockbrokers to help them make those selections. Because with the aid of the factors revealed investors can match the service quality of their own intermediary and only if they will be satisfied they will trust their intermediary.

This research will aid stockbrokers in providing investors with efficient and effective services. As they will have knowledge about the needs and aspirations of their clients, they will try to render their services as per their expectations. This will ultimately lead to the satisfaction of the retail equity investors, and they will have trust and confidence in the services provided by the stockbrokers. The present study helps the stockbrokers in understanding the fact that the qualitative aspects of their services are crucial for building investors’ trust and confidence otherwise investors will not be satisfied with their services. This study is extremely important for government as well. They can also take cues from witnessed the positive impact of their regulations on the quality of the stockbrokers’ services. This improvement in the quality of stockbroker services has further enhanced the trust and confidence of investors. Regulations are essential for improving the quality of stockbrokers’ services.

This paper reveals that a variety of factors, i.e. satisfaction with stockbroker services, stockbroker regulations, stockbroker transactional services and stockbrokers’ image in the eyes of investors influence retail equities investors’ trust and faith in brokerage services.