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Argues that the similarities between US treasury securities (treasuries) and FDIC‐insured large retail certificates of deposit (CDs) should make their prices similar in an efficient market. Considers deposit pricing and substitutability between treasuries and CDs, citing previous research; and presents a study comparing their yields for three maturities using 1986‐1995 data. Presents the results and analyses further to explore the links between changes in treasury yields and lagged changes in CD yields; and upward CD yield stickiness. Finds that CD and treasury yield spreads changed from small and positive to large and negative over the period with little effect on deposit balances; and concludes that those investors who remained interested in insured balances during the early 1990s were either insensitive to interest rates or had high switching costs. Suggests that banks have used this unwillingness to migrate to non‐insured funds to decrease CD rates relative to treasuries for higher profits and asks how long this market segment will continue to accept inferior yields.

Presents a special issue, enlisting the help of the author’s students and colleagues, focusing on age, sex, colour and disability discrimination in America. Breaks the evidence down into manageable chunks, covering: age discrimination in the workplace; discrimination against African‐Americans; sex discrimination in the workplace; same sex sexual harassment; how to investigate and prove disability discrimination; sexual harassment in the military; when the main US job‐discrimination law applies to small companies; how to investigate and prove racial discrimination; developments concerning race discrimination in the workplace; developments concerning the Equal Pay Act; developments concerning discrimination against workers with HIV or AIDS; developments concerning discrimination based on refusal of family care leave; developments concerning discrimination against gay or lesbian employees; developments concerning discrimination based on colour; how to investigate and prove discrimination concerning based on colour; developments concerning the Equal Pay Act; using statistics in employment discrimination cases; race discrimination in the workplace; developments concerning gender discrimination in the workplace; discrimination in Japanese organizations in America; discrimination in the entertainment industry; discrimination in the utility industry; understanding and effectively managing national origin discrimination; how to investigate and prove hiring discrimination based on colour; and, finally, how to investigate sexual harassment in the workplace.

Discusses the Bill of Lading and its differences under UK, US and Greek law. Bases the paper on the fact that, under UK and US law, property in the goods sold passes from seller to buyer when the parties intend to pass it (regardless of whether or not delivery actually took place); whereas, under Greek law, ownership of goods passes from seller to buyer only if the intention to pass goods is supported by actual delivery. Asserts that this difference in national law causes problems in international trade. Explores the law in more depth, citing a number of cases and quoting legal precedents. Concludes that the intention of the parties concerned should be taken into consideration.

Compares and contrasts the contractual roles of modern waybills against the traditional straight bills of lading in the context of Greek, US and English law. Chronicles the development of international lading bills; identifies the emergence of straight bills and waybills to ameliorate the logistical problems associated with order bills of lading. Discusses the legal status and contractual roles of these lading bills in the context the legislative provisions and associated case law in each of the three countries. Concludes that sea waybills (regulating marine transport of goods) and straight bills of lading have, in essence, the same contractual status, despite the confused and unconsolidated picture of international lading provisions and practices. Recommends measures ‐ involving amendments to English legislation ‐ to consolidate the regulation of international trade.

Reviews previous research on the effects of CEO compensation structure, outlines the criteria for relative performance evaluation (RPE) and notes the paucity of empirical evidence to support it. Reports a study of the use of RPE for US bank CEO compensation 1976‐1988; and its relationship to shareholder, market and industry returns. Explains the methodology and presents the results, which suggest that CEO pay is positively linked to firm performance, but negatively linked to market/industry performance; and that performance is positively linked to CEO option wealth. Adds that both the pay/performance link and the use of RPE increased after bank deregulation in the early 1980s. Considers consistency with other research and concludes that the reduction in compensation risk offered by RPE should reduce compensation cost and thus provide a good reason for the banking industry to increase its use.

Looks at the extent and consequences of sexual harassment in US schools. Points out that sexual harassment can occur at a young age and can happen to pupils of either gender. Reports a 1993 survey which indicates the level of sexual harassment taking place within US schools, the circumstances in which it happens, and the form that it takes. Underlines the conclusion that it is widespread and harmful to pupils. Sets out the impact that the harassment has on those being harassed, discussing how it affects self‐esteem and school work. Outlines the schools’ legal duties to act to prevent sexual harassment, pointing out that recent court decisions could mean that schools without effective policies are open to litigation. Briefly, suggests ways in which schools could tackle sexual harassment.

Robotic process automation (RPA) has recently emerged as a technology focusing on the automation of repetitive, frequent, voluminous and rule-based tasks. Despite a few practical examples that document successful RPA deployments in organizations, evidence of its economic benefits has been mostly anecdotal. The purpose of this paper is to present a step-by-step method to RPA investment appraisal and a business case demonstrating how the steps can be applied to practice.

The methodology relies on design science research (DSR). The step-by-step method is a design artefact that builds on the mapping of processes and modelling of the associated costs. Due to the longitudinal nature of capital investments, modelling uses discounted cashflow and present value methods. Empirical grounding characteristic to DSR is achieved by field testing the artefact.

The step-by-step method is comprised of a preparatory step, three modelling steps and a concluding step. The modelling consists of compounding the interest rate, discounting the investment costs and establishing measures for comparison. These steps were applied to seven business processes to be automated by the case company, Estate Blend. The decision to deploy RPA was found to be trivial, not only based on the initial case data, but also based on multiple sensitivity analyses that showed how resistant RPA investments are to changing circumstances.

By following the provided step-by-step method, executives and managers can quantify the costs and benefits of RPA. The developed method enables any organization to directly compare investment alternatives against each other and against the probable status quo where many tasks in organizations are still carried out manually with little to no automation.

The paper addresses a growing new domain in the field of business process management by capitalizing on DSR and modelling-based approaches to RPA investment appraisal.

The publication of a new book by Timoshenko is an engineering occasion which, with the passage of time, and to the surprise and pleasure of British engineers, is becoming more rather than less frequent. Ever since the issue in 1928 of his joint work with Lessells on Applied Elasticity, which quickly became popular among British students, his books have played an important part in both the theory and practice of engineering in this country.

When Eugene O'Neill died, theatre critic Brooks Atkinson said of him, “A giant writer has dropped off the earth….He shook up the drama as well as audiences and helped to transform the theatre into an art seriously related to life.” (New York Times, 30 December 1953).