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Maintains that the purpose of this study – which was a general survey of the relationships between UK advertisers and their advertising agents – was to identify the nature of the interests of organisations and of individuals charged with the maintenance of contact between them in the production of advertising material. Chronicles the study that took the form of a survey of attitudes and opinions of members of client and agency organisations. Concludes that the main interpretation to be drawn from the research data with respect to formalisation is that there exists a valid case for more specificity in client‐agency associations.

Isolates the importance of economic level and cultural level and cultural perceptions in influencing agency selection overseas by major US companies. Recounts that many study findings, relating particularly to the use of local or US‐based advertising agencies, are examined. Particular concern is to whether or not such factors as the advertiser's attitudes towards cultural factor importance and market area economic development, are considerations in the placing of preparing and placing non‐domestic advertising. Looks at the role of culture and statements to prove advantages and disadvantages in these. Concludes that if a firm uses either US‐based agencies for overseas representation or foreign‐based agencies, its management is displaying some concern for the cultural and other differences forced between markets.

Examines the development and benefits of quality management techniques in the UK advertising industry from both agency and client points of view. The research was conducted through a questionnaire survey of UK advertising agencies and advertising clients, and covers a wide range of issues, mainly concentrating on ISO 9000 but including also quality improvement techniques. Claims the results show that, where ISO 9000 has been applied, substantial internal business benefits have been seen by agencies, but that clients have not perceived improvements in the quality of service received. Paradoxically, an increasing trend towards client preference for agency registration to ISO 9001 is reported. Concludes that the ISO 9001 quality system standard has not yet gained universal acceptance in the advertising industry and agencies would prefer a quality standard that is specific to their industry.

Recognizes that the employment service is an industry in which the employment agency is now more than just a service – it is now a business. Acknowledges that human resource management planning is key to match employee competency for an employer, as without employees nothing gets done. Looks at what employment agencies provide, e.g.: regular employment; contract services; temporary to hire; and payroll services. Concludes that employment agencies and human resource professionals should be in tandem to help the organisation to best use its process for change continuously.

The work of local enterprise agencies in the UK and the important role which an effective training programme can make to their continued development is assessed. Important changes have occurred since their initial formation and future changes can be anticipated. Training is therefore required to ensure that agencies remain capable of providing a professional support service. A study covering all agencies in North‐west England of the training needs identified by agency directors is analysed. It stems from an 18‐month project funded by the Training Agency as a Local Development Project with participation from businesses in the community and the agencies themselves. The difficulties involved in defining training needs are considered, in particular the problem of accurately relating training to agency performance and the problems of delivery in the light of the structure and nature of the agencies.

Across the Caribbean Sea, the regional International Standard Book Number (ISBN) agency headquartered at the Documentation Centre at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana manages the distribution of ISBNs in the Caribbean Area. The purpose of this paper is to look at the role of the Documentation Centre and the benefits of the regional ISBN agency in managing the group code, 976, to the Caribbean region. This paper will illustrate book publishing challenges in the region, explain the use of ISBNs, describe the role of the regional agency in administering ISBNs in the region and as such, note the benefits of this role in making Caribbean information internationally accessible.

The paper takes a detailed look at the purpose of the ISBN number and the role of the Documentation Centre at CARICOM in serving the needs of members of the book‐publishing industry of the Caribbean through a view of the work of the Documentation Centre and a review of the literature.

The paper enumerates the benefits of having a regional ISBN agency in the Caribbean area at a library thereby improving access to Caribbean titles by decision makers; the paper illustrates that the regional ISBN agency at CARICOM is ensuring that ISBN publishing standards are adhered to in the region thereby speaking an international language that facilitates information sharing via standardized book numbering.

The paper reports on the role of the Documentation Centre in managing ISBNs in the Caribbean region, and as such should be of interest to the ISBN community both locally and internationally.

The work of the Documentation Centre has not been publicised within the region or even internationally, this research paper provides an opportunity to highlight this service.

This study investigates how a tax agency would assess the liability of a taxpayer who has first adopted a new, controversial tax‐saving scheme, which might be employed by other taxpayers. The tax agency’s post‐audit assessment to the first taxpayer influences whether and how the innovation will diffuse among taxpayers. We find that it is optimal for the tax agency to settle the issue regardless of whether and how fast the innovation diffuses. A trial is too costly an option for the agency: losing in court would make the innovation public knowledge, and other taxpayers would immediately adopt the new scheme. Neither the number of other taxpayers nor the speed of diffusion affects the amount of the optimal post‐audit assessment. These results suggest that a tax practitioner who markets a new tax‐saving scheme need not limit the speed of diffusion for fear of an aggressive response from the agency.

Suggests that policing is changing to a more responsive, community oriented approach which requires a change in the skills and knowledge of line officers. Departments need to develop long range plans for ensuring that police officers are prepared to meet the challenges of working with the community and solving problems. Continuing education and college courses provide a framework for bringing about change within the department. Presents an exploratory study which examines a random sample of Minnesota officers’ perceptions of the role of their agencies in upgrading officers’ skills and knowledge for the transition to community‐oriented policing. Results indicate that the majority of the continuing education completed by officers had little to do with developing skills associated with community‐oriented policing. Furthermore, officers contended that agencies were not generally supportive of their continuing college educations. Officers’ perceptions varied by the type of agency they belonged to, the size of the agency, their rank and their educational level.

The integration of ESD is a complex problem. It calls for an innovative, student-centred curriculum, as well as professional learning and agency, by which university teachers feel empowered to change their practice and direct their peers and institutions towards ESD. This study aims to explore what university teachers consider to be the most important attitudes in supporting their agency to deliver Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) via a Problem Based Learning (PBL) programme.

This study presents a theoretical framework for professional agency comprising three domains: intrapersonal, action and environmental. A Q methodology is adopted to explore university teachers’ perceptions of the most important environmental factors in supporting their ability to deliver ESD via a problem-based learning (PBL) programme. Twenty-eight participants from six Southeast Asian universities took part in a PBL-based professional development programme designed to improve teachers’ ESD- and PBL-based skills and competencies.

The results indicate that the participants were confident in their ability to implement PBL and saw PBL as an approach suitable for addressing current educational, professional and societal challenges. This study offers a series of recommendations to help university teachers develop their ESD and PBL practices.

Although the literature on human agency is extensive, research surrounding teachers’ professional agency in the context of ESD and PBL in higher education is lacking. The present study addresses this gap by capturing individual teachers’ beliefs, perceptions and views and by using Q methodology to examine the subjectivity of study participants.