Public sector restructuring and regional development: the impact of compulsory competitive tendering in the UK

This paper contributes to the analysis of contemporary public sector restructuring in the UK through an evaluation of the impact of the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering (CCT) for the provision of local public services. Public services play an important stabilizing role in regional economic development but the introduction of CCT has undermined that role. Public service workers have suVered deteriorating levels of pay and conditions of service, and the capacity of local authorities to act to support local economic development has been reduced. Thus the introduction of CCT has undermined the contribution of local public services to the maintenance of interregional economic stability and to regional development

Organizational Climate and Company Productivity: the Role of Employee Affect and Employee Level

Consistent with a growing number of models about affect and behaviour and with arecognition that perception alone provides no impetus for action, it was predicted thatassociations between company climate and productivity would be mediated by average levelof job satisfaction. In a study of 42 manufacturing companies, subsequent productivity wassignificantly correlated in controlled analyses with eight aspects of organizational climate(e.g. skill development and concern for employee welfare) and also with average jobsatisfaction. The mediation hypothesis was supported in hierarchical multiple regressions forseparate aspects of climate. In addition, an overall analysis showed that companyproductivity was more strongly correlated with those aspects of climate that had strongersatisfaction loadings. A second prediction, that managers¿ perceptions of climate would bemore closely linked to company productivity than would those of non-managers, was notsupported. However, managers¿ assessments of most aspects of their company¿s climatewere significantly more positive than those of non-managers.Organizational structure, organizational climate, employee welfare, manager,productivity.

Recent advances in GaAs/Ge solar cells

By growing the GaAs cell on a Ge substrate, the advantages of GaAs cells can be retained and the higher mechanical strength of the Ge makes larger, thinner GaAs cells possible. To conform to immediate user requirements, GaAs growth conditions were modified to eliminate the additional PV output at GaAs/Ge interface. To demonstrate acceptable cell manufacturing technology, the major areas in cell manufacture were analyzed and developed, and efficiency combined. Also the cells were successfully assembled on current lightweight arrays. The main areas of effort are discussed

What's up prof? Current issues in the visual effects & post-production industry

We interviewed creative professionals at a number of London visual effects and post-production houses. We report on the key issues raised in those interviews: desirable new technologies, infrastructure challenges, personnel and process management

A Remarkable Example of Bubble Nucleation Suppression

Suppression of cavitation is a relatively common goal of fluid engineers and therefore examples of bubble nucleation suppression in other technological contexts are useful in suggesting ways in which such suppression might be achieved. In this paper we describe a remarkable example of bubble nucleation suppression achieved by a combination of the elimination of nucleation sites and the reduction of bubble growth time. The context is the invention of a device that allows the injection of aqueous solutions highly supersaturated with oxygen into the bloodstream without the formation of significant gaseous oxygen bubbles