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This paper highlights some of the issues faced by smaller manufacturing firms attempting to remain competitive in the face of supply chain rationalisation. It is argued that rather than following the holistic templates of change adopted by many larger firms, the approach of smaller component suppliers tends to involve more partial, short term solutions. Three dilemmas for smaller firms are identified and the experiences of a Best Practice Network of component suppliers illustrate some of the ways in which companies down the supply chain attempt to remain competitive, in the face of rationalisation driven by original equipment manufacturers.

This paper examines the extent to which a learning organisation perspective is attainable in small‐ to medium‐sized manufacturing companies. An audit tool is developed from the literature on organisational learning and recognised processes that lead towards becoming a learning organisation. The paper focuses on the application of the audit tool in three UK automotive component suppliers which are all experiencing pressures for change imposed by the major vehicle manufacturers. The main changes are concerned with tiering of the supply chain and substantial delegation of responsibilities to component suppliers including an increasing emphasis on innovation and continuous improvement. The companies presented in the paper are taken from a research project into the impact of changes in supply chain relationships on the operation of small‐ and medium‐sized manufacturing firms in the West Midlands region of the UK. The ways in which the companies are responding to change are presented together with the results of a self‐assessment using the developed audit tool. These results suggest that companies of this type tend to focus on change in those areas that involve least challenge to the established power and authority of management.

Discusses how firms are seeking new templates of change to remain competitive in the face of the globalization of markets. Presents a model depicting the templates for change such as world‐class manufacturing, lean production, total quality management, and business process re‐engineering followed by larger firms. Identifies some of the operational changes taking place in smaller companies based on the experiences of a larger group in the West Midlands. Explains why such smaller companies are making a more fragmented response to the need for change.

The case, briefly reported in the last issue of BFJ, an appeal to a Milk and Dairies Tribunal arising out of a local authority's refusal to grant a licence to a milk distributor because he failed to comply with a requirement that he should provide protective curtains to his milk floats, was a rare and in many ways, an interesting event. The Tribunal in this case was set up under reg. 16(2) (f), Milk (Special Designation) Regulations, 1963, constituted in accordance with Part I, clause 2 (2), Schedule 4 of the Regulations. Part II outlines procedure for such tribunals. The Tribunal is similar to that authorized by S.30, Food and Drugs Act, 1955, which deals with the registration of dairymen, dairy farms and farmers, and the Milk and Dairies (General) Regulations, 1959. Part II, Schedule 2 of the Act provided for reference to a tribunal of appeals against refusal or cancellation of registration by the Ministry, but of producers only. A local authority's power to refuse to register or cancellation contained in Part I, Schedule 2 provided for no such reference and related to instances where “public health is or is likely to be endangered by any act or default” of such a person, who was given the right of appeal against refusal to register, etc., to a magistrates' court. No such limitation exists in respect of the revoking, suspending, refusal to renew a licence under the Milk (Special Designation) Regulations, 1963; an appeal against same lies to the Minister, who must refer the matter to a tribunal, if the person so requests. This occurred in the case under discussion.

Fifteen years after the political changes, the educational system in Bulgaria is still searching the direction of its reformation. From a social psychological viewpoint this is a search for identity. The context of the educational reform being unknown has influenced the stakeholders to close themselves in their own groups and to refuse negotiations. A process of unbalanced interplay between internal and external representations of the main agents in education takes place. The paper compares the representations of own group and outer group of students, teachers, professors, professional educational staff focusing on the development of own mythology and self‐favoring biases. This illustrates the inoperative communication process taking place in the Bulgarian education.

Dorland began in the USA as an agency specialising in selling holiday resorts, especially on the East Coast. Its direction under Walter Edge became more general and opportunities in the international economy led to a European base in London. London was run by George Kettle, and in time Dorland in Britain became independent and a very successful firm. It had overseas offices, but it also had a specialist interest in financial advertising. By 1939, the flair of its designers and its policy of seeking new business made it one of the largest agencies in the UK.

By examining the literature on the ethical dilemmas of H/RM practitioners, the paper aims to put an “H” in H/RM.

Analysing the significant contribution which H/RM scholars have made in studying the ethical dilemmas of H/RM practitioners, the paper builds a view of an H/RM practitioner as a “conscientious HR manager” loosely connected to an ethical dilemma, a “Rubik's Cube”. Using these linguistic devices to simplify others scholarly work, the paper introduces a complex autopoietic system to provide a more “connected knowing” of ethical dilemmas and the “H” in H/RM.

Generalising from this analysis, the paper connects a social sub‐system (H/RM) with a living human system.

Naturalistic “grounds” for launching a normative critique of H/RM that celebrates humans as social and biological animals are provisionally outlined.

The paper adapts Capra's complex autopoietic system to present a normative critique of H/RM from the Darwinian left.

The purpose of this paper is to present the background to the development of the World Towns’ Framework, developed in June 2016 at the inaugural World Towns Leadership Summit in Scotland. The paper also provides an academic underpinning to the four pillars of the agreement; a unique sense of identity and place, economy, leadership and citizenship and environment. It ends with a call to action for practitioners, policymakers and organisations providing support to people in places who want to contribute to the development of the Framework and adopt it.

The paper is divided into four sections. The first section gives the background to the development of the World Towns Framework. The second section publishes the World Towns Framework in its entirety. The third section builds an evidence-base for the components or pillars of the World Towns Framework, based upon work undertaken by the think tanks and academic partners involved in its development. The final section sets out a call for action – explaining how the Framework can be further developed and utilised.

The paper contains three main contributions. It articulates a new narrative for towns, neighbourhoods and city districts in responding to contemporary urban challenges; it shapes a new urban agenda for these urban places and it asserts the need for new alliances and approaches essential for a strong competitive economy, which is more inclusive of towns and smaller places, combined with a fairer, more equal society.

The evidence base for the research is limited to the work that has been carried out by the academic institutions and think tanks that supported the development of the World Towns’ Framework.

The practical implication of the World Towns Framework are a shared understanding of how towns and smaller places can engage in management, development and marketing practices that will lead to a stronger economy and fairer society.

The focus upon place uniqueness and identity, a more equitable economy, a greener and cleaner environment and stronger place leadership and citizenship can lead to better, fairer and more liveable places.

This is the first attempt to develop a World Towns Framework to shape urban change outside of cities and metropoles.