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A process was designed to identify what total quality skills should be included in the authors curriculum and howto deliver them. Customer data led the authors to change their focus toward exploring and assessing what they do in the entire curriculum. The emphasis on learning outcomes is a theme in American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business and education reform. The authors summarize things learned that may help others avoid certain pitfalls and build on the authors progress to date.

In the face of changing customer priorities, competitors, and technologies, how can organizations design their services to survive? What is a firm to do as its traditional services become outdated and ineffective? Contrary to the focus of most recent service design literature, creating new services is not the only option. We explore another viable competitive option—the redesigning of existing services. Service firms can be innovative with what exists just as they can be innovative with what does not.

Negotiations between the European Union and MERCOSUR aim to establish the first free trade agreement ever between two customs unions. Among the potential obstacles are compliance with World Trade Organization rules, treatment of "sensitive" products, and competition from the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas. This analysis reviews the economic background on both sides, the motivation, and the prospects for success, along with the agreement's potential impact on the largest third party, the United States.

A survey of 372 logistics managers in different industries revealed multiple outsourcing linkages among logistics activities. These results are consistent with previous findings that suggest that firms can improve customer service and reduce costs by outsourcing multiple logistics functions. The results are also consistent with previous research on the role that improved coordination of information and material flows have in the achievement of economies of scale and economies of scope. Future research developments in the field of logistics outsourcing are also proposed.

Alan S. Milward and George BrennanBritain's Place in the World. A Historical Enquiry into Import ControlsJens Laage‐HellmanBusiness Networks in Japan: Supplier–Customer Interaction in Product DevelopmentFrank‐Jurgen Richter, ed.The Dynamics of Japanese OrganisationsRoger MiddletonGovernment versus the Market. The Growth of the Public Sector, Economic Management and the British Economic Performance, c. 1890–1979Graham DunkleyThe Free Trade Adventure: The Uruguay Round and Globalism – A CritiquePierre van der EngAgricultural Growth in Indonesia: Productivity Change and Policy Inpact since 1880John SinletonThe World Textile Industry

Aims to explain the driving forces for networked inventory management. Discusses major developments with respect to customer requirements, networked organizations and networked inventory management. Presents high level specifications of networked inventory management information systems (NIMISs). Reviews some decision systems for inventory management, and compares traditional inventory management to networked inventory management. Uses these insights to outline NIMISs for several types of inventory management decision systems. Summarizes the results of the study, and provides an outlook on further research.

Uses W. Pauley and Co., a fruit and vegetable food service company, a major supplier within the UK field, as a case study. Discusses using an integrated mix of software programs and personnel experience to facilitate production of accurate distribution costs, thus allowing informed price negotiations with new customers and the seamless introduction of their business into the company's day‐to‐day operation. Analyses service as a tool to improve front‐line customer relations and thereby reduce costs.

AbstractA case study of the Defence Research Agency, a public sector scientific organization.Shows how fundamental business processes were changed to enable the organization to operate in a more effective way.The organization became more commercial and a customer‐oriented culture resulted, in contrast to the previous bureaucracy.The changes resulted in an overall reduction of staff of 2000 (although the number of scientists employed rose) whilst output has been maintained.The case study shows how a major and fundamental strategic change can be successfully implemented.

The logistics industry has had to respond quickly to help
organizations survive the harsh business climate of the early 1990s.
Demonstrates how this is being achieved by re‐engineering the flow of
information around organizations to save money, speed production cycles,
improve customer services and attain competitive advantage, with the
result that logistics and supply chain systems are quickly developing
into highly efficient business networks through the use of new
technologies such as electronic commerce services.

It is customary for the General Reports prepared for the International Congresses of Comparative Law to compare and contrast different national legal systems, the details of which are presented in the various national reports. This General Report will not follow this custom, for the simple reason that a number of the national reports are already comparative examinations of methods of citation that contain such an abundance of references to legal writings and practices that no further examination is necessary.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a useful instrument for team building, strengthening communications, decision making, and for diagnosing organizational dysfunctions. The MBTI is, however, also misued if used for employee selection, or to unfairly stereotype. Misuses of the MBTI and not seeing the instruments' full potential in the organization, stem largely from inadquate training. Training in the MBTI should be expanded to teach how to typewatch, shadow integration, and how to use the MBTI to improve customer relations.

Presents a fourth generation language computer simulation model
which was developed for a major US manufacturing company. Suggests that
marketing and logistics managers can benefit from business planning
models that simulate the financial impact of their decisions. To be
effective, models must have the ability to evaluate the impact of
changes in the marketing mix on product and customer profitability.
Sound business decisions follow from knowledge of the behaviour of
expenses, especially those associated with logistics and for assets
employed.

States that companies are under increased pressure in today′s
economic climate to boost the productivity of their marketing
operations, since this is often a crucial factor in shareholder wealth
and continued market presence. Explains that managing marketing for
productivity entails the management of four key areas: strategy
management, cost management, asset management and organization
management. Concludes that marketers must be more concerned with
productivity in order to sustain customer satisfaction, healthy margins
and market share in the competitive 1990s.

In this article, Sigmon lays out different types of service arrangements: customer services, personal services, public services, human services, voluntary services, relief services, military service, worship service and development service. Three service learning principles that Sigmon states are: 1. Those being served control the service provided, 2. Those being served become better able to serve and be served by their own actions, and 3. Those who serve are learners and have significant control over what is expected to be learned.

Trade policy in the Western hemisphere is undergoing major transformation. The US President George Bush has taken initiative for free trade in America. After describing the sharp shift in trade and development policy during the 1980s, the author seeks to answer why regionalism in trade relations is gaining strength in the Western countries. It is suggested that the USA should hold out the possibility of negotiations between a North American free trade area and sub-regional customs unions in the Latin American and Caribbean region