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Interest in car-sharing initiatives, as a tool for improving transport network efficiency in urban areas and on interurban links, has grown in recent years. They have often been proposed as a more cost effective alternative to other modal shift and congestion relief initiatives, such as public transport or highway improvement schemes; however, with little implementation in practice, practitioners have only limited evidence for assessing their likely impacts.

This study reports the findings of a Stated Preference (SP) study aimed at understanding the value that car drivers put on car sharing as opposed to single occupancy trips. Following an initial pilot period, 673 responses were received from a web-based survey conducted in June 2008 amongst a representative sample of car driving commuters in Scotland.

An important methodological aspect of this study was the need to account for differences in behaviour to identify those market segments with the greatest propensity to car share. To this end, we estimated a range of choice model forms and compared the ability of each to consistently identify individual behaviours. More specifically, this included a comparison of:

Standard market segmentation approaches based on multinomial logit with attribute coefficients estimated by reported characteristics (e.g. age, income, etc.);

A two-stage mixed logit approach involving the estimation of random parameters logit models followed by an examination of individual respondent's choices to arrive at estimates of their parameters, conditional on know distributions across the population (following Revelt & Train, 1999); and

A latent-class model involving the specification of C classes of respondent, each with their own coefficients, and assigning each individual a probability that they belongs to a given class based upon their observed choices, socioeconomic characteristics and their reported attitudes.

As hypothesised, there are significant variations in tastes and preferences across market segments, particularly for household car ownership, gender, age group, interest in car pooling, current journey time and sharing with a stranger (as opposed to family member/friend). Comparing the sensitivity of demand to a change from a single occupancy to a car-sharing trip, it can be seen that the latter imposes a ‘penalty’ equivalent to 29.85 IVT minutes using the mixed logit structure and 26.68 IVT minutes for the multinomial specification. Segmenting this latter value according to the number of cars owner per household results in ‘penalties’ equivalent to 46.51 and 26.42 IVT minutes for one and two plus car owning households respectively.

The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of the results of applying executive coaching (EC) as a management competency training and development strategy, setting up a comparison with other known training and development methods.

A dual sample is used. On the one hand, information is collected from a sample of 100 managers who participated as coachees in an EC process. On the other hand, the study provides the opinions of 236 HR managers as prescribers and promoters of company executive training and development actions.

The results suggest that EC is an effective management training and development method (MTDM). Furthermore, it is confirmed to be more effective than the rest of the techniques analysed in relation with sustained and observable management behaviour changes, whilst also providing advantages and drawbacks in its use.

Coaching seems to provide the most effective method for altering a selected number of concrete managerial behaviours, although its cost, length, and specificity limit its capacity to be used exclusively as a tool for continuous and generalised management training.

In addition to incorporating two different samples and points of view within the analysis, this work contributes evidence regarding behaviours addressed in EC processes – a feature that has received little analysis in the academic literature – and breaks new ground by comparing the results of this method with other MTDMs in terms of their degree of effectiveness in attaining observable and lasting behaviour changes.

This paper reconsiders the role of critical theory within the field of consumer culture theory.

The paper is documentary evidence of a roundtable held at the 10th annual Consumer Culture Theory conference on the subject. The roundtable uses discussion and conceptual methods.

The author begins with a brief introduction to the use of critical theory in the academy and in CCT more specifically. In the course of the roundtable, it was discovered that the reason we do not talk about critical theory more often may be attributable to its success, rather than failure – indeed, it has inspired so many new academic traditions, that we rarely pause to think of the various critical traditions in one place. Building on this foundation, participants were asked to discuss what critical theory means to them; what theorists they have used; what engagement they have had with critical theory traditions in CCT; and what their vision for critical theory influenced consumer research would be. Participation came from both planned and emergent participants. The final conclusion was the felicitous discovery that critical traditions are alive and well in consumer culture theory, and that there are many pathways to pursue critical consumer research in the future.

The roundtable session and paper are a direct response to the conference theme, which asked conference attendees to reflect on the history of consumer research, and specifically the role of critical theory within it. Moreover, the paper builds upon important debates about the philosophy of science and the role of critical theory within consumer research.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight theoretical and clinical similarities between therapeutic communities (TCs) and group analysis (GA).

Literature review shows comparison of TC and group-analytic concepts with illustrative case material.

Findings reveal many similarities between TCs and GA, but also significant divergences, particularly in practice.

This paper provides theoretical basis for TC practice, and highlights the need for greater theorising of TC practice.

This paper highlights the importance of group-based treatment approaches in mental health.

This is the first paper to review the relevant literature and compare theory and practice in TCs and GA, highlighting their common roots in the Northfields Experiments in the Second World War.

Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Tenn. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are available through normal trade sources. Mrs. Cheney, being a member of the editorial board of Pierian Press, will not review Pierian Press reference books in this column. Descriptions of Pierian Press reference books will be included elsewhere in this publication.

Referrals to specialist eating disorder (ED) services from the South Asian (SA) community are under-represented, despite research suggesting that disordered eating attitudes and behaviours of SA people are similar to the population in general. The purpose of this paper is to identify the reasons for this and sought to inform ways to encourage help-seeking.

A qualitative methodology was used to investigate barriers to help-seeking for EDs among the SA community. A key informant focus group was conducted with clinicians working within the local specialist ED service (participants n=16, 12 female, 4 male). Six focus groups were conducted with members of the SA community in Leicester, UK (participants n=28, 23 female, 5 male), recruited from a local university, two charities and Children, Young People and Family Centres.

A number of themes emerged as possible factors for delaying early access to help: lack of knowledge about EDs and their potential seriousness, ideals regarding body shape, family living circumstances and the role of food in the community. Participants acknowledged stigma among their community associated with mental health issues, including EDs and concerns about confidentiality when approaching services, particularly primary care.

General practitioners and specialist services need to be aware of the potential barriers to help-seeking for EDs as early specialist help is recommended for effective treatment. An educational campaign around EDs specifically designed with the SA community in mind may improve awareness, reduce stigma and promote early help-seeking.

Lockheed's Dialorder: document delivery at last. “From the early days of online database searching, we knew we were only wetting the appetites of users for information,” Dr. Roger Summit of Lockheed told Online Review. “As never before possible, users could rapidly search for and find references on a practically limitless number of topics. But the user was then very often frustrated at his or her inability to locate the original document in any reasonably convenient and effective manner. We believe Dialorder will go a long way toward satisfying user needs.”