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The purpose of this paper is to explore the variety of mechanisms applied since 1991 to engage English and Welsh general practitioners (GPs) in local health services planning and implementation.

Three qualitative case studies.

The paper identifies three types of mechanism: separation, alliance and integration. “Separation” characterises the relationship between most GPs and health authorities during the 1990s; alliance refers to the cooperative arrangements between groups of GPs and health authorities such as GP commissioning pilots, total purchasing, primary care groups and local health groups; integration refers to the integration of most health authority functions with primary care organisations (primary care trusts – PCTs and local health boards). Alliance models appear to have been most successful in promoting GP engagement in local planning and implementation; the necessarily bureaucratic nature of PCTs an local health board has alienated many.

As yet, the National Health Service (NHS) lacks organisational arrangements which permit GPs a primarily clinical focus while ensuring that their knowledge and advice is available to those carrying out administrative functions. Practice‐based commissioning may provide a means of improving such arrangements.

The paper combines a number of features in health services and policy research. Few studies of primary health care organisations in the mid‐2000s have been undertaken; the Welsh NHS is very under‐researched; organisational analysis of the NHS is more often based on analysis from the outside rather than grounded in the felt experience of NHS personnel; and the historical perspective is often neglected.

In the wake of substantial losses suffered by derivatives dealers and end users in recent years, questions are being raised about the type of regulatory structure needed to monitor and control the use of derivatives. Financial institutions believe that the issue can be resolved by tighter internal controls, whereas regulators believe there is a need for more direct oversight. The conventional view is that derivatives are highly useful instruments which simply need to be handled with care. In this paper, it is argued that this belief is misplaced and, although useful for hedging, derivatives are a high risk technology which pose inherent difficulties for regulation and control. As suggested by Perrow, where the environment of such technologies is both complex and tightly coupled, such that any significant failure cannot be contained, the potential for catastrophe is significant. The foregoing analysis shows that derivatives operate in a complex and tightly coupled environment, posing a significant threat to the financial system. Regulatory reform would require much greater cooperation between regulators and a proactive approach to regulation rather than a reactive one.

This monograph contains abstracts from the 2005 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, 6‐7th September 2005

Adding value turns a modest—and poorly performing—consumer product line into one of the wood and paper company's most profitable businesses.

Looks at the 2000 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference held at the University of Cardiff in Wales on 6/7 September 2000. Spotlights the 76 or so presentations within and shows that these are in many, differing, areas across management research from: retail finance; precarious jobs and decisions; methodological lessons from feminism; call centre experience and disability discrimination. These and all points east and west are covered and laid out in a simple, abstract style, including, where applicable, references, endnotes and bibliography in an easy‐to‐follow manner. Summarizes each paper and also gives conclusions where needed, in a comfortable modern format.

Investigates the differences in protocols between arbitral tribunals and courts, with particular emphasis on US, Greek and English law. Gives examples of each country and its way of using the law in specific circumstances, and shows the variations therein. Sums up that arbitration is much the better way to gok as it avoids delays and expenses, plus the vexation/frustration of normal litigation. Concludes that the US and Greek constitutions and common law tradition in England appear to allow involved parties to choose their own judge, who can thus be an arbitrator. Discusses e‐commerce and speculates on this for the future.

This paper addresses the question of when market leaders are most likely to be attacked. It does so by discussing the circumstances associated with competitors' attacks on 21 market leaders. These circumstances and the 21 competitive encounters are used to present a twelve‐point checklist which market leaders can use in answering the title question.

When the Earth Day hype reheated in 1990 after a 20‐year chill, it seemed that environmental marketing would be an important part of corporate strategy for years to come. Many large companies even instituted a new position within their ranks, manager of environmental marketing, to accompany the new selling approach. So it was a strong measure of the rapidly changing times when Procter & Gamble recently announced that it had uprooted that position, and Coca‐Cola reassigned one of its top green‐marketing pros.

To discuss issues that real estate fund sponsors may encounter due to investor liquidity constraints amidst the COVID-19 pandemic (such as investors seeking redemptions or transfers) and to provide guidance on potential ways that fund sponsors can prepare for, and respond to, such inquiries while at the same time addressing their fund’s liquidity needs (such as by utilizing subscription-secured credit facilities).

The article identifies the types of requests that investors may make to address their internal liquidity constraints, discusses contractual, legal, regulatory and business issues that fund sponsors should consider in responding to such requests and provides some alternatives for fund sponsors to consider allowing them to be responsive to investor liquidity concerns while also addressing fund capital needs.

The article finds that there are specific actions which fund sponsors should take in anticipating, and responding to, investor liquidity requests, such as reviewing partnership documents and credit facility documents and considering consequences in respect of ERISA, tax and compliance with applicable securities laws. The article also finds that specific affirmative actions by fund sponsors, such as increased borrowings under credit facilities, making distributions that are recallable and favoring transfers over withdrawals or redemptions may assist fund sponsors in preserving capital while addressing investor liquidity requests.

Fund sponsors should carefully review their fund documentation and determine their options and requirements as they pertain to potential liquidity requests. Fund sponsors should be careful to avoid foot-faults under their fund documents and credit facility agreements.

Practical guidance from experienced fund formation, securities law, tax, ERISA and finance lawyers.