This 230+ page study looks at trends among corporate and other business libraries, such as those of MBA programs or trade associations. The report gives data on trends in spending, materials purchasing, employment, virtual library development, technology acquisitions, evolving role of the corporate librarian, use of internet resources and many other issues of interest to corporate and business librarians. Data is broken out for corporate and non-corporate business libraries, and also by library size and focus (sci-tech, business, etc.). For corporate libraries, the study presents per employee spending data on a range of library materials and services.

This 117-page study presents data from 33 institutions, mostly universities and other colleges, about their institutional digital repositories. The report presents hard data on the holdings of the repositories, and the growth in their stock of journal articles, books, dissertations, images, video and other forms of intellectual property. The study also gives detailed info on budgets and operating costs, including the cost of professional labor, as well as details on what is downloaded from the sites and by whom. These details include data on downloads from within or outside the institution, and by nation of origin of the downloader, among other variables. In addition, the study looks at issues such as marketing the repository, assuring cooperation from faculty, sources of funding, impact on the parent institution’s reputation, growth rates of content and downloading, trends in cataloging and other issues.

Benchmarking Library, Information and Education Services: New Strategic Choices in Challenging Times provides the foundations of ongoing research in the development of collections and services. The book contributes to practical outputs of general benefit to the sector, including customers, clients or stakeholders, offering ideas for how to identify comparative strengths and weaknesses and improve or enhance present practices regardless of how well institutions currently perform. The centerpiece of the book is a description, report and analysis of a major international QB exercise that culminates in a set of good practice statements. The benefits of the QB methodology are applicable to individual institutions. Because of the current global turbulence, individuals, leaders and whole institutions are keen to learn more about what is happening and how they can develop sustainable solutions to both immediate challenges and longer-term scenarios. These include an analysis of third sector organizations, e-libraries, marketing information services, vocational training in higher education, the creative arts, and the role of partnerships in organizational openness. - Discusses qualitative benchmarking and it's core tenets - Helps readers understand the experiences of others and compare their own experiences to learn and adapt practices - Presents tactics readers can use to identify their organization's professional identity, value and purpose - Provides an idea of what the future state of library, education and public services will look like

In the 21st century, advancements in the digital world are bringing about rapid waves of change in organizational management. As such, it is increasingly imperative to discover ways for businesses to adapt to changes in the markets and seize various digital marketing opportunities. Improving Business Performance Through Innovation in the Digital Economy is an essential reference source for the latest research on the impact of digital computing. It investigates new economic and entrepreneurial approaches to enhancing community development. Featuring research on topics such as business ethics, mobile technology, and cyber security, this book is ideally designed for knowledge workers, business managers, executives, entrepreneurs, small and medium enterprise managers, academicians, researchers, students, and global leaders seeking coverage on the management of sustainable enterprises.

The integration of recent technological advances into modern business processes has allowed for greater efficiency and productivity. However, while such improvements are immensely beneficial, the modeling and coordination of these activities offers a unique set of challenges that must be addressed. Automated Enterprise Systems for Maximizing Business Performance is a pivotal reference source for the latest scholarly research on the modeling and application of automated business systems. Featuring extensive coverage on a variety of topics relating to the design, implementation, and current developments of such systems, this book is an essential reference source for information system practitioners, business managers, and advanced-level students seeking the latest research on achievements in this field. This publication features timely, research-based chapters within the context of business systems including, but not limited to, enterprise security, mobile technology, and techniques for the development of system models.

PROJECT BENEFIT REALISATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT Dispels the confusion between project management success and project success, showing how project sponsors can govern their projects to succeed in delivering the strategic benefits originally envisaged Project management success does not automatically lead to project success. Many large projects fail to live up to expectations, with between half and two-thirds of large projects either failing to deliver or delivering few strategic benefits. Traditional project management resources focus on delivering a project on time and on budget, yet they fail to supply top managers, many of whom find themselves in the role of accidental project sponsors, with guidance on how to govern their projects to succeed. Project Benefit Realisation and Project Management: The 6Q Governance Approach bridges the strategy to performance gap by providing boards, senior managers and project sponsors with the six critical questions necessary to diagnose the health of any project. Presenting a systematic framework developed from research cases of successful and unsuccessful projects in various types of organisations, this practical guide enables those in top management to determine if their strategy or policy is on track and to assess whether a project is likely to deliver the expected benefits. The text features real-world examples illustrating how concepts can be applied to different types of projects in engineering, construction, information technology, business transformation and many others. This must-have guide is designed to help top managers and other stakeholders: Clarify the link between business outcomes, benefits, and strategy to evaluate where effort should be directed Assess how much behavioural change is required to effectively implement strategy and realise desired benefits Select a project sponsor committed to influencing key stakeholders to make necessary changes and intercede to resolve issues as they arise Establish how success will be measured before a project begins, to gauge sponsor commitment and ensure project goals are not changed to match whatever is achieved Ask if the right culture is in place to ensure all relevant information is being reported Determine teams’ ability to adapt and change plans in response to issues arising in the project Monitor if the project is on track to realising the benefits and have a process in place to cancel failing projects Project Benefit Realisation and Project Management: The 6Q Governance Approach is an indispensable volume for board members, project sponsors, project advisors and those in senior positions who find themselves in the role of accidental project sponsors.

The relationship between ownership structure and firm performance has been studied extensively in corporate finance and corporate governance literature. Nevertheless, the mediation (path) analysis to examine the issue can be adopted as a new approach to explain why and how ownership structure is related to firm performance and vice versa. This approach calls for full recognition of the roles of agency costs and corporate risk-taking as essential mediating variables in the bi-directional and mediated relationship between ownership structure and firm performance. Based on the agency theory, corporate risk management theory and accounting for the dynamic endogeneity in the ownership–performance relationship, this book develops two-mediator mediation models, including recursive and non-recursive mediation models, to investigate the ownership structure–firm performance relationship. It is demonstrated that agency costs and corporate risk-taking are the ‘missing links’ in the ownership structure–firm performance relationship. Hence, this book brings into attention the mediation and dynamic approach to this issue and enhances the knowledge of the mechanisms for improving firm’s financial performance. This book will be of interest to corporate finance, management and economics researchers and policy makers. Post-graduate research students in corporate governance and corporate finance will also find this book beneficial to the application of econometrics into multi-dimensional and complex issues of the firm, including ownership structure, agency problems, corporate risk management and financial performance.

Corporate sustainability needs a rethink. We have entered the human-influenced Anthropocene age, and we are witnessing accelerating changes in earth system processes. Businesses’ current initiatives, such as product innovation and pollution reduction, are not enough to combat the intensifying social-ecological challenges that face us. Corporate Sustainability in the 21st Century is an innovative new textbook which provides a fresh conceptual framework for understanding and engaging with sustainability, now and in the future – "Business In Nature." This book critically discusses key concepts and topics related to corporate sustainability, with a focus on corporate sustainability strategies and corporate value chains. Setting itself apart from existing books, it introduces ideas from global ecology and the natural sciences to provide readers with a new language for discussing business and sustainability. This book maintains an international perspective throughout, with a wealth of examples, case studies and discussion questions. It will be a valuable text for students of corporate sustainability; business, nature and society; and environmental studies, and will also be useful for managers seeking a new perspective on how being "green" can fit with business goals.

Business sustainability has advanced from greenwashing and branding to being a business imperative. Stakeholders, including shareholders, demand, regulators require, and companies now need to report their sustainability performance. No longer is this a choice for businesses. A decade ago, fewer than 50 companies released sustainability reports, and now more 8,000 global public companies disclose sustainability performance information on some or all five economic, governance, social, ethical, and environmental (EGSEE) dimensions of sustainability performance, and this trend is expected to continue. Indeed, more than 6,000 European public companies would be required to disclose their environmental, social, governance and diversity information for their 2017 reporting year. However, the proper determination of sustainability performance, accurate and reliable reporting and independent assurance of sustainability information remain major challenges for organizations of all types and sizes. Through reading this book, you will: Identify sustainability strategies to create innovation in new products, services, energy-efficiency, environmental facilities and green initiatives. Understand the role and responsibilities of all participants in the corporate reporting process, including directors, officers, internal auditors, external auditors, legal counsel, and investors. See ways to improve public trust, investor confidence, business reputation, employee satisfaction, corporate culture, social responsibility and environmental performance. Learn all five economic, governance, social, ethical and environmental (EGSEE) dimensions of sustainability performance separately and their integrated and interactive effects on achieving the goal of creating sustainable value for all stakeholders, including shareholders. Learn how to adopt best practices in sustainability development and performance, and deliver effective integrated sustainability reporting and assurance.