Editorial
Every time we turn on the radio these days there is a feature or advert for a podcast of one kind or another. The use of podcasting as a business tool is being considered in all sorts of fields. Journalscan features an article by business journalist Nick Clayton in which he looks at its uses – though technical developments may have overtaken it already. Netwatch also lists two podcasting websites. Continuing on an IT theme, another Journalscan article warns against keyloggers, who can take over anyone’s computer, and gives advice on how to combat this increasing problem, and another article deals with the security implications for businesses using Web 2.0.
This issue’s Government section is bigger than usual. Neal, our new Government Publications Librarian, has been catching up on orders. There is a very interesting report on the future of unpaid care in Scotland, as well as the report by Sir David Henshaw into recovering child support. A book about world health statistics is also featured, as is the National Planning Framework report. The government initiates a lot of reporting!
About half of Bectis annual subscriptions are due for renewal in March, which means it’s time for invoices to be sent out. Yet again we are keeping prices as they are, making Bectis great value for money compared to other information services.
Best wishes
Margaret McFarlane
Bectis
Bell College Library
Almada Street
Hamilton ML3 0JB
Tel: 01698 285658
Fax: 01698 286856
E-mail: bectis@bell.ac.uk
8.30am-4.30pm Monday-Friday
Answering machine at other times
NEWS
Admissible evidence
Human Resources Magazine has this very interesting short piece on page 11 of its February 2007 issue, written by legal expert Elizabeth Adams:
“It always surprises me how often employees secretly tape-record meetings with their employers, especially disciplinary or grievance hearings. If a case is subsequently brought before an employment tribunal the issue is whether such a tape can be admitted in evidence.
In the recent case of Amwell View School vs Dogherty the employment appeal tribunal considered this very issue. Mrs Dogherty secretly recorded both her disciplinary and appeal hearings, including the private deliberations of the panel that took place after she had been asked to leave the room. The school argued that it was a breach of the panel’s right to privacy as well as against public policy and a breach of contract to admit this evidence.
The appeal tribunal looked separately at the admission of the recordings of the open hearings and of the private deliberations. With regard to the former it ruled these were admissible as it had always been intended there would be a written record of these matters. However, Dogherty was not allowed to rely on the secret recordings of private deliberations because if such recordings were admitted this would inhibit the discussions of panels in similar situations. However, they could be used if no reason for the decision was given or they contained evidence of discrimination by the panel.
If this is an area that concerns employers, then they should ensure that their disciplinary and grievance procedures include a clause prohibiting the recording of such meetings and remind employees of this policy before any such meeting. There were no provisions prohibiting recording in Dogherty’s case.
Further, if there are private deliberations then either the employee should be asked to take away any bags etc from the room occupied by the panel, or the panel should go to a different room. Remember, though, that if, during the course of any private deliberations, discriminatory comments are made the panel cannot hide behind public policy reasons to suppress any secret recordings. The same is true of ‘without prejudice’ negotiations that are conducted outside a hearing. If discriminatory comments are made in a ‘without prejudice’ meeting then an employee can rely on these and an employer is not protected by the ‘without prejudice’ cloak.”
(Please note the punctuation is not mine.)
Congratulations
Congratulations Mr Daniel Banks, Contracting and Engineering Director of Lanarkshire Welding, who was recently awarded the Fellowship of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Lanarkshire Welding is a long serving Bectis member.
Journalscan
BLOG SEARCH ENGINES
Special search engines bring a buzz to bloggers (07/2/1)
The Business, 3rd February 2007
Page 40
This short article explains that ‘normal’ search engines like Google and Yahoo are not equipped to cope with searching for the vast amount of blogs now available, and it can be difficult for consumers to find the right content. New, specialised search engines exist to combat this problem, such as icerocket.com, where searches are filtered using “buzz” software. Others are also discussed, such as technorati.com. The problem of spam blogs, or “splogs” is also highlighted.
BUSINESS PODCASTING
Making sound sense (07/2/2)
Insider: Scotland’s business magazine, February 2007
Pages 56-57
Business journalist Nick Clayton reports on the development of podcasts as a business tool, and wonders if they are just another online gimmick, or something with potential for business use. This is a very short article, but he briefly looks at some of the software available for podcasting, compares podcasts to newsletters, and looks at what may be a new technological threat to podcasting. See also Netwatch.
DATA THIEVES
Tracking down the data thieves (07/2/3)
Personal Computer World, March 2007
Pages 61-63
The threat is from a keylogger, apparently, which can record keystrokes on anyone’s pc and reproduce them for nefarious purposes. Viruses and Trojans with keylogger functions are becoming more common, and can penetrate even the best system. This article explains the problems and gives advice on how to combat it. There is also advice on what to do if a keylogger has found its way into your system.
DISABILITY EQUALITY DUTY
Catering for everyone (07/2/4)
Public Finance, February 16-22, 2007
Pages 18-21
The Disability Equality Duty came into force in December 2006 in England, Scotland and Wales. “It requires public sector organisations actively to promote disability equality, eliminate discrimination and harassment and integrate the needs of disabled people into mainstream policymaking.” Despite the best efforts of the Disability Discrimination Act, too many disabled people are still treated as second class citizens, and this new equality duty is designed to augment the original Act. Examples are given of how organisations, such as colleges, transport agencies and local authorities are improving services for disabled users.
DRUGS & ALCOHOL
Dangerous substances (07/2/5)
Human Resources, February 2007
Pages 32-34
Home Office figures show that 17 million working days are lost each year to alcohol misuse. Drug and alcohol abuse at work have major safety and productivity implications. It is, therefore, in every employer’s interest to have a clear policy for dealing with the problem. Mike McPhillips, an addiction treatment consultant at the famous Priory Hospital, gives advice on the best course of action for employers to take. He discusses the drinking culture an organisation may have, questions a manager should ask, and what to look for in employees’ behaviour.
ISO 9000:2000
ISO 9000:2000: the key to quality? An exploratory study (07/2/6)
Quality Management Journal, Vol.14, Issue 1, 2007
Pages 7-18
This learned paper presents a new study of the application of ISO 9000:2000 and “the authors look into improvement in operational and financial measures derived from the implementation of the standard compared with ISO 9000:1994. Both the way in which the changes are being managed, and the measures of performance improvement, lead one to think that the standard will not contribute to better company management. These bad ISO 9000:2000 results could only be different if firms adopt the changes seriously and do not merely try to add new lines to their quality manual.”
IT SECURITY
The state of security (07/2/7)
Information Age, January 2007
Pages 27-29
Businesses are looking at new ways to exploit the internet, but these new practices can lead to new security threats. The exploitation of Web 2.0 is discussed: “While Web 2.0 promises to open up a new world of highly customisable enterprise computing, those executives tasked with ensuring corporate security will not be much encouraged by this news. For while the business hopes to exploit the promised benefits of Web 2.0, achieving this will require users to engage in a range of behaviours that will result in a raft of new security threats……..organised crime syndicates have been working to build designer threats that are entirely driven by the economics of greed…..many of the lightweight, consumer-friendly VoIP packages have no in-built security.” I think the article suffers from politically correct language mangling, using words like ‘tasked’ and ‘customisable.’
MANAGEMENT
Warning signs (07/2/8)
Accountancy Magazine, February 2007
Pages 42-43
David Tiltson gives us the benefit of his experience working in different companies and noticing the same recurring themes which should serve as a warning to managers that the business could be better run. He groups these observations under 3 main headings: poor discipline; lack of awareness of key issues; and managerial failings. These have further sub-headings in the article, and there is a summary of warning signs in a separate box.
MBA
Qualified to succeed (07/2/9)
Professional Manager, January 2007
Pages 37-39
I slightly resent the first few words of this article: “Every year thousands of executives decide to invest in an MBA course.” I daresay they do, but I have known several ‘ordinary’ people who have worked their way through the MBA course as well – it’s not always the prerogative of executives. To be fair, the author does mention the option of an Executive MBA. Any MBA course is very expensive, but the author reckons it is well worth the money, and can be a passport to the boardroom. He discusses factors to be considered, value for money, lessons for business schools, and other options available, such as doctorates and the Chartered Manager programme. See also Netwatch.
MIGRANTS
Migrants at work (07/2/10)
Management Today, February 2007
Pages 38-43 (Note- p.42 is an advert)
This is a very interesting article which aims to dispel some of what it calls “tabloid hysteria” about foreign workers in the UK. The author tries to show that immigrants do not steal jobs, strain public services and threaten the British way of life. “Immigration is increased, but less than the scaremongering headlines suggest.” He produces some statistics to reinforce his case. The value to businesses is also explored, along with brief biographies of 3 successful people who live and work in London, where 3 out of 10 residents were born abroad. A spokesman from the Marriott Hotel in London says they employ 300 full-time staff of 52 nationalities. “Less than a quarter of our employees are from Britain. Most are from Brazil and Europe.” Other extremely successful immigrants are mentioned, such as Sir Gulam Noon.
OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA
Breathe more easily (07/2/11)
Safety Management, January 2007
Pages 35-40 (Note- pp.37 & 38 are adverts)
Mainly taking the form of questions and answers, this article reviews what safety managers and employers should know in order to prevent and manage occupational asthma. It is based on a systematic evidence review undertaken for the British Occupational Health Research Foundation. Questions answered include, “What is occupational asthma?” “Who is at risk?” and “How is occupational asthma prevented?” There is also advice on health surveillance, and what to do when an employee develops symptoms.
PAY IN LIEU
Tax facts (7/02/12)
Pay Magazine, February 2007
Page 41
Payment in lieu of notice, or PILON (oh, please!), is another minefield in employment and tax law. Adrian Hobbs, technical editor of Pay Magazine, covers the basic principles behind payment in lieu. He divides his short article into 2 sections: contractual payments and customary payments. He also gives examples of previous legal cases, and tries to explain the finer points of the tax law which deals with this subject.
SCOTTISH VARIABLE RATE
Something in the wind (07/2/13)
Payroll World, February 2007
Pages 26-27
This piece begins with a quote from the HMRC website: “The Scottish Parliament has the power to introduce, at short notice, a variation to income tax basic rate for Scottish tax-payers. This is known as the Scottish Variable Rate (SVR). HMRC have developed their IT systems by creating a field to allow for SVR. Until SVR is introduced the field will be left blank.” (That should be “HMRC has developed.” Collective noun, singular verb.) Matt Boyle, an independent PAYE consultant, discusses the rules which deal with SVR. He tries to explain what is meant by a “Scottish taxpayer,” and, needless to say, goes on to explain that though the tax rules seem simple at first, they are not simple at all. He attempts to explain the ramifications to the rest of us mere mortals, and in particular to those involved in payroll for businesses.
SPAM
Eliminate spam (07/2/14)
Personal Computer World, March 2007
Pages 54-57
This useful piece by expert Nigel Whitfield takes a look at why there is so much spam, the best ways to keep on top of the problem, and gives advice on tactics to use to help play a part in the general battle against spam. Even reputable companies can be fooled by unscrupulous spammers, as is explained here. Tips are given on fighting back, on how to deal with e-mail marketing, how to greylist to reduce spam, and how to add an SPF record to your own domain to cut down on the rubbish. Lots of useful web addresses are also given throughout the article.
TEAMS
The problem with teams (07/2/15)
Project Manager Today, February 2007
Pages 30-31
Project managers look back on some troublesome teams with which they have been involved, and give their advice on how to deal with team members who have been difficult. These are labelled variously as ‘the sabotaging sponsor,’ ‘the political blocker,’ ‘the unwanted resource’, ‘taking all the credit,’ ‘the resistor,’ and ‘the backdoor dealer.’ Recognise anyone? The advice is brief as this is a very short article.
VISTA & SMALL BUSINESS
Vista migration (07/2/16)
Personal Computer World, March 2007
Pages 112-114
“Small businesses will need to plan carefully for a migration to Microsoft Vista to ensure a smooth transition and that they remain secure,” explains John Thompson. He says, “While Vista’s new security measures will protect you from stealthy malware and foolish users alike, there’s also scope for them to trip you up, unless you carry out some careful planning.” The basics are explained here. Note- the illustration of the User State Migration Tool will not photocopy well as it is very dark.
WELLBEING AT WORK
Core values (07/2/17)
People Management, 25 January 2007
Pages 24-28
This article says, “Subsidised gym membership may be a good perk, but if you really care about the health of your employees you should start from within – and that means good management.” Firms should move from managing absence to preventing ill-health in the first place, and successful examples are given. One company ran a pilot scheme for 100 employees who were given mini-health screenings, online health assessments, lifestyle coaching and an 8 week nutrition programme. At the start the absence average was 6 days per employee per year, and at the end this dropped to 2 days. Productivity was also raised, and staff turnover reduced.
WHITE VAN MAN
Van-quished (07/2/18)
Taxation, Vol.159, No.4093, 1 February 2007
Pages 133-136
The subject of employer provided vehicles has been featured in Bectis Bulletin before, but this article seems more comprehensive and worth a look before the tax changes to such vehicles come into force in April this year. Insignificant private use of company vans is properly explained, with examples, and advice is given on how to avoid problems in the future. There is also a legal definition of a van – “Having considered the effect on those employees who have a van available to them, perhaps some thought should be given to whether they actually have a van.” VAT is also discussed with examples of some cases, and car benefit is briefly mentioned.
Government
The future of unpaid care in Scotland: headline report and recommendations
Scottish Executive, 2006
Free of charge, 275 pages, ISBN 0755949935
Shelved at Government Monographs GB.SCOT.EXEC. BCT0128870
Any document which uses the word ‘occupationalisation’ (page 3) gets a mention in Bectis Bulletin – if only to be held up to ridicule for mangling our language. As an unpaid carer myself, I was interested to see this report. I cannot keep my cynicism at bay at all. In the section entitled, ‘The future of unpaid care in Scotland, Annex A: the emerging vision,’ it talks about the core principle of recognition of carers as partners and key providers of care: “This principle includes the need to make caring a more positive life-choice.” Please do not insult our intelligence. No one chooses to wash sheets every day at home – or chooses to spend a lot of their ‘spare’ time clearing up all sorts of mess, or chooses to cancel holidays because very little respite is available - as a positive life choice. There’s nothing positive about it. The future of unpaid care is that it will continue because it saves national government, local government, and the NHS a fortune.
National planning framework for Scotland, 06 monitoring report
Scottish Executive, 2006
Free of charge, 59 pages, ISBN 0755951336
Shelved at Government Monographs GB.SCOT.EXEC. BCT0142474
The first National planning framework was published by the Scottish Executive in 2004, and the next will be published in 2008. This monitoring report aims to bridge the gap between the two, and give an update of the story so far. Actually, it’s a very interesting and well-presented document, dealing with issues that affect us all. “The framework sets out a strategy to guide the spatial development of Scotland to 2025. It analyses development trends, identifies key areas of change and highlights the strategic challenges Scotland faces.” Population trends, sustainable development, transport issues, employment, regeneration, housing needs, communication and wind farms are all featured in the document.
Planning - Neighbour notification: report on the working group
Scottish Executive Development Department
Scottish Executive, 2006
Free of charge, 23 pages, ISBN 0755961471
Shelved at Government Monographs GB.SCOT.EXEC.DEV.DEP. BCT0142475
“The system of neighbour notification has been in place in Scotland since 1981 and applies to full, outline and reserved matters applications, but not to applications for advertisements, for listed building consent, or enforcement cases. The system in Scotland is based upon self-certification by applicants that they have notified owners, lessees and occupiers of neighbouring land and property. This is different from England & Wales where planning authorities have a statutory responsibility for carrying out neighbour notification.” I have had to quote as it reads as clear as mud.
Planning – Draft Scottish Planning Policy 4: Mineral working: analysis of consultation responses
Scottish Executive Development Department
Scottish Executive, 2006
Free of charge, 23 pages, ISBN 0755962273
Shelved at Government Monographs GB.SCOT.EXEC.DEV.DEP. BCT0128827
This report focuses on development plans, working with communities, proximity to settlements, cumulative impacts, dust, construction aggregates and enforcement of the Executive’s plans for mineral workings. I love the introduction: “NPPG 4 Land for Mineral Working was published in 1994. Research carried out in 2002 indicated that NPPG 4 needed to be refreshed and brought up to date with other SPPs. The review is consistent with the programme to review and update the NPPG series arising from the report Review of Strategic Planning: Conclusion and next steps (2002).” Marvellous.
The virtual university, models & messages: lessons from case studies
Susan D’Antoni
UNESCO, 2006
£10.00, 451 pages, ISBN 923104026X
Shelved at Government Monographs UNESCO BCT0128822
“E-learning and the virtual university are examples of the use of ICT as a teaching and learning approach and an organisational structure. Both raise issues associated with the phenomenon of cross-border education. This publication explores the related ICT policy, planning and management implications of several new or reorganised institutions of higher education. Eight case studies from different regions and representing various institutional models tell the story of their development and relate what they have learned.”
Charity and voluntary workers: a guide to health and safety at work, 2nd edition HSG 192
Health & Safety Executive
HSE Books, 2006
£13.50, 130 pages, ISBN 0717661857
Shelved at Government Serials HSG 192
The latest edition of this provides basic health and safety information for charity and voluntary groups which do not usually employ health & safety professionals, and may not be informed of what is required in the guidance and legislation. Volunteers should be treated in the same way as paid workers for a charity. Fire safety, hazardous substances, lone working, moving and handling, stress, violence at work and work equipment are all covered, along with appendices of useful contacts, relevant legislation and forms.
Psychological drug research: current themes and future developments
Jorge Negreiros
Council of Europe Publishing, 2006
£9.00, 88 pages, ISBN 9287160325
Shelved at Government Monographs COUN.EURO. BCT0128814
The first 42 pages of this little book give the text in English, and the rest give the same text in French, plus a list of other publications at the back. Three major themes are discussed: personality traits, personality disorders and comorbid psychopathology, and alcohol and drug related expectancies. I think this means the research looks at why people take drugs, and examines if there are certain personality types more likely to take drugs than others, and if so, why. Why they can’t say so in plain English is beyond me.
Sir David Henshaw’s report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions - Recovering child support: routes to responsibility
Cm 6894
TSO, 2006
£16.25, 70 pages, ISBN 010168942X
Shelved at Government Monographs GB.DEP.WORK.PEN. BCT0128788
Sir David Henshaw’s remit was to look into redesigning the child support system within certain terms of reference. These were: how best to ensure that parents take financial responsibility for their children when they live apart, the best arrangements for delivering this outcome cost effectively, and the options for moving to new structures and policies, recognising the need to protect the level of service offered. Sir David concluded that the child support system is failing to deliver, and that this failure is the result of policy and operational issues. He makes recommendations for reform, one of which I notice is charging. Page 52: “Under the redesigned system, there is scope for charging parents to use the administrative route to make child support arrangements………Other countries charge parents for the use of child support services.”
Current status report – December 2006: Scottish breast screening programme
2006 follow-up
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, 2006
Free of charge, 251 pages, ISBN 1844044297
Shelved at Government Monographs NHS.QUAL.IMP.SCOT. BCT0128830
The Introduction to this document says that breast cancer is diagnosed in a woman in Scotland every 3 hours, and a woman dies of the disease every 7 hours. Evidence shows that at least 70% of women need to attend screening to make a difference to the number of deaths from breast cancer. The report gives details of how the screening programme works and the standards to which it has to adhere. Call and recall data is also included.
Current status report – August 2006: Scottish cervical screening programme
2006 follow-up
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, 2006
Free of charge, 141 pages, ISBN 1844044262
Shelved at Government Monographs NHS.QUAL.IMP.SCOT. BCT0128837
You’ll be glad to know that smear-testing is low tech and low cost, and since the screening programme began in 1987, the number of cases of cervical cancer in Scotland has fallen by 40%. This volume is similar to the one above, giving details of how the screening programme is run and the standards to which it has to adhere.
National overview – October 2006: The provision of safe and effective primary medical services out-of-hours
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, 2006
Free of charge, 81 pages, ISBN 1844044289
Shelved at Government Monographs NHS.QUAL.IMP.SCOT. BCT0128838
I might be a bit biased here, having once tried to get a doctor out-of-hours when I lived on my own and was simply told “No”. That was 4 years ago, and hopefully things have improved since then. This document is certainly a very glossy production, using a lot of pretty colours and giving great detail on how the service should work………
World health statistics 2006
World Health Organisation, 2006
£22.50, 80 pages, ISBN 9241563214
Shelved at Government Monographs W.H.O. BCT0128816
Life expectancy for males in Sierra Leone is only 37 years, 40 years for females. Even worse, in Zimbabwe the figures are 37 years for males and 34 years for females. In the UK, the statistics are 76 years and 81 years respectively. The figures are for 2004. This book is packed with statistics. Figures on HIV, prevalence of TB, immunisation figures, population growth rates, expenditure on health systems and much more. It makes rather depressing reading.
NETWATCH
Money and scams
Don’t be put off by the .gov.uk bit, this is an excellent web site. Its strapline says, “No selling. No jargon. Just the Facts.” (Someone at the FSA remembers Joe Friday). It is very informative indeed. I liked the ‘loan calculator’ in the Useful Tools section. Put in the amount of money you’d like to borrow, the percentage rate and the number of payments, and this calculates how much you will pay monthly and overall. The scams section is also fascinating – there is a long list of scams, such as lotteries, premium rate phone numbers, banking scams, dating scams, the list is almost endless. There is advice on how to protect yourself too. The Products Explained section is interesting, with subjects including bank accounts, credit cards, insurance, mortgages, pensions, retirement options, and savings. There is much more on the website, it is one not to be missed.
Podcasting
Podcasting news lists its top 25 podcasts, and top 25 rated podcasts, (I’m not quite sure what the difference is). It also has a podcasting forum, news features, including audio and music news, podcasting gear and podcasting gear manufacturers.
This describes itself as ‘The Podcast Directory,’ and looks more straightforward. Items are listed under subject, (in no particular order), such as entertainment, business and money, arts, science and nature, news and media, politics and government, home and lifestyle, computers and internet, and so on.
Bad science
This is worth a look just to read the article about Gillian McKeith. Run by Dr Ben Goldacre, it contains all of his ‘Bad Science’ columns from The Guardian since 2003. The Gillian McKeith article is a must read – he explains to those of us who have little or no scientific knowledge, just exactly what a load of old rubbish the lady talks about food, nutrition, and how the body works. There is also a discussion forum, and users can browse or search the site and leave comments.
MBA
MBA World is the site of the Association of MBAs. “The Association was established in 1967 and is the advocate for the MBA. The Association’s accreditation service is internationally recognised as the global standard for all MBA, DBA and PEMM programmes. We also offer the only professional membership association for MBA students and graduates.” There is lots of advice on the site. Choose from: Studying for an MBA, Choosing a School, Events, MBA Loan Scheme, MBA Career World, and more. The Association’s annual conference is being held in Moscow in May. See also Journalscan.
Best companies
Subtitled ‘The Workplace Engagement Specialists,’ Best Companies researches and compiles the Sunday Times Best Companies To Work For lists. The site says, “We are dedicated to helping you improve workplace relationships, and the ultimate goals are to encourage the adoption of best practice as demonstrated by the Best Companies; to promote employee welfare as a way to business success and; to provide a forum where best practice can be recognised and rewarded.” I’m not sure about those semi-colons. I’m not sure about the website either, it didn’t seem very clear or informative to me, but I mention it here anyway!
Carrots
www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/index.html
Now for a bit of light relief after all that money and other serious stuff! Rosemary sent me this website as she knows carrots are my favourite vegetable. This is hilarious, especially the ‘Carrots in Fine Art’, and ‘Real Carrot Jewellery’. There is also a history and evolution of carrots, medicinal uses, carrot festivals, 24 carrot recipes, and ‘Ask Mr Carrot a question.’ How to grow carrots is also featured, along with details of the carrot’s nutritional value, and much more. It’s so cheerful!
International train planner
By international they mean Europe. Timetables are available here, though I found it a little irritating as every time I input a departure point, whether I typed it as Venice or Venezia, Copenhagen or Kobenhavn, it came up “your information is ambiguous.” The calendar can only be accessed if the pc has Java installed. I got there in the end, though! Useful for backpackers and general travellers alike.