If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.Abstract Information overload is by no means a new concept, but has come to prominence during the last decade. This paper reviews the nature and causes of overload, and considers possible solutions, both organisational and technical, and its relevance to the information professional. Information overload; meaning and history

᭹As has been widely reflected in the popular and business media, the dot.com crash in April 2000 heralded a collapse of public and business confidence in almost anything associated with the 'e-revolution' of the late 1990s, or the first wave of e-change. ᭹ During 2002 and 2003 a broad-based, international sample of 281 organizations was surveyed to validate this populist perception. The findings indicated that many organizations have not only continued with their uptake of modern information systems, but that a good number have been quietly intensifying their efforts. ᭹ This paper distinguishes between the replicability of core operational systems for internal cost-efficiencies and the differentiating capability of customer-facing technologies that enables firms to attract and maintain a loyal customer base. The parameters for managing the dynamic balance between replicability and differentiation shape a new concept of 'opportunity space' which is bounded by a high-touch/high-technology dimension and the tangible/intangible nature of the customer offering.᭹ The opportunity space model can be applied to a major product/service offering, a business unit, an enterprise or an industry sector. It allows managers to map where their effort can be focused when evaluating strategic options for the effective introduction of customer-facing information technologies.

᭹ This paper is concerned with how the customer experience needs to be viewed from a strategic perspective when businesses grapple with the important question of the extent to which and what type of information and communication technologies (ICT) might be used to take the business forward. ᭹ The paper introduces a framework and offers a methodology for diagnosing 'zones of customer opportunity'. This diagnostic could typically be used by decision-makers and managerial teams -working in partnership with heads of customer service and ICT specialists -to apply a business persective to consideration of adoption of emergent ICT capabilities. In the absence of such a diagnostic, there are tendencies for businesses uncritically to use turnkey proprietary tools of a generic nature or to emulate the approaches used by other businesses and competitors.᭹ The framework is built on earlier work by the authors, and represents a practical application of a research-based, grounded methodology which reflects the potential of ICT enablement in enhancing the customer experience, or the use of no technology at all. ᭹The diagnostic would most typically be used in strategic planning sessions, or on a more frequent basis where there are fast-moving changes to markets, products or services. ᭹In an era where ICT offers significant opportunities for businesses to re-think the means of relating with existing and new customers, the authors advocate active exploration of available and emerging technologies, but counsel against going a step too far and risk weakening or even fracturing the customer relationship.

We describe a previously unreported hazard resulting from compression of an electrical cable by an operating theatre table. This resulted in a live wire contact to the operating table. Intermittent connection of the table to earth during a procedure resulted in triggering of a residual current device mitigating the effects of the hazard. The actual cause was not readily identified as the devices connecting the table to earth were considered most likely to be the source of the current. There was potential for significant injury to the patient and theatre staff which would have been diminished if staff had had a better understanding of the electrical safety equipment in use. We examine the underlying causes of the accident, discuss electrical safety and correct use of safety devices in the operating theatre, and propose guidelines for appropriate management.