The article examines the implications of direct participation for employees' organisational commitment, job satisfaction and affective psychological well-being. It focuses on both task discretion and organisational participation. Applying fixed effect models to nationally representative longitudinal data, the study provides a more rigorous assessment of the conflicting claims for the effects of participation that have hitherto been based primarily on cross-sectional evidence. Further, it tests a range of mechanisms by which direct participation leads to improved employee outcomes. Contrary to the critical literature, it shows that even after controlling for unobserved individual heterogeneity, both forms of direct participation have positive effects for employees' organisational commitment and well-being. The effects of task discretion are primarily direct, reflecting the intrinsic importance of personal control over the job task; in contrast, those of organisational participation derive to a greater extent from its indirect effect on the quality of working conditions.

The results of a survey of the techniques used for managerial selection from 108 organizations in Great Britain are presented. The results reveal that, whilst the usage by large organizations of assessment centre type exercises and biodata is increasing, most organizations still select managers on the basis of interviews and references. It is argued that psychological research and theory should have a bigger impact on selection practice. The limitations of current research and theory are discussed under the headings of criterion measures, validity and utility, and predictors.

While the general trend in the UK is towards an increase in female owned small businesses, during the last few years the number of North West of England businesses owned by women has fallen by 12.5 per cent. Aims to investigate the barriers preventing women from entering into growth businesses in the North West. The research included discussions with 12 service providers as well as in-depth interviews and focus groups with 99 potential and established female business owners. The main barriers blocking women's ownership of small businesses involved the widely held stereotype of business owners as`w hite, middle class, males'', cultural differences, a shortage of premises for new businesses and the lack of appropriate childcare.