In summary, the technical, scientific and medical aspects of transfusion me dicine continue to be critical. We all must find ways to provide a safer unit of blood and blood components. However, there must be a realization by all in volved in the profession that the management and administration aspects of transfusion medicine deserve equal attention, respect and support. Why? It is very simple! Without all aspectsoftransfusion medicine working togetherfor the common good - care ofthe patient - we will all fail. References 1. Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Services, American Association of Blood Banks, 14th edition, Arlington, VA, USA, 1991. 2. Blood Assurance Act of 1979 (S.161O), Senator Richard S. Schweiker, United States Senate, Washington, DC, USA, July 31,1979. 3. Administrative Guidelines for Blood Banks, American Association of Blood Banks, Arlington, VA, 1989. 4. "You're absolutely right: We goofed". Howard Upton, Southwest Airlines Spirit, September 1991:24. 5. Administrative Manual, Volume II, American Association of Blood Banks, Arlington, VA, USA, 1987.

It is an honour and a pleasure to welcome you all at this 20th annual International Symposium on Blood Transfusion in the Netherlands. This year you celebrate its 20th anniversary and I congratulate the Staff of the Blood Bank Noord Nederland and especially Dr. Smit Sibinga for this great achievement. As most of you know, the name of the person of Dr. Smit Sibinga is unbreakably con nected with the annual symposium in Groningen which he has organized each year from the very start, 20 years ago. The reputation of any symposium depends heavily on the quality of the lectures. I think it is not possible to organize 20 symposia in a row if the topics lack actual relevance and the speakers are not of excellent reputation. Dr. Smit Sibinga has proven to have a keen eye for selecting interesting themes and eminent speakers. Although a lot of different topics have been dealt with in the past 20 years, which each attracted the attention of a different group in the field of blood transfusion, it is not surprising that after a tradition of 20 years several speakers but also a lot of attendees are not for the first time in Groningen to participate in this event. It gives the symposium a unique atmosphere of intimacy. It is not hard to admit that most of the newer developments in transfusion medicine take place outside the Netherlands.

th It is a great pleasure for me to open the jubilee 25 International Symposium on Blood Transfusion here in Groningen. This symposium is co-sponsored by the World Health Organization and is being held under the auspices of the ISBT and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr Walter Schwimmer. The patronage was granted with great pleasure for several reasons. First of all, Dutch experts are very active in our Committees and have largely contributed in developing the Council of Europe principles in the blood area. Secondly, the Council of Europe is active today in the area of blood transfusion due to a tragic event, which occurred in 1953 in the Netherlands; following a flooding many of the blood products given for assistance' could not be used due to incompatibilities and differences in labelling. Some words to present the Council of Europe since the organisation is sometimes confused with institutions ofthe European Union: The organisation has been founded in 1949 to establish the principles of democracy and rule of law all over Europe. Since 1989, the year of the fall of the Berlin wall and the opening up of the iron curtain, these principles could be extended to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Today this makes the Council of Europe the only pan-European organisation with 41 Member States thus representing more than 750 million people.

TQM AND TAYLORISM; HOW THEY COMPARE H. Bremer Preface The industrial world today is divided between two camps: a culture based on the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM), developed in the Far East, and one still strongly influenced by the origins of "Scientific Management", intro duced in the West by F.W. Taylor and others at the turn of the century. This divergence will be shown to have arisen in the last forty years, long enough for a new generation of managers and corresponding culture to emerge. The two cul tures are so deeply entrenched that it is difficult for one to change to the other. However, there is strong evidence to support the contention that people-oriented TQM is superior, and those companies clinging to Taylor models now face diffi cult decisions. Actions by Taylor-companies to move to TQM rnight weH be hindered rather than helped by applying present Quality Assurance Standards, developed by Taylor-oriented national and international Standards Institutions.

Rossi's Principles of Transfusion Medicine is the most comprehensive and practical reference on transfusion science and medicine available. It features brand new chapters on the measurement of cell kinetics, obstetric transfusion practice, cord blood, transfusion alternatives and regenerative medicine. Produced jointly with AABB, the world's leading association in the fields of blood banking and transfusion medicine, it now has two companion CD-ROMs-one containing interactive case studies and one containing PDFs of all 66 chapters.

This book is the only published literature that comprehensively discusses all aspects of transfusion of transmissible diseases, the facts and the fiction. It is of paramount importance to all involved in the vein to vein chain of transfusion medicine. Transmissible Diseases and Blood Transfusion is an important reference for all hematologists and researchers involved in transfusion medicine.