John Kay

Failed business people who blame the banks rather than themselves identify themselves as people whose future ventures should not be supported.

Among European universities, Oxford has the best of reputation. Yet, as the gap between the best European insitutions for higher education widens in relation to top American universities, it is worth asking whether Oxford is, under the current system of management, capable of reform.

Tony Blair has shown decisive leadership qualities in putting forward necessary but unpopular proposals to restore universities’ freedom to set fees. It needs to be matched by similar qualities of leadership in the universities themselves.

The biggest universities in the world are clearly not the best. So why do some British universities think that mergers will make them world class?

The gap between American universities and the rest of the world is widening. The week in which the Nobel Prizes are awarded is an opportune time to ask why.

John recalls his thinking during the extraordinary years of the ‘new economy’.

Books that John has reviewed in the past…

John Kay responds to some of the criticisms that resulted from his recent article in Prospect Magazine.

The notion that effective management and free intellectual inquiry are incompatible derives from the belief that if you give people authority to fix Iris Murdoch’s bookshelves they will soon start telling her what to write.   This fear should not be discounted completely  – there are people like that – but there are also ample means [...]